Dallas Random Thought Thread

[Angela Channing]

She probably shouldn’t have given half of Southfork to Clayton and he probably shouldn’t have even accepted it knowing that it would cause problems. With that being said, Miss Ellie had every legal right to do what she did. And what exactly could JR do about it?

She should absolutely have given Clayton half of Southfork, after all Clayton sold his ranch to be with her at Southfork, he moved his life from Galveston (I think that's where he was from) to Dallas to be with her and she wasn't really doing much to make him feel like Southfork was his home. By giving him part ownership in Southfork she was finally accepting her life was no longer in the past with Jock but with her new husband and giving him a status at the ranch that JR and Bobby would have to acknowledge.

 

[Angela Channing]

I wonder who thinks Donna Reed did a good job...

Spoiler

undefined

I was more than happy with the recast. Donna Reed was a great actor and I thought her portrayal of Ellie as smartly dressed multi-millionaire was totally believable. At Southfork we were told that Ellie insisted that people dressed up to the nines just to have dinner every evening so clearly Ellie liked glamour which was why having her in dowdy frumpy dresses looked out of place.

 

[Billy Wall]

She should absolutely have given Clayton half of Southfork, after all Clayton sold his ranch to be with her at Southfork, he moved his life from Galveston (I think that's where he was from) to Dallas to be with her and she wasn't really doing much to make him feel like Southfork was his home. By giving him part ownership in Southfork she was finally accepting her life was no longer in the past with Jock but with her new husband and giving him a status at the ranch that JR and Bobby would have to acknowledge.

In most circumstances, I would agree 100%. But this is more complicated than that. We know Clayton is a fair man and I don’t believe he’s do this, but what if Miss Ellie didn’t think it through and didn’t put a provision in her will about ownership if she dies before Clayton and he’s left as the owner of Southfork. What’s to keep him from willing it off to Dusty?

 

[Angela Channing]

In most circumstances, I would agree 100%. But this is more complicated than that. We know Clayton is a fair man and I don’t believe he’s do this, but what if Miss Ellie didn’t think it through and didn’t put a provision in her will about ownership if she dies before Clayton and he’s left as the owner of Southfork. What’s to keep him from willing it off to Dusty?

Wouldn't that have made a really interesting storyline?

 

[Chris2]

I thought it would be a good idea to have a thread about thoughts that don’t really warrant their own threads. For the first time in a long time, I’m re-watching the dream season. Not bad so far. But was right for Miss Ellie to guilt trip Pam into not selling her shares to Jeremy Windell just because she felt sorry for JR?

Had I been Ellie, I would have said to Pam, “You KNOW that Bobby NEVER would have wanted you to sell Christopher’s shares to Jeremy Wendell, of all people. Please don’t do this.”

 

[alovelylady7991]

She just changed the character too much. Miss Ellie was never meant to be glamorous.

Agreed - plus - there was a "coldness" to Reed's "Miss Ellie" - especially in scenes where she had to convey a love for Southfork (both it's past & future).
Plus - could you imagine Reed's Ellie ever working the ranch - as a young girl - cleaning stalls - etc - like you could BBG's rough & ready Ellie? No way !!

I've always believed the scene that caused Hagman to "go off" on Reed - was the one where Jock's painting was to be moved from Southfork to Ewing Oil.
Reed gave zero emotion to the scene - while both Hagman & Duffy were clearly moved and being that Hagman was so used to BBG - he just couldn't wrap his head around Reed giving so little feeling - to the truly mournful event they were playing - and just told her about it - in maybe - not the most constructive way.

Good acting - is reacting - to the emotions surrounding what you're playing and Reed seemed clueless to the depth of feeling - that was our expectation - for the role of "Miss Ellie".

 

[Angela Channing]

This is what I enjoy about the early episodes. They took time and energy to block each scene so that the position of the actors and their body language tells a story to back up the dialogue.

Here's a fun experiment. Pretend that you have no idea of Dallas or the characters. You can understand a lot just by looking at this one screenshot.

The woman standing: She is standing "hat in hand" as she speaks with the woman seated. She is looking for approval from the seated woman.

The woman seated: She is the one in charge here. She remains seated and comfortable. Notice her body language shows openness. She just might be open to this younger woman.

Now look at the background. The man standing there is literally facing away from the conversation. Close enough to hear, but far enough not to be involved. He wants no part of this.
He is looking out over his ranch. He would rather be working the cattle, working the horses, anything besides dealing with this new interloper.

The attention to detail is amazing.

View attachment 38063

What you're describing is what film scholars call mise en scene which is the positioning of items on the screen. I agree with a lot of your analysis but not everything. Pam is the most dominant character in the scene, she is positioned in the centre of the frame, she is closest to the camera and the largest figure in the frame. Whatever is being discussed, the audience is being invited to see her as the one driving the scene and the other characters are less significant at this time. Ellie is seated, slightly reclining, with a cup of what I assume is tea or coffee in her hand. She is being presented as a kindly, non-threatening character who is not as important as Pam and she is literally looking up to her daughter in law. That looks like Jock in the background, who is not directly involved in the main action, but he has a strong, powerful and confident pose so although he is peripheral to the action in the scene you get the impression that he will have an important involvement in at some stage.

 

[Jock Ewing Fan]

Had I been Ellie, I would have said to Pam, “You KNOW that Bobby NEVER would have wanted you to sell Christopher’s shares to Jeremy Wendell, of all people. Please don’t do this.”

I see your point but didn't Ellie initially agree to sell to Wendell?
It seemed like Ellie was constantly disrespecting Jock's legacy
IE give Southfork to Garrison
Sell Ewing Oil after overturning Jock's Will
Removing Jock's portrait from Southfork
Giving half of Southfork to Clayton.

