Hume Cronyn delivers another excellent Suspense performance in Blue Eyes, a script by Lewis Reed and Charles Smith. A timid accountant has his eyes on a young woman in the office. His infatuation gets him to consider killing his constantly nagging but ill wife. As he prepares to poison her, he finds an album of pictures and realizes the affection she has for him… and he changes his mind. But some of the plan is in place… and when he finds her in bed and unresponsive, he has to cover his tracks because she died before she took the poison! Could he be convicted of murder when the intended victim is already deceased from natural causes?
The story would be implausible in these times because someone with an incurable disease would never have been able to conceal it from their partner, just because of all of the diagnostic tests that would be done. It’s almost 80 years since this broadcast, and medical diagnostic tests and imaging have made stunning advances, including insurance coverage. Today, the authors would have found some other rationale or set of circumstances that would allow for the Cronyn's character not being aware.
In recent weeks of Suspense planning and announcements of upcoming guest stars, the script was first announced for J. Carroll Naish (who was cast in Commuter’s Ticket instead) and then Cecil Kellaway (who was cast until about two weeks before the broadcast). Cronyn is so good in this part it’s hard to imagine Naish or Kellaway being any better. Kellaway never appeared on Suspense.
Two network recordings have survived, but they are not specified as to region. One of the recordings has a 10 second pause to network ID (“10s”), and the other goes direct to network ID (“dirID”). The “10s” recording is the better of the two. Times are approximate for a dialogue marker that can be used to identify the source of an Armed Forces Radio Service should one be found.
dirID 27:11 “Because if she committed suicide as she planned, just how would you have been able to prove your innocence, Mr. Littlefield. Just, uh, exactly how?”
10s 26:46 “Because if she com-committed suicide as she planned, just how would you have been able to prove your innocence, Mr. Littlefield. Just exactly how?”
The chemical cyanate mentioned in the story is a real chemical used in photographic processing, and is related to cyanide. The drug “maxedrine” mentioned in the story appears to be fictitious.
LISTEN
TO THE PROGRAM or download in FLAC or
mp3
https://archive.org/details/TSP460829
THE CAST
HUME CRONYN (Oliver Littlefield), Cathy Lewis (Jane), Bill Johnstone (Joe), Joe Kearns (Signature Voice / Dr. Thacker), Wally Maher (Crowley the postman), Elliott Lewis (Steve / Policeman), Will Wright (Mr. Bevins), Forrest Lewis (Photo Shop clerk), Paul McVey? (Coroner), Mary Jane Croft? (Laura / Librarian)
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