Design for Loving Review

[Cori aka ChrisSCrush]

The 1958 episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, “Design for Loving,” is set in the near future year of 1965. It was written by Ray Bradbury based on his own short story. The main character is a man named Charles, played by Norman Lloyd, whose last name is spelled Braling in the original Ray Bradbury story “Marionettes, Inc.,” but is spelled Brailing in the credits listed on Internet Movie Database.

Charles has grown weary of his wife, Lydia, played by Marian Seldes. She seems needy and plays with an annoying set of metal rings. Charles wants to fly to Rio without Lydia knowing. He tells his friend Tom Smith, played by Elliott Reid, that he has found a perfect solution, and shows him an exact replica of himself. He has ordered this from a company far advanced in robotics, which can duplicate a person down to the smallest detail. The only difference is machinery noises if a person places their ear directly on the robot’s chest.

As usual in Hitchcock shows, there is a wicked twist ending. This episode was well written, true to the original material, and the acting and special effects were good.