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While hardly the first Western spoof to ride out of Hollywood, Support Your Local Sheriff is easily one of the best. James Garner plays the confident, cool-headed cowboy who strolls into a wild gold rush town on the way to Australia and takes the job as sheriff. Like a parody of My Darling Clementine by way of Rio Bravo, he arrests the hotheaded but hopelessly confused son (Bruce Dern) of a ruthless ranching magnate (Walter Brennan). Stuck with a half-built jail (where he keeps his prisoner penned up with pure psychology and a few spatters of red paint), a rummy sidekick (google-eyed Jack Elam in one of his first comic turns), and a disaster-prone tomboy (Joan Hackett), he takes on a succession of gunfighters with increasing exasperation. "Sure is a childish way for a grown man to make a living," he laments before chasing one gunman out of Dodge by pelting him with rocks. Directed with laconic ease by veteran Western director Burt Kennedy, it's a clever spoof of familiar conventions in a lighthearted vein, more understated and affectionate than Mel Brooks's outrageous farce Blazing Saddles. It inspired a slew of imitators, including a decade of silly Disney Westerns that sank the genre in slapstick shenanigans, and was followed in 1971 by Kennedy's pseudosequel Support Your Local Gunfighter, which reteamed Garner and Elam in a more mercenary story of con artists and gunslingers. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (33)

Taming the Wild West
James Garner stars as Jason McCullough in this hilarious Western spoof. This was the era of John Wayne westerns, and this movie came about at just about the right time to make fun of the western and what it had become, often scarcely more than a cookie-cutter production with a predictable plot, scowling gunfighters, and the same basic storyline. McCullough is a wandering frontiersman on his way to Australia, and happens upon a small mining town which has sprung up overnight and become too big for its laws. He decides to earn a little extra money before moving on, and takes a job as the sheriff of the town. Consequently he's forced to deal with the Danby bunch, a rancher family who's swindling and intimidating the mine owners. Between dealing with the Danbys (headed by the very funny Walter Brennan), trying to keep his prisoners in a jail with no bars, and fighting off the advances of the hapless mayor's daughter, McCullough has his hands full.

Garner is great in his role as the opportunistic, but effective, sheriff. Jack Elam co-stars as his deputy, and the antics of this pair are enough to keep anyone entertained throughout the movie. Anyone familiar with Westerns from this era will appreciate the humor of this parody on Hollywood's Wild West.

Support Your Local Sherrif
This is one of those old comedies that you can watch over and over again. My family has worn out a VHS copy, so I'm happy that a DVD release is coming up. This movie not only stars James Garner, but several other popular actors from the 60's & 70's. Walter Brennan, Harry Morgan, and Jack Elam to name a few. When Jason McColough, played by Garner, rides into town, he finds it right smack in the middle of a gold rush- and right smack in the middle of the problems that too much too soon can bring. There is fighting in the streets, gunmen shooting up the town, not to mention the revelry going on at Madam Orr's place. Needing work to finiance his gold prospecting Garner accepts the job of sherrif. The Mayor (Morgan) happens to have a pretty but accident prone daughter. Her misadventures while trying to attract the new sherrif's attention add great comedy to the plot. The sherrif's work is cut out for him when the Danby's led by pa Danby (Brennan) try to spring the youngest Danby from jail. He makes the town drunk (Played by Elam) his deputy and from there things just get funnier. When the dust settles everyone is alive and happy. Not the most complicated plot ever written, but light comedy is not supposed to be. Easy and fun to watch.

"JUST ON MY WAY TO AUSTRALIA"
IS THERE ANY THING FUNNIER THAN A STRAIGHT FACED MAN SPEWING OUT HUMOR? AND JAMES GARNER HAS A TREMENDOUS GIFT FOR BEING HILARIOUS
AND YET DOING IT IN A SEEMINGLY EFFORTLESS WAY.
BEFORE 'RAISING ARIZONA' OR 'OH BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU?' THIS LITTLE PICTURE BROKE GROUND WITH DRY, OFF BEAT AND SOMETIMES CYNICAL COMEDY.

