Episode 291: Split Second

[00:00:16] Speaker A: The mysterious old radio listening society podcast. Welcome to the Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society, a podcast dedicated to suspense, crime and horror stories from the golden age of radio. I'm Eric. [00:00:36] Speaker B: I'm Tim. [00:00:36] Speaker C: And I'm Joshua. [00:00:38] Speaker A: We love mysterious old time radio stories, but do they stand the test of time? That's what we're here to find out. [00:00:43] Speaker B: This time we're listening to an episode I chose, Split Second from the Mind bending Canadian series Vanishing Point. Vanishing Point was the follow up to CBC Radio's successful horror anthology series Nightfall. Unlike its predecessor, Vanishing Point featured stories from a wide array of genres, including psychological thrillers, science fiction, horror and even comedy. [00:01:03] Speaker A: Vanishing Point debuted in Canada October 5, 1984 and ran for two years before taking a hiatus during the summer of 1986. Vanishing Point returned in the fall with a new format. Instead of an anthology of standalone stories, the program became an umbrella title for multi part or thematically linked stories. This version of Vanishing Point ran through January of 1993. [00:01:26] Speaker C: Split Second is an adaptation of a story by English writer Daphne du Maurier, who who may be best known for her novel Rebecca and her short story the Birds, both of which were adapted into films by Alfred Hitchcock. Her writing is often categorized as romantic, but it also contains sinister, sometimes paranormal elements. [00:01:47] Speaker B: In 1969, she received the title of Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire, becoming Dame Daphne du Maurier, Lady Browning, DBE an appellation she strenuously avoided. In the 1950s, she became an early member of Mebian Kurnow, a group that supports Cornish nationalism. Kurnow Biswicken. [00:02:06] Speaker A: Daphne du Maurier was 81 when she passed away in 1989, which meant she might have heard this adaptation when Vanishing Point first aired split second on August 6, 1986. [00:02:17] Speaker C: It's late at night and a chill has set in. You're alone and the only light you see is coming from an antique radio. Listen to the sounds coming from the speaker, listen to the music and listen to the voices. [00:02:41] Speaker D: The watch. An invention to keep time in its place. Quite reliable for the most part. So is a compass reliable until you reach the North Pole. So such is the inadequacy of a timekeeping device at the Vanishing Point. [00:03:07] Speaker E: Come in. You can clear away the coffee now. Grace. Yes, Mom? What do you think of this for Susan? Maybe in green? Oh, yes, that's pretty, Mum. Well, I'm going for my walk now. Doesn't look very nice out, but I think the exercise will do me good. Yes, Mum. I shan't be long. A Bicycle for Susan's birthday. Nine's a good age for a first bicycle. A red one, perhaps, or a good blue. Laundry boy takes his corners much too fast. One of these days there'll be an accident. What's the matter with this thing? Grace. Grace, it's only me. My key's jammed in the door. Could you come up and let me in? Grace? Grace. She must have gone out. [00:04:46] Speaker D: Who are you balling your head off about, then? [00:04:49] Speaker E: Who's this? Has Grace got a man in the house? Perhaps you have the goodness to ask Grace to come upstairs and let me in. I see what's happened. Grace has slipped out to the public house down the road to buy this man beer. And he's been left to loll in the kitchen. If Grace is out, kindly let me in yourself. I prefer not to use the back entrance. That'll put him in his. Who is it? You want a dog? Is it as this is the end, they think. Who's in the drawing room? Do you know? [00:05:31] Speaker D: I think Mr. And Mrs. Bolton is in, but I'm not sure. [00:05:35] Speaker E: Was it then you wanted to see? I don't know any Mr. And Mrs. Bolton. You'd better go down to the basement again. Tell Grace not to bring tea until I ring. These people may not stay, but if I'm not. [00:05:50] Speaker C: Oh, all right. [00:05:50] Speaker D: I'm going down. Look, if you want Mr. And Mrs. Bolton again, ring twice. [00:06:00] Speaker E: Hi, Judy. Grace has gone baby mad. She's let these men into the house and they've turned the room upside down. Now, wait. Where are the Staffordshire figurines? Heavens, I'm being robbed. Perhaps it's not Grace's fault. She's lying in the basement, gagged and found. I'll keep calm if I can only get to the telephone to the police. [00:06:28] Speaker D: Excuse me, but do you want anything? My wife's upstairs. [00:06:35] Speaker E: The cool bluff of him sitting there with his typewriter. My desk's gone, the bookshelves, my armchair. Maybe he hasn't realized who I am. Toucan Clear bluff. Somehow I must detain them until the police come. Your wife is upstairs? [00:06:54] Speaker D: Yes. If you've come for an appointment, you'll find her in the studio room in the front. [00:07:00] Speaker E: Thank you. She doesn't realize who I am. They believe the owner's out of the way for the afternoon. And I'm some caller to be fobbed off with a lie about appointments. Telephone gone from the hall already? My bedroom. There's a chance they've not taken that one yet. The man said his wife was upstairs. A woman Accomplice? She's probably turning out my wardrobe right now. Seizing my fur coat, taking my pearls. Who is it? I don't see anyone without an appointment. Everything's gone. Phone's still there. Leave my telephone alone. [00:07:45] Speaker A: Yes? [00:07:45] Speaker E: I want them to come at once to number 17 Elmhurst Road. I'm in great danger. Please report this message to the police at once. [00:07:52] Speaker B: Phone. [00:07:53] Speaker E: Who sent you here? If you think you can come in snooping, you're mistaken. You won't find anything, nor the police neither. I've a trade license for the work I do. Harry, come up and throw this woman out. [00:08:06] Speaker D: What's the matter? [00:08:08] Speaker E: The operator got my message. He won't be long now. [00:08:10] Speaker D: Can't you deal with her? She probably wants a special pose. [00:08:15] Speaker E: What did my husband say to you? Nothing. He merely said I should find you upstairs in this room. Don't try any bluff with me. It's too late. I can see what you've been doing. You can't put any phony business over on me. This studio's decent, respectable. Plenty of clients can testify