DIRTY LITTLE BILLY (1972)

Title: DIRTY LITTLE BILLY

Year of Release: 1972

Director: Stan Dragoti

Genre: Western

Synopsis: The life of Billy the Kid in all its stark rawness.

Within a film history context: There have been quite a few films over the years dealing with Billy the Kid. One of the first was a possibly lost movie, J.P. McGowan's BILLY THE KID (1925), with western star Franklyn Farnum in the titular role. More well-known was BILLY THE KID (1930), directed by King Vidor. It charted the relationship between Billy the Kid and lawman Pat Garrett, specifically whether Pat Garrett should bring Billy to account for a crime he committed. Sam Newfield's BILLY THE KID OUTLAWED (1940), cast Billy the Kid in a more righteous light, seeking to avenge the killing of two ranchers. BILLY THE KID (1941), directed by David Miller, was a remake of the 1930 movie, this time with Robert Taylor in the lead role. The movie concentrated upon the relationship between Billy the Kid and Jim Sherwood, and how events tested their friendship. Sam Newfield's BILLY THE KID TRAPPED (1942), had Billy the Kid and others escaping from jail, trying to track down those who dressed as them, and committed crimes. THE OUTLAW (1943), directed by Howard Hughes, concentrated on the interactions between Billy the Kid, Doc Holliday, and Pat Garrett, with an added romantic angle for Billy the Kid with Rio McDonald. More fantastical was Ray Taylor's SON OF BILLY THE KID (1949). A play on real events, the film presents Billy the Kid as being alive, and now a banker whose bank is under siege by outlaws. THE KID FROM TEXAS (1950), directed by Kurt Neumann, was a darker movie about Billy the Kid, with him involved in land disputes and other related mayhem. William Berke's short film I SHOT BILLY THE KID (1950), was another exploration of the relationship between Billy the Kid and Pat Garrett, lasting less than one hour in duration. 

THE LAW VS. BILLY THE KID (1954), directed by William Castle, was a movie that again attempted to paint a view of Billy the Kid as righteous. In this instance, Billy the Kid is pursued by someone as he has taken money owed to him, and finds not only trouble, but also time for some romance. Oliver Drake's THE PARSON AND THE OUTLAW (1957), was yet another in a line of films which gave a more benign view of Billy the Kid. Here, a preacher enlists the assistance of Billy the Kid, who is living in anonymity in a new town, to take on a corrupt man and his henchman. BILLY THE KID VERSUS DRACULA (1966), directed by William Beaudine, was entirely different from previous takes on the character. Casting Billy the Kid in a heroic light, it was about how he saves his ladylove from the clutches of Dracula, who wants her as his new mate. Julio Buchs' Spanish-Italian production I'LL KILL HIM AND RETURN ALONE (1967), again gave a sympathetic account of Billy the Kid, this time having him protect his mother, becoming an outlaw in the process, but also, falling in love. CHISUM (1970), directed by Andrew V. McLaglen, offered a distinctive portrait of Billy the Kid. He becomes embroiled in the Lincoln County War, and a partner in the many violent events of this incident. DIRTY LITTLE BILLY was another interpretation on the legend of Billy the Kid, and one of the best.

There were a number of features which distinguished DIRTY LITTLE BILLY from the other film versions of Billy the Kid. While many of the previous movies detailed the interactions between Billy the Kid and Pat Garrett, such as BILLY THE KID, THE OUTLAW, and I SHOT BILLY THE KID, to name but a few examples, DIRTY LITTLE BILLY did not present Garrett at all within the narrative world, likewise with Doc Holliday. Instead, Billy and Goldie's relationship was the main focus in the movie, which was in keeping with the two-character approach of many Billy the Kid movies. In addition, other characters who generally were not in the other pictures also made their presence felt in DIRTY LITTLE BILLY, such as Billy's mother. This gave the movie a different set of circumstances which to explore, moving it away from Billy the Kid being pursued by Pat Garrett, or other standard scenarios. Billy's mother and stepfather added depth and complexity to the proceedings, making evident Billy's feelings about life, and providing rationale somewhat for his behavior. 

Unlike the films with a romantic angle for Billy the Kid, such as THE OUTLAW, and THE LAW VS. BILLY THE KID, in DIRTY LITTLE BILLY Billy's relationship with Berle was strained at first, and the first woman for whom he had an attachment, but it could hardly be classified as being romantic in nature. This is in keeping with the film's overriding emphasis on realism, far detached from the escapism of other Billy the Kid entries. It has connections with the darker movies about Billy the Kid such as THE KID FROM TEXAS, being that Billy the Kid was not as two-dimensional as in other movies. In DIRTY LITTLE BILLY, there is great care to present Billy not as a total villain, or overly sympathetic, which past films delivered. Here he is neither fully evil nor kind, rather an impressionable character falling into crime as a victim of his intellectual level, and circumstances. This gives Billy the Kid a more realistic, rounded set of traits taking him away from the simplistic depictions of the other examples over the years. An excellent account of the Wild West, providing a different insight into Billy the Kid, DIRTY LITTLE BILLY is a well-made portrait of a person, time and place which have been romanticized far too often in film history.

