"Stagecoach West" A Place of Still Waters (TV Episode 1961) Poster

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7/10
A Place of Still Waters
Prismark1017 January 2024
Warning: Spoilers
A Place of Still Waters is an interesting introspective character piece.

Darren McGavin is Pierce 'Red' Martin. Bank robber and notorious gunman, maybe one of the fastest draws around. With each killing, the price on Red's head increases.

Now he has come riding into town. Has a large price on his head comes riding into town. Simon Kane has seen him but is in no mood to engage with him in a gunfight.

Red seeks out the local minister Jim Hallett. An old friend, they were in the same jail during the civil war. Jim feels he owes Red a lot. Later admitting just how close they were.

The local townsfolk are getting a posse together. They figure out that Jim is sheltering him. The minister is buying more produce.

Simon Kane does not want to get involved. He himself was hunted down by a gang in the civil war. When Red lashes out later with his gun. Simon has to choose sides, so does the minister.

Another good performance from McGavin. A thoughtful story, Red is tired of living by the gun, tired of killing but wishing to survive nonetheless.
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10/10
One of the better stories in any format.
kfo94947 August 2016
In one of the best episodes in the series, a notorious gunman and bank robbery, Pierce (Red) Martin, has a large price on his head comes riding into town. It is not long before word gets out to the community that Pierce is in the area and they send for the Territorial Sheriff to hunt the killer down.

Pierce does have a friend in the town and it just do happens to be the local minister, Jim Hallett. The minister gets word to meet Pierce at a special spot that the two men call 'A place with still water' which happens to be a small valley overlooking a stream. This was a place that was special to both men. We learn that the minister and the outlaw were in the same prison camp in the Civil War. Jim, was so sick that he was sure to die but Pierce saved his life and both men were released and fled to the small valley before going their separate ways as a preacher and a bank robber.

A posse is set up in town to find Pierce. And when the possibility of the minister helping the outlaw is found out by the townsfolk, it will put the minister's position in the community in jeopardy. And it gets worse when Pierce come into town and viciously kills two innocent men. The town wants answers from the minister- and what is revealed may make some understand the bleak situation the minister finds himself.

This was actually a moving story even with the ruthless acts committed by the outlaw. Darren McGavin, who played the outlaw, and Edward Binns, that played the minister, gave the story so much realism that the viewer felt like part of the story. The writer made the outlaw so ruthless and the minister do forgiving, that the viewer was at conflict on how to judge this tale. There was not an easy feeling to this tale. However, by the time the episode came to an end, the viewer knew that they had witnessed an entertaining show.
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