As is often the case with Gunsmoke, this episode features two story arcs that eventually intersect.
John Crail was once a practicing physician. He and Doc Adams are old friends. Their paths diverged when Crail decided to forego practicing medicine to seek material wealth by mining gold in Colorado. Early in this episode, Crail returns to Dodge City to visit his old friend. Crail has found the accumulation of wealth less than satisfying and is considering a return to practicing medicine. Crail is harboring some secrets that significantly influence his unhappiness and lend the episode its title.
Meanwhile, the Dodge City area is experiencing a severe drought. Food and fruit have become scarce for many, including Mary Rice and her son Sully. Mary and Sully have barely managed to exist in the years since Mary's husband left their farm to -- similarly to John Crail -- seek fortune in Colorado. Unfortunately, Mr. Rice did not fare as well as Crail and eventually died alone, far from his wife and son.
When Sully comes down with a mysterious illness that renders him very weak and unable to stand, their friend, Festus Haggen, summons Doc Adams. When Doc examines Sully, he realizes both Sully and his mother are suffering from scurvy.
Most of the tension in this episode involves Doc's efforts to find adequate nutrition for Mary and Sully. This aspect of the story is a bit odd and shocking. Despite the drought, one would think there would be enough food available to help two people. It does not seem as though scurvy was widespread in the community, which indicates others are getting enough nutrition to survive. If the scurvy was happening throughout the entire community, or even a very large family, the food scarcity might make more sense, but two people do not need much to sustain them. It does not speak well for the Dodge City residents that Doc could not gather enough sustenance for just the Rice son and mother.
The part of Mary Rice is played by Jan Clayton. Ms. Clayton was best known for her role as Jeff Miller's mother Ellen in the early episodes of Lassie. Her performance here is outstanding. Mary Rice's suffering and self-sacrificial love for her son are evident in her actions and expressions. To some degree, Clayton's performance carries the episode. Peter Brooks is also very good as Sully Rice.
The familiar actor Andrew Duggan is John Crail. He really doesn't have much to do in this episode, other than look forlorn and wallow in his guilty feelings.
Viewers should watch for a brief appearance by William Boyett as a rancher. Boyett often played policemen in both films and television. He was a recurring cop character on Highway Patrol starring Broderick Crawford in the 1950s and Adam-12 in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
This episode is noteworthy because it is the last Gunsmoke episode credited to Kathleen Hite, who wrote 42 episodes of the show between Season 3 and Season 10. Hite would later write a few episodes of the relatively short-lived Walter Brennan western The Guns of Will Sonnett in the late 1960s and then several episodes of The Waltons in the 1970s and early 1980s.
This episode also represents the final broadcast produced by Norman MacDonnell, who co-created the series for radio with John Meston. When the show transitioned to television, Charles Marquis Warren was chosen as the producer. Warren departed after one season, and MacDonnell took over as producer until Season 10. Gunsmoke began to drop in the ratings, which is reportedly why MacDonnell was replaced with Philip Leacock. MacDonnell would go on to produce episodes of the western series The Virginian.
(According to the Production Numbers assigned to the episodes, "Gilt Guilt" was actually the second episode produced during the season, although it was the 31st episode broadcast. The last episode where MacDonnell served as producer based on the Production Number (0414) was "Help Me Kitty," which was the seventh episode broadcast during the season.)
Anyone looking for lots of action and gun play is probably going to be disappointed by this gentle, slower paced story, but it is a nice change in a Doc Adams oriented Gunsmoke episode. This is also one of those episodes where James Arness has very little presence.
John Crail was once a practicing physician. He and Doc Adams are old friends. Their paths diverged when Crail decided to forego practicing medicine to seek material wealth by mining gold in Colorado. Early in this episode, Crail returns to Dodge City to visit his old friend. Crail has found the accumulation of wealth less than satisfying and is considering a return to practicing medicine. Crail is harboring some secrets that significantly influence his unhappiness and lend the episode its title.
Meanwhile, the Dodge City area is experiencing a severe drought. Food and fruit have become scarce for many, including Mary Rice and her son Sully. Mary and Sully have barely managed to exist in the years since Mary's husband left their farm to -- similarly to John Crail -- seek fortune in Colorado. Unfortunately, Mr. Rice did not fare as well as Crail and eventually died alone, far from his wife and son.
When Sully comes down with a mysterious illness that renders him very weak and unable to stand, their friend, Festus Haggen, summons Doc Adams. When Doc examines Sully, he realizes both Sully and his mother are suffering from scurvy.
Most of the tension in this episode involves Doc's efforts to find adequate nutrition for Mary and Sully. This aspect of the story is a bit odd and shocking. Despite the drought, one would think there would be enough food available to help two people. It does not seem as though scurvy was widespread in the community, which indicates others are getting enough nutrition to survive. If the scurvy was happening throughout the entire community, or even a very large family, the food scarcity might make more sense, but two people do not need much to sustain them. It does not speak well for the Dodge City residents that Doc could not gather enough sustenance for just the Rice son and mother.
The part of Mary Rice is played by Jan Clayton. Ms. Clayton was best known for her role as Jeff Miller's mother Ellen in the early episodes of Lassie. Her performance here is outstanding. Mary Rice's suffering and self-sacrificial love for her son are evident in her actions and expressions. To some degree, Clayton's performance carries the episode. Peter Brooks is also very good as Sully Rice.
The familiar actor Andrew Duggan is John Crail. He really doesn't have much to do in this episode, other than look forlorn and wallow in his guilty feelings.
Viewers should watch for a brief appearance by William Boyett as a rancher. Boyett often played policemen in both films and television. He was a recurring cop character on Highway Patrol starring Broderick Crawford in the 1950s and Adam-12 in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
This episode is noteworthy because it is the last Gunsmoke episode credited to Kathleen Hite, who wrote 42 episodes of the show between Season 3 and Season 10. Hite would later write a few episodes of the relatively short-lived Walter Brennan western The Guns of Will Sonnett in the late 1960s and then several episodes of The Waltons in the 1970s and early 1980s.
This episode also represents the final broadcast produced by Norman MacDonnell, who co-created the series for radio with John Meston. When the show transitioned to television, Charles Marquis Warren was chosen as the producer. Warren departed after one season, and MacDonnell took over as producer until Season 10. Gunsmoke began to drop in the ratings, which is reportedly why MacDonnell was replaced with Philip Leacock. MacDonnell would go on to produce episodes of the western series The Virginian.
(According to the Production Numbers assigned to the episodes, "Gilt Guilt" was actually the second episode produced during the season, although it was the 31st episode broadcast. The last episode where MacDonnell served as producer based on the Production Number (0414) was "Help Me Kitty," which was the seventh episode broadcast during the season.)
Anyone looking for lots of action and gun play is probably going to be disappointed by this gentle, slower paced story, but it is a nice change in a Doc Adams oriented Gunsmoke episode. This is also one of those episodes where James Arness has very little presence.