[eerie music]
(narrator) THERE IS A FIFTH DIMENSION
BEYOND THAT WHICH IS KNOWN TO MAN.
IT IS A DIMENSION AS VAST AS SPACE
AND AS TIMELESS AS INFINITY.
IT IS THE MIDDLE GROUND BETWEEN LIGHT AND SHADOW,
BETWEEN SCIENCE AND SUPERSTITION.
AND IT LIES BETWEEN THE PIT OF MAN'S FEARS
AND THE SUMMIT OF HIS KNOWLEDGE.
THIS IS THE DIMENSION OF IMAGINATION.
IT IS AN AREA WHICH WE CALL THE TWILIGHT ZONE.
[snoring]
IN THIS CORNER OF THE UNIVERSE A PRIZEFIGHTER NAMED BOLIE JACKSON.
ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY-THREE POUNDS, AND AN HOUR AND A HALF AWAY
FROM A COMEBACK AT ST. NICK'S ARENA.
MR. BOLIE JACKSON, WHO BY THE STANDARDS OF HIS PROFESSION
IS AN AGING, OVER-THE-HILL RELIC OF WHAT WAS,
AND WHO NOW SEES A REFLECTION OF A MAN WHO HAS LEFT TOO MANY PIECES OF HIS YOUTH
IN TOO MANY STADIUMS FOR TOO MANY YEARS
BEFORE TOO MANY SCREAMING PEOPLE.
MR. BOLIE JACKSON,
WHO M IGHT DO WELL TO LOOK FOR SOME GENTLE MAGIC
IN THE HARD-SURFACED GLASS THAT STARES BACK AT HIM.
[crack]
FEELING GOOD, BOLI E?
FEELING SHARP? TAKE THE TIG ER TONIGHT, HUH, BOLI E?
I'M GONNA TAKE THE TIG ER, HENRY. I'LL GIVE HIM A LEFT THEN A RIGHT.
AND I'M GOING TO THE STOMACH, THEN PICK HIM U P BY THE TAI L
AND THROW HIM RIGHT UP INTO THE N I NTHROW.
YOU'RE LOOKING GOOD, BOLI E. YOU'RE LOOKING SHARP.
YOU GONNA WATCH?
YOU FOOLING? I'LL YELL SO LOU D
YOU'LL HEAR ME ALL THE WAY TO ST. N ICK'S.
[Iaughs]
YOU KNOW,
A FIGHTER DON'T NEED A SCRAPBOOK, HENRY.
ANYONE KNOW WHAT HE'S DONE, WHERE HE'S FOUGHT,
YOUREAD IT IN HIS FACE.
HE'S GOT THE WHOLE STORY CUT INTO HIS FLESH.
ST. LOU IS, 1 949.
GUY NAMED SAI LOR LEVITT.
REAL FAST BOY.
HERE, AND THIS, M EMORIAL STADI U M, SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.
ITALIAN BOY.
FOUGHT LIKE HENRY ARMSTRONG. ALL HAN DS AND ARMS.
JUST LIKE A WIN DM I LL, ALL OVER YOU.
FIRST TIME I EVER GOT MY NOSE BROKE TWICE IN ONE FIGHT.
AND THEN MOVE SOUTH, HENRY.
M IAM I, FLORI DA.
THAT BOY GOT ME UP AGAINST THE RING POST.
HE DID THIS WITH HIS LACES.
TIRED OLD MAN.
TIRED OLD MAN TRYING TO CATCH A BUS
AND THE BUS IS ALREADY GON E.
LEFT A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
ARMS H EAVY.
LEGS LIKE RU BBER. SHORT OF WIN D.
ONE EYE ALMOST GON E.
THERE I GO, RU N NING DOWN THE STREET
TRYING TO CATCH THAT BUS TO GLORY.
BOLI E, YOU ARE GOING TO CATCH THE TIG ER TONIGHT.
I'M GONNA MAKE A WISH.
I'M GONNA MAKE A BIG, TALL WISH.
AND YOU AIN'T GON NA GET H U RT NONE EITHER. YOU HEAR, BOLI E?
YOU BEEN H U RT ENOUGH ALREADY. AND YOU'RE MY FRI EN D, BOLI E.
YOU'RE MY GOOD AND CLOSE FRIEND.
YOU HAVE QU ITE A BOY THERE, FRANCES. YOU GOT QU ITE A BOY.
TALKS LIKE A LITTLE OLD MAN, YOU KNOW?
