ABLAZE FOR HEYES

THE MCCREEDY BUST: GOING GOING GONE!

2009-04-21T18:59:00.023-05:00

This has been a very difficult episode for me to write about. It has many, many things I love about it, not the least of which is the incredible story of Kid being bullied and humiliated. But it also carries with it so much sadness in my heart, because Peter is so obviously not the vibrant, emotional, beautiful man he was in episodes past. It is on this episode and The Men That Corrupted Hadleyburg that I based my poem, Fade to Black. I could write pages on Peter’s unsteadiness on his feet, his gaunt, deteriorating appearance, his acting without affect. But I will try instead to write about this episode as any other, with only some mention of particular moments of Peter’s situation. And privately, more tears than usual...

It bugs me that Alias Smith and Jones had no rhyme or reason to the two minutes before the opening credits of the show. In some episodes, we see a clip from later on in the episode, in others, like this one, it is part of the opening of the story. This series seems to be so haphazardly put together, with no cohesive continuity of story or character—yet somehow it managed to become a wonderful, often really quite special show.
In the opening scene, I love the couple’s moment as the boys are slowly riding and talking…Kid has his feelings hurt because he feels that when he tries to express what is on his mind, Heyes thinks he’s crazy. It is a scene where I remember this amazing dynamic between these two men;—both the characters and the actors—that dynamic being that one of these characters could be a woman and it would also work. These men are a couple. There are no two ways about it.

The actor who speaks for the group of men sent by McCreedy to “escort” our boys looks very much like Luke Wilson to me. It startles me every time I watch the episode.

Peter is obviously ill during the scene of the meeting with McCreedy. His eyes are glassy, his voice evident of a swollen throat.

Ok, I am aware Burl Ives is a beloved American Icon…but damn, the man just creeps me out. It isn’t as bad in this episode as how he affects me in The Bold Ones, though. Icky.

I do like the cute little song, I’ll Be There So Don’t Be Late. It is a nice change from Roy Huggins’ favorite, and hugely overused, Simple Gifts.
I love how the boys look when they take their time on the horses; just walking them lazily down the path toward the abandoned well Big Mac has sent them to. I find I like most scenes of them riding horses…when I can see that it is really them and not a stand-in. I do very much understand the appeal of a cowboy.
It cracks me up that Ben still hasn’t learned how to mount a horse…I have seen a variety of misguided attempts. In one episode—The Fifth Victim, I believe—he jumps into the saddle, forgoing the stirrup altogether. In this scene, as the boys leave the well, he first misses the mount completely and on the second try, kind of hops and manages it, but awkwardly. It makes me appreciate Peter’s comfort with a horse all the more.
There is the amazing Bradford Dillman, my choice for absolute best guest star on Alias Smith and Jones. His acting in this episode is truly brilliant. I will talk about his scenes as they come, but want to give him his props on overall performance.

I wonder what Heyes, or Peter, is looking up at as he opens the door to the hotel. He does it twice, as if looking up has something to do with the mechanism of the door actually opening.

Heyes looks good as he puts on his vest to get ready to go out and mingle with the masses. He looks like the old Peter for a moment and it makes me smile. And then I see him adjust his hat strings, and then his ring…and because of what I personally believe about his ring, my heart drops.

I wonder if the director, Alex Singer, purposefully gave us a great butt shot of both our boys because he knew women want to see that. I can almost hear his direction: ‘zoom in and pan their asses…these guys have female fans…’

It doesn't make any sense that the Kid is mad when he finds no "head" in the well and slams the cover back over it. No one has been threatened yet. The boys are presumably enjoying some time relaxing while waiting for the bust to show up.

Lee Majors has kind of a weird way of speaking. I don’t think he is a particularly good actor.
There is a moment in the scene where Briggs confronts the boys for the first time, just after he says his name is Briggs, that takes my breath away—it is when there is just a close up on Peter’s face, and he smiles slightly, and I believe I see a bit of a smile in his eyes, which is lacking elsewhere in this episode. ®§

I have never before uttered the words: “Peter Duel overacts.” But everything he says, every movement he makes in the scene where he and Kid are fighting about the forgotten breakfast and Kid wearing his gun is over-exaggerated. His facial expressions are lacking any reality, his “putting up his dukes” is embarrassing—and I suspect probably embarrassing to Peter as an actor; his face—his usually beautiful left profile—is without affect or expression, and appears harsh and gaunt. It hurts my heart to watch this scene. I know on most fan sites this scene is actually a favorite, as is this episode. But try as I might to find the humor in it, I simply cannot. It carries for me the banner that speaks so clearly to me: I am watching this beautiful soul fade away.

Ben’s acting in this scene, however, is surprisingly good. I see some true emoting from him I have not had the pleasure of seeing before. Kid is cute when he is mad and poking Heyes in the chest.

Heyes facial expressions when Kid is explaining to the bully why he has his gun on are almost reminiscent of the old Heyes, but not quite. I do get a slight chuckle out of him rolling his eyes as Kid says he feels like he doesn’t have his pants on without his gun. Kid has always exasperated Heyes with the things he says, and it is demonstrated here. He knows, and his rolling eyes show us he knows, that Kid has just opened himself up to further ridicule by saying what he has said.

Peter does clearly express concern, by facial expression alone, when Briggs tells Kid to do a jig for him, and I feel encouraged to see a glimmer of his enormous talent…
Ben’s eyes are absolutely haunting in this entire episode. Kid appears to have true hatred for Briggs and his eyes are quite expressive of that. I think it is important that the director, Alex Singer, saw fit to have many close ups on Ben’s face, letting us see the communication in his eyes. And great job, Ben, some really top notch acting in this episode!

It is art imitating life as Heyes tells Briggs, in an attempt to protect him from having to do the jig, that the Kid “can hardly get on his horse right.” I love it!!

Ever notice how bullies always have a couple of back-up men hanging with them, to cheer them on, laugh at their stupid jokes and kiss their asses? A disgusting dynamic of cowardly men needing an audience to feel big.

Ok, I know this is completely irrelevant, but I have just become quite enamored with the freckle on the bridge of Bradford Dillman’s nose! I find him very attractive in a pointy sort of way. I love his eyes, and his unruly hair…plus, I have always found talent—really extraordinary talent like his and Peter’s—adds a certain sexiness to a man that I can’t quite pinpoint to looks or style or anything other than having “it”.

Even when I can find so little humor in this episode because of the subject matter and because of Peter’s situation, I manage a chuckle at Heyes choking on his beer. And even with his ring so prominently visible, I so love his hands…his beautiful, strong, masculine hands.

I am perplexed and disappointed and even hurt by the scene when Heyes tells Spencer, “Actually, Mr. Jones here is too modest. The truth is he is a philosopher. Sort of a people’s philosopher, home grown if you know what I mean. He hasn’t read much, uh, maybe Tom Sawyer three or four times is all, but uh, at heart he really is a philosopher. It’s just that he can’t express himself very well…he’s somewhat inarticulate, you might even say stupid.” Kid has watched him as he was saying this, trying to understand where Heyes is going with it…and his face expresses confusion, and then hurt. I have never before seen Heyes mean. I have never seen him hurt this man who he loves and who loves him. I have watched 31 episodes of this relationship; I have seen bickering, and sometimes real anger between the two of them, but I have never seen either of them say or do something purposefully hurtful to the other. Kid is emotionally bruised and humiliated and even emasculated by what he has been forced to endure. I don’t think it is in keeping with Heyes’ character to hurt him further when he is down. I am impressed with Bradford Dillman in this, as I am in all his scenes, but in general, I hate this scene. I do not like Heyes mean…not to the Kid anyway. And I truly do not understand the reasoning behind the writing of the scene this way.

I love the scene where Heyes distracts Seth with a card trick while Kid checks the well. I actually laugh out loud when Seth complains he is getting a headache from all the concentrating! The whole scene is good, Heyes is crafty and personable and draws Seth right in and the actor who plays Seth is right on the money. ® That face...*sigh*

I notice something fun as I watch the scene of Heyes distracting Seth with the card trick. It is obvious the filming of the close ups of the hands manipulating the deck was done somewhere other than where the scene takes place. My guess is that the deck of cards is placed face down on top of the card Seth chose, on some surface under something covered with dirt and sand and NOT on actual ground. Just for the hell of it, and to aggravate my friends reading this…I am going to ask you to try to figure out why I say this. Which, of course, may require watching the episode again!
When did the Kid begin wearing spurs? I haven’t noticed them until now, as he opens the well and finds the bust is still not there.
Spencer’s discourse about Kid’s impact on him and then his confession about his loss of faith and turning to the bottle is quite powerful. Bradford Dillman is an actor who speaks with his eyes and his face as much and as articulately as his words. He and Peter have some of the same style, and in my opinion they are both exceptional actors.

The boys seeing the depth in Spencer and being moved by it is quite touching. Seeing a positive value in what Kid has been forced to tolerate is a character building experience for both of them, I think.

I adore the natural teamwork between our two boys as Heyes removes Kid’s gun from its holster and holds it on Seth while Kid begins to tie him up. This is what has been so special about this series from the beginning…the unspoken nuances between the two; the seeming ability to communicate without words…beautiful.

A very typical and savored Heyes moment as he blindfolds Seth and Kid says they are doing it because, “you never know what might be around ya out there” and Heyes tells him they don’t want him to get worried, “unless of course some hungry coyotes come along, and then you can worry.” The beautiful appease then drop the bomb Heyes style. I suspect Hannibal Heyes was probably a pretty ornery kid…but one so endearing he was hardly ever punished.

Having sat “Indian style” for some hours nearly every day in the 70’s myself, I chuckle at the very familiar way Heyes rises to his feet from that position after tying up Seth. I have seen so many friends and boyfriends use that very same move so many, many times. And I have done it countless times as well. Ah, to be that agile again…

Peter’s face looks gaunt and his eyes flat as he reads the note Heyes has written about Seth to Kid. But when he turns around to face Ben, he almost looks his old normal and beautiful self again. It is just the most painful thing to witness…the deterioration of such a physically beautiful and exquisitely talented man.
Kid, please, use some sense…why not let Heyes just go buy a sandwich and bring it back to the room for you? Did you ever think of that?? It is like you lose all sense when you are hungry, Thaddeus, and that seems to be always.
Aarghhh…when Kid asks Heyes, “Haven’t I been turning the other cheek? Haven’t I been taking all this pain and humility?” I want to scream!!! This is a man who quite comfortably and easily used the word remuneration in a conversation with Mr. Harlingen in Never Trust an Honest Man and yet he supposedly doesn’t know the difference between humility and humiliation? I don’t buy it.
I love how Heyes, overwhelmed by frustration at Kid, gets up, stomps across the room and angrily puts on his gunbelt and hat while haranguing Kid with, “Boy, now that you’re a dancer you’re turning into some prima donna, you know it?” Very funny. I love the angry swipe at his hat brim and march to the door…and his response of “I’m too scared to be hungry!” when Kid asks him why he’s not hungry. Good comedy relief to a sometimes dark episode.
I believe that Peter is impaired during the filming of this episode and the scene where he and Ben come out of the hotel to find “Spencer” sitting on the porch is one of the reasons why. I believe he is either slightly drunk or on some kind of strong pharmaceutical. He is unsteady on his feet, and as they leave the porch, his walk is broad and ungainly. This is the only episode where I have suspected that Peter is drunk, and I really only mean slightly…and even if he is, he is still a better actor than most actors are sober. Yet it is a very sad reality to me.

Is it just me, or does Lee Majors slightly resemble Elvis Presley? Too bad he doesn’t have anywhere near the talent Elvis had.

Heyes seems to have taken Spencer’s rectification deeply to heart and implores the Kid to forgo his fastdraw “if not for me, for him?” and trying to defuse the standoff between the Kid and Briggs, reminds him of the minister’s words… “Thaddeus, noooo…the other cheek”…but Kid is very conflicted on how to deal with Briggs and Ben exhibits it well. Against what we know to be his usual way, he does not listen to Heyes; he makes his own decision to stop this bullying coward in his tracks. I think this episode and Smiler with a Gun are Ben’s best performances in the series (excluding any Ben/Roger episodes, which I have not seen and doubt I will ever be able to bring myself to watch)

Lee Major’s delivery of the lines "You have exactly two seconds to start dancing…in which case life goes on…or you can start walking across the street…in which case life doesn’t go on…” in such a strangely inflected way is very unsettling. I really think, other than the actress who played the dimwit Margaret in Root of It All, Lee Majors did the worst acting job of any guest star. Oh, wait a minute. I may be wrong. We haven’t yet discussed Wally Cox in Hadleyburg!
The most amazing acting in this episode falls squarely on the shoulders of Bradford Dillman. After Kid has gunned down the bully Briggs, he confronts Spencer with some harsh realities about himself. Bradford Dillman does not utter a sound as he is being chastised by Kid, and yet he conveys so much emotion it is painful…his nostrils flare, his eyes redden as they fight back tears. He looks hurt and sad and ashamed and betrayed. When Kid turns and walks away we can see his face and his chest struggling for emotional control. He very clearly shares an acting depth with Peter…we have witnessed Peter so many times allow his body to become involved with his emotion in his acting. In Smiler With a Gun, in particular, we watched Peter’s stomach quake as he falls to the ground in utter exhaustion; anyone who has had pneumonia knows that reaction to loss of air—and we also see his breathing and the flush of his skin change when he is overcome with rage at Danny Bilson. But there have been other, more subtle examples of this amazing acting skill. In The McCreedy Bust, the way Heyes swallows when Mr. McCreedy threatens to investigate who the boys are reveals the nervousness Heyes is feeling, as it does in several of Peter’s other performances on this series and in other projects. In The Fifth Victim, when Heyes feels the deck is short in the poker game, he breathes an exhibit of concern…it is quite spectacular. If you watch all the other actors at that poker table, they all act with words and maybe some facial expression but Peter is the only one who uses body functions as part of his acting. Bradford Dillman has done the same thing here. Truly superb. Just absolutely perfect.

It’s a sweet comedy moment as the boys gingerly hand the heavy suitcase up to the driver, with Heyes telling him to handle it carefully because it contains something very valuable only to grab his head in exasperation as the fool drops it!

I am glad our boys seem to be back to their old selves. Heyes joshes the Kid after he apologizes for not being able to tolerate the bullying any longer, by replying, “I’d be ashamed too, if I couldn’t do a better jig than that!” and pats the Kid on his side. Of course in true form, the Kid takes it personally and follows Heyes into the stagecoach with a fightin’ look on his face!
Spencer is handsome when he is clean shaven and dressed in his Sunday best. I have now become a fan of Bradford Dillman, 35 years too late. I guess I better google him and see what I can rent that he has been in…I hope it doesn’t turn into another obsession…
I love the whole auction scene…I even enjoy Burl Ives in it. I laugh out loud when the auctioneer’s voice changes and goes all gravely as he says “No other bids for this magnificent bust of Caesar?”

I am happy this episode ended on a funny note. It was a difficult episode for me to watch and for the few moments I was able to laugh, I was not thinking about Peter’s loss of joy.

Peter

2009-04-20T05:00:00.000-05:00

I find that when I think of you A warm soft wind runs through and through
And in my heart there's only you...

Gregg Allman

21 DAYS TO TENSTRIKE

2009-03-31T18:50:00.019-05:00

Here come our boys, riding into a new episode looking all trail worn and weary. I must say, for me, it is one of the most appealing looks on them. There’s something about a cowboy, dirty and tired. Makes a girl think of all kinds of ways to dust him off and help him relax.

I like that the Kid talks to his horse. It is an infrequent occurrence, but one I really appreciate. It always sort of bothers me how easily the two men can sell their horses and buy new ones any time they need to, giving me the feeling they think of them solely as transportation and not something to be cared for and treated well. So when the Kid calls his horse ‘old fella’ or Heyes scratches his mount’s nose it pleases me that they show at least some emotional connection to their steeds.
You know, for all these months, I have found something about Ben’s portrayal of the Kid slightly unsettling and if I am being honest, even irritating. It is his tendency to get all little boy stupid over simple things. But just this moment, while he did it again as he pulled the quarter he had been saving for an emergency from his vest pocket, I had a revelation that Ben has played this character named the KID with great precision. He has made it a part of his character’s nature to be childlike and inane at times. The Kid is a strong and able man, and yet he exhibits his juvenile, innocent side with the person he trusts most in the world, Heyes. And Heyes playfully teases his partner over other things but he never chides him for that element of his personality. I think it was probably Hannibal Heyes who first gave the Kid his nickname…I can just picture little Jed tagging along behind the slightly older, and probably already self-possessed Hannibal when they were kids; undoubtedly a bit of an annoyance to the big brother Heyes…”All right, kid, I guess you can come with me…”

Peter looks more and more haggard as the final episodes wear on, but I find him extraordinarily alluring here in this scene as the boys consider a job with Mr. Tynan and Jake Halloran. I’ve grown tolerant of the huge sideburns, realizing they aren’t enough to extinguish the intrinsic beauty of this man, and his hair this long has always been very appealing to me. I’ve made no secret of the fact I like him a bit dirty and unkempt, and this image just encapsulates everything I love about Peter Duel’s looks for me. It never ceases to amaze me, though, that no matter how many times I see him, in how many personas, he takes my breath away. I just don’t believe there has ever been anyone better. *sigh*

*sigh*

Well, money always caps the deal! It tickles me how completely inconsistent the series has been in regard to money, though. In some episodes, fifty dollars is made to seem like a huge amount of money (more in keeping with the times, I would think) while in others, fifty or sixty thousand is made to seem somewhat commonplace. I don’t mind it, I just notice it.
Oooohhh, a cattle drive! Let’s see how sexy our boys look high in the saddle and cutting through the dust…

I wonder if the Tynan’s are actually homeless. What else could possibly possess this young wife to ride along? It sure as hell wasn’t for any comfort. If jealousy was the reason, this woman would have to be almost psychotically afflicted to go along on a dirty, exhausting, smelly cattle drive just to keep an eye on her marginally attractive husband. Does she think maybe there is a wagon full of prostitutes, genially providing comfort for the poor drovers? C’mon. It makes no sense for this woman to be along for the ride.
It seems pretty foolhardy to me for the camp cook to shatter the evening’s calm by hammering away at a metal pan. Isn’t there an easily startled herd of cattle nearby just hankering for a stampede?

What’s the deal with the weird hat orientation on Jake Halloran? It looks like he is wearing a normal hat with the side facing forward. I wonder why he doesn’t ride side saddle to go along with it. *chuckle*
In my mind, I simply cannot picture a better actor for the part of camp cookie than Walter Brennan. What a gem this guy is. Just seeing him traveling along, in command of that big old chuck wagon—which at his advanced age I am certain is an illusion—makes me smile.

Oh, man. Right in the middle of the action of Kid taking on Ralph in a fist fight, there is Walter Brennan without his teeth! I just love that image on so many levels! It totally steals the scene for me, though, and I have to quit smiling and focus on the fight at hand…

Throughout the series, I have never quite understood the enjoyment Heyes takes in watching Kid get his ass kicked. It makes for interesting viewing, but I can’t quite reconcile this characteristic with the deeply caring and supportive relationship I know these two men to have. If the Kid were really being badly hurt, would Heyes just sit there and watch? I have to believe he wouldn’t—that he would step in and back up his friend in need—but the story almost dictates he would do nothing, and would actually enjoy it. It must be meant to be cute, and in some unexplainable way it is—but it is also disturbing when held up in contrast with the rest of our boys’ relationship.

I don’t know if all these guest actors are particularly tall but Ben looks small to me in comparison with the others. And does he not look decidedly more boyish and young just as Peter seems to age before our eyes?
The Kid’s admonishment of Heyes for not supporting him in the fight, even by encouraging words, brings about a funny line from Heyes that he shouldn’t be expected to back a loser. But what really works here is the Kid’s reaction—he falls right into Heyes’ trap and begins a boastful tirade of how he would have won if the fight had been allowed to continue, all to Heyes’ amusement and palpable skepticism.

In what I consider the second most amazing couple’s moment of the series—bettered only by the exquisite touching of hands when they fell, depleted, to the ground expecting to die in Smiler—Heyes dips a bandanna in the pond and tenderly dabs at the Kid’s bruised and battered face, while speaking in a nurturing, yet masculine tone. It is simply beautiful to see this interaction; the absolute lack of embarrassment on Heyes’ part as he gently tends to his friend; the Kid’s complete acceptance –even expectation—of his partner’s affection and care. I am so enamored with this moment I am resentful of the intrusion by Mrs. Tynan. Personally, as a woman, I think if I saw these two men engaging in such a private exchange, I would stand back for a time in wonderment and would certainly not want to step in and disturb the obvious intimacy of the moment.

