The Hitchcock Project-Halsted Welles Part Three-Strange Miracle [7.19]

by Jack Seabrook

Traveling too fast in order to make up for running late, a train jumps the tracks and crashes, catapulting one of its passengers, traveling salesman Louis Jadant, into a pile of bodies and debris. Unable to feel his legs, he calls for help and is rescued after a dead child is lifted off of him. "'They'll pay for that,'" he mutters, and he is taken by ambulance to a hospital. When his wife visits, he promises that he will learn another trade, and when he gets home, a new wheelchair and ramp await.

Neighbors visit, anxious to hear about the train crash, but when they leave, Jadant shocks his wife by standing up, explaining that he will continue to pretend to be paralyzed until the railway pays him compensation. Eventually, he receives a check for 5,000,000 francs. The local curate begins to visit and is impressed with Jadant's "cheerful, deep, simple faith"; the curate takes Louis to visit Raymonde, a "young paralytic girl" nearby, who makes money by using a knitting machine to make garments that she sells. Louis tells his wife that he will buy a similar machine and use it to prove to everyone that he does not expect to be cured. He will then visit Lourdes and take part in a miracle.

"Strange Miracle" was
first published here

At Lourdes, Louis rises from his wheelchair as planned and begins to walk, but after a few steps he falls to the ground, his legs paralyzed. Two days later, the curate visits Raymonde, who reports that, two days earlier, she had a vision of the Virgin Mary, who told her that she had "'just recuperated a pair of useless legs with which you will walk perfectly well.'" To the curate's shock, she rises from her bed and begins to walk.

"Strange Miracle" is a tale of divine retribution, where the duplicitous Louis loses his ability to walk and that power is transferred to a poor, young girl, curing her paralysis. The story is both supernatural and religious in the way it ends, which is surprising, since the character of Louis spends the entire tale demonstrating his cynicism and thinking himself able to fool everyone for profit. There is no rational explanation for Louis becoming paralyzed at Lourdes or for Raymonde being cured at the same moment; the reader must accept the climax as a miracle.

Or was it here?

George Langelaan (1908-1972), the story's author, was born in Paris and received a Croix de Guerre for his espionage work during WWII. He went on to write a memoir, novels, and short stories, the most famous being his first, "The Fly," which was adapted to film more than once. Another of his stories was adapted for an episode of Night Gallery.

"Strange Miracle" was first published in the August 1958 issue of the British digest Argosy and it was reprinted as "The Other Miracle" in the August 1958 issue of Cosmopolitan. While it's possible that Cosmopolitan was the place of first publication, the fact that Langelaan copyrighted the Argosy version suggests that the British publication came first. The story was later reprinted as "The Miracle" in Out of Time, a 1964 collection of Langelaan's short stories.

Halsted Welles adapted "Strange Miracle" for Alfred Hitchcock Presents, and the episode aired on NBC on Tuesday, February 13, 1962. From the first shot it becomes apparent that the budget did not allow director Norman Lloyd to stage a train crash; we see the aftermath, with bodies being carried away on stretchers from the damaged train cars. Mr. Sequiras, as Jadant has been renamed, is seen pinned beneath metal bars; in a sequence that recalls the season one episode, "Breakdown," he stares ahead, motionless, and we hear his thoughts in voiceover narration as he moves his fingers. He then speaks aloud, calling for water and addressing someone as "Senor," the first clue that the show is not set in France, as is the short story.

David Opatoshu as Sequiras

There is a dissolve to a point-of-view shot from inside a vehicle as it drives toward the local hospital; a burro crossing the road in front of the vehicle helps to establish the locale as rural Mexico. Mrs. Sequiras exits the vehicle and we see that she is an attractive woman in high heels and a tight skirt suit, her hair in a chignon. She is led to see her husband by a nun, and he lies on a mattress on the floor among many other victims of the crash. Welles has jettisoned the first portion of the short story, which describes Jadant riding on the train and what he observes, followed by details of the crash, his rescue, and his uncomfortable trip to the hospital.

Instead, the interaction between Mr. and Mrs. Sequiras is marked by the husband's admiration of his wife's appearance, and a cut to a nun watching them suggests that she disapproves of his public display of ardor. The conversation ends with Sequiras embracing his wife passionately, something that quickly comes to an end as the nun approaches his mattress. There is nothing like this in the short story. The screen fades to black and then fades in on what looks like a town square as an ambulance pulls up and a man gets out, wiping his forehead to show that it's hot. Mrs. Sequiras rushes up to him to ask if her husband can be cured and he tells her no, identifying himself as an "'insurance adjuster for the railroad company.'" Sequiras is taken out of the back of the vehicle on a rolling stretcher, then carried into his home by two men. Unlike the short story, where he winks at his wife in the hospital and tells her that "'two dead legs are worth a lot of money,'" the TV version contains no hints that Sequiras is not really paralyzed until he and his wife are alone at home.

