The West Warlock Time Capsule story

ahp2x35 · 1957-05-26

Taxidermist George Tiffany is distressed when his wife Mildred invites her good-for-nothing brother Waldren into their home. Waldren pretends to be sick, refuses to work, and has Mildred waiting on him hand and foot. When Mildred succumbs to exhaustion, George kills Waldren and stuffs him inside a horse that is being prepared for the town memorial. Directed by: Justus Addiss. Story by: J. P. Cahn, Marian Cockrell.

11 total · 6 major · 5 minor

ThemeLevelMotivation
brother and sister major Louise welcomed her lazy, good-for-nothing brother Waldrin into her home only to have him unapologetically freeload off of her and her husband.
brother-in-law and brother-in-law major George was distressed by the presence of his freeloading brother-in-law, Waldrin, in his home.
coping with a moocher major Mildred, and her husband George, had to deal with Mildred's freeloading little brother, Waldrin.
human occupational activity major The taxidermist George Tiffany was preparing a recently deceased horse to be put on display at the town memorial.
husband and wife major George and Louise were dealing with Louise's freeloading little brother, Waldren.
murder major George put an end to Waldrin's freeloading by the simple expedient of first killing him, and then stuffing the body inside a taxidermied horse.
alcohol abuse minor Walden consumed excessive amounts of his cough medicine because it contained alcohol. Georg commented that they might as well buy gin for him.
Christmas traditions minor In the preamble, Alfred Hitchcock explained how he'd shot Santa and one of Santa's reindeer, and was about to have Santa's corpse stuffed and mounted.
coping with being ill and indisposed minor Waldrin pretended to have a bad cough in order to curry his sister's sympathy. Later he feigned to suffer indigestion (as did the stuffed horse Napoleon, incidentally).
medical occupation minor A physician told George that Mildred was worn out and needed a couple of weeks of complete rest.