The Grave (27 Oct. 1961)
"The Twilight Zone" The Grave (original title)

Old West lawman Conny Miller visits the grave of a man who he failed to track down to prove he was never afraid of him but gets more than he bargained for.

Director:

Montgomery Pittman

Writers:

Montgomery Pittman, Rod Serling (creator)

Stars:

Lee Marvin, James Best, Strother Martin

Cast

Episode complete credited cast:
Lee Marvin	...	Conny Miller
James Best	...	Johnny Rob
Strother Martin	...	Mothershed
Elen Willard	...	Ione Sykes
Lee Van Cleef	...	Steinhart
William Challee	...	Jasen
Stafford Repp	...	Ira Broadly
Larry Johns	...	Corcoran
Dick Geary	...	Pinto Sykes (as Richard Geary)

Storyline

Lawman Conny Miller rides into a small dusty town not long after the townsfolk have gunned down the man he's been tracking for four months. He feels like he's wasted that four months and someone bets him $20 he hasn't the nerve to visit the dead man's grave. He takes that bet and has little difficulty going to the grave. Leaving it however proves to be another matter however.

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Plot Keywords:

grave | death | poker | hitman | outlaw | 

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Genres:

Fantasy | Horror | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 October 1961 (USA)

Filming Locations:

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

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cayuga Productions, Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

25 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Originally intended for the second season.

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Goofs

As Conny Miller climbs the hill to the grave, a very prominent vertical line is visible, where the backdrop artwork for "the cloudy night sky" was folded.

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Quotes

[closing narration]
Narrator: Final comment: you take this with a grain of salt or a shovelful of earth, as shadow or substance, we leave it up to you. And for any further research, check under 'G' for 'ghost' in the Twilight Zone.

User Reviews

Excellent acting

This is a Halloween season favorite of mine. In fact, I'm watching the DVD right now. What makes this episode exceptional, even for a TZ is the acting. The best work happens in the tavern as Lee Marvin, James Best, and Angel Eyes (Lee Van Cleef) have a friendly little chat about a man named Pinto Sykes. Best's performance as the village idiot is incredible, and in fact, he and Marvin have an excellent chemistry as they go back and forth. Lee Van Cleef plays a good guy, but given his physical characteristics, he's imposing as always. The special effects are limited, but when it comes to Fall, the wind blowing on a cemetery or heard from inside an old western tavern creates a perfect ambiance.