Alfred Hitchcock Presents (TV Series) The Foghorn (1958) User Reviews

"I loved him and I lost him."

[classicsoncall · 7/10 · 19 September 2021]

Watching these Hitchcock episodes in order from the beginning of the series, I believe this is the first time I've seen the opening credits mention a 'Special Guest Star', that being Michael Rennie. Interesting point of trivia is that Rennie's first acting job was as a stand-in for Robert Young in 1936's "Secret Agent", directed by Alfred Hitchcock. I first caught Rennie in 1951's "The Day the Earth Stood Still" as the alien Klaatu, and his performance there put that movie into my all time Top Ten list of favorite films.

Rennie's character here, Allen Bliss, manages to attract the attention of Barbara Bel Geddes, who in her role as Lucia Clay, discovers that the man she's engaged to (Bartlett Robinson) is more interested in making money than being married. Imagine telling your bride to be that your honeymoon destinations would be all the major stock exchanges in Europe!!

Fortunately, Lucia saw THAT writing on the wall and called off the wedding, but in the meantime, found out that Allen was married, and his wife wouldn't stand for a divorce. As their platonic relationship developed into something more, a fateful boat cruise was shattered by an oncoming ship. As that was occurring, I had my fingers crossed that this was not going to turn into some by-product of the sinking of the Titanic. Not quite, but just as bad for the star crossed lovers. Allen's death in that tragic event heralds the story's twist ending, as we learn that the incident occurred fifty years earlier, with Lucia being confined to a mental hospital ever since it happened.

As with my mention of the first time I saw Michael Rennie, it was in the late Seventies when I caught Barbara Bel Geddes in what arguably became her best known role as the matriarch of the Ewing clan on the hit TV series "Dallas". She was probably the most stable character in that entire dysfunctional bunch.

For whom the foghorn sounds

[zafrom · 8/10 · 25 June 2017]

Frank Gabrielson's teleplay and Robert Stevens's direction contribute to a nicely presented adaptation of Gertrude Atherton's 1933 short story "The Foghorn". Whoever also contributed the nifty fog effects -- set decorator James S. Redd? -- added to the feeling of uneasiness. Barbara Bel Geddes seemed to me to be a tad too calm and rational, but overall the cast does a good job. Bartlett Robinson still has a twinkle in his eye as the dryasdust fiancé, exclaiming "On our honeymoon we'll visit every single one of the stock exchanges in Europe!" Not to worry, though, our Barbara (like Lorelei Lee) shows that it is still easy to fall in love with a rich man.

Gertrude Atherton's short story is online, if not in your local library, and is well worth reading for its fever-dream passages contrasted with the descriptions of the intoxicating atmosphere of the San Francisco Bay Area and its fog, prose that Frank Gabrielson did not include. For example, "The band of pulsing light on the eastern side of the Bay: music made visible...stars as yellow and bright above, defying the thin silver of the hebetic moon...lights twinkling on Sausalito opposite, standing out boldly from the black mass of Tamalpais high-flung above." Those who have discovered what "hebetic" means appreciate Atherton's use of that word. One difference worth noting between Atherton and Gabrielson (and the restrictions of 1958 television?) is that the short story has, at least for me, a more unsettling -- if not cringe-inducing -- ending. Your mileage may vary. Happy sails to you.

Eerie love

[TheLittleSongbird · 8/10 · 26 December 2022]

Although Robert Stevens was the most frequent 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' director, with 44 episodes to his name, he was also one of the most inconsistent (Paul Henreid to me was also variable). A vast majority of his episodes were well worth watching, and there were excellent episodes such as "Our Cook's a Treasure", "One for the Road" and "The Glass Eye". There were misfires as such, with "Shopping for Death" and "The Hidden Thing" immediately springing to mind in my head.

"The Foghorn" is one of the well worth watching episodes, not just of Stevens' output but also for 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' in general. It is not one of Stevens' best 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' episodes and it is also not one of his worst (nowhere near in the case of the latter), there is also better and worse in the series overall as well. "The Foghorn" is instead a solid middle effort, which was the category most of his episodes fell in. Which is actually not too bad a position to be in.

