The Big Switch

Gangster Sam Dunleavy wants to murder his ex-girlfriend, Goldie, so he has his friend Barney arrange for him the perfect alibi. Barney has it staged as though he and Sam are playing a game of poker in Barney's back room. Sam sneaks out successfully but is unable to kill Goldie when she claims she's pregnant, However when Sam returns to Barney's backroom, he is met with a big surprise.

The best thing about this episode has to be the presence of veteran actor George Mathews, he eats up the screen with his witty dialogue and rugged looks which make him come off perfectly as the 1930's gangster type. As for that there's really nothing here and all you really whined up getting is episode six "Salvage" with some different results, an added in alibi plot, and an OK ironic twist. It's not a bad episode at all and much like reviewer hitchcoc stated if your going into it not thinking to much then you'll probably enjoy it for what it is an OK episode with a strong lead actor.

In this story Hitch expounds with a bit of sarcasm a mousetrap and how it is so dangerous , thus begin the story of a crook Sam Dunleavy (George Mathews) who has been absent for a while at Miame on his mousetrap business, Back to Chicago he perceives that his beauty and unfaithful girlfriend Goldie (Beverly Michaels) replaces him for another sponsor, Sam eaten for the hate sets up a perfect alibi to killing her and escapes unscathed due since he arrived in town has a cop in his neck, then he goes into a night club which he had close ties with the owner, the corrupt Barney (George E. Stone) whose Sam will buy for 2.500 bucks his alibi, they planned pretend playing poker at his private room, meanwhile Sam leaves the place through a secret passage, then reaching at Goldie's room he waiting for her who quickly comes, Sam be sure why he is there, displayng a gun, Goldie when she realizes that will be killed, the smart girl fools him, that already had a baby called Dunleavy in his homage, Sam has been thrilled by such regard, then he changes your mind and return to Barney's night club, however backing in the poker room the unexpected comes, Hitch was right about the time!!!

Resume:

First watch: 2020 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 7

I never realized there were guys whose job it was to provide alibis for crooks. This should be entitled "The Bulldog and the Wolf." These two shifty characters have a checkered past. It makes you wonder if a guy who spent so much time backing up bad guys at the police station, wouldn't arouse suspicion. Nevertheless, a plot is hatched to protect the bulldog after he goes and kills his ex-girlfriend. At least that's how they set it up. There are secret passages and a stupid game of five card stud with continuous yelling of threats. Of course, only one guy is yelling. The other one has left through a false telephone booth and is on his way to mayhem. Well there is a little baby that is really a gun and a double cross and little bit of what goes around comes around. This is a fun episode if you don't think too much and the ending is pretty satisfying. The characters are really over the top, but it's pretty much tongue in cheek to the bitter end.

I saw the twist coming but it was a bit different than I expected. Well acted.

Okay episode, at best. Sam (Mathews) loves his cat and birdie, but he's no soft-hearted pushover. Instead, he's a brawny tough guy who's going to teach his two-timing girl friend (Michaels) a thing or two about slow and painful death. Too bad for her sake she's not a kitty or a birdie. But first he needs an airtight alibi since the cops watch him like hawks. So he arranges one for a hefty fee with a nightclub crook. Now what can go wrong. Being Hitchcock, we know something will and with an ironic chuckle.

The story's okay even if the upshot seems more contrived than usual. Actually, the cast is the real draw. The Runyonesque Mathews is always a colorful character with his fractured grammar of "deese" and "dem", along with a face that looks like ten miles of bad road. Then there's Beverly Michaels on leave from one of Hugo Haas's sleazy bad movies. Together, they're like a marquee team from Guys and Dolls. And catch James Edwards in a small bartending role. He was one of the first African-Americans to get dignified roles, even before Sidney Poitier. His lead role in 1949's Home of the Brave was a landmark shattering of Black stereotypes. Too bad his role here is not bigger. All in all, it's a colorful half hour, even if not top rank.