The Wild Wild West (1965–1969): Season 4, Episode 4 - The Night of the Sedgewick Curse - full transcript

( slow western theme playing )

I hope this won't take long,
Mr. West. I'm due at the spa.

No, sir, it won't.

Clerk? Clerk?

Ah, Mr. Redmond.

I trust you're enjoying
your stay?

Yes, thank you. The spa
is an absolute tonic.

My key, please. Number 12.

Thank you. I'll be dining
promptly at 8:30.

Ask the chef to prepare
a soybean casserole

with, uh, mulberry root sauce
and spinach.



Uncooked, of course.

Perhaps you'd care
to join me for dinner?

Well, it sounds delicious, sir.

But I'm afraid
I won't have enough time.

Oh?

Here we are.

You've come a long way just
to get those papers signed.

Yes, sir, I have.
You know the president,

he wants to move
on the appropriation.

Without your signature,
sir, he can't move.

Yes, of course, of course.

I tell you, Mr. West,

if I couldn't get away
for a few days now and then,

the routine of it all
would be the death of me.



There, that does it.

Thank you very much, sir.

You're welcome.

Good day, sir.
Good day.

Now, don't forget
what I told you

about those liptus herbs.

Twice a day, raw.

Raw, yes, sir.

It'll keep you
in tiptop condition.

I'm the living proof.

Yes, sir, you are.

Good day again, sir.

Good day.

( bell ringing )

( ringing continues )

MAN:
Where do you think
you're going?

In there.

Why?

Well, to see Mr. Redmond,
that's why.

There's no Redmond in there.
That's our mother's room.

You wouldn't want
to disturb her, would you?

You must be mistaken,
gentlemen.

My associate's in there.

Ooh! Who are you?

What are you doing
in my room?

What do you want?

What did you burst
into my room for?

I thought I had privacy
in this hotel.

What kind of a hotel is this?

( upbeat western theme playing )

( suspenseful theme playing )

Clerk?

Clerk?

Clerk?

You don't have to assault me
to get my attention.

Now, may I help you?

I'm-- I'm sorry.

Uh, Mr. Redmond, A.T. Redmond's
staying in your hotel.

Redmond?

No, there's no one
by that name in the hotel.

I just left him in room 12
about 10 minutes ago.

Oh, no, you're mistaken, sir.

The party in room 12
is a Mrs. Merriweather.

She's been with us now
for the past six months.

If you care to check
with her two sons--

No, I, uh--
I already have.

Where's the other clerk?

The other?

There's no other, sir.

( suspenseful theme playing )

Thank you very much.

Quite welcome, sir.

Well, what did he say to you
after that, Chester?

MAN:
He said, "I'm gonna buy
two tickets to Denver."

Uh-huh.
So naturally, you said...?

I said, "If she was my wife,

"I'd buy one ticket
to Denver

and make sure
I missed the train."

( laughing )

( laughs )

( hands clapping )

Hey, Artie,
it's marvelous.

If the United States
ever goes out of business,

you're gonna have something
to fall back on.

Listen, I get more
to fall back on every day.

Uh, did you finally track down
those eyeglasses?

I certainly did.

They belong
to Mr. Hiram Gilbert

of 418 High Street,
room 7.

I'm sure he'll be very grateful
when I return them.

While you do that,

why don't I drop around at the
hotel where he used to work?

Why don't you? They have
room clerks that disappear,

and rooms that change occupants
all by themselves.

Of course,

you know it may be quite
difficult to get in there.

Difficult for you,
easy for me.

Good night, Chet.

Good night, Artie.

Heh-heh-heh-heh.

Oh, Artie.

( with English accent ):
I'm told you specialize
in gout cases.

I understand you're considered
quite famous for it.

A reputation we hope
to maintain, uh...

Doyle, Doyle.

Colonel Doyle, retired.

Formerly of Her Majesty's
cavalry.

We are honored to have

such a distinguished
military man with us, colonel.

Well, thank you.
Thank you so much.

Oh, yes. Register.
Here you are.

We mustn't forget that,
must we?

Of course, yes, yes.

There we are.

( rings bell )

Our head masseur,
Colonel Doyle. Fingers.

Just a nickname, colonel.
Just a nickname.

On account of I work miracles
with these.

You've got a problem,
colonel?

Yes, I'm afraid I do.

Well, don't worry anymore
about it.

We'll have you up and around,
kicking your heels.

