The Alfred Hitchcock Hour Death Scene (1962–1965) watch online HD

In "Death Scene" a very young James Farentino plays an ordinary fellow who falls for Vera Miles, the daughter of a famous old-time movie director, played with panache by John Carradine. Ms. Miles and Carradine live in one of Hollywood's glittery mansions and Farentino is convinced that he can gain a fortune if he can only win Ms. Miles' hand in marriage. Crumpy Carradine doesn't like the arrangement and believes that Farentino must show some kind of "net worth" in order for him to give his consent. It's apparent to him that the young guy only wants to jump into some easy money by marrying his beautiful daughter. But Farentino works as an ordinary driver/mechanic. What could he possibly have to offer a woman as wealthy as Ms. Miles? Plenty, as it turns out.

"Death Scene" take viewers for a ride through old Hollywood so that they can see that it's not all glamour and riches. Unfortunately, Farentino also gets "taken for a ride", and it's down a one-way street. The performances here are all top notch, particularly Carradine as one of Hollywood's elder statesmen (which is what he was in real life). Miles is outstanding as his loving daughter, who's actually a bit older than Farentino realizes. And speaking of Farentino, this was one of his better early roles that established him as a fine actor. He's still on the scene today but works far less frequently.

I am waiting for this type of entertainment to return to television. The psychological profiles of the characters are as defined as you can get. While the plot has a predictability to it...Hitchcock hooks you into wanting to see the details. This episode comes at a time when Hollywood becomes fascinated with the decay of giants like Bette Davis, etc., etc....in fact,there is a kind of 'What Happened to Baby Jane' in this episode. Hollywood rose up from the 20's and told it's own story of growing old...like the pool scene in the this episode. How it is empty and molded. These are the films and television that I loved as a child...real drama and tragedy drawn from "real" life yet, "unreal" life experiences of Hollywood people that were...as they remain, a million light years away from my own experience. This was Hollywood at it's finest and Hitchcock was it's best talent at the time.

Superior Hitch. No need to pad the hour run-time here, a frequent problem with other 60- minute episodes. Suspense starts right away, since we just know super-egotistical Leo (Farentino) will get some kind of comeuppance. Catch how the mechanic fast-talks his way into the elegant Nicky's (Miles) affections and her dad's big Hollywood mansion. Dad's (Carradine) a retired movie director, embittered by his artistic eclipse. Sure looks like a good deal for the obnoxious Leo if he can get past Dad. But as you can figure, things aren't exactly as they seem, especially in Hollywood. So get ready for the boffo climax that I'll bet no one can see coming. Farentino delivers persuasively as the egotist, while his guy-talks with buddy Dancer (Taylor) are entertainingly relaxed. And get a load of Miles—has she ever looked lovelier or sexier. At the same time, Carradine is perfectly cast as the tyrannical Revere.

This final series year 1965 featured a number of outstanding entries, (e.g. episodes 13, 15, 17, that I've seen). Too bad the series ended at this promising point.

the episode of "death Scene" has a bonus of Hollywood history tossed in in keeping with the overall spirit of the show. the ever impressive mansion used is none other than the formal home of the late great Marion Davie's and has been used a number of times (most notably, the godfather)when ever one wants to capture the old spirit of tinsel town. the other contribution is that capt. Horace brown who appears as a bit part in the auto garage was in fact a former resident of the Davie's manor,having been her only husband from 1951 till her death ten years later. she and hear st never married,but he lived there in his declining years till his death in 1951. just to be familiar with this information somehow casts a rather haunting atmosphere on the proceedings in the episode, that you might think, could there be ghosts at work to help things out???

