Matt Dillon and Kitty Russell are on their way by stagecoach to St. Louis for some time away from Dodge City. When the stage stops at a way station, a telegram from Judge Brooker is waiting for Marshal Dillon ordering him to be available to testify in a trial. To fulfill the judge's order, Matt will need to abandon the trip immediately. This understandably angers Kitty, as -- yet again -- Matt's duties as a U. S. Marshal interferes with their relationship.
It just so happens a gunfighter named Will Stambridge boards the stage. When some men stop the stage with the intention to rob it, they abuse Miss Kitty. A shootout ensues. The would-be robbers are killed, but Stambridge is shot in the shoulder.
Kitty treats the wound as best she can. On the trip to Dodge, she and Stambridge talk and a romance begins to develop. Once they arrive in Dodge, Doc Adams treats Stambridge, and the relationship between Kitty and Stambridge continues to grow. Of course, Matt is not thrilled at the situation, but he tells Kitty only she can decide how far the relationship should go.
Stambridge decides to settle in Dodge and ask Kitty to be his wife. However, there is a man in town who is working to spread dissent in the town about the gunfighter's presence there. The man is working on behalf of a woman from another town who saw Stambridge kill her husband in a fair fight. She offered $1,000 to anyone that can arrange for Stambridge to be killed.
This episode features an unusually large cast and several regular cast members that appear as Dodge City residents.
Talented character actor Richard Kiley returns for the fourth and final time in the series. His portrayal of the Will Stambridge character is a highlight of the episode. Although he is supposed to be a gunfighter, there is not much revealed about his past. He is a gunfighter with some measure of integrity, as he only defends himself in this story.
Leonard Stone also makes his fourth Gunsmoke appearance here. He plays a farmer named Corley Deems who has allowed his farm to fall into disrepair since his wife died. He is heavily in debt and seeks to sell the farm to help pay off the people he owes. His resentful stepson, Sheb Deems, lives on the farm with him. The Sheb character is played by Christopher Connelly. This is Connelly's second and last Gunsmoke appearance.
Other actors with some Gunsmoke history include Paul Picerni, Don Keefer, Jack Perkins, Gerald McRaney, Del Monroe, Viriginia Baker, and Rayford Barnes. This is the final roles in the series for Keefer, Perkins, Monroe, Baker, and Barnes.
Ted Jordan (Nathan Burke), Woodrow Chamblis (Mr. Lathrop), and Charles Wagenheim (Ed Halligan) play familiar Didge residents that make appearances here.
I usually try to avoid spoilers, but it is necessary to address some spoilers to review this story.
The story begins with an egregious error-filled scene when Stanbridge faces off with a young gunfighter looking to earn a reputation. The gunfighter calls out Stambridge from his hotel room. When Stambridge emerges from the hotel, the people surrounding the gunfighter do not move. Gunfights in the Old West were notorious for the inaccuracy of the participants, despite what is often portrayed in television shows. No person with any intelligence would be caught standing anywhere near the shooters. It is a ludicrously lazily constructed scene that could have easily been shot correctly.
The theme of Kitty falling for someone other than Matt as result of her anger at the Marshal has been explored previously in Season 8's "The Way It Is." This is not a unique situation.
Gunsmoke fans are quite familiar with the strange Matt-Kitty relationship. They are clearly romantically involved in some way, but the depth of their liaison is never fully explored and rarely mentioned in the series. The idea that they are traveling to St. Louis to spend time together is even somewhat surprising, given what little is known about their relationship.
The fact that another recent episode in the series explores an affair Matt had with a woman -- albeit while he was suffering memory loss -- at least raises the question of the possibility of the Gunsmoke producers deciding to give Kitty "equal time" in some manner.
The biggest criticism of this episode is the extremely poor execution in all aspects, except the acting. The script and the editing are an absolute mess. First, there is the aforementioned opening scene. Matt abruptly leaving Kitty stranded at a way station is shockingly callous and uncaring. Everyone knows Matt places his law enforcement duties above all relationships, but the speed with which he chooses to leave Kitty is out of character.
Kitty's anger is understandable. It might make sense for her to jump into bed with the first man to show her any kindness after being treated so harshly, but that is not what she does. She INSTANTLY pursues a meaningful relationship with Stambridge, even to the point of considering marrying him.
The passion of the townspeople against Stambridge is out of place, too. It makes no sense so many in the town would be so furious over the circumstances. These are people who have become accustomed to trusting Marshal Dillon, Festus Haggen, and Newly O'Brien to see that justice is upheld in the town. Yet the viewer is supposed to believe this is a unique situation where many lose their collective minds.
Episode editing is not something normally noticeable, but it adds to the disaster here. For example, there is a scene late in the story when Newly is shown walking out of Ma Smalley's Board House, but then he is suddenly inside the jail. Characters come out of nowhere in the latter part of the episode when the town is in an uproar.
The viewer is supposed to believe the townspeople are so upset they brutally attack Festus and Newly -- and to a lesser degree, Kitty, but all Matt must do is ride into town and tell everyone to go home, and they comply.
And THEN...Stambridge suddenly leaves after deciding to put down roots in Dodge City. Kitty, who was supposedly smitten with Stambridge, instantly moves on. At the end of the episode, Matt and Kitty walk arm-in-arm to the Long Branch Saloon! I mean, SERIOUSLY?!
With 635 episodes, there is no way to avoid some repeated themes and plot elements. It makes sense that Kitty would become increasingly frustrated with her relationship with Matt -- anyone would given his clear priorities. Matt NEVER makes ANY pretense that his love for Kitty takes precedence over his responsibilities as a U. S. Marshal. There is nothing wrong with exploring this odd situation again. It is not the subject matter but the treatment it is given that makes this episode such a stinker. The episode is watchable; it simply falls apart as it progresses.
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