From Deseret News archives:

LDS Film Festival roundup

Sixth annual event features clean family entertainment

Published: Thursday, Jan. 25, 2007 12:08 a.m. MST
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
OREM — It's the kind of movie most folks would like to take their family to, with clean language, no untoward violence, lots of entertaining adventure — something like movie producers would've made in the 1950s.

"Outlaw Trail" launched the sixth annual LDS Film Festival Jan. 17, not coincidentally the day before the popular Sundance Film Festival began. The film screened in the 700-plus seat XanGo Grand Theatre at the SCERA Center for the Arts to a nearly full house.

Dress was promoted as dressy for the opener, but to Utah cowboys that means to wear your best pair of blue jeans. At least one couple showed up in a tux and strapless gown. Neckties were scarce, particularly among film executives.

This western yarn set in the late 1940s in and around Circleville builds on the thesis that Leroy Parker, a k a Butch Cassidy, escaped the barrage of bullets in Bolivia that supposedly claimed the life of the Sundance Kid. It's believed both outlaws died in the shootout.

The Parker family still believes Cassidy made it back to the United States and peacefully lived out the rest of his life. That belief is the genesis behind the movie.

Story continues below
In this story Cassidy's great-nephew, Roy Parker, played by Ryan Kelley, believes that the famous Wild Bunch outlaw returned to hide his stolen gold in Robbers Roost, the Hole in the Wall hideout. But more important than gold, teenager Roy Parker is searching for family treasure. Meanwhile, the town's museum curator, a descendant of Etta Place (Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid's companion) is interested only in the gold. Bruce McGill plays that part, aptly wearing the black hat.

The movie has been publicly screened only one other time — at the Heartland Film Festival in Indianapolis last October where it took the Crystal Heart Award. It is expected to be picked up for general distribution in the next few months.

Screenwriter David Pliler went to Circleville to drink in the Butch Cassidy atmosphere when he first began crafting the fictional script based on real characters in March 2005. The initial writing took about six weeks. Filming last year took less than a month.


Putlaw Trail

Produced by: Brad Pelo

Directed by: Ryan Little

Starring: Ryan Kelley, Arielle Kebbel, Bruce McGill

Rating: probably PG

Length: 90 minutes


E-mail: rodger@desnews.com

Comments

You can be the first to comment on this story.

Image
LDS Film Festival

Ron Melendez, left, Bruce McGill and Brian Peck in "Outlaw Trail."

previousnext

Latest comments

Smacks of very large egos. Following charismatic leaders never turns out...

Glenn Beck to enter politics?

This is what everyone has been saying. That Beck and Fox News aren't...

accept the win because it will the last regular season win for this season.

A dilemma for Anae. Get to be a head coach... but for UNLV. Hill has the...

NevadaCoug: you must live in Southern Nevada where all the Yners are. I...

Isn't Hill important for the Y to show they are diverse to recruit inner city...

Glenn Beck to enter politics?

This will be entertaining! Are they radio personalities or are they...

Beck probably can win the Presidency in 2012 or 2016. He speaks for the...

Glenn Beck to enter politics?

Glenn is brilliant. Anyone who carefully listens to him can see that he...

Plan for airport checks

Can we please elect government officials that dont treat the masses like...

Advertisements