EPISODE: The Deadliest Game

(The episode that answers the age old question regarding Cochise's ambiguous, shifting gender)

Reviewed by Regina

Season 6, Episode #190, February 21, 1965

Guest stars: Cesar Romero, Ilze Taurins

SUMMARY:

I'm not sure why I chose "The Deadliest Game" except that it came to mind as I watched students at a trapeze school practice while I was stuck in traffic recently on West Street in lower Manhattan. Most of the classic, outstanding episodes have already been reviewed so I gave this one another viewing. It's more about outside characters rather than the Cartwrights. Adam is only mentioned and Hoss makes a brief appearance at the end in disguise (for no apparent reason). As for Cartwrights, it's mainly a Ben episode but Joe plays an important part. Guest star Cesar Romero is the focus of the story as a "clown aerialist", possibly foreshadowing his role as the Joker in Batman. Watching it practically in slow motion and often pausing for review, you notice every inconsistency, mistake and creative, strange camera angles.

The episode opens with a lot of fanfare in Virginia City, which looks like it is in the midst of a celebration judging from the banners, signs, dignitaries and people running around the boardwalk. The camera zooms in on a sign explaining what all the excitement is about. It proclaims that the Great Borelli will perform his triple somersault death leap without a net. We go from that sign to a larger sign explaining that The Great Borelli is a world celebrated aerial clown who will perform his death defying "salto mortale" which is apparently Italian for the double somersault death leap. The first sign says it will be a triple somersault while the second sign says it will be a double. In actuality, it was a double somersault that defied death one too many times at the end. In very small letters at the bottom of the sign, we are introduced to Petina and Carlo who are also appearing in the troupe as acrobats.

Next we see Sheriff Roy Coffee and a number of other men dressed in their best. Joe joins them and asks, "What's up, Roy?" Apparently, he is the only one in town who hasn't noticed the signs. Before Roy can answer, two decorated wagons arrive with the troupe of aerialists. Guido Borelli is wearing a flamboyant suit while Carlo and Petina are in full performing costumes. Carlo is annoyed and jealous when the men of Virginia City can't take their eyes off Petina who is wearing quite the little outfit that screams for attention.

The troupe meets and greets the people. Ben, followed by Joe, walks up to Borelli who recognizes him and greets him with hugs and kisses. It has been ten years since they've seen each other. Ben introduced Borelli to Joe who holds out his hand and looks embarrassed when he is kissed and hugged. Embarrassment quickly fades when Joe is introduced to Petina. They smile at each other while Carlo glares. Ben invites everyone to stay at the Ponderosa since Adam and Hoss are away and there is plenty of room.

Back at the Ponderosa, Joe entertains the guests with the story of the flapjack contest.  Ben refers to it as a "painful memory." Carlo and Petina leave to, thankfully, change for dinner. They have a confrontation upstairs where we find out that Carlo loves Petina and is extremely jealous of her. Petina obviously takes pleasure in flirting and teasing but acts quite offended by the accusations and tells Carlo she will behave in the manner that she is being accused. She flirts shamelessly with Joe during dinner and joins him outside afterwards for some "fresh air." Carlo spies on them from the front upstairs window as they talk in very close proximity to each other.

In the meantime, Ben and Guido sit down to an ongoing chess game that turns out to parallel the action about to take place. We learned during dinner that Ben met Guido in Sicily presumably during his sailing days. After being beaten by Ben at chess very quickly, Guido was determined to learn the game. When Guido gets up for another drink, he takes the opportunity to watch Petina and Joe wistfully. We are beginning to get the idea that he wants Petina.

Joe and Petina return to the house and head upstairs. After Joe says goodnight to Petina, Carlo comes out into the hall to warn Joe to stay away from Petina. Joe tries to answer but Carlo leaves him standing alone mumbling something under his breath.

Back at the chess game, Guido experiences his first spell of dizziness or headache and excuses himself. Upstairs, he calls on Petina and advises her not to bother with young boys. He hugs her and she seems to think it is platonic but Borelli is putting the moves on her. He then visits Carlo and advises him to give up Petina because she takes away from his career. He tells Carlo he will have to choose one or the other, concluding that few men get everything they want.

The next day, the aerialists are rehearsing their show. Dona Louisa explains to Ben that Guido was married to a much younger woman who died when he failed to catch her during a death-defying leap. He blames himself and is punishing himself for her death.  She knows he is too old for this.