It isn't perfect. While very unexpected, the ending didn't have the same amount of atmosphere and emotional impact as the rest of the episode. Would have liked more eeriness and emotion from it.

Low budget does show at times, especially in the threadbare looking sets and editing that doesn't always flow.

However, "The Foghorn" is superbly acted. With it being an absolutely terrific showcase for Barbara Bel Geddes, who would be even better in a series high point "Lamb to the Slaughter", very powerful in a touching and intense way. She has quite magical chemistry with dashing yet enigmatic Michael Rennie and their characters are interesting psychologically. Stevens' direction is some of his most accomplished and assured for the series.

While the production values aren't perfect, the photography is suitably moody and has some elegance. Hitchcock's bookending is suitably ironic and the theme music has lost none of its devillish quality. The episode is quite talky in spots, especially early on, but it didn't feel overly so and it all intrigued. The story is genuinely eerie but also has a tragic undercurrent that is incredibly moving.

Concluding, very well done. 8/10.

Bel Geddes Showcase

[dougdoepke · 20 October 2010]

Episode really functions as a showcase for Bel Geddes, and may have been connected in some fashion to her key role in Hitch's Vertigo, also (1958). Be that as it may, it's well acted, yet also a very slender 30-minutes with not much payoff, at least by series standards.

Lucia (Bel Geddes) relives her affair with the handsome Allen (Rennie) while in a sleepy daze. The daze is meaningful since she and Allen are drawn together by their mutual love of fog and the 'unexpected' that it represents. It's evident that each finds in the other what's missing in their prior romantic commitments—he's married, she's engaged. And indeed, the fog and the unexpected do play a key role in the story, which climaxes with her coming out of the sleepy daze.

In passing—whoever did the story synopsis on IMDb apparently wasn't paying attention since they got the ending all wrong!

Eerie and Sad

[Hitchcoc · 7/10 · 3 July 2013]

This is a story of unrequited love. It's about a couple of people who are trapped in a situation which prevents them from ultimately joining together. MIchael Rennie is married and despite all his efforts to attain a divorce to marry his true love, it just doesn't work out. That's simple enough, but now throw in the fog. The fog is a metaphor in this episode and it masks everything. However, what it masks is even more startling. Whenever the couple gets together they are affected by the fog. Sometimes it hides them from the truth. Sometimes it causes serious danger. Sometimes it is the precursor to sadness. When we get to the conclusion, the fog is explained. This is an interesting script and one that stands out a bit more than others. I have to admit, I never had a clue where this was going.

No happily ever after for philandering lovers

[labenji-12163 · 7/10 · 18 December 2021]

I can't understand all of the reviews calling this a sad love story, rather than poetic justice. Keep in mind, we only hear from the husband's perspective that his wife is a cold gold digger, hmmm do you expect a philander to say oh my wife loves me and tries to be a good wife, but I'm just over her and the whole wife & kids thing.

I don't believe they should have died for their betrayal, but he wanted his employee's fiancé enough to suggest she leave him, and she wanted another women's husband---the did get the till death do us part.

Barbara Bel Geddes and Michael Rennie shine in "The Foghorn" ep of "Alfred Hitchcock Presents"

[tavm · 8/10 · 25 July 2012]

In this ep of "Alfred Hitchcock Presents", Hitch is seen taking water out of a rowboat he is sitting in. It's held up by some stilts. The actual story concerns Barbara Bel Geddes, a young woman engaged to someone who seems more interested in making money than her. At the engagement party, she meets Michael Rennie and they both seem enchanted by each other at first sight. But it turns out he's married...The two stars are quite compelling to watch as they trade their innermost thoughts despite the circumstances of their pairing. Of course, this being a Hitchcock show, there's a twist that makes this quite tragic but also beautiful in spite of that. Really, I don't want to say anymore except that I recommend "The Foghorn" as a quite very good ep of "Alfred Hitchcock Presents".

