User Reviews

This is probably my favourite TOTU episode as it crams in so much - insightful, moving character study in Mary, drama, suspense, comedy value in Liz and ultimately tragedy.

What made it even worse was it all being so avoidable - Liz, Dave or Mary herself could just have told Carol the truth about George being married. Seeing that she didn't know, wasn't it cruel risking her getting hurt and throwing her into the lion's den of Mary's resentment with that beach meeting? And I would have said a lot more than Liz a lot sooner if my best friend was being emotionally ill treated by her husband.

It's a shame Keith Barron didn't get more chances in his mostly comedy career to show flair for drama - he was a greatly convincing villain here. Even more of a shame that we lost the brilliant Sheila Gish far too soon!

I echo the comment about the unpredictability of these stand-alone one Act dramas. Occasionally they appear to take inspiration from a raft of sources. Some of the darker tales possess echoes of Clouzot, of Claude Chabrol, others seem to take inspiration from Ealing comedies (The Moles) or a comedy of manners (The Tribute).

I did think this episode could have been slightly better directed though perhaps that has more to do with me as I tried to re-assess what I had seen. I think it definitely benefits from a second viewing as we are never quite sure about what we are watching. Things are left ambiguous as the director maintains a delicate balance without revealing too much too soon.

A spurned wife is determined to come face to face with her love rival. In the meantime, she makes one final desperate attempt to change her appearance to regain her husband's attention. We are told that her rival looks a lot like she did when she was younger. Some episodes hinge on a clever sleight of hand, a telling detail, so that everything at the finale makes horrific sense.

We are left wondering what Mary has in mind for her rival. She lures her to a beach notorious for its dangerous currents, but the latter is a strong swimmer. Does Mary weep out of a feeling of guilt? At her plans being foiled? Or simply out of despair at what she has sacrificed for a marriage that is now on the rocks? Then who is the mysterious figure observing Mary and her rival from a distance? Has this spurned wife really resorted to the most desperate of measures to keep her husband?

Excellently acted by all, especially Sheila Gish, Keith Barron as the philandering husband and their two friends, who provide an element of comedy amidst the dark undercurrent.

There's a neat bit of misdirection going on in this tale of a woman who learns that her husband is cheating on her. All the while, I felt Mary (Sheila Gish) was scheming to do away with her rival Carol (Phoebe Nicholls) during their little soiree at the beach. Especially after Mary told her friend Liz Carol (MacReady) that the situation had already been taken care of, or words to that effect. What I couldn't figure out was how all the folks on the beach could hear the woman on the floating dock screaming but couldn't hear Carol doing the same from exactly the same location. Oh well, it doesn't have to make sense. This one did have that beautiful twist at the end when it looked almost like Mary's hubby George (Keith Barron) was blissfully innocent of wrongdoing, until the guy who drove up lowered the boom. Such are the best laid plans of mice and men.

Tales of the Unexpected: A Harmless Vanity starts as George Hitchman (Keith Barron) is yet again late home, his wife Mary (Sheila Gish) is told by her best friend Liz (Carol MacReady) that she knows George is having an affair with her husbands (Colin Farrell) new secretary Carol (Phoebe Nicholls). Obviously upset Mary ask's Liz to invite this Carol to the beach where she wants to meet her, Liz reluctantly agrees. A few days later & Liz & Carol meet up with Mary on the beach, what is Mary planning though & who is that man spying on them from afar with binoculars...

This Tales of the Unexpected story was episode 9 from season 5 & originally aired here in the UK during June 1982, the fifth of five Tales of the Unexpected episodes to be directed by Giles Foster this is pretty much twenty odd minutes of predictable domestic drama boredom until the very end & a surprisingly excellent little twist that I for one never saw coming. The story by Theda O.Henle was dramatised by Jeremy Paul & one has to say that for the first twenty minutes it's pretty dull going, it sets up the character's & the whole situation where a woman finds out her husband is having an affair & arranges to meet the woman in question at which point I assumed it was going to be some sort of jealous spouse gets revenge drama but to give A Harmless Vanity some credit the ending is very effective & for me was unexpected too which makes a nice change. I suppose the twist ending is the one factor that will decide whether you like A Harmless Vanity or not, the whole twenty five minutes that proceeds it lives or dies by the endings effectiveness. I'm not saying everyone will like it or be surprised by it but I think most will & therefore I can recommend A Harmless Vanity.

Shot entirely on film on location this one actually looks quite good, it's not exactly cinema quality but I always like the look of film over videotape. The real life locations help the look of the story as well. Unusually there's a brief shot of full frontal female nudity in this one which I'm surprised they got away with back in 1982 at 7.25 in the evening! Like many Tales of the Unexpected episodes there's a good cast including familiar British TV actor Keith Barron although the Colin Farrell listed in the credits isn't the Irish Colin Farrell who has appeared in several big budget Hollywood films.

A Harmless Vanity is mostly dull domestic drama rubbish for the majority but the twist ending really makes the build up worthwhile, I liked it for the clever ending rather than anything else although I would recommend it.