Cattle Annie and Little Britches (1981)

In nineteenth century Oklahoma, two teen girls, fans of stories about outlaws, are on a quest to meet and join up with them. They find a shadow of a former gang and although disappointed, still try to help them escape from a vigorous Marshal.

Director:

Lamont Johnson

Writers:

David Eyre (screenplay by), Robert Ward (screenplay by)

Stars:

Scott Glenn, Diane Lane, Burt Lancaster

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Scott Glenn	...	Bill Dalton
Diane Lane	...	Jenny - 'Little Britches'
Burt Lancaster	...	Bill Doolin
Amanda Plummer	...	Annie
Rod Steiger	...	Tilghman
John Savage	...	Bittercreek Newcomb
William Russ	...	Little Dick Raidler
Buck Taylor	...	Dynamite Dick
Roger Cudney	...	Capps (as Roger Cudney Jr.)
Redmond Gleeson	...	Red Buck
Chad Hastings	...	Conductor
John Quade	...	Morgan
Yvette Sweetman	...	Mrs. Sweetman
Perry Lang	...	Elrod
Tom Delaney	...	Ned's Father

Storyline

In nineteenth century Oklahoma, two teen girls, fans of stories about outlaws, are on a quest to meet and join up with them. They find a shadow of a former gang and although disappointed, still try to help them escape from a vigorous Marshal.

---

Plot Keywords:

girl | outlaw | character names as title | nicknames as title | 19th century | 

---

Taglines:

They told the Doolin-Dalton Gang where to go. Then...they went with them.

---

Genres:

Drama | Western

---

Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA Mexico

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 April 1981 (USA)

Also Known As:

Zwei Mädchen und die Doolin-Bande

Filming Locations:

Durango, Mexico

Box Office

Budget:

$5,100,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$115,679, 26 April 1981

Gross USA:

$534,816

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$534,816

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cattle Annie Productions, Hemdale, Monday Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

Filmed in 1979.

---

Goofs

When Bill Doolin hands a shotgun shell to the kid that wants to watch the approach to the town for him, he hands him a standard, red, 12 gauge shotgun shell that any 12 gauge owner today would know well. The problem is that it was only in the late 1960's that manufacturers began using a color coding scheme, originally red for 12 gauge, gold for 20 gauge. In Oklahoma in the 1890's it would not have been the color shown on screen.

---

Alternate Versions

Having been discarded by its distribution company, Universal Pictures, the movie has only received one English-language video issue since it arrived in theaters c. 1981: a UK release on Picture Time Video. This version is truncated by 7 minutes; instead of the full 95-minute cut, the film runs only 88 minutes.

---

Connections

Featured in Sneak Previews: So Fine, Gallipoli, Cattle Annie and Little Britches, True Confessions, Rich and Famous (1981)

User Reviews

Camp followers

Amanda Plummer and Diane Lane have the title roles as Cattle Annie And Little Britches in this really outstanding film that seems to have disappeared. As it was it was given limited release and held up for two years being shot in 1979. Usually that means bad news for a film. But not in this case.

According to a recent biography of Burt Lancaster the collapse of the elephantine budgeted Heaven's Gate made the studios gun shy about westerns. It was the main reason the film was held up. Probably Lancaster Oscar nominated performance in Atlantic City made the studio change its mind.

A pair of Hollywood legends Burt Lancaster and Rod Steiger make their only joint film appearance in Cattle Annie And Little Britches. Lancaster plays legendary outlaw Bill Doolin who operated in the Oklahoma Territory primarily and who the girls who've had their heads filled with dime novel fantasies become camp followers and are christened with those names by Lancaster. Steiger is legendary lawman Bill Tilghman who is on the trail of the Doolin gang. Worth seeing this film just to see them together in one scene.

According to the Lancaster biography Amanda Plummer regarding Lancaster as an acting mentor. She was impressed with his sheer physicality even in middle age. Burt certainly was no longer playing roles like The Crimson Pirate, but still he used his whole body and not just that clear speaking voice to get you to notice him. Steiger too has one memorable voice for the screen.

Cattle Annie And Little Britches is a sleeper western ready to be discovered by film fans. Make sure to see this if broadcast.