| “ | All of this… the joint, the clothes, the booze… Then I must be in heaven. Yeah, that's it! That's it! I'm in heaven, right?! | „ |
| ~ Rocky incorrectly thinking he's in heaven. |
Henry Francis "Rocky" Valentine is the main protagonist villain of The Twilight Zone episode "A Nice Place To Visit", which aired in 1960. He was a criminal who meets his fate at the hand of the police during a botched robbery, with the plot of the episode taking place in an afterlife specifically designed for him.
At the start of the episode, the narrator Rod Serling explains that the nickname "Rocky" comes from the nature of Valentine's life: being a rocky, uphill battle and never catching a break that others around him receive.
He was portrayed by the late Larry Blyden.
Biography[]
Before the events of the episode, it's officially stated that Rocky has been a criminal since his childhood. His past includes such crimes as starting a street gang at a young age that called themselves "The Angels", stealing from a dime store and even brutally killing a dog just for biting him. When going over files found in Rocky's afterlife, there doesn't seem to be anything good there that would remotely redeem himself.
A Nice Place To Visit[]
The episode begins with Rocky trying to rob a pawn shop, but is caught by the police. When Rocky tries to flee, he is shot in the head. He wakes up seemingly in the same place he was killed, but with no bullet holes in him anymore. He is approached by a man named "Pip". Rocky sticks Pip up at gunpoint, and Pip happily gives him $700 and promises he'll give Rocky more if he wishes.
Though Rocky takes the money, he is very suspicious of Pip, thinking that there's some sort of ulterior motive to the situation. Pip leads Rocky to a luxurious apartment, decorated with everything that Rocky likes. Rocky immediately loves the apartment and begins to relax in it, but is made suspicious again once food is brought in and Rocky wonders if it's poisoned. Rocky tries to get Pip to eat the food first, but when Pip refuses, Rocky responds by trying to shoot Pip multiple times. The bullets go right through Pip.
Rocky is now convinced he is in the afterlife, more specifically, Heaven. Alongside this, Rocky believes that Pip is Rocky's guardian angel. Rocky indulges in his own wants, immediately getting one million dollars and a beautiful woman. Rocky then goes out to gamble with beautiful women surrounding him, and wins every single bet he makes, winning even more money. Rocky wonders what good thing he did to make it to Heaven, and Pip takes him to a hall of records, where Rocky's actions in life are all cataloged. Rocky finds only his sins in the files. He asks Pip if his deceased friends can be found in this afterlife, but they cannot, as the place is designed for Rocky alone.
A month has gone by, and Rocky begins to grow tired of having all his wishes instantly fulfilled without the conquest, unpredictability and satisfaction of working for them. Rocky slowly begins to miss the difficulties he faced while he was alive. Pip offers the idea of sometimes losing at gambling, but this would be pointless as Rocky would know it was happening. Pip offers Rocky a chance to rob a bank, but Rocky dismisses this as well, as the outcome being predetermined would ruin the point of the crime.
Rocky has decided he's had enough of Heaven, and would rather go to the other place. Pip then retorts, "Heaven? Whatever gave you the idea you were in Heaven, Mr. Valentine? This is the other place!" Rocky, horrified at realizing where he truly is, tries to escape the now-locked apartment while Pip laughs malevolently.
Personality[]
The character of Rocky somewhat plays into a stereotype of the personality of criminals in the 50s and 60s. However, the episode came out in 1960, so this would simply be how individuals acted back then and not so much of a stereotype as it can be seen now. Whether in life or the afterlife, he indulges in the lifestyle of drinking, gambling and messing around with women. A lifestyle quite common with many criminals.
Rocky is a wise-cracking, foulmouthed, fast-talking, thieving, self-absorbed and greedy person. Throughout his entire life, he has committed many crimes and has been a nuisance for almost anyone around him. He is also shown to be very insecure, and - because he's a criminal - has a strong distaste for law enforcement. During his time in his false paradise, he spots a tall cop walking by. This immediately offends Rocky, and asks Pip to make him shorter so that Rocky would feel better about himself.
Trivia[]
- Mickey Rooney was considered for the role of the character, and even Rod Serling himself, the creator of the show, was also suggested.
- There was some mild controversy over the dialogue of the character. When Rocky was describing his perfect woman, he described the woman as "a broad" and "really stacked", terms that were considered offensive in those times. However, this then-risky dialogue was chosen to bring out the boisterous and nasty qualities of the character.
Gallery[]
