By Geno McGahee
“If she’s alive, she wasn’t murdered. So you can’t execute me.” – George Wills (Donald Pleasence)
As a huge horror fan, the name Donald Pleasence is something to praise. He has been in many films, but the one that matters to most is his recurring role in the HALLOWEEN franchise. Pleasence seems to have two modes, and this is not an insult to his acting skills. He is a tremendous actor. What he does, he does well. The two things that he brings are the fiery-angry-yelling Donald and the other is the likable-quiet-soft Donald. It’s either I’m screaming or feel sorry for me. He did it in HALLOWEEN and he brings it here in the Ray Bradbury Theater episode; PUNISHMENT WITHOUT CRIME.
The future in the 1980s was full of lights and metallic shine. We just thought people would really dig metal in the future and would need a boatload of lights to show off that shine. Perhaps we are right. I was looking at fridges that were metallic and I would have certainly bought lights had I purchased that one, but as anyone knows that wants to buy a metal fridge, they bone you up the ass on the price. So, white fridge I went.
George Hill (Pleasence) is awaiting his execution for the murder of his wife. Immediately, he points outside to where his wife is walking around. She is alive. How could he be put to death if the crime he’s convicted of is not true? That’s when the guys at the door tell him to remember back, and he does, and that is when this story is fully explained.
(SPOILERS…more or less) George remembers back to his wife, Katherine (Lynsey Baxter), a much younger woman. He lies there beside her and tells her that he doesn’t deserve her. Later, he finds out that he is not the only one that she’s banging and he goes to a service (very futuristic…lots of metal) and asks for them to de-activate his wife. She is a robot and there is a big push for robot rights. They knock George out for two weeks and he dreams about shooting his wife and is arrested in his dream. So, much like those crazy religious folk, thinking is as bad as doing, and they charge him with murder.
My cousin has a robot from the 80s. One of those that came with a tray and you could have them bring your drinks over. I don’t think that he killed it, but I would not rule out him having sex with it. That’s a smidge off topic…sorry.
PUNISHMENT WITHOUT CRIME starts off incredibly well. There is an aura of mystery and Bradbury is very good at creating this, but as soon as the cat is let out of the bag, and it’s done quickly, it loses big time. Pleasence does great, as usual, but this tale is just mediocre. It’s not bad, but there is nothing that stands out about it. I recommend it, but it’s missing something.
Rating: 5/10
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