Reviews (3)

An often immitated story line.
Boris is a quack prestidigitator whose premonitions suddenly begin to come true. One of the first of these kinds of stories possibly, but often immitated since. Reminicent of a One Step Beyond story. Worth a look though.

Karloff in excellent form!
Not too long ago, the classic early-sixties horror/suspense/crime series "Thriller" ended a highly-edited run on The Sci-Fi Channel, where it was tucked into the wee hours of the morning. To its credit, Sci-Fi showed all of the series' episodes, horror and non-horror, and in their original order, which made this episode all the more significant, as it was the first truly supernatural installment in the series, and an excellent one. The story is conventional but very cleverly done and wonderfully atmospheric, paving the way for such great entries as Robert Bloch's "The Hungry Glass" and Robert Arthur's "Pigeons from Hell." Karloff, who had a tendency to ham up such roles, is excellent here as the magician/seer who suddenly finds himself cursed with terrible powers. The ending, while unsurprising, is memorably tragic. One of the best!

Good Episode of a Sublime, Though Sadly Forgotten, TV Show
True fans of Horror who grew up in the 1960s and 1970s love this show. Even Stephen King, in his book DANSE MACABRE (p. 216 of the oversized paperback), calls this "the best horror series ever put on TV."

The show's host, Boris Karloff, obviously no stranger to the horror genre, stars in this particular episode, "The Prediction." It is a story about a second-rate magician (Karloff) whose "stage" predictions about the future suddenly start to come true. But when the old prognosticator warns that a secretly planned elopement will result in death, his assistant and her fiance think it's all a smoke-and-mirrors attempt to end their relationship. Though the ending to this story is a bit predictable (excuse the pun), the strong performance by Karloff makes it definitely worth watching. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Adult Thriller episode~
This episode is not as much fun or nearly as creepy as other Thrillers,but the acting is superb.This was more of an adult presentation~~no thunder & lightening & old,dark mansions in this one!Worth owning,tho'!

One of the better "Thriller" episodes.
"The Terror in Teakwood" is a typical horror installment of "Thriller" in every regard. The horrific and supernatural elements are presented in a matter-of-fact, Jacques-Tourneur fashion, with the primary emphasis placed on telling a good story. Such an approach renders the frightening moments all the more frightening. Whatever happened to this approach?

The story is an imaginative variation on "The Hands of Orlac," with a dangerously obsessed pianist stealing the hands of his dead rival from the graveyard. The pianist is played by none other than Guy Rolfe of William Castle's 1961 "Mr. Sardonicus." Not the scariest "Thriller" episode, by any means, but scary enough.

Creepy Episode of a Sublime, Though Sadly Forgotten, TV Show
True fans of Horror who grew up in the 1960s and 1970s love this show. Even Stephen King, in his book DANSE MACABRE (p. 216 of the oversized paperback), calls this "the best horror series ever put on TV." The show's host, Boris Karloff, was obviously no stranger to the genre, and he even starred in several notable episodes.

This episode, "The Terror in Teakwood," tells the story of a pianist and composer who is obsessed with proving to the public that he can best his late rival. He is eventually able to perform his rival's most difficult pieces, but only when wearing the severed hands of the deceased rival like a pair of gloves. Of course, such gruesome acts ultimately lead to the jealous pianist's demise....

This is a particularly eerie and morbid episode, so fans of the genre should definitly find here those chills they seek. Also worth noting is that the episode was directed by Paul Henreid, who is well known to fans of classic cinema as the actor who played Victor Laszlo in 1942's CASABLANCA. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Great TV, lots of fun.
I recently ordered three of these tapes from Amazon.com and I'm not disappointed. This one has great atmosphere, Boris steals the show of course. Dick York is great too. Nice shock ending. The subject matter was very uncommon for early 60s television, a rare living dead story. Ooops, don't want to give away the ending! Classic TV horror, one of the best. Pleasant screams!

The first horror story I ever saw; it scarred me for life
I cannot believe I found this, because "The Incredible Doktor Markesan" was the first horror story I can remember seeing. More to the point, I remember the ending, which freaked me out so much that I could not stand to watch "Bewitched" because all I could think of is what happened to Dick York and Carolyn Kearney at the end of this story. This was an episode of "Thriller," the suspense anthology that aired on NBC from 1960-1962 and was hosted by Boris Karloff, who also plays the title character in this 1962 story directed by Robert Florey ("Murders in the Rue Morgue").

My memory of the end of this show was so intense that all I remembered about the rest of the episode was that the young married couple were told not to go exploring in the house and they did not listen (my parents could not have possibly known their five year old was watching "Thriller"; watching Karloff would have meant nothing to me). It turns out the good Doktor has invented a serum that wakes the dead by turning them into zombies. When his nephew and his bride come to live with Markesan, their curiosity gets the better of them with horrible results.

I do not claim to be objective about this story because it literally scarred me for life. Watching the ending again, for the second time ever, totally creeped me out and it has been forty years. Eventually I got up enough nerve to actually watch the parts of "The Wizard of Oz" with the wicked witch, but I have needed the intervening decades to screw up enough courage to watch "The Incredible Doktor Markesan" again. This is probably the only episode of "Thriller" I ever watched, which makes perfect sense to me. I just cannot believe I found this (shiver).

Classic Episode From A Classic TV Show.
I was overjoyed when Universal issued this along with 5 other episodes of THRILLER a few years ago as this was one of my favorite shows from the early days of TV. It lasted only 2 years on NBC but not before many fine segments were aired featuring a number of well known actors, writers and directors. I had taped several episodes when a local station ran them late night many years ago. It's always a pleasant surprise when something is as good as you remember it. Unfortunately the copies I taped were not in the best of shape so it was especially disappointing when Universal chose not to release any more in the series. Many fine stories were not included such as THE HUNGRY GLASS with William Shatner, PIGEONS FROM HELL based on a story by Robert E. Howard of CONAN fame, and LA STREGA a tale of witchcraft with a young Ursula Andress. The ones that were chosen seem to be based on contemporary recognition factors of the stories and performers which is understandable but unfortunate. Perhaps someday TV LAND or one of the cable channels will make the series available. It's too good to waste. Of the ones released this episode is, in my opinion, the best of the lot and one of the best from the entire series. It is based on a story by H.P. Lovecraft disciple August Derleth and directed by veteran Robert Florey (MURDERS IN THE RUE MORGUE, THE BEAST WITH 5 FINGERS). Boris Karloff is unforgettable as the title character while Dick York is fun to see outside of BEWITCHED. It's the details such as camera angles, lighting and acting that add up in this old-fashioned approach to horror and while the story may be predictable the results are highly effective. For those of you who want to be chilled as opposed to grossed out then check this out along with the other 5 in the series. Perhaps someone could persuade Stephen King (who loved this show as a kid) to use his considerable clout to persuade Universal to release more episodes. I'm sure they would listen to him.

The best TV Horror circa 1960
I first saw this in the early 70s when a local station was thoughtfully running the series every night of the week right at bedtime. This episode is on my short list of the best of the best of this series. (Others that spring to mind: Guillotine; Kill My Love; The Remarkable Mrs. Hawk; Masquerade)

The other reviewers here mention the predictability of the ending, and for certain, the producers do all they can to annihilate the surprise factor. They show the last few seconds of this particular episode in a 2 minute teaser that precedes the feature on this video, just throwing away the one hour buildup that is to follow for the sake of a glitzy montage. (Idiots!) Beware!! --Fast forward without looking, if you can, to the beginning proper of the tape.

I think the ending is predictable the way the ending of a trailblazing movie like, say, Psycho is now. It doesn't take a prophet to see the past with 20-20 vision. In it's day, however, the convention that a protagonist must make it to the closing credits of a popular entertainment was only beginning to be challenged by movies like Psycho, and on TV, by The Twilight Zone, and Thriller. Just those two. I recall clearly my dismay, indeed my horror, the first time I saw this episode, with no hint of what was to come. So maybe the failure here is the failure of the other writers to adequately "work with" the episode, as they would have to the original Nosferatu, Frankenstein or Metropolis.

I give it a very solid 5 stars.

Superb crawler of flesh!
Others may give this episode a "so~so" review,but I liken it to being trapped in a nightmare while wanting to run for help!The atmosphere is dank & musty,the acting is sharp,Karloff is simply magnificent & the black & white photography only enhances the story.DON'T MISS THIS ONE! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

SCARIEST MOVIE EVER
I saw this movie once in my life....in 1965. I had nightmares about it for twenty years. Absolutely the most spine-tingling movie of all time. Not bloody type of scary, DEMON kind of scary.

A Thriller worth seeing
When I fisrt rented this video, I thought it would be hum-drum and boring. But I found it to be suspenseful, interesting, entertaining and definitely worth seeing. It's about a young man(William Shatner) who goes to visit his aunt who just recently married a man much younger than herself, he comes to warn her of an 'evil' painting that brings certain death to all who posses it. But the painting does not strike without warning, before the unlucky party is to die, the scythe in the painting bears blood, and its meaning is certain death. The ending was the best. Just when you think you've figured the plot, a surprise twist occurs. Starring William Shatner and hosted by the great Boris Karloff, and written by Robert Bloch, the author of Psycho, this is a thriller worth dying for.

