Dallas Decoder

Critique: ‘Dallas’ Episode 120 — ‘Crash of ’83’

July 22, 2013 by Chris Baker 15 Comments

Bobby Ewing, Crash of '83, Dallas, Patrick Duffy

Welcome to the dark side

At the beginning of “Crash of ’83,” the corrupt energy commissioner George Hicks tells Bobby he’ll “never” vote to revoke J.R.’s permission to pump more oil than anyone else in Texas. Bobby’s response: “Hicks, never say never.” The line, which Patrick Duffy delivers with his trademark breathy seriousness, sets the tone for the rest of the hour. Bobby does things in “Crash of ’83” that he probably never dreamed he’d have to do, like using a hooker to snoop into Hick’s private life and then blackmailing the man when his secret addiction to cocaine is discovered. It makes me wonder: Does the title of this episode refer only to the climactic crash of the Wentworth jet, or is it also meant to describe Bobby’s descent into moral morass?

It might seem surprising to see Bobby pulling dirty tricks, but when you think about it, this isn’t altogether out of character for him. Remember when “Dallas” began, Bobby was Ewing Oil’s “roadman,” specializing in spreading around the three “b’s” — broads, booze and booty — to help the company curry favor with state politicians. Bobby also demonstrated a flair for wheeling and dealing when he took control of Ewing Oil after J.R.’s shooting, including turning the tables on devious Sally Bullock after she cooked up an insurance fraud scheme with J.R. That incident reminds me a lot of Bobby’s blackmail of Hicks in “Crash of ’83.” Yes, Bobby sets up a public official, but Hicks isn’t exactly a saint. Bobby is merely reshuffling a deck that J.R. stacked against him.

Indeed, it’s pretty easy to forgive Bobby his trespasses in this episode, even if Bobby has trouble forgiving himself. But even if you don’t like Bobby’s behavior, you can’t deny that Duffy delivers another outstanding performance. Like Barbara Bel Geddes, Duffy has mastered the ability to let us know what his character is feeling with a mere sideways glance or furrowed brow. In this episode, watch his face when Hicks tells Bobby, “Ewing, I gotta give you credit. You’re just as dirty as your famous brother.” Duffy’s pained expression lets us know how much these words sting Bobby. By the way: It’s terrific to see Duffy perform opposite Arlen Dean Snyder, whose smarminess as Hicks contrasts nicely with Bobby’s indignation. (Snyder made a career of playing sleazy southerners. Besides Hicks, my favorite Synder role is Ray Don Simpson, the gold chained jerk who makes the mistake of trying to pick up Julia Sugarbaker in the “Designing Women” pilot.)

Other “Crash of ’83” highlights include the scene where Bobby confesses his sins to Pam, who offers him no sympathy. Victoria Principal is especially good during this exchange, which mirrors a recent scene from TNT’s “Dallas” when Elena expresses her disappointment in Christopher after he crosses over to the dark side. I also admire how Linda Gray ever-so-subtly lets us know that Sue Ellen is a little jealous of Ellie’s friendship with Clayton, as well as the sense of desperation that Audrey Landers brings to the scene where Afton rushes to Southfork to tell Pam the Wentworth jet has crashed with Rebecca aboard. It’s also fun to see J.R. conduct a clandestine meeting with Walt Driscoll alongside a Texas back road; I wonder if this is the same gravelly path where J.R. and Alan Beam used to scheme together?

My other favorite “Crash of ’83” moment occurs when Pam and Rebecca bring Christopher to Cliff’s new townhouse. Pam holds aloft the child and reminds Cliff that he’s never met him (although didn’t Cliff show up at Southfork with an oversized stuffed animal under his arm for his nephew during the fifth-season episode “Waterloo at Southfork”?). Ken Kercheval then picks up little Eric Farlow, the child actor who plays Christopher, and proceeds to mug his way through a scene of Cliff feeding the baby his bottle. This moment is utterly charming, and also very revealing: Only Ken Kercheval could upstage a baby.

Grade: A

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Christopher Ewing, Cliff Barnes, Dallas, Eric Farlow, Ken Kercheval

Say uncle

‘CRASH OF ’83’

Season 6, Episode 17

Airdate: February 4, 1983

Audience: 20 million homes, ranking 5th in the weekly ratings

Writer: Howard Lakin

Director: Bill Duke

Synopsis: Bobby blackmails Hicks into voting to rescind J.R.’s variance. J.R. rejects Driscoll’s offer to get involved in an illegal oil deal. Miss Ellie grows closer to Clayton, who decides to sell the Southern Cross ranch. Lucy defends Mickey to Ray. Cliff is outraged to discover Afton slept with Thurman. Rebecca takes Cliff’s place on a flight aboard the Wentworth jet, which crashes.

Cast: Barbara Bel Geddes (Miss Ellie Ewing), Roseanna Christiansen (Teresa), April Clough (Wendy), Jack Collins (Russell Slater), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Eric Farlow (Christopher Ewing), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), Susan Howard (Donna Krebbs), Steve Kanaly (Ray Krebbs), Howard Keel (Clayton Farlow), Ken Kercheval (Cliff Barnes), Kenneth Kimmins (Thornton McLeish), Audrey Landers (Afton Cooper), Timothy Patrick Murphy (Mickey Trotter), Charles Napier (Carl Daggett), Ben Piazza (Walt Driscoll), Priscilla Pointer (Rebecca Wentworth), Victoria Principal (Pam Ewing), John Reilly (Roy Raltson), Albert Salmi (Gil Thurman), Arlen Dean Snyder (George Hicks), Charlene Tilton (Lucy Ewing)

“Crash of ’83” is available on DVD and at Amazon.com and iTunes. Watch the episode and share your comments below.

Filed Under: Critiques, Critiques (Classic), Opinion Tagged With: Arlen Dean Snyder, Audrey Landers, Barbara Bel Geddes, Crash of ’83, Eric Farlow, Ken Kercheval, Linda Gray, Patrick Duffy, Waterloo at Southfork

Dallas Cliffhanger Classics: Season 8

July 19, 2013 by Chris Baker Leave a Comment

Dallas Decoder celebrates “Dallas’s” classic cliffhangers with weekly summertime flashbacks. Collect all 14 images and share them with your friends.

Filed Under: Dallas Cliffhanger Classics, Features Tagged With: Donna Reed, Howard Keel, Larry Hagman, Patrick Duffy, Priscilla Presley, Steve Kanaly, Susan Howard, Victoria Principal

Drill Bits: Emmy Overlooks Larry Hagman … For Now

July 19, 2013 by Chris Baker 3 Comments

Dallas, Family Business, J.R. Ewing, Larry Hagman, Linda Gray, Sue Ellen Ewing, TNT

Ouch, Emmy

Larry Hagman wasn’t nominated for an Emmy yesterday, but the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences has a few more opportunities to honor “Dallas’s” biggest star.

First up: the “In Memoriam” montage that will be shown during this year’s Emmy ceremony, which CBS will broadcast on September 22. Hagman deserves to be featured prominently in the tribute reel, which is also certain to include fellow icons James Gandolfini and Jean Stapleton.

(Steve Forrest and Dale Robertson, two other “Dallas” vets who died recently, deserve spots in the reel too.)

Additionally, the academy could — wait, make that should — induct Hagman into its Hall of Fame next year. Chris Beachum, senior editor of awards website Gold Derby, lists Hagman among 24 possible honorees, along with stars such as David Letterman, Tyne Daly and the late Don Knotts.

Hagman, who died last fall after bringing J.R. Ewing back to life on TNT’s “Dallas” revival, was a contender for inclusion in this year’s dramatic supporting actor Emmy race. The show received no other nominations.

Hagman was twice nominated for best actor during the original “Dallas’s” heyday but never won. He joins a list of beloved stars who were snubbed by Emmy, including Andy Griffith, Jackie Gleason and Michael Landon.

Four E’s for Big D

Although fans of TNT’s “Dallas” were mighty disappointed by this year’s snubs, keep in mind: The original series won just four awards during its 14-season run. Barbara Bel Geddes received the best actress award in 1980, composer Bruce Broughton won awards for his musical scores in 1983 and 1984 and Travilla received the Emmy for costume design in 1985.

“Drill Bits,” a roundup of news about TNT’s “Dallas,” is published regularly. Share your comments below.

Filed Under: Drill Bits, News Tagged With: Barbara Bel Geddes, Bruce Broughton, Dale Robertson, Larry Hagman, Steve Forrest, Travilla

Dallas Scene of the Day: ‘No, J.R.’

July 17, 2013 by Chris Baker 3 Comments

A Ewing is a Ewing, Dallas, Holly Harwood, Lois Chiles

In “A Ewing is a Ewing,” a sixth-season “Dallas” episode, Holly (Lois Chiles) arrives in the darkened Ewing Oil reception area and finds J.R. (Larry Hagman) waiting for her.

