And a Merry Christmas to the Force on Patrol

Stirling Silliphant wrote a powerful slice-of-life Christmas show for "The Naked City", giving a feel of the difficulties of the cops of the 65th Precinct on the Christmas holiday.

James Franciscus swaps assignments with a Jewish cop played by Michael Strong, but the latter is seriously wounded in a liquor store holdup. One robber is shot and on the loose, but his partner is captured, and in that role Frank Sutton demonstrates an impressive acting range, from comic to pathetic. The accumulation of crime is disheartening but there are elements of hope especially as the script develops believably.

Well, this episode, despite being written by the prolific and excellent screen writer Stirling Silliphant, did not excit me that much. This is the worst so far in the series and one of the less interesting of the whole show. Nothing emerges from this drama that also includes a pinch of criminal element. The intrigue is as thin as a cigarette paper and only the characters play may be convincing. It is actually, nothing to argue about this. But, compare to the other ones seen before and especially with the further episodes, even in the next seasons, this one, believe me, is maybe not lame, but flat and easily forgettable.

****SPOILERS**** Attempting to knock off a mid town Manhattan liquor store results in a deadly shootout where one of the robbers Quint Butcher, Roberts Blossom, ended up fatally wounded in the exchange. There's also Det. Hal Pearlman, Michael Strong, who was gunned down by the retreating and badly wounded Batcher who's now on life support at a local mid town hospital.With Quint's accomplice and big brother Marco, Frank Sutton, in police custody he's given the third degree in telling them where his brother is or else, if Det. Pearlman died, he may well face the death penally even though he wasn't the person who pulled the trigger.

It takes a while for Let. Dan Muldoon, John McIntire, to get Marco to talk but the fact that his kid brother was shot and may well end up bleeding to death if not found and treated in time has him finally open up and tell the police where he possibly may be hiding: In a run down and deserted building in the Manhattan waterfront.It's now up to the police to find Quint before he passes away so if convicted he'll be made to face justice in Sing Sing's electric chair.

***SPOILERS*** It turned out to be a sad Christmas for Marco who sadly finds out that his kid brother Quint was found dead in his secret hiding pace on the New York City docks from loss of blood. The good news is that Quint's victim in the liquor store shooting Det. Hal Pearlman did in fact pull through and lived to see another day as well as cook up a pot of his favorite brew, coffee, for his fellow policemen at the 65th prescient. And the person who enjoyed the coffee the most is Det. James Halloran, James Franciscus, who's place Det. Pearlman took in that deadly liquor store stake out so he could spend Christmas Eve with his family.

I could enjoy Naked City for the scenery and people alone! Amazing journey into a New York that is no more. This is yet another top Silliphant script, tight and always with little unexpected turns and characterizations of Cinema quality. The demanding role of hold up man Marco is none other than Frank Sutton of Gomer Pyle's Sergeant fame which is so sad as he was a top notch actor wasted on junk TV. The quality of Naked City acting in the small roles is stupendous - just check out the 'old lady' stealing liquor - she doesn't have much screen time but makes it unforgettable - her name is Mary Boylan. You cinema buffs may remember her as the suffering 'Mrs. Peabody' in the movie Night of the Iguana, also Annie Hall, Midnight Cowboy etc. etc. I am a new Naked City tv fan and I am up to #13 of the first season with only one real 'miss' for me. I'm canceling Netflix and henceforth binge on fine old television from the golden age.