Line #44 Film/CarryOnCowboy


1	[[quoteright:343:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ytopc.jpg]]
2	%%
3	->''"I know it's the Wild West, but this is ridiculous!"''.
4	-->-- '''Marshal P. Knutt''' watching a CatFight between Belle, Annie and Dolores.
5
6	''Carry On Cowboy'' is a 1965 film and the eleventh in the ''Film/CarryOn'' series starring Creator/SidJames, Creator/KennethWilliams, Creator/JimDale, Creator/CharlesHawtrey, Creator/JoanSims, and Creator/AngelaDouglas.
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8	It is based on the fictional depictions of TheWildWest, starring Johnny Finger, [[TheTropeKid the Rumpo Kid]] (James), who arrives at Stodge City. After gunning down several innocents, including Sheriff Albert Earp (Creator/JonPertwee), he [[TyrantTakesTheHelm takes over Belle's Place]], previously owned by his current fling, Belle (Sims), and turns it into the LocalHangout for his posse, consisting of Curly (Creator/PeterGilmore), Short (Simon Cain) and later Charlie the bartender (Creator/PercyHerbert) becoming his right-hand man. While many locals are on Rumpo's side, such as greedy undertaker Josh Moses (Creator/DavyKaye), the Mayor, Judge Burke (Williams), and his friends Doc (Creator/PeterButterworth) and Colonel Sam Houston (Creator/SydneyBromley) are horrified at the developments. After failing to get rid of Rumpo themselves, Judge Burke sends for a US Peace Marshal to try and end Rumpo's reign of terror.
9
10	Unfortunately, an Englishman named Marshal P. Knutt (Dale) - a drainage, sanitation and garbage disposal engineer, first class - is mistaken for a marshal, and sent to Stodge City to sort out Rumpo, where along the way he meets Annie Oakley (Douglas), who is on her way to avenge the death of her father, Sheriff Earp. Rumpo begins scheming to kill Marshal, including sending Chief Big Heap (Hawtrey) and his son Little Heap's (Creator/BernardBresslaw) Native American tribe to attack his stagecoach, trying to have him hung and running him over with a herd of horses. HilarityEnsues as Marshal "the marshal" has to struggle to take down Rumpo with the help of Judge Burke and Annie, or die trying.
11
12	----
13	!!Provides examples of:
14	* AccidentalAimingSkills: Sort of invoked with Marshal. When ambushed by Big Heap's tribe, Marshal struggles to fire a double-barrel, but bullets seem to be hitting the warriors. It turns out that Annie Oakley is the one firing bullets inside the carriage with pistols that she stored in one of her suitcases.
15	* AnachronismStew
16	** Marshal's only on business in the USA because he is waiting to discuss the sewage system business in the country, but there weren't any sewage systems in the Wild West, or manhole covers, which he uses in order to talk to Rumpo.
17	** Washington D.C. looks like it's in the current (the 1960s) era.
18	* TheBartender: Charlie, who eventually becomes one of the Rumpo Kid's henchmen. [[spoiler:Then he's shot dead three times by accident through Annie Oakley's Rumpo trap.]]
19	* BeautyEqualsGoodness: When Rumpo overhears Belle talking about Annie Oakley's constant questioning over Earp's death, he immediately marches towards her room, snapping that he hates when "women ask awkward questions", and claims that he'll "have her out on her fat" bottom. But the moment he walks in, his mind immediately changes when he discovers that this Annie Oakley is young and attractive (and naked in her bubble bath).
20	* BerserkButton: Marshal accidentally shoots Big Heap's bottle of whiskey, the Chief makes his tribe retreat from the battle in anger.
21	* BewareTheNiceOnes: Annie Oakley is a sweet young girl... who has come to Stodge City to avenge the death of her father, Sheriff Earp, by any means necessary.
22	* BigGuyLittleGuy: Little Heap (the towering Creator/BernardBresslaw) and Big Heap (the much smaller Creator/CharlesHawtrey).
23	* BlastingItOutOfTheirHands: Belle's introduction is shooting Rumpo's glass of whiskey to pieces as he puts it to his lips.
24	* BlindWithoutEm: Sheriff Albert Earp - although he is not really much better with them on.
25	* BraidsBeadsAndBuckskins: Big Heap's tribe are all dressed in this way, while Rumpo and Charlie dress like this in order to meet them.
26	* {{Brownface}}: Creator/CharlesHawtrey as Chief Big Heap, and Creator/BernardBresslaw as Little Heap.
