Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid (1973)

Director:

Sam Peckinpah

Writer:

Rudy Wurlitzer (written by)

Release Date:

31 August 1973 (Hong Kong)

Genre:

History | Western

Tagline:

Best of enemies. Deadliest of friends.

Plot:

An aging Pat Garrett is hired as a lawman on behalf of a group of wealthy New Mexico cattle barons--his sole purpose being to bring down his old friend Billy the Kid.

Plot Keywords:

Mexico | New Mexico | Billy The Kid | Pat Garrett | Fort Sumner

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award. Another 2 nominations

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

Also Known As:

Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (USA) (poster title)
Pat Garrett jagt Billy the Kid (Austria) (West Germany) [de]
Pat Garrett och Billy the Kid (Finland: Swedish title) (Sweden) [sv]
Duelo na Poeira (Portugal) [pt]
I megali monomahia (Greece) [el]
Pat Garrett e Billy Kid (Italy) [it]
Pat Garrett et Billy le Kid (France) [fr]
Pat Garrett et Billy the Kid (Canada: French title) [fr]
Pat Garrett i Billy Kid (Poland) [pl]
Pat Garrett i Billy el Nen (Spain: Catalan title) [ca]
Pat Garrett ja Billy the Kid (Finland) [fi]
Pat Garrett og Billy the Kid (Denmark) [da]
Pat Garrett y Billy el niño (Spain) [es]
Pat Garrett y Billy the Kid (Spain) [es]

MPAA:

Rated R for western violence and sexuality/nudity. (edited for re-rating; originally R)

Runtime:

122 min (1988 restored version) | 115 min (2005 DVD Special Edition) | 106 min (Cut theatrical version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Singapore:M18 | Iceland:16 | Finland:K-16 (cut) (1987) (video release) | Finland:K-18 (uncut) | UK:X (original rating) | Netherlands:18 (original rating) | West Germany:16 | Australia:MA (DVD rating) | Canada:14A (TV rating) | Australia:PG | Norway:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Durango, Mexico

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

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.

Goofs:

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

Quotes:

Billy: Whatya takin' me in for?
Garrett: [to Deputy Sheriff J.W. Bell] Which one was that?
Deputy Sheriff J.W. Bell: Buckshot Roberts.
Garrett: For the killing of Buckshot Roberts!
Billy: [to his confederates] Hell, that was a year ago. I shot him straight up.
Billy: [to Pat Garrett] Come on in Pat, I'll warm ya breakfast!
Billy: [Billy's braggadocio is answered by a hail of gunfire] I guess he already had breakfast.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession (2004) (TV)

The death of the Old West

On the surface, a film about the doomed friendship between the two title characters, Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid is really a film about the death of a way of American life. Death is omni-present in this film, and the compelling aspect of it is that so many of the characters are completely prepared to accept it and deal it out. The best and saddest moments in the film involve characters who know they are going to die and accept it. And the performances are all remarkable. Kristofferson's easygoing and charismatic portrayal of Billy is the best work of his career, as is Coburn's sad-eyed interpretation of Pat Garrett. A wonderful film, almost as good as Peckinpah's masterpiece The Wild Bunch.