One More Mile to Go

The story is unusual because the first third of the show has no audible dialog...none. Instead, you see what happens through a house's window and the voices are muffled. A husband and wife are arguing. Eventually she slaps him and then he responds by beating her to death with a fireplace poker! He then wraps her body up and dumps her in his car's trunk. He then goes for a long drive. Eventually, he's pulled over by a policeman. It seems one of his rear lights is broken and the cop insists that it be fixed IMMEDIATELY...not tomorrow or even later that night...NOW. Considering the wife is in the trunk, this is a problem. What's next? See the show.

I think the basic idea in this episode is flawed. After all, I cannot imagine any policeman being THAT insistent that you fix a tail light immediately. Standard procedure is that they give you a warning ticket and if you get the problem fixed in a few days, there is no fine. About the only way they'd insist you had to have a problem fixed immediately was if it was potentially life threatening...such as sparks shooting out of your car or a wheel falling off the car! Despite this flaw, the episode is interesting and tense.

By the way, had BOTH tail lights gone out, then the story would have made a lot more sense!

This is neither superior Hitchcock nor is it inferior-- it is , however, vintage Hitchcock. There's the usual sly fascination with murder in the home, the workman-like concern with what to do with the body, and the story-telling ability to take a slender premise and make it suspenseful. At the same time, of course, the audience is manipulated into siding with the culprit-- all Hitchcock hallmarks. An episode like this presents some challenges since there's little dialog, no character development and not much action. A lot thus depends on getting the most out of the material, which director Hitchcock does by cleverly working the erratic tail- light gimmick that keeps us on pins and needles. We keep wondering when that trunk lid is suddenly going to be popped open. He also recognizes that the role of the culprit calls for unusual acting skills since the actor will have to convey a gamut of convincing emotions. Stage actor and Oscar winner David Wayne is a perfect choice for the harried part. Watch his impressive array of stricken reactions to each new threat. Nonetheless, the material lacks the sort of cachet that would make the entry really memorable. Understandably, this slender 30- minutes demonstrates Hitchcock's skills as a consummate craftsman, but not as a world- class artist. Still and all, it's an entertaining half-hour.

This is a a mini-version of many of the Hitchcock thrillers. The murder is committed and becomes the pivotal act. We don't know anything about the victim other than she seems to be a virago. David Wayne obviously has had enough and kills her. He moves her to the trunk of his car and spends the entire episode seeking a place to dump the body. What he doesn't count on is a broken tail light and Javert type motorcycle patrolman (second prize winner in a Rod Steiger look-alike contest) who insists that it get fixed immediately. Unfortunately, changing a bulb doesn't do the job. There is a short and to repair it they must get into the trunk. Hitchcock is great at getting us caught up in the plight of the poor boob who has pretty much closed the door to any hopeful outcome. We do actually root for him all the way; why can't that damned cop leave him alone? Of course, the fates take over and we really know what will eventually happen.

This is my ninth favorite episode of the show, it's pretty much your getaway story, what I like is the suspense is once again different as it's double layered. I like how throughout the episode we are in the guilty party's perspective as he is traveling to a location to cover up his crime, this would seem like smooth sailing except for one little thing that could ruin his plans.

You're really in this guy's shoes where you almost want this guy to get away, as he is just coming so close. And this one thing results in a close call with a police officer and mechanic we're hoping he can some how talk his way out of or have at least have a little luck left to bail him out.

But of course, the other layer of suspense is we already know this guy isn't going to get away with it, nor do we feel he deserves to, but the question is when is going to get caught.

Will he get away or won't he, you'll just have to wait and see. But as an old saying goes, it's always the littlest things that can derail the best laid plans.

Rating: 4 stars

I disagree with the other review for this episode.

"One More Mile to Go" is a fine addition to the works of Alfred Hitchcock, and is leaps and bounds better than many of the instalments of "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" and other shows of the time.

The story is simple: Sam Jacoby (the ever-excellent David Wayne) kills his wife, and intends to dispose of her corpse. He loads her into the trunk of his car, and sets off to ditch her where she'll never be found. Along the way, a motorcycle cop pulls him over for a faulty tail light. Will the cop discover the body?

Aside from Wayne's superb performance, the show has all the hallmarks of great Hitchcock: almost the entire first act is silent, as Hitch finds interesting ways to tell the story, keeping himself (and the audience) amused. He must also have taken much delight from the scenario: he places the audience firmly on the side of David Wayne's character... we are on the edge of our seat every time the cop or the mechanic comes close to that trunk, every time they try to pry it open, and therefore we are as guilty by implication as he is!

Along with Hitchcock's other forays into television, this segment shows him to be a masterly -- and somewhat subversive -- director, whose only concern was to tell a good story visually. He was so far ahead of his time it just isn't funny, and this and his other episodes hold up exceptionally well. Highly recommended.