Original subtitles

Next, the invaders in color.

I was raised in these woods. Got my name carved on half those maples. My name

and a few of the local ladies from Bennington.

I think we'll coast from here.

Are there any guards that I want them to hear us?

I've been here twice without seeing any guards. I figure if it's what you say it

is, they do their business at night.

It's over there.

Looks like the world's fair in their tubes flashing lights and pretty exotic

circuitry.

You're the only one who could say for sure

You can put your weapon away. No one will harm you.

I give you my word.

You all right? A ricochet caught me in the leg.

Can you walk? I think so.

Don't take me.

Your own good.

Can you hold out until we get him to Washington?

You'll never get to Washington.

Two men.

They've broken into the lodge.

They've taken the leader.

Get the others. I'll get rid of the equipment.

But hurry, we've got to get the leader back.

The Invaders.

A Gwen Martin production.

starring Roy Finnis as architect David Vincent.

The invaders.

Alien beings from a dying planet.

Their destination, the Earth.

Their purpose, to make it their world.

David Vincent has seen them. For him... It began one lost night on a lonely

country road looking for a shortcut that he never found.

It began with a closed, deserted diner and a man too long without sleep to

continue his journey.

It began with the landing of a craft from another galaxy.

Now, David Vincent knows that the invaders are here.

that they have taken human form.

Somehow he must convince a disbelieving world that the nightmare has already

begun.

The guest stars in tonight's story, Alfred Ryder, Karen Black,

Kent Smith, Anthony Eisman, and special guest star, Lawrence

Naismith. Tonight's episode, The Ransom.

Surprise encounter in a closed ski lodge.

The capture of an alien being whose importance David Vincent cannot know.

A leader whose loss jeopardizes the invader's foothold on the planet Earth.

How far to the main road?

Three, maybe four miles.

Is your leg bad?

No, I've done worse shaving.

You heading for the motel? Yeah.

You can call Ed from there.

We better call the police first.

I'll call the police.

Give me the police.

You appear to be a sensible man, Mr.

Torren.

Mr. Torren.

I don't know what your friend has told you. It wasn't Mary Torren.

Does that ring a bell?

No.

Los Angeles, October 11th.

A motel on Garvey Street.

I'm not familiar.

A couple of your boys murdered her.

I read a report.

My wife, Mary Torren, remember the name.

Mr. Torren, I remember this.

There are seven of us now.

It's a new ballgame.

We're at the Lexington Motel. Now, they know we have him.

All right.

Now, how long do the police say they'll take?

About ten minutes to get here, but they're going to check the lodge, too.

Can you stay where you are?

It could get pretty warm here.

You know where Camp Belding is?

No, but I'm sure Bob Torren does.

Get there.

Ask for Colonel Ralph Gentry.

I laid a Nike site in for him in 64.

Use my name.

I think you'd better come up here, Ed.

Right. I'll meet you at Belding.

As soon as you can. Bye.

I've covered everything between here and the lodge.

Unless they've turned off somewhere.

Or maybe the motel.

You know, I went through Anzio without a scratch.

All through the war, nothing worse than a hangnail.

Gentlemen, you're doing a very foolish thing.

You think so?

Where I come from, I am a leader.

There is no equivalent here.

Unless I am released...

There will be a terrible retribution.

Like what?

One of your cities may be destroyed, your leaders killed. I can't be sure.

If you were willing to destroy cities, you would have done so before now.

We've never been in a position like this.

Make your offers to our leaders in Washington. Take your chances with them.

I won't make it to Washington. I must regenerate within seven hours. If I

I shall die, and you will have caused a bloody retribution. Now you take your

chances with that.

Hear me out.

Work with us.

Become our liaison with your people.

You can be masters, rulers, anything you want.

Sorry.

You're determined to go on with this foolish plan.

That's right.

Then I'll make you a final offer.

We will withdraw.

Our expedition will retire. We will go home.

Our war will be over, Mr. Vincent, and you will have won.

All for my release no one's that important I am nobody has that authority

I have Could mean we've won David

What guarantee do you have?

