Support Your Local Gunfighter (1971) Poster

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8/10
Rib-tickling.
n_oflash19 March 2001
Garner's wonderful in this spoof, which is a follow-up to SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL SHERIFF. Still, this film has more than enough merits of its own. The humor after all these years still holds up, & it's one that needs to be viewed again & again. It's as fresh now as it was then.
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7/10
Not as good as "Support Your Local Sheriff" but still funny
preppy-329 January 2008
This was put out in 1971 because the 1969 Western spoof "Support Your Local Sheriff" had been a big hit. It shares an almost identical cast with the first one but isn't a sequel. In this one James Garner plays Latigo. He's a con man he gets to the town of Purgatory to escape from getting married. The townspeople thinks he's the legendary gunfighter Swifty Morgan who they sent for the settle a mine dispute. Also around are Taylor (Harry Morgan) who hired him, his high strung daughter Patience (Suzanne Pleshette) and Jug May (Jack Elam) who becomes his helper.

This isn't as fun as the earlier one because most of the jokes here were already used or are pretty bad (the explosions the town has every once in a while was a poor running gag). Also Garner's character in this one is pretty obnoxious while he was nice and kind in the earlier one. Still, this does have its moments and the cast gives it their all. I was glad to see Joan Hackett (who I found WAY too shrill) from the first one replaced by Pleshette. Pleshette (who just recently passed away) is young, full of life and lots of fun. Her attempts to kill Garner were actually pretty funny. Also Elam is on hand again and just as funny as he was in the previous one. Heck he even has the same sort of closing speech again! So, it's not as good as "Sheriff" but not bad. I give it a 7.
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7/10
Okay but not as good as it's predecessor
dch489 October 2011
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.
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Very Funny
vox-sane12 January 2004
"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.
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6/10
Good, but not up to the quality standards of SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL SHERIFF
planktonrules24 May 2008
Warning: Spoilers
This film came out two years after SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL SHERIFF. Aside from having very similar titles, both starred James Garner, Harry Morgan and Jack Elam in very similar roles, and the plot itself was so close to the first film it made me wonder why they didn't try something a little more original. Oddly, despite all the similarities, this second film was actually written long before they even made SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL SHERIFF. However, because of the extreme similarity of the films, I really can't rate SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL GUNFIGHTER any higher--though it's still a nice little Western-comedy.

James Garner's character is a bit more amoral and weasel-like in this film as he plays a clever con man determined to take advantage of a war brewing between rival mine owners (Harry Morgan and John Dehner). His plan is to pretend that his new-found bumbling sidekick (Elam) is the dreaded gunman, Swifty Morgan and capitalize on how much everyone fears this famous hired gun. The problem is that eventually, the REAL Morgan comes to town and it looks bad for Garner and Elam.

While the script was pretty good, there was one big difference about this film that I really disliked. In SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL SHERIFF, the female lead was played by Joan Hackett and she was a total kook--a lovable kook, but a kook nonetheless. Here, Susan Pleshette plays a woman who is rather psychotic and IMPOSSIBLE TO LOVE--someone who would have been institutionalized or killed--not someone who would win the man's hand at the end of the film!! Her psychotic outbursts simply weren't funny and really hindered the film whenever she appeared. While I loved Ms. Pleshette in many roles, this one was simply beneath her. As a result of this and the repetitive quality of the film, it's not a film you must see but more of a likable time-passer. Do yourself a favor and see SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL SHERIFF and only see this second film if you feel you need a lot more of the same.
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7/10
Sunday Morning Western Comedy
silversurfer_umit3 December 2006
This is a comedy western movie but it is a different one because there is not much fight or gunfight in it. This is very sympathetic movie also funny in some scenes.

Our hero is a new yorker guy that steals women money with charming them. He comes to west city but he doesn't like the west and the guns, horses and etc. People in this city thinks he is a hired famous gunman, he uses this identity. This is the general subject of the movie.

