Jim Hardie has been assigned to accompany a Wells Fargo stage carrying a large shipment of gold and US Senator Claymore, who was the only passenger on the stage. When someone takes a shot at them while the horses are being rested. Not knowing who shot at them or why, Hardie soon finds the answer after reaching town when a telegram arrives with a new assignment. Wells Fargo was tipped off about a gunman hired to murder Senator Claymore, and Hardie has been assigned to serve as his bodyguard. Apparently the senator supports a measure in congress that will allow settlers access to land in the area, and a few wealthy landowners led by Keely Crawford are unwilling to give up a single acre of their very large holdings to the incoming settlers. As a result they've hired a gunman to murder the senator in an effort to stop the measure from becoming law.
This episode has a lot of similarities to The General (S3, Ep15), where Hardie is assigned to protect General Phil Sheridan, who was sent to make peace with the Sioux. For one, Paul Fix appears in both episodes as General Sheridan as well as the Senator Claymore in this episode, and in both he displays an irascible personality and a willful contempt for Hardie's attempt to protect him. Both characters are stubborn to the point of stupidity, not believing they're in any danger. In addition, the plots converge in both episodes, as both Claymore and Sheridan were on an unpopular mission that resulted in attempts on their lives. Now this doesn't mean I disapprove here, as Jim Hardie is always a good watch.
However this episode contains a side plot involving the Keely Crawford and his dissatisfaction with his only son's stand on the settlers, and it's not bad at all. Crawford's son Bud doesn't hold with murder and he sent the warning to Wells Fargo. When murderous Les Walker shows up, he makes it quite clear (as all hired guns do) to a couple of uncertain ranchers that once hired, it'll cost a lot more to cancel his job, and he threatens their lives. This is pretty standard fare for these kind of plots, the hired gun just won't stop once he's engaged.
The thing is, I was curious about the apparent lack of consequences for Keely Crawford for hiring a paid killer, and with the contract being on a US Senator's life at that. It seems as if there would be *serious* repercussions from that decision. And when you include the fact that Les Walker murdered one of the ranchers in cold blood with a shot to the back, it's even more puzzling. Nothing is said about the murder, or Crawford's responsibility in it. Most confusing it is.
The cast is quite good, including some very prolific members. Paul Fix appears as Senator Claymore. Rather than rehash my previous comments about his career, I'll mention that he was a busy actor with 338 credits, beginning his career in pre-code pictures. He's mostly known for his TV roles, but he appeared in a lot of great pictures, including Johnny Guitar, Giant, and To Kill a Mockingbird. Paul Burke appeared as Bud Crawford. He never achieved the upper levels of stardom, and although he was a regular on 3 series - Twelve O'Clock High, Naked City, and Noah's Ark - he's best known for his appearance in cult classic Valley of the Dolls (one my wife's favorite pictures). Addison Richards appeared as Keely Crawford, and he was also extremely busy with 418 credits. Although I'm not too familiar with him, he appeared in one of the most famous episodes of Cheyenne with Clint Walker, The Conspirators. Harry Strang appeared as Pete Hampton, and he was extremely busy as well with 520 credits, far too many for me to go through. And lastly, Richard Devon appears as gunfighter Les Walker. Devon is one the all time great western heavies, along with Bob Wilke, Charles Horvath, and Leo Gordon.
Not the best of the series, but I enjoyed the banter between Jim Hardie and Senator Crawford thoroughly, and thus I'm giving it the ol' thumbs up.
This episode has a lot of similarities to The General (S3, Ep15), where Hardie is assigned to protect General Phil Sheridan, who was sent to make peace with the Sioux. For one, Paul Fix appears in both episodes as General Sheridan as well as the Senator Claymore in this episode, and in both he displays an irascible personality and a willful contempt for Hardie's attempt to protect him. Both characters are stubborn to the point of stupidity, not believing they're in any danger. In addition, the plots converge in both episodes, as both Claymore and Sheridan were on an unpopular mission that resulted in attempts on their lives. Now this doesn't mean I disapprove here, as Jim Hardie is always a good watch.
However this episode contains a side plot involving the Keely Crawford and his dissatisfaction with his only son's stand on the settlers, and it's not bad at all. Crawford's son Bud doesn't hold with murder and he sent the warning to Wells Fargo. When murderous Les Walker shows up, he makes it quite clear (as all hired guns do) to a couple of uncertain ranchers that once hired, it'll cost a lot more to cancel his job, and he threatens their lives. This is pretty standard fare for these kind of plots, the hired gun just won't stop once he's engaged.
The thing is, I was curious about the apparent lack of consequences for Keely Crawford for hiring a paid killer, and with the contract being on a US Senator's life at that. It seems as if there would be *serious* repercussions from that decision. And when you include the fact that Les Walker murdered one of the ranchers in cold blood with a shot to the back, it's even more puzzling. Nothing is said about the murder, or Crawford's responsibility in it. Most confusing it is.
The cast is quite good, including some very prolific members. Paul Fix appears as Senator Claymore. Rather than rehash my previous comments about his career, I'll mention that he was a busy actor with 338 credits, beginning his career in pre-code pictures. He's mostly known for his TV roles, but he appeared in a lot of great pictures, including Johnny Guitar, Giant, and To Kill a Mockingbird. Paul Burke appeared as Bud Crawford. He never achieved the upper levels of stardom, and although he was a regular on 3 series - Twelve O'Clock High, Naked City, and Noah's Ark - he's best known for his appearance in cult classic Valley of the Dolls (one my wife's favorite pictures). Addison Richards appeared as Keely Crawford, and he was also extremely busy with 418 credits. Although I'm not too familiar with him, he appeared in one of the most famous episodes of Cheyenne with Clint Walker, The Conspirators. Harry Strang appeared as Pete Hampton, and he was extremely busy as well with 520 credits, far too many for me to go through. And lastly, Richard Devon appears as gunfighter Les Walker. Devon is one the all time great western heavies, along with Bob Wilke, Charles Horvath, and Leo Gordon.
Not the best of the series, but I enjoyed the banter between Jim Hardie and Senator Crawford thoroughly, and thus I'm giving it the ol' thumbs up.
