Alfred Hitchcock Presents (TV Series) Decoy (1956) User Reviews

This is another one that could have benefited from hour-long format

[cpotato1010 · 7/10 · 10 September 2019]

In the 30-minute format (less commercial and the intro and epilogue) this episode seem to be rushed.

The ending is also lacking, the police seem to break in at just the right time, with no real explanation as to how and why they got there.

The voice-over by Robert Horton seems to be an attempt at bringing an noir sensibility, but the rest of that is missing. Again, if it were an hour, maybe that could have been worked out.

Still, it was a good story, and I liked that Lieutenant Brandt actually listened to Gil, and did not try to railroad him into jail.

Something else that could have been fleshed out in a longer show would be that the image of Ben Cameron as wife-beater did not seem to square with how everyone else described him. I know that wife-beaters can present a good public face, while being a tyrant at home, but Gil either does not have any doubts, or they were not brought out via the voice-over. As it is, Gil's doubts seems only hinted at by Robert Horton's face as he is looking through the record collection in Mona's apartment.

Can't Trust Those Women

[Hitchcoc · 8/10 · 30 October 2008]

A pretty decent episode about a trusting man who becomes manipulated by a woman for whom he has only kindness. Because he sees a bruise on her arm, he jumps to the conclusion that this woman has been abused by her husband. She does nothing to dissuade him. Carrying a torch for her, he springs into action, not knowing that he has been set up. This plays nicely although we aren't always treated fairly by the script. To make things work, as is the case with so many of these kinds of presentations, it calls for some pretty formidable coincidences and fortuitous events. Nevertheless, the acting is good and it does grab one at the conclusion. It is an indictment of impulsiveness.

Ritchie! Ritchie! Don't!

[sol1218 · 6/10 · 29 April 2012]

***SPOILERS*** Going to confront big time theatrical agent Ben Cameron, David Orrick McDermon, in his office about him treating his wife Mona, Cara Williams, like a punching bag and who he was in love with pianist Gil Larkin, Robert Horton, is bopped from behind and put to sleep by an unknown and almost, we just get a glimpse of his face, unseen assailant. Waking up a minute later Gil finds Cameron shot to death with the murder weapon clutched in his hand! the guy was set up in Cameron's murder but who exactly did it! The only clue that Gil's has to who killed Cameron is the last words that Cameron said just before he was plugged: Ritchie! Ritchie! Don't! And the person who can proves Gil's innocence is the one Cameron was talking to on the phone at the time of his murder!

Trying to find the person on the other end of the phone has Gil check out a number of Cameron's clients only to come up with him hitting his head against a brick wall. It's the music that was being played on the other end of the phone line that was still on, the person for some reason didn't hang up after Cameron was killed, when Gil recovered and listened in that clued him into who not only Cameron was talking to at the time of his murder but who was the one who set Gil up to take the rap for it! It was Gil's honesty with the officer in charge of the murder investigation Police Let.Brandt,Philip Coolidge, that convinced him that Gil was innocent.

***SPOILERS*** It's now up to Gil to trapped those who had Cameron murdered by, like finding a needle in the haystack, finding the record that was played at the time of Camerons murder which his killer or the person who put out a contract on him unknowingly left playing! Not realizing that the phone was on with Gil listening in when it was being played! What this Alfred Hitchcock episode proved was that famous quote by P.T Barnon that "There's a sucker born every minute". But in this case the "Sucker" Gil Larkin ended up turning the tables on those who tried to sucker him into a murder that he didn't commit!

She Bruises Easily

[dougdoepke · 9 October 2009]

Average episode, but average for Hitchcock still means entertaining with a twist. Piano player and arranger Gil Larkin (Horton) has secret crush on song bird Mona Cameron (Williams). The trouble is she's married to a high-powered businessman, so Gil's left to pine away until he finds a bruise on Mona's arm. Convinced that husband is abusing her, he confronts Cameron in his office. There, however, he's slugged, and Cameron is shot by an unknown assailant. Now the cops will think Gil did it and he's got only a few hours to clear himself.

Gil's search is fairly suspenseful, but what I like is the effort to make it unusually colorful. His first stop is a Japanese Kabuki theatre— not exactly a staple of 50's programming—where the two interviewees argue tantalizingly in Japanese, while he's left to puzzle it out. Then, in deep contrast, he goes to a very 50's record hop, where the DJ (Mullaney) sounds like he's only one step away from the funny farm. Two very clever venues for TV of the day.

