"Five Characters in Search of an Exit" is episode 79 of the television anthology series The Twilight Zone. It originally aired on December 22, 1961.
Video Five Characters in Search of an Exit
Opening narration
Maps Five Characters in Search of an Exit
Plot
A uniformed U.S. Army major wakes up to find himself trapped inside in a large metal cylinder, where he meets a hobo, a ballet dancer, a bagpiper, and a clown. None of them have any memory of who they are or how they became trapped. The major, being the newest arrival, is the most determined to escape. He is told there is no way of either breaking through or climbing up the cylinder. The major's questioning reveals that the characters have no need for food or water.
Eventually, the major suggests a plan to escape: forming a tower of people, each person on the other's shoulders. However, the dancer at the top of the tower is still a few inches short of the cylinder's top, and a loud clanging sound shakes the cylinder and sends the five tumbling to the ground. Now even more determined, the major fashions a grappling hook out of loose bits of clothing and his sword. By reforming the tower, he manages to grapple onto the edge of the cylinder. As he turns to survey the area surrounding the cylinder, he tumbles to the ground outside.
The scene cuts to a little girl picking up a doll from the snow, in the dress of an army major. The cylinder is a Christmas toy collection barrel for a girls' orphanage, and all five characters are nothing more than dolls. The loud clanging was the ringing of a bell, used by a woman to attract donations; she tells the girl to return the doll to the barrel.
The final shot is of the five characters, now seen as dolls with painted faces and glass eyes. The ballet dancer moves to hold the hand of the major and her eyes fill with tears.
Closing narration
Cast
- Susan Harrison as Ballerina
- Bill Windom as Major
- Murray Matheson as Clown
- Kelton Garwood as Hobo
- Clark Allen as Bagpiper
- Carol Hill as Woman with bell
- Mona Houghton as Girl
Episode notes
- The title is a variation on the Pirandello play Six Characters in Search of an Author and Jean-Paul Sartre's No Exit.
- The last shot of the episode, in which the five characters are seen in doll form, does not feature the actors; rather, specially made dolls were crafted that closely resembled the five actors who played the parts, and these are shown.
- The little girl who appears at the end of this episode was portrayed by the daughter of longtime Twilight Zone producer Buck Houghton.
- End titles screen features the street corner Christmas toy collection drive.
Impact
- The episode was reportedly an inspiration for the 1997 film Cube.
- The TV series Felicity paid homage to "Five Characters in Search of an Exit" in the season 2 episode 11 episode "Help for the Lovelorn"; it was directed by Lamont Johnson.
References
External links
- "Five Characters in Search of an Exit" on IMDb
- "Five Characters in Search of an Exit" at TV.com
- Five Characters in Search of an Exit Review at The Twilight Zone Project
- Full video of the episode at CBS.com
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