5 Best Western Movies About Billy The Kid, Ranked

Many gunslingers and outlaws of the Wild West dreamed of making themselves so well known that they could enter the realm of legend. William "Billy the Kid" Bonney achieved this in only a few short years, until he bumped into the other side of the Wild West outlaw life. Killed by Sheriff Pat Garrett at just 21 years old, the man whose real name was Henry McCarthy took part in the cattle-themed Lincoln County War, killed or played a part in killing at least nine people, and is still remembered today.

As is so often the case with Western outlaws of some (ill) repute, there are many books and movies about Billy's exploits. Perhaps due to his borderline mythological status and early death, filmmakers tend to go nuts with Billy. Even if not the most historically accurate Westerns out there, the many great cinematic fantasies and reinterpreted visions of the Western figure nevertheless make it difficult to pick the best Billy the Kid movie out of the pack. Here's a list of five of the best Billy the Kid movies that fans of the legendary gunslinger will enjoy, based on their IMDb ratings.

The 1999 fantasy Western "Purgatory" takes an unconventional approach to the Billy the Kid mythos. Director Uli Edel's TNT TV movie features a group of bandits and outlaws who enter a mysterious town with even more mysterious residents, and slowly catch on to the grim situation. The town's prominent residents are infamous and extremely dead gunslingers denied entrance to heaven until they prove they can lead a life of peace in the town of Refuge — a purgatorial realm that tests their commitment to pacifism. Among the many Refuge denizens who use fake names is Deputy Glenn (Donnie Wahlberg), who's real identity is Billy the Kid.

"Purgatory" has a 6.8 out of 10 IMDb rating. While obviously not a historical lesson, it's an entertaining fantasy that explores some interesting ideas. If Billy the Kid isn't enough to float your boat, you'll also meet a version of Jesse James played by J.D. Souther, not to mention Randy Quaid's take on Doc Holliday and Sam Shepard's Wild Bill Hickok. 

With Peter Stormare and Eric Roberts portraying the fictional and still-living outlaws who stumble upon the strange situation, "Purgatory" provides plenty of fun and a plot that, despite its paranormal aspects, is close to the heart of the Western genre. After all, horror and fantasy-themed Westerns have always been a prominent subgenre, with even two of Clint Eastwood's best movies — "High Plains Drifter" and "Pale Rider" — containing supernatural elements.

If you like your Westerns fun, "Young Guns,"and its slightly lesser but nevertheless entertaining sequel "Young Guns 2," should be one of your first ports of call. An action-heavy Western featuring Emilio Estevez as Billy the Kid, it depicts the adventures of rancher John Tunstall's (Terence Stamp) group of young "Regulator" protégés who are painted as villains courtesy of circumstance.

Famous for its thrilling action and fun interactions between the colorful characters in the posse, "Young Guns" is one of the most iconic 1980s Western films that defined the genre. The movie remains well worth watching today, and Christopher Cain's direction does justice to the film's "Brat Pack" star cast and high-octane story.

"Young Guns" shares the same 6.8 out of 10 IMDb rating as "Purgatory." However, given that it has significantly more reviews and focuses far more on Billy the Kid, it comes out on top in a quick-draw contest between the two. 

In all fairness, "Chisum" isn't as much a Billy the Kid movie as it is one that features Billy the Kid in a supporting role. Still, it counts, because how often do you get to see Billy in a John Wayne movie?

Other characters taking the backseat is, of course, par for the course in a movie that stars Wayne as a western hero. Here, his John Chisum is the larger-than-life focal point in a war between ranchers. He tries to stay impartial, but we all know how that goes in Westerns. The events that transpire make for a movie with a solid 6.9 out of ten rating on IMDb.

Since the plot takes place during the Lincoln County War, real historical figures turn up here and there — including Billy the Kid (Geoffrey Deuel). Director Andrew V. McLaglen and writer-producer Andrew J. Fenady's movie might not exclusively focus on Billy, but it does very much depict the real life issues that the Wild West legend spent much of his short life in the middle of. Because of this, while not one of the best John Wayne movies, the flick is a natural addition to any Billy the Kid fan's viewing.

The 1973 movie "Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid" is rated 7.3 out of 10 on IMDb. While it discusses real-life figures, it's no biopic, heavily revising the historical story. However, with none other than Sam Peckinpah at the helm — revise away.

Here, our focus is the guy whose name is first in the title, Pat Garrett (James Coburn) – the sheriff who historically took down Billy the Kid. With an established friendship between Garrett and Billy (Kris Kristofferson) there's a very heavy "one last mission" vibe around the movie, as the sheriff reluctantly but dedicatedly follows Billy's trails and eventually confronts him.

The Billy we see here is a far cry from the young knickerbocker who died in his early 20s in real life. This version is much older and fearsome, played with serious dedication by Kris Kristofferson. Billy's inevitable death is not a matter of rejoicing, either. He is presented as a borderline mythological figure who's almost too fearsome to attack, and when he actually dies, very few people are happy and the film makes clear that Garrett isn't a hero. 

Oher Westerns use similar themes of melancholy and impending doom, granted. Nevertheless, this elegy for Billy the Kid manages to stand out because it's so relentlessly atmospheric.

Speaking of Westerns that reimagine the legend of Billy the Kid, it is perhaps fitting that the greatest movie about William H. Bonney belongs in this particular sub-genre. Writer-director Potsy Ponciroli's "Old Henry" delivers a heavily revisionist Western drama that features the great Tim Blake Nelson as the titular, aging man. The peaceful farmer Henry attempts to avoid a dispute that he's eventually drawn into, and the bandits targeting his farm soon discover that he's a far deadlier gunslinger than his deceiving appearance would suggest. You can probably guess who Henry turns out to be. 

The idea that Billy the Kid faked his death is familiar in Western myths and whispers. "Old Henry" examines this legend by delivering a truly present and capable version of Billy the Adult, and the world of Westerns is a better place for this deed.

The film's 7.3 out of 10 IMDb rating is a guarantee of a good time, similarly to "Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid."  However, the main character rule applies: Since Billy shares billing with Pat in the Sam Peckinpah movie while being the focus point here, "Old Henry" gets the top spot.