The Twilight Zone (1959) s05e21 Episode Script

Spur of the Moment

(theme 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.
(birds chirping) ? ? (screeching): ANNE! ANNE! ANNE! WAIT! ANNE! THIS IS THE FACE OF TERROR.
ANNE MARIE HENDERSON, HER YOUNG EXISTENCE SUDDENLY MARRED BY A SAVAGE AND WHOLLY UNANTICIPATED PURSUIT BY A STRANGE, NIGHTMARISH FIGURE OF A WOMAN IN BLACK WHO HAS APPEARED AS IF FROM NOWHERE AND NOW, AT DRIVING GALLOP, CHASES THE TERRIFIED GIRL ACROSS THE COUNTRYSIDE AS IF SHE MEANS TO RIDE HER DOWN AND KILL HER, AND THEN SUDDENLY AND INEXPLICABLY STOPS TO WATCH IN MALIGNANT SILENCE AS HER PREY TAKES FLIGHT.
MISS HENDERSON HAS NO IDEA WHATEVER AS TO THE MOTIVE FOR THIS PURSUIT, WORSE, NOT THE VAGUEST NOTION REGARDING THE IDENTITY OF HER PURSUER.
SOON ENOUGH, SHE WILL BE GIVEN THE SOLUTION TO THIS TWOFOLD MYSTERY, BUT IN A MANNER FAR BEYOND HER PRESENT CAPACITY TO UNDERSTAND, A MANNER ENIGMATICALLY BIZARRE IN TERMS OF TIME AND SPACE-- WHICH IS TO SAY, AN ANSWER FROM THE TWILIGHT ZONE.
WHAT IN THE NAME OF WHAT IS IT? ANNE JUST CAME RIDING BACK AS THOUGH THE DEVIL HIMSELF WERE CHASING HER.
REALLY? I WONDER WHAT'S WRONG.
ANNE? ANNE, HONEY.
BOB.
(Anne crying) WHAT HAPPENED? WHAT IS IT? WHAT IS IT? WHAT IS IT? WHAT HAPPENED? ANNE.
WHAT HAPPENED? TAKE IT EASY.
TRY TO GET YOUR BREATH.
TAKE A DEEP BREATH, ANNE, AND TELL US.
WHAT HAPPENED, ANNE? THERE WAS A WOMAN OUT THERE.
WOMAN? WHO? WHAT WOMAN? I DON'T KNOW.
I DON'T KNOW, I NEVER SAW HER BEFORE.
WELL, WHAT DID SHE DO? ANNE.
SHE CHASED ME.
CHASED YOU? SHE SHE WAS ON HORSEBACK TAKE IT EASY, TAKE IT EASY.
AND SHE CHASED ME.
SHE TRIED TO CUT ME OFF AND RUN ME DOWN.
ALL RIGHT.
I THINK IF SHE CAUGHT ME SHE WOULD HAVE KILLED ME.
WHAT? ANNE! OH, GOD, THE WAY SHE LOOKED AT ME.
WHERE WAS THIS, ANNE? I DON'T KNOW.
TRY TO REMEMBER.
JOHN, HADN'T YOU BETTER GET ON THE PHONE, GET SOMEBODY TO LOOK FOR HER? OUT IN THE MEADOW? NEAR THE HILLS? DADDY.
ALL RIGHT, I'LL TAKE CARE OF IT.
IT'S OVER NOW, BABY.
EVERYTHING'S GOING TO BE ALL RIGHT.
DARLING, WHAT A FRIGHT YOU MUST HAVE HAD.
COME ON, NOW.
NOW IT'S ALL RIGHT.
GET YOUR BREATH.
TAKE THE GARDENER WITH YOU, YOU MAY NEED HELP.
YES, WHEN YOU FIND HER, BRING HER TO THE HOUSE IMMEDIATELY.
IMMEDIATELY! I WAS SO FRIGHTENED.
SHE JUST RODE AT ME WITH SUCH A LOOK OF HATRED.
BUT YOU'D NEVER SEEN HER BEFORE? NO.
GET THE POLICE.
IT WAS JUST UNEXPECTED.
