The film itself was a big hit, finishing fourth at the domestic box office in 1958. and second in the UK. At the time of release, reviews for "The Big Country" were mixed, regarding the producers' prioritization of characterization versus technical filmmaking; opinions on Peck's performance were also disparate. In recent decades, critical opinion of "The Big Country" has generally risen although there is still disagreement; many prominent critics and publications describe the cinematography as excellent, some laud Peck's performance, and some cite the film as too long.