27	* TheCameo: Creator/JonPertwee as the soon-murdered Sheriff Albert Earp.
28	* TheCasanova: The United States County Commissioner, who is seen making out with his secretary Miss Jones when Perkins, his adviser, walks in.
29	* CatFight: Upon waiting for the Rumpo Kid to storm in the bedroom, Marshal is surprisingly visited by a flirtatious Belle, a distressed Annie and Dolores, a prostitute that's sent as a distraction by Rumpo. One by one, they hide as the door knocks in fear of the visitor being an angry Rumpo, but they immediately discover another woman in their place, giving them the impression that the other is trying to court Marshal, and sets them off into a three-way catfight.
30	* CharacterTitle: When the movie was released in Germany, it was retitled ''The Rumpo Kid''.
31	* ClingyJealousGirl: Belle, who becomes rather suspicious when she eavesdrops on Rumpo's conversation with Annie, after he'd threatened to have her thrown out.
32	* {{Cowboy}}: The film revolves around Johnny Finger (better known as "the Rumpo Kid"), a notorious outlaw who comes to Stodge City to rob banks, rustle cattle and drink hard.
33	* CowboyEpisode: The usual ''Film/CarryOn'' hijinks in TheWildWest.
34	* DaddysGirl: Annie Oakley. The moment she hears of Sheriff Earp's death (suspecting it to be murder), she boards the next coach to Stodge City to avenge his death.
35	* DiedInYourArmsTonight: Judge Burke picks up the dying Sheriff Earp at the bottom of the stairs. It isn't as tear-jerking as one expects because the dying Sherrif can't hear a word of Judge Burke without his hearing aid.
36	* DopeSlap: Belle does this to Rumpo when he cannot read the signs that she is jealous of his sudden attention to Annie.
37	* EthicalSlut: Annie flaunts herself at Rumpo after meeting him in order to learn about Sheriff Earp's death. This makes Rumpo admit that he shot him.
38	* EveryoneLovesBlondes: Rumpo has the hots for Belle, and then Annie Oakley.
39	* EveryoneWentToSchoolTogether: When the Commissioner is told that Judge Burke is needing a peace marshal in the town, he points out that he remembers him from when they both met up in law school.
40	-->'''President advisor Perkins:''' I never knew you went to law school.
41	-->'''US Commissioner:''' ''[uncomfortably]'' [[BaitAndSwitchComment I didn't]]. [[IWasYoungAndNeededTheMoney I was the janitor]].
42	* EverythingIsBigInTexas: Belle admires the Rumpo Kid's guns:
43	-->'''Belle''': My, but you got a big one!\
44	'''The Rumpo Kid''': I'm from Texas, ma'am. We all got big ones down there.
45	* GenreBlindness: Despite the tales of Rumpo's behaviour, when Marshal meets him in person, he believes Rumpo's nice-guy facade and doesn't become suspicious.
46	* GrandStaircaseEntrance:
47	** Belle, with a SmokingGun in her hand.
48	** Annie Oakley when she sings "This is the Night for Love".
49	* HairOfGoldHeartOfGold: Annie Oakley is an devoted daughter and helps train Marshal to take down the Rumpo Kid to avenge her father, Sheriff Earp, and because she wants the man she loves to be safe.
50	* HandicappedBadass: Sheriff Earp, who is both visually-impaired and deaf. Even though he is killed minutes after appearing on screen, it's implied that both he (and perhaps Judge Burke) single-handedly began gun control, and lowered crime rates in Stodge City.
51	* HiddenDepths: Annie Oakley proves herself to be a talented singer when she performs "This is the Night for Love" when trying to seduce Rumpo.
52	* HistoricalDomainCharacter: Annie Oakley and her father Sheriff Earp.
53	* HomeAloneAntics: Annie Oakley's trap to kill Rumpo. She ties about three guns to the doorknob and handle of a nearby wardrobe and waits behind her bed with two pistols. It fails [[spoiler:and shoots Charlie the bartender instead.]]
54	-->'''Annie Oakley:''' Oh, I'm terribly sorry! I... I thought you were someone else.
55	* TheHunterBecomesTheHunted: Marshal, pretending to be a peace marshal, is supposed to be hunting Rumpo and his gang, but his lack of fighting skills makes him an easy target for Rumpo to hunt him out and hopefully get rid of him for good.
56	* ImpactSilhouette: After using dynamite to rescue Big Heap from prison, his son Little Heap is blown up too. The only thing left behind is the shape of his body in the ceiling.
