The Gentleman from America

This is not one of the examples of the series. In fact, the failure of this episode probably highlights how thin is, in this kind of story, the difference between a pleasant awkward episode, and just a cheesy goofy nonsense.

What i do notice as a dominant fact to much of the episodes is that we are always allowed to define the degree of human manipulation or super natural unexplained events that take place (or that is revealed to us). So, in this case, we suspect the American is being manipulated, but we also wonder whether we are being manipulated as well. The plot is predictable, but it leaves some shadows, which might be enough for us to wonder enough to feel in doubt. Is there a real ghost? Would the manipulators fall in their own trap and be caught in the middle of something they didn't understand? Would the American over top his deceivers and come out with something more clever? Well, apparently they chose the dullest solution. The American does exactly what is intended by the money chasers, everything is according to the book (not the one he reads, i wish it was according to that). We have a minor twist, of finding out what happened to the American after the night in the mansion, but instead of fun irony, they moralize. Bad choice, to me.

So it fails in the plot, and to me it fails in the building of the tension in the ghost house. That has to do with direction, but also probably due to the ghost itself, which is laughable by today's production standards, so it is badly dated.

My opinion: 1/5

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Francis Cockrell was a master at telling a good story. Cockrell wrote many episodes for Hitch, known for a few film classics, like INFERNO, starring Robert Ryan.

Old reliable tough guy Biff McGuire plays a wealthy American, and the perfect fool for a couple of cons who meet up with him at a club in England. They need a fast buck, so why not challenge him to spend a night in a genuine haunted house? An old challenge ... but still very interesting material.

McGuire has a gun -- and a book of ghost stories? Not really a spooker, rather a psychological tale, a la Hitchcock in the dark. The walking ghost scene is campy stuff, reminiscent of all those low, low budget movies we grew up on. If you're thinking Ed Wood, that too. Hitch may have designed it that way. You be the judge.

I agree with the last reviewer, there's a unique ending to the story; you actually get to see what happened to the main character. True, there could have been a few other suitable endings, but worth watching for McGuire's reactions. And he reacts.

Hitch's opening is creative acting 101, and yes, with a few screams tossed in for good cheer.

SEASON 1 EPISODE 31 Universal remastered dvd box set. The deadpan cover photo is the best. Why we love Hitch.

Inconsistent little 30 minutes that still manages some suspense. Opening scene sets-up nicely. Titled but penniless Englishman (Clanton) inveigles prosperous American (McGuire) into a bet that McGuire can't spend night in a haunted house. We suspect Clanton's motives, but don't know anything for sure.

I like the way Clanton projects a slightly snobbish air that irks regular guy McGuire into taking up the wager. Without that extra dimension the wager would not be as plausible.

Unfortunately, the haunted bedroom scene doesn't work as well as the opening—McGuire's behavior is not all that believable. Still, we wonder what the payoff will be, which doesn't come until five years later. If at the end, you have trouble fitting the various parts together, so did I.

Good performances by the principals. McGuire was an early series favorite, probably for his ordinary looks. It's not superior Hitchcock, but there's enough offbeat interest to keep you entertained.

What happens when you set a guy up properly to expect a ghost? Or set him up to suspect that the people with whom he has bet a great deal of money will try to scare him away. Two men, badly in need of money, hanging around a fancy men's club, trick a rich American into betting with them. They bet a thousand pounds he cannot spend the night in a haunted mansion. They give him a gun, a candle, and one match. They also leave a book with a scary story of two sisters in it. One thing leads to another and the man is led to hysteria. What happens next is the true issue in this story. How does he handle being scared out of his wits. This is during war time and the forces at work don't meet again for five years. See this. it's a good psychological study, although it is a bit predictable.

This is an interesting idea to put a ghost story in this anthology show that was supposed to be dedicated to crime stories. But that's precisely the reason why this ghost story is proposed in AH PRESENTS. An intelligent plot, very clever and which will save you some good surprises. Because it takes place in England, the settings were perfect for a haunted mansion scheme. Another example of an episode which could have been a terrific movie for the big screen. I put this episode in the top batch of the series. A mix-up of crime, suspense with some horror elements. Clever. I don't think there will be many episodes like this one.