I wrote a while back about Walter Brennan's definitive portrayal of Judge Roy Bean in Wyler's "The Westerner." Bean is perhaps the most fascinating of all the faces that pop up over and over again in a century worth of westerns.
From his steadfast dedication to upholding justice to his psychotic, sincere passion for Lily Langtry, Judge Roy Bean is as cinematic a character as Norma Desmond or Don Corleone. He is more open to complex interpretation than Billy the Kid, and considerably more entertaining than Wyatt Earp.
Huston's "The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean" is all about making the myth. The prologue announces the film's intentions: "This isn't the way the west was. But maybe it's the way it should have been." In other words, recreating reality is about as important to this film as upholding the law is to Judge Roy Bean.
Huston allows characters to speak to the audience, constantly reminding us that we are watching a film. One of the most memorable characters is a bear. Not some surly old cowboy, but an actual bear. Bean twice defeats dozens of gun-wielding opponents, Rambo style, and when he fires a shotgun through the back of Bad Bob (played brilliantly by Stacy Keach) he opens up a hole the size of Texas.
This film has been pegged as 'surreal,' leading me to believe it was a revisionist tale. "The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean" isn't surreal, it's just creative. It's extremely entertaining, consistently funny, and at its heart, a straight-up western no different than "Gunfight at the OK Corral" or "The Outlaw." I was expecting "The Search for Spock" and instead I got "The Wrath of Khan"--thank god for small surprises.
Paul Newman plays the title role to perfection. His attractive face disappears behind a dirty beard and a crooked neck, further proof that Brad Pitt can, in fact, star in "The Life and Times of Karl Malden." Victoria Principal sparkles as Bean's love interest, and Roddy McDowall steals a number of scenes as a nervous lawyer. The real joy of this film is anticipating the next terrific cameo. Anthony Perkins, Stacy Keach, Ava Gardner, and even the director John Huston all contribute memorable moments.
Walter Brennan won an Oscar for his portrayal of Bean, and while Newman's performance would be considered too 'entertaining' to win any prizes in the post-war era, they both capture the heart of the character. I love both of these films, and sincerely hope a new addition to the Bean myth will be on it's way soon.
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