Alias Smith & Jones: The Story of Two Pretty Good Bad Men

by Sandra K. Sagala

  Roy Huggins recalled that the director of “The 5th Victim,” Fernando Lamas, hounded him for a directing job. Huggins had a theory which he believed was a Hollywood truism — anybody can direct. He was also sure that “every now and then you find someone who not only can direct but he can direct well. Fernando wasn’t one of those people.” [35] However, Lamas did create interesting camera angles in the scene in which Curry, the sheriff, and Jake question a bedridden Heyes. Instead of seeing the visitors through Heyes’s eyes only, viewers see them through the rails of the headboard as though through the bars of a jail, giving the impression that the three are in a kind of cell, ignorant of who committed the murders. Heyes himself is confined by the bars at the head and foot of the bed, physically and mentally because of his injury.

  In the scene in which Curry visits the sheriff ’s office but learns from the deputy that the lawman is out, the final shot is of a gun belt hanging on a coat rack. Viewers are left to ponder the implication. Huggins remembered another director who filmed something similar. Two people have conversed and get up to leave. The camera moved to a picture on the wall. “Now to the audience, this is intentional, this isn’t just a dumb director who didn’t know how to [end a scene], who said, ‘Shoot the picture. The scene needs an end of some kind, so I’ll move in on the picture.’ He didn’t have the brains to know…one of the fundamental principles of his profession.” [36] The gun belt turns out to be equally insignificant.

  However, Lamas was talented in his use of light and darkness to underscore the theme. It’s a bright sunny day when the boys come in with a dead mountain lion and the scene is upbeat, they’ve done a good job. Both Heyes and Sam Winters are shot at night, the darkness hiding the killer from watchful eyes. It is also nighttime when Rachel is accosted by Harvey Bishop at the well. While questioning the saloon girl about Harvey, Curry repeatedly turns up the lamp in her room seeking illumination while Helen turns it down after each question to resume their love-making and to keep hidden her relationship with Harvey. An oil lamp on the sheriff’s desk lights up his office but doesn’t do much to shed light on who’s committing the murders. It’s another sunny day when Curry confronts Rachel in the meadow about his suspicions regarding her and Harvey Bishop. His threat to return if anything should happen to her husband casts a somber pall over Rachel’s face. Sunset and sunrise show time passing when Curry chases after Jake to bring him back.

  Curry is reluctant to go after Jake because he knows of his prowess with a rifle. Three times in the dialogue, Jake’s marksmanship is established. His ranch hand Harvey was obviously also a good shot; he managed to hit all the men he took aim at. Heyes got lucky and recovered. So why did Jake need to hire Smith and Jones to track and kill the big cats on his ranch? Because, as Huggins, the great recycler of plots, story gimmicks, and stock footage, notes in the original story, “We have great stock of cougars being shot.” [37]

  Journey from San Juan

  “Maybe I’ll get over the way I feel about you, but I won’t forget you.”

  Michelle Monet

  STORY: JOHN THOMAS JAMES

  TELEPLAY: DICK NELSON

  DIRECTOR: JEFFREY HAYDEN

  SHOOTING DATES: MARCH 10, 11, 12, 15, 16, 17, 1971

  ORIGINAL US AIR DATE: APRIL 8, 1971

  ORIGINAL UK AIR DATE: JULY 19, 1971

  Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry are rounding up maverick cattle under the suspicious eyes of two Mexican bandidos, Juan and Pedro. As the cows head down the trail, the two Mexicans approach wanting to know what the gringos are doing. Heyes cheerfully explains they’re going to drive the cattle north and sell them in Arizona. Juan offers his opinion that such work could cause them to die before their time, but Heyes and Curry dismiss this notion. Juan and Pedro depart after one more subtle warning.

  The boys return to their camp, complaining about the cowboy life as they herd the cattle into the corral. They are comforted by the thought that this job is just a cover to explain their presence in San Juan. A blood-curdling scream greets Heyes as he climbs into the chuck wagon. Curry pulls his gun, ready for whatever happens next. A young woman, Michelle Monet, pokes her head out of the wagon, spewing French invectives. Heyes shushes her and she calms down, somewhat abashed to learn they’re the owners of the chuck wagon she’s moved into. She tells them she doesn’t have any money and is hiding from Captain McTavish, a man who promised her free passage home to New Orleans on his ship. Once at sea, she discovered her passage wasn’t as free as she thought it would be and when they docked in San Juan she jumped ship.

