"The Vagrants" finds Johnny Yuma in search of work, getting more than he bargained for from the corrupt sheriff (Robert Foulk) and deputy (K. L. Smith), who promptly arrest him for vagrancy and put him to hard labor. Among the other captives is a cowardly Yankee (Wright King) who prefers to stay alive rather than cause trouble. Not only has the sheriff been using slave labor to build a reservoir but also make a tidy profit on half the lumber his prisoners cut down. The timely arrival of the town minister (George Eldredge, later seen in "The Death of Gray") offers Yuma the opportunity for a breakout, if the damn Yankee doesn't squeal first. Wright King would make his mark on Steve McQueen's Western series WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE, in which he played fellow bounty hunter Jason Nichols, while veteran Robert Foulk is perfectly cast as the lawless lawman.
2 Reviews
Take These Chains!
redryan6415 January 2012
Warning: Spoilers
THE USE OF a drifter as central character and in giving a series a theme is a very commonplace occurrence in the movies and TV. The constant and erratic movement of the protagonist is a useful and logically sound tool in propelling the hero into a variety of situations with involvement with any given number of varying desperadoes,lawmen and interesting females.
AN EVEN CASUAL examination of so many series will give evidence that supports our claim. ROUTE 66,CHEYENNE,MAVERICK, WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE are all good examples of this basic concept.Perhaps the best known specimen in this broad genre is the David blank-blank starring vehicle, THE FUGITIVE. As further proof of what we mean, Bob Hope in one of his monologues called the Chuck Connors western show, BRANDED, "....The FUGITIVE with spurs!"
SO NOW WE come to Nick Adams in THE REBEL(1959-61), which was a co-creation of his. His Johnny Yuma is a youthful and bitter veteran of the Confederate Army, replete with his combat gray uniform & cap; who sets his sights west in the post bell-um years in search of a new life, new work and himself. Inspiteof his being a quiet and introspective loaner, trouble comes his way,on a weekly basis, yet.
TODAY'S HONORED EPISODE, entitled "The Vagarants", involves Yuma's arrival at some distant town,which seems as unremarkable and nondescript as the next one; that is until the Sheriff (Robert Foulk) places him under almost instant arrest on the grounds that he has no employment and has no acquaintances. Johnny finds himself in the middle of a chain gang type operation and is forced to provide his uncompensated labor; all without benefit of judicial process and in support of the crooked sheriff's illegal timber business. In short, it's slave labor, pure and simple.
COMPLICATING THE REBEL'S attempt to bring all of the forced labor "convicts" together is the backstabbing actions of one extremely conniving and self-centered prisoner (Wright King), who consistently betrays Yuma and quietly plays on the fears of the others. He is looking out for only number one and will do anything o accomplish this end.
THE MANNER IN which this story is presented is typical of this period in our history. What would be an incident of extreme rarity is presented in such a manner as to make it seem common place. Pardon our seeming touch of paranoia,but it is the sort of theme that has led us to a breakdown of safety in our cities for our law-abiding.
ON A MUCH BRIGHTER note, this production has the helpful inclusion of a couple of talented supporting players in key roles. First of all, we have Wright King as the treacherous con. Mr. King's credits include a Collector in A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE (1951) and at the opposite end of the spectrum, Earnest P. Duckweather on the JOHNNY JUPITER TV Series(1953).
THE SECOND ACTOR is Robert Foulk, who portrayed the crooked sheriff. Thick set and definitely no matinée idol, Mr. Foulk had a long and successful career; portraying both thugs and kindly,sympathetic types. We remember his earliest film appearance (that we've seen) as a payroll guard in the James Cagney feature,WHITE HEAT (Warner Brothers,1949) and as a kindly and helpful Police Desk Sergeant in Disney's THE COMPUTER WORE TENNIS SHOES (Walt Disney Productions, 1970).
AN EVEN CASUAL examination of so many series will give evidence that supports our claim. ROUTE 66,CHEYENNE,MAVERICK, WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE are all good examples of this basic concept.Perhaps the best known specimen in this broad genre is the David blank-blank starring vehicle, THE FUGITIVE. As further proof of what we mean, Bob Hope in one of his monologues called the Chuck Connors western show, BRANDED, "....The FUGITIVE with spurs!"
SO NOW WE come to Nick Adams in THE REBEL(1959-61), which was a co-creation of his. His Johnny Yuma is a youthful and bitter veteran of the Confederate Army, replete with his combat gray uniform & cap; who sets his sights west in the post bell-um years in search of a new life, new work and himself. Inspiteof his being a quiet and introspective loaner, trouble comes his way,on a weekly basis, yet.
TODAY'S HONORED EPISODE, entitled "The Vagarants", involves Yuma's arrival at some distant town,which seems as unremarkable and nondescript as the next one; that is until the Sheriff (Robert Foulk) places him under almost instant arrest on the grounds that he has no employment and has no acquaintances. Johnny finds himself in the middle of a chain gang type operation and is forced to provide his uncompensated labor; all without benefit of judicial process and in support of the crooked sheriff's illegal timber business. In short, it's slave labor, pure and simple.
COMPLICATING THE REBEL'S attempt to bring all of the forced labor "convicts" together is the backstabbing actions of one extremely conniving and self-centered prisoner (Wright King), who consistently betrays Yuma and quietly plays on the fears of the others. He is looking out for only number one and will do anything o accomplish this end.
THE MANNER IN which this story is presented is typical of this period in our history. What would be an incident of extreme rarity is presented in such a manner as to make it seem common place. Pardon our seeming touch of paranoia,but it is the sort of theme that has led us to a breakdown of safety in our cities for our law-abiding.
ON A MUCH BRIGHTER note, this production has the helpful inclusion of a couple of talented supporting players in key roles. First of all, we have Wright King as the treacherous con. Mr. King's credits include a Collector in A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE (1951) and at the opposite end of the spectrum, Earnest P. Duckweather on the JOHNNY JUPITER TV Series(1953).
THE SECOND ACTOR is Robert Foulk, who portrayed the crooked sheriff. Thick set and definitely no matinée idol, Mr. Foulk had a long and successful career; portraying both thugs and kindly,sympathetic types. We remember his earliest film appearance (that we've seen) as a payroll guard in the James Cagney feature,WHITE HEAT (Warner Brothers,1949) and as a kindly and helpful Police Desk Sergeant in Disney's THE COMPUTER WORE TENNIS SHOES (Walt Disney Productions, 1970).
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews