User reviews

The second of a total of twelve "Twilight Zone" episodes directed by the masterful but criminally underrated John Brahm, and yet another very intense and macabre story! These are exactly the type of "Twilight Zone" tales I prefer: ominous atmosphere from start to finish, a claustrophobic and inescapable setting, steady but non- stop tension building and a depressing but righteous conclusion. The plot is very familiar and the denouement is fairly predictable, but I can hardly blame the episode for that. All the movies or TV-shows that I've seen with a similar or even downright identical plot were made long after this "Judgment Night" and thus once again this series proves itself to be a trendsetter. During a misty night in the year 1942, a man inexplicably finds himself on board of a ship called S.S. Queen of Glasgow without any recollections whatsoever. He only knows that his name is Carl Lanser and that he was born in Frankfurt. Through contact with the other passengers and the crew, Lanser discovers that he has a vast knowledge of the maritime, particularly U-boats, and he also has increasing premonitions of a tragic event that is about to happen. You'll know quite early in the episode in which direction the plot is heading, but the climax nevertheless still sent cold shivers down my spine, mainly thanks to a couple of breathtaking sequences and a strong performance from Nehemiah Persoff.

This is an archetypal plot. The idea that those who commit horrible acts are punished by being made to live through them for eternity. This has the often used Twilight Zone character who finds himself in a place he can't explain. He knows he has a connection, but he can't figure it out. He is treated with kindness and is, himself, in many ways, kind. But as a commander for the Third Reich he is everything evil. I can think of at least two other episodes (there may be more) where a character finds himself switching locations, the hunter becomes the hunted. This episode is rather bleak and slow moving. The Nazi self is assured and pompous. However, he is made to see what he has done over and over, and the question of God delivered by James Franciscus is what it's all about. Serling placed numerous characters in their own personal hell. This is another. It is well acted and intense, but it doesn't have quite the spark that some others did.

Nehemiah Persoff stars as Carl Lanser, who finds himself aboard the British ship Glasgow during World War II, unsure of who he is, or how he got there, but has an ever-increasing feeling of dread about the imminent fate of the ship, which he is certain is about to be torpedoed by a German U-boat. Of course, the passengers and crew don't believe him until it is too late, but only then will Lanser discover the truth of his identity, and the reasons behind his ordeal. Patrick Macnee and James Franciscus costar. Reasonably effective tale is not that surprising really, but nicely put across, and has an authentic feel for the sea and its nautical setting.

I had another look at "Judgment Night" today - and I had to laugh! At one point the captain calls to the engine room and tells the engineer that "we simply have to have more" power from the engines … and if "you can give me maximum speed for 12 more hours …" and the engineer interrupts saying, "Captain, these engines needed an overhaul 2 months ago; instead of that they're getting worked to death!" It reminded me of Captain Kirk (Star Trek) and Scotty: "Scotty, give me more power" and Scotty replies, "Captain, they're gonna blow any moment!" or words to that effect. Then, the captain turns to his first mate and asks, "What do you think, Number One?" which sounded just like Captain Picard and Commander Riker in Next Generation. Maybe Rod Serling had a premonition of new shows to come?

In 1942, in the middle of WWII, a man finds himself on a ship with no memory of who he is or how he got there. However, he is sure that there is danger coming towards them...

Another excellent episode. This is the kind of thing I had been expecting when I first started with 'The Twilight Zone': an eerie, moody tale that unfolds with a twist that catches the viewer in surprise. Well acted by Nehemiah Persoff, to the point that even when overacting it still comes around as fun instead of amateurish.

If 'Time Enough at Last', another great episode, was an adaptation of the Tantalus myth, 'Judgment Night' skillfully adapts yet another Greek myth; the myth of Sisyphus.

Sisyphus was punished for his acts by the Gods, by being forced to roll a giant rock up a mountain; only for, when reaching the top, the rock to fall back to the base, forcing him to repeat the task for all eternity.

This eternal cycle of repetition as punishment is more used than the Tantalus one, and I liked the way this episode further enhances the metaphor with the 'hunter becomes hunted' trope it also employs. A great, surprisingly intelligent little plot.

