Ed Wynn stars as Lou Bookman, a sidewalk salesman who hawks everything from toys to ties. One day, he's visited by none other than Death Himself (Murray Hamilton). Death informs Bookman that his time is imminent, only Bookman doesn't feel that he's ready to go. He decides that he can't die until he's made the pitch of a lifetime. Death agrees to this, only to arrange for somebody else to perish. Bookman had been planning to stall the inevitable, but now he's ready to launch into the biggest sales pitch he's ever made.
First and foremost, this endearing second 'Twilight Zone' episode is an excellent showcase for the talented Mr. Wynn, who was in real life fairly advanced in age though not much older than the character he's playing. You like him immediately; you can understand his hesitancy at shuffling off this mortal coil, and are amused by the way he tries to take advantage of Mr. Death. You also realize that this man has a huge heart, and can believe that he has made something of a difference in the lives of children in his neighbourhood.
Hamilton is lots of fun, matching Mr. Wynn every step of the way. Their repartee is enjoyable. One great touch is that Death tends to disappear and reappear frequently, throwing Bookman for a loop. Young Dana Dillaway is completely endearing without being overly cute in the role of Bookmans' little friend Maggie.
Rod Serling wrote the solid script himself; it's well realized by director Robert Parrish, and the climactic pitch, while mostly just conveyed through brief montage bits, does give the impression that Bookman is truly selling like he has never done before.
Eight out of 10.