  In town, Curry pays for Michelle’s hotel room while Heyes accompanies her to the casino to see if Captain McRavish is anywhere about. “McTavish, you mean,” Michelle corrects. “Oh, you were making a small joke.” Heyes gives a half-hearted chuckle. “Smaller than I figured.” Curry joins them. While she freshens up for dinner, Heyes tells Curry to forget making a play for Michelle — has he forgotten why they’re here?

  Heyes and Curry exchange some of their American currency for pesos, meeting Blanche Graham, casino manager and hotel owner, in the process. After losing a bet on the roulette wheel, Curry says that’s enough gambling for the night, but Heyes reminds him the whole trip is a gamble. He gazes significantly at Blanche.

  Heyes invites her to join them for dinner. She normally doesn’t socialize with hotel guests, but in his case she makes an exception. Blanche assures Michelle that Captain McTavish sailed two hours earlier and isn’t surprised to learn he used the “free passage home” ploy on her. Michelle is an entertainer and wonders if Blanche can use a one-girl musicale in her casino. Curry and Heyes urge Blanche to let Michelle sing for tips and she agrees.

  After dinner, Blanche and Heyes talk about his and Jones’s plans to round up and sell the cattle. She warns him that El Clavo, the local bandit chief, thinks of the cattle as his and won’t be pleased with their activities.

  Meanwhile, Curry escorts Michelle to her room. Michelle kisses him, thanking him for restoring her faith in men. It’s obvious feelings are growing on both sides.

  The next day El Clavo and his men shoot at Curry and Heyes. The boys flee, but Curry is wounded.

  At the hotel, Blanche brings brandy to the boys’ room where Michelle is tending to Curry. Blanche admires their nerve, but laments their lack of good sense. Michelle is worried about them and wants nothing more to do with men who are trying to get themselves killed. After the women leave, Heyes and Curry congratulate themselves. Things are going according to plan so far, but Curry is still unsure that Blanche will succumb to Heyes’s charm enough to cross the border into the US of her own free will, as their employer, Mr. McKendricks, wants.

  Heyes and Curry venture into El Clavo’s territory again the next day. This time they are met by his men and taken to see the bandido chief himself. Heyes offers him a deal — let them round up five hundred head of cattle, drive them north and sell them, and they’ll split the money fifty-fifty. El Clavo isn’t interested in a few gringo dollars since the cattle are food for his men. Heyes elaborates; the cattle will sell for thirty dollars a head. That’s $7,500 for Heyes and Curry, $7,500 for him. Now El Clavo is interested.

  Blanche is shocked they have managed to deal with El Clavo. Joshua’s the kind of man she was beginning to think she’d never meet. They get close to a kiss, but Carlos, Blanche’s majordomo, interrupts, telling her a business matter requires her attention. Blanche goes off and Heyes joins Curry to watch Michelle’s debut.

  Michelle sings a tender ballad, her eyes locked on Curry’s. He and Heyes give her their full attention, but the rest of the patrons are more interested in gambling. Even a more rousing tune fails to interest them.

  In her office, Blanche listens to a man with information to sell. The two men calling themselves Smith and Jones aren’t who they say they are. He met them in Denver as Barton and Slattery, and whatever they’re doing, he’s sure it isn’t what they say they’re doing.

  Later that night, Blanche gives Michelle
the opportunity to earn her passage home. All she has to do is find out who Joshua and Thaddeus really are and what they’re doing in San Juan.

  Curry finds a sad Michelle in the courtyard and asks what’s wrong. She tells him about Blanche’s offer. Curry apologizes for his inability to explain. She offers to tell Blanche she couldn’t get anything out of him. Curry is touched that she’d give up her chance to go home. “New Orleans will always be there,” she says. “I’m not so sure about you.”

  Curry reports Blanche’s suspicions to Heyes. Their first thought is to pack up and leave, but Heyes comes up with another plan. They have to get Blanche across the border willingly if they want to collect the $5,000 they’ve been promised. So all they need to do now is change the bait — to themselves.

