Un beau salaud

Burt Kennedy who gave us so many good westerns spoofs comes up a wee bit short of good with Dirty Dingus Magee. Not that it doesn't have a few funny moments, but the cast just doesn't quite get with the spirit of the things the way they did in such films as The Rounders and Support Your Local Sheriff.

For one thing Frank Sinatra looks like he's waiting for Dino and Sammy to come on the scene. Old Blue Eyes in the meanwhile is just going through the motions of a performance. Which consists of him acting just like a human version of the Road Runner.

Wile E. Coyote in this case is George Kennedy who never played such a goofy role on screen before or since. Sinatra spends the entire 91 minutes of Dirty Dingus Magee consistently making a fool out of poor Kennedy.

Best performances in the film belong to the women, to Anne Jackson for one of the brassiest bordello madams ever done on screen and to Lois Nettleton as the nymphomaniac school teacher, Prudence Frost. Yes, the name is part of the gag.

But when that gag becomes the best one in the film, you've got a problem.

In 1965 David Markson wrote the novel 'The Ballad of Dingus Magee' in which the hero is a scrawny teenager. Fast forward to 1970 and we have a far from scrawny, 55 year old Frank Sinatra in the title role! Mr. Sinatra is indisputably one of the greatest interpreters of popular song ever to step up to a microphone and represents a Golden Age of entertainment that is alas gone forever. His films are a mixed bunch to say the least but with a strong director and the right material he has given some fine performances. Hollywood is an unforgiving place however, in which memories are short. His last commercial and critical success had been 'Von Ryan's Express' in 1965 and in the world of film, five years is far too long. Although he remained both popular and active as an entertainer this dreadful opus of Burt Kennedy effectively scuppered his film career.

Such infantile, puerile nonsense is almost too painful to behold and the spectacle of a middle-aged Sinatra in red long johns cavorting with the somewhat younger, mini-skirted squaw of luscious Michele Carey is exceedingly absurd. The supporting cast does its best in the circumstances and the standout performance is that of Lois Nettleton as Prudence("Prude for short but not for long")

It looks as if the cast had great fun in making this but the end result is an acute embarassment to all concerned and should be filed under 'T' for 'Turkey'.

Don't expect to be sitting on the edge of your seat, but do expect to be entertained. Its a comedy and a spoof of westerns. Comparing this movie to the rounders or support your local sheriff was a huge stretch...heck comparing Support your local sheriff to the rounders is silly too. I would give this movie about what it is rated at...around a 6. The actors are all familiar and since it was made in 1970 it is a piece of nostalgia too. Heck, Jack Elam is in it, so its a true western. Anna is smoking hot (why else would she have been in Elvis movies) Its a silly style western comedy, it is what it is.If it were not for the constant conniving by Sanatra and Kennedy..there really would be less of a plot.

Dingus, a man with no morals or conscience, steals anything of value that he can get his hands on. When he robs an acquaintance, a reward is put on his head and his troubles begin. Cornball humor all the way, but a funny picture nonetheless. George Kennedy was hilarious as the "not overly intelligent" sheriff whose brain was muddled by all the conks to the noggin he received.

Dingus Magee (Frank Sinatra) and Hoke Birdsill (George Kennedy) are rivals in this light-hearted western. Yerkey's Hole is a lawless town where brothel madam Belle Nops (Anne Jackson) is the mayor. She appoints Birdsill the new Sheriff and he arrests wanted criminal Magee. The reward is only $10.

It's a quirky comedy of the old western genre. I don't think the humor works. It definitely isn't working that hard. I barely smirked. Sinatra is well-known for being lackadaisical in his acting during this time. I can't dispute that for this movie. The role needs an energetic comedian. He may be better as Birdsill.