I Killed the Count: Part 1

The "I Killed the Count" three parter was a unique episode of 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' up to this point of the series' run, with it being the only story arc to last for more than one part. Even after the series ended, it continued to stand out from the rest of the episodes due to how few times 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' did more than single parters. On the whole, it was a solid three parter, apart from feeling like it ran on for one episode too long and despite issues with pacing in all three parts.

"I Killed the Count Part 1" is a very strong and effective start for the "I Killed the Count" three parter. A first part of any story arc should have the main objective of setting things up, which "I Killed the Count Part 1" does incredibly well on the whole while also being a very solid episode in its own right. Not one of the best 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' offering or one of director Robert Stevens' best, but it hardly disgraces either (the complete anti-thesis of that).

So much is good. It is extremely well acted, especially from an exuberant and authoritative John Williams, a regular lead of the series, as a character that has a lot of presence and entertains from the get go. Can't fault his chemistry with Charles Davis, who holds his own. Alan Napier is great value. Hitchcock's bookending is entertainingly ironic and Stevens directs with good sense of style and assurance.

Furthermore, "I Killed the Count Part 1" is thoughtfully scripted, provoking a good deal of thought while also providing an equal amount of fun. It is shot slickly and atmospherically and the story engrosses right from minute one with not a dull moment. It also doesn't feel too predictable, already delivering on the twists and turns, and nothing feels silly or too rambling.

Did feel though that with such a lot going on that the episode did feel rushed at times and tried to include too much, some of what was the final act could have been as part of Part 2 quite easily and the end of Part 2 in Part 3 (which would have helped make that part a lot more eventful).

Also that some of the interplay between Williams and Davis occasionally over-explained.

On the whole though, a very well done set up part to a solid if flawed three parter. 8/10.

Definitely this three part mystery was sort of an "experiment" done by Hitchcock, a broad continuation of a story, later streamlined in his one hour tv show years later.

If you are willing to wait and watch all three parts, which are generally aired on separate nights, it's worth your time. If you miss an episode, however, you have some catching up to do. That said, the actor who was born to play diplomats and British detectives, John Williams, is front row and center as inspector Davidson, tackling one of the most baffling cases of his career.

Who killed Count Mattoni, your average, egotiscal, manipulative man of means by no means. In short, EVERYONE hated this guy.

Now it gets complicated, and rather clever as the first rule of mystery writing is broken here. You have several people confessing to the crime who are actually proud of what they did or didn't do? How can that be? A particuarly smooth job of writing on the part of Francis Cockrell, who wrote 18 episodes for Hitch, who obviously enjoyed his work. To all of us kids back in the day, Francis was our hero, writer for BATMAN.

Sit back and try to figure this one out. It's not easy, but at times amusing.

John Williams, a distinguished stage actor for many years, appeared in three of Hitch's films, the best of the lot playing the dogged police inspector in DIAL M FOR MURDER, starring Ray Milland. He was outstanding. If you're a movie buff, you may recall he repeated a similar role in the Doris Day thriller MIDNIGHT LACE (1960).

Also in the cast in Alan Napier, best known as Alfred the butler on BATMAN, and veteran Melville Cooper, usually playing pompous types, and a perfect fit. Hitch's daughter, Pat, plays the maid who discovers the count's dead body. Pat, having some roles in her father's tv show and movies, was a talented actress in her own right. Watch her in STRANGERS ON A TRAIN.

This is very good, again provided you have the patience to watch each separate episode.

SEASON 2 EPISODES 25, 26 and 27 remastered Universal dvd box set. 2006. Classic Edition.

It's hard to review a single twenty-five minute episode of an old TV drama. I mean, it's not exactly Star Wars or Lord of the Rings. In this episode we meet the first of the four murder suspects. He is a rich American who goes through the murder with some precision. The only thing that stood out to me was the mugging of British actor John Williams and his little sidekick who keeps analyzing his every move. Beyond that, we are introduced to the murder, find out a bit about the count (he, apparently was an ugly, grasping worm who always got what he wanted). I believe the whole thing could have been made a bit more fun by writing at least a post mortem flashback so we could observe his evil ways.

This three episode story is a real treat, if you admire good acting! A great many fine British actors in this, led by the truly great John Williams in one of his best efforts I have ever seen. Also, Alan Napier, distinguished actor, who, of course, gained more fame in America is the butler on the Batman tv series. The ending, as some other reviewers here have pointed out, is a slight disappointment, but all the entertaining work up to that point makes it very special indeed. Highly recommended!

OK, this silly site requires 100 or so more letters until I can post this, so I'll just tell you that I have really been enjoying watching these half hour "Hitchcock presents "on the ME TV network.. the half hours, with the exception of this trilogy of course, are so packed and concentrated that they never fail to entertain.

3 people confess to 1 murder and we learn why by the end of the last episode; I had already guessed it before the end of episode 1. Most of 90 minutes of this triplet consisted of the nearly futile combing over of various mundane details of the crime. Between the old-fashioned British accents and the somewhat distorted soundtrack (this was MeTV, but I suspect the other services get their content from the same old prints), it took a lot of concentration to make sense of the dialog, but most of what was discussed was just incidental to the real story. The story had potential, but by the end I was bored and happy only to see an ending I had already guessed. If this had been packed into an hour or a half-hour, it might have been worth watching.