to that. [00:08:34] Speaker C: What? [00:08:34] Speaker E: What are you gonna say when the police come? What's your story? I shall tell them that I live here. That is all they need to know. And it is a pose you want? [00:08:44] Speaker B: Just. [00:08:44] Speaker D: What's going on? [00:08:45] Speaker E: I don't know. I think it's blackmail. Has she got any negatives? Not that I know of. I've never seen her before. I think the best thing would be to go downstairs, sit quietly by the fire and have a little chat, don't you? Keep them there until the police arrive. Better try and find out what she's up to. [00:09:04] Speaker D: All right. Let's go downstairs. [00:09:14] Speaker E: Thank heaven. [00:09:15] Speaker D: I'll get it. Better have them in. She's got no proof. Come in, Officer. We had a telephone call. Some trouble going on. [00:09:24] Speaker C: I understand. [00:09:25] Speaker D: Well, I think there must be some mistake. The fact is, we've had a caller and I think she got hysterical. [00:09:31] Speaker E: I am not hysterical. I'm perfectly all right. I made the telephone call. [00:09:36] Speaker C: What's the trouble? Here. But first, give me your name and address. [00:09:41] Speaker E: Hardly necessary. But My name is Mrs. Wilfred Ellis, of this address. [00:09:47] Speaker C: Lodge here? [00:09:48] Speaker E: No, this is my house. I live here. I must speak to you alone. Constable. The matter is terribly urgent. I don't think you quite understand. [00:09:56] Speaker D: If you have any charge to bring Mrs. Ellis, you can bring it at the police station at the proper time. We were informed that somebody lodging here at number 17 was in danger. [00:10:07] Speaker C: Are you or are you not the. [00:10:09] Speaker D: Person who gave that information to the exchange. [00:10:11] Speaker C: Of course. [00:10:12] Speaker E: I am that person. I returned home to find that my house had been broken into by thieves. The whole place turned upside down, my things carried away in the most terrible disorder. Everywhere. [00:10:22] Speaker D: I saw her come to the door. I thought she was balmy. It wouldn't have let her in if I'd known. [00:10:28] Speaker E: Who are you? [00:10:29] Speaker D: Name of Upshaw. Henry Upshaw. Me and my misses there's the basement flat here. [00:10:34] Speaker E: That man is lying. He does not live here. He belongs to this gang of thieves. Nobody lives in the basement except my maid, Grace Jackson. And if you will search the premises, you will probably find her gagged and bound somewhere by that ruffian. You can see the straw in her there. [00:10:53] Speaker D: Wild, please. [00:10:57] Speaker C: Are you Henry Bolton, then? [00:10:58] Speaker D: Oh, yes, officer. [00:11:00] Speaker A: And this is my wife. [00:11:01] Speaker D: We have the ground floor here. My wife uses an upstairs room for a studio. Camera, portraits, you know. [00:11:08] Speaker C: Does this lady live here? [00:11:10] Speaker D: We've never seen her before, officer. Mr. Upshaw let her into the house through some error. [00:11:16] Speaker C: She walked into our living room and. [00:11:17] Speaker D: Then forced her way into my wife's studio. Threatened her in hysterical fashion. Rang for the police. [00:11:24] Speaker C: Anything to say, Constable? [00:11:26] Speaker E: There has been some terrible mistake. You are new to the district, perhaps, but I have lived here for years. I went out for a walk this afternoon, and during my absence, these people have broken into my house, seized or destroyed my belongings. And if you would please get through. [00:11:42] Speaker C: Immediately to your headquarters there, we can go into all that quietly down at time the same station. [00:11:47] Speaker E: All right. [00:11:58] Speaker D: Now then, you say your name is Mrs. Wilfred Ellis and that you resided at 17 Elmhurst Road for 10 years. Well, have you anything that you can show me to prove your identity? [00:12:15] Speaker E: Prove my identity? Oh, well, at home, of course, but not here? Well, unfortunately, I didn't take my handbag with me when I went out for my walk this afternoon. [00:12:26] Speaker D: So you can't produce your identity card or your ration book. [00:12:31] Speaker E: I don't know what you mean by ration book, but I've asked you to verify my name and address in the telephone book or the district directory. If you refuse to do that, ask the postmaster or the manager of my bank, the National Provincial in the high street where I cashed a cheque on Saturday. Finally. Would you care to ring up Mrs. Henrietta Draycott, a friend of mine who lives at number 21 Charlton Avenue? She'll vouch for me. [00:13:02] Speaker D: Mrs. Alice, we've checked upon your statements, you know, and they won't do. Are you not in the telephone book? Call the directory. Well, now, I can see that you're tired and rested. Do your good. We'll try and find your friends for you. If you'll go along now, we'll get in touch with them soon as possible. I'll send a doctor along to you, give you a sedative, and then in the morning, well, we may have some news for you. [00:13:28] Speaker E: This way, Mrs. Ellis. But my house. Those thieves. And my maid Grace. [00:13:36] Speaker C: Grace? [00:13:36] Speaker E: Lady Lyon. In the basement. Surely you're going to do something about the house. You won't permit them to get away with the crime. That's all right, Mrs. Ellis. You leave everything to us. Let me take your coat. Now, you just lie down here. I beg of you, ring up Hampstead 4072, the number of my friend Mrs. Draycott, and ask her to come here. The officer won't listen to me. Yes. Yes, that'll be all right. Good evening. Good evening, Doctor. [00:14:05] Speaker D: Feeling a little upset, I hear. Well, we'll soon put that to rights. Now, will you give me your wrist? [00:14:11] Speaker E: Doctor, there is nothing whatever the matter with me. I admit I've been through a terrible experience. The house has been broken into. No one here will listen to my story. [00:14:21] Speaker D: Just a dab of either. So you won't feel the needle. [00:14:24] Speaker E: Since the police came to my house before that. [00:14:27] Speaker D: Oh, there. [00:14:29] Speaker E: My whole treatment has been infamous, scandalous. [00:14:32] Speaker D: In a moment or two, you'll feel much better. [00:14:34] Speaker E: I personally don't know our MP But I sincerely believe when he hears my story, he will take the matter up. Oh. [00:14:49] Speaker D: Now, supposing you tell me your story again. You