A professional poker player in a tough crowd tries to discourage his younger brother from taking up the pursuit. At the same time, his wife threatens to leave if he doesn't quit.
Rather spotty episode. Suspense doesn't really kick in until the showdown poker game that ends on an unforeseeable note of Hitchcock irony. Where the story's going isn't indicated by the first half hour, so it's up to the strong cast to carry interest. Also it looks like there's some padding in this first part with Duke (Young) and wife Alice (Hyer) trying to get along, though the pool scene remains a novelty. I expect the chief interest now is a young Robert Redford just starting out in the business. And who at the time could have predicted he would expand and prosper for 50-years in such a cutthroat industry. Anyway, it must have been a cheap episode to produce since the action's basically indoors except for the pool scene. The cast also features an underrated Gene Evans, whose poker-playing Ed proves nobody to mess with. Overall, what the 60-minutes lacks in general suspense is made up for in good character interest and a worthwhile payoff.
Rather spotty episode. Suspense doesn't really kick in until the showdown poker game that ends on an unforeseeable note of Hitchcock irony. Where the story's going isn't indicated by the first half hour, so it's up to the strong cast to carry interest. Also it looks like there's some padding in this first part with Duke (Young) and wife Alice (Hyer) trying to get along, though the pool scene remains a novelty. I expect the chief interest now is a young Robert Redford just starting out in the business. And who at the time could have predicted he would expand and prosper for 50-years in such a cutthroat industry. Anyway, it must have been a cheap episode to produce since the action's basically indoors except for the pool scene. The cast also features an underrated Gene Evans, whose poker-playing Ed proves nobody to mess with. Overall, what the 60-minutes lacks in general suspense is made up for in good character interest and a worthwhile payoff.