"No Pain" is textbook Hitchcock and with the requisite surprise ending. Brian Keith plays a wealthy and healthy fellow who is married to beautiful Joanna Moore. The "healthy" part of his life is shown in flashback as Keith is now suffering a debilitating illness and confined to a portable and electrically powered iron lung. Our story begins with Keith being attended to by his live-in nurse and watching wife Joanna take off sailing with her new "companion" (Yale Wexler). When she returns, the two have it out once and for all. With the nurse conveniently given the night off, the frustrated Ms. Moore literally "pulls the plug" on her husband and tells him that she's more than infatuated with her sailor/boyfriend. She also tells him that she's going to end his misery later, but not on this day. After her nice time out in the ocean, she's in too good of a mood to commit murder. With a little coaxing and some earnest begging, Keith convinces her to plug his iron lung back into the wall socket to keep him from dying. What naive Joanna doesn't know is that her husband has suspected her all along of eventually killing him, and he has made some arrangements to keep that from happening. Directed by veteran and Hitchcock stalwart Norman Lloyd, "No Pain" is a standard entry for the series until the sudden and unexpected ending. As for the cast, it's interesting to see now how much Tatum O'Neal looks like her late mother, Joanna Moore. Ms. Moore was a fine actress in her day and could play the sweet nurturing wife or a conniving woman with equal skill. Brian Keith, as always, does a fine job as the infirm husband with the scheming plans. And he does it all without moving a muscle.
7 Reviews
A great episode undone by a needless and awful epilogue.
planktonrules5 April 2021
"No Pain" is a real product of its times. When most people see it today, they might be confused to see the star of the episode, Mr. Rainey (Brian Keith) stuck in an Iron Lung machine. What is this and why is he there? Well, until the developed the Polio vaccine, countless thousands of people were stuck...confined in these devices in order to survive following the paralysis caused by the disease. The Iron Lung used air pressure to help these afflicted people to breath, as otherwise they would have died. But in many cases, they would end up confined this these contraptions for years...or the rest of their lives. Thank God for the vaccines that mean we don't have to use the devices any more.
In addition to Keith, the episode also stars Joanna Moore...both of which had appeared in earlier episodes of the series. It begins with Mrs. Rainey saying goodbye to her husband, as she's going out sailing with some young man. Naturally, Mr. Rainey cannot join them. Later, after she returns, the missus contemplates turning off the machine, as Mr. And Mrs. Rainey are all alone and will be for sometime. What's next? See the show.
This is one of the darker episodes I can recall. Now this doesn't mean it's bad...it's actually very good. HOWEVER, as often is the case, following the 'perfect crime' in the episode, in the Epilogue, Hitchcock explains that the folks who committed the murder were caught and punished...which completely negates so much of the good in the show. I am sure he was doing this to appease nervous sponsors, but it IS a show often devoted to murder after all!!
In addition to Keith, the episode also stars Joanna Moore...both of which had appeared in earlier episodes of the series. It begins with Mrs. Rainey saying goodbye to her husband, as she's going out sailing with some young man. Naturally, Mr. Rainey cannot join them. Later, after she returns, the missus contemplates turning off the machine, as Mr. And Mrs. Rainey are all alone and will be for sometime. What's next? See the show.
This is one of the darker episodes I can recall. Now this doesn't mean it's bad...it's actually very good. HOWEVER, as often is the case, following the 'perfect crime' in the episode, in the Epilogue, Hitchcock explains that the folks who committed the murder were caught and punished...which completely negates so much of the good in the show. I am sure he was doing this to appease nervous sponsors, but it IS a show often devoted to murder after all!!
"I was never meant for those nobler games of solitaire."
classicsoncall17 November 2021
Warning: Spoilers
I have to admit, I never saw the ending coming on this one, but at the same time I thought, what was the point? Dave Rainey (Brian Keith) was still confined to his iron lung, and his co-conspirator Arnold (Yale Wexler) had to wait a 'few days' to get his fifty grand for killing Mrs. Rainey (Joanna Moore). It wasn't mentioned if there was the possibility Mr. Rainey would ever be able to get off of the ventilator for good, so he wound up no better off. Granted, he thwarted his own demise, for what little comfort he gained for the moment. But with Hitchcock generally opining after one of his programs was over that killers were usually found out and punished, the story's ending failed to serve as just retribution for Cindy Rainey's equally murderous plan. You have to give credit to Brian Keith though, for delivering an effective performance while stuck flat on his back.
The Best Hitchcock Episode Ever!
