Back for Christmas

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.

Directed by Alfred Hitchcock himself. He adds some visual flare but the story is thin

Herbert Carpenter (John Williams) is the henpecked husband who plans to off his domineering wife Hermione (Isobel Elsom.)

Just before they go for a long holiday to California. They will be back for Christmas Hermione assures her friend. Maybe the stay will be longer according to Herbert.

He has been digging in the basement, making a wine cellar but the hole is just her size. Herbert plans to bash his wife in and bury her in the cellar. Then jet off to a new life in California.

It's early morning beer in the LA sun. Jus what could be the twist be. A bit out of the blue I thought but Hermione did plan a surprise for her husband.

Not much tension here as Herbert's plans are well telegraphed.

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.

You know, sometimes it just doesn't pay to murder your wife. We've got this guy who puts up with his wife controlling virtually every aspect of his life. He sees his youth slipping away as she fusses and controls everything. Actually, if one were to step back, she's not all that overbearing. He never tries to simply say, "Enough!" already. We are always suspicious when some guy starts digging in the basement. She does respect his need to build a wine cellar. Of course, he checks his notebook from time to time to see what her dimensions are. She is not a shrew nor does she really smother him. She has a streak of real kindness, so it's hard to be very sympathetic toward him. Well, I won't give the ending away, but suffice it to say that it is her kindness that ultimately comes back to bite him. I think this could have really been improved with a few modifications in her character.

Some of the slight humor works, but otherwise, this episode demolishes belief. It is hard to believe how terribly tedious the first 14 minutes are. Everything is telegraphed early. Then there are meaningless characters saying meaningless things. Then truly one of the most bizarre scenes I have ever seen. A couple come back to visit, open the front door of the house, discuss whether anyone is home and whether they should shout, bang on doors or what. They decide to just leave and try again in a few hours. That was it. That happened. It was completely meaningless, yet, it was stretched out for ... no idea why.

I won't even bother pointing out that the wife wasn't all that bad, because the "experts" will claim that is the point ... that in Hitchcock anyone (the husband) can be evil for no reason at all (just too timid to tell his wife to shut up and stop trying to control him). Big yawn.

And then, when he gets to the USA, there are goofy shots of NYC followed by goofy shots of LA. What happened? Was everyone sick that week? Was there a multi-day blackout in LA so they had to just whip something up at the last minute? The story is not even original. It had been done on another series. Very curious, and not in any good way.