One Step Beyond (TV Series) The Lovers (1960) User Reviews

"What will they think in Eidenheim?"

[classicsoncall · 6/10 · 7 February 2015]

After having seen a couple dozen or so of these "One Step Beyond" stories, this is the first to introduce an element of whimsy and humor into the proceedings. It seems a playful poltergeist intends to intrude into the May/December romance of a retired Austrian postman (John Beal) and the buxom waitress (Vanessa Brown) who serves him coffee daily at his favorite little cafe. Personally I couldn't see the attraction between the two, but they say love is blind and this episode leans in that direction.

Anyway, every time the lovers try to engage in a little smooch time, something odd interrupts - a book flies off a shelf, a phonograph plays by itself, a mirror shatters. Taking their romance to a museum, a bust hovers off it's stand and shatters at their feet. A therapist tells Otto Becher (Beal) that 'ghosts are completely unscientific', while a so called friend of his (Rudolpf Anders) tries to break up the couple by insisting that 'love always dies'. Some friend!

Otto is almost convinced to break up with his younger paramour, but Elsa inspires a vote of confidence when Otto claims she deserves better - but she doesn't want anyone better! I'm still trying to think how I would have reacted to that line. In any event, Otto's young-at heart nature prevails and the lovers decide to tough it out against their friendly poltergeist. It looks like this is one romance that actually had a ghost of a chance.

The Ghost?

[AaronCapenBanner · 6/10 · 15 April 2015]

Largely whimsical episode is a definite change of pace from the usual serious-minded topics and presentation that this series had specialized at. Here, a budding romance between two unlikely "lovers" - Otto(played by John Beal) & Elsa(played by Vanessa Brown) who are seemingly mismatched, since he is much older than she, though paradoxically less life-experienced. Her parents disapproval is problematic, but not nearly as much as the apparent ghost -or poltergeist- that continuously disrupts any attempts at intimacy! Just what are Otto & Elsa to do, and will their romance have a ghost of a chance? Mediocre entry is at least innocuous.

Ghostly Disapproval

[wes-connors · 3/10 · 8 July 2010]

In Vienna, retired postman John Beal (as Otto Becher) falls in love with busty young waitress Vanessa Brown (as Elsa Schuldorf), but friends like Rudolph Anders (as Josef) and relatives don't approve of the May/December romance. Even more startling, ghosts don't approve, either. "Books fall out of bookcases, phonograph start playing by themselves, mirrors shatter," and statues break whenever Mr. Beal tries to kiss Ms. Brown. Beal seeks help from psychologist Irene Tedrow (as J.H. Sesselshreiber), but she isn't very helpful. The ghosts won't go away... Could it be the accents?

*** The Lovers (2/16/60) John Newland ~ John Beal, Vanessa Brown, Rudolph Anders, Irene Tedrow

Postman v. Poltergeist

[Goingbegging · 2/10 · 17 July 2022]

A whimsy of old Vienna, and possibly the silliest episode of 'One Step Beyond'. A beautiful young waitress feels sentimental about a retired postman who spends his days in her café, and she takes him to meet her family, who are less than impressed.

Whether or not by coincidence, a poltergeist also seems to disapprove of the match, and starts moving objects around the room in a very unmistakable way, every time they try to kiss.

This being Vienna, he naturally visits a psychiatrist, who tells him that no poltergeist has ever been known to change its behaviour, so he/they may be facing a lifetime of these disturbances. The ending is the most unlikely part of an unlikely story (though I suppose some might call it romantic), but it cannot be revealed here.

Otto Becher is not well-cast; he looks much more like a doctor or a professor than a postman. And there is a rather irrelevant piece of business about his admission to a retired postmen's hostel that just gets in the way.