Good , But It Is Overrated By Some

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

Doing a review of Gunsmoke is a labor of love. 635 episodes over twenty years! Starred James Arness as Marshal Matt Dillon, the steadfast beacon of Dodge City, dogged in his pursuit of killers, thieves and villains. Amanda Blake portrayed the beautiful, fiery Miss Kitty Russell, the proprietor of the Long Branch saloon, and Milburn Stone as the curmudgeon Doc Adams, always stroking his face and patching up countless wounds. Marshal Dillon's sidekick was first Dennis Weaver as Chester Goode, the loyal helper with a limp who always seemed to encounter trouble. Burt Reynolds was Quint Asper, the half-breed blacksmith who could fight with his hands or a gun. And in Season 9, the introduction of Ken Curtis as Festus Haggen, Matt's deputy, the tough, whiskered companion, whose running verbal feuds with Doc Adams ( you ole scudder! ) were always of great amusement. In Season 1, the introductory soliloquy by Matt Dillon as he walked ruefully through Boot Hill cemetery, reflecting on the unfortunate inhabitants, and remarking that men were quicker to draw their guns than to draw upon their logic in the face of danger. The acting was hallmark, the stories exciting and a great cast of characters who appeared in each episode, such as John Dehner, Darren McGavin, Steve Forrest, Lee J. Cobb, Richard Kiley, Ricardo Montalban, Betty Davis, Nehemiah Persoff and James Gregory to name a select few. The show's themes of courage, redemption, justice, honor, revenge, love and loyalty stand as timeless monuments to the greatness of each week's episode. Gunsmoke defines the western genre as none other ever will!

My older brother used to watch this show. To this day, even the mere mention of the word "Gunsmoke" instantly brings back so many great memories… the smell of Momma cooking up some pork chops and beans (or some other vittles) in the kitchen, fetching some can goods from the pantry, and falling asleep on the davenport or floor in the old parlor right after the opening scene. Ah yes, what precious memories! There's so many great things about this long enduring series that I'm not sure where to begin. But I'll try...1. It kept B grade Western actors James Arness and Milburn Stone employed for two decades as they couldn't land a movie role.2. It allowed Dennis Weaver to quit his job delivering flowers.3. It gave Burt Reynolds something to do for three years.4. It showed how bartenders don't last that long and need to be replaced every few years.5. It helped pay Jack Albertson's bills because Freddie Prinze wasn't famous yet, hence no need for "The Man".6. It launched Mariette Hartley's illustrious career selling Polaroid cameras.7. It solidified every stereotype of the old West… the town drunk, the sneering ever cool Marshal, the ever important mildly deranged limping sidekick, the slightly arrogant banker, and lest we forget, the never ending stream of bad guys who always tend to be extremely ornery critters. Oh yeah, and Western "Hos". Which brings us to number 8.8. It introduced it's underage viewers to the "Bordello" aka: the whorehouse.9. It is still more effective than Ambien for curing insomnia and without any of the nasty side effects.10. All those dry dusty scenes and stale dialog made me thirsty and as a result I drank more water and stayed better hydrated.11. Thankfully, it never showed what Miss Kitty did "behind the scenes" or "under the table" if you know what I mean.12. It kept Amanda Blake employed for nearly two decades allowing her to pave the way (or should I say clear the trail path) for future actresses with unsightly moles.13. It also helped launch Peter, Jan and Cindy into Brady Bunch fame due to their highly superior Oscar level acting abilities giving the world such Shakespearean catch phrases as; "Pork chops and apple sauce", "Marcia, Marcia Marcia!" and that masterpiece of American entertainment, "Baby talk, baby talk, it's a wonder you can walk."14. The title of the show is a typo, gun smoke is two words, not one. And finally...15. It is a massive testament that there really wasn't a whole lot of other TV shows worth watching during its tenure. More than a testament, it's like a brick in the colon that will never pass. After all it was used to fill the void of that mind boggling masterwork, Gilligan's Island, after it was canceled.For those reasons, for the many warm memories, this series is unmatched, except for it the series that preceded it, "The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp" and maybe the imitation Gunsmoke known as "Bonanza" which comes very close to it's legendary greatness.

My favorite episode of all 20 years is Mannon. He is a nasty very vain gunman, faster than Matt Dillon, who takes the town over when Dillon is gone. He is fond of Kitty, and tries to win her over. It is their interaction that makes this episode the best. Kitty psychs him out, telling him things like he isn't near the man Dillon is, cutting his face with a whiskey bottle when he is beating her, etc. The thought of a scar across his face really infuriates him. Her methods make Mannon question himself, and that is just the edge Dillon needs. Although Mannon is faster and shoots Dillon down, his shot isn't true and Dillon manages to get up some, call him out, and when he turns, shoots him. We all assumed he killed him. In a later show Mannon gets out of prison, kills the sentencing judge, and the warden of the KS penitentiary. He also appears in a 3rd episode as I recall. Kitty's attempts to save Dillon's life through "working" on Mannon's image of himself, and questioning his manhood, make this what I think is the best episode of all. Apparently I am not the only one, as this episode is included in the Director's Cut DVD.

"Gunsmoke" was an amazing show because the cast was like one big happy family.Marshall Dillon epitomized what decency meant to us. A fair and compassionate man, Dillon knew what he was up against when the dregs of society rode into town.We had Festus, with his memorable limp and Amanda Blake's Miss Kitty, a dance hall queen, with a heart of gold. Too bad that she was never able to get her man, Matt Dillon, lord knows how much she loved him and he loved her. Where were the script writers to produce the inevitable wedding between the two?Milburn Stone made his mark playing Doc. He fixed up many a bullet-ridden victim but also had a pure heart.This was basically a story of very decent human beings who were caught up in the founding of the west.