The Twilight Zone (1959–1964): Season 3, Episode 7 - The Grave - full transcript

Old West lawman Conny Miller visits the grave of a man who he failed to track down to prove he was never afraid of him but gets more than he bargained for.

( theme music playing)

YOU'RE TRAVELING THROUGH
ANOTHER DIMENSION...

A DIMENSION NOT ONLY OF
SIGHT AND SOUND, BUT OF MIND,

A JOURNEY INTO A WONDROUS LAND

WHOSE BOUNDARIES
ARE THAT OF IMAGINATION.

YOUR NEXT STOP,
THE TWILIGHT ZONE.

( wind whistling)

PINTO!

YOU'RE COVERED ON ALL SIDES.

RAISE YOUR HANDS.

( gunfire continues)



HE'S STILL ALIVE.

LET'S GET HIM INTO THE OLD JAIL.

WELL, THEY DID IT.

THEY SHOT HIM DOWN.

I NEVER THOUGHT
THEY'D DO THAT...

NOT TO PINTO SYKES...
NOT THAT EASY.

HE'S AIN'T GOT MORE
THAN A FEW MINUTES

LEFT TO LIVE, JOHNNY ROB.

YOU GO FETCH HIS PAW AND SISTER.

ALL RIGHT, MOTHERSHED.

YES, SIR.

THAT'S THE END OF THAT!

NORMALLY, THE OLD
MAN WOULD BE CORRECT...

THIS WOULD BE THE
END OF THE STORY.



WE'VE HAD THE TRADITIONAL
SHOOTOUT ON THE STREET,

AND THE BADMAN
WILL SOON BE DEAD,

BUT SOME MEN OF LEGEND
AND FOLKTALE HAVE BEEN KNOWN

TO CONTINUE HAVING THEIR
WAY EVEN AFTER DEATH.

THE OUTLAW AND KILLER PINTO
SYKES WAS SUCH A PERSON.

AND, SHORTLY, WE'LL SEE HOW
HE INTRODUCES THE TOWN...

AND A MAN NAMED CONNY
MILLER, IN PARTICULAR...

TO THE TWILIGHT ZONE.

WHO'S THAT?

IT'S ME, CONNY. JASEN.

WHY'D THEY FENCE OFF THAT
PIECE OF STREET DOWN THERE?

IT'S HIS BLOOD.

IF YOU COULD SEE DOWN
UNDER ALL THAT DUST,

YOU COULD SEE HIS
BLOOD DOWN THERE.

WHOSE BLOOD?

PINTO SYKES'.

THEY SHOT AND KILLED HIM

DAY BEFORE YESTERDAY.

( plucks strings)

WELL, WELL. LOOKEE
WHAT THE WIND BLOWED IN.

HELLO, CONNY.

JIM.

SAME, CONNY?

THAT'S... THAT'S ALL FOR ME.

DID YOU NOTICE OUR LITTLE
FENCE OUT IN THE STREET, CONNY?

THAT I DID... AND I
KNOW WHAT'S IN IT, TOO.

THE BLOOD OF PINTO SYKES.

WHO SHOT HIM?

WE DID.

WHO IS "WE," MOTHERSHED?

US. THE WHOLE TOWN.

NOT ME.

I DON'T BELIEVE IN
GUNFIRE MYSELF.

ONLY EIGHT OF US ACTUALLY FIRED,

BUT THE WHOLE
TOWN WAS BEHIND IT.

( strums guitar)

WE'LL HAVE TO ADMIT

THE WHOLE TOWN AIN'T
MUCH OF A MARKSMAN.

OUT OF EIGHT SHOTS FIRED,

ONLY ONE OF THEM HIT HIM.

WE DON'T EVEN KNOW
WHO IT WAS THAT GOT HIM.

BULLET PASSED RIGHT THROUGH HIM.

NO ONE'S BRAGGING
THAT THEY DID IT. NO, SIR.

NO ONE'S TAKING CREDIT

FOR THAT PIECE OF GUNPLAY.

( strums guitar)

YOU KNOW SOMETHING,
MR. MOTHERSHED?

MAYBE, BY NOW, PINTO KNOWS

WHO IT WAS THAT KILLED HIM.

RECKON YOU'RE SOME
DISAPPOINTED, CONNY,

BEING AS HOW YOU
SPENT SO MUCH TIME

TRYING TO FIND HIM FOR YOURSELF.

THAT I AM, IRA.

FOUR MONTHS WASTED
LOOKING FOR HIM,

AND I COULD HAVE FOUND HIM HERE.