J.R.: Hello, Holly.

HOLLY: Why the late-hour meeting, J.R.? I don’t understand why you couldn’t tell me what you wanted —

J.R.: There are a number of things you don’t understand, darlin’. That’s why I asked you to meet me here. Come on in my office. [Walks into his office, stands near the door] Come on, hon. [Holly comes to the door, pauses] Come on. [She enters and he closes the door behind her.] Like a drink?

HOLLY: No. Get on with it, J.R.

J.R.: [Pouring] Looks like I’m running into teetotalers all over the place. I had a meeting with a gentleman this afternoon, wouldn’t have a drink with me. [Sips from his glass]

HOLLY: J.R., I think we better talk some other time.

J.R.: You told the Air Force that I was behind your attempt to cancel their contract. [She’s silent.] Holly, we had an agreement. No one was to know I had any connection with Harwood Oil.

HOLLY: Anytime you want out of your contract —

J.R.: I don’t want out of the contract. And I don’t want any more stupid mistakes. You understand that?

HOLLY: What I understand is that I made the biggest mistake of my life when I made a deal with you.

J.R.: Not if you listen and do exactly like I tell you.

HOLLY: For how long?

J.R.: [Pauses, looks away, then back at her] As long as I need you.

HOLLY: Then what? You break Harwood? Ewing picks up the pieces?

J.R.: I don’t need to break Harwood. I already run it. And from now on, I run you too, darlin’.

HOLLY: Never!

She turns away from him. He approaches her from behind.

J.R.: Holly, you don’t have any choice, honey. [Touches her hair]

HOLLY: Take your hands off me, J.R.

J.R.: You wanted me once. [Reaches around, unbuttons her jacket]

HOLLY: You turned me down.

J.R.: Now we can start from scratch. [Pulls her jacket off her shoulders]

HOLLY: No, J.R. I don’t want this.

J.R.: I give the orders. You just follow them. That’s the way it’s going to be.

HOLLY: You won’t enjoy it.

J.R.: You better make damn sure I do.

Filed Under: Dallas Scenes of the Day, Dallas Scenes of the Day (Classic) Tagged With: Ewing is a Ewing, Larry Hagman, Lois Chiles

Critique: ‘Dallas’ Episode 119 — ‘A Ewing is a Ewing’

July 17, 2013 by Chris Baker 20 Comments

A Ewing is a Ewing, Dallas, Holly Harwood, J.R. Ewing, Larry Hagman, Lois Chiles

It’s complicated

The most unsettling moment in “A Ewing is a Ewing”: Holly Harwood arrives for an after-hours meeting at J.R.’s office, where he chastises her for telling one of Harwood Oil’s top customers that J.R. has become a silent partner in the company. Holly expresses regret — not for letting the cat out of the bag, but for going into business with J.R. in the first place. She turns her back to him. J.R. approaches from behind, reaches around and slowly begins to unbutton her jacket. “No, J.R. I don’t want this,” she says. He pulls the jacket off her shoulders. “You won’t enjoy it,” she continues. His reply: “You better make damn sure I do.”

The scene ends here, but there’s no doubt intercourse occurs. (Later in “A Ewing is a Ewing,” Holly pulls a gun on J.R. and tells him what transpired in his office will never happen again.) The question is: Is this rape? I can’t decide. On the one hand, Holly tells J.R. “no,” but he has sex with her anyway. How can that be anything but assault? On the other hand, I wonder why Holly makes no attempt to run away or to fight J.R. when he begins disrobing her. This woman is no shrinking violet, as the gun scene later in the episode demonstrates.

Given the ambiguity, perhaps a better question is: What did the people who made “Dallas” want the audience to think when this scene was broadcast 30 years ago? It seems shocking to think that a network television show would allow its lead character to rape a woman (this was CBS in the 1980s, not AMC today), so I wonder if the producers and writers merely saw this as another example of J.R. running roughshod over one of his enemies? Could it be the people behind the scenes didn’t grasp that this might be construed as an act of sexual violence? To be fair, society has a greater understanding of rape today than it did three decades ago, but it’s not like nothing was known about these kinds of crimes back then. Perhaps these two facts are telling: None of the producers listed in the “Dallas” credits during the 1982-83 season are women, and of the 28 episodes produced that year, all but one were written by men. (Linda Elstad wrote “Requiem,” which aired three weeks after “A Ewing is a Ewing.”).

