Waterhole #3 (1967)

I had never heard of this until a few days ago (usually not a good sign) and found it on Encore Westerns the same week (also usually not a good sign). But it had Coburn, O'Connor, and Akins in it so I was thinking for the best. I briefly read the summary and that it was a comedy or at least kind of light hearted western so I went in to get a uplifting feel from it. I also looked at Coburn's filmography and this was released in between his Flint sequel, In Like Flint, and one of my favorite Coburn films The President's Analyst, so hey it's 1957 and it's Coburn at his peak right? THEN, I started watching this and the credits say Blake Edwards! Oh wow this is a sure thing! And Roger Miller is singing? Oh wow! Well Edwards only produced it which mean he watched the money, he didn't make it. And Roger Miller is singing way too long so thats not too good, he sounds like he's been on hard times, hard livin times. Anyway It's OK I guess but it's not really humorous or exciting. But it was OK to watch but that ending is stupid beyond belief for a film that really isn't outrageous before. I'd say watch only for a Coburn, O'Connor, or Akins completest's. I think they killed off the best character, Harry Davis, way too early at the start to make it half way interesting. And of course Timothy Carey is playing an unstable guy but really not used to great effect like he could have been. And I'm sure most of the reviews are talking about rape and I totally agree, the women in the audience must have been revolted. I mean I was and I'm a man. 6 of 10 and that's being generous. Film has little going for it outside of curiosity.

If you ever want to see a film that has hilarity throughout the entire film, then you've got to see this one. "Waterhole # 3" is one of the best western comedies ever made as it has nearly all the classic clichés written into it. It is the Code of the West which makes this film flow from beginning to end. It says, do onto others, before they do it onto you. When the producers selected the actors for this film, they struck gold. Herein we have handsome, broad smiling and ever so crafty James Coburn as Lewton Cole. He's a gambler who learns of a shipment of Gold hidden somewhere near a watering hole and all he has to do is outwit, the outlaws who have it, the Army who wants it back and the lawmen who get in his way. Carroll O'Connor plays Sheriff John H. Copperud, a law officer who believes when it comes to rape, 'a man picks his fruit from the nearest tree.' Claude Akins is MSgt. Henry J. Foggers, who trades his career for a chance to be rich. Bruce Dern plays Deputy Samuel P. Tippen. James Whitmore plays 30 year Capt. Shipley and Roy Jenson is superb as dangerous Doc Quinlen. ****

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. And Coburn as Lewton Cole: perfect, another of his great sly characters.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 male violence 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. That's sure how we took it. 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

Produced by Blake Edwards' company, Geoffrey Productions, "Waterhole #3" shows the hand of Edwards in its nod-and-a-wink approach to sex. Although it could never be made today, because of our PC environment and the film's loose treatment of (maybe) rape and casual sex, this film nevertheless stands the test of time because of a fine cast, a good soundtrack and a witty script. The only negative comment I can make concerns the atrocious continuity and editing mistakes. They really hurt an otherwise funny film. One of James Coburn's best.