The best that can be said for this episode from the old Kraft Suspense Theatre anthology series is that it plays like a theatrical release rather than a cheap TV concoction. Beautifully photographed, making good use of the Universal back lot and stock footage of Italy, with a surprisingly good musical score and excellent sound quality. An American expatriate (Young) who is a penniless sculptor takes up with a wealthy married American (Foch) on holiday and her young, spoiled daughter (Crawford, a Tippi Hedrin lookalike and the producer's daughter). Tragedy predictably ensues, and the ending has a nice twist. Peter Lorre, who died shortly after filming this, plays the sculptor's roommate. This was made around the same time Lorre starred in Roger Corman's "The Raven." Not much suspense, but a Hitchcockian feel should keep up your interest. And be sure to check out the ladies' various costumes, hairdos, headgear and bathing apparel. They're to die for. Die laughing, that is.
4 Reviews
Daphne...a woman with issues.
planktonrules5 October 2015
This story is set along the Italian Riviera. A rich American lady, Sarah (Nina Foch), and her daughter, Daphne (Katherine Crawford), are BOTH interested in the same man--a handsome sculptor named Hugo (Gig Young). When Daphne believes that he wants her mother and not her, she decides to do something really naughty. What? And how does Frederick (Peter Lorre) figure into all this?
I generally liked this episode. Daphne was a wonderfully complex and evil young lady---and she was very entertaining. My only reservation is that the ending seemed only okay. Still, compared to most modern shows, this is a heck of a lot better.
I generally liked this episode. Daphne was a wonderfully complex and evil young lady---and she was very entertaining. My only reservation is that the ending seemed only okay. Still, compared to most modern shows, this is a heck of a lot better.
How to pick up girls and keep them
kapelusznik1822 September 2015
Warning: Spoilers
***SPOILERS*** Put into police custody for suspicion of murder pretty Daphne Middleton, Katherine Crawford, has a lot to answer to and knows it but the person she supposedly murdered isn't the one she's suspected of murdering. For some reason Frederick Bergen, Peter Lorre, is at the police station checking in on Daphne's situation as if he want's to help. It turns out that he has other ideas in mind and, with Daphne in deep sh*t, plans to put them into action.
It all started quite innocently a few weeks earlier when Daphne and her mom Sarah Middleton, Nina Foch, met handsome free love enthusiast and sculptor Hugo Myrich, Gig Young, at their hotel swimming pool who made a play for them looking to have a free for all romance with mother & daughter. It turns out that after bedding down Mrs, Middleton, who seems to be estranged form her husband, the hot in his pants Hugo went after the much younger and prettier Daphene as well. Everything is just fine and groovy for Hugo until Daphne learns that he's romantically involved with her mom as well as herself! That has Daphne throw a fit and have Hugo meet her at Frederick Bergen's pad on the Riviera for lunch, with Bergen doing the cooking,and talk things over. As it turns out Hugo after telling Daphne just how much he loves her, which she knows is a pile of BS, pushes him off the guard tower to his death bellow in the choppy Mediterranean Sea.
****SPOILERS**** Getting back home to tell momma the news Daphne is shocked to find out that she's in a deep state of depression in that the late Hugo left her a "Dear Sarah" letter telling her that he doesn't love her anymore and is taking off to Paris France to chill out! It doesn't take long for Sarah to do herself in, with a bottle of sleeping pills, and her daughter Daphne, who's pills momma did herself in with, to become the #1 suspect in her death! It's here were we find out what Bergen-who seems so out of place-has to do in all this. And it's in him blackmailing Daphne, who's some 30 years younger then him, to marry him or else's he'll spill the beans, not sleeping pills, in her being responsible in Hugo's murder: With an arm load of evidence to prove it!
