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What's After the Movie?
Drama western

Billy the Kid (1941): Cast & Plot

Billy the Kid (1941) movie poster

Billy the Kid is a 1941 drama western directed by David Miller, starring Robert Taylor as Billy Bonney, Ian Hunter and Brian Donlevy. It runs 1 hour 34 minutes.

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Billy the Kid (1941) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 34m (94 min)
Director
David Miller
Genres
Drama , Western
Original language
English
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Billy the Kid About?

The premise of Billy the Kid without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

WILLIAM BONNEY, known as Billy the Kid, is a hot‑headed gunslinger who narrowly avoids a criminal path after being taken in and employed by the peaceful rancher Eric Keating. When Keating is murdered, Billy embarks on a ruthless quest for vengeance, determined to settle the score, even if it pits him against his former ally, Marshal Jim Sherwood.

Billy the Kid Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • leather jacket
  • billy the kid character
  • character name as title
  • monument valley
  • cattle rustling
  • 1880s
  • bullet hole in a cowboy hat
  • tragic event
  • classical western
  • year 1880
  • color remake of black and white film
  • outlaw western
+38 more
  • corrupt sheriff
  • deputy marshal
  • desert landscape
  • gun duel
  • newspaper editor
  • childhood friends reunited
  • judge
  • horseback chase
  • gunslinger
  • lincoln new mexico
  • cattle baron
  • cattle stampede
  • reference to a governor
  • birthday party
  • left handed gunman
  • ranch foreman
  • racial prejudice
  • murder of friend
  • burial mound
  • u.s. marshal
  • death of employer
  • western music
  • unrequited love
  • final showdown
  • posse
  • attempted murder
  • killing a friend
  • marriage engagement
  • two gun holster
  • historical fiction
  • suicide by police
  • ultimate sacrifice
  • killed by friend
  • double gun holster
  • friend
  • revenge
  • revolver
  • colt 45
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Cast & crew

Billy the Kid Cast & Characters

Robert Taylor leads the cast as Billy Bonney, with Ian Hunter as Eric Keating and Brian Donlevy as Jim Sherwood. Directed by David Miller; 47 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in Billy the Kid

· 43 more
Show all 47 cast members
From the director

More from David Miller

More films directed by David Miller: Goldie and the Boxer, Bittersweet Love, Executive Action and Hail, Hero!.

Full filmography
Plot

Billy the Kid Plot Summary

What happens in Billy the Kid from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

1880 marks the era of legendary gunslingers in Lincoln, New Mexico, and the notorious Billy Bonney [Robert Taylor] is already a figure of fear and fascination. In a bold move to help his friend Pedro Gonzales [Frank Puglia], Billy meddles with the local jail, aiding Pedro’s escape from a system that has kept him confined by a sheriff who treats ethnicity as a crime. The two men slip back into a town atmosphere that still carries the sting of prejudice, and they soon run afoul of power. The harsh sheriff Cass McAndrews [Cy Kendall] keeps a tight grip on the region, and his presence looms large as Billy’s past and present collide.

Full summary

The whole story of Billy the Kid, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Videos

Billy the Kid Trailers & Videos

The trailer of Billy the Kid.

Billy the Kid - Trailer
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Billy the Kid?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
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  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
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  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

In what year does the story take place?

Details

Billy the Kid Also Known As

6 alternative titles, including “Der letzte Bandit” and “Billy el niño”.

Also known as
  • Der letzte Bandit
  • Billy el niño
  • Terra selvaggia
  • Billy the Kid le réfractaire
  • Billy, a kölyök
  • Gentil Tirano

Seen Billy the Kid?

FAQ

Billy the Kid FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date

Runtime, release date, director, cast and post-credit scenes of Billy the Kid, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Billy the Kid?

Billy the Kid runs 1 hour 34 minutes (94 minutes).

When was Billy the Kid released?

Billy the Kid was released on May 30, 1941.

Who directed Billy the Kid?

Billy the Kid was directed by David Miller.

More films by David Miller

Who is in the cast of Billy the Kid?

Billy the Kid stars Robert Taylor as Billy Bonney, Ian Hunter as Eric Keating and Brian Donlevy as Jim Sherwood, among 47 credited actors.

Does Billy the Kid have a post-credit scene?

No. Billy the Kid has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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