Alfred Hitchcock's daughter Patricia Hitchcock had many roles during the run of this series. This is one of her best performances, so enjoy her acting as you try to figure out what's going on along with her character. An especially satisfying ending.
16 Reviews
"She ain't marrying anybody, unless it's me!"
classicsoncall29 July 2021
Warning: Spoilers
This is one of the easier episodes of the Hitchcock series to figure out how it was going to end. The options were really limited for our boy Clint Ringle (Jack Mullaney) after he used an ax on his would-be girlfriend's actual fiancé. They didn't have to be, he could have high tailed it out of the county easily enough, as the sheriff's posse was already frustrated after having combed the countryside without success. But after being ditched, Clint figured he would finish off Ellie (Pat Hitchcock) as well, waiting for an opportune moment while hanging out in the bell tower of the school where she was a teacher. There were no bats in this belfry, but when church services were completed for Walt Norton's (John Compton) burial, one of the attendees decided to honor his memory with a ring of the chime. Clint's spontaneous reaction from waking him out of a sound sleep was his downfall, as this was one time a Hitchcock protagonist wouldn't be saved by the bell.
It helps to know the director!
planktonrules19 February 2021
Patricia Hitchcock was a very popular actress on "Alfred Hitchcock Presents"....appearing ten times over the course of the series. While being the famous director's daughter sure must have helped, she was generally quite good in her various mostly supporting roles. Here in "The Belfry", however, she does play the female lead, the local school teacher.
When the sociopathic Clint (Jack Mullaney) learns that Miss Ellie (Hitchcock) is going to marry another man, he becomes unhinged and viciously kills her suitor right before her eyes...with a hatchet!! He then runs away to try to avoid being captured...eventually settling into the belfry above the school. Can he remain there indefinitely? No...but can he at least manage to stay there long enough for the heat to die down so he can make his escape? Perhaps. And, crazily enough, he plans on kidnapping and taking Ellie with him!
This was a well made episode BUT there just wasn't any sort of strange or ironic twist at the end....none. I thought the acting was very good but story simply fizzled at the end for me....and could have been better with a much better ending.
By the way, Miss Hitchcock is in her 90s and living in California last I heard...and I only wish her the best.
When the sociopathic Clint (Jack Mullaney) learns that Miss Ellie (Hitchcock) is going to marry another man, he becomes unhinged and viciously kills her suitor right before her eyes...with a hatchet!! He then runs away to try to avoid being captured...eventually settling into the belfry above the school. Can he remain there indefinitely? No...but can he at least manage to stay there long enough for the heat to die down so he can make his escape? Perhaps. And, crazily enough, he plans on kidnapping and taking Ellie with him!
This was a well made episode BUT there just wasn't any sort of strange or ironic twist at the end....none. I thought the acting was very good but story simply fizzled at the end for me....and could have been better with a much better ending.
By the way, Miss Hitchcock is in her 90s and living in California last I heard...and I only wish her the best.
An Excellent Short Thriller Filled With Suspense
Snow Leopard20 March 2006
This episode of "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" is an excellent short thriller filled with suspense. The direction by Herschel Daugherty, who went on to direct a good number of episodes in the series, is worthy of Hitchcock himself, and Allan Vaughan Elston's story is adapted very nicely to the half-hour television format by one of the show's regular scriptwriters.
Pat Hitchcock is well-cast as a country schoolteacher, but Jack Mullaney is the star of the episode, as her violently disappointed suitor. The story follows Mullaney's character as he flees from justice by hiding in a bell tower, and Mullaney really makes the character come alive, giving him a childlike personality combined with a vengeful anger and a certain animal cunning. His mannerisms and facial expressions help to create an unusual and unsettling character.
There are a lot of nice touches that build up the tension, and it works very well in combining anxiety for the schoolteacher with an interest in whether or not the fugitive will be discovered. There are a lot of small details with props or minor actions that are used resourcefully to add to the suspense. The sets, particularly Mullaney's tiny hideout, are straightforward, but they are nicely designed and quite effective. The whole episode is of high quality.
