THE LONER - Hunt the Man Down - 1965
Lloyd Bridges plays an ex-soldier wandering about the west just after the American Civil War. The series ran for 26 episodes during 1965-66. The series was created by OUTER LIMITS and TWILIGHT ZONE creator, Rod Serling.
In this episode, we have Lloyd Bridges down to his last dime and needing some work. He is brewing up the last of his coffee, when he is joined by mountain man, Burgess Meredith. Meredith holds a rifle on Bridges while he downs the coffee. He says thanks and tells Bridges to tell the men coming after him to give it up. Meredith then fades back into the brush.
Bridges is not sure Meredith is talking about. He saddles up and heads down the trail. Sure enough he runs into a group of four men. They are a posse from the nearest town out looking for Meredith. Meredith has a history tearing up the town every time he has a drunk on. This time he went too far and caused several thousand in damages.
The posse, led by Sheriff, Bert Freed could use an extra man. $5 a day plus grub is the offer. Bridges accepts and joins in. The posse includes deputies, Jim Drum, Jason Wingreen and town boss, Tom Tully. Tully is carrying the mother of huge shotguns. Bridges ask the man why the "man-ripper" if they are just trying to take Meredith to jail. Tully says for Bridges to shut up and do what he is getting paid for.
That night, as the four are sitting around the campfire, Meredith boldly walks out of the dark and levels his rifle. No one moves as Meredith now helps himself to their dinner. Meredith then backs off into the dark. Out of said dark comes the warning, "I'll never go to jail! Leave me alone!"
None of the men intend to follow Meredith into the night. Morning comes soon enough. The four split up with Bridges, Drum and Tully taking one trail while the other two take the second.
As luck would have it, Drum takes a tumble down a cliff side when his horse stumbles. Bridges gets the battered man back on his horse and sends him back down the mountain. Tully and Bridges will continue the chase.
Several hours later, Meredith again gets the drop on them from behind some rocks. He say hello to Tully and Tully answers. It seems that the two have been friends since they were 10 years old. Tully says to Meredith that all the trouble causing days are over. "Times have changed, there are laws now. You have to pay for what you did". Meredith drops his rifle and walks up to Tully. "Do what you promised all those years ago." Bridges watches as Tully pulls out the buffalo killer gun. He points the beast of a gun at Meredith. Bridges reacts by yanking his colt out and firing. The shot knocks Tully's weapon aside. "He goes to jail!"
Meredith had asked Tully years ago to put him down if a time like this came. "I can't live like an animal in a cage."
Bridges will have none of this silliness. He waves his pistol and takes the two down the mountain at gunpoint. This turns out to a hell of a job for $5 a day and a plate of beans.
The director here is former long-time MGM features man, Tay Garnett. His works include, BATAAN, CAUSE FOR ALARM, two Alan Ladd films, WILD HARVEST and THE BLACK KNIGHT. His most famous film is, THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE.
Lloyd Bridges plays an ex-soldier wandering about the west just after the American Civil War. The series ran for 26 episodes during 1965-66. The series was created by OUTER LIMITS and TWILIGHT ZONE creator, Rod Serling.
In this episode, we have Lloyd Bridges down to his last dime and needing some work. He is brewing up the last of his coffee, when he is joined by mountain man, Burgess Meredith. Meredith holds a rifle on Bridges while he downs the coffee. He says thanks and tells Bridges to tell the men coming after him to give it up. Meredith then fades back into the brush.
Bridges is not sure Meredith is talking about. He saddles up and heads down the trail. Sure enough he runs into a group of four men. They are a posse from the nearest town out looking for Meredith. Meredith has a history tearing up the town every time he has a drunk on. This time he went too far and caused several thousand in damages.
The posse, led by Sheriff, Bert Freed could use an extra man. $5 a day plus grub is the offer. Bridges accepts and joins in. The posse includes deputies, Jim Drum, Jason Wingreen and town boss, Tom Tully. Tully is carrying the mother of huge shotguns. Bridges ask the man why the "man-ripper" if they are just trying to take Meredith to jail. Tully says for Bridges to shut up and do what he is getting paid for.
That night, as the four are sitting around the campfire, Meredith boldly walks out of the dark and levels his rifle. No one moves as Meredith now helps himself to their dinner. Meredith then backs off into the dark. Out of said dark comes the warning, "I'll never go to jail! Leave me alone!"
None of the men intend to follow Meredith into the night. Morning comes soon enough. The four split up with Bridges, Drum and Tully taking one trail while the other two take the second.
As luck would have it, Drum takes a tumble down a cliff side when his horse stumbles. Bridges gets the battered man back on his horse and sends him back down the mountain. Tully and Bridges will continue the chase.
Several hours later, Meredith again gets the drop on them from behind some rocks. He say hello to Tully and Tully answers. It seems that the two have been friends since they were 10 years old. Tully says to Meredith that all the trouble causing days are over. "Times have changed, there are laws now. You have to pay for what you did". Meredith drops his rifle and walks up to Tully. "Do what you promised all those years ago." Bridges watches as Tully pulls out the buffalo killer gun. He points the beast of a gun at Meredith. Bridges reacts by yanking his colt out and firing. The shot knocks Tully's weapon aside. "He goes to jail!"
Meredith had asked Tully years ago to put him down if a time like this came. "I can't live like an animal in a cage."
Bridges will have none of this silliness. He waves his pistol and takes the two down the mountain at gunpoint. This turns out to a hell of a job for $5 a day and a plate of beans.
The director here is former long-time MGM features man, Tay Garnett. His works include, BATAAN, CAUSE FOR ALARM, two Alan Ladd films, WILD HARVEST and THE BLACK KNIGHT. His most famous film is, THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE.
