Wild Bill Movie Review 1995

Realistic, un-heroic portrait of Wild Bill Hickok (Bridges), seen mostly in flashback. From trapper and lawman to his last days in Deadwood, South Dakota, focus is on the events haunting the glaucoma-stricken, opium-addicted legend in his later years, such as twice deserting his true love (Lane). Action packed first 20 minutes mellows along with the aging Hickok and the rest gets a bit talky for a Western, albeit an arty one. Bridges's Hickok is brilliant, but Barkin is given a somewhat tedious Calamity Jane. Based on the novel "Deadwood" by Pete Dexter and the play "Fathers and Sons" by Thomas Babe.

Distribution

MGM Home Entertainment, 2500 Broadway, Santa Monica, CA 90404-6061, Phone: (310)449-3000, Fax: (310)449-3100, URL: http://www.mgmhomevideo.com, Remarks: Does not handle retail queries from consumers; contact your local video distributor.

Available on VHS, DVD
Running time 97 minutes.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Westerns, Adapted from a Play, Biopics: Cops & Robbers, Revenge, Oldest Profession, Drug Use & Abuse, Period Piece: 19th Century, Flashback, Wild Bill Hickok, Poker

Screenplay

Walter Hill

Cast

Jeff Bridges, Ellen Barkin, John Hurt, Diane Lane, Keith Carradine, Christina Applegate, Bruce Dern, James Gammon, David Arquette, Marjoe Gortner

Cinematography

Lloyd Ahern

Director

Walter Hill

Music

Van Dyke Parks

Producer

Lili Fini Zanuck, Richard D. Zanuck, Gary Daigler, United Artists