ALFRED HITCHCOCK HOUR, THE: THE PARAGON (TV)
Summary
One in this series of macabre dramas presided over by the "master of suspense," film director Alfred Hitchcock.
In this episode, Alice Pemberton experiences bizarre visions and nightmares while visiting her mother, but soon dismisses the incident and decides to return home ahead of schedule. After hectoring the maid, Ethel, about the state of the house, Alice finds a drug, hexitone, in her lawyer husband John's belongings. She visits her sister Madge, who admits that she has had to let her maid go for financial reasons. Alice greets her niece, who wishes to become a missionary thanks to her aunt's religious talk, and her nephew, whom Alice deems "a little bit sissy." She next visits her brother Leo and mentions her persistent cough; her other nephew, Colin, avoids the scene.
Back at home, Alice questions the cook about the evening's menu and then greets John, who asks forgiveness before reminding her that his work associate Mr. Norton is coming for dinner. He begs Alice not to give him any unwanted "advice." Despite her promise, Alice chatters incessantly at Mr. Norton, who uncomfortably notes that she is "a very unusual person" before leaving. Frustrated, John tells Alice that he is in need of new clients and her unwanted comments have made him look "feeble-minded" in front of his colleague; she brushes aside his concerns. Later, he pleads with her not to visit Walter, Madge's husband, knowing that she will try to "manage or save" their dire financial situation, and joking that he might just murder her if she continues her busybody ways.
Yet again, Alice ignores her husband's pleas and advises Walter about money; an increasingly angry Walter examines a medical textbook, which confirms that hexitone can cause hallucinations and even death in the event of an overdose. He then confronts Alice, telling her that she exploits other people's weaknesses, including Leo's lingering war wound, and has gradually alienated friends and family with her "deadly" and calculated behavior. Alice, apparently offended, reveals that she knows about Walter's former mistress; John tells her that exposing the secret would worsen her sister's already unhappy family life. Desperate, John suggests they move to Europe and start their lives anew. Alice scoffs at the idea. Later, Ethel brings Alice her evening cocoa, and it becomes clear that John has been secretly dosing her with the hexitone, leading to the strange nightmares. On this evening, he makes the fateful decision to add a much larger amount. Hitchcock closes the program by adding that John later turned himself in to the police for his crime. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: CBS
- DATE: 9:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:48:23
- COLOR/B&W: B&W
- CATALOG ID: 136885
- GENRE: Drama, mystery/suspense
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, mystery/suspense; Marriage; Families; Hallucinogenic drugs
- SERIES RUN: CBS - TV series, 1962-1964; NBC, 1964-1965
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Joan Harrison … Producer
- Gordon Hessler … Associate Producer
- Jack Smight … Director
- Alfred Hayes … Writer
- Rebecca West … Based on a story by
- Alfred Hitchcock … Host
- Robert Drasnin … Music by
- Joan Fontaine … Cast, Alice Pemberton
- Gary Merrill … Cast, John Pemberton
- Virginia Vincent … Cast, Madge Fletcher
- Linda Leighton … Cast, Evie
- June Walker … Cast, Mrs. Wales
- Irene Tedrow … Cast, Ethel
- Susan Gordon … Cast, Betty
- Richard Carlyle … Cast, Leo Wales
- William Sargent … Cast, Walter Fletcher
- Jesslyn Fax … Cast, Mrs. Bates
- Willis Bouchey … Cast, Mr. Norton
- Lester Maxwell … Cast, Colin
- Donald Elson … Cast, Mailman