It is a big day for the Sadler family. They have been saving money for a farm for many years. They finally have enough savings to buy the farm of their dreams. A major problem arises when the bank in Dodge City where their money is on deposit has closed due to a run on the bank. The Sadlers cannot withdraw the funds they have on deposit to pay for the farm. The owner is also panicked by the closing of the banks and demands his money immediately.
One interesting aspect to this story is that the family and the bank are in the exact same situation. The bank's cash supplies are depleted, and they cannot meet customer demands, which means the family lacks the funds they need to pay for the farm. The difference is the bank can just apologize to their depositors and open when they replenish their cash. The Sadlers do not have that luxury.
(The previous statement assumes the bank has the funds on deposit elsewhere. If that is not true, the bank would be insolvent and likely forced to close permanently. No one would trust the bank after such an incident. This type of situation has been rendered highly improbable since the advent of deposit insurance. Today, even if the bank failed, the depositors would be protected by the insuring agency.)
What the Sadlers do not realize is they are not completely powerless. The owner of the farm has demanded the money for payment for the property, but he has little recourse in the matter. He could ask Matt Dillon to throw the family off the farm, but it would be very doubtful the Marshal would comply. The owner could go to a judge and seek an eviction notice, but that would require some time, and -- assuming the bank closure is temporary (Mr. Bodkin assures everyone the bank is solvent) -- the Sadlers can get their money in a few days. Even if the owner could force the Sadlers to leave, who else is going to have the cash he so desperately seeks? The owner would be much wiser to wait for the Sadlers to get their money.
Of course, wisdom is not a trait commonly exhibited during desperate times. The Sadlers foolishly choose to attempt to rectify the situation by breaking into the bank and taking the money they consider is rightfully theirs. Naturally, things do not transpire as expected.
Even Mr. Bodkin handles the situation at the bank poorly. Clear, honest communication might have helped mitigate the panic. (Think George Bailey in the famous bank run scene in It's A Wonderful Life.) Instead, he locks the door of the bank and chooses to hide in his office.
This is a taught, compelling story with an extremely competent cast at every turn. John Anderson makes yet another of his many Gunsmoke appearances as Amos Sadler, the family patriarch. Louise Latham plays his wife, Emilie, who is the only member of the clan that approaches the situation rationally and wisely. Cliff Osmond and Warren Vanders are brothers to Amos. (I particularly like this aspect to the story: families during this time were often more extended than the so-called nuclear families we see today. It would have been common for brothers, sisters, and parents to live together.) Jodie Foster (credited as Jody Foster) is Amos and Emilie's daughter Susan, and she plays a key role in the story.
The viewer is also treated to "bonus material" as Festus Haggen explains how he thinks banks should operate.
There are no "bad guys" in this episode. This is one of the better examples of the kinder-and-gentler television critics and censors were promoting at the time. And in 2021 when fear tends to guide so many people, the story is a nice example of the results of allowing fear to drive one's actions.
One interesting aspect to this story is that the family and the bank are in the exact same situation. The bank's cash supplies are depleted, and they cannot meet customer demands, which means the family lacks the funds they need to pay for the farm. The difference is the bank can just apologize to their depositors and open when they replenish their cash. The Sadlers do not have that luxury.
(The previous statement assumes the bank has the funds on deposit elsewhere. If that is not true, the bank would be insolvent and likely forced to close permanently. No one would trust the bank after such an incident. This type of situation has been rendered highly improbable since the advent of deposit insurance. Today, even if the bank failed, the depositors would be protected by the insuring agency.)
What the Sadlers do not realize is they are not completely powerless. The owner of the farm has demanded the money for payment for the property, but he has little recourse in the matter. He could ask Matt Dillon to throw the family off the farm, but it would be very doubtful the Marshal would comply. The owner could go to a judge and seek an eviction notice, but that would require some time, and -- assuming the bank closure is temporary (Mr. Bodkin assures everyone the bank is solvent) -- the Sadlers can get their money in a few days. Even if the owner could force the Sadlers to leave, who else is going to have the cash he so desperately seeks? The owner would be much wiser to wait for the Sadlers to get their money.
Of course, wisdom is not a trait commonly exhibited during desperate times. The Sadlers foolishly choose to attempt to rectify the situation by breaking into the bank and taking the money they consider is rightfully theirs. Naturally, things do not transpire as expected.
Even Mr. Bodkin handles the situation at the bank poorly. Clear, honest communication might have helped mitigate the panic. (Think George Bailey in the famous bank run scene in It's A Wonderful Life.) Instead, he locks the door of the bank and chooses to hide in his office.
This is a taught, compelling story with an extremely competent cast at every turn. John Anderson makes yet another of his many Gunsmoke appearances as Amos Sadler, the family patriarch. Louise Latham plays his wife, Emilie, who is the only member of the clan that approaches the situation rationally and wisely. Cliff Osmond and Warren Vanders are brothers to Amos. (I particularly like this aspect to the story: families during this time were often more extended than the so-called nuclear families we see today. It would have been common for brothers, sisters, and parents to live together.) Jodie Foster (credited as Jody Foster) is Amos and Emilie's daughter Susan, and she plays a key role in the story.
The viewer is also treated to "bonus material" as Festus Haggen explains how he thinks banks should operate.
There are no "bad guys" in this episode. This is one of the better examples of the kinder-and-gentler television critics and censors were promoting at the time. And in 2021 when fear tends to guide so many people, the story is a nice example of the results of allowing fear to drive one's actions.