Alfred Hitchcock was already one of the most celebrated directors working in Hollywood when he was offered the opportunity to do television for NBC in 1955. ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS lasted seven seasons in a hugely successful half hour format, and the Shamley production facilities were used to shoot his most famous feature PSYCHO on a lower budget for greater maximum profit. Boris Karloff's hour long THRILLER apparently stole some of the director's thunder, for in the fall of 1962 his series became THE ALFRED HITCHCOCK HOUR for three more seasons, with John Carradine's sole contribution "Death Scene" making its broadcast Monday night March 8 1965 at 10:00. Adapted by the prolific James Bridges from a short story by Helen Nielsen first published in the May 1963 edition of ELLERY QUEEN'S MYSTERY MAGAZINE, it's a solid entry in the old Hollywood mold that began with "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?" in 1962. The estate of the late William Randolph Hearst served as Mon-Vere, longtime home of silent movie director Gavin Revere (Carradine), confined to a wheelchair since a polo accident left him paralyzed, living with his devoted daughter Nicky (Vera Miles) in a virtual shrine to his late wife's career, having helmed every one of her vehicles. Into this secluded yet valuable estate comes Leo Manfred (James Farentino), one time actor and full time mechanic, whose recent repair of the prized Revere Duesenberg allows him access to the pretty Nicky, a romance developing under her father's watchful eye. Dismissive of any actor who lacks the perseverance to practice his craft, the old man is impressed by Leo's prowess with the car, much less so when it comes to dating his only daughter. Eventually, Revere grants his consent for the two to marry only after Manfred agrees to sign a $50,000 life insurance policy in Nicky's name, guaranteeing her the comfortable lifestyle she deserves. A surprise screening of Revere's masterpiece DEATH SCENE, inspiring gales of laughter between Manfred and his roommate Dancer (Buck Taylor) angers the director to the point of calling off the nuptials. Nicky convinces Leo that together they can get her father to reconsider, with the twist ending adding a second twist that absolutely delighted author Helen Nielsen. This was one of the first occasions when the actor was called upon to play a member of the old Hollywood guard though certainly not the last, and sadly the only time he worked for Hitchcock, after two episodes for Boris Karloff's THRILLER. Of course, he previously worked opposite Vera Miles in 1962's "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance"

I am a huge fan of Hitchcock and the suspense/thriller type of stories shows like this one tell. I have seen a lot of the episodes of this particular show because of those two things, but not every single one. I can't help but voice my disappointment in this one, though. I suppose it's quality being lower than other episodes I have seen makes sense, since this was made late in the last season. Although, that's not enough reason to make me think it's alright. I don't enjoy any type of show/movie that involves and accepts low quality plot lines, performances, and so on, especially when they are done intentionally. This episode seemed a lot like that type of episode. Where they all knew the story wasn't that great, but made it due to some sort of commitment or as a filler. Don't get me wrong, it isn't terrible, but compared to the series as a whole this is a blemish that would have been better left off not airing. The character who plays the role that seems like the "bad guy" but ends up being the victim at the end is so overboard in his effort to play an unbearable person that it makes watching him unbearable. For example the scene where they are watching the film and he is meant to heckle it. He goes so over the top in that scene that it leaves you wishing you could be there to go ahead and have him be the one killed. Luckily, that wish is granted at the end when the "twist" with the lady and her supposed father kill him, but that just helps in lowering the quality of the episode. To make this particular ep. better it should have been written having the mechanic, (while still planning to kill the father, get the house, and marry the daughter), not having every scene involving him near the drop-off including an extended moment where he stares down it, the bottom is shown, cuts back to him, and eventually ends with him smiling. He should also do his best to suck up to the father to, what he believes, convince him into liking him and being alright with him marrying his 'daughter'. He could still have been able to be open about the hopeful murder to his roommate and oped with the female about his dislike of her 'father'. As for the two who end up doing the killing, the father didn't do a bad job in his role and neither did the woman, really. Their parts could have benefited purely from the story itself not causing the viewer to already wish for the mechanics death. It would have made the conclusion of the story incredibly harder to predict (as it became increasingly easier as the episode progressed), the viewer more likely to be caught off guard when the mechanic is killed and they two end up actually being married instead of father and daughter, and just a better story overall. So, in my opinion, if you are someone who isn't watching the series as a whole and is just looking for one of this genre to enjoy, stay away from this episode. It would be terrible if this was the first you saw of the show and come to the conclusion the rest of the series' stories are of the same low quality.

Actually an intriguing idea with Vera Miles, definitely supported by John Carradine, and an interesting look at a very young James Farentino and Buck Taylor, this program is unfortunately a bit scratched up by Farentino's channeling James Dean.

Buck Taylor likewise is a distraction as he favors a very young Burt Reynolds (tho I suspect the look of both was to emulate Brando).

The program is a solid piece of work however, delivering a fine bit of goods.

If you are distracted by Farentino's behavior, then it succeeded beyond words.

The worst scene, mainly for execution, is Taylor and Farentino laughing at the old movie. In clips, Farentino isn't even looking at the screen, or nothing was really going on in the movie for him to be laughing.

Obviously not an actual old movie, rather telling bit when the late wife's face is obscured in the movie, as if anyone would tell who she really was.

In the end, a fun program.