The After Hours
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“The After Hours” is an episode of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone.
[edit] Details
- Episode number: 34
- Season: 1
- Original air date: June 10, 1960
- Writer: Rod Serling
- Director: Douglas Heyes
- Producer: Buck Houghton
[edit] Cast
- Marsha White: Anne Francis
- Saleswoman: Elizabeth Allen
- Armbruster: James Millhollin
- Elevator Operator: John Conwell
- Miss Pettigrew: Nancy Rennick
- Sloan: Patrick Whyte
[edit] Synopsis
Marsha White, a woman browsing for a gift for her mother, buys a gold thimble from a department store, on the 9th floor. During the transaction, she grows increasingly puzzled by the comments and actions of both the male elevator operator who transported her to the barren, seemingly deserted floor, as well as the female salesclerk there who sells her the thimble. As she rides the elevator back down from the 9th floor, she notices that it is scratched and dented, and takes it to Complaints department for a replacement. But when she tries to convince the manager that she bought it on the 9th floor, she is told that the 9th floor doesn't exist. She then becomes distraught when she discovers that the salesclerk who sold her the thimble isn't really a salesclerk at all -- she's one of the department store's mannequins. While resting in an office following her frightening discovery, Marsha finds herself trapped in the now-closed store, returns to the 9th floor, and gradually learns that she, too, is one of the mannequins stored there; each one gets to go out into the world and live among the humans for one month. But she had enjoyed her stay among "the others" so much that she had lost track of her return date and was away from the store too long; she had forgotten her true nature. But now she is back in her proper place, allowing the next mannequin in line to go out and live among the humans for 30 days. The next day, the store manager does a double take upon seeing a very familiar-looking mannequin on display.
[edit] Remake
The episode was remade in 1986 for The New Twilight Zone. The plot is similar but the emphasis is more on suspense.