I know people will disagree and point out extenuating circumstances,
but It is also true that Jock saved Southfork from the auction block

 

[Billy Wall]

Had I been Ellie, I would have said to Pam, “You KNOW that Bobby NEVER would have wanted you to sell Christopher’s shares to Jeremy Wendell, of all people. Please don’t do this.”

Miss Ellie herself was close to selling to Jeremy Windell. She would have if she didn’t eavesdropped on JR talking to himself about what Ewing Oil meant.

 

[Lastkidpicked]

I agree with a lot of your analysis but not everything. Pam is the most dominant character in the scene, she is positioned in the centre of the frame, she is closest to the camera and the largest figure in the frame. Whatever is being discussed, the audience is being invited to see her as the one driving the scene and the other characters are less significant at this time. Ellie is seated, slightly reclining, with a cup of what I assume is tea or coffee in her hand. She is being presented as a kindly, non-threatening character who is not as important as Pam and she is literally looking up to her daughter in law.

This is exactly why I enjoy these boards. You gave me a new way to look at that scene.

 

[Billy Wall]

I just finished the dream season. I thought it was a very good season. They obviously knew Patrick Duffy was coming back when they showed a flashback scene of Bobby and Jenna at Mitch and Lucy’s marriage. Come to think of it, how could Pam dream about a situation that actually occurred that she wasn’t present at? Lol Interesting that Pam dreamed about the existence of “Ben” and he came back in real life as Wes Parmelle. Lol

My main question is, did Patrick Duffy coming back put some actors out of work? I’m thinking of the actors playing Mark Grayson and Ray and Donna’s adopted child.

 

[Lastkidpicked]

My main question is, did Patrick Duffy coming back put some actors out of work? I’m thinking of the actors playing Mark Grayson and Ray and Donna’s adopted child.

There was an interview with Patrick Duffy that shows he and John Beck are both good and honorable people. Patrick basically said they thought Bobby could be replaced with Mark and it just didn't work.
There did not seem to be any ill will among the two actors.

 

[Billy Wall]

The Ewings must live in a false reality. Did they really expect Jenna to continue to live at Southfork after Bobby dumped her for Pam? Lol

 

[Jon Ewing Jr.]

They should have just let Jenna temporarily moved over to Rays old house. The one that flooded in the Dream. I assume it was still there. Charlie could have still kept her horse

 

[Jock Ewing Fan]

The Ewings must live in a false reality. Did they really expect Jenna to continue to live at Southfork after Bobby dumped her for Pam? Lol

I agree. Bobby dumps a pregnant Jenna, invites her to the wedding! Takes no responsibility,
and Miss Ellie in her usual hypocritical way, disapproves of Jenna in Ray's house.

Ray should have told off all of the Ewings many times

 

[Taylor Bennett Jr.]

bookish vixen Muriel Gillis should have had a love interest, preferably the mysterious Cousin Jimmy Monahan

(it would have made the homespun Aunt Maggie, seen above at left, happy to see Jimmy settle down with a nice quiet studious young girl, and also to stop disappearing and becoming completely different people)

 

[Toni]

I see your point but didn't Ellie initially agree to sell to Wendell?
It seemed like Ellie was constantly disrespecting Jock's legacy
IE give Southfork to Garrison
Sell Ewing Oil after overturning Jock's Will
Removing Jock's portrait from Southfork
Giving half of Southfork to Clayton.

I know people will disagree and point out extenuating circumstances,
but It is also true that Jock saved Southfork from the auction block

Sometimes I wonder if Da Man would have done that if Miss Ellie had not been so thirsty for getting into his... starting a relationship with him, I mean. *cough* *cough*

"Oh Shoooookkkk, I get you but there´s no way
in this world for me to have a fourth son!!"​

 

[Chris2]

I agree. Bobby dumps a pregnant Jenna, invites her to the wedding! Takes no responsibility,
and Miss Ellie in her usual hypocritical way, disapproves of Jenna in Ray's house.

Ray should have told off all of the Ewings many times

Bobby also proposed to Pam while he was still technically engaged to Jenna. Not good.

 

[Billy Wall]

I agree. Bobby dumps a pregnant Jenna, invites her to the wedding! Takes no responsibility,
and Miss Ellie in her usual hypocritical way, disapproves of Jenna in Ray's house.

Ray should have told off all of the Ewings many times

And then Bobby arrogantly goes to Ray and thanks him for helping move Jenna in because he’s too busy to help her and even offers to pay for it.

I think Bobby is a good person, but his, Pam’s and the Ewing’s privilege during this storyline was way too much during this storyline.

 

[Lastkidpicked]

This sets up a scene that is unintentionally pretty funny.

Bobby is getting ready to re-marry Pam. He and Ray get into an argument because Bobby is lecturing Ray on how he has been treating Donna.

Ray shoots back,
"You lecture me about my pregnant wife, but you're walking down he isle with Pam while Jenna is carrying your baby."

As he is saying this, the camera zooms out to reveal Pam has just walked in and heard this, and looks gobsmacked in her wedding dress with this white dead bird looking thing in her hair!

HAHAHAHAHA! Jeez, Ray! Next time, look around first before you drop a bomb like that.

But it gets better!

J.R. sees his chance and calls up Jenna. He basically says, "Well, everybody is all dressed up anyway, just come on down and marry Bobby right now."

That magnificent bastard! Only J.R. could actually call a woman and suggest she just drop what she's doing and come get married on the spot! I mean, we'd hate to lose the deposit on those tuxedos and everything.