"The Veil" is a 1958 TV series which consists of only 10 episodes, and which is hosted by none other than the ultimate Horror-deity, the incomparable Boris Karloff himself. The entire show is highly recommendable to fans of classic Horror for the mere fact that Karloff hosts it, and for the show's high entertainment value. While all episodes are entertaining, they are not all equally good. This eighth episode, "Summer Heat", has the highest rating here on IMDb, and for understandable reasons as it is indeed one of the better episodes of the show. Not the best though, in my opinion - THE Best is still the last episode, "Jack The Ripper", in my opinion, followed by the second episode, "Girl On The Road", which has an immensely creepy atmosphere. This episode has a nice atmosphere too, however, and a good story, which is probably the reason for its high rating. A man watches a murder in the neighboring house from the window of his New York apartment. He immediately informs the police. Upon the cops' arrival, the apartment in which the murder occurred is suddenly empty... The story is certainly one of the most interesting in the series, and the performances are good. Karloff himself has a the role of a psychiatrist. An overall very good episode, which I highly recommend to all Karloff fans.
9 Reviews
Excellent episode
Woodyanders13 January 2011
Warning: Spoilers
Detail-oriented shipping clerk Edward Paige (a fine and credible performance by Harry Bartell) witnesses a robbery and murder in the apartment across from his own (he sees said crime through his window), but when the police come to investigate the crime they discover that the apartment is empty. However, a few weeks later the crime Paige witnessed occurs exactly like he said it would and the police naturally suspect that Paige did it. Director George Waggner, working from a tight and engrossing script by Hendrik Vollaerts, expertly creates a compellingly mysterious atmosphere and offers a strong and convincing evocation of the intense and uncomfortable boiling hot weather. The able acting from the sturdy cast rates as a substantial asset: Bartell excels in the lead role, Boris Karloff shines in a sizable supporting part as kindly and helpful psychiatrist Dr. Francis Mason, plus there are worthy turns by Paul Bryer as hard-nosed, skeptical Lieutenant Davis, Gene Collins as fearsome hoodlum Ralph Kerwin, and Vicki Raaf as the fetching blonde victim. Look fast for familiar character actor Whit Bissell in a fleeting bit role. Howard Schwartz's sharp'n'shadowy cinematography gives this episode a cool film noir feeling. Well worth seeing.
Episode #8 in the unsold series, starring Boris Karloff.
capkronos28 January 2009
On a hot summer day in New York City, detail-oriented shipping clerk Edward Paige (Henry Bartell) has just returned home from a hard day's work when he happens to glance out his window and sees something odd going on across the street from him. A gloved thief has just broken into an apartment and immediately starts going through a woman's purse and her jewelry box. When the woman enters the room, the thief grabs her and there's a brief struggle before she's murdered by a flashlight blow to the head. Edward immediately goes to the police, but when he accompanies Lt. Davis (Paul Bryar) and Sgt. Fenton (Ray Montgomery) to the crime scene they discover it completely vacant; no furniture, no murderer, no body... From all appearances, no one currently lives there and no murder actually took place. The cops send Edward in for a psychiatric evaluation with Dr. Francis Mason (Boris Karloff), who listens to his story, records it and ultimately believes Edward to be sincere in his testimony. Not soon after, an actual murder does occur in the same exact apartment and every single detail (the killer, victim, murder weapon, apartment layout, etc.) is exactly as Edward had described... days before it actually happened. Will Edward be charged with the crime or will the police believe his sense of precognition and have him aid them in finding the real murderer? Thanks to a very interesting concept (kind of like REAR WINDOW with a twist) and a solid lead performance and characterization from Bartell, this episode from director George Waggner is one of the better - if not the best- entry in this forgotten 10-episode series.
"The Veil" was never broadcast as an actual series on network TV. Instead, four episodes were combined to play as anthology features. This one was combined with "Destination Nightmare" (with Myron Healey), "Girl on the Road" (with Tod Andrews) and "The Return of Madame Vernoy" (with a young George Hamilton badly attempting an Indian accent) and released under the title DESTINATION NIGHTMARE. The other anthologies (also with four episodes apiece) were THE VEIL and JACK THE RIPPER.
"The Veil" was never broadcast as an actual series on network TV. Instead, four episodes were combined to play as anthology features. This one was combined with "Destination Nightmare" (with Myron Healey), "Girl on the Road" (with Tod Andrews) and "The Return of Madame Vernoy" (with a young George Hamilton badly attempting an Indian accent) and released under the title DESTINATION NIGHTMARE. The other anthologies (also with four episodes apiece) were THE VEIL and JACK THE RIPPER.
