[go: up one dir, main page]

    Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV News
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily Entertainment GuideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsPride MonthAmerican Black Film FestivalSummer Watch GuideSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
La quatrième dimension
S3.E8
All episodesAll
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • FAQ
IMDbPro

It's a Good Life

  • Episode aired May 2, 1984
  • TV-PG
  • 25m
IMDb RATING
8.6/10
5K
YOUR RATING
Cloris Leachman, Don Keefer, John Larch, Bill Mumy, Max Showalter, and Tom Hatcher in La quatrième dimension (1959)
DramaFantasyHorrorMysterySci-FiThriller

On an isolated family farm in Peakesville, Ohio, young Anthony Fremont, who has vast mental powers but lacks emotional development, holds his terrified family and neighbors in thrall to his ... Read allOn an isolated family farm in Peakesville, Ohio, young Anthony Fremont, who has vast mental powers but lacks emotional development, holds his terrified family and neighbors in thrall to his every juvenile wish.On an isolated family farm in Peakesville, Ohio, young Anthony Fremont, who has vast mental powers but lacks emotional development, holds his terrified family and neighbors in thrall to his every juvenile wish.

  • Director
    • James Sheldon
  • Writers
    • Rod Serling
    • Jerome Bixby
  • Stars
    • John Larch
    • Cloris Leachman
    • Don Keefer
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    8.6/10
    5K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • James Sheldon
    • Writers
      • Rod Serling
      • Jerome Bixby
    • Stars
      • John Larch
      • Cloris Leachman
      • Don Keefer
    • 48User reviews
    • 4Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos21

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    + 15
    View Poster

    Top cast10

    Edit
    John Larch
    John Larch
    • Mr. Fremont
    Cloris Leachman
    Cloris Leachman
    • Mrs. Fremont
    Don Keefer
    Don Keefer
    • Dan Hollis
    Bill Mumy
    Bill Mumy
    • Anthony Fremont
    • (as Billy Mumy)
    Alice Frost
    Alice Frost
    • Aunt Amy
    Max Showalter
    Max Showalter
    • Pat Riley
    • (as Casey Adams)
    Jeanne Bates
    Jeanne Bates
    • Ethel Hollis
    Lenore Kingston
    • Thelma Dunn
    Tom Hatcher
    • Bill Soames
    Rod Serling
    Rod Serling
    • Narrator
    • (uncredited)
    • …
    • Director
      • James Sheldon
    • Writers
      • Rod Serling
      • Jerome Bixby
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews48

    8.64.9K
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Featured reviews

    10darrenpearce111

    Anthony's TV Is Better

    This episode is a bona fide claustrophobic nightmare. 'It's A Good Life' will never lose it's impact. Future viewers will be as unable to look away from this crazy, compelling piece of horror as I was. Without doubt one of the great episodes. If you have not seen this one I suggest you do something about it at the first opportunity. The cast are excellent at maintaining the vice-like gripping atmosphere. Chloris Leachman plays the little monster's mother well, but I particularly liked Don Keefer as Dan Hollis. One of the many strengths of The Twilight Zone was the fact that such a weird scenario as this one can convey such a sense of truth. The message here is enigmatic, but I take it to be about dictators and an evaluation of life under a tyrant's regime. See what you think?
    10gcanfield-29727

    It's good that I'm reviewing this episode.

    For my money, Bill(y) Mumy was the best child actor of all time. His performance here is flawless. He was no more than 7 years old at the time, and he's as good or better than all the adult actors. My initial exposure to Mumy was Will Robinson on Lost in Space-where he was always good and noble. In this TZ episode, he makes me genuinely dislike his character. He plays a "monster" who can read minds and invoke any kind of havoc at will. But, it's good that he can do this...it's real good.
    8claudio_carvalho

    The Monster

    The town of Peaksville, Ohio, is isolated from the rest of the world and has no electricity or cars. The reason is a monster, the six-year-old boy Anthony Fremont that has powerful mental powers. He also sends people that he does not like to a mysterious cornfield and is capable to read minds.

    "It's a Good Life" follows one day of Anthony and his family and friends, more precisely the day of the birthday of their neighbor and friend Dan Hollis. People are scared of Anthony, performed by Bill "Lost in Space" Mumy, in a highly bizarre and intriguing episode. My vote is eight.