But Mrs. Tynan does intrude and once I am over my irritation toward her, I find I really enjoy Heyes’ teasing of the Kid after she leaves—“Well, here we are, only two days out. You got yourself beat up, made yourself an enemy, and the boss’s wife has got her big brown eyes pointed right at ya. And only nineteen more days to go!”

There is one tasty glimpse of Heyes’ pride over the Kid’s pugilistic competence when Mrs. Tynan tells him he is the only man who has ever been able to hold his own in a “dispute” with Ralph. Maybe what Heyes is displaying when the Kid gets into scuffles isn’t enjoyment, but tough love—letting him fight his own battles to allow him to better his skills. Ok, that works for me! It isn’t that Heyes is just a cad! *giggle*

I’ve said it before…I just applaud any actor willing to show himself on TV without his teeth! And somehow, Mr. Brennan without his manages to remain quite cute and charming.
I absolutely love the stand alone carrot morsel that Gant puts on the Kid’s plate when he laments his meager ration with “Is that all I get?” Old Gant staring down the Kid’s puppy-dog-eyes plea with his own look of amused innocence is just priceless. What a great scene!

Heyes chews that piece of meat so long I begin to wonder if it is still alive. I don’t imagine the food was particularly well prepared on cattle drives—although I suspect Gantry would challenge that assumption—but it does seem like it should at least be edible on a television production.
Oh, man. The way Bud speaks as he says, “A man carries a stiletto, he don’t show it arouuund…” really annoys me. It seems so overly dramatic, it’s like the actor is announcing, “I’ve got this one line—I’m gonna make it stand out…”
Surely a chuck wagon would have its wares tied down better than that, wouldn’t it? I mean really, wouldn’t it?
I thoroughly enjoy the whole scene in the chuck wagon as Heyes comes to visit the captive Kid. From start (“Hi”) to finish (“See ya!”) the dialog is amusing and on point. I wonder what Heyes keeps looking over his shoulder for, though. Seems like a mighty loud environment to foster any kind of eavesdropping to me.
I wonder when the Kid gets a chance to pee. It is funny to me that such a thing is never addressed. A few scenes back he looked headed off into the neighboring brush, when he was commandeered by Jake. Now what he has swallowed hasn’t even reached his stomach when he is told his ropes are going right back on. I wonder, and worry, about such things!
I ain’t talkin’ about Jones. Said so perfectly by Walter Brennan I just can’t help but laugh. I love his voice and his toothless speech and everything about him. What a great old actor. And how wonderful that he graced us with his presence here, in one of the very last performances he ever made.
What beautiful acting all around as Gant accuses Mr. Tynan of killing the two cowhands. Linda Marsh, who I haven’t found much favor with until now, doesn’t utter a sound but shows clearly on her face the devastation her character feels at being the subject of bunkhouse rumors. Walter Brennan adds a wonderful slant to the accusatory Gant and shows his dramatic expertise quite well and Pernell Roberts is exceptional in his portrayal of the affronted Mr. Tynan, intent on recusing himself. Really, really well done.

I’m not sure I understand the animosity between our boys in this episode. There has been no reason shown to us, from the beginning of the episode, why they are getting on each other’s nerves. Maybe it is simply because they are working a job they hate and the atmosphere is making them grouchy. It makes for some cute lines but it falls flat for me. I guess I just don’t accept concepts without premise.

I do like when the Kid turns the tables on Heyes and says basically what Heyes said to him…that he isn’t sure his partner is innocent. The fact that Heyes falls for his teasing and has to finally sheepishly acknowledge it is wonderful. Heyes can see and accept his own foibles…it is a splendid trait. And although he falls victim to this kind of teasing fairly frequently from Heyes, the Kid doesn’t manage to pull it off very often. Turnabout is fair play, Mr. Smith.

That sound Heyes makes as he is awakened absolutely cracks me up!! It makes it clear to me that he was mid-dream, and pulled mercilessly from the fantasy. What an exceptionally communicative way of letting us know how deeply Heyes was asleep, when it is the Kid who will begin talking about dreaming. Bravo, Peter!

It amazes and amuses me that Heyes would ask who won when Kid describes his dream where they have to “shoot it out”. He must really have a vivid fantasy life!! *chuckle*

I wonder if the word “wow” really existed in the 1880s.
I seriously want to smack that misshapen, set askew hat off of Jake Halloran’s head. I have never seen a cowboy hat look so ridiculous in all my life. And it seems to almost emasculate both the character and the actor in the process of just looking stupid.

Of course there are rumors running rampant about Mrs. Tynan and almost every cowpoke on the drive. They are a small nomadic community of men with one woman among them—an unattainable woman at that. Men jockeying for position in the alpha roles are always going to claim bragging rights to possessing the female. The simple solution to the whole damn mess would have been for Mrs. Tynan not to have come on the trail drive. Of course, then we would have had no story. I just wish the writers had realized the importance of having a reason for her to be there, to give us a solid tale.
I like the whole conversation between our boys and Gantry as he joins them to apologize to Thaddeus. Gant is ashamed and they are accepting and amiable and trusting enough in him to allow him into their confidence. There is also a twinkle of what I saw in Heyes in Smiler With a Gun toward Seth—a kindness and reverence toward an old man. It is a charming scene all around.
How could Gantry possibly use the stiletto against Jake in any way except as evidence? He doesn’t have it, and he doesn’t know where it is. Sometimes it seems like the writers were asleep on the job!
Is it the bandana around Ben’s neck that makes him look 17 in this episode? I haven’t been able to pinpoint any change in him physically and I have already wondered here if it is just the more noticeable contrast between Peter and him as Peter’s appearance deteriorates. I just can’t seem to figure it out and the only thing at all different is that he is wearing a bandana and no hat. It almost looks like first season Ben to me but that can’t be because Peter looks much older and more tired than he did in the first season. It’s perplexing.
I love the way Peter delivers the key line in the scene—his response to Gant’s inquiry of why the boys robbed banks— “That’s where the money was kept.” His eyes betray no silliness, he seems to be speaking the truth with a bit of bewilderment at why anyone would need to ask because the reason for robbing banks is so obvious. There are so many ways Peter could have played this moment and the way he chose shines brilliantly.

That’s some pretty good shooting on ol’ Gantry’s part! I guess already having the gun cocked with your finger on the trigger and not even having to reach into a holster for it saves a bit of time!

The speed at which Pernell Roberts delivers the lines "I want you to take the responsibility of seeing that he gets to Tenstrike and I want you to turn him over to the sheriff when you get there. Will you accept the job?" and the odd way he drops the tone of the last word, job, makes it seem like he is overacting in a badly made sci-fi adventure movie. He is a good actor, making it hard for me to understand his strange choice of intonation.
You know, sometimes I think I am just way too picky. But seriously, given the reins himself, if old Gant decided to attempt an escape in the heavy, ungainly chuck wagon, how far do you think he would really get? Is it really necessary to use an able bodied drover to drive Gant to the remainder of the way? I think the Kid could easily make sure his charge gets to Tenstrike by just riding by the wagon occasionally and asking for a hardtack or piece of johnnycake or something. *giggle*

I wonder why Ben is wearing his Season One hat. Boy, I am getting more and more confused about why he seems to be in Season One while Peter seems to be at the end of the road… *sigh*
Dick Cavett’s acting is amusing. All he had was a bit more than three lines and yet he managed to make even that seem stilted! I like Dick Cavett very much, but he was a much better talk show host than an actor.
One of the most special things I have ever found in my non-stop-around-the-clock quest for information on Peter is the video from the Dick Cavett Show of the blocking of the scenes of the boys visiting Gant in jail. I greedily cling to any cherished peek into the reality of Peter the person, and this wonderful behind the scenes look tugs at me even more deeply than most. Maybe it’s that Peter is smoking, which makes it impossible to dispute that it is not his character in this small moment. It may be the way he chews his lip, exhibiting nervousness, or shyness or just humanness as he looks at Dick Cavett, who is talking. Maybe it’s the tiniest glimpse I catch of him breaking into a smile in the next moment over something Cavett has said, and I see that fleeting instance of the smile reaching his eyes. It may be that I notice the courtesy he shows as the gate slips from his grasp and closes prematurely on Ben, and how in the actual scene he has corrected that and his fingers linger, making sure the gate stays ajar long enough. I just feel so moved by this glorious gift of seeing Peter alive at this time in his life, so close to his impending death. It lifts me up at the same time it breaks my heart; which, when I think of what I just said, is exactly what Peter has always done.

♥ Link to the Cavett clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdZ1ScwJZDQ

MIRACLE AT SANTA MARTA

2009-03-16T13:13:00.028-05:00

I enjoy the opening of this episode: our favorite outlaws, unnoticed, just strolling around among the festivities at a horse race. The boys sure look nice leaning against the rail, watching the handlers deal with their horses and snacking on popcorn and peanuts. In all the episodes, I have always enjoyed the men portraying the most mundane of activities as much as the adventurous and dangerous ones.

I wonder if this horse owner, Bleeker, brought the horse all the way from New Orleans. He sure has a Cajun, southern Louisiana drawl. I think he may have been sucking the brains out of crawfish and listening to jazz before the race. *wink*

Boy, Rolf Hanley sure stands out as a southern gentleman among all the more rough and ready cowboys wandering around. He carries himself with such an air of confidence, but he somehow manages not to attach a sense of arrogance to it. I like that.

I love that our boys are able to just look on a horse and determine instantly that she is a thoroughbred and the one they want to bet on. They exchange knowing glances once they have seen her and leave Mr. Bleeker, practically mid-sentence, to follow Mr. Hanley over to the beautiful filly, Hyperia. Heyes and Kid ask pertinent and important questions of the owner that surprise me, especially those coming from the Kid, and Mr. Hanley can tell they know horses.

Just an aside as I burst a delusion bubble. The horse in this episode is NOT a thoroughbred. I consulted with my favorite expert [:Laura because I didn’t think she looked how I imagine a thoroughbred to look and my suspicion was confirmed. This is a beautiful horse, no doubt, but she is simply not a thoroughbred.

I love the fact that this female horse has shamed all these macho cow ponies and their owners! I look for moments of female equality in all facets of life and this rates well—even to the degree of female superiority... awesome.
I’m not quite sure what happens between Peter and Ben at the moment they are going to shake hands over winning the race. There seems to be a split second of miscommunication as they clumsily alternate between looking at their winning tickets and shaking hands. It tickles me, just like all human errors in this series have tickled me.

I can’t believe the boys just walk away from the bookie without getting their payoffs, leaving their winning tickets with him. It seems totally out of character to me. These men have shown us time and again just how much they worship the almighty dollar. It seems doubtful they would be so careless with these winnings. They would most certainly have grabbed their tickets back before heading over to gallantly save Mr. Hanley from the irate and unreasonable Mr. Bleeker.

There is something that always makes me smile in the line from Mr. Hanley “…not being given to pulling con games.” I haven’t a clue why, but I like it.

It seems to me in a race such as this, attended and participated in by cowboys and chauvinistic handlers, the odds against a filly winning would be better than 7.5 to 1. Not much of a payday for those betting on such a supposed underdog.
Close-ups on Peter in the scene where Bleeker is threatening Mr. Hanley are the first in which I begin to notice the physical change taking place in him. His eyes seem different; his expression flat. It saddens me greatly, since I know the changes will begin coming more quickly and much more obviously in the final four episodes. I ready myself for the worst, but there is no real preparedness to ease the pain of what I know will take place. *sorrowful sigh*

It always impresses me that the Kid will try everything he can to avoid a gunfight. Other than the obvious need to remain incognito, it seems to me he has an honest distaste for having to use his gun. I think that is an admirable quality for a fast draw expert—reputedly one of the fastest in the west—to have. My guess is most men with the skill and prowess the Kid has with his gun would want to show it off and try it out any chance they might get.

And in the blink of an eye and the draw of a gun, the situation is neutralized by Kid Curry. Poor Bleeker looks downright shriveled in his defeat.
I love Heyes’ facial expressions as he plays poker with the incompetents in the saloon. He knows darn well he has them all over a barrel and he has not even one iota of misgivings over taking money from less capable players. Sweet.

I delight in the entire couple’s moment exchange between Heyes and the Kid at the bar. Really, no one does asexual man-flirting better than these two men. I giggle a bit as Heyes declines the offer of a beer but then the Kid orders it anyway—what an entirely couple thing to do—and Heyes thanks him and drinks it without protest. And I can’t help but smile as Heyes delivers the silliest line of the episode—I think I’m beginning to like ya—because even silly, it speaks volumes on the nature of their relationship. And I think it goes without saying at this point—I simply love their union, every moment of it.

That Kid! He can sleep through anything, from the roughest ride to Mr. Hanley yelling to the stagecoach driver. I wonder if he has ever fallen asleep riding a horse! Ben did a really good job—intentional or otherwise—of weaving that thread of the Kid’s character throughout the series. We could maybe give credit to the writers, but Ben carries it off so well, I prefer to send the kudos his way.

That stage coach driver has always creeped me out. I have seen the actor many times and always instantly think of a bird of prey—but one of the less attractive ones like a vulture or hawk. I think it is based on his beak--er, nose, eyes and eyebrows. There are quite a few celebrities in which I have always seen a resemblance to some animal…several as birds. The old guy checking Mr. Harlingen’s gems in Never Trust an Honest Man comes instantly to mind as one of the bird variety, *chuckle* but he seems more a tired old robin than a carnivorous predator.

You know, this says much more about me than the man I am prefacing. I am very sensitive to sound and irritating movement. It may be a sign of mental illness—I don’t know! *wink* But I get extremely annoyed by needless sound or movement. An example: my mother has a kitchen timer with a shrill beep. It never fails that when I am there visiting, she cooks and sets the timer. But she doesn’t turn it off when it begins to beep…she lets it beep and beep until I want to scream and throw it out the window, or stomp it to smithereens. She gets a real kick out of the fact it annoys me. Well, this man sitting there at the table in the restaurante, tapping his fingers maniacally to the music makes me want to run right over there and shove his cigar up his nose. His finger dancing is so frantic I can’t even catch it in a vid cap. Cripes.
Ah, Nico Minardos. I enjoy him in his roles on Alias Smith and Jones. I don’t think I ever had any previous knowledge of the guy before rediscovering all this glorious entertainment about a year and a half ago, but he has left an impression on me now. I love that he is a Greek man playing a Mexican so well. (I won’t bore you with my reminiscence of a summer love affair in Athens in 1974—just suffice it to say, I have a lasting attraction to the dark sultriness of Mediterranean men, although in this case the tightly curled hair leaves me a bit cold…) I also absolutely love the scenes with Peter, the jail guard and Mr. Minardos in Cannon for Cordoba.

hmmmmmm….interesting that he is named Cordoba in this episode. I better check and see if Roy Huggins had something to do with the production of that movie! I doubt it, but that man could recycle character names and stories like nobody’s business.
Señor Jones, pronounced hone-us. Too cool.
I love the exchange between the Kid and Señor Cordoba over the Kid’s gun. “This pistol’s been cleaned recently.” says the Alcalde, quite arrogantly. “My pistol’s always been cleaned recently” retorts the affronted Kid, equally as arrogantly. This could be a grand battle of the wills shaping up here.

And I have to admit to enjoying the way the Kid says "the United States of America". We Americans, man, we are just pretty full of ourselves. It is a very American quality to have what I guess could best be described as pride—to assume we are special simply by virtue of where we happened to be born. When Kid says it in the way he does, he lets us know he thinks nothing more need be said, for we, from the United States of America are to be revered and treated accordingly. Very well done, Ben. Too bad the Alcalde undoubtedly has the same reverence for his own country!

Oh, my. Give me strength…here is an example of one fine man walking…Heyes heading for the stagecoach and strongly throwing his baggage up to the driver is a sight to behold. Now, you know I am not one to focus on such things, but it seems to me he is filling out those buff jeans quite nicely lately. I catch my breath a little because truly, is there anything more appealing than the way the gun belt rides low on that right hip? Or the confident posture Peter carries? For the countless time, I am in Hannibal Heyes Heaven. Peter Paradise. A Have Mercy Moment. Call it what you will, it is exquisite. ®®®§

It is a really fun moment when Heyes, hearing Miss Parker correct him with “It’s Mrs.” can’t—or maybe made no attempt to—conceal his disappointment. I think it gives her a bit of a thrill to see that this attractive man is overtly interested in her.

Sometimes I really question the choice of the women hired for guest spots. This actress, while quite attractive and talented, seems too old and too damn cultured for our boy. I sense that Heyes likes a bit of bawdiness in his women, and this woman would have none of that.

It perplexes me that Peter’s looks change so much from one scene to the next. Early in this episode he looked disconnected, for lack of a better word, and now, standing there asking the desk clerk how to find his friend, he looks like the old Peter—handsome, animated, engaged. I do wonder what caused that. Maybe exhaustion at some moments can account for some of the variation. I guess I will never know. But I wish whatever made him appear as his old, charismatic self had been around more in these final weeks.
Cute line: “How do I find my friend? He’s staying at the local jail.” But even cuter, the waw-waw musical commentary and overdone reaction of the desk clerk. Classic Alias Smith and Jones.

Can’t you almost see a dialog bubble saying “Why would you have said that?” above Heyes’ head as he reacts with a quizzical look at the Kid when the Alcalde says he looks quite young to have retired from both the railroad and banking? Perfect.

By the way, my crack investigative reporter/Chihuahua extraordinaire, Justin, has informed me by a complete lack of interest that the barking we hear throughout this episode is NOT that of Shoshone. It could be Carroll, though, because Justin has never shown her the time of day.
Very few men, in my opinion, can carry off wearing a charro suit with any dignity. The ornate design feels effeminate to me and a man needs to be supremely confident in his masculinity to make it work. Nico Minardos is almost there, but not quite.

I clearly remember the actress, Ina Balin, as someone I found to be wildly exotic as a kid. I am surprised to find that she was actually born in Brooklyn of Jewish descent—not at all what I would have expected her ethnicity to be. While I find her acting somewhat stilted in this episode, I have discovered information about her that has surprised and delighted me, including the fact that along with Red Cross volunteer Betty Tisdale, Ms. Balin rescued 219 orphans right before the fall of Saigon. She adopted three of these children. A movie was even made about this event called The Children of An Lac, in which she starred as herself. I think I will see if the movie is rentable anywhere. What an interesting story.

Here I am with my spatial/noise issues (all related to claustrophobia in different degrees) again. I would just not be able to enjoy my dinner if I had a band standing over me like that, playing music and staring at me. It sure doesn’t seem to bother Heyes though, as he barely acknowledges their presence between bites.

I do enjoy that Heyes has table manners. His napkin in his lap, wiping his mouth after bites…very pleasing.
I am not a big fan of the girly-man silk bow around Heyes’ neck at dinner. I like him in his Sunday best, but this is just wrong on so many levels! Ugh.
I don’t enjoy Meg Parker’s blatant flirting. It feels heavy handed, like she is smacking Heyes on the head with her desires and it also feels a bit cheap, which doesn’t seem to fit the cultured woman sitting there as she says the inanely stupid line, “It made me wish I were a man, so that I could go fishing too.” After Heyes’ response that he likes her as she is, she ultra-demurely replies, “maybe I was fishing…and successfully.” Geez, lady, give the man credit for enough intuition to not need you to scream your interest. Take a deep breath and let him court you.

The Kid looks quite dapper, dressed up in his best suit and pretending to be a refined guest at the Alcalde’s dinner party. His delivery of the comment meant to trap Margaret Carruthers is excellent. “He came from Kentucky.” Eyes lowered, with a pause, then a direct look at Ms. Carruthers, “Lexington.” Very nice.

What an absurd statement from "Margaret Carruthers" in response to the Kid’s suggestion she must have known Rolf Hanley if she, too, came from Lexington. “There were 16,050 people in Lexington at the last count. Many of them were my friends…” Even if she personally knew, say, 500 people (which I would say would suggest great popularity)—that is not many in relation to 16,000.
I love the hat being shot off the Kid’s head after they run for cover behind the log. Little slapstick moments like that really amuse me, much more so than the farcical joke that follows: “Heyes? Is this good or bad?” Pause for effect. “Well, if you don’t get killed, I think it’s good.” That is just trying too hard to be funny for my taste, and it falls flat. I suspect I may have a much different reaction to that kind of humor than many fans.

