good back-story, and good acting

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.

Even avid Dennis Hopper fans may not have seen or heard of this one, a turn of the century Western in which Hopper's character Bick Waner, tries to turn his back on a life of crime and go straight. Things go inauspiciously for him as one job after another goes down in flames, either due to his temper or the whims of his boss. However once it becomes known that he's the former outlaw and train robber Kid Blue, the die is cast and The Kid decides to pull one last job.It was cool to see some of the stellar character actors of the era here - Warren Oates as a wistful dreamer of the ancient Greeks with their notions of man love, Ben Johnson as an arrogant sheriff, and Peter Boyle in an early role as Preacher Bob, an eccentric inventor with unusual insights into the gospels. The film has an interesting share of comedic elements, mostly involving Boyle's character and an Indian named Old Coyote (Jose Torvay), who's made it his mission to get 'pushed under the water' by the preacher. For those not in the know, he wants to be baptized so he can claim his earthly riches.There's no pretense of Western film greatness with this flick, but it is entertaining enough, taking place in the old West town of Dime Box, home of the Great American Ceramic Novelty Company. The story sheds light on the dawning of American capitalism and how small, dusty towns of the era managed to get lucky when an aspiring businessman made his enterprise the center of town life. One has to get a kick out of Reese Ford's (Oates) purchase of a new fangled steel bathtub for $12.29 (without freight charges), as the film tiptoes around the edges of homo-eroticism when Hopper and Oates climb into the tub together to relive the ancient Greek baths. Personally, getting soaped down by the lovely Molly Ford (Lee Purcell) would be a much better deal.Best line of advice comes from Old Coyote discussing menu options with his Indian cohorts and Kid Blue - "If you're hungry, don't eat cow sh_t". I'll be keeping that in mind.

There are a lot of Hopper films out there that too few people have seen, especially his lost decade of the 70s. Kid Blue is in the top 5 of my favorite Hopper films. 30 seconds into the movie I already laughed. I also melted many times that Hopper was on screen, his blue eyes and beautiful smile (yes I'm a tad obsessed). He was just so frickin cute in this film. His mannerisms and facial expressions show what a great actor he was (and wish he still was). But movie memories like from Kid Blue stay in my mind even during his bad movies of the year 2000s. Watch Kid Blue if you get lucky enough to find it on cable, I think you will like it.

If you like Dennis Hopper, you like this kind of introspective crazy thing about life, so watch it :)This is not a classical 50s or 60s Western - this is about how the Old West may well have been for real. No superstunts a'la "Matrix" her for sure, but there is some funny action!I am only now starting to appreciate the 70s way of making odd movies, with all the less than adequately brainy, all computer tricks, and no substance material coming to our screens these days.It's all about real people doing mundane things, at times doing stupid things, and occasionally doing even really stupid, but outright spectacular things. Nothing is sacred, and conservatives will have to hate this piece, that leaves no legend untouched, and shows the old West at its end in its transition to modern times, in which even steam power can already be made out to be relic some day, but not quite yet. Modern times is a comin! The characters are simply everyday people, hypocritical, twisted, evil, a little nice at times, always mean in a way, denuded of social grace as well as soap and water, except when it serves the purpose of getting closer.This is not a classical Western - this is about how the Old West may well have been for real, spitting, sex, and all.So stuff your dreamworld, because if you want to be a honky cowboy, you may think twice after seeing this one.Boring? Yes, there are boring stretches in this movie. But that too were the good old times. So change your pace and watch a true classic of the 70s Western genre. Did I say a classic, when I said before it isn't? Actually, this one is a classic - just a different kind.

'Kid Blue' is a very odd movie. In many ways a very old fashioned western, but with Dennis Hopper playing a long haired, pseudo-hippie character. It doesn't know whether to be hip or square, and suffers for it. Still, like most of Hopper's overlooked Seventies movies it's worth a look.Hopper plays Bickford Waner aka Kid Blue, train robber. Tired of his lack of success at crime he relocates to a small town, gets a real job for the first time in his life, and attempts to fit in. He isn't very successful. In between being harassed by the cruel local sheriff, 'Mean John' Simpson (the legendary Ben Johnson), and one of his fellow boarding house occupant's, Drummer (Ralph Waite of 'Five Easy Pieces' and 'The Waltons'), he tries to find a way to live his life without resorting to his old ways. He befriends some local Indians, the eccentric Preacher Bob (Peter Boyle, 'Joe', 'Taxi Driver') who juggles Christianity with building a flying machine, and a local couple, Reese and Molly Ford (the God-like Warren Oates, and Lee Purcell). The Fords have the most impact on his life, especially when the beautiful Molly makes a move on him, and the enigmatic Reese starts telling him about the "old timey Greeks" who weren't ashamed to say they loved each other, and then suggests they share a bath together. The scenes between these two screen legends, Hopper and Oates, are priceless and easily the high point of the movie. Sadly, this is the only movie they ever made togetherAnother added kick is seeing Oates and Johnson, who played the Gortch brothers in Peckinpah's classic 'The Wild Bunch', reunited in very different roles. Also in the supporting cast are fine character actors like Warren Finnerty and Clifton James, who both worked with Hopper and Ralph Waite in the wonderful prison drama 'Cool Hand Luke', and M. Emmet Walsh ('Blade Runner', 'Blood Simple',etc).'Kid Blue' is NOT one of the great lost westerns, but it IS an eminently watchable curio that any Seventies film buff will be entertained by, especially if they admire the consistently good work of the late Warren Oates, or have any curiosity about Dennis Hopper's undervalued post-'Easy Rider', pre-'Apocalypse Now' movies, which also include such strong performances as 'Tracks' and Wim Wenders 'The American Friend'.