The Twilight Zone (1959–1964): Season 1, Episode 36 - A World of His Own - full transcript
Peeking into the window of her husband Gregory's study, Victoria West sees him with a beautiful woman. When she finally gets into the room however, the woman is nowhere to be found. His explanation is preposterous - he claims that when he speaks into his dictation machine, the characters for his play come to life before his eyes. Victoria's first reaction is that her husband should be committed and a demonstration still doesn't quite convince her. Gregory has something else to show her.
A World of His Own
First Aired: 1 July 1960
English Subtitles by
Pandorafilm - Heerlen
You're traveling
to another dimension.
A dimension not only of sight
and sound, but of mind.
A journey into a wondrous land
of imagination.
Next stop: The Twilight Zone
The home of Mr Gregory West.
One of America's most
noted playwrights.
The office of Mr Gregory West.
Mr Gregory West, shy, quiet,
and at the moment, very happy.
Mary, warm, affectionate.
You really should be working,
you know.
You're nagging me.
-I'm only thinking of posterity.
Think of me instead.
Don't I always?
Yes, you do.
Dry enough?
-We'll let the master decide.
Perfect, as always.
-Are you describing yourself?
Let the mistress decide.
-She's decided.
And the final ingredient:
Mrs Gregory West.
Greg, not again.
I'm home, darling.
-No, Greg.
What else can I do?
-Are you working?
Are you so afraid?
I hope I'm not interrupting you.
Darling, I'll only be a moment.
I just want to come in and kiss you.
Well, I didn't expect you...
Something wrong, dear?
How come you're home so early, dear?
Didn't you like the movie?
I just decided
I'd come home early.
Have you been busy?
Yes, I got quite a bit done.
I see you dropped a glass.
You looking for something, dear?
I just thought I'd see if your
room needed to be cleaned.
What are you doing, dear?
I'm checking the wall.
What's that?
My scissors.
Gregory? You wouldn't have a
secret door in here, would you?
A secret door?
-That's what I said, darling.
What on earth would I want
with a secret door in here?
Yes. Whatever on earth for?
Are you all right, Victoria?
I don't know. I'm not too sure.
I think I may be suffering
from hallucinations.
I was just standing outside this
window only a moment ago right here.
You were?
-Yes, I was.
And you'll never guess
what I thought I saw.
I couldn't possibly guess.
I thought I saw a woman
in your arms.
Did you?
-Isn't that just too ridiculous?
Wouldn't you like to have
me describe her to you?
She had masses of blonde hair and
she wore a frumpy little blouses...
with a tacky little brooch and one
of those dreadful peasant skirts.
But the funny thing was
that she handed you a drink.
Such detail.
It's quite remarkable.
I would have realized
how ridiculous it was.
I would have realized that a man
of your extraordinary taste...
couldn't possibly be interested in
such a drab ugly little creature.
She's not so drab.
Didn't think I'd be home
so early, did you?
Thought you had me fooled,
didn't you?
I've had my eye on you
for some time now.
Didn't think I suspected why you were
always sending me out of the house.
'I must be alone to work', you said.
The great and famous philanderer.
-I can explain everything.
Do you remember my play,
'Fury in the Night'?
You remember the character
Philip Wainwright?
Gregory, just tell me one thing.
What's her name?
Mary. But that doesn't...
-'Mary.'How common.
Please, Victoria. Just sit down.
Listen and let me explain.
I've told you that fictional
characters come alive so vividly...
and make decisions of their own?
A playwright may have worked out
something. But they refuse to do it.
They become so strong that sometimes
they take over the whole story.
I hardly see that this has...
-Please bear with me, Victoria.
I've borne with you for years.
Wainwright was the first of my play
characters to behave like that.
No matter what I had planned
for him, he refused.
He wouldn't accept
any of my decisions.
He became alive with a will
of his own. You understand?
I understand that you are
trying to change the subject.
This is the subject.
Philip Wainwright became alive.
One night, while I was working here,
right up here in my office...
Philip walked in through that door.
-Greg, now, really.
You've got to believe me.
He walked in right through that door.