I love, love, love the moment when the Alcalde, following suit after the Kid uses the word gringo, begins to use the word also and catches himself. Very well played by Minardos. He doesn’t, in the grand scheme of things, seem particularly comedic to me, but in this instance, his timing is impeccable.
Wow. That is one unfortunately misfitted blouse on Mrs. Hanley. Small breasts are fine, of course, but much better served in a top made with breasts of that size in mind. It looked much better on the more heavily endowed Rachel Carlson in The Fifth Victim!

I can almost see Ina Balin reading from the script as she speaks in the scene when the Kid and Mrs. Hanley visit her. I have to say, I am not all that enamored with her acting.
How cute does Heyes look peeking around the door to Meg Parker’s room? Oh, to be the one he was anxious to see…

Why the response of “Joshua, you idiot, come on in…”? I just don’t understand that kind of endearment, and I have to assume as an endearment is how it is meant here. She obviously doesn’t consider him an idiot. I wonder, am I the only one who has never called anyone an idiot when what I really meant was my friend, or sweetheart, or you beautiful, intoxicating man?
Ben looks like he keeps looking in a rearview mirror as he takes Mrs. Hanley back to the hotel in the buggy!

I comprende, Heyes. I comprende that I like you all aggressive and bothered…*sigh*

Peter does the best guttural groans around. Just an observation. *giggle*

Are those tears in Heyes’ eyes as he looks up at the Kid behind bars, who is imploring him to do something to save him from the inevitable firing squad? Wow, that’s deep. And it shows me that no matter how tired Peter was of doing the show; no matter how silly he felt playing the role or how personally unhappy he was, he never, ever let us down by not giving his all to the part. Bless him, he was one hell of an actor.

Ok, I am not fixated on this actress’s chest. But my god, now the angle of her breasts seems to pull her whole body down and make her appear to have horrible posture. Someone make that woman an outfit more flattering to her figure type, please! I wonder if guest stars just picked out an outfit from the wardrobe department or if they had dressers. Either way, whoever chose this outfit for Joanna Barnes most decidedly failed.

The Kid’s daydream about being executed is quite striking. The bullet holes in the wall behind him add an element of aching reality. At first I thought there should be more holes. But it’s always been my understanding that to protect the psyches of the executioners, with no one knowing whose bullet actually kills the condemned, only one gun of the firing squad is ever loaded with a real bullet, and all shooters aim directly at the head or heart. These would be fairly expert marksmen. There would not be many times they would miss. And depending on the distance and the caliber of the weapon, I suppose not many of the bullets that hit their target would necessarily make it into the wall. Ugh. Sometimes I really wish I didn’t have such an analytical mind.

This could just possibly be the worst fake Mexican accent coming from an apparently authentic Hispanic human being ever to grace the screen as the little horse groomer tells Heyes where Mrs. Hanley has taken Hyperia.

I always look forward to and thoroughly enjoy seeing Peter on horseback. His posture is as strong and straight as it is when he walks and his skill on a horse is always quite evident, even to a non-equestrian like me.

I wonder if the outlaw the imposter Margaret Carruthers ran off from Lexington with is the same Charles Morgan Heyes ran into during The Great Shell Game and apparently ran with during his early days with Jim Plummer’s gang.
Ok, I’m sorry. I have a feeling the scene where Heyes tells the Kid he has brought off the miracle and Kid’s reaction to the news is probably a favorite among fans. It makes me cringe. No one would be so stupid as to shout out a visiting fugitive’s name in a Mexican jail. It just gives me a moment of wanting to fast forward through the silly quavering mouth and huge, awestruck eyes of the Kid as he yells out “Heyes!” and slaps his hand over his own mouth to stop himself. I very much prefer the scene as scripted… Curry: (almost afraid to ask) You did what? Heyes: Brought off the miracle! On Curry’s face, a combination of relief, astonishment and sheer joy, we freeze frame and FADE OUT.
*sigh*

Domestic bliss. How could we not find the scene of the Kid bathing, with cigar in mouth, as Heyes mends his hat and explains Elizabeth Carter’s involvement in the whole sordid affair not absolutely adorable?

A perfect, favorite moment in the episode as Heyes proudly shows the Kid his handiwork! I laugh every time. The look on the Kid’s face is priceless. Good job, Ben!
Oh, my god. There’s the ugly bag. I thought I’d never see it again!

Knowing Peter watched this episode only hours before his death and was apparently displeased with it has always made it a hard episode for me to fully enjoy. I think it was a fine show, however, and I struggle to understand what Peter found inadequate in either his own performance or the program in general. If only he could have seen the joy this silly, irreverent, wonderful series gave so many, and the breathtaking warmth and caring so many have found in him. We saw it. Why couldn’t he…?

EVERYTHING ELSE YOU CAN STEAL

2009-02-24T19:09:00.004-06:00

Aren’t those two kids a little young to pass as Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry? They look around 18 and the wanted posters age our favorite outlaws in their late twenties. The only similarities I see between these two imposters and the real men is their hair color. I wonder if there was such a thing as a casting director in the 1970s.
Gee, I hope they bury that horrible vest with Billy Black…
Ah, a scene of our boys riding into a new town…only something seems amiss. The music, the speed of their walking horses, the gingerly way they dismount those horses…I think these men are exhausted. Trail dirty and worn…I’d say they could use a bath and a back rub. *sigh* I’d be happy to volunteer…
Even though it is spoken exactly as written in the script, I think Peter made an error in modulation—and judgment—on his line: “I was hoping that you’d come up with a bright side to our situation.” He put the emphasis on the word hoping—giving the sense that what he was hoping for had been fulfilled. But it hadn’t. I think the inflection should have been on the word bright in order for the line to work, and the writer, “John Thomas James” miswrote the line.
I love Kid putting his hat down over his eyes and leaning his head back in the sun, and Heyes, feeling some apparent back pain, sitting forward a bit with his legs outstretched as he picks up the newspaper…the image of both men on that bench is quite stunning really.

This is the first episode in which Peter wears his ring. It makes me sad. I had a dream about Peter and his ring and since then I have formed a belief of what it meant to him inwardly. I have a hard time whenever I see the ring glisten in the sunlight, like now—or I notice Peter glance at it or adjust it on his finger. He seems very conscious of it in this and the episodes to come…as if he is trying to make sure it is seen, and also trying to remind himself what it means to him. Seeing it hurts my heart.
Hey, are they exiting Wickenburg yet again??
I chuckle as Peter parks Clay too close to the tree and has difficulty dismounting because Ben has brought his horse right up next to Clay. Peter has to push on the tree and get his foot untangled from the bedroll behind the saddle before he squeezes between the two horses to open space, while Ben remains completely oblivious to the whole thing. It is so like Peter to just continue on with the scene rather than insist it be done over until he achieves perfection. One of the things I adore the most about the series is the little missteps …the tiny moments where we see the real people involved and their very human nuances.

I think Peter’s back was bothering him in this episode. When it did, he tended to jut his stomach forward and his butt back…it is a very pleasant posture on him, and a very common one for back pain sufferers. I wish he weren’t in pain, of course, but he sure looked good when he stood that way.
I love the exchange about whether to get a drink or go see the sheriff with the prophetic last name first. The boys each share their opinions—but in the end Heyes wins as he takes Kid’s arm and says “Let’s go get a drink second. C’mon.” and that is the final word. It is the way most conflicts between them end, with Heyes the victor—but I don’t think it is necessarily that Heyes is right; it all really falls on the fact that the Kid is willing to acquiesce, and I don’t believe in most situations Heyes would be as willing.

I guess I am dense (nobody say a word…) but I don’t get the joke Heyes makes after the sheriff derides the boys about their choice of being bounty hunters. Heyes replies with a grin and “oh we just didn’t have no choice, Sheriff, after we got done shooting all the buffalo.” What does that mean?? Just that bounty hunters are more vile than those who nearly obliterated the existence of buffalo? A history lesson, please, someone…
Sometimes the voiceovers used stand out like a sore thumb. Here is an example when the Kid says “Oh, yeah, yeah, sure…” to Heyes’ suggestion there has to be something they can do. I’m not even sure it is Ben’s voice at all—it actually seems much too emotive to have come from Ben.
Always the doomsayer, poor Kid is ready to pack it all in and move to South America. And giving in to Heyes’ idea to have a drink first he can’t resist the temptation to at least chide Heyes with “Oh, yeah, it’s probably like the sheriff’s office—the one saloon west of the Mississippi we can walk into like a pair of Texas Rangers.”
Heyes reverts to his familiar boyish enthusiasm when he claps his hands at the sight of Jenny, then happily hugs and kisses her and laughs. He is an affectionate man, much more so than it first appears. It would be very easy not to notice how he continues to hold Jenny’s arm as she is hugged by the Kid—letting his touch linger there for the entire embrace—and gently gives her arm a loving squeeze.

I love the aesthetics of the moment when Heyes leans in to Jenny and tells her he is Joshua Smith and the Kid is Thaddeus Jones. There is something about the cut of the camera angle, seeing only part of Heyes’ profile that is just delicious.

I like Ann Sothern. I like her very contradictory sides…a combination of raunchy and feminine. She plays tough but gentle very well and I think she is perfect for this role.
When did the Kid start wearing that strange tan jacket with dark lapel and cuffs? Did I fall asleep or something? It doesn’t seem his style to me.

I would like some back story on who Jenny is to the boys, especially to Heyes. He seems to have a particular fondness for her and I wonder if she was a mother figure to him somewhere along the line. He seems to revere her in the way a son looks on his mother, and I suspect when he and the Kid first ran away from the Valparaiso School for Waywards, she may have given them shelter in some saloon backroom or something.
I can honestly say I don’t criticize people based on their looks. No one can help how their genetic makeup designed them. I may pick apart the clothes they wear, or ridicule their fake fingernails, or style of hair—all things they can easily change; I may even go so far as to analyze the shape of their butt, but I don’t hold their natural looks against them, or mock them for it. But, my god, I do draw the line at this guy. Mr. Blodgett is so vastly unappetizing, I can’t help but comment. It IS his looks that bother me…it is the persistently protruding and wet lips, hanging there like slabs of warm, raw bacon; formulated in such a way as to expose every tooth and bit of drool. This man simply makes my stomach revolt. How he looks is not his fault—but this actor, Kermit Murdock, does everything in his power to make his mouth even more distasteful by exaggerating the flabby looseness of it—he could suck in his lips a bit, instead of projecting them further outward. I mean really. Ugh. And when this guy stands up, fleshy lips pushed forward, discolored bottom teeth wet and inescapably visible and says, “And what do you think of that?” I almost feel sick. Boy. That is one exceptionally unappealing man. He does fit the bill when it comes to his description in the script though, in all but one instance: “Henry Blodgett sits behind his desk. He is tall, thin, middle-aged, pompous and remarkably ugly.” Can’t argue with that. And here, for your viewing pleasure—two images of the unique Mr. Blodgett.

Thank god our Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry were there to lighten the unpleasantness of the scene…seeing two handsome men there to neutralize the distastefulness of the other is a very welcome sight indeed.
I loved Jessica Walter in the wonderful 1971 Clint Eastwood movie Play Misty for Me. It is one of my top 50 movies of all time, probably. The movie came out about a month before this episode aired, so I imagine I was excited to see Miss Walter in the role of Louise, although I have no memory at all of even being aware of it.

I am confused by what the Kid says about Louise: “She’s innocent. A girl who looks like that couldn’t be involved in anything worse than a bundling party.” I can’t find any reference anywhere as to what a bundling party is. Do any of you know?
I love the exchange between Heyes and the kid about what their mothers thought of them. Heyes asks in all seriousness, “Kid, did your mother think you were perfect?” The Kid seems pleased by the question and assures Heyes that yes, his mother did think he was perfect, only to be shot down by Heyes’ wisecrack that she was wrong. I never quite understand where these little digs come from or why, but I tend to enjoy them quite a lot. I love Heyes as a smart ass. It fits him well, as long as the teasing isn’t mean spirited.
I don’t quite understand what exactly Louise means by make love. When a drunk man you aren’t dating comes in and tries to “make love” to you—I would take that to mean, although the wording is misguided, that he attempted to rape you. But who would let a man in that frame of mind then walk you home, alone—away from public view—to clear his head? Maybe he tried to kiss her, maybe that’s what she meant by make love…but the looks Heyes and Curry exchange when she uses that term confuses me even further. The Kid seems bothered by the idea of what Caleb White tried to do to Louise, while Heyes appears slightly amused. I am at a loss. This is kind of poor writing in my opinion, not letting us in on the joke…
DON'T FALL FOR A COIN FLIP, KID!!! Boy, when will you learn??

I really enjoy the whole scene of the Kid up in the tree, keeping a close watch on Louise’s comings and goings. It is a testament to the character of Kid Curry—a powerless slave to his primal needs. If he is hungry this boy must eat and if his body says sleep, the Kid sleeps. It is as simple as that.

How cute when two cats—slave to their own primal needs—do some caterwauling and startle poor Kid, who has been snoozing on the job, right out of the tree! It is a laugh out loud moment!
Mmmm… *sigh* Why is it seeing Heyes do something as mundane as shave makes me catch my breath and watch it again and again? What is it about this man? ®®§
What a lovely view of Peter’s forearms and hands...a very special treat for me. Like a decadent piece of rich chocolate found in a bowl of jelly beans…just a wonderful, unexpected pleasure.

Kid, tired from watching Louise all night, falls asleep while drowsily telling Heyes what he has seen. Heyes, face still covered with shaving cream, gently takes Kid’s hat from his hands and tenderly covers his friend with a quilt. This moment ties with the care he gave the Kid when he fell ill in Night of the Red Dog as my favorite “couple’s moment” in the series. Absolutely beautiful.

Ben does some of his best acting in scenes where he is falling asleep or waking up! It seems he is fully in character and he is a natural at it…
I really like the shooting of this scene through the mirror…it is some of director Alex Singer’s best work on the series and features a ploy that he uses in several of the episodes he directs, that of having a primary character blocked from our sight until he is ready for us to see the whole picture. Here, there is the moment when Heyes’ out of focus elbow obstructs the view of the Kid reclining on the bed, reminding us that Heyes is still there shaving and we are watching through the mirror, and I find it to be really exceptional directing.

It is not my favorite butt shot of Heyes however, which is regrettable, since there is certainly plenty of time here for ogling. His pants are pulled up way too high and from behind in this scene, he looks kind of like an old man! I am satisfied by my last few moments gazing on his forearms and hands, and the sentimentality of him lovingly covering his friend with the quilt, so I don’t feel too let down by a substandard butt shot—this once, anyway.

Heyes sees Louise go into the bank, and following her, steps off the porch and walks to the bank. Posture erect, steps confident...Damn, baby, I do so enjoy watching you walk. A few moments later he emerges, walks a few steps, pauses, grins and turns to his left…have mercy! I think I will watch that again. And again. ® *sigh*

The script describes Jenny as a “bountiful, flamboyant, once-beautiful woman in her late forties with an ample figure.” It tickles me to know that Ann Sothern was 62 when she played this role—she seems closer to the late forties, as the script speculates, to me. I love that she isn’t thin, and completely discredit the description of “once-beautiful”—she’s a great looking old broad… *grin*

Heyes tells Jenny if they can’t get things worked out here, he and the Kid might go to South America. “You two can’t even speak South American!” she responds. Very clever.
That is some of the most uncomfortable, discombobulated kissing I have ever witnessed between two actors. It is almost as if they are fighting each other. I wonder if Jessica Walter and Patrick O’Neal hated each other in real life or something.

I absolutely adore the moment when Heyes leaves Jenny and as she ribs the cowboys she is rejoining at her card table with “If you can count to twenty-one you can take all I got—and I got plenty!” he pauses to listen and gets this amazing grin on his face, showing reverence and love for this bawdy woman. Again I am bound to wonder what their story is. It had to be more than the script describes simply as a woman “the boys knew warmly and well during their lamented days as Wyoming desperadoes”. I just feel like she has saved them, or protected them, or mothered them at some point passed. ®

What could possibly be better than Heyes wandering around in long johns? I’ll tell you. Heyes wandering around in long johns WITHOUT extra underwear holding everything tight and confined under them. Still lovely, though. Just not as lovely as free range long johns might have been. *sigh*
I do very much enjoy the shape of Heyes’ thigh as he reclines in his long johns. Mmmm…§

I may be a fanatic. I may be obsessed. That’s nothing new. But I just freeze-framed the scene where you clearly see Heyes’ bare foot. I have seen a picture of that very foot, of a barefoot Peter sitting on the stairs to his Fuller Avenue apartment, in which his toes looked very strange and it was disturbing to me. [:Picturing Pete Duel, cover] I see now, though, that his foot looks very normal and even kind of cute and that he must have just had his toes curled under in the publicity photo.

The whole middle of the night interaction between the two men is fun and amusing. Heyes is entirely self-absorbed, not concerned in the least that he has woken Kid from a deep sleep. We have seen it before—this need to connect when Kid is sleeping—and we have seen how the Kid doesn’t really mind when he realizes his partner needs to talk. It is a nice bond between the two men. They really do complete each other.

I’m really kind of put off by all the scenes between Jessica Walter and Patrick O’Neal. I can’t explain why. They all just feel uncomfortable to me.
A private moment of pride by Heyes for the Kid and a stroke to his own healthy ego as Kid informs Louise at the picnic that there is no way to open a Pierce and Hamilton ‘78 by manipulating the tumblers. He tells her authoritatively that Heyes tried it in Denver in ‘79 and again 10 weeks ago, and both times had to use nitro, and Heyes appreciatively smiles at the Kid’s knowledge. The look he shoots at the Kid just a moment later, when he oversteps and offers to show Louise Billy and Caleb’s graves, is quite the opposite in flavor though.
There’s Shoshone! I have watched this episode at least a dozen times and this is the first time I have noticed her here…maybe because I tend to look away in scenes featuring Mr. Blodgett! She is always on the move, a real live action girl--making it exceedingly difficult to get a good vidcap of her!

When I first rediscovered Alias Smith and Jones, I read a fan discussion about the scene in this episode where Louise tells the boys she doesn’t believe in killing, and that she would not help the territory of New Mexico kill Kenneth Blake. It was after reading this fan discussion—opining that no one was against the death penalty in those days and that made the episode unrealistic—that made me entirely stop reading other peoples’ opinions about the show. I found the idea that anyone could think that at any time in history no one opposed the death penalty so absurd…so wildly naïve…that I decided just to branch out on my own when it came to opinions about Alias Smith and Jones, and it was actually that fan discussion that propelled me to begin writing my notes.
The fact that Louise is suddenly a strong woman, schooling Heyes and Curry on the fact that women have brains and frequently use them, is surprising to me. It is a pleasant surprise, but one I wish the build up of Louise’s character throughout the episode would have better supported.
Why did Louise deserve the rude comment Heyes throws at her at the train station? It offends me and makes me want to take him by the ear and remind him of his manners. He’s no angel himself, after all. I am pleased that he realizes his words may have been meaner than he intended them and he apologizes. Good for him.

The looks Jenny gives our stricken outlaws as she is escorted from the bank after shooting the man who cold-bloodedly murdered her son are heartbreaking. I read so much into them, it is almost a conversation, It’s ok boys…I’ll be all right…He killed my son…You know how I loved my Billy…Like I love you boys…

I like the cute old guy with his trousers pulled up almost to his armpits. He adds a momentary light note to a horrible reality—that Jenny has just as cold-bloodedly murdered the man as the man cold-bloodedly murdered her own son.

Oh, my god, have mercy…this image, this moment, just makes me swoon…how exquisitely beautiful… *appreciative sigh*

Poor Louise seems so abandoned, so in need of friends, as our boys take their leave of the town. It feels slightly shameful to me that they don’t stay around to see to it in some way that Jenny is exonerated. I feel a certainty that they owe that woman for deeds passed.
I suppose someone will want to throw a rotten tomato at me, but I just can’t stand the final scene or the poem—neither of which fit anything in the show for me. Why would either of these men give a rat’s ass whether Kenneth Blake has a headstone? How does that poem work anyway, in correlation to Kenneth Blake? What sense does any of this make? Here’s my suggestion. Get off the damned train, go back to your friends in need—Jenny and Louise—and use that $100 toward Jenny’s defense fund. THAT is poetic.

SHOOTOUT AT DIABLO STATION

2009-02-11T11:38:00.027-06:00

Aw, too bad our boys arrive in town by stage coach. I always savor their entries to some new environment on horseback as something special.
What’s up with that weird three-bump-drum-sound as Kid walks into the telegraph office? It almost sounds like a TV station’s severe weather warning or something. It is so out of place and distracting, and I can’t for the life of me figure out its purpose. Especially since it seems so foreboding and the scene is actually a fairly playful one. Some logic just escapes me…
I absolutely love the exchange between Kid and Heyes about Heyes’ telegraph! It is a classic dynamic between the two men. Kid teases Heyes a bit; Heyes feels he has to prove himself to the Kid but as usual falls the tiniest bit short; and in the end, Kid is respectful and appreciative of Heyes’ ability: “Poetry. Send it!” …followed by some masculine flirting. A delightful little couple’s moment. Perfect!

