Alfred Hitchcock Presents: The Long Shot (1955)

 

This marks the 9th episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents. It is the second of seven episodes directed by Robert Stevenson. Stevenson is best known as a Disney director. In fact, he was one of the studio's finest live action directors, having directed such Disney films as Johnny Tremain (1957), Old Yeller (1957), Darby O'Gill and the Little People (1959), The Absent Minded Professor (1961), Mary Poppins (1964), That Darn Cat (1965), The Love Bug (1969), Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971) and Herbie Rides Again (1974) among many others. It is also the second of ten episodes written by  Harold Swanton, a very prolific TV writer. His other Alfred Hitchcock Presents episodes would include The Long Shot (1955), Portrait of Joycelyn (1956), Coyote Moon (1959), Anniversary Gift (1959), An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge (1959), Summer Shade (1961), Museum Piece (1961), Bang Your Dead (1961) and The Twelve Hour Caper (1962) as well as The Alfred Hitchcock Hour episode Body in the Barn (1964). Other TV shows he worked on include The Whistler, Gunsmoke, Perry Mason, Wagon Train, Bonanza and Little House on the Prairie. He also occasionally worked on movies like Disney's Rascal (1969).   

In this episode a compulsive gambler (Peter Lawford) lands in financial debt. He sees an ad for someone looking for a traveling companion to San Francisco. Along the way he decides to change identities with his traveling companion (John Williams). However, this leads to more trouble than he ever anticipated. The opening involves Hitch playing a slot machine that gives him actual fruit. 

This is truly an excellent episode. Though the story has been done before but that doesn't stop this from being compelling viewing. There is a delightfully moody and atmospheric feel to this episode thanks to Stanley Wilson's haunting music and Reggie Lanning's atmospheric cinematography. Many scenes have that cinematic quality that makes this series stand out among many other TV shows of its time. The episode also has some very effectively dark scenes that leave a real sense of unease in the truest of Hitchcock fashion. Also helping this episode work is that Peter Lawford (in his own gives one of the best performances I have seen from him, perfectly capturing the shiftiness of such a character. 

The episode is not perfect however as it can become too talky at times and there is an over reliance on narration. The ending is also too predictable from a show like this which is best known for its shocking twists. 

John Williams as the traveling companion, will be a familiar face to most Hitchcock fans. This was the first of ten episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents that he acted in. However, Hitch fans will know him best for his roles in the Hitchcock movies, Dial M for Murder (1954) and To Catch a Thief (1955).  In Dial M for Murder, he played Chief Inspector Hubbard, a role he also played on stage and in a 1958 television adaption. 

-Michael J. Ruhland