The Left Handed Gun (1958)

[Tucumcari Bound]

After his employer is murdered by rival cattlemen, a troubled and uneducated young cowboy (Paul Newman) vows revenge on the murderers.

Paul Newman as Billy the Kid? I wasn't aware of this film until tonight when I came across it. I have never seen this or even heard of it. I've read some positive things about the film and I'm curious to see it. Is anybody familiar with this film? If so, what's your opinion? Thanks!

[Ben Tyreen]

 I haven't seen it, but I've read reviews that say Newman's Billy the Kid is a psycho, whiney little teenager.  Of course, with Newman doing it, the movie might be worth it.

 Also, the picture that showed Billy the Kid as a lefty was actually taken backwards, I think.  I may be forgetting the story I read, but in reality I believe he was right-handed.

[Tucumcari Bound]

I haven't seen it, but I've read reviews that say Newman's Billy the Kid is a psycho, whiney little teenager.  Of course, with Newman doing it, the movie might be worth it.

 Also, the picture that showed Billy the Kid as a lefty was actually taken backwards, I think.  I may be forgetting the story I read, but in reality I believe he was right-handed.

Yeah, I've read numerous times he was right-handed as well. It's fine though how some films are based on myth. We see that all the time.

[titoli]

I had already seen this 30 years ago and was bored to death. this time I wasn't so bored but not enthused either. Let's say that it is apparent the story and the direction aimed at something different from the usual retelling of the myth. The problem is I couldn't guess what that was. I think that the middle part, that more based on action, is the one that fares better. Some scenes are even well staged, like the one with Billy taking out the cartridges from a bounty hunter (I thought this ruse had been invented for Young Guns, though with a different twist) a scene which is spoiled by what is probably the worst scene ever played by Newman who, in this movie, like the director, most of the time doesn't know what he wants. I give it 7\10 because Imight give it another try 30 years from now.

P.S. I read in Garfield's book that there's a "homosexual subtext" in here. I can't say which is it though, as usual. I see Garrett getting married and Billy getting his girl. It must have been very sub or maybe it's just because the story for the movie was penned by Gore Vidal, so that there is such thing is taken for granted. 

[Groggy]

Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid re-staged a good deal of this film, if memory serves.

[sargatanas]

character actor james best who played a good natured outlaw buddy to billy. BTK should have been played by john davis chandler

[Groggy]

The Left-Handed Gun - 6/10 - I had a crappy DVD which gave out a few minutes after Billy's jailbreak, hopefully there wasn't much left. What I did see didn't impress me, a fairly typical fifties "psycho-Western" - long on talk and psychological speculation, short on action, plus bogged down with Arthur Penn's usual hobby horse - criminals are just misunderstood misfits. I don't know what to make of Newman's performance, either - I've never seen him do such a "Method"-heavy turn, and it's definitely not among his best work. Some good scenes, many of which were blatantly lifted by Peckinpah for Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, but nothing to write home about.

[Groggy]

Watched most of this last night. I had a crappy DVD which gave out a few minutes after Billy's jailbreak, hopefully there wasn't much left.

What I did see didn't impress me, a fairly typical fifties "psycho-Western" - long on talk and psychological speculation, short on action, plus bogged down with Arthur Penn's usual hobby horse - criminals are just misunderstood misfits. Billy and Co. act like they wandered over from Rebel Without a Cause, and Billy even rocks out to a recording of Battle Cry of Freedom! I don't know what to make of Newman's performance, either - I've never seen him do such a "Method"-heavy turn, and it's definitely not among his best work. Some good scenes, many of which were blatantly lifted by Peckinpah for Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (Billy's surrender at Stinking Springs and the jailbreak are almost shot-for-shot), but nothing to write home about. 6/10, maybe 7 if I was feeling very generous.

[Groggy]

The Left-Handed Gun - 6/10 - I had a crappy DVD which gave out a few minutes after Billy's jailbreak, hopefully there wasn't much left. What I did see didn't impress me, a fairly typical fifties "psycho-Western" - long on talk and psychological speculation, short on action, plus bogged down with Arthur Penn's usual hobby horse - criminals are just misunderstood misfits. I don't know what to make of Newman's performance, either - I've never seen him do such a "Method"-heavy turn, and it's definitely not among his best work. Some good scenes, many of which were blatantly lifted by Peckinpah for Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, but nothing to write home about.

I was able to finish the film this afternoon. The ending didn't improve my opinion.

[sargatanas]

left handed gun / jail upstairs w/ sadistic deputy Denver Pyle

one eyed jacks w/ Brando / jail upstairs w/ sadistic deputy slim pickens

pat Garret & billy the kid / jail upstairs / sadistic deputy r.g. armstrong

BTW, billy wasn't left handed

[dave jenkins]

BTW, billy wasn't left handed

Not only that, he wasn't even Billy.

[Groggy]

left handed gun / jail upstairs w/ sadistic deputy Denver Pyle

one eyed jacks w/ Brando / jail upstairs w/ sadistic deputy slim pickens

pat Garret & billy the kid / jail upstairs / sadistic deputy r.g. armstrong

BTW, billy wasn't left handed

Well, the shooting of Ollinger in particular is almost shot-for-shot between Left-Handed Gun and Pat Garrett, minus the squibs. It's not just a question of being the same story with the same characters etc.

[Groggy]

I did get to finish this, the ending didn't impress me. The staging of Billy's death reminded me of Rebel Without a Cause, which highlights where I feel this movie went wrong. It's not a Western, it's a film about juvenile delinquency set in the 1880s.

[Jill]

Didn't like it much. Newman is too... Newman, all the time, and he's way too intellectual for Billy. Plus he's emo. But this is where the crucified hero shot at surrendering scene first came to picture, I think.

[dave jenkins]

It's not a Western, it's a film about juvenile delinquency set in the 1880s.

Everybody knows that without having to watch the film.