Rating: 
Summary: Not bad, but certainly not history, for those in doubt
Review:
This was the famous Howard Hughes's attempt to break into Hollywood. He's the guy who built The Hughes Took Company into an empire, flew air racers, built the "Spruce Goose", Hughes Air West, and a bunch of other accomplishments. He died a recluse who was obsessed with germs. He was the stuff that fables are made of. Jane Russell was one of his accomplishments.
The movie took seven years, they say, to be released--after it was completed. Hughes directed it. The male lead, Jack Beutel, who played Billy the Kid, was under contract to Hughes, where he languished. Hughes paid him, month after month, but never used him in any other film. He is somewhat reminiscent, in looks, of Audey Murphy (the most decorated soldier in WWII, who played himself in a film.) He reminds me of Murphy. The film depicted a highly fictional relationship between Doc Holliday and Billy (The Kid) Bonney, which is the product of the writer's fevered imagination. Although they were contemporaries, there is no evidence that they ever met. The Kid was a product of the Lincoln County wars (New Mexico), while Holliday was an acquaintance of Wyatt Earp, who came West from Dodge City, Kansas, to Tombstone, Arizona. Probably Earp nor
Holliday ever met Garrett or Billy in their lives. Holliday is played by Walter Huston in the film. The part of Pat Garrett (who actually killed the Kid, and wrote Billy's life story from stories he told him around the camp fire and things they experienced together--a copy of which I have, and have reviewed here) was played by Thomas Mitchell, who, although he played the part impeccably, was perhaps the most dubious job of casting in the film. The contender for that honor would have to be Huston as Holliday. Both highly unlikely candidates for those parts if you are at all interested in historical accuracy or even slight physical resemblance. In short, this has no resemblance to historical fact, although that is no drawback to the story's entertainment value. The only cast member to gain from the film would have to be Jane Russell, who played a few more parts before her career petered out. Nothing of consequence, I think. Huston and Mitchell were already made, and Beutel withered on the vine. Hughes' days as a director were definitely numbered. Joseph (Joe) Pierre
author of Handguns and Freedom...their care and maintenance
and other books
Rating:
Summary: Not bad, but certainly not history, for those in doubt
Review:
This was the famous Howard Hughes's attempt to break into Hollywood. He's the guy who built The Hughes Took Company into an empire, flew air racers, built the "Spruce Goose", Hughes Air West, and a bunch of other accomplishments. He died a recluse who was obsessed with germs. He was the stuff that fables are made of. Jane Russell was one of his accomplishments.
The movie took seven years, they say, to be released--after it was completed. Hughes directed it. The male lead, Jack Beutel, who played Billy the Kid, was under contract to Hughes, where he languished. Hughes paid him, month after month, but never used him in any other film. He is somewhat reminiscent, in looks, of Audey Murphy (the most decorated soldier in WWII, who played himself in a film.) He reminds me of Murphy. The film depicted a highly fictional relationship between Doc Holliday and Billy (The Kid) Bonney, which is the product of the writer's fevered imagination. Although they were contemporaries, there is no evidence that they ever met. The Kid was a product of the Lincoln County wars (New Mexico), while Holliday was an acquaintance of Wyatt Earp, who came West from Dodge City, Kansas, to Tombstone, Arizona. Probably Earp nor
Holliday ever met Garrett or Billy in their lives. Holliday is played by Walter Huston in the film. The part of Pat Garrett (who actually killed the Kid, and wrote Billy's life story from stories he told him around the camp fire and things they experienced together--a copy of which I have, and have reviewed here) was played by Thomas Mitchell, who, although he played the part impeccably, was perhaps the most dubious job of casting in the film. The contender for that honor would have to be Huston as Holliday. Both highly unlikely candidates for those parts if you are at all interested in historical accuracy or even slight physical resemblance. In short, this has no resemblance to historical fact, although that is no drawback to the story's entertainment value. The only cast member to gain from the film would have to be Jane Russell, who played a few more parts before her career petered out. Nothing of consequence, I think. Huston and Mitchell were already made, and Beutel withered on the vine. Hughes' days as a director were definitely numbered. Joseph (Joe) Pierre
author of Handguns and Freedom...their care and maintenance
and other books
Rating:
Summary: Not bad, but certainly not history, for those in doubt
Review:
This was the famous Howard Hughes's attempt to break into Hollywood. He's the guy who built The Hughes Took Company into an empire, flew air racers, built the "Spruce Goose", Hughes Air West, and a bunch of other accomplishments. He died a recluse who was obsessed with germs. He was the stuff that fables are made of. Jane Russell was one of his accomplishments.
