Kick the Can

Slender premise, well performed by a troupe of Hollywood vets. It's an old age home where unoccupied old folks are simply waiting to die. That is, all except one. When Whitley (Truex) watches kids playing kick-the-can, he begins to wonder why the spirit of youth must pass with old age. Suddenly enthused, he tries to rally others into frolicking like youth. Is he senile or really on to something.

Good to see so many familiar movie vets picking up a payday. It's a slender episode, more interesting than suspenseful, and one of the few times of that era when elderly faces dominate the proceedings. Too bad the home's supervisor (Marley) doesn't organize some non-strenuous activities. That way the aged would't just be sitting around. But I guess he likes his charges ultra-manageable. So there's something of a contest between the deadening supervisor and the enlivening Whitley.

Anyway, it's a pretty spry old bunch—check out how sprightly they come down the stairs. Still, I doubt that the theme will appeal that much to a younger crowd. All in all, it's not typical TZ fare, but is still consistent with the series' sci-fi concept.

For anyone looking for some of the best in television writing and production, this is without question one of the very finest of the Twilight Zone series, or any other series! This was produced when Twilight Zone was in its best period with one of the most insightful and moving scripts by writer George Clayton Johnson.

Watching actor Ernest Truex is pure joy. What a performance! This is one of the DVDs I enjoy watching from time to time. And each time I find new levels of appreciation in Truex's portrayal of a throwaway man who evokes the essence of vitality in life through imagination and creativity. At 73 years old Truex was in top form. In fact Twilight Zone featured many episodes with actors in leading roles who were over 65.

This is truly one of those rare occasions when story, acting, photography, music and sound design combine in making real "magic"—the very theme of this wonderful episode.

With the Baby Boomers emerging into retirement in ever growing numbers, I can easily see "Kick the Can" becoming a popular classic.

Simple, lasting truth .... "Kick the Can" has a special personal appeal to many of us Baby Boomers because we've lived the stories from both ends of the characters' timelines.

I first saw the episode in 1962 at 12 yrs old but didn't understand the emotional pathos involved in Grandparents wanting to return to the childhood I happily took for granted. Now that I'm 67 I could be a resident of the Old Age Home in the show and trust me, I GET IT NOW!

Contrary to the pompous blowhard that rates this episode a 3, this is a decent episode that I rate a 10 just to offset his rating. Some people feel obligated to hand out low ratings because, in his mind, the rest of us are too stupid to be fair. Thank goodness we have such an unreproachable critic to correct us all.

Ernest Truex plays Charles Whitley, an elderly resident of Sunnyvale Rest Home, where he is unhappy living at. His hopes of living with his son are dashed, so Whitley seems to retreat into a fantasy world where all you have to do is play an old childhood game called Kick the Can in order to be young again. His friend Ben Conroy(played by Russell Collins) thinks he is going senile, but the other residents join in, forcing the Superintendent(played by John Marley) to take drastic action, but it turns out that none will be needed... Fondly remembered episode is no classic, being a bit corny and thin, but it still remains an entertaining entry with a timeless message.