The Twilight Zone (1959–1964): Season 5, Episode 33 - The Brain Center at Whipple's - full transcript
A heartless CEO completely automates his factory and lays off almost all of his workers over the objections of his employees.
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.
Good evening, happy family
members and stockholders
of the W.V. Whipple
Manufacturing Corporation.
This year, as you've
already perceived,
we are bringing you the story
of your company's progress
via the motion picture screen.
This is our main operating
plant in the Midwest.
You will note the
number of employees
attending the assembly line.
In this one plant, your
company employs 34,827 men.
Added to 13 other
major Whipple plants
across the country,
we employ a total of
close to 283,000 personnel.
And now, to the stunning
and exciting news
which I believe you'll
agree shows, once again,
that at Whipple's, we
only take forward steps.
Now, family members,
and stockholders
of the Whipple Corporation,
this is the X109B14
modified transistorized
totally automatic
assembly machine
which eliminates
61,000 jobs,
73 bulky, inefficient machines,
81,000 needless man
hours per 11 working days
and $4 million in
expenditures each year
for employee hospitalization,
employee insurance,
employee welfare and
employee profit participation.
Even as you stockholders
are watching this film,
the first model of the X109B14
modified transistorized machine
is being placed into operations
here in our
Midwestern main plant.
Within six months, our
entire production facilities
will be totally automated.
Ladies and
gentlemen, from now on
Whipple will operate
from a brain center
with machines such as this one.
Ladies and gentlemen
of the Whipple family,
this ends our 1967
year-end report.
WELL, HANLEY,
WILL THAT BRING THE STOCKHOLDERS
TO THEIR FEET CHEERING?
NOT THAT I NEED ENCOURAGEMENT.
THE MOVIE SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.
IT DOES, INDEED.
YOU DIDN'T LIKE IT, HANLEY?
I'M A CHIEF ENGINEER,
MR. WHIPPLE.
MY DUTIES CONSIST
OF PLANT MANAGEMENT.
I'M NOT A FILM CRITIC.
LOOK, I DIDN'T EXPECT
FOUR STARS, HANLEY.
BUT AS PLANT MANAGER, I
WANTED YOUR POINT OF VIEW
ON THE FILM'S CONTENT.
I THOUGHT YOU'D
HAVE SOME ENTHUSIASM
FOR THE CHANGES WE'RE PLANNING.
DOESN'T IT GIVE YOU
THE LAY OF THE LAND?
CAN'T YOU ANSWER THAT?
OH, YES.
IT GIVES ME THE LAY OF THE LAND.
TELL ME
DO YOU REALLY EXPECT TO
AUTOMATE IN SIX MONTHS?
FOUR MONTHS IS A BETTER GUESS.
LOTS OF THINGS ARE
GOING IN THE TRASH HEAP.
TIME CLOCKS, FOR INSTANCE.
THERE WON'T BE ANYBODY
TO PUNCH IN OR OUT.
I'LL DONATE THEM TO A MUSEUM.
SOMETHING, HANLEY?
YES, SOMETHING.
SOMETHING LIKE A LOT
OF MEN OUT OF WORK!
THAT, UNFORTUNATELY,
IS PROGRESS, HANLEY.
YOU'RE A SOLID MAN ON
ASSEMBLY LINE PLANNING.
BUT WHEN IT COMES TO PROGRESS
YOU'RE A FOOT-DRAGGER.
SWEETHEART, YOU AND
I ARE GOING TO SPEND
A LOT OF TIME TOGETHER.
INDEED, WE ARE.
INDEED, INDEED, INDEED WE ARE.
THESE ARE THE PLAYERS,
WITH OR WITHOUT A SCORECARD:
IN ONE CORNER, A MACHINE;
IN THE OTHER, ONE
WALLACE V. WHIPPLE, MAN.
AND THE GAME?
IT HAPPENS TO BE
THE HISTORICAL BATTLE
BETWEEN FLESH AND STEEL,
BETWEEN THE BRAIN OF MAN
AND THE PRODUCT OF MAN'S BRAIN.
WE DON'T MAKE BOOK ON THIS
ONE, AND PREDICT NO WINNER
BUT WE CAN TELL YOU THAT
FOR THIS PARTICULAR CONTEST,
THERE IS STANDING ROOM ONLY
IN THE TWILIGHT ZONE.
YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR TROUBLE IS?
YOU'RE HOLDING ON
TIGHT TO THIS 19th CENTURY.
I'M HOLDING TIGHT
TO SOME PRINCIPLES...
PRINCIPLES THAT
HAVE TO DO WITH FIRING.
THE REGRET FOR THE
WHOLESALE FIRINGS
OF MEN WHO'VE WORKED
HERE FROM 20 TO 30 YEARS.
REGRET, INDEED,
IT'S COME TO REGRET?
I'LL LET YOU HANDLE THE REGRETS.
THAT'LL BE YOUR RESPONSIBILITY.
HAVE A SIGN MADE FOR YOUR DESK.
"MR. WALTER HANLEY,
PLANT MANAGER IN
CHARGE OF REGRETS."
TELL ME, WHY ARE YOU SO EAGER
TO REPLACE MEN WITH MACHINES?
DID IT EVER OCCUR TO YOU
THAT YOU'RE TRADING
EFFICIENCY FOR PRIDE?
PRIDE?
YES, PRIDE!
CRAFTSMANSHIP.
WHAT A MAN FEELS WHEN
HE MAKES SOMETHING.
WHAT DOES YOUR MACHINE FEEL?
ANYTHING?
ANYTHING AT ALL?
WHAT THE DEVIL
CAN I DO WITH PRIDE?
CAN IT, BOTTLE IT,
WRAP IT, PRODUCE IT?
I'M NOT SELLING PRIDE,
I'M SELLING PRODUCT.
YOUR FATHER... WHAT
ABOUT MY FATHER?
HE RAN THIS PLANT FOR 40 YEARS.
HE HAD AN EYE FOR PROFIT.
HE WAS NEVER INEFFICIENT,
BUT... BUT WHAT?
HE HAD SOMETHING
ELSE ON HIS MIND.
WHAT ELSE DID MY
FATHER HAVE ON HIS MIND?
GOOD WILL.
AND THE WELFARE OF THE
PEOPLE WHO WORKED FOR HIM.
GOOD WILL AND THE
WELFARE OF THE PEOPLE
THAT WORKED FOR HIM, INDEED.
IN 40 YEARS, MY FATHER
DOUBLED THE SIZE OF HIS PLANT
WHILE HIS COMPETITORS
QUADRUPLED THEIRS.
