The Shakiest Gun in the West
Seen it?1968 | 101 min | Comedy, Family, Western
Weeknight Watchearly ratingWhy it’s a Weeknight Watch
With soft box office, it's a mixed bag. Fine if it's on; don't plan your night around it.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for anyone who wants a laugh and families. If you loved The Ballad of Buster Scruggs or Rango, start here.
- The mood
- Light and funny, feel-good.
- The pace
- Breezy, at 1 hr 41 min.
- What might put you off
- No age rating on record, so check it first for young kids.
- Made in 1968: an older pace and style.
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".
How it earned its rating
- CriticsNot counted
Not enough reviews on record yet
- AudiencesNot counted
Not measured yet: not enough ratings
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Box office & staying powerBelow par
$2 million worldwide; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactSolid
About 24K people sought it out in the past year, and interest is climbing
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Rango Saturday SpecialAnother comedy, and a Saturday Special.
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Cast & crew
Directed by Alan Rafkin
- Don KnottsDr. Jesse W. Heywood
- Barbara RhoadesPenelope 'Bad Penny' Cushings
- Jackie CooganMatthew Basch
- Ruth McDevittMrs. Olive Heywood
- Frank McGrathMr. Remington
- Terry WilsonWelsh
- Carl BallantineAbel Swanson
- Pat MoritaWong
- Robert YuroArnold the Kid
- Herb VolandDr. Friedlander