The Twilight Zone (1959–1964): Season 5, Episode 23 - Queen of the Nile - full transcript
A syndicated columnist, Jordan Herrick, gets an interview with the famous and beautiful actress Pamela Morris. She claims to be 38 years old but according to Jordan's information, that would have made her first film as an adult when she was only 10. He takes her word for it but her elderly mother, Viola Draper, has news for him: she's not Pamela's mother, she is her daughter. The more he looks into her background, the more convinced he becomes that Pamela hasn't aged for decades. Faced with the facts, Pamela shows the lengths she will go to in order to protect her great secret.
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.
I'M JORDAN HERRICK.
I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT
WITH MISS MORRIS.
COME IN, PLEASE.
THANK YOU.
THIS WAY, PLEASE.
THANK YOU.
I'LL TELL MISS
MORRIS YOU'RE HERE.
1940.
1940.
I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU
TO STAY IN YOUR ROOM.
I'M NOT GOING TO STAND BY
AND WATCH IT HAPPEN THIS TIME.
YOU WILL BECAUSE I SAY YOU WILL.
JORDAN HERRICK,
SYNDICATED COLUMNIST
WHOSE WORK APPEARS
IN MORE THAN A
HUNDRED NEWSPAPERS.
BY NATURE A CYNIC, A DISBELIEVER
CAUGHT FOR THE MOMENT
BY A LOVELY VISION.
HE KNOWS THE VISION
HE'S SEEN IS NO DREAM.
SHE IS PAMELA MORRIS,
RENOWNED MOVIE STAR,
WHOSE NAME IS A HOUSEHOLD WORD
AND WHOSE FACE IS
KNOWN TO MILLIONS.
WHAT MR. HERRICK DOES NOT KNOW
IS THAT HE HAS ALSO JUST LOOKED
INTO THE FACE OF
THE TWILIGHT ZONE.
MR. HERRICK?
MISS MORRIS... HELLO.
I'VE KEPT YOU WAITING.
OH, NO, IT REALLY
DOESN'T MATTER.
IT DOES MATTER, AND I AM SORRY.
OH, BUT I DO SO LOVE THE POOL.
AM I FORGIVEN?
OF COURSE, I...
I SHOULD BE ASKING YOUR
FORGIVENESS FOR THIS INTRUSION.
PLEASE RELAX.
THANK YOU.
I THINK YOU'RE VERY NICE.
MISS MORRIS, HOW OLD ARE YOU?
I MUST SAY, MR. HERRICK,
YOU ARE A VERY DIRECT MAN.
YOU'RE NOT OFFENDED?
WHY SHOULD I BE?
I HAVE PRODUCERS,
DIRECTORS; YOU HAVE EDITORS...
ALL VERY DEMANDING PEOPLE.
BESIDES, A WOMAN IN MY POSITION
CAN'T AFFORD TO HAVE SECRETS.
I'M CERTAINLY
RELIEVED TO HEAR THAT.
I WAS AFRAID YOU'D BE OFFENDED.
YOU HAVE NOTHING
TO BE AFRAID OF HERE.
THERE, THAT'S BETTER.
NOW, WHY DON'T YOU TELL ME
HOW OLD YOU THINK I AM?
OH, NOW, THAT'S HARDLY FAIR.
OH, DO, COME ON, NOW.
WELL?
YOU'RE VERY BEAUTIFUL.
THAT WASN'T THE QUESTION.
YOU DON'T LOOK ANY OLDER NOW
THAN YOU DID IN THAT PAINTING.
I WAS ONLY A CHILD WHEN
I POSED FOR BERSONNE.
I WAS SO FRIGHTENED OF HIM.
THE WORLD WAS SO
BRIGHT AND NEW TO ME,
AND HE WAS SO WILD AND CREATIVE.
I'VE NEVER MET ANYONE LIKE HIM.
HIS GENIUS ENABLED
HIM TO PROJECT
THE "FLOWERING OF
A FRAGILE BLOSSOM,"
AS HE PUT IT.
WOULD YOU LIKE SOME COFFEE?
YES, COFFEE, THANK YOU.
WOULD YOU LIKE SOMETHING IN IT?
COGNAC? WHISKEY?
NO, THANKS, I'LL TAKE IT BLACK.
I THOUGHT NEWSPAPER PEOPLE
WERE HEAVY DRINKERS.
THAT'S A MYTH.
MY MOTHER, MRS. DRAPER.
JORDAN HERRICK.
HOW DO YOU DO?
HE'S A NEWSPAPER MAN, MOTHER.
HOW DO YOU DO?
SIT DOWN AND HAVE SOME TEA.
WITH MY MOTHER IT IS TEA
THIS PRECISE TIME
EVERY AFTERNOON.
ME, IT'S COFFEE.
MRS. DRAPER, YOU MUST FEEL
VERY PROUD TO HAVE A DAUGHTER
AS FAMOUS AS PAMELA MORRIS.
MOTHER NEVER DID WHOLLY
APPROVE OF MY CAREER.
BELIEVE ME, MR. HERRICK,
I HAD LITTLE CHOICE
IN THE MATTER.
SHE THINKS I'M TOO HEADSTRONG.
DEDICATED IS THE WORD.
YOU STILL ARE, PAMELA.
WAS SHE ALWAYS AS
BEAUTIFUL AS SHE IS NOW?
ALWAYS.
A MOTHER'S LOYALTY.
AS A MATTER OF
FACT, MR. HERRICK,
IT IS THE TRUTH.
PERHAPS FROM THE MOTHER,
I'LL LEARN THE REAL AGE
OF THE DAUGHTER.
ISN'T AGE RELATIVE?
BESIDES, DIDN'T I PROMISE TO
REVEAL ALL TO YOU, MR. HERRICK?
MR. HERRICK!
MOTHER, WOULD YOU MIND SEEING
IF CHARLOTTE HAS THINGS
UNDER CONTROL IN THE KITCHEN?
PLEASED TO HAVE
MET YOU, MRS. DRAPER.
GOOD-BYE, MR. HERRICK.
FORGIVE HER, BUT...
SHE'S GETTING OLD.
I WAS HOPING SHE'D GIVE ME
SOME IDEAS FOR MY ARTICLE.
NO, HER MIND WANDERS.
HER MEMORY BECOMES
INCREASINGLY DISTORTED.
SHALL WE FINISH OUR
COFFEE ON THE TERRACE?
I'M SURE THERE'S A
BREEZE OUT THERE.
ISN'T IT LOVELY OUT HERE?
I OFTEN SIT HERE BY THE HOUR,
WATCHING THE
CLOUDS AND THE BIRDS.
AT NIGHT, I WATCH THE STARS.
YES, IT IS LOVELY.
OH, BUT THAT ISN'T WHAT
INTERESTS YOU, IS IT...
MY NOCTURNAL HABITS,
HOW I DREAM OUT HERE?
I COULD WORK IT INTO MY STORY...
THE QUESTION OF AGE
IS THE BIG THING, ISN'T IT?
I'M 38, JORDAN.
MAY I CALL YOU JORDAN?
YES, OF COURSE, PLEASE.
IS 38 TERRIBLY OLD?
THE YEARS HAVE NEVER
BEEN KINDER TO ANYONE.
WHAT A NICE THING TO SAY.
I MEAN IT.
WHAT HAVE YOU GOT THERE?
SOME NOTES... DATES, MOSTLY.
DO THEY CONCERN ME?
YES.
ACCORDING TO THIS...
I KNOW, YOU READ A COLUMN
BY ONE OF THOSE
STUPID, JEALOUS WOMEN.
IF YOU ARE 38, HOW
COULD YOU HAVE STARRED
IN A MOVIE MADE IN 1935?
I CAN'T BELIEVE IT...
JORDAN HERRICK TAKEN
IN BY THE PRINTED WORD.
TELL ME, DO YOU BELIEVE
EVERYTHING YOU READ?
THE MOVIE WAS TRAILS WEST.
DARLING, IT COULDN'T
HAVE BEEN ME.
I WOULD'VE BEEN TEN
YEARS OLD. DON'T YOU SEE?
IT'S AN OLD MISTAKE
I'VE RUN ACROSS BEFORE.
ACCORDING TO OUR FILES,
YOUR COSTAR WAS JOHN BRADLEY.
YOU WERE IN LOVE WITH HIM.
I NEVER EVEN MET HIM.
YOUR FILES ARE IN ERROR,
AND IT DOES HAPPEN, YOU KNOW.
IN 1935,
YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK
I'D EVEN SEEN A MOVIE YET.
WE WERE POOR, LIVING IN IOWA.
MY FATHER'S
BUSINESS WAS FAILING.
IT WASN'T UNTIL 1940 THAT I
SET OUT FOR HOLLYWOOD...
A STARSTRUCK GIRL IN MY TEENS
FOLLOWING THE TRAIL BLAZED
BY SO MANY OTHER HOPEFULS.
BUT I WAS LUCKY.
YOU MUST HAVE BEEN.
YOU MADE QUEEN OF THE NILE
WITH CHARLES DANFORTH IN 1940.
YOU WERE 15.
DARLING, JULIET WAS 12.
BUT 15?
NOW, IS THAT SO MUCH
HARDER TO BELIEVE
THAN MY BEING 38 TODAY?
NO ONE KNEW I WAS 15.
I MATURED VERY EARLY.
I SUPPOSE THAT PICTURE
INSPIRED THE DECOR?
I CALL IT EARLY EGYPTIAN,
THOUGH I SUPPOSE IT
IS RATHER SILLY, BUT...
IT WAS MY FIRST BIG BREAK.
WELL, I'M JUST GLAD THAT IT
WASN'T A HORROR PICTURE,
OR I JUST MIGHT HAVE THE
PLACE FULL OF CASKETS.
DO YOU KNOW...
THE FACT IS THAT I...
I STILL DO FEEL JUST ABOUT 15.
I REALLY DO.
NO?
WITH YOU SITTING
THERE, I FEEL NEW
AND BREATHLESS AND JUST 21.
OH, I WANT TO SAVOR ALL THERE IS
IN THIS LIFE, JORDAN.
IS IT WRONG TO FEEL THAT WAY?
NO, NO, IT'S NOT WRONG.
I'M BEING FOOLISH,
SAYING THESE THINGS.
AND YOU'RE NOT BEING FOOLISH.
I SO SELDOM GET A CHANCE TO...
SPEAK MY MIND OR AIR MY DREAMS.
AND YOURS...
WHAT MUST YOU THINK OF ME?
I WANTED TO DO THAT.
AND YOU WANTED ME TO DO IT, TOO.
YOU'RE SWEET... AND VERY REAL.
BUT YOU MUST GO NOW.
WHY?
BECAUSE I SAY SO.
WE'LL SEE EACH OTHER
AGAIN IF YOU'D LIKE.
WHAT ABOUT TONIGHT? DINNER, HMM?
ALL RIGHT.
