Night Gallery (TV Series) Death in the Family/The Merciful/Class of '99/Witches' Feast (1971) User Reviews

Another Uneven Collection

[Hitchcoc · 7/10 · 6 June 2014]

E. G. Marshall stars in "Death in the Family." No, not the James Agee classic but the story of a funeral director who doesn't want to let his clients go. He invites them to a party. He has an entire family set up at a table, to celebrate a birthday. Apparently, empty caskets are being put in the ground (they are the poor and dissolute) and he keeps the bodies. There is no mention of taxidermy, but they seem quite well preserved. Along comes Desi Arnaz, Jr., a murderer who has been shot and is being pursued by the police. He realizes his wound may be fatal. Marshall invites him in and takes care of him. Anyway, we can see it coming. This is quite a unique episode.

"The Merciful" is a new version of Poe's "A Cask of Amontillado." Enough said about that.

"The Class of '99" features a final oral exam for a group of attractive graduate students. They are asked extremely hard questions and answer them flawlessly. Well, almost. One is only able to give three of four answers and is maligned for it. The teacher is Vincent Price and he holds forth with an ugly disdain and absolute power over them. Part of their exam is to deal with issues of bigotry and hate and act "appropriately" when confronting these things. It gets really ugly at times. The conclusion explains what is at issue here. For me, this was the best of the three.

Finally, "Satisfaction Guaranteed" (which doesn't appear at the top of this page but is definitely in this collection) is about an overweight man, played by Victor Buono, who is at a secretarial agency, trying to choose an employee. The company guarantees satisfaction. so? Anyway, it probably ranks as one of the silliest episodes. But watching Buono was always a great treat.

Class of '99 - like a color episode of The Twilight Zone

[gridoon2024 · 7/10 · 14 July 2016]

I'm writing this mainly to comment on "Class of '99", which is probably the best tale of the "Night Gallery" since "Eyes" from the pilot. Although heavy-handed (it suffers from the familiar Rod Serling trend of spelling out its themes as if to make sure that even the last audience member doesn't miss them), it's undeniably a riveting, memorable, even daring piece of television. And has there ever been an actor with a more compelling voice than Vincent Price? As for the other segments, the 23-minute opener "Death In The Family" is OK but nothing more, while the two short anecdotes "The Merciful" and "Satisfaction Guaranteed" (and not "Witches' Feast" which is listed on this IMDb entry) are cute but predictable. *** for "Class of '99".

A view of a possible future that never quite came about.

[theowinthrop · 6/10 · 13 January 2007]

The dialog in this episode of NIGHT GALLERY was a little better than the one for the episode of the LONE SURVIVOR. It is also interesting because it demonstrates the danger of predicting the future with too much accuracy. When George Orwell wrote 1984 he was foreseeing a dismal world view (based on the situations of the inter-war period, World War II, and the Cold War) with three evil world empires at constant interchangeable warfare, and all crushing humanity by dictatorships. This could still happen but it was dated to happen in 1984 because Orwell wrote his manuscript in 1948. But in 1984, while the brilliance of the anti-Utopian novel was universally admitted, and everyone was writing and analyzing it and it's dismal predictions, Walter Cronkite summarized a let-down that the situation of that year was not totally like that of 1984 the novel. As he summarized, "1984 was followed by 1985!"

In this episode of NIGHT GALLERY, we see a futuristic class of students at a lecture hall. The teacher is Vincent Price (a role he never played in the movies, oddly enough - he spoke and had the gravitas for a professor, but he is never shown teaching in a movie). Price seems to be testing the students on some routine social questions, and has a bit more difficulty with one name Johnson played by Brandon de Wilde. Johnson is stumped in answering a question by giving the name of a theorist which begins with "C". He keeps repeating it, and Price (at his driest and chilliest) says, "A body of water or the Spanish affirmative, Mr. Johnson?".

As the lesson continues, we see Price address two young women, one somewhat blue collar and stocky and the other a bit more upper crust and pretty. Price basically causes the two women to dramatize their true feelings regarding each other: the blue-collar young lady resents the patrician, and rips her pearls off, while the patrician reacts (again at Price's bidding) by picking up the pearls, forcibly putting them into the blue-collar lady's hand, and spitting in her face!

Then one of the other students starts shouting, and asking his fellows why are they behaving like this - why are they not trying to get along. After a moment, a startled Price signals an assistant, who goes over to the outspoken student and adjusts something behind his ear. The student stops talking and falls over. Price, in the meantime manages to pull a switch near his podium, and all the other students stop functioning.

