"The Twilight Zone" One for the Angels (1959)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

Robert Parrish

Writer:

Rod Serling (writer)

TV Series:

"The Twilight Zone" (1959)

Original Air Date:

9 October 1959 (Season 1, Episode 2)

Genre:

Drama | Fantasy | Horror | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Plot:

A pitchman (Ed Wynn) is visited by Death and is forced to get his priorities in order. |

Plot Keywords:

Angel Of Death | Fear Of Death | Death Personified | Rescue | Salesman

Cast

Rod Serling	...	Narrator (voice)
Ed Wynn	...	Lou Bookman
Murray Hamilton	...	Mr. Death
Dana Dillaway	...	Maggie
Jay Overholts	...	Doctor
Merritt Bohn	...	Truck Driver

Runtime:

25 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Cayuga Productions

Trivia:

French title: 'Pour les anges'

Movie Connections:

References Forbidden Planet (1956)

Well made but a bit dull

The Angel of Death (Murray Hamilton) is coming for Ed Wynn but Wynn makes a bargain with him that he wants to first make one last final "big pitch". Oddly, Hamilton agrees and just when it appears Wynn has won, a sad twist occurs that forces Wynn to accept his own mortality.

I am very happy that this second episode of THE TWILIGHT ZONE was not the first one, as the first was the pilot episode and if ONE FOR THE ANGELS had been made first, I doubt if CBS would have bought the series--as it's pretty dull and forgettable. Sure, it's written pretty well and Ed Wynn and Murray Hamilton did a good job, but the suspense and strangeness that the series was known for are just not there. Instead, it's a watchable drama with a bit of a twist at the end and nothing more.