I Killed the Count: Part 3

"I Killed the Count" is the only multipart story from "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" and it consists of three parts! This makes the story like a movie cut into thirds. Unfortunately, unless you are a completist who insists on seeing every episode, you might want to skip them...as the payoff isn't great.

In part three, we have yet a fourth person who has claimed to the Inspector that they killed Mattoni. His inclination is to simply arrest them all, though his assistant points out that legally you cannot separately charge more than one person for the same murder. The four obviously are working together and there is a mention of drawing cards to see who actually killed him, though you never learn nor does the Inspector learn who killed the man.

Overall, this is much like the Agatha Christie novel "Murder on the Orient Express" but with only one murderer...though they all seemed to have ample reasons to want the man dead. It's a mildly interesting story but the story itself is also drug out too long and is rather talky. Two episodes instead of one would have tightened it up and made for a better tale. Worth seeing...but hardly necessary as well.

Of course, after watching those three episodes, any movie buff will recognize here the MURDER ON ORIENT EXPRESS scheme. A man killed by so many potential murderers, who had so many reasons to kill him - like JFK actually - that it may rapidly become very confusing. And the ending is also exquisite. But in the mean time, it deserves three episodes, the equivalent of one movie, to enjoy entirely this episodes trilogy. Of course, it deserves to be seen by every AH PRESENTS lover. So British in the story telling.

PART III

Finally... the conclusion of this baffling, yet comedic murder mystery, driving steadfast Inspector Davidson (John Williams) to his wits end.

Yes, the last reviewer made a good point. There are shades of Agatha Christie's "Murder on the Orient Express," first published in 1934, long before this story. And true, Francis Cockrell may have been inspired by the famous novel. Also the possibility Cockrell outlined the story for Hitch to film as a movie. It was turned down, but cleverly re-worked into a three part episode, somewhat of an experiment. The story keeps you guessing, and that's the point.

Yet ANOTHER person of interest steps forward, proudly confessing to the inspector they killed the count. The gag is everyone seems to have enjoyed their work, and a matter of civic duty, if you will. British actress Rosemary Harris (as the countess), who appeared with Williams in DIAL M FOR MURDER, remains the prime suspect. Do not forget a woman's wrath, right? That all said, it could be any one of this handsome bunch.

Hitch and Cockrell obviously had the last laugh on all of us. Without giving too much away, the ending is not surprising, which would even catch Hercule Poirot off guard.

Incidentally, the scoundral count is played by Anthony Dawson, who gained popularity by appearing in three JAMES BOND adventures, beginning with DR NO.

SEASON 2 EPISODE 27 remastered dvd box set. Famous green box with 5 dvds. Released 2006. Total running time 16 hrs. 52 mins. A collectors item to be sure.

There is a lot to admire about the whole "I Killed the Count" three parter, and while they aren't perfect and fall short of excellence the previous two parts were very solidly done on the whole. Was really looking forward to seeing how such an intricate case would conclude, so there was absolutely no doubt about seeing "I Killed the Count Part 3" back to back with the previous two parts. While Season 2 of 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' was very uneven, a large number of episodes were still worth watching.

All three parts of "I Killed the Count" fit that distinction. Will admit though to feeling a little disappointed by Part 3, especially after following on from the amount of promise and intrigue the previous two parts showed. That does not mean at all that "I Killed the Count Part 3" is bad, it absolutely isn't and has a lot of what was so impressive before. There was just too much of a feeling of one episode too many and for an episode that is a conclusion to a three parter it could have been better.

"I Killed the Count Part 3" does have a lot of things that are good. It is shot slickly and atmospherically and while Robert Stevens' direction is not the most inspired it is efficient enough. Gounod's "Funeral March of a Marionette" is a terrific choice for the series' theme tune. Once again, the episode is very well acted with John Williams having lost none of his exuberance or authority.

Enough of the script thought provokes and there is enough intrigue in the story to make one keep watching, mainly to see though how the three parter would conclude. Hitchcock's bookending amuses.

However, the story and pacing are flawed here. They were in the previous two parts too (though for the opposite reasons to here), but not to this extent. As said there is too much of a one part too many feel in this instalment that dragged too often from having too little material this time, with all the interesting stuff happening in the previous two parts. Did say previously that some of Part 2 could easily have happened in this part, which would have tightened the story and given more depth to the things glossed over a bit.

Did think too that "I Killed the Count Part 3" is rather too talk heavy, to the extent that the over-explained analysing from Part 1 felt like a distant memory. Was very underwhelmed by the ending, which is much more complicated than it needed to be (we are as baffled as Davidson) and felt like it was trying to wrap things up quickly with too little time to do so.

Concluding, decent and above average but doesn't live up to full potential. 6/10.

OK. Let's throw in another murderer. The count really got around. Not only did he live a lavish lifestyle and command great wealth, he managed to really tick off a lot of people. Now Rosemary Harris comes in. She is one of those actresses that later played confused middle aged women. She was perfect for the suffering wife of a rich husband who had gambled in the stock market and lost. Here, she is young and attractive and has a stake in this whole Count Mattoni murder. I'm not sure whether this episode or Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express came first, but it certainly they are cast from the same form. I would imagine that most of the viewers in 1957 embraced the verisimilitude of the legal process in England. I won't spoil the ending, but the result seems very suspect to me.