A man who has a theory that murders committed without a motive are very rarely solved is then coaxed by his friend into killing someone.A man who has a theory that murders committed without a motive are very rarely solved is then coaxed by his friend into killing someone.A man who has a theory that murders committed without a motive are very rarely solved is then coaxed by his friend into killing someone.
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Did you know
- TriviaA rare occasion when one of the guilty parties escapes without penalty.
- GoofsTommy called Stanton's number and spoke to the maid who told him that Stanton would be home the next evening to watch the fights. Before hanging up and ending the call, Tommy repeated "Tomorrow". The next scene was him being greeted by Stanton as he let him in his house, with Stanton saying, "You're the young man who called this afternoon" when he should've said, "You're the young man who called yesterday" since Tommy wasn't supposed to be there until the day after he called.
- Quotes
Jerome Stanton: Now, what can I do for science?
- SoundtracksFuneral March of a Marionette
Written by Charles Gounod
Featured review
Theory of murder
Alfred Hitchcock Presents' is a very interesting and very well done, if not consistent, series that ran for seven seasons between 1955 and 1962. Every season had some truly fine episodes, and they all had some not so good episodes. Personally liked Season 3 on the whole, it did have misfires sure (such as the bizarre previous episode "Sylvia") but it also had a lot of hits and settled a lot quicker than the previous two seasons. "The Motive" had one of the season's most appealing if potentially nonsensical premises, that is very Hitchcockian with a 'Rope' influence.
That premise is more than lived up to in the execution. "The Motive" is a massive improvement over "Sylvia", not that that would have been too hard to achieve, and among the best episodes of Season 3. It is also to me one of Robert Stevens' best 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' episodes, and proof that when the series' most prolific director was on form (like with this and "The Glass Eye" as far as his Season 3 output goes) his episodes were truly great. And he is on form here.
Maybe it is a slight slow starter, but with everything else as good as they were that turned out to be pretty insignificant.
Production values are suitably moody and professional looking. Have always loved the series' theme tune, with Gounod's "Funeral March of a Marionette" being for me one of the best uses of pre-existing classical music on television as has been said more than once before by me (bravo to Bernard Hermann for suggesting it).
It is tautly scripted, not being too reliant on talk, and avoids being too melodramatic, which was a danger with this type of story. It also doesn't take itself too seriously. The story is crisply paced and there is enough going on without feeling too over-crowded, while also being suitably calculated. Lots is intriguing here and it doesn't become too preposterous. The atmosphere is suitably suspenseful and there is a lot of it. Stevens directs with a sure hand.
Do agree that the slow burning and chillingly cold character writing and how calculated they are and also the leaving one floored and extremely clever twist elevate "The Motive" to a greater level. It is very well acted by the whole cast, with quirky yet chilling work from Skip Homeier and William Redfield (with Homeier being particularly good). They have great chemistry.
Concluding, great episode. 9/10.
That premise is more than lived up to in the execution. "The Motive" is a massive improvement over "Sylvia", not that that would have been too hard to achieve, and among the best episodes of Season 3. It is also to me one of Robert Stevens' best 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' episodes, and proof that when the series' most prolific director was on form (like with this and "The Glass Eye" as far as his Season 3 output goes) his episodes were truly great. And he is on form here.
Maybe it is a slight slow starter, but with everything else as good as they were that turned out to be pretty insignificant.
Production values are suitably moody and professional looking. Have always loved the series' theme tune, with Gounod's "Funeral March of a Marionette" being for me one of the best uses of pre-existing classical music on television as has been said more than once before by me (bravo to Bernard Hermann for suggesting it).
It is tautly scripted, not being too reliant on talk, and avoids being too melodramatic, which was a danger with this type of story. It also doesn't take itself too seriously. The story is crisply paced and there is enough going on without feeling too over-crowded, while also being suitably calculated. Lots is intriguing here and it doesn't become too preposterous. The atmosphere is suitably suspenseful and there is a lot of it. Stevens directs with a sure hand.
Do agree that the slow burning and chillingly cold character writing and how calculated they are and also the leaving one floored and extremely clever twist elevate "The Motive" to a greater level. It is very well acted by the whole cast, with quirky yet chilling work from Skip Homeier and William Redfield (with Homeier being particularly good). They have great chemistry.
Concluding, great episode. 9/10.
helpful•112
- TheLittleSongbird
- Nov 14, 2022
Details
- Runtime30 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1
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