  Curry asks for Michelle’s help. Blanche killed her husband, the son of a man he and Joshua like very much. They’re trying to get her to return to the US to stand trial. If Michelle will tell Blanche they are really Kid Curry and Hannibal Heyes, they will be able to get her to return. Michelle doesn’t think Blanche will believe the ridiculous story that they are notorious outlaws, but Curry says she will, as long as Michelle tells it to Blanche just the way he’s going to tell her.

  Michelle reports to Blanche who scoffs, but Michelle continues, saying she didn’t believe Thaddeus at first either. But it may be true because this morning he came to her looking scared and apologizing for getting drunk and lying. Blanche agrees this sounds different.

  She hurries to the telegraph office, where she checks on the two outlaws and discovers there’s a $20,000 reward on them.

  In the cantina, Curry heads to the bar while Heyes sits down with Blanche. She hasn’t seen them for awhile and wonders if they were mad at her. Heyes reassures her it’s only the cows that have kept them away. She comments on Michelle missing Thaddeus and her suspicion is confirmed when Heyes says Michelle brings out the worst in him. She offers to give them enough men to finish their roundup before the rainy season, if they’ll cut her in for a third and take her along on the drive to Arizona. Heyes thinks it’s a good idea; he’ll put it up to his partner.

  Heyes, Curry, Michelle and Blanche, along with several drovers, start north with the cattle. El Clavo and his men follow at a discreet distance.

  On the night before they cross the border, Curry and Michelle share a romantic kiss. She doesn’t want to say goodbye. Curry thinks she’ll soon forget about him, but Michelle disagrees. She’ll get over him, but she’ll never forget him.

  The next day, El Clavo’s scout returns from the border with news that cattle prices in Arizona aren’t as high as Heyes claims, and they’ll only get $8 a head instead of the promised $30. El Clavo gives the order — “Mátanlos!” (“Kill them!”)

  To save themselves, Curry orders the drovers to stampede the cattle. El Clavo and his gang flee from the wave of animals bearing down on them.

  Now there’s no herd and the drovers have gone back home. Curry suggests they do the same. Blanche is alarmed at the suggestion that they’ll return to San Juan, but Heyes says home is where the heart is and that’s in the USA.

  At the border station, Blanche turns Heyes and Curry in to the marshal, who believes they are Smith and Jones, only posing as Heyes and Curry. Mr. McKendricks emerges and identifies Blanche as his son’s murderer. As she’s taken into custody, McKendricks pays the boys for their services.

  Michelle and Curry say goodbye. Michelle knows for certain who he is now, because Thaddeus Jones could have asked her to stay with him, but Kid Curry can’t, he has to say goodbye. Curry watches mournfully as the stage takes her away from him.

  GUEST CAST

  CLAUDINE LONGET — MICHELLE MONET

  SUSAN OLIVER — BLANCHE GRAHAM

  NICO MINARDOS — EL CLAVO

  JOAQUIN MARTINEZ — CARLOS

  DUB TAYLOR — JOHNSON

  MED FLORY — MARSHAL

  CURT CONWAY — MCKENDRICKS

  GREGORY SIERRA — JUAN

  Roy Huggins was very particular about the scripts for his shows. His standard method of working was to tell the story at a story conference, then let the writer go off and do the script. Oftentimes, though, Huggins was disappointed with the results. “I was giving long stories to others and they were coming in bad. And I would have to start rewriting to get back to what I’d written.” [38] This episode is an example of a script coming in bad. Huggins first told the story to writer Norman Hudis on November 24, 1970. Just a week later, on December 2, Huggins told the story to writer Dick Nelson, commenting during the conference that “the only good line in the present draft is the line about ‘ministering angel, nurse, etc.’ — which the Kid has been calling Molly.” [39] The Hudis script was completely thrown out and Dick Nelson went off to write his first draft. In the meantime, the girl Curry falls for had gone through three name changes — from Marie to Mary to Molly. Before the final shooting script was complete she changed names twice more, from Molly Morton to Molly Norton to Michelle Monet. This final change was due to the hiring of Claudine Longet, who brought a touch of French to the girl from New Orleans.

