The Twilight Zone
(1959–1964)
In a future totalitarian society, a librarian is declared obsolete and sentenced to death.
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Title: The Obsolete Man (02 Jun 1961)
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Cast
| Episode complete credited cast: | |||
| Burgess Meredith | ... | Romney Wordsworth | |
| Fritz Weaver | ... | Chancellor | |
| Josip Elic | ... | Subaltern (as Josep Elic) | |
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Harry Fleer | ... | Guard |
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Barry Brooks | ... | Board Member |
| Harold Innocent | ... | Board Member | |
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Jane Romeyn | ... | Board Member |
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Plot Summary
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Plot Synopsis
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Storyline
In a futuristic totalitarian world, meek and mild-mannered librarian Romney Wordsworth finds himself on trial for being obsolete. This future society has decided on everything people need to know. There is no God and there are no books. Society doesn't need librarians. Romney makes an impassioned plea about his rights and free will but the judge in the case, the Chancellor, will have nothing of it. The jury finds Romney obsolete and orders him to be executed. As he can choose the method of his death, Romney's plans include a little surprise for the Chancellor. Written by garykmcd
Plot Keywords:
totalitarian | execution | reference to god | totalitarianism | 23rd psalm |Certificate:
TV-PGParents Guide:
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Narrator: You walk into this room at your own risk, because it leads to the future, not a future that will be but one that might be. This is not a new world, it is simply an extension of what began in the old one. It has patterned itself after every dictator who has ever planted the ripping imprint of a boot on the pages of history since the beginning of time. It has refinements, technological advances, and a more sophisticated approach to the destruction of human freedom. But like ...
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Trivia
A year and a half after The Twilight Zone: Time Enough at Last (1959), Burgess Meredith has a Twilight Zone character defined by his relation to books. See more »Goofs
At the beginning, the Subaltern is heard to say, "Wordsworth, Romney, obsolescence," but his lips are not moving. See more »Quotes
[opening narration]Narrator: You walk into this room at your own risk, because it leads to the future, not a future that will be but one that might be. This is not a new world, it is simply an extension of what began in the old one. It has patterned itself after every dictator who has ever planted the ripping imprint of a boot on the pages of history since the beginning of time. It has refinements, technological advances, and a more sophisticated approach to the destruction of human freedom. But like ...
See more »
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Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
2 June 1961 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
The Obsolete Man See more »Filming Locations:
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USACompany Credits
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Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
Mono (Westrex Recording System)Aspect Ratio:
1.33 : 1
Prime Video has you covered this holiday season with movies for the family. Here are some of our picks to get you in the spirit.
Another of Rod Serling's cautionary tales of the rise of the totalitarian state.
Rodney Wordsworth is declared "obsolete" by a tribunal of the state in the not too distant future. The sentence is. of course, death, but some surprises await the State at the humble hands of Mr. Wordsworth.
Anyone seeing this episode today will be shocked at it's relevance. A society which has "proven" that there is no God; a state which enforces a mind-numbing conformity; a state which refuses to respect or acknowledge the rights of the individual or the sanctity of life.
Watch this episode and reflect long and hard.