Norman Leavitt Movies

One of the best of the Alfred Hitchcock Presents half-hours personally directed by Hitchcock himself, "One More Mile to Go" opens with a bitter argument between Sam Jacoby (David Wayne) and his wife Martha (Louise Larabee). Although the viewer is witnessing the quarrel from behind a window and thus can't hear the particulars, the results are all too visible -- impulsively grabbing a fireplace poker, Sam bludgeons his wife to death. A few moments later, the anguished accidental murderer has stuffed his wife's body in the trunk of his car, and has driven off to dispose of the body. Unfortunately, Sam's progress is repeatedly interrupted by a friendly but diligent motorcycle cop (Steve Brodie), who warns Sam to fix his faulty tail-light. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Handsome actor Paul Ross (Charles S. Carlson) breaks up a romance between his housekeeper, Caroline Hardy (Cloris Leachman), and another man, simply because he doesn't want Caroline to leave his employ. What Paul doesn't know is that Caroline is madly in love with him -- and that she has a distinct taste for revenge. Later on, Paul is horribly scarred in an explosion, whereupon Caroline calmly informs him that he is too disfigured ever to appeal to women again...except, of course, Caroline. A perverse twist caps this final episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents' seventh season. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

James Dunn guest-stars as Danny Lynch, an elderly Ponderosa ranch hand. Upon learning that his mother Nellie (Cheerio Meredith) has left Ireland to pay him a visit, Danny goes into a panic: For lo these many years, he has been lying to his mother that he is in charge of the Ponderosa. To make the old woman happy, the Cartwrights put on an elaborate charade, wherein Danny is lord and master of their ranch, and they are merely his hired hands. Naturally, this little deception snowballs into a major crisis. Written by Charles Lang, "The Auld Sod" first aired February 4, 1962. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Ben Cartwright's former sweetheart Lydia (Maggie Hayes), now the wealthy and widowed Lady Lydia Chadwick, returns to Virginia City. Upon her arrival, she makes a beeline to the Ponderosa, hoping to rekindle her romance with Ben. When he resists her charms, Lady Lydia vows to ruin him financially so he'll be forced to accept her love and support (shades of Dürrenmat's The Visit!) Others in the cast include John Alderson as Montague and Dan Sheridan as Kelly. Written by William Cox and William Powell (not the film star of the same name), "The Countess" first aired November 19, 1961. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Jack Broder Productions sidestepped its usual distributor United Artists to release Combat Squad through Columbia. Set in Korea, the film focuses on the strained relationship between WW II veteran Sgt. Fletcher (John Ireland) and inexperienced, terrified Private Martin (Lon McAllister). Only after several confrontations with the enemy is Martin able to overcome his fear of combat. Actual footage of the Korean "police action" is integrated into the action. TV personality Hal March provides the obligatory (and intrusive) comedy relief, while Jill Dansworth, Linda Danson, Neva Gilbert and Eileen Howe do cheesecake duty as a quartet of USO entertainers. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Daisy Kenyon stars Joan Crawford as the eponymous heroine, a Manhattan commercial artist. Daisy is torn between two men: a handsome, married attorney (Dana Andrews) and an unmarried Henry Fonda. Deciding to do the "right thing", Daisy marries Fonda, but carries a torch for the dashing Andrews. When the lawyer divorces his wife, he calls upon Daisy and tries to win her back. She is very nearly won over, but her husband isn't about to give up so easily. Both men argue over Daisy, who is so distraught by the experience that she nearly has a fatal automobile accident. In the end, Daisy realizes that she truly loves Fonda, and gives Andrews his walking papers. Daisy Kenyon is given a contemporary slant with a subplot about child abuse (in a Joan Crawford film!); and, in one scene set at New York's Stork Club, several celebrities (Walter Winchell, Leonard Lyons, John Garfield) make unbilled cameo appearances. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Adapted from the best-selling novel by Jessamyn West, Friendly Persuasion is set in Southern Indiana in the early days of the Civil War. Gary Cooper plays Jess Birdwell, patriarch of a Quaker family which does not believe in warfare. Birdwell's son Josh (Anthony Perkins) wishes to adhere to his family's pacifism, but is afraid that if he doesn't sign up for military service, he'll prove to be a coward. Josh joins the Home Guard, which disturbs his mother Eliza (Dorothy McGuire). But Jess Birdwell realizes that his son must follow the dictates of his own conscience. Josh proves his courage to himself when he is wounded during a Rebel raid, while the elder Birdwell is able to stay faithful to his religious calling by not killing a Southern soldier when given both a chance and a good reason to do so. Allegedly, writer Jessamyn West nearly scotched her deal with producer/director William Wyler and distributor Allied Artists when Gary Cooper, taking his fans into consideration, insisted upon including a scene in which he forsakes his pacifism and takes arms against the Rebels. If true, then wiser heads prevailed, since no such scene exists in the final release print. Though uncredited due to his status as a blacklistee, Michael Wilson wrote the screenplay for Friendly Persuasion--and even won an Oscar nomination. Also nominated was the film's chart-busting theme song, "Thee I Love" (by Dmitri Tiomkin and Paul Francis Webster). The story was remade as a 2-hour TV pilot film in 1975. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This episode serves to introduce those carpenters extraordinaire, the Monroe brothers. Well, at least Alf Monroe (Sid Melton) is a "brother"; Ralph Monroe (Mary Grace Canfield) is a woman, but don't tell her that. Anyway, the Monroes show up at the Douglas farm when Lisa (Eva Gabor) decides it is time to enlarge the bedroom. Oliver (Eddie Albert) is supportive of the project at first, but his enthusiasm fades when the local building inspector condemns the house! Among other things, this episode is distinguished by the spectacle of Pat Buttram (Mr. Haney) in a dual role. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The Idea Girl in this Universal mini-musical is songplugger Pat O'Rourke (played by Julie Bishop, formerly Jacqueline Wells). Hoping to hit the big time, Pat pitches the notion of an amateur song-writing contest. Her zany publicity-seeking efforts cause nothing but grief for a group of Manhattan-based song publishers, foremost among them handsome but harried Larry Brewster (Jess Barker). As a means of enlivening the proceedings, director Will Jason utilizes a more mobile camera than was usual in quickies of this nature. Featured in the cast as a curvaceous secretary is Joan Fulton, later to metamorphose into the delightful character actress Joan Shawlee. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Ironside (Raymond Burr) investigates a perversely amusing situation wherein an elusive criminal has been burglarizing other criminals. The trail of evidence leads to a halfway house for ex-cons, run by former jailbird Lou Karns (Pat Hingle). Though lighthearted in nature, the episode turns serious when the unknown thief steals money from the Mob, whereupon Karns and his "customers" may well be targeted for extermination. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The 1954 Martin-and-Lewis romp Living It Up is an amusing remake of the 1937 comedy classic Nothing Sacred. More specifically, it is the film version of the Broadway musical Hazel Flagg, which was based on Nothing Sacred. The heroine of the original undergoes a sex change to become feckless Homer Flagg (Jerry Lewis), who is led to believe that he's dying of radiation poisoning. Manhattan newspaperwoman Wally Cook (Janet Leigh), hoping to improve circulation of her paper, convinces her boss, Oliver Stone (Fred Clark), to fete Homer as a hero with an all-expenses-paid trip to the Big Apple. Meanwhile, Homer learns from local doctor Steve (Dean Martin) that he isn't dying at all. But Steve talks Homer into taking advantage of the celebrity treatment bestowed on him by Wally, and a good time is had by all -- until medical specialist Dr. Egelhofer (Sig Rumann) insists upon examining Homer. Highlights include a hilarious bit at Yankee Stadium, and an energetic jitterbug number featuring Jerry Lewis and Sheree North. The handful of songs retained from Hazel Flagg include "Every Street's a Boulevard in Old New York." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Owing his life to Sheriff Coleman (Walter Sande), Bart (Jack Kelly) repays the debt by agreeing to help prevent a murder. It seems that saloon owner Tom Blauvelt (Robert Rockwell) has sworn to kill the man who has fallen in love with Blauvelt's wife Greta (Coleen Gray). Taking a job as the saloon's blackjack dealer, Bart is determined to keep Blauvelt from making good his threat--little realizing that, in this case, it is the female who is the deadlier of the species. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide