Vashirdfel Simply A Masterpiece

Stometer Save your money for something good and enjoyable

SnoReptilePlenty Memorable, crazy movie

MamaGravity good back-story, and good acting

moonspinner55 A sheriff in rugged terrain relentlessly pursues the last two members of a bank-robbing gang: a bearded old bird with a Scottish brogue and a half-breed teenager. Peculiar western with eccentric flourishes, a lot of violent action, terrified horses, a stuttering female who learns to stand up for herself, and Gregory Peck looking mighty uncertain. Peck had done westerns before, but he's all wrong here--and doesn't even get to use this accent for a comedic effect. Director Ted Kotcheff seems to take this material very seriously, but all the noisy gun fighting and the sour human interaction fails to substitute for a plot. Jack Warden probably comes off best as the determined sheriff--in fact, Warden gets so much screen-time the relationship between Peck and Desi Arnaz, Jr. seems underdeveloped. Filmed in Israel, the picture has an interesting look, but no real flavor, and no heart. *1/2 from ****

thingamajig18 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.

MartinHafer A 58 year-old Gregory Peck plays a bank robber with a Scottish accent in the Old West. When the film begins, exactly what has already happened is uncertain. However, the Sheriff (Jack Warden) breaks in on some guys--shooting them both. One is taken prisoner (Desi Arnaz, Jr.), the other is dead. However, the third from their gang (Peck) gets away on his horse. When the Sheriff is taking the prisoner to another town for trial, Peck returns and shoots the Sheriff--escaping with Arnaz. But, as they make their getaway, the saloon keeper (David Huddleston) shoots Peck--hitting him off in the distance. But Peck and the Sheriff are both still alive--with Peck and Arnaz heading to Mexico and the Sheriff and his new Deputy (Huddleston) in pursuit. The plot is extremely simple and the only other factor that comes into play is that Arnaz plays a half-Indian--and the Sheriff is sure confused as to why anyone would risk their life to save "one of them".I read a few reviews that complained about Peck's accent. I honestly couldn't say whether it was good or not--it sounded fine to me but I certainly am no expert--even if I have been to Scotland a couple times! I am sure someone from the UK would easily detect any defects with such an accent! However, what I could tell easily was that the story was very, very slow and stark--and this was heightened by the lack of a musical score. In fact, the only reason I kept with the story was because it had Gregory Peck. All in all, a fair movie but that's about it.

bkoganbing Billy Two Hats was made at a dry spell in Gregory Peck's career. He himself admitted he was taking roles just for the work and the loot and possibly the thought of doing a western shot in the Negev desert in Israel may have appealed to him. It probably would be more feasible today. In 1974 Menachem Begin and Anwar Sadat hadn't sat down at Camp David and made peace. I wonder just how much danger Greg and the cast were in.The title role is played by Desi Arnaz, Jr. and Gregory Peck plays a Scottish outlaw from the old west. A pair of amiable bankrobbers, Arnaz prevents Peck from being captured by Marshal Jack Warden. Of course Arnaz is caught, but later Peck rescues him at the cost of a broken leg. Actually the most interesting part in the film is that of Jack Warden as the Marshal. He may have the badge, but he's not exactly Wyatt Earp as the Wyatt Earp legend has him. In fact Gene Hackman may very well have studied this film for his portrayal of a nasty town marshal in Clint Eastwood's The Unforgiven.I wouldn't recommend this film for anyone other than fans of Gregory Peck.