HIS COMPETITORS, WHO
WERE LESS CONCERNED
WITH THE GOOD WILL AND WELFARE
OF THE PEOPLE THAT
WORKED FOR THEM.
THEY PAID A FAIR WAGE
AND GOT A FAIR DAY'S WORK.
BUT, IF THEY COULD FIND A
MACHINE TO REPLACE A MAN
THEY DID IT.
BUT THEY DIDN'T HAVE
PLANT MANAGERS LIKE YOURSELF
WHO WENT OFF INTO A CRYING JAG
EVERY TIME A PINK SLIP
WAS ATTACHED TO A TIME CLOCK.
WHAT'S THE NAME OF
THE PLANT FOREMAN?
DICKERSON, DICKERSON,
THAT'S HIS NAME.
GET HIM UP HERE
FOR ME, WILL YOU?
I'M GOING TO INDULGE IN
THAT HEARTFELT
COMPASSION YOU HUNGER FOR.
I'M GOING TO GIVE HIM AND HIS
STAFF FOUR MONTHS' NOTICE.
NOW, HANLEY, IS THAT
COMPASSIONATE OR ISN'T IT?
NOW, GO GET HIM,
PLEASE, GET HIM UP HERE
HOLD HIS HAND, DRY HIS
EYES, PAT HIM ON THE HEAD
BUT GET HIM UP HERE.
SO THAT'S ABOUT THE
SIZE OF IT, MR. DICKERSON,
YOU MAY TELL THE
ENTIRE DAY SHIFT
THAT THEY'LL BE PINK-SLIPPED
AS OF THE FIRST OF JULY.
WE'RE HERE TO SET
IT UP, MR. WHIPPLE.
OH, FINE, I'VE CHECKED
THE MACHINE OVER.
JUST PUT IT DOWNSTAIRS,
BUT TREAT IT GENTLY.
HANDLE IT WITH CARE.
NOW, YOU REALIZE THAT THIS
SOMEWHAT WHOLESALE DISCHARGE
HAS NOTHING TO DO
WITH DISSATISFACTION
ON YOUR PART OR THAT OF THE MEN.
IT'S MERELY PROGRESS,
MR. DICKERSON.
OUT WITH THE OLD, IN WITH
THE NEW... AUTOMATION.
THAT'LL BE ALL.
YES, MR. WHIPPLE.
THAT WILL BE ALL.
DID YOU EVER NOTICE, MR. HANLEY,
EVER NOTICE HOW IT
LOOKS LIKE IT HAD A FACE?
AN UGLY FACE.
A MISERABLE, UGLY FACE.
WHIPPLE, HE THINKS
IT'S A MACHINE.
IT'S NOT A MACHINE,
IT'S AN ENEMY.
IT'S AN OPPONENT.
I SWEAR, WE'VE GOT TO
HATE A THING LIKE THIS.
GETTING AWFUL LATE, DICK.
SHOULD HAVE CLOSED
HALF AN HOUR AGO.
YOU KNOW WHAT THESE ARE?
PAIR OF HANDS?
YEAH, PAIR OF HANDS.
YOU KNOW WHAT ELSE THEY ARE?
THEY'RE OBSOLETE,
THEY'RE OFF THE MARKET.
THEY'RE LIKE WOODEN WAGONS
TRYING TO ROLL DOWN A FREEWAY.
FLESH AND BONE AND
MUSCLE AND NERVE
BUT THAT DON'T CUT
MUSTARD ANYMORE.
I WANT TO TELL YOU SOME...
I'M GOING TO TELL YOU SOMETHING.
THERE ISN'T A MACHINE MADE
THAT CAN BEAT A MAN.
ISN'T ONE... I'LL
PROVE IT TO YOU!
I'M GOING OVER THERE RIGHT NOW
AND I'M GOING TO
PROVE IT TO YOU.
I'M GOING TO TAKE THAT
NEW MACHINE OF WHIPPLE'S
AND I'M GOING TO TURN IT
INTO NUTS AND BOLTS.
AND IF THAT SLOB WITH THE
KEY CHAIN GETS IN MY WAY
I'M GOING TO
STRANGLE HIM WITH IT.
DICKERSON!
THE WATCHMAN CALLED.
HE SAID YOU'RE DRUNK
AND BARGED RIGHT PAST HIM.
AND HE'S RIGHT, MR. WHIPPLE.
I AM DRUNK.
AND I DID BARGE RIGHT IN.
I'VE WORKED HERE FOR 30 YEARS!
AND I'VE BEEN FOREMAN
FOR 17 OF THEM.
IN MY BOOK, THAT GIVES ME
SOME RIGHTS, MR. WHIPPLE.
WELL, YOU'VE GOT THE
WRONG BOOK, DICKERSON.
YOU'RE DRUNK, DISORDERLY
AND TRESPASSING
ON PRIVATE PROPERTY
AND SUBJECT TO ARREST.
TELL ME SOMETHING, MR. WHIPPLE.
WHEN YOU'RE DEAD AND BURIED,
WHO WILL MOURN FOR YOU?
SHALL I TELL YOU THE
DIFFERENCE, MR. DICKERSON,
BETWEEN YOU AND IT?
THAT MACHINE COSTS TWO
CENTS AN HOUR FOR CURRENT.
IT LASTS INDEFINITELY.
IT GETS NO WRINKLES,
NO ARTHRITIS,
NO HARDENING OF THE ARTERIES.
THAT ONE MACHINE IS A LATHE
OPERATOR, A PRESS OPERATOR.
TWO MACHINES REPLACE 114 MEN
THAT TAKE NO COFFEE
BREAKS, NO SICK LEAVES,
NO VACATIONS WITH PAY.
AND THAT, IN MY BOOK,
IS WORTH CONSIDERABLY
MORE THAN YOU ARE.
THEY SHOULD HAVE
STOPPED YOU A YEAR AGO!
SOMEBODY OUGHT TO HELD YOU DOWN
AND PUT A BIT IN YOUR HEAD
AND POURED IN SOME REMINDERS
THAT MEN HAVE TO EAT AND WORK.
AND YOU CAN'T PACK
THEM IN COSMOLINE
LIKE SURPLUS TANKS!
OR PUT THEM OUT TO
PASTURE LIKE OLD BULLS!
I'M A MAN, MR. WHIPPLE!
YOU HEAR ME? I'M A MAN!
AND THAT MAKES ME
BETTER THAN THAT...
HUNK OF METAL, YOU HEAR ME?!
