Outlaw Blues
{{Short description|1977 film by Richard T. Heffron}}
{{for|the Bob Dylan song|Outlaw Blues (Bob Dylan song)}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Outlaw Blues
| image = OutlawBlues1977.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = Richard T. Heffron
| producer = Steve Tisch
| screenplay = Bill L. Norton
| starring = {{Plainlist|
}}
| music = {{Plainlist|
- Charles Bernstein
- Bruce Langhorne
}}
| cinematography = Jules Brenner
| editing = {{Plainlist|
}}
| studio = Sequoia Pictures
| distributor = Warner Bros.
| released = {{Film date|1977|08|15|USA}}
| runtime = 100 minutes
| country = United States
| language = English
| budget = $1,900,000 (est.)
| gross =
}}
Outlaw Blues is a 1977 American drama film directed by Richard T. Heffron and starring Peter Fonda and Susan Saint James.{{cite web|title=Outlaw Blues |work=Internet Movie Database |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076512/ |access-date=March 8, 2012}} Written by Bill L. Norton, the film is about an ex-convict and songwriter trying to break into the music business in Austin, Texas. The soundtrack of the film includes a title song written by John Oates and three songs by Hoyt Axton, with some of the songs sung by Peter Fonda.[https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/85996/outlaw-blues#overview''Turner Classic Movies: Outlaw Blues (1977)]
Plot
Nearing release, convict Bobby Ogden is trying to get his life straight and his career going as a country and western singer. Bobby shows off some of his tunes to Nashville star Garland Dupree. Dupree uses one of his songs "Outlaw Blues" for himself with no credit to Bobby. Bobby confronts Dupree and when Dupree pulls a gun on him, he accidentally shoots himself in the ensuing struggle. Of course, Dupree tells everyone that Bobby shot him. Now Bobby's on the run, with only Dupree's recently fired back up singer Tina Waters believing him. The pair flee together, as Bobby becomes an underground hero who is accepted as the man who actually wrote the hit, while being put on the law enforcement's most wanted list.
Cast
- Peter Fonda as Bobby Ogden
- Susan Saint James as Tina Waters
- John Crawford as Chief Buzz Cavenaugh
- James T. Callahan as Garland Dupree
- Michael Lerner as Hatch
- Steve Fromholz as Elroy
- Richard Lockmiller as Associate Warden
- Matt Clark as Billy Bob
- Jan Rita Cobler as Cathy Moss
- Gene Rader as Leon Warback
- Curtis Harris as Big Guy
- Jerry Greene as Disc Jockey
- Dave Helfert as Anchorman
- Jeffrey Friedman (politician) as Newsman
- James N. Harrell as Cop Chauffeur{{cite web|title=Full cast and crew for Outlaw Blues |work=Internet Movie Database |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076512/fullcredits#cast |access-date=March 8, 2012}}
Production
=Filming locations=
Reception
In his review in The New York Times, film critic A. H. Weiler found the film to be "pleasantly palatable if not especially nutritious" and "an amiable, lilting, if lightweight, diversion." Weiler acknowledges that the cast "make the most of a musical genre that has millions of devoted fans."{{cite news|last=Weiler |first=A. H. |title=Outlaw Blues |work=The New York Times |date=July 16, 1977 |url=https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?_r=2&res=9901E3DA173BE133A25755C1A9619C946690D6CF |access-date=February 26, 2012}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb title|id=0076512|title=Outlaw Blues}}
- {{TCMDb title|id=85996|title=Outlaw Blues}}
- {{AFI film|55899}}
{{Richard T. Heffron}}
Category:Films directed by Richard T. Heffron
Category:Films scored by Charles Bernstein
Category:Films set in Austin, Texas
Category:Films shot in Austin, Texas