MAVERICK Mondays: "Pappy" (1959)

 



MAVERICK Mondays: Number 3





MAVERICK: Pappy (1959 Warner Brothers/ABC-TV) Starring James Garner as Bret and Beauregard Maverick, Jack Kelly as Bart and Bentley Maverick,  Troy Donahue as Dan Jamison, Adam West as Rudolph St. Cloud, Virginia Gregg as Gida Jamison, Kaye Elhardt as Josephine St. Cloud, Henry Daniell as Rene St. Cloud, Chubby Johnson as Chester Miller, John Hubbard as Samson.  Written and Directed by Montgomery Pittman.

Bret and Bart travel to Louisiana after learning from young Danny ("Dan!") Jamison that their Pappy is engaged to an 18 year old girl.  With both Maverick brothers suspicious of this unusual and sudden wedding, Bart poses as Dandy Jim Buckley to help get to the bottom of things.

Turns out those suspicious notions are well founded.  Father of the bride Rene mysteriously insists on twenty witnesses for the engagement announcement and offers "Buckley" $2,000 to kill Pappy with the stipulation that it happen in a "fair duel".  To flush out the truth requires a second impersonation, with Bret assuming Pappy's identity and exchanging harsh words with "Dandy Jim" during an ensuing poker game.

With Pappy, new producer Coles Trapnell created some controversy with his very first episode after succeeding Roy Huggins.  Huggins, who was forced to leave after the second season due to illness, complained the loudest.  The series' creator explained that "Pappy" was intended to be heard (second-hand) but never seen, and in fact, in the show's earliest references to him seemed to have passed on.

Huggins' point is well taken: after hearing so much about Pappy and his proverbs, seeing the wise one in the flesh was going to be a letdown under any circumstances.  Nevertheless, with Huggins out, Montgomery Pittman was the best writer to bring this idea (ill-advised or not) to fruition.  Pittman, who penned the memorable Saga of Waco Williams (a parody of MAVERICK itself) during the second season, concocts a routine scamming plot that leaves plenty of room for both of the show's stars to engage in copious amounts of deceptive role playing.  However, Pittman realized that fans of the series also expected some details on the fascinating history of the Maverick family, and provided several fun, insightful asides.

The very best MAVERICK episodes featured both leads, and in contrast to the situation in Shady Deal at Sunny Acres, Bret and Bart work together for much of Pappy.  Garner seems to be having a lot of fun, and it is especially satisfying to see stuffed shirt villain Daniell taken down a peg--his utterly humorless approach is a perfect contrast to our heroes' drollery.  Bart is inside a cell when we first see him.  Like Uncle Joey Baines, Bart had better get used to the bars--he'll be thrown in jail repeatedly in the season that follows.

Trapnell apparently wanted to pull out all the stops while taking the reins on MAVERICK.  As mentioned, Garner and Kelly both had opportunities to impersonate someone else while in character and to play a dual role for the first time.  There's also a prominent role for rising Warners contract star Donahue (soon to hit it big in A SUMMER PLACE) and two minutes of delightful hamminess by Hubbard as Pappy's "personal physician", who attends to him after a duel.  Sure, this is a gimmicky episode---how could it not be?   In the end, Pappy didn't embarrass himself, though he did go back to being an unseen source of wisdom after Pappy.

HOW'D THEY DO AT POKER?

Bret leaves a game in the opening scene after Dan arrives, and is actually accused of a "hit and run" for once!  His profit is unspecified but substantial enough to annoy his table foes. Bart suffers a loss to Bret (as Pappy), but there's likely no real money involved since the game is staged to set up the duel between "Dandy Jim" and "Pappy".

The biggest winner is, of course, Beauregard a.k.a. Pappy, who we see cleaning out a foe and ending a game with Broadway in his opening scene.  Son Bret is no match for father in an ensuing hand, losing a couple hundred with three treys bested by a royal flush(!).

CONTINUITY SLIP-UP?

In addition to Beauregard's appearance alone contradicting those earliest indications about him, he informs us that he's raised "two" children already---but a third brother, Brent, would briefly appear nearly two seasons later as the show neared the finish line.

WISDOM FROM PAPPY?

You know good and well you'll have plenty in the titular character's sole appearance.  We get a trifecta, one pearl each from Bret, Bart and Pappy himself.

Bret offers "The only time you quit when you're winnin' is after you've won it all!"

From jail, Bart counters with "The best time to get lucky is when the other fellow is dealin'."

And, for the only time in the show's history, one firsthand from the source: "If you're ever offered a rare steak that is intended for somebody else, don't bother with ethical details.  Just eat as much as you can before the mistake is discovered."

Since this is in response to Bret's questioning of what will happen if his bride to be seeks a younger man later on, it is heartening to know that this one slipped by the censors in 1959.

Beauregard's intended bride.  Bon appetit, Pappy!! 