Surprisingly better than average- even thrilling
When I fisrt rented this video, I thought it would be hum-drum and boring. But I found it to be suspenseful, interesting, entertaining and definitely worth seeing. It's about a young man(William Shatner) who goes to visit his aunt who just recently married a man much younger than herself, he comes to warn her of an 'evil' painting that brings certain death to all who posses it. But the painting does not strike without warning, before the unlucky party is to die, the scythe in the painting bears blood, and its meaning is certain death. The ending was the best. Just when you think you've figured the plot, a surprise twist occurs. Starring William Shatner and hosted by the great Boris Karloff, and written by Robert Bloch, the author of Psycho, this is a thriller worth dying for.

Good Episode of a Sublime, Though Sadly Forgotten, TV Show
True fans of Horror who grew up in the 1960s and 1970s love this show. Even Stephen King, in his book DANSE MACABRE (p. 216 of the oversized paperback), calls this "the best horror series ever put on TV." The show's host, Boris Karloff, was obviously no stranger to the genre, and he even starred in several notable episodes.

This particular episode, "The Grim Reaper," is a pretty good one. The story centers a wealthy writer of horror fiction and her visiting nephew. The nephew's plan is to "bump off" his old aunt, using the legend of a cursed painting of the Grim Reaper--a painting the aunt has recently purchased--as his cover. But, of course, there is more to the "legend" behind the painting than the nephew realizes....

As with all the good and great episodes of THRILLER, this one does chill the bones. Also notable are a pre-STAR TREK performance by William Shatner, as the nephew, and a pre-GILLIGAN'S ISLAND performance by Natalie Schafer as the wealthy aunt. Definitely one of the THRILLER episodes that fans of the genre, especially fans of classic horror, won't want to miss.

best move to with the grim reaper so far
a cursed painting of the grim reaper comes to life ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Nice twist on Poe.
This is the E. A. Poe story with a twist. I liked it alot, had me guessing what would happen next. Clever pop-open coffin setup. The specter's face was very effective. Well done twist to a classic Poe story.

Good Episode of a Sublime, Though Sadly Forgotten, TV Show
True fans of Horror who grew up in the 1960s and 1970s love this show. Even Stephen King, in his book DANSE MACABRE (p. 216 of the oversized paperback), calls this "the best horror series ever put on TV." The show's host, Boris Karloff, is obviously no stranger to the horror genre, and he co-stars in this particular episode, "The Premature Burial."

With only a vague resemblance to the Poe story of the same name, this story concerns a man who suffers from catalepsy and consequently becomes obsessed with ensuring that he is never buried alive during a seizure. But unbenknownst to him, his cuckolding young wife has other plans. Karloff appears as a medical doctor who is good friends with the cataleptic gentleman and who eventually uncovers the truth about the wife's sinister doings. All in all, it's an entertaining little horror story with an interesting and suspenseful climax. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Horrifyingly Amusing "Thriller" Episode!
This 1961 installment of the Boris Karloff-hosted hour-long TV anthology series, "Thriller", is one of the best of the lot. Starring Elizabeth Montgomery and Tom Poston (along with a creepy John Carradine), "Masquerade" is delightfully "tongue-in-cheek" from start to finish. With a great, great twist ending too!

Liz and Tom are stranded in a severe rain storm, and stop by the nearest residence for shelter. Too bad -- for them that is. Because this "residence" is occupied by some rather odd inhabitants (Carradine and family).

This plot has a very familiar ring. It's the same storyline that exists in the feature film "The Old Dark House", the outstanding 1932 horror classic. But in "Masquerade", the "horror" is heavily tinged with humor (mostly humor in fact -- but still a little scary around the edges at times). A nice blend of scary images and humor make this episode quite fun to see.

The very first thing you'll notice as this episode begins is something that is distinctly familiar to nearly all horror movie fans -- that being the house that was used as the location for this "Thriller" program. It's none other than Norman Bates' homestead from the film "Psycho" (which was released just 16 months prior to the airing of this TV episode)! It *does* seem rather strange (IMO) for this by-now highly-recognizable "Psycho" house to be shown in a TV episode.

