Friday, July 27, 2012

Waltons 5.22: “The Hiding Place”


Airdate: 3/3/77

The Baldwin Sisters’ niece, Hilary, comes to Waltons Mountain after living in Austria for several years. Several receptions are held in her honor, but John Boy is frustrated that she won’t answer her questions about the growing dominance of the Nazi party in Europe. In fact, most everyone resents John-Boy’s warning about the threat overseas, except Jason, who wants to join the National Guard, much to the vehement disapproval of his mother. When Hilary sees Jason in uniform playing piano, she faints; it is revealed that he had reminded her of her own son, who was killed by Nazis, prompting her to flee the country and her husband, a German diplomat. Resolved to continue the fight to protect her loved ones, she returns to Vienna right before its fall to the Nazis.

Another WWII-foreshadowing episode, analogous to season one’s “The Ceremony,” also about European refugees fleeing Nazi persecution. Increased focus on “the winds of war” possibly sets up its involvement in the next season’s shows.

Prolific actor Jean Marsh (co-creator of Upstairs Downstairs) shines in her emotional role as Hilary, although her English accent makes it a bit hard to buy her as an American.

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