Episode 353: The Dark Mirror

[00:00:17] 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. [00:00:37] Speaker C: And I'm Joshua. [00:00:38] Speaker A: We love mysterious old times radio stories, but do they stand the test of time? Well, that's what we're here to find out. [00:00:44] Speaker B: Today we are listening to the Screen Directors Playhouse adaptation of the Robert Siadmik film the Dark Mirror. Like the film, this adaptation stars Olivia de Havilland. [00:00:54] Speaker A: Screen Director's Playhouse was originally called NBC Theater when it debuted in January of 1949. Each episode featured an adaptation adaptation of a film typically introduced by the film's director. To reduce expenses, the show was broadcast using live music and pre recorded dialogue. The fees for musicians were lower for live shows than for recordings. [00:01:16] Speaker C: Olivia de Havilland was first nominated for an Oscar in 1939 for the role of Melanie Hamilton in Gone with the Wind. She was nominated again four more times, winning twice for to each His Own and the Heiress. In addition to her film work, she also appeared on Broadway, on television and on the radio, appearing several times on Lux Radio Theater. [00:01:40] Speaker B: But now let's listen to her performance in the Dark Mirror from Screen Director's Playhouse, four years after the film's release. The radio version of the Dark Mirror was first broadcast March 31, 1950. [00:01:52] 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. [00:02:18] Speaker D: RCA Victor, world leader in radio, first in recorded music, first in television, proudly presents Screen Directors Playhouse star Ms. Olivia. [00:02:34] Speaker E: De Havilland, the Dark Mirror. [00:02:36] Speaker D: Director Robert Siodmak. The Hollywood screen directors present A Reflection on Murder, the motion picture drama the Dark Mirror, starring Academy Award winner Ms. Olivia de Havilland. Tonight, Ms. De Havilland recreates her original dual role in the film as she plays the twin parts of Ruth and Terry in a fashionable Fifth Avenue apartment. Dr. Frank Peralta was murdered, stabbed in the back. The only evidence of disorder was a shattered mirror. Arrested on suspicion of murder was Ms. Terry Collins, Dr. Peralta's fiance and her identical twin sister, Ruth. [00:03:47] Speaker E: Mr. District Attorney, we've been at this questioning for hours and getting nowhere. Now look, identical twins. Which one of you girls was with Dr. Perotta last night? [00:03:59] Speaker F: One of us spent the evening at Jefferson Park. And the other. [00:04:02] Speaker E: Never mind. How about you, sister? One of us stayed home, but which one did? Which is what I'm asking. Which one Did. [00:04:11] Speaker F: Which one of us? [00:04:12] Speaker E: That's what I've been hearing for hours. One of us spent the evening at Jefferson park, and one of us stayed home. Dr. Elliott, you're a psychologist and authority on the subject of identical twins, and you're personally acquainted with these girls and I. [00:04:24] Speaker G: Hold it, Lieutenant Stevenson. I knew these girls one at a time when they were working at the newspaper counter in my office building. I didn't know they were twins. [00:04:33] Speaker E: Dr. Elliott, you knew Dr. Peralta and had conversation with him the day he was murdered. He asked you if you ever came across a case of split personality and whether it was dangerous. All right, clarify that. [00:04:45] Speaker G: I told him I couldn't say that. He had to cite a specific case. Then he said, I had a battle with her this morning and I'm seeing her tonight. [00:04:54] Speaker E: Seeing who tonight? [00:04:55] Speaker G: Miss Collins, I suppose. [00:04:57] Speaker E: Which one? [00:04:58] Speaker G: I haven't the faintest idea. [00:05:00] Speaker E: Where do we go from here, Mr. District Attorney? Nowhere. You haven't a witness that can tell one girl from the other. I wouldn't have a chance in court. Young ladies, one of you is a murderess. You've killed a man in cold blood. The other is an accomplice. But the law forbids the indiscriminate prosecution of more than one person in order to make sure of one guilty one. I have no words adequate to express my contempt for both of you. [00:05:31] Speaker D: Now get out. [00:05:33] Speaker F: We are free. [00:05:34] Speaker C: No. [00:05:35] Speaker E: Free. [00:05:36] Speaker F: Goodbye, Lieutenant. [00:05:37] Speaker E: Au revoir, Miss Collins. [00:05:42] Speaker A: All right. [00:05:42] Speaker E: Sit down, Doc. I'm a peculiar guy. I don't like the perfect crime, not even in books. So you're a twin expert. Do you know anything whatever about these two dames that would give me a chance to begin work? [00:05:57] Speaker A: Oh, sure. [00:05:58] Speaker G: The crime. You don't just suppose anyone could commit a murder, do you? [00:06:02] Speaker E: You're gonna have to be very patient with me. Just what do you mean by that? [00:06:06] Speaker G: Character. Personality. Not even nature can duplicate character, even in twins. One of the Collins girls could, and one couldn't commit murder. That's all there is to it. [00:06:18] Speaker E: Doc, do you often interview twins? [00:06:20] Speaker G: Often. But not for the police. [00:06:23] Speaker E: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. You like one of those girls? Now, suppose she's innocent, living with a killer, and one of them killed once with a knife. Don't you think there's a chance she'll kill again? Her sister? If she ever became nervous about her. [00:06:35] Speaker G: There's no doubt about it. [00:06:36] Speaker E: I'll never ask you the name or. [00:06:38] Speaker G: Prove it's out of the question. Lieutenant, I'm not a detective. Besides, I didn't say I was in love with the girl. I simply said I like her. But how do I know she wasn't the one who did it? [00:07:03] Speaker F: Come in. Hiya, Doc. Glad to see you. I'm Terry. That's rude. [00:07:10] Speaker G: That simplifies things immeasurably. Thank you. [00:07:13] Speaker F: It's been two weeks since we've seen you, Doctor, and surely you've seen the papers. We're celebrities now. [00:07:18] Speaker G: And out of a job, too, I gather, Terry. [00:07:20] Speaker F: And I don't know who'll hire us either, after what the district attorney said. [00:07:23] Speaker G: That's exactly why I'm here. You know, I'm an old twin collector. And I'm going to add you two to my collection. $25 a week apiece. And you appear in my laboratory three times a week for an hour for science. [00:07:36] Speaker F: What do you say, Ruth? I don't think we're interested. I don't like the idea of being a guinea pig. [00:07:43] Speaker G: I don't want to press you, but if you're afraid. [00:07:46] Speaker F: We have nothing to be afraid of, Doctor. Nothing but snoopers. [00:07:51] Speaker G: Well, in that case, there's nothing more to be said. [00:07:53] Speaker F: Ruth, I think we should do it. I don't think Dr. Elliot's a snooper, and we could certainly use the money. You don't mind being asked a lot of personal questions? Why should I? Or why should you? We have nothing to fear. And we've always liked Dr. Elliot, both