The Twilight Zone (1959) s05e13 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.
I know.
I know.
Iknow! I know, and you are making me all the later.
And lovesville to you.
Ivor is nervous.
So am l- you've 25 minutes to get to the airport.
Won't they hold the plane? Not forever.
You'd better shift gears.
I'm all packed, except for my rings.
I'm going to take all of them.
Oh, you kook.
It wasyouridea.
It was my idea it would make good publicity if the ring-a-ding girl collected rings.
Now, you'd better haul your fantail out of here, or all you're gonna see of that plane is a vapor trail.
Oh, this just came special delivery.
You can look at it on the plane.
I adore presents.
Let the plane wait.
"Please accept the enclosed as a token of affection of your fan club in howardville.
" Do you know where howardville is? Doesn't everybody? You'll see it if you look down.
We fly right over the center of town.
Well, hooray for us.
Howardville happens to be my hometown, and my loyalest fans are still there.
Do you know, i couldn't have gotten here if it hadn't been for them.
They actually took up a collection to pay my fare to hollywood.
What'd they send you- the key to the local still? Well, let's find out.
Youfind out.
I'm going to get this ice down to the car.
Bunny, come home.
Come home, bunny.
Bunny, this is hildy.
Come home come home occupation, film actress.
Residence, hollywood, california, or anywhere in the world that cameras happen to be grinding.
Bunny blake is a public figure.
What she wears, eats, thinks, says is news.
But underneath the glamour, the makeup, the publicity the buildup, the costuming is a flesh-and-blood person, a beautiful girl about to take a long and bizarre journey into the twilight zone.
Yeah, okay, nancy.
Hey, we still going to the dance friday? Great.
Bud! What? I need that picnic basket out of the cellar.
Oh, look, i'll call you right back.
Hey, can't i finish reading the ball scores? Now, buster.
I'm going to pack the sandwiches just as soon as i finish cleaning this room.
Hey, you know, the paper says rain.
Yeah, i know.
So does the radio.
But just in the north part of the county.
Will you please get the picnic basket? And then clean up your room and mow the lawn.
Aren't there any laws against child labor in this state? Boo.
Bunny! I don't believe it! Oh, it has been so long! I've looked forward to it so! I think about you all the time.
But how did you ever get in here without me hearing you? It's so good to be home! I could just shake you.
That is no way to greet a celebrity.
But five years, and not even one speck of warning.
Oh, you know me- glamorous, unpredictable, full of surprises- the same old nut.
What made you decide to come home out of the blue? I thought maybe you'd like to see me.
Oh, i'm tickled to death.
And maybe it was the ring.
Oh, it arrived.
What a project that was.
Everyone in town chipped in a dollar, and they let me pick it out.
Do you really like it? I love it.
Sis, is everything all right here? Areyou all right? Never better.
Why? Oh, i don't know.
Maybe i'm having hallucinations.
Oh, don't drag that on the floor.
I haven't even vacuumed.
Oh, that's the way you do it in hollywood.
They teach you in drama class.
It's supposed to show that you really don't care and besides, you've got ten more at home in the closet.
How do you like the walk? You didn't learnthat in drama class.
My one natural talent.
Oh, bunny, we're so proud of you- the whole town is.
How long do we get to keep you? Just for one day.
Oh, that's not nearly long enough.
I'm stealing time as it is, sis.
I'm supposed to be in rome.
But i got to the airport, and right at the last minute i said, "shoot, i'm going home.
" Aunt bunny! Who is this divine man? Hello, aunt bunny.
Is it really bud? Funny, i thought it was rock, or maybe cary.
Yeah, mom said you were a screwball.
And she was right.
Gee, it is good to be home.
I'm so anxious to see everybody- all my old friends and all.
You picked the right day for it.
You remember the founder's day picnic? How could i forget it? The year i won the beauty pageant was what really got me started.
Well, the picnic is this afternoon.
Everyone in town will be there.
Picnic? Of course you'll come? Picnic! Bud and i have to go- i'm on the food committee, and he's the lifeguard.
Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.
This is your young old friend, ben braden, howardville's answer to arthur godfrey, bringing you the news and weather and a very special hello to you, bunny blake, wherever you are.
Bunny, please come home.
We need you, we need you, we need you oh bunny, are you all right? Bunny, what is it? Bud, call dr.
Floyd.
Bunny! I played a nurse in a movie once.
The doctor reminded me of you.
He was supposed to be a kindly, gruff old family physician.
I saw it.
The medical profession should have sued.
Uh, i was faking about being sick, i mean.
I just wanted to see you.
Well, that's flattering.
What's your diagnosis? One tired little girl.
What do you do in hollywood, anyway? Me? I glow.
Wind me, and i light up.
Turn me on and i give off incandescent sparkles.
Heck, doc, i'm a star.
Well, you've been sparkling a little too much lately.
What you need is sleep, rest, fresh air and some of hildy's good cooking.
I want you to take it a little easy for a while.
Sorry, kindly, gruff old family physician but that is impossible.
There is a producer in rome right this minute pulling out what's left of his hair wondering where i am.
Tell me his name, and i'll cable him you're sick.
But i'm not sick.
Your sister said you were in shock, that you seemed not to hear her or even to see her during that seizure.
It was a performance.
Evidently a very convincing one.
I told you, it was all an excuse to get you over here.
There's something i want to ask you.
Well? You used to be a very big deal on the founder's day committee.
Still am.
I'm the chairman.
Well, as one kindly, gruff old family friend to another would you do me a very large favor? I'll try.
Put off the picnic- postpone it to another day.
Really? You can't be serious, bunny- why? I've only got one day to spend at home.
I want it to be a plain, ordinary apple-pie kind of day- the way i remember.
I want to drop in on old friends and surprise them at home.
You can see them at the picnic.
It wouldn't be the same- there'd be crowds, new people i don't know, strangers tugging at me for autographs.
I'd be miserable.
Bunny, you can't seriously expect that an entire town is going to rearrange its plans just to suit your whim.
Doc, i love this town, and i love the people.
Would i ask them to do this for me if it weren't more than a whim? I don't know what your life is like away from here.
Perhaps in hollywood you can make an unreasonable request and your caprice is gratified.
But this isn't hollywood.
Now, i'm going to give you something that will help you rest.
"Ring-a-ding girl" but she don't fool cyrus gentry.
Miss high and mighty coming back here like she was somebody special.
Well, youare special- right now.
Maybe the most special person howardville will ever have.
So, bunny blake help us oh, bunny i have written you out excuse me, doctor.
Bunny? Bunny! Oh, hildy how's the patient? Whereisthe patient? She went upstairs.
Hildy, what's upsetting your sister? I wish i knew.
She seems to be under a severe strain, and she's acting quite irrationally.
Now, you have this prescription filled out.
It'll relax her.
Try to keep her as quiet as possible, and by no means let her go on her own.
I'll try.
It may be may be just fatigue.
Then again well, you just call me if you need me.
Thank you, doctor.
Good-bye.
Bud? Yeah.
This is a prescription for some medicine your aunt bunny needs.
Would you get it filled right away, please? What's the matter with her? There's not a single solitary thing the matter with me, hildy.
I'm really shocked at how old dr.
Floyd is getting.
I think the poor old dear ought to put himself out to pasture.
He thinks you ought to get some rest.
Why? I'm not the least bit tired.
He's the one who needs to rest.
Did you notice how his hand trembles? He left this prescription for something to help you relax.
Now, bud's going to the drugstore to get it filled.
And while we're waiting, why don't you just lie down and try to take it easy? Mm-hmm, and i can just hear what people will say: "Bunny didn't drop in to see any of her old friends.
She's getting uppity, and she puts on airs.
" I can explain to them that you weren't feeling well.
Bobbi woodson used to be my best friend.
I've got to seeher.
