The Twilight Zone
The Twilight Zone really seemed to have a penchant for nostalgia or a longing certain aspects of the past. It's a human feeling as time goes on things feel different, maybe even worse, the past seems nice and simple. There are also episodes of the show that have someone older who finds the world of being that a hinderance or a problem as there are elements of being older that aren't fun. The episode I'm looking at this time takes a bit of that and adds in a little sparkle of a fantastical element.
This episode, "Kick the Can" first aired on February 9, 1962 and is from the third season as episode 21. It was written by George Clayton Johnson.
[Spoilers in this]
There's a retirement home called Sunnyvale or as Rod Serling puts in his intro, a place for the aged- a dying place. Which sounds nice and morbid. The people here don't look like they are enjoying it very much. Our main character is named Charles Whitley (played by Ernest Truex) who is going to see his son and his happy to be seeing him, but this is the "Twilight Zone" and that means.. hold.... hold... his son drives all this way to let him get into the car, drive forward a bit, just to tell him beat it Dad which um was a choice. Also there's boys, gonna say they are all boys there, playing a game of kick the can. (Leve him out of the will) Charles looks at the children play for bit and decides he wants to have some fun and finds their can and decides to sit with it under a tree. (As one does)
Fun fact: the son in the episode is played by his real son, whom I hope was nicer than he was here.
He has a friend named Ben Conroy (played by Russell Collins) , who is a childhood friend, which is kind of sweet they both had been friends so long and they ended up in the same home. He's annoyed that kids are playing by the retirement home as Charlie isn't bothered. Charlie starts to wonder if kick the can keeps them young.
The contrast here is that Charlie starts to wonder if he acts young maybe he'll be young again, whist Ben has resigned to the idea they are old and waiting for the exit. Ben decides to talk to Mr. Cox (played by John Marley), the superintendent, which seems to be unhelpful. Charlie is trying to get everyone to act young and they don't want to, he does things like run in the sprinklers and unnerves the others. Mr. Cox doesn't like fun either and squashes it and says he's going to have to isolate Charlie. Ben understands that maybe he made a mistake because isolation would be bad for his friend.
Ben tells him to not act strange so they won't put him away. Guess that idea doesn't work as he decides, in the night, to have the residents play a game of kick the can. (He's crazy but right) Charlie's words seem to encourage everyone into playing. He goes to Ben to convince him to join, but Ben doesn't want to go. He's really resigned to the whole old and dying thing. He leaves his friend and he figures out a way to get the others to sneak out of the home.
Ben goes to Mr. Cox (like a snitch ) and tells him that everyone as gone outside to play all thanks to Charlie. Jokes on Ben and Mr. Cox as everyone has turned back into children. Ben recognizes re-childized (you're just making up words) Charlie. This is heart breaking part as Ben pleads to Charlie to take him with him but Charlie ignores him and continues with the game. Ben picks up the can and resigned to the fact that he missed his chance.
Charlie comes in at as someone who doesn't feel resigned to the fate he actively is against the fate set before him. In the start he's the only person who seems to be happy and expressive as everyone else seems resigned to their latter days being what they have become. He doesn't fit in anymore to the world. His son has no place for him, this retirement home isn't for him he seeks the escape and defies it. Ben isn't a bad guy, he's worried about his friend, but he's resigned that this is what life is now. He feels old, worn down and tired. Only the sweet relief of death is what he looks forward to.
It's a mixture in feeling episode. It's happy that the Charlie and many of the older people have been able to achieve something amazing, but it's a sad on as Ben realizes he made a mistake and lost his friend- probably forever.
I think this episode is interesting because of its concept. We have a hard time with aging and the prospect of death. The idea that maybe you should find ways to keep the youth ,at least in mind, is very strong. I think many would want to actually be younger again, maybe even with regrets of missing something in youth. I think it's a good strong episode.
That's it for now, tune in next time when you age 40 years instantly and we have your youth.
