Water's Edge (19 Oct. 1964)

Rusty Connors is a prison cellmate with Mike Krause, who tells Rusty all about his girlfriend Helen. Mike becomes ill with pneumonia, and reveals to Rusty on his deathbed that a stash of ... See full summary »

Director:

Bernard Girard

Writers:

Robert Bloch (short story), Alfred Hayes (teleplay)

Stars:

Alfred Hitchcock, Ann Sothern, John Cassavetes

Cast

Episode cast overview:
Alfred Hitchcock	...	Himself - Host
Ann Sothern	...	Helen Cox
John Cassavetes	...	Rusty Connors
Rayford Barnes	...	Mike Krause
David Fresco	...	Newsstand Dealer
James Brown	...	Prison Guard (as J.B. Brown)
Jimmy Joyce	...	Prison Orderly

Storyline

Rusty Connors is a prison cellmate with Mike Krause, who tells Rusty all about his girlfriend Helen. Mike becomes ill with pneumonia, and reveals to Rusty on his deathbed that a stash of $56,000 is with his dead accomplice, Pete Taylor. When he is released, Rusty goes to Hanesville and courts Helen, while attempting with her help to find the loot. They finally go to a boat house on a lake, populated by rats. Rusty finds Pete's skeleton, and the money, in a crawl space above the ceiling. Rusty tries to grab a rock to do Helen in, but Helen beats him to the punch, knocking him out with a prying iron and tying him up. Before Helen leaves, Rusty manages to kick her, and she falls, impaled fatally on a pole. Rusty futilely tries to untie his restraints as the rats pile on his body.

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Plot Keywords:

rat | skeleton | death | stolen money | cell mate

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Details

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 October 1964 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Alfred J. Hitchcock Productions, Shamley Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

48 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

User Reviews

Makes the 1971 movie WILLARD look like THE YEARLING

I remember seeing this on television right around the time WILLARD came out in 1971. First of all this was done 7 years earlier with rats. Second, I don't know how it could have even aired. There was an episode of EASTSIDE WESTSIDE starring George C Scott that dealt with a baby in a tenement during a garbage strike that gets severely bitten by rats. James Earl Jones guest starred. The network had to cut footage with the rats, so we had to depend on Mr. Jones' excellent acting skills. Because the network chose to sugarcoat the episode, this led to Mr. Scott becoming angry about doing network television. I am surprised that no fans of the show ever singled this episode out. It is truly eery and chilling, and again I don't know how it could have aired. The acting was outstanding.