The Big Tall Wish - Twilight-Tober Zone
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- Опубліковано 6 вер 2024
- "The Big Tall Wish" is sentimental without being to sappy and shows off some fantastic performances, especially from the lead Ivan Dixon. Walter discusses this trendsetting episode on a new Twilight-Tober Zone.
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"The Big Tall Wish" is episode twenty-seven of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone, with an original score by Jerry Goldsmith. It originally aired on April 8, 1960. This was one of a few Twilight Zone episodes to feature African-American actors in lead roles, a rarity for American television of the era.
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What did everyone think of "The Big Tall Wish"
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I gotta say, you've really outdone yourself here. the script for the review is amazing. your passion is seen. the way the editing is done. awesome work.
I loved it immensely! The message is universal, in that you shouldn't let being grown up and jaded by the world blind you to life's simple pleasures and idealism. 🌍💕
Walter, I have seen this episode time and again...but have never gotten as much out of it as you have highlighted. It's amazing! Thank you!
I really enjoyed this episode. It was nice to see something more focused on the characters and lesson at the end.
I don’t really remember this episode very much, so I can’t say much about it. Great script however.
“I’m too old and too hurt to believe”
Damn, that hurt me
I’m going to make a big tall wish that this series continues on after October
I doubt it :(
Perhaps it will. Right here, in the twilight zone.
I agree, you never know what will happen, he might bring it back for November! 😉
Twilight Zovember
Be careful what you wish for.
Dang... Speaking as a young adult who's gotten more and more world-weary over a (rather short) amount of time, Walter's ending narration actually made me tear up! 😢
You not alone.
Yep me too
Considering when this episode came out and the TV standards of the 60s you could say Rod Serling was very bold to make an episode like this. But he was always bold so it makes sense.
Yeah after all this racial tension is nice to know that even back then theyre people that care
The show even won the Unity Award for Outstanding Contributions to Better Race Relations a year later.
It’s so nice to see a magical child that’s good and innocent and well, like a real child.
I prefer to interpret the ending as a lesson to balance out cynicism and idealism. sometimes we can be too ideallistic, of just thinking wishing is enough, but sometimes our cynicism is just so big that makes us distrust and misdjudge the good things and good opportunities life give us. the we believe "THIS IS REAL LIFE. and things like this miracles and magic don't exist", even when we have it right in front of us. we start to assume the worst, we start to prejudge, thinking what is gonna cost us, and many more horrible stuff, deconstructing the idea of a miracle,based on our bias of what other bad stuff have happened to us before.
instead of just enjoying a miracle for what it is
that was Bolie's tragedy, of (as tv tropes pointed out), his pride, that he couldn't believe things could be different. which almost destroys the kid's belief. but at least he might learned his lesson, that sometimes it is not that bad to just accept the little magic things that happen for what it is. To take the chance to believe in something magic.
It hurt more to lose than to gain. That the problem. Blind sided to a bigger picture
this is almost exactly what I thought the first time I watched this.
I'm not normally a fan of the more sentimental episodes, but this episode and the season 2 episode "The Night of the Meek" were actually very enjoyable
I watch this every year near Christmas. It truly makes me feel a real Christmas Spirit, and Im pagan lol
I'd add Changing of the Guard and Nothing in the Dark to that list.
@@gregorytyson995 Oh I love those two!
@@gregorytyson995 I'm not familiar with those episodes
Bollie Jackson was the most down to Earth character in history of Twilight Zone.
If wishes did come true, I would want them to only be granted to kids like this. Kids who wish to help others.
Don’t forget about those of us who are still kids at heart!
The young boy who played Henry so brilliantly. Also played Sidney Poitier and Ruby Dees son in the film A Raisin in the Sun.
Yes he was in the film A Raisin In The Sun. There was another youngster who had similar name African-American and has led to some confusion.
@@alexforest1 Ivan Dixon played the African student in the play -- not sure if he assumed the same role as the movie.
