The Twilight Zone (1959–1964): Season 5, Episode 26 - I am the Night - Color Me Black - full transcript
The Sun doesn't rise on a small town where an execution is scheduled to take place.
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.
CHARLIE?
GO BACK TO SLEEP,
ELLA, IT'S EARLY.
WHAT TIME IS IT?
MY WATCH STOPPED.
IT'S PITCH BLACK OUT.
IT MUST BE 3:00 OR
4:00 IN THE MORNING.
LOOK HOW BLACK IT IS OUT THERE.
IT'S THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.
OH, I THINK YOU'RE
CRAZY TO GET UP NOW.
WHAT'S SO SPECIAL
ABOUT HANGING A LITTLE...
GO BACK TO SLEEP, ELLA!
WELL, WHY DON'T YOU?
YOU'LL HAVE ALL THAT
EXCITEMENT TODAY.
YOU'RE THE ONE
THAT NEEDS THE SLEEP.
BRING US BREAKFAST
OVER ABOUT 8:30.
WHAT TIME THEY STRING HIM UP?
WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.
WHAT TIME DOES HE GET HUNG?
HE GET'S EXECUTED AT 9:30.
AND I HOPE THE WHOLE
TOWN DOESN'T TURN OUT.
WHEN I SEE A BUNCH OF
COLD-BLOODED GAWKERS
GETTING THEIR JOLLIES
FROM SEEING A MAN DIE,
I JUST...
JUST BRING US
BREAKFAST OVER AT 8:30.
OH, CHARLIE?
HOW DOES HE LIKE HIS EGGS?
EDIBLE.
THEY'RE THE LAST
ONES HE'S GOING TO EAT
SO MAKE THEM EDIBLE.
I DON'T GET IT.
WHAT DON'T YOU GET, DEPUTY?
SHERIFF, IT'S 7:30
IN THE MORNING,
AND IT'S PITCH BLACK OUTSIDE.
I'VE NEVER SEEN IT ANY BLACKER,
BUT IT'S 7:30 IN THE MORNING.
NOW, WHAT'S GOING ON?
I DON'T KNOW, DEPUTY.
IT'S 7:30 IN THE MORNING
AND IT'S PITCH BLACK OUTSIDE.
TO TELL YOU THE
TRUTH... I DON'T KNOW WHY.
I DON'T KNOW WHY AT ALL.
SHERIFF CHARLIE KOCH
ON THE MORNING OF AN EXECUTION.
AS A MATTER OF FACT,
IT'S 7:30 IN THE MORNING.
LOGIC AND NATURAL LAWS
DICTATE THAT AT THIS HOUR
THERE SHOULD BE DAYLIGHT.
IT IS A SIMPLE RULE
OF PHYSICAL SCIENCE
THAT THE SUN SHOULD
RISE AT A CERTAIN MOMENT
AND SUPERSEDE THE DARKNESS.
BUT AT THIS GIVEN MOMENT
SHERIFF CHARLIE KOCH,
A DEPUTY NAMED PIERCE, A
CONDEMNED MAN NAMED JAGGER,
AND A SMALL,
INCONSEQUENTIAL VILLAGE
WILL SHORTLY FIND OUT THAT
THERE ARE CAUSES AND EFFECTS
THAT HAVE NO PRECEDENT.
SUCH IS USUALLY THE
CASE IN THE TWILIGHT ZONE.
HOW ABOUT THAT?
YOU SEE IT OUTSIDE?
YOU BETTER RUN AN EXTRA
IN THAT PAPER OF YOURS.
I'VE BEEN ANSWERING THE PHONE
SINCE 6:00 THIS MORNING.
ONE FELLOW CALLED, SAID THE
ELECTRICITY HAD GONE OFF...
IT WAS TOMORROW NIGHT.
ANOTHER GODLY WOMAN,
WHO PROFESSES TO READ HER GOOD
BOOK WITH ADMIRABLE REGULARITY,
TELLS ME IT'S THE
END OF THE WORLD
AND SHE CAN QUOTE THE CHAPTER
AND VERSE TO SUPPORT HER THESIS.
NOW, YOU'RE
WELL-VERSED IN ALL THINGS
REGARDING LAW AND
ORDER, SHERIFF KOCH.
WHAT'S YOUR THESIS?
IT'S QUARTER TO 8:00.
IT'S QUARTER TO
8:00 IN THE MORNING
AND IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE.
DAYLIGHT SHOULD HAVE
COME TWO HOURS AGO.
WELL, IN BETWEEN
REASSURING PEOPLE
THAT THIS WAS NOT AN
INTERPLANETARY INVASION,
NOR THE END OF THE WORLD,
I PLACED A CALL TO
THE STATE CAPITAL.
IS IT BLACK THERE?
IT APPEARS THAT ACROSS THE FACE
OF THE ENTIRE EARTH
WE ARE THE ONLY ONES
GROPING IN DARKNESS.
SO IT SEEMS THE PHENOMENON
IS QUITE LOCALIZED
AND WE'LL JUST HAVE
TO SEEK ELSEWHERE
FOR COMPANY TO SHARE OUR MISERY.
HAVE YOU SEEN
JAGGER THIS MORNING?
I SEEN HIM.
I BROUGHT HIM IN
A CUP OF COFFEE.
I ALSO REMINDED HIM
ABOUT WHAT DAY IT WAS.
I'LL BET YOU DID.
HOW DID YOU OCCUPY
YOURSELF AS A LAD, DEPUTY?
TORTURING SMALL ANIMALS
OR JUST PULLING WINGS OFF FLIES?
WHAT DO YOU MEAN
BY THAT, MR. COLBEY?
NOTHING.
NOTHING AT ALL.
CAN I TALK TO JAGGER?
GO RIGHT ON IN.
AS A POINT OF INTEREST, SHERIFF,
IS JAGGER INNOCENT?
MR. COLBEY, THAT IS A MATTER
FOR A JURY, PUBLIC OPINION AND GOD,
AND THAT, THANK THE LORD,
HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ME.
SO LET US ALL PRAISE GOD FOR
THE MORNING'S IMPARTIALITY.
AND FOR JUSTICE BEING
SERVED DELUXE STYLE.
