WE HAVE here today, for your approval, a deeply psychological tale; attempting to explore in its alloted 30 minutes of air time what goes on in the depths of inner-space, which is our own human mind.
THA COMBINATION of Messers Rod Serling (writer) and Mickey Rooney (master actor), manages to pull off the complete crossing over from our comfortable world to "that sign post, up ahead....., THE TWILIGHT ZONE. The merging of such talents into what is essentially one coherent force is seldom realized in Film to such a high degree. And lest we forget, this is very near to the time when some fishy character (Newron Minnmow)branded Television as being just "a vast wasteland."
OUR STORY........... Our main character, played to a proverbial tee by the artist formerly named Joe Yule, Jr.(Mickey) is a disgraced Jockey, who is hold up in his dingy single room pad; alone and self pitying himself about his having been recently suspended from horse racing for some (apparrently bone fide)serious rule breaking. He is alone and frustrated over his prospects (or rather lack there of) he begins to have some very frank discussions with his own conscience.
HIS CONSCIENCE or alter ego, if you will, appears as an image of Mr. Rooney, appearing in mirror or crystal object.* His conscience is a much tougher task master than Jimminy Cricket; as revealed to the audience by the no nonsense dialog that ensues between the "two".
AFTER LENGTHY diatribes which pulled no punches, the "Conscience" lets it be known that he has the power to grant any wish to the despondent jockey. Unhesitatingly the suspended equestrian shouts: "I EANNA BE BIG!" His wish is granted and we next observe a seemingly super giant of a man; where a small,man once was.
NO SOONER does all of this transpire' when the solace of the room is broken by the ringing of the telephone. To his amazement and for a brief, fleeting moment, the now huge guy is elated. His conscience quickly reminds him that he is now a large guy, as he ordered.
THE ACTION of the play fades to black with the accompaniment of Mr. Rooney's voice, frighteningly shouting: "I'M TOO BIG! I'M TOO BIG! I'M..........
ADDITIONAL TO A very fine script and outstanding performance by the Star, Mickey Rooney, the props department and special effects boys shared in so much of the success of THE TWILIGHT ZONE: The Lasr Night of a Jockey. The scaled down room. furniture and even electronic gadgets such as the Telephone were most effective in bringing us to that pit of despair that was his room.
IN A ROUNDABOUT way, we were being forced to think about just what is truly important in our lives; and it is done without being sanctimonious, heavy-handed or preachy.
WE PERSONALLY rate this installment of THE TWILIGHT ZONE as being right up at the top; along with such titles as Dearh's Head Revisited and THE HUNT.
NOTE: * This was a most effective use special effects; as one could easily forgot that this was essentially a one man show. The lengthy exchanges of conversation were just that good.
THA COMBINATION of Messers Rod Serling (writer) and Mickey Rooney (master actor), manages to pull off the complete crossing over from our comfortable world to "that sign post, up ahead....., THE TWILIGHT ZONE. The merging of such talents into what is essentially one coherent force is seldom realized in Film to such a high degree. And lest we forget, this is very near to the time when some fishy character (Newron Minnmow)branded Television as being just "a vast wasteland."
OUR STORY........... Our main character, played to a proverbial tee by the artist formerly named Joe Yule, Jr.(Mickey) is a disgraced Jockey, who is hold up in his dingy single room pad; alone and self pitying himself about his having been recently suspended from horse racing for some (apparrently bone fide)serious rule breaking. He is alone and frustrated over his prospects (or rather lack there of) he begins to have some very frank discussions with his own conscience.
HIS CONSCIENCE or alter ego, if you will, appears as an image of Mr. Rooney, appearing in mirror or crystal object.* His conscience is a much tougher task master than Jimminy Cricket; as revealed to the audience by the no nonsense dialog that ensues between the "two".
AFTER LENGTHY diatribes which pulled no punches, the "Conscience" lets it be known that he has the power to grant any wish to the despondent jockey. Unhesitatingly the suspended equestrian shouts: "I EANNA BE BIG!" His wish is granted and we next observe a seemingly super giant of a man; where a small,man once was.
NO SOONER does all of this transpire' when the solace of the room is broken by the ringing of the telephone. To his amazement and for a brief, fleeting moment, the now huge guy is elated. His conscience quickly reminds him that he is now a large guy, as he ordered.
THE ACTION of the play fades to black with the accompaniment of Mr. Rooney's voice, frighteningly shouting: "I'M TOO BIG! I'M TOO BIG! I'M..........
ADDITIONAL TO A very fine script and outstanding performance by the Star, Mickey Rooney, the props department and special effects boys shared in so much of the success of THE TWILIGHT ZONE: The Lasr Night of a Jockey. The scaled down room. furniture and even electronic gadgets such as the Telephone were most effective in bringing us to that pit of despair that was his room.
IN A ROUNDABOUT way, we were being forced to think about just what is truly important in our lives; and it is done without being sanctimonious, heavy-handed or preachy.
WE PERSONALLY rate this installment of THE TWILIGHT ZONE as being right up at the top; along with such titles as Dearh's Head Revisited and THE HUNT.
NOTE: * This was a most effective use special effects; as one could easily forgot that this was essentially a one man show. The lengthy exchanges of conversation were just that good.
