In the tragic "A Very Moral Theft," Betty Field plays a woman rapidly approaching Middle Age who has fallen for a seemingly indifferent fellow (Walter Matthau) much to the dismay of her brother (Karl Swenson). Swenson is about to be married and the only thing on his mind is what to do about his sister and the house they both share. In the meantime, Matthau's lumber yard business is failing and he needs a quick loan of $8000 to pay off a creditor or else he's bankrupted. To aid his cause, Betty floats a check at her real estate office and hands the cash equivalent over to Matthau after he promises her that he'll pay her back within a few days. He tells her he has another "deal" pending and that it's worth at least $8000. Of course, if he isn't good on his word, she stands to be indicted for embezzlement. Well, wouldn't you know it, Matthau "deal" doesn't materialize and now Betty is left holding the bag. Her brother isn't happy when he hears the news either. They'll have to sell the house just to keep her out of jail. But miraculously, old Walter turns up with $8000 after all, and hands it over to his grateful and very relieved girlfriend. Then the story takes a very dark turn. Matthau goes missing and no one seems to know what happened to him. After about a week, in desperation for some news, Ms. Field returns to a restaurant that she and Walter regularly frequented, but is given the proverbial "cold shoulder" by the proprietor (Sal Ponti). After much prodding, the truth is told. Walter is a dead man. He borrowed the money from the Mob so that his girlfriend wouldn't suffer the consequences. Unfortunately, he did the suffering for her. The distraught expression of total loss on Ms. Field's face when she learns of his fate is worth the price of admission. She quietly takes a seat, her face turned away from the camera, and the episode fades out. Excellent performances highlight this dour entry into the Hitchcock series with both Matthau and Field outstanding in their roles. Throughout the proceedings, Matthau's blasé attitude towards poor Betty is a cover for his true feelings and it completely throws viewers off regarding his intentions. He loves her, but he just can't bring himself to tell her. Tragically, she finds out too late for both of them. The episode was directed by Norman Lloyd, the associate producer of the show and a longtime Hitchcock collaborator. Walter Matthau, almost a regular on this series, went on to an Academy Award-winning career in some of the best loved movies of his generation. Betty Field received a late career boost in "Coogan's Bluff" (1968) playing Don Stroud's boozy mother, Ellen Ringerman. Her scenes with Clint Eastwood are classic.
Review of A Very Moral Theft
