Barbarosa (1982)

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

Director:

Fred Schepisi

Writer:

William D. Wittliff

Stars:

Willie Nelson, Gary Busey, Isela Vega

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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

Storyline

Karl Westover, an inexperienced farm boy, runs away after unintentionally killing a neighbor, whose family pursues him for vengeance. He meets Barbarosa, a gunman of near-mythical proportions, who is himself in danger from his father-in-law Don Braulio, a wealthy Mexican rancher. Don Braulio wants Barbarosa dead for marrying his daughter against the father's will. Barbarosa reluctantly takes the clumsy Karl on as a partner, as both of them look to survive the forces lining up against them.

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Plot Keywords:

texas | character name as title | one word title | mexican | on the run | 

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Taglines:

One Was a Legend, The Other Would Become One.

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Genres:

Western

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 February 1982 (USA)

Also Known As:

Барбароса

Filming Locations:

Fredericksburg, Texas, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$11,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$285,312, 21 February 1982, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$1,736,123

Company Credits

Production Co:

Incorporated Television Company (ITC)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min 85 min (TV)

Sound Mix:

Mono Mono (Todd-AO)

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This independently financed movie was picked up by Universal Pictures when they acquired Lord Lew Grade's ITC/Associated Film Distributors (AFD) which got sold when they went bust after the box-office failure of Raise the Titanic (1980). Reportedly, the pictured got pulled from theaters in some territories when AFD was sold. The film was one of two westerns that Universal inherited from ITC/AFD, the other was The Legend of the Lone Ranger (1981). Both flopped at the box-office.

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Goofs

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.

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Quotes

Karl: I killed a fella back in Texas. A big damn fella too.
Barbarosa: Well, old Sam Colt makes everybody just about the same size.
Karl: I didn't shoot him. I hit him with a tree limb.

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Connections

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

User Reviews

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!