The Test

Insightful writing on the part of Henry Slesar, perhaps one of the most published writers of all time early in his career. While not a lawyer by trade, he sure could spin a yarn, and this gem really gets to you thinkin' and thinkin'.

Brian Keith returns playing an attorney, Vernon Wedge (love that name) who ain't too keen about defending 17 year old Benjy (Rod Lauren) in an otherwise open a shut case. He supposedly stabbed and killed his victim, and the infamous knife is introduced in the trial. Wedge takes the case because his father (Eduardo Ciannelli) begs him, no other choice.

Most intriguing part are the forensics, and Wedge's dogged claim that chemicals can prove his client totally innocent. However clever, there's always that long shadow of doubt. And without giving too much away here, who is worse; dear old dad or his son?

Ciannelli, long friends with Hitch (known for FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT) chews up the scenery. We love him.

Rod Lauren, incidentally, went onto become a cult film star, known for the CRAWLING HAND, many other drive-in classics. Rusty Lane, a staple in westerns, plays the judge.

Did you catch him? One of the jurors is Bill Raisch, famous for playing the one-arm man on the FUGITIVE. Bill lost his arm during WWII, but managed to get screen work, later becoming an acting teacher in Hollywood.

For all us fans of Brian Keith, taking after his famous dad. SEASON 7 EPISODE 20 remastered Universal dvd box set. All seasons are on dvd in a single box set. Released 2022.

Brian Keith made a terrific episode of "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" where he played an unscrupulous attorney who would do anything to win. Here again, Keith plays a similar sort of attorney...though if you remember the ending of the first episode you know he can't be the same man.

The story begins with a father (Eduardo Ciannelli) begging the attorney to accept his son as a client. It seems that the young man is accused of stabbing someone to death. The lawyer insists that he young man plead guilty, but the accused won't as he insists he's not guilty. Ultimately, it all comes down to some showmanship and a test.

This is just an okay episode and the big twist seems more like a big letdown. Not terrible...just not all that good or exquisitely written.

The kid in this episode is a punk and probably a murderer. His father is willing to do anything to get him off. But when a foolproof method comes along and he can get satisfaction, he circumvents the process. Brian Keith is pretty good as an edgy defense attorney who would rather not take a case. I was surprised by how little he did with the witnesses that testified against his client. They were weak and indecisive.