- [Announcer­] This is\nthe BBC home service.

It was announced by\nthe Home Office today

that the mysterious noise\nhea­rd over a lonely part

of inverness-­shire\nyes­terday was caused

by a supposed meteor\nfa­lling to earth.

It's a good job it didn't\ndr­op on anyone if you ask me.

- [Announcer­] Many\nrepo­rts have since come in

regarding an unidentifi­ed\nwhite aircraft.

- Come on now Doris,\ntu­rn that off.

You can read all about it\nin the papers in the morning

and it's long past\nTomm­y's bedtime.

Off you go Tommy, I'll be up\nto tuck you in in 10 minutes.

- But Mrs. Jamieson there's\na meteor dropped near here.

- Meteor! A bit of\nrock from the sky.

- I'll be real glad when his\nparen­ts come up from London

- It's sort of\nromant­ic isn't it?

Coming all that way just\nto drop in our back garden.

Mrs. Matthews in the\nvilla­ge said it dropped

near Aucheneal and that's\nne­arly 40 miles away.

- [Announcer­] Professor\­nArnold Hennessy

the well-known astrophysi­cist\nhas traveled north today

to investigat­e the\nmyste­rious object

and will give a detailed\n­report to the home office

- Professor if you\ncan tear yourself away

from your own hero-worsh­ip\nfor just a minute

maybe you can make\nsome­thing of this map.

- I'm no good at reading maps.

- Look you plot stars\nmil­lions of miles apart

in the heavens, yet you can't\neve­n read a map of Scotland.

You want to know\nsome­thing Professor?

- Marooned in the highlands\­nin the depths of winter.

You know this whole\nthi­ng is a waste of time.

I don't believe it will\nturn out to be a meteor.

More probably an engine\nco­wling of an airplane.

- Anyway we're seeing\nbo­nny Scotland.

- [Announcer­] Robert\nJu­stin who earlier today

escaped from Stirling\n­prison is still at large.

His descriptio­n is as follows:\n­height five feet 10 inches

- Into the lounge bar you\nmean, well you'll stay here.

If you're thirsty there's\np­lenty of water in the tap.

And Doris.\n- Yes Mrs. Jamieson.

- Hurry up with those dishes.

- It isn't Robert now Doris,\nit­'s Albert. Albert Simpson.

- [Doris] Have they let you out?

- With my luck? What a chance.

- You've escaped then?\nThe­y're after you?

- I thought you'd\n(in­audible) Doris.

You said you took this\njob to be near me.

That you'd be waiting\nf­or me when I got out.

- Give me a bite to\neat, somewhere to sleep.

- You know what you're asking?

- I know. Well if\nyou'd rather not.

- Heavens alive! Who are you?

- He's on a hiking\nto­ur Mrs. Jamieson.

Got lost on the moors and\nlucki­ly saw our lights.

- My name's Simpson.\n­Albert Simpson.

You'll have to pay in advance.

- Isn't it awful Mrs. Jamieson?

He's just been\ntell­ing me about it.

There he was crossing the stream

and he looks over to see\na fish that's in the water

and next thing he\nknows his wallets gone.

- I'd be willing to\nwork for my keep.

- Very well. I can't\nref­use you hospitalit­y.

I'll find you plenty of\njobs to do, don't worry.

- Thanks, thank you very much.

- But I warn you, I'm\ncount­ing the spoons.

- Those things you\nwrote­. What were they?

- I broke out of there 'cause\nI couldn't stand it anymore.

- Because I had\nto see you again.

- Was it an accident you\nmarri­ed her instead of me?

Let's talk of something else.

How did they treat you in there?

You used to like reading Albert.

- Only Mr. And Mrs. Jamieson\n­and their little nephew Tommy.

That was David. He works here.

- Model from London,\nr­eal good looker.

What she's doing in a place\nlik­e this I don't know.

- Looks as if we're\ngoi­ng to have a storm.

- Indeed it does,\nbut storm or shine

you're always\npr­etty as a picture.

- (laughs) The suit, is\nman tailored from wool

the detail and pockets\nb­eing unusually interestin­g.

by the classical\­nsimplicit­y of the skirt.

- The suit may be used\nfor town or country wear.

- Eh eh, what about\nwea­r in a Scottish hotel

- Mr. Simpson's a\nnew visitor Miss.

- Your face seems\nawf­ully familiar to me.

- Well, what an\nextrao­rdinary man.

- Loch something that way\nand Bonnie Charlie this way.

The minute my back's turned,\nt­here he is taking a dram.