ONE SECOND, I'M ALL ALONE AND THEN, I LOOK UP AND THERE SHE IS ON THIS HILL, GLARING DOWN AT ME.
THEN SHE STARTED DOWN THAT HILL WHIPPING THAT HORSE AND SCREAMING AT ME.
DARLING, YOU DON'T HAVE TO TELL US ANY MORE.
TRY TO FORGET.
I CAN'T FORGET.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND-- WHO IS SHE? WHY WAS SHE CHASING ME? WE'LL FIND OUT.
YOUR FATHER'S CALLING THE POLICE.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE SHE CAME FROM.
WAS IT A WARNING? A WARNING? ARE YOU TELLING US EVERYTHING? YOU'RE SURE SHE WASN'T CARRYING A SIGN THAT READ: "CANCEL THAT ENGAGEMENT PARTY.
"DON'T MARRY THAT INVESTMENT BROKER.
YOURS TRULY, FATE.
" THAT'S NOT FUNNY, BOB.
I'M SORRY, I WAS ONLY TRYING TO CHEER YOU UP.
THANK YOU.
ALL SET.
WE'LL FIND HER.
FEELING BETTER? YES, DADDY.
GOOD.
CAN'T HAVE A RED-EYED FIANCEE AT THE PARTY TONIGHT.
CERTAINLY NOT.
TELL US ABOUT THIS WOMAN YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHO SHE IS? NO, DADDY.
MAYBE SHE HAVE RIDDEN ONTO OUR PROPERTY BY MISTAKE.
MISTAKE? THAT'S RIGHT, MRS.
HENDERSON.
IF SHE'D RIDDEN HERE BY MISTAKE WHY SHOULD SHE ATTACK ANNE? DID SHE SAY ANYTHING TO YOU? SHE JUST KEPT SCREAMING AT ME BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT SHE WAS SAYING.
I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND HER.
ALL I KNOW IS THAT SHE WANTED TO KILL ME.
NOW, YOU'RE JUST ASSUMING THAT, HONEY.
NO, SHE WANTED TO KILL ME, BOB.
(doorbell rings) I DOUBT IF SHE FOLLOWED YOU HOME.
WHAT IF SHE DID? LET'S HOPE SHE DID.
SAVE US THE TROUBLE OF LOOKING FOR HER.
WHERE EXACTLY DID THIS HAPPEN? (doorbell rings) ANNE? DADDY, AREN'T YOU GOING TO LOOK? WHOEVER IT IS, REYNOLDS WILL LET THEM IN.
I KNOW THAT, BUT COME ON, BABY, WHERE DID THIS HAPPEN? LOOK, I TOLD YOU, DADDY, ON THE MEADOW NEAR THE HILL.
PLEASE.
Reynolds: YES, MR.
MITCHELL? Mitchell: I SAID THAT I WANT TO SEE MISS HENDERSON.
Reynolds: I'M SORRY, SIR THAT'S NO MYSTERIOUS WOMAN, I'M AFRAID, UNLESS SHE'S A BARITONE.
SOUNDS LIKE (men arguing) Mitchell: I DON'T CARE ABOUT THAT, I WANT TO TALK TO HER.
DAVID.
I'LL TAKE CARE OF THIS.
DADDY? OH, DEAR, I THOUGHT THAT WAS ALL ENDED.
IT IS, MOTHER, I DIDN'T ANNE.
NOW, ANNE, YOU KEEP AWAY FROM HIM.
(men arguing) I WILL, MOTHER.
I WANT TO TALK TO HER, NOW GET OUT OF MY WAY.
MR.
MITCHELL, YOU ARE NOT AT LIBERTY REYNOLDS, I'LL TAKE CARE OF THIS.
YOU'RE NOT WELCOME IN THIS HOUSE, MR.
MITCHELL.
I CAME TO SEE ANNE.
SHE DOESN'T CARE TO SEE YOU.
YOU'RE MAKING ALL HER DECISIONS NOW? WOULD YOU PREFER THAT I CALL THE POLICE.
CALL WHO YOU WILL, I'M HERE TO SEE ANNE.
