The Twilight Zone (1959–1964): Season 4, Episode 10 - No Time Like the Past - full transcript
A scientist attempts to use a time machine to prevent tragedies, both in world history and in his own past.
YOU UNLOCK THIS DOOR
WITH THE KEY OF IMAGINATION.
BEYOND IT IS
ANOTHER DIMENSION...
A DIMENSION OF SOUND,
A DIMENSION OF SIGHT,
A DIMENSION OF MIND.
YOU'RE MOVING INTO A LAND OF
BOTH SHADOW AND SUBSTANCE,
OF THINGS AND IDEAS.
YOU'VE JUST CROSSED
OVER INTO THE TWILIGHT ZONE.
Man: HARVEY?
WHAT'S THE MONITOR PICTURE NOW?
STILL DISTORTED.
AND WE'VE GOT SIX OR
SEVEN MINUTES LEFT.
WHAT GUARANTEE DO YOU HAVE
THAT YOU'LL REACH THE
POINT THAT YOU WANT TO?
NO GUARANTEE AT ALL.
BUT IF I FAIL, YOU SIMPLY
MARK OFF ONE MAN
ONE INSIGNIFICANT HUMAN
ONE FRAIL, PROTESTING
MEMBER OF THE RACE.
LET'S PUT IT THIS
WAY: IF I DO FAIL
IF I END UP IN HELL OR
LIMBO, OR THE CEMETERY
THE RESPONSIBILITY
IS EXCLUSIVELY MINE.
YOU CAN REST EASY ON THIS FACT.
FEELING PRETTY SECURE, PAUL?
YOU SOUND FUNEREAL, HARVEY.
THEN I SOUND THE WAY I FEEL.
I'M HELPING YOU BECAUSE YOU
ASKED ME TO AS A FRIEND, PAUL.
I CAN GIVE YOU EFFICIENCY
AND DEDICATION, BUT...
ENTHUSIASM I CAN'T DREDGE UP
EVEN IN THE MINUTEST DEGREE.
NO SENSE OF ADVENTURE,
NO WONDER AT THE UNKNOWN?
THERE'S SOME WONDER,
SOME INQUISITIVENESS
AS TO HOW A HUMAN BEING CAN
PLACE HIMSELF IN SUCH JEOPARDY
NOT ONLY WITH WILLINGNESS,
BUT WITH ANTICIPATION.
JEOPARDY?
THE JEOPARDY I FACE
COMES IN SHADOW.
YOURS HAPPENS TO
BE MUCH MORE REAL.
BUT OF THE TWO,
THERE'S NOT MUCH CHOICE.
DID YOU DRINK MILK THIS MORNING?
WHAT WAS THE
STRONTIUM 90 CONTENT?
HAS IT OCCURRED TO YOU THAT
THE THINGS YOU'VE BEEN EATING
MIGHT BE TURNING YOUR
BONES INTO SAWDUST?
OH, HARVEY, SPEAK TO ME
OF JEOPARDY IF YOU WILL
BUT DON'T MAKE IT SOUND AS IF
I HAVE AN EXCLUSIVE FRANCHISE
ON THE CALCULATED RISK.
YOU AND I SHARE THIS
DUBIOUS DISTINCTION
WITH SEVERAL MILLION PEERS
WHO INHABIT THE 20th CENTURY.
AND YOU DON'T CARE
FOR THE 20th CENTURY.
I DO NOT.
I WILL TELL YOU SUCCINCTLY
HOW I CLASSIFY THE TIMES.
WE LIVE IN A CESSPOOL,
A SEPTIC TANK
A GIGANTIC SEWAGE COMPLEX IN
WHICH RUNS THE DREGS, THE FILTH
THE MISERY-LADEN SLOP
OF THE RACE OF MEN...
HIS HATRED, PREJUDICES,
PASSIONS, AND VIOLENCE.
AND THE KEEPER
OF THIS SEWER: MAN.
HE IS A SCIENTIFICALLY
ADVANCED MONKEY
WHO WALKS UPRIGHT,
WITH EYES WIDE OPEN
INTO AN ABYSS OF HIS OWN MAKING.
HIS BOMBS, FALLOUT,
POISONS, RADIOACTIVITY...
EVERYTHING HE DESIGNS
AS AN ART FOR DYING
IS HIS EXCUSE FOR LIVING.
NO, WE LIVE IN AN EXQUISITE
BEDLAM... AN INSANITY.
MAYBE ALL THE MORE GROTESQUE
BY THE FACT THAT WE DON'T
RECOGNIZE IT AS INSANITY.
DID IT EVER OCCUR TO YOU
THAT SOME THESE
SCIENTIFICALLY ADVANCED MONKEYS
MAKE BOMBS AS A SIMPLE
EXPEDIENT FOR SURVIVAL?
THAT ACROSS THIS
PLANET THERE ARE OTHER
SCIENTIFICALLY ADVANCED MONKEYS
WHO WOULD PULVERIZE US INTO DUST
IF THEY THOUGHT THEY
COULD DO SO WITH IMPUNITY?
I DON'T NEED A LESSON
IN CURRENT EVENTS.
I'M PRETTY WELL UP ON THE TIMES.
THE FREEDOM-LOVING
MONKEYS MAKE BOMBS
WHILE THE AGGRESSORS MAKE BOMBS.
BUT ULTIMATELY,
SOMEBODY PUSHES A BUTTON
AND JUST AS ULTIMATELY,
THIS EARTH DISAPPEARS.
AND ALL OF THIS, I
SUPPOSE, IS RIGHT
AND PRACTICAL AND EXPEDIENT.
A FEW GERMS WILL RISE
UP OUT OF THE RUBBLE
AND WAVE MICROSCOPIC
FLAGS OF VICTORY
AND SHED A FEW MICROSCOPIC
TEARS FOR THE RACE OF MEN.
HARVEY, ARE YOU CONTENT
WITH THIS KIND OF STATUS QUO?
ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH
THIS KIND OF 20th CENTURY?
YOU'RE IN FOCUS NOW, PAUL.
PRESS THE BUTTON.
PRESS THE BUTTON, MY
FRIEND, SEND ME BACK INTO TIME.
EXIT ONE PAUL DRISCOLL,
A CREATURE OF THE 20th CENTURY.
HE PUTS TO A TEST A
COMPLICATED THEOREM
OF SPACE-TIME CONTINUUM.
BUT HE GOES A STEP
FURTHER, OR TRIES TO.
SHORTLY, HE WILL SEEK OUT
THREE MOMENTS OF THE PAST
IN A DESPERATE ATTEMPT
TO ALTER THE PRESENT...
ONE OF THE ODD AND
FANCIFUL FUNCTIONS
IN A SHADOWLAND KNOWN
AS... THE TWILIGHT ZONE.
I REGRET THAT I
KEPT YOU WAITING.
I'M TOLD THAT YOU SPEAK
ENGLISH RATHER WELL.
INDEED.
I VENTURE TO SAY I SPEAK
IT PERHAPS A BIT BETTER
THAN YOU SPEAK JAPANESE.
I DON'T SPEAK ANY JAPANESE.
BUT THE ENGLISH I
HAVE TO THROW AT YOU
MAY BE THE MOST IMPORTANT
YOU'VE HEARD IN YOUR LIFE.
SIT DOWN, MR.,
UM... DRISCOLL, IS IT?
A RATHER EFFICIENT POLICE.
MUCH MORE INTENT
ON PUTTING ME IN JAIL
THAN IN LISTENING TO ME.
YOU HAPPEN TO BE AN ENEMY
ALIEN, WHICH IS THE REASON WHY...
THE REASON WHY I WAS KEPT
IN A CELL OVER SIX HOURS.
IT ALSO MAY BE THE REASON
YOU'LL REGRET THIS ARREST.
GO ON.
WHAT I WAS TRYING TO
TELL THEM, AND YOU NOW
IS THAT WITHIN AN HOUR THIS
CITY IS GOING TO BE DESTROYED
AND UPWARD OF 60,000 TO 70,000
HUMAN BEINGS WILL BE KILLED.
YOU DON'T GET IT, DO YOU?
YOU'RE GOING TO BE
BOMBED OUT OF EXISTENCE!
THERE ARE SOME THINGS
YOU COULD DO ABOUT IT.
START AN EVACUATION
OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN.
YOU CAN SAVE A FEW
THOUSAND HUMAN LIVES.
I CAN?
BY WHOSE SAY-SO, MR. DRISCOLL?
WHO DO YOU REPRESENT?
I DON'T REPRESENT ANYONE.
LET'S SAY I REPRESENT
THE VOICE OF HISTORY.
THE VOICE OF HISTORY.
THAT'S QUAINT, MR. DRISCOLL.
THAT'S EXTREMELY QUAINT.
A NEW KIND OF BOMB IS
GOING TO BE DROPPED HERE.
YOU'RE GOING TO LIVE
THROUGH A NIGHTMARE
BEYOND ANY KIND OF IMAGINATION.
A SINGLE AIRCRAFT, MR. DRISCOLL?
ONE LONE B-29.
I RATHER THINK WE
CAN SURVIVE THAT.
I MUST TAKE YOU TO SOME
HIGHER AUTHORITIES, MR. DRISCOLL
WHO WILL INTERROGATE
YOU AT ARMY HEADQUARTERS.
IF YOU'LL BE GOOD
ENOUGH TO FOLLOW.
LISTEN... THIS IS
NOT JUST A REQUEST.
IT'S IN THE NATURE OF A PRAYER.
I WILL MAKE AN ASSUMPTION
YOU HAVE SOME ILLNESS.
I WON'T PUT YOU UP AGAINST
THE WALL AND SHOOT YOU.
I'LL GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO
SPEAK TO OTHER AUTHORITIES.
IF YOU GET BACK TO YOUR COUNTRY
THE FACE OF THE ENEMY
IS NOT DEVOID OF
SOME COMPASSION.
YOU MIGHT REMEMBER
THIS CONVERSATION.
AND IF YOU'RE STILL ALIVE...
REMEMBER THAT THE SAME THING
COULD BE SAID OF YOUR ENEMY.
HE TRIED TO SAVE THE
PEOPLE OF HIROSHIMA.
Man: SIEG HEIL!
SIEG HEIL!
Crowd: SIEG HEIL!
YES?
Woman: I AM HERE TO PREPARE
YOUR ROOM, MEIN HERR.
THAT WON'T BE NECESSARY.
BUT I HAVE CLEAN
TOWELS, SIR, AND SOAP.
WELL, JUST A MOMENT.
GUTEN TAG. HELLO.
ACH, YOU HAVE THE LOVELIEST ROOM
IN THE HOTEL, MEIN HERR.
YES.
YES, IT'S A LOVELY VIEW.
OH, IT'S MORE THAN A VIEW,
MUCH MORE THAN A VIEW.
IN JUST A MOMENT YOU'LL
SEE HISTORY UNFOLDING.
DO YOU KNOW THAT THIS
WHOLE SIDE OF THE HOTEL
ON EVERY FLOOR, HAS
BEEN RENTED, COMPLETELY?
JUST BECAUSE OF OUR FUHRER,
JUST SO THEY CAN SEE HIM.
HA, DOWN IN THE
STREET IT'S A MADHOUSE
AND THIS IS THE ONLY
PLACE TO WATCH FROM.
YES, THAT'S WHAT THEY TOLD ME.
YOU'RE NOT GERMAN, MEIN HERR?
NO, I'M NOT.
THEN WHAT ARE YOU INSTEAD?
I'M AN AMERICAN.
OH, EXCUSE ME.
AN AMERICAN?
WHAT DO THEY THINK OF
OUR FUHRER IN AMERICA,
AND THE NEW GERMANY?
WE'RE QUITE NEUTRAL.
NEUTRAL? YOU SAY NEUTRAL
BUT YOU MEAN SOMETHING ELSE.
DER FUHRER!
DO YOU HEAR THAT?
THAT IS OUR NEW GERMANY.
THAT IS SOMETHING
YOU'LL NEVER UNDERSTAND.
THAT, MADAM, IS THE OLD GERMANY
AND THAT IS SOMETHING
YOU'LL NEVER UNDERSTAND.
Man: HERR DRISCOLL?
OPEN UP, PLEASE, IMMEDIATELY!
IMMEDIATELY, NOW, HERR DRISCOLL!
WILL YOU OPEN UP THIS
DOOR, IMMEDIATELY?
NOW, YOU SAID THIS IS A MATTER
OF SOME URGENCY, MR., UH, MR...?
MY NAME IS DRISCOLL,
BUT THAT'S NOT IMPORTANT.
THEN PERHAPS YOU'D TELL
ME, SIR, WHAT IS IMPORTANT.
UNFORTUNATELY, I'M DUE ON THE
BRIDGE IN JUST A FEW MOMENTS.
CAPTAIN, IS THERE ANY WAY
OF ALTERING THE COURSE?
I BEG YOUR PARDON.
THE COURSE, THE PRESENT
COURSE THE SHIP IS TAKING,
IS THERE ANY WAY OF ALTERING IT?
WELL, NOW, SINCE MY
COUNTRY IS A BELLIGERENT
AND THESE WATERS
ARE A ZONE OF COMBAT
I THINK I WOULD RATHER DISCUSS
THIS WITH HIGHER AUTHORITY
BEFORE TAKING SUCH A STEP.
SUPPOSING I TOLD YOU, CAPTAIN,
THAT IF YOU HOLD THIS COURSE
FOR AS LONG AS
PERHAPS FIVE MINUTES
THIS SHIP IS GOING
TO BE TORPEDOED.
JUST WHO ARE YOU, MR. DRISCOLL?
YOU WON'T FIND ME ON
THE PASSENGER LIST THERE.
MY NAME ISN'T ON IT.
YET YOU GOT ABOARD. HOW?
THAT DOESN'T MATTER,
I DID GET ABOARD.
BUT I'M NOT SAILING
FOR MY HEALTH.
I'M SAILING FOR YOUR HEALTH
AND THAT OF YOUR
CREW AND PASSENGERS.
I HAPPEN TO KNOW THAT THIS
SHIP IS GOING TO BE TORPEDOED!
RIGHT HERE, RIGHT OFF
OLD HEAD OF KINSALE ISLAND.
MAY THE 7th.
MAY THE 7th?
YES, SIR.
THAT'S TODAY.
YOU SAY YOU KNOW THIS.
HOW DO YOU KNOW?
IF I TOLD YOU, YOU'D
PROBABLY SAY I WAS A LUNATIC.
I WON'T DENY THAT.
BUT NEITHER WILL I ALTER
THE COURSE OF THIS SHIP
SIMPLY ON THE WORD OF ONE MAN
WHO SEEMS STRANGELY RETICENT
TO SAY ANYTHING BEYOND
ONE SINGLE WILD STATEMENT.
SAY I AM A LUNATIC, SAY
EVERYTHING I'M TELLING YOU
IS THE PRODUCT OF
A DERANGED MIND.
HOW MANY MINUTES COULD
YOU LOSE BY ALTERING COURSE?
THAT'S NOT THE POINT.
THAT IS THE POINT.
OTHERWISE, 1,100 PEOPLE
ARE GOING TO DROWN.
I THINK THAT WILL BE ABOUT
ENOUGH, MR. DRISCOLL.
IF YOU HAPPEN TO BE ONE
OF THE FORTUNATE FEW...
REMEMBER, WHEN THAT
COURT OF INQUIRY CONVENES...
THAT'S ENOUGH, MR. DRISCOLL.
I'LL ASK YOU TO LEAVE.
CAPTAIN, I'M NOT ASKING
YOU TO SCUTTLE THE SHIP
I'M ONLY ASKING YOU TO ALTER
COURSE ONE SINGLE DEGREE!
STEWARD, STEWARD.
COME IN HERE, PLEASE.
SIR?
ESCORT MR. DRISCOLL OUT
OF MY QUARTERS, PLEASE.
COME ALONG, IF YOU WOULD, SIR.
OH, CAPTAIN, THERE'S STILL TIME.
MR. DRISCOLL, THERE'S STILL TIME
TO CONFINE YOU TO YOUR CABIN.
AND MIND YOU, SIR,
AFTER I MAKE INQUIRY
AS TO HOW YOU GOT
ABOARD, I MAY DO THAT.
WELL, GO ON, PAUL. THEN WHAT?
THEN NOTHING.
HIROSHIMA, AUGUST 1945.
ATTEMPT NUMBER ONE,
FAILURE NUMBER ONE.
THEN AUGUST 1939,
THE HOTEL BERLIN
ANOTHER BLOW FOR LAW AND ORDER
HITTING NOTHING, AND
ACCOMPLISHING JUST THAT.
AND FINALLY, THE LUSITANIA,
1915... ONE OF THE CAUSES
OF OUR ENTERING
THE FIRST WORLD WAR.
THREE TRIES, THREE MISSES.
THEN YOU MUST KNOW NOW,
PAUL, THAT THE PAST IS INVIOLATE.
WHATEVER HAS HAPPENED,
MUST REMAIN AS HAVING HAPPENED.
YOU CAN'T CHANGE ANYTHING.
I BELIEVE YOU.
I BELIEVE IT'S NOT
POSSIBLE TO ALTER THE PAST
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, THERE
ISN'T ANYTHING WE CAN DO
ABOUT THE PRESENT OR THE FUTURE.
STUDY OF 19th CENTURY
MIDWEST AMERICA?
OPEN THAT TO PAGE 90.
IT TALKS ABOUT A PLACE THERE
CALLED HOMEVILLE, INDIANA.
THERE'S A PICTURE, SHOWS
HOW IT LOOKED IN 1881.
HMM, THIS IS CHARMING...
PARASOLS, BICYCLES...
IT'S ALL VERY SERENE.
APROPOS OF WHAT, PAUL?
APROPOS OF THE FACT
THAT I'M GOING BACK THERE.
I'M GOING BACK, NOT
TO CHANGE ANYTHING
BUT TO BECOME A PART OF IT.
A WORLD OF BAND CONCERTS AND
SUMMER NIGHTS ON FRONT PORCHES.
A WORLD THAT NEVER
HEARD OF AN ATOMIC BOMB
WORLD WAR, OR GERM
WARFARE... THAT'S WHERE I'M GOING.
ALL RIGHT, BUT
REMEMBER THIS, PAUL
EVERYTHING IS CAUSE
AND EFFECT, EVERYTHING.
YOU GO BACK IN TIME
TO THIS HOMEVILLE
AND YOU INADVERTENTLY CHANGE
ONE EVENT, ALTER IT MINUTELY
AND YOU MIGHT START
A CHAIN REACTION
BEYOND ANYTHING THAT
WE CAN EVEN IMAGINE.
I'M GOING BACK THERE TO LIVE
NOT TO CHANGE ANYTHING.
NOW, HARVEY, HOW ABOUT IT?
ALL RIGHT, NOW, HEAVEN HELP ME.
AND HEAVEN HELP YOU, PAUL.
WELL, WHAT'S YOUR ORDER, SIR?
I'LL HAVE A BEER.
THAT'LL BE A NICKEL.
A NICKEL?
THAT'S THE PRICE TAG.
YOU GOT A NICKEL?
YOU FROM AROUND HERE?
NO. NO, I'M FROM OUT OF STATE.
OUT OF STATE, YOU SAY?
JUST PASSING THROUGH?
NO. AS A MATTER OF FACT,
I WAS THINKING OF
SETTLING DOWN HERE.
JUST AS I EXPECTED.
BOARDING HOUSE
ACROSS THE SQUARE.
MA CHAMBERLAIN'S PLACE.
REAL NICE ACCOMMODATIONS.
SHE RUNS A CLEAN PLACE.
GONNA STAY THERE?
FOR THE PRESENT.
IT BEGINS.
RIGHT AWAY, IT BEGINS.
IT'S TOMORROW.
IT'S TOMORROW.
IT'S TOMORROW THAT GARFIELD...
WHAT DID YOU SAY? WHEN WHAT?
OH, NOTHING, I WAS
JUST TALKING TO MYSELF.
ODD FELLOW...
REAL ODD.
MAYBE HE JUST DON'T HOLD
WITH PRESIDENT GARFIELD.
MAYBE HE'S A DEMOCRAT.
PRESIDENT JAMES ABRAM GARFIELD
SHOT IN A WASHINGTON
RAILWAY STATION, JULY 2, 1881.
DIED SEPTEMBER 19, 1881.
SO BE IT.
SO BE IT.
ROOM COMFORTABLE?
YES, VERY, THANK YOU.
SHOULD BE.
BEST ROOM IN THE HOUSE.
NORTHERN AFTERNOON
SUN, SOUTHERN EXPOSURE.
THE NICEST VIEW I'VE GOT.
ARE YOU A TRAVELING
MAN, MR. DRISCOLL?
OH, NO, MRS.
CHAMBERLAIN, I'M NOT.
WHAT IS YOUR
BUSINESS, MR. DRISCOLL?
WELL, I'M A PHYSICIST.
PHYSICIST?
WHEN I'VE GOT MORE
TIME, EXPLAIN THAT TO ME.
WELL, NOW...
I MUST TELL YOU THE REST
OF THE RULES OF THE HOUSE.
NO VISITORS UPSTAIRS
AFTER 8:30 P.M.
LADY VISITORS
DOWNSTAIRS IN THE PARLOR
NO GAMBLING, NO CHEWING,
BREAKFAST 8:30 SHARP
DINNER AT NOON, SUPPER AT 6:00.
IF YOU'RE LATE,
YOU'RE OUT OF LUCK.
EACH WEEK'S BILL,
PAID IN ADVANCE.
ABIGAIL, I WANT YOU TO
MEET THE NEW BOARDER.
THIS IS MR. DRISCOLL,
HE'S FROM THE EAST.
THIS IS MISS ABIGAIL SLOAN.
SHE TEACHES SCHOOL HERE IN TOWN.
PLEASED TO MEET YOU.
THANK YOU.
ARE YOU PLANING
TO STAY FOR A TIME?
I HOPE TO.
WELL, I HOPE YOU ENJOY IT.
THANK YOU.
LOVELY GIRL, AIN'T SHE?
AND A MORAL GIRL, TOO.
I MEAN REAL MORAL.
NUCLEAR FALLOUT... INDOCHINA...
BERLIN WALL... WHAT ARE YOU?
I NEVER HEARD OF YOU.
IT'S SUMMER, FIRST OF JULY.
GOING TO BE A BAND
CONCERT IN A COUPLE OF DAYS...
LEMONADE, FIREWORKS...
IT'S 1881, HOMEVILLE, INDIANA.
AND I'M HOME.
TWILIGHT ZONE WILL CONTINUE
AFTER STATION IDENTIFICATION.
AND I TELL YOU, MRS. CHAMBERLAIN
THAT UNTIL THIS
GOVERNMENT OF OURS
ASSUMES ITS RIGHTFUL PLACE
OF RESPONSIBILITY IN THE WORLD
WE WILL REMAIN AN
ISOLATED, TERRIBLY PROVINCIAL
STATIC COMMUNITY OF STATES.
YOU KNOW WHAT I SAY
WE SHOULD DO ABOUT IT?
I'LL TELL YOU WHAT WE SHOULD DO.
WE SHOULD TAKE
THE AMERICAN FLEET
SEND IT OVER TO THE ORIENT
AND PLANT THE AMERICAN FLAG.
THEN ON DOWN TO AUSTRALIA
THEN BACK ACROSS THE
PACIFIC TO SOUTH AMERICA
PLANTING THE
AMERICAN FLAG AS WE GO.
PLANTING HER DEEP,
PLANTING HER HIGH,
PLANTING HER PROUD.
YOU OUGHT TO RUN FOR
OFFICE, MR. HANFORD.
BELIEVE ME, MY DEAR
LADY, I'VE THOUGHT OF IT,
BUT FINANCE COMES FIRST.
IT'S THE LIFEBLOOD
OF THE NATION.
AND THE BANK NEEDS ME.
MR. DRISCOLL, WHAT ARE
YOUR INTERNATIONAL VIEWS?
I DON'T HAVE ANY, MR. HANFORD.
Hanford: OF COURSE YOU DO, MAN.
EVERYBODY HAS TO HAVE VIEWS
AS TO THE DESTINY OF OUR COUNTRY.
NOW, YOU TAKE THE CASE OF
THE INDIAN WARS, FIVE YEARS AGO.
ALL THIS SILLY
CONCILIATORY NONSENSE
ABOUT GIVING THE INDIANS LANDS.
AS IF YOU COULD ACTUALLY MAKE
SAVAGES UNDERSTAND TREATIES.
WE SHOULD HAVE HAD 20
GEORGE CUSTERS AND 100,000 MEN
AND WE SHOULD HAVE
SWEPT ACROSS THE PLAINS
DESTROYING EVERY
REDSKIN WHO FACED US.
AND THEN WE SHOULD HAVE
PLANTED THE AMERICAN FLAG
DEEP, HIGH, AND PROUD!
I THINK THE COUNTRY
IS TIRED OF FIGHTING.
I THINK WE WERE
BLED DRY BY THE WAR.
ANYTHING WE CAN GET BY TREATY
IS THE PROPER COURSE TO PURSUE.
Hanford: NOW,
HERE, YOUNG LADY...
I TRUST THAT THIS ISN'T THE PAP
YOU SPOON-FEED TO YOUR STUDENTS.
TREATIES, INDEED; PEACE, INDEED.
WHY, THE VIRILITY OF A NATION
IS IN DIRECT PROPORTION
TO ITS FIGHTING QUALITIES.
WE'LL LIVE TO SEE THE DAY
WHEN THIS COUNTRY FIELDS
AN ARMY OF A MILLION MEN
SWEEPING EVERYTHING...
I'M SORRY, MRS.
CHAMBERLAIN, I, UH...
I GET CARRIED AWAY.
YOU SOME KIND OF
PACIFIST, ARE YOU, DRISCOLL?
NO, I'M SOME KIND OF SICK IDIOT
WHO'S SEEN TOO
MANY YOUNG MEN DIE
BECAUSE OF TOO
MANY OLD MEN LIKE YOU
WHO FIGHT THEIR BATTLES
AT DINING ROOM TABLES.
OH, MY GOODNESS.
I TAKE OFFENSE AT THAT
REMARK, MR. DRISCOLL.
AND I TAKE OFFENSE
AT ARMCHAIR WARRIORS
WHO DON'T KNOW WHAT A
SHRAPNEL WOUND FEELS LIKE
OR WHAT DEATH SMELLS LIKE
AFTER THREE DAYS IN THE SUN
OR THE LOOK IN A MAN'S EYES
WHEN HE'S MINUS A LEG AND
HIS BLOOD IS SEEPING OUT.
MR. HANFORD, YOU HAVE
A GREAT ENTHUSIASM
FOR PLANTING THE FLAG DEEP.
BUT YOU DON'T HAVE A
NODDING ACQUAINTANCE
WITH WHAT IT'S LIKE TO
BURY MEN IN THE SAME SOIL.
I'LL NOT SIT HERE AND
TAKE TALK LIKE THAT.
NO, NO... YOU'LL GO
BACK TO YOUR BANK
AND IT'LL BE BUSINESS AS
USUAL UNTIL DINNERTIME
WHEN YOU'LL GIVE US
ANOTHER VACUOUS SPEECH
ABOUT A COUNTRY GROWING
STRONG BY FILLING ITS GRAVEYARDS.
WELL, YOU'RE IN FOR SOME
GRATIFYING TIMES, MR. HANFORD.
BELIEVE ME, THERE'LL BE A LOT
OF GRAVEYARDS FOR YOU TO FILL
IN CUBA AND IN FRANCE
THEN ALL OVER EUROPE,
AND ALL OVER THE PACIFIC.
YOU CAN SIT ON THE SIDELINES
AND WAVE YOUR PENNANTS
BECAUSE, ACCORDING
TO YOUR DEFINITION
THIS COUNTRY'S GOING
TO GET VIRILE AS THE DEVIL.
FROM SAN JUAN TO INCHON
WE'LL SHOW HOW RED OUR BLOOD IS
BECAUSE WE'LL SPILL IT.
THERE ARE TWO
UNFORTUNATE ASPECTS OF THIS.
ONE IS, THAT YOU
WON'T HAVE TO SPILL ANY.
AND THE OTHER IS, YOU WON'T LIVE
LONG ENOUGH TO KNOW I'M RIGHT.
A VIOLENT MAN.
MR. DRISCOLL.
MR. DRISCOLL, I...
I...
WELL, HAVE I SUFFICIENTLY
ENDEARED MYSELF
TO THEM IN THERE?
I'VE BEEN LIVING THERE FOR
ALMOST TWO YEARS, MR. DRISCOLL.
THAT MEANS TWO
YEARS OF MEALTIMES
WITH MRS. CHAMBERLAIN'S
HOMEMADE PIES
AND MR. HANFORD'S RHETORIC.
I... I LOST A FATHER AND
TWO BROTHERS IN THE WAR.
ALL THREE OF THEM
DIED IN ONE AFTERNOON.
FOR THE 12 YEARS
THAT MY MOTHER LIVED
WELL, THERE WAS A FUNERAL
IN OUR HOUSE EVERY DAY.
SHE NEVER STOPPED MOURNING THEM.
I, I THINK THEY DIED
FOR SOMETHING, BUT...
BUT TONIGHT, FOR THE
FIRST TIME, MR. DRISCOLL
I HEARD SOMEBODY MAKE A, A POINT
THAT-THAT THERE ARE
THINGS PREFERABLE TO DYING
AND PATRIOTISM DOESN'T
HAVE TO COME WITH PAIN.
IT'S VERY DECENT OF YOU
TO TELL ME THIS, MISS SLOAN.
WHY DON'T YOU JUST CALL ME ABBY?
ABBY.
MY FIRST NAME'S PAUL.
PAUL.
IT FITS.
DOES IT?
YES, IT FITS VERY WELL.
DO YOU KNOW SOMETHING?
YOU LOOK LIKE A MAN IN LOVE.
NOT WITH A WOMAN...
WITH WHAT, THEN?
WITH A MOMENT, A PLACE.
WHAT WERE THOSE NAMES
YOU SAID... SAN JUAN, INCHON?
WHERE ARE THOSE PLACES?
WHEN YOU SAID, "OTHER
GRAVEYARDS, OTHER WARS..."
WHAT DID YOU MEAN BY THAT?
OH, NOTHING.
WHY DO I GET THIS FEELING
THAT YOU'RE ON THE
OUTSIDE LOOKING IN
JUST, WELL, PASSING
BY, LOOKING IN.
ABBY... I DON'T WANT
TO BE JUST PASSING BY.
I WANT TO COME IN.
I WISH... I WISH I
COULD COME IN.
WHY CAN'T YOU?
EVERYTHING IS
POSSIBLE... EVERYTHING.
GARFIELD... IT'S
FINALLY HAPPENED.
JUST CAME OVER THE TELEGRAM...
PRESIDENT GARFIELD'S BEEN SHOT!
PAUL... HOW DID YOU KNOW THAT?
YOU COULDN'T POSSIBLY
HAVE HEARD WHAT THEY SAID.
HOW DID YOU KNOW THAT?
PAUL, WHAT'S THE MATTER?
ABBY, YOU'RE WRONG.
NOT EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE.
I WISH I COULD TELL YOU,
BUT I CAN'T EXPLAIN IT.
YOU MEAN... YOU AND ME.
ESPECIALLY YOU AND ME.
WHY?
WHY?
IT'S GETTING LATE, ABBY.
IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO GO IN.
GOOD MORNING.
GOOD MORNING.
WE MISSED YOU AT BREAKFAST.
OH, THE... PRESIDENT
WAS BADLY WOUNDED.
YES, SO IT SAYS.
BUT THERE'S HOPE
HERE FOR HIS RECOVERY.
I GUESS THAT'S ALL THAT'S
LEFT SOMETIMES, ISN'T IT?
JUST HOPE.
ABBY, I'M SORRY
ABOUT LAST NIGHT.
I'M TRULY SORRY.
I WISH I COULD
EXPLAIN IT TO YOU,
BUT I CAN'T, I COULDN'T
MAKE YOU UNDERSTAND.
OH, IT-IT'S PERFECTLY
ALL RIGHT, REALLY IT IS.
THERE'S NO HARM
DONE, NO HARM AT ALL.
YOU'VE GOT TO FORGIVE
SCHOOLTEACHERS...
THEY'RE VERY IMPRESSIONABLE.
THEY'RE INCLINED TO...
WELL, THEY'RE INCLINED
TO READ MANY THINGS
INTO A GLANCE, A WORD...
A TOUCH.
WELL, I'VE GOT A
VERY BUSY DAY TODAY.
THERE'S SO MUCH PREPARATION
FOR TOMORROW, YOU KNOW.
PARADE AT 9:00, SPEECH AT 11:00
GAMES FROM NOON TILL 5:00
PICNIC SUPPER AND
THEN FIREWORKS.
AND, OH, OF COURSE...
MY CHILDREN.
YOUR CHILDREN?
YES.
27 FLAT LITTLE VOICES.
14 BOYS, 13 GIRLS WILL ENTERTAIN
YOU WITH THEIR OWN RENDITION
OF "COLUMBIA, THE
GEM OF THE OCEAN,"
SUNG IN SIX
DIFFERENT KEYS WITH...
27 HIGHLY INDIVIDUAL
INTERPRETATIONS.
WELL, WE'RE... WE'RE GOING
TO PRACTICE NOW AND...
LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING.
TRYING TO KEEP 27
CHILDREN QUIET IN...
A SCHOOL BUILDING IN
THE MIDDLE OF SUMMER
THE DAY BEFORE THE
FOURTH OF JULY, THAT...
THAT HAPPENS TO BE...
WELL, THAT HAPPENS
TO BE QUITE A...
AN ACCOMPLISHMENT.
WHO ARE YOU, PAUL DRISCOLL,
AND WHERE ARE YOU FROM?
IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY
DIFFERENCE, ABBY.
DOESN'T IT?
ALL RIGHT, WE'LL
LEAVE IT AT THAT.
IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE.
AND IT FOLLOWS, IT DOESN'T
MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE
THAT YOU... HELD ME
AND KISSED ME AND...
HOWDY, MR. DRISCOLL.
HOW ARE YOU?
FLAT.
WELL, THAT'S BETTER.
TOMORROW'S THE
BIG DOINGS, YOU KNOW.
FOURTH OF JULY CONCERT.
YES, I'M LOOKING
FORWARD TO THAT.
SHE DOES A GOOD
JOB WITH THOSE KIDS.
MISS SLOAN.
YES, SO I'VE HEARD.
AWFUL PRETTY GIRL
TO BE A SCHOOLMARM.
SO I'VE NOTICED.
I'VE NOTICED THAT YOU NOTICED.
AW, DOGGONE, I NEVER
HAD NO SCHOOLMARM
LOOKED LIKE THAT
WHEN I WAS A KID.
ALL MY SCHOOLMARMS LOOKED
LIKE THEY CAME OUT OF A PICKLE JAR.
AH, IT'S A FUNNY
LITTLE TOWN, ISN'T IT?
DON'T CHANGE.
YOU SEE PICTURES
OF IT 50 YEARS AGO
AND EVERYTHING'S THE
SAME... SAME BUILDINGS, EVEN.
THIS SCHOOLHOUSE, FOR EXAMPLE.
I'LL BET IT'S 60 YEARS
OLD, AS SHE STANDS THERE.
IT'LL PROBABLY STAND TILL
SOMEBODY PULLS IT DOWN.
WHAT?
I WAS TALKING ABOUT
THAT SCHOOL BUILDING.
WHAT DID YOU SAY ABOUT IT?
IT'LL PROBABLY
KEEP STANDING TILL...
THAT'S WHAT I WAS
TRYING TO REMEMBER.
THE SCHOOL BUILDING.
THE SCHOOL BUILDING.
OH, MY GOD.
MY DEAR GOD.
"THE SITE OF THE
HOMEVILLE NATIONAL BANK
"WAS FORMERLY OCCUPIED
BY A SCHOOL BUILDING
"BUILT IN 1823 AND GUTTED
BY A FIRE WHICH STARTED
"AT APPROXIMATELY 2:00 IN
THE AFTERNOON OF JULY 3, 1881
"SERIOUSLY INJURING 12
CHILDREN, WHO WERE REHEARSING
"FOR THE FOURTH
OF JULY CELEBRATION.
"THE FIRE WAS CAUSED
BY A KEROSENE LANTERN
FROM A RUNAWAY WAGON."
I CAN'T DO ANYTHING.
I CAN'T SAY ANYTHING.
CAN'T EVEN WARN ANYONE.
EVERYTHING HAS TO HAPPEN
THE WAY IT'S SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN.
SORRY, MR. PRESIDENT,
RECOVER, YOU SHALL NOT.
YOU'RE TO DIE ON SEPTEMBER
THE 19th OF THIS YEAR.
AND YOU SHALL BURN.
THIS AFTERNOON AT 2:00.
"SERIOUSLY INJURING
12 CHILDREN."
AND I CAN'T DO
ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
I HAVE TO STAND AROUND
AND WATCH IT HAPPEN.
I HAVE TO LET IT HAPPEN.
CHILDREN, CHILDREN,
BACK TO REHEARSAL NOW.
GO ON INSIDE AND
JOIN THE OTHERS.
GO ON.
Harvey: EVERYTHING
IS CAUSE AND EFFECT
EVERYTHING.
YOU GO BACK IN TIME
TO THIS... THIS HOMEVILLE
AND YOU INADVERTENTLY
CHANGE ONE EVENT
ALTER IT EVEN MINUTELY, YOU
MIGHT START A CHAIN REACTION
BEYOND ANYTHING THAT
WE COULD EVEN IMAGINE.
ALL RIGHT, NEIGHBORS,
GATHER ROUND HERE.
THAT'S IT, GET CLOSE.
GIVE ME YOUR ATTENTION,
YOU'LL NEVER BE SORRY.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT I'M DOING?
DO YOU PERCEIVE MY ACTIVITY?
YOU, SIR... DO YOU
KNOW THE SYMBOLISM
THAT PROFESSOR ELIOT
IS USING AT THIS MOMENT?
LIKE DIOGENES, I'M LOOKING
FOR AN HONEST MAN.
AN HONEST MAN WHO'LL TRY ONE SIP
OF PROFESSOR ELIOT'S
WONDER MEDICINE AND TELL ME
WHETHER IT'S THE FINEST
MEDICINE HE'S EVER TASTED.
HERE IT IS, FRIENDS.
THE MOST SAFE AND EFFICIENT
ALTERNATIVE AND
DE-OBSTRUENT PROPERTIES
FOR THE CURE OF
SCROFULA, KING'S EVIL
WHITE SWELLINGS, INDURATE
TUMORS, GOUT, SCURVY.
25 CENTS A BOTTLE.
IT'S GUARANTEED TO
IMMEDIATELY ALTER
A DEPRAVED OR IMPURE STATE
OF THE BLOOD OR BODY FLUIDS.
HERE, MADAM, THANK YOU.
WILL YOU HAVE ONE, SIR?
THERE YOU ARE.
HERE YOU ARE.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
HOW ABOUT YOU, MY FRIEND?
DON'T BE IN A
HURRY, MY FRIEND...
DO ME A FAVOR, WILL YOU?
WHAT?
WELL... OH, NOTHING, NEVER MIND.
UNHITCH THOSE HORSES.
WHAT DID YOU SAY?
I CAN'T TELL YOU WHY.
UNHITCH THOSE HORSES.
WHAT'S YOUR TROUBLE?
DYSPEPSIA, LIVER COMPLAINT?
THIS IS WHAT YOU NEED, SIR.
I NEED THOSE HORSES UNHITCHED.
NOW, JUST A MINUTE.
LISTEN, I CAN'T ARGUE
WITH YOU ANYMORE.
YOU'VE GOT TO
UNHITCH THOSE HORSES.
THIS WAGON MUSTN'T MOVE
A FOOT FROM THIS SPOT.
WHY MUSTN'T IT?
YOU GET OUT OF
HERE, YOU HEAR ME?
WALK AWAY FROM HERE!
LEAVE ME AND MY HORSES BE!
GET AWAY FROM MY HORSES!
YOU HEAR ME? GET AWAY!
HOW DID YOU KNOW?
YOU DID, DIDN'T YOU?
YES, I KNEW.
I KNEW THERE'D BE A FIRE.
AND I KNEW IT WOULD HAPPEN
THIS AFTERNOON, AT 2:00.
BUT WHAT I DIDN'T KNOW...
I DIDN'T KNOW THAT
I WOULD CAUSE IT.
I SHOULDN'T HAVE COME
HERE, I KNOW THAT NOW.
IT WON'T WORK.
I KNOW THAT, TOO.
IT CAN'T WORK BECAUSE I
KNOW TOO MANY THINGS.
I KNOW... I KNOW ABOUT
TOO MANY TOMORROWS.
TOMORROWS?
YOUR HISTORY, ABBY.
YOU, AND THIS TOWN,
AND THE PEOPLE IN IT.
EVERYTHING ABOUT
IT, YOUR HISTORY...
AND I CAN'T CHANGE YOU.
I CAN'T EVEN... TOUCH YOU.
PAUL, WHY NOT?
BECAUSE THE PAST IS INVIOLATE.
THE PAST IS SACRED.
IT BELONGS TO THOSE
OF YOU WHO LIVE IN IT.
IT'S NOT FOR INTERLOPERS...
FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE
JUST PASSING BY, LOOK IN
AND WISH THEY WERE A PART OF IT.
WHERE ARE YOU GOING?
I'M GOING BACK.
BACK TO WHERE I CAME FROM.
BACK WHERE I BELONG.
I COULDN'T LIVE IN A
WORLD MENACED BY A BOMB
AND I FIND OUT NOW THAT IT
DOESN'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE
IF IT'S A WORLD OR 12
CHILDREN BURNED IN A FIRE.
EVEN SO, I'VE FOUND
MORE THAN I EXPECTED
BECAUSE YOU WERE HERE.
I'VE OVERSTAYED MY WELCOME.
GOOD-BYE, ABBY.
STAY WELL.
HELLO, HARVEY.
BACK SO SOON?
WELL, AS IT HAPPENS,
BACK A LITTLE LATE.
YOU CHANGED SOMETHING?
I TRIED TO.
AND IN DOING IT, I CAUSED IT.
AND NOW, PAUL?
WHERE DO YOU GO NOW?
HERE.
HERE IN THE 20th
CENTURY, WHERE I BELONG.
THAT'S WHAT I'VE
LEARNED, HARVEY.
TO LEAVE THE YESTERDAYS ALONE...
DO SOMETHING... DO SOMETHING
ABOUT THE TOMORROWS.
THEY'RE THE ONES THAT
COUNT, THE TOMORROWS.
TOMORROWS...
GOD LET THERE BE TOMORROWS.
WELL.
INCIDENT ON A JULY
AFTERNOON, 1881.
A MAN NAMED DRISCOLL
WHO CAME AND WENT
AND, IN THE PROCESS,
LEARNED A SIMPLE LESSON
PERHAPS BEST SAID BY A POET
NAMED LATHBERRY, WHO WROTE:
"CHILDREN OF YESTERDAY,
HEIRS OF TOMORROW
"WHAT ARE YOU WEAVING,
LABOR AND SORROW?
"LOOK TO YOUR LOOMS
AGAIN, FASTER AND FASTER
"FLY THE GREAT SHUTTLES
PREPARED BY THE MASTER
LIFE'S IN THE LOOM,
ROOM FOR IT, ROOM."
TONIGHT'S TALE OF
CLOCKS AND CALENDARS
IN THE TWILIGHT ZONE.
NEXT ON TWILIGHT ZONE,
WE TAKE A PAGE OUT OF
A BOOK ON THE SPACE AGE,
AND WE PROJECT JUST
A COUPLE OF DEGREES
AS TO WHAT CONCEIVABLY
MIGHT HAPPEN TO AN ASTRONAUT
IF SUDDENLY AND INEXPLICABLY,
IN THE MIDDLE OF AN ORBIT,
HE DISAPPEARS.
OUR STORY TELLS YOU
HOW, WHY AND WHERE.
IT STARS STEVE FORREST.
IT'S CALLED "THE PARALLEL."
CAPCOM, CAPCOM,
THIS IS PHEBUS TEN.
I'VE LOST CONTACT WITH YOU.
I'VE LOST RADAR
HERE! I'VE LOST RADAR!
WE DON'T HAVE
CONTACT HERE, EITHER.
CAPCOM, CAPCOM,
THIS IS PHEBUS TEN.
WHAT YOU JUST
TOLD ME IS FANTASTIC.
I HELPED BUILD THAT SPACECRAFT.
I KNOW IT VERY WELL.
IT'S NOT THE SAME
ONE WE SENT OFF.
IT'S ALMOST A TWIN TO IT,
DOWN TO THE VERY
LAST NUT AND BOLT,
BUT IT'S SIMPLY NOT
THE SAME SPACECRAFT.
COLONIAL GAINES... WENT
UP IN ONE SPACECRAFT,
BUT HE'S OBVIOUSLY
COME BACK IN ANOTHER.
WITH THE KEY OF IMAGINATION.
BEYOND IT IS
ANOTHER DIMENSION...
A DIMENSION OF SOUND,
A DIMENSION OF SIGHT,
A DIMENSION OF MIND.
YOU'RE MOVING INTO A LAND OF
BOTH SHADOW AND SUBSTANCE,
OF THINGS AND IDEAS.
YOU'VE JUST CROSSED
OVER INTO THE TWILIGHT ZONE.
Man: HARVEY?
WHAT'S THE MONITOR PICTURE NOW?
STILL DISTORTED.
AND WE'VE GOT SIX OR
SEVEN MINUTES LEFT.
WHAT GUARANTEE DO YOU HAVE
THAT YOU'LL REACH THE
POINT THAT YOU WANT TO?
NO GUARANTEE AT ALL.
BUT IF I FAIL, YOU SIMPLY
MARK OFF ONE MAN
ONE INSIGNIFICANT HUMAN
ONE FRAIL, PROTESTING
MEMBER OF THE RACE.
LET'S PUT IT THIS
WAY: IF I DO FAIL
IF I END UP IN HELL OR
LIMBO, OR THE CEMETERY
THE RESPONSIBILITY
IS EXCLUSIVELY MINE.
YOU CAN REST EASY ON THIS FACT.
FEELING PRETTY SECURE, PAUL?
YOU SOUND FUNEREAL, HARVEY.
THEN I SOUND THE WAY I FEEL.
I'M HELPING YOU BECAUSE YOU
ASKED ME TO AS A FRIEND, PAUL.
I CAN GIVE YOU EFFICIENCY
AND DEDICATION, BUT...
ENTHUSIASM I CAN'T DREDGE UP
EVEN IN THE MINUTEST DEGREE.
NO SENSE OF ADVENTURE,
NO WONDER AT THE UNKNOWN?
THERE'S SOME WONDER,
SOME INQUISITIVENESS
AS TO HOW A HUMAN BEING CAN
PLACE HIMSELF IN SUCH JEOPARDY
NOT ONLY WITH WILLINGNESS,
BUT WITH ANTICIPATION.
JEOPARDY?
THE JEOPARDY I FACE
COMES IN SHADOW.
YOURS HAPPENS TO
BE MUCH MORE REAL.
BUT OF THE TWO,
THERE'S NOT MUCH CHOICE.
DID YOU DRINK MILK THIS MORNING?
WHAT WAS THE
STRONTIUM 90 CONTENT?
HAS IT OCCURRED TO YOU THAT
THE THINGS YOU'VE BEEN EATING
MIGHT BE TURNING YOUR
BONES INTO SAWDUST?
OH, HARVEY, SPEAK TO ME
OF JEOPARDY IF YOU WILL
BUT DON'T MAKE IT SOUND AS IF
I HAVE AN EXCLUSIVE FRANCHISE
ON THE CALCULATED RISK.
YOU AND I SHARE THIS
DUBIOUS DISTINCTION
WITH SEVERAL MILLION PEERS
WHO INHABIT THE 20th CENTURY.
AND YOU DON'T CARE
FOR THE 20th CENTURY.
I DO NOT.
I WILL TELL YOU SUCCINCTLY
HOW I CLASSIFY THE TIMES.
WE LIVE IN A CESSPOOL,
A SEPTIC TANK
A GIGANTIC SEWAGE COMPLEX IN
WHICH RUNS THE DREGS, THE FILTH
THE MISERY-LADEN SLOP
OF THE RACE OF MEN...
HIS HATRED, PREJUDICES,
PASSIONS, AND VIOLENCE.
AND THE KEEPER
OF THIS SEWER: MAN.
HE IS A SCIENTIFICALLY
ADVANCED MONKEY
WHO WALKS UPRIGHT,
WITH EYES WIDE OPEN
INTO AN ABYSS OF HIS OWN MAKING.
HIS BOMBS, FALLOUT,
POISONS, RADIOACTIVITY...
EVERYTHING HE DESIGNS
AS AN ART FOR DYING
IS HIS EXCUSE FOR LIVING.
NO, WE LIVE IN AN EXQUISITE
BEDLAM... AN INSANITY.
MAYBE ALL THE MORE GROTESQUE
BY THE FACT THAT WE DON'T
RECOGNIZE IT AS INSANITY.
DID IT EVER OCCUR TO YOU
THAT SOME THESE
SCIENTIFICALLY ADVANCED MONKEYS
MAKE BOMBS AS A SIMPLE
EXPEDIENT FOR SURVIVAL?
THAT ACROSS THIS
PLANET THERE ARE OTHER
SCIENTIFICALLY ADVANCED MONKEYS
WHO WOULD PULVERIZE US INTO DUST
IF THEY THOUGHT THEY
COULD DO SO WITH IMPUNITY?
I DON'T NEED A LESSON
IN CURRENT EVENTS.
I'M PRETTY WELL UP ON THE TIMES.
THE FREEDOM-LOVING
MONKEYS MAKE BOMBS
WHILE THE AGGRESSORS MAKE BOMBS.
BUT ULTIMATELY,
SOMEBODY PUSHES A BUTTON
AND JUST AS ULTIMATELY,
THIS EARTH DISAPPEARS.
AND ALL OF THIS, I
SUPPOSE, IS RIGHT
AND PRACTICAL AND EXPEDIENT.
A FEW GERMS WILL RISE
UP OUT OF THE RUBBLE
AND WAVE MICROSCOPIC
FLAGS OF VICTORY
AND SHED A FEW MICROSCOPIC
TEARS FOR THE RACE OF MEN.
HARVEY, ARE YOU CONTENT
WITH THIS KIND OF STATUS QUO?
ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH
THIS KIND OF 20th CENTURY?
YOU'RE IN FOCUS NOW, PAUL.
PRESS THE BUTTON.
PRESS THE BUTTON, MY
FRIEND, SEND ME BACK INTO TIME.
EXIT ONE PAUL DRISCOLL,
A CREATURE OF THE 20th CENTURY.
HE PUTS TO A TEST A
COMPLICATED THEOREM
OF SPACE-TIME CONTINUUM.
BUT HE GOES A STEP
FURTHER, OR TRIES TO.
SHORTLY, HE WILL SEEK OUT
THREE MOMENTS OF THE PAST
IN A DESPERATE ATTEMPT
TO ALTER THE PRESENT...
ONE OF THE ODD AND
FANCIFUL FUNCTIONS
IN A SHADOWLAND KNOWN
AS... THE TWILIGHT ZONE.
I REGRET THAT I
KEPT YOU WAITING.
I'M TOLD THAT YOU SPEAK
ENGLISH RATHER WELL.
INDEED.
I VENTURE TO SAY I SPEAK
IT PERHAPS A BIT BETTER
THAN YOU SPEAK JAPANESE.
I DON'T SPEAK ANY JAPANESE.
BUT THE ENGLISH I
HAVE TO THROW AT YOU
MAY BE THE MOST IMPORTANT
YOU'VE HEARD IN YOUR LIFE.
SIT DOWN, MR.,
UM... DRISCOLL, IS IT?
A RATHER EFFICIENT POLICE.
MUCH MORE INTENT
ON PUTTING ME IN JAIL
THAN IN LISTENING TO ME.
YOU HAPPEN TO BE AN ENEMY
ALIEN, WHICH IS THE REASON WHY...
THE REASON WHY I WAS KEPT
IN A CELL OVER SIX HOURS.
IT ALSO MAY BE THE REASON
YOU'LL REGRET THIS ARREST.
GO ON.
WHAT I WAS TRYING TO
TELL THEM, AND YOU NOW
IS THAT WITHIN AN HOUR THIS
CITY IS GOING TO BE DESTROYED
AND UPWARD OF 60,000 TO 70,000
HUMAN BEINGS WILL BE KILLED.
YOU DON'T GET IT, DO YOU?
YOU'RE GOING TO BE
BOMBED OUT OF EXISTENCE!
THERE ARE SOME THINGS
YOU COULD DO ABOUT IT.
START AN EVACUATION
OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN.
YOU CAN SAVE A FEW
THOUSAND HUMAN LIVES.
I CAN?
BY WHOSE SAY-SO, MR. DRISCOLL?
WHO DO YOU REPRESENT?
I DON'T REPRESENT ANYONE.
LET'S SAY I REPRESENT
THE VOICE OF HISTORY.
THE VOICE OF HISTORY.
THAT'S QUAINT, MR. DRISCOLL.
THAT'S EXTREMELY QUAINT.
A NEW KIND OF BOMB IS
GOING TO BE DROPPED HERE.
YOU'RE GOING TO LIVE
THROUGH A NIGHTMARE
BEYOND ANY KIND OF IMAGINATION.
A SINGLE AIRCRAFT, MR. DRISCOLL?
ONE LONE B-29.
I RATHER THINK WE
CAN SURVIVE THAT.
I MUST TAKE YOU TO SOME
HIGHER AUTHORITIES, MR. DRISCOLL
WHO WILL INTERROGATE
YOU AT ARMY HEADQUARTERS.
IF YOU'LL BE GOOD
ENOUGH TO FOLLOW.
LISTEN... THIS IS
NOT JUST A REQUEST.
IT'S IN THE NATURE OF A PRAYER.
I WILL MAKE AN ASSUMPTION
YOU HAVE SOME ILLNESS.
I WON'T PUT YOU UP AGAINST
THE WALL AND SHOOT YOU.
I'LL GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO
SPEAK TO OTHER AUTHORITIES.
IF YOU GET BACK TO YOUR COUNTRY
THE FACE OF THE ENEMY
IS NOT DEVOID OF
SOME COMPASSION.
YOU MIGHT REMEMBER
THIS CONVERSATION.
AND IF YOU'RE STILL ALIVE...
REMEMBER THAT THE SAME THING
COULD BE SAID OF YOUR ENEMY.
HE TRIED TO SAVE THE
PEOPLE OF HIROSHIMA.
Man: SIEG HEIL!
SIEG HEIL!
Crowd: SIEG HEIL!
YES?
Woman: I AM HERE TO PREPARE
YOUR ROOM, MEIN HERR.
THAT WON'T BE NECESSARY.
BUT I HAVE CLEAN
TOWELS, SIR, AND SOAP.
WELL, JUST A MOMENT.
GUTEN TAG. HELLO.
ACH, YOU HAVE THE LOVELIEST ROOM
IN THE HOTEL, MEIN HERR.
YES.
YES, IT'S A LOVELY VIEW.
OH, IT'S MORE THAN A VIEW,
MUCH MORE THAN A VIEW.
IN JUST A MOMENT YOU'LL
SEE HISTORY UNFOLDING.
DO YOU KNOW THAT THIS
WHOLE SIDE OF THE HOTEL
ON EVERY FLOOR, HAS
BEEN RENTED, COMPLETELY?
JUST BECAUSE OF OUR FUHRER,
JUST SO THEY CAN SEE HIM.
HA, DOWN IN THE
STREET IT'S A MADHOUSE
AND THIS IS THE ONLY
PLACE TO WATCH FROM.
YES, THAT'S WHAT THEY TOLD ME.
YOU'RE NOT GERMAN, MEIN HERR?
NO, I'M NOT.
THEN WHAT ARE YOU INSTEAD?
I'M AN AMERICAN.
OH, EXCUSE ME.
AN AMERICAN?
WHAT DO THEY THINK OF
OUR FUHRER IN AMERICA,
AND THE NEW GERMANY?
WE'RE QUITE NEUTRAL.
NEUTRAL? YOU SAY NEUTRAL
BUT YOU MEAN SOMETHING ELSE.
DER FUHRER!
DO YOU HEAR THAT?
THAT IS OUR NEW GERMANY.
THAT IS SOMETHING
YOU'LL NEVER UNDERSTAND.
THAT, MADAM, IS THE OLD GERMANY
AND THAT IS SOMETHING
YOU'LL NEVER UNDERSTAND.
Man: HERR DRISCOLL?
OPEN UP, PLEASE, IMMEDIATELY!
IMMEDIATELY, NOW, HERR DRISCOLL!
WILL YOU OPEN UP THIS
DOOR, IMMEDIATELY?
NOW, YOU SAID THIS IS A MATTER
OF SOME URGENCY, MR., UH, MR...?
MY NAME IS DRISCOLL,
BUT THAT'S NOT IMPORTANT.
THEN PERHAPS YOU'D TELL
ME, SIR, WHAT IS IMPORTANT.
UNFORTUNATELY, I'M DUE ON THE
BRIDGE IN JUST A FEW MOMENTS.
CAPTAIN, IS THERE ANY WAY
OF ALTERING THE COURSE?
I BEG YOUR PARDON.
THE COURSE, THE PRESENT
COURSE THE SHIP IS TAKING,
IS THERE ANY WAY OF ALTERING IT?
WELL, NOW, SINCE MY
COUNTRY IS A BELLIGERENT
AND THESE WATERS
ARE A ZONE OF COMBAT
I THINK I WOULD RATHER DISCUSS
THIS WITH HIGHER AUTHORITY
BEFORE TAKING SUCH A STEP.
SUPPOSING I TOLD YOU, CAPTAIN,
THAT IF YOU HOLD THIS COURSE
FOR AS LONG AS
PERHAPS FIVE MINUTES
THIS SHIP IS GOING
TO BE TORPEDOED.
JUST WHO ARE YOU, MR. DRISCOLL?
YOU WON'T FIND ME ON
THE PASSENGER LIST THERE.
MY NAME ISN'T ON IT.
YET YOU GOT ABOARD. HOW?
THAT DOESN'T MATTER,
I DID GET ABOARD.
BUT I'M NOT SAILING
FOR MY HEALTH.
I'M SAILING FOR YOUR HEALTH
AND THAT OF YOUR
CREW AND PASSENGERS.
I HAPPEN TO KNOW THAT THIS
SHIP IS GOING TO BE TORPEDOED!
RIGHT HERE, RIGHT OFF
OLD HEAD OF KINSALE ISLAND.
MAY THE 7th.
MAY THE 7th?
YES, SIR.
THAT'S TODAY.
YOU SAY YOU KNOW THIS.
HOW DO YOU KNOW?
IF I TOLD YOU, YOU'D
PROBABLY SAY I WAS A LUNATIC.
I WON'T DENY THAT.
BUT NEITHER WILL I ALTER
THE COURSE OF THIS SHIP
SIMPLY ON THE WORD OF ONE MAN
WHO SEEMS STRANGELY RETICENT
TO SAY ANYTHING BEYOND
ONE SINGLE WILD STATEMENT.
SAY I AM A LUNATIC, SAY
EVERYTHING I'M TELLING YOU
IS THE PRODUCT OF
A DERANGED MIND.
HOW MANY MINUTES COULD
YOU LOSE BY ALTERING COURSE?
THAT'S NOT THE POINT.
THAT IS THE POINT.
OTHERWISE, 1,100 PEOPLE
ARE GOING TO DROWN.
I THINK THAT WILL BE ABOUT
ENOUGH, MR. DRISCOLL.
IF YOU HAPPEN TO BE ONE
OF THE FORTUNATE FEW...
REMEMBER, WHEN THAT
COURT OF INQUIRY CONVENES...
THAT'S ENOUGH, MR. DRISCOLL.
I'LL ASK YOU TO LEAVE.
CAPTAIN, I'M NOT ASKING
YOU TO SCUTTLE THE SHIP
I'M ONLY ASKING YOU TO ALTER
COURSE ONE SINGLE DEGREE!
STEWARD, STEWARD.
COME IN HERE, PLEASE.
SIR?
ESCORT MR. DRISCOLL OUT
OF MY QUARTERS, PLEASE.
COME ALONG, IF YOU WOULD, SIR.
OH, CAPTAIN, THERE'S STILL TIME.
MR. DRISCOLL, THERE'S STILL TIME
TO CONFINE YOU TO YOUR CABIN.
AND MIND YOU, SIR,
AFTER I MAKE INQUIRY
AS TO HOW YOU GOT
ABOARD, I MAY DO THAT.
WELL, GO ON, PAUL. THEN WHAT?
THEN NOTHING.
HIROSHIMA, AUGUST 1945.
ATTEMPT NUMBER ONE,
FAILURE NUMBER ONE.
THEN AUGUST 1939,
THE HOTEL BERLIN
ANOTHER BLOW FOR LAW AND ORDER
HITTING NOTHING, AND
ACCOMPLISHING JUST THAT.
AND FINALLY, THE LUSITANIA,
1915... ONE OF THE CAUSES
OF OUR ENTERING
THE FIRST WORLD WAR.
THREE TRIES, THREE MISSES.
THEN YOU MUST KNOW NOW,
PAUL, THAT THE PAST IS INVIOLATE.
WHATEVER HAS HAPPENED,
MUST REMAIN AS HAVING HAPPENED.
YOU CAN'T CHANGE ANYTHING.
I BELIEVE YOU.
I BELIEVE IT'S NOT
POSSIBLE TO ALTER THE PAST
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, THERE
ISN'T ANYTHING WE CAN DO
ABOUT THE PRESENT OR THE FUTURE.
STUDY OF 19th CENTURY
MIDWEST AMERICA?
OPEN THAT TO PAGE 90.
IT TALKS ABOUT A PLACE THERE
CALLED HOMEVILLE, INDIANA.
THERE'S A PICTURE, SHOWS
HOW IT LOOKED IN 1881.
HMM, THIS IS CHARMING...
PARASOLS, BICYCLES...
IT'S ALL VERY SERENE.
APROPOS OF WHAT, PAUL?
APROPOS OF THE FACT
THAT I'M GOING BACK THERE.
I'M GOING BACK, NOT
TO CHANGE ANYTHING
BUT TO BECOME A PART OF IT.
A WORLD OF BAND CONCERTS AND
SUMMER NIGHTS ON FRONT PORCHES.
A WORLD THAT NEVER
HEARD OF AN ATOMIC BOMB
WORLD WAR, OR GERM
WARFARE... THAT'S WHERE I'M GOING.
ALL RIGHT, BUT
REMEMBER THIS, PAUL
EVERYTHING IS CAUSE
AND EFFECT, EVERYTHING.
YOU GO BACK IN TIME
TO THIS HOMEVILLE
AND YOU INADVERTENTLY CHANGE
ONE EVENT, ALTER IT MINUTELY
AND YOU MIGHT START
A CHAIN REACTION
BEYOND ANYTHING THAT
WE CAN EVEN IMAGINE.
I'M GOING BACK THERE TO LIVE
NOT TO CHANGE ANYTHING.
NOW, HARVEY, HOW ABOUT IT?
ALL RIGHT, NOW, HEAVEN HELP ME.
AND HEAVEN HELP YOU, PAUL.
WELL, WHAT'S YOUR ORDER, SIR?
I'LL HAVE A BEER.
THAT'LL BE A NICKEL.
A NICKEL?
THAT'S THE PRICE TAG.
YOU GOT A NICKEL?
YOU FROM AROUND HERE?
NO. NO, I'M FROM OUT OF STATE.
OUT OF STATE, YOU SAY?
JUST PASSING THROUGH?
NO. AS A MATTER OF FACT,
I WAS THINKING OF
SETTLING DOWN HERE.
JUST AS I EXPECTED.
BOARDING HOUSE
ACROSS THE SQUARE.
MA CHAMBERLAIN'S PLACE.
REAL NICE ACCOMMODATIONS.
SHE RUNS A CLEAN PLACE.
GONNA STAY THERE?
FOR THE PRESENT.
IT BEGINS.
RIGHT AWAY, IT BEGINS.
IT'S TOMORROW.
IT'S TOMORROW.
IT'S TOMORROW THAT GARFIELD...
WHAT DID YOU SAY? WHEN WHAT?
OH, NOTHING, I WAS
JUST TALKING TO MYSELF.
ODD FELLOW...
REAL ODD.
MAYBE HE JUST DON'T HOLD
WITH PRESIDENT GARFIELD.
MAYBE HE'S A DEMOCRAT.
PRESIDENT JAMES ABRAM GARFIELD
SHOT IN A WASHINGTON
RAILWAY STATION, JULY 2, 1881.
DIED SEPTEMBER 19, 1881.
SO BE IT.
SO BE IT.
ROOM COMFORTABLE?
YES, VERY, THANK YOU.
SHOULD BE.
BEST ROOM IN THE HOUSE.
NORTHERN AFTERNOON
SUN, SOUTHERN EXPOSURE.
THE NICEST VIEW I'VE GOT.
ARE YOU A TRAVELING
MAN, MR. DRISCOLL?
OH, NO, MRS.
CHAMBERLAIN, I'M NOT.
WHAT IS YOUR
BUSINESS, MR. DRISCOLL?
WELL, I'M A PHYSICIST.
PHYSICIST?
WHEN I'VE GOT MORE
TIME, EXPLAIN THAT TO ME.
WELL, NOW...
I MUST TELL YOU THE REST
OF THE RULES OF THE HOUSE.
NO VISITORS UPSTAIRS
AFTER 8:30 P.M.
LADY VISITORS
DOWNSTAIRS IN THE PARLOR
NO GAMBLING, NO CHEWING,
BREAKFAST 8:30 SHARP
DINNER AT NOON, SUPPER AT 6:00.
IF YOU'RE LATE,
YOU'RE OUT OF LUCK.
EACH WEEK'S BILL,
PAID IN ADVANCE.
ABIGAIL, I WANT YOU TO
MEET THE NEW BOARDER.
THIS IS MR. DRISCOLL,
HE'S FROM THE EAST.
THIS IS MISS ABIGAIL SLOAN.
SHE TEACHES SCHOOL HERE IN TOWN.
PLEASED TO MEET YOU.
THANK YOU.
ARE YOU PLANING
TO STAY FOR A TIME?
I HOPE TO.
WELL, I HOPE YOU ENJOY IT.
THANK YOU.
LOVELY GIRL, AIN'T SHE?
AND A MORAL GIRL, TOO.
I MEAN REAL MORAL.
NUCLEAR FALLOUT... INDOCHINA...
BERLIN WALL... WHAT ARE YOU?
I NEVER HEARD OF YOU.
IT'S SUMMER, FIRST OF JULY.
GOING TO BE A BAND
CONCERT IN A COUPLE OF DAYS...
LEMONADE, FIREWORKS...
IT'S 1881, HOMEVILLE, INDIANA.
AND I'M HOME.
TWILIGHT ZONE WILL CONTINUE
AFTER STATION IDENTIFICATION.
AND I TELL YOU, MRS. CHAMBERLAIN
THAT UNTIL THIS
GOVERNMENT OF OURS
ASSUMES ITS RIGHTFUL PLACE
OF RESPONSIBILITY IN THE WORLD
WE WILL REMAIN AN
ISOLATED, TERRIBLY PROVINCIAL
STATIC COMMUNITY OF STATES.
YOU KNOW WHAT I SAY
WE SHOULD DO ABOUT IT?
I'LL TELL YOU WHAT WE SHOULD DO.
WE SHOULD TAKE
THE AMERICAN FLEET
SEND IT OVER TO THE ORIENT
AND PLANT THE AMERICAN FLAG.
THEN ON DOWN TO AUSTRALIA
THEN BACK ACROSS THE
PACIFIC TO SOUTH AMERICA
PLANTING THE
AMERICAN FLAG AS WE GO.
PLANTING HER DEEP,
PLANTING HER HIGH,
PLANTING HER PROUD.
YOU OUGHT TO RUN FOR
OFFICE, MR. HANFORD.
BELIEVE ME, MY DEAR
LADY, I'VE THOUGHT OF IT,
BUT FINANCE COMES FIRST.
IT'S THE LIFEBLOOD
OF THE NATION.
AND THE BANK NEEDS ME.
MR. DRISCOLL, WHAT ARE
YOUR INTERNATIONAL VIEWS?
I DON'T HAVE ANY, MR. HANFORD.
Hanford: OF COURSE YOU DO, MAN.
EVERYBODY HAS TO HAVE VIEWS
AS TO THE DESTINY OF OUR COUNTRY.
NOW, YOU TAKE THE CASE OF
THE INDIAN WARS, FIVE YEARS AGO.
ALL THIS SILLY
CONCILIATORY NONSENSE
ABOUT GIVING THE INDIANS LANDS.
AS IF YOU COULD ACTUALLY MAKE
SAVAGES UNDERSTAND TREATIES.
WE SHOULD HAVE HAD 20
GEORGE CUSTERS AND 100,000 MEN
AND WE SHOULD HAVE
SWEPT ACROSS THE PLAINS
DESTROYING EVERY
REDSKIN WHO FACED US.
AND THEN WE SHOULD HAVE
PLANTED THE AMERICAN FLAG
DEEP, HIGH, AND PROUD!
I THINK THE COUNTRY
IS TIRED OF FIGHTING.
I THINK WE WERE
BLED DRY BY THE WAR.
ANYTHING WE CAN GET BY TREATY
IS THE PROPER COURSE TO PURSUE.
Hanford: NOW,
HERE, YOUNG LADY...
I TRUST THAT THIS ISN'T THE PAP
YOU SPOON-FEED TO YOUR STUDENTS.
TREATIES, INDEED; PEACE, INDEED.
WHY, THE VIRILITY OF A NATION
IS IN DIRECT PROPORTION
TO ITS FIGHTING QUALITIES.
WE'LL LIVE TO SEE THE DAY
WHEN THIS COUNTRY FIELDS
AN ARMY OF A MILLION MEN
SWEEPING EVERYTHING...
I'M SORRY, MRS.
CHAMBERLAIN, I, UH...
I GET CARRIED AWAY.
YOU SOME KIND OF
PACIFIST, ARE YOU, DRISCOLL?
NO, I'M SOME KIND OF SICK IDIOT
WHO'S SEEN TOO
MANY YOUNG MEN DIE
BECAUSE OF TOO
MANY OLD MEN LIKE YOU
WHO FIGHT THEIR BATTLES
AT DINING ROOM TABLES.
OH, MY GOODNESS.
I TAKE OFFENSE AT THAT
REMARK, MR. DRISCOLL.
AND I TAKE OFFENSE
AT ARMCHAIR WARRIORS
WHO DON'T KNOW WHAT A
SHRAPNEL WOUND FEELS LIKE
OR WHAT DEATH SMELLS LIKE
AFTER THREE DAYS IN THE SUN
OR THE LOOK IN A MAN'S EYES
WHEN HE'S MINUS A LEG AND
HIS BLOOD IS SEEPING OUT.
MR. HANFORD, YOU HAVE
A GREAT ENTHUSIASM
FOR PLANTING THE FLAG DEEP.
BUT YOU DON'T HAVE A
NODDING ACQUAINTANCE
WITH WHAT IT'S LIKE TO
BURY MEN IN THE SAME SOIL.
I'LL NOT SIT HERE AND
TAKE TALK LIKE THAT.
NO, NO... YOU'LL GO
BACK TO YOUR BANK
AND IT'LL BE BUSINESS AS
USUAL UNTIL DINNERTIME
WHEN YOU'LL GIVE US
ANOTHER VACUOUS SPEECH
ABOUT A COUNTRY GROWING
STRONG BY FILLING ITS GRAVEYARDS.
WELL, YOU'RE IN FOR SOME
GRATIFYING TIMES, MR. HANFORD.
BELIEVE ME, THERE'LL BE A LOT
OF GRAVEYARDS FOR YOU TO FILL
IN CUBA AND IN FRANCE
THEN ALL OVER EUROPE,
AND ALL OVER THE PACIFIC.
YOU CAN SIT ON THE SIDELINES
AND WAVE YOUR PENNANTS
BECAUSE, ACCORDING
TO YOUR DEFINITION
THIS COUNTRY'S GOING
TO GET VIRILE AS THE DEVIL.
FROM SAN JUAN TO INCHON
WE'LL SHOW HOW RED OUR BLOOD IS
BECAUSE WE'LL SPILL IT.
THERE ARE TWO
UNFORTUNATE ASPECTS OF THIS.
ONE IS, THAT YOU
WON'T HAVE TO SPILL ANY.
AND THE OTHER IS, YOU WON'T LIVE
LONG ENOUGH TO KNOW I'M RIGHT.
A VIOLENT MAN.
MR. DRISCOLL.
MR. DRISCOLL, I...
I...
WELL, HAVE I SUFFICIENTLY
ENDEARED MYSELF
TO THEM IN THERE?
I'VE BEEN LIVING THERE FOR
ALMOST TWO YEARS, MR. DRISCOLL.
THAT MEANS TWO
YEARS OF MEALTIMES
WITH MRS. CHAMBERLAIN'S
HOMEMADE PIES
AND MR. HANFORD'S RHETORIC.
I... I LOST A FATHER AND
TWO BROTHERS IN THE WAR.
ALL THREE OF THEM
DIED IN ONE AFTERNOON.
FOR THE 12 YEARS
THAT MY MOTHER LIVED
WELL, THERE WAS A FUNERAL
IN OUR HOUSE EVERY DAY.
SHE NEVER STOPPED MOURNING THEM.
I, I THINK THEY DIED
FOR SOMETHING, BUT...
BUT TONIGHT, FOR THE
FIRST TIME, MR. DRISCOLL
I HEARD SOMEBODY MAKE A, A POINT
THAT-THAT THERE ARE
THINGS PREFERABLE TO DYING
AND PATRIOTISM DOESN'T
HAVE TO COME WITH PAIN.
IT'S VERY DECENT OF YOU
TO TELL ME THIS, MISS SLOAN.
WHY DON'T YOU JUST CALL ME ABBY?
ABBY.
MY FIRST NAME'S PAUL.
PAUL.
IT FITS.
DOES IT?
YES, IT FITS VERY WELL.
DO YOU KNOW SOMETHING?
YOU LOOK LIKE A MAN IN LOVE.
NOT WITH A WOMAN...
WITH WHAT, THEN?
WITH A MOMENT, A PLACE.
WHAT WERE THOSE NAMES
YOU SAID... SAN JUAN, INCHON?
WHERE ARE THOSE PLACES?
WHEN YOU SAID, "OTHER
GRAVEYARDS, OTHER WARS..."
WHAT DID YOU MEAN BY THAT?
OH, NOTHING.
WHY DO I GET THIS FEELING
THAT YOU'RE ON THE
OUTSIDE LOOKING IN
JUST, WELL, PASSING
BY, LOOKING IN.
ABBY... I DON'T WANT
TO BE JUST PASSING BY.
I WANT TO COME IN.
I WISH... I WISH I
COULD COME IN.
WHY CAN'T YOU?
EVERYTHING IS
POSSIBLE... EVERYTHING.
GARFIELD... IT'S
FINALLY HAPPENED.
JUST CAME OVER THE TELEGRAM...
PRESIDENT GARFIELD'S BEEN SHOT!
PAUL... HOW DID YOU KNOW THAT?
YOU COULDN'T POSSIBLY
HAVE HEARD WHAT THEY SAID.
HOW DID YOU KNOW THAT?
PAUL, WHAT'S THE MATTER?
ABBY, YOU'RE WRONG.
NOT EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE.
I WISH I COULD TELL YOU,
BUT I CAN'T EXPLAIN IT.
YOU MEAN... YOU AND ME.
ESPECIALLY YOU AND ME.
WHY?
WHY?
IT'S GETTING LATE, ABBY.
IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO GO IN.
GOOD MORNING.
GOOD MORNING.
WE MISSED YOU AT BREAKFAST.
OH, THE... PRESIDENT
WAS BADLY WOUNDED.
YES, SO IT SAYS.
BUT THERE'S HOPE
HERE FOR HIS RECOVERY.
I GUESS THAT'S ALL THAT'S
LEFT SOMETIMES, ISN'T IT?
JUST HOPE.
ABBY, I'M SORRY
ABOUT LAST NIGHT.
I'M TRULY SORRY.
I WISH I COULD
EXPLAIN IT TO YOU,
BUT I CAN'T, I COULDN'T
MAKE YOU UNDERSTAND.
OH, IT-IT'S PERFECTLY
ALL RIGHT, REALLY IT IS.
THERE'S NO HARM
DONE, NO HARM AT ALL.
YOU'VE GOT TO FORGIVE
SCHOOLTEACHERS...
THEY'RE VERY IMPRESSIONABLE.
THEY'RE INCLINED TO...
WELL, THEY'RE INCLINED
TO READ MANY THINGS
INTO A GLANCE, A WORD...
A TOUCH.
WELL, I'VE GOT A
VERY BUSY DAY TODAY.
THERE'S SO MUCH PREPARATION
FOR TOMORROW, YOU KNOW.
PARADE AT 9:00, SPEECH AT 11:00
GAMES FROM NOON TILL 5:00
PICNIC SUPPER AND
THEN FIREWORKS.
AND, OH, OF COURSE...
MY CHILDREN.
YOUR CHILDREN?
YES.
27 FLAT LITTLE VOICES.
14 BOYS, 13 GIRLS WILL ENTERTAIN
YOU WITH THEIR OWN RENDITION
OF "COLUMBIA, THE
GEM OF THE OCEAN,"
SUNG IN SIX
DIFFERENT KEYS WITH...
27 HIGHLY INDIVIDUAL
INTERPRETATIONS.
WELL, WE'RE... WE'RE GOING
TO PRACTICE NOW AND...
LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING.
TRYING TO KEEP 27
CHILDREN QUIET IN...
A SCHOOL BUILDING IN
THE MIDDLE OF SUMMER
THE DAY BEFORE THE
FOURTH OF JULY, THAT...
THAT HAPPENS TO BE...
WELL, THAT HAPPENS
TO BE QUITE A...
AN ACCOMPLISHMENT.
WHO ARE YOU, PAUL DRISCOLL,
AND WHERE ARE YOU FROM?
IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY
DIFFERENCE, ABBY.
