Thu 22 Oct 2020
A Western TV Episode Review: BAT MASTERSON “Double Showdown†(1958).
Posted by Steve under Reviews , TV Westerns[3] Comments
BAT MASTERSON “Double Showdown.†NBC, 08 October 1958 (Season 1, Episode 1.) Gene Barry (Bat Masterson). Guest Cast: Robert Middleton, Jean Willes, Elisha Cook, Adele Mara, King Donovan. Teleplay: Gene Levitt. Director: Walter Doniger. Currently streaming on Amzazon Prime Video.
In this first episode of a new western series on NBC, Bat Masterson comes to the aid of a old friend who owns a casino saloon: he’s being threatened by a competitor (Robert Middleton) who does not think the town is big enough for them both, but if it is, he wants to own them both.
Using his guns and his trademark cane as well as his wits, Masterson manages to persuade the unctuous villain to a game of chance, winner take all. Dealing the cards is an old girl friend (Jean Willes), now reduced to working for Middleton’s character.
Unfortunately there’s not a lot of suspense that can build in an episode that’s only 30 minutes long, and that includes commercials and a bit of flirtatious byplay involving Adele Mara’s characters, who comes in the stage one day and leaves the next. Not only that, the episode has two different endings. Anticipating that critics would be complaining how badly the show plays loose and easy with the facts, the point the producers decided to make in advance is that there is often more than one way history gets relayed down to us over the years.
It’s an approach that I don’t remember ever seeing before, and I wasn’t expecting it. It was rather neat to see it done here.
October 22nd, 2020 at 6:17 pm
I thoroughly enjoyed this episode too, when seen some years back.
In fact the Bat Masterson series has all sorts of nice episodes.
The “forking path” finale is good too.
There are all sorts of “alternate path” films, both before and after this one.
I’m especially fond of “Run, Lola, Run”, the German movie.
October 22nd, 2020 at 7:31 pm
The series neatly used the Richard O’Connor book tie-in to piggy back on playing on the semi historical style of the more successful LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF WYATT EARP. Along with Barry’s charm and Masterson’s adventurous and somewhat more sophisticated than most adventures it was often fun.
It’s a shame the older Barry never got to play Masterson after he went East and became Damon Runyon’s mentor and helped clean up boxing in New York State with Teddy Roosevelt.
October 22nd, 2020 at 8:33 pm
Yes! That’s a show I would have watched.