BETTER!
WHAT SHOULD I DO?
STOP HIM, STOP HIM!
HE HAS A CROW BAR!
I DON'T CARE!
NO, YOU CAN'T DO THAT!
YOU SEE, MACHINE?
IT... TOOK MORE
THAN... YOU TO BEAT ME.
IT... IT TOOK A MAN.
OH, HANLEY, I'VE
BEEN EXPECTING YOU.
NO DOUBT.
THEY TOLD ME YOU
WERE AT THE HOSPITAL.
I JUST CAME FROM THE HOSPITAL.
FORTUNATELY FOR
YOU, MR. WHIPPLE,
DICKERSON'S GOING TO LIVE.
FORTUNATELY, OTHER THAN
PROTECTING MY PROPERTY
I HAVE NO INVOLVEMENT IN THAT.
ARE THE TECHNICIANS DOWNSTAIRS?
I ASKED YOU A QUESTION.
ARE THE TECHNICIANS
REPAIRING THAT MACHINE?
IT APPEARS SO.
AH, GOOD.
OH, HANLEY, THIS
SHOULD INTEREST YOU.
THIS IS A TAPE-CONTROLLED
SEVEN AXIS.
IT'S CALLED A SENTRY.
KNOW WHAT IT DOES?
IT KEEPS AN EYE ON
EVERY OPERATION
IN THE ENTIRE PLANT.
IT KEEPS ABSOLUTELY
ACCURATE DATA
ON MAN HOURS, COST
HOURS, PRODUCT REJECTS,
JUST EVERYTHING!
THE MOST SOPHISTICATED
MACHINE I'VE EVER SEEN.
I JUST BOUGHT IT.
HOW MANY MEN DOES IT REPLACE?
THIS SHOULD PLEASE YOU...
ONLY ONE, JUST ONE!
AS A MATTER OF
FACT, IT REPLACES YOU.
THAT'S ONLY RIGHT, MR. WHIPPLE,
SINCE THE POINT
OF MY COMING TODAY
WAS TO GIVE YOU MY NOTICE.
OH, GOOD, GOOD.
I SUSPECTED AS MUCH.
YOU'RE A SENSIBLE MAN
AND I'M SURE YOU KNOW
THAT AN INDUSTRIAL TEAM
HAS TO BE A COMPATIBLE TEAM.
AND WHEN TWO MEN RUB
EACH OTHER THE WRONG WAY,
WELL, IT'S UNREALISTIC
AND IMPRACTICAL
THAT THEY TRY TO
STAY ON THE SAME TEAM.
IN SPITE OF THE FACT YOU
THINK I'M KIND OF AN OGRE,
SOME SORT OF A
HEARTLESS SCROOGE,
I'M NOT GOING TO
FORGET THE MANY YEARS
OF HARD WORK YOU PUT
IN FOR ME AND MY FATHER.
I'M GOING TO SEE THAT YOU GET AN
EXTREMELY LIBERAL SEVERANCE PAY
AND WHAT I'M SURE YOU'LL AGREE
IS A FAR BETTER THAN
AVERAGE PENSION.
THAT'S VERY GENEROUS OF YOU.
THERE'S SOMETHING
I'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU,
IF YOU DON'T MIND.
NO, WHAT IS THAT?
THAT'S FOR YOU FROM ME.
FOR YOUR LACK OF
SENSITIVITY, COMPASSION.
YOUR HEARTLESS MANIPULATION
OF MEN AND METALS.
YOU CAN TAKE MY SEVERANCE PAY,
MY PENSION, AND YOUR
GOOD-BYE SPEECHES
AND FEED THEM INTO YOUR MACHINE.
BECAUSE WHEN I
WALK AWAY FROM YOU,
I WALK AWAY CLEAN.
AND THAT, MR. WHIPPLE,
IS ONE HELL OF A TRICK!
A NEW WATCHMAN DEVICE.
TAKE OUT YOUR I.D. CARD
AND HOLD IT IN
FRONT OF THE DOOR.
THERE ARE BUILT-IN
ELECTRIC EYES.
YES, MR. WHIPPLE?
OH, RUN A CONTROL CHECK, PLEASE.
I ALREADY HAVE, TWO HOURS AGO.
I DID IT RIGHT AFTER LUNCH, TOO.
AND IF YOU RECALL, SIR,
I DID IT THIS MORNING, AS WELL.
EVER HEARD OF
PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE?
IT'S MY JOB, MR. WHIPPLE.
WHAT YOU'RE ASKING
OF ME ISN'T MAINTENANCE.
IT'S NOT PREVENTING A THING.
OH, INDEED, AND I SUPPOSE
YOU KNOW WHAT'S NEEDED IN
THIS PLANT AND WHAT ISN'T NEEDED.
I KNOW THAT RUNNING
EQUIPMENT CHECKS
TEN TIMES A DAY
IS A WASTE OF TIME,
A WASTE OF EFFORT,
AND IT'S BECOMING AN
IDIOTIC RITUAL AROUND HERE.
YOUNG MAN, YOUR PRESENCE IS
A NECESSITY OF THE MOMENT.
NOTICE I STRESS "OF THE MOMENT."
UH, A CASE IN POINT.
CASE IN POINT.
NOW, STAY HERE, OBSERVE THIS.
DEAR SIR
YOURS OF THE 14th RECEIVED
AND ACKNOWLEDGED.
NOW IS THE TIME FOR ALL GOOD MEN
TO COME TO THE AID
OF THEIR COUNTRY
ETC., ETC., ETC., ETC.
A PERFECT LETTER.
NOT ONE ERROR OR ERASURE.
TYPED AT CONCEPTION.
AM I GETTING THROUGH, YOUNG MAN?
YOU MEAN SECRETARIES
ARE OBSOLETE NOW.
PRECISELY, OBSOLETE.
AND DO YOU KNOW
WHAT ELSE IT MEANS?
IT MEANS NO MORE POWDER
ROOMS, NO MORE COFFEE BREAKS.
NO MORE WORK STOPPAGES
DUE TO SUNDRY INCONVENIENCES
SUCH AS MATERNITY AND ALL THAT.
INCONVENIENCES LIKE MATERNITY?
YOU'LL HAVE TO
FORGIVE ME, MR. WHIPPLE.
BUT IF WE KEEP THIS UP
WE'LL HAVE WONDERFUL PRODUCTS
BUT MIGHTY FEW
PEOPLE TO BUY THEM.
HAPPILY THAT IS NOT MY CONCERN.
