Robert J. Wilke has a face I will never forget, not because of these western TV roles in played in the '50s and '60s where his rugged, almost mean-looking features made him believable as a villain, but as the wrinkled, weathered-face old man in the great 1978 film, "Days Of Heaven," (in which he wasn't a villain!)
In his day, Wilke was a scary-looking dude. So was the other bad guy in this episode, played by Chris Alcaide.
Anyway, Josh comes by these two guys who are ready to hang some poor saddle tramp. Josh talks these guys - mainly "Radovitch" (Wilke) - into postponing the hanging until tomorrow, July 4th, where they can do it in front of a lot of holiday-celebrating people, and not get into trouble with the law themselves for doing by themselves out in the country.
The guy who Randall saves is skeptical. "What's in this for you," he asks. "Nobody does something for free." Some gratitude, eh?
Things look okay until a woman named "Estralita" (Rita Lynn) enters the picture. However, Josh quickly finds out she isn't what she seems (very bloodthirsty) and doesn't want the guy hanged, either. He's a former lover and she blames herself for his predicament. She and Josh try to figure out what to do to free the man. That part was a bit puzzling to me, and very unlike "Josh," who usually is a hundred percent for justice. The man DID shoot someone in a jealous rage which, last I checked, was still a crime.
The man and woman ride off together, followed by Josh who told her he'd meet them in Tucson, and by the other guys who know have several people they'd like to lynch!
Later, my faith in "Randall" was justified. There was a good reason for what he did - and justice did prevail - but, boy, did he get himself into a jam in this episode, filled with tense moments, twists and edgy characters.
In his day, Wilke was a scary-looking dude. So was the other bad guy in this episode, played by Chris Alcaide.
Anyway, Josh comes by these two guys who are ready to hang some poor saddle tramp. Josh talks these guys - mainly "Radovitch" (Wilke) - into postponing the hanging until tomorrow, July 4th, where they can do it in front of a lot of holiday-celebrating people, and not get into trouble with the law themselves for doing by themselves out in the country.
The guy who Randall saves is skeptical. "What's in this for you," he asks. "Nobody does something for free." Some gratitude, eh?
Things look okay until a woman named "Estralita" (Rita Lynn) enters the picture. However, Josh quickly finds out she isn't what she seems (very bloodthirsty) and doesn't want the guy hanged, either. He's a former lover and she blames herself for his predicament. She and Josh try to figure out what to do to free the man. That part was a bit puzzling to me, and very unlike "Josh," who usually is a hundred percent for justice. The man DID shoot someone in a jealous rage which, last I checked, was still a crime.
The man and woman ride off together, followed by Josh who told her he'd meet them in Tucson, and by the other guys who know have several people they'd like to lynch!
Later, my faith in "Randall" was justified. There was a good reason for what he did - and justice did prevail - but, boy, did he get himself into a jam in this episode, filled with tense moments, twists and edgy characters.