Price and his assistant go over to the now silenced and still "troublemaking" student, and examine him. It now is obvious that the student body are automatons that have been programmed to understand class ranks and rules that dictate how society is run. But as Price and the human assistant he has discuss the matter, it is apparent that every now and then some mistake emerges from the factory - and threatens to overturn this artificial status quo.

Price turns to de Wilde and reactivates him. He points out to de Wilde that he has only one chance of graduating - if he will show his reaction to this public threat to order. Price gives a gun to de Wilde who shoots the "troublemaker". We see the troublemaker lying on the ground - his head is open like a broken machine or watch from the bullet. And we hear de Wilde deliver a speech at the graduation of the "Class of '99" in which he explains how they are expected, after the disaster of the world war (of the future as of 1971, when this was written) to rebuild the world with youth and confidence. The last image, of course, is again the broken robot "troublemaker" (which, in keeping with the "portraits" in NIGHT GALLERY is the subject matter of that portrait.

It is a well written episode (obviously, if after thirty years I remember the line concerning "a body of water or the Spanish affirmative"). Price and de Wilde (soon to tragically die in a motorcycle accident - robbing us of a fine career in film and television and the stage) gave good performances. But now we would watch this with some amusement - there was no disastrous world war between 1971 and 1999, with a decimated world population that had to be replaced by robots. So the episode, for all it's strengths, manages to collapse as a piece of misplaced prediction of future disaster.

"How nice of you all to come to our little exhibition."

[classicsoncall · 7/10 · 24 May 2017]

My summary line quote comes from Rod Serling welcoming the viewer to this installment of 'Night Gallery'. He usually had a few words to say at the beginning of each show, and this one seemed appropriate for all of them.

I'm a little perplexed with the opening of some of these shows when they introduce the celebrity cast because they often leave someone out. Like E.G. Marshall for this story; I wonder why that is. He was already an established actor with a boatload of TV and movie appearances prior to this one, whereas Desi Arnaz Jr. only had a handful prior to this show's debut in 1971. There's probably an explanation for it, but darned if we'll ever know.

Anyway, the first segment features both of the actors named above in a story set at a funeral parlor. Marshall is a compassionate undertaker when Arnaz's character arrives at his place with a murder rap and a bullet wound, and not much time left to worry about either. To the strains of 'He's a Jolly Good Fellow', Arnaz becomes the latest family member at old Mr. Soames's (Marshall) dinner table. Needless to say, Soames doesn't have a very large bill at the supermarket.

'The Merciful' is appropriately named, it's mercifully short with a bit of a twist on the Poe short story 'The Cask of Amontillado'. For actress Imogene Coca, the punch line might have been a lyric from a Pink Floyd song.

I didn't really care for 'Class of '99', even with the venerable Vincent Price in the lead role. The delivery was heavy handed and the messaging might have gotten lost with the violence promoted by the Professor (Price) while administering his final oral exam. When it turns out the students were robots, it didn't do anything to assuage my feelings about the story, at which point it all seemed pretty pointless.

The one thing I did find interesting was that the story, from the standpoint of the show's air-date in 1971, took place in the way distant future of 1999! Serling did this more than once in his classic series 'The Twilight Zone'. Instead of telling futuristic stories set hundred of years in the future (although he had those too), there were times when he ventured forward only a decade or so, as in the story 'Steel', set in 1974. Another one was 'On Thursday We Leave For Home', which if you followed it closely, was set around the year 2021.

Like a lot of the filler episodes offered on Night Gallery, 'Witches' Feast' is kind of dumb, but in it's own way, demonstrated that the writers had a sense of humor and didn't take themselves too seriously. You won't recognize them, but Agnes Moorehead and Ruth Buzzi are two of the titled witches in this segment, the third being Fran Ryan who I'm not familiar with. For this busy trio of witches stirring a cauldron, let's just say it leads to a hearty appetite.

Creepy

[jc1305us · 10/10 · 8 August 2007]

"A Death in the Family" Starring EG Marshall as a funeral home proprietor and Desi Arnez Jr. as an escaped convict really brings home why I love 'Night Gallery' so much. It really encapsulates the best of the series, along with several other stories, the great mood that good horror writing has. To paraphrase an author whose name escapes me, "Horror is the realization" In other words, its not th blood and guts that makes horror so good, its the full realization of what is really happening. This episode fills that bill perfectly as we see what is REALLY going on in the Soames home for funerals. Not easily forgotten, this episode.

Death & Androids

[AaronCapenBanner · 7/10 · 11 November 2014]

'A Death In The Family' - A fugitive young man with a bullet wound finds sanctuary in a funeral parlor run by a lonely man who takes his job to heart... Small but effective tale is more sad than creepy.