Horton was an early Hitchcock favorite. Nonetheless, the hunky actor is somewhat miscast as a muscular piano player, but is clearly on his way to bigger roles, which he would get on the long-running Wagon Train series. Mullaney was another early Hitch favorite, unsurprisingly, since he was adept at the kind of offbeat characters the series specialized in. Here his nervous giggle comes across as a neurotic defense mechanism and there's something satisfying in Gil's finally manhandling his giggly evasions. And, of course, there's Cara Williams who, along with Patricia Berry, seemed to have a monopoly on the archly feminine of the day. Anyway, it's an entertaining , if unmemorable, half-hour with a better-than-average Hitchcock epilogue.

"One murder a night is enough."

[classicsoncall · 6/10 · 2 August 2021]

I agree with another reviewer. After Gil Larkin (Robert Horton) came to from that bump on the noggin, he should have called the police without question. No murderer calls the cops to the scene of the crime and that would have been his saving grace. But after a couple of false leads, he's able to zero in on what really happened and the furtive scheme behind his frame-up. I have to admit, I was kind of embarrassed for Jack Mullaney portraying the goofy disc jockey in this one. He appeared to have more bats in his belfry than in the episode of the same name a few weeks prior during the series run. But just like the old lights out trick that was used so often in TV and films of the era, I had to marvel at the impeccable timing of the cops being right outside the door to make the save and apprehend the co-conspirators involved. It made for a pat resolution but seemed just too incredible.

As Hitch suggests stay tuned through a huge magnifying glass to the Coy!!!

[elo-equipamentos · 7/10 · 14 October 2022]

Hitch starts looking through magnifying glass suggesting to the viewers stay tuned about the story, also saying that the gorgeous dancing girls will appears in the end of the episode which one of them nowadays is married with a famous person of English aristocracy, with snarky British mood as always.

The Coy is about a musician Gil Larkin (Robert Horton) working with married singer Mona Cameron (Clara Williams) as composer nourishes a secret love with her, Larkin realizes some bruises in the Mona's arms, he asking for who done it, but Mona flees from this conversation, however letting a slight hint that his husband Ben Cameron (David Orrick) did it, thus Larkin is willing to face Ben about this, Mona disagrees but the jealous Larkin goes to the Ben's office to clarify, arriving there at early evening just finds the secretary and Ben at private office talking in phone with someone, upon entering in the office steeply when starts arguing with Ben an unknown guy behind Larkin shot Ben who yells "Ritchie" the murder hits Larkin's head, letting the gun at your hand to frame him.

He has two hours long before the dead body has been found by the janitor of shift night, through a note found at Ben desk Larkin tries out find there two names write in the note, by the end Hitch is back again making apologizes to the audience due the short time of the episode had to cut off the gorgeous dancing girls at final scene, Hitch did his usual tricks, fantastic!!

Thanks for reading.

Resume:

First watch: 2022 / Source: DVD / How many: 1 / Rating: 7.5.

Decoy for a murder

[TheLittleSongbird · 6/10 · 13 April 2022]

"Decoy" is another one of those 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' episodes with a quite interesting premise, especially if it is a type of story that is up your alley (like with me), but also one that is fairly familiar (with it sounding like the sort of story you'd see in an early Hitchcock film). My main reasons for seeing it were that it featured quite a few Hitchcock regulars and also to see all the episodes of 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents', which was of inconsistent but solid quality up to this point.

As far as the series and Season 1 go, "Decoy" is one of the middle of the pack outings. There are worse episodes on both counts (meaning of both the series and Season 1), but also a lot better likewise. This is an episode that is worth watching and is not a bad outing, there is just nothing special about it either. The premise intrigues, but "Decoy" could have done a good deal more with it. This is all personal taste though that will be agreed with by some but disagreed with by others.

While there are better looking episodes of 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' definitely, "Decoy" does have some nice slickness and atmosphere. Gounod's "Funeral March of a Marionette" is still made iconic use of for the main theme. When used, the music is suitably ominous without being over emphasised. Hitchcock's bookending is suitably dry humoured in both writing and delivery.

The script has some tautness and intelligence and the story has some nice suspense early on. The acting is very good from all, particularly from Robert Horton with touching Cara Williams close behind, and it is directed assuredly enough.

