THE SHERIFF OF FRACTURED JAW

UK, 1958, 103 minutes, Colour.
Kenneth More, Jayne Mansfield, Henry Hull, Bruce Cabot, Ronald Squire, William Campbell, Sid James, Robert Morley.
Directed by Raoul Walsh.

This is a British western. Kenneth More portrays a young man who wants to improve his uncle’s company’s sales, especially of guns, by going to the west. On a stagecoach, he gains the reputation for holding off an Indian attack. He is then reputed to be a quick on the draw cowboy and is nominated as the sheriff of Fractured Jaw. He survives a whole lot of comic adventures, aided by the advice of the glamorous Jayne Mansfield.

The cast includes a mixture of veterans from Hollywood westerns like Bruce Cabot and Henry Hull along with some British in the supporting cast, including Sid James as a drunk.

The film was directed by Raoul Walsh who had begun his career in the second decade of the 20th century, had directed all during the silent era, made a big impact with The Big Trail and other action adventures in the 1930s and continued during the 1940s and 50s to direct a wide range of popular films.

1. How entertaining a comedy Western? The title and its significance, the irony of the name?

2. The film was British. A British look at the West and its conventions? Parody and satire? What were the main conventions of the Western used, how well? The Sheriff, Indians, the Ranchers and the ranch war? Shootouts? The saloon and the lady of the saloon, romance?

3. The quality of the photography, colour, Western acts and locations, music?

4. How credible was the plot? Was this important? The humour and satire in the British background, Uncle Lucius and the Firm, Jonathan Tibbs and his selling of guns?

5. The Englishman's look at the West? Comment on Jonathan Tibbo's character, his behaviour in England, in America, his treatment of the West as if it were England? The irony of his success with the Indians, with the town gun-shooters, with the ranchers? Becoming an Indian son? His relationship with Kate and romance? Strengths of character, weaknesses? An ironic hero for this kind of film? How well matched was he by Kate? The conventional saloon owner? Her singing, the, romance? Her helping him at the end?

6. Comment on the villains, the gun-shooters, the men of the West? The presentation of the Indians, being routed by Jonathan Tibbs, grateful to him. coming to his rescue?

7. How well handled were the various episodes, the stage coach, the drinking and shooting, the fight at the end?

9. How humorous was the film in its satire on the West? Any insight into the West?