Acting is good for a comedy movie, there is also romance and this is a plus for this one. I liked this movie and enjoyed when watching but if you look for a classic movie don't look at this one. I watched this one at a Sunday morning.
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7/10
Also worth supporting
TheLittleSongbird3 October 2019
Really enjoyed 'Support Your Local Sheriff' when watching it during a much needed quiet afternoon, it was enormously entertaining, very affectionate and made with very clear love for the western genre. It was hard to resist a cast with the talent that it had, and despite not really warming to Joan Hackett they all did wonderfully. So there was no doubt about seeing 'Support Your Local Gunfighter', also directed by Burt Kennedy and with James Garner and Jack Elam returning.

Despite the title suggesting that it is a sequel, 'Support Your Local Gunfighter' isn't really. Other than having the same director and a few cast members returning, the only other thing in common is the tone with its comedic spoof approach. Comparing the two, 'Supprt Your Local Gunfighter' isn't as good and doesn't handle some of its elements as well or as consistently. It is still a good deal of fun though, with much to enjoy, and have no regrets at all watching it.

The comic timing is sharper in 'Support Your Local Sheriff' and the gags funnier. 'Gunfighter' still entertains a lot, but it isn't as smooth and tries a little too hard in spots. There is a running gag too that wears out its welcome too early, straining for laughs and only raises a small smile at best at first.

'Gunfighter's' characters were far more likeable in 'Sheriff's' while still interesting, was there any need for Suzanne Pleshette's heroine to be as psychotic-like? Am still not sure about the music, it fits tonally but with what goes on not quite so much always.

However, 'Gunfighter' looks good with handsome production design and scenery especially. The script is still witty and has enough very entertaining moments. Jack Elam's final speech is a gem and his final line is one of the funniest in US screen comedy perhaps. The pace is generally lively and the story clever, the affectionate tone again present. Could definitely tell that 'Gunfighter' was made and directed by somebody that loved and understood the western genre, treating it with respect without taking it too seriously.

James Garner is charismatic and easy going, if not having the same amount of charm as before. Pleshette does her best with what she was given and Chuck Connors is formidable in his role (Bruce Dern and Walter Brennan in 'Sheriff' made more of an impression though). Harry Morgan has great comic timing and looks as though he was enjoying himself, but it is Elam, a joy here, who steals the film.

Overall, not as good but well done. 7/10
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8/10
funny send-up
jeff-4034 July 2001
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.
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7/10
Irreverent Western parody in which a con man stumbles into a gold rush town with two facing factions
ma-cortes8 October 2015
Riotous as well as delightful Western spoof compellingly directed by Burt Kennedy with entertaining and amusing scenes in which a racketeer decides to go with the mistaken identity and use it to his profitable advantage along with his bumbling sidekick . Deliberately cliché-filled , ironical Western with top-notch starring duo as James Garner as a likable swindler and Suzanne Pleshette as fem-lib daughter and his love interest , both of whom giving great lots of fun . In the old west , a stranger trickster becomes a gunslinger just for the pay , figuring he can decamp if things get tough . The picture starts and finishes with a train (it is the Durango & Silverton narrow-gage sight-seeing train in Colorado) , as it appears in the opening credits , as in closing scenes . The film talks about a con man just passing through who gets roped into being a false gunfighter (James Garner) who at the end meets his nemesis , the real infamous Pistolero named "Swiftie" Morgan (Chuck Connors) , the fastest finger in the west . As when a card player called ¨Latigo¨ comes to the small town of Purgatory , things go wrong ; as one trouble-shooting gambler always puts his finger on it or in it . He has a big problem that requires a doctor (Dub Taylor), but that is not immediately disclosed . In Purgatory two rival companies of miners, led by Taylor Barton (Henry Morgan) and Colonel Ames (John Dehner) , are in a frenetic round-the-clock race to seek "the motherlode" of gold buried somewhere under the town . Meanwhile, Latigo is helped by an inept and botcher outlaw , Jug May (Jack Elam makes a robustly likable characterization with his tongue firmly in cheek) . In the final , he uses ingenuity instead and gets to tame a lawless mining town against all odds .

