User Reviews

One of the things I often enjoy in some of the "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" episodes is seeing truly awful people getting theirs by the end of the show...and "Relative Value" is one of these.

John (Denholm Elliot) is a weasel. He's lazy and expects the most out of life...and to pay for his lavish lifestyle, he's taken to forging checks with Cousin Felix's name on them! John figures Felix owes it to him....as he's Felix's only heir and he'll inherit the money after this sickly man dies. But since John is a dirt-bag, he can't wait for Felix to assume room temperature and he decides to speed up the process....with disastrous results! I won't say any more....suffice to say the ending is fitting and enjoyable.

Well written, exciting and a cut above the average, this is one to see.

Wastrel John Manbridge has written a couple of bad checks on his cousin Felix's account. Fed up, Felix threatens to turn him in if there's another. Trouble is that John's already written another, so what's he to do.

Really neat double twist distinguishes this otherwise routine entry. Elliot is perfect as the gentleman n'er-do-well,so good at scheming but not so good at betting on the horses. It's an all-British cast, including expatriate Tom Conway, then unfortunately on the alcoholic downgrade. The episode's setting, according to the checks written, is 1930 and I'm not sure why since it makes no obvious difference to the story. Anyway, I thought I had the twist figured, which I did, except they went me two twists better. See how you fare.

"Relative Value" is the first of two 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' episodes by Paul Almond. The other being "The Ikon of Elijah", which despite being a lot lower rated of the two episodes here was actually to me superior. There were some good episodes not directed by regular 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' directors, though not all worked or were a mixed bag. Did quite like the premise for "Relative Value", which has also an intriguing title, and have liked the three leads in other things.

Was a little mixed on the episode. As far as Season 4 episodes go, "Relative Value" is neither one of the best or worst. Personally put it somewhere in the middle, finding it a decent, above average episode that could have been a lot better considering the premise and the cast. As far as 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' goes, there has also been much better and much worse (Season 4 seeing both extremes before and since, particularly before). Mildly recommended but not an essential.

There are a lot of good things here. Denholm Elliott is excellent in the lead role, while Torin Thatcher and Tom Conway (older brother of George Sanders) are equally excellent. Can't fault the chemistry between them, which allows for a good deal of tension later. Almond does direct competently later on, with some nice style.

It looks pretty good, the setting being simple but not overly so and there is a lot of slickness and moodiness in the photography and lighting that enhance. The audio is suitably ominous and the series' theme music is still a classic. Hitchcock's bookending is amusingly ironic as usual, while the episode does become more intriguing and tense later with the highlight being the very well executed, unexpected and different ending and the interesting inclusion of more than one twist. Which are equally plausible and interesting.

However, there are things that are not executed so well. There is a real lack of suspense and surprises in an episode that does feel very routine. The pacing takes a while to come to life and the episode can be too talk heavy and unfortunately the talk is not consistently interesting and can ramble.

While Almond directs competently it is without distinction and never really does anything exceptional or original.

Overall, above average but rather mixed. Recommendation is partial. 6/10.