Alfred Hitchcock Presents (TV Series) The Derelicts (1956) User Reviews

You ALMOST feel sorry for them.

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 18 February 2021]

Ralph has married a very bad woman. She spends far more than he earns but also makes it very clear that if he doesn't pay, she'll leave. Thatt Ralph puts up with this is hard to believe....but he does. But what he does next is really amazing...he murders the silent partner in his business so that he doesn't have to split his profits AND he can actually afford to keep his god-awful wife. But there's a hitch to his actions....it seems a hobo (Robert Newton) saw him kill the old man and now he and his buddy are going to bleed Ralph dry.

I think this story has 1001 holes in the plot. But it is enjoyable seeing Robert Newton's over-the-top performance....subtle it sure isn't!! But it is enjoyable as is the episode even though so much of it makes little sense.

We never talk about that side of the family!

[sol1218 · 6/10 · 28 September 2012]

***SPOILERS*** Near bankrupt thanks to his gold digging wife Herth, Peggy Knudsen, who just about spent him dry businessman and inventor Ralph Cowell, Philip Reed, is now in deep you know what in that his silent partner in a business venture he was in Alfred J. Slone, Cyril Delevanti, now wants the $10,000.00 in capital that he loaned him. Panic stricken and not being himself the mild mannered and non violent Reed ends up strangling Slone in a deserted park and takes off with his wallet. That in Reed thinking that it contains the IOU to Slone that can implicate him in his murder! Well things didn't quite worked out as planned for Reed with derelict Peter J.Goodfellow, Robert Newton, sleeping in the park was awaken by the noise and witnessed Reed murdering Slone. Not only that Goodfellow found the gold cigarette case that Slone dropped that contained the IOU that Reed was looking for!

Tracking Reed down to his penthouse apartment Goodfellow and his horse playing friend Fenton Shanks, Johnny Silver, crash the place and make themselves at home by blackmailing Reed in what they've got on him. Telling his very upset and angry wife Herta that the two freeloaders are a couple of distance relatives who need a place to stay until they find a place to get settled doesn't help him either. She in having her furs and jewelry as well as silverware hocked by the two leaches has just about had it and threatens to leave him if he doesn't throw them out of the apartment.

***SPOILERS*** It's for once that things turn Reed's way in him finding the IOU that both Goodfellow and Fenton had hanging over his head and destroying it. Now free to live his life in peace Reed gets a very unpleasant surprise when it's discovered by the police that among the items that Goodfellow & Fenton hocked at the local pawn shop was the gold cigarette case belonging to murdered Alfred J. Slone that he unknowingly signed for!

Typically fine episode, with a very good cast.

[b_kite · 7/10 · 7 June 2019]

Businessman Ralph Cowell kills his silent partner, Alfred Sloane, in order to avoid paying what he owes. The murder is witnessed by vagrant Peter J. Goodfellow, who picks up Sloane's cigarette case with the IOU inside, and uses it to blackmail Cowell. Goodfellow and his friend Fenton Shanks move into Cowell's home, much to the disgust of Cowell's wife, Herta. After months of Goodfellow and Fenton living with them and pawning almost everything in the Cowell home, Cowell is able to find the IOU and burn it. Goodfellow and Fenton leave, but we soon learn this isn' the end of Cowell's worries.

Phillip Reed returns (after starring in the earlier season episode "A Bullet for Baldwin") to carry this pretty fine tale of murder and blackmail. Everything here is the typical standard for this series, and main protagonist who is or isn't really a bad guy, but, he's in a tight spot so he does what he has to, he usually gets into so trouble, then manages to escape it only to get caught under the craziest of circumstances at the end. But, what really makes this episode though is the fine cast. Reed puts in a good performance as the fancy and proper Ralph Cowell, as does Peggy Knudsen as his money hungry wife. The star of the show however is Robert Newton who adds a touch of comedic flair to what is a rather bleak tale, it's a shame he died shortly after this as he was a pleasure to watch. Cyril Delevanti who I fondly remember playing in several episodes of both "The Twilight Zone" and "Gunsmoke" makes a nice, but, brief appearance as Alfred Sloane. All together a nice standard episode, with the standard Hitchcock formula, made by a really good cast its IMDB rating of 7.0 is appropriate.

More Colorful than Suspenseful

[dougdoepke · 10 June 2016]

For a moment I thought I was looking at Marilyn Monroe and Tyrone Power as the married Cowell's. That's not surprising since it's 1956 and Hollywood's ablaze with ersatz Marilyns. This blonde sexpot (Knudsen), however, is one greedy vixen who's got hubby (Reed) wrapped around her little finger while she picks his pocket. In fact, it seems everyone's got his or her hand in his wallet. Those two seedy derelicts (Newton & Silver) who see him murder his business partner (Delevanti) even blackmail him into letting them move into his lavish digs. Good thing he's got a big bucks business what with all these parasites sucking him dry.

