Young Billy Young *** (1969, Robert Mitchum, Angie Dickinson, Robert Walker Jr) – Classic Movie Review 7425

Writer-director Burt Kennedy’s 1969 Young Billy Young is a handsomely produced Western with a grim-looking Robert Mitchum as a peace-loving, but dogged lawman, First Deputy Ben Kane, seeking his son’s killer. Kane takes a job as deputy marshal of Lordsburg and helps out young gunman Billy Young (Robert Walker Jr) by making him his deputy.

Mitchum is outstanding and Angie Dickinson is memorable as the sexy saloon dancer Lily Beloit in this well-cast, and very watchable, even if not particularly memorable film. It is also nicely shot in Deluxe Color by Harry Stradling Jr.

Burt Kennedy’s screenplay is adapted from Will Henry (aka Heck Allen)’s book Who Rides with Wyatt about the friendship between Wyatt Earp and Billy Clanton.

Laid-back star Mitchum does not appear till 17 minutes into the film, but  Dickinson has it even easier and does not appear until till 43 minutes in – and it is only 89 minutes long.

Also in the cast are David Carradine as Jesse Boone, John Anderson as Boone, Paul Fix as Charlie, Jack Kelly as John Behan, Rodolfo Acosta, Chris Mitchum [Christopher Mitchum], Willis Bouchey, Parley Baer, Bob Anderson, Rodolfo Acosta and Deana Martin.

Mitchum and Kennedy followed it up with The Good Guys and the Bad Guys (1969).

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7425

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com