You'll find Fingers
of enormous help to you.

Oh, yes, I'm

quite certain he will.

You'll follow me, colonel?

Oh, do we start?
Of course.

( suspenseful theme playing )

Hello?

Hey, boy.

I want you do me a favor, son.

I want you to get the sheriff,

tell him to come here
right away.

Sure.
Something wrong, mister?

No, there's nothing wrong.
Just been a little accident.

Thank you, son.

( horse whinnying )
( woman shrieks )

Help!

Easy.

( sighs )

Thank you.

You're welcome.

What happened, ma'am?

I don't know.
He just got out of control.

I'm afraid I'm not
a very good horsewoman.

You saved my life, Mr....

James West, ma'am.

Lavinia Sedgewick.

I don't know how
I'll ever repay you.

( exhales )

I'll get a doctor.
No, no.

I'm all right.
It's just a little dizziness.

Where do you live?

Oh, no, I couldn't impose
on you any further.

You've been too kind.

You're not in any condition
to drive.

I'm taking you home.

Thank you very much.

( whistles )

Redmond? Redmond?

Yeah, I remember him.

Only gave him one rubdown,
though.

Had to take him away.
Happens sometimes.

Had to take him away?

Yeah, he had
some kind of disease.

Oh.

Nothing contagious, I hope?

No, no, heh-heh.

It was some kind
of blood disorder.

Had a funny-sounding name,

something like, uh,
Lovelock's Temper.

Oh, you mean
Lubbock's Distemper, don't you?

Yeah, yeah, yeah.
That's-- That's the ticket.

When they found out,
they took him away.

How odd.
I wonder why.

FINGERS ( on speaker ):
Well, they give them some
special type of treatment

in another part of the spa.

GORDON:
They give them?

Are there many cases
of Lubbock's Distemper?

FINGERS:
No, no, I think we've had maybe
two in the last few months.

Now, look, colonel.
Yes.

I want you to lie still,
let this oil soak in, huh?

I'm gonna put
the steam on.

And in an hour,
you'll feel brand-new.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

( tense theme playing )

( suspenseful theme playing )

( coughing )

( clicking )

( coughing )

I'm going to sue
this establishment

for every penny it's got.

Do you understand me?
Every penny!

What happened,
Colonel Doyle?

What happened?

Some blasted dunderhead

tried to parboil me
into an early grave.

That's what happened.

Out of my way,
you blithering idiot.

( tense theme playing )

This is Sedgewick House.

Built over 30 years ago.

And it started decaying

from the first day
it was completed.

( scoffs )

I would like you to join us for
dinner this evening, Mr. West.

I know my family would want
to thank you in person.

Oh, well, thank you very much,
but--

( suspenseful theme playing )

As a matter of fact,

I'd be delighted
to have dinner with you.

Wonderful.

We'll see you at 8:00,
Mr. West.

My pleasure.

ARTIE:
It's a rare blood disorder, Jim,

known as Lubbock's Distemper.

Named after the renowned
Swedish doctor

who isolated the disease
about 25 years ago.

And Redmond has it?
Definitely.

I'm convinced
there's some connection

between the disease
and his disappearance.

Why, Artie?

When the hotel discovered what
it was he was suffering from,

they prescribed some kind
of special therapy.

And he wasn't the only one.

There were others?

Oh, two for sure.

Each of them also
received special therapy.

Each of them
also disappeared.

And I bet they disappeared
out of room 12.

I tell you, Jim, I don't know
what's going on in that hotel,

but we better find out
real quick.

Artie, if we tore
the whole hotel apart,

we might endanger Redmond's
life, if he's still alive.

Are you sure that that design
that Gilbert traced in blood

is the Sedgewick shield?

Definitely sure.

What have you found out
about the family?

Oh, not very much,
I'm afraid.

It seems that most of them

were quite brilliant
when they were very young.

Then around the time
they reach middle age,

something odd happens.

Some of them
just fizzle out.

Some of them disappear.

And not even mentioned again
later on.

Maybe I'll be able to find out
tonight at dinner.

Yeah, good luck.

Thank you, Artie.
See you later.

Good night, Jim.

( mysterious theme playing )

My name is James West.
I've been invited for dinner.

I said that my name--

You're mistaken.

May I see
Miss Lavinia Sedgewick, please?

Miss Sedgewick has retired
for the evening

and doesn't wish
to be disturbed.