Newton hams it up enough to provide the series trademark black humor, along with a diminutively amusing Silver. There's some mild suspense as we wonder how husband Cowell will get out of his predicament, especially with wife Cowell who loves him as much as his current wallet-size will buy. I guess I was hoping he would find a way out, since he seemed more a weak victim than a real culprit. Anyway, it's a colorful entry, even though I thought the ending a little flat.

Blackmail

[TheLittleSongbird · 7/10 · 2 March 2022]

Memories of "The Derelicts" were pretty good on first watch long ago. While not having the most memorable of plots, Robert Newton's performance was memorable to a tee. Have always liked Newton as an actor, especially his definitive Bill Sikes, he was not the most subtle of actors but he was always entertaining to watch and did menacing very well too. Robert Stevenson's entries for 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' were a bit of a mixed bag but enough of them are worth watching.

"The Derelicts" is definitely one of the episodes of 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' that is worth watching and one of the Stevenson directed episodes that is worthwhile. It is far from one of the best episodes of Season 1 or of the series, one of Stevenson's best episodes or one of the series' classics. It is a long way from being one of the worst 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' entries though, and is a big improvement over the disappointing previous episode.

It is far from a flawless episode. The story could have done with more tension, especially in the final third, and some of it is not easy to follow. Will agree too that the climactic moments are on the flat side, with the tension and energy not being there enough, and seemed rushed too.

Phillip Reed also came over as bland in a role that doesn't have enough juice.

Newton's character though has plenty of juice and Newton absolutely steals the show. He has a genuine menace about him while also being larger than life, doing so without unbalancing the episode too much. He is the aspect that one most remembers but the rest of the cast are very good. Only Reed is wanting. Stevenson directs solidly generally. It is slickly and atmospherically filmed, while the main theme is beautifully macabre. Hitchcock's bookending is entertainingly droll.

Writing-wise, "The Derelicts" is colourful and amusing while also having bite. While the story is a long way from flawless in execution, it is not dull, doesn't feel over-stuffed or crammed, not simplistic or over-complicated and there is some nice atmosphere in the middle.

A lot is good here, just that it did feel like something was missing. 7/10.

He Killed the Wrong Person

[Hitchcoc · 7/10 · 8 October 2008]

A successful inventor and businessman can't keep up with the needs of his expensive trophy wife. She gets furs and jewelry and she is bankrupting him, even though he makes a lot of money. One night he goes to see the silent partner that originally bankrolled him. Because he is cash poor, he is unable to pay the money owed. This man came to his aid in a time of crisis, yet he stiffs him, in more ways than one. Unfortunately for him, Robert Newton (Long John Silver), a derelict sees him. Another factor is an IOU that is left at the crime scene. It would implicate the young inventor. It then becomes about blackmail. This man and his partner, a little weasel, actually move into the lush apartment. The wife, who turns out to be as bad as these guys, must bide her time. Unfortunately for our hero, some mistakes are made along the way that he must deal with. The wife is the best character in the whole thing. She is mean and grasping and without any moral turpitude. Newton is really good too, hamming it up something fierce.

Crime as an answer to crime.

[mark.waltz · 7/10 · 10 May 2024]

When struggling businessman Philip Reed murders his silent partner (Cyril Delevanti) for demanding his share of the profits, he finds himself further stressed by the presence of two bums, the well spoken but crude Robert Newton and the less than cooth Johnny Silver, blackmailing him. He's already dealing with his money grubbing wife (Peggy Knudsen) who isn't objecting to more murders to rid themselves of these intruders.

Like many stories in the Hitchcock world, there's plenty of humor to move the story forward, and I'm surprised that Hitchcock didn't add a cash register "cha ching" every time dollar signs for pupils Knudsen thought she could get her hands on some cash. At one point she even seems alluring to get into Newton's confidence about money he has. Lots or fun, especially Hitchcock's pre-show dinner consisting of rabbit and a hat.

Robert Newton is Just Dazzling!!!

[kidboots · 9/10 · 30 March 2012]

I don't agree that this is one of the better entries in Season One but I was just dazzled by Robert Newton's "I am the whole show - why do you care about the other players" performance!!! From his first appearance his devilish eyes glint and sparkle and he looks at once malevolent and roguish and I almost forgot about the story, I was too busy watching him!!!

