The Twilight Zone (1959) s05e12 Episode Script

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.
? my grandfather's clock was too large for the shelf? ? so it stood 90 years on the floor? ? it was taller by half than the old man himself? ? though it weighed not a pennyweight more? Such a long face.
? my grandfather said? Honey.
? that of those he could hire? ? not a servant so faithful he'd found? ? for it wasted no time? What's wrong? I have to go up to talk to him.
I don't know what to say to him.
He's so happy, singing.
Honey, i know how much you love him, and i love you, but we have to face facts.
I know.
You're good for me.
Someone's got to take care of the homely women of the world.
Hmm, thanks loads.
? 90 years without slumbering? ? ticktock, ticktock? ? with life's seconds numbering? ? ticktock, ticktock? Good, that, uh, that grandpa? Come on down.
Oh, marnie.
Don't waste your eyesight, grandpa.
Well, you know, once a clockmaker and it's been a few minutes off lately.
Grandpa, are you all right? Me? Why, never better.
Why, marn? Well, it's just that you didn't come down for dinner.
In fact, you haven't been out of your room all day.
Well, my friend's been acting up today.
I can't seem to get it regulated just right, you know.
Grandpa, we know how you love the clock.
I but-but you see, it's ticking along nicely now.
We shouldn't have any trouble for a long while.
Of course, with a clock as old as that, well, you-you're bound to run into problems, you know.
Just like old people.
Oh, oh, oh.
Now you ignore that.
Just ignore the clock and ignore me.
The main thing is really you and the baby, you see.
That's more important than will you get some rest? Take care of yourself.
Oh, you know me.
L-i never sleep.
At least eat.
Well, maybe later.
Promise? Promise.
Okay.
Oh, it's it's running slow.
I didn't wind it properly.
They're making me so nervous.
I'm becoming careless.
I mustn't i mustn't let them make me nervous.
Please, please, don't stop.
I'll never forget to wind you again.
I promise.
Each man measures his time- some with hope, some with joy, some with fear.
But sam forstmann measures his allotted time by a grandfather's clock, a unique mechanism whose pendulum swings between life and death, a very special clock that keeps a special kind of time in the twilight zone.
Where is he this morning? Still sleeping, i guess.
I'm not surprised.
He must have been fiddling around with that clock till 4:00 in the morning.
Did you hear him? Sit down.
Will you please sit down, honey? Is that all you're having? I'm not hungry.
What about the baby? I'm sure you don't have to worry, doug.
Honey, now, let's not start fighting again.
But you have to face the fact your grandfather's just not a well man.
He's always been so alert, so easy to be with.
Maybe it's just a temporary thing.
Maybe it's a little something we don't know anything about.
Why don't we let mel avery talk to him, just to make sure.
You think i'm crazy, don't you? Mel avery is a psychiatrist.
He's a head shrinker.
You don't have to tell me, i know.
Grandpa, mel's been a friend of ours for years.
He and doug went to college together.
You've met him.
I've met lots of people.
But i don't let them tinker with my head.
Sam, no one's going to tinker with your head.
All we're suggesting is that you see mel and talk to him.
Well, why do i need to see a psychiatrist? Well, your preoccupation with the clock, for instance.
I'm fond of my clock and that makes me crazy.
My, what a strange world we live in.
You have to admit you spend a lot of time with it.
Sometimes half the night.
Aha! Just because i have insomnia and working on the clock relaxes me, that makes me a candidate for the loony bin.
I've had insomnia all my life.
So did my father.
He died at 90.
just like the song says.
Grandpa, doug only has your best interest at heart.
Yeah, my best interests.
All right, son.
I'll see your friend the psychiatrist tomorrow.
You may be surprised when you find out who the crazy one really is.
That clock was completed exactly 76 years ago.
And it was presented to me the day of my birth.
You see, doctor, my father was very much in love with my mother.
And in those days, it was very fashionable for husbands and wives to be in love with each other.
And it's no longer fashionable, huh? If it were, the woods wouldn't be full of psychiatrists.
So you and the clock were "born" on the same day so to speak.
Oh, now, you're trying to get me to say that i think that the clock is a real, living person.
Well, i don't.
It's a mechanism.
Nothing more, nothing less.
Then why be so extraordinarily concerned with it? Well, that clock's worth hundreds of dollars.
It also is a family heirloom.
Wouldn't you want to keep a thing like that in perfect condition? Well, yes, but, uh you're not sure, huh? Yes, i'm sure.
But we're not talking about my clock, we're talking about your clock.
Oh, so you have a grandfather's clock, too, doctor, huh? As a matter of fact, my wife bought one recently.
She collects antiques.
Tell me about it.
Well, it's eight feet tall, hand-carved, built in germany in 1874 by, uh uh mr.
Forstmann, we were talking about you.
Oh, i thought we were talking about your clock.
Yes, we were, but we somehow got off the track.
Track? Are we going to talk about trains now? Mr.
Forstmann, if you don't care to talk about anything else oh, i could talk about clocks for hours, doctor.
But your time's expensive.
Mine's free.
Oh, there, uh, there is one thing, doctor.
Yes? When my clock stops ticking, i'll die.
You really believe that? Oh, there's no doubt about it.
Does that make me crazy? Well, crazy is a big word.
But it is a rather strange idea.
If i had a clock like that i'd get rid of it.
Oh, either the clock goes or i go.
That's what you're telling me.
I didn't say that.
I think you did.
Good day, doctor.
Be careful, boy.
Be careful.
Don't worry, pops, we got it.
Right there.
Well, what do you think? I don't know, pops.
I'm not an interior decorator.
Hey, wait.
