What a great loss to acting was Elen Willard, retiring at 30 after so few roles, apparently because of the emotional demands they made on her. I can believe that, given that here she is transcendent in a sympathetic role that would have been so easy to play overboard for sympathy. What a great spirit of survival she shows, and the love story between her and Doc is so believable. No question here of Doc misleading her, as she initiated the sentiment between them in her own gently wilful way. Every now and again during the black-and-white era "Gunsmoke" came up with something extra-special, and this is one of those times.
11 Reviews
Exceptionally Well Written & Superb Acting
michaelgcrist16 December 2015
Although I'm not a big fan of Gunsmoke -- this episode was so good that I had to research it, and yes... even give it a review as well.
While it's a black & white episode from 1962... I'd have to say it's perhaps one of the BEST Gunsmoke episodes of all time.
Amanda Blake was especially attractive in this episode of the Gunsmoke TV series, which was already in it's eighth year of production.
Having seen mostly color versions of Gunsmoke from the latter years of the series, I had no idea exactly how attractive Amanda Blake was in her earlier years.
Miss Blake was born in 1929, and was 33 at the time of the episode.
Meanwhile, James Arness & Milburn Stone did some honest-to-goodness, quite sincere, and seriously realistic acting that was quite convincing and deserving of Emmy nominations.
The supporting actors weren't particularly noteworthy, with the exception of Elen Willard, who played the character of Althea.
Ironically, the talented Miss Willard had an extremely brief acting career, which lasted only six years.
Of course great credit should be given to the writer, Jack Curtis. The story was well written, sensitive, touching, and not necessarily as predictable as one might imagine.
While it's a black & white episode from 1962... I'd have to say it's perhaps one of the BEST Gunsmoke episodes of all time.
Amanda Blake was especially attractive in this episode of the Gunsmoke TV series, which was already in it's eighth year of production.
Having seen mostly color versions of Gunsmoke from the latter years of the series, I had no idea exactly how attractive Amanda Blake was in her earlier years.
Miss Blake was born in 1929, and was 33 at the time of the episode.
Meanwhile, James Arness & Milburn Stone did some honest-to-goodness, quite sincere, and seriously realistic acting that was quite convincing and deserving of Emmy nominations.
The supporting actors weren't particularly noteworthy, with the exception of Elen Willard, who played the character of Althea.
Ironically, the talented Miss Willard had an extremely brief acting career, which lasted only six years.
Of course great credit should be given to the writer, Jack Curtis. The story was well written, sensitive, touching, and not necessarily as predictable as one might imagine.
dealing with some serious issues
headhunter4626 June 2014
Warning: Spoilers
The writers are really getting into some heavy material this season. I'm really amazed at the subject matter. We have spousal abuse, child abuse and some people who have no regard for the law or human rights. This was truly impressive. The script is getting some real meat into it with this season 8. In previous seasons there were some gunfights and fistfights and even some unsavory characters but wow, this season is really surprising me. The acting was very good by all the characters. I get turned off when I can sense the people are "acting", but in this episode the characters seemed to be really "living" the parts they were portraying.
This episode sweeps the scale when it comes to emotions
kfo949428 November 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Here is a captivating tale of a young abused woman named Althea Dorf and her life as a young girl being raised by a brute of a father named Claude.
In this family Claude believes that women should be seen very little and never heard from in their life. He is hard on his poor wife and even harder on his daughter. When Althea was caught reading a book she is disciplined by being placed in a lock cellar for days. But it just so happens that Mrs Dorf gets word to Marshal to come out to the farm that something is wrong.
When Matt and Doc get to the Dorf farm they have to break in the cellar door in order to rescue the near-death Althea. They take her to Ma Smalley's place where Doc nurses her back to health. And being the first male that has ever help her, Althea begins falling in love with the much older Doc Adams.
It is not long until Pa Dorf and his son come to take Althea back to the farm. By force Claude takes his daughter back to the farm rips her new dress off of her and places her back into the cellar.
When Matt and Doc arrives at the farm a gunfight breaks out. The Dorf's son is killed with Claude vowing that the Marshal will never get off his property alive.
The script was wonderful written and the actors were top notched. From beginning till end this episode was entertaining. Sometime funny, sometimes heartbreaking this episode went everywhere on the entertainment scale. Good Watch.
In this family Claude believes that women should be seen very little and never heard from in their life. He is hard on his poor wife and even harder on his daughter. When Althea was caught reading a book she is disciplined by being placed in a lock cellar for days. But it just so happens that Mrs Dorf gets word to Marshal to come out to the farm that something is wrong.
When Matt and Doc get to the Dorf farm they have to break in the cellar door in order to rescue the near-death Althea. They take her to Ma Smalley's place where Doc nurses her back to health. And being the first male that has ever help her, Althea begins falling in love with the much older Doc Adams.
