The Orderly World of Mr Appleby story
Mr Appleby loves his antiques shop, even though everyone tells him the "antiques" are just junk. To maintain the shop, he repeatedly marries wealthy women. Now he has married for the fourth time. His new wife discovers that he murdered the previous three, but she is more than a match for him. Directed by: John Gorrie. Story by: Stanley Ellin.
11 total · 7 major · 4 minor
| Theme | Level | Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| blackmail | major | Martha tried to punish Mr. Abbleby by threatening him with an inquest into his fates of his past wives. |
| controlling partner | major | Mr. Appleby found married life with Martha to be a miserable experience on account of her micro-managing his life. |
| greed for riches | major | Mr. Appleby was in the habit of marrying older women for their money. Martha's father had married her mother for her money and later murdered her. |
| husband and wife | major | Martha Sturgess married fastidious antique dealer and serial wife murderer Mr. Appleby. |
| serial murder | major | Mr. Appleby was a serial wife murderer. |
| spouse murder | major | Mr. Appleby was a serial wife murderer. Martha's father had married her mother for her money and later murdered her. |
| the desire for vengeance | major | Mrs. Appleby revealed that she wanted vengeance on her late father by punishing men that were like him. |
| divorce | minor | Mr. Appleby took offense when asked whether he had ever been divorced. |
| interest in antiques | minor | Antique dealer Mr. Appleby was careful to only sell his merchandise to people who could ensure it would go to a safe place. |
| loneliness | minor | Mr. Appleby and Martha both confessed to being lonely before agreeing to get married. But it turned out both of them were lying for different reasons. |