The final line is a shocker.
One of the most recognized radio plays of all time, is, ironically, one of the first episodes of Old Time Radio I have ever listened to. The classic Lucille Fletcher script was said to have star Agnes Moorehead fainted dead away the first time she read it. Now, while I was something of a reality-grounded 9 year-old when I first heard "Sorry", the play had me (almost) wetting my pants. I had never heard of anything so terrifying or so suspenseful. Me at the time, a 9-year old brought up on cartoons and Sesame Street, listening to a bed-ridden woman frantically trying to call her husband and prevent a murder, was a definite first for me. A window into an almost adult world of entertainment. Almost like taking your kids to see Halloween 45 in 3D. An interesting premise, but wrong.
Today, 11 years later, I still find the play inescapably good, and nothing to be missed. Agnes Moorehead delivers smash-bang great performances every time she performed it (6 episodes, with two different recordings for the East Coast/West Coast affiliates each time).
I have developed a scale of 1-10, one being "crap", and ten being "BRAVO!!!!". On this basis, I give "Sorry, Wrong Number" a 10. A superb episode from an equally superb show. Excellent acting coupled with great direction. A total winner!
I listened to the link you posted for this. It was very good! I've never listened to radio drama like that before. I thought it would be boring, but it was actually very well done and had my interest from start to finish. After I got half way through, I realized that I had seen a movie like this. So, I looked it up. There is a movie, of the same title, starring Barbara Stanwyck. You probably knew that already. However, if you didn't, the movie is worth checking out. I don't remember for sure, but I think the ending was different. I won't spoil it for you though.
ReplyDeleteGreat assessment of Agnes Moorehead's performance. She should have had the movie role -- much better than Stanwyck. Saw Ms Moorehead perform this live in a one-woman stage show. Will write about her on my blog in the future.
ReplyDelete