With lightning illuminating the house and thunder crashing during the heavy rainstorm, the producers of this "Thriller" episode did an excellent job of photographing this famous old house, and creating an eerie setting at the beginning of the program. The famous dwelling looks even spookier in this "Thriller" episode (if that's possible) than it did in Mr. Hitchcock's movie.

"Masquerade" first aired on network TV on October 30, 1961 -- the 43rd episode of the "Thriller" series, which ran for just two seasons (67 total episodes).

This VHS video comes via "MCA/Universal Home Video" and runs approx. 50 minutes in Full-Frame (1.33:1) format. The audio is Hi-Fi Mono. The video opens with a short "Trailer" ad for the six MCA/Universal VHS videos in this "Thriller" series. Each video contains one (approx. 50-minute) episode from the short-lived 1960s Boris Karloff series. They're all pretty darn good too. Getting them all wouldn't be that bad of an idea. A much better idea than spending a stormy night in the "Psycho" house, at any rate. LOL! :)

Vampire comedy thriller
Film legend Boris Karloff hosts this horror television series. In this episode he invites us to update our image of vampires.

Stars Elizabeth Montgomery (Bewitched) and Tom Poston (Bob Newhart Show) as a couple of young smart and cynical honeymooners who take refuge in a forbidding old house (the Psycho set) which is occupied by a strange family. The story keeps you guessing whether the honeymoon couple or the somewhat mocking hosts including John Carradine (Hillbillies in a Haunted House) are the ones who've made a grave mistake.

If you can suspend disbelief this is a nerve-racking nail-biting story, if you can't it's just nerve-racking.

Excellent creepfest with laughs & bats,too!
I very much enjoyed this lighthearted "THILLER" episode & I must admit~~I didn't see the twist ending coming!Great performances by all!Highly Recommended!!!

can't touch this
Now to really view a horror sitcomof the 1960's and enjoy the thrillof it...What a shame these are not duplicated anymore. Horror todayis loaded with blood, violence,sex and same thing same thing. With Thriller the old fashionthrill is there. REMEMBER THEFIRST ROLLER-COASTER RIDE. Thissame experience will be felt withthis video of yesterdays gone by.

Great Episode of a Sublime, Though Sadly Forgotten, TV Show
True fans of Horror who grew up in the 1960s and 1970s love this show. Even Stephen King, in his book DANSE MACABRE (p. 216 of the oversized paperback), calls this "the best horror series ever put on TV." The show's host, Boris Karloff, was obviously no stranger to the genre, and he even starred in several notable episodes.

This particular episode, "Masquerade," is one of the tamer episodes horror-wise, but it still sets the creepy mood that was the trademark of the series. Also notable are pre-fame performances by Tom Poston and Elizabeth Montgomery, as well as a nice little turn by John Carradine. Unlike the majority of THRILLER episodes, it does contain humor and has a humorous twist ending that, by today's standards, probably seems a bit cliche. Nontheless, it is a very entertaining episode and well worth a watch. ... Read more

Description

A diabolical double dose of Bette Davis! She plays sibling twins caught in a web of jealousy and murder in a goosebumpy thriller co-starring Karl Malden and Peter Lawford. Year: 1964 Director: Paul Henreid Starring:Bette Davis, Karl Malden, Peter Lawford ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Can you stand Bette Davis in a dual role? This is the best.
Can you stand Bette Davis in a dual role? Edith goes to the funeral of Frank, a man she used to know personally. Frank was the husband of Margaret. There the widow asked Edith to come home with her. It has been 18 years since they had seen each other. Margaret lives in a mansion and is very well-to-do. Edith rents a Los Angeles cocktail tavern and she also occupies in the upstairs apartment. The audience finds out early in the movie that Edith and Margaret look the same. They are identical. They are sisters. They haven't seen each other since Margaret announced that she was "pregnant" and was going to marry Frank. The sisters have a long-overdue arguement and Edith decides to leave in a huff. The estate's driver drives Edith back to her tavern. She learns of some very interesting secret information about Frank and Margaret. This film will keep you informed and will hold your interest. I won't mention anything more so you will be surprised. Karl
Malden plays "Jim", Edith's love interest who used to work in the Homicide Dept. Oh, the suspense in this one. Even if you are not a Bette Davis fan, you'll like this film noir.

Bette at her most tacky
This movie is only worth watching if you are a die-hard Bette Davis fan, otherwise, forget it. This is also Bette at the end of her amazing career, a sort of last gasp before age and a string of mediocre movies forced her into semi-retirement. This is her last decent film, though it drags in long stretches and the plot is silly, contrived and stupid. Peter Lawford gives a thoroughly forgetable performance as her boyfriend. Karl Malden is good, but his character is pathetically stupid. Wake up, Karl, your girlfriend is a murderer!

