The Prize Fighter

Set in the 1930s, THE PRIZE FIGHTER follows Shake (Don Knotts) and Bags (Tim Conway) in their efforts to promote Bags's prizefighting career, which burgeons when the villainous Mike (Robin Clarke) conspires with them to fix a bunch of matches. Mike's plan is to get kindly old Pop Morgan (David Wayne) to bet his entire gym on Bags in a bout with the champ, then have Bags throw the fight. With Conway as one of the combatants, don't expect the Thriller in Manilla, but don't bet that Pop gets taken, either. Conway and Knotts' comedic potential, already not for all tastes, is further stifled by the hoary slapstick bits in this, their third picture together.