I'M HIS GOOD AND CLOSE FRI EN D. THAT'S WHAT HE TELLS ME.
REAL, REAL I NTENSE. I'M HIS GOOD AND CLOSE FRI EN D.
WELL, YOU'RE GOOD TO HIM, BOLI E.
REAL GOOD. TAKING HIM TO BALL GAM ES ALL THE TIME
AND TAKING HIM FOR WALKS.
TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF, BOLI E. DON'T GET H U RT NON E.
I'LL WORK HARD TRYING NOT TO.
[footsteps]
I'M GONNA MAKE A WISH, BOLI E.
I'M GONNA MAKE A WISH NOTHING HAPPENS TO YOU.
SO DON'T YOU BE AFRAI D, BOLI E.
UNDERSTAND? DON'T YOU BE AFRAI D.
OH, GO ON.
BOLI E, THAT BOY'S GOT YOU IN A SH RIN E.
WHO? A SCARED OLD MAN WHO DON'T REMEMBER NOTHING EXCEPT HOW TO BLEED?
I DON'T F IT NO SH RIN ES, FRANCES.
BUT YOU TELL HIM, FRANCES, YOU TELL HIM
HOW MUCH I'M OBLIGED TO HIM FOR HIS WISH.
HE'S ALL THE TIME WISHING.
WHY, JUST THE OTHER NIGHT H E--
WHAT?
OH, I NEEDED $1 5 FOR THE RENT.
HENRY SAID HE WAS GONNA MAKE THE BIG, TALL WISH.
THAT'S THE BIGG EST WISH. THE BIG, TALL WISH.
HE DON'T WASTE THAT ON JUST ANYTHING.
THAT'S WHAT HE CALLS THE MOST IMPORTANT KIND. THAT WAS LAST FRI DAY.
AND A WOMAN I DID SOME N U RSING FOR ON THE ISLAND SENT ME A CHECK.
A CHECK FOR $1 5.
LITTLE BOYS.
LITTLE BOYS WITH THEIR H EADS FU LL U P WITH DREAMS.
AND WHEN DO THEY F IN D OUT, FRANCES?
WHEN DO THEY SU DDEN LY F IN D OUT
THAT THERE AIN'T ANY MAG IC?
WHEN DOES SOMEBODY PUSH THEIR FACE DOWN ON THE SIDEWALK AND SAY TO 'EM,
"HEY, LITTLE BOY, IT'S CONCRETE.
THAT'S WHAT THE WORLD IS MADE OUT OF, CONCRETE."
WHEN DO THEY F IN D OUT THAT YOU CAN WISH YOUR LIFE AWAY?
GOOD LUCK TONIGHT, BOLI E.
SURE, FRANCES.
WE'LL BE WAITING FOR YOU.
TELL HIM I'LL SEE HIM LATER.
HEY, BOLI E.
GOOD LUCK, BABY. YOU CAN TAKE HIM.
TAKE HIM FOR ME.
BEST OF LUCK, BOLI E. WE'LL BE WATCHING.
TRY IT, BOLI E.
FEELS OKAY?
FEELS GOOD, JOE. THANKS.
HE'S ALL READY.
BUTT IT OUT, WILL YOU, THOMAS? I WANNA BREATH E.
YOU H I RED ME FOR THE NIGHT, BOLI E BABY.
IT'S A PACKAG E DEAL. ME AND THE CIGAR.
I SAID BUTT IT OUT.
[crowd yelling]
FE ISTY LITTLE OLD MAN.
THE OLDER THEY GET, THE LOU DER THEY TALK AND THE MORE THEY WANT.
AND THE LESS CHANCE THEY GOT TO GET IT.
HOW DID I GET YOU TONIGHT?
OH, I'M A BARGAI N, BOLI E.
I'M A EXPERT ON HAS-BEENS.
I SEEN YOUR BOYS.
CATCH ES, AREN'T THEY?
G UARANTEED TWO ROU N DS EACH.
SHOVEL THEM I N, SHOVEL THEM OUT.
SEW THEM TOGETHER FOR THE NEXT TIME.
[chuckIes]
WELL, THAT'S THE ONLY WAY TO DO IT, CHAM P.
A MONTH OR SO FROM NOW MAYBE I'LL SIGN YOU AT THE BACK DOOR.
WHY NOT? YOU'RE LONG GON E, BOLI E.
YOU'VE HAD IT. WAIT TILL AFTER TONIGHT.
