The Monkey's Paw (1948)

A small shop-keeping family acquire a rather gruesome looking monkey's paw from a passing peddler who promises them it will bring good luck - something they need as "Mr. Trelawne" (Milton Rosmer) has got himself into bother with a local bookie over a £200 debt he has run up. A slightly comically over-made up Megs Jenkins plays his wife with Eric Mickelwood as "Tom" their twenty something son who decides that he can perhaps win the money by racing his new car "Alice" at a local racetrack. Needless to say, they try to use the talisman to help them out and disaster accompanies them each time... The problem with this whole story is that it is way too short; if you wish on the paw then you get your wish but pay a terrible price - but that's it; there isn't anything else to do with the hour, so whilst it concludes in quite an eery and atmospheric fashion (helped by some creative use of thunderstorm sound effects) the rest of it is character establishment and as such is quite dull and unremarkable.