The Twilight Zone (1959–1964): Season 5, Episode 3 - Nightmare at 20,000 Feet - full transcript

Bob Wilson is on a flight when he sees a creature of some sort out on the wing of the aircraft. He's only recently recovered from a nervous breakdown and isn't sure that what he is seeing is real. Every time someone else looks out the window, the creature hides from view. When the creature begins to tamper with one of the engines he begs him wife to tell the pilots to keep an eye on the engines. If they see nothing, he agrees to commit himself to an asylum when they arrive at their destination. His paranoia drives him to a desperate act.

( eerie music playing)

YOU UNLOCK THIS DOOR
WITH THE KEY OF IMAGINATION.

BEYOND IT IS
ANOTHER DIMENSION...

A DIMENSION OF
SOUND... ( glass shattering)

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.

AND YOU?

ALL RIGHT, FINE.



ENJOY YOUR FLIGHT.

WELL, HELLO.

THOSE ALL RIGHT?

YEAH. THEY'RE FINE.

GIVE ME THAT.

DO YOU WANT ME TO SIT
NEXT TO THE WINDOW?

NO.

I'M FINE.

I CAN F... Woman:
HONEY, WHAT IS IT?

THE EMERGENCY WINDOW?

DO YOU WANT TO MOVE?

NO, NO, NO. DOESN'T MATTER.

WHAT'S THE
DIFFERENCE WHERE I SIT?

IT'S NOT THE SEAT.
IT'S THE AIRPLANE.



HONEY, DON'T SMOKE THAT NOW.

WAIT TILL THE PLANE TAKES OFF.

I'M NOT ACTING MUCH
LIKE A CURED MAN, AM I?

HONEY, YOU ARE CURED.

DR. MARTIN WOULDN'T LET YOU
FLY IF YOU WEREN'T, WOULD HE?

I SUPPOSE NOT.

I MEAN, IF YOU WEREN'T WELL,

DR. MARTIN JUST WOULDN'T LET
YOU FLY ALL THE WAY BACK HOME.

IT'S JUST THAT SIMPLE.

WELL, YOU MAKE IT
SOUND SIMPLE ANYWAY.

IT IS, BOB.

YEAH.

HERE I AM HOGGING
THE WHOLE STATE,

AND YOU'RE SO TIRED.

I'VE MISSED YOU...
THESE LAST SIX MONTHS.

IT'S ALL OVER NOW, THOUGH,
AND MAMA'S TAKING YOU HOME.

IT MUST HAVE BEEN
AWFUL FOR YOU...

TAKING CARE OF THE KIDS...

BEARING THE FULL RESPONSIBILITY.

WELL, EVERYTHING
IS STILL INTACT.

EXCEPT ME.

BOB, I'M NOT GOING
TO LET... ( thumping)

CABIN DOOR SECURED.

WHAT?

JUST A LITTLE...

ABJECT COWARDICE, THAT'S ALL.

I'M GOING TO BE ALL RIGHT.

HAD A TEENSY WEENSY BREAKDOWN,

BUT NOW I'M CURED.

UNDERSTANDING... IT'S WONDERFUL.

IT ISN'T THE AIRPLANE AT ALL.

OVERTENSION AND OVERANXIETY
DUE TO UNDERCONFIDENCE.

YOUR SEAT BELT, SIR.

PORTRAIT OF A FRIGHTENED MAN:

MR. ROBERT WILSON... 37,

HUSBAND, FATHER AND
SALESMAN ON SICK LEAVE.

MR. WILSON HAS JUST BEEN
DISCHARGED FROM A SANITARIUM

WHERE HE SPENT
THE LAST SIX MONTHS

RECOVERING FROM A
NERVOUS BREAKDOWN,

THE ONSET OF WHICH TOOK PLACE

ON AN EVENING NOT
DISSIMILAR TO THIS ONE

ON AN AIRLINER VERY
MUCH LIKE THE ONE

IN WHICH MR. WILSON IS
ABOUT TO BE FLOWN HOME...