And ben braden- do you remember that excruciating crush he used to have on me? Whatever happened to ben? He's still here.
He runs the television station.
Now, listen, bunny i could have married that old boy.
I've got a good mind to walk in and surprise him.
Bunny, i don't want you to leave this house.
Can't stand being cooped up in the house.
Sometimes in california when i get that closed-in feeling, you know what i do? I take off every stitch of clothes and i jump in the old swimming pool and i swim like a ring-a-ding fish.
That must be very interesting for your neighbors.
Nobody's complained so far.
Bud, want to go for a walk and say "hey" to people? Great.
The doctor wants you to rest.
He also said i needed some fresh air.
Will you at least wait until bud comes back from the drugstore with your medicine? I've got a better idea.
I'll drive to the drugstore with you.
What could be more restful than a little drive? Unless you're one of those hot rodders- are you, bud? Uh, no, no, no.
Well, i am.
Well, are you going to come with me, or are you going to stand all day talking? Sure hey ring-a-ding! Well, what do you think of her, aunt bunny? Ring-a-ding! She's real cool, but call me bunny! "Aunt bunny" sounds like the housemother at the playboy club.
Um bud, is mr.
Gentry still the caretaker over at the high school? You mean old methuselah? You'd have to blow the school up to get rid of that old bird.
Well, be an angel and stop just long enough for me to run in and say hello.
Yeah, well, hadn't we better get your medicine first? Bud, this is important.
Okay, okay.
Thank you.
So you finally got your fill of hollywood, huh? No, i like it out there.
It's not what you think.
Oh, isn't it? We heard about all those high jinks you got into out there.
Can't say i'd be proud of it.
Just what brought you back here, barbara? Coming home was an impulse.
Well, you sure picked a day for it- founder's day picnic.
Not that you'd be interested.
Oh, but i am, mr.
Gentry.
That's why i need your help.
Myhelp? I want you to unlock the doors to the school auditorium.
Now, some people may show up, and if they do, i want you to let them in.
No, i can't do that, i've got to go to the picnic.
Mr.
Gentry, i know you don't like me, but this is important- terribly important.
Always asking favors.
Always wanted to be treated like somebody special- barbara blake.
Well, barbara, maybe you forgot that these doors are open all day long.
Now, you want to come here, you walk in like anybody else.
Thank you, mr.
Gentry.
Mr.
Gentry don't go to that picnic.
Well, what do you think of the old town, bunny? It's so good, i wonder why i left it.
Why did you leave? Oh, i guess i could have stayed here and doneblithe spirit at the little theater, and played an angel at the church pageant at christmas time, but i was too ambitious and too talented.
I don't mean that the way it sounded, but i just knew i had a talent, and i had to find a place to let it grow.
Otherwise, it would have died.
And i would have ended up a frustrated woman pushing a broom around a house i hated and screaming at a brood of children i couldn't stand.
Can you understand that, bud? Yeah.
Yeah, i can understand that, bunny.
Oh, here's your prescription.
You want to go home? Um the television station's still down the street? Yeah, right over there.
Mm-hmm, well, i'll be back.
Hello? No, i don't have it on.
She is? Well, yes, of course i knew she was in town, but i she's supposed to be at the drugstore with bud.
All right, clara.
I'll call you later.
And i can't tell you how exciting it is to be home again.
Well, are you gonna be with us for a nice, long visit, bunny? I have to leave tonight- i'm starting a new picture in rome.
Oh, that's too bad.
A lot of your friends won't get to see you.
They can if they really want to.
Remember that one-woman show i did in las vegas last winter? We read about it.
Well, i'm putting it on this afternoon in the high school auditorium, and i want everybody in town to come as my guest.
You know, everybody here at home has always been so nice to me.
It's kind of a token of my appreciation.
Looks like we've got a conflict- the founder's day picnic starts this afternoon.
Well, all i've got to say is, folks have a choice of coming to see me at 3:00 or going to riverside park and getting bit by a bunch of ants.
I don't know anything about it.
