The Outlaw(1943)

The Outlaw (1943). Western film. Director: Howard Hughes. Cast: Jane Russell Jack Buetel, Thomas Mitchell, and Walter Huston. Hughes also produced the film, while Howard Hawks served as an uncredited co-director. The film is notable as Russell's breakthrough role, largely thanks to the costuming, turning her into a sex symbol and a Hollywood icon.


Doc Holliday meets with his old friend Pat Garrett at a New Mexico train depot. Pat, who is the town's sheriff, learns that Doc is looking for his horse Red, who has been stolen. Pat takes Doc into town where Doc finds Red. Soon after, he confronts William Bonney, an infamous gunslinger known as Billy the Kid, who claims that he bought Red. Doc takes Billy's side when Pat tries to arrest him for being a horse thief. Angry, Pat orders Doc and Billy to leave town by sundown. Doc and Billy, ignore Pat and play cards in the cantina. Doc promises to give Red to Billy as a gift, but.. later he tries to sneak the horse out of the barn. Billy catches him. Out of the blue Billy is shot at in the dark, Billy overpowers his attacker, who turns out to be a beautiful woman named Rio McDonald. Rio accuses Billy for murdering her brother and promises to kill him. Billy admits to shooting Rio's brother, but.. insists that it was a fair fight. Later in the cantina, Billy is approached by a stranger who wants Billy's help confronting Pat and suggests they stage a mock fight. Realizing he is being set-up, Billy draws his guns before the stranger does and kills him. Billy refuses to give himself up to Pat and his deputies, and is shot by Pat. Doc shoots the gun out of Pat's hand. As Doc and a wounded Billy are about to leave the cantina, Pat says his friendship with Doc "finished." Doc takes Billy to Rio's house, unaware that Rio, his girl friend, had previously tried to kill Billy. After Doc leaves, Rio and her aunt Guadalupe nurse Billy through fever and chills. It takes him a month to fully recover. When, Doc returns and learns that Rio married Billy during one of his delirious periods, but.. has not told him that they are married..(Which I did not understand.) Doc seems to be angry by Rio's change of heart, he seems more upset about his horse. Billy offers Doc a choice between Red and Rio. Doc picks Red over Rio, and the two men ride off together. When they see Pat approaching, they believe that Rio revealed their travel plans. Doc wakes to find Billy gone and Pat at his side. Pat arrests Doc, while Billy sneaks into Rio's house and takes her by surprise. Later, on the trail, Doc and Pat find Rio tied between two rocks, with no water. Hoping that Billy will come looking for Rio, Doc and Pat wait for him. Billy shows up the next morning and they arrest him. While they are arguing, a hostile Indian group sends smoke signals announcing their presence. Pat, Billy and Doc jump on their horses and head for nearby Fort Sumner. Before they get to the fort they stop at a friends house to rest. Doc challenges Billy, to a duel when he insists once more that the horse belongs to him. Who will win the horse and the girl?

This was the first time I had seen the movie THE OUTLAW. It was fun to see Jane Russell's (age19) film debut as Rio McDonald, Doc's girlfriend turned Billy's lover. But, I have to admit I had a hard time trying to figure out the story.


FUN FACT:

Debut of Jane Russell.
The Outlaw Movie Trailer.