of us. [00:08:09] Speaker G: Ruth, I hope you can see things Terry's way. But if you can't, I'll understand. And no harm done. [00:08:17] Speaker D: Good bye. [00:08:17] Speaker G: Now. [00:08:21] Speaker F: Ruth, what's the matter with you? Do you think that was very wise? Why? What are you afraid of? I'm not afraid. There's. Don't lie about it, Ruth. You are afraid. You're more and more afraid every day. Why, Terry, you know very well what it is. You think I killed him. Why don't you admit it? But I don't. You know I don't. Then why are you so frightened? Oh, Terry, if they knew which one of us was in Dr. Peralta's apartment that night, you know what that would mean. He proposed to me there and I said yes. Why should I kill him? I know that, dear. I know you didn't do it. I know it so well that I'm willing to do anything to keep them from learning. You were in his apartment that night. That's the only reason I'm frightened. Believe me, dear. Please believe me. Well, then, is there anything about yourself that you're afraid for Elliot to learn? Oh, of course not. Well, then stop worrying. There's no need for it. And besides, he's very good looking. I like him. [00:09:35] Speaker G: After all the tests we've made in this laboratory. Terry, I believe I can tell you when Ruth appears. [00:09:40] Speaker F: Well, you're the first one who ever could. Who do you like best, Ruth, or naturally you, Terry. [00:09:47] Speaker G: Let's get down to business again. Now, these are pictures of ink blots. Just blobs of ink and the paper folded over. Tell me what you see in the blots. Why, that's just another way of examining personality. [00:10:01] Speaker F: Hmm. This blotch looks like a lamb. Under its front paws are two men face down with their arms outstretched. It all seems symbolic of something. The lamb looks so innocent, but it has two men under its paws. [00:10:21] Speaker G: Symbolic of what? [00:10:23] Speaker F: The Lamb of Death. [00:10:30] Speaker G: Now, what does this plot represent to you, Ruth? [00:10:34] Speaker F: Well, I see a drum majorette with a high bare skin shaker. She's very graceful and light footed. [00:10:44] Speaker G: Your mind runs toward pleasantry, you know. You were telling me you always leaned on Terry. [00:10:53] Speaker F: Yes. All my life Terry's been like an older sister to me. Always helping and protecting me. I remember once when I was about 16, I was crazy about a boy, Freddy Eklund. But Terry simply couldn't stand him. She said he wasn't on the level, and that's the way it turned out. He wasn't. [00:11:10] Speaker G: Now, how'd you find out? [00:11:11] Speaker F: He dated Terry one night and she told me. Oh, but that's kid stuff. [00:11:17] Speaker G: Let's try another experiment. Ruth, I'm going to give you some words. As soon as you hear the word, you answer with the first word that comes to your mind. You see? [00:11:25] Speaker F: Mm. [00:11:27] Speaker G: Table. [00:11:28] Speaker F: Um. Chair. [00:11:30] Speaker G: Lamp. [00:11:31] Speaker F: Shade. [00:11:32] Speaker G: Dark. [00:11:33] Speaker F: Night. [00:11:34] Speaker G: Mirror. [00:11:35] Speaker F: Death. But, Ruth, how could you have said it? When he said mirror and you said death, it proved you were scared. I didn't know. It just popped out. I don't understand. But I do. I understand some of that mumbo jumbo, and it's a dead giveaway that it's still in your mind and that I had something to do with it. I'm not afraid of him. I can do that stuff 24 hours a day and beat him at it every time. It's you I'm worried about. But, Terry, I think you're wrong about Scott Elliot. He isn't trying to use me. He's pretty grand, you know. You're falling in love with him, aren't you, Ruth? Oh, you keep saying that to me all the time. Of course not. Well, don't. [00:12:31] Speaker C: Moon. [00:12:32] Speaker F: Beans. [00:12:33] Speaker G: White. [00:12:34] Speaker F: Black. [00:12:35] Speaker G: King, Queen, Death, Mirror. [00:12:39] Speaker F: How is my character development, Doctor? [00:12:41] Speaker G: Very interesting. [00:12:42] Speaker F: My dear Terry, perhaps you've read my mind well enough to know that I might like seeing you. [00:12:47] Speaker G: That's a mighty fine invitation, but I'll have to wait until we finished our tests. [00:12:52] Speaker F: All right. But the first night afterward, it's a date you won't forget. [00:12:57] Speaker G: Cross my heart. Goodbye now, Detective Lieutenant Stevenson, please. Hello, Scott Elliot. Lieutenant, I have some news for you. One of our young ladies is insane. Very clever, very intelligent, but insane. [00:13:47] Speaker D: You have been listening to Act 1 of the Dark Mirror starring Ms. Olivia de Havilland and presented by RCA Victor. Nowadays, the most popular American sport next to baseball is the television boasting contest. Well, when you own RCA Victor's superb new 16 inch console, the TC167, you'll win all such contests hands down for this magnificent set as a champion on count after count. Its aristocratic cabinet, it's built in antenna, its folder jack for attaching any record player. Its glorious RCA Victor golden throat tone. As for the giant 16 inch pictures, they're RCA Victor's finest, which means the world's finest. When you unveil this RCA Victor champion to your awestruck neighbors and accidentally tell them the price, they'll think you're an investment wizard. For the suggested list price of the TC167, slightly higher in some locations, is only $399.95 plus federal tax and the returns on that investment. Daily entertainment through years of that matchless performance synonymous with RCA Victor television. America's first, America's finest, America's favorite. Now back to the screen Director's Playhouse production of the Dark Mirror starring Miss Olivia de Havilland in her original twin roles of Ruth and Terry with DAV Ellis of Scott Elliott. [00:15:26] Speaker F: Ruth, did you spend the evening with Dr. Elliott? What? Yes. I warned you to stay away from him. He's trying to pump you. Oh, I'm sorry, but I can't help but think he's pretty trustworthy. Ruth, it's getting late. Why don't you go to bed, darling? Wake up. Ruth. I said wake up. Wake up. What? [00:16:00] Speaker D: What? [00:16:02] Speaker F: What's the matter? What's the matter? He was sobbing hysterically. It was pretty harrowing for a few minutes. Oh, you must be mistaken, Terrier. Tonight wasn't the first time it happened. Last night and the night before that. Don't you want to know what seems to be frightening you? Oh, I don't know whether I do or not. You keep repeating it over and over in your sleep. You're worried about one of us being crazy. Oh, this is awful. It frightens me. The whole idea of talking and dreaming and sobbing and remembering nothing about it. Well, it can't be very pleasant. But it's really not so important. Just bad dreams. Oh, I don't know what to say. The night before last, you jumped out of bed screaming. Someone was putting the lights on and off. Darling, the lights were never on. Oh, something's happening to me and I don't know what it is. I don't understand it. I'm worried about you, Ruth. I must watch you more closely before something dreadful happens to you. Oh, I'm so scared. I don't know what to do. There, there. Just remember, I'm with you. And I'm always going to be with you, no matter what happens. [00:17:46] Speaker G: Well, Terry, this is one of your last tests. At the end of the week I shall be forced to fire you. [00:17:52] Speaker F: In other words, I can look forward to a date with you Saturday night. [00:17:56] Speaker G: I'm afraid I can't make it. [00:17:58] Speaker F: Who's my rival? [00:18:00] Speaker G: You have no rival. Come on, let's get on with the lie detector experiment. [00:18:05] Speaker F: You can ask me anything you wish. I have nothing to fear. [00:18:08] Speaker G: I know that. You ready? [00:18:11] Speaker F: Ready. [00:18:16] Speaker G: Ruth was telling me about a boy you knew in Ohio with whom she was in love and you didn't care very much for. [00:18:24] Speaker F: Oh, Freddy Eklund. Why, what did she say? [00:18:31] Speaker G: She just said you told her he wasn't on the level and proved him. [00:18:36] Speaker F: Was she complaining? [00:18:37] Speaker G: Oh, good heaven. She looks upon you as her big sister. [00:18:40] Speaker F: Did she tell you that I knew him first? [00:18:43] Speaker G: No, I don't believe she did. [00:18:45] Speaker F: Well, that's the truth of the matter. I met him first and introduced him to her and he didn't care in the slightest for her and I knew it. And then he started going around with her without her even dreaming for one second that it was actually me. [00:18:59] Speaker B: That. [00:18:59] Speaker G: Hey, now I know the answer. Lieutenant Stevenson, I invited you to my apartment to tell you positively that Ruth didn't do it. She isn't capable of murder. [00:19:16] Speaker E: Well, that does narrow it down a bit. [00:19:18] Speaker G: Terry's a paranoiac. A paranoiac has no more conscience, no more sense of right or wrong than a two year old paranoiac is capable. [00:19:28] Speaker E: Of doing anything of killing her sister. [00:19:31] Speaker D: Ruth. [00:19:31] Speaker G: Yes. We must do something to protect her. [00:19:34] Speaker E: All right, get hold of Ruth right away and break the news to her no matter how hard it is. [00:19:37] Speaker G: All right, I will. [00:19:38] Speaker E: Watch out for yourself or you'll be the new Dr. Perolda. [00:19:41] Speaker G: Well, I don't figure very seriously in her calculations. She didn't mind those tests. They were just another challenge to her. Another opportunity to show the world what contempt she has for it. [00:19:51] Speaker E: I still say, be careful, Doc, and tell Ruth right away. [00:20:13] Speaker F: Hello? [00:20:13] Speaker G: Hello, Ruth. [00:20:15] Speaker F: Hello, Scott. How are you, dear? [00:20:18] Speaker G: Ruth, are you alone? [00:20:19] Speaker F: Yes. Why? [00:20:21] Speaker G: Well, I don't want Terry to know. I want you to come to my apartment as soon as possible. It's vitally important. [00:20:28] Speaker F: I'll be right over. Scott. [00:20:35] Speaker G: What? Ruth. But I just talked to you. [00:20:39] Speaker F: What? [00:20:40] Speaker G: Never mind. I'm glad you're here. [00:20:42] Speaker F: I saw the light in your apartment. I've been walking and I thought I. [00:20:47] Speaker G: Pale, darling, you look as if you've seen a ghost. [00:20:51] Speaker F: Something like that. Hallucinations. What causes hallucinations? [00:20:57] Speaker G: Hallucinations. [00:20:59] Speaker F: Things you imagine you see or hear. [00:21:01] Speaker G: Oh, bad nerves. Just nerves or a sick mind? [00:21:08] Speaker F: Yes, a sick mind. [00:21:12] Speaker G: Ruth, there's something I must tell you. But you're too emotionally upset to hear it. Now, darling, please go straight home and relax. I have some urgent business in the next minutes. Everything's going to be all right. I love you very much. [00:21:26] Speaker F: I'll be all right. Goodbye, Scott. [00:21:42] Speaker G: Lieutenant Stevenson, please. Lieutenant Terry Collins will be in my apartment in the next few minutes pretending to be Ruth Collins. I don't have time to explain. All I know is that I'm going to play the role of a human booby trap. Stick by your telephone. Ruth, it's not an easy thing to tell you, but I feel that I should. Terry's not well. She's sick inside and she needs your help. [00:22:17] Speaker F: Sick? How? [00:22:19] Speaker G: She's paranoiac. She's twisted inside. [00:22:23] Speaker F: That's absurd. [00:22:24] Speaker G: I called you tonight because I want you to talk to her, Terry. I want you, as the nearest and dearest to her, to persuade her to go to her doctor and put herself in his care. [00:22:31] Speaker F: And if I refuse to insult her with such incredible rot? [00:22:34] Speaker G: But you mustn't. I can't tell you how important it is that you get this care immediately. Ruth. [00:22:40] Speaker F: And if Ruth refuses? [00:22:41] Speaker G: If you refuse? Terry. And you are? Terry. I'm afraid I'll have to tell who killed Frank Peralta and why. [00:22:52] Speaker F: There's nothing you'll be able to do about it. [00:22:55] Speaker G: Whatever you guess, I'll remind you anyway. You killed Peralta because the same thing happened to you that has always happened to you before. Remember Freddy Eklund, the boy Ruth loved who didn't want any part of you? Well, Dr. Peralta was in love with Ruth without even knowing she existed. [00:23:16] Speaker F: How interesting. [00:23:17] Speaker G: He romanced you and finally asked you to marry him. He didn't know there were twins. All he knew was that every now and then the girl at the newspaper counter brought him a warmth that he missed at other times. That's what puzzled him. That's why he asked me about a split personality. You weren't aware of this until that night in the apartment. When he spoke of this curious difference from time to time. Then you knew what had happened again. It was Ruth he was in love with, not you. So you made sure that if you couldn't have his love, neither should Ruth. [00:23:51] Speaker F: Who else have you told this to? [00:23:52] Speaker G: Nobody else so far. Terry, I implore you to go to your doctor and be guided. [00:23:57] Speaker F: There's no necessity for that. There's nothing you can do about it. You're wasting your time. [00:24:01] Speaker G: But haven't you forgotten Ruth? [00:24:03] Speaker F: No. No one would take seriously the word of a girl who suffers from hallucinations. Or hasn't she told you? [00:24:12] Speaker G: Just a minute. What do you mean by that? Excuse me. [00:24:16] Speaker F: I must kill him. [00:24:18] Speaker G: Hello? Yes, Lieutenant Stevenson. [00:24:21] Speaker F: I've got to kill him. I'll stab him with his scissors. [00:24:25] Speaker G: I'll be right up. Terry, Ruth's dead. She's killed herself. [00:24:37] Speaker F: Does that surprise you? [00:24:50] Speaker E: I'm sorry, Doc. The body's inside that room with the medical examiner warning. [00:25:00] Speaker F: Can you tell me what happened, Lieutenant? [00:25:03] Speaker E: An overdose of sleeping pills. [00:25:05] Speaker D: Why'd she do it? [00:25:08] Speaker F: Her conscience. But