This infamous western adventure is loosely based on the story of Pat Garrett (Thomas Mitchell) and Billy The Kid (Jack Beutel). The Outlaw became one of the most controversial films of the 40s, originally banned for several years because of its explicit content; it was eventually released with extensive cuts to meet censorship requirements. Howard Hughes capitalized on the ban, together with provocative images of 19-year-old Jane Russell, to very successfully achieve record audiences almost everywhere it was finally screened.