Now here is a unique animal--”The Night of the Deadly Bed” is named after an elaborate trap to kill Jim in the early part of the episode. It has nothing to do with the overall plot. The deadly bed in question has a spied canopy that falls just slowly enough to not only effectively take us to commercial, but give Jim enough time to emerge from a drag induced haze to escape. Convenient.Did I mention he falls for the Mexican beauty that drugs and puts him there? She is a big part of the defeat of the villain’s master plan, too. Bet you did not see that coming, either.
Jim travels to a border town in order to meet with an informant. Unfortunately, the informant is killed in an explosion before he can tal to Jim. He only gets out one word--”Rosebud.”
No, wait. It is “Flory.” Sorry.
Jim follows his sole clue to a mission on the Mexican side of the border. Flory turns out to be the name of a French general wo has enslaved the local population into building a steam powered battering ram which will run along American railroad tracks, destroying the United States’ ability to move war material. Flory believes hecan take over Mexico with the United States stymied in such a way.
This is, perhaps surprisingly, historically accurate. The United States supported the fight of President Benito Juarez to repel French forces from Mexico, but could not do much to actively aid the effort because of the Civil War. Postwar, however, Andrew Johnson sent 50,000 American troops to the border to facilitate the free flow of war material to the Mexican army. It is no stretch to claim the American superior railroad system wasa bi factor I Mexico defeating the French by boosting Mexican supply lines.
Was is a stretch is that Flory is played by J. D. Cannon, an actor from Idaho whose sole French-ness is to end every sentence with mon ami. It could be worse, I guess.
“I keel yoo slowly weeth zees gun, Meester West.” you know what I mean?
Fun episode? Yes. It is patented Wild Wild West goofiness with a maniacal villain, elaborate death traps, and a high concept Age of Innovation device set to alter the course of history. Flory is not one of the more memorable villains, but he is a formidable foil for our heroes.
Rating: *** (out of 5)
