The Horla (Mystery in the Air Radio Dramatization)

“The Horla” is a dramatization of Guy de Maupassant’s story of the same name. Peter Lorre stars as a happy and contented man who is either losing his mind or is being driven out of it by an invisible entity that has taken up residence in his home and, as Lorre says at the beginning of the show, the listeners can decide for themselves which one it is.

I wouldn’t say that this is a fantastic adaptation of Maupassant’s classic tale, but I must admit that I would much rather listen to this for twenty-five minutes than read the original story again. The story drags on a bit too long for my tastes, but this episode from Mystery in the Air cuts it down to the bones and the story is all the better for it.

The actress Peggy Webber also adds her vocal talents to this episode, playing the housemaid Marie. The original story has no such character, but she works very well in this version and Webber’s performances came across as a lot more believable than Lorre’s.

Mystery in the Air: The Horla

(Listen to the Full Episode)

(Listen to the Full Episode)