The Bride is a little different from the typical (as typical as a western about a traveling gunfighter for hire can be) episode of "Have Gun-Will Travel" as Paladin assists a young mail-order bride who gets off a stage awaiting her future husband, not knowing that he will not be showing up as scheduled, reasons yet undetermined. Paladin simply wants to help Christie (Marian Seldes) get to her destination, the farm place of her soon-to-be husband, knowing that she isn't accustomed to the heat and other dangers such a place as "Three Rocks" and its surrounding desert and rocky hills entail. Something is fishy as Louis Dryden isn't home when they reach his place and when a man claiming to be him shows up (Mike Connors), not seemingly fitting the profile the letters sent to Christie from him would lead her to believe, Paladin might stumble upon the sinister truth. Really a twenty-minute journey where Paladin befriends a woman he seems to fancy (Seldes is pleasant, awkward, short-sighted ( to the point she trips easily), and sweet), but the final minutes does allow the gunfighter to emerge as Dryden's ranch has plenty of cattle worth the right price for a villain to kill for. I was amused at how Christie always seemed concerned about her appearance, hoping to look perfect for a man she has never met, feeling plain and not presentable. You can tell Paladin is pleased to put her worries to rest with compliments that often relax her nervousness. While there's nothing particularly noteworthy or memorable about "The Bride" I like the friendship that develops between Paladin and Christie and as it occupies the running time of the episode, I think their camaraderie is warm and harmonious. It just shows a side to Paladin that we don't normally see: sometimes he does lend his services to someone without asking for a fee.
7 Reviews
Have Bride, Will Travel
zsenorsock20 February 2007
Warning: Spoilers
Palladin is traveling across the desert by stagecoach when a fellow traveler, Christie Smith (Marian Seldes) insists on being put off the coach so she can meet her brother at 3 rocks-- which is literally a place in the desert where there are three rocks. Palladin realizes this easterner will never survive in the 120 degree desert alone, so he gets out with her--only until her brother shows up. When the brother doesn't show up, Palladin discovers she's really a mail order bride and escorts her to her bridegroom's isolated ranch.
Marian Seldes looks far too pretty to be as plain as she insists she is in this episode, but otherwise, she's very good. She would return to the series as another character in the episode "The Teacher" and appeared on "Mannix" with Mike Conners, who co-stars in this episode as Johnny Dart.
This episode is a good one for Boone, as he gets to play a little irritation, a little comedy, and show his soft side yet still play the white knight who uses his gun to help a lady in distress.
Marian Seldes looks far too pretty to be as plain as she insists she is in this episode, but otherwise, she's very good. She would return to the series as another character in the episode "The Teacher" and appeared on "Mannix" with Mike Conners, who co-stars in this episode as Johnny Dart.
This episode is a good one for Boone, as he gets to play a little irritation, a little comedy, and show his soft side yet still play the white knight who uses his gun to help a lady in distress.
My darling Christie
hudecha25 August 2018
Thoroughly agreeing with previous elogious reviews.
There is a level of permeating refinement in this episode which cannot often be found in other ones from this bright, but low-budget and obviously fast-shot series.
It is all linked to the sensitively tuned way the relation between Paladin and the awkward bride develops, which everything contributes to : the cinematography and desert settings provide an authentic Western flavor worthy of more ambitious productions , the uncredited score is sometimes quite fine and interesting, the dialogues strike a subtle chord between feeling and humor and provide a convincing element of deepening complicity in the relation. When, inevitably, other characters appear in the story, the relation is already solid enough to be changed but not spoiled.
Flirting from Paladin is more delicate and restrained than usual, as befits the interesting character of the shy though brave bride - it reminds somehow of the relation between Henry Fonda / Wyatt Earp and Cathy Downs in My Darling Clementine.
Superior, Offbeat Entry
dougdoepke1 August 2013
The chemistry between Seldes (Christie) and Palladin is uncommonly compelling. In fact, Seldes delivers one of the finest, most affecting turns of the series as the outwardly brave, but inwardly insecure woman in distress over her plain looks. It's an offbeat story as Palladin shepherds Christie, a mail-order bride, across a barren desert to meet a man she's never seen. It's an excellent script that develops Christie's and Palladin's growing bond in humane fashion, one that also takes advantage of each actor's versatility. The staging is compelling too, a slice of desert that had me running for a glass of water. This may not be the most action-filled or intense entry in the series, but in its own way, remains one of the most sensitive and memorable.
Some Damsels Don't Have Sense Enough To Know When They're In Distress
lexyladyjax5 September 2011
Warning: Spoilers
It's great to see Paladin's curmudgeonly side when he realises he must disembark from the stage to look after a stubborn woman who insists in stranding herself in the middle of the desert. Christie Smith claims to be plain but actor Marian Seldes is far too beautiful to be considered in any way unattractive. The stubborn woman turns out to be a mail order bride and Paladin must see her safely to the ranch of her intended husband. The remainder of the story deals with the solution to the mystery of his failure to meet Ms Smith at the appointed place and time.
