A striking woman visits a shyster with a proposition. She wants him to steal some of the great masterpieces from museums. In order to do this he requires a wrist device which allows him to move at incredible speeds while the rest of the world stands still. While he steals paintings, the guards and police seem frozen. What isn't cleared up is why this woman is willing to pay him $250,000 to do the job. Of course, being made of baser stuff, he begins to see this as a device for pulling off robberies and getting rich. He enlists a friend in his endeavor and they manage, but what....? The kicker is the reason for all this. Rod Serling did a comedic version of this story and once again a device that could have ruled the world is left to the designs of a selfish idiot.
7 Reviews
Terrific!
planktonrules16 October 2012
A small-time hood is approached by a very odd and mysterious woman. She has brought him an amazing time device--one that stops time. Her request--that he steal many great works of art from the local art museum. All he has to do is activate the wristband and he is able to move as such an accelerated speed that no one can see him or the paintings disappear. It sounds great--and even better when instead of paying the crook for his services, she allows him to KEEP the device! But, not surprisingly, there are some twists--and this isn't quite as wonderful as he suspected originally.
In many ways, this show reminds me of many episodes of "The Twilight Zone". Mostly, it's like the one with the magic stopwatch that stops time--but it also has aspects of an episode also called "All the Time in the World". Regardless, the show is brilliant and creative--and has a wonderful ending. Well worth your time and available for free download just like many episodes of this wonderful series--just follow the link on IMDb or go to archive.org. Enjoy.
FYI--Look for a young Jack Warden in a small part. Also, if you think through the plot, you do wonder why the woman needed this man's help in the first place. After all, she, too, had the wrist device!
In many ways, this show reminds me of many episodes of "The Twilight Zone". Mostly, it's like the one with the magic stopwatch that stops time--but it also has aspects of an episode also called "All the Time in the World". Regardless, the show is brilliant and creative--and has a wonderful ending. Well worth your time and available for free download just like many episodes of this wonderful series--just follow the link on IMDb or go to archive.org. Enjoy.
FYI--Look for a young Jack Warden in a small part. Also, if you think through the plot, you do wonder why the woman needed this man's help in the first place. After all, she, too, had the wrist device!
Time, time, time is on my mind...yes it is...
jamesrupert201421 December 2021
A thief is given a powerful time-altering tool to steal valuable works of art for a mysterious collector. Based on a clever short story by Arthur C. Clarke, this is one of the better 'Tales of Tomorrow' episodes (despite a couple of minor plot flaws, one caused by an unnecessary change in the timing of the last few 'milliseconds' between the show and the original story). Like a lot of Clarke's stories (and anthology episodes in general), most of the story is essentially a set-up for the 'surprise ending' but the teleplay is quite well done and entertaining (even if you know the 'twist'). As a long-time devotee of time-travel tales, I always liked Clarke's timely 'be careful what you wish for' cautionary tale.
Wonderful, imaginative episode; Esther Ralston steals the show
mrb198019 December 2020
A mysterious woman (Esther Ralston) approaches crass huckster Henry Judson (Don Hanmer) with a proposition: he receives $100,000 upfront to steal priceless works of art from museums, after which he receives another $100,000 after the work is done. To make this happen, the woman gives Judson a wrist device that will make time stand still. Judson recruits a dumb burglary accomplice (Jack Warden) and delivers the goods, which disappear from the museum's floor as if by magic. The woman later admits she has come from the future to collect the art treasures because a new bomb is about to destroy all life on earth. She gives the wrist device to Judson then departs for the future, leaving Judson with an agonizing choice.
This clever episode has one really great asset--that of Esther Ralston, whose wise and confident performance overshadows everyone and everything else. Her character is so strong and self-assured that she really makes everything click. The story is really imaginative, and the live action is done very well. It's good fun and it's fascinating to watch Ralston at work in one of her few TV performances.
This clever episode has one really great asset--that of Esther Ralston, whose wise and confident performance overshadows everyone and everything else. Her character is so strong and self-assured that she really makes everything click. The story is really imaginative, and the live action is done very well. It's good fun and it's fascinating to watch Ralston at work in one of her few TV performances.