This wacky spoof is packed with mayhem , lots of silly laughs and great entertainment and fun . Most of the laughters and sight gags galore work acceptably well ; humor is also bold and intelligent with a myriad of imaginative sketches . Demystified Western was one of a group of much-imitated which changed the concept of this particular genre each bent on disproving a popular myth , yet tinged with humor , spoof and combining with anti-heroes , and the inevitable protagonist decadence . Neatly subverts every Western cliché it encounters , yet keeps respect for formula Western . This is a follow-up , not a sequel to ¨Support your local sheriff¨ (1969) also starred by James Garner , Jack Elam and Harry Morgan . The formula deals to enhance the comics observations of the western originated on the decade 60s with the following filmmakers : Andrew McLagen and Burt Kennedy , fine director of this movie , and a bit later on , Mel Brooks directed the indispensable ¨Blazing saddles¨ , a surrealist , extreme and gross-out spoof with the ordinary bunch of loonies and loopies . Burt Kennedy directed similar Western blending comedy such as : ¨Support your local gunfighter (one of his better spoof Western)¨ , ¨Support your local sheriff¨ (his highpoint) , ¨Dirty Dingus Mcgee¨ , ¨War Wagon¨ and ¨ The Good guys and bad guys¨ . The picture is wonderfully amused and enjoyable , with James Garner as a tough gambler in his Maverick image who uses brains as well as brawny and guns . James Edward Grant's screenplay besides having more than its fair scraps of funny lines , throws up rich roles . Thus , James Garner is perfect as the deadpan womanizer who winds up becoming a fake gunman , as he convinces a colleague to carry out several lies among townsfolk . Special mention to Jack Elam as the sympathetic , snide brawler clearly relishing his comic relief . Remaining support cast is excellent , such as : Harry Morgan , Henry Jones , Joan Blondell , John Dehner , Willis Bouchey , Dub Taylor , Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez , Ellen Corby , Gene Evans , Ben Cooper , Kathleen Freeman and Marie Windsor replaced Marilyn Maxwell as "Goldie". Colorful cinematography rightly shot by magnificent cameraman Harry Stradling Jr , Burt Kennedy's usual . Jolly and lively musical score by Jack Elliott and Allyn Ferguson .

This very funny and amiable motion picture with more than its fair share of laughters was well produced and directed by Burt Kennedy . He initially was screenwriter , his initial effort, ¨Seven men from now¨ (1956), was a superb western, the first of the esteemed collaboration between director Budd Boetticher and star Randolph Scott. Kennedy wrote most of that series, as well as a number of others for Batjac , although it would be nearly 20 years before Wayne actually appeared in the film of a Kennedy script . In 1960 Kennedy got his first work as a filmmaker on a western, ¨The Canadians¨ (1961), but it was a critical failure . He turned to television where he wrote and directed episodes of "Lawman" (1958), "The Virginian " (1962) and most notably ¨Combat!"(1962). He returned to films in 1965 with the successful ¨The Rounders¨ (1965) with Henry Fonda and Glenn Ford , later producing and directing the pilot for the TV series of the same name. ¨Support you local gunfighter¨ results to be one of his best Western . The film will appeal to absurd, unruly , wacky Western comedy fans . This raucous Western spoof is a James Garner vehicle , if you like his particular performance , you'll enjoy this one .
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9/10
"Fire In The Hole"
bkoganbing30 March 2008
Support Your Local Gunfighter is not a sequel to Support Your Local Sheriff. Nor is it a film taking a look at how the other half lives in the wild west of Hollywood. But what it is is a rollicking good comedy with a cast of some of the best players around.

