fredit-43004

This episode has almost everything. A baby, cavalry officers, Indians on the warpath, stage robbery. It is a marvel that all of this was packed into a 24 minute episode.

The various plots were marginally interrelated. The baby's mom had been killed by Indians. One of the cavalry officers was charged with a massacre of Indians. Of course, no plot thread was developed in detail, but that was not to be expected in a brief episode. In any event, the cast is convincing in their various stereotypical roles, and that is all that is required for an action-filled story.

My only question (and this is known from the beginning) is why the cavalry officers did not have an army escort.

This episode is based upon an archaic view of male superiority, which likely was true to its time, but which evidently was still very popular in 1969 when this episode was first broadcast.

Here we have a clash between a prideful and headstrong woman (otherwise known as a shrew), and an independent rugged male who is inexplicably attracted to the shrew. Perhaps he saw some redeeming quality in this woman. He deals with character conflict by forcing himself on the woman, despite her repeated statements that she is not interested. Can't he take "no" for an answer?

Finally after being assaulted and mistreated by our hero, she is predictably won over in less than two minutes. Rather hateful.

Did this need to be Swedish? I didn't really see anything in the story which was unique to Sweden. The element of a couple being separated for seven years is not native to Sweden. But subtract Sweden, and what is left? A rather underwhelming story involving a male chauvinist and a very ambivalent bride.

There was a glimmer of a "Green Acres" development, but that quickly petered out. And let's face it--a groom intentionally bringing his new bride to a home where the livestock are kept indoors?

Denny Miller handles a "Swedish" accent much better than I would have imagined, but that's hardly a recommendation. Without the burden of maintaining a credible accent, he would have been able to focus more on making his character more than just an accent with blond hair. But that possibility was eliminated by the plot, which basically went nowhere.

This episode was amiable, at best.