Tales of the Unexpected (TV Series) A Passing Opportunity (1983) User Reviews

A very bleak, very dark offering.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 6/10 · 18 February 2016]

Laughlin is a man of wealth, a land owner involved in some dodgy business dealings, he employs Frank Jesmond, a boxer and former Army Officer, and a hit-man. Laughlin explains his target is golden boy Peter Madison, the method will be a vial of poison. Madison is staying at a local hotel, but the problem for Frank is that Pete was a school friend of his. Franks and his family are suffering financially, times are very hard, he needs money. Frank creates a chance encounter, Frank is hugely bitter, almost toxic, he faces a choice, whether to go through with his plan or not.

What I will say is eighties Britain is well caught and documented, the huge divide in class, the wealth of Luaghlin, and the impoverished Jesmond family. It's all so grey and drab, devoid of colour and sophistication, some would say it's lack of imagination and poor production, but I'd say it was done intentionally.

It's a fair story, very bleak, but enjoyable enough. It just lacks a bit of vibrancy. 6/10

"I'm the only one around here who says OK... OK?" OK Tales of the Unexpected episode.

[poolandrews · 5/10 · 23 July 2007]

Tales of the Unexpected: A Passing Opportunity starts as broke hit man Frank Jesmond (Bryan Marshall) is given a job by Laughlin (George Sewell) to kill a rich millionaire businessman named Peter Madison (Charles Keating) who used to live in the area but has been in the US for some years. Frank is uneasy about the job because he actually went to school with Peter but he needs the money & since he's jealous of Peter he decides to accept the job, Frank makes sure Peter sees him at the hotel he is staying at & Frank then uses the old school friends thing to get into his room as Peter offers him a drink. As they chat about the past & present can Frank go through with the hit?

Episode 1 from season 6 this Tales of the Unexpected story was originally aired here in the UK during April 1983, the seventh of twelve episode of the show to be directed by Graham Evans this isn't that great & not a particularly good way to kick off season 6. The story by Donald Honig was dramatised by Alan Seymour & is a pretty dull lifeless affair which is entirely saved by it's reasonable twist ending. The whole thing seems to want to compare the haves & have nots & point out both have their advantages & disadvantages, that's all well & good but it doesn't wash with me because quite frankly I'd sooner bee mega rich & have the problems that go with that than be poor & have the problems that go with that & I'm sure any sane person would agree with me. As I said the twist is alright & end things on a fair note but the preceding 20 odd minutes really isn't anything to shout about, it's a bit slow & it's moralistic message is just daft.

As usual there isn't a single trace of style or visual flair in the entire episode & it's dated badly, these things really were made on the cheap & you can tell. The casts on these things have always been impressive though, while it's not full of stars the late well known British actor George Sewell makes a small appearance.

A Passing Opportunity is an OK way to pass 25 minutes if you've got nothing better to do but it's rather flimsy, lightweight, silly & a bit forgettable.

"We need the money, I'll get the money."

[classicsoncall · 8/10 · 4 December 2021]

I don't usually rate these stories very highly, but this one was pretty much flawless if you can appreciate the irony. A down on his luck car salesman (Bryan Marshall) with a side gig as a hitman accepts a contract on someone who used to be a school chum. Peter Madison (Charles Keating) makes no bones about being gifted in life, receiving a huge head start from his wealthy parents, and parlaying that good fortune into a successful business career. Frank Jesmond (Marshall) on the other hand, has had to scrape by on a meager income his whole life, and even though he has qualms about killing someone he knows personally, decides to follow through for the pay he will receive for carrying out the hit. His victim takes a sip from a poisoned glass of whiskey that Jesmond doctored, and as he does so, remarks that Frank would be just the right person to head up one of his enterprising business concerns. Madison not only gives him a fantastic job offer, but states that he'll pay off Jesmond's mortgage and all his outstanding debts. You know that sinking feeling when you realize you made a bad bet and lost a ton of money? That's how this one ends, with all that opportunity slowly circling the drain.