Pat Hitchcock is well-cast as a country schoolteacher, but Jack Mullaney is the star of the episode, as her violently disappointed suitor. The story follows Mullaney's character as he flees from justice by hiding in a bell tower, and Mullaney really makes the character come alive, giving him a childlike personality combined with a vengeful anger and a certain animal cunning. His mannerisms and facial expressions help to create an unusual and unsettling character.
There are a lot of nice touches that build up the tension, and it works very well in combining anxiety for the schoolteacher with an interest in whether or not the fugitive will be discovered. There are a lot of small details with props or minor actions that are used resourcefully to add to the suspense. The sets, particularly Mullaney's tiny hideout, are straightforward, but they are nicely designed and quite effective. The whole episode is of high quality.
We ain't gonna catch nothing but namoni standin here
sol12187 April 2012
Warning: Spoilers
***SPOILERS***Working his fingers down to the bone the not too bright country bumpkin Clint Ringle, Jack Mullaney, finally built his dream house that he plans to share with his future bride schoolteacher Ellie Marsh, Pat Hitchcock, whom he's been walking home from school the last few months. The problem is that Ellie has other plans and that's to marry big strong and handsome Walt Norton, John Campton, whom she's been secretly engaged with behind Clint's back. When Ellie breaks the bad news to Clint about her future plans he goes wacko and as Walt, almost on cue, suddenly shows up from what seems like out of nowhere Clint in a sudden frenzy whacked him with Walt hatched killing him!
Now a fugitive from the law wanted on a murder charge Clint hides in the nearby church/school bell tower waiting for the heat to blow off so,when he thinks nobody will be looking for him, take out his revenge against Ellie for standing him up. For what seems like a week Clint is stuck in the bell tower with nothing to eat or drink while Ellie is teaching her class down below. Waiting for the right moment to make his escape after Sunday's church services Clint has a couple of close calls one in which one of the local school boys lost his baseball that landed in the bell tower and tried to,unsuccessfully,retrieve it!
****SPOILERS**** It's now Monday morning after the funeral service for the late Walt Norton and Clint is fast asleep in the bell-tower when Clint's cousin Elmer,Norman Leavitt, opens the schoolhouse he decides to ring in the morning or crack of dawn. That ended up with the fast asleep Clint to himself crack up from the sharp noise and end up giving himself away to the sheriff and his appointed posse that's been out looking for him for the last few days!
Now a fugitive from the law wanted on a murder charge Clint hides in the nearby church/school bell tower waiting for the heat to blow off so,when he thinks nobody will be looking for him, take out his revenge against Ellie for standing him up. For what seems like a week Clint is stuck in the bell tower with nothing to eat or drink while Ellie is teaching her class down below. Waiting for the right moment to make his escape after Sunday's church services Clint has a couple of close calls one in which one of the local school boys lost his baseball that landed in the bell tower and tried to,unsuccessfully,retrieve it!
****SPOILERS**** It's now Monday morning after the funeral service for the late Walt Norton and Clint is fast asleep in the bell-tower when Clint's cousin Elmer,Norman Leavitt, opens the schoolhouse he decides to ring in the morning or crack of dawn. That ended up with the fast asleep Clint to himself crack up from the sharp noise and end up giving himself away to the sheriff and his appointed posse that's been out looking for him for the last few days!
A good suspense episode with the bosses wife at work!
blanbrn20 December 2017
This "AHP" episode from 1956 called "The Belfry" is special as it features Alfred's real life wife Patricia and it's an episode that builds tension and suspense and it's full of drama. The tale is simple Ellie Marsh(Patricia Hitchcock) is a small town schoolteacher who enjoys work and life and is engaged to a guy named Walt that she plans to marry. Yet when approached by a loner type guy in Clint who wants to get to know Ellie she wants no part of it as she only wants to be with Walt, all of a sudden a violent turn is taken which changes life for all involved. Now a cat and mouse game of hide and seek and the search for justice is spinning on board only with the tension and drama all involved will have their bell rung! Good episode nice to see some work from the bosses wife I know Alfred was proud of Pat!
