The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean
John Huston might-a, could-a, should-a thought it over. A comedy thinly akin to The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean. Really? The self-proclaimed “Law west of the Pecos,” did have an unlikely affection for 1890’s vaudeville singer actress Lillie Langtry. So much so, he named the saloon where he gaveled his ‘court’ into session the Jersey Lilly. There is a hint of humor in that. But a Hollywood western spoof, based Bean’s slice of history? Given a phenomenal cast a serious director like Huston had better things to say cinematically.
The film stars Paul Newman as Judge Roy Bean, a character portrayed as quick with a gun as a gavel. The screen play, described as ‘episodic’, bounces from one unlikely encounter – say a mountain man with a pet bear, to a gang of outlaws turned deputies, to shootouts and hangings followed by fines for the dead and court confiscation of ill-gotten gains. The cast? Tab Hunter, Stacy Keach, Roddy McDowall, Anthony Perkins, and Ned Beatty; that’s before we come to Ava Gardner as Lillie, Jacqueline Bisset as Bean’s grown daughter, and Victoria Principal making her film debut as mother to Bisset’s character. That is a ton of talent even before notable cameos too numerous to mention in four hundred words.
Huston stepped out of character as a director with this one, snatching critical defeat from the jaws of serious human condition themes like greed, power, and idyllically fantasized celebrity romance. Themes that might have benefited from the ‘Huston look’ rather than feeble association with semi-bawdy suggestions of humor interspersed with gratuitous murder, mayhem, and picnic setting for an Andy Williams serenade, lacking only a whimsical bicycle ride to romance in mimic of Butch Cassidy and Etta Place.
Huston said, “I think we have a hell of a picture, . . . Of course I’ve been wrong before.” Critics agreed – sort of. Roger Ebert gave the film two-and-a-half stars on a four star scale. Gene Siskel’s two stars came with a generous helping of “Marmalade, molasses, and honey (coated) musical interlude sung by Andy Williams” with no hope of saving the film. Others thought it overlong and drowsy. Frankly I wasn’t prepared for this critique given Huston’s talent and a superb cast. The cast alone may account for Huston’s misjudgment of the film.
Next Week: Yellow Sky
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Ride easy,
Paul
The film stars Paul Newman as Judge Roy Bean, a character portrayed as quick with a gun as a gavel. The screen play, described as ‘episodic’, bounces from one unlikely encounter – say a mountain man with a pet bear, to a gang of outlaws turned deputies, to shootouts and hangings followed by fines for the dead and court confiscation of ill-gotten gains. The cast? Tab Hunter, Stacy Keach, Roddy McDowall, Anthony Perkins, and Ned Beatty; that’s before we come to Ava Gardner as Lillie, Jacqueline Bisset as Bean’s grown daughter, and Victoria Principal making her film debut as mother to Bisset’s character. That is a ton of talent even before notable cameos too numerous to mention in four hundred words.
Huston stepped out of character as a director with this one, snatching critical defeat from the jaws of serious human condition themes like greed, power, and idyllically fantasized celebrity romance. Themes that might have benefited from the ‘Huston look’ rather than feeble association with semi-bawdy suggestions of humor interspersed with gratuitous murder, mayhem, and picnic setting for an Andy Williams serenade, lacking only a whimsical bicycle ride to romance in mimic of Butch Cassidy and Etta Place.
Huston said, “I think we have a hell of a picture, . . . Of course I’ve been wrong before.” Critics agreed – sort of. Roger Ebert gave the film two-and-a-half stars on a four star scale. Gene Siskel’s two stars came with a generous helping of “Marmalade, molasses, and honey (coated) musical interlude sung by Andy Williams” with no hope of saving the film. Others thought it overlong and drowsy. Frankly I wasn’t prepared for this critique given Huston’s talent and a superb cast. The cast alone may account for Huston’s misjudgment of the film.
Next Week: Yellow Sky
Return to Facebook to comment.
Ride easy,
Paul
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Peg
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Jun 08, 2024 04:51AM
I sort of remember the film. It would be interesting to see all these stars again. Thanks again, Paul, for an interesting take
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