THE LEFT HANDED GUN (1958) Movie Poster, Original Vintage Daybill
Size AU Daybill Post-War (13" x 30")
THE LEFT HANDED GUN (1958) Movie Poster, Original Vintage Daybill, Starring Paul Newman, Lita Milan, John Dehner, and Directed by Arthur Penn is in Very Fine Condition. Movie Poster and...
THE LEFT HANDED GUN (1958) Movie Poster, Original Vintage Daybill, Starring Paul Newman, Lita Milan, John Dehner, and Directed by Arthur Penn is in Very Fine Condition.
Movie Poster and Condition.
Condition: This Original Daybill, Movie Poster is presented in Very Fine condition, 2 Daybill folds as issued, minor paper loss on the corner bottom left, 2 minor tears on the right hand side middle and some minor edgewear. Otherwise, this poster presents in excellent condition with a colourful clean presentation.
This is an original Australian The Left Handed Gun (1958) movie poster, featuring Paul Newman in one of his early leading film roles as the legendary American outlaw Billy the Kid. An excellent example of vintage 1950s Western movie advertising, this original Australian Daybill is an appealing collectible for admirers of classic Hollywood cinema, Paul Newman and traditional Western film memorabilia. The film's distinctive interpretation of the Billy the Kid legend makes this an interesting addition to a collection of original vintage movie posters.
Movie Synopsis
The Left Handed Gun (1958) is an American Western drama starring Paul Newman as the notorious outlaw Billy the Kid, with Lita Milan, John Dehner and Hurd Hatfield. Directed by Arthur Penn, the film offers a distinctive psychological interpretation of one of the most famous figures of the American Old West. Rather than presenting Billy as simply a fearless gunslinger, the story explores his troubled personality, impulsive behaviour and emotional motivations, creating a more complicated portrait of the legendary outlaw.
Set during the Lincoln County War in New Mexico in the late 1870s, the story follows young William Bonney, better known as Billy the Kid. A restless and unpredictable young cowboy, Billy finds employment with John Tunstall, a British-born rancher who treats him with kindness and offers him a sense of belonging. Tunstall is very different from the violent men who dominate the surrounding territory. He is educated, thoughtful and opposed to unnecessary violence, qualities that gradually earn Billy's admiration and loyalty.
However, the territory is controlled by powerful cattle interests, and Tunstall becomes embroiled in a bitter dispute with rival ranchers and corrupt local lawmen. When Tunstall is murdered by men connected to his business rivals, Billy is devastated. Unable to accept the injustice or the loss of the man who had treated him with genuine respect, he becomes determined to avenge his death.
Billy's response is swift and violent. Alongside fellow cowboys Tom Folliard, played by James Best, and Charlie Boudre, portrayed by James Congdon, he begins hunting down the men responsible. His pursuit of revenge soon escalates into a series of confrontations and deadly gunfights, drawing him deeper into the violence that has consumed Lincoln County.
As Billy's reputation grows, his actions attract the attention of local authorities and rival factions. His increasingly unpredictable behaviour creates difficulties even for those who initially sympathise with his cause. Among the people caught up in the conflict is Pat Garrett, played by John Dehner, a lawman and former associate whose relationship with Billy becomes increasingly strained. Garrett recognises that the young outlaw's desire for revenge is turning into something much more dangerous.
Meanwhile, Billy develops a relationship with Celsa, played by Lita Milan, who provides an emotional connection in an otherwise turbulent existence. Their relationship offers a glimpse of the possibility of a different life, although Billy's temperament and continuing involvement in the conflict make it difficult for him to escape his violent circumstances. Hurd Hatfield also appears as Moultrie, another significant character in the unfolding drama.
As the story progresses, Billy's reputation as a gunfighter becomes increasingly difficult to separate from his personal identity. The film examines the contrast between the young man who desperately wanted acceptance and the notorious outlaw he becomes. His friendship with Tunstall, his loyalty to those he considers friends and his inability to control his anger all contribute to a tragic journey shaped by violence, betrayal and revenge.
The film was produced by Fred Coe for Warner Bros. and features a screenplay by Leslie Stevens, based on Gore Vidal's earlier television play, The Death of Billy the Kid. Interestingly, Paul Newman had already played Billy the Kid in the original 1955 television production, which was also directed by Arthur Penn. The 1958 feature film therefore reunited the actor and director with the same historical character and story.
