The Paleface (1948)

Calamity Jane is despatched to find out who's smuggling rifles to the Indians, and winds up married to a hapless correspondence school dentist as part of her cover.

Director:

Norman Z. McLeod

Writers:

Edmund L. Hartmann (original screenplay) (as Edmund Hartmann), Frank Tashlin (original screenplay)

Stars:

Bob Hope, Jane Russell, Robert Armstrong

Won 1 Oscar. Another 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Bob Hope	...	'Painless' Peter Potter
Jane Russell	...	Calamity Jane
Robert Armstrong	...	Terris
Iris Adrian	...	Pepper
Bobby Watson	...	Toby Preston (as Robert Watson)
Jackie Searl	...	Jasper Martin (as Jack Searl)
Joseph Vitale	...	Indian Scout
Charles Trowbridge	...	Gov. Johnson
Clem Bevans	...	Hank Billings
Jeff York	...	Big Joe
Stanley Andrews	...	Commissioner Emerson
Wade Crosby	...	Jeb
Chief Yowlachie	...	Chief Yellow Feather
Iron Eyes Cody	...	Chief Iron Eyes
John Maxwell	...	Village gossip

Storyline

Someone is selling guns to the Indians and in order to find the culprit Calamity Jane and a secret agent go undercover posing as man and wife. When the agent is killed Jane recruits a new husband -- none other than innocent dupe "Painless" Peter Potter, a totally inept dentist and confirmed coward who's main goal is to leave the barbaric west far behind. When their wagon train is attacked by the Indians it's Jane's sharpshooting that saves the day, but she gives the credit to Potter making him an instant hero to the townspeople and instant target to both the Indians and the gunrunners.

---

Plot Keywords:

comedy of errors | misunderstanding | punched in the face | marriage | horse and wagon | 

---

Taglines:

She can shoot a gun almost as fast as BOB can run !

---

Genres:

Comedy | Family | Western

---

Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 February 1949 (France)

Also Known As:

A sápadt arcú

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Though the story here is fictional, there was a real dentist who called himself 'Painless' - 'Painless Parker'. Edgar Parker was a dentist who struggled to run a street dental business, and so he took his practice on the road. He worked in the 1890s, in the era of 'amusement'. Inspired by P.T. Barnum, he had a horse-drawn office, show girls and buglers. Parker promised that he could extract a rotten tooth painlessly for 50 cents. If the extraction was not painless, he would give the customer $5.00. Parker had a band that he used to attract people to his office. The band also served to distract the patients and to drown out any moans of pain emitted from the patients. Patients were served with a cup of whiskey or a solution of cocaine (called 'hydrocaine'). Parker is said to have legally changed his first name to 'Painless' to avoid charges of false advertising.

---

Goofs

When the gunrunners arrive in the Indian village they are seen to be travelling in a covered-wagon in one shot, and on an open buckboard covered with furs in the next shot.

---

Quotes

Potter: That's Indian country out there!
Calamity Jane: You're not afraid of a few Indians, are you?
Potter: It's not the Indians I'm afraid of. It's their attitudes.

---

Alternate Versions

Remade in 1968 as The Shakiest Gun in the West, starring Don Knotts and Barbara Rhoades.

---

Connections

Featured in AFI's 100 Years... 100 Songs: America's Greatest Music in the Movies (2004)

---

Soundtracks

Buttons and Bows
by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans
Sung by Bob Hope

User Reviews

The Bob Hope experience.

*** out of ****

This is a comedy of endless gags and one-liners. You will either find them funny or you won't. I found most of them funny, so I liked it. The highlight is Bob Hope singing "Buttons and Bows".