User Reviews

Gunsmoke starts out in a strange place and time - Texas in 1858. The leader of an outlaw gang shoots a young recruit because it appears he is going to chicken out during the upcoming bank robbery. Career criminal York (Edgar Buchanan) remarks that this was unnecessary, and the leader tells him his opinion is not wanted.

The gang goes into nearby town and robs a bank, taking a customer there, a cowboy, hostage, saying that they will release him later. Back in camp, somebody tells York that the hostage says that he thinks he recognizes York's voice and that he once put him on the straight and narrow when they were working the same ranch. York says - yes - he remembers the guy. He was starting to go wild and that York set him straight and turned him away from a life of crime. In the meantime the head of the gang says he intends to kill the hostage, not let him go. York shoots the head of the gang dead and releases the hostage. Somebody asks York - Who was so important to you that you would take such a chance? York says the kid was named "Matt Dillon".

Seventeen years later, in Dodge City, Old York comes into town. He knows Matt is the marshal there, and he plans to trade on Dillon's feeling of debt to York for his life to give him a pass on some crimes. Dillon does come to his aid and defense a couple of times. When York graduates to bank robbery, Dillon can't bring himself to shoot him as he rides off with the bank's money. The whole town is talking about how Dillon could not bring himself to shoot a criminal because of a past association, and Matt is wracked with guilt and conflict over two things that largely rule his life - loyalty to friends and impartial enforcement of the law. How will this turn out? Watch and find out.

It's interesting that Dillon's life was saved in his youth by actually doing something stupid. It's a good idea that a hostage never say he knows or recognizes his captors, but in this case it worked out. Because one of the captors recognized him, and had a bond of affection for him, his life was spared. The director was smart to only show Matt from a distance and never show his face or let viewers hear his voice. It would have intruded on the reality of the situation.

The episode opens up in Redwater, Texas 1858, a man named Sage and his men are planning to rob the local bank. Before leaving one of the new guys in the gang is nervous about the robbery, Sage kills him. They ride into Redwater rob the bank and take a hostage with them. Later Sage tells Dan York, one of the gang members, to kill the hostage. York refuses and has to kill Sage in order to keep the hostage alive. The hostage rides off and is none other than a man named Matt Dillon. York had been a mentor to Matt in early life and sent Matt on the straight and narrow.

Seventeen years later in the town of Dodge, York and a man named Baca come riding into town. York hears that Matt Dillon is the Marshal and goes over to talk with him about the time in Redwater. Matt remembers and is very grateful for York saving his life.

During his time in Dodge, York causes problems but Matt feels like he owes York and does not arrest him. It ends with York robbing the bank and Matt could have stopped York but failed to shoot. Now the townsfolk are upset with Matt for not protecting them.

Matt gets some luck about where York may be heading but first he goes to the telegraph office and sends his resignation from the Marshal service to the proper authorities. He then rides to Oklahoma where he believes York is staying. Since he is no longer the Marshal he is now able to joining York and Baca on their wave of robbing banks. But will Matt be able to live a life of crime.

Very interesting story and well acted especially by Edgar Buchanan. The only problem I had was the ending of the show. Without giving the ending away- I was confused exactly how the circumstance of the Marshal's job worked out. It just seemed to simple and nice and did not go with the rest of the story. With that said it was still a good watch.

I'm surprised that the other reviewers didn't catch this: Matt calls Quint by his real name (Burt) the first time they speak to each other. Later he gets it right.

The episode begins with a flashback of 17 years to an 18 year old Matt. A "couple of years" before the war might be 1859 or 1860, so "present time" for the episode might be 1876 or 1877. As to the telegram, it might have been a ruse to trick York, as word of its contents filtered back to York. At the end, Matt had his badge in his pocket and pinned it back on. The viewer did not get to learn of Matt's plan, unless Matt foresaw that York would behave the same way twice. In the flashback, all the people with York seemed like Southerners. York claimed to have a pardon from General Grant. Not clear how that could be. President Grant could not "pardon" criminals for state law crimes, such as homicides. As to pardoning Confederate enlisted men, President Johnson did that December 25, 1868. Grant did not.

One of the more interesting episodes of the series ( and that's saying something). Matt owes his life to a two bit crook for an event that happened 15 years ago. This same crook comes into Dodge 15 years later and figures he'll have free reign in town due to the Marshall's recollections. Matt definitely remembers the crook and seems quick to forgive him for a couple minor crimes. But when the crook and his partner rob the bank Matt has a chance to easily shoot them as they're making their getaway. But he doesn't and that's where I have a problem. Seems to me, knowing Marshall Dillon's character as we all do, that he'd gun down Kitty if she was robbing the bank. Everything with him was always so black and white. Right and wrong. No wiggle room. Anyways everything turns out OK even though for some reason Matt thought it necessary to resign his job. Just a thought but I never understood why in Westerns when the bad guys are making their getaways, why not shoot the horse? The crook would easily be captured and no one dies.i know, as a viewer you'd rather see the bad guy dead than the horse but still.