User Reviews

I know one thing, if I was handyman Wilson (Paul Jenkins), the last thing I'd do would be to accept an invitation to stick around for coffee with that nutcase Molly Wheatland (Geraldine Page). That's why it astonished me that ex-husband Charlie (Leif Erickson) kept coming around, even if he was concerned for her precipitously declining mental state. One could say Ms. Wheatfield manufactured the conversation with the spirit of a bank robber in the haunted attic room of her new home, but if so, she couldn't have imagined the result when poor old Charlie went upstairs to take a look. When it's over, you don't really know who got the worse end of the whole deal, Charlie, Jamie, or Molly herself.

Bitter alcoholic Molly Wheatland (robustly played with lip-smacking glee by Geraldine Page) conjures the spirit of ghost Jamie Dillman (a solid performance by John McMurty) who resides in the woodwork of her attic to take care of her ex-husband Charlie (a fine and likeable portrayal by Leif Erickson).

Director Edward M. Abroms relates the enjoyable story at a constant pace, ably crafts a pleasing spooky mood, and makes nice use of the cobwebby attic setting. Moreover, Page has a field day with her colorful and unpleasant character. Rod Serling's clever script offers a nifty twist by presenting a ghost that just wants to be left alone and doesn't want to be bothered by anyone, which naturally results in a fitting nasty comeuppance for Molly at the end.

Molly Wheatland (Geraldine Page) left her husband and found the bottle. But at least she has somewhere to live, a place that was cheap because everyone thinks that Jamie Dillman (John McMurtry) was shot by the police there when his criminal career ended. He's been in the attic ever since, but Molly doesn't care. She kind of likes having him around.

Directed by Edward M. Abroms (who directed tons of TV and also edited Street Fighter, Cherry 2000 and You'll Like My Mother) and written by Rod Serling based on the story "Housebound" by R. Chetwynd-Hayes, "Something In the Woodwork" has Molly push and push Dilman to kill her ex-husband Charlie (Leif Erickson) until she goes too far and gets what she wants.

Geraldine Page was in three Night Gallery episodes (along with this one, she's in two episodes in Season 2, "Stop Killing Me" and "The Sins of the Fathers") and she really makes this one of the best stories of season 3. Abroms mostly worked as an editor - he edited the pilot - but he really shows some great work here, particularly some handheld shots that look quite good.

Geraldine Page ("Hondo") plays Molly Wheatland, a bitter, vindictive drunk still sore over the breakup of her marriage to Charlie (Leif Erickson, 'The High Chaparral'). She knows of a restless spirit residing in the woodwork of her attic, however. That spirit is that of Jamie Dillman (John McMurtry, "Hot Summer Week"), a bank robber who was gunned down by the police. Molly implores the weary Jamie, who just wants to be left in peace, to help in exacting revenge on Charlie.

'Something in the Woodwork' was directed by Edward M. Abroms, an episodic TV veteran, from a script by Mr. Serling (who adapts a story by R. Chetwynd-Hayes). It's a solid if not great episode that does deliver some effective atmosphere. (What little we see of the attic is most sufficient.) The acting is certainly on point, with Page pulling out all the stops as an unhinged yet riveting character. Erickson is equally excellent as a basically good man who does NOT deserve what she intends to have happen to him. Paul Jenkins ("Night Games") and the lovely Barbara Rhoades ("The Goodbye Girl") offer solid support in smaller roles.

Good entertainment overall that well delivers a memorable "play with fire and you're going to get burned" message. You definitely feel bad for Charlie and even feel some sympathy for Molly, clearly a character who needed help.

Eight out of 10.

In this segment, adapted from the R. Chetwynd-Hayes short story Housebound by Serling, Molly Wheatland (Geraldine Page), the former wife of Charlie Wheatland (Leif Erickson), turns to martinis to escape her loneliness within her house, which stood empty for 30 years before she bought it for almost nothing due to the fact that holdup man Jamie Dillman (John McMurtry) died in the attic after a gun fight with cops, and his ghost has been there ever since. But Molly isn't scared by the idea of a ghost in the attic of her house. In fact, she welcomes the company. Molly invites Charlie over to talk, which is a pretext to throw him a birthday party, but Charlie says that since his girlfriend, Julie (Barbara Rhoades), is waiting for him in his car, he must decline. Molly rages that she has no need of him, adding after her anger subsides that she has friends of her own, like the ghost living in the woodwork of the attic. Charlie, thinking that Molly has had her sanity compromised from too many years of swimming in martinis, tells her that he will return later with help. Molly rushes to the attic to enlist the aid of Jamie's ghost, who says, "Leave me alone." Molly threatens to torch the house unless he helps her. "What can I do?" Jamie asks. Molly says with a smile, "Charlie has a bum ticker, Jamie. Frighten him to death." When Charlie returns, saying that he's brought a psychologist to examine her, she dares him to go up to the attic. Charlie goes there to humor Molly, and she hears a sharp cry and the sound of a slumping body. As she pours herself another martini, Molly says, "Well, there's always more goblets to replace the broken ones. But unfortunately, there's only one heart to a customer. And yours, Charlie, has given out." She sets her martini down, though, when she hears the stairs creak, and sees Charlie coming down the steps. She calls his name, and is shocked to hear Jamie Dillman's voice say, "Charlie is no longer with us, Mrs. Wheatland. He's in the attic room, moving around, getting used to things. Why didn't you leave me alone? There was peace in the woodwork. Peace." Molly Wheatland screams in terror and hysteria as Jamie advances on her with murderous intent. When I saw this, I thought: Gee, Molly should have started dating other men instead of asking a ghost to solve her conflict with Charlie, her former husband. Spoiler alert: Edward M. Abroms, editor of the Night Gallery pilot film, directed this segment from the series' 3rd season.