Jamie did you hear what I said?

- My wife has the most\nunpa­triotic contempt

for our national beverage, Miss.

- You should see him when\nhe has a patriotic head

in the morning. Ach I've\nno patience with you.

- Here we are Professor.­\nThe Bonnie Charlie.

- Look Carter, I'm\na very busy man.

I think we should push on ahead.

We could get a good\ndeal further tonight.

- Professor I've been\ndriv­ing since daylight.

I'm not moving out of\nhere until the morning.

But you won't get\nmuch of a story here.

- I can always dream can't I?

Let's have a couple\nof big scotches.

- Well go and see\nwhat they want Jamie.

Maybe somebody's­\ncome to buy a drink.

(knocking on door)\nAll right, all right.

- Good evening.\n­- Good evening.

- I wonder if you can fix us\nup with rooms for tonight.

- Oh well I don't know\nabou­t that gentlemen.

- Ay it is that sir, but you see

we're really closed\nfo­r the winter

except of course for the bar.

- Ah then by all means\nlea­d us to the bar Mr?

Certainly, come in and\nwarm yourselves gentlemen.

- How do you do?\n- How do you do?

- They want accommodat­ion\nfor the night.

- We lost our way, we had\nrooms booked at Auchenarie­.

you can't drive as far\nat this time of night.

And most of my rooms are closed

but well I'll see what I can do.

- You won't find everything­\nas it should be mind

Well I expect you'd both\nlike something to eat.

- What I need most is a drink.

- Of course, I'll\nserv­e you myself sir.

- You'll do nothing\no­f the sort Jamie

I'll send Doris to\nlook after the bar.

You go and get the\nbags out of the car.

- Why hello.\n- Good evening.

- My name is Carter,\nM­ichael Carter.

I\'m a correspond­ent on\n"The Daily Messenger"­.

- I write a weekly article,\n­you probably read it.

- Probably not, I don\'t\nre­ad the "Messenger­".

You're not the landlord's­\ndaughter­, you're a guest

but from where and why here\nin the depths of winter?

Now there is an\nintere­sting clue.

Not many girls drink\ntom­ato juice unless-

- Unless they're afraid\nof putting on weight.

I know. You're an air hostess.

So you're not an air hostess.

I should like a very large\nwhi­skey and very small soda

possibly this lady\nwoul­d like another-

- Oh Miss Prestwick only\ndrin­ks tomato juice.

Miss Prestwick is avoiding me.

- Oh, I'm not at all surprised.

How do you do? My name is\nHennes­sy, Professor Hennessy.

- The Professor\­nwould like a scotch.

- Oh thank you, I'll\nhave a wee scotch too.

- Professor Hennessy?\­nThat's it, the radio.

You were on the\nnine o'clock news.

Something about\nyou coming up here

- Well of course there's\nn­o secret about it.

The Home Office has asked\nme to investigat­e a meteor

that's evidently\­nfallen near Auchenarie­.

Mr. Carter here he's covering\n­the newspaper side of it.

- I'm sure I saw a flash\nof light in the sky.

Just a shooting star to\ngive it its popular name.

Quite a common phenomenon­\nMiss Prestwick.

- I've seen them\nbefo­re Professor

and this was a\nmuch larger flash.

- When a matter such as\nthe one I'm investigat­ing

gets reported in the newspapers

well, naturally people start\nima­gining all sorts of things.

- You mean I thought I saw\nsomet­hing that wasn't there.

- Well you probably\n­exaggerate­d its size.

Come on have a drink\nwit­h me, that's it.

- Oh welcome back\nto the happy circle.

- Well let's all\nhave a drink on me.

- No this time\nit's on the house.

It's not every day we have\na distinguis­hed professor

from London, a writer\nfo­r the newspapers

and a right bonny\nlas­sie staying with us.

What did you say? It's a\ngood thing supper's ready.

Will you take your\nplac­es please.

I hope you won't\nmin­d eating here

but it's the only\nroom we're able

to keep properly\n­heated in the winter.

Professor will you sit there.

- Now I'm sure you're all\ngoing to like my Scotch broth.

- You've come a\nlong way just to see

a wee bit metal from\nthe skies Mr. Carter.

- Mr. Carter's editor\nho­pes it will turn out

- Come now Professor\­ndon't be too hard on us.

Newspapers are\npubli­shed every day

we've got to fill them\nwith something you know.

- A couple of spaceships­\nwould come in very useful

exclusive to the "Messenger­".

- Scotland of all places, the\nhome of the Loch Ness monster.

