Kirk Douglas is Handsome Harry Holland, who rides into Bell City, wins a poker jackpot from a spoiled rich kid named Reggie Bell, then heads to the bank to cash in his I-owe-you.
It’s at that point that the good folks in Bell City realize who’s headed to their bank. You see, Handsome Harry is a notorious outlaw from days gone by.
They order him not to enter the bank. Not only does Harry enter, he fetches his winnings at gunpoint, the same way he used to rob banks of money he wasn’t owed.
When he exits, a gunfight ensues; the marshal is wounded and dies.
The next thing you know, Handsome Harry is holed up in a hotel room with a pretty actress named Bess (Alexandra Bastedo) as a hostage and the townsfolk have sent for legendary lawman Sam Starrett (James Coburn) to lure him out into the open.
What they don’t know is that Starrett is no longer a legendary lawman. He’s a drunk, and he’s not eager to take on an old-timer like himself just to put on a show for the good folks of Bell City.
Of course, the hanging judge who rides into town might change his mind about that.
Review:
Delightful little film that doesn’t take itself too seriously and features soldi performances from two longtime stars of the genre.
Derek McGrath plays the spoiled brat who starts all the trouble with Handsome Harry; Graham Jarvis is the deputy too afraid to take on Harry himself, so he heads off to fetch Sam.
On of the funniest scenes finds Harry passed out drunk, but encouraged to show his face so Handsome Harry knows townsfolk are telling the truth about the lawman’s arrival in town.
The deputy props Starrett up, bed and all, so he can peek out the hotel room window.
Director Stern and company serve up a neat ending too, though it has been used before.
Directed by:
Steven Stern
Cast:
Kirk Douglas … Handsome Harry Holland
James Coburn … Sam Starrett
Alexandra Bastedo … Bess
Graham Jarvis … Deputy Blodgett
Derek McGrath … Reggie Bell
Jason Michas … Moses
Len Birman … Ephriam
Maurice Brand … Mr. Gibson
Graham McPherson … Eugene Lippert
Vladimir Valenta … Mordecai Hurwitz
Linda Sorensen … Teresa
Gerard Parkes … Circuit Judge Fawcett
Richard Donat … Sheriff Harmon
Frank Adamson … Lenny
Stuart Gillard … Doctor West
Miles Vasey … Charlie Tucker
Runtime: 98 min.
Memorable lines:
Handsome Harry Holland: “Yeah, I done a few things way back that would win no church prizes. But I paid for it, sheriff. In jail, 15 years.”
Mayor: “What was that shooting?
Eugene Lippert, after trying to convince Harry to turn himself in: “It’s just his way of putting periods to his sentences.”
Sam Starrett: “Did you have to kill the sheriff?”
Handsome Harry Holland: “Habit.”
){kind=link}