she's free now, poor darling. And I have a right to some peace, too. [00:25:17] Speaker E: Come on, now, make a clean breast of it. You'll feel better. [00:25:21] Speaker F: She killed him. She was twisted inside. Scott told me tonight. [00:25:25] Speaker E: You mean Ruth. [00:25:25] Speaker F: No, Terry. I'm Ruth. She was sick inside with jealousy. That's why she killed him. Scott says. [00:25:30] Speaker G: Wait a minute. You can't get away with it. You're Terry now. [00:25:34] Speaker F: Scott, I thought you said you could tell us apart. Well, the test showed only what I've known for a long time. That she hated me. Hated me from the bottom of her heart. Because men found it easy enough to like me. But not her. The mirror. The mirror. I see Ruth there in the mirror. I'm sorry, Terry. She's not dead. [00:25:54] Speaker E: Put down that vase, Terry. All right, Sergeant, take her to headquarters. [00:26:01] Speaker F: Somebody do something for me. [00:26:03] Speaker E: Terry, now. [00:26:03] Speaker C: Save me. [00:26:04] Speaker E: Take it easy now. [00:26:05] Speaker C: Save me. [00:26:05] Speaker F: Terry. [00:26:06] Speaker E: Terry. [00:26:13] Speaker G: I'm not at all surprised that she smashed the mirror. [00:26:16] Speaker E: I'm sorry I had to fake Ruth's death, Doc, but that was the only way I could get Terry to open up. [00:26:25] Speaker G: Under the circumstances, Lieutenant, I forgive you. [00:26:28] Speaker F: Scott, where's the mirror? [00:26:31] Speaker G: Me, the reflection was. That's what twins are, you know, reflections of each other. Everything in reverse. [00:26:41] Speaker F: What are they going to do with Terry? [00:26:43] Speaker G: Don't worry, darling. She'll get the best that modern psychiatry can offer. Someday. Who knows? [00:26:51] Speaker F: Someday, Scott, there will be a someday for Terry. I know it. [00:26:58] Speaker G: I know it will be waiting for, darling, you and I. [00:27:18] Speaker D: You have just heard the last act of the Dark Mirror and our star, Miss Olivia de Havilland, with our guest screen director, Robert Siadmack, will be with us in just a moment. Ever hear of Hollywood astronomy? It's stargazing. Folks come out here and can't get enough of seeing stars. Stars in the street, stars in the stores, stars everywhere. But I found myself an even better pastime. Star listening. Something you too can do. Hear all the greatest stars in the musical firmament. On RCA Victor 45 records, you hear them easier. You hear them better and you hear them at less cost. On RCA Victor 45, you hear them easier because it's so much easier to play 45 records. They're so small, only 7 inches across. And the center opening that fits around the record changer mechanism is big. Naturally, the records are a pushover to put on after that. One touch of one button gives you up to 50 minutes of music. And don't forget the easier storage of 45 records. Tuck them in with your books on ordinary bookshelves. RCA Victor 45s sound better because every note of music is recorded in the quality zone of the record. No distortion. And finally, the low cost will amaze you. A complete record player to plug into your present radio, Victrola, phonograph or television set for as little as 12, 95 and 45. Records start as low as 46 cents. But, folks, I'm always of the opinion that seeing is believing. You should actually see the RCA Victor 45. Hear it and play it where? At your RCA Victor dealers. Do it tomorrow. Next Friday, another great star sounds. The saber clash of high adventure on the screen. Directors Playhouse. Our story is the fighting O'Flynn. And recreating his original role will be Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. With screen director Arthur Pearson. Now here again is tonight's star, Miss Olivia de Havilland. [00:29:30] Speaker F: Ladies and gentlemen, if it's permissible for an actress to step out of her story, then it's only right that her directors step out from behind the cameras. And so I'd like you all to meet the director of the Dark Mirror and of such other films as the Killers, the Spiral Staircase and the Phantom Lady, Robert Siodmak. [00:29:52] Speaker H: Thank you, my dear. Thank you very much. But tonight, nobody wants to hear about directors. [00:29:56] Speaker F: Oh, that's no way for the guest of honor to talk. [00:29:59] Speaker H: No, the honor doesn't belong to me. But to the Screen Director's Playhouse. The honor of a performance where an actor is so superb that she has won her second Academy Award. [00:30:07] Speaker F: Thank you very much. [00:30:08] Speaker H: Well, first you won it for the award to each His Own. And now for the Heiress. But, you know, they say in Hollywood that everything runs in three. So now you must do it once more. [00:30:18] Speaker F: Receiving a second Oscar is a thrill beyond explaining. But for the future, well, all I'm looking forward to is an opportunity to go on acting as well as I know how. [00:30:28] Speaker H: And that gives us all something to look forward to. Good night, Olivier de Havilland. [00:30:32] Speaker F: Good night. Good night, everyone. [00:30:39] Speaker D: And good night to you, Ms. Olivia de Havilland and Robert Ciadna. Remember, next Friday, Douglas Fairbanks and the fighting O'Flynn with screen director Arthur Pearson, brought to you by RCA Victor. World leader in radio, first in recorded music, first in television. Natalie Johnson's the Dark Mirror was presented through the courtesy of Universal International Pictures, who soon will release One Way street, starring James Mason, Marta Torren and Dan Durye. Ms. Olivia de Havilland is currently starring in Paramount's the Heiress. Robert Siodmak's latest production is the Universal international picture Deported, starring Marta Torren and Jeff Chadler. Included in tonight's cast were David Ellis, John Dater, Francis X. Bushman, Helen Andrews and Frank Barton. The Dark Mirror was adapted for radio by Jack Rubin and original music was composed and conducted by William La. Screen Directors Playhouse is produced by Howard Wy and directed by Bill K. This is Jimmy Wallington speaking and inviting you to listen again next Friday when RCA Victor presents Screen Directors Playhouse star Douglas Fairbanks production the Fighting O Flynn director Arthur Pearson. It's the great J. Rupert Durante next on nb. [00:32:01] Speaker A: That was the Dark Mirror from the Screen Director's Playhouse here on the mysterious old Radio Listening Society podcast once again. I'm Eric. [00:32:11] Speaker B: I'm Tim. [00:32:11] Speaker C: And I'm Joshua. [00:32:13] Speaker A: That was Tim's choice. He brought that to the table for us to discuss this week. I'm going to take a guess as to why you brought this. [00:32:20] Speaker B: I'd be surprised if you get this, but go ahead. [00:32:23] Speaker A: Because of the submarines, you know, you're not far off. Honestly, I'm gonna guess Screen Directors Playhouse has never been done by us before. [00:32:35] Speaker B: Yep. [00:32:36] Speaker A: There. So that's why you did it. And you've seen the Dark Mirror and you like the movie. [00:32:44] Speaker B: It's an elaborate explanation