'The Merciful' - One spouse walls up the other, but who is sealing up who? Mildly amusing short is all about the (visual) punch line.

'Class Of '99' - Vincent Price shines as a no-nonsense teacher in a "future" academy dealing with androids where not everything is as it seems... Best tale of the four hits a dramatic knockout.

'Witches' Feast' - Thought-lost tale should have stayed lost, as it's a perfectly dreadful example of all set-up with no payoff.

Good bunch of stories

[Woodyanders · 8/10 · 7 September 2018]

"Death in the Family" - A seriously wounded fugitive (a solid performance by Desi Arnaz Jr.) seeks refuge in a funeral home run by the kindly Mr. Soames (the always excellent E.G. Marshall). Marshall excels as a seemingly nice and gentle fellow who turns out to be pretty twisted. Moreover, this surprisingly poignant tale makes a touching statement about the desperate measures some people will resort to in order to surmount loneliness.

"The Merciful" - A wife (well played to the sweet hilt by Imogen Coca) uses bricks and mortar to help her ailing husband (King Donovan). This cute comic short is pretty slight, but offers a decent twist at the end.

"Class of 1999" - A ruthless college professor (Vincent Price at his stern and fearsome best) subjects a graduating class to a series of brutal questions in a final oral exam that gets very ugly. This potent story set in a grim future provides chilling insights into such dark subjects as racism, competitiveness, and disdain for others as dictated by their social status. The unnerving conclusion packs a fierce punch, too.

"Satisfaction Guaranteed" - An employment service has a difficult time pleasing an especially picky client (a delightfully spirited portrayal by Victor Buono). This wickedly funny story benefits from Buono's lively acting and boasts a deliciously sick punchline.

All in the Family

[stones78 · 5 July 2011]

Let me say right from the jump that E.G. Marshall is terrific as Mr. Soames, a funeral director who takes his job rather seriously, even to the extent of helping an escaped prisoner, played decently enough by a young Desi Arnaz Jr, who's on the run from the authorities. The funeral parlor and house are very creepy looking on both inside and out and makes for a fine setting; this show is known for the old mansions which appear in many episodes. Marshall is very convincing as the lonely director, whose work appears to be his life, although he could use some singing lessons. After being stopped by the police near his home and questioned about seeing the loose convict, they let him go back home; soon after, the escaped, injured, and very wet convict(Arnaz Jr.)breaks through a window carrying a gun and requests to be able to lay down on the sofa to rest. Soames is more than happy to have the young man stay, and you sense that he is fattening him up for the kill. It turns out that the director has a newly dead family propped up on a dinner table, and I wish they would've used dummies or something other than real people just staring into the camera. Soames and the convict neither had a family of their own, so the director wants to add to his make believe family, although against the young man's wishes. Other than this downer, this is still a solid episode of the best season of Night Gallery and has a fine atmosphere.

The perfect family, how to deal with an ill spouse, learning futuristic society, and comedic witches brew.

[b_kite · 6/10 · 15 March 2019]

The second episode from season two once again contains four segments.

The first "A Death In the Family" has a rather odd mortician doing his duty, when he gets paid a visit by a wounded thief. As the episode progresses we later learn that the lonely man takes his job pretty dang seriously and decides to make plans for the thief and several other stiffs he has on display. There really isn't nothing to exciting to this tale as another reviewer stated its more rather sad then terrifying, but, it does have some creepy moments and two good performances from E,G, Marshall and Desi Arnaz, jr.

The second "The Merciful" is another comedy short where a woman seems to be building a wall over her sick husband. As normal there's a twist to the affair and its rather obvious.

The third "Class of '99" is the star piece of the episode. It features Vincent Price as a college professor, teaching a class of men and women all of different types the meaning of life and different feelings, as things go along they go to the extreme and we later learn this isn't no ordinary class of students, I'm not going to say anything more about his, but, its a moving tale that fits perfectly in today's society defiantly holds up the episode on its own merit.

The fourth "Witches' Feast" is another comedy short about bickering witches, long thought to be lost it was later discovered, its a good thing its short because it begins to ware out its welcome.

Overall a decent episode worth watching primarily for "Class of '99".

Don't worry be happy live with the dead!

