The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (TV Series) See the Monkey Dance (1964) User Reviews

One favor deserves another

[sol-kay · 7/10 · 2 March 2012]

***SPOILERS*** On a train headed for the out of the way English town of Landran George, Roddy McDowell,is looking forward to see his girlfriend played by Patricia Medina, for a hot weekend of fun and games at his trailer house there. It's in his compartment that George sees this stranger, played by a pre FBI TV show Efrem Zimbalist Jr, there with him. The stranger not only shows a deep dislike of George, who never sew him before in his entire life, but also knows all about him. As well as the meeting he's to have with Patricia later that evening!

As we and George soon find out the stranger is in fact Patricia's estranged husband who's so mad at what her and George are doing to him that he plans to murder them! George knowing that he's in the wrong, in him fooling around with the stranger's wife, tries to placate him in telling the stranger that he'll brake off his relationship with her in that she never told him that she was married!

***SPOILER ALERT**** As it soon turns out the stranger was not really planning to do both George and his wife in! In fact the stranger wasn't even married to Patricia! He was her former boyfriend who was shot and injured by her real husband, who had since passed from the scene, after he caught the two in bed together! The stranger was out for revenge all right but it wasn't against the Innocent George as we and him were led on to believe he was. He was out to get even with Patricia and even more shocking he was setting up George to do his dirty work for him. And also have George end up paying for it!

Stranger On a Train

[searchanddestroy-1 · 8/10 · 25 January 2021]

This topic could remind the famous AH feature, shot twelve years earlier! STRANGER ON A TRAIN. But of course the story is not the same, just the basic plot, the lead character meets a stranger on a train and that leads him to an unbelievable situation. It remains light hearted, not totally gritty nor dark, though not being a comedy. It's also amusing to notice that Roddy McDowall plays in a story with "Monkey" in the title; him who five years later will play in a feature with Apes in the title: PLANET OF APES.... Since my childhood, I have always associated Roddy McDowall's face with an ape. The PLANET OF APES series films and TV show, has to do with that strange feeling, I must agree.

"What rotten luck!"

[classicsoncall · 8/10 · 30 December 2022]

I must say, with most reviewers here dumping on this episode, I find myself in the minority. I thought this was a cleverly written story that kept you guessing about the identity and motivation of Efrem Zimbalist's character, never named, and known to the viewer only as The Stranger. There's a sort of whimsy to the story, and even though the subject of murder is broached, there's a rather humorous undertone to it with the back and forth between George (Roddy McDowall) and The Stranger. I did note that The Stranger mentioned how his former 'victim' only got shot in the leg because he tried to run away. When the situation looked dire for George, there was a moment when he was at the corner of the caravan and could have made a break for it by running behind and taking off, leaving the crippled Stranger unable to pursue. But that wouldn't have worked for this tale to play out the way it did. The story's twist was delivered by George's mistress (Patricia Medina) as George rigged her car to crash, while The Stranger's plan was almost foolproof, except - how far could he get away on foot as the cops arrived? And so, in usual Hitchcock fashion, both unlucky chaps wound up facing the music in the aftermath of this entertaining story.

Static Gabfest

[dougdoepke · 12 May 2015]

A static two-person gabfest that unfortunately doesn't add up to much, considering the gab takes an hour to get there. The plot, such as it is, revolves around a mysterious stranger (Zimbalist) and his purpose in cornering the hapless George (McDowall). Seems George has been fooling around with someone's wife (Medina). So is the stranger, who's supposed to be her husband, out for revenge. Do we care since there are basically only two set-ups that grind on and on.

Zimbalist is clearly trying to show his chops following the confining detective role in 77 Sunset Strip. Trouble is he's loaded up with make-up and a stagy manner that fairly shouts contrivance. Good thing he opted back to being a handsome agent in The FBI (1965-74), his real forte. On the other hand, McDowall is winningly natural and maybe the only reason to watch.

I get no satisfaction slamming this episode in what was otherwise a distinguished series. Still, every series has its winners, losers, and in-betweens. Unfortunately, this entry manages only a tiresome thud.

I'M DIGGING A HOLE FOR YOU!

[tcchelsey · 10/10 · 6 July 2023]

So says the mysterious stranger (well played by Efrem Zimbalist, Jr.) to purturbed businessman Roddy McDowall. The poor chap has a problem as Zimbalist claims he is the husband of his mistress. Now what, friends? This is a terrific two man show between two super actors, and a complete turnaround for Efrem Zimbalist, who at the time was so well known as the coolest of cool detectives on 77 SUNSET STRIP. One heck of a show, that may have inspired later tv cops like MANNIX.

Here, Zimbalist comes off more as a stuffy, rambling college professor-type (replete with a gun), and fascinating to watch. What exactly is his end game, and that really irks McDowall. Lovely Patricia Medina (long married to Joseph Cotton) plays the lady in question which both gents apparently have ties to. What a tangled web weaved here.

