A brilliantly written and acted episode, with many familiar faces turning in some unusual performances. The mere idea of seeing Lee Marvin acting scared is fascinating enough to justify watching it.
There's a convincing, primitive feeling to the little shack where the men are gathered to drink and play cards a few nights after Pinto Sykes' burial. Odd touches such as the bartender wearing a derby, unusual names like Mr. Mothershed, and a tough gunslinger being referred to as "Connie" without a hint of humor, make this episode stand out. It has a strange atmosphere not like any other western I've ever seen. The pervasive sound of the wind, the nervousness of all present, so that they jump whenever the door bangs open suddenly, the repetitive guitar chords strummed by the talkative Johnny Rob, the sly way that Mothershed seems to exonerate Connie of not doing his job, while pointing it out at the same time, the clever dialogue that makes these characters sound oddly believable. There is much here to savor and enjoy.
When Connie makes his trip alone to the graveyard, notice the tension in his face as he sees the figure approaching over the hill, and the spooky little laugh that Pinto's sister gives when she leaves him. The way his hand pauses before opening the gate, the sweat on his face when he crouches for a moment. The way he looks at his six shooter, as if remembering Mothershed's mocking remark, " We all know you can draw your gun real fast, Connie, we seen it. But out in that graveyard, that gun ain't gonna be worth a copper cent." Perhaps one key line sums up the appeal to viewers of this unsettling story. When Connie angrily demands to know why everyone thinks he's afraid to go visit Pinto's grave, Mothershed responds quietly, " Because we'd be afraid." When Lee Marvin steps uncertainly into that lonely, isolated graveyard, we go with him.
There's a convincing, primitive feeling to the little shack where the men are gathered to drink and play cards a few nights after Pinto Sykes' burial. Odd touches such as the bartender wearing a derby, unusual names like Mr. Mothershed, and a tough gunslinger being referred to as "Connie" without a hint of humor, make this episode stand out. It has a strange atmosphere not like any other western I've ever seen. The pervasive sound of the wind, the nervousness of all present, so that they jump whenever the door bangs open suddenly, the repetitive guitar chords strummed by the talkative Johnny Rob, the sly way that Mothershed seems to exonerate Connie of not doing his job, while pointing it out at the same time, the clever dialogue that makes these characters sound oddly believable. There is much here to savor and enjoy.
When Connie makes his trip alone to the graveyard, notice the tension in his face as he sees the figure approaching over the hill, and the spooky little laugh that Pinto's sister gives when she leaves him. The way his hand pauses before opening the gate, the sweat on his face when he crouches for a moment. The way he looks at his six shooter, as if remembering Mothershed's mocking remark, " We all know you can draw your gun real fast, Connie, we seen it. But out in that graveyard, that gun ain't gonna be worth a copper cent." Perhaps one key line sums up the appeal to viewers of this unsettling story. When Connie angrily demands to know why everyone thinks he's afraid to go visit Pinto's grave, Mothershed responds quietly, " Because we'd be afraid." When Lee Marvin steps uncertainly into that lonely, isolated graveyard, we go with him.