WHY DON'T WE SAY... 8:00?
WHY DON'T WE SAY 8:00?
MR. HERRICK!
HELLO, MRS. DRAPER.
MR. HERRICK... YES?
YOU ARE A FINE YOUNG MAN.
WELL, THANK YOU, MRS. DRAPER.
IT IS NOT AN IDLE COMPLIMENT.
ARE YOU GOING TO SEE HER AGAIN?
YES, TONIGHT.
WE'RE HAVING DINNER.
NO, YOU MUST NOT DO THAT.
YOU MUST NEVER SEE HER AGAIN.
WHY NOT?
SHE'S OLDER THAN YOU THINK.
YES, SHE TOLD ME
HOW OLD SHE WAS.
YES, I KNOW.
THIRTY-EIGHT.
WELL, ISN'T THAT TRUE?
MR. HERRICK, YOU
WOULDN'T BELIEVE ME
IF I TOLD YOU HOW
OLD I THINK SHE IS.
YOU THINK? DON'T YOU KNOW?
NO... NOT REALLY.
BUT YOU'RE HER MOTHER.
NO.
I'M NOT HER MOTHER.
I AM HER DAUGHTER!
I DON'T KNOW WHEN I'VE
HAD SUCH A WONDERFUL TIME.
YOU'VE BEEN SO
QUIET ALL EVENING.
WHAT IS IT?
OH, IT'S... SOMETHING
YOUR MOTHER SAID.
NOW, I DON'T
BELIEVE IT, BUT JUST...
JUST STICKS IN MY MIND.
WELL, TELL ME.
SHE SAID THAT YOU
ARE HER MOTHER.
HER MOTHER?
HER MOTHER.
JORDAN, DARLING,
YOU MUST BELIEVE ME.
MY MOTHER IS DISTURBED.
I'M SURE IT'S BECAUSE
SHE FEELS RESPONSIBLE
FOR MY FATHER'S DEATH.
YOU SEE, THEY WERE RETURNING
HOME FROM A PARTY TEN YEARS AGO.
SHE WAS DRIVING THE CAR,
AND IT WENT OFF THE ROAD,
AND MY FATHER WAS KILLED.
I'M SORRY.
EVER SINCE THEN, SHE'S
BEEN FURTIVE, SUSPICIOUS,
IMAGINING ALL KINDS
OF TERRIBLE THINGS.
I'VE TRIED TO HELP
HER... REALLY, I HAVE...
BUT THE DOCTORS
SAY IT'S HOPELESS.
SHE REALLY SHOULD BE PUT
AWAY, BUT I HAVEN'T HAD...
I NEVER SHOULD'VE BROUGHT IT UP.
NOW, LET'S FORGET ABOUT IT.
ALL RIGHT.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE.
AFTER ALL, WE'VE BEEN
TALKING ABOUT ME, AND...
NOW YOU KNOW ABOUT MY MOTHER.
WHAT ABOUT YOUR LIFE?
VERY DULL... UP UNTIL NOW.
ALL RIGHT, THEN TELL
ME WHERE YOU'RE FROM.
CHICAGO. I STILL LIVE THERE.
I'VE PLAYED CHICAGO.
THE WELLS THEATER.
HAVE YOU REALLY?
I'VE LOVED EVERY MOMENT OF IT.
I REALLY HAVE.
SHALL I SEE YOU TOMORROW?
TOMORROW.
KRUEGER.
JORDAN HERRICK IN HOLLYWOOD?
YEAH, PUT HIM ON.
HI, JORDY, GLAD YOU CALLED.
GOT ANOTHER JOB FOR YOU
if you're through playing
with that little femme fatale.
NOT YET. NOT FOR A WHILE, KRUEG.
I WANT YOU TO DO SOMETHING.
GET OUT THE FILE ON A PICTURE
CALLED QUEEN OF THE NILE.
Which one?
WHAT DO YOU MEAN, WHICH ONE?
YOU'RE A LITTLE YOUNG FOR THIS.
THEY MADE TWO OF THEM.
THE FIRST ONE,
A SILENT, I THINK.
Around 1920,
maybe a little later.
ALL RIGHT, GET THEM
BOTH. I'LL HANG ON.
RIGHT.
HEY, YOU THERE?
Yeah.
WHAT WAS THE NAME OF THE GIRL
WHO STARRED IN THE ORIGINAL?
CONSTANCE TAYLOR.
ANYWAY, SHE
STARRED IN MOST OF IT.
THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT DURING
THE LAST DAY OF SHOOTING.
CAVE-IN IN A TOMB IN EGYPT.
They never found her.
NEVER FOUND HER?
NO, IT WAS THE END OF A
VERY PROMISING CAREER.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, I
MET CONSTANCE TAYLOR
WHEN I WAS ABOUT YOUR AGE.
Extraordinary woman.
HOW DO YOU MEAN,
"EXTRAORDINARY"?
WELL, SHE WAS AGELESS.
SHE'D BEEN A REIGNING BEAUTY
IN THE DAYS OF THE
FLORA DORA GIRLS.
That was before your time.
SHE WAS A REAL FEMME FATALE.
SHE'D BEEN MARRIED
HALF A DOZEN TIMES
BEFORE THE ACCIDENT IN EGYPT.
SOUNDS LIKE PAMELA
MORRIS, THE SAME HISTORY.
VERY MUCH THE SAME,
AS A MATTER OF FACT.
YOU GOT A PICTURE
OF THIS TAYLOR GIRL?
Yeah.
COMPARE IT TO A PICTURE
OF PAMELA MORRIS.
YEAH, JORDY?
WELL?
THEY LOOK ALIKE,
BUT THEN, THEY PLAYED
THE SAME KIND OF PARTS.
SAME MAKEUP, SAME TYPE COSTUME.
KRUEGER, THE WELLS THEATER,
THE OLD WELLS THEATER...
WHAT YEAR DID THEY
TEAR THAT DOWN?
OH, SOMETIME BACK IN
THE '20S. WHY, JORDY?
OH, NEVER MIND. NOT
UNTIL I'M REAL SURE.
IN THE MEANTIME, GET ME A LIST
OF ALL THE MEN WHO WERE EVER
INVOLVED WITH PAMELA MORRIS.
GET ME EVERY PRESS RELEASE,
EVERY CLIPPING YOU
HAVE ON HER, GOT IT?
SOUNDS INTERESTING.
MAY SOUND FANTASTIC.
WELL?
IT'S ALL TRUE, MR. HERRICK.
IT'S ALL TRUE.
BUT DON'T SHOW IT TO HER.
LEAVE HERE AT ONCE.
IS THIS PAMELA?
YES, YES.
PLEASE, MR. HERRICK,
YOU DON'T KNOW HOW IT IS.
SHE HAD MANY DIFFERENT NAMES.
BUT SHE HASN'T
CHANGED IN 40 YEARS.
40 YEARS?
AT LEAST 70 YEARS...
THE TOTAL SUM OF MY LIFE.
CAN YOU IMAGINE WHAT IT WAS LIKE
TO SEE HER ALWAYS
SO FRESH AND BEAUTIFUL
WHILE MY MIRRORED IMAGE GREW
SEARED AND YELLOWED WITH AGE?
HOW OLD IS SHE, REALLY?
SHE'S AGELESS.
PERHAPS SHE'S ETERNAL.
WHAT IS THE SECRET?
WHAT WOMAN WOULD NOT
SELL HER SOUL TO KNOW?
IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO
WITH THIS BEETLE... WITH EGYPT.
THE SCARABAEI BEETLE.
EGYPTIAN SYMBOL
OF EVERLASTING LIFE.
TELL ME, IF YOU
HATE HER SO MUCH...
WHY DO I STAY?
WHAT ELSE COULD I DO?
AFTER PAMELA AND MY HUSB...
GO ON, TELL ME THE REST.
NO, I CANNOT.
YOU MUST GO NOW!
WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER MEN,
JOHN BRADLEY, CHARLES DANFORTH?
DON'T ASK ABOUT THEM!
MRS. DRAPER, LISTEN TO ME...
Pamela: MR. HERRICK!
HOW NICE YOU DROPPED IN.
HAS MY MOTHER ENTERTAINED YOU?
WHAT WILD TALES DID YOU SPIN?
I DON'T THINK THEY'RE
WILD TALES AT ALL.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE WELLS THEATER,
WHERE YOU PLAYED...
WAS TORN DOWN IN THE '20S.
YOU MAY LEAVE US, MOTHER.
CHARLOTTE WILL PREPARE
YOUR TEA IN YOUR ROOM.
PAMELA, PLEASE!
I WISH TO SPEAK TO
MR. HERRICK ALONE.
YOUR COFFEE.
YOU WERE SAYING...
DON'T YOU THINK IT'S TIME WE HAD
AN HONEST TALK?
WHAT DO YOU WANT?
MONEY?
NO.
JUST THE TRUTH.
AND YOU SHALL HAVE IT.
WHAT?
WHAT IS THAT?
THE RARE EGYPTIAN SCARAB.
THE SECRET OF ETERNITY.
WHERE DID YOU... GET IT?
FROM THE PHARAOHS WHO
UNDERSTOOD ITS POWER.
PHARAOHS? HMM?
I TOLD YOU, MR. HERRICK, I
WAS ONCE QUEEN OF THE NILE.
YOU, UH...
I TOLD YOU NEVER TO COME IN
UNTIL I CALLED YOU, VIOLA...
IF YOU WANT TO LIVE ANOTHER DAY.
GET RID OF IT, QUICKLY.
YOU MUST BE MR. JACKSON.
YES, I CALLED THE OTHER DAY.
AND I TOLD YOU TO COME
OUT WHEN YOU COULD.
DID YOU THINK I'D FORGET?
WE'LL HAVE COFFEE
IN THE LIVING ROOM.
EVERYBODY KNOWS PAMELA MORRIS,
THE BEAUTIFUL AND
ETERNALLY YOUNG MOVIE STAR.
OR DOES SHE HAVE ANOTHER
NAME EVEN MORE FAMOUS,
AN EGYPTIAN NAME
FROM CENTURIES PAST?
IT'S BEST NOT TO BE TOO CURIOUS,
LEST YOU WIND UP
LIKE JORDAN HERRICK...
A PILE OF DUST AND OLD CLOTHING
DISCARDED IN THE
ENDLESS ETERNITY
OF THE TWILIGHT ZONE.
AND NOW, MR. SERLING.
NEXT TIME OUT, WE DO A LITTLE
BITING OF THE HAND THAT FEEDS
AND WE TELL YOU
A DELIGHTFUL YARN
THAT HAS TO DO WITH TELEVISION.
NOT NORMAL TELEVISION,
MIND YOU, BUT A WACKY TALE
ABOUT A TV SET THAT
PREDICTS THE FUTURE.
IT'S WRITTEN MY MARTIN GOLDSMITH
AND STARS THREE
EMINENTLY TALENTED PEOPLE
WHO MAKE THEIR
FIRST VISIT TO THE ZONE:
JOAN BLONDELL, WILLIAM
DEMAREST AND STERLING HOLLOWAY.
ON THE TWILIGHT ZONE NEXT
TIME, "WHAT'S IN THE BOX."
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.
I'M JORDAN HERRICK.
I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT
WITH MISS MORRIS.
COME IN, PLEASE.
THANK YOU.
THIS WAY, PLEASE.
THANK YOU.
I'LL TELL MISS
MORRIS YOU'RE HERE.
1940.
1940.
I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU
TO STAY IN YOUR ROOM.
I'M NOT GOING TO STAND BY
AND WATCH IT HAPPEN THIS TIME.
YOU WILL BECAUSE I SAY YOU WILL.
JORDAN HERRICK,
SYNDICATED COLUMNIST
WHOSE WORK APPEARS
IN MORE THAN A
HUNDRED NEWSPAPERS.
BY NATURE A CYNIC, A DISBELIEVER
CAUGHT FOR THE MOMENT
BY A LOVELY VISION.
HE KNOWS THE VISION
HE'S SEEN IS NO DREAM.
SHE IS PAMELA MORRIS,
RENOWNED MOVIE STAR,
WHOSE NAME IS A HOUSEHOLD WORD
AND WHOSE FACE IS
KNOWN TO MILLIONS.
WHAT MR. HERRICK DOES NOT KNOW
IS THAT HE HAS ALSO JUST LOOKED
INTO THE FACE OF
THE TWILIGHT ZONE.
MR. HERRICK?
MISS MORRIS... HELLO.
I'VE KEPT YOU WAITING.
OH, NO, IT REALLY
DOESN'T MATTER.
IT DOES MATTER, AND I AM SORRY.
OH, BUT I DO SO LOVE THE POOL.
AM I FORGIVEN?
OF COURSE, I...
I SHOULD BE ASKING YOUR
FORGIVENESS FOR THIS INTRUSION.
PLEASE RELAX.
THANK YOU.
I THINK YOU'RE VERY NICE.
MISS MORRIS, HOW OLD ARE YOU?
I MUST SAY, MR. HERRICK,
YOU ARE A VERY DIRECT MAN.
YOU'RE NOT OFFENDED?
WHY SHOULD I BE?
I HAVE PRODUCERS,
DIRECTORS; YOU HAVE EDITORS...
ALL VERY DEMANDING PEOPLE.
BESIDES, A WOMAN IN MY POSITION
CAN'T AFFORD TO HAVE SECRETS.
I'M CERTAINLY
RELIEVED TO HEAR THAT.
I WAS AFRAID YOU'D BE OFFENDED.
YOU HAVE NOTHING
TO BE AFRAID OF HERE.
THERE, THAT'S BETTER.
NOW, WHY DON'T YOU TELL ME
HOW OLD YOU THINK I AM?
OH, NOW, THAT'S HARDLY FAIR.
OH, DO, COME ON, NOW.
WELL?
YOU'RE VERY BEAUTIFUL.
THAT WASN'T THE QUESTION.
YOU DON'T LOOK ANY OLDER NOW
THAN YOU DID IN THAT PAINTING.
I WAS ONLY A CHILD WHEN
I POSED FOR BERSONNE.
I WAS SO FRIGHTENED OF HIM.
THE WORLD WAS SO
BRIGHT AND NEW TO ME,
AND HE WAS SO WILD AND CREATIVE.
I'VE NEVER MET ANYONE LIKE HIM.
HIS GENIUS ENABLED
HIM TO PROJECT
THE "FLOWERING OF
A FRAGILE BLOSSOM,"
AS HE PUT IT.
WOULD YOU LIKE SOME COFFEE?
YES, COFFEE, THANK YOU.
WOULD YOU LIKE SOMETHING IN IT?
COGNAC? WHISKEY?
NO, THANKS, I'LL TAKE IT BLACK.
I THOUGHT NEWSPAPER PEOPLE
WERE HEAVY DRINKERS.
THAT'S A MYTH.
MY MOTHER, MRS. DRAPER.
JORDAN HERRICK.
HOW DO YOU DO?
HE'S A NEWSPAPER MAN, MOTHER.
HOW DO YOU DO?
SIT DOWN AND HAVE SOME TEA.
WITH MY MOTHER IT IS TEA
THIS PRECISE TIME
EVERY AFTERNOON.
ME, IT'S COFFEE.
MRS. DRAPER, YOU MUST FEEL
VERY PROUD TO HAVE A DAUGHTER
AS FAMOUS AS PAMELA MORRIS.
MOTHER NEVER DID WHOLLY
APPROVE OF MY CAREER.
BELIEVE ME, MR. HERRICK,
I HAD LITTLE CHOICE
IN THE MATTER.
SHE THINKS I'M TOO HEADSTRONG.
DEDICATED IS THE WORD.
YOU STILL ARE, PAMELA.
WAS SHE ALWAYS AS
BEAUTIFUL AS SHE IS NOW?
ALWAYS.
A MOTHER'S LOYALTY.
AS A MATTER OF
FACT, MR. HERRICK,
IT IS THE TRUTH.
PERHAPS FROM THE MOTHER,
I'LL LEARN THE REAL AGE
OF THE DAUGHTER.
ISN'T AGE RELATIVE?
BESIDES, DIDN'T I PROMISE TO
REVEAL ALL TO YOU, MR. HERRICK?
MR. HERRICK!
