User Reviews

This episode was one of my favorite from when I was a lad. Poor James Garner just riding along minding his own business.when he helps a young eloping couple, Steven Terrell and Carole Wells with a wheel from their buggy. When that's done her family ride up and accuse Garner of being in league with Terrell's family and of abducting their daughter. Doesn't do Garner a bit of good denying it until he's blue in the face.

But a bit of land is the root cause of the feud and Garner persuades them to settle it with poker. Wouldn't you know it, they get Jack Kelly to be their player without knowing of the Maverick relationship.

I've seen Romeo And Juliet adapted and used in many ways. But never as comedy as you'll see here. One of the best stories of the series.

Amusing entry with some classic features. Bret's caught up in Shakespearean family feud over some worthless land that has become a matter of honor for the righteous paterfamilias. Trouble is a hot-headed Carteret boy wants to put a slug through Bret unless our hero can think of a way out, and he better think fast.

Some good laughs as Bret weasels around in charming Maverick style. His poker play-off with brother Bart generates some suspense as we wonder how the writers are going to finesse the outcome since reputations are at stake. I like the Sunday sermon scene as the minister stresses brotherhood while the two feuding families eagerly await a shootout. Worse, their hymn singing following the sermon could make you swear off music. All in all, a good episode despite some uneven acting.

(In passing—note how cramped the chase scenes are. That's because the filming doesn't go beyond the Warner's backlot. But then, despite being a Western, the series was never about the outdoors.)

Bret accidentally gets tangled up with a nutty feuding family that fires off shooting irons in their house.

The feud is based on some land one family claims was lost in a crooked poker game.

So how to settle it? Bret suggests another poker game, with himself as a ringer. But who will be a ringer for the other side?

Well, that hardly mattrrs. If Bret loses he has to face one of the family in a shoot-out.

Swiped loosely from the pages of Shakespeare (the feuders are Carterets and Montgomerys rathers than Capulets or Montegues) there is the stereotypical set of lovers, one from each side. So the ending is pretty well telegraphed.