for our Patreon members, we will occasionally do a happy hour event where we will get together, we'll agree on some episodes we're gonna listen to. And a little bit ago, the theme was just generic adventure. Like, we're gonna do adventure. So I was in charge of finding at least one of those episodes. And I scrounged and I scrounged and I scrounged, and I found an episode that I was really excited about from this series that I thought, this episode, I love it so much. I'm gonna bring it to the regular podcast. [00:33:14] Speaker A: Nice. [00:33:15] Speaker B: And then the theme for next month's Happy hour was chosen. Nope. I'm gonna put it back in the next happy hour. But I was so excited about it. I wanted to find a different episode from the same series. And so I just went through and decided on Dark Mirror because I thought it was. [00:33:30] Speaker C: It was the next one you listened to. [00:33:32] Speaker B: No, but it was the closest to fitting into the horror crime. [00:33:38] Speaker A: Sure. [00:33:39] Speaker C: Mystery. [00:33:39] Speaker A: What's the other one? [00:33:41] Speaker B: If you want to find that out, join Patreon real quick. [00:33:44] Speaker C: Yes. [00:33:45] Speaker A: Can you just tell me now and then we'll edit it out? Tell me when we're done. Has anybody seen the movie the Dark Mirror with Olivia de Havilland? [00:33:53] Speaker C: I have. [00:33:54] Speaker A: I have not. So that'll be good to find out Your take on adaptation. This show and Lux Radio Theater and a couple others like it, their primary purpose is. I know that we all probably know this, but the primary purpose really doesn't even start with, can we do a good show? It is to promote the actors, give them this. [00:34:18] Speaker C: This platform to sell whatever show or movie they're in next. [00:34:22] Speaker A: But not only that, but to increase their value. Yeah, because there's a lot of platitudes in all these shows for the actor as well. They're so good. This is their resume. People come in and say things. Sometimes they give them awards right there on the air. So it seems to me the entire premise of this is about building value and promotion of actors for a secondary cause. And consequently, a lot of these. They're not great, these film adaptation shows. [00:34:52] Speaker C: Lux Radio Theater is an hour, though, correct? [00:34:55] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:34:55] Speaker A: Yep. [00:34:55] Speaker C: I think the problem here is that it's 30 minutes. They are literally condensing what was usually an hour and a half to hour 40 in this era of filmmaking into 30 minutes. [00:35:06] Speaker A: Yep. [00:35:08] Speaker C: That's a recipe for failure. [00:35:11] Speaker A: Right. But again, I don't think they care because literally, you just said 30 minutes. There's six to eight minutes of this that is just opening. And let's talk about how great Olivia de Havilland is. [00:35:25] Speaker C: It's 23 minutes of story. [00:35:27] Speaker A: Yeah. So that's even shorter. So I don't think they care. I think the premise of this is not about anything that people go, thank you, that was a great night of entertainment. [00:35:37] Speaker C: One thing I would keep in mind though, from a listener point of view is this is before there were reruns of old movies on TV, obviously, way before there were DVDs, VCRs, everything else. Right. And so this was also something, I think, that might attract listeners and like, oh, yeah, honey, we saw Dark Mirror, didn't we? Like, that was fun. I don't remember. It was four years ago. Let's tune into the radio show and revisit the story again. [00:36:06] Speaker A: That's a really solid point because now. [00:36:08] Speaker C: I'm like, well, I just. If I wanted to see the movie again, I'd watch the movie again. And we're so stuck in that way of thinking. [00:36:15] Speaker A: Or now we would approach it as. I'm really curious to hear a radio adaptation of that movie and how they do it. But yeah, that's a really good. [00:36:25] Speaker C: Oh, they're creating a dark mirror universe now. It's all interconnected radio and film. [00:36:31] Speaker A: Yeah. Remember when Marvel invented multi universe stuff? Go ahead, D.C. first, flash on to Earth. D.C. did it first. Is that true? [00:36:44] Speaker B: That's always the case. DC will do it first, Marvel do it better. [00:36:48] Speaker C: Oh, see, now I'm going to object. I don't think they always did it better. Often they did bounce back and forth. [00:36:56] Speaker A: So Dark Mirror is considered film noir movie, is it not? [00:37:03] Speaker C: It has elements of film noir and elements that feel like a romance movie and elements that feel a little like comedy. So it's a strange film. And my take on this is that in turning it into a 30 minute radio show, it removes all the strengths of the film. It leaves just the weaknesses. [00:37:26] Speaker A: Right. The basic storyline is not the strength of the movie. [00:37:29] Speaker C: So my question for you guys who've not seen the film, I feel like having seen the film, there's critical exposition missing. Like, could you follow the setup that happened so fast? [00:37:42] Speaker A: Yeah, I think so. I was pretty pieced it together. [00:37:44] Speaker B: I don't know if it's meant to be that ridiculous of there's a guy who's an expert on twins who gets roped into investigation of these twins who are accused of murder, who have this, I think, kind of like interesting. We're both going to agree to be each other's alibi and that kind of keeps us safe. And then he, of course, Falls in love with them because he's so professional. [00:38:07] Speaker G: Yeah. [00:38:07] Speaker A: To me, the basic premise was one of the twins commit murder. They realize they can get away with it by, you know, you can never prove which one it is. [00:38:15] Speaker C: You guys got the premise. I think I had. The issue having seen the film is I brought all the pre existing information that they cut into it and it actually confused me. [00:38:27] Speaker B: It was really my question when I brought this was to what degree does this do? Like a nice reduction of the sauce of the film to make it like this is a short little adrenaline shot of this film and to what degree does it just gut the film? Like this is, as you said, like, this is a chunk of film, but it's not the whole thing. It's not the story really. [00:38:50] Speaker A: What was the radio show we listened to recently with that same twins premise? [00:38:57] Speaker C: I can't remember the name of the episode. I know which one you're talking about. Tim brought it. There was also, speaking of happy hour, a Whistler episode very similar that several months ago we listened to on one of our Zoom happy hours. If you go to patreon.com the most common and become support of this podcast, you can also participate. [00:39:13] Speaker A: But the concept of twins either creating havoc and chaos by being in cahoots together or one usurping the other one. Yeah, the evil twin thing and killing the other one didn't hold my attention that well. For the fact of the tropiness of that, the. [00:39:37] Speaker