Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here

Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here was released in 1969 and was directed by black-listed director Abraham Pononsky.

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Centered in 1909 California, the story revolves around a Paiute Indian fugitive, Willie Boy (Robert Blake) who escapes with his lover (Katharine Ross) after killing her father in self defense. And in tribal rules Willie is able to claim Ross, but Sheriff Cooper (Robert Redford) has to charge him with murder.

Related Topics:
Robert Blake - Katharine Ross - Robert Redford

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They are then hunted by a posse led by Redford which last several days, and Willie even manages to repel the bounty hunters advance when he ambushes them from the top of Ruby Mountain. He only tries to shoot their horses, but ends up accidently killing a bounty hunter, resulting in another charge of murder.

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They manage to evade the bounty hunters for several days untill it's obvious that they are catching up to them. So Ross shoots herself in order to slow down the posse's advance, but Cooper(Redford) has the impression that Willie killed her. Redford then goes off alone to try and kill Willie, before the main posse catches up to him.

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But Willie is positioned on a high hilltop and continousley fires at Cooper, making his advance up the hill all the more dangerous. Redford then manages to maneuver up behind Willie on the hillside, who seems to be expecting Redford yet his back is turned. Redford then tells Willie he can turn around if he wants, and he does. But suddenly, Willie makes to shoot. Cooper however beats Willie to the draw and shoots Willie in the chest. Willie slumps down the hillside and Cooper picks up his gun. At the bottom of the hill as Willie is slowly dying, Redford pulls the trigger on Willie's gun and sees that it wasn't even loaded. Abashed, Redford carries Willie's body down the hill and meets up with other Paiute Indians, who carry Willie off and burn the body.

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Later confronted by a fellow bounty hounter about burning the body, Cooper responds by saying: "Tell them we're all out of souviners."

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This film is loosley based on a true story.

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IMDB page

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