Unglaubliche Geschichten The Passersby (1959–1964) Online

Grim procession of Civil War wounded drifts eerily down a dusty road in front of a war-torn southern mansion where a young woman sits waiting, but waiting for what.

Slow moving, elegiac episode that manages some impact despite the fact that nothing much happens. Whatever awards the entry deserves should go to the art department and set designer for their truly spooky fog-shrouded road. In fact, the combined effect almost reaches the level of the inspired. The devastated mansion where the woman sits is also persuasive with its debris-strewn porch. Whatever the half-hour lacks in drama, it more than makes for in atmosphere. There is a pay-off, although an astute observer may well guess it early on. James Gregory shines as the limping soldier, showing once again what an all around fine performer he was. All in all, a rather strange episode that may stay with you even if it lacks the wallop of the best half-hours.

The Civil War in its final days is the setting for this most provocative of Twilight Zone episodes. There seems to be an interminable length to a road that goes by Joanne Linville's half destroyed plantation manor house with both Union and Confederate soldiers walking or on horseback just heading in one direction. There's no animosity between them, just gratitude that this fratricidal war is over.

That's something Linville can't understand as she's in mourning for a husband reported killed. A Confederate sergeant played by James Gregory stops to linger a while and the two bond though Gregory's quiet resignation is leaving her puzzled.

I can't say any more, but this is one of the best Twilight Zone stories out there about the utter futility of war and how it all ends the same for everybody. The last man on the road tells her this is so.

Don't miss this Twilight Zone story when broadcast.

There are so many accolades about Rod Serling's long-running "Twilight Zone" series that adding yet another glowing review seems redundant. But as a long time TZ aficionado (for over 50-years), this episode ranks among his best... the perfect casting, the script, the incredibly attention to detail—it's all here. Mr. Serling was a WWII vet, and so a strong edge of anti-war sentiment infuses many of his best stories, this one perhaps better than most. As one reviewer has already said, this tale scrupulously avoids the preachy or more maudlin aspects of typical anti-war stories, truly bringing together both warring factions in this post Civil War tale. It brings into sharp focus both the full tragedy and futility of war, where both the winners and the losers, the victors and the vanquished, suffer equally. After watching the superb Daniel Day Lewis in "Lincoln" recently, I couldn't help but compare his star turn to the short scene featuring an equally amazing Austin Green as Lincoln in the gracefully aging TZ version. Not only was he a dead ringer for the president, but even had his his high, thin voice down pat, perhaps one of the best characterizations of our 16th president in film memory.

The Passersby is one of my favorite Twilight Zone episodes, and I'm not sure why. Maybe it's the otherworldly setting: the end of the Civil War South, with its ruined mansion, soldiers walking, limping or riding horses on a foggy country road seemingly leading nowhere. It plays like a dream, and a case can be made that that's the point.

This is a somber episode, and the dialogue is more poetic and wistful than in most Zones; and it features little real drama as such, and no Big Reveal. It's more like Little Reveals. The interaction between a wounded Confederate soldier and the lady of the house is casual, feels strangely realistic.

Joanne Linville and James Gregory both give excellent performances in the leading roles, the supporting players are without exception good, and they were all well cast. Nothing is rushed. The pace is slow, measured and just right. This a Twilight Zone that is set entirely within the Zone itself.

I remember the spooky feeling of watching The Twilight Zone one night as a little boy in one-piece pajamas with feet, and I have seen episodes of it off and on for years, most of them many times. But somehow, I never saw this one until tonight. At 62, it was a shock to discover a "new" episode, and a real thrill to see this gem for the very first time. It's a simple, beautiful story that unfolds slowly and patiently. I won't say anything about the story, just encourage you to see it.

Lavinia (Joanne Linville), a Confederate soldier's widow reflects on the suffering at the end of the Civil War. She is steeped in bitterness while watching soldiers pass by on the road.

