During the American Civil War in 1862, a condemned Confederate prisoner, Peyton Farquhar, is due to be hanged by Union troops.During the American Civil War in 1862, a condemned Confederate prisoner, Peyton Farquhar, is due to be hanged by Union troops.During the American Civil War in 1862, a condemned Confederate prisoner, Peyton Farquhar, is due to be hanged by Union troops.
- Director
- Writers
- Stars
Roger Jacquet
- Peyton Farquhar
- (archive footage)
Anne Cornaly
- Abby Farquhar
- (archive footage)
Anker-Spang Larsen
- Union Officer
- (archive footage)
Stéphane Fey
- Union Captain
- (archive footage)
- (as Stephane Fey)
Jean-François Zeller
- Union Sergeant
- (archive footage)
- (as Jean-Francois Zeller)
Pierre Danny
- Union Soldier
- (archive footage)
Louis Adelin
- Union Soldier
- (archive footage)
Rod Serling
- Narrator
- (uncredited)
- …
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
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Featured reviews
Extraordinarily strong and well shot story -- not from the TZ production house
What a surprise to find this incredible "episode" which I'd never ever seen, though it is actually an extraordinarily well and artistically done short film, produced entirely by a French film team, not CBS. It is a story of true 'escapism' with a poignant twist at the end... thus fitting with typical TZ themes and methods.
This film won an Academy Award and Cannes Festival award.
What's cool is that this story was written and first published in 1890! I'd rank Ambrose Bierce up there with HG Wells and other contemporaries, based on what I see in this story and film. I've since found the text of the original short story online and read it... that was fun after seeing the film version.
The cinematography must be hailed as quite an accomplishment. From the first frame you know that this isn't a CBS produced episode of TZ because of the high production values in the cinematography.
Also, this episode was the last produced episode (they did some editing and stuff back at CBS) of TZ before the series was canceled, though not the last to be aired.
This film won an Academy Award and Cannes Festival award.
What's cool is that this story was written and first published in 1890! I'd rank Ambrose Bierce up there with HG Wells and other contemporaries, based on what I see in this story and film. I've since found the text of the original short story online and read it... that was fun after seeing the film version.
The cinematography must be hailed as quite an accomplishment. From the first frame you know that this isn't a CBS produced episode of TZ because of the high production values in the cinematography.
Also, this episode was the last produced episode (they did some editing and stuff back at CBS) of TZ before the series was canceled, though not the last to be aired.
Good short film but not Twilight Zone.
There are several reasons why I am just not enthusiastic about this film. It is not made by the makers of 'The Twilight Zone' and was shown as a presentation to save money. It is based on a story by Ambrose Bierce , while for me TZ is about original or fairly recent stories. It is yet another execution story and there was already too many of those ('Shadow Play', 'Execution', 'Dust', 'I Am The Night Colour Me Black' and others I wont name because it occurs late in the story).
The film itself from France is very well made and has a deeply sensitive performance from the lead actor. The heightened sense of nature is impressive and the underwater sequence is first rate. A masterclass in how to make a good film based on a classic tale.
So don't mind me as I would rather TZ had stuck to making original teleplays even if a B-movie star turns out to be a leprechaun.
The film itself from France is very well made and has a deeply sensitive performance from the lead actor. The heightened sense of nature is impressive and the underwater sequence is first rate. A masterclass in how to make a good film based on a classic tale.
So don't mind me as I would rather TZ had stuck to making original teleplays even if a B-movie star turns out to be a leprechaun.
Award Winning Episode
Roger Jacquet plays a confederate spy captured by the union forces who is about to be hanged off a bridge when the rope breaks, and he plunges into the deep river, where he makes a desperate effort at escaping, and returning to his loving wife waiting for him, but then the pull of reality catches up with him... Unique episode in the series was(as Rod Serling points out on screen) the only one ever shot abroad by others. The result is a marvelous episode superbly directed and produced, with haunting imagery and a most startling twist ending. A pity this was the only one of its kind, though it did go on to win the Academy Award for best short subject! It deserved it.
