this remarkable trio of spooky story serve a a pilot to the not quite so remarkable tv series of the same name and though now it be just as likely remember a the point where two screen legend pass at opposite trajectory of their career . steven spielberg first professional directing job be segment two of this anthology and which also prove to be one of joan crawford last acting effort and certainly her last worth note . conceive by another legend and the brilliant rod serling and the concept of the film and subsequent series be mean to be a variation on his classic twilight zone series and vary tale of supernatural horror and each tie to a grotesque painting and each introduce by serling and act a the gallery curator . it be an excellent start and though the result series prove to be a pale imitation of the twilight zone and a peculiar hodgepodge of style and concept and some classic and some just plain silly . the tv movie itself stand alone and though the trio of tale unfold in descend order . the first and best be the cemetery and a variation on the classic ghost story . in this southern gothic creeper and roddy mcdowall murder his wealthy uncle and but find that enjoy his newfound inheritance be a bit difficult since a painting on the wall seem to suggest that uncle be bury and but not dead . the story be slight and even silly and but boy and oh boy and do roddy know how to chew the scenery . i can think of no other actor who so obviously love to act more than mcdowall and here he play evil to the hilt . roddy be undoubtedly one of the most intrinsically likable star there ever be and so much so that he could play the most despicably evil character and still make the character a delight . the cemetery be nicely write by serling and tightly direct by boris segal and but it be roddy one man show . but if roddy mcdowall could make loathsome character inexplicably likable and than joan crawford have the knack for negate any trace of sympathy that her character might possess . in spielberg eye and joan play a ruthless millionairess who happen to be blind and but have the chance to briefly see again by buy the eye of a live person who be in desperate need of money . it be a nice performance while hard and demand and crawford never ask for pity and but nevertheless earn it with the story nifty twist end . more a clever idea than a solid story and the tale be not particularly suspenseful while bit it do display a cool sense of cynical irony . and never be it apparent that it be spielberg first crack at professional film making and so sure be his use of the camera and setting of mood . the third tale of the trilogy and escape route and be probably the most like the classic twilight zone and dark and brooding while yet least successful a a thriller . richard kiley be a war criminal who think he can escape his past by literally throw himself into art . rod serling have other idea . a the trilogy closing act and i guess it be suppose to be the one with the most impact and the one to show off serling penchant for moralize . it doesn not quite come off . i think part of the problem be that kiley and a good actor and lack a powerful screen presence . the best episode of night gallery and and for that matter the twilight zone and feature actor with strong personality who be not only talented and but adept at push their performance to the edge and flirt with go over the top and just a mcdowall and crawford do . any short form fiction and be it on the page or on the screen and need that heighten sense of drama and that admission that reality have be leave behind . though it have some strong episode at first and the night gallery tv series fell out of serling control and eventually become sort of a ghost story version of love and american style and a crude mix of cheap joke and heavy hand suspense . it a pity that it do not stay true to this pilot while it could have be another twilight zone .