"The Alfred Hitchcock Hour" Thou Still Unravished Bride (TV Episode 1965) Poster

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7/10
Has a London serial killer struck again?
snicewanger11 February 2015
An attempt to echo Jack the Ripper to London of the 1960's. A solid cast is wasted by a long and overdrawn script by the usually reliable Morton Fine. This episode would have worked much better in a half hour format. As it is David Carridine comes through with a creepy performance as a "person of interest" in a string of murders of young women in the historic city. Sally Kellerman before her "Hot Lips" O'Houlihan persona was created specialized in playing lovely,intelligent,but neurotic young women such as Sally Benner in this particular episode. There are some really talented character actors appearing in this story. Kent Smith, Virginia Gregg and Howard Caine all just stand around with nothing to do. Aussie actors Ron Randall and Michael Pate portray a couple of London police detectives investigating the events and trying to locate Kellerman, who happens to be Randall's reluctant fiancé.Unfortunately they both seem to be just going through the motions. Ted Bessell has a brief turn as another possible suspect and the delightful Alan Napier and Ida Lupino's cousin Richard Lupino have a comedic bit as a chemist and his dimwit son. In the end, it's Carridine and Kellerman who make this episode worth a watch.
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6/10
Marriage Can be Murder
jackbuckley-0504927 December 2020
This episode, set in the contemporary-London of the mid-1960's, is atmospheric & manages to maintain interest. I won't rehash the plot but the story offers a good-premise, populated by a number of vaguely familiar TV-faces from years-ago. The reason I enjoyed it, despite the snail's-pace, is that I'm a sucker for stories set in London, especially ones involving the policemen of Scotland Yard, their stoicism & calm-logic. It's real-appeal for me, though, were the frequent-references to 3 of the most-famous British-poets of the Romantic Age, i.e., Keats, Shelley, and Byron, snippets of their work occasionally heard throughout, primarily by poetry-obsessed Kellerman. My favorite-scene was where she visits a quaint streetside-shop that sells rare-books, prevailing-upon its, much-older-than-she, owner, the ever-reliable, veteran-radio & TV character-actor Ben Cross, I think, to read passages of Keats to her. He later admits to the police of his having been somewhat-stirred by the American-lady's attractiveness. Yes, it's overlong & slow-enough to truly try one's patience but, ironically, I never felt bored. Eventually, one really wants to see how things turn-out, despite the episode's plot & pacing-flaws. Although not everyone's cup-of-tea, I, for one, liked it!
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5/10
"Some women are never meant for marriage".
classicsoncall18 January 2023
Warning: Spoilers
This episode appears to be universally hated by most of the other reviewers here. I can't really disagree, since most of the characters hanging around bemoaning the fact that Sally Benner (Sally Kellerman) wasn't showing up for her own wedding were tedious and boring. And why were Sally and Tommy Bonn (Ron Randell) getting married anyway? There was no genuine chemistry between them, with both questioning the idea of marriage altogether. So when Sally decided to take a walk in the streets of London to 'be alone for the last time', knowing there's a strangler lurking in the immediate neighborhood, it didn't make a whole lot of sense. By going into the 'Hook and Wine' pub, it looked like the set up was established for creepy Edward Clarke (David Carradine) to deliver on the story's premise that Sally would be the next victim. As fate would have it, Sally did return to her parents' apartment, while Edward led the authorities to the scene of a crime he admitted to, after dropping hints that he could lead them to another victim. What!!??

For sheer morbid pleasure, probably the best part of this episode occurred when Sally found herself walking near Sutherland's book shop with a recording bellowing out into the street. Obviously referencing the recent strangling murders in the vicinity, an enterprising song writer came up with the words: "Nothing could make me feel so bad, as to see you stretched on a marble slab". Comforting thought, wasn't it?
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Promises More Than Delivers
dougdoepke30 October 2015
Unfortunately, the hour promises more than it delivers. A series of strangulation murders of 30-ish women has occurred on the streets of London. Investigating officer Tommy (Randell) is scheduled to marry Sally (Kellerman) that evening. Family and friends have gathered for the big event. Trouble is 30-ish Sally has gotten cold feet and decide to walk about London on her wedding day. When ceremony time draws near but she hasn't returned, guests begin to worry, especially Tommy who's afraid she's fallen prey to the strangler.

