This was a clever idea for Bradbury to use as a short story. A Ferris wheel that runs backwards magically de-ages any person sitting in one of the buckets. One of the carnival folks uses it to transform himself into a young kid in order to become friendly with an elderly woman, and then steal her blind during the darkness of night. A local lad however, discovers the magical properties of the Ferris wheel, and grabs one of his buddies to warn the old woman that she's about to become a victim. I had to wonder about young Hank's (Zachary Bennett) father taking away his shirt and pants to prevent him from leaving the house after hearing the weird story. Didn't the kid have any other clothes?
In any event, when Mrs. Foley (Pat Evison) gets mugged in her own home, she mistakenly blames Hank and his friend Pete (Nathaniel Moreau), who tear off after the thief using the alias Joseph Pike (Jonathan Marks). Hoping to erase his youthful identity really quick, Joseph hops on board the Ferris wheel, but in the confusion of the chase, and Hank attempting to disrupt the carny operator, the wheel races uncontrollably forward, with the expected result that the aging process will dramatically turn the young boy into an old man. Like many of Bradbury's televised stories, there's no time for reflection about the events that just took place. Once the twist is revealed, the story just stops in its tracks for better or worse.
In any event, when Mrs. Foley (Pat Evison) gets mugged in her own home, she mistakenly blames Hank and his friend Pete (Nathaniel Moreau), who tear off after the thief using the alias Joseph Pike (Jonathan Marks). Hoping to erase his youthful identity really quick, Joseph hops on board the Ferris wheel, but in the confusion of the chase, and Hank attempting to disrupt the carny operator, the wheel races uncontrollably forward, with the expected result that the aging process will dramatically turn the young boy into an old man. Like many of Bradbury's televised stories, there's no time for reflection about the events that just took place. Once the twist is revealed, the story just stops in its tracks for better or worse.
