Ride the High Country (1962)

7.4Approved94 minDirector: Sam Peckinpah

1962 film by Sam Peckinpah

Ride the High Country (released internationally as Guns in the Afternoon) is a 1962 American CinemaScope Western film directed by Sam Peckinpah and starring Randolph Scott, Joel McCrea, and Mariette Hartley. The supporting cast includes Edgar Buchanan, James Drury, Warren Oates, and Ron Starr. The film's script, though credited solely to veteran TV screenwriter N.B. Stone Jr., was – according to producer Richard E. Lyons – almost entirely the work of Stone's friend and colleague, William S. Roberts, and Peckinpah himself.

In 1992, Ride the High Country was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the United States Library of Congress as being deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant

The film featured Scott's final screen performance. After this film, Joel McCrea did not make another feature film until 1970. That year saw him make Cry Blood, Apache, with his son Jody. He appeared in The Young Rounders in 1972. His final film appearance was in 1976 in Mustang Country.

Plot summary adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

FAQ

What is Ride the High Country about?
Ride the High Country (1962) — Aging ex-marshal Steve Judd is hired by a bank to transport a gold shipment through dangerous territory. He hires an old partner, Gil Westrum, and his young protege Heck to assist him. Steve doesn't know, however, that Gil and Heck plan to steal the gold, with or without Steve's
Is Ride the High Country based on a true story?
See the production background and source material details on the official Wikipedia article.
Is Ride the High Country scary?
Content rating: Approved. See the reviews tab for parental guidance and tone notes.