User Reviews

When a known gunslinger named Sam Kertcher rides into Dodge he only has one thing on his mind- to kill Marshal Dillon. Seems that Sam is known for his fast draw and wants to make a name for himself by killing the well-known Marshal. But when the two face each other on Front Street, it is the Marshal that draws first and kills Sam.

Some weeks later a boy about sixteen rides into Dodge looking to buy a gun. The young man is Peyt Kertcher, brother of the dead gunslinger, and tells the Marshal that he is going to kill him for killing his brother. As Peyt is practicing and toning his gun skills it will only be a matter of time before the young boy believes he is ready to face Marshal Dillon.

This episode worked well in the thirty minute format. It was a compelling story that was entertaining to watch. Fredd Wayne is a perfect cast for the uncaring gunslinger that wants to make his mark by killing. He always seems to make the best out of any part that he plays. A nice tidy script that was enjoyable to watch. Good show.

Sam Kertcher makes his way to Dodge City. Kertcher is a known gunfighter, and he has traveled to Dodge specifically to face Matt Dillon. Anyone who has ever watched a western film or television show knows fast-draw gunfighters often want to prove themselves against others with similar reputations.

Kertcher is arrogant and overly confident. When he and Matt face each other in the street, Matt draws first and kills Kertcher. Another wrong-headed man is eliminated thanks to a situation of his own creation.

Sometime later, a teenage kid appears in Dodge. The kid's name is Peyt Kertcher, Sam's brother. Peyt is determined to avenge his brother's death. The kid has no money and no gun. Matt initially has no idea who the kid is, but he tries to help him by paying for a meal and getting him a job.

Peyt is not deterred from his mission by Matt's kindness. He thinks Matt violated some rule of gunfighting by drawing on Sam first.

Jack Diamond's acting career was limited to his teen years and early twenties. Although the Peyt Kertcher character he plays here is fifteen years old, Diamond was twenty when this episode was filmed. By 1960, Diamond was out of show business. His portrayal of Peyt Kertcher represents his only appearance on Gunsmoke.

Fredd Wayne plays the Sam Kertcher character in his only Gunsmoke appearance. Wayne had more than one hundred appearances in television shows over his extensive career.

This is the first of three Gunsmoke episodes -- all in Season 2 -- for writer/producer Winston Miller. Miller supposedly helped David O. Selznick rewrite the screenplay for the film Gone with the Wind, although he did not receive credit. He co-wrote the screenplay for John Ford's western classic My Darling Clementine.

This is the first of four episodes directed by workhorse director Christian Nyby. Nyby was credited for directing the film The Thing from Another World in which James Arness made an early career appearance as the outer space alien.

There is not much in the way of original substance in this plot. When the credits appeared the first time I saw it, I thought, "That's it?!" It plays like a less sanitized episode of The Lone Ranger. The best scene is when the Peyt character is first introduced in the story. Matt is eating, and Kitty Russell walks in. Matt asks Kitty if she wants something to eat. At first, she refuses, but Matt gives her a bite of his food, and she begins to pick food off his plate. The Peyt character enters the scene at this point. I enjoy those little snippets of life that are sometimes included in Gunsmoke stories.

(There is an episode of The Rifleman from Season 1 of that series titled "Boomerang" that explores some of the same themes as this story but handles everything much better.)

(*Marshal, Matt Dillon to Sam Kertcher quote*) - "Men like you are as worthless as coyotes!"

"Young Man With A Gun" is a pretty standard story (from TV's "Gunsmoke") depicting a fiercely loyal family tie that inevitably escalates into an act of calculated vengeance where (guess what?) Marshal, Matt Dillon is, of course, the intended target of this hard-hearted retaliation.

Anyway - What brought my rating of "Young Man With A Gun" down to just 5 stars was the miscasting of actor, Jim Dimond as the spiteful Peyt Kertcher character.

(IMO) - Dimond just didn't convincingly project the necessary personality traits that were essential to bringing the menacing nature of Peyt's revenge to a totally believable conclusion.

Routine episode that unfortunately recycles familiar movieland plot of young greenhorn out to avenge brother's death, this time at the hands of Marshal Dillon. The brother is an arrogant gunfighter out to earn a reputation by outdrawing the lightning-fast lawman (Dillon)-- sound familiar? Fredd Wayne plays the role with obvious relish, too much in fact. Dillon beats him by drawing first which the kid interprets as unfair and now he wants to settle the score. There's not much to recommend here. Arness does usual fine job of playing the cool professional. Jack Dimond as the kid brother is okay, but can't generate much suspense since he's obviously too callow and likable to truly challenge the Marshal. The only interest is whether Dillon will have to kill the kid or not. However, the producers have already tipped their hand by their casting choice. Had the producers really wanted to establish a challenge, they would have cast a menacing kid like Jan Merlin. Anyway, it's okay fare for a really slow evening.