Latigo

"Support Your Local Sheriff" was a very funny movie, so essentially the same cast and director to make another movie in the same style. "Support Your Local Gunfighter" is funnier without reference at all to "Sheriff", and if "Sheriff" hadn't been so good the flaws in "Gunfighter" wouldn't be so noticeable.

Except for some mild language and extensive (and very funny violence), it's unobjectionable.

Like "Sheriff", "Gunfighter" has James Garner as a western hero playing against the grain. In "Sheriff" he was a capable man "Just passing through on his way to Australia", and who, accepting the position of sheriff to clean up a town, seemed not to comprehend the western conventions the other characters were foisting onto him.

In "Gunfighter", Garner is a west-hating coward who makes a living off women by his good looks. Fleeing the latest of his conquests, who thinks they're about to be married, he stops off in the town of Purgatory just to see a doctor then head on his way. Unfortunately the mayor (Harry Morgan) and his wackaloon daughter (Suzanne Pleshette) think he's "Swifty" Morgan, a gunfighter sent for by a business rival (John Dehner). Garner persuades them the gunfighter really is his newfound sidekick (Jack Elam), takes the money, and prepares to blow town.

Chuck Connors, arriving at the end as the real "Swifty", proves, a decade before airplane, that having serious actors play deadpan in well-written comedies can be very funny indeed.

Don't watch it on the same week-end as "Sheriff". There are no points of continuity between them, and, funny as this movie is, some of "Gunfighter"'s shine will be lost by the unavoidable comparisons with its superior predecessor.

This movie, while funny in many places, pales in comparison to the earlier Support Your Local Sheriff. The first movie, with much of the same cast, is a solid 10 but I can only give this one a 7 at best. All of the actors who were in both movies did a better job in the first one and Joan Hackett was surprisingly better than Suzanne Pleshette.

They just aired them back to back and the superiority of Sheriff was glaringly apparent. Sheriff flows along smoothly with great dialog but this one seems to stutter and try too hard. The premise of the first movie is also better and the opening scene sets the tone for the hilarity that follows. Again this one just doesn't do that as well. I always liked Garner and he was brilliant in both movies but maybe they should have quit while they were ahead and never made this one.

James Garner was always good in westerns (just watch the original "Maverick" series if you don't believe me), but he was never more in his element than he is in "Support your Local Gunfighter".

This has got to be one of the funniest westerns (besides "Blazing Saddles") I've ever seen. In fact, everyone here has a good line (even Conners as Swifty Morgan gets some good ones. Wow!).

But you have to watch it for Garner. Just look at him making the best of his unfounded notoriety as a gunfighter. He's a master at mistaken identity. He made it a daily practice in the "Maverick" series. And with Elam at his side, everything falls into place nicely.

There are too many good things in this film to even hint at, so I'll just insist that you support James Garner and draw on this "Gunfighter".

Ten stars. Catch Elam's final monologue; that should tie up any loose ends for you.

Good wholesome family entertainment without any of today's obvious little references towards sex and bad language. James Garner always gives a fine performance with his flair for comedy. Be sure to also see "Support Your Local Sheriff". The kids will love it.

Not a sequel,but a companion piece to Support Your Local Sheriff,and a very funny spoof in it's own right.The cast underplayed it beautifully(not like todays hit you over the head variety).A special mention to Jack Elam,who had me in stitches.He was the master of the false bravado.Oldtime western fans will love it.