THE BOTTOM LINE:

Huggins complained that MAVERICK became too broad comedically during its third season, and fans opined that Huggins' departure was the beginning of the end, but in truth, Pappy got season 3 off to a pretty auspicious start.  The tag that concludes Pappy is a stretch and a groaner, but Pittman's touch keeps this somewhat questionable idea from descending into camp until that coda.  With West joining Daniell in providing stuffy villainy, and a plethora of disguises, Pappy manages to spin without wobbling for over three quarters of its running time.  It may not quite be a top tier MAVERICK creatively, but Pappy is a welcome addition despite the conceptual drawbacks.  (***1/2 out of four)

MAVERICK Mondays: "You Can't Beat the Percentage" (1959)

 



MAVERICK Mondays: Number 2





MAVERICK: You Can't Beat the Percentage (ABC-TV/Warner Brothers 1959) Starring Jack Kelly as Bart Maverick, Gerald Mohr as Lindell, Karen Steele as Myra, Tim Graham as Pop, Dan Riss as the Sheriff, Ray Daley as Brazos, Joe Partridge as Harry and Michael Harris as Charlie.  Written and Directed by george waGGner.

Riding in from Santa Fe, Bart arrives at Lindell's hotel/saloon after receiving a letter from old girlfriend Myra, who works there and is Lindell's current squeeze.  Myra helps pay Bart an old debt during a game of "California Poker" (by helping foil Harry and Lindell's plot to cheat him) and fills him in on "bigger plans": taking over the property with Bart's help.  Citing Bart's prowess at sniffing out a crooked game, Lindell has a proposition of his own for Maverick: a job as floor manager.  Lindell's first duty for Maverick is protection from Brazos, who has stated an intent to kill the saloon owner (over Myra).

Correctly surmising that Brazos doesn't really have murder in his heart, Bart disarms the gunslinger peaceably.  However, Brazos is gunned down on his way out of town and Maverick finds himself accused of the crime when Myra provides Lindell's alibi.  Has Bart been played away from the table?  And if he has, was it by Lindell, Myra, both---or someone else completely?

Douglas Heyes attempted a couple of MAVERICK Noirs in season two, including Mohr's previoius appearance owning a gambling hall, Escape to Tampico.  WaGGner's attempt is considerably less humorous than the typical Bret solo show but still highly entertaining, and certainly nowhere near as dark Prey of the Cat.  For his teaser, WaGGner sets the plot in motion instead of previewing a scene from later, and that rarity for MAVERICK is only his first curveball.  WaGGner's script provides numerous twists and turns, with the seductive Myra using her wiles on multiple male marks and Bart trying to convince the skeptical sheriff that things aren't what they seem to be.

Exotic platinum blonde Karen Steele displays terrific chemistry with Kelly.  In fact, she's even better here than she was in the first season's Point Blank (when she enticed Bret and guest star Mike "Mannix" Connors).  We agree with Kelly wholeheartedly when he says she "has an eye filling strut": she's one actress we can believe has every man in the cast after her.

Karen Steele

Steele, who was born in Hawaii to parents of French, Danish and English descent, was probably best known for the 1959 western RIDE LONESOME.  She brought her sultry voice and stunning looks to virtually every Warner Brothers series during the studio's TV heyday.  Ms. Steele died of cancer in 1988 at age 56.

Gerald Mohr

As Lindell, Mohr is intimidating without ever once raising his voice.  He may be able to laugh off Maverick's deft deflection of his table tricks, but we later learn that it isn't the first time he's pulled it on an "outsider" to create unpayable debt.  With the subtlest of menace, he means it when he says he "owns this town"--to the sheriff's chagrin.

With his resemblance to Humphrey Bogart, Gerald Mohr found himself somewhat typecast in "B" film noirs in the 1940's.  Always a welcome presence, Mohr made seven appearances on MAVERICK in seven different roles.  James Garner cited him as a favorite actor to work with, though Mohr actually guested more often (five times) with Kelly.  Like Steele, Mohr also died young, of a heart attack at age 54 in 1968.

HOW'D BART DO AT POKER?

Sidestepping the scheme to foul his hand (with a sixth card) wins Bart $1100 after getting "tapped" by Lindell on the one hand we see.  It caps off a $2800 win for the night.

Bart's winning hand

WISDOM FROM PAPPY?

Startlingly, not a single proverb from wise old Pappy this time.  The closest we get is gravedigger "Pop" explaining his repeated use of the episode's title.