The lead-up is pretty talky and slow, but producers have cast some eccentric characters to keep up interest. Goateed Elliot (Bessell) appears kind of a flake, while Edward (Carradine) lurks around the streets of London. Of course, the premise of a serial strangler grabs viewers right away. With a big cast of veteran actors (e.g. Gregg, Smith, Pate et al.), there's a cast of potential suspects, though why any could or should be suspects isn't evident. Anyway, the reveal for me, at least, was disappointing, lagging in the usual dose of series irony or imagination. But maybe the familiar faces will be enough.
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2/10
unconvincing and dull despite 2 future stars
HEFILM15 August 2013
One of the series few real duds.

There is never a sense of urgency to this episode and much padding. They story means to build tension by cutting from a room of 6 or more people waiting for The Bride, Kellerman, who is out for a walk, to return. But it's just a slog, we keep cutting to and seeing that the Bride is in no danger at all so the 6 people thinking and talking endlessly about how she is, builds no tension at all and this goes on for what feels like half the show! None of the 6 friends and relatives are interesting either they are sort of bores really and one character seems to be set up as a possible oddball murder suspect, but he can't, for various reasons be the serial killer at large, so this is just useless too.

Kellerman does what she can with the role, which is almost nothing and she's too young for the part of a woman almost too old to get married, if we believe what the script tells us. She also has no chemistry with her leading man--who has no chemistry with anyone in the episode either, and she has some preposterous lines talking about her love of "poetry" and being "alone for the last time." Even more strangely, her cop fiancé and his cop partner, seem the least bit interested or concerned about her, even when they finally do go out to look for her. These two characters are really poorly acted and written.

So when the episode is mostly filled with people we don't like or care about being worried about something we know they shouldn't be, and then when the police take over and they don't seem at all in a hurry to save the day or deeply worried.... Why then should the audience give a damn either? You don't.

In fact, none of the actors are convincingly English and not much of it really looks like it takes place in London, which is a big proble. The direction is flat, despite some nice foggy street exteriors. David Carradine is good as a creepo--though as an Enlish creepo? And he should have a had larger role and been introduced sooner. I guess he's sort of "doing" Peter Lorre but he does it well.

The pay off to the episode is botched as well. Nice reuse of Herrmann music adds some tension in a few spots but can't overcome flat direction, performances and slow slow pace.

A few minor comic bits work best, one with real Englishman, who most will recognize and Alfred the Butler from the TV Batman series, and the very good Hitch wrap around, involving a giant suggestion box.
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1/10
Horrifically Pointless
rbidasio8 September 2020
Plodding, stuffy fiasco disguised as a would-be tribute to Shelley, Keats, and Lord Byron clouded foggy by a dozen or so poorly acted characters and the premise of a wedding we are unable to care about in the most excruciating hour possible. A stinking clunker most fowl tied for worst AHH episode ever. You will consider strangling yourself just to make it end.
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2/10
Boarrr-ing ! Weak waste of film..
ronnybee21128 September 2020
I have to agree with other reviewers on this episode of AHH. It really stinks. It is pointless,plodding, and boring. It is hard to care about anyone or anything in this ridiculous episode,it just drags on and on while the viewer waits ín vain for the pace and plot to pick up. There is not enough material here to fill 30 mínutes,so at 60 minutes it is unbearably dull and plodding. This has to be the weakest AHH episode yet. See how many times this weird lady mentions her age,it is just dumb. Listen to the lady's family wonder and worry where she is for most of the whole show,when all the while she is out wandering around right before her wedding. It is excruciatingly dull. Luckily this episode is an anomaly,most other episodes are pretty good. I am back to add this. Possibly the funniest part of the show is when the unravished bride wanders around town and happens to go near a bar with an open door. The song playing is utterly hilarious,sung with the deepest,thickest English accent you've heard in awhile! 🎵Downt gow out at noit,pretty buy-bee...🎵 Downt gow out at noit ! It would make muh feel oh-so- bad, Pretty buy-bee ! 🎶 To see you on a marble slab,Pretty buy-bee !🎵...
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8/10
HOLY SMOKES. WHAT A CAST!
tcchelsey26 July 2023
True, it's slow and reviewers have not been too kind about the story, however.... this cast is something to behold. This was an actors reunion if there ever was one.

David Friedkin directed, who also was working on I SPY at the time, and to his credit handled many tv westerns. We have a typical Hitchcock story at play here, all about a Jack the ripper type loose on the foggy streets, and a man who is about to be married looking for his missing bride to be --who vanished into this air. Yes, it doesn't quite jive as to why the man's wife would take a stroll one night with a killer loose... but sit back and watch this cast at work. It is amazing.

