Okay, I'll watch anything with Anne Francis, but this is superior Hitch with a deliciously ironical ending. Suspense is on high as icy hit-man Derry (Kiley) is hired by crook (Martin) to take out the double-crossing Breech (Long). Looks like a routine rubout for the coldly professional Derry. Trouble is he's not so icy under that deadpan demeanor once he spots wheelchair-confined Breech's young wife, Connie (Francis). Abruptly, Derry betrays his assignment by scheming to fake Breech's death and get the couple to Mexico. That way, everybody will be superficially satisfied. However, being a Hitch, we know things will not work out as planned.
Kiley's first rate as the professional killer. It's hard to tell what's going on under that expressionless demeanor. Still, his abrupt change-of-mind once he helps Connie at the jukebox remains a stretch and maybe the entry's only flaw. Otherwise, the screenplay's a really imaginative work by series favorite Henry Slesar. Note the colorful touch by Barney Martin's hard-bitten gangster once he turns from the killing business to gushing over his little daughter. It's little nonessentials like this that lift an entry into the exceptional. Then too, I had a hard time believing this cut-throat gangster was also Jerry Seinfeld's loopy dad in that classic comedy series. Anyway, the hour's really good Hitch, so don't miss it.