Absolutely the worst movie.

Tells a fascinating and unsettling true story, and does so well, without pretending to have all the answers.

The movie is wonderful and true, an act of love in all its contradictions and complexity

This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

Doing a review of Gunsmoke is a labor of love. 635 episodes over twenty years! Starred James Arness as Marshal Matt Dillon, the steadfast beacon of Dodge City, dogged in his pursuit of killers, thieves and villains. Amanda Blake portrayed the beautiful, fiery Miss Kitty Russell, the proprietor of the Long Branch saloon, and Milburn Stone as the curmudgeon Doc Adams, always stroking his face and patching up countless wounds. Marshal Dillon's sidekick was first Dennis Weaver as Chester Goode, the loyal helper with a limp who always seemed to encounter trouble. Burt Reynolds was Quint Asper, the half-breed blacksmith who could fight with his hands or a gun. And in Season 9, the introduction of Ken Curtis as Festus Haggen, Matt's deputy, the tough, whiskered companion, whose running verbal feuds with Doc Adams ( you ole scudder! ) were always of great amusement. In Season 1, the introductory soliloquy by Matt Dillon as he walked ruefully through Boot Hill cemetery, reflecting on the unfortunate inhabitants, and remarking that men were quicker to draw their guns than to draw upon their logic in the face of danger. The acting was hallmark, the stories exciting and a great cast of characters who appeared in each episode, such as John Dehner, Darren McGavin, Steve Forrest, Lee J. Cobb, Richard Kiley, Ricardo Montalban, Betty Davis, Nehemiah Persoff and James Gregory to name a select few. The show's themes of courage, redemption, justice, honor, revenge, love and loyalty stand as timeless monuments to the greatness of each week's episode. Gunsmoke defines the western genre as none other ever will!

A marshal(Matt Dillon) from Dodge, Kansas. Keeping law and order in a rough town called Dodge. This marshal isn't corrupt and plays it fair. Story contains a deputy, doctor, female saloon owner, and various other town people that are regulars as well. This show started out as originally one half hour. But then it became an hour long show. It was on the air for 20 years. From 1955 to 1975.

My older brother used to watch this show. To this day, even the mere mention of the word "Gunsmoke" instantly brings back so many great memories… the smell of Momma cooking up some pork chops and beans (or some other vittles) in the kitchen, fetching some can goods from the pantry, and falling asleep on the davenport or floor in the old parlor right after the opening scene. Ah yes, what precious memories! There's so many great things about this long enduring series that I'm not sure where to begin. But I'll try...1. It kept B grade Western actors James Arness and Milburn Stone employed for two decades as they couldn't land a movie role.2. It allowed Dennis Weaver to quit his job delivering flowers.3. It gave Burt Reynolds something to do for three years.4. It showed how bartenders don't last that long and need to be replaced every few years.5. It helped pay Jack Albertson's bills because Freddie Prinze wasn't famous yet, hence no need for "The Man".6. It launched Mariette Hartley's illustrious career selling Polaroid cameras.7. It solidified every stereotype of the old West… the town drunk, the sneering ever cool Marshal, the ever important mildly deranged limping sidekick, the slightly arrogant banker, and lest we forget, the never ending stream of bad guys who always tend to be extremely ornery critters. Oh yeah, and Western "Hos". Which brings us to number 8.8. It introduced it's underage viewers to the "Bordello" aka: the whorehouse.9. It is still more effective than Ambien for curing insomnia and without any of the nasty side effects.10. All those dry dusty scenes and stale dialog made me thirsty and as a result I drank more water and stayed better hydrated.11. Thankfully, it never showed what Miss Kitty did "behind the scenes" or "under the table" if you know what I mean.12. It kept Amanda Blake employed for nearly two decades allowing her to pave the way (or should I say clear the trail path) for future actresses with unsightly moles.13. It also helped launch Peter, Jan and Cindy into Brady Bunch fame due to their highly superior Oscar level acting abilities giving the world such Shakespearean catch phrases as; "Pork chops and apple sauce", "Marcia, Marcia Marcia!" and that masterpiece of American entertainment, "Baby talk, baby talk, it's a wonder you can walk."14. The title of the show is a typo, gun smoke is two words, not one. And finally...15. It is a massive testament that there really wasn't a whole lot of other TV shows worth watching during its tenure. More than a testament, it's like a brick in the colon that will never pass. After all it was used to fill the void of that mind boggling masterwork, Gilligan's Island, after it was canceled.For those reasons, for the many warm memories, this series is unmatched, except for it the series that preceded it, "The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp" and maybe the imitation Gunsmoke known as "Bonanza" which comes very close to it's legendary greatness.

My comment is about what my favorite seasons are.my favorite years are the last Nine Years,Which were from 1966-1975.I like the first 11 seasons too.I just thought the last Nine year were the best.One reason is that I like color better than Black and White,and the opening theme song was better in the last Nine Years,and in the First Ten seasons James Arness was the only person in the Opening Theme song.That is why I like Last Nine Years of the show the best.What Years do you guys like?Just to let you know when I posted this I did it on 10-24-06 2006.My Email address is Jrdmln@yahoo.com.Gunsmoke is my all time Favorite TV show.