Why didn't Paladin step on the tarantula? Why did he have to use the firewood log? Are tarantulas terribly difficult to squash?
Marian Seldes was on the faculty of Julliard from 1967 to 1991. Her students included Laura Linney, Kevin Kline, Patti LuPone and Kevin Spacey. She studied dance under Martha Graham. One wonders if she was a student at the same time as Richard Boone, who also studied under Martha Graham. Boone liked to use up-and-coming new talent as guest stars in HGWT. A review of the list of guest stars indicates Boone had an eye for talent.
Paladin's Horse: Bay with crooked blaze and front white stockings on both legs
Gear: Concha black hat, black Western button down shirt, white tie, black pants, black holster with colt, decorated Western saddle...the spurs have been abandoned.
Shoots: Johnny Dart (Mike Connors) in the shoulder
Kills: No one dies in this episode
Total Kills: 4
Why didn't Paladin step on the tarantula? Why did he have to use the firewood log? Are tarantulas terribly difficult to squash?
Marian Seldes was on the faculty of Julliard from 1967 to 1991. Her students included Laura Linney, Kevin Kline, Patti LuPone and Kevin Spacey. She studied dance under Martha Graham. One wonders if she was a student at the same time as Richard Boone, who also studied under Martha Graham. Boone liked to use up-and-coming new talent as guest stars in HGWT. A review of the list of guest stars indicates Boone had an eye for talent.
Paladin's Horse: Bay with crooked blaze and front white stockings on both legs
Gear: Concha black hat, black Western button down shirt, white tie, black pants, black holster with colt, decorated Western saddle...the spurs have been abandoned.
Shoots: Johnny Dart (Mike Connors) in the shoulder
Kills: No one dies in this episode
Total Kills: 4
Pretty Good Episode
gordonl569 February 2016
Warning: Spoilers
HAVE GUN - WILL TRAVEL "The Bride" 1957
HAVE GUN – WILL TRAVEL was a Western series that ran on television between 1957 and 1963. The series was very popular and was always in the top ten of the television ratings. The series ran for a total of 225 episodes. Richard Boone headlines as "Paladin", a gun for hire, if the cause is right. Working out of San Francisco, Boone places ads in newspapers offering his services. $1,000 and he is your man. While handy with a gun or fists, he tries to settle the problem without violence. (Not very successfully as a general rule)
In this episode, the sixth of the series, Boone is on a stagecoach crossing a particularly hot part of a desert. The only other passenger is Marion Seldes. The stagecoach stops in the middle of nowhere and Miss Seldes exits. Boone is rather surprised since there is no town, stage way station or anything besides desert and rocks.
Boone, being ever so gallant, grabs his saddle and unties his horse from the back of the stage. He will stay till someone shows to pick up the young woman. Boone rigs a bit of shade cover, and the pair hide from the heat of the day. Hours go by and nobody shows to pick Seldes up.
Seldes admits that she is a mail order bride and was to meet her intended at the stage drop off. She does have a set of directions to her soon to be husband's ranch.
Boone saddles up the horse and the two head for the ranch. About an hour later someone starts shooting at them from some rocks. Boone and Seldes dive for cover and wait. The shooting stops and the pair ride on. They soon come up on the ranch but find nobody about.
Seldes cooks them up a meal while they wait for Seldes' intended. A man, Mike Connors, soon rides up. Connors says he is the husband to be. Seldes had only communicated by letter and did not have a photograph. Boone can't be sure, hut he thinks he smells a rat in the old cheese cupboard. He wishes them good luck anyways, then ides off towards the nearest town.
A while later Boone rides up on the body of a dead man. Nearby is a badly wounded, Bruce Gordon. Gordon it seems is the real man Seldes is to marry. Gordon and his ranch hand had been in town selling cattle to pay for a big wedding. Connors had overheard the plans and bushwhacked Gordon and company for the bankroll. Connors had then headed to Gordon's in order to grab anything of value that might be there.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, (Always wanted to say that) Seldes has tumbled to the fact that Connors is not the right man. She goes out to draw a bucket of water and bolts into the night. Boone by this time has returned with the wounded Gordon to the ranch. He has Gordon stashed in the barn. Boone grabs Seldes as she runs by and pulls her inside the barn. Seldes and Gordon are introduced while Boone decides how to deal with the swine, Connors.
Connors is soon outside looking for Seldes. Needless to say there is a brisk exchange of lead with Connors collecting a round in the shoulder. Gordon is moved into the house to recover under Seldes' care. It had been Connors shooting at them from the rocks. He had wanted to eliminate Seldes. He had not expected Boone to be there. Boone ties Connors to a horse for delivery to John Law.
