Gunsmoke (TV Series) Robber Bridegroom (1958) User Reviews

Great Episode that Left Me Smiling!

[atomicis · 10/10 · 21 April 2023]

NO SPOILERS If you avoid the spoilers from the imbeciles who do not know a review from a synopsis, this story will surprise you with its twists. Jan Harrison is startlingly beautiful as she does her best Marilyn Monroe impression; it's not annoying - maybe she naturally spoke like that - but it's the first thing I noticed (well, maybe the SECOND thing, after her stunning attractiveness).

The ending deserves a 10/10 rating by itself! I LoL'd!!

Now to satisfy the minimum characters necessary, here is a good excerpt from another review: I love how Dillon treated Reeves (Donald Randolph in his only Gunsmoke appearance). He knew what kind of snake he was and took no bull from him. He pushed him out of his hotel room so he could talk to Laura (the very attractive Jan Harrison). It was so comical. He got him out of that room like nothing. All that money Reeves has didn't mean a thing to Dillon. Dillon respects character, not money. I guess that's why we love Marshal Dillon. And the ending was classic, he just knocks out Reeves cold. You could tell he was out before he hit the floor. I think Reeves had to see Doc later so Doc could put his face back together.

He Couldn't Hold His Liquor

[jamdifo · 6/10 · 18 August 2013]

I love how Dillon treated Reeves (Donald Randolph in his only Gunsmoke appearance). He knew what kind of snake he was and took no bull from him. He pushed him out of his hotel room so he could talk to Laura (the very attractive Jan Harrison). It was so comical. He got him out of that room like nothing. All that money Reeves has didn't mean a thing to Dillon. Dillon respects character, not money. I guess that's why we love Marshal Dillon. And the ending was classic, he just knocks out Reeves cold. You could tell he was out before he hit the floor. I think Reeves had to see Doc later so Doc could put his face back together.

The rest of the story was a little hard to believe. Rancher Jack Finch (played by Burt Douglas) holds up a stagecoach to get money to buy land and cattle since his previous cattle all got sick and died. I didn't believe Laura would fall for such a man.

I also liked Frank Maxwell who was the stage driver who helps Dillon try to find the robber. Too bad we never see him again in Gunsmoke. Also, this is the 1st episode with a different beginning and end to an episode. I really liked the previous music that played at the end of the previous episodes. Hope it returns.

Can I Pay You Off with a Wife

[dougdoepke · 6 August 2007]

Promising beginning generates some suspense that, nonetheless, reaches a rather limp conclusion. Masked robber holds-up stage and kidnaps fetching blonde girl. Meanwhile, her overbearing older fiancé awaits her arrival in Dodge and vows revenge when he learns the news. It turns out, however, that the fiancé took possession of her as payment on a debt, while she really can't stand him. Also, the kidnapper turns out to be a frustrated young rancher down on his luck, but with plans for a ranch and a home with the stolen money. You can guess where this leads, but how exactly will it get there.

Biggest flaw is failure to follow up on Reeves' (fiance's) growing feud with Matt since his part is played with effective menace. More confrontations would have added more suspense. Also, the girl playing Laura has trouble expressing any kind of emotion and thus flattens out a key role. In passing-- the frequent references to Pueblo (Colorado) in this script and many others is no accident. It's writer Meston's home town.

WHAT !!!

[LukeCoolHand · 5/10 · 10 November 2021]

Maybe I'm missing something , but this is the strangest episode of Gunsmoke I've ever seen. It has the most unbelievable far fetched things to happen. A young man robs a stage coach at gun point, threatens the drivers, and kidnaps a woman. She falls in love with the robber WHAT !!! Then later Matt Dillon helps the man beat the rap by suggesting he marry the woman so she can't testify against him. WHAT !!!

Anyway to me this is the most ridiculous far fetched episode I've ever seen - Like I said, maybe I'm missing something.

This episode faded as the show progressed.

[kfo9494 · 5/10 · 25 July 2013]

Right from the beginning of this episode it appeared that we are in for a fantastic show. In classic western style, we have a stagecoach robbery followed by a beautiful woman taken as hostage which will always causing a stir with the local men. We are set for an adventure that can only be called 'classic'. But for some reason the story took a left turn and fell into a love/hate story which really caused the robbery to be for naught. Needless to say 'We did not see that coming'.

It begins as Jack Fitch, a down-on-his-luck farmer, robs the stagecoach for the strong box. However when he looks at the passenger he notices the beautiful girl, Laura Church, in the coach. He thinks she is the prettiest woman he ever saw and takes her with him.

Later we find out that Laura is on her way to Dodge as a fixed marriage to a nasty businessman named Franklin Reeves. Laura, who was not happy with the arranged marriage, now starts falling for the young outlaw. Before long Laura has talked Jack into turning himself in and then they could start a new life together. This is not going to sit well with with Mr Reeves.

The story started out with so much hope before drifting into an area that just did not have the flair the viewer was expecting. Everything seemed too safe and too fairy-tale for a regular 'Gunsmoke' episode. The actor seemed well cast but not enough time was spent on the three main characters to develop a full storyline. Overall, not one of the top shows in the collection.

Kidnapped

[StrictlyConfidential · 5/10 · 21 April 2021]

(*Marshal Dillon to Doc Adams quote*) - "Well, why don't you make your patience pay in advance?"

Jack Fitch is a bandit who holds up the stage and kidnaps Laura Church who happens to be a passenger.

Franklin Reeves is Laura's fiance and he demands that Marshal Dillon get on the case immediately.

In the meantime, Jack and Laura fall in love and Dillon bends the law in favor of these two star-crossed sweethearts.