The Parson and the Outlaw (1957)

Director:

Oliver Drake

Writers:

Oliver Drake (written by) and
John Mantley (written by)

Release Date:

September 1957 (USA)

Genre:

Western

Tagline:

The untold story of Billy the Kid...THE ONLY MAN WHO COULD OUTDRAW JESSE JAMES!

Plot:

The outlaw Billy the Kid is presumed killed by Pat Garrett. But Garrett has helped Billy fake his death...

Plot Keywords:

Gun | Billy The Kid | Outlaw | Presumed Dead | Shootout

Cast

Anthony Dexter	...	William H. Bonney / Billy the Kid
Sonny Tufts	...	Jack Slade
Marie Windsor	...	Tonya
Charles 'Buddy' Rogers	...	Rev. Jericho Jones (as Buddy Rogers)
Jean Parker	...	Mrs. Sarah Jones
Robert Lowery	...	Col. Jefferson Morgan
Madalyn Trahey	...	Ellie McCloud
Bob Steele	...	Ace Jardine (as Bob Steel)
Joe Sodja	...	Ben, the Balladeer
Bob Duncan	...	Marshal Pat Garrett
Bob Gilbert	...	Henchman Piute
Jack Lowell	...	Henchman
John Davis	...	Merchant
Paul Spahn	...	Lt. Paul Nash
Herman Pulver	...	Henchman

Also Known As:

Return of the Outlaw (USA) (alternative title)
The Killer and 21 Men (USA) (alternative title)

Runtime:

71 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

USA:Approved | Finland:K-16 | Canada:PG (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Burney Falls, McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park - Highway 89, Burney, California, USA

Company:

Charles 'Buddy' Rogers Productions

Trivia:

Final film of Bob Reeves.

Soundtrack:

Take Time to Pray

Formulaic Western with Solid Performances

This is a workmanlike Western that imagines what might have happened if the famous outlaw Billy the Kid faked his (most likely) real death, with the aid of Sheriff Pat Garret, and tried to live a normal life. Naturally, there wouldn't be much of a story if things indeed turned out normally, so these are the "new" adventures of Billy the Kid. Does he really hang up his guns? What do you think?

This is a completely uneven film. The score switches from banjo music, to what sounds like zither music (as in "The Third Man," though not nearly as good), to organ music appropriate for a funeral, to a purely 1950's ballad sung in a church. There is stock footage throughout that is incredibly jarring because it is of such low quality (if they show that house burning one more time....), and some of the shots look like they were done with a low-quality hand-camera. But the majority of the film is in brilliant color and a feast for the eyes.

Several of the actors remind me of other, more well-known personalities. Sonny Tufts, first an ally then an enemy of Billy, kept me thinking of James Arness of "Gunsmoke" fame, while the man playing the heavy, Robert Lowery, looks for all the world like George Clooney. Marie Windsor steals every scene in which she appears, and makes eating an apple look orgasmic. Anthony Dexter, as Billy, wasn't much of an actor, looking self-conscious throughout (the opening scene is particularly grating), but, especially in his attire, kept reminding me of Roy Rogers (in his acting, he doesn't sing). The "Indians" are portrayed in that classic Western way as simple enemies that must have been wearing thin even by 1957.

Don't expect too much, this is by-the-numbers with overly obvious symbolism that some may find grating (such as when the "Parson" of the title, who isn't even that big a character, is annoyingly put into a certain Christ-like position). I would watch the very similar and vastly better "Chisum" over this film. But still, this is a solid Western with interesting elements that you may well enjoy.