An early, traditional Western from Peckinpah, featuring major performances from two of the kings of the genre, Joel McCrea and Randolph Scott. The last image of the film is incredibly moving.

Early as this movie comes in Peckinpah's filmography, one can see evidence of the themes he'll pursue more fully in movies like "The Wild Bunch". "Ride the High Country" is a solid little flick anchored by a good story and an excellent cast.

549

Vastly overrated and dated

#562

Not a great western, the plot is a little too disjointed for that, but a fine movie indeed by young master Peckinpah.

Great ending! Joel McCrea and Randolph Scott own this movie.

Laying much of the groundwork for and bearing a bunch of the trademarks of Peckinpah's later work, among them the leering, lecherous villains and the abundance of machismo, this is a solid little western. The standoff scene towards the end is textbook cool.

Fabulous ending, in more ways than one for Scott, what a way to leave the movies. And Warren Oates is as shady as ever. Only downside for me is the soundtrack...

Well, not bad for a Peckinpah. One of his earlier films, it's still drenched in that ugly nihilism that I find unappealing, but it's tempered with a note of optimism. Veterans Randolph Scott and Joel McCrea are excellent as two grizzled gunslingers on different paths to retirement. The film moves briskly and is mostly free of annoyances (a couple of obnoxious bits, but nothing nearly as awful as Cable Hogue). I still think Peckinpah is overrated, but this one was relatively enjoyable.

# 561

Excellently bleak Peckinpah western. A few parts of the story could have used a tad more fleshing out, but the character arcs are complex and the ending is terrific.

A little bit reminiscent of The Searchers, but MUCH better. I wish someone would cut the god-awful soundtrack out of this. That sappy orchestral crap that tries to tell you how to feel at every given moment may work for old John Ford westerns, but this is Peckinpah. Early Peckinpah, but already harsh, complex and gritty, and the music hurts it severely.

Less colorful than we expect from Peckinpah but still good

571

Excellent pacing and just the right whiff of the early Peckinpah grit he would later excel with (in a more traditional western package). I've never seen either McCrea or Scott turn in performances quite this strong.