WHAT WILL CONVINCE YOU, PROSECUTION? JUST A FEW WORDS FROM YOUR DAUGHTER.
HEAR THEM, THEN IF THAT'S THE ONLY WAY WE CAN BE RID OF YOU.
ANNE, IT IS OVER BETWEEN YOU AND HIM, ISN'T IT? YES, I JUST DON'T WANT TO TALK TO HIM THAT'S ALL.
IT'S NOT TOO LATE.
DAVID, PLEASE.
ANNE, IT'S NOT TOO LATE.
ONLY A BLIND MAN COULD BELIEVE THAT.
I WASN'T TALKING TO YOU.
THAT'S RIGHT, I WAS TALKING TO YOU.
TELL ME YOU DON'T LOVE ME AND I'LL GO.
TELL ME! DAVID.
HER SILENCE IS YOUR ANSWER.
ARE YOU CONVINCED NOW? I SAID, FROM YOUR DAUGHTER.
I'M GIVING YOU ONE MINUTE TO FINISH YOUR LITTLE DIATRIBE.
THEN, IF YOU DO NOT LEAVE IMMEDIATELY-- IMMEDIATELY,MR.
MITCHELL-- YOU'LL BE REMOVED BY FORCE AND THROWN INTO JAIL FOR ILLEGAL ENTRY.
ANNE, LOOK AT ME.
I'VE LOVE, ANNE.
DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG I'VE LOVED YOU? ALL OUR LIVES, ANNE, ALL OUR LIVES.
YOU'D THROW IT AWAY FOR HIM? HE DOESN'T EVEN KNOW YOU, ANNE.
WE BELONG TOGETHER, ANNE.
WE BELONG TOGETHER, YOU KNOW THAT.
DON'T LET YOUR FATHER FORCE YOU INTO THIS.
DON'T MAKE THIS MISTAKE WITH YOUR LIFE.
BREAK YOUR ENGAGEMENT.
I CAN'T, DAVID.
YOU BROKE OURS.
PLEASE, ANNE, PLEASE, MARRY ME.
WE ALWAYS KNEW WE'D BE MARRIED, EVEN WHEN WE WERE KIDS, WE KNEW IT.
YOU BELONG WITH ME, ANNE.
PLEASE, DON'T.
John: TIME, MR.
MITCHELL.
GET OUT.
I'M NOT THROUGH YET.
YOU'RE THROUGH.
ANNE, PLEASE ANNE DAVID, PLEASE HOLD STEADY, MR.
MITCHELL.
DADDY, NO.
John: EASY.
I THINK YOU'LL GO NOW.
DON'T THINK THAT I WON'T USE THIS.
ON THE CONTRARY.
DADDY, PLEASE, PLEASE DON'T HURT HIM.
IS THIS WHAT YOU WANT? YOUR FATHER TO BREAK US UP AT THE POINT OF A GUN? ANNE MITCHELL! PLEASE, ANNE, PLEASE.
(whimpering) NOW YOU'LL HAVE THE COMMON COURTESY AND SENSE TO LEAVE THIS HOUSE.
(sighs) YOU KNOW, I ALMOST FEEL SORRY FOR HIM.
BUT NOT QUITE, HMM? NOT QUITE.
A GOOD STIFF DRINK IS IN ORDER.
AMEN.
ANNE? ANNE? WHAT? THAT LAWYER PHONED AGAIN.
DID YOU HEAR ME? I SAID, THAT LAWYER PHONED AGAIN.
I COULDN'T CARE LESS.
WILL THAT HELP? YES, IT'LL HELP IF I DRINK ENOUGH OF IT.
AMBROSIA.
THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE THE HOUSE AWAY FROM US, ANNE.
ARE THEY REALLY? YES.
WELL THEY CAN HAVE IT.
THAT'S ALL IT MEANS TO YOU? THAT'S ALL.
THE HOME YOU WERE RAISED IN.
RAISED? YOU MEAN LOWERED.
SPOILED, SQUEEZED TO DEATH WITH A VELVET GLOVE.