Regardless of what this scene is supposed to depict, I dislike it. I’m usually willing to forgive J.R. his sins, even when my conscience tries to tug me in the other direction. I’m an unapologetic J.R. apologist. J.R. is cheating in a business deal? I say: He’s just trying to make his daddy proud, and who can’t sympathize with that? J.R. is cheating on Sue Ellen? In my mind, he’s merely revealing his foibles. But even I can’t justify my hero’s behavior in this scene. Make no mistake: This is not one of J.R.’s sly seductions. I hate how he how he stands in the doorway of his office and beckons Holly into the room by saying, “Come on, hon. Come on.” He treats her like a child or worse, a pet.

The scene invites comparisons to another disturbing “Dallas” sequence — this one from the 10th episode, “Black Market Baby” — when J.R. angrily pins Sue Ellen to their bed and forces himself on her, despite her repeatedly saying, “I don’t want you.” I don’t like that scene any more than the one with Holly, but keep in mind: It was filmed in 1978, before Larry Hagman had perfected the smiling warrior routine that made him so endearing to fans like me. Other soap opera icons have similar skeletons in their closet — Luke raped Laura before they became a couple on “General Hospital,” while Blake forced himself on Krystle during an early episode of “Dynasty” — but once Luke and Blake were redeemed, their shows were loathe to remind audiences of the characters’ past sins. Why would “Dallas” want to risk the affection that fans had for J.R., unless the show was feeling long in the tooth and trying to recapture some of its earlier edge?

Of course, no matter how distressing I find J.R. and Holly’s scene, I still appreciate how good Hagman and Lois Chiles are in it. Hagman, who also directed “A Ewing is a Ewing,” wisely avoids any hint of mischief, choosing instead to play J.R. as purely menacing. Chiles, in the meantime, makes us feel Holly’s sense of trepidation when she arrives for their meeting, as well as the disgust that grips her when J.R. begins unbuttoning her jacket. Hagman and Chiles are also terrific in the scene where Holly pulls the gun on J.R. I like how he snickers when she produces the weapon, only to breathe a private sigh of relief the moment he exits the room. Frankly, it’s cathartic to see J.R. scared.

I think it’s also worth considering how J.R. treats Sue Ellen in “A Ewing is a Ewing.” At the beginning of the second act, he “confides” in Sue Ellen that he needs someone to refine his crude and suggests she could ask Clayton Farlow to do it on his behalf. Sue Ellen resists this idea, so J.R. exploits her Achilles heel: He suggests that without Clayton’s help, he might lose the contest for Ewing Oil, thus robbing John Ross of his birthright. “It’s funny, isn’t it?” J.R. says. “The one thing I need to beat Bobby, to secure our future — the future of our little boy — is in the hands of a man that despises me.”

This is the second time in recent episodes that J.R. has used Sue Ellen as a pawn in the battle for Ewing Oil: In “Fringe Benefits,” he asks her to host a dinner party for Gil Thurman, even though he knows the lecherous Thurman will make a pass at her. That scheme ends disastrously, and Sue Ellen’s appeal to Clayton in “A Ewing is a Ewing” doesn’t turn out much better. Clayton feels she’s taking advantage of their friendship by asking him to help J.R. and storms away. It makes me wonder: Was this J.R.’s goal all along, to drive a wedge between his wife and Clayton?

Like J.R., Bobby shows he’s also willing to use people to get what he wants in “A Ewing is a Ewing.” (No doubt Bobby’s emulation of his brother inspired this episode’s title.) When Bobby discovers J.R. is in cahoots with energy commissioner George Hicks, Bobby hires Wendy, one of Carl Daggett’s prostitutes, to begin dating Hicks so she can dig up dirt on him. (The seeds for this subplot were planted in “Where There’s a Will,” which introduced the terrific character actor Charles Napier as Daggett, an old friend of Bobby’s.) In “A Ewing is a Ewing’s” memorable final scene, Pam arrives for dinner with Bobby at an out-of-the-way restaurant, but she’s unaware the only reason he asked her out for the evening is so he can spy on Wendy and Hicks, who are drinking on the other side of the room. Bobby isn’t just using Wendy; he’s using his wife too.

I suppose I should be disappointed in Bobby, but I’m not. It’s rather satisfying to see him shed his good-guy veneer, at least for a little while. Or maybe it’s just that after everything else that goes down in this episode, seeing Bobby dabble in prostitution and blackmail doesn’t seem so bad.

