Calendar - a dull town until Sheriff McCullough took over.

Starring: James Garner, Joan Hackett, Walter Brennan, Harry Morgan, Jack Elam, Henry Jones, Bruce Dern, Wilis Bouchey, Kathleen Freeman, Walter Burke, Chubby Johnson, Gene Evans, Dick Peabody

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"It's bad enough to have to kill a man without having to listen to a whole lot of stupid talk from him first." - Sheriff Jason McCullough

Why watch this? Western comedies (cow-coms?!) were a thing. This is one of the best.

Plot Summary: Dressed-in-black gunman, Jason McCullough strolls into a lawless gold town. He witnesses a murder over poker by bully Joe Danby and humiliates the ruffian. Joe is the son of Pa Danby, the meanest rancher around. Before you can say "Fetch the law!", Jason is appointed new sheriff by the town's cowardly, conniving city council. His first official act: throw Joe into jail, even if the brick structure has yet to get its bars installed.

Dad's Preview: This comedy parodies the many Western tropes of the day - the lone gunfighter who reluctantly becomes the sheriff, tames the town, and woos the only decent girl around. James Garner expertly walks the thin line between tough and funny, and he wields his dry sense of humor like a loaded six-shooter. The supporting cast is excellent with such noted character actors as Walter Brennan, Harry Morgan, and the unforgettable Jack Elam. This film is very funny without becoming a farce. It stays smart, and that sets it apart. 

William Bowers, Bill Finnegan; United Artists