The Hitchcock Project-The Safe Place by Michael Hogan [3.36]

by Jack Seabrook

"The Safe Place" is based on a short story called "The Unsuspected," by Jay Wilson, which was first published in the February 8, 1958 issue of The Saturday Evening Post.

The story concerns Mr. Piper, a 55-year-old bachelor who works as a senior bank teller at the New Amsterdam Trust Company. An affable man, Piper has a regular customer named George Manetti, who makes a living playing poker. Every Friday afternoon, Manetti withdraws between $5,000 and $15,000; every Monday morning, he deposits an amount that is often more than he withdrew. Over time, Piper begins to grow jealous of his younger customer and imagines killing the man in order to take his money and supplement his pension when he retires.

"The Unsuspected" was
first published here

Piper, who owns a small pistol, watches the people come and go at Manetti's apartment house, deciding that the murder he plans to commit carries few risks. He will keep the money in a safe deposit box and not spend it until after he retires. In order to solve the problem of what to do with the money between Friday evening, when he will kill Manetti and take his cash, and Monday morning, when the bank opens and he can put it in a safe deposit box, Piper decides that the safest place to put it is in his cash drawer at the bank, where it will go unnoticed among the other bills.

Two weeks later, Manetti withdraws $25,000 and, that evening at six o'clock, Piper rings his bell, claiming that he thinks he overpaid Manetti earlier that afternoon. Welcomed into his customer's apartment, Piper shoots Manetti twice and the sound of the gunshots is drowned out by the loud noise from western TV programs his neighbors are watching. Piper wears gloves to avoid leaving fingerprints and, when he gets back to his own apartment, he calms his nerves with a drink. Manetti's death is reported in Sunday's paper and on Monday morning Piper hides the money he stole in his cash drawer at the bank.

Robert H. Harris as Piper

Detective Sergeant Henderson arrives and Piper is summoned to the office of Farnsworth, the bank's branch manager. Piper is interrogated and his boss defends him; the detective leaves, but Farnsworth is upset at the anticipated negative publicity and its effect on his chance at a promotion. Piper admits that Manetti's behavior made him slightly suspicious but, when the teller stands up for himself, Farnsworth fires him on the spot and orders another teller to clean out his drawer!

The reader realizes that, after the story ends, the stolen money will be discovered and this will lead to Piper's arrest for murder. "The Unsuspected" is an entertaining story where a haughty man ends up too clever for his own good.

The author, Jay Wilson, is credited with dozens of short stories in the FictionMags Index between 1937 and 1959. They appeared in both general fiction and pulp magazines, but this is the only one to be adapted for the screen.

Joanne Linville as Millie

"The Unsuspected" was adapted for Alfred Hitchcock Presents by Michael Hogan, in his only teleplay for the Hitchcock TV series. It was retitled "The Safe Place" and aired on CBS on Sunday, June 8, 1958. Hogan (1893-1977) was an English film actor from 1927 to 1935 who then became a film writer from 1935 to 1956. He had a couple of small acting roles on TV in the 1950s and wrote two TV shows; "The Safe Place" was his last credit. Hogan is best known as one of four credited writers on Hitchcock's film, Rebecca (1940). Patrick McGilligan writes that Hogan was known as an actor on a popular British radio series and that he and his wife were social friends with the Hitchcocks. He adds that Hogan worked with Philip MacDonald on a first draft of Rebecca.

"The Safe Place" expands the short story by adding new characters and situations, but the additions only serve to dilute the tale's effect. The show begins by introducing Henry Farnsworth, the brusque, no-nonsense branch manager of the bank, who doesn't respond to Piper's attempt at humor when they discuss a new account. Piper, who has no first name in the story, has been christened George, and he approaches a young clerk named Millie Manners to remind her that they have a date for lunch. Victor Mannet enters; his name has been changed for TV from the more ethnic George Manetti in the story. The scene between him and Piper is essentially the same as the one in the short story.

Phillip Pine as Manett

At noon, Piper's lunch date is threatened when Farnsworth gives Millie a stack of bonds to put in the vault. In order to keep their date, Piper grabs them from her and locks them in his cash drawer, which he calls as "'safe as Fort Knox'"--this early example of Piper putting something in the drawer familiarizes the viewer with the "safe place" of the show's title. A new scene follows, where George and Millie share lunch at a restaurant and discuss their age difference. Millie admits that she has heard from other women at the bank that Piper is eager to date them but is too old to be looking for a wife, unlike the younger men she might choose to date. Another new character is introduced in this scene when George's younger brother Fred enters the restaurant; he is tall, handsome, and charming, all characteristics that George lacks.

Jerry Paris as Fred

George is next seen at home in the evening, dressed in a robe and holding a brandy snifter. He fancies himself an eligible bachelor, despite his physical appearance as a stocky, balding, middle-aged man. A phone call with a woman named Barbara is interrupted by the arrival of Fred, who remarks on George's frequent dates. Fred reminds George that the older brother will soon retire and won't have the resources to maintain his lifestyle. Fred tries to talk his older brother into joining him in investing in a company that is in trouble, suggesting that George needs to begin planning for retirement. Admitting that purchasing fifty percent of the business would cost $10,000, Fred intimates that George could embezzle the money from the bank. Although he quickly dismisses the suggestion, George begins to muse that he might have succeeded in a life of crime. This leads him to think of Mannet and to consider robbing him and putting his money in a place where it would be safe for a few days. After Fred leaves, George ponders the idea.

