Hooked

An average episode with miscast actors playing characters who are very hard to like. Putting thirtysomething Anne Francis in a ponytail and jeans rolled up at the cuff doesn't make her look any more like a college student than Robert Horton's constant gum chewing motions and Potsie sweaters make him look younger than the actress playing his wife. Ms. Francis' line delivery and low-pitched voice doesn't come across as youthful, and some of the dialogue between her and Robert Horton was frankly laughable in both its schmaltz and its failed attempts to make both characters sound like kids. The plot has been done again and again, including the twist-you'll se this one coming from a mile away. Not one of my favorites.

***SPOILERS*** It's when handsome Ray Marchand, Robert Horton, laid his eyes on the pretty and cute as a pair of pink lased panties Nyla Foster, Anne Francis, it was love or better lust at first sight. The only problem that Ray had in all this was that he's already unhappily married to this battle ax of a wife of his Gladys, Vivienne Segal, who's not going to let her boy toy, who's almost 30 years younger then her, go so easily. And if he does leave her he'll end up without as much as a red cent of the millions that she has.

Wanting to dump his wife and at the same time get into Nyla's hot pants Ray soon finds out from Nyla that his wife Gladys is both very into fishing but at the same time can't swim. This gives Ray a brilliant idea in getting into fishing, which he hates, himself in order to set Gladys up for an accident he's planning for her on the high seas or lake by taking her out for a quite day of fishing.

***SPOILERS*** When the big day comes Ray getting a basket full of beer and sandwiches from Nyla, who's in with his plan to deep six his old lady, and off the two go out in the middle of the lake on Gladys motor boat. What happens next was something that Ray never planned for. Doing his best to off his wife he was soon to realize that Gladys in her not being able to swim was far worse for him then for her. And another thing that Ray never planned on was that there was something else in the basket that Nyla gave him besides sandwiches and beer bottles.

Robert Horton who played mostly in westerns is the slimy gold digging guy who is married to a rich woman. He admits to the sweet young thing that he married her for her money. Even though young Nyla gives him little reason to pursue her, he goes after her with a passion. What he needs, though, is for his wife to die and him to take on the fortune. Then he can have blondie and the money or just the money. So we have the old American Tragedy plot where the unwanted is going to be pushed out of a boat and left to drown. But Horton proves to be a fish out of water (I couldn't help myself, sorry), and that's what proves his undoing.

Ray Marchand is married to Gladys, a woman much older than him and a woman who he clearly doesn't love. So why did he marry her? Money...it seems that Gladys is loaded! And, Gladys realizes he has eyes for other women...and reminds him that his gravy train will end if he does anything more than look. Well, this is put into jeopardy when Ray meets Nyla (Anne Francis)...a woman whose youth and good looks activates Ray's hormones! What's next? Watch the episode.

This is a very good episode and this is because of the nice twist at the end. Well worth seeing...and it's nice to see Ray get more than he bargained for in this show.

By the way, when his wife refers to herself as 'Mama'...that's pretty creepy considering the age difference!

Prime example of Hitchcock's sense of humor. Unforgettable.

This is a fun story, certainly ahead of its time, all about "mature" lady of means Vivienne Segal landing herself a very young husband, played by Robert Horton. Problem is young and scantily dressed Anne Francis, the neighborly competition.

A fabulous cat and mouse story, although three's a crowd, right? The nagging question: How do you get rid of the old lady? Wait and see. Also listen to the moody music, which sets the right tone in spots. Many of the best Hitchcock episodes owed their success to background music.

Segal made several appearances on the show, who at the time, was married to a CBS network executive. Originally a Broadway actress and singer, making her film debut in the 1930s.

For car buffs, love that classic 1959 Lincoln convertible. A beautiful machine and worth a lot of money today, if you can get your hands on one.

Wait for the trick ending. It's a hoot, and catch the dialogue.

Recommended for Hitch buffs, which we all are. SEASON 5 remastered Universal dvd box set. 5 dvd set. Episodes like this is what makes the box set a must.