"Disappearing Trick" is the second of Arthur Hiller's 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' episodes. Was underwhelmed personally by his first "Flight to the East", but he was responsible for some good episodes (more so than not so good). Robert Horton was a series regular and it is not hard to see why. This was another great premise that would have been worthy of the Master of Suspense himself, and while Season 3 was not a consistent season it was a solid one generally and had some great episodes.
One of those great episodes "Disappearing Trick" may not quite be, but it is an impressive one with much to admire and with flaws actually being not many at all. As well as much better than Hiller's previous 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' outing "Flight to the East". Season 3 did see much better episodes ("The Glass Eye", "Return to Finder", "The Right Kind of House"), when talking about the previous episodes, but also certainly far worse ("The Percentage", "Sylvia").
Did find the ending, while amusingly ironic, rather easily foreseeable and obvious too early. Raymond Bailey does well, but his casting is also on the obvious side and could have done with more variety to work.
The story is also quite slight, not really quite as eventful as it sounds, and the momentum goes a little towards the end.
A lot is good. Horton is very charming in the lead role and Betsy von Furstenberg is alluring and teasing. Loved their chemistry together, which is very cat and mouse like to increasingly unsettling effect. Something that is apparent right from their initial scene that gets stronger and stronger. Hitchcock's bookending is amusingly ironic and Hiller directs with more confidence and edge.
It's solidly made with some atmospheric photography. The series theme music is one of the best and most inspired examples of pre-existing classical music being used as a main theme, fitting perfectly with the series' overall tone. The writing is thought provoking, fun and unsettling, with no over-talkiness and there is some dark suspense.
Concluding, not great but did like it quite a lot. 7/10.