Good Script and Wonderful Actress

[rs1-6 · 9/10 · 11 December 2011]

First, I must admit I am a great admirer of Barbara Bel Geddes. I think it's her peaceful voice. I have been watching every episode of this Hitchcock series and, so far, this is my favorite story. A tale of two lovers, perfectly matched, but forbidden to consummate their love because of a previous marriage and a spouse unwilling to release her husband. The relationship, however, prevails almost flowing with poignancy. There is the inevitable and tragic happening which we do not fully understand until the very end (typical for Hitchcock stories). I agree with a previous commentator who notes the inaccuracy of the synopsis. However, I disagree with his/her saying the "payoff" was inadequate. I found the ending a fascinating and unexpected twist.

I didn't enjoy this one in the least.

[planktonrules · 4/10 · 1 April 2021]

Aside from some nice acting from a couple very good actors (Barbara Bel Geddes and Michael Rennie), I can't see a lot of reason to watch this poor installment of "Alfred Hitchcock Presents"....mostly because there really is not Hitchcockian twist...just a pathetic and awful ending that left me depressed and not wanting more!

The story begins on the night of. Lucia's engagement party. During the course of the night, she meets a guy named. Allen and she's captivated by him...so much so that she realizes she's marrying the wrong man. Soon she and Allen begin spending a lot of time together but ultimately he tells her that he's already married! Is this the sad twist? Nah...but it does end of a pathetically sad note.

Well acted...but pretty unpleasant and tough to love.

Their Love Was Not Unrequited!

[CherCee · 8/10 · 7 February 2018]

Unrequited means you love someone but the person doesn't doesn't love you back, your love is unrequited (unreturned). They did love each other. Their love was, however, star-crossed.

Fogged In

[dballtwo · 5/10 · 24 January 2021]

Pretty poor stuff for a Hitchcock show, though since his TV production team cranked out 30 or so episodes per season some duds were bound to go off. Two fine performers like Rennie and Bel Geddes are wasted mouthing some of the tritest dialogue that ever came out of a typwriter. In fact, this desperate venture looks and sounds like a cheap romance paperback cut back to 25 minutes of screen time. Hitchcock made it up to Bel Geddes the same year by casting her in her greatest movie role, in "Vertigo."

A different sort of episode

[sheepandsharks · 8/10 · 18 December 2023]

This isn't the typical AHP episode. There isn't a mystery or crime... Just a slow love story that keeps us wondering where it's going. To my surprise, I quite enjoyed it.

The 2 leads are both charming to watch and have a lot of chemistry. Their conversations are even quite interesting to listen to. The episode does get a little maudlin at times, but not enough to ruin it.

I had no idea how this one was going to end, and I think they nailed it. There is a bit of a Hitchcockian "Psycho" moment after our big reveal where they have a character unnecessarily spell things out, but *shrug* what can ya do?

The Fog of Love.

[rmax304823 · 5/10 · 19 May 2012]

SPOILER: It occurs to me after watching a dozen or so episodes from the boxed set that some of them aren't what anyone would call inspired. I don't mean this one necessarily, but some others are pretty flat.

This episode isn't uninteresting. Barbara Belgeddes is always appealing in a winsome way, not quite Hollywood gorgeous but intimating good breeding. Sounds like she went to Bryn Mawr or someplace.

She's engaged to a dull bulb but drops him when she meets Michael Rennie at a formal ball. He waltzes her around and takes her out on the balcony for a chat in the fog. She's in his thrall as this tall, handsome man goes on about sailing to The Fortunate Isles.

She drops her fiancé and has an affair with the married Rennie. They frequently meet in a Chinese restaurant and go sailing. On one of their trips they are rammed in the fog by a freighter, Rennie is killed, and Begeddes survives -- beyond which medical discretion forbids me to go.

I don't know why the writers of this series sometimes seemed so sloppy. The city in which the story takes place -- fog, fog horns, Chinatown -- is obviously San Francisco and Belgeddes even makes a reference to Angels Island (presumably "Angel" Island). But why not invest a slender, half-hour drama like this with a sense of place? Name some streets. Introduce some local color. At least name the CITY. Have the loving couple stand at the foot of Telegraph Hill looking up at the phallic Coit Tower and have Michael Rennie observe off-handedly, "Did you know, my dear, that the name of Coit Tower has absolutely nothing to do with coitus?" Why not pluck the low-hanging fruit?