Suspense Sundays (111) Red Cloud Mesa

Suspense was a radio series from 1942 to 1962.  I have a fondness for "Old Time Radio" as we call it now, and Suspense is my favorite show.  It sets up weird, dark, scary, or intriguing stories with a plot twist in the end, and all in half an hour.  For Suspense Sundays I'll give a short review of an episode.

"Red Cloud Mesa"

Air date: August 2, 1959
Starring Joseph Cotton

>>Episodes here<<

This story takes place on a Navajo reservation, and Mr. Bowman, a white man, is in charge of a trading post, and many of the Navajos regard him as a friend.  Mr. Bowman needs to help an Indian veteran Four Thumbs who killed a man while escaping from a psychiatric hospital.  Bowman pledges to help him but also promises to help the arresting officer find Four Thumbs, or at least make it look like he tried to do his job.  Unfortunately Mr. Bowman can't keep both promises.

There was an odd addition of an Indian who was intent on getting a "white man's education" because he no longer wanted to be a "dumb Indian."  That was uncomfortable.  This story was more sad than suspenseful or even very intriguing.  Which makes me very disappointed since I really like the actor Joseph Cotton and I wanted to enjoy this.  It was a bit surprising to learn this was probably set in the year it aired, as I was fully expecting this to be set in the 1800s.  There was something about the sentiment and vision of the Native Americans that felt very old fashioned.