Petina asks Joe if he would like to try the trapeze. Joe has the good sense (and fear of heights) to say no. Petina then asks him to teach her to ride and Joe agrees telling her she needs to change out of her skimpy outfit. I won't comment on that.  She changes into a pair of extremely baggy pants. When the lesson is finished, they ride back into the yard. Apparently, someone is spying on them again and takes a flash picture from behind the bushes near the house. Really. A flash of light that looks like a camera flash does go off as Joe helps Petina down from her horse. Carlo is spying again from the front upstairs window and not too happy with the closeness he sees between Joe and Petina, although it never goes too far.

Carlo has finally had enough so he confronts Joe by slapping his face to challenge him to a duel. Joe is ready to hit back but stops himself because Carlo is a guest. He finally accepts Carlo's challenge and chooses fists as the weapon. The two agree to meet in an hour to ride off somewhere to fight. They agree not to tell anyone.

The fight scene follows. Joe has changed into his scruffy old black boots for the fight.  He's not wearing them before or after the fight. Both Joe and Carlo get in a couple of good shots until Joe knocks Carlo to the ground. Joe tries to amicably put an end to it but Carlo sends him sprawling (interesting camera angle here of Joe on the ground).  The fight heats up until Carlo finally stays down. Joe offers to help him up but he wants to be left alone so Joe says he's sorry and turns to walk back to a boulder to get his hat and jacket. This is where the camera scene changes and answers the question concerning Cochise's gender.

The camera angle is very unusual to say the least. I suppose they were trying to be creative or something. Anyway, the underbellies of the horses become the top fame of the picture with their legs framing both the right and left sides and the ground completing the frame. It is quite obvious that this Cochise (I know there were a few) was definitely a male. The scene continues from this angle until Joe walks back and we can only see his legs. He then leads Cochise away. I thought it was conspicuously odd.

A ranch hand finds Carlo and brings him back to the Ponderosa and Ben. Joe sees them from the front upstairs window and hurries out. He discovers that it was his knife that stabbed Carlo. The doctor comes and tells everyone that Carlo may not make it. Roy arrives to arrest Joe for assault since he admitted to the fight. Once again, one of the Cartwrights is in his jail accused of murder or attempted murder. It seems a little premature since Carlo might regain consciousness and be able to tell what happened.

Guido feigns concern for Ben and the two continue their chess game. They have a conversation about growing older. Ben asks Guido about retiring. Guido replies that he can stay young by surrounding himself with youth. Ben answers that he enjoyed being young but now he enjoys the age that he is. Guido says that he will not stand the loneliness that he has endured since Angelina's death. He will marry someone young again like Petina. When Ben replies that would be up to Petina, Guido's chauvinism shows strongly. He answers that she is a woman and must be told what to do. Ben looks uncomfortable.

During the game, Guido takes a break and goes outside to comfort Petina. He tells her that Carlo is immature and young. A woman needs maturity. He holds her longingly until Dona Louisa calls him from the upstairs window, which seems to be the place to spy on people below. She talks to Guido and tells him that he behaves like a selfish child. She knows he wants Petina but Guido is still denying it saying he thinks of her as a daughter.

Back at the chess game, Guido makes a move that gets Ben to thinking. He sacrifices a knight to capture a queen. Realizing the truth, Ben hurries to the jail with a plan to trap Borelli. Roy mistakenly refers to him as "Morelli" when he tells Ben that he needs proof that Guido is guilty. Ben has enlisted Hoss' help since Guido doesn't know him. He tells Joe not to worry but Joe still looks concerned.

Guido, dressed in his clown outfit, meet Hoss, dressed in his disguise consisting of a black hat, plaid shirt and five o'clock shadow. Since Guido never met Hoss, the disguise doesn't seem necessary. Hoss blackmails Guido saying that he saw the whole thing and keeps making Guido speak up pretending he's hard of hearing. He tells Guido to stop this "fancy dedadling", adding to the list of Hossisms.

Guido pulls a gun on Hoss. Roy, Ben and Joe coming running out of the bushes and the chase is on. Guido heads up the ladder to the trapeze making the most illogical choice of an escape route, guaranteeing that he won't escape. Joe begins to follow him up the ladder until Ben calls him. Once again, he has the good sense not to follow. By now, Dona Louisa and Petina have joined them. When Guido grabs the trapeze, Dona Louisa announces that he is going to perform the salto mortale-death leap. She sends someone named Enrico up to perform with him, which doesn't make any sense. I mean, he obviously can't perform this double somersault alone so why send any up there?

