Written and Directed by Nya' Abbas Acup, who was to become Indonesia's most famous director of comedies, this Indonesian spoof of the American western—complete with main street dominated by a villain quick on the draw (with his machete)—was selected by the New York Asian Society to open the program at the Museum of Modern Art retrospective of Indonesian cinema held in 1992.

Made in 1957 for Usmar Ismail's Perfini com­pany, this story of three bandits harassing the citi­zens of a quiet Islamic village mixes a mild and easy wit with the humour and style of "lenong Betawi" (a form of lyrical subversive theatre that evolved in the 19th century as entertainment for the indigenous population of Batavia under Dutch colonial rule), as well as with a plot and visual style that also bears traces of the Holly­wood Western, mocking in a gentle Indonesian way some of the conventions of Hollywood.

In this subtle comedy, desperadoes are out­witted and outfaced by octogenarian aunts, and the hero only succeeds as a result of the spirited intervention of a young woman and a ten-year-old boy. The star of Three Fugitives, Bing Slamet, who here plays the leader of the bandits Mat Codet, later became one of Indonesia's most popular comedians. The quality of the surviving print material held by Sinematek Indonesia, is very good.