It's a Good Life

Episode aired Nov 3, 1961
TV-PGTV-PG
25m

IMDb RATING

8.7/10

3.8K

YOUR RATING

S3.E8

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Cloris Leachman, Don Keefer, John Larch, Bill Mumy, Max Showalter, and Tom Hatcher in The Twilight Zone (1959)

Drama Fantasy Horror

On an isolated family farm, a young boy with vast mental powers, but lacking emotional development, holds his terrified family in thrall to his every juvenile wish.On an isolated family farm, a young boy with vast mental powers, but lacking emotional development, holds his terrified family in thrall to his every juvenile wish.On an isolated family farm, a young boy with vast mental powers, but lacking emotional development, holds his terrified family in thrall to his every juvenile wish.

IMDb RATING

8.7/10

3.8K

YOUR RATING

Top credits

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Photos20

Don Keefer as the doomed jack-in-the-box/dunce/scarecrow exiled to cornfield by a young Billy Mumy in celebrated Twilight Zone episode 'It's A Good Life'.

Cloris Leachman at an event for The Twilight Zone (1959)

Cloris Leachman and Bill Mumy in The Twilight Zone (1959)

Bill Mumy and Max Showalter in The Twilight Zone (1959)

John Larch, Bill Mumy, Max Showalter, and Tom Hatcher in The Twilight Zone (1959)

Top cast

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Director
- James Sheldon
Writers
- Rod Serling(teleplay by)
- Jerome Bixby(based on a short story by)
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Storyline

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In a small farming community in Ohio, a young boy by the name of Anthony Fremont terrorizes those around him. Anthony has the ability to command anything he wants simply by thought. The community is cut off from the outside world and the boy insists that those around him think only pleasant thoughts, and if they don't, he eliminates them. Everyone walks in fear of the lad who ably demonstrates what he's prepared to do at a small party in his home. —garykmcd

supernatural power telepathy spoiled brat jack in the box evil child 20 more

Did you know

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Trivia
Bill Mumy (Anthony Fremont) and Cloris Leachman (Agnes Fremont) later reprised their roles in It's Still a Good Life (2003), the only sequel in the history of "The Twilight Zone". Mumy's real life daughter Liliana Mumy played Anthony's daughter Audrey, who is even more powerful than he is. It's Still a Good Life (2003) holds the record - 41 years and three months - for the longest interval between a television episode and its sequel.

Goofs
(At around 9:30) As Mr. Fremont is putting on his tie, he turns around to Anthony and the tie is loose. After a shot showing Anthony the camera returns to Mr. Fremont, who hasn't moved. But now his tie is neat and tight around his neck.

Quotes
[first lines]
Narrator: [Opening Narration] Tonight's story on The Twilight Zone is somewhat unique and calls for a different kind of introduction. This, as you may recognize, is a map of the United States, and there's a little town there called Peaksville. On a given morning not too long ago, the rest of the world disappeared and Peaksville was left all alone. Its inhabitants were never sure whether the world was destroyed and only Peaksville left untouched or whether the village had somehow been taken away. They were, on the other hand, sure of one thing: the cause. A monster had arrived in the village. Just by using his mind, he took away the automobiles, the electricity, the machines - because they displeased him - and he moved an entire community back into the dark ages - just by using his mind. Now I'd like to introduce you to some of the people in Peaksville, Ohio. This is Mr. Fremont. It's in his farmhouse that the monster resides. This is Mrs. Fremont. And this is Aunt Amy, who probably had more control over the monster in the beginning than almost anyone. But one day she forgot. She began to sing aloud. Now, the monster doesn't like singing, so his mind snapped at her, turned her into the smiling, vacant thing you're looking at now. She sings no more. And you'll note that the people in Peaksville, Ohio, have to smile. They have to think happy thoughts and say happy things because once displeased, the monster can wish them into a cornfield or change them into a grotesque, walking horror. This particular monster can read minds, you see. He knows every thought, he can feel every emotion. Oh yes, I did forget something, didn't I? I forgot to introduce you to the monster. This is the monster. His name is Anthony Fremont. He's six years old, with a cute little-boy face and blue, guileless eyes. But when those eyes look at you, you'd better start thinking happy thoughts, because the mind behind them is absolutely in charge. This is the Twilight Zone.

Connections
Featured in TV Guide's 100 Greatest Episodes of All-Time (1997)

Soundtracks
Moonglow
(uncredited)
Music by Will Hudson and Irving Mills
played on piano by the character named Pat Riley

User reviews41

Review

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Sonny Knows Best

No need to recap the plot. As I recall, this oddball episode created a stir from the outset. It's a tricky premise, making a kid the demonic villain. I'm guessing that had not The Bad Seed (1956) been a movie success with its wicked little girl, this premise would never have flown. Credit the cast for making it fly despite the questionable material. Little Mumy is perfect with his impish face and searing glare. I expect the role has followed him for a lifetime. Then too, there's the bevy of adults cowering in his presence, where everything evil he does is "good". Seeing the brawny John Larch quaking in his son's presence is especially unnerving. On the other hand, I wish they had held the Jack-in-the-Box frame a little longer so it could soak in. Still, having it flit by has its own brand of nightmarish impact. Anyway, the premise was a daring one for its time, as Serling's extended prolog suggests. Nonetheless, as the half-hour's lasting reputation shows, the effort succeeded, and in spades.

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