by Allan Fish
(USA 1973/1988 126m) DVD1/2
Having your name spelt right in the papers
p Gordon Carroll d Sam Peckinpah w Rudolph Wurlitzer ph John Coquillon ed Roger Spottiswoode, Garth Craven, Robert Wolfe, Richard Halsey, David Berlatsky, Tony de Zarraga m Bob Dylan art Ted Haworth
James Coburn (Pat Garrett), Kris Kristofferson (Billy the Kid), Bob Dylan (Alias), Richard Jaeckel (Sheriff Kip McKinney), Katy Jurado (Mrs Baker), Slim Pickens (Sheriff Colin Baker), Chill Wills (Lemuel), Jason Robards Jnr (Gov.Lew Wallace), Elisha Cook Jnr (Cody), Jack Elam (Alamosa Bill), Harry Dean Stanton (Luke), L.Q.Jones (Black Harris), Dub Taylor (Josh), Emilio Fernandez (Paco), Barry Sullivan (John Chisum),
Upon the film’s original release in 1973, the story goes, according to Kris Kristofferson, that Peckinpah urinated on the screen to show his contempt for what the studio had done to what he had intended to be his masterpiece. I remember myself watching that version of the film, running some 106 minutes or so, and finding it a bit of a mess, with brilliant scenes peering out from under the rubble. Finally, in the late eighties, the film was restored to something like Peckinpah’s original vision and was acclaimed, by his fans, as the homecoming of a prodigal son and instantly proclaimed as one of his great films and, possibly, his defining statement of the old west. Why then, when they finally released it to DVD, did they see fit to remove the most crucial footage in the film?
The 1988 restoration, the only version to see, begins in 1909, with Pat Garrett ambushed and killed by the same organisation who hired him all those years before to capture his old friend Billy the Kid. At the moment of his death, we flashback to 1881, and Garrett’s meeting up with Billy in New Mexico to try and persuade him to get going across the board or he’ll have to make him go. The Kid refuses and, after a shoot-out, he’s captured and sentenced to hang. He then escapes to go on the lam again and Garrett, employed by Chisum to clean up the territory for him, sets off after him once more. The Kid, meanwhile, comes face to face with the vanishing of his way of life and decides to face up to his destiny.
What was so unbelievably poor about the decision to remove the sepia bookends of Garrett’s death is that, with them, it gave the film several other levels. On one hand it allowed the entire narrative to be seen as Garrett’s life, or the most important part of it, flashing before his eyes prior to death. On the other, it showed that all Garrett’s efforts to stay alive were brought to nothing, brought down by the very same people he once fought for, with Garrett finally coming to realise that you cannot stop the advance of time and the changing of the guard. Like many of the great revisionist westerns, from his own The Wild Bunch to Once Upon a Time in the West, Unforgiven and even the recent The Assassination of Jesse James, it shares that theme of a dying breed facing up to fate. Yet, for all its revisionism, the broken down surrogate father and son relationship is familiar from such earlier classic westerns as Red River and Man of the West.
Visually the film is a dream, with Coquillon, fresh from Straw Dogs, giving every bit the support to Peckinpah that Lucien Ballard had previously done. Bob Dylan’s music remains a moot point, and certainly his performance (?) is variable to say the least, acting as a sort of Wild West Allan-A-Dale, there to tell the tale to those with ears to listen, but his music perfectly captures the elegiac yet playful quality of the piece, a mood and rhythm ably matched by the performances. The whole cast reads like a who’s who of the post-war western, but it’s the two leads who dominate. Kristofferson is, of course, too old at 36 to play the infamous outlaw who died at 21, but he gives an iconic, instantly likeable performance that is up with his very best. Arguably better still is Coburn, staring into the gun barrel of history as Garrett, his long, slow gait, devilish grin and cigar munching so in-tune with Peckinpah’s world that it’s little wonder he’d become a Peckinpah regular. Peckinpah’s last western, and despite some flaws, one of his best.
Hiya! Allan,
Nice review of a film that I have not had the pleasure of watching yet, but here is my chance.
Because on August 04 2009…TCM plan to air…
…the 1973 film Pat Garrett & Billy The Kid.
