This last Gunsmoke movie returns to Dodge City where Matt Dillon has to face once again someone from his past when he was marshal there. Steve Forrest who is one sick puppy of a villain has been released from prison and is looking for Dillon whom he shot before, but who was caught anyway.This film with flashback scenes from a Gunsmoke episode from 1969 gives us the background of the story. Obviously someone was inspired by the Star Trek film The Wrath Of Khan. For good measure the blame is thrown on another old time convict Earl Holliman when Forrest shoots the warden after his release. James Arness is trailing him for most of the film with the non-help of shavetail army lieutenant Ken Olandt who has his orders to bring Holliman in. Olandt is quite good in his role, brave and loyal, but a bit of a jerk.James Arness looking craggy which befits his role as the retired marshal. The flashback sequences give a real time feel to this film because it is real time.The confrontation scene is well staged and unforgettable. In fact both of them, the one with Holliman and Arness standing off some bounty hunters and the one with Forrest. The one with Holliman is borrowed straight out of Ride The High Country.One very fitting coda to the life and career of Matt Dillon.

I'm rating this a "10" if only because my wife and I are die-hard fans of Gunsmoke. Yes, there were areas & scenes that could have been better thought out to provide more logical continuity; yes, it would have been wonderful to have the other series characters return if only for cameos; yes, Kitty & Matt were looking older and the makeup could gave been kinder, but hey, if you're a true Gunsmoke fan, none of this matters a whit. My wife and I have enjoyably spent the last several months watching the original shows on YouTube and seeing all of the main characters age as 20 seasons roll through. How great is it to be able to enjoy Gunsmoke all over again after watching the originals from the age of 9 onward? The original opening scene with Matt walking Boot Hill accompanied by a monologue narrative was well done, something that added to the appreciation of that week's episode. By the end of the series with the anti-violence agenda it was blunted with Matt standing on Front Street with none of the expected catharsis of the gunfight we had come to know over the years. We will likely watch many of the old episodes again once we've finished the 5 movies!We don't know what happened with any overtures to dear Ken "Festus" Curtis or Dennis Weaver's "Chester". Indeed, it was sad to see Amanda Blake suffering the vagaries of declining health but wonderful to see her nonetheless; and James Arness looking older than the 12 year interval since the series ended so unkindly. It was a damn shame Milburn Stone had passed away; his portrayal of "Doc Adams" is indelibly etched in the memories I embrace of "Gunsmoke" through the years. Nothing else in TV holds a candle to the best western series ever offered.Steve Forrest was excellent in this movie. His characterization gives the viewer chills with his cold-hearted evil portrayal of Mannon. I could go on with this but let me spare you the agony if you've been kind enough to have read this far! I've given this reunion movie a "10" if for no other reason than we thoroughly enjoyed the reunion of actors who, for us, became their characters; characters we came to love and care about over the years. Thanks to the internet resources we get to enjoy it all over again and there's not a moment we regret in watching the 600+ episodes and movies!

Okay, there were a few shortcomings as others have pointed out. It would have been nice had a few more of the old cast regulars joined in this reunion (Ken Curtis, Dennis Weaver, Roger Ewing, Burt Reynolds...) But they didn't, for whatever reason, so what can be done? However, the movie did provide flashbacks to the original Mannon episode, which aired in 1969. So we got to see many of the regulars in that way.I had actually forgotten that Amanda Blake was in this movie until watching it again yesterday on streaming video. So, seeing her was more than enough. I recall that she had contracted cancer some years earlier which required oral surgery. So, if her speech sounds a bit slurred, that is why. In the flashbacks, she looks lovely, and a good 20 years younger. However, in the movie, it is repeatedly mentioned that only 12 years have passed since Mannon terrorized Dodge. 12 years wouldn't age someone that much. I was kind of surprised to learn that she was only 58 when this movie was shot. She looked a good 8 to 10 years older. My apologies for saying that, but again, perhaps it had to do with the major health issues which she was forced to suffer through. The only other problem I had (and it was a minor one) was that in the original Mannon episode, Steve Forrest's character was apparently killed by Matt in a shootout. Yet here he is being released from a 12 year prison stint to hunt Matt down for revenge. No doubt the viewer is expected to assume that Mannon was only wounded and did not die. However, since flashbacks were being employed to tell other aspects of the story, perhaps a timely flashback, even a make-shift one, (with Mannon being carried off to Doc Adam's office?) could have sufficiently addressed this confusing situation.Having said that, I absolutely LOVED this movie!!! I grew up watching Gunsmoke with my Dad, as a young kid in the 50's and 60's. It was my all-time favorite show. Thus, there was naturally some excitement to observe how Matt's character had evolved since the show ended some 12 or 13 years earlier. I was not disappointed. The writing was excellent, the directing right-on. The action began from the get-go, and it didn't skip a beat. There were a few tragic plot twists (Holliman's character being accused of murder), and some clever one-liners by Matt ("you could put his brains in a teacup"), while describing someone's IQ. You've got your trademark scummy, bushwhacking saddle-tramps. And you've got your peaceful, friendly Native American women, who by the way, are rather easy on the eyes.If not for a couple of minor flaws as mentioned above, I would give this 10 stars. For any Gunsmoke fan out there, I highly recommend this movie. James Arness recently left us, but his legacy lives on. RIP, Marshall Matt Dillon.

It was interesting to see another Gunsmoke chapter.However,with a few changes this could have been a joy to watch.The storyline itself is very good.The poor set lighting (particularly on night and interior shots) is way too dark and makes viewing a chore.The Long Branch scenes really suffer due to this problem.In 20 years of the TV series the production quality was excellent.This made for TV movie looks amateurish due to the dim lighting. James Arness needed drastic makeup help.He looked like someone out of a horror film rather than the clean cut Matt Dillon we knew for 20 years.The Dillon character would not have changed his grooming habits at his age. With better lighting,makeup and camera angles Amanda Blake would have benefited as well. Where the production really missed was in casting.The character Earl Holiman played (Matt's friend) should have been cast with Ken Curtis as Fester Haggen.This would have made the entire story and movie more satisfying.That character's motivation would have been stronger and we the audience deserved as many familiar Gunsmoke regulars as were still living (if Curtis absolutely refused to appear then Dennis Weaver as Chester Goode should have been cast as the friend.Why were Ted Jordan and Tom Brown excluded also?) Steve Forrest as Mannon did the best acting whether in flashback or present.He was a real scene stealer. I agree with the IMDb review that Miss Kitty deserved more than she got at the end from Matt in the final scene. This could have been a much.much better movie.Why wasn't it?