ALFRED HITCHCOCK HOUR, THE: FORECAST: LOW CLOUDS AND COASTAL FOG (TV)
Summary
One in this series of macabre dramas presided over by the "master of suspense," film director Alfred Hitchcock.
In this episode, with her husband Stan in San Francisco on business, nervous housewife Karen Wilson prepares for her first night alone in their beachfront home. A man, Manuel Sanchez, comes to the door and begs for her help, explaining that he has run out of gas and left his girlfriend Marta alone in the car, but she declines to let him in. She hears a scream and the sound of a car departing, and the sheriff later arrives and reveals that Marta has been attacked and hospitalized with a serious skull fracture, for which a distraught Manuel blames Karen's refusal to help them. Alarmed, Karen phones Stan and begs him to return home. In the morning, Karen's neighbor Simon Carter, a screenwriter, stops by and explains that he was watching one of his own TV programs at the time of Marta's attack. When Karen voices her sense of guilt, Simon hints at his own sense of conflict over an "unrequited passion."
Stan arrives home and is surprised to see Karen hanging out with her three surfer pals, Rick, Tom and Ed. He offers to take her back to San Francisco with him, but she assures him that she has mostly recovered from the shock and will spend the evening with neighbors if need be – adding that she also has a gun in case of emergency. Still feeling guilty, she visits the hospital and inquires about Marta's condition, and Manuel bitterly tells her that she will "get her chance to pay" for her fateful decision. When Marta dies from her injuries, a devastated Manuel rushes back to Karen's home and breaks in, intent upon seeking revenge. Karen, hearing him creeping around, grabs her gun but finds only Simon, who says that he has come to check on her. He muses that every person has the potential to commit evil and announces that he intends to finally achieve his "attainable goal." When he makes aggressive advances upon her, she is rescued by the trio of surfers.
Rick, Tom and Ed search the house for Simon, unaware that Manuel is present as well. Rick calls the police to report Simon's attack on Karen, suggesting that he is also responsible for Marta's fate. They promise to protect Karen, but she gradually realize that they have other intentions as they begin squabbling amongst themselves, eventually admitting that they drained Manuel's gas tank "for kicks" on the previous night and then attacked Marta when Manuel went for help. Rick reveals that he faked the phone call to the cops and, having learned of Marta's death, the trio ponders burning down the house after they have finished with Karen. Manuel, who has heard everything, suddenly attacks and overpowers them, saving Karen. He considers shooting Rick dead to avenge Marta, but opts to turn him over to the cops instead. Simon then arrives and apologizes to Karen for his advances; an overwhelmed Karen is left alone on the foggy coast. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: CBS
- DATE: 9:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: N/A
- COLOR/B&W: B&W
- CATALOG ID: 137362
- GENRE: Drama, mystery/suspense
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, mystery/suspense; Murder; Surfing
- SERIES RUN: CBS - TV series, 1962-1964; NBC, 1964-1965
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Leon Benson … Producer
- Gordon Hessler … Associate Producer
- Charles Haas … Director
- Lee Erwin … Writer
- Alfred Hitchcock … Host
- Lyn Murray … Theme Music by
- Inger Stevens … Cast, Karen Wilson
- Christopher Dark … Cast, Manuel Sanchez
- Dan O'Herlihy … Cast, Simon Carter
- Chris Robinson … Cast, Rick
- Peter Brown … Cast, Ed
- Richard Jaeckel … Cast, Tom
- Simon Scott … Cast, Stan Wilson
- Russ Thorson … Cast, Geary
- Robert Millar … Cast, Mitch
- Greg Morris … Cast, Intern