Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid (1973)

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  • PAT GARRETT AND BILLY THE KID


    DIRECTED BY SAM PECKINPAH
    PRODUCED BY GORDON CARROLL
    ORIGINAL MUSIC BY BOB DYLAN
    METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER

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    Information from IMDb


    Plot Summary
    It's 1881 in New Mexico, and the times they are a'changing.
    Pat Garrett, erstwhile travelling companion of the outlaw Billy the Kid
    has become a sheriff, tasked by cattle interests
    with ridding the territory of Billy.
    After Billy escapes, Pat assembles a posse and chases him through the territory,
    culminating in a final confrontation at Fort Sumner,
    but is unaware of the full scope of the cattle interests' plans for the New West.
    Written by Ed Sutton


    Full Cast
    James Coburn ... Pat Garrett
    Kris Kristofferson ... Billy The Kid
    Richard Jaeckel ... Sheriff Kip McKinney
    Katy Jurado ... Mrs. Baker
    Chill Wills ... Lemuel
    Barry Sullivan ... Chisum
    Jason Robards ... Governor Wallace
    Bob Dylan ... Alias
    R.G. Armstrong ... Ollinger
    Luke Askew ... Eno
    John Beck ... Poe
    Richard Bright ... Holly
    Matt Clark ... J.W. Bell
    Rita Coolidge ... Maria
    Jack Dodson ... Howland
    Jack Elam ... Alamosa Bill
    Emilio Fernández ... Paco (as Emilio Fernandez)
    Paul Fix ... Maxwell
    L.Q. Jones ... Black Harris
    Slim Pickens ... Sheriff Baker
    Jorge Russek ... Silva
    Charles Martin Smith ... Bowdre (as Charlie Martin Smith)
    Harry Dean Stanton ... Luke
    Claudia Bryar ... Mrs. Horrell
    John Davis Chandler ... Norris (as John Chandler)
    Michael T. Mikler ... Denver (as Mike Mikler)
    Aurora Clavel ... Ida Garrett (as Aurora Clavell)
    Rutanya Alda ... Ruthie Lee
    Walter Kelley ... Rupert
    Rudy Wurlitzer ... O'Folliard
    Elisha Cook Jr. ... Cody
    Gene Evans ... Mr. Horrell
    Donnie Fritts ... Beaver
    Dub Taylor ... Josh
    Don Levy ... Sackett
    Bruce Dern ... Deputy (uncredited)
    Sam Peckinpah ... Will (uncredited)


    Writing Credits
    Rudy Wurlitzer


    Cinematography
    John Coquillon


    Trivia
    Governor Lew Wallace (Jason Robards) was the author of "Ben-Hur".


    Bo Hopkins was Sam Peckinpah's first choice for the role of Billy.


    Monte Hellman was supposed to direct the film as a follow-up to Two-Lane Blacktop (1971) (which was also written by Rudy Wurlitzer). His first choice to play Billy was James Taylor (who starred in "Blacktop").


    Rumors began to reach the studio that director Sam Peckinpah was unable to work due to his heavy drinking. So as a joke, a photo was taken which showed Peckinpah on a stretcher being fed whiskey through an IV bottle while cast members carried him.


    Average Shot Length (ASL) = 4.5 seconds (2005 DVD Version). This is fast by most 1970s' film standards, but quite slow for Sam Peckinpah. For example, The Wild Bunch (1969) has an A.S.L. of three seconds, Junior Bonner (1972) 3.5 seconds, The Killer Elite (1975) four seconds.


    According to Kris Kristofferson, director Sam Peckinpah so detested the studio cut of this film he actually urinated on the screen.


    According to Kris Kristofferson, Sam Peckinpah hired Donnie Fritts, a log-time collaborator of Kristofferson's as a favor, and cast him as Billy the Kid's gang member, Beaver. Because Fritts had no scripted lines, all he does is repeat whatever anyone says in the movie.


    Kris Kristofferson was 36 at the time of filming, playing a character of 21.


    Kris Kristofferson and Sam Peckinpah had several heated arguments during the making of the film, and others on the set often thought it would end up in a fight. Peckinpah, always very confrontational, wanted to fight Kristofferson but said that he feared Kristoffersonm, a former Army Airborne Ranger, would "kill him". Kristofferson answered, "Yeah, Sam, I think you're right". In spite of this, Peckinpah referred to Kristofferson as a "fucking great guy" and said that working with him was "one of the greatest experiences of my life".


    Sam Peckinpah had Roger Miller (singer of "King of the Road") in mind for the soundtrack, but Kris Kristofferson suggested Bob Dylan.


    Kris Kristofferson fell in love with on-screen love interest Rita Coolidge and the two were married shortly after filming.


    At various stages of the film's gestation, there was talk of Marlon Brando and Jon Voight, Robert Redford and Sam Shepard, and Jack Nicholson and John Denver playing the lead roles.


    After seeing Kris Kristofferson perform at the Troubadour in Los Angeles and his appearance in Cisco Pike (1972), Sam Peckinpah decided to cast him as Billy the Kid in this film.


