nick corey is a terrible sheriff on purpose he doesnt solve problems enforce rules or arrest criminals he knows that nobody in tiny potts county actually wants to follow the law and he is perfectly content lazing about eating five meals a day and sleeping with all the eligible womenstill nick has some very complex problems to deal with two local pimps have been sassing him ruining his already tattered reputation his girlfriend rose is being terrorized by her husband and then theres his wife and her brother lenny who wont stop troubling nicks already stressed mind are they a little too close for a brother and a sister with an election coming up nick needs to fix his problems and fast because the one thing nick does know is that he will do anything to stay sheriff because as it turns out sheriff nick corey is not nearly as dumb as he seemsin pop 1280 widely regarded as a classic of mid20th century crime thompson offers up one of his best in a tale of lust murder and betrayal in the deep south that was the basis for the critically acclaimed french film coup de torchon