Alfred Hitchcock Presents (TV Series) A Personal Matter (1959) User Reviews

The Big Switcheroo

[sol1218 · 6/10 · 16 June 2012]

***SPOILERS*** It's when this mysterious and out of the blue engineer Bert Johnson, Wayne Morris, is hired by big boss-man Mr. Roderiguez, Frank Silvera,to help Joe Philips, Joe Maross, finish a tunnel project that he's been stuck on in Mexico that red flags stars to rise in Philips direction. Hearing on the radio that an American engineer has murdered his boss in Texas and skipped out of the country Philips as well as us watching suspect that Johnson is the guy that the US and Mexican law enforcement agents are looking for.

Tensions rise when Philips finds that Johnson has a gun on him and suspecting that he's on the lamb for murder back in Texas feels that he, if he doesn't watch himself, may become Johnson's next victim! Wanting to check out as soon as possible Philips is stymied by Big Boss-Man Roderiguez when the only plane out of the tunnel dig takes off unexpectedly leaving Philips on his own at at the mercy of suspected murderer Bert Johnson. It's later that Philip's realizes that Johnson isn't as bad as he thought he was by him saving his life, at the risk of his own, during a mine cave-in that Philips was in a way responsible for. It's then when the plane, after about a week, finally lands at the tunnel site that we finally know what exactly in going on between the two, Johnson & Philips, engineers!

***SPOILERS*** The truth about what's happening comes out so casually that for a moment you don't realize that you've been hit with surprise ending. And it's that surprise in what's going on between Johnson & Philips that really pulls all the loose ends in this "Alfred Hithcock Presents" episode together and finally makes sense of it!

A neat bit of misdirection...

[classicsoncall · 6/10 · 12 October 2021]

Sometimes the twist to these Hitchcock stories are so obvious you don't see them coming. That was exactly what happened in my case, as the misdirection of the episode has you thinking the newcomer Bret Johnson (Wayne Morris) is the guy on the run from the law, while Joe Philips (Joe Maross) appears to be the conflicted engineer stranded at a mine until the work of tunneling through a mountain is completed. You also get the idea that perhaps they would wind up in an argument over the pretty nurse (Anna Navarro) who appears to be the only woman at the mining camp, but neither of the men make a play for her attention. The only weird thing about the twist is that Joe abruptly drops his defense when the reality of Johnson's presence is revealed. He simply drops his weapon and admits surrender, even though he could still have made a break; who would have been there to stop him? Very strange, and not exactly the most credible resolution to an 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents'.

Very Odd Relationship

[Hitchcoc · 7/10 · 13 July 2013]

What is very strange about this episode the situation these men find themselves in. They are building a mining tunnel through the side of a hill in some remote place that is nearly inaccessible. It is dangerous, unpredictable work. Because of a lack of proper equipment and poor quality workmen, the head engineer has had enough and decides to quite the project. At one point he is nearly killed when all the men run away. One day, the boss arrives, bringing with him a man who is supposedly skilled in this kind of work. The boss takes off while our hero is in the mine, leaving him there for several weeks. He decides he would rather continue to work on the project rather than sit around. A suspicious relationship develops between the two men. Also, a radio announcement makes it clear that the new guy may be a wanted murder suspect. There are guns involved and lots of distrust. The story has the usual Hitchcock, O. Henry kind of conclusion.

One of the stranger thing about the episode is the fact that they have frequent parties on the beach. There is one woman, a beautiful young nurse, who dances as they play their instruments. I can't imagine a more dangerous place for such a person. She seems totally out of place. She does, however, provide medical attention for the men. Strange.

More Like an Adventure Series Entry

[dougdoepke · 7 December 2010]

Two engineers quarrel over a Mexican tunnel project.

The real star of this entry is the special effects. Since most of the action takes place in a rickety tunnel, mishaps happen and are very well staged. We know something is unrevealed about the two rival engineers, so things are not as straightforward as they seem. But what is it.

Rather sad to see authentic war hero Wayne Morris (Bret), knowing he would die prematurely within a year. Still, he and Joe Maross (Joe) play off one another very convincingly, carrying a show that otherwise seems better suited to an action series than to Hitchcock. It's a decent half-hour, more a tribute to its two leads than to the rather tepid payoff.

(In passing—if Anna Navarro (Marie) is still a nurse down there, then I've got a bad cold and am heading south right away!)

I agree with dougdoepke about this one.

[planktonrules · 6/10 · 2 April 2021]

In the review by dougdoepke currently posted on IMDB, he describes this episode of "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" as being more like an adventure series entry and i think they got it right...it is like an adventure show and the final twist, while interesting, isn't like you might expect in the show.

The episode is set in Mexico and is about a doomed mining project. The conditions are dangerous and the engineer in charge has had enough and he's ready to quit. However, when he's given a new and skilled assistant, he realizes the project CAN be completed...perhaps. But the problem is that it turns out he's a wanted criminal...and the pair might end up killing each other.

The acting is fine and the script enjoyable...but there isn't the usual type of suspense and the twist is only okay. Worth seeing but nothing more.

Mine your Own Business

[TheLittleSongbird · 6/10 · 26 June 2023]

Paul Henreid was the second most prolific director for 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents', the most being Robert Stevens. None of the regular directors for the series were consistent, with pretty much all of them having a mix of very good and more and not particularly good episodes. As well as the second most prolific director, Henreid was also one of the more variable in terms of episode quality. He didn't really direct any real misfires, but not many of his episodes were great at the same time (instead ranging between average and very good).

"A Personal Matter" is one of the a little above average episodes. Also absolutely agree about it being more like an episode of an adventure series, which is not necessarily a bad thing taking it on its own terms but there is not much 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' here. It's decent enough escapism, though there is a personal preference for the darker, creepier, more suspenseful episodes that 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' often did so wonderfully. Changes of pace have been done well many times though on the show, and "A Personal Matter" fares fairly decently here.

The best aspects are the special effects and the acting. The effects are some of the series' most elaborate and are pretty impressive for 50s television and for a series where the budget was not massive. They were also well used, not excessive or gimmicky. The acting is very good, with Wayne Morris and Joe Maross giving engaging performances and their rapport has a good amount of tension and at times playfulness. Henreid does keep things moving quite well and fares more than competently.

Furthermore, the production values are slick and atmospheric, neither overblown or cheap, with good use of the suitably claustrophobic mine setting. The theme music is still a classic. The dialogue mostly entertains and probes thought. The story is fun on the most part and has some well staged mishaps.

However, the second half isn't always as strong, where the story loses excitement and becomes a little thin on the ground. Did find some of the quarrelling overdone and overwritten and some of the episode a little too talk heavy.

Weakest aspect of "A Personal Matter" is the ending, which comes too out of nowhere and staged rather indifferently, so it all comes over as tepid. It is another episode where this reviewer forgot how it ended, that's how bland the ending was. Shame because an episode that started off so intriguingly did deserve a much stronger finish.

Overall, pretty decent but not great. 6/10.