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Charlton Heston, Gregory Peck, Jean Simmons, Carroll Baker, and Burl Ives in The Big Country (1958)

Gregory Peck: James McKay

The Big Country

Gregory Peck credited as playing...

James McKay

Photos94

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Quotes18

  • Patricia Terrill: [discussing McKay's "cowardice"] Don't you care what people think of you?
  • James McKay: I'm not responsible for what people think, Pat, only for what I am.
  • James McKay: [attempting to ride "Old Thunder"] Any advice?
  • Ramón Guiteras: Yes! Don't do it.
  • Patricia Terrill: Well, even when you rode Old Thunder, everybody knew it. Ramon knew it. Julie knew it. But me? Not a word. Why? You know how much it meant to me... with everybody laughing at me. And don't tell me they weren't. But you wouldn't do it for me. Why not? Why not for me?
  • James McKay: There's some things a man has to prove to himself alone... not to anyone else.
  • Patricia Terrill: Not even to the woman he loves.
  • James McKay: Least of all her... if she loves him.
  • James McKay: Tell me Leech, what did we prove?
  • Rufus Hannassey: [examining McKay's dueling pistols] These guns loaded?
  • James McKay: All but the caps. They haven't been fired for a long time - the vents will have to be cleared out. I'll do it for you, if you like.
  • Rufus Hannassey: Teach your grandmother to suck eggs! I've been handling guns like this, flintlock and caplock, since before you were born.
  • James McKay: [to Henry Terrill] But I wasn't lost.
  • Steve Leech: And I say you were lost! What were you doing out there for two days and two nights? Just riding around for pleasure?
  • James McKay: Mr. Leech, I knew exactly where I was all the time.
  • Steve Leech: You're a damn liar. You were the lostest-looking thing I've seen in ten years!
  • James McKay: If it's a fight you want, you've picked the right time for it, haven't you?
  • [Looks around at bystanders]
  • Steve Leech: Yeah, I'm offering you a fight. Or ain't that a nice word back east?
  • James McKay: You're gambling, Leech. You're gambling that if we fight, you can beat me. And you're gambling that if you beat me, Miss Terrill will admire you for it.
  • Steve Leech: Out here, we leave a lady's name out of an argument. But since you brought it up, let me tell you something. I think you took advantage of Miss Terrill when she was away from home. You look mighty big back there, but not out here. You're just not good enough for her, McKay. I aim to prove it, right here.
  • [Raises fist]
  • James McKay: You aren't going to prove anything with me, Leech. Get this through your head. I'm not playing this game on your terms. Not with horses or guns, or fists.
  • Steve Leech: I don't know that I would wear that hat too long around here, Mr. McKay.
  • James McKay: Oh, why not?
  • Steve Leech: Oh, one of these wild cowboys might take it into their head to shoot it off ya.
  • James McKay: I'm not going to go on living in the middle of a civil war.
  • James McKay: I was just about finished if it's okay with you.
  • James McKay: You wouldn't really be losing the place. If it's ours, in a way, it's still yours.
  • James McKay: Maybe this is a better hat than I thought it was.
  • James McKay: You're just using this as an excuse to start your own private war.
  • Ramón Guiteras: How do you like Blanco canyon?
  • James McKay: Hell of a place for a sailor.
  • Steve Leech: [Wakes up and lights match] You're lost again?
  • Steve Leech: [Lights lantern] Huh?
  • James McKay: [Nods] Just like before. I'll be leaving here in the morning, Leech.
  • Steve Leech: Oh... Yeah, I would figure, McKay. I don't know why you thought you had to come say good-bye.
  • James McKay: Good-bye that I have in mind will take a little more room than we have in here.
  • James McKay: [to Rufus Hannassey] This is nothing more than a personal feud between two selfish, ruthless, vicious old men. Henry Terrill, and you.
  • James McKay: Greenhorns always have to get knocked around a little.
  • James McKay: Don't shoot, fellas. I'll come peaceable.
  • James McKay: All the water you want, just as long as you want.

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