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.
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.