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Reviews
Gunsmoke: The Violators (1964)
Complex and interesting story. A classic
This is a classic. A lot of Gunsmoke plots in this period deal with blind prejudice against Indians, and are basically commentaries on the ongoing civil rights and desegregation battles going on in the US at the time ( with Indians as stand ins for blacks). This one mixes in a complex plot about white men trying to cover up their own murder ( and implied rape) of an Indian girl. An old mountain man who has become close with the Comanche via his wife takes revenge for the murder, mimicking an Indian killing , but without realizing how his actions will cause the citizens of Dodge to endanger the Comanche. The Dodge residents seek retribution themselves for the presumably unprovoked Indian killings the town is experiencing, and threaten to kill every Indian they find. Prejudice, vengeance, and whether the law of the white man or the law of the indian and mountain man should govern are the underlying issues., and the conflict is very real. Matt of course has the answer and prevails more through sheer force of logic, personality and will than his gun.
Gunsmoke: Abe Blocker (1962)
The West has changed
Abe Blocker is a throwback, a last remnant of the early days when the the plains and the mountains of the West were the province of Indians and a few larger than life mountain men. The is the poignant story of an old mountain man come to the end of his days. A tour de force performance by Chill Wills highlighted by his campfire speech to Matt that highlights his role in a lot of of actual mountain man history (He helped Bent build his fort in the 30s and went to the legendary trapper reunions). Highly recommended.