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The Outlaw | Year: 1943 Classification: Western Directed: - Howard Hawks - Howard Hughes Actors/Actresses: - Jack Buetel - Jane Russell - Thomas Mitchell Get Outta Town!....... This review refers to the Classic Western DVD edition(Platinum Disc Corp) of "The Outlaw"(1943)..... If you are looking for something with a good script, good dialouge, good acting or at the very least historical accuracy in a western, fahget about it. This is not the one! What you will get is some classic actors in a fun western,that is a little on the risque side for the early fourties and it might make you smile if nothing else. The film, which has trouble deciding on whether it is a comedy or a drama stars such greats as Walter Huston, Thomas Mitchell, and Jane Russell's breasts(in their breakthrough role which led to all those great Playtex bra commercials).It was directed by Howard Hawks and Howard Hughes, who apparently had a thing for Jane Russell at the time. The story involves a love triangle between Doc Holliday(Huston), Billy the Kid(a very cute Jack Buetel) and the voluptuous "Rio"(Russell).Doc has come to town to find his stolen horse, "Red" the strawberry roan(who by the way steals the show in this one),meets up with Billy, and immediatly the two form a unique friendship to the chagrin of Sherriff Pat Garrett(Mitchell).Billy gets in some trouble, and is shot by the bumbling sherriff and is taken to Rio's place by Doc to heal. Rio who already has it in for Billy for shooting her brother, seems to overcome that little problem when the Florence Nightingale effect takes over. But here's the problem....she was Doc's girl first. Who will get the girl? More importantly.. Who will get the horse? Will Garrett catch up with these outlaws? Just want to check it out for yourself? I often see it on the Turner Classics Movie Station.<BR>If you're a die hard western fanatic, you will get a kick out of this film.This 1943 black and white film looks surprisingly good on this DVD(you will notice the film's age occassionaly). Although you'll need to crank the sound up a bit, it is clear and distinguable at all times.There are filmographies of the stars and a fun little quiz about the film(naturally I aced it!) All that's left to say is.... Aw Shucks Ma'am....Laurie Not bad, but certainly not history, for those in doubt <BR>This was the famous Howard Hughes's attempt to break into Hollywood. He's the guy who built The Hughes Took Company into an empire, flew air racers, built the "Spruce Goose", Hughes Air West, and a bunch of other accomplishments. He died a recluse who was obsessed with germs. He was the stuff that fables are made of. Jane Russell was one of his accomplishments. The movie took seven years, they say, to be released--after it was completed. Hughes directed it. The male lead, Jack Beutel, who played Billy the Kid, was under contract to Hughes, where he languished. Hughes paid him, month after month, but never used him in any other film. He is somewhat reminiscent, in looks, of Audey Murphy (the most decorated soldier in WWII, who played himself in a film.) He reminds me of Murphy. The film depicted a highly fictional relationship between Doc Holliday and Billy (The Kid) Bonney, which is the product of the writer's fevered imagination. Although they were contemporaries, there is no evidence that they ever met. The Kid was a product of the Lincoln County wars (New Mexico), while Holliday was an acquaintance of Wyatt Earp, who came West from Dodge City, Kansas, to Tombstone, Arizona. Probably Earp nor <BR>Holliday ever met Garrett or Billy in their lives. Holliday is played by Walter Huston in the film. The part of Pat Garrett (who actually killed the Kid, and wrote Billy's life story from stories he told him around the camp fire and things they experienced together--a copy of which I have, and have reviewed here) was played by Thomas Mitchell, who, although he played the part impeccably, was perhaps the most dubious job of casting in the film. The contender for that honor would have to be Huston as Holliday. Both highly unlikely candidates for those parts if you are at all interested in historical accuracy or even slight physical resemblance. In short, this has no resemblance to historical fact, although that is no drawback to the story's entertainment value. The only cast member to gain from the film would have to be Jane Russell, who played a few more parts before her career petered out. Nothing of consequence, I think. Huston and Mitchell were already made, and Beutel withered on the vine. Hughes' days as a director were definitely numbered. Joseph (Joe) Pierre<BR><BR>author of Handguns and Freedom...their care and maintenance<BR>and other books Just Short of the Mark There's no need to recap the plot's synopsis, therefore I'll focus the bulk of my review on the DVD itself, since this is the information I look for in Amazon reviews of items of this type.<BR>This is the edition released by The Roan Group. The disk does fulfill its promise of a 117 minute running time, including credits. A running time of two hours is mentioned in the trailer, but I don't know that I'd call this an accurate indication of the existence of a more complete version; 117 minutes is awfully close to 120. I don't see any evidence of any of the extras mentioned in Amazon's editorial, including the letterboxing of credits, although I had no trouble reading them all on my TV set. I suspect the reviewer is referring to a different release, although I can't imagine which one.<BR>Roan mastered this release from what must have been a very high-quality print because this disk shows very few signs of age. The sound is fine--very clear with no need of cranking (often the case on older films, in my experience). The movie is an entertaining male-bonding romp with great performances all around and Miss Russell looks fabulous. Frankly, there wasn't a boring moment in the whole film--no complaints there. Another nice touch is its keep case; I'm really annoyed with the cheesy snap cases in which so many new releases are packaged.<BR>However, the lack of extras is very disappointing, even for a budget release. One has the option to view the trailer or tbe film by means of a barely-visible prompt, PERIOD. There's no menu, so one can't navigate the specific chapters (although they're numbered on the back cover of the case), and there are no subtitles ("Japanese?"). There's NOTHING but the movie and the trailer. At least one can fast-forward and reverse; I understand that one can't do this on some disks.<BR>Despite this movie's being lots of fun, it rates fewer stars for being a little too bare-bones. 3.5 stars would be perfect but since I can't assign halves, I decided to err on the side of generosity based on its being a really good transfer of an entertaining film. A shame Roan couldn't go the extra mile; so little more is needed. Not bad, but certainly not history, for those in doubt The movie took seven years, they say, to be released--after it was completed. Hughes directed it. The male lead, Jack Beutel, who played Billy the Kid, was under contract to Hughes, where he languished. Hughes paid him, month after month, but never used him in any other film. He is somewhat reminiscent, in looks, of Audey Murphy (the most decorated soldier in WWII, who played himself in a film.) He reminds me of Murphy. The film depicted a highly fictional relationship between Doc Holliday and Billy (The Kid) Bonney, which is the product of the writer's fevered imagination. Although they were contemporaries, there is no evidence that they ever met. The Kid was a product of the Lincoln County wars (New Mexico), while Holliday was an acquaintance of Wyatt Earp, who came West from Dodge City, Kansas, to Tombstone, Arizona. Probably Earp nor In short, this has no resemblance to historical fact, although that is no drawback to the story's entertainment value. The only cast member to gain from the film would have to be Jane Russell, who played a few more parts before her career petered out. Nothing of consequence, I think. Huston and Mitchell were already made, and Beutel withered on the vine. Hughes' days as a director were definitely numbered. Joseph (Joe) Pierre Buy The Outlaw at Amazon.com Buy posters at Allposters.com Jamster - the latest ringtones for your phone!  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