say Your name is Mrs. Ellis. Do you think you can now remember your real? [00:14:58] Speaker E: I live at number 17 Elmhurst Road. I am a widow. My husband has been dead two years. I have a little girl of nine away at school, thank goodness. And I live alone, except for one maidservant, Grace Jackson. [00:15:19] Speaker D: You say your daughter's at school Now. Can you remember her address? [00:15:23] Speaker E: Of course. The school is High Close, Bishop's Lane, Hatchworth. And the telephone number is Hatchworth 202. [00:15:33] Speaker D: Good. Now, just try to relax and have a little sleep. And in the morning, I hope we'll have news for you. You're not ill and you're not lying. I quite realize that you're only suffering from a temporary loss of memory. [00:15:46] Speaker E: But it isn't true. My memory's perfectly all right. I've given you every detail I can think of. Oh, the furbers next door at number 19. They know me well. We've been neighbors for six years. [00:16:29] Speaker D: Sit down, Mrs. Ellis. How are you feeling this Morning. A little more like yourself. [00:16:33] Speaker E: On the contrary, Doctor, I am feeling very unwell indeed and will do until I know what's happened at home. Has anything at all been done to safeguard my property? [00:16:42] Speaker D: We've checked on your story, Mrs. Ellis, but unfortunately the facts you gave us have been proved wrong in every patrol particular so far. [00:16:49] Speaker E: What do you mean? [00:16:50] Speaker D: Well, first your address. Now, you do not live at 17 Elmhurst Road because the house is occupied by various tenants who've lived there for some time and who are known to us. It's an apartment house. The floors are let separately and you are not one of the tenants. But I see there are no people called Furber living at number 19. It's also a lodging house. There's no Ellis on the register of the bank in the High street and nor can we trace anyone of the name of Grace Jackson in the district. [00:17:19] Speaker E: Is this some conspiracy? I. I don't understand what I've done. You rang up my friend Mrs. Drakehot at number 21 Charlton Avenue. [00:17:28] Speaker D: There is no 21 Charlton Avenue, Mrs. Ellis. Those houses are all torn down some time ago to make a block of flats and there's no Mrs. Drake or living in them. Checked up on all the nursing homes and the mental homes, sir, in the district and within a radius the of five miles. Nobody missing. I thank you, Doctor. You'll have to persuade them to take her at Morton Hill. I say it's a temporary. [00:17:51] Speaker E: Morton Hill? You can't possibly take me there. I demand to see a lawyer. No, my doctor, Dr. Godber, he lives in Parkwell Gardens. [00:17:59] Speaker D: She must be a local woman. She gets the names right every time. He went to Portsmouth, didn't he? [00:18:07] Speaker A: Yes, he did. [00:18:07] Speaker E: I remember. If he's a Portsmouth, he. He would only have gone for a few days. He's very conscientious. But his secretary knows me. I took Susan there last holiday. [00:18:15] Speaker D: Oh, by the way, now you gave us the name of that school correctly. It's the wrong telephone number, but right school. Yes, we got through to them last night. High close, run by Mr. Foster and his wife. [00:18:27] Speaker E: It is run by a Miss Slater. A Miss Hilda Slater. [00:18:30] Speaker D: You mean it was run by a Miss Slater. A miss Slater had the school and then retired. It was taken over by Mr. And Mrs. Foster and they've no pupil there by the name of Susan Ellis. [00:18:41] Speaker E: Oh, if all you're saying is some kind of game, some kind of torture. [00:18:47] Speaker D: Now we are trying to help you. We're doing everything we can to find your friends. [00:18:52] Speaker E: I don't understand what's happened? If I'm suffering from loss of memory, why do I remember everything so clearly? My name and address, my friends, the school. Where's Susan? Where's my little girl? No, I do assure you that I don't want to make trouble. And if I really have lost my memory, I will do what the doctor tells me. Take any drugs or medicines that will help. But would you do just one thing for me? Telephone the school and ask where you can get in touch with Miss Slater. [00:19:28] Speaker D: Very well. Well, I think we are a little near our home. We were able to contact Ms. Slater. [00:19:47] Speaker E: Oh, doctor, thank heaven. Have you news of my daughter? [00:19:50] Speaker D: Steady a moment. Now, I take it when you refer to your daughter, you mean someone who is called or was called Susan Ellis? [00:19:58] Speaker E: Yes. Yes, of course. Is she all right? Is she with Miss Slater? [00:20:01] Speaker D: No, she's not with Miss Slater, but she's perfectly well and I've spoken to her on the telephone myself and I have her present address here in my notebook. [00:20:08] Speaker E: Not with Miss Slater. Well, then, where is she? What's happened? [00:20:11] Speaker D: Now, I want you to think quite calmly and clearly and not be agitated in any way. You remember last night you gave us the name of your maid? [00:20:21] Speaker E: Yes, Grace Jackson. [00:20:22] Speaker D: Now, take your time and tell me a little about her. Describe her for me. [00:20:27] Speaker E: She's a big girl. At least not really a girl about my own age. She has a large bust, rather thick ankles, brownish hair and grey eyes. [00:20:40] Speaker D: You know, that's a very accurate description of yourself. [00:20:44] Speaker E: Myself? Yes. [00:20:45] Speaker D: Figure coloring and so on. We think. You know, it's just possible your amnesia has taken the form of mistaken identity and that you are really Grace Jackson, believing yourself to be a Mrs. Ellis. [00:20:57] Speaker E: Doctor, I bear no sort of resemblance to my maidservant. And if and when you ever find trace of the unfortunate girl, she would be the first to agree with me. [00:21:05] Speaker D: You insist Your age is 35 and that grace Jackson was approximately the same. [00:21:09] Speaker E: I was 35 in August last. I believe Grace to be a year younger. I'm not sure. [00:21:15] Speaker D: You certainly don't look more. But following up on the phone conversation I just had, Grace Jackson should be at least 55 or 56. [00:21:23] Speaker E: I really don't see what Grace's age has to do with it. And I'm sorry to insist, but I must know the whereabouts of my daughter Susan before anything else. [00:21:32] Speaker D: As a matter of fact, it happens that Miss Slater was able to put us in