He came in, and he sat down.
In that chair. Alive.
A real flesh and blood man.
And I created him.
Oh, my.
What are you doing?
-Psychiatry is next on the agenda.
You've got to believe me. Characters
in my plays do come alive.
I've talked to them and shaken hands.
-And made love to them, remember?
Yes... I mean no.
Look, you know how I work.
I dictate dialog and stage business
into the tape recorder.
I describe any character I want. If I
do it well enough, they come to life.
And I don't even have to describe
the characters in my plays anymore.
I can describe any character I want.
You should be put away.
You said that you saw Mary here.
Then how did she get out?
That's what I'm trying to find out.
She could not have gone
out through the window.
You know there are
no secret doors in here.
I show you how she got out of here.
Because I want you to understand.
I take my scissors.
I snip off the part of the tape
on which she is described.
I roll the tape into a little ball.
I throw it into the fireplace.
She's gone.
Uncreated.
I'm going to have you committed.
You've got to believe me.
-What do you think you're doing?
Now, just a minute.
I'm trying to save our marriage.
Don't waste your time.
I could describe a dog or a cat
or any character you want.
But you would prefer to see Mary.
I've created her so many times...
that she'll be much more available.
Give me the key, Gregory.
-Her name is Mary.
She's 30 years old,
five feet six inches tall...
nicely built, blond hair,
fair complexion.
A simple, unassuming female,
with an inner loveliness...
that brings real beauty to a woman.
A tender, gentle woman.
An understanding woman.
She's dressed in a soft blouse...
old-fashioned brooch, full skirt.
Her hair is attractively arranged.
She's coming up the front walk.
She's crossing the porch.
She's opening the front door.
She's closing it.
She's walking across the hall.
Good afternoon, Mrs West.
Why do you bring me here now?
-Because... I'm sorry. Come in.
There's nothing to be afraid of.
-Do you believe me now, Victoria?
I believe this is some
sort of fiendish plot.
She left through a secret door. Then
you tell me this ridiculous story.
You lock the door and pretend to
bring her back to life. Then she...
You're trying to drive me insane.
You want to have me committed.
You were going to have me committed.
-No, you want all our property...
so you can share our it with this...
-I just wanted to show you.
Is that why you brought me?
Please try to understand, Mary.
After all, Victoria is my wife.
Not after this diabolic conspiracy.
-Can't I do anything right?
You haven't answered me, Greg.
-You don't really believe...
Here we go again.
-Let me out of here, you monster.
Gregory West, you let me out of
here or I'm going to scream.
What for?
-Again?
Why do you do this to me, Greg?
-I'm sorry, what else can I do?
I just got here, Greg.
What else can I do?
-That's all you ever say.
You wouldn't believe me, huh?
You've got to make me force
poor Mary to leave again.
Sometimes I wonder...
-Don't bring me back again.
Now, Mary...
-Just, don't.
I can't bear it any longer.
Forgive me, Mary,
but she is my wife.
Where is she?
-I told you.
Where is she?
-You still don't believe me, huh?
Gregory, where did she go?
-I told you.
I uncreated her.
Oh, dear.
-Now, don't you worry.
We won't let it happen anymore.
I promise you, I won't do it again.
The only reason I did it the first
time was that, well, I was lonely.
You're so perfect, you're so
flawless, and I just felt inferior.
I created Mary because I was lonely.
I wanted somebody to talk to.
Someone that I'd feel comfortable
with. Not like a worm.
Well, you understand, don't you?
-Oh, yes, I understand.
Oh, fine.
We'll work it out somehow.
It's just that I feel so inadequate
compared with you.
Of course, that's really my fault.
I guess I should have...
Don't try to stop me, Gregory.
I'm going to a lawyer and I'm going
to put away for life.
Away from tape recorders
and from me.
I'm going to live all by myself in
peace and harmony in this house.
Free of your diseased mind.
-No, Victoria.
A giant elephant is standing in my
hallway, and will not let her pass.
Oh, don't be ridiculous.
Gregory, would you please get
that elephant out of my hall.
Will you stay?
You are stark staring raving mad.