Of course, for me, there is the immense joy of seeing Heyes saunter over to the telegrapher’s desk. Hey, give me a break! I have been gone a long time; pitiful me, sick and sad, not privy to any great butt shots in awhile. Just give me my moment of ogling bliss and move on…®§

*sigh*

Ugh. Howard Duff. I never cared for him when I was young. As I think I have mentioned before, there have been several actors who have guested on Alias Smith and Jones that I really couldn’t stand as a kid, but somehow, as an adult, found appealing on this show—like Joan Hackett and Jack Cassidy. Not so with Howard Duff. First sight of him: Ugh. Last sight of him: UGH.
I can’t quite follow why our boys have to act like strangers once they are aboard the stagecoach and throughout the station house captivity. Didn’t they agree they would be all right “unless that Sheriff sees us together”? I have to assume that once they leave the town they were in they are no longer under the watchful eye of the law.
There’s the Kid Curry we know and love…always chivalrous; never afraid to step right into a conflict with some boorish lout who needs to be brought down a peg or two. I love how Heyes’ face always exhibits respect for the Kid in these situations. Heyes knows he doesn’t have to step in with brawn, because the Kid will—but then Heyes is more than willing to finish off the pushy windbag with the voice of reason. What a team!

Yowsa!! I wonder if those false eyelashes were made of horse tails in the Old West!! They are certainly long enough. It is one real grievance I have with the show in general—the stretch from reality when it came to dressing and accessorizing the female guest stars. Fake eyelashes, fake fingernails, makeup, and dyed hair. C’mon. Those kinds of things jar me from the lovely time warp I am in as I watch, being one with the show and the era. They are always a giant slap in the face with the 20th Century—and the gaudy and overdone late 60s/early 70s at that.

HEY!! I think that’s Heyes driving the stagecoach!! Look closely…dark hat, tan jacket, dark shirt, buff jeans…now look as the stagecoach pulls into the station…there’s the driver in white hat, tan jacket, light shirt and white jeans. Why, I do believe I will just mosey on back to The Legacy of Charlie O’Rourke to see if I am right...

It always pleases me that if there is one around, Heyes picks up a book and reads. He seems to always be hungry for knowledge. Since the scene is framed differently in the script, with Heyes lying down with his arm over his eyes, I wonder if Peter had something to do with the change—knowing how much he loved to read, and learn…

Now there’s a familiar face: Neville Brand! He is someone I remember clearly from my childhood, mainly because my older sister had a huge crush on him and I used to tease her about it! She loved the craggy, rough looking men; some one might even call ugly—Mr. Brand, Chuck Connors—while I loved the beautiful men like Peter Duel. *sigh*
Even though I have no inkling why Chuck never responds to any comment the Kid makes, it tickles me nonetheless. Kid says, quite amicably, “My name is Jones. Thaddeus Jones. Can you tell us how long this is gonna take?” and Chuck just stands there and stares. The look on the Kid’s face, as he turns to Heyes in bewilderment is hysterical. I laugh out loud and rewind it every time, because I am every bit as confused as the Kid. Why won’t this nut case give our Kid Curry the time of day? I don’t get it, but I enjoy it!

Aw. I love the old soldier, ready to lay down his life for the flag he has battled under and loves. Even in a silly show like this I am in awe at the incredible patriotism of those who have fought for this country. I sense that even Chuck, wielding a gun, has respect for the brave old man. The General reminds me of my dad…also a hard-as-nails, highly decorated veteran, valorous to the end.

At first it surprises me that it isn’t the ever chivalrous Kid who steps right in to protect the women by identifying one of them as his wife. But when I think about it, it makes perfect sense that the thinker of the two, Heyes, would start the ball rolling and the Kid would pick up where he leaves off, especially since the Kid is tied up and his typically brawny way of handling mistreatment of women wouldn’t hold up here.
It also tickles me which choice Heyes made as the woman he designated to be his wife. In my opinion, she is the harder of the two—and also the most cunning. She has a thinking mind, however misguided her future decisions might be, and I think the pairing, if it were real, would be the correct one. And the coupling of the Kid with the more naïve, less clever sister is a perfect fit also. I have to say, though, that if these two women were to become actual love interests of our boys, I would have to shoot them by the end of the episode because they both just grate on me like Mary's fake fingernails on a chalkboard.
Ok, here we go…the ball-less wonder, weasel-extraordinaire, George Fendler stands right up to betray the others to save his own neck. Maybe it was the roles he played that always made me dislike Howard Duff. Maybe he played a spineless creep well enough to give me an idea it might be his nature in “real life”. I don’t know. But really, even after he has reformed and apologized by the end of this episode, I still can’t stand him.

I just don’t get why the whiny sister, Ellen, turns on the boys when it’s revealed they aren’t really married. “Can’t you see we’re helpless by ourselves? Can’t you understand that?” Gee, it may just be me, but it seems to me stepping in to try to protect them by saying they were married to them WAS ‘understanding that’… Seems a tad bit ungrateful to me.

How spectacular that the bad guy takes offense at George Fendler’s self-serving betrayal. It enrages him that Fendler ‘sold these young ladies out’. Chuck’s ability to fly from calmness to fury at the drop of a hat makes him seem crazy, all right, but underneath it all—if not for his craziness over his brother’s death—I get a sense he might have some tiny bit of honor in him.

You know, when you look at it, Neville Brand has a very interesting face. Weathered and full of character. I like his face. Not in a handsome way, just in more artistic sense. I suppose I'd better call my sister and apologize for teasing her all those years ago. I'm standing my ground on the Chuck Connors ick factor though.

Oh, good lord. Is the vest Bud is wearing so wonderful we need to see it in two episodes?? I can stand it here, because Bud is a weenie, but to later see our gorgeous Heyes in it--ugh.
When Mary calls the bad guys ‘big hunks’, I am taken aback. I don’t know if such a word existed in that sense in the 1880s. In the script I have, she says, “The image of you big baqueros—trying to do women’s work…” That too perplexes me, because the only word I know of that is close to that is vaqueros—which I am certain they were meaning to use because it translates as, basically, a tough cowboy. I wonder if in rewrites, no one could come up with the actual word and had to throw out baqueros—rightly so—and replace it with a one-syllable-no-fail-simple-ass-word, like hunk!
Well, Mary certainly does have chutzpah, as she hikes her leg up onto the table and removes her stocking…much to the chagrin of Ellen and the delight of our boys and the rest of the men. Man, oh, man! Feminine wiles really do work in a pinch!

I love how Heyes looks around the others to say “Mind if I ask you a question?” only to be rebuked by Chuck’s reply of “You don’t always have to ask if I mind if you ask.” The exchange is cute, and when it culminates with Heyes saying, “Well, for one thing, I’d like to talk—or walk—or do something to take my mind off my backside, which is commencing to protest.” I chuckle aloud and usually say something to myself along the lines of “I can keep my mind on your backside for you—so you don’t have to…” No, I don’t get to see much of it in this episode, but it is never far from my thoughts!! *giggle*

Love the chicken walk the General does to change seats.
My favorite line in the whole episode, from our favorite smart ass, Heyes, of course: “This really sounds like this could be fun—you know we all sit around and think of places where nobody’s coming from!” Even the Kid showed the tiniest bit of amusement at the line. And Peter’s left dimple from that angle, as he looks up at Chuck while he chides him? To die for.

There it is again!! God, I just love that Chuck totally ignores Kid when he speaks! I just can’t figure out a reason for his disregard though. The script lights on the subject just a bit: One side of Chuck’s mouth smiles and his eyes gleam—and his cronies know he is drifting toward another bout with his transient madness. But that doesn’t explain why it is always when the Kid says something that he has these fade-out moments.
I wonder what a rotten roddlesnake whelp is…Ah, I see Mr. Brand didn’t enunciate as clearly as he should have—he was meaning to say a rotten rattlesnake’s whelp. Still, I wonder why Chuck considered the “murder” of his brother to have been perpetrated by a baby rattlesnake and not just a regular rattlesnake.
For a moment there, I thought the Kid was thinking of the safety of his friend and benefactor, Lom Trevors, when he says to Heyes, “We gotta stop this lunatic…” but I thought too soon. In very typical Kid Curry self-preservation mode, he finishes his thought with, “if he kills Lom, our amnesty’s dead.” Wow. Not a concern in the world over the possibility of Lom losing his life. Gotta love a friend like that.
You have to be kidding me. Those fingernails on Mary are absurd. Almost as long as the horse tails on her eyes. And opaque white fingernail polish, to boot. Give me a break.

I may be stretching here, but it seems to me it might have been a good idea to have a plan before overpowering only two of the four bad guys, Mary.
In an exceptional scene, by using his arm and shoulder to hold him back, Heyes—always a quick, instinctual thinker—stops the Kid from rushing to Mary’s rescue and thereby exposing the fact that he is no longer tied up, when Chuck hits her. The communication between the two continues as Heyes doesn’t lean away—instead keeping his body against the Kid’s, knowing his partner tends to hold longer to the anger and might yet lash out. They have to sit there, witnessing something I think they both find deplorable, as we hear Chuck strike Mary hard, four times. In the end, it seems only marginally satisfying as Heyes has the last word, knocking Chuck off his high horse when he reminds him it is actually he who should be happy to be alive since “she had the gun.” A very good scene, indeed.

Ah, to be the woman attached to the shoulder one Mr. Joshua Smith has chosen to rest his weary head on… *sigh*

Heyes feigning surprise at the missing Mr. Jones is very cute. He looks adorable as he pretends to have no knowledge of his partner’s whereabouts as the perplexed bad guys scurry about trying to find him.

From way back in the Pilot, I have enjoyed the hammy overacting of Bill Fletcher, the actor playing Hank in this episode. His jerky movements, meant to signify machismo, it seems, just make me chuckle. Even in his relatively small roles it makes him stand out to me.
Good job, George. It seems your testicles have finally dropped and you have, in the nick of time, become a man.

The General. Now there’s a man who epitomizes the meaning of the word balls…take a lesson George, you still have a long way to go.

For someone with claustrophobia, Ben did a great job being in the hidey-hole…maybe on the set there was no back to it to make him feel trapped.

I love that everyone in the room, except Hayfoot and the Kid, believes Heyes is really so stupid he would make a tactical error as crucial as to expose what no flag would mean to the approaching sheriff…
An apology to the two “saloon girls” from George. Too little, too late—I say.
Eww—I can never watch a scene where someone gets a bandana tied into his mouth—especially close up—without first wanting to scream and run because it triggers a huge wave of claustrophobia in me, and second, without wondering where that bandana has been. Dirty men putting dirty bandanas in peoples’ mouths—very disturbing. *deep shudder*
It’s a satisfying climax as our favorite outlaws, very experienced in removing gags from each other, save the day by warning Lom of the impending offensive from the supposedly unarmed gang.

I feel a bit of Peter—of his actual real life frustration—as Lom tells the boys they still won’t get their amnesty. It feels like a real life prophecy to me that had to have been dismaying to someone who wanted the series to end so badly.

Wow! I guess this is the first moment we have seen Anne Archer and Elizabeth Lane standing beside each other. I never thought of Anne Archer as being tall. Well, because I have no life, I just googled Anne Archer’s height and she is only 5’7”—tall but not exactly stately—so I must deduce that the other actress is simply petite.
This episode had a lot of issues with things not making sense to me, but I just decided to enjoy it for pure entertainment’s sake. I must say there was really not enough involvement from our boys—and almost no physical expression, (like walking away butt shots *giggle*) to make it a favorite episode for me. But it was enjoyable in a minimalist way.

THE BOUNTY HUNTER**

2009-01-27T16:02:00.018-06:00

It is a cute scene right out of the gate in this episode, as our boys ride along talking about their finances. Kid chides Heyes for their predicament, expressing he thinks Heyes has failed, even with his nimble mind and silver tongue…and Heyes says, “I am getting the distinct feeling you are beginning to lose confidence in me”, to which Kid replies, “Oh, I wouldn’t go so far as to say that…” Heyes is relieved, obviously, and grins… “You wouldn’t?” only to hear from Kid, “No, but I sure would defend your right to say it.” It tickles me how the Kid holds Heyes entirely responsible for their well-being in every way except the muscle.

Heyes’ distaste at being made to lie down on his belly is perfect. There are just some things that don’t leave a man with dignity and I would say in his mind this is one of them.
Mmmm! I do love the look on Heyes’ face as he acquiesces and lowers his body to the ground. Yummy.
Seems to me Joe took a real risk by having the Kid get off his horse to the left—and between his and Heyes’ horses. It is very likely there would have been a rifle in the rifle holster on the right side of Heyes’ horse.
There is only the slightest acknowledgement of surprise when our boys first see the man capturing them ride up on horseback. I think it is very fitting of the times that they would be slightly taken aback to see a black man as a bounty hunter, but the reaction is portrayed perfectly by both actors…showing just a moment of “oh, he’s black” but not an ounce of racism connected. Very nicely done. Any slight variance in expression by either Peter or Ben and it may have been a story with a very different feel…

I don’t know why, but when Heyes says, “Say, what’s this all about? Huh?” and “You’re making a terrible mistake, now…” I giggle. There is something in his voice in those moments that just tickles me so...
A great moment as Heyes lets his head drop hard to the ground as Joe tells them not only who he is but who they really are! I can feel his frustration!
Lou Gossett is an incredible actor. I have been a fan for many years and I just now realize this is most likely the first place I ever saw him. I think he does a brilliant job in this episode and he takes second place on my Top Guest Star list only to Bradford Dillman’s amazing portrayal of Spencer in the yet to come episode, The McCreedy Bust: Going, Going, Gone.

Ok, am I just a lustful old woman—as a friend recently pointed out and I don’t quibble with—or does Peter even look sexy from the back with his hands up…? I adore the way he holds his fingers…an upward version of his distinctive hands on his hips pose, and I savor seeing a bit of his forearms. This man is as good as it gets in my judgment. A beautiful example of everything I obsess about.
Heyes having to give Kid a bear hug so he can have his hands tied by Joe is a very popular scene to most fans according to fan sites. But even though I am able to watch it now, it is a scene that has always bothered me. I am a very spatial person, and I am also very claustrophobic, so the combination of these two men being forced to be so deeply in each others’ spaces and being bound while doing it, is a moment I find hard to enjoy. For normal people, I guess it is probably just a pleasant, amusing scene. For me, I find it difficult to breathe.

I am astounded by the many times the boys have called each other Heyes or Kid in front of others. I can usually get past it by thinking, "well they are quite a way from the others..." but not in this case! There stands Joe Sims, as close to the back of Kid's head as Heyes is to the front of his face as Kid says, in full voice--not even an attempt at a whisper--"Heyes, quit breathin', will ya?" Did he think sound waves only travel in one direction? Please.
Before I say what I must say next, please be advised that death threats to this site, to my personal email addressess or any of my other sites are stictly prohibited. Cowboy up now, and take it like a man as I say I think Peter looks horrible in the first moments of the bear hug scene. It may be makeup, or an attempt to make him look dirty, or it may be Peter, but he has a uni-brow that is so unattractive on him I have to consciously overcome my feelings about how he looks to enjoy what is one of the best episodes of the series.

I wonder why Clay is giving Peter such a hard time in this episode. He keeps pulling his head back, and is very often moving sideways rather than forward. I wonder if it is the rough terrain they are moving over. Clay usually seems to be a very well behaved horse, so I think it must have something to do with the environment.
I am surprised to hear Heyes say "damn" for the first and only time in the series. A friend brought it to my attention, as I had apparently missed noticing it the first time around. Being known to pepper my own speech with a fair amount of four-letter words, I find it natural and realistic to hear it said by Heyes.
A great unscripted Peter moment when Clay stops short as the men are talking about Joe making a damn fool out of himself, and Peter has to spur him forward and demand, “C’mon”.
It is poignant as Joe describes to our boys what made him become a bounty hunter. His delivery of the words is so matter of fact, portraying a total surrender to the hand he has been dealt and no self-pity, that it is quite touching.
I gotta say, it is a good thing our boys wear stampede strings on their hats. They have their hats knocked off their heads so often they would go broke replacing them.
And so the racism begins. A lynch mob is going to teach Joe a lesson—and make sure he never shoots a horse again—by killing him. I always wonder in scenes such as this if it is painful for the actors involved. I know it is play acting, but is it hurtful for Lou Gossett to hear the racist words coming from the mouth of the white actor? Does it hurt the other actor to have to say those words directly to a black man?

Kid gets a whim of kindness and convinces Heyes they need to try to save Joe from the lynching. The boys lay on their backs to load their guns, and I find this quite appealing. And as they return to their positions on their stomachs, I take note of how nice their butts look in chaps and my mind wanders to the warmth of the rocks beneath them, against their bellies…I admit to another “damn, baby!” moment. ®®§

I consciously force myself to stop daydreaming about them lying on the warm rocks, and pay attention to their task at hand. Their plan works and the lynch mob retreats, leaving Joe to escape. It was the right, and only, thing to do, boys. You made me proud.
Oh, my. Lou Gossett really shouldn’t wear stretch pants. Let me just suffice it to say, that is one pretty substantial endowment for the arts…*giggle*
Kid is feeling all giddy about doing a good deed right up until the sound of Joe’s voice breaks the spell. How rotten to do something so good and right and be rewarded by being recaptured. But Joe is a man with a purpose; that much is obvious.

What a great moment as Heyes, already experienced in what is taking place, begins to lie down on his own…only to hear Joe say, “Wait till I tell you…” and just as he stands back up, Joe says, “All right, get down.” There is no confusing who Joe feels the boss is with these boys. He won’t relinquish even the tiniest smidgen of control. It is a funny moment, but it also gives us a very clear picture of the character of Joe Sims.

I laugh when Heyes, lying on his belly in the dirt once again, yells to Joe, “I don’t think you fully understand the situation. We, the two of us, have just saved your life.” To which Joe replies, “Yessir.” And without missing a beat, “Now you Mr. Curry…” and proceeds to give Kid instructions on what to do so Heyes can, once again, tie him up. I suspect Joe is not someone who can be swayed by sentiment.

Exasperated by Joe just wanting the rewards on their heads, Kid says, “In other words, it’s just the money!” “Naw, sir. Not in other words…” Joe counters, “them are the words.” What a great line. Some of the writing in this series is just top notch.
What terrible filming in the scene as Heyes rips into Kid about saving Joe’s life. The scene itself is funny, but it looks like the boys are sitting still on a wagon or something rather than riding horses.
There is an exquisitely bright moment in the badly filmed scene…and that is Joe listening and laughing as Heyes rips into the Kid. It is just perfect that he would find such entertainment in the squabble between the two notorious outlaws. And it is fun when Heyes won’t let up and Kid finally shouts, “All right!!” A really well written scene.

There’s the “preacher” from Never Trust an Honest Man. Robert Donner always does a part justice.

Yikes! Another scene—this time with Joe speaking—where the filming doesn’t work and it looks like a smooth riding wagon instead of horse riding. What is wrong with this director? His ridiculous filming experiments have been problematic in past episodes, and lord knows I have been vocal about my objections, but this is just downright ruinous to the scene. It kind of saddens me because otherwise, this is such an exceptionally well written and acted episode…and I will even say very well directed except for these few unfortunate—and wildly distracting—missteps.
He is out to do our boys in, and yet I feel sorry for Joe as Robert Donner and his crew send him packing without a horse, gun or the outlaws he so badly wants to turn in. Somehow, this character is being portrayed so brilliantly that I find myself almost rooting for him to win out over our favorite outlaws. But not quite, of course!
For a minute there, I thought we were going to be subjected to yet another long, weird, cackling laugh—this time from the man in the tree. But we were thankfully spared…with just a short, but nonetheless irritating, rendition.
Heyes spinning tales, without taking a breath, about who they “really” are is priceless. Each time he tells it, it becomes more detailed, down to church suits and baking and who Kid is set to marry. I think I would let him go, just to shut him up! And Kid is just riding along, stone faced as ever, but probably still confident his partner will talk them free...
It is just delicious that Heyes shows such awe at Joe’s skills. He is a man deeply respectful of cunning and street smarts, like his own. We have really never seen anyone Heyes has gone up against and been handily beaten by before. To me it is lovely to see Heyes challenged in such a way. He doesn’t run across many who are his equal and it is an irony and a superb bit of writing that his equal is a black man. Well done!
"Joe, you're marvelous." What an odd thing for one man to say to another, and yet it works so well here it feels absolutely natural.