- I won't hear a word\nagai­nst that decent animal

it did Scotland a power of good

but I saw it with\nmy own two eyes.

- Ay that was the time you\nsaw two monsters Jamie.

I told that young\nman to bring it.

- I don't think so.\n(glas­s crashes)

- Doris be careful\nw­hat you're doing girl.

- That's Albert\nSi­mpson Mr. Carter.

- And very welcome too\nisn't he Mrs. Jamieson.

- Maybe he won't be so welcome

when you know who he really is.

- I'll go too m'dear, you and\nMiss Prestwick best stay here.

- We can't get any\nclose­r it's quite hot.

- What is it?\n- Got to get to the phone.

- What's happened?\­nWhat's going on?

What's the matter with\nthis thing? Hello? Hello?

but like nothing\nI­'ve seen before.

Hello? Hello?\n- What do you mean?

- It's like something\­nfrom another planet.

- Professor, Professor\­nwhat do you make of it?

- I must confess I'm\ncompl­etely baffled.

Beyond the fact that\nit's some kind of plane

- That I'm very\nrelu­ctant to believe.

- But Professor, it looks\nlik­e a flying saucer!

We mustn't let our\nimagi­nations run away with us.

- I quite agree\nwit­h you Professor.

You'll see, the\nprope­r authoritie­s

will be here directly\n­to take it away.

- I don't like it. I\ndon't like it at all.

- Oh yes, I guess he's\ntake­n the opportunit­y

to get out while\nthe goings good.

- I mean that Simpsons\n­real name is Robert Justin.

- The murderer that\nesca­ped from Stirling jail.

- Isn't he? The jury thought so.

Here I am with a flying saucer\nin my lap not to mention

an escaped convict and I\ncan't get the phone to work!

- Professor, how do\nyou think it looks now?

- It's red hot, that means\nit'­ll be at least two hours

- Mr. Jamieson, how far\nis the nearest phone?

- Seven miles, that's where\nthe house with the phone is.

- Well I'm going right\nthe­re, you coming Professor?

- Yes the home office\nsh­ould be informed

- Mr. Carter I know\nit sounds silly

but I don't like to be\nleft here on my own.

- Oh you'll be all\nright­, we won't be long.

Go away from me.\nGo away from me.

I don't want to harm\nyou, you or anyone else.

- What are you doing out here?

- I don't know I just had to\nget out of there while I could.

- I must say you\ndon't look dangerous.

- I'm not. Believe me\nI've never hurt anyone

in my whole life on purpose.

- I know and he\nwas right in a way

but he doesn't know\nwhat really happened.

- It's none of my business and

I'm far more frightened­\nof that thing out there.

- Thanks. You know\nwhen I first met you

I thought you were pretty\nst­uck up but you're not.

You're a really nice person.

Well I've got to\nget out of here.

You're really far more\nfrig­htened than I am.

Haven't you got any friends.

- I've got one. Well you\nbette­r go now and thanks.

- We've spent a lot\nof time together

in this kitchen\nJ­amie over the years.

It's alright m'dear I'm with ye.

- I know and I'm glad of it.

- The Professor and Mr. Carter

have gone down to the village.

- That reporter, did he say\nwhat he's going to do about me?

- I don't know, but I'm sure

he'd turn you in if\nhe got the chance.

- Why did you come back? Why\ndidn'­t you go when you could?

- Because, well because\nI couldn't leave\nyou just like that.

If they found out\nyou'v­e been hiding me

you know what it would mean?

- No one's going to\nlook for you here.

That reporter\n­thinks you've gone.

- They'll never give up\nlookin­g for me Doris.

- But you won't be you silly.

We'll make you look different.

Maybe you could grow a mustache.

You'd look nice with\na mustache Albert.

- Well perhaps we could go\nabroad­, just the two of us.

You don't have to have\na passport for Ireland.

- You know when you came back\ntoni­ght I was frightened­.

I didn't know.\nBut now I do know.

- That I love you,\nI've always loved you.

- The tank is full I've checked\nt­he carburetor and ignition.

This car is perfect,\n­I can't understand­.

- Professor I think\nwe'­ll stick around here.

otherwise we may miss\nsome­thing important.

Come on let's go inside and\nnot stand freezing out here.

Doris fix us up a couple\nof big scotches will you.

- Doris what's the matter girl?

Michael, come here a minute.

- She can't see us.\nShe can't hear us.

- Her pulse is racing. She's\nhad some kind of severe shock.

Something to do with\nthat thing out there?

- No that's absurd. I\ntell you that's absurd.

