Safe Conduct

Alfred Hitchcock does his bit to fight off the red peril. As well as stay in Senator Mccarthy's good books.

Mary Prescott (Claire Trevor) is a the go getting American journalist who has been invited to go behind the Iron Curtain.

She has interviewed the head of state of an East European nation and is now heading back to West Germany.

On the train is well known footballer Jan Gubak. He won his nation the world cup trophy.

Jan has been critical of his country. He is on his way to see his sister in Munich, she is having an operation.

Mary offers to looks after a valuable watch, which Jan hopes to raise money for her operation. It is illegal to take out currency and items of value from the country.

In a turn of events. Jan tells the authorities that Mary is smuggling a watch over and she is arrested.

It turns out that the watch was of little value. So what was Jan's game?

Not much of a twist. All it shows that people from this communist countries cannot be trusted. Hidden spies and double agents. It's really a propaganda piece.

If Jan's sister could not afford the operation. How did she end up in hospital in Munich?

This episode deals with that interesting feeling that one gets when traveling under the threat of a government that could arbitrarily detain or arrest someone. Will they accept your passport? Will they identify you as an undesirable? That's what happens here. As she travels in such a location, an American reporter finds herself at the mercy of some pretty scary characters. She is duped by a young soccer player and finds herself under arrest. She is strong, but she knows that she really has little power other than a lot of bluster. She also feels betrayed. This is cold war stuff with an element of spy drama. It builds suspense well and has a satisfying conclusion. Note that there is a contingent of "Hogan's Heroes" characters: John Banner (Sergeant Schultz) and a supposed researcher, Werner Klemperer (Colonel Klink). This is a well done little fifties drama.

An entry that builds suspense based on Cold War themes. Journalist Trevor is returning to the West by train from high-level trip to Soviet bloc nation. On train she meets hunky soccer star Bergerac who convinces her to smuggle costly ring past border guards so he can use it to pay for sister's operation. His charm convinces her. But then, surprise, surprise, he exposes her effort to border guards. Now she's in big trouble. So what the heck's going on since he seemed so sincere.

This is one of few series entries with a political subtext, and understandably so. After all, politics raises its own issues aside from suspense the series traded on. Fortunately, the communist officials are portrayed as recognizably human, an unusual event for the deep Cold War year 1956. That way their humanized presence contributes to the suspense instead of competing.

I love that sequence when Bergerac suddenly asks whether he can buy some of Trevor's underwear. It's dropped in so abruptly, we're as startled as Trevor. Something of a Rock Hudson look-alike, I'm surprised Bergerac didn't score more in Hollywood. Anyway, it's quite a suspenseful episode with a somewhat satisfying upshot.

American journalist Mary Prescott is traveling on a train out of the Iron Curtain, after having meet with its dictator to talk about a variety of things. After having her luggage checked, she is then introduced to local celebrity Jan Gubak a famous soccer player who everyone seems to love. Gubak manages to talk Prescott into smuggling a watch which belonged to his grandmother across the country for him since her bags have already been check. However, strangely Gubak turns Prescott in telling officials that she has smuggled the watch from across country. Prescott is put in the trains jail facility, but, Gubak has a more interesting plan up his sleeve and what might it be?. An Interesting tale of intrigue made good primarily due to the time period this be 1956, and the Cold War going on pretty strong this is a nice piece of story telling for a time when television was still very young and new. The other is the fine cast of familiar faces Jacques Bergerac and Claire Trevor are both really good in there roles, and I have to admit it was pretty great to see both Werner Klemperer and John Banner in a early screen appearance together almost 10 years before the two would star along side each other in "Hogan's Heroes". Overall, this is a very well crafted story, with some really good performances.

"Safe Conduct" is Justus Addis' third episode of 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents'. The previous two, "Salvage" and "A Bullet for Baldwin", being very good, especially the former. Did like the idea for the story, although it was atypical for the series at this point, as none of the previous episodes did this kind of story, and didn't feel like it fitted. Political intrigue is often interesting though, as long as it is not too heavy handed or over-complicated.

This is another winner from 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' and for Addis. Can totally see why some have said it doesn't feel like it fits within the series (though the series was no stranger to changes of pace, such as "Santa Claus and the Tenth Avenue Kid", and did them very well) and why some may not like it. While "Safe Conduct" is not one of the best Season 1 episodes or one of the 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' classics, to me it was very good.

For my tastes, the ending could have been tauter in pace and suffers from being too long and too talk-heavy. Some of the talk also being a little more complicated than needed, especially if one is not too familiar with this period.

However, "Safe Conduct" is well made visually, especially the photography which has a lot of style and atmosphere. Great use of the setting too. The main theme in the music, "Funeral March for a Marionette" has never been utilised better in film or television, is still haunting and has always fitted perfectly with the tone of the series. Addis directs with tautness and control.

While the dialogue is not always taut enough and requires attention to understand, it is very intelligently written and provokes a lot of thought. The political elements are not overdone or laid on too thick, even if very of the time. The story also isn't perfect, but it is on the most part very absorbing, intrigues constantly and captures the tense unrest of the period perfectly. The characters carry the story very well.

Claire Trevor is on strong steely form, as is Jacques Bergerac. Werner Klemperer and John Banner give solid supporting contributions. Hitchcock's bookending really grew on me all the time, and the droll dryness continues to entertain.

Overall, very well done. 8/10.