This is a solid Kraft entry featuring Clint Walker playing a man who drives up a mountain, has his car break down, dumps it off the road, walks a mile or so up to a tiny village, where he buys supplies, then hikes on even higher to small cabin, where he doesn't want to be disturbed. Walker is extremely unfriendly, though not hostile, shows no desire to engage in small talk with his new neighbors; and he refuses to divulge his reason for moving to his new home or what it is he plans to do up there.
The locals are understandably suspicious of this stranger in town and begin to gossip and speculate about his reasons for being there. They even contact the local police so as to gain some information on him. As the story develops, this is one dysfunctional community. The general store owner exerts a strange control over his shy, insecure daughter, who's afraid to leave home and is apparently friendless. A local man, played by a young Robert Duvall, is interested in marrying her but she has a bad history with him going back to her teenage years. The minister acts as mediator, and on the side attempts to befriend the stranger up in the cabin and is told in no uncertain terms to leave the property.
Conflicts in this isolated community eventually involve the solitary newcomer who, as it turns out, is not such a bad fellow after all. He has, like the storekeeper's daughter, what we would now call issues, and as events unfold he bonds well with this young woman, who took a liking to him from the moment he arrived. The story is not particularly original, and I could see the resolution coming before the half-way point, as I suspect most seasoned viewers could. Yet generic as it is, it's a nicely developed episode, well acted by all. Clint Walker is highly effective as the quiet giant of a man who doesn't want to be disturbed. Mala Powers skillfully and sensitively portrays the young woman; while Jay C. Flippen, who looks ghastly here, like he's at death's door, is credible as her bully of a father.
I rate this episode as above average but not excellent. The writing is decent but far from brilliant, the directing, competent, the photography, outstanding. If this were a book I'd call it a good read; untaxing, satisfying, it accomplishes its modest goals nicely.
The locals are understandably suspicious of this stranger in town and begin to gossip and speculate about his reasons for being there. They even contact the local police so as to gain some information on him. As the story develops, this is one dysfunctional community. The general store owner exerts a strange control over his shy, insecure daughter, who's afraid to leave home and is apparently friendless. A local man, played by a young Robert Duvall, is interested in marrying her but she has a bad history with him going back to her teenage years. The minister acts as mediator, and on the side attempts to befriend the stranger up in the cabin and is told in no uncertain terms to leave the property.
Conflicts in this isolated community eventually involve the solitary newcomer who, as it turns out, is not such a bad fellow after all. He has, like the storekeeper's daughter, what we would now call issues, and as events unfold he bonds well with this young woman, who took a liking to him from the moment he arrived. The story is not particularly original, and I could see the resolution coming before the half-way point, as I suspect most seasoned viewers could. Yet generic as it is, it's a nicely developed episode, well acted by all. Clint Walker is highly effective as the quiet giant of a man who doesn't want to be disturbed. Mala Powers skillfully and sensitively portrays the young woman; while Jay C. Flippen, who looks ghastly here, like he's at death's door, is credible as her bully of a father.
I rate this episode as above average but not excellent. The writing is decent but far from brilliant, the directing, competent, the photography, outstanding. If this were a book I'd call it a good read; untaxing, satisfying, it accomplishes its modest goals nicely.
