Reviews

Ida Lupino made her screen debut in this film having not pursued her education beyond school. She did not show any promise at this early stage in her career and looked very much like a poor woman's version of Bette Davis: bland and horizontal.

The 34 year old Roald Dahl was enlisted to bring to the screen his short story, 'A Dip in the Pool', in this series which was directed by Yul Brynner before he shot to fame as an actor in 'The King and I'. The short story has a natural home in the episodic serial like this.

I think most of these early films that Wayne appeared in was akin to work experience in order to penetrate a profession. Although there may not be any real story in this film, there's a lot that you can learn about how to be a gentleman and treat women just by watching JW.

There was definitely something to be said about the young John Wayne. Whatever you may think about 19th century American history, he embodies the recreation (and reinvention) of the American west on screen. No matter how far removed the myth is from reality, he made entertaining viewing in almost all of his films.

This film was originally credited as John Wayne's debut film, but obviously he appeared in films two years before this as an uncredited extra. He showed early promise in these silent films with his height, his smile, and just the way how he embodied the American west.

There's something about James Stewart's voice that's unmistakable. It's a small town American voice, and reflects small town American values. He is the chosen representative of the all-American sympathizers, and because he's interesting to watch and listen, he's endeared himself to a universal audience.

The 26 year old James Stewart made his uncredited screen debut in this film having previously graduated from university and exploited the stage circuit. He was obviously an intelligent man with a distinctively American voice which kind of carved him out as an all-American hero.

During this period, Roald Dahl was writing short stories such as 'Poison' in his collection titled 'Someone Like You' in 1953. Because his short stories complimented the episodic format of television serials, his services were enlisted in this series.

Roald Dahl never ceases to surprise me. Not only does he write short stories and adapt them for installments in 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents', he also wrote the screenplay for 'You Only Live Twice'. What a talented bloke. Obviously, all the energy that he applied to 'Man from the South' in Colliers magazine back in 1948 was brought to this television screenplay.

Like Evan Hunter, Stirling Silliphant ploughed his trade by writing novels, having them adapted for the screen, and writing episodes of 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents'. His first adaptation was at the age of 37, so he spent a few years living life before he achieved success.

As an actress, Ida Lupino achieved success in the 40's acting alongside Humphrey Bogart and Edward G. Robinson. For me, she was a totally average actress. As a director, she had more substance to offer in the 50's and 60's, but I guess she was just paying the bills with this film.

As an actress, Ida Lupino doesn't do it for me. It's only because she had something to say as a director in the 50's and 60's that I've decided to observe her acting roles in the 40's. This film has no other entertainment value than for research purposes.

There's only so much a person can take of watching Ida Lupino. She escaped me as an actress in the 30's and 40's only to reinvent herself as a director in the 50's and 60's. I think that's where she belongs: behind the camera.

Having achieved success with 'Vertigo', Hitchcock tried his hand at directing an episode from a murder, mystery series such as 'Startime'. He was already realising television success with 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents', but was capitalising on the fact that television was now going to progress from cinema in the 60's.

A year before Oscar Apfel enlisted the talents of Cecil B. DeMille in 'The Squaw Man', he was plying his trade by adapting Edgar Allan Poe's work for the screen. D.W. Griffith did the same which meant that Poe created a vocabulary for the silver screen, even if he was not interesting reading.

This was Edgar Allan Poe's most successful piece of literature, but yet he gave it away free of charge without any access to royalties or copyright. It was inspired by a dinner he had with Charles Dickens, but he also went against convention by stating 'Once upon a dreary midnight' rather than 'Once upon a time'.

It's not a coincidence that Hitchcock wrote before he began directing. Cecil B. DeMille also wrote screenplays before he officially immersed himself in directing and producing. Hitchcock is a lover of novels and plays, and in this film we see him bringing a stage play to the screen. However, I did not find this engaging viewing.

Hitchcock continues his tradition of adapting novels and plays by bringing Raymond Paton's novel to the screen. Having read the novel myself, I don't know what Hitchcock saw in it, and then watching the film was just another mundane chore. His early films have not made my personal video library.

In this film, Hitchcock adapts Frank Stayton's novel and gives his interpretation of the world of the protagonist. I must admit that some of Hitch's early films are somewhat mediocre in terms of quality and dialogue. There is no real genius expressed at this stage in his life apart from a love of literature and the stage.

After taking evening classes at the University of London, Alfred Hitchcock joined forces with Lasky Players as a title designer. In this film, he was given the opportunity to write the screenplay. Not the most interesting film to watch, but it just goes to show that a director can also write their own material.

After the success of 'Othello', Eamonn Walker was snapped up by the American market in this film to act alongside Courtney B. Vance ('Tuskegee Raiders'), having previously worked with Laurence Fishburne in his directorial debut. Although Eamonn may not be a Sidney Poitier, it was good to see a Black Englishman paired up with a Black American.

One of three films where Mitchum is paired up alongside the young Jean Simmons. She really does like the spitting image of Vivien Leigh. Her dark, mysterious features make her photogenic and interesting to watch. Mitchum is just the tall, broad shouldered protagonist as usual.

Apart from westerns, Robert Mitchum always looks slick in these black and white films, particularly in the 40's. He has an arched lip which sometimes has an evil curve when he's angry. He's usually pushed to his limit, but it's always the tall, broad shoulders that surfaces in every film he's in.