Grade: B

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Yep, he’s a Ewing

‘A EWING IS A EWING’

Season 6, Episode 16

Airdate: January 28, 1983

Audience: 22.3 million homes, ranking 3rd in the weekly ratings

Writer: Frank Furino

Director: Larry Hagman

Synopsis: After J.R. pressures Holly into having sex with him, she pulls a gun on him and declares their relationship is now strictly business. Bobby discovers J.R. is in cahoots with George Hicks, a member of the Texas Energy Commission, and hires a prostitute to set up Hicks. Clayton reacts angrily when Sue Ellen asks him to refine J.R.’s crude and leaves for Galveston, where he spends time with the vacationing Miss Ellie. The cartel buys out Bobby’s share of the Wellington property. Cliff urges his party to recruit J.R. as a candidate for office. Mark continues to pursue Pam.

Cast: John Beck (Mark Graison), Barbara Bel Geddes (Miss Ellie Ewing), Ion Berger (detective), Robert Burleigh (Harry), Lois Chiles (Holly Harwood), April Clough (Wendy), Roseanna Christiansen (Teresa), John Dennis (Ned), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Fern Fitzgerald (Marilee Stone), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), Susan Howard (Donna Krebbs), Steve Kanaly (Ray Krebbs), Howard Keel (Clayton Farlow), Ken Kercheval (Cliff Barnes), Audrey Landers (Afton Cooper), Paul Mantee (General Cochran), Timothy Patrick Murphy (Mickey Trotter), Charles Napier (Carl Daggett), Priscilla Pointer (Rebecca Wentworth), Victoria Principal (Pam Ewing), Debbie Rennard (Sly), Arlen Dean Snyder (George Hicks), Don Starr (Jordan Lee), Charlene Tilton (Lucy Ewing), Deborah Tranelli (Phyllis)

“A Ewing is a Ewing” is available on DVD and at Amazon.com and iTunes. Watch the episode and share your comments below.

Filed Under: Critiques, Critiques (Classic), Opinion Tagged With: Black Market Baby, Charles Napier, Ewing is a Ewing, Fringe Benefits, Larry Hagman, Linda Elstad, Lois Chiles, Requiem, Where There’s a Will

Drill Bits: Will Larry Hagman Be Nominated for an Emmy?

July 16, 2013 by Chris Baker 18 Comments

Dallas, Hedging Your Bets, J.R. Ewing, Larry Hagman, TNT

Show him some love, Emmy

Will Larry Hagman receive some much-deserved Emmy recognition when this year’s prime-time nominees are announced on July 18?

The “Dallas” star, who died last fall, is a contender in the dramatic supporting actor race. The editors at awards website Gold Derby rank Hagman 15th on the list of likely nominees in that category, putting his odds at 100 to 1.

In other words: Hagman’s chances are pretty slim.

On the other hand: Never bet against ol’ J.R.

“You don’t know how sentimental the voters might be,” says Chris Beachum, Gold Derby’s senior editor. “Mr. Hagman played one of the most iconic characters of all time … anything can happen.”

The dramatic supporting actor race is always competitive, often with seven or eight strong contenders competing for six slots, Beachum says. This year’s likely nominees include Aaron Paul (“Breaking Bad”) and Mandy Patinkin (“Homeland”), but surprises are possible. Last year, the experts were caught off guard when Jim Carter and Brendan Coyle scored supporting actor nominations for their roles on “Downton Abbey.”

The latest Emmy competition covers programs televised from June 2012 through May 2013, so the first two seasons of TNT’s “Dallas” revival are eligible. Hagman died in November after completing the first half of the second season, which TNT telecast in the winter and spring.

Hagman never won an Emmy. He was twice nominated for best actor during the original “Dallas’s” heyday, losing to Ed Asner (“Lou Grant”) in 1980 and Daniel J. Travanti (“Hill Street Blues”) in 1981. If Hagman is nominated this year, he’ll follow in the boot steps of TV daddy Jim Davis, who received a posthumous nomination in 1981.

Barbara Bel Geddes is the only actor to win an Emmy for “Dallas,” receiving the award for best actress in 1980.

None of the other actors from TNT’s “Dallas” revival are considered likely contenders for nominations this year, Beachum says, although the show could be nominated in technical categories such as costuming and cinematography.

