EPISODE: Between Heaven and Earth
Reviewed by Bev
Episode #177 – Season 6 – November 15, 1964
Guest Star: Richard Jaeckel.
Written By: Ed Adamson
Directed By: William Witney
SUMMARY:
Between Heaven and Earth is my favorite Bonanza episode! Everything comes together in this episode – the story, the music, the direction, the camera work, and the acting are all superb. A lot of the episode was filmed on location (Vasquez Rocks) and we also learn some “history” – LJ running off from the ranch as a little guy (and being rescued by Pa!) and we learn about one of Joe’s friends, Mitch Devlin. Plus, a lot of Joe angst and Pa/Joe interaction!!! The only thing missing is Adam. Although he shows up in the opening sequence and is mentioned in the show, he does not make an actual appearance.
The opening nightmare scene (Joe dreams he falls off of a cliff) with Pa and Joe is wonderful. After Joe’s screams wake him, Pa comes into comfort him. Love the way he feels Joe’s forehead to see if he is running a fever and the little squeeze he gives Joe on the back of the neck as he leaves his room.
The next scene is Joe and his friend Mitch Devlin in the saloon where Mitch is taking on all comers in arm wrestling. We learn that Mitch is the long-time champion and that Joe never challenges him because “he and Joe have nothing to prove to each other.”
As they go to part ways at Eagle’s Nest, they hear a puma scream and Mitch makes a comment that the “puma was feeding on your sheep herd last week.” (The Cartwrights have sheep??????) Well, anyway Joe and Mitch head out after it. Joe ends up going up on Eagle’s Nest in hopes of spotting the puma from up there and getting a shot at it.
As Joe looks up at Eagle’s Nest, you can see something flicker through his eyes – like where have I seen that mountain before and why is it making me uncomfortable? This is one thing that doesn’t seem right with the show – we don’t know what triggered Joe’s nightmares about Eagle’s Nest prior to this incident.
Mitch makes a comment about it being a rough climb up there and, after having the pleasure of being at Vasquez Rocks last September, boy is he ever right!!! I sure didn’t make it very far. But, I digress. . .
Joe gets up just so far – he tosses his rifle up ahead of him so that he can use both hands for climbing – then he makes the fatal mistake of looking down and becomes paralyzed with fear. Mitch calls to him a few times and finally Joe is able to respond. Joe is unable to climb up any higher to get his rifle – he is barely able to slowly back his way down the mountain.
Mitch questions him about leaving his rifle up there -- it’s an expensive rifle, etc. Joe jumps all over him about it being his rifle and he’ll get it later. Mitch rides off and Joe stares back up at the mountain feeling defeated -- an emotion he is not use to feeling.
The breakfast scene that comes up after this is where Joe makes the comment: “Where is the Plato of the Ponderosa this morning?” referring to big brother Adam. Always makes me chuckle. Joe is overly cheery trying to cover up how he really feels.
Joe asks about a horse that Pa just traded for – Ben makes the comment that it is an untried animal and that you can never tell an animal by how he looks or his manners – just like people. Joe, of course, thinks Pa is referring to him.
As Joe is driving the buckboard past Eagle’s Nest later that morning, Hoss asks him to put on some steam. Joe whips the horses into a frenzy and nearly overturns the buckboard before Hoss can grab the reins. Hoss asks him what has gotten into him--is he trying to prove what a big daredevil he is? As Hoss takes the reins, Joe looks back at Eagle’s Nest – you can literally see his shoulders slump.
The next scene is one of my favorites. Joe and Hoss are playing checkers and Pa is doing book work. Joe wins the game and Hoss decides he has had enough and goes up to bed leaving Joe and Pa alone. The camera switches back and forth between Pa and Joe as the following dialogue takes place – each time the shot gets closer in on each of them – very effective!
Ben: I had a talk with Mitch Devlin today.
Joe: Did he come over here?
Ben: No, I stopped into the Devlin place on the way back from town.
Joe: Oh, what’s he got to say?
Ben: Oh, he was talking about what happened yesterday.
Joe: Why should he talk about it he doesn’t know anything.
Ben: Well, he could see how upset you were about loosing the puma and your rifle. You did your best no need to be so upset about a thing like that.
