 |
|
| ← 801/802 → | |
|---|---|
| Number |
792 |
| Timeline | |
| Narrator | |
| Writer | |
| Director | |
| Broadcast | |
| Recorded |
July 12, 1969 |
| Video | |
 |
|
| We have 0 images of Dark Shadows 801/802 | |
Magda reveals that Count Petofi was a werewolf and the gypsies cut off his hand as payment for curing him.
Synopsis
- A night of revelations on the great estate of Collinwood, of secret lives and relationships unmasked. For in the Old House on the estate, Victor Fenn-Gibbon has announced that Aristede has been acting as agent in the attempts to steal the hand. And when Magda tells what is the truth, that the hand is missing, Aristede becomes so angry that he is sent from the house.
Victor apologizes to Magda for Aristede's violent behavior, but Magda is inconsolable and says she wants nothing to do with the Hand. Magda suddenly panics when she notices Victor's cuff links have the same mark they found on Julianka's forehead. Victor tries to leave, but Quentin wrestles with Victor to see the cuff link, and Victor's gloved hand is revealed to be wooden when it is pulled off during the struggle! Magda exclaims that Victor is really Count Petofi--demon from hell!
Act I
Quentin offers Fenn-Gibbon back the wooden hand, but Petofi denies his real identity. Magda says he does not want to do anything to her now or everyone would have proof of who he is, but Fenn-Gibbon counters that he would not be ashamed of his real identity. She tells Quentin that Petofi was a werewolf 100 years ago, and they cut off his hand as payment for curing him. Fenn-Gibbon says he has heard the story and what Magda says is in agreement with what he has heard and that Petofi was the last person to own a unicorn. Magda says only Petofi could know that story, but Fenn-Gibbon counters that she had obviously heard it. Fenn-Gibbon goes on to say the Count awoke one day after the full moon to find his pet unicorn had been slaughtered and was very sad. Quentin says that in his story, he has revealed himself to be Petofi, because only another werewolf would know that werewolves don't remember what happened when they were beasts. Petofi yells at Magda some more, then concedes defeat, and introduces himself as Count Petofi and retrieves his wooden hand. Magda says Petofi must be dead, and Quentin wonders if he is a ghost. Petofi takes out a knife and cuts his face to show them he can bleed, and therefore cannot possibly be a ghost. He then goes on to taunt them both some more, particularly Magda, being a gypsy. Petofi gives Quentin and Magda 24 hours to return the hand to him. He tells Quentin he feels a kinship toward him, as he makes him remember feelings he thought he had long forgotten. As Petofi goes to leave, Quentin grabs the knife and threatens to kill Petofi if he does not tell him how he was cured.
Act II
Magda tells Quentin not to make Petofi mad, and Petofi taunts Quentin and then he easily disarms him, then tells him that must pay the price for the cure. Quentin tries to figure out how to fight Petofi and Magda recalls that Evan Hanley has books about Petofi and the hand which might give them an idea how. Quentin reminds her that he and Evan are not friendly right now. Quentin says he will try to patch up his relationship with Evan and as he goes Magda tells him not to do anything stupid. Evan Hanley is sitting in his room, paranoid that the hand is near and trying to get him. He is trying to calm himself when Quentin arrives. Quentin is surprised that Evan seems happy to see him. Quentin notices that Evan is looking for something and seems afraid and Evan tells him he has not been himself. When Quentin tells him Evan knows all about the hand, Evan begins to panic, but is persuaded to tell Quentin that Tim Shaw took the hand ... but that it seems like it is still there. He then tells Quentin to never come to him about the hand again, that he wants nothing to do with it. Quentin leaves. Back at the Old House, Magda tries to look into her crystal ball for clues when Quentin returns and tells her who has the hand. The problem is that Tim has disappeared and no one knows where he is gone. Quentin tells Magda that they are now completely powerless.
Act III
Victor Fenn-Gibbon comes down the staircase in Collinwood to the foyer where Jamison Collins is depressed that he is leaving so soon. Fenn-Gibbon tells him not to worry, he will finish telling Jamison his stories about Lord Kitchener when he returns, which perks Jamison up. Fenn-Gibbon asks Jamison if he has ever run away, and explains that is what he is doing now. He also tells him he has lots of tricks and tells Jamison to kiss him goodbye. Jamison kisses him just as Quentin and Magda arrive. Jamison goes upstairs while Petofi tells him the hand is not in Collinsport anymore. He tells them he has never seen so many people in one house living with their lies, but that one by one, all the lies will fall away, and it will be interesting to see which people can live with their lies and which can't. He then tells Quentin he has left him a gift, one he will not like, at first, but he will eventually thank him for it. He takes his bag, saying he will be back to undo some of the mischief he will be blamed for, and just before he leaves he says he will be watching all of them, even though they will not see him. Once he is gone, Quentin tells Magda that Petofi is bluffing, and that he is now without any powers. Magda reminds him that Petofi is 150 years old, and that takes some powers. Just then Jamison appears at the top of the stairs, talking strangely and talking about what Lord Kitchener once told him and holding his hands behind his back. Quentin realizes Jamison must be possessed by Count Petofi and is about to tell Magda when Jamison/Petofi pulls his black-gloved hands out from behind his back and asks why they are staring at them.
Memorable quotes
- Quentin: (offers Petofi the wooden hand) Your hand, Sir.
- Magda: No, no, don't give it to him Quentin! He is Count Petofi! Demon from Hell!
- Magda: Quentin, Quentin, he is dead!
- Count Petofi: A mere conjecture madame.
- Magda: Quentin, he has got to be.
- Quentin: What does it matter Magda? I've seen ghosts before.
- Quentin: Surely you must have some explanation for how you've lived.
- Count Petofi: But I am not required to give it to strangers. All you need to know is that I intend to have that hand!
- Quentin: Evan, tell me, or I'll kill you right here, tonight. Evan, I mean it! I've caused too many deaths to think about one more. Now, tell me!
- Count Petofi: I'm very like you, you know. I do just what I want ... when I want to.
- Jamison: But I'm not like that at all. You see, I have all sorts of people who tell me that I have to.
- Quentin: But you don't always do what they tell you. Do you?
- Jamison: Sometimes ... if I have to.
- Quentin: One of the few virtues of age is that you don't have to. You'll see.
- Count Petofi: You're all children in this house... never have I seen a group of people so willing to live lies.
Dramatis personae
- ← Grayson Hall as Magda →
- ← Thayer David as Andreas Petofi →
- ← Humbert Allen Astredo as Evan Hanley →
- ← David Selby as Quentin Collins →
- ← David Henesy as Jamison Collins / Andreas Petofi →
Background information and notes
Production
- An expected pre-emption for the Apollo 11 Lunar/Command Module occurred here, which was shown instead of Dark Shadows. This episode is "double numbered" with the previous one (801/802), in order to keep the production numbers balanced with the calendar, i.e. Friday episodes ending in a 5 or 0.
- David Henesy returns to the cast after an absence of 30 episodes.
- Scenic design by John Dapper.
Story
- Count Petofi mentions Lord Kitchener.
- 100 years ago Count Petofi was made a werewolf, and his hand was cut off as payment.
- Count Petofi was the last recorded man to own a unicorn. The unicorn was killed by a wolf after the night of a full moon. It was the saddest morning of the Count's life.
- Magda describes Count Petofi as having lived 150 years.
- TIMELINE: Count Petofi gives Magda until morning to locate the hand.