User Reviews

I have a lot of respect for Audie Murphy, the most decorated US solder of WW II. However I have to admit that what I find most memorable about him are his acting roles, particularly in Westerns. He always played a deceptively young-looking gunfighter and had the real-life moves to back him up on camera. One excellent example is early in the film Duel at Silver Springs where he shoots the gun out of Lee Marvin's hand while sitting at a saloon card table - he was lightning fast on the draw.

I like Murphy here as Billy the Kid because he's still young-looking enough to be reasonably convincing. There is another movie called Billy the Kid from 1941 with Robert Taylor in the title role and he doesn't look anything like a kid - shortly after I started watching that one I switched it off. Taylor was over 30 years old and looked possibly even older than that. (On the other hand the opening scenes of To Hell and Back have Murphy at age 31 playing himself as a military inductee of 18, and to me, that also did not work.) Here, Murphy at 25 or so still looks young enough to pull off the role of a "kid".

Anyhow, back to this movie, it's one of the versions of Billy the Kid I enjoy watching because Murphy plays his part convincingly. And it has the added bonus of having been shot in Technicolor, making it easy on the eyes too.

An excellent but non-too-accurate story, given strong production, and featuring Audie Murphy, in his first starring role. Murphy's a bit wooden, but he delivers. Entertaining.

Audie Murphy's first western for Universal is a blank-faced version of the story of Billy the Kid that white-washes almost everyone. The script tries to push a few romantic notes into the narrative, with him and Gale Storm obviously falling in love instantly, but neither of them doing anything about it, because she's married to Albert Dekker. Dekker himself has the best role as a guy wh wants to do the right thing, but is too weak-willed to stand up for anything under pressure.

I don't know if it was that way in the script, but Murphy's playing of Bnney, the lack of explanations or, indeed, many lines works well. I imagine director Kurt Neuman cut his lines and told him to under-react. The result is a simple, effective portrayal of someone wh feigns passivity, when what he really wants to do is kill.

The real attraction here is war hero Audie Murphy in one of his first starring roles. Naturally, the Western format best fit his military background and acting inexperience, so its no surprise that his movie career was built on a succession of similar B-oaters. Nonetheless, there would have been no Hollywood career, I believe, without his boyish good looks that had hardly faded at the point of his untimely death (1971). True, he was small, hardly imposing in the usual Hollywood style. But he could work up a cold-eyed stare with the best of them, and coming from that baby face, the contrast was especially startling. It's that disconnect between the boyish appearance and the intimidating manner that's so unusual.

The movie itself is unexceptional, supposedly based on historical fact; however, Hollywood has its own set of history books, particularly when it comes to Billy the Kid. The producers fortunately had the good sense to back up the inexperienced Murphy (he would loosen up with practice) with a strong supporting cast—Dekker, Geer, Strudwick, Barrat. On the other hand, there may be too much malt shop in Gale Storm for a Western, but visually she matches up well with Murphy. Anyway, there's enough Technicolor scenery, big shootouts, and even a slippery villain, to keep matinée fans like me happy.

The Kid from Texas (AKA: Texas Kid, Outlaw) is directed by Kurt Neumann and written by Robert Hardy Andrews and Karl Kamb. It stars Audie Murphy, Gale Storm, Albert Dekker, Shepperd Strudwick and Will Geer. Music is by Milton Schwarzwald and cinematography by Charles Van Enger.

11th July 1879, Lincoln County, and a young man born of the name William Henry McCarty Junior is about to write his name into the annals of infamy...

"I'll get every man who had a hand in this killing if it's the last thing I do"

It's a "B" feature in production terms and it's a hodge-podge of historical facts, but in the trajectory of Western movies it's a rather important piece. It also happens to be great entertainment for the Western fan.

It would be the film to launch Audie Murphy on the road to Western iconography, whilst simultaneously becoming a valid early addition for cinematic representations of the Billy the Kid legend. Historically the core basis of the film is accurate, though the chronology is all over the place. There's also a bizarre decision to use different character names for McSween, Tunstall and Dolan, three of the major players in the Lincoln County War.

