EMILY

 

 

 

Episode First Shown March 23^rd 1969

Joe’s ex-fiancée, Emily, returns to Virginia City. Emily tells Joe she is still in love with him but neglects to tell him that she’s married to Deputy Wade McPhail. That’s just the start of the lies which eventually lead to Joe being shot and framed for robbery and murder.

 

 

 

I've just watched this episode again and come to the conclusion that I feel very irritated by Beth Brickell's or the director's portrayal of Emily. The plot is potentially a good one: Joe and Emily once
engaged, Emily being forced into marriage (or was she?)with Wade McPhail by her father and subsequently seeking revenge on Joe because he will not run off with her as a married woman.

I do try to be sympathetic to women and minorities in the 60’s because of the prejudiced way they were often directed. However Beth Brickell always reminds me of the Beverly Hillbillies. As Emily, the
hairstyle, "darlin" comments and scatterbrained ways remind me of Ellie Mae Clampett without the charm LOL!! When BB appears in "A Single Pilgrim" she flaps around like a demented chicken in a role
which could be that of a very poor cousin of the Clampetts!

I really enjoyed the romantic kissing and smooching between Joe and Emily early on as I could focus on Joe LOL!! Though I felt that Joe had lost a few I.Q points if he was ever engaged/attracted to Emily!

I actually felt quite sympathetic to Emily early on because of the physical and mental control that Wade seemed to have over her. However as she started to lie to him and about Joe my sympathies waned.

The dramatic scene where Joe is lying shot on the ground and makes a tiny whimper as Hoss examines him made me choke up. That little sound was very moving. I liked the way that Hoss and Candy were so caring
and protective of him.

Thare were some very good facial expressions from Hoss and Candy when the Marshall arrives to question the Cartwrights about the events. I also thought that character was well written in his objectivity to seek
the truth.

Great Ben expressions to when he visits Emily at home and "fixes" her with "The Ben Look". He speaks very quietly and doesn't take his eyes off her as he seeks to find why she was lying.

Joe is terrific in his maturity, his pain at seeing Emily again and his quiet, steadfast refusal to run away with a married woman.

Nice twist to the plot as I wondered whether Emily's husband had committed the robbery and it turned out to be one of the guards. After all Emily's lying I thought she should have been taken to court
for defamation of Joe's character, causing him to be shot and lying to the law!!!!!!

Overall, fine performances, as always by Lorne, Dan, Michael and David. This would have been a pretty good episode with a different actress portraying Emily.

 

Hilary

 

 

 

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