Gunsmoke (TV Series) This Golden Land (1973) User Reviews

A daring story in daring times

[marmac2768 · 9/10 · 14 April 2020]

The times in which this story was set, 1870's America, with the influx of immigrants from Europe coming to our shores, illustrates the problems of assimilation of one family and understanding that America is more about justice than they understood. Matt and Festus were caught in the middle of a Russian/Jewish family with a very strong willed patriarch and his equally strong willed son who is willing to stand against his father when his father doesn't seem willing to avail his family of this new land where the law does not oppress, but truly seeks to have justice for everyone.

There are 3 outstanding performances here that should be remembered. First, Paul Stevens is excellent as the Father. He is one of my favorite character actors and, in addition to this role, he played in 2 other episodes of Gunsmoke and was excellent in both of them as well. He plays the soft spoken, grieving father who is willing to jeopardize his relationship with his son to do what he believes is right according to his religious beliefs. A scene that might be the most powerful ever in TV history was when his wife rebukes him for his beliefs and he, very tenderly, asserts that there are only 2 things that he fears; offending God and losing her love. She then replies that she has loved him for over 30 years and he will never lose her love and she has never loved him more than that moment. The tears are flowing while watching that! Powerful stuff.

A young Richard Dreyfuss is here as the middle son and he also gives a glimpse into his future as one of the premier actors of the 80's and 90's. He gives a very passionate portrayal of a son who cannot understand his father not wanting to see justice for what the "ruffians" did to his brother.

Also, Victor French gives his usual fine performance here as the bad guy. It is interesting that he also gave a similar performance here as he gave in another Gunsmoke episode that also had Paul Stevens. In "Trafton", he played a bad guy who developed a conscience after encountering a Reverend played by Stevens. The chemistry between those two actors is palpable in both of those episodes.

It's easy to see how this is one of the most acclaimed episodes of Gunsmoke in it's long run. It's definitely one that I will watch whenever I see it is coming.

"This Golden Land" is an exploration of Orthodox Judaism on the prairie.

[alan-grossmanmedia · 9/10 · 8 July 2013]

The "Gunsmoke" episode "This Golden Land" has been honored by several organizations and has won several awards because, as of 2013, it remains one of a handful of American broadcast network episodes which realistically depicts Orthodox Judaism. The Russian-Jewish Gorofsky family is portrayed as relatively then-recent immigrants who escape persecution in Czarist Russia only to find that in "the golden land" of America, they will also face violence. While in Russia, the Gorofskys were specifically picked on for being Jews. The family believed that by coming to America, the promise of religious freedom for all meant that the same type of injustices they endured in Russia would not happen to them in America. However, soon after they arrive in Kansas, the father and youngest son are attacked by the three Ruxton brothers. The Ruxtons, riding home after getting drunk and tearing up a bar in Hays, run into the Gorofskys on the prairie. The father and youngest son are saying morning prayers wearing prayer shawls ('tallit' in Hebrew) and little boxes on their forehead and left arms ('tefillin' in Hebrew) which contain the most sacred words in the Torah. The Ruxtons, having never seen anything like this, are upset that the father and son do not interrupt their prayers to explain themselves. What happens next results in a tragedy that threatens to destroy the Gorofskys as the father (Paul Stevens) feels he cannot go against the code of justice written in the Torah to formally accuse the Ruxtons of a crime. His second son Gershom, portrayed by Richard Dreyfus, cannot reconcile what happened to his brother and what his religion teaches him to believe. Meanwhile, the Ruxton brothers are also slowly being torn apart by their guilt over what happened. "The Golden Land" is a philosophical tale which might not appeal to some who expect constant gunfire and fistfights and hangings in their Westerns. However, it is a wonderful tale of how one man's faith might not only cost him the life of a son, but also his wife (Bettye Ackerman), and perhaps even one other child. While the man might appear to many to be a coward, some might say he is one of the bravest men one can possibly hope to meet. By the end of the episode, even Marshal Matt Dillon learns something from all of this.

Richard Dreyfuss

[martinxperry-14868 · 9/10 · 13 June 2018]

This episode has Richard Dreyfuss, the son caught between justice and old world religious beliefs. It really is a story of an entire family trying to adapt to the lawless edge the new world with the law just a short pony ride to Dodge and Marshal Dillion. You can see acting ability of a young Richard Dreyfuss come through in his pivotal role. I can see why this episode took an award. Not a lot of action, but there is enough. Victor French play a pretty nasty heavy in this episode, and speaks to his flexability as an actor.

Misapplication of Jewish law

[kenstallings-65346 · 5/10 · 6 June 2018]

My read of Jewish codes and laws show that this episode misrepresented even orthodox Jewish codes. Jewish laws bar anyone from making false witness. So, the portion of this episode that relates to whether the father can testify if the men in question murdered his son is accurate, as the father did not actually see how his son died.

But, the part that is mischaracterized is when Dillon asked the father if the three men were the ones who roped his son and dragged him behind a horse. The father did see this happen, so it was not contrary to the Talmudic laws for the father to have testified in court about that.

