The Coffin story
A dying millionaire builds a glass coffin, much to the amusement of his greedy brother. After the millionaire dies, his brother is told that if he can find the millionaire's savings, which are hidden inside his mansion, he'll gets everything. But finding it may come at a price. Directed by: Tom Cotter. Story by: Ray Bradbury.
14 total · 1 choice · 6 major · 7 minor
| Theme | Level | Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| vengeance from beyond the grave | choice | Charles rigged a contraption, recorded himself, and set events in motion in such a way that after his death and in a manner of speaking, his recorded self would be there to gloat while his carefully planned scheme for revenge on his younger brother, Richard, came to fruition: Richard would be tricked and enticed into lying down in the coffin which would then activate, reveal legs to take, and walk outside to quite literally bury Richard alive. |
| brother and brother | major | The story turns on the dying millionaire Charles going to elaborate lengths (posthumously) to send his greedy brother, Richard, to an early grave. |
| coping with a moocher | major | Richard had had mooched things like booze, cars, and gambling money off of his late mother. He also helped himself to whisky and other comforts around his older brother's house despite being told to leave. |
| curiosity killed the cat | major | As Charles knew he would, Richard couldn't resist the temptation to activate the mysterious coffin. He laid down in the place indicated. Thus he sealed his own fate when the coffin activated a sequence of pre-programmed events that would culminate with Richard's living inhumation. Meanwhile, Charles' recording then activated to gloat at Richard's fate. |
| greedy heir | major | The ailing millionaire's decade younger brother drooled over inheriting his older brother's fortune. |
| robot helper | major | Charles' house abounded in autonomous semi-intelligent mechanical servants that did such chores as answering the door, dusting, pouring the whiskey, and spectating at the premature inhumation of pesky younger brothers. |
| romantic infidelity | major | Charles was evidently sore at Richard because years earlier Richard had taken off with Charles' great love. |
| alcohol abuse | minor | Charles indicated that Richard was penniless in part because he was too keen on the hootch. |
| coping with memories of a lost love | minor | Charles, an elderly bachelor, lost his composure when Richard brought up the touchy subject of Charles' former lover, Angela, whom Richard had made off with at some point in the past. |
| creative writing | minor | In the introduction, Ray Bradbury shared with the viewer the wellsprings of creativity that inspire his writing. |