Gunsmoke (TV Series) The Widow (1962) User Reviews

...a respect for Native American traditions...

[gclarkbloom · 8/10 · 7 June 2022]

...unlike previous reviewers, I won't whine about a rather listless scritwritinh, nor label Joan Arthur's chracter of headstrong widow Mady Arthur as a "witch"....because to do so minimizes the true significance of this episode which aired in March of 1962...

...this era marked a time when Anglo Americans held highly deragatory points if view regarding native cultures; and terms such as "red savages" and "godless good-for-nuthin' injuns " were often spoken...growing up in Wyoming at this time I can tell you that this vile prejudice was real from my own experience...

...the forward thinking themes; that treaties entered into with native tribes were to be respected...and that an aerial burial by the Kiowa of an enemy leader was a sign of high respect...were nothing short of revolutionary at the time...

...kudos to writer John Dunkel and to Director Ted Post for a brave foray into a new era of respect toward indigenous cultures, which make this an important and significant episode...and well worth watching...

Surprise ending to a nice episode

[kenstallings-65346 · 8/10 · 3 August 2018]

This episode was a slow-building suspense. An Army Captain's widow seems willing to take all risks, including breaking the law, getting herself and others killed, and perhaps even causing a Kiowa uprising, by trying to coerce anyone to take her to the place of her husband's death in battle.

As one is constantly left to ask the obvious question of why, the answer is shockingly revealed at the very end.

The episode reminds people that not everyone's priorities in life are the same. And too often, some people at least, remain blind to compelling acts of honor in their blind search for things less rewarding.

The ending shows the Captain's enemy giving him far greater and meaningful respect than perhaps his own wife is capable of.

Good tale of greed and deceit.

[headhunter46 · 8/10 · 17 June 2014]

I gave it an 8 because after a beginning with considerable, funny action the story slowed down most noticeably. Doc and Kitty were in a street brawl with a grizzly looking frontiersman and some really funny things happen that I won't ruin for you, better if you see it for yourself. The young widow moped around trying to hire someone for a mission the Marshall had told her was illegal. That dampened the episode considerably compared to others.

We are treated to a really good ending that wraps things up and gives meaning to the widows frantic effort to find her husbands body.

The 'widow' played a very convincing role, I was impressed with her acting.

Mrs Arthur's challenge

[emdragon · 26 December 2015]

In this 7th season, Gunsmoke embarked on a new one hour format for it's episodes. In this first one- hour season, the Gunsmoke team was inconsistent for awhile in filling the time gaps with enough material, especially when the story could have been produced in the old half-hour format as was the case here. Thus, it may drag just a bit in spots.

Joan Hackett (as Mrs Arthur) is the widow of a gallant Cavalry Captain who has been killed in a battle with the Kiowa Indians. Mrs Arthur has just come from Washington where she has much influence. She is determined to get someone to take her to the very place her husband had been killed in the Indian battle so that she can determine the truth about his death. Her determination (as she attempts bribery to coerce Marshall Dillon to help her) finally gets enough attention that a "wolfer" ends up convincing her that he can guide her out there. The attractive Ms Hackett is something the wolfer has his eye on much more than the mission, of course. The Marshall saves the day, and there is quite an epic ending with the Indians being very grandly stoic, and the widow coming a bit unnerved, such that I will not reveal any more lest i ruin it for you. Overall, not a bad episode at all, especially since the ending carries a real meaning. Ms Hackett would be a wonderful addition to any episode, that is for sure!

Joan Hackett attractive and brilliant in her only Gunsmoke appearance

[bobforapples-40146 · 9/10 · 10 July 2023]

She plays Mady, the young wife of a missing Army man. She is dedicated and strong willed in her attempt to find her spouse ( whom most people at Dodge City and Fort Dodge think is dead). She wants to go to illegal-to-enter Indian territory to search for her missing husband. Matt is rock-solid in not helping her in this doubly crazy venture of hers. But will others at Dodge and Fort Dodge take a different stance on her request than the Marshall's? Tune in and see. The rest of the guest cast is all unknown to you but with the great Joan Hackett in this -- who cares about them?

BTW to the poster who claimed to wonder if Mady is ancestor of Maude's I say this: "Don't be ultra -ridiculous!"

Shrill Witch Seeks Corpse

[Johnny_West · 2/10 · 26 May 2020]

John Dunkel wrote 24 stories/scripts for Gunsmoke between 1955 and 1964. He was part of the "Adult Western" writing team that included John Meston, Les Crutchfield, and Kathleen Hite. Their trademark was "No Happy Endings."

