741114 - The 36th Man

Set in the early 1900’s, this tale is based on a Hebrew legend which states that the earth is protected by the lives of 36 human beings whose lives are virtuous. Harry Cohen appears to be a poor businessman and this wife, Ruth, is frustrated by his childlike kindness which prohibits them from getting ahead. When approached by an elderly man, during a torrential rainstorm, Harry accepts the burden of being one of the 36 unblemished souls. He is tempted several times by the Prince of Darkness, his mistress Lilly, and by his wife, but Harry accepts his burden and assumes the role of the 36th man.

This program was interesting in that I actually heard myself say, “Oh, wowâ€ when I realized that the 36th man had the responsibility to find his replacement. The story was well written and coherent with just enough characters to make it interesting. The acting was excellent and E.G. Marshall is in rare form with interesting bridges between acts. For the history buffs, Sam Dan weaves the advent of the airplane, the onset of World War I and a silent cameo by Sigmund Freud into the story. Overall, this is a very good story which is firmly grounded in an interesting and thought provoking Hebrew legend.<br>