touch with the lady. We've spoken to her on the telephone and she's only a short distance away in Saint John's. [00:21:40] Speaker B: Wood. [00:21:41] Speaker D: She's not sure, but she thinks she'd remember Grace Jackson if she saw her. [00:21:46] Speaker E: What in the world is she doing in St. John's Wood? Is she on a school outing? Going to the zoo? Perhaps, but that must be it. Do you know where she spoke from? I mean, somebody was in charge. Somebody was looking after her. [00:21:59] Speaker D: She spoke from 2A Halifax Avenue. I don't think you'll find she needs any looking after. She sounded very capable on the telephone, Doctor. [00:22:06] Speaker E: I'm ready to go there at once, if the authorities here will only let me. [00:22:09] Speaker C: Good. [00:22:09] Speaker D: We've arranged for a car to take you there. [00:22:30] Speaker E: We shan't be long, driver. Are you Mrs. Drew? Yes. Oh, do be quietly, for heaven's sake. This is the person I brought along for you to identify. Oh, well, you better come inside. I'm afraid everything's in a fearful mess. I've got no help and you know how it is, what with Keith's toys and my material. I'm a dressmaker in my spare time and trying to get a decent meal for my husband when he comes home in the evening. Life isn't a bed of roses. Extraordinary. She looks exactly like Wilfred's sister Dorothy. And her voice identical. Same note of complaint. [00:23:17] Speaker C: But where? [00:23:17] Speaker E: Susan, we don't want to take up your time. If you will just say whether this person is Grace Jackson or not. No, I'm sure she's not. I haven't seen Grace for years, not since I married. But she had quite a different appearance from this person. She was stouter, darker and older too. Then you're sure you've never seen this person before? No, never. Thank you. Then we needn't detain you any longer. Excuse me. There's been a most unfortunate misunderstanding all round. But I believe you spoke to the doctor at the police station at Hampstead this morning. Or someone from this house did. And that you have some children here from High Clothes. My daughter Susan amongst them. Could you tell me, is she still here? Is anyone from the school in charge? [00:24:03] Speaker B: Mummy. [00:24:03] Speaker E: Keith. I told you to stay outside. What a pretty boy. What's Your name? I'm Mrs. Ellis. I've got a mouse. Like to see him? Oh, he doesn't usually take to strangers. He's very shy. But he seems to like you. Not now, Keith. [00:24:19] Speaker B: No. [00:24:21] Speaker E: Yes, The. The police officer was rather an idiot. I'm afraid he got everything wrong. My name was Susan Ellis before I married and I used to go to school at High Close. And that's where the mistake came in. There are no children from the school. [00:24:33] Speaker D: Here. [00:24:34] Speaker E: Thank you, Mrs. Drew. Sorry to have. But the doctor told me Ms. Slade said. Oh, yes, dear old Salty. Oh, I can't help being grateful to her. She's a funny old stick, but a heart of gold. And she did her best for me, I'll say that. And kept me in the holidays, even after my mother was killed in an accident. How good of her. It's time we were getting along. Come now, Mrs. Drew's told us all we need to know. I don't want to go and you have no right to make me go. I'm sorry. I'll have to get the driver. I wanted them to send a nurse with me, but they said it wouldn't be necessary. Oh, that's all right. But perhaps I better move Keith to the kitchen or she may try to kidnap him. Come on, Keith. Time to get ready for lunch. Come in along now. Be reasonable. No. If you come near me, I'll stab you with these scissors. Driver. Now they'll think I'd call out through the back. Upstairs. Upstairs? [00:25:29] Speaker C: Yes. [00:25:29] Speaker E: Where's she gone? Did you see where she went? [00:25:31] Speaker C: No, I didn't. [00:25:32] Speaker E: I used to. They won't think to look here in the bedroom. Oh, I'm so tired. I'll just rest here on the bed until they've gone away. Oh. Oh. Two o'. [00:26:00] Speaker B: Clock. [00:26:01] Speaker E: I must have dropped off. That calendar's wrong. 1952. Must be a misprint. 32. It should be fancy enough noticing. Mmm. Such an untidy room. Everything all over the place. But poor girl, if she had no mother. I've been here nearly two hours. They must have gone by now. Perhaps I can creep out without her hearing. They must be hard up if she has to do dressmaking. I wonder what her husband does for a living. Oh, I just want to get it home. It must be this way. Once I get to the Finchley Road, it's not too far. If only I hadn't gone out without my handbag. Can't call a taxi. I haven't even got money for a bus. Oh, home. There's so much to straighten out, so much to do. I don't know where to begin. Oh, my back. So sore. I want everything to be as it was before my walk yesterday. I want my home. I want my little girl. [00:27:47] Speaker C: Huh? [00:27:48] Speaker E: That's right. I remember I was just about to cross the road here and thinking of the red bicycle I was going to buy for Susan. That laundry boy again. Takes his corners much too fast. [00:28:27] Speaker D: Just a little afternoon walk and a protracted game of Blind Man's Bluff. With time spun round and round eyes bound the object of the chase forever. [00:28:43] Speaker E: Just out of reach. [00:28:46] Speaker D: A split second from the Vanishing Point. Split Second by Daphne Du Maurier, dramatized by Desmond Scott, starring Fiona Reed as Mrs. Ellis. Featured in the cast were Chris Wiggins as the officer and Gilly Fenwick as the doctor, with Jay Bowen as Mr. Bolton, Marion Gilson as Mrs. Bolton, Greg Elwand as the policeman, Maya Ardell as the policewoman, Jill Frappier as Susan and Grace, Kara Maliki Sanchez as Keith and Anthony Parr as Upshaw. The casting consultant was Kathryn Kester. Original music was composed and performed by Marcia Coffey with Ann Goldspink vocals. Recording engineer was Brian Pape with sound effects by Jean Sarrazin, and the production assistant was Peggy Esty. The series script editor is Sandra Rabinovich. The series musical theme is by John Robey and the voice of Vanishing Point is David Calderisi. Split Second was produced and directed at Studio G in Toronto by series executive producer William Lane. A few of the best of the first season of Vanishing Point are still available on audio cassette from CBC Enterprises. Look for Vanishing Point cassettes at your local dealer or write to us for further information. We're