Bret isn't so eager to spring into action, after he hears that Bart was murdered.Bret isn't so eager to spring into action, after he hears that Bart was murdered.Bret isn't so eager to spring into action, after he hears that Bart was murdered.
Eddie Baker
- Poker Player
- (uncredited)
William 'Billy' Benedict
- Hotel Desk Clerk
- (uncredited)
Barry Brooks
- Poker Player
- (uncredited)
Luis Delgado
- Shotgun Rider
- (uncredited)
Jaye Durkus
- Townsman
- (uncredited)
Robert Foulk
- Sheriff
- (uncredited)
Silver Harr
- Man With Haines
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- GoofsThe ending credits of this episode state that Bing Russell played the sheriff. Russell actually played Jed Haines.
- Quotes
Bret Maverick: As my old pappy always told me, "Son, it's not how fast you draw that counts. It's what you draw and when you draw."
Featured review
Brings Out a Key Feature of the Series
Entertaining episode with more plot complications than you can shake the proverbial stick at. It's not classic Maverick since the plot sprawls and lacks the streamlined "battle of wits" that characterizes the best entries. Nonetheless, there are two reasons that warrant a comment. First, young Gary Vinson delivers an absolutely superb comedic performance as the hero- worshipping Smoky. But more importantly, this episode reveals a key aspect of the Maverick character that also illustrates how the series undermined the traditional Western and helped establish the 50's "anti-hero".
In a nutshell-- unlike the traditional Western icon, Bret doesn't trust abstract morality. Situations are more important to Bret's sense of how to act than are traditional imperatives like avenging your brother regardless of the circumstances. Thus he gently mocks those (Smoky & others ) who mechanically repeat the imperative mainly because everyone else does. This distrust doesn't mean that Bret lacks traditional values. He doesn't. It does mean that he evaluates each moral situation from a number of standpoints, including prudence and self- regard, which often lead him to back out of difficult situations if that seems the prudent thing. He's not noble, but he can rise to a noble level if he has to, all things considered. This humanized his character to an extent largely unknown to the traditional Roy Rogers, Saturday afternoon types.
Thus, Bret's entertaining not only because of Jim Garner's comedic skills, but also because he's recognizably prudent in his behavior. He may not be the traditional role model, but he does exercise a considerable amount of practical wisdom as handed down from dear old Pappy. When Holly (Diane McBain) says that Bret could be a good influence on her brother Smoky, she's right. Bret would never risk his life over a mud-spatter insult like the callow Smoky who insists on following some abstract honor code of the Old West. Behind Bret's conduct (and this episode) lies a subtle questioning of the matinée Western that entertained kids for generations, at the same time that Smoky represents those kids in their innocent devotion to heroic ideals. Thus, Pappy's many pithy sayings are not just entertaining, but really function as a pragmatic challenge to those ideal codes. Bret may not be noble or particularly admirable, but he is wise in the ways of the world. Thus kids like Smoky could do a lot worse. At bottom, and behind all the belly laughs, Maverick was a subtly subversive series.
In a nutshell-- unlike the traditional Western icon, Bret doesn't trust abstract morality. Situations are more important to Bret's sense of how to act than are traditional imperatives like avenging your brother regardless of the circumstances. Thus he gently mocks those (Smoky & others ) who mechanically repeat the imperative mainly because everyone else does. This distrust doesn't mean that Bret lacks traditional values. He doesn't. It does mean that he evaluates each moral situation from a number of standpoints, including prudence and self- regard, which often lead him to back out of difficult situations if that seems the prudent thing. He's not noble, but he can rise to a noble level if he has to, all things considered. This humanized his character to an extent largely unknown to the traditional Roy Rogers, Saturday afternoon types.
Thus, Bret's entertaining not only because of Jim Garner's comedic skills, but also because he's recognizably prudent in his behavior. He may not be the traditional role model, but he does exercise a considerable amount of practical wisdom as handed down from dear old Pappy. When Holly (Diane McBain) says that Bret could be a good influence on her brother Smoky, she's right. Bret would never risk his life over a mud-spatter insult like the callow Smoky who insists on following some abstract honor code of the Old West. Behind Bret's conduct (and this episode) lies a subtle questioning of the matinée Western that entertained kids for generations, at the same time that Smoky represents those kids in their innocent devotion to heroic ideals. Thus, Pappy's many pithy sayings are not just entertaining, but really function as a pragmatic challenge to those ideal codes. Bret may not be noble or particularly admirable, but he is wise in the ways of the world. Thus kids like Smoky could do a lot worse. At bottom, and behind all the belly laughs, Maverick was a subtly subversive series.
helpful•171
- dougdoepke
- Oct 6, 2008
Details
- Runtime1 hour
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1
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