However, the portrayals of the principal real life people is surprisingly well balanced, there's no attempts at romanticising the issues, no side picking, because both sides are equally driven and culpable for the carnage and misery that would play out during this time in Western history.

As an Oater on entertainment terms it delivers wholesale, there's some staid acting, not least from Murphy, who you can see is feeling his way into how he should react in front of a camera. Yet there's a magnetic charm to Murphy that would serve him well in this specialist genre field. It also helps to have a very reliable supporting cast backing him up, be it the wonderfully named Gale Storm's beauty, or Dekker and Geer being acting professionalism personified, there's a lot to enjoy here on the thespian production front.

The requisite amount of action is in full effect, as are key moments in the real story that provide some great scenes; such as the infamous jail break, while the colour photography is most pleasant. Ultimately it's a revenge story for the "B" Western loving crowd, where the villains are slippery and the anti-hero a damaged dandy. Sometimes you gotta peer through the gloss to get the facts, but what fun that proves to be. Yee- haw. 7/10

Biographic movie about the real-life of Billy of Kid living in Texas and he , subsequently , becomes embroiled in Lincoln County war . The film gets spectacular shoot em'up , thrills , exciting horse pursuits ; it's entertaining , although nothing new but displays an ordinary pace and with no originality . This is an in interesting look about the known story of the West's greatest bandit . When a baron cattle called Roger (Shepperd) who gave him an employment is shot by rival henchman , Billy vows vendetta . Kid takes to the mountains with his colleagues until caught . Billy is detained but he escapes hanging . Meanwhile , he's infatuated by a lawyer's (Alfred Dekker) wife (Gale Storm) .

This moving movie is an epic portrait of the historic story about the celebrated gunfighter . The movie is plenty of action , shootouts , adventures and is pretty entertaining . The plot is plain and simple , as the story follows Billy the Kid taking authentic events , but changing names and chronology . This passable Western packs lots of thrills , shootouts , and explosive action . Taut excitement throughout , beautifully photographed and with spectacular crossfire but realized with some flaws .It's one of very few Audie Murphy Westerns based on historic deeds . Murphy won more tan 20 medals , being the most decorated American soldier , including the Congressional Medal of Honor and he was also awarded five decorations by France and Belgium . Murphy starred a great number of Westerns as ¨The kid from Texas¨, ¨Cimarron Kid¨, ¨Gunpoint¨, ¨Night Passage¨, ¨The Gunrunners¨, ¨Posse from Hell¨, ¨Gunfight at Comanche¨, ¨Rifles Apaches¨, ¨The Unforgiven¨, ¨Red badge of courage¨, ¨Legend of Sam Ward¨, ¨Whispering Smith¨, ¨40 Guns at Apache pass¨ , ¨Texas kid¨ , among others . Being usually directed by Jesse Hibbs who directed various Audie Murphy vehicles such as : ¨To hell and Back¨ (1955) , ¨World in My Corner¨ (1956) , ¨Ride a Crooked Trail¨ (1958) , ¨Medal of Honor¨ and ¨To Hell and Back¨. Casting is frankly good with usual Western actors as Alfred Dekker , Walter Sande , Dennis Hoey , Ray Teal , Don Haggerty and Frank Wilcox as Sheriff Pat Garrett . The motion picture was well made by Kurt Newmann (The fly , Mohawk , Watusi) , including acceptable performances and professional direction . The picture obtained limited successful but results to be enough agreeable . It's a good stuff for young people and adventures lovers who enjoy enormously with the extraordinary dangers in the far west.

