Barbarosa (1982)

Director:

Fred Schepisi

Writer:

William D. Wittliff

Release Date:

19 February 1982 (USA)

Genre:

Western

Plot:

A young cowboy hooks up with a legendary outlaw, and before long both are on the run from the law.

Plot Keywords:

On The Run | Mexican | Outlaw | Law | Cowboy

Cast

Willie Nelson	...	Barbarosa
Gary Busey	...	Karl Westover
Isela Vega	...	Josephina
Gilbert Roland	...	Don Braulio
Danny De La Paz	...	Eduardo
Alma Martinez	...	Juanita (as Alma Martínez)
George Voskovec	...	Herman Pahmeyer
Sharon Compton	...	Hilda
Howland Chamberlain	...	Emil
Harry Caesar	...	Sims
Wolf Muser	...	Floyd
Kai Wulff	...	Otto
Roberto Contreras	...	Cantina Owner
Luis Contreras	...	Angel
Itasco Wilson	...	Mattie
Bruce Smith	...	Photographer
Sonia de León	...	Old Prostitute (as Sonia DeLeon)
Joannelle Nadine Romero	...	Young Prostitute
Michael O'Rourke	...	Brither
Bentley H. Garrett	...	Bartender
Allison Wittliff	...	Emily
Juan José Martínez	...	1st Boy (as Juna Jose Martinez)
Rene Luna	...	2nd Boy (as Reno Luna)
Christopher García	...	3rd Boy
Philip Pena	...	4th Boy (as Philip Peña)
Jake Busey	...	Cook Boy
Reid Wittliff	...	Cook Boy
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Robert English	...	Horse Trader

Directed by
Fred Schepisi

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
William D. Wittliff

Produced by
Paul Lazarus III	....	producer (as Paul N. Lazarus III)
Martin Starger	....	executive producer
William D. Wittliff	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Bruce Smeaton

Cinematography by
Ian Baker

Film Editing by
David Ramirez
Don Zimmerman

Art Direction by
Michel Levesque

Set Decoration by
Thomas L. Roysden		(as Tom Roysden)

Makeup Department
Edwin Butterworth	....	makeup artist (as Ed Buttworth)
Charlene Roberson	....	makeup artist
Georgina Williams	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Howard P. Alston	....	executive production manager (as Howard Alston)
Dick Gallegly	....	unit production manager
Richard L. O'Connor	....	executive in charge of production
James Potter	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
William Cosentino	....	second assistant director (as Bill Cosentino)
Tommy Thompson	....	first assistant director

Art Department
William Apperson	....	assistant art director
James Arrigo	....	propmaker foreman
Anthony P. Cellucci	....	assistant property master (as Tony Cellucci)
Leon Ericksen	....	special design consultant
Bruce J. Gfeller	....	construction coordinator (as Bruce Gfeller)
Russell Goble	....	property master (as Russ Goble)
John R. Jensen	....	co-construction coordinator
Stuart John	....	construction foreman
Michael Taylor	....	lead man
Ken Walker	....	assistant property master
Donald B. Woodruff	....	set designer (as Don Woodruff)

Sound Department
Terry Burns	....	boom operator
Ken Dufva	....	foley artist
Robert Glass	....	sound re-recording mixer
Robert Gravenor	....	production sound mixer
Jim Henrikson	....	supervising sound mixer
Robert Knudson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Don MacDougall	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Donald MacDougall)
Frank E. Warner	....	supervising sound editor (as Frank Warner)

Special Effects by
Wayne Edgar	....	special effects assistant
Marcel Vercoutere	....	special effects

Stunts
Bill Couch	....	stunt double
Chuck Couch	....	stunt double

Camera and Electrical Department
Robert Blair	....	key grip
Donald Carlson	....	first assistant camera
Fay Caughron	....	camera operator
Richard Clarkson	....	second assistant camera
Lowell Crisp	....	electrician
Virgil E. Hammond III	....	camera technician: Cinemobile System Inc.
Lutz Hapke	....	camera operator (as Lute Hapke)
Jim Lucas	....	camera operator (as James Lucas)
David Marsik	....	gaffer
Vern Matthews	....	grip: second unit
George Mooradian	....	first assistant camera
Edwin Myers	....	second assistant camera (as Ed Myers)
Neil Roach	....	camera operator
Michael Schuyler	....	best boy
Dean Williams	....	still photographer

Casting Department
Dianne Crittenden	....	casting: Los Angeles (as Diane Crittenden)
Michele Harrah	....	casting: Lajitas/Del Rio
Elsie Julian	....	casting: Fredericksburg
Liz Keigley	....	casting: Fredericksburg
Shari Rhodes	....	casting: Fredericksburg

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Darryl M. Athons	....	costume supervisor (as Darryl Athons)
Nancy McArdle	....	costumer: women
Glenn Wright	....	costumer: men

Editorial Department
Rebecca Einfeld	....	assistant editor
Gregory M. Gerlich	....	assistant editor

Transportation Department
Mike Doyle	....	transportation captain (as Michael Doyle)
Howard A. Small	....	transportation coordinator (as Howard Small)

Other crew
David Anderson	....	assistant to producer
Bud Aronson	....	location manager
Bruce Bahrenburg	....	unit publicist
Michael E. Boyle	....	wrangler boss (as Mike Boyle)
Rose Chatterton	....	production coordinator (as Roseann Chatterton)
B.C. Cooper	....	assistant to producer
John Eaton	....	wrangler
Stephanie Fischbach	....	assistant to producer
Jay K. Fishburn	....	livestock coordinator (as Jay Fishburn)
George Hardaman	....	local captain
Rex Ivy III	....	wrangler
Joe La Loggia	....	auditor
Laurie Levin	....	research consultant
Joe Lomax Sr.	....	wrangler
Nancy Mayer	....	production secretary
Glen McIntosh	....	wrangler
Jerry McKnight	....	local captain
Judy Mooradian	....	production secretary
Billy Nelson	....	wrangler
Jimmy Sherwood	....	wrangler (as James Sherwood)
Cal Skinner	....	trainer (as Kal Skinner)
Patricia A. Sonsini	....	production coordinator
Janna Stern	....	script supervisor
Lupe Vargas	....	assistant to director
Earl E. Wroten Jr.	....	supervising auditor

Production Companies

• Incorporated Television Company (ITC)

Distributors

• Associated Film Distribution (AFD) (1982) (USA) (theatrical)
• ITC Films (video)
• Universal Pictures

Other Companies

• Cinemobile System  production equipment
• Dobbs Co.  loop editor
• Jonson, Pedersen, Hinrichs & Shakespeare  title design
• Todd-AO  sound (as Todd-AO Soundelux)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

90 min | West Germany:85 min (TV)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M | USA:PG | Iceland:12 | Argentina:13 | UK:PG

Filming Locations:

Alamo Village - Highway 674, Brackettville, Texas, USA

Company:

Incorporated Television Company (ITC)

Trivia:

High temperatures in Texas had a scorching effect on the production with the heat staying hot right into the evening. Shooting in such a remote location there also meant there was no television, air-conditioning and telephones whilst crew had to cram into rooms for their lodgings.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: In the scene where the race contestants approach the finish line where Willie and Gary have stopped to watch, just as the riders round the curve to the finish, you can see a farm tractor pulling something behind the racers.

Quotes:

[to a young Mexican gunfighter]
Barbarosa:You ain't got enough ass in your britches to pull the trigger on Barbarosa.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Sneak Previews: The Secret of NIMH/The Devil's Playground/Gregory's Girl/TRON" (1982)

A Great Western and an Examination of Myth

Barbarosa is one of the best westerns ever made. The subject here is myth and the people who become mythic heroes. Barbarosa is, on the one hand, a legendary bandit and, on the other, an ordinary Texan who steals for a living: "Cattle, horses...Anything except sheep. You couldn't give me one of those wooly bastards." A young man on the run becomes Barbarosa's companion, then his acolyte. Both men are looking for a place in the world and the role they find is that of outlaw hero, players in a mythic drama that gives them meaning. The myth is that of the Outlaw Lover ( as in Hughes' The Outlaw or Brando's One-Eyed Jacks ) and both Nelson and Busey play their roles to perfection. The directing is excellent and the dialogue nigh perfect -- a great western! A swell movie!