MovieChat Forums > The Big Country Discussion > Rufus's Entrance

Rufus's Entrance

posted 11 years ago by wllnorkin
7 replies | jump to latest

Is one the best I have ever seen in any movie.
Ives was excellent in that scene.

[–] turtletommy 11 years ago

Yes agree and he was excellent throughout. I'm sure that speech by itself won him the Oscar.

[–] vinidici 11 years ago

I remember when they aired this movie on network television in the 1970's; I was a teenager at the time and it was my first viewing. I had seen some of Ives' work in other pictures and TV programs but I remember being quite impressed by his bravura turn as Rufus and especially his lengthy opening scene / monologue as well as in all of his scenes with Chuck Connors. Ives had "Oscar" written all over him in 1958 -- he also starred as "Big Daddy" in CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF, in another award-worthy performance.

Okay folks, show's over, nothing to see here!

[–] jondoe888 11 years ago

Glad I clicked on this topic. I never knew he won an Oscar for this. And I always thought he should have. What a great performance! I mostly knew Burl as a folk singer.
And I rarely pay much attention to awards. They don't always align with reality. But I'd like to see ~10 trophies given out for 'best scene'. Rufus' would have fit this category.

[–] kelley-michael 10 years ago

Charlton Heston thought Chuck Conners (I feel he should have been considered too.)should have been nominated as well. But I agree one of my favorite scenes in the entire film. it was so mesmerizing.

paid for by the Catherine Bell & Carla Gugino campaign for President and Vice President.

[–] p25735-261-505738 8 years ago

Chuck Connors was outstanding. I didn't know he was capable of a performance like that.

[–] vinidici 8 years ago

Buck Hennessey was the performance of Connors' career.

As I said elsewhere, Connors was more often a mediocre actor, but there were times when he touched on greatness, as in THE BIG COUNTRY.

I also said in other threads that Connors was the best actor to have ever come out of major league sports (the Chicago Cubs and NBA basketball.) Many pro atheletes had an acting career, and some were better than others; but Chuck Connors was the best of the lot!

[–] liscarkat (18605) 2 years ago

You're right, Connors was brilliant in "The Big Country", and was the best of all the former pro ballplayer actors. He should have been nominated for Best Supporting Actor for Buck Hannassy, but then he would have been competing with his colleague Burl Ives. I've also seen all of "The Rifleman" episodes multiple times, "Branded", "Arrest and Trial", "Cowboy in Africa", "Geronimo", and many other of his performances, but I've never seen him be "mediocre".