THE DEFENDERS (1961): Season One

Robert Reed and E. G. Marshall

THE DEFENDERS (1961 TV series). Season One. 

Lawrence Preston (E. G. Marshall) and his son Kenneth (Robert Reed) are partners in a law firm that represents criminal defendants. The show lasted for four seasons and won numerous awards and accolades. Only the first season has been transferred to DVD and it gives a good taste of the series' good and bad points. Marshall and Reed are both excellent as the highly dignified if personable Lawrence and his comparatively hot-headed son. The interplay between the two, which is often quite argumentative, is one of the best things about the show. 

Marshall with Jack Klugman

The Defenders was created by Reginald Rose, who also scripted several of the episodes. The series is unlike Perry Mason because it often deals in social issues and eagerly embraces controversy. One might say it has "depth," although there are times that the show is more pretentious and irritating than anything else and worse, becomes quite preachy and even muddled. The series takes place in Manhattan and was shot at the Filmways Studio in New York, giving it an added veracity and lots of local color with its location filming. The directors who worked on the series include Daniel Petrie, Franklin Schaffner, Buzz Kulik, Paul Bogart, and others. Jack Klugman appeared sporadically as one of the ADAs in the district attorneys office and is quite good in the role. Guest stars on the show included Elizabeth Ashley, Ben Piazza, Frank Gorshin, Pat Hingle, Robert Duvall, Robert Loggia, Sylvia Miles, Ken Kercherval, Gloria De Haven. and Zachary Scott. 

Reed with Salome Jens

Most of the episodes were solid "Bs" with a few that were even better. "The Point Shaver" deals with a college athlete who is accused of taking bribes. "Death Across the Counter" has a vet (Clu Culager) accused of shooting a man during a robbery but Ken is convinced, against all odds, that he is innocent. "The Treadmill" has the Prestons doing their damnedest to save a man from the death penalty for a crime he committed 25 years in the past. "The Search" has a man confessing to a murder that another man was executed for and Larry tries to find out the truth while he and the prosecutor (Jack Klugman) try to figure out what went wrong with the system.  "The Best Defense" is a terrific story in which a mobster is arrested for murder but swears he is innocent -- this has a highly ironic finale. In "The Naked Heiress" a man leaves his money to a stripper (Salome Jens), then falls in front of a train (Glenda Farrell is outstanding as the stripper's mother). "Reunion with Death" has Larry presiding over a mock trial when Korean vets accuse one of their number of selling them out under torture. The very best season one episode is arguably "The Bedside Murder," in which an elderly doctor (Sam Jaffe) is accused of murdering a wealthy old woman because she left him money in her will. 

"The Attack:" Marchand, Barbara Barrie, Kiley

Although not quite as good as the aforementioned episodes, "The Attack" presents an interesting situation when a man (Richard Kiley) goes after the youth who assaulted his little girl, only to learn that he killed the wrong man; Nancy Marchand played the dead man's mother. Hands down, the absolute worst season one episode was "Gideon's Follies," in which a rich man is murdered and all of his many ex-wives are the suspects. Foolish and unfunny, it played like a witless spoof of Burke's Law, a series that did not debut for another two years. It was as if the producers, told that some people found The Defenders too grim, decided to lighten things up for one episode -- but it was a disaster. 

Verdict: Some very good scripts, but not nearly as much fun nor as classy as Perry Mason. **3/4. 

ADVENTURES IN PARADISE

Glib disdain: Gardner McKay

ADVENTURES IN PARADISE (1959 television series).

Adventures in Paradise, a series which lasted three seasons, cataloged the adventures of one Adam Troy (Gardner McKay), a Korean war veteran who hoped to raise money for a ranch in Texas. Somehow he wound up in Tahiti, where he is captain of the Tiki, a ship which takes on both passengers and cargo. Troy's assistants include Clay Baker (James Holden), who always calls the captain "Pappy," (and later becomes a bar owner); and Chris Parker (Guy Stockwell), who was in about a third of the episodes; among others.

Gardner McKay [The Pleasure Seekers] was perfect for the role of Adam Troy, not only for his incredible good looks, but that almost mesmerizing stare of what can only be called "glib disdain." McKay wasn't necessarily an actor of great range or emotion, but his strong and commanding presence worked in his favor. Holden compliments McKay; he had only a few credits aside from this series and did nothing else after the show was over. Stockwell [Blindfold], who was almost as handsome as McKay, amassed over 90 credits. McKay only had ten other credits besides this series, but he reinvented himself as a playwright whose work was often produced.

Bolstered by the beautiful and romantic theme music composed, I believe, by Lionel Newman, the series -- while not essential viewing -- had a certain sweep and style to it, and featured some good stories (everything from adventure to comedy to mysteries) and fine performances by a variety of well-known guest-stars. No doubt there were many viewers who dreamed of setting sail with Adam (who seemed to have a woman in every port) through the warm waters of Tahiti (although I imagine even that could get tiresome after awhile). Occasionally the soundtrack featured music cues from the scores of Bernard Herrmann, such as Journey to the Center of the Earth. I've managed to see about 67 of the 91 episodes, and of these the most memorable are:

"Safari at Sea" with Diana Lynn and John Ericson in a tale of a bickering couple who want to capture a dangerous eel. The wife is a castrating monster who wants a macho man like Adam.

