Review of The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean (1972) by Jd T — 02 Nov 2008

Probably my most favorite Paul Newman film. Newman as Roy Bean takes over a town after being hung by a gang of desperados. His life is saved by a local Mexican girl (gorgeously portrayed by Victoria Principal in her film debut).

The comedic angle on a Western bio made this so enjoyable. Cameos abound as people either pass through town or are judged and hung. Familiar faces such as Anthony Perkins, Ned Beatty, Stacy Keach and director John Huston all shine as good guys and bad guys alike.

It is hilarious to hear the criminals explain their lives through narration before their demise. More fiction than fact but it's amazing to see how the town gets built around Bean's saloon/courthouse known as "The Jersey Lilly".

This is a charming take on a legendary cowboy who named himself Judge and named "his" town Langtry, Texas, after his love for actress Miss Lillie Langtry (played by Ava Gardner). However, this film tries to do too much which may be why it gets such mixed reviews from viewers.

It was not a straight comedy or bio-pic. It is not historically accurate. It doesn't serve to make Judge Roy Bean a hero or a hipocrite. It's not a straight love story or a straight Western. If you are a Western purist, this is not the film for you.

I found this to be an enjoyable look at a unique human (Bean) played by a unique human (Newman) in his acting prime directed by a unique human (Huston) and written by a unique human (John Milius).