You have my word.

I've been beaten, shot, tortured, and my friends have been murdered.

You asked me to take your word.

You're being emotional.

Practical.

We go to Washington.

If you go out there, my men will kill those policemen.

Every time my buddy gets on one of these benders, he thinks he sees elephants or

men from Mars or something.

I got a gallon of black coffee, and he won't bother you again, officer, I

promise. He sounded sober to me.

Yeah, well, he always does.

Okay. You heard it. Now, he better not call again the next time he sleeps it

in jail.

Right, sir.

Thanks, officer.

It's no good.

You go ahead.

Is there an army camp around here, Camp Belding?

About 12 miles north.

Well, Ed's flying in. We can make contact with him there.

I know this area.

You sit on our friend here, and I'll drive to Belding.

Think you can make it back to the car on that leg?

Well, if they're following you.

All right, you ask for Colonel Gentry.

We'll head for that farmhouse over there. You and Ed send back help.

All right?

Take care of that leg. All right. Move out.

Any sign of him?

No. Well keep looking.

We did. We come in. It's an emergency.

You have a telephone.

What is it?

Two men, Grandpa. They just want to use a phone.

Oh. Well, tell them not to make so much noise.

Operator Contact

the

others we've got them cornered

Give it up, Mr. Vincents.

What's this all about?

Who are you?

Who are those men out there?

Police.

This man's a kidnapper. He's holding me for ransom.

It's not true.

We're not police.

We're from another country.

I was trying to call the police. Don't believe him. He's got the gun.

Let her go.

I said let my granddaughter go.

You're making a mistake.

A mistake, of course.

So those men out there kicking up my seedlings are enemy agents, are they?

Foreign devils come to murder us while we sleep.

That's right.

And you say you're being held as bounty.

That's the truth.

Well, the one truth we know for sure is that I had this gun.

One of you two gentlemen is a liar Claudia

take the young man's gun Now

to determine the truth

Try the back

Wonderful beings from another planet, you say.

Son, you really are most entertaining.

Feel his pulse.

Go on, feel his pulse.

I don't feel any pulse.

He has no pulse. He has no heartbeat. He's not human.

I've known men without hearts before.

Cold stone men who still were born of this earth.

There's nothing new about a man without a heart.

But a man without a pulse, now that's something else again.

And if you were some rare creature from the galaxies come a -conquering, would

that be so bad?

Tell me, do you have war on your planet?

Napalm, gas ovens.

Compared with what we've got, they can't be so bad.

Let him come, I'll give him a hand.

I don't care what you think, as long as you keep your gun on him until help

arrives.

Help? I sent a friend of mine to a nearby army base to get help.

Put that gun on the table.

You, step back.

Kill them.

Claudia, will you make some tea for our guests?

Or would you prefer coffee?

Nothing. No, thank you.

I guess you don't drink tea where you come from.

You should cultivate that habit.

A cup of tea is a sobering thing when men contemplate the planets.

Grandpa, make them get out.

Take your gun.

Please, go.

Put the water on, will you, girl?

Mr.

Vincent, I have five hours left.

May I remind you that unless I'm out of here in time, this entire house and

everyone in it will be destroyed.

Yes, sir?

My name is Torrin. I have to see Colonel Gentry. It's important.

One moment, sir.

The colonel will be happy to see you, sir. Now, if you'll just park over here

the visitor's lot, a car from the motor pool will be here any minute.

Look, I don't have time for that.

Where are you headed?

Colonel Gentry.

Up in the back.

Corporal, see to his car.

Where the Colonel's quarters this is taking too long

Where you going

wait

Do you know that the doctors and I have been trying to keep this man alive for

four years?

And you come in here with your guns.

Sorry. Do you know what you're doing?

Do you know who this man is?

Claudia.

He's Cyrus Stone.

Cyrus Stone, that's whose life you're risking.

The poet?

Yes.

Do you think a million of them?

For you are with one Cyrus Stone.

