Fuzzy Steals the Show!
Of all of the B Western sidekicks, Smiley Burnette was the only one to get top billing in a B Western. Fuzzy Settles Down should have had Al St. John with top billing in the credits. As Fuzzy Q. Jones, St. John is the title character and he has the most screen time. Buster Crabbe, as Billy Carson, is a strong hero, but he really is like a "reverse sidekick" for most of the movie. It is strange, but in the way that sidekicks usually said things to build up the image of the hero, Billy Carson's words and actions work to strengthen Fuzzy's character.
Fuzzy earns reward money (with Billy's help) for catching two bank robbers. He is determined to use that money to settle down somewhere. When Fuzzy and Billy happen to ride into a town where the local newspaper is up for auction, Fuzzy decides to buy it. They use the newspaper to help rid the town of local bandits. Billy Carson moves the plot along at all the right times, but it is only at the climax of the movie that he does anything significant.
Al St. John was usually a better actor than the lead actors he supported, and the people at PRC must have been aware of it. He absolutely knew how to entertain and draw attention to himself while on screen. This movie is his showcase. If you are a fan of Fuzzy Q. Jones, this movie spotlights his character more than usual.
Fuzzy earns reward money (with Billy's help) for catching two bank robbers. He is determined to use that money to settle down somewhere. When Fuzzy and Billy happen to ride into a town where the local newspaper is up for auction, Fuzzy decides to buy it. They use the newspaper to help rid the town of local bandits. Billy Carson moves the plot along at all the right times, but it is only at the climax of the movie that he does anything significant.
Al St. John was usually a better actor than the lead actors he supported, and the people at PRC must have been aware of it. He absolutely knew how to entertain and draw attention to himself while on screen. This movie is his showcase. If you are a fan of Fuzzy Q. Jones, this movie spotlights his character more than usual.
- stevehaynie
- 3 mar 2004