Review of Billy the Kid (1989) by Ashley H — 07 Feb 2007

You can count on one hand the things this film has in common with real story of Billy the Kid, but if you aren't thrown off by inaccuracy, then this is a wonderfully entertaining and finely portrayed depiction of the Kid.

Robert Taylor is superb in a role he's nearly decade too old for. He's hard-bitten and tough as nails, but hurt inside is clear without being overplayed. I've never thought of Robert Taylor as ever being underrated, but if ever he was, it's in this.

Taylor and the dialogue, which is hard-boiled and doesn't always go where you'd expect it to go, are real points of interest in this movie, along with some geographically wide-ranging Technicolor photography that is luscious to look at.

The other aspects of the movie are pretty standard fare, some less bearable than others. But Taylor is a revelation here. This picture is worth watching.