Episode 83 - THE LADY FROM BALTIMORE

[Episode Guide]

Date:January 14, 1962

Summary: Joe falls helplessly in love with Melinda Banning, daughter of a scheming woman wants her daughter to marry a Cartwright…any Cartwright. She manipulates the situation by forcing her daughter to use her feminine charms to win Joe’s affection, thinking he is young and easily influenced. The intricacy of the plot manifests itself in the fact that Melinda loves Adam but Joe loves Melinda. Adam realizes what’s going on after Melinda comes on to him. The arrival of Horace Banning, Melinda’s father, complicates the matter further.

Written by: Elliott Arnold
Directed by: John Peyser
Guest Stars: Deborah Banning...Mercedes McCambridge Melinda Banning...Audry Dalton Horace Banning...Hayden Rorke Hop Sing...Victor Sen Yung Coachman...Robert Adler Bob Miles...(uncredited stunt double) Bill Clark...(uncredited extra)

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Slideshow courtesy of Adamant

[Julianna]

Has no one in this group seen this episode? I would think Adam girls would watch this several times as I have. Melinda really likes Adam and it sure does show in several scenes. But Adam runs away because he doesn't want to cause a problem when he realizes how Melinda feels and I think how he feels. He says not in the dialog but watch Pernell's superb acting skills, his face says there could be something there, if not for Joe. I recently bought the DVD and enjoyed listening to Audry Dalton's commentary. She does prove through her comments that I may be correct.

[PJudith]

Oh yes, this has always been one of my favorite episodes. I think Adam may have developed a bit of an attraction to Melinda. But her behavior put him off. She was all flirty with Little Joe and then turned around and moved in on Adam.

He could tell right away that something was not right. I think he sensed some dishonesty in her and if there's one thing Adam values, it's honesty. Of course he didn't mind a kiss from her. He didn't exactly jump back. But he seemed to regret it right away.

Once again we see "Joe in love with love". It was hard to believe when he said that he loved her "more than anything in the world." What, after three days?

Sometimes I wish Ben had taken him aside and said ,"Look, Joe, nothing would make me happier than to see you settled down and happily married to a woman you love. But in all honesty, you're a flake."

This episode also proved that Melinda was indeed one of the clumsiest women ever. She managed to get her skirt caught on barbed wire when the stuff wasn't even invented yet! There were patents on it but they didn't start using it until about 1875 .. Just one of those historical inaccuracies.

There's also a tiny mistake which I never noticed before. I forget where I read it. But when Melinda is emerging from her bath and her mother gives her a robe, you can catch a brief glimpse of the bathing suit the actress is wearing reflected in the mirror.

I also wondered where Deborah and Melinda got those lavish gowns and jewels if they were so dirt poor

[daisy60]

I never thought to look closely at Melinda when she's bathing. However, if that was Joe! I didn't like Melinda or her meddling mother at all. Michael always fell in love because that's what the script writer and directors would say to do. It was Michael who changed A Stillness Within to an older teacher for the blind instead of a younger lady that he falls in love with. Michael was tired of always falling in love with everything in a skirt [not that I blame them!]

[debpet2]

I actually feel somewhat sorry for Melinda, being under the thumb of such a manipulative mother. Can't blame her for being attracted to Adam, and she does come clean in the end. Now her mother is something else altogether. Money is all she thinks about, and in the end she doesn't seem at all sorry for the way she tried to use the Cartwrights to secure it.

debpet2

[Julianna]

Once again we see "Joe in love with love". It was hard to believe when he said that he loved her "more than anything in the world." What, after three days?

Yes you are so right on with this statement. And the writers use the same exact words for him each time he falls in lust! I felt so sorry for Melinda because she did what Mother wanted but was very attracted to Adam and things could have been different if Mother had listened to her.My husband said no because Adam couldn't be manipulated. Anyway, I did enjoy Audry Dalton's commentary on this episode.

[littlejoenice]

I never really cared for this episode. However, I did like the part where Adam told his father, "She's marrying Joe, but she kissed me." And then his solution is to just disappear out of sight for a while. What good would that do? He would just have to face the problem when he came home, providing of course, that Joe hadn't already married Melinda. Then there'd really be trouble, because I have a feeling that she still would've wanted Adam.

[Julianna]

"She's marrying Joe, but she kissed me." And then his solution is to just disappear out of sight for a while. What good would that do? He would just have to face the problem when he came home, providing of course, that Joe hadn't already married Melinda. Then there'd really be trouble, because I have a feeling that she still would've wanted Adam.

You are so correct. Audry Dalton(Melinda) says in her commentary that she may have agreed to marry Joe to be close to Adam. Also as Adam is telling his father he doesn't have any feelings for Melinda, he may be trying to convince himself. I find it interesting that, that kiss lasts a good amount of time for it not to be reciprocal. Also anytime Adam is somewhat uncomfortable in a situation he scratches the back or side of his neck. He does so here when talking to Pa.

[JDGal1987]

This episode seemed to be a little too risqué for Bonanza, in my opnion. With Melinda getting out of the bathtub and then changing into a nightgown. This is by far one of my least liked videos. Everything seemed a little farfetched and didn't seem to follow the character traits - except Joe falling hopelessly in love quickly.

[Cartwright fan.]

I watched this episode when it was on today, and had a couple things that piqued my interest.

First, I saw a blooper. When Ben's walking over to the door to go see Horace, he has an off-white shirt on. He opens the door, and, POOF!! He now has on the dark blue shirt that belongs in the episode. For some cockeyed reason, they thought it'd be easiest to take old footage that didn't even match the current episode, and shove it in there as opposed to filming a new shot that would match.

Second, a comment Adam made jumped out at me. It's where he's talking to Ben about going away for a while, and asks, "Mind if I take Hoss with me?" He asks it with the same manner he'd ask, 'can I bring the dog with me?', with. And Ben just saying sure, well, it certainly amused me!!!