"The Alfred Hitchcock Hour"
Ride the Nightmare (1962)

Director:

Bernard Girard

Writers:

Richard Matheson (novel)
Richard Matheson (screenplay)

TV Series:

"The Alfred Hitchcock Hour" (1962)

Original Air Date:

29 November 1962 (Season 1, Episode 11)

Genre:

Mystery | Thriller

Plot:

A perfect couple's content suburban world is interrupted by a telephone threat ("I'm going to kill you") against the cocksure husband. His past misdeeds unravel his new life, terrifying his unknowing wife. |

Plot Keywords:

Character Name In Title

Cast

Alfred Hitchcock	...	Himself - Host
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
John Anderson	...	Adam
Philippa Bevans	...	Mrs. Anthony
Gail Bonney	...	Elderly Woman
Jay Lanin	...	Fred
Hugh O'Brian	...	Christopher Martin
Gena Rowlands	...	Helen Martin
Richard Shannon	...	Steve
Olan Soule	...	Bill, the Neighbour

Runtime:

60 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:(Banned) (1963) | USA:TV-PG

Filming Locations:

Revue Studios, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Shamley Productions

Taut Psychological Drama

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Very well acted story of a married man haunted by his criminal past. Gena Rowlands is a real standout as an unknowing wife who learns of her husbands criminal career from a visit by one of his former cohorts that leads to an unfortunate set of consequences. Hugh O'Brien plays the conflicted husband with a nervous demeanor who tries to reassure his wife that he's a reformed man. The late great John Anderson plays a heavy with ambitions of his own. Watch for a brief but memorable appearance from the prolific character actor Olan Soule as a bumbling drunken neighbor who shows up at a most inopportune time. David Cronenberg's "A History of Violence" follows a similar story line.