WesternComedy

The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean

- If this story ain't true... it shoulda been!

Outlaw and self-appointed lawmaker Judge Roy Bean rules over an empty stretch of the West that gradually grows, under his iron fist, into a thriving town, while dispensing his his own quirky brand of frontier justice upon strangers passing by.

Release Date : 1972-12-18

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : First ArtistsNational General Pictures

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Judge Roy Bean

Original Name : Paul Newman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Maria Elena

Original Name : Victoria Principal

Gender : Female

Character Name : Tector Crites

Original Name : Ned Beatty

Gender : Male

Character Name : Nick the Grub

Original Name : Matt Clark

Gender : Male

Character Name : Frank Gass

Original Name : Roddy McDowall

Gender : Male

Character Name : Rose Bean

Original Name : Jacqueline Bisset

Gender : Female

Character Name : Fermel Parlee

Original Name : Bill McKinney

Gender : Male

Character Name : Reverend LaSalle

Original Name : Anthony Perkins

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sam Dodd

Original Name : Tab Hunter

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bad Bob

Original Name : Stacy Keach

Gender : Male

Character Name : Whorehouse Lucky Jim

Original Name : Steve Kanaly

Gender : Male

Character Name : Grizzly Adams

Original Name : John Huston

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lily Langtry

Original Name : Ava Gardner

Gender : Female

Character Name : Outlaw

Original Name : Roy Jenson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Outlaw

Original Name : Gary Combs

Gender : Male

Character Name : Outlaw

Original Name : Richard Farnsworth

Gender : Male

Character Name : Outlaw

Original Name : Leroy Johnson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Outlaw

Original Name : Fred Krone

Gender : Male

Character Name : Outlaw

Original Name : Dean Smith

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bart Jackson

Original Name : Jim Burk

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mrs. Jackson

Original Name : Francesca Jarvis

Gender : Female

Character Name : Snake River Rufus Krile

Original Name : Neil Summers

Gender : Male

Character Name : Whore

Original Name : Jeannie Epper

Gender : Female

Character Name : Outlaw

Original Name : Fred Brookfield

Gender : Male

Character Name : Outlaw

Original Name : Bennie E. Dobbins

Gender : Male

Character Name : Outlaw

Original Name : Terry Leonard

Gender : Male

Character Name : Whore

Original Name : Margo Epper

Gender : Male

Character Name : Whore

Original Name : Stephanie Epper

Gender : Female

Character Name : Fat Lady

Original Name : Barbara J. Longo

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mexican Leader

Original Name : Frank Soto

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mrs. Grub

Original Name : Karen Carr

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mrs. Parlee

Original Name : Lee Meza

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mrs. Whorehouse Jim

Original Name : Dolores Clark

Gender : Male

Character Name : Pimp

Original Name : Jack Colvin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Watch Bear

Original Name : Bruno the Bear

Gender : Male

Character Name : Photographist

Original Name : Howard Morton

Gender : Male

Character Name : Stationmaster

Original Name : Billy Pearson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Killer

Original Name : Stan Barrett

Gender : Male

Character Name : Desk Clerk

Original Name : Dean Casper

Gender : Male

Character Name : Opera House Manager

Original Name : Don Starr

Gender : Male

Character Name : Opera House Clerk

Original Name : Alfred G. Bosnos

Gender : Male

Character Name : Hustler

Original Name : Anthony Zerbe

Gender : Male

Character Name : Man at Stage Door

Original Name : John Hudkins

Gender : Male

Character Name : Doctor

Original Name : David Sharpe

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bedfellow (uncredited)

Original Name : Ken Freehill

Gender : Male

Character Name : Billy The Kid (uncredited)

Original Name : Mark Headley

Gender : Male

Character Name : Man at Vinegaroon (uncredited)

Original Name : Duncan Inches

Gender : Male

Character Name : Tuba Player (uncredited)

Original Name : Rusty Lee

Gender : Male

Reviews

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

Beanisms! The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean is directed by John Huston and written by John Milius. It stars Paul Newman, Jacqueline Bisset, Anthony Perkins, Ned Beatty, Roddy McDowall, Tab Hunter, Victoria Principal and Ava Gardner. Music is by Maurice Jarre and cinematography by Richard Moore. In Vinegaroon, Texas, former outlaw Roy Bean becomes the self appointed judge for the region and dispenses his brand of justice as he sees fit. There were a handful of Quirky Revisionist Westerns that surfaced in the 1970s, usually directed by a big name and starring another, one such film is this effort, and much like the others of its ilk it is met with understandable division. The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean can not be recommended in confidence since it is far too rambling and episodic for its own good, something which writer Milius was at pains to say himself. Going so far to say that it’s not the film he wrote and that Huston just did his own thing and steered the pic in another direction – for better or worse depending on your own filmic proclivities. The intention on the page was to have a man clearly with delusions of grandeur, a self appointed judge, jury and executioner, and as an egostical berk into the bargain as well, this side of things comes through. Yet the pic never settles down into a coherent rhythm, as a number of characters played by guest stars wander into each episode, the pic stalls and resorts to bawdy frothery or pretentious surrealism to hopefully hook you into staying with the piece. Unfortunately come the hour mark this becomes tedious and it’s a slog to get through. Some folk do love it, and maybe it’s one to revisit on occasion to catch any nuances missed previously, maybe even grasp the point Huston was trying to make? But for me it’s a mess, an overblown mess that not even the great Paul Newman could save. 5/10