This one is based on facts about William Bonney, alias Billy the Kid , these are the followings : Billy became a cowboy in Lincoln County (New Mexico) for cattleman Tunstall allied to Chisum , but Tunstall is killed and started the Lincoln County war against Murphy as main enemy . Billy seeks revenge for his death and he converted a nasty gunfighter with a price on his head and an outlaw pursued by several posses . Then Billy along with a young group have their own ethic codes and undergo a criminal spree . The bunch is besieged but they went out firing his gun and made his escape . However , the Kid was caught and convicted of killing and sentenced to be hanged ; though shackled foot and hand , he managed to getaway from prison by shooting dead the deputies guarding him. Pat Garret , a former friend, was elected sheriff and set off in pursuit to capture him and on 1881 tracked at Fort Sumner and there shot him dead by surprise. It is said that Chisum was instrumental in making Billy the Kid an outlaw killer, he used his considerable influence in getting Garret elected Sheriff of Lincoln County in 1880 and it was Pat who hunted down and killed the young outlaw . Garret and his gang pull off a hot chase against the outlaws. Legend says that Billy murdered 21 men in his 21 years of life but is really thought to be much less. After Pat Garrett was not reelected sheriff of Lincoln County, however he was commissioned a captain in the Texas Rangers. On 19 February 1908 he was driving his buggy on a lonely desert road, he stepped down to urinate and was shot in the back by a hired killer. A man stood trial for the murder but was acquitted. Controversy still surrounds the end of Pat Garrett .

Stepping into the Infamous and Legendary Boots of "Billy the Kid" in His First Starring Role,

Audie Murphy is Stiff, Searching for a Screen Persona, and He Performs in a Flat, Restrained Style.

That He would Soon Abandon as "Murph'' would Learn the Ropes and Mature into a Fine "Western" Screen Presence.

Shot in Technicolor with a Good Cast Including Albert Dekker and Gail Storm, with Will Greer as a Side-Kick.

The Location Back-Drops are Pedestrian.

The Many Gun Battles are Also Presented without Style as the Whole Film Lacks Any Style or Remarkable Elements at all.

But, the Body-Count is HIgh and the Escape from the Lincoln County Jail Contains an Ultra-Violent Encounter for the Time.

It Makes its way Through the Story of "The Kid" with a Modicum of Accuracy but in the End its an Average Western All Around.

While Audie Murphy's Baby-Face did Him No Favors when Playing Outlaws and Gritty Gunslingers, in this Case it was a Positive.

To See the Popular War Hero in His Major Introduction to Hollywood Westerns,

the Genre He Would Ride for Over 20 Years with some Reel Highlights. This One is...

Worth a Watch.

With this film Audie Murphy achieved another distinction besides being our most decorated war hero. Having played young Jesse James in Kansas Raiders, Murphy then played the second great outlaw name of the old west Billy The Kid in The Kid From Texas. Among many of the other inaccuracies of this film is the fact that Billy The Kid was not from Texas. He was born Henry McCarty in New York City and went west and became William H. Bonney. And as his outlaw reputation grew he became Billy The Kid.

Next to Robert Taylor's Billy The Kid this may yet be the most inaccurate retelling of the Kid's life. In fact the story is so confusing that there's no doubt Murphy is one dangerous young man, but he's so appealing that we don't know what to think. Whether by accident or design that left me quite confused.

Only three people's names were left as they were in life. Billy The Kid, Pat Garrett played here by Frank Wilcox who is really a peripheral character to the main drama and Governor Lew Wallace of New Mexico territory played by Robert Barrat. Everyone else you've seen in such films as Pat Garrett&Billy The Kid, Chisum, The Left Handed Gun or the Young Guns films has had his and her name changed.

Sheppard Strudwick, Albert Dekker, Ray Teal, Paul Ford, Will Geer, and William Talman all are in this. You'll note Talman who is a particularly vicious outlaw who gets a personal vendetta against Murphy going and pays in the end.

As to why Billy just didn't clear out of the territory once it got hot for him, just think of those last lines of King Kong and you'll know why.

I had forgotten this movie and how much I enjoyed it back in the 50's. I enjoyed most of Audie Murphy's westerns , but do not have a copy of "The Kid From Texas" (hope to get one soon). The only trouble with some of these movies is that when I see them as an adult, they are not the way I remembered them.

Brought up on the wrong side of the tracks, William Bonney (aka Billy the Kid) is taken in by a kind rancher, Jameson, who is targeted by rival landowners who have key people in their pockets. When Mr Jameson is murdered Billy seeks revenge and, along with other men, is sworn in to bring the men to justice. However when some arrests turn into killings, Billy is cut off from the law and becomes a criminal in the eyes of the law. As his reputation grows the law put Sheriff Pat Garrett onto his trail.

