Have Gun - Will Travel (TV Series) The Gladiators (1960) User Reviews

Let's You and Him Have a Shootout

[dougdoepke · 6 April 2010]

Paladin is hired by beauteous Allison as a stand-in for her aged, headstrong father in a so- called duel of honor.

It's a clever script with a number of good lines. But it's also a pointed screenplay in its rejection of honor code dueling, a New World import from Napoleonic France. Scarcely an opportunity to mock the rules is passed up—note how Paladin stalks off in the final frame after delivering a final blast. I'm not sure why the screenwriter takes such a strident position on what can be viewed as an obsolete subject. Nonetheless, the subtext remains pretty clear.

That opening hotel room scene is a clever turning-of-the-tables on the seduction minded Paladin. Also, I like the way the two instigators, Windom and Beckley, are ready to bury the hatchet in one scene. The trouble is the duel has taken on a life of its own that ironically overrides the two who started it. Anyway, there's some suspense in what form the duel will take, especially after Coburn turns up. With his wolfish looks and direct manner, you know he's ready for bigger things. All in all, it's an interesting, if not exactly memorable, entry.

Have Playmate, Will Duel

[zsenorsock · 6/10 · 28 March 2007]

When the beautiful Allison Windrum (Playboy Playmate of the month from 1957 Dolores Donlon!) shows up at his place in San Francisco, Paladin looks forward to a night of romancin'. He's disappointed though when she means business and hires him to keep her elderly father from getting killed in a New Orleans duel. Paldin travels to Louisiana where he ends up having to fight the duel for her father against a man named Sledge (any connection to the James Garner movie?) played by a young James Coburn, who is hired to be the second for the man who insulted Windrum's father, Beckley (George Neise).

Boone doesn't get the girl in the end, but sure got to kiss Donlon a lot! By my count, four times, which is way over the standard kiss count for a "HGWT" episode. Donlon is not only drop dead gorgeous, she's also pretty good in this role. Oddly enough she did only one more "HGWT" episode ("A Knight to Remember") before retiring from the business.

But while Donlon was leaving show biz, James Coburn was just getting started. He's great in this early appearance. When he meets with Paldin, he projects the strength of a formidable foe. This is a guy Paladin can't make a mistake with. Their scenes together are well written, two adversaries who size each other up and treat each other as reasonable and dangerous men.

Boone plays Paldin pretty disgusted with Windrum, Beckley and Allison. He tells them all off at the end. Sledge is really the only one he has any respect for in this episode.

Oddly, I kind of feel the same way Paldin does about this story. The thing that makes this episode is the casting of Donlan and Coburn. With less interesting performers, this episode would be one I'd skip.