Matt investigates the circumstances in another town concerning poor man Jake Fielder, who admitted to stealing money but denied killing a woman in the process before they lynched him.Matt investigates the circumstances in another town concerning poor man Jake Fielder, who admitted to stealing money but denied killing a woman in the process before they lynched him.Matt investigates the circumstances in another town concerning poor man Jake Fielder, who admitted to stealing money but denied killing a woman in the process before they lynched him.
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Warren J. Kemmerling
- Sheriff Ridder
- (as Warren Kemmerling)
Harry Carter
- Townsman
- (uncredited)
Charles Cirillo
- Townsman
- (uncredited)
Tom McDonough
- Reporter
- (uncredited)
Jim Michael
- Townsman
- (uncredited)
Anthony Redondo
- Reporter
- (uncredited)
Storyline
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Featured review
A Smalltown Judge Finds His Moral Compass
A poor man named Jake Fielder becomes a convenient scapegoat when a prominent woman named Kate Geer in the town of Kingville is killed. Fielder is lynched by the people of the town. Matt Dillon travels to the town to investigate.
The town is controlled by a powerful businessman named John King. Sheriff Ridder, who at least had the conscience to notify Marshal Dillon of the situation when Fielder was charged with murder, and Judge Warfield, who spends most of his time drinking, are both under King's control. King does not want any further investigation into Kate Geer's death, but Marshal Dillon smells the proverbial rat and orders an inquest to be held.
Jake's son, Rob Fielder, knows his father was not capable of murder, but his admonitions to that effect are ignored. Because of the inquest, Rob is asked to stay in the town, and King tells Judge Warfield to allow the boy to share his room at the hotel. Initially, Warfield looks down on Rob and treats him with disdain. However, as the judge gets to know the boy better, he begins seeing potential in someone that has never enjoyed much in the way of an opportunity to improve their lot in life.
Veteran actor David Wayne appears for the first time in a Gunsmoke episode with his involvement in this story as Judge Warfield. He would return in Season 20 as an ailing preacher looking to establish a church on an American Indian reservation in the episode titled "I Have Promises to Keep."
Mitch Vogel portrays the surprisingly intelligent, cynical Rob Fielder character. This appearance is the second of three Vogel made in the series. Vogel was best known as Jamie, the young man adopted by Ben Cartwright on Bonanza.
Warren J. Kemmerling (Sheriff Ridder), Norman Alden (bartender Tom Hart), Ken Swofford (Jake Fielder), and Scott Brady (John King) are actors that had appeared in numerous Gunsmoke episodes. This is the final appearance in the series for Kemmerling, Alden, and Brady. Swofford would return in the aforementioned "I Have Promises to Keep" episode with David Wayne in Season 20.
Julie Cobb -- the daughter of actor Lee J. Cobb -- makes an appearance here as one of the women that worked in the saloon and testified at the inquest. This is the first of two Gunsmoke roles for Cobb.
A distinguishing characteristic of Season 19 is the number of stories that use common themes as a backdrop for a morality tale. In this case, the backdrop is a man wrongly executed and the subsequent investigation into that injustice. But the story is actually about a judge whose moral compass has malfunctioned and his realization he has lost his way. It takes his observations of Rob and their burgeoning relationship to help him realize just how lost he has become.
There is a scene early in the episode set in Dodge City when Matt receives the telegram about the situation in Kingville. Other than that scene with Doc Adams and Festus Haggen, the involvement of the Matt Dillon character in the investigation into the lynching and Kate Geer's death is the only Gunsmoke connection.
There are some flaws with this episode. There are a few too many lofty speeches, and the Doc and Festus scene is either endearing or annoying, depending on one's perspective, but it is clearly included to fill time. Still, there is enough mystery and intrigue with the story to keep it interesting.
The town is controlled by a powerful businessman named John King. Sheriff Ridder, who at least had the conscience to notify Marshal Dillon of the situation when Fielder was charged with murder, and Judge Warfield, who spends most of his time drinking, are both under King's control. King does not want any further investigation into Kate Geer's death, but Marshal Dillon smells the proverbial rat and orders an inquest to be held.
Jake's son, Rob Fielder, knows his father was not capable of murder, but his admonitions to that effect are ignored. Because of the inquest, Rob is asked to stay in the town, and King tells Judge Warfield to allow the boy to share his room at the hotel. Initially, Warfield looks down on Rob and treats him with disdain. However, as the judge gets to know the boy better, he begins seeing potential in someone that has never enjoyed much in the way of an opportunity to improve their lot in life.
Veteran actor David Wayne appears for the first time in a Gunsmoke episode with his involvement in this story as Judge Warfield. He would return in Season 20 as an ailing preacher looking to establish a church on an American Indian reservation in the episode titled "I Have Promises to Keep."
Mitch Vogel portrays the surprisingly intelligent, cynical Rob Fielder character. This appearance is the second of three Vogel made in the series. Vogel was best known as Jamie, the young man adopted by Ben Cartwright on Bonanza.
Warren J. Kemmerling (Sheriff Ridder), Norman Alden (bartender Tom Hart), Ken Swofford (Jake Fielder), and Scott Brady (John King) are actors that had appeared in numerous Gunsmoke episodes. This is the final appearance in the series for Kemmerling, Alden, and Brady. Swofford would return in the aforementioned "I Have Promises to Keep" episode with David Wayne in Season 20.
Julie Cobb -- the daughter of actor Lee J. Cobb -- makes an appearance here as one of the women that worked in the saloon and testified at the inquest. This is the first of two Gunsmoke roles for Cobb.
A distinguishing characteristic of Season 19 is the number of stories that use common themes as a backdrop for a morality tale. In this case, the backdrop is a man wrongly executed and the subsequent investigation into that injustice. But the story is actually about a judge whose moral compass has malfunctioned and his realization he has lost his way. It takes his observations of Rob and their burgeoning relationship to help him realize just how lost he has become.
There is a scene early in the episode set in Dodge City when Matt receives the telegram about the situation in Kingville. Other than that scene with Doc Adams and Festus Haggen, the involvement of the Matt Dillon character in the investigation into the lynching and Kate Geer's death is the only Gunsmoke connection.
There are some flaws with this episode. There are a few too many lofty speeches, and the Doc and Festus scene is either endearing or annoying, depending on one's perspective, but it is clearly included to fill time. Still, there is enough mystery and intrigue with the story to keep it interesting.
- wdavidreynolds
- Oct 6, 2021
- Permalink
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