Original subtitles

( music playing )

NARRATOR: Starring tonight,,,

Robert F, Lyons,

Susan Strasberg,

and Glenn Corbett,

A most cordial welcome

to this nocturnal arcade

featuring canvasses

that are sometimes

a bit on the peculiar side,

sometimes uncommon,

sometimes a few frescos

of the freakish,

Tonight's first selection,

a painting

suggesting solitude,

or at least solemnity,

As viewed

during the midnight hour,

it tells a tale

of two young people

caught inexorably

in a recurring nightmare,

with a finale

on the jolting side,

Our painting with the somewhat

familiar face

is called

"Midnight Never Ends"

and this is the Night Gallery,

( music playing )

Do you want a ride

or don't you?

Yes ma'am,

Going to Los Angeles?

Do you live there?

I asked if you live there?

No,

Visiting?

Vacation?

( whistling melody )

What's that tune

you're whistling?

It's part of a song, why?

It's been running over

and over in my head

and I can't think

of the name of it,

Oh, I don't think so,

I just wrote

that song this evening,

That's impossible,

Why? Because

I'm in this uniform?

This is only temporary,

Well, I like to write songs,

Just as soon as I get out,

What?

Get out, what?

I don't know,

Hey, has that ever

happened to you before?

I mean--I mean sometimes

I know exactly

what's gonna happen

when I shouldn't,

And then

when I should at least

have an idea, nothing,

It's like I've got

a complete wipe-out,

You take tomorrow,,,

I don't know if it's even

going to come or not,

But standing out there

in the dark,

I knew it would be you

picking me up, Ruth,

How did you know

my name was Ruth?

VINCENT: That's what

I've been telling you,

It's like I've lived

all of this before,

Yeah, I'm sure of it,

That's why you know

my name too,

Vincent,

Vincent Riley,

VINCENT: Give that lady

a big fat cigar,

No, we must have met

somewhere else,

Where?

I don't remember,

Try, Tell me some of the places

that you've been,

I think I--

I remember being

in Hong Kong,

Hong Kong?

Hong Kong, what were you

doing there?

RUTH: Don't laugh, I--

I think I was a spy,

VINCENT: Hmm, that's--

that's beautiful,

I wish I knew you as a spy,

Only if you were,

I wouldn't know it,

would I?

Not if you were a good spy,

Besides, I don't think

I've even been

to Hong Kong,

Were you ever in Dodge City?

I mean the old Dodge City

with Wyatt Earp

- and Doc Holliday,

- RUTH: ( laughs )

VINCENT: Hey,

Come on, I didn't laugh at you,

I'm sorry,

Well, I was there,

Sometime, I think, some,,,

I'm so tired of driving,

A new song?

It's all a trick or--or ESP,

You probably do magic

and get people up on stage

and hypnotize them,

There's a place,

a little ways up the road,

A place for what?

You were supposed to ask me

if I knew some place

where we could stop for coffee,

Maybe that's why

we have to keep doing this

over and over

until we get it right,

It'll be closed,

But we get him

to open up,

A big fat man,

playing solitaire,

He's gruff,

He didn't like us,

The Blue Danube Cafe,

Let's not stop,

You've got the wheel,

It's still open,

What are we waiting for?

Let's go inside,

Another mistake,

Wonder if we'll have

to start again?

I guess not,

What are you doing with that?

I didn't know I had it,

It changes a little each time,

He's not sure what he wants,

Who?

Whoever is playing

with our lives,

( wind-blown objects clatter )

( clattering continues )

( clatter stops )

Maybe he won't let us in,

Like maybe he has a choice?

( knocks on door )

Closed!

VINCENT: We want some coffee,

I can afford

to lose the business,

VINCENT: Come on,

give us a break,

That's just what

I'd like to give you,

You read English?

What, 6:00 AM to midnight

ain't enough hours for me?

It's not midnight yet,

Are you telling me?

Take a look at that clock there,

All right, What now?

Are you telling me?

Take a look at that clock there,

All right, come in,

but just coffee,

What do you want to bet

he cheats?

Black eight,,,

on a black nine,

She's right,

That's 20 cents,

Keep it,

You kids got it too easy,

Are you sure

you're in the marines?

According to this uniform,

The uniform

doesn't mean a thing,

I got hippies coming in here

all day wearing the uniforms,

They get them at the surplus,

It's disgrace to the country,

I can remember

when I was--

when I was,,,

When you were what?

When I,,,

Welcome to the family,

Family?

What family?

