Night Gallery (TV Series) Green Fingers/The Funeral/The Tune in Dan's Cafe (1972) User Reviews

Everything Grows

[Hitchcoc · 8/10 · 18 June 2014]

In "Green Fingers, " Elsa Lanchester, who played the bride of Frankenstein, is a wonderful little lady who isn't about to give in to a land developer who refuses to take no for an answer. He tries every method get her to give up her little piece of property. He is putting up a huge array of buildings and she is standing in the way. While he tries his usual intimidation, she talks about her wonderful garden. He is totally insensitive and has only his business dealings in mind. Failing to achieve his goals he hires a hit man to get rid of the old lady. What happens next is quite an experience. Lanchester is fantastic and shows she still had acting chops

In "The Funeral," a strange man, played by Werner Klemperer arranges a funeral with Joe Flynn, an upscale undertaker. After a series of conditions, it is revealed that the funeral is for Klemperer who is obviously a vampire. He has a guest list, including a hunchback, a witch, and other sordid monsters. The service itself is a hoot. For pure fun, this isn't half bad.

"The Tune at Dan's Cafe" has a bored married couple, who are heading for divorce, arriving at a cafe where there are no other customers and a mysterious proprietor. The star is an aged juke box that keeps playing the same forgettable love song over and over again. The juke box has a history and that is played back in increments. It tells the story of a hoodlum and his ill fated romance with a woman who has been under his thumb for a long time. The parallels between the couples is interesting. This is an eerie presentation with many surprises and a very satisfying ending.

The Tune in Dan's Cafe finally answered the question of where that song I first heard on a vintage "American Top 40" radio show was on "Night Gallery"

[tavm · 9/10 · 9 June 2009]

After about 18 years of first hearing the tune "If You Leave Me Tonight, I'll Cry" by Jerry Wallace on a cassette tape of Casey Kasem's radio show, "American Top 40", from the week ending October 7, 1972, I finally watched the "Night Gallery" episode that Casey said the song originated from. The version of that song is different from the recorded version I heard so long ago in that Wallace truly sings by himself in the episode instead of with a chorus. Pernell Roberts and Susan Oliver are a tired married couple who stop at an abandoned bar with just the proprietor in attendance. When Roberts plays the jukebox, only one song is playing no matter what number is pressed. It's related to what happened to a young couple years ago when a murder took place. That's all I'll say except this was a most compelling episode that explored-via split-second cutting and some negative-inserted scenes-how explosively dangerous some couplings can be...

"It's really an attitude about how a person feels..."

[classicsoncall · 7/10 · 3 June 2017]

I would never have guessed old Mrs. Bowen was played by the same actress who was the "Bride of Frankenstein" almost four decades earlier. That gives the show an added boost in retrospect. Elsa Lanchester has just the perfect demeanor and disposition to refuse selling her little Garden of Eden to a ruthless land developer (Cameron Mitchell) who wants her property at any cost. It would have been a shame if Michael Saunders (Mitchell) got away with his scheme, let's just say Mrs. Bowen had a green thumb (and fingers) in more ways than one.

The Night Gallery seemed to have a decidedly large preference for Dracula and vampire stories over the course of it's run. 'The Devil is Not Mocked' is one that immediately comes to mind, and there were a few of those short filler episodes in which Dracula pays a visit to the neighborhood blood bank. This time out, actor Werner Klemperer prevails upon mortician Silkline (Joe Flynn) to provide the finest in funeral splendor complete with a casket and gold trimmings. He's arranging a going away party for himself of course, with attendees that include another Count, a witch, a Wolf Man, Vampira and an odd character who fashions himself a poor man's Peter Lorre.

'The Tune in Dan's Cafe' is a somber affair, as a married couple on the brink of divorce happen upon an out of the way diner on the way home. The owner relates a story supporting his theory on why the jukebox in his establishment continuously plays one and only one song no matter what one's selection might be - "If You Leave Me Tonight I Will Cry". His tale is supplemented by visions of the tragic events that followed gangster Red Gleason's (James Davidson) murder of his girlfriend Red (Brooke Mills), after she snitched on his involvement in a five thousand dollar robbery. Presumably, the troubled couple (Pernell Roberts and Susan Oliver) will be led to patch things up before making it all the way back home, though the story didn't convince me that they'd wind up a happily married couple again.

