The Big Country : What was the future for McKay and Leech?

I used to assume that Leech and Pat would marry and have a tumultuous, probably not overly happy marriage. The possibility that Leech would eventually become McKays foreman seems equally probable, and certainly more interesting. Leech may not like McKay, but he clearly began to respect McKay as the film progressed. Jean Simmonss character had told McKay he would need a top foreman when they were negotiating for the sale of the The Big Muddy. I am not sure McKay would necessarily try to hire Leech away from Pat after the death of the Major, as Pat would certainly need Leech to run the ranch. McKay does not seem like the type to deprive Pat of Leechs services at that critical time. I can, however, see Leech not being very happy working for Pat, who has never given any indication of loving Leech (even though they are clearly otherwise compatible). Unrequited love can be difficult to live with, especially seeing the other person daily. If so, a scenario could evolve in which Leech would eventually leave the ranch, and end up working for McKay. McKay respects Leechs abilities as a foreman, and would presumably treat Leech with the appropriate respect, and guide the younger Leech from time to time if necessary in the handling of men and situations. I could also see the very selfish Pat, who has no ability or desire to read or understand people, running off key employees and slowly making the ranch unprofitable. Pat also seems like the type who would resent McKay and Julie being happy and successful. It is not hard to imagine Pat eventually wanting to live elsewhere, and perhaps selling her ranch to McKay.

In the book the Major and Rufus do not die. Steve and Pat were already carrying on an affair before the whole fight happened. Pat decides(whilst he is injured or unconscious - I can't remember) that she and Steve will go east to get away from all that is going on.

Jim ends up with Julie.

The only Abnormality is the incapacity to love

I figure Leech would stay on at Ladder Ranch as its foreman. And Pat would find another "dude" similar to Jim McKay (albeit someone who is a hanger-on doing whatever she tells or expects him to do). The last scene in the movie with Jim, Julie & Ramon riding off into the sunset seems to suggest that Ramon would end up as Jim's foreman. He's already experienced at ranching and Julie said that Ramon once worked at Big Muddy.

I think Ramon will end up as foreman for Jim and Julie, but I think that eventually Steve will find a new place to go to, because Pat will find some other person to take Jim's place ( and that person will likely not be one that Commands respect like Jim does). I also believe that like Buck Hannassey (Chuck Connors), Pat is weak and thus is much worse then tMakor Terrill( Charles Bickford). Why no matter what you think of the Major or Refus Hannassey ( Burl Ives), at least they are not that and are able to command respect. I also believe he will realize that he can never have Pat ( because she wants someone weaker than her ( which is what she thought about Jim)).

I think gancommercial nailed it pretty accurately, at least according to the movie version, where we can assume both Rufus and the Major are dead. Patricia's life pretty much revolved around her father. With his loss, I expect she she would start to "grow up" pretty quickly. She had been living for him, so would be obliged to reevaluate her life. Steve Leech, with his new-found sense of decency, to honor the Major's memory, might offer to stay on and help her with the ranch, with no strings attached, in which case, he would finally learn what it means, to be a gentleman. It would then be up to her, whether they got together or not. She might reject him, and send him away, or see in him the man she is meant to be with. If they were to marry, Steve would suddenly find himself to be quite wealthy, but I don't think he would try to force himself on her, as he did earlier in the film.

Julie and Jim had the whole world waiting for them. He had seen managing the Big Muddy as a solution to the feud, but now that that problem was "settled," he might not consider ranching a priority anymore. More than anything, I think he would want to please Julie. They might travel the world for a while. Perhaps live in London or Paris. Who knows? Given his financial assets, they were free to do as they liked, to live happily ever after, but, even though they were in love, they barely knew each other, yet.

McKay will marry Julie, and after short time will get dissatisfied and some night will knock on the Terrill's bunkhouse door. A sleepy Leach will open the door, and, choking back tears, McKay will say, "I wish I knew how to quit you."

I like to think McKay and Julie move to the midwest where she secures a job teaching at a university and McKay goes into law.

Pat and Leech. . .who cares? She is too shallow to care
about in the slightest.

now Ramone; I hope he winds up in an environment where his ernestness and honesty are appreciated.

"Doan do it!"

There is none. It's a movie, not reality.

Perhaps these message boards aren't the place for anyone lacking either the inclination or the imagination to engage in idle but stimulating chats about fictional characters, their motivations, their possible future outcomes, etc.



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The way I see it, McKay could either go back East and take Julie with him as they pursue a relationship together while Julie gets a job teaching at a bigger school and McKay finds something else to do with himself or he might stay, feeling obligated to serve as an unofficial peace keeper between the two clans and try his hand at ranching while Julie continues to serve as the schoolmarm.


Leech might stay on at the Terrill ranch for a while out of obligation to the late Major Terrill, maybe train a new foreman before moving on for better pastures - possibly going to work for McKay.


As for Pat Terrill, well her options are -

1) Go on the way she always, misreading people, misunderstanding people, being a spoiled overgrown brat and maybe even carry on the feud with the Hennessy clan just out of spite or feeling obligated to do so for Daddy's memory.


2) Realize and accept the fact that her father brought his death upon himself and, free of his influence, finally become a better person and renounce the violent ways of her father by letting go of the feud.