Monday, January 17, 2011

Support your local Sheriff! (1969) Film No. 338

Co-stars: James Garner, Joan Hackett, Walter Brennan, Jack Elam, Bruce Dern

Plot: McCullough (Garner) is "passing through on my way to Australia" when he takes a job in a gold rush town. After a startling display of marksmanship he immediately arrests the youngest son of the evil landowner (Dern). A battle of hired guns begins as McCullough continues to tame the town and defeat the gunslingers with a combination of skill and wit.

Support your local Sheriff is a funny, charming, little comic Western that spoofs the genre in a gentle, witty way. Garner shows off his considerable comedic skills, while Western actors like Dern, Brennan, and Elam are equally good. Joan Hackett shines as the tomboy who tries to impress Handsome Garner. The pace never flags and if one joke isn't funny another one comes by fast.

While Garner did well in various dramas, his true forte - as shown by this movie - was always comedy and romance. Its unfortunate he wasn't able to do more and better RomComs. William Powell and Cary Grant were in a class of their own, but after these two I'd rank Garner, Rock Hudson, Joel McCrea as my favorite Romantic-Comedic leads.

Summary: "Support your local Sheriff" is no "Blazing Saddles" - but its a nice "G" rated comedy and always a delight to watch. Rating ***

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