B: The impact of the mirror symbolism and the imagery that I definitely feel like that was a quick paint job. Wyatt had this big impact at the end of, like, I see her in the mirror and shatters. [00:39:50] Speaker C: Yeah. And every twin is the reverse of the other. So every twin has an evil twin. [00:39:55] Speaker B: You, sir, are not an expert on twins. [00:39:57] Speaker C: You just really are. And you're like, he's just like, ooh, two attractive twins. I'm an expert. [00:40:04] Speaker A: Ladies, I don't care which one you are. Come on in. [00:40:09] Speaker C: Well, that's kind of the creepy part of this plot because as it unfolds, the reason this expert on twins was brought into this whole plot is because he was friends with the dead fiance who had approached him saying, like, I think perhaps my fiance has a split personality because sometimes she's really nice when she's Ruth and sometimes she's a monster when she's Terry. But he doesn't know that they're right. Essentially, job sharing this man is the implication they're job sharing their job. [00:40:45] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah. [00:40:46] Speaker C: And that's. That's weird because twins Only eat half. [00:40:48] Speaker B: As much as a normal human. [00:40:53] Speaker C: One of the scenes that's missing that I think strengthens the. The legal premise is that in the film they bring the twins in for a lineup and none of the witnesses on either side, the witnesses who were confirming an alibi and the witnesses who claim that they saw her at the scene of the murder, none of them could tell the two apart. So they had zero evidence to pick which of the two. And they wouldn't say anything. And so the prosecutor refused to bring a case. [00:41:20] Speaker B: Yeah. The legal dilemma is interesting of it is more important to the law that we don't convict someone who is not guilty than to convict someone who is. [00:41:31] Speaker C: We should just put all twins in jail to be safe. [00:41:33] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:41:34] Speaker B: It's only fair. [00:41:34] Speaker D: I think. [00:41:34] Speaker A: So if you commit a crime and you have a twin, you're both going away. That's the new law. [00:41:39] Speaker B: Or like you go into twin jail, which is not too bad, but. [00:41:44] Speaker C: Or it's part time. [00:41:45] Speaker A: Or you can. Or your job share the. The sentence. [00:41:49] Speaker C: Yeah, yeah. [00:41:50] Speaker A: I will say this, that if your conjugal visits. Apparently if I had an identical twin, I. And yelling left and right nonstop non stop. No, I absolutely would consider always be on alibi duty. [00:42:04] Speaker C: Like, yeah, I'll go to the restaurant and eat where everyone can see me. You go do the scary stressful stuff. You commit the crime. [00:42:12] Speaker A: I will totally be that twin. But I would absolutely consider. Okay, one of us gets a job. Can we live on just that salary comfortably then let's job share it and we each just work half the time. I would totally consider that. [00:42:28] Speaker C: Yeah. I think that's the idea of this scam on their part is that, hey, it's a. It's full time income in 1946 at a newsstand which apparently could keep them afloat. [00:42:41] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:42:42] Speaker C: And they only had to work part time. [00:42:43] Speaker A: So that makes total sense to me. [00:42:46] Speaker C: I love the Rorschach test in here. Oh my gosh. The lamb of Death. [00:42:52] Speaker A: Right. [00:42:53] Speaker C: With two paws. Lampaws. I don't know if that's the right terminology. [00:42:58] Speaker B: Two lamp hooves. [00:42:59] Speaker C: Yeah. On two man splayed bodies. And what does the nice twin see? [00:43:05] Speaker B: Majorette was that? [00:43:06] Speaker C: Oh yeah. Drum majorette. [00:43:08] Speaker A: Right, right. [00:43:08] Speaker C: With her paws on two men. I think one of the problems of this from a suspense point of view and I think the film suffers from it as well. But this in radio it's more pronounced is that de Havilland gives an amazing performance. Like you forget it's one actor. Right, right. But that also tells you like, oh, well, yeah, the one with the mean killer voice is the killer and the one with the innocent voice. And they try to sort of make you think maybe I'm wrong because Ruth associates mirror with death in that word association game. But you're like, meh, I see what you did there. Or did that make you doubt who was who? [00:43:53] Speaker E: No. [00:43:54] Speaker B: Yeah, I'm with you because when I listened to the first time, I just feel like it's two different actors listening to later. To actually hear Olivia de Havilland switching on a dime, catching a breath when she could. That was all very fun and interesting. [00:44:11] Speaker C: Yeah. And that is one of the strengths of the radio adaptation as well as the film. The film is really fun to see her perform both roles. And just a little plug for the film. The split screen and body double direction and effects are really good. They hold up really well. And Eric would like it because Thomas Mitchell in the film plays the detective character who is Uncle Billy in It's a Wonderful Life. [00:44:42] Speaker A: Oh. [00:44:43] Speaker C: And he plays it with the same sort of like flustered, discombobulated, exasperated, like. [00:44:48] Speaker A: You'Re twins with a crow on his shoulder. [00:44:54] Speaker C: All right, pretty cool. [00:44:55] Speaker A: Then I will watch it. [00:44:56] Speaker C: I mean, it's not great. It has all the same problems as radio adaptation, but it has some really stylish, slick direction. [00:45:04] Speaker B: I will also tell you, Eric, that there is a It's a Wonderful Life half hour version on this. [00:45:09] Speaker A: And there's also A Wonderful Life hour version on Lux with Stewart, Jimmy Stewart and what's her name? [00:45:18] Speaker C: Donna Reed. [00:45:18] Speaker A: Donna Reid. Thank you. [00:45:19] Speaker B: Well, maybe I can find you a 15 minute version somewhere, Jimmy. [00:45:23] Speaker A: Oh, my God. Okay, listen to me. Hear me out on this. A 15 minute version of It's a Wonderful Life. We got to do this. [00:45:33] Speaker C: All right. [00:45:34] Speaker A: Hey, that's my tree. I would. I want to die. Oh, everything's. Everything's bad. That guy. Just jump in the water. I'm an angel. I'm sorry. [00:45:46] Speaker C: Yay. [00:45:47] Speaker A: Bell ring. [00:45:48] Speaker B: Where's the money? [00:45:49] Speaker A: Where's the money? I'll see you in jail, Joshua. [00:45:56] Speaker C: I've also heard the screen director's version of the Maltese Falcon, which is not far off of what you're describing. It is. Somebody shot my partner. Then he, like, slaps Peter Lori in the face. And then they find the Falcon. Oh, it's a fake. And, yeah, they're gonna hang you by your pretty neck and it's over. It makes. That's almost no sense. [00:46:16] Speaker A: Really difficult movie to shorten. [00:46:19] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:46:19] Speaker A: Because that there's so much information