When television cut heavily into theater attendance, and an anti-trust ruling divested movie studios of their theaters, the studios saw television production as a possible "out". "Maverick" (in general) and this episode (in particular) show what happens when a major studio throws its resources at a "lowly" TV series.
Outstanding director: Bud Boetticher
Excellent script: from a story by Horace McCoy (author of "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?") *
High production values: The amount of gambling equipment -- not to mention the gambling joint -- smashed to bits is remarkable.
Active story department: The first three "Maverick" episodes are based on books or short stories.
With a beautiful woman trying to outwit Maverick, "According to Hoyle" bears some similarity to the awful "Maverick" film.
Director on a bad day: I'm one of the few people who thinks Richard Donner is a good director, but here he's way off the mark.
Boring script: William Goldman is one of my least-favorite writers. He apparently failed to study the TV series to see what made it such a success. And the denouement depends on an unlikely coincidence that no serious screenwriter would ever put in a script.
Dismal acting: Mel Gibson's interpretation of Maverick as a sniveling coward is repugnant. Warner Bros. must have thought that James Garner wouldn't have been a box-office draw.
When the studios sold off their backlots, props, and costumes, assets that could have used for TV production were lost. "Maverick" shows that a TV show can be as good as a theatrical film.
* I given a rating of "only" 9, because there are plot points that left me thoroughly confused.
Outstanding director: Bud Boetticher
Excellent script: from a story by Horace McCoy (author of "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?") *
High production values: The amount of gambling equipment -- not to mention the gambling joint -- smashed to bits is remarkable.
Active story department: The first three "Maverick" episodes are based on books or short stories.
With a beautiful woman trying to outwit Maverick, "According to Hoyle" bears some similarity to the awful "Maverick" film.
Director on a bad day: I'm one of the few people who thinks Richard Donner is a good director, but here he's way off the mark.
Boring script: William Goldman is one of my least-favorite writers. He apparently failed to study the TV series to see what made it such a success. And the denouement depends on an unlikely coincidence that no serious screenwriter would ever put in a script.
Dismal acting: Mel Gibson's interpretation of Maverick as a sniveling coward is repugnant. Warner Bros. must have thought that James Garner wouldn't have been a box-office draw.
When the studios sold off their backlots, props, and costumes, assets that could have used for TV production were lost. "Maverick" shows that a TV show can be as good as a theatrical film.
* I given a rating of "only" 9, because there are plot points that left me thoroughly confused.
