Have Gun - Will Travel (TV Series) The Fatal Flaw (1961) User Reviews

Well written dialogue marks this episode

[cpotato1010 · 8/10 · 23 February 2019]

This episode is mostly all dialogue, with a little action.

The nominal bad guy, Curley Ashburne, thinks he can talk or bribe his way out of any situation. Here he comes close, only to meet a bad end.

One does feel for the marshal, serving with distinction for decades, only to be cast aside for political reasons. Some things never change.

A bright spot is the acting by Jena Engstrom as Cassandra Langford. She has spunk, living by herself after her mother died, and with no men around.

"It's not the villains the world is afraid of, it's the saints"

[ebertip · 8/10 · 12 March 2019]

Curly (Dano) taunts the good marshall McKendrick, after Colorado statehood ends the marshall's $40/month job after 30 years of service.

A Sneaky Screenplay

[dougdoepke · 12 June 2012]

Paladin and a marshal (Joslyn) hole up in a deserted cabin with their prisoner Curley (Dano) during a snowstorm. Curley, however, is a fast-talking crook seemingly intent on bribing his way out of the jam. Then too, he's got a confederate still on the loose, and who is the girl who suddenly shows up.

It's hard to figure out what's going on the first few minutes. But then the drama settles into a pretty good battle of wits, with Dano in an uncharacteristic role of a Mephistophelian bad guy (check out his infernal goatee). The external set showing the snowstorm is really impressive and worthy of an A-movie, which also lends a realistic background. All in all, and despite the sound- stage setting, it's a clever screenplay that kind of sneaks up on you.