57	* IronicName: Chief '''Big''' Heap, when compared to his towering son '''Little''' Heap.
58	* TheKeyIsBehindTheLock: Catching Rumpo and his gang trying to rescue Big Heap, Marshal marches into the prison cell and interrogates them. When he's done, he orders them to get into the prison cell - not realizing that that's outside. They do, and lock him in.
59	* LikeFatherUnlikeSon: Little Heap is AxCrazy towards the white men whereas his father Big Heap welcomes them with open arms.
60	* LovableCoward: Judge Burke and Doc who'd rather let Marshal deal with the Rumpo Kid than let themselves come into harm's way.
61	* MasculineGirlFeminineBoy: The gunslinging Annie Oakley to the naïve Marshal P. Knutt.
62	* MistakenDeathConfirmation: Following another encounter with the Rumpo Kid, [[FakeUltimateHero Marshal P. Knutt]] collapses and is declared dead by Doc after checking his pulse, only for Marshal to wake up while Josh the undertaker is measuring him for a casket. Judge Burke immediately calls out Doc, who can't understand what went wrong until he realises that it was his watch that had stopped, not Marshal's heart.
63	* MistakenForBadass: Marshal (a sanitation engineer) is mistaken for an actual US Marshal who might be able to help defend the town against the Rumpo Kid.
64	* MummysBoy: Marshal is seen kissing a photo of his mother before he goes to bed. It is standing on his bedside table.
65	* MysteriousMiddleInitial: We never find out what Marshal's "P" stands for.
66	* NakedFirstImpression: Rumpo walks in on Annie having her bath and immediately falls for her.
67	* NiceGirl: Annie Oakley is a nice girl, despite wanting to avenge her father's death.
68	* NiceGuy: Marshal, for definite. Even though he's suspicious of Rumpo and his gang, he is still polite.
69	* NiceJobBreakingItHero: A common theme with Judge Burke:
70	** If he hadn't laughed in the Rumpo's face about a peace marshal being sent to the town from Washington, Rumpo wouldn't be expecting one to turn up or create a plan to try and stop them.
71	** If his greediness hadn't got the better of him (even though it was only over 25 cents), Rumpo would've stayed out of Stodge City and would've never found out that [[spoiler:he was chased out of the town by an English sanitation expert]].
72	* NobleSavage: Sent up. Chief Big Heap is not only cleverer than most of the settlers (he clears out Rumpo's Place by yelling about a gold strike, and everyone charges out despite not knowing where they're going) but speaks using a posh British accent.
73	* ObfuscatingStupidity: Annie uses this trope to worm her way into finding out who killed her father. (It also plays into the fact that she is [[MenAreStrongWomenArePretty female]] and [[DumbBlonde blonde]].) She pretends that Marshal is the killer of three Native Americans who were trying to attack their carriage because no one would expect a poor defenseless girl like her to do something like that. Naturally, everyone is amazed when she shoots Marshal out of his prison cell.
74	* PajamaCladHero: Marshal briefly, when Rumpo's gang blow up the jail entrance and lock him inside.
75	* PeacePipe: Big Heap offers one to Rumpo and Charlie, and the two of them share it. Rumpo nearly chokes on it and Big Heap refuses his turn, claiming that he's trying to stop smoking.
76	* PeriodPiece: The film takes place sometime between the early 19th century and the early 20th century.
77	* PermaStubble: Most of Rumpo's gang have light five o'clock shadows:
78	** Curly's is narrowly close to light beard.
79	** Rumpo's isn't as noticeable, but he mentions that he'd shave more often in order to have Annie Oakley as his lover, implying that he probably does have this in many appearances.
80	* PlotHole: Despite Big Heap claiming that Marshal shot three of his braves, four were shown to have been shot previously.
81	* PunnyName:
82	** Marshal '''P. Knutt'''.
83	** Judge '''Burke''', whose descendants were '''Wright-Burkes'''. [[note]]Knowing the history of BritishEnglish/CockneyRhymingSlang, Judge's family is full of CountryMatters.[[/note]]
84	* RoadApples: A DeletedScene had Marshal step in a cowpat.
85	-->'''Marshal''': Dirty moocows!
86	* RuleOfThree: A drunken man is thrown out of the bar three times. The third time is by Belle.
87	-->'''Belle:''' That'll teach you to come in here and ask me for a quick one.
88	* TheRustler: Rumpo's gang spend most of the night sneaking out to fields and stealing bullocks from Colonel Houston.
