Laying down the law
In “Dallas’s” fifth-season episode “Blackmail,” Miss Ellie (Barbara Bel Geddes) sits at the Southfork kitchen table while Donna (Susan Howard) stands nearby and tells her the story of how Sam Culver and “a partner” staged a land grab by committing the property owner, who later killed himself.
DONNA: I had thought Jock might’ve told you.
ELLIE: Well, why would Jock know anything about it?
DONNA: Because Jock was Sam’s partner, Miss Ellie. It was the beginning of both of their fortunes.
ELLIE: How can you believe such lies about Jock? Of all the men in the world, he would never do that. His first wife ended up in an asylum. He hated them.
DONNA: I understand how you feel.
ELLIE: Oh, no you don’t. You don’t understand anything.
DONNA: Miss Ellie, I would never print anything without your permission. That’s why I came here.
ELLIE: You came to get my permission to destroy the reputation of the finest man that’s ever lived? To tell lies about him, when he’s not here to defend himself? All for the sake of some cheap book? How dare you!
DONNA: [Quivering] I don’t care about the book. I don’t want to hurt you.
ELLIE: Then how could you come and tell me this? It’s not true.
DONNA: It’s true.
ELLIE: It’s not! [Slams fist on the table]
DONNA: [Begins crying] Please, Miss Ellie.
ELLIE: All right. You go ahead and write your book. And the day it’s published, I’ll sue you through every court in the land if I have to. I will not allow you to do this to my husband. [Picks up her eyeglasses and leaves]
The Barneses and Ewings fight all year long. You don’t expect them to take off during the holidays, do you?
Dallas Decoder 