If you love Bette Davis, you'll watch her recite the phone book. I require a little more than that to give it a thumb's up.

Check out the bonus commentarys and documentaries on this!
According to DVDReviews.com: Bonus material will include a commentary by Charles Busch (Die! Mommie, Die!) and Boze Hadleigh (author of Bette Davis Speaks and the two interview books, Hollywood Gays and Hollywood Lesbians), an all-new documentary Double Take: Bette vs. Bette, the featurette Behind-the-Scenes at the Doheny Mansion and a theatrical trailer. Sounds like great fun!

And btw, Busch is also doing a commentary track with Patty McCormack on Warner's new release of THE BAD SEED!

DAVIS x 2....
Repeating the gimmick from "A Stolen Life", Bette Davis here plays twin sisters...this time estranged due to complicated circumstances over a man years before. Margaret DeLorca (Davis) married the old flame of Edith (Davis) and got rich. Edie, who wound up poor, now runs a seedy jazz bar that's behind in it's bills. When Mr.DeLorca dies, Edie sees Margaret at the funeral and Margaret invites her to the mansion and flaunts her wealth (and cast offs) at Edie. Edie quickly realizes the set-up. Margaret never loved the man and married him for money (telling him she was pregnant) while Edie truly loved him and never really got over the pain. When the rent comes due on the bar again and Edie can't pay, she devises a murderous plan to end her financial worries once and for all. Davis is excellent in both roles and is ably supported by a top notch supporting cast. Karl Malden as the cop who loves Edie, Peter Lawford as the slimy, aging gigolo lover of Margaret, Estelle Winwood as a religious family friend of the DeLorca's and Jean Hagen as a playgirl friend of Margaret's. Edith finds out (too late of course) that Margaret was worse than she thought and more murderous complications ensue. While all this is basically a more macabre rehash of "A Stolen Life", Davis fans (like me) should eat it up. Her co-star from "Now Voyager" Paul Henreid directed the film and his daughter Monika plays the personal maid to Margaret/Edie. It's in glorious b&w and the scenes involving both sisters are very well done. Will be very glad to see this on DVD. Now, how about "Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte"?

Worth watching for Bette, as always...
This is the second time Bette co-starred with herself; the first time was in "A Stolen Life"; however, do not look for that sort of quality here...the poor sister of the rich sister, Bette kills off her richer sibling and adopts her persona, and moves from her tawdry digs into the magnificent mansion in Beverly Hills. (The old Doheny estate, and the location for "Cinderfella" and "The Loved One.")
I enjoy Peter Lawford in anything, a truly underappreciated actor and a really nice man. He is enjoyably slimy in this role, and adds the right note for the jaded, rather tired boyfriend. Karl Malden is sad, and you feel sorry for him;; he was so devoted to the poor sister...the star of the show is Ms. Davis, and the fabulous house and grounds. Don't look for high, quality drama here, but rather, an enjoyable way to spend a Saturday night.
(NOTE: The Doheny estate, built in the early 1920s, is specatacular, and boasts several streets with signs for it's 25 acres of grounds, and it has a children's playhouse with fireplace and kitchen, etc., that rivals anything I've ever seen...and three guest houses, larger and more magnificent than most mansions! Also a bowling alley, a real movie theatre and over 30 bedrooms in the servants quarters. There was murder there, around 1929, the father caught his son with the butler, and shot and killed him; the son was put away in an asylum. Quite a history, and quite a setting...) ... Read more

Reviews (2)

James Garner vs. Clint Eastwood in a superb western comedy.
This is required viewing and a unique experience for Clint Eastwood admirers since he has a huge role as a colorful but loathesome gunfighter/villain and plays it sublimely well. Edgar Buchanan (the marvelous character actor that played "Uncle Joe" on "Petticoat Junction") and Abby Dalton round out the guest cast of this sensational episode of "Maverick" with James Garner. Bret Maverick (Garner) and Eastwood are at loggerheads over Dalton and the sequences illustrating Eastwood's quick-draw ability and Garner's reactions to it are extremely funny and perfectly played straight. The saloon fistfight between Garner and Eastwood is riveting and Maverick's gentle friendship with Buchanan's character is beautifully drawn. This was the first episode of "Maverick" to be offered on video and with good reason. No one could possibly be disappointed with this episode of my favorite television series.