Nevertheless, Guido begins to swing on the trapeze showing more signs of distress such as dizziness and chest pain. They show the sign announcing his celebrity again as he swings on the trapeze. When he does the double somersault, he falls to his death when Enrico is unable to catch him. Everyone runs up a few feet before they stop a good distance away from him to stare. Only Dona Louisa kneels by his side. They show the empty trapeze swinging overhead.

The final scene takes place in the Ponderosa yard where the two wagons are waiting departure. Joe and Petina help a recovering Carlo into the wagon. Petina kisses Joe good-bye with an approving nod from Carlo who thinks he is over his jealousy.  At least, he hopes so. Dona Louisa apologizes to Ben, explaining that she couldn't face the fact that her brother was guilty although she suspected it. Everyone says good-bye and the wagons ride off. Ben, Hoss and Joe watch them leave before turning to walk into the house (lots of nice shots from behind in this one).

All in all, it wasn't one of the very best Bonanza episodes but the theme of not being able to accept age was well done. And we did have that close-up shot of Cochise that answered the gender question, at least for this episode.

REVIEWS:

“The theme of the story is growing old and accepting change gracefully or not accepting it and becoming obsessed with youth. On one end of the continuum, we have Ben Cartwright and at the other end we have Guido Borelli. Although Ben does have an occasional crisis in this area in other episodes, he is content and happy with this stage of his life here. On the other hand, Borelli is desperately clinging to his fading career, which is too strenuous and dangerous for a man his age and, worse, he still trying to find validation in the arms of very young women. Apparently, he believes that it is indeed better to burn out than to fade away. His much older sister who raised him, Dona Louisa, summarizes him well when she says he is a child.  Although this is his performing genius, it is also his downfall and failure in real life.” Regina

“At least we had a "continuity" reference here...Joe talking about The Flapjack Contest"…so they do remember what happened to them in previous episodes.”  Lillian

Not the greatest episode, though I did like how they used the "sacrifice a knight to capture a queen" analogy. But they ruined that a bit when they insisted on repeating it later, almost as if the writer wanted to be sure we noticed how clever it was.  Cute ending when Petina gives Joe a quick kiss on the cheek, and Carlo tells Joe, "I've learned my lesson. I'm no longer jealous. I think."  Side note... regarding the scene where the horses framed the shot, I always got the feeling that this interesting shot was meant to subtly convey the idea that a third party was observing the action - that the scene was being framed from that unknown person's point of view.” Sue W.

“I loved the chess game analogy in this episode -- sacrificing a knight to gain a queen. I thought it was a clever way to have Ben figure out that Borelli was behind Carlo's assault.” Susan Grote

“Perhaps the choice of shots <scene viewed from underneath the horses>  was to make a "subtle” symbolic connection between Cochise, the studly stallion, and Joe's assets? Much like the close-up of the horse in "Sisters", when Adam has the slutty blond on the picnic? And I never could understand why Hoss was "Disguised" as evil Hoss and Borelli tried to escape by running up the trapeze and the other acrobat showed up from no where to pitch him to his death. Bonanza circus episodes are always creepy and weird...look at the Abduction.” Robin

“SIGH!  Too bad they couldn't get ML on that trapeze in tights.  SIGH!” Ginny

“The following is from the script: EXT. CLEARING, SURROUNDED BY TREES – DAY. This is the “Field of Honor”, a picturesque, rustic spot somewhere on the Ponderosa spread. As we COME IN on the scene, we see that two horses are tethered in the b.g., and that Little Joe and Alfieri are squaring away. Both are bare to the waist. …….after the fight scene it says Joe grabs his shirt, mounts his horse and rides away. BTW there was also supposed to be a scene where Petina taught Joe some tricks on the trapeze. This is what Michael was supposed to wear: As for his attire - he might wear only a pair of bathing trunks and tennis shoes, or it might be that Petina "lifted" a pair of Alfieri's leotards from the wagon.................If Michael didn't want to do the fight scene shirtless - can you imagine what he thought of doing a scene dressed like that. LOL” Helen

“Can you just imagine if LJ wore those tights for Petina. Bet his ability on the trapeze would be the "second" thing she would be impressed by.” Debbiejo