User Reviews

I don't get the criticism of this and other episodes for borrowing plot lines, characters, or even specific dialog from big-screen movies. Not being a cinephile or even that interested in movies, I, for one, have never seen "To Have and Have Not," "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre," or any of the other "classics" that critics have compared episodes of "Cheyenne" to, and even if I had I wouldn't care. I take each episode at its face value and sit back and enjoy the show just for what it is, 50 minutes designed primarily to entertain. Solomon was right when he said that "there's nothing new under the sun." Most of television is derivative...in fact, most fiction is derivative...and you don't have to look very hard to find similarities between certain story lines and other pieces of fiction, whether in print or on film. I enjoy "Cheyenne" because 1) Clint Walker is a pleasure just to look at, 2) the production values are very good, 3) supporting actors are all very well cast, 4) plots are interesting, 5) there's even a smattering of history here and there, and 5) Clint Walker is a pleasure to look at.

But regarding this particular episode, there's action, romance, history, and more than a dab of humor. It is immensely watchable all on its own, whatever the similarities there might be to previous films. Cheyenne is south of the border seeking to be paid for work he's done, not to take part in any revolt against the occupying French. He really does try to remain neutral in any conflict, but he will intervene when he witnesses gross injustice with his own blue eyes, and almost immediately he witnesses plenty. Peggie Castle as Mary "Mississippi" Brown is one of my favorite Clint Walker leading ladies. She is the perfect complement to his Cheyenne Bodie--sassy, smart, sultry, attracted to him (of course), and ready to support him when she recognizes the opportunity. In fact, in my FanFiction version, "Mississippi" is top of my list to be the gal Cheyenne ended up with after he got tired of roamin' alone. There's real chemistry between the two of them, from the time they first lock eyes to the end when they leave together to the tune of "Dixie." With each viewing of this episode, I pick up on a few more reasons to enjoy their interaction. When she's singing "Fare Thee Well" for the audience in the cantina and he walks in, she looks him up and down and sings, "I've got a man, and he's long and tall; moves his body like a cannonball." At one point, Cheyenne's guileless old companion Pete winks and tells him he should listen to her because "she's a smart woman; most ladies ain't smart," and she drawls, "Most smart women aren't ladies." Pete grins and says to her, "You look after Cheyenne. I can't watch out for him all the time." To which she replies with a sultry smile, "I won't take my eyes off of him."

Each time I rewatch episodes of "Cheyenne," I find more gems, which is why I bought the entire 7-season DVD collection. Because of the writing, the characters, the setting, and the humor mixed ably with pathos, this episode is in my list of top ten favorites. It vies for the number one spot with "The Conspirators, "The Long Winter," and "The Storm Riders." As I go through the entire series, my list of favorites grows longer.