89	* TheSavageIndian: Little Heap is obsessed with scalping enemies' heads.
90	* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: Marshal calls for the town to rally together to get Rumpo's gang out. The crowd has disappeared before he finished his first sentence.
91	* SexySecretary: Miss Jones, the US Commissioner's secretary, a lisping DumbBlonde.
92	* TheSheriff: Sherrif Albert Earp, although his deafness and bad eyesight make him a rather useless one.
93	* ShootOutTheLock: Annie rescues Marshal from his prison cell this way.
94	* ShoutOut:
95	** The city's name is Stodge, similar to the one named Dodge from the 1939 film ''Film/DodgeCity'', as well as ''Film/Winchester73''.
96	** The Rumpo Kid's name is a reference to [[Film/{{Stagecoach}} the Ringo Kid]].
97	** The previous Marshal in Stodge City was named [[Series/{{Gunsmoke}} Dillon]], apparently.
98	--->'''US Commissioner:''' Send him a Marshal. Anything for peace.\
99	'''Perkins:''' That's just the trouble, sir. We haven't any available.\
100	'''US Commissioner:''' Nobody? What about that big head who's always hanging around here looking for work? What's his name? Dillon. What's he doing?\
101	'''Perkins:''' Six months.
102	** The finale is a showdown at ''Film/HighNoon'', but with a twist.
103	* ShowdownAtHighNoon: How Rumpo chooses to run Marshal out of town. {{Lampshaded}} as a cliché by Marshal and Burke:
104	-->'''Marshal P. Knutt:''' High Noon? Why High Noon?\
105	'''Mayor Judge Burke:''' I know! I told them that it was unoriginal too!
106	* SkewedPriorities: Judge Burke is kidnapped by the Rumpo Kid's gang and ridden on horseback to their lair, but is much more annoyed that they ordered him out of his bed and didn't allow him to change into something comfortable.
107	-->'''Judge Burke''': ''[after being asked how he was]'' You obviously have never been ordered out of your bed at gunpoint and not being allowed to put your SLIPPERS ON!! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW PAINFUL IT IS TO RIDE A HORSE BAREFOOT?! IT HURTS!!!
108	* SmugSnake: Burt the stagecoach guard comes across as this towards Marshal. When Marshal assumes that the Native Americans aren't a threat to anyone, followed by an arrow stabbing the other guard, the smug one gives him an "I told you so" look.
109	* {{Tagline}}: "How the west was lost!".
110	* ThoseTwoGuys: Big Heap and Little Heap.
111	* TheTropeKid: Johnny Finger is better known as "the Rumpo Kid".
112	* {{Undertaker}}: Josh Moses, one of Rumpo's biggest supporters if only because of all the business Rumpo's murders were giving him.
113	* VictoriasSecretCompartment: Belle keeps a derringer in her cleavage.
114	* WantedPoster: The Rumpo Kid is on a wanted poster on the door of Sheriff Earp's office. Not once does anyone look at it to check who's the true villain.
115	* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Big Heap is broken out of prison by the Rumpo Kid's gang but they are caught and banished to the woods by Marshal. He is implied to have spent at least a week in a drunken coma with the group before being eventually released by Rumpo and disappearing out of the movie. That's fine, but [[spoiler:[[FridgeHorror did anyone tell him that his son Little Heap died during the break out?]]]]
116	* WhereTheHellIsSpringfield: Just where the hell is Stodge City? The movie doesn't say what US state the city is located. It appears to be near an area where Native American tribes live in peace. They manage to get information from Washington DC very quickly, which might mean that Stodge City is located in New England (most likely before the states were materialized). But if Rumpo rode from Texas to any of these states, it probably wouldn't have taken him ten days. [[note]]It was highly unlikely that Rumpo was travelling from Texas, though. That was probably just where he was born and raised.[[/note]]
117	* WholePlotReference: The plot of the movie seems to have similar connections to ''Film/DestryRidesAgain''. Both stories have a character that has been promoted as a no-nonsense badass that would intimidate even the most terrifying person in the world, but then arrive as the complete opposite and are mocked by the biggest crime-bosses as wimps that don't believe in violence. The rest of the movie follows them trying to be taken seriously, as well as a smug rival who uses their presence as a distraction to commit crimes on the outskirts of the small town.
118	* YouNoTakeCandle: How Little Heap speaks English. Big Heap, his father, speaks perfect English, but will relapse back into this trope when drunk.

Context Film / CarryOnCowboy