I found some similarities, but mainly differences, between The Left Handed Gun and Billy the Kid.
Both of the movies started around the same point. They were both around the time when Billy was getting to know Tungsten and when he started to become loyal to him. In Billy the Kid, however, Billy seemed to be a lot more mature than the Billy in The Left Handed Gun. You could tell just from the appearances of the two actors. The actor in Billy the Kid seemed more muscular and taller and his features seemed to be more pronounced than those of Paul Newman. He also looked as if he was older than Paul Newman. You could still see some of things that Billy did in The Left Handed Gun, like dancing, but even then the Billy in Billy the Kid carried himself more maturely and the dancing was less sporadic. Also in Billy the Kid, Billy was a lot more independent than he was in The Left Handed Gun. In The Left Handed Gun, Billy always went to one of his friends’ house whenever he was hurt and they were the ones who took care of him. Also when he went to seek his revenge, he took two of the other guys with him. In Billy the Kid, Billy was a lot more independent. He didn’t turn to so many people for help and it seemed as if he got hurt a lot less.
Also, in Billy the Kid, the relationship between Billy and Tungsten went more in depth. In The Left Handed Gun, Tungsten found Billy while he was hurt and took him in and gave him one of his horses. In Billy the Kid, you could see more of a relationship being formed and you could see how Billy was protective of Tungsten. In both of the movies, Billy swore he would get his revenge on the people who killed Tungsten. A large part of Billy the Kid was focused to Billy trying to protect McSweeney. In The Left Handed Gun, Billy didn’t really protect McSweeny. He just stayed at McSweeney’s house after Tungsten was killed. Also McSweeney died by being burned in his house. In Billy the Kid, Billy and some other outlaws are in McSweeney’s house shooting at the sheriff and his men to protect McSweeney. McSweeney dies because he goes outside and gives himself up. The sheriff’s men still burn the house, but this Billy is very calm while he is in the house. He even uses the fire to light his cigarette.
The relationship between Billy and Pat Garrett are also pictured very differently. In The Left Handed Gun, Billy and Pat are friends until Billy goes back on his promise and shoots somebody at Pat’s wedding. In Billy the Kid, Billy and Pat have more of a “frenemie” relationship. Pat is already the sheriff which automatically makes him more of an enemy for Billy, but you can tell that they have a strange, caring relationship with each other. They compare how far they can shoot coins. Pat tries his best to catch Billy without using violence, like in the scene where he lured Billy out by cooking bacon, and in the end Pat does not shoot Billy. He shoots at Billy and doesn’t try to pursue him when he gets on the horse and rides away, which is also different from in The Left Handed Gun. Pat actually shoots Billy when he sees that Billy pretends to draw.
In Billy the Kid, you can’t see Billy being friendly with his jailers. You can tell his dislike for his first guard and his second guard was Pat Garrett. In The Left Handed Gun, Billy played cards with his jailers and was very friendly with them. He really didn’t want to shoot them when he escaped.
There are many differences between the two Billy’s portrayed in these movies, but it probably has a lot to do with what times they were made in. One was made in the 1930’s, the other in the 1950’s.