Compact, poetic, eloquent

[mallon1968 · 10/10 · 6 January 2009]

Most of the stories dramatized on "Night Gallery" are quite enjoyable, but really aren't incredibly original, so for me, a lot of times it's not so much the story that's of interest as how the material's developed. "The Tune in Dan's Cafe" is a fine example of this. It's a simple story--a married couple that's on the edge of divorce stops into what seems to be a nearly abandoned café--only the proprietor remains. When they play the jukebox, they find it only plays one hackneyed country song ("If You Leave Me Tonight, I'll Cry" by Jerry Wallace, which seems a perfect choice to me), which continually skips in the same place. The proprietor relates a story about a previous couple who came to a violent end in the café in the past; the skipping jukebox reflects that moment, and the story intimates that the café (and at least one particular ghost) awaits her return. Consider you have 20 minutes for this story segment that relates 2 accounts of troubled relationships, and the reason behind the haunted café. Add in some cool visual effects and some understated acting, and you have an idea of how well editor-turned-director David Rawlins has treated this material. There's no need for a lot of exposition or explanation in this story; the spare but effective teleplay does the trick and the editing of the segment is efficient yet stylish, and the ending ties everything up so well--we intuit that the doomed couple inspires the contemporary couple to patch things up--and also to get the hell out of the café--as the long-awaited girlfriend is returning...

Everything she plants grows....

[BooBoo516 · 19 April 2006]

This is perhaps one of my most favorite of all the "Night Gallery" episodes. It was such a great series, too bad SciFi or another network hasn't picked it up. Besides the fact that I had always loved Elsa Lanchester, and found her oddly beautiful as the "Bride of Frankenstein" and other old films too, she really was a marvellous character actress, quite often overlooked. In this episode a very greedy land developer tries anyway he can to evict her from her little home. If I remember correctly (it's been ages since I saw this as a kid) the ending is quite shocking--well for the time anyway! I wish Universal would release the Night Gallery series on DVD.

great episode

[ziggnlemons · 10/10 · 31 December 2006]

I too enjoyed this episode of Night Gallery. I thought at first it was from The Twilight Zone until I went through the episode list. IMDb made finding the correct listing easy and I appreciate it. I also feel SciFi should pick up Night Gallery. This episode reminds me of "Imminent Domain" issues in our country. The plot disturbed me greatly as a young teen...the idea that there are those who will go to most any means to get what it is they want without considering others. The acting in this episode was excellent; very believable and sincere. Rod Serling is the preeminent of psychological mind bends...he is not Hitchcock of course, but he can hold his own.

Cruel episode yet it's clever for it's twist.

[blanbrn · 8/10 · 1 August 2019]

This "NG" episode from 1972 is most memorable for it's segment called "Green Fingers" as it involves a man named Mike Saunders who's mean and cruel and wants to build new structures on an existing property. However to do this he must put an old lady and her current little home to pasture and waste! The episode becomes cruel however it twist with guilt and it turns with some revenge don't want to say more and spoil it for those who haven't seen it! Overall well done episode.

A trio of solid stories

[Woodyanders · 8/10 · 5 October 2018]

"Green Fingers" - Greedy and ruthless land developer Mike Saunders (Cameron Mitchell in fine hateful and arrogant form) decides to use brutal drastic measures in order to get stubborn widow Lydia Bowen (marvelously played by Elsa Lanchester) to leave her home. Acted with tremendous zest by both leads (Lanchester in particular is a quirky delight throughout), this segment offers a cool supernatural twist along with a satisfyingly harsh, if nonviolent comeuppance for Saunders.

"The Funeral" - Mortician Morton Silkline (an excellent performance by Joe Flynn) arranges a late funeral for oddball client Ludwig Asper (a nicely sinister portrayal by Werner Klemper). Amusing comic vignette that's highlighted by a wake attended by various monsters which goes hilariously awry.

"The Tune in Dan's Café" - A bickering couple stop off at a remote diner that has a jukebox in it that keeps playing the same sad song over and over again. Pernell Roberts and Susan Oliver are sound and credible as the couple whose marriage is on the rocks who get a last minute chance at salvaging said floundering marriage due to the tragic story pertaining to the song on the jukebox. This touching tale further benefits from the striking presence of beautiful redhead Brooke Mills.

