The Outlaw (1943)

The Outlaw is the kind of 1940s Western that doesn’t just trot out dusty heroics—it struts, winks, and kicks up a scandalous little storm, feeling more like pulp mythmaking than historical pageantry. Howard Hughes leans into a sensational, erotically charged vibe that gives the film its notorious electricity, while the familiar legends of Pat Garrett, Doc Holliday, and Billy the Kid collide in a way that’s playful, tense, and oddly intimate. It’s a fun, unique ride with a great cast, the sort of movie that understands how to turn outlaw lore into pure showmanship. If you want a traditional, morally tidy Western, this may not be your saddle—but if you’re curious about a cult favorite that helped redraw the genre’s boundaries, it’s hard to look away.

The Outlaw is clearly trying to mythologize Billy the Kid with a moody triangle of loyalties and a sultry, provocative edge that was meant to feel daring for its time. The problem is it plays less like a gripping Western drama and more like a clumsy showcase, with stiff acting, sluggish pacing, and stretches of dialogue that just sit there. If you’re looking for sharp character work, tension, or classic frontier storytelling, this will likely test your patience. It’s best approached as a curiosity—part Hollywood controversy, part star-making vehicle—rather than a genuinely satisfying Western.