"The Raft," a harrowing lifeboat drama -- after a boat hits a mine -- with an especially notable performance from Ed Anders.

"Walk Through the Night" stars Mara Corday in a memorable performance of a woman who hunts for the man she loves amidst danger and cannibals with the help of Adam Troy.

"The Black Pearl." Skulduggery over the title gem with appearances by Lon Chaney Jr and Patricia Medina.

"Man-Eater." Did a shark devour an amorous, wealthy married lady? With notable turns from Bethel Leslie and John Fielder.

"Please Believe Me." A woman (an excellent Jacqueline Scott) is accused of murdering her new but rather larcenous husband.

"Violent Journey." An especially flavorful episode with Jeff Richards and Jerome Cowan in a tale of a runaway heiress and sharks.

"Feather Clock." Pippa Scott and George Macready are fine in a story of some cleverly stolen artwork.

"Judith." Gloria Vanderbilt, of all people, proves herself a gifted actress indeed in this tale of a hurricane that also unveils terrific human passions.

"Flamin' Lady" stars Catherine Nesbitt, Harvey Korman, and Patricia Cutts in a suspense story.

"Command at Sea." Raymond Massey gives an outstanding performance in a tale of a captain who blames a younger officer for his own deadly mistake. Michael David is also memorable.

"Daughter of Illusion" offers Alan Napier and Barbara Steele in notable turns as a magician and his daughter in a scheme to use a dress to pilfer diamonds.

"Build My Gallows Low" has Adam accused of murder and on the run, but aided by the victim's daughter, Peggy Ann Garner, giving a fine performance.

Of the episodes I've seen, the two best are easily "The Good Killing," a moving story in which a young man commits murder for what he thinks is a good reason; and "Amazon," about a yacht race with a man's life at stake, with very good performances from Lizabeth Scott and Tom Drake.

Verdict: Too many mediocre episodes, but not a half-bad series. **1/2.

DARK SHADOWS (1990)

Ben Cross and Barbara Steele

DARK SHADOWS (1991).

In this "revival" of the sixties TV show, Barnabas Collins (Ben Cross), turned into a vampire two hundred years before, is freed from his coffin and becomes a "new" member of the Collins family. In the original series, waitress Maggie Collins (Ely Pouget) was the spitting image of his old love, Josette, but in this version it is Victoria Winters (Joanna Going) who excites Barnabas' romantic interest. Dr. Julia Hoffman (Barbara Steele) tries to cure Barnabas of his vampirism, but is angered when she realizes his affection is reserved not for her but for Victoria. Victoria winds up going back to 1790 during a seance, and from then on the show follows both the modern and 18th century storylines, as Victoria is denounced as a witch despite the fact that the real perpetrator is Josette's handmaiden, Angelique (an effective Lysette Anthony). Most of the cast play dual roles. For instance, Roy Thinnes is fine as Roger Collins, who is having an affair with psychic Maggie, but he is really splendid as the grotesque Reverend Trask, who torments Victoria mercilessly.

Jean Simmons was cast as Elizabeth Collins, taking over from Joan Bennett, but while she's good, she isn't given that much to do. Joanna Going makes an impression as the beautiful Victoria. Two cast stand-outs are Joseph Gordon-Levitt as little David Collins, a really superb child actor who graduated into adult roles, and Jim Fyfe as Willie Loomis, who at times seems to be channeling Dwight Frye from Dracula. Over the top on occasion, he still gives a mesmerizing performance. Michael T. Weiss is also notable as Joe Haskell and Peter Bradford. Barbara Blackburn is okay as a somewhat sexier version of Carolyn Stoddard. Most of these actors amassed many credits after Dark Shadows went off the air.

And then there's the glue that holds the whole thing together: Ben Cross [Star Trek]. Aside from the rare perfunctory moment, Cross is superb as Barnabas, expertly delineating both the character's kind and vicious aspects, and managing to be genuinely frightening at times, something Jonathan Frid never quite accomplished. Cross is a fine actor and he makes the most of this opportunity. At the time he told an interviewer that this was his last chance to break out into major stardom, but while that may not have happened, he's still had a busy career ever since.

It was probably seen as another casting coup to hire Barbara Steele [Black Sunday] to play Julia Hoffman, but frankly, taken out of her Italian movie context she's just not a lot of fun, and her performance (as both Julia and a French character in 1790) is only adequate.

The town of Collinsport seems to learn much more about the existence of vampires than in the original series, but I admit it's been a while since I've seen those episodes. Some scenes were shot day for night, but they don't quite work, making it look as if Barnabas is walking about in broad daylight. Despite its higher production values, this version sometimes doesn't seem to escape its somewhat schlocky origins, but it starts to gather speed with the third episode, and hits high gear with the eleventh. Unfortunately, there was only one more episode left, making this more of a mini-series than a series. It does manage to tell the whole story of Barnabas' introduction and his and Victoria's 1790 adventures in twelve hour-long episodes, and generally does it well. A highlight is when a supposedly dead Angelique walks into the courtroom where Victoria has just branded her the true witch.

Dan Curtis directed many of the episodes, which were also helmed by Armand Mastroianni, Paul Lynch, and Rob Bowman.

Verdict: Gets an "A" for effort and is often entertaining. ***.