Wendell Holmes as Farnsworth

Back at the bank, Mannet enters and withdraws $15,000; at home that evening, George telephones Fred to ask about the investment they had discussed, revealing that he is expecting a windfall. George soon arrives at Mannet's apartment and, when Victor takes out his money to count it, George pulls a gun and shoots him before taking the cash and leaving. On Monday morning, George hides the stolen money in his cash drawer before Martinson, another teller, remarks on George's cheerful mood and asks if he came into a fortune. George approaches Millie's desk, claiming that he has something important to ask her, but he is interrupted and summoned to Farnsworth's office.

George is briefly interrogated by Sgt. Henderson and Farnsworth states that Piper has "'been with the bank  for more than 30 years,'" suggesting that he is above reproach. The sergeant leaves and the subsequent exchange between George and the manager is similar to that in the short story. When Farnsworth tells Martinson to tally up the money in George's drawer, the music swells and George looks horrified as the screen fades to black. Piper has learned too late that neither his drawer nor the bank are quite the safe places he thought they were.

Robert Karnes as
Sgt. Henderson

When Michael Hogan adapted "The Unsuspected" for TV as "The Safe Place," he decided to expand the story by adding new characters and scenes, but the additions do not improve the tale. Casting is the biggest problem with this show. As George Piper, Robert H. Harris is not believable as a middle-aged man who has a series of young women that he seduces and disappoints. Jerry Paris is not believable as his brother; the two men could not look less alike and seem to be acting in different shows. Joanne Linville is somewhat pathetic as Millie, a dull young woman lured into dating an older man who offers her next to nothing. Fortunately, the supporting cast are all well-chosen, especially Phillip Pine as the slightly shady poker player, Victor Manett. Wendell Holmes is perfect as Farnsworth, the bank manager, and Robert Karnes makes the most of his brief scene as Sgt. Henderson. The show would probably work better with another actor playing Fred, with more scenes with Mannet, and with fewer scenes with Millie.

"The Safe Place" is directed by James Neilson (1909-1979), who had directed thirty-three episodes of Janet Dean, Registered Nurse in the 1954-1955 television season; that show's producer was Joan Harrison, who was also the producer of Alfred Hitchcock Presents and who probably brought Neilson along with her to her new assignment. This was the last of twelve episodes he would direct for the Hitchcock series, including "On the Nose." Neilson worked mostly in television from 1953 to 1973 and also made movies in the late 1950s and the 1960s, often for Disney.

Joel Mondeaux as
Martinson

Robert H. Harris (1911-1981) was born Robert Hurwitz and was only 47 years old when he played George Piper, a bank employee of more than 30 years who is nearing retirement. He began in Yiddish Theater and moved on to roles on Broadway before embarking on a screen career that lasted from 1948 to 1978. His special brand of creepiness can be seen in nine episodes of the Hitchcock show, including "The Dangerous People," and he was also on Thriller.

Joanne Linville (1928-2021) makes her only appearance on the Hitchcock TV show. She studied under Stella Adler and later taught at her academy; she appeared mostly on TV from 1956 to 2016, including guest starring roles on The Twilight Zone and Star Trek.

In smaller roles:

• Phillip Pine (1920-2006); although this was his only appearance on the Hitchcock show, he was seen in many films and TV shows from 1945 to 1990, including The Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits, and Star Trek. He also acted on Broadway from 1943 to 1954.
• Jerry Paris (1925-1986) was a busy character actor who is today better known as a director of TV sitcoms. He studied at the Actors Studio and served in the Navy in WWII before acting in films from 1949 to 1986 and on TV from 1951 to 1983. He had a recurring role on The Dick Van Dyke Show from 1961 to 1966, but his name is more familiar from his career as a director, which lasted from 1964 to 1986. He made two appearances on Alfred Hitchcock Presents; the other was "Whodunit."
• Wendell Holmes (1914-1962) started out in radio in the 1930s and had a screen career mostly on television from 1955 to 1962. He appeared on The Twilight Zone and in four episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, including "The Twelve Hour Caper," which premiered 11 days after his death.
• Robert Karnes (1917-1979) had many small roles, often as a law enforcement officer, in a screen career that lasted from 1946 to 1980. He appeared in eight episodes of the Hitchcock show, including "Escape to Sonoita," and he was also on The Twilight Zone, Night Gallery and The Night Stalker.
• Joel Mondeaux (1920-2001) plays Martinson, who is promoted to head teller at the end of the show; he had a short screen career from 1956 to 1964 and this was his only role on the Hitchcock show.

Read "The Unsuspected" online here or watch "The Safe Place" online here. Order the DVD here. Read the GenreSnaps review of this episode here.

Sources:

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

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

IMDb, www.imdb.com.

McGilligan, Patrick. Alfred Hitchcock: A Life in Darkness and Light. ReganBooks, 2003. 229, 235.

"The Safe Place." Alfred Hitchcock Presents, season 3, episode 36, CBS, 8 June 1958.

Stephensen-Payne, Phil. Galactic Central, www.philsp.com.

Wikipedia, www.wikipedia.org.

Wilson, Jay. "The Unsuspected." Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Stories to Stay Awake By, Random House, 1971, 453-466.

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