"The Silence", Poll and discussion topic

A talkative man undertakes to keep silent for a year, for a reward of $500,000. With Franchot Tone, Liam Sullivan.
Originally aired April 28, 1961.

List of musical cues

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Let the discussion begin!

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I haven't seen this for over 20 years myself. If I happen to be up at 1:30 Wednesday morning, I'll watch it. Not a typical Twilight Zone episode, as has been pointed out many times, but still a good one (I remember it as being about a 7 or 8 for me).

I will be staying up for this and Rip Van. I sure as hell hope these will be worth it Im losing a good deal of sleep over these. And i have to get up at 6 for school. I've heard good things about The Silence. Thank god I'm taking a day off (skipping) on friday to catch the marathon.

Love this one. "10" One of my faves. Absolultely best twist of the Zone.

Never saw the end coming and never tire of watching it.

I bet everyone here has known someone they wished would just take a breath once in a while.

I think Tennyson should have insisted the Col. could make good on his bet. And the fellow club members should have backed him up. But then again there wouldn't be the double twist ending now would there?

Leen

Partial spoiler: It's well known that "The Silence" is unusual in having no fantasy or sci fi element whatsoever, or even the hint of one that turns out to have a realistic explanation. How does the typical viewer react to this on first viewing, though? Is he expecting something supernatural, and is he then surprised when none occurs? Perhaps a more TZ-like ending would have had Archie, directly after welching on the bet, suddenly lose his power of speech while Tennyson, having won the bet legitimately, talks a blue streak.

Good suggestion. That's a supernatural ending that would have worked. I think I may like the real ending better, though, even though it's obviously less Zonish.

Notice the use of the Twilight Zone theme (not the "whee-dee-dee-dee" part, but other Marius Constant cues that were used as part of the TZ theme, mostly the closing TZ theme) during both of Rod's monologues. I speculate that these were used to give the episode more of a "Twilight Zone" identity.

I like it the way it is.

Leen

Good ep i really liked it glad i stayed up for it.

Some background information on two people associated with this episode:

Franchot Tone was a Cornellian. I believe he was Class of 1927, if I remember my yearbook search correctly from my days there. Since Tone was born in 1905, it's a good bet (maybe not a $500,000 one, though). Does anyone (Leen in particular) know of any other TZ alumni who studied "far above Cayuga's waters"? (By the way, it wasn't until I attended that I understood the source of the TZ production company name.)

Leonard Maltin wrote: "Born into a well-to-do family, Tone was educated at Cornell University, where he was president of the Dramatic Club." That first part seems to make him all the more appropriate for the role of Archie.

His first name had a French pronunciation: FRAN-show.

Director Boris Sagal was the father of Katey Sagal (Married ... with Children, 8 Simple Rules). His death was particularly gory, according to IMDb: "He was killed early in the production of the TV film World War III in a helicopter accident in Oregon. He had just returned from filming aerial shots, his helicopter landing in the parking lot of the Timberline lodge on Mt. Hood (the exteriors location from The Shining). Preoccupied with his work, he inadvertently turned the wrong way upon getting out of the helicopter, walking directly into the rear rotor blade; he died of severe head and shoulder injuries after emergency surgery 60 miles away in Portland. Astonishingly, filming resumed the very next day with a new director." The horrible irony here, although I can't take credit for first noticing it, is how closely this resembles the fate risked in the only other TZ episode he directed: "The Arrival."

Has anyone besides me questioned whether there was really a bet made in the traditional sense? In other words, would Tennyson have owed Archie $500,000 had he broken his silence? Despite the way in which the proposition is first worded, it later seems to me that Archie is simply offering the $500,000 for a year of silence, and actually expecting a fraction of the year at no cost to him. Of course, we eventually learn that he had incentive to acquire $500,000, but the dialogue just doesn't play out that way beforehand.

Along these lines, by the way, Sci Fi cuts the true explanation why Tennyson agrees to the bet. Here's how he describes it to Alfred: "Do you know my wife, sir? Her name is Doris. She's a lovely thing. Frail, beautiful, fragile, like a cameo brooch. But her tastes run to unfragile things. Sizable baubles to sizable price tags. She shops at Tiffany's the way other women enter a supermarket. My miserable misfortune is that I happen to be very much in love with her. I am also desperate in need of money. That may sound melodramatic, but it happens to be true."

I used to wonder what bathroom facilities Tennyson has in his glass enclosure. Then I noticed that there's a door in the wall that serves as one side of the enclosure. Right after the second commercial (also before it in the uncut version), we see that the door leads to a bedroom and presumably an unseen bathroom.

Not to mention the fact that "Twilight Zone The Movie" gained notoriety because of the helicopter accident on that set!!

I'll look into more Cornell graduates.

Leen

I gave this one a '9'. One I had never seen before (10 yrs ago, back when I first started watching TZ marathons), my uncle who watched the series as a kid told me about it. I was very interested to see it. I liked the ending, although not supernatural, still strange and out of the ordinary.

