User Reviews

Robert Ryan plays Lawman who finally after 30 years lays his badge and his notorious methods down to marry and move West. His nickname was "Shotgun Bob". As we learn "Bob Stuart" and "Coop Smith" had a near fatal (for Coop) run in 10 years before that left "Coop" in the hospital and one of his friends disabled for life. This episode exposes some very grey areas in "Coops" past. However, "Coop" has moved away from the moniker "Gun for Hire". "Coops" former friends have not. And cause a great deal of problems for the train as well as "Coop". Calvin Clements is the writer. The synergy between "Bob Stuart", "Coop Smith" is very good.

Also of note: Vera Miles shines in the role as "Bob Stuarts" wife.

In this story Robert Ryan and Vera Miles guest star as the Stuarts, a newlywed couple heading west to start a life together. The problem is that Bob Stuart's former occupation seems to be haunting him-- he was a marshal who sometimes shot young outlaws in the back. What makes the story even more interesting is that he once shot the train's scout Cooper Smith (Robert Fuller) in the back, when Cooper ran with a gang of hoods.

In the ten years that have passed, Cooper's settled down and taken on a more respectable job. But Coop's old buddies (Andrew Prine and William Smith) did not really settle down and they're also on the train, hoping to settle an old score with Bob Stuart. Calvin Clements' superb screenplay gives us another young man named Keith (Tommy Sands) who was left mute after being bashed over the head with a rifle by Stuart. The scene in which Stuart explains this to wagon master Chris Hale (John McIntire) is chilling. McIntire's reaction is extremely realistic.

As Coop's pals taunt Stuart and try to draw him into a fight, they use Keith to help even the score. They give him a knife and goad him into jumping Stuart one night near his wagon when most of the camp has settled down for the evening. It's a shocking scene, especially when Mrs. Stuart grabs her husband's rifle and goes after Keith.

The tension escalates the next day when Stuart has no choice but to confront the young men out near a spring away from the train. He intends to stop them from upsetting his wife while they intend to kill him. But Coop stands in the way. Ultimately the hoods are deposed, and one of them ends up being shot in the back by Coop who had no choice in defending himself.

There are some powerful lessons served up in this installment of Wagon Train. The story is somewhat tricky, where we're made to sympathize with a man who might ordinarily deserve very little sympathy, let alone respect. However, the dramatic conclusion still seems satisfying and correct. One other thing I should mention is that Clements gives McIntire an interesting speech at the end, where he talks about criticizing an authority figure without pitching in to help him. Which if you asked me seemed like a way to tell viewers at home to support the president.