“Support Your Local Sheriff!” (1969) starring James Garner, Joan Hackett and Walter Brennan / Z-View

Support Your Local Sheriff! (1969)

Director:  Burt Kennedy

Screenplay: William Bowers

Stars: James Garner, Joan Hackett, Walter Brennan, Harry Morgan, Jack Elam, Henry Jones, Willis Bouchey, Gene Evans, Walter Burke, Kathleen Freeman, Dick Haynes and Bruce Dern. 

Tagline: Our trouble-shooting sheriff always put his finger on it (or in it). No wonder they call him The Fastest Finger in the West.

The Plot…

When gold is discovered in the small settlement of Calendar, it becomes a lawless boom town overnight.  Every sheriff the city council hires is either killed or leaves in a hurry. The townsfolk find themselves at the mercy of the Danby family who own the property surrounding Calendar.

When Joe Danby kills a man over a card game, only Jason McCullough is willing to testify that it was murder.  McCullough is just passing through, but in need of money.  So when he’s offered the sheriff’s job, he accepts.

McCullough is as quick with his wits as he is with a gun.  He’ll need to use both since he’s sheriff of a town full of drunken miners, a jail with no bars, a cold blooded murder for a prisoner and the Danby family out for revenge.  McCullough’s biggest problem may be the mayor’s daughter Purdy.

Giddy up!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

I saw Support Your Local Sheriff when it was first released.  I was ten.  Seeing it again brings back great memories.  Support Your Local Sheriff has the right mix of action and humor.  James Garner was perfect as the gunslinger who’d rather use his wits than his gun.

Support Your Local Sheriff! (1969) rates 5 of 5 stars