Product Description

A corrupt mayor and city council try to hide their shenanigans by framing a city-hall bookkeeper. Studio: Uni Dist Corp. (mca) Release Date: 09/02/2003 Starring: Don Knotts Edward Andrews Run time: 103 minutes Rating: G Director: Alan Rafkin

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #31761 in DVD
• Brand: Universal Studios
• Released on: 2003-09-02
• Rating: G (General Audience)
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Formats: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 103 minutes

Customer Reviews

A Very Entertaining Don Knotts Film
Alan Rafkin (1928-2001, who mostly directed television shows and was nominated for four Emmies and won one in 1982) directed his last bit-screen film with "How To Frame A Figg" in 1971. Taking place in a small fictional town, a bungling city accountant, Hollis Alexander Figg (Don Knotts), becomes the unwitting patsy of the town's mayor (Mayor Chisholm played by Edward Andrews), the town's wealthiet man (Old Charley Spaulding played by Parker Fennelly) as well as several other high-ranking city officials who have been embezzling the town's money. To prevent from being caught, the embezzlers fire all of the town's accountants, except for Hollis so that he can operate their newly purchased (but used), room-filling computer known as LEO. While demonstrating the computer to his friend Prentiss Gates (Frank Welker), Hollis stumbles upon a questionable city contract that Prentiss (who works for the city's sanitation department) has in his waste collection cart. To keep Hollis from finding any other questionable financial statements, Mayor Chisholm appoints Hollis to be a commissioner with his own private secretary, Glorianna Hastings (Yvonne Craig, who is better known as Batgirl/Barbara Gordon in the 1966-1968 TV series "Batman") to the chagrin Hollis' girlfriend, Ema Letha Kusic (Elaine Joyce), who works as a diner waitress. Hollis remains oblivious to being used until Old Charley Spaulding is ready to lower the boom upon him and is forced to find a way to prove his innocence.

"How To Frame A Figg" isn't known as well as some of his previous films ("The Incredible Mr. Limpet" in 1964, "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken" in 1966, etc.) due to its somewhat weak plot, but it's still a very funny film that can entertain both children and adults alike. Memorable scenes in the film include Hollis' fingers getting stuck in a bowling ball, Old Charlie Spaulding using his cane in city hall meetings, the ketchup scene at the diner, the garbage truck delivery, and the search for extension cords. Overall, I rate "How To Frame a Figg" with 4 out of 5 stars. Other memorable characters in the film include Kermit Sanderson (Joe Flynn, 1925-1974), Commissioner Henderson (Bill Zuckert, 1915-1997) and Dr. Schmidt (Pitt Herbert, 1914-1989).

This is the Best of all of Don's films!
With "The Ghost And Mr.Chicken" a very close second..........the scenes in this movie are just a hoot, especially the ones in the diner and the bowling alley. Even though Don is still in his Barney Fife personna, the nervous, lovable fool; you still get your money's worth here. He even has a drunken scene, watch for him trying to hang up the mink coat and the explanation given for the secretary's numerous minks! Love the ending, too. What a wonderful cast, the same familiar catchy music from his other Universal films and repeated gags. You will howl with laughter. Even though we all were sad when he left The Andy Griffith Show after only five years, thank goodness he signed with Universal to do these type of comedies, and with Disney to pair with the likes of Tim Conway, too!!!

One of My favorite movies
Mr. Knotts movies represent a clean, small-town American idealism that is very different from the dark, "streetwise" comedys that are so prelevent today. Atmospheric escapism at its best, the Don Knotts movies of the late sixties and early seventies provide a happy vacation to someplace you would love to really be able to go.