Miriam Colon as Lolla

The shot fades in on a closeup of Sequiras's legs as he sits in a wheelchair at home, his wife playing the piano as he plays Solitaire. In the story, Jadant is described as "a little like a king on his throne" as he receives neighbors who are anxious to hear about the accident, but in the TV version there are no neighbors and the Sequiras couple are clearly unhappy. Mrs. Sequiras, especially, seems disgusted with her new living situation, locked in a house with her husband confined to a wheelchair, the shutters closed. She announces that she is tired and that she is going to bed; when her husband again remarks about her "'very attractive dress,'" she sighs and heads to the bedroom. He wheels quickly to her side and begins to kiss her hand, but she pulls away, telling him again that she has to go to bed. The implication is that he remains sexually attracted to her, while she realizes that his paralysis means the end of their sex life together. Again, there is nothing like this in the short story.

Sequiras calls his wife "'Lolla'" as he talks loudly to her from the living room while she walks slowly around the bedroom, admiring her own youth and health. Sequiras mentions the money that he expects to get from the railroad, promising that they will be able to buy a car and purchase the house in which they live, but nothing moves her and she asks him to stop talking so that she can sleep. Unmoved by his promises of future wealth, she throws herself onto the bed, despondent, but when Sequiras suddenly appears at the bedroom door, standing up and perfectly healthy, she is shocked. She asks if he is cured and he explains that a specialist came "'all the way from Mexico City'" (confirming that the story's location has been moved to Mexico) and determined that he is incurable. After doing some exercises at the foot of the bed, he embraces her in an effort to reassure her that their secret is safe.

Eduardo Ciannelli

After another fade to black, the scene fades back in on a very different Mr. Sequiras, this time doing push-ups on the living room floor while his wife plays the piano. He stops her and they admire their bankbook together before she tells him that it's "'time to make your daily appearance.'" In another addition to the story, he loses his temper, telling her that he "'can't stand looking at that wheelchair anymore.'" They argue and she prevails as he sits angrily in the chair and she wheels him outside, where we get our first glimpse of the paralyzed little girl named Maria (Raymonde in the short story). She rides along in a small, wheeled cart that is pulled by a goat, and the priest greets her warmly. In the short story, the curate makes frequent visits to see Jadant and suggests that he meet the girl, even going so far as to wheel Jadant to visit her at home. In the TV version, Sequiras asks his wife who the girl is and she explains that Maria lives out in the country and comes to town every market day, covering her legs with a blanket because she is paralyzed.

The priest introduces Sequiras to Maria and tells him that the girl makes annual trips to "'the shrine of Novales.'" In the story, Jadant himself comes up with the idea to visit Lourdes for a cure, but in the TV version, which is set in Mexico, he gets the idea when the priest tells him about Maria's pilgrimages. In the next scene, Sequiras and his wife are at home, speaking to their guest, the insurance adjuster. In the short story, they have already received a settlement by this point, but in the TV show, the adjuster hands over the final check and gives Sequiras a release to sign. As Sequiras reviews the release, the adjuster discusses the shrine of Novales and the fountain there whose waters are said to have miraculous powers. This second mention of the shrine spurs Sequiras to tell his wife that they will go to Novales where, he says, "'I will suddenly find my legs. Just another of the famous miracles.'" As in the story, Sequiras is shown to be a cynic, who believes he can beat the system by faking his own paralysis and pretending to undergo a miraculous cure, even though he has been warned by Maria and the insurance adjuster that a cure such as that requires great faith.

Frank de Kova

The scene dissolves to a shot of a statue of the Virgin Mary. We hear running water in the background and we see nuns walking behind the statue, so it's clear that Sequiras has made the trip to Novales. In the story, Jadant buys a knitting machine and spends months establishing himself as a paralytic, but in the TV version these events are cut out and the story moves right from the idea of going to the shrine to the scene at the shrine. There is an interesting bit of camera work as the camera moves from the statue to a line of pilgrims approaching it, including a woman who edges toward it on her knees while a little girl spreads a cloth in front of her. These people of faith are contrasted with Mr. and Mrs. Sequiras, as she pushes him in his wheelchair toward the statue.

