The Outlaw Synopsis & Review: Plot Summary

🎯 Quick Overview

😅 Plot Summary – Badly Explained

Doc Holliday and Pat Garrett fight over a stolen horse and Billy the Kid, while Jane Russell mostly just stands there looking revolutionary.

🍿 The Outlaw: Detailed Plot Synopsis

A Stolen Horse and Shifting Loyalties

Newly appointed sheriff Pat Garrett is pleased to see his old friend Doc Holliday arrive in Lincoln, New Mexico. Doc is tracking his stolen horse, Red, which they soon discover is in the possession of the infamous outlaw, Billy the Kid. Surprisingly, Billy and Doc, despite their initial conflict over the horse, become friends. This newfound camaraderie strains the long-standing friendship between Doc and Pat Garrett, setting the stage for conflict.

Wounding and Refuge with Rio

During a confrontation with Garrett and his deputies, Billy is wounded. Doc Holliday helps Billy escape and takes him to the isolated home of his alleged girlfriend, Rio McDonald, and her aunt, instructing Rio to care for the injured outlaw. Rio reluctantly agrees to hide and tend to Billy. While nursing him back to health, she finds herself unexpectedly falling for his charm and good looks, complicating the relationships further.

⚠️ Spoilers and Ending Explained

🎬 Cast & Characters

• Billy the Kid (Jack Buetel): A famous young outlaw whose stolen horse sparks a complex dynamic with Pat Garrett and Doc Holliday and leads to a romance with Rio McDonald.
• Pat Garrett (Thomas Mitchell): The newly appointed sheriff whose friendship with Doc Holliday is tested by Doc’s shifting alliance with Billy the Kid, whom Garrett is determined to bring in.
• Doc Holliday (Walter Huston): An old friend of Pat Garrett who unexpectedly forms a bond with Billy the Kid after encountering him and later navigates a rivalry involving Rio McDonald and Garrett.
• Rio McDonald (Jane Russell): Doc Holliday’s girlfriend who becomes attracted to and cares for the wounded Billy the Kid, becoming central to the tensions between the three men.

💬 Memorable Quotes

• Billy the Kid: “Quit struggling, lady or the rest of your dress will get ripped.” – Said to Rio in the barn when he overpowers her after she attempts to ambush him.
• Rio McDonald: “I’ll warm him up.” – Said to her aunt before she gets into bed with a feverish Billy to help him regain body heat.
• Pat Garrett: “You’re not going with him! Everything was fine between us till he came along!” – Pat expresses frustration and jealousy to Doc Holliday as Doc grows closer to Billy the Kid, highlighting the film’s underlying relationship dynamics.
• Billy the Kid: “This time I want you to keep your eyes open. Look at me… while I do it.” – Said to Rio in a highly suggestive scene where he returns to her, implying a demand for her presence during their intimacy.

💰Box Office

• Budget: $1,885,853
• Domestic Gross: $5,000,000
• Worldwide Gross: Unknown

💥 The Outlaw Reviews

Personal Review

Okay, so I finally watched ‘The Outlaw’ because, let’s be honest, I’d heard all the buzz about Jane Russell and the censorship stuff. And yeah, her entrance is definitely *an entrance*. But wow, this movie is WEIRD. I mean, the plot is supposedly about Billy the Kid, Doc Holliday, and Pat Garrett, but it feels more like a bizarre love square involving a stolen horse and Russell’s character, Rio. The relationships between the guys are just… intense and strange. Thomas Mitchell as Pat Garrett yelling at Doc Holliday felt like a scene from a totally different, much stranger movie. And the music! Good grief, the music is like Tchaikovsky got into a fight with a kazoo factory. It’s loud, intrusive, and often completely inappropriate. There’s a scene where Billy gets shot, and the music is just… doing its own thing. Jack Buetel as Billy the Kid is… pretty. That’s mostly what I took away from his performance. Jane Russell is stunning, obviously, but her character and dialogue are often baffling. Yet, despite all its many, *many* flaws, I couldn’t stop watching. It’s like a fascinating, poorly-edited fever dream of a Western. It’s not ‘good’ by any traditional measure, but it’s absolutely memorable and kind of hilarious if you’re in the right mood. Definitely a movie night conversation starter.

• Who would enjoy:
  • “Fans of classic Westerns interested in unconventional or controversial entries in the genre”
  • “Viewers interested in film history, particularly the Hays Code era and censorship battles”
  • “Fans of Jane Russell or Walter Huston”
  • “Film buffs interested in the work of Howard Hughes or cinematographer Gregg Toland”
  • “Those who enjoy ‘so-bad-it’s-good’ or campy films”
• Content warnings ⚠:
  • “Violence (gunfights, implied death)”
  • “Depictions of Native Americans (potentially dated or stereotypical)”
  • “Implied sexual assault/non-consensual interaction”
  • “Implied sexual content and innuendo”
  • “Controversial themes (interpreted homoerotic subtext)”
  • “Outdated attitudes and portrayals”

Professional Reviews

• Inspired by User Review: “Howard Hughes’ notorious Western debut for Jane Russell is less a coherent film and more a fascinating train wreck fueled by odd relationships and baffling creative choices. While critics of the time and since have panned its wooden acting (save a game Walter Huston), bizarre musical score mixing Tchaikovsky with cartoon sound effects, and painfully slow pacing, its historical notoriety and unintentional camp value make it a must-see for film history buffs. The cinematography is occasionally striking, but ultimately, it’s the off-beat character dynamics and the sheer audacity of its production that linger, not its narrative quality.
• Inspired by User Review: “”The Outlaw” endures less for its historical accuracy or narrative prowess and more for the sheer spectacle of its troubled production and the star-making (and censor-battling) turn by Jane Russell. The plot, involving a convoluted love triangle between Billy the Kid, Doc Holliday, and Pat Garrett (with Russell’s character Rio caught in the middle, or perhaps just standing nearby), often feels secondary to the notorious showcasing of Russell’s figure. Its flaws, from the jarring music to the stilted dialogue, are undeniable, making it a compellingly bad watch that reveals much about the era’s censorship battles and Hollywood eccentricity.

