The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean (1972)
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71% of critics liked it
(7 reviews) -
67% of users liked it
(3,565 ratings)
Paul Newman plays the title role in John Huston's surreal, revisionist western as the infamous Texas hanging judge. Upon arriving in the tiny West Texas town of Vinegaroon, Roy Bean draws a moustache on a wanted poster of himself, marches into a saloon, and declares his presence. He is… More Paul Newman plays the title role in John Huston's surreal, revisionist western as the infamous Texas hanging judge. Upon arriving in the tiny West Texas town of Vinegaroon, Roy Bean draws a moustache on a wanted poster of himself, marches into a saloon, and declares his presence. He is immediately robbed, beaten within an inch of his life, tied to a horse and dragged out into the prairie, then left to die. Rescued by a young Mexican girl, Maria Elena (Victoria Principal), Roy Bean heads back into town and murders everyone in the local saloon, declaring that he'll kill anyone of the same sort who turns up. He also sets himself up as the sole arbiter of law and order and renames the town Langtry, in honor of the legendary actress Lily Langtry (Ava Gardner). The community prospers as Judge Bean dispenses his own brand of frontier justice upon strangers passing by, robbing or killing anyone who tries to make their way through the town. But when Maria dies, Bean's old associates begin to turn on him, one at a time (in response to his constant harping on their wives, many of whom were former prostitutes) and Bean is forced to leave. Years later, Bean rides back into town, called back to the place to save his daughter from trouble - and finds that the community has been taken over by a shady character called Frank Gass (Roddy McDowall) - a circumstance that requires Bean to dispense his own unique brand of justice once again. Stacy Keach lends a neat comic turn to the film as Bad Bob, an albino gunslinger whose dining habits consist of chowing down on raw onion, drinking hot coffee from a pot, and demanding that an entire horse be cooked for his supper. John Milius (Red Dawn) scripted. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi
- Directed By
- John Huston
- Written By
- John Milius
- Genres
- Western, Classics, Comedy
PG,
- In Theaters
- Dec 18, 1972 Limited
- Studio
- Warner Home Video
Critic Reviews
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Fernando F. Croce, CinePassion
Milius' screenplay is acridly flavorful, Huston gives it a mellow reading
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Staci Layne Wilson, StaciWilson.com
Newman and bear: Good. Movie: Bad. It's a toss up, but I vote for hanging.
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Cast
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Paul Newman
as Judge Roy Bean
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Victoria Principal
as Maria Elena
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Anthony Perkins
as Rev. LaSalle
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Ned Beatty
as Tector Crites
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Jacqueline Bisset
as Rose Bean
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Tab Hunter
as Sam Dodd
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John Huston
as Grizzly Adams
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Ava Gardner
as Lillie Langtry
- Bruno
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Jim Burk
as Bart Jackson
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Dean Casper
as Desk Clerk
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Jack Colvin
as Pimp
- Richard Farnsworth
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John Bear Hudkins
as Man at Stage Door
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Francesca Jarvis
as Mrs. Jackson
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Roy Jenson
as outlaw
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Leroy Johnson
as Outlaw
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Steve Kanaly
as Whorehouse Lucky Jim
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Stacy Keach
as Bad Bob
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Fred Krone
as Outlaw
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Roddy McDowall
as Frank Gass
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Bill McKinney
as Fermilee Parker
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Billy Pearson
as Miner/Station Master
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Michael Sarrazin
as Rose's Husband
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David Sharpe
as Doctor
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Dean Smith
as Outlaw
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Don Starr
as Opera House Manager
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Neil Summers
as Snake River Rufus Krile
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Anthony Zerbe
as Hustler
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Stan Barrett
as Killer
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Matt Clark
as Nick the Grub
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Gary Combs
as Outlaw
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Bennie E. Dobbins
as Outlaw
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Jeannie Epper
as Whore
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Terry J. Leonard
as Outlaw
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Frank Soto
as Mexican Leader
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Howard Morton
as Photographer
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Alfred G. Bosnos
as Opera House Clerk
- Fred Brookfield
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Karen Carr
as Mrs. Grubb
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Dolores Clark
as Mrs. Whorehouse Jim
- Margo Epper
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Barbara J. Longo
as Fat Lady
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Rebecca Lee Meza
as Mrs. Parlee
