Outlaw, The (1999)

Hey Janie Babe!

The only reason this film gets two stars is because of Jane Russell. Howard Hughes was no John Ford. But surprisingly, he wasn't bad as a director. He wasn't good, but he wasn't bad. The only reason to watch this film is for Jane Russell's debut. The script is inane, and the acting by the leads will make you cringe. But bountiful Jane wears low cut tops, and when she bends over -- holy mackeral. And there is more fun to the film in the close-ups Hughes takes of Jane emoting impending sex. Hughes intention was for Jane to be erotic, but the expressions on her face are not of this world. There is no man that has ever seen these facial contortions on a woman. Trust me. Buy a used copy, only for these scenes. It is worth the laugh. February 16, 2008

There are two big reasons for watching this film

There is some talent behind the making of THE OUTLAW: the acting of Walter Huston (THE TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE) and Thomas Mitchell (HIGH NOON) and the cinematography of Gregg Toland (CITIZEN KANE). All this talent, however, goes to waste behind the weak plot and dialogue, the limp directing by Howard Hughes, and the talent-less acting of the featured candy, Jane Russell.

The fanciful plot has Doc Holliday (Huston) playing pals with William "Billy the Kid" Bonney (Jack Buetel) after Billy steals Doc's horse, Red. Billy, for no good reason, manages to keep the horse while gaining Doc's friendship. Soon, however, the both of them are driven out of town by Doc's erstwhile chum, Pat Garrett (Mitchell), who is apparently jealous of Bonney and pouty that Holliday is no longer his buddy. Then the girl "Rio" (Russell) comes between Doc and Billy offering something to look at but not much more. Garrett chases the gang around a bit, before the de rigueur Indian attack brings everything to a historically-curious resolution.

The Saturday-morning dialogue and plot is embarrassingly silly and the dialogue is annoyingly "on the nose." It is known that Howard Hawks originally was slated to direct this film, but bowed out after two weeks of filming in order to direct SERGEANT YORK. Little remains in THE OUTLAW to suggest Hawks left much of a mark on the film in those two weeks.

Unfortunately, THE OUTLAW is not racy enough by today's standards to warrant even lascivious interest despite the well-publicized struggle to overcome the censors of its day and its banning in such countries as Finland and Sweden (of all places). Still, it is an interesting footnote in cinematic history which perhaps explains its occasional screening in revival houses and on classic movie channels.

Jeremy W. Forstadt November 1, 2005

"You're not gonna die. I'll get you warm..."

Sherriff Pat Garrett (Thomas Mitchell) and Doc Holliday (Walter Huston) are simply the best of friends...until Billy the Kid (Jack Beutel) shows up in town and then steals both Doc Holliday's horse and his beautiful girlfriend "Rio" (played by lusty, busty, 19-year-old Jane Russell!). Holliday somehow forgives and befriends Billy the Kid (turning his back on his old friend Pat Garrett in the process) and together they get into trouble with the sherriff, who shoots Billy the Kid. Lucky for Billy, he's taken to Rio's house where she takes care of him (serving ALL his needs and desires!!!) and nurses him back to good health.

Billy the Kid and Doc Holliday are finally cornered by Sherriff Garrett, and one of the longest western showdowns in history (you wonder if the scene is EVER going to end) results in a tragic death which will change their lives (especially the dead guy!) forever. "The Outlaw", as other reviewers have already stated, suffers from a cheesy and contrived script, and the movie wonders uncomfortably between comedy and drama. And casting the dull, wooden-faced Jack Beutel as the legendary gunfighter Billy the Kid was a huge blunder. Oh well, at least there's Jane Russell's breasttaking, er, I mean breathtaking debut. This totally offbeat western is truly bad, but in a wonderful and entertaining way. Highly recommended! May 23, 2005

One star for each

Having recently seen the 2004 film THE AVIATOR about millionaire aircraft designer Howard Hughes, I was compelled to see THE OUTLAW, a major motion picture directed by Hughes in 1941. My interest was purely intellectual, mind you. It had nothing to do with the director's fixation on the cleavage and opulent ... well, you know ... of its 19-year old starlet, Jane Russell, which sparked a spirited battle between Hughes and the censors of the Production Code Administration, delayed the film's release until 1943 (and almost immediate withdrawal), and resulted in subsequent edits and re-releases in 1946 and 1950.

Hughes should have stuck with building airplanes.

THE OUTLAW may be a classic, but that doesn't prevent it from also being patently ridiculous. It brings together the outlaw/bad boy Billy the Kid (Jack Buetel), lawman Pat Garrett (Thomas Mitchell), and dentist/gambler/gunfighter Doc Holliday (Walter Huston) in New Mexico in the summer of 1881. Here, the Kid and Holliday get chummy despite quarreling over a horse and Doc's petulant girlfriend, Rio (Russell). In the meantime, Sheriff Pat becomes jealous that his heretofore good friend Holliday is spending so much time with the notorious outlaw Billy, whom Garrett would just as soon arrest or shoot dead for fame's sake. After being chased by the de rigueur band of hostile Native Americans, the four principals - six, if you count Jane's ... well, you know ... gather round for a final confrontation. Here, Garrett's attempt to disarm Billy is so dopey and so awkwardly choreographed with unbelievably bad dialogue that it virtually reduces this sagebrush drama to farce. It doesn't help that Buetel's the Kid occasionally comes across as a young and sweet tempered Jimmy Stewart - someone you'd be thrilled to have your teenage daughter marry.

Hollywood never shirks from playing fast and loose with historical fact. So, while viewing THE OUTLAW, one should keep in mind that:

1. Pat Garrett did indeed gun down Billy the Kid in July 1881.
2. There's no evidence that either Garrett or Billy ever met Doc Holliday.
3. Holliday died in his bed of tuberculosis in Glenwood Springs, CO on November 8, 1887.
4. Russell starred in the days before surgical augmentation of ... well, you know. Hers are the real deal.

After seeing this film, I was amazed that Hughes managed to squeeze perhaps 30 minutes of substance into 1 hour and 58 minutes, and that Jane's ... well, you know ... caused such a scandal in shots that were positively innocuous by today's standards. At one point, after Rio falls into a pond, Hughes declined the opportunity to display Russell in full-frontal, wet T-shirt glory. I was crushed, but believe in my heart that Howard considered the option for a brief moment at least.

If I had to do it all over again, I wouldn't waste my time with this nonsense. I am, however, awarding two stars - one to each of Jane's ... well, you know. January 23, 2005

I love this quirky movie

Ok, so it's not a "film." It has interesting little twists that are enjoyable and surprising and has some good characters, too, like the tia. Jane doesn't really act so much as smolder, but that's all right. I liked Jack Buetel even though he wasn't much of an actor (looks like he was in one other western and then vanished from sight). Of course it isn't history anymore than it's art! So I guess the conclusion of this review is that you may need to bring more forgiveness to "The Outlaw" than you would normally bring, but I think it's worth the trouble. January 5, 2005

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