DOESN'T IT?
ALL RIGHT, WE'LL
LEAVE IT AT THAT.
IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE.
AND IT FOLLOWS, IT DOESN'T
MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE
THAT YOU... HELD ME
AND KISSED ME AND...
HOWDY, MR. DRISCOLL.
HOW ARE YOU?
FLAT.
WELL, THAT'S BETTER.
TOMORROW'S THE
BIG DOINGS, YOU KNOW.
FOURTH OF JULY CONCERT.
YES, I'M LOOKING
FORWARD TO THAT.
SHE DOES A GOOD
JOB WITH THOSE KIDS.
MISS SLOAN.
YES, SO I'VE HEARD.
AWFUL PRETTY GIRL
TO BE A SCHOOLMARM.
SO I'VE NOTICED.
I'VE NOTICED THAT YOU NOTICED.
AW, DOGGONE, I NEVER
HAD NO SCHOOLMARM
LOOKED LIKE THAT
WHEN I WAS A KID.
ALL MY SCHOOLMARMS LOOKED
LIKE THEY CAME OUT OF A PICKLE JAR.
AH, IT'S A FUNNY
LITTLE TOWN, ISN'T IT?
DON'T CHANGE.
YOU SEE PICTURES
OF IT 50 YEARS AGO
AND EVERYTHING'S THE
SAME... SAME BUILDINGS, EVEN.
THIS SCHOOLHOUSE, FOR EXAMPLE.
I'LL BET IT'S 60 YEARS
OLD, AS SHE STANDS THERE.
IT'LL PROBABLY STAND TILL
SOMEBODY PULLS IT DOWN.
WHAT?
I WAS TALKING ABOUT
THAT SCHOOL BUILDING.
WHAT DID YOU SAY ABOUT IT?
IT'LL PROBABLY
KEEP STANDING TILL...
THAT'S WHAT I WAS
TRYING TO REMEMBER.
THE SCHOOL BUILDING.
THE SCHOOL BUILDING.
OH, MY GOD.
MY DEAR GOD.
"THE SITE OF THE
HOMEVILLE NATIONAL BANK
"WAS FORMERLY OCCUPIED
BY A SCHOOL BUILDING
"BUILT IN 1823 AND GUTTED
BY A FIRE WHICH STARTED
"AT APPROXIMATELY 2:00 IN
THE AFTERNOON OF JULY 3, 1881
"SERIOUSLY INJURING 12
CHILDREN, WHO WERE REHEARSING
"FOR THE FOURTH
OF JULY CELEBRATION.
"THE FIRE WAS CAUSED
BY A KEROSENE LANTERN
FROM A RUNAWAY WAGON."
I CAN'T DO ANYTHING.
I CAN'T SAY ANYTHING.
CAN'T EVEN WARN ANYONE.
EVERYTHING HAS TO HAPPEN
THE WAY IT'S SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN.
SORRY, MR. PRESIDENT,
RECOVER, YOU SHALL NOT.
YOU'RE TO DIE ON SEPTEMBER
THE 19th OF THIS YEAR.
AND YOU SHALL BURN.
THIS AFTERNOON AT 2:00.
"SERIOUSLY INJURING
12 CHILDREN."
AND I CAN'T DO
ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
I HAVE TO STAND AROUND
AND WATCH IT HAPPEN.
I HAVE TO LET IT HAPPEN.
CHILDREN, CHILDREN,
BACK TO REHEARSAL NOW.
GO ON INSIDE AND
JOIN THE OTHERS.
GO ON.
Harvey: EVERYTHING
IS CAUSE AND EFFECT
EVERYTHING.
YOU GO BACK IN TIME
TO THIS... THIS HOMEVILLE
AND YOU INADVERTENTLY
CHANGE ONE EVENT
ALTER IT EVEN MINUTELY, YOU
MIGHT START A CHAIN REACTION
BEYOND ANYTHING THAT
WE COULD EVEN IMAGINE.
ALL RIGHT, NEIGHBORS,
GATHER ROUND HERE.
THAT'S IT, GET CLOSE.
GIVE ME YOUR ATTENTION,
YOU'LL NEVER BE SORRY.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT I'M DOING?
DO YOU PERCEIVE MY ACTIVITY?
YOU, SIR... DO YOU
KNOW THE SYMBOLISM
THAT PROFESSOR ELIOT
IS USING AT THIS MOMENT?
LIKE DIOGENES, I'M LOOKING
FOR AN HONEST MAN.
AN HONEST MAN WHO'LL TRY ONE SIP
OF PROFESSOR ELIOT'S
WONDER MEDICINE AND TELL ME
WHETHER IT'S THE FINEST
MEDICINE HE'S EVER TASTED.
HERE IT IS, FRIENDS.
THE MOST SAFE AND EFFICIENT
ALTERNATIVE AND
DE-OBSTRUENT PROPERTIES
FOR THE CURE OF
SCROFULA, KING'S EVIL
WHITE SWELLINGS, INDURATE
TUMORS, GOUT, SCURVY.
25 CENTS A BOTTLE.
IT'S GUARANTEED TO
IMMEDIATELY ALTER
A DEPRAVED OR IMPURE STATE
OF THE BLOOD OR BODY FLUIDS.
HERE, MADAM, THANK YOU.
WILL YOU HAVE ONE, SIR?
THERE YOU ARE.
HERE YOU ARE.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
HOW ABOUT YOU, MY FRIEND?
DON'T BE IN A
HURRY, MY FRIEND...
DO ME A FAVOR, WILL YOU?
WHAT?
WELL... OH, NOTHING, NEVER MIND.
UNHITCH THOSE HORSES.
WHAT DID YOU SAY?
I CAN'T TELL YOU WHY.
UNHITCH THOSE HORSES.
WHAT'S YOUR TROUBLE?
DYSPEPSIA, LIVER COMPLAINT?
THIS IS WHAT YOU NEED, SIR.
I NEED THOSE HORSES UNHITCHED.
NOW, JUST A MINUTE.
LISTEN, I CAN'T ARGUE
WITH YOU ANYMORE.
YOU'VE GOT TO
UNHITCH THOSE HORSES.
THIS WAGON MUSTN'T MOVE
A FOOT FROM THIS SPOT.
WHY MUSTN'T IT?
YOU GET OUT OF
HERE, YOU HEAR ME?
WALK AWAY FROM HERE!
LEAVE ME AND MY HORSES BE!
GET AWAY FROM MY HORSES!
YOU HEAR ME? GET AWAY!
HOW DID YOU KNOW?
YOU DID, DIDN'T YOU?
YES, I KNEW.
I KNEW THERE'D BE A FIRE.
AND I KNEW IT WOULD HAPPEN
THIS AFTERNOON, AT 2:00.
BUT WHAT I DIDN'T KNOW...
I DIDN'T KNOW THAT
I WOULD CAUSE IT.
I SHOULDN'T HAVE COME
HERE, I KNOW THAT NOW.
IT WON'T WORK.
I KNOW THAT, TOO.
IT CAN'T WORK BECAUSE I
KNOW TOO MANY THINGS.
I KNOW... I KNOW ABOUT
TOO MANY TOMORROWS.
TOMORROWS?
YOUR HISTORY, ABBY.
YOU, AND THIS TOWN,
AND THE PEOPLE IN IT.
EVERYTHING ABOUT
IT, YOUR HISTORY...
AND I CAN'T CHANGE YOU.
I CAN'T EVEN... TOUCH YOU.
PAUL, WHY NOT?
BECAUSE THE PAST IS INVIOLATE.
THE PAST IS SACRED.
IT BELONGS TO THOSE
OF YOU WHO LIVE IN IT.
IT'S NOT FOR INTERLOPERS...
FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE
JUST PASSING BY, LOOK IN
AND WISH THEY WERE A PART OF IT.
WHERE ARE YOU GOING?
I'M GOING BACK.
BACK TO WHERE I CAME FROM.
BACK WHERE I BELONG.
I COULDN'T LIVE IN A
WORLD MENACED BY A BOMB
AND I FIND OUT NOW THAT IT
DOESN'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE
IF IT'S A WORLD OR 12
CHILDREN BURNED IN A FIRE.
EVEN SO, I'VE FOUND
MORE THAN I EXPECTED
BECAUSE YOU WERE HERE.
I'VE OVERSTAYED MY WELCOME.
GOOD-BYE, ABBY.
STAY WELL.
HELLO, HARVEY.
BACK SO SOON?
WELL, AS IT HAPPENS,
BACK A LITTLE LATE.
YOU CHANGED SOMETHING?
I TRIED TO.
AND IN DOING IT, I CAUSED IT.
AND NOW, PAUL?
WHERE DO YOU GO NOW?
HERE.
HERE IN THE 20th
CENTURY, WHERE I BELONG.
THAT'S WHAT I'VE
LEARNED, HARVEY.
TO LEAVE THE YESTERDAYS ALONE...
DO SOMETHING... DO SOMETHING
ABOUT THE TOMORROWS.
THEY'RE THE ONES THAT
COUNT, THE TOMORROWS.
TOMORROWS...
GOD LET THERE BE TOMORROWS.
WELL.
INCIDENT ON A JULY
AFTERNOON, 1881.
A MAN NAMED DRISCOLL
WHO CAME AND WENT
AND, IN THE PROCESS,
LEARNED A SIMPLE LESSON
PERHAPS BEST SAID BY A POET
NAMED LATHBERRY, WHO WROTE:
"CHILDREN OF YESTERDAY,
HEIRS OF TOMORROW
"WHAT ARE YOU WEAVING,
LABOR AND SORROW?
"LOOK TO YOUR LOOMS
AGAIN, FASTER AND FASTER
"FLY THE GREAT SHUTTLES
PREPARED BY THE MASTER
LIFE'S IN THE LOOM,
ROOM FOR IT, ROOM."
TONIGHT'S TALE OF
CLOCKS AND CALENDARS
IN THE TWILIGHT ZONE.
NEXT ON TWILIGHT ZONE,
WE TAKE A PAGE OUT OF
A BOOK ON THE SPACE AGE,
AND WE PROJECT JUST
A COUPLE OF DEGREES
AS TO WHAT CONCEIVABLY
MIGHT HAPPEN TO AN ASTRONAUT
IF SUDDENLY AND INEXPLICABLY,
IN THE MIDDLE OF AN ORBIT,
HE DISAPPEARS.
OUR STORY TELLS YOU
HOW, WHY AND WHERE.
IT STARS STEVE FORREST.
IT'S CALLED "THE PARALLEL."
CAPCOM, CAPCOM,
THIS IS PHEBUS TEN.
I'VE LOST CONTACT WITH YOU.
I'VE LOST RADAR
HERE! I'VE LOST RADAR!
WE DON'T HAVE
CONTACT HERE, EITHER.
CAPCOM, CAPCOM,
THIS IS PHEBUS TEN.
WHAT YOU JUST
TOLD ME IS FANTASTIC.
I HELPED BUILD THAT SPACECRAFT.
I KNOW IT VERY WELL.
IT'S NOT THE SAME
ONE WE SENT OFF.
IT'S ALMOST A TWIN TO IT,
DOWN TO THE VERY
LAST NUT AND BOLT,
BUT IT'S SIMPLY NOT
THE SAME SPACECRAFT.
COLONIAL GAINES... WENT
UP IN ONE SPACECRAFT,
BUT HE'S OBVIOUSLY
COME BACK IN ANOTHER.