Roots of Fear

Three "Gunsmoke" episodes originally screened November-December 1969 highlight the journey that child stars go through, and their contrasting fates. Manuel Padilla Jr was at the top of his game when first appearing in "Gunsmoke" a year before, aged 13 -- fresh from his new tv stardom in "Tarzan" and episodes of "The Flying Nun". In that episode ("Zavala") he held the story together with great appeal, had as much screen time as James Arness and won hearts. Now a year on, rapidly matured at 14, he has a bit part, no more than a walk-on, as a young Indian brave in "The Innocent" -- on a downward spiral that will end in his premature death at 52. At this point he has to be counted as more talented than Ronny Howard, looking horse-faced and awkward as a 15-year-old in one episode, a far cry from his halcyon days as Opey Taylor or as bland Richie Cunningham, then the celebrated director he was to become; or Jodie Foster here in "The Sadlers", going on 7 years old, looking intelligent but far from stellar -- though one can see her early commitment to realistic acting even at this the outset of her career, unselfconsciously picking her nose at the dinner table in one scene. Or, unsuccessfully trying to steal the scene from Louise Latham and John Anderson?

Perhaps this episode is the reason that my grandmother would never use a bank since this is about a bank closing and people are unable to get their money. But through this episode we are introduced to a family that turned a bad situation worse when the Dodge Bank has to close.

The Sadler family, lead by Amos (John Anderson), move into a new home outside of Dodge. Amos Sadler had been saving money for years in order to finally get a house with a farm and land. His family move into the house and start setting up all their belongs to make the house a home.

The Sadlers get word that the bank in Dodge is closing due to runs on banks. Knowing they have to pay their first payment in a few days, they head to Dodge to see if what they heard the truth. Sure enough when they get up to the teller, he advised that there is no more money. Even though Amos can see more money in the safe, the bank advises that they have to close and will be opened in a week or two.

The man comes by for the money and due to cash shortages is demanding the money in three days. Amos Sadler then decides to take his money from the bank by all cost. So he and some of his clan break into the bank and take their money. During the crime Daniel Sadler gets shot but is able to make it back to the farm before being detected by Festus and Matt.

Daniel needs medical attention and sends for Doc Adams. The Sadlers know that when Doc arrives they will be fingered as the people that robbed the bank. So they decide, it true Sadler form, to make the matters even more worse by kidnapping Doc.

The story was not bad nor was the acting. However the ending seemed unbelievable as it was written to make the viewer feel good about the show. Other than the ending the episode was worthy.

One of John Wayne's infamous quotes is that "life is tougher if you're stupid." This episode takes the view that if you are very dumb, and you think your bank went out of business, that justifies robbing the bank.

The Sadlers are a family of lowlife characters. Everyone of them usually played a villain on various Western shows. John Anderson was almost always a villain. Warren Vanders was usually a thug or third string villain, and Cliff Osmond often played mentally defective goons, and the leader of a horrible group of hidecutters.

Louise Lathem was no prize herself. In the Gunsmoke episode "Hawk" she wanted her half-breed Indian son to die, so nobody would find out she had been the wife of an Indian. On Perry Mason she had killed her husband and buried him under her prize-winning rose orchard. Not a nice lady in most of her TV appearances.

The only innocent one is Jodie Foster, who plays the young daughter. She guilts everyone as the circle of Justice draws in on the Sadlers when Dillon and Festus figure out who robbed the bank.

The best part of this episode is that Cliff Osmond catches a bullet and eventually dies. I was hoping Dillon would show up with guns blazing at the end. However, the villains are judged by Festus as being a good bunch, and Dillon takes their side too.

It is a big day for the Sadler family. They have been saving money for a farm for many years. They finally have enough savings to buy the farm of their dreams. A major problem arises when the bank in Dodge City where their money is on deposit has closed due to a run on the bank. The Sadlers cannot withdraw the funds they have on deposit to pay for the farm. The owner is also panicked by the closing of the banks and demands his money immediately.

One interesting aspect to this story is that the family and the bank are in the exact same situation. The bank's cash supplies are depleted, and they cannot meet customer demands, which means the family lacks the funds they need to pay for the farm. The difference is the bank can just apologize to their depositors and open when they replenish their cash. The Sadlers do not have that luxury.

(The previous statement assumes the bank has the funds on deposit elsewhere. If that is not true, the bank would be insolvent and likely forced to close permanently. No one would trust the bank after such an incident. This type of situation has been rendered highly improbable since the advent of deposit insurance. Today, even if the bank failed, the depositors would be protected by the insuring agency.)

What the Sadlers do not realize is they are not completely powerless. The owner of the farm has demanded the money for payment for the property, but he has little recourse in the matter. He could ask Matt Dillon to throw the family off the farm, but it would be very doubtful the Marshal would comply. The owner could go to a judge and seek an eviction notice, but that would require some time, and -- assuming the bank closure is temporary (Mr. Bodkin assures everyone the bank is solvent) -- the Sadlers can get their money in a few days. Even if the owner could force the Sadlers to leave, who else is going to have the cash he so desperately seeks? The owner would be much wiser to wait for the Sadlers to get their money.

Of course, wisdom is not a trait commonly exhibited during desperate times. The Sadlers foolishly choose to attempt to rectify the situation by breaking into the bank and taking the money they consider is rightfully theirs. Naturally, things do not transpire as expected.

Even Mr. Bodkin handles the situation at the bank poorly. Clear, honest communication might have helped mitigate the panic. (Think George Bailey in the famous bank run scene in It's A Wonderful Life.) Instead, he locks the door of the bank and chooses to hide in his office.

This is a taught, compelling story with an extremely competent cast at every turn. John Anderson makes yet another of his many Gunsmoke appearances as Amos Sadler, the family patriarch. Louise Latham plays his wife, Emilie, who is the only member of the clan that approaches the situation rationally and wisely. Cliff Osmond and Warren Vanders are brothers to Amos. (I particularly like this aspect to the story: families during this time were often more extended than the so-called nuclear families we see today. It would have been common for brothers, sisters, and parents to live together.) Jodie Foster (credited as Jody Foster) is Amos and Emilie's daughter Susan, and she plays a key role in the story.

The viewer is also treated to "bonus material" as Festus Haggen explains how he thinks banks should operate.

There are no "bad guys" in this episode. This is one of the better examples of the kinder-and-gentler television critics and censors were promoting at the time. And in 2021 when fear tends to guide so many people, the story is a nice example of the results of allowing fear to drive one's actions.