Jon Shank Movies

Three female prisoners are liberated by a vengeful woman in this thriller. The woman is angry after her husband is murdered; she uses the fugitives to find the murderers and slay them one-by-one. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Bonanza's twelfth season commenced on September 13, 1970 with the episode titled "The Night Virginia City Died." Several Virginia City buildings have burned to the ground; the townsfolk are in an uproar, and the local constabulary is apparently helpless. Meanwhile, the Cartwrights have befriended a pretty young stranger named Janie (Angel Tompkins), the new sweetheart of Deputy Clem (Bing Russell). Only the audience knows that the profoundly disturbed Janie is the elusive arsonist whom everyone is seeking. Written by John Hawkins, this episode was specially contrived to "destroy" the old Virginia City sets at the Paramount studios so that the Bonanza company could move into its new home at Warner Bros. "The Night Virginia City Died" also boasted a new Bonanza theme song by David Rose, which would endure until the old theme was brought back by popular demand in 1972. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Adapted from William Faulkner's final novel, The Reivers top-bills Steve McQueen, but the major character is feisty 11-year-old Lucius McCaslin, played by Mitch Vogel. Growing up in Mississippi in the early 1900s, Lucius finds himself (through a hectic series of circumstances) in a bordello, where he is nearly killed trying to defend the "fast lady" (Sharon Farrell) who has befriended him. He has been brought to the house of ill repute by ne'er-do-well farm hand Boon Hoggenbeck (Steve McQueen), with whom he has been tooling about the countryside in a vintage automobile, together with his very distant African-American relative Ned (Rupert Crosse). This adventure segues into the next, as the three man combine their resources to train a broken-down racehorse. Meanwhile, Vogel's grandfather (Will Geer), who owns the fancy automobile that the "reivers" hope to win back, threatens to reappear at any moment to tan Lucius's bottom. Not exactly as wholesome as a Disney film, The Reivers is nonetheless acceptable family entertainment, with Steve McQueen delivering one of his best and most laid-back performances. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi