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The Left Handed Gun was adapted by Gore Vidal from his own TV play, The Death of Billy the Kid. 33-year-old Paul Newman stars as 21-year-old William Bonney, the hotheaded gunslinger known as Billy the Kid. Avoiding the usual Hollywood glamourization of this controversial character, Newman portays Bonney pretty much as he was: an illiterate, homicidal cretin. Treated with kindness for the first time in his life by rancher Tunstall (Colin Keith-Johnston), Bonney becomes devoted to the rancher in fact, it is virtually a love affair. Soon after, however, Tunstall is killed, prompting Bonney to go on a murderous spree. In the end, Bonney must face down the other important father-figure in his life, Pat Garrett (John Dehner). In case anyone should miss the Freudian subtext in The Left Handed Gun, the closeups of Bonney fondling his six-shooter will make things crystal clear.
Original Release
04/30/1958
US Release
05/17/1958
Links
Cast
Name | Character |
---|
Paul Newman | Billy The Kid |
Lita Milan | Celsa |
John Dehner | Pat Garrett |
Hurd Hatfield | Moultrie |
James Congdon | Charlie Boudre |
James Best | Tom Folliard |
Colin Keith-Johnston | Tunstall |
John Dierkes | McSween |
Robert Anderson | Hill |
Wally Brown | Deputy Moon |
Directors
Writers
Cast
Name | Character |
---|
Paul Newman | Billy The Kid |
Lita Milan | Celsa |
John Dehner | Pat Garrett |
Hurd Hatfield | Moultrie |
James Congdon | Charlie Boudre |
James Best | Tom Folliard |
Colin Keith-Johnston | Tunstall |
John Dierkes | McSween |
Robert Anderson | Hill |
Wally Brown | Deputy Moon |
Ainslie Pryor | Joe Grant |
Martin Garralaga | Saval |
Denver Pyle | Ollinger |
Paul Smith | Smith |
Nestor Paiva | Pete Maxwell |
Josephine Parra | Bride |
Robert Foulk | Sheriff Brady |
Anne Barton | Mrs. Hill |
Emile Avery | Townsman |
George Bell | Deputy |
Producers
Name | Role |
---|
Fred Coe | Producer |