La mia pistola per Billy

I am a fan of the Cowboy/Western genre. I've watched a lot of Western movies, from the 50's B movies to the John Ford masterpieces and Clint Eastwood's honest portrayal. This is a very good Western, it has some great powerful performances from Peck and Arnaz Jr who was truly very watchable and conveyed a lot of underlying emotions. The movie concerns the relationship between diverse characters, Peck's humorous kind portrayal of a man who has turned to crime to ensure a living, to Arnaz's contained portrayal of a man caught between two worlds, perhaps his two hats nomenclature is a euphemism for the two worlds he straddles. The supporting characters are no less interesting with Jack Warden as the relentless sheriff who doesn't understand the relationship between the two and David Huddlestones Store owner who was a buffalo hunter sharpshooter in the recent past and who can see the new future promised by the railroad and the advent of civilization to come. The move itself is quite metaphorical and symbolic but doesn't lose sight of the main thread, that of the growth of Billy Two Hats in the company of his wise mentor. I really enjoyed it, and I hope you will too. The only downside was Gregory Peck's dreadful Scottish accent which appears and disappears randomly throughout.

Please rest assured that this little gem of a western will be very appealing to you. Having past it by many times for more modern films, I viewed it on a whim and was very pleased. A straight forward story of hate being defeated, love being found, loneliness lost and adversity faced. Easy to understand for any viewer requiring no interpretation. A gem well played by all actors. The stark scenery that others have noted as being filmed in Israel provides a great background for this simple story. The evils of bigotry and prejudice towards native Americans is well covered and evaluated without being preachy. Subjugation of women during this early western period is also exposed for its cruelty.

This movie gets broadcast so often that I am surprised there are no other comments. All the performances are excellent, the typical plot of pursuit of the outlaws is well handled, and the racism theme that would probably not fly if the movie were made today is realistically dealt with.

The surprise is Desi Arnaz Jr. in one of his few roles. No great acting is required of him, but he does a very creditable job, and the already handsome young man is smashing in his dark Indian make-up.

See it – One of the best of Gregory Peck's later westerns, this is actually a very underrated movie. Also, if you like listening to Peck speak in a Scottish accent, that'll give you another reason to like it. Not particularly unique or smart, but an enjoyable western with a classic feel just the same. Peck and his young half-breed sidekick, Billy Two Hats, are outlaws on the run. We never hear much about their past, but their camaraderie is evident as they save each other's lives multiple times while being chased through the desert by a relentless lawman. When things turn south, they'll have to use their wits, not just their guns, to survive. 3 out of 5 action rating.

I saw this film on Turner Classic Movies (TCM).

It seems others have made a virtue out of this film's odd credentials and quite possibly used these against the film itself. On the face of it and if you didn't know (most folks won't, or care) then this is a decent western, with a Sam Peckinpah sense of gritty realism and dynamism.

The story follows a familiar one; an aged Scottish Gregory Peck and a young half-caste youth become fugitives - then friends - after a bungled bank robbery. They are pursued by racist and violent sheriff Jack Warden who hounds the pair, right to the bloody finale. There's good action and the unusual Israeli scenery actually adds a bit of variety to the surroundings.

The interestingly titled Billy 'Two Hats' is given an unusually sympathetic and approachable role, especially considering the western genre's tendency to the opposite toward native American characters. This again, adds to the flavour of the film, giving it a nuance that marks it apart from dozens of others.

I'd not heard of 'Billy Two Hats'; its title got me interested in the TV listings and found it well worth the time and effort but not quite enough to buy it on DVD.