I gave this one a 7, when it used to be a 10 on my list. I guess I've just seen to one too many times that then ending doesn't quite pack the same old punch as it used to.

I dont think this belonged on the Twilight Zone at all. The story was decent but like everyone said, where was the Twilight Zone elements? I gave it a 5.

I wondered the same thing.

I noticed that there was a TV set. It seems to me that if no one was around and he had the TV on, he could have spoken and they wouldn't be able to tell with the microphones.

I wonder if any TV producer has thought of making a reality show where the last person who didn't speak would win.

I never got into this one. It's okay. It reminded me of a Chekhov short story I had to read in middle school.

Was it "The Bet"? Zicree says that "The Silence" was "almost certainly based on" it.

Was it "The Bet"? Zicree says that "The Silence" was "almost certainly based on" it.

For some comments by Serling about this issue, click here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_silence_%...wilight_zone%29. (Thanks again for your work on Wikipedia, Ryan.)

i love this episode the "The Silence" the actors is great and they got my favorite music that they play on here too!

its comeing on today at 5:00am today so guys don't for get too watch it

To find "The Bet" online, click on http://www.bibliomania.com/0/5/frameset.html and scroll way down (it's alphabetized, in the modern, brainless computer method, under "T").

Late note (3/20/05, 8:23 PM EST): Or you can just click here: http://www.classicreader.com/read.php/sid.6/bookid.240/.

More on "The Bet": It would seem from reading the Wikipedia thread that Serling didn't understand this detail, but in Chekhov's story, the "prisoner" was required only to be solitary, not to be silent. From the story:

"It was agreed that for fifteen years he should not be free to cross the threshold of the lodge, to see human beings, to hear the human voice, or to receive letters and newspapers. He was allowed to have a musical instrument and books, and was allowed to write letters, to drink wine, and to smoke. By the terms of the agreement, the only relations he could have with the outer world were by a little window made purposely for that object. He might have anything he wanted -- books, music, wine, and so on -- in any quantity he desired by writing an order, but could only receive them through the window. The agreement provided for every detail and every trifle that would make his imprisonment strictly solitary, and bound the young man to stay there _exactly_ fifteen years, beginning from twelve o'clock of November 14, 1870, and ending at twelve o'clock of November 14, 1885."

Nothing in there about not speaking, although, as you can see, Chekhov's "prisoner" was restricted in additional ways that Tennyson wasn't (which, as the episode shows, wasn't entirely a bad thing). In fact. later the story says: "Those who watched him through the window said that all that year he spent doing nothing but eating and drinking and lying on his bed, frequently yawning and angrily talking to himself." Still the bet continued.

The story also says: "The slightest attempt on his part to break the conditions, if only two minutes before the end, released the banker from the obligation to pay him two millions." So this wasn't a "win $2 million, or lose $2 million" bet, just as it's my understanding that "The Silence" wasn't about a "win $500K, or lose $500K" bet.

There are other ways in which Serling's synopsis of "The Bet" isn't accurate, but I'll let you read the story and the Wikipedia thread if you're interested in finding out more about that. (Serling also misremembered the amount of money offered in "The Silence," but this is a fairly trivial inaccuracy in comparison.) My own guess is that not only had Serling not read or heard of "The Bet" before writing "The Silence," he probably didn't read it afterwards either, although it may have been summarized to him. I'm not saying that to criticize him, by any means.

They're obviously different stories, but I find it difficult to believe that Serling was unaware of "The Bet" when he wrote "The Silence." They're too close thematically if not in detail.

I'm of the school that believes that every act of creation builds on and gives new voice to what has come before. There really is nothing new under the sun, and that's ok--as long as we keep telling the story.

I can see the similarities between The Bet and The Silence, but they're two entirely different stories, they also have different endings.

i just wann hear my favorite music in this episode

me and my brother love this episode

Shows you have good taste! It's different than a lot of the other episodes, isn't it?

You also said you like the music. Maybe one of the experts here can tell you more about the music.

As far as I can tell, all of the music is either Marius Constant's series theme or Leonard Rosenman's score for "And When the Sky Was Opened." Damin, that's the episode you should really watch if you like the music so much, since you'll hear a lot more of it. It also features prominently in the opening scene of "Probe 7, Over and Out," which may help explain your fondness for that episode. As for me, my favorite "Probe 7" music comes from "Back There."

Damin, doesn't that last post belong in the "Living Doll" thread? If so, I think you should post it there and delete it from here.

im sorry about that man i messed that up my self i was looking at my picture thats why i got it wrong

I think it's fine the way it is! One of the most bizarre endings for TZ.

when does it come back on?

It won't be on during the month of June, Damin. That's all I know now. Check this board or the Sci Fi schedule for further updates.

I watched this episode again on DVD last night (Collection 5, Volume 39--it's also on the Definitive Edition, Season 2, of course).

