The Greeners (1968) starring Stuart Whitman, Percy Herbert, Jill Townsend, Mark Lenard, Peter Jason directed by Vincent McEveety Movie Review

The Greeners (1968)   4/54/54/54/54/5


Stuart Whitman in The Greeners (1968)

The Strip Runs Out

When old timers Pinky (Shug Fisher) and Owley (Dub Taylor) pulled a fast one in the saloon in the hope of being arrested by Jim (Stuart Whitman) they got a rude awakening. Knowing that the harmless old rogues just wanted a warm bed and a hot meal he sent them on their way knowing full well in 3 months they will return. But after wandering on a ranchers land Pinky and Owley not only end up being dragged behind the ranchers horses but hung. Having witnessed the dragging and having discovered their bodies hanging from a tree, Jared Arlyn (Mark Lenard) and his family cut down the bodies and take them to Cimarron where partly out of fear refuse to tell Crown what they witnessed as they see the killers in town. But when the Arlyn family find that the Outlet has been frozen and can't have a piece of land things change for them especially young Davey (Peter Jason).

"The Greeners" episode 23 of "Cimarron Strip" the last in series one and as it turns out the last episode all together and what an episode to go out on as with the exception of Randy Boone who doesn't appear other than in the credits this has a bit of everything. We have the comedy of two old rogues, a sense of feeling guilty on the part of Crown for sending them on their way, religious grounds for not accusing men of murder as well as jealousy, respect, vengeance and even blackmail. That blackmail comes from one of the Arlyn boys blackmailing the local rancher for $600 in return for his and his family's silence. It is an interesting aspect, the good guy blackmailing a bad man to provide his father's dream as it has the potential for many complications from feelings of guilt to danger.

Peter Jason in The Greeners (1968)

Now as with many of the episodes of "Cimarron Strip" it is the guest actors in "The Greeners" who make it work and for many the name Mark Lenard will spring to mind as he plays Jared the religious head of the Arlyn family. But Stuart Whitman also ups his game as he brings in the conflict of feelings over the two old timers who died and having the man guilty of their murder behind bars but having to release him due to a judge's order. But there is David Brian as Turner, the cold, evil rancher who menacingly says "drag" when he orders the men to pull Pinky and Owley behind their horses. It is one of the iciest villains to appear in "Cimarron Strip" and certainly makes this final episode memorable.

What is for certain is whilst "The Greeners" ended up the final episode it certainly doesn't feel like a melancholy exit and I wonder whether the regulars knew the run was coming to an end due to low ratings and so many other series competing for air time.

What this all boils down to is that "The Greeners" is on one hand a triumphant end to "Cimarron Strip" with a storyline built with layer upon layer of detail with greed, jealousy, revenge and so much more covered, in fact it is one of the better episodes. But at the same time it doesn't feel like a finale and as such you just feel that whilst there were never any major stories which continued from one episode to another there are still aspects left hanging.


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