Gardens & Cafes

[AaronCapenBanner · 7/10 · 12 November 2014]

'Green Fingers' - Elsa Lanchester plays a widow who lives alone and takes pride in her beautiful garden. Unfortunately, a real estate developer(played by Cameron Mitchell) wants her land, and resorts to putting her out by force when she won't sell, but doesn't realize how close to her garden she has grown... Effective tale with two fine performances and a memorable finale.

'The Funeral' - Monsters attend the "funeral" of one of their own, putting the parlor owner on the spot... Amusing if silly segment.

'The Tune In Dan's Cafe' - Story editor Gerald Sanford wrote this ghostly tale of revenge involving a haunted jukebox and a gorgeous redhead(Brooke Mills, who steals the show).

Fun stuff for 'Night Gallery' devotees.

[Hey_Sweden · 7/10 · 30 January 2021]

'Green Fingers'. Teleplay by Serling himself, based on a tale by R.C. Cook. Directed by John Badham. Cameron Mitchell plays Saunders, a stereotypically greedy developer who keeps trying to bribe an old woman (Elsa Lanchester) to leave her property; her land is essential to his plans. He's not above paying a goon (George Keymas) to throw a scare into her. But things go bad - in a very interesting way. The effects are good, and things do get fairly violent. Both Mitchell and Lanchester are very, very good here, especially her, as she plays this eccentric but endearing old biddy with an obvious talent for growing things; her garden is truly a wonder. This segment has the best twist ending of this episode.

'The Funeral'. Comic hijinks, courtesy of Richard Matheson, who adapted his own story. Directed by John Meredyth Lucas. A strange man named Asper (Werner Klemperer) goes to a funeral home to arrange a service; the proprietor (Joe Flynn) is happy to accommodate him, but is thrown for a loop when Aspers' big secret comes to light. Things get particularly wacky when the service takes place, and all of Aspers' ghoulish acquaintances attend. Needless to say, the house practically comes down. This is all pretty goofy, and silly, but it IS amusing, and hard to truly dislike. 'Night Gallery' series producer Jack Laird appears on screen here as Igor.

'The Tune in Dan's Cafe'. Teleplay by Gerald Sanford and Garrie Bateson, based on a story by Shamus Frazer. Directed by David Rawlins. Pernell Roberts and Susan Oliver play a couple going through a rough patch. Late one night they stop at a roadside cafe where only one annoying country love song ever plays on the juke box. In conversing with the owner (James Nusser), Roberts learns why this might be the case: it has to do with a doomed romance between a young man and woman (James Davidson, Brooke Mills). This segment eventually consists of quick cuts wherein we get just enough story to put the pieces together. Overall, the segment isn't *bad*, but it's resolved in a fairly unsatisfying way. Good atmosphere, in any event.

Seven out of 10.

Not a good one until the end

[BandSAboutMovies · 5/10 · 22 April 2023]

There are three stories in this episode, which often feels like too much, but I promise to be open minded as we get close to the end of the second season of Night Gallery.

"Green Fingers" was directed by John Badham from a Rod Serling script, which was based on an R. C. Cook short story. Elsa Lanchester (once the Bride of Frankenstein) is Mrs. Bowen, who is great with a garden but in the way of Michael Saunders (Cameron Mitchell), a real estate mogul just going near manic to get his hands on her home and develop the area around it. Yet when he sends a henchman named Crowley (George Keymas) to rough her up, Saunders learns that even in death, Mrs. Bowen can make anything grow. I really disliked how the ending breaks the fourth wall, as this feels more Laird than Serling.

"The Funeral" is about funeral director Morton Silkline (Joe Flynn) planning the final resting moments of Ludwig Asper (Werner Klemperer, Col. Klink). The budget is sky high, the guests include vampires and Jack Laird as Ygor and it's basically one long blackout gag. Directed by John Meredyth Lucas and written by Richard Matheson, this left a bad taste in my mouth.

The final segment is "The Tune In Dan's Cafe" and it has some of my favorite art of the entire series. It's the only directing work of editor David Rawlins and has a script by Gerald Sanford and Garrie Bateson from a story by Shamus Frazer.

Joe and Kelly Bellman (Pernell Roberts and Susan Oliver) have a marriage that, well, is no longer a marriage. The vacation that was to save it failed and they're left in this blank bar, the only people there, trapped in the void that is their lack of connection. The jukebox comes to like and only plays one song, the sad favorite tune of long gone couple Roy Gleeson (James Davidson) and his girl Red (Brooke Mills). She ratted him out to the police and took the money and ran. Now, that jukebox - every jukebox they put into Dan's - keeps playing that same song.