Yes, I'm guilty of poetry, but it doesn't mean much anymore.

My granddaughter's under the illusion that because 20 years ago a man could

string a few words together, he's somehow greater than a mere mortal.

Maybe she's right.

Nonsense. Anyway, I'll be the judge of that.

It surprises some folks to think that I lived to 71 on my own.

And they're sure I'll never reach 72 without them to look after me.

Don't make fun of me, Grandpa.

Fun?

No.

Not for the world.

I'm just a little surprised is all.

And flattered that a girl like you should stay with a worn -out old farmer

me.

It's not so hard for me growing old.

But it sure plays the devil with my poetry.

I've gone out of style here.

Maybe you could make me popular where you come from.

You see, we trade in our poets like we trade in our autos a new one every year

or two.

When the chrome tarnishes or the styles change, my time was back a ways.

Before megatons and overkills.

I don't find those words very poetic.

or I'll kill him!

Get back!

Yes, I... I would say poetry's out of style.

You're only buying ours, Mr. Vincent. You can't win.

Let me go and save these people.

Why can't you let him go?

There's more at stake than the three of us. They'd kill us as soon as he got out

the door.

My grandfather has a bad heart, and you're killing him.

My friend is bringing help. I can't let him go.

Three hours, Mr. Vincent.

I could go into that truck and be regenerated in five minutes.

Then I could come back and we could talk this over reasonably.

First Mary Torn, then Bob.

I should kill you right now.

Ah.

Claudia. Yes, Grandpa.

Oh, I've been to sleep.

Yes, I...

Spaceman.

Do you sleep?

No.

What a world without sleep.

With people scurrying back and forth like sables.

I don't think I'd like that.

Mr. Stone, I'm going to try to make it to Camp Melvin.

Will you watch him?

I'm not sure.

Why do you think I should? My friend is dead.

Now, obviously, he didn't make it to Belding, so the authorities don't know

we're here.

Someone has to tell them.

Well and good, but if you're not back in a couple of hours, he dies.

And if he does, those wild red Indians out there will come in here and scout me

and that girl.

No, I don't think you can trust me at all.

Mr. Stone.

Mr.

Stone, with that gun in your hands.

You can force him to let me go.

I've been reading your poems, Mr. Stone.

A world.

A world you've dreamed of.

A world without poverty. Think of that.

A world without war.

Without disease.

You're ill, Mr. Stone.

Your heart is failing.

Yes, for those of us who have hearts, they sometimes fail.

Our medicine can cure that.

How would you like another 20 years?

50 years?

How many... poems could you write in 50 years, Mr. Storr?

Who would read them?

Or were all your slaves who'd have time for poetry?

Yes, Mr. Man from space. Who would read them in a world of slaves? Who reads

them now?

You said you'd been forgotten.

But 50 years to create beauty.

50 years.

What do you say to that boy?

When I was in college, I drew plans for a city.

No one was standing around waiting to read those plans, but I drew them. I had

to.

Because I knew one day somebody might build that city.

There has to be someone to create for.

Or what sense does it make?

Mr. Vincent, even in a world of slaves, there are masters with taste and

intellect. Men who'd appreciate your poetry.

Mr. Stone, I offer you a world with poets as kings.

Are there poets on your planet?

Of course.

I'd like to hear one of your poems.

I'm going to catapulting. I'll guard him.

David, wait.

I hate dying. I cherish life.

The thought of leaving it angers me.

But I'll die if need be.

But that girl, now that's something else again.

Grandpa.

I make one condition for my death.

The girl goes with you when she lives. Now you see to that.

Grandpa, don't send me away.

It's time, girl.

There's a world out there.

Grandpa.

Take her out through the cellar quickly.

They'll die out there.

If they do,

you'll die in here.

Pour me out another cup of tea.

If you would be so kind.

If you hear from them, would you ask them to call me?

Please.

Edgar Scoville, Camp Belding.

Colonel Gentry's office.

The motel doesn't know where they are?

No.

Can you tell me what this is about, Ed?

