The Five-Forty-Eight (25 Oct. 1960)

A mentally unstable secretary finally catches up to her cruel former boss and makes him listen to what she has to say, at gunpoint.

Director:

John Brahm

Writers:

Charlotte Armstrong (teleplay), John Cheever (story)

Stars:

Alfred Hitchcock, Phyllis Thaxter, Zachary Scott

Cast

Episode cast overview:
Alfred Hitchcock	...	Himself - Host
Phyllis Thaxter	...	Miss Dent
Zachary Scott	...	Mr. Blake
Irene Windust	...	Mrs. Compton
Raymond Bailey	...	Mr. Watkins
Penny Edwards	...	Miss Smith
Charles Davis	...	Mr. Johnson
Phil Gordon	...	Bartender
Joseph Hamilton	...	Train Conductor

Storyline

Mr. Blake commutes to work by train and is followed by a Miss Dent who is obviously desperate to speak to him. She sits next to him on the train and threatens to kill him if he doesn't listen to her. She has been hospitalized for eight months after suffering a mental breakdown. It seems she once worked as his secretary but lived a very lonely life with few friends. After spending the night together however, Blake has her fired and she is clearly intent on revenge.

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Plot Keywords:

number in title

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 October 1960 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Revue Studios, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Shamley Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

User Reviews

Thaxter Showcase

As Hitchcock fare, the entry is pretty slender. The screenplay manages some tension as Thaxter's Miss Dent holds her former boss Mr. Blake (Scott) at gunpoint throughout their commuter ride home on the Five-Forty-Eight. She's a troubled, lonely woman quite willing to be seduced by Blake in a well done scene suggestive for 50's TV. The problem is he callously fires her the next day amid all her romantic expectations. Now she's mad as heck and we wonder what form her troubled revenge will take.

The story's adapted from literary writer John Cheever, but comes across as rather talky for a standard Hitchcock entry. The ending manages some irony, but lacks the expected punch. Where the entry succeeds is as a showcase for actress Thatcher who specialized in just such troubled roles. Here, she goes through a gamut of emotions convincingly, such that the episode really depends on her skills to carry it along. She's one of those attractive rather than glamorous actresses who found a successful niche in Hollywood. Scott appears type-cast as the insensitive cad, doing his usual credible job, but without the trademark moustache. Gothic director John Brahm, is, as always, an ace at creating dark atmosphere. Anyway, for fans of Thaxter, myself included, the 30-minutes remains a showcase.