An extremely successful pilot for a TV series that lasted nearly three seasons, this TV movie is a Western comedy that in spite of its flaws is quite enjoyable. Pete Duel and Brad Murphy are Smith and Jones, incompetent bank robbers and safecrackers who seem to have some sort of humorous angel over their shoulder, trying to make them see right from wrong and giving their initial schemes of safecracking comical twist as they fail to grab the money and run.
The opening sequence deals with the robbery of a safe on a train which they attempt along with their gang to crack on the rocks that lead to a lake below, and bing, bang, boom, the safe is gone, going where, you guessed it, right in the lake. It's a comical moment straight out of a abugs Bunny cartoon, and sure enough, that feeling continues when they are hired by Susan Saint James to protect her bank safe.v but they're gang returns, determined to crack the safe, and Duel and Murphy are there when the attempt results in another road runner/coyote moment.
The plot line is absurd in many aspects, but it is entertaining from start to finish with the lovely Saint James' husky voiced young lady stealing many moments with her naive innocence and Duel and Murphy burlesquing their characters. There's also Forrest Tucker as the easy going local law and in a pointless Cameo, veteran actress Jeanette Nolan as a feisty old lady in the opening scene on the train. She gets one good line, credit in the beginning, and is never seen again. But, there was a lot of fun to be had, and I can see why this was turned into a weekly series. A bouncy musical score helps, and the witty script is a plus.
The opening sequence deals with the robbery of a safe on a train which they attempt along with their gang to crack on the rocks that lead to a lake below, and bing, bang, boom, the safe is gone, going where, you guessed it, right in the lake. It's a comical moment straight out of a abugs Bunny cartoon, and sure enough, that feeling continues when they are hired by Susan Saint James to protect her bank safe.v but they're gang returns, determined to crack the safe, and Duel and Murphy are there when the attempt results in another road runner/coyote moment.
The plot line is absurd in many aspects, but it is entertaining from start to finish with the lovely Saint James' husky voiced young lady stealing many moments with her naive innocence and Duel and Murphy burlesquing their characters. There's also Forrest Tucker as the easy going local law and in a pointless Cameo, veteran actress Jeanette Nolan as a feisty old lady in the opening scene on the train. She gets one good line, credit in the beginning, and is never seen again. But, there was a lot of fun to be had, and I can see why this was turned into a weekly series. A bouncy musical score helps, and the witty script is a plus.
