Richard Long plays a devious department store manager who catches a shoplifter (Coleen Gray) and blackmails her into performing a duty for him. Ms. Gray is a married woman with two children in her late 30s and Long threatens her with charges of grand larceny if she doesn't do exactly what he demands. She's already signed a confession and her back is against the wall, so with great reluctance, she agrees. He invites her to come over his house on the weekend when his wife is away. Naturally, Ms. Gray assumes that this meeting is for sexual favors and is sick at the thought, but Long has something even more outrageous in mind. We soon find out that his marriage is on the rocks and his rich wife (Rebecca Sand) won't give him the divorce that he seeks so they can divide up the community property (and bank accounts). When Ms. Gray arrives at his house, she's shocked to find out that Long's master bedroom has been trashed, the jewelry is all missing and the wall-safe is cleaned out. It's immediately obvious to her that Long has stolen everything of value in the house and he wants to make it appear that he's been robbed. He has Lady Gray tie him up to the bed posts and gag him with some tape. She's been instructed to leave the premises after that and is somewhat relieved that she didn't have to strip off her clothes for him. When Long's wife returns, she's not a bit surprised at the upturned furniture and stolen property. In fact, she's downright amused at seeing her husband tied up and in such a compromising position. It doesn't take her but a few minutes to figure out her own scheme to rectify the situation. "The Opportunity" is standard Hitchcock fare without much of the usual suspense. The best thing about it is the performance of beautiful Coleen Gray. Even though she was pushing forty at the time and made-up to be merely an upscale housewife, she still looks glamorous and better than ninety-percent of all working actresses. "The Opportunity" was directed by the prolific Robert Florey.
Review of The Opportunity