"The Belfry" is hiding a maniacal killer
chuck-reilly1 February 2008
Against typecasting, Jack Mullaney plays a country bumpkin turned psychotic named Clint Ringle who impulsively murders the rival for his girlfriend's affections. Hitchcock's daughter (Patricia) plays Mullaney's erstwhile love interest (Ellie Marsh) and she also happens to be the local schoolmarm. Mullaney is able to escape justice by conveniently hiding in the belfry of Ms. Hitchcock's school, but he's far from satisfied with one death. His intent now is to kill his poor unsuspecting former girlfriend for her supposed duplicity. Safely ensconced in the belfry, Mullaney imagination takes hold and his evil and demented thoughts are conveyed to the audience (similar to Anthony Perkins in "Psycho"). His original "act of passion" merely disguised his twisted and mentally deranged mind.
Hitchcock had an affinity for locating many episodes of his series out in the boondocks and inhabited them with simple but devious characters. It was his way of telling the viewing audience that escaping to the countryside wasn't all that it was cracked up to be. He also used his daughter Patricia on occasion and she gives an exceptional performance in this suspenseful entry. Mullaney, usually fitted for "nice guy" roles, plays the killer (Ringle) for all it's worth. Needless to say, justice "rings" its tune for poor Jack.
Hitchcock had an affinity for locating many episodes of his series out in the boondocks and inhabited them with simple but devious characters. It was his way of telling the viewing audience that escaping to the countryside wasn't all that it was cracked up to be. He also used his daughter Patricia on occasion and she gives an exceptional performance in this suspenseful entry. Mullaney, usually fitted for "nice guy" roles, plays the killer (Ringle) for all it's worth. Needless to say, justice "rings" its tune for poor Jack.
Bats in this Belfry!
Hitchcoc23 October 2008
I just couldn't get into this one. It is really over the top with the Southern hick mentality. The guy murders a man right in front of his fiancée. He then takes off, telling her that they will be together in his little love nest. The guy, of course, is a psychotic moron. He ends up hiding in the belfry of the one room school where she is a schoolmarm. He has a tough time when someone rings the bell, but, otherwise, seems perfectly comfortable. Can you say "bathroom"? Of course, people didn't think of this much. There is a place where a softball ends up in the belfry and he is about to ax a young boy. Anyway, we know that at some point he is going to screw. I guess the voice over of his deranged mind got on my nerves. Quasimodo makes a fatal mistake which is what we knew he would do.
Ringing out the dead
TheLittleSongbird30 March 2022
"The Belfry" is notable for having Hitchcock's own daughter Patricia Hitchcock play her second 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' lead role. The first one being "Into Thin Air", which she was very good in despite having a mixed view on that episode overall. It also is the first episode of the series for the series' third most prolific director Herschel Daugherty (after Robert Stevens and Paul Henreid). Almost every episode has an interest point, and "The Belfry" has two.
Absolutely do think that the rating here is too low. To me, "The Belfry" is a very good episode, while not one of the 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' classics it is one of the better Season 1 episodes in my view and a lot better than most episodes rated higher. Sure "The Belfry" is not for everybody, with a wackiness that some may find on the over the top side, but there are a lot of good things that far outweigh what is not quite so good.
Which is really not much, in terms of what could have been done better. More could have been done with the ending, which felt rushed and anaemic and is actually quite forgettable and anti-climactic as well.
So much is good though. Patricia Hitchcock is alluring and easy to root for, while an increasingly chillingly deranged Jack Mullaney is even better. The master of suspense's wonderfully ironic delivery of the dry-humoured and intriguing bookending never fails to shine. Daugherty does a more than solid job directing and one would never know that this was only his first episode for the series.