Bret Maverick faces John Wesley Hardin in a gunfight
In his only Warner Bros. TV appearance, Clint Eastwood guest stars as Red Hardigan, a local tough-guy who is itching to provoke James Garner as Bret Maverick into a showdown. Red is jealous that "Maver-ack" is showing too much attention to Carrie Christiansen, played by Abby Dalton. But Red has to wait in line when notorious gunslinger John Wesley Hardin arrives in Sundown and "calls out" Bret. Episode also features Jack Kelly as brother Bart Maverick. Originally aired: Feburary 1, 1959. (This review is a paraphrase of the WB video release box cover review.) ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Robert Redford in an early appearance as a cowboy.
Robert Redford put in an extremely early appearance in this fine episode of "Maverick" featuring Jack Kelly as the title character's brother Bart. This one's a very good straight western involving a cattle drive and a character whose hand was amputated by Indians and casually uses an iron prosthetic to crush the skull of an argumentative associate. Redford has an oddly baby-faced look here, with ample cheeks and a hint of his famously acne-scarred complexion visible. Fast paced and well acted, this is an excellent example of a 50s TV western and an intriguing curio for Redford admirers. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

the best of maverick
maverick is a gambler and this is truer to the story line and is very entertaining it's clean fun to watch and maverick gets a taste of his own medicine buy it enjoy it!

Okay but not great...
The cover is misleading it shows Bret (James Garner) with his brother Bart (Jack Kelly), but Bart's not in this episode. The show is okay, but not as enjoyable as "Shady Deal at Sunny Acres."

A superb episode of James Garner's classic 50s TV series.
If someone asked me to choose one episode of "Maverick" that superbly illustrates my favorite television series' strengths, this might be it. James Garner's fascinatingly complex character Bret Maverick is on full display and Diane Brewster as Samantha Crawford, Maverick's primary female nemesis, is introduced in this episode in all her slipperiness and duplicity in a plot that revolves around a New Orleans riverboat gambling contest that hinges on an obscure poker rule of the day. The principals later segue by stagecoach to a western town with a crooked casino, where they encounter Leo Gordon as Mike McComb, Maverick's strapping Irish ally. Jodie Foster's character in the recent Mel Gibson movie version was based on Samantha, and Ms. Brewster's performance is a revelation, forcing the viewer to bemoan the policy of that period preventing most television actors from moving into theatricals. Warners' unsung but mesmerizing stable of character actors are peppered throughout the show to good effect, as is always the case with this series, and this episode has a classic feel, with lustrous lighting and photography and fascinatingly nuanced performances. This is one to watch repeatedly and serves as a superior companion to the movie version.

Perfect choice to know the best TV of the period
I saw this when I was younger and liked it then. It is ahead of its time. It instructs patience in the face of setback. Maverick loses badly to a woman, something that doesn't happen to a western hero, but Maverick takes it in stride, never missing a beat stays focused on his final outcome. There are lessons in morality, justice and determination. The best of its kind

Bret Maverick meets his match...
It's one thing for Bret Maverick to lose a poker game, it's another thing to lose to a woman, it's even worse when she beats him by invoking an obscure rule from Hoyle's Book of Games. But Bret's adventure with Samantha Crawford, played by Diane Brewster, is just beginning -- as he discovers when he follows her in an attempt to get his money back.

Originally aired: October 6, 1957 ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Garner started a new genre
Maverick is at his best as the cowboy - gambler who is the smartest guy in the room but used quips instead of arrogance to make his points. He is almost the anti-hero, because he isn't the fastest gun and knows it. He uyses his brains and sense of humor to win the day. He also has a strong sense of right and wrong, which was probably odd for a professional gambler.

I love all the garner Mavericks and wish they would release more.

Given that these were had in the 50's, they are all family friendly.

maverick-point blank
i got the maverick serouis years ago and its a great western to watch it differant than most becuse its funney and adventous and enjoyable to watch i recomend it to anyone its a good story and so are the rest! columbia movies? i think offers the conpleat searous of tapes thats how i got mine!check it out, it also offers have gun will travel great show i have almost all of them!

Good Maverick, not the best
I thought this was more of a standard western than other Maverick episodes. If you like the series, you'll enjoy adding this to your collection. if you haven't seen the series, I'd suggest starting with "Shady Deal at Sunny Acres" or "According to Hoyle."