GARNER PLAYS THE ANTI HERO TO THE HILT. HE IS A SIMPLE MAN WHO IS BASICLY "JUST ON HIS WAY TO AUSTRALIA." HE FINDS HIMSELF IN A QUIRKY 'GOLD STRIKE' TOWN THAT IS DESPERATELY IN NEED OF A SHERIFF.
HIS QUALIFICATIONS "FIT THE JOB PERFECTLY" AND THE BASIC PLOT IS SET.
GARNER IS SUPERBLY SUPPORTED BY VETERAN CHARACTER ACTORS LIKE JACK ELAM, BRUCE DERN AND A HOST OF WELL KNOWN OTHERS.

THE WONDERFULLY WRITTEN DIALOGUE IS THE ABSOLUTE STAR OF THE SHOW WITH NUMEROUS MEMORABLE LINES THROUGHOUT THE PICTURE.
WHEN THE SPINELESS MAYOR SHOWS GARNER HIS HOME HE MENTIONS HIS 'DEAR DEPARTED WIFE' TO WHICH GARNER SAYS "YOUR WIFE DIED HUH?" AND THE MAYOR RESPONDS "NO....JUST DEPARTED."

THE SIDESPLITTING SCENES ARE REALLY TOO NUMEROUS TO MENTION AS THERE ARE SO MANY STAND OUTS.

THIS MAY WELL BE THE BEST FAMILY COMEDIC WESTERN PIECE DONE TO DATE. RIVAL FILMS LIKE 'BLAZING SADDLES' WITH THEIR PROFANE ENUENDOS
PALE TERRIBLY IN COMPARISON TO THIS EFFORT.

THIS IS ONE YOU CAN WATCH REPEATEDLY AND LAUGH JUST AS LOUD EACH TIME.

My 2nd favorite Garner movie of all time
Boy this was hard, ranking my Favorite James Garner movies. It came down to the two Support your... movies. I had to go with the one that had the sidewinder, Susan Plesette and the X-Rifleman and Cub second baseman Swifty Morgan.

SYLSheriff came in second because he was just passin thru on his way to australia anyway.

The top of the genre
Still boyish at 41, Garner here brings a variation of his Bret Maverick character (then almost a decade in rerun-land) to the big screen and in the process spoofs almost every convention of the serious Western. As the unassuming, pragmatic, and mildly larcenous Jason McCullough, who's "basically...on my way to Australia" when he decides to pick up a little travelling money by taking on the job of taming the mining town of Calender, he proves to be rather more than he seems--and, in the process, shows once again why he was cast in so many comedies during his long career. Playing his part almost dead straight and supported by an excellent cast, he makes Jason seem like a hero even though that's the last thing Jason wants to be. In the process everyone sends up everything from "High Noon" to "Rio Bravo" and makes it all seem effortless and plausible. A movie that defines "comedy-Western" and one all audiences should enjoy. ... Read more

Description

Thriller about a jet-setting game master who devises a deadly game of whodunit. ... Read more

Reviews (26)

A Whodunit With Superb Black Humor
The Last of Sheila is an excellent mystery with a terrific performance by the late James Coburn as 'Clinton' the wicked Hollywood producer who invites a group of 'friends' aboard his yacht for a sun filled week of games.

The game however, is not what it seems and as the character of Clinton is fleshed out, along with the other members of the cast, Mason, Benjamin, Hackett and Welch; we ultimately find out that the beautiful people under the sunny skies, swimming in the warm waters on the South of France will go to the extremes to maintain their facades and their secrets.

The screenplay was written by the late actor Anthony Perkins and Stephen Sondheim. This adult mystery is a satirical behind the scenes look at Hollywood and the pain it creates, intentionally and unintentionally. You'll laugh and you'll be riveted by the superb story that will keep you guessing until the very end. Please stay for the Bette Midler song, 'You Gotta Have Friends', every detail was thought out for this film and this last detail shouldn't be missed. Enjoy!

