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The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean

The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean

Western · Comedy · 1972

Outlaw and self-appointed lawmaker Judge Roy Bean rules over an empty stretch of the West that gradually grows, under his iron fist, into a thriving town, while dispensing his his own quirky brand of frontier justice upon strangers passing by.

Movie details

The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean

“If this story ain't true... it shoulda been!”

1972 Western · Comedy 2h 0m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.5 / 10

Community rating

Outlaw and self-appointed lawmaker Judge Roy Bean rules over an empty stretch of the West that gradually grows, under his iron fist, into a thriving town, while dispensing his his own quirky brand of frontier justice upon strangers passing by.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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The Cheyenne Social Club

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Firecreek

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Western · 1968

A peace-loving, part-time sheriff in the small town of Firecreek must take a stand when a gang of vicious outlaws takes over his town.

Monte Walsh

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Western · 1970

Monte Walsh is an aging cowboy facing the ending days of the Wild West era. As barbed wire and railways steadily eliminate the need for the cowboy, Monte and his friends are left with fewer and fewer options. New work opportunities are available to them, but the freedom of the open prarie is what they long for. Eventually, they all must say goodbye to the lives they knew, and try to make a new start.

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Ride Lonesome

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Western · 1959

On the way to pick up the bounty on a wanted murderer, a bounty hunter stops at a staging post where he is forced to continue his journey with two outlaws who want the murderer for their own reasons and a recently-widowed woman, with the murderer's brother and his men in hot pursuit.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

John Huston

Written by

John Milius

Paul Newman

Paul Newman

Judge Roy Bean

Victoria Principal

Victoria Principal

Maria Elena

Ned Beatty

Ned Beatty

Tector Crites

Matt Clark

Matt Clark

Nick the Grub

Roddy McDowall

Roddy McDowall

Frank Gass

Jacqueline Bisset

Jacqueline Bisset

Rose Bean

Bill McKinney

Bill McKinney

Fermel Parlee

Court is in session

Put The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Auteur Devotee

“Patience is part of the point.”

Duration becomes texture. The film asks you to inhabit its world instead of merely processing its plot.

The prosecution The Adrenaline Seeker

“A test of endurance, your honour.”

Stillness keeps submitting itself as meaning. At some point, contemplation needs something worth contemplating.