One wonders why James Garner's character here wasn't reprised from the prior film that came out two years earlier - "Support Your Local Sheriff". He's portraying basically the same person except that he's got a more mercenary streak in this flick, but still played in the same laid back manner with a note of sarcasm and self effacing humor. As with the earlier picture, some of the support players wind up here as well, most notably Harry Morgan and Jack Elam, along with a less than conspicuous assist from character actor Gene Evans.
As for Jack Elam, the thought that came to mind while watching was how his character Jug May compared with the recurring role he had in the single season TV Western 'The Dakotas' from 1962. As the conflicted J.D. Smith, Elam's lazy eye gave him a bad guy look that contrasted with the good guy image he was meant to portray. Here he utilizes an approach that effectively conveys the image of a town bum looking for his next handout. Just as in the earlier 'Sheriff', Elam sides with Garner's character, but this time to pull off a scam whereby he impersonates a notorious gunslinger. I think I liked him better in the earlier film.
As for Chuck Connors portraying the 'real' Swifty Morgan, I had to chuckle a bit, because the only other time I've ever seen him appear as nasty was in a fourth season episode of 'The Rifleman' titled 'The Deadly Image'. All throughout that series, Connor's Lucas McCain wound up killing someone in more than half of the show's episodes. In the particular story mentioned, Connors had a dual role as McCain and a vicious outlaw look-alike, and wouldn't you know it, McCain shoots the baddie and by extension, essentially winds up killing himself!
The other thing that seemed kind of funny to me was when Colonel Ames (John Dehner) had a couple of his henchmen blow up the entrance to the mine his men were working to further thwart his local rival Barton Taylor (Harry Morgan). Though I know I've seen a similar scenario play out in other Westerns, this was the first time that it ever occurred to me that here was a case of a shaft getting the shaft.
Well as it turns out, everything goes just right for Latigo Smith (Garner), but don't question the idea of the 'I Love Goldie' tattoo simply disappearing in the story's finale. Nor the business of his losing a forty six hundred dollar bet not once, but twice on a losing roulette wheel number. But the best had to be Jack Elam spoofing himself at the very end of the picture. I won't give it away, but that lazy eye still had a long way to go.
As for Jack Elam, the thought that came to mind while watching was how his character Jug May compared with the recurring role he had in the single season TV Western 'The Dakotas' from 1962. As the conflicted J.D. Smith, Elam's lazy eye gave him a bad guy look that contrasted with the good guy image he was meant to portray. Here he utilizes an approach that effectively conveys the image of a town bum looking for his next handout. Just as in the earlier 'Sheriff', Elam sides with Garner's character, but this time to pull off a scam whereby he impersonates a notorious gunslinger. I think I liked him better in the earlier film.
As for Chuck Connors portraying the 'real' Swifty Morgan, I had to chuckle a bit, because the only other time I've ever seen him appear as nasty was in a fourth season episode of 'The Rifleman' titled 'The Deadly Image'. All throughout that series, Connor's Lucas McCain wound up killing someone in more than half of the show's episodes. In the particular story mentioned, Connors had a dual role as McCain and a vicious outlaw look-alike, and wouldn't you know it, McCain shoots the baddie and by extension, essentially winds up killing himself!
The other thing that seemed kind of funny to me was when Colonel Ames (John Dehner) had a couple of his henchmen blow up the entrance to the mine his men were working to further thwart his local rival Barton Taylor (Harry Morgan). Though I know I've seen a similar scenario play out in other Westerns, this was the first time that it ever occurred to me that here was a case of a shaft getting the shaft.
Well as it turns out, everything goes just right for Latigo Smith (Garner), but don't question the idea of the 'I Love Goldie' tattoo simply disappearing in the story's finale. Nor the business of his losing a forty six hundred dollar bet not once, but twice on a losing roulette wheel number. But the best had to be Jack Elam spoofing himself at the very end of the picture. I won't give it away, but that lazy eye still had a long way to go.