I thought she was down at the drugstore, and the next thing i know, here she is on tv.
Oh, i don't know which i'll go to.
The way i feel now, i'm so ashamed i don't want to show my face anywhere.
I'll call you back.
Bunny? I'm trying very hard not to get angry with you, because i think you have lost your mind.
Ooh, buddy boy, i told you there'd be an explosion.
Bud, you may be excused.
This is nothing to joke about.
Half a dozen people have called me already.
Well, what do they say? Well, they-they're confused.
They want to know whether to go to the founder's day picnic or thisthing you're putting on at the high school.
Bunny, what are you trying to do? I owe this town something, hildy.
It's just my way of paying off a debt.
Well, it doesn't look like that.
You look like a show-off- a big hollywood celebrity who's trying to impress a lot of small-town hicks.
Sis, let's not fight.
Well i can't condone what you're doing.
I think it's best that bud and i show up at the picnic.
Is that howardville down there, bunny? That flyspeck next to the river? Is that the place you want to go back to? Forget it, bunny.
Hildy? Oh, honey, if this performance means so much to you, we'll be there.
Bunny, we're late.
Oh, one thing for sure.
They can't start the show until i get there.
Bud? Bud? Bud, we're waiting.
I can't find my blue tie.
Well, wear another one.
We're late.
You'd better fire your weatherman.
Bud, hurry! I'm coming! Remember when we used to lie in bed on rainy nights and call to each other when we were kids? Fun, wasn't it, being kids? It was very good.
Looks like it's starting to rain a little.
We'll just have to brave it.
I've got an audience waiting.
I'll get some raincoats.
Oh, no, sis- you're going in style.
Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking.
We're running into a little rough weather, so fasten your seat belts, please.
It might be a little bumpy.
It's going to get rough.
Scared, honey? Natch isn't everyone? What was that for? Hildy yes? Thank you.
For what? Just for being my sister.
Holy cow, listen to that! Fire engines and ambulances! Turn on the radio.
Good-bye, hildy.
Good afternoon, and welcome to the 3:00 edition hello? Yes, what is it? Yes, jim.
I'm out at the park.
I thought you ought to know.
Know what, jim? It's terrible, hildy, horrible.
I've never seen anything like it.
Jim, will you please tell me what you're talking about? The plane crash- happened just a few minutes ago.
What crash? Passenger jet, l.
a.
To new york.
That storm just-just tore it apart.
It landed right in the middle of the picnic grounds.
Hildy your sister, bunny bunny's dead, hildy.
Dead? Why, that's crazy.
She was a passenger on that plane.
She and another woman were sitting right next to each other.
I just i just saw them.
Jim, my sister is right here now.
I saw the body, hildy.
Bunny blake is dead.
I'm sorry i have to be the one to tell you, but while governor nathan has requested federal aid bunny? Bunny! Bunny! Howardville was rocked today bunny! By news of a transcontinental jet air bunny, where are you? 87 passengers and crew.
The crash occurred bunny? Bunny! Bunny, where are you?! most of the local citizens had planned to join the annual founder's day celebration.
A disaster of major proportions was averted by the fact that most of the citizens in town are safe at this moment attending an announced performance by our local celebrity, bunny blake.
How many more would have died had they attended the picnic? Fortunately for them, howardville chose to see bunny blake.
Eyewitnesses at the scene of the crash say bunny was a passenger aboard the ill-fated plane.
But other witnesses have sworn she was here in howardville this afternoon visiting her sister.
Until the mystery is unraveled only one thing is certain: Bunny blake is dead.
Meanwhile, local citizens are asked to stay away from the area.
All howardville fire engine companies are at the scene.
Police have blocked the founder's day picnic grounds, and we repeat, local citizens are asked to avoid the area.
Names of the victims are being withheld, pending identification we are all travelers.
The trip starts in a place called birth and ends in that lonely town called death.
And that's the end of the journey, unless you happen to exist for a few hours, like bunny blake in the misty regions of the twilight zone.