The direction is by Andrew V. McLaglen.
A pretty entertaining episode all around with cast and crew shining. Of note here, is the writer of the episode, Steve Fisher. The one time Oscar nominated, Fisher, was involved in the story or screenplay for over 100 films and television episodes. These include, I WAKE UP SCREAMING (novel) DESTINATION TOKYO, LADY IN THE LAKE, DEAD RECKONING, JOHNNY ANGEL, ROADBLOCK, TOKYO JOE, VICKI, THE CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS, THE MAN FROM THE ALAMO, SAN ANTONE, HELL'S HALF ACRE, THE RESTLESS BREED, NOOSE FOR GUNMAN and I MOBSTER.
HAVE GUN – WILL TRAVEL was a Western series that ran on television between 1957 and 1963. The series was very popular and was always in the top ten of the television ratings. The series ran for a total of 225 episodes. Richard Boone headlines as "Paladin", a gun for hire, if the cause is right. Working out of San Francisco, Boone places ads in newspapers offering his services. $1,000 and he is your man. While handy with a gun or fists, he tries to settle the problem without violence. (Not very successfully as a general rule)
In this episode, the sixth of the series, Boone is on a stagecoach crossing a particularly hot part of a desert. The only other passenger is Marion Seldes. The stagecoach stops in the middle of nowhere and Miss Seldes exits. Boone is rather surprised since there is no town, stage way station or anything besides desert and rocks.
Boone, being ever so gallant, grabs his saddle and unties his horse from the back of the stage. He will stay till someone shows to pick up the young woman. Boone rigs a bit of shade cover, and the pair hide from the heat of the day. Hours go by and nobody shows to pick Seldes up.
Seldes admits that she is a mail order bride and was to meet her intended at the stage drop off. She does have a set of directions to her soon to be husband's ranch.
Boone saddles up the horse and the two head for the ranch. About an hour later someone starts shooting at them from some rocks. Boone and Seldes dive for cover and wait. The shooting stops and the pair ride on. They soon come up on the ranch but find nobody about.
Seldes cooks them up a meal while they wait for Seldes' intended. A man, Mike Connors, soon rides up. Connors says he is the husband to be. Seldes had only communicated by letter and did not have a photograph. Boone can't be sure, hut he thinks he smells a rat in the old cheese cupboard. He wishes them good luck anyways, then ides off towards the nearest town.
A while later Boone rides up on the body of a dead man. Nearby is a badly wounded, Bruce Gordon. Gordon it seems is the real man Seldes is to marry. Gordon and his ranch hand had been in town selling cattle to pay for a big wedding. Connors had overheard the plans and bushwhacked Gordon and company for the bankroll. Connors had then headed to Gordon's in order to grab anything of value that might be there.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, (Always wanted to say that) Seldes has tumbled to the fact that Connors is not the right man. She goes out to draw a bucket of water and bolts into the night. Boone by this time has returned with the wounded Gordon to the ranch. He has Gordon stashed in the barn. Boone grabs Seldes as she runs by and pulls her inside the barn. Seldes and Gordon are introduced while Boone decides how to deal with the swine, Connors.
Connors is soon outside looking for Seldes. Needless to say there is a brisk exchange of lead with Connors collecting a round in the shoulder. Gordon is moved into the house to recover under Seldes' care. It had been Connors shooting at them from the rocks. He had wanted to eliminate Seldes. He had not expected Boone to be there. Boone ties Connors to a horse for delivery to John Law.
The direction is by Andrew V. McLaglen.
A pretty entertaining episode all around with cast and crew shining. Of note here, is the writer of the episode, Steve Fisher. The one time Oscar nominated, Fisher, was involved in the story or screenplay for over 100 films and television episodes. These include, I WAKE UP SCREAMING (novel) DESTINATION TOKYO, LADY IN THE LAKE, DEAD RECKONING, JOHNNY ANGEL, ROADBLOCK, TOKYO JOE, VICKI, THE CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS, THE MAN FROM THE ALAMO, SAN ANTONE, HELL'S HALF ACRE, THE RESTLESS BREED, NOOSE FOR GUNMAN and I MOBSTER.
Always lived this show
billbill-824036 December 2021
I was a kid when this was aired but still keep watching the reruns... Nowadays a lot of people have heard the phrase "Have Gun- Will Travel".. But few seem to understand it. Perhaps in the modern age such advertisements are unheard of.. Have truck- will travel??.. In this episode Paladin is never hired so he doesn't need to travel any more than was his own itinerary. A pleasant story but there have been better and Richard No one usually has some home spun advice for the locals (and viewers).. This series really needs more reruns ...
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