Paul Newman plays the title role in
John Huston's surreal, revisionist western as the infamous Texas hanging judge. In a tiny West Texas town, Roy Bean is an imperious, self-appointed judge whose intimidation keeps the local residents living in fear. The townspeople finally manage to tie him to the back of a horse and ship him out to the Badlands. Rescued by a young Mexican girl, Maria Elena (
Victoria Principal), Roy Bean heads back into town and murders everyone in the local saloon. He sets himself up as the sole arbiter of law and order and renames the town Langtry, in honor of the legendary actress
Lily Langtry (
Ava Gardner). Langtry prospers as Judge Bean dispenses his own brand of frontier justice upon strangers passing by, robbing or killing anyone that tries to make their way through the town. But when Maria dies, the residents of Langtry begin to stand up to Bean and try to reclaim their town. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide