Westworld (1973)

Last updated:
June 4, 2025

Michael Crichton’s Westworld (1973) was a sci-fi pioneer that fused the Wild West with futuristic tech. Not only was it one of the first films to explore artificial intelligence and theme park malfunctions, but it also laid the groundwork for a whole genre of “machines gone rogue.” It’s a lean, mean, android-chasing machine of a movie that, despite its age, remains eerily relevant today.

Table of Contents

Detailed Summary

Welcome to Delos

The film is set in Delos, a luxury theme park of the future divided into three zones: Westworld, Roman World, and Medieval World. Rich guests pay $1,000 a day (remember, this was 1973) to live out their fantasies in these hyper-realistic environments populated by lifelike androids.

Our main characters, Peter Martin (Richard Benjamin) and John Blane (James Brolin), choose to vacation in Westworld, the Wild West simulation where visitors can shoot outlaws, visit saloons, and act like cowboys—all without real consequences. Supposedly.

Something Ain’t Right with the Androids

As guests settle in, subtle issues begin to surface—androids are malfunctioning more frequently. One even refuses a seduction in Roman World, which shouldn’t happen in a place where the robots are programmed to serve every human whim.

Meanwhile, Peter has a run-in with a cold, expressionless android known only as The Gunslinger (Yul Brynner). He kills the robot in a duel—an expected event that’s part of the experience—but the robot comes back. And keeps coming back.

Total System Failure

Back in the park’s control room, the engineers begin to panic. Their robots are acting unpredictably, even violently. A system-wide failure causes the central control room to shut down—ironically, trapping the human staff inside while the robots run wild.

The malfunction escalates from creepy to lethal as the robots in every themed world begin killing guests. Roman orgies are interrupted by sword-wielding maniacs. Medieval banquets turn into actual battles.

And in Westworld, the Gunslinger goes full Terminator.

The Gunslinger Hunts

What follows is an intense cat-and-mouse chase as the Gunslinger relentlessly stalks Peter through the increasingly deserted park. This sequence, with almost no dialogue, is one of the earliest examples of the “silent killer robot” trope later perfected in The Terminator.

Peter uses fire, acid, and wits to eventually destroy the Gunslinger in a tense final confrontation, barely escaping with his life.

Movie Ending

After a final chase through the Roman and Medieval sections of the park, Peter manages to set the Gunslinger on fire, melting its synthetic skin and disabling it for good. The film ends with Peter wandering out, traumatized and alone, amid the wreckage of Delos.

There is no dramatic resolution—no cleanup crew, no corporate apology—just silence, and one very shaken man. It’s bleak, abrupt, and incredibly effective.

Are There Post-Credits Scenes?

Nope. Westworld (1973) has no post-credits scenes. It ends with Peter’s survival and cuts to black. That’s it. This was the ‘70s—audiences got up and left when the credits rolled, and so did the filmmakers.

Type of Movie

Westworld is a sci-fi thriller with heavy elements of horror and action. It also borders on philosophical science fiction, exploring themes of human indulgence, control, and the ethical boundaries of artificial intelligence.

Cast

Yul Brynner as The Gunslinger (channeling his Magnificent Seven persona in reverse)
Richard Benjamin as Peter Martin
James Brolin as John Blane
Alan Oppenheimer as Chief Supervisor
Majel Barrett as Miss Carrie (blink and you’ll miss her)

Film Music and Composer

The eerie, atmospheric score was composed by Fred Karlin. It blends traditional Western motifs with electronic and unsettling futuristic sounds. The Gunslinger’s theme is especially memorable—tense, minimal, and mechanical.

Filming Locations

MGM Studios, Culver City, California: Used for many interior sets.
Old Tucson Studios, Arizona: The iconic Western street scenes were filmed here, lending an authentic “spaghetti Western” feel.
Desert areas in California: Provided stark backdrops for chase scenes and breakdown sequences.

These locations grounded the movie’s futuristic concept in recognizable, tangible terrain.

Awards and Nominations

Nominated for Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation
Won Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films’ Saturn Award for Best Science Fiction Film
Notably, the film was the first to use digital image processing (in the Gunslinger’s pixelated POV), pioneering what would later become CGI.

Behind the Scenes Insights

Michael Crichton made this his directorial debut. Yes, that Crichton—who later wrote Jurassic Park.
Yul Brynner’s costume was a deliberate copy of his Magnificent Seven outfit, making his transformation into a killer robot even more unsettling.
Shooting was tight—less than 30 days.
The pixelated POV was revolutionary. The team used a computer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab to achieve the effect.
Crichton had to fight for a darker ending. Studios wanted a happy one, but he won the argument.

Inspirations and References

Inspired by Disneyland and the idea of animatronics malfunctioning.
A major thematic precursor to Crichton’s Jurassic Park—humans building entertainment they can’t control.
Influences from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics, though the latter are blatantly ignored in Delos.

Alternate Endings and Deleted Scenes

There are no known alternate endings, but early drafts reportedly included:

A subplot involving a romance in Roman World.
More detailed scenes of other robots malfunctioning in comedic ways before turning deadly.

These were cut to focus on the thriller aspect.

Book Adaptations and Differences

Crichton didn’t write a novel for Westworld (surprisingly), but its themes would be explored more deeply in later adaptations like HBO’s Westworld series. The movie is more of a streamlined thriller compared to the philosophical heaviness of the show.

Memorable Scenes and Quotes

Key Scenes

First showdown with the Gunslinger (“Draw!”)
Control room technicians helplessly watching their systems fail
The Gunslinger tracking Peter in dead silence
Peter’s final, fiery confrontation with the robot

Iconic Quotes

“Draw.” – The Gunslinger
“Boy, have we got a vacation for you!” – Tagline, repeated by the Delos promo
“Nothing can go wrong.” – Famous last words from the control team

Easter Eggs and Hidden Details

The Gunslinger’s eyes subtly flicker before going rogue—a blink-and-you-miss-it hint.
Posters in Delos feature “Roman World” and “Medieval World” but subtly downplay Westworld, despite it being the main focus.
Yul Brynner’s movements were carefully choreographed to become more robotic as the movie progresses.

Trivia

First film to use 2D computer-generated imagery (CGI).
HBO’s Westworld (2016) uses a slowed-down version of the original Gunslinger theme in some episodes.
There was a sequel: Futureworld (1976), and a short-lived TV show called Beyond Westworld (1980).
Crichton reused many of the themes here in Jurassic Park—he even admitted it was “basically Westworld with dinosaurs.”

Why Watch?

Because Westworld is the grandfather of all AI-gone-bad films. It’s short, smart, and sharp, with a terrifyingly stoic performance by Yul Brynner. If you’re into Blade Runner, Terminator, or Jurassic Park, this is essential viewing.

Director’s Other Movies

Coma (1978)
Looker (1981)
Runaway (1984)
The Great Train Robbery (1979)

Crichton was a novelist first, but he had a short and impressive stint as a director in the sci-fi world.

Westworld (1973)