The Sheriff of Fractured Jaw
March. 14,1959 NREnglish gunsmith Jonathon Tibbs travels to the American West in the 1880s to sell firearms to the locals. He inadvertently acquires a reputation of quickness on the draw due to his wrist mounted Derringer style weapon. Soon gaining the post of sheriff, he endeavours to clean up the town using what skills he has—and by multilateral diplomacy.
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Reviews
Very interesting film. Was caught on the premise when seeing the trailer but unsure as to what the outcome would be for the showing. As it turns out, it was a very good film.
a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.
There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.
A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.
A pleasant western farce, with Brit Kenneth More as Johnathan Tibbs, who shakes up the little Wild West town of Fractured Jaw. He just wanted to sell some British-made guns to the locals, but ends up shanghaied into becoming the latest in a series of recent sheriffs, the others having died by violent means....... Is Tibbs likely to fare any better? Well, many of the locals initially have a strong prejudice against him because he's obviously a Brit of good breeding, talking and acting: very different from the other men of this town, and probably a tinhorn when it comes to sheriffing. As Jane Mansfield(Kate), as the proprietor and singer of a saloon and boarding house discovers, he's less than handy at shooting firearms. And as the local Indians discover, he's never ridden a horse and, again, shows little aptitude in mounting or staying on a horse. But he has 2 assets that help him: He's not afraid to approach armed men, Including Indians) and talk to them. Also, he has a derringer up his sleeve, attached to his arm, that impresses everyone, who often submit to him after seeing it. Seeing this makes Kate change from acting surly toward him to deciding that maybe he is her ticket out of this forgotten town into the wide world of sophistication and urbanites......Kate lip-syncs to 3 songs sung by Connie Francis, and composed by Harry Harris. Two("Strolling Down the Lane with Bill", and "If the San Francisco Hills Could Only Talk") were sung as part of stage shows, with dancers in the background. The third: "In the Valley of Love", probably the best, was sung while accompanying Tibbs on a buckboard ride through a canyon, where the walls supposedly echoed her singing, enhancing it. Connie also sang this during the opening credits. Kate lost her strong Southern lingo, when singing......Although first billed, Robert Morley, as well as Robert Squire and David Horne, were only present in the rather brief beginning, when we supposedly are in the UK....William Campbell serves as Keeno, who has some hostile encounters with Tibbs....Henry Hull, as Mayor Masters, exhibits his signature bombastic personality, similarly seen in "Jesse James" 1939, for example.... Sidney James is the drunk in the initial stagecoach ride. .....Jonas Applegarth serves as the Indian Chief(Running Deer), who has a number of interactions with Tibbs, and serves as Kate's substitute father in her wedding to Tibbs....Charles Irwin serves as the undertaker, who is waiting for Tibbs to be shot dead......The climax involves a 4 -way battle in the boondocks, between the cowboys of the Lazy S and the Box T, who are gunning for each other, as well as for Tibbs, who is defended by Kate and her rifle. Eventually Tibbs' blood-brother Indians show up to tip the battle in Tibbs' favor. The two groups of cowboys agree to forget their differences, and behave in town....I enjoyed the film, for the most part. More and Hull, especially, are appropriately amusing, and Jane provides some serious eye candy, endearing sassiness and charm, whatever her deficiencies in acting might be. See it at YouTube.
