Wuchak Released in 1969, "Young Billy Young" tells the story of Lordsburg, Arizona, where a new lawman comes to town (Robert Mitchum). He takes to a foolish young gun (Robert Walker Jr.) because he reminds him of his murdered son and also to a saloon girl (Angie Dickenson) who's happens to be the woman of the bad man who runs the town (Jack Kelly). John Anderson plays the criminal whom the lawman came to bring to justice. Deana Martin (Dean's daughter) is on hand as the kid's possible romantic interest while David Carradine plays a ne'er-do-well.The story is based on Will Henry's "Who Rides with Wyatt," a fictionalized novel that focuses on Wyatt Earp's relationship with young Billy Clanton, but the names were changed for the movie. Wyatt becomes Marshal Kane (Mitchum), Billy Clanton becomes Billy Young (Walker Jr.) and the town villain is named after the corrupt sheriff of Tombstone, John Behan. The plot is similar to 1959's "Rio Bravo" and 1966' "El Dorado" while the tone is akin to the more contemporary "El Dorado" and 1968's "Bandolero!" Speaking of the latter, the quirky nature of the score by Shelly Manne is reminiscent of the score to "Bandolero!," albeit not quite as good, yet still very notable (of course, some hate it). Robert Mitchum sings the title song.If you favor any of those three films you'll likely appreciate "Young Billy Young," although it's the least of 'em. While the cast is great, with Mitchum towering as the fearless and confident protagonist, and there are numerous impressive Western visuals – e.g. the awe-inspiring locomotive/train, the magnificent stagecoach and the ensuing stagecoach hold-up attempt – there are too many glaring unlikelihoods. For instance, why don't the bandits chasing the stagecoach simply shoot one of the eight horses linked to it? That'd bring it down real quick. Nevertheless, there's enough good here for an enjoyable Western experience, even though you might say "Yeah, right" now and then. The chemistry between Mitchum and Dickinson is palpable and there's a moving line the latter says to the former that steals the show.The film is short-n-sweet at 89 minutes and was shot in Old Tucson, Arizona.GRADE: B-

SnoopyStyle Billy Young and Jesse Boone (David Carradine) sneak onto a troop train and kill a Mexican General and his men. Billy loses his horse and is left behind with Mexican troops hot on Jesse's tail. Ben Kane (Robert Mitchum) is on his way to be a deputy sheriff and meets Billy. Ben is only allowed to be a tax collector. While in town, Billy gets into a fight over cards, kills the sheriff and gets run out of town. Billy runs into Ben Kane again. In town, Kane confronts John Behan and dancehall girl Lily Beloit (Angie Dickinson) offers her help alluding to an old incident. Jesse's father Frank Boone killed Ben's son.This movie needs a darker harder edge. The material is geared more towards that end but the movie seems intent on making this a fun western. The light tones and music are ill-fitting. Also it's too precious with Ben's past. It should have explained the backstory much earlier which would have given the characters more compelling interactions. It would raise the stakes. By leaving the reveal so late, the characters don't have the connections. Ben and Billy should have stayed together but they keep bumping into each other haphazardly. They really need the time together to develop the needed chemistry.

MartinHafer Robert Mitchum plays a sheriff in a town dominated by evil bosses and their gangs. When MItchum arrests the son of the boss-man for murder, the gang is determined the sheriff won't live to punish the punk. As for his deputy (Robert Walker Jr.--who, inexplicably, gets the film named after his character), he's rather ambivalent--unsure whether to help or just get out of the way. Can they stand up against the combined forces of evil and survive (what do you think?!)? "Young Billy Young" is an enjoyable western. However, the plot is incredibly familiar--too familiar. Robert Mitchum himself (who stars in "Young Billy Young") appeared in "El Dorado" (a remake of "Rio Bravo")--which is pretty similar to such films as "High Noon" and "Last Train From Gun Hill". All these films (and many more) are like "YBY" because they, too, are stories about honest sheriffs who refuse to knuckle under to gangs who run old western towns. Because of this familiarity, the film just cannot rise above mediocrity even if it did star Mitchum.In addition to Mitchum, the film stars two sons of famous actors--Robert Walker Jr. and David Carridine. They are competent but no more in the film. Its strengths are its acting by Mitchum as well as the nice relationship he has with Angie Dickenson (who was ALSO in Rio Bravo!). Negatives are Mitchum singing the opening song (uggh!) and the ridiculously easy way the two young guns kill off the Mexican general near the beginning of the film. The ending is also a bit abrupt.

Wizard-8 I've noticed that a lot of American westerns from the '60s play out like they were made for TV, with the static direction and production values - this is one of them. It's far from the worst western ever made - for one thing, it has Robert Mitchum, and he manages to brighten up each scene he's in. But he can only do so much - the movie is pretty padded, sometimes blatantly so when it shows people riding the desert for minutes on end. It's perhaps no wonder that the spaghetti western caught the American public's fancy around this time - though many of the stories were as standard as this one, they at least were more lively done.