Waterhole #3 (1967)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

William A. Graham

Writers:

Joseph T. Steck (writer) and
Robert R. Young (writer)

Release Date:

17 November 1967 (Finland)

Genre:

Comedy | Western

Tagline:

This is the West as it really was. ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS!

Plot Keywords:

Campfire | Derringer | Crooked Sheriff | Flower | Gunfight

Cast

James Coburn	...	Lewton Cole
Carroll O'Connor	...	Sheriff John H. Copperud
Margaret Blye	...	Billee Copperud
Claude Akins	...	MSgt. Henry J. Foggers
Timothy Carey	...	Hilb
Bruce Dern	...	Deputy Samuel P. Tippen
Joan Blondell	...	Lavinia
James Whitmore	...	Capt. Shipley
Harry Davis	...	Ben
Roy Jenson	...	Doc Quinlen
Robert Cornthwaite	...	Clerk (George)
Jim Boles	...	Cpl. Blyth
Steve Whittaker	...	Soldier #1
Ted Markland	...	Soldier #2
Rupert Crosse	...	Prince
Jay Ose	...	Bartender
Robert 'Buzz' Henry	...	Cowpoke (as Buzz Henry)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Roger Miller	...	Narrator (voice) (uncredited)

Directed by
William A. Graham		(as William Graham)

Writing credits
Joseph T. Steck		(writer) and
Robert R. Young		(writer) (as R.R. Young)

Produced by
Owen Crump	....	executive producer
Joseph T. Steck	....	producer
Ken Wales	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Dave Grusin

Cinematography by
Robert Burks

Film Editing by
Warren Low

Production Design by
Fernando Carrere

Set Decoration by
Reg Allen
Jack Stevens

Costume Design by
Jack Bear

Makeup Department
Emile LaVigne	....	makeup artist
Nellie Manley	....	hair stylist
Wally Westmore	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Clem Beauchamp	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Daniel McCauley	....	assistant director (as Daniel J. McCauley)

Art Department
Gene Lauritzen	....	construction coordinator (uncredited)

Sound Department
Joe Edmondson	....	sound recordist
Charles Grenzbach	....	sound recordist

Special Effects by
Paul K. Lerpae	....	special effects

Stunts
Robert 'Buzz' Henry	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Farciot Edouart	....	process photographer

Other crew
Robert 'Buzz' Henry	....	special action sequence (as Buzz Henry)

Production Companies

• Geoffrey Productions Inc.

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1967) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1971) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Paramount Home Video (1995) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Paramount Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• Paramount Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Waterhole No. 3
Waterhole Three (UK)

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Sweden:11 | USA:Approved | UK:15 (re-rating) (1988) | UK:AA (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, California, USA

Company:

Geoffrey Productions Inc.

Trivia:

Excluding action during the credits, this film features approximately 665 shots in 5560 seconds - an Average Shot Length (ASL) of about 8.4 seconds.

Quotes:

Narrator: The code of the west says do unto others... do unto others before they do it unto you.

a cult classic

Well, at least a cult of my friends, who saw this movie at least a dozen times at the drive-in during 1967-68, and learned the dialogue by heart. I finally got a copy of the film (and the soundtrack) about 10 years ago, have viewed it a few times since, and it is still to me one of the great overlooked comedies and westerns. Not comedy-western, which was so overdone in the 60's, but it stands tall in both genres. And it is the film that I watched when I heard of Carroll O'Connor's death. He is nothing short of wonderful in this pre-Archie role.

Yes, "Waterhole #3" is sexist and cynical, and also hilarious and a bold statement of the true "Code of the West," its theme that is brilliantly told by the troubadour, Roger Miller, in song and narration. It can be rightly accused of misogyny, because it dares to show and lampoon the attitudes of the macho old west toward women and not just the pseudo-heroic violence toward each other that was the narrow theme of countless western films. Put in the context of 1967 and the radical changes being ushered in in terms of sexual identities and expressions, I think this film was, if anything, progressive in its provocation. And its cynicism about greed and self-interest was a warning and not an anti-heroic celebration.

But the main thing is that it's a great comedy, with an outstanding ensemble of dramatic character actors dipping their toes in comedic waters to great result: James Whitmore, Tim Carey, Claude Akin, Joan Blondell, and Bruce Dern ("Sure left us bare, ain't that right, John?")

From a true cultist: 10 out of 10