'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' "The Dusty Drawer" (1959)
Opening thoughts: Herschel Daugherty was responsible for some exceptional 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' episodes, standouts being "The Creeper", "Little White Frock" and "The Last Dark Step". He was though also responsible for the disappointing "Father and Son" and the big time miss "Sylvia" (one of my least favourites of the series). He really excelled in the creepier episodes and he also excelled in the few that had more of an emotional impact, less so in the slighter plotted, more soapy ones.
"The Dusty Drawer" is good, though does fall short of greatness. It is not one of Daugherty's very best 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' episodes and is not in the same league as the mentioned exceptional episodes. It is also nowhere near close to being one of the disappointments. As far as Season 4 goes, "The Dusty Drawer" is not one of the high points. Instead it is somewhere around solid middle. It is also not one of the low points. It is not exactly for those who don't like characters being treated or behaving too cruelly, but it is interesting to see a lighter side to Daugherty.
Bad things: The weak link is the ending, which for my tastes is rather too cruel and doesn't really resolve (almost anti-climactic).
As a result it is very difficult to feel much sympathy for the person we are supposed yo feel sympathy for because of how far the cruelty goes.
Good things:It, the epsode that is, does have in its favour though a lot of intrigue and suspense. And further elevated by the wonderfully sly lead performance of Dick York. Daugherty's direction never tries to do too much while keeping the drama tight.
Furthermore, the production values are slick and atmospheric enough and Hitchcock's bookending is suitably droll. Gounod's "Funeral March of a Marionette" is a great choice for the theme music. Most of the writing is thought provoking and intrigues, nothing coming over as superfluous. Hitchcock's bookending is typically droll and fun, in perfect keeping with the episode's tone. Moreover, the story always compels and the light heartedness is done amusingly and charmingly.
Closing thoughts: Good if not great.
7/10.