The Maverick episode written first and meant as the intro.
This was the first episode of "Maverick" to be written. Roy Huggins had intended it as the first one to be broadcast as well but the studio insisted on using a rewrite of a story that they already owned instead, so that they wouldn't have to pay Huggins the creator fees. Standard policy for the period. 29-year-old James Garner is superb in delivering the complex and mature characterization of Bret Maverick and a young Mike Connors, who later played TV's "Mannix," is the episode's guest villain. The show has a verve, energy, and intelligence that set the tone for the run of the series. It is by definition an excellent start for experiencing "Maverick." ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Roger Moore replaces James Garner as Maverick.
"Maverick" had suffered a steep decline from its glory days by the time this episode was filmed, but it's still a good show. Roger Moore replaces the absent James Garner as Maverick in this one, a task about as enviable as his replacing of Sean Connery in the role of James Bond years later. Moore did some extremely good episodes, though, one in particular written and directed by Robert Altman, but this isn't one of them and this isn't it. Jack Kelly as Bart Maverick and Moore as his cousin Beau work hard at it but the script in this one just isn't quite up to snuff, and Kelly plays the material a bit too broadly, something that would have been inconceivable in his work with Garner. It's worthwhile to dyed-in-the-wool Maverick adherents (like me) and Roger Moore admirers (you won't believe how young he looks in this, shot long before his later series "The Saint"), but this one should only be ordered after you've experienced the classic earlier episodes with Garner and Kelly. It's easy to see why Moore was chosen to replace Garner, though, since the resemblance between the two actors throughout the 60s is eerie. Later in the same season the studio went that one better, though, by hiring Garner lookalike Robert Colbert, dressing him in Garner's signature black outfit, and calling his character "Brent." ... Read more

Reviews (1)

This B-Noir from Republic is lacking a few things.
Such as perspective, suspense, and an adequate finale. I make it sound worthless. It certainly is not terrible; it's just slower and duller than it could have been.

Newlyweds Meeker and Rule are in Acapulco. Meeker is a WW2 vet and sometimes has violent headaches, reacts badly to sudden loud noises, and experiences memory loss. Meeker meets a señorita and paints her picture. The next morning she is found dead. See where this is going? Of course you do, and the film doesn't hide its intentions very well.

There are other occurrences: a blackmail plot, a dogged Mexican policeman, a few distracting comic interludes, an attempt to leave the country which fails, another murder... But nothing grabs the viewer because there is no point-of-view in the film. Hitchcock's 'Suspicion' worked so well because the audience's beliefs mirrored Joan Fontaine's own as to whether Cary Grant was guilty or innocent, and were kept in constant flux by direction and script that winked with playful menace at them.

Rule does indeed learn disturbing things gradually, and the film peels away layers deliberately, but any actual doubt on her part barely registers. 'A Woman's Devotion' is this movie's alternate title, but 'A Woman's Doubt' would have made for more effective and interesting drama. To be fair, I think a bad splice in the print I watched does cut out one slight but important revelation, which would have made a difference. But not enough of a difference.

Because furthermore, Rule herself is never in any danger, either. No one is in any danger, really, so suspense never enters the equation. And we're left with a "mystery" that latter-day audiences will find obvious and tepid at best.

As much as I have critiqued the lack of mystery, my next statement may seem contradictory. But we never find out for certain that Meeker did commit the murders. The movie definitely comes to an ending, as things degenerate at the airport while the couple is preparing to leave for home. But it is an unhappy, unclear resolution. And the ambiguity seems not to be the intention, rather only part of a muddled script. Anyway, viewers may not think how few questions have truly been answered because they may just be happy to finally see some action onscreen at the climax.

Henreid (of Casablanca fame) does well, as does most of the cast, but the potentially interesting story lets them down, and Meeker (Mike Hammer in Kiss Me Deadly) is not well-cast for the more tender moments, of which there are not a few. And of course, I am one of those who always finds these low-budget things better when shot in black-and-white.

Good dialogue notice: "Love is wonderful. I fall in and out of it several times a week."

Purple prose alert: "... twilight of truth and deception." ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Great opener to a great series
I especially like the Maverick episodes that emphasize humor, and this one has many clever scenes. The highlight for me was seeing Bret sway the election to the ex-judge. However, I have to side with Phineas in the poker game at the beginning--No way I let Maverick bet with a sealed envelope.

