Tales of the Unexpected/Genesis and the Catastrophe

Readers will recall my enjoyment of this series re-run on Sky Arts.

They last 30 minutes, normally feature a well-known actor (Rod Taylor featured in the one immediately prior to this) and directors like the playwright Ronald Harwood.

I enjoy trying to guess the twist.

This episode had me totally floored.

In his introduction Roal Dahl claimed it was completely true, even the names.

It began with a young son imploring his drunken father, an Austrian customs officer (Alois), in his customs house to return home for the birth of his child by his wife, Klara.

Alois was a drunkard and fearful that after three miscarriages his wife would have a fourth. Where could the twist be?

Klara gave birth to a bonny baby.

The twist came in the final scene.

The attendant doctor asked the customs officer for the name of the child.

He would call him Adolphus, surname Hitler.