Given the rope burn around the son's neck when he died in Doc Adam's office, the jury would have likely ruled the men guilty based on the witness statement that they roped and dragged him. At the very least they would have been convicted of manslaughter.

Further, Talmudic laws endorse the concept of capital punishment, and while that was never addressed in this episode, it also would not be a basis for the father to refuse any and all testimony.

During the episode the father referenced the Sanhedrin, using it as a command to refuse to offer any testimony against someone of criminal acts since supposedly no man is fit to judge, but only God is. This is a terribly inaccurate statement. The Sanhedrin is the basis of the Judaeo-Christian laws of the United States.

In truth, the Jewish concepts of not bearing false witness, against hearsay evidence and third party statements, are entirely in keeping with even orthodox Jewish laws. While in similar situations, most people would tell law enforcement that these three men murdered their son, this man would only go so far as to say he saw them rope his son and drag him behind a horse.

Make no mistake, Jewish ethics and laws absolutely allow people to testify as witnesses in criminal and civil trials. In fact, Jewish law would make it a sin for someone to witness a crime and refuse to cooperate with a law enforcement investigation and subsequent trial. The one of the surviving sons rightly observed, the sin is allowing the guilty to go free and "perhaps kill again."

One does not sense any malicious objective here. One suspects this is a simple honest misunderstanding. Still, while not being Jewish, it seems that there is an inherent obligation that if a TV show presents religious philosophy, it should strive to do so accurately.

Stellar Acting in an Old West Morality Tale!

[atomicis · 10/10 · 22 August 2021]

I can see why the importance of this episode would fly high over the heads of some less intelligent reviewers. Not enough violence! But seeing Richard Dreyfus in a very early appearance, looking like a child almost, but boy can he EMOTE!! Not to mention ("Beloved Character Actor") Victor French and Paul Stevens both tear up towards the end shows the great acting that separated GS from other TV. Just adored this episode!

A slow pace episode that was not very entertaining

[kfo9494 · 3/10 · 22 January 2013]

I understood that this episode won an award from 'The National Conference of Christians and Jews', after viewing the show, I am not sure how many of those in the Conference actually watched the episode. The show was slow, long and not very entertaining.

When a Russian/Jewish family has their youngest son killed by a group of rough-neck brothers, it will lead to problems in the household. The father, Moshe Gorofsky, states Mosaic Law and refuses to prosecute the three men responsible for his son's death.

When one of Moshe's son turns his back on the Mosaic Law, he goes gets a gun to protect himself and take the brothers to Marshal Dillon. However, the son does not know exactly how to use the gun and he is taken back to Moshe and dumped in the floor. One of the rough neck brothers, Rouse Ruxton (Victor French), tells the family to leave their house and never return. But Moshe refuses.

Through some kind words, Moshe is able to convince the roughs that they were wrong and the best thing they can do is confess. Now the brothers feel remorse for the death and may even go to Matt to tell him of the story.

To me this story was at such a slow pace that it became uninteresting very quickly. With a promising beginning it slipped into a dialog driven show that was not entertaining in the least. Perhaps a nice moral story but that was about all this offered.

A Timeless Exploration of Cultural Diversity

[wdavidreynolds · 9/10 · 27 September 2021]

Cultures collide as the three Ruxton brothers, led by the oldest, Rouse, clash with a family of Russian Orthodox Jewish immigrants.

Rouse and his brothers have earned a reputation for getting drunk and wrecking saloons. Sober, they are hardworking cattle ranchers. Their drunken exploits have often run afoul of the law and have led Matt Dillon to ban them from drinking in Dodge City.

The Ruxtons are on their way back to their ranch after wreaking havoc in a saloon in Hayes when they encounter the Gorofsky family. Moshe, the father, and one of his sons, Semel, are engaged in an Orthodox Jewish prayer ritual. Rouse has never seen this kind of ritual before. When he asks questions, the Gorofsky men ignore the intruders and continue their prayers in accordance with their tradition. Rouse is angered by the lack of response, lassos Semel, and drags him away.

When Moshe finds Semel, he is gravely injured. The Gorofskys take him to Dodge City. Doc Adams does all he can, but Semel suffered a fractured skull and soon dies.

When Matt Dillon and Festus Haggen question Moshe, he tells them he did not see what happened to his son. He knows three men were involved in the incident, but he claims his faith prohibits him from speculating about what might have happened.

Gearshon, another Gorofsky son, is furious and frustrated that his father will not identify the Ruxtons to Marshal Dillon. He repeatedly attacks Rouse, first on the streets of Dodge and later at the Ruxton ranch, but the young man is no match for the older, physically tougher Ruxton.

Following the second incident, Rouse takes the younger son to the Gorosky farm and demands the family leave Kansas. If they refuse, Rouse will kill them. Moshe refuses to comply with Rouse's demands.

Paul Stevens makes his second Gunsmoke appearance in this episode. He plays the stoic Moshe Gorofsky character with the appropriate level of intensity. It is the kind of performance that was worthy of Emmy consideration.

