"The Lady Belle" qualifies as an exemplary episode from the ABC-TV "Lawman" western series. A resourceful gang of bank robbers with a beguiling as well as beautiful dame who plans their robberies for them meets their Waterloo in Marshal Dan Troop's town of Laramie. Interestingly enough, "Gunman's Walk" scenarist Ric Hardman has appropriated material from the infamous Jesse James & Cole Younger gang and their ill-fated raid on the Northfield bank of Minnesota. Like the James & Younger gang, these outlaws deck themselves out in linen white dusters. These criminals have been robbing one bank after another, and they've been getting away scot-free with the loot. After they hold-up a bank, they rendezvous somewhere along the trail with the brains of their outfit, Lady Belle Smythe (Joan Marshal of "Live Fast, Die Young"), and they entrust the loot to her safekeeping so they cannot be arrested with the money on them. This strategy has succeeded for them until they show up in Laramie. Marshal Troop isn't aware of their identities when they drift into town, and Belle arrives first on the stage that Calvin (Slim Pickens of "Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid") is driving.
Initially, Belle dazzles the local bank president, Oren Slauson (Vinton Hayworth of "Chamber of Horrors"), and the poor fellow is eating out of the palm of her hand after she visits him about making a bank deposit. The hopelessly smitten Slauson invites her out for an evening at The Birdcage Saloon. Up to this point, everything is working out perfectly for Belle until she makes the biggest mistake of her criminal career. When Slauson ushers her into the saloon, Lily Merrill is wearing a new dress and performing a song. These two gals clash over a dress that Lily is wearing. Belle looks down her nose at Lily and Lily is furious that Belle has uttered derogatory commentary about her Parisian dress. When Lily returns to her room in a huff, she finds Troop and tells him off after he compliments her apparel. Earlier, in the bar, before the argument, Troop told Lily that he was no judge of women's clothing. When he tries to smooth over things in Lily's office, she smarts off to him that he doesn't know squat about female fashions. Troop clears out, and Lily regrets her rage. Eventually, after Slauson and Belle have departed, Lily heads over to the jail to apologize to Troop and finds Johnny (Peter Brown) packing for a trip to visit another lawman in the territory about the string of hold-ups. While she is crossing the street to the marshal's office, Lily spots Belle and notices that the uppity woman is conversing with a common bystander wearing a six-gun. She complains later that Belle is fooling nobody, but Troop doesn't catch on until it is too late.
This "Lawman" episode differs substantially because our stalwart hero doesn't single-handedly thwart the ensuing bank robbery. In fact, he gets off one shot before he is brought down by opposing gunfire. Instead, Calvin—who should have left town earlier on his stage—wields his Winchester with deadly accuracy and brings down some of the bank robbers. Hotel clerk Jack Stiles (Doodles Weaver) is instrumental in bringing down another rider with his shotgun. These two manage to thwart the robbery, while Troop is out of action. Ultimately, Lily doesn't stand around and wait for Troop to take matters in hand. She storms over to Belle's hotel room and confronts her and they brawl. Belle is taken into custody, and the bank robberies are brought to an end.
"The Lady Belle" is one of those straightforward "Lawman" episodes where the clench-jawed heroes resolve the issues. Like the Northfield raid, citizens helped to thwart the robbery. The clearest instance of this is Slauson fleeing from the bank like a teller did in Northfield screaming about the presence of outlaws.
Initially, Belle dazzles the local bank president, Oren Slauson (Vinton Hayworth of "Chamber of Horrors"), and the poor fellow is eating out of the palm of her hand after she visits him about making a bank deposit. The hopelessly smitten Slauson invites her out for an evening at The Birdcage Saloon. Up to this point, everything is working out perfectly for Belle until she makes the biggest mistake of her criminal career. When Slauson ushers her into the saloon, Lily Merrill is wearing a new dress and performing a song. These two gals clash over a dress that Lily is wearing. Belle looks down her nose at Lily and Lily is furious that Belle has uttered derogatory commentary about her Parisian dress. When Lily returns to her room in a huff, she finds Troop and tells him off after he compliments her apparel. Earlier, in the bar, before the argument, Troop told Lily that he was no judge of women's clothing. When he tries to smooth over things in Lily's office, she smarts off to him that he doesn't know squat about female fashions. Troop clears out, and Lily regrets her rage. Eventually, after Slauson and Belle have departed, Lily heads over to the jail to apologize to Troop and finds Johnny (Peter Brown) packing for a trip to visit another lawman in the territory about the string of hold-ups. While she is crossing the street to the marshal's office, Lily spots Belle and notices that the uppity woman is conversing with a common bystander wearing a six-gun. She complains later that Belle is fooling nobody, but Troop doesn't catch on until it is too late.
This "Lawman" episode differs substantially because our stalwart hero doesn't single-handedly thwart the ensuing bank robbery. In fact, he gets off one shot before he is brought down by opposing gunfire. Instead, Calvin—who should have left town earlier on his stage—wields his Winchester with deadly accuracy and brings down some of the bank robbers. Hotel clerk Jack Stiles (Doodles Weaver) is instrumental in bringing down another rider with his shotgun. These two manage to thwart the robbery, while Troop is out of action. Ultimately, Lily doesn't stand around and wait for Troop to take matters in hand. She storms over to Belle's hotel room and confronts her and they brawl. Belle is taken into custody, and the bank robberies are brought to an end.
"The Lady Belle" is one of those straightforward "Lawman" episodes where the clench-jawed heroes resolve the issues. Like the Northfield raid, citizens helped to thwart the robbery. The clearest instance of this is Slauson fleeing from the bank like a teller did in Northfield screaming about the presence of outlaws.
