An imprisoned lifer breaks out of prison to meet the pen pal he has fallen in love with, but finds only her middle-aged aunt at home.An imprisoned lifer breaks out of prison to meet the pen pal he has fallen in love with, but finds only her middle-aged aunt at home.An imprisoned lifer breaks out of prison to meet the pen pal he has fallen in love with, but finds only her middle-aged aunt at home.
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PS. The twist at the end was about as subtle as Clu's acting...enjoyed Hitch and his take on baseball by the way! Even though I'm English too, I'm very fond of the game. Fond memories of cold days at Candlestick Park!
"Pen Pal" is a story from "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" that could have worked very well but doesn't. This is because the way the show was constructed, it's very easy to predict exactly where the plot is going to go...much more than usual. Had they somehow re-written it, it might have worked well. As it is, it is a disappointment and predictable.
Though there is some suspense, much is removed by the fact that we know Rod, the convict, doesn't want to hurt the older lady. So we're left wondering how the predicament will resolve itself. Then too, the action of the cops to leave Lowen alone in the house seems highly illogical. It's actually pretty slender fare, not up to usual Hitchcock norm, with an expected twist you may see coming. It's also among the most cheaply produced—a single parlor room set and three actors. Gulager does a good job impersonating a desperate con, but otherwise it's a highly forgettable episode.
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- Quotes
[introduction - Hitchcock is in a bullpen]
Self - Host: Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. A number of persons have written asking me to explain the game of baseball. Normally, I wouldn't do this, but some of those who wrote were professional ballplayers. And I sensed a tone of urgency in their appeals. Baseball gets its name from the type of field on which it is played - a baseball field. There are 27 players on each team. However, no more than 13 are allowed on the field at one time. Nine from one team and from one to four from the other. To make it a fair match, the team with the smaller number of players is allowed to carry clubs. The larger team has no weapons at all, except this pellet.
[shows baseball]
Self - Host: But it is hard enough to knock a man unconscious. Naturally, both teams occasionally use their fists, but this is usually unnecessary. You see, all players have ingeniously attached sharply-pointed metal cleats to their shoes. With these, the more experienced players can, with grace and skill, badly lacerate an opponent, yet make it look quite accidental. As you can see, the game is an excellent means for building character and teaching young men good sportsmanship, fair play and first aid. So much for the finer points of the sport.
[looks off-camera]
Self - Host: I see our friend, the umpire, is signaling for timeout. The game will commence in just one minute.
- ConnectionsRemade as Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Pen Pal (1988)
- SoundtracksFuneral March of a Marionette
Written by Charles Gounod
Details
- Runtime30 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1
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