Sequiras tells his wife quietly not to help him as he drags himself to the fountain; as in the hospital scene, a nun stands nearby, watching them as if witnessing their unbelief. "'When the clock strikes five,'" he tells her, "'I will dip my hand into the water, and then I will stand.'" His wife asks him to wait another day, nervous because the nun is watching, but he goes ahead with his plan. This scene is quite similar to the one in the story, where Mrs. Jadant also has reservations about what her husband plans to do.

Adelina Pedroza

In a powerful shot that recalls a sequence in Lon Chaney's The Miracle Man (1919), Sequiras climbs out of his wheelchair and drags himself across the ground toward the statue, his eyes on the Virgin the whole time. He dips his hand in the water and rubs it on his legs before slowly standing, his eyes focused on the statue. He turns to face his wife and begins to walk toward her. She cries out, "'A miracle!'" and he collapses to the ground, a look of surprise on his face. After angrily yelling that he can't move his legs, Sequiras again looks at the statue, and there is a closeup of Mary's face, looking down at him serenely. Unlike the story, where Jadant is taken to an infirmary and told to pray for another miracle, in the TV version, there is a dissolve to Maria's goat. The camera moves back to show the little girl, being pulled along in her cart as she speaks to the priest. She explains that her miracle happened yesterday, "'exactly at five o'clock,'" which clears up the timing that is not as obvious in the story. The last scene and its dialogue are almost identical to those in the story.

The finest moment in the TV show comes at the end, in a beautifully subtle shot, as Maria gets up out of her cart and begins to walk, an angelic smile on her face. The camera slowly pulls back and, in the rear of the frame, we see Sequiras being pushed in his wheelchair by his wife, both of their heads down, their despondency apparent even though they do not speak. Maria's joy is contrasted with their sadness, and in the final frames we see the four main characters: Maria, her face beaming as she removes her shawl; the priest, looking on; and Mr. and Mrs. Sequiras, moving away and getting smaller, facing an unhappy future. This superb last shot elevates the entire episode.

"Strange Miracle" is an unusual episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents due to its use of religion and miracles. Sequiras gets what he deserves in the end, yet it is through the intervention of the Virgin Mary rather than fate, and the fact that Maria is given the ability to walk makes the show's conclusion oddly satisfying. It is a "Strange Miracle" indeed!

Norman Lloyd (1914-2021), the director, was one of the people most responsible for the success and quality of Alfred Hitchcock Presents and The Alfred Hitchcock Hour. Born Norman Perlmutter and active in the theater in the 1930s, he had a long career as a film and television actor, from 1939 to 2015, and appeared in Hitchcock's Saboteur (1942) and Spellbound (1945). He also directed for television from 1951 to 1984. He acted in five episodes of the Hitchcock series and directed 22, including "Man from the South."

Tina Menard

Starring as Sequiras is David Opatoshu (1918-1996), who was born David Opatovsky in New York City. His career began in Yiddish theater before he started on Broadway in 1938. He appeared in films beginning in 1939 and served in the Air Force during WWII. His TV career ran from 1949 to 1992 and included roles on The Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits, and Star Trek. He was in two other episodes of the Hitchcock show, including "The Magic Shop," and he had a role in Hitchcock's Torn Curtain (1966).

Miriam Colon (1936-2017) plays Lolla, in her only role on the Hitchcock show. Born Miriam Colon Valle in Puerto Rico, she was on screen from 1951 to 2015 and appeared on Broadway from 1954 to 1969. She trained with the Actors Studio and founded New York City's Puerto Rican Traveling Theater. She received an Obie Award in 1993 for Lifetime Achievement in Theater.

Eduardo Ciannelli (1888-1969), who plays the priest, was born in Italy and came to the U.S. after World War II. He won a Tony Award for his stage acting in 1961 and appeared in nearly 150 movies. He was in movies from 1917 to 1969 and on TV from the early 1950s until his death. Among his films was Hitchcock's Foreign Correspondent (1940). He appeared in one other episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, "The Test," which aired the week after "Strange Miracle." He was also seen on Thriller.

In smaller roles:

• Frank de Kova (1910-1981) as the insurance adjuster; born Frank Campanella in New York City, he had a long career on screen from 1947 until his death. He was Italian-American but often played ethnic roles, the most famous of which was as Chief Wild Eagle on F Troop (1965-1967). He was in one other episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, "A Personal Matter."
• Adelina Pedroza (1949- ) as Maria; she had a brief career, mostly on TV, from 1958 to 1969, and this was the only episode of the Hitchcock show in which she appeared.
• Tina Menard (1904-1993) as the nun who looks on with disapproval while Sequiras is at the hospital; born in Mexico, she was onscreen from 1931 to 1984 and appeared in an episode of The Outer Limits. This was her only role on the Hitchcock show.

