This episode is watchable mostly for the leads, Gary Merrill and Patricia Breslin.
Maybe because I was never part of that scene, I do not understand why he is a member of the club where much of the story takes place. He does not seem to enjoy it, and he is apparently constantly goaded (after drinking) to prove himself by reliving his championship youth.
Perhaps, since he does not have as much money, he needs the adulation of those who do. A bit shallow, since as the story points out, youth fades.
But why at the end does he load the gun with real bullets, and then abuse his wife? Was he trying to force her to kill him?
If the plot was for him to suicide, there were better, more sure ways to show it.
Assuming his character was about the same age as Gary, suicide would have been a dumb choice. Yes, maybe he was not as fast as he once was, but with a relatively young wife and at least one child, he should still have had a lot to live for. I guess it was a sign of the times that they did not recognize such things as depression in men.
Anyway, up until that end, the two leads gave good performances. Almost worth watching again.
Maybe because I was never part of that scene, I do not understand why he is a member of the club where much of the story takes place. He does not seem to enjoy it, and he is apparently constantly goaded (after drinking) to prove himself by reliving his championship youth.
Perhaps, since he does not have as much money, he needs the adulation of those who do. A bit shallow, since as the story points out, youth fades.
But why at the end does he load the gun with real bullets, and then abuse his wife? Was he trying to force her to kill him?
If the plot was for him to suicide, there were better, more sure ways to show it.
Assuming his character was about the same age as Gary, suicide would have been a dumb choice. Yes, maybe he was not as fast as he once was, but with a relatively young wife and at least one child, he should still have had a lot to live for. I guess it was a sign of the times that they did not recognize such things as depression in men.
Anyway, up until that end, the two leads gave good performances. Almost worth watching again.