Review of Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid (1973) by Stacie — 08 Aug 2007

I expected more I guess when I was younger. As the years wore on, and the years wear on you, the film gathers more meaning especially when you look from Pat Garrett's viewpoint. I finally found a director's cut and the film suddenly made more sense.

Peckinpah disavowed the film as released and the cutting was certainly jerky in the original release. If you enjoy seeing a platoon of the old character actors, this film is for you, and the director's cut adds even more characters that add to enjoyment.

This film has no heroes, however, and good and evil is blurred. Pat Garrett is the most interesting and ambiguous man in the film, and Coburn's interpretation is worth the watch.