Weird Circle 24 - The Niche of Doom

"The Weird Circle. In this cave by the restless sea we are met to call from out of the past stories strange and weird. Bell-keeper - toll the bell, so that all may know we are gathered again in The Weird Circle." "Out of the past phantoms of a world gone by speak again the immortal tale: The Niche of Doom.".

This episode, first broadcast on February 5, 1944, is an adaptation of La Grande Bretèche by Honoré de Balzac, first published in 1831. The adaptation decides to dispense with the frame story of the doctor curious about the abandoned manor - instead we are at the end of the action, with the narrator continuing the theme of the previous episode by complaining about an incessant noise, in this case a tapping, before taking us with narration to the start of what she has gone through. A woman married too young to a very old husband, a judge, she is easy prey to the affections of the young, pushy neighbor. Faith perverts truth, and tragedy results.

Weird Circle 23 - The Tell-Tale Heart

"The Weird Circle. In this cave by the restless sea we are met to call from out of the past stories strange and weird. Bell-keeper - toll the bell, that all may know we are gathered again in The Weird Circle." "Out of the past phantoms of a world gone by speak again the immortal tale: The Tell-Tale Heart.".

This episode, first broadcast on January 30, 1944, is an adaptation of the short story with the same name by Edgar Alan Poe, first published in 1843. Like the original, the adaptation centers on the narrator who does the horrible deed, but to his narration is added a choir of internal voices goading him on. Outside of his mind, the old man is made explicitly into his uncle, and another character, a long-winded friend and neighbor, is added, both to provide commentary early on, and to be the one bringing in the police towards the end.

Weird Circle 22 - A Terrible Night

"The Weird Circle. In this cave by the restless sea we are met to call from out of the past stories strange and weird. Bell-keeper - toll the bell, that all may know that we are gathered again in The Weird Circle." "Out of the past phantoms of a world gone by speak again the immortal tale: A Terrible Night.".

This episode, first broadcast on January 23, 1944, is an adaptation of the short story with the same name by Fitz-James O'Brien, first published in 1856. (This is a link to a reading, as I was unable to find the text online. Another reading with more background as part of a podcast can be found here) As in many previous episodes, we start towards the end - the protagonist, Charles Costa. is on trial, and is asked to tell his story in his own words, which leads us to the bulk of the plot. This is different from the original, that started mid-action. This action is in the woods - in the original, Upstate New York, in the adaptation, even farther north, in Canada. Costa and his brother in law are on a hunting trip. They get lost, and find shelter, but can they trust their taciturn host? Throughout there is a sense of dread as we wonder what the crime is until we reach the deeply tragic ending.

The original was very short and had little characterization beyond impressions from the protagonist and some bravado from his there future and here brother-in-law, Dick Linton. Bertha, there the fiancée and here the wife, and the host, Joel, are given more to say. The small amount of active characters made this easy listening, despite the backwards and sometimes outlandish statements ("that's the way writers are - so sure of themselves"). There is a real sense of the isolation and danger in the woods, and then at the cabin.

Weird Circle 21 - The 4:15 Express

"An ill wind blows away the present and returns Man's mind to the horror of a world gone by... listen to The Weird Circle." "Out of the past phantoms of a world gone by speak again the immortal tale: The 4:15 Express.".

This episode, first broadcast on January 17, 1944, might be an original - although it is very similar to Alfred Hitchcock's film, The Lady Vanishes, from 1938. An investigator boards a train, trying to keep a light veneer over his very important mission, and wondering what to think of the story of the ghost that haunts his compartment, 42A, and whether it has anything to do with the man he saw there, and who very quickly disappeared on him.

The limitations of the medium for a story such as this are clear here: it is very important to know who is speaking where during tense scenes of action and suspense involving multiple characters, but the voice actors are not sufficiently distinguishable, leading to some confusion at critical moments. The brevity of the show, meanwhile, makes the revelations a bit too bunched together for comfort.

Weird Circle 20 - The Lifted Veil

"By what token can man live after death?" "By his works! Poe, de Maupassant, Balzac - these great writers of horror stories live on! Listen to The Weird Circle." "Out of the past phantoms of a world gone by speak again the immortal tale: The Lifted Veil.".

This episode, first broadcast on January 9, 1944, is an adaptation of the novella of the same name by George Eliot (ironic, considering the maleness of the introduction), first published in 1879. The adaptation starts with a narration by the articulator of the ending section of the introduction. It cut down on the characters and sped up the pacing, which results in a crowding of weird issues - the protagonist's premonitions and his doctor friend's life-giving serum. To that was added a police matter to tie the whole thing together.

Weird Circle 19 - The Murders in the Rue Morgue

"Incredible! Unvelievable!" "Yes, truth is often incredible, but you must believe! Listen to The Weird Circle!" "Out of the past, phantoms of a world gone by speak again the immortal tale: The Murders in the Rue Morgue."

This episode, first broadcast on January 2, 1944, is an adaptation of the short story with the same name by Edgar Allan Poe, first published in 1841. The adaptation cuts right to the detective (a term that did not exist when the original story came out), Dupin, stating to a bemused audience that the murderer will arrive at his apartment shortly. His narration of the case becomes a lot of dialogue between the active participants in the story - and the conclusion is arrived at chronologically. Unlike the original, we are not really presented with a clear logical path to it.

Weird Circle 18 - Jane Eyre

"The Weird Circle. In this cave by the restless sea we are met to call from out the past stories strange and weird." (abrupt cut) "Phantoms of a world gone by speak again the immortal tale: Jane Eyre."

This episode, first broadcast on December 26, 1943, is an adaptation of the Thornfield Hall section of the novel with the same name by Charlotte Brontë, first published in 1847. The adaptation retains Jane as the viewpoint character and narrator, while cutting down on characters and subplots, and making the ending much more explicitly painful to all involved. This particular recording has a significant amount of background noise, which occasionally made it hard for me to follow what was going on (especially during a melée).

The outro again integrates a credit to the United States Armed Services Radio and Television service.