Joe: Is that all he had to say?
Ben: Yeah, why is there something else he should have said?
Joe: (Looking relieved) No, I think I’ll turn in
Ben: Joe, wasn’t that your favorite rifle?
Joe: Yeah, I’ll get it Pa, don’t worry about it.
The next morning Joe heads over to Eagle’s Nest bound and determined to get his rifle back. Joe questions himself, “What’s the matter?” He is standing there staring up at the mountain and backing away from it at the same time when Hoss rides up. Hoss asks Joe, “What are you doing up here.” Joe snaps back, “Nothing -- Do you have to know everything? Hoss tells him Pa is looking for him.
Joe becomes very defensive. “I’m tracking a puma. How does he expect me to find that puma if he doesn’t leave me along.” Hoss says, “Funny way to be tracking a puma -- you don’t have a rifle.” Joe looks down at his empty rifle scabbard which only serves as a reminder that fear is keeping him from getting his rifle -- Joe takes off on Cochise in a dead run.
Pa has what he thought would be a nice surprise for Joe. The horse he traded for is ready to be broken and he is giving Joe first crack at it. Instead of being pleased, Joe bitterly complains that he was out hunting a puma and he gets called back for this.
There is further exchange (heated on Joe’s part) with Ben and Hoss totally befuddled by his attitude. Ben finally tells him to “cool down” and tells Hoss to give the horse a try. Hoss says that “I am not as good at this as Little Joe, but I am not afraid of him either.” Joe, in a very quiet voice, says, “Are you saying I’m afraid?” Hoss protests that he didn’t say that. Joe tells Hoss to get down off the horse – that he doesn’t want to see him ruining a good horse and “don’t your ever say I’m afraid.” At this point you just want to shake Joe for hurting Hoss’ feelings.
Hoss says to Ben, “I don’t know what to think of him Pa -- One minute he’s laughing at you the next minute he’s snarling at you.” As Joe rakes the horse, Hoss says “Who’s he showing off for anyway? Ben says “Maybe himself”. “Well I don’t gotta watch it” and Hoss takes off.
Joe gets bucked off the horse and Ben goes running to him. Joe in his anger takes off after the horse. Ben grabs him and tells him that’s enough, that’s enough. Joe yells at him to leave me go -- I can break the horse. Ben retorts, “Not in the mood you’re in – you’ll not only hurt yourself but the horse too.” Joe struggles loose from his father’s grasp and yells, “Why can’t you leave me alone and let me do things my way!”
Joe angrily strides over to his horse as Mitch rides up. Joe is extremely rude to Mitch and as he rides away he pauses to look back. Joe sees Mitch and his father talking and assumes the worse – that Mitch is telling his father what a coward Joe is – that he is afraid to go back up on Eagle’s Nest to get his rifle.
Joe once again heads over to Eagle’s Nest. Standing there looking up at the mountain he decides he doesn’t have to climb the mountain – he doesn’t have anything to prove it’s only a mountain – he can shoot the rifle down with his six-shooter. He can’t do it and in his frustration yells “I’ll be back”. The mountain torments him with the echo “I’ll be back, I’ll be back” as Joe runs back down the mountain toward Cochise.
It is very late at night. Ben is sitting in a chair in the great room with a single lamp lit and of course that glorious fireplace burning. Joe comes in and heads for the stairs. Ben stops him with a “Joseph”. . . “Oh, waiting up for me Pa, I am a big boy now you know.” “Yes, of course you are but it is rather late.” (Once a parent, always a parent!!) Joe’s frustration with the situation he finds himself in comes through in this next bit of dialogue.
Joe says “Tell me, did you have a nice little talk with Mitch today?” Ben tries to tell him but Joe interrupts “with “I don’t care what he had to tell you, it’s a lie.” Ben continues he came over to tell you that Hank Kitterich has shot that puma. Joe retorts “Then it’s settled.” Ben asks “What is settled?” Joe says, “Everything, the puma, everything else, it’s settled.” Ben - “What about the rifle, did you get that?” Joe –“No, I haven’t found the rifle - I haven’t had the time” Ben – “Then what’s bothering you? Joe – “Don’t try to be a mind reader; there is absolutely nothing else bothering me.” Ben – “I don’t have to be much of a mind reader to know that something is bothering you. We always have been able to talk things out before.” Joe retorts, “Pa, we have nothing to talk about” and heads up the stairs. Ben calls out, “Joseph!” Joe stops and turns towards Ben, grips the stair railing and says, “Listen, Pa, there are some things a man has to settle for himself if he is ever going to call himself a man.”