P.S Even though with a fate worse then death facing her in marrying the messed up looking Bergen which 30 years behind bars, in being convicted in Hugo's murder, would have been a great improvement Daphne did get a lucky brake in the end. That in Bergen or Peter Lorre who played him having passed away, very probably during sex with her, six months later from a massive heart attack! That made her stay with him that he expected to last 30 to 40 years far more bearable.
It all started quite innocently a few weeks earlier when Daphne and her mom Sarah Middleton, Nina Foch, met handsome free love enthusiast and sculptor Hugo Myrich, Gig Young, at their hotel swimming pool who made a play for them looking to have a free for all romance with mother & daughter. It turns out that after bedding down Mrs, Middleton, who seems to be estranged form her husband, the hot in his pants Hugo went after the much younger and prettier Daphene as well. Everything is just fine and groovy for Hugo until Daphne learns that he's romantically involved with her mom as well as herself! That has Daphne throw a fit and have Hugo meet her at Frederick Bergen's pad on the Riviera for lunch, with Bergen doing the cooking,and talk things over. As it turns out Hugo after telling Daphne just how much he loves her, which she knows is a pile of BS, pushes him off the guard tower to his death bellow in the choppy Mediterranean Sea.
****SPOILERS**** Getting back home to tell momma the news Daphne is shocked to find out that she's in a deep state of depression in that the late Hugo left her a "Dear Sarah" letter telling her that he doesn't love her anymore and is taking off to Paris France to chill out! It doesn't take long for Sarah to do herself in, with a bottle of sleeping pills, and her daughter Daphne, who's pills momma did herself in with, to become the #1 suspect in her death! It's here were we find out what Bergen-who seems so out of place-has to do in all this. And it's in him blackmailing Daphne, who's some 30 years younger then him, to marry him or else's he'll spill the beans, not sleeping pills, in her being responsible in Hugo's murder: With an arm load of evidence to prove it!
P.S Even though with a fate worse then death facing her in marrying the messed up looking Bergen which 30 years behind bars, in being convicted in Hugo's murder, would have been a great improvement Daphne did get a lucky brake in the end. That in Bergen or Peter Lorre who played him having passed away, very probably during sex with her, six months later from a massive heart attack! That made her stay with him that he expected to last 30 to 40 years far more bearable.
Katherine Crawford shines in a fine romantic thriller
lor_7 October 2023
Perfect casting of Gig Young, Nia Foch and Peter Lorre makes for a memorable and very satisfying sophisticated drama from Kraft Suspense Theatre, a pearl in the career of eclectic director Irvin Kershner, whose work includes an all-time favorite of mine "The Hoodlum Priest".
But the secret weapon here is casting Katherine Crawford in what turns out to be the lead role, playing Foch's daughter and Gig's lover in a full-bodied, quite varied performance. She goes from a flighty, nouveau riche ingenue into a much darker and complex character and closely resembles the prototype of a Hitchcock heroine of the era. Watching the show 60 years after it was broadcast, I thought how easily it would be to imagine her playing Hitch's lead in both "The Birds" and "Marnie". Her limited TV career is unfortunate, but she had the distinction (and obvious career-affecting status) of being daughter of a prominent TV producer and wife of a top-rank movie studio executive.
Very sophisticated story of jealousy has a terrific climax mid-way through and a wonderful, perfectly dark ending.
But the secret weapon here is casting Katherine Crawford in what turns out to be the lead role, playing Foch's daughter and Gig's lover in a full-bodied, quite varied performance. She goes from a flighty, nouveau riche ingenue into a much darker and complex character and closely resembles the prototype of a Hitchcock heroine of the era. Watching the show 60 years after it was broadcast, I thought how easily it would be to imagine her playing Hitch's lead in both "The Birds" and "Marnie". Her limited TV career is unfortunate, but she had the distinction (and obvious career-affecting status) of being daughter of a prominent TV producer and wife of a top-rank movie studio executive.
Very sophisticated story of jealousy has a terrific climax mid-way through and a wonderful, perfectly dark ending.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