The movie took seven years, they say, to be released--after it was completed. Hughes directed it. The male lead, Jack Beutel, who played Billy the Kid, was under contract to Hughes, where he languished. Hughes paid him, month after month, but never used him in any other film. He is somewhat reminiscent, in looks, of Audey Murphy (the most decorated soldier in WWII, who played himself in a film.) He reminds me of Murphy. The film depicted a highly fictional relationship between Doc Holliday and Billy (The Kid) Bonney, which is the product of the writer's fevered imagination. Although they were contemporaries, there is no evidence that they ever met. The Kid was a product of the Lincoln County wars (New Mexico), while Holliday was an acquaintance of Wyatt Earp, who came West from Dodge City, Kansas, to Tombstone, Arizona. Probably Earp nor
Holliday ever met Garrett or Billy in their lives. Holliday is played by Walter Huston in the film. The part of Pat Garrett (who actually killed the Kid, and wrote Billy's life story from stories he told him around the camp fire and things they experienced together--a copy of which I have, and have reviewed here) was played by Thomas Mitchell, who, although he played the part impeccably, was perhaps the most dubious job of casting in the film. The contender for that honor would have to be Huston as Holliday. Both highly unlikely candidates for those parts if you are at all interested in historical accuracy or even slight physical resemblance. In short, this has no resemblance to historical fact, although that is no drawback to the story's entertainment value. The only cast member to gain from the film would have to be Jane Russell, who played a few more parts before her career petered out. Nothing of consequence, I think. Huston and Mitchell were already made, and Beutel withered on the vine. Hughes' days as a director were definitely numbered. Joseph (Joe) Pierre
author of Handguns and Freedom...their care and maintenance
and other books
Rating: 
Summary: Memorable western
Review: Among the infinite versions of the legend of Billy the Kid, this one is by far the most extraordinary. And I say it for two reasons. The first one is that the film combines three essential elements always present in a good script: love, friendship and treason. Everything's fine between Doc Holliday and Pat Garrett, until Billy the Kid comes up. He steals Doc's horse and, despite of this, Doc becomes his friend and protector, which makes Pat swear to God we will catch both of them. Between the gunmen is the lovely Rio (Jane Russell, in an unforgettable performance), a character too sexy and too provocative for a mid-forties western. Her presence is a guarantee of a bizarre and unexpected love triangle. The second reason is, since this story is a legend, everything is possible, even changing the obvious ending. Maybe you'll get disappointed with the conclusion but certainly it will make you reflect upon the oldest dilemma of mankind: the good and the evil.
Rating: 
Summary: One star for each
Review: Having recently seen the 2004 film THE AVIATOR about millionaire aircraft designer Howard Hughes, I was compelled to see THE OUTLAW, a major motion picture directed by Hughes in 1941. My interest was purely intellectual, mind you. It had nothing to do with the director's fixation on the cleavage and opulent ... well, you know ... of its 19-year old starlet, Jane Russell, which sparked a spirited battle between Hughes and the censors of the Production Code Administration, delayed the film's release until 1943 (and almost immediate withdrawal), and resulted in subsequent edits and re-releases in 1946 and 1950.
Hughes should have stuck with building airplanes.
THE OUTLAW may be a classic, but that doesn't prevent it from also being patently ridiculous. It brings together the outlaw/bad boy Billy the Kid (Jack Buetel), lawman Pat Garrett (Thomas Mitchell), and dentist/gambler/gunfighter Doc Holliday (Walter Huston) in New Mexico in the summer of 1881. Here, the Kid and Holliday get chummy despite quarreling over a horse and Doc's petulant girlfriend, Rio (Russell). In the meantime, Sheriff Pat becomes jealous that his heretofore good friend Holliday is spending so much time with the notorious outlaw Billy, whom Garrett would just as soon arrest or shoot dead for fame's sake. After being chased by the de rigueur band of hostile Native Americans, the four principals - six, if you count Jane's ... well, you know - gather round for a final confrontation. Here, Garrett's attempt to disarm Billy is so dopey and so awkwardly choreographed with unbelievably bad dialogue that it virtually reduces this sagebrush drama to farce. It doesn't help that Buetel's the Kid occasionally comes across as a young and sweet tempered Jimmy Stewart - someone you'd be thrilled to have your teenage daughter marry.
