CBSRMT Episode Information Next Episode

Title

The Night of the Wolf

Plot

A very old Indian garment stirs great violence among the patrons of a museum. An investigator delves deeper into the situation, making himself a vulnerable target to the curse.

Episode

0215

Air Dates

  • First Run - January 30, 1975
  • Repeat - April 13, 1975

Actors

Writer

Listen

Rating

117
89     28


13 Responses to Episode 0215

An absolutely ludicrous story line makes for another entertaining episode. What made this series great was that it routinely made you suspend belief and even common sense to just enjoy a good yarn. Evie Juster was terrific as usual and this one was a lot of fun.

Jim

A rather silly story about a series of incidents relating to an old indian artifact in a museum. There's a mildly interesting idea but the episode is dull and the characters uninteresting.

Joemal Chambers

Another tale that takes advantage of the popular misunderstandings of Native American culture to perpetuate stereotypes and fear. (I will resist the soapbox at this point recognizing that we have come a long way in the past 30 years An American Indian exhibit of artifacts stirs interest, and certain passions at regular intervals. These passions are violent in nature, and when one turns to murder a detective is on the case. While there are 100 witnessed and the perpetrator himself admits to having committed the crime, the detective feels there is more to it and looks into the nature of the artifacts on display. While there he falls in love with a curator and begins an affair, cheating on his wife and children.

Rodgers

A good moral tale and a bit creepy too. Not bad but not the best.

1nicolem

A morality tale to a lesser extent and an okay one, but not the best. Apparently if you have a big (moral?) secret you shouldn't look at the robe 3 nights before a full moon (although why not on the full moon?).

Alec

Good choice. frown emoticon (And I'm serious about my choice of words and smiley faces.)

kurt

Episode #0215-THE NIGHT OF THE WOLF has Evie Juster playing 2 roles. The 1st role she plays is Polly Atkins where she acts cheery/perky. And the 2nd role is Mrs. Stanley Halworth where she uses her REAL voice.

Russell

I rate this episode ★★★☆☆ for AVERAGE. Sam Dann wrote a decent Drama-Mystery where it got interesting at the beginning with the murder, a sub-plot of seduction in the middle, and jumped towards to some action near the end. There are many different ways to Title this story; such as “The Deadly Exhibit,” “Every 3 Weeks,” “Set My Mind On Fire,” or simply “The Robe.” It was a likable plot, but not much so on our characters. And speaking of characters, I’d say nice work to our cast: Michael Tolan (as Detective Lieutenant George Miller), Joan Shay (as Terry Jessup’s wife & Myra Miller), Evie Juster (as Polly Atkins & Mrs. Stanley Halworth), Ken Harvey (as Captain Prescott), and Russell Horton (as Terry Jessup & Kenneth Underwood). Usually, we get to hear Evie Juster’s voice as someone who is cheery and perky. But in this CBSRMT episode, this is where she speaks in her regular voice. Props to her, to Russell Horton, and to Joan Shay for playing more than one character role. Kudos to Ken Harvey and Michael Tolan for playing as cops. The acting was well done, but the characters that they played weren’t likable, especially our main one. Here we have a detective trying to solve a murder case, who cheats on his wife with another woman, then gets the info on the robe that belonged to the High Priest of the Wolf Clan, and then he dies (SPOILER ALERT). Not just his actions that surprised me, but his words when he tried to explain what he felt. For example, when he explains to the Captain on why he’s cheating on his spouse at the 21-minute 31-second mark, he says, “I just have to have her.” That’s the best answer he can come up with?!? Or when he flirts with his girlfriend back at her place at the 35-minute 53-second mark, he says, “And you’re not the best looking dame that I ever saw.” What kind of compliment is that?!? I digress. Anyway, the music & sound effects needed more to go on. You got good suspenseful tunes in every Act, but some didn’t fit well to make it intense. The sound effects of the classical music, the bystanders at the museum, doors opening & closing, car horn honking, birds chirping, soothing violin music, the rotary phone being picked up, and people murmuring were suitable. It would be better if there were sounds of wolves or even Native American drum beats in the background; certain sounds that would cause characters to commit violent acts other than just staring at the robe in the museum. Or even use chilling music from #0034-THE DEADLY HOUR, #0080-THE HAND, #0167-THE BLACK ROOM and #1245-THE JUDGE’S HOUSE. But one thing I enjoyed the most, was our Host: E.G. Marshall. In his Prologue, he questions what many philosophers have asked: What is life and what is death? In ACT-1, he brought us into the story where it’s at a museum gallery in the spring season in the southwest area. Later, he talks about the need for more wives who understand and points out that the museum is the central link in our story. In ACT-2, after giving a brief summary of our minor character who committed a crime, he points out later that scientists believe that matter can’t be destroyed and philosophers believe that ideas can't be killed. In ACT-3, he makes another point that many cities are built on the ruins of others; just another layer and the ideas/forces/spirits are not buried within these layers, but exist within these characters. In the end, he asks us what really caused the detective’s death: his conscience, a heart attack, or the verdict of the High Priest of the Wolf Clan...you decide. In his Epilogue, E.G. Marshall made his final point on honesty, righteousness, and poetic justice when he said, “When a man lives with truth, there also will justice dwell.” This story had little to do with Wolves, but it was a suitable mystery that took place in a museum. Check out other CBSRMT episodes involving museums; such as #0071-THE MURDER MUSEUM and #1130-THE GILBERT STUART. Until next time…pleasant dreams. =0]

Russell

Obvious he stabbed himself in the heart with the knife....

helen

I just listened to this one the other day. I really liked the twist in it, nice to hear a different spin.

Tina

Enjoyable tale that let's you have your imagination wander down mysterious paths. It was enjoyable. I really enjoyed listening to the news and commercials. Thanks E G Marshall and CBSRMT!

Nancy

[spoilers] ................................................................................. I was hoping for a partial "scientific" reveal, that the Indian coat was woven with hallucinogenic plants, or otherwise impregnated with hallucinogens (mescaline, peyote, etc., which were used in some Southwest Indian rituals), so if you were susceptible and stood too close, you would breathe it in/absorb it, causing you to trip. Many CBSRMT stories give you two interpretations, "supernatural" or "real", so maybe they missed a chance here.

Dr. D.

Why is the full moon happening every 3 weeks? And why does Sam Dann write so many women who are shrews or both ditzy and homewreckers?

Gilly


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