Burt Kennedy brought over a whole flock of people from the other 'Support' film starting with James Garner and Jack Elam. Garner had patented playing cynical con men starting with Maverick on television. He's certainly showed he's got the acting chops to play serious parts. But he keeps getting cast as these conman comics because he's so darn good at it.

As for Jack Elam, he became an almost permanent fixture in Burt Kennedy projects as a result of Support Your Local Sheriff. Talk about making lemonade out of a lemon. Elam first used his blind eye to great effect playing psychotic killers when he first broke into acting. But in the sixties he began using that same look for comedy and never really played serious after becoming a Burt Kennedy regular.

Garner and Elam are a pair of amiable drifters who wind up in a mining town called Purgatory. There's a pair of rival mine owners, Harry Morgan and John Dehner who are tunneling under the town to reach the mother lode vein of gold that will make one of them fabulously wealthy. Dehner's purportedly sent for a notorious gunman and Morgan and his partners think it could be Garner. It isn't, but Garner and Elam play it for all it's worth.

Suzanne Pleshette steps into the Calamity Jane wannabe part that Joan Hackett did in Support Your Local Sheriff and Pleshette does it most effectively. Joan Blondell and Marie Windsor are a pair of bordello madams each courted by Garner at one time. Hell hath no fury like a jilted madam. You've got to see Garner with that line about a spur and a dying cowhand's last wish.

Even Chuck Connors as the real gunfighter playing it absolutely straight comes in for some good laughs. But I do like Harry Morgan courting Dehner's old maid sister Ellen Corby, love isn't just for the young, the two show love isn't just for the young.

The ending; to bizarre for words, worthy of Mel Brooks. You have to see Support Your Local Gunfighter to believe it.
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7/10
For the entire family
Ron-18111 May 2000
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.
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8/10
More laughs and funny characters in this non-sequel comedy Western
SimonJack3 June 2022
When is a movie sequel not a sequel. Well, when Hollywood, and the press and the critics say so. As in the case of "Support Your Local Gunfighter." In reality though, what makes a sequel is a continuation of an original story, with the same main characters in the story. They don't necessarily have to be the same actors playing them; and, indeed, some films that cover decades of time often have new cast members in some of the roles. But not always. The mark and lure of great actors in the profession has been to be able to play the same role with wide gaps in the age of the character. Of course, that's where makeup helps make the transformation believable to audiences.

So, what makes this film not a sequel is that it's a totally different story, with different characters. While the setting is similar because it's a Western, and some of the cast are the same, the story is all new. James Garner and Jack Elam are back in main roles that provide many laughs. And I think that the addition of Harry Morgan, Suzanne Pleshette, Henry Jones, Kathleen Freeman and Joan Blondell in their roles adds a great deal of humor to this film. Both are good films, but I think the plot and added characters with comedy roles makes this a funnier and better film than the first one.

Pleshette is a real hoot as the rifle-toting', quick-fingered, but terrible shot daughter of one of the competing mine owners, Taylor Barton. Harry Morgan plays him, in a typical role that he sometimes had in comedies. Her name even evokes a chuckle, from her constantly riled nature - Patience. And, I defy any movie buff to watch this film and not laugh at Jack Elam. His Jug May is a far cry from the mean and menacing looking bad guy that he so often played in movies.

The plot itself in this film generates quite a bit of humor. It seems that just about every time a major confrontation is about to take place, or a gunfight, a character bursts into the scene to warn "a fire in the hole," and an underground mine explosion rocks the town. One of the last scenes is the hilarious cameo appearance of Chuck Connors who became famous with the long-running Western TV series, "The Rifleman" (1958-1963). He plays a desperado gunfighter, Swifty Morgan, who shows up for a show down at the end of the film. He does get a shot off, but what a hilarious scene with another "fire in the hole."

Another plus is the scenic opening filmed along the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. This 45-mile trip is the best and most scenic train ride available for tourists in the U. S. in modern times. In the film, the train is heading for Denver.

This is a great movie for lots of laughs and fun. Here are some favorite lines.

