'Aldred Hitchcock Presents' "Your Witness" (1959)
Opening thoughts: Norman Lloyd directed nineteen 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' episodes, was a producer for most of the series' run and even acted in five episodes (his biggest role being in "Design for Loving"). His output was very up and down, but not unwatchable. Absolutely loved the premise for Season 4's thirty first episode "Your Witness", then again this is coming from somebody who has always been a fan of any film, series and episode set in the courtroom. Another interest point was seeing Brian Keith playing against type as by far the nastiest character he ever played.
"Your Witness" turnes out to be a truly excellent episode. It is easily the best of the four episodes Lloyd directed at this point, being the only one to be above good, the others being decent , very weak and average. Would go as far to say to call it one of his best episodes overall and a strong example of against type working brilliantly. Also a high point of Season 4 along with the likes of "Poison", "The Crooked Road", "Man with a Problem" and "The Last Dark Step".
Good things: Nearly everything. Keith is the main reason to see "Your Witness" and he steals the show effortlessly. He never had a nastier or more loathsome character before, during and since and he plays him to the hilt chillingly, while the role is very juicy and larger than life it didn't unbalance the atory. Leora Dana gives an affecting performance as one of the most easy to relate to female lead characters of the series for some time. Her chemistry with Keith scintillates and there is a particularly unsettling scene that was quite bold back then.
Lloyd's direction here is some of his best and tighest. Hitchcock's bookending is humorously ironic and gels with the story with ease, with no sense of jarring or disjointed-ness. It is more than solidly made visually, not looking cheap and boasting some nice atmosphere in the photography. "Funeral March of a Marionette" was an inspired and perfect choice for the series' main theme.
Furthermore, "Your Witness" is brilliantly written. Taut, thought provoking and hard boiled, with no signs of melodramatic soap, rambling or irrelevant fat. The story is enormously absorbing and suspenseful from beginning to end, never simplistic or muddled. Really loved the uncompromising, gritty approach to a tough subject.
Bad things: My only complaint is that for my tastes William Hansen is a little too bland as a character that is rather anonymous, even for one that is not meant to be hugely interesting.
Closing thoughts: Otherwise, absolutely excellent.
9/10.
Opening thoughts: Norman Lloyd directed nineteen 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' episodes, was a producer for most of the series' run and even acted in five episodes (his biggest role being in "Design for Loving"). His output was very up and down, but not unwatchable. Absolutely loved the premise for Season 4's thirty first episode "Your Witness", then again this is coming from somebody who has always been a fan of any film, series and episode set in the courtroom. Another interest point was seeing Brian Keith playing against type as by far the nastiest character he ever played.
"Your Witness" turnes out to be a truly excellent episode. It is easily the best of the four episodes Lloyd directed at this point, being the only one to be above good, the others being decent , very weak and average. Would go as far to say to call it one of his best episodes overall and a strong example of against type working brilliantly. Also a high point of Season 4 along with the likes of "Poison", "The Crooked Road", "Man with a Problem" and "The Last Dark Step".
Good things: Nearly everything. Keith is the main reason to see "Your Witness" and he steals the show effortlessly. He never had a nastier or more loathsome character before, during and since and he plays him to the hilt chillingly, while the role is very juicy and larger than life it didn't unbalance the atory. Leora Dana gives an affecting performance as one of the most easy to relate to female lead characters of the series for some time. Her chemistry with Keith scintillates and there is a particularly unsettling scene that was quite bold back then.
Lloyd's direction here is some of his best and tighest. Hitchcock's bookending is humorously ironic and gels with the story with ease, with no sense of jarring or disjointed-ness. It is more than solidly made visually, not looking cheap and boasting some nice atmosphere in the photography. "Funeral March of a Marionette" was an inspired and perfect choice for the series' main theme.
Furthermore, "Your Witness" is brilliantly written. Taut, thought provoking and hard boiled, with no signs of melodramatic soap, rambling or irrelevant fat. The story is enormously absorbing and suspenseful from beginning to end, never simplistic or muddled. Really loved the uncompromising, gritty approach to a tough subject.
Bad things: My only complaint is that for my tastes William Hansen is a little too bland as a character that is rather anonymous, even for one that is not meant to be hugely interesting.
Closing thoughts: Otherwise, absolutely excellent.
9/10.