Suspense Sundays (56) Love's Lovely Counterfeit

Suspense was a radio series from 1942 to 1962.  I have a fondness for "Old Time Radio" as we call it now, and Suspense is my favorite show.  It sets up weird, dark, scary, or intriguing stories with a plot twist in the end, and all in half an hour.  For Suspense Sundays I'll give a short review of an episode.   {My archive list of episodes}

"Love's Lovely Counterfeit"

Air date: March 8, 1945
Starring Humphrey Bogart

>>Episodes here<<

June Lyons believes in cleaning up her town and faithfully backs the man who she thinks can make it happen - Saul, a pretty shady politician.  Ben is in his pay as his enforcer and when Ben is tired of his bullying, he enlists June's good nature to help bring Saul down.  His plan works, but instead of cleaning up the town, Ben takes over and June isn't happy about that.

Oh insta-love. How quickly June falls into Ben's plans because I guess he has a rough, careless charm.  I don't really see it.  But the "romance" isn't important to this story at all, because this episode is very interestingly a film noir - without the visuals.  Ben is cynical and stand-offish and deals with each problem that arises very methodically and effectively.  It's a different kind of vibe to the series, one that seemed sometimes over the top and melodramatic, but the story is interesting and entertaining (with somewhat bland twists) and the fact that it features Bogie already makes it a classic.