Funny gag scene has McDowall digging his own grave while trying to have an "intellgent" conversation with his adversary, who comes off a bit as a cross between Sir Laurence Olivier and Richard Burton. Actually Liz Taylor would have complimented Efrem Zimbalist in this type of role!

SEE THE MONKEY DANCE, and listen to the classic harpsichord interludes. Original Hitch material.

SEASON 3 EPISODE 5 CBS dvd box set.

Roddy McDowall and Efrem Zimbalist Jr.

[kevinolzak · 5/10 · 3 January 2012]

"See the Monkey Dance" is a static, dialogue heavy episode that benefits from the casting of always reliable Roddy McDowall, playing London businessman George, en route to a weekend rendezvous with his married lover (Patricia Medina, Mrs. Joseph Cotten). Traveling by train, George is confronted by a mysterious stranger (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.), who challenges the unsuspecting George, who is first baffled, then increasingly terrified as he soon learns that this man just might be the jealous husband of his beloved. Once the stranger begins digging a grave outside the trailer where George awaits his lover, he decides to try to pacify his nemesis before she arrives. None of the talk really adds up to much, but both actors spar very well. Zimbalist, former star of 77 SUNSET STRIP, was shortly to begin the long running series THE F. B. I. (perhaps better known today as the father of Stephanie Zimbalist).

A real waste of time

[blake-36398 · 1/10 · 21 June 2018]

I watched this episode yesterday and looked up the rating. I did watch it years ago and my opinion of it did not change. I really do not understand why it got such a high rating. It is one of the most miserable episodes. The actors could not save this one with the rather silly and stupid script. The banter on the train was tiresome and continued in the caravan. So there was really nothing left. Oh, surprise - Efrem Zimbalist's character was not the faithless woman's husband after all. His unkept look was rather distracting too. I always enjoy watching Roddy McDowall and he was interesting to watch to a point, but he could not save this stinker. One hour of boredom. I would suggest avoiding this one like the plague.

I agree with dougdoepke on this one.

[planktonrules · 2/10 · 8 June 2021]

Why keep arguing with him?

'static gabfest'

Sometimes, I read through another person's review and wish I'd said it first! Such is the case with dougdoepke's review where they call this episode of "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour" a 'static gabfest'! Wow....that's really hitting the nail right on the head! Truly, it's very hard to find another episode in the series that is more static and talky than this one....which automatically prevents it from being a truly good show.

George (Roddy McDowell) is on a train....heading to a rendezvous with a married lady. However, his train ride is very strange, as in his car is another man (Efram Zimbalist Jr.)....and the other man is a real weirdo! The guy is a cypher....at some moments, friendly and others, a real argumentative jerkface. As they talk (and talk and talk), the stranger claims to live exactly where George lives...and they argue about this for quite a while. After leaving the train, George heads to his caravan (a trailer, for us American folks). Soon the stranger arrives and all sorts of weirdness occurs....and then the twist.

Efram Zimbalist must have really enjoyed this role, as his acting is anything but subtle. He chews the scenery throughout, whereas McDowell's performance is much more subdued....even when this stranger starts acting really weirdly.

So is this gabfest any good? Not really. In addition to being very, very talky, it also suffers from pacing issues caused by this being a one hour episode...which would have played better had it been one of the old half hour ones. The twist wasn't bad...but it took so long coming, frankly, by then I simply didn't care. One of the weakest episodes of the series.

Just a Lot of Talk and a Weak Plot

[Hitchcoc · 4/10 · 25 May 2023]

Roddy McDowell and Efram Zimbalest Jr. Meet on a train. He has set up a tryst with an attractive woman of questionable virtue. The two begin to spar as they arrive in the same town. It gets down to past acts that don't seem to progress anything. Zimbalist works on McDowell, holding a gun, making him act in certain prescribed ways. McDowell is convinced he is sparring with the husband of the woman in question. The problem here is the undefined nature of each man and a clear and present danger. But McDowell is utterly confused by his rather dull adversary. The conclusion goes over with a loud thump.

Chatty Cathy

[Ripshin · 18 April 2024]

With some slight adjustments, this could very well be turned into a stage play. As many have commented - lots of talk, and very little action.

McDowall is usually quite "hammy" with his performances, and this is no exception. Zimbalist is also over-the-top, which is not the norm for him.

How many times could "George" have whacked "The Stranger" with that shovel?

I will admit, that I didn't figure out the conclusion. The reveal is quite understated. I suppose that The Stranger's earlier comment about shooting The Wife's previous lover in the leg, causing him to limp, should have been a give-away.

Maybe I missed something, but I am confused as to why The Wife is so repulsed by The Stranger, who in reality is her previous lover, not her husband. And I assume her actual husband did shoot The Stranger at some point.