None Are So Blind

Tall, dark and handsome Hurd Hatfield (best known for the PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY) is well cast as a gentleman of no means who has a wealthy aunt to take care of --and he wants her dough.

As in the tradition of Hitchcock, whether it be on the big or small screen, our central character believes he's smarter than everyone else and assumes another man's identity to finish the job. A very good exercise on human nature at its worst that will have you watching Hatfield's every single move. Excellent supporting cast, headed by Mildred Dunnock as the aunt, who was nominated for an Oscar (BABY DOLL), the year this episode was filmed.

Now you know why Robert Stevens was Hitchcock's favorite director.

Hitch, as usual, has some funny opening and closing comments, and don't you get the feeling he always wanted to be an actor? Best of SEASON 2 remastered dvd box set. 5 dvd set.

The clues to Seymour's undoing despite his brilliant planing were there. It is an episode that must indeed be re-watched.

Hurd Hatfield is perfect in this role that suits him like a glove; I would have seen a like of Georges Sanders in this poisonous, cynical dandy dude. The kind of heavy that you also could see in COLUMBO series as Peter Falk's nemesis planning the perfect murder. That makes me say that it's a shame that Hatfield never played against the dirty raincoat weared lieutnant. But back to this episode, yes, that's a real good one.

Fairly suspenseful episode, until the really gimmicky upshot. Seymour is a slightly effete antiques dealer with a wealthy Aunt Muriel (Dunnock). Seems he's got pretensions of being too superior to go to work now that his shop is failing and auntie is tired of supporting it. Besides Muriel is beginning to treat him with disdain mainly because of his posturing airs. So being the egotist he is, guess what he contemplates.

Hatfield specialized in such fey parts beginning with The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945). Here his smooth face and elegant manner are quite believable. Dunnock too registers as the gritty aunt. But the payoff to his rather pedestrian plan is little more than a quirky gimmick that should have been re-thought. In passing-- I can't help noting KT Stevens' rather inessential role as Seymour's sultry paramour. I suspect the role was tacked on by TV's Standards and Practices to assure audiences that the effete Seymour was not actually gay despite his fey manner. That's just my surmise. Nonetheless, TV was indeed that airbrushed during the culturally conservative 1950's.

There are a few interest points here. One is that it is directed by the most prolific 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' director Robert Stevens, who did do some misfires ("The Hidden Thing") but also some truly fine episodes. Two is that it starred some good talent such as Hurd Hatfield and Mildred Dunnock in the cast. Three is that there have been some inevitable comparisons to Season 1's "The Perfect Murder", which is agreed a better eisode, and can see why.

"None are So Blind" is worth watching enough for anybody on a 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' binge and for anybody that loves the master of suspense (count me as one of those people). Yet it falls rather short of its potential. It is not one of the worst episodes of Season 2 but also not one of the best, up to this point none of the five episodes of the season have bowled me over. Stevens did direct better and worse, this is somewhere in the middle for him, and there are better and worse episodes of the series.

Am going to begin with the good. Hatfield is an elegant and later unnerving presence, which suited the role very well. Dunnock is in a role that plays to her strengths and she gives it plenty of grit. This is definitely a case of the cast being better than the episode. Hitchcock's bookending is intriguing and amusing as ever.

Furthermore, "None are So Blind" is solidly made, the photography having some nice atmosphere, there is some assured if not distinguished direction from Stevens and "Funeral March of a Marionette" is never going to stop being memorable. There is some nice suspense in the middle when Hatfield's character darkens. The script intrigues.

Having said all of that, "None are So Blind" is flawed. The story on the whole is pretty derivative, being too closely indebted to "The Perfect Murder" (except that episode was more realistic and suspenseful), occasionally silly and the suspense could have been more consistent.

Did feel that the script is too talky and that the episode goes too far in making Hatfield's character as hard to like as possible (making the aunt being so easily manipulated hard to buy or see much appeal in him). Will agree that the episode is most let down by the truly silly and too gimmicky ending. Being memorable but not for the right reasons.

In conclusion, acceptable but not exceptional. 6/10.