Martha Perkins, hotel operator, "Just as good a service as in the Palmer House in Chicago."

Martha Perkins, "There's two ways you can have the windows - open or closed. Closed, it's hot. Open, there's flies that eat ya alive."

Jug May, "My horse went first, then my saddle. But I'm sober now, and what I got left is these here spurs."

Latigo, "A man's gotta be numb on both ends to earn his livin' sittin' on a horse."

Latigo, "I just don't like horses." Jug May, "Well, that's close to treason in these parts."

Abigail, "There may be snow on the roof but there's fire in..." Col. Ames, "Abigail! Have you no shame, woman!"

Col. Ames, "He's using you, Abigail." Abigail, , giggling, "He sure is."

Abigail, "That's murder." Col. Ames, "I studied law. Of course it's murder."

Col. Ames, "We share the same ancestors as far as back as Adam and Eve. I desire no closer relationship to you than that."

Patience, "I'm a rotten shot and I'm gettin' awful tired of missin' you."
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7/10
better than the original
KyleFurr222 October 2005
This is probably one of the few sequels that is better than the original. The same director is back and most of the cast from the first one but a different leading lady with Suzanne Pleshette. They play different characters from the first one and John Dehner is the villain this time instead of Walter Brennan. Garner arrives in a mining town and everyone thinks he's the gunfighter Swifty Morgan sent for by Dehner. Garner becomes friends with Jack Elam and the next thing he knows Suzanne Pleshette is trying to shoot him or run him down. Garner doesn't know why but eventually finds out. It's a pretty good movie that is better than the original, which was a little overrated.
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5/10
Disappointing
utgard148 January 2014
A man named Latigo (James Garner) arrives in a mining town and pits two warring factions against each other. Disappointing follow-up to Support Your Local Sheriff. It's not really a sequel, despite the same director and three returning cast members. This is unfortunate as the character Garner played in the last film was much more fun to watch. This character, Latigo, is not very likable and hard to root for. Suzanne Pleshette's character is a psychotic and there seems to be no reason for it. It's pretty annoying, actually. She's nowhere near as likable as Joan Hackett in Support Your Local Sheriff. Jack Elam plays a similar role to the last film but not as funny. This is the main problem with the movie. It's just not very funny.
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Fast and furious....
Mister-631 August 1999
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.
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7/10
Wonderfully Humorous
gavin694213 May 2013
A con artist arrives in a mining town controlled by two competing companies. Both companies think he is a famous gunfighter and try to hire him to drive the other out of town.

Another reviewer pointed out that even after all this time (42 years as I write this) the film is still funny and fresh. I have to agree with them completely. I never saw the film before now and I thought much of it was clever, original and just witty enough to be a solid film.

I have not seen much of James Garner's work, and now I think perhaps I should. Between this and "Maverick", he seems to be the unsung hero of the west. (Or at least under-sung, with John Wayne and Clint Eastwood holding the "sung" category down by themselves.)
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6/10
There's something endearing about this story
cricketbat11 October 2018
Support Your Local Gunfighter is charming. It's interesting how this isn't a sequel to Support Your Local Sheriff, even though it features many of the same actors. It's completely silly, especially the ending, and it's totally predictable, but there's something endearing about this story about a con man in the old west. Rest in peace, James Garner.
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7/10
"You can't gunfight a man sitting on your ass." Wise words from 'Swifty' Morgan.
Hey_Sweden13 September 2016
A follow-up rather than a sequel to "Support Your Local Sheriff", this rollicking Western comedy shares the same director and some of the same cast, but works as a self-contained story. James Garner is at his most charming as Latigo Smith, a rascally con artist in the Old West who's currently trying to escape Goldie (Marie Windsor), the woman he just married. He gets off a train in the small time mining town of Purgatory, where he makes friends with amiable old cowhand Jug May (Jack Elam). He learns that two local bigwigs, Taylor Barton (Harry Morgan) and Colonel Ames (John Dehner), are at war over mining interests, and that Ames has hired a notorious gunslinger named 'Swifty' Morgan. Sensing the opportunity for a con, and a hefty payday, Latigo tries to palm off Jug as Swifty. Then, inevitably, the real Swifty turns up.

