This is a well-written, well-performed episode of Cheyenne. Guest star Gerald Mohr is perfectly cast as the bank robber and killer Pat Keogh, who is the intelligent mastermind behind an unusual way to rob a bank. Clint Walker's Cheyenne is a bit wooden in performance, but this is early in the first series. Supporting cast all play their parts well, but Mohr's relaxed performance is outstanding here. He's a quick-on-the-draw, straight shooting, singing and piano playing bank robber and womaniser who has no qualms or conscience about shooting to kill. However, when he squares up to Cheyenne, there can only be one outcome. Pure TV Western gold!

This is an episode in two distinct parts - the first part deals with the Barkley family's opinions and discussion as to whether Heath, who has been approached by a former old flame, Sarah, to smuggle her rebel husband, Dr Raoul Mendez (Gerald Mohr), out of Mexico to the safety of America. The second half of the story deals with the events surrounding Heath's attempt to carry this out successfully. The script is a fine balance of action and intelligent discussion about the ethics of rebellion and the realities of carrying it out successfully. The denouement is not necessarily the one that the viewer might have hoped for, but is nevertheless treated more sympathetically than the viewer might have expected.

This highly entertaining and well-written half-hour episode is well worth watching. For Star Trek fans, of special interest is the black-hat baddie performance of DeForest Kelley (Dr McCoy in Star Trek) in one of his many pre-Trek TV Western roles. His Southern American drawl is used to good effect here and is relevant to the storyline.
Another excellent performance comes from Gerald Mohr as The Thimblerigger, the mysterious tall, dark and handsome stranger who appears in The Birdcage with a story to tell with a twist in the tail.
Regulars John Forrest and Peggie Castle entertain, too, Peggie with a pleasing song "I Like a Gambling Man" at the start of the episode.
In all, one of the best of the series!

Mace Tilsey (played by Gerald Mohr) and his gang arrive in town to steal a gold shipment passing through. Tilsey kidnaps the daughter of the Sheriff, who is a friend of Bronco's. Tilsey coerces Bronco to work for him, policing the town until the shipment arrives, after which he will return the girl and the town to the people. Tilsey pretends the girl is being kept out of town, but Bronco discovers otherwise. He dupes Tilsey into thinking that the military know that he is in town by hijacking the telegraph and sending a message in which Tilsey misinterprets. An army officer arrives in town to marry the girl, who passes a message to him by throwing an engagement ring back at him when he has never given her one. He guesses something is seriously wrong and, when the shipment arrives, Bronco gets the townspeople to rebel against the gang. Tilsey gets his hands on the shipment, only to be shot in a duel by Bronco. The army officer, who has returned with a troop of soldiers, to capture the rest of the escaping gang. The girl and the army officer are happily reunited and Bronco rides off.

Gerald Mohr's acting career was a mixture of radio, film and television work, with a little stage thrown in. During the 1940s he appeared in over 500 radio plays and was the voice of Philip Marlowe in over 90 episodes of the CBS radio series from 1948-1950. He was mainly a 'B' movie film star, most notably as one of the seven actors who played "The Lone Wolf" during 1946-47. Also notable appearance at that time was in the film noir "Gilda" (1946), in a 5-minute dancing scene with Rita Hayworth. His best movie starring roles included "The Blonde Bandit" (1950), "Sirocco" (1951), "The Buckskin Lady" (1957), "Terror in the Haunted House" (1958), "Guns, Girls and Gangsters" (1959), "A Date with Death" (1959), and "The Angry Red Planet" (1960)(in colour). During the 1950s and 1960s he appeared in over 120 guest star appearances in TV series such as Maverick, Cheyenne, Bronco, Bonanza, Sugarfoot, Outlaws, Perry Mason, Hawaiian Eye, playing cowboys, Mexicans, Italians, Greeks and even Americans! He was a tall, dark and handsome, very versatile actor with a charm and sense of humour which shone through, even when playing cowboy baddies. Gerald Mohr's only 'A' listed film appearance was as Tom Branca in Funny Girl (1968), made shortly before his sudden and untimely death at the age of 54 from a heart attack on 9 November 1968 in Stockholm, Sweden.