The Twilight Zone 1959 s5 e 25 The Masks

On the night of Mardi Gras, a wealthy old man named Jason Foster is attended to by his physician, Dr. Sam Thorne, who warns him that his death is imminent. Cranky and candid, Jason is not cheered by the arrival of his cowardly hypochondriac daughter, Emily Harper, and her family: greedy businessman husband Wilfred; oafish, sadistic grandson Wilfred Jr.; and vain granddaughter Paula.

After openly insulting the Harpers, Foster says he has a special Mardi Gras party planned for them that night. Following dinner, the family gathers in Foster's study, where he instructs them to put on special one-of-a-kind masks that he says were "crafted by an old Cajun". Explaining that an old Mardi Gras custom involves wearing a mask that is the opposite of one's true personality, Foster sarcastically gives a sniveling coward mask to Emily, a porcine-featured miser to Wilfred, a brutish buffoon to Wilfred Jr., and a narcissist to Paula while he dons a skull mask, saying that it represents death as opposed to his inherent vivacity. The Harpers initially refuse to participate until Foster correctly accuses them of only being there to claim his fortune upon his death. He then informs them that the terms of his will require them to wear the masks until midnight in order to inherit his estate.

The Harpers reluctantly concede, but as the hours pass, they beg to remove their masks, saying that they are unbearable. However, Foster delivers a final tirade until the clock strikes midnight, calling them all caricatures before he dies. The Harpers rejoice in their newly inherited wealth and unmask, but discover to their horror that their faces now conform to the hideous features of their masks. Foster's face, on the other hand, proves to be superficially unchanged. Dr. Thorne observes, "This must be death. No horror, no fear, nothing but peace