You shouldn't say those kind
of things. Then you'll stay?
You don't seriously think you're
going to keep me in this house now?
You want me to do it again?
No, I'll stay here for the moment.
But the first opportunity I get,
I'm going to have you put away.
Believe me.
I believe you.
I guess there's nothing else to do.
How long has that been there?
-Ever since you and I were married.
What is that?
What is this supposed to mean?
Shall I put this back in the safe...
or shall I throw it in the fire?
Are you trying to make me believe...
-I am telling you, Victoria.
Look at yourself.
Regal, beautiful.
You could have any man in
the world that you wanted.
Haven't you ever wondered how you
happened to get stuck with me?
I'm telling you. You're impeccable,
flawless. Just the sort of wife...
I always used to think I wanted
more than anything else.
Is this another one of your
tawdry little tricks?
Why did I got so upset when you came
back here early? Not because of Mary.
But because you came back against
my will for the first time.
Do you think you're frightening me?
No, I guess not.
You're beyond that.
I made you too strong. I forgot
to add a little human frailty.
Well, I asked for it.
I'll put this back in the safe.
Would you like to know what I think
of your childish nonsense?
This.
-Victoria.
Greg, I feel so strange. I...
You, don't mean that you were
telling me the truth?
You were right.
I told her.
She just wouldn't listen to me.
Her name is Mrs Victoria West...
Why not leave well enough alone?
Her name is Mary.
Mrs Mary West.
She's 30.
Five feet, six inches tall...
Blonde hair. Nicely built.
Clear complexion.
She's a plain, unassuming female with
that inner quality of loveliness...
That makes a woman truly beautiful.
She is dressed in a pink blouse,
old-fashioned brooch, flowing skirt.
Her hair is attractively arranged.
She is in her husband's study
preparing him a drink.
We hope you enjoyed tonight's
romantic story on the Twilight Zone.
At the same time, we want you to
realize that it was purely fictional.
In real life, such ridiculous
nonsense could never...
You shouldn't.
You shouldn't say such things as
'Nonsense' and 'Ridiculous.'
Well, that's the way it goes.
Leaving Mr Gregory West, still shy,
quiet, very happy.
And in complete control...
of the Twilight Zone.
English Subtitles by
B. Cornelis - Pandorafilm - Heerlen
First Aired: 1 July 1960
English Subtitles by
Pandorafilm - Heerlen
You're traveling
to another dimension.
A dimension not only of sight
and sound, but of mind.
A journey into a wondrous land
of imagination.
Next stop: The Twilight Zone
The home of Mr Gregory West.
One of America's most
noted playwrights.
The office of Mr Gregory West.
Mr Gregory West, shy, quiet,
and at the moment, very happy.
Mary, warm, affectionate.
You really should be working,
you know.
You're nagging me.
-I'm only thinking of posterity.
Think of me instead.
Don't I always?
Yes, you do.
Dry enough?
-We'll let the master decide.
Perfect, as always.
-Are you describing yourself?
Let the mistress decide.
-She's decided.
And the final ingredient:
Mrs Gregory West.
Greg, not again.
I'm home, darling.
-No, Greg.
What else can I do?
-Are you working?
Are you so afraid?
I hope I'm not interrupting you.
Darling, I'll only be a moment.
I just want to come in and kiss you.
Well, I didn't expect you...
Something wrong, dear?
How come you're home so early, dear?
Didn't you like the movie?
I just decided
I'd come home early.
Have you been busy?
Yes, I got quite a bit done.
I see you dropped a glass.
You looking for something, dear?
I just thought I'd see if your
room needed to be cleaned.
What are you doing, dear?
I'm checking the wall.
What's that?
My scissors.
Gregory? You wouldn't have a
secret door in here, would you?
A secret door?
-That's what I said, darling.
What on earth would I want
with a secret door in here?
Yes. Whatever on earth for?
Are you all right, Victoria?
I don't know. I'm not too sure.
I think I may be suffering
from hallucinations.
I was just standing outside this
window only a moment ago right here.
You were?
-Yes, I was.
And you'll never guess
what I thought I saw.
