Zane Grey Theatre (TV Series) Confession (1959) User Reviews

Getting a story at any cost.

[kfo9494 · 7/10 · 25 December 2015]

A New York newspaperman, Watson Cooke, rides in to a western town to get a story about the local Sheriff that seems to control the town and also seems to get confessions out of people that others are unable to get. The reporter wants a story that he can place in the eastern paper no matter the facts.

The sheriff, Agate Slade, is a tough man to deal with but seems to be on the up-and-up on all situations. It is not until a local old Union veteran, Abel Pike, steals money from the local bank and the newspaperman rides out with the Sheriff to find Abel. When they come up on Abel, the Sheriff is looking for the money when the newspaperman puts ideas into Abel's head. Soon Abel jumps the reporter and steals his gun. The Sheriff has to kill poor Abel but the newspaperman tells the town that the Sheriff shot Abel in cold blood. And it seems the townsfolk believe the tale.

The episode was worthy enough to make for an interesting watch but there was a few conflicts that seemed strange. One of the things is how the people of the western town seemed to change sides of an argument as easily as the wind direction. Perhaps, if the story had a longer format then the writers could have progressed the townsfolk at a slower rate. Anyway the episode is good enough to make for a fine watch.

Yellow Journalism

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 9 February 2017]

Dick Powell saved some of the best stories from Zane Grey Theater for himself and this is an example. He plays a tough law and order sheriff who gets the job done always. There are questions about his methods however.

They really get raised when a New York reporter Charles Aidman comes to town at the same time that James Griffith who is employed as a bank guard helps himself to the money and skedaddles.

The element of casting is important here. James Griffith for most of his career played essentially weak and scurvy type villains as he does here. He was a Union Army hero in the late War Between The States who cannot get himself established in the war. He's a true sad sack and probably beyond redemption.

Anyway Powell and Aidman do catch up to Griffith and he's killed. But Aidman gets back to town and his account doesn't put Powell in the best light.

Back in the day what Aidman was practicing was called yellow journalism. We went to war with Spain due in large part to lurid accounts in the Hearst and Pulitzer presses about their administration in Cuba. He's decided Powell is a good candidate for an expose.

Watch how Powell exposes him, worth the wait.