Thanks,
DeeDee 😉
Although westerns are among my favorite films, for whatever reason I have never really warmed to Peckinpah. But, this one proves there is still hope for me as I still have it sitting next to the DVD player needing to be watched… I was so underwhelmed from what I have seen that I just haven’t watched this one yet. This one will likely spur me to do so.
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
Allan, my comment is awaiting moderation….because I
forgot to login. I’am not sure if this comment will post.
DeeDee 😉
Well, deedee, remember I told you yesterday DO NOT CHANGE YOUR NAME AGAIN OR YOU WILL BE BLOCKED BY WORDPRESS?
I believe the Latin phrase is Quad Erat Demonstrandum.
Oh! Oui, Allan,
Il a été “prouvé” que vous avez eu raison! En outre, je devrais avoir écouté votre «juste» d’avertissement.
Oh! Oui! J’ai appris ma leçon.
Félicitations! LOL 😆
Allan said,”I believe the Latin phrase is “Quad Erat Demonstrandum.”
Right you are! Allan, It was “demonstrated”….to me!
DeeDee 😉
Way to go there Dee Dee! That’s my kind of response!
This from the man who struggles with English, let alone French…mind you, English is to be fair only his 2nd language…bollocks is his first…
Ha! And I am an English teacher. How’s that?
Well, you do teach under 10s, and illteracy is on the climb…I’d say it fits…
And you don’t teach, you occupy a desk and tell the kids to go on the computers so you can surf the net.
Allan, just curious, is this your favorite Peckinpah? or is this the highest a Peckinpah will land in the top 100?
Well, my favourite Peckinpahs were in the 1960s, The Wild Bunch and Ride the High Country, as for whether any more are in the countdown, well, that would be telling, wouldn’t it?
Allan, as you know I teach from ages 7 up to 12 presently, as well as serving as the coordinator of the school’s gifted and talented program.
Jamie: I realize your question here is rightfully posed to Allan, as this is his review, but that won’t stop from saying that STRAW DOGS is my favorite Peckinpah, with RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY as the runner-up. I am not a big fan of this film here or of THE WILD BUNCH, but I understand I am in the minority on that.
Actually, Sam, I agree with you. I’ve never quite understood the genius of “The Wild Bunch”. The narrative always struck me as a bit confused…although admittedly the editing in the film is phenomenal in places — maybe a bit TOO hurried in others, however, which is an understatement and a half given that some cuts last less than half a second. Anyway, “Ride the High Country” is one of my favorite films — a fantastic tribute to B westerns, including Randolph Scott’s Ranown cycle, with lots of Peckinpah-ian flourishes (ie, an obligatory attempted rape) to transition us from the softer, innuendo-laden westerns of the 50s to the acerbic, explicit ones of the 60s and 70s. Actually I think Peckinpah probably studied those Ranowns fairly closely — there’s a “siege” scene in “Decision in Sundown” where a cowboy gets graphically stabbed with a pitchfork that would fit right in with “Straw Dogs”. Also, Peckinpah used Botteicher’s DPs a few times, if I’m not mistaken.
No love for “Alfredo Garcia” or “Cross or Iron,” though? C’mon!
I surprisingly didn’t care much for The Wild Bunch or Ride the High Country. Speaking of Peckinpah in general, has everyone seen the video clip where Howard Hawks gives his assessment of The Wild Bunch? It’s pretty funny. 🙂
Being someone who at one time had something of an obsession with Billy the Kid and research into The Lincoln County War, it’s inexplicable why I still haven’t seen this one.
Dave: I can certainly sympathize your position on THE WILD BUNCH, as I’m with you there. I don’t remember seeing or hearing that clip though. I’ll have to seek it out.
Hey Jon!
I do like CROSS OF IRON for sure, and ALFREDO GARCIA is a nice little piece too. I had problems with the episodic narrative of THE WILD BUNCH too, and I have always felt it went over-the-top, even though oddly I didn’t find that to be true with STRAW DOGS, which went to more to the inate nature of violence present in all. THE WILD BUNCH was a showcase that eventually wore out its welcome, while STRAW DOGS was an intricate behavioral case study.
What you say there about RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY is simply magnificent and I wholeheartedly agree. And most assuredly that scene you describe in DECISION would definitely fit right with 1971’s survival tale.
