Solid entry, nothing special, but it will keep you guessing. So why does Waterbury (Emhardt) decide to pay 5-times the value of Sadie's (Nolan) old house, and why does she insist on only taking that unreasonable amount. It's both a clever and novel gimmick from series favorite Henry Slesar. The humorous opening in the real estate office amounts to a colorful touch that helps lift the narrative— ditsy secretary Sally really wears out that gum! Then too, Emhardt and Nolan play off one another so well.
Speaking of the two expert leads, AHP distinguished itself from the glamour obsessed 1950's by regularly featuring ordinary looking people like Emhardt and Nolan in lead parts. The crew of regulars during this early period also includes such outstanding performers as the bald Robert H. Harris, the meek John Qualen, the twitchy Phyllis Thaxter, and average-Joe Biff McGuire. It's a tribute to the quality of the stories, I think, that the series appeal did not depend on the physical attractiveness of its leads. With Hitchcock, story was always paramount, as it is here.
Speaking of the two expert leads, AHP distinguished itself from the glamour obsessed 1950's by regularly featuring ordinary looking people like Emhardt and Nolan in lead parts. The crew of regulars during this early period also includes such outstanding performers as the bald Robert H. Harris, the meek John Qualen, the twitchy Phyllis Thaxter, and average-Joe Biff McGuire. It's a tribute to the quality of the stories, I think, that the series appeal did not depend on the physical attractiveness of its leads. With Hitchcock, story was always paramount, as it is here.