Teacher of Outlaws

Barbara Stanwyck takes center stage in this Big Valley episode as Victoria Barkley is kidnapped by outlaws. She sometimes is the substitute teacher for the kids and it's in that role she's snatched.

So as her family and sheriff Ken Lynch organize a posse and wait for the ransom demand Stanwyck goes along with her teacher identity. Why do the outlaws want a schoolteacher? It's so their leader Harold J. Stone can learn his ABCs, he's never bothered to acquire literacy in his path to the top of the outlaw profession.

The scenes between Stanwyck and Stone are really precious in this episode. Stone never loses an ounce of his toughness. But in his effort to learn his letters he shows a vulnerability that any kid in the 1st grade has when cracking illiteracy.

Playing a pair of his less than noble crew are Timothy Carey and Steve Ihnat. But it's Stanwyck and Stone who are just outstanding.

Stanwyck shines in this one, showing off both her toughness and her compassion as Victoria Barkley. She is mistakenly kidnapped by an outlaw believing she is a teacher because he wants her to teach him to read. But he is an outlaw, and he is keeping her prisoner. As her sons search desperately for her, she manages to stay alive while at the same time beginning to look at this outlaw as she would look at any other student - he wanted to learn. An episode of depth and not just a western shoot-em-up.

This touching episode of the beloved western series was one of the best and most memorable of the entire run.In this thought-provoking story, Ms. Barkley (Barbara Stanwyck) is kidnapped by an outlaw gang, while visiting a school. She is mistaken for the teacher, and the gangs leader is not seeking ransom, but a tutor !

Harold Stone was superb as the chief "villain". His performance is both touching and believable. He and the great Barbara Stanwyck have fantastic chemistry together. The conclusion, while expected, was still very powerful.

For those folks who think all westerns are simple-minded, check this classic story out. One of the best episodes ever !

This episode not only proved to be one of the better shows of the series but also an interesting script that is just as entertaining today as it was in the 1960's.

Victoria is kidnapped by a gang of criminals lead by Sam Beldon. Seems that Victoria is thought to be the local school-teacher and is brought back to the hide-out not for ransom or mischief but to teach Sam Beldon to read.

Sam Beldon (Harold Stone) is an aging criminal that knows that his life is approaching the autumn years. So Sam is wanting to do something that he never has been able to do all his life- read.

When they kidnap Victoria (Barbara Stanwyck)they never thought the would get such a head-strong teacher. But Victoria soon learns that the conflict she faces may not be larger than the conflict that Sam Beldon is due to face. Even though the words are never spoken, it becomes apparent for the viewer that there is a connection between Victoria and Beldon.

When the episode concludes, the viewers know that they have witness an exceptional good performance for any episode. Of all the 'The Big Valley' episode- this is a must watch show.

The director, Michael Ritchie , went on to bigger and better things, but he did a horrible job on this episode. The part where the gang has a shootout in town while trying to execute a jail break looked like it was directed by somebody with no previous experience. Just a mishmash of very bad camera work made me cringe. The whole episode was full of noticeably bad direction and it makes you realize how important the job if director is.