THE WESTERNER "The Old Man"1960
This is the eighth episode of the short run western series, THE WESTERNER. The series starred Brian Keith as a wandering cow-hand travelling the southwest United States. Of note here is the creator and producer, Sam Peckinpah. Peckinpah is of course known as the writer and director of, THE WILD BUNCH. This series only ran for 13 episodes in the fall of 1960.
Keith and his dog, Brown, are bedding down for the night. Two men, Michael Forest and Robert Wilke ride up on a single horse. Guns are produced and they strongly suggest that Keith "lend" them his horse. They grab said horse and ride off.
Keith follows on foot and soon comes up on a camp of folks. The people tell Keith they have seen the men and Keith's horse. They are kin folk going to a "dying". A wealthy uncle is sick and on death's bed. The old man, Sam Jaffe, has a large ranch and Wilke and Forest want a large piece. The two thugs had warned off the other relatives.
Keith continues his walk to retrieve his horse. Wilke and Forest have arrived at the ranch having picked up a couple of hired guns for support. They tell the old man's grandson, Dee Pollock, that Jaffe had best sign over the ranch to them. Jaffe is not inclined to do so and things are going to come to a head.
Wilke, Forest and the two gunslingers set themselves up in the bunkhouse. Keith finally reaches the ranch and has a talk with the grandson, Pollock. He intends to reclaim his horse. The young Pollock decides to join Keith in his endeavour. It is time to settle Wilke and Forest's hash. The old man, Jaffe also steps forward, he never liked Wilke or Forest.
There is a knock down, drag out of a fistfight, followed by the mandatory gun-battle. Wilke, Forest and the two hired guns are soon given the, big adios. The old man, Jaffe, is killed and the lad Pollock, picks up a round in the shoulder. Keith of course gets his horse back.
A pretty tight episode, then it should be with feature film man, Andre De Toth handling the direction. De Toth's big screen work including, RAMROD, LAST OF THE COMMANCHES, DAY OF THE OUTLAW, THE Indian FIGHTER, SPRINGFEILD RIFLE and a string of Randolph Scott films like, MAN IN THE SADDLE, Carson CITY, THUNDER OVER THE PLAINS, RIDING SHOTGUN, THE STRANGER WORE A GUN and THE BOUNTY HUNTER. He was also the helmsman on a pair of top flight film noir, PITFALL and CRIME WAVE.
Also of note here is the director of photography, Guy Roe. Roe is well known to fans of film noir. He was the cinematographer on a string of well done, low budget noir. These include, TRAPPED, IN THIS CORNER, BEHIND LOCKED DOORS, THE SOUND OF FURY and ARMORED CAR ROBBERY. Sam Jaffe of course was Gunga Din in the 1937 film of the same name.
This is the eighth episode of the short run western series, THE WESTERNER. The series starred Brian Keith as a wandering cow-hand travelling the southwest United States. Of note here is the creator and producer, Sam Peckinpah. Peckinpah is of course known as the writer and director of, THE WILD BUNCH. This series only ran for 13 episodes in the fall of 1960.
Keith and his dog, Brown, are bedding down for the night. Two men, Michael Forest and Robert Wilke ride up on a single horse. Guns are produced and they strongly suggest that Keith "lend" them his horse. They grab said horse and ride off.
Keith follows on foot and soon comes up on a camp of folks. The people tell Keith they have seen the men and Keith's horse. They are kin folk going to a "dying". A wealthy uncle is sick and on death's bed. The old man, Sam Jaffe, has a large ranch and Wilke and Forest want a large piece. The two thugs had warned off the other relatives.
Keith continues his walk to retrieve his horse. Wilke and Forest have arrived at the ranch having picked up a couple of hired guns for support. They tell the old man's grandson, Dee Pollock, that Jaffe had best sign over the ranch to them. Jaffe is not inclined to do so and things are going to come to a head.
Wilke, Forest and the two gunslingers set themselves up in the bunkhouse. Keith finally reaches the ranch and has a talk with the grandson, Pollock. He intends to reclaim his horse. The young Pollock decides to join Keith in his endeavour. It is time to settle Wilke and Forest's hash. The old man, Jaffe also steps forward, he never liked Wilke or Forest.
There is a knock down, drag out of a fistfight, followed by the mandatory gun-battle. Wilke, Forest and the two hired guns are soon given the, big adios. The old man, Jaffe, is killed and the lad Pollock, picks up a round in the shoulder. Keith of course gets his horse back.
A pretty tight episode, then it should be with feature film man, Andre De Toth handling the direction. De Toth's big screen work including, RAMROD, LAST OF THE COMMANCHES, DAY OF THE OUTLAW, THE Indian FIGHTER, SPRINGFEILD RIFLE and a string of Randolph Scott films like, MAN IN THE SADDLE, Carson CITY, THUNDER OVER THE PLAINS, RIDING SHOTGUN, THE STRANGER WORE A GUN and THE BOUNTY HUNTER. He was also the helmsman on a pair of top flight film noir, PITFALL and CRIME WAVE.
Also of note here is the director of photography, Guy Roe. Roe is well known to fans of film noir. He was the cinematographer on a string of well done, low budget noir. These include, TRAPPED, IN THIS CORNER, BEHIND LOCKED DOORS, THE SOUND OF FURY and ARMORED CAR ROBBERY. Sam Jaffe of course was Gunga Din in the 1937 film of the same name.