On the other hand, "Decoy" agreed would have benefitted from being longer. It did feel rushed and like there was too much crammed in, which meant that not everything had clarity and it could have had more depth. The suspense could have been more in the slightly too coincidence-heavy second half and personally did think that the ending was not that much of a surprise.

It is agreed too that the sets do look sparse and under-budgeted side.

Concluding, worth watching if unexceptional. Had good potential early on that wasn't carried all the way through. 6/10.

Decoy

[coltras35 · 6/10 · 23 September 2022]

Gil Larkin (Robert Horton)is suspected of murder when Mona Cameron's allegedly abusive husband is shot dead in front of him and he gets knocked out by an unknown assailant. He wakes up with a gun in his hand. He determined to find the real killer.

Fairly involving story that is competently made and well acted, especially by Wagon Train star Robert Horton. His depiction of a character trying to clear his name for murder is convincing. The finale ends things in a satisfactory manner. However the episode isn't too remarkable, and plods on at times. The Hitchcock introduction is amusing as ever with his dry humour.

Cara Williams

[jpd1-1 · 10/10 · 7 March 2007]

This is a wonderful episode - it proves that talent will out - I met Cara Williams recently at a screening of "The Defiant Ones" - I must say, I was star-struck. I've had a good career in film/TV, met many a star, but meeting Cara, well what can I say? Look at this episode - she plays truth itself. I gave her a kiss and a hug that night at the screening - she was so humble - and a bit embarrassed - and quite surprised I should consider her performance so wonderful. I only wish she had stayed in the business longer. It's just great to know she is still around, and by the way, looks fantastic! I wish she would consider getting back into the mainstream - take a shot at acting again - this kind of talent is in-born, not taught. She's an amazing woman with an amazing talent.

Why not phone the cops??????

[planktonrules · 4/10 · 19 February 2021]

When the story begins, a man is playing piano for a woman practicing a song. Gil notices that the lady has some bruises on her arm and asks her if her husband did that....and she eventually says yes. So, he storms over to the husband's office and is about to confront him when he's hit over the head and whoever did that then kills the husband...and leaving Gil to get the blame. But Gil soon recovers and does what folks often do in films (but NOT in real life), they try to solve the case themselves instead of calling the police. But after a while the police arrive....and he's got some 'splaining to do.

I hate the cliche used here....a man is set up to take the blame for murder but instead of contacting the police, they try to solve the crime. Is anyone really this dumb? And, as far as who was behind all this, I figured it out right away...so there wasn't all that much suspense. All in all, this really could have been much better...a lot better.

Overall, this would have been better as a police or detective program episode...not an installment of "Alfred Hitchcock Presents".

Look behind you!

[rmax304823 · 5/10 · 1 April 2012]

Robert Horton is the protagonist, and a Hollywood-style handsome one with a sincere but inflexible expression. From certain angles he resembles a cross between Efram Zimbalist, Jr., and Hugh Marlowe.

He's a nice guy, an accompanist who arranges tunes for a singer whom he likes from afar, what with her being married and everything. But the singer tells him her husband is a brute, always beating her. Here, just look at these bruises.

Offended, Horton goes to the husband's office to tell him off but before he can get a word out, the husband says, "Richard, don't!" Then somebody conks Horton on the back of the head and shoots the husband, leaving the gun in the hand of the unconscious Horton.

Horton comes to and instead of immediately calling the cops he begins a hasty investigation on his own. He has only one clue. Hubby was on the phone at the time of the assault and whoever he was talking to must have heard what happened. Horton tracks down the three names on hubby's desk.

This quest brings him into contact with a couple of crazy characters -- an uncooperative Japanese couple and one of those "Hey, Dadd-yo", disk jockeys. This is the kind of set-up often found in private eye flicks on the 1940s, in which Philip Marlowe or someone must question musicians, elevator operators, effete hair dressers, and whatnot. It all ends with a rather surprising twist, a sort of deus ex cop. Frank Gorshin appears briefly and has two lines.

If you watch enough of these episodes in sequence, as I've been doing, you begin to notice things about them. For instance, the budgets must have been really low and the tempo really fast. The sets are sparsely furnished. Nothing is shot outside. The paintings on the walls -- bullfighters or art deco horses with stylized manes -- are worse than what you'd find in a cheap motel room.