Ida Lupino, the only woman to both star in and direct an episode of this series, is cast here as Barbara Jean Trenton. Barbara Jean is a veteran actress whose best days are clearly behind her. She now lives almost exclusively in the private screening room of her house, watching her old movies and trying desperately to relive the past. Her caring agent / friend Danny Weiss (Martin Balsam) tries in vain to make her accept the fact that time has moved on, but his efforts are basically for nought.
It may be that Ms. Lupino's character is something of a matter of taste. This viewer had little problem sympathizing with her. The fear of growing old, and the entire concept of nostalgia, are very much universal concerns for human beings. However, Barbara Jeans' mental state won't allow her to see people for who they are, or have become; she's fixated on memories of them. This is most evident when Danny arranges for her to meet with her old co-star Jerry Hearndan (Jerome Cowan), who left the film business and now runs a chain of supermarkets.
How closely one identifies with Barbara Jean and how much they sympathize with her may affect how they view the episode, especially the resolution. Her vanity is such that she can't even accept the offer of a role, even a meaty one, because it's basically a character role, which she considers beneath her.
It's the performances that really make this work. Ms. Lupino is compelling, with a very strong and likable turn from Balsam, an appealing one from Cowan, and a memorable interpretation by Ted de Corsia as studio head Marty Sall.
Eight out of 10.