In the previous season, Victoria Barkley was locked up in a mental institution and had to break out. This time, she's been abducted by guards transporting a wagonload of prisoners to a jail across the desert. A place that is like something out of the dark ages.
The reason for Victoria's abduction is clearly spelled out in the opening scenes. One of the drivers (Bruce Dern) has killed a young female prisoner who spurned his advances. When Victoria comes by in her buggy on the way to a meeting, they meet her and decide to use her as a replacement. Of course, Victoria is probably twenty years older than the woman who died and is not an identical substitute. But that doesn't matter-- a body is a body; and they get paid $100 for each one they bring to the jail.
On the way, the men find out Victoria's a wealthy woman. However, her attempts at bribing them to let her go quickly backfire. There's an interesting development where Victoria tries to run off, and they recapture her with a rope and drag her back to the wagon. (Stanwyck seems to be doing her own stuntwork in that scene.)
During the rest of the journey, she gets to know the man traveling in the back of the wagon with her. Friends of his plan to intercept the wagon and help him escape. For $5000, Victoria can escape with them. At the same time, Heath and Jarrod have learned Victoria is missing; and they take off to find their mother and save her. There is not much suspense, since we know how this will turn out (Victoria will be rescued in time). But Stanwyck does her usual good work, and it's worth watching.
The reason for Victoria's abduction is clearly spelled out in the opening scenes. One of the drivers (Bruce Dern) has killed a young female prisoner who spurned his advances. When Victoria comes by in her buggy on the way to a meeting, they meet her and decide to use her as a replacement. Of course, Victoria is probably twenty years older than the woman who died and is not an identical substitute. But that doesn't matter-- a body is a body; and they get paid $100 for each one they bring to the jail.
On the way, the men find out Victoria's a wealthy woman. However, her attempts at bribing them to let her go quickly backfire. There's an interesting development where Victoria tries to run off, and they recapture her with a rope and drag her back to the wagon. (Stanwyck seems to be doing her own stuntwork in that scene.)
During the rest of the journey, she gets to know the man traveling in the back of the wagon with her. Friends of his plan to intercept the wagon and help him escape. For $5000, Victoria can escape with them. At the same time, Heath and Jarrod have learned Victoria is missing; and they take off to find their mother and save her. There is not much suspense, since we know how this will turn out (Victoria will be rescued in time). But Stanwyck does her usual good work, and it's worth watching.
