TV and Movies

[Oznell]

2:00 a.m. Eastern--  The Fugitive "Crack in a Crystal Ball" David Janssen, Joanna Moore, Larry Blyden, J. Pat O'Malley, Nellie Burt, Frank Maxwell, Walter Brooke, John Crawford, Pitt Herbert

Kimble's back in a quiet Midwestern town, with a decent enough job in a gas station, and a home base in a pleasant rooming house. But he's recognized by a small time 'show biz' telepath "Sal Mitchell" (Larry Blyden).  A devious plan for Kimble's exposure is cooked up to yield maximum publicity to the bogus psychic, with the reluctant cooperation of his wife "Joan" (Joanna Moore.)

Many things to savor in this episode:   Actor and game show host Larry Blyden's portrait of a deliciously smarmy mentalist, Sal Mitchell.  Sal is so much the sly opportunist, calculating every minute, pulling along his wife in his wake, and ultimately convincing the police of his 'powers'. 

      

Also very good are previous Fuge performers Joanna Moore and Nellie Burt ("Mrs. Daniels").  And the adorable character player J. Pat O'Malley ("Mr. McBride")  is a delight throughout.

Also, for suspenseful atmosphere, the scene at the state park is a standout.  I think we've talked before about the "Hitchcockian" aspects of "The Fugitive",  and this scene embodies that for me: 

Spoiler

I love every part of that scene, from the concrete aquaduct thing that Kimble moves through; to the eerily "normal" crowds of kids playing; people strolling and setting up picnic tables; oddly placed phone booths crucially serving the plot line;  and plainclothes police waiting--  waiting to pounce!  It all has a sort of dreamy, draggy, but strangely "ordinary" foreboding, so reminiscent of Hitchcock...

Streaming free on youtube.  Unfortunately, this first video does have a brief failure in sound, for a stretch of only a few minutes, in the restaurant scene between DJ and Joanna Moore.  But then it picks up again:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CA4KhmkZW4A

This video below also streams free.  This one doesn't have the annoying glitch in sound at the beginning of the restaurant scene.  But whoever taped this, left in the commercials!   So you can take your pick of whichever video would be least annoying to you--  the first one, or this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiBbC2mO37c

[Pearlee]

@Oznell. Another really good epi! I like this one a lot! Yes I thought Hitchcockian too. And there is more than one suspenseful scene -- lots of suspense! Starting with the Wanted poster. 

I watched this a couple of days ago. The sound gave out in too important a scene in Lee's version w/out commercials. so I chose to watch the longer version with no sound issues and just moved my finger to fast forward through the commercials.

Smarmy LOL! Great word for Blyden in this!

Hard to look at Joanna Moore without thinking how much daughter Tatum O'Neal looks like her.  Speaking of the park scene, check out the men park-goers in suits and ties!😄  I've mentioned before there is an epi where Kimble is at a baseball game and the men are dressed that way too. People weren't casual in those days.

The policeman in this always plays a policeman. He was one in a long running series of that era too but I can't remember which one now. 

The two writers of this epi were heavily involved with Columbo. They are credited in that show each week but I can't now think of for what. William Link and I can't think of the other guy's name  now.

I may watch this again before we discuss.

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[godi]

DVR set @Oznell  I am excited to see this episode. You explain so well. Thanks. 

[Oznell]

Funny you should say that, @Pearlee --  I also kept thinking in this one that Joanna Moore especially resembled Tatum, (or the other way around!) even more than in some of the other episodes she's been in.  I wonder if it was because this episode kind of brought out her vulnerability and inner conflict, which are things I associate with her daughter....  

I too always notice the formality of men in suits at casual events back then.  Love the look, wish that more now would emulate at least a certain "polish" no matter where they are.  It was funny to see all those stiffly attired plainsclothesmen at the park though!

Good, @godi --  so glad you are watching! 

[Oznell]

Another thing that was so enjoyable about this episode, was the deference Kimble showed to Mrs. Daniels and Mr. McBride in the sort of sub-plot.  That natural courtliness toward others that the character had, and his impulse to help always there.  Despite my complaints about the scripts sometimes, you have to give the writers props for the 'continuity' from episode to episode that they showed with that aspect of Kimble's character...

 

[drizzellla]

That is interesting. On Friday, I had the TV on but really wasn't paying attention to what was on. In one of my trips through the room I saw "Long Island Medium" was on. Have not seen anything about that show in years. I paused because Theresa was going to read Tatum O'Neal. And so they had a little chit chat before the reading started and Tatum was talking about her Mom. And how her Mom was Andy Griffith's girlfriend in the Andy Griffith Show, also Tatum mentioned Route 66. No mention of The Fugitive.

[Oznell]

That is very interesting, @drizzellla .   How bittersweet it must be to be able to see your long-lost mother, always young and vibrant, on these shows...  Hope Tatum is doing OK.

[Pearlee]

@Oznell. And since you mentioned the boarding house people again,  the formality back then also consisted of continuing to address people by their last names even after getting to know them prefaced by Mr or Mrs or Miss, esp those older than a person, such as how Kimble addressed the two at the boarding house.

Also I specifically did NOT mention plainclothesmen at the park, just men park-goers on purpose.  Let's not give too much away before people have watched it. 

[Pearlee]

Well I guess I'll start.  Why didn't Blyden worry about sending his wife out on a trip down dark country roads and a overnight in a motel, with a convicted murderer?  We should at least have seen him give Joanna a gun to put in her purse for protection or something, just as a nod to the point. I do give the script credit for having Kimble mention the point, but Blyden doesn't even give it a thought!

I thought the suspense in this epi was great, as were the characters. 

I never tire of seeing this one.

[Tique]

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@Pearlee wrote:

Well I guess I'll start.  Why didn't Blyden worry about sending his wife out on a trip down dark country roads and a overnight in a motel, with a convicted murderer?  We should at least have seen him give Joanna a gun to put in her purse for protection or something, just as a nod to the point. I do give the script credit for having Kimble mention the point, but Blyden doesn't even give it a thought!

I thought the suspense in this epi was great, as were the characters. 

I never tire of seeing this one.

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@Pearlee  that's a great place to start. I will add on to what you asked: Why would his wife agree to a trip down dark country roads and an overnight in a motel with a convicted murderer? I think I found her actions even more contemptible than his. She started off thinking it was a bad idea. After she had been with Kimble for some time and all he had done was asked her a lot of questions, at some point she should have remembered what she said to her husband "It is wrong to use someone like that" and doing what he had in mind was like "building your house on another man's grave".

I have to run but will probably return with other thoughts.