The Shakiest Gun in the West (1968)

I love this movie so much

Just perfect...

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

One of the best movies of the year! Incredible from the beginning to the end.

Don Knotts stars as recent dental school graduate Jesse W. Heywood, who goes west from Philadelphia to make his name and fortune, but instead gets mixed up with stagecoach robber Penelope 'Bad Penny' Cushings(played by Barbara Rhoades), who is captured by authorities but offered a pardon if she will help them stop gun smugglers, which requires her to assume a new identity and husband - enter Jessie, who is all-too thrilled by her "romantic" interest in him, and helps him build a reputation as a gunfighter by doing his shooting for him... another silly comedy with Don Knotts doing his best with inferior material. Some occasional funny bits, and Rhoades is appealing, but film goes nowhere and leads to unfunny ending.

This story by Edmund Hartman and Frank Tashlin has certainly got an endearing quality because two comics managed to get hit movies from it. The Shakiest Gun In The West is a reworking of the Bob Hope-Jane Russell classic, The Paleface. Into Hope's shoes steps Don Knotts trembling all the way to the bank.Knotts takes his Barney Fife character and has him graduate Philadelphia Dental College and decide to take Horace Greeley's advice and go west to seek fame and fortune. Like Hope he gets himself tangled up with a lady bandit played by the curvaceous Barbara Rhoades. Barbara might not have the development of Jane Russell, but there are few who do. Anyway she's been promised a pardon if she'll find out who's selling guns and whiskey to the Indians.And to get west she needs a schnook and when Bob Hope's not around, Don Knotts will certainly do. But Knotts certainly has an endearing quality to him as she finds out.Some western veterans like Don Barry, Terry Wilson, Dub Taylor are all in this cast. This film was the farewell performance of Frank McGrath, best known as one of Hollywood's premier stunt men who turned actor and played Charlie Wooster on Wagon Train. Jackie Coogan is in this one too, playing a church deacon.Some of the gags from The Paleface are repeated here and some might say get better with age.Definitely a film for Barney Fife fans the world over.

Don Knotts was true to form as a meek and weak man with a little gumption; his historical stereotype. Yes, this movie is a weaker version of a combined " Paleface and Son of Paleface " from earlier times. Barbara Rhodes is a very attractive woman with average acting skills. She is the best looking "cowboy" in her western duds. Her jeans look fabulous on her very shapely figure; she was poured into these pants like liquid wax into a mold. Barbara wears tall , tan ,suede cowboy boots with her jeans tucked inside with matching tan leather gun belt,; very sensual in her disguise as a male outlaw. Barbara, like Jane Russell in both Palefaces , becomes a reformed outlaw and marries the male star.By contrast, I have given " Son of Paleface " a value of 10 out of 10 for its effort in previous reviews. Jane Russell as a " cowboy outlaw "doesn't wear jeans but fancy stretch ski pants as her riding attire, over all Jane Russell is more sensual than Barbara.

I love this movie. It is hilarious. Don Knotts proves once again why he was so beloved by audiences, especially children. His winning, comedic character is so sweetly vulnerable. He is a great example to today's comedians, who rely on vulgarities and smart-Alec comments to "entertain" audiences. There are many wonderful supporting players on hand, such as Carl Ballantine, Pat Morita and Donald "Red" Barry. And of course the lovely Barbara Rhoades. Seeing this film as a little boy in the theatre, I thought there was no lovelier creature on the planet-- especially in that green velvet dress!I hope this commentary is more helpful than the inane, pseudo-intellectual ramblings of the previous comment, which, if it was not made in jest, should have been-- there is no other excuse for it. At least we both agree-- this is a terrific film!