There's enough storyline here to fill an Indiana Jones movie, but the execution is strictly pop-art 1960s TV. There's just not enough time in the 52 minute run schedule to accommodate the ambitious story. What makes this particular episode fun is a guest tour by everyone's favorite Martian, Ray Walston. (Also the redoubtable Mr Hand, Spicoli's nemesis at Ridgemont High.) Sadly, his character starts strong, but quickly fades behind Jack Elam's patented one-eyed Jack the Menace bit. The episode's beautiful damsel in distress, Carla Borelli, barely has enough time to pop up, rap a few Aztec riffs, and get smooched by James West. The Peril of the Aztecs is hastened along by forged metal padlocks and anvils, technology the Aztecs didn't have, to lock up our two intrepid heroes, Artemis and James. After using his 1870s James Bond weapons to escape, West stumbles onto the bad guys stuffing their pants with loot. Incredibly, the Bad guys put all their rifles in a neat pile to do this. Even more incredibly, James West grabs a rifle-- then inexplicably tosses it aside so he can jump on a villain instead of holding a gun on him. These forced errors allow another Batman-overhead-crane-level fight scenes WWW demanded. Its all just for fun so don't overthink it.
The Wild Wild West (TV Series)
The Night of Montezuma's Hordes (1967)
User Reviews
Review this title2 Reviews
The superior acting talents and charm of guest stars helps here.
oscar-3527 November 2012
Warning: Spoilers
*Spoiler/plot- TNOT Montezuma's Hordes, 1967, The agents uncover a greedy plot to steal Montezuma's lost treasure of gold and jewels by criminals.
*Special Stars- Robert Conrad, Ross Martin, Ray Walston, Jack Elam, Eddie Little Sky
*Theme- Anytime a countries heritage is threatened, the Secret Service will stop the crime.
*Trivia/location/goofs- Original air date: 10-27-67 The plot location is Houston TX and the desert land south of it. Much of the anthropology underpinnings in this story is highly fictionalized. Vasquez rocks location used.
*Emotion- Essentially 'A Chase' episode but made more interesting by the superior acting talents and charm of Ray Walston and Jack Elam. **REAL STORY EXPERIENCE: Across the street entrance to the CBS Studio lot was a bar & lunch place that many of the W3 cast and crew frequented called, 'The Backstage'. I was driving by around the time of the filming of this specific episode and I saw Jack Elam (in full episode costume & makeup) walk into that bar and eatery, 'The Backstage'. Great fun! Sadly the place was sold off by the long time owner and bartender and the place has changed and become just another coffee bars in Studio City CA.** Mr. R. Martin disguise as the old Sourdough prospector is entertaining and worth a fun look also. I could not help but think that with the peacock feathered costumes of this show being aired near Thanksgiving, their look was very Thanksgving 'turkey-like'. An 'average' episode in this adventure series.
*Special Stars- Robert Conrad, Ross Martin, Ray Walston, Jack Elam, Eddie Little Sky
*Theme- Anytime a countries heritage is threatened, the Secret Service will stop the crime.
*Trivia/location/goofs- Original air date: 10-27-67 The plot location is Houston TX and the desert land south of it. Much of the anthropology underpinnings in this story is highly fictionalized. Vasquez rocks location used.
*Emotion- Essentially 'A Chase' episode but made more interesting by the superior acting talents and charm of Ray Walston and Jack Elam. **REAL STORY EXPERIENCE: Across the street entrance to the CBS Studio lot was a bar & lunch place that many of the W3 cast and crew frequented called, 'The Backstage'. I was driving by around the time of the filming of this specific episode and I saw Jack Elam (in full episode costume & makeup) walk into that bar and eatery, 'The Backstage'. Great fun! Sadly the place was sold off by the long time owner and bartender and the place has changed and become just another coffee bars in Studio City CA.** Mr. R. Martin disguise as the old Sourdough prospector is entertaining and worth a fun look also. I could not help but think that with the peacock feathered costumes of this show being aired near Thanksgiving, their look was very Thanksgving 'turkey-like'. An 'average' episode in this adventure series.
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