A Continual Roar of Musketry: Part 2
- Episode aired Nov 29, 1970
- 1h
This episode of "The Bold Ones: The Senator" shows Senator Hays Stowe (Hal Holbrook) heading an investigation into a Kent State-like incident at a University. As at Kent State, National Guar... Read allThis episode of "The Bold Ones: The Senator" shows Senator Hays Stowe (Hal Holbrook) heading an investigation into a Kent State-like incident at a University. As at Kent State, National Guard soldiers under the command of a nervous young officer (Randolph Mantooth) fire on anti-w... Read allThis episode of "The Bold Ones: The Senator" shows Senator Hays Stowe (Hal Holbrook) heading an investigation into a Kent State-like incident at a University. As at Kent State, National Guard soldiers under the command of a nervous young officer (Randolph Mantooth) fire on anti-war protesters.
- Pvt. Wilson
- (as Jess Vint)
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Storyline
Did you know
- ConnectionsFeatured in The 23rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (1971)
In Part 1 we heard from the state governor, town mayor, the deputy mayor, and the college chancellor. In Part 2 the actual boots on the ground get their turn to testify. Governor Keller's and General Collins' memories of the meeting where the Guard was officially called up and deployed do of course differ, though only in tone and it plays out tepidly. Randolph brings the bombast, but Stewart didn't rise to meet him.
The producers seemed to suspect the story was losing steam, so added some snapping and sniping between the commission members. That internal friction catches fire later as the three men and Boyle play 12 ANGRY MEN and debate the conflicting testimony, giving air to their anger and biases. Of course, Holbrook plays the Henry Fonda role of rational man rising above the racism and rock throwing of his commission colleagues.
Ed Binns (who was Juror 6 in that classic film) and Bernie Hamilton are both compelling and get much more to do in this second half, which proved a strength when contrasted to the relatively weak showings by everyone else. Randolph Mantooth gave a moving performance as the guilt-wracked Guard company leader Tony Caffey. But I kept thinking, how did this milksop ever rise to a leadership position in the Guard? He just seemed wholly lacking in the grit that it takes to be a guardsman.
Conversely, Private Wilson was a caricature of the trigger-happy soldier who shoots first and lets God sort 'em out, but he was played with such smarmy perfection by Jesse Vint. I thoroughly enjoyed his lively performance. And if you didn't despise Wilson already from the flashbacks of him eagerly attaching his bayonet and verbally bullying his CO, you had no choice after Stowe asked him about Sidney Winkler and Mary Sloan. Who are they? He blithely asks an incredulous commission.
Keeping it fair and balanced, to coin a phrase, writer David Rintels doesn't "whitewash" campus radical Zach and his shack-up gal pal Jennie. For a professed progressive, he sure has some regressive ideas on how to treat women. From his call during the march for women to occupy the front line to his wanting Jennie to cook and serve his meals for him (just like Mom used to, I'm sure). His manners are also atrocious, from disgustingly dipping his fingers into the spaghetti sauce and then slurping and sucking on them just inches from Jennie's ear to his disgraceful discourtesy towards a drop-in distinguished dinner guest.
Didn't Zach vote for Stowe? Stowe is the stalwart trailblazer of liberal causes (e.g., clean air and education bills)? Was Zach so jaded and cynical to have already lost all confidence in the "establishment" and the "system"? I came to wonder if any of the protesting students were motivated by principle. They want to occupy the chancellor's office, but less as a "statement" and more just to loot cigars and bourbon.
As foreshadowed in Part 1, Jennie broke ranks with Zach and testified before the commission. Her testimony provided a key piece pf evidence, that a thrown lightbulb was likely mistook as a gunshot, sparking the Guardsmen to open fire. Score one for the military! But not so fast, my friend: the Guard's rules call for a warning shot (even bank robbers get that privilege, quipped Stowe) and dictate that shots be fired low.
I admired Jennie for testifying. She says she did it for the two students who died, telling their side. Zach, ever zealous, however, won't hear of it, and brands Jennie a fink. To her credit, Jennie appeared to welcome this exit ramp from a rotten relationship. Zach may wish he had a friend when he needs bailing out of jail for contempt of commission after brazenly defying the subpoena.
Robert Pratt and Pamela McMyler played their parts with aplomb. A peek at their IMDb pages sadly shows neither went on to fulfill the potential on display here. Ironically, Pratt's last acting work was on EMERGENCY, reuniting the radical with the remorseful Guardsman Randolph Mantooth. (McMyler also appeared on that series playing a character named Oona Crim! What a crime to saddle so beautiful a woman with such an ugly name!)
Okay, the show's over and the continual roar has died down to a dull one. Taken together, a memorable show that dramatizes and underscores that how elusive truth can be. Watched separately, the opening chapter shines brighter than the slightly dimmed second half. The producers frontloaded the star power in the first half, though the second-string players all did an admirable job, especially having lesser material to work with. It's a shame Universal never stitched this two-parter into a syndicated television movie that would have over the decades given it the broader exposure it merits.
Have we really achieved the peak of this series and now must descend for the final three episodes? Watching's the only way to find out...!
PS: This two-parter does confirm (by implication) that Hays Stowe is a Democrat. In Part 1, Stowe supporter Sylvia stated she attended the 1968 Democratic National Convention. In Part 2, the conservative, law-and-order newspaper publisher Arthur Beresford notes that he and Stowe belong to different parties. Yeah, it's not exactly a shocking disclosure, especially considering Stowe's agenda and the series' thinly veiled Kennedy allusions.
- GaryPeterson67
- Dec 3, 2022
Details
- Runtime1 hour
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1