1969 - YOUNG BILLY YOUNG - a rather tired Western

Young Billy Young was released the same year as Peckinpah's The Wild Bunch and these two films certainly are a contrast in where the state of the western film was at this time. One of the themes of the  Peckinpah film involves the end of the west as the authorities hunt a gang of outlaws who have probably lived and robbed past their time.  On the other hand,  Young Billy Young is almost an attempt to keep pumping out the same type of western film the public had been watching for years.  It is singularly lacking in any kind of interest or excitement

Robert Mitchum brings whatever authority that he can as a lawman out for revenge on a gang who killed his son. Haven't ever seen that plot before :)  Angie Dickinson is "the hooker with the heart of gold."  Robert Walker Jr. was in Easy Rider of all things.  He's the young kid who the lawman reforms after he shows him the error of his ways.

The writer and director was Burt Kennedy who at his best was usually pretty good at spoofing the western genre.  Here he doesn't seem to have worked up much enthusiasm or energy for this story.  The film moves along from one obvious scene to another.  The film is actually rather nice to look at, it has some decent photography and runs about 90 minutes.

 

Robert Mitchum sings the title tune of this film, probably the only thing interesting about this dud.