I saw this film on Turner Classic Movies (TCM).

It seems others have made a virtue out of this film's odd credentials and quite possibly used these against the film itself. On the face of it and if you didn't know (most folks won't, or care) then this is a decent western, with a Sam Peckinpah sense of gritty realism and dynamism.

The story follows a familiar one; an aged Scottish Gregory Peck and a young half-caste youth become fugitives - then friends - after a bungled bank robbery. They are pursued by racist and violent sheriff Jack Warden who hounds the pair, right to the bloody finale. There's good action and the unusual Israeli scenery actually adds a bit of variety to the surroundings.

The interestingly titled Billy 'Two Hats' is given an unusually sympathetic and approachable role, especially considering the western genre's tendency to the opposite toward native American characters. This again, adds to the flavour of the film, giving it a nuance that marks it apart from dozens of others.

I'd not heard of 'Billy Two Hats'; its title got me interested in the TV listings and found it well worth the time and effort but not quite enough to buy it on DVD.

This is a very different type of western film although the main premise of the story sounds very routine. One has to wonder why it was filmed over in the Middle East instead of a closer location here in America. If anyone finds out please let me know. This story is about a bank robber named Arch Deans (Gregory Peck) who has an accomplice that is half Indian named Billy (Desi Arnaz Jr.) and Billy has been captured by Sheriff Henry Gifford (Jack Warden) who plans on taking him back to be hanged even though it was Arch who killed someone during the hold-up. Arch sneaks up on Henry one morning and shoots him in the shoulder to wound him. He and Billy ride off to Mexico but they are unaware that Henry's friend Copeland (David Huddleston) has a buffalo rifle and he uses it to shoot Arch's horse that collapses and breaks Arch's leg.

*****SPOILER ALERT*****

Because of his shoulder it takes a day or two before Henry can ride and this gives Arch and Billy a head start but with his broken leg they are slowed down as well. They come across a home owned by a man named Spencer (John Pearce) who is abusive to his stuttering wife Esther (Sian Barbara Allen) and Arch tells him he'll pay him 100 dollars for a ride in his wagon. Spencer agrees and Billy is told to stay with Esther until her husband comes back. While on the road Arch and Spencer are ambushed by Indians and Spencer gets killed while Arch is mortally wounded. Meanwhile, Billy and Esther get very friendly and sleep together until Henry comes barging in and handcuffs him to take him back for his hanging.

This film was directed by Ted Kotcheff who is a very good and capable director in both film and television. Somehow this film ended up in Israel to be made and even though you can say all deserts look the same the truth is that it does look a bit off and different. Some of the clues that it's not America is that there are no cactus to be found and whatever vegetation that is seen is definitely not from our region. The lack of other actors and extras in small roles also is missing and the whole film has a very remote and distant feel to it. This isn't meant as criticism but the mood and tone of the film is not like any other western I have seen. Peck seems to be genuinely having fun in his role and it's probably because he's getting a rare opportunity to play a character that can be described as a cad and a rogue. Arnaz doesn't have to do much since his character is suppose to remain relatively stoic. Warden is well cast as the hard and tough racist sheriff but for me the best performance in the film comes from Allen as the lonely wife. We understand her loneliness completely and Allen shows some real despair in her beautiful brown eyes. Even for a western this film moves along very slowly and there are several gaps where Peck and Arnaz are separated. This is definitely a different film for the genre but I found the uniqueness compelling for some reason. I am recommending it although if your tempted to view it just be reminded that this is definitely a curio.

Billy Two Hats was not a major film when it was released in 1974. In fact it had hardly any release at all.

It was produced by Norman Jewison, directed by Ted Kotchoff, written by Alan Sharp. (all TOP names in film & television) & stars Gregory Peck with a Scot brogue & full beard. He is great as usual.

The cast is small but all are first rate

One wonders what the problem was.

Simple. it is an Art house western that was improperly released. It also has the distinction of being made in the Negrev desert in Isreal. (It looked like the American Southwest to me).

It co-stars Desi Arnaz Jr.( Lucille Ball's son_). They tried to make a movie star out of him, He was not too bad in fact he was quite good.

Peck & Arnaz are outlaws on the run,being pursued by nasty MarshalL expertly portrayed by Jack Warden. This is a first rate production all the way.

This is a very good but minor western that deserved a better fate. I saw it on the Western Television cable channel & am glad I did.

I think you all will enjoy it as well.

Ratings: *** (out of 4) 87 points (out of 100) IMDb 8 (out of 10)