 Family Theater presents Leo McCarrie and Glythe and Robert Stack. From Hollywood, the mutual broadcasting system in cooperation with Family Theater presents and Glythe and Robert Stack in the house where time stopped. To introduce the drama, here is your host, Leo McCarrie. Thank you, Frank Bingham. First a word about Family Theater's purpose. Family Theater is dedicated to the promotion of family prayer and to the belief that if we pray, we will have peace in our times, peace in our world. And now to our drama starring Anne Glythe as Jean and Robert Stack as Dan in the house where time stopped. A not-so-new car spins along a rain-whipped road. The young man at the wheel stares grimly through the streaming windshield while the young woman at his side sits a little too stiffly erect. The closed car is stuffy with a tension of a quarrel and the night in the rain seem to press in upon them. The phosphorescent hands of the little car clock point to near midnight. This rain is fierce. Can't see 10 feet ahead of the car. I knew I should have come up on the train. Maybe you're right. Oh but Jeannie, I had an idea that maybe on this trip I could change your mind about us. I wanted to save you that long, lonely ride back from Little Falls to New York. Might as well get used to being lonely. Dan, don't. It's true, isn't it? Why not face it? There'll be someone else for you. Someone who doesn't have a reputation. For peace sake, Jean. Your father's scandal didn't touch you. You're not to blame just because your father made mistakes. That's where you're wrong. If you're going to be a successful young lawyer, Mr. Farrell, you'd better find out about people. All right. So you had your picture in the tabloids, but in a year everyone will have forgotten. When a man does well with your dad, did they do forget? I know people. A thing like that is never forgotten. As long as I'm Jean Hayes, Middle Falls librarian, it won't make any difference that my father was an embezzler who committed suicide. But as Mrs. Dan Farrell, wife of the young politician. Jeannie, there's no law that says I have to be in politics. Or go west. There are places out there that never heard of the Hayes scandal. Oh but in those places young lawyers aren't part of the firm of Willard, Pilbeam and Sanburn. I've said it before and I'll say it again. You're more important to me than any law firm. I'll open up my own office. I'm not going to spoil your future with my past, Dan. You want to spend the rest of your life in Middle Falls hugging your regrets. That's a lot of... Now what's the matter with the car? Oh Dan, don't tell me that's not... I guess we should have taken a boat for this trip. The engine stopped. Yeah. Yeah, she's drowned out. We're miles and miles from Middle Falls and it's so late. I'll go out and see if I can do anything. I didn't want you to bring me up here. I told you it was finished. It was even worse than I thought. The engine's soaked. What are you going to do? Get in out of this cloudburst for a minute. I suppose if we wait there'll be someone along. I don't think so. Not in this downpour. Man, we'll just sit here and wait. Dan, look. Isn't that a light through there? See? Off to the left. Yeah, you're right. It must be a farmhouse. Tell you what. I'll go over and see if they'll let me use a phone. You're not going to leave me here all by myself. Well, darling, it's pretty wet out there. I don't care. If you're going to that house, I'm going with you. All right. But you're going to wish you brought your water wings. Come on. Knock again, Dan. They couldn't have heard you. This isn't any ordinary farmhouse. Looks more like a medieval castle. I think I hear someone. What do you want? Oh, we're sorry to bother you this time of night, but our car stalled on the highway and we wondered if we might use your phone. Sorry, there's no telephone in this house. Oh, but if we could just get warm for a minute, it's raining so hard. But there's nothing we can do to help you. Well, if we could get in, not of this rain for a few minutes. We'd be very grateful. Well, all right. Just till you warn yourselves. We certainly appreciate this. There's a fire in here. You can dry out. Follow me. How far is it to the nearest town? 15 miles. I can't walk that far in this rain. And it's so late. What time is it, Dan? It's... hey, that's funny. My watch stopped. I must have banged it when I was checking the engine. All clocks stop in this house. I suppose time isn't important to you here. There is no time for us. Well, maybe we could borrow your car and go for help. We have no car. Oh, it was very rude of us to ask. I'm Jean Hayes and this is Dan Farrow. We're on our way to Middle Falls. If it wouldn't inconvenience you, perhaps we could stay here till morning, or at least until the rain lets out. That's out of the question. Oh, but surely you wouldn't ask us to go out in this storm? If you stay here, it could mean trouble. Well, I might go back to the highway and try for a lift. There must