Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid is a 1973 Western drama film directed by Sam Peckinpah and starring James Coburn, Kris Kristofferson, and Bob Dylan who composed several songs for the movie's score and soundtrack album Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid, which was released the same year. Written by Rudy Wurlitzer, the film is about an aging Pat Garrett who is hired as a lawman on behalf of a group of wealthy New Mexico cattle barons to bring down his old friend Billy the Kid. Filmed on location in Durango, Mexico, the film was nominated for two BAFTA Awards for Film Music (Bob Dylan) and Most Promising Newcomer (Kris Kristofferson). The film was also nominated for a Grammy Award for Album of Best Original Score (Bob Dylan).
The film was noted for behind-the-scenes battles between Peckinpah and the production company Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Soon after completion, the film was taken away from the director and substantially re-edited, resulting in a truncated version released to theaters and largely disowned by cast and crew members. Peckinpah's preview version was released on video in 1988, leading to a re-evaluation, with many critics hailing it as a mistreated classic and one of the era's best
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