This episode of "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" is an excellent short thriller filled with suspense. The direction by Herschel Daugherty, who went on to direct a good number of episodes in the series, is worthy of Hitchcock himself, and Allan Vaughan Elston's story is adapted very nicely to the half-hour television format by one of the show's regular scriptwriters.
Pat Hitchcock is well-cast as a country schoolteacher, but Jack Mullaney is the star of the episode, as her violently disappointed suitor. The story follows Mullaney's character as he flees from justice by hiding in a bell tower, and Mullaney really makes the character come alive, giving him a childlike personality combined with a vengeful anger and a certain animal cunning. His mannerisms and facial expressions help to create an unusual and unsettling character.
There are a lot of nice touches that build up the tension, and it works very well in combining anxiety for the schoolteacher with an interest in whether or not the fugitive will be discovered. There are a lot of small details with props or minor actions that are used resourcefully to add to the suspense. The sets, particularly Mullaney's tiny hideout, are straightforward, but they are nicely designed and quite effective. The whole episode is of high quality.
Pat Hitchcock is well-cast as a country schoolteacher, but Jack Mullaney is the star of the episode, as her violently disappointed suitor. The story follows Mullaney's character as he flees from justice by hiding in a bell tower, and Mullaney really makes the character come alive, giving him a childlike personality combined with a vengeful anger and a certain animal cunning. His mannerisms and facial expressions help to create an unusual and unsettling character.
There are a lot of nice touches that build up the tension, and it works very well in combining anxiety for the schoolteacher with an interest in whether or not the fugitive will be discovered. There are a lot of small details with props or minor actions that are used resourcefully to add to the suspense. The sets, particularly Mullaney's tiny hideout, are straightforward, but they are nicely designed and quite effective. The whole episode is of high quality.