User Reviews

In agreement with the other comment, this is a superior episode of AHP. Simply and perfectly titled, "The Motive" has so much in it that it seems longer than it is, but in a good way because it's so interesting.

The plot setup, while preposterous, is well handled and convincing. And the actors are well cast, giving energetic performances. Skip Homeier (Tommy) never achieved real stardom, but he made an impression every time he appeared on screen, in films such as "The Gunfighter" (where he plays a young gunslinger lacking common sense) and especially in "Tomorrow the World!" (in which he plays a former Hitler Youth, with chilling realism). TV stalwarts William Redfield and Carl Betz (soon to play Donna Reed's husband on her sitcom) bring plenty of life to their characters, and we even get Gary Clarke as a bellboy for one scene.

What makes this episode so memorable is the well-played, cold calculation of the characters, and the brilliant twist ending, which wraps things up, yet leaves the viewer thinking. "The Motive" is a like a good short story come to life. Is Rose Simon Kohn's original story comparable? It may be worth seeking out.

Tommy (Skip Homeier) begins the episode by talking with his drunk friend about murders and how murderers are caught because their motivation is known to the police and those around them. However, Tommy insists if there is no motive (such as a randomly chosen victim) the police cannot possibly solve the crime. So, in a moment of madness, the pair decide to test Tommy's theory. And, as you'd expect in this series, there's an unexpected twist. And, fortunately, at the end, Hitchcock himself doesn't backpeddle and explain how the folks were somehow caught...something he often did to please the sponsors...but which ruined a few episodes. Well worth interesting and enjoyable....and very well written.

Superior Hitchcock, featuring two of the quirkiest actors on TV—Redfield and Homeier. That opening scene of the two of them sloshing around while the girl is draped suggestively across the chair is pushing the envelope for 50's TV-- so is the premise, for that matter.

Homeier's "motiveless murder" is rather painstakingly set up in victim Betz's home, even though Homeier's cover story (a pollster) seems implausibly complicated. Nonetheless, the half-hour is smoothly directed with some nice touches, such as the amusing elevator scene.

Good, twist ending that I didn't see coming. I suspect that having justice served on screen instead of during Hitch's epilogue was to satisfy nervous censors. However, if you think about it, I don't think the scales of justice are quite balanced by that ending. See if you agree. Anyway, it's an intriguing and well-directed showcase for a couple of fine actors, one that also helped build the series reputation.

Alfred Hitchcock Presents' is a very interesting and very well done, if not consistent, series that ran for seven seasons between 1955 and 1962. Every season had some truly fine episodes, and they all had some not so good episodes. Personally liked Season 3 on the whole, it did have misfires sure (such as the bizarre previous episode "Sylvia") but it also had a lot of hits and settled a lot quicker than the previous two seasons. "The Motive" had one of the season's most appealing if potentially nonsensical premises, that is very Hitchcockian with a 'Rope' influence.

That premise is more than lived up to in the execution. "The Motive" is a massive improvement over "Sylvia", not that that would have been too hard to achieve, and among the best episodes of Season 3. It is also to me one of Robert Stevens' best 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' episodes, and proof that when the series' most prolific director was on form (like with this and "The Glass Eye" as far as his Season 3 output goes) his episodes were truly great. And he is on form here.

Maybe it is a slight slow starter, but with everything else as good as they were that turned out to be pretty insignificant.

Production values are suitably moody and professional looking. Have always loved the series' theme tune, with Gounod's "Funeral March of a Marionette" being for me one of the best uses of pre-existing classical music on television as has been said more than once before by me (bravo to Bernard Hermann for suggesting it).

It is tautly scripted, not being too reliant on talk, and avoids being too melodramatic, which was a danger with this type of story. It also doesn't take itself too seriously. The story is crisply paced and there is enough going on without feeling too over-crowded, while also being suitably calculated. Lots is intriguing here and it doesn't become too preposterous. The atmosphere is suitably suspenseful and there is a lot of it. Stevens directs with a sure hand.

Do agree that the slow burning and chillingly cold character writing and how calculated they are and also the leaving one floored and extremely clever twist elevate "The Motive" to a greater level. It is very well acted by the whole cast, with quirky yet chilling work from Skip Homeier and William Redfield (with Homeier being particularly good). They have great chemistry.

Concluding, great episode. 9/10.

It's been said many times... prisons are filled with folks who were inspired by what they saw either on tv or in the movies?

Enter a guy in a bar, called Tommy (well played by Skip Homeier) who along with his drinking buddy (noneother than William Redfield) toss ideas about committing the perfect crime. As Tommy has it, the perfect murder could be committed when there is absolutely NO motive. So his plan is to basically kill a stranger, with no ties, nothing!

I totally agree with the last reviewer; Hitchcock's famous homicide movie, ROPE (1948), may have inspired this story with a tv slant. There are some stark similarities.

Catch William Redfield in this one, who is drunk at the start, but sobers up very nicely a la Hitchcock, without giving too much away.... Also in the cast is Carl Betz (DONNA REED SHOW), playing the innocent victim of this insane plot. Look for the old LEAVE IT BEAVER house and garage in the background. The house was next door to the home used in later episodes of MY THREE SONS.

Faithfully directed by Robert Stevens, who mastered 44 episodes for Hitch. Rose Simon Kohn wrote this gem, famous for the classic comedy, PILLOW TO POST, starring Ida Lupino and Sydney Greenstreet.

Skip Homeier began his career in the early 1940s as a child actor, best known for westerns. He's perfect for this role as you will see.

One for the crime books. From SEASON 3 remastered dvd box set. 5 dvds. 17 hrs. 2007 release.

This episode is certainly fun. I had a hard time getting past the Foster Brooks version of drunkenness at the beginning. I've met many drunks in my life, but this is so laughable. At least they didn't hiccup when they talked. Once past this, it is an entertaining version of Hitchcock's "Rope." One of the men can't ignore the challenge of testing his theories. This leads to his seeking out and killing Donna Reed's husband, played by Carl Betz. He seems like a grand, pleasant fellow. The whole thing revolves around the ability to set the murder up and follow through. The whole business plays out awfully well, considering the guy has to go to Chicago to do his evil deed. There is the usual twist and we are relatively satisfied. The episode involves a couple of very good character actors from the fifties and fits with the codes of the time.