PROVIDING EFFICIENCY...
THAT IS MY ONLY CONCERN.
MR. WHIPPLE?
HAVE YOU LOOKED
AROUND THIS PLACE, LATELY?
LOOKED AROUND?
THE CAFETERIA, FOR EXAMPLE.
IT'S LIKE A CAVE.
NOT A SOUL IN THERE.
JUST A FEW VENDING MACHINES
AND MUSIC THROUGH A LOUDSPEAKER.
HAVE YOU SEEN THE PARKING LOT?
IT'S A DESERT.
NO CARS, NO PEOPLE.
HOW VERY ENLIGHTENING.
THIS PLACE HAS EVERYTHING NOW
FOR EFFICIENCY.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT LACKS?
NO, TELL ME.
VOICES.
LAUGHTER.
WHATEVER MAKES
PEOPLE FEEL FOR PEOPLE.
THAT'S WHAT IT LACKS.
THIS IS A LOUSY PLACE TO WORK.
THEN I'LL SPARE YOU
FURTHER SUFFERING.
YOU'RE DISCHARGED.
I'VE BEEN EXPECTING THAT.
ACTUALLY, I'VE BEEN WANTING IT.
I CAN'T WORK HERE ANYMORE.
IT'S TOO DARN LONELY.
AND ANOTHER THING, MR. WHIPPLE,
TO DO WITH EQUIPMENT CHECKS
AND PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE?
IT MIGHT BE A GOOD
IDEA IF YOU RAN
AN EQUIPMENT CHECK ON YOURSELF!
EQUIPMENT CHECK ON MYSELF!
WHAT INSUFFERABLE ROT!
EQUIPMENT CHECK ON MYSELF!
Did it occur to you
that you're trading
efficiency for pride?
When you're dead and buried
who will mourn for you?
I think it might be a good idea
if you ran an equipment
check... on yourself!
Hanley: Did it occur to you that
you're trading efficiency for pride?
Dickerson: When you're dead
and buried who will mourn for you?
Technician: I think it
might be a good idea
if you ran an equipment
check... on yourself!
I think it might be a good idea
if you ran an equipment
check... on yourself!
Did it occur to you that you're
trading efficiency for pride?
When you're dead and
buried who will mourn for you?
WHAT'LL IT BE MR. WHIPPLE?
BEER, PLEASE.
TO OTHER DAYS, MR. HANLEY.
AND TO OTHER TOASTS.
I'LL DRINK TO THAT, MR. WHIPPLE.
HOW ARE YOU FINDING RETIREMENT?
OH, TOLERABLE,
MR. WHIPPLE, TOLERABLE.
I MANAGE TO... I
MANAGE TO KEEP BUSY
NOT AS MUCH AS I'D LIKE...
MY WIFE SAYS I'M
UNDERFOOT, BUT I DO ALL RIGHT.
BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF NICE
TO SLEEP LATE IN THE MORNINGS.
IT'S IMPORTANT. UH...
THIS RETIREMENT, I MEAN.
VERY IMPORTANT.
A MAN SHOULD HAVE TIME FOR
LEISURE WHEN HE GROWS OLDER.
IT'S IMPORTANT HE
HAVE TIME FOR LEISURE.
THAT'S SO, MR. WHIPPLE.
YOU KNOW, WHEN THE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
FIRST INDICATED TO ME
THAT THEY THOUGHT I
WAS SOMEWHAT OVERTIRED,
SHOULD RELINQUISH SOME
OF MY RESPONSIBILITIES,
WELL, IF THE TRUTH
WERE KNOWN, MR. HANLEY,
I DID FEEL SOME SORT
OF ANTIPATHY FOR THEM,
BUT, UH, THEY WERE RIGHT.
THEY WERE QUITE RIGHT, YOU KNOW.
BUT WITH THE
PERSPECTIVE OF TIME,
I REALIZED THEY'D
MOVED ME OUT OF THERE.
I'M NOT MARRIED, YOU KNOW,
AND THINGS GET A LITTLE DULL.
WELL, NO, NOT, NOT DULL, REALLY.
I, UH, I MANAGE TO
KEEP MYSELF BUSY
BUT THERE ARE TIMES
WHEN I WISH... WHEN I...
IT'S NOT RIGHT, HANLEY.
IT'S-IT'S NOT RIGHT.
COLD, DISPASSIONATE,
IMPERSONAL...
THEY-THEY CHUCK A MAN
OUT RIGHT IN HIS PRIME.
CHUCK HIM OUT LIKE HE
WAS SOME KIND OF A PART.
SAID I WAS NEUROTIC
ABOUT THINGS.
SAID THAT BEING ALONE
WITH THE MACHINES HAD WARPED ME.
THAT WAS THE EXPRESSION
THEY USED... "WARPED."
IT'S NOT FAIR, HANLEY.
IT'S NOT FAIR.
A MAN HAS VALUE.
A MAN HAS WORTH.
THEY JUST SNAP THEIR FINGERS,
AND THEY BRING IN A REPLACEMENT.
THEY JUST BRING
IN A REPLACEMENT.
IT, IT ISN'T FAIR, HANLEY.
IT, IT ISN'T FAIR, THE
WAY THEY DIMINISH US.
THERE ARE MANY
BROMIDES APPLICABLE HERE...
TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING,
TIGER BY THE TAIL,
AS YOU SOW, SO SHALL YE REAP.
THE POINT IS THAT TOO OFTEN
MAN BECOMES CLEVER
INSTEAD OF BECOMING WISE,
HE BECOMES INVENTIVE,
BUT NOT THOUGHTFUL.
AND SOMETIMES, AS IN
THE CASE OF MR. WHIPPLE,
HE CAN CREATE HIMSELF
RIGHT OUT OF EXISTENCE.
TONIGHT'S TALE OF
ODDNESS AND OBSOLESCENCE
FROM THE TWILIGHT ZONE.
AND NOW, MR. SERLING.
ON THE TWILIGHT ZONE NEXT TRIP,
WE MOVE INTO THE AREA
OF AUTHENTIC FOLK SINGING.
BUT THIS IS FOLK SINGING
LIKE YOU'VE PROBABLY
NEVER HEARD BEFORE.
THE WORDS AND THE MUSIC IN
THIS ITEM ARE HAUNTING INDEED
AND THIS ONE PROVIDES ONE
OF THE MORE ODD EXCURSIONS
INTO THE PLACES OF SHADOW.
GARY CROSBY AND BONNIE BEECHER
STAR IN A MOST UNUSUAL
TALE BY ANTHONY WILSON.