It is not long until Pa Dorf and his son come to take Althea back to the farm. By force Claude takes his daughter back to the farm rips her new dress off of her and places her back into the cellar.
When Matt and Doc arrives at the farm a gunfight breaks out. The Dorf's son is killed with Claude vowing that the Marshal will never get off his property alive.
The script was wonderful written and the actors were top notched. From beginning till end this episode was entertaining. Sometime funny, sometimes heartbreaking this episode went everywhere on the entertainment scale. Good Watch.
Milburn Stone Shows His Acting Skills
g-36829-3413831 August 2022
A real sweep of emotions from the brutality of a cruel Father, his frightened Son, tortured Mother and Daughter all the way to the tender emotions of Althea towards Doc. Milburn Stone shines in this episode, showing his softer side and emotions. The scene of his consultation with Kitty showcases the deep trust and feeling she and Doc share. The writers wisely kept Matt on the sidelines, dealing with the onery Father and Son. The scene with Althea and Kitty shows off Althea's wonder and gentleness of her spirit - knowing the terrible conditions under which she was raised. The final scene with Doc, Kitty, Matt and Sam at the bar iced the cake for this outstanding reveal of Doc's character. All in all, one of Gunsmoke's best ever.
Doc is the star of this episode
streetlight22 February 2021
Others have written fine reviews which I agree with. Doc has the problem with a young woman he and Matt rescue from the captivity of her brutal father and brother. Doc has the problem that the girl falls in love with him.
One problem with the story is that the young girl can read. I wonder how that could be considering the primitive upbringing the father brought to the girl, considering the father considered women to be slaves to men.
One problem with the story is that the young girl can read. I wonder how that could be considering the primitive upbringing the father brought to the girl, considering the father considered women to be slaves to men.
Thrilling to see Doc SHINE!
davislaurie3 June 2022
Wow "gary" left a wonderful review - absolutely perfect! Good, now i can just comment. ; ) So i'm on a Gunsmoke binge watch & i skipped over this episode as usual - kinda with attitude. Realized i don't even know WHY anymore. ... ok just watched it - lol THAT'S why! It ALWAYS makes me cry! & when i'm not sobbing (or there's a part with the family :/ ) - i'm grinning so hard it hurts my cheeks! Wish i could find the words ... tbh my husband recently passed & i'm in no mood for "romance", that's not it. Maybe a combination? Like "true pure unconditional love". What it's not is that sorta "icky sticky let's F!" - i mean, no cheap thrills. Whatever it is, it's absolutely lovely. However you feel as you peruse this episode - consider that the words i'm searching for! : )
Doc finds a daughter figure
AlsExGal15 October 2022
In this episode, a local woman comes to doc when she and her husband are in town and says that her daughter, Althea, is ill and needs him. She is obviously afraid of her husband who is a brutish domineering fellow.
When Doc comes to their farm to check on Althea he wisely brings Matt Dillon along, and they find a beaten and ill Althea in a root cellar. Matt has to threaten her father with a duel which he would surely lose unless he lets Matt remove the girl to Dodge City to recuperate.
The entire trouble started over Althea's desire to read. Her dad is a man who thinks women have less use than a cow, having no other value than to make sons, and he thinks that a woman reading books is "smarting off" to him.
While she recovers, Doc and the teen girl bond, and I'd have to say given Doc's history if something bad happened to this girl that Doc would have the saddest story of any character in a TV show until NYPD Blue's Andy Sipowicz, but I'll let you watch and find out what happens.
This show is talking place during the changing times of emerging women's liberation, although in 1962 it is still in its infancy. And though the episode champions the value of women as human beings in their own rights with thoughts and dreams of their own, it still leans into the belief that marriage is the most important thing that can happen to women. And, after all, Althea is reading Ivanhoe, not a calculus book! Some progressive values would be too much even for Gunsmoke.
When Doc comes to their farm to check on Althea he wisely brings Matt Dillon along, and they find a beaten and ill Althea in a root cellar. Matt has to threaten her father with a duel which he would surely lose unless he lets Matt remove the girl to Dodge City to recuperate.
The entire trouble started over Althea's desire to read. Her dad is a man who thinks women have less use than a cow, having no other value than to make sons, and he thinks that a woman reading books is "smarting off" to him.
While she recovers, Doc and the teen girl bond, and I'd have to say given Doc's history if something bad happened to this girl that Doc would have the saddest story of any character in a TV show until NYPD Blue's Andy Sipowicz, but I'll let you watch and find out what happens.
This show is talking place during the changing times of emerging women's liberation, although in 1962 it is still in its infancy. And though the episode champions the value of women as human beings in their own rights with thoughts and dreams of their own, it still leans into the belief that marriage is the most important thing that can happen to women. And, after all, Althea is reading Ivanhoe, not a calculus book! Some progressive values would be too much even for Gunsmoke.