You two are hippies, ain't you?

Hippies?

Bateman?

Your name is Joe Bateman,

isn't it?

You better drink your coffee up

and get out of here,

You only got

a couple more minutes,

We all only have

a couple of more minutes,

Yeah, it's all

coming back, Ruth,

Who's coming back?

What are you two freaks

talking about?

Someone else joins us,

Uninvited,

If you think another member

of your family is coming,,,

Policeman,

Sheriff, sees the door open,

Another mistake,

Sheriff,

sees the door open,

Comes in to check,

Are you two

running from the cops?

( tapping noises )

( car approaches )

Right on cue,

( tapping continues )

( tapping )

What's that noise?

Air conditioner, furnace?

No,

I think--

I know what it is,

Hey, who are you two?

Puppets,

Do you know 'em, Joe?

Never seen 'em before,

Oh sure, you have Joe,

Come on, you remember,

We've all been

through this all before,

Your on some kind of trip

or something?

VINCENT: Oh, brother, am I,

We all are,

This is a trip

that never seems to end

and goes nowhere,

You got any papers?

What for?

He's not a show dog,

I wasn't talking to you,

You traveling with him?

I'm giving him a lift, yes,

Uh-hmm,

That your car outside?

It's the one I'm driving now,

What do you mean now?

Before it was,,,

a station wagon,

That's right,

Let me see

your driver's license,

I don't have one,

Car registration?

Not that I know of,

Uh-hmm,

And I supposed you don't have

any identification, either?

Oh, well, I have a guitar

and I have a notepad

with a song on it

that I wrote,

would you like to hear it?

You stay

right where you are,

When I was in the marines,

I carried a rifle, not a guitar,

When was that, Sheriff?

I--

I--

It's none of your business,

VINCENT: You can't remember

because there's nothing

up there to remember,

Are you--are you saying

I'm stupid?

VINCENT: No,

I'm saying you didn't exist

until you drove up here,

And Joe didn't exist

until we arrived here,

You really are on something,

aren't you, kid?

VINCENT: Am I?

Where were you born, Sheriff?

What's your hometown?

Your mother, your father?

VINCENT: What are their names?

How long have you been Sheriff?

And you Joe, how long

have you owned this place?

RUTH: How many people

did you serve today?

What was the blue plate special?

I don't know,

Because we don't exist,

none of us,

Somebody's formed us

with chicken wire,

They've hung on some ears

and lips and skin--

the whole works,

Except an ability

to choose our own destinies,

( tapping )

I know what it is now,

I'm sure of it,

And my destiny,

for what it's worth,

is to leave here,

You go when I tell you to,

No, not you, Sheriff,

someone else,

Someone who doesn't know

his job very well,

Someone who doesn't really know

what to do with us--

and that's why we have

to keep doing this

over and over,

Now you stay

right where you are,

Vince,

VINCENT: I really don't

have any choice, Ruth,

I have to try,

Now, you take one more step,,,

Any way I can,

because that's the way,,,

( gunshot )

,,,someone wants it to be,

( tapping )

( typewriter keys tapping )

RUTH: Why did you

give her a gun?

Well, I'm really not sure,

Maybe she killed someone

and she's running away,

RUTH: I thought writers knew

before they started out

where they were going,

Well, just the good ones,

darling,

RUTH: Ruth seems familiar to me,

Should she be?

Well, she's from

an old play that I wrote,

Uh,,,

it's about a spy from Hong Kong,

RUTH: And the marine?

From a TV Western,

Guitar and all,

Well, it's back

to the battlefield,

RUTH: You know

who I think Ruth killed?

Her husband,,,

because he left her alone

too many nights,

Good night, love,

Do you want a ride

or don't you?

Yes, ma'am,

( thunder rumbling )

Going to Los Angeles?

There's something

rather remarkable

in the scope of imagination,

peculiar to children,

They project and dream

and fantasize

with beauty and simplicity

and faith

in a manner

that somehow eludes us

as we grow older,

This is Brenda

and Brenda has playmate,

It comes to her in part

because of loneliness,

and what I wish for you

is that you never get

that lonely,

( making growling noises )

No, Brenda, no!

( gasps )

Oh, you're so mean!

Why are you so nasty,

so mean?!

Why Frances Anne,

I thought

you never spoke to me?

What have I done

to deserve this honor?

You know what you did!

You did it on purpose!

Did I do that? Did I?

I'm sorry, honest, I am,

But maybe you oughtn't to stick

your stupid stuff

in everybody's way,

It wasn't in your way,

- You went out of your way!

