Judgment Night

Judgment Night (JN) uses The Twilight Zone's version of a plot device incorporated to great effect in the Bill Murray hit movie Groundhog Day----i.e. It tells a story that is repeated endlessly in order to explain the reason for the narrative. The tale is shrouded in mist, mystery and a feeling of unknown peril. And the eternal suffering that one is doomed to experience as the price for committing a great sin certainly draws from elements of the old Flying Dutchman legend. It is a very well cast episode featuring a great lead performance from veteran character actor Nehemiah Persoff (who will be 102 on Aug. 14, 2022). And JN also benefits from the effective moody direction of German-born John Brahm, who demonstrated here why he became celebrated several years earlier when helming the suspenseful atmospheric film classics The Lodger and Hangover Square.

Part of the success realized by JN came from its overall design. This was due to the fact that JN employed several sets from The Wreck of the Mary Deare-----a major movie production that starred Gary Cooper and Charlton Heston just recently completed at MGM. JN also benefitted from its use of authentic newsreel footage of a German U-boat crew in combat action. It should also be noted that Brahm went on to direct a total of twelve TZ episodes------the series record for such efforts.

One fact may be of minor interest when you view JN. It involved the only known occasion when censorship was imposed upon the production of a TZ episode. In Rod Serling's original script, the U-boat's first officer (Patrick MacNee) ordered a cup of tea to be sent to him on the sub's bridge. General Foods (the sponsor), whose Sanka coffee commercials appeared during the show, objected to this reference to a competitive beverage. Serling ultimately accomodated the sponsor by changing the script reference from "a cup of tea" to "a tray!"

JN may not be up to the lofty standard attained by several other First Season episodes. However, it is a top notch entertainment experience and will certainly hold your interest.

This is an archetypal plot. The idea that those who commit horrible acts are punished by being made to live through them for eternity. This has the often used Twilight Zone character who finds himself in a place he can't explain. He knows he has a connection, but he can't figure it out. He is treated with kindness and is, himself, in many ways, kind. But as a commander for the Third Reich he is everything evil. I can think of at least two other episodes (there may be more) where a character finds himself switching locations, the hunter becomes the hunted. This episode is rather bleak and slow moving. The Nazi self is assured and pompous. However, he is made to see what he has done over and over, and the question of God delivered by James Franciscus is what it's all about. Serling placed numerous characters in their own personal hell. This is another. It is well acted and intense, but it doesn't have quite the spark that some others did.

Nehemiah Persoff stars as Carl Lanser, who finds himself aboard the British ship Glasgow during World War II, unsure of who he is, or how he got there, but has an ever-increasing feeling of dread about the imminent fate of the ship, which he is certain is about to be torpedoed by a German U-boat. Of course, the passengers and crew don't believe him until it is too late, but only then will Lanser discover the truth of his identity, and the reasons behind his ordeal. Patrick Macnee and James Franciscus costar. Reasonably effective tale is not that surprising really, but nicely put across, and has an authentic feel for the sea and its nautical setting.

In 1942, in the middle of WWII, a man finds himself on a ship with no memory of who he is or how he got there. However, he is sure that there is danger coming towards them...

Another excellent episode. This is the kind of thing I had been expecting when I first started with 'The Twilight Zone': an eerie, moody tale that unfolds with a twist that catches the viewer in surprise. Well acted by Nehemiah Persoff, to the point that even when overacting it still comes around as fun instead of amateurish.

If 'Time Enough at Last', another great episode, was an adaptation of the Tantalus myth, 'Judgment Night' skillfully adapts yet another Greek myth; the myth of Sisyphus.

Sisyphus was punished for his acts by the Gods, by being forced to roll a giant rock up a mountain; only for, when reaching the top, the rock to fall back to the base, forcing him to repeat the task for all eternity.

This eternal cycle of repetition as punishment is more used than the Tantalus one, and I liked the way this episode further enhances the metaphor with the 'hunter becomes hunted' trope it also employs. A great, surprisingly intelligent little plot.

Seeing this episode made me remember a recent film, another Sisyphus-based, hunter/hunted duality, twisted mystery/horror that is one of my favorites. If you enjoyed this, check out 2009's 'Triangle' as well.

I had another look at "Judgment Night" today - and I had to laugh! At one point the captain calls to the engine room and tells the engineer that "we simply have to have more" power from the engines … and if "you can give me maximum speed for 12 more hours …" and the engineer interrupts saying, "Captain, these engines needed an overhaul 2 months ago; instead of that they're getting worked to death!" It reminded me of Captain Kirk (Star Trek) and Scotty: "Scotty, give me more power" and Scotty replies, "Captain, they're gonna blow any moment!" or words to that effect. Then, the captain turns to his first mate and asks, "What do you think, Number One?" which sounded just like Captain Picard and Commander Riker in Next Generation. Maybe Rod Serling had a premonition of new shows to come?