The screenplay by Jack Curtis certainly lent itself to a Film Noir approach to shooting, and director Stuart Rosenberg, who helmed many episodes of some of the best tv dramas of the late 1950s and '60s, made the most of this opportunity, with highly expressive use of light and shadow, strange camera angles, close-ups of characters' sweaty faces, boots, spurs... His centrepiece in this was femme fatale extraordinaire Lola Albright, looking highly alluring at 40 (an age which most on-screen glamor girls didn't reach in those days). The regular "Rawhide" cast do good jobs, notably "Mushy", who acts out of his skin -- and out of character -- to give possibly the performance of his life. Guests Strother Martin, Steven Hill and Vic Tayback were passably good. As bold an experiment as it was, it marked the last appearance of Eric Fleming as trail boss Gil Favor. The next season limped along through a dozen or so episodes with Clint Eastwood as trail boss, and nothing was ever the same again, what with the loss of mainstay characters Pete Nolan, Mushy, Hey Soos, Joe Scarlet and the rest. A shot at film noir might have been justified to wind up this season, but I'm thinking this over-the-top retro exercise did not do service to "Rawhide".
6 Reviews
What?
davidvoinche29 December 2021
Rawhide in Gunsmoke Territory
junemo25 April 2024
Warning: Spoilers
Although this was an unusual Rawhide episode that sort of ends like a tragic Gunsmoke episode, it has some interesting performances. And camera viewpoints. However, unlike Gunsmoke, the script is not that strong and there are no real plot twists or surprises other than how quickly the sick guys band together to defend Lottie at the end. What makes it unique is that you find out why this woman took the actions she took against the men in her life. Maybe she was unstable. She was definitely unlikable. And untrustworthy. But I couldn't help but feel sorry for her at end, as she was literally consumed by hate. Bravo to Lola Albright as the doomed, distressed, femme fatale. Her performance is strong and memorable.
"What Lola Wants, Lola Gets...."
ccthemovieman-117 August 2011
This episode marked the first time I had seen "Rawhide" in almost 50 years. Ironically, this was the final episode in the eight-year run of the series. Thus, it was kind of fun to see a very young Clint Eastwood and the star of the show, Eric Fleming, who I hadn't seen in years. That's because the man died in 1966 drowning while filming not long after this Rawhide episode.
Anyway, this episode was all about Lola Albright, the sex siren from the "Peter Gunn" TV series. Here, she guested as "Lottie," a disturbed - as we find out - woman who isn't as sweet as she looks.
The episode was very stagy and melodramatic but also was fantastically filmed with many scenes a film-noir director would be envious. With that, and Albright's looks, there was a lot to ogle.....but don't expect an action-packed western story.
Anyway, this episode was all about Lola Albright, the sex siren from the "Peter Gunn" TV series. Here, she guested as "Lottie," a disturbed - as we find out - woman who isn't as sweet as she looks.
The episode was very stagy and melodramatic but also was fantastically filmed with many scenes a film-noir director would be envious. With that, and Albright's looks, there was a lot to ogle.....but don't expect an action-packed western story.
Last episode with Eric Fleming, et al
lissafaith-7109518 October 2023
This wasnt the last episode of the series, it was the last with Eric Fleming, and a lot of other wonderful cast members.
I truly love this show but, not this episode. They were trying to throw back to a film noir, Twilight Zone feeling but, this didnt work for this show. Even with great guest stars - Strother Martin, Steven Hill, and of course, the great series regulars that they never should've gotten rid of - this was a less than enjoyable episode. Im sorry this didnt last more than a further half season - Clint Eastwood and those other gentlemen still left in the cast - were still very good - but, it lost some of its charm. Mr Eastwood was right when he said they should've kept the actors/characters they let go.
I truly love this show but, not this episode. They were trying to throw back to a film noir, Twilight Zone feeling but, this didnt work for this show. Even with great guest stars - Strother Martin, Steven Hill, and of course, the great series regulars that they never should've gotten rid of - this was a less than enjoyable episode. Im sorry this didnt last more than a further half season - Clint Eastwood and those other gentlemen still left in the cast - were still very good - but, it lost some of its charm. Mr Eastwood was right when he said they should've kept the actors/characters they let go.
A dark end for a great series...
stellaarwennicolina1 October 2018
I know, the series went ahead after this episode but the great time was over. The 'Gray Rock Hotel' is a very dark episode and on my opinion the title 'Grey Rock Hotel' would have fit much better. The story hast nothing to do with a cattle drive anymore. (Cattle aint even mentioned.) And really... A big sikness all over the drover-crew aint no reason to fire any of the drovers. I mean... There actually aint no, I mean a absolutely no reason why they shouldn't appear in the next episode!!!
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