always happy to hear from our listeners about the plays and productions you hear on this series. Please take a few minutes to write and send us your comments. The address is Vanishing Point, CBC Radio Drama Box 500, Station A, Toronto M5W 1E6. Next week on Vanishing Point, we present a quietly disturbing new play by Kent Thompson, the Fredericton novelist and playwright. It's called Mum's Home Cooking, produced at CBC Halifax by Sudsy Clark. That's next week on Vanishing Point. Until next week, I'm Larry Paloff, wishing you good night. [00:31:36] Speaker A: That was Split Second from Vanishing Point here on the mysterious old Radio Listening Society podcast once again, I'm Eric. [00:31:43] Speaker B: I'm Tim. [00:31:43] Speaker C: And I'm Joshua. [00:31:45] Speaker A: Who picked that one? [00:31:46] Speaker B: I picked that. [00:31:46] Speaker A: That's right. That's right. Tell me why you picked it, sir. [00:31:50] Speaker B: Well, I love Vanishing Point. We described it. It has many different genres in the whole series and that's one of the things I like is just diving in and like what is this? What is this? And it's always different. And this one, this one grabbed me because of its it's very different than most kind of time travel y sci fi, short story kind of vibes. But I'll get into more depth. But one thing that jumped out at me was having a 35 year old homebound woman as the main character, which doesn't normally seem like your typical sci fi heroine, how she behaves versus the people around her behave is kind of the inverse. I guess I'm getting into it right now. Often your protagonist is this misunderstood hero. Like I'm trying to convey the truth and I'm not being understood by these institutions that are blind or unfeeling. And really she's the one who's stubborn and does not want to accept what's getting increasingly obvious to her. And all these institutions around here are bending over backwards to help her. There's a lot more I enjoyed about it, but that was the thing that first really jumped out at me. [00:32:56] Speaker A: Interesting. I just want to jump on the thing that you said about. You call it a time travel piece and I didn't take it as a time travel piece. I took it as a supernatural piece. And this is where you're all going to correct me, I'm sure, but to me, she's dead and she's come to a consciousness or an existence as a spirit many, many years later, not realizing that she had died being hit by a car 30 years ago. [00:33:23] Speaker C: Supernatural time travel then. [00:33:26] Speaker A: Are we compromising? [00:33:27] Speaker C: Yeah, why not? I think for once. No. I thought we'd start the podcast with a compromise instead of ending it on one. I mean, the whole podcast is a one big compromise, let's be honest. Yeah. [00:33:38] Speaker B: This is not what I wanted. [00:33:39] Speaker C: No. [00:33:40] Speaker A: I don't know why you're getting paid the same as me. I really enjoyed this piece a lot for so many reasons. Performance, production, writing. Also that I wasn't quite sure what was going on. And I think it was at the end where I. Oh, she's dead. Right. I didn't know that. I didn't know what was going on. And I enjoyed that too. I enjoy reveals, as you guys all know. And I think there's something about this that should be. If you know me and you listen to podcast, or you two guys who know me on paper, I should hate this. This checks every box of something that I don't like. It's slow. [00:34:29] Speaker C: Female protagonist. Yeah. [00:34:32] Speaker A: Get me in trouble. [00:34:33] Speaker C: Written by a woman. It's Canadian. [00:34:39] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:34:39] Speaker C: All of that. [00:34:40] Speaker A: No, it's talky. It's slow. [00:34:44] Speaker B: No car chases. [00:34:45] Speaker A: No car chases. [00:34:46] Speaker B: Car runs out of. [00:34:47] Speaker C: You're selling yourself short because other things that you really like are very layered. Use of sound. Yes. And very much so. An embrace of the audio medium, which this contains. And it has a nice structure to it. And. And you like the reveal. So if you didn't see any of this coming. It has elements of the suspense that I know you enjoy. So I'm not at all surprised that you like this. I listened to this and went, oh, good job, Tim. Finding an episode that you like and Eric likes. [00:35:18] Speaker A: I will say that if it, if it didn't give me an answer at the end, that was satisfying in some way, shape or form or a reveal or something. I did have my concern halfway through it that, okay, is this just going to be talkity talk, talk, talk, talk. But then I lost track of that because I was enjoying their conversations. Hard to do with me. Like the talking back and forth and the nothing really much happening and as you said, the constant denial of, lady, come on, you don't live here, right? Come on, you've got to figure this out. But I really loved this. I thought it was really, really fun. [00:35:59] Speaker C: It's interesting to me that you said you were surprised by the twists in here. Because one of my critiques of this, if I were to have a critique overall, I really liked it, is that the opening gave the game away, in my opinion, a little too soon. I would have changed the whole monologue about time and how it works differently in the Vanishing Point because I was like, oh, I expect there to be some time travel related or time distortion or something involving time. Now I think, fortunately the story for me is more of a mood piece than a twisty turny thriller with a sixth sense surprise or anything at the end. But I feel like it gave it away earlier than Daphne du Maurier wanted to give it away. I think you're supposed to cue in when she is asked for her ration book. That was the aha moment you were intended to have at that point. [00:36:57] Speaker B: Well, they don't as much in this radio version hint at what time it's supposed to be initially. So it wasn't really until I looked at the calendar and said 1953. It's supposed to be 1933 that I knew, like, oh, I was picturing this lady in the wrong dress. [00:37:15] Speaker C: Yes, I think you're right, that helps to hide it. But also her response to the ration book, she didn't go, oh, I left my ration book at home. And again, it probably would have went right past me if there wasn't that intro riffing on time at the beginning. [00:37:30] Speaker A: What dress do you picture me in? Here's the thing. [00:37:35] Speaker C: First of