Westerns and Americans

Abstract

Even before it was shown in France, The Outlaw [Howard Hughes, 1943] had acquired a scandalous reputation that was bound to result in public disappointment and make it the subject of severe criticism. In the event, the film had a short run. The same people who had fought to get to see it during the first days of its run booed those sections from which they thought the most interesting scenes had been cut. They felt robbed. Reviewers for the most part adopted an indulgent and amused tone.