This episode of 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' was a revelation to me. I had it tucked away on a Hitchcock collection DVD. Just one of many releases that features all of Sir Alfred's works that have fallen into 'public domain'.
This has to be about as gruesome as television could get back in 1962. Unfortunately, the show's sponsor, Revlon, felt the same way and so the show was never aired. (This was to have been the last 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' as the show went to an hour-long format in 1963.)
At first, the character of 'Hugo' seems comical. But kudos to the long-departed Brandon De Wilde, a fine actor that always gave a sincere performance. And Diana Dors is quite wretched as the scheming, unfaithful wife. She's good looking, too, as this was years before the 'british Marilyn Monroe' struggled with her weight.
What I really like about this episode is its subtlety. Back in the old days, people had imaginations; there was no need to saturate the screen with blood. The show's ending left me with my mouth (at least mentally) agape; I couldn't believe what I had just seen.
Then it occurred to me that I had heard about one episode not ever being aired. I immediately suspected the sponsor's intervention, and sure enough, Revlon balked on this one. They didn't want their name attached to this bit of gruesomeness.
If you enjoy 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents', this is definitely one to hunt up. As I said, it is easily found on Hitchcock's 'public domain' collections.
And of course this particularly nasty tale was scripted by none other than Robert Bloch.
Additional note: I recently viewed this episode on television. For some odd reason, they deleted Brandon de Wilde's last line: 'Smile, Irene, smile!' So this long unseen episode apparently STILL has to be censored as of 2018. The line does underline the gruesomeness of Irene's situation. I don't know the particular politically correct jackass who felt the need to scrub Brandon's dialog here. The scene is still what it is...a tad violent. Having always seen this drama uncensored, this latest censored version takes away from the episode's horrific climax.
Maybe if I'm still alive in 2050, they'll be showing the uncensored version of 'The Sorcerer's Apprentice' on television.
This has to be about as gruesome as television could get back in 1962. Unfortunately, the show's sponsor, Revlon, felt the same way and so the show was never aired. (This was to have been the last 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' as the show went to an hour-long format in 1963.)
At first, the character of 'Hugo' seems comical. But kudos to the long-departed Brandon De Wilde, a fine actor that always gave a sincere performance. And Diana Dors is quite wretched as the scheming, unfaithful wife. She's good looking, too, as this was years before the 'british Marilyn Monroe' struggled with her weight.
What I really like about this episode is its subtlety. Back in the old days, people had imaginations; there was no need to saturate the screen with blood. The show's ending left me with my mouth (at least mentally) agape; I couldn't believe what I had just seen.
Then it occurred to me that I had heard about one episode not ever being aired. I immediately suspected the sponsor's intervention, and sure enough, Revlon balked on this one. They didn't want their name attached to this bit of gruesomeness.
If you enjoy 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents', this is definitely one to hunt up. As I said, it is easily found on Hitchcock's 'public domain' collections.
And of course this particularly nasty tale was scripted by none other than Robert Bloch.
Additional note: I recently viewed this episode on television. For some odd reason, they deleted Brandon de Wilde's last line: 'Smile, Irene, smile!' So this long unseen episode apparently STILL has to be censored as of 2018. The line does underline the gruesomeness of Irene's situation. I don't know the particular politically correct jackass who felt the need to scrub Brandon's dialog here. The scene is still what it is...a tad violent. Having always seen this drama uncensored, this latest censored version takes away from the episode's horrific climax.
Maybe if I'm still alive in 2050, they'll be showing the uncensored version of 'The Sorcerer's Apprentice' on television.