User Reviews

Festus is carrying a small town thief back to Dodge to face Judge Brookins. The thief, J.J.Honegger, is a sweet talking good looking man that can charm nearly any women he meets. This is a constant problem for Festus since they have known each other for many years. When Festus gets thrown from his horse he becomes injured. The only thing that Festus can do is lock the handcuffs together as they try to find help.

After bypassing a group of renegade comancheros, they are found by a small boy named Caleb Cunningham. With Festus passed-out with pain, Caleb takes the two to his wagon where his mother, Martha gives them something to eat. With the wagon broken down, she tells them that her husband went for help and will be back soon.

Later Honegger breaks free of the chains and escapes. On his way to freedom he finds Martha's husband hanging from a tree where the comancheros bandits have killed him. Honegger, knowing the woman and child are in danger, goes back to the wagon to help. There may be more to Honegger than meets the eye but Festus has his doubts.

Actually this episode turned out surprising well. James Stacy that played Hinegger was a breath of fresh-air in the show as he took over the lead. His acting and the script given- made the viewer get behind the character and pull for a favorable outcome. A show worthy of a watch.

Festus Haggen is transporting a thief named J. J. Honegger to Dodge City. Honegger is a smooth-talking, handsome man who has a history of stealing and being sentenced to short terms in jail. Festus has known Honegger for many years.

After Festus learns flash floods have resulted in the stage route to Dodge being temporarily blocked, he and his prisoner set out on horseback. When Festus is thrown from his horse, he is severely injured. Festus becomes dependent on Honegger to help him.

The pair soon discover a woman named Martha Cunningham and her son, Caleb, stranded along the trail. The woman's husband had left them to find some help. Honegger soon takes advantage of an opportunity to get away, but when he finds the woman's husband hanging dead upside down from a tree branch, he realizes a group of Comancheros he and Festus had seen earlier are likely to blame. He realizes Mrs. Cunningham and her son are in danger. Rather than continue his escape, Honegger chooses to return to the campsite and help.

James Stacy plays J. J. Honegger in this story. This appearance was his fifth and final in the series. Shortly after filming this episode, he was nearly killed in a motorcycle accident (his female companion was killed) that required the amputation of his left arm and leg and led to significant financial problems for the talented actor. When this episode was broadcast, he was still recovering from his injuries.

Actress Beth Brickell makes her only Gunsmoke appearance as the Martha Cunningham character. Brickell had starred in the series Gentle Ben with former Gunsmoke star Dennis Weaver. She gave up acting around 1980 to pursue a successful career directing and writing.

Clay O'Brien, who had previously appeared in Season 18's two-part "The River" episode as the mischievous Tuttle Kincaid, portrays Caleb Cunningham in this story. This was his final Gunsmoke role, but he would go on to play a prominent role in The Cowboys with John Wayne.

There is not as much tension in this story as the circumstances would seem to dictate. There are no surprises, as the viewer can easily see where the story is going.

Most of this story takes place away from Dodge with Festus as the primary member of the regular cast. There is a nice scene at the end set in Dodge with Doc Adams and the requisite Matt Dillon appearance.

Stacy's performance is the highlight of this episode, and viewing is recommended on that factor alone, particularly given the tragic circumstances that would soon befall Stacy. The J. J. Honegger character slightly recalls the early Festus Haggen character, and it is fitting Festus is the person escorting Honegger back to Dodge to face justice for his crimes. Honegger does not mind a little theft when it suits his needs, but he is a kind, compassionate, caring, friendly man. Gunsmoke often featured "good guys" and "bad guys." It is interesting to see a character who sometimes crosses the line back-and-forth between the two characteristics. (Personal note: I have always thought it would have been interesting if Festus had remained a character occasionally given to flaunting the law, instead of turning him into a law-abiding deputy.)

It takes a good script and excellent acting to pull it off, and it's exceedingly rare, but once in a while, a character emerges who's every bit the rogue, but endearing despite it all. James Stacy played the central character in this episode and he and Ken Curtis as Festus make for a very strong episode, that strikes a marvelous balance between drama and comedy.

In the end, Stacy's character is the kind of rogue whom you root for.

James Stacy stole the show in this from the first scene. It was impossible not to fall for his wit and charm and the interplay between him and Festus was so entertaining. The viewer finds themselves rooting for JJ thru the whole episode. On a sad side note this was Stacy's lasT performance before the tragic motorcycle accident in Sept 1973 that claimed the life of his girlfriend and resulted in the loss of his left arm and leg. The episode actually aired for the first time about a month after the accident and Stacy was still hospitalized recuperating from his horrible injuries. Adds a significant and sad poignancy to this episode.