The classic television show known as “The Twilight Zone” has captivated audiences for generations and continues to do so today. Its enduring appeal can be attributed to its intriguing narrative twists, ethical undertones, and profound exploration of the human experience. Each episode within this anthology series offers a unique storyline, yet they all share a distinct “Twilight Zone” feel. To put it another way, most episodes could easily be mistaken for typical episodes of “The Twilight Zone.” However, there’s one particular episode from Season 5, specifically Episode 22 titled “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge,” that fits comfortably within the series’ narrative framework but still stands out as distinct compared to its contemporaries.
Notably, ‘An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge’ isn’t part of a TV series; instead, it was produced as a standalone short movie.
The Twilight Zone Episode “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” Wasn’t Filmed as Part of the Series
1961 saw Robert Enrico, a French director, bring Ambrose Bierce’s 1890 short story “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” to life on the big screen. This short film was highly praised by critics when it first came out and eventually caught the notice of Rod Serling, the mastermind behind the popular TV series “The Twilight Zone.
In an unexpected turn of events, during the fifth season, Serling decided to air an unusual episode of his program, which was in fact a short film they had acquired for distribution. To clarify, he personally recorded a special introduction explaining that this specific installment was a joint production from another country. Given the peculiar nature of The Twilight Zone, this move appears quite fitting.
The episode under discussion finds Confederate resistance fighter Peyton Farquhar (played by Roger Jacquet) on the brink of execution at the hands of Union soldiers. In a dramatic turn of events, he manages to break free at the last moment and rushes back to his wife. However, when everything appears to be going smoothly, the narrative takes an unexpected turn.
In simple terms, this episode is primarily silent and delves deeper into philosophical themes like life, death, and war’s darkness, rather than typical Twilight Zone episodes. Yet, it retains a sense of belonging within the Twilight Zone universe due to its insightful social commentary and a shocking twist in its conclusion.
In this series episode, the surprising finale feels disturbing and unsettling, yet it’s strikingly realistic compared to many endings in “The Twilight Zone” episodes. Instead of fantastical twists, this ending presents a harsh turn of events that viewers might not anticipate, given their familiarity with the show’s supernatural storylines.
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The creative team behind the short film made adjustments to help seamlessly integrate it into the TV series, even though it wasn’t originally intended as a series episode. Consequently, there are some changes between the version that aired on CBS and its original form. For example, the French voiceover narration in the short film was removed from the episode. Furthermore, over 60 seconds were cut from the 28-minute short to fit within the time slot provided by CBS.
1964 saw the airing of this particular episode twice, as per the terms of our licensing agreement. Unfortunately, the deal didn’t grant us syndication rights, which is why you seldom find it streaming online or re-aired on television. However, it has been traditionally included in DVD box sets of the series.
Originally titled “La Rivière du hibou” in its home country France, this short film garnered significant acclaim. Under that title, it was awarded the highly respected Short Film Palme d’Or at Cannes in 1962. Furthermore, it won an Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film in 1964.
Over the course of many years, “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” has become a strikingly memorable installment in the realm of The Twilight Zone – a tale that was crafted as a standalone masterpiece, yet shares enough thematic threads and narrative arcs with the series to make it feel right at home.
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2025-06-22 20:39