Watch it with no background info - wow!
During the American civil war a man teeters on the end of a plank over a river gorge with a rope round his neck - to be summarily hanged for interfering with the railway. When the plank is released he plunges ... and fate intervenes.
Gorgeous looking story with exquisite music. The soldiers and the hangman's preparations are fascinating, and the flight from death into the arms of ... Well, it's exciting and the end is effective. No dialogue.
The version I saw was on youtube, called An Occurrence, so I knew nothing until the title and author came up in the opening credits. I couldn't figure out the production date, and was totally intrigued by the quality of staging and camera. There seems to have been a TV VO at the end, but this was cut off.
It's a very impressive piece of story telling, and now IMDb reviewers tell me it was made in ... France, aired in 1964, as part of the Twilight Zone series. And won an Oscar and Palme d'or!
ps. Just realised the original had dialogue with French accents. And I guess the aspect ratio was cropped for TV. So my rating is just for the youtube version. D'oh.
Gorgeous looking story with exquisite music. The soldiers and the hangman's preparations are fascinating, and the flight from death into the arms of ... Well, it's exciting and the end is effective. No dialogue.
The version I saw was on youtube, called An Occurrence, so I knew nothing until the title and author came up in the opening credits. I couldn't figure out the production date, and was totally intrigued by the quality of staging and camera. There seems to have been a TV VO at the end, but this was cut off.
It's a very impressive piece of story telling, and now IMDb reviewers tell me it was made in ... France, aired in 1964, as part of the Twilight Zone series. And won an Oscar and Palme d'or!
ps. Just realised the original had dialogue with French accents. And I guess the aspect ratio was cropped for TV. So my rating is just for the youtube version. D'oh.
Personal comment(s).
Stealing my sons user name I have to make a comment that I have had in my mind since I saw this magnificent masterpiece many years ago. I had the privilege of talking to the makers of this artistic work some years ago and today I can only but applaud the finesse. As a former Production executive I feel I am in a position to comment with a degree of authority. The art of motion picture making has been slowly but surely become a lost art. I am well aware of contemporary films having value, not everyone resorts to cgi ( OK in its place but think about Ray Harryhausen film art in practice ) and I am pleased that Donnie Darko referenced this film, a film that will be seen - as it is today as, dare I use an overused superlative, as being a classic Ted Wallis and son.
Did you know
- TriviaRod Serling was getting ready to take his end-of-season break, with all but one of the shows for the fifth season already filmed or in production, when he decided to leave early and go to a French film festival. There he saw Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge (1961) and immediately hunted down the producers with an offer to buy it for a one-time showing for American TV. Serling reportedly picked it up for $20,000 and flew straight back to Los Angeles, filming a new intro the moment he got to the studio and plugging the show into that same week's time slot. Not only did Serling get what was considered a classic, he also saved nearly $100,000 in production costs and brought the season's worth of shows in on budget. This prompted ABC-TV to offer to pick up The Twilight Zone (1959) for another season. Serling said no to the deal when his discussions over the content of the new season made it appear he would be "going to the graveyard" for each show, doing Gothic horror shows. (ABC did want that, and eventually would pick up Dark Shadows (1966), which fit the bill, in daytime.) ironically, Serling would return to television in 1970 for three seasons of Night Gallery (1970) on NBC, consisting of the exact format that ABC had asked for.
- GoofsWhen the gates that Peyton approaches appear to open by themselves, you can see a rope tied to the bottom of each one.
- Quotes
[opening narration]
Narrator: Tonight, a presentation so special and unique that for the first time in the five years we've been presenting The Twilight Zone, we're offering a film shot in France by others. Winner of the Cannes Film Festival of 1962, as well as other international awards, here is a haunting study of the incredible from the past master of the incredible, Ambrose Bierce. Here is the French production of 'An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge.'
- ConnectionsEdited from Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge (1961)
Details
- Runtime
- 25m
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1
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