Threepersons is a slightly above average Kraft Suspense show, features nice color and an offbeat story of the American southwest of the early Prohibition era. As a snapshot of a certain time and place it actually feels real. There's a decent exploration of the characters, notably the eponymous itinerant, Threeperons, a Native American world war veteran who drifts into a town in which, adventitiously, the local federal law enforcement agent just happens to have been his sergeant during the war.
Though he still calls Threepersons Cherokee, a name he know he despises, the ex-army man wants to hire him, and for good money, in his campaign against an American bootlegger and his dangerous Mexican business partner with the unlikely name of Candy Gomez, who live just a few miles across the border. There's little narrative drive in the episode but some decent exploration of a transitional period in American history when the times were changing. Also, some good character studies, especially the mixed bag of a friendship Threepersons has with his new boss, who clearly respects him even as he yanks his chain now and again.
This entry of the Kraft anthology feels like it could have been a dry run for a television series that never made it, something like The Untouchables Out West. It plays well on its own, and the opening narration makes the tale is tells feel larger than life; and in a way it is. There are some surprises along the way, a psycho villain in Candy, well played by Perry Lopez. Linda Lawson is unconvincing as the Mexican girl Threepersons falls for, but there's good work from Rafael Campos as her younger brother. John Gavin's stoic playing of the title role is mediocre, but Ralph Meeker's nicely ambiguous performance as the raffish seeming lawman who's his boss is first rate.
Though he still calls Threepersons Cherokee, a name he know he despises, the ex-army man wants to hire him, and for good money, in his campaign against an American bootlegger and his dangerous Mexican business partner with the unlikely name of Candy Gomez, who live just a few miles across the border. There's little narrative drive in the episode but some decent exploration of a transitional period in American history when the times were changing. Also, some good character studies, especially the mixed bag of a friendship Threepersons has with his new boss, who clearly respects him even as he yanks his chain now and again.
This entry of the Kraft anthology feels like it could have been a dry run for a television series that never made it, something like The Untouchables Out West. It plays well on its own, and the opening narration makes the tale is tells feel larger than life; and in a way it is. There are some surprises along the way, a psycho villain in Candy, well played by Perry Lopez. Linda Lawson is unconvincing as the Mexican girl Threepersons falls for, but there's good work from Rafael Campos as her younger brother. John Gavin's stoic playing of the title role is mediocre, but Ralph Meeker's nicely ambiguous performance as the raffish seeming lawman who's his boss is first rate.
