What makes this episode stand out is the outstanding performance of the great Beulah Bondi. Ms. Bondi was 85 years old when she appeared in this episode. She returned in another Waltons episode, "The Pony Cart", in 1976, probably the best episode in the history of this series. It was the final role in her long and distinguished career.
5 Reviews
Very good episode
blahblahblah9127 June 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I'm guessing bhoover247 didn't pay any attention to this episode. The Walton family didn't want to fight. Only grandpa. They tried their best to talk the other Waltons into not fighting and to live with them. They gave a hard no. The senator talking to the matriarch of the family to leave to check out the house only to have the blasters lie about not blasting but do it anyway?? Walton family had every right to fight back. It's sickening how this country treated, and treats, its people. I can't imagine the heart break and anger that was brought onto mountain people, and farmers, back then.
Great open to the third season
timmcd-8420228 June 2023
A great start to the third season, and perhaps the most beautiful looking episode of the series (thanks to cinematographer Russell Metty and art director Ed Graves), mostly filmed amongst handsome mountain scenery; it was always nice when they got away from the Burbank backlot. A compelling, historically-based storyline and solid performances from guest actors Beulah Bondi, Richard Hatch, Morgan Woodward and Lindsay V. Jones help to kick this one up a notch. Granted, it is a bit weird to see the normally wise, good-natured Grandpa Walton suddenly turn into a hot-headed militant ready to do gun battle with the police, but that doesn't detract from this excellent episode.
The American Struggle
JenExxifer19 October 2021
10 stars for a great story about the American struggle!
While people can build up their own land, the government can still come in and take the land away for the sake of a park or a road. It's a terrible struggle that is all too real throughout American history, and it's the flipside of the American dream.
But even though people must give up what is theirs when they don't want to, they are also given opportunities to create new dreams and new lives; from great struggles comes great beginnings, great courage, and great stories!
While people can build up their own land, the government can still come in and take the land away for the sake of a park or a road. It's a terrible struggle that is all too real throughout American history, and it's the flipside of the American dream.
But even though people must give up what is theirs when they don't want to, they are also given opportunities to create new dreams and new lives; from great struggles comes great beginnings, great courage, and great stories!
Hillbillies
bhoover2472 December 2021
What a horrible episode. This one made the Waltons look like ignorant inbred hillbillies. They try and kill the law enforcement people who are only doing their job. Other episodes portrayed the Waltons as law abiding mountain people. Kind of like a mountain version of the Cartwrights. This one must have used a different writer or something.
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