I wouldn't be honest if I said that I laughed all that much at this movie (scripted by James Edward Grant, and directed by Burt Kennedy, both Western veterans). But it's just so lively, memorably performed, and incredibly LOUD (with explosions aplenty) that it's far from boring. Garner does have tremendous fun with his role, as Latigo attempts to remove an embarrassing tattoo from his chest and continuously has a weakness for the number 23. Elam delivers one of his most likable performances of all time. The cast is simply stacked with familiar faces; among them are Joan Blondell, Henry Jones, Dub Taylor, Kathleen Freeman, Dick Curtis, Willis Bouchey, Walter Burke, Gene Evans, Grady Sutton, and Ellen Corby. (You won't hear who plays the real Swifty from me; it's a special treat.) Everybody plays this material for all that they're worth. Sometimes they don't so much speak their dialogue as yell it. The only real drawback is the lovely Suzanne Pleshettes' love interest character Patience; this is a ridiculous woman who overreacts a LOT. Ms. Pleshette herself is fine; it's just the character as written that is a problem.

Things get off to a bright start and remain fun right up through the final monologue by Jug that reveals the fates of key players. People will howl in appreciation at his final line.

Seven out of 10.
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8/10
Suzanne Pleshette makes this even funnier than the first
SnoopyStyle4 July 2015
Latigo Smith (James Garner) is a ladies man, a gambler and a con man. He escapes from brothel madam Goldie who intends to marry him and sneaks off the train at the mining town of Purgatory. He befriends Jug May (Jack Elam) and asks the doc to remove his Goldie tattoo. Taylor Barton (Harry Morgan) and his family mistakenly assume him to be gunslinger Swifty Morgan hired by rival mine owner Col. Ames. Taylor's impetuous daughter Patience "The Sidewinder" (Suzanne Pleshette) is quick to shoot and eager to go to a college back east. Smith comes up with a scheme to pass Jug off as Swifty but it all comes to bite him.

This is a follow up to 'Support Your Local Sheriff!' but is not actually a sequel. Many of the same actors return in different roles in a different story. It's funny. James Garner is a great fun cad and I love Jack Elam. This one improves by getting Suzanne Pleshette who is a much funnier actress than Joan Hackett. This is simply a fun franchise that is anchored by the great Garner.
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6/10
Garnering Support
Lejink2 December 2022
I recently watched and enjoyed "Support Your Local Sheriff" and at first thought this might be a sequel, especially given the similar title and near identical cast and even the same director. It isn't but it might as well be given all the above and more, like the obvious read-across of character-types and humorous intent from "Sheriff" to "Gunfighter".

So again James Garner, sporting a great set of mutton-chop sideboards around his face, rolls into a god-forsaken frontier town, hooks up with Jack Elam as his less-than-bright stooge, engages with the town dignitaries to their immediate financial detriment and romances the eccentric daughter, this time Suzanne Pleshette, of prominent local Harry Morgan and has to think quickly to get himself out of a tricky situation at the finish.

It's all played for light laughs with Garner again in good form as the genial rogue, misguidedly addicted to the no. 23 on the local roulette wheel. There's good interplay between Garner and Elam, while a pre-M. A. S. H. Harry Morgan convincingly joins in the fun, Pleshette's character at times seens more crazed then kooky and a shockingly bald Chuck Connors almost steals the show as the impersonated villain.

Containing besides such Western tropes as a rebellious cow-gal tamed by a strong-willed individual, a good old-fashioned bar-room brawl and a gun-fight showdown (well, almost) between the wily Garner and Connors, the film, while having its moments, in the end seems to pack a little less punch.