MOTHER, WOULD YOU MIND SEEING
IF CHARLOTTE HAS THINGS
UNDER CONTROL IN THE KITCHEN?
PLEASED TO HAVE
MET YOU, MRS. DRAPER.
GOOD-BYE, MR. HERRICK.
FORGIVE HER, BUT...
SHE'S GETTING OLD.
I WAS HOPING SHE'D GIVE ME
SOME IDEAS FOR MY ARTICLE.
NO, HER MIND WANDERS.
HER MEMORY BECOMES
INCREASINGLY DISTORTED.
SHALL WE FINISH OUR
COFFEE ON THE TERRACE?
I'M SURE THERE'S A
BREEZE OUT THERE.
ISN'T IT LOVELY OUT HERE?
I OFTEN SIT HERE BY THE HOUR,
WATCHING THE
CLOUDS AND THE BIRDS.
AT NIGHT, I WATCH THE STARS.
YES, IT IS LOVELY.
OH, BUT THAT ISN'T WHAT
INTERESTS YOU, IS IT...
MY NOCTURNAL HABITS,
HOW I DREAM OUT HERE?
I COULD WORK IT INTO MY STORY...
THE QUESTION OF AGE
IS THE BIG THING, ISN'T IT?
I'M 38, JORDAN.
MAY I CALL YOU JORDAN?
YES, OF COURSE, PLEASE.
IS 38 TERRIBLY OLD?
THE YEARS HAVE NEVER
BEEN KINDER TO ANYONE.
WHAT A NICE THING TO SAY.
I MEAN IT.
WHAT HAVE YOU GOT THERE?
SOME NOTES... DATES, MOSTLY.
DO THEY CONCERN ME?
YES.
ACCORDING TO THIS...
I KNOW, YOU READ A COLUMN
BY ONE OF THOSE
STUPID, JEALOUS WOMEN.
IF YOU ARE 38, HOW
COULD YOU HAVE STARRED
IN A MOVIE MADE IN 1935?
I CAN'T BELIEVE IT...
JORDAN HERRICK TAKEN
IN BY THE PRINTED WORD.
TELL ME, DO YOU BELIEVE
EVERYTHING YOU READ?
THE MOVIE WAS TRAILS WEST.
DARLING, IT COULDN'T
HAVE BEEN ME.
I WOULD'VE BEEN TEN
YEARS OLD. DON'T YOU SEE?
IT'S AN OLD MISTAKE
I'VE RUN ACROSS BEFORE.
ACCORDING TO OUR FILES,
YOUR COSTAR WAS JOHN BRADLEY.
YOU WERE IN LOVE WITH HIM.
I NEVER EVEN MET HIM.
YOUR FILES ARE IN ERROR,
AND IT DOES HAPPEN, YOU KNOW.
IN 1935,
YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK
I'D EVEN SEEN A MOVIE YET.
WE WERE POOR, LIVING IN IOWA.
MY FATHER'S
BUSINESS WAS FAILING.
IT WASN'T UNTIL 1940 THAT I
SET OUT FOR HOLLYWOOD...
A STARSTRUCK GIRL IN MY TEENS
FOLLOWING THE TRAIL BLAZED
BY SO MANY OTHER HOPEFULS.
BUT I WAS LUCKY.
YOU MUST HAVE BEEN.
YOU MADE QUEEN OF THE NILE
WITH CHARLES DANFORTH IN 1940.
YOU WERE 15.
DARLING, JULIET WAS 12.
BUT 15?
NOW, IS THAT SO MUCH
HARDER TO BELIEVE
THAN MY BEING 38 TODAY?
NO ONE KNEW I WAS 15.
I MATURED VERY EARLY.
I SUPPOSE THAT PICTURE
INSPIRED THE DECOR?
I CALL IT EARLY EGYPTIAN,
THOUGH I SUPPOSE IT
IS RATHER SILLY, BUT...
IT WAS MY FIRST BIG BREAK.
WELL, I'M JUST GLAD THAT IT
WASN'T A HORROR PICTURE,
OR I JUST MIGHT HAVE THE
PLACE FULL OF CASKETS.
DO YOU KNOW...
THE FACT IS THAT I...
I STILL DO FEEL JUST ABOUT 15.
I REALLY DO.
NO?
WITH YOU SITTING
THERE, I FEEL NEW
AND BREATHLESS AND JUST 21.
OH, I WANT TO SAVOR ALL THERE IS
IN THIS LIFE, JORDAN.
IS IT WRONG TO FEEL THAT WAY?
NO, NO, IT'S NOT WRONG.
I'M BEING FOOLISH,
SAYING THESE THINGS.
AND YOU'RE NOT BEING FOOLISH.
I SO SELDOM GET A CHANCE TO...
SPEAK MY MIND OR AIR MY DREAMS.
AND YOURS...
WHAT MUST YOU THINK OF ME?
I WANTED TO DO THAT.
AND YOU WANTED ME TO DO IT, TOO.
YOU'RE SWEET... AND VERY REAL.
BUT YOU MUST GO NOW.
WHY?
BECAUSE I SAY SO.
WE'LL SEE EACH OTHER
AGAIN IF YOU'D LIKE.
WHAT ABOUT TONIGHT? DINNER, HMM?
ALL RIGHT.
WHY DON'T WE SAY... 8:00?
WHY DON'T WE SAY 8:00?
MR. HERRICK!
HELLO, MRS. DRAPER.
MR. HERRICK... YES?
YOU ARE A FINE YOUNG MAN.
WELL, THANK YOU, MRS. DRAPER.
