Barbarosa (1982)

Director:

Fred Schepisi

Writer:

William D. Wittliff (writer)

Release Date:

19 February 1982 (USA)

Genre:

Western

Plot:

A young cowboy hooks up with a legendary outlaw, and before long both are on the run from the law.

Plot Keywords:

Cowboy | Law | Outlaw | Character Name In Title

Cast

Willie Nelson	...	Barbarosa
Gary Busey	...	Karl Westover
Isela Vega	...	Josephina
Gilbert Roland	...	Don Braulio
Danny De La Paz	...	Eduardo
Alma Martinez	...	Juanita (as Alma Martínez)
George Voskovec	...	Herman Pahmeyer
Sharon Compton	...	Hilda
Howland Chamberlain	...	Emil
Harry Caesar	...	Sims
Wolf Muser	...	Floyd
Kai Wulff	...	Otto
Roberto Contreras	...	Cantina Owner
Luis Contreras	...	Angel
Itasco Wilson	...	Mattie
Bruce Smith	...	Photographer
Sonia de León	...	Old Prostitute (as Sonia DeLeon)
Joannelle Nadine Romero	...	Young Prostitute
Michael O'Rourke	...	Brither
Bentley H. Garrett	...	Bartender
Allison Wittliff	...	Emily
Juan José Martínez	...	1st Boy (as Juna Jose Martinez)
Rene Luna	...	2nd Boy (as Reno Luna)
Christopher García	...	3rd Boy
Philip Pena	...	4th Boy (as Philip Peña)
Jake Busey	...	Cook Boy
Reid Wittliff	...	Cook Boy
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Robert English	...	Horse Trader

Directed by
Fred Schepisi

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
William D. Wittliff		writer

Produced by
Paul Lazarus III	....	producer (as Paul N. Lazarus III)
Martin Starger	....	executive producer
William D. Wittliff	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Bruce Smeaton

Cinematography by
Ian Baker

Film Editing by
David Ramirez
Don Zimmerman

Art Direction by
Michel Levesque

Set Decoration by
Thomas L. Roysden		(as Tom Roysden)

Makeup Department
Edwin Butterworth	....	makeup artist (as Ed Buttworth)
Charlene Roberson	....	makeup artist
Georgina Williams	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Howard P. Alston	....	executive production manager (as Howard Alston)
Dick Gallegly	....	unit production manager
Richard L. O'Connor	....	executive in charge of production
James Potter	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
William Cosentino	....	second assistant director (as Bill Cosentino)
Tommy Thompson	....	first assistant director

Art Department
William Apperson	....	assistant art director
James Arrigo	....	propmaker foreman
Anthony P. Cellucci	....	assistant property master (as Tony Cellucci)
Leon Ericksen	....	special design consultant
Bruce J. Gfeller	....	construction coordinator (as Bruce Gfeller)
Russell Goble	....	property master (as Russ Goble)
John R. Jensen	....	co-construction coordinator
Stuart John	....	construction foreman
Michael Taylor	....	lead man
Ken Walker	....	assistant property master
Donald B. Woodruff	....	set designer (as Don Woodruff)

Sound Department
Terry Burns	....	boom operator
Ken Dufva	....	foley artist
Robert Glass	....	sound re-recording mixer
Robert Gravenor	....	production sound mixer
Jim Henrikson	....	supervising sound mixer
Robert Knudson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Don MacDougall	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Donald MacDougall)
Frank E. Warner	....	supervising sound editor (as Frank Warner)

Special Effects by
Wayne Edgar	....	special effects assistant
Marcel Vercoutere	....	special effects

Stunts
Bill Couch	....	stunt double
Chuck Couch	....	stunt double

Camera and Electrical Department
Robert Blair	....	key grip
Donald Carlson	....	first assistant camera
Fay Caughron	....	camera operator
Richard Clarkson	....	second assistant camera
Lowell Crisp	....	electrician
Virgil E. Hammond III	....	camera technician: Cinemobile System Inc.
Lutz Hapke	....	camera operator (as Lute Hapke)
Jim Lucas	....	camera operator (as James Lucas)
David Marsik	....	gaffer
Vern Matthews	....	grip: second unit
George Mooradian	....	first assistant camera
Edwin Myers	....	second assistant camera (as Ed Myers)
Neil Roach	....	camera operator
Michael Schuyler	....	best boy
Dean Williams	....	still photographer

Casting Department
Dianne Crittenden	....	casting: Los Angeles (as Diane Crittenden)
Michele Harrah	....	casting: Lajitas/Del Rio
Elsie Julian	....	casting: Fredericksburg
Liz Keigley	....	casting: Fredericksburg
Shari Rhodes	....	casting: Fredericksburg

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Darryl M. Athons	....	costume supervisor (as Darryl Athons)
Nancy McArdle	....	costumer: women
Glenn Wright	....	costumer: men

