There is little doubt that Gunsmoke is among the all-time best TV Westerns there ever was. Frankly, some might consider it the absolute best of the genre. James Arness‘ Marshal Matt Dillon is quite the strait-laced character, a protagonist we love to watch each week because of his honesty, integrity, and commitment to what’s right. But even Marshal Dillon doesn’t always come out on top, and even when he gets his man, things don’t always turn out the way they should. This is true of Gunsmoke‘s finest hour: the Season 7 classic “The Gallows.” That’s right, out of all the episodes of this 20-season horse opera (and there’s over 600 of them), this is the one that has unquestionably stood out as the best Marshall Dillon tale — and the ending is truly haunting.
Despite the Bleak Ending, “The Gallows” Is ‘Gunsmoke’s Finest Hour
After a drifter named Pruitt Dover (Jeremy Slate from The Sons of Katie Elder) finds his way to town, he ends up killing a man who owes him a considerable amount of money in a simple case of self-defense. However, both men were drunk during the assault, meaning that Pruitt isn’t entirely sure what happened. Frightened for his life, he runs off, only to eventually be arrested in a neighboring county. This is how Marshal Dillon gets involved, as Pruitt killed the man in Dodge City. Dillon retrieves Pruitt and they travel back to Dodge. The only problem is that the marshal is attacked and left wounded on the trail.
Though Pruitt could have left the scene, he chooses to stay and aid the marshal, prompting Matt Dillon to speak up for the killer and ask for a lesser sentence. The men bond over the trip, and Dillon comes to see Pruitt as a man who made a mistake, but who isn’t a killer himself. Unfortunately, the traveling judge lives by the letter of the law, and orders that Pruitt is to be hung anyway. In an uncharacteristic betrayal of the law, Matt offers Pruitt the chance to escape as he doesn’t believe that the sentence is just. However, the killer refuses, not wishing to cause Dillon any more trouble or risk him losing his badge. As a result, “The Gallows” ends with one of the show’s most harrowing moments, and fans have never quite forgotten it.
“The Gallows” Showed a Different Side of ‘Gunsmoke’s Marshal Matt Dillon
Gunsmoke always did a fine job of introducing one-off characters who stole the show in their respective episodes. Some, such as Jeanette Nolan‘s “Dirty” Sally, ended up becoming so popular that they were brought back. But this was not the case with Jeremy Slate’s Pruitt Dover. The man is killed in the very episode he first appears in, and although the show doesn’t harp on Pruitt’s death in future installments, “The Gallows” continues to hang over the series to this day.
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What is especially compelling about a true work of art like this is that Marshal Matt Dillon is forced to reconcile with the inadequacies of the law. It’s not always right, even if his job is to uphold it, and just as judgment is a necessary component of a functional society, he begins to believe that grace is, too. While this is hardly the only time Marshal Dillon ever bent the law, it is certainly the most significant. Yet, it all seems helpless in the end. Though Pruitt goes to his death with a smile on his face, knowing he did the right thing by helping secure Dillon’s position as marshal, the lawman can’t bare to look at the injustice as it’s done. Thankfully, we aren’t forced to, either.
Matt Dillon Undergoes a Powerful Change in This Pivotal ‘Gunsmoke’ Episode
As mentioned before, James Arness gives the performance of his 20-year Gunsmoke career here in this episode. The lawman is fiercely bold at first, not understanding why a man like Pruitt would kill another, but also not willing to budge on the truth that a man is dead. It’s only when Pruitt shows true heroism (sticking around to save Dillon’s life and get him back to Dodge) that the marshal begins to question the righteousness of Pruitt’s impending sentencing. As such, Dillon does for Pruitt what he refuses to do for so many murderers in the Old West. He stands up for him in court and attempts to persuade the judge to let the man live, despite his clear crime. In this way, Dillon takes a surprising stance against everything he has ever fought to uphold. He argues in contrast to the star clipped to his chest, and even his own actions in bringing Pruitt there in the first place. It’s a battle of wills in Dillon’s own mind.
Even more interesting is the conclusion that Dillon comes to later on. After the judgment has been made, Dillon escorts Pruitt to a neighboring town where he is to be hung. But instead of taking him all the way there, the marshal gives Pruitt the chance to escape. In fact, he wants the outlaw to escape. He wants to see Pruitt Dover become a free man. James Arness plays the line here between his standard Matt Dillon fare while teetering into new territory for the lawman who is so often sure of the law. It’s quite a performance, as we can see his clear discomfort with the events as they unfold, and even his frustrations with his own actions. Yet, Dillon commends Pruitt for being a man of honor and conviction, and while he considers the man’s life worth more than his badge, Pruitt argues that if Dillon let the outlaw escape, there would no longer be men like him behind the badge at all.
“The Gallows” Is the Most Popular Episode of ‘Gunsmoke’
No matter where you turn, “The Gallows” is often considered one of Gunsmoke‘s greatest episodes, if not the greatest. It’s consistently rated as the series’ most popular hour by fans — as seen in outlets like IMDB, Ratingraph, and Ranker — and continues to shock first-time viewers who have discovered the Western yarn for the first time. They certainly don’t make Westerns like this anymore, and episodes like “The Gallows” prove it. It’s a simple, standalone story, to be sure, but one that packs a serious punch. As Marshal Dillon walks away from Pruitt’s execution, he isn’t even tempted to look back. Knowing the outcome of all his attempts to free this man who saved his own life, Dillon marches down the street of an Old West town, and we’re left with the weight of the unjust hanging we know took place right off-screen. If you’re itching for a classic Western to turn on tonight, this is the one episode of Gunsmoke that you ought to revisit. It’s powerful, moving, and a harrowing note to end on — and it’s far better than the way that Gunsmoke actually ended.
- Release Date
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1955 – 1974
- Directors
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Andrew V. McLaglen, Harry Harris, Ted Post, Bernard McEveety, Vincent McEveety
- Writers
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John Meston, Charles Marquis Warren, Paul Savage
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James Arness
Marshal Matt Dillon
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