The Three Dreams of Mr. Findlater

Bank manager Mr Findlater (John Williams) dreams of getting rid of his overbearing wife (Isobel Elston), aided by his dream woman Lalage (Barbara Baxley).

This episode is one of the more light-hearted ones. I always enjoy watching John Williams, but he really excels himself here - the way he expounds his second dream, doing all the voices, is brilliant. The whole episode is shown from his point of view, and he carries it wonderfully.

This isn't driven by atmosphere or suspense, but is great story telling. It's based on a story by A. A. Milne. I never liked Winnie the Pooh, but this makes me wonder if I should look at some of his other work.

Barbara Baxley is also good - both character-wise and physically - I wouldn't mind having her in my dreams...

Enjoy!

John Williams must have appeared in more episodes of "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" than nearly everyone...except for Alfred's daughter, Patricia. So, seeing Williams in an episode only a few after he starred in three straight isn't all that surprising.

In "The Three Dreams of Mr. Findlater", he plays Ernest Findlater, a mousy and rather dull man with a penchant for retreating into a dreamworld instead of interacting with his cold wife. In this dreamworld, Ernest dreams of a Polynesian girl, Lalage, and a nice tropical island. But she also appears to him at other times and they dream of being together and killing his wife. However, because Ernest is so mousy and timid, he always dreams and plans...but never actually does anything.

There is no twist, no coincidence, no 'Hitchcockian' moment in this one....just the man dreaming of being with his imaginary girlfriend and killing the wife....and nothing more. Interesting to watch but ultimately disappointing.

I have never liked this episode, not that funny, light hearted and a bit boring. I waited for the ending, to see how the husband would get - or ot - rid of his wife. I am not satisfied with this story, I guess it as nothing to do with this anthology series; It is amusing though, for elders in family. Not my favorite, I guess you have understood what I meant. But watch it, it is only twenty five minutes long.

The Three Dreams Of Mr. Findlater is a lesser Hitch half-hour. As it's adapted from an A.A. Milne story one can't but come to it in high hopes. Those hopes are dashed early on, even with the excellent cast and a potentially promising idea.

Where to begin? Maybe it's best to start by defining the word that best describes the episode: twee. The best dictionary definition I've ever read of that word, seldom used by Americans, fairly common in England, is "whimsy without wit".

The tale of a middle aged man of comfortable means but by no means affluent, and the persistence of his Walter Mitty daydreams of a South Seas woman he wants to run off with so as to ditch his stuffy, conservative wife, is too mundane to really build on.

I suppose we all daydream to one degree or another, and more so than we care to admit, however Mr. Findlater does more than that: he has invented a woman in his mind who's wholly a fantasy and who also talks with him, offers advice, and provides him with, well, not moral support; more like the immoral kind.

When Findlater and his Pacific isle princess begin to seriously plot to murder his wife the story falls apart, as it's reached a point where it's either going to rise into the realm of sophisticated comedy (Not So Blithe Spirit?), or turn into a study of a man descending into psychosis. It cannot, needless to say, be both.

The ending works: it's a modest and ironic save, but that's about it. John Williams puts much effort into the lead but he comes off as too authoritative for such a forlorn character. The rest of the cast is adequate; and in the case of Isobel Elsom as his unpleasant and at times surprisingly perceptive wife, far more than that.

Jules Bricken, who produced the outstanding WWII adventure THE TRAIN, starring Burt Lancaster, brought out the very best of Barbara Baxley in this dark comedy.

A bit off the track for Hitch, but fun to watch. After all these years, it's made me wonder if this was another script he had to defend to the execs at CBS. Hitch did not like talking to the guys upstairs, being an independent producer, but he was working for CBS. Rules are rules.

John Wlliams returns, playing Mr. Findlater(?), saddled with a complaining wife (Isobel Elsom) and his escape are "risque" dreams. The dreams involve temptress Barbara Baxley, wearing a sarong, and not much anything else. His wife also disappears! Of course, it's only a dream, but what happens when Lalage (Baxley) suggests murder? Or was he thinking about murdering the old lady anyway?

Well acted by both leads, certainly restricted to 1950s censorship. And that's where the top brass may have come in to double check the script. Had this been a more contemporary story, and it does have possibilities, this would have been R-rated material for sure. Sarrett Tobias, one of the few female tv writers at the time, turned in a super script once again.

The background music is campy, and precisely at the right moments.

BEST yet opening gag has Hitch telling all his problems to psychiatrist Raymond Bailey, shades of Mr. Drysdale. You have to love it.

From SEASON 2 remastered Universal dvd box set. 2006. Famous green box with green dvds. All seven seasons are now on dvd in a single box set. Released 2022.