The Left Handed Gun

The Left Handed Gun (1958): Arthur Penn’s Bold Revisionist Western and Paul Newman’s Tormented Billy the Kid

In 1955, Gore Vidal’s teleplay The Death of Billy the Kid aired on NBC’s prestigious Philco/Goodyear Television Playhouse. It introduced a psychologically complex, troubled version of the legendary outlaw William H. Bonney. That television production directly inspired The Left Handed Gun, a groundbreaking 1958 Western that marked the feature directorial debut of Arthur Penn.

Vidal originally penned the story, but screenwriter Leslie Stevens and director Penn extensively rewrote the script to deepen its exploration of a misunderstood, impulsive young man driven by grief and revenge. Producer Fred Coe assembled a strong cast, with filming beginning on Warner Bros. studio ranch sets in California. Exterior open country sequences were shot just outside Santa Fe, New Mexico, lending the film an authentic feel for the rugged Southwest.

The role of Billy the Kid was originally slated for James Dean, who embodied the era’s rebellious youth archetype. Tragically, Dean’s death in a 1955 car crash forced a recasting. Paul Newman, who had already portrayed Billy in Vidal’s 1955 teleplay, stepped into the lead. At 33, Newman was older than the historical Billy (killed at 21), yet he delivered a raw, Method-influenced performance, intense, boyish, and seething with angst that channeled the “troubled delinquent” vibe associated with Dean. This casting helped elevate Newman from rising star to serious dramatic actor.

The supporting cast shines with notable talent: John Dehner as the stoic Pat Garrett, Lita Milan as Billy’s love interest Celsa, Hurd Hatfield as the enigmatic Moultrie, and James Congdon as Charlie Bowdre. Two actors; James Best (Tom O’Folliard) and Denver Pyle (Bob Olinger), later reunited as Rosco P. Coltrane and Uncle Jesse Duke in the iconic TV series The Dukes of Hazzard.

Warner Bros. exerted significant control over the production, leading to tensions. The studio reportedly prevented Penn from shooting his preferred ending and limited his input on the final cut. This interference resulted in an added epilogue that many, including Penn, felt undermined the film’s darker tone. Gore Vidal, upon viewing the finished product, expressed strong dissatisfaction with the adaptation of his work. 

Despite these hurdles, Penn crafted a psychologically nuanced Western that portrayed Billy not as a glamorous gunslinger but as a semi literate, volatile youth shaped by violence and betrayal. It was those elements that anticipated the revisionist Westerns of the 1960s and 1970s.

The Left Handed Gun struggled at the U.S. box office upon its May 7, 1958 release, often overshadowed by more conventional Westerns. However, it found enthusiastic admirers abroad, particularly among European critics who appreciated its experimental style and departure from genre clichés. In 1961, it earned the Grand Prix from the Belgian Film Critics Association. 

Years later, in 1989, Gore Vidal revisited the material with the TNT television movie Gore Vidal’s Billy the Kid, starring Val Kilmer as the outlaw. This version allowed Vidal greater creative control over his interpretation of the Lincoln County War saga.
Today, The Left Handed Gun stands as a cult classic and an early milestone in Paul Newman’s career and Arthur Penn’s directorial legacy. Its blend of brooding intensity, moral ambiguity, and stylistic flair continues to resonate with fans of thoughtful Westerns.