Man from the South story
In Las Vegas, a Gambler and a Woman are approached by Carlos, who proposes a bet on whether Gambler's lighter can light up ten times in a row. If Gambler wins, he gets Carlos' convertible; if Gambler loses, Carlos will cut off Gambler's small finger. The lighter works seven times in a row when Carlos's wife interrupts, revealing that Carlos is penniless. Carlos's entire fortune belongs to his wife, who lost three fingers to win it from him. In 1997, TV Guide ranked this episode #41 on its list of the 100 Greatest Episodes. Directed by: Norman Lloyd. Story by: Roald Dahl, William Fay.
8 total · 1 choice · 3 major · 4 minor
| Theme | Level | Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| gambling with a body part | choice | The story concerned the propriety of a young gambler to bet his little finger against Carlos' convertible. |
| gambling | major | The story concerned the propriety of a young gambler to bet his little finger against Carlos' convertible. |
| problem gambling | major | The story concerned an old couple who had been compulsively gambling away cars and fingers over (presumably) many years. |
| taking a high-stakes wager vs. walking away | major | The young gambler deliberated at length over whether he should take the bet. |
| flirtation | minor | The interactions between the young gambler and the women he met in the casino were laden with romantic undertones. |
| horse racing | minor | In the prologue, Alfred Hitchcock was betting on horses at the race. |
| husband and wife | minor | Carlos' wife flew in at the last moment and put a stop to his macabre bet with the young gambler. |
| youthful indiscretion | minor | Carlos' wife spoke of "how foolish and reckless young people could be just trying to prove they are brave." |