Perhaps The Greatest Film of All Time.

This has got to be my all time favorite movie.

It's loads of fun and continually reminds me of a simpler time. Knotts is fearless and always has been. There are few actors that could do self-deprecating humor as convincingly and as cringe-worthy as he could. There is no guile in him, he sacrifices all for the sake of humor, no matter how embarrassing it may be to him personally - no matter how silly he looks. You just don't find comedians like him nowadays. Even among the absurdist crowd, e.g. the Jackass crew there is something held back to elevate self... to be "cool". Knotts shucked all such selfish motives in deference to the comedy of the piece. Everyone can feel superior to Knotts when you watch him perform, he sacrifices his ego so the audience can reap the benefits. A most giving, selfless and fearless comedic actor.

His Barney Fife created a new archetype out of thin air. Not the fool, not the coward, but an amalgam - something entirely new. His comedy is made that much more hilarious by his touching moments of genuine sincerity and heartfelt pain, witnessed in the porch scene with Alma (Joan Staley) where he expresses his feelings of inadequacy while professing his admiration for the object of his affection. It causes anyone to ache for him and earnestly desire his success. He is Charlie Brown in human form, but with a sunny disposition.


"...nothing is left of me, each time I see her..." - Catullus

A great collection of great character actors from the 1960's. Reta Shaw, Sandra Gould, Charles Lane, Bert Mustin, Lurene Tuttle, Al Checco, Eddie Quillan, Ellen Corby, Hope Summers, James Milhollin, Herbie Faye, J Edward MacKinley, Mr Whipple...besides Mad Mad World, I can't think of another movie from this era where so many of the minor roles were cast with familiar faces.