I love this episode! The ending is so heartbreaking, even though nothing overtly tragic happens. I think the fact that the characters don’t realize what they’ve lost makes it even sadder. One of the problems I have with Jordan Peele's reboot is that although he nails the creepy/dark tone of the original, he seems to have forgotten that TTZ could also be surprisingly heartfelt (which is why I feel that sometimes they add cruel twist endings just for the sake of it). Yes, Serling was obviously cynical, but at heart, he was a big ol’ softie, and that sentimentality really shines through in episodes like these.
Easily in my top 10 favourites:)
May not have had a happy ending, but it certainly helped African Americans. The show even won The Unity Award for Outstanding Contributions to Better Race Relations a year later.
Tears were shed for this episode.
Ivan Dixon nailed this, as did the little boy in his part. A touching episode, and not too sappy, as you said. It wasn't even about boxing, it was about Bolie and little Henry. Life has crapped on Bolie too hard for too long for him to believe in magic, but little Henry wants to help him so badly.
Ivan Dixon was a GREAT actor. He was always the voice of reality, reason, and intelligence in everything that he did - including Hogan's Heroes, of all shows.
You really saw how progressive Serling was to do something like this and such a wonderful episode, particularly the scenes between Bollie and Henry.
8:41 Walter, you will never know how much those words mean to me. I have been ill, depressed, broke, anxious about my next move, and contemplating my mortality and what would be left behind. I am not 100% better but what you said brought me a lot of comfort. Thank you and thank you for this journey into the Twilight Zone.
I hope you're doing better now
@@TotallyHuman Every day is a struggle but some days are better than others. All in all, today was pretty good.
The most emotional episode. So much emotion in it.
I remember seeing this episode when I was younger. The kid's plea to the broken boxer makes me tear-up every time. I agree with your summary, that we need to combine hard work with beliefs in miracles. THAT is a recipe for success. Muhammad Ali, the legendary boxer, always proclaimed that he was the greatest and could defeat all his opponents, but he also worked and trained HARD and his actions ALWAYS matched his proclamations. We all can learn to integrate both hard work and positive dreaming in our projects!
I have a Big tall wish and it's GET ME THE HECK OUT OF 2020! Thank you for taking the time to read this message :)
Almost there!
That makes two of us.
Damn right
We’re almost done month 10 out of 12! Not much longer to go now!
Soon
I loved that this episode gave its African American performers a chance to shine, especially since the plot refreshingly doesn't revolve around race. 🥰💗
Very good point.
Serling was known to criticize Hollywood for ignoring the talents of African Americans.
I agree Trina. They made it about their talents and not their race. All shows involving us should do this instead of making our race the main focal point.
One of the most underrated episodes
The "Big Tall Wish" is such an underrated classic. I wish more people would watch it.
Can't say if Sterling was the best man, but man hes a Good one
Some times that's the best thing you could be.
He actually criticized Hollywood for ignoring the talents of African American actors.
This is one of my favorite episodes. The message I got from it when I saw it was that anything is possible if you believe in yourself. The boxer didn’t, but the kid that believed in him did. If you believe in yourself you will win.
Wow, was not expecting the Twilight-tober zone to make me feel like that. I'm gonna miss this show once it's done.
A black-character-focused Twilight Zone episode? That's amazing!!
I saw this episode on Sunday morning and I was amazed
I concur, especially for a show that came out in 1960, featured a mostly black cast, and the plot had nothing to do with racial tensions or segregation in the slightest. Truly ahead of its time! 👏🏾💚
So youre not a fan of the twilight zone i see. Rod was huge civil rights activist. Learn something about this show hommie
@@JohnGalt916 Whoa, that's not arrogant at all
The theme of the episode is way bigger than race, definitely a milestone for the 60s but still. The message itself made me cry.
Ivan Dixon was underrated as an actor
Bolie Jackson: "Magic isn't real, kid. Just get over it"
God: "So you have chosen...being a loser"
I came here to see spooky stories, and now I'm crying. Man that is a good story.
I honestly love it when The Twilight Zone tries to be touching as well as creepy.
This wasn't a creepy episode. The Twilight Zone series was funny in that they tended to vary wildly in tone.
@@peterkrug4124 I meant The Twilight Zone manages to have just as many episodes that warm the heart in between the sad one.