YOU'LL WANNA GET IN THE STABLE, TOO.
ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS GUARANTEE TWO ROU N DS.
TWO, THREE PRELI MS EVERY MONTH.
WHY, YOU CAN DO THAT STANDING ON YOUR H EAD.
CAN'T YOU?
I THOUGHT THE SM ELL CAME WITH THE CIGAR. YOU WEAR IT ALL OVER YOU.
YOU STIN K, THOMAS.
YOU TELL 'EM, CHAM P.
YOU TELL 'EM.
[man knocking] JACKSON, TEN M INUTES.
HE'LL BE THERE.
WHAT ABOUT TONIGHT? WHAT DO I WATCH OUT FOR?
I'VE ONLY SEEN THIS BOY FIGHT ONCE. THAT WAS A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
I AIN'T NEVER SEEN HIM.
YOU WATCH ED HIM FIGHT. YOU'VE SEEN HIM FIGHT SIX, SEVEN TIMES IN THE PAST YEAR.
YOU P I ECE OF GARBAG E, YOU.
YOU'RE BETTING ON HIM, AREN'T YOU?
IT AIN'T ENOUGH HE SELLS FLESH BY THE POU N D.
HE COMES IN HERE FOR A DIRTY $20. SU PPOSED TO H ELP ME AND BETS ON THE OTHER GUY.
I MAY BE A BUM UPSTAIRS IN ANOTHER TEN MINUTES
BUT NOW I'M GONNA FIGHT A BEAUTIFUL FIRST ROU N D.
YOU TOUCH ME AND I'LL HAVE YOU UP FOR TEN YEARS.
I SWEAR TO YOU, BOLI E, I'LL F IX YOUR WAGON GOOD. LAY OFF ME, YOU CU N NING FREAK!
LET ME LOOK AT THAT. S IT DOWN.
WASN'T ENOUGH SPOTTING 'EM ALL THOSE YEARS, BOLI E?
WASN'T ENOUGH HOW YOU GOTTA GO IN THE RING WITH FOUR BUSTED KN UCKLES?
OKAY, JACKSON, YOU'RE ON.
WELL?
WELL, NOTHING. LET'S DO IT.
OH, POOR LITTLE HENRY TEM PLE.
I'VE GIVEN HIM TWO STRI KES ON ALL HIS MAG IC.
TWO STRI KES.
WHOSE?
NOTHING.
THERE AIN'T NO SUCH-- [groaning]
THERE AIN'T NO SUCH THING AS MAG IC.
[people yelling]
[punching]
(announcer) THERE'S ANOTHER LEFT. ANOTHER RIGHT.
JACKSON'S KNEES ARE WOBBLING. HE'S HURT.
BOLIE JACKSON IS DEFINITELY HURT.
CONSIGLIO MOVES IN ON HIM.
[people cheer]
HE JABS HIM TO THE RIGHT. JACKSON IS DOWN.
BOLIE, BOLIE, BOLIE.
ON E, TWO, THREE,
FOU R, FIVE, SIX,
SEVEN, EIGHT,
[no audio]
N IN E.
[silence]
TEN.
[audience yelling]
YOU DONE DAN DY, BOLI E.
HEY, JOE, YOU WERE WRONG.
JUST BRU ISED, I GU ESS, HUH?
G EE, IT H U RT LIKE ANYTHING BUT SOMEBODY SAID I GOT HIM WITH IT.
COULDN'T HAVE BEEN BROKEN AFTER ALL.
WHO SAID IT WAS?
YOU SAID. J EEZ, FELT LIKE IT, TOO.
COULD FEEL THE KN UCKLES COMING RIGHT UP TO THE BAN DAG ES.
I COULD HAVE SWORN IT WAS BROKE.
AND THEN WHEN H E KNOCKED ME DOWN--
WHAT? WHEN HE WHAT?
WHEN HE KNOCKED ME DOWN, JOE.
WHEN HE KNOCKED ME DOWN.
I DON'T EVEN REMEMBER GETTING UP.
THE NEXT THING I KNEW, THERE HE WAS AT MY FEET.
WE MUST HAVE BEEN IN DIFFERENT ARENAS TOGETHER.
YOU DIDN'T GET KNOCKED DOWN, BOLI E.
YOU WAS NEVER OFF YOUR FEET.
I WASN'T?
NO. YOU CARRI ED THIS ONE ALL THE WAY, BABY.
[chuckIes]
JOE! I WASN'T OFF MY FEET?
