Suspense Sundays (67) Goodnight Mrs. Russell

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}

"Goodnight Mrs. Russell"

Air date: October 20, 1949
Starring Bette Davis

>>Episodes here<<

Nice Mrs. Russell visits the nearby diner nearly every day during lunch and strikes up an acquaintance with the cook, Henry.  When she visits for dinner after a late work day, she finds the diner empty and Henry just a little bit weird.  She stays away for awhile, but decides it was all in her head and goes back after another late work day.  This was a terrible mistake.

Two things.  First Henry has a complex because he wasn't accepted into the army and he feels like everyone thinks he's inferior.  This is similar to the crazy guy in an earlier episode of Suspense called "To Find Help".  So I guess this was a common fear around that time for young men who were left behind as it were.  Interesting.  Second, let's talk Mrs. Russell.  You did good getting away from Henry that first time.  Very smart.  Then you ran around the neighborhood and generally lost it.  WHY did you go back with Henry when he found you?? Freaking kick him where it hurts and get out of there!  He didn't even have a weapon!

But even though Mrs. Russell should have gotten a hold of herself, I really enjoyed this epsiode!  They may have been going with a sympathetic angle with Henry and the reason why he's crazy, but I think he was uber creepy and I wouldn't have wanted to play along with his delusions, but just shake him until he sees sense.  Which probably would have gotten me killed...