User Reviews

While playing poker, Bret and Bart learn that the Gannet Express Company has gone broke. That means Maverick money down the drain. Jessamy informs them that the Gannet office in Deadwood remains open. But there is only enough money to cash one draft, so the brothers compete. The race to Deadwood is on! Jessamy goes with Bart, then steals his horse. Then Bret's horse is stolen. Bart saves Bret and Jessamy from robbers, then Bret saves Bart and Jessamy from Indians. The brothers pull off a sting that enables them to cash both drafts. No one can trust anyone. There are only lies and deceit. Sad comments on human nature!

Once the series concept shifted to humor, whole new vistas for story-lines opened up. This is one of them, a fine screenplay from director-writer Douglas Heyes with laughs throughout. Bret and Bart each have a bank-draft for $10,000. Trouble is the bank is going defunct so their paper is worthless. But then again, maybe not, thanks to the archly coy Patricia Berry who seals deals with a kiss. Trouble is she's about as trustworthy as the bank, so the boys have to decide which shape they like better, hers or the bank's.

It's a real duel of wits as everyone's trying to get to the branch bank before the bad news arrives. What's really distinctive about this 60 minutes is how everybody's out for himself or herself. Even the brothers are humorously competing in this Darwinian free-for-all. No high- minded motives here, just greed. Watch Bart cut Bret's saddle cinch so that Bret ends up ignominiously on the ground. And, of course, the running gag that sort of sums up the ground-rules is "Business is business". In short, "Nothing personal, I'm just trying to get mine". I expect more than a few viewers appreciated this kind of realism done in the charming Maverick way.

Good to see such stalwarts as cranky old Will Wright and roughneck Ray Teal in supporting roles. Downside is again the production values with some really bad outdoor sets and poorly matched stock shots. But that doesn't matter much since one humorous scrape follows another right up to the boffo climax.

As both Bret and Bart Maverick are trying to cover bets in a poker game they both have $10,000.00 drafts from an express company when word comes that the express company has gone belly up. They and Patricia Barry are in the same predicament. The only answer is to ride to Deadwood where word hasn't arrived of the bankruptcy and get their money.

But as Barry works on both brothers a rivalry starts developing. It's a race to see who gets to Deadwood first. And all three have quite some adventures along the way.

I should also mention Ray Teal who runs the saloon in Deadwood and also trades with the Indians. He nearly does Jack Kelly and Barry in. But the brothers give him a nasty comeuppance with some fast thinking Maverick con.

A good one especially Teal's scenes.