Life & Times of Judge Roy Bean

If this story ain't true... it shoulda been "A film to enjoy for its rich flavour". Evening News MAYBE THIS ISN'T THE WAY IT WAS - IT'S THE WAY IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN! A rip-roaing, action packed comedy Western in the finest tradition of such pictures as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and Cat Ballou, it was described by its director John Huston as "A romp-a lark" and by Rolling Stone in 1973 as "easily one of last year's ten best films". The inventive, witty and incident-filled screenplay by John Milius is based on the fascinating real-life character of the murdeous 'Judge' Roy Bean, the self-styled "Law west of the Pecos" who brought violent law and order to a small town in Texas which he ruled over, bringing his own highly-individual brand of justice to all who crossed his path. Paul Newman gives one of his most beguiling and compelling portrayls of his career in the title role, described by the Financial Times as "an excellent, sustained character peformance". In the star studded supporting cast, Stacy Keach stands out as a black-hearted albino gunslinger, Ava Gardner is charming as the famed actress Lilly Langtry, director John Huston makes an amusing camera appearance as a crazy mountain man with a forbidding black bear as a pet and there are strong contributions from Anthony Perkins, Jacqueline Bisset and Roddy McDowall and Dallas' Victoria Principal makes an early big-screen appearance. Said The Daily Telegraph: "There are many unny moments" and the Sunday People wrote of its "Rich comedy and old-fashioned heroics". © National General Pictures Corp. The First Artists Production Co. and Coley Town Poductions Inc.