This is as creepy and unsettling an episode of AHP as this show ever presented. A young man arrives in a small English village and takes u residence in a rooming house run by a sweet little old lady. In the course of events, she mentions two other tenants whom the young man seems to recall by name, but is not sure why. Plus, he never sees them going in or out. Soon enough, we discover what the landlady is up to, but by then, it's too late for our hero. Dean Stockwell of "Blue Velvet" and "Quantum Leap" fame is the naive young man, and Patricia Collinge plays the landlady. Collinge appeared in three other AHP episodes, by the way. A great finale, macabre to say the least, from the pen of the master of the macabre, Roald Dahl, whose many wicked little stories were very popular on several early TV anthology shows.
4 Reviews
The Landlady
coltras3510 May 2022
One of my favourite Roald Dahl suspense stories is adapted into a macabre and well-acted chiller. Billy Weaver walks along the street of a small English village, and spots an advert for a room. The landlady's quite pleasant, probably too pleasant. He's perplexed when she later mentions two others are also staying; he's never seen nor heard of them before, so, who are these tenants?
Dean Stockwell is fine as the visitor and so is the lady who plays his host. She's thoroughly pleasant with a hint of sinister: all subtly done. This is a fine story.
Dean Stockwell is fine as the visitor and so is the lady who plays his host. She's thoroughly pleasant with a hint of sinister: all subtly done. This is a fine story.
An absolute stunner !!
neo_papilon10 May 2007
When I first read the story (by Roald Dahl), I was left speechless. The impact it left, clubbed together with the hour of the night when I finished my reading, left a distinct dryness in my throat.
The story is simple (I will not give away even an iota of what it is about) and involves mainly two characters... well, MAINLY. A typical Dahl-ian touch, comprising of suspense coupled with dry humour - all that makes a perfect concoct for Hitchcock to hit a home run !!!
Hitchcock-Dahl combination works very well, and I suggest that if you already haven't done so, try catching the other shorts of this master combination - The Man from the South, Lamb to the Slaughter, Mrs. Bixby and the Colonel's Coat !
Two thumbs up !!
The story is simple (I will not give away even an iota of what it is about) and involves mainly two characters... well, MAINLY. A typical Dahl-ian touch, comprising of suspense coupled with dry humour - all that makes a perfect concoct for Hitchcock to hit a home run !!!
Hitchcock-Dahl combination works very well, and I suggest that if you already haven't done so, try catching the other shorts of this master combination - The Man from the South, Lamb to the Slaughter, Mrs. Bixby and the Colonel's Coat !
Two thumbs up !!
Such Fun
Hitchcoc28 May 2021
When Dean Stockwell arrives in a little village, he rents a room from and odd little woman. She dotes on him and treats him royally. The odd thing is that there are two other lodgers who never appear. It turns out that the landlady has a particular talent that, unfortunately, Stockwell's character is soon to discover. This is creepy and atmospheric.
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