Overview: Stan Dragoti made six films over the space of nineteen years, generally comedies, but with the odd drama. His second movie, LOVE AT FIRST BITE (1979), was a financially successful comedy horror film about Count Dracula, and the pursuit of his love in New York. Next was MR. MOM (1981), which, as with LOVE AT FIRST BITE, was another box office success for Mr Dragoti. The story of a man who loses his job, and stays home to raise a family and keep house, resonated with the public, and was one of the year's most commercially profitable movies. This was followed by THE MAN WITH ONE RED SHOE (1985), another comedy. An innocent violinist prone to a number of calamities is pursued by the CIA, with romantic difficulties and intrigue explored. The combination of comic and thriller elements was not as warmly received in this instance, and despite the presence of Tom Hanks in the lead, made a financial loss. 

Stan Dragoti's fourth film was SHE'S OUT OF CONTROL (1989), yet another comedy. A young woman makes a massive change to her physical appearance, and becomes popular with young men, despite already having a boyfriend. Her widowed father, though, has grave concerns, this leading him to obsession with this predicament, enlisting a psychiatrist for advice. Stan Dragoti's final film, NECESSARY ROUGHNESS (1991), had him again in comedy territory. The antics of a Texas University football team was the subject of this movie, but unlike Mr Dargoti's two previous movies, was a box office success with the public. DIRTY LITTLE BILLY was Stan Dragoti's directorial debut, and his best movie.

With DIRTY LITTLE BILLY, Stan Dragoti has created a striking version of the life of outlaw Billy the Kid. From the opening scenes to the very end, the movie is a compelling account of the life of the notorious criminal. It seeks to not glamorize his life but also, makes it understandable as to why he acted as he did. Much of this seems to stem from his fractured upbringing, his widowed mother marrying another man, and Billy not being able to connect with his stepfather. There is also the related implication in the movie that a distinct lack of opportunity, and education, was another draw into crime for someone not sure what to do with their life. 

Billy not being able to see beyond the confines of the repressive, bleak environment is something which Mr Dragoti expresses so vividly in DIRTY LITTLE BILLY. The movie is just so well mounted, and thoroughly convincing, it is difficult to take the visions of depressing Kansas landscapes out of one's mind. As an example of Stan Dragoti's work, it is totally contrary to his following films, which were more commercially-geared, and mainly comedic in tone. With DIRTY LITTLE BILLY matters are of a contrary nature. DIRTY LITTLE BILLY is an artistic, thoughtful movie that makes the viewer yearn to ponder what Stan Dragoti could have made in a similar vein, but unfortunately did not deliver in his filmmaking after the movie.

Acting: The main performances in DIRTY LITTLE BILLY are all first-rate. As Billy Bonney, notorious outlaw of the wild west, Michael J. Pollard contributes another fine example of screen acting. An actor with an understated, lightly humorous, yet compelling manner, Mr Pollard provided a great representation of the infamous 1800s criminal. Billy's friend Goldie is also made memorable by Richard Evans. With his penetrating stare and no holds barred way of doing things, Mr Evans is well paired with Michael J. Pollard as the footloose criminal combo. The third party in this trio, Berle, is played with astonishing strength by Lee Purcell. Berle is a thoroughly three-dimensional character, by turns tough, tender, and uncompromising. Miss Purcell gives it her all as Berle, and the character's outcome is one of the most memorable sequences in the film. The final acting contribution of note is by Dran Hamilton as Cath McCarty, Billy's mother. A woman in a difficult position, trying to hold onto her son despite her husband's, and Billy's stepfather's, protestations, Miss Hamilton makes Cath's plight understandable, her actions invoking sympathy from the viewer. 

Soundtrack: Musical accompaniment to the visuals is one of the most low-key elements of DIRTY LITTLE BILLY. Sascha Burland's banjo score is present in several scenes, enriching these with a sense of 1800s rural American, and the Wild West, but it is a movie that does not depend upon music. DIRTY LITTLE BILLY prefers to concentrate upon what is taking place onscreen, and building tension for the viewer largely without the use of music.

Mise-en-scene: One of the most striking aspects of DIRTY LITTLE BILLY is what appears onscreen for viewers. Despite the uncompromising nature of its content, and harsh landscapes often featured in the movie, Ralph Woolsey's cinematography is beautiful, giving the film an easy on the eyes watchability that works to balance the film's toughness. Lighting is another prominent attribute of DIRTY LITTLE BILLY. The indoor sequences especially are lit in a natural way, emphasizing the harsh life of the protagonists in the 1800s. The movie does have periodic bursts of violence, but these have been carefully shot in order to avoid exploitative gory connotations, the indoor scenes of mayhem excellently executed. Set decoration by George James Hopkins is another standout, creating a story world that is utterly real, and transfixing to witness. The home of Billy's family, and Berle and Goldie's shack, to name two examples, are both evocative of the time and place which the film demonstrates in its exceptional way. 

Notable Acting Performances: Michael J. Pollard, Richard Evans, Lee Purcell, Dran Hamilton.

Suitability for young viewers: No. Adult themes, high-level violence.

Overall Grade: A

Link: IMDB Page