[blanbrn · 8/10 · 21 December 2012]

Just watched this classic episode segment from "Night Gallery" and it featured the old and now late legendary character actor E.G. Marshall(most remembered for "Creepshow" and "Christmas Vacation"). Anyway in it E.G. plays an owner of an ancient and Gothic style funeral home who he as the old wise owner takes pride in every body he gets. Only oddly the episode takes a twist when an on the run criminal takes hideout at the funeral home. And this criminal soon discovers a secret at this old funeral home as downstairs it's an upright gathering of the dead and soon he will be a member! This episode teaches to love and cherish the dead as they are less annoying than the living as they don't care about competition, greed, material things and they cause less stress than the living! Overall good clever and offbeat episode and remembered for E.G. Marshall's work.

Fine performance, BUT

[bd64kcmo · 6/10 · 12 June 2009]

Brandon deWilde, Vincent Price and Randolph Mantooth gave fine performances. They all did, and so did the Asian guy (Mr. Chang"?)who was part of the dialogue, and his was not a bit part. Yet the production people chose to ignore him. Hollywood racism at its best, you must make noise to get a fair shake.

It should also be noted that when the student recited an equation for momentum (m*v) of a rocket, he cited a correction factor for fuel loss, ln(e). I don't know what these guys were smoking but that smart Asian kid would tell you that ln(e^x) = x

So 8 for the acting and 4 for the writing.

Kind of stupid fun.

[mm-39 · 6/10 · 25 February 2024]

The funerial director film has a Twilight Zone style twist! Well written but predictable. Did not see the twist of the humor of the old lady bricking herself in memorable. Well the class of 99 was preachy in a Serling way, but I found the ending strong. I get it our tribal mind set is a survival instinct. Well the witches brew was lame. What I like was the short stories keep my attention span working. If a story was lame you can mixes good one in. There was a mix of humor with serious, and good fiction short stories. Death in the Family/The Merciful/Class of '99/Witches' Feast has a good mix of all. Not a super memorable stories but the Class of 99 was pretty good. 6 starts.

Three blend episodes and a cute comedy short at the end.

[planktonrules · 5/10 · 30 March 2011]

"Death in the Family" stars EG Marshall and Desi Arnaz, Jr.. Marshall owns a funeral parlor and is a bit creepy. When an escaped killer (Arnaz) looks for sanctuary in this place on a rainy night, he and undertaker get more than they bargained for--but the audience doesn't. That's because although it's creepy, it's not particularly good. I'd give this one a 4.

"The Merciful" is one of the comic shorts--something the series began doing in the prior episode. These shorts were used as space fillers and worked occasionally. This one is a variation on Poe's "A Cask of Amontillado". It has a clever twist, though not enough to make this particularly noteworthy. I'd give it a 4--and I saw it coming.

"Class of '99" stars Vincent Price and Brandon de Wilde (the kid from "Shane"). Sadly, young de Wilde died just a year after completing this episode. A group of robotic students are taught the importance of prejudice and hatred. One of the students in this odd classroom, the one who didn't fit in, is Randolph Mantooth ("Emergency"). It's a bit interesting and a bit preachy--I'd give this one a 5.

"Satisfaction Guaranteed" is a kooky short. It has the distinction of being the first GOOD comedy short and I remembered this well to this day--it had a very strong impact on me as a child. A bit silly but quite funny, I'd give this one an 8.

Overall, I'd give the episode a 5. Despite the good finale, it was very short--too short and the payoff came too late.

Best of times, worst of times

[BandSAboutMovies · 7/10 · 20 January 2023]

As the second season of Night Gallery goes in two directions - the Serling side growing in dark energy and the Laird side being inane pablum - this episode has three of four stories directed by Jeannot Szwarc, who directed the TV movies Night of Terror, The Devil's Daughter and You'll Never See Me Again as well as Bug, Jaws 2, Somewhere In Time and, well, Supergirl and Santa Claus: The Movie. Let's focus on the good like this episode.

"Death In the Family" was written by Rod Serling from a story by Miriam Allen DeFord. This is one of the segments on this show that could be a whole film. Doran (Desi Arnaz Jr., House of Long Shadows) is a prisoner on the run that hides in the funeral home - and home - of Jared Soames (E. G. Marshall), a man who has a secret of his own. The end of this episode is so perfectly dark and yet filled with love, another wonderful trip to Serling's imagination.

"The Merciful" is another Jack Laird-written chapter, based on a Charles L. Sweeney Jr. Story. A man (King Donovan) is kept away from his wife (Imogene Coca) by a brick wall in another sketch that takes from a classic story is over in minutes.

"Class of '99" works so well not just because of the tight script by Serling, but also because Vincent Price is able to be so sinister - and perfect - in his role of a teacher instruction the students of tomorrow in the violent ways of the past. Classism and racism are explored as he gives his class a final oral test and finds them all lacking. I just read a site that claims that this segment suffered from Serling's "heavy-handed moralizing and misanthropic undertones." That's why I watch Night Gallery.