THE BOTTOM LINE:

Waggner helmed a very entertaining installment for each Maverick brother during the third season (Garner's was The Sheriff of Duck n' Shoot).  While he returned to direct again in the fourth season, You Can't Beat the Percentage was Waggner's lone MAVERICK teleplay.  Its only real flaw is being a little too conventionally serious for a series that was usually anything but.  It's still a fine episode that plays perfectly to Kelly's strengths.  With engaging twists and two of the show's best guest stars, You Can't Beat the Percentage is worthy of repeat viewings.   (*** out of four)

Film Review: THE BAD NEWS BEARS IN BREAKING TRAINING (1977)

The following is The Horn Section's contribution to the Big League Blogathon, hosted by Forgotten Films!  Yes, it's blogathon time again, and I am honored that Todd has invited me to contribute.  Be sure to visit Forgotten Films to check out all the other contributions: after all, that's what the Looper would want, if he could be here with us today at the Astrodome.

A personal note: I attended my very first Major League Baseball game on July 8, 1977, the same day that the following film was released.  The Rangers, behind legendary Dock Ellis, defeated the Angels and some guy named Nolan Ryan 9-5 at Arlington Stadium.  The lure of MLB in person kept me from seeing this film until the Sunday afternoon matinee on the 10th.

THE BAD NEWS BEARS IN BREAKING TRAINING (1977 Paramount) Starring Jackie Earle Haley as Kelly Leak, William Devane as Mike Leak, Clifton James as Sy Orlansky, Jimmy Baio as Carmen Ronzoni, Chris Barnes as Tanner Boyle, Erin Blunt as Ahmad Abdul-Rahim, Jeffrey Louis Starr as Mike Engelberg, Dolph Sweet as Coach Manning, Lane Smith as Officer Mackey, Fred Stuthman as Lester Eastland.  Directed by Michael Pressman.  Written by Paul Brickman.

One year after their near miss as an expansion team, the Bears are back sans Coach Buttermaker and female pitching prodigy Amanda Wurlitzer.  After the team pulls a mutiny against their militaristic new coach, a proposed trip to Houston for a game in the Astrodome is in jeopardy.  Of course, it's Haley's Kelly Leak who has a solution to everything: New York transplant (Baio) as the new pitcher, a "borrowed" van as a ride to Houston, and mentally challenged groundskeeper Stuthman ("Hello!  How are you?") as the new coach--at least, until the parents are gone.  Kelly has a hidden motivation for rejoining the team to make the trip, as his estranged father (Devane) now lives there.

The initial BAD NEWS BEARS (1976) was a self-contained story with points to make, not unlike the year's other big underdog story, ROCKY.  Indeed, Bears coach Morris Buttermaker gained redemption after years of missed opportunities with a near miss, a moral victory against a seemingly invincible champion.  Just like Rocky Balboa.  The bigger messages to be taken from BEARS (about the dangers of winning at all costs and of parents living vicariously through their children) were also appreciated by adults, but for all the four letter words being thrown around, pre-teens still made up the bulk of the Bad News Bears' audience.

Continuity sticklers will note right away that the Bears aren't the reigning "California champions"; in fact, they finished second in their league.  No matter.  It's clear the players are literally taking over from the opening scene, when disciplinarian new coach Manning (Sweet) is unceremoniously fired by the team.  To firmly establish our new leader (and undisputed star with Matthau and O'Neal gone) it's Kelly Leak who enters heroically on his bike and tells him to take a hike.  Hammering it home, Leak arrives via Harley in his next two scenes as well, one with a blonde passenger, the other with the new pitcher.  He subsequently procures the team's "ride" and drives them to Houston, coolly waving off initially suspicious cops along the way.

Yes, the kids are running the show in the sequel.  BREAKING TRAINING marks the transition from a self-contained first film with pertinent points to make into a crowd pleasing franchise.  Beating ROCKY to a sequel by two years, BREAKING TRAINING establishes the template Stallone would follow: hit the same chords that resonated in the first outing while giving fans the outcome they want this time.  This doesn't always run smoothly: it requires the Bears forgetting everything Buttermaker taught them in the year that has passed, best demonstrated by the team's thorough thrashing at the hands of a Native American team in en route to their destination.

Further stacking the deck, Engelberg (played by Starr in a casting change) has gone from a solid # 3 hitter to just plain uh, portly, and Kelly's new pitcher, Carmen Ronzoni (Jimmy Baio, SOAP) is shown to be a load of hot air in that New Mexico pickup game.  Ronzoni has studied the windups of Catfish Hunter and Luis Tiant like any twelve year old baseball fan did in the mid-70's, but can't get the ball over the plate.  He's so bad that even his ability to steal multiple copies of Playboy doesn't win his teammates over.

At least his brushback pitch is working

It must be said that Kelly's put-upon dad Mike Leak turns out to be one Hell of a coach.  A strong case can be made that he's better than Buttermaker--and I'm about to.  Consider that Buttermaker's pitcher (Amanda) was a finished product when he brought her to the team.  Leak inherits hapless Ronzoni and fixes his mechanical problems in two minutes.  Literal minutes, not screen ones.  No dissolves, no montage needed.  Leak had a grand total of four days (tops) to re-teach the Bears all the forgotten fundamentals and get them ready to win a game in the Astrodome.  Buttermaker had weeks to get the Bears ready for the season opener, and didn't even have them ready to record a single out.

