The Twilight Zone: Once Upon a Time (1961) Reviews

Twilight Zone's only foray into old-time slapstick comedy, this episode stars the great Buster Keaton as Woodrow Mulligan, a 19th century janitor fed up with the hustle, bustle, and noise of "modern life." While working in the laboratory of scientists Gilbert and Fenwick (Milton Parsons and George E. Stone), Woodrow stumbles upon a newly-invented time helmet. Reasoning that he will enjoy more peace and quiet in the future, Woodrow activates the helmet and ends up in 1962 -- where, not surprisingly, he doesn't find things to his liking! The first half of this episode is delightfully staged in the manner of a silent movie, replete with flickery photography, gag subtitles, and a rinky-tink piano score (written by William Lava, performed by Ray Turner). The 1962 sequences are done in full sound, and they aren't quite as satisfying, though there's a terrific recreation of a key gag from the 1918 Fatty Arbuckle/Buster Keaton two-reeler The Garage, with Stanley Adams standing in for Arbuckle. Most of the episode was directed by silent-movie veteran Norman Z. McLeod, with the exception of an intrusive sequence set in a repair shop, which was helmed by Les Goodwins. Written by Rod Serling, "Once Upon a Time" was first telecast on December 15, 1961. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi