Rich American Howard Latimer visits London, and bets 1,000 pounds that he can spend the night in a room that is said to be haunted.Rich American Howard Latimer visits London, and bets 1,000 pounds that he can spend the night in a room that is said to be haunted.Rich American Howard Latimer visits London, and bets 1,000 pounds that he can spend the night in a room that is said to be haunted.
- Hanson
- (as Eric Snowdon)
- Club Patron
- (uncredited)
- Club Patron
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
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Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaAt the end of the episode, there is a promo for Alfred Hitchcock's newest film The Trouble with Harry (1955).
- GoofsHurstwood hands a gun to Latimer and tells him, "You have seven shots, in all." However, Latimer fires the gun nine times - once into the fireplace and eight more times when he's alone in the room.
- Quotes
[first lines]
Himself - Host: [Hitchcock is sitting in a high chair with a lit candle, a small box, and a couple of books all on a narrow desk in front of a closed door with a hung sign marked "QUIET"] Good evening. Do you believe in ghosts?
[the lit candle disappears]
Himself - Host: Of course not. I knew you didn't.
[the entire desk with the box and books disappears]
Himself - Host: Noise is the mortal enemy of good motion picture making and television broadcasting. That is why I hired this particular house. It is deathly quiet-
[people start screaming off screen; Hitchcock turns to look with mild annoyance]
Himself - Host: Most of the time. And its reputation for being haunted keeps away the curious.
[Hitchcock's high chair disappears]
Himself - Host: The shifting of scenery also seems to be better here. The human element has been removed. So, if you would just lean back and relax, I'll tell you a little ghost story. Please don't hesitate to turn out your lights. I'm sure the warm glow from the picture tube will be sufficient to melt all your fears of the dark. But, before we view with alarm, allow us to point with pride.
- SoundtracksFuneral March of a Marionette
Written by Charles Gounod
There is also a bit of information mentioned earlier about a nearby lunatic asylum, and I don't see this as a spoiler, as, while there is some foreshadowing of what shall happen later on in the tale, it's near impossible for a first time viewer to guess the signifacence of it. The prospect, in this story, of gambling, an early wartime setting, a young American abroad, and out of his element, a ghost, and madness, is a tantalizing one even as the first half of the episode is otherwise somewhat prosaic and unremarkable. Things turn, literally, darker, in the second half, yet there's also some confusion for even a seasoned Hitchcock show viewer, as the "set-up", or introduction (as it were) is quite complicated as to the terms of the wager, and how or whether a ghost would react to being shot at. Nor is it made wholly clear who is going to be staying in this large manor house to ensure that the American will stick to his part of the bargain, and if he doesn't, how they can know. The episode pays off in the end, though it could have been a whole lot better with some different players and a better script. Michael Arlen's short story was a good one, yet the epsode, while above average in most respects, feels a bit second tier for this particular television series.
- telegonus
- Jul 28, 2021
Details
- Runtime30 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1