Two friends of mine are in something up to their necks, and I don't know how to

get them out.

Come in.

Yes, sir.

That man you said wanted to see me, Torrin, where is he?

I thought with you, sir.

I never saw him.

He came on the base?

Yes, sir.

And just disappeared.

He hitched a ride with some lieutenant.

What lieutenant?

I don't know, sir. You never saw him before?

No, sir. If there's still a delving, find them.

Yes, sir.

Ralph, I need a favor. No questions asked.

Five or six men who can keep their mouths shut, armed, and a couple of

I'd come myself, Ed, but there's a big flap on.

Washington's been on my ear all day.

Colonel Gentry's office, please.

The lines are busy, sir. Will you wait?

This is very important.

Can you cut in?

I'm sorry, sir. It's a long call.

Lieutenant, you going to Camp Belding?

Sure thing. Climb aboard.

Claudia?

No, he's a tired old man with a weak heart, and he won't be all right.

You're underestimating him.

He's one of the strongest men I've met.

He wants you to think that.

What do you mean?

He wants to die, he told me.

I can't believe that.

He has too much to give.

He has one thing to give.

Me.

As long as he's alive, I'm going to stay with him.

But he wants me to leave.

To go out there, to be normal.

He knows I won't, as long as he lives.

So he keeps saying he wants to die.

Soon. If that's what it takes.

Why won't you go out there?

You don't think it's normal either.

To be a 19 -year -old girl living on a farm in the woods, caring for an

If she loves him, loves his farm, loves his world,

better than yours?

It is unusual.

What is normal for a 19 -year -old girl?

Miniskirts?

Protest marches?

Pot?

What's normal for an architect who dreams of building cities?

I guess you'll go back to the farm, no matter what he says.

Yes.

I'll go back to the farm.

Hour and a half.

Time is running out, Mr. Stone.

Time is running out for us old men.

All over. It needn't.

Look out there.

We can generate enough power out there to light a city or lift a rocket or

this entire farm and everything on it.

That power can give old men life.

Or death.

It's up to you, Mr. Stone.

Let them go!

Release me and they'll be free.

Mr. Stone, don't let... Don't let him go!

Yes, please, Grandpa, let him go!

No.

Please, let me talk to him. I'll convince him.

Grandpa, you've got to release him, don't you see?

She's right, of course.

All you can do now is wait for me to die.

That won't take long.

And then they'll kill you. All of you.

And for what?

If I let you go, we won't be harmed.

You have my word.

I'd rather have something more substantial.

But then...

He's dead.

Sorry he had to die.

We thank you, sir.

We feel better for that.

There was no need.

Now, if you will, put down that gun.

Wait.

You're not out of here yet, neighbor.

You told me you'd give me another 50 years of life.

Yes.

That machine out there can bring life, can't it?

Yes, I told you.

That 50 years.

Give them to him.

Bring him back with your life machine.

I don't know.

That's your ransom.

One life for one. His for yours.

Man's brain can lack oxygen for only three minutes.

Well, one's gone already, so you'd better hurry.

Help me get him into the van.

Got the power.

Well, try again.

Cut the power.

You could have had the world.

You gave it up for one man.

We're a peculiar species, we men.

We value life exceedingly.

That's why we endure.

Remember that, Mr.

Man from Space.

When you go a -conquering, that's why we endure.

Put him on the sofa.

We brought you.

Of what?

Those years you gave him.

They could have been yours.

Child, child, child.

If only I hadn't run.

If only I hadn't called up to you.

Done with now.

And you daren't feel guilt.

It's all right.

They've put everything back as it was.

No one will ever know they've been here.

We'll know.

They've gone

Bob

was born and reared in these woods.

It's a good part of the world, but he always said

Thank you, my dear.

Well, goodbye, son.

So long.

Remember that city when your war is over.

Remember that city.

Yes, sir.

Goodbye, David.

Goodbye. When you build that city, I'd like to come live in it.

David Vincent, given life by his enemies, continues his search.

And an old man and a girl will watch the skies and wait.