Ride the High Country (1962)

Director:

Sam Peckinpah

Writer:

N.B. Stone Jr. (written by)
(more)

Release Date:

28 July 1962 (Japan)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | Romance | Western

Plot:

An ex-lawman is hired to transport gold from a mining community through dangerous territory. But what he doesn't realize is that his partner and old friend is plotting to double-cross him.

Plot Keywords:

Gold | Partner | Gold Shipment | Bank | Friend

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award. Another 1 win

Cast

Randolph Scott	...	Gil Westrum
Joel McCrea	...	Steve Judd
Mariette Hartley	...	Elsa Knudsen
Ron Starr	...	Heck Longtree
Edgar Buchanan	...	Judge Tolliver
R.G. Armstrong	...	Joshua Knudsen
Jenie Jackson	...	Kate
James Drury	...	Billy Hammond
L.Q. Jones	...	Sylvus Hammond
John Anderson	...	Elder Hammond
John Davis Chandler	...	Jimmy Hammond
Warren Oates	...	Henry Hammond
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Byron Foulger	...	Abner Sampson (uncredited)
Frank Hagney	...	Miner (uncredited)
Percy Helton	...	Luther Sampson (uncredited)
Michael T. Mikler	...	Hank (uncredited)
Carmen Phillips	...	Saloon girl (uncredited)

Directed by
Sam Peckinpah

Writing credits
N.B. Stone Jr.		(written by)
Sam Peckinpah		uncredited
Robert Creighton Williams		uncredited

Produced by
Richard E. Lyons	....	producer

Original Music by
George Bassman

Cinematography by
Lucien Ballard

Film Editing by
Frank Santillo

Art Direction by
Leroy Coleman
George W. Davis

Set Decoration by
Henry Grace
Otto Siegel

Makeup Department
Mary Keats	....	hair stylist
William Tuttle	....	makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Hal W. Polaire	....	assistant director (as Hal Polaire)

Sound Department
Franklin Milton	....	recording supervisor

Stunts
Bill Catching	....	stunts (uncredited)
Al Wyatt Sr.	....	stunts (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Charles K. Hagedon	....	color consultant

Music Department
George Bassman	....	conductor

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (presents)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1962) (USA) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1962) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Concorde Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1966) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1991) (USA) (VHS)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1962) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Comet Video (????) (USA) (DVD)
• Esselte Video (????) (Finland) (video)
• Living Colour Entertainment (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1979) (1987) (1997) (Finland) (TV)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (Finland) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1991) (Finland) (TV)

Other Companies

• U.S. Forest Service  thanks (as Forest Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture)

Also Known As:

Guns in the Afternoon (UK)

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Chinese

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

UK:PG | West Germany:16 | Australia:PG | UK:A (1962) (cut) | Canada:PG (video rating) | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:T | Finland:K-16 | USA:Approved (certificate #20105)

Filming Locations:

Bronson Canyon, Griffith Park - 4730 Crystal Springs Drive, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

The film had originally been intended for Gary Cooper and John Wayne, but Cooper died before filming began.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: In the scene in which Joel McCrea enters the bank's bathroom, attached to the reservoir tank for the toilet is a modern shut-off valve.

Quotes:

Steve Judd: I was drunk - sicker than a dog.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession (2004) (TV)

Poignant, bitter sweet

The just don't make movies like this any more. In genre that no longer sees many worthy entries, this movie stands high. Especially interesting is the fact that it is Randolph Scott's last movie and Joel McCrea's last starring role. These last two giants of the American Western shine in this wonderful film. When you watch this movie, you are looking into the past: both the old west and an America where the good guys triumphed in the end. Some may argue it is unrealistic, and some may prefer the murky line in between good and bad, but as McCrea and Scott prove, doing the right thing isn't always the easiest path to take.