In this story, we get Mady Arthur, the wife of a Cavalry Officer who was killed in battle with Indians. She is seeking the dead body of her husband, so that she can prove he is dead. Apparently, even though everyone was killed in the battle except for one soldier, the Army has them listed as "Missing in Action." That did not make a lot of sense.

Mady Arthur is played by Joan Hackett, who had a very obstinate and contrary personality in real life, and was known for being hard to direct. She plays a shrill, arrogant, disrespectful, and obnoxious Eastern snob like she was born for the role. She comes into Dodge and demands that the U.S. Army ride into a protected Indian land and dig up her husband's bones.

When that fails, she visits Marshal Dillon and treats him like a tour guide and demands that he break the law and go into the Indian land. She even offers him a bribe. When Dillon tells her that she is violating Federal laws and can cause another Indian uprising, Mady tells Dillon that she is not afraid of U.S. Marshals, and that she always does as she pleases.

Joan Hackett was perfect for this role. Her natural personality was Mady Arthur. The Mady Arthur character has a lot of feminist attitude. She could be a young version of Maude (played by Bea Arthur). Maybe Mady was Maude's great-grandmother?

The supporting cast in this episode was very good. Alan Reed, Jr. plays the young survivor of the massacre. Joan Hackett is constantly playing on his feelings of survivor's guilt, and also seducing him into doing what she wants. Alan Reed Jr.'s father was the voice of Fred Flintstone in the 1960s cartoon.

J. Edward McKinley plays the sleazy and unscrupulous Emil Peck, a fur trapper who offers to help Mady Arthur with the intention of taking her out into the wilderness and stealing her money, among other things.

Rodd Redwing plays the benevolent Indian Chief, Little Bear. Redwing had an incredible career in Westerns, going back to the 1930s. He was also a gunsmith to Hollywood TV and movie studios, and taught most of the Western stars how to shoot for gunfights. He does not say much, but he does a great job showing that he feels sympathy for Mady, and respect for her husband.

Overall, this episode is not great because Joan Hackett is so convincing at being a willful and hateful person that the twist ending is not any surprise. Mady Arthur is easily one of the most selfish and inconsiderate female tourists that ever stepped foot in Dodge.

Strong ending could not overcome the drab script

[kfo9494 · 5/10 · 19 November 2012]

This episode begins when a head-strong woman, Mady Arthur, visits Dodge to find out what happen to her US Cavalry husband. He was reported killed by Indians while coming under attack inside the Indian Nation.

With everyone telling Ms Arthur that is against the law- plus very dangerous to travel to the Indian Nation, she bushes all that aside and tries to hire someone to take her into the Nation and see if she can find anything about her husband. She hires a wild bushman to take her to the Nation but he is only after her money.

When Matt gets word that she entered the Indian Nation he takes off after her. But it will not be long before the tribe of Indians spot the group in violation of the treaty.

This episode had many things working against the plot. First, the show seemed to drag as Ms Arthur tries many avenues to get someone to take her to the outback. Nearly half the episode is over before we get the first hint that she may actually make her trek to the Nation. Next, either the script or the actor playing Mady Arthur (Joan Hackett) did not come across the screen well. Ms Arthur should have been someone the viewer could sympathize with about her situation, however she came across as a snobby brat someone that the viewer could not relate.

By the end of the episode we get the feeling that the writer wanted us uncomfortable with the character. With the show ending on a strong note, it was still not enough to counter the drab script of the rest of the show.

Note- There is one part people will always remember, Kitty gets pushed into a horse trough early in the show.

Worst Gunsmoke Episode Ever

[Johnny_Hing · 3/10 · 26 November 2021]

I love Gunsmoke. I don't think I've ever watched a bad episode before. Until today. When I say "bad", I mean bad by Gunsmoke standards. It was still mildly entertaining enough to watch til the end.

In the opening credits, the first thing I noticed is that neither John Meston nor Kathleen Hite wrote this. Love those 2... they made Gunsmoke the legend that it is. John Dunkel wrote this doozy.

Like another reviewer said, Joan Hackett's character was obnoxious. I might add that a lot of her dialogue was barely audible. Lots of whisper talking. Long extended, boring conversations that you could barely hear. And no, I'm not going deaf, haha.

There were a few good scenes, don't get me wrong. But those involved Miss Kitty, and or Doc/Chester/Matt. Hackett's scenes were rather dreary, IMO.

Overall, in 20 seasons, Gunsmoke is a 9.8 in my book. But this one, The Widow, was quite possibly the word ever, in large part due to the writing and (mis)casting.

Enjoy...if you can.