"Tales from the Crypt" None But the Lonely Heart (1992)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Tom Hanks

Writers:

William M. Gaines (comic books)
Donald Longtooth (screenplay)

TV Series:

"Tales from the Crypt" (1989)

Original Air Date:

27 June 1992 (Season 4, Episode 1)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Plot:

A con-man (Treat Williams) who meets and marries rich old widows through a dating service, then murders them and takes the inheritance, finally gets the date of his dreams - the very worst of them.

Plot Keywords:

Macabre | Cult TV | Murder | Black Comedy | Dark Comedy

Cast

Henry Gibson	...	Stanhope
Tom Hanks	...	Baxter
John Kassir	...	Crypt Keeper (voice)
Gracia Lee	...	Mrs. Huntington
Sugar Ray Leonard	...	Gravedigger
Louise Lewis	...	Woman (as Louise Fitch)
Bibi Osterwald	...	Matilda
Edward Penn	...	Minister
Don Perry	...	Mr. Huntington
Constance Pfeifer	...	Elizabeth (as Constance Pfeiffer)
Clive Rosengren	...	Morty
Craig Shoemaker	...	Ray
Frances Sternhagen	...	Effie Gluckman
Treat Williams	...	Howard Prince

Runtime:

30 min

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Company:

Home Box Office (HBO)

Movie Connections:

Edited into Vault of Horror I (1994) (TV)

My absolute favorite Tales f/t Crypt-episode!!

For the first episode of the fourth season, HBO managed to trap no less than Tom Hanks into co-starring and even directing a wonderfully distasteful tale. Quite an effort because, even though Hanks debuted in horror (in a forgotten 80's slasher called "He Knows You're Alone"), he was mainly occupied with doing comedy and drama during the time this episode got released. "None but the Lonely Heart" is fantastic entertainment and features a lot of gore, delightful black humor and a truly splendid performance by Treat Williams. He plays smooth but utterly shifty Howard Prince who successfully entices lonely but very rich old widows before poisoning them & claiming the inheritance. Meanwhile, Howard surely doesn't hesitate to eliminate third parties that come too close to discovering his working methods. Granted, the plot outline is among of the oldest and most overused ones in cinema, but Hanks' approach to the subject matter is surprisingly raw and very comical. Howard's macabre intentions are so obvious and yet he appears to be so natural and reliable that even the most sober widow would fall for him. The hilariously grotesque finale is indescribably cool and the make-up effects are downright nauseating. Hanks himself stars as the contact person of a dating service and there are other supportive roles for Frances Sternhagen ("Misery", "Outland") and Sugar Ray Leonard as the mysterious gravedigger. If this episode happens to be your first acquaintance with the show, I guarantee you'll be a fan for life!