One of the most heartwarming episodes in the series .
He should've known magic is real. I can't think of any other reason his commando unit was able to operate so effectively from underneath a POW camp during the war.
Nice to see Willem Dafoe in this episode, too. 2:02
If you don't mind me saying, that's actually Walter Burke, somewhat looking like Dafoe. There's an episode in "Hogan's Heroes" in which Ivan Dixon's Kinch (Kinchloe) is in an outdoor scene with Burke, who's playing a Brit in that episode. I'm a big fan of "Hogan's Heroes"...and of Dixon. I just now looked up Dafoe's birthday; he would have been five years old at the time of this "Twilight Zone" episode. Sorry, I don't mean to sound like a know-it-all; I just happened to see your post after having re-watched this clip.
@@pnelson1432 Nice to know who it actually is, obviously I was just drawing attention to a look-a-like.
@@FatNorthernBigot Yes, sorry...I meant to add that I knew you just comparing his facial features to that of Willem. (I shouldn't have written so late in the evening. Tired.) Have a wonderful weekend.
@@pnelson1432 it's all good, and a pleasant weekend is being had, thanks.👍😁
Rod Serling was truly a man ahead of his time.
Good episode i liked how the magic was reversed to give a grounded ending.
Kinda makes you wonder how much other magic us being reversed by non-believers.
Ahhh stop it emotions why am I crying at the end of the video. Hope all y'all are enjoying your own lives and taking the little miracles along the way as they come.
The role of Henry's mother was originally meant for Nichelle Nichols, later best known for her role of Uhura on Star Trek. If that happened, she would join her future co-stars William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, George Takei and James Doohan, plus multiple others who also appeared on Stare Trek, in Twilight Zone.
One of the many reasons I love Serling.
It could also be like Jacob's Ladder, where he was knocked out, and dreaming that he somehow won the match, until the count was over and he woke up.
8:40 Don't you dare make me feel feelings.
Beautiful messages from both perspectives. It also makes me think of the wonderful adults in my life when I was a child telling me to never lose all my child like thoughts or thinking and I promise I never will :) .
This an amazing episode. One of the best for twilight zone.
I cried with this episode.
This episode broke me the first time I saw it.
I never thought this was great but when I first watched it I loved how the cast was all black for 1959 or early 1960 it is really impressive and shows Rod Serling really was ahead of his time.
He even criticized Hollywood for ignoring the talents of African Americans.
Rod Serling was a Jewish WWII Veteran. It stands to reason that his life experiences allowed him to transcend the ignorance and prejudices of his time.
My favorite episode
Sadly there was never another all-black episode of TZ, though there would be other boxing ones.
Ivan Dixon, underutilized on HOGAN'S HEROES, boxed in that series, too.
No but I Am The Night Color Me Black addressed racial issues and Ivan Dixon turned in another stellar performance as the pastor who is the voice of conscience in a community consumed by hatred.
"Steel" was another boxing episode, although it was sci-fi instead of magical.
Rod wanted to do more, but the censors wouldn’t let him address racism towards African Americans. However, he did address racism towards Asian Americans.
@@Powerranger-le4up
Censors were Rod's biggest enemies. Maybe he would've liked our current age where web series with almost no censorship can thrive.
When I first watched this as a kid, I cried empathizing with the kid. Why can't our wishes that come from our heart come true? Now, decades later, I cry empathizing the man. Why can't I believe in miraculous wishes anymore?
Roberto Manuel: I understand your viewpoint to a painful degree. But, I encourage you to understand the extremely important point the episode and Serling were making -- it blights our souls, our hearts, and even our spirits to completely give up on goodness, miracles, and whatever you believe is greater than yourself.
Look around you. Look at the people walking around, in these comments, and in the media. Look at how hopeless, angry, anxious, miserable, depressed, and negative they are.
That's because they don't have optimism, hope, or belief in anything because it's been taken away from them in school, at home, and in society where the world is filling up with people like they are.
I truly understand the misery of those who were never offered the chance to believe, then those who were given the chance and threw it away because the going got tough along the way.