IT'S CALLED "COME
WANDER WITH ME."
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.
Good evening, happy family
members and stockholders
of the W.V. Whipple
Manufacturing Corporation.
This year, as you've
already perceived,
we are bringing you the story
of your company's progress
via the motion picture screen.
This is our main operating
plant in the Midwest.
You will note the
number of employees
attending the assembly line.
In this one plant, your
company employs 34,827 men.
Added to 13 other
major Whipple plants
across the country,
we employ a total of
close to 283,000 personnel.
And now, to the stunning
and exciting news
which I believe you'll
agree shows, once again,
that at Whipple's, we
only take forward steps.
Now, family members,
and stockholders
of the Whipple Corporation,
this is the X109B14
modified transistorized
totally automatic
assembly machine
which eliminates
61,000 jobs,
73 bulky, inefficient machines,
81,000 needless man
hours per 11 working days
and $4 million in
expenditures each year
for employee hospitalization,
employee insurance,
employee welfare and
employee profit participation.
Even as you stockholders
are watching this film,
the first model of the X109B14
modified transistorized machine
is being placed into operations
here in our
Midwestern main plant.
Within six months, our
entire production facilities
will be totally automated.
Ladies and
gentlemen, from now on
Whipple will operate
from a brain center
with machines such as this one.
Ladies and gentlemen
of the Whipple family,
this ends our 1967
year-end report.
WELL, HANLEY,
WILL THAT BRING THE STOCKHOLDERS
TO THEIR FEET CHEERING?
NOT THAT I NEED ENCOURAGEMENT.
THE MOVIE SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.
IT DOES, INDEED.
YOU DIDN'T LIKE IT, HANLEY?
I'M A CHIEF ENGINEER,
MR. WHIPPLE.
MY DUTIES CONSIST
OF PLANT MANAGEMENT.
I'M NOT A FILM CRITIC.
LOOK, I DIDN'T EXPECT
FOUR STARS, HANLEY.
BUT AS PLANT MANAGER, I
WANTED YOUR POINT OF VIEW
ON THE FILM'S CONTENT.
I THOUGHT YOU'D
HAVE SOME ENTHUSIASM
FOR THE CHANGES WE'RE PLANNING.
DOESN'T IT GIVE YOU
THE LAY OF THE LAND?
CAN'T YOU ANSWER THAT?
OH, YES.
IT GIVES ME THE LAY OF THE LAND.
TELL ME
DO YOU REALLY EXPECT TO
AUTOMATE IN SIX MONTHS?
FOUR MONTHS IS A BETTER GUESS.
LOTS OF THINGS ARE
GOING IN THE TRASH HEAP.
TIME CLOCKS, FOR INSTANCE.
THERE WON'T BE ANYBODY
TO PUNCH IN OR OUT.
I'LL DONATE THEM TO A MUSEUM.
SOMETHING, HANLEY?
YES, SOMETHING.
SOMETHING LIKE A LOT
OF MEN OUT OF WORK!
THAT, UNFORTUNATELY,
IS PROGRESS, HANLEY.
YOU'RE A SOLID MAN ON
ASSEMBLY LINE PLANNING.
BUT WHEN IT COMES TO PROGRESS
YOU'RE A FOOT-DRAGGER.
SWEETHEART, YOU AND
I ARE GOING TO SPEND
A LOT OF TIME TOGETHER.
INDEED, WE ARE.
INDEED, INDEED, INDEED WE ARE.
THESE ARE THE PLAYERS,
WITH OR WITHOUT A SCORECARD:
IN ONE CORNER, A MACHINE;
IN THE OTHER, ONE
WALLACE V. WHIPPLE, MAN.
AND THE GAME?
IT HAPPENS TO BE
THE HISTORICAL BATTLE
BETWEEN FLESH AND STEEL,
BETWEEN THE BRAIN OF MAN
AND THE PRODUCT OF MAN'S BRAIN.
WE DON'T MAKE BOOK ON THIS
ONE, AND PREDICT NO WINNER
BUT WE CAN TELL YOU THAT
FOR THIS PARTICULAR CONTEST,
THERE IS STANDING ROOM ONLY
IN THE TWILIGHT ZONE.
YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR TROUBLE IS?
YOU'RE HOLDING ON
TIGHT TO THIS 19th CENTURY.
I'M HOLDING TIGHT
TO SOME PRINCIPLES...
PRINCIPLES THAT
HAVE TO DO WITH FIRING.
THE REGRET FOR THE
WHOLESALE FIRINGS
OF MEN WHO'VE WORKED
HERE FROM 20 TO 30 YEARS.
REGRET, INDEED,
IT'S COME TO REGRET?
I'LL LET YOU HANDLE THE REGRETS.
THAT'LL BE YOUR RESPONSIBILITY.
HAVE A SIGN MADE FOR YOUR DESK.
"MR. WALTER HANLEY,
PLANT MANAGER IN
CHARGE OF REGRETS."
TELL ME, WHY ARE YOU SO EAGER
TO REPLACE MEN WITH MACHINES?
DID IT EVER OCCUR TO YOU
THAT YOU'RE TRADING
EFFICIENCY FOR PRIDE?
PRIDE?
YES, PRIDE!
CRAFTSMANSHIP.
WHAT A MAN FEELS WHEN
HE MAKES SOMETHING.
WHAT DOES YOUR MACHINE FEEL?
ANYTHING?
ANYTHING AT ALL?
WHAT THE DEVIL
CAN I DO WITH PRIDE?
CAN IT, BOTTLE IT,
WRAP IT, PRODUCE IT?
I'M NOT SELLING PRIDE,
I'M SELLING PRODUCT.
YOUR FATHER... WHAT
ABOUT MY FATHER?
HE RAN THIS PLANT FOR 40 YEARS.
HE HAD AN EYE FOR PROFIT.
HE WAS NEVER INEFFICIENT,
BUT... BUT WHAT?
HE HAD SOMETHING
ELSE ON HIS MIND.
WHAT ELSE DID MY
FATHER HAVE ON HIS MIND?
GOOD WILL.
AND THE WELFARE OF THE
PEOPLE WHO WORKED FOR HIM.
GOOD WILL AND THE
WELFARE OF THE PEOPLE
THAT WORKED FOR HIM, INDEED.
IN 40 YEARS, MY FATHER
DOUBLED THE SIZE OF HIS PLANT
WHILE HIS COMPETITORS
QUADRUPLED THEIRS.