A proper British gentleman named Jonathan Tibbs (Kenneth More) attempts to improve the fortunes of his uncle's (Robert Morley) London gun company is to sell their supplies in the Wild West such as his large rifles and small Derringer pistol . Tibbs traveling in the American West , when inadvertently takes place an Indian attack on the stagecoach in which he is a humble passenger (along with comical Brit Sidney James at a brief appearance) . Later on , the stagecoach gets to the nearest little town , as he arrives in troublesome Fractured Jaw which is being plagued by outlaws (William Campbell) and band wars . He then is appointed sheriff by Mayor Masters (Henry Hull) of the raucous town . A series of misunderstandings give him the completely fake reputation of being a skill gunfighter and he is inveigled into becoming a botcher sheriff . Meantime , two trigger-happy local ranchers (Bruce Cabot) squaring up against each other, along with unruly cowboys , villains and marauding Indians . It's as well he is getting advice from gorgeous innkeeper Kate (Jayne Mansfield).Hilarious Western comedy in which Kenneth More as bungler sheriff shows his particular talent ; as he is a London gentleman turned into smooth-talking, fast-on-the-draw gunman . It includes a lot of humor , songs , sprawling , almost primitive action teeming across the screen . A rip-roaring Western/comedy as the conventions of the Wild West are turned upside down . This funny picture is a gag feast , plenty of humor , diverting situations and absurd sketches in Bob Hope style . Amusing and spasmodic comedy with expert comedian British Kenneth More acting in his stereotyped role by relinquishing creative control and concentrating on humor based on confusion and the known formula : ¨fish out water¨ along with nice inventive bits , skilfully combining the entertainment with the amusement . Kenneth More runs away with every cowboy cliché and even arranges to wind up with the girl . Busty as well sultry Jayne Mansfield who ropes the nervous Kenneth More/Jonathan Tibbs into marriage ; sassy and sweetie Jayne Mansfield sings some songs , though her singing voice is dubbed by Connie Francis . Here Jayne Mansfield was 6 weeks pregnant to Mickey Hargitay when production began . Important appearance by Hollywood veteran Henry Hull , as town Mayor and Bruce Cabot : John Ford's usual ; in addition , prestigious Brit secondaries such as Ronald Squire , Sidney James and Robert Morley and uncredited Al Mulock and Steven Berkoff as extra . Lively and adequate musical score by Robert Farnon including catching songs . Colorful as well as evocative cinematography by Otto Heller . The film has a historical interest , deemed to be the first Western shot in Spain in the following locations : Colmenar Viejo , La Pedriza and Manzanares Del Real , where were subsequently filmed lots of Paella and Spaghetti Western in the 60s and 70s . The motion picture produced by Daniel M. Angel was middlingly directed by Raoul Walsh . From his starts in the silent cinema he achieved successful films until the 50s and forward , early 60s , when he was less dominant , but is still stayed lots of lusty adventure , stories of comradeship and friendship , and Raoul Walsh makes the most of plentiful action scenes . Walsh was an expert director of all kind genres but with penchant in Western as ¨Colorado territory¨ , ¨They died with their boots on¨, ¨Along the great divide¨, ¨Saskatchewan¨, ¨King and four queens¨ , ¨A distant trumpet¨ ; Adventure as ¨Thief of Bagdad¨, ¨Captain Horatio Hornblower¨, ¨World in his hands¨, ¨Blackbeard the pirate¨ , ¨Sea devils¨ ; Warlike as ¨Objetive Burma¨ , ¨Northern pursuit¨, ¨Marines let's go¨ ; and Noir film as ¨White heat¨, ¨High Sierra¨, ¨They drive by night¨, ¨The roaring twenties¨. And this acceptable ¨The sheriff of fractured jaw¨, rating : 5,5/10 ; fairly straightforward movie and passable Western comedy . This average Western film makes it of the lesser interesting of Raoul Walsh genre entries.
I just loved this film. Kenneth Moore was inspired as the English gentleman buffoon. When you get that 'innocent abroad' persona - for example with Ali G in America; with 'The Idiot Abroad' etc, it's a brilliant tool for cutting through prevailing cultural norms, even if they are for example, whether it's etiquette to shoot first and speak later, or better to proffer a nice cup of tea. When he 'disarms' the injuns at the start of the film it's beautifully done and dead funny.Jayne Mansfield is like a cartoon character, full blown - in a not quite 'Marilyn' way - and a reasonable foil for our Ken. Even her '50s starlet soon to be housewife' style of singing, (check out 'The Valley Of Love'), seemingly so inappropriate in a rough, tough saloon owner/ music hall glamour girl, fits in so neatly. The whole thing is a pastiche of the age - the 'civilized' 50s making sense of a wild, wild world, with a boy meets girl bottom line.Like I said - brilliant! Oh and English classic comedian Syd James has a cameo role, so even better.
Two stars for Ms Mansfield's obvious charms (oh for 3D!).More was (and knew he was) an actor of limited range, essentially he played himself and did it well. His early work in the "Doctor" films is pleasing and his skillful creation of Douglas Bader in "Reach for The Sky" made the man a lot more charming than he REALLY was.He was in effect, to the 1950's what Hugh Grant was to the 1990's: a soft spoken inoffensive Englishman, well bred and thrust into situations where his good breeding kept him afloat.In this "Western" he is the scion of a British gunmaker sent to the Wild West to sell the companies wares. Let's be frank, More was TOO OLD for the part, although trim and dark haired he was clearly middle aged and the "Hugh Grant schtick" of youth and lack of worldly experience looks foolish.Ms Mansfield looks decorative and the cinch waisted outfits certainly display her "talents" - sadly her acting is mostly wooden and distracted and the lack of chemistry between the leads is obvious.The distraction of seeing so many British actors mugging, and mangling their vowels to sound American just reinforces my opinion that this is a dud and should be shelved next to "Space Mutiny" (see elsewhere)