The Left Handed Gun is also notable as Arthur Penn's first feature film as director. He would later achieve considerable acclaim for influential films including Bonnie and Clyde (1967) and Little Big Man (1970). Shot in black and white, with cinematography by J. Peverell Marley and music by Alexander Courage, the film helped establish a more psychologically complex approach to the Western genre. It remains an important early performance in Paul Newman's career and an interesting reinterpretation of the enduring Billy the Kid legend.
To find out more about The Left Handed Gun (1958) click here to go to IMDB.com.
Special Notes.
Images may have a small 'MPA' digital watermark and this does not appear on the poster. Posters are being held by magnets in the corners to take photographs, so you may see some magnet and shadows from the magnets in these areas. The magnets are not included in the sale of the item.
Postage, Insurance & Your Country Taxes
Postage costs are quoted for this item, include insurance up to AUD$100, but if you reside outside of Australia, the price does not include any import taxes/fees that you may be required to pay when the item reaches your borders. Please check with your local authorities for any additional taxes or fees. If you would like full insurance coverage for your purchase, please message me and I would be happy to quote the additional cost (estimate is AUD$2.50 p/AUD$100 or 2.5% of the item value, up to a maximum item value of AUD$5,000).
FAQ
At Movie Posters Australia, the love and conservation of movie posters comes first, and we like to share this passion. Our commitment to quality means we will provide high quality memorabilia to our customers. Posters are carefully chosen and authenticated to ensure originality and value. We want our customers to trust MPA, so we always try to be as open and transparent as we can, provide detailed condition information and images, to ensure customers are comfortable and confident in their purchase.
While the industry does have a few condition rating standards, there is no movie poster condition rating system that has become the accepted standard world wide. This unfortunately makes condition terms vary from movie poster dealer to movie poster dealer. Terms like Mint, Near Mint, Very Fine, Fine, Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor, seem to be universal to most condition rating standards, but most standards still lack definition about what and how many flaws/defects/damage defines a specific condition level. For more information on how Movie Posters Australia grades the condition of its movie posters, daybills, lobby cards and other ephemera please see out Movie Poster Condition and Grading page.
In the early days of cinema, posters were primarily hand-drawn and printed in various sizes, often tailored to fit the available space in theaters or promotional areas. In the United States, the "One Sheet" size (some times called '1 Sheet' or '1SH' approximately 27" x 41", became the standard during the 1930s. This size was manageable for theater display and suited the needs of a growing film industry.
Different countries developed their own poster sizes and styles, which also changed sometimes over the decades, and were influenced by local preferences and practical considerations, like available paper sheet sizes and how many posters could be printed on one sheet.
In Australia, the most popular size, the Daybill, has evolved over the decades. Australian Daybills sizes in chronological order are:
- Long Daybills (15" x 40"), from 1920's to pre-WW2 or pre-1941, were printed two to a sheet, longer than current Daybill versions. There were size variances in width from 14.5" to 15" and in height from 39.5" to 40".
- War Time Daybill (10" x 30"), during WW2, for a short time to conserve paper during a war time shortage, four Daybills were printed on one sheet. Information from Press Sheets also referred to these War-Time sizes as "New Size Daybills".
- Post-War Daybill (13" x 30"), this 13" x 30" Post-War size carried through until the 1980's, but also varied in size from 13"-14" x 29.75"-30.25".
- Post-80's Daybill (33cm x 66cm, or 13" x 26"), over a few years in the late 80's, the size changed again to a metric 33cm x 66cm, although these have also varied from 32-33cm x 64.5-66cm. New sizes from the late 80's were created, sometimes called a Mini Daybill or Mini Poster, in 9" x 12", 11" x 17" and 13" x 20".
In the UK, the somewhat unique 'Quad' poster, measuring 30" x 40", became popular, offering a larger landscape format that allowed for more elaborate designs.
In Japan, movie poster sizes were smaller, such as the "B2" (20" x 28"), which suited the more compact living environment of larger cities, smaller advertising spaces, and unique aesthetic sensibilities.
The 1970s and 1980s, witnessed the rise of the "six-sheet" (81" x 81") format, reflecting a trend towards larger and more visually impactful advertising.
Overall, the variation in movie poster sizes across different countries and decades highlights the interplay between technological printing advancements, paper resource availability, paper sheet size changes, cultural preferences, and the evolving nature of movie marketing.
At Movie Posters Australia we tag each poster we sell with a 'size' and 'condition' description at the very top of the page for our customers to easily see. There may however be some slight variations to sizes by up one inch due to variations in production and guillotine methods by printers over the decades.