THE DIFFERENCE BEING THAT, ON
THAT EVENING HALF A YEAR AGO,

MR. WILSON'S FLIGHT
WAS TERMINATED

BY THE ONSLAUGHT OF
HIS MENTAL BREAKDOWN.

TONIGHT, HE'S
TRAVELING ALL THE WAY

TO HIS APPOINTED DESTINATION

WHICH, CONTRARY
TO MR. WILSON'S PLAN,

HAPPENS TO BE IN
THE DARKEST CORNER

OF THE TWILIGHT ZONE.

FASTEN YOUR SEAT BELT, SIR.

( thunder crashing)

FASTEN YOUR SEAT BELT, SIR.

( thunder crashing)

I'M SORRY, DARLING.

GO BACK TO SLEEP.

( groans)

I SHOULDN'T HAVE TAKEN
THAT SLEEPING PILL.

I SHOULD STAY AWAKE WITH YOU.

NO, I DON'T WANT YOU TO.

GO BACK TO SLEEP. I'M ALL RIGHT.

CAN'T YOU SLEEP?

I WILL.

DON'T WORRY ABOUT ME.

OKAY.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

HERE, QUICKLY!

MAY I HELP YOU?

THERE'S A MAN OUT THERE.

WHAT?

LOOK, HE'S CRAWLING ON...

I'M... I'M SORRY.

MUST HAVE BEEN
THE... BOB? WHAT IS IT?

OH, IT'S NOTHING, MRS. WILSON.

CAN I GET YOU ANYTHING?

A GLASS OF WATER.

SURELY.

IS SOMETHING WRONG?

NO. I THOUGHT I SAW
SOMETHING OUT THERE.

WHAT?

NOTHING.

I GUESS I NEED A LITTLE SLEEP.

ARE YOU ALL RIGHT?

YEAH, FINE.

DON'T YOU THINK
YOU OUGHT TO TAKE

A SLEEPING PILL NOW?

YEAH, I'LL TAKE ONE OF THOSE.

HERE YOU ARE.

THANK YOU.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

CAN I GET YOU A BLANKET?

NO. HONEY?

OH. NO, THANKS.

YOU GOING TO BE ALL RIGHT NOW?

YEAH. FINE.

WILL YOU WAKE ME IF YOU NEED ME?

I WILL.

( thunder crashing)

( thunder crashing)

IT ISN'T THERE.

IT ISN'T THERE.

HONEY? WOULD YOU WAKE UP, HONEY?

QUICKLY.

YES, MR. WILSON?

CAN I HELP YOU, MR. WILSON?

ARE WE GOING INTO A STORM?

JUST A SMALL ONE.

NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT.

HONEY...

WOULD YOU WAKE
UP, PLEASE, HONEY?

( thunder crashing)

( thunder crashing)

HONEY.

JULIA, WAKE UP.

WHAT?

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT?

BOB?

IS IT THE STORM?

DOES IT BOTHER YOU?

NO.

HONEY, YOU REMEMBER
WHAT I TOLD YOU BEFORE

ABOUT SEEING SOMETHING OUTSIDE?

YES.

JULIA, THERE'S A MAN OUT THERE.

I-I DON'T MEAN A MAN.

I MEAN A... I DON'T
KNOW WHAT I MEAN.

I MEAN... MAYBE A...

WHAT DID THEY CALL
THEM DURING THE WAR...

YOU KNOW, THE
PILOTS... GREMLINS.

GREMLINS!

YOU REMEMBER
THE STORIES IN THE...

JULIA, DON'T LOOK
AT ME LIKE THAT.

BOB... I AM NOT IMAGINING IT.

I'M NOT IMAGINING IT.

HE'S OUT THERE.

DON'T LOOK!

HE'S NOT THERE NOW.

HE...

JUMPS AWAY WHENEVER
ANYONE MIGHT SEE HIM.