SPOILERS:




Question: Should Tennyson's method of ensuring his own silence actually be considered cheating? (In his epilogue, Serling compares it to using loaded dice or marked cards.) After all, it was never mentioned explicitly in the rules of the bargain that he was forbidden to sever the nerves to his vocal cords. On the other hand, I think the social context in which Taylor and Tennyson made their bet probably included an implicit understanding that not everything has to be spelled out between "gentlemen." Severing one's vocal nerves wouldn't be quite cricket, in other words. So I agree with Serling.

Sometimes it's fun to look for TZ lines that take on another meaning once you know the ending of the episode. One here is the Colonel's remark that "I wouldn't want this experience to damage him in any way." Another possibility is his comment that "There's a little bit more gristle there than I gave him credit for." The words "gristle" and "grisly" are not related etymologically (I just discovered that now), but Serling might not have realized that. The ending here certainly turned out to be a little bit more grisly than the Colonel expected. Heh heh heh.

All right, Damin, set your VCR or TiVo to record the Sci Fi Channel at 5:00 AM EDT (I believe that's your time zone) on Monday, June 6. That's when "And When the Sky Was Opened" is next scheduled. You'll hear all of that music of which you're so fond, and a lot more. More importantly, you'll hear it in the context for which Leonard Rosenman composed it. Even if (perhaps especially if) you already know the story, let it remain in your mental background and pay more attention to the music.

As most of you from the old board remember, this is my favorite episode of the entire series. I am a HUGE Hitchcock fan and this segement reminds me so much of watching Alfred Hitchcock Presents. All the clocks and calenders (along with the great direction of Sagal) make this one the most suspenseful episode the Zone has to offer.

11/10

Partial spoiler: It's well known that "The Silence" is unusual in having no fantasy or sci fi element whatsoever, or even the hint of one that turns out to have a realistic explanation. How does the typical viewer react to this on first viewing, though? Is he expecting something supernatural, and is he then surprised when none occurs? Perhaps a more TZ-like ending would have had Archie, directly after welching on the bet, suddenly lose his power of speech while Tennyson, having won the bet legitimately, talks a blue streak.

I know the first time I saw it, I was watching with my Dad and he said "I know what's going to happen, he's going to cut his vocal cords". He swears he never saw the episode, and although he likes TZ, he's never really gone out of his way to watch it. I actually thought that at first too, but I said, "Nah, that's not a very TZ twist. Maybe if this were Alfred Hitchcock...".

It is a bit jarring, just within the context of TZ, to be waiting for that supernatural twist and it never comes. That's probably why I really didn't like this ep the first time I saw it. However, on repeated viewing, I was able to just watch it without that expectation and it is just a good half hour of TV. It's not one of my absolute favorites, but I do like it. I gave it a 7.

Admit it... you've got the hots for Cyril Delevanti!

Admit it... you've got the hots for Cyril Delevanti!

Who doesn't?

Not me! Hey Becky, is that your picture? It's interesting that when watching it this morning I finally realized why he was trying to get Tennyson to leave, because he was broke. I'm slow today

forget tennyson..what about taylor. some 'gentlemen's bet'. even though tennyson's actions could be deemed cheating, taylor could never make good on the bet even if tennyson did not 'cheat'. taylor even goes so far as to say he didn't need to give proof that he had the funds to pay off the bet. now don't get me wrong.. i believe tennyson's actions could be considered dishonest, but so was taylor's.

oh yeah.. i always liked this episode even though there was no supernatural ending to it. the twist at the end was enough for me.
-ag

A point here. Even mute people/those without vocal chords can whisper. If Tennyson had whispered something, would that have cost him the bet?
If not, he could have saved himself the trouble of writing notes. If so, it was pointless to sever his vocal cords because that would not have insured he would not "talk".

http://web.archive.org/web/20030808085533/...son2/061_27.jpg

Tennyson's actual wording, as read aloud by Taylor, is "... so one year ago I had the nerves to my vocal cords severed," which leads me to believe that the entire vocal mechanism, including whatever is needed to form the channels through which the voice travels to create the different phonemes, may have been shut down. My biological studies aren't strong enough for me to say whether this is a real possibility.

By the way, I've seen both "vocal cords" and "vocal chords" enough for me to check just now to see which is correct. Apparently they both are. "Cords" is the more logical, as that's the correct spelling for thick pieces of string, whereas I think of "chords" as simultaneous combinations of musical pitches. In other words, a "vocal chord" would be a sound produced by multiple singers. Yet a "chord" is also a line segment connecting two points on a circle, and my dictionary additionally defines it as any cord-like body part.

An unrelated thought just hit me: I wonder whether Rod was going for references from the world of poetry in naming his characters in this episode; namely, Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Alfred, Lord Tennyson (the latter referring to Jonathan Harris's character name as well as Liam Sullivan's).