Except, that's when you need belief and hope, optimism and wishing upon a star, and in the power of prayers the most... when things are the bleakest.
So, again, I just want to encourage you, because it's worthwhile to give it a serious try. Give it a try and maybe in time, the star will shine brighter, the birthday candles will flicker higher, and when you least expect it, your wish will at last come true
@@LA_HA
Morals are a human invention.
But sometimes people forget things are invented for a reason, and that inventions are good. Just because something isn't inherent to the universe, it doesn't mean we can't make it true, with our belief.
Amazing performance in this episode
The casting was on point
Emotionally memorable to the end
I FUCKING loved this episode so much
Harry’s character Steven Perry also starred as Travis Younger in A Raisin in the Sun.
The season 5 episode with Ivan Dixon was called "I am the night- Color me Black"
WHOA? Jerry Goldsmith?! Nice!
Is it just me, or does his trainer look an awful lot like Willem Defoe.
Long Live Willem Defoe!
....in the Twilight Zone....
Same I was so confused
The Twilight Zone ended up winning the Unity Award for Outstanding Contributions to Better Race Relations a year later because of this episode. Serling was known to have criticized Hollywood for ignoring the talents of African Americans.
Jeez a real tearjerker
I like this series a lot, I wish it wouldn't end after October
Fantastic actors.
I used to see the Twilight Zone being a type of purgatory, but now I see it more as a neutral plane of existence. It's neither good or evil. It rewards good while punishes evil and vice versa. It's like a big game of chance.
Again, IM NOT CRYING YOU’RE CRYING
This spotlight series has brought me back to late night Hitchcock presents and twilight zone memories , thanks Walter. You can hear the passion and excitement when you talk about these episodes.
Your writing is always beautiful, Walter, but there was an astoundingly heartfelt and ineffable quality to your conveyance of the poignant sentimentality and themes which comprise The Big Tall Wish. I adored the exploration into the ideological juxtaposition between the youthful, optimistic vitality and fantastical perspective of life and its possibilities that contrast with the wearied realism concomitant with experiences of time and age. Bolie tenderly represents a man literally fighting against life’s constant fustigations, cognizant of the futility of wishes and the falsity in believing that simple thoughts can significantly alter the status of one’s situation. Young Henry encapsulates the idealistic and altruistic belief in the efficacy of desire, that the want and desperation for a reality is enough to manifest it as true. The intersection and confrontation of these differing perspectives in that single, touching scene between the Bolie and Henry demonstrates the simultaneity of belief and denial which oft reside in all of us who dare to dream, yet realize the improbability of such wistful thoughts without some intervention or unlikely miracle in circumstance. In the finale of this episode, Bolie and Henry harbor an understanding of the other’s views, Henry acknowledging the puerile emptiness of grandiose wishes, and Bolie learning that the staunch absence of belief renders a life despondent and pessimistic. It is the proper convergence of these ideals which a constitute true sense of hope and light in life, the belief in the possibility for betterment that translates into sustained motivation to take personal action and make those dreams a reality for yourself. There is universality to the need for dreams and wishes in order to persist and see the prospect of what can be, beyond what currently is. Something all of us could use more of, outside of The Twilight Zone.
Getting to share these episodes and my thoughts with you has been a light in my life over the past month. Despite the tribulations this year has wrought for me, my family, and others, there is always hope, always something to be grateful for, and having the opportunity to write to you and everyone else is certainly an experience that I will never take for granted. Thank you, Walter. Truly.
Thank you for writing these up, Hayley. It's always great reading them. I'm glad we can all discuss the show in this capacity.
@@WalterCulture Same! Thanks again, Walter, I really appreciate it!
@@hayleyelise7144 I absolutely loved reading this. Thank you for sharing your take.
Oh man this story hits home for me. I love how the twilight zone message is timeless.