Seeing this episode made me remember a recent film, another Sisyphus-based, hunter/hunted duality, twisted mystery/horror that is one of my favorites. If you enjoyed this, check out 2009's 'Triangle' as well.

In 1942, Carl Lanser (Nehemiah Persoff) is a lonely passenger without recollections that is traveling in the cargo ship "S.S. Queen of Glasgow" from London to New York. Lanser meets the captain and the other passengers and soon he recalls that he is the captain of a U-Boat that will attack the ship in a few moments.

"Judgment Night" is an engaging episode of The Twilight Zone" with the story of a man doomed to relive a tragic night for the eternity. The plot is based on the myth of King Sisyphus, punished for trickery and forced to roll a huge boulder up a steep hill; but before he reaches the top, the rock would always roll back down. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Além da Imaginação: Judgment Night" ("Beyond Imagination - Judgment Night")

Decent episode, great acting and a poignant final reveal. The storyline itself was well development and held an even level of suspense throughout.

I've lately watched three vintage 1940's Hollywood movies directed by this "Twilight Zone" episode's director John Brahm and very good they all were, each of them were tense, atmospheric thrillers which made him a good fit for this tense, doom and gloom mini-drama.

Set in 1942, a German officer turns up on a British boat which has become detached from its convoy on the cold, dark, foggy sea. He sits down and begins to engage with the boat's crew and passengers but has trouble recollecting who he is and how he got there. He also has a sense of impending dread which gradually dawns on him as the journey progresses but is confused further when amongst his personal effects he discovers a German Navy captain's cap bearing his name inside which only adds to his disquiet.

Finally he realises too late that the ship is fated to be torpedoed by an enemy U-Boat and is shocked into full remembrance only at the climactic moment when he looks across at the submarine to see the "Fire!" command given by its commander, without any kind of humane warning given to the target boat to stop or abandon ship. Only then do we learn his own decisive part in the tragedy and the resultant impact on him from that moment on.

I really enjoyed the direction of this episode. You can see the dripping condensation on deck from the night mist, there's a chilling moment as the German officer tries to rouse the boat's passengers only for him to confront them below deck grouped like a still photograph,, facing him like a silent, accusatory jury and then the seeming doppelgänger conclusion are all telling touches inserted by a capable helmsman as Brahm.

Future Avenger John Steed Patrick MacNee is noticeable in the cast of one of the more darkly entertaining entries in this constantly imaginative series.

One of the lesser episodes of the Twilight Zone finds guest star Nehemiah Persoff cast as a U-Boat captain stalking the North Atlantic in 1942 for ships who might stray from a convoy. But there's something wrong as Persoff finds himself on the very ship he was stalking one fateful night.

If you've ever seen the fine British film Pursuit Of The Graf Spee you know that some captains of surface vessels gave quarter gave quarter to the enemy. But Germany practiced unrestricted submarine warfare in World War I and Hitler saw no reason to change.

Poor Nehemiah he seems to know what is going to happen and that alarms all the other passengers on the British vessel. It all becomes clear to him when he sees himself giving orders to fire on the British ship.

I'm not sure what kind of message Rod Serling was trying to say other than we make our own special hells given what we do in life. I have to consign this one to one of the lesser Twilight Zone stories as it even doesn't quite come to grips metaphysically speaking.

No, I don't always need action. But for me, this one's taking scenes are so boring. Even the final "reveal" scene.

The action scene is very well done for this era TV, as is all the acting.

Nehemiah Persoff does a great job throughout, with several different emotions. And his literal jaw drop when he realizes who the captain of the other ship is, is extremely effective.

As an actor, it is often very difficult to convey a particular emotion to the audience in a very credible way. Here, nehemiah Persoff very successfully transfers the anguish of not being able to remember his past to the audience. Your mind moves with his as he gradually changes from that anguish to the fear knowing that death could could come at any time when the subject of German subs attacking the Glasgow comes up. The viewer can almost feel his righteous indignity when he corrects the 'facts' being cited by Major Devereaux about German subs. Overall, a notably outstanding performance by Mr. Persoff.