User Reviews

This black & white episode of western television series "Have Gun, Will Travel" reminded me of the classic Gary Cooper western "High Noon." The lawman of a small town named Valley Heart, Sheriff Reagan (Bing Russell of "The Magnificent Seven"), receives a letter from a convicted killer, Ben Turner (Larry Ward of "Hombre"), and it seems that Turner has gotten out of prison. Turner warns Reagan that he is riding home to kill the sheriff and pick up where he left off with the lawman's wife Monica (Judi Meredith of "Queen of Blood") with whom he had had a relationship. Turner has wired Paladin (Richard Boone of "Rio Conchos") to come help him take care of Turner. Several gunslingers who rode with Turner show up in town, and they've come to save him. Few of the town citizens have shown support for Turner, and some unspoken bad blood loom between Reagan and his wife. Meantime, Paladin has hired a carpenter to build a coffin for Turner. One of the Turner riders, Dink (Hal Needham of "One More Train to Rob"), has been taken care of by Paladin, and Dink spends the entire episode—except for the first few moments, in the hoosegow. As the suspense mounts, Reagan realizes that he is not going to get any help from the townspeople. The notoriety of Turner's reputation even spooks Reagan's only deputy, Deputy Ed Buhl (Edward Faulkner of "The Green Beret"), and he leaves Reagan's ranks after he refuses to wear a six-gun. Eventually, before Turner rides into town, Reagan decides to abandon his post. Not long afterward, Reagan's wife Monica arms herself with a double-barreled shotgun. She is waiting alongside Paladin and the carpenter when Turner rides into town. In the ensuing gunfight, Monica kills Turner, but during the fracas, she catches bullet. She dies before her pusillanimous husband returns near the end of the episode to see her. The reversal of actions—Reagan's decision to leave town and his wife's decision to stand up to Turner—distinguishes this standard-issue, television western.

Interesting concept but perhaps overambitious for thirty minutes. Hometown boy getting out of prison and coming home to kill the sheriff who married his girl. Paladin is indebted to the sheriff, so he comes to help the sheriff make his stand.

Richard Boone and his stunt double, Hal Needham, were not the same size. In the opening scenes Boone and Needham stand side by side and this is very apparent. Needham hits it perfectly as young drifter Dink Turner. He studied acting under Boone for three years during the run of HGWT.

Bing Russell as the sheriff turns in the only performance that doesn't ring true. Sheriff Reagan seems more slow-witted than cowardly. The actor was better known as owner of the Portland Mavericks Baseball Club. He's also Kurt Russell's father. Notice the resemblance?

Judi Meredith is a breathtakingly beautiful woman. Her characterisation of Monica is completely believable. Monica's qualities of bravery and forthrightness are rare in women of HGWT.