I DIDN'T GO DOWN?
READ ABOUT IT IN THE PAPERS.
GOOD NIGHT, OLD-TIMER.
I'M PROU D OF YOU.
BEAUTIFUL, BOLI E, BEAUTIFUL.
YOU WERE JUST GREAT, MAN. JUST WON DERFU L.
YOU WE GREAT, BOLI E, WE'VE SEEN YOU ON TELEVIS ION.
THAT WAS A RIGHT. THAT WAS THE REAL RIGHT.
HEY, WHAT DO YOU SAY, HENRY TEM PLE?
YOU ARE A TIG ER, BOLI E. YOU ARE A REAL TIG ER.
DID IT LOOK OKAY?
JUST LIKE A CHAM P.
YOU KNOW SOMETHING? THAT BOY MUST HAVE H IT ME SO HARD
IT KNOCKED ALL THE H U RT RIGHT OUT OF ME.
I DON'T REMEMBER A DOGGONE THING, HENRY.
I MUST HAVE REALLY BEEN PU NCHY FOR A SECON D
'CAUSE I THOUGHT HE HAD ME ON MY BACK.
AND THERE I WAS, LYING THERE,
LOOKING UP AT THE REF WAVING HIS ARM DOWN ON ME,
STARING AT THE LIGHT, BLIN KING MY EYES.
THERE MUST HAVE BEEN SOME KIND OF A DREAM OR SOMETHING 'CAUSE--
HENRY?
HENRY, IN EVER WENT DOWN.
I WAS NEVER OFF MY FEET.
HENRY, IN EVER WENT DOWN.
HENRY, WAS I? WAS I ON MY BACK AND ON MY WAY OUT?
NOBODY REMEMBERS IT.
NOBODY AT ALL EXCEPT ME.
I THOUGHT IT HAPPENED, BUT IT DIDN'T.
I THOUGHT I WAS LYING THERE ON MY BACK, BEING COU NTED OUT,
AND EVERYBODY TELLS ME THAT--
BOLI E, I MADE THE BIG WISH THEN.
I WISHED YOU WAS NEVER KNOCKED DOWN.
I JUST SHUT MY EYES, AND I, I WISH ED REAL HARD.
IT WAS MAG IC, BOLI E. WE HAD TO HAVE MAGIC THEN.
HAD TO, BOLIE. NOTHING LEFT FOR US THEN. HAD TO MAKE A WISH.
THERE AIN'T NO MAG IC OR WISHING OR NOTHING LIKE THAT.
YOU'RE TOO BIG TO HAVE N UTSY THOUGHTS. YOU'RE TOO BIG TO BELIEVE IN FAIRY TALES.
IF YOU WISH HARD ENOUGH, BOLI E, IT'LL COME TRU E.
IF YOU WISH HARD ENOUGH--
SOMEBODY GOTTA KNOCK IT OUT OF YOU.
SOMEBODY GOTTA TAKE YOU BY THE HAIR AND RU B YOUR FACE INTO THE WORLD
TILL YOU GET THE TASTE AND FEEL OF THE WAY THINGS ARE, DON'T THEY?
LISTEN, KI D, I'VE BEEN WISHING ALL MY LIFE.
YOU UNDERSTAND, HENRY? I GOT A GUT ACH E FROM WISHING,
AND ALL I GOT TO SHOW FOR IT IS A FACE FU LL OF SCARS
AND A H EAD FU LL OF-OF MEMORI ES
OF ALL THE H U RT AND M ISERY
I'VE HAD TO LIVE AND SLEEP WITH ALL MY MISERABLE LIFE.
CRAZY KI D, YOU TRYING TO TELL ME YOU WISH ED ME INTO A KNOCKOUT?
YOU TRYING TO TELL ME IT WAS MAGIC THAT MADE ME GET UP OFF MY BACK?
YOU'RE A LITTLE KOOK, HENRY. THAT'S WHAT YOU ARE.
HOW DID I EVER GET M IXED U P WITH YOU? I AIN'T GOT ENOUGH TROU BLE.
I GOT M IXED UP WITH SOME DOPEY KI D--
IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE, BOLI E, IT WON'T BE TRU E. THAT'S THE WAY MAGIC WORKS.
LISTEN. LISTEN, BOY. THERE AIN'T NO MAG IC. NO MAG IC, HENRY.
I HAD THAT FIGHT COMING AND GOING. I HAD IT IN MY POCKET.