Audience Reactions

Jane Russell’s screen presence and the controversy surrounding her debut.: People agree it’s a historically significant film due to the censorship battle and Russell’s impact, even if the movie itself is deeply flawed.

The bizarre and often unintentionally funny dialogue and character interactions.: Many viewers find the movie’s weird plot, strange relationships (especially between the male leads), and stilted acting provide significant camp value and laughs.

The infamously bad and intrusive musical score.: The soundtrack is widely criticized as one of the worst in film history, simultaneously distracting and strangely memorable.

Overall Consensus: A notorious and historically significant, yet deeply flawed Western primarily remembered for launching Jane Russell’s career and its battles with censors. While widely criticized for its plot, acting, and music, its unique weirdness provides significant camp value and remains a fascinating watch for film history buffs.

Awards

🛠️ Behind the Scenes

• “Howard Hughes famously took over directing from Howard Hawks early in production, ultimately spending years battling the Hays Code (Production Code Administration) over the film’s provocative content, particularly the depiction of Jane Russell’s cleavage.”
• “The film’s long delay and battle with censors turned it into a massive publicity sensation, primarily due to Hughes’s deliberate marketing campaign focusing on Jane Russell’s physique.”
• “Hughes claimed to have designed a special cantilever bra to enhance Jane Russell’s bustline for the film, although Russell herself later stated she found it uncomfortable and just wore her own bra, padding it with tissue.”
• “Acclaimed cinematographer Gregg Toland, known for his deep focus work on ‘Citizen Kane’, served as the Director of Photography on ‘The Outlaw’, lending a visual quality often praised despite the film’s other criticisms.”
• “The controversial score, which mixes classical music (including Tchaikovsky) with jarring, sometimes comedic sound effects, was heavily criticized by many viewers and critics for being intrusive and inappropriate.”

🖥️ How to Watch The Outlaw?

As a classic film, ‘The Outlaw’ may be available on streaming platforms specializing in older movies or classic cinema. Check services like Tubi, Kanopy, or archives like the Internet Archive. You may also find it available for digital rental or purchase on platforms such as Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, or Vudu. Physical copies on DVD and VHS are also still in circulation. Keep an eye out for airings on classic film television channels like AMC or TCM, as mentioned in user reviews.

🎥 Similar Movies

If you enjoyed The Outlaw, you might like these similar films:

• Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (1973): Offers a much different, darker, and more historically focused portrayal of the relationship between these two legendary figures, providing a strong contrast.
• Duel in the Sun (1946): Another Western released around the same time that was highly controversial for its sexual themes and depiction of female desire, often labeled a ‘sex western’.
• My Darling Clementine (1946): A classic, highly regarded Western from the same year that also features Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday, offering a traditional counterpoint to ‘The Outlaw’s’ unconventional narrative.
• Unforgiven (1992): A modern, revisionist Western that deconstructs the myths of the Old West and its heroes/villains, similar to how ‘The Outlaw’ plays with historical figures, albeit in a different style.
• Johnny Guitar (1954): A highly stylized and unconventional cult Western known for its unique characters, melodramatic plot, and bizarre elements, appealing to fans who appreciate ‘The Outlaw’s’ oddity.

🛒 The Outlaw Related Products

• Classic Western Films Collection (DVD/Blu-ray): Explore the genre that ‘The Outlaw’ twisted! This collection features acclaimed Westerns, offering a look at how the genre evolved beyond Howard Hughes’ unique vision.
• Biography of Howard Hughes: Dive into the life of the eccentric billionaire behind this controversial film. Understand the mind and motivations of the man who battled censors and shaped Hollywood.
• Jane Russell Movie Poster Prints: Iconic posters from ‘The Outlaw’ are legendary. Own a piece of this film’s controversial legacy with high-quality prints featuring the striking imagery that caused such a stir.
• Books on Hollywood Censorship (Pre-Code/Production Code): Learn about the Hays Code and the Production Code Administration that ‘The Outlaw’ famously challenged. Understand the era’s restrictions and how Hughes pushed boundaries.

🎧 Soundtrack

The Outlaw features a captivating soundtrack that enhances the movie’s atmosphere and emotional impact. Here are some notable tracks:

• “Symphony No. 6 in B Minor, Opus 74, ‘Pathétique’ (First movement theme and variations)” – performed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
• “The Lone Prairie (Mélange)” – performed by Traditional/Various

You can find the complete soundtrack on Amazon Music and Apple Music.

🤨 FAQ

🔥 Bonus Content

Ballad of Buster Scruggs – Saloon scene

Gotta see this iconic shootout scene from “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs” – the dialogue is just so sharp before things get crazy! I remember thinking how perfectly it sets the tone for the whole movie.

The Highwaymen – City of New Orleans (American Outlaws: Live at Nassau Coliseum, 1990)

You absolutely have to watch this live performance of “City of New Orleans” by The Highwaymen – hearing these legends together is pure magic. It gives me chills every time!

She’s Perfect

Check out this super popular short video – it’s got millions of views for a reason and is a quick, engaging watch! I bet you’ll see why so many people clicked on it.

✨ Rate