ARE WE STARTING THAT AGAIN? WE STARTED IT THE DAY I WAS BORN.
YOU, ME, AND DADDY, DEAR DADDY.
I WON'T HEAR YOU DEBASE HIS MEMORY.
(gasps) DEBASE HIS MEMORY-- HOW CORNBALL CAN YOU GET? HOW DARE YOU HOW DARE YOU! HOW DARE YOU TALK LIKE THAT ABOUT YOUR OWN FATHER WHO GAVE YOU EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING.
THAT'S RIGHT, GAVEME EVERYTHING.
I NEVER HAD TO EARN A BIT OF IT.
I DIDN'T HAVE TO WORK FOR ANYTHING.
NEVER HAD TO BOTHER ACQUIRING SUCH USELESS TRAITS AS JUDGEMENT, DISCRIMINATION.
NO, WHO NEEDS THEM? CHEERS.
YOU BLAME YOUR FATHER FOR YES, I BLAME MY FATHER.
OH, HE WAS STRONG, WASN'T HE? STRONG, SO EFFICIENT, SO METICULOUS AND I WAS HIS BABY.
AND I WAS HIS BABY WITH ALL THE KEEN INSIGHTS OF A BABY.
ALL THE CAPACITY TO UNDERSTAND, THE ABILITY TO JUDGE.
SO I MADE A MISTAKE A LITTLE MISTAKE JUST ENOUGH TO RUIN MY LIFE.
ANNE, DON'T.
AH, HOW WONDERFUL.
I AM FINALLY BEING DISCIPLINED AT THE AGE OF 43.
WHAT ABOUT THE HOUSE, ANNE? I DON'T CARE ABOUT THE HOUSE.
I CARE.
THAT'S YOUR MISFORTUNE AND NONE OF MY OWN.
YOU KNOW WHAT I SAW TODAY? DO YOU? I DON'T KNOW.
I SAW A GHOST, MOTHER MY OWN.
WHAT? INTRIGUING, ISN'T IT? TO BE HAUNTED BY ONE'S OWN SELF.
POSITIVELY INTRIGUING.
WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? I'M TALKING ABOUT GHOSTS, MOTHER.
PHANTOMS, VISITATIONS.
REMINDERS FROM THE PAST AND THE FUTURE.
I WENT OUT RIDING TODAY.
OUT WHERE I USUALLY GO, BEYOND THE MEADOW.
I WAS ON A RIDGE AND I SAW THIS YOUNG GIRL RIDE TOWARD ME.
ME.
ME, MOTHER AS I LOOKED AT 18.
DO YOU REMEMBER? THE DAY OF MY ENGAGEMENT PARTY? DO YOU? JUNE 13, 1939.
I EVEN REMEMBER THE DATE.
REMEMBER HOW I CAME IN TERRIFIED BECAUSE SOME WOMAN HAD ATTACKED ME AND DADDY, DEAR DADDY HAD THEM SEARCH FOR HER IN VAIN.
WELL, I WAS THAT WOMAN, MOTHER.
(laughs): IAMTHAT WOMAN.
AND YOU WANT TO KNOW SOMETHING FUNNY, SOMETHING MARVELOUSLY FUNNY? THAT'S NOT THE ONLY TIME I'VE SEEN HER.
BIZARRE, ISN'T IT? I KEEP SEEING HER AGAIN AND AGAIN.
KEEP SEEING MYSELF AGAIN AND AGAIN ON THAT DAY, THAT ONE PARTICULAR DAY.
YOU KNOW THE EXPRESSION "GO CHASE YOURSELF"? WELL, THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN DOING-- CHASING MYSELF.
DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT ROBERT SAID TO ME THAT DAY? "MAYBE IT'S A WARNING," HE SAID.
HE THOUGHT HE WAS JOKING.
WELL, IT WAS A WARNING.
I WAS WARNING MYSELF NOT TO MARRY THE WRONG MAN.
BUT I MARRIED HIM ANYWAY, DIDN'T I? AND NOW I HAVE PAID THE PRICE.