If Emmy overlooks Hagman, his next best shot for recognition from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences will be an induction into its Hall of Fame. Beachum lists Hagman among several possible inductees this year, along with David Letterman, Tyne Daly and the late Don Knotts.

Deep-sixed

Hold on, darlins

The good news: Entertainment Weekly included “Dallas” on its recent list of television’s 100 all-time greatest shows. The outrageous news: The series ranked only 61st.

To this, we say: Hold on, darlins! When “Dallas” debuted 35 years ago, it dared to build a dramatic series around J.R., TV’s original anti-hero. “Dallas” also pioneered serialized storylines in prime time and the season-ending cliffhanger.

Without “Dallas,” EW wouldn’t have shows like “The Sopranos” (No. 5 on the magazine’s list), “Mad Men” (No. 9) and “Breaking Bad” (No. 18) to fawn over.

Moreover, does anyone honestly believe “Gilmore Girls” (No. 45), “The Rifleman” (No. 46) and “Freaks and Geeks” (No. 59) deserve to rank higher than “Dallas”?

Hagman’s Hat Man

Ever wonder who made the hats that Hagman sported on TNT’s “Dallas”? Check out Cowboys & Indians’ recent profile of hatmaker Butch Dorer.

“Drill Bits,” a roundup of news about TNT’s “Dallas,” is published regularly. Share your comments below.

Filed Under: Drill Bits, News Tagged With: Barbara Bel Geddes, Jim Davis, Larry Hagman, TNT

Tonight on #DallasChat: ‘The Envelope, Please’

July 15, 2013 by Chris Baker 2 Comments

Ann Ewing, Bobby Ewing, Brenda Strong, Dallas, Patrick Duffy

Encore! Encore!

Dallas Decoder’s next #DallasChat on Twitter will be Monday, July 15, from 9 to 10 p.m. Eastern time. Since the Emmy nominations will be announced later this week, our theme will be: “The Envelope, Please.”

As usual, I’ll tweet a question roughly every five minutes. Each question will be numbered and include the hashtag #DallasChat, so your responses should do the same. A sample exchange:

Q1. Which “Dallas” actor most deserves an Emmy nomination? #DallasChat

A1. Patrick Duffy deserves an Emmy! He’s terrific as Bobby Ewing. #DallasChat

You’re welcome to respond to what other people are saying about the show and to start “side conversations” of your own. Three more points to keep in mind:

• During the chat, enter #DallasChat in Twitter’s search field. This will help you watch the search results so you can follow the conversation. Click “All” to see all the related tweets.

• Don’t forget to include the hashtag #DallasChat in each tweet you send so others can see your contributions to the conversation.

• Twitter limits the number of tweets each users can send an hour, so I’m unable to respond to everyone’s answers. I’ll reply to some and “favorite” the others, but please know how much I appreciate everyone’s participation.

I look forward to another fun discussion. See you tonight!

Filed Under: #DallasChat, #DallasChat announcements, Opinion Tagged With: Brenda Strong, Patrick Duffy, TNT

Dallas Scene of the Day: ‘My Pretty Little Ellie’

July 15, 2013 by Chris Baker 7 Comments

Barbara Bel Geddes, Dallas, Miss Ellie Ewing, Reckoning

Poor Mama

In “The Reckoning,” a sixth-season “Dallas” episode, Brooks (Donald Moffat) questions Miss Ellie (Barbara Bel Geddes) during her testimony at the hearing to overturn Jock’s will.

BROOKS: Mrs. Ewing, did your husband ever write you about the codicil?

ELLIE: No.

BROOKS: Nothing at all?

ELLIE: Well, he told me on the phone that he had been trying to plan ahead, but it was hard. He was tired. He said that he just wanted to lie down and go to sleep for awhile. I remember that that frightened me.

BROOKS: Had you ever heard him say anything like that before?

ELLIE: Never. Jock was as strong as a bull. It must have been the fever or whatever. I don’t know, but he just wasn’t himself down there.

BROOKS: But he did write to you about how he was feeling?

ELLIE: Yes, several times.

BROOKS: Mrs. Ewing, may I ask you to read some of what he wrote to you?

Brooks pulls a letter from an envelope and hands it to Ellie. She puts on her eyeglasses and studies the letter for a moment, then begins to read it aloud.

