A mystery writer's imagination gets her in trouble when she turns her overstimulated mind to her new next-door neighbors -- and wonders why she has never seen the wife.A mystery writer's imagination gets her in trouble when she turns her overstimulated mind to her new next-door neighbors -- and wonders why she has never seen the wife.A mystery writer's imagination gets her in trouble when she turns her overstimulated mind to her new next-door neighbors -- and wonders why she has never seen the wife.
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Storyline
Did you know
- GoofsWhen Mrs. Blanchard takes the silver lighter off the Fenton's table, there's a closeup of her hand showing polish on her fingernails. In the next shot, she's not wearing nail polish.
- Quotes
[introduction]
Alfred Hitchcock: [holding an umbrella and wearing a bowler hat] Good evening, friends. Would you all please examine the tops of your television sets and see if one of you doesn't find a goldfish bowl with a crack in it?
[puts out his hand to test for rain]
Alfred Hitchcock: Thank you. By the way, I've been asked to announce that some of you are missing this program unnecessarily. You have moved and not kept us informed of your address. So we don't know where to send the show to you. I hope you'll take care of that matter at once. Tonight, we are presenting a tale of mystery and intrigue laid in middle-class suburbia.
[takes off hat]
Alfred Hitchcock: It is called "Mr. Blanchard's Secret." I realize this doesn't tell you much about the story, but several fine actors have been hired to do that, and I would hate to rob them of the privilege. And so, without further ado, we reveal Mr. Blanchard's secret.
- Alternate versionsThe version of "Mr. Blanchard's Secret" which is included as a bonus feature on the REAR WINDOW DVD has been audio enhanced, with several sound effects added and/or re-dubbed. This is most evident when the husband rustles the newspaper.
- ConnectionsRemade as Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Murder in Mind (1989)
- SoundtracksFuneral March of a Marionette
Written by Charles Gounod
Babs is driving her poor husband nuts coming up with all sorts of bizarre theories for why she never sees Mrs. Blanchard. Is she locked up somewhere, did he kill her? Speaking of Babs husband, he's played by Robert Horton and it makes me giggle he's playing a character with a legitimate marriage in this episode. There's quite a few times in a few of his episodes that feature him having a sugar momma. I particularly enjoy the episode where his wife threatens to cut off his allowance for a week.
Anyway, I do think Mr. Blanchard had some sort of secret because he did act completely bizarre. Peering in through Babs and John's window to see if Mrs. Blanchard is over there. He throws a hissy fit when he catches Mrs. Blanchard visiting Babs. Yes, Babs does eventually get to meet Mrs. Blanchard and she's quite a nice lady. And I realize Babs probably got on a lot of peoples nerves with her nosiness but I also think Babs was a nice lady. She even asks Mrs. Blanchard if she's happy. It is quite a bizarre situation when you have to sneak out of the house as an adult in order to go shopping or go to a movie. And that's stuff she tells Babs, she does sneak out of the house to go places by herself. She also tries to smooth over her husband by saying he's a saint to put up with her.
Towards the end of the episode, we have the two ladies visiting again. Babs has a cigarette lighter that doesn't work and she says she just doesn't have the thumb to get them to work correctly. Babs is distracted and runs out of the room when she remembers she's got stew on the stove. Mrs. Blanchard pockets the cigarette lighter and leaves. Babs comes back and reaches for the lighter that's no longer there and that spins Babs off for another story. Mrs. Blanchard's a thief and that's why Mr. Blanchard acts the way he does.
Of course Babs imagination is running wild again. The end scene has both Blanchards visiting Babs and returning the cigarette lighter that now works.
Interesting story but I still say Mr. Blanchard was the one with the secret. I wouldn't be saying this stuff if it was established Mrs. Blanchard was a homebody, dealing with agoraphobia, etc. But the husband didn't want her to ever leave the house. I'm assuming things are gonna change if the ending was any indication.
- glitterrose
- Jul 4, 2022
Details
- Runtime26 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1