I couldn't possibly guess.
I thought I saw a woman
in your arms.
Did you?
-Isn't that just too ridiculous?
Wouldn't you like to have
me describe her to you?
She had masses of blonde hair and
she wore a frumpy little blouses...
with a tacky little brooch and one
of those dreadful peasant skirts.
But the funny thing was
that she handed you a drink.
Such detail.
It's quite remarkable.
I would have realized
how ridiculous it was.
I would have realized that a man
of your extraordinary taste...
couldn't possibly be interested in
such a drab ugly little creature.
She's not so drab.
Didn't think I'd be home
so early, did you?
Thought you had me fooled,
didn't you?
I've had my eye on you
for some time now.
Didn't think I suspected why you were
always sending me out of the house.
'I must be alone to work', you said.
The great and famous philanderer.
-I can explain everything.
Do you remember my play,
'Fury in the Night'?
You remember the character
Philip Wainwright?
Gregory, just tell me one thing.
What's her name?
Mary. But that doesn't...
-'Mary.'How common.
Please, Victoria. Just sit down.
Listen and let me explain.
I've told you that fictional
characters come alive so vividly...
and make decisions of their own?
A playwright may have worked out
something. But they refuse to do it.
They become so strong that sometimes
they take over the whole story.
I hardly see that this has...
-Please bear with me, Victoria.
I've borne with you for years.
Wainwright was the first of my play
characters to behave like that.
No matter what I had planned
for him, he refused.
He wouldn't accept
any of my decisions.
He became alive with a will
of his own. You understand?
I understand that you are
trying to change the subject.
This is the subject.
Philip Wainwright became alive.
One night, while I was working here,
right up here in my office...
Philip walked in through that door.
-Greg, now, really.
You've got to believe me.
He walked in right through that door.
He came in, and he sat down.
In that chair. Alive.
A real flesh and blood man.
And I created him.
Oh, my.
What are you doing?
-Psychiatry is next on the agenda.
You've got to believe me. Characters
in my plays do come alive.
I've talked to them and shaken hands.
-And made love to them, remember?
Yes... I mean no.
Look, you know how I work.
I dictate dialog and stage business
into the tape recorder.
I describe any character I want. If I
do it well enough, they come to life.
And I don't even have to describe
the characters in my plays anymore.
I can describe any character I want.
You should be put away.
You said that you saw Mary here.
Then how did she get out?
That's what I'm trying to find out.
She could not have gone
out through the window.
You know there are
no secret doors in here.
I show you how she got out of here.
Because I want you to understand.
I take my scissors.
I snip off the part of the tape
on which she is described.
I roll the tape into a little ball.
I throw it into the fireplace.
She's gone.
Uncreated.
I'm going to have you committed.
You've got to believe me.
-What do you think you're doing?
Now, just a minute.
I'm trying to save our marriage.
Don't waste your time.
I could describe a dog or a cat
or any character you want.
But you would prefer to see Mary.
I've created her so many times...
that she'll be much more available.
Give me the key, Gregory.
-Her name is Mary.
She's 30 years old,
five feet six inches tall...
nicely built, blond hair,
fair complexion.
A simple, unassuming female,
with an inner loveliness...
that brings real beauty to a woman.
A tender, gentle woman.
An understanding woman.
She's dressed in a soft blouse...
old-fashioned brooch, full skirt.
Her hair is attractively arranged.
She's coming up the front walk.
She's crossing the porch.
She's opening the front door.
She's closing it.
She's walking across the hall.
Good afternoon, Mrs West.
Why do you bring me here now?
-Because... I'm sorry. Come in.
There's nothing to be afraid of.
-Do you believe me now, Victoria?
I believe this is some
sort of fiendish plot.
She left through a secret door. Then
you tell me this ridiculous story.
You lock the door and pretend to
bring her back to life. Then she...
You're trying to drive me insane.
You want to have me committed.
You were going to have me committed.
-No, you want all our property...
so you can share our it with this...
-I just wanted to show you.
Is that why you brought me?
Please try to understand, Mary.
After all, Victoria is my wife.
