Alfred Hitchcock Presents

Robert Emhardt's little piggy eyes and sickly smile are used to maximal effect in this overly drawn-out but effective episode. As a travelling salesman, Emhardt is, in every way, repulsive - we first see him cheerfully stepping on a beautiful butterfly in order to make a child cry, and it's a wonder he doesn't kick a dog whilst he's at it. He has contempt for his rustic customers, he has a sideline in pornographic key-rings (yes, key-rings) and he takes active delight in slowing down a truck which tries to overtake him on a narrow road. As a result, a young man dies, but his father and brothers - smarter than this city slicker ever realises - get their vengeance. The little twist in the tale is very predictable and the rustic types are perhaps somewhat caricatured.