One of Gunsmoke's most unusual "comic relief" scenes---the gourmet smoked ham that we first see on Doc's operating table. For a few seconds, we think that it's a HUMAN body part...but ultimately, the hunk-a-ham ends up over at the Long Branch for a fun feast with Doc, Festus, Quint, etc. The scene actually made me hungry. But then, trouble walks in the door....
And speaking of HAM (fans of Mr. Kennedy: get ready to hit the "NOT USEFUL" button....), George Kennedy nearly ruins this episode for me; he just doesn't have the acting chops for this kind of role; his line delivery is phony and ill-at-ease. He's nowhere near the class of actor as, say, James Arness or Royal Dano--who is positively TERRIFYING in this show. Man, what an ominous, threatening, inhuman dude! Now THAT"S a fine actor--totally poised and technically solid.*
So I deduct one rating star for Kennedy but restore it for Dano. The plot is pretty standard and predictable--which is fine, since the script is written well. Great shot of Festus and Quint DIVING out of the blacksmith shop as it EXPLODES--try it in SLO-MO! Also-- (NON-Spoiler alert)--there are two deaths during the final climatic scene--one looks very fake (director should have re-filmed it), the other really cool. Also, Ken Curtis and Burt Reynolds make a great team. LR
* (A friend and I had the great pleasure of meeting with Royal Dano in his Santa Monica home in September, 1988. I was in town to meet with Ray Bradbury re: a musical project, and called Royal cold out of the phone book. I had a videocassette of "Face of Fire" ('59) which he appeared in but didn't own a copy of. So he invited my friend and me over. A THREE-HOUR chat, during which he talked on like an excited kid---and he recalled EVERY DETAIL of his career, too, from his stage debut in "Finians' Rainbow" (1947) to the present. My only regret is that we didn't have a recorder to capture our talk. His wife kept peeking around the corner saying "Royal, your dinner's getting cold.." What a night!)