I was 12-almost-13 when this was first broadcast, and spending the weekend with my great-grandmother (who was born in 1879) at her old two-story house in a small town about an hour from my home. It was a dark and stormy night, as they say, and we watched this in her living room just before bedtime. Afterwards, I had to climb her dark staircase to my bedroom with my heart pounding out of my chest. I do have to credit this episode with helping me grow up and learn not to let my imagination run wild. I never saw it again until I reached middle age, and it still held up, although once you've seen it, you never forget the story and the wonderful cast, especially Louise Latham as the tippling cook/housekeeper. Her creepy laugh was almost a disturbing as the startling climax.
40 Reviews
Psychological horror that keeps you guessing
darrenpearce11120 August 2017
The whole drama is full of oblique suggestions of how the nurse murderer might be inside or outside at any moment. Time is not spent on building up the psychological portraits of the characters like in other episodes but instead invites the mind of the viewer to keep guessing the outcome of this dark and atmospheric tale. Its all the more of a nightmarish maze to try to solve as sounds of screaming and weather elements keep playing with the mind.
Solid horror.
Solid horror.
An Unlocked Window
rms125a21 October 2016
Warning: Spoilers
This is one of the scariest works of celluloid fiction ever, in my humble opinion. That it was an episode in Alfred Hitchcock's TV series and that the episode has such a innocuous name must not detract. This is scarier than Scream, Friday the 13th, Saw, and all the rest of that stuff. You don't need blood and gore to be scary, as Hitchcock well knew, and there was little if any blood or gore in his canon of work. I saw most of the episode (but missed the beginning) on TV ages ago and I still remember it, although I must have had my eyes blinking, if not closed outright, in fear during the last few minutes because I did not recall at least one detail which has been referred to by other posters on this thread.
I did some research. The original story (in which the identity of the killer was known, and he was eventually disposed of) was the basis for the film The Spiral Staircase (1946), starring Dorothy McGuire, which was quite scary but had the requisite "happy ending", for lack of a better word. This episode, which was fiendishly rewritten to devastating dystopian effect, not only ends horrifically but with the promise of more killings and other deaths. For example, the sickly, semi-comatose patient being treated by the nurses is not going to last long, and Maude may also fall victim, even though she's not a nurse. And Maude would be the only person who could put the police on the right track of the perpetrator. Is the perp shrewd enough to realize that?
Does anyone know how Hitch "summed up" the episode in which the perpetrators are caught, often quite incredibly, off-camera after the events depicted? If so, please let me know.
As well all know, the shocker at the end was way ahead of its time but seems as timely and scary now as it must have back then. Wish I could read some of the episode's reviews by critics at the time it was originally released.
I did some research. The original story (in which the identity of the killer was known, and he was eventually disposed of) was the basis for the film The Spiral Staircase (1946), starring Dorothy McGuire, which was quite scary but had the requisite "happy ending", for lack of a better word. This episode, which was fiendishly rewritten to devastating dystopian effect, not only ends horrifically but with the promise of more killings and other deaths. For example, the sickly, semi-comatose patient being treated by the nurses is not going to last long, and Maude may also fall victim, even though she's not a nurse. And Maude would be the only person who could put the police on the right track of the perpetrator. Is the perp shrewd enough to realize that?
Does anyone know how Hitch "summed up" the episode in which the perpetrators are caught, often quite incredibly, off-camera after the events depicted? If so, please let me know.
As well all know, the shocker at the end was way ahead of its time but seems as timely and scary now as it must have back then. Wish I could read some of the episode's reviews by critics at the time it was originally released.
The best hour-long episode of Hitchcock ever.
arnie11328 September 2008
I was 21 years old and still living at home when I saw this. My parents were out to dinner. I was alone in the house except for our Scotch Terrier Missy, and it was a rainy night. I was gripped by the story from the start, and didn't move until it was over. Right before the ending, I was reminded of a quotation from Sherlock Holmes which to paraphrase very roughly said if you've eliminated all other solutions, the one remaining answer, no matter how seemingly impossible, is the correct one. I've been looking for this for almost 43 years, and I'm delighted to tell you all that it's available at fancast.com. Try to watch this with someone you love; it's not something you should watch alone. (P.S. I should add that I've always read a lot of mystery and horror, and this STILL got to me. And it still does.)--arnie113 (Have fun!) P.P.S.--I happen to be a woman, but I think this would scare the hell out of me even if I were a 6'3" fullback!
