TCM Greatest Classic Film Collection: Westerns (The Stalking Moon / Ride the High Country / Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid / Chisum)

This is simply one of the best westerns ever made - a very touching, elegiac mood piece, starring two icons of the cinema, Randolph Scott and Joel McCrea, giving brilliant performances. The supporting cast is perfect and Peckinpah's direction could not be better, and of course he contributed majorly to the screenplay. The film is filled with classic dialogue. While Peckinpah purportedly hated the score by George Bassman, he was wrong, just as he was wrong about initially hating the Fielding score to The Wild Bunch - but that was Peckinpah for you. The Bassman score has a wonderful theme, and while it does resort to a bit of mickey-mousing once or twice, mostly it works perfectly.This film was a horrible mess on DVD, so it's nice to report that it looks terrific on this Warner Archive Blu-ray - perfect color (finally!) and sharp and beautiful. If you've never seen this you must rectify that situation immediately.

I have liked Randolph Scott and Joel McCrea for awhile now and they both make great westerns! This is no exception and with it now in HD, you cannot go wrong. The job done here for this Blu-ray is outstanding. It's near flawless in picture and sound. I loved watching it on the 55".The two actors form a business partnership to go and transport Gold Dust from a high mining camp and then back down to the town's bank for deposit. Along the way, the son of "Randolph Scott's character" joins them after a rough start at the local saloon. They then go see a man they know for an overnight stay. He has a daughter, a young Mariette Hartley. The son becomes smitten with her only to find out she has a suitor. All is not lost though as she comes to liking him over time. The wedding of her and her suitor doesn't last long in the camp and problems arise. Things don't go well and she tells all, I am not going back!The two men in the business partnership, leave town as soon as they can with the Gold Dust collected for deposit.The son and newlywed "Hartley" follow suit as they are all eager to get out of that mining camp.It's a great movie and the recent release of this is just another reason to get this now in HD!There is a vintage Featurette on the movie, brought over from the initial DVD release and the Theatrical Trailer.There is Audio Commentary.The Featurette is good to see, however, it is not HD and there is no new interviews with filmmakers or any actors.Highly recommended for western fans!

Good telling of the old west in gold rush days. Two aging cowboys ( Scott and McCrea ) meet up in a town and begin a new journey to go to a gold mining town and attempt to bring down the gold dust to a bank without incurring the same fate as the others being shot and robbed. When Scott brings his son they both hide the fact that they really are going to rob the gold dust with or without the help of McCrea. On the way to Gold strike they meet a young and vibrant Marriet Hartley who is dying to get away from her preacher like father who considers all men a threat to his lovely daughter, who is of age .After some shenanigans 'with Scotts Son she leaves her father and joins the trio on the way to gold strike to meet the man who asked her hand in marriage .When she arrives in gold strike she is besieged by the almost all male " town ' and is quickly jumped on by the brothers of her fiancée. Although gold strike has hookers and a house of ill repute these men all want her and spend their time trying to jump her . She changes her mind after she is married and all hell breaks out as the horny brothers try to stop Hartley from leaving with the gold dust handlers. On the way back to the bank both father and son let McCrea know their intentions about the gold and are quickly sheriffed by McCrea while the horny brothers plot their attack . In the end Scotts evil intentions about the gold are gone and the son falls for Heartly.

This stately morality tale, beautifully photographed in scenic Utah locations, features late life performances by Randolph Scott and Joel McCrea which may be the best work they ever did. It is a grand, thought-provoking Sam Peckinpah creation which is wonderful to see in a high definition Blu Ray transfer.

One, if not the best, westerns ever made, featuring two of the greatest stars ever to ride off into a sunset, Randolph Scott and Joel McCrea. The ultimate performances of their careers. A must see, again and again, for any movie fan, not just Western buffs.

Although uneven, this movie provides a glimpse into what the west was probably like, difficult, dirty and above all dangerous. If I did not give it a full 5 stars it is because the trust one lead character places on the other (Scott) does not appear justified. Nevertheless, this remains an important film that should be seen by any film enthusiast!

Predictable, cliched, story and unremarkable acting. All characters were cardboard without dimension. The open country scenery was nice though. The best scene was the bad guy dying on the hillside with his horse watching. Nice faceplant and tumble, dude. I figure Amazon owes me $3 of the $4 I spent to rent this movie.

It is a pure joy to watch this visually improved slice of cinema history. It is a real classic of the Peckinpah genre with a strong story told by a director who does not pull his punches. I don't think I have ever seen another film with either of the two main stars giving a better performance. In a sense, it is a classical tale of another genre - a type of prodigal son re-working- where an honest man is bent by circumstance from the path of honesty that he has become used to following. It also highlights the characters of both men in similar circumstances where one wears a shirt with frayed cuff while the other has become something of a showman con man. While everyone sees different things in a story like this, for me it is a story of redemption where good, eventually. triumphs over evil. It is also almost worth watching for the scenery alone as I doubt whether the vista is as pristine today as it was when filmed. An interesting environmental comment from Judd to the young coyboy when he throws his paper wrapper on the ground "Pick that up! These mountains don't need your trash!"No trash here though - highly recommended.

As expected....Randolph Scott, his best film...+ Joel Mcrea....good team...

Good copy of a classic film.

I grew up watching classic westerns during the 60’s but I never came across Ride the High Country then. Maybe there was not enough shoot em up for my young tastes. Maybe it did not screen in theatres in my home town..In fact I did not notice this movie until I was well into my 50’s and I …was blown away! How appropriate that this be Randolph Scott’s last picture! What a swan song!I have seen it a numer of times since then and I am still moved by the dialogue before , during and after the final conflict. To be honest, I still get choked up when Joel McCrae makes his exit.What a wonderful way for Sam Peckinpaw and Marietta Hartley to start their careers off.I cannot recommend this picture enough. It is amongst my top 10 favourites!

Magnifique ! Western et en même temps regard aimant et infiniment respectueux sur le genre western. Equilibre parfait entre la matière du film et la position de ce dernier dans l'histoire américaine du cinéma et dans celle de la conquête de l'Ouest. Les codes du genre sont respectés, les personnages jouent leur partition, avec profondeur et densité, l'enchaînement des évènements est sans grande surprise mais sans que tout cela ne paraisse jamais scolaire ou forcé ; en même temps l'Ouest est démythifié, avec ces personnages has-been ou avec le village des mineurs. Le dernier plan est évidemment emblématique. Un film amoureux, qu'on aime sans réserve ! Et tous ces critiques qui parlent de "western crépusculaire" m'énervent : c'est filmé avec des couleurs d'automne flamboyantes !