User Reviews

The thing about Paladin on "Have Gun-Will Travel" is that he's more of a judge of character and from his instincts and cerebral approach to matters regarding his "hiring" by others to do their dirty work only uses the fancy gun and black attire as a means to an end. It's all about results. In this episode, Paladin is shown in a white tailored suit and clean white hat, dressed like a fancy businessman, someone who might own a bank or something. He reads his San Francisco newspaper about a no-good outlaw who run off with a cattleman's daughter, retreating to a dusty, off-the-beaten-path Mexican village, Perdido, where "peace and prosperity" are accepted but not violence. The outlaw, Dave Enderby (Jack Lord, of Hawaii 5 0 fame, in good form as the perfectly handsome low-life), is actually a yellowbelly coward, sized up real quick-like by Paladin upon seeing him in the Perdido saloon about to stab a competitor (over a game of darts) in the back with the knife he was using during his "friendly game". Nancy Enderby (Janice Rule, stunning even in her Annie Oakley tomboyish attire), is totally under Dave's spell, unable (until Paladin sets her straight) to see her husband for the cretin that he really is. She doesn't know about Dave's shooting her father while his back was turned, quite a lowly act, having bushwacked pops' 21 men who came to fetch her home. Anyway, Paladin has one mission, return Dave home to pops (Harry Shannon, as one of those hard, tough, surly types, but he ultimately has a truly soft on the inside when it comes to his daughter), and collect his reward (but anyone can see it is about more than just reward money, but the plan all along was for Paladin to return daughter to father and get a sorry scumbag to the law where a noose awaits his throat). Paladin's fight with Dave is rather shockingly one-sided truly telling of just how spineless and weak Enderby really is. The fact that Dave tries to hide behind a boulder on a steep hill tells you how yellow he is, so he can shoot Paladin in the back. This episode is designed to prove that Paladin is someone who rides into danger knowing the risk, but with enough courage and mental fortitude to come away with what he seeks after. Richard Boone, tall and confident, steely-eyed and forthright, a thinking man with an intimidating gun, is quite a compelling actor to watch. His character before leaving (in San Francisco)and during his mission (wherever he is hired) is quite a contrast which makes the show all the more entertaining in my book because it speaks about the kind of man Paladin is away from work and on his travels (wherever they take him). I love the outdoor scenes as Paladin rides into Mexico, unafraid but aware of the sentries posted near Perdido, the goal his only concern (including the action scene where Paladin convinces Nancy that Dave is rotten).

HAVE GUN - WILL TRAVEL "Three Bells to Perdido" 1957

HAVE GUN – WILL TRAVEL was a Western series that ran on television between 1957 and 1963. The series was very popular and was always in the top ten of the television ratings. The series ran for a total of 225 episodes. Richard Boone headlines as "Paladin", a gun for hire, if the cause is right. Working out of San Francisco, Boone places ads in newspapers offering his services. $1,000 and he is your man. While handy with a gun or fists, he tries to settle the problem without violence. (Not very successfully as a general rule)

In this episode, the first of the series, Boone is hired to return a wealthy rancher's daughter. The daughter, Janice Rule, has fallen for a bad boy, Jack Lord. Lord is wanted on several murder warrants and has taken Rule, and fled to Mexico.

The rancher, Harry Shannon, had led a group of ranch hands to Mexico to try and retrieve Rule. This had ended with more than a few of the ranch hands dead and wounded. Lord and Rule are hiding out in small Mexican town that is a haven for men on the run.

Boone rides into the town and looks up Lord. He makes sure not to make a play for his guns. The locals are all on the trigger happy side. They will accept anyone with cash, but no gun play. (They had all stepped up when rancher Shannon had tried the gun route) Boone asks Lord to return to the States and turn himself in. Lord of course gets a good laugh out this. Boone gives the lout a couple of solid punches to the head and grabs up Miss Rule instead. They ride out of the town and head for the U.S.

Boone only got Rule to come along by promising not to kill Lord. Boone tries to convince the silly woman that her love is actually a bushwhacking murderer. She soon finds out that Boone is correct about Lord, when he gives chase. Lord tries to kill both Boone and Rule from ambush. Boone hands out another sound beating and straps the scum to a horse. He then returns Rule to her father, and then Lord to the law.

The episode was directed by long time western helmsman, Andrew V McLaglen.

In Spanish Perdido means lost...Three bells to lost is a poignant title.

Jack Lord, Janice Rule and Richard Boone appear in the pilot episode of Have Gun - Will Travel. The pacing of the episode is different from the rest of the series, as is often the case with pilots. It takes a while for actors to hit their stride with their character.

Boone's Paladin costume at this point includes a white necktie and spurs. These disappeared sometime during or after the first season. Paladin was one of the first characters who wore a black hat and drank alcohol who fought on the side of good. Perhaps the necktie was meant to be a clue to Paladin's good character to unsophisticated audiences of the time when the series aired. According to the biography, Richard Boone: A Knight Without Armor In A Savage Land, it had a red pin in it that cut Boone's face when he was riding a horse at a gallop. Boone gave the pin to Johnny Western who later affixed it to his guitar.

A great introduction to the character of Paladin, he finds a client via newspaper article and sends that iconic card. Paladin shows up at Reed's ranch to learn that it wasn't Jesse Reed, Nancy's father who sent for help but Jesse's friend Gotch. This plot point will be repeated on occasion. Paladin's full of confidence that he can retrieve the back-shooting son-in-law to stand trial. How he manages to do this is quite interesting and worth watching.

We learn tidbits about Paladin's past in this introduction: he was in the Army, he went to West Point and there was fine bone china in his home when he was a boy. These dribs and drabs are all we get as the series goes on. We never learn Paladin's true name.

In the fight on the veranda it's easy to see Boone slamming the stunt man face-first into the wall rather than Lord. Too bad. When televisions were all less than 20 inches across no one could see the subterfuge.

Jack Lord and Richard Boone were good friends. Fascinating to see Boone as the hero and Lord as a villain in this episode. Boone was first asked to play the part Lord took in Hawaii Five-O. Boone was also instrumental in persuading Hollywood to shoot that series in Hawaii rather than doing location shoots in Hawaii and studio work in Hollywood.

Paladin's Horse: Dappled grey

Paladin's Gear: White necktie, black Western front buttoned shirt, concha hat, spurs, plain saddle, black colt pistol, two-shot derringer, black pants, black boots; no rifle

Paladin Disarmed: Twice. The first time he immediately retrieved the weapon from his client using his backup derringer. The second occasion he helped himself to Dave Enderby's weapon.

Forgot To Duck: 0

Paladin Shoots: 0

Paladin Kills: 0

Palladin's job is to return a rancher's daughter Nancy (Janice Rule) back to him. The rancher couldn't do it with 26 armed men, so he turns to Palladin. The gunfighter crosses the border into Mexico and goes to the little town of Perdido. This is a town that has outlawed violence and guns. It's also the town where Dave Enderby (Jack Lord) has taken his bride Nancy, hiding out from her father, who he shot in the back when he last encountered him.

This is a good start to the series, showing Palladin's use of his brain as well as his gun. When he does return the girl as well as Dave to the rancher, he doesn't stand by to see Dave get killed and stands up to his employer.

Boone is under control and matter of fact, making a nice contrast to the fiery Jack Lord as he plays Dave. There's also a good deal of faith put on the idea of giving one's word that seems to be sadly lacking in today's society. At the same time the casual racist stereotype of Chinese coolie "hey Boy" is a little unsettling.