TV and Movies

[Oznell]

2:00 a.m. Eastern-- The Fugitive "Brass Ring"   David Janssen, Angie Dickinson, Robert Duvall, John Ericson, Phillip Pine

We are so far into 'noir' territory in this one, you can't see for shadows. 

Kimble finds himself on a California amusement-type pier, in the midst of a seedy carnival atmosphere straight out of the novels of Nathanael West. 

A guy named "Lars" (strapping John Ericson) tells him to apply for work at a local gift shop.  The proprietress, Norma Sessions, (Angie Dickinson) rather quickly hires him to care for her paralyzed brother, Leslie (Robert Duvall). 

What Kimble doesn't know is that Lars and Norma have a much more ambitious role for him to play in their disturbing little real-life drama...

Robert Duvall is a second-timer here, returning from the first season's "Never Wave Goodbye" (sailing episode with Susan Oliver).  Once again, he etches a meticulously detailed performance of an embittered man, yet one with piercing discernment. 

Spoiler

How on target is the warning he issues to Kimble about his sister, early on?

Another very noir-ish aspect of the script has to do with its symbolic use of mirrors, a staircase, lighting and angles.  Reminiscent to me of a number of ominous suspensers, including Joan Crawford's "Sudden Fear"...

I will say they were successful in creating an atmosphere of oppressive evil in this episode, albeit evil dressed up in pretty, if ambiguous packages....

 A dark mood piece, with an intense, enigmatic ending. 

Streaming free on youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLpeN3b6ba0

[Pearlee]

An excellent episode I have seen many times. It is more like watching a real film noir than a TV show.  It is very well done,  an example of true quality television.

[Tique]

Didn't think I would find back-to-back episodes that I found equally as enjoyable. Delicious dialogue and all the undercurrent and statements being made without any words spoken.

There's even a bonus. I'll be considerate of others and use the spoiler tag.

Spoiler

No Gerard. 

I predict a great discussion this week.

[Oznell]

Agreed, this will be good discussion material.  I'll be the odd one out, since I have probably much more mixed feelings about the episode, despite admiring the technical reach and the fluid noir vocabulary of the filming.  See you all on the other side!

[Pearlee]

SPOILERS BELOW

Well I'll start and I have a lot to say about this one. I think this one could easily have been titled "Diabolique." I already stated I think it was an excellent quality drama. It reminds me of noir films such as The Postman Always Rings Twice. There have been many films with similar plots of lovers trying to do away with a spouse for money, so this was an interesting twist on that with a disabled brother (whom of course, Kimble uses his doctor skills to help). The bum turns out to be an effective physical therapist!

The look on Kimble's face when he first opens the shop door and takes a look at Angie would be what my face would look like if I opened a door and saw David Janssen standing there! 😍

I laughed when Angie told Duvall "and he's good looking too" since I just said last week how often the writers, most certainly male,  incorporated that into the scripts.  And speaking of incorporationg into scripts, we heard Janssen being given the same advice from police two weeks in a row not to look guilty when he wasn't!

Love DJ's line "I sold an ash tray."

Love the undercurrents and "looks" as @Tique already mentioned.

Love that creepy carousel starting up, a nice touch and jarring. When I think of this episode that always pops immediately to mind, along with the staircase to Angie's place.

Did you catch Angie asking Kimble if he minded color sheets? That's because they were fairly new then. Very much talked about at the time since sheets had been white or off white and colored sheets became a "new" trend.

Love DJ's line to Duvall after he spit soup into Kimble's face when Kimble asked " would you like more ammunition?"

Was there no Epilog,just the narrator's wrap-up as the end of Act IV?

I watched the show late (on YouTube) and was drowsy but I didn't think I saw Epilog although I heard the narrator.

How did Duvall manage to keep his eyes slightly open for so long without blinking?

Do you think Kimble and Angie consummated their attraction, or not?

I think the ending was a stretch even though Angie gives her reason for it.  I also think Kimble taking Duvall to the bank to get out ALL his money was a stretch too. And $100,000 was huge amount in those days. Although I could see Duvall bullying Kimble into it esp if Duvall told him he was just going to get some money and once at the bank told the clerk he wanted all of it. At that point there wouldn't have been much Kimble coul do about it.

I love how once Kimble saw the true Angie he scorned her. 

[twinsister]

I forget to tape it, so thanks @Oznell for posting the YouTube link.  Another good one.

