The legendary Helen Hayes plays Miss Gilden, an elementary school teacher in her last year before retirement, very popular with her students, all except one. That is one with several different personalities, and it's that student, Robert (Michael-James Wixted) whose dominant personality has been taken over by a bad seed, one contemplating murder.
This personality appears and disappears, and it's obvious that he's been developed in Robert's mind even though they have different ideas, he controls Robert's mind and makes him do some very bizarre things, including making obvious false accusations about Miss Gilden. At home, there's a bizarre twists involving the family cat, after the bad side of Robert indicates that he hates cats.
I always love seeing the veteran actors working with young actors, and can just imagine young Wixted learning about Broadway's Victoria Regina and the cute old lady from "Airport" and the impact on their life, even if they didn't stay in acting.
Hayes' Miss Gilden is one of those endearing old dears that the school doesn't want to see leave and students adore as a grandmotherly figure, and Wixted (very convincing) must have had to cringe being cruel to her. The episode really rises in tension, and Hayes becomes progressively stern and frightened as she fears what Robert might do. Janet MacLachlan is very good as the young teacher Hayes confides in and Phyllis Love is also memorable as Robert's mother. A very crafty script with a very disturbed young boy.
This personality appears and disappears, and it's obvious that he's been developed in Robert's mind even though they have different ideas, he controls Robert's mind and makes him do some very bizarre things, including making obvious false accusations about Miss Gilden. At home, there's a bizarre twists involving the family cat, after the bad side of Robert indicates that he hates cats.
I always love seeing the veteran actors working with young actors, and can just imagine young Wixted learning about Broadway's Victoria Regina and the cute old lady from "Airport" and the impact on their life, even if they didn't stay in acting.
Hayes' Miss Gilden is one of those endearing old dears that the school doesn't want to see leave and students adore as a grandmotherly figure, and Wixted (very convincing) must have had to cringe being cruel to her. The episode really rises in tension, and Hayes becomes progressively stern and frightened as she fears what Robert might do. Janet MacLachlan is very good as the young teacher Hayes confides in and Phyllis Love is also memorable as Robert's mother. A very crafty script with a very disturbed young boy.