The Cheney Vase

The cast is as notable as the story, which is okay even if a bit fragmented. Slimeball Lyle (McGavin) charms his way into wealthy old Martha's (Collinge) mansion with an eye on stealing a valuable hidden vase. The antique is there somewhere, but where. The old lady won't tell, especially after she finds out what a manipulator Lyle is. But what can she do, alone with him in the house. Good to see old pro's like Macready and Collinge picking up paydays, and for once Macready doesn't even have to be the bad guy. And, guys, what about the great eye- candy. Not just one shapely blonde, but two (Jones and Lee), though Jones's career success would come as a brunette. Also, good to see that underrated Mc Gavin showing a charming side, especially with no vampires for Kolchak to hunt down. Anyhow, it's an unexpected ending even if not very plausible. But to me it's the array of performers that remains most memorable.

Film fans will remember Patricia Collinge as featherheaded Aunt Birdie in The Little Foxes, but for a different Collinge one should look at this episode from the Alfred Hitchcock Presents series, The Cheney Vase.

The vase is Hitchcock's McGuffin here, a valuable antique in the Cheney family for years. George MacReady who is the head of a museum wants Collinge to sell it to him, but she prefers to keep it until she dies.

Which might not be long if Darren McGavin has his way. McGavin was fired by MacReady, but he fakes a letter of recommendation from his former boss and insinuates himself into Collinge's household. He even plants Ruta Lee there as a maid.

Collinge turns out not to be so featherheaded in the end however.

McGavin plays a nasty piece of work, but he didn't see what Collinge had in the way of wits by any means.

Definitely, though not personally directed by Hitchcock, in the spirit of the master of suspense.

This early Hitchcock episode stars a young Darren McGavin in a decent Shatner-type toupee as an out-of-work museum assistant and all-around cad and hustler. He befriends an old woman (Collinge, who steals the show) and talks his way into becoming her caretaker. She owns an antique vase worth a pretty penny for its day, which he intends to steal and sell. He turns the old lady into a prisoner in her own home as he plots the theft. OK episode, nothing particularly special about it, and the half hour format makes the episode feel rushed. For instance, while the bad guy has a very sexy blonde girlfriend with whom he intends to run away with (Jones), he replaces the old lady's longtime maid with an even sexier blonde maid (Lee) Unfortunately, we learn nothing about her, other than she is loyal to our heel. I thought for a moment he was going to doublecross the girlfriend and run off with the maid, but this element is not developed. Maybe he planned to run off with both. I know I would have. A clever ending and Collinge's savvy performance make this one worth a look. Just don't expect the superior production and expanded script values that would come some years later with many of the Alfred Hitchcock Hour episodes.

After he is fired from a New York City art museum for lateness (and not showing up at all), womanizing drifter Darren McGavin (as Lyle Endicott) moves in on one of the museum's patrons, elderly and disabled Patricia Collinge (as Martha Cheney). Quickly, Mr. McGavin takes over Ms. Collinge's home. He gets rid of her loyal maid, and cuts Collinge off from the world outside. Next, McGavin plots to run off with shapely blond Carolyn Jones, after selling Collinge's most valuable possession: "The Cheney Vase". It being Christmas, presenter Alfred Hitchcock sells several unbreakable replicas of the $45,000 "Cheney Vase" during his closing remarks. Collinge and a great cast make this "Kind Lady" swipe a nice way to spend your half hour.

******* The Cheney Vase (12/25/55) Alfred Hitchcock : Robert Stevens ~ Patricia Collinge, Darren McGavin, Carolyn Jones

This is not too bad of an episode. Ms. Chaney out foxed the fox - she is a real clever fox in the end. It took her a bit to realize that she was being used to gain access to the vase but once she did come that realization she found the only way she knew how to get out of it - we hope. It's true this episode ended abruptly and could have had a bit more to it in the end... I wanted to know if Lyle ended up in jail or if he decided to harm Ms. Chaney and run off.

Alfred Hitchcock Presents has always been great to watch, I used to watch the reruns on TV as a teen - loved it. This episode was not directed by Hitchcock nor did he write or help to write this story - he only hosted it but it's a pretty good episode and always fun to watch Alfred's commentary before and after each episode.

7/10