- #181: "A Source of Irritation" (July 5, 1953) Starring: Ben Wright. Story: Stacy Aumonier. Script: Meyer Dolinsky. Director: Antony Ellis. Setting: Germany.
Plot: A British turnip farmer is kidnapped by a Nazi pilot because he happens to resemble an important Frenchman.
Review: A very silly story, quite atypical for Escape, so much so that it's practically the series satirizing itself. My Rating: 3/5 stars. - #182: "The Outstation" (July 12, 1953) Starring: Ben Wright. Story: W. Somerset Maugham. Script/Director: Antony Ellis. Setting: Borneo.
Plot: Two British officers clash with each other during their assignment.
Review: I think I've mentioned before that I don't have a lot of patience for "British manners" stories, stories where all the drama comes from British class-isms. Here, there's a stiff-upper lip Englishman and a working-class boor. The story doesn't like either of them. Well, fine, I don't like them, the story, or the high horse they rode in on. My Rating: 2.5/5 stars. - #183: "The Open Boat" (July 19, 1953) Starring: Edgar Barrier. Story: Stephen Crane. Script: E. Jack Neuman. Director: Antony Ellis. Setting: Atlantic Ocean/USA.
Plot: The survivors of a sunken ship try to reach land but it's not easily accomplished.
Review: I studied this story in college; it's Crane's 2nd best-known work (after "The Red Badge of Courage") and I'm delighted that Escape brought it to life. The high seas setting obviously plays to audience expectations but the drama - the men trying repeatedly to save themselves against an indifferent audience, dry land so close yet unattainable - it's a different kind of 'man vs. nature' peril than other episodes and very well performed. My Rating: 4.5/5 stars. - #184: "The Notebook" (July 26, 1953) Starring: John Dehner. Story/Script: William J. Radcliff. Director: Antony Ellis. Setting: USA.
Plot: Two men who just found a valuable piece of property are stalked by thieves who want to beat their claim.
Review: An intense and ultimately bleak western story. The last third of the story is especially well-told as the surviving characters are forced to rely on each other to survive against a pack of wolves, yet it's too little, too late. My Rating: 4/5 stars. - #185: "The Red Forest" (2nd version August 2, 1953) Starring: William Conrad. Story/Script/Director: Antony Ellis. Setting: USA.
Plot: A man on the run finds his way blocked by a forest fire as he's forced to help fight the blaze.
Review: Another good production of this script (from #120); this time Ellis got to direct it himself. Conrad reprised his role from before, as did Georgia Ellis. Escape Snake #6: the rattlesnake makes a quick appearance! My Rating: 4.5/5 stars. - #186: "Three Skeleton Key" (3rd version August 9, 1953) Starring: Ben Wright. Story: George Toudouze. Script: James Poe. Director: Antony Ellis. Setting: French Guiana.
Plot: Three men are trapped in their lighthouse as rats swarm around them.
Review: One last time, Escape tackles the story (previously as episodes #83 and 100). This time there's no Vincent Price but I think Wright is fine in the role of Jean (though his thick English accent is in no way French!); Paul Frees is fine as Louis although William Conrad did it best in the 1st version; unfortunately, Jay Novello is not that great as Auguste, a role that Harry Bartell played to perfection in the two earlier versions. Further, the circulating copy has some patchy audio in places. However, this is the best man vs. nature story in the entirety of Escape and these minor defects only appear when you compare versions. Even as the least-impressive adaptation of the tale, it's still a phenomenal production. My Rating: 5/5 stars. - #187: "The Thirteenth Truck" (August 16, 1953) Starring: Hy Averback. Story: Douglas Smith/Cecil Carnes. Script: Gus Bayz. Director: Antony Ellis. Setting: Libya.
Plot: British soldiers scheme to infiltrate a convoy of Nazi trucks in order to access and destroy an airfield.
Review: A very pulpy adventure tale. It's all right but far-fetched and Averback's performance is too stiff for Bayz's light-hearted script. My Rating: 3/5 stars. - #188: "The Man from Tomorrow" (August 23, 1953) Starring: Larry Dobkin. Story/Script: Irving Reis. Director: Antony Ellis. Setting: USA.
Plot: A former pilot is recruited for scientific experiments to heighten his sensory powers to their greatest possible degree.
Review: This episode is not well-liked by other Escape fans but I'm into it; I enjoy how the protagonist's abilities gradually increase and the audio tricks used to enhance his sensory experience for the listeners. Dobkin's protagonist realizing he has to get out of the experiment is also well-handled. My Rating: 4/5 stars. - #189: "The Game" (August 30, 1953) Starring: Sam Edwards. Story/Script/Director: Antony Ellis. Setting: USA.
Plot: Two teenagers play a game of Russian roulette.
Review: Utterly unlike anything else on Escape - this is a Suspense story that wound up on the wrong desk. But who cares? It has a tiny cast and a tough premise that manages to maintain tension for the entire half-hour. My Rating: 5/5 stars. - #190: "Train from Oebisfelde" (September 6, 1953) Starring: William Conrad. Story/Script: Ross Murray. Director: Antony Ellis. Setting: Germany.
Plot: An American agent escorting a nuclear scientist who has just defected learns the train they're aboard has a bomb hidden somewhere.
Review: I think this one is very underrated by Escape fans; the train setting is good and the problem of how to locate the bomb in time is intense, while Conrad is always game as the staunch protagonist. Really good stuff. My Rating: 4.5/5 stars.
You can listen to episodes of Escape at the Internet Archive! I'll be back with more next week!
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