As early as 2007, online comments noted the similarity of "Strange Miracle" to an episode of Night Gallery titled "The Miracle at Camafeo," which aired on January 19, 1972. The show's teleplay is credited to Rod Serling, based on a story by C.B. Gilford. The source story has been unidentified until now. With some help from Peter Enfantino, I have identified it as "A Miracle is Arranged," which was published in the July 1960 issue of Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine. Reading "A Miracle is Arranged" and watching "The Miracle at Camafeo" raises interesting questions about who may have borrowed what from whom.

"A Miracle is Arranged"
was first published here

"A Miracle is Arranged" is narrated by an insurance adjuster named Rogan who thinks Paul Melcor is a crook. Melcor is a salesman who was paralyzed when he was hit by a truck while walking on a sidewalk. Rogan suspects that Melcor is faking paralysis, especially when a blonde showgirl quits her job to become Melcor's nurse and then his wife. Rogan tells Melcor that he will hound him; Melcor tells Rogan that he plans to visit the shrine at Camafeo and be cured. Rogan follows Melcor to the shrine, where Melcor privately admits to Rogan that he faked his injury. When the man tries to stand, he finds himself unable to move.

Was C.B. Gilford aware of Langelaan's story when he wrote this? Both tales feature as a central character a man who fakes being paralyzed in an accident and who goes to a shrine to pretend to be miraculously cured; both end with the paralysis inexplicably becoming real. When Halsted Welles adapted Langelaan's 1958 story for TV in 1961, was he aware of Gilford's 1960 story and did it influence his decision to relocate the action from France to Mexico?

Ray Danton as Melcor

A decade later, Rod Serling wrote "The Miracle at Camafeo" for Night Gallery, adapting Gilford's story. The TV version is set entirely in Camafeo, a fictional small town in Mexico. The blonde showgirl is transformed into a classy wife played by Julie Adams; Melcor is an unrepentant fake who threatens his spouse when she expresses apprehension regarding his plan. In an interesting addition to the story, Melcor sees a blind little boy being led to the shrine, picks him up, and carries him. Melcor does not confess to Rogan, but his wife tells the adjuster that she won't stay with her husband any longer. In the end, the boy's blindness is miraculously cured. Melcor’s fake paralysis is also cured when he stands up and begins to walk, but when he looks at the bright sun, he is suddenly struck blind, as if trading places with the little boy.

There is no little boy and no exchange of disabilities in Gilford's story. Was Rod Serling aware of Langelaan's story or of Welles's TV adaptation when he wrote his teleplay? One has to wonder, since the addition of the child is so similar to what happens in "Strange Miracle."

Both stories and TV shows can be studied online. Read "Strange Miracle" here or watch the TV version here. Read "A Miracle is Arranged" here (mistakenly attributed to Jack Webb!) or watch "The Miracle at Camafeo" here and draw your own conclusions.

Sources:

"Down by the Old Bloodstream : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming." Internet Archive, archive.org/details/downbyoldbloodst0000unse/page/n5/mode/2up. 

The FICTIONMAGS Index, www.philsp.com/homeville/FMI/0start.htm. 

Galactic Central, www.philsp.com/index.html. 

Gilford, C.B. "A Miracle Is Arranged." Down By the Old Bloodstream, Dell, New York, 1971, pp. 143–159. 

Grams, Martin, and Patrik Wikstrom. The Alfred Hitchcock Presents Companion. OTR Pub., 2001. 

Hollis, Dan. "'The Miracle at Camafeo.'" Twilight Zone Cafe, www.tapatalk.com/groups/twilightzoneworfr/the-miracle-at-camafeo-t3421.html. 

IBDB, www.ibdb.com/. 

IMDb, www.imdb.com/. 

Langelaan, George. "The Other Miracle." Cosmopolitan, Aug. 1958, pp. 74–79, https://doi.org/https://archive.org/details/sim_cosmopolitan_1958-08_145_2/page/76/mode/2up. 

"The Miracle at Camafeo." Night Gallery, season 2, episode 17, NBC, 19 Jan. 1972. 

"The Miracle at Camafeo." Ralph’s Cinema Trek, senensky.com/the-miracle-of-camafeo/. 

"Out of Time." The Bedlam Files, thebedlamfiles.com/fiction/out-of-time/. 

"Strange Miracle." Alfred Hitchcock Presents, season 7, episode 19, NBC, 13 Feb. 1962. 

Wikipedia, www.wikipedia.org/.

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