I haven't seen this episode in decades, but remember it for a solid cast, in the tradition of pointing out the famous faces. Topping the list is veteran Kent Smith as Mr. Benner, remembered for many classic films of the 40s, such as NORA PRENTISS. Noted stage actress Edith Atwater plays Mrs. Benner, who was married in real life to Smith.

European actor Ron Randell plays Tommy and veteran tv actress Virginia Gregg plays Mrs. Seflin.

Doris Lloyd, who appeared so many classic silent and sound films, plays mother.

As for the younger co-stars; Academy Award nominee Sally Kellerman (MASH) plays Sally and there's two future tv stars, David Carradine and Ted Bessel. Kellerman would actually gain fame not too long after this episode, appearing in THE BOSTON STRANGLER. There are a few additional familiar faces that have graced both movie and tv screens also.

It's up to the viewer, but I give it 8 stars for a note worthy cast who make it very interesting, and the moody music is quite effective, as usual. A Hitchcock fan no matter what.

FROM SEASON 3 EPISODE 22.
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2/10
Major Hochstetter is Don Hollinger's father?
FlushingCaps26 December 2020
Warning: Spoilers
A woman is lying dead on the street in London with two policeman on hand, talking about how this continues a series of stocking strangulation murders that began when one of the two cops was on his vacation trip to the US. Moments later, that cop is being congratulated as this is to be his wedding day, and he is getting married to a woman he met on the boat trip back home. Comments made let us know that his bride matches each of the murder victims in age--thirtyish.

Next we see the couple talking in a public park, even though both believe it bad luck to see each other before the ceremony, they arranged to meet anyhow. The dialogue between them really makes us wonder why they want to get married so soon after they met. At one point, Tommy seems about to hug Sally, but she stops him, insisting it's really bad luck to touch the bridge before the wedding.

At her family's hotel-she came across with her parents-she tells her mother that "Tommy tried to touch me," as though that was quite alarming. Now the mother took it calmly, but the tone of the way it was said truly suggests something that would give cause for alarm. I think four times inside two minutes, Sally mentions that she's 31 years old-to her mother, who already knew that, of course.

Sally seems like someone who needs regular appointments with a psychiatrist. It is apparently early afternoon, with a wedding planned for 8 o'clock that night, and she announces she's going out for a walk because it'll be the last chance she has to go anywhere all by herself. She doesn't say as a single person, which again suggests that Tommy has told her he'll never leave her side once they get married, or perhaps, she isn't to leave their home without him-now this notion never developed, I'm simply saying that their strange dialogue made me wonder why she'd phrase it that awkward way.

Before she goes out, the family welcomes some invited wedding guests-people they met on the ship, a couple with a grown son. This trio consists of familiar TV veterans. The mother is Virginia Gregg, best known for being almost a regular on Dragnet, both 50s and 60s versions, playing a different role each time. The father is Howard Caine, known as Major Hochstetter on Hogan's Heroes. Their son is played by Ted Bessell, Ann Marie's Donald on That Girl.

Most of this episode has us going back and forth. We see Sally wandering aimlessly about town, visiting a book store where the proprietor reads a poem to her, among other stops. Back at the hotel, everyone seems quite concerned that Sally hasn't made it back and the wedding hour is approaching. Oddly enough, nobody even suggests going out and trying to find her.

Thanks to the bearded Ted Bessell, they are well aware of the stocking murders, but only the girl's mother expresses any thoughts that that might have happened.

Sally visits a pub, seemingly oblivious to the time and that everyone will be wondering where she is, and meets a rather scary guy played by David Carradine (Kung Fu).

Finally Tommy and his partner show up (the partner is to be best man). They take forever to get started, talking far too long, but finally they go out looking for Sally.

What's wrong with this episode is that there is way too much boring talk, including the poetry and the awkward dialogue between the engaged folks. Sally was so spacy, and so rude as to not consider anyone else's feelings on her extra-long walk as she tried to sort out whether or not she wanted to get married.

I get that for a wedding planned for months, you would hate to postpone it if you have doubts. But this wedding has been in the works for only a few days, at most. Nobody would have been really troubled-most loved ones would have, if asked, recommended that you not marry someone you've only known a couple of weeks or less.

In any of these Hitchcock shows, we are, of course, trying to guess who the stocking murderer is. But there are really no suspects, not until Sally hits the pub near the end of the episode. Tommy's partner tells him about how the first one happened while he was in the States, eliminating Tommy. His partner could have been a candidate, but after that first scene, he wasn't on camera again until they were looking for Sally and we never got a hint that he did anything unusual. Ted Bessell could have been a suspect, he was a strange character, but he was on the boat while the first murders were committed, same as all the others at the hotel.