Moreover, the production values have a good deal of style and atmosphere, with only the sparse sets (at times) showing any signs of cheapness. Still love the series' main theme. The script is lean and thought provoking, without being melodramatic, the main character is very interesting psychologically the more he unravels and the story while slight has a creepiness and unease that were not there enough in the previous two episodes.
Concluding, very good. 8/10.
Absolutely do think that the rating here is too low. To me, "The Belfry" is a very good episode, while not one of the 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' classics it is one of the better Season 1 episodes in my view and a lot better than most episodes rated higher. Sure "The Belfry" is not for everybody, with a wackiness that some may find on the over the top side, but there are a lot of good things that far outweigh what is not quite so good.
Which is really not much, in terms of what could have been done better. More could have been done with the ending, which felt rushed and anaemic and is actually quite forgettable and anti-climactic as well.
So much is good though. Patricia Hitchcock is alluring and easy to root for, while an increasingly chillingly deranged Jack Mullaney is even better. The master of suspense's wonderfully ironic delivery of the dry-humoured and intriguing bookending never fails to shine. Daugherty does a more than solid job directing and one would never know that this was only his first episode for the series.
Moreover, the production values have a good deal of style and atmosphere, with only the sparse sets (at times) showing any signs of cheapness. Still love the series' main theme. The script is lean and thought provoking, without being melodramatic, the main character is very interesting psychologically the more he unravels and the story while slight has a creepiness and unease that were not there enough in the previous two episodes.
Concluding, very good. 8/10.
Seriously bad casting
gregorycanfield1 March 2022
Hitchcock's daughter, Patricia was generally agreeable in her various roles. However, she wasn't the right actress for this episode. This doesn't even come close to what I'm referring to by "seriously bad casting." Jack Mullaney is one of the worst actors I've ever seen. He did resemble Anthony Perkins, but had none of Perkins' talent. I also hated Mullaney's face, and his thumb sucking made me want to kick my foot through the TV screen. The story is also pretty dumb. There is no suspense, and the ending is completely unsatisfying. Mullaney's character is one that you're supposed to dislike, but I disliked him for the wrong reasons. He was an annoying, ineffectual, untalented excuse for an actor. The whole episode has a feel of having been miscasted. The worst episode I've watched, so far.
Norman Bates' Country Cousin
dougdoepke27 January 2016
I'm not sure why this episode has stayed with me for, lo, near 60-years. But it has. I think it's because the loopy Clint (Mullaney) does something I'd never seen an adult do—suck his thumb! To me that was scarier than one of those dripping ax murderers. Poor Clint. He looks twenty but his mind is a delusional three. Then too, he looks enough like Tony Perkins to be Norman Bates' country cousin. Plus, it's a toss-up which is wackier. So what does loopy Clint do after axing his supposed girlfriend's fiancé. He hides in a belfry, of course-- talk about getting your bell rung! Clearly, He should have given that hideout a serious second thought. Some fine production touches. Check out those dirty coveralls the guys wear, like they just came in from the fields; and was sweet-faced Pat Hitchcock ever more aptly cast than as a country school marm. Good to see familiar utility actor Dabbs Greer pick up a payday as the sheriff. All in all, the entry's a real curiosity, with enough novelty to keep you glued. As it did me, even sixty years later.
A View From The Belfry
telegonus6 September 2019
Warning: Spoilers
The Belfry is a typically way above average Hitchcock Presents episode. It isn't much like any other I can think of offhand and yet it has many excellent touches that made the Hitchcock series such compelling viewing in its day; and for those who don't mind slower paced (than today, I mean) black and white television, it holds up very well. This one's set in what appears to be early 20th century America, the rural Midwest or border South, where people still traveled in buggies and rode horses, and most small town folk still didn't have electricity, much less a telephone. Life might have seemed simpler then to those of us of more of than a century later, yet as this episode shows us, disturbed, impaired individuals can and could always be found anywhere, even in outwardly idyllic communities; as could people afflicted with dangerous pathologies.