    Title (Brazil): "Um Bom Dia" ("A Good Day")
    10whatch-17931

    Holds up quite well- Very young Mumy nails it

    Top shelf episode for sure. Billy Mumy was quite the child actor. I've been rewatching Lost in Space as well, and was amazed to see him in an early episode with a minute plus dialog heavy scene all by himself. But that would be at least five years later.

    This is remarkably effective horror that remains absolutely effective.

    I do wonder if Mumy fully understood the script. The line about having to make someone "go on fire" is subtly horrific.

    Update: there's a copy of the script online, and indeed the "go on fire" bit was written longer and speaks of the man on fire running through the fields screaming. I wonder if they shortened because just how young Mumy was, or maybe it was thought too horrific for TV.

    Whatever the reason, I think the short version they used was more effective because it seems more ominous.
    dougdoepke

    Sonny Knows Best

    No need to recap the plot. As I recall, this oddball episode created a stir from the outset. It's a tricky premise, making a kid the demonic villain. I'm guessing that had not The Bad Seed (1956) been a movie success with its wicked little girl, this premise would never have flown. Credit the cast for making it fly despite the questionable material. Little Mumy is perfect with his impish face and searing glare. I expect the role has followed him for a lifetime. Then too, there's the bevy of adults cowering in his presence, where everything evil he does is "good". Seeing the brawny John Larch quaking in his son's presence is especially unnerving. On the other hand, I wish they had held the Jack-in-the-Box frame a little longer so it could soak in. Still, having it flit by has its own brand of nightmarish impact. Anyway, the premise was a daring one for its time, as Serling's extended prolog suggests. Nonetheless, as the half-hour's lasting reputation shows, the effort succeeded, and in spades.

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Bill Mumy and Cloris Leachman reprised their roles in It's Still a Good Life (2003), the only sequel in the history of "The Twilight Zone". Mumy's real life daughter, Liliana Mumy, played Anthony's daughter, Audrey, who is even more powerful than he is. This episode also holds the record for the longest interval between a television episode and its sequel: 41 years and three months.
    • Quotes

      [first lines]

      Narrator: [Opening Narration] Tonight's story on The Twilight Zone is somewhat unique and calls for a different kind of introduction. This, as you may recognize, is a map of the United States, and there's a little town there called Peaksville. On a given morning not too long ago, the rest of the world disappeared and Peaksville was left all alone. Its inhabitants were never sure whether the world was destroyed and only Peaksville left untouched or whether the village had somehow been taken away. They were, on the other hand, sure of one thing: the cause. A monster had arrived in the village. Just by using his mind, he took away the automobiles, the electricity, the machines - because they displeased him - and he moved an entire community back into the dark ages - just by using his mind. Now I'd like to introduce you to some of the people in Peaksville, Ohio. This is Mr. Fremont. It's in his farmhouse that the monster resides. This is Mrs. Fremont. And this is Aunt Amy, who probably had more control over the monster in the beginning than almost anyone. But one day she forgot. She began to sing aloud. Now, the monster doesn't like singing, so his mind snapped at her, turned her into the smiling, vacant thing you're looking at now. She sings no more. And you'll note that the people in Peaksville, Ohio, have to smile. They have to think happy thoughts and say happy things because once displeased, the monster can wish them into a cornfield or change them into a grotesque, walking horror. This particular monster can read minds, you see. He knows every thought, he can feel every emotion. Oh yes, I did forget something, didn't I? I forgot to introduce you to the monster. This is the monster. His name is Anthony Fremont. He's six years old, with a cute little-boy face and blue, guileless eyes. But when those eyes look at you, you'd better start thinking happy thoughts, because the mind behind them is absolutely in charge. This is the Twilight Zone.

    • Connections
      Featured in TV Guide's 100 Greatest Episodes of All-Time (1997)
    • Soundtracks
      Moonglow
      (uncredited)

      Music by Will Hudson and Irving Mills

      played on piano by the character named Pat Riley

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 2, 1984 (France)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Filming locations
      • Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • Cayuga Productions
      • CBS Television Network
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      25 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Cloris Leachman, Don Keefer, John Larch, Bill Mumy, Max Showalter, and Tom Hatcher in La quatrième dimension (1959)
    Top Gap
    What is the French language plot outline for It's a Good Life (1961)?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb app
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb app
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb app
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.