Etta Stone is a very bitter, older, woman who has Kitty and Matt captured, and thrown into a homemade jail, and now she plans on hanging Matt for the execution of her husband 6 years before.Etta Stone is a very bitter, older, woman who has Kitty and Matt captured, and thrown into a homemade jail, and now she plans on hanging Matt for the execution of her husband 6 years before.Etta Stone is a very bitter, older, woman who has Kitty and Matt captured, and thrown into a homemade jail, and now she plans on hanging Matt for the execution of her husband 6 years before.
Photos
- Etta Stone
- (as Miss Bette Davis)
- Townsman
- (uncredited)
- Prison Wagon Driver
- (uncredited)
- Guard
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaWhen the actors learned who they would be working with Bette Davis (who was already a big fan of the series), they couldn't believe it. James Arness told the Archive that Davis "was dynamite" and that Amanda Blake "was absolutely petrified at the idea of working with this great lady." Davis and Blake's characters share many tense scenes together. "Amanda was scared to death," said casting director Pam Polifron, but added that "they really did become great friends." After her initial fear subsided, Amanda Blake got to know Bette Davis as more than just the legendary performer she admired. They were just two actors in a scene together and, as Arness put it, Davis was "right down to earth, no monkey business at all, and she went out of her way to work well with Amanda."
- GoofsWhen Lou Stone knocks Matt Dillon unconscious by hitting him on the back of the head with his gun, it was an obvious "swing-and-a-miss" poorly executed stunt. Stone clearly makes no near contact and furthermore, if he had held the pistol by the barrel and used it like a hammer, it would have been a much more effective tool (a rubber prop gun perhaps) for the task than the fake glancing blow that puts the marshal out cold on the ground. It did not look convincing at all.
- Quotes
Matt Dillon: [waiting to be killed by the family] Kitty, I'm sorry you got mixed up in this. You should have gotten out of here, by yourself, when you had the chance.
Kitty: And leave you here! Not on your life! Or is that a bad joke?
- ConnectionsFeatured in TV Guide's 100 Greatest Episodes of All-Time (1997)
Bette Davis was not a stranger to television. She appeared on TV dramas such as Alfred Hitchcock Presents and Perry Mason -- to name only two examples. Gunsmoke had a reputation for being able to attract top talent, too. Many actors have stated in interviews they considered it an honor to be asked to appear on the show. The fact that Ms. Davis agreed to do this episode is not that surprising. The Etta Stone character is quite dynamic, too. It requires someone with the talent to properly convey the character's menacing demeanor.
The remaining guest cast is absolutely outstanding. Bruce Dern was usually great as a mean, nasty character, and he lives up to expectations here as Lou Stone. Zalman King, who appeared in several Gunsmoke episodes during this time period and who went on to a career in television and film production and direction (6 1/2 Weeks, Red Shoes Diaries), plays Jack Stone, the family member that schemes a little too much for their own good. Robert Sorrells, a Gunsmoke veteran and a very recognizable character actor, is another Stone son named Mike. Tom Skerritt was always memorable in his Gunsmoke appearances, and he does not disappoint as the younger son, Ben. Julie Sommars, yet another familiar face in Gunsmoke casts, shines in this portrayal of the timid wife of Lou.
Amanda Blake is especially good in this episode. Whenever she was given the opportunity to play a prominent role in Gunsmoke, she was usually up to the task. Blake mentioned in a later interview that this episode was one of her favorites.
My only (very mild) criticism of this episode is that everyone knows where the plot is going from the time Kitty Russell is kidnapped. Of course, the destination is rarely as interesting as the journey to arrive there. Despite the predictability of the story, the episode is so well done it is still quite enjoyable.
The Stone family is intriguing. Etta's hatred for Marshal Dillon is probably psychotic, but it is not difficult to believe her loathing of the Marshal would cause her to take the actions she does. It is more difficult to accept the Stone sons' eager willingness to go along with their mother's scheme. They are terrified of their mother's wrath. One can only imagine what their childhoods must have been like with a father that was an outlaw and a domineering mother that seems perfectly content ruling by fear.
Matt even tells Etta at one point that her sons will likely be arrested and executed for helping her carry out her plan, and she clearly does not care. Her white-hot contempt overwhelms everything.
Another reviewer alluded to the fact that the Season 20 episode, "Matt Dillon Must Die!" is very similar to this episode. It contains so many of the same elements as this episode that it could almost be considered a remake.
I think there are more clever stories in the Gunsmoke body of work, but you won't find many episodes done as well as this one.
- wdavidreynolds
- Jul 11, 2019
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime1 hour
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1
- 4:3