Rex O’Herlihan (Tom Berenger) is a cowboy straight out of a 1940s singing Western, wearing a white shirt, carrying a guitar, riding a steed named Wildfire and refusing to shoot the bad guys anywhere but in the hand.
He arrives in the town of Oakwood Estates, where a cattle king named Col. Ticonderoga (Andy Griffith) and a railroad tycoon (Fernando Rey) are trying to clear out the local sheepherders.
The bag guys don’t stand a chance against O’Herlihan until they decide to try something unorthodox, bringing in their own good guy (Patrick Wayne as Bob Barber).
Review:
Surprisingly effective comedy Western, featuring Berenger in his second Western. He starred as Butch Cassidy in 1979’s “Butch and Sundance: The Early Days.”
The film was the first for Wilson after he scored a box office hit with “Police Academy” (1984). And while it’s a send-up of Hollywood’s singing cowboy films, it was shot in Spain, including some scenes in Almeria, the area that spawned so many Spaghetti Westerns.
Watch for a young Sela Ward as the ranch owner’s daughter. Female lead Marilu Henner received a Golden Raspberry nomination for her role in this film and 1985’s “Perfect,” but lost that dubious honor to Brigitte Nielsen (“Rocky IV”).
Directed by:
Hugh Wilson
Cast:
Tom Berenger … Rex O’Herlihan
Patrick Wayne … Bob Barber
G.W. Bailey … Peter
Marilu Henner … Miss Tracy
Andy Griffith … Col. Ticonderoga
Fernando Rey … Railroad man
Sela Ward … Colonel’s daughter
Christopher Malcolm … Jud
Jim Carter … Blackie
Billy J. Mitchell … Doctor
John Orchard … Sheriff
Brant Van Hoffman … Jim
Runtime: 88 min.
Memorable lines:
Rex O’Herlihan: “Give me a tall glass of warm gin with a human hair in it.”
Rex O’Herlihan: “This is 1884. You’ve gotta date and date and date and date and sometimes marry ’em even before… you know…”
Peter: “Now, wait a minute. Are you tellin’ me you’ve never…?”
Rex O’Herlihan: “Never.”
Peter: “My god, Rex. You are a good guy.”
Bob Barber: “Ever faced another good guy before?”
Rex O’Herlihan: “Nope.”
Bob Barber: “Me neither.”
Rex O’Herlihan: “Kinda makes you wonder what’ll happen.”
Bob Barber: “I figure the good guy’ll win, just like always.”
Rex O’Herlihan: “Yeah, except we’re both good guys.”
Bob Barber: “Then I figure the most good good guy will win.”
Rex O’Herlihan: “That’s how I figure, too.”
Bob Barber: “Yep.”
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