Ah Allan plays coy, but I understand you not wanting to ruin any of the coming selections.
to me Straw Dogs Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia, and Cross of Iron are my personal favorites, then probably Ballad of Cable Hogue and Ride the High Country.
Yet again we find ourselves in nearly perfect agreement, Jamie.
By the way, everyone has seen the brilliant animated short “Bring Me The Head of Charlie Brown,” right? Well worth seeking out on youtube, as it compiles shot-for-shot emulations of not only “Alfredo Garcia”‘s climax but that of “The Wild Bunch” as well.
I’ve liked all of this directors films. The grit and the eclectic editing in all of these pieces move them away from the so-called “traditional” building blocks of the western. Sadly, I have seen both versions of PAT GARRET and although I understand Allan’s points made, in any version this is my least favorite of Peckinpah’s films.
I’ve always wondered if The Wild Bunch, although a good movie, still gets a lot of its acclaim due to its groundbreaking violence, as all of the major themes in the film (machismo & comradery, men on a suicide mission, the dissolving of the Old West, coming to terms with old age/change) seem to be better accomplished in Peckinpah’s other films, in one way or another.
And I think it goes without saying that Peckinpah was right to urinate on the theatrical release of this film. I watched that version after watching the 1988 version and it’s like night and day. It’s unfortunate that it took so long for the film to be shown correctly (and even that is still debated) and get its due.
One thing about Dylan’s music — although for the most part it doesn’t terribly stand out (I kind of enjoy the title theme), the emotional scene with Slim Pickins falling to his death with Katy Jurado looking on, all while “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door” plays is one my all-time favorite uses of a song in a film (and one that can still get me to tear up).
Troy: You make three very excellent points there, methinks! I would have to come down on your initial speculation, as th ethemes of the film are most definitely the essence of his other works. THE WILD BUNCH is quite a dazzling display of craftsmanship, but it always left me cold, in large measure because of an episodic narration and its one-note premise. I agree with what you say there on “Knockin On Heaven’s Door”; that’s quite the passionate admission.
I saw this movie in the theater in 1973. My best friend was a huge Dylan fan. I thought it was the worst movie I had EVER seen!!
In fact when bad movies are brought up I always include this incoherent bit of drivel. 106 minutes of my life that weren’t coming back!
Now, however, I would like to see it in its original form. I also understand they beat the living crap out of the soundtrack making it a mismatch to the scenes. Is there a way to get the version you mentioned? I always liked the actors and would like to give it another try.
Yes, Kate, it’s on DVD in the UK and US as part of the Peckinpah set.
I hard recorded this off TCM (the airing Dee Dee mentioned I think) but looks like it’s the 106-minute version, so I’ll hold off. As for Netflix, it appears that Disc 2 contains the ’88 version. Is that correct? (I did notice that the site lists the running time as 121 minutes, whereas you have it at 126.) Also, there’s an interesting review there. I’d be interested to know, Allan, what you think of this perspective on the various versions, which seems to refer to a “115-minute” cut which is different from both the 106-minute and 126 (121?)-minute versions you discuss.
With regards to TX’s review, it should be noted that Paul Seydor’s 2005 cut on disc 1 of this new release isn’t exactly ill-informed, even though it’s still problematic. He did write one of the more authoritative studies of Sam Peckinpah’s Westerns and befriended him in the last decades of the director’s life, He has also held numerous conversations with PAT GARRETT’s editors over the fine cutting of the truncated, incoherent 1973 theatrical release version. That said documentation as to certain revisions from the 1988 “premiere” cut seems sketchy, and some of the changes mirror personal criticisms of the ’88 version made by Seydor in a reassessment of the picture published in the 1990s, so the “authenticity” of the new cut is still somewhat disputable. There is, however, a crucial scene between Garrett and his wife restored in the new cut that exists in neither previous version (although it was always in Peckinpah’s personal print), and a deleted portion of a brothel sequence in the 73 version absent from the 88 cut has been restored as well. Thankfully Warner Brothers has included both the new and the 1988 version for fans to debate over for a long time.
The TCM version aired recently was the 2005 version according to the Robert Osborne intro.
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