( strums guitar)

THAT AIN'T THE
WAY PINTO TELLS IT.

HE CLAIMED YOU DIDN'T
EVEN TRY TO CATCH UP TO HIM.

HELLO, JOHNNY ROB.

STILL AS BIG A
BLABBERMOUTH AS EVER, I FIND.

YOU DO SPOUT OFF
A LOT, JOHNNY ROB.

BUT NO NEED TO GET RILED, CONNY.

US HERE AIN'T SAYING

THAT YOU DIDN'T
ACTUALLY TRY TO CATCH HIM,

BUT IT IS A FACT

THAT PINTO CLAIMED
THAT ON HIS DEATHBED.

HE TALKED BEFORE HE DIED?

HE LIVED A HALF HOUR
AFTER HE WAS SHOT.

TALKED A BLUE STREAK

RIGHT UP TO THE VERY END.

WHAT DID HE SAY ABOUT ME?

I RECKON THAT CONNY DESERVES

TO HEAR IT ALL.

WE GOT A NEW
CIRCUIT JUDGE, CONNY...

A YOUNG FELLOW
NAMED ED THACKERAY.

HE WAS THROUGH HERE LAST WEEK,

AND WE WENT TO HIM
WITH OUR COMPLAINTS.

WE TOLD HIM HOW ONE PINTO SYKES

IS WANTED BY THE
LAW IN THREE STATES,

BUT TREATS THIS TOWN

LIKE IT WAS HIS
PERSONAL PROPERTY

JUST BECAUSE HE WAS
BORN AND RAISED HERE.

AND WE TELL HOW WE HIRED YOU...

CONNY MILLER...
TO TRACK HIM DOWN,

BUT WE AIN'T HAD MUCH RESULTS.

( strums guitar)

WELL, SIR...

THIS THACKERAY GETS MAD AT US...

TELLS US TO GROW
UP AND ACT LIKE MEN,

OR ELSE LEAVE TOWN

AND MOVE TO WHERE
MEN CAN PROTECT US.

HE GETS US KIND OF FIRED UP.

SO WE HOLD A MEETING,

AND WE ALL AGREE TO WORK AS ONE

SO THAT THE NEXT
TIME PINTO RODE IN

WE ALL JOIN IN, AND WE TAKE HIM.

DAY BEFORE
YESTERDAY, HE RODE IN.

NOW, DO YOU WANT
TO TELL IT, IRA?

THAT'S ABOUT ALL
THERE IS TO TELL.

HE RODE IN.

EIGHT OF THE TOWN
GUNNED HIM DOWN

OUT IN THE STREET.

THAT'S ALL THERE IS.

NO, THAT IS NOT ALL THERE IS.

Ira: ALL RIGHT, YOU TELL IT.

WE SENT FOR HIS
PAW... DAN SYKES...

AND FOR HIS SISTER IONE...

I KNOW THE NAMES OF HIS FAMILY.

I WAS BORN HERE, TOO.

HE SPENT THE LAST FEW MINUTES

TALKING TO THEM.

HE TOLD HIS PAW HOW SORRY HE WAS

THAT HE HADN'T
TURNED OUT BETTER,

AND HIS PAW ALLOWED

AS TO HOW HE'D
TURNED OUT RIGHT WELL.

HE TOLD IONE HOW HE WISHED

SHE'D MARRY A FINE
MAN AND MOVE AWAY.

ASKED TO BE BURIED NEAR HIS MAW,

ONLY 20 FEET AWAY, AS
SHE'S TOO TRUE A WOMAN

TO HAVE THE LIKES
OF HIM ANY CLOSER.

WHAT DID HE SAY ABOUT ME?

HE GOT REAL RILED
WHEN HE MENTIONED YOU.

( strums guitar)

HE SAID, THE SLOWER HE RAN AWAY,

THE SLOWER YOU CHASED HIM.

HE SAID HE WAITED FOR
YOU IN ALBUQUERQUE.

EVEN SENT WORD WHERE HE WAS.

YOU NEVER SHOWED UP.

HE SAID YOU OUGHT TO BE ABLE

TO CATCH HIM NOW BUT,
THAT IF YOU EVER COME

ANYWAYS CLOSE TO HIS GRAVE,

HE'LL REACH UP AND GRAB YOU.

HE LIED... EVEN ON HIS DEATHBED.

I SEARCHED ALL
OVER ALBUQUERQUE...

EVERY SALOON, HOTEL.

HE WASN'T EVEN IN
THAT TOWN LONG ENOUGH

TO RENT HIMSELF A
ROOM FOR THE NIGHT.