Koch: DEPUTY...
WHY DON'T YOU SHUT YOUR MOUTH.
I GOT A RIGHT TO AN OPINION.
INDEED YOU HAVE, DEPUTY.
INDEED YOU HAVE.
BUT THERE'S JUST A
FEW DISTURBING FACETS
ABOUT THIS CASE.
ONE...
THE MURDERED MAN
WAS NOT A DECENT MAN.
HE WAS A CROSS-BURNING,
PSYCHOPATHIC BULLY
WHO ATTACKED THE MAN IN THERE.
AND TWO, DEPUTY PIERCE
HERE SAW IT HAPPEN
AND THEN PERJURED HIMSELF.
NOW, WAIT A MINUTE!
PERJURED IS THE WORD, DEPUTY.
NOW, YOU SAID JAGGER SHOT HIM
FROM ACROSS THE ROOM.
NO SUCH THING.
THE MURDERED MAN HAD
POWDER BURNS ALL OVER HIM.
THIS MIGHT NOT HAVE
PROVEN SELF-DEFENSE
BUT IT WOULD'VE POINTED
TO IT AND MAYBE HELPED IT.
AND YOU, SHERIFF
KOCH, YOU SAW THE BODY.
BUT I DIDN'T HEAR ANY COMMENTS
ON THOSE POWDER BURNS
WHEN YOU GAVE YOUR TESTIMONY.
AND YOUR COURAGEOUS EDITOR
HERE IN COVERING THE TRIAL
DIDN'T SEE FIT TO INCLUDE
THIS INSIGNIFICANT ADDENDUM
THOUGH HE ALSO KNEW AT THE
TIME HE WAS BEING VERY SELECTIVE
ABOUT WHAT TRUTHS HE WAS WRITING
ABOUT, WHAT TRUTHS HE WASN'T.
YOU'RE RIGHT, DEPUTY.
JUSTICE IS BEING SERVED...
ON A PLATTER WITH
ITS TONGUE CUT OUT
JUST LIKE THE CARCASS
OF ANY DEAD ANIMAL.
LET ME KNOW WHEN YOU'RE READY.
IT'S PITCH BLACK OUTSIDE.
ALMOST 8:00 IN THE MORNING.
NOT A SPECK OF DAYLIGHT.
THIS PLACE DOESN'T
HAVE ANY WINDOWS
SO IT COULD BE CHRISTMAS EVE
OR THE FOURTH OF JULY
AND I WOULD NOT
KNOW THE DIFFERENCE.
YOU GOT ANY RELIGIOUS
AFFILIATION, JAGGER?
NONE.
ANYONE YOU WANT TO SEE?
NOBODY.
ANYTHING TO SAY?
NOTHING.
NO PRIEST, NO
FRIENDS, NO COMMENT.
JUST WHAT HAVE YOU GOT, JAGGER?
I GOT THE BLUES, MR. COLBEY!
I GOT THE BLUES.
I'M JUST ABOUT AN HOUR
AWAY FROM A HANGING
AND I'VE BEEN LYING THERE
AND I HAVE BEEN
THINKING THAT I WOULD LIKE
TO RIP THESE BARS APART
AND GET OUT OF HERE.
OR I'D LIKE TO SAVE
EVERYBODY ELSE THE TROUBLE
AND HANG MYSELF RIGHT HERE.
BUT, YOU SEE, I DON'T HAVE
THE STRENGTH FOR ONE
OR THE GUTS FOR THE OTHER
SO I'M JUST LYING THERE,
AND I AM JUST WAITING.
WELL, IN THAT CASE, WOULD
YOU CARE TO MAKE A STATEMENT
ABOUT GUILT OR INNOCENCE?
GUILT OR INNOCENCE, AND YOU
WANT ME TO MAKE A STATEMENT?
I'D APPRECIATE ONE.
I DON'T THINK ANYBODY
SHOULD LEAVE THIS EARTH
WITHOUT MAKING A
COMMENT... YOU, ME, ANYBODY.
WELL, THAT'S A REASONABLE
REQUEST, MR. COLBEY.
CONSIDERING THE FACT THAT
YOU'RE NOT LEAVING THIS MORNING
THAT'S REASONABLE.
I'M GUILTY, MR. COLBEY.
THAT TAKE YOU OFF THE HOOK?
AND THAT'S SUPPOSED
TO MEAN WHAT?
THAT'S SUPPOSED TO MEAN
YOU'RE ON THE POPULAR SIDE.
THERE ARE GOOD
GUYS AND BAD GUYS...
THAT'S HUMAN NATURE.
WELL, I'M WORSE THAN A BAD GUY.
I'M A TOWN KOOK, I'M A NEUROTIC.
I'M THE ONE WITH THE
CAUSES AND THE BANNERS.
I'M THE VILLAGE
IDIOT WHO TRIES TO BE
HIS BROTHER'S KEEPER.
DO YOU UNDERSTAND, MR. COLBEY?
THE MAN I KILLED
WAS THE WHITE KNIGHT.
HE DID WHAT HIS OTHER
PALS IN THIS TOWN
WANTED TO DO AND
DIDN'T HAVE THE GUTS.
HE WAS THE CROSS
BURNER, THE BOMB THROWER.
HE HANDLED THE WHIPPING OF
SOME POOR, SCARED COLORED GUY.
OH...
THE MAN YOU KILLED WAS NO SAINT
BUT WE DON'T
DISPENSE LIFE OR DEATH
JUST BECAUSE
SOMEBODY OFFENDS US.
THAT'S THE DISTINCTION
BETWEEN MEN AND ANIMALS.
WELL, THAT'S VERY WELL SAID.
THAT'S VERY WELL
SAID, MR. COLBEY.
YOU TELL THAT TO THE MAN
WHO'S GOING TO FIX MY ROPE.
YOU TELL IT TO THE
SHERIFF AND HIS DEPUTY
TO THE TOWNSPEOPLE WHO
ARE GOING TO STAND AROUND
AND WATCH MY EYES BULGE
OUT AND ENJOY MY AGONY.
YOU TELL THEM.
YOU TELL THEM
ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN MEN AND ANIMALS.
