The Gentry brothers catch old trapper Floyd killing another cow on the ranch and in an attempt to scare him they string him up for a fake hanging that goes wrong resulting in Old Man Floyd's... Read allThe Gentry brothers catch old trapper Floyd killing another cow on the ranch and in an attempt to scare him they string him up for a fake hanging that goes wrong resulting in Old Man Floyd's death.The Gentry brothers catch old trapper Floyd killing another cow on the ranch and in an attempt to scare him they string him up for a fake hanging that goes wrong resulting in Old Man Floyd's death.
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John C. Flinn III
- Buel
- (as John Flinn)
Ross Dollarhide
- Cowhand
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- Jack Miller
- Norman MacDonnell(uncredited)
- John Meston(uncredited)
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
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Featured review
Excellent Performances and Story Execution
Floyd Babcock and his partner Orly Grimes are scavenger types that trap whatever they can, take whatever they can, and live any place they can find. Their meager existence contrasts with that of powerful rancher Amos Gentry and his family, who own a sizable portion of western Kansas along the Colorado border.
Babcock and Grimes once lived near Dodge City, but they have since found their way back to the land Gentry owns and have been doing their scavenging there.
When Amos Gentry's sons, Colt and Ben, investigate a shot they heard and discover Babcock in the process of butchering one of their calves, they decide to teach the drifter a lesson. They go through the motions of hanging the poor man, but they only intend to scare him. However, things go horribly wrong, the horse is spooked, and Babcock is accidentally killed. The Gentry boys panic and bury Babcock in a shallow grave with the rope still around his neck.
When Floyd does not return to the makeshift homestead he has created with Orly, Grimes sets out in search of his partner. He finds the little dog Babcock kept and the grave where the Gentry boys buried Floyd. Orly is easily able to determine what happened. Since Orly had seen Colt and Ben earlier in the day, he also realizes they are probably responsible for Floyd's death. Orly writes a letter to Matt Dillon requesting he come to investigate.
When the Marshal arrives at the Gentry house, he is reunited with old friends Amos and Claire Gentry. The Gentry couple knew Matt when they were a young couple, and Matt was a green deputy in Hays City. Initially, Amos and Claire are not aware of Babcock's death and the involvement of their sons.
Since Amos considers all of his vast land holdings under his total control, he is perturbed to learn someone was killed on his land, and he knows nothing about it. When he questions Colt and Ben about the incident, they confess. Amos orders them to go to an old shack some thirty miles away to avoid being questioned by Marshal Dillon.
All Gunsmoke fans are accustomed to appearances by outstanding guest stars, but this episode features performances by a cast that manages to even rise about the lofty standards.
Veteran actor John Payne was noted more for his roles in many films, most notably as Fred Gailey in Miracle on 34th Street, Gary Maturin in The Razor's Edge, and Joe Rolfe in Kansas City Confidential. In this story, Payne fills the role of Amos Gentry, and he commands the scenes in which he appears. This is his only Gunsmoke appearance.
Louise Latham, who plays Claire Gentry, makes what is arguably the best of her six Gunsmoke guest-starring performances. Robert Pine and Peter Jason play the two sons, Ben and Colt, respectively.
Don Keefer is the unfortunate Floyd Babcock character. Keefer appeared in ten different Gunsmoke stories during his extensive acting career. I always think of Keefer for his role in the classic Twilight Zone episode "It's a Good Life" where he plays Dan Hollis, the man that gets drunk and ends up being turned into a jack-in-the-box by Billy Mumy's character in one of the most terrifying television scenes of all time.
Shug Fisher makes one of his twenty-seven different appearances in a Gunsmoke episode as Orly Grimes. The most fascinating thing about Fisher's roles is they are almost all the exact same character.
There are many layers to this story. The theme of an accidental killing combined with an over-protective father has been explored previously in Gunsmoke episodes. The treatment here is unique, however.
The key element of this story centers around Amos and his integrity. He has always been an honest man, but he is willing to compromise his principles for the sake of his sons. Claire acts as the conscience of the family, as she realizes her sons are too accustomed to the privilege and protection afforded by the control Amos holds over his land. She understands the only way Ben and Colt will ever be able to reach their potential as human beings is to face the consequences of what they have done.
Marshal Dillon's pursuit of the Gentry boys is a vital secondary plot element to the story. Matt's involvement is required to force the issue where Ben and Colt are concerned. Therefore, the strongest character in this story is not the man that thinks he controls everything he can see, but the woman who can clearly see how absolute power can corrupt absolutely.