Joe goes into town the next day and heads to the saloon where Mitch is arm wrestling. Joe marches over and puts money down on the table and says “next.” Mitch is surprised and hurt. Joe beats Mitch and while everyone is patting Joe on the back, Mitch quietly gets up and goes out the back door. Joe, of course, immediately feels horrible and goes out back to try and explain to Mitch. It does no good. The one thing that made Mitch special is gone. Joe angrily throws the coins he won against the side of the saloon (this action always reminds me of Judas throwing away the 30 pieces of silver he got for betraying Jesus).
Following is another one of my favorite scenes. Here is an abbreviated version. Joe is up early trying to sneak out of the house before Ben is up. Ben comes out of the kitchen and catches him and Joe tries to explain he was going to leave a note and was going off to help Adam.
Ben has reached the end of his rope with his youngest - “That says where, but not why. Why the railhead? Why not St. Louis, New York, Africa - why not to the very ends of the earth itself or wouldn’t that be far enough either.” Joe stands with his head down looking totally miserable while Ben says this. Joe responds, “I having nothing to talk about. Ben continues, “Talk, all you do is avoid talk Joseph.” Joe – “It’s my problem, just let me handle it my own way.” Ben – “Just what is your problem?” Joe – “I don’t know”
Ben continues that he has been trying to let Joe handle the problem but that, “now you are running off and you say you don’t know what your problem is. Joseph, Is it that you don’t know what it is or that you don’t want to face it?” The look on Joe’s face (my all time favorite look!) when Ben says this to him is heartbreaking. The lower lip is trembling and you can tell how hurt he is that his Pa would say this to him and that he just wants to break down and tell Pa everything. Instead he turns around and walks out the door.
Hoss comes out of the kitchen at this point and Ben starts to probe Hoss about what he thinks is wrong with Joe. Hoss mentions that Joe darned near killed them racing the wagon around Eagle’s Nest. He then goes on to say that Eagle’s Nest is where he found Joe when Pa was looking for him. At the mention of the words “Eagle’s Nest”, the expression on Ben’s face becomes questioning and he asks Hoss what Joe was doing there. Hoss replied that he said he was hunting a puma. Ben muses, “Yeah, with his rifle up there. . . .” Hoss says, “Do you have something figured.” Ben replies, “I don’t know. . . I hope I’m not too late.”
The next scene is Joe clawing his way up Eagle’s Nest -- we then see Ben climbing up farther below Joe. Joe reaches a certain point where he can not go any further – he becomes paralyzed with fear. Talk about a “poor baby” moment!
Ben calls to Joe and tells him to back down real slow and easy. But Joe begs Ben to leave him alone – he can’t do it. Ben pleads, “You have to try.” Joe says, “I can’t Pa, please I can’t. I’m afraid.—I’m a grown man and I am afraid and I don’t know why.”
Ben explains to him that when Joe was about five years old he ran off one day and Ben had all sorts of people out looking for him. But it was Ben who came upon him here late at night at Eagles Nest and carried him down in his arms. (All through this particular exchange a lullaby melody is playing in the background) Ben thinks now that Joe knows what he may be afraid that every thing will be okay. Joe says that may make sense to Pa but it doesn’t to him. Joe is literally crying for Pa to go home – that he is only making it worse. “Please go home, Pa, I know I can do it . . ." which turns into sobs of frustration.
Ben pretends to slip and says Joe needs to help him. . . but that he will need a long stick. . . the rifle, Joe, get the rifle. Joe forgets about his fears . . . he is only thinking about helping his Pa. He “rescues” Ben and then realizes what has happened. Ben asks him if he is ready to go home. . . and, of course, he is!!!