What happened? My clock! Now, look, pops.
Take it easy.
Oh, i'm all right.
Boy you had us worried for a minute.
Not yet, i guess.
Not yet.
Doug, look.
Oh, no, honey he's trying to make some compromise with us, doug.
Well, children.
Hello, grandpa.
I thought we'd give it a try there.
To see how it looks.
What do you think? I don't know.
Sam, take a look for yourself.
It sticks out like a sore thumb.
Yeah, i guess it does.
Sam, we might as well be honest.
The doctor says the clock should go.
The doctor said that? He says you're being obsessed by the clock.
He says it's bad for you.
Senile- that's what he really said, isn't it? No, grandpa.
And he wants you to put me away.
No, grandpa, he didn't say that.
Well, i'm not going to any loony bin.
I'll tell you what i am going to do.
I'm going to sell the clock.
I love this clock and your nursery is beautiful.
Marnie, it's just perfect.
Thank you.
Do you want some more coffee? We can talk a little bit.
Love it.
You know, i refuse to get pregnant until i have my nursery all planned.
George didn't think that was logical.
I have to agree with him, carol.
Mr.
Forstmann, where will you be living after the baby comes? Carol, he'll be staying right here in his own room.
Oh, well, of course, i didn't mean anything.
I'll be needing his help.
You going to keep the clock here? Just temporarily.
Carol, do you know anyone who might like to buy it? Sure, me.
I wish i could afford it.
Do you mean that? Do i? You know what i think about antiques and that clock will just make our hallway.
Oh, well, i think that we can work out something.
I mean, you could pay me later.
It doesn't matter.
Are you serious, mr.
Forstmann? Yes.
It would be perfect.
You living next door to us i could visit the clock every day.
I mean, i could take care of it.
Keep it in good condition.
And we'd appreciate it.
It's not one of your eight-day clocks.
It's special.
You have to wind it every other day.
Grandpa i don't think carol would like you tinkering with it.
It'll be her clock.
But it would only take a few minutes every other day.
Oh, i wouldn't mind, marnie, and he could take good care of it.
I'd appreciate it, really.
It's up to you two, anyway.
I can't wait to see what it looks like.
George doesn't think i'm a bargain hunter.
Wait till he hears about this.
Good morning, marnie.
Good morning, grandpa.
You're up early this morning.
Well, early to bed, early to rise- you know, ben franklin? Or was it george washington? I'm off to wind the clock.
George and carol are out of town.
Didn't you know that? Out of town? Just for the weekend.
You'll hardly miss a visit to your clock.
Don't you realize that the clock winds down after 48 hours? Grandpa, are you going to start that again? We've all been so happy for the past two weeks.
All of us.
Yes, yes, we've been happy.
Two weeks of borrowed time.
I should be grateful.
It's running out.
It's dying.
Hold it right there.
Look, officer, i have to wind the clock, you know, it's running down.
It must be wound, it must be.
Oh, sure, sure, mister.
Where do you live? I live next door there.
But you don't understand- i have to wind the clock.
Come on, come on.
You'll wake the whole neighborhood.
Look, please, just let me wind the clock, and then i'll go home.
That's private property.
I can't let you go in there.
You have to! Now, look, mister, i can't let you go in there.
Don't you see? Don't you see, i'm running down.
And if that stops, i'll die.
I'll really die.
Oh, i don't think so.
You mustn't do this, you mustn't.
Just let me wind the clock, please.
Can i get something for you, grandpa? I won't need anything.
Don't worry, marnie, it's, it's better this way.
Better? Good night, grandpa.
Good night, sweetheart.
It is it is better this way.
It has to come sometime.
And i want it to come for me here.
Sam, old friend it's been a good life.
But now it's time to go.
Well, don't let me detain you.
How the heck did you get in my bedroom? I don't believe we've been introduced.
Your face is familiar.
I'm your spirit.
Your time has come, sam.
After all, you are 76.
Don't give me that spirit of 76 stuff.
And who says it's my time to go? Have you forgotten what your father told you? And your grandfather? About what? Didn't they always tell you that when the clock winds down you'll die? Yes, and you know something? I used to believe that stuff.
You should have.
They told you often enough.
But that's silly.
Don't you know that? I do.
I've been to a psychiatrist.
So what? So he told me he didn't think i needed the clock.
And he didn't think i was crazy.
And you know what? He was right and we're wrong.
You know, personally, i never trust the psychiatrists.
Well, you're from another generation.
See, i live in the present.
Live, i said.
Look at me.
You're just a figment of my imagination.
Why, i can see right through you.
I've got a great-grandchild coming.
And i plan to stay around a while to play with him to, uh, watch him grow, take him to school.
Maybe even to college.
I repeat, i don't believe in you, therefore you don't exist, right? Right.
Marnie.
What are you doing up this time of the night? I was worried about you, grandpa.
The thing to worry about is that great-grandchild of mine.
Now, you let me up, let me out of this bed.
My goodness, you shouldn't worry about me.
Come on downstairs and i'll get you a good cup of hot chocolate.
Be careful of the steps.
Must be careful.
It's my great-grandchild.
Look out.
Marnie? I think i cheated your friend.
That old clock hasn't been running right for the last 40 years.
Why, it's taken everything i ever learned in clockmaking just to keep it going.
Really, grandpa? Uh, as a matter of fact, it stopped ticking for the last time just a few moments ago.
How do you know that? Don't ask me how i know but i know.
And a strange thing happened, marnie.
When that clock died, i was born again.
Clocks are made by men, god creates time.
No man can prolong his allotted hours, he can only live them to the fullest- in this world or in the twilight zone.