William Botibol is a compulsive gambler. While on a cruise he enters a betting pool to guess the number of miles the ship will travel in the course of 24 hours. William thinks he has figured... Read allWilliam Botibol is a compulsive gambler. While on a cruise he enters a betting pool to guess the number of miles the ship will travel in the course of 24 hours. William thinks he has figured out a way to guarantee he will win the bet.William Botibol is a compulsive gambler. While on a cruise he enters a betting pool to guess the number of miles the ship will travel in the course of 24 hours. William thinks he has figured out a way to guarantee he will win the bet.
- Waiter
- (uncredited)
- Ship Passenger
- (uncredited)
- Director
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Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaTwenty-one years later, this same Roald Dahl story appeared in the Tales of the Unexpected episode A Dip in the Pool (1979). Jack Weston who featured as Otto in Forty Detectives Later (1960), played the part of William Botibol in the later version. Dahl then re-used the distinctive name Mr Botibol in Mr Botibol's First Love (1980), and the eponymous Mr Botibol was played once again by Jack Weston.
- Quotes
[introduction, Hitchcock is on the deck of the S.S. Hitchcock reading a book]
Alfred Hitchcock: Oh, good evening. I'm on vacation from the rigors of television and coming to you by remote pickup. Our cameras are quite ordinary, but they are fastened to the longest extension cords in history. However, I find this vacation quite exhausting. Shuffleboards simply cannot be played from the prone position. Incidentally, the captain informs me that changing channels is not only foolhardy, but also extremely dangerous, so I don't believe you ought to try it. I understand that in my absence, you are to see a play based on the story 'Dip in the Pool'. Having said that, I now return you to our studios.
[leans back in the chair to take a nap as we go to commercial]
- ConnectionsVersion of Danger: A Dip in the Pool (1954)
- SoundtracksFuneral March of a Marionette
Written by Charles Gounod
While quite liking the premise, which is not an innovative one but anything centering around a serious, relevant issue always peaks interest, "Dip in the Pool" didn't really do it for me. As far as Hitchcock's episodes go, it is a lesser effort and didn't really feel like Hitchcock. It is though nowhere near as much of a misfire as "Wet Saturday", at least this episode didn't have any performance on the same level as "one of the worst of the series" in the way that did.
It is not a mess by all means. Keenan Wynn does do a good job, didn't like his character but really appreciated how he gave the part his all without looking as if he was trying too hard. The production values are slick and atmospheric, with some very effective shots in the final act particularly. Didn't like the ending on the whole, but the photography did effectively give some unease.
Hitchcock's bookending is amusing in a droll way, in a way that is distinctively Hitchcock. The theme music is a classic, "Funeral March of a Marionette" being one of my favourite uses of pre-existing classical music in television (or at least pre-existing classical music used for theme music). It does start off very well, intriguing and fun.
Shame however that "Dip in the Pool" loses its way too early and never recovers. It is severely lacking in suspense, which is disappointing considering that Hitchcock was nicknamed the master of suspense and nowhere does the episode live up to that nickname. Actually had a hard time believing that this was directed by Hitchcock when it could easily have passed for lesser Robert Stevens. It also got really silly and far fetched to an excessive degree in the second half, to the point where it was difficult to take it at face value the dumber his plan got.
Despite Wynn being good, to me the character was just too over the top obnoxious and it badly unbalanced the episode. As well as silly and far fetched, the second half also felt too stretched out and running out of ideas like. The episode does tend to be too talk heavy, and count me in as one of the people underwhelmed by the ending outside of the photography. Some have liked it, but for me although very surprising it was one of the clumsiest ones of Season 3 as well as one of the dumbest.
Rather disappointing on the whole though watchable. 5/10.
- TheLittleSongbird
- Mar 7, 2023
Details
- Runtime26 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1