I WAS THE NUMBER ONE OUT THERE. IT WAS ME WHO DONE IT. ME, BOLI E JACKSON.
H ITTI N' AND SLUGG I N' AND WIN N I N'.
WIN N I N'!
HENRY.
I CAN'T BELIEVE. I'M TOO OLD.
AND I'M TOO H U RT TO BELIEVE.
I CAN'T, BOY. I JUST CAN'T.
NOW, HENRY, THERE AIN'T NO SUCH THING AS MAG IC.
GOD H ELP US BOTH. I WISH THERE WERE.
BOLI E, YOU'VE GOT TO BELIEVE.
I CAN'T, BOY. I CAN'T, BOY.
YOU'VE GOT TO BELIEVE.
I CAN'T.
PLEASE, BELIEVE.
I CAN'T.
YOU'VE GOT TO BELIEVE, BOLIE.
TEN.
[audience yelling]
[audience cheers]
YOU SHOU LD'VE STOOD IN BED.
HOW COME YOU DI DN'T USE YOUR RIGHT?
HE'S IN BED, BOLI E.
CAN I SEE HIM?
SURE. I EXPECT HE'S WAITING FOR YOU.
BOLI E?
I'M REAL SORRY.
AH, I PULLED A ROCK, HENRY.
I TH REW A PU NCH BEFORE I SHOU LD HAVE.
H IT A WALL. BUSTED MY KN UCKLES.
I WENT IN WITH HALF MY ARTILLERY GON E.
YOU LOOKED LIKE A TIG ER EVEN SO.
YOU LOOKED LIKE A REAL TIG ER.
I WAS PROU D OF YOU, BOLI E. I WAS REAL PROU D.
BOLI E?
NOW YOU GO TO SLEEP.
TOMORROW WE'LL GO TO A HOCKEY GAM E,
AND WE'LL GET SOME HOT DOGS IN THE PARK MAYBE.
SURE THING, BOLI E. THAT WILL BE N ICE.
BOLI E?
I AIN'T GONNA MAKE NO MORE WISH ES, BOLI E.
I'M TOO OLD FOR WISH ES.
AND THERE AIN'T NO SUCH THING AS MAG IC, IS THERE?
I GU ESS NOT, HENRY.
OR MAYBE--
MAYBE THERE IS MAG IC, AND MAYBE THERE'S WISH ES, TOO.
I GU ESS THE TROU BLE IS--
I GU ESS THE TROU BLE IS THERE'S NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE AROUND TO BELIEVE.
GOOD NIGHT, BOY.
GOOD NIGHT, BOLI E.
(narrator) MR. BOLIE JACKSON, 1 83 POUNDS,
WHO LEFT A SECOND CHANCE LYING IN A HEAP
ON A ROSIN-SPATTERED CANVAS AT ST. NICK'S ARENA.
MR. BOLIE JACKSON, WHO SHARES THE MOST COMMON AILMENT OF ALL MEN.
THE STRANGE AND PERVERSE DISINCLINATION TO BELIEVE IN A M IRACLE,
THE KIND OF M IRACLE TO COME FROM THE M IND OF A LITTLE BOY.
PERHAPS ONLY TO BE FOUND IN THE TWILIGHT ZONE.
(male presenter) ROD SERLING, THE CREATOR OF TWILIGHT ZONE
WILL TELL YOU ABOUT NEXT WEEK'S STORY AFTER THIS WORD FROM OUR ALTERNATE SPONSOR.
AND NOW, MR. SERLING.
G REETINGS FROM THE LOW-RENT DISTRICT.
NEXT WEEK WE FOLLOW THE FORTU N ES AND M ISFORTU N ES OF MR. LARRY BLYDEN,
WHO PLAYS THE ROLE OF ONE ROCKY VALENTIN E
AN ITIN ERANT SECON D-STORY MAN WHO'S SHOT TO DEATH IN AN ALLEY ONE NIGHT
AND GOES TO HIS JUST REWARDS.
THIS LITTLE ITEM HERE BEING ONE OF THEM.
THIS ONE YOU CAN WATCH WITH THE TONG U E IN YOUR CH EEK.
IT'S CALLED A NICE PLA CE TO VISIT, NEXT WEEK ON THE TWILIGHT ZONE.
[eerie music]
(male presenter) KIMBERLY-CLARK INVITES YOU TO WATCH STEVE MCQUEEN
IN WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE.
SATURDAY NIGHTS OVER MOST OF THE SAME STATIONS.