Voices in the Dark
dougdoepke11 August 2006
When Hitchcock Presents went from its original half-hour to an hour format, the quality dropped off noticeably. The tight plots and twist endings of the earlier period were too often stretched to fill the required 50-plus minutes and the stories sagged under too much padding.
Arguably however this is the best of the hour-long lot, since the suspense never lets up. A maniac who only kills nurses is loose. Meanwhile, two nurses including Dana Wynter and a drunken housekeeper are alone in an old mansion on a stormy night tending to a bed-ridden John Kerr. Another nurse only two miles away, they learn, is strangled, and needless to say, the three women are terrified as the tension mounts. Is he in the house-- they hear maniacal giggles. Why oh why did nurse Wynter forget to lock the basement window. Then too, how did the cat get out and when will the handyman return from town. As directed by ace movie veteran Joseph M. Newman and photographed by Citizen Kane's Stanley Cortez, the atmosphere is heavy with foreboding. We feel something is wrong, but what? Great ending, along with a very last shot whose graphic nature is unusual for TV of that time. If you catch only one of these 60 minute episodes, this is the one to scope out.
Arguably however this is the best of the hour-long lot, since the suspense never lets up. A maniac who only kills nurses is loose. Meanwhile, two nurses including Dana Wynter and a drunken housekeeper are alone in an old mansion on a stormy night tending to a bed-ridden John Kerr. Another nurse only two miles away, they learn, is strangled, and needless to say, the three women are terrified as the tension mounts. Is he in the house-- they hear maniacal giggles. Why oh why did nurse Wynter forget to lock the basement window. Then too, how did the cat get out and when will the handyman return from town. As directed by ace movie veteran Joseph M. Newman and photographed by Citizen Kane's Stanley Cortez, the atmosphere is heavy with foreboding. We feel something is wrong, but what? Great ending, along with a very last shot whose graphic nature is unusual for TV of that time. If you catch only one of these 60 minute episodes, this is the one to scope out.
"An Unlocked Window" Alert
kenbotz316-126 May 2008
I saw this episode when I was 13 years old and consider it the scariest hour of television, ever. I was too afraid to get out of the bed to shut off the television set when it was over!!! It is being shown on the Chiller Station this week, for those of you who have that channel. I have told and retold this episode to fellow horror fans over the years and still get the chills when I think of it. I hope it can live up to the hype I've elevated it to over the years. Saw the more recent half hour remake with Annette O'Toole in the Dana Wynter role and it was very disappointing. Leave the great stuff alone and improve on the great ideas handled poorly the first time around. I also recently saw "The Jar" which had left an impression on me at the time, but can not rank it up there with this episode, IMHO, of course.
Scared the living hell out of me
blanche-220 September 2008
I well remember "An Unlocked Window" as one of the most terrifying experiences of my life. I watched this television show about two nurses, an invalid and a serial killer on the loose while sitting in our family den. My father was laying on the couch. The atmosphere of the story really pulled you in, and my heart was in my throat the entire time.
At one of the crucial moments in the story, our family cat jumped up on the window sill from outside. I jumped. My father must have gone up in the air three feet. That night, I went to bed with a butcher knife under my pillow. If you saw this show, you may recall that the killer had this deep, growly type laugh. Well, not only was my father fooling around with that laugh, but when our dog settled down in the hall, I swear she made that same noise. Honestly I never thought I'd recover. It was worse than watching Psycho with a bunch of people in a dorm room and everybody screaming.
If you ever get a chance to see this, don't miss it, but don't watch it alone. I'm sure it's lost none of its power.
At one of the crucial moments in the story, our family cat jumped up on the window sill from outside. I jumped. My father must have gone up in the air three feet. That night, I went to bed with a butcher knife under my pillow. If you saw this show, you may recall that the killer had this deep, growly type laugh. Well, not only was my father fooling around with that laugh, but when our dog settled down in the hall, I swear she made that same noise. Honestly I never thought I'd recover. It was worse than watching Psycho with a bunch of people in a dorm room and everybody screaming.
