HIGH CHAPARRAL, THE: ONLY THE BAD COME TO SONORA (TV)
Summary
One in this series of Western dramas about the Cannon family and their struggle to maintain and operate the High Chaparral Ranch.
Manolito prepares to return to High Chaparral after visiting with Don Sebastian. There are plans to breed one of Don Sebastian’s stallions with one of John’s mares, necessitating a hefty breeding fee. Manolito rides the stallion, named “El Diablo,” back to High Chaparral. Along the way he finds a horse with its rider on the ground, seemingly unconscious. When he investigates, the man reveals he is conscious and holds Manolito at gunpoint. He is strung up on a tree by the man, named Wade, and his associates. They mock him relentlessly, but Manolito is unfazed, claiming that they “bore” him. Wade contemplates shooting Manolito, but instead decides to leave him strung up, believing that he will die eventually anyway. As a further hindrance, Wade has his men steal Manolito’s boots. Eventually Manolito manages to free himself and wanders about, collapsing just outside High Chaparral. He is brought in and tended to by John and Victoria. Meanwhile, Wade and his men visit a cantina in Sonora together, reveling in their newly-acquired wealth after stealing Manolito’s money and horse.
John sends Manolito to deliver a deposit to Don Sebastian against the loss of his stallion, hoping to allay his anger over the incident. Don Sebastian receives the payment and expresses his anger at Manolito for losing the stallion. Manolito, exasperated, asks Don Sebastian what he expects from him, and Don Sebastian says he is hurt by Manolito’s lack of “genuine concern” for his livelihood. They get into an argument about their differing values and expectations of each other. When Manolito says he does not know what he wants from life, Don Sebastian expresses his disappointment and urges him to whatever he can to recover the stallion. Manolito inquires at the cantina in Sonora about Wade, but is received unfavorably by the bartender. Manolito finds that his expensive clothes make him stand out and elicit negative reactions from those around him, such as a peasant ferrying wood on a burro whom he passes by. Manolito exchanges clothes with the man so as not to stand out as much.
Thus disguised, Manolito is received much more warmly by lower-class people, including a family who takes him in for the night. He expresses frustration at the fear and suspicion he encounters, and the man hosting him talks about the deleterious effect that numerous recent conflicts have had on the Mexican people. The man gives Manolito a lead on Wade by identifying a woman he is interested in, a dancer named Constanza. He locates her and hits on her as Wade and his friends enter the cantina. He confronts Manolito and physically throws him out of the cantina. He finds where El Diablo is stabled and tries to ride off with him, but Wade and his men catch him and pull him off the saddle. They beat him up before riding off. Constanza awakens Manolito and he prepares to pursue, but he criticizes Constanza for catering to people like Wade; she maintains that she has no choice and that her fading beauty is the only way she can secure income. She urges Manolito to find Wade and kill him.
Wade and his men attempt to rob a general store, but Manolito arrives and holds them at gunpoint. A woman enters and attacks Manolito, allowing Wade and his men to get away. Manolito attempts to elude Wade and his men, but they manage to apprehend him anyway. They prepare to shoot him for foiling their robbery, but Manolito gets them to spare his life by claiming that he possesses valuable information. He claims that they could steal a great deal of money from Don Sebastian’s ranch, and that his intimate familiarity with the grounds could allow them to do so. He leads them into the ranch under cover of darkness, taking out a few guards in the process. He leads them to Don Sebastian’s hidden safe, and while Manolito prepares to covertly shoot the thugs, Don Sebastian wakes up. Manolito punches out Don Sebastian and Wade and his men prepare to kill Manolito, revealing that he never intended to share any of his loot with him. Manolito manages to overpower them and holds them at gunpoint, revealing that Don Sebastian is his father. He throws them out of the house, and the next morning is around when Don Sebastian wakes up. Wade and his men are imprisoned and Manolito again sets off to High Chaparral with the stallion in tow. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: NBC
- DATE: 7:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:50:24
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:03304
- GENRE: Drama, western
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, western; Drama, action/adventure
- SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 1967-1971
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- David Dortort … Executive Producer, Created by
- James Schermer … Producer
- Don Richardson … Director
- Gerry Day … Writer
- Don Balluck … Writer
- Harry Sukman … Music by
- David Rose … Theme Music by
- Leif Erickson … Cast, John Cannon
- Cameron Mitchell … Cast, Buck Cannon
- Henry Darrow … Cast, Manolito Montoya
- Linda Cristal … Cast, Victoria Cannon
- Frank Silvera … Cast, Don Sebastian
- Bruce Dern … Cast, Wade
- Margarita Cordova … Cast, Constanza
- James Gammon … Cast, Lafe
- Ed Bakey … Cast, Jubel
- Don Collier … Cast, Sam
- Joaquin Martinez … Cast, Peon
- Ralph Manza … Cast, Gomez
- Paul Fierro … Cast, Bartender
- Than Wyenn … Cast, Gonzales