Mannix travels to northern California, where he's been hired by the sister of a young man who disputes the cause of her brother's death. The coroner's verdict was accidental death when the m... Read allMannix travels to northern California, where he's been hired by the sister of a young man who disputes the cause of her brother's death. The coroner's verdict was accidental death when the man fell from a gantry at a sand and gravel quarry while drunk. Mannix finds evidence that ... Read allMannix travels to northern California, where he's been hired by the sister of a young man who disputes the cause of her brother's death. The coroner's verdict was accidental death when the man fell from a gantry at a sand and gravel quarry while drunk. Mannix finds evidence that his death may not have been accidental, beginning with his discovery of rifle shell casing... Read all
- Peggy Fair
- (credit only)
- Joyce Henshaw
- (as Michèle Marsh)
- Houseboy
- (as Robert Bralver)
- Stoner
- (credit only)
- Tony
- (uncredited)
Featured reviews
Case in point, an eerie rock quarry on a lonely weekend. No witnesses? There's also lots of bullets flying around the place, special thanks to director Reza Badiyi. The master of surprise. True, it's a cliquish western town with secrets, but a good place for a whodunit. Outsider Joe investigates an accidental death? -- which leads to him being thrown into one of those old dusty jails. If you look close enough, the set probably was used many times on MISSION IMPOSSIBLE, generally as some dingy European jail.
Harry Townes gives an excellent performance as the town patriarch who pulls the strings. At the time of this episode, he was studying to become a minister and was ordained a few years later. Also Michele Marsh does a fine job in her second tv role. She gained wide attention for her performance as Hodel in FIDDLER ON THE ROOF. Look for Luana Anders (Angie). For cult film buffs, she appeared in EASY RIDER and the chiller DIMENTIA 13.
The rock quarry is an outstanding setting, and you have to admit its a clever change of scenery with possibilities. Reza Badiyi puts it to good use, where just about anything could happen. He probably did some improv work and let the cameras roll. I would. I give it 9 Stars for that.
There are no location notes, however possibly filmed at Riverside Rock Quarry, a gigantic site, even open to tourists.
Get out the late night snacks. SEASON 6 EPISODE 12. Remastered color CBS/Paramount dvd box set.
The Six Bullet Box.
There are all kinds of problems in this one, with the first being why doesn't the family put this nut in a mental hospital? Why do they allow him to go out every week and start shooting? Then there's the obvious contradiction where the family says the guy doesn't like guns but yet he's going out every week and shooting them. This exact same contradiction was seen in the season three episode A Chance at the Roses and was a major problem then and is again here.
Then in the fight scene in the quarry, when Joe falls down the stairs, it's inexplicably shown in slow motion, which not only ruins the excitement of the scene but also means you can clearly tell it's a stuntman going down the stairs, so just a bad decision all around by the producers.
This one has almost all of the clichés in the book. Joe gets clobbered in the head and shot at but not hit, the small-town police department is corrupt and hiding a secret and throws Joe in jail on phony charges and the big honcho in town buys off the county officials to keep quiet about his son. It's all recycled material that has been seen an endless number of times before.
It's also obvious who the killers are since they're revealed in the opening scene, so there's no mystery or suspense here.
The action consists of a fight scene in the jail and a brief fight scene at the end.
There's nothing original here. It's all just rehashed plot elements and clichés. This is a major flop.
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- Quotes
Joyce Henshaw: Don. Are you all right?
Don Wilkerson: Yeah, the doctor said to stay in bed for a few days. You okay?
Joyce Henshaw: Yes, just fine.
Wilkerson: This is Mr. Mannix, a private detective. He wants to talk to you.
Don Wilkerson: About what?
Joe Mannix: Vic Henshaw's accident.
Joyce Henshaw: Don, did you take your gun out to the plant Sunday?
Don Wilkerson: No.
Joe Mannix: Where were you on Sunday?
Don Wilkerson: About what time?
Joe Mannix: Oh, say, uh, between 12:00 noon and 2:00 pm.
Don Wilkerson: I was here with my dad watching the football game.
Joe Mannix: Yeah, what game was that?
Wilkerson: The 49ers. Would you like the score? We sat through the final whistle together.
Don Wilkerson: Joyce, what's this all about?
Joyce Henshaw: [sighs] I asked Mr. Mannix to find out how Vic really died.
Don Wilkerson: Why?
Joyce Henshaw: They said Vic was drunk. I... didn't believe it.
Wilkerson: Mannix found three empty shells out of that old M16 of yours at the plant.
Don Wilkerson: Oh... and you thought that...
Joyce Henshaw: I-I didn't know what to think.
Joe Mannix: That's why she hired me.
Wilkerson: Don has been out at the plant on Sunday before with his rifle, and he has fired it, but not last Sunday. Those shells must be from before.
Joe Mannix: Angie McCall, uh, heard gunfire at the plant Sunday.
Wilkerson: Hunters- it's deer season. I think you better go back to bed, son. I'll take care of Joyce, Mr. Mannix.
Don Wilkerson: Yes, I am feeling kind of rocky.
[to Joyce]
Don Wilkerson: I'm sorry, honey.
[kisses Joyce on the cheek]
Don Wilkerson: I'm sorry. Sorry.
[walks back to his bedroom]
Wilkerson: Now, we find need detectives to solve our problems, Joyce.
Joyce Henshaw: I just didn't know what to do.
Wilkerson: Well, next time, you come to me, hmm? I'm the complaint department in this family. You promise?
Joyce Henshaw: Yes.
Wilkerson: Good. Now, I think you better tell Mr. Mannix that we don't need his services any longer.
Joyce Henshaw: You were- you were wrong, weren't you?
Joe Mannix: Not if Don was lying about where he was Sunday.
Joyce Henshaw: Don wouldn't lie.
Joe Mannix: I've got three empty shells, I've got a witness that heard gunfire, and I've got a diabetic who supposedly put away a bottle of liquor.
Wilkerson: If Don's lying, I'm lying.
Joe Mannix: That would keep it in the family, wouldn't it?