Fri 2 Jul 2010
A TV Review by Mike Tooney: THE ALFRED HITCHCOCK HOUR “The Long Silence.”
Posted by Steve under Reviews , TV mysteries[3] Comments
“The Long Silence.” An episode of The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (Season 1, Episode 25). First air date: 22 March 1963. Michael Rennie, Phyllis Thaxter, Natalie Trundy, James McMullan, Rees Vaughn, Vaughn Taylor, Connie Gilchrist, Claude Stroud. Teleplay: Charles Beaumont and William D. Gordon, based on the short novel (“Composition for Four Hands”) by Hilda Lawrence. Director: Robert Douglas.
Ralph Manson (Michael Rennie) simply can’t believe his luck. First, he embezzles $200,000; but the person who can pin Ralph’s malfeasance on him, Robbie Cory (Rees Vaughn), goes missing. Just when everyone thinks Robbie may be dead, however, he shows up with the evidence against Ralph.
But Ralph’s luck still holds: Nobody knows Robbie has returned, so when he and Robbie get into a violent argument — during which Ralph, craven coward that he is, begs Robbie to give him at least a head start — Ralph loses control and kills Robbie.
When his head clears, Ralph sets about making this murder look like a suicide. He takes Robbie’s body upstairs in the Manson mansion (his place in name only, since he has married into the millions belonging to his wife, Nora, played by Phyllis Thaxter). He hangs Robbie’s corpse from a chandelier and proceeds to type out a suicide note.
But while he’s in the throes of composition, Nora, one floor down, hears him and goes upstairs to Robbie’s room, where she sees Ralph typing and quickly realizes his deception. Just when Ralph’s goose looks like it’s cooked, however, Nora tries to run away but tumbles down the stairs. The doctor will diagnose full-body paralysis and aphasia, duration unknowable.
So Ralph’s luck STILL holds, since Nora can’t do or say anything. All he has to do is wait until she’s alone and overdose her cocoa or quietly smother her in her sleep — whatever the occasion might call for; it’s just a matter of time.
But Ralph’s luck will run out when he fails to anticipate just how eloquent a completely paralyzed person can be.
This one’s worth watching just to see Michael Rennie playing against type; here he’s a despicable gigolo rather than his normal stalwart authority figure. Rennie’s criminous credits include, but are not limited to: The Patient Vanishes (1941), Uneasy Terms (as hardboiled P.I. Slim Callaghan, 1948), Phone Call from a Stranger (1952), 5 Fingers (1952), Les Miserables (1952), Dangerous Crossing (1953), Soldier of Fortune (1955), The Third Man TV series (as Harry Lime, 1959-65), two episodes of Batman (as The Sandman, 1966), The Power (1968), and the appearances on The F.B.I.
James (or Jim) McMullan occasionally got involved with crime in movies or TV: 13 installments of Chopper One (1974), three episodes of Cannon, two of Joe Forrester, three on S.W.A.T., three of Barnaby Jones, She’s Dressed to Kill (TVM, 1979), 14 episodes of Dallas, and Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997).
You can watch “The Long Silence” on Hulu here.
Editorial Comment: The cover art for the Ace Double paperback (G-539) was done by Bob Schinella. An close-up image can be found on this auction page, at least for now.
July 2nd, 2010 at 8:36 pm
Since I’ve never seen any episodes of the TV show THE THIRD MAN, when I hear Michael Rennie’s name, I think first of his role as Klaatu in THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL.
He was good in DANGEROUS CROSSING, though. I wonder why (scanning through his resume on IMDB) he made so many just so-so movies?
July 2nd, 2010 at 11:23 pm
While Raymond Burr’s son was ill and dying several actors took over the role of leading defense lawyer for several episodes including Bette Davis, and Michael Rennie as a brilliant but alcoholic lawyer (“Perry Mason” …. Prof. Edward Lindley 1 episode, 1963 – The Case of the Libelous Locket).
As pointed out above he had a busy career both in major films like HOTEL, ISLAND IN THE SUN, SAILOR OF THE KING, and THE RAINS OF RANCHIPUR He did a number of just awful low budget films too, but acted to the end appearing in many of the major television series of the era. His perfect diction and mellifluous voice also earned him a good deal of voice over work in the era (THE DESERT FOX, THE DESERT RATS, PRINCE VALIANT, THE TITANIC …).
I don’t think he ever played Sherlock Holmes, which is odd considering his lean hawkish features and imposing height, but he was Lord John Roxton in Irwin Allen’s THE LOST WORLD.
Anyone who has never seen them should look up THE THIRD MAN series an entertaining half hour adventure series with Rennie as a much reformed Harry Lime and Jonathan Harris (Dr. Smith on LOST IN SPACE) his valet/assistant. That famous theme song from the movie is worth the trouble alone.
Vaughan Taylor, who appears in this may, well have been one of the busiest character actors of his day. Among others he appeared in DARK INTRUDER recently reviewed here by me.
March 26th, 2013 at 4:01 pm
Raymond Burr was gay and never had a son. The dying son gag was a fabrication to make him appear straight!