Foster himself wears a skull mask, suggesting it represents death, the opposite of his zest for life.
Once the masks are on, he drops the bomb: they must wear the masks until midnight.
Do, and they will inherit his estate.
Image by Zanda Rice
Do not, and they will only get enough for the train fare back to Boston.
They agree they are just masks, after all and sit back and wait.
That’s not going to happen, and Foster lays into them, calling them all caricatures.
Image via CBS
As the clock strikes midnight, Foster passes away.
The family met the condition, and now they are rich.
They zealouslyrip off their masks, only to discover that theirfaces are now shaped like the masksthey were wearing.
“The Masks” is just one example of an episode that remains almost eerily relevant.
Wilfred is oblivious to his greed and cruelty.
Emily can’t see her cowardice.
In a world where social media allows anyone to paint themselves however they wish, it remains so.
“The Masks” also speaks to another truth: using masks to hide our inner ugliness.
However, behind those masks they wear in public, they are free to wallow in their sinful nature.
Here, again, is where today’s reality fits in.
It’s the guilty pleasure of seeing a Karen get the comeuppance for their Karen ways.
However, Ida Lupino was the only director to also star in an episode, “The Sixteen-Millimeter Shrine.
“Directing had always interested Lupino, who would often direct her cousins in home movies.
A light-hearted tale takes a tragic turn.
She explored stories about sexual assault, illness, and the containment of women in society.
It’s that unique perspective thatmakes “The Masks” a perfect vehicle for Lupino’s talents.
He’s not a kindly old man.
In fact, he’s kind of an a**hole.