The relationship between Floyd Babcock and Orly Grimes is worth mentioning for its unique nature in television. Of course, there is no mention of anything in the way of romance between the two men, but it is certainly implied. Orly clearly loved Floyd and is heartbroken over his death. This, too, has been implied in other Gunsmoke episodes. Season 11's "Treasure of John Walking Fox" is a notable example.
Although the themes used in this story are familiar, the way the story is presented, and the outstanding performances help it rise above the fray.
Babcock and Grimes once lived near Dodge City, but they have since found their way back to the land Gentry owns and have been doing their scavenging there.
When Amos Gentry's sons, Colt and Ben, investigate a shot they heard and discover Babcock in the process of butchering one of their calves, they decide to teach the drifter a lesson. They go through the motions of hanging the poor man, but they only intend to scare him. However, things go horribly wrong, the horse is spooked, and Babcock is accidentally killed. The Gentry boys panic and bury Babcock in a shallow grave with the rope still around his neck.
When Floyd does not return to the makeshift homestead he has created with Orly, Grimes sets out in search of his partner. He finds the little dog Babcock kept and the grave where the Gentry boys buried Floyd. Orly is easily able to determine what happened. Since Orly had seen Colt and Ben earlier in the day, he also realizes they are probably responsible for Floyd's death. Orly writes a letter to Matt Dillon requesting he come to investigate.
When the Marshal arrives at the Gentry house, he is reunited with old friends Amos and Claire Gentry. The Gentry couple knew Matt when they were a young couple, and Matt was a green deputy in Hays City. Initially, Amos and Claire are not aware of Babcock's death and the involvement of their sons.
Since Amos considers all of his vast land holdings under his total control, he is perturbed to learn someone was killed on his land, and he knows nothing about it. When he questions Colt and Ben about the incident, they confess. Amos orders them to go to an old shack some thirty miles away to avoid being questioned by Marshal Dillon.
All Gunsmoke fans are accustomed to appearances by outstanding guest stars, but this episode features performances by a cast that manages to even rise about the lofty standards.
Veteran actor John Payne was noted more for his roles in many films, most notably as Fred Gailey in Miracle on 34th Street, Gary Maturin in The Razor's Edge, and Joe Rolfe in Kansas City Confidential. In this story, Payne fills the role of Amos Gentry, and he commands the scenes in which he appears. This is his only Gunsmoke appearance.
Louise Latham, who plays Claire Gentry, makes what is arguably the best of her six Gunsmoke guest-starring performances. Robert Pine and Peter Jason play the two sons, Ben and Colt, respectively.
Don Keefer is the unfortunate Floyd Babcock character. Keefer appeared in ten different Gunsmoke stories during his extensive acting career. I always think of Keefer for his role in the classic Twilight Zone episode "It's a Good Life" where he plays Dan Hollis, the man that gets drunk and ends up being turned into a jack-in-the-box by Billy Mumy's character in one of the most terrifying television scenes of all time.
Shug Fisher makes one of his twenty-seven different appearances in a Gunsmoke episode as Orly Grimes. The most fascinating thing about Fisher's roles is they are almost all the exact same character.
There are many layers to this story. The theme of an accidental killing combined with an over-protective father has been explored previously in Gunsmoke episodes. The treatment here is unique, however.
The key element of this story centers around Amos and his integrity. He has always been an honest man, but he is willing to compromise his principles for the sake of his sons. Claire acts as the conscience of the family, as she realizes her sons are too accustomed to the privilege and protection afforded by the control Amos holds over his land. She understands the only way Ben and Colt will ever be able to reach their potential as human beings is to face the consequences of what they have done.
Marshal Dillon's pursuit of the Gentry boys is a vital secondary plot element to the story. Matt's involvement is required to force the issue where Ben and Colt are concerned. Therefore, the strongest character in this story is not the man that thinks he controls everything he can see, but the woman who can clearly see how absolute power can corrupt absolutely.
The relationship between Floyd Babcock and Orly Grimes is worth mentioning for its unique nature in television. Of course, there is no mention of anything in the way of romance between the two men, but it is certainly implied. Orly clearly loved Floyd and is heartbroken over his death. This, too, has been implied in other Gunsmoke episodes. Season 11's "Treasure of John Walking Fox" is a notable example.
Although the themes used in this story are familiar, the way the story is presented, and the outstanding performances help it rise above the fray.
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- wdavidreynolds
- Jul 9, 2021
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