"Tales of the Unexpected" William and Mary (1979)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Donald McWhinnie

Writers:

Roald Dahl (writer)
Ronald Harwood (dramatisation)

TV Series:

"Tales of the Unexpected" (1979)

Original Air Date:

7 April 1979 (Season 1, Episode 3)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Plot:

Plot Keywords:

Character Name In Title | Bizarre | Famous Opening Theme | Cult TV | Anthology

Cast

Roald Dahl	...	Himself - Introduced by
Elaine Stritch	...	Mary Pearl
Marius Goring	...	Dr. John Landy
Richard Hampton	...	Arthur Baxter
Jane Paton	...	Nurse
Jimmy Mac	...	William Pearl

Decent Tales of the Unexpected episode.

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Tales of the Unexpected: William and Mary starts as university professor William Pearl (Jimmy Mac) dies, his widow Mary (Elaine Stritch) is contacted by lawyer Arthur Baxter (Richard Hampton) who reads Williams will. In a letter written by William he insists Mary make an appointment & visit brilliant neurosurgeon Dr. John Landy (Marius Goring) which she does, once in his office Dr. Landy has some shocking news for her...

Episode 3 from season 1 this Tales of the Unexpected story originally aired here in the UK during April 1979, directed by Donald McWhinnie I thought this was an alright episode but nothing particularly special. The story by Roald Dahl has already been adapted for several anthology TV show's including Late Night Horror (1968), Way Out (1961) & Clock (1950) before it was dramatised by Ronald Harwood for this generally hit-and-miss British series. The basic story is one of the more ghoulish entries in the show & the mean spirited twist ending is reasonably effective if a little silly. This is a good story with a certain macabre feel to it & is more horror orientated than most episodes from the show & at only 25 minutes in length it moves along at a nice pace & doesn't outstay it's welcome.

As usual for this show William and Mary has dated badly, fashions, technology, hair-dos & the like really age it. Whether that's a good thing or not you can decide on your own. During his filmed introduction Dahl says nothing about the story or any background behind it & simply notes stories which are grim & horrific need humour to balance them out. The acting is fine, Stritch makes her first Tales of the Unexpected appearance after which she would also star in My Lady Love, My Dove from season 2.

William and Mary is an OK tale of the unexpected, it's not the best but at the same time it's not the worst either. A slightly more ghoulish episode than usual this is the sort of story that you would expect from a series called Tales of the Unexpected.