So it was just a real snorefest, I think the worst of Hitchcock's TV series episodes I ever saw. We really had no reason to like the characters with the possible exception of Major Hochstetter, who seemed really eager to offer and pour drinks for everyone at the hotel as soon as they entered the room. Tommy and Sally did not at any time act like they cared for each other, that is, zero in the chemistry department. I took exception to Sally's father's comment favoring marriages when couples have just met. If Marriage was written up as a recipe, the main ingredient for a marriage that is likely to end in divorce would be marrying someone you have only known for a few days. 2 out of 10
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2/10
Head-Scratching
collings5002 January 2021
The characters at the hotel are so dreadfully unconvincing that it took most of the show for me to finally accept who they were. I kept thinking: "The guy who's supposed to be the fiance just CAN'T be the fiance and his friend and co-detective just CAN'T be his Best Man...I must be losing it." He is, he is...and, yes, I am. The only interesting thing about this one is is how it ever made it past the initial reading stage without being tossed back upon the slush pile. Either that, or covered with lime and buried deep-deep somewhere in the English countryside. A slow day in Hitchcock-land, obviously.
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2/10
So, there's a serial killer walking the streets so you decide to go for a long walk late at night.
planktonrules27 June 2021
"Thou Still Unravished Bride" is the third bad episode of "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour" in a row...evidence that perhaps the show had run out of good scripts and they were using previously rejected ones. This is the only way I can understand why they bothered making such a weak show.

Sally (Sally Kellerman) is about to get married but is having second thoughts. So, she decides to walk the streets of London late at night...even though there has been a spate of recent murders of women by some serial killer! Now that really makes sense, doesn't it? But there are a couple other things that conspire to make this a very weak episode. First, there are three characters who are just plain weird....and in your lifetime you'd never meet more than one like any of these three. Elliott, Edward and the shopkeeper's son all vie for the title of "Most Obviously Demented" in the show. Second, the show has barely enough material for a half hour episode, so to pad it (heavily) the characters mostly sit around an apartment talking and talking and talking about what may or may have happened to Sally! Overall, an incredibly bad episode....which is sad because the show could be very good.
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2/10
So, so bad
jamcdaid8 September 2020
Never saw a TV episode in which every single character is creepy, and pointlessly creepy at that. Never been to England, and now I'm glad. The other reviewers have it 100% correct.
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10/10
Another of My Hitchcock Favorites!
aehome101 October 2023
Warning: Spoilers
After reading the reviews of this episode I think the viewers are missing one important point in this episode. Rather than bemoaning a steadily paced story line, one may have overlooked an important facet of early 1960's t.v. This episode is, in part, a throwback to 1950's television theater, circa 1964-'65. The BEST part of the episode was the interaction between the family and friends within the hotel room. The parents and wedding guests had a palpable interaction amongst themselves in one room! I loved the writer's forethought in letting each character within the room fully develop his/her role! This technique is EXACTLY the way early t.v. Drama shows played out in the '50's. I wish I could have been a fly on the wall of the hotel room scenes, during the filming of the hotel room scenes just to feel the mood of the worried family and guests as they each had an opinion about the whereabouts of the missing bride Sally. Caradine's role as Edward Clarke (with a hint of a British accent) must have been a career launching role as Caradine's character depicted the soft-spoken "psychopath" who ended up revealing his mental illness to Tommy, the detective (and bridegroom) . The plot also involved adding other would-be suspects in order to build the suspense and send the viewer into a true detective story mindset. Each of the would-be suspects easily appearing to be mildly insane in his own way. The bridegroom Tommy is to be commended for handily investigating a disappearing bride-to-be who is in fact, HIS bride-to-be. While others may find this episode to be one that plods along, I think the episode allowed time for character development which was cleverly designed by the writer - hardly seen in modern t.v.
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2/10
Can't Get Much Worse
Hitchcoc1 June 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Sally Kellerman is quite attractive. Her character is a tiresome dolt. She loves Romantic Poetry. On her wedding night, to a guy she barely knows, she goes for a walk while all the people involved in the wedding sit around. She is marrying a cop and yet he waits around for about three hours before checking on her whereabouts. She portrays a sort of self centered intellectual with her head in the clouds. She should have called Jack the Ripper to see if she could have dinner with him. As a matter of fact, for all her bravado, she could easily have died at the hand of the serial killer. Don't even think about this. It's so stupid, it deserves nothing. Oh, by the way. Watch Ted Bessel. He is terrible in this.
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