Mannon

"Mannon" is essentially a remake of episode #1, "Matt Gets It!". Though remakes are usually inferior, this one isn't. The extra 25 minutes make possible a richer story and deeper characterization.

Steve Forrest's Will Mannon is even more of a psycho than Paul Richards' Dan Grat. Forrest (whom I did not know until reading his bio was Dana Andrews' brother!) quietly underplays him. He might drink to excess, but he doesn't chew the scenery. *

He goes after Kitty as if he's God's gift to women, telling her he knows a lady when he sees one, and she's a lady. (Kitty knows what sort of a "lady" she is, and isn't fooled.) When she won't put out, he beats (and presumably rapes) her.

When he visits the bed-ridden Kitty -- with a gift of flowers he's stolen from a Boot Hill grave! -- her revenge is to let Mannon know, in so many words, that he could never be the man Matt is. Though she means it (of course), she figures it will sufficiently discomfit him to give Matt an advantage in the inevitable showdown.

You know how it's going to end, but the solid writing and acting carry the day.

A classic, one of Gunsmoke's high points.

* In one scene he's eating... something... that looks like an oblong pasty, with loud crunching noises as he bites it (as if it were frozen). Does anyone know what it is?

Westerns such as this one, where Steve Forrest plays yet another of Quantrell's psychopaths and thieves, are morality plays so uniquely American in that without the one hero- the one willing to give his life for a cause- whole masses of people are paralyzed into fear and submission; women are abused, the town is plundered ( a bit ) by the psychotic who has lost normal fear!

He has no conscience whatsoever and only vaguely seems to even recognize why he's there- a 19th C fantasy we believe in the 21st century?

Without a leader, the rest of the town debates why they are impotent to do anything and even when Mannon TELLS Newly Doright he'll be naked in a tub momentarily, their unable to act- except for Sam.

The problem for me for 65 years child to codger is this: if I need to kill a declared killer/ archvillain, I can a) blow his brains out while he's in a bathtub or playing poker, or b) I can doom myself and have a 99% death occurence by standing out in the street in broad daylight?

Except for the English redcoats for a few months, and poor Alexander Hamilton, prooblem solved!

This is one of the best written episodes of the entire Gunsmoke series. Steve Forrest plays the heaviest of heavies to terrorize Dodge City. Amamda Blake plays her role with power and grace Her admiration and trust in Matt Dillon is so strong, The ending I will not spoil. Enjoy the story.

When Matt finally rides into town, Mannon is chomping on a piece of meat. Others here have claimed it was ridiculously loud, crunchy chicken, But it was clearly a pig's foot. My question was how was he eating that? They don't usually have lots of centrally located meat. If anyone knows what he was eating, I'd be obliged.

Meanwhile, Kitty claims to give Matt an advantage in instilling self-doubt into Mannon's mind. Shaking his confidence. And yet? Matt survives as a fluke, a piece of luck. Not really sure what we're supposed to make of that.

What is that song Mannon sings so many verses of? Steve Forrest was a classically trained baritone.

Festus encounters stranger Will Mannon who shoots him for his mule. Of course, he hangs on and makes it back to Dodge to tell a tale of the fast gun stranger. Even the town slow wits like Burke put two and two together when Mannon rides up on Ruth. All that is left to do now is to identify Mannon and you got your guy. Except Festus turns coward and would rather forget the whole thing. Next Newly pretends to stand up to him but gives himself an out. Matt is out of town, so he is unavailable.

This leaves Mannon free reign of Dodge as everyone else is equally afraid. So, he spends his time strutting around while merrily singing a song, sipping whiskey, performing feats of marksmanship, and creating fear. Mannon hits what he aims at, or better yet, doesn't have to aim, but simply points in a general direction and the bullet magically finds its way to its intended target. Except he only wounded Festus, I guess that was the one time his aim was off.

The cowardly town offers to pay Mannon to leave Dodge, but he instead takes their money and hangs around. The town's folk are not only gutless, but not very smart. All they would have to do is to get everyone with a gun to walk up behind and arrest him, but no one thinks of that. I guess being a fast gun makes him invincible. If that were that case, then why not fight The Civil War with all fast guns if it were that effective. Just stand there and outdraw the enemy.

Kitty gets in on the act of trying to pay off Mannon. Not sure what good that would do, once you paid him, he would only come back. A very unflattering portrayal of Dodge and everyone in the town. I guess the point of the episode is to demonstrate how the citizens of Dodge are like lost children without Matt around. He gets back just in time for a lackluster ending.