BUT YOU BETTER BE
READY TO DRAW PICTURES
BECAUSE THIS LANGUAGE
THEY JUST DON'T DIG!
Man: 9:00 IN THE MORNING.
WHY IS IT SO DARK?
IS IT AN ECLIPSE?
CAN'T BE.
I'M LISTENING TO THE RADIO.
AIN'T NO ECLIPSE.
IT'S WEIRD.
IT'S JUST PLAIN WEIRD.
Radio announcer: But
scientists can offer no explanation
for the strange
phenomenon of darkness
that has suddenly
and inexplicably
covered the remote
little Midwestern village.
It is now 9:00 a.m.
Eastern Standard Time
but last reports indicate
the darkness there is total.
There is no remote hint
of any kind of daylight.
LOOKS PRETTY GOOD.
THAT OUGHT TO TEND TO HIM.
BUT WHO'S GOING TO TEND TO US?
WHO OR WHAT IS
GOING TO TEND TO US?
Colbey: TEN MORE MINUTES.
YOU, UH, GOING TO GO THROUGH
WITH THIS, SHERIFF?
WHY NOT?
THE LAW SAYS MAY 25,
AT 9:30 IN THE MORNING.
WELL, IT'S MAY 25,
AND IT'LL BE 9:30
IN THE MORNING.
QUITE APART FROM
THE FACT, MR. PIERCE,
THAT YOU'RE NOT THE
MOST SENSITIVE OF MEN,
DID IT EVER OCCUR TO YOU
THERE'S SOMETHING
ODD GOING ON HERE
AND WE BETTER DISPENSE
WITH BUSINESS AS USUAL
UNTIL WE FIND OUT
EXACTLY WHAT IS GOING ON?
YOU KNOW SOMETHING?
I TAKE AN AWFUL LOT
OF DIRT FROM YOU.
AND JUST WHO ARE YOU, ANYWAY?
A LITTLE-SHOT EDITOR OF
A CRUMMY LITTLE PAPER.
THAT'S RIGHT, A
CRUMMY LITTLE PAPER
THAT CRAWLS ALONG
ON ITS HANDS AND KNEES
FROM ONE EDITION TO THE OTHER.
YOU GOT MORE CREDITORS
THAN YOU GOT READERS.
THAT'LL DO IT, PIERCE.
NO, THAT WON'T DO
IT BY A LONG SHOT!
NOW, MAYBE YOU FEEL LIKE TURNING
YOUR CHEEK TO THIS CRUMB
BUT THERE AIN'T NO RULE BOOK
THAT SAYS I GOT TO.
HE SAYS I PERJURED MYSELF;
SAYS I LIED.
HE WASN'T THROWING NO BOUQUETS
AT YOU, NEITHER.
MAYBE I DON'T DESERVE ANY.
YOU WERE RIGHT, YOU KNOW.
I SAW THE VICTIM.
HE DID HAVE POWDER BURNS.
BUT WHEN A COMMITTEE OF
TOWNSPEOPLE CAME TO ME
AND SAID THERE'D BE NO AUTOPSY,
I JUST BENT MY
HEAD AND I NODDED.
WE ALL GOT LITTLE AXES
TO GRIND, DON'T WE?
I WANT TO BE REELECTED SHERIFF.
YOU WANT TO KEEP
SELLING NEWSPAPERS.
AND DEPUTY PIERCE HERE...
HE LIKES TO FEEL IMPORTANT;
HE LIKES TO BE POPULAR,
LIKES TO STAY ON THE
GOOD SIDE OF PEOPLE.
HERE WE ARE, GENTLEMEN,
TREADING WATER IN A SEWER.
I DON'T TAKE IT FROM HIM
AND I DON'T TAKE IT FROM YOU!
YOU BETTER UNRAVEL IT, PIERCE,
OR I'LL SPREAD YOU
ALL OVER THIS YARD.
LET'S GO GET THE PRISONER.
AT LAST, MR. PIERCE.
A LABOR OF LOVE, HUH?
DO YOU SUPPOSE, REVEREND,
THERE MIGHT BE SOME
THEOLOGICAL EXPLANATION?
THEOLOGICAL EXPLANATION?
FOR THE DEATH, OR
THE DARKNESS, OR BOTH.
YOU KNOW, REVEREND,
MAYBE IF WE THOUGHT
IT WAS SOME DIVINE ACT,
WE COULD SORT OF LIVE WITH IT.
THIS IS NOT THE FIRST GALLOWS,
REVEREND, NOR THE LAST.
OR HE WON'T BE THE FIRST
UNHAPPY MAN DIED AN EARLY AGE.
WE WON'T BE THE LAST
MOURNERS ON EARTH EITHER.
DID YOU SEE HIM?
DID YOU GET TO TALK TO HIM?
BRIEFLY.
HE WOULDN'T SEE ME.
WOULDN'T EVEN LET ME INSIDE.
IT'S A PITY.
HE'S A VERY LONELY MAN.
BUT HE WON'T BE
LONELY VERY LONG.
Reverend: HE'S GOT A
FEW MINUTES, HASN'T HE?
HE USED THEM UP ALREADY.
WE'RE FOUR MINUTES BEHIND.
YOU CAN TALK TO HIM, REVEREND.
TAKE YOUR TIME.
IT'S MY TIME.
I GOT NOTHING TO SAY.
THEN LET'S GO.
LET'S GET ON WITH IT!
Crowd: YEAH!
YOU DON'T WANT TO WASTE
YOUR LAST MINUTES, JAGGER.
NOW, YOU AND I ARE
A DIFFERENT FAITH,
AND OBVIOUSLY A DIFFERENT COLOR,
BUT YOU STOOD UP
FOR ME AND MINE.
YOU SPOKE FOR US,
AND GOD HELP US,
YOU KILLED FOR US.
AND I FEEL YOU DESERVE
SOME MEASURE OF PEACE.
I WANT TO GIVE YOU SOME.
THAT'LL GIVE ME SOME PEACE.
I DON'T NEED ANY
WORDS, REVEREND.
NO QUOTATIONS IN
OR OUT OF THE BIBLE.
COME ON, LET'S GET IT OVER WITH!
