[eerie music]
(male narrator)
There is a fifth dimension
Beyond that
Which is known to man.
It is a dimension
As vast as space
And as timeless as infinity.
It is the middle ground
Between light and shadow.
Between science
And superstition.
It lies between the pit
Of man's fears,
And the summit
Of his knowledge.
This is the dimension
Of imagination
It is an area
Which we call
The twilight zone.
The time is the day
After tomorrow,
The place, a far
Corner of the universe.
The cast of characters, three
Men lost amongst the stars,
Three men sharing the common
Urgency of all men lost.
They're looking for home.
And in a moment
They'll find home.
Not a home that is
A place to be seen
But a strange, unexplainable
Experience to be felt.
[rocket sound]
I hear
The atmosphere.
Keep your fingers
Crossed, Pete.
This may be it.
It better be;
We're about
Out of fuel.
[vehicle decelerating]
. parts oxygen
. nitrogen.
I don't get it,
That's air.
Gravity, unit one.
That's incredible.
Conditions identical
To Earth
And yet we're
million miles
Away from Earth.
Wait a minute, Pete.
These instruments
Could be wrong.
What's
The difference?
We're not going
Anywhere now.
Yeah, I guess
You're right.
How far did you say
We were from Earth?
million miles.
We're back
On Earth.
No.
No? What do
You call that,
A Martian?
Here, boy,
Come on.
[suspense music]
Well, anyway, look
At those trees.
It's got
To be Earth.
Well, what do
You call that?
It's called
A tractor.
They were in
Use on Earth
During the th century
Before the total w*r.
You mean,
We're on Earth
years ago.
It's an
Interesting
Theory, Pete
And as possible
As any other
Except that
To my knowledge
Earth has never had
More than one sun.
(Pete)
All right.
You explain it.
The only thing
I'm certain of
Is that we're
Not on Earth.
We're
Not alone.
Excuse me,
Sir.
My name
Is Webber,
We hate to
Bother you--
(Pete)
What's the matter
With him?
Seems to be
In some sort
Of a trance or--
Let's get
Out of here.
Hey, look,
There's somebody!
Hey, mister!
Mister!
[panting]
How are they biting?
Mister?
Hey, wake up.
[suspense music]
[band playing]
Do you hear that?
The music, a band,
Do you hear it?
There's somebody here.
It seems
To be coming
From over there.
[band music]
The music's coming
From that loudspeaker.
It's being piped
In from somewhere.
Look!
[music stops]
Concert's
Over.
Well, any ideas,
Professor?
Well, I suppose
It could be some
Sort of illusion.
Yes, maybe
We're being made
To see and hear
What we hope
To find
The sights and
Sounds of home.
No, no, that's
All wrong.
This is more
Than years
Ahead of our time.
Or it could be
That time itself
Is suspended here.
Or time may have,
In a sense
Have speeded up
For us
Or slowed down
For them.
You mean, they might
Actually be moving?
It's possible.
Then why can't
We see it?
Well, you don't
See the movements
Of a clock's hands
Nevertheless
They do move.
Well, this clock
Has no hands.
[suspense music]
Carl, do you
Really believe
What you're
Saying?
No, of
Course not.
But they're not
Just statues.
They're flesh
And blood
Or something that feels
Like flesh and blood.
It's
Something real.
It's got
To be here.
Now, I say
Separate
And meet back
Here in one hour.
Well,
It's better
Than huddling
Together like
Frightened children.
(Webber)
Remember, we
Meet back here
In one hour.
[knocks]
Hello.
Anybody there?
[romantic violin music]
Oh, I'm terribly sorry.
[violin music continues]
[distorted strings]
[pleasant music]
Your majesty.
I don't blame
The judges.
You're the prettiest
Of them all.
But tell
Me something,
Your majesty,
What's wrong
With you?
[distorted strings]
What's wrong
With everybody
In this crazy place?!
Answer me!
Can't you talk?
Can't you move?
Answer me!
[suspense music]
[mischievous music]
This is the way
It was on Earth
Not so long ago.
My great
Grandfather showed
Me pictures of it.
Quiet and peaceful.
You mean
You like
It here?
I would if it
Were real,
If I could be sure it
Wasn't going to vanish
In a puff of pink smoke.
[ring]
Well, as for me, it's
A nice place to visit
But I wouldn't want
To live here.
Like it or not,
This is home
From now on.
Charming.
Lovely, isn't it?
If you want it,
It's yours.
Yes, that's true
Isn't it?
You don't mind
If we have
A look around
Do you, sir?
Not at all.
You're most welcome.
My name's Wickwire,
Jeremy Wickwire.
Gentlemen, there's
Nothing to be
Afraid of.
Truly, there isn't.
But, y-y-you're real.
But, of course, I am.
Isn't everybody?
I used to
Think so.
Oh, you mean,
[chuckles]
Do come inside.
Come on,
Won't you?
Come on,
Come inside.
There's nothing
To be afraid of
I assure you.
Eh, do you
Like it?
We built it
For a Mr., uh,
Mr. Jenkinson.
But at the last
Moment he decided
That the one thing he wanted
To be was a knight in armor
So he's out there
In the medieval section
Slaying a dragon.
You mean there
Are other sections?
Hm?
(Wickwire)
Oh, yes,
Of course,
We have
Many sections.
There's
The Roman,
The Egyptian,
The Wild
Western
But this is
The most popular
Because it
Represents
A period
In American culture
When creature
Comforts were
Most abundant
And before peace on Earth
Became impossible.
Now, look,
Mr., uh,
Wickwire.
Wickwire, we
Are from Earth.
Oh?
(Webber)
We were on a routine
Geological mission.
We ran into
A meteorite storm.
