classicsoncall Historical accuracy takes a pretty significant hit in this Western, but that shouldn't affect one's enjoyment of the film. As he did a handful times in his career, Paul Newman portrays an Old West character bringing order, progress, civilization and peace to the self appointed one horse town of Vinegarroon, Texas, and he doesn't care who he has to kill to get it. The film relies on quite a few one shot cameos of actors who show up only to be gunned down or hung by Judge Roy Bean (Newman). The most outrageous of these occurs when albino Bad Bob (Stacy Keach) rides into town gunning for the Judge. I like to think that Bean's reaction to Bob's insults provided the inspiration for a similar scene in 1995's "The Quick and the Dead".There's also the running story line of Bean's infatuation with actress Lily Langtry who he never gets to meet, though the picture's finale affords a sentimental reaction from the character portrayed by Ava Gardner. Earlier in the story, Snake River Rufus Krile (Neil Summers) had the distinct misfortune to desecrate a poster of Miss Langtry for which he paid dearly. That was a scene to rival Bad Bob's undoing.Victoria Principal made a notable movie debut here as a Mexican senorita who nursed Bean back to health following his first unfortunate encounter in Texas, ultimately moving in and providing him with a child before her tragic end. Following a whirlwind flash forward of twenty years, Jacqueline Bisset picks up the slack as Bean's daughter Rose desiring to keep his legacy alive amid an oil boom ushering out the final days of the Old West.Considering the colorful life of the real Roy Bean, I'm sure many Western movie fans like myself would welcome a modern, more accurate treatment of the legendary judge dispensing law West of the Pecos. I'd certainly look forward to experiencing old time justice as the handmaiden of the law, or vice versa depending on the circumstance.

rconnolly7422 One of those feel good movies that you just have to have in your collection. Much like Trains, Planes and Automobiles or Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (can't believe Ian Fleming wrote that as well as James Bond) and another Paul Newman classic Slap Shot. Who cares if they aren't classic Gone with the Wind or Longest Day type movies. They are feel good movies. I can never forget all of the classic scenes in this movie, particularly those that include albino Bad Bob: riding into town, drinking boiling coffee right out of the can from the fire pit and eating an onion straight out of the dirt. Then getting a shotgun hole blown through him from the back in a "fair fight" ha ha. Too many funny memorial scenes. A Newman and cast classic.

Carol The life of the real Judge Bean was more interesting, at least as how it is recounted on Wikipedia, and if Wikipedia is true, then episodes of the movie go directly opposite events of the real Roy Bean's life.The scene where Paul Newman orders the hanging of a criminal who doesn't think he has done anything wrong for killing a Chinese man? The real Bean made up that law himself as an excuse to release an Irish murderer from his crime - by saying that his law book ruled against killing human beings- not Chinamen.The first man Bean ever killed was a Mexican "desperado," according to Wikipedia. At 41, he married an 18 year old Mexican girl and then was convicted of assaulting her in their marriage, which eventually led to a divorce after 4 children.No, the real Judge Bean didn't sound at all like a person worth mythologizing, at least not THIS way, except as an example of misbehavior and notoriety - a far cry from this boring, lazy, star-vehicle movie with a truly reprehensible script that does a disservice to history and to our intelligence.The only real interest this movie has is as a historical document and as an excuse to ogle the famous actors of the time - Paul Newman, Ava Gardner, a young Victoria Principal, who all play shallow, 2 dimensional characters.

PWNYCNY When I cannot decide whether this film is better than The Westerner with Walter Brennan and Gary Cooper, than I know that this is a great movie because The Westerner was one of the greatest westerns ever. Paul Newman gives a powerful performance as the legendary Judge Roy Bean. Mr. Newman is truly the star of the movie and he carries the movie well. His presence is enough to take a good movie and make it great. This movie is an example of how the actor makes the difference between a movie being likable but forgettable and wonderful and memorable. Mr. Newman captures the essence of the Bean character, the judge's eccentricities, his homespun philosophy on life and his essential humanity. True, Judge Bean was known as the hanging judge and he was a law unto himself, but he knew who he was dealing with and that there was nobody to back him up. He was THE LAW and had to command respect. Portraying an historical figure is tricky, but Paul Newman does it well and for that reason alone the movie is worth watching.