The Long Shot

I like this episode very much. I think it has: Great acting, twist and a good interesting story. I was very surprised by the twist in this episode. I liked the twist, but i will not say when it happens in the episode.

As you may know, frequently cast in Hitchcock's films and this TV-series, it stars the British actor John Williams. Who was in at least 10 episodes of this series. I like him as an actor. I think he is great. He doesn't disappoint me in this episode. I also think Peter Lawford did well. One could think that it was Alfred Hitchcock who directed this. I mean by the interesting story and twist. So, i recommend this episode very much.

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.

Despite finding a huge amount to like about 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' as a series and really liking to loving five of the previous eight episodes, expectations were not massive for "The Long Shot". The story is very familiar ground and Peter Lawford generally is not a huge favourite of mine. Also didn't care very much for Robert Stevenson's previous episode "Don't Come Back Alive", but did think that he could do another Don Medford in having a lesser episode of the season as his first episode and redeem himself with his second.

Luckily that is the case with Stevenson with "The Long Shot". The improvement is so vast that a check to see whether it was the same person who directed both episodes was needed. It is not flawless and to me there are better episodes of Season 1 and of the series, "Breakdown" immediately coming to mind. "The Long Shot" though is very good and has enough of what makes me like 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' a good deal. Anything that manages to get a great performance out of Lawford already goes up in my estimations.

As said, Lawford is not a favourite of mine (not sure about that being a popular opinion) but it has always been dependent on the role and he did have some weak ones in his earlier years. He has a strong role here and gives a performance that is very committed, pretty subtle but never to the point of boredom and he excels at being shifty. Have always liked John Williams and felt he never gets enough credit and he does smug and distinguished very well. The supporting cast are solid.

"The Long Shot" is another well made episode, with some suitably moody photography and it is not claustrophobic or overblown looking. Stevenson is a lot more in control of the material here and directs with precision and a good eye for atmosphere for much of the time. It's hauntingly scored and the theme tune is for me one of the best uses of pre-existing classical music in television and not a conventional one. On the most part, it's scripted tightly and thoughtfully and the story compels and has a nice suspenseful atmosphere. The twist is well executed and clever, if not earth shattering perhaps.

Where "The Long Shot" is at its weakest is the over-talky and occasionally pedestrian mid-section.

Did feel too that there were moments going towards the end where suspension of disbelief is needed.

In conclusion, very well done. 8/10.

The first of 10 episodes veteran actor John Williams would appear in for his friend, Hitch. No secret he and Williams were old buds, having guested in three of his films, notably DIAL M FOR MURDER. A standout performance. If you needed a dapper British gentleman, John Williams was your choice.

He plays just that here, a chap called Walker Hendricks who is joined in a cross country trip from New York to San Francisco by out of luck gambler Charlie, slickly played by Peter Lawford. These two super actors make a memorable team in more ways than one, and you know there's trouble brewing. For one thing, Walker talks too much and there's inheritence money waiting to be collected?

I agree with the last reviewer, money waiting for "someone" to claim was the theme for many B films, particularly noir movies, however writer Harold Swanton gives it a good shot. He wrote many other top stories for Hitch's tv show. Charlie proves to be a desperate character, that much we can tell you, however the ending is totally unexpected and you may even chuckle when all is said and done. I'm sure Hitch did.

Director Robert Stevenson (known for MARY POPPINS) does a fine job with this two man show of shows. Another Hitch alum, Gertrude Hoffman plays Margaret, who appeared in FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT and SUSPICION. Frank Gerstle plays the police sergeant, a role he mastered on tv for years.

Definitely owes up to its title, a Long Shot if ever there was. SEASON 1 EPISODE 9 remastered CBS dvd box set. Released 2005. Artsy green box cover with deadpan Hitch.

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.