The first thought I had when viewing this episode of 'The Virginian' is how much respect James Drury has for Joan Crawford in their scenes together. He is every bit the star, and he goes out of his way to make her feel comfortable in this important guest role. I also thought Sara Lane showed a lot of respect towards Miss Crawford, especially the scenes where Crawford's character goes to stay at the Shiloh ranch after her home has been gutted by a fire. There's a nice bit of bonding when Miss Lane is sewing a button on a blouse in the living room.
Crawford was at an interesting point in her acting career...you know with her, you are not going to get a kind old grandmother character. She is certainly playing younger than her actual age, but it works for this story since the woman is accused of being delusional.
The themes are rather dark for this episode, and as a result, the cinematography plays up the shadows and sinister images we see. What we really have is a western-horror drama, and the title of the episode supports this idea.
Crawford has several outstanding scenes during the 74-minute running time. The first notable scene, which is a masterclass in acting, is where she witnesses her home burning and realizes her husband (Michael Conrad) has just died. The horrific expressions, the anguished speech, crumpling up in a heap as the Virginian offers emotional support...she's excellent.
This is followed by a scene when she's in bed recovering at the Shiloh ranch, and she recounts not just one but two highly dramatic events. These events include the time her first husband died years ago on a riverboat, then she recounts what we had just seen when her second husband died in the house fire. It's a long soliloquy, brimming with emotional moments, and she is in total control.
The end of this scene has her abruptly turn on her brother-in-law (Steve Sandor) whom she blames for the second husband's death. She switches from fragile and broken to powerful and angry. The poor guy doesn't know how to react!
The next big scene for her occurs near the end of the episode, when she gets to shoot the brother-in-law after he has tied her up and is about to kill her. It felt like something out of Mildred Pierce.
I'd also like to mention the trial sequence...especially where she watches Lane's testimony being undermined by the prosecuting attorney.
She now realizes that she will be hanged, and even her friends' efforts to help seem to be working against her. Crawford is a seasoned pro who knows when to dial it up and knows how to punch up lesser throw-away lines. As a result, she is able to etch a memorable performance that stays with you long after the episode is over.
When I watch Joan Crawford on screen, I never feel like I have been cheated. I always feel as if she has come into it totally prepared. She does everything she can to bring the character, with all the sordid details of the plot, to life. That's the type of entertainment I enjoy. This a very entertaining and engrossing episode of 'The Virginian.'
Crawford was at an interesting point in her acting career...you know with her, you are not going to get a kind old grandmother character. She is certainly playing younger than her actual age, but it works for this story since the woman is accused of being delusional.
The themes are rather dark for this episode, and as a result, the cinematography plays up the shadows and sinister images we see. What we really have is a western-horror drama, and the title of the episode supports this idea.
Crawford has several outstanding scenes during the 74-minute running time. The first notable scene, which is a masterclass in acting, is where she witnesses her home burning and realizes her husband (Michael Conrad) has just died. The horrific expressions, the anguished speech, crumpling up in a heap as the Virginian offers emotional support...she's excellent.
This is followed by a scene when she's in bed recovering at the Shiloh ranch, and she recounts not just one but two highly dramatic events. These events include the time her first husband died years ago on a riverboat, then she recounts what we had just seen when her second husband died in the house fire. It's a long soliloquy, brimming with emotional moments, and she is in total control.
The end of this scene has her abruptly turn on her brother-in-law (Steve Sandor) whom she blames for the second husband's death. She switches from fragile and broken to powerful and angry. The poor guy doesn't know how to react!
The next big scene for her occurs near the end of the episode, when she gets to shoot the brother-in-law after he has tied her up and is about to kill her. It felt like something out of Mildred Pierce.
I'd also like to mention the trial sequence...especially where she watches Lane's testimony being undermined by the prosecuting attorney.
She now realizes that she will be hanged, and even her friends' efforts to help seem to be working against her. Crawford is a seasoned pro who knows when to dial it up and knows how to punch up lesser throw-away lines. As a result, she is able to etch a memorable performance that stays with you long after the episode is over.
When I watch Joan Crawford on screen, I never feel like I have been cheated. I always feel as if she has come into it totally prepared. She does everything she can to bring the character, with all the sordid details of the plot, to life. That's the type of entertainment I enjoy. This a very entertaining and engrossing episode of 'The Virginian.'