Nervous Man in a Four Dollar Room
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Template:Infobox TTW season two {{TTW episode details |episodetitle=Nervous Man in a Four Dollar Room |episodenumber=39 |season=2 |productioncode= |originalday=October 14 |originalyear=1960 |writer=Rod Serling |director=Douglas Heyes |producer= |music=Original score by Jerry Goldsmith }}
Contents |
Cast
Synopsis
A gangster named Jackie waits in a cheap, dirty hotel for his boss George. As George enters, he makes a proposition to Jackie: shoot a barkeeper in exchange for a gangster reputation or he himself gets it. George leaves, with Jackie wrestling this moral dilemma. He puts a cigarette in his lips, but finds no match. A puff of smoke comes out from the other side of the mirror and he sees himself -- a strong, self-assured, confident Jackie Rhodes with big dreams stifled. Here in this strange mortal combat, Jackie and his reflection argue about how badly his life turned out since he refused help from those who cared about him. Towards the end, George returns, prepared to do in Jackie for not carrying out the proposition. Jackie responds, "I resign" and kicks George out of the room, along with the gun. Ringing the room clerk, he addresses himself as John Rhoades and proudly exits to join the company of humankind.
Trivia
- Similarly, the episode The Last Night of a Jockey featured a man grappling with his identity and also took place entirely in one room.
- Bruce Willis starred in a similarly themed episode in the 1985 version of The Twilight Zone, "Shatterday."
Themes
Redemption, self-respect, and a second chance are things that the main character thinks he can’t have—but things that his better half convinces him are something he can seek out and attain.