Gunsmoke (TV Series) Phoenix (1971) User Reviews

A hired killer develops a relationship with his victim.

[kfo9494 · 7/10 · 26 December 2012]

John Sontag and a man calling himself Phoenix are jail mates in prison. Phoenix is to be released so Sontag ask him if he will kill a man for him that put him in prison. He tells Phoenix where some money is hidden tells him that the person to kill is named Jess Hume, an ex-Sheriff, living near Dodge.

Phoenix goes and gets the money and finds out where Jess is living. When he finds the farm he sees a beautiful young woman, Kate, that is the wife of the much older Jess Hume. You can tell that Phoenix is smitten with Kate and is confused on why the young woman would marry an older man.

Jess develops respect for the former Sheriff and when chances to kill Jess come up, Phoenix passes. In fact Phoenix saves Jess life from drowning soon after their relationship begins. He soon realizes that he is not going to be able to kill Jess and decides to leave. He even asks the young Kate to run away with him but she says that she is happy with her life.

While Phoenix is about to leave town, he hears that Sontag has escape from prison. He knows that the Hume's are in danger. Sure enough Sontag arrives at the house and makes Jess dig a grave a gunpoint. Phoenix can either get involved or flee town.

This is a nice story that played well on the screen. The story of the hired killer developing a relationship with the person he was to kill was interesting. But the falling in love with the married woman did not seem to fit in this show. Even with the side-track, the episode did delivery entertainment.

Outstanding Performances in a Predictable Story with Minimal Connection to Gunsmoke

[wdavidreynolds · 7/10 · 3 August 2021]

Phoenix is an inmate at Leavenworth Prison in Kansas. His cell mate is a man named John Sontag. Phoenix has served his time and is due to be released. Sontag asks Phoenix to kill the Sheriff that was responsible for his arrest in exchange for some money Sontag hid before his conviction.

The Sheriff in question is a man named Jess Hume. Hume is no longer a Sheriff, as he lost the use of one of hands. He now lives on a farm outside Dodge City with his pretty, much younger wife, Kate. Jess and Kate struggle to make ends meet with no help on the farm.

Phoenix stops in Dodge and asks Deputy Newly O'Brien for directions to the Hume farm. After Newly provides the information, Phoenix leaves. The Deputy thinks Phoenix looked familiar, and when he examines wanted posters, he discovers one for Phoenix.

Newly informs Matt Dillon, and the Marshal rides to the Hume farm to find Phoenix. When Matt arrives and meets the ex-con, he learns Phoenix has served his time and is no longer wanted.

Phoenix earns the trust and friendship of Jess and Kate. It quickly becomes evident that Phoenix is attracted to Kate. He questions Kate's motivation for marrying and staying with her husband.

As Phoenix spends more time with the Hume's he begins to care for them both and finds himself conflicted over the job he was hired to do. The remainder of the story addresses the inner turmoil Phoenix faces, as well as further events that endanger the Humes.

Glenn Corbett returns for the second of his three Gunsmoke guest-starring roles. He portrays the character Phoenix. It has been a long time between Gunsmoke appearances for Corbett, as his last participation was in Season 10's "Chicken" episode. Corbett was the epitome of the "strong, silent type." He was soft spoken, but possessed rugged good looks. He often played parts similar to the Phoenix character: men with a dubious background that ultimately choose a better path.

Interestingly, Mariette Hartley also last appeared in a Gunsmoke episode in the story "Big Man, Big Target" from Season 10. She appears in this story as Kate Hume. Hartley's first acting credit was a major role in Sam Peckinpah's classic film Ride the High Country. It is strange that her career has been dominated by roles in television, as her film career had such an auspicious beginning. She has never appeared in any films as highly regarded as her first. This role represents one of Hartley's five different Gunsmoke appearances.

Ten different episodes of Gunsmoke featured character actor Gene Evans. He previously appeared in Season 16's two-part "Snow Train" episode. In this story, he plays the part of Jess Hume. In every appearance, Evans provides a noteworthy performance.

Ramon Bieri is yet another Gunsmoke veteran that graces this episode. He plays John Sontag.

This is an entertaining, well-acted story marked by a small, outstanding cast. The story, on the other hand, is much too predictable and formulaic. The theme of someone being paid to commit a murder later deciding against the action has been explored numerous times.

This story is another that could be set in almost any other series. There is nothing essential to the world of Gunsmoke that has any bearing on this episode. Most of the story takes place on the Hume farm, and appearances by any of the stars are minimal.

(In addition to the predictable story, Sontag's escape from prison was so easy, one wonders why everyone has not escaped, but it is a minor complaint about a small detail.)