Earl Weaver has nothing on me, son!

True, Buttermaker was quite a hustler who knew all the tricks both on (i.e. leaning into pitches, spitballs) and off (getting the two ringers on the team) the field, but Mike Leak is no slouch in that category either.  Mr. Leak utilizes the old "hidden ball" trick in a very timely manner on the field, and finds a way to have his son bat in three consecutive innings (anyone else notice that?).  And yet, Mike's baseball knowledge is still dwarfed by the resourcefulness he demonstrates outside the lines.  (Like father, like son.) Mike Leak smooth talks Officer Mackey (Lane Smith) into leniency when the van is discovered to be "hot", convinces super-rich Texan Sy Orlansky (Clifton James) to be the team's benefactor, and even gets the big game extended with the impromptu "let them play" chant in the film's most memorable scene.  Mr. Leak has little trouble winning over everyone except, ironically, his own son, creating the core conflict in the script (an early effort by RISKY BUSINESS auteur Paul Brickman). 

Occasional sappiness from the father-son reunion (or from the friendship that has formed between Tanner and Lupus) is kept to a minimum though.  BREAKING TRAINING is a feel-good film through and through, best exemplified by it's theme song.  "Carmen" makes an appearance here and there, but is largely replaced by "Life is Looking Good", a quintessentially Seventies theme song if there ever was one:

Could anything root this film in 1977 more than that?  Well, I guess the van could have had a CB radio, but Brickman avoided that sign of the times.  He hit plenty of others, though, and came up with a highly watchable sequel that would surely never get greenlighted by Paramount (or any other major studio) today.  Brickman and Pressman gave us pre-teens on an unsupervised trip in a stolen van across three state lines, smoking, swearing and shoplifting along the way.  With no punishment: The Bears avoid "the joint" (despite Ahmad's frequently stated fears) and emerge with a literal triumph instead of a moral one--in The Freaking Astrodome--easily the coolest and most futuristic stadium around at the time.

The Bad News Bears were living every twelve year old boy's fantasy in 1977, ensuring an enduring cult following for THE BAD NEWS BEARS IN BREAKING TRAINING.  While that following largely consists of males born between 1964 and 1969 (face it, Haley was never exactly Tom Cruise, and Jimmy Baio never matched his cousin Scott's "heartthrob" status), and this second chapter lacks the groundbreaking material of the first film, enough of the cast returns for BREAKING TRAINING to remain a surprisingly entertaining time capsule with a number of very funny scenes.  Two memorable favorites: Stuthman meeting the players' parents and Barnes routing two Astros officials during a diamond chase.

BREAKING TRAINING also offers some redemption at its own conclusion, with humbled Carmen Ronzoni getting the last at-bat this time around.  And while it might not be Gary Cooper's PRIDE OF THE YANKEES speech, just see if you don't get goosebumps during the "Let Them Play" chant.  Father and son finally get in synch and bring the entire crowd at the Astrodome crowd to its feet.  They even get approval from the team's biggest stars (Bob Watson and Cesar Cedeno) to keep playing.  It's a worthy followup to "The Big Looper's" catch against the Yankees.

Whaddya mean Scott's out with Pamela Anderson??? AGAIN??

DVD?

Yep, and pretty cheap, too.   Recommended as the last real moment of triumph for the Bears.  Only one year later, Devane, Baio and Barnes were all out and Tony Curtis was in for the franchise killing BAD NEWS BEARS GO TO JAPAN, which shoved both the Bears and baseball into the background in favor of a Tokyo travelogue.  Suffice to say it was very difficult to find a single creative decision in that 1978 fiasco that wasn't ill-conceived.  Plans for a fourth Bad News Bears film (that would have taken the team to Cuba) were scrapped, and the franchise moved to television for two seasons with an entirely different cast that included a young Corey Feldman.

I'll leave you with one puzzling question that has persisted throughout the years.  No, I'm not talking about Mike Leak's unnoticed liberties with the batting order.  Rather, who is this hottie?

She has no lines, and no mention in the credits.  A rather obvious looking prostitute back at the Bears' original hotel in Houston (before Sy Orlansky makes the team his guests), she does turn up again, in a great "blink and you'll miss it" sight gag.  We see her at the game, apparently the uh, "guest" of Officer Mackey, who is enjoying the Hell out of those free tickets from Mike Leak:

C'mon, now, I'm off the clock!  Let me play! Let me play!!

Isn't that another "lady of the evening" to his left?  Go Mackey....go Mackey....  But seriously, free tickets for the cop AND a hooker for an Astros game??  Could Buttermaker have pulled that one off???  I rest my case!