Peter Gunn (TV Series) The Crossbow (1960) User Reviews

OK Episode

[gordonl56 · 7/10 · 4 December 2013]

PETER GUNN - The Crossbow- 1960

This is episode 74 from the 1958 to 1961 P.I. series, PETER GUNN. Craig Stevens headlines as the hard as nails detective who always dresses with style. Regulars in the series are Minerva Urecal as the owner of MOTHER'S jazz club, and Lola Albright. Albright plays Stevens' squeeze, Edie Hart, who is the club singer at, MOTHER'S.

P.I. Peter Gunn, (Craig Stevens) is called to the home of the Henry Daniell. Daniell is the owner of an 15th century crossbow. Or he was the owner before the weapon had been stolen. The weapon has been used in several murders and Daniell would like Stevens to find it.

Needless to say several more people end up with unwanted crossbow bolts before Stevens can trace the killer. More than a few red herrings are thrown about in this one. Also in the mix is George Kennedy, Burt Douglas, Theo Marcuse and a huge hunting dog.

Not the greatest of episodes, but a series this good is allowed a misstep every so often.

Colorful and Piercing

[dougdoepke · 10 October 2017]

Good exotic episode except for one thing—there's not a girl in sight! It's just a bunch of ugly guys-- my eyes are still hurting. Naturally the prospect of an archaic weapon like a crossbow is a draw, and we get to see a lot of them in action. I had no idea of their piercing power, but I do now. So who's bumping off ordinary people with the danged thing. There appears no motive or connecting thread. So Pete and Jacoby got their work cut out.

Great exotic cast, especially the deliciously snobby Henry Daniell who crossed swords with the best of the swashbucklers (Flynn, Power) in Hollywood's golden years. All his high-falutin' dialogue must have kept the screenwriter up all night. Also, there's baldy Ted Marcuse as another big-words guy who knows all about crossbows. Catch that anti-war message his character sneaks in with a graphic, a political note the series usually avoided. And lending even more color is big, burly George Kennedy as Karl, the gardener, a quietly intriguing presence. All in all, it's an engaging half-hour full of color and interest, if not well- turned ankles.