Having seen a few Audie Murphy westerns recently I was interested to try and see a few more to get a flavour of who he was as an actor. I watched this film unaware (aside from the clue in the title) that it was another telling of the story of Billy the Kid. As such it is an inherently weak film – especially with time, as we have all seen elements of this story told in a variety of different ways. This recognisable story means that it is too familiar for such a basic film to work with, rather it ends up being duller and feeling rather plodding as a result. This isn't helped by the fact that this film could have had any story in it and it still would have been delivered as any other B-movie western would have been. The script doesn't add anything to the basic story and, if you know the story then there is nothing really different here to justify watching it. The action is the usual fare and will please those expecting a B-movie western but nothing more.

The cast is also run of the mill and just what you would expect. Murphy looks good and is reliable but he is far from being a good actor and he delivers the same performance I have seen him give in films that are all the same if you turn the sound down. The support cast are also par for the course and nobody really excels themselves; only Billy's new employer (Alexander) is an interesting character and gives a few good moments for Dekker to work with.

Overall this is a very ordinary film that will be passable entertainment for those looking for a basic B-movie western that just fits in with genre tradition rather than trying to do anything special or different. The story is too familiar to really hold the interest and the script, performances, action and direction are all just about par for the course for this type of thing.

The film starts 11 July 1879 in Lincoln County, New Mexico Territory. A group of men who work for Major Harper, led by gunslinger Minniger, attempt to arrest rancher Alexander Kain and his English partner Jameson. They are stopped by William Bonney, aka Billy the Kid, who shoots and injures them.

Jameson offers Billy a job as a ranch hand. A drunken group of Harper's men attack the ranch and kill Jameson. Billy goes on a killing rampage, encouraged by the manipulative Kain, who publicly decries Billy's efforts. Governor Lew Wallace offers Billy a pardon which he turns down. Pat Garrett is sent to catch Billy.

There's been a few actors who played Billy the kid before the release of this Universal western and a few after, but not many of them look like a "kid" (certainly not Robert Taylor), but Audie Murphy looks like a kid- he actually comes across as a juvenile delinquent, a troubled young man. For a man green behind the ears - acting wise- he does remarkably well, balancing the innocence and the deadliness quite well. His fast gun skills is really in display here - Hugh O'Brian who boasted he was a fast gun had challenged Audie to a draw, and Audie would only comply if they use real bullets! Needless to say, Hugh backed off.)

I am not a big fan of Billy the kid westerns, but this, for me, is a definitive one - it's fast-paced, has plenty of gunplay and an absorbing plot.

Had I been born a couple of decades earlier my boyhood crush might have been Errol Flynn but growing up when I did it was always Audie Murphy, that baby-faced non-actor who just happened to be the most decorated soldier of World War 11. (He turned his experiences into a memoir entitled "To Hell and Back" which was filmed in 1957 with Audie playing himself; as a child I must have seen this film countless times). Of course, being the most decorated soldier of World War 11 in itself is no guarantee of or justification for a career in the movies so what did Audie have that enticed producers to hire him? To my childish mind it was the idea of this innocent, fresh-faced kid whose very demeanor radiated gentleness being able to handle himself in a scrap, of not being afraid to stand up to the bad guys. I doubt if it was this that John Huston saw when he cast him as the young soldier in "The Red Badge of Courage". Perhaps Huston thought Murphy still looked young enough to pass himself off as a bewildered boy.

That he couldn't act was irrelevant and perhaps because of that it was in a series of second-rate westerns he was usually cast. (There were exceptions; he seemed ideally blank and with just the right degree of annoying priggishness for the title role in "The Quiet American"). In "The Kid from Texas" someone had the bright idea of casting Audie as Billy the Kid, not as villain but as a poor-little-put-upon-me misunderstood youngster. It was an early film in his career and was probably even more of a non-performance than the ones which followed it, (just talking seems like an unnatural act to him). As for the film, it's a lame little Z-Western, brightly coloured and full of corn; Saturday matinée fare of the kind that would have given me a buzz half a century ago, simple and strangely innocent and light years away from the tortured psychology of Paul Newman and Arthur Penn's "The Left Handed Gun".