. . . . . . . . . . . . . THE VISE
Made by The Danzigers in Britain in 1954-5 for America TV, where they were screened as The Vise, the stories were later repeated in USA as 'The Pendulum.'
A few of the 25 minute films were made into compilations and premiered in UK cinemas as second features, but it wasn't until the early 60's that they reached UK TV as 'Tension' or 'Crooked Path'. After 65 had been made, the series continued with all the stories about Mark Saber.
The introduction to most of The Vise films was read by Ron Randell. It appears in all except the first few stories, and some of the last and ran- "How do you do. The story we are going to tell is about people caught in the jaws of a vice, in a dilemma of their own making. We'll start the story in a moment."
For The Pendulum John Bentley read some new lines as though he hadn't been paid very much- "The Pendulum swings. And Destiny weaves a pattern. This is the story of people who tried to change that pattern, but found they could not stop the Pendulum."

My favourite episode of those I have seen myself: #13 Lucky Man- tho' a comedy and rather untypical of the series
Dud episode: #7 The Diamond Expert- even Paul Carpenter can't save this one.

My review of 6 GABRIEL'S CHOICE (1954)
Ron Randell begins with a one-off introduction- "How do you do. The story we're going to tell is about the skill of a doctor and the man he saved. And how the man saw fit to repay his debt by actions which finally caught him in the jaws of a vice. It is called Gabriel's Choice. We'll start the story in a moment."
After explaining about the Hippocratic oath, the narrator continues: "George Campbell was a good doctor, loved by his patients and respected by his colleagues. He was happily married and prosperous. One day, returning from a professional visit he was stopped by cries for help. He jumped out of his car and ran up to the third floor of an old rooming house." "He's still breathing," declares the doc. Gabriel had tried to commit suicide. Campbell brings him round, and like the Good Samaritan he leaves money with the landlord: "get him something to eat, make it nourishing." But Dr Campbell had not seen the last of Gabriel. Instead of thanks at being rescued, Gabriel appears in his surgery demanding why the doctor (Clifford Evans) stopped him from dying. "I've come to make you accept your responsibilities," he tells him. Since it was the doc that decided Gabriel should live on, he agrees to "keep an eye" on Gabriel and let him stay with him. Gabriel starts to help the doc, collecting debts from his forgetful patients, and helping with the medicines. Whilst the doc is away, Gabriel upsets the doctor's faithful Nurse Sheppey (Katharine Page, uncredited) by staging some "little mistakes cleverly exploited." She resigns and Gabriel becomes the new nurse. Next he makes a pass at Marianne, Campbell's sister-in-law (Mary Parker), who's engaged to be married. He tells the doc she's really in love with him. He persuades the doc to see her to sort it out, but then tells the doc's wife that the two are having a secret affair. She overhears their heart to heart and there's a showdown. Says Gabriel- "You should thank me doctor, for pointing out the weaknesses in your own home."
Lee Patterson plays the sinister Gabriel with style, "a nobody, a man from nowhere with no past, no future." A lot of heartache is caused by his interference, but there again, hadn't the doc interfered in Gabriel's life? An enjoyable parable of a suicider who doesn't appreciate being given a second chance. Nurse Sheppey has a curious American accent which indicates she knew the story was being made for America.
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