Anne Baxter is definitely the star of this episode. As a grieving widow who has nothing but hatred for Webb Dutton (Arch Johnson), she will do anything to keep stolen Dutton Mining payroll money hidden. She mistakes a wounded Heath for the thief and initially tries to hide him.
Anne Baxter was a great actress and there was one particular scene between her and Peter Breck where Hannah was telling Nick that he and Dutton couldn't hurt her anymore than she already was. Describing digging her husband's grave, one of the 25 graves in the aftermath of the mine collapse. The pain in her eyes and the sympathy in his came right through the screen at you.
Richard Long directed this episode.
6 Reviews
Unspeakable tragedy
bkoganbing3 June 2016
I'm only sad that Barbara Stanwyck couldn't have been worked into this particular Big Valley episode. It would have been great to see her share the small screen with Anne Baxter.
Heath Barkley is badly wounded on the trail in an encounter with a bandit carrying the payroll for Arch Johnson's mine. He's wounded badly but brings in the payroll to the town of Midas which is a company town for said mine and mine owner.
But the town has suffered an unspeakable tragedy when 25 men are killed in a mine cave in. The Barkley family has a minority interest in the mine and Peter Breck is there to do a little fact finding on his own. But he gets hostility from both the townspeople and from Arch Johnson who is a real robber baron type.
As for the rest all I can say is that the rest of the story turns on the mistaken impression that Lee Majors is one of the payroll robbers.
Baxter makes her scenes crackle as the new widow and leader of the town's bitter hatred against the mine and its owner Arch Johnson.
Just wish Stanwyck was there too.
Heath Barkley is badly wounded on the trail in an encounter with a bandit carrying the payroll for Arch Johnson's mine. He's wounded badly but brings in the payroll to the town of Midas which is a company town for said mine and mine owner.
But the town has suffered an unspeakable tragedy when 25 men are killed in a mine cave in. The Barkley family has a minority interest in the mine and Peter Breck is there to do a little fact finding on his own. But he gets hostility from both the townspeople and from Arch Johnson who is a real robber baron type.
As for the rest all I can say is that the rest of the story turns on the mistaken impression that Lee Majors is one of the payroll robbers.
Baxter makes her scenes crackle as the new widow and leader of the town's bitter hatred against the mine and its owner Arch Johnson.
Just wish Stanwyck was there too.
Merely Average
summerfields14 April 2010
That great actress, Anne Baxter (in her forties) is featured here. I have always found Baxter a paradoxical actress: she is borderline "insincere - but - watch - me - anyway" in her acting technique.
The episode doesn't linger well in my memory - I do remember a gal finding out who Heath is by finding his identification and there's a trouble past issue with the locals - and munya...($$$) Baxter won a AA for the tragic Sophie in "The Razor's Edge" and she was a cunning asexual in "All About Eve" but she just doesn't quite thrill me here for some reason: maybe i expected too much of her.
There are fine moments in this particular installment.
But you have to tune in and view them for yourselves.
The episode doesn't linger well in my memory - I do remember a gal finding out who Heath is by finding his identification and there's a trouble past issue with the locals - and munya...($$$) Baxter won a AA for the tragic Sophie in "The Razor's Edge" and she was a cunning asexual in "All About Eve" but she just doesn't quite thrill me here for some reason: maybe i expected too much of her.
There are fine moments in this particular installment.
But you have to tune in and view them for yourselves.
Solid but not great episode
ebach-264-9534842 January 2016
Warning: Spoilers
Midas was a good but not great episode. It is made interesting by two good guest stars: Anne Baxter, who was one of my favorite 60s and 70s TV guest stars) and Arch Johnson (good western character actor). This episode was directed by Richard Long.
Minor Spoiler The plot is fairly convoluted it mixes together a mine collapse, Heath being shot by robber, and Heath being hidden while he recovers. This seems like maybe 3 big valley plots combined together.
In summary not a bad episode, but it also is not very memorable. However, the Big Valley really was well written. In my view few if any episodes are complete dud.
Minor Spoiler The plot is fairly convoluted it mixes together a mine collapse, Heath being shot by robber, and Heath being hidden while he recovers. This seems like maybe 3 big valley plots combined together.
In summary not a bad episode, but it also is not very memorable. However, the Big Valley really was well written. In my view few if any episodes are complete dud.
Heath really had a lot to do!!!
mjl52920 April 2013
Warning: Spoilers
This season 4 episode was the second time Richard Long(Jarrod)sat in the directors chair. He did a good job, but certain things about this episode that is out of character. First, Heath at the beginning seems to cavalier and trusting of a man who just wandered in his camp, and after their fight he leaves his gun near him and turns his back??! Second, Heath has a bullet in his gut and is unconscious most of the episode, then they put him the mine, and he wakes up and is able to push a heavy mine cart into Dutton who is shooting at him?? Another character flaw is as good as the Barkley family is,why would they be partners with a greedy and heartless fool like Web Dutton. This episode should have had Jarrod in the Nick role, because he always looks into the Barkley ventures that had problems(his attorney skills). These are
possible over sites,but did anyone notice Nick's gun belt change during this episode, he has a darker one with more bullets, than a lighter color one with less bullets?? Also Nick's hat was loss in the collapsed mine, yet at the end of the episode he is wearing it. My score is 5 out of 10.
possible over sites,but did anyone notice Nick's gun belt change during this episode, he has a darker one with more bullets, than a lighter color one with less bullets?? Also Nick's hat was loss in the collapsed mine, yet at the end of the episode he is wearing it. My score is 5 out of 10.
A rare dud for the series
kfo94944 December 2012
Heath is on his way to the town of Midas to meet Nick concerning a cave-in at the Dutton Mine which is partially owned by the Barkleys. On his way he is surprised by an attack from a man asking to buy his horse. The man shoots Heath but Heath is able to return fire and kill him. Heath finds out that the man was also carrying stolen money from a courier of the Dutton Mining Company. Even with his wounds Heath is able to ride his horse the following miles into Midas. But when he arrives he is met by a venomous woman, Hannah (Anne Baxter), that is upset with the Mining company for the death of the 25 men in the cave-in. She believes Heath is one of the robbers and she wants to keep the money for herself.
Hannah tells no one about Heath except for two people that work for her. A young girl named Nora is given the task of seeing after Heath -it seems that Hannah wants him well so that he'll rob Dutton out of more money- that is until they find out he is really Heath Barkley. Now Hannah plans have changed. And because of her hatred for anyone that owns the mine, she makes a plan to get rid of him.
This episode just did not play well. Beautiful Anne Baxter playing the heavy villain was more unnerving than interesting. When she finally tells Nick where Heath is located it was not one of her best acting adventures. She is one that people admire not one people want to reject. Neither did the script help this episode. Some almost ridiculous dialog, weird actions by characters and a female 'push-fight' made it seem like a comedy of errors than a western TV show. A rare dud for a 'The Big Valley' episode.
Hannah tells no one about Heath except for two people that work for her. A young girl named Nora is given the task of seeing after Heath -it seems that Hannah wants him well so that he'll rob Dutton out of more money- that is until they find out he is really Heath Barkley. Now Hannah plans have changed. And because of her hatred for anyone that owns the mine, she makes a plan to get rid of him.
This episode just did not play well. Beautiful Anne Baxter playing the heavy villain was more unnerving than interesting. When she finally tells Nick where Heath is located it was not one of her best acting adventures. She is one that people admire not one people want to reject. Neither did the script help this episode. Some almost ridiculous dialog, weird actions by characters and a female 'push-fight' made it seem like a comedy of errors than a western TV show. A rare dud for a 'The Big Valley' episode.
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