The Long Night (16 Nov. 1957)

Three men in black wait to be hanged the next day for a murder it seems any one of them might have committed. Of the three, one's holster bears a silver chess knight.

Director:

Andrew V. McLaglen

Writers:

Sam Rolfe, Herb Meadow (creator),

Stars:

Richard Boone, Kent Smith, James Best

Cast

Episode complete credited cast:
Richard Boone	...	Paladin
Kent Smith	...	Louis Strome
James Best	...	Andy Fisher
William Schallert	...	Clyde Broderick
Michael Granger	...	Emanual
Kenneth Alton	...	Jackson

Storyline

Riding the plains on assignment, Paladin's taken prisoner by a rancher and his hands, pursuing the man in black who romanced, then murdered his much younger wife. 2 other passersby, also traveling from the direction of the spread are seized too: a brash cowboy, and a very proper salesman of rifles. All profess innocence, so the wealthy rancher pits the prisoners against each other - because confession or not there'll be lynching at dawn. Paladin is skeptical of everybody.

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Genres:

Drama | Western

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 November 1957 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Iverson Ranch - 1 Iverson Lane, Chatsworth, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS), Filmaster Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

26 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Clyde Broderick: Now, there's been some mistake, sir. My name is Broderick, Clyde Broderick, of the Sharps Rifle Company. I'm the territorial representative, salesman, "drummer" if you will.

User Reviews

Tight Western Film Noir

A jealous husband searches for the man he thinks is his dead wife's paramour. With no more evidence than the man's black clothes and colour of his horse, he detains Paladin and two others on the road. Overnight this man insists he will hang all three of them unless the guilty man confesses and submits to one of the three nooses dangling from the tree.

Paladin, an excellent judge of character, soon solves a part of the mystery. Working with the other accused gentlemen, they fight back and all becomes clear at the end.

Kent Smith gives a proper skeevy tone to the character of Louis Strome. Strome is a man who thinks his wife is another piece of property to which he holds title just as he owns his land. Women were considered legal chattel under the law as were her children. Of course to treat a woman as such was considered bad taste.

When each of the three insists he is the man beloved by the dead woman it's Emmy-worthy. Boone's especially good when he steps up to be the fall guy for the madman.

Paladin's Horse: The guilty party was described as riding a black horse, so this horse must be black. It has a white star and white socks/boots on its rear hocks.

Paladin's Gear: Black concha hat, black Western button down shirt open at the neck, black pants, black holster with Colt, a single shot derringer. The spurs are back in this episode.

Paladin Shoots: One of Strome's lackeys.

Deaths: The lackey.

Paladin's Total Kills: Manfred Holt, Anonymous Jailbreak Team 3, Miguel Rojas, Strome's lackey Total Kills: 6