Young Guns

In 1950, attorney Charles Phalen receives a call from the elderly Brushy Bill Roberts, who claims to be the infamous Billy the Kid. Bill is seeking a pardon that he says was promised to him 70 years earlier by the governor of New Mexico Territory, prompting Phalen to question the validity of his claims.

The story flashes back to 1879, when Billy the Kid forms a new gang with notorious outlaws Arkansas Dave Rudabaugh and Pat Garrett. The trio becomes notable following their notorious acts, particularly after the tumultuous Lincoln County War, leading to widespread warrants issued for their arrests.

Billy's former accomplice, Doc Scurlock, is captured while trying to live a quiet life as a schoolteacher in New York. He and fellow Regulator, Jose Chavez y Chavez, find themselves imprisoned, adding pressure on Billy and his gang to act swiftly and save them.

Billy the Kid meets with Governor Lew Wallace, who offers him a chance at redemption. The governor promises to pardon Billy if he agrees to testify against the Dolan-Murphy faction. Unfortunately, Billy realizes too late that this is a trap, resulting in his arrest instead.

In a bold move, Billy manages to escape from his captors with the help of his gang, who pose as a lynch mob. They free Doc and Chavez from their imprisonment and embark on a treacherous journey towards Mexico to evade capture.

Desperate for more members in their gang for the journey ahead, Billy and his crew recruit farmer Hendry William French and teenage outlaw Tom O'Folliard. Meanwhile, Pat Garrett chooses to abandon the gang to pursue his own interests in running a boarding house.

Billy confronts cattle baron John Chisum over a $500 debt, leading to a violent encounter where two of Chisum's men are killed. Chisum, furious over this incident, teams up with Wallace, and offers Garrett a lucrative position as Lincoln County sheriff to hunt down Billy.

The gang heads to White Oaks and spends the night at a bordello owned by Jane Greathouse, a former companion of Billy. There, a lynch mob gathers, and in a tense standoff, Billy dresses Deputy Carlyle in Chavez's clothing. This clever ploy results in the deputy being shot dead by the mob.

As Garrett's posse closes in, tragedy strikes when Tom is shot dead by Garrett. Realizing that the Mexican Blackbird was merely a trap to keep the gang together, tensions rise as Doc attempts to leave but is fatally shot, sacrificing himself so that the others can escape.

Following a series of harrowing events, Billy the Kid is captured and brought back to Lincoln, where he is sentenced to death. He receives a visit from Jane Greathouse, who leaves him a pistol, allowing him to orchestrate an escape by killing two guards.

Billy locates his remaining gang members but realizes that they are scattered. In a climactic encounter, he is confronted by Garrett, who refuses to let him run to Mexico. As tensions reach a boiling point, Garrett prepares to kill Billy, sullying their past friendship.

In the aftermath of the confrontation, a burial is held for Billy the Kid, leading everyone to believe he has met his end. However, the scene fades to an unknown figure stealing Garrett's horse, suggesting that Billy's legend may not have ended there.

Returning to 1950, Brushy Bill concludes his story, providing convincing details to attorney Phalen. The narrative reveals the fate of the characters involved, including the demise of Dave and Garrett's failure, leaving the audience pondering the truth behind Billy the Kid's identity.

Despite Brushy Bill’s testament claiming he is Billy the Kid, doubts remain as he faces discrediting. His attempts to secure recognition of his identity lead to further speculation, leaving the true identity of the infamous outlaw shrouded in mystery.