Crowd: YEAH!
PATIENCE!
PATIENCE!
I PROMISE YOU, I
WILL PLEASE YOU ALL,
BELIEVE ME.
I'LL CHOKE AND SUFFER AND DANCE.
OH, YOU'LL GET YOUR
MONEY'S WORTH.
BELIEVE ME.
QUIET! BUT I TELL YOU
WHAT I WON'T GIVE
YOU, YOU MUCKERS!
I WON'T GIVE YOU THE
SATISFACTION OF SAYING
THAT I'M SORRY.
YEAH!
YEAH, YEAH!
YEAH!
YEAH, YEAH!
DON'T RETURN THEIR HATE.
DON'T DISHONOR YOURSELF.
WHY DON'T YOU GET OUT OF HERE.
I GOT TOO MUCH HATE IN ME
TO KEEP PLUGGED UP ANYMORE.
WHEN HE CAME AT YOU, JAGGER...
DID IT FEEL GOOD TO YOU THEN?
WHAT DIFFERENCE?
WHEN YOU AIMED
THAT GUN AT HIS HEAD,
THAT WASN'T SUCH A
BAD MOMENT, WAS IT?
GOOD, BAD, WHO CARES?
WHEN YOU KILLED HIM, JAGGER,
WHEN YOU BLEW HIS HEAD OFF,
THERE WERE NO REGRETS
THEN, WERE THERE?
YOU ENJOYED THAT, DIDN'T YOU?
YOU KNOW IT!
YES, YES, I... I KNOW IT NOW.
NOW I KNOW IT TOO WELL.
YOU'RE GUILTY.
THIS MAN IS GUILTY.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO GET
WITH THE MAJORITY, ISN'T IT?
THAT'S...
THAT'S A BIG THING
NOWADAYS, ISN'T IT, REVEREND?
THAT'S ALL THERE
IS, IS THE MAJORITY.
THE MINORITY MUST HAVE DIED
ON THE CROSS 2,000 YEARS AGO.
YOU SEEN THE LIGHT, REVEREND.
YOU REALLY SEEN THE LIGHT.
HAVE YOU?
HAVE ANY OF YOU?
IN ALL THIS DARKNESS,
IS THERE ANYBODY WHO
CAN MAKE OUT THE TRUTH?
HE HATED AND HE
KILLED AND NOW HE DIES.
AND YOU HATED, YOU KILLED,
AND NOW THERE'S
NOT ONE OF YOU...
NOT ONE OF YOU WHO ISN'T DOOMED.
DO YOU KNOW WHY IT'S DARK?
DO YOU KNOW WHY IT
IS NIGHT ALL AROUND US?
DO YOU KNOW WHAT
THE BLACKNESS IS?
IT'S THE HATE HE FELT,
THE HATE YOU FELT,
THE HATE ALL OF US FEEL,
AND THERE'S TOO MUCH OF IT.
THERE'S JUST TOO MUCH.
AND SO WE HAD TO VOMIT IT OUT.
AND NOW IT'S COMING
UP ALL AROUND US
AND CHOKING US.
SO MUCH HATE, SO
MUCH MISERABLE HATE.
LOOK.
LOOK WHAT'S HAPPENING.
IT'S GETTING EVEN DARKER NOW.
I CAN'T...
I CAN'T HARDLY SEE ANYTHING NOW.
THAT'S CRAZY, AIN'T IT?
I MEAN WHAT HE SAID.
AIN'T THAT CRAZY?
YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN?
BELIEVE ME, YOU KNOW
WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN?
THIS HERE STUFF'S GOING TO LIFT.
IT'LL ALL OF A SUDDEN
JUST PLAIN LIFT.
WHY IT'S JUST...
JUST FOG IS ALL IT IS.
NO MORE THAN FOG.
AND IT'LL LIFT.
AND THERE'LL BE THE OLD SUN,
HIGH UP AND BRIGHT.
YOU WAIT AND SEE.
THERE'LL BE THE OLD SUN
SHINING TO BEAT THE BAND.
WELL, IT COULD
HAPPEN, COULDN'T IT?
COULDN'T THAT HAPPEN, KOCH?
COLBEY?
THERE'LL BE SUN AGAIN.
THERE'LL BE DAYLIGHT.
I DON'T KNOW.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'LL
EVER BE DAYLIGHT AGAIN.
ONLY GOD KNOWS.
I'M SURE ONLY GOD KNOWS.
Announcer: And still the
phenomenon remains unexplained
except for the reports coming
in of similar occurrences
here in the United
States and elsewhere.
At 2:00 this afternoon
a dark cloud appeared
over a street in Dallas, Texas.
The mayor of West Berlin
verified that a rectangular area
over the Berlin wall
has suddenly gone dark.
In Budapest, European
newspapermen
passed over
censorship an article
about several square blocks,
including a political prison
which was suddenly thrown
into darkness early this morning.
In Birmingham, Alabama,
an area in Shanghai, the entire
northern section of Vietnam,
a section of Chicago, Illinois,
the darkness continues
to make itself known.
A SICKNESS KNOWN AS HATE;
NOT A VIRUS, NOT A
MICROBE, NOT A GERM...
BUT A SICKNESS NONETHELESS,
HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS,
DEADLY IN ITS EFFECTS.
DON'T LOOK FOR IT IN
THE TWILIGHT ZONE...
LOOK FOR IT IN A MIRROR.
LOOK FOR IT BEFORE THE
LIGHT GOES OUT ALTOGETHER.
AND NOW, MR. SERLING.
NEXT TIME OUT WE BRING
YOU A FEW DECIBELS OF SOUND
IN A BIZARRE OPUS ABOUT A MAN
WHO BREAKS
EARDRUMS FOR A LIVING.
WE WELCOME TO THE
PROGRAM TWO FINE TALENTS,
MR. JOHN McGIVER AND
MISS PENNY SINGLETON,
WHO WILL PROVE
THE FOLLOWING POINT:
NAMELY THAT TOO
MUCH OF A GOOD THING
CAN HAVE NIGHTMARISH
RESULTS AND THAT ALL THINGS
ARE NOT NECESSARILY AS
THEY MEET THE EYE OR THE EAR.
