The Shakiest Gun in the West
Jesse W. Haywood (Don Knotts) graduates from dental school in Philadelphia in 1870 and goes west to become a frontier dentist. Penelope "Bad Penny" Cushing (Barbara Rhoades) is offered a pardon if she will track down a ring of gun smugglers. She tricks Haywood into a sham marriage as a disguise. Haywood inadvertently becomes the legendary "Doc the Haywood" after he guns down "Arnold the Kid".
Insights
Plot Summary
A timid, germ-}$!*@ obsessed dentist from Philadelphia travels west to marry a saloon entertainer he has only corresponded with through letters. Upon arrival, he finds his intended bride to be much more worldly than he imagined and the town a rough-and-tumble place. He must quickly learn to adapt to his new surroundings and protect his bride from a local outlaw.
Critical Reception
The Shakiest Gun in the West was met with generally mixed to negative reviews from critics, though it found a modest audience among fans of Don Knotts' comedic style. The film's humor, relying heavily on Knotts' signature persona, was divisive, with some finding it charmingly goofy and others finding it tiresome.
What Reviewers Say
- Don Knotts' comedic talents are on full display, though sometimes overshadowed by a predictable plot.
- The film offers a lighthearted, if formulaic, comedic take on the Western genre.
- While not a critical darling, it provides harmless, family-friendly entertainment for Knotts fans.
Google audience: Audience reception is largely lukewarm, with many appreciating Don Knotts' slapstick humor and mild-mannered performance, though some found the plot thin and the jokes to be repetitive.
Fun Fact
The film was shot on location at the Melody Ranch, a popular filming site for Westerns, including many classic Roy Rogers and Gene Autry films.
AI-generated overview · Verify ratings on official sources