User Reviews

Rawhide's hour long format often had trouble sustaining interest because many of the yarns could fit into a 30 minute format, so a lot of talky padding was added to carry the story through 60 minutes of network air time.

This drama concerning a career military officer near retirement on the frontier is one of the singular exceptions during the long run of the series.

Character player John Anderson offers up a master class of acting the role of the conflicted man throughout the narrative. Avoiding cliches of the genre, the story arc is carried to it's unexpected but thoroughly engrossing conclusion when the the writing, direction and performances of all concerned are firing on every cylinder. This segment moves swiftly and economically from the first frame to the last with no words wasted.

Look for up and coming actor Steve Ihnat in the catalyst role of an otherwise decent young soldier who is tempted by a crime of opportunity that sets the entire conflict in motion. This Rawhide entry was broadcast near the end of the series in March 1965. Four months earlier on November 21 and 28, 1964, Steve Ihnat starred in the only two part episode of The Outer Limits titled The Inheritors. It remains one of the most compelling science fiction films ever made and, like this entry of Rawhide, is not to be missed.

Great episode. Two great character actors, John Anderson and Steve Ihnat.

Steve Ihnat was a good actor that was lost way to soon.

This was a good story. A soldier who wasn't a great soldier. An officer who had lived the army life for a career.

One mistake that can ruin a lifetime of great honor.

Trail boss Gil Favor gets a chance to do a favor for retiring John Anderson who was a Colonel, had hopes of retiring as a Brigadier General, but an infraction in bookkeeping made the army punish Anderson by reducing him to Major. It's left him a bitter man.

Anderson asks Favor to take a package to mail to himself at the nearest town. But another soldier also getting out knows that the package is the next payroll for the fort, $30,000.00 in 19th century dollars. That could be a nice retirement package for Anderson. Steve Ihnat joins the Eric Fleming cattle drive in the hopes of stealing the money.

Of course Fleming does not like being played for a fool after he discovers what Anderson and Ihnat have done. It all works out on the trail in pursuit.

An interesting character study by John Anderson of a man angry and disappointed at the end of his career.