Once again, Dick York plays a maligned employee. He has earned a promotion which instead goes to a lazy good for nothing. He doesn't bat an eye and works out a scheme to rob the company of over half a million dollars. This is kind of old hat for the series, but the way it's done is clever and engaging. Hitchcock gets involved in the intricate plan to where we are distracted. One of the better shows in the Hitchcock canon.
6 Reviews
Another ridiculous epilogue ruins a great episode
stevenfallonnyc7713 October 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Glad I'm not the only one here who feels these "crime doesn't pay" epilogues by Hitchcock ruin a good tale.
In short, Dick York gets screwed over by the boss concerning a promotion, and gets his revenge by stealing half a million dollars or so worth of bonds. With the help of two accomplices (and a surprise third accomplice), he pulls the job off.
It was a pretty clever caper which went off without a hitch, and made for an entertaining episode. Hitchcock though just can't leave well enough alone, as a fun ending is marred by his droning epilogue explaining there was prison time involved.
There was probably some kind of moral code at the time that had so many Alfred Hitchcock Presents episodes end with the man explaining how the criminals didn't get away after all, but it sure is lame. Another good episode ruined indeed.
In short, Dick York gets screwed over by the boss concerning a promotion, and gets his revenge by stealing half a million dollars or so worth of bonds. With the help of two accomplices (and a surprise third accomplice), he pulls the job off.
It was a pretty clever caper which went off without a hitch, and made for an entertaining episode. Hitchcock though just can't leave well enough alone, as a fun ending is marred by his droning epilogue explaining there was prison time involved.
There was probably some kind of moral code at the time that had so many Alfred Hitchcock Presents episodes end with the man explaining how the criminals didn't get away after all, but it sure is lame. Another good episode ruined indeed.
"There's no limit to where you can go in this business."
classicsoncall10 April 2022
Warning: Spoilers
This could have been a perfect crime, but Hitchcock spoiled it in his remarks after the program ended. As viewers, we're also left wondering what happened to Herbert Wiggam's (Dick York) two accomplices. There was no mention that they got stopped on the day of the bond delivery, so they must have made it out of the building okay. And if they did, did they get stiffed by Wiggam the same way he put one over on his boss Tupper (Wendell Holmes)? There was no indication that Wiggam shared the spoils, and since he was off to Brazil, they could have been left in the lurch as well. Too bad he left all those travel brochures behind. That was probably the trail of breadcrumbs that did him in.
MISSION IMPOSSIBLE... A LA HITCHCOCK!
tcchelsey28 January 2024
This is one of those "would you like to be in this guy's shoes" episodes, and with Dick York as the anti-hero.
Hitch chose York for so many productions because he just had that face, the look, that smile --which could go both ways. He could be one funny guy, or a very crafty villain.
He's somewhere in between here, playing a dedicated, but neglected employee of a securities company. The reward he receives is seeing someone else being promoted to a job he is entitled to. What to do? Rob the company blind --- to the tune of a half million dollars in bonds. In today's money market, that would amount to a cool five million dollars!
His plan is quite clever, and you have to watch it all in sequence. A prelude, sort of, to MISSION IMPOSSIBLE with an intricate timetable. Excellent writing on the part of Harold Swanton, who wrote 10 episodes for Hitch. He also wrote for PERRY MASON, without too much surprise. Swanton has some fun with the characters names; York plays Herbert Wiggam? Popular character actor Gage Clarke plays a guy called Frisbee? Interesting.
Solid direction from John Newland, one of the best tv directors, also host of ONE STEP BEYOND. Newland and Hitch had a lot in common when it came to unusual stories and characters.
Dedicated to all us Dick York fans. Always. SEASON 7 EPISODE 34 remastered Universal dvd box set.
Hitch chose York for so many productions because he just had that face, the look, that smile --which could go both ways. He could be one funny guy, or a very crafty villain.
He's somewhere in between here, playing a dedicated, but neglected employee of a securities company. The reward he receives is seeing someone else being promoted to a job he is entitled to. What to do? Rob the company blind --- to the tune of a half million dollars in bonds. In today's money market, that would amount to a cool five million dollars!
His plan is quite clever, and you have to watch it all in sequence. A prelude, sort of, to MISSION IMPOSSIBLE with an intricate timetable. Excellent writing on the part of Harold Swanton, who wrote 10 episodes for Hitch. He also wrote for PERRY MASON, without too much surprise. Swanton has some fun with the characters names; York plays Herbert Wiggam? Popular character actor Gage Clarke plays a guy called Frisbee? Interesting.
Solid direction from John Newland, one of the best tv directors, also host of ONE STEP BEYOND. Newland and Hitch had a lot in common when it came to unusual stories and characters.
Dedicated to all us Dick York fans. Always. SEASON 7 EPISODE 34 remastered Universal dvd box set.
An excellent episode...ruined by the epilogue, once again.
planktonrules22 April 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Herbert Wiggum (Dick York) has been a loyal and hardworking employee for the past eleven years. So imagine his anger when he sees the boss' nephew get the promotion Herbert had worked for....especially since the nephew is incredibly lazy and seems to spend most of his time sexually harassing the secretary! So, he devises a plan to get some payback. He's recruited a couple guys who will rob the place of $500,000 worth of bonds! Will his plan succeed? Or, will good 'old Herbert and his 'friends' be headed to the pokey?
Like too many great episodes involving 'perfect crimes', this episode had the needless epilogue where Hitchcock essentially says that the criminals were caught and sent to prison...even though there doesn't appear to be much likelihood of this in the show...which feels like cheating. I can only assume sponsors or the network balked at crime paying off...and forced such ridiculous endings which were tacked on at the end. It's a shame, as I would have scored this one a 9 without it.
Like too many great episodes involving 'perfect crimes', this episode had the needless epilogue where Hitchcock essentially says that the criminals were caught and sent to prison...even though there doesn't appear to be much likelihood of this in the show...which feels like cheating. I can only assume sponsors or the network balked at crime paying off...and forced such ridiculous endings which were tacked on at the end. It's a shame, as I would have scored this one a 9 without it.
Nice little episode
talonjensen14 May 2018
I liked this episode, the 22 minutes or so that are available in a 30 minute show does not leave much time for development, but this one is intentionally misleading with Wiggam's facial expressions, building up some tension. Wiggam has been passed over for promotion after 11 years and so decides to take an alternate career path when an opportunity presents itself. The manner in which the bearer bonds end up in the building seems also intentionally misleading, almost accidental.
Regardless, the ending is predictable mostly because we have seen so many similar episodes from Hitchcock or Serling. I did have a couple other possible endings in mind and I would have rated this episode higher if it had been more of a surprise.
Regardless, the ending is predictable mostly because we have seen so many similar episodes from Hitchcock or Serling. I did have a couple other possible endings in mind and I would have rated this episode higher if it had been more of a surprise.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
