The Five-Forty-Eight
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"The Five-Forty-Eight" is a 1955 short story by John Cheever published in The Stories of John Cheever, though it may have been published previously. The story is about a businessman, called Blake, who is accosted on a train, at gunpoint, by his former secretary. The woman is mentally ill, and is particularly upset with how Blake left her after a one-night stand and then fired her. The story is noteworthy because its focus is primarily on Blake's perception of those around him, from which stems an anti-social history. Though the woman's mental state is somewhat deteriorated, Cheever communicates that her perception of reality is more advanced than Blake's.
Contents |
[edit] Film, TV and theatrical adaptations
The story has been adapted for the theatre and has appeared in this form on the radio. It was also adapted into a 1960 episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents starring Zachary Scott and Phyllis Thaxter.
A 1979 television adaptation aired on PBS as 3 by Cheever: The 5:48,[1] with Laurence Luckinbill and Mary Beth Hurt in the lead roles.
[edit] Awards and nominations
- Winner - Benjamin Franklin magazine award
