Escape - Affair at Mandrake

In "Affair at Mandrake," an army officer must decide whether or not his childhood friend is a German spy.

The story is set in wartime in 1940, and a British colonel named Guy Baker is convinced that one of the Germans captured by his unit in Dunkirk is a childhood friend. He is startled by the similarity at first but then accepts that it must be a different man.

Weeks later, back in England, Baker is given a new command to carry out field tests of rockets in the Mandrake forest. The assignment is dangerous and it means that they will be a target for German agents. Shortly afterwards, Baker is also told that one of the German prisoners captured in Dunkirk has escaped. The P.O.W. that he thought may have been his old friend, is now on the loose near Mandrake.

"Affair at Mandrake" was written by actor Ben Wright, who also performed in this episode. Norman MacDonnell directed and John Dehner starred as Guy Baker. Also appearing were Richard Peel, Parley Baer, Joseph Kearns, Gary Montgomery, and Lawrence Dobkin. This episode aired on April 15, 1954.

. Download Escape_1954.04.15_Affair at Mandrake.mp3

(Image from Morguefile)

Comments

[Grigs]

Interesting that you posted "Scarlet Plague" and this episode within days of each other. Last year, I found both episodes on a cassette in second hand store and listened to both on a rainy Sunday afternoon. The ending of "Mandrake" is one of the best.

[cmillinsf]

I agree, the ending of Mandrake is a surprise.
As for "The Scarlet Plague," I had never listened to it before this October. The short story it was adapated from is set on a San Francisco beach not far from where I live. Very haunting stuff!