5 reviews
Why all the hate? There's good tension in the movie. And with actors as good as James Arness and Hal Williams, script problems are easily overcome. Williams was never better. And the score is excellent. The importance of music isn't considered enough when evaluating TV Westerns. James Drury said Westerns still have a following because of the triumph of good over evil. And the judge in this oater is an awful guy. It's sad this iconic series came to an end this season. At least the quality didn't suffer. The action is superb in this movie, also. It's also a reminder of the necessity of guns to restore law and order.
- nlathy-839-300677
- Aug 27, 2023
- Permalink
Matt is after a fugitive and tracks him down to a silver town two days ride from Dodge. When Matt has to kill the fugitive, the man running the town, Judge Flood, puts the Marshal on trial for murder. After a brief ceremony Matt is found guilty and placed in the silver mine, at hard labor, for his guilt.
For the most part, the rest of the show is Matt's interactions between the rest of the prisoners and the guards. There really was no timetable of how long Matt was imprisoned before he plans an escape attempt but it had to be some time. With a little help from the cook, Matt is able to get a few supplies that will help him plan an escape. But he will also need the help of other prisoners to make the escape successful.
The good thing about this show is that James Arness is fully involved in this show. In fact he does more physical activities in the show than nearly any other episode in the season. But the problem was the slow action and the predictable results of each event. There really is no surprises in this show rather a long tale of being falsely accused before springing the coop. There was nothing new for the viewer to get excited about.
For the most part, the rest of the show is Matt's interactions between the rest of the prisoners and the guards. There really was no timetable of how long Matt was imprisoned before he plans an escape attempt but it had to be some time. With a little help from the cook, Matt is able to get a few supplies that will help him plan an escape. But he will also need the help of other prisoners to make the escape successful.
The good thing about this show is that James Arness is fully involved in this show. In fact he does more physical activities in the show than nearly any other episode in the season. But the problem was the slow action and the predictable results of each event. There really is no surprises in this show rather a long tale of being falsely accused before springing the coop. There was nothing new for the viewer to get excited about.
- wdavidreynolds
- Nov 15, 2021
- Permalink
With all the westerns on TV, you could see this slave labor in a mine formula across most all of the western. Cheyene, Wanted Dead or Alive and other used this story line. Nothing changed from show to show. The story played oit exactly the same. Not much action, very hard to imagine actually happening. I was saddened to see Gunsmoke use this. I hated it the first time I saw it, and each repeat was harder to stomach.
- martinxperry-14868
- Jun 25, 2018
- Permalink
The operable term for this episode is, "Jumping the shark!" The term was coined after the long running series "Happy Days" literally had star character Fonzi ski jump over a shark pen. Since then, the term is applied to a series that thinks it has to explore truly bizarre themes in a desperate effort to work up something new.
Sadly, after 20 outstanding years, even Gunsmoke finally jumped the shark with this turkey!
The theme is well past implausible. In the United States, where people are free to come and go, the notion that an entire town of people wouldn't have one person in several years manage to leave town long enough to alert reputable authorities! No, that's nuts! And this foolish basis ruins the episode immediately.
Fortunately, the series did not end with this episode, as the season ran a full 24 airings in this final twentieth year. And some of those final four episodes were truly outstanding efforts.
The characters are nearly all one dimensional except for one, who is a caretaker who at first is just trying to cynically survive, but eventually comes to recognize an opportunity to escape the hell hole. In the end, his character provided the means by which the seedy enterprise was ended. Hal Williams therefore provided the only real noteworthy performance, even though the way his character spoke one could be forgiven for thinking he was played by a younger version of Scatman Crothers.
This is one of the few Gunsmoke episodes that should have been shelved and started over again.
Sadly, after 20 outstanding years, even Gunsmoke finally jumped the shark with this turkey!
The theme is well past implausible. In the United States, where people are free to come and go, the notion that an entire town of people wouldn't have one person in several years manage to leave town long enough to alert reputable authorities! No, that's nuts! And this foolish basis ruins the episode immediately.
Fortunately, the series did not end with this episode, as the season ran a full 24 airings in this final twentieth year. And some of those final four episodes were truly outstanding efforts.
The characters are nearly all one dimensional except for one, who is a caretaker who at first is just trying to cynically survive, but eventually comes to recognize an opportunity to escape the hell hole. In the end, his character provided the means by which the seedy enterprise was ended. Hal Williams therefore provided the only real noteworthy performance, even though the way his character spoke one could be forgiven for thinking he was played by a younger version of Scatman Crothers.
This is one of the few Gunsmoke episodes that should have been shelved and started over again.
- kenstallings-65346
- Jul 27, 2018
- Permalink