Still, this was a fun and reasonably enjoyable 90-minute entertainment, probably best seen in conjuction with its predecessor, although maybe watch this one first.
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8/10
Latigo Smith (Garner) comes into town to get something off his chest, namely, a tattoo, but gets much more than he bargained for in the end.
clck20017 July 2007
Warning: Spoilers
Hilarious, but not nearly as funny as, or as good overall, as Support Your Local Sheriff, which shares many of the same cast as this one, and the same director. Burt Kennedy was good with comedy, whether he was directing Garner in this and Support Your Local Sheriff, or he was directing John Wayne and Kirk Douglas in The War Wagon. I love the scenes with the double meanings involving the donkeys. Priceless! Chuck Connors gives a good performance as a bald outlaw, who in the end, has boot trouble. I enjoy the last line, last scene with Jack Elam. He says that he went on to star in "Italian westerns". Coincidentally, he was in an Italian western, a Sergio Leone film, "Once Upon a Time in the West", playing the role of Snaky, a member of Henry Fonda's character's gang. 'Nuff said!
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6/10
Different Support
sol-7 February 2016
Not really a sequel to 'Support Your Local Sheriff!', but rather a completely different western comedy from the same director with a substantial number of cast members in common, the similar title and on-screen cast nevertheless renders comparisons unavoidable while watching 'Gunfighter'. The basic plot here is actually more innovative and clever if anything, clearly inspired by 'Yojimbo' as a conman drifter plays two warring factions in an Old West town against one another by claiming that his clueless recent acquaintance, played by Jack Elam, is a legendary gunfighter. Elam is excellent as the hapless lonely soul in question, equally as confused by the situation as he is delighted by the attention it affords him, and his performance is probably the strongest of either 'Support' film. Garner is far less appealing this time round though. He shows just as much ingenuity as his 'Sheriff' character at times, but he equally as often seems an utter fool with a perplexing gambling habit that makes for a very lousy running gag. The film has some pacing issues too with lots of lags between the truly funny moments. Everything culminates in a memorable conclusion though with an uncredited Chuck Connors great as the formidable legendary gunfighter, come to town to protect his good name. Garner also nicely gets a chance to prove himself just as much this time round; here he is a confidence trickster, trading on another man's name, who gradually proves himself worthy of the other man's status and so much more.
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9/10
Be very careful with this one.....
yddsp@aol.com25 September 2007
Be careful, you just might laugh till your side splits. This movie is rated "G" which stands for GREAT! Hollywood doesn't make movies like this one anymore. Shame! I don't understand why this is. Perhaps it's the obvious where censorship has gone by the wayside because Hollywood has capitulated to the almighty dollar. But that's no excuse as far as I'm concerned, it may also be because there just aren't any present-day actors worthy of filling the shoes of the immortals like, John Wayne, Gregory Peck, Kirk Douglas, Burt Lancaster, even James Garner for that fact. There are still a multitude of great actors I haven't named, but you know who they are/were. This film is so great it doesn't need cgi effects, gratuitous sex, violence or profanity, yet still it stands the test of time. James Garner is at his best, Jack Elam's performance is simply precious (he was made for comedy) and the supporting cast is just phenomenal, especially the immortal Harry Morgan. Another great flick of the same genre with the same leading cast is "Support your local Sheriff" I can't decide which one I like better!
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7/10
"We got lots of shooting in this town!"
classicsoncall19 August 2016
Warning: Spoilers
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.
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5/10
Compared to Support Your Local Sheriff a dud
MiketheWhistle6 February 2020
Although this isn't a sequel, it is definitely a follow-up to Support Your Local Sheriff. SYLS is a definite 10, whereas this one is only a 5. This one had far more outright "jokes" whereas Sheriff had more skit type humor.

To a large extent the plot isn't terrible and it could have been a 10, but it just didn't deliver in the same way. Having said that, it's not terrible and is certainly worth watching, but I'd watch Sheriff, and have, over and over.
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