    Film debut of Bob Dylan.


    Barry Sullivan (Chisum) had played Pat Garrett in the TV series "The Tall Man" (1960).


    Goofs
    Continuity: When Cody is lying on a bed, his left arm is over the rifle, with his hand hanging from the bed, and his right hand is leaning on his left shoulder. In the next shot, when Poe touches him, his left hand is holding the rifle and his right hand leaning on the bed.


    Anachronisms: Though the film takes place in 1881, many of the characters use Winchester Model 1892 rifles which were not available until 1892.


    Factual errors: Lemuel refers to Pat Garrett as "Patrick J. Garrett." But Garrett's real middle name was Floyd.


    Crew or equipment visible: (At 36:00) During the Governor's interview with Pat Garrett at the dining table, the shadow of the boom operator is clearly visible on the table cloth to the right of the Governor.


    Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): Sheriff Pat Garrett stands up and props his back against a tree to aim his rifle at the old man on the river raft (the man is also aiming at Garrett). By placing himself completely out in the open like this, Garrett makes himself a perfect target for the other rifleman, who luckily does not fire. A real sheriff would have positioned himself BEHIND the tree for maximum protection and concealment.


    Revealing mistakes: Richard Jaeckel (Sheriff McKinney) wears a very obvious wig in all his scenes.


    Factual errors: In 1881, while Pat Garrett and his posse are shooting at Billy and his gang, who are holed up in a remote stone building, Garrett calls to Billy and says that he is wanted for the killing of Buckshot Roberts. Billy yells back that the Roberts shooting had taken place a year ago. In fact, Roberts was shot and killed in 1878 - three years earlier - by Charley Bowdre, another member of Billy's gang.


    Continuity: The amount of whisky in the bottle at Lemuel's varies depending upon whether the shot is from behind Holly or from behind Garrett.


    Continuity: When Alias tells Billy "He 's coming in", the position of Billy's hands and the way he is holding the glass change between shots.


    Continuity: As Pat Leaves Fort Sumner, a young boy throws stones at him. In longer shots, Pat and the boy are in shadow, but the close shots of the boy show him in bright sunshine with clear sharp shadows defined.


    Continuity: SPOILER: After he kills Alamosa, Billy mounts his horse and passes by Alamosa's body. Then the body is in a different position.


    Continuity: SPOILER: In close scenes of Billy with Alamosa's body, Alamosa's knee is seen to be raised, but in longer shots both of his legs are on the ground.


    Memorable Quotes



    Filming Locations
    Durango, Mexico

    Best Wishes
    Keith
    London- England

    Edited 6 times, last by ethanedwards ().

  • Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid is a 1973 American western drama film directed by Sam Peckinpah,
    written by Rudy Wurlitzer, and stars James Coburn, Kris Kristofferson and Bob Dylan.


    The film is about an aging Pat Garrett, hired as a lawman by a group of wealthy
    New Mexico cattle barons to bring down his old friend Billy the Kid.


    Dylan composed several songs for the film's score and soundtrack album
    Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid, which was released the same year.
    It was filmed on location in Durango, Mexico,and was nominated for
    two BAFTA Awards for Film Music (Dylan) and Most Promising Newcomer (Kristofferson).
    It was also nominated for a Grammy Award for Album of Best Original Score (Dylan)


    The film was noted for behind-the-scenes battles between Peckinpah
    and the production company Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
    Soon after completion, the film was taken away from the director
    and substantially re-edited, resulting in a truncated version released to theaters
    and largely disowned by cast and crew members.
    Peckinpah's preview version[Note 1] was released on video in 1988,
    leading to a re-evaluation, with many critics hailing it as a mistreated classic
    and one of the era's best films. It is ranked 126th on Empire magazine's list
    of The 500 Greatest Movies of All Time.



    Not one of the classic classics, but still ranks amongst the top westerns.
    It certainly grossed millions of dollars at the box office.
    Weell directed by Sam Peckinpah, after The Wild Bunch.


    I liked this movie, because of the pace and the fine acting.
    I particularly thought James Coburn and Kris Kristofferson,
    were wonderfully cast in the roles.
    Looking at the trivia section, I am pleased the director
    didn't decide on some of ther names mentioned, Brando for example!!


    Although I like John Denver, I am sure him scoring the music
    would not have had the magic that was added by Bob Dylan.
    I thought his music haunted the film,
    and I enjoyed his movie debut.


    Some of Duke's 'Pals' here as well.
    Notably,Chill Wills,Paul Fix, Slim Pickens, Jack Elam
    and even 'nasty' Bruce Dern showing up!


    Overall an enjoyable movie

    Best Wishes
    Keith
    London- England

    Edited 5 times, last by ethanedwards ().

  • I've seen this movie in all of it's various editions but have never noticed Bruce Dern as a deputy. Can anyone point him out? The IMDB is not 100% accurate, but neither am I.




    We deal in lead, friend.