Victor French makes another of his many Gunsmoke appearances here. He plays the Rouse Ruxton character. It is worth noting that Stevens and French had also both appeared in the "Trafton" episode from Season 17. (In fact, their roles in that episode are somewhat like the characters they play in this story.)

Actor Richard Dreyfuss appears in this story as the impetuous Gearshon Gorofsky. This is his only Gunsmoke role. Kevin Coughlin returns for his fourth Gunsmoke appearance as Calvin Ruxton, who can be viewed as the Ruxton counterpoint to Dreyfuss's character, as he acts as the conscience of the Ruxton brothers.

Bettye Ackerman portrays Zisha Gorofsky, the matriarch of the family. This is Ackerman's only Gunsmoke participation. Zisha mourns her dead son and shares Gearshon's frustration with Moshe's refusal to seek any justice available. But she also deeply loves Moshe and respects his devotion to his faith.

This final Season 18 episode is arguably the most unique of the entire series, and the depiction of Orthodox Judaism is certainly something not often seen in episodic television. Whether all of Moshe's beliefs are the result of generally accepted Orthodox Jewish beliefs or Moshe's own interpretation and application of those beliefs is debatable. (This is true of almost any system of belief and adherents to that system.)

The story addresses one man's refusal to compromise his deeply held principles, which has been addressed in other episodes of the series. (Two Season 9 episodes, "Lover Boy" and "The Magician" mine some of this territory, although the motivation and reasoning for the refusal of characters in those episodes to share information with law enforcement is quite different than what is portrayed here.) The bigger theme of U. S. westward expansion and the incorporation of diverse cultures has also been explored in other episodes with the encroachment of immigrants into land occupied by indigenous people, powerful cattle barons who resent settlers seeking their own piece of land, and rugged individualists who resent the settling and taming of the wilderness. However, this theme of cultural conflict has not been given the extensive personal treatment it is afforded in this story. (Season 14's "The Good Samaritans" comes closest to addressing some of the same cultural conflict territory as this episode.)

Gearshon's frustration over his father's refusal to compromise his beliefs is also a fascinating aspect included in the story. Moshe has moved his family to a new culture to escape religious persecution in czarist Russia, but he does not trust the representatives of the U. S. justice system or the machinations of that system, either. Gearshon's attempts to impose some measure of justice on the Ruxton brothers are borne from his frustration and impetuousness, but it ultimately breaks down the barriers that exist between the two families.

Beyond all these thematic comparisons is the remarkable, timeless applicability of the situation. The fear of those who are part of distinct cultures, other skin colors, diverse sexual preferences, and varied religious or political beliefs is as relevant in 2021 as it was in 1973 or 1875. The Ruxton brothers are key characters in this story, because they brutally attack the Gorofskys when they first encounter people who behave differently than what they know and expect. Once the Ruxtons begin to view the Gorofskys as fellow human beings, their attitudes soften.

Gunsmoke fans that only seek mindless entertainment and escape -- and there is certainly nothing wrong with that -- are likely to find the pace of this episode slow and lacking in interesting content. For those who value an experience more complex and profound, this episode is well worth viewing and pondering.

One of the Best and Most Unique episodes of the entire series.

[andygossard · 10/10 · 31 January 2023]

This one really got to me- particularly near the end, but you'll have to see it. Of particular note, the appearances of the great Richard Dreyfus, as well as Paul Stevens and especially Victor French- really lent greatness to "The Golden Land".

Marshall Dillon gives a sparse amount of time as his services are not immediately called upon. Festus showed briefly, and Doc had a moving scene with the recently arrived, Russian /Jewish family.

Where frontier justice and death seem almost always certain in Gunsmoke, reason and piety can sometimes make a statement. Gunsmoke never fails to exceed expectations.

I guess this episode needed a guide

[wwwmsu · 2/10 · 23 August 2013]

Perhaps if I was a Russian Jew then this program might have had some interest. But this was a weak show that had little entertainment value. When they broke for a commercial thirty minutes into the show, I was hoping it was over. But of course the misery continued. From one reviewer I guess if you looked at the show from a political side of view then the story was sweet. But in this format of an entertaining western theme show, this was lacking. An episode should not also have a guide that the viewer needs to follow. Gunsmoke is there for entertainment and on this program it failed to deliver. I am sure the writer (Hal Sitowitz) had an agenda with this story but really surprised to see that the production staff was so willing to get on-board with the program. The only bright spot were the actors. The dull spot was the story. It was a sluggish ride down a painted creek.

A Poorly Written Show

[stevielanding · 3/10 · 11 October 2021]

What a crock of feces. Dad sees his son roped and dragged off. Later, the son is found, but dies shortly after. Dad tells Dillon he can't testify against his killers because he didn't see the killing blow. He didn't have to. Dillon would have brought the killer in if the dad had just said that he saw him rope and drag his son. But nooooo, dad refuses to say a word. I guess no one, including the Jewish actors, knew anything about Jewish law. I suppose their interpretation is that they can't testify about beating someone up if that person eventually dies. Stupid, stupid, stupid.