User Reviews

It's going to be a different type of Dark victory for Bette Davis in this episode of "Wagon Train" as she deals with sudden widowhood, the possibility of becoming a mother again for the eighth time and the realization that she will be joining her husband soon, leaving her children behind. What will she do with them? Six of them are healthy, but the youngest is deaf and mute. In the meantime, Wagon Train leader Ward Bond (monus Robert Horton in this episode) is alternately amused and annoyed by her, thinking that a widow woman shouldn't be making such a long journey with so many children, especially since she thinks she's about to have another. But their friendly relationship bonds them in many ways, and he is the one who was forced to tell her the bad news.

Women went through many issues during this time as the West was settled with the women as important as the men in helping to build it. Is a pioneer Woman, even if she is from Boston, and had she not been facing her own mortality, her character would have been a force to be reckoned with in the settlement of the West. that makes the tragedy of what will happen very touching and Davis faces her destiny with courage and sadness only for the fact that her children may be separated.

This episode has a few comic moments especially between Davis and Bond (Both share a very nice camaraderie and chemistry, making me wish that they had done some movies together) which makes the sadder moments even more emotional. It also gives a glimpse in how the pioneers dealt with death, seeing it as a fact of life but knowing is that even with grief, they would have to move on and continue to fight to live. Having just gotten into this series having seen the Dame Judith Anderson episode recently, I appreciate the anthology structure that bonded this series together, since there were so many stories that created the western part of our country.

Bette handles to role of a woman - probably in her mid to late 40s - with 7 kids and a dead husband. She is feisty and decides to go on with the wagon train. Then the doctor tells the wagon boss she's dying (She thought she was having what they used to call a menopause baby) The doctor is a man of his time I guess but him blathering about families having only 2 or 3 kids is bull. The best birth control was a calander and women oftrn had 20 pregnancies (With a lot of dead babies and often moms) until they had the change of life. (also what it was called) Robert Fuller of Emergency was a guest star (Later he was a regular) Ward Bond and had good chemistry.

Bette Davis plays mother to her large brood of children. Her husband dies suddenly and she and the children are determined to carry forward to California even if it's not the expected or conventional choice. The family is also a bit unconventional of the time ( somewhat of this era too) in that they discuss things openly and each one regardless of age has a voice and a vote . There is one the youngest that needs special attention and care as his mama had the measles while pregnant. Little Bo is three and doesn't speak. The family's way of doing things is hard for Major Adams to adjust to but it actually will serve the family well when another tragedy happens. Ella Lindtrom ( Bette Davis) thinks she's expecting but it's actually a growth ( tumor, probably cancer) and has only weeks to live. They hold a family meeting and all the children the girls in particular come up with the solution. Continue on with the wagon train and find foster families for each ( two to a family one of the girls sensibly suggested) Ella approves .Bo is the only one still needing a home. The oldest daughter starts rejecting her young suitor but here major Adams steps in with the perfect solution that will keep the whole family close. Probably not hard to guess .

I do agree that the doctor didn't handle it right but it was not an unusual practice at the time or even well into the 20th century and not always just with women.

It's a heartfelt story and I love that Ella rejected one idea for Bo . Children need love and a family not a cold school to live in . Fortunately it all worked out.