The Moment of Decision: The Story Too Disturbing For “Alfred Hitchcock Presents”

When a retired magician and an arrogant estate owner clash over property changes, their feud escalates to a deadly wager—one that traps a man in an ancient torture device with only an hour to escape, while his fate hangs on whether his rival will open the door in time.

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IN THIS EPISODE: In this tale fro Stanley Ellin – a tale deemed too disturbing for Alfred Hitchcock’s TV show - two men of very different character, different ways of viewing the world, challenge one another over the future of a house each values in his own way. A bet is made, the stakes are unexpectedly raised, and in the end… well, suffice it to say that the story lingers long past the closing line.

SOURCE:
“The Moment of Decision” by Stanley Ellin, from the book, “Alfred Hitchcock: 13 More Stories They Wouldn’t Let Me Do on TV”: https://amzn.to/3ta2oJX
=====(Over time links may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)= = = = ="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46= = = = =WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2025, Weird Darkness.=====Originally aired: September, 2020
EPISODE PAGE (includes sources): https://weirddarkness.com/MomentOfDecision
ABOUT WEIRD DARKNESS: Weird Darkness is a true crime and paranormal podcast narrated by professional award-winning voice actor, Darren Marlar. Seven days per week, Weird Darkness focuses on all thing strange and macabre such as haunted locations, unsolved mysteries, true ghost stories, supernatural manifestations, urban legends, unsolved or cold case murders, conspiracy theories, and more. On Thursdays, this scary stories podcast features horror fiction along with the occasional creepypasta. Weird Darkness has been named one of the “Best 20 Storytellers in Podcasting” by Podcast Business Journal. Listeners have described the show as a cross between “Coast to Coast” with Art Bell, “The Twilight Zone” with Rod Serling, “Unsolved Mysteries” with Robert Stack, and “In Search Of” with Leonard Nimoy.DISCLAIMER: Ads heard during the podcast that are not in my voice are placed by third party agencies outside of my control and should not imply an endorsement by Weird Darkness or myself. *** Stories and content in Weird Darkness can be disturbing for some listeners and intended for mature audiences only. Parental discretion is strongly advised.
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