The Blessington Method (15 Nov. 1959)

In the not too distant future (1980, to be exact) life expectancy has increased dramatically and JJ Bunce provides an essential service. He approaches John Treadwell and informs him that ... See full summary »

Director:

Herschel Daugherty

Writers:

Stanley Ellin (story), Halsted Welles (teleplay)

Stars:

Alfred Hitchcock, Henry Jones, Dick York

Cast

Episode cast overview:
Alfred Hitchcock	...	Himself - Host
Henry Jones	...	John Treadwell
Dick York	...	J.J. Bunce
Elizabeth Patterson	...	Grandmother
Irene Windust	...	Mrs. Treadwell
Paul E. Burns	...	Fisherman
Vaughn Meadows	...	Jack
Nancy Kilgas	...	Jill
Penny Edwards	...	Secretary

Storyline

In the not too distant future (1980, to be exact) life expectancy has increased dramatically and JJ Bunce provides an essential service. He approaches John Treadwell and informs him that his elderly relative, now in her 80's and who lives with him full-time, will live at least another 32 years. Bunce's offer is quite simple: he will dispose of her for a fee. Initially Treadwell rejects the suggestion out of hand but at home, the old lady is becoming ever more demanding. In the end, he accepts Bunce's offer but he does wonder what his own children might do when the time comes.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 November 1959 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Revue Studios, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Shamley Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

User Reviews

No respect for the elderly

***SPOILERS*** Alfred Hitchcock Presents episode that takes us some 20 years into the future from 1959 to the year 1980 that ironically just happened to be the year that "The Master" Alfred Hitchock himself passed away! Did he know that in advance or was it just a lucky guess on his, Sir Alfred, part?

It's 1980 and with life expectancy now something like 125 years due to the governments instituting socialized health care for all and the discovery of new cures in retarding the aging process it's determined by those in top positions in government to cause many of the elderly, those 80 and up, to check out of their lives in accidents that are specially engineered for them. It's check out expert J.J Bruce, Dick York, who's employed by this super secret government agency, posing as an insurance firm, who's job is to makes sure that those elderly now long past their productive years end up dead in an accident that he stages for them.

Getting in touch with 50ish insurance agent John Treadwell played by Henry Jones J.J, as he likes to be called, offers him a chance to get ride of his annoying and pain in the butt mother-in-law ,Elizabeth Patterson, so he can finally go on living in the blissful peace and quite in his own home. At first rejecting the idea John soon realizing that Grandma who's 82 and in good health will be around making his life miserable for a least another 30 years! It's then that he accepts J.J's proposal and has her offed by him pushing Grandma together with her wheelchair off a pier into the river where she ends up drowning!

**SPOILERS** It's later that John who's 52 and no spring chicken soon realizes that he's in the same position that Gandma found herself in! That by his teenage children are all grown up and begin getting a bit sick and tired of him hanging around the house, after he retires, and then have J.J do the same number on him that he did on Grandma! Like the saying "What goes around comes around" John knows that his days are numbered and that very soon his number will come up when those that he loves feel that he's no longer any use to them!