I HAVE BECOME THAT GROTESQUE PHANTOM THAT FRIGHTENED THAT POOR CHILDLIKE GIRL HALF TO DEATH 25 YEARS AGO.
A STERILE, ALCOHOLIC PHANTOM MARRIED TO A MAN WHO'S RUN THIS ESTATE INTO RUIN.
IF ONLY I HAD KNOWN I WAS BEING WARNED.
WARNED ABOUT WHAT? HUH? NO ANSWER FOR YOUR LOVING HUSBAND? HUH? SHE SHE'S TURNED HER BACK ON ME.
I WONDER WHAT THIS SIGNIFIES.
LACK OF RESPECT? YOU MIGHT HAVE THE COURTESY JUST ONCE WOULD YOU WOULD YOU GET OUT? DO I HAVE TO DRAW YOU A MAP? GET OUT OF HERE, GET OUT! TWO MINDS BUT WITH A SINGLE THOUGHT: ALCOHOLIC DISSOLUTION.
YOU'VE NOT FAR TO GO.
DISRESPECT? IT'S DISRESPECT, MY GIRL.
CAN'T HAVE THAT, YOU KNOW.
NOW THAT YOUR OLD DADDY'S GONE AND BURIED I'M THE MAN OF THE HOUSE NOW.
MAN?MAN? (laughs jeeringly) THAT'S RIGHT, MY DARLING.
SWEETHEART, LOVELY.
MAN, AND YOU MUST LOOK UP TO ME WITH RESPECT.
YOU CAN GO TO THE DEVIL.
NOW, WE MUST HAVE RESPECT.
WE MUST HAVE A LITTLE RESPECT.
AFTER ALL, I AM YOUR ADORED ONE.
YOUR TRUE LOVE YOUR, UH TRUE LOVE, YOUR ADORED ONE.
ANNE? ARE YOU ALL RIGHT? MM-HMM.
I SAW YOU GO OUT AND I THOUGHT MAYBE YOU DIDN'T FEEL WELL.
OH, I'M FINE.
LOVELY NIGHT.
YES, IT IS.
ARE YOU WARM ENOUGH? MM-HMM.
YOUR FATHER THROWS QUITE A PARTY.
YES, HE DOES.
HE'S REALLY IN A MARVELOUS MOOD.
OH, DADDY'S ALWAYS IN A GOOD MOOD WHEN HE GETS HIS WAY.
WHAT? NOTHING.
YOU KNOW, I THINK I AM A BIT CHILLY.
DO YOU SUPPOSE YOU COULD GET, UH, SOMETHING TO PUT OVER MY SHOULDERS? OF COURSE.
(both laughing) OH, OH, DAVID! OH, ANNE, ANNE, I LOVE YOU.
I LOVE YOU, COME AWAY WITH ME.
OH, DAVID, DAVID, I WANT TO NOW, ANNE, NOW, DECIDE! THERE'S NO MORE TIME.
OH, DAVID, YOU ARE MY TRUE LOVE.
MY ADORED ONE, MAKE ME HAPPY PLEASE, MAKE ME HAPPY.
OH, I WILL, I WILL, I WILL.
OH, ANNE.
ANNE I LOVE YOU.
I LOVE YOU, COME AWAY WITH ME.
(shrieking): ANNE! (wailing): ANNE! WAIT! COME BACK! THIS IS THE FACE OF TERROR.
ANNE MARIE MITCHELL, HER DESOLATE EXISTENCE ONCE MORE AFFLICTED BY THE HOPE OF ALTERING HER PAST MISTAKE-- A HOPE WHICH IS UNFORTUNATELY DOOMED TO DISAPPOINTMENT.
FOR WARNINGS FROM THE FUTURE TO THE PAST MUST BE TAKEN IN THE PAST.
TODAY MAY CHANGE TOMORROW BUT ONCE TODAY IS GONE TOMORROW CAN ONLY LOOK BACK IN SORROW THAT THE WARNING WAS IGNORED.
SAID WARNING AS OF NOW STAMPED "NOT ACCEPTED" AND STORED AWAY IN THE DEAD FILE IN THE RECORDING OFFICE OF THE TWILIGHT ZONE.

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