ON THE TWILIGHT ZONE
NEXT "SOUNDS AND SILENCES."
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.
CHARLIE?
GO BACK TO SLEEP,
ELLA, IT'S EARLY.
WHAT TIME IS IT?
MY WATCH STOPPED.
IT'S PITCH BLACK OUT.
IT MUST BE 3:00 OR
4:00 IN THE MORNING.
LOOK HOW BLACK IT IS OUT THERE.
IT'S THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.
OH, I THINK YOU'RE
CRAZY TO GET UP NOW.
WHAT'S SO SPECIAL
ABOUT HANGING A LITTLE...
GO BACK TO SLEEP, ELLA!
WELL, WHY DON'T YOU?
YOU'LL HAVE ALL THAT
EXCITEMENT TODAY.
YOU'RE THE ONE
THAT NEEDS THE SLEEP.
BRING US BREAKFAST
OVER ABOUT 8:30.
WHAT TIME THEY STRING HIM UP?
WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.
WHAT TIME DOES HE GET HUNG?
HE GET'S EXECUTED AT 9:30.
AND I HOPE THE WHOLE
TOWN DOESN'T TURN OUT.
WHEN I SEE A BUNCH OF
COLD-BLOODED GAWKERS
GETTING THEIR JOLLIES
FROM SEEING A MAN DIE,
I JUST...
JUST BRING US
BREAKFAST OVER AT 8:30.
OH, CHARLIE?
HOW DOES HE LIKE HIS EGGS?
EDIBLE.
THEY'RE THE LAST
ONES HE'S GOING TO EAT
SO MAKE THEM EDIBLE.
I DON'T GET IT.
WHAT DON'T YOU GET, DEPUTY?
SHERIFF, IT'S 7:30
IN THE MORNING,
AND IT'S PITCH BLACK OUTSIDE.
I'VE NEVER SEEN IT ANY BLACKER,
BUT IT'S 7:30 IN THE MORNING.
NOW, WHAT'S GOING ON?
I DON'T KNOW, DEPUTY.
IT'S 7:30 IN THE MORNING
AND IT'S PITCH BLACK OUTSIDE.
TO TELL YOU THE
TRUTH... I DON'T KNOW WHY.
I DON'T KNOW WHY AT ALL.
SHERIFF CHARLIE KOCH
ON THE MORNING OF AN EXECUTION.
AS A MATTER OF FACT,
IT'S 7:30 IN THE MORNING.
LOGIC AND NATURAL LAWS
DICTATE THAT AT THIS HOUR
THERE SHOULD BE DAYLIGHT.
IT IS A SIMPLE RULE
OF PHYSICAL SCIENCE
THAT THE SUN SHOULD
RISE AT A CERTAIN MOMENT
AND SUPERSEDE THE DARKNESS.
BUT AT THIS GIVEN MOMENT
SHERIFF CHARLIE KOCH,
A DEPUTY NAMED PIERCE, A
CONDEMNED MAN NAMED JAGGER,
AND A SMALL,
INCONSEQUENTIAL VILLAGE
WILL SHORTLY FIND OUT THAT
THERE ARE CAUSES AND EFFECTS
THAT HAVE NO PRECEDENT.
SUCH IS USUALLY THE
CASE IN THE TWILIGHT ZONE.
HOW ABOUT THAT?
YOU SEE IT OUTSIDE?
YOU BETTER RUN AN EXTRA
IN THAT PAPER OF YOURS.
I'VE BEEN ANSWERING THE PHONE
SINCE 6:00 THIS MORNING.
ONE FELLOW CALLED, SAID THE
ELECTRICITY HAD GONE OFF...
IT WAS TOMORROW NIGHT.
ANOTHER GODLY WOMAN,
WHO PROFESSES TO READ HER GOOD
BOOK WITH ADMIRABLE REGULARITY,
TELLS ME IT'S THE
END OF THE WORLD
AND SHE CAN QUOTE THE CHAPTER
AND VERSE TO SUPPORT HER THESIS.
NOW, YOU'RE
WELL-VERSED IN ALL THINGS
REGARDING LAW AND
ORDER, SHERIFF KOCH.
WHAT'S YOUR THESIS?
IT'S QUARTER TO 8:00.
IT'S QUARTER TO
8:00 IN THE MORNING
AND IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE.
DAYLIGHT SHOULD HAVE
COME TWO HOURS AGO.
WELL, IN BETWEEN
REASSURING PEOPLE
THAT THIS WAS NOT AN
INTERPLANETARY INVASION,
NOR THE END OF THE WORLD,
I PLACED A CALL TO
THE STATE CAPITAL.
IS IT BLACK THERE?
IT APPEARS THAT ACROSS THE FACE
OF THE ENTIRE EARTH
WE ARE THE ONLY ONES
GROPING IN DARKNESS.
SO IT SEEMS THE PHENOMENON
IS QUITE LOCALIZED
AND WE'LL JUST HAVE
TO SEEK ELSEWHERE
FOR COMPANY TO SHARE OUR MISERY.
HAVE YOU SEEN
JAGGER THIS MORNING?
I SEEN HIM.
I BROUGHT HIM IN
A CUP OF COFFEE.
I ALSO REMINDED HIM
ABOUT WHAT DAY IT WAS.
I'LL BET YOU DID.
HOW DID YOU OCCUPY
YOURSELF AS A LAD, DEPUTY?
TORTURING SMALL ANIMALS
OR JUST PULLING WINGS OFF FLIES?
WHAT DO YOU MEAN
BY THAT, MR. COLBEY?
NOTHING.
NOTHING AT ALL.
CAN I TALK TO JAGGER?
GO RIGHT ON IN.
AS A POINT OF INTEREST, SHERIFF,
IS JAGGER INNOCENT?
MR. COLBEY, THAT IS A MATTER
FOR A JURY, PUBLIC OPINION AND GOD,
AND THAT, THANK THE LORD,
HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ME.
SO LET US ALL PRAISE GOD FOR
THE MORNING'S IMPARTIALITY.
AND FOR JUSTICE BEING
SERVED DELUXE STYLE.
Koch: DEPUTY...
WHY DON'T YOU SHUT YOUR MOUTH.