all, the weirdest rhetorical question ever. And I just didn't even give you room to answer. [00:37:39] Speaker A: No, I don't want to Know. [00:37:40] Speaker B: No, that's good. [00:37:40] Speaker D: Call me off on this call. [00:37:42] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah. Get out. First of all, I'm a pencil skirt. [00:37:46] Speaker B: Like something professional. [00:37:47] Speaker C: Yeah. Thank you. [00:37:51] Speaker A: It takes me a couple minutes to settle in. Like I will tell you, when I listen to CBS Radio Mystery Theater, I'm really not tuned into EG Marshall's opening monologue. Most of the time I'm like, yeah, there's this voice, there's the door. It's all just pablum of sound. So I missed that connection to it being given away. Second, even with the time references at the top, I wasn't sure until the end, had she been abducted by aliens and thrown in? Did she end up in a time. [00:38:21] Speaker B: Machine tied up down in the basement? [00:38:23] Speaker D: Right. [00:38:23] Speaker A: I didn't know what was going on, so it didn't ruin it for me in the sense that time travel was happening somehow. And last, I did find it to be a suspenseful, spooky, Sixth Sense type of thriller. And it's funny because that's how I came out of this. And you came out of it with. What did you call it? [00:38:44] Speaker C: Oh, I thought it was more about atmosphere and emotion with some moments of suspense, for sure. And, I mean, I think that's what the story is intended. [00:38:55] Speaker A: All I said was, what the hell's going on? Oh, what's going on? [00:38:59] Speaker C: I think that's great if it works that way. [00:39:00] Speaker B: The moment when the doctor gives her an injection, that did not go the way I thought it was gonna go. I thought, like, all right, let's sedate her, wrap her up, send her off to some mental institution, and it was. [00:39:10] Speaker C: Gonna be this horrible yellow wallpaper. Time travel story. Yes. [00:39:15] Speaker B: Yeah. But it really was like, this will help you relax. Oh, help me relax. Thanks. I feel better. [00:39:21] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:39:22] Speaker C: I do think there's a little hint of the yellow wallpaper in here, in that if this were happening to a man, I don't think he would have immediately been taken off and sedated because she wasn't that hysterical. One of the things I like about it is she's just very determined and she's very persistent and she has a lot of resolve. And they like, oh, it must be a wandering uterus, a time traveling uterus that she got riding a bicycle or. [00:39:50] Speaker B: Something of like, clearly, I'm not making whatever connection that I need to make to get through this. So do this one more thing for me, and if it still doesn't work, I'll go to a doctor. I'll take whatever regimen of care that you recommended for Me, because clearly I just don't understand the. The main thing that I loved with this story was that it made me think about her character kind of after the story was happening without really working too hard to show it to me, by which I mean like, oh, she's a widow, her child is away, she's basically a shut in. And none of these things were really a lantern hung on them, to use the parlance. It was really only later when she has a hard time relating to people, has a hard time just functioning outside of her home. [00:40:40] Speaker C: Get ready to make fun of me. I did go and read the short story that it's based on because I was really curious about those exact things. Give me your money. It's a great short story, but it does spend more time setting up her character. Not in great detail detail, but it's insightful in combination with the audio drama. She lives a very ordered life. She's very persnickety and as a result, she's very critical of her house maid and critical of a lot of people. So that I think in the short story the significance of the laundry truck is slightly better hidden. The story is 50 pages long or something. So it starts with eight pages of her just kind of being not a very nice person. And so her critique or comment about the laundry man's driving is just in the middle of all these other critiques of various people. And it doesn't seem as significant as it immediately does in the audio play. But it's a great short story and this is very true to it. So I would recommend Daphne du Maurier to our listeners. [00:41:47] Speaker A: Yeah, not to me. Not reading it. [00:41:49] Speaker C: No, I know. And back to Eric's point about time travel, I say all that because that's part of the surprise reveal whether, however it happens, that she is experiencing life 20 years in the future. But it's not very literal. It could be supernatural. It could be that she's gaining this insight right before her moment of death, or we don't even really know for sure if she dies immediately when that truck hits her. Maybe it's sort of a. I don't know. Then you're stretching. I think. I think the information given within the story is that she died at this point in time and this is what happened to her daughter. So I think you really should believe that much. But it's hard to know. Is this a loop? Does she get sent back, get hit by the truck and she's experiencing this has to convince people because there's a sadness to her not recognizing her daughter. [00:42:48] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:42:49] Speaker C: It has a bittersweetness. And part of it too. In the story, she's a very doting mother and very critical of everyone else. And because she's very particular about everything, almost obsessive, compulsive, it illuminates how that interferes with her recognizing her daughter at the end because she has a disordered life and she is snapping at her son. When she recognizes her, she jumps to this conclusion that she reminds her of her husband's sister, who she didn't like very much, instead of recognizing her own daughter. [00:43:25] Speaker B: To go back and maybe more clearly answer the question of why did I want to bring this one? It is that that interesting core to the story that I think. I don't know that I've ever read anything quite like it before of it is this gift, this supernatural gift that she has such a hard time accepting, has a hard time receiving. It might be a sort of flip. [00:43:45] Speaker C: Side of Signalman, but she never recognizes it. It's like if the ghosts came to Scrooge and he. And he just rolled over and decided it was the gravy