aehome1021 January 2022
Warning: Spoilers
While season 3 of the Alfred Hitchcock Hour has my heart, season 5 of Alfred Hitchcock Presents is just as awesome! Casting was suburb in this episode! The apparent age difference in the Rainey's adds to the spirit of the times and I love Moore's extolment of Keith's character explaining that he has done well in life as she goes on to explain that Keith has come from unsavory beginnings to a legitimate businessman in his years on Earth, however no explanation as to where the $6 million dollars was ever offered. One omission I found that there was a mention of inviting the character "Arnold" to dinner. This mention was by Keith. While some sort of display of finger food was noticed - Moore fed "Arnold" by hand, I wondered what became of the aforementioned "dinner," and whom will feed Keith's character whom is not free to wander over to the munchies table? When Arnold re-appears into the living room after gallantly taking the nurse home for the evening, dinner is only mentioned after Arnold invites "Cindy" to go for a swim, then dinner afterwards. So when does Keith's character have dinner? He is displayed as being paralyzed so he will have to be fed. The only other oddity I found in this episode was that the episode aired in 1959. "Cindy" (Moore's character) plays out the entire episode clad in a sailing shirt of sorts and apparently a one-piece swim suit. The sailing-themed shirt covers the top half of "Cindy," but she continues throughout the entire episode still wearing her swim suit. While Keith's character calls out his wife for her behavior with other men, namely, Arnold, why does Keith not chastise his wife's manner of dress? Cindy goes to the bedroom to check her hairdo and apply lipstick but remains in her swimsuit and shirt. Did Cindy know that Arnold was going to return and invite her to swim? I am frankly surprised that Cindy's swimsuit passed the t.v. Censors in 1959 as there were tight shots of Cindy standing next to her husband's iron lung machine that were nearly revealing even for a beauty queen like Joanna Moore. I felt it was a little distasteful and surprised when my husband also mentioned the swimsuit apparel choice. Keith's character never once, asked his wife to change out of her swimsuit as he knew Arnold would return back to the house after driving the nurse home. Odd form, I thought for 1959. I absolutely love this episode however even though the viewer has no idea how Keith's character attained his 6 millions dollars. I also appreciate that there was no lifeless body brought into the house and thus a less messy conclusion to this episode. Cindy Rainey's cool though mild speech cinched her long-suffering frame of mind and I was riveted by how well a married couple could so calmly discuss Cindy's motive to kill her husband - the viewer may have thought that Cindy lied when she told her husband that his death was not to take place on that day. Great stuff!!!
A Sad Circumstance
Hitchcoc27 April 2023
Let's face it. The guy is in an iron lung, which meant his lungs were damaged where that monster machine had to breath for him. When the Sauk vaccine came out and polio literally disappeared, we were given a reprieve from every experiencing the horrors this man must endure. The young woman has done what she can, but the flesh is weak at times. We also can probably guess that Brian Keith's money situation was probably based on some cutthroat business practices where the chickens are coming home to roost. I will give the writers credit. I never saw the ending coming which makes it a very good AHP because one begins to try to figure out what sort of twist is available. All in all, it's sad to see someone suffer with little hope.
WAITING TO EXHALE?
tcchelsey17 November 2023
Popular author William Jerome Fay, who wrote 14 episodes for Hitch, cooked up this dynamic two character tale, one you cannot miss. The thing is, once you see it, you won't forget it.
This is also why Brian Keith was such a terrific actor, following in the footsteps of his famous father, Robert Keith. Here, he plays a man who is basically doomed. Keith, who was once very successful, is now confined to an iron lung and has only his wife to look after him.
Is that good or bad? Being a Hitchcock episode, you know there's more to the story, and with beautiful Joanna Moore playing his wife... fill in the blanks. She most certainly is unfaithful, and ready to pull the plug on that wheezing iron lung stuck in the middle of their beach house living room.
Probably the most ironic of all Hitchcock stories, you have to admit. Also, I agree with the last reviewer, you really don't know how Keith's character earned all his money. Stay tuned!
The best of SEASON 5 remastered Universal dvd box set. 5 dvds. Released 2012. Collectors edition.
This is also why Brian Keith was such a terrific actor, following in the footsteps of his famous father, Robert Keith. Here, he plays a man who is basically doomed. Keith, who was once very successful, is now confined to an iron lung and has only his wife to look after him.
Is that good or bad? Being a Hitchcock episode, you know there's more to the story, and with beautiful Joanna Moore playing his wife... fill in the blanks. She most certainly is unfaithful, and ready to pull the plug on that wheezing iron lung stuck in the middle of their beach house living room.
Probably the most ironic of all Hitchcock stories, you have to admit. Also, I agree with the last reviewer, you really don't know how Keith's character earned all his money. Stay tuned!
The best of SEASON 5 remastered Universal dvd box set. 5 dvds. Released 2012. Collectors edition.
Fantastic entry
sheepandsharks27 July 2023
This is a great episode that has exactly what I want out of the series: a twist ending I DIDN'T see coming within the first 5 minutes, and actual suspense filling the 22-minute runtime! It falls slightly short of a perfect 10 only because it doesn't do enough with the first half of the episode.
The long scene where Brian Keith is out of the iron lung is extremely uncomfortable and kept me guessing just how it would end. It reminded me of season one's "Breakdown," which might just be my favorite episode of the entire show. (Admittedly, those scenes affect me personally due to my own experiences of being in comas and on ventilators, but I'm quite sure they're still plenty suspenseful for everyone else!)
Stray observation: Yale Wexler, who plays Arnold, is a perfect mixture of Anthony Perkins and Jimmy Stewart. Hitchcock certainly had a type!
The long scene where Brian Keith is out of the iron lung is extremely uncomfortable and kept me guessing just how it would end. It reminded me of season one's "Breakdown," which might just be my favorite episode of the entire show. (Admittedly, those scenes affect me personally due to my own experiences of being in comas and on ventilators, but I'm quite sure they're still plenty suspenseful for everyone else!)
Stray observation: Yale Wexler, who plays Arnold, is a perfect mixture of Anthony Perkins and Jimmy Stewart. Hitchcock certainly had a type!
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