and so hard to follow in the Original format. That movie's hard to follow. I can imagine trying to slice that thing down to 30 minutes. [00:46:31] Speaker C: They do it by just removing pertinent information from the story. [00:46:36] Speaker B: All adverbs are gone. [00:46:39] Speaker C: There's a moment in here in which Dr. Elliot tells the police lieutenant that Terry has no more sense of right or wrong than a two year old. I like that. His go to example of sociopathy is a toddler. [00:46:54] Speaker B: The one beat in here that really upset me what's going on is when it gets into his head of like, she's lying, she's lying. [00:47:04] Speaker C: They're afraid we won't understand the increased speed of the needle on the lie detector machine or something. [00:47:10] Speaker A: But. [00:47:10] Speaker C: Yeah, it's weird. [00:47:11] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:47:12] Speaker B: I thought he was writing like it was a pencil, like he was just writing a note to himself. [00:47:15] Speaker F: She's lying. [00:47:16] Speaker D: Yeah. [00:47:16] Speaker C: And I might have filled that in from the film that the actual lie detector test. So it's got this needle moving really fast when she's lying to make these big arcs. And you know how a lie detector works. Yes or no? He's hooked up to one right now. [00:47:31] Speaker B: No, he's lying. [00:47:33] Speaker A: The convention of her, out of the blue, we hear her thoughts. I need to stab him with the scissors. [00:47:42] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:47:42] Speaker A: Okay. Does not sit well with me because that convention has not been established nor does it ever come back. Do you know what I'm saying? The convention in the production of this, the writing of this, of this particular thing is we hear her if I'm right. [00:47:58] Speaker C: Well, we have the one that Tim brought up of the doctor saying, thinking she's lying. And then she thinks I have to say. [00:48:03] Speaker A: And then that one. But I'm saying it comes out of the blue and it's jarring because it's not established as that's how we're going to tell this story. [00:48:11] Speaker B: You have to stop and take in the context I want him to turn. [00:48:15] Speaker C: And go, what did you say? [00:48:16] Speaker A: Right. [00:48:18] Speaker C: It's fine. [00:48:19] Speaker A: How you. How you're going to narrate this, so to speak, or the conventions. You got to be pretty consistent with that and not just pull it out of nowhere. So I really dislike that. I went, yeah, boo, boo. [00:48:31] Speaker G: Yeah. [00:48:32] Speaker C: It took me out because I recognized it immediately as, oh, it's to speed things along. [00:48:37] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:48:37] Speaker C: Because someone was adapting this and was watching the film going, oh, what do I do? In place of the shot of her hand slowly reaching for the scissors. I know. I'll have her think, I'm gonna stab you. Feel the entire. You feel the writer's presence you feel everything in that moment. And so. Yes, it doesn't work. [00:48:55] Speaker A: Yep. It does not. Yeah. [00:48:58] Speaker C: What's also strange are these dramas that are recorded in front of a live audience where you hear them occasionally going, occasionally. [00:49:06] Speaker A: Someone needed a cough drop. [00:49:08] Speaker C: You know how many people were smokers, ironically? You hypocrite. [00:49:13] Speaker A: No, I was gonna bring that up. I could be wrong, but I think it's. De Hamlin is turning away from the mic, coughing. [00:49:21] Speaker B: No, it was a detail I found out later. The audience is there with the band. [00:49:26] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:49:27] Speaker B: Listening to recording of the dialogue. [00:49:28] Speaker A: Right. [00:49:29] Speaker C: I just imagine they were all just sitting there chain smoking. [00:49:33] Speaker B: It was probably the band. [00:49:35] Speaker A: Right. And that's an interesting point you brought up in that intro. They did it that way because bands got paid less for live performances than a recorded one, I suppose because royalties or something. [00:49:49] Speaker B: It's the same thing today. Perform it live, it costs this much. Perform it for recording, it costs more. Got it. [00:49:57] Speaker C: Both. [00:49:57] Speaker A: But they still got recorded. [00:49:59] Speaker C: Yeah. Musicians always get paid more than actors. Right. They actually like, well, you got to record this so we can accommodate the musicians. It's always true. [00:50:07] Speaker A: We. When we started performing at a place that recently for our. Our shows that primarily caters to musicians. And I thought it was hilarious our first night there when they handed us a check before we went on stage. And the look on our faces of what? And talking to the owner and the artistic director of that when I said, oh, made us laugh. We usually have to track down our money and beg for it. And then they eventually send it to us as performance. She's. Oh, musicians don't operate that way. [00:50:39] Speaker C: No, they won't go on. [00:50:40] Speaker A: They won't go on stage. If you said to us, we're gonna pay you after the show, we'd go, okay, we're idiots. We are. But we. I spent my life getting paid after the show and up to weeks after a performance. [00:50:55] Speaker C: Oh, yeah. Much longer. [00:50:57] Speaker A: Yeah, much longer. And if you go through my agent, you have 30 days and you don't get nailed for some kind of penalty until 60 days. And most of them wait that entire time to pay me for anything that I do. [00:51:10] Speaker B: Yeah. I mean, hopefully no from recruiters is listening to this, but they could probably come through that. So we're not paying you for this one. Do you still want to do it? [00:51:19] Speaker A: We're here. [00:51:22] Speaker C: Still get 40% off drinks. Oh, I thought the ad at the end for 45s was hilarious. Just at how much easier they were to manipulate than those huge long playing records. [00:51:39] Speaker A: Right. Yeah. And getting up after every song to hear another song. [00:51:44] Speaker C: No, but did they describe or am I just imagining from childhood, the stack. [00:51:48] Speaker A: The stacking thing. Yeah, yeah. [00:51:50] Speaker C: Drop them to the other and you could choose the order. [00:51:52] Speaker B: You could play it on your victory trolla. [00:51:55] Speaker C: That's a lie. [00:51:56] Speaker B: I was like, if you wanted to sound weird, sure. [00:51:59] Speaker C: And I just was annoyed that they missed the marketing hook because they said 45s now for as low as 46 cents. I was like, really? You couldn't cut a cent off that and do 45 for 45? Come on. [00:52:13] Speaker A: God, you are so right. [00:52:15] Speaker C: Come on. [00:52:17] Speaker A: My first thing I ever purchased with my own Money was a 45. Golden earrings Radar love baby. [00:52:26] Speaker C: You had, what was it? The stray cat strut. [00:52:30] Speaker B: Oh, mostly just get like the little plastic ones are in Cracked magazine or Mad magazine. [00:52:36] Speaker C: Yeah, the little