Man, I loved this story and how great it looks, with repetitive images of the jukebox being destroyed. It elevated this entire episode.

It's nice to be surprised by Night Gallery. Stick around when you watch this episode, as the final story really makes it.

Great segment from season 2

[stones78 · 17 May 2010]

This review is for Green Fingers, a rather memorable, if not dated episode starring Elsa Lanchester and Cameron Mitchell. Since you know the plot by now, I'll skip the details. The flowers that the widow Bowen plants grow up to be rather impressive, as the scenery is better than average(even though you can tell it's on a stage). There aren't many boring moments in this segment, and most of the lines delivered by the actors are easy to understand and very interesting. Mr. Saunders will do anything to knock this old lady off land which belongs to her, but since he's bought all the land around her tiny house, she becomes an annoying pest to him and she won't take any amount to sell the house. The last few minutes of this episode are some of the better moments of Night Gallery's controversial series, especially how Mr. Saunders rambles on and on to the camera after discovering the widow's "green fingers." All in all, one of the better episodes of this series.

Green Fingers

[paulbehrer22173 · 6 March 2009]

In this segment, adapted by Serling from the R.C. Cook short story, Michael J. Saunders (Cameron Mitchell, best known for playing Uncle Buck Cannon in the western series The High Chapparal), head of Saunders Construction Company, arrives at the residence of Mrs. Bowen (Elsa Lanchester), a widowed gardener, to negotiate with her in person in order to purchase her property since his representatives have failed to persuade her to sell it and move elsewhere. She not only tells him of her unique ability to make everything that she plants grow, she demonstrates an example of this ability: a stick of kindling that she planted has taken root and is in bloom. Saunders then hints that he would stop at nothing to get what he wants, which only stiffens Mrs. Bowen's resolve to stay where she is. Saunders then hires a hit-man to remove the woman as an obstacle to his plans to erect a factory complex. The cops show up at the Bowen house in response to a distress call, to find Mrs. Bowen digging and planting her thumb in the ground while losing blood from where her thumb had been hacked off by the hit-man who used Bowen's ax to do the deed. Conveniently for Saunders, of course, the hit-man dies from a car crash while being pursued by the cops, thus removing any connection to Mrs. Bowen's murder, and Mrs. Bowen dies soon after being brought to the hospital. Saunders arrives at the house of the late Mrs. Bowen, thinking himself triumphant as he takes an evening tour of her garden. However, he finds out that Mrs. Bowen has the final word, literally, when she emerges from the ground, covered from head to toe in root ganglia and earth. Saunders follows to find Mrs. Bowen seated in her rocking chair on the porch, and she says, "Mr. Saunders, I have green fingers. Do you know that? Everything I plant grows-even me!" Saunders rushes to Mrs. Bowen's rose bushes, his hair blanched white from fear and insanity, and says between hysterical fits of laughter, "Do you want to hear something funny? You know, from small acorns mighty oaks grow. That's a fact. But do you know what grows from an old lady's fingers? Hmm? Old Ladies!" I couldn't help but think the following thought while viewing this segment: Didn't Saunders realize the horror he would be growing by using murder to get Mrs. Bowen's land to do what he wanted with it? Spoiler Alert: Bill Quinn made his second appearance in this season 2 segment, his first being in the segment The Phantom Farmhouse, with him playing a doctor in each of his 2 appearances.

One crazy funeral

[stones78 · 2 April 2019]

Even though this segment seems like Jack Laird directed and/or wrote it, although he did not, he did have a small starring role as Ygor. I've read the he and Rod Serling often clashed over the direction of the Night Gallery over the comedic segments. Let me say that I enjoyed the first part of this story, which was more serious, than the second part, which was more "funny", although it's really not that funny. Horror writer veteran Richard Matheson has a writing credit, and you know he adds credibility, and I wonder if he also wrote the "funny" parts. Werner Klemperer and Joe Flynn both shine here, especially Klemperer as a cool 70's vampire. Flynn looks a lot older than 47 years old, and would tragically drown just 2 years later, but he gave a good performance as well. The funeral parlor setting was done real well, and from what I recall, it was rather eerie looking, with sinister music playing. If you paid attention, you should notice that same music was played in another episode titled "The Flip-Side of Satan", and it's perfect in both episodes. My young son was even slightly impressed with the graphics, even though it's from 1972, so there's that.