The Long Shot

Peter Lawford is very good as a shifty gambler . Can gamblers be ever trusted? Never in Alfred Hitchcock presents!! John Williams was a underrated actor. His most high profile role probably opposite Grace Kelly in Dial M for Murder!)

I gave it a 10 !!

The twist is everything in this series!! If we haven't got a twist in this series it isn't a proper Hitchcock episode!! In this episode we know certain things ie the main character will not succeed!! Most reviewers haven't mentioned the twist!! I think they are wise! The twist is ALL in this series!! If the audience gets it at the start then the program is in trouble!!

A compulsive gambler Charlie Raymond (Peter Lawford) finds himself in serious debt. Forced to flee New York, he answers an ad from a fellow Brit Walker Hendricks (John Williams) looking for a traveling companion to San Francisco. On the way, Charlie decides to change identities with Hendricks - with horrible consequences.

As other reviews have stated this type of episode has been done a zillion times across different TV shows and movies. The down on his luck con man who then decides to get in with a rich man or woman (mostly men) kills them and takes there inheritance. As usual and knowingly here they never get away with it and much like the name of the episode this is in fact a long shot, I mean this would never work in today's high tech landscape let alone in 1955. The episode is a constant build up to Charlie's evident demise, and while it does come there's a very cool twist to the twist which I didn't see coming at all, and Charlie's final scene is great. Williams is his usual smug British self and I love to watch him act all fancy and proper. Lawford is great as Charlie and its fun to watch him literally chain smoke his way threw this episode (different time folks), All in all its a nice take on a very familiar story with a very fun twist ending.

The main problem with compulsive gamblers certainly is about to be blinded by the greedy and easy money which they suppose comes along, it was the case of the English Charlie Raymond (Peter Lawford) who reply a newspaper advertisement about a job, a fellow countryman Walker Hendricks (Williams) needs as companion to long journey between New York to San Francisco, he fills all requires, the payment is enough good, they starts a tiresome trip, somehow in the middle of the way he figure out that his new friend is actually a heir of 200.000 dollars from an already died uncle who never meet before, he willing to rid of Hendricks and replaced him as the real one, his knowledge over London and has all papers in your hands he thinks this bet could work, he kill Hendricks on the desert and drives foward to Frisco to receive the money, a really high stake to a compulsive gambler!!

Resume:

First watch: 2019 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 8

Peter Lawford stars as a ne'er-do-well gambler who is bound to get his legs broken, or worse, if he doesn't get out of town. He owes someone a lot of money...so he accepts the job of a traveling companion....so he can go from New York to San Francisco, and out of harm's way. Along the drive, his traveling companion (John Williams) turns out to be a bore...and he seems to talk nonstop about life in London. What's next? See the show.

The acting and writing are very good here. As I mentioned in the summary, the twist at the end isn't completely surprising...but it is satisfying and enjoyable. Well worth seeing.

I've seen so many plots where a man finds out about an inheritance that is being held for someone. Many B movies use this plot. If they can get rid of this person, they can swoop in and grab the money. One need only think for a moment how incredibly hard this would be. All it takes is one eye witness. What about a photograph? We are talking big money here. Peter Lawford is a small time gambler, in trouble with his bookie. He becomes the unwitting accomplice to his rival, a man who will talk about nothing but London. Given the opportunity, he will off this guy and move in. The guy is an utter bore. Being a Hitchcock episode, there are some surprises along the way. It's just that the plot is so far fetched we just know something is going to screw it up.