- Now, don't be silly, Frances,

Why would anybody do that?

Come on,

be my friend,

We can go to the old pit

and look for fossils,

FRANCES ANNE: Nobody on this

island wants to be your friend

and nobody wants to be around

that rotten old pit!

Well, I'd rather be around

something rotten

than have a friend like you,

( growling )

Here I am,

Can you see me?

Can't catch me,

I bet you can't,

BRENDA: Hello,

You can't get out, can you?

( laughing )

BRENDA: No,

No, you can't get out,

I just think you better

just stay there,

( laughs )

Now, the first thing

in the morning,

you will march over

to Frances Anne's

and you will apologize

to her mother and father,

do you hear me?

For kicking over

some stupid old sand piles?

No,

For deliberate

and malicious mischief,

Do you ever wonder, Brenda,

when you do things like this

why the other kids

on the island

won't have anything

to do with you?

No,

You don't wonder?

I mean, I know why they don't,

Six other families

on this island,

you've managed to alienate

every other kid on the island,

And finally, Frances Anne,

But you will apologize

to her mother and father,

Okay, okay,

Her mother and father like me,

Well, they really don't, Brenda,

They like your manners

and your politeness

because your mother and I

taught you

those good manners

and that politeness,

Now, nobody likes

a little girl who goes around

doing bad things,

Even when I apologize?

That doesn't alter the badness,

Now, doing something good

doesn't make the bad

any better,

Well, what does

make bad any better?

RICHARD: Nothing,

They are two, separate

and distinct things,

I've told you that,

About the doors,

The doors, yes,

In each of us,

there are two separate

and distinct doors,

Behind the first,

good is waiting,

Behind the second,,,

Evil,

RICHARD: Yes,

Now, neither one can get in

and neither one can live

unless you let it in,

unless you open the doors,

And the choice is always yours,

But, how do you know

the difference

when the doors are closed?

That'll be enough

of your smart mouth

for one afternoon,

On your way up to your room,

you can remove

your place setting

from the dinner table

since you won't be having

dinner with us at all,

- Oh, that's all right,

- It's not all right!

I'll decide what's

right and wrong!

Now, get in the house!

BRENDA: Hello,

How are you?

I don't like you,

Why not?

( laughs )

( growls )

( laughs )

RICHARD: Brenda?

What are you doing in there?

Go to sleep,

Very well, Brenda,

We accept your apology,

Don't we, Frances Anne?

Oh, I guess so,

I accept your apology,

Thank you, Frances Anne,

Hey, would you like

to see what I found?

FRANCES: I have to help

with the housework,

BRENDA: Oh, come on, won't you

let her off, Mrs, Emsden?

Just for a little while,

just so she could see

what I found,

What did you find, Brenda?

- It's something funny,

- ELIZABETH: Funny?

Well, it's kind of queer,

Can't she come?

I'll leave that entirely up

to Frances Anne,

Oh, come on,

It's all right with your mother,

And it's more fun

that housework,

- Just come and see it,

- FRANCES: I like housework,

And I don't want to see it,

It isn't anything anyway,

It is, too,

I don't care,

Whatever it is,

I'm just not interested,

BRENDA:

But you'd like it, really,

Brenda, Frances Anne's told you

she is not interested,

Well, it seems to me

you've had your answer,

Oh, all right,

But you really don't know

what you're missing,

( waves crashing )

Hello,

I knew you'd still be here,

Are you a man?

I don't think you're a man,

not like any other man,

You're not like my father

or anyone like that,

Where did you come from?

Did you come from the island

off the mainland?

Did you come that night

when the tide was so low

you could walk across it,

where all that gummy,

scummy stuff

is on at the bottom?

Did you come then?

Did you come on purpose?

I don't think

you came on purpose,

I think you came by accident,

Well, not so much by accident,

but I think

you're here by mistake,

And I know

why you didn't go back--

because you can't swim,

Because you would get

all drowned in the water,

You're,,,you're old,

aren't you?

Yeah,

Yeah, I think

you're very, very old,

Yeah,

I think you must've been

the way you are

for a long, long time,

What are you waiting for?

Do you wanna be born?

Come on,

Well, aren't you

gonna do anything

after all I've done for you?

Come on, hurry up

before it gets dark,

Nuh-uh, you're not

getting any closer to me,

RICHARD: Elizabeth exaggerates,

If it wasn't a tramp,

who was it?