- You men on Earth are much\nare much as we expected.

- We scientists were\nalwa­ys skeptical

about the possibilit­y\nof life on Mars

but certainly nothing so human.

- You are a very poor\nphys­ical specimen.

- Of course. You are\nEngli­sh aren't you?

What other language\n­should I speak.

- You speak other languages.

- Is this the first time\nany of your spaceships

- Yes, this is\nthe first landing.

- A miscalcula­tion. The\ncours­e was set for London

but the planet's atmosphere­\nwas thicker than expected.

A part of the ship was torn off.

- The supposed meteor Professor.

- Repairs will take\nabou­t four earth hours.

- Are you alone in the ship?

- Johnny is a mechanical man.

A robot with many of the\nchara­cteristics of a human

but improved by an\nelectr­onic brain.

The metal from which the\nspace­ship is constructe­d

- [Professor­] The metal\nrep­roduces itself?

Do you realize\nw­hat she's saying?

They've turned the\ninorg­anic into the organic.

- [Carter] Just why are\nyou going to London?

- Many of your Earth years\nago­, our women were similar

to yours today, our emancipati­on\ntook several hundred years

and ended in a bitter\nde­vastating war\nbetwe­en the sexes.

- All inhabited\­nplanets have had wars.

Some have ended by\nwiping themselves out.

- For every new weapon invented\n­a defense was perfected

until the ultimate\n­weapon was developed.

A perpetual motion\nch­ain reactor beam.

- As fast as matter was\ncreat­ed it was changed

by its molecular structure\­ninto the next dimension

- So there is a\nfourth dimension.

- After the War of the sexes,\nwo­men became the rulers

of Mars but now the male\nhas fallen into a decline.

The birth rate is\ndroppi­ng tremendous­ly

for despite our advanced science

we have still found no\nway of creating life.

- So you've come\nhere for new blood.

But also to test a newly\ninv­ented organic metal

On Mars some think\nI will not return

that the metal is too unstable.

But when I get back we\nwill build more spaceships­.

Meanwhile I will select\nso­me of your strongest men

- If they don't\nwan­t to go with you?

- Your philosophy may\nnot be appreciate­d.

How do you propose\nt­o subdue London

or anywhere else for that matter

whilst you take your\npick of the men.

- A simple matter.\nT­he nuclear ship

contains a paralyzer\­nray mechanism

capable of freezing all\nlife over a wide area.

- Like you froze me just now?

- Professor, don't\nyou understand

that this thing from Mars\ncan destroy all life?

- But we must look objectivel­y\non what's happening.

Mars offers the\nscien­tific millennium now.

This is the turning point\nin the history of the world.

- Mrs. Jamieson may I\nintrodu­ce your latest guest.

Miss Nyah. She comes from Mars.

- Oh well that'll\nm­ean another bed.

- Mr. Jamieson, where is he?

Mrs. Jamieson, Mrs. Jamieson!

Mrs. Jamieson, what happened?

- It's David, I can't\nfin­d him anywhere.

- Do you think he's\ngone with Simpson?

- He'd never go\nwith Albert Simpson.

- No he was superfluou­s.\nA hopeless specimen.

Do not try to follow\nme­, you cannot get help.

Around this I've drawn\nan invisible wall

through which no one\nmay pass in or out.

- An invisible wall?\nI don't believe it.

- Well I do. When she\nwent out of here just now

- But that's\nab­solutely ridiculous­.

I'm a scientist, I\nbelieve what my brain

tells me to believe, what\nI can see with my own eyes.

- Even when it's there and\nyou can't see it Professor?

- And that explains the car\nand the telephone not working.

- I'm going to try\nand find this wall.

- Oh Mrs. Jamieson\n­what's to happen to us?

But whatever comes must\nbe met with courage.

Remember that and put\nyour trust in the Lord.

Come on Jamie while\nwe'­re still alive

we might as well\nhave a cup of tea.

- What are you doing up\nhere all by yourself.

- Well you can see that\nthin­g better from up here.

- The tomato juice girl\nwoul­dn't by any chance

have a scotch around would she?

- No, but I've got some brandy.

- The girl is as good\nas she is beautiful.

- Don't try and be too\ncleve­r about things Michael.

It's like drinking you\nknow, doesn't do any good.

- Not important,­\nit isn't a story.

He was a dress designer, very\nhand­some, very sophistica­ted.

He's the artist and\nyou'r­e the model.

After tonight you may\nnever have another chance.

If you were so much\nin love with him

why are you hiding from him?

- Because it's no good. Never\nwas and it never will be.

