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:

Male Female Relationship | Aging | Gold Shipment | Drunken Judge | Shooting Gallery

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)
Robert Creighton Williams		uncredited and
Sam Peckinpah		uncredited

Produced by
Richard E. Lyons	....	producer

Original Music by
George Bassman

Cinematography by
Lucien Ballard		(director of photography)

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)
• Turner Entertainment (1991) (USA) (VHS)
• Turner Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD) (special widescreen edition)
• Comet Video (????) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Turner Entertainment  package design
• 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

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

West Germany:16 | Australia:PG | UK:A (1962) (cut) | UK:PG | Finland:K-16 | USA:Approved

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

This film was selected to the National Film Registry, Library of Congress, in 1992.

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:

Billy Hammond: You know, Elder, I hate to get married with one of my brothers smellin' bad enough to gag a dog off a Gut Wagon.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in A Justified Life: Sam Peckinpah and the High Country (2006) (V)

Randolph Scott and Joel McCrea are excellent in this!

Director: Sam Peckinpah, Script: NB Stone Jr. Cast: Randolph Scott (Gill Westrum), Joel McCrea (Steve Judd), Mariette Hartley (Elsa Knudsen), Ron Starr(Heck Longtree)

Many of Sam Peckinpah's westerns involve aging outlaws, cowboys or lawmen living in the late period west trying to deal with the disappearing frontier. In this early Peckinpah movie, the aging lawmen are Joel McCrea and Randolph Scott. Randolph Scott plays the part of Steve Judd. Judd is hired to guard gold that is to be shipped from the nearby mine. He hires his old friend Gill Westrum and a young kid by the name of Heck(Ron Starr) to help him. Gill and Huck have other ideas. They want to steal the gold! Along the way, they meet a young women who Heck takes to right away. Trying to liberate herself from her strict and fundamentalist father, she gets involved with Bill Hammond. He is the leader of the Hammond brothers who work the mine. He is bad company. Gill, Steve and Huck save her from the abuse of Billy Hammond.

This film is part of the Sam Pechinpah collection box set that Warner released a few months back.(It can be purchased separately,but I highly recommend the box set.) People that are very familiar with western film in particular and the work of Peckinpah in general, probably already know how good this movie is. If you only know Peckinpah for The Wild Bunch, I highly recommend that you buy this DVD. This is a great film. One thing that sets it apart from many of his other films is the scenery. Most if his westerns are filmed in the southwestern U.S. or Mexico with wide open and barren desert landscapes. This movie was filmed in California's Sierra Nevadas at Inyo National Forest. Consequently, the scenery is beautiful.

Randolph Scott and Joel McCrea are legendary actors. This film is considered by many to be among their finest. I was very impressed by their performances. Gill turns against Steve when he tries to steal the gold but by films end they join forces along with Heck to do battle against the Hammond boys. This movie features a very early performance from Mariette Hartley. Although much younger, many will recognize her from the Polaroid and Celistial Seasonings Tea commercials. Peckinpah regulars LQ Jones and Warren Oats are also in this as two of the Hammond Brothers. This movie does have some violence but nothing compared to The wild Bunch. I believe this is Peckinpah's second feature film. It was released in 1962. You can see how his films changed with the times when one compares this with his works from the late sixties and seventies. This is one of my favourite Peckinpah films. Highly recommended!