Back for Christmas

"Back for Christmas" is the fourth episode of the series to be directed by the "master of suspense" himself. Expectations were high, seeing as Hiitchcock is one of my all time favourite directors and because of his previous episodes "Revenge", "Breakdown" and "The Case of Mr Pelham" are among the best episodes of Season 1, "Breakdown" in fact being one of my favourite episodes of the whole series. Great to see John Williams in another one of his ten appearances on the series.

Despite not being one of my favourite 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' outings and despite it not being in the same ballpark as "The Case of Mr Pelham" and especially "Breakdown", "Back for Christmas" to me is still one of the better episodes of Season 1. Which was pretty mixed on the whole, with some fine episodes but also with a few lacklustre ones. While not a unique episode, "Back for Christmas" is well executed in almost every way and is very good.

Will agree that there is a little too much talk, which does bog down the momentum at points in the middle.

Also felt that it was a little lacking in the suspense and chills factors that made "The Case of Mr Pelham" and especially "Breakdown" so memorable.

It is though a well made episode, with better production values than the previous couple of episodes. The photography particularly has a good deal of atmosphere and style, as does the eerie lighting. The use of sound is ominous and the main theme (Gounod's "Funeral March of a Marionette") is memorably haunting. Hitchcock directs pretty impeccably and his bookending continues to entertain.

Script isn't perfect, but it provokes thought and doesn't take itself too seriously, while also not treating it as too much of a joke. The story on the most part absorbs and has some nice tension. The ending is entertaining and didn't come over as too predictable. Really liked the character complexity, the characterisation of the wife is interesting and the over-bearing-ness is not overdone. Williams is excellent in a different type of role to usual, very different from his role in 'Dial M for Murder'.

Overall, very good if not amazing. 8/10.

John Williams is one of the actors who was a frequent guest on "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" as well as in Hitchcock's movies. Here in "Back for Christmas", Williams plays a seemingly dull middle-aged Englishman who is about to go on holiday to America with his wife. But he has other plans and begins digging in the basement. As for the wife, she's totally clueless and doesn't seem to notice that the hole is about her size! It's not at all surprising what comes next! But what about after he does the vile deed?

This episode is very good...especially when the twist arrives at the end. But apparently the episode wasn't unique and was based on an earlier radio program....which I assume is no longer available. Well worth seeing.

The first comment on this seems to miss the point. Its not that the woman is so overbearing that makes this episode so great - rather, the complexity of characters and the humorous delivery of the "final solution" that really makes this episode stand out.

Of course she's not fully overbearing, nor is he fully evil. He's rather ordinary, just like her. Hitchcock always succeeds most when making the trivial and boring very lurid and shocking. "Back for Christmas" is great. Best episode in the first season.

If you're looking for archetypal characters, there are plenty of areas of viewing with which to explore them. This director doesn't deal in archetypes but in eccentric individuals.

Alfred Hitchcock returns to the directors chair in this tale which features a older couple both of which are about to leave from England to Los Angeles for both business and vacation. The husband (played by John Williams) is notably irritant towards his wife who while isn't horrible towards him, never stops talking nor telling him what to do. He's also doing work in there basement and you can pretty much figure what happens from there. Pretty good effort from Hitchcock witch features the usual twist of irony at the end. John William's shines as usual in what would be his second of ten episodes he would be in in the series, other then a goofy city montage towards the end and the shows signature music sting being used when William's just goes to turn the water on, it's pretty solid.

A beloved "family episode", directed by Hitch himself, and featuring one of his good friends, John Williams. He was a natural, either playing a dogged police inspector or a distinguished chap who had something up his sleeve.

Williams plays your atypical bored husband who wants to get rid of his equally boring wife. So what to do? He also just happens to be working in the basement, get it? The mechanics here are fascinating.

Oh yes, there's the knock at the door, at precisely the wrong time. Hitch's favorite gag. Irene Tedrow makes for a terrific thorn in our star's side.

We also get to see some classic shots of sunny southern California in the 50s, Williams moving to a plush hotel in Hollywood -- his past seemingly following him. As Hitchcock may have intended, you kind of feel sorry for the old guy, at least for a few seconds. You be the judge.

SEASON 1 remastered Universal dvd box set (with 4 dvds) released 2005. Running time; 16 hrs. A terrific gift for mystery buffs.