Return to Dodge (1987)
The first of the Gunsmoke movies was billed as a reunion, though only a few of the original cast members returned. But besides James Arness as the now retired Marshal Matt Dillon, we have Amanda Blake as Miss Kitty, and Buck Taylor as Newly O’Brien. Notably absent are Dennis Weaver as Chester and Ken Curtis as Festus (seen only in flashbacks through old footage).
The story is based on the episode “Mannon” (1969) in which notorious outlaw, Will Mannon terrorizes Dodge, shooting Festus, and leaving him for dead. He attacks Miss Kitty and holds the town hostage with his sadistic threats, waiting for Marshal Dillon to return so he can complete his mission: killing Dillon and Kitty. Of course, things don’t work out in Mannon’s favor, and he’s hauled off to serve time at a frontier prison. Now, 12 years later, he’s paroled, with vengeance on his mind. First stop: Dodge City. Viewers either love this movie or are disappointed in it. For nostalgia’s sake and the fact that (spoiler alert!) Miss Kitty saves the day, we’re putting it smack in the middle of the pack.
In the bittersweet, unrequited love department…
This would be the last time Amanda Blake played Kitty Russell. She died in 1989. Can you just hear the longing in her voice as the retired marshal walks out of her life for the last time?
“No woman ever loved a man more than I loved Matt Dillon.” – Miss Kitty
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About the Author
Native New Yorker, Darlene Cah is a writer, actor/improvisor, and digital content specialist based in North Carolina. Her short stories have appeared in Smokelong Quarterly, Red Earth Review, Have a NYC (Anthology), Referential Magazine, and other journals. Fiction awards include Soul-Making Keats Literary Competition, Emrys Fiction Prize, Semifinalist ScreenCraft Cinematic Short Story Contest, and more. Advertising awards include Finalist Media Post Awards for email, Honorable Mention Clios, One Shows, and Andys (print). When not writing for INSP, you’ll find her on stage, backstage, or coaching improv for Shakespeare & Friends Theater Company. And, of course, playing fetch with her dog.