be a highway patrol. If Jean could wait here. Well, I suppose she could. If she would very quiet. Darling, before you go out into that rain again, you ought to warm up a bit. You're shivering now. I'll make out, darling. You must be cold. I'll fix a pot of coffee. It won't take long. Only please, please be quiet. My brother is upstairs and he's... he's not well. We won't make a sound, Miss Elliot. Sarah Elliot. There's more wood in that bin by the fireplace. Let's get out of here, Jeannie. This place feels damper than the rain outside. No. No, you need that hot coffee and so do I. Hey, we've stumbled into a museum. Get the furniture and those drapes. Everything looks as if it might disintegrate if you sneezed hard. And the clocks. All the clocks are stopped at the same time. One minute till 12. Man, I wonder what's the matter with this brother upstairs? Now, this is no good. Come on, let's go. We can live without that coffee. The little ivory clock on the mantel. The grandfather's clock in the hall. Even your watch. She didn't want to let us in. You saw that. Why, the furnishings in this room are worth a fortune. There isn't a piece here that's not just right. A perfect recreation of a living room of 40 years ago. A little too perfect. I'll take my house with telephones and electric lights and cars in the garage. Dan. Dan, look at this old newspaper. At this point, I'm not interested in the news of the day. This is the news of yesterday. What do you mean? This paper is almost a collector's item. Look at the date. June 20th, 1910. Hey, more than 40 years old. These folks don't like anything that's new. Dan, this isn't just a souvenir. Look. Here are reading glasses. Someone was reading this paper. Reading news that's more than 40 years old. Oh, these coffees, just what we needed, Miss Elliot. With this to fortify us, I think we can face the storm. Well, I am sorry to have seemed so inhospitable. It's just that my situation is rather difficult. We were noticing the beautiful antiques you have. Some of these pieces are priceless. There was a time when the Elliot Place was one of the show houses of the county before. We were noticing the newspaper. Newspaper. You don't often see a paper that's 40 years old in the living room. Oh, my brother likes to read it. It reminds him of something important. Who plays the piano? You or your brother? Neither one of us. You mustn't touch it. Oh, but there's even music on it. The last rose of summer. No. No one plays the piano. No one has touched it since she... It's come. Helen's here. Jean, I think you've disturbed Miss Elliot's brother. Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot. That song. What a wonderful way to let me know that you're home, my dear. No, Roger. Come back. Please, it's nothing. Nothing. They came and you didn't call me. Shame on you, Sarah. You and your little surprises. You'll never quite go up, will you, my dear? Go back to your room, Roger. Please. If I hadn't heard the piano in my room, I wouldn't have known that Helen was here. Jeannie, I'm getting out of here. I've been waiting and waiting. You're terribly late. Terribly late. Mr. Elliot, why do you look at me like that? Helen, my dear, you look lovely. Tell me, how was the trip? Roger, please. I think you've made a mistake. Miss Hayes and I will go back to our car now. Helen, you haven't answered me. Did you have a nice trip? You've been gone so long. Roger, these are two strangers. They're strangers. Really? Really, Sarah, is a man's wife a stranger? Oh, please. Now, wait a minute, Mr. Elliot. My little wife, who is very late. Don't you know how I worry? How could you have kept me waiting so long? So long. Oh, no. Mr. Elliot, you must listen. Of course I'll listen. We'll have the rest of our lives together, listening to one another. But here we must celebrate. I'll get the wine. The port. You always have enjoyed so much, my dear. Quickly. While he's gone for the port, wine, you must leave. Yeah, but what's it all about? Who does he think Jean is? There's no time to tell you now. And what could it mean to you? Perhaps a great deal. The way he looked at me, I was scared and yet I wanted to cry for him. He was so sure that I was, was that you were Helen. You do look a little like her. Helen was his wife. Yes, his wife. Forty-one years ago, Roger and I waited here for her. She'd gone to visit her family and waited and waited here in this room, listening to the clocks ticking, ticking, waiting for life to come back to the house. We waited and waited, but she never came. Never. Her carriage was struck by a train. She was killed. Oh no, he never believed it. For more than forty years we waited. Waited for the sound of the carriage wheels and the drive. Her step on the stair. Her hand on those piano keys. And the clocks. He stopped them that night. Everything stopped. He's kept it all the same. And tonight, when I played her song on the piano, he thought I was Helen, come back to him. This man is ill. He should be