This movie is excellent - Where is the DVD? Hello, Earth to Warners...

Clever and Amusing, and Justice Really Triumphs
The Last of Sheila is a clever, witty, complicated murder mystery written by Stephen Sondheim and Anthony Perkins. A movie mogul's wife is killed in a hit-and-run accident. A year later he gathers six friends, one of whom he suspects of being the driver, for a Mediterranean week on his yacht. There'll be sun, fun, games to play and puzzles to solve. The payoff for the mogul will be the identification of his wife's killer. Unfortunately, the mogul is murdered shortly after the games begin.

If you enjoy murder, puzzles and clever writing, you'll enjoy this. If you're amused by Hollywood and its pretensions, you'll also like it. The guests include a mediocre film writer (Richard Benjamin) and his rich, alcoholic wife (Joan Hackett), a has-been director (James Mason), a loud agent (Dyan Cannon), and a voluputous and dim movie queen (Raquel Welch) with her tough, sycophant husband (Ian McShane). James Coburn plays the mogul.

Mason is excellent among an excellent cast. He's thoughtful, a little seedy, crafty. Cannon nails her role as the self-involved but funny agent. Coburn focuses the movie. He's charming, dynamic, nasty.

The DVD transfer is fine although I found the audio a little variable, especially at first. The commentary by Benjamin, Cannnon and Welch is interesting and helps sort out the clues.

Sondheim and Perkins play scrupulously fair with the audience. There are clues all over the place. Some clues identify the nastier aspects of the guests, some help with the games being played, some help guess the method of the murders (there're more than one), and some will lead you to the murderer. You need to stay alert.

What is particularly clever is the way the murderer gets justice.

A Tale of Two Versions?
The one star is for the dvd. This 'version' as I've read in the other reviews *IS NOT* the same as the VHS that I own. There is a HUGE flaw in Chapter 18 as the Michigan viewer stated. I am not entirely satisfied as others are with this mess.

I bought my VHS from Amazon two years ago and my tape *do not* have the Chapter 18 mistake in it. So, there must be two versions - one mastered correctly and the mess with the mistake in Chapter 18. Warners needs to re-do this dvd without the mistakes that currently exists in this DVD.

A great movie done an injustice.

A lost classic!!!
The Last of Sheila is a fun, if overrated film, that sports a great title, terrific cast, and beautiful locations. Written by Psycho Anthony Perkins himself, with help from wonderful Broadway composer Stephen Sondheim, I was unfortunately overtaken by the hype and expected a little too much, therefore I was slightly disappointed upon first viewing. The more I thought about it though, the more I realized how much I liked it.

The plot is a unique rendition of Agatha Christie's Ten Little Indians, which deals with several entertainment industry insiders who are invited aboard the yacht of prankster James Coburn for a weekend of "fun & games." Unfortunately, Coburn has a secret about each and every member aboard. Apparently someone will go to great lengths to keep their secret just that...or is it for something else? Perhaps Coburn himself has taken the game too far. Or maybe we haven't heard the last of Sheila....

The Last of Sheila is a twisted little film that starts off slow but quickly picks up. Pay attention early on because the clues are everywhere and the killer could be anyone, including Sheila herself. It did what Scream did many years later with the "Everybody's a suspect" formula. There are so many twists and turns, it will be difficult to figure them all out, so don't even bother. It all works brilliantly for a chilling mystery that fits each and every scene into the puzzle, and even has a clue in the title!!!! How many mysteries can you say that about?

The cast is fantastic. Dyan Cannon is terrific as usual in her role of a loud, obnoxious casting agent who just lost 30 pounds. Rachel Welch is the sexpot actress, a role she has down to perfection, and James Coburn is creepy as the director who wants to make a movie about Sheila, or perhaps something a bit more. They are joined by Richard Benjamin, Joan Hackett, James Mason, Ian McShane, and Yvonne Romain, among others.

