"Dark Secret" begins with a boozing Simon Trask (N. J. Davis, later seen in "Noblesse Oblige") forcing a reluctant Johnny Yuma into a gunfight, shot dead in his second attempt behind Johnny's back. The sheriff (Tyler McVey) accompanies Yuma to the home of the widow Trask (Grace Lenard), who has never left the house she's been living in for two years with her bitter vindictive husband. The two men wind up burying the corpse, while Johnny's employer, Walt Simmons (Robert Hutton, later seen in "The Legacy"), is convinced that one of his steers has been killed and stolen by the reclusive widow. Walt's ranch foreman (William Bryant, first of nine) already plans on acquiring the Trask property once she's out of the picture, but no one counts on the 'dark secret' that she harbors inside the house. Once again, as tension mounts, the compassionate Johnny Yuma's initiative saves the day for all. The final revelation ends with the sheriff's coda: "there comes a time when hate dies and something better takes its place." Back from the pilot is Phillip Mansour, in his second and final appearance.
2 Reviews
Outstanding performance by actress Grace Lenard
FloridaFred5 September 2019
Grace Lenard's portrayal of embittered wife Cora Trask is outstanding. Why is she so defensive? Why is she so hostile? Her "dark secret" was, unfortunately, not uncommon at that time in the American West. Actor William Bryant ("Wallace") is perfectly cast as the foil for do-gooder Johnny Yuma. The set-up for this story begins at a supper table in a bar. Johnny Yuma (actor Nick Adams) is reading "The Deerslayer" by James Fenimore Cooper. Simon Trask, whiskey bottle in hand, is outraged that anyone would consider Indians to be "noble". Great story!
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
