Lamb to the Slaughter

I already know this story, precisely because Road Dahl's script for this one was remade by the same Road dahl, more than twenty years later in TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED anthology series. Of course, I like this episode, very delightful in the end. The recipe is the same as for the remake, even the baking time in the oven; I guess 25 minutes, the episode length. Simple but terribly powerful. I recommend this one and also put it on the highest top batch.

I have seen every episode more then once. This is the best IMO.

Although Alfred Hitchcock is one of my all time favourite directors, not everything he did was great and he did some misfires too. This is true with his episodes of 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' as director as well. While there were fantastic episodes (that were season and series high points), such as Season 1's "Breakdown", there were also misfires such as Season 2's "Wet Saturday" (which also boasted one of the series' worst performances). Have always liked Barbara Bel Geddes.

Those that do so as well will not be disappointed by her performance here in "Lamb to the Slaughter". The episode is one of the most talked about of 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' and it's no wonder. For me, "Lamb to the Slaughter" is absolutely fantastic and not just one of the best episodes of Season 3 (which had some great episodes) but also one of the best of the whole of 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents'. Not to mention one of Hitchcock's best of the series as director.

First and foremost, Bel Geddes is a revelation in an example of how to showcase an actor's/actress' talents by playing to their strengths, stretching them or showing different sides to them. Bel Geddes' performance is a powerhouse in a complex role and one of my favourite individual performances of 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents'. Harold J Stone is excellent too and his chemistry with Bel Geddes carries the episode beautifully.

Hitchcock demonstrates perfectly why he was coined the master of suspense for good reasons. His bookending is humorously ironic and gels with the story with ease, with no sense of jarring or disjointed-ness. It is more than solidly made visually, not looking cheap and boasting some nice atmosphere in the photography. "Funeral March of a Marionette" was an inspired and perfect choice for the series' main theme.

"Lamb to the Slaughter" is an extremely well written episode. Loved its ironic approach to the material that did amuse. Some of it is also darkly comic, that is a perfect mix of humorous and unsettling. While not as sinister as episodes like "Breakdown" or "The Creeper", there is suspense that gives the story an appropriate amount of unease. The story didn't to me feel padded or over-stuffed, while also being easy to follow without being simplistic, and Bel Geddes' character fascinates psychologically. The ending stayed with me for a long time after and is genius.

Wonderful episode all in all and not to be missed. 10/10.

One of the most talked-about of all the Hitchcock half-hours. I'm not sure why since there's none of the suspense, mystery, atmosphere or other qualities that made the series such an enduring hit. There is, however, a rather delicious irony (no pun intended) that comes to a humorous climax in a slow forward dollying shot ending with a big close-up of Bel Geddes. Hitchcock himself directed the show and that same dollying technique is repeated to great effect in the final shot of Tony Perkins in Psycho.

Anyway, my favorite part is where Allan (Rocky) Lane tells wife Bel Geddes that he's leaving her. Her face suddenly registers a complete blank as she goes into denial that this could be happening. It's a rather inspired little moment and a tribute to Bel Geddes's acting skill. Notable also for presence of hawk-nosed Harold J. Stone as a senior cop and ex-cowboy star Lane as the faithless husband. Otherwise, it's a routine episode, at best.

Yup, Roald Dahl's short story was much more engaging. The build-up before the husband arrival was really important to set up the atmosphere and it seems it has been underestimated at the time of the choices for the adaptation into a half-hour TV episode.

Maybe it's because it's television and nobody cared too much about making it a tremendous rendition of the original material. Let alone improve on it.

Maybe it's because Roald Dahl was miscast to adapt his own story and he had no idea what he needed or could bring along into the teleplay.

Maybe Hitchcock was not very good with stories requiring more "full performances" from his cast. This drama would definitely have required the directorial skills of Elia Kazan for instance. Lamb to the slaughter is more about putting us into the wife's mind than about the immanent suspense. Don't get me wrong: Barbara Bel Geddes is wonderful as the main character but the story deserved something more than this down-to-earth rendition.