In a small Massachusetts town, precocious young Hildegarde Fell learns a secret about crusty old John Anderson, who has just moved there.In a small Massachusetts town, precocious young Hildegarde Fell learns a secret about crusty old John Anderson, who has just moved there.In a small Massachusetts town, precocious young Hildegarde Fell learns a secret about crusty old John Anderson, who has just moved there.
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Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaHildegard Fell is reading from The Spiritualist magazine when she is helping Aggie Whiteford with her séance skills.
- Quotes
[introduction]
Alfred Hitchcock: [Hitchcock is standing at rest with a sword in front of a sword rack with a very large covered wicker basket next to him. He salutes with the sword] Good evening.
[tucks his sword under his arm, claps his hands twice and lifts up the basket cover. A page boy walks in and climbs into the basket. Hitchcock closes the top, looks at the audience, and thrusts his sword into the basket like a magician. He takes three more swords from the rack, one at a time, and with a flourish, thrusts them one by one into the basket. He stops, and claps his hands twice. When the page boy doesn't emerge, he looks at the audience, then claps his hands twice again before lifting the cover. He peers into the basket and then closes the cover again in shock]
Alfred Hitchcock: Good heavens. He looks like a toothpick holder on an hors d'oeuvre table.
[shrugs his shoulders]
Alfred Hitchcock: Oh, I guess I'll just have to practice some more. So much for the sideshow. Now, turn your attention to the center ring where you will find our main attraction.
[bows slightly]
- SoundtracksFuneral March of a Marionette
Written by Charles Gounod
The plot generates little suspense, some interest, but maybe quite a few chuckles. It's really little Rudie's forceful personality that carries the show. It's also an interesting supporting cast. I suspect Hardewick took a secondary part as a favor to fellow Britisher Hitchcock, while Robert Culp gets an early role as the handsome Clarence. But for old movie fans, there's bird-like Edith Barrett from Val Lewton's great horror series from the early 1940's (e.g. I Walked with a Zombie, {1943}). Here she does a rather amusing bit. All in all, it's an offbeat Hitchcock with an upshot more thought- provoking than ironic.
- dougdoepke
- Apr 14, 2016
Details
- Runtime30 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1