Hollywood never shirks from playing fast and loose with historical fact. So, while viewing THE OUTLAW, one should keep in mind that:
1. Pat Garrett did indeed gun down Billy the Kid in July 1881.
2. There's no evidence that either Garrett or Billy ever met Doc Holliday.
3. Holliday died in his bed of tuberculosis in Glenwood Springs, CO on November 8, 1887.
After seeing this film, I was amazed that Hughes managed to squeeze perhaps 30 minutes of substance into 1 hour and 58 minutes, and that Jane's ... well, you know ... caused such a scandal in shots that were positively innocuous by today's standards. At one point, after Rio falls into a pond, Hughes declined the opportunity to display Russell in full-frontal, wet T-shirt glory. I was crushed, but believe in my heart that Howard considered the option for a brief moment at least.
If I had to do it all over again, I wouldn't waste my time with this nonsense. I am, however, awarding two stars - one to each of Jane's ... well, you know.
Rating:
Summary: A budget edition of medium quality
Review: I found the image quality of this edition (Platinum Disc Corporation) to be varied. The first few minutes seemed jittery and blurred, but then seemed to improve. Maybe I just got used to it. Overall I would rate image quality acceptable in light of the low price. There was also a problem reaching the menu, and I had to play around with the remote for a while to find it.
As for the film itself, if you are not familiar with it you might be amused by the way the ever present musical score answers and comments on the dialog. One caveat: don't be misled by the stated 123-minute running time into thinking that this is the uncensored version. The running time, at least on the disk I saw, was 115 minutes, whereas I understand that the uncensored version runs for 117 minutes.
Rating:
Summary: The Outlaw
Review: I have seen this movie many times on television, and I must confess that Ishould have taped it instead of purchasing the DVD version from Platinum. The video was jumpy and the menu was very hard to get too. If you plan on buying this DVD, save your money. Budget price also means inferiour poduct!
Rating:
Summary: I love this quirky movie
Review: Ok, so it's not a "film." It has interesting little twists that are enjoyable and surprising and has some good characters, too, like the tia. Jane doesn't really act so much as smolder, but that's all right. I liked Jack Buetel even though he wasn't much of an actor (looks like he was in one other western and then vanished from sight). Of course it isn't history anymore than it's art! So I guess the conclusion of this review is that you may need to bring more forgiveness to "The Outlaw" than you would normally bring, but I think it's worth the trouble.
Rating:
Summary: The myth is not that clear
Review: The legend of Billy the Kid has always been fascinating in the cinema and western folklore. We do not actually know perfectly well what happened. The official version is that he was killed by an officer of law. But other more romantic versions exist. This film takes the stand of the legend : Billy the Kid survived and lived a long and old life with his enamour. The film is very well thought to permit this outcome. That is its main interest. The acting though is kind of average. The pleasure is in the logic of the argument, though the Indians in the film seem to be rather naive and simpleminded.
Dr Jacques COULARDEAU
Rating: 
Summary: Waxing the Kitchen Floor Would Be More Entertaining
Review: There's a reason you've never heard of actor Jack Buetel: if you wax your kitchen floor you'll generate more excitement in five seconds than Buetel manages throughout the course of the film. Work a few seconds more and you'll also surpass the whole entertainment value of the entire movie. In keeping with Buetel, supporting actors Walter Huston and Thomas Mitchell eschew their normally excellent work in favor of some truly dismal performances. And then, of course, there are the real stars of the film, Jane Russell's breasts. Now, it is true that THE OUTLAW ran into censorship problems because of Jane Russell's breasts, which appear here, there, and everywhere in the film--but they haven't (ahem!) held up over the years; by today's standards it's all pretty much Brady Bunch stuff, and if you're really interested in Jane Russell's charms you'll find them displayed to considerably greater advantage in any number of her later films.
|