Walter, if you find this... I’m a boxing fan who can offer some insight on the age thing. As a rule, most fighters hit their stride and reach their apex from their mid-20s through to their mid-30s. So your mid to late 30s is when most people see you as over the hill. But in some cases, it’s not the years so much as the mileage. Some guys have longevity in the ring, others burn out fast. This is mostly due to fighting styles. Disciplined boxers can stick around a little longer while aggressive brawlers tend to take a lot of wear and tear (for obvious reasons). That being said, I do still believe there is some validity to your age argument. Darn shame Archie Moore couldn’t keep the role, because I think he would’ve been a good fit. As a fighter, he was colorful and flamboyant (an Ali-prototype in some ways) and I think he also dabbled in acting after he hung up his gloves. Look him up sometime when you get the chance, he’s a character who lived a life I think would translate well to the big screen.
Wow, a Twilight Zone episode where nobody gets killed by some supernatural turn of events? Pretty refreshing if you ask me
I kind of like the inspiring message in this story
I recognized the name Ivan Dixon but I had to put on his POW clothes from Hogan's Heroes to SEE the character and connect him with the actor in this episode.
Remember watching this one when I was younger!
Next time we go to A Nice Place To Visit!
I had never heard of this episode before it sounds amazing and like a must watch
I yelled at my TV so much at this episode. I was so happy they showed African Americans as major characters without being too stereotypical or insulting.
The young man was also in The movie A Raisin in the Sun
Great episode. The next one though is one of the best.
Yesssirrr. I think this was my favorite one
I’m watching these episodes one day before these videos come out to get the fullness of the experience. So thank you for making me go through these classics I grew up loving again. This one was so sad.
This was a great episode and one of my favourites from the Ist Season. A really strong performance from Ivan Dixon.
Before I played this video, even after all these years I can still recall the voice and pronunciation of the main character's name by the child actor.
Walter has really done a fantastic job breaking down each episode on this. I can tell It takes alot of time an effort put into research to make one of these videos, and I'm happy he does, because the quality of detail in outline of the directors thoughts on why, where, and how alot of these scenes were shot is not only entertaining , but interesting. Thanks for a fun look into The Twilight world we all thought we knew...But now we all know, it's not just a youtube video. It's the Awesome Zone.
A bitter-sweet, yet wholesome episode.
A true delicacy for the people of the Twilight Zone.
By the way, the "Bolie Jackson vs. Jerry Consiglio" poster seen at the arena was later used in the 1961 "ONE STEP BEYOND" episode, "The Last Round" (both series were filmed at MGM).
This is one of my favourite episodes of the series. It says a lot about the quality of the Twilight Zone that something as amazing as this episode gets overshadowed by other masterpieces. The Twilight Zone is amazing, man.
What do you mean? They're all good.
@@graciegj63 That's... Exactly what I mean. This show has so many great episodes that The Big Tall Wish, an episode that could be one of the most beloved episodes on any other series, can get overshadowed by other amazing episodes. I don't hear this episode get presided nearly as much as it deserves to.
@@adamnaameeazim6365 But it's not overshadowed. It stands on equal ground with others. Do you actually want this episode to overshadow the others?
@@graciegj63 No, I definitely don't here this one get talked about as often as many, many, many others. And nowhere did I imply that I want other episodes to overshadow this one. I just really like it, and wish that it was more popular.
@@adamnaameeazim6365 Ok then. This and the other episode "I am the night color me black" does get recognition and hits pretty hard.
I think putting the emphasis on him being too old still worked because it wasn't just physical it was mental. There is a moment where the main character asks the boys mom, when do we realize the world is hard?
I think it expresses that it doesn't matter your physical age, you can lose hope at any age.
Didn't think I was going to tear up this morning. This was a great episode!
This is such a bittersweet one. You imagine the life Bolie went through (not just as a boxer but as a black man in 20th century America) and how it beat out the ability to believe in a miracle even when one presented itself to him. Maybe it's because Henry's big tall wishes were always made for someone else's benefit, rather than his own. Still, there's a marvelous convergence that occurs; Bolie's cynicism may have effected Henry, but by the end maybe Henry's hope made a crack in Bolie's concrete wall of disenchantment.
An excellent analysis. Very incisive. Obviously a labor of love.
I honestly wanted you to play Rod’s ending narration.
This episode taught me to have confidence in my own abilities. "So as a man thinketh, so is he."
