Hume Cronyn returns to Suspense for the last time. He was excellent in all of his appearances. He’s cast against type here as an over-the-hill Shakespearian actor with all of the over-acting and use of lines of plays he was in that is wonderfully amusing. Cronyn is so good at his craft he can summon his skill to portray an awful actor and be convincing at it! That is, until the plotline takes shape; then the cartoonish aspect of the performance dissipates and Cronyn gets down to evil business. Cronyn’s character tells his wife, and the man she desires to run away with, that he has a deal for them. He’ll fake his death, she can take the house, he can get the insurance money when the company pays off. If they agree, he will go away and they will never see him again. Later, he knows the insurance company paid… but he hasn’t gotten his money. It’s time for him to re-appear and have them abide by the deal.
The original story was by screenwriter Robert Rossen, known most for his 1949 film All the King’s Men. He wrote the screenplay of Robert Penn Warren’s novel and directed and produced the film. It won three Oscars. He also wrote, produced, and directed The Hustler. This Suspense script was adapted by Irving Moore and Robert L. Richards.
The title of the story comes from Hamlet, act 2, scene 2. There are numerous quotes from plays recited by Cronyn’s character. They become grating, and annoying, but you start to wonder what he will say next. That fascination passes quickly, then you want to be rid of him just as much as his wife does. The performance makes you wonder if Cronyn had any of the personalities he met in his acting career in particular mind when he was working on this character.
Cronyn’s character is a reminder of one decades later: “Master Thespian” by Jon Lovitz on Saturday Night Live. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmZSkWBJwBU
Some great radio voices in here we don’t usually hear on Suspense: Bea Benaderet and Gerald Mohr.
There are two network recordings with no indication of which is east or west. A low quality recording concludes with a Cresta Blanca wine commercial. The better recording does not have that commercial.
LISTEN
TO THE PROGRAM or download in FLAC or
mp3
https://archive.org/details/TSP470605
THE CAST
HUME CRONYN (Bert Matthews), Bea Benaderet (Elizabeth Matthews), Gerald Mohr (Longstreet), Jerry Hausner (Checking station guard), Elliott Reid (Florist), Wally Maher (District Attorney / Prison clerk), Joe Kearns (Signature Voice / Prison guard / 1st cop), Dick Ryan (Judge / 2nd cop), Peggy Rea (Telegram girl), unknown (Jury Foreman)
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