Young Guns (1988)

A group of young gunmen, led by Billy the Kid, become deputies to avenge the murder of the rancher who became their benefactor. But when Billy takes their authority too far, they become the hunted.

Director:

Christopher Cain

Writer:

John Fusco

Stars:

Emilio Estevez, Kiefer Sutherland, Lou Diamond Phillips

1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Emilio Estevez	...	William H. Bonney
Kiefer Sutherland	...	Doc Scurlock
Lou Diamond Phillips	...	Chavez y Chavez
Charlie Sheen	...	Dick Brewer
Dermot Mulroney	...	Dirty Steve Stephens
Casey Siemaszko	...	Charley Bowdre
Terence Stamp	...	John Tunstall
Jack Palance	...	L. G. Murphy
Terry O'Quinn	...	Alex McSween
Sharon Thomas Cain	...	Susan McSween (as Sharon Thomas)
Geoffrey Blake	...	J. McCloskey
Alice Carter	...	Yen Sun
Brian Keith	...	Buckshot Roberts
Thomas Callaway	...	Texas Joe Grant (as Tom Callaway)
Patrick Wayne	...	Pat Garrett

Storyline

1878 in New Mexico: John Tunstall picks up young gun men from the road to have them work on his ranch, but also to teach them reading and to civilize them. However he's a thorn in the side of the rich rancher Murphy, as he's a competitor in selling cattle. One day he's shot by Murphy's men. Judge Wilson can't do anything, since Sheriff Brady is one of Murphy's men. But attorney Alex persuades him to constitute Tunstall's young friends to Deputies and give them warrants of arrest for the murderers. Instead of arresting them, William Bonney just shoots them down. Soon the 5 guys become famous and William gets the name "Billie the Kid" - but they're also chased by dozens of Murphy's men and the army. The people however honor him as fighter for justice.

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Plot Keywords:

peyote | interracial romance | campfire | rancher | deputy | 

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Taglines:

The odds were a hundred to one.

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Genres:

Action | Western

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 August 1988 (USA)

Also Known As:

Jovenes Pistoleros

Filming Locations:

Old Tucson - 201 S. Kinney Road, Tucson, Arizona, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$13,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$7,011,393, 14 August 1988

Gross USA:

$45,661,556

Company Credits

Production Co:

Morgan Creek Entertainment,Twentieth Century Fox

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Patrick Wayne plays Pat Garrett. His legendary father, John Wayne, starred in Chisum (1970), another movie about the Lincoln County Wars of 1878 that featured Pat Garrett (played by Glenn Corbett) and Billy the Kid (Geoffrey Deuel).

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Goofs

When the Regulators are saying prayers before a meal Richard leads them in the Lord's Prayer starting "Our Father, who art in heaven". At the time the Lord's Prayer was recited as "Our Father, which art in heaven".

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Quotes

William H. Bonney: Reap it, Murphy, you son of a bitch.

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Connections

Referenced in Enid Is Sleeping (1990)

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Soundtracks

Auld Lang Syne
(uncredited)
Written by Robert Burns
[Sung at New Year's Eve dance]

User Reviews

Lots of great stars = entertaining movie

With a brilliant collection of characters, this movie proved to be one of the more entertaining modern day westerns. Charlie Sheen, Keifer Sutherland, Emilio Estevez, Lou Diamond Phillips and the other guys all shined in this movie, making it memorable in a landscape of a lost art form. Sure, some movies have tried to equal this film's motif (American Outlaws, Texas Rangers, Ride With the Devil, etc.) but all have failed in the process. Coupled with some good shoot-out scenes, this proved to be a rather entertaining movie.