Sidekicks (1974) - Once Upon a Time in a Western

Larry Hagman is Quince Drew and Louis Gossett Jr. is Jason O’Rourke, two con men trying to turn a buck out West.

In their latest swindle, Quince pretended to own Jason, sold him as a slave for $1,000, then helped him escape so they could split the money.

Then shotgun-toting sheriff’s daughter Prudy Jenkins (Blythe Danner) shows up, convinced Quince and Jason match the description of two bank robbers.

But when she gets them back to her father’s jail, she discovers he’s already jailed the real culprits and they’ve confessed to the crime.

When he marches them off to a court hearing, two strangers show up to break the real banker robbers out of jail to they can help with another job.

They free Quince and Jason instead. And eventually wind up kidnapping the sheriff’s daugther should something go wrong.

Quince smells a chance at even bigger money. There’s a $15,000 reward on the head of Boss (Jack Elam), leader of this outlaw gang.

Jason isn’t so certain they should play along. After all, he’s the one expected to handle the explosives.

And that crazy sherriff’s daughter now has a legitimate reason to want to drag them back to face a hangman’s noose.

Larry Hagman as Quince Drew, in an argument over money with partner Jason O’Rourke in Sidekicks (1974)

Louis Gossett Jr. as Jason O’Rourke, threatening to break his partnership with Quince Drew in Sidekicks (1974)

Review:

Based somewhat on 1971’s “Skin Game,” which also starred Gossett, this is a surprisingly entertaining TV comedy Western.

Blythe Danner is largely responsible thanks to her madcap performance. Even her dad proclaims her “just plain crazy.”

But the cast is also filled with capable veteran Western stars and veteran director Burt Kennedy knew what to do with them.

In one of the better scenes, Elam forces his “gang” to practice the planned bank robbery. It goes badly. And when the dynamite goes off, he’s left hard of hearing.

That means the other gang members have to shout at him in order to be heard. Even when they arrive in town to rob the real bank.

Blythe Danner as Prudy Jenkins, the sheriff’s daughter who would rather hang innocent men than no one at all in Sidekicks (1974)

Harry Morgan as Sheriff Jenkins, wondering why anyone would be interested in romancing his daughter in Sidekicks (1974)

Directed by:
Burt Kennedy

Cast:
Larry Hagman … Quince Drew
Louis Gossett Jr. … Jason O’Rourke
Blythe Danner … Prudy Jenkins
Jack Elam … Boss
Harry Morgan … Sheriff Jenkins
Hal Williams … Max
Gene Evans … Sam
Noah Beery Jr. … Tom
Denver Pyle … Drunk

Runtime: 75 min.

Jack Elam as Boss, handing out instructions for his planned bank robbery in Sidekicks (1974)

Gene Evans as Sam, about to be scolded for helping the wrong prisoners escape jail in Sidekicks (1974)

Memorable lines:

Jason to Quince: “When we decided to team up, you said we’d be a great success because I had the black skin and you had the brains. Well, I know I have the black skin. I’m just waiting for some indication that you’ve got the brains.”

Sheriff to Jason and Quince, about Prudy: “I always wanted a daughter. This is what I got … she’s crazy.”

Boss, when his loss of hearing goes away: “I’ve got my earsight back!”

Quincey, insisting he’s innocent as the sheriff’s daughter hauls him off to jail: “You really wouldn’t want to see two innocent men hung, would you, miss?”
Prudy: “Better than not seeing anyone hung at all.”

Sheriff Jenkins to two prisoners: “Don’t provoke her, boys. She’d like nothing better than an excuse to shoot both your heads off. I mean, she’d really enjoy it. The way other girls like to make fudge.”