I GOT A RIGHT TO AN OPINION.
INDEED YOU HAVE, DEPUTY.
INDEED YOU HAVE.
BUT THERE'S JUST A
FEW DISTURBING FACETS
ABOUT THIS CASE.
ONE...
THE MURDERED MAN
WAS NOT A DECENT MAN.
HE WAS A CROSS-BURNING,
PSYCHOPATHIC BULLY
WHO ATTACKED THE MAN IN THERE.
AND TWO, DEPUTY PIERCE
HERE SAW IT HAPPEN
AND THEN PERJURED HIMSELF.
NOW, WAIT A MINUTE!
PERJURED IS THE WORD, DEPUTY.
NOW, YOU SAID JAGGER SHOT HIM
FROM ACROSS THE ROOM.
NO SUCH THING.
THE MURDERED MAN HAD
POWDER BURNS ALL OVER HIM.
THIS MIGHT NOT HAVE
PROVEN SELF-DEFENSE
BUT IT WOULD'VE POINTED
TO IT AND MAYBE HELPED IT.
AND YOU, SHERIFF
KOCH, YOU SAW THE BODY.
BUT I DIDN'T HEAR ANY COMMENTS
ON THOSE POWDER BURNS
WHEN YOU GAVE YOUR TESTIMONY.
AND YOUR COURAGEOUS EDITOR
HERE IN COVERING THE TRIAL
DIDN'T SEE FIT TO INCLUDE
THIS INSIGNIFICANT ADDENDUM
THOUGH HE ALSO KNEW AT THE
TIME HE WAS BEING VERY SELECTIVE
ABOUT WHAT TRUTHS HE WAS WRITING
ABOUT, WHAT TRUTHS HE WASN'T.
YOU'RE RIGHT, DEPUTY.
JUSTICE IS BEING SERVED...
ON A PLATTER WITH
ITS TONGUE CUT OUT
JUST LIKE THE CARCASS
OF ANY DEAD ANIMAL.
LET ME KNOW WHEN YOU'RE READY.
IT'S PITCH BLACK OUTSIDE.
ALMOST 8:00 IN THE MORNING.
NOT A SPECK OF DAYLIGHT.
THIS PLACE DOESN'T
HAVE ANY WINDOWS
SO IT COULD BE CHRISTMAS EVE
OR THE FOURTH OF JULY
AND I WOULD NOT
KNOW THE DIFFERENCE.
YOU GOT ANY RELIGIOUS
AFFILIATION, JAGGER?
NONE.
ANYONE YOU WANT TO SEE?
NOBODY.
ANYTHING TO SAY?
NOTHING.
NO PRIEST, NO
FRIENDS, NO COMMENT.
JUST WHAT HAVE YOU GOT, JAGGER?
I GOT THE BLUES, MR. COLBEY!
I GOT THE BLUES.
I'M JUST ABOUT AN HOUR
AWAY FROM A HANGING
AND I'VE BEEN LYING THERE
AND I HAVE BEEN
THINKING THAT I WOULD LIKE
TO RIP THESE BARS APART
AND GET OUT OF HERE.
OR I'D LIKE TO SAVE
EVERYBODY ELSE THE TROUBLE
AND HANG MYSELF RIGHT HERE.
BUT, YOU SEE, I DON'T HAVE
THE STRENGTH FOR ONE
OR THE GUTS FOR THE OTHER
SO I'M JUST LYING THERE,
AND I AM JUST WAITING.
WELL, IN THAT CASE, WOULD
YOU CARE TO MAKE A STATEMENT
ABOUT GUILT OR INNOCENCE?
GUILT OR INNOCENCE, AND YOU
WANT ME TO MAKE A STATEMENT?
I'D APPRECIATE ONE.
I DON'T THINK ANYBODY
SHOULD LEAVE THIS EARTH
WITHOUT MAKING A
COMMENT... YOU, ME, ANYBODY.
WELL, THAT'S A REASONABLE
REQUEST, MR. COLBEY.
CONSIDERING THE FACT THAT
YOU'RE NOT LEAVING THIS MORNING
THAT'S REASONABLE.
I'M GUILTY, MR. COLBEY.
THAT TAKE YOU OFF THE HOOK?
AND THAT'S SUPPOSED
TO MEAN WHAT?
THAT'S SUPPOSED TO MEAN
YOU'RE ON THE POPULAR SIDE.
THERE ARE GOOD
GUYS AND BAD GUYS...
THAT'S HUMAN NATURE.
WELL, I'M WORSE THAN A BAD GUY.
I'M A TOWN KOOK, I'M A NEUROTIC.
I'M THE ONE WITH THE
CAUSES AND THE BANNERS.
I'M THE VILLAGE
IDIOT WHO TRIES TO BE
HIS BROTHER'S KEEPER.
DO YOU UNDERSTAND, MR. COLBEY?
THE MAN I KILLED
WAS THE WHITE KNIGHT.
HE DID WHAT HIS OTHER
PALS IN THIS TOWN
WANTED TO DO AND
DIDN'T HAVE THE GUTS.
HE WAS THE CROSS
BURNER, THE BOMB THROWER.
HE HANDLED THE WHIPPING OF
SOME POOR, SCARED COLORED GUY.
OH...
THE MAN YOU KILLED WAS NO SAINT
BUT WE DON'T
DISPENSE LIFE OR DEATH
JUST BECAUSE
SOMEBODY OFFENDS US.
THAT'S THE DISTINCTION
BETWEEN MEN AND ANIMALS.
WELL, THAT'S VERY WELL SAID.
THAT'S VERY WELL
SAID, MR. COLBEY.
YOU TELL THAT TO THE MAN
WHO'S GOING TO FIX MY ROPE.
YOU TELL IT TO THE
SHERIFF AND HIS DEPUTY
TO THE TOWNSPEOPLE WHO
ARE GOING TO STAND AROUND
AND WATCH MY EYES BULGE
OUT AND ENJOY MY AGONY.
YOU TELL THEM.
YOU TELL THEM
ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN MEN AND ANIMALS.
BUT YOU BETTER BE
READY TO DRAW PICTURES
BECAUSE THIS LANGUAGE
THEY JUST DON'T DIG!