No matter what, we can count on Kid not losing his appetite. Most people, except the Brits of course, *wink* would be put off their food just a bit by the trauma they are enduring. I have a suspicion the Kid would hungrily wolf down his last meal before going to the gallows. He must have the intestinal fortitude of steel.
Joe is a very smart man. He has outwitted our boys at every turn. When Nate asks Joe if he knows the difference between his left and his right hand, it hits home with me that it is an unfortunate reality in the history of this country that a man with that kind of intelligence can be so disregarded and abused by our society. And simply because of his color, assumed to be ignorant by the most ignorant among us. Shameful.
I love Joe’s reaction when Kid maneuvers his hands out of his tether and shoots the gun out of Nate’s hand …. “My god, you didn’t go and do it again…” laments Joe. The look on Lou Gossett’s face, the hands on the hips…just perfect.
Poor Kid, rubs his wrists bloody to get free of his restraints, only to be outwitted once again by the bounty hunter.

It is interesting to me that Peter’s voice has completely changed as Heyes becomes resigned to the fact that Joe is just going to keep outsmarting them. He still tries to talk his way out, but it is with a voice full of exhaustion and defeat. Absolutely perfect acting on Peter’s part.
What a sweet moment: “Heyes? The Mayor’s daughter?” “I figured you deserved the best.” And the Kid is still sure his partner will take care of things…”You’ll think of something…” That care between them? Better than chocolate.
Now you know I don't want to get crude. And you know I never ever see things with a sexual slant. *giggle* But I just have to wonder what kind of physical release the Kid is having at the moment his shackles are removed...What do you think, Bennies?
It never fails to amuse me that the Kid gets upset when Heyes says something negative about him…even though he knows Heyes is only trying to talk their way out of trouble. “Kid Curry is supposed to be one of the fastest guns in the West, right? Ha—you took his gun away from him twice.” And Kid reacts with a hurt look and an angry retort. I think the Kid is much more emotionally sensitive than he lets on.
Joe is shot down in cold blood and it affects me the same way this kind of scene always affects me in any show…I feel personally ashamed. It is a horrible commentary on the times then and on our times now. Hate crimes are still prevalent in today’s society, crimes as heinous and unjust as shooting Joe in the back. What have we learned since 1880, or since 1971 or in 2009? I could stand up on my soap box right now and speak the words of the righteous, but I will spare you.

Another of director Barry Shear’s intrusive camera ploys as Joe dies. Instead of letting Joe fade away, he jars us with a sudden, blurry freeze frame. Man, what a waste of a good moment.
I am proud that our boys, at personal risk to their freedom, make the decision to go to the law about what has happened to Joe. They both have a core of goodness that carries us through the times when they exhibit less than redeeming qualities.
And now that I am schooled on the meaning of the term “clay back”—a dark line of hair from tail to saddle--I can clearly see it displayed on Clay as he carries our hero Heyes off to the next episode.
This was a well done episode. A story that was both painful and funny…old west and modern. It had social value. It is one the actors involved should have felt pride over. Peter, were you able to feel any pride over it?

DREADFUL SORRY, CLEMENTINE

2008-08-27T00:33:00.027-05:00

Be forewarned, I think the title of this episode is much too long. I think it should have just been entitled “Dreadful”. Ok, that’s unfair. It isn’t a dreadful episode; it is just flat. As in flat-line. Nothing horrible. Nothing great. Just flat.
The reaction of all the men hanging around the swinging doors of the saloon as Sally Field boldly marches in is priceless. I am sure seeing a “virtuous” woman encroach on that inner sanctum of debauchery and decadence put their minds in quite a spin! And right off the bat, the action tells us we are about to meet up with a pretty ballsy woman.
Peter has such lovely posture. When he uprightly takes the three steps up to the porch of the hotel he looks magnificent. Men with good posture present a certain image to the world, I think; that of confidence and strength.

Oooooh, I like Heyes’ new outfit. The tan shirt is flattering with his coloring and the dark brown pants seem to fit him quite well, more snuggly than his usual buff jeans. Of course, we all know I would find him gorgeous in a burlap sack but some clothes seem to bring out the best in his looks, and this set of clothes is just pleasing on him from head to toe.
I don’t like the moment when Heyes pretends to turn the dial and open the safe as the desk clerk actually does it. It seems out of place to me, and just plain silly. Heyes would never publicly put on such a display, possibly drawing attention to his avocation as a safe cracker. And then, lo and behold, what should appear on the screen just seconds later but the directing credit: Barry Shear. I should have known.

Boy, the Kid sure got a good deal on sharing the hotel bill! Heyes emptied his pocket with $5 while the Kid only contributed one dollar. I sure hope he intends to pay for lunch or something! *wink*

Wow. That is some kind of enormous hair and hat combo on Sally Field’s little head. And it is even goofier looking from the camera angle used as Clementine speaks to the hotel desk clerk. We see her pudgy little cheek and ear from behind and the huge masses of hair and hat that threaten to overstress her tiny body.

After hoisting Clem into the air and passing her off to the Kid for a kiss and then back to Heyes for “his share” (geez), Heyes seems out of breath. Or is it Peter, the heavy smoker, who seems to gasp a bit for air? Peter’s acting is so fully invested in the role he is playing at the moment, I am never certain in instances such as this whether it is the real man or the character we are watching.

In a wonderfully authentic moment, Heyes’ hat gets turned around and he puts it on his head backward. I am sure all of us just eat it up as Peter adjusts the hat and returns it to his head in the correct orientation. It is something that amuses me because Peter never seems flustered by such things—he just corrects them and continues on with the scene. There is no sense of him being a prima donna about mishaps. Another amazing example of Peter’s lack of ego when something goes a tiny bit wrong is in The Young Country when he obviously gets one of Joan Hackett’s hairs in his mouth after kissing her. You can hear it in his voice and you see him try to discreetly get the hair out of his mouth, which he finally does successfully, but he NEVER STOPS ACTING. He simply deals with the problem in his own way and continues right on. I suspect that is an uncommon trait among those in his craft, leading me to deduce that Peter was an exceptionally giving actor and that his work was all about doing his best for whatever he was working on and not about Pete Duel. This quality explains how he could be in such turmoil in his personal life and yet still put out performances that garner awe and respect; why he could be so unhappy about the series he was working on and yet bless his audience with no sign of such discontent in his final product. My, that speaks so highly to me of the true character of the man; the generosity of his spirit. Peter was, in my opinion, someone acutely worthy of the adulation he has held onto for nearly forty years. *sigh*

In the one scene in the episode I find brilliant and flawless, Heyes sneaks down from his hotel room in the middle of the night to try to break into the safe and confiscate the identifying photograph. What transpires as the drunken hotel patron enters the scene is beyond hilarious—it is absolutely hysterical to me! I always have to rewind the scene because I am so engulfed in laughter I miss most of it and have to watch again. (Oh, yes, of course I always have an excuse for rewinding. But I promise I will tell the truth when the reason is that I simply must look one more time at Hannibal Heyes.) The scene begins very seriously, with somber music and Heyes very quietly taking his place behind the desk to begin the task of opening the safe and it is just exceptional story development that we are so ambushed by the path the scene is about to take. In stumbles the drunk, played to absolute perfection by Buddy Lester, and so ensues one of the best comedic scenes I have seen in this series, or any other for that matter. And Peter plays the perfect straight man to the drunk’s over-the-top behavior. Everything works flawlessly. I love how Heyes catches the items pushed from the counter, contorting wildly to keep from dropping them and making yet more noise, and then grabs the key and accidentally hits it to the metal ashtray he is holding, and a good strong clang resonates. I laugh when Heyes holds his hand in a crimped position for an extra moment or two after handing the drunk the key, thus prolonging the comedic flow. I absolutely adore the “forward ho!” stance as the poor drunkard musters up the coordination to head for the stairs and then leans against the wall, propelling himself upward and onward. In a perfect reaction, Heyes grabs his head as the drunk almost makes it to the top of the stairs but loses his momentum and begins his uproarious journey backward. Slowing the scene down just a tiny bit, it is still very cute when Heyes takes a second look at the photo and rolls his eyes—as if he is not something wonderful to look at, c’mon!—before securing it in his pocket. And finally the moment is wonderful as Heyes closes the safe and heads up the stairs full of success, only to meet the drunk loudly coming back down. Heyes finagling his way around the drunk is just perfect. This sequence is simply astounding from beginning to end. Absolutely exceptional. ®®

Sally Field just has such a captivating way about her. I was not a really huge fan until a few years into the future when she gave such a stunning performance in Sybil, but even in her early days I liked her, I really liked her…

The grin on Heyes face as he pulls the photograph from his pocket and shows it to Clem in the stagecoach is adorable. And the Kid doing the honors of lighting the match and setting the photo ablaze (*giggle*), while sporting a “Cheshire cat” grin is just right. Our boys like this woman, obviously, and have found a way to thwart her plans—or so they think—without hurting her. They are a bit full of themselves over it and are demonstrating a speck of arrogance at their ingenuity…right up until the moment she puts them in their places by letting them know she has another picture. I don’t like the idea of a friend resorting to blackmail to gain a favor, but I can picture our boys doing just such a thing themselves, even to someone they liked, if necessary. I think they can appreciate and even respect the reasoning behind their friend resorting to such coercion.

I am not sure if the instant when Heyes quickly pulls his hand away from the flame is a Heyes or a Peter moment. I can see it both ways, really. Either Peter accidentally let the flame get too close, or as the consummate actor he is he let it singe him purposefully to get an authentic reaction. Each possibility shows us a true Peter moment—of Peter the man, or of Peter the actor.

I love Peter smoothing his hair back, almost like he is about to gather it in a ponytail. It’s almost long enough. Gestures like that just carry me back to the 70s and I happily equate Peter with my hippie days.

Wow. Did Don Ameche just step on one of Peter’s lines during the train station greeting? Of course if there is a flaw I am destined to assume it was brought about by the visiting actor and not our Peter—who looks extraordinarily hot from the side in those brown pants, by the way. *wink*

Heyes walking with Mr. Fletcher from the ferry boat reminds me of how the storekeeper described Harry Briscoe in Reformation…citified clothes, and he walked like he just won a raffle.

That seems like a pretty steamy kiss between the Kid and Clementine while Heyes is out of the room. I think Ben is quite a good screen kisser. I’m glad the decision makers had the sexier of the kisses be between Ben and Sally and not she and Peter…it might have been a bit uncomfortable to see him deep kissing Gidget. I wonder if that had any bearing on who was chosen.

I get the feeling from the look that passes between Heyes and the Kid that this is a bit of a game between them—seeing who “gets” Clem first. That faint smile from the Kid is positively screaming “I won!”

My, Heyes’ suit trousers are certainly formfitting, if you get my drift... *somebody hand me my fan*

Ewww…not so thrilled with the Kid’s southern gentleman attire. The tie is way too short and the girly-man ruffled blouse looks dingy. However, it appears as though he has been painted into his dress pants, and that certainly saves the day.

Why, Miss Scarlett…oh, wait, did he say Charlotte? What’s with that antebellum hairdo on Clementine? Talk about clinging to outdated style...

I do declare, I think Miss Charlotte has developed the vapors over these most gorgeous of men. I know that’s why I get out my paper fan, at least…

I love how Heyes—incognito as the land dealer—completely discounts Fletcher each time he tries to interject his opinion while Heyes is wheeling and dealing. He shuts Fletcher down quite handily, over his shoulder, without even looking at the man. Tasty.

As Heyes and Fletcher walk down the hallway I am struck by the realization that those have to be the shortest suit slacks I have ever seen. They look like they were made for a man about 3” shorter. Did the wardrobe crew not understand inseams? If not for the boots, our boy would look patently ridiculous walking around in such high-water pants when no flood is present.

Am I just a sourpuss with no sense of humor? (Don’t answer that!) I just don’t find putting a half full decanter of liquid into a suitcase funny, unless it is in some slapstick comedy. It is another of those moments for me where I am happily flowing along with the story, lost in the fictional account of scams and grifters and SLAP!!! I have something so silly thrown in my face I lose the continuity of the story and become acutely aware this has now become just a silly TV show. Nothing is said in the script about the decanter at all, so I am forced to assume this is yet another unfortunate Shear-ism.

Please, Clem!! Put that half hair behind your ears, or pull it up on top of your head in a cute bow, or chop it off for all I care….just do anything but this bizarre two-part hairdo that completely overwhelms and diminishes your lovely face.

God, that is just downright creepy. Suddenly, right in the middle of the scene of Fletcher telling Heyes he has found more available acres, Peter’s image is flipped and his face looks distorted and foreign. It is beyond distracting to see his part change to the wrong side and the shape of his face warp. Flipped images are a pet peeve of mine, especially since rediscovering Alias Smith and Jones and in particular, Peter. He has such a distinct look and such diabolically differing sides of his face, when his image is flipped it looks like someone else entirely. And I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to look at someone else.

There’s cute old Keenan Wynn. He always takes over a scene and makes it his own—by sheer force! I love how he yells almost every line, and every step seems like he is in charge mode.

Boy, he sure looks better with a jacket covering his dirty henley and the obvious hairy man boobs, though. *giggle*

I never thought I would actually hear, in any episode of any TV show, the stereotypical line “you young whippersnapper…”—but there it is, expertly uttered by Keenan Wynn in an intonation only he could muster.

What an awesome touch Sally Field adds to the line “Why, whatever do you mean?” as Fletcher says he thinks there is more to her than meets the eye. Almost unnoticed, she gingerly tugs at the lowest part of her décolletage, insinuating she is “protecting” her cleavage. A really flawless moment of acting instinct on her part.

Our boys are feeling pretty satisfied with themselves as they joke about Fletcher being two days late getting to Diamond Jim’s office. Somehow, whenever they feel confident and start figuratively patting each other on the back over their amazing skill, I feel uneasy and take a deep breath—waiting for the other shoe to drop. Ever heard the old adage “don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched” boys? You might want to take heed.

I wonder if the guy mopping the floor in the hallway outside the empty office is cleaning up the whisky trail left by Diamond Jim and the decanter in his suitcase. Lucky the janitor was there before Fletcher or he might have been able to trail Diamond Jim straight to Belmont. [:Dor

I enjoy the scene when the boys barge right in to Clem’s hotel room in Denver. They are so full of swagger, so sure of their truth, that they are fully secure in themselves being right as she warns them about who is about to visit. When the Federal Marshal and Deputy State Attorney General actually do appear, their reactions are right on the money. It amuses me how Heyes glances several times at the badge of the towering Federal Marshall but always after first looking up at his face. And both he and the Kid look downright peaked as they each stealthily peek at the cashier’s check for $50,000. It is fun to see our boys shown up a bit by someone smart enough to do it, but not done in such a way as to make them look stupid.

My second favorite piece of the episode after the Heyes and the drunken hotel patron fiasco—and boy, it’s been a long way getting here—is the sequence when our favorite outlaws see Clem off on the train. Right from the start the scene is lively and cute, as the ticket makes the rounds from Heyes’ hand to Clem, on to the Kid, who takes it from Clem and gives it back to Heyes. Clementine pulling everything out of the ugly bag and digging for the blue envelope is really cute, and I burst out laughing when I just noticed, for the very first time that as the boys deposit Clem onto the train her hat falls forward and covers her eyes—looking almost like a roosters crown while her huge conglomeration of hair at the back of her head finishes off the image as the roosters plume…how funny!! Capping off the whole scene, there stand our boys, again full of themselves and their believed prowess at the handling of Clem, shocked as they open the envelope to find their wanted posters and not their photograph.

It is very interesting that this tiny woman with the strange two-part hairdo has outwitted them at every turn. She would certainly be a formidable opponent. I’d say it’s a damn good thing that she was basically on their side, even though she ripped them off; and I think they are very aware of that fact as they stand there looking incredulous as the train disappears down the tracks.

THE REFORMATION OF HARRY BRISCOE

2008-08-12T18:03:00.031-05:00

Right out of the gate, I enjoy the imagery of Heyes and Curry as cattle drovers. Is there anything more deliciously masculine in the old west than men on horseback, weaving through throngs of traveling cattle, skillfully in control of their steeds—the sight of near barren land, dust billowing, and strong men pushing through it; the sounds of thundering hooves and complaining heifers; whistles and hee-yahs from the men? For me it is a sight to behold, and one seen far too briefly before the story of The Reformation of Harry Briscoe begins.

“Mr. Smif, Mr. Smif...” Old Dub Taylor, again acting without his teeth, bless him—cracks me up with the way he says Heyes’ alias. I wonder if it is his natural way of speaking. He certainly is the quintessential trail cook and seems to live his role.
The way the boys ride up and circle the nuns with the broken down wagon would feel threatening in this day and age. But we know our boys and we know they are only sizing up the situation, to see how they can best help. I imagine the nuns don’t feel threatened by the mere fact they believe they are in the safe hands of god.
How odd that Jim the cook would be astride one of the nuns’ horses tied to the wagon…why would they leave that horse tethered with a rider on it? Is Jim the cook some kind of kindergartener who needs his hand held to cross the street? Why not just have him ride alongside the wagon and the nuns who are now driving it? Things like that perplex me, when I can find no logical reason.
Oh, my. The first glimpse of one of the boys in chaps is a very pleasant one. The Kid, from behind, as he gets off his horse and goes about securing it, is quite an enticing image. He has a round butt, very well suited to chaps, I’d say. Now don’t feel threatened, Bennies…I won’t encroach on your territory. I can accept you lusting after my boy occasionally if you can accept me lusting after yours…

From the words “By any chance, are you gentlemen Catholics?” to the very last utterance out of Heyes’ mouth as he chides the Kid that he might have divulged the prices on their heads if he had kept talking, this scene is perfect. Kid’s innocent look as he responds to the question about being catholic with “no, Kansans” is on the nose and the depth to which Heyes looks into his eyes for explanation for such a dumb answer is a typically exquisite Peter moment. As the outlaws hem and haw and try to avoid the invitation to join the sisters in prayer, I chuckle out loud, because I can feel their uneasiness so clearly, remembering my childhood and the religious pressure, loving though it was, my devout grandma put on my siblings and me. Jane Wyman does a wonderful portrayal of Sister Julia and when she says, “Do you go to church?” I feel as squirmy as Heyes and really just want to get the heck out of the scene…a scene so perfectly acted by everyone involved it is remarkable. I get the feeling this scene was written by someone who experienced this kind of encounter in his childhood, too, because the men’s responses to the nun’s queries are distinctly childlike in manner. They are both absolutely adorable when reduced to scolded and repentant little boys.

When Heyes is trail dirty, he tends to sport a near uni-brow, and at first it really turns me off and I want to reach out and dust the gathered dirt off the tiny hairs between his eyebrows. But as the episode goes on I stop noticing and find Mr. Heyes as gorgeous as always.

It is fun to see the boys react to the stagecoach full of wanton women as they escort the nuns into town. They smile broadly and quickly flip in their saddles to get another look as the stagecoach passes by.
Clay is such a handsome horse. I have noticed that from the first episode he was in, when he was Wheat’s horse in the Pilot, he has always been very alert and involved. While other horses might just put their heads down and remain docile, Clay is always looking around and seems ready to jump into action. Something else fascinates me. Clay’s blaze, when flipped, is very similar to the ornamentation on Heyes’ hat band. This couldn’t be any sillier if I tried, but I think Clay and Peter were made for each other! *embarrassed giggle*

What a delicious sight of Heyes in his chaps. I am beginning to wonder if a woman designed chaps for her own secret gratification…they certainly do draw attention to the best of the best…front and back. It is pretty difficult to not notice certain areas when they are so pleasantly highlighted. *sigh* §§ *another sigh*
This is also my absolute favorite look for Heyes, from head to toe...wearing his hat, low, his hair long and free flowing; the dark blue shirt--usually dusty--with his white long johns peeking out at the neck and arms; his delicious forearms exposed, to my vast delight; his weathered gloves worn like second skin; chaps—framing the most wondrous territory; his gun belt worn low on his right hip and his buff colored jeans, mostly hidden but with the most enticing bits showing. I think the only thing that could possibly make this look more perfect for me is if one of his hands were bare and he had a glove tucked securely in his gun belt. I have been placed squarely in heaven, and I intend to stay there awhile. §§
Ok, here we go again with Barry Shear’s questionable directing skill. I am sure I will have strong and vocal opposition to this comment, but I cannot stand the ridiculous moment at the bar when the boys react and lift their beer mugs in unison to keep them from being smashed into by a sliding mug headed down the slick bar. The moment does nothing except punch us in the nose with reality that this is a TV show, completely tearing us from the enjoyment of being lost in the story. And once is not enough for this director. He steps into the absurd again when he has Heyes slide an unconscious drunk down the bar so he can stand where the drunk was snoozing. This show isn’t a slapstick comedy—it is a sophisticated story made humorous by circumstances our boys find themselves in, not by Keystone Cops antics and uninventive farce. Barry Shear gets my vote for worst director on the series, not only for this episode, but for his odd camera experiments in The Day They Hanged Kid Curry and his awful faux pas in the otherwise superior The Bounty Hunter. The odd thing about Shear, though, is that other than a few dubious scenes, the remainder of each of his episodes is very well directed.

