Make Me Not a Witch

Twelve-year-old farm girl Patty McCormack (as Emmy Horvath) rattles her parents by telling them she can read some folk's minds. Father Leo Penn (as Jed) and mother Eileen Ryan think their daughter could be condemned for witchcraft. They forbid Ms. McCormack use her telepathic powers. McCormack is unhappy with her supernatural abilities. Going to church, she pleads with God, "Make Me Not a Witch!" There, McCormack meets priestly Robert Emhardt, who wants to use her mind-reading power to locate some missing children. Obviously, the priest's own God line is on the fritz.

Well, this is the place for seeing "The Bad Seed" (1956) star McCormack (rather too mature for twelve, though) in an uncharacteristically sweeter role, the sometimes villainous Mr. Emhardt in a priestly robe, and Mr. and Mrs. Penn as the parents.

In real life, the latter couple parented actors Chris and Sean Penn. Sean looks a lot like his mom, don't you think?

**** Make Me Not a Witch (12/22/59) John Newland ~ Patty McCormack, Robert Emhardt, Leo Penn, Eileen Ryan

Good convicing story, especially when one of the characters is no one else than Patty McCormack. But it is a drama destined to the whole family, including the last born and the grand ma...It is smooth, never creepy, spooky or disturbing, very American and naive in the story telling. I hesitate to say that this story should not have been in this TV show. Any classic movie could have told the very same story, but for a ninety minutes film, instead of a twenty six minutes episode. It is a gentle oater and certainly not the one which - and not witch - I will remind the most. But anyone in the family has the right to find the stuff he wishes to.

Patty McCormack stars as a young girl named Amy Horvath, who one day innocently mentions to her mother(played by Eileen Ryan) that she can read other people's thoughts. At first skeptical, Amy proves that her power is real, which alarms both the mother and her father(played by Leo Penn) when he finds out about it, as they believe such a power is a curse, not a gift, and don't want her branded a witch. When a local priest learns of this power, he urges her to use it to locate two missing children, despite her parents' protest. Fine episode with good performances and story, even if the emotional resolution may feel a bit too trite.

"Make Me Not a Witch" is one of the best episodes of "One Step Beyond". While I still don't believe the narrator (John Newland) when he insists that the story is true, it did make for a very dandy story.

The show is set somewhere in the rural US and the people involved are a bit superstitious. So, when their 12 year-old suddenly begins reading her parents thoughts, they panic and warn her NEVER to tell anyone. If she does, they believe she'll be put away in a mental institution or others will think she is a witch. However, this secret is too much for the girl to keep to herself and she ends up talking to a very kindly priest. He is skeptical at first but soon realizes she can, indeed, read his mind. However, he's not superstitious and thinks, perhaps, this is not an omen of evil but might be used for good. But the girl and her parents are afraid—and when an opportunity arises for her to use her God-given powers, they are hesitant to get involved or divulge their secret.

I liked this episode a lot because it surprised me several times. It also provided a really neat twist at the end, though I won't say more! See this one for yourself.