Editorial Department
Rebecca Einfeld	....	assistant editor
Gregory M. Gerlich	....	assistant editor

Transportation Department
Mike Doyle	....	transportation captain (as Michael Doyle)
Howard A. Small	....	transportation coordinator (as Howard Small)

Other crew
David Anderson	....	assistant to producer
Bud Aronson	....	location manager
Bruce Bahrenburg	....	unit publicist
Michael E. Boyle	....	wrangler boss (as Mike Boyle)
Rose Chatterton	....	production coordinator (as Roseann Chatterton)
B.C. Cooper	....	assistant to producer
John Eaton	....	wrangler
Stephanie Fischbach	....	assistant to producer
Jay K. Fishburn	....	livestock coordinator (as Jay Fishburn)
George Hardaman	....	local captain
Rex Ivy III	....	wrangler
Joe La Loggia	....	auditor
Laurie Levin	....	research consultant
Joe Lomax Sr.	....	wrangler
Nancy Mayer	....	production secretary
Glen McIntosh	....	wrangler
Jerry McKnight	....	local captain
Judy Mooradian	....	production secretary
Billy Nelson	....	wrangler
Jimmy Sherwood	....	wrangler (as James Sherwood)
Cal Skinner	....	trainer (as Kal Skinner)
Patricia A. Sonsini	....	production coordinator
Janna Stern	....	script supervisor
Lupe Vargas	....	assistant to director
Earl E. Wroten Jr.	....	supervising auditor

Production Companies

• Incorporated Television Company (ITC)

Distributors

• Associated Film Distribution (AFD) (1982) (USA) (theatrical)
• ITC Films (video)
• Universal Pictures

Other Companies

• Cinemobile System  production equipment
• Dobbs Co.  loop editor
• Jonson, Pedersen, Hinrichs & Shakespeare  title design
• Todd-AO Soundelux  sound

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:13 | UK:PG | Australia:M | USA:PG | Iceland:12

Filming Locations:

Alamo Village - Highway 674, Brackettville, Texas, USA

Company:

Incorporated Television Company (ITC)

Goofs:

Continuity: (At 05:00) Willie meets Gary for the first time with his gun drawn on him. Seconds later a gunman charges Willie and Willie has to draw his gun to shoot the man down.

Quotes:

Barbarosa: Drop those saddlebags and help me up, dammit!
[Karl drops the bags over the cliff]
Barbarosa: Why'd you drop them down there?
Karl: Well, you said to drop them and help you!
Barbarosa: We already been down there!
[Rain starts to fall]
Barbarosa: Why don't you go ahead and just rain on me then?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude (2004) (VG)

22 Years LATER I find out.....

Back when this film came out (1982), a friend told me it was no good, Willie Nelson can't act, blah, blah, blah. I took that at face value, and blew the film off. Well, 22 years later, 'Barbarosa' is on cable on American Movie Classics on a hot July afternoon, there isn't nothing' else on, so I say, okay, I'll give it fifteen minutes to get my attention.

Well, I gotta say, 'Barbarosa just BLEW ME AWAY!

I am Texan born and bred, and have done a fair amount of inquiry into old Texas lore, and this film is just SO RIGHT in so many details. In recent films like 'Cold Mountain', 'Open Range', and 'The Missing', it is much in vogue to get the 19th century period details exactly right. Well, 'Barbrosa' knocked that ball out of the park 22 years ago!

The basic feel of the old Texas homesteads and the horse race and barbecue, they still existed much like that out in West Texas when I was a kid.

The basic plot line is about two converging family blood feuds, one Spanish, the other German American, that is so TOTALLY authentic for this period! Also, the Big Bend scenics are superb!

While some may question Willie's talent for treading the boards, he has no problemo playing himself, and doesn't miss a beat. Gary Busey is one of my favorite actors, despite a habit of making tons of low budget el crappo films. He is at the top of his game in 'Barbarosa'.

While the film does have it's quirky moments, it is basically believable, and some of those old-timers were indeed quirky.

(Warning! As for eating armadillos, don't try this at home! They CAN carry leprosy.) My only beef is that the musical score didn't always seem to match the dramatic action, the music is wry and whimsical at the wrong time, possibly aping some spaghetti Western, but is fine when it sticks to Spanish guitar.

Some have labeled 'Barbarosa' a spaghetti Western. I don't agree, though it may seem so in the historical sequence of film-making. This was a successful attempt to make an authentically period Texas border film, by folks who knew what they are doing.

Some find the gunplay subdued and 'unrealistic', but 'Barbarosa' rightly shows the reality of old west killing where setting up the bushwhack and sniffing the ambush were far more decisive than actually pulling of the trigger.

In the old man's tale, you learn that Barbarosa was originally a Texas Ranger, who were often called los diablo's (the devils) by border Mexicans. This was a REAL legend, indeed a reality, down on the border.