What a brilliant verbal picture the store keeper gives of the as yet unidentified other man asking about the nun. It surprises me that Heyes doesn’t recognize the description right off the bat, because it is so precisely evocative of Harry Briscoe. (Should the following picture, in keeping with the overall style of the blog, focus on the storekeeper? Yes. Wouldn't we all prefer to focus on Peter? Uh, yeah.)

YIKES!! What is up with the hiding nun’s natural hair?? It looks like chopped up hay on her head. Keep the horses away, they might start nibbling. I see no reason for a fake nun to have chopped off all her hair. Surely wearing the habit isn’t going to be a permanent thing. Most women are quite vain about their hair; I can’t imagine cutting it all off for a temporary costume. Unless, of course, this is the actress’ actual hair. Wow. That’s a scary thought.
You know how I love to watch Heyes walk. You know how I especially love to watch Heyes walk away. But nothing has prepared me for how much I love watching Heyes walk away in chaps. Why, I do believe I am getting the vapors…thank goodness I have taken to carrying a folding paper fan since rediscovering Peter. *giggle* ®

And there’s sweet Shoshone, checking out who that is her dad is walking across the street. God, there is such joy to me in the fact that she spent time free roaming the back lots while Peter worked. What a cool life for a dog. Can you imagine all the new sights and smells she had to investigate each time she was there? And yet she never seemed to be too far out of Peter’s sight. What a special thing, their connection and what a special treasure for us that she was on camera a few times. ♥
Sliding drunk. Slipping show quality. Substandard director.
Oh, dear. I believe I see a naked woman in the painting above Heyes’ head as Harry joins the boys at a table for a drink!! Are those floppy breasts or some kind of bizarre bodice ala Silence of the Lambs? Pretty risqué for a show where no one has so much as uttered the word damn.

I absolutely adore the whole scene after Harry has checked out their camp and rides off, leaving our boys to chide Jim the camp cook about his food and coffee. I love it because it is all unscripted. It isn’t even very good adlibbing, as adlibbing goes, but it is so sweet and natural and so wonderful to watch. One thing this director did that I do appreciate is apparently give the actors some free rein and allow us a glimpse of the men playing our favorite outlaws. ®
It’s a wonder our boys ever get anything done at all, because they always have to be together. When Heyes checks the wagon at Jim’s suggestion, up rides the Kid to see what Heyes is doing! It doesn’t take two men to investigate, but there they are as always, symbolically joined at the hip. It is a very sweet characteristic, this need to be close to each other and part of whatever might come up, but it must surely slow down progress on any project they may be working on…anyone who hires them is certainly not getting a buy one get one free deal. More like a pay for two but only get one deal!
I’m not certain why, but the way the Kid says, “Aw, no.” when Heyes discovers Molly in their wagon just tickles the hell out of me. I laugh when I hear it and it isn’t even funny. Maybe I am growing fond of Ben’s style.

I can’t stand how this actress, Jane Merrow, speaks…and no, I am not talking about her accent, which I find quite pleasant. It is the way she holds her bottom lip out and exposes all her teeth as she speaks …it’s very exaggerated and monumentally distracting. She looks like an aggressive animal to me and she is one of those people I enjoy much more with my eyes closed. *chuckle*
It is an emotional exchange as Molly talks about the bigotry against the Irish; Heyes, in particular, seems in tune to her pain and his discontent is evident as he agrees with the Kid that they have no choice but to turn in the fugitive. When he says “Mine came from England” the sadness in his eyes and his tentative, subdued grin, demonstrating his attempt to win her over…imploring her to understand the dilemma they are in, is heartbreaking. As he throws the tether to the Kid who always assumes the binding duties, he shows us his intense frustration in a very human way…another of Peter’s wonderfully understated moments just chock full of meaning and depth.

Seems kind of strange to me that during the night, when she isn’t being watched, Molly’s hands are untied…and then I see in the next frame that they are bound. Just another endearing Alias Smith and Jones inconsistency.
J.D. Cannon doesn’t spend enough time pretending to tie up Heyes, and Peter seems to me to be expecting him to still be working behind him and not already on Ben’s hands. Peter truly seems to live his part and we would be hard pressed to find him not taking as long to do something as it would take in real life. There was another time, in How to Rob a Bank in One Hard Lesson, where Ben moved his hands free before it would naturally take place after Heyes unties the Kid in the cabin—and the look on Peter’s face expresses that he wanted to continue a bit longer.
Do I really need a reason?

It is usually the Kid who is the instant defender of women, but this time Heyes is appalled at the treatment Molly is given by Harry’s sidekick and voices his disapproval. I think Heyes feels more kindred toward Molly than the Kid does—it goes against his nature to turn in another outlaw—and his masculine hackles rise up as the young woman is being manhandled. It never fails to please me to see a man come to a woman’s defense, be it Heyes or the Kid or any man. I don’t feel women are weak, or always in need of assistance, but seeing a man truly affronted by witnessing some abuse is a reflection of character I find immensely appealing.

Is that shock I see on the boys’ faces as the bad guy Sam forcefully removes Molly’s head covering and exposes the thicket of straw masquerading as hair? No it isn’t. But it should be. *wink*

My god. If Molly can’t get herself out of the binding around her wrists, so loosely secured a herd of longhorn cattle could fit through it, she must be a true imbecile.
I love the flirty huh-uh, grin and shake of the head as Heyes runs to gather his boots and Molly tries to get him to untie her. It is very much like his playful interaction with his new wife Doris as he carries her over the threshold in Generation. It is sweet, and I have a feeling it is more Peter than Heyes.

And there it is… indisputably my favorite single line in the ENTIRE SERIES …”It’s Smith, Sweetheart”. It absolutely knocks me out—the look on Peter’s face; the sound of his voice; his own words, not scripted. Nothing could be better. Except of course, him running by in sock feet, in chaps, his hat worn low, as he says it. Delicious. Just so magnificently delicious.

How amusing Harry’s wail of “Cut me loooooose…I got terrible claustrophobeee!!” is! I love that they use the affliction claustrophobia to describe his anxiety. Most people would probably think claustrophobia only means a fear of small places, but I can tell you from experience that what he is feeling in this circumstance is indeed true claustrophobia. Poor guy.

Oh. Now, there is a moment to watch a few times…Heyes coming out from the shelter of the bush he is hiding behind to check out the downed bad guy. What an incredible image. Have mercy. That is one fine looking man. *sigh* ® ® §

I marvel at Kid’s dispassionate reaction to the man’s death. He simply grabs up the saddlebag and rifles through it for the cash. Always the realist, he is the first to check on their state of affairs in any crisis. A very interesting, and slightly disturbing, character trait.
One of my all time favorite comedy moments in the series is the game of black jack the boys are playing to pass the time in camp. Kid’s “Hit me…again….again…again, yeah, c’mon hit me” is illogical enough, but when Heyes says “17—dealer stands” and Kid replies, “16, you win!” I absolutely crack up. Heyes’ reaction with the laugh and recognition of the absurdity of having only 16 after so many hits, and counting Kid’s cards just to make sure, is just so perfect when I am done laughing I shake my head in awe. ®

Is Ben absorbing Peter’s characteristics? It amuses me greatly to see this moment—both actors in a very distinct Peter pose!

Harry looks so ridiculous with his jacket caught up in his two holsters. In his attempt to appear macho, he seems to have done just the opposite and instead appears a bit buffoonish.

Heyes’ mangled and dirty hat is starting to become a comedy routine of its own! But what I wouldn’t give to have it, or even touch it.

The Kid—or Ben—seems to almost lose control of the wagon as they pull up at the convent after giving Sister Julia a ride home, and ever the nurturer, Heyes—or Peter—reaches an arm across the nun—or actress—to protect her. Very sweet.

By simply watching the show, I am completely puzzled by the ending of this episode. I just can’t understand why Molly is at the convent, or why Sister Julia would lie about it when she met the boys on the street before they brought her home. Do nuns lie? If she was lying, why expose the truth when they arrive? And why question their surprise? I need the script to help me in this case, as it adds the line “I told you I talked to her a great deal” to her saying they shouldn’t be surprised, and describes Molly as tearful. Does that maybe change the ending? Is that telling us Sister Julia isn’t aware Molly is there until they arrive but she isn’t surprised to see her because she had hoped she had gotten through to the younger woman? WHY would the line that could define the entire final scene be cut?? Am I misinterpreting the whole thing?? *frustrated sigh* And why is that incompetent nun using a rake to try to deal with bramble vines? I just plumb give up!

NIGHT OF THE RED DOG

2008-07-29T22:25:00.019-05:00

My, my. Another delicious walking scene as Heyes and the Kid start toward the old man who collapses in the street. Heyes (or is it Peter) just has the most appealing swagger to his step…and I notice right off the bat those buff jeans are fitting rather nicely in this episode. ®

It occurs to me I may need to make a separate list of great scenes of Heyes walking. And one of his best smiles. And maybe one of great couple’s moments. Hmmmm….I smell a project in the works.
Ok, what’s up with the Kid’s mustache? He hasn’t had it since Heyes suggested he shave it off at the end of The Posse That Wouldn’t Quit, and now, here it is again…It seems to me like this show had no one hired to watch for continuity at all, it is so haphazardly put together. But do we allow that to sway us out of favor with the show or our boys? No way!
Peter’s nor’eastern accent is loud and clear in the entire scene on the street. I absolutely love when I hear it, with its distinctive ow’s; “either that or he’s nailed dowwn” sounds so especially sweet coming from him…
I can’t help but chuckle as first our boys, and then young Billy try to lift the old-timer up off the street. Really good comic interpretation by all involved, but especially good when Billy tries on his own to hoist the old man up and crumples down on top of him.

I can tell already, every action and every word out of the mouth of this actor playing Billy is going to be overblown and super-exaggerated. As he helps carry the old timer to the undertaker’s establishment, he contorts his legs almost as if he is skiing, looking freakish and silly, especially in conjunction with the other three actors who are playing it much more subtly. Hamming it up may work and it may not. I tend to think it will wear on me pretty quickly, but I will give him the benefit of the doubt for now.
Just a persnickety thought here, but if it took four strong men to carry the old man into the undertaker’s establishment, and at great effort at that—wouldn’t it stand to reason that the cheap cot meant to hold maybe 175 pounds might collapse under the weight of the loaded down miner the men deposit on it?
That black ‘medical bag’ the doctor carries in with him looks strangely like my elementary school clarinet case. If he opens it and I see it is lined with red velvet, well, all I can say is he better play us an Acker Bilk tune while the closing credits roll.
Ben has a nice voice. When he whispers to the old man about why they brought him into an undertaking parlor, his words are soothing and gentle to the ear.

Heyes seems particularly sardonic in this episode. “Which of you gentlemen is the patient?” asks the doctor, and Heyes replies, with a voice dripping with sarcasm, “The one laying down with his eyes closed, Doctor.” And after he corrects the undertaker, who begins pulling on the old man’s right boot, with “the left one…” and a pointed look of disdain, I get the feeling that Heyes feels he is in the midst of a room full of idiots. He is probably right.

I like the understated way Heyes reacts to the smelliness of the old miner’s boot. It is an excellent example of Peter’s temperate way of expressing things… how perfectly it works to get a thought across to us without slapping us in the face with it. It is a human reaction, one you or I might have, and it actually makes me wonder if the boot really did stink, especially since there is nothing in the script about it. That’s the thing with Peter's acting—we are never fully positive it is acting. Just brilliant.

A great moment as everyone removes his hat in respect as the old man passes away…to sleep that is! When he lets out a good loud snore, they all look slightly sheepish as they replace the hats on their heads.

The doctor did just the opposite of everyone else, however. When they removed their hats, his remained untouched, and when it became obvious the old man wasn’t dead, it was only then that the good doctor removed his hat—and certainly not in a reverent way. This guy is either a beat off the drum roll, or an indifferent, uncaring cad. Hmmmm…
I have never understood the doctor saying the undertaker isn’t included in the “deathbed gift”. What possible reason would he have for thinking that? It feels to me as if there is something missing in this scene, like I am missing the joke. The scene is played just exactly as it is written in the script, with no preface or explanation, so I don’t know where that thought is coming from at all.
The scene where all the men join together on the rocks, looking out at the beautiful scenery always stirs my heart to think of Peter and how deeply he loved nature. I hope, while shooting scenes such as this in such idyllic, lush environs, he was able to enjoy some of those moments if only just for a fleeting lightening of his heart. *stifled tear*

Jack Kelly's body surprises me. It seems too big for his head. His face, when seen on camera alone, doesn’t seem like it belongs on such a large man. He doesn’t look weird or anything, it just always seems to surprise me when I see the body his head is on!
Ok, the fly buzzing around Heyes bugs me. I like that this show is not so slick that it erases everything putting a human, fallible slant on it, but this is the first—but not last—time we get the audio effect of a fly buzzing close to Peter’s mic and we see him shoo the fly away. His reaction was natural, of course, but couldn’t the editors have at least toned down the loudness of the fly? I admit, it is not as loud or annoying as the fly in Peter’s final episode—The Men That Corrupted Hadleyburg—but it is annoying nonetheless.

More of Heyes’ sarcastic wit when he asks the Doc if he wants to draw first to see who draws first. He is being a real smart ass with these people, and I admit, I like it.

I love when Heyes gets really excited about something and shows boyish exuberance…he lets loose with clapping hands, kicking feet, giggles or hoots. His joy permeates his entire body and there seems to be no holding it back. It is just such a pleasing aspect of his character. It always makes me smile. It is also one of those sights that brings a child to mind; who I imagine little Hannibal to be, there with Kid; bareback and wild, playing, and dirty and always leading the show. What a boy he must have been.

Ugh. I don’t know whose creepy über-blonde, fuzzy, almost albino arm that is being used in the close-up of swirling the pan of gold dust, but it is not one of our boys, I guarantee you. Did the producers not think we would notice it is an alien arm and a naked shoulder? Are we really supposed to believe it belongs to one of our heroes?
As Heyes and Kid discuss how much dust they have accumulated, and get ready to go hide it, I have only one thought. And I apologize for it in advance. It is simply this: Darlin’ please, may I climb up into that amazing left dimple and live there awhile? *sigh* ®§§
I love how when Billy hits a very bad note on his harmonica and Heyes turns and looks disapprovingly at him, the boy doesn’t react in any way other than to pound his harmonica in his hand as if a buildup of spit had anything to do with the misplayed key. Very cute!

All that bluster, and the worst Clarence can come up with to call the doctor is ninny?

Rory Calhoun is an interesting looking man, although I wouldn’t go as far as to say he is attractive. The jet black, disheveled hair and salt and pepper sideburns are intriguing. But I have no clue whether the man can act. He has barely said a word. Seems like a monumental waste of someone who was a pretty big talent in those days.
Wow. Now don’t misunderstand me. I will never, ever switch sides. I am a Peter girl and will undoubtedly utter his name as I take my last breath. But, oh, my…the mustached Ben does look mighty fine in that blue shirt, with his hair all bedraggled and his face flushed from the sun or maybe frustration at losing their gold to a thief. I’d say, for me, this is the most handsome he has looked (and because I can see the future) or will look in the entire series.
Someone involved with this show (I am guessing Roy Huggins, only because I blame him—and thank him—for everything) is addicted to characters with weird and wildly annoying laughs. This trend first reared its ugly head in “The McCreedy Bust” when the banker laughed like a nut case at every marginally amusing moment in his wake. Then in “Exit from Wickenburg” the bartender laughed like a lunatic when Heyes and Kid told him about being beaten up by Al Gorman. (I know there are more…it will be another list project for me, I fear.) And now, old Clarence has this very strange cackle as Kid begins getting dressed and talking about leaving…
I wonder how Peter manages to make his eyes look puffy and a bit glassy in scenes where he is just waking up. That has to be more than acting. Amazing. And seriously, could he look any cuter with his tousled bed hair and look of sleepy confusion? *sigh*

Well, I do enjoy seeing a man step into his pants and maneuver himself into them. It is fun to watch the red union suit Kid is wearing disappear into his day’s outfit. Even better, but only because of my undying infatuation with him, to see Heyes run to help shut the door against the snow drift with only one long-john covered leg in his pants…I do so enjoy these moments of fully covered ‘near undress’!

Couple’s moment alert!! A very, very lovely little subtlety, as Heyes leans his chin against Kid’s shoulder as they stand at the door and hear from Clarence between bursts of maniacal laughter that everyone missed their chance to leave the camp before the weather trapped them there for the winter.

Hey! Rory Calhoun finally speaks…and you know what? I am disappointed! Nothin’ special…
Heyes just can’t seem to help himself when it comes to telling people why they are losing at poker. “You’re just overplaying that two pair, Doc.” Personally, if I were playing with him, I’d probably punch him square in his gorgeous nose. And then kiss it and make it better, of course.

My. What’s up with the decidedly feminine coif and equally womanly (and quite ugly) coat on the undertaker? I gotta say, that’s creeping me out a bit. Of course, these men have been sequestered together for quite some time…oh, eww, I really don't want to go there….

Ben does a good job at fainting. There is no acting visible. And up jumps Heyes and runs to his fallen friend. His voice as he says “Hey, hey…what’s wrong with you?” and pats Kid’s face amazes me. Here is a nurturing, loving man filled with concern for his partner. A real, true, and spectacular couple’s moment. I absolutely treasure this moment. ®®

OH, how I would dearly love to be Kid’s right forearm and hand in this scene. ® and you will know what I mean. *girlish giggle* ®§
Good lord. That is one unfortunate butt shot of Billy as he helps pick up the Kid to move him to the store room. I guess it ain’t about butts, it’s about the man. And boy, what a poorly positioned scene. Everyone knows Ben should have fallen with his head toward the viewer, and Peter should have been at this end when they pick him up...

Further defining his nurturing side, Heyes lays Kid down and tries to make him comfortable. I hear him say, “Aw…” and I think he touches Kid’s face, but we can’t see for sure from our angle. And then he begins covering Kid with blankets, making sure his legs are together and the blankets are tucked in around his feet. Just lovely. He is a natural nurturer, it seems to me, and he goes by instinct and love. He is much more demonstrative than Kid, although Kid does often gaze at Heyes with admiration and respect. I think both boys would be lost without the other. Heyes takes care of Kid in the emotional sense, and Kid looks up to Heyes and protects him in the physical sense. A perfect match, these two.
Ok, is it evil of me to notice Heyes’ ass as he lays Kid down and begins to cover him with blankets? I mean I am concerned about Kid and all, but sweet jesus, those jeans fit Heyes like skin in that position…somebody turn on a fan…®§§

A favorite moment for me is when the Doc is listening to Kid’s heart and Heyes decides he wants to listen too, and rips the stethoscope out of Doc’s ears. From experience, I am telling you…that hurt! It is Heyes at his arrogant finest, all little boy “gimme” and impatient. I have to say, being a bit of a germaphobe, the idea of someone putting my stethoscope in his ears without sanitizing it with alcohol first would put me over the top, and I assure you, I would not use it again until I had thoroughly cleaned it. But that’s just me. I guess in the 1880s, Old West health care workers weren’t as careful with their “rubber ear tubes”!!

Heyes is always thinking. He listens to Doc’s heart to compare it with Kid’s and discovers that the Doc’s heart beats faster whenever he is apparently lying. It only takes him a moment or two to put two and two together. No doubt this man has a quick and very agile mind. And let me tell you, in my opinion, brains can be as sexy as looks any day.
When Heyes checks in on Kid in the store room, he speaks to him softly and checks his forehead with his hand. I wonder if Heyes has memories of himself as a little boy, being nurtured by his mother. I don’t think he has had much call as an adult outlaw to care for a sick friend in this way. It touches me. I would like to know more of a back story for our two boys…I may just have to write one that satisfies my perspective of the boys that developed into these caring, complex men…

When he looks at Kid in this scene, I recognize the look on Heyes’ face. It is the same look he had when he was just about to lean in and kiss Julia in The Man Who Murdered Himself. Look closely. It is an intense and sensual look…it is Heyes at his most beautiful. And now it is a look he is giving the only person on earth he can fully trust and care about.
I love the comedy aspect of Doc losing every hand in Montana Red Dog. Each time, he gets more animated and aggravated as he loses and bets the size of the pot. The actor—Jack Kelly—does an excellent job of making us feel his frustration and yet not like him enough to hope he gets himself out of trouble.