If you ever get a chance to see this, don't miss it, but don't watch it alone. I'm sure it's lost none of its power.
One of scariest Alfred Hitchcock TV ever !!
littledeer-bambe17 October 2016
This episode still scares the heck outta me! It was very well done and the ending a stunner. I watched it alone and about p'd my pants it was so creepy. I couldn't get it out of my head for a few days. Thank U Alfred for the nightmares, haha. The persistent rain added to the uneasiness, it was relentless. Good to the last horrid drop!! Casting was excellent and unexpected. PleaseS DO NOT WATCH THIS ALONE !! It is very disturbing!! Get a boyfriend, trusted girlfriend, whatever! Modern movies have a lot of guts and gore but the understated and imaginative horror is often worse. Hitchcock was brilliant. Now I'm going to get my blankie and stuffed animal and watch something more mellow.
It still scares me
adh-0885110 July 2020
The one-hour AHH were, IMO, never as good as the half-hour ones. Mostly they seemed to contain a lot of filler and dragged at times, but not this one. I still remember seeing this episode when it first aired, with my cousin. We were about 15. I also still remember the actual chills I got up my back at the very creepy reveal and how my cousin and I grabbed each other, gasping. There was nothing much horrific on TV in those days as there is now, so we weren't expecting this and it had such an impact I've never watched it again.
As good as it gets
john_p4028 April 2014
"The Unlocked Window" could be a writer's template for creating suspense and dread. Consider the elements involved: nurses in isolation, darkness, stormy weather - and a homicidal maniac whose victims are ... nurses. This (in my opinion) is the apotheosis of the Alfred Hitchcock Hour. No need to discuss the plot; it's obvious if you've read preceding comments. Let me just say that this episode wallops the viewer in a way you will never forget. And oh, that ending! My gosh, Dana Wynter was a beautiful woman. Most of us only know her as Becky Driscoll from "Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956). But She was also memorable as Holly Keith in "Something of Value" (1957) as well as numerous TV appearances through the '70s.
One of the best
henri sauvage15 December 2008
A psychotic killer who gets his jollies by strangling nurses is on the prowl. Two nurses, their bed-ridden patient, and a housekeeper who likes to hit the bottle a bit too much are all alone in a creepy mansion during a furious storm, and it soon becomes apparent that the killer has marked them for his next little escapade.
If some of this sounds familiar, it's because the plot borrows heavily from the classic chiller "The Spiral Staircase" -- and then adds a hearty dollop of "Psycho" to the mix. (And in fact the exterior setting for this story is the self-same grim Victorian monstrosity that was used five years earlier for the Bates house.)
Perhaps because the final twist has subsequently been employed by many a copycat (almost to the point of cliché) I saw what was coming pretty early on. But when this was first broadcast in the mid-1960s, the ending must have been a real shocker; even now this episode of "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour" has a strikingly tense and morbid atmosphere.
I'd still have to give "The Jar" slightly higher marks for its unique story and Swamp Gothic/EC Comics sensibility, but this one comes mighty close. It certainly qualifies as one of the very best of the series.
If some of this sounds familiar, it's because the plot borrows heavily from the classic chiller "The Spiral Staircase" -- and then adds a hearty dollop of "Psycho" to the mix. (And in fact the exterior setting for this story is the self-same grim Victorian monstrosity that was used five years earlier for the Bates house.)
Perhaps because the final twist has subsequently been employed by many a copycat (almost to the point of cliché) I saw what was coming pretty early on. But when this was first broadcast in the mid-1960s, the ending must have been a real shocker; even now this episode of "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour" has a strikingly tense and morbid atmosphere.
I'd still have to give "The Jar" slightly higher marks for its unique story and Swamp Gothic/EC Comics sensibility, but this one comes mighty close. It certainly qualifies as one of the very best of the series.
Best Episode
ags12324 February 2015
I prefer "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour" to the half-hour "Alfred Hitchcock Presents." Too many of the AHP episodes aimed for wry humor and are only mildly amusing. "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour" put more emphasis on sustained suspense, with varying degrees of success.
