New Mexico, 1976. The air is dry, the muscle cars are loud, and a young woman named Bobbie Jo Baker is tired of serving burgers at a drive-in. She wants to be a country singer. Instead, she meets a drifter with a perm and a stolen Mustang who thinks he’s the reincarnation of Billy the Kid.
That’s the basic setup of Bobbie Jo and the Outlaw, a movie that probably would’ve been buried in the dusty archives of American International Pictures (AIP) if it weren't for one massive detail: it stars Lynda Carter.
Most people know her as the definitive Wonder Woman. But before she was spinning into a star-spangled outfit on TV, she was playing a small-town girl caught in a bloody, drug-fueled crime spree. It’s a weird, gritty, and often uncomfortable piece of cinema that remains a fascinating time capsule of the mid-70s exploitation era. Honestly, if you're expecting the wholesome heroics of Diana Prince, you’re in for a massive shock.
Why Bobbie Jo and the Outlaw Still Matters (Kinda)
You’ve got to understand the context of the 1970s. The "young lovers on a crime spree" trope was massive. Following the success of Bonnie and Clyde in 1967, every low-budget studio wanted their own version. AIP, the kings of schlock, hired director Mark L. Lester (who later gave us Commando and Firestarter) to capture that lightning in a bottle.
The film is essentially a "low-rent" version of those prestige crime dramas. It’s got everything the drive-in audience of '76 wanted: fast cars, shootout squibs that look like exploding tomatoes, and a heavy dose of nudity.
But it’s also remarkably nihilistic.
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Lyle Wheeler, played by Marjoe Gortner, isn't a hero. He’s a charismatic but ultimately delusional petty thief. Gortner himself is an interesting bit of trivia—he was a real-life child evangelist who later "came out" as a fraud in an Oscar-winning documentary before trying his hand at acting. His performance as Lyle is strange and jittery. You never quite feel safe watching him, which actually works for the character.
The Lynda Carter Factor
Let’s be real. The only reason most people search for this movie today is because of Lynda Carter.
She had already filmed the Wonder Woman pilot when she made this, but the show hadn't become a hit yet. In fact, Carter has famously expressed regret about the film later in her career, particularly the topless scenes. It’s a far cry from the "clean" image she’d maintain for decades.
In Bobbie Jo and the Outlaw, she plays Bobbie Jo with a sense of desperate innocence. She wants out of her life so badly that she’s willing to follow a man she barely knows into a series of increasingly violent robberies. There’s a scene where she stares at a guitar behind a barred window—it’s not subtle, but it tells you everything about her character's trapped spirit.
- The Cast: Marjoe Gortner (Lyle), Lynda Carter (Bobbie Jo), Jesse Vint (Slick), and Belinda Balaski (Essie).
- The Vibe: Sun-drenched New Mexico landscapes mixed with "bad trip" sequences.
- The Reputation: It’s known as the only film where Carter appeared nude, leading to its status as a cult curiosity.
A Crime Spree Gone Wrong
The movie doesn't start as a bloodbath. It actually meanders quite a bit. Lyle and Bobbie Jo pick up her sister Pearl (a stripper, because of course) and her unhinged boyfriend Slick. They spend time doing peyote in a pond with a local shaman. It’s very "hippie-era meets outlaw-era."
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But once the shooting starts, it doesn't stop.
The transition from "carefree road trip" to "deadly fugitive" is jarring. Lyle’s obsession with Billy the Kid leads him to believe he’s some sort of folk hero, but the reality is much uglier. He ends up gunning down a gas station attendant in a moment that shatters his own illusions of "fair play."
By the time the law, led by a vengeful Sheriff Hicks (Gene Drew), catches up with them, the "adventure" has turned into a funeral procession. The ending is bleak. Really bleak. Bobbie Jo is left alone, her dreams of Nashville replaced by the cold steel of handcuffs.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Film
One common misconception is that this was a "star vehicle" for Carter. In reality, she was a struggling actress who had less than $100 in her bank account when she got the Wonder Woman role. This movie was just a job.
Another mistake? Thinking this is an action-adventure movie. It’s actually more of a "downer" drama disguised as an exploitation flick. The "hero" is a loser, the "dream" is a lie, and the ending offers no redemption.
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The film was shot on location in New Mexico, which gives it a dusty, authentic texture that you don't get in modern digital movies. The stunt work is also genuinely impressive—mostly because those guys were doing things with cars and motorcycles that would never pass a safety inspection today.
Why You Should (or Shouldn't) Watch It
If you’re a fan of 70s grit or a Lynda Carter completionist, it’s worth a look. If you’re looking for a tight, well-paced thriller? Maybe skip it. It’s messy. The script by Vernon Zimmerman is full of weird tangents and philosophical ramblings about the Old West that don't always land.
However, as a study of how Hollywood tried to market "bad behavior" to the youth of the 70s, it’s gold.
Practical Steps for Film Buffs:
- Check Streaming: The film often pops up on Tubi or Prime Video. Don't pay a premium for it unless you’re a die-hard collector.
- Watch the Trailer First: It captures the "AIP" marketing energy perfectly and will tell you if the vibe is right for you.
- Context is Key: Research Marjoe Gortner’s background before watching. Knowing he was a former "miracle child" preacher makes his portrayal of a manipulative outlaw much more interesting.
- Look for the Stunts: Keep an eye out for the name Dar Robinson in the credits—he was a legendary stuntman who worked on this.
Bobbie Jo and the Outlaw is a reminder that even the biggest stars have a "weird" early project in their closet. It’s not a masterpiece, but it’s an honest look at the kind of "rough-around-the-edges" cinema that defined an era of American filmmaking.
Just don't expect a golden lasso to save the day.
Next Step: To get the full picture of the actors' careers, you might want to look into the 1972 documentary Marjoe to see the real-life charisma that Marjoe Gortner brought to his role as Lyle Wheeler.