Woman in Love

"Woman in Love' was adapted from a story by the British mystery writer Geoffrey Household, but that isn't what makes this Suspense episode interesting. The real value of this episode lies in the casting. More specifically, the casting of Paul Newman in one of the minor roles.

This is a story about the oppressiveness of communism and of life behind the Iron Curtain. In it, we meet Alexia Constancia, a young Hungarian woman about to travel to Sweden to meet her fiance. She appears to be a good patriot, but her true allegiance is with the underground. The superintendent of the security police quizzes her, and she passes his test.

The resistance forces want to get Constancia out of Hungary so that she can deliver vital information to the United Nations.  Their concern, however, is that she is a woman in love, and as such, she is vulnerable and prone to doing foolish things. Even though she is told this -- it doesn't stop her from doing something foolish.  Something like... losing the piece of paper on which the vital information was written.

So, where does Paul Newman come into this? When she gets on the train for Sweden, we get our first glimpse of Paul.

He plays Captain Radetski of the security police. From this point on, the story is all about the missing piece of paper--and watching Paul Newman. The security police are suspicious of her, and most of the drama revolves around them coming close to finding the piece of paper. The superintendent of the security police, Fulco, doesn't believe Constancia is just an innocent woman in love, but he can't rattle her or find anything to implicate her involvement in the resistance.

When Alexia boards the train, the security police request to examine her luggage.They don't find the paper and she is allowed to continue her journey. The underground agent who helped her pass, isn't as lucky.

The superintendent then tells Captain Radetski to stay with the bride. So, Captain Radetski and his buddies go in to chat with Constancia. Captain Radetski is much too friendly, and Alexia isn't happy about that. She is annoyed, until he sends the other guards away and reveals that his true purpose is to help her.

In the end, with Captain Radetski's help, she safely crosses the border. Incredibly, she decides to continue on to Sweden despite the handsome resistance-fighter who saved her life.  

Does she have any doubts about that decision? Perhaps that is why she is in tears at the end, but we'll never really know.

"Woman in Love" (episode #160) was adapted for television by Victor Wolfson. Arnold Moss played Theotaki, Gaby Rogers played Constancia, and Fulco was played by Berry Kroeger. This episode aired on August 26, 1952.