User Reviews

This story was adapted by Marion Hargrove from Richard Brinsley Sheridan's play of the same name. A young millionaire hires Bret Maverick to switch identities with him so that he can woo a rich young lady, a reader of romantic novels (she particularly adores "A Tale of Two Cities"), who is convinced she could only truly love a man who was poor but honest. For his part, Bret seeks entrée to a hotel casino so exclusive "they won't let you in unless your name is Vanderbilt, Vandergelt, Stuyvesant or Astor." Roger Moore, as the charming, scheming John Vandergelt III, and James Garner, as the ever-professional poker player, are a great comedic pair.

Roger Moore who later joined the cast as English cousin Beau Maverick plays an American millionaire, the wastrel son of Neil Hamilton. Hamilton has lost patience with Moore whom he wants to just grow up and settle down. Actually Moore has someone in mind, Patricia Crowley who has some silly romantic notions about marry a poor, but honest yeoman. She's got a few shekels herself.

On the train to Denver he arranges for James Garner to exchange identities with him so that Maverick can get into an exclusive Denver hotel only open to the filthy rich where there's a high stakes poker game.

No more to be said in this complicated comedy of errors. The laughs come pretty good. Wait till you see poor Bret Maverick's payoff in the end.

Son of wealthy magnate (Moore) hires Bret to switch identities with him to win affections of pretty heiress (Crowley). Complications ensue.

Good thing the series tongue in cheek is on full display because the plot complications are hard to follow. It's a version of the Dickens classic A Tale of Two Cities told Maverick style. Actually Moore gets equal time with Garner and in the process shows his comedic talents. Looks like the role may have led to Moore's replacing Garner the following year when Garner jumped ship from TV to the movies. Crowley gently spoofs her ingénue role, while Hamilton crunches his bullying tycoon, making this a particularly enjoyable entry.

Also, I suspect there's some inside jokes going on with the repeated Ivy League references. Then too, where else on 50's TV would a naughty excerpt from that 19th-century naughty novel East Lynne be heard. Yes indeed, Maverick's slyly comedic format opened up all sorts of possibilities not usually found in Westerns. How else, for example, could they have worked in that richly droll very last scene. Good entry, despite the convoluted storyline.

Bret and Roger Moore trade names, allowing Bret to get into an exclusive hotel. Having read Charles Dickens' "A Tale of Two Cities" helps because Pat Crowley wants a man like Sydney Carton. She wants a man with courage and a sense of adventure. She wants to marry Bret after she discovers he is not rich, and we see them at Lovers' Leap. When a duel is fought, Pat ends up with Roger Moore, the man she belonged with in the first place. There is some witty dialog in this one, possibly more than in any other episode. There is irony. It reminds me of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" with its mistaken identities. Pat Crowley is a beauty. She looks like Mary Tyler Moore.