ELLIE: “I’ve forgotten how miserable the jungle can be. Between the heat and the fatigue, I’m about done in. I’ve been running a fever lately, but I guess I’ll get over that. If Punk can survive it, so can I. We’re getting things done. It’s not like when we were young, though, Ellie. [Voice begins to break] I’m really feeling the years down here. My concentration isn’t what it used to be, either. I find myself trying to figure something out, then just drifting off somewhere. Back to younger days. Younger times. It’s funny: I stare out, and all these jungle plants just kind of dissolve — and there’s your face instead, just waiting there for me. My pretty little girl. My pretty little Ellie. Oh, how I miss you down here.” [Removes her glasses, wipes her eyes]

BROOKS: Mrs. Ewing, I won’t ask you to read any further. May we place these letters in the hands of the judge? [Hands letter to bailiff] Mrs. Ewing, I have just one more question for you: Aside from the fever and exhaustion, are you saying that at the time your husband wrote the codicil, he lacked mental competence? [She looks at J.R. and Bobby, seated across the room.] Mrs. Ewing, please answer the question: Are you saying when your husband wrote the codicil, he was mentally incompetent?

ELLIE: I’m saying that his sense of judgment not up to his usual standards.

BROOKS: That’s not what I’m asking.

ELLIE: If that’s the legal term you need to break the will, then yes, Jock was not mentally competent. [She sobs.]

Filed Under: Dallas Scenes of the Day, Dallas Scenes of the Day (Classic), Features Tagged With: Barbara Bel Geddes, Donald Moffat, Reckoning

Critique: ‘Dallas’ Episode 118 — ‘The Reckoning’

July 15, 2013 by Chris Baker 8 Comments

Dallas, Barbara Bel Geddes, Miss Ellie Ewing, Reckoning

Ewings divide!

Few moments on “Dallas” stir as many emotions for me as Miss Ellie’s testimony at the end of “The Reckoning.” Ellie, who is trying to overturn Jock’s will because it’s dividing her family, reads aloud one of the last letters he sent her before his death in South America. The words are sad and sentimental, written at a time when Jock was ill and missing his wife. When she’s finished, Ellie’s lawyer Brooks Oliver asks if she believes the letter shows Jock lacked mental competence at the end of his life. The Ewing matriarch tries to avoid answering the question, but Brooks persists. Ellie swallows hard. “If that’s the legal term you need to break the will,” she says, “then yes, Jock was not mentally competent.”

Does Ellie genuinely believe this? Scriptwriter Will Lorin keeps things ambiguous, which helps lend this scene its power. On the one hand, we learn from Jock’s letter that he was under the weather when he wrote the codicil that established the divisive contest for Ewing Oil. On the other hand, sick or not, pitting J.R. and Bobby against each other feels very much like something Jock would do. Is Ellie deluding herself when she declares otherwise? This wouldn’t be the first time she’s put on blinders where her late husband is concerned. Or could it be that Ellie is so desperate to end her sons’ rivalry that she’s willing to publicly question Jock’s mental competence, even though she knows deep down that he wasn’t delusional? Either way, I feel sorry for Mama at this moment.

Regardless of Ellie’s motivation, Barbara Bel Geddes does a nice job conveying her character’s torment. The actress uses her trademark halting delivery during the testimony, which works well because it suggests Ellie isn’t sure if she’s doing the right thing. Bel Geddes also allows her tears to flow freely, demonstrating again that she’s one of “Dallas’s” best criers. The testimony is also poignant because the letter that Ellie reads makes Jock seem more human than we usually think of him. He writes about getting older, using an expression — “I’m really feeling the years” — that sounds like something a man from Jock’s generation would say. You have to go back to “Dallas’s” ninth episode, “Bypass,” to see the character acknowledge his own mortality with such candor.

More than anything, this scene seems to offer a tribute to the courage that Jim Davis brought to his final days in the spring of 1981. Jock’s letter conjures images of him soldiering on through the jungle, just as Davis persevered when he continued to film scenes for “Dallas” despite the terrible toll cancer was taking on his body. Back then, the producers didn’t write Davis’s illness into the script because they wanted to give the dying actor hope that he would recover and be able to continue playing his character. Now, seeing Ellie read Jock’s letter in “The Reckoning,” it’s almost as if Bel Geddes is finally giving voice to her late co-star’s grit and determination. It’s quite touching.