IT IS NOT AN IDLE COMPLIMENT.
ARE YOU GOING TO SEE HER AGAIN?
YES, TONIGHT.
WE'RE HAVING DINNER.
NO, YOU MUST NOT DO THAT.
YOU MUST NEVER SEE HER AGAIN.
WHY NOT?
SHE'S OLDER THAN YOU THINK.
YES, SHE TOLD ME
HOW OLD SHE WAS.
YES, I KNOW.
THIRTY-EIGHT.
WELL, ISN'T THAT TRUE?
MR. HERRICK, YOU
WOULDN'T BELIEVE ME
IF I TOLD YOU HOW
OLD I THINK SHE IS.
YOU THINK? DON'T YOU KNOW?
NO... NOT REALLY.
BUT YOU'RE HER MOTHER.
NO.
I'M NOT HER MOTHER.
I AM HER DAUGHTER!
I DON'T KNOW WHEN I'VE
HAD SUCH A WONDERFUL TIME.
YOU'VE BEEN SO
QUIET ALL EVENING.
WHAT IS IT?
OH, IT'S... SOMETHING
YOUR MOTHER SAID.
NOW, I DON'T
BELIEVE IT, BUT JUST...
JUST STICKS IN MY MIND.
WELL, TELL ME.
SHE SAID THAT YOU
ARE HER MOTHER.
HER MOTHER?
HER MOTHER.
JORDAN, DARLING,
YOU MUST BELIEVE ME.
MY MOTHER IS DISTURBED.
I'M SURE IT'S BECAUSE
SHE FEELS RESPONSIBLE
FOR MY FATHER'S DEATH.
YOU SEE, THEY WERE RETURNING
HOME FROM A PARTY TEN YEARS AGO.
SHE WAS DRIVING THE CAR,
AND IT WENT OFF THE ROAD,
AND MY FATHER WAS KILLED.
I'M SORRY.
EVER SINCE THEN, SHE'S
BEEN FURTIVE, SUSPICIOUS,
IMAGINING ALL KINDS
OF TERRIBLE THINGS.
I'VE TRIED TO HELP
HER... REALLY, I HAVE...
BUT THE DOCTORS
SAY IT'S HOPELESS.
SHE REALLY SHOULD BE PUT
AWAY, BUT I HAVEN'T HAD...
I NEVER SHOULD'VE BROUGHT IT UP.
NOW, LET'S FORGET ABOUT IT.
ALL RIGHT.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE.
AFTER ALL, WE'VE BEEN
TALKING ABOUT ME, AND...
NOW YOU KNOW ABOUT MY MOTHER.
WHAT ABOUT YOUR LIFE?
VERY DULL... UP UNTIL NOW.
ALL RIGHT, THEN TELL
ME WHERE YOU'RE FROM.
CHICAGO. I STILL LIVE THERE.
I'VE PLAYED CHICAGO.
THE WELLS THEATER.
HAVE YOU REALLY?
I'VE LOVED EVERY MOMENT OF IT.
I REALLY HAVE.
SHALL I SEE YOU TOMORROW?
TOMORROW.
KRUEGER.
JORDAN HERRICK IN HOLLYWOOD?
YEAH, PUT HIM ON.
HI, JORDY, GLAD YOU CALLED.
GOT ANOTHER JOB FOR YOU
if you're through playing
with that little femme fatale.
NOT YET. NOT FOR A WHILE, KRUEG.
I WANT YOU TO DO SOMETHING.
GET OUT THE FILE ON A PICTURE
CALLED QUEEN OF THE NILE.
Which one?
WHAT DO YOU MEAN, WHICH ONE?
YOU'RE A LITTLE YOUNG FOR THIS.
THEY MADE TWO OF THEM.
THE FIRST ONE,
A SILENT, I THINK.
Around 1920,
maybe a little later.
ALL RIGHT, GET THEM
BOTH. I'LL HANG ON.
RIGHT.
HEY, YOU THERE?
Yeah.
WHAT WAS THE NAME OF THE GIRL
WHO STARRED IN THE ORIGINAL?
CONSTANCE TAYLOR.
ANYWAY, SHE
STARRED IN MOST OF IT.
THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT DURING
THE LAST DAY OF SHOOTING.
CAVE-IN IN A TOMB IN EGYPT.
They never found her.
NEVER FOUND HER?
NO, IT WAS THE END OF A
VERY PROMISING CAREER.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, I
MET CONSTANCE TAYLOR
WHEN I WAS ABOUT YOUR AGE.
Extraordinary woman.
HOW DO YOU MEAN,
"EXTRAORDINARY"?
WELL, SHE WAS AGELESS.
SHE'D BEEN A REIGNING BEAUTY
IN THE DAYS OF THE
FLORA DORA GIRLS.
That was before your time.
SHE WAS A REAL FEMME FATALE.
SHE'D BEEN MARRIED
HALF A DOZEN TIMES
BEFORE THE ACCIDENT IN EGYPT.
SOUNDS LIKE PAMELA
MORRIS, THE SAME HISTORY.
VERY MUCH THE SAME,
AS A MATTER OF FACT.
YOU GOT A PICTURE
OF THIS TAYLOR GIRL?
Yeah.
COMPARE IT TO A PICTURE
OF PAMELA MORRIS.
YEAH, JORDY?
WELL?
THEY LOOK ALIKE,
BUT THEN, THEY PLAYED
THE SAME KIND OF PARTS.
SAME MAKEUP, SAME TYPE COSTUME.
KRUEGER, THE WELLS THEATER,
THE OLD WELLS THEATER...