speaking Swedish to him. Yeah. [00:43:56] Speaker B: What are you saying, Chris Moss? [00:44:00] Speaker A: I love that idea of Scrooge. They show up and he just rolls over and goes back to sleep. Shut the window. [00:44:11] Speaker B: And my last little bit here is, well, two things musically, that when she is in the beginning hit by the van, we don't know it. There's that suspended note that just goes on and on and on. Tone note, whatever it is. That was really effective to me of making this strange, tense magic moment of, like, what is happening? Yeah. [00:44:34] Speaker C: Vanishing Point. Learned all the lessons musically from Nightfall, as if they learned not to make the same mistakes. I should say incidental music is really good and it really adds to the story instead of, like, taking you kicking and screaming out of it, like in many episodes of Nightfall. I really liked the almost operatic choir of voices that come up. And obviously you hear it, you note it. It adds this sense of atmosphere, this sense of dread to it. But then when I listen to it a second time, it comes at two very significant and interesting moments in which her resolve is weakened in some way. The first time it happens is when she's given the drug to sedate her and she's really struggling to stick with her story and to really argue firmly that this is true. Check my references. And it comes up and then it goes away when she wakes up and she's feeling refreshed. And when they come back to her and report again that, well, we checked your references and these people don't live there anymore. These buildings are gone. She starts to stammer. It's like the first moment where she is discombobulated by facts that she can't argue anymore. And then that same operatic music comes up. What its significance is, I don't know, but it. It's a cool little through line. I think it's almost like the audio equivalent of Move toward the light. Like. [00:46:02] Speaker A: Right. [00:46:03] Speaker C: Death is coming to make her realize she's. [00:46:05] Speaker A: It's a great testimony she was to not just grabbing some music and throwing it. [00:46:11] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:46:12] Speaker A: And to get you from scene to scene to take some time to think about the sound design, including the elements of the music you're choosing. You know, and, and I, you know, I could do this one of two ways, using X minus 1 as my example. You know, I know we disagree with it, but that's the deal with me is it doesn't hit me x minus 1. The music that they use sometimes pulls me out and that's why I give it such crap and make fun of it and all that. [00:46:38] Speaker C: But it's an era of music you absolutely hate. It's space age bachelor pad music. It was the music that was supposed to invoke the future in science fiction of that era. It's Esquivel kind of stuff. [00:46:50] Speaker A: I like Esquivel. Not just. Not in my X minus one. I think, though, in staying with the theme of our podcast, does it stand the test of time? I think that's really. Even though Vanishing Point is more contemporary, I think that when the music stands the test of time, it makes it even more powerful of a long lasting piece. [00:47:13] Speaker B: It gets associated with a particular time period. And once you move on from that time period, it sticks to that time period. [00:47:19] Speaker A: Another great example of that is the music from the TV series Twilight Zone. You know, it stands the test of time, you know, and it's really phenomenal work. But anyway, the whole point of this is. Yes, I agree, Joshua. [00:47:33] Speaker C: The other production element I really enjoyed, I thought it added a lot of depth to it and just a sense of unease was the way they chose to have her slightly whisper her thoughts, to delineate her dialogue and to speak in this hushed tone. She seemed distant and it felt almost like she's trying to reach these people and explain everything to all these authorities. And then by putting her thoughts in that hushed voice, seemed to emphasize her lack of voice in her dealing with real people. And it just serves that great practical and practically purpose of it delineates Delineates. [00:48:13] Speaker A: Yes, exactly. For the listener to know what's happening. [00:48:16] Speaker B: And my last little bit of praise to Lavis. Praise to lavish, not praise to Lavis, was that ending beat of I'm gonna run and hide. And I'm in this bedroom that they won't find me in here. And I'm gonna fall asleep for an indeterminate amount of time. And. And it gets very sort of abstract and it's heading towards. This is about over that. This vision, this experience. [00:48:40] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:48:41] Speaker A: It was an interesting point when that happened because my suspense is still high. I'm like, what is going on? And the weirdness of her just falling asleep. I was like, what is happening? [00:48:50] Speaker B: The police are looking for you in this house, right? [00:48:53] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:48:53] Speaker A: It's a weird moment that I loved. [00:48:56] Speaker C: It felt dreamlike and it made the whole thing feel like a strange near death experience. Only it appears it was not near death. [00:49:06] Speaker B: Yes, very near death. [00:49:07] Speaker C: So, yes. There's so much to think about in it afterwards. It makes it really fun. The other thing that struck me as really strange at first, but then I processed it and went, no, that makes sense. Because I was like, wouldn't a daughter recognize her mother? But also, why would you just think someone who shows up at your door. [00:49:27] Speaker B: Oh, it must be my mother when she was 35. [00:49:30] Speaker C: 35. Alive somehow. Yeah. So it doesn't make sense, but it adds to that uncanny feeling to all the things she's experiencing. And the fact that they both don't recognize each other adds to that tragic quality. [00:49:44] Speaker B: Yeah. That she was even brought to her thinking that, well, she kind of looks like the old maid did. [00:49:49] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:49:50] Speaker C: There was at least a nice touching moment when her grandson immediately had some sort of affinity for her. And there was some kind of spark of recognition there, even though she. Yeah. And that. So that's there not for any of the characters in the story. It's really only there for you as the listener to start piecing together. Yeah. Or