FLORA: But nothing was taken,

only the roast chicken,

And that wasn't eaten,

it was torn to pieces,

Oh, and there was

something else,

Elizabeth said

there was some sort of

grayish slime

all over it,

She said she was going to phone

all the families on Moss Island

to lock their doors

and bolt their windows,

RICHARD: Hysterical,

FLORA: She's afraid,

RICHARD: Now, there are only

six families on the island,

and none of us went into her

kitchen and stole that chicken,

so,,,

Wait a minute,

I knew it,

I knew you were there,

I could sense it,

Now, you get back in your room,

I won't have you

crouching in the dark

and listening

behind doors,

- Do you hear me, Brenda?

- Yes, Father,

RICHARD: Flora,

call Elizabeth,,,

and tell her

to have Jim come over

and to bring his gun,

- ( Flora laughs hysterically )

- Now!

I don't know how long

I can hold it off with this!

How did it get in?

Well?

FLORA: He says that he's coming,

But he doesn't think

that the gun will do any good,

- RICHARD: Why not?

- FLORA: I don't know,

He says that

he has another plan--

- ( hysterical )

- RICHARD: Snap out of it!

FLORA: Oh, I think I'm--

I'm what you said Elizabeth--

I think I'm--I'm hysterical!

RICHARD: Flora, please!

FLORA: Don't shoot, Rick!

Now, you're going

to wake up Brenda,

I do not want her to see this,

I don't think she could survive

if she saw it,

Rick! Flora!

Where do you have that thing?

RICHARD:

It's in the front hall, Jim!

JIM: All right now,

I'm coming in the back, Flora,

Let me in,

RICHARD: Come on, let him in,

let him in,

FLORA: Ohh,

Oh, yeah,

That's the thing we saw,

It was over our place before,

It had to be the same thing,

Rick, I brought the gun

but I don't think

it's gonna help,

It's like shooting

into a pile of mud,

( Flora laughs )

Well then, what are we gonna--

what are we gonna do?

I mean, I didn't think,,,

the thing could--

Well, what are we gonna do,

Jim?!

Take it easy!

Whatever it is,

it won't like this,

Here,

- See?

- Oh,

It's working!

- Well, we can't

just drive it out

and leave it out there,

I mean,,,and we can't kill it,

can we?

What are we gonna do, Jim?

One step at a time, Rick,

Flora, call the other men

and send them down

to the old pit,

- Up high?

- Go ahead, go,

RICHARD: Come on,

RICHARD: No, no,

Don't get too close, Jim,

JIM: Fine,

Yeah,

- All right, out,

- RICHARD: Jim,

- Don't get too close,

- JIM: Keep 'em up by his head,

All right, all right,

- Get down,

- RICHARD: No, Jim, too close,

RICHARD: Come on, Jim,

He's moving,

In the eyes still!

Get back there!

We got him, we got him,

Just keep him going, we got him,

Watch out,

Ha ha for our side,

can't kill it,

can't kill it,

can't kill a flea,

JIM: Right now, come on,

Let's get him,

Get him right there,

RICHARD: He's still--

We got him!

Brenda, what are you

doing there?

Looking for you,

What were you and the men

doing out all night?

Never mind,

If I feel there's something

I ought to tell you,

you'll be the first to know,

Now, go on back to bed,

Yes, sir,

Yeah, let's go to bed,

I'm tired,

( birds chirping )

Are you in there?

Are you?

RICHARD: Brenda?

Come up out of there, right now,

You've got no business in there,

Come on!

We're getting out of here,

We're leaving

the island tonight,

Tonight?

Why?

Summer has ended, Brenda,

I've got to get back to work,

But are we gonna

come back next year?

RICHARD: Next year?

I don't know,

I haven't decided

about next year,

A lot of things

will be different then,

Will they?

Now, come on,

BRENDA: I'm back,

Did you hear me?

I've come back,

Oh, please,

Don't-Don't be afraid,

Don't be quiet,

Don't be dead,

( creature growling )

I knew it,

I knew you couldn't be dead,

I've been on the island all day,

but they were watching,

I'm sorry it took

so long to see you,

been a--a year,

But that's nothing to you,

Or two,

or three,

Poor old thing,

You waited so long,

You've wanted,,,so much

to be born,

I love you,

( sobs)

I'll always love you,

You're the only one

I could ever love,

But I'll let you out,

I promise,

I'll give you life,

I'll give you love,

Oh, yes,

Oh, yes,

Oh, we'll be born together,

We'll be born,

you and I together,