Brian Keith is John McCanless, an aging man living on what remains of a cattle empire his father built out West and losing his touch with reality.
He shoots at imaginary Apaches. When he goes to town, he rides his horse right into shops. He practices his six-gun skills by shooting a mirror.
But he’s clear-minded about one thing. He is determined not to relinquish his land to developers planning to build a large dam in the area.
Problem is, there’s a 40-day note coming due on his land. And he has no way to pay the mortgage.
So he decides to head out on a cattle drive with his new caretaker Paco (Alfonso Arau). The sale of his herd will certainly save the ranch, he insists.
His herd consists of one cow, bearing at least a half dozen brands on its side.
In pursuit of the old coot is fretting daughter Amanda (Michele Carey) and her wanna-be beau Jimmy Whittaker (Rick Lenz).
Whittaker happens to be the son of Barton Whittaker (Simon Oakland), the man behind the Four Rivers Dam project.
He wouldn’t mind seeing his father on the short end of a deal for a change. And he comes to admire Scandalous John.
All parties wind up meeting in the Old West tourist town of Warbag, with Scandalous John determined to ether outwit or outshoot his arch enemy.
Brian Keith as Scandalous John, determined to hold onto the last piece of his ranch in Scandalous John (1969)
Alfonso Arau as Paco, learning to relish his new job as John McCanless’s ranch hand in Scandalous John (1969)
Review:
The Don Quixote story heads West with the help of spirited performances by Brian Keith and his new partner Alfonso Arau.
Keith could be a complete bore in his Westerns. See 1958’s “Sierra Baron” as Exhibit A or 1965’s “The Hallelujah Trail as Exhibit B.
But he clearly relished this role. At one point, he charges down a hill to accost five bikers he’s sure are terrorizing a damsel in distress.
The bikers turn out to be her customers. The damsel in distress is furious that he’s lassoed down part of her business.
But Scandalous John rides off thinking he’s been the hero.
Michele Carey is on hand to provide a touch of beauty to the proceedings. Viewers will also spot John Ritter in one of his first screen appearances.
He plays one of Barton Whittaker’s assistants. It’s a small role, but has a big impact on the film’s climax.
Michele Carey as Amanda McCanless, Scandalous John’s granddaughter in Scandalous John (1969)
Rick Lenz as Jimmy Whittaker, learning John McCanless isn’t easy to deal with in Scandalous John (1969)
Directed by:
Robert Butler
Cast:
Brian Keith … John McCanless
Alfonso Arau … Paco, aka Francisco Torres Martinez
Michele Carey … Amanda McCanless
Rick Lenz … Jimmy Whittaker
Harry Morgan … Sheriff Pippin
Simon Oakland … Barton Whittaker
Bill Williams … Sheriff Hart
Christopher Dark … Card dealer
Fran Ryan … Farm woman
Bruce Glover … Sludge
Richard Hale … Old Indian
Jimmy Lydon … Grotch
John Ritter … Wendell
Iris Adrian … Mavis
Larry D. Mann … Bartender
Jack Raine … Switchman
Booth Colman … Gov. Murray
Edward Faulkner .. Hillary
Bill Zuckert … Abernathy
John Zaremba … Wales
Robert Padilla … Paco’s cousin
Alex Tinne … Clerk
Benny Baker … Dr. Kropak
Paul Koslo … Pipes
Runtime: 113 min.
Simon Oakland as Barton Whittaker, shocked by his son’s change of heart regarding the dam project in Scandalous John (1969)
Harry Morgan as Sheriff Pippin, trying to keep Scandalous John in line in Scandalous John (1969)
Memorable lines:
Scandalous John: “I ain’t gonna let nobody whittle me down to where I’m gonna spook at my own spit.”
Amanda McCanless, when Jimmy Whittaker says her grandfather has flipped out: “Flipped out? What’s that? City lingo? Smart talk for a man who loves the West and gets confused when he’s lonely? He married her when he was 15. You might flip out too if you lost somebody you love. What’s supposed to happen to him if he loses this ranch too?”
Amanda McCanless, when Jimmy Whittaker suggests she show her gratitude in a bedroom: “Well I don’t know if I should shoot you full of holes or just run you off the place.”
Scandalous John to Paco: “Just between you and me, it don’t hurt none to let ’em think you’re a smidge out of your head. Then they stay out of your way.”
Scandalous John: “Everybody’s got a Blackjack in his life.”
Amanda McCanless of Scandalous John: “When I was a little girl, his imagination was the best toy I had. He used to tell me all kinds of stories. A lot of them were true too.”
John Ritter as Wendell, one of Barton Whittaker’s assistants in Scandalous John (1969)
Alfonso Arau as Paco and Brian Keith as Scandalous John order whiskey in the Old West tourist town in Scandalous John (1969)
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