How to Frame a Figg (1971)

Director:

Alan Rafkin

Writers:

Don Knotts (story)
Edward Montagne (story)

Release Date:

February 1971 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Runaway hilarity when Don Knotts runs down City Hall...in search of the buried secrets of a gang of crooked politicians the movie the entire family will enjoy!

Plot:

Don Knotts is Hollis Figg, the dumbest bookkeeper in town. When the city fathers buy a second-hand computer to cover up their financial shenanigans...

Plot Keywords:

Character Name In Title

Cast

Don Knotts	...	Hollis Alexander Figg
Joe Flynn	...	Kermit Sanderson
Edward Andrews	...	Mayor Robert Chisholm
Elaine Joyce	...	Ema Letha Kusic
Yvonne Craig	...	Glorianna Hastings
Frank Welker	...	Prentiss Gates
Parker Fennelly	...	Old Charley Spaulding
Bill Zuckert	...	Commissioner Henderson
Pitt Herbert	...	Dr. Schmidt
Robert P. Lieb	...	Commissioner Hayes
Bob Hastings	...	Chris Groat
Bruce Kirby	...	Dale Groat
Stuart Nisbet	...	Gentry Groat
James Millhollin	...	Funeral director
Fay DeWitt	...	Grace

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

USA:G

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

The computer sound from the movie was reused numerous times in Universal's "Six Million Dollar Man" series, whenever Steve Austin faced an angry robot.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: For the final sequence, the Sheraton-Universal Hotel was redressed to be the Hotel Rio Brasil. However, they forgot to remove the big doormat with the Sheraton logo on it at the hotel entrance. It can be clearly seen as Knotts walks in.

Quotes:

Hollis Alexander Figg: [looks around the apartment] How do you do all this on your salary?
Glorianna Hastings: Uh, well, blue-chip stamps.

This movie was painful to watch

I loved all the other Don Knotts movies, but I never heard much about "How To Frame A Fig" and now I know why: I can't think of anyone who would find it enjoyable. This movie seems to appeal to 9 or 10 year olds, but even most of them would give this a thumbs down. At best there are brief moments of mild amusement, mostly from Don Knotts playing the same nervous, underdog persona that made him famous.

After the movie finally finished I was curious if my teenager could pick up on this movie's fatal flaw. We were in complete agreement: the Prentiss Gates sidekick character was even dumber than the Don Knotts character.

Be happy that Mr. Limpet, Reluctant Astronaut, Shakiest Gun and Mr. Chicken movies are around to enjoy.