Gentle Readers,
Raquel Sallaberry from Jane Austen Em Português sent these links to me. As I watched this episode of Wagon Train, I didn't know what to think. Is this truly a spoof of Pride and Prejudice? I don't think so. It's more of a mish-mash between Sense and Sensibility, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Gone With the Wind, and Bonanza, with some Pride and Prejudice thrown in. Wagon Train was a hugely popular show in the 60's. Back then, serious scripts alternated every other week with comedic scripts, as in this instance. Major Adams, played by Ward Bond, is the beleaguered leader who must escort the five women safely and chastely to California, keep jealous wives happy (and their husbands from ogling the girls), and fend off the amorous intentions of the widow Steele.
Raquel Sallaberry from Jane Austen Em Português sent these links to me. As I watched this episode of Wagon Train, I didn't know what to think. Is this truly a spoof of Pride and Prejudice? I don't think so. It's more of a mish-mash between Sense and Sensibility, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Gone With the Wind, and Bonanza, with some Pride and Prejudice thrown in. Wagon Train was a hugely popular show in the 60's. Back then, serious scripts alternated every other week with comedic scripts, as in this instance. Major Adams, played by Ward Bond, is the beleaguered leader who must escort the five women safely and chastely to California, keep jealous wives happy (and their husbands from ogling the girls), and fend off the amorous intentions of the widow Steele.
The premise of The Steele Family Story is hilarious. Mrs. Steele, a widow, and her four daughters, Faith, Hope, Charity, and Prudence are all heading west. The comedy of the scenes is heightened by the fact that these western ladies are perfectly coiffed at all times and wear quintessential 60's makeup. Life on the dusty trail doesn't affect them one bit - each remains clean, their dresses perfectly ironed, with not one hair out of place, regardless of how much dust the wagons and horses stir up. The four daughters meet four eligible men, including a Mr. Dashwood and Mr.Collingsworth, a henpecked young man ruled by his mama, whose looks are greatly enhanced when he loses his thick spectacles. If you feel like taking a trip down nostalgia lane, while gently laughing (think of the silly comedy in Lost in Austen), then kick back and enjoy.
Thank you, Raquel, for an enjoyable hour.