EXCEPT ME.

HONEY, HE'S THERE.

I REALIZE WHAT THIS SOUNDS LIKE.

DO I LOOK INSANE?

NO, DARLING, NO.

I KNOW I HAD A MENTAL BREAKDOWN.

I KNOW I HAD IT IN AN AIRPLANE.

I KNOW IT LOOKS AS IF THE
SAME THING'S HAPPENING,

BUT IT ISN'T.

I'M SURE IT ISN'T.

LOOK, THE REASON
I'M TELLING YOU THIS...

ISN'T JUST TO WORRY YOU.

YOU NOTICE I DIDN'T
TELL YOU BEFORE.

I WANT YOU TO TELL ME.

I DIDN'T TELL YOU BEFORE
BECAUSE I WASN'T SURE

WHETHER IT WAS REAL OR
NOT, BUT I AM SURE NOW.

IT IS REAL.

THERE'S A MAN OUT THERE!

OR... A... A GREMLIN,
OR... WHATEVER IT...

IF I DESCRIBED HIM TO YOU,

YOU'D REALLY THINK I WAS GONE.

NO, DARLING, IT'S ALL
RIGHT, IT'S ALL RIGHT.

JULIA, I KNOW YOUR
INTENTIONS ARE GOOD.

I KNOW YOU LOVE ME
AND SYMPATHIZE WITH ME,

BUT DON'T PATRONIZE ME.

I AM NOT INSANE!

DID I SAY..?

IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE SAID.

IT'S IN YOUR FACE, IN YOUR...

LOOK, FOR THE LAST TIME,
THAT CREATURE'S OUT THERE

AND THE REASON
I'M TELLING YOU IS

HE'S STARTING TO TAMPER
WITH ONE OF THE ENGINES.

LOOK. LOOK.

LOOK. THINK ANYTHING YOU WANT.

THINK... I BELONG IN
A STRAIGHTJACKET

IF IT PLEASES YOU.

IF IT PLEASES ME?

NO, I-I DIDN'T MEAN THAT.

WHAT I MEAN IS...

WHATEVER YOU THINK OF ME...

THAT I'M LOSING
MY MIND, ANYTHING...

ALL I'M ASKING YOU TO DO

IS TO TELL THE
PILOTS WHAT I'VE SAID.

ASK THEM TO KEEP
AN EYE ON THE WINGS.

IF THEY SEE NOTHING...

ALL RIGHT.

ALL RIGHT, THEN I'LL...

COMMIT MYSELF. I'LL...

BUT IF THEY DO...

WON'T YOU EVEN
ALLOW THE POSSIBILITY?

I'LL TELL THEM.

I KNOW IT'S...
ASKING A LOT. I...

IT'S LIKE ASKING YOU TO...

ADVERTISE YOUR
MARRIAGE TO A LUNATIC.

NO, I'LL TELL THEM.

YOU JUST SIT TIGHT,
AND I'LL GO TELL THEM.

( knocking)

MRS. WILSON, WHAT'S THE PROBLEM?

MY HUSBAND WANTS TO SEE

THE FLIGHT ENGINEER.

ALL RIGHT, I'LL GET HIM.

Julia: THANK YOU.

IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.

( thunder crashing)

HURRY, PLEASE.

HURRY! HURRY!

HE'S OUT THERE!

WHAT'S GOING ON?

HE'S PULLING UP ONE
OF THE COWLING PLATES.

"HE"?

DIDN'T MY WIFE...?

THERE'S A MAN OUT THERE!

KEEP YOUR VOICE DOWN.

I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S
GOING ON HERE...

WILL YOU LOOK?

MR. WILSON, I'M WARNING YOU.

WILL YOU PLEASE LOOK?

IN THE NAME OF..!

WELL?

NO, WAIT A MINUTE.

I SAW HIM PULL THAT PLATE UP.

I SAID I SAW HIM
PULL THAT PLATE UP!