HIS COMPETITORS, WHO
WERE LESS CONCERNED
WITH THE GOOD WILL AND WELFARE
OF THE PEOPLE THAT
WORKED FOR THEM.
THEY PAID A FAIR WAGE
AND GOT A FAIR DAY'S WORK.
BUT, IF THEY COULD FIND A
MACHINE TO REPLACE A MAN
THEY DID IT.
BUT THEY DIDN'T HAVE
PLANT MANAGERS LIKE YOURSELF
WHO WENT OFF INTO A CRYING JAG
EVERY TIME A PINK SLIP
WAS ATTACHED TO A TIME CLOCK.
WHAT'S THE NAME OF
THE PLANT FOREMAN?
DICKERSON, DICKERSON,
THAT'S HIS NAME.
GET HIM UP HERE
FOR ME, WILL YOU?
I'M GOING TO INDULGE IN
THAT HEARTFELT
COMPASSION YOU HUNGER FOR.
I'M GOING TO GIVE HIM AND HIS
STAFF FOUR MONTHS' NOTICE.
NOW, HANLEY, IS THAT
COMPASSIONATE OR ISN'T IT?
NOW, GO GET HIM,
PLEASE, GET HIM UP HERE
HOLD HIS HAND, DRY HIS
EYES, PAT HIM ON THE HEAD
BUT GET HIM UP HERE.
SO THAT'S ABOUT THE
SIZE OF IT, MR. DICKERSON,
YOU MAY TELL THE
ENTIRE DAY SHIFT
THAT THEY'LL BE PINK-SLIPPED
AS OF THE FIRST OF JULY.
WE'RE HERE TO SET
IT UP, MR. WHIPPLE.
OH, FINE, I'VE CHECKED
THE MACHINE OVER.
JUST PUT IT DOWNSTAIRS,
BUT TREAT IT GENTLY.
HANDLE IT WITH CARE.
NOW, YOU REALIZE THAT THIS
SOMEWHAT WHOLESALE DISCHARGE
HAS NOTHING TO DO
WITH DISSATISFACTION
ON YOUR PART OR THAT OF THE MEN.
IT'S MERELY PROGRESS,
MR. DICKERSON.
OUT WITH THE OLD, IN WITH
THE NEW... AUTOMATION.
THAT'LL BE ALL.
YES, MR. WHIPPLE.
THAT WILL BE ALL.
DID YOU EVER NOTICE, MR. HANLEY,
EVER NOTICE HOW IT
LOOKS LIKE IT HAD A FACE?
AN UGLY FACE.
A MISERABLE, UGLY FACE.
WHIPPLE, HE THINKS
IT'S A MACHINE.
IT'S NOT A MACHINE,
IT'S AN ENEMY.
IT'S AN OPPONENT.
I SWEAR, WE'VE GOT TO
HATE A THING LIKE THIS.
GETTING AWFUL LATE, DICK.
SHOULD HAVE CLOSED
HALF AN HOUR AGO.
YOU KNOW WHAT THESE ARE?
PAIR OF HANDS?
YEAH, PAIR OF HANDS.
YOU KNOW WHAT ELSE THEY ARE?
THEY'RE OBSOLETE,
THEY'RE OFF THE MARKET.
THEY'RE LIKE WOODEN WAGONS
TRYING TO ROLL DOWN A FREEWAY.
FLESH AND BONE AND
MUSCLE AND NERVE
BUT THAT DON'T CUT
MUSTARD ANYMORE.
I WANT TO TELL YOU SOME...
I'M GOING TO TELL YOU SOMETHING.
THERE ISN'T A MACHINE MADE
THAT CAN BEAT A MAN.
ISN'T ONE... I'LL
PROVE IT TO YOU!
I'M GOING OVER THERE RIGHT NOW
AND I'M GOING TO
PROVE IT TO YOU.
I'M GOING TO TAKE THAT
NEW MACHINE OF WHIPPLE'S
AND I'M GOING TO TURN IT
INTO NUTS AND BOLTS.
AND IF THAT SLOB WITH THE
KEY CHAIN GETS IN MY WAY
I'M GOING TO
STRANGLE HIM WITH IT.
DICKERSON!
THE WATCHMAN CALLED.
HE SAID YOU'RE DRUNK
AND BARGED RIGHT PAST HIM.
AND HE'S RIGHT, MR. WHIPPLE.
I AM DRUNK.
AND I DID BARGE RIGHT IN.
I'VE WORKED HERE FOR 30 YEARS!
AND I'VE BEEN FOREMAN
FOR 17 OF THEM.
IN MY BOOK, THAT GIVES ME
SOME RIGHTS, MR. WHIPPLE.
WELL, YOU'VE GOT THE
WRONG BOOK, DICKERSON.
YOU'RE DRUNK, DISORDERLY
AND TRESPASSING
ON PRIVATE PROPERTY
AND SUBJECT TO ARREST.
TELL ME SOMETHING, MR. WHIPPLE.
WHEN YOU'RE DEAD AND BURIED,
WHO WILL MOURN FOR YOU?
SHALL I TELL YOU THE
DIFFERENCE, MR. DICKERSON,
BETWEEN YOU AND IT?
THAT MACHINE COSTS TWO
CENTS AN HOUR FOR CURRENT.
IT LASTS INDEFINITELY.
IT GETS NO WRINKLES,
NO ARTHRITIS,
NO HARDENING OF THE ARTERIES.
THAT ONE MACHINE IS A LATHE
OPERATOR, A PRESS OPERATOR.
TWO MACHINES REPLACE 114 MEN
THAT TAKE NO COFFEE
BREAKS, NO SICK LEAVES,
NO VACATIONS WITH PAY.
AND THAT, IN MY BOOK,
IS WORTH CONSIDERABLY
MORE THAN YOU ARE.
THEY SHOULD HAVE
STOPPED YOU A YEAR AGO!
SOMEBODY OUGHT TO HELD YOU DOWN
AND PUT A BIT IN YOUR HEAD
AND POURED IN SOME REMINDERS
THAT MEN HAVE TO EAT AND WORK.
AND YOU CAN'T PACK
THEM IN COSMOLINE
LIKE SURPLUS TANKS!
OR PUT THEM OUT TO
PASTURE LIKE OLD BULLS!
I'M A MAN, MR. WHIPPLE!
YOU HEAR ME? I'M A MAN!
AND THAT MAKES ME
BETTER THAN THAT...
HUNK OF METAL, YOU HEAR ME?!
BETTER!
WHAT SHOULD I DO?
STOP HIM, STOP HIM!
