Rawhide (1965)
Cette série raconte le voyage d'un groupe de vachers (cow-boys) chargés de convoyer 3 000 têtes de bétail de San Antonio, Texas, à Sedalia, Missouri, dans les années qui suivent la guerre de Sécession1. Le groupe, où se distinguent les personnages de Rowdy Yates (Clint Eastwood) et du cuisinier, est dirigé par le chef de piste Gil Favor (Eric Fleming). Le parcours est émaillé par une suite de rencontres, origines d'autant d’incidents (saison 1), qui ne remettent cependant pas en question l'avancée de la caravane.
Saisons & Épisode
A mine cave in traps Quince and Simon. New drover Ed says he's found some blasting gel and gun cotton. He and his buddy Jerry will blow them out for $500. It is a perilous journey hauling the unstable gel to the mine in a rickety old wagon.
Rowdy enlists the aid of eight Indians who have been trailing the herd to get to the Little Red River. Their leader, Yellow Sun, looks white. The drovers, particularly Wish doesn't like it. The other Indians, particularly Quadero doesn't like it.
Rowdy is held for ransom by a family of crooked horse traders. Quince, Jed, Wish and Simon try to dicker unsuccessfully. The family is led by Ma Gufler. Her two sons are Jesse and dim-witted Max. They prepare to hang Rowdy. Jed rides in to talk things over.
Rowdy must convince a young widow to allow the herd on her land to protect it from the a norther. She is involved in the suffragette movement. The saloon owner will do anything to stop women from getting the vote. The drovers are allowed to vote if they stick around. The saloon owner buys their votes, but Rowdy has second thoghts.
Jed is being pursued by Marshall Hanson Dickson, a well known lawman. Dickson claims Jed Is James Carothers wanted dead of alive for murder in Missouri. Jed says he was cleared of the charge.
The new drover, a young southern gentleman, Roman Bedford, has incurred the wrath of the ranch foreman they're picking up cattle from. Roman has paid attention to the ranch owner's daughter, with whom the foreman has intentions. The ranch owner has keep hidden his past from his daughter.
Major Buford who fought for the south ties his herd in with Rowdy's. He does this so he can cross Duke Aberdeen's land. Duke was a POW in a Confederate prison, and won't let Buford cattle cross his land. The major's son Court hates anything Yankee. Union forces burned the Buford mansion in Virginia, and soon after Mrs. Buford died. Duke sends out phoney stock inspectors that claim many of the cattle are someone else's.
An army lieutenant requisitions 100 prime steers and only offers a piece of paper in return. He pulls a gun and Rowdy wings him. Reinforcements come demanding the 100 head. Rowdy goes forty miles to the fort and the major says he can't pay him.
Rowdy hires Jonas Bolt to guide the herd to and across the river. Rowdy finds Jonas drunk and fires him. The saloon owner tries to trick Rowdy out of a 1000 head using Jonas.