Billy Two Hats (1974)

User Rating:

5.9/10   

Director:

Ted Kotcheff

Writer:

Alan Sharp (written by)

Release Date:

7 March 1974 (West Germany)

Genre:

Romance | Western

Tagline:

Against the Law Against the Odds Against the Land Itself

Plot:

When someone gets killed during a bank robbery by Deans, half-breed Billy Two Hats (Gregory Peck and Desi Arnaz...

Plot Keywords:

Half Breed | Male Female Relationship | Domestic Violence | On The Run | False Accusation

Cast

Gregory Peck	...	Arch Deans
Desi Arnaz Jr.	...	Billy Two Hats
Jack Warden	...	Sheriff Henry Gifford
David Huddleston	...	Copeland, Saloon Owner
Sian Barbara Allen	...	Esther Spencer
John Pearce	...	Spencer
Dawn Little Sky	...	Copeland's Squaw
Vince St. Cyr	...	Indian Leader (as W. Vincent St. Cyr)
Henry Medicine Hat	...	Indian
Zeev Berlinsky	...	Indian (as Zev Berlinsky)
Antony Scott	...	Indian

Also Known As:

The Lady and the Outlaw

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:AA | West Germany:16 (f) | Norway:16 | UK:15 | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Israel

Company:

Algonquin

Trivia:

The fact that this was a Western filmed in Israel was fodder for a number of comedians, who dubbed it "Shalom on the Range".

Quotes:

Spencer: Well, Indians don't fight in the dark. It's against their religion.
Arch Deans: Did they seem all that religious to you?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Directors: The Films of Norman Jewison" (1999)

" I try and Understand things and this doesn't make any sense at all"

There are few top ranked stars who take on less important roles or films which offer little return. Gregory Peck, playing Arch Deans is perhaps one of the few who occasionally do. This film " Billy Two Hats " has him staring with a very young Desi Arnaz Jr. as Billy. Also acting in supporting roles is Jack Warden playing a determined Sheriff Henry Gifford and David Huddleston as Copeland, the Saloon Owner. The simple but dramatic story is of two outlaws on the run after a less than profitable bank robbery in which an accidental killing took place. With the relentless sheriff tracking the men, Peck playing an aging Scotsman, tries to give his young partner every chance possible to escape clear of the law and start a new life in California. Things become complicated when Billy stays to care for his injured friend, while becoming enamored with a married Mail-order Bride. Renegade Apaches do not make it any easier for the two, in fact, things get desperate when Peck is shot and left for dead. An interesting movie and one which could become a foundation vehicle for Arnaz. The film is worthy of notice, mostly due to Pecks' notorious reputation for selecting interesting roles. ***