Hoping to capitalize on his highly successful and award winning role as the bumbling deputy Fife on TV's The Andy Griffith Show, Universal Studios subsequently cast Don Knotts in a series of comedies that were tailor-made to his own unique brand of physical humor. The first in this series was The Ghost and Mr. Chicken, in which Knotts plays a fidgety typesetter named Lester Heggs who has aspirations to become a full-blown investigative reporter and hopes to win the heart of the town sweetheart, Alma Parker (Joan Staley).

But in an extension of his Barney Fife character, Luther is perceived as the laughing-stock of the town, someone who  will never amount to anything. So naturally he jumps at an opportunity offered by his boss (Dick Sargent) to write his first byline story that he hopes will gain him respect, but more importantly, will get him the girl. Problem is, his assignment involves spending the night in the old Simmons mansion on the anniversary of the murder-suicide that occurred there exactly twenty years ago. Legend has it that the spirit of the former owners haunts the house and plays the organ at exactly midnight every night. Luther has a healthy respect for the "history" of the house, but nonetheless agrees to the assignment.

Immediately upon stepping foot onto the front porch of the house, strange things begin to happen. The front door mysteriously opens and closes by itself, bizarre noises rattle in the bushes and an approaching thunderstorm sets the mood for a creepy night inside the "murder house". Don Knotts is at his funniest best as his over-the-top antics and jittery, bug-eyed gestures kick-in at full force. Even the smallest noise causes him to take karate chops in mid-air even though he doesn't know karate. An organ that plays by itself and a painting that bleeds from the throat are enough to cause Luther to flee the house and report his discoveries in a featured story for the next day's paper.

Of course Luther's story sells papers like hotcakes, making him a hero in the eyes of the townsfolk. His celebrity doesn't last long however, as a survivor of the Simmons clan takes exception to the sullying of his family's estate. Luther finds himself defending his accusations in court where the truth behind the mysterious apparitions is finally revealed.

Those who are big fans of Barney Fife, will enjoy The Ghost and Mr. Chicken for the wildly hilarious antics of Don Knotts. The film is flawed in almost all respects from a screenwriting standpoint however. Much of the film's plot is extremely formulaic and the peripheral characters don't have much to offer to the story. But that's not why we watch The Ghost and Mr. Chicken. We watch it to see Don Knotts in action, and from that aspect the film delivers in a big way. The Ghost and Mr. Chicken is good, clean lighthearted fun that's sure to entertain the entire family.

(Released by Universal Home Video and not rated by the MPAA)

Review also posted at www.franksreelreviews.com.