confined. Confined? That's exactly what he has been. The past. He won't let go of the past. He can. It's all he's got. If the past were taken away, I think he'd die. Jean, come on. We can't stay here. I had a hard time finding the sweet portrait like so well, dear. It was pushed back in the bin. It's so late. Yes, it's late, but we're going. Come on, Jean. Sarah, who is this man? What's he doing in our house? And why should he call Helen Jean? I know it must seem strange to you. Strange is scarcely the word, my dear. It was kind of you to escort my wife home, but now would you please excuse us? Roger. Roger. That suits me, but Jean comes with me. Sir, I dislike unpleasantness, but surely you understand it's been so long since I've talked with my wife. Roger, you must stop. These people have to go. This man has to go, yes, but Helen and I must talk of many things. Oh, Dan, what do we do? It's all right, Jean. I'll go out and see if I can get that car going. I'll hurry. But Dan, he's so strange. Don't worry, dear. He's not going to hurt you, and I will hurry. All right, Dan. I'm not afraid, but do hurry. Mr. Elliott, I'm going now. Please excuse my apparent lack of hospitality, but I feel you understand. Don't worry, Jean. I'll be back as soon as I can. Be careful, Dan. Don't worry. He's gone. Yes. Now I know what it'll be like when he leaves me forever. You talk so strangely, my dear. But no matter, you've come back, and I'll never let you go away again. Won't you sit, Dan? You look tired. Thank you, my dear, but I feel quite well now. Roger, you must go to your room. Please, please. You mean well, Sarah, but sometimes you're a viciousness. Oh, Roger. Well, I'll get your medicine. Now, my dear, tell me of your trip. There's so much I want to ask you. Sometimes life is very confusing. A few hours of waiting can seem like half a century. The smallest, least important thing can become a matter of life and death. There are so many ways of stopping time, not just the clocks. You won't believe this, Helen, but there were voices. Voices that told me you were dead. Why did you hold on to the past? I proved the voices wrong. You're with me as I knew you'd be. It's good to look at you again, Helen. I couldn't quite remember what you looked like. You loved Helen very much, didn't you? I'm not the same person without you, but then I guess no man in love is really the same without the woman he loves. Is that really true? But tell me of your family. Your father is well, and your mother... Your medicine, Roger. You look so pale. Helen's my medicine. It's the most unbecoming dress you're wearing, Helen. I don't remember it. I don't believe I've worn it before. Put on your blue lace. Oh, no. No, it's so late. I was thinking of it while I was waiting for you. It's such a pretty dress. Couldn't... Couldn't you put it on just for me? Is the dress upstairs? Yes, but I don't think you need... I'll put on the blue lace if you'll take your medicine. Fair enough. It's a bargain. Seeing you in that dress will be my treat for taking this nasty stuff. Come with me. We'll go upstairs. Strange. Strange. You'll handle him as she used to. Same way, Helen, dear. Why doesn't someone come along? This rain, I can't see anything. Why did I leave Jeannie in there with that old guy? Now, if there isn't a car along in the next couple of minutes, I'm going back. Wait. Wait. That looks like headlights. It is. Got to make them stop. Got to... Oh, Helen, my dear. Rub my eyes as if I might be nodding by the fire. And you know more than a dream. It is all a dream. You were playing that song. The Last Rose of Summer. Would you sing it for me as you used to? It won't upset you. It's all that's needed to make this a perfect homecoming. A memory we can both cherish. Even more beautiful than before. It's such a sad song, don't you think? Sad? Yes. To belong to a summer that's past. Not to look to the summer that's ahead. In the past, summers were so perfect. And the summers ahead, you never know it. Oh, stop. It's stop. Oh, Miss Elliott. Sarah, what's the meaning of this? How much do you think I can stand? Seeing the two of you sitting there just as you used to. This is inexcusable. Sitting there just as if time had slipped back 40 years. Oh, Miss Elliott, do you think it's wise to upset him so? Helen, what's she talking about? Her name's not Helen. It's Jean. Jean Hayes. Jean. That's what that man called her. Look at her. She's not your wife. Is she? Is she? You're hurting her. Your wife is dead, Roger. She's been dead 40 years. No, I won't listen. I won't. You're going to listen now. You're an old man, Roger Elliott. We're both old. We've grown old here in this house where time has stopped. It's a lie. Helen, tell her we're young. Tell her. Look at yourself in that mirror. Really look. What do you mean, Sarah? What are you saying? Helen is dead. She's been dead 40 years. No. No. That isn't so. Please, Miss Elliott, why do you say that? He's been so happy. It's time he realized. Please. Oh, please let