Good Acting--Saw It Coming--Still Fun
Hitchcoc5 November 2016
The problem with shows that are based on irony and surprise endings is that we tend to try to guess what will happen. This is true of "The Twilight Zone" and its imitators. This is nicely crafted. We have a kind of milquetoast man who is preparing soup on a hot plate in a big city apartment, when he sees something in the apartment across the street. No, it isn't 't Raymond Burr from "Rear Window," but it is a man, who, surprised during a robbery, kills a young woman. When the police arrive, they go to the apartment, but it is empty, obviously prepared for tenancy. The police jump to the conclusion he is insane. Quite a leap. He is locked up under psychiatric care. He is a somewhat driven man and insists that he observed the murder. What ensues is an effort to crack him, but he won't crack. This is a simple police story that morphs into more. One of the better of the ten episodes.
Well worth seeing.
planktonrules1 January 2014
In 1958, a series called "The Veil" was attempted but never took off. I have no idea why. Based on this particular episode, I sure thought it had a lot of promise. Interestingly, although this show hosted by Boris Karloff failed, a short time later, Karloff hosted a similar sort of anthology series, "Thriller".
Harry Bartell stars as Edward Paige--a seemingly normal guy. However, when he comes home one night, he looks out his apartment window and sees a robbery in progress. What's worse--the robber ends up killing the woman living there. When he gets the police, however, the apartment is totally empty--no one is living in the apartment where the woman was killed! Mr. Paige is SO adamant that eventually he's sent to a psychiatric hospital--where his psychiatrist (played by Karloff) insists that Paige is 100% sane. Only later does it all make sense...
My only gripe about this one is that the twist occurs a bit earlier in the show than I would have liked. Still, the story is very compelling and well done.
Harry Bartell stars as Edward Paige--a seemingly normal guy. However, when he comes home one night, he looks out his apartment window and sees a robbery in progress. What's worse--the robber ends up killing the woman living there. When he gets the police, however, the apartment is totally empty--no one is living in the apartment where the woman was killed! Mr. Paige is SO adamant that eventually he's sent to a psychiatric hospital--where his psychiatrist (played by Karloff) insists that Paige is 100% sane. Only later does it all make sense...
My only gripe about this one is that the twist occurs a bit earlier in the show than I would have liked. Still, the story is very compelling and well done.
Shades of Rear Window
Leofwine_draca3 November 2018
Warning: Spoilers
SUMMER HEAT is one of the more intriguing episodes of THE VEIL out there. The plot reminded me of REAR WINDOW a little. An ordinary guy happens to look out of his window and sees a murder taking place in the apartment opposite, but when the police are called it's discovered that the place is empty. Has he witnessed a premonition? You'll have to watch to find out, but this is fun, well-paced viewing material.
Already used but it still works.
searchanddestroy-110 October 2022
Any movie buff will have recognized here a topic which seems very close to an Alfred Hitchcock film, or more simple a scheme that we could find in an anthology series episode such as ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS. It is supenseful, thrilling, eerie too and that's all we ask in such shows. Excellent directing and score, acting, the audience is glued to its seat, and that's the purpose. I think that's the best of the whole show, even if it is very short, only ten episodes. So, I highly recommend it. It is a shame that this amazig TV show did not continue after only ten episodes. Anyway, there were dozens of other anthology series.
"I've never seen a case like this before!"
classicsoncall9 April 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Well, there are cases of precognition that defy explanation but this one takes the cake in more ways than one. Not only does Edward Paige (Harry Bartell) witness a murder and robbery in the apartment across from his own building, he goes on to describe to the police the way it occurred in precise detail, including the layout of the apartment with its furniture and the victim's belongings. Responding, the police enter the apartment along with Paige, only to find it completely empty! So insistent is Paige that the crime occurred that the police lieutenant (Paul Bryar) felt he needed to be committed! I thought that was harsh and uncalled for, but that's the way the story was presented. But as it turned out, Paige's description of the crime preceded by three days the actual occurrence of the apartment being rented and a woman (Vici Raaf) being victimized just the way he described it! With the perpetrator arrested by the police, one final clue determined the criminal's guilt when Paige described a defining moment he witnessed when the woman bit the man assaulting her on the forearm. Her teeth marks were still visible on the man's arm in a case of the cops putting a bite on crime!
precognition
Kirpianuscus3 October 2022
Warning: Spoilers
A case of precognition . Well crafted, using , in fair manner, the tension, proposing the shock of an ordinary clerk front to a murder, the vacant appartament - location of crime-, the incredulity of cops and short period in asilum. And the events after the murder becomes reality.
The best part - the performance of Henry Bartell and, no doubts, like in each episode, the presence of Boris Karloff. Remembering Rear Window, it is a beautiful episode first for atmosphere.
Second, for the questions proposed and, not the last, for identification of viewer with the situation of Edward Paige.
In short, a story of precognition. Not bad, at whole.
The best part - the performance of Henry Bartell and, no doubts, like in each episode, the presence of Boris Karloff. Remembering Rear Window, it is a beautiful episode first for atmosphere.
Second, for the questions proposed and, not the last, for identification of viewer with the situation of Edward Paige.
In short, a story of precognition. Not bad, at whole.
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