WHAT YEAR DID THEY
TEAR THAT DOWN?
OH, SOMETIME BACK IN
THE '20S. WHY, JORDY?
OH, NEVER MIND. NOT
UNTIL I'M REAL SURE.
IN THE MEANTIME, GET ME A LIST
OF ALL THE MEN WHO WERE EVER
INVOLVED WITH PAMELA MORRIS.
GET ME EVERY PRESS RELEASE,
EVERY CLIPPING YOU
HAVE ON HER, GOT IT?
SOUNDS INTERESTING.
MAY SOUND FANTASTIC.
WELL?
IT'S ALL TRUE, MR. HERRICK.
IT'S ALL TRUE.
BUT DON'T SHOW IT TO HER.
LEAVE HERE AT ONCE.
IS THIS PAMELA?
YES, YES.
PLEASE, MR. HERRICK,
YOU DON'T KNOW HOW IT IS.
SHE HAD MANY DIFFERENT NAMES.
BUT SHE HASN'T
CHANGED IN 40 YEARS.
40 YEARS?
AT LEAST 70 YEARS...
THE TOTAL SUM OF MY LIFE.
CAN YOU IMAGINE WHAT IT WAS LIKE
TO SEE HER ALWAYS
SO FRESH AND BEAUTIFUL
WHILE MY MIRRORED IMAGE GREW
SEARED AND YELLOWED WITH AGE?
HOW OLD IS SHE, REALLY?
SHE'S AGELESS.
PERHAPS SHE'S ETERNAL.
WHAT IS THE SECRET?
WHAT WOMAN WOULD NOT
SELL HER SOUL TO KNOW?
IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO
WITH THIS BEETLE... WITH EGYPT.
THE SCARABAEI BEETLE.
EGYPTIAN SYMBOL
OF EVERLASTING LIFE.
TELL ME, IF YOU
HATE HER SO MUCH...
WHY DO I STAY?
WHAT ELSE COULD I DO?
AFTER PAMELA AND MY HUSB...
GO ON, TELL ME THE REST.
NO, I CANNOT.
YOU MUST GO NOW!
WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER MEN,
JOHN BRADLEY, CHARLES DANFORTH?
DON'T ASK ABOUT THEM!
MRS. DRAPER, LISTEN TO ME...
Pamela: MR. HERRICK!
HOW NICE YOU DROPPED IN.
HAS MY MOTHER ENTERTAINED YOU?
WHAT WILD TALES DID YOU SPIN?
I DON'T THINK THEY'RE
WILD TALES AT ALL.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE WELLS THEATER,
WHERE YOU PLAYED...
WAS TORN DOWN IN THE '20S.
YOU MAY LEAVE US, MOTHER.
CHARLOTTE WILL PREPARE
YOUR TEA IN YOUR ROOM.
PAMELA, PLEASE!
I WISH TO SPEAK TO
MR. HERRICK ALONE.
YOUR COFFEE.
YOU WERE SAYING...
DON'T YOU THINK IT'S TIME WE HAD
AN HONEST TALK?
WHAT DO YOU WANT?
MONEY?
NO.
JUST THE TRUTH.
AND YOU SHALL HAVE IT.
WHAT?
WHAT IS THAT?
THE RARE EGYPTIAN SCARAB.
THE SECRET OF ETERNITY.
WHERE DID YOU... GET IT?
FROM THE PHARAOHS WHO
UNDERSTOOD ITS POWER.
PHARAOHS? HMM?
I TOLD YOU, MR. HERRICK, I
WAS ONCE QUEEN OF THE NILE.
YOU, UH...
I TOLD YOU NEVER TO COME IN
UNTIL I CALLED YOU, VIOLA...
IF YOU WANT TO LIVE ANOTHER DAY.
GET RID OF IT, QUICKLY.
YOU MUST BE MR. JACKSON.
YES, I CALLED THE OTHER DAY.
AND I TOLD YOU TO COME
OUT WHEN YOU COULD.
DID YOU THINK I'D FORGET?
WE'LL HAVE COFFEE
IN THE LIVING ROOM.
EVERYBODY KNOWS PAMELA MORRIS,
THE BEAUTIFUL AND
ETERNALLY YOUNG MOVIE STAR.
OR DOES SHE HAVE ANOTHER
NAME EVEN MORE FAMOUS,
AN EGYPTIAN NAME
FROM CENTURIES PAST?
IT'S BEST NOT TO BE TOO CURIOUS,
LEST YOU WIND UP
LIKE JORDAN HERRICK...
A PILE OF DUST AND OLD CLOTHING
DISCARDED IN THE
ENDLESS ETERNITY
OF THE TWILIGHT ZONE.
AND NOW, MR. SERLING.
NEXT TIME OUT, WE DO A LITTLE
BITING OF THE HAND THAT FEEDS
AND WE TELL YOU
A DELIGHTFUL YARN
THAT HAS TO DO WITH TELEVISION.
NOT NORMAL TELEVISION,
MIND YOU, BUT A WACKY TALE
ABOUT A TV SET THAT
PREDICTS THE FUTURE.
IT'S WRITTEN MY MARTIN GOLDSMITH
AND STARS THREE
EMINENTLY TALENTED PEOPLE
WHO MAKE THEIR
FIRST VISIT TO THE ZONE:
JOAN BLONDELL, WILLIAM
DEMAREST AND STERLING HOLLOWAY.
ON THE TWILIGHT ZONE NEXT
TIME, "WHAT'S IN THE BOX."