Husband and wife Lee and Nina Sharkey live on a ranch about five miles outside Dodge City. To describe their marriage as troubled is an understatement. Nina's father is wealthy, and Lee-a lazy, loud mouthed, boor given to drink and verbal and physical abuse-married Nina with the expectation that her father's money would allow him to live an easy life. Nina's virtuous father-who never appears in the story-apparently does not care for Lee or the marriage and refuses to give Lee and Nina any money. Lee resents Nina for it.
Lee concocts a scheme to hire Jim Garza, a drifter he meets in the Long Branch Saloon, to stay on the ranch with Nina while Lee spends a couple of weeks in Wichita. When Lee returns, he will accuse Garza and Nina of having an affair, and Garza will confirm it as truth. Lee will then go to Nina's father and demand payment in return for Lee's silence regarding Nina's indiscretion. Lee reasons that Nina's father will be willing to pay money to protect the family's reputation. Lee agrees to pay Garza $250 for his assistance with the extortion plan.
Lee's scheme doesn't work out exactly as he expects, and a series of events are set in motion that will lead to an outcome that should not be too surprising for regular Gunsmoke viewers given this is a John Meston story.
This is the first of two Gunsmoke appearances for noted method actress Lois Nettleton. She would return for Season 12's "The Returning." Nettleton is outstanding in this role as the beleaguered Nina Sharkey.
William Windom plays the Lee Sharkey character. Windom, one of the more prominent character actors of the 1960s and '70s, excelled at playing this kind of overly dramatic slimeball type.
Actor Ron Foster portrays the Jim Garza character. Foster can be seen in several different television roles during his extensive acting career, but many of the parts were small. He is likely one of the few (if not the ONLY) of the Gunsmoke guests that also appeared in an episode of Sesame Street. This is Foster's second and final Gunsmoke role.
The usually menacing Johnny Seven appears here as a gunfighter named Harry Blucher. Seven's only other Gunsmoke participation was as one of Mace Gore's gang in Season 11's memorable "Seven Hours to Dawn."
This is the first of three episodes in the series directed by Tay Garnett. Garnett directed a number of highly regarded films in the 1930s and 1940s, including the original The Postman Always Rings Twice with John Garfield and Lana Turner and 1949's A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court with Bing Crosby. With the increasing popularity of television in the 1950s and '60s, Garnett turned his talents toward that medium.
There are a couple of scenes that feature those endearing little touches often included in Gunsmoke episodes. The opening scene where Chester Goode tears the cloth on the pool table while Doc Adams is watching is one example. The other is later in the story when Matt Dillon and Chester are sitting with Kitty Russell in Delmonico's, and Matt and Chester order breakfast.
There is also a great exchange between Matt Dillon and Harry Blucher shortly after Blucher arrives in Dodge.
Matt (approaching Blucher in front of the Dodge House): "Blucher." Blucher: "Marshal." Matt: "Where you from?" Blucher: "Colorado. Pueblo." Matt (nodding): "Mm hm. Well that's not far. You ought to be back there in a week." Blucher: "What are you saying?" Matt: "I'm saying if you get on that horse and ride, you'll be there in time for church next Sunday." Blucher: "I don't go to church, Marshal." Matt: "Yeah, I bet you don't."
While the outcome of this story should not surprise viewers, the journey to the end contains some clever surprises and plenty of Meston's trademark tragedy. This is another example of an intriguing story with an outstanding cast and excellent performances.
Lee concocts a scheme to hire Jim Garza, a drifter he meets in the Long Branch Saloon, to stay on the ranch with Nina while Lee spends a couple of weeks in Wichita. When Lee returns, he will accuse Garza and Nina of having an affair, and Garza will confirm it as truth. Lee will then go to Nina's father and demand payment in return for Lee's silence regarding Nina's indiscretion. Lee reasons that Nina's father will be willing to pay money to protect the family's reputation. Lee agrees to pay Garza $250 for his assistance with the extortion plan.
Lee's scheme doesn't work out exactly as he expects, and a series of events are set in motion that will lead to an outcome that should not be too surprising for regular Gunsmoke viewers given this is a John Meston story.
This is the first of two Gunsmoke appearances for noted method actress Lois Nettleton. She would return for Season 12's "The Returning." Nettleton is outstanding in this role as the beleaguered Nina Sharkey.
William Windom plays the Lee Sharkey character. Windom, one of the more prominent character actors of the 1960s and '70s, excelled at playing this kind of overly dramatic slimeball type.
Actor Ron Foster portrays the Jim Garza character. Foster can be seen in several different television roles during his extensive acting career, but many of the parts were small. He is likely one of the few (if not the ONLY) of the Gunsmoke guests that also appeared in an episode of Sesame Street. This is Foster's second and final Gunsmoke role.
The usually menacing Johnny Seven appears here as a gunfighter named Harry Blucher. Seven's only other Gunsmoke participation was as one of Mace Gore's gang in Season 11's memorable "Seven Hours to Dawn."
This is the first of three episodes in the series directed by Tay Garnett. Garnett directed a number of highly regarded films in the 1930s and 1940s, including the original The Postman Always Rings Twice with John Garfield and Lana Turner and 1949's A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court with Bing Crosby. With the increasing popularity of television in the 1950s and '60s, Garnett turned his talents toward that medium.
There are a couple of scenes that feature those endearing little touches often included in Gunsmoke episodes. The opening scene where Chester Goode tears the cloth on the pool table while Doc Adams is watching is one example. The other is later in the story when Matt Dillon and Chester are sitting with Kitty Russell in Delmonico's, and Matt and Chester order breakfast.
There is also a great exchange between Matt Dillon and Harry Blucher shortly after Blucher arrives in Dodge.
Matt (approaching Blucher in front of the Dodge House): "Blucher." Blucher: "Marshal." Matt: "Where you from?" Blucher: "Colorado. Pueblo." Matt (nodding): "Mm hm. Well that's not far. You ought to be back there in a week." Blucher: "What are you saying?" Matt: "I'm saying if you get on that horse and ride, you'll be there in time for church next Sunday." Blucher: "I don't go to church, Marshal." Matt: "Yeah, I bet you don't."
While the outcome of this story should not surprise viewers, the journey to the end contains some clever surprises and plenty of Meston's trademark tragedy. This is another example of an intriguing story with an outstanding cast and excellent performances.