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Title

The Artist

Plot

A wealthy industrialist falls for a married knife throwing performer. He worries that her husband will find out and deliberately hit her with a knife.

Episode

0573

Air Dates

  • First Run - December 28, 1976
  • Repeat - April 17, 1977

Actors

Writer

Listen

Rating

103
90     13


6 Responses to Episode 0573

A wealthy industrialist falls for a married knife throwing performer. He worries that her husband will find out and deliberately hit her with a knife.

Bum from Ohio

Proverbs 7:6-27 A cautionary tale of lusting after the forbidden woman.

Ty Swanson

Happy 164th Birthday, Guy de Maupassant! (08/05/1850 - 07/06/1893) List of CBSRMT episodes based on his stories: #0044-THE HORLA #0062-THE DIARY OF A MADMAN #0080-THE HAND #0276-THE DIAMOND NECKLACE #0548-THE GRAVEYARD #0573-THE ARTIST #0782-REVENGE IS SWEET List of CBSRMT episodes involving Guy de Maupassant: #0715-THE GUY DE MAUPASSANT MURDERS #1115-LEAVE WELL ENOUGH ALONE The Diamond Necklace... one of the best CBSMTs. The sound effect on "The Horla" will clean your speakers. Consistently strong adaptations, wish they had done more.

Mike

Many stories have been mistakenly attributed to De Maupassant over the years. A famous edition of his complete stories was published in 1903 which contained 65 stories which he did not write ! This was corrected in the 1955 Doubleday edition edited by Artine Artinian which is still considered the authoritative edition and can still be found on Amazon or abebooks at not too steep a price . " The Artist " is not included in that volume so it was probably not written by De Maupassant . You still read " The Artist " on line , however , as it is still attributed to him on some on-line sites .

Richard Theiling

Marc Harrison is astounded when he first sees Professor Raoul de la Croix throw a knife that lands under his wife Mlle. Fifi’s arm and right next to her heart. Marc is convinced that this is an act showing the ultimate faith one human being can have in another. But when Marc becomes the professor’s friend and Mlle. Fifi’s lover, he realizes that her life is in real danger every night.

Adam

I rate this episode ★★★★★ for EXCELLENT. Guy de Maupassant's story is a classic. And Sam Dann's adaptation of it was better! This episode digs deeper into the main character's mind on what he thought, what he felt, and what he saw. It was like an Erotic Thriller for radio that would put CBSRMT listeners on the edge of their seats and they'll be guessing for many years if the final knife hit or miss its human target. Other ways to title this hair-raising tale, would be "A Murderous Edge" or "Flirting With Death." In our Host's Prologue, E.G. Marshall's topic is about the knife and comparing it opportunities. In ACT-1, not only we hear the sound of a knife thwacking to a board, but also meet 2 of our characters that are involved with it: a Professor and a Mademoiselle. In ACT-2, we learn that truth is stranger than fiction and it has no restrictions. In ACT-3, this love triangle mystery is building up more. After the skip-a-heart-beat-finale, our Host ask us listeners would we go see a murder if we knew exactly when & where and there's nothing to do to prevent it? In his Epilogue, E.G. Marshall states that this story is about possession and how we're affected by it. The narrations he brought us were informative and pensive. Sound effects of cups clinking, doors, dialing rotary phone, door buzzer, coffee pouring, piano playing in the background, and the slap were helpful. More importantly, the sound of the knives thwacking over and over and over would put you to the edge of your seat, hoping there would be gasp or a scream afterwards. The music was terrific! Not only it was dramatic, but a sinister feel every time the main character narrated. The more times that sinister tuned played, the better. And our 4 cast members were top-notch phenomenal! Michael Wager (as Mark Harrison), Patricia Elliott (as Mademoiselle Fifi), Court Benson (as Professor de la Croix and Morton Holmes), and Ann Pitoniak (as Mark's Mother). Their performances in this were so good, they should've played their roles again on Stage, on TV, and on Film. This adaption of a Guy de Maupassant story is one of the best that CBSRMT had brought to our listening pleasure. I highly recommend it. Plus, it has nostalgic commercials of the 1977 Buick LeSabre Coupe, Ex-Lax pills, Astoria, the Fotomat Store, the 1977 Buick Regal, Shop Rite, Atalanta brands, Franklin Savings Bank, H-O Oatmeal Cereal, Rosemary Pooler for the State Consumer Protection Board, John Scott hosting CBS News, and Backman brands. Until next time…pleasant dreams.

Russell


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