Rawhide (TV Series) Incident of the Widowed Dove (1959) User Reviews

Callow Clint

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 9 December 2017]

This episode of Rawhide will give you two actors in very different roles. This is a chance to see Clint Eastwood as a callow youth, a lot different than what he plays on the big screen. But also guest star Jay C. Flippen who's usually a good guy playing a killer town marshal who has a jealous streak regarding his young trophy wife Sally Forrest.

The trail drive comes to Flippen's town and the usual trouble with happens with a crooked roulette wheel. A croupier and a drover are killed which brings trail boss Eric Fleming into town.

But the real trouble is when Eastwood meets up with Sally Forrest who is looking to latch on to anyone to get her away from Flippen. The Clint Eastwood we came to know would never have fallen for her, but inexperienced Rowdy Yates does.

Flippen is really a revelation in this part, you won't see him in too many villainous parts so I'd give this one a look.

Rowdy Quits for Sally

[Johnny_West · 10/10 · 11 March 2023]

Sally Forest was born in 1925 and she was 34 when this episode was filmed. She had an incredible look for her age, and it was no wonder that Clint was smitten by her. Clint was five years younger, but at 29 he had all the energy that Sally Forest needed.

The catch was that she was married to Jay Flippen, who was sixty years old at the time and could have passed for 70. This episode would have been better if some back-story had been included, such as why a young beautiful woman would marry a very creepy and ugly old man.

The audience is given a few crumbs about her, such as Sally mentions that Flippen will never give her money to buy new clothes, so she always has to wear her old saloon girl clothing. Though it is never stated, you get the feeling that Flippen probably forced and intimidated her into a relationship. I would have liked that angle to have been explored, as it would have made the character of Sheriff Lindstrom (Flippen) even more vile and dangerous.

There is a sad scene with his drunken deputy Claggert (played by Harry Shannon) crying over the grave of his daughter, and Vic Perrin (as Poke), taunting Shannon about the death of his daughter. This is a very cruel scene, and again, there is no back-story.

This was a very strong episode that could have been great if there had been less of Clint Eastwood & Gil Favor talking about Sally Forest, and a couple of those minutes dedicated to a deeper back-story.

Clinterrific!

[JenExxifer · 10/10 · 3 November 2021]

I give this episode 10 stars because I always enjoy watching Clint Eastwood fall for a wily woman!

Similar to his Philo character in 'Every Which Way But Loose', in this episode his character falls for a woman and wants to help her; and as the audience I'm shaking my head, thinking 'What are you doing?! She's up to something! Stay away from her!'

But I think that's the fun of this episode that makes it Clinterrific; to watch Clint Eastwood go against the stereotype that's common in many of his movies where he gets women without falling for them.

Thanks to FETV for adding Rawhide to their daily lineup!