The Masks

Ever had a rich relative you were excited to have die so you could get your inheritance? Me either. I actually love my loved ones and, well, none of them are rich. The same can't be said though for the Harper family that has reluctantly visited their dying Father/Grandfather, Jason Foster. Jason appears to have a closer relationship with his personal doctor compared to that of his own daughter that puts the focus of her own minor ailments above his critical status. A very self absorbed family is inconvenienced one final time in the heart of New Orleans on Marti Gras as Jason requests they all wear masks throughout the evening. This is wonderfully written and never slow or dull. An episode that keeps you wondering until the end and shows that sometimes, your inner ugliness can't always be disguised no matter attractive or successful you are.

"The Masks" by Rod Serling has enough inferences and similarities to Edgar Allan Poe's 1842 short story, "The Masque of Red Death" that one can conclude Serling was making a kind of 'homage' to Poe with this episode. As with Serling's teleplay, Poe's story concerns a group of people all gathered together in a remote house with a sinister host who forces them to put on masks and participate in a "game" which turns out to be a morality lesson tailored to each guest's particular sin/flaw. Poe ends his story with everyone dying of the plague while simultaneously horrified how wretched a human being they had become. Bummer huh? Not to spoil it for everyone, but this episode of Twilight Zone pretty much goes there too. It is no wonder that Serling, (clearly not an optimist about humanity!) would be attracted to such a cynical tale. The remarkable part is that this episode ever got on TV at all! Today, this type of moral fable would never make it to production: not sexy enough-too depressing-zero physical action, etc. But that is why this series was SO GREAT! Serling operated outside all accepted conventions of television drama, and somehow did not let network hacks ruin his vision. And that is a rare thing in television, my friends. To get a sense of the genius of Serling as a writer, read Poe's "The Masque of Red Death" first, then see the show.

Robert Keith stars as Jason Foster, a wealthy but dying man who has gathered his four detested relatives to his New Orleans mansion on Mardis Gras so that a most sinister game can be played out. The four(his daughter Emily, her husband Wilfred, and children Paula & Wilfred Jr.) must each wear specially made masks for the evening until midnight if they are to inherit his wealth, or else they will be cut off. Under protest, they comply, but by the unmasking at the final stroke of midnight may well wish they hadn't... Superbly realized episode has masterful direction by Ida Lupino, incisive script, and a most chilling end, punctuated by a sinister score and excellent makeup.

by Dane Youssef

"The Twilight Zone" was a turning point in television because of its entirely human characters, its situations, its usage of the supernatural and the astronomical and it's perplexing surprise endings which were a study in divine poetic karma.

But what's really made so much of this series stand the test of time and the measuring stick for what the quality of "quality programming" is measured is the fact that the show was a lot like a fairy tale. Or the Bible, or any religious tome.

This time, the "Zone" shines it's twilight on an elderly wealthy man on his last gasp. His doctor tells him how critical his situation at this point. He may not have years or even months... he may not even have more than days or minutes.

This particular rich elder still has a few more tasks and loose ends to tie up before he shuffles off this mortal coil. one final task His family is downstairs. But Mr. Foster is not fortunate enough to be embraced by the bosom of a warm embrace full clan when he makes his way down the stairs. His kin is not there to spend the holiday of Mardi Gras with someone they care for deeply in his last few moments.

They are only there to assure they will inherit everything of value once Jason passes. He is not entirely pleased to see them. He knows why they are all there.

The family are the type who have not only character faults, they wear them quite prominently. The family almost seem to be living embodiments of the seven deadly sins. But they all withhold two precise to heart--greed and absolute evil.

After a magnificent meal, he tells everyone he has a surprise for the whole family. He presents a collection of masks hand-made by an old Cajun.

He informs the family that a custom of Mardi Gras is to wear masks that are the exact opposite of a one's true self. Thereupon, he says sarcastically that these masks are just that. The family refuses. He threatens to disinherit them. They agree.

The masks almost seem inspired by the seven deadly sins. When the masquerade ball itself ends and the masks themselves are to be removed...

This is one of Serling's most famous episodes. And with good reason. There isn't a lot of action and topical subjects such as the Cold War and conformity to be had here. It deals with a timeless subjects such as family and love.

Actors are all fine here, they all seems as big as life--flesh-and-blood. But the show of course belongs to one Robert Keith who plays the terminal Jason Foster.

But of course, the real star of this one is as always the teleplay of one Rodman Edward Serling. The man not only penned the bulk of what was seen on "The Twilight Zone," he raised the bar for what was seen on the tube and what "well written" really meant. He took home six Emmys, more than anyone had in history back then. After him, scripture for television became a respectable pursuit.

NOTE: This review is dedicated to Rodman Edward Serling, a man who not only fought to protect our country and our way of life in WWII and took a fair amount of injury for it. But also fought the censors on TV twice as hard to make sure his vision was seen and heard. When TV was about shows like "Leave it to Beaver" and "Donna Reed," here was a man who wanted to use the box to illuminate serious problems like the cold war, racism, anti-society, paranoia and other destructive elements that come from within us. He was buried with military honors. I hope television honors as well. All he wanted was to remembered as a writer.

Well.... I remember....

--Accepting The Devil's Rejects, Dane Youssef

I've always loved the plots where a group of venomous relatives hang out a dying man who is to be a source of income when he dies. These relatives are about as bad as they can get. Their disingenuous nature makes them prime objects of revenge. It is the end of Mardi Gras and they are forced to wear masks or lose their inheritances. Of course, since it's only two hours, they put up with the old man's warped fancies. In the process we get to see them reveal each of their own worst traits. The conclusion of this episode is one of the most memorable of the series. The back biting and hatred that seeps out of the mouths of these people lets us enjoy this conclusion even more.