User Reviews

Alberto De Martino's "Terrible Sheriff" is far from terrible. In fact, this Spaghetti western comedy of errors about two clearly clueless cowboys is at times downright hilarious. The movie opens with these two hoodwinking black railroad laborers. Remember this movie came out before it was a sin to blacken your face like a minstrel. As slick as the brothers think they, they're going to be suckered when they ride into Golden City with their pockets bulging with bucks. Sure, this is one silly saga and everybody looks like amateurs. Nevertheless, no matter how weird things get-wait until you see the hotel proprietor-the story is pretty grim. The mayor of Golden City has hired Black Boy-that is the name of the character- to buy up as much land as he can for him. Somehow, the mayor knows more than anybody else that beneath the surface of the soil lurks oil. Our two heroes ride smack into him on their way to Golden City. They catch him off guard after he has shot Black Boy in the back. This villain is gutter trash! They are taken advantage of in the local saloon by the rigged games of chance. Mind you, this comedy came out before Sergio Leone made "A Fistful of Dollars" and before Terence Hill and Bud Spencer became famous in the "Trinity" movies. Some of the violence is appalling but because it is done for laughs, it will throw you a loop. The humor ranges from broad slapstick to outlandish crazy. The highlight of "Terrible Sheriff" is a showdown on Main Street between the brothers Bullivan and two hardcase ruffians. Before they get to slapping leather with these gimlet-eyed jaspers, our heroes appropriate long-handled shovels and break off the handles. Basically, what remains is the metal part of the shovel. When the gunfight commences with the bad guys blasting away at the brothers, our guy wield the shovels like tennis rackets and send the bullets whistling back at them. Finally, when the gun smoke lifts, the villains enter the saloon to slake their thirst. The guzzle beer and moments later the suds spout from the bullet holes in their chests. Insane! Mel Brooks would love this western. Again "Terrible Sheriff" appeared before Spaghetti westerns started raising dust in the box office and well before the Spaghetti westerns started parodying themselves with the "Trinity" comedies.