The Last of Sheila is recommended for mystery lovers, film buffs, or fans of the cast. Everyone else should give it a try too. Agatha Christie would have been proud! It's a lost classic that deserves to be seen!!!

Last of Shiela? Too bad!
Funny how the past sneaks up on one. Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the water wearing bell bottoms, smoking cigarettes, here comes "The Last of Sheila." Put aside your squeemishness on such PC topics as homosexuality, child enticement, celebrity murder, and drunken driving.

Dive in, try to figure it out, and you are missing all of the fun. Dastardly deeds are only part of the thrill. The rest is all dinner theatre audience participation. Can you find your own self in the picture? This pic bests every who-done-it because the machinations are not what is important, what matters is that we all see ourselves somewhere here, if only in our grasping consumerism. What matters to US is that you will rewind time and again to find the clues. Are the clues important? Sure, keep a scorecard to check your own Fruedian influences.

Important fact: Stehpen Sondheim collaborated with underrated writer Anthony Hopkins (check Psycho and Sweeny Todd.) Not for kiddies. ... Read more

Description

This expressionistic work is Eugene O'Neill's classic American drama of love, revenge, murder and suicide. Set against the backdrop of a small New England town in the post-Civil War era, O'Neill's saga of family discord fueled by psychological undercurrents is from Aeschylus' "The Oresteia." The end result is one of the American theatre's most shattering epic works. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Excellent Production of Great Play
O'Neill doesn't get much representation these days. Staging his plays isn't always practical. This is a really excellent video version of the play that was produced for Connecticut public television. The cast, including Joan Hackett, Roberta Maxwell, Bruce Davison and Jeffrey DeMunn is really excellent. They breathe such natural life into these supertragic, archetypal, and arguably over-Freudian, characters that you really understand why this is a magnificent tragedy and not just some soap opera. The settings are good and the staging takes advantage of the medium with scene transitions that wouldn't have been possible on stage, but would no doubt have gladdened O'Neill's heart, and give further power to his already lavish dramatic design.

Unfortunately, this IS produced for public television, and there is no attempt to hide the fact. The play is presented in a series of "Episodes," with "scenes from last time" and an opening of waves on cliffs that can not fail to remind viewers of the series "Dark Shadows." But the score by Maurice Jarre is perfect and evocative throughout the production. There is
also a clinching review/discussion/commentary at the end of each episode by, for some reason, Erich Segal. I avoided this like the plague. ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Perhaps Heston's finest performance
Even more so than his Oscar-winning turn in BEN-HUR, Charlton Heston's role in the terribly underrated 1968 western WILL PENNY may well be his best ever. Frequently when he's not doing the big-budget historical epics, Heston's performances seem to be much more realistic. WILL PENNY is a case in point....

Aided by a solid script by director Tom Gries, who died too young in 1977, Heston gives a performance of real strength and character, with Hackett (who also died too young) equally fine as the lonely woman having to protect an emotionally fatherless son. WILL PENNY was primarily shot on location in the Owens Valley, at the eastern foot of the Sierra Nevada, during the winter of 1967; and this results in a very cold but still panoramic movie, superbly shot by veteran cameraman Lucien Ballard. For whatever reason, Paramount originally buried it in release in early 1968, choosing to release it simultaneously with the 20th Century Fox film PLANET OF THE APES, another Heston film that got the box office glory. Now, however, WILL PENNY is rightly regarded as a minor classic--and perhaps the real crowning glory in Heston's extremely distinguished acting career.

Perhaps Heston's finest performance
Even more so than his Oscar-winning turn in BEN-HUR, Charlton Heston's role in the terribly underrated 1968 western WILL PENNY may well be his best ever. Frequently when he's not doing the big-budget historical epics, Heston's performances seem to be much more realistic. WILL PENNY is a case in point....

