Your Witness

Aces all around. Arnold (Keith) is a hotshot attorney who's found a younger woman and expects wife Naomi (Dana) to put up with it. Meanwhile, he's ruthlessly defending a rich man's son in a hit and run case. Poor Naomi, he dominates her at home and dominates the trial in court. She's had about all she can stand, but what's a respectable woman to do.

First-rate acting, especially the hard-put Naomi who's hardened expression says everything. Excellent turn by Keith also. His clever attorney is insufferably smug, so confident in his abilities wherever he goes. Then too, shouldn't forget William Hansen as the meek witness. He's one of those easily overlooked supporting players who add so much, yet remains relatively anonymous. Happily, it's an above average script that doesn't telegraph an ending, while Arnold's witness interrogation reflects as much on Arnold as it does on the witness-- not an easy screen writing trick. Anyway, it's a very satisfying 30-minutes, in solid Hitchcock style.

'Aldred Hitchcock Presents' "Your Witness" (1959)

Opening thoughts: Norman Lloyd directed nineteen 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' episodes, was a producer for most of the series' run and even acted in five episodes (his biggest role being in "Design for Loving"). His output was very up and down, but not unwatchable. Absolutely loved the premise for Season 4's thirty first episode "Your Witness", then again this is coming from somebody who has always been a fan of any film, series and episode set in the courtroom. Another interest point was seeing Brian Keith playing against type as by far the nastiest character he ever played.

"Your Witness" turnes out to be a truly excellent episode. It is easily the best of the four episodes Lloyd directed at this point, being the only one to be above good, the others being decent , very weak and average. Would go as far to say to call it one of his best episodes overall and a strong example of against type working brilliantly. Also a high point of Season 4 along with the likes of "Poison", "The Crooked Road", "Man with a Problem" and "The Last Dark Step".

Good things: Nearly everything. Keith is the main reason to see "Your Witness" and he steals the show effortlessly. He never had a nastier or more loathsome character before, during and since and he plays him to the hilt chillingly, while the role is very juicy and larger than life it didn't unbalance the atory. Leora Dana gives an affecting performance as one of the most easy to relate to female lead characters of the series for some time. Her chemistry with Keith scintillates and there is a particularly unsettling scene that was quite bold back then.

Lloyd's direction here is some of his best and tighest. Hitchcock's bookending is humorously ironic and gels with the story with ease, with no sense of jarring or disjointed-ness. It is more than solidly made visually, not looking cheap and boasting some nice atmosphere in the photography. "Funeral March of a Marionette" was an inspired and perfect choice for the series' main theme.

Furthermore, "Your Witness" is brilliantly written. Taut, thought provoking and hard boiled, with no signs of melodramatic soap, rambling or irrelevant fat. The story is enormously absorbing and suspenseful from beginning to end, never simplistic or muddled. Really loved the uncompromising, gritty approach to a tough subject.

Bad things: My only complaint is that for my tastes William Hansen is a little too bland as a character that is rather anonymous, even for one that is not meant to be hugely interesting.

Closing thoughts: Otherwise, absolutely excellent.

9/10.

Salute to Hitch's tv partner, Norman Lloyd, who passed at age 106 in 2021. A directors director, also co-producer. This episode defines his signature style.

Then there's Brian Keith, rivaling his famous father, perhaps one of his finest early tv roles. He plays Arnold, an arrogant, tough as nails attorney who runs his personal life the same way. He's cheating on his wife, Namoi (Leora Dana), and could care less whether she likes it or not. As for a divorce, that's her problem.

All during the Hitch soap opera, Arnold is ruthlessly defending a hit and run driver, making mince meat out of a meek witness (William Hansen), who could throw a ringer in his case. Namoi happens to be watching his courtroom tactics, getting a few ideas herself. You probably know where this is going, however unless you've seen it, will never guess what slick trick she has up her sleeve to finally end a miserable marriage.

Leora Dana is a perfect match for Keith in this drama, who appeared in several classic films. She reminded me of Kay Francis. A notable role for character actor William Hansen (Babcock), another actor you've seen a hundred times, but never knew their name.

Splendid writing by William Jerome Fay, who wrote thirteen other stories for Hitch, this, by far, his most creatively dark.

Best of SEASON 4 EPISODE 31 remastered Universal dvd box set. 5 dvds. Released 2008. All seven seasons are on dvd in a single box set. The perfect gift.

This is pretty effective. Brian Keith of Family Affair and the original Parent Trap is a lawyer with absolutely no scruples (some might say that's redundant). In both his personal and professional life he is as heartless and insensitive as is possible. He has used his somewhat unattractive wife's family simply to feather his nest. He cheats on her and continuously rubs her nose in his affairs. Enter Mr. Babcock, a milquetoast little man who has lost his teaching job because he is legally blind (why that would happen, I don't know. But that's the plot). His myopia comes into play heavily. He is an honest man and is made to look like a fool on the witness stand. Keith takes great pride in destroying little men like this and winning at the cost of the near destruction of a man's life. As with most Hitchcock offerings, the chickens eventually come home to roost.

Brian Keith does the job here, as a district attorney whom you won't forget. I usually dislike and avoid court room plots, but this one proposes something totally new, unpredictable, and that's the least we can expect in AH PRESENTS show. The last minute is exquisite and above all unforeseeable, ironic, the trademark of this amazing series.