Some of our equipment
Was knocked out.
We got lost.
Now, that was
Six months ago.
We saw
This asteroid
And we landed.
Our fuel
Is gone.
We've got
To stay here.
I see.
I see, then you're
Not from the glades.
The what?
But you are from the Earth.
Tell me, did they ever
Have that atomic w*r?
Yes, in .
Most of the Earth's
Surface was destroyed
And it's taken
Us years
To pick up
The pieces.
Oh, how sad.
Mr. Wickwire
Now, you've
Got to explain
Some things
Before we
Go out of
Our minds.
Yes, but you look hungry.
Let me fix you lunch,
Then we'll talk.
(Pete)
Wait a second.
Now, you tell us
One thing right now.
Where are we?
Why, you're in a cemetery.
Didn't you know?
[suspense music]
Please, make
Yourselves comfortable.
I'll be back
In a few moments.
Cemetery?
Coffee will
Be served
In a few minutes,
Gentlemen.
May I propose
A toast?
To peace,
My friends
To everlasting
Eternal peace.
[suspense music]
Excellent!
Liebfraumilch,
Isn't it?
Yes.
Mister--
Wickwire.
We're very
Confused.
We need help.
Well, sit down,
My boys, sit down.
Come on,
Sit down.
What is it?
Now, you said
That we were
In a cemetery.
What did
You mean?
Just
Exactly that.
But before
I explain
You must give me
Some information.
If you were granted
Your dearest wish
What would
Your wish be?
I'm not sure I know
What you mean.
I mean, where
Would you rather be
Right now?
I'd like to be on the ship
Headed for home.
And you, captain.
I'll go along
With that.
Splendid, and just
One thing more.
When you left Earth,
What was the date?
September.
No, no, the year.
.
?
[chuckles]
Now I understand.
Well, that's nice.
We don't!
When you arrived
I thought you were
From Happy Glades.
But by your behavior
Of course, I see
You couldn't be.
We're still
Not following you.
What's Happy Glades?
The world's
Greatest mortuary.
At least, that's
What it used to be.
You see,
The management
Hit upon this scheme
As a service
To those who
Could afford it.
"This scheme"
Being?
This little
Asteroid
Where we would recreate
The exact conditions
Under which
The dear departed
Could be most happy.
For an example,
If the deceased always
Wanted to be elected mayor
He would achieve
His ambition here
For all eternity.
You mean those people
Are all dead?
No, no, not all of them.
Just a select few.
The others are imitations.
(professor)
In other words,
This is the place
Where your
Dreams come true after
You've stopped dreaming.
Yes, that might
Be one way of
Putting it.
Yes, that's
Very good.
You expect
Us to believe
That explanation?
I hadn't thought of that.
Don't you?
It's true, you know.
Well, I'll admit
We haven't come up
With anything better.
But a cemetery
Out in space.
Millions of miles
From Earth.
Why?
Yes, why?
Now, your boss
Could have bought
A piece of desert.
Oh, no, no
You don't
Understand at all.
Happy Glades promises
Eternal peace
Everlasting peace.
You couldn't
Have that on Earth
Now, could you?
He has a point.
Uh, what
About you?
Me?
Yes, you, how
Do you figure
In all this?
Why, I'm
The caretaker.
It's my job
To make sure
That our guests
Are not,
Disturbed.
Well, when did
This mortuary-- or
Whatever it is-- begin?
, I believe.
Yes, yes.
That'd make
You a bit
On the
Elderly side
Wouldn't it,
Mr. Wirewick?
Wickwire.
[chuckles]
Now, I'm afraid
You're forcing me
Into a rather
Embarrassing admission.
You see, I'm not
Actually human,
Oh, I am now
But when you've gone
I shall go back
To sleep again
Until I'm needed.
You see, I'm-- I'm merely
A scientific device.
I go on and off again
Like a machine.
You understand.
Yes, it's not
Very complicated
Is it, really?
He goes
On and off.
Yes, I think I must have been
Off for about years.
Look, mister,
You think--
All right,
All right, Pete.
Mr. Wickwire
We're
Staying here.
Yes, I know.
Yes, but you
Said something
About our
Being gone.
Oh, that's a figure
Of speech, captain.
I meant "Departed."
"Gone on" as it were.
Well, you know
What he's saying
Don't you?
I told you not
To trust him.
I told you!
We meant you
No harm.
I realize that and I'm sorry.
Truly I am.
(Webber)
The antidote--
Give us the antidote.
(Wickwire)
There is no
Antidote, captain.
Even now the
Eternifying fluid
Is coursing
Through your veins
But it-- it won't
Be painful, I assure you.
But why?
Why us?
Because you are here
And you are men
And while there are men
There can be no peace.
[mischievous music]
[humming]
(male narrator)
Kirby, Webber and Meyers,
Three men lost.
They shared a common wish,
A simple one really,
They wanted to be aboard
Their ship headed for home.
And fate, a laughing fate,
A practical jokester
With a smile that stretched
Across the stars
Saw to it that
They got their wish
With just one reservation,
The wish came true
But only
In the twilight zone.
(male presenter, off)
Rod Serling, creator
Of twilight zone
Will tell you about next
Week's story after this word
From our alternate sponsor.
And now, Mr. Serling.
Next week, I try
To settle an argument
To the effect that I'm not
At my best when writing
Scripts for women
Miss Vera Miles
Takes my side
In a most un usual and unique
Story we called
"Mirror Image."
I hope to see you next week,
You in your living room
And Miss Vera Miles
And the rest of us
In the twilight zone.
(male presenter, off)
Can we have dynamic
Growth, low unemployment,
And reasonably stable prices?
Write for this free booklet
To American Assembly,
Columbia University
New York City.