Man: 9:00 IN THE MORNING.
WHY IS IT SO DARK?
IS IT AN ECLIPSE?
CAN'T BE.
I'M LISTENING TO THE RADIO.
AIN'T NO ECLIPSE.
IT'S WEIRD.
IT'S JUST PLAIN WEIRD.
Radio announcer: But
scientists can offer no explanation
for the strange
phenomenon of darkness
that has suddenly
and inexplicably
covered the remote
little Midwestern village.
It is now 9:00 a.m.
Eastern Standard Time
but last reports indicate
the darkness there is total.
There is no remote hint
of any kind of daylight.
LOOKS PRETTY GOOD.
THAT OUGHT TO TEND TO HIM.
BUT WHO'S GOING TO TEND TO US?
WHO OR WHAT IS
GOING TO TEND TO US?
Colbey: TEN MORE MINUTES.
YOU, UH, GOING TO GO THROUGH
WITH THIS, SHERIFF?
WHY NOT?
THE LAW SAYS MAY 25,
AT 9:30 IN THE MORNING.
WELL, IT'S MAY 25,
AND IT'LL BE 9:30
IN THE MORNING.
QUITE APART FROM
THE FACT, MR. PIERCE,
THAT YOU'RE NOT THE
MOST SENSITIVE OF MEN,
DID IT EVER OCCUR TO YOU
THERE'S SOMETHING
ODD GOING ON HERE
AND WE BETTER DISPENSE
WITH BUSINESS AS USUAL
UNTIL WE FIND OUT
EXACTLY WHAT IS GOING ON?
YOU KNOW SOMETHING?
I TAKE AN AWFUL LOT
OF DIRT FROM YOU.
AND JUST WHO ARE YOU, ANYWAY?
A LITTLE-SHOT EDITOR OF
A CRUMMY LITTLE PAPER.
THAT'S RIGHT, A
CRUMMY LITTLE PAPER
THAT CRAWLS ALONG
ON ITS HANDS AND KNEES
FROM ONE EDITION TO THE OTHER.
YOU GOT MORE CREDITORS
THAN YOU GOT READERS.
THAT'LL DO IT, PIERCE.
NO, THAT WON'T DO
IT BY A LONG SHOT!
NOW, MAYBE YOU FEEL LIKE TURNING
YOUR CHEEK TO THIS CRUMB
BUT THERE AIN'T NO RULE BOOK
THAT SAYS I GOT TO.
HE SAYS I PERJURED MYSELF;
SAYS I LIED.
HE WASN'T THROWING NO BOUQUETS
AT YOU, NEITHER.
MAYBE I DON'T DESERVE ANY.
YOU WERE RIGHT, YOU KNOW.
I SAW THE VICTIM.
HE DID HAVE POWDER BURNS.
BUT WHEN A COMMITTEE OF
TOWNSPEOPLE CAME TO ME
AND SAID THERE'D BE NO AUTOPSY,
I JUST BENT MY
HEAD AND I NODDED.
WE ALL GOT LITTLE AXES
TO GRIND, DON'T WE?
I WANT TO BE REELECTED SHERIFF.
YOU WANT TO KEEP
SELLING NEWSPAPERS.
AND DEPUTY PIERCE HERE...
HE LIKES TO FEEL IMPORTANT;
HE LIKES TO BE POPULAR,
LIKES TO STAY ON THE
GOOD SIDE OF PEOPLE.
HERE WE ARE, GENTLEMEN,
TREADING WATER IN A SEWER.
I DON'T TAKE IT FROM HIM
AND I DON'T TAKE IT FROM YOU!
YOU BETTER UNRAVEL IT, PIERCE,
OR I'LL SPREAD YOU
ALL OVER THIS YARD.
LET'S GO GET THE PRISONER.
AT LAST, MR. PIERCE.
A LABOR OF LOVE, HUH?
DO YOU SUPPOSE, REVEREND,
THERE MIGHT BE SOME
THEOLOGICAL EXPLANATION?
THEOLOGICAL EXPLANATION?
FOR THE DEATH, OR
THE DARKNESS, OR BOTH.
YOU KNOW, REVEREND,
MAYBE IF WE THOUGHT
IT WAS SOME DIVINE ACT,
WE COULD SORT OF LIVE WITH IT.
THIS IS NOT THE FIRST GALLOWS,
REVEREND, NOR THE LAST.
OR HE WON'T BE THE FIRST
UNHAPPY MAN DIED AN EARLY AGE.
WE WON'T BE THE LAST
MOURNERS ON EARTH EITHER.
DID YOU SEE HIM?
DID YOU GET TO TALK TO HIM?
BRIEFLY.
HE WOULDN'T SEE ME.
WOULDN'T EVEN LET ME INSIDE.
IT'S A PITY.
HE'S A VERY LONELY MAN.
BUT HE WON'T BE
LONELY VERY LONG.
Reverend: HE'S GOT A
FEW MINUTES, HASN'T HE?
HE USED THEM UP ALREADY.
WE'RE FOUR MINUTES BEHIND.
YOU CAN TALK TO HIM, REVEREND.
TAKE YOUR TIME.
IT'S MY TIME.
I GOT NOTHING TO SAY.
THEN LET'S GO.
LET'S GET ON WITH IT!
Crowd: YEAH!
YOU DON'T WANT TO WASTE
YOUR LAST MINUTES, JAGGER.
NOW, YOU AND I ARE
A DIFFERENT FAITH,
AND OBVIOUSLY A DIFFERENT COLOR,
BUT YOU STOOD UP
FOR ME AND MINE.
YOU SPOKE FOR US,
AND GOD HELP US,
YOU KILLED FOR US.
AND I FEEL YOU DESERVE
SOME MEASURE OF PEACE.
I WANT TO GIVE YOU SOME.
THAT'LL GIVE ME SOME PEACE.
I DON'T NEED ANY
WORDS, REVEREND.
NO QUOTATIONS IN
OR OUT OF THE BIBLE.
COME ON, LET'S GET IT OVER WITH!
Crowd: YEAH!
PATIENCE!
PATIENCE!