"An Unlocked Window" is what a thriller should be: suspenseful from start to finish. For that reason it remains the series' finest episode. Half a century has not diminished its impact. Several additional points of interest include the "Psycho" house, used for exteriors; Louise Latham, a year after playing the mother of "Marnie;" and a score by the incomparable Bernard Herrmann. Add all that to the atmospheric photography, the well-paced script and the excellent performances by all the actors and you have an hour of suspense you're not likely to forget.
"An Unlocked Window" is what a thriller should be: suspenseful from start to finish. For that reason it remains the series' finest episode. Half a century has not diminished its impact. Several additional points of interest include the "Psycho" house, used for exteriors; Louise Latham, a year after playing the mother of "Marnie;" and a score by the incomparable Bernard Herrmann. Add all that to the atmospheric photography, the well-paced script and the excellent performances by all the actors and you have an hour of suspense you're not likely to forget.
T. C. Jones in a rare dramatic role
kevinolzak20 January 2012
Warning: Spoilers
"An Unlocked Window" is justly regarded as a classic episode, but for me the presence of T.C. Jones gave me some idea of what lay ahead. While the ending did confirm my expectations, it still provided chilling evidence of how great the show could be when it entered THRILLER territory. I was familiar with Jones from the Monkees feature "Head" in 1968 (his last film, he died of cancer at age 50 in 1971), but at the time his casting could only have been brilliant, except perhaps for those who may have seen him before as a guest performer on variety shows. Even with my suspicions, it still proved to be quite a puzzler as to how the killer would claim his next victim, or how many. The main disappointment lies with the unlocked window itself, useful as a red herring, yet only used as an escape for the housecat. Dana Wynter is the lovely young nurse, whose absentmindedness proves to be her undoing, while Louise Latham had just worked with Hitchcock on his 1964 "Marnie" (as Marnie's mother).
About as unoriginal as they come.
planktonrules19 June 2021
Warning: Spoilers
If you've seen William Castle's "Homicidal" or Hitchcock's "Psycho", then you'll likely see through the plot to this one, as it left me with little in the way of suspense. The plot is, essentially the same as "Homicidal" and the house is the one used in Hitchcock's "Psycho".
When the story begins, you learn that some maniac is murdering in-home nurses. And, soon the household where three nurses are now working is the object of the maniac's rage.
The problem is not just that the story isn't original but often the acting is shrill and never do the nurses trapped in the house behave rationally. You'd THINK they'll all stay in one room and never leave it until help arrives but instead they love going off in rooms alone and making themselves easy pickings. Not well made though it is scary and exciting if you've never seen this sort of thing before...though I had.
When the story begins, you learn that some maniac is murdering in-home nurses. And, soon the household where three nurses are now working is the object of the maniac's rage.
The problem is not just that the story isn't original but often the acting is shrill and never do the nurses trapped in the house behave rationally. You'd THINK they'll all stay in one room and never leave it until help arrives but instead they love going off in rooms alone and making themselves easy pickings. Not well made though it is scary and exciting if you've never seen this sort of thing before...though I had.
One of the highest rated episodes with a great thrill ending.
rixrex20 July 2006
Probably the second best Hitchcock episode to come from the hour-long series, second to ... did you guess it? THE JAR. Well, on second thought, perhaps it could be a tie.
I will not give away the shock, surprise ending here, but will say it thrilled audiences greatly in 1965, and was the talk of the office water-cooler crowd the next workday (that certainly dates this commenter). This episode plays like an EC horror comic book story from start to finish, and if you only get to see one Hitchcock Hour episode in your life, well, that should be THE JAR, but for those who can see more than one episode, make sure this is the second one you see.
Now, to get this to the 10 line requirement that our sponsor desires, I will say that nearly all of the best Hitchcock Hour shows are like EC horror comic stories on film, and now, we will be right back after this!
I will not give away the shock, surprise ending here, but will say it thrilled audiences greatly in 1965, and was the talk of the office water-cooler crowd the next workday (that certainly dates this commenter). This episode plays like an EC horror comic book story from start to finish, and if you only get to see one Hitchcock Hour episode in your life, well, that should be THE JAR, but for those who can see more than one episode, make sure this is the second one you see.