Americanized, perhaps by Sir Arthur
flash-10414 March 2016
Sir Arthur Clarke says in his Collected Stories that he worked on this script, not (as the on-screen credits and IMDb would have it) that he wrote it entirely himself, based on his short story. The Americanization is pretty heavy, and removes what subtlety there is in the original characterization. The plot hole in the Goofs section, though, is present in the original; though it's not certain that it _is_ a hole—we're not told in the original what would happen if the protagonist violated the prohibition.
One nice touch new in the screenplay is the newspaper in the opening scene.
One nice touch new in the screenplay is the newspaper in the opening scene.
"Just keep that wheel of fortune rolling, huh?"
classicsoncall12 April 2023
Warning: Spoilers
This is the very first 'Tales of Tomorrow' I've seen, and it looks like I've discovered another interesting anthology series while cruising the streaming platforms. Made in the 1950's, the set design and cinematography is reminiscent of 'The Honeymooners' television series produced during the same era. It was also filmed live, at least this one was, so the players had to be on their mark and ready to improvise if need be. The program, based on an Arthur C. Clarke short story, involves a mysterious woman (Esther Ralston) who appears at Henry Judson's (Don Hanmer) business office with a curious proposition. She offers him a hundred thousand dollars in advance for the purpose of stealing valuable works of art from the local museum. One might immediately ask why she couldn't do it herself and cut out the middleman, so that's one slight plot hole in the story. You see, the woman (named Shelby in captioning, but only called The Collector by name), has a wrist device she calls an 'accelerator' that causes the wearer to vibrate so fast that the rest of the world appears to be standing still. By using it, the wearer would be invisible while removing priceless works of art from their locations on display. With an accomplice (Jack Warden), Judson accomplishes the task assigned, and wonders aloud how he'd like to keep the accelerator after The Collector, admitting that she's come from a thousand years in the future, returns to her own era. She grants his request, but with a dire observation from the day's newspaper headline, a new H-Bomb about to be tested will destroy the entire world. Henry then had to decide whether to keep the accelerator active or not, since he would be the last person left alive on Earth with no one to communicate with. Intriguing concept, but flawed as far as a conclusion goes, so another plot hole. Just because the H-Bomb could not destroy 'time', it would certainly destroy the 'space' he occupied, rendering him just as dead as the rest of the world!
If I had to guess, Rod Serling probably saw this episode at some point, as the concept here was redone in a story he wrote with Michael Rosenthal for his original 'Twilight Zone' series. It was called "A Kind of a Stopwatch", and the finale of that one left its protagonist with a similar fate, leaving it up to the imagination of the viewer as to what he would do next. Only difference being, the world did not come to an end in that one.
If I had to guess, Rod Serling probably saw this episode at some point, as the concept here was redone in a story he wrote with Michael Rosenthal for his original 'Twilight Zone' series. It was called "A Kind of a Stopwatch", and the finale of that one left its protagonist with a similar fate, leaving it up to the imagination of the viewer as to what he would do next. Only difference being, the world did not come to an end in that one.
From the "Tales of Tomorrow" TV Series (1951-1953)
Bernie444413 February 2024
All the Time in the World
Season 1 Episode 37 Episode aired Jun 13, 1952 Directors Don Medford Starring: Esther Ralston, Don Hanmer, Lewis Charles, Sam Locante, Jack Warden, Bob Williams
It is a copy of an old recording so do not expect remastered clarity.
This does have that twilight zone feel with a strange twist.
An unscrupulous procurer of art is approached by a collector to pilfer major art from a local museum. He is offered a good some of money and a device that will help him in the process of obscuring art items.
Unlike most professional crooks he is just a little too nosy as to why the collector collects items that she cannot possibly sell.
Oh, no she snickers and tells him and us why.
Season 1 Episode 37 Episode aired Jun 13, 1952 Directors Don Medford Starring: Esther Ralston, Don Hanmer, Lewis Charles, Sam Locante, Jack Warden, Bob Williams
It is a copy of an old recording so do not expect remastered clarity.
This does have that twilight zone feel with a strange twist.
An unscrupulous procurer of art is approached by a collector to pilfer major art from a local museum. He is offered a good some of money and a device that will help him in the process of obscuring art items.
Unlike most professional crooks he is just a little too nosy as to why the collector collects items that she cannot possibly sell.
Oh, no she snickers and tells him and us why.
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