How to Frame a Figg
How to Frame a Figg is a 1971 American comedy film directed by Alan Rafkin and produced by Universal Pictures, starring Don Knotts as Hollis Figg, a bumbling and naive bookkeeper working in the city hall of the fictional town of Dalton.[1][2] The story follows Figg as he inadvertently discovers financial irregularities caused by embezzlement from corrupt local officials, who then promote him to oversee a faulty second-hand computer intended to conceal their misdeeds, only to frame him for the crimes when their scheme unravels.[3] With a runtime of 103 minutes and rated G by the MPAA, the film was released in theaters in February 1971 and features supporting performances by Joe Flynn as the scheming Kermit Sanderson, Edward Andrews as Mayor Robert Chisholm, and Yvonne Craig as Glorianna "Holly" Hastings, a sympathetic secretary who aids Figg in clearing his name.[1][2] Written by George Tibbles (screenplay) based on a story by Don Knotts and Edward Montagne, it marks the fifth and final feature in Knotts' contract with Universal Pictures, showcasing his signature slapstick humor in a tale of underdog redemption against bureaucratic villainy.[3][4]Plot and characters
Plot summary
Hollis Figg serves as a bumbling bookkeeper in the basement office of Dalton's city hall, where he toils under the radar of the corrupt local government.[1] When the city's officials, including the mayor, commissioner, and auditor, acquire a second-hand computer named LEO to manipulate records and hide their ongoing embezzlement of public funds, they promote the hapless Figg to oversee its operations, confident that his incompetence will prevent any discovery of their scheme.[3] Don Knotts portrays Figg as a hapless everyman thrust into extraordinary circumstances.[1] As Figg inputs data into the malfunctioning machine, which comically spits out erroneous printouts and causes chaotic office disruptions like sparking wires and unexpected alarms, he begins to spot financial irregularities in the outputs.[2] Aided by his friend Prentiss Gates, the dim-witted garbage collector, and his romantic interest Ema Letha Kusic, a waitress at a nearby diner who supports him, Figg pieces together evidence of the embezzlement.[5] [6] Their efforts include late-night analyses of discarded printouts retrieved with help from Prentiss, revealing discrepancies in the city's budget. Glorianna Hastings, sent by the officials to seduce and distract Figg, inadvertently provides clues when her plan backfires.[3] Confronting the officials with his findings only leads to retaliation: they frame Figg for the theft by falsifying records in his name and tipping off the authorities, turning him into a fugitive.[2] This sparks a series of slapstick chases across Dalton, with Figg dodging police pursuits, evading the mayor's henchmen in absurd vehicle mishaps, and outrunning the commissioner and auditor during frantic footraces through alleys and public spaces. Amid the mayhem, Figg endures awkward scenes with Ema Letha, complicated by the ongoing pursuit and the computer's persistent glitches that inadvertently aid his escapes.[1] In the climax at the town hall during a public meeting, Figg rallies with recovered computer printouts as irrefutable proof, dramatically exposing the officials' corruption to the assembled citizens and state investigators.[3] The embezzlers are arrested on the spot, Figg's name is cleared, and the town celebrates his unlikely heroism, restoring integrity to city hall.[2]Cast
The cast of How to Frame a Figg is led by Don Knotts, whose portrayal of the bumbling everyman anchors the film's slapstick humor, complemented by a strong ensemble of character actors who bring sharp timing and exaggerated archetypes to the corrupt municipal underbelly and Figg's quirky allies.[1][2]- Don Knotts as Hollis Alexander Figg, the naive and clumsy protagonist bookkeeper whose hapless integrity drives the comedic misunderstandings.[1][2]
- Joe Flynn as Kermit Sanderson, the scheming city auditor whose oily antagonism heightens the film's satirical edge on bureaucratic greed.[1][3]
- Elaine Joyce as Ema Letha Kusic, Figg's supportive romantic interest and waitress at a nearby diner, providing warm contrast to the surrounding duplicity with her earnest affection.[1][2]
- Yvonne Craig as Glorianna Hastings, a seductive accomplice of the officials who attempts to distract Figg, adding layers of intrigue and comedic tension to the ensemble dynamics.[1][7]
- Edward Andrews as Mayor Robert Chisholm, the corrupt mayor whose pompous villainy amplifies the comedy of institutional folly.[1][3]
- Bill Zuckert as Commissioner Henderson, the embezzling city commissioner whose gruff scheming embodies the film's critique of small-town corruption.[8][9]
- Frank Welker as Prentiss Gates, Figg's dim-witted friend and garbage collector who helps retrieve evidence.[8]
- James B. Sikking as a deputy, contributing stern authority that clashes hilariously with Figg's ineptitude.[8][10]
- Noam Pitlik as a computer technician, whose technical jargon and frustration provide slapstick fodder in the era's tech satire.[8][11]
- George Simmons as a councilman, offering dry, opportunistic reactions that bolster the ensemble's portrayal of venal officials.[8][12]