Cheyenne is asked to winter in the north with a herd of cattle over the winter with two men until the owner returns. One man quits and Cheyenne runs off the other one who is the foreman afte... Read allCheyenne is asked to winter in the north with a herd of cattle over the winter with two men until the owner returns. One man quits and Cheyenne runs off the other one who is the foreman after he attacks a neighbor's wife in her cabin.Cheyenne is asked to winter in the north with a herd of cattle over the winter with two men until the owner returns. One man quits and Cheyenne runs off the other one who is the foreman after he attacks a neighbor's wife in her cabin.
- Kelso Prather
- (as Bob Wilke)
- Dutchman
- (as Stacy Keach)
- Tom Doonevan
- (as Robert Williams)
- Townsman
- (uncredited)
- Joe
- (uncredited)
- Cowhand
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- Quotes
Cheyenne Bodie: You'll have to step over my foot first mister and I don't think your legs are long enough.
Dutchman: A big man huh! How tall do you stand mister?
Cheyenne Bodie: Can't say. I haven't measured myself since last week and I grow a little every day.
Cheyenne is a member of a trail crew on a cattle drive destined for Canada headed by Maj. George Early (Hayden Rorke). Realizing that a severe winter is about strike, the Major decides to select a spot and winter the herd there, with 3 men staying on to take care of the cattle. He asks Cheyenne to stay, partly because he doesn't fully trust his foreman, Kelso Prather (Robert Wilke). The Major's fears are confirmed when Prather sets an unsavory eye on a nearby neighbor's wife (Fay Spain) and is later tempted to betray the Major when the henchmen of notorious highwayman the Dutchman (Stacy Keach, Sr.) try to convince him to help rustle the cattle. It isn't long before Cheyenne finds himself the lone protector of the herd facing a near impossible situation.
I'll admit straight away, I really like this one. The plot is distinctive and different, and as far as I know is not a remake or rehashing of some previous film. The story really shows the makeup of Cheyenne's character...stalwart, faithful, honorable, and reliable. To say he has his hands full is an understatement, Cheyenne is beset on all sides with numerous difficulties, not the least of which is a brutally cold winter.
Screenplay author Montgomery Pittman did an excellent job on writer Bennet Foster's original story, including the right balance of intrigue and action. There is also a healthy dose of humor despite Cheyenne's potentially dangerous and deadly situation, but it's not overdone which elevates a really good story to the upper echelons of the series. Director Leslie Martinson also did a great job with the project. Although he worked primarily in TV and helmed 13 episodes of Cheyenne, he did direct this one little film in 1966 with Adam West and Burt Ward...
I've said it before and I'll repeat it, Bob Wilke was severely underrated and under appreciated, and was one of the most reliable sidemen in the business. Every time I see his name in the credits I know he won't disappoint and he doesn't here. Kelso Prather isn't just villainous, he's basically unhinged. The Major tells Cheyenne that Prather changed after the death of his brothers and turned mean, and that's no exaggeration. He may smile outwardly, but don't be fooled.
Hayden Rorke was very well known as Dr. Alfred Bellows on I Dream of Jeannie, although in this production he's almost unrecognizable if it weren't for his voice. Major George Early is nothing at all similar to Dr. Bellows, he's a tough, no-nonsense, straight talking type of man and Rorke plays him to the hilt. The scene where he faces up to the Dutchman shows this quite well..."I'll hunt ya."
Fay Spain makes her only appearance in the series as Tom Doonevan's young wife Susan. I've long been enamored with Ms. Spain and am always happy to see her name in a cast list. Although she's known for playing some saucy characters, she's reserved here, yet still quietly showing her desire for Cheyenne with every glance. The scene where she's measuring Cheyenne for a shirt is well played, and is quite telling when she casually (and one could argue wantonly) caresses his bicep with more than a bit of longing.
Malcom Atterbury is just awesome as wily store owner Armstrong, he's a conniving character and every scene he's in is fun. The remainder of the supporting cast Tom Pittman (Bushrod), Murvyn Vye (Stumpy Jack), Robert Williams (Tom Doonevan), and Stacy Keach Sr. (the Dutchman) are *very* good in their roles, each contributing to the episode in different ways. I really love the reunion of Doonevan and the Major..."Ya look like a no-good Army deserter! A mule skinnin' private that's gone and deserted!" After all the repeat viewings I still enjoy the scene when Doonevan slinks out to say "Howdy Major!"
I will say I was confused when Cheyenne stood by and let Prather lounge around doing nothing (literally), and even more so when he let Prather bully Bushrod into leaving. Seems as if Cheyenne would've been motivated to keep Bushrod around to help when it was obvious he'd be forced to boot Prather out eventually. Prather said straight up he "likes the neighbors" even after he was caught in his first attempt to molest Susan Doonevan, so it shouldn't have been a surprise when he headed over there again.
And I'll close by noting one performance that rises above the rank and file - THE MULE (Looks like an Army mule to me. Don't say that, you'll hurt her feelings.) I love that mule, she steals every scene! Should've gotten an Emmy nod, that mule...just awesome, an absolute gem!
A really good one, don't miss it.
- ben-thayer
- Nov 7, 2021
Details
- Runtime1 hour
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1