Billy the Kid (1989 film)
Encyclopedia
Gore Vidal's Billy the Kid, also known as Billy the Kid, is a 1989 American
western film about famed gunman Billy the Kid
.
One of many depicting the events surrounding the outlaw
during his participation in the Lincoln County War
, this film, though little known, has routinely been described as the most historically accurate version to date. Written by Gore Vidal
and directed
by William A. Graham
, Val Kilmer
stars in the lead role of William Bonney aka Billy the Kid, with a supporting cast including Wilford Brimley
, John O'Hurley
, Duncan Regehr
, and Ned Vaughn
.
The film was made for television, toward the beginning of Kilmer's career really taking off. While garnering little attention, the TV-movie was well received by fans of the western genre
due to its comparative historical fidelity. Kilmer received praise for his portrayal and worked extensively to not only look as much like the actual Billy the Kid as possible, but also to capture his personality, as it is believed to have been, based upon actual historical accounts. This contributed to the film being widely acclaimed as one of the most historically accurate "Billy the Kid" films ever made. Vidal mentioned in his memoirs that he had written the original teleplay
for The Left Handed Gun
, starring Paul Newman
as Billy the Kid, decades earlier and always felt the studio had butchered the material when his television play was used as the basis for a theatrical movie, so he wanted to return to the story for a more accurate rendition.
Cinema of the United States
The cinema of the United States, also known as Hollywood, has had a profound effect on cinema across the world since the early 20th century. Its history is sometimes separated into four main periods: the silent film era, classical Hollywood cinema, New Hollywood, and the contemporary period...
western film about famed gunman Billy the Kid
Billy the Kid
William H. Bonney William H. Bonney William H. Bonney (born William Henry McCarty, Jr. est. November 23, 1859 – c. July 14, 1881, better known as Billy the Kid but also known as Henry Antrim, was a 19th-century American gunman who participated in the Lincoln County War and became a frontier...
.
One of many depicting the events surrounding the outlaw
Outlaw
In historical legal systems, an outlaw is declared as outside the protection of the law. In pre-modern societies, this takes the burden of active prosecution of a criminal from the authorities. Instead, the criminal is withdrawn all legal protection, so that anyone is legally empowered to persecute...
during his participation in the Lincoln County War
Lincoln County War
The Lincoln County War was a 19th-century range war between two factions during the Old West period. Numerous notable figures of the American West were involved, including Billy the Kid, aka William Henry McCarty; sheriffs William Brady and Pat Garrett; cattle rancher John Chisum, lawyer and...
, this film, though little known, has routinely been described as the most historically accurate version to date. Written by Gore Vidal
Gore Vidal
Gore Vidal is an American author, playwright, essayist, screenwriter, and political activist. His third novel, The City and the Pillar , outraged mainstream critics as one of the first major American novels to feature unambiguous homosexuality...
and directed
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
by William A. Graham
William A. Graham (director)
William A. Graham is an American television and film director.Graham directed episodes of many TV series including The Fugitive, Twelve O'Clock High, The Big Valley, Batman and Ironside...
, Val Kilmer
Val Kilmer
Val Edward Kilmer is an American actor. Originally a stage actor, Kilmer became popular in the mid-1980s after a string of appearances in comedy films, starting with Top Secret! , then the cult classic Real Genius , as well as blockbuster action films, including a supporting role in Top Gun and a...
stars in the lead role of William Bonney aka Billy the Kid, with a supporting cast including Wilford Brimley
Wilford Brimley
Allen Wilford Brimley is an American actor. He has appeared in such films as The China Syndrome, Cocoon, The Thing and The Firm. He had a recurring role on the 1970s television series The Waltons...
, John O'Hurley
John O'Hurley
John George O'Hurley is an American actor, voice actor, and television personality. He is known for the role of J. Peterman on the NBC sitcom Seinfeld and was the host of the game show Family Feud from 2006 to 2010.-Early life:...
, Duncan Regehr
Duncan Regehr
Duncan Peter Regehr is a Canadian writer, multi-media artist, and film and television actor. He has also been a figure skater, an Olympic boxing contender, and a classically trained Shakespearean stage actor in his native Canada, before heading to Hollywood in 1980...