REVIEWS:
“Just some absolutely great father/son moments throughout this episode. I also like the fact that they showed a “flawed” Joe -- there were actually times during this episode when I did not like Joe very well!!” Bev
"Joe is just heartbreaking in this episode. His rudeness to Mitch, to Hoss and to Pa, three people very close to him is very upsetting. What's that saying - "you always hurt the one you love?" He is a very sensitive young man. He's feeling afraid, helpless, vulnerable and taking it out on everyone around him. I wonder how Adam would have reacted." Gail
"This show is one of my favorites. It is well written and superbly acted, and it is also the very first time that Joe comes across as a fully-rounded human being in the series. This time he's not just the cocky kid, or the repentant son, the good buddy, or the firecracker temper. He is all of those things and more. We see fear, pain, insecurity, irritability, rudeness, shame, and a dozen other emotions played out to their fullest extent, often with nothing more than a change in facial expression. In addition we get to see Hoss losing patience as anyone would in the face of Joe's nasty behavior, rather than being the perfect forgiving saint. We also see a couple of different times just how well Ben knows his youngest boy, first in his instinctive need to go to him when Joe is having the nightmare (judging by his speed arriving with the lit lamp I have to think that he was on his way before Joe screamed out), then by his tough love and reverse psychology to get Joe over his problem. Joe's agonized pleas for Pa to leave him alone to work things out for himself is perfectly belied by the desperate need in his voice. He is pleading to be rescued from Eagle's Nest yet again, but cannot voice the words because he is even more afraid that he will be proving the cowardice he feels he has been showing. Ben's solution is perfect, by using the thing that Joe fears most (losing his father) he gets him over the lesser fear of going up after the rifle, and saves his self-esteem at the same time. Ol' Ben would have made a pretty fine shrink. :)" Helen
"I have heard some other Bonanza fans say they didn't like it because they felt Joe was too wimpy in this one. I didn't think that back when I saw it originally nor do I think it now. I don't know how old Joe was supposed to be, perhaps in his early twenties--since Adam was still around. But, now as a parent, I can honestly say I would have done the same thing that Ben did. I would want to help my child no matter how old they were. A fear is a fear, plain and simple. Any truly good parent would risk their lives to help their child through something traumatic. I think this one proved how rock solid the Pa/Joe relationship was. Ben was just as worried about his son as he had been when he was five and had wandered off and challenged the mountain earlier. It also shows the bond Joe had for his father, that he would risk anything to save him." Wrangler
"The acting is superb in this ep from all three actors. Showing this fear in a normally ebullient Joe gives a tremendous insight into his character and how he handles emotional conflict (Not very well in this case)" Pat
"When I saw this as a kid, I remember being very scared. I knew Joe couldn't be killed but was sure he was badly hurt in the fall. It looked so real to me....I loved all the background stuff about Joe growing up, Mitch being a friend, Joe as a kid running off and getting stuck. A very rich episode...despite the dummy." Robin
"I thoroughly enjoy the episode, although I tend to fast-forward it through the area where Joe challenges Mitch in the arm wrestling match. Mainly, because Joe is doing it to try and make himself feel better and never even bothering to think of how it might make his friend feel. Then the end with him tossing the coins down, it's as though he realizes that it wasn't worth it, in having lost the trust with Mitch. ML does a great job in showcasing the emotions of LJ and allowing the viewer to participate in them." Sherri
"One thing I remember about this episode from when I was young, I had the same dream about falling off a mountain after I watched it! True, naked fear is something all of us have to overcome at some point in our lives and this episode covers it all. LJ's pain and fear were portrayed wonderfully by ML and I always love the way Pa handles his youngest. Although Hoss is extremely patient with his younger brother, I know that if it was MY brother, he would have bashed me!" Judy
"I like when Pa confronts Joe as Joe is leaving to try to escape his fear. Talk about tough love! Pa sure doesn't pull any punches with Joe in this scene. And Joe shows a whole range of emotions in just a few minutes -- nervousness, fear, defensiveness, anger. Great stuff!" Susan
"It's one of my very favorites. Every camera angle, every scene, every word of
dialogue, the music, the expressions, the lighting...all perfect." Gina