The Legacy of Charlie O'Rourke

• The final episode of the first season is already upon us, and I am feeling a bit sad in anticipation of the end of my notes in only 18 weeks. What a joy this has become for me. Thank you all so much for continuing to stop in and let me know you have.
• Our boys look so nice riding into town. I love how Heyes,in particular, looks on a horse. Very tall in the saddle…such a smooth rider. And Kid, bouncing along, always makes me smile.



• I think this actor playing Charlie, Billy “Green” Bush, would be very handsome without the beard. He has lovely eyes and a sweet smile.

• I appreciate that Heyes voices his disapproval to the sheriff for his attitude. Heyes has a strong will, and a social conscience, and his best weapon is always words. He doesn’t say much, but his point is made—although the sheriff doesn’t back down on his opinion that the only reason Charlie would have visitors is for the gold.



• When Heyes and Kid visit in jail, it is a sweet moment when Charlie squeezes the arm of each man, giving him what is effectively a hug from behind the bars.



• Some insight on what the significance of the match Charlie lights and writes on himself with, anyone? Was he going to draw a map to the gold?

• I feel saddened by Charlie’s predicament; I suppose because I now have first hand knowledge that all outlaws are not heartless evil-doers. It is poignant to me that our boys care about their former cohorts and feel compassion and sorrow for them when something like this befalls one of them.
• It is terribly moving to me when Charlie says, “There’s something else you could do for me, kind of a last request…” and when Kid answers, “Sure, Charlie, what is it?” he requests that Heyes and Kid be there at the hanging. He needs to see them there, for comfort and support and they are compassionate enough that we know, even though the last thing they want to do is watch their comrade die, they will be there to show him he isn’t alone. It touches me. Peter and Ben both have gentle looks on their faces in this scene that work so well…
  
• I like the back of Kid’s coat, all worn and weathered and supremely manly.
• And speaking of coats…even though it seems to me to look like a child’s jacket, I am very happy indeed that Heyes is wearing a shorter coat than his winter version. I do so enjoy watching him walk away…
• Heyes is so much more emotional by nature than the Kid. Kid is fully pragmatic…always thinking how any experience will affect him. While Heyes is still reeling emotionally from having seen Charlie and promising to be there for his hanging, Kid is more concerned about himself as he replies to Heyes’ comment that he feels terrible and wishes Ol’ Charlie had never spotted them with “It could’ve been worse. A lawman could have spotted us.” I don’t think Kid is cold-hearted, I think he is just always in defense mode—his role in the pair being to protect them. Still, it comes off very unfeeling to think anything that could happen to him could be worse than a man hanging by his neck until dead. Sometimes I wish the writers had thought some of these words, and their impact, out a bit more carefully.

• Harry Briscoe amuses me the minute I see him. J.D. Cannon did a tremendous job of making this eccentric character both distasteful and endearing. I always laugh when I notice his dual holsters, worn as if he is some skilled gunslinger. Maybe he is ambidextrous, but I doubt he is very adept at fast draw. Even though I imagine Bannerman detectives were trained in the use of firearms, Harry just seems a bit too bumbling to ever have truly mastered the art.
• Ok, I am a giddy teenager again…sue me…but damn, our boys look particularly handsome in this episode. I love the bangs on Heyes.

• Can’t you just smell the testosterone in the room when the saloon girl enters by way of the ceiling, in a cage, and sings a sweet ditty to all the drinking, randy men? And Heyes and Curry can’t even begin to wipe the grins off their faces, in sincere appreciation of the woman’s “talent”, and her apparent interest in them.




• The moment when Kid folds the note the saloon girl has dropped to their table, and clutches it to his chest when Heyes ask who the note was meant for is adorable. I think that is purely a Ben move, at least the extra little bit of possessiveness, and it tickles me. It’s fun to see the boys in a state of longing.®

• An unfortunately unflattering outfit on the saloon girl, though, as the little skirt cuts right at the widest part of her hips, not only making her appear wider, but shorter as well. An inch or two higher or lower would have made all the difference in the world.
  
• Our boys are so cute drinking tea as they wait for Alice to dress behind the screen. Befitting their very distinct characters, Heyes sits stiffly upright in his chair and sips his tea somewhat gingerly, while Kid drinks his like a cup of coffee, himself a bit slouched over and looking every bit the cowboy. A nice contrast between them, of their natures. I get the strong feeling in scenes such as this that they are showing themselves as two little boys, having been orphaned at 10, [:The Men That Corrupted Hadleyburg who have largely taught themselves manners, and Heyes being the more worldly because he does read books has a different instinct about how to act than the Kid does--although he has taught Kid a lot, as far as manners go.





• Besides, Kid is much too concerned with what is going on behind the screen to worry about putting on airs.
• Kid cannot stop grinning, and turning to look at the screen, and Heyes’ laughs covertly as he sips his tea and thinks of the woman behind the partition. What a sweet moment. Kid is more obvious in his appreciation, and I think Heyes is slightly giddy, like a teenage boy with lustful thoughts, and can’t quite hold back his urge to laugh. Since we have seen Heyes’ entire body become involved when he lets himself be overcome with laughter or excitement, we are made very aware he is doing a mighty good job at keeping himself in check here. (It’s just my opinion, but I think the laughing is acting, by the way—not what some feel is Peter breaking character.)
• Joan Hackett is so unique. She is not what I would consider classically attractive but she has a way about her that is very appealing. Her manner of speaking, her looks, her flirtatiousness. I would think men would find her incredibly sexy; it’s patently obvious our two lonely boys do.
  