HELLO, IONE.

GIVE ME A BOTTLE
OF RYE, MR. BODLEY.

SEEMS YOUR PAW IS
HITTING THE DRINKING

A MIGHT HEAVY, IONE.

MAYBE YOU OUGHT
TO TRY TO GET HIM

TO TONE IT DOWN.

HE'S A FINE MAN.

NOW, THE FOLKS HERE IN TOWN,

THEY DON'T HOLD IT AGAINST
HIM THAT HE'S PINTO'S PAW.

THIS AIN'T FOR MY
PAW, MR. BODLEY.

IT'S FOR ME.

WELL, LOOK WHAT
THE WIND BLEW IN.

HELLO, IONE.

AND HOW ARE YOU?

FINE. JUST FINE.

HOW'S YOURSELF?

JUST TOLERABLE.

YOU KNOW, MY BROTHER AND I

WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT YOU

JUST THE DAY BEFORE YESTERDAY.

HE'S REAL SORRY
HE'S BEEN MISSING YOU.

WE TOLD HIM, IONE.

EVEN ABOUT HOW PINTO'S GOING

TO REACH UP AND GRAB HIM?

WE TOLD HIM THAT, TOO.

YOU BEEN CHASING HIM
FOR SO LONG, CONNY,

YOU OUGHT TO FEEL LUCKY TONIGHT.

YOU KNOW RIGHT WHERE HE IS.

ALL YOU GOT TO DO
IS WALK OUT THERE.

ISN'T THAT NICE?

( laughs)

THAT WHOLE SYKES FAMILY...
THEY NEVER WAS REAL BRIGHT.

TELL ME SOMETHING, CONNY.

ARE YOU AFRAID OF PINTO'S GRAVE?

THE REST OF US ARE.
NOW, HOW ABOUT YOU?

ARE YOU AFRAID?

NO.

I'M GOING TO TELL YOU
SOMETHING, JOHNNY ROB.

I WAS NEVER AFRAID OF
PINTO WHEN HE WAS ALIVE,

AND I SURE AIN'T AFRAID
OF HIM NOW THAT HE'S DEAD.

I DON'T BELIEVE THAT.

I AIN'T ARMED!

HOLD IT, CONNY.

LET'S NOT HAVE ANY BLOODSHED.

NOBODY CALLS ME A COWARD.

NOW, YOU DIDN'T LET ME FINISH

WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY, CONNY.

I DON'T THINK YOU'RE A COWARD.

LEASTWISE, I DON'T THINK

YOU'RE AFRAID OF
ANYBODY IN THIS ROOM.

ESPECIALLY NOT ME.

I'M JUST A POOR OLD BOY.

I WORK HARD FOR NOT TOO MUCH.

BUT DOGS AND KIDS LIKE ME.

THEY FOLLOW ME
AROUND ALL THE TIME.

SURE IS WINDY TONIGHT, AIN'T IT?

Johnny Rob: NO,
SIR, I DON'T THINK

THERE'S ANYBODY AFRAID OF ME.

WHETHER YOU WERE
AFRAID OF PINTO ALIVE...

ONLY YOU KNOW THAT.

BUT WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY

BEFORE YOU HIT ME AND HURT ME

WAS... WELL, NOW, I'LL BET...

I'M NOT ACCUSING,
YOU UNDERSTAND...

BUT I'LL BET

THAT YOU WON'T CALL
ON PINTO TONIGHT.

WHY DON'T YOU SHUT UP
BEFORE YOU REALLY GET HURT?

IT'S ALMOST MIDNIGHT.

NOW, I'LL BET YOU

YOU WON'T WALK OUT OF HERE

AT MIDNIGHT SHARP...

AND VISIT PINTO'S GRAVE.

NOW, I GOT A $20 GOLD PIECE.

NOW, I'LL BET YOU...

I'LL BET YOU THIS $20 GOLD PIECE
IT TOOK ME 20 WEEKS TO SAVE

THAT YOU WON'T
DO WHAT I JUST SAID.

I'M GOING TO TELL
YOU SOMETHING, BOY.

I DON'T LIKE YOU.

I NEVER HAVE, AND I NEVER WILL.

SO OLD BLABBERMOUTH GOT HISSELF

A $20 GOLD PIECE, HUH?

WELL, I JUST HAPPEN
TO HAVE ONE, TOO

AND IT JUST COVERS YOURS.

I GUESS, IN A LITTLE WHILE,

ONE OF US WILL HAVE
$40 INSTEAD OF $20.

THAT'S RIGHT.

AND, WHEN I GET BACK,

I DON'T WANT YOU
HANGING AROUND HERE

WHERE I CAN SEE
YOU. YOU UNDERSTAND?

CONNY.

YOU DON'T WANT TO PUT UP

ANOTHER $20, DO YOU?

ARE YOU SAYING THAT YOU WANT

TO BET AGAINST
ME, TOO, STEINHART?

BETTING'S MY BUSINESS, CONNY.

YOU DON'T THINK I GOT THE NERVE?

I DIDN'T SAY THAT.

I JUST SAID I'D BET
$20 YOU DON'T GO.

( coins clinking)

THERE.

KEEP AN EYE ON THE BETS, IRA.

SURE, CONNY.

I STILL GOT SOME
BETTING MONEY LEFT.

I CAN'T AFFORD TO BET TONIGHT.

STEINHART JUST TOOK
ALL I CAN AFFORD TO LOSE.

Connie: WELL, IF STEINHART HADN'T
HADN'T TAKEN ALL YOUR MONEY,

WHOSE SIDE WOULD YOU BE ON?

I RECKON I'D BET
AGIN YOU, CONNY.

WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?

YOU PEOPLE KNOW ME.

HOW COME NOW
YOU THINK I'M AFRAID?

BECAUSE WE'D BE AFRAID.

YOU CAN DRAW YOUR
GUN REAL FAST, CONNY.

WE'VE SEEN YOU.

BUT, OUT IN THAT GRAVEYARD,

THAT GUN WON'T BE
WORTH A COPPER CENT.

I DON'T GET MY NERVE
FROM THIS GUN, MOTHERSHED.

I HAD IT LONG BEFORE I
COULD PICK ONE OF THEM UP.

CONNY...

BEFORE YOU GO,

WE'VE GOT TO WORK
OUT A LITTLE DETAIL.

SINCE YOU'RE DOING
THIS JOB BY YOURSELF,

HOW WILL WE BE
SURE YOU'VE DONE IT?

WHAT DO YOU MEAN?

WHAT'S TO KEEP YOU FROM GOING

TO THE EDGE OF THE GRAVEYARD,

THEN TELLING US YOU'VE
GONE ALL THE WAY?

YOU SAYING YOU DON'T
TRUST ME, STEINHART?

BUSINESS IS BUSINESS, CONNY.

AND, WITH ME, THIS IS BUSINESS.

THEN, IN THAT CASE,

I GUESS YOU'LL HAVE
TO KEEP ME COMPANY

SO YOU CAN PROTECT
YOUR OWN INTERESTS.

I HAVE ANOTHER WAY.

GIVE ME YOUR BOWIE KNIFE, IRA.

WHAT'S THAT FOR?

WHEN YOU ARRIVE
AT YOUR DESTINATION,

SIMPLY STICK IT INTO THE GRAVE.

THEN, AT DAYLIGHT TOMORROW,

WE'LL SEE THE
PROOF OF YOUR VISIT.

IF WE SEE IT WITHIN FIVE FEET

OF THE FRESH EARTH,

WE'LL CONCEDE THE WAGER.

Johnny Rob: ONE THING, CONNY.

WON'T NOBODY GO UP THERE

AND STEAL THAT KNIFE

ONCE YOU'VE PLANTED IT.

KEEP THE BOTTLE ON THE BAR, IRA.

I WON'T BE LONG.

( wind howling)

CONNY.

HELLO, IONE.

COME TO SEE PINTO?

MAYBE.

YOU'RE BRAVER THAN I THOUGHT.

HMM... HERE.

MAYBE A GOOD BELT OF RED-EYE

WILL MAKE IT ALL EASIER.

I DON'T GET MY NERVE
OUT OF A BOTTLE, IONE.

( giggles)

YOU GO ON UP
THERE AND SEE PINTO.

I JUST CAME FROM THERE.

HE'S WAITING FOR YOU.

( laughing)

( laughing)

( wind howling)

( clattering)

( clattering continues)

( clattering)

( wind howling)

( hits ground)

I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT.

IT'S MORNING, HE AIN'T BACK YET.

MAYBE HE DIDN'T HAVE THE NERVE

TO COME BACK AND FACE US

WHEN HE DIDN'T HAVE
THE NERVE TO DO IT.

NOT LIKELY.

HIS HORSE IS STILL HERE.

I JUST CAN'T HELP FEELING

SOMEHOW I GOT A MAN KILLED.

NOW, IT'S FULL
DAYLIGHT, JOHNNY ROB

AND WE CAN ALL THINK
WITH CLEAR HEADS.

