Why so much hype?

Blistering performances.

Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

"Cat Ballou" meets "The Sting," though not as good as either. Zero Mostel leads a group of con artists scheming to rob a high security bank. It's a pretty standard comic heist story, except that it's set in the old west. The main charm of the film is the cast, led by Mostel and Kim Novak, but which also includes Clint Walker, Claude Akins, Larry Storch, Sam Jaffe, Mako, and Elisha Cook Jr. The film also features a peppy score by Nelson Riddle, but overall, it's pretty inconsequential fluff that I may have enjoyed more than most because of my affection for Kim Novak.

There are far better comic westerns out there: The Paleface Movies, Cat Ballou, Destry Rides Again, McClintock!, Support Your Local Sheriff/Gunfighter. That being said, why watch this one? It's the cast: Zero Mostel, Clint Walker, Claude Akins, Mako, Larry Storch, Sam Jaffe, and Kim Novak, who in my estimation,was such a gorgeous woman, rivaling even the likes of Marilyn Monroe. The plot seems very familiar and very unoriginal : Several groups of robbers attempt to rob an "impenetrable" Western bank in a little town called "Friendly". There is underground tunneling into the vault, dynamite, and even Kim riding "Lady Godiva style" to distract the bank guards. They had to use large daises to hide her "ass-sets"(and front-sets)! Zero plays a corrupt Christian minister with "Sister" Novak as his sidekick and companion. Typical stunts with a typical Western wood-burning locomotive, some typical shootouts where people die (but only the bad guys or extras), and there is no visible "blood on the saddle". Zero sings a totally annoying and cloying song called "Rainbow Rider" while the Mitchell Boys Choir croons. That song, sadly, is hard to get out of your head. Acceptable, good-natured performances by all, but a cliché-ridden script. Yes,you HAVE seen it all before. The ending is sweet as Kim "falls" for Clint as she bails out of the hot air balloon and Zero & Co. literally float off into the sunset with the loot. Larry Storch plays his funny stereotypical "Mexican" that sounds like Speedy Gonzales. The ending mood is is marred by a last minute gunfight where "bad guy" Akins bites the dust. Fun but very light entertainment to be sure and it was a "bomb" at the box office. As I said, rated high for it's cast, not it's content.

Two rival gangs compete with each other to rob a fortune in gold from a small town bank. It's up clever lawman Ranger Ben Quick (the excellent Clink Walker) to thwart their plans. Director Hy Averback, working from a witty script by William Peter Blatty, relates the funny story at a snappy pace, does a good job of creating and sustaining an amiable lighthearted tone, stages the shoot-outs with real aplomb, and adroitly mines the sharp sense of brash'n'n'broad humor for plenty of belly laughs (the madcap climax in particular is a complete riot). The bang-up cast of familiar faces have an absolute ball with the wacky material: Zero Mostel as shrewd bogus priest Reverend Pious Blue, Kim Novak as the lovely and sassy Sister Lyda Kebanov, Akim Tamiroff as scruffy bandito gang leader Papa, Larry Storch as the dim-witted Juan, Claude Akins as formidable outlaw Slade, Sam Jaffe as the fussy Brother Lilac Bailey, Mako as the crafty Secret Agent Fong, John Anderson as the wily and corrupt Mayor Kincaid, Elisha Cook Jr. as Slade's antsy, but loyal partner Jeb, and John Fiedler as impish explosives expert Brother Dismas Ostracorn. As a nice added plus, Mostel heartily belts out the catchy song "Rainbow Rider" and Novak looks positively ravishing throughout (Kim's eye-popping Lady Godiva bit is especially memorable). Fred J. Koenekamp's lush widescreen cinematography makes neat use of fades and dissolves. Nelson Riddle's spirited score hits the stirring spot. An enormously entertaining romp.

By 1969, Zero Mostel had finally achieved some Hollywood recognition. After a fine performance in A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM and an even better one in THE PRODUCERS, I suppose Warner Brothers figured Mostel had a charmed film career. Well, after back to back disasters like THE GREAT BANK ROBBERY and GREAT CATHERINE, I don't believe Mostel ever had another starring role. Actually, Mostel comes off better than most of the cast. t this point in her career, Kim Novak was apparently reduced to displaying lots of cleavage (as does Ruth Warrick), and she and everyone else overacts pretty horribly. This is especially surprising with as talented a comedy director as Hy Averback (I LOVE LUCY) atthe helm. Actually, the only cast members left standing with much of their dignity are Elisha Cook, Jr. and Clint Walker. Especially terrible are Larry Storch and Claude Akins. Today, the drug usage gags would probably get this movie a PG-13 or an R. As it is, they are no funnier than the rest of the movie. Oh well, the cinematography is pretty...