Kid Blue (1973)
7/10
A nice 70s oddity
28 June 2013
Warning: Spoilers
Dear fans of 70s American movies,

Kid Blue is a nice little eccentric (or should I use the often used word quirky?) Western (?) from the 70s. Some of the movies Dennis Hopper did early in his career are really worth checking out. The film has a pretty stellar cast - Hopper, Warren Oates, Peter Boyle, Janice Rule, Ben Johnson and Lee Purcell.

A small time robber played by Hopper decides to turn a new leaf and goes to an American small town (called Dime Box) in search of a job in the early 20th century. Over there, he comes across an eccentric bunch of characters including a melancholic factory worker (Oates), his flirtatious wife (Purcell), an unconventional preacher (Boyle) and a strict sheriff (Johnson).

The film is very liberal in spirit and deals with a variety of themes like the beginning of mass production, the ending of the old West, racism against native Indians and the binding force of evangelical Christianity. The anarchic ending underlines the film's stance against mass production. Despite the light-hearted tone, the film pulls no stops in portraying the violence and narrow mindedness that was prevalent during the period.

Dennis Hopper is very likable as the innocent, open-minded and big-hearted robber. Warren Oates plays a rare subdued role. Boyle wasn't really convincing as the over the top preacher. Purcell was unremarkable.

The film begins with a hilarious train robbery scene. I recommend it.

Best Regards, Pimpin.

(7/10)
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