Review of Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid (1973) by Zane T — 30 Sep 2009

Twenty years before Clint Eastwood made Unforgiven, Sam Peckinpah made his version of the Old West gunslinger and the man out to hunt him down. If you've seen the Young Guns movies, then this movie is somewhat similar.

Unfortunately, Peckinpah's decision to cast a who's who of western actors, such as Slim Pickens, Chill Willis, Matt Clark, Jack Elam, L.Q. Jones, etc., seems more like a gimmick. Jason Robards has one scene as the governor that he phones in.

James Coburn does what he can portraying Pat Garrett as the outlaw turned lawmen and he does a good job as man who is neither good nor bad, but Kris Kristoferson, minus his beard, is poorly miscast as Billy the Kid.

And Bob Dylan's character has nothing to do but act like Bob Dylan in a western. Dylan does a better score and Peckinpah uses it to good use, as well as "Knocking on Heaven's Door" playing during scenes of violence.

There were a lot of production problems reported in this movie and Peckinpah more or less disowned this movie because it wasn't long enough. Well, it seems too long as it is.