The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean (1972)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

John Huston

Writers:

John Milius (original screenplay) and
C.L. Sonnichsen (book)

Release Date:

18 December 1972 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance | Western

Tagline:

If this story ain't true... it shoulda been

Plot:

A no account outlaw establishes his own particular brand of law and order and builds a town on the edges of civilization in this farcical western...

Plot Keywords:

Law | Law And Order | Outlaw | Judge | Justice

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 2 nominations

Cast

Paul Newman	...	Judge Roy Bean
Roy Jenson	...	Outlaw
Gary Combs	...	Outlaw
Fred Brookfield	...	Outlaw
Bennie E. Dobbins	...	Outlaw (as Ben Dobbins)
Richard Farnsworth	...	Outlaw (as Dick Farnsworth)
Leroy Johnson	...	Outlaw
Fred Krone	...	Outlaw
Terry Leonard	...	Outlaw
Dean Smith	...	Outlaw
Margo Epper	...	Whore
Jeannie Epper	...	Whore
Stephanie Epper	...	Whore
Victoria Principal	...	Maria Elena, aka The Angel (Bean's woman)
Barbara J. Longo	...	Fat whore

Runtime:

120 min | West Germany:105 min (cut version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:15 | Germany:12 (re-rating) (cut) | West Germany:16 (cut) | Singapore:PG | France:Unrated | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Arizona, USA

Company:

First Artists

Trivia:

First film role for Victoria Principal.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Judge Roy Bean speaks to Grizzly Adams, he holds his gun over his leg and in front of his chest, in turns with the changes of the camera angle.

Quotes:

Rev. Mr. LaSalle: That was the first and last time I saw Judge Roy Bean. I never got back to that country and died of dysentery in old Mexico. I haven't seen him since, so he probably went to Hell.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Sopranos: Live Free or Die (#6.6)" (2006)

Soundtrack:

Marmalade, Molasses and Honey

Paul Newman at his best.

When I cannot decide whether this film is better than The Westerner with Walter Brennan and Gary Cooper, than I know that this is a great movie because The Westerner was one of the greatest westerns ever. Paul Newman gives a powerful performance as the legendary Judge Roy Bean. Mr. Newman is truly the star of the movie and he carries the movie well. His presence is enough to take a good movie and make it great. This movie is an example of how the actor makes the difference between a movie being likable but forgettable and wonderful and memorable. Mr. Newman captures the essence of the Bean character, the judge's eccentricities, his homespun philosophy on life and his essential humanity. True, Judge Bean was known as the hanging judge and he was a law unto himself, but he knew who he was dealing with and that there was nobody to back him up. He was THE LAW and had to command respect. Portraying an historical figure is tricky, but Paul Newman does it well and for that reason alone the movie is worth watching.