Sam Whiskey
Laura Breckenridge (Angie Dickinson), wealthy widow of a prominent Oklahoma political family has a problem. Her deceased husband, Congressman Philip Breckenridge managed to pilfer $250,000 in gold bullion from the Denver Mint while on a congressional VIP tour. The gold is now at the bottom of the Platte River aboard a sunken paddle wheeler. She knows the missing gold will be discovered as soon as the mint resumes stamping coins. She fears she will be charged an accomplice. Who comes to rescue her from distress? None other than the roguishly handsome soldier of good fortune, Sam Whiskey (Burt Reynolds). Laura turns on her siren charms as only Angie can. Sam is enthralled. With $20,000 thrown in for good measure it’s Sam to the escapade. Did I mention this is a comedy western?
Sam recruits blacksmith Jedidiah Hooker (Ossie Davis) and unlikely inventor O.W. Bandy (Clint Walker) to assist. They locate the gold; unaware they are being followed by outlaw Fat Henry and his gang. Bandy turns a bucket and bellows into a diving bell Sam can use to recover the gold. Thinking Sam has drowned, Fatty and the boys move in taking Bandy and Hooker captive. Sam hides in the riverboat’s partially submerged smokestack to run off Fatty and friends with another Bandy invention, the machine gun.
Gold recovered the trio heads for the mint. Sam gets in posing as a government inspector. He damages a gold covered bronze bust they take to a smithy to repair. Hooker makes a mold, they cast to smuggle the gold back into the mint posing as a bust. Got that? Bandy and Hooker enter the mint as plumbers. Under cover of night Sam and the boys smelt the bust back into gold bars while Fatty and his gang steal the bronze bust from the blacksmith shop, thinking its gold. With order restored, Sam divvies the $20,000 with the boys, adding Laura to his share.
The film features Sam singing the bawdy ditty Whiskey and Gin, recounting the amorous escapades of one Mary McCarty who loves . . . Whiskey and Gin. The script called for a scene in which Laura appears . . . altogether. Dickinson reluctantly agreed to do the scene, though the director refocused the shot when confronted with the prospect of an ‘R’ in the newly instituted decency ratings. Critical reviews ran from “Clumsy charm” to “Cornball antics” to “Uninspired . . . mediocrity.” What else do you get with . . . whiskey and gin.
Next Week: The Sons of Katie Elder
Return to Facebook to comment.
Ride easy,
Paul
Sam recruits blacksmith Jedidiah Hooker (Ossie Davis) and unlikely inventor O.W. Bandy (Clint Walker) to assist. They locate the gold; unaware they are being followed by outlaw Fat Henry and his gang. Bandy turns a bucket and bellows into a diving bell Sam can use to recover the gold. Thinking Sam has drowned, Fatty and the boys move in taking Bandy and Hooker captive. Sam hides in the riverboat’s partially submerged smokestack to run off Fatty and friends with another Bandy invention, the machine gun.
Gold recovered the trio heads for the mint. Sam gets in posing as a government inspector. He damages a gold covered bronze bust they take to a smithy to repair. Hooker makes a mold, they cast to smuggle the gold back into the mint posing as a bust. Got that? Bandy and Hooker enter the mint as plumbers. Under cover of night Sam and the boys smelt the bust back into gold bars while Fatty and his gang steal the bronze bust from the blacksmith shop, thinking its gold. With order restored, Sam divvies the $20,000 with the boys, adding Laura to his share.
The film features Sam singing the bawdy ditty Whiskey and Gin, recounting the amorous escapades of one Mary McCarty who loves . . . Whiskey and Gin. The script called for a scene in which Laura appears . . . altogether. Dickinson reluctantly agreed to do the scene, though the director refocused the shot when confronted with the prospect of an ‘R’ in the newly instituted decency ratings. Critical reviews ran from “Clumsy charm” to “Cornball antics” to “Uninspired . . . mediocrity.” What else do you get with . . . whiskey and gin.
Next Week: The Sons of Katie Elder
Return to Facebook to comment.
Ride easy,
Paul
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