Now go.

LAVINIA:
Who is it, Jessica?

Just a tradesman,
Miss Lavinia.

Don't be ridiculous,
Jessica.

Let Mr. West in.

Thank you very much.

Jessica doesn't like
visitors.

Yes,
I got that impression.

( scoffs )

It's hopeless.
What is?

Trying to bring life
into this house.

It's as if the whole place

resisted being looked at
carefully.

Well,
why don't I help you?

Nice-looking young man.

That's my brother,

my late brother,

Philip Sedgewick.

He passed away
a few months ago.

He was a scientist,

a biochemist to be exact.

He was a very gifted young man

with a brilliant future
ahead of him.

I'm sorry.

How did he die?

He--
JESSICA: Miss Lavinia?

You're wanted.

Will you excuse me?

Won't you wait in the study?

Thank you.

( suspenseful theme playing )

( squeaking )

Now, now, Mr. Sedgewick.

You know what happens
when you exert yourself.

You only make
your condition worse.

You're not going to exert
yourself anymore this evening,

are you?

Grandfather,
are you all right?

There's no need for alarm,
Lavinia.

He was only trying to
communicate with this gentleman.

This is Mr. West.

Dr. Maitland,
my grandfather's physician.

How do you do, doctor?

So you're the gallant rescuer
of fair damsels in distress?

Grandfather,

this is Mr. James West,
a friend.

Forgive him, he's very old.

Oh, I understand.

I don't know
which is more terrible:

dying very young
or growing very old.

I told you,

you are never to leave
Mr. Sedgewick alone, Felix.

Brandy, Mr. West?

Please.

Lavinia?

No, thank you.

Don't you think
you shouldn't...?

What, Lavinia?

It's for purely
medicinal purposes.

I prescribed it for myself.

When you consider the ghosts
that surround us,

it's the only cure
for living here.

Or don't you know
the Sedgewick history, Mr. West?

No, doctor,
I don't believe I do.

( mysterious theme playing )

The, uh, line began in England

with the first
Earl of Sedgewick

in the middle
of the 17th century.

Legend has it that he was burned
at the stake

for witchcraft.

His sister,
Lucretia Sedgewick.

A beautiful woman,
except for her soul.

She was a sadist.

She become incurably insane

and died raving in an asylum.

Next.

Next came her son,

Tristan.

An innocent-looking lad

whose only crime
was to be a Satanist,

a devil worshipper.

He died mysteriously.

Supposedly a stake was
driven through his chest.

The line then passed
to a distant cousin

who had settled
in the colony of Virginia.

He hoped to rectify

his predecessors' insanity
and evil,

so he designed a new crest.

Three swords,

or stakes if you will,

driven into a human heart.

( thunder crashes )

A symbol of his
three nefarious ancestors.

He hoped it would end
the family curse.

Tell him about

the real Sedgewick curse.

Tell him.

Felix!

No, no.
He must know.

He must know about
the Sedgewick ephemeroptera.

No, tell him.

He must know.
He must know.

( gasping )

If you will excuse me,

it's time for Mr. Sedgewick's
medicine.

Poor grandfather.

Sometimes he goes for days
without saying a single word.

And then, suddenly,

he comes out with strange,
wild,

unexplainable things.

What did he mean by, uh,
"ephemeroptera"?

That was it, wasn't it?

I don't know.
He just blurts things out.

I have a confession
to make to you, Mr. West.

I didn't just invite you
here for dinner

or to meet my grandfather.

It's--

It's because
I felt so alone.

I just wanted to see
a friendly face.

I wanted to talk
to someone who-- Who was--

Hey, listening
is an old specialty of mine.

( chuckles )

It's going to be
a terrible storm.

Perhaps it would be best
if you stayed the night.

JESSICA:
If he leaves now,
he can make it back to town.

Nonsense.

He would miss dinner.

Show Mr. West
to his room, Jessica.

I should get rid of her,
I suppose.

But it would be
on my conscience.

Her mother was our
housekeeper until she died.

Jessica, Philip, and I
were playmates.

If I dismissed her,

she would have nowhere to go.

Come, I will show you
to your room.

You can freshen up
before dinner.

( suspenseful theme playing )

Vite!

Can I help you, sir?

( with French accent ):
Yes, you may help me to my room.

And quickly, please, uh?
I'm very fatigued.

Do you have reservations,
sir?

Certainement.

