Hawaii Five-O (TV Series) The Bells Toll at Noon (1977) User Reviews

Unusual and entertaining

[cbmd-37352 · 9/10 · 28 February 2023]

There is a dramatic start as a man is gunned down on the steps of a church. Central Union Church is used for St Agnes Catholic Church since none of the local Catholic Churches settings could provide the high angle view.

As a local it's cool that a church were you have sung in the choir was viewed all over the country. The revenge killers obsession with James Cagney and his gangster roles provide unusual ongoing drama . Note that Jack Lord was the director of this episode, and he had the reputation of a perfectionist, whether he was actually directing or not. Also love the use of local actors Jimmy Borges and Kwan Hi Lim.

An odd but worthwhile episode...

[planktonrules · 8/10 · 17 May 2010]

The show starts with a drug dealer being assassinated by a guy (Rich Little!) with a rifle and scope. Then later, this movie buff begins killing people just like he saw James Cagney do in his films. Why the first killing ISN'T from a Cagney film did baffle me, though it was cool seeing the guy trussed up like Cagney was at the end of "The Public Enemy" as well as a take-off on the crazy finale of "White Heat".

This is an unusual episode because unlike most, the guest star is a bit bigger than life and just doesn't seem to fit into the story quite as well as the usual guests. After all, how can you use Rich Little AND his mimicry talents and make the show seem believable? Well, it ISN'T totally believable and the plot seems to have enough for two episodes but it still manages to work...not great...but it works.

Had I done this episode, I think I might have used Little as a movie buff and mimic who decides to copy the killings from Cagney movies. And, the rest of the plot involving killing drug dealers in retribution for the death of a vivacious young female junkie, I would have used this in another show--it just seemed like too much AND it was hard to imagine Little as a gun expert, movie buff, recovering addict, etc., etc. all in the same show. A truly weird episode throughout...but not bad. It was surprising, however, to see an actor as famous as Mel Ferrer in such a small role as the priest at the beginning of the episode.

By the way, considering that I have a bazillion movie reviews to my credit, you STILL do not need to worry about me imitating Cagney films...I'm more of a Humphrey Bogart fan!

This episode failed to stand the test of time.

[FloridaFred · 6/10 · 26 October 2023]

When this show aired in 1977, viewers were familiar with James Cagney and his dramatic movies from the 1930's and 40's. Rich Little was still touring, audiences enjoyed his impersonations of famous actors. But in the year 2023, much of that is becoming a distant memory. The old Cagney movies are now VERY old movies; it's safe to say that the majority of people have never watched them. And with respect to the great Rich Little, only old-timers will remember his impersonations and his comic acts.

Further complicating the plot line, as another reviewer pointed out, it's a bit too much to believe that Rich Little's character "Johnny Kling" is a former soldier who is a gun expert, he is a recovering addict, he is a movie buff, and he is a part-time entertainer at a Recovery Clinic. Too many character traits for one man!

Several guest stars are familiar faces on H5-0, including Jimmy Borges and Kwan Hi Lim. Martin Ferrer appears as a priest, Milton Selzer is a drug dealer, and Don Knight ("Swamp Thing") is the kingpin of the smuggling operation. We also get a daffy landlady played by the tragic actress Jorie Remus. But none of their characters are enough to salvage this story.

6 stars for "The Bell Tolls at Noon" is the best I can do.