I watch both Alfred Hitchcock series and never feel like rolling my eyes and thinking storylines like this one are on par with an after school special. So yeah, you're dealing with well told stories but you aren't being preached to. It's a magic that seems lost in today's times imo.
So this episode deals with a lady that's got a problem. It's true there's times I laugh at some of the prices mentioned on these old series (one example takes place from a few episodes ago when a character played by Phyllis Thaxter is told by her husband to get an estimate for a plumbing issue and the amount of 10 dollars is thrown out) I realize that more than likely was an accurate price scale for that time period but the amount seems comical in 2022. I really like the amount of money the lady owed her bookie. 26.50 isn't a large amount of money but I also think it shows how even a small amount of money can turn into a big problem if you keeping adding to that amount and losing.
Fran's husband knows she's got a problem. I reference what I said on my 'Sylvia' review that a lot of parents/guardians will keep trying to help their child instead of washing their hands of the whole affair. I called the behavior realistic but I can also flip the coin over and see Fran's husband is being realistic on the flip side. Fran's husband isn't a mean man, he's just fed up with all this and flat out tells Fran it's gonna be over if he finds out she's gambling again. The storyline doesn't mention how long Fran's been gambling and just how much she's lost previously.
Fran goes through a lot in this episode. She's got her husband's threats of their marriage being over and she's gotta come up with the money she owes her bookie before her husband gets home from work. She gets to a bus stop and she pretends like she doesn't have any money for bus fair and she asks various people for change in order to supposedly get her bus fair. She manages to stay out there long enough to get about 5 dollars worth in change. That's nowhere near enough and time's running out quickly!
Fran decides to try and shoplift a sterling silver compact but she gets caught supposedly by a man that's in charge of security. Fran ends up in the car with this man and he wants to put the moves on her. He's waving around a 20 dollar bill while this is going on. He ends up wrecking the car but Fran's okay enough to shakily get out of the car and go back home. She left her things behind in the car because she was so shook up. Cops trail her to her home to give her back her purse. The stolen compact is returned to Fran but she tells the men the compact isn't hers and to take it back. The men also mistakenly thought the 20 found on the floor of the car belonged to her but Fran stays quiet about that because that 20 is enough to pay back what she owes to her bookie. The bookie gets paid back and she tells him she's through making bets. Perhaps Fran got scared straight by her close call? Nope. The end of the episode features her talking to her husband on the phone and how he's off to Washington for business. This ends up setting Fran up for another gambling spree as she had caught notice of a horse to bet for in the newspaper called Washington Flyer. So she's on the phone placing another bet as the episode ends.
That ending isn't played for laughs imo. It's not an ending that makes you chuckle and say 'There she goes again!!' It's honestly an ending that's painful and realistic. My guess is there's lots of people in this world that are going through stuff, they're being warned that you're gonna lose everything if you keep this up. Fran's addiction is a sickness and if there had been a part two to this episode, well, Fran more than likely wouldn't have had a happy ending.
I know I'm getting long winded, I just truly enjoy these stories and they're so well told. Would highly recommend this episode and would especially recommend if you're a Little House on the Prairie' fan. Fran is played by the lady that ends up playing Charles Ingalls mother. Fran's husband will end up playing Lars Hansen and the bookie will end up playing the head of the blind school that Mary went to after losing her sight.
So this episode deals with a lady that's got a problem. It's true there's times I laugh at some of the prices mentioned on these old series (one example takes place from a few episodes ago when a character played by Phyllis Thaxter is told by her husband to get an estimate for a plumbing issue and the amount of 10 dollars is thrown out) I realize that more than likely was an accurate price scale for that time period but the amount seems comical in 2022. I really like the amount of money the lady owed her bookie. 26.50 isn't a large amount of money but I also think it shows how even a small amount of money can turn into a big problem if you keeping adding to that amount and losing.
Fran's husband knows she's got a problem. I reference what I said on my 'Sylvia' review that a lot of parents/guardians will keep trying to help their child instead of washing their hands of the whole affair. I called the behavior realistic but I can also flip the coin over and see Fran's husband is being realistic on the flip side. Fran's husband isn't a mean man, he's just fed up with all this and flat out tells Fran it's gonna be over if he finds out she's gambling again. The storyline doesn't mention how long Fran's been gambling and just how much she's lost previously.
Fran goes through a lot in this episode. She's got her husband's threats of their marriage being over and she's gotta come up with the money she owes her bookie before her husband gets home from work. She gets to a bus stop and she pretends like she doesn't have any money for bus fair and she asks various people for change in order to supposedly get her bus fair. She manages to stay out there long enough to get about 5 dollars worth in change. That's nowhere near enough and time's running out quickly!
Fran decides to try and shoplift a sterling silver compact but she gets caught supposedly by a man that's in charge of security. Fran ends up in the car with this man and he wants to put the moves on her. He's waving around a 20 dollar bill while this is going on. He ends up wrecking the car but Fran's okay enough to shakily get out of the car and go back home. She left her things behind in the car because she was so shook up. Cops trail her to her home to give her back her purse. The stolen compact is returned to Fran but she tells the men the compact isn't hers and to take it back. The men also mistakenly thought the 20 found on the floor of the car belonged to her but Fran stays quiet about that because that 20 is enough to pay back what she owes to her bookie. The bookie gets paid back and she tells him she's through making bets. Perhaps Fran got scared straight by her close call? Nope. The end of the episode features her talking to her husband on the phone and how he's off to Washington for business. This ends up setting Fran up for another gambling spree as she had caught notice of a horse to bet for in the newspaper called Washington Flyer. So she's on the phone placing another bet as the episode ends.
That ending isn't played for laughs imo. It's not an ending that makes you chuckle and say 'There she goes again!!' It's honestly an ending that's painful and realistic. My guess is there's lots of people in this world that are going through stuff, they're being warned that you're gonna lose everything if you keep this up. Fran's addiction is a sickness and if there had been a part two to this episode, well, Fran more than likely wouldn't have had a happy ending.
I know I'm getting long winded, I just truly enjoy these stories and they're so well told. Would highly recommend this episode and would especially recommend if you're a Little House on the Prairie' fan. Fran is played by the lady that ends up playing Charles Ingalls mother. Fran's husband will end up playing Lars Hansen and the bookie will end up playing the head of the blind school that Mary went to after losing her sight.