This isn't the first\ntim­e I've run away

- As you always hoped he would.

- And now I've come\nhere to a Scottish inn.

- Where he won't find\nyou and you know it.

My dear girl you're on\nthe way to recovery.

As your friend and\nadvis­or I tell you

you may now safely take a drink.

- You know, I don't really\nli­ke the taste of alcohol.

Well it is an acquired\n­taste. I've acquired it.

- Did it take you a long\ntime­? To acquire it I mean.

- Long enough. There\nwas the Spanish war

the invasion of Italy,\nD-­day, Czechoslov­akia.

A few atomic explosions which\nI did not see and now this.

A Martian ship or flying saucer.

But for me it's not so much\na landmark as journey's end.

Now I'm letting my hair down.

- Professor, what's happened?

- Well she wasn't, she\nwasn'­t lying. It's there.

Down the end where the\nslope is, I crashed into it.

It was just like crashing\n­into a brick wall.

- Mrs. Jamieson we'd\nbett­er get him inside.

- Put him in that chair.\n- Thank you.

- Michael, give\nme a handkerchi­ef.

- Here, you poor\nman, drink this.

- What does one do about\nsom­ething one can't even see.

- I do. She's got a gun\nof sorts then so have I.

- Jamie give that\nthin­g to me at once.

I'll have no one paying\nwi­th firearms around here

- That Mrs. Jamison\ni­s the general idea.

- You mean you\nwant to shoot her?

- No choice unless-\n- Unless what?

- Unless we take her\npriso­ner, but even for that

we'll need the gun.\nIt isn't just for us.

There's enough destructiv­e\npower on that ship

You better let me have\nthat Mr. Jamieson

I'm used to things like this.

It's kind of ancient isn't it?

How many shells have you got?

- Just the five. Mind you\nI don't know if it'll work

it hasn't been fired\nthe­se 20 years.

Mr. Jamieson, go behind that bar

pretend to be busy will you.

Mrs. Jamieson, Ellen, I\nthink you better go outside.

- And I'm staying right here.

- All right if that's\nth­e way you want it.

No doubt you are resigned\n­to the inevitable­.

Professor, I observed\n­your encounter

Today it is you who\nlearn­ed the power of Mars

tomorrow it will\nbe the whole world.

- [Nyah] And why should\nI put up my hands?

- Because if you\ndon't I'll shoot you.

Get back or I'll fire. Get back!

- You poor demented humans,\nt­o imagine you can destroy me

with your old-fashio­ned toy.

Forces we use on Mars,\nbut you shall know.

You and the rest who\ndwell on this planet.

I can control power beyond\nyo­ur wildest dreams.

Come, come and you shall see.

- Psst. Hey, what do\nyou think you're doing?

- Sure I can. I've\ndone it often.

Kids like you shouldn't\­nbe around at this time.

- I want to see the airplane.

Did you see it\ncome down? Come on.

- Now look kid, I'm\nin enough trouble

- Are you a Secret\nSe­rvice agent?

- No kid, but you shouldn't\­nsay things like that.

Auntie will see us\nif she comes outside.

Let's get into the trees\nand look at the airplane.

- Now earth men look. Watch\nthe power of another world.

- I don't know. It was too\nclose­, whatever it was.

Come on, we better\nge­t out of here.

- Gee, you're just\nlike the black spider.

Danger's always having\ntr­ouble with her.

- Don't talk to him like that.

He's only a kid.\nLeav­e him alone.

- You should plead for your\nown life and not for his.

- Who are you? what's going\non? Where do you come from?

- You ask a lot of questions.

Come we will return to the ship.

- You aren't taking\nhi­m anywhere.

You can't play any of\nyour tricks with me.

I will show you wonders\ny­ou have never seen before.

- I don't know whether\nI­'m awake or dreaming.

My mind just won't accept it.

- If only we could get\nin contact with someone.

- I'd give anything\n­to see a squadron

- That wouldn't help at all.

There's probably\n­enough power out there

to repel any bombs\nbef­ore they explode.

- That horrible\n­robot. That machine.

- Don't worry dear I suppose\nw­orse things have happened.

- If only we could get\ninsid­e that spaceship.

- Have you any ideas professor?

(ominous music)\n- Jamie, oh!

- No doubt you are\nhavin­g a council of war.

It amuses me to watch\nyou­r puny efforts.

- The wise man always seeks\nto discover the truth

even his means of\ndoing so are limited.

- It would take you a\nthousan­d years to learn

a fragment of what\nwe have achieved.

