Westworld (1973)

Westworld (1973) starring Richard Benjamin, James Brolin, Yul Brynner

Westworld is a futuristic theme park for the wealthy. There are three theme parks, with four different themes. Westworld is a recreation of the American Old West. There, robots are programmed to fulfill guests’ every desire. Until something goes wrong …

Cast

• Yul Brynner (Anastasia) … Gunslinger. A robotic gunslinger. His job is to provoke fights with the various guests, and lose. Until his programming goes haywire, and he doesn’t have to lose anymore …
• Richard Benjamin (The Last of Sheila) … Peter Martin. The central character and protagonist. With his best friend John, he’s spending a week at Delos’ Westworld. At first, he has trouble fitting into the game, but he quickly adapts. And kills the Gunslinger … twice. Toward the end, he’s running away from him — and all the robots — as they’ve broken their programming, and become homicidal. Peter displays his will to live, persistence, and creativity in trying to evade the Gunslinger.
• James Brolin (Capricorn One) … John Blane. Peter’s friend, accompanying him to Westworld. He’s been there once before, and volunteers to “show him the ropes”. He talks Peter into “enjoying” a brothel, rather than stopping a bank robbery. Although he does break Peter out of jail for murdering the Gunslinger. Only to be murdered by the repaired Gunslinger later.

Secondary characters

• Alan Oppenheimer (Toy Story 4, Superman / Batman: Public Enemies) … Chief Supervisor. The man in charge of the robotics, who tries to warn the board of the increasing errors. Unfortunately, he’s not listened to.
• Victoria Shaw (The Crimson Kimono) … Medieval Queen
• Dick Van Patten (Spaceballs, Eight is Enough) … Banker. Another human client of Delos. Primarily comedy relief.
• Linda Gaye Scott … Arlette, the French prostitute in Miss Carrie’s brothel.
• Michael T. Mikler … Black Knight. Medieval world’s equivalent to Gunslinger.
• Terry Wilson … Sheriff. The sheriff of Westworld. He eventually has Peter arrested for murder, after killing the Gunslinger in self defense. He’s killed in the jail breakout.
• Majel Barrett (Star Trek) … Miss Carrie. The proprietor of the brothel.
• Anne Randall (The Night Strangler) … Daphne. The other prostitute.
• Julie Marcus … Girl in Dungeon. The poor girl that Peter tries to “help” by giving her a drink of water. Robotics and water don’t mix.
• Sharyn Wynters … Apache Girl. She brings Peter his meal while in jail … Along with a note. Related to a jail break!

Editorial review of Westworld courtesy of Amazon

Welcome to the adult playground designed to cater to any fantasy, wherelifelike robots are programmed for romance … violence … anything–aplace called Westworld. Peter Martin (Richard Benjamin) and John Blane(James Brolin) come for a vacation in this simulated Wild West, completewith dance hall girls, free-for-all bar fights and shoot-outs–all safe and harmless. But when Blane dies after being shot by a robot (AcademyAward winner Yul Brynner), Martin discovers that something has gone very wrong: The human operators are all dead, and the robots are now killingthe guests in this science fiction thriller written and directed by Michael Crichton (“ER,” Jurassic Park).