John Collier’s 1939 short story Back for Christmas has been adapted many times for both radio and television. The story’s protagonist has been played by Peter Lorre, Herbert Marshall and Orson Welles, among others. It’s safe to say, however, that the definitive version was the Alfred Hitchcock Presents adaptation directed by the Master of Suspense himself.

Scripted by Francis Cockrell, Back for Christmas (originally broadcast on March 4, 1956) starred Hitchcock’s favorite character actor John Williams as Herbert Carpenter, a mild-mannered British college professor. Herbert is planning to spend a sabbatical in California and even contemplates staying there permanently, but his hen-pecking wife Hermione (Isabel Elsom) insists that they return to the UK in time for Christmas.

Herbert is so fed up with Hermione’s patronizing bossiness that he has decided to murder her and bury her body in the cellar. To that end, he tells her that he’s always wanted to install a wine cellar in their basement and that’s the reason he’s digging a deep hole in the floor. Once he’s finished Hermione off, he’ll go to America himself and write their friends letters saying that they’ve changed their minds and have decided to stay.

On the day before they’re scheduled to leave, the Carpenters have some friends over for drinks. After the guests leave, Herbert invents a ruse to lure Hermione down to the basement. When he has her down there, he gives her the coup de grâce with a metal pipe and deposits her corpse in the ready-made grave.

At first, it seems as though Herbert’s scheme has worked beautifully. The California climate is much to his liking and he has secured both work and friends. But all of his plans are undone by a letter revealing an unexpected surprise Christmas gift…

Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Back for Christmas can be seen on-line at Hulu and Netflix’s Watch Instantly service and is also available for rental (Season One, Disc Four).