Madame Mystery story
When aged movie star Betsy Blake dies in a boat accident, young Hollywood PR man Jimmy Dolan exploits her death to create a massive publicity campaign and advance his career. Three months later Betsy returns, alive and ready to take advantage of her new "legend", but Jimmy, distraught at having his success overshadowed, kills her. It is then revealed that Betsy was Jimmy's mother. Directed by: John Brahm. Story by: Robert Bloch, William Fay.
13 total · 1 choice · 5 major · 7 minor
| Theme | Level | Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| the desire for professional success | choice | Jimmy was not above exploiting what turned out to be his mother's own death to advance his career in Hollywood. |
| celebrity culture in society | major | Betsy Blake was a celebrity and Jimmy exploited her death to create publicity. |
| matricide | major | The plot turned on Jimmy killing his own movie star mother Betsy in an effort to get out from under she shadow. |
| mother and son | major | In a surprise twist, Betsy turned out to be Jimmy's own mother. |
| the entertainment industry | major | Jimmy was trying to make a name for himself in the Hollywood publicity racket. |
| what if someone I knew returned from the dead | major | Jimmy thought his mother, Betsy Blake, was dead and exploited this fact to his advantage. When she turned up quite alive, Jimmy was upset. |
| alcohol abuse | minor | Betsy was a cantankerous drunk. |
| astrology | minor | Jimmy said something about being Betsy Blake's astrologer. |
| boyfriend and girlfriend | minor | The story began with Jimmy sending some attractive dimwit off to wait for him in his flat. |
| coping with being eclipsed by a family member | minor | Jimmy longer to get out from under his movie star mother's shadow. |