Dirty Dingus Magee *** (1970, Frank Sinatra, George Kennedy, Anne Jackson, Jack Elam, Lois Nettleton, John Dehner, Henry Jones, Harry Carey Jnr) – Classic Movie Review 4865

Western expert producer-director Burt Kennedy’s roistering, boisterous 1970 B-movie-style Western finds its star Frank Sinatra enjoying himself in an unusually very broad performance as a dopey outlaw. That would be Dirty Dingus Billy Magee.

With good performers giving good performances and plenty happening in the screenplay by Tom Waldman, Frank Waldman and Joseph Heller, it is all pretty entertaining in its swaggering and uproarious manner in an end-of-era film with an ultra-laid-back atmosphere of carousing and revelry. If Sinatra seems relaxed, everybody conveys they had a good time making it.

George Kennedy as Sheriff Herkimer ‘Hoke’ Birdsill, Anne Jackson as Belle Nops, Lois Nettleton as schoolmarm Prudence Frost, plus old-timers Jack Elam as John Wesley Hardin, John Dehner, Henry Jones, Harry Carey Jnr, Paul Fix, Michele Carey, Donald Barry, Mike Wagner, Marya Christen [Marya Thomas], Terry Wilson, Tom Fadden, Willis Bouchey and Mina Martinez, all have the authentic Western touch.

The economical screenplay, all tied up in 90 minutes, is based on the novel The Ballad of Dirty Dingus Magee by David Markson.

Other assets are Harry Stradling Jr’s widescreen cinematography, Jeff Alexander’s score and George Davis Jr’s production designs.

The Best Supporting Actor Oscar-winner for Cool Hand Luke (1967), George Kennedy died on 28 February 2016, aged 91.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 4865

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