• The whole scene of Alice visiting Charlie is heart wrenching to me. We know she is there to get knowledge of where the gold is, and yet we see her compassion and warmth toward him. She sings him “The Streets of Laredo” but doesn’t use the original words…she sings of him having to hang and his eyes fill with tears…it is just a very tender moment, and in my mind a high quality scene. Charlie eats watermelon to push back his pain and fear and that is so touching. This actor’s take on the emotions is understated, and in effect, more moving than if he had openly cried. I actually teared up. Charlie will die tomorrow, he wants comfort and consolation in his last few hours, and he gets it from Alice even if he probably realizes she wants his money. I am a sap, so I trust that even though she was partially motivated by greed, Alice meant it when she said she was there because she thought that “maybe a few songs and someone to talk to might make the night go a little easier” for him. Regardless, she did what no one else cared enough to do, she afforded a desperately alone man some comfort in his last hours of life—and maybe that is enough to make her worthy of his fortune in gold. *sniffle*



• Thank god the producers or director or writers—whoever makes this type of decision—saw fit to NOT show us anything referencing the hanging. We simply see a church steeple and then slowly become aware of the funeral taking place as we hear Alice still singing the song. And we see Heyes, Curry, and I have to assume Alice, there at the graveside, honoring Charlie O’Rourke. Very well done. What is the sheriff doing there though? It feels hugely disrespectful and he should have stayed home.
• Almost jarringly moving away from the somber mood of the last scene, the boys ride into town after the funeral and are waylaid into the livery stable by four men. It seems improbable to me that they would allow themselves to be walked into the stables. I think the beginning of the scene would have worked better had they “parked” their horses near the livery stables and been dragged, kicking and fighting, inside. But as the scene progresses we are treated to one of the few laugh out loud moments of the episode; we hear what appears to be a brawl in the barn, with lots of banging and punching and horses whinnying and a few very strange male screams…I laugh every time I hear it! And then from the stables emerge our two macho boys who have obviously kicked the asses of the pack of rabble rousers quite handily, but are now visibly angry and walk with great determination toward the saloon. I tell you, I wouldn’t want to be the one those pissed off cowboys are going looking for…



• I just noticed the sign on the livery stable: ‘HENRY’S LIVERY STABLE. THE FRIENDLIEST PLACE IN TOWN.’ Very amusing.
• Briscoe gasping for breath after Heyes and the Kid give his head some time in the trough: priceless. And as Kid pounds him on the back and the water comes out of his mouth, I laugh like a fool. Harry Briscoe was really great comedic relief in the show—it was a wise move by the powers that be to have him as a recurring character.



• Our boys are mad all right, but hearing the words “5,000 dollars…” stops them in their tracks and they drag Briscoe, dripping and gasping, into the saloon to hear what he has to say. Very cute.
• Is Peter just particularly exquisite looking in the scene where Briscoe is telling the boys that Alice spent four hours singing gospel hymns the night before he swung, as Harry so delicately puts it, or is it just me? I may have to consider one of those very moments as a choice of photo in my next calendar…and for future swooning exercises, of course. §
  
• If gold is $333 a pound, that means they will be moving approximately 300 lbs 5.3 ounces of gold. I did that in my head. Is anyone impressed besides me? *wink*
• I am fascinated by the way a stagecoach is driven. I have watched a lot of westerns in my life and yet I never noticed before rediscovering Alias Smith and Jones that the driver has to have his right leg in what appears to be a very awkward and uncomfortable position on the brake. Those men must have been down for the count for romance after using the adductor and groin muscles like that on a long drive! Man. I have to assume there were some unsatisfied wives of stagecoach drivers in the 1880s. Oh, maybe I’m wrong. Did men have a clue or even care if their women were satisfied in the 1880s?
• The blasé sheriff leading the posse kills me. Totally deadpan and it works.
• What a blast to hear the entire Alias Smith and Jones theme song as we watch the first leg of the journey in the stagecoach.
• Ok, I am totally turned on by the fact that PETER is actually driving the stagecoach in some of the shots. What a man! I won’t comment on his inner thigh and groin muscles…Oh, my, is it hot in here…?

• There’s one of those shove-it-down-your-throat jokes I am none too fond of: “Alice, didn’t anyone ever tell you every cloud has a silver lining?” asks Heyes. Alice replies, “The last man who told me that was killed by a cloud…with a tornado in it.” I can almost hear the vaudeville drum accompaniment…kaboom...
• Poor Ben beans himself walking under the tree branch, but luckily he apparently misses his actual noggin.
  
• The flirting between Alice and the boys after they find the gold is delicious. She tells them she could fall in love with both of them…”together or separately?” Heyes wants to know. Have mercy…that could conjure up an image or two. Mmmmm….
• I love how Alice hides behind Heyes when Briscoe holds them at gunpoint. Protect herself and stroke his ego at the same time…smart woman.
  
• Heyes in an Old West doorag. Hot. Reminds me of my hippie days and my boyfriend Stephen. Sweet.

• I love when Heyes loses hope…Kid asks him if he has any last ideas and he replies, “One. We’re goners.”

  

• I’m sorry, but men just don’t look very sexy riding plow horses! Not even Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry can pull off looking alluring on big old thug horses like that.

• I have nothing to say. I simply fell in love with this picture.
  
• Sweet, adorable, tasty little kisses goodbye for each of our heroes. I will have to watch The Young Country again now because I am keyed up for a real kiss between Joan Hackett and Peter Duel, and that movie certainly has a couple worth watching!
• *sigh* A beautiful left profile moment of Peter as Heyes looks on as Alice and Kurt leave in their wagon. I simply cannot get enough of Peter at this angle. *another sigh*