Rod Serling deals with the subject of war and moving on afterwords. This story is about the need to philosophically appreciate an individual's role in life and not to expect to be untouched by a changing world. Thoughts of personal revenge and feeling the general devastation of the south tend to poison Lavinia's mind. The story unfolds rapidly when, just after Serling's prologue, Lavinia meets a man she knew who had seemingly died in the war, now appearing to be treading the road home to his wife. A fairly similar moment of poignant 'seeing's believing' as when Maggie in 'The Four Of Us Are Dying' seems to meet her deceased love.

Joanne Linville is just right as Lavinia, having often played determined and emotional women with unusual motives in shows like 'Hawaii Five-0', 'The Fugitive','One Step Beyond' and 'Columbo'.

One of Serling's many reflections on war in TZ. A WWII hero, he never glorified anything about it, but wrote very poignantly here, and in 'The Purple Testament', 'The Changing of the Guard' and others.

This is a good example of the Twilight Zone. It has a little kicker, like most episodes, but the viewer realizes what is going on before the characters do.

The show itself has the feel of a stage play, and does not seem to be television. This of course is to be expected because the technology which was employed in 1961 was not at current levels.

The show begins at a southern plantation mansion where defeated Confederate soldiers are marching by at the end of the war. One stops and asks for water, which the matron of the house gladly gives to me. They talk and their lives and situation are revealed. All the time wounded from the war parade in front of the mansion. The last wounded to walk by is Abraham Lincoln. This should tell you what the kicker is.

Throughout the play the message of forgiveness and reconciliation are presented, and we are told to get over the Civil War. The portrayal of Abraham Lincoln is especially compelling.

Although not the best episode of the Twilight Zone, it is worth watching.

Not one of your classically recalled episodes of The Twilight Zone, I'm hard pressed to remember if I've even seen this one before. The odd thing about it is that even though not a lot occurred during the story, it seemed to be over in a flash. The twists, as it were, occurred over the entire story, as the streaming procession of Civil War wounded included the living and the dead. Lavinia Godwin (Joanne Linville) came to that realization after seeing a soldier she knew that was presumed dead, soon to be followed by her husband who of a certainty was killed during hostilities. The appearance of Abraham Lincoln (Austin Green) on the death trail would have been incongruous under any circumstances, even if he had avoided assassination. Linville's characterization is effective, though it seems James Gregory holds the piece together with his insight into moving on to join the living to build a new life on the other side of the war. An introspective piece that's not so much a grabber, but keeps you positioned in your seat more than a few moments after it's over.

Serlings script here creates a realistic atmosphere of how things were as this war ended.

James Gregory stars in this one. Gregory is a pretty good actor. He was the foil Inspector Luger on TV's Barney Miller. He was a bad guy in John Waynes film "The Sons of Katie Elder." Both of those were later than this episode. Gregory is very good at fitting into a role and this one is no exception.

There is another episode about the Civil War I would highly recommend in the Zone series but that one is unique in that it was not written by Serling. Still, if I were to put 2 zone episodes about the Civil War together for an event, this one and the other would go great together.

That episode is actually produced in Europe and was purchased by the series to run here. It is titled "An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge." That one is more one event, where this one is several passers by. They are both quality, in the Twilight Zone.

It is also interesting that author planktonrules tries to compare Twilight Zone to Star Trek. OK, not the shows really, but the fans. While I'm sure that there are plenty of Twilight Zone fans, it comes no where near the number of Star Trek fans.

It is also interesting to note how he uses Star Trek in his comparison, as three of the main actors in this fine episode, went on to perform in Star Trek episodes and a Star Trek movie.

James Gregory appeared in Star Trek's "Dagger of the Mind", while Rex Holman (Charlie near the beginning) appeared in "Spectre of the Gun" as Morgan Earp and in "Star Trek V: The Final Frontier". And Joanne Linville played the famous female Romulan Commander who tries unsuccessfully to seduce Spock, in the episode "The Enterprise Incident".

