There are so many wonderful moments in this gloriously silly movie, that it would be impossible to mention more than a few. Hope's timing, the verbal and sight gags combined, a fairly bawdy undercurrent,involving Painless Potter's unsuccessful attempts to bed his new bride, and probably the funniest parody of the classic showdown ever filmed, add up to a very entertaining movie.
Some of the most priceless moments go by very quickly, and may not be obvious at first. Painless Potter is smilingly massaging the bald head of a tough dental patient, and they both begin chuckling uncontrollably, due to a leak in the laughing gas machine. Painless Potter is shaving outdoors, with a small mirror hung from a tree branch. An arrow whizzes by, and he remarks that he must be shaving too close. A very obvious man ,trying to conceal himself behind a bush, comes closer, and Potter remarks with a sort of deadpan whimsy, " Must be a Virginia Creeper." When another arrow nearly hits him, he examines it curiously, and muses aloud on who it is that shoots arrows. He lists the possibilities, including Cupid and William Tell, before shrieking " Indians!" and running for the blockhouse. When he tries to get wife Jane to let him in, he hollers, " Help, help, there's a million Indians out here against one coward!"
Viewers who can let themselves get immersed in the wisecracks and sight gags, along with just about every western cliché you can think of, will have a good laugh with this delightful film.
And, the scene where Painless Potter serenades his sleepy wife with a concertina, singing " Buttons and Bows", as their covered wagon moves slowly along the trail, is absolutely charming. There's something very tender about the way the naive husband sings the funny little song to his drowsy bride.
Some of the most priceless moments go by very quickly, and may not be obvious at first. Painless Potter is smilingly massaging the bald head of a tough dental patient, and they both begin chuckling uncontrollably, due to a leak in the laughing gas machine. Painless Potter is shaving outdoors, with a small mirror hung from a tree branch. An arrow whizzes by, and he remarks that he must be shaving too close. A very obvious man ,trying to conceal himself behind a bush, comes closer, and Potter remarks with a sort of deadpan whimsy, " Must be a Virginia Creeper." When another arrow nearly hits him, he examines it curiously, and muses aloud on who it is that shoots arrows. He lists the possibilities, including Cupid and William Tell, before shrieking " Indians!" and running for the blockhouse. When he tries to get wife Jane to let him in, he hollers, " Help, help, there's a million Indians out here against one coward!"
Viewers who can let themselves get immersed in the wisecracks and sight gags, along with just about every western cliché you can think of, will have a good laugh with this delightful film.
And, the scene where Painless Potter serenades his sleepy wife with a concertina, singing " Buttons and Bows", as their covered wagon moves slowly along the trail, is absolutely charming. There's something very tender about the way the naive husband sings the funny little song to his drowsy bride.