coneywithcheese

This extremely violent movie is a direct copy of episode 19 of the first season of The Big Valley. The writer of both was Gilbert Ralston and Lou Morheim is credited for the "story" on both the TV episode and this movie. Barbara Stanwyck & Candace Bergen is each mistaken for the school teacher and kidnapped because the gang leader wants to learn to read and write. The only difference is Barbara Stanwyck lives and Candace Bergen is murdered by her husband.

I am 66 years old and just finished watching this movie on YouTube (free and no commercials). Linda Purl was excellent. This is a very moving program and should be watched by parents of teenagers. It will give the parents some idea of the damage they can do to their children when they favor one over the over (and the kids know parents, even when you say you love them all the same) and when they pressure one child to live up to the talents of another, etc. Even though it is a TV movie over 40 years old, teens should watch it too so they can realize they can be their own person and don't have to try to live up to a siblings triumphs.

First came Captains Courageous (1937) with Spencer Tracy and Freddy Bartholomew, then Cattle Drive (1951) with Joel McCrea and Dean Stockwell, finally this poor adaption in 1964 as an episode of The Virginian. All follow the same theme...rich person is lost during a trip (Freddy falls off a boat, Dean falls off of a train, and Linden Chiles is pushed off a train). Watch the first two renditions and skip the episode of The Virginian.