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The Left Handed Gun (1958)
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Overview
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Director:
Writers:
Release Date:
26 September 1958 (France)
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Tagline:
This is William Bonney, a juvenile "tough" from the back-alleys of New York... a teenager wanted dead or alive throughout the West. This is the screen's first real story of the strange teen-age desperado known to legend as "Billy the Kid"... more
Plot:
After his employer is murdered by rival cattlemen, a troubled and uneducated young cowboy vows revenge on the murderers, full summary | add synopsis
NewsDesk:
(3 articles)
Director Penn Hospitalised With Pneumonia
(From WENN. 14 July 2009, 12:11 PM, PDT)
Talkin' Westerns with A.C. Lyles
(From The Hollywood Interview. 14 May 2009, 4:29 PM, PDT)
(From WENN. 14 July 2009, 12:11 PM, PDT)
Talkin' Westerns with A.C. Lyles
(From The Hollywood Interview. 14 May 2009, 4:29 PM, PDT)
User Comments:
It Ain't Hud
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Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| Paul Newman | ... | Billy The Kid | |
| Lita Milan | ... | Celsa | |
| John Dehner | ... | Pat Garrett | |
| Hurd Hatfield | ... | Moultrie | |
| James Congdon | ... | Charlie Boudre | |
| James Best | ... | Tom Folliard | |
| Colin Keith-Johnston | ... | Tunstall | |
| John Dierkes | ... | McSween | |
| Robert Anderson | ... | Hill (as Bob Anderson) | |
| Wally Brown | ... | Deputy Moon | |
| Ainslie Pryor | ... | Joe Grant | |
| Martin Garralaga | ... | Saval | |
| Denver Pyle | ... | Ollinger | |
| Paul Smith | ... | Smith | |
| Nestor Paiva | ... | Pete Maxwell |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
102 min
Country:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (RCA Sound Recording)
Certification:
Australia:M |
USA:Approved (certificate #18709) |
UK:PG |
West Germany:16 (nf) |
Spain:13 |
Portugal:M/12 |
Canada:14A (video rating) |
Finland:K-16 |
Norway:16 |
Sweden:15
Filming Locations:
Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
Goofs:
Factual errors: The film is about western outlaw Billy the Kid, who was in fact right-handed.
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Movie Connections:
Featured in Gunfighters of the Old West (1992) (V)
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This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (21 total)
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I wonder what the mature Paul Newman thought of this early movie performance. Of course, 'mature' is a relative term since he's already 33 here, well beyond the 'kid' range. In my little book, it's the most mannered and misdirected acting of his long and distinguished career. It's almost like he's working at an excess of James Dean. That wouldn't be surprising since the screenplay's Billy comes across as more misunderstood youth than cold-blooded killer. I guess this is the first of director Penn's efforts at rehabilitating notorious American outlaws, leading up to the glossy Bonnie and Clyde (1967).
The movie itself is pretty good, the open range locations even looking like eastern New Mexico, while Penn uses them to good effect. But it's really James Best as the ill-fated henchman Tom who steals the film. His supporting role manages a certain poignancy that should have come from Billy, but doesn't. With the right breaks, I think Best could have carved a real niche in films. Speaking of supporting players, with the exception of the cartoonish Moultrie (Hatfield), they appear recruited from the many TV Westerns of the day, especially the familiar Denver Pyle and the classy John Dehner.
Penn establishes himself here as a moviemaker to watch with a number of nice touches having Pyle squint into the sun just before the fateful moment, the lone boot left standing in the road, and others. I'm kind of sorry that the baby-faced Audie Murphy didn't get a shot at Billy's role. Visually, he's perfect. Plus, surprisingly for that boyish appearance, he could do a killer-stare to make you believe he killed 100 Germans during the war. Also, Murphy could have made that key facedown scene with Joe Bell (Pryor) as genuinely chilling as it should be. For whatever the charming Newman's considerable skills, being downright mean is not one of them. Anyway the movie remains an interesting entry on the road to 1960's-style rebellious movie-making.