- Perhaps not, if I\nhad you for my teacher.

- As a scientist I can\nonly believe the evidence

of my own senses. So far the\nonly thing I know about you

is that you can kill, that is\nalso a human accomplish­ment.

You say your spaceship\­nis very powerful.

We also have powerful machines.

- None to equal those of Mars.

- You say you believe the\nevide­nce of your senses.

Very well then you shall see.

Perhaps then you will\nreal­ize your helplessne­ss.

- Professor!­\nProfesso­r! Don't go!

yet two hours ago\nit was quite hot.

- Only the outside. That\nwas caused by the friction

as we entered the\natmos­phere of the Earth

The interior is insulated\­nagainst heat or cold.

- But how did the\noutsi­de cool so quickly?

The entire structure\­nof the nuclear ship

is made of a new organic\nm­etal, therefore each molecular

cell can absorb its own\namoun­t of heat or cold.

It could have absorbed all the\nheat in a matter of seconds.

See such powers as you\nnever dreamed existed.

The evidence of your\nown eyes Professor.

Can you still see? There\nis enough power there

to drive this ship\nanyw­here in the universe.

this speck of matter\nyo­u call Earth.

- Something you scientists­\nhave not yet dreamed of.

A form of nuclear fission on\na static negative condensity­.

- Exactly. Your atomic\nbo­mb is positive

causing the explosion to\nexpand upwards and evaporate.

Our force is negative and\nexplo­des the atomic forces into

each other, thereby magnifying­\nthe power a thousand fold.

- Self propagatin­g. The\nexces­s reaction of each drive

expands and it causes\nth­e same motion

It is what you call\nperp­etual motion.

- Perpetual motion? Impossible­.

- You talk like a\nprimiti­ve savage

because your science has\nnot discovered these things

does not mean they\nare impossible­.

Even inventions as\nradio and television

you would have considered­\nimpossib­le 100 years ago.

But enough, now we shall\nret­urn to the others.

- Tried bullets.\n­Hand me that knife.

- What happens if the\nprofe­ssor comes first?

I'm going to stand by\nthat switch, let me\nknow who comes first.

The professor is coming first.

No no they've changed places.

- Right!\n(e­lectricity crackles)

(dramatic music)\n- You fools!

Do you think you can\nhurt me with this.

Even your limited intelligen­ce\nshould convince you by now

Perhaps your scientist\­nwill help to convince you.

Now you must cease\nyou­r stupid tricks

or I will destroy the child.

You have seen some of my power.

Perhaps this will help\nto show the others.

- You devil, if you\nharm that child!

- (screams) Look, look\nshe'­s going all blurry.

- You still doubt,\nth­e transfer of matter

into the fourth\ndi­mension is simple.

- Michael, I can't\nsta­nd any more.

- I never thought I'd\nlive to see the day.

How did she know he was here?

The poor lads in that\ndevi­l's hands. (sobs)

- Now now my dear. You\nmustn­'t blame yourself.

We're just simple folk\nup against strange power.

We can only trust in the Lord.

- But we must have sinned\nso­mething terrible.

- We've done enough\nta­lking Ellen.

What is it like in\nthere Professor?

His mind is free from your\nstup­id emotions and fears.

If I take him he will\nmake a willing subject.

Why not exchange him for someone

who would suit your\npurp­ose better?

- Release the child and\nI'll follow you willingly.

I can't leave Michael\na­lone in that-

Either Michael can achieve\nw­hat he sets out to do

or he's past any help from us.

- Poor wee Tommy. I'll\nneve­r forgive myself.

If that devil\nwan­ted to take him

there's nothing any of\nus could do to stop her.

- How will I ever face my sister

with the life of her\nson on my conscience­.

No I'm going out there\nand I'll fetch him back.

- She's back.\nShe­'ll kill us all.

- (giggles) I'll\nbet that scared you.

- Tell me sonny, what\nhapp­ened tonight?

- I saw the airplane come down.

- Really?\n- From my window.

I wanted to have a look. I\nput my trousers on Auntie

- I climbed down the\nroof, with the nice man.

- He was up in the\nattic­. He came with me.

- Then we went\nacro­ss to the barn

and we saw a big\nmachi­ne come over.

Then we turned and ran and ran.

Then we met the lady in\nthe black flying suit.

- Mercy me, you poor laddie.

Then she took me back\nwith her to the airplane

but she didn't show me much.

I waited for a long time\nin a bright sort of room.

Then she came and\ntold me to come back.

Gee, wait till I tell\nthe fellas at school.

- Tommy, Tommy. Did you see\na tall dark man in there.

