Not an easy film to rate or review in my opinion. 'Billy the Kid' had real potential to be a good film and really should have been a good film. It was based on a fascinating legendary person, he and his story has been portrayed a lot over the years with varying success. It also had a cast that was interesting and curious, including seeing Brian Donlevy and Gene Lockhart in relatively atypical roles. Did have my doubts as to whether Robert Taylor would work in the title role, not really an actor that would be in my mind for Billy the Kid.
1941's 'Billy the Kid' just didn't live up to its potential in most ways. It looks wonderful, is rousingly scored, has a few good performances and has moments of interest and entertainment. But somehow it didn't really work and that it is wildly inaccurate (to the point of distortion), only one or two things are correct while everything else (including name changes) is fabrication, is only one worry and not even the worst. Just found it too dull and routine and Taylor is not right as Billy.
'Billy the Kid' does have good things. The best thing about it is the photography, it looks ravishing and the three strip Technicolor is superbly used. The setting is suitably grand without being too clean. The score rouses and fits the atmosphere well.
Some of the more action-oriented scenes excite and intrigue, while there is edge and invention in the script and there are reasonably good performances. The best being a sinister Lockhart and likeable Ian Hunter. Interesting to see Lon Chaney Jr.
Taylor however is agreed miscast, not just because of him being too old, too handsome and too well-spoken. Just found more importantly that he lacked the charisma and the grit for the role and he came over as bland. Was a bit mixed on Donlevy, nice to see him in a different role and he is sympathetic in enough places but a bit on the icy side in others.
While the script has its moments, it tends to be too overly-literate and the film would have benefitted from more show and less tell. The direction never rises above workmanlike and the story doesn't really properly come to life, any spark coming in spurts and there is a serious shortage of thrills, tension and grit. The character chemistry can be stilted.
On the whole, a very mixed bag and disappointing. Billy the Kid was a fascinating person and had an equally fascinating story, one that is far more interesting than what is shown here. 5/10
1941's 'Billy the Kid' just didn't live up to its potential in most ways. It looks wonderful, is rousingly scored, has a few good performances and has moments of interest and entertainment. But somehow it didn't really work and that it is wildly inaccurate (to the point of distortion), only one or two things are correct while everything else (including name changes) is fabrication, is only one worry and not even the worst. Just found it too dull and routine and Taylor is not right as Billy.
'Billy the Kid' does have good things. The best thing about it is the photography, it looks ravishing and the three strip Technicolor is superbly used. The setting is suitably grand without being too clean. The score rouses and fits the atmosphere well.
Some of the more action-oriented scenes excite and intrigue, while there is edge and invention in the script and there are reasonably good performances. The best being a sinister Lockhart and likeable Ian Hunter. Interesting to see Lon Chaney Jr.
Taylor however is agreed miscast, not just because of him being too old, too handsome and too well-spoken. Just found more importantly that he lacked the charisma and the grit for the role and he came over as bland. Was a bit mixed on Donlevy, nice to see him in a different role and he is sympathetic in enough places but a bit on the icy side in others.
While the script has its moments, it tends to be too overly-literate and the film would have benefitted from more show and less tell. The direction never rises above workmanlike and the story doesn't really properly come to life, any spark coming in spurts and there is a serious shortage of thrills, tension and grit. The character chemistry can be stilted.
On the whole, a very mixed bag and disappointing. Billy the Kid was a fascinating person and had an equally fascinating story, one that is far more interesting than what is shown here. 5/10