Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge

As only a casual fan of the original series I may not be able to compare and contrast this movie as well as some others but the producers of this tv film seem to have covered all their bases.

First of all the story was very well done. By basing the movie on one of the original tv shows the viewers were given a sense of continuity that some movies that are based on previous tv shows don't have. Also, the story itself, while not all that original, was well written and suspenseful. Out of the 5 GUNSMOKE movies that were made I felt that this one was the best.

Secondly, this movie did a fine job of bringing back the original cast members. Amanda Blake as "Kitty" and Buck Taylor as "Newly O'brien" helped to give this movie an authentic feel. Having said that it would have been nice if Dennis Weaver as "Chester" and or Ken Curtis as "Festus", both served as deputy under Marshall Dillon, had made an appearance in the movie.

Lastly, while the movie overall was a good one it seemed to me that James Arness portrayed Matt Dillon less like the character in the original series and more like the mountain man character of "Zeb Macahon" in his other western series HOW THE WEST WAS WON. Still this movie is a good view and those who like James Arness or GUNSMOKE will appreciate it.

Twelve years after gunslinger Will Mannon is sent to prison, he is parolled. He has sworn to revenge himself by killing Matt Dillon and the judge who sent him there. Fellow prisoner, and old friend of Dillon's, Jake Flagg, tries to convince the warden to temporarily release him so he can warn Dillon, but is refused. Flagg breaks out and is being hunted for the murder of the warden. Dillon, hearing of this, sets off to track his old friend down. In the meantime, Mannon shows up in Dodge and begins terrorizing Miss Kitty. This is the first of five TV-movies recalling the later escapades of Matt Dillon after retiring as the marshal of Dodge City, Kansas. Earl Holliman is excellent (as usual) as Jake Flagg, as is Steve Forrest in reprising his role from the original 1975 episode. This is a very good story and there are several flashbacks from the original episode interspersed throughout. Thanks to director Vincent McEveety, the film retains the same cinematic "feel" of the original episode. It's a "must see" for any die-hard "Gunsmoke" fans.

This last Gunsmoke movie returns to Dodge City where Matt Dillon has to face once again someone from his past when he was marshal there. Steve Forrest who is one sick puppy of a villain has been released from prison and is looking for Dillon whom he shot before, but who was caught anyway.

This film with flashback scenes from a Gunsmoke episode from 1969 gives us the background of the story. Obviously someone was inspired by the Star Trek film The Wrath Of Khan.

For good measure the blame is thrown on another old time convict Earl Holliman when Forrest shoots the warden after his release. James Arness is trailing him for most of the film with the non-help of shavetail army lieutenant Ken Olandt who has his orders to bring Holliman in. Olandt is quite good in his role, brave and loyal, but a bit of a jerk.

James Arness looking craggy which befits his role as the retired marshal. The flashback sequences give a real time feel to this film because it is real time.

The confrontation scene is well staged and unforgettable. In fact both of them, the one with Holliman and Arness standing off some bounty hunters and the one with Forrest. The one with Holliman is borrowed straight out of Ride The High Country.

One very fitting coda to the life and career of Matt Dillon.

This was far better than I was expecting; a solid reunion movie although only a handful of cast members returned. In a sense, this is kind of a "Wrath of Khan" for "Gunsmoke." Returning foe Mannon (expertly played by Steve Forrest) heads into Dodge to wreak vengeance on Matt and Kitty. There are quite a few flashback scenes, but they further the plot. Although James Arness looks a little odd at times (why did they color his hair??), he's still the same Matt Dillon we last saw in the mid 70s. The real scene stealer is Forrest with his blue-eyed glare and gruesome demeanor. Earl Holliman also gives a great performance as Jake Flagg, loyal friend to Matt (although it's never explained why he's in prison). Even the most casual "Gunsmoke" fan will be be impressed.

I have been a big fan of Gunsmoke for years and always hoped that Matt and Kitty would finally get together romantically. So when I watched "Gunsmoke-Return to Dodge" I again was hoping that they would wind up together now that Matt is no longer the marshall. Indeed he does come to rescue her at the end from another brutal attack by a bad guy, but then he just looks up at her in the window and walks off. She has tears in her eyes. Not even a hug. Booooo...

Both Matt and Kitty have aged now but it's obvious that she still loves him. He cares for her but appears to be more interested now in just being a fur-trapping mountain man who lives alone. Not how I would have ended the long-running series.