User Reviews

***SPOILER**** Story about blind and mindless revenge that soon turns the hunter into hunted with devastating results for both parties.

It's when L.A businessman David Buchanan,Steve Forrest,was leaving work one evening from his office in the Triangle Building that he accidentally bumped into Carlos Porte, John Gavin. Before Buchanan knew it by him pushing Carlos almost to the ground he ended up with his skull fractured with he was slammed by Porte into a nearby fire hydrant. Hospitalized for almost two weeks with a cracked skull the looking for revenge Buchanan is determined to find his attacker and exact justice on him with the police and courts, in Buchanan disturbed mind, are not at all interested in doing it themselves.

As for Carlos he's now in a state of panic in knowing, from word on the street, that the not so stable Buchanan has taken time off from work and moved into the East L.A barrio looking for him. Despite everyone including his boss Ted Johnson, Lyle Bettger, and local LAPD Sgt. Terrell, Frank Silvera, as well as East L.A community leader Morgan, Michal Ansara, trying to get Buchanan to stop he in fact tracks down where Carlos lives and confronts his daughter Encarna,Adelina Pedroza,asking her where he could find her daddy since he owes him some money.Knowing what Buchanan is really up to and scared to death Encarna dashes into the street and is hit by a truck breaking both her legs! Seeing what a mess he made out of a simple problem, innocently bumping into someone in the night, by his mindless revenge fantasy it's now Buchanan who's in deep trouble with an outraged Carlos looking to get his revenge on him for putting his daughter in the hospital. And it's that what later leads to the deadly showdown in the darkened streets of L.A between the two where no one would end up winning.

***SPOILERS*** It was in fact Carlos who was the victim of all this madness violence in having his daughter almost killed and very probably crippled for life with the hot headed Buchanan, who finally realized just how crazy he was, now squarely behind the eight ball. It's at the end of the episode that the two, after almost killing each other, come to a truce knowing that by shaking hands and burying the hatchet this revenge madness,on both their parts, would finally be over. If only they both came to their senses earlier all this violence and heartbreak would have never happened.

David Buchanan (Steve Forrest) is an high-powered executive that one night walks the streets and bumps into Carlos (John Gavin), and despite this was just an accident, David takes this very personally - attacking verbally and physically Carlos. When David falls and smashes his head Carlos runs in fear when a passing lady passes by and thinks it was a mugging. At the police station David insists the cops work harder and when they don't do as told, HE goes in search of Carlos as a vigilante for have his own form of justice and they end up fighting it out like cowboys in the old West but in an American city from the 1960s!

While the plot may seem ridicolous because of David's actions it was actually a good episode about what could happen if you are driven ONLY by your second brain (the one full of macho bull). Steve Forrest gives a nice performance as a guy with this issue, while John Gavin plays a perfect foil for him and Michael Ansara was good in an unusual role for him (as he is known for playing Indians or robed guys in biblical epics) as the police captain. Another good episode in this decent show.

What a terrific story this so unusual revenge tale, despite the weak acting from time to time. And when the ending arrived, I was thrilled, jaw dropping, UNTIL this damn last minute, that I won't reveal, which absolutely ruined my pleasure. WHY, WHY a so lousy ending, why putting such a message n such a series? So shame, it was a terrific story....

Steve Forrest plays David Buchanan, a rather nasty high-powered executive. One night he's walking down the street and bumps into a guy. It was all just an accident. However, Dave takes it very personal-- and verbally and physically attacks the other guy, Carlos (John Gavin). To protect himself, Carlos shoves Dave and Dave falls and smashes his head. The guy was simply defending himself--and Carlos runs in fear when a lady sees what she THINKS is a mugging.

The case is reported to the police as a mugging and Dave is a VERY impatient man. He insists the cops work harder and when they don't find the guy, he goes off as a vigilante to find the stranger who 'attacked' him--to mete out justice. In the process of tracking the guy down, he sees the man's daughter and tries to talk to her. She's naturally afraid and runs--into the path of an oncoming truck. Dave, like Carlos, didn't intend for this to happen--and now it's Carlos who is going to come looking for HIM. And the macho and stupid Dave's solution is to buy a gun to protect himself. Eventually, the pair end up fighting it out...almost like cowboys in the old west...in a modern American city!

This is an excellent episode. It's a wonderful story about revenge and misunderstandings--problems that could have all been avoided if folks simply treated each other better in the first place. It's also an excellent portrait of men who simply refuse to back down and allow themselves to be the first to end the feud. I have never seen another show like this one and it's VERY tense and exciting. It's also interesting because as you watch, you could imagine folks behaving this way...sadly. It also could be interpreted by some as a metaphor for the Cold War--especially in light of when it was made. The ending might turn off some, as it might be seen as a tad heavy-handed but I still enjoyed it. Well worth your time and one of the better episodes of "Kraft Suspense Theatre"--and it definitely lives up to the 'suspense' in its title!

If you want to see this one, it and the other episodes of the series are available on YouTube. Most are well worth seeing.

Writer William McGivern (who has many fine credits such as "The Big Heat") fashioned a clear-cut, strong tale of vendetta for Kraft Mystery Theatre that builds strongly via a terrific plot twist, solid suspense and a somewhat over the top metaphorical finish. I really enjoyed watching it, but what might have been classic is harmed by an overreliance on contrivance that doesn't let the material or characters really come to life.

Case in point is Steve Forrest in the lead role, a smug highly successful import/export businessman in Los Angeles whose pigheadedness, narcissism and air of superiority immediately remind one of our current enemy of democracy named Trump. This role makes him an even bigger jerk and unfortunately Forrest plays it one-note during most of the show until the plot twist from Hell belatedly brings the guy to life. His adversary is a normal, average Chicano from East L. A., played by John Gavin. The story structure is peculiar in that the lead Forrest is 100% hateful with zero redeeming features, while guest star Gavin seems sympathetic for the most part. His crucial flaw is that underneath beats the heart of a vengeful jerk not so different from Forrest after all.

A fine opening montage has the two protagonists walking down the sidewalk for a destined accidental bumping into each other at the corner. An argument and tussle leads to Forrest crashing head-first into a fire hydrant that knocks him unconscious and sets them both on a downward trajectory.

Once out of the hospital, Forrest is beyond vengeful and all wrong about what happened, imagining that he was mugged, and his boss Lyle Bettger gives him sorts of good advice that he wilfully ignores. As Steve single-handedly is looking for trouble, two more rock-solid performances ar4e delivered by Frank Silvera as the wise local cop and Michael Ansara as a no-nonsense local businessman who, like everyone else, offers Forrest sage advice that's instantly ignored. A bit like know-it-all Trump versus those generals (minus nutcase Flynn) he appointed to serve him in the White House.

Central twist offers an instant role-reversal leading to a mano a mano showdown that is a bit much. The racism angle is not emphasized but lingers beneath the surface effectively.