  In Nelson’s first draft, the lecherous Captain McTavish makes an appearance, allowing the boys an opportunity to impress Blanche with their prowess. McTavish has come to the cantina to take Molly (as she was known at that point) back to his ship. When Curry interferes, McTavish pulls a knife and advances on him. Heyes makes good use of a nearby ice bucket and empty champagne bottle, kicking them under the enraged Captain’s feet. As McTavish struggles to maintain his balance, Curry disarms him and shoves him chin first into the table. “The whole thing has been as deft as a magician’s card trick…anyone not watching closely might think the Captain simply tripped and knocked himself out accidentally. Molly is one of those who missed the details…she stares at McTavish incredulously.” [40] Blanche, however, did not miss the details and their slick handling of McTavish piques her interest. She declined their first dinner invitation, but has changed her mind.

  This episode is something of a change of pace for the show. Rather than be let in on it from the beginning, the audience is teased by the careful doling out of clues hinting at the true story. Why would Heyes and Curry, who always shy away from hard work, be rounding up cattle in Mexico? Why is Heyes making a play for a woman he obviously doesn’t trust? Why must they trick her into returning to the US? The mystery adds dimension to this otherwise rather straightforward tale of Heyes and Curry’s latest effort to make an honest living.

  Humanity is what makes a television character a real person to the audience. Curry’s falling in love with Michelle adds depth to this footloose ex-outlaw. For the first time it’s suggested that Heyes and Curry’s apparent lack of interest in things domestic may be more protection from wanting what they can’t have than a true philosophy of life. Knowing it was a mistake, Curry nevertheless continued his relationship with Michelle as long as he could. The final goodbye scene is quite poignant, with Michelle sadly accepting Curry’s rejection of her because of his outlaw status while Heyes watches sympathetically from the sidelines. This ending wasn’t only painful for Curry; writer Dick Nelson also found it difficult. He wrote a note to Huggins in the margin of the fifth draft. Referring to Heyes and Curry, he said, “Could they head for the saloon with something a little brighter to go out on?”

  Never Trust an Honest Man

  “Heyes, something’s happened to you since we went straight.” “That’s what happened, we went straight.”

  Kid Curry, Hannibal Heyes

  STORY: JOHN THOMAS JAMES

  TELEPLAY: PHIL DEGUERE

  DIRECTOR: DOUGLAS HEYES

  SHOOTING DATES: MARCH 18, 19, 22, 23, 24, 25, 1971

  ORIGINAL US AIR DATE: APRIL 15, 1971 EASTERN/CENTRAL; APRIL 29, 1971 MOUNTAIN/PACIFIC

  ORIGINAL UK AIR DATE: JULY 12, 1971

  After traveling for a week, Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry are back in the “good ole U.S. of A,” a fact Heyes delights in announcing to his sleepin
g partner. Jolted awake, Curry is annoyed, but before he can comply with Heyes’s advice to get some sleep, James Quirt invites them to a poker game in Oscar Harlingen’s private car. Harlingen owns the railroad and the invitation is not to be ignored. Curry rouses himself; Heyes picks up his satchel and heads for the poker game.

  As the train rolls on, the four men play cards. Christine McNeice, Harlingen’s secretary, sits nearby doing needlework. Red, white and blue chips grow in high stacks in front of Harlingen.

  When their destination of Bountiful is only eight minutes away, Harlingen declares it’s time to settle up. Heyes owes Harlingen thirty-seven cents; Curry owes him eighty-five cents and Quirt fifty cents. Heyes wonders why Harlingen plays for one hundred chips per penny, but miserly Harlingen advises that to be wealthy one must know the value of a dollar, a concept his former partner never grasped. At that allusion, Christine rises to leave. When she’s out of earshot, Harlingen confides she hates him. Her father was his former partner who gambled away their money. “Nothing worse than a gambler,” Harlingen chortles, “except, of course, a train robber.”

  At their hotel, while Heyes snoozes, Curry shaves. Finding his razor dull, Curry asks to borrow his partner’s. Watching Curry root through his satchel, Heyes is shocked when he pulls out a corset. Heyes denies it’s his bag, even though it looks like his. Inspecting it himself, Heyes pulls out a Bible. Only then is Curry convinced it’s not Heyes’s bag.

  Investigating further, Heyes finds an inscription in the Bible identifying it as belonging to Christine McNeice. Their bags must have gotten switched on the train. Flipping pages, Heyes discovers a compartment cut into the book. In the compartment is a bag and in the bag is a handful of jewels. Curry is excited at the fortune, but Heyes quickly reminds him of the consequences of stealing something that valuable. Plus, they’ve gone straight and must return them.