HE HAS A CROW BAR!
I DON'T CARE!
NO, YOU CAN'T DO THAT!
YOU SEE, MACHINE?
IT... TOOK MORE
THAN... YOU TO BEAT ME.
IT... IT TOOK A MAN.
OH, HANLEY, I'VE
BEEN EXPECTING YOU.
NO DOUBT.
THEY TOLD ME YOU
WERE AT THE HOSPITAL.
I JUST CAME FROM THE HOSPITAL.
FORTUNATELY FOR
YOU, MR. WHIPPLE,
DICKERSON'S GOING TO LIVE.
FORTUNATELY, OTHER THAN
PROTECTING MY PROPERTY
I HAVE NO INVOLVEMENT IN THAT.
ARE THE TECHNICIANS DOWNSTAIRS?
I ASKED YOU A QUESTION.
ARE THE TECHNICIANS
REPAIRING THAT MACHINE?
IT APPEARS SO.
AH, GOOD.
OH, HANLEY, THIS
SHOULD INTEREST YOU.
THIS IS A TAPE-CONTROLLED
SEVEN AXIS.
IT'S CALLED A SENTRY.
KNOW WHAT IT DOES?
IT KEEPS AN EYE ON
EVERY OPERATION
IN THE ENTIRE PLANT.
IT KEEPS ABSOLUTELY
ACCURATE DATA
ON MAN HOURS, COST
HOURS, PRODUCT REJECTS,
JUST EVERYTHING!
THE MOST SOPHISTICATED
MACHINE I'VE EVER SEEN.
I JUST BOUGHT IT.
HOW MANY MEN DOES IT REPLACE?
THIS SHOULD PLEASE YOU...
ONLY ONE, JUST ONE!
AS A MATTER OF
FACT, IT REPLACES YOU.
THAT'S ONLY RIGHT, MR. WHIPPLE,
SINCE THE POINT
OF MY COMING TODAY
WAS TO GIVE YOU MY NOTICE.
OH, GOOD, GOOD.
I SUSPECTED AS MUCH.
YOU'RE A SENSIBLE MAN
AND I'M SURE YOU KNOW
THAT AN INDUSTRIAL TEAM
HAS TO BE A COMPATIBLE TEAM.
AND WHEN TWO MEN RUB
EACH OTHER THE WRONG WAY,
WELL, IT'S UNREALISTIC
AND IMPRACTICAL
THAT THEY TRY TO
STAY ON THE SAME TEAM.
IN SPITE OF THE FACT YOU
THINK I'M KIND OF AN OGRE,
SOME SORT OF A
HEARTLESS SCROOGE,
I'M NOT GOING TO
FORGET THE MANY YEARS
OF HARD WORK YOU PUT
IN FOR ME AND MY FATHER.
I'M GOING TO SEE THAT YOU GET AN
EXTREMELY LIBERAL SEVERANCE PAY
AND WHAT I'M SURE YOU'LL AGREE
IS A FAR BETTER THAN
AVERAGE PENSION.
THAT'S VERY GENEROUS OF YOU.
THERE'S SOMETHING
I'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU,
IF YOU DON'T MIND.
NO, WHAT IS THAT?
THAT'S FOR YOU FROM ME.
FOR YOUR LACK OF
SENSITIVITY, COMPASSION.
YOUR HEARTLESS MANIPULATION
OF MEN AND METALS.
YOU CAN TAKE MY SEVERANCE PAY,
MY PENSION, AND YOUR
GOOD-BYE SPEECHES
AND FEED THEM INTO YOUR MACHINE.
BECAUSE WHEN I
WALK AWAY FROM YOU,
I WALK AWAY CLEAN.
AND THAT, MR. WHIPPLE,
IS ONE HELL OF A TRICK!
A NEW WATCHMAN DEVICE.
TAKE OUT YOUR I.D. CARD
AND HOLD IT IN
FRONT OF THE DOOR.
THERE ARE BUILT-IN
ELECTRIC EYES.
YES, MR. WHIPPLE?
OH, RUN A CONTROL CHECK, PLEASE.
I ALREADY HAVE, TWO HOURS AGO.
I DID IT RIGHT AFTER LUNCH, TOO.
AND IF YOU RECALL, SIR,
I DID IT THIS MORNING, AS WELL.
EVER HEARD OF
PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE?
IT'S MY JOB, MR. WHIPPLE.
WHAT YOU'RE ASKING
OF ME ISN'T MAINTENANCE.
IT'S NOT PREVENTING A THING.
OH, INDEED, AND I SUPPOSE
YOU KNOW WHAT'S NEEDED IN
THIS PLANT AND WHAT ISN'T NEEDED.
I KNOW THAT RUNNING
EQUIPMENT CHECKS
TEN TIMES A DAY
IS A WASTE OF TIME,
A WASTE OF EFFORT,
AND IT'S BECOMING AN
IDIOTIC RITUAL AROUND HERE.
YOUNG MAN, YOUR PRESENCE IS
A NECESSITY OF THE MOMENT.
NOTICE I STRESS "OF THE MOMENT."
UH, A CASE IN POINT.
CASE IN POINT.
NOW, STAY HERE, OBSERVE THIS.
DEAR SIR
YOURS OF THE 14th RECEIVED
AND ACKNOWLEDGED.
NOW IS THE TIME FOR ALL GOOD MEN
TO COME TO THE AID
OF THEIR COUNTRY
ETC., ETC., ETC., ETC.
A PERFECT LETTER.
NOT ONE ERROR OR ERASURE.
TYPED AT CONCEPTION.
AM I GETTING THROUGH, YOUNG MAN?
YOU MEAN SECRETARIES
ARE OBSOLETE NOW.
PRECISELY, OBSOLETE.
AND DO YOU KNOW
WHAT ELSE IT MEANS?
IT MEANS NO MORE POWDER
ROOMS, NO MORE COFFEE BREAKS.
NO MORE WORK STOPPAGES
DUE TO SUNDRY INCONVENIENCES
SUCH AS MATERNITY AND ALL THAT.
INCONVENIENCES LIKE MATERNITY?
YOU'LL HAVE TO
FORGIVE ME, MR. WHIPPLE.
BUT IF WE KEEP THIS UP
WE'LL HAVE WONDERFUL PRODUCTS
BUT MIGHTY FEW
PEOPLE TO BUY THEM.
HAPPILY THAT IS NOT MY CONCERN.
PROVIDING EFFICIENCY...
THAT IS MY ONLY CONCERN.
MR. WHIPPLE?