Now, to get this to the 10 line requirement that our sponsor desires, I will say that nearly all of the best Hitchcock Hour shows are like EC horror comic stories on film, and now, we will be right back after this!
One of the scariest segments I've ever seen on any TV show.
deblasiogwae3 July 2020
I first saw this when I was 12 years old. I swear to you I could not sleep that night because I was so terrified. The images in this production haunted me for years. It was written by James Bridges who later went on to direct The Paper Chase and The China Syndrome. I believe he spoke about the creation of suspense while he was making The China Syndrome; for example, when Jack lemmon put down the coffee cup and then it started to vibrate indicating that something was wrong with the nuclear plant. But that wasn't the red herring like the unlocked window was in this story. Icy and terrifying.
Best of the Alfred Hitchcock Hour
maxren1712 August 2006
Saw this episode as a kid. It was the scariest and the most suspenseful of the episodes. The previous writer claims the best is the "The Jar" I am not familiar with that episode.
Dana Wynter is great in this story. Creepy old house....a woman nurse alone taking care of an ailing older man....there's a killer on the loose and he's targeting nurses....she thinks she may have left a window in the basement unlocked! If you can get your hands on this episode you'll not regret it. I still remember it like it was yesterday!
There's a twist at the end that will chill you to your bones!
Hitchcock didn't have to change the stories on his TV show like he did in his commercial movies. The Alfred Hitchcock Hour episodes are not compromised and often had a dark creepy ending.
I recently saw the 1st season of Alfread Hitchcock Presents is on DVD. I hope this one comes out soon!
Dana Wynter is great in this story. Creepy old house....a woman nurse alone taking care of an ailing older man....there's a killer on the loose and he's targeting nurses....she thinks she may have left a window in the basement unlocked! If you can get your hands on this episode you'll not regret it. I still remember it like it was yesterday!
There's a twist at the end that will chill you to your bones!
Hitchcock didn't have to change the stories on his TV show like he did in his commercial movies. The Alfred Hitchcock Hour episodes are not compromised and often had a dark creepy ending.
I recently saw the 1st season of Alfread Hitchcock Presents is on DVD. I hope this one comes out soon!
T.C. Jones Most Memorable moment
poetcomic14 September 2018
Warning: Spoilers
Louise Latham is a superb actress who played the drunken house maid (she should have been nominated for an Academy Award for her role in Hitchcock's Marnie).
Major Spoiler Alert!: The legendary T. C. Jones was the top female impersonator of the era and had one essential acting demand: no one must ever suspect, for a moment that she was a he. The script, the mannerisms of Jones were brilliant. By playing a kind of stern unfeminine type older woman always pestering the young Stella for her forgetfulness and mistakes we project on 'her' a 'type' of older fussy female that we all have had run ins with.
If Jones had attempted to be too feminine and girlie it would have looked suspicious.
Major Spoiler Alert!: The legendary T. C. Jones was the top female impersonator of the era and had one essential acting demand: no one must ever suspect, for a moment that she was a he. The script, the mannerisms of Jones were brilliant. By playing a kind of stern unfeminine type older woman always pestering the young Stella for her forgetfulness and mistakes we project on 'her' a 'type' of older fussy female that we all have had run ins with.
If Jones had attempted to be too feminine and girlie it would have looked suspicious.
An Unlocked Window among best Hitchcock episodes
tblack-870727 April 2022
Arguably the best episode in the "Alfred Hitchcock Hour" series and easily among the top five episodes of any Hitchcock episode of either the 30- or 60-minute variety, An Unlocked Window offers drama, suspense, scenery and concludes with a frightening ending that will not be revealed in this review out of respect for those viewers who have yet to see it.
THE ULTIMATE 1 HOUR EPISODE OF ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS
tony-sepulveda9 September 2020
Unfortunately for me, the first episode of "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" that I ever saw was this one. I say unfortunate, because no 30 or 60 minute episode in the series ever lived up to this one. That is probably because this is truly the scariest episode written.