Interesting
maskers-8712621 October 2018
Linda Watkins is phenomenal
junemo24 January 2024
Warning: Spoilers
From the beginning my eyes couldn't help but notice the character of Mrs. Dorf, played by the wonderful character actress Linda Watkins. She witnesses a happy, newly-married couple, but her eyes show mostly sorrow and fear. She can barely step away from her abusive husband in the store to eye a pretty hat or to seek Doc's assistance. Watkins clearly had a great acting range, as evidenced by the number of episodes where she graced Gunsmoke with notable performances. In this role, you fear for her and her daughter, and I was sure the episode would not end well for either of them. However, as with many of a good Gunsmoke episode, the ending was unexpected, but oh so satisfying.
Two Contrasting Stories in One
wdavidreynolds28 September 2020
The previous Season 8 episode, "Phoebe Strunk," involved a family of extremely disturbing psychopaths. In this episode, we get to meet the Dorf family. Claude Dorf is a cruel monster that lives somewhere reasonably close to Dodge City. Claude is a misanthrope. He considers Dodge City a "scum-filled town." He has signs posted warning others to stay off his land. He considers his family members possessions he can cruelly dominate as he wants.
When Claude, his son Clem, and Claude's wife visit Dodge, Mrs. Dorf (we never learn her first name, which highlights the dominance Claude exerts over her) manages to get a message to Doc Adams that she needs his help. Marshal Dillon and Doc ride out to the Dorf farm and discover Claude has locked his daughter Althea in the cellar for having the temerity to read a book. By the time Doc gets to Althea, she is in very poor health and in danger of dying. Over a threatening, protesting Claude, Doc and Matt take Althea to Dodge where Doc can care for her.
Althea Dorf is a surprisingly gentle, lovely soul given the horrible circumstances she has apparently endured in life. Doc can see this unique beauty among some of the darkness he normally encounters and begins to take a special interest in the woman. He clearly sees Althea as a daughter figure. Unfortunately, Althea interprets Doc's interest as romantic love.
Thus, we have two stories embedded within this episode. There is Althea's gentle, misguided interest in Doc contrasted with the domineering cruelty of Claude Dorf who cannot tolerate the idea of his daughter existing outside his control.
There is a lot to like about this episode. We normally see Doc as a salty curmudgeon, but we occasionally get glimpses of Doc's softer side, as is the case here. We also get to spend some time in Dodge with some of the townspeople. (Oddly, neither Chester nor Quint are seen in this episode.) However, I think this episode falls just short of greatness. Primarily, I don't think Elen Willard is particularly good at eliciting the kind of pity for Althea we should feel. I found her character a bit annoying, while thinking I should have felt more of Doc's fatherly compassion for her. (On the other hand, Linda Watkins is effective at making us pity Mrs. Dorf.)
Robert Middleton as Claude and Hampton Fancher as Clem are both familiar faces that often played heavies during this time, and they are sufficiently nasty here. Their characters are also stupid and arrogant, two traits that often seem to afflict the "bad guys" appearing on Gunsmoke.
When Claude, his son Clem, and Claude's wife visit Dodge, Mrs. Dorf (we never learn her first name, which highlights the dominance Claude exerts over her) manages to get a message to Doc Adams that she needs his help. Marshal Dillon and Doc ride out to the Dorf farm and discover Claude has locked his daughter Althea in the cellar for having the temerity to read a book. By the time Doc gets to Althea, she is in very poor health and in danger of dying. Over a threatening, protesting Claude, Doc and Matt take Althea to Dodge where Doc can care for her.
Althea Dorf is a surprisingly gentle, lovely soul given the horrible circumstances she has apparently endured in life. Doc can see this unique beauty among some of the darkness he normally encounters and begins to take a special interest in the woman. He clearly sees Althea as a daughter figure. Unfortunately, Althea interprets Doc's interest as romantic love.
Thus, we have two stories embedded within this episode. There is Althea's gentle, misguided interest in Doc contrasted with the domineering cruelty of Claude Dorf who cannot tolerate the idea of his daughter existing outside his control.
There is a lot to like about this episode. We normally see Doc as a salty curmudgeon, but we occasionally get glimpses of Doc's softer side, as is the case here. We also get to spend some time in Dodge with some of the townspeople. (Oddly, neither Chester nor Quint are seen in this episode.) However, I think this episode falls just short of greatness. Primarily, I don't think Elen Willard is particularly good at eliciting the kind of pity for Althea we should feel. I found her character a bit annoying, while thinking I should have felt more of Doc's fatherly compassion for her. (On the other hand, Linda Watkins is effective at making us pity Mrs. Dorf.)
Robert Middleton as Claude and Hampton Fancher as Clem are both familiar faces that often played heavies during this time, and they are sufficiently nasty here. Their characters are also stupid and arrogant, two traits that often seem to afflict the "bad guys" appearing on Gunsmoke.
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