Rich American Howard Latimer visits London, and bets 1,000 pounds that he can spend the night in a room that is said to be haunted.Rich American Howard Latimer visits London, and bets 1,000 pounds that he can spend the night in a room that is said to be haunted.Rich American Howard Latimer visits London, and bets 1,000 pounds that he can spend the night in a room that is said to be haunted.
- Hanson
- (as Eric Snowdon)
- Club Patron
- (uncredited)
- Club Patron
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaAt the end of the episode, there is a promo for Alfred Hitchcock's newest film The Trouble with Harry (1955).
- GoofsHurstwood hands a gun to Latimer and tells him, "You have seven shots, in all." However, Latimer fires the gun nine times - once into the fireplace and eight more times when he's alone in the room.
- Quotes
[first lines]
Himself - Host: [Hitchcock is sitting in a high chair with a lit candle, a small box, and a couple of books all on a narrow desk in front of a closed door with a hung sign marked "QUIET"] Good evening. Do you believe in ghosts?
[the lit candle disappears]
Himself - Host: Of course not. I knew you didn't.
[the entire desk with the box and books disappears]
Himself - Host: Noise is the mortal enemy of good motion picture making and television broadcasting. That is why I hired this particular house. It is deathly quiet-
[people start screaming off screen; Hitchcock turns to look with mild annoyance]
Himself - Host: Most of the time. And its reputation for being haunted keeps away the curious.
[Hitchcock's high chair disappears]
Himself - Host: The shifting of scenery also seems to be better here. The human element has been removed. So, if you would just lean back and relax, I'll tell you a little ghost story. Please don't hesitate to turn out your lights. I'm sure the warm glow from the picture tube will be sufficient to melt all your fears of the dark. But, before we view with alarm, allow us to point with pride.
- SoundtracksFuneral March of a Marionette
Written by Charles Gounod
"The Gentleman from America" could have been better than it was and could have done a good deal more with its concept. It is another 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' episode that is not one of the best, it is not even one of the best of Season 1. It is also not quite one of the worst, but it is in the lesser half of the first season. Director Robert Stevens did do a lot better episodes before and since "The Gentleman from America", actually had a hard time believing it was directed by him.
Sure there are good things. It doesn't fare badly visually, with some suitable eeriness in the photography and lighting. The main theme is still haunting and an ingenious use of pre-existing piece of classical music that has been long associated with the series (very like the 'Die Fledermaus' Overture in popular culture has been associated for a long time with Tom and Jerry). The bookending is once again suitably droll, dryly delivered by Hitchcock himself.
Biff McGuire does a good job in the lead role and the episode works well enough as a psychological character study ('Alfred Hitchcock Presents' did psychological character studies well more than once). It starts off intriguingly and there are some moments of nice suspense.
Moments that are too far and between in the second half. The story generally is too thin, with too little to sustain the length. Meaning the pace drags in stretches. Also thought that it was very predictable, with familiar territory given little freshness, as well as lacking spookiness. Some of it borders on silly, especially in the final quarter.
Despite liking to loving a good number of Stevens' 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' episodes, his work here is undistinguished at best and quite routine. Did think that it could have been any other director, as this didn't somehow feel like Stevens. The ghost is more unintentionally goofy than scary and ruined by the very fake look. The dialogue doesn't sound natural and can be goofy.
Overall, watchable one time watch but not much more. 5/10.
- TheLittleSongbird
- Mar 30, 2022
Details
- Runtime30 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1