@Pearlee - You gave a great review.  I laughed when Norma told Leslie that Ben was good looking.  Why would Leslie  care what Ben looked like?  

I was wondering about the color sheets comment and didn't realize they were new.

Norma certainly stopped RK in his tracks after one look at her.  I don't think they consummated their relationship.  

At first I thought  Leslie was alive when his eyes were open for so long.

What was the purpose of taking the money out of the bank?  Just because he was able to sit up on his own?

I saw the Epilog at the end, but like you said just a wrap up.

Angie D. was good in the role.  Have always been a fan.

[Oznell]

The part for me that was hard to watch in this episode was the way that poor Leslie, warped and without hope as he was, started to believe he could recover.  That dawning joy (that of course our boy DJ brought about in him), and then that scene of exuberance with him wild and hair all askew, throwing around his money....   heartbreaking.   Duvall is a brilliant, elemental actor...

Norma's character was written to be ambiguous, and she was weak and lost, but, whoa-- the enormity of her crime.

Fratricide.   It wasn't like she and Lars got carried away in some moment of uncontrolled rage or whatever-- it sounds like they had planned this for a long time-- had even had a few dry runs with drifters who 'didn't last'.

Norma knew the pitiful helplessness of her brother, but she calmly plotted with Lars to take his life, for money.  She had the opportunity to escape, just walk out, but she stayed for the kill and the loot.  That's what I meant by the oppressiveness of the evil-- it's staggering.

Now, this might be too idealistic of me, but I was a bit disappointed in Kimble that when she made her first pitch to him, (the dream and all), that he didn't bail out right then.  I thought what she was saying to him was pretty explicit, although she tried to obfuscate as usual.  And Kimble's recognition of her meaning was clear when he said, "that's not a dream Norma, that's a nightmare".

He was so good at reading people-- I can't help but think he would know what she meant, and wanted.  Especially after Leslie's warnings.  But the script I guess wanted us to think that perhaps a combo of incomprehension, loneliness and desire, kept Kimble still around.  Still, I'm not sure it was consistent with his character as we know it.

You're right, @Pearlee ,  that line of Kimble's about "ammunition" was one of several excellent, tart little lines he had, wryly delivered with his inimitable way.

I also thought Leslie was still alive in that rocking chair the first time I saw it, @twinsister --  so eerie!

The episode did make use of the tawdry atmospherics of the pier in a way that cleverly wove into the story--  I just found this one hard to take!   

[Pearlee]

1. @twinsister Thanks for the compliment.🙂  

I figured someone might not understand the colored sheets comment. They were quite unorthodox at the time and people either loved them as being a fun change or hated them for being nontraditional. I remember thinking how awesome my first colored sheet set was although I don't remember what color they were.

I don't think they consummated the relationship either.

I liked when Duvall was really resisting the exercise 

with Kimble and Angie came in and told Kimble to stop so Duvall immediately said Exercise! Exercise! Just to spite her.

I think Duvall may have taken the money out to have the freedom of using it now that he could move, and because he was wary of his sister getting her hands on it. I don't know though.

[twinsister]

@Oznell - Your comment about Kimble being able to read people was true, but like you said the script didn't want it that way.  Remember in the epilog, the narrator said something like when you save up loneliness you spend in the wrong place.  I think this time RK didn't listen to his instincts.

Considering DJ's reputation, do you think he and Angie got together off screen?  Not sure if she was married to Burt Bacharach at the time of this episode.

[Pearlee]

@Oznell  This was a tough one to watch, no doubt. 

You make very good points.  I think if Kimble is going to give the benefit of the doubt to anyone, it would be someone who looks like Angie D. 
Clearly at first glance  he thought she was very attractive. Yes she did make pretty  clear that  she wanted to get rid of her brother. I think Kimble didn't drop her right then and there both for the very reason you stated about his loneliness, but also I think because he does really understand people's problems (look how many problems he has fixed!) and could probably understand Angie  at times wishing someone who was a huge burden like Leslie was gone. So his response about it's OK if it's only a dream but if a reality it would be a nightmare  was a good one. Also she was his employer so just dropping her could mean losing his job, although I think that conversation with her could have hastened his desire to leave. 

I see your point about getting Duvall's hopes up but since Duvall made good progress, he had the means to hire a physical therapist if he wanted to continue to get better after the work Kimble started with him.