Alfred Hitchcock Presents (TV Series) I Spy (1961) User Reviews

You certainly find yourself rooting for this lady.

[planktonrules · 8/10 · 19 April 2021]

This episode of "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" is very atypical in many ways. This isn't a complaint....more an observation as to the show and its unusual style. First, parts of it were actually filmed in Brighton, England...whereas most episodes were just made at the studio (Republic or Universal, depending on when the show was made). Second, there's no murder, mayhem or anything that seems Hitchcocky...but the change of pace was pleasant.

Mrs. Morgan (Kay Walsh) is most unusual. While she's married to a man who is very well off, she leaves him and obtains a job in a small hotel in Brighton. Why? Well, you soon realize that her husband is about as lovable as a boil and she just tired of this loveless and emotionally abusive marriage. As for the husband, this is a huge blow to his ego and he pays some private investigators to follow his wife to find material he can use to obtain a divorce. Much of the show consists of an operative posing as a waiter observing her....and becoming quite attracted to this nice lady as well. See the show to see how it all plays out at the end.

This is less a scary episode or one with a twist...more a nice slice of life. It's very pleasant and well made....with some very nice acting by Walsh. Well worth seeing.

Oh, and if you watch, look for the amazing Arabian Nights-like palace in Brighton. Brighton Pavilion was built as a retreat for George IV....and despite the look, it 100% British.

Simple and Sweet

[Hitchcoc · 7/10 · 1 June 2021]

Other than the two supposed adversaries falling in love, there's little suspense. It gives us some British actors doing their thing. A private detective finds there is more than he expected when he takes the case of following a blowhard estranged wife. The results are easily anticipated.

Slight comedy

[ctomvelu1 · 6/10 · 13 January 2013]

Whimsical plot has Kay Walsh as a middle-aged woman who leaves her nasty husband and takes a job at a seaside resort. The husband hires an agency to spy on her, and the detective sent to investigate takes a job at the same hotel to stay close to her. Gradually, the two fall for each other. But the woman doubts she can ever get a divorce from her cruel and unloving husband. That is, until the detective files his report. Mild comedy at best, distinguished by the two leads. Not your usual Hitchcock type episode. No bodies, no suspense. But no harm done, either. Some of you will recognize Walsh from various movies and other TV shows.

"We just didn't hit it off!"

[classicsoncall · 6/10 · 11 March 2022]

There's no suspense or irony with this Hitchcock episode. In fact, it's a story that can literally be told millions of times in all the far corners of the world. Mrs. Morgan (Kay Walsh) leaves her inattentive and garrulous husband and takes a job as a hotel maid. The injured husband (William Kendall) hires a private detective to find out if his wife is cheating on him, and sets in motion the activity that he was afraid of. Nothing new here; as it happens, Mrs. Morgan and Mr. Flute (Eric Barker) have an eye for each other, and take to friendly walks and the cinema. Their discussions involve finding the right person to fall in love with and marry, thereby resulting in an attraction to each other that Flute encourages via his investigative recap to Mr. Morgan. When Mrs. Morgan receives the divorce petition, she's absolutely giddy with delight, since earlier, she expressed how she didn't know how to go about it. I guess you could say this was an all's well that ends well episode, since all the parties eventually got what they wanted, rather unusual for a Hitchcock episode.

Don't expect to find Culp & Cosby in this one

[kapelusznik18 · 5/10 · 19 March 2016]

***SPOILERS*** "The Master" Alfred Hitchcock goes into new territory here not about his usual type of murder & mystery episodes but love found in the wrong places among the most unlikely of persons. This has to do with Mrs. Morgan, Kay Walsh, who ran away from her jealous and overbearing husband Captain Morgan,William Kendell, getting a job working as a waitress at a seaside hotel on the English coast.

The Captain feeling that his wife is cheating on him hired a private detective Mr. Frute, Eric Baker, to get the goods on his wife and use that in an upcoming divorce hearing against her. As Frute goes undercover as a waiter in the hotel that Mrs. Morgan is working at but he slowly starts to fall under her spell as well as in love with her! But even better-for Mrs . Morgan-Mr. Frute finds that she's as honest to her husband as the day is long and is not having any affairs with anyone-man or woman- like Capt. Morgan suspects her of having.

***SPOILERS***It doesn't take long for Cupit to shoot off his arrow and get the two to fall madly in love with each other which has Frute quit his job as a PI and take off with Mrs.Morgan to the nearest chapel to get hitched up. As for Mrs. Morgan's jealous husband he gets what he set out to do catch his wife cheating on him with him being the one who provided her with the person-PI Frute-to do it with!

Alfred Hitchcock Presents: I SPY (TV) (Norman Lloyd, 1961) **

[Bunuel1976 · 4/10 · 15 March 2010]

This is one of the blandest entries, ironically directed by the series' Associate Producer and longtime Hitchcock collaborator and friend Lloyd. The flimsy – and distinctly unthrilling – plot involves a man who thinks his wife (a middle-aged maid played by a typically overbearing Kay Walsh) may be having an affair and sets a private investigator on her tail (the episode's "Guest Star" Cecil Parker turns up as Head of the agency). So, the detective takes up work as a waiter at the same Brighton hotel as the woman but, being both mild-mannered sorts, the two are gradually drawn to one another...with the ensuing report to the husband proving, at best, a half-truth (actually, it is promptly followed by the detective's resignation).