Back for Christmas

"Back for Christmas" is definitely among the most boring and dull tales in the "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" series. The plot sounds promising, as we see a gentleman who is tired of his nagging wife, so he plans to kill her in a hole he's dug in the basement.

Only thing is, there is so much chatter in this episode that is not important to the plot, it can lose your attention very quickly as you wait for something, anything, to advance the plot a bit. Finally, in the last quarter of the show, things start to move a little bit, but then slow up again.

There really is nothing here that will make you care about anything, except finally getting finished with the show. And the ending - no I won't give it away, but the "hook" at the end is embarrassingly not only highlighted on screen, but gets even more condescending as the camera zooms in for a close-up, just to make you understand it, as anyone over the age of seven should.

Fast-forward through the first fifteen minutes at least to give yourself a break if you really have to watch this one.

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.

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.

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.