MovieChat Forums > The Big Valley (1965) Discussion > Awful dialog

Awful dialog

posted 6 years ago by snepts (11123)
5 replies | jump to latest

Currently watching an ep from the 2nd season. The Comcast blurb says Heath is the love interest, but it's actually Nick. Were it Heath, I wouldn't be watching at all. Can't stand Lee Majors.
But anyway, I'm not a stickler, but this whole episode seems so formula. Nick and this woman share a pleasant scene together, and she sounds like an idiot. Almost every time someone opens their mouth, it's another cliche remark you heard coming yesterday.
I've always sorta liked the show (other than Majors), but for some reason this episode just seems like the writers had absolutely nothing interesting to offer.
If anyone is truly interested, the ep is titled The Velvet Trap.

[–] [email protected] (6248) 6 years ago

Another bit of dialogue which seems to me somewhat unrealistic if not awful occurs in the first season "My Son, MY Son."

It's one of the few episodes I recalled watching as a little child. Audra was my "heroine". I liked the idea of a girl who could ride horses and be a cowboy (of sorts!).

Anyway, in the opening scene, it's her 19th birthday bash. A family friend brings his son Evan who always had a crush on Audra. He hints that the two would make a good couple.

Jarrod says that Audra is "a bit young for matchmaking."
What??? In those days women married in their teens. An unmarried 25 year old was practically an old maid. I know Audra came from a wealthy family and had the luxury of not having to search for a husband to support her. But her brother makes her sound like she is a child. Not hardly!

[–] snepts (11123) 6 years ago

The young Linda Evans was too gorgeous not to like, but for all the trials she had to endure, she always seemed so fresh and carefree and guileless. I remember one ep' where she slips off a cliff and is holding on to a small tree. Somehow this guy she's with has to climb down and save her. And this takes a bit of time. She's hanging there screaming, etc., then when they are back in the house, she's fairly well composed and appreciative. The first thing I would have done is go lie down and the guys would have immediately built a barrier with a caution sign.
Another ep she and Ma are held prisoners in their own home and these guys separate them into different rooms and treat Audra like a scullery maid. She doesn't appear in many scenes even though she's in as much peril as Stanwyck.
By the way, love Barbara Stanwyck. I would love to binge watch her whole catalog start to finish. I ran across a movie where she and her father are con artists and run across a young and wealthy Henry Fonda on a cruise. A fun movie, like Capra or Hawks.

[–] [email protected] (6248) 6 years ago

A few years ago I started to watch The Big Valley when it came on Hallmark. The only ones I could recall were the episodes with Audra or Nick (like when he was bitten by a wolf).

As I watched I started to remember all the dangerous situations Audra found herself in. Sometimes she was truly frightened, but she never really seemed to lose her poise. I'd be a screaming wreck in those situations.

She also had the same lousy luck with her suitors that her brothers had with women. It's hard to believe that a gorgeous, kind and very sweet gal like Audra couldn't find a decent man. She always got involved with criminals or charlatans. Or in the case of "The Midas Man", a guy who only wanted her as his mistress. You'd think that at least ONE decent guy in the valley would notice her and start to court her.

I'm also a huge fan of Barbara Stanwyck. "Christmas in Connecticut" is my favorite holiday movie.

[–] snepts (11123) 6 years ago

For a second I confused Nick with Heath. Sorry to say this but I can't stand Lee Majors. And in contrast, i really like the relatively lesser known Peter Breck. He never had his own stand alone show or career.
Here's something that deserves it's own thread .... Ever notice how Nick almost always has black gloves on? Now, if I'm going to belt someone with my fist, i'd love to have gloves on, but he wears them in the house, he probably has to draw his gun with them on. Seems strange that he always has them on, but as once was explained to me regarding Bonanza, the guys seemed to be color coded wearing the same outfits season after season. Apparently this is to make it easier to re-shoot scenes and helps with continuity.

[–] [email protected] (6248) 6 years ago

Well not every actor appeals to everyone. As I wrote, I only remembered the episodes with Nick and Audra from my childhood. Now Heath is my favorite character. But Lee Majors seems to be one of those actors that people love or hate.

Nick's gloves? Funny, that's something my mom used to comment on. "Isn't he HOT with those gloves on?"
Nick did wear gloves indoors a lot. I've noticed that Heath wears his gun belt in the house in a lot of scenes. Was he planning to shoot someone in the living room? Of course in a number of episodes, they had very unwelcome guests, so the gun came in handy.
The gloves and leather jacket seemed to be Nick's signature look just as Jarrod's look was mostly suits since he was an attorney. Sometimes he wore ranch clothes but no leather. Heath's look was those skintight pants (how did he bust a bronc without busting a seam??) and pastel shirts. The Barkley brothers seemed to have more of a variety of clothes than the Cartwrights. Even when it came to evening wear, all the Cartwrights did was add a string tie to their usual outfits! The Barkleys had different suits. And in the birthday party episode that I mentioned, they had very fancy formal wear.

From what I read about Bonanza, the cast filmed outdoor scenes (the guys riding in the desert, etc.) several times a year. It did help continuity that they wore the same clothes.
Interesting thing, Michael Landon started to wear gloves a lot in the last few seasons. He also wore them indoors like Nick. According to some people at the Bonanza web site I belong to, Michael Landon was a heavy smoker and his fingers were nicotine stained. Well that's one theory. But he does wear gloves a lot in the later years.