The Shakiest Gun in the West
| The Shakiest Gun in the West | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Directed by | Alan Rafkin |
| Produced by | Edward Montagne |
| Written by | Jim Fritzell Everett Greenbaum |
| Screenplay by |
Frank Tashlin Edmund Hartmann |
| Starring |
Don Knotts Barbara Rhoades Jackie Coogan |
| Music by | Vic Mizzy |
| Cinematography | Andrew Jackson |
| Edited by | Tony Martinelli |
| Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
|
Release date
|
|
|
Running time
|
101 minutes |
| Country | US |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $1,650,000 (US/ Canada) |
The Shakiest Gun in the West is a 1968 Western comedy film starring Don Knotts. It was directed by Alan Rafkin and written by Jim Fritzell and Everett Greenbaum.
The film is a remake of The Paleface, a 1948 movie starring Bob Hope and Jane Russell.
Jesse W. Haywood (Don Knotts) graduates from dental school in Philadelphia in 1870 and goes west to become a frontier dentist. As a "city slicker", he finds himself bungling in a new environment.
On his way west, the stagecoach is held up and robbed by two masked bandits. A posse catches one of them, Penelope "Bad Penny" Cushing (Barbara Rhoades).
Facing prison, Penelope is offered a pardon if she will track down a ring of gun smugglers that also involves a local Indian tribe. Because the wagon train she plans to accompany will not permit single women to join, she tricks Haywood into a sham marriage as a disguise.
Jesse, excited for his wedding night and not realizing the sham of his marriage, looks for Penelope who is investigating the crates of "bibles" the preacher and his minion have in their tent. Jesse startled Penelope who alerts the camp. Her investigation foiled, she goes to bed dragging along her bungling husband.
As the wagon train draws near the town, Indians attack. As Jesse fumbles with his six shooter, Penelope expertly shoots the attackers. Jesse, believing he was responsible is proud of his accomplishment and is treated as a hero by the wagon train and the entire town that hears of his deeds.
The Preacher and his minion, believing Jesse to be the undercover federal agent, hires the local outlaw Arnold the Kid to challenge Jesse to a gunfight. In the yard as Jesse practices for his gunfight, Penelope meets with her contact in town. Around the corner, Arnold listens for Jesse to use up his rounds and after the sixth shot challenges Jesse, even offering him the first shot. Penelope, feeling pity for Jesse, kills Arnold from the window.
...
Wikipedia