"Suspicion" - The Deadly Game (S1,E11), aired Dec. 9, 1957
On Monday night, December 9, 1957, I was in my dorm room, a freshman at Cornell University, Ithaca, NY. Down the hall from my room, was a gathering room with chairs, tables, sofas, and a TV. The dorm advisors scheduled TV viewing for evenings, so around 8:00PM, I went there to see what was on. The room was pretty full, so I sat near the back just as the program, "Suspicion", came on. The host gave an introduction, (I think Boris Karloff said something), and the program, called, "The Deadly Game", began.
From the opening moments, in a snow storm in the country, to the incredible ending, the audience of bright, young men, would-be scholars, sat completely absorbed. Several times, I noticed that other students entered the room, looked at the TV, and then just stood there, watching in awe as the episode unfolded. A commercial came and went. No one moved or said a word. The story played on. Now the trial began. The commercials went unnoticed. The concentration and tension of the audience was palpable. I noticed that the room was now completely packed, shoulder to shoulder, standing room only.
"The Deadly Game", played itself out to its mesmerizing, horrifying, conclusion. The host returned to end the program, and a new show was about to begin. The audience slowly began to come back to its dorm-room reality. But, still no one left. Finally, as the young men in the room began to look around, one of the students standing at the back said, "That's the best TV show I've ever seen." Others of us nodded in agreement as we slowly began to disperse. I don't think anyone stayed to see what was on next. We had just experienced what I believe, to this day, was the greatest single TV drama ever aired.
It has been more than 50 years since I saw, "The Deadly Game", yet the memory of that night, and the experience of seeing it has lived with me as vividly as if it had played last night. I dearly wish it would be put on DVD, so it could be seen again today. Please, please, put it on DVD. Thank you!!
Update: September 22, 2021 - This is written to inform and complete my review of 10 years ago. It turns out that not all of the "Suspicion" series broadcasts were filmed as they were broadcast. And I am very sad to report that it appears "The Deadly Game" was among those shows NOT filmed. I am sorry to say that it seems we will never see that brilliant show again.
Therefore, I will provide a small summary of its plot here:
The traveler caught in the snowstorm, seeks refuge in large strange house in the country. His host invites him to the evening activity at the house, which is a mock trial, put on by the legal experts who populate the house. In conversation with one of the experts, our "Hero" is asked if he would like to confess his crimes to the, now convened, "court" of the legal experts.
He, of course, says he has committed no crime. His "expert" advises him he had better confess to some small crime, rather than have the "Court" investigate murder. Our "hero" indignantly declines, saying he's never murdered anyone.
The judge(Boris Karloff) calls for a trial for murder. Our hero can't believe what is happening. But, as the trial proceeds, and the "evidence" is presented by the lawyers for both prosecution and defense, it becomes clear that they intend to convict our hero of murder.
The summations are given, the judge determines the result, and our disbelieving, shocked, horrified hero is convicted of murder! The sentence is DEATH, and the show ends with the hero being taken away - - - for execution !!!
After reading the above, I've realized that no amount of writing by me to describe the show, and its impact on that 1957 audience, will ever be adequate. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that will sadly, never be repeated.
I hope my writing has conveyed at least a little of the magic of that December night in 1957, when television was at its best.
There have been several remakes of "The Deadly Game", including a movie version in later years. But nothing will ever replace its stunning effect on that night when it aired for the first time.
Update written Sept. 22, 2021, by Stephen E. Backhus (Dayton, Nv)
Written Tuesday, July 19th, 2011, Stephen E. Backhus
Gardnerville, Nv.
On Monday night, December 9, 1957, I was in my dorm room, a freshman at Cornell University, Ithaca, NY. Down the hall from my room, was a gathering room with chairs, tables, sofas, and a TV. The dorm advisors scheduled TV viewing for evenings, so around 8:00PM, I went there to see what was on. The room was pretty full, so I sat near the back just as the program, "Suspicion", came on. The host gave an introduction, (I think Boris Karloff said something), and the program, called, "The Deadly Game", began.
From the opening moments, in a snow storm in the country, to the incredible ending, the audience of bright, young men, would-be scholars, sat completely absorbed. Several times, I noticed that other students entered the room, looked at the TV, and then just stood there, watching in awe as the episode unfolded. A commercial came and went. No one moved or said a word. The story played on. Now the trial began. The commercials went unnoticed. The concentration and tension of the audience was palpable. I noticed that the room was now completely packed, shoulder to shoulder, standing room only.
"The Deadly Game", played itself out to its mesmerizing, horrifying, conclusion. The host returned to end the program, and a new show was about to begin. The audience slowly began to come back to its dorm-room reality. But, still no one left. Finally, as the young men in the room began to look around, one of the students standing at the back said, "That's the best TV show I've ever seen." Others of us nodded in agreement as we slowly began to disperse. I don't think anyone stayed to see what was on next. We had just experienced what I believe, to this day, was the greatest single TV drama ever aired.
It has been more than 50 years since I saw, "The Deadly Game", yet the memory of that night, and the experience of seeing it has lived with me as vividly as if it had played last night. I dearly wish it would be put on DVD, so it could be seen again today. Please, please, put it on DVD. Thank you!!
Update: September 22, 2021 - This is written to inform and complete my review of 10 years ago. It turns out that not all of the "Suspicion" series broadcasts were filmed as they were broadcast. And I am very sad to report that it appears "The Deadly Game" was among those shows NOT filmed. I am sorry to say that it seems we will never see that brilliant show again.
Therefore, I will provide a small summary of its plot here:
The traveler caught in the snowstorm, seeks refuge in large strange house in the country. His host invites him to the evening activity at the house, which is a mock trial, put on by the legal experts who populate the house. In conversation with one of the experts, our "Hero" is asked if he would like to confess his crimes to the, now convened, "court" of the legal experts.
He, of course, says he has committed no crime. His "expert" advises him he had better confess to some small crime, rather than have the "Court" investigate murder. Our "hero" indignantly declines, saying he's never murdered anyone.
The judge(Boris Karloff) calls for a trial for murder. Our hero can't believe what is happening. But, as the trial proceeds, and the "evidence" is presented by the lawyers for both prosecution and defense, it becomes clear that they intend to convict our hero of murder.
The summations are given, the judge determines the result, and our disbelieving, shocked, horrified hero is convicted of murder! The sentence is DEATH, and the show ends with the hero being taken away - - - for execution !!!
After reading the above, I've realized that no amount of writing by me to describe the show, and its impact on that 1957 audience, will ever be adequate. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that will sadly, never be repeated.
I hope my writing has conveyed at least a little of the magic of that December night in 1957, when television was at its best.
There have been several remakes of "The Deadly Game", including a movie version in later years. But nothing will ever replace its stunning effect on that night when it aired for the first time.
Update written Sept. 22, 2021, by Stephen E. Backhus (Dayton, Nv)
Written Tuesday, July 19th, 2011, Stephen E. Backhus
Gardnerville, Nv.
