One Spring Like Long Ago

Morgan Starr was deservedly one of the most disliked regular characters on TV. John Dehner played him with little or no emotion, just rugged determination. There just isn't much to like about the character. Fortunately, he only lasted a few episodes. In this one, Randy and Starr deliver a herd of cattle to the Sioux in Dakota, but the army doesn't want to give them. The army commanding officer and his civilian scout are the bad guys here. Unfortunately, the Indians are played as ignorant savages. When the chief cuts his own arm, Starr explains, " He sheds his his blood to mourn his son." Not very smart. Really puts the Sioux in a bad light, although the intention was the opposite.

The writers wanted to make a statement about persecution, but the episode just drags on and on with a lot of speechifying about the slaughter of the Buffalo and the plight of the Sioux, but it's not very convincing, just dull.

I only rate this episode as high as four stars because Martine Bartlett appears as a courageous homesteader who helps Randy and Starr. She was a fine actress who should have gotten better roles.

This episode is only for die hard fans of The Virginian. Otherwise, only watch it if you want to cure your insomnia.

In this Virginian episode the tragedy of the American Indian is graphically pictured here. The Sioux we meet here are a beaten but still proud people. But one cruel army captain won't let them have what there is left.

John Dehner is willing to sell 3000 head of Shiloh cattle, but Walberg ojnly wants 500 and that formostly his troops. The idea is to keep the Indians under control with starvation.

Walberg has a scalphunter scout working for him played by Warren Oates and he's mean one. He'd love to have the Sioux break out so he can collect scalp bounty.

Eduard Franz plays a noble and proud old chief. who speaks no English and the dialog for him is limited to the Sioux language. His expressions are powerful.

Mention must also be given to Martine Bartlett who plays a tough old homesteader widow who gives aid and comfort to John Dehner and Randy Benton.

A really top drawer episode for this series.

Season four was a troublesome period for "The Virginian" for a number of reasons, one of them being the belated introduction of preaching to a series that had gotten along very well without it up to that point. "One Spring Like Long Ago" presents an extended Indian rights sermon that never allows entertainment to get in the way, although viewers will notice that the episode's idealism doesn't extend to casting a genuine Native American as the doomed chief, played like a cigar store mummy by Eduard Franz. Randy Boone's fast-draw prowess is surprising, since in most episodes his gentle character totes a guitar, not a six-gun.

I did not give this a 10 because the writing could have been better. However, the acting is very good and the themes are very important. Dehner and Bartlett are great in this episode. Randy is good, but I did not find his character that credible. Not Randy's fault, but the writers' fault. Once again, still entertaining and thought provoking on themes that are extremely important.