The Twelve Hour Caper story
Herbert J. Wiggam works at an investment firm for Sylvester Tupper. Tupper treats him employees like slaves. Knowing that a $565,000 bond is about to arrive Herbert and two other disgruntled employees decide to steal it. The plan to hide the bonds in the garbage can until the police leave. The plan goes awry, however, when one of the policemen knocks over the garbage can. The plot is not foiled, however. A old cleaning lady arrives just in time to scoop up the papers and takes them out with the trash. Later, Herbert arrives at the airport. He is headed for South America. He arrives with the cleaning lady who is, in fact, his mother. Directed by: John Newland. Story by: Mike Marmer, Harold Swanton.
8 total · 1 choice · 1 major · 6 minor
| Theme | Level | Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| theft | choice | The story centers on a convoluted plot by which Herbert made off with $565,000 in paper bonds. |
| workplace disgruntlement | major | For Herbert, being passed over for an important promotion was the straw that broke the camel's back. He subsequently recruited two fellow disgruntled employees and hatched elaborate caper that, if successful, would score them $565,000 in paper bonds. |
| betrayal | minor | The viewer is left with the impression that Herbert skipped off to Brazil with with all the stolen bonds, leaving his two accomplices high and dry - although this was not made clear. |
| coping with unwelcome romantic attention | minor | Westbrook flagrantly hit on the secretary Miss Pomfritt in front of their colleagues to her protestations. |
| entrepreneurship | minor | In his sketch, Alfred Hitchcock claimed to have started a ticker tape business. |
| law enforcement | minor | Police investigators snooped around the office and asked questions, but were otherwise unimportant to the plot. |
| mother and son | minor | In a surprise twist, the cleaning lady was revealed to be Herbert's mother. |
| the desire for professional success | minor | Tupper explained to Herbert why Herbert got passed over for what, we gather, would have been a promotion. |