Not after this diabolic conspiracy.
-Can't I do anything right?
You haven't answered me, Greg.
-You don't really believe...
Here we go again.
-Let me out of here, you monster.
Gregory West, you let me out of
here or I'm going to scream.
What for?
-Again?
Why do you do this to me, Greg?
-I'm sorry, what else can I do?
I just got here, Greg.
What else can I do?
-That's all you ever say.
You wouldn't believe me, huh?
You've got to make me force
poor Mary to leave again.
Sometimes I wonder...
-Don't bring me back again.
Now, Mary...
-Just, don't.
I can't bear it any longer.
Forgive me, Mary,
but she is my wife.
Where is she?
-I told you.
Where is she?
-You still don't believe me, huh?
Gregory, where did she go?
-I told you.
I uncreated her.
Oh, dear.
-Now, don't you worry.
We won't let it happen anymore.
I promise you, I won't do it again.
The only reason I did it the first
time was that, well, I was lonely.
You're so perfect, you're so
flawless, and I just felt inferior.
I created Mary because I was lonely.
I wanted somebody to talk to.
Someone that I'd feel comfortable
with. Not like a worm.
Well, you understand, don't you?
-Oh, yes, I understand.
Oh, fine.
We'll work it out somehow.
It's just that I feel so inadequate
compared with you.
Of course, that's really my fault.
I guess I should have...
Don't try to stop me, Gregory.
I'm going to a lawyer and I'm going
to put away for life.
Away from tape recorders
and from me.
I'm going to live all by myself in
peace and harmony in this house.
Free of your diseased mind.
-No, Victoria.
A giant elephant is standing in my
hallway, and will not let her pass.
Oh, don't be ridiculous.
Gregory, would you please get
that elephant out of my hall.
Will you stay?
You are stark staring raving mad.
You shouldn't say those kind
of things. Then you'll stay?
You don't seriously think you're
going to keep me in this house now?
You want me to do it again?
No, I'll stay here for the moment.
But the first opportunity I get,
I'm going to have you put away.
Believe me.
I believe you.
I guess there's nothing else to do.
How long has that been there?
-Ever since you and I were married.
What is that?
What is this supposed to mean?
Shall I put this back in the safe...
or shall I throw it in the fire?
Are you trying to make me believe...
-I am telling you, Victoria.
Look at yourself.
Regal, beautiful.
You could have any man in
the world that you wanted.
Haven't you ever wondered how you
happened to get stuck with me?
I'm telling you. You're impeccable,
flawless. Just the sort of wife...
I always used to think I wanted
more than anything else.
Is this another one of your
tawdry little tricks?
Why did I got so upset when you came
back here early? Not because of Mary.
But because you came back against
my will for the first time.
Do you think you're frightening me?
No, I guess not.
You're beyond that.
I made you too strong. I forgot
to add a little human frailty.
Well, I asked for it.
I'll put this back in the safe.
Would you like to know what I think
of your childish nonsense?
This.
-Victoria.
Greg, I feel so strange. I...
You, don't mean that you were
telling me the truth?
You were right.
I told her.
She just wouldn't listen to me.
Her name is Mrs Victoria West...
Why not leave well enough alone?
Her name is Mary.
Mrs Mary West.
She's 30.
Five feet, six inches tall...
Blonde hair. Nicely built.
Clear complexion.
She's a plain, unassuming female with
that inner quality of loveliness...
That makes a woman truly beautiful.
She is dressed in a pink blouse,
old-fashioned brooch, flowing skirt.
Her hair is attractively arranged.
She is in her husband's study
preparing him a drink.
We hope you enjoyed tonight's
romantic story on the Twilight Zone.
At the same time, we want you to
realize that it was purely fictional.
In real life, such ridiculous
nonsense could never...
You shouldn't.
You shouldn't say such things as
'Nonsense' and 'Ridiculous.'
Well, that's the way it goes.
Leaving Mr Gregory West, still shy,
quiet, very happy.
And in complete control...
of the Twilight Zone.
English Subtitles by
B. Cornelis - Pandorafilm - Heerlen