I agree with the last reviewer, this three part mystery was sort of an "experiment" done by Hitchcock, a broad continuation of a story, which obviously was later streamlined in his one hour tv show years later.
If you are willing to wait and watch all three parts, which are generally aired on separate nights, it's worth your time. If you miss an episode, however,
you have some catching up to do. That said, the actor who was born to play diplomats and British detectives, John Williams, is front row and center as inspector Davidson, who tackles one of the most baffling cases of his career.
Who killed Count Mattoni, your average, egotiscal, manipulative man of means by no means. In short, EVERYONE hated this guy!
Now it gets complicated, and rather clever as the first rule of mystery writing is broken here. You have as many as three people confessing to the crime who are actually proud of what they did or didn't do? How can that be? A particuarly smooth job of writing on the part of Francis Cockrell, who wrote a total of 18 episodes for Hitch, who obviously enjoyed his work. To all of us kids back in the day, Francis was our hero, writer for BATMAN.
Sit back and try to figure this one out. It's not easy, but at times amusing.
John Williams, a distinguished stage actor for many years, appeared in three of Hitch's films, the best of the lot playing the dogged police inspector in DIAL M FOR MURDER, starring Ray Milland. He was outstanding. If you're a movie buff, you may recall he repeated a very similar role in the Doris Day thriller MIDNIGHT LACE (1960).
Also in the cast in Alan Napier, best known as Alfred the butler on BATMAN, and veteran Melville Cooper, usually as pompous types, and a perfect fit here. Hitch's daughter, Pat, plays the maid who discovers the count's dead body. Pat, having some roles in her father's tv show and movies, was actually a very good actress in her own right. Watch her in STRANGERS ON A TRAIN.
This is very good, again provided you have the patience to watch each separate episode.
SEASON 2 EPISODES 25, 26 and 27 remastered Universal dvd box set. 2006. Classic Edition.
