‘Ride the High Country’

This 1962 release is a western fable about two aging gunfighters (Joel McCrea and Randolph Scott) of conflicting moralities and their quest for gold, a woman, and honor. Despite studio indifference, this was perhaps the one time in his career Sam Peckinpah enjoyed an uncomplicated, nearly universal critical response: The movie was instantly hailed as a modern Western classic. It is. Ron Starr (pictured) also stars (TNT Monday at 1 p.m.).

Other selected four-star films airing this week:

Anatomy of a Murder / Showtime, Monday, 3 p.m.

Top Hat / AMC, Tuesday, 6:30 a.m.

In Cold Blood / TMC, Tuesday, 3:45 p.m.

Mary Poppins / TBS, Wednesday, 7:35 p.m.

Destry Rides Again / AMC, Thursday, 1:45 p.m.

Atlantic City / TMC, Friday, 5:45 p.m.