In April 1865, in the end of the North American Civil War, a Confederate Sergeant (James Gregory) stops his march with other wounded Union and Confederate soldiers and asks for water to the lonely and ill widow Lavinia Godwin (Joanne Linville) in her destroyed mansion. Then he asks to rest for while and they talk about the damages of war. Later Lavinia sees a soldier that was reported dead with a bullet on the head; then the sergeant sees a lieutenant and he recalls his fate. When Lavinia sees her husband and Abraham Lincoln on the road, she discovers what has happened to her.

I do not recall if I had figured out the "secret" of this episode the first time that I saw it. However today I could easily foresee what had happened with the widow and the wounded soldiers. This antiwar episode is one of the most dramatic episodes of "Twilight Zone" and never creepy, but too related to the American history. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Os Transeuntes" ("The Passersby")

James Gregory stars as a Confederate Sergeant who finds himself walking along a road with many other soldiers. He stops by the home of a Southern Widow(played by Joana Linville) and they start to talk about many things like the war and its outcome, as many passersby travel the road in front of her home. She is bitter about losing her husband, and wants to kill the Yankees, but the war is lost for them, and it becomes obvious that they will have to leave her home, and travel down that long road themselves... Good performances help stagy episode that still manages to work, creating an effective melancholy atmosphere, and the last victim of the war makes a most poignant appearance...

In my opinion, this is the best episode of all . . . stunning at times . . .

April, 1865. A wounded Confederate sergeant (superbly played by James Gregory) who's walking down a desolate dirt road along with a bunch of other maimed soldiers from both sides stops for some water at a crumbling mansion owned by the lonely and anguished Lavinia Godwin (a sound and touching performance by Joanne Linville).

Director Elliot Silverstein offers a flavorsome evocation of the 19th century period setting along with a strong brooding gloomy and melancholy mood. Rod Serling's thoughtful script makes a potent statement about the futility and wastefulness of war. Gregory and Linville do excellent work in the lead roles, Rex Holman has a memorable bit as a shell-shocked soldier, and Austin Green contributes a stand-out turn at the very end as Abraham Lincoln. Kudos are also in order for Fred Steiner's forlorn score and the typically sharp cinematography by George T. Clemens. A powerful show.

This is a more introspective and talky episode. It is also quite obvious from the start. When we see all those Union and Confederate soldiers walking down the same road, it doesn't take a genius to figure out what is taking place. There is the sort of Southern banter between the widow in the old mansion and James Gregory, the "minstrel." But the coldness of the setting and the talk indicates to us that there isn't much hope. I guess this is one of Serling's messages of the evils of war and that there are few winners. This was especially true of this war. I think the weakness here is that it drones on and on. When a certain figure shows up at the end, it is just a bit much for me.

This episode tells the story of a soldier just coming back from the Civil War meeting up with a woman in her house. She still holds resentment for the South losing. We see her husband appear later. This is actually a really nice and spooky reveal. It looks like she shot him, but nothing happened. I can't tell if his wound was from the shot he was supposed to have or something he got from the war.

Either way, it's a well told episode. The best part is probably at the end when none other than Abraham Lincoln appears! He mentions how he was the last casualty of the war. It really does put his administration into perspective. I think this is the first episode they did about the Civil War. It's paced wonderfully, too. ***1/2

Like all cult TV shows, there is a group of people who love The Twilight Zone so much that they rate practically every episode like they are the greatest shows EVER. While several of them are indeed wonderful classics, the truth is for every great episode, there were several that were mediocre and at least one that stank. However, like die-hard Trekkies, these Zone lovers insist that all of them are gold. In fact, this is what initially got me to review some individual episodes of a couple cult series instead of the movies I usually watch.

While this isn't the worst episode ever made nor is it among the very worst, it is poor by any reasonable standard. A widow watches a long procession of Civil War soldiers going past her home. In the end, a very unexpected twist is revealed and there isn't a whole lot of excitement or suspense here.