I smile every time it is Ralph the undertaker’s turn to deal. The facial expressions he uses as he plays a card for the Doc and then watches his face for a reaction, are just brilliant.

How fun that Kid was the one who won the big hand to close out the game. We have been shown over and over that Heyes has the skill at poker to pull off such a feat, but to see that Kid does also, especially in a game where it is so important to know and recall what cards have been played, is a wonderful example of his intelligence. I like that the powers-that-be kept us on our toes this way…most of us expecting the glory to go to Heyes and having a right curve thrown at us in the final play. Beautiful.
I don't quite understand why the first choice when asking Jason to stay indoors is to pull a gun on him. I mean, isn’t that just a bit of overkill? How ‘bout just asking him first and seeing where that takes you, Kid?

“I’d probably do the same thing myself, I was packing all that gold outta here.” and an animated nod from Billy. Ugh. Yep, his theatrics have worn thin.
WHAT IN HOLY HELL IS RORY CALHOUN WEARING?? Is that a freakin’ brown silk jumpsuit??

I am proud of Heyes’ intelligent mind as he checks everyone with his own idea of a lie detector. He goes to each person and listens carefully to each heart for any discernable difference as they each profess their innocence. But Heyes is a very astute poker player…he should be very aware of his tells. He pats each person whose heartbeat remained calm on the back, but when he notices a change in Jason’s rhythm, he listens longer than he had to anyone else, and he does not pat him on the back before he goes to the next person. He might as well have worn a giant “Jason’s heart says HE did it” sign around his neck. I think his skill as a poker player would have made him acutely aware of his need to react exactly the same to each examination. Don’t give up your tells, Heyes…you know better.

I just don’t get the whole silliness about Heyes checking Kid’s heartbeat…and then Kid getting irritated and checking Heyes’. And Ben’s way of speaking in this scene really grates on me. Overacting…a crime he shouldn’t get amnesty for.

I very much like Heyes’ interaction with the amply busted saloon girl/spy, Florence. It tickles me that he carefully avoids blatantly looking at her cleavage. I can almost hear him telling himself…”don’t look down! Look at her eyes…” He likes women, and he likes looking at women. And I like to see it.

The dark blue shirt, and the cream one also, is not the most flattering cut on Peter. I think he has put on some weight, which makes his buff jeans look even better than usual on him, but the shirt fits a little wrong and accentuates a bit of thickness around his belly. I am not complaining, mind you…I would have just put him in a different shirt had I been the wardrobe girl…oh, god, how I would have loved to be the wardrobe girl…

And on that note, I am struck by the fact that I would give anything if Peter had kept that few extra pounds on him and we wouldn’t soon be watching his physical deterioration. Damn it, sad and harsh reality has snuck in again. *mournful sigh*

SIX STRANGERS AT APACHE SPRINGS

2008-07-22T23:07:00.022-05:00

How lovely that so many of the episodes begin and end with our boys on horseback, either entering a new town or leaving one, filled with memories, behind. The imagery is always pleasing, because Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry look exceptional on horseback, and never fail to remind me why I love cowboys.

Is the desk clerk openly checking out our boys butts as they climb the stairs to their room? Hey, keep your eyes to yourself, fella…those butts are for our eyes only!

This hard old gal Caroline is cracking me up already. But, I don't quite get this woman's appraisal of Heyes and the Kid as "young, healthy, footloose, and not too smart". What on earth has given her the impression they are dim-witted? I think she must be going by the old adage that if you are beautiful you must be stupid, and I think she will soon find out her assumption about these two gorgeous men is far from accurate.

Ok. Let me just say this to the woman so graciously welcomed with her husband by Smithers: instead of worrying about how to turn off the heat, what say you learn how to turn off your bitchiness? I abhor women like her; never happy, always complaining, treating nice people with contempt and arrogance. She may be dressed in upper class wares, but she is far from upper class in her decorum.

What's the matter, Smithers? Our boys not as appealing to you coming down the stairs all bathed and combed as they were going up, all road tired and dusty? I can certainly appreciate the desire to observe as they climbed the stairs but have to say I would also enjoy the view coming down, certainly enough to look up from the guest register for a long moment and a deep sigh.
I'm not certain if it is Heyes or Peter finding Caroline so amusing, but it in turn amuses me when he laughs at her Annie Oakley type demeanor. She's a strong old broad, and a little warped too, it seems. Her way of speaking reminds me a bit of the cowardly lion in the Wizard of Oz. Definitely an interesting character, albeit a bit hammy.

I clearly remember being excited when this episode was airing when I was a girl. I remember being a fan of Sian Barbara Allen, maybe just because I was intrigued by her name, who knows. And, for one thing, I think I was always a bit excited by the presence of female guest stars, because at 13 I very much enjoyed seeing one or the other of our boys kiss a woman and if there was a pretty female guest star, the promise of possible romance was always there. Man. I may not have matured as much as I thought I had.
The expressions on Heyes and Kid's faces as Caroline chides them for taking advantage of a helpless woman are magnificent. Heyes is entirely bemused while Kid shows a bit of caution before he looks up with a face full of mockery. Off storms Caroline, feeling exploited, while our boys clink glasses at her absurdity. Very amusing.

Geez, I almost start coughing, just watching the scene where the Neanderthal stage coach driver (would it be too much to expect him to help a lady out?) throws the young woman's dusty bags to the even dustier ground. Good god, how could anyone breathe in that atmosphere? Hey, NOBODY SAY IT--I MEAN IT! I sound a bit like bitchy Mrs. Fielding. Yeah, well, um…I have asthma. I have an excuse… *wink*

We can always count on the Kid to be chivalrous. He seems to be a natural at it, which leaves me with the strong sense that he genuinely likes and respects women and I like that.
I love Kid's “hat hair” when the new young lady in town offers him a stipend for his assistance and he removes his hat and says, "No thank you ma'am…it's my pleasure." It's hard to appear gallant with a rooster sticking up off the back of your head, but he pulls it off handily, as we can see by the young woman's gaze as she watches him walk away.

What a cute exchange as the penniless young woman and the kindly desk clerk work out a way to secure her a room. Sian Barbara Allen has an interesting inflection to her voice that compels us to feel empathy toward her, I think, and also a bit of a downtrodden look about her that just naturally adds to that emotion.
Is this motel clerk related to Paul Lynde? Close your eyes and listen…
Oh, sweet jesus--it is our first and only glimpse of the delicious Hannibal Heyes in a bathtub; please allow me just a moment to savor the view. And about this moment, my thoughts for once won’t be shared…*sigh*…just, have mercy… ®§§

Even more amusing to me than Caroline’s creepy “They could pin you to a Christmas tree and I wouldn’t look” line is Heyes guttural, slightly deranged laugh in response to it. He knows she’s batty and he gets a kick out of it.
Caroline, just a head’s up…when Thaddeus Jones asks if you aren’t hungry and points his fork at your food, don’t admit it. I think he would eat your supper right off your plate.
Heyes silently coaches the Kid on his manners with a motion to stand as the Fieldings join the group for dinner. I don’t think it is that the Kid is socially awkward; I think it just takes him a moment to realize, especially when he is eating, what he needs to do and Heyes is always Johnny-on-the-spot and standing before Kid has even looked up to see someone is joining them.

Boy, things sure weren’t politically correct in 1971, were they? The sometimes disparaging comments I have heard about Indians and Mexicans in several episodes could never be said aloud today; in fact even using the terms Indian and Mexican would be taboo. I admit I do personally take slight offense at Caroline’s comment, “What are you going to do about the land-grabbing (Aw, come on. Are you kidding me?) blood-thirsty Chiricahuas?” but I understand the era the characters were in and I think the feelings they have about such things are probably reasonably true to the times, so I don’t take them to (modern) heart.
I do very much appreciate, though, the character of Mr. Fielding—protective of the Indians who were lied to and stolen from. It evens out the characterization of the band quite well and to smooth it out even more completely, Heyes’ genuine interest in what caused the Indians to leave the reservation in the first place is wonderful.
Oooh, I just pulled a muscle stepping down off my soapbox. *wink*
That Mrs. Fielding is some piece of work. Her comment that what she would like to do is leave compels Heyes to find her entirely distasteful and I believe her husband finds her embarrassing, but is too kindly a sort to speak up. And she should be embarrassed by her own tactless behavior.

Hmmm, I wonder if Peter borrowed Caroline’s weird hat for his role in Cannon for Cordoba. (Please don't email me to correct me...I know the timing is off. It's a joke.)

I love the little history lesson from Heyes as the boys ride into Indian territory with Mr. Fielding. I love him intelligent and able to converse on an historical subject and its topical ramifications with awareness and understanding.
I chuckle at the moment Heyes and the Kid are trying to exhibit nonchalance as they leave the site of the first cache of gold dust after seeing the Indians watching them. When they near the horses it is so cute when Kid reaches up and puts his hand on Heyes’ back, propelling him to move more quickly. We saw that move once before—in Stagecoach Seven—and it is a sweet connection between the two. However, this time Kid means more by it than just a touch of togetherness.

OH! Peter lost his footing and almost fell running across the rocks to get away from the shooting Indians! I love those moments…the ones that make the show seem so real. I have commented on it before, but I do so love the flaws in this show; the little realisms that sneak in and give us a sense of connection.
Those actors playing the Indians pursuing our boys are damn good riders to be traveling at such high speed on bareback. I’m impressed. I wonder if Monty may be among them; another chance for him to wear a long black wig…*wink*
It looked like Peter almost got clobbered in the face by his horse’s head when he pulled him up very sharply. I won’t say too sharply, because I know nothing about stopping a speeding horse, but it would be my guess Peter may have just overcorrected a bit.

What an odd and strangely engaging character Smithers is. I don’t even know why, but I always find myself smiling as he runs into the hotel shouting in his lilting voice, “Mrs. Fielding…Oh, Mrs. Fielding, they’re here!” Maybe it’s the way he runs. Could this silly, animated man really be the creep who wore his dead wife’s tooth on a chain in The Root of It All? A good, diverse actor, it seems.

After a failed effort at communication with the Indians, poor Mr. Fielding has to go back and tell his wife he will have to make another attempt later. It is the first time I see the slightest glimmer of understanding on her face, and I realize in this fleeting moment that part of her thoughtlessness has been a cover for the fear she holds that her husband will be killed by the Indians. I think, under it all, she loves the man.
A single woman with food. A beacon to our ever-charming, ever-hungry Kid Curry.

The conversation between Sister Grace and the Kid is very sweet. He is quite absorbed in her hard-luck story and shows compassion and understanding. And in Sister Grace we see the depth of her purity and naïveté as she speaks of the “evil” of shell games. I have always had the feeling from some of the things the Kid has said that he had a religious upbringing in his very early and formative years. My sense is that his gently pious mother probably frequently spoke of being virtuous and the Kid carried those parables to adulthood with him, and uses phrases such as “consider that the price of being delivered from sin” and “that’s just the luck of the righteous” fairly frequently himself.
The whole scene of the rowdy time in the saloon is utterly ridiculous and yet marginally amusing in a slapstick sort of way. This just isn’t my personal taste for humor, and although I find a couple of moments—like Heyes shaking off his hat and the boys lifting their beer mugs out of the way so a flying cowboy can land on their table—cute, none of it really does much for me. I find myself more interested in what that tiny bit of something stuck in the hair on the side of Heyes’ hand is. *giggle*

The Kid is brutally honest with Sister Grace and maybe saves her from a life of disappointment as an evangelist, because he is absolutely correct in his assessment of her. She is certainly no Elmer Gantry.
Mrs. Fielding had me on her side for a single moment when I saw a fleck of kindness as she looked at her husband as he confessed his failure with the Indians to her. She has just lost me once again with her “cow-people” and “your Indians” garbage. She deserves a swift kick in the ass, and I am pleased and proud to say our astute Hannibal Heyes deftly levels one on her—verbally. Peter’s acting again excels as we see the distaste he has for this woman as clearly as we hear his words. Simply excellent.

The Kid’s visit to Sister Grace’s room and the subsequent kiss has undoubtedly changed this innocent young woman’s life. The kiss has plainly given her a taste of the secular world and it is apparent she felt stirrings of desire from this step outside her comfort zone as she looks in the mirror and recalls the moment.

I love Mr. Fielding’s idealism. I feel tremendous respect for what he is attempting to do.
I prefer less obvious couple’s moments between the boys than “I can trust you to look after me better” although it is a sweet sentiment.
For pure comedy enjoyment, there is not a better moment for me than the mule running from the Indian after Kid releases it so our boys can escape. I have yet to watch it that I haven’t laughed out loud and even rewound it and laughed as heartily the second time. ®

Caroline is a whack-job, it’s patently obvious. Maybe I misunderstood her name. Are we sure it isn’t Caroline Derangedly?
I don’t like women who challenge a man’s masculinity to get what they want. It irritates me when Caroline starts in on Smithers with “for once in your boot-licking life…”—besides, poor Smithers doesn’t seem to have a whole lot of masculinity to spare.

*Gasp, followed by slow sigh* Oh, my... Has there ever been a man who looked better walking away than Hannibal Heyes in the scene where he saunters toward Mrs. Fielding? It is one of my top five walking moments in the series. ®®§

It’s nice that when Heyes and Mrs. Fielding stop and speak to each other, they do it amicably. I believe she has learned a lesson in humility, while he is able to show some compassion for her as he sees her sincere concern for her missing husband.

Uh, oh. There is the purple dress Betsy wore in A Fistful of Diamonds. I would certainly say it fits this actress much better.
A chaste (and I am guessing disappointing for Grace) kiss goodbye from the Kid and then I think I hear Grace tell Kid “I love you.” So I watched again and again, at full volume. It took me awhile but I finally got smart and checked the script. False alarm. She simply says, “I’ll never…”

Even though this is one of my least favorite episodes overall, I greatly appreciate the writers of this episode for the validity of this story. It is not nearly as obvious in its depiction of racism as The Bounty Hunter is, but it does level some strong lessons on us in its variation of types of bigotry from class to skin color to religion. Even our heroes show us a moment of ignorance—a huge requisite to racism—as Kid asks Heyes, while tied up in the Indian camp, what he knows about Indians and Heyes replies, “Only what I heard as a kid, and that won’t make you feel any better.”
A sidenote:The Chiricahuas have a colorful and interesting legacy, having been led by two of the most famous of all Indian chiefs, Cochise and Geronimo. In my interest to try to figure out what years Alias Smith and Jones was supposedly taking place, I came to the conclusion through research that it had to have been between 1883 and 1886 because in 1886 all the Chiricahua band of Apaches were rounded up and exiled to Florida, Alabama and Oklahoma and were no longer free roaming. I don’t believe our boys have traveled to any of those states while trying to get their amnesty nor was this specific episode taking place in any of those states, anyway. Since writing my notes I found reference to the timeline in the book The Story of Two Pretty Good Bad Men, and find I am quite confused by the assertion the episode had to be taking place after September 1886 –and after ALL Chiricahuas were sent east and Geronimo had surrendered peacefully—the very facts that point to the episode being before September 1886. Still, regardless of when Alias Smith and Jones was taking place, this episode has reignited my interest in Indian history and I think I will read Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee again for the first time since I was a teenager, and Trail of Tears—about my own heritage—for the first time since the 90s.

SOMETHING TO GET HUNG ABOUT

2008-07-15T15:40:00.022-05:00

My first observation as I begin watching this episode: if I were to ride into town and see these two strikingly attractive men sitting on a porch, watching the afternoon traffic go by, I would definitely rent a room and stay awhile.

Did someone take in Heyes’ buff colored jeans? They seem to fit superbly well in this episode. Thank you, wardrobe crew. Your skills have not gone unnoticed.
Yes. Of course I paused the DVD to see the picture Heyes holds up of Mrs. Henderson. You be the judge. *giggle*

I like that the Kid is left behind to occupy Stokely with some poker while Heyes goes off to talk to Sarah. Kid appears adept and confident playing the game, and even pulls the ol’ no straights or flushes in stud poker trick that burned his partner so badly in the past. Good job Kid! You look nice when you are confident.
Is it just me or does Kid seem just the tiniest bit flirty with Stokely? I guess while the cat’s away…

Being a bit of a poker player myself, and having just a freshman understanding of the etiquette of the game, I would venture to guess that in the old west if a player had been as arrogant as to reach over, take his bet back and then handle the cards of the other player he just might “git his head blowed off.” I’m not even sure he wouldn’t in modern times. That whole move is so full of no-no’s, at the very least the offending player would be asked to leave and in professional poker, even fined or banned.
We aren’t able to see the card the man is dealt, but according to the script he doesn’t make his straight. I think they should have let us see the card; but I must say, the player’s reaction seems it would have been more fitting if he had gotten his straight, in my opinion.
Meredith Mac Rae is an attractive woman in an unassuming kind of way. I hate the giant hairdos on most of the ladies in the series though, and particularly on her. It is almost too big for her head and makes me think her neck might give out and her head might topple forward from the weight of it at any moment!

I like Monte Markham. I have seen him in a zillion things, but for the life of me I can’t think of even one right now.

I enjoy the scene where Stokely tells Heyes he can’t go see Sarah again. I love when Stokely mentions his reputation with a gun and the muscle of our hero duo, the Kid, steps in and in a most wonderful couple’s moment says “Now, the thing is, uh, he’s gotta keep that appointment and if you try to stop him, then I’m gonna have to try to stop you…” God, that is just so perfect, and so delicious. Kid knowing just what to say, and when; Heyes comfortable with Kid acting in the capacity of protector. There is no ego here; just simply a demonstration that each man understands his own important role in their union. It is a wonderful mesh; an exhibit of how these two men, when combined, make a wonderful whole and it is splendid in every instance it has been displayed in the series.

I appreciate the Kid being given the capability as a character to come up with a common sense solution to the standoff between himself and the threatening Stokely. His suggestion of a shooting contest is just right.
Heyes sets up the bottles on the rail, and walks back to where Kid and Stokely are standing, preparing for the shootout. I love the new fit of Heyes’ jeans, as I have said, and I love his walk…good lord, boy, do you know the stir you cause when you walk like that? And that nonchalant lean against the wall with one leg at an angle in front? Down right yummy. ®

HA! That’s our Kid, already shattering the bottle with his fast draw, and Stokely only barely getting his gun out of the holster. Excellent timing and a very well filmed scene, with Stokely stopped in almost freeze frame, still stooped over and drawing his gun.

A flawless gun twirl perfectly ending with a solid placement of the gun into the holster by Kid! Way to go, Ben! I think you have been practicing.

Heyes telling the Kid he has an instinct about women—once they think it over, and know they’re wanted, BAM, there’s no place like home—is so cute. He really does fancy himself quite the man of the world, doesn’t he?

I do so appreciate the habit our boys have of occasionally tucking their gloves into the front of their gun belts. It draws the eye...

When Heyes returns from seeing Sarah and tells Kid, “Get packed. She’s not going.” it is an enjoyable exchange with Kid questioning Heyes whether he told her about “love and marriage and all like that” and Heyes turning and saying, “Will you shut up?” No one likes to be reminded of something they bragged about that doesn’t pan out. And Kid is incredulous that his idol, Heyes, couldn’t accomplish what he set out to.

Ben seems to flit back and forth between giving Kid a kind of southern-punk-kid accent, and giving him no discernable accent at all. It would be much less annoying if his accents varied only in different episodes, but this inconsistency is all in the same episode, and I’ve actually never noticed it in any other episode.
Heyes and the Kid, turning in shock in the direction of the shot fired--knocking the gun out of Stokely’s hand-- cracks me up. It is done in unison and it is so precise and exaggerated it is just very amusing. The only one who doesn’t ham it up just a bit in that instant is Clay who just keeps looking straight ahead…

It amuses me that our boys, although possessing a core of honor we have clearly seen, also are not above a bit of unethical or “immoral” behavior to further their own agenda. The exchange over whether or not to open Sarah Henderson’s letter is a sweet reminder that our favorite outlaws can be swayed to not-so-correct behavior by convincing themselves and each other what they are doing is for the greater good.
That is an unfortunate choice of wardrobe for Mr. Henderson…those incredibly unflattering stretch pants make him look like he has round woman hips from behind, and that image is only accentuated when he walks.

