Against the Law Against the Odds Against the Land Itself


Though Desi Arnaz plays the title role, Gregory Peck is top billed in Billy Two Hats. Arnaz plays a thief who teams up with Scottish bank bandit Peck. A botched robbery results in a tiny amount of cash and an accidental killing. Peck rescues the captured Billy, enduring a leg wound in the process. While resting in the home of an old rancher, Peck goes off in search of a doctor, while Billy enjoys the sexual favors of the rancher's young wife. This interruption in the bandits' escape enables Indian-hating sheriff Jack Warden to catch up with Arnaz and Peck. A last-reel shoot-out ensues, involving sheriff's deputies, the rancher, and a band of Indian renegades. Billy Two Hats (reissued as The Lady and the Outlaw) was the first American western to be filmed in Israel.


During a bank robbery in the American west, the partner of Scottish outlaw Arch Deans is killed and his young Indian half breed friend Billy Two Hats is captured.

While Billy is being transported, Deans gets the drop on Sheriff Henry Gifford at a remote trading post, enabling Billy to escape. As they flee, the sheriff's friend, the trading post owner, named Copeland, takes down his old long-range buffalo rifle and fires a shot that kills Deans' horse, breaking his leg. Billy builds a travois on which Deans can ride, dragged behind Billy's horse.

Billy and Deans encounter Spencer and his wife, Esther, at their remote homestead. Deans persuades Spencer to take him in his wagon to get horses on the condition that Billy stay with Esther to protect her and the homestead from marauding Indians. Billy is also to keep a look out for the pursuing Gifford.

Billy and Esther spend their time together talking and develop romantic feelings for each other. Esther, a young mail-order bride from the East, is unhappy with her older abusive husband. She falls in love with the young good looking Billy. Gifford finds the two in bed together, assumes Billy raped the woman, becomes enraged, and beats him. Esther attempts the explain but can't because she stutters uncontrollably when distressed.

Deans and Spencer encounter trouble on the trail, four drunken Indians demand whiskey from them, ambush their wagon in a canyon, killing the horse and besiege them. Spencer is killed.

Gifford, Esther and Billy then set out after Deans. They find Deans near death. With Esther's help Billy kills Gifford. Deans dies of his wounds.

Release Date: August 1974


Distrib: United Artists