The Ray Bradbury Theater (TV Series) The Fruit at the Bottom of the Bowl (1988) User Reviews

The Ray Bradbury Theater--The Fruit at the Bottom of the Bowl

[Scarecrow-88 · 7/10 · 13 April 2013]

Michael Ironside doesn't hold anything back as an emasculated writer falling prey to his rage when a publisher who took his wife, Huxley (Robert Vaughn, adding a lot to mere minutes he's featured "alive"), mockingly has him perusing the valuables throughout the house, seemingly pushing him towards murder. What "The Fruit at the Bottom of the Bowl" is truly about is Ironside trying to clean his prints from places he left them while moving about the house when Vaughn wanted to show him his antiques (it was all about setting aflame Ironside's pent-up bitterness and angst; the reasoning is revealed at the very end). Vaughn offers him a drink, purposely places antiques in Ironside's hands, and forces his hand when the piece is revealed in its holster. Because Ironside can't seem to stop seeing fingerprints throughout the house, he keeps cleaning, and sweating, and obsessing. It is quite a treat to see Ironside just defeating himself. The episode seems to move backwards, alternating within the framework of Ironside and his cleaning prints. The motive, besides being ridiculed as a worthless writer, behind Ironside's anger is Vaughn's securing the love of his ex-wife. Vaughn seems to freely rib him without any form of subtlety. The camera is put right into Ironside's face, his teeth often clinched as the mouth is open, sweaty forehead, methodically using his handkerchief, then up the stairs to raid the dressers for a pair of gloves. Once he gets those gloves, then the cleaning so becomes progressively worse until the police find him working over the silverware (in a room he never stepped foot in!). It could have been just repetitive motion, but I have to say I remained strangely compelled even as I understood the outcome. Maybe Ironside just losing it had something to do with it.

Better safe than sorry

[gridoon2024 · 6/10 · 23 June 2015]

Michael Ironside has his professional writing efforts repeatedly derided and his wife stolen by Robert Vaughn. He is pushed to the point of murder, which gives him a great relief; now if only he could remember everything he touched inside Vaughn's apartment so that he could wipe his fingerprints off it! Surely he never touched the fruit at the bottom of the bowl....A cute idea (if "cute" is the right word for it), a bit overstretched even at a mere 25 minutes (most of the episode is really just Ironside mumbling to himself), but funny in a blackly humorous way, and with the kind of ironic surprise ending that you wish more of these stories had had. **1/2 out of 4.

"I didn't come here to talk about things. I came here to kill you!"

[classicsoncall · 6/10 · 9 December 2021]

A failed writer confronts his publisher over a rejected manuscript and decides to do something about it. Adding insult to injury, publisher Huxley (Robert Vaughn) has also been seeing William Acton's (Michael Ironside) wife on the side, thereby increasing the man's frustration and feeling of failure. The entire episode takes place after the fact, as we're shown Acton in flashback gradually losing his grip on reality as he becomes obsessed over obliterating every single fingerprint he might have left in the wealthy Huxley's home. Truth be told, Huxley didn't help his own cause in the way he verbally abused Acton over his lack of ability, even admitting that he had an affair with the wife which he considered over and done with. Acton's descent into madness is halted by the police arriving on the scene as he furiously polishes Huxley's silverware to a sparkling shine, obviously convinced he must have left his prints on everything in the house. Too late that he became aware that Huxley only had a month to live due to cancer, and could have saved himself a whole lot of trouble.

The Fruit at the Bottom of the Bowl

[Prismark10 · 6/10 · 27 June 2023]

It is not William Acton's (Michael Ironside) day. His writing is rejected as substandard by his publisher Jerome Huxley (Robert Vaughn.)

As Acton is visiting Huxley's house, handling the valuable antiques he has. Huxley gently goads Acton, as he is having an affair with Acton's wife.

It ends with both men having a confrontation which leaves Huxley dead. Now Acton has a problem trying to get rid off all the evidence that incriminates him. His fingerprints are all over the house.

This short story from Ray Bradbury has a fractured narrative. With the adaptation going backwards and forwards. The events that led to the killing of Huxley and Acton slowly getting deranged. The guilt of the homicide and removing the fingerprints everywhere.

There is a decent enough twist which gives Huxley's actions a different and more cynical perspective.

Feeling guilt with worry on the mind!

[blanbrn · 9/10 · 7 September 2020]

This episode 1 from season 2 of "The Ray Bradbury Theater" called "The Fruit at the Bottom of the Bowl" is one that's interesting with some suspense and drama as it's a murder story that poisons the mind as worry and guilt is felt from wrong doing. It involves William(late character actor Michael Ironside("Total Recall") a failed writer who's down on his luck who's been cut by his publisher Jerome(the late great Robert Vaughn("The Hitchhiker") and a double slap is that Jerome is now seeing William's wife Mary(Sonja Smits) on the side. After a guest visit William decides to really part ways with Jerome however after the incident he panics and thinks to much as the mind starts to run wild, it's a scramble to wipe clean evidence however he questions how many things were touched with fingerprints. Plus his imagination starts to run wild with the past wow he's going crazy and insane feeling guilty is getting the best of him! Overall well done good episode from late legends Ironside and Vaughn.

Why Murders Are Hard to Commit

[Hitchcoc · 8/10 · 24 March 2015]

A writer who has been turned down by a publisher who apparently has been leading him on professionally (as a favor to the writer's wife with additional benefits) decides to kill the guy. He knows about the affair and now he stands over his dead adversary. The problem comes when he tries to erase all evidence. He can't remember where his fingerprints were left and becomes frantic with fear that he may have missed something. He has flashbacks to conversations with the victim and his own wife. While he is obsessing, his wife comes to the door, knocks, and leaves. He then has one more flashback to the actual murder when he strangle the guy because the gun he brought had no bullets. The story is mostly about a man falling apart at the seams. A fine acting job and a conclusion that makes it even more pathetic. Also, there is a wonderful closing shot.

Perhaps Ironside's Best

[Breter-IMDB · 8/10 · 15 October 2021]

Ironsides works this role hard. Every scene demonstrates his talent, hard work and a love of his craft. He shifted from bonkers to thrilled to a driven murderer so fast I thought my TV was going to throw a rod. Direction and Vaughn were also on top of the game. A great 25 minutes.