OTR Review: The Sealed Book "To Have and to Hold"

Series Name: The Sealed Book
Episode Title: To Have and to Hold
Original Air Date: 8/12/45
Available On: Relic Radio Podcast, Sept. 8 2009
Sound Quality: Average

The Sealed Book starts off a total hoot. A gong sounds, an over-eager organist goes to town with the first peels of Capt. Nemo style playing, then a great booming voice tells of The Keeper of the Sealed Book who opens his hideous tome to bring us this evening's story. It's a riotously over the top opening and it quite got me in the mood for some riotously over the top radio suspense. Unfortunately, what I got was "To Have and To Hold"

The story is a young woman drops in on her reclusive wealthy aunt, who no one in the town has seen for over 40 years. Food and various "men's items" (cigars, suits and other such manly items) are left on her front step. The young lady is determined to meet the old woman and meet her she does. Their meeting leads into a drawn-out flashback sequence that is occasionally punctuated by extended sections of wild-eyed organ playing (we're talking a minute or more, I must assume this is where advertisements would be added in, though I can't imagine selling Wheaties over the top of those sounds).

The performances are unmemorable but not offensive. The story is the same and for a suspense drama, inoffensive shouldn't be the best that can be said! You won't be hurt by this show, but I doubt it is going to do much to impress most listeners.

I'll give this one 2/5 Golden Masks.