DEEP DOWN, WE ALL KNOW

THAT THE DEAD CAN'T
REALLY HURT NOBODY.

( woman singing)

( singing)

MORNING!

GOOD MORNING, IONE.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING
WITH THAT PLATE?

THIS IS HIS.

HE USED TO EAT OUT OF IT

WHEN HE WAS A LITTLE BOY.

I'M GOING TO PUT
IT ON HIS GRAVE.

I'LL GO WITH YOU.

I GOT TO SEE WHAT
HAPPENED OUT THERE.

WELL, I RECKON

WE CAN'T SPEND THE
REST OF OUR DAYS

BEING AFRAID OF A DEAD MAN.

I'LL COME WITH YOU.

I KNOWED IT!

I KNOWED IT! I GOT A MAN KILLED.

CUT IT OUT, JOHNNY ROB.

YOU'RE ACTING LIKE A BABY.

IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT, BOY.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN?

WHAT HAPPENED?

THE WHOLE STORY IS RIGHT THERE.

LOOK AT HIM.

HE CAME UP HERE.

HE HAD MORE COURAGE
THAN I THOUGHT.

THERE'S HIS KNEE PRINTS.

HE KNELT BY THE GRAVE.

HE PULLED HIS
KNIFE FROM HIS BELT

AND PLUNGED IT INTO THE GRAVE,

BUT THE WIND WAS STRONG,

AND IT BLEW HIS
COATTAIL OVER THE GRAVE.

BEING DARK, HE DIDN'T NOTICE

HE'D PUT HIS KNIFE
THROUGH HIS OWN COATTAIL,

PINIONING IT TO THE GRAVE.

THEN HE STARTED TO RISE.

AS HE DID SO, PERHAPS HALFWAY UP

HE FELT A SUDDEN TUG... THE
KNIFE HOLDING HIS COATTAIL.

BUT, IN HIS OWN MIND, PINTO
REACHED OUT AND GRABBED HIM.

HE WAS ALREADY
SCARED HALF TO DEATH,

AND THAT FINISHED HIM.

HIS HEART GAVE WAY, THAT'S ALL.

THERE YOU ARE, BUD.

SO YOU THINK CONNY'S
DEATH WAS AN ACCIDENT?

THAT HE STUCK THE KNIFE

IN HIS OWN COATTAIL?

YES, MA'AM.

HOW DID HIS COATTAIL
GET OVER THE GRAVE?

FOR SOME REASON,
HE HAD IT UNBUTTONED.

THE WIND MUST
HAVE DONE THE REST.

WHAT DIRECTION WAS THE
WIND FROM LAST NIGHT?

THE SOUTH. WHY?

THE SOUTH...

SAME AS NOW.

LOOK AT MY CLOAK.

I'M STANDING IN THE
SAME SPOT CONNY WAS.

LOOK AT MY CLOAK.

IS THE WIND BLOWING
IT ACROSS THE GRAVE?

( laughing)

FINAL COMMENT: YOU TAKE
THIS WITH A GRAIN OF SALT

OR A SHOVELFUL OF EARTH,
AS SHADOW OR AS SUBSTANCE.

WE LEAVE IT UP TO YOU. AND,
FOR ANY FURTHER RESEARCH,

CHECK UNDER "G" FOR
"GHOSTS"... IN THE TWILIGHT ZONE.

Announcer: ROD SERLING,
CREATOR OF THE TWILIGHT ZONE,

WILL TELL YOU ABOUT
NEXT WEEK'S STORY

AFTER THIS WORD FROM
OUR ALTERNATE SPONSOR.

AND NOW, MR. SERLING.

NEXT WEEK, WE BORROW
FROM THE EXCEPTIONAL TALENT

OF AUTHOR JEROME BIXBY.

IT'S AN ADAPTATION OF
WHAT HAS BEEN CALLED

ONE OF THE MOST TERRIFYING
MODERN FANTASIES EVER WRITTEN.

WHAT YOU'LL SEE IS, IN A SENSE,

A PORTRAIT OF A
MONSTER AS A YOUNG BOY.

NEXT WEEK'S VERY SPECIAL
EXCURSION INTO THE TWILIGHT ZONE

IS CALLED "IT'S A GOOD LIFE."

I HOPE WE SEE YOU THEN.

THIS IS JAMES ARNESS.

YOU KNOW, IT'S ONLY A SHORT HOP

FROM THE TWILIGHT ZONE TO
DODGE CITY AND GUNSMOKE...

SATURDAY NIGHTS OVER
MOST OF THESE STATIONS.