1:47 what is William Dafoe doing in the 1960s?
That's not William Defoe. William was born in 1957, and this episode was filmed in the early 1960's.
So he would have been under 10 years old at that time.
Dang it, Tober! You made me choke up. This show made me choke.💛💛💛 This is an odd coincidence.
This episode was on MeTV, today, 6-14-24.
This was a good episode
Having an all black cast, or even a black lead, on a TV show in the early 60's was quite the progressive step indeed, more so when not focusing on race as the issue, especially considering that the last majorly black headed television show was The Hazel Scott Show over on the DuMont network, which by the time this episode aired had been defunct for a few years.
For those wondering when this actor came back in during Season 5, it’s the episode called “I am the Night - Color me Black” (just saying, it’s nothing racially derogatory at all towards that actor or anything of the sort)
This is my favorite series to watch this month keep it up!
PS my name is Henry and I love characters named Henry in movie/tv/books
Damn. I came here thinking I was gonna get a scary story and now I am tearing up like I just got done cutting onions
When you hear about black actors opening the door for other black actors, I don't think you hear very often about Ivan Dixon. Which doesn't make any sense.
I didn't think the Twighlight Zone would do positive things like this.
Please stop mentioning Defoe's appearance in this episode. That's how he finds his victims so he can continue living
I really get what you were saying at the end, I told my parents about the ending line of not enough people believing in magic and they said magic does exist in the little things like life and just living itself.
My theory is that when the boxer was knocked out it was a dream sequence that he won from the boy’s wish, but reality brought him back to being knocked out
Interesting to see how Twilight Zone and Rod Serling care more about actual diversity (hiring actors based on their talent, not their skin color) than all of Hollywood today. Yes, the leads are all black, but that makes sense dietetically, unlike the forced diversity of today, which is there just to fill up a quota, as if black people could not make it to the big screen without the help of some kindly quota-making white politicians.
Makes sense? Forced diversity? Sigh. I'm tired of the attitude that every character should automatically be white by default and a black actor should only be hired if it "makes sense". What makes you think that black actors today aren't hired based on their talent? Here's the breakdown. For years, talent meant squat. If you were black, you didn't get in the room. In order to change this, Hollywood had to be made to look for black actors. They had plenty of talent, but were never considered. Unfortunately, without quotas, talented people of color wouldn't be where they are today because change had to be forced. In essence, the old lie "all of the talent we found just happened to be white" had to be rejected so that people who deserved opportunities got them.
@@misspriss2482 That was the 1960s before discrimination laws existed. The guy never said black talent wasn’t pushed away based on prejudice; in fact, in the video above, the guy explains Serling hired an all black cast for this episode because he thought Hollywood was missing a slew of talent waiting to be eaten up. Forcing someone to hire someone simply because they’re black is not only terrible, it’s incredibly racist because it tells them they can’t get into colleges or jobs by themselves based on talent, but instead they have to be babied and treated like a child. Plus, think of it like this: there’s only 30 million black people in the US: 13% of the population. What if I don’t have any black people in my town? If it’s law I have to have “diversity quotas” then my business is fucked because there’s almost know minorities in my town, and if there is, how many of them want to work for me? I don’t give a shit what race they are, if they can do the job, I’ll hire them. Oh, and it wasn’t quotas that change it, it was anti-discrimination laws, meaning you can’t hire based on race, religion, gender, age, etc. The only exception is if they’re not right for the job. If the actor has to be white because that’s what’s written in the script, then you can make that a requirement. If they’re too old to work, you can say they’re not fit for the job.
did you really just say us blacks are only hired in movies cause it “makes sense” to what it’s about...?
@@amarikristopher8409 I’m not sure why he used the word dietetically to describe it. I guess black people are hired because it fits with the predictions diet.
When people are more worried about the color of an actor's skin then the character they're playing, Then they themselves are racist and worship it like an idol. Remember. People are alike all over. We all have the same emotions and bleed red and even sometimes go through the same kind of stuff within our families and communities. To say that we can't relate to each other in any way makes us divided instead of bringing us together. The Lord Jesus is accepting of any and all people if they'll come to him.