The Baby-Blue Expression

Young Mrs. Barrett (Marshall) has a 100-watt body and a 10-watt brain, but she's also the pampered wife of an older business tycoon (Gaines) who also happens to have a handsome assistant (Walker). Naturally, 3 into 2 won't go, so hubby is not long for this world if only the intellectually-challenged missus can figure out how to mail a letter.

Marshall does a good kittenish version of Marilyn Monroe, and it's amusing to watch her figure out what a "smarmy" letter is like. I'm sort of surprised the screenplay didn't play up retrieving that incriminating letter more than it did. There's real suspense in post office red tape that keeps getting in the way. Nonetheless, her cocktail party diversion is a well acted and humorously scripted hoot with its decadent Manhattan types. No mayhem or chills here, just a good straightforward story topped off by the expected delicious twist.

Arthur Hiller (LOVE STORY) directed this campy episode, with all the frills. At the time he was also directing ROUTE 66.

This is a love story gone haywire with a dash of homicide. Beautiful Sarah Marshall (daughter of actor Herbert Marshall) is spot on as the pampered rich young lady who wants to kill her "older" stick in the mud husband, played by Richard Gaines. Gaines is best known for playing the judge on PERRY MASON.

A prime example of how NOT to commit a murder, and I agree, Marshall's character really messes things up. She has to retrieve a letter that basically implicates her and her boy toy in the murder plan. Not original, as there have been a ton of stories all about trying to retrieve a letter -- but under the bizarre circumstances its worth a look.

Hitch was obviously a fan of Sarah Marshall, also born in London. The British stick together. Sarah is laugh out loud fun to watch in this type of dilemma. And will she make it? Wait for the ending.

A diamond in the rough. Written by Helen Neilsen, who also wrote episodes for PERRY MASON.

SEASON 6 EPISODE 12 remastered. 5 dvd box set. Collectors edition.

The Barretts are a most unusual couple. Mr. Barrett is significantly older than his young wife. They also are unusual because Mrs. Barrett is conspiring with her lover to kill her husband! The plan comes apart, however, since Mrs. Barrett has the intellect of a zucchini! Why? Because she accidentally sends a letter which implicates her and her lover in the husband's murder. When she realizes this mistake, does she have a prayer of retrieving the letter before her plan is uncovered?

This is a decent episode, though to really enjoy it you need to suspend disbelief because both Mrs. Barrett AND her lover are really dippy....and only someone with a zucchini brain could do what they did. See the show and you'll see why these two aren't exactly master criminals!

I am most familiar with Sarah Marshall from one of my favorite TZ episodes, "Little Girl Lost", where she played the girl's mother.

I have also seen her in many other later TV shows, so it was interesting to see her play the "feather-brain", as her lover calls her.

That said, there was over-all very little to this episode after the letter is written.

Perhaps because it was only a half-hour show, less the Alfred Hitchcock wrappers, but the chase after the letter should have been longer.

The party seemed like an after-thought, rather than a part of the lover's plan. Again, perhaps because of the short run time.

Despite these objections, it was still fun to see Sarah Marshall in this role.

This is one of those episodes where you actually want the young woman to get away with murder. But she does an incredibly stupid thing. It's then a race to get back a letter she sent which could get her convicted of conspiracy to commit murder. It's a classic plot played out nicely with obstructions all along the way.