Escape and Suspense!

Escape - A Rough Shoot

Escape's "A Rough Shoot" was adapted from the 1951 suspense novel of the same name by Geoffrey Household, but it is quite different. Household's novel should have a made a perfect Escape episode, but the adaptation is a disappointment. Escape went way off the mark with this one. If you get the chance, read the book.

The episode begins as Roger Taine returns home after an evening of shooting on his leased game preserve. He confesses to his wife, Cecily, that he has accidentally killed a man and buried the body. There were two other men there, but they turned and ran away. What Roger can't understand is why they would leave. Obviously, they had a greater fear of their activities being discovered than concern for their companion. Were they poachers? Or, something more sinister.

When Roger returns to the scene of the crime, he finds even more trouble...

"A Rough Shoot" was adapted for radio by screenwriter Arthur Ross and directed by Norman MacDonnell. Ben Wright starred. Also appearing were John Dehner, Sam Waxman, Mary Lansing, Howard McNear, Lawrence Dobkin, and Lou Krugman. This episode aired on August 15, 1951.

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Escape - The Gladiator

Escape's "The Gladiator" was written by screenwriter Millard Kaufman, and while it isn't bad, it isn't particularly good either. It is a generic Escape episode that is easy to follow, but a let-down because there aren't any battles. There is only one gladiator in this episode and he gets knocked out in one blow. 

The story opens in London, where Joe Scoletti has just finished his last fight as a professional boxer. Afterward, in Joe's dressing room, two strangers enter to offer their congratulations, Julius Verinias and his niece, Lucretia. Joe and his manager are about to catch a plane for Rome, but Julius offers them passage on his ship. Joe accepts the offer because he is smitten with Lucretia.

Once onboard, Joe and his manager realize that the ship is not on its way to Rome but to North Africa. When they question Julius about the change in course, he tells them that he has other plans. They will be traveling to his ancestral Roman estate where Joe will prove himself in a fight to the death...

"The Gladiator" was written by Millard Kaufman and produced/directed by Norman MacDonnell. William Conrad starred. Also appearing were Lillian Buyeff, Lou Krugman, Ted Osborne, Byron Kane. Paul Frees played Kriksus the gladiator. This episode aired on August 1, 1951.

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(Image from Wikipedia )

Escape - Orient Express

Escape's "Orient Express" was loosely adapted from the 1932 novel Stamboul Train by Graham Greene. (The book was later retitled Orient Express when it was released in the United States.) Stamboul Train was also adapted into a film called Orient Express in 1939.

There is little resemblance between Greene's novel and the plot of Escape's episode. So much so, that using the title and the author's name seems misleading. Most of Escape's adaptations for radio are to be admired, but that isn't the case with this episode. They left out ALL of the good stuff, and then made a story out of some other stuff.

It might have had something to do with the novel being too long for a half hour drama, or that most of it is too adult for a family show.  

The episode begins in 1932, with businessman Gregory Myatt boarding the Orient Express in Ostend, Belgium. Shortly after his journey begins, he encounters a strange man in his compartment. That is his first warning that something isn't right, but there is more intrigue to come as they travel towards Instanbul.

Escape's "Orient Express" is a cute romp on a train, but if you get the chance, read the book.

"The Orient Express" was adapted by television writer Sheldon Stark and screenwriter Walter Newman. Norman MacDonnell produced/directed.  William Conrad played Gregory Myatt. Also appearing were Edgar Barrier, Hans Conried, Gloria Grant, Harry Bartell, Ann Morrison, Jack Kruschen, and John Dehner.

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(Image from the 1955 edition of Orient Express from Bantam Books.)

Worst of Escape?

When I started this blog, I knew that I would run out of Escape episodes long before I ran out of Suspense episodes, and that time is approaching.

This morning, when I was browsing through potential  Escape episodes, I realized that I only had fifteen left on my "Best of Escape" list.

Meanwhile, my "Worst of Escape" list has over twenty-five episodes and keeps growing. My intent with this site was to showcase Escape in its best light; I do not want to post episodes that are boring or badly done. Instead, I will post "A List of Episodes to Avoid." We've already done this over at Suspense Television because we wanted to focus on the good stuff... and some of those Suspense television episodes are truly awful.

Aside from my current lists of "best" and "worst," there are about forty episodes that are not yet in either category. There is still a lot of material to consider. 

While I am doing that, please feel free to send me your picks for the worst episodes of Escape. You can either post them as a comment below or e-mail them to me.  Perhaps we can come up with a clear winner for the worst. For some time, my top pick has been "The Loup-Garou," but the self-parody of "Misfortune's Isle" runs a close second. "Sire de Maletroit's Door," "The Fugitive," "Benchilllina and the Fisherman," plus Escape's dull adaptation of "Pollack and The Porrah Man" also rank high among  my picks for their worst.

In the meantime, on with the show...

-Christine