Would Henri Picheaux ever travel
anywhere without one? Of course.

I'm sorry, sir, but we don't
seem to have gotten them.

Impossible.

Someone at your hotel here
has made a terrible mistake,

possibly you.

However, I'm so fatigued
that I will overlook it.

Now, please, get me
to my room and quickly, huh?

But--
Oh, one more thing,

do you have some form of
refrigeration here at the hotel?

Yes, of course.

Then be good enough to keep
that in there for me.

It is for my condition.

Are you ill, sir?

Oui, a family malaise.

Lubbock's Distemper.

I trust you will
be discreet about it.

No one will ever
find out, sir.

I am mostly assured.

If you'll just sign
the registry, sir.

Of course.

Front.

Room number 12.

Merci.

( thunder crashing )

( gasps )
It's all right.

I'm sorry.

It's all right.

Thank you.

Here you are.

Dinner will be ready
in 15 minutes.

( suspenseful theme playing )

( men moaning )

( suspenseful theme playing )

I think some explanations
are in order. Don't you?

I came to warn you.

About what?

The gaslights,

the secret passageways,
the moaning?

This is a very old house.

The wind
plays strange tricks.

LAVINIA:
Mr. West, we're ready
for dinner.

I'll be right there,
thank you.

Listen to me.

If you stay here,
you will die.

Believe me,
you must leave this house.

( thunder crashes )

What is that?
I ordered nothing.

It's our own special
mineral water, sir.

You will not put it
on the bill.

I did not order
any mineral water.

Compliments
of the hotel, sir.

Oh, compliment.

Ah. Zut alors. Merci ,merci.

( chuckles )

Th-- Thank you.

To your health, sir.

Merci.
Merci.

Au revoir.

( suspenseful theme playing )

( clears throat )

Take it away, Felix.

I find it impossible
to see Mr. West.

Nice thing about a mute,
he can never answer back.

Brandy, Mr. West?

No, thank you.

MAITLAND:
You look disapproving, Lavinia.

You shouldn't.

It makes you look,
somehow older.

And age will come soon enough
to destroy that pretty face.

What a pity it is that beautiful
things cannot remain beautiful.

( scoffs )

Must you always be so morbid?

Are you familiar with the
Galapagos turtle, Mr. West?

Why, yes, it lives
for hundreds of years.

And it is that and only that

which, despite his ugliness,
makes him an enviable beast.

Please, Dr. Maitland,

I'm sure Mr. West
isn't interested in turtles.

MAITLAND:
But we're not talking
about turtles, my dear.

We're talking
about longevity.

The Galapagos turtle

on the one end of the scale,

and a creature so fragile

that it lives but a few
tragic hours on the other.

I refer, of course,
to the mayfly.

The sole member of its order,
known in Latin as--

SEDGEWICK:
Ephemeroptera!

Ephemeroptera!

( glass shatters )

Oh, I'm terribly sorry.

MAITLAND:
I think it's about time

Mr. Sedgewick
retired for the night.

Felix.

( thunder crashes )

Good night, Mr. West.

Good night.

Lavinia.

I'm afraid Dr. Maitland
put my nerves on edge

more than usual tonight.

Miss Sedgewick, I think
there are some things

we should talk about.

Can't it wait till tomorrow?

Please excuse me.
It's been a very tiring day.

Good night.

Good night.

( suspenseful theme playing )

He's got to be in here
somewhere.

( action theme playing )

( man cackling )

MAN:
♪ I came from Alabama ♪

♪ With my banjo on my knee ♪

♪ I've gone to Louisiana... ♪

( man laughing )

( suspenseful theme playing )

Redmond?

Redmond, what happened?

You must talk to them.

I told them,
"Twice a day, raw.

"twice a day.

"Liptus herbs,

you have to have them
twice a day."

( door opens )

MAN:
Where do you want him,
Dr. Maitland?

MAITLAND:
In the laboratory.

Are you all right?

Yeah, I'm all right.

What are you doing here?

Dr. Maitland found out that
I was trying to warn you.

He locked me in here.

What's going on
in this house?

Don't you think you've been
silent too long?

What do you know of time
or silence, Mr. West?

You have been here
for one night.

I have grown up
in this house.

It has been my home.
The people in it my family.

I was not always
as you see me now.

There were kinder
and happier times.

Well, that's quite
a retirement plan they have.

Or does this only happen
when you know too much?

