A Man Greatly Beloved

I was surprisingly enjoyed by this unexptected plot, where the relation between this little girl and this lonesome man - Cedric Hardwicke - is so interesting, unusual. No crime, no suspense, you just wonder where this story will lead you. The ending is also exquisite, not the best ever, but quite good enough to please to many audiences, all kind of audiences. This kind of scheme, for the whole family, usually annoys me, bores me at the most. Here, not at all.

This episode of 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' benefits from good casting here with Cedric Hardwicke, Robert Culp, Edith Barrett, and Evelyn Rudie as the narrator, a small girl with a lot of cheek and curiosity.

Hardwicke is a stranger in town - but is he who Rudie thinks he is? The tone of this episode is quite light and having the little girl narrating gives it some interest. This is an amusing and engaging episode with its tongue firmly in cheek, and is all the better for it.

So with secrets, séances, and dotty character actors, 'A Man Greatly Beloved' tackles the way we sometimes see what we want to see, and accept appearances as they are. It's a decent episode, well filmed and well cast.

This was not the usual Alfred Hitchcock show story, it was different and unusual but interesting, especially the ending. This was aired in May 1957, so likely filmed in late 1956 obviously several years before Robert Culp had his teeth fixed. Hugh Marlow is very good as the Minister and Rebecca Wells as his wife and parents of precocious Hildegard. By the way, Robert Culp does a very good job in his part also

The style of "A Man Greatly Beloved" is most unusual for "Alfred Hitchcock Presents". It begins with little Hildegard Fell (Evelyn Rudie) talking directly to the audience and introducing her family! This makes sense, as she's supposed to be extraordinarily precocious and bright! And, through the course of the episode, she demonstrates a most unusual personality...and a very charming one!

In the show, tiny Hildegard has set her sights on her misanthropic neighbor, Mr. Anderson (Cedric Hardwicke). He loves to be alone and dislikes folks....but that doesn't stop Hildegard from introducing herself and insinuating herself into his life. She simply won't take NO for an answer and is able to bring Anderson out of his crusty shell. As far as what's next....well....I don't want to ruin it and you should just see this cute episode for yourself. Well written and terribly likable due to the marvelous character, Hildegard Fell!

By the way, little Evelyn Rudie was actually this precocious in real life! According to IMDB, "In 1959, at age 9, she disappeared from her Los Angeles home and was feared kidnapped. But it turned out she had booked a flight to Washington, D.C., herself, and boarded the airplane unaccompanied. When she was taken off the plane at Baltimore, she said she'd wanted to visit First Lady Mamie Eisenhower, whom she had met previously, at the White House to ask her help to "get me a part in a TV series"."

This episode is told from the point of view of a precocious little girl. While she has parents, she has embarked on her own career as a chronic buttinski, messing with people's lives and carrying on her own fantasies. She decides that a fairly rich older man, new to the town and living alone will be her project. She basically blackmails him into hosting a garden part (although rain sends it inside). It is thought that this man is a retired judge, who has a reputation for handing out cruel, though appropriate, justice. It is her feeling that he is unhappy and she needs to change his life for him. I know in the eyes of most, she is cute, but after a while she becomes pretty insufferable. It's certainly a worthwhile episode and it has a bit of a twist.