Customer Reviews

The Guns of Will Sonnett - Season Two - 3 DVD Set - 23 episodes IN COLOR

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The second season set looks quite good as did season one. The picture quality is sharp although some of the graininess of the old 16mm shows up from time to time. One of the best things about this set is that the final episode, "Three Stand Together," is included as a bonus on disc three. This was filmed as not only the conclusion in which Will and Jeff catch up to Jim, but for a possible pilot, with the three Sonnetts standing together as lawmen. However, the show was cancelled after this. I think the very scene in which Jeff rides up to Jim and says, "Hello Pa," is an emotionally satisfying scene. It works well. The bonus feature on disc one includes a biography on Walter Brennan which is also on the season one set. That was a bummer but at least the two other discs have new bonus material. The Branded season two set has interviews with creator Larry Cohen. I wish someone would have interviewed Jason Evers for this Sonnett release, as he is still alive, though in his early 80's now. NOTE: I just updated this on January 20, 2006. I learned that Jason Evers sadly passed away in 2005. He will be missed. He was still alive when I wrote my first review in 2005. Back to original review: Strangely, the cover has a picture of a younger Brennan and is not from "The Guns of Will Sonnett." My only complaint is what it was for the first set of season one--the shows are edited. But then again, we are fortunate to have this well written and well acted series on dvd in any form. Buy it!

The Guns of Will Sonnett is one of the best "unknown" western series ever produced on TV. Walter Brennan (best known from his movie roles and as a regular on TV's "The Real McCoys") is an absolute revelation in the lead role of Will Sonnett, the father who, with his grandson, is searching for his son, "James," a gunfighter.

The series only ran from 1967-1969 and was one of the first produced by now TV-mogul Aaron Spelling. Each half-hour episode began with Brennan reciting a western ballad-like narration of the premise:

"We search for a man named Jim Sonnett,
and the legends folks tell may be true;
Most call him gunman and killer,
He's my son who I hardly knew.

I raised Jim's son from the craddle,
'til the day he said to me,
'I have to go find my father,'
And I 'reckonned,
that's how it should be;
So we ride,
Jim's boy and me."

Will's grandson, Jeff, is portrayed superbly by Dack Rambo, (who died tragically in the 1990's from AIDS.) In the show, Jeff had never met his father, portrayed throughout the series by Jason Evers. Jim Sonnett sent his infant son to live with his father, Will Sonnett, on an Army base where Will had worked as a Scout. A note penned to the baby from Jim told his father that few people have an opportunity for a second chance -- in this instance, to raise a child well.

Will's character is tortured by shortcomings as a father to Jim and blames himself for the "career" his only son chose and from leaving home and striking out on his own at a very young age. As a scout, Will was away from home much of the time, especially after his wife was killed by Indians. One day he returned to the fort to find that his young son, Jim, had left never to return.

An episode in the first-season set, "Alone," is a tour-de-force for Brennan who suffers a grazing gunshot wound to the head and imagines his reunion with Jim, and acts out all of the associated guilt he had felt for decades.

The series follows Will and Jeff as they look for the elusive Jim. While Jim is a fast draw, Jeff is faster and Will is the fastest, but neither man look for trouble. Jeff is innocent, while Will is tough as nails but has a heart of gold. Will's catch phrase, "No brag, just fact," became the mantra of the show over it's short run. Will and Jeff have a strong love for each other that is rarely depicted on TV between male family members, especially in westerns.

Along the way, the two encounter many whose lives were touched, some for good but most for bad, by Jim Sonnett or his legend. By the end of each episode, many wrongs have been righted, and a clearer picture of Jim's character emerges -- he's not a killer, but a man of integrity forced to defend his life by a never-ending series of gunslinging challengers.

Jeff must also contend with the stigma of having a notorious father and last name, which helps him grow up but maintain the human values instilled by his grandfather, Will.

The duo never find the illusive James during the show's short run, but that fails to diminish any of the power of this series or its viewing enjoyment decades later.

It remains the only Western series to end with a western trail poem recited by Brennan summarizing the blessings or challenges the two encountered in the episode; a western "sonnet," if you will.

If you enjoy good stories, great acting and western action and have not seen this series, the DVD releases of the entire run should be must see viewing. If you remember this show, no more needs to be said, it is simply a series that must be purchased. No brag; just fact!!!!

This is another series I love although there are people that would frown at the endings when the grandfather said his peace to god, I am not one of these people I find this to be a very good western and would recommend it to any one.

this is an example of how they used to do it...i grew up on shows like this(cheyenne,the 3 stooges,ect.),and i miss them so much.that's why i purchase every one that i can find so that i don't have to accept what they beam to my television set.this is a show with a message.it's slightly violent,but not unecessarily so...there's no killing just because it's a western and that's what's expected,most of the time the gunfights end with the bad guy getting his gun shot out of his hand,or being slightly wounded.these are fast-guns with a heart,people that can kill you,but don't...it's not always necessary.this is a remnant of a time when families watched television together...buy it.

This series has some great lessons and depicts an historical time period. However, most of the episodes suffer from too much editing. They appear to have original commercials edited out as well as some period of regular episode footage. Almost all episodes have some part of the plot missing. Will and Jeff talk about their conversation or some part of the episode that is not there in the edited version on these discs. Overall good stories, but you sometimes have to deduce the missing parts to make sense of the remaining story. I would buy this series again only if the entire episodes were present.

This was a great series. Short, great actors and acting. I love Walter Brennan and Dack Rambo is so cute.

These TV shows are very good, and the product was shipped promptly and the quality is excellent.

It was good to see the entire two seasons, i never got to see it all when it was on the air and it was good to see it all the way through.

The dvds were of good quality. Have not had any trouble watching them. It is like watching them when it was on television

They don't make good shows like this any more & it's a shame. Love the old-time Westerns. This is a must for any collection.