It is not the Sedgewicks
who have done this.

It is Maitland.

He has brought the evil
upon this house.

What kind of evil?

His experiments.

He has found a drug that...

Speeds up the aging process?

( door opens )

He is not trying
to create age.

Trying to create
eternal youth.

Bull's-eye, Mr. West.

How does Lubbock's Distemper
fit into your fountain of youth?

Because that disease
causes a blood condition

identical to ephemeroptera.

Only such uniquely affected
individuals

may serve as guinea pigs.

And you used the spa
to attract them?

Room number 12.

At first, we experimented
only on small animals.

We were quite successful.

But you didn't stop there.

Unfortunately,
our experiments with people

turned out less than expected.

How did you hope to prevent
the aging process?

By changing
the metabolic balance.

When the drug is injected
into the bloodstream,

it works very quickly.

Within 15 minutes,

it should be working
directly on the heart,

slowing down
the entire aging process.

Slowing it to where one week

is like a day in the life
of an ordinary person.

Except one hour
is like a year.

The drug is a mixture
of several chemicals.

And I have not yet found
the proper combinations.

Something goes wrong.

That's why
you've seen the aging.

Within two hours,
a young man is middle-aged.

You look quite shocked,

Mr. West.

What about the people you use?

I have always maintained

that the end justifies
the means.

Time's up, Mr. West.

Your time.

Pleasant dreams, Mr. West.

Pleasant dreams.

( suspenseful theme playing )

( gas hissing )

( coughing )

Find yourself a safe place.

GORDON ( high-pitched ):
Dr. Maitland, may I see
you for a moment?

It's urgent, Dr. Maitland.

( door opens )

I know how they got Redmond
out of the hotel.

Have you seen him?

I've seen him.

He's older, Artie.

He looks
over 100 years old.

Boy, that Dr. Maitland sounds
like a prince of a fellow.

The doctor is looking for
a fountain of youth in a drug.

That's why the hypodermic.

You mean, he's injected you?

Here we go, Artie!

And I did so want the evening
to be pleasant.

Will you be so kind

as to raise your hands
over your head?

So you're the reason
for Maitland's experiments?

Yes.

The Sedgewick family has
the inheritance of the mayfly.

We're very fragile.

We're old and useless
before 40.

And death follows
shortly after.

You're not all dead
before 40.

Your grandfather.

Your grandfather
is your brother, Philip.

My younger brother.

He's a victim
of his own experiments.

LAVINIA:
And now that you know
everything,

it's time
you were leaving us.

Lavinia!

Lavinia!

Look, look.

Lavinia, look.

Has he had the drug?

More than 15 minutes ago.

Then--
Yes.

Yes, we've done it.

There are no signs of aging.
We've done it!

What are you doing, Lavinia?

There's just enough left
for one injection.

MAITLAND:
No, I think it would be best
to wait.

LAVINIA: Why?
MAITLAND: To run more tests,

to be sure! It will only take
a few days. Lavinia!

LAVINIA:
But I'll be a few days older
by then.

No!

No, don't!

I was never injected
with that drug.

I substituted water for it.

( suspenseful theme playing )

No!

( grunting, sobbing )

Release him.

Oh, and Felix,

hand Mr. West the gun.

Oh, I-I will be able

to keep my notes,

won't I, Mr. West?

What will become of Lavinia?

Well, in her case, it'll
be a very short sentence.

Oh. Perhaps--

Perhaps someone could stay
and look after her,

huh?

She will be well taken care of,
doctor.

( door opens )

A-Artie, that was--

Yeah, greetings
from the president.

He wants us to bring over
some papers

to Henry P. Sidwell
for his signature.

Sidwell is staying
at a hotel for a few days.

We're invited to spend
part of our vacation there.

It's got everything,
they claim.

You know,
the usual health spa,

mineral baths, waters,
et cetera. Sound familiar?

Yeah, it's familiar. But I'm not
gonna let it spoil my lunch.

Incidentally...

I thought I'd, uh,

do a little experimenting
with lunch.

Yeah, Artie,
but what is that?

That's health food,
all of it.

I thought we would start off
with a little carrot juice,

and then some raw spinach
with chopped soybeans.

DUMMY:
And that isn't all.

Wait until he tells you about
the pumpkin seed appetizer.

It's easy for me.
It's difficult for him.

( upbeat western theme playing )

( upbeat western theme playing )