Simpleton Clint Ringle is the main character in the story, and he's building what he hopes will be a dream house for the woman he is in love with, a schoolteacher named Ellie Marsh, whom he's planning to wed in the near future. Alas for Clint, Ellie already has a suitor whom she is planning to marry. Clint, wholly unaware of this, is shocked when Ellie turns him down one afternoon, after which Ellie is herself even more deeply shocked when she sees Clint kills the man she really loves with a hatchet right in front of her, outside the one room schoolhouse where she teaches. As becomes immediately clear to Clint his act was witnessed by some children playing outdoors nearby, thus even if his beloved kept this a secret his murder shall soon be known throughout the community.
Yet Clint clearly at the very least has an innate shrewdness all the same. What he lacks in cleverness and insight he makes up for at least somewhat in sheer animal cunning. Before long, as he has discovered that the house he was building for his beloved has been soaked in a downpour he returns to the schoolhouse and hides in its belfry. He remains there, for the most part, for the remainder of the episode. It's his only safe hiding place, and yet as the viewer can see even as Clint cannot, it's good only for the short term. It's clear to the viewer that the noose is being tightened around Clint's neck even as his whereabouts are not known. He cannot remain in hiding for long, as becomes evident when what had been his safe haven turns into a hell when someone tolls the school bell.
This is a fine episode for some, albeit not for all tastes. It has no real villain and no real hero. Clint is as blameless as he is clueless. One pities rather than hates him. He is in his way as much a victim as the man he killed. I sensed while watching it that the writer (or writers) went out of their way to make none of the characters in the story either especially likable or loathsome. One can respect the normal people of this rural community, and yet it's difficult, in our time, to identify with them. One cannot help but feel that these people behave as well as can be expected given the circumstances, the time in which the story is set, their lack of much in the way of education, in our modern sense. The ending was, for me, rather a shocker in the way it was handled. I don't see this as giving too much away or spoiling anything for prospective viewers.
Simpleton Clint Ringle is the main character in the story, and he's building what he hopes will be a dream house for the woman he is in love with, a schoolteacher named Ellie Marsh, whom he's planning to wed in the near future. Alas for Clint, Ellie already has a suitor whom she is planning to marry. Clint, wholly unaware of this, is shocked when Ellie turns him down one afternoon, after which Ellie is herself even more deeply shocked when she sees Clint kills the man she really loves with a hatchet right in front of her, outside the one room schoolhouse where she teaches. As becomes immediately clear to Clint his act was witnessed by some children playing outdoors nearby, thus even if his beloved kept this a secret his murder shall soon be known throughout the community.
Yet Clint clearly at the very least has an innate shrewdness all the same. What he lacks in cleverness and insight he makes up for at least somewhat in sheer animal cunning. Before long, as he has discovered that the house he was building for his beloved has been soaked in a downpour he returns to the schoolhouse and hides in its belfry. He remains there, for the most part, for the remainder of the episode. It's his only safe hiding place, and yet as the viewer can see even as Clint cannot, it's good only for the short term. It's clear to the viewer that the noose is being tightened around Clint's neck even as his whereabouts are not known. He cannot remain in hiding for long, as becomes evident when what had been his safe haven turns into a hell when someone tolls the school bell.
This is a fine episode for some, albeit not for all tastes. It has no real villain and no real hero. Clint is as blameless as he is clueless. One pities rather than hates him. He is in his way as much a victim as the man he killed. I sensed while watching it that the writer (or writers) went out of their way to make none of the characters in the story either especially likable or loathsome. One can respect the normal people of this rural community, and yet it's difficult, in our time, to identify with them. One cannot help but feel that these people behave as well as can be expected given the circumstances, the time in which the story is set, their lack of much in the way of education, in our modern sense. The ending was, for me, rather a shocker in the way it was handled. I don't see this as giving too much away or spoiling anything for prospective viewers.
So much build up to be let down
sdot87875 September 2021
NOT his wife; his DAUGHTER!
schmidtkenn1126 December 2017
Great story
jnayjayray6 April 2019
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