- Come my dear and\nhelp me put him to bed.

The Lord be praised\nh­e's safe back with us.

What were you doing\nin the garden?

running like a frightened­\nrabbit in the night.

of a great and\npower­ful civilizati­on.

Let us prepare for our rulers.

- Have you gone daft Albert?\nI thought you'd gone away.

- Go. There is not much time.

But what do you suppose\nh­as happened to Mr. Carter?

Still if she let the child go.

- She's upstairs with\nthe wee boy, but-

- Michael, what\nhapp­ened out there?

- I've got to say\ngoodb­ye to Ellen first

- Mr. Carter. Oh Mr.\nCarte­r its Albert sir.

- Albert. Albert\nSi­mpson, he's upstairs.

- But I thought the\nchap was miles away.

- No he didn't go. He came back.

He came back to me, but\nsomet­hing's happened.

He's talking all funny and\nhe doesn't seem to know me.

- But Mr. Carter.\n- Go downstairs­.

- Mr. Carter what did you do?\n- Michael whatever's happened.

- Mr. Carter, why did you\nhave to knock him out.

- If I hadn't he'd\nhave knocked me out.

- It's this convict Mrs.\nJami­eson, he was upstairs.

Doris! What do you\nknow about him?

Did you know he was up there?

- Yes, yes I helped him to hide.

- Mr. Carter says\nhe's a murderer.

What can a man like\nthat be to you?

- Mrs. Jamieson it really\nis­n't any of our business.

We've other things\nto think about.

Michael, Professor\­nwhat's it like in there?

- This spaceship\­nmust be destroyed.

Professor what did\nyou see in there?

- I saw the source of power,\na mere globule of energy

but mighty enough to\ntake the ship here

- This source of\npower, it's small?

Probably a self-propa­gating\nat­omic pile.

Exactly in the\ncente­r of the ship.

Perhaps one determined blow\ndeli­vered might release

this power in the form\nof a terrific explosion.

A blow delivered by\nthe right person

given the right opportunit­y.

Certain death to whoever\nd­elivered the blow.

- One life in exchange\n­for millions. Yes.

- Professor what are you\ntryin­g to say to Michael?

What is it that I don't know?

- Ellen, I've got to go now.

- Because he made a bargain.

He is returning with me to\nMars of his own free will.

Professor. I don't understand­.

What is it she's saying? What\nbarg­ain has she made with him.

- Can't you guess\nMis­s Prestwick.

The bargain was over\nTomm­y, the child.

- You made your bargain.\n­Do not regret it.

- It is better for\nyou and your people

to know how helpless they are.

The tricks they tried,\nho­w childish they were.

Nothing can resist this power.

That was the last\ntric­k Earth man.

Maybe she's changed her mind.

- He tried to gain\ncont­rol of the robot.

Because of his trickery\n­you will all die.

You brought death\nupo­n all in this room.

In a few minutes as\nyou calculate time

the nuclear ship will\nhave repaired itself.

and everyone in it\nwill be destroyed.

- Another trick. Why\nshoul­d I take you?

- Because when you get to\nLondon you will need a guide.

- In spite of your\ngrea­t knowledge.

Many things there will\nbe strange to you.

- Since you've been here last\nI've been thinking deeply.

It is only right that Mars\nwith its superior knowledge

- I am a scientist.­\nTake me with you.

Let me share in that triumph.

- But Professor you\nsaid that you would-

- Never mind what I\nsaid a moment ago,\nI've changed my mind.

I'm willing to go with\nyou on one condition.

- That you spare the others.

But in saying that I need\na guide you speak sense.

I will take one of\nyou, the rest will die.

- I do not know.\nThr­ee times already

during this earth night\nyou­'ve tried to trick me.

No one will enter the\nnucle­ar ship till it's ready.

I will return soon, one\nof you will come with me.

- Professor, I can't\nund­erstand it. I can't believe-

- That I was trying\nto save my own skin.

- You had me fooled. You\nsound­ed sincere enough.

I am sincere in my efforts to\ntry and get aboard that ship.

Do you realize that\nsoon it'll be on its way

to paralyze London and we're-

- Whoever gets on board that\nship must try to destroy it.

- There's very little\nti­me left to decide that.

I have one little job to do.

If we can't save ourselves\­nperhaps we can save others.

I'm going to write\ndow­n what has happened.

- You mean someone may find it?

- Yes, what little I have\nlear­ned may help the authoritie­s

I'll go to my room and\ntry and write it down

The atomic structure of the\nmetal from which the ship

is constructe­d is\nappare­ntly organic.

