Listen, Listen...! story
Herbert Johnson tries to convince the authorities that the final murder of the Stockings Murders was committed by a copycat, but no one takes him seriously. A priest, Father Rafferty, finally listens to Herbert's story about how the victim, Helen Jameson, left her controlling, religious parents for a life of "sin", and her death was a "punishment". Herbert is Helen's father, and his wife is the copycat who killed Helen, but Herbert is unable to accuse his wife openly. Directed by: Don Taylor. Story by: R.E. Kendall, Bernard C. Schoenfeld.
12 total · 1 choice · 4 major · 7 minor
| Theme | Level | Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| what if I told the truth and nobody would believe me | choice | Herbert was trying, ineptly and insecurely, to reveal something he knew about a murder but neither the police nor the reporters would believe him. Note the story is entitled "Listen, Listen...!" after all. |
| coping with the death of a child | major | We learn at the story's conclusion that Herbert was in fact the father of the third murdered girl, and quite upset. |
| filicide | major | The grand revelation of the story is that a mother had murdered her estranged and straying daughter. |
| serial murder | major | The story concerned a series of three murders, that in fact turned out to be only two followed by a copycat murder. |
| the need to be treated with respect | major | Central to the story was that neither the police nor the press would listen to Herbert but, in fact, ridiculed him. |
| coping with being ill on the job | minor | Alfred Hitchcock feigned having lost his voice, and tried his best to present the story nonetheless. |
| father and daughter | minor | We learn that Herbert was in fact the father of the third murdered girl. |
| husband and wife | minor | Herbert came home, sat down at the dinner table, and conversed with his wife Helen about the murder of their daughter at the very end of the story. |
| journalism | minor | Herbert spoke to a couple of journalists. |
| law enforcement | minor | Herbert spoke to several police officers. |