THE DEFINITION OF A FRIGHTMARE! AND THEN SOME...
tcchelsey7 April 2022
Hats off to TC Jones in this incredible episode, without giving TOO MUCH away. Let's just say that TC was absolutely amazing, and much in demand at many top shows across the country.
Period.
All of us kids remember this episode, and one of the last and perhaps best of Hitchcock's entire tv series. If it had a bit more padding, it would have also made a stupendous movie. This is also one of the few episodes to be rerun out of sequence because it is so creepy and campy, many times run as the FIRST episode of the hour-long series. One of the best writers in the business was behind this, James Bridges, who later gave us THE CHINA SYNDROME and THE PAPER CHASE. His long time companion was Jack Larson, who played Jimmy on SUPERMAN. Could you imagine the great Hollywood stories those two could tell.
To begin with, the old PSYCHO house on the hill is the backdrop (Hitch was very clever in his approach) where a serial killer is loose in the neighborhood, Universal's backlot, and just down the street is the LEAVE IT TO BEAVER house! There's a small group of nurses taking care of a bedridden man in the gloomy house, throw in a wild thunderstorm and lots of eerie noises (including a banging unlocked cellar window) and its every woman for herself.... The dark music score also plays an integral part.
The ending truly is a knockout. Hitchcock, even on tv, was the undisputed master of suspense, and without fail, add a touch of dark comedy in the mix. You have to laugh at what happens. No kidding. Excellent cast with Dana Wynter as Stella and Louise Latham as Maude. They are super actresses. It's a toss up as to who is about to jump out of their shoes first!
Extremely well directed by Joseph Newman, frequent contributor to the TWILIGHT ZONE and who directed the iconic 50s sci fi THIS ISLAND EARTH.
An Unbelievable Wow, and in glorious black and white. SEASON 3 EPISODE 17 CBS dvd box set.
Period.
All of us kids remember this episode, and one of the last and perhaps best of Hitchcock's entire tv series. If it had a bit more padding, it would have also made a stupendous movie. This is also one of the few episodes to be rerun out of sequence because it is so creepy and campy, many times run as the FIRST episode of the hour-long series. One of the best writers in the business was behind this, James Bridges, who later gave us THE CHINA SYNDROME and THE PAPER CHASE. His long time companion was Jack Larson, who played Jimmy on SUPERMAN. Could you imagine the great Hollywood stories those two could tell.
To begin with, the old PSYCHO house on the hill is the backdrop (Hitch was very clever in his approach) where a serial killer is loose in the neighborhood, Universal's backlot, and just down the street is the LEAVE IT TO BEAVER house! There's a small group of nurses taking care of a bedridden man in the gloomy house, throw in a wild thunderstorm and lots of eerie noises (including a banging unlocked cellar window) and its every woman for herself.... The dark music score also plays an integral part.
The ending truly is a knockout. Hitchcock, even on tv, was the undisputed master of suspense, and without fail, add a touch of dark comedy in the mix. You have to laugh at what happens. No kidding. Excellent cast with Dana Wynter as Stella and Louise Latham as Maude. They are super actresses. It's a toss up as to who is about to jump out of their shoes first!
Extremely well directed by Joseph Newman, frequent contributor to the TWILIGHT ZONE and who directed the iconic 50s sci fi THIS ISLAND EARTH.
An Unbelievable Wow, and in glorious black and white. SEASON 3 EPISODE 17 CBS dvd box set.
The Best Chiller of The Series
MogwaiMovieReviews26 November 2022
One of the best of the hour-long Alfred Hitchcock shows, feeling much more like a fully-fleshed-out 1960s horror movie than TV filler, but still much too long and needlessly padded: there's far too many repeated shots of that same god-damned unlocked window, or of characters that aren't developed in any way and play no part in the story, and most of the dialogue is pointless, empty fluff. Like most episodes of the AHH, it would have been far better as a half hour show: there's just too much dead time to look closely at the characters and plotholes, notice discrepancies and get bored.
I guessed the twist 5 minutes into the show, but the character it all hinges on is so good at what they do that I still found myself questioning myself all the way to the end. The story doesn't seem to play fair at points, and certain parts of it would surely have been impossible in real life, but it's still strikingly-shot and powerfully effective at points, particularly the ending, which is shockingly bleak in comparison to what TV audiences of the time would have been used to.