The story was about Ralph Cowell whose business partner, Alfred, wants out of the partnership but Cowell, whose mercenary wife is bleeding him dry with her outrageous spending, doesn't have the money to give him. He does have a tie which he uses to strangle Alfred - but there is a witness - a crafty, sly derelict named Mr. Goodfellow (Newton), who is not above blackmail, especially if it provides a roof over his head, plenty of booze on the house and lots of fur coats for him and his equally down and out friend to pawn. Newton is such a delight - his voice taking on an "upper class gent down on his luck" tone. Especially good is the ending - where even though Cowell finally gets rid of them, Goodfellow still has the last laugh!!! In the dictionary, Goodfellow was a "merry domestic sprite, famous for mischievous pranks and practical jokes".

Definitely a 9 for Robert Newton's performance!!

"Does that mean money?"

[classicsoncall · 5/10 · 22 July 2021]

How hard would it have been for Ralph Cowell (Phillip Reed) to inform the detective (Robert Foulke) that Fenton Shanks (Johnny Silver) was the one to pawn the cigarette lighter? After all, Shanks was the one who did it, and Cowell could have produced his real signature to disprove the one on the pawn ticket. That might not have put him totally in the clear for the murder of his business partner Sloane (Cyril Delevanti), but with the help of a sharp attorney, could have at least shifted the blame to Shanks long enough to concoct a good alibi. The eye witness testimony of Shanks' buddy Goodfellow (Robert Newton) would then have been seen as no more than a guy sticking up for his friend by trying to pin the blame on Cowell. I haven't read the short story by Ray Bradbury upon which this episode was based, so perhaps his narrative provided less wiggle room for the parties concerned, but if I were writing this, I would have used the pair's extortion attempt to my advantage by coming up with a scenario that made them guilty for the murder of the gold digging wife (Peggy Knudsen) as well. Now that's a twist ending that Hitchcock viewers would have loved even better than this one. I think Bradbury would agree.

Then comes a distant cousins to stay just for a while!!!

[elo-equipamentos · 8/10 · 25 January 2021]

Alfred Hitchcock opens the episode as Magician at lunch time when he takes a look on the sandwich he saw a rabbit meat and says "If I wanted rabbit in my lunch I would take out of my own hat", thereafter the odd episode starts with a morbid story about a business man Ralph Cowell (Philip Reed) who is in trouble with his stunning blonde wife Herta (Peggy Knudsen) which he seemingly can't afford in so expensive lifestyle, when the phone rings his hidden partner Alfred J. Sloane (Cyril Delevanti) asking for a nighttime meeting at main park, there he charges his share of the secret partnership of 10.000 bucks plus 50% of the profits, Ralph tries postpone in one year the payment, the old man didn't agree and threaten deliver the promissory note to his lawyers, Ralph trapped on a dead end kills Sloane by throttling, afterwards taken his valet thinking that the promissory note was there, however Sloane hidden it on the cigarette case that was dropped in the moment of murder, guess who witnessed the whole thing? Yeah the ironic homeless Peter J. Goodfellow (Robert Newton) with his hard British accent, also dully escorted by his mate the shorty gambler Fenton Sanks (Johnny Silver), hereinafter Ralph was blackmailed to pay mere 1.000 bucks a month, worst they moved to the apartment's couple for a while, Herta sees such thing simply outrageous and warns Ralph that says that they are a distant cousins and in a week or so they will went away, fabulous ending, wait and see by yourself!!

Thanks for reading.

Resume:

First watch: 2021 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 8.

The Derelicts

[Prismark10 · 5/10 · 4 November 2023]

The Derelicts are Fenton Shanks (Johnny Silver) a gambler and Peter Goodfellow (Robert Newton.) Both are homeless hobos but their luck is about to change.

Goodfellow saw businessman and inventor Ralph Cowell (Phillip Reed) murder his silent business partner Sloane in the park. Cowell could not pay him his share of the profits because of his grasping greedy wife Herta.

Now both have moved into Cowell's home, drink his booze, pawn his valuables and demand a monthly allowance. They have with them a note of the business relationship that Cowell had with Sloane.

Herta is not happy that her fur coats have gone. Now with the urging of Herta, Cowell plots to kill both of them.

The episode is less of a mystery with a twist. More a slight amusing morality tale. Maybe Cowell would have been better off without his greedy spoilt wife.

The Derelicts

[bombersflyup · 5/10 · 27 February 2020]

Mildly amusing at the time, but the more I think about it, the funnier it is. He's going to spend life in prison for killing an old man, who has no case, because his wife had expensive taste. Blame it on the broad. Phillip Reed's performance is weak and his character's actions as well. When blackmailed you have to take a stand at some point, he didn't have to let them move in and he could have told the detective the things pawned were stolen, which they were. Plus if you killed an old kind man who helped you get where you are, why would you hesitate in killing the blackmailer.