The Westerner The Courting of Libby (1960– ) Online

THE WESTERNER "The Courting of Libby"1960

This is the sixth episode of the short run western series, THE WESTERNER. The series starred Brian Keith as a wandering cow-hand travelling the southwest United States. Of note here is the creator and producer, Sam Peckinpah. Peckinpah is of course known as the writer and director of, THE WILD BUNCH. This series only ran for 13 episodes in the fall of 1960.

Keith wanders into the town of Bravado. His dog, Brown, sees a pair of cats and gives chase. The three critters end up in the local general store causing plenty of damage. Keith makes a grab for his hound and falls into a local woman, Joan O'Brien. Keith is smitten with the woman and spins a less than truthful story for his being in Bravado. He is a big time rancher from Texas looking for more land.

His tale is interrupted by one "Burgundy Smith". Smith is played by John Dehner. The two men had had a run in on an earlier episode. It seems that Dehner has also fallen for the pretty O'Brein and has likewise spun a fanciful tale of wealth. The two men agree to keep quiet about their true financial state.

Now the store owners show up towing Keith's dog, Brown. There is the matter of an $89 bill, for the damages caused by the dog's merry chase of the cats through the store. The dog jumps on Dehner and the store owners grab him up as Brown's owner. Keith just smiles and offers to escort Miss O'Brien home.

Needless to say the episode now develops into a back and forth between Keith and Dehner for the affections of the fair maiden. This leads to several bouts of flying fists between Keith, Dehner and the store owners. All is settled when O'Brien decides to marry one of the store owners. He has the money.

The whole episode is played for laughs, but does not generate many. As the other reviewer has pointed out, the chemistry between Keith and Dehner is quite good. But the humour really is rather flat. The attempt at lightness really does not fit in with several of the very dark episodes from earlier in the series.

Peckingpah directs from a story by Bruce Gellar and himself. The look of the episode is superb with future Peckinpah cohort, Lucien Ballard at the d of p controls. The two men would work together on, RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY, THE BALLAD OF CABLE HOGUE, JUNIOR BONNER, THE GETAWAY and of course, THE WILD BUNCH.

Most will remember Joan O'Brien from the Blake Edwards comedy, OPERATION PETTICOAT.

Amusing jape in which Dave puts on airs to win beauteous Libby away from conniving Burgundy Smith. Some funny set-ups, as when Smith addresses a temperance meeting with usual flair only to drink up the sample demon rum! By this time in the series, it's clear that Peckinpah's idea of humor is to break up as much furniture as possible in a farcical manner. Certainly no one can accuse him of highbrow humor. Fortunately for the episode, Keith and Dehner blend in well with the broad comedy, but I'm not sure these wild swings from high drama one week to low comedy the next did the ratings any good.

Best line, "Smith's right, a man don't need nothing' but a horse, a gun, and a dog."-- Dave's observation on the fickleness of the female, thus continuing the Western's long tradition of woman-hating. Most notable for Peckinpah's rare tin ear in playing one love scene super-straight-- something the canny Maverick series never did. Also notable for the ungallant Dave's rueful regret that he didn't deflower the virginal Libby when he had the chance!-- Now there's a real departure for the time.

All in all, an entertaining, if not memorable, 30 minutes.