Special Delivery Review

[Cori aka ChrisSCrush]

The 1959 episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, “Special Delivery,” was written by Ray Bradbury based on his story which has been titled “Boys! Raise Giant Mushrooms in Your Cellar!” and “Come into My Cellar.”

Bill Fortnam, played by Stephen Dunne (changed from Hugh Fortnum in the short story) lives in an ordinary neighborhood. His young son, Tom, played by Peter Lazer, responds to a magazine ad about raising giant mushrooms for profit. Bill’s friend, Roger, played by Frank Maxwell, warns Bill of some impending doom and tells him to be on the lookout. Then Roger goes missing. Bill suspects the mushrooms neighborhood boys are raising, though not poison, are no ordinary fungi.

What Bill suspects and what he chooses to do about it are sustained in suspense right to the last moment. The episode was well filmed. The last scene was brilliantly done and probably no color version could approach it. They don’t make ‘em like this any more.