**possible spoilers**
Just heard that Anne Francis passed away on January 2nd, 2011. So sad. Ms Francis shines in this wonderful and unusual episode of the original Twilight Zone. Having seen almost the entire series, this has always been high up among my most favorite of all the episodes. There's something just unique about it in all the episodes, perhaps because it is told almost entirely through hint and innuendo, atmosphere and lighting. Very little is revealed in the dialogue. Instead, this is a very visual story, e.g. the elevator arrow going to the ninth floor (which probably existed but appears to be just storage, hence there should not be any "saleslady" there), the lighting, the realistic use of shadows, the facial expressions of the actors. The clues are all there if you just look for them. Almost any of us would be scared to find ourselves locked in a dept. store or bank or just about anywhere, alone, "after hours". What stands out in this story is empathy. Think "Pinocchio". He was made of wood but dreamed of being a "real" boy. Similarly, we can all feel some empathy for these characters. Worth noting, bears some similarity to another TZ episode, "Five Characters in Search of an Exit".
Just heard that Anne Francis passed away on January 2nd, 2011. So sad. Ms Francis shines in this wonderful and unusual episode of the original Twilight Zone. Having seen almost the entire series, this has always been high up among my most favorite of all the episodes. There's something just unique about it in all the episodes, perhaps because it is told almost entirely through hint and innuendo, atmosphere and lighting. Very little is revealed in the dialogue. Instead, this is a very visual story, e.g. the elevator arrow going to the ninth floor (which probably existed but appears to be just storage, hence there should not be any "saleslady" there), the lighting, the realistic use of shadows, the facial expressions of the actors. The clues are all there if you just look for them. Almost any of us would be scared to find ourselves locked in a dept. store or bank or just about anywhere, alone, "after hours". What stands out in this story is empathy. Think "Pinocchio". He was made of wood but dreamed of being a "real" boy. Similarly, we can all feel some empathy for these characters. Worth noting, bears some similarity to another TZ episode, "Five Characters in Search of an Exit".