"Witches' Feast" comes from director Jerrold Freedman and written by Gene Kearney. The cast is fine - Agnes Moorehead, Ruth Buzzi, Fran Ryan and Allison McKay - yet this is the very epitome of pointless, particularly in the same show that had two classic segments by Serling.

This Pop Matters article sums up the issue of Night Gallery so well: "Laird hated Serling's downbeat, moralistic material. As a populist, he appreciated the clear cut over the complicated. He didn't mind the dread or the depression, but there had to be a happy ending - or at least a little light at the end of the tunnel - before the final credits rolled."

Some think Serling would check out by the end of this season. We'll see.

Vincent Price and Victor Buono are always great value.

[Hey_Sweden · 7/10 · 8 April 2020]

To start with, this viewer must say that he watched this episode on DVD, where the final 'Witches Feast' segment was replaced with another story entirely, 'Satisfaction Guaranteed'. He cannot comment on the episode as it originally aired back in '71.

As for the rest:

'Death in the Family'. The wonderful E.G. Marshall (whom horror fans know as Upson Pratt in "Creepshow") is Mr. Soames, a funeral home director accosted in his place of business by young murderer Doran (Desi Arnaz, Jr.). Doran is in for a surprise when he sees that he sees that there is actually no safe haven here. Mr. Soames, you see, is an eccentric who has certain ideas about what to do with dead individuals. Scripted by Rod Serling, based on Miriam Allen DeFords' story, this is pretty good, but delivers no earthshaking revelations. Some good atmosphere, in any event.

'The Merciful'. An "original" by series producer Jack Laird (this is obviously inspired by Edgar Allan Poe), this has a loving wife (Imogene Coca) walling up her husband (King Donovan) for supposedly compassionate reasons. The revelation is amusing, if not a great one, and this at least represents something of an improvement over a previous Laird-scripted comic vignette, 'Miss Lovecraft Sent Me'). Ms. Coca is a delight.

'Class of '99'. This is far and away the standout segment of this episode, and is a Serling original, showing off his great ear for dialogue and talent for intelligent rumination on the idea of human nature. Vincent Price is an officious professor, presiding over the final exam for his students. Brandon de Wilde, the young boy from "Shane" all grown up, is one of them. It's worth it all just for Serling's delicious reveal, which may actually catch the viewer by surprise. The episode really cooks once we get to a confrontation between two students, one white and one black, and we think about instinctual reactions to being provoked.

Finally, 'Satisfaction Guaranteed'. Another original by Laird. Victor Buono plays a pompous schlub who wants a young woman for some unknown purpose, while an employment agency proprietress (Cathleen Cordell) parades some efficient young ladies before him. Once a certain character comes through the door, and Buono's eyes light up, you see what he's really going for. Overall, this short segment is amusing, and shows that Laird was showing some (very mild) improvement in terms of his writing. But Buono is the real reason to watch.

Look for various familiar faces turning up throughout: James B. Sikking, Hunter von Leer, Randolph Mantooth, Soon-Tek Oh, etc.

The *real* twist here is that all four of these segments were directed by the same man for once, Jeannot Szwarc ("Jaws 2", "Somewhere in Time"), who worked on 19 episodes of the series in total.

Seven out of 10.

Despite Vincent and Victor, this is V. disappointing.

[BA_Harrison · 23 February 2023]

A Death in the Family sees Mr. Soames (E. G. Marshall), owner of a funeral parlour, resolving his loneliness by creating a 'family' of corpses to keep him company. The latest addition to his family is to be fatally wounded criminal Doran (Desi Arnaz Jr.) who breaks into the funeral home. It's a macabre but touching tale -- kinda like if Ed Gein was well-meaning and misunderstood -- and the sight of cadavers assembled around a table wearing party hats is wonderfully ghoulish (and would be repeated for the 1981 slasher film Happy Birthday To Me).

The Merciful is one of those pointless, supposedly amusing horror shorts that are used to pad out an episode. A woman bricks up her husband in the basement, or does she? It's predictable stuff.

Class of '99 stars Vincent Price as an examiner, grading students on their knowledge and ability to react to situations in the approved manner. It's not exactly thrilling stuff, that not even Price can save, but it's always fun to see an inaccurate 'futuristic' prediction of a year that has since passed.

Satisfaction Guaranteed doesn't satisfy. Victor Buono plays a wealthy man looking for a secretary, but she must meet his very exacting criteria. Another black comedy short, this one is plain daft.