User Reviews

Alfred Hitchcock liked a touch of humor in his stories, and sometimes a lot more than that. This is one example, a mystery writer who thinks he should have no trouble figuring out who murdered him given his last day to live over again. In the end he still needs help figuring it out, but also by then no longer really cares. Indeed, he now wonders how he ended up in Heaven -- only to learn that mystery writers always go there. God apparently has interesting tastes.

There have been lots of stories of people who are allowed to come back for one more day after their deaths. This one is pretty tame. A mystery writer who has been murdered begs the admitting angel to let him know who killed him. They agree that he will go back to the time before his death and try to figure it out, hence the title. This then gets a bit dull. Like most mystery stories, a group of suspects soon materializes. They all have motives. He is such a pompous ass that they may be doing us a favor. Anyway, we know that when all is said and done there is going to be a bit of disappointment. The acting is OK. It has that real fifties feel to it. As it turns out, most of the suspects would probably have allied themselves with this man if he had just been a bit kinder. It's a decent entry into the canon, but didn't grab me that much.

This entertaining mini-mystery is characterized by its dry British sense of humor, and by the occasional friendly witticisms about the murder mystery genre. John Williams, with his quintessentially British screen persona, was a good choice for the leading role. The script (by two of the show's regular screenwriters) efficiently adapts the original story into the program's format.

Williams plays a recently-deceased mystery writer who bargains with the recording angel, wanting to return to earth to find out who murdered him. The main story is patterned after the classic style of so many popular British-style detective novels, with some lighter touches that fit in with the premise. Williams does a good job of playing the amateur detective, gently parodying the way that such a character might appear in a book.

The main plot is framed by the two scenes in heaven, with Williams and Alan Napier (as the angel). In these scenes, as in the rest of the episode, the humor is understated and ironic, rather than openly funny. The tone is consistent throughout the story, and it works well if you enjoy the style.

I really didn't care so much who the killer was. The last few minutes of dialogue between Mr. Williams and Mr. Napier was so classy, so British, that any shortcomings others have described fade away. Seeing Amanda Blake, took a minute or two to realized it was her, shows there was more to her than Gunsmoke. This is a nice little story that won't give you nightmares.

The premise was quite interesting and it is always nice once in a while to have an episode not directed by a series regular director, one of not many episodes of 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' for that to be the case. John Williams, in his third appearance of the series, was always worth watching, providing some memorable turns in for example 'Dial M for Murder'. Same goes for Alan Napier, best known to me as Alfred Pennyworth in the 60s 'Batman' show.

Season 1 had some very good and more episodes. The very difficult to rate and review "Whodunnit" to me is not one of them though. It is not a terrible episode by all means and has its moments, but it didn't really click with me to be honest. 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' was no stranger to changes of pace and mostly did them well, but "Whodunnit" doesn't really do its premise justice and doesn't live up to its initial promise. As far as Season 1 goes, this is one of the weaker entries.

"Whodunnit" does have good things. Napier brings a lot of class and intrigue to his role. Also enjoyed the ironic and droll humour, along with the sophisticated and witty kinds when done well ironic and droll humour is great (less keen on the cruder type, which comedy today is full of). Hitchcock's bookending is typically fun.

It does start very well, intriguingly and humorously. It looks pretty decent. Did like the chemistry between Williams and Napier.

However, Williams is not at his best and this is one of his weaker guest appearances in a role that does not suit him. He does try definitely, but his character's pomposity is very overdone in the writing which made him impossible to connect with. Actually ended up not caring enough about the identity of the murderer. Have seen mixed views on the ending, to me it is more conclusive than has been said but it did feel rushed and took a while for me to get the head round.

Despite starting off promisingly, this promise is not kept all the way through. The rest of the story felt too over-stretched and it also came over as silly and muddled. The sets are on the sparse side and the direction is pretty run of the mill, getting the job done in an alright way but it doesn't ever feel distinguished or inspired.

Concluding, an odd one. 5/10.

The entry doesn't come off despite some promising ingredients. The clever premise would make an engaging Twilight Zone, minus Hitch's whimsy, of course. Mystery writer Arlington (Williams) is murdered in bed, but heaven's admitting angel (Napier) gives him a few minutes reprieve to return to earth and find out who the culprit is. Trouble is there's no shortage of suspects, including the writer's wife (Blake). Seems our sleuth was not a very nice guy in real life. So which suspect is it.

Some Hitch favorites are in the cast, including Williams, Napier, and the sour-looking Coolidge. But I did expect Marshal Dillon to stride in and rescue Miss Kitty, oops, right era, wrong series. But it was unusual seeing Blake in a role outside of Dodge City. Frankly, I didn't think the rather listless payoff measured up to the opening. Plus, the suspects' portrayals are colorless, probably so that the culprit will be hard to detect. Anyhow, if heaven is anything like Hitch's version, I'm ready, especially if Ruta Lee is my angel escort.

"Alfred Hitchcock Presents" tended to repeat guest stars quite often, and "Whodunit" represents the third time British actor John Williams appeared on the show in season 1 alone.

It begins in a cartoony version of Heaven and Alexander (Williams) comes gliding into the Wilfred's office (Alan Napier) on a cloud....and he's wearing silly little angel wings. Wilfred the Recorder talks over Alexander's life and informs him he was murdered. This annoys Alexander to no end, as the record doesn't show WHO murdered him...and since Alexander was a mystery writer, he feels he needs to know. Fortunately, Wilfred allows Alexander to relive his last year of life...to figure out who his murderer is.

Well, THAT was an experience! And, not a good one. The episode was just silly and dumb....and left me wondering who thought this would be a good idea for an episode!

Famed mystery and suspense writer Alexander Penn Arlington finds himself in heaven after the shocking revelation that he was murdered over his assumption that he had a heart attack. Arlington talks with his recording angel Wilfred and the two come to an agreement that he can return to earth to live out his last day to discover who murdered him and why?. The question however isn't why but who as Williams plays such a cocky stuck up a** that its hard to imagine he wasn't murdered long before, the revelation of the perpetrator is pretty weak, the only sorta saving grace is the fact that Williams himself admits in the end that he was an a** and doesn't understand how he made it to heaven in the first place, the response to that is sadly even more stupid. I was more interested when Amanda Blake showed up in a rare appearance outside of Gunsmoke then anything else. However, the opening scene of John Williams riding into heaven on a cloud dressed in full angel get up (i.e. wings & harp) maybe one of the funniest things ever.