The Outrage ** (1964, Paul Newman, Laurence Harvey, Claire Bloom, Edward G Robinson, William Shatner) – Classic Movie Review 6,355

Director Martin Ritt’s 1964 American Western film The Outrage remakes Akira Kurosawa’s 1950 Japanese classic Rashomon, and stars Paul Newman, Laurence Harvey, Claire Bloom, Edward G Robinson and William Shatner.

Though by no means an outrage, director Martin Ritt’s 1964 American Western film The Outrage is a misguided attempt to relocate Akira Kurosawa’s 1950 Japanese classic Rashomon to the American Southwest in the 1870s, with four people telling their widely varying versions of the murder of a husband (Laurence Harvey) after Mexican bandit Juan Carrasco (a black-wigged Paul Newman) rapes the husband’s wife (Claire Bloom).

Four times for this story means the movie does seem to go on a bit, though it is actually only 96 minutes long, and the performances are not particularly distinguished, despite the good cast, partly because some of them are miscast. Director Ritt tries to keep it on the tracks and to get mileage out of the truth-game idea. However, Rashomon (1950) with Toshiro Mifune is a much better movie.

Michael Kanin’s screenplay comes via the story by Ryunosuke Akutagawa, the screenplay for Akira Kurosawa’s Rashomon and Kanin’s own play version with Fay Kanin.

Also in the story are Edward G Robinson as the Con Man, William Shatner as the Preacher, Albert Salmi as the Sheriff, Howard Da Silva as the Prospector, Paul Fix as the Indian and Thomas Chalmers as the Judge.

James Wong Howe, who previously won an Oscar for Best Cinematography (Black and White) for Ritt’s film Hud (1963). shoots in black and white widescreen, producing the striking monochrome look that is one of the film’s main virtues.

The Outrage is directed by Martin Ritt, runs 96 minutes, is made by KHF Productions, is released by MGM, is shot by James Wong Howe, is produced by Martin Ritt, A Ronald Lubin and Michael Kanin, is scored by Alex North, and is designed by George W Davis and Tambi Larsen.

Release date: October 8, 1964.

It earned $1,800,000 at the US/ Canada box office against a budget of $3 million, and was a financial failure, especially considering Paul Newman’s popularity at the time. Maybe audiences disliked the idea of him playing a Mexican bandit. Ritt and Newman had previously scored a hit with Hud (1963) and went on to make Hombre (1967) together.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 6,355

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