Shona

A young boy is riding across the prairie when he sees an Indian woman skinning a buffalo. He is frightened by this because the Comanches have been raiding individual farms around Dodge. He raises the alarm to some men who are drifters on the prairie and then Marshal Dillon encounters them. They all ride out to investigate and find that the indian woman is not part of some war party. Instead, Shona is the Indian wife of a trapper, and she was just out on the prairie getting another fur. The drifters ride off in disgust, but they aren't done causing problems. They hang around Dodge City inflaming mobs to go out and take care of matters with the Comanche themselves, and they are bullying and threatening any Indians who come into Dodge, including half Comanche blacksmith Quint (Burt Reynolds).

And then the cut on Shona's hand gets badly infected and she and her husband must come to Dodge and stay for a few days so that Doc can treat and dress the wound multiple times a day. This infuriates the gang of drifters who have set up camp in Dodge, and in the face of this simmering violence Matt leaves town on business! With nobody deputized to deal with this in his absence! Well, without this badly reasoned turn in the story there would be no plot. OR Matt could have taken what was a well used page back in 19th century law books and even 20th century ones. These drifters had no visible means of support. He could have put them in jail for a few days as vagrants until they cooled off and then made them leave town. But then again we would have no plot.

The one thing that the camera makes a point of having the viewer notice - the menacing smirk on the face of the brother of the ringleader of the violent gang every time he looks at Shona. I have to credit the director for getting just the right look on this guy's face. It's not a smitten look but instead is quite a sinister yet subtle expression.

Miriam Colon was such a gorgeous woman, and a fine actress on anything I've seen her in , as was the man who played her husband but, this was one of the hardest episodes for me to watch - only because it was sadly so true, all the hate and cruelty directed toward Native Americans, just because they existed on lands stolen from them. This episode, I'm sure, isn't even close to what actually happened to those who rightfully should've been allowed to live where they had been for eons but, it was a great illustration for the time it was produced.

As well, Quint and especially Kitty were excellent protectors of this woman, and Kitty was ready to kick tail and take names - I just love that character.

Anyhow, difficult to watch but, worthy of compliments.

Not much subtlety here-- which is OK in a John Meston-scripted Western. It's immediately obvious who's the GOOD and who the EVIL in this tale, which is effectively written and directed.

Continuous tension right from the beginning--well maintained throughout--since we know that John Crawford (impressive as usual) and his thugs are only hanging around Dodge to do their dirty work. Only one unexpected "weak link" in their chain prevents what promised to be a disastrous outcome for Shona and her strong, honorable husband, solidly played by Robert Bray.

Especially impressive is the extended "lynch mob" scene, as the thugs roam the streets of Dodge at night, terrorizing the citizens, brandishing torches; striking, powerful imagery with fabulous depth to the B&W photography.

Burt Reynolds is a pillar of strength against the mob, UNARMED as usual, a very risky choice, especially during one of Matt's increasingly frequent out-of-town trips to Fort Larned or wherever....which, however, make for great added tension in the plot. Will we hear his commanding, off-camera "HOLD IT" just in time to save the day (or night) again?? Tune in and find out. LR

Burt Reynolds as half-Comanche Quint Asper, Dodge City's new blacksmith, is showcased in this episode -- saving a Comanche woman from being abducted when Matt Dillon is out of town away at Fort Larned. He does it all without a gun too, only too aware that a couple of dozen of his fellow townsfolk would like any excuse ("Injun on the warpath!") to lynch him. Miriam Colon is suitably sympathetic and fetching as Shona; Robert Bray is her husband, going on to be Lassie's human for a few series; and John Crawford does his job as the usual all-purpose reprobate stirring the citizenry up. An appearance is made by Roy Roberts, beyond coincidence, following extremely tight type-casting as the hotel manager with a "restricted" policy, showing the ethnic minority the door in virtually a repeat of his role in the classic AA-winner "Gentlemen's Agreement" of 16 years before.

Very good story about prejudice and how it can take root in a community. I think it is very relevant to remember that this episode aired in 1963, and I don't think that Roy Roberts as the hotel manager with a "No Indians" policy, which he says is rooted in local prejudice. He fears a boycott. Good ol' Ma Smalley won't have Shona either, for the same reason. I have no doubt that if a popular vote were taken, discrimination would have been approved.

At present, nearly everyone would condemn the prejudice shown here, but let's recall that in 1963, discrimination was still the law, written and unwritten, in too many locations.