This episode also shows us how Bobby is becoming more like J.R. as their battle for Ewing Oil rages. After learning that Gary and Ray would lose most of their inheritance if Jock’s will is overturned, Bobby tries to use the information to manipulate Pam into persuading Ellie to drop her legal challenge. Pam thinks Bobby’s suggestion is ridiculous and lets him know it. “Oh, Bobby, you know your mother. Never in a million years would she hurt Gary or Ray,” Pam says. Bobby can only sigh in exasperation.

“The Reckoning” also shows us a different side of Sue Ellen. She’s played the role of J.R.’s supportive spouse throughout his fight with Bobby, but twice in this episode she demonstrates some independence. In the first instance, while J.R. and Sue Ellen are alone in their bedroom, he muses how it would be good for him if Pam had a fling with Mark Graison, thus creating a distraction for Bobby. Sue Ellen is mortified. “J.R., I don’t want anything bad happening to Bobby and Pam’s marriage,” she declares. (Foreshadowing alert: Sue Ellen then adds, “Can you imagine if somebody did that to you and I?”) Later, during the courthouse sequence, J.R. stands in the hallway with Bobby and Sue Ellen and points out Pam and Miss Ellie, standing a few feet away. “Well, I see your little wife over there, giving aid and comfort to the opposition,” J.R. huffs. Sue Ellen’s response: “Opposition? J.R., that’s your mother.”

A final thought: “The Reckoning” is the first of two “Dallas” episodes helmed by Bill Duke, who would go on to become one of television’s most prolific directors. (Duke, a great character actor, also plays the sharecropper whom Jock befriends in “Dallas: The Early Years.”) “The Reckoning” is one of Duke’s first directing gigs, and his gifts are evident. Besides eliciting wonderful performances from Bel Geddes and the rest of the cast, Duke does two things during the courtroom scenes that I love. First, as each character testifies, we see the bailiff cross off that person’s name from the witness list. Duke also shows us periodic close-ups of the court reporter’s fingers as she rhythmically punches the keys of her typewriter. These are small touches, but they add so much to my enjoyment of these scenes.

I also like how Duke ends this episode with a shot of Ellie emerging from the courtroom after the judge rules against her. The other Ewings follow her lead, evoking memories of the freeze frame from “Bypass,” when everyone coalesced around the wheelchair-bound Jock as he departed the hospital. One difference: In the earlier shot, all the Ewings face forward. Now they’re all headed in different directions, a family together but no longer united.

Grade: A

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The ‘D’ list

‘THE RECKONING’

Season 6, Episode 15

Airdate: January 14, 1983

Audience: 22.1 million homes, ranking 4th in the weekly ratings

Writer: Will Lorin

Director: Bill Duke

Synopsis: A judge rejects Miss Ellie’s attempt to overturn Jock’s will. J.R. tells Mark that Pam is interested in him. Rebecca urges Cliff to lay off the Ewings for awhile. Donna fails again to persuade her fellow commissioners to rescind J.R.’s variance. The cartel weighs whether to uncap the Wellington property or buy out Bobby’s share.

Cast: John Beck (Mark Graison), Barbara Bel Geddes (Miss Ellie Ewing), Fred Carney (Judge Howard Mantee), Roseanna Christiansen (Teresa), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Fern Fitzgerald (Marilee Stone), Tom Fuccello (Senator Dave Culver), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Laurence Haddon (Franklin Horner), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), Susan Howard (Donna Krebbs), Steve Kanaly (Ray Krebbs), James Karen (Elton Lawrence), Howard Keel (Clayton Farlow), Ken Kercheval (Cliff Barnes), Audrey Landers (Afton Cooper), Julio Medina (Henry Figueroa), Donald Moffat (Brooks Oliver), George O. Petrie (Harv Smithfield), Priscilla Pointer (Rebecca Wentworth), Victoria Principal (Pam Ewing), Arlen Dean Snyder (George Hicks), Paul Sorensen (Andy Bradley), Don Starr (Jordan Lee), Charlene Tilton (Lucy Ewing), Morgan Woodward (Punk Anderson)

“The Reckoning” is available on DVD and at Amazon.com and iTunes. Watch the episode and share your comments below.

Filed Under: Critiques, Critiques (Classic), Opinion Tagged With: Barbara Bel Geddes, Bill Duke, Bypass, Dallas: The Early Years, Jim Davis, Reckoning, Will Lorin

Dallas Cliffhanger Classics: Season 7

July 12, 2013 by Chris Baker 7 Comments

Dallas Decoder celebrates “Dallas’s” classic cliffhangers with weekly summertime flashbacks. Collect all 14 images and share them with your friends.