A delicious episode. I never thought I would see a frazzled Charles Bronson, but then he is up against an 80-year old loopy Estelle Winwood. Seems small-time crook Frank (Bronson) and rather dim wife (Crane) think aristocratic old lady Laughton (Winwood) will be easy pickings. After all, she lives alone in a big house full of invisible family, guests, and food. But somewhere inside that mausoleum, Frank figures, is a load of cash, at least that's what he heard. So now he and wife push their way in, while the agreeable old lady introduces them to the invisible guests. But where's she got that darned money hidden.
Winwood's perfect, her bulging eyes and ditzy manner, a perfect foil for the aggressively greedy Bronson. This was still early in the tough guy's career before his acting style was reduced to a single hard-eyed stare. Happily, he shows here that he does have an acting range. Then too Crane makes the rather slow-thinking wife into a reluctant counterpart to hubby Bronson. In my book, the episode is pitch-perfect Hitch fare, the character elements coming together beautifully, with an ironic closing line that fits perfectly, raising also a boggling subtext about how those now invisible family members became invisible. Anyway, hats off to all involved, and to a Bronson that's seldom seen.
Winwood's perfect, her bulging eyes and ditzy manner, a perfect foil for the aggressively greedy Bronson. This was still early in the tough guy's career before his acting style was reduced to a single hard-eyed stare. Happily, he shows here that he does have an acting range. Then too Crane makes the rather slow-thinking wife into a reluctant counterpart to hubby Bronson. In my book, the episode is pitch-perfect Hitch fare, the character elements coming together beautifully, with an ironic closing line that fits perfectly, raising also a boggling subtext about how those now invisible family members became invisible. Anyway, hats off to all involved, and to a Bronson that's seldom seen.