HAVE YOU LOOKED
AROUND THIS PLACE, LATELY?
LOOKED AROUND?
THE CAFETERIA, FOR EXAMPLE.
IT'S LIKE A CAVE.
NOT A SOUL IN THERE.
JUST A FEW VENDING MACHINES
AND MUSIC THROUGH A LOUDSPEAKER.
HAVE YOU SEEN THE PARKING LOT?
IT'S A DESERT.
NO CARS, NO PEOPLE.
HOW VERY ENLIGHTENING.
THIS PLACE HAS EVERYTHING NOW
FOR EFFICIENCY.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT LACKS?
NO, TELL ME.
VOICES.
LAUGHTER.
WHATEVER MAKES
PEOPLE FEEL FOR PEOPLE.
THAT'S WHAT IT LACKS.
THIS IS A LOUSY PLACE TO WORK.
THEN I'LL SPARE YOU
FURTHER SUFFERING.
YOU'RE DISCHARGED.
I'VE BEEN EXPECTING THAT.
ACTUALLY, I'VE BEEN WANTING IT.
I CAN'T WORK HERE ANYMORE.
IT'S TOO DARN LONELY.
AND ANOTHER THING, MR. WHIPPLE,
TO DO WITH EQUIPMENT CHECKS
AND PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE?
IT MIGHT BE A GOOD
IDEA IF YOU RAN
AN EQUIPMENT CHECK ON YOURSELF!
EQUIPMENT CHECK ON MYSELF!
WHAT INSUFFERABLE ROT!
EQUIPMENT CHECK ON MYSELF!
Did it occur to you
that you're trading
efficiency for pride?
When you're dead and buried
who will mourn for you?
I think it might be a good idea
if you ran an equipment
check... on yourself!
Hanley: Did it occur to you that
you're trading efficiency for pride?
Dickerson: When you're dead
and buried who will mourn for you?
Technician: I think it
might be a good idea
if you ran an equipment
check... on yourself!
I think it might be a good idea
if you ran an equipment
check... on yourself!
Did it occur to you that you're
trading efficiency for pride?
When you're dead and
buried who will mourn for you?
WHAT'LL IT BE MR. WHIPPLE?
BEER, PLEASE.
TO OTHER DAYS, MR. HANLEY.
AND TO OTHER TOASTS.
I'LL DRINK TO THAT, MR. WHIPPLE.
HOW ARE YOU FINDING RETIREMENT?
OH, TOLERABLE,
MR. WHIPPLE, TOLERABLE.
I MANAGE TO... I
MANAGE TO KEEP BUSY
NOT AS MUCH AS I'D LIKE...
MY WIFE SAYS I'M
UNDERFOOT, BUT I DO ALL RIGHT.
BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF NICE
TO SLEEP LATE IN THE MORNINGS.
IT'S IMPORTANT. UH...
THIS RETIREMENT, I MEAN.
VERY IMPORTANT.
A MAN SHOULD HAVE TIME FOR
LEISURE WHEN HE GROWS OLDER.
IT'S IMPORTANT HE
HAVE TIME FOR LEISURE.
THAT'S SO, MR. WHIPPLE.
YOU KNOW, WHEN THE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
FIRST INDICATED TO ME
THAT THEY THOUGHT I
WAS SOMEWHAT OVERTIRED,
SHOULD RELINQUISH SOME
OF MY RESPONSIBILITIES,
WELL, IF THE TRUTH
WERE KNOWN, MR. HANLEY,
I DID FEEL SOME SORT
OF ANTIPATHY FOR THEM,
BUT, UH, THEY WERE RIGHT.
THEY WERE QUITE RIGHT, YOU KNOW.
BUT WITH THE
PERSPECTIVE OF TIME,
I REALIZED THEY'D
MOVED ME OUT OF THERE.
I'M NOT MARRIED, YOU KNOW,
AND THINGS GET A LITTLE DULL.
WELL, NO, NOT, NOT DULL, REALLY.
I, UH, I MANAGE TO
KEEP MYSELF BUSY
BUT THERE ARE TIMES
WHEN I WISH... WHEN I...
IT'S NOT RIGHT, HANLEY.
IT'S-IT'S NOT RIGHT.
COLD, DISPASSIONATE,
IMPERSONAL...
THEY-THEY CHUCK A MAN
OUT RIGHT IN HIS PRIME.
CHUCK HIM OUT LIKE HE
WAS SOME KIND OF A PART.
SAID I WAS NEUROTIC
ABOUT THINGS.
SAID THAT BEING ALONE
WITH THE MACHINES HAD WARPED ME.
THAT WAS THE EXPRESSION
THEY USED... "WARPED."
IT'S NOT FAIR, HANLEY.
IT'S NOT FAIR.
A MAN HAS VALUE.
A MAN HAS WORTH.
THEY JUST SNAP THEIR FINGERS,
AND THEY BRING IN A REPLACEMENT.
THEY JUST BRING
IN A REPLACEMENT.
IT, IT ISN'T FAIR, HANLEY.
IT, IT ISN'T FAIR, THE
WAY THEY DIMINISH US.
THERE ARE MANY
BROMIDES APPLICABLE HERE...
TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING,
TIGER BY THE TAIL,
AS YOU SOW, SO SHALL YE REAP.
THE POINT IS THAT TOO OFTEN
MAN BECOMES CLEVER
INSTEAD OF BECOMING WISE,
HE BECOMES INVENTIVE,
BUT NOT THOUGHTFUL.
AND SOMETIMES, AS IN
THE CASE OF MR. WHIPPLE,
HE CAN CREATE HIMSELF
RIGHT OUT OF EXISTENCE.
TONIGHT'S TALE OF
ODDNESS AND OBSOLESCENCE
FROM THE TWILIGHT ZONE.
AND NOW, MR. SERLING.
ON THE TWILIGHT ZONE NEXT TRIP,
WE MOVE INTO THE AREA
OF AUTHENTIC FOLK SINGING.
BUT THIS IS FOLK SINGING
LIKE YOU'VE PROBABLY
NEVER HEARD BEFORE.
THE WORDS AND THE MUSIC IN
THIS ITEM ARE HAUNTING INDEED
AND THIS ONE PROVIDES ONE
OF THE MORE ODD EXCURSIONS
INTO THE PLACES OF SHADOW.
GARY CROSBY AND BONNIE BEECHER
STAR IN A MOST UNUSUAL
TALE BY ANTHONY WILSON.
IT'S CALLED "COME
WANDER WITH ME."