me talk with him for just a few minutes. It's a waste of time. He'll pay no attention. Please, Miss Elliott. Perhaps I can help. Yes, Sarah. There are things I must know. All right, but I know it's a waste of time, Miss Hayes. I'll be in the kitchen. My dear. Wait just a minute, Mr. Elliott. Oh, you must realize that I'm not Helen. You do, don't you? Yes, my dear. I do know, but I refuse to admit it. You're so like Helen. And after waiting all these years to have you coming to the house, it was a dream come true. You know, my dear, I have waited a long time. Mr. Elliott, you know too that Helen is not coming here again as I came tonight. But really, she is here all the time. She's here in your memory of her. She's here in your wonderful love of her. But... Can't you see how fortunate you've been to have Helen always just as she was? Unchanged by time or the world. Lovely and beautiful always. I begin to understand. We can't live in yesterday. None of us can. We must live today. We must... We must live for tomorrow. We can't shut out today. We can't close out tomorrow. You're right, my dear. I have refused to live in today. I have rejected the tomorrows that must come. Oh, that's it, Mr. Elliott. We can't hug our regrets. We can't. What is it, my dear? It's strange. I just realized I was going to do just what you've done. I was going to shut out today and tomorrow and live only with yesterday's memories. Perhaps we have been of some help to each other. Oh, my dear. Mr. Elliott. Oh, that must be Dan. I'll let him in. Darling, everything's okay now. I found you flagged down a state trooper. He'll take us into town and we... Oh, Dan. Dan, I've been such a fool. I almost lost everything that's real. It took this storm, the car, and Mr. Elliott to make me realize you've been right all along. Oh, Dan. Dan, I want to go back to New York with you. Jeannie, you really mean that? Yes. Yes, I do. I almost got lost in yesterday, too. You know, I have an idea that the storm and the car stopping was sort of planned. We should thank Mr. Elliott for finding us. Oh, wonderful it all seems now. Sarah? Sarah? Yes, Roger? Let's start the clocks. Oh, Roger. The past is dead. Let's live for tomorrow. Oh, Dan. Don't ever let me stop the clocks again. Don't ever let me again get lost in yesterday. Forget yesterday, Jeannie. I have. I've been so wrong we can forget the past. For us, there's tomorrow. This is Leo McCary again. A family theater listener once asked me how we managed to present such a variety of plays week by week and always end up with the same theme, family prayer. You present a mystery set or a story of suspense or comedy or an historical drama. And each time you conclude, the family that prays together stays together. It never fails to make sense, but how do you do it? Well, as a matter of fact, we merely point up what life itself so rather clearly implies. It might be said that a good story is an experience of all of life in a single incident of it. There is always an issue and always some sort of conflict, which in one way or another reveals the quality and values of our human nature. The outcome may be pathetic or tragic or the situation may be happily resolved by a mere application of good sense and fine humor. No matter what it concerns, the story is what happens to one of us. But who is us? Each of us is one of God's own and therefore one of our own. The love we have of story is, more or less, a proof of the love we really have for one another. Even though the story be fictional, it may be a valid story because it is real in its illumination of the nature of man. Thus, in a way, every story is my story and it is your story, for we are all brothers of each other in God's family. No one is valueless. Everyone is important in this universal family, unruly and wayward, as some of us may incidentally be. And in our own families, we are a counterpart of God's great family. Poverty, riches, pride, vanity, partisan ambition can ruin them. Only affection and prayer for understanding between us holds us together. And that is why we say that under the fatherhood of God, the family that prays together stays together. More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of. From Hollywood, family theaters brought to you the house where time stopped, starring Anne Blythe and Robert Stack. Leo McCary was your host. Norman Field was heard as Roger and Lorraine Tuttle as Sarah. The script was written by John McGreevy with music composed and conducted by Harry Zimmerman and was directed for Family Theater by Joseph F. Mansfield. This is Frank Bingman expressing the wish of Family Theater that the blessings of God may be upon you and your home. And inviting you to join us next week at this same time when Family Theater will present Stephen McNally and Joan Leslie in The Bit with Four Mars. Join us, won't you? Family Theater is broadcast throughout the world and originates in the Hollywood studios of the world's largest network. The Mutual Broadcasting System.