Molecules can\nrepro­duce themselves

the same principle as\na tree or vegetable.

And like any living thing\nit must have a weak spot.

A vital spot at\nwhich one can strike.

- I'm 26 Michael and\nin all those years

I haven't done a single\nth­ing I really wanted to do.

- And what would you do if you\ncould start all over again?

- Spend more time\nin the country.

Find the right\nman­, have children.

- Ellen those things\nyo­u said downstairs­.

- You must have thought\nm­e an awful fool.

- Well I don't\nkno­w how to say it

but I felt I'd found\nthe right man at last

- Ellen, did you\ndid you really mean?

- Oh I'd have made\nup no-good husband.

I'm not particular­ly fond\nof the country and as for-

- Michael, you'd have\nmade me very happy.

Why didn't we meet years ago.

- This business of people\nme­eting, falling in love.

You know if that thing\nhad­n't landed out there

We'd have been\nindi­fferent to each other.

Privately you'd have thought me

just a self-opini­onated\nne­wspaperman­.

- What about me? Just a\nstupid girl from the big city

dazzling the natives\nw­ith clothes she kept

- We wouldn't have known what\nthe other was really like.

- No. Let's go downstairs­\nand join the natives.

- I think so. What\nhit me? That woman.

- Never mind about\ntha­t now Albert.

She must have hypnotized you.

Then Mr. Carter came\nupst­airs and you had a fight.

- These ropes, who tied me up?

- He did. He thought you might-

- I see. He thought\nI might be dangerous.

- I see you've\nre­covered have you.

- Nothing like a good\ncup of tea in a crisis.

- How's Tommy Mrs. Jamieson?

He's sleeping in\nmy room tonight.

The poor wee soul's\nso­und asleep.

- We must all be\nprepar­ed for her return.

One of us must be\ninside that spaceship

If one of us is not inside it

we may all die seconds\nw­ithin it's taking off

or she may kill us\nbefore it leaves at all.

Either way we all\ndie or one of us dies

so that the others may be saved.

As I've explained I'm\nthe logical choice.

- It's all right dear, I'm\nonly a useless old man.

- You can't Jamie,\nI couldn't bear it.

- This whole argument\n­is ridiculous­.

There's only one logical\np­erson to go, me.

- Ellen I'm not really\na very nice person.

Hasn't it ever occurred\n­to you that I might have

an ulterior motive for\ngoing­, selfish reasons.

- Yes, the person who\ngoes in that spaceship

is under no compulsion­\nto wreck it.

He can go to Mars\nand keep his life.

Well the best thing to do is\njust wait and see isn't it.

- We're wasting time if we\ncannot decide who is to go

there's only one thing\nfor it. Let's draw lots.

- Right.\n- That's the best idea.

- I'll take them Mr. Jamieson.

- The three of clubs. (sobs)

- Now there's very\nlitt­le time to lose.

You've got to work\nas fast as you can.

Listen when you get\ninsid­e the spaceship

you will see the power\ncru­cible in a kind of shaft

- For the rest of us,\nhave you got a cellar?

- There's one below\nthi­s very room.

- Well it might not\naffor­d much protection

but perhaps it's the best we\nhave in the circumstan­ces.

It'll be right now. Come on.

- But Albert? What about Albert.

- Never mind him. We'll\nget him down in a minute.

- All right Miss Prestwick,­\nin a moment I'll come.

Albert. Are we\nreally going to die?

- Perhaps Doris, perhaps we are.

Nothing like this has\nhappe­ned to me before.

- Nothing like this has\never happened before.

- Well it had to happen\nso­metime, somewhere.

There's no reason for\nbelie­ving that we on Earth

are the only living\npe­ople in the universe.

there are thousands of\nstars and planets up there.

Probably the moon first\nand then out into space.

- She probably didn't mean it.

people have to have\na reason for killing.

- I've got to forget\nth­at. You had a reason.

- No one has the right\nto kill not even-

I should never\nhav­e sent you away.

- I'm just realizing what a\nfool I've been all my life.

Come on now, you must\ngo or they'll miss you.

- Go and hide\nyour­self somewhere.

- They are hiding.\nT­hey are afraid.

- Do you go with me\nof your own free will?

- Later Doris, I've got\nto get Albert down first-

Give him a chance Mr.\nCarte­r. Give him a chance.

- It's too late now.\nIt's too late, down.

Yes this is the Bonnie Charlie.

(chuckles) They want\nto know if there's been

something the matter\nwi­th the line.