also just to have something that. Oh, there was some moment of comfort in this strange, terrifying, conscious, pre death moment. [00:50:20] Speaker B: Something. [00:50:21] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:50:21] Speaker A: Someone, if anything's written correctly or performed correctly, you need to identify with the characters and care about them. And I think in this, what you're saying is absolutely true in that we start to say, please, dear God, give her something. [00:50:39] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:50:39] Speaker A: Give her a lifeline. Give her something to hold on to that starts to answer some questions. And so when her grandson does have an affinity for her, I think we feel relief for her, which is another great testimony to this whole thing, is that we do care about her, which I find interesting that in the short story, they come out swinging with, this is a terrible human being. [00:51:00] Speaker C: No, I maybe misrepresented it. What's great about the short story is she's really grating and she's not really likable, but the writing puts you so much in her shoes. Once she's in this strange and inscrutable predicament that you really feel for her and root for her, and then she shows her strength of character by her insistence, you know, she doesn't crack and. But then her inability to listen to others becomes a weakness, as you pointed out at the beginning, then. So you go from it's an admirable trait to, like, just listen to what people are telling you. But at the same time, maybe it's a kindness to her to not recognize her daughter, because then she'd have to see that her daughter's stressed and struggling and she wasn't there for her entire life. And it's not that she's doing terrible in life, but, yeah, that she's spared some sadness there by being oblivious. [00:51:55] Speaker D: Should we vote? [00:51:56] Speaker C: Yes. [00:51:57] Speaker A: Well, I will say that I love everything about it. I thought it was fantastic. And I actually will throw this with the classic moniker. Not just a classic of a Vanishing Point, but a classic of audio drama storytelling. There's nothing about it that I can say, I wish I would have done this, or that it was just a beautiful piece of work, classic. [00:52:21] Speaker B: I might agree with you. I was. Even before you spoke, I was thinking, like, I don't know, that I'd call it a classic. I'm not gonna just hand these classic titles out. Who do you think you are? But it's an excellent adaptation of an excellent story. Adapting it into audio, they'd made all kinds of great decisions to use that medium to its best effect. Good performances. It's just great all around. And I think it more than holds up, which is same as saying classic. [00:52:53] Speaker C: So, yeah, I definitely think it stands the test of time. I'm gonna be stingy with my classic, who do you think you are? Just because of that intro. It just bothers me because it's so perfect without that, wow, don't talk about time. Then I would have been utterly surprised by it and had the fun of figuring it out as it went along. But there was that little part of me, and I wasn't sure of it, but the truck almost hits her. And then I went, oh, did she just get hit by a laundry truck? And go forward in time. And then you're like, oh, I'm right. [00:53:26] Speaker A: Wow, that truck must hit her hard. [00:53:30] Speaker C: Anyway, the speed of light. That's a tiny gripe. But it's a excellent version of this story and an excellent Vanishing Point episode. Good job, Tim. [00:53:43] Speaker A: Something about the word phrase tiny gripe that I'm stuck on. Tim, tell him stuff. [00:53:51] Speaker B: Please. Go visit ghoulishdlights.com if you get the hankering. We've got more episodes there. You can leave comments, you can vote in polls, let us know what you think about these episodes. You can send us messages you can link to our social media pages. Although we're not that hard to find on social media. You know, just look for Mysterious Old Radio listing society on social media. You can also link to and avoid. [00:54:12] Speaker A: All the other ones. [00:54:15] Speaker B: Yes, just look for podcasts on your social media things and we'll be there. You can also link to our threadless store if you'd like some swag. Or you can become a Patreon supporter. [00:54:27] Speaker C: Yes, go to patreon.com themorals and support this podcast. We have so many wonderful, wonderful benefits for those who support us. But also what we are currently asking from our supporters is a little help with some new technology. We're looking for some one time donations. If you go to ghoulishdelights.com and hit the donate button, contribute whatever you have. 10 bucks, 200 bucks. But we need a new computer or. [00:54:59] Speaker A: Donate a new computer. [00:55:00] Speaker C: Yeah, or just send me a computer. The reality is this is the third time we've attempted to record this particular episode due to technical issues. [00:55:10] Speaker B: Yeah, this Commodore 64 is not holding up. [00:55:12] Speaker C: Really isn't. But the Pong is fun. So yes, your support is greatly appreciated. [00:55:20] Speaker A: Hey, if you'd like to see us performing live, we do on stage, theatrical recreations and adaptations and our own original work of radio drama. Monthly, sometimes even twice a month. We are performing somewhere for five, six years, seven years straight. Now, something like that. You can find out where we're performing and what we're performing every month by going to ghoulishdelights.com or mysterious old radio listeningsociety.com there you will see all that information plus how to get tickets which includes if you're a Patreon, we film it and you get that as part of being a Patreon. Access to all of our live shows, our theatrical audio drama. What's coming up next. [00:56:03] Speaker C: Next is your pick, Eric. [00:56:05] Speaker A: That's right, it's my pick. We are heading back to the Shadow. Nice and we're going to do the island of Ancient Death. [00:56:14] Speaker D: Until then, Countdown for blast off. X minus 5, 4, 3, 2. [00:56:26] Speaker A: X minus 1. [00:56:28] Speaker D: Fire. From the far horizons of the unknown. Come transcribed. Tales of new dimensions in time and space. These are stories of the future. Adventures in which you'll live in a million. Could be years on a thousand, maybe. World the National Broadcasting Company in cooperation with Galaxy Science Fiction magazine presents.