Billy the Kid Got a New Mythology in 2021’s Best Western

Summary

• Old Henry reimagines Billy the Kid as an older man, challenging his traditional death story.
• Director Ponciroli’s film follows a fake death theory, showing Kid surviving and living peacefully.
• Old Henry offers a fresh take on Western history, providing an entertaining twist in the genre.

When you think of a film genre that tends to put a new spin on real-life events, Westerns are usually at the very bottom of that list. Generally speaking, period piece dramas are usually the go-to category for this type of storytelling revisionism (see 1984’s Amadeus or 1995’s Braveheart for examples of this), but big screen productions involving the Wild West, sheriffs, and cowboys usually leaned into fact as this was more exciting than fiction.

Surprisingly, expansion into the western United States didn’t last for very long (about 30 years, 1865 to 1895) but during this time, many timeless gunmen created a reputation for themselves that would last into the modern day. People like Wyatt Earp, Jesse James, Butch Cassidy, and Doc Holliday were all figureheads at that period in time, whether feverishly brandishing a gun to either uphold the law or abuse it to their liking (usually by robbing banks or trains). Starting from the Western cinematic boom in the 1940s, Hollywood has done its part in keeping these names alive — which includes Billy the Kid, an iconic American outlaw.

Just like his name states (and when compared to the age of everybody mentioned before him), Henry McCarty only lived to the ripe old age of 21 before meeting his demise. While his official cause of death is still debated to this day (supposedly being shot and killed by Sheriff Pat Garrett in 1881), an independent film in 2021 that was produced by Hideout Pictures and distributed by Shout! Studios called Old Henry throws all these conflicting reports out the window and imagines Billy the Kid as an older man, living on a small farm in Oklahoma with his son.

Starring Tim Blake Nelson in the lead role, this what-if western was put on a top ten independent movie list by The National Board of Review (a NYC-based non-profit organization for film enthusiasts) the same year it was released. With that major accolade hanging above the movie’s head, let’s dig a bit deeper and find out how this movie managed to pull off such a brilliant, history-altering stunt without angering the historians of the Western world.

A Western Legend Lives On

Having its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival (in 2021), this gritty, slow-building reshaping of Billy the Kid as an older version of himself was applauded in numerous ways. Not only did the story authentically paint a respectable picture of the outlaw, but director Potsy Ponciroli was applauded for his grounded camera work and writing (since he also created the script).

Having done immense character work before this film (from Delmar O’Donnell in 2000’s O Brother, Where Art Thou? to Looking Glass in the Watchmen HBO limited series), Nelson was definitely the perfect actor to step into this role. He puts on an aggressive and dark nature when it comes to defending his home (and the ones inside) but also knows when to methodically cool it down when interacting with those not deemed a threat.

For those who like a sense of ambiance when it comes to Westerns, Nelson compliments the silent scenes with his bodily mannerisms by easily conveying a rancher who balances an aging man who still needs to show his dominance to a younger gang of outlaws. With the other cast filled out by names like Scott Haze (Horizon: Chapter One), Gavin Lewis (Little Fires Everywhere), Trace Adkins, Stephen Dorff (True Detective), and Richard Speight Jr (Thank You For Smoking), this movie is filled with great performances all around. But enough about the technical details of Old Henry (as interesting as they may be), how does this movie change Billy the Kid’s mythology?

Old Henry Rewrites History in the Best Ways

As mentioned, Sheriff Pat Garrett was allegedly the outlaw’s killer — shooting at him from the shadows of a dark room once McCarty entered and confirmed his identity with his voice. In Old Henry, however, director and writer Ponciroli decides to follow the fake death theory. Once Sam Ketchum’s entire gang arrives at Henry’s house to retrieve Curry, Henry’s statement — “Keep your damn head down, you’ll be alright” to his son puts the injured lawman into a state of realization.

Henry is actually Billy the Kid. Flashbacks inserted throughout the movie show that instead of fatally killing him, Garrett took pity on Billy and let him escape. Then Garrett would fake Billy’s death, so the law wouldn’t hunt for him any longer.

No longer living with a bounty on his head, the ex-outlaw with a new lease on life took on various occupations before settling down and becoming a farmer. As he told Ketchum, he had a wife who died of tuberculosis five years ago. All he has now is his son, his brother-in-law, and a small home. This new, exciting on-screen lore certainly gives visual clarity to those who believe the real Billy the Kid didn’t die at the hands of the brazen sheriff. But more importantly, Old Henry does something even more astonishing and that is providing a Western story that doesn’t follow linear history but becomes intensely entertaining nevertheless.

Old Henry is available to stream on YouTube, Google Play, and Prime Video.