User Reviews

Simon Oakland with an Irish and Greek accents? Well, that's what you have here, although the veteran actor isn't that convincing in his attempts at foreign accents. Nonetheless, it's an interesting story of a gangster gone north to the shores of Michigan, a short distance from Canada.

His plan is the smuggle in "Canadian Gold," a high-quality whiskey. He quickly goes to work by conning the local people, especially the parish priest who he helps out financially to set up a good soup kitchen. Why, Oakland's "Joe Pal a.k.a. Joe Palakopolous" is positively inspiring! He even pays for a brand new glow-in-the-dark cross atop the cleric's church. Of course, he uses the cross as a guide for the smugglers transversing the dangerous waters into the local harbor.

Will this shyster get caught? Of course, and it's interesting to see how Elliot Ness and the Untouchables do it, and the reaction of "Father Gregory" (Arthur Hill).

Dabbs Greer, playing agent "Ned Ferber," is fascinating in here in a minor role.

The famous Dutch Schultz gambit of taking over a town was done in this Untouchables episode. But whereas Schultz took over the town when a change of venue in a trial was ordered and in his case it was Malone, New York he had no intention of settling there permanently.

Simon Oakland has told one and all he's retiring from the rackets and he settles in some small Wisconsin fishing village where he becomes a public benefactor. The village is poor, but Oakland provides a soup kitchen for the stomach and a giant electric cross for the church for which Father Arthur Hill is properly grateful and defends him against Eliot Ness when The Untouchables say that Oakland is very much in the booze business, running the 'good stuff' in from Canada.

It's amazing what people won't believe or simply don't want to believe. Oakland and Hill are a good pair of guest stars in this fine Untouchables episode.

Back in the 50s, 60s and 70s, Simon Oakland made a fortune playing mostly exceptionally angry men on TV. Again and again, he played folks on the verge of apoplexy...such as in his guest spots on "Hawaii Five-O" and his regular appearances as Kolchak's boss on "The Night Stalker". Because he was perennially ticked off, it's very odd to see him in this episode...smiling and being very sweet. What gives? Where's that angry beast we've all come to love and respect?!

Mr. Pal (Oakland) comes to a crappy little town along one of the Great Lakes and offers the local priest a lot of money to open up a soup kitchen. It's like a gift from Heaven...but Ness thinks it's actually quite the opposite and that Pal chose this spot because of it's proximity to Canada...and Canadian Whiskey. After all, years ago, Pal was a crook and Ness believes that folks just don't change. The priest (Arthur Hill) has confidence in his new benefactor and cannot believe Pal is a jerk-face.

This is a very unusual change of pace--both for Oakland and the show. Because it's so unusual I recommend you see it.