ones that were cracked. It was like on Tim, you can. [00:52:41] Speaker B: Get those like 44 cents. [00:52:44] Speaker A: Any other thoughts on this one? Gentlemen? [00:52:46] Speaker C: I'm going to play the role of a human booby trap. [00:52:49] Speaker A: Just a great line, which, by the. [00:52:52] Speaker C: Way, try to use more in real. [00:52:54] Speaker A: Life, by the way. It kept that state in my head after he said that for the whole thing. And I kept thinking, no, technically, that's not. That is not what you're doing. His metaphor wasn't right. He wasn't a human booby trap in that scenario and I hate it. So I got hung up on it. [00:53:12] Speaker C: Bait, Even that. Okay, undercover. [00:53:15] Speaker A: Maybe all of these are better. [00:53:19] Speaker C: Trying to get sex. [00:53:21] Speaker A: Human booby trap means that someone walks in a room, doesn't expect him there, and he kills them. [00:53:26] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:53:27] Speaker B: Remembering right too, that he just wants to pump you. [00:53:30] Speaker C: Yes. [00:53:33] Speaker B: For info. No, just pump. [00:53:35] Speaker C: Okay. [00:53:36] Speaker B: Just pump you. [00:53:37] Speaker A: Joshua, you start us. [00:53:39] Speaker C: It feels unfair to heap all the criticism onto this radio production because honestly, a lot of it is the same. Problems with the film. However, I will heap criticism upon just the premise of taking an hour and a half, hour, 45 minute, maybe two hour movie and condensing it into half. It is, again, not a recipe for great radio drama. And I get it that it's a commercial. I get it that it might have been even a fun and exciting way for listeners at the time to revisit a movie they hadn't seen in many years and really liked. But for all those reasons, I don't think it stands the test of time. [00:54:19] Speaker B: Yeah, exactly. And obviously, like as far as standing the test of time, watch the movie because you can. Now, yes, it Doesn't Stand the Test of Time is not a classic, but it's really Cool to hear that, Olivia. Have them deliver this performance. [00:54:35] Speaker C: Yeah, I think it's a great choice to bring an episode of Director's Playhouse to the podcast. So I'm not saying why'd you bring this, Tim? I think it was a fascinating session. Yeah, I was doing my Eric impression, you understand. [00:54:51] Speaker B: Yeah. And it was just trifling fun of twin murder weirdness. That's my new category, trifling fun of twin murder weirdness. [00:55:02] Speaker A: Why'd you bring this, Tim? No, I didn't like it at all. These types of shows from this era that are doing these adaptations of movies are difficult to listen to because as I said at the top, they are not about storytelling as much as they are about promotion. There's ulterior motives in creating these, all of these shows, and it's so blatantly obvious to me that they're just created by studios or networks or whatever for vehicles to. For all sorts of different things. But not about how do we tell a great story and then sell that this is about the opposite. Does that make sense what I'm saying? So they all kind of fail. The ones that don't, for me, weirdly, are the holiday ones that they do. A lot of them can be okay, but I guess because I'm expecting the sappy, sappy sell me some stuff at Christmas. But then if I take it just for the 23 minutes of content and again, without knowing, it's. It's a pretty banal, pretty basic, pretty plot line. I don't think the acting was terrible. I think I understood it. I didn't get lost in it. So, you know, it's a good, solid B. And I think, I think that also has historical value. For sure. That was. I'm going to do the old Eric. It was fine. [00:56:33] Speaker B: Minnesota polite. [00:56:35] Speaker A: Minnesota polite. [00:56:36] Speaker C: Hey, since we were talking about Robert Siodmak. [00:56:40] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:56:41] Speaker C: He did the Killers, which is one of my favorite pieces of film noir ever. And I also saw that it was adapted for Screen Directors Playhouse. So as hard as I was on this, I'm kind of curious to see that because it's such a good or hear that it's such a good film that I wonder if even condensed to 30 minutes, if they could ruin it. And if you're an old time radio fan and haven't seen the Killers, William Conrad has a small role in it and he is amazing in it. And a little other Seod Mac trivia is that he is the brother of Kurt Seod Mack, who wrote the novel Donovan's Brain and the screenplay for the werewolf. The Wolf Man. Excuse me, The Universal horror film. Talented. There's a lot of these SEOD Macs. [00:57:28] Speaker A: There's a lot of Cliff Clavin going on. Wow. All right, Tim, tell him stuff. [00:57:35] Speaker B: Please go visit ghoulishdelights.com home with this podcast. A lot of other episodes there that you can leave comments on. You can vote in polls, let us know what you think. You'll also find links to social media pages, links to our store if you want to buy T shirts or any sorts of gifts. It's getting to be towards gift giving season. Yeah, maybe. And you also find a link to our Patreon page. [00:57:57] Speaker C: Yes. Go to patreon.com themorals and support this podcast. We're going to be pressing some 45s because they're so easy to handle. [00:58:07] Speaker F: And. [00:58:08] Speaker C: You just need to give US$45 a month for 45s. No, it's incredibly expensive to press records. We looked into that because we wanted to do a couple of gift records to each other and we're like, nop, no, you're not that good of friends. That's expensive. But anyway, if you guys all, every single listener, this podcast right now becomes a member of the Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society. We could afford to make three records for ourselves. So go to patreon.com the morals and become a member. [00:58:42] Speaker A: And if you want to see us performing live, the Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society Theater Company performs live on stage. Audio drama recreations of old time radio shows, classic ones and sometimes not so classic, and a lot of our own original work. We are performing somewhere almost every month, sometimes more than once a month. And if you want to find out where we're performing, what we're performing, when all how much, get tickets, go to ghoulishdelights.com and you'll get all that information. And if you can't make it to our show, become a Patreon. Because part of those perks is we record video and or audio of those shows and you get access to that. But you should come see us if you can. What's coming up next? [00:59:27] Speaker C: Next we have another Patreon request and we will be listening to the Book of Hell from nightfall until then. [00:59:37] Speaker B: That's a weird show to go see. Let's go watch a band play occasionally. [00:59:44] Speaker A: So you could say the same thing about let's go watch. [00:59:46] Speaker B: Stop it. [00:59:47] Speaker A: Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society record their podcast and play a radio and play a radio show. Stop it. Stop it.