Aided by a solid script by director Tom Gries, who died too young in 1977, Heston gives a performance of real strength and character, with Hackett (who also died too young) equally fine as the lonely woman having to protect an emotionally fatherless son. WILL PENNY was primarily shot on location in the Owens Valley, at the eastern foot of the Sierra Nevada, during the winter of 1967; and this results in a very cold but still panoramic movie, superbly shot by veteran cameraman Lucien Ballard. For whatever reason, Paramount originally buried it in release in early 1968, choosing to release it simultaneously with the 20th Century Fox film PLANET OF THE APES, another Heston film that got the box office glory. Now, however, WILL PENNY is rightly regarded as a minor classic--and perhaps the real crowning glory in Heston's extremely distinguished acting career.

Not just one of the best westerns, its one of the best films
Will Penny is perhaps the most realistic western ever filled. From the aged clothing and weapons (antiques rented specifically for the film) to non-Hollywood plot devices and ending the film is unsurpassed for realism. I recommend the DVD over the VHS because it contains a short film on that subject (more on the DVD version later). Charlton Heston's performance as ageing cowboy Will Penny is one of cinemas best and at times appears to be the inspiration for Robert Duvall's performance in Lonesome Dove. Familiar western faces in the supporting roles include Joan Hackett and Lee Majors and a who's who of westerns character actors (Ben Johnson, Slim Pickens, Anthony Zerbe, Bruce Dern to name just a few). If there is one flaw it is the inappropriate desert caravan score and jarring closing credits song. Despite this consideration it is a definite must for western fans. One DVD complaint, though the behind-the-scenes short shows clips in widescreen, the so-called "widescreen version" of the film is condensed and clipped. Paramount has a reputation for the worst transfers of any major studio and here is a prime example why that reputation exists. One can forgive the less-than-sharp picture because we have no idea the condition of the print, but if they had a widescreen version to gather long clips why didn't they use it for the film itself. Perhaps they were culled from a promotional short and the entire film no longer exists in its original theatrical format, but why market the DVD as part of their "Widescreen Collection," as it is labeled right there on the top of the front cover, when it was not? Just plain sloppy, and dishonest.

Heston Classic
I usually don't waste my time on thes matters but in responce to the reviewer "ageofanxiety", it is typical like that reviewer to "stereotype" Heston into the catagory of what the previous reviewer states that Heston is a actor that has "pompous roles" and STEROTYPES Heston as a "Conservative" in most of his films.Well, that is that person's opinion and it is wrong to put a great actor such as Heston into that catagory.Typical of today's reviewer that think they are experts in "avante cinnema garde" films or whatever that crap means. A movie is a MOVIE. Your so-called form of "art" is your OPINION and nothing else!This was a classic Heston role and if you want to see Heston really ACT, then I suggest you see his dual acting role in the classic movie "Mother Lode".

heston CAN act
after so many films of the conservative heston playing the conservative heston he finally remembered he was an actor and delivered a touching, humanistic performance. he is vulnerbale here and even uneducated, a far cry from the normal pompous roles heston specialized in. its a shame there werent more performances like this form him, but it is performance to be cherished.
the film has a sort of neo realism and its refreshing. the only false note lies in the overly melodramatic villians. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Escape Artist - Almost Gets Away!
The Escape Artist has several things going for it. Teen actor (at the time time in question) Griffin O'Neil gives an excellent performance as the "escape artist", a teenage magician skilled in such nice things as magic tricks and not-so-nice things as lock picking, burgulary, safe cracking, and pickpocketing. Movie legends Desi Arnaz and Raul Julia also have starring roles. Unfortunately, the plot sputters to a standstill midway through the movie and winds up going no place fast.

It is based on the book of the same name and follows the plot of the book very closely which leads to its fatal flaw - not enough time being spent on the screenplay adaptation. The secret in creating a movie from a book is realizing that the audience will be seeing a movie, and knowing which parts of the book to include and which ones not to. The Lord of the Rings trilogy, the Harry Potter movies and Silence of the Lambs are excellent examples of proper book to movie adaptation.

The Escape Artist, regretfully, is not. ... Read more