Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here (1969)

47% of users liked it
(339 ratings)

After being blacklisted from Hollywood for 21 years, writer/director Abraham Polonsky made a healthy comeback with Tell Them Willie Boy is Here. The title character, played by Robert Blake, is a Paiute Indian living in 1909 California. After several years in the White Man's world, Willie Boy returns… More After being blacklisted from Hollywood for 21 years, writer/director Abraham Polonsky made a healthy comeback with Tell Them Willie Boy is Here. The title character, played by Robert Blake, is a Paiute Indian living in 1909 California. After several years in the White Man's world, Willie Boy returns to his reservation, hoping to renew his romance with tribeswoman Lola (Katherine Ross). Old Mike (Mike Angel), Lola's father, strongly disapproves of her relationship with Willie Boy and attacks the youth. Acting in self defense, Willie Boy kills Old Mike. Under tribal rules, Willie Boy is now permitted to claim Lola as his woman. But white lawman Christopher Cooper (Robert Redford) is forced to charge Willie Boy with murder. The Indian and his girl escape the reservation, pursued by the essentially decent Cooper and a less-than-decent crowd of white vigilantes. What begins as comparative minor incident, snowballs into a huge political crisis, with the bewildered but defiant Willie Boy as the catalyst. Tell Them Willie Boy is Here is distinguished by the fine performances of leading players Redford, Blake, Ross and Susan Clark, and by the haunting cinematography of Conrad Hall. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: PG, 1 hr. 38 min.
Directed By: Abraham Polonsky
Written By: Harry Lawton, Abraham Polonsky
Genres: Western, Drama, Classics

In Theaters: Oct 31, 1969 Wide
Studio: Odeon Entertainment

Critic Reviews

Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
It's basically a Western chase film that openly serves liberal messages over the Indian-white conflict.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
This socially conscious Western represents a major comeback for blacklisted writer-director Polonsky, who identifies with the film's message and gets strong performances from Redford as the sheriff and Robert Blake as the hunted man.

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Featured Audience Ratings

Dimitris S

Affirmative.This is not your ordinary western.Long dialogue and stretching events,alongside with a political agenda of misdemeanors.And Willie in the middle.The goat.Furthermore,the finale seems a little bit of propaganda whether it be over a justified "party" or not,it… More
Affirmative.This is not your ordinary western.Long dialogue and stretching events,alongside with a political agenda of misdemeanors.And Willie in the middle.The goat.Furthermore,the finale seems a little bit of propaganda whether it be over a justified "party" or not,it still is considered a non-argumentative propaganda without evidence.The whole physical hunting is more than satisfying.Polonsky knew he wasn't fully charged but it's an entertaining film all in all.

Cast

            Robert Redford as Christopher Cooper

            Katharine Ross as Lola

            Robert Blake as Willie Boy

            Susan Clark as Liz

            Barry Sullivan as Calvert

            John Vernon as Hacker

            Lloyd Gough as Dexter

            Charles Aidman as Benby

            Charles McGraw as Wilson

            Robert Lipton as Newcombe

            Shelly Novack as Finney

            Ned Romero as Tom

            John Day as Sam Wood

            Lee de Broux as Meathead

            Steve Shemayne as Johnny Hyde

            Jerry Velasco as Chino

            Garry Walberg as Dr. Mills

            Lou Frizzell as Station Agent

            George Tyne as Le Marie

            John Wheeler as Newman

            Erik Holland as Digger

            Wayne Sutherlin as Harry

            Mikel Angel as Old Mike

            Jerome Raphel as Salesman

            Everett Creach as Fake Indian

            Johnny Coons as Clerk

            Stanley Torres as 1st Committee Man

            Joseph C. Mandel as Reporters

            Spencer Lyons as Cody

            Kenneth Holzman as Reporter

            John Bear Hudkins as 3rd Man
See full cast