Customer Reviews

Have Gun Will Travel Collector's Edition: First, Catch a Tiger, Lady on a Stage Door, Ambush & Trap

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In "First Catch a Tiger", Paladin is the last surviving member of the group that was responsible for the legal hanging of Jacob Mordain's son. The others have all been killed by a shotgun blast in the back where the shooter was a man called Fred Horn and his appearance is unknown. In an attempt to force the issue, Paladin travels to an inn where he knows Horn is one of the other guests. There are four other men at the inn and all are clearly logical suspects based on their mannerisms and personalities. The situation is further complicated by the presence of a woman housekeeper that was purchased by the owner of the inn and she wants to be free. She appeals to Paladin to aid her in achieving her freedom, but she is told that if Paladin is killed her situation will worsen.
This episode is one of the few where Paladin is nervous and uncertain; he has a case of the jitters and engages in behavior very uncharacteristic of him. That is what makes it shine, his profession is one that would wear on you over time, and it was refreshing to see him expressing the emotions of a human being pushed to the edge.
The modern viewer will probably not fully appreciate the significance of "Lady on a Stage Door", which first aired in 1959. Paladin travels on a stage with a man and his wife, another businessman and a very educated woman that is the daughter of an Apache chief. The others are very open in expressing their racial bigotry while Paladin goes out of his way to befriend the Apache woman.
The stage is carrying a large shipment of gold, so it is a natural target of outlaws. They shoot the man riding shotgun and take the passengers, including Paladin prisoner. A man with a murderous reputation leads the outlaw gang; his standard practice is to kill all witnesses to his crimes. When the prisoners are herded into a building, the plot deteriorates rapidly. The leader of the gang falls for the Apache princess and tries to convince her to go away with him, offering to spare the lives of the others if she will.
The three other passengers beg her to take him up on his offer in order to save their lives and this is very poorly played. These three actors executed very poor performances as sniveling cowards; you have no sympathy for them and the scene lacks any real tension. The only positive part of the episode is that it portrays the victim of the racial prejudice as being clearly superior to those expressing the prejudice.
"Ambush" is an episode where it is easy to claim that it is the worst episode in the series. Paladin has captured a man wanted for theft and is taking him in when they arrive at a ferry where they can cross a river. When no one responds to his knocks, Paladin discovers the body of the ferry master in the river and they are taken prisoner by a man that has been ordered to prevent all people from crossing the river. The hostage taker does not know why he received the order, yet all but Paladin and his prisoner have a reason to believe it is someone after them.
The characters are portrayed in so over dramatized a form that it was painful to watch, there was no drama and I descended into a state of complete boredom a few minutes into the scene inside the building. There was a reason for their imprisonment but it was so outlandish that your most intelligent response when you learn it would be "Huh?" It is fitting that the closing scene shows Paladin riding his horse across the river, having no need whatsoever for the ferry.
After the previous debacle, almost anything would appear good by comparison, yet "The Trap" was good even when it was not being compared to the lesser lights. Paladin travels through a heavy rainstorm to arrive at an inn. There he is greeted by an old lawman named Buell that appears to have a prisoner. Yet, very little is what it appears to be. While it is clear that the lawman and the female innkeeper are in love, she is contradictory, first threatening to kill Paladin if he harms the lawman and then asking Paladin to take the lawman's gun away from him.
The prisoner claims to be innocent, which is no surprise, yet the lawman is never able to articulate a believable story regarding the crime that the man committed. The lawman also exhibits a great deal of paranoia and instability, further confusing Paladin to the point where he simply says, "What is going on here?" The lawman is fearful of a man named Bissell, yet it appears that Bissell is also a peace officer rather than an outlaw.
Ultimately, this is a story about burnout and self destruction, where a man is very good for many years at a stressful job and it costs him most of his mental stability. In many ways, it is similar to Paladin in the episode "First Catch a Tiger" and is why it is so believable when Paladin tells the burned out lawman that he completely understands why he descended into the zone of emotional instability. Paladin has his time in a fancy hotel to recharge himself; this is a luxury that a simple lawman could never afford.