Customer Reviews

Western Gunslingers in Fact and on Film: Hollywood's Famous Lawmen and Outlaws

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That the newly created film industry would embrace the Wild West was a no-brainer. The saga of western expansion lent itself to cinema. Hollywood especially embraced those wild and woolly gunslingers who strode through those long-ago times. Buck Rainey examines the real-life exploits of Western lawmen and badmen and how they were portrayed on the Silver Screen in this interesting book from McFarland & Company.

In each chapter, Rainey focuses on a famous lawman/outlaw followed by a chronological breakdown and critical guide/history of all the films made on that person/gang. All the 'usual suspects' are found in his book - Billy the Kid, Wyatt Earp, Wild Bill, Bat Masterson and Belle Starr along with the James-Younger and Dalton-Doolin gangs.

Reading through all the Hollywood flicks made on the life and times of Hickok, the James, etc., you get the unshakeable impression that Hollywood never let the facts get in the way of a 'good story.' In terms of historical accuracy, almost all the flicks found in this book get a grade of D-. In terms of physical accuracy (i.e. casting someone who looks like the subject), they get an F. Paul Newman as Billy the Kid? Jane Russell as Belle Starr?!?

Whatever you think about the accuracy of those flicks, many of them were box-office hits. Some like MY DARLING CLEMENTINE are classics.

All in all, Rainey's book is a fun and informative read. It's enjoyable comparing 'real history' to 'reel history.' Recommended.