I PROMISE YOU, I
WILL PLEASE YOU ALL,
BELIEVE ME.
I'LL CHOKE AND SUFFER AND DANCE.
OH, YOU'LL GET YOUR
MONEY'S WORTH.
BELIEVE ME.
QUIET! BUT I TELL YOU
WHAT I WON'T GIVE
YOU, YOU MUCKERS!
I WON'T GIVE YOU THE
SATISFACTION OF SAYING
THAT I'M SORRY.
YEAH!
YEAH, YEAH!
YEAH!
YEAH, YEAH!
DON'T RETURN THEIR HATE.
DON'T DISHONOR YOURSELF.
WHY DON'T YOU GET OUT OF HERE.
I GOT TOO MUCH HATE IN ME
TO KEEP PLUGGED UP ANYMORE.
WHEN HE CAME AT YOU, JAGGER...
DID IT FEEL GOOD TO YOU THEN?
WHAT DIFFERENCE?
WHEN YOU AIMED
THAT GUN AT HIS HEAD,
THAT WASN'T SUCH A
BAD MOMENT, WAS IT?
GOOD, BAD, WHO CARES?
WHEN YOU KILLED HIM, JAGGER,
WHEN YOU BLEW HIS HEAD OFF,
THERE WERE NO REGRETS
THEN, WERE THERE?
YOU ENJOYED THAT, DIDN'T YOU?
YOU KNOW IT!
YES, YES, I... I KNOW IT NOW.
NOW I KNOW IT TOO WELL.
YOU'RE GUILTY.
THIS MAN IS GUILTY.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO GET
WITH THE MAJORITY, ISN'T IT?
THAT'S...
THAT'S A BIG THING
NOWADAYS, ISN'T IT, REVEREND?
THAT'S ALL THERE
IS, IS THE MAJORITY.
THE MINORITY MUST HAVE DIED
ON THE CROSS 2,000 YEARS AGO.
YOU SEEN THE LIGHT, REVEREND.
YOU REALLY SEEN THE LIGHT.
HAVE YOU?
HAVE ANY OF YOU?
IN ALL THIS DARKNESS,
IS THERE ANYBODY WHO
CAN MAKE OUT THE TRUTH?
HE HATED AND HE
KILLED AND NOW HE DIES.
AND YOU HATED, YOU KILLED,
AND NOW THERE'S
NOT ONE OF YOU...
NOT ONE OF YOU WHO ISN'T DOOMED.
DO YOU KNOW WHY IT'S DARK?
DO YOU KNOW WHY IT
IS NIGHT ALL AROUND US?
DO YOU KNOW WHAT
THE BLACKNESS IS?
IT'S THE HATE HE FELT,
THE HATE YOU FELT,
THE HATE ALL OF US FEEL,
AND THERE'S TOO MUCH OF IT.
THERE'S JUST TOO MUCH.
AND SO WE HAD TO VOMIT IT OUT.
AND NOW IT'S COMING
UP ALL AROUND US
AND CHOKING US.
SO MUCH HATE, SO
MUCH MISERABLE HATE.
LOOK.
LOOK WHAT'S HAPPENING.
IT'S GETTING EVEN DARKER NOW.
I CAN'T...
I CAN'T HARDLY SEE ANYTHING NOW.
THAT'S CRAZY, AIN'T IT?
I MEAN WHAT HE SAID.
AIN'T THAT CRAZY?
YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN?
BELIEVE ME, YOU KNOW
WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN?
THIS HERE STUFF'S GOING TO LIFT.
IT'LL ALL OF A SUDDEN
JUST PLAIN LIFT.
WHY IT'S JUST...
JUST FOG IS ALL IT IS.
NO MORE THAN FOG.
AND IT'LL LIFT.
AND THERE'LL BE THE OLD SUN,
HIGH UP AND BRIGHT.
YOU WAIT AND SEE.
THERE'LL BE THE OLD SUN
SHINING TO BEAT THE BAND.
WELL, IT COULD
HAPPEN, COULDN'T IT?
COULDN'T THAT HAPPEN, KOCH?
COLBEY?
THERE'LL BE SUN AGAIN.
THERE'LL BE DAYLIGHT.
I DON'T KNOW.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'LL
EVER BE DAYLIGHT AGAIN.
ONLY GOD KNOWS.
I'M SURE ONLY GOD KNOWS.
Announcer: And still the
phenomenon remains unexplained
except for the reports coming
in of similar occurrences
here in the United
States and elsewhere.
At 2:00 this afternoon
a dark cloud appeared
over a street in Dallas, Texas.
The mayor of West Berlin
verified that a rectangular area
over the Berlin wall
has suddenly gone dark.
In Budapest, European
newspapermen
passed over
censorship an article
about several square blocks,
including a political prison
which was suddenly thrown
into darkness early this morning.
In Birmingham, Alabama,
an area in Shanghai, the entire
northern section of Vietnam,
a section of Chicago, Illinois,
the darkness continues
to make itself known.
A SICKNESS KNOWN AS HATE;
NOT A VIRUS, NOT A
MICROBE, NOT A GERM...
BUT A SICKNESS NONETHELESS,
HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS,
DEADLY IN ITS EFFECTS.
DON'T LOOK FOR IT IN
THE TWILIGHT ZONE...
LOOK FOR IT IN A MIRROR.
LOOK FOR IT BEFORE THE
LIGHT GOES OUT ALTOGETHER.
AND NOW, MR. SERLING.
NEXT TIME OUT WE BRING
YOU A FEW DECIBELS OF SOUND
IN A BIZARRE OPUS ABOUT A MAN
WHO BREAKS
EARDRUMS FOR A LIVING.
WE WELCOME TO THE
PROGRAM TWO FINE TALENTS,
MR. JOHN McGIVER AND
MISS PENNY SINGLETON,
WHO WILL PROVE
THE FOLLOWING POINT:
NAMELY THAT TOO
MUCH OF A GOOD THING
CAN HAVE NIGHTMARISH
RESULTS AND THAT ALL THINGS
ARE NOT NECESSARILY AS
THEY MEET THE EYE OR THE EAR.
ON THE TWILIGHT ZONE
NEXT "SOUNDS AND SILENCES."