The Outrage (1964) in Color — Starring Paul Newman & Laurence Harvey

The Outrage (1964) — Buy This Classic in Color

Experience the bold, thought-provoking Western drama The Outrage (1964) colorized in stunning HD quality. Directed by Martin Ritt, this ambitious MGM production is a daring Hollywood adaptation of Akira Kurosawa’s masterpiece Rashomon (1950), transposing the Japanese classic’s revolutionary multiple-perspective narrative to the Old West. Paul Newman stars as a Mexican bandit, Laurence Harvey as a Southern gentleman, Claire Bloom as his wife, and Edward G. Robinson as a prospector, each telling radically different versions of the same violent encounter — forcing the audience to confront the impossibility of objective truth and the self-serving nature of memory itself. Now available as an instant, DRM-free digital download for only €15.00.

Plot Summary

At a desolate Arizona railway station, three men shelter from a rain storm: a disillusioned preacher (William Shatner), a cynical prospector (Edward G. Robinson), and a travelling con man (Howard Da Silva). To pass the time, they recount a sensational trial they have all witnessed — the trial of Juan Carrasco (Paul Newman), a notorious Mexican bandit accused of assaulting the wife of a Southern aristocrat and murdering the husband.

The film presents four contradictory versions of the same event. In Carrasco’s testimony, he is a romantic, passionate figure who defeated the husband in honourable combat after the wife willingly came to him. In the wife’s testimony (Claire Bloom), she is entirely innocent — brutalised by the bandit and then rejected by her cold, contemptuous husband, who considered her dishonoured. In the husband’s account, delivered from beyond the grave through a medium, he was betrayed by his faithless wife who encouraged the bandit, and committed suicide out of shame.

Each version is self-serving, each teller casts themselves as heroic or victimised, and each account contradicts the others on fundamental points. The film’s devastating insight — inherited from Kurosawa — is that there may be no objective truth, that every witness shapes reality to serve their own ego, and that justice based on testimony is inherently compromised by human vanity and self-deception. The prospector’s final, supposedly ‘true’ account provides yet another perspective that may be no more reliable than the rest.

Cast & Crew

Director: Martin Ritt
Stars: Paul Newman delivers a bold, physically committed performance as the Mexican bandit Carrasco, transforming himself with accent, physicality, and smouldering intensity into a character entirely unlike his usual screen persona. Laurence Harvey brings cold, aristocratic pride to the Southern husband, Claire Bloom is devastatingly effective in each contradictory version of the wife, and Edward G. Robinson anchors the framing story with veteran authority and dry, cynical wisdom.

Why Buy This Classic in Color?

This professionally colorized edition enhances James Wong Howe’s magnificent Western cinematography with era-accurate hues. The sun-baked Arizona landscapes, shadowy forest clearings, rain-drenched railway station, and the contrasting visual tones of each contradictory testimony gain compelling visual richness through careful colour restoration. Now also available in colour.

Buy now for an instant, secure digital download with no DRM restrictions. Compatible with all devices that play MP4 files.

Historical Significance

Released in 1964, The Outrage represents one of the most ambitious attempts to adapt a foreign-language masterpiece for Hollywood audiences. Kurosawa’s Rashomon had revolutionised world cinema with its multiple-perspective narrative structure, and Martin Ritt’s Western transposition preserves the philosophical boldness of the original while creating an authentically American context. The film features extraordinary cinematography by the legendary James Wong Howe. Through colorization, this intellectually ambitious Western is preserved for modern audiences.

Technical Details

• Format: MP4
• Resolution: HD 720p
• Colorized: Yes — professionally restored frame-by-frame
• Audio: Original English mono soundtrack
• Runtime: 97 minutes
• DRM-free: Yes — play anywhere, keep forever
• Instant download: Yes — available immediately after purchase
• Price: €15.00

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Movie-Specific Questions

Q: Is this really a remake of Rashomon?
A: Yes — Martin Ritt transposed Kurosawa’s revolutionary multiple-perspective murder story from medieval Japan to the Old West, preserving the philosophical core while creating an authentically American Western setting.

Q: Is Paul Newman convincing as a Mexican bandit?
A: Newman commits fully to the role with a bold physical transformation, and while the casting reflects 1960s Hollywood conventions, his performance is genuinely powerful and dramatically effective.

Q: Do you need to have seen Rashomon to appreciate this?
A: Not at all — the film works entirely on its own terms as a gripping Western mystery about the nature of truth, though knowing the Japanese original adds an additional layer of appreciation.

Digital Download Questions

Q: What format is the download?
A: The film is delivered as a high-quality MP4 file compatible with all modern devices and media players.

Q: Is there DRM protection?
A: No. The download is completely DRM-free — you own it outright and can play it on any device forever.

Q: How do I receive the film after purchase?
A: You receive an instant download link immediately after payment. A backup copy of the link is also sent to your email address.

Related Colorized Classics

• The Ox-Bow Incident (1943)
• 12 Angry Men (1957) Full Movie in Color —
• Hudson’s Bay (1941)
• The Left Handed Gun (1958)
• Witness for the Prosecution (1957)