"Alfred Hitchcock Presents"
Whodunit (1956)

Director:

Francis M. Cockrell

Writers:

Francis M. Cockrell (teleplay) and
Marian B. Cockrell (teleplay) ...

TV Series:

"Alfred Hitchcock Presents" (1955)

Original Air Date:

25 March 1956 (Season 1, Episode 26)

Genre:

Mystery | Thriller

Plot:

A recently deceased mystery writer receives permission from the recording angel to relive his last day on earth, so that he can find out who murdered him.

Plot Keywords:

Angel | Knife Murder | Writer | Murder | Wife

Cast

John Williams	...	Alexander Penn Arlington
Amanda Blake	...	Carol Arlington
Jerry Paris	...	Wally Benson
Philip Coolidge	...	Talbot
Alan Napier	...	Wilfred
Bill Slack	...	Policeman
Ruta Lee	...	Jean
Rudy Robles	...	Mac

Runtime:

USA:30 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Company:

Shamley Productions

Quotes:

Himself - Host: Good evening, fellow necromaniacs.

Entertaining Mini-Mystery With Some Dry British Humor

This entertaining mini-mystery is characterized by its dry British sense of humor, and by the occasional friendly witticisms about the murder mystery genre. John Williams, with his quintessentially British screen persona, was a good choice for the leading role. The script (by two of the show's regular screenwriters) efficiently adapts the original story into the program's format.

Williams plays a recently-deceased mystery writer who bargains with the recording angel, wanting to return to earth to find out who murdered him. The main story is patterned after the classic style of so many popular British-style detective novels, with some lighter touches that fit in with the premise. Williams does a good job of playing the amateur detective, gently parodying the way that such a character might appear in a book.

The main plot is framed by the two scenes in heaven, with Williams and Alan Napier (as the angel). In these scenes, as in the rest of the episode, the humor is understated and ironic, rather than openly funny. The tone is consistent throughout the story, and it works well if you enjoy the style.