Remember When: Bob Dylan Acted in a Western Shoot-‘Em-Up

The movie and music worlds are abuzz right now with the pending release of A Complete Unknown, the biopic about the early years of Bob Dylan‘s career. Dylan himself is no stranger to the world of movies, having both created and acted in them.

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His first high-profile acting gig came with the 1973 Western movie Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid. As it turned out, the music Dylan made for the film in his dual role as composer of the score turned out to have more of a lasting impact than the film itself.

“Alias” Dylan

Bob Dylan’s interest in the cinema is obvious to anyone who’s ever listened to his music. He has constantly referenced or repurposed famous movie lines in songs, and the way he structures his story songs owes a debt to Hollywood screenwriters. It seemed a natural the movies would come calling at some point.

That point came in 1972 when Dylan was hired by director Sam Peckinpah to play a role in his upcoming film Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid. The movie was a fictional retelling of the famous outlaw William Bonny’s relationship with his friend (and eventual killer) Sheriff Pat Garrett.

It wasn’t all that surprising Dylan would go the Western route for his motion picture acting role. He had always admired the genre. In addition, he liked the work of Peckinpah, noted for his violent but critically acclaimed film The Wild Bunch. Dylan and his wife headed to Mexico in November 1972 to began filming.

A Wild Set

This particular film probably seemed like a safe bet to Dylan. Peckinpah was well-regarded as a director, and the cast included big names like Kris Kristofferson (himself an actor/singer hybrid), Jason Robards, and James Coburn. What could go wrong?

Unfortunately, Peckinpah, by that time, had become quite the volatile personality. As a result, the set was an unruly one, with the director prone to alcoholic rages. Dylan managed to lie low as much as possible, although his wife Sara hated the environment.

When filming was complete, Peckinpah delivered a cut of the film that was too long for the studio. (Many film scholars claim this original version is on a par with Peckinpah’s best work). The studio hacked it up to get it down to a more manageable running length, but in doing so, created a somewhat disjointed film.

Dylan’s Role

As Alias, one of the Kid’s friends, Dylan pops up now and again with a cryptic line or two. He seemed at ease in the role, but perhaps because of the studio cutting the film, his character doesn’t have much of an arc of any kind. The film ended up doing poorly at the box office.

All was not lost, however. Dylan’s soundtrack, a mix of evocative instrumentals and songs with expository lyrics, proved he was quite suited to making movie music. On top of that, “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” emerged from the soundtrack as a big hit and has since become one of Dylan’s most beloved songs.

If you happen to run across Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid on cable or a streaming service, you should check it out to see Dylan in acting mode. He’d star in a few more movies through the years (Hearts of Fire, Masked and Anonymous), but Alias still stands as his plum role: elusive, enigmatic, and fascinating, just like the man himself.

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