Billy the Kid (1930)

Director King Vidor’s early talkie captures the raw energy of emerging sound cinema and the fading frontier. Johnny Mack Brown plays Billy with a mix of boyish charm and deadly skill, while Wallace Beery brings gruff authority to Pat Garrett, creating a compelling dynamic between the young outlaw and the weathered lawman. Together, they establish one of the first fully realized cinematic portrayals of this legendary friendship-turned-deadly rivalry. This pioneering film helped establish the cinematic Billy the Kid, turning a historical figure into a mythic archetype.

This screening is part of our series Dead or Alive: Billy the Kid at the Movies, held in conjunction with the exhibition The Resurrection of Billy the Kid.

Western Spirit, Chief Curator, Dr. Andrew Patrick Nelson will introduce the film and lead a post-screening discussion with the audience.

Program Info:

Sunday, October 19, 2025
2 p.m.
1 hour 38 minutes
FREE for Museum Members (Members, log-in first to reserve tickets)
FREE with Museum Admission
$10 for just the program