Oh, now, damn it. I just love men who read; smart men who love to learn. Heyes looks quite sexy to me, lying on the bed, his book propped on his flat belly, reading Life on the Mississippi.

I absolutely adore the whole scene where Kid comes into the hotel room with the reply telegraph from Sarah’s husband and questions whether he should use the word doesn’t or don’t in the sentence “a man doesn’t go chasing after a woman”—and Heyes looks up from his newly found book and says “don’t” with full authority. These are both intelligent, articulate men, and yet we see a glimpse of the fact that they are probably not very well educated because of the misfortune of their childhoods.
“Mark Twain! Now there’s an alias if I ever heard one!” says Kid. “I wonder what he’s wanted for.” Great line!
I love, love, love Stokely’s reaction when he sees Kid and realizes the boys have followed him again. It is such a funny scene, and I think Monte Markham does an exceptional job with comedy. He is simply right on the money. I laugh through this scene every time I see it. Something in the way Stokely says, “Where’s Smith? Is he with Sarah?” and looks around just cracks me up. That’s good comedy acting to take an unassuming few words like that and make someone laugh. Great job!

I get the feeling the scene where Heyes is talking to the back of Mrs. Henderson’s head was pieced together and the two actors were not really in the room together. Peter doesn’t seem focused on where Ms. Mac Rae actually is and it just seems he is probably filling in a scene without her. Of course I could be wrong, and I’m sure someone will hurry to tell me.

The fight scenes as Curry tries to keep Stokely from going after Heyes at Sarah’s are just wonderful. In order to kill half an hour, Kid nearly has to kill himself fighting with Stokely. The pull down of Stokely from his horse by Kid is good—it reminds us Kid is no weakling, and it is also quite funny if you watch Monte Markham and not Ben in that instant. Stokely flying over the hitching post as he takes a leap at Kid, as if in some grotesque western ballet, is excellent also.

The conversation between Sarah and Heyes about her husband’s problem with alcohol is haunting. I am sure I am not the only one who stops and thinks, with sadness, of Peter as we see a close up of his face, cheerless and knowing, when Sarah speaks of her husband’s personality becoming ugly when he drinks. And as Peter delivers the lines “Any man can want to change. I know that from a personal fact.” I feel like I want to cry, because I know that Peter also truly wanted to change. When this first aired, I don’t imagine many people were aware of Peter’s struggle with alcoholism, and would have taken the line to mean he is talking about trying to get amnesty. But we, now knowing the pain in his personal life, most certainly think of him speaking of his own struggles with alcohol. It is one of the moments in the series that just almost knocks the wind out of me.

Heyes returns from talking to Sarah and his inaction as he watches the Kid fall at his feet on three occasions during the fight is so surprising and yet perfect, because we would expect Heyes to get involved and protect his friend. I think both boys kind of like to see the other get knocked around a bit, almost as sport, as long as they aren’t being seriously injured.

I believe I might take a beating myself, if it meant pulling myself up the legs of Hannibal Heyes to get to my feet. Pretty close proximity to the best of the best… *giggle*

It was quite a fight, as evidenced by the fact that the stunt doubles doing the fighting and flying through the air actually received billing for their participation in this episode.

Ben’s facial expressions during the fight scene after Heyes returns are exceptional, and the look on Kid’s face as he dejectedly follows Heyes, who is helping Jim walk after the fight, makes me laugh out loud. These fight scenes are so amusing to me. I think the comedy in this episode is really top notch.

Our ever-scheming Heyes gets Stokely all comfortable in the hotel room with the promise of a message from Sarah…only to have Kid tie him up at gunpoint. Seems like Heyes is always one step ahead of the game and certainly one step ahead of me at figuring things out!
No matter how many times I have seen it, I laugh uproariously at the moment the Kid puts the gag in Stokely’s mouth and Jim keeps talking…and when Kid tells him not to get himself all upset, and Jim yells “UPSET?” through the gag I nearly lose myself in hysterics. This is such excellent comedy timing and execution. Just fantastic!

Is that Peter’s dog Carroll playing with the people on the porch as the carriage Heyes, the Kid and Sarah are riding in passes by? It looks like her, but my wonder dog Justin just isn’t positive—he only professes to intimate knowledge of Shoshone’s bark. I think it is Carroll though, and I am always moved by the idea that Peter had the dogs at the set often.

Mr. Henderson is wearing an effeminate print sweater vest and orange blouse, er, shirt to welcome his wayward wife back home to the nest. I think, had I been him, I would have been sure to wear something supremely masculine; something that would speak of treasures to come and make her happy to have come home.

I love that Heyes reads and gets so deeply into the story that he doesn’t really hear Kid talking to him. In some scenes, Kid becomes jealous of the book taking Heyes’ attention away from him, like an ignored wife trying to get her husband’s attention during a football game. It is that love dynamic again…and I often marvel at the fact that the stories of the relationship between Heyes and the Kid are written in a way that one of the characters could actually be a woman. At one point Kid threatens to get his own book if Heyes doesn’t stop reading. The timing of Heyes’ response is exquisite. He looks over at Kid, says nothing…nothing…nothing, and finally lets out the smallest mocking laugh—pretty clearly saying ‘who are you kidding’—before he turns his attention back to his book. Absolutely brilliant comic timing on Peter’s part.

As I watch the scene of Ben and Peter on the bed as Kid talks to an inattentive Heyes, I wonder what the scar on Ben’s chin is from. I am very familiar with the scars on Peter’s face, and know how they came to be, but I know nothing about Ben’s scar. My guess, though, would be a bicycling accident when he was a boy.

I know it is just for the purpose of aesthetics, but I am always tickled by the fact that in every crowd scene, our boys very easily make their way to the front of the crowd…it is like the parting of the Red Sea letting them glide through the pack to the front. It always gives me a tiny tingle of pride at the importance of our two outlaws, even though I am certain it isn’t meant to give that impression.
Maybe Hank Peterson was murdered because of his poor choice of clothing. He certainly should have been.
Mrs. Henderson sure doesn’t look too broken up over the death of her husband as she enters the sheriff’s office to see Jim. I don’t know if this is the actress’ or the director’s failing, but it is unsettling that she seems no more interested when Heyes gives his condolences than if he had said “Nice weather, ma’am.”
I can not stand that actor playing the lawyer, Roger Perry. He used to be married to Joanne Whorley (who, by the way, would probably make it on my list of the 25 most annoying celebrities of all time) and I remember always thinking he was a fake because he wore long hair down on his face like pretend sideburns. Even as a kid, I thought he was totally “uncool”. He does ok in this role, but nothing spectacular; and my opinion of him hasn’t changed much.
The idea that when Heyes stops talking because he is captivated with the book he is reading, the Kid carries on long soliloquies is very intriguing. It is very possible the Kid has been quite intellectually adept all along, but has simply stepped aside to let Heyes shine in that role for the pair, just as we know Heyes is fully capable of taking care of himself with his gun but has always acquiesced to Kid’s skill in that area…
Heyes is always thinking and has a mind like a steel trap. He is always able to see how something he has learned can benefit the boys in whatever situation they might be in. I love that he reads Life on the Mississippi and finds a thread that helps him develop a scheme to uncover the real killer of Hank Henderson.

What is that inside the back of Peters’ shirt on the ride to the cabin where the shotgun is? It could be a mic pack, I guess. Or maybe Peter’s back was bothering him and he was wrapped as he often needed to be. Either way, they should have had him in a vest to cover the 20th century intrusion…
This actor—Roger Perry—gets my nomination as “Least Competent Horse Rider in a Western Series Guest Role”. What a freakin’ dink. I noticed it before as he was urging the horse forward when leaving Mr. Henderson’s house early in the episode, but this scene where he and the boys arrive at the cabin just absolutely takes the cake. This fool is pulling back on the reins, wanting the horse to stop, while at the same time spurring it forward with his feet, completely confusing the horse. I have ridden a horse exactly twice in my life, and even I know you’d have to be a real doofus to not see the dilemma this poor horse is being placed in…
“I aimed to just wing him, but…I missed.” Said with as much feeling as “I meant to boil eggs, but I forgot.” Aw. Better luck next life, Mr. Foster.
Off ride our boys with Jim Stokely in anticipation of getting paid for proving who murdered Henderson. I think Monte Markham had good chemistry with Ben and Peter, and might have been a fine recurring character. Or dare I say it, a possible replacement for Peter.

THE POSSE THAT WOULDN'T QUIT

2008-07-08T19:18:00.027-05:00

Thank you to Laura for her special, and deep, insight this week and for the special vidcaps she provided. ♥
It is an enjoyable opening to the episode as the boys elude the posse on horseback. There are some very nice moments visually but the whole sequence is so full of flaws it is laughable. Heyes’ horse goes from Clay to an unknown horse and back again, over and over again; one minute a vest for Heyes, the next minute—nope …; hat to bandana with no rhyme or reason. It is all so shoddily put together, and yet, like almost all things Alias Smith and Jones, I find it immensely endearing and entirely forgivable.

I get a kick out of the scene as they cross the river. Both macho men with their legs held high and aimed behind their backs to avoid getting their feet wet, although the Kid’s right leg does get soaked—and I can’t tell if Heyes’ does too. For some reason that just feels completely silly to me!
I like that the Kid tells his horse “Walk it, don’t swim it!” as they cross the river. I appreciate when the boys talk to their horses, even when it is a reprimand…it shows they considered their horses more than merely vehicles.

Oh, my—memories of my youth flood me as Heyes turns up in a bandana tied around his head. How adorable! (I realize this is a matter of taste, and probably a subject of chatter in fandom. I just happen to be very attracted to what I would consider hippy-isms!) I wonder if Heyes, sure there is an apache in the posse, is attempting to put himself in some kindred mindset by wearing the bandana that way; even the end of it, the way it sticks out rather than lays down in the back, looks a bit like a small feather in an Indian headdress…

I wonder if the lather on the horses is makeup or if those horses were really worked to that point. I am not a horse person. I don’t know how much exertion it would take a horse to work up a lather like that, but I hope they weren’t overstressed.
Well, that’s just about the cutest thing ever as our boys slide down the hill…they really aren’t that agile sometimes and it makes them seem so human.
I already like this woman the boys stop along the road. She is obviously very capable and strong and yet already shows us a soft, female side and a sense of humor. I applaud women portrayed as strong without losing their femininity. Especially in that era, and in particular on this show…where, let’s face it, women are by and large portrayed as something to flip a coin over. Now, now, don’t think I am offended by the coin flips!! As I have clearly stated before, I amazingly find them endearing and sweet, but I have not completely forsaken my feminism for my love of a certain television show, and it is refreshing to see a woman who is able to take care of herself AND be womanly.
It frightens me just a tiny bit to think that had I been the woman riding alone along the deserted road and stopped by these two gorgeous men, I would have been completely taken in by their obvious charms. When asked, “Anything else you care to add?” and Heyes replies with “No, ma’am, that’s about as sincere as we can get.” and lavishes the most amazing smile on her, I can picture myself already mentally packing my bags and running away with him. *sigh*

All right. Geez. We get the drift. Enough posse scenes already. I detest filler like that. So much could be being said or done by our boys to feast our eyes upon…
Ok, just how adorable can Heyes get? He is just so beautifully comfortable and appealing in the back of the wagon, leaning back still in his bandana, his legs crossed and bent at the knee, a huge smile on his face. I don’t know about you, but I’m starting to find this guy kind of attractive. *giggle* ®
I enjoy Ben in the manly role of wagon driver. He looks great taking the reins like that…
Peter being a method actor extraordinaire, in my opinion, I am surprised he doesn’t make an effort to make the huge pillowcase sized bags he takes from the wagon to the house appear to hold what they are labeled as holding…he doesn’t make them look particularly heavy, or shifty like a bag of corn might be, or anything other than a pillowcase. I’m disappointed, but I know he will make up for this bit of creative laziness with some truly amazing moment soon and I will have long since forgotten he ever dropped the ball…
Where did Heyes get that butt-ugly vest he is wearing? You know, I would happily volunteer to help him shop and watch him try things on…*sigh*
Jesse calls Joshua and Thaddeus by the wrong names and everyone just smiles, shakes hands and goes on about their business. I wonder if our boys don’t notice because they are simply too busy trying to remember if this guy is Grant or Gaines. *tee hee*

I doubt that I step outside the common circle of fandom when I say I so deeply appreciate and adore the moment of Peter singing “Simple Gifts”. Peter has been quoted as saying he was disappointed that on his one chance to sing on Alias Smith and Jones he had a cold and wasn’t able to give his best performance. That comment speaks so clearly to Peter’s nature and it saddens me. And yet I am immensely impressed with his singing talent and find his voice to be so warmly soothing and level…quite a treasure to have this beautiful, clear, gentle performance available to us for all time. *grateful sigh*

Everyone seems to enjoy Heyes' singing and the Kid looks on with pride and approval. I think that is not only a look coming from the Kid, but from Ben as well. I believe he had tremendous respect for Peter and I think there are many moments he looked upon him with awe.
Oh, my. *sigh*

I do believe there are a couple of young girls deep in the throes of their first real crushes here and it is very tastefully portrayed in this episode. I admit it was hard for me the first time watching this episode to remove myself from the world we live in now and stop thinking things like “What is that mother thinking, allowing those girls to be alone with two strange men…”. It is a cynical me who had to consciously reprimand myself…this was a different time, this was a sweet and gentle show, let them be in the time they are portraying…
I love how the Kid thinks he is part of the family and tells the girls “Can’t be a drover all your life, fellas!” after their mother tells them to go back to sleep. Both of our boys seem to be savoring this family life; they appear to thrive and find comfort in it, and for the smallest of times I think they feel fully safe. Maybe for the first time since they were 10 years old. [:Men That Corrupted Hadleyburg
Hey, do you suppose that posse is still out there?
Well, now, for the first time we see our boys in long johns and union suit and may I just commend the manufacturers of such apparel on what a lovely glimpse it was… ®§

An absolutely lovely moment as Heyes brushes the hair back off his forehead when he has stepped back to his bunk. I notice the quick and deep intake of breath, the mild flush of warmth….oh, wait. That’s me…

Oh, my—to my “Bennie” friends. I must just say your Mr. Curry does cut quite an image from the profile as he walks from the bunk house to the girls. The sway of his back and prominence of his butt does make his silhouette quite striking…*mmmm* It’s ok, Bennies, he’s still yours, but ooh, a girl just has to look…

I laugh out loud at the Kid giving the girls advice on how to use finesse if they want to skin someone. They just ran a flawless grift on him, from the moment they pretended to shoot poorly before he was even awake to the right amount to wager on the bet, to the perfect shooting. They found their mark and drew him into the con like a couple of pros. And he wants to tell them how to skin someone…as he hands over his dollar! Granted he wins in the end, and leaves with his pride, but by all intents and purposes, these girls out-“skinned” him by a mile. And I will leave it up to his being a bit flustered that he missed his holster when he tried to show off a bit and twirl his gun. This whole scene is just priceless. So well done. And I assume the missing of the holster was accidental on Ben’s part, but it couldn’t have been more perfect if it had been scripted.®

Of course I am aware of the Bennie uprising of joy at the Kid’s walk from the shooting contest back to the bunkhouse. Not my personal cup of tea, but I certainly do understand the appreciation of a good butt swagger, even if it is not my favorite butt. *wink* Just for you, girls:

What better way to cap off the whole shooting contest encounter than the delightful couple’s moment as Kid walks past a grinning Heyes into the bunkhouse? “Aw, come on!” Kid laments and Heyes replies, grinning hugely, “I didn’t say a thing…” and follows the Kid into the room, laughing. What a moment this is…we all know Heyes doesn’t need to say a thing for these boys to communicate. Perfect.

Are these men as clumsy with the barbed wire as they appear in the fleeting little glimpse of them, Heyes hammering and the Kid trying to unwind the wire? I don’t mean to sound disparaging, but I don’t think our boys are the greatest handymen.
How wonderful the scene is when the girls pick Heyes and the Kid up for a picnic lunch. Peter climbing on that horse and so comfortably riding behind the saddle gives me a beautiful glimpse of what he must have been like as a boy—a bit of a reckless one at that—jumping on his family’s horse Babe and riding bareback in the field behind their home in Penfield. Such a lovely moment.
It’s a terribly sweet moment, making so obvious the comfort and safety the boys feel in the embrace of this family, as Heyes starts singing “Simple Gifts” to teach Bridget and before long all four are there in the warmth of the noonday sun, relaxed and happy, singing the song together.

Did the Kid just sleep through the after dinner performance of the girls singing “Simple Gifts”? Because that would be rude and hurtful to the girls, I have decided of my own accord he did not fall asleep…he just had his eyes closed to best absorb the beautiful music. Case dismissed.
The looks on their faces let us know our favorite outlaws know instantly who yells into the Jordan’s home, “Hey in there, come on out…wanna talk to ya…” The idyllic family life is coming to an abrupt end and we all feel it, and know it, in that one harsh moment.
I don’t remember ever seeing Heyes feeling ashamed of who he is before. The look on his face as the family is made aware of who the boys really are is heartbreaking to me. First, as he hears the sheriff reveal that they are outlaws, but not who they are, he avoids looking at Jesse, although his face shows resignation and surrender—it seems to just be a matter of when to acknowledge it. And then, when Heyes looks at Jesse and then looks over at the girls, an awful flash of shame crosses his face and his eyes are darkened with melancholy. It feels like a moment when he believes an idol has fallen in the eyes of those girls, and a moment when he can do nothing to bring back the image of who he was to them. It really saddens me, as it seems to sadden him. This very moment in time, this group of frames from a weekly seriocomic television show, is some of Peter’s finest-honed expressionism, and some of his most exquisite acting. *sigh* ®

The look of disillusionment on the faces of the girls is heart wrenching, and Heyes seems wounded by it, although his look expresses acceptance that he is deserving of their loss of reverence. I am extraordinarily relieved when in an attempt to protect them, being spurned to some kind of action seems to allow the girls to forget that momentary lapse of respect, and they fall into their love and concern for our boys once again.

For once Kid’s jump up onto a horse goes smoothly and the boys make a speedy getaway, leaving Belle with a relieved smile on her face. This seems to be a genuinely kind family as we have already seen and now see demonstrated in the fact that not even a passing glance of disappointment crosses her face that $20,000 is riding off into the distance.

Very cute line as the sheriff says, “Must be the entire Devil’s Hole gang!” and it is only Bridget and Beth shooting at them. Goes to show you should never mess with a woman scorned, even though these two little girls were scorned by the sheriff and not by their first loves…
What a gorgeous scene as the boys lie down in the railroad car. It has such a visually stylish feel about it and it is also very evocative of big screen imagery.

My, our boys did some roundabout traveling to get their stake as they turn up in San Juan, play a hand or two of poker back in the unnamed town where Heyes was shot, spend some time in Wickenburg and play some cards with Jim Stokely, whom they won’t meet until sometime in the not too distant future—all before heading back to see if the Jordan family is all right. The magic of vintage TV and stock footage! I am sure old Roy Huggins was proud.
It is a heartwarming family reunion, as the boys return to try to make good; and it is made all the more warm by the glow of lantern light, everyone except the traveling boys dressed in sleep clothes and the talk of flapjacks and bacon.
That prosecuting attorney’s comb-over is pretty darn bad. The guy wouldn’t be bad looking were it not for the wayward strands surreptitiously placed across his forehead. Why not just accept there is no longer hair in that location (although he appears to have some) and go on with life? I have just never understood who comb-over addicts think they are fooling.
We have heard Shoshone before, but never seen her and it is a wonderful, sweet moment as she and Carroll come trotting up to investigate what is happening to their dad as Heyes, in disguise, is dragged to the jail. We are truly blessed as fans to have this moment in time saved forever. And I am bound to wonder if maybe, just maybe, Peter got a real kick out of seeing his beloved dogs in their acting debuts when he watched this episode. Since sweet little Carroll is almost lost in the shadows, and she only has a non-speaking cameo role, I have pointed her out...*wink*

My, the outcome of the trial, after the Kid turns himself in, could have gone so differently. It was more than slightly possible the judge would have had none of it, and might have put both Belle Jordan and Jedidiah Curry in prison. Our boys are certainly gamblers, and thank goodness they actually won this hand.
How beautiful is that smile as Heyes pulls the fake mustache off as the jailbreak begins? *giggle*

In one of my all-time favorite couple’s moments, Heyes chides the Kid about getting rid of his mustache, and the boys share a connecting moment before riding off to points unknown…