Mink

I agree with the last reviewer how times have really changed. True, back in the 50s (when this episode was filmed, and especially in Hollywood), wearing a mink coat was a sign of social status. Today a mink hoodie would be more fashionable.

Who better to play a woman of taste than Ruth Hussey, who began her career as a fashion commentator, before becoming a star at MGM. Here, she plays a trendy lady who has an eye for a mink coat --only it happens to be stolen merchandise. Funny thing is NO ONE can varify her story. Is she a thief? What a Hitchcock dilemma that only mushrooms for your entertainment pleasure.

Also a great supporting cast; Vivi Janis plays a cop this time around. Popular 40s gangster moll Veda Ann Borg plays Lucille.

Look for Eugenia Paul (as Dolores), who played a few roles in her short career before marrying one of the famous Pep Boys, heir to the auto parts store chain.

The inside joke; Ruth Hussey appeared in THE LADY WANTS MINK (1953), a few years before this episode. She also was nominated for an Oscar in THE PHILADELPHIA STORY, playing a fashion photographer. Hitch did his homework.

For all us fans of victims of circumstances. SEASON 2 remastered Universal dvd box set. 5 dvds. All seven seasons are now in a single box set. Released 2022.

We recently inherited a mink coat. It is absolutely gorgeous. But who wears these things these days. I remember quiz shows in the fifties and sixties where this was the ultimate prize one could win. Models paraded around with them (Dicker and Dicker of Beverly Hills). This is about a woman who buys a mink stole on the cheap from some shady woman and then gets arrested because the thing is identified by the furrier who bought it. She has come for an appraisal and they recognize it. The police get involved and there is a whole secrecy thing. She is gaslighted, if you will. Nobody will take responsibility for selling it to her. Obviously, if you're a cop, you should realize right away that should you talk, you are admitting trafficking in stolen goods. Well, things get pretty intense with the woman ready to do jail time. There are further complications where things get resolved. There are some unanswered questions which people seemed happy to ignore back then.

This started out so good. Then just drifted off and ended. Unless, the ending made me think the detective didn't believe her. I'm not sure. If that's the case it improves my opinion. I may be overthinking it. Why did the detective return alone? Was he part of the robbery? Was there really a husband? Am I overthinking the whole thing and it was what it was? The whole thing was a reverse sting trapping the thieves? But why wasn't the female detective a part of the ending? The whole thing is bugging me. I think there must be more to it than I am getting. Or, I am expecting too much from a half hour show?

Mink wraps of any kind were a big status symbol in the upwardly mobile 1950's. No wonder Paula (Hussey) wants one, in this case, a mink stole. So, she buys one, and now she and hubby can show off to their peers. Trouble is her stole turns out to be stolen, at least that what the cops say. But Paula certainly looks the respectable suburban housewife. Nonetheless, the people she claims put her on to the good deal now claim never to have seen her. Oh my, so who's telling the truth. Certainly a trip to the slammer won't do her respectable standing any good.

The first half really holds interest as we wonder what the real story is. But once we're tipped off, the narrative fades into a kind of tepid resolution. Too bad the second half doesn't really keep up the interest of the first. Hussey's fine in the lead role, and I can't help thinking she resembles Lucille Ball's Lucy Ricardo in some of the shots. Maybe it's also the similar period fashions, especially the hair-do. Anyway, the entry's an okay time passer, but nothing special.

While there were some misfires in it, 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' was a very interesting and more than worthwhile series if you love the master of suspense. At its best though, it was brilliant. Season 1 had some great and more episodes, as well as a smaller handful of misfires. It was great to see Robert Stevenson back in the director's chair for the first time since "There's an Old Woman" and the story idea grabs the attention enough at least.

"Mink" could and should have been a good deal better than it was. It is not one of the worst episodes of Season 1, none of it is on the same levels of weak as "The Hidden Thing", but it had potential to be a lot more exciting than it turned out and it was a great of a promising start but runs out of gas too early. There are better episodes in the season, and we are including Stevenson's entries, this is certainly no "And So Died Riabouschinska".

There are good things about "Mink". Ruth Hussey is very good in the lead role and is the main reason as to why the second half is just about worth sticking with. The cast are all fine, though the rest of the cast are never on the same level as Hussey. The episode is slick visually and has some nice atmosphere, mink coats always catch the eye on film and television.

It is also an episode with a promising first half, where there is some real intrigue and it is easy to invest in Paula's predicament. The bookending, with one exception, is typically ironic and the main theme is suitably devillish.

For me, the second half is not as interesting. The story does thin out and loses its tightness, there is no real suspense and the mystery becomes bland and obvious. The ending is so anaemic too that it's almost immediately forgotten about and it is easy to question was there an ending or a twist.

Stevenson's direction is on the uninspired side in the second half and the dialogue never properly crackles. While usually loving Hitchcock's bookending and generally it's humorous here, the wife beating remark really doesn't hold up and is in bad taste.

Overall, watchable but uneven and bland. 5/10.