MR. WILSON, PLEASE.

ALL RIGHT, YOU SAW HIM,

BUT THERE ARE
OTHER PEOPLE ABOARD.

WE MUSTN'T ALARM THEM.

YOU MEAN, YOU'VE SEEN HIM TOO?

OF COURSE WE HAVE,

BUT WE DON'T WANT TO
FRIGHTEN THE PASSENGERS.

YOU CAN UNDERSTAND THAT.

OF COURSE. OF...

I UNDERSTAND.

NOW, THE THING WE'VE
GOT TO REMEMBER...

YOU CAN STOP NOW.

BOB... SIR... GET OUT OF HERE.

MR. WILSON... I
SAID YOU CAN STOP.

HONEY, WHAT IS IT?

I WON'T SAY ANOTHER WORD.

I'LL SEE US CRASH FIRST.

BOB!

MR. WILSON, TRY TO
UNDERSTAND OUR POSITION.

HONEY, I'LL BE RIGHT BACK.

HE DID PULL IT UP.

HE DID.

( thunder crashing)

HONEY, I WAS GOING TO
TELL THEM WHEN YOU...

WERE YOU?

FOR ME?

PLEASE, BOB.

YOU'LL SLEEP.

YOU'LL SLEEP NOW, DARLING.

SURE.

OH, BOY.

WHAT DID YOU DO?

GET HIS WIFE TO
GIVE HIM THOSE PILLS?

HE'LL BE OUT FOR HOURS.

I HOPE SO... THE WAY
THE STORM IS COMING UP.

DON'T WORRY, EVERYTHING'S FINE.

I HOPE SO.

( thunder crashing)

( thunder crashing)

( thunder crashing)

♪ ♪

HONEY? HONEY, WOULD YOU GET ME

A GLASS OF WATER, PLEASE?

A GLASS OF WATER, PLEASE. HURRY.

( thunder crashing)

( thunder crashing)

( yelling)

( screaming)

( gunshots)

( screaming)

( indistinct radio transmission)

NUTTIEST WAY OF
TRYING TO COMMIT SUICIDE

I EVER HEARD OF.

IT'S ALL RIGHT NOW, DARLING.

I KNOW,

BUT I'M THE ONLY
ONE WHO DOES KNOW...

RIGHT NOW.

THE FLIGHT OF MR. ROBERT
WILSON HAS ENDED NOW,

A FLIGHT NOT ONLY FROM
POINT "A" TO POINT "B,"

BUT ALSO FROM THE FEAR OF
RECURRING MENTAL BREAKDOWN.

MR. WILSON HAS
THAT FEAR NO LONGER.

THOUGH, FOR THE MOMENT,
HE IS, AS HE HAS SAID,

ALONE IN THIS ASSURANCE.

HAPPILY, HIS CONVICTION
WILL NOT REMAIN ISOLATED

TOO MUCH LONGER, FOR
HAPPILY, TANGIBLE MANIFESTATION

IS VERY OFTEN LEFT AS
EVIDENCE OF TRESPASS,

EVEN FROM SO
INTANGIBLE A QUARTER

AS THE TWILIGHT ZONE.

AND NOW, MR. SERLING.

NEXT TIME ON THE TWILIGHT ZONE,

WE PROBE INTO THE
ELEMENT OF TIME

AND PRESENT A VERY ODDBALL OPUS

ENTITLED, "A KIND
OF A STOPWATCH."

WE TELL THE STORY
OF A MAN, A STOPWATCH,

AND AN INCREDIBLE
DEVIATION FROM THE NORM,

SAID NORM BEING THE
USUAL 24 HOUR DAY,

SAID DEVIATION
INVOLVING WHAT HAPPENS

WHEN A STOPWATCH IS PUSHED
AND EVERYTHING STOP, NOT JUST TIME.

TO TITILLATE AND INTRIGUE...
"A KIND OF A STOPWATCH."

NEXT ON TWILIGHT ZONE.