Mr. Princey's daughter has just murdered the schoolmaster. A murderess in the family? That won't do. It's up to Mr. Princey to frame someone else for her crime.Mr. Princey's daughter has just murdered the schoolmaster. A murderess in the family? That won't do. It's up to Mr. Princey to frame someone else for her crime.Mr. Princey's daughter has just murdered the schoolmaster. A murderess in the family? That won't do. It's up to Mr. Princey to frame someone else for her crime.
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Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaIn John Collier's original story, the murder victim is a clergyman. In this version, he becomes a schoolteacher, perhaps for reasons of censorship.
- GoofsCaptain Smollet says that he is leaving because the rain had stopped. However, rain can still be seen out the window and heard under the dialogue.
- Quotes
[first lines]
Alfred Hitchcock: [sign on an easel reads, "Moved To New Location". camera pans to show Hitchcock is lying on a shelf with a tea set] Oh, good evening. I'm so glad you found me. As you can see, our, uh,
[looks briefly down at the tea set]
Alfred Hitchcock: new quarters are rather modest, but we like the location and thought the change might do us good, also. And now, if you don't mind, I would like to indulge in an old American custom. No matter how busy they are or what the surroundings may be, Americans never omit this quaint ritual. If you don't care to join me, I think you'll find our play is about to begin on one of the lower shelves.
[looks down below]
- ConnectionsRemade as Tales of the Unexpected: Wet Saturday (1984)
- SoundtracksFuneral March of a Marionette
Written by Charles Gounod
"Wet Saturday" sadly turned out to be a very disappointing start for Season 2 and doesn't leave one with a good feeling of how the rest of the season will map out. There are good things and it has its moments, but "Wet Saturday" should have been much better. Actually found it hard to believe that it was directed by the master of suspense himself and that it came from the same director responsible for one of 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' best episodes "Breakdown". Not a good sign.
It looks pretty good, with some nice atmosphere in the photography. The main theme has a devillish quality and irony. Hitchcock's bookending is suitably droll.
Cedric Hardwicke gives by far the episode's best performance, in a restrained, nuanced turn with moments of suitable dryness. John Williams is similarly very expressive and doesn't overdo or underplay and his face tells a lot.
Tita Purdom however is another story entirely, am going to agree with everybody that thought she was awful and bad enough to completely unbalance the episode. Have not seen such painful overacting in a long time and she comes over as really irritating (as does her character, who becomes unbearable quite quickly). One of the worst performances of the entire series and that is saying quite a bit. Hitchcock's direction lacks suspense and any kind of atmosphere, actually got the sense that his heart wasn't in it and that was unlike him at this stage of his career where he was making some of his best films. If you compare this and "Breakdown" for example, it is like a completely different person directed them.
Also think that "Wet Saturday" is far too heavy on the talk and too much of it felt like padding. Some of it is very over-heated and hammy. Am aware that it was aiming for the tongue in cheek approach, but this wasn't done very well in my view. Coming over as unintentionally funny and overboard on the silliness. The story lacks any kind of suspense or tension, is rather slow going, is pretty silly and feels too thin for the length. The conclusion is forgettable at best and felt anti-climactic.
Very disappointing overall. 4/10.
- TheLittleSongbird
- Apr 20, 2022
Details
- Runtime26 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1