I guessed the twist 5 minutes into the show, but the character it all hinges on is so good at what they do that I still found myself questioning myself all the way to the end. The story doesn't seem to play fair at points, and certain parts of it would surely have been impossible in real life, but it's still strikingly-shot and powerfully effective at points, particularly the ending, which is shockingly bleak in comparison to what TV audiences of the time would have been used to.
Hitch knew how to scare on TV, too...
binapiraeus11 August 2014
This was the first episode that I ever watched from that famous serial "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour" - and it SURE made me want to see more of it! Once again, just like he did on the big screen, Hitch pulls out all the stops to scare the *beep* out of us on TV as well... Only the identity of the maniac murderer was a bit obvious almost from the beginning; but the ending certainly wasn't!
Here, Hitch revived all the elements of the good old 'isolated mansion mystery' that had been so popular 30 years before - and with great care, and with great success! The atmosphere is UNIQUELY creepy, and the running time of less than an hour leaves absolutely NO space for boredom; so, if you're not the kind that gets scared easily, don't miss this great example of 'entertainment, Hitchcock style'!
Here, Hitch revived all the elements of the good old 'isolated mansion mystery' that had been so popular 30 years before - and with great care, and with great success! The atmosphere is UNIQUELY creepy, and the running time of less than an hour leaves absolutely NO space for boredom; so, if you're not the kind that gets scared easily, don't miss this great example of 'entertainment, Hitchcock style'!
"Have you ever seen someone after they've been strangled?"
classicsoncall14 January 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Don't be fooled by the title of the story. The repeated scenes of the basement window flapping in the wind is a complete red herring, designed to have you expect the killer crawling through it every time it showed up on screen. If I had seen this back in the day when I was a teen, I probably would have had the same reaction as many of the other reviewers here who were frightened out of their wits. In my case it was the Vincent Price thriller, "The House on Haunted Hill" that did those honors. But watching today, there are at least two significant plot holes that undermine the credibility of the episode. For one thing, you had the repeated instances of the phone ringing that Nurse Ames (T. C. Jones) attributed to the stalker who had been killing nurses in the immediate community. She obviously was faking her responses because the twist ending revealed her to be the killer. But you have to ask yourself, who was making those incoming phone calls? The other one had to do with Nurse Stella (Dana Wynter) taking the call from Dr. Jones, informing her that another murder of a nurse had been discovered only two miles away, and that the killer was probably still in the neighborhood. Since this was presented in the story as happening in real time, how could Nurse Ames have done that murder since she was in the house during the entire episode? One could argue that the murder had been committed much earlier, but then it should have been explained in a way that didn't suggest Nurse Ames was in two places at once. Now if you overlook those two points, you have an intriguing and compelling drama that keeps you on the edge of your seat waiting for the shoe to drop with the appearance of the killer to terrorize the women in the Baker house. That final scene does create a chilling menace as Nurse Ames' wig is torn off to complement the male with the deep, husky voice that the drunken housekeeper Maude (Louise Latham) kept hearing. Which reminds me now of a third plot hole. Since Maude passed out in a drunken stupor, how was she so easily awakened by the nurses when they came to make her aware of the killer in the house?
I don't get it . . .
pgrandjean23 August 2023
Warning: Spoilers
. . . Actually, I don't get most IMDb reviews, but all the love for this lame teleplay I REALLY don't get. This was cornpone from the unhinged nurse who kept screaming to the constant shots of the slamming window. Given the fact that this came after "Psycho," the ending was meh as well.
Hitchcock was a genius film director, but with rare exceptions, his TV shows got a little "pandery." I think the Twilight Zone was vastly superior for its time. (I also watched the John Forsythe episode about the hit-and-run accident that Hitch directed-that just seemed insultingly improbable). Yep, TV is much better now.
Hitchcock was a genius film director, but with rare exceptions, his TV shows got a little "pandery." I think the Twilight Zone was vastly superior for its time. (I also watched the John Forsythe episode about the hit-and-run accident that Hitch directed-that just seemed insultingly improbable). Yep, TV is much better now.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
