Pat Garrett and Billy The Kid

TUE May 18 2:30 pm Konvikt / film hall / free admission

PAT GARRET AND BILLY THE KID
USA 1973

director Sam Peckinpah
screenplay Rudy Wurlitzer
director of photography John Coquillon
editor David Berlatsky, Garth Craven, Richard Halsey,
Roger Spottiswoode, Robert L. Wolfe, Tony de Zarraga
music Bob Dylan
cast James Coburn, Kris Kristofferson, Bob Dylan, Richard Jaeckel,
Katy Jurado, Jason Robards, R. G. Armstrong, Slim Pickens, L. Q. Jones


The year is 1881 and in the little town of Old Fort Sumner, New Mexico, the infamous outcast Billy the Kid and his gang are organizing a shootout race. Unexpectedly, his former sidekick Pat Garrett turns up, this time as a new sheriff of Lincoln. Pat Garrett urges Billy to leave the town as quickly as possible, otherwise he would have to kill him. From this moment on, a merciless battle unfolds,
a hunt for life. Yet there is still the feeling of a longtime friendship between the two men.... This striking balladic Western movie features an interesting plot with a lot of cruel, rough and poetic scenes, disregard for women as well as great suspense and excellent acting. One of the smaller parts in the film, the knife thrower Alias, is played by Bob Dylan who also composed music illustrating the gloomy atmosphere of the movie.


Another of Peckinpah's movies returns to the model of two friends forced by their own or another's will to point their revolvers at each other. But just as in The Wild Bunch and other 'Bloody Sam's' melancholy westerns, their friendship lasts until death. That life ends violently is a thing wholly insignificant, since Peckinpah's heroes administer and accept death with the same nonchalance. As Pat Garrett, James Coburn proves that even a decade after The Magnificent Seven he has lost none of his stoic calm or gun-slinging dexterity, although he has transferred his knife throwing talents to the somewhat surprisingly cast Bob Dylan, composer of the trademark musical score. Both of them, however, are overshadowed by newcomer Kris Kristofferson, until then “merely” a singer-songwriter. In his interpretation, the legendary William Bonney, alias Billy the Kid, is as disturbing, playful, dangerous, captivating and even charming as he could be after a three-day ride across the high planes.