The Outrage (1964)

40% of users liked it
(321 ratings)

Derived from the classic 1951 Japanese film Rashomon, director Martin Ritt's The Outrage attempts to modernize the original story of rape and murder, transporting from medieval Japan to the American Southwest of the 1870's. The story is told within the framework of three men waiting at a railway… More Derived from the classic 1951 Japanese film Rashomon, director Martin Ritt's The Outrage attempts to modernize the original story of rape and murder, transporting from medieval Japan to the American Southwest of the 1870's. The story is told within the framework of three men waiting at a railway station. A con-man (Edward G. Robinson) listens to the account of a trial held recently in the town as told by a prospector (Howard Da Silva) and a preacher (William Shatner) suffering from a crisis of faith in humanity. Three witnesses at the trial of a Mexican outlaw give conflicting testimony. Each version is shown in flashback. The outlaw, Juan Carrasco (Paul Newman), confesses that he bound the husband (Laurence Harvey), raped the wife, and killed the husband in a duel of honor. The wife (Claire Bloom) claims that the outlaw raped her, and then she stabbed her husband when he contemptuously blamed her for inviting the assault. The third witness, an old Indian (Paul Fix), declares that he found the dying husband who stated that he stabbed himself because he couldn't live with the humiliation. As the story continues to unfold, the validity of each of the stories is questioned before the truth is finally revealed. ~ Matthew Tobey, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 35 min.
Directed By: Martin Ritt
Written By: Michael Kanin
Genres: Western, Drama, Action & Adventure, Mystery & Suspense, Classics

In Theaters: Oct 7, 1964 Wide
On DVD: Feb 17, 2009

Critic Reviews

Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Remake of Rashomon with a Western setting.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Paul Newman reteams with his favorite director Martin Ritt(Hud) in this unsuccessful American version of Kurosawa's landmark 1950 film, Rashomon.

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Featured Audience Ratings

Conner R

Even though it's not amazing, this is actually really interesting and well done movie. Sadly it will always be compared to Rashomon, even though the remake really tries to be something else and is hardly shot for shot. It has some great characters, Paul Newman as Carrasco is… More
Even though it's not amazing, this is actually really interesting and well done movie. Sadly it will always be compared to Rashomon, even though the remake really tries to be something else and is hardly shot for shot. It has some great characters, Paul Newman as Carrasco is utterly ridiculous, yet hilarious at the same time. The cinematography is beautiful and even rivals Kurosawas, so in that respect it's a very worthy remake. This really is the best possible western interpretation of the story.
Cindy I

A direct remake of "Rashomon", but set in the old west rather than Japan. Paul Newman stars in the role that Toshiro Mifune played in the original -- that of a bandit (Mexican rather than Japanese) who rapes a woman and murders her husband....or did he? Pretty good if… More
A direct remake of "Rashomon", but set in the old west rather than Japan. Paul Newman stars in the role that Toshiro Mifune played in the original -- that of a bandit (Mexican rather than Japanese) who rapes a woman and murders her husband....or did he? Pretty good if you've never had the chance to see Rashomon, or are put off by subtitles. Along with Newman, other cast members include Lawrence Harvey, Claire Bloom and Edward G. Robinson. William Shatner even makes a decent, although overly dramatic (as usual) appearance as the preacher. Interesting to see if you know Rashomon well. Many scenes are plucked directly from the original, with even the dialogue pretty much intact. Probably unnecessary, but not irritating like the Psycho remake. One flaw -- Paul Newman as a Mexican?!?! He did a good job, but those blue eyes don't quite fit the part.