A wife refuses to let her husband squander away the money from a 133,000-dollar sweepstakes ticket inherited from her first dead spouse, so he plans on killing her.A wife refuses to let her husband squander away the money from a 133,000-dollar sweepstakes ticket inherited from her first dead spouse, so he plans on killing her.A wife refuses to let her husband squander away the money from a 133,000-dollar sweepstakes ticket inherited from her first dead spouse, so he plans on killing her.
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Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaA major plot point of this story is the Irish Sweepstakes, a national lottery set up by the Republic of Ireland to generate funds for the country's hospital system. As lotteries at that time were still illegal in the U.S., this particular one was quite popular. One thing not mentioned in the story was that United States federal income taxes were still exceedingly high then and that most of the winnings would go to the government and not to Mrs. Archer. She'd be lucky to receive $27,000 out of the $133,000. Still, that amount would be equivalent to about $291,000 in 2024.
- GoofsThe first time Steve plugs in the electric heater in the bathroom, the cord to the wall socket is around the height of his thighs or waist and stretches across the width of the room, but he's able to somehow move back and forth between the bathtub and the mirror on the other side of the room without being impeded by the cord.
- Quotes
[afterword - Hitchcock returns to the greenhouse to see the grown plants]
Alfred Hitchcock: You can see how effective the lamp is.
[picks up a shovel that's grown larger]
Alfred Hitchcock: It looks as though I should turn off the lamp. I shall do so following the following.
[commercial break]
Alfred Hitchcock: I'd better be off in case the lamp does something to me. I'll be back next week with another story. Until then, good night.
- ConnectionsVersion of Suspense: Post Mortem (1949)
- SoundtracksFuneral March of a Marionette
Written by Charles Gounod
"Post Mortem" is one of the great episodes, with pretty much everything working brilliantly. It's also Hiller's first great 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' episodes and one of his best overall. It's not quite "Lamb to the Slaughter", but it is for me the best episode since that and much needed after a brief up and down period with the episodes in between the two. "Post Mortem" may not be one of my favourites of 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents', but it is an excellent representation of how the series was when on form.
Didn't quite buy how too trusting Judy was, but that is being nit-picky.
Forrest is excellent in his role, have seldom seen him this sinister while not doing it in an overt way. Joanna Moore is alluring and the two have strong chemistry together that has tension and quirkiness. Hitchcock's bookending is amusing, fitting with the story's tone more than ideally, while Hiller's direction is some of his most accomplished.
Moreover, the production values are slick and atmospheric, neither overblown or cheap. Did like that the music was quirkier than what is usually heard with 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents', but it fitted very well as the way the story is adapted is also quirky. The dialogue is entertaining and thought provoking, while not being too reliant on too much talk.
Had no issues really with the story. It was always compelling and never felt too predictable, loved too its tautness and quirkiness while not forgetting the suspense too. The original short story is more suspenseful but the episode, while having more of the quirkier, offbeat feel, is not devoid of that. The ending is clever and didn't feel obvious, anti-climactic or far fetched, while too many episodes have been up to this point.
In conclusion, excellent. If anybody was wondering as to whether Hiller had a good 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' episode in him, this will get rid of any doubts. 9/10.
- TheLittleSongbird
- Feb 25, 2023
- Permalink
Details
- Runtime30 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1