Suspense Sundays (145) A Shipment of Mute Fate

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.

"A Shipment of Mute Fate"

Air date: April 3, 1960
Starring Bernard Grant

>>Episodes here<<

Chris needs to transport an extremely dangerous snake and books passage on a ship to America.  The Captain knows how dangerous and deadly this snake is, and is very reluctant to accept, but they double the enclosure and hope there won't be a big storm to jostle the ship.  There's a big storm.  The box gets broken through, and by the time Chris goes to check on the snake, the snake is gone and now at large.

A snake on the loose is a pretty scary story to me!  And of course I knew it was going to happen as I was listening to this.  It is a bit unfair though of the show to make this snake out to be capable of deliberately plotting people's death.  The anthropomorphism is pretty ridiculous.  But it is fortunate that for a creepy premise, there's a rather nice resolution that involves a feisty cat.