pool, chess, etc.) can become detrimental to maintaining a balanced and healthy perspective on life.Ĭomplementing a fantastic narrative concept with top-notch performances and production values, “A Game of Pool” should be requisite viewing for enthusiasts of The Twilight Zone. Specifically, the circumstances of Jesse Cardiff rightly indicate that, when carried to the point of obsession, even the most innocuous of activities (e.g. Though highly unrealistic, “A Game of Pool” contains an important life lesson that pursuers of any specialized hobby or profession would be wise to follow. Particularly worth noting is Klugman’s performance in the climactic scene, wherein Jesse, now guaranteed a victory over Fats, proceeds to taunt and humiliate his opponent despite nearly suffering a devastating loss-a believable display of faux confidence from a weak, desperate man lacking the gravitas or sportsmanship of a true champion.įats’ personal afterlife (a misty region containing only an announcement speaker and a pool table) may induce groaning from the audience. Having portrayed Jesse as an overly tense competitor with no sense of humor or levity, Jack Klugman (known to viewers of The Twilight Zone for appearing in “Death Ship,” “In Praise of Pip,” and “ A Passage for Trumpet”) should be commended for conveying the doubts and insecurities that define his character. Especially well-executed is the twist ending featured in “A Game of Pool,” the unpredictable nature of which will no doubt satisfy fans of this series. This installment makes compelling use of a simple, one-note premise conceived by George Clayton Johnson-an occasional contributor to The Twilight Zone. Residing in the afterlife, Fats returns to Earth for one final match but warns Jesse that being the best at anything can have unforeseen consequences. He says he would give anything to have had the chance to play Fats and his wish comes true when the man himself suddenly appears.Desperate to make a name for himself, Jesse Cardiff (Jack Klugman) challenges the late Fats Brown (Jonathan Winters)-the most renowned pool player who ever lived-to a game of straight pool. He’s very good at his game but his frustration comes from the fact that no matter how well he plays or how often he wins, onlookers always conclude that he’s not as good as the late, great James Howard “Fats” Brown. Jesse Cardiff is a frustrated pool player.
Jesse Cardiff, pool shark, the best on Randolph Street, who will soon learn that trying to be the best at anything carries its own special risks. This show was written by George Clayton Johnson and Rod Serling
If you’d beaten me you’d have lived forever.” This ending was eventually filmed for The Twilight Zone: A Game of Pool in the 1989 reboot version. Seeing that Jesse is bedazzled that he has lost a life-or-death game and is still alive, Fats explains that he will die “as all second-raters die: you’ll be buried and forgotten without me touching you. George Clayton Johnson’s script originally featured an alternate ending in which Jesse loses the game. Jackie Gleason was approached about playing Fats Brown but turned it down. Being the best carries a weight of where you are always looking over your shoulder to see who is gaining. Fats Brown lived life fully and pool was just part of it. They both are great at pool… but Klugman’s character is obsessed with the game but doesn’t stop to enjoy life. This was Klugman’s second Twilight Zone (his favorite) and he would end up in four of them. The director Buzz Kulik thought his inexperience at a serious role would bring a freshness to his role…and it did. A Game of Pool has the great comedian Jonathon Winters and character actor Jack Klugman. If you want to see where we are… HERE is a list of the episodes.Ī classic episode.
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