, and Ned Vaughn
Ned Vaughn
Ned Vaughn is an American actor known for his television work. He attended Lee High School in Huntsville, AL and Birmingham-Southern College.-Filmography:*The Rescue, 1988 - Shawn Howard...
.
The film was made for television, toward the beginning of Kilmer's career really taking off. While garnering little attention, the TV-movie was well received by fans of the western genre
Western (genre)
The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
due to its comparative historical fidelity. Kilmer received praise for his portrayal and worked extensively to not only look as much like the actual Billy the Kid as possible, but also to capture his personality, as it is believed to have been, based upon actual historical accounts. This contributed to the film being widely acclaimed as one of the most historically accurate "Billy the Kid" films ever made. Vidal mentioned in his memoirs that he had written the original teleplay
Teleplay
A teleplay is a television play, a comedy or drama written or adapted for television. The term surfaced during the 1950s with wide usage to distinguish a television plays from stage plays for the theater and screenplays written for films...
for The Left Handed Gun
The Left Handed Gun
The Left Handed Gun is a 1958 American western film and the film directorial debut of Arthur Penn, starring Paul Newman as Billy the Kid and John Dehner as Pat Garrett...
, starring Paul Newman
Paul Newman
Paul Leonard Newman was an American actor, film director, entrepreneur, humanitarian, professional racing driver and auto racing enthusiast...
as Billy the Kid, decades earlier and always felt the studio had butchered the material when his television play was used as the basis for a theatrical movie, so he wanted to return to the story for a more accurate rendition.
Cast
- Val KilmerVal KilmerVal Edward Kilmer is an American actor. Originally a stage actor, Kilmer became popular in the mid-1980s after a string of appearances in comedy films, starting with Top Secret! , then the cult classic Real Genius , as well as blockbuster action films, including a supporting role in Top Gun and a...
as Billy the KidBilly the KidWilliam H. Bonney William H. Bonney William H. Bonney (born William Henry McCarty, Jr. est. November 23, 1859 – c. July 14, 1881, better known as Billy the Kid but also known as Henry Antrim, was a 19th-century American gunman who participated in the Lincoln County War and became a frontier...
(William Bonney) - Wilford BrimleyWilford BrimleyAllen Wilford Brimley is an American actor. He has appeared in such films as The China Syndrome, Cocoon, The Thing and The Firm. He had a recurring role on the 1970s television series The Waltons...
as Gov. Lew WallaceLew WallaceLewis "Lew" Wallace was an American lawyer, Union general in the American Civil War, territorial governor and statesman, politician and author... - Julie CarmenJulie CarmenJulie Carmen is an American actress, dancer and a licensed psychotherapist.She came to prominence onscreen in the 1980s, winning the Venice Film Festival Best Supporting Actress Award for her role in John Cassavetes' film, Gloria. Her acting training was with Sanford Meisner at Neighborhood...
as Celsa - Duncan RegehrDuncan RegehrDuncan Peter Regehr is a Canadian writer, multi-media artist, and film and television actor. He has also been a figure skater, an Olympic boxing contender, and a classically trained Shakespearean stage actor in his native Canada, before heading to Hollywood in 1980...
as Pat GarrettPat GarrettPatrick Floyd "Pat" Garrett was an American Old West lawman, bartender, and customs agent who was best known for killing Billy the Kid... - Albert SalmiAlbert SalmiAlbert Salmi was an American actor.-Biography:Albert Salmi was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Finnish immigrant parents, and following a stint in the Army, took up acting as a career, studying Method acting with Lee Strasberg. In 1955, Salmi starred in Bus Stop on Broadway...
as Mr. Maxwell - Ned VaughnNed VaughnNed Vaughn is an American actor known for his television work. He attended Lee High School in Huntsville, AL and Birmingham-Southern College.-Filmography:*The Rescue, 1988 - Shawn Howard...
as Charlie - Gore VidalGore VidalGore Vidal is an American author, playwright, essayist, screenwriter, and political activist. His third novel, The City and the Pillar , outraged mainstream critics as one of the first major American novels to feature unambiguous homosexuality...
as Preacher (uncredited)