The first episode is a strong introduction to James Garner.
This is the first episode of "Maverick" and is a marvelously written and photographed introduction to James Garner in his signature role of Bret Maverick. This program had to compete with the Ed Sullivan and Steve Allen variety shows, then considered impregnable, and understandably knocked them for a loop, with neither of them ever completely recovering their former standing in the ratings for a continuous period. Garner and his role are so striking that it's easy to see why; in an era of flat and colorless western heroes, he played a much more adult, complex and chronically fascinating character, making an electrifying impression on viewers of the day. Even though set in the Old West, "Maverick" has as urban a feel as anything on film. All the elements of the character are quickly established and Garner's performance is practically perfected out of the gate, with only a few minor changes made later: in this one Maverick wears a bow tie with his usual black broadcloth gambler's suit and hasn't yet figured out that he basically wears his hat on the back of his head (something Garner forgot when the series was revived in the eighties) but aside from that everything else is in place. Garner is also noticably thinner than he ever was before or since in anything, since he had an uncharacteristic bout with dieting and working out at the gym immediately before the filming of this episode. To kick off the series with a splash, this installment is a kind of rolling extravaganza of everything, with Maverick saving an entire town from the clutches of an mining baron in spite of the townspeople's fears. It is a television masterpiece. If that sounds anomalous, watch it and see if you don't agree. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Standing the Test of Time
I was about eight years old when Maverick was popular but I remember my family sitting around the television in the evening and watching the original episodes. When I found the Maverick video website I ordered two immediately. I looked forward to their arrival with great anticipation. At the same time I wondered if the program would live up to my recollections. I was astounded to find that it did, and we all laughed out loud at Shady Deal at Sunny Acres and the other videos I have purchased. The writers and producers of Maverick put a lot of time into these scripts and it shows. Its great to enjoy them again.

Best Maverick episode I have seen
If you are a fan of the 1950's TV series Maverick, starring James Garner and Jack Kelly, and have not seen this episode, then buy this video, and prepare yourself to be blown away. "Shady Deal..." is quite an excellent installment (among very many) of Maverick. What I love most about this particular episode is that it expresses quite well the foolishness of greed and of selfishness when it shows Mr. Bates, a dishonest banker, steal Bret's money and then immediately lunge into another man's monetary affairs, unaware that he is about to be conned out of his shoes. The episode makes me laugh when I see Bret just sitting and whittling, acting as if Mr. Bates' dishonesty does not worry him in the least. And above all, when I realize that brother Bart, Samantha, Gentleman Jack, Cindy, Dandy Jim, and Big Mike--quite a roster--have all assumed false identities, I am reminded that no one messes with the Mavericks and gets away with it. This episode was written unbelievably well, with the sharp, diligently collated plan carried out by Bart and his friends, and with Bret's laid back, subtle sense of humor, which portrays him as just an easy-going person and gives the show an amiably comical atmosphere--a quality that seemed to disappear from Maverick after Garner left the show. "Shady Deal at Sunny Acres" is sure to be esteemed among the greatest installments of the Maverick TV series. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.

WHAT A GREAT SHOW!
I'm apparently a little young to remember this show when originally broadcast. I bought this one 'coz I love James Garner, and now I'm hooked on it. What a great show! It's got a solid plot, wonderful and well-executed characters, a good balance between humor and compassion, and the good guys win! What more could you ask for? I recommend this video even if you're not a great fan of the western genre.

The most fondly remembered episode of the best TV series.
This is the quintessential episode of "Maverick," the one that everyone remembers first and the one that sticks in everyone's mind. The entire supporting cast of running con-artist characters is featured, including the perfect Diane Brewster as Samantha Crawford, Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. as Dandy Jim Buckley (his most winning role), Richard Long as Gentleman Jack Darby, and Leo Gordon as Irishman Big Mike McComb, among others, with John Dehner as the sublimely execrable villain of the piece ("If you can't trust your banker, whom can you trust?"). Jack Kelly as Maverick's brother Bart runs a complex con that is the forerunner for the film "The Sting" while James Garner as Bret Maverick spends most of the show sitting in a rocking chair and whittling, telling scoffing townspeople that ask how he intends to recover a stolen $15,000 within a self-imposed two-week deadline that he's "working on it." Somehow the image of Garner rocking and smiling and whittling is one of the three most memorable television images of the 1950s, along with Elvis Presley on the Ed Sullivan Show and Fess Parker as Davey Crockett on Walt Disney's Disneyland series. If you can't understand how this can possibly be the case, see for yourself.

Quintessential Maverick
I think this gem is my second-favorite Maverick episode (behind "A Fellow's Brother"). Some of the Mavericks were basic westerns, but this great sting episode showed the genius and humor of the show. John Dehner is once again great as a comedic villian. Definitely makes me wish that more Maverick episodes were available. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Duel at sundown
This is a very good movie with James Garner and Clint Eastwood. It also has some comedy at the end. If you like Mavericks, you'll love this one. ... Read more