Original subtitles

Object Z is now in orbit sixteen hundred miles from the Earth.

On board, we are certain, are intelligent beings from another world.

Where do they come from? What do they want?

The world's scientists are working furiously to find an answer to these questions.

And the world's statesmen are united as never before

in the face of this menace.

- I don't know how he keeps it up. - When is he due back?

- Half an hour. - I don't want him here.

I want him to go straight to Dunstable to set up a permanent OB unit there.

Why?

Because the government are moving back there, that's why.

They feel safer under ten feet of concrete.

Because the research group are there too, with Dr Ramsay.

I want Peter to be ready to cover the whole thing.

Interviews with the Prime Minister

anything new from Dr Ramsay

including his opposite numbers in Russia and America.

The Prime Minister will be in constant touch

with the Americans and Russians by means of Telstar.

Peter can get on with that.

Downing Street?

Could I speak to Peter Barry, UK TV, please?

Yes, it is urgent.

Thank you.

What about us? Are we going to Dunstable too?

No, we're staying.

Somebody has to hold the fort here.

Dr Ramsay will be here in a moment.

- Hello there. - Hello. Poor old Ramsay.

I doubt if he's had an hour's sleep in the last two or three days.

- Well, I haven't had any at all, so there. - You don't look so bad.

No, well, it's the excitement that keeps me going.

I'm sorry we're so late, gentlemen.

Allow me to introduce.

This is Dr Rickover from Mount Palomar.

- Hello. - Professor Baranov of the Lenin Institute.

And Professor Morgan from Cape Town.

Now, Object Z is in orbit at a height of 1,600 miles from the Earth

and of course, parallel to the equator.

Where exactly has it come from?

Well, it was first observed in the region of Altair

which is in the constellation of Aquila.

How far away is that?

About five light-years away.

Well, we know where they've come from. What are they going to be like?

I imagine that the Invaders, whatever they're like

will have intelligence.

Having accomplished so vast a journey without mishap

one must assume that they have an intelligence far superior to our own.

And can we contact them?

I think Dr Rickover will be able to cover that more fully.

Thank you. Well, any intelligent beings

such as we assume these Invaders to be, must have a language

whether it's transmitted by radio, telepathy, by visual images

or, as ours is, by sound.

And any language, once its method of transmission is known, can be deciphered.

How do you intend to set about it?

Oh, well, since the laws of mathematics remain true throughout the universe

we're going to try sending them mathematical formula by radio.

Simple sums, squares, primes

to show that we too have intelligence.

And in this way, to establish a common ground for further communication.

Now this should be a start.

Meanwhile, we are keeping a 24-hour worldwide watch on all frequencies.

And Challis and Duncan are doing some special work at Abernethy.

- Well, let's try the prime numbers. - OK.

One

three, five, seven, eleven

thirteen, seventeen, nineteen...

Oh, it's hopeless.

Let's try 204 megacycles.

One, three, five, seven, eleven

thirteen, seventeen...

- Ah, there's nothing. - I don't think they'll ever answer.

- Why not? - Because I think they don't want to.

I can imagine them sitting there in their spaceship, having a good look at us

ignoring our efforts to contact them until they're ready.

- Ready for what? - Ready to land, of course.

Look, they've come from five light-years away.

The journey must have taken centuries.

Could you imagine them just staying in orbit or simply departing again?

No.

Strange, you know.

I've worked it out.

They must have started about 1,600 years ago.

And all this time they've been coming, century after century

rushing through space at hundreds of miles a second and nobody knew.

Well, it wouldn't have made much difference if they had.

Come on, let's try 204.

One, three, five, seven, eleven, thirteen.

Hey, wait.

- What is it? - Listen.

One, four, nine, sixteen

- twenty-five, thirty-six. - It's them!

- Must be another sender. - Check the wavelength.

It's our wavelength.

Let's send the cubes.

One

eight, twenty-seven, sixty-four.

It's odd, isn't it?

We've been wondering for years

what it'd be like to contact things from outer space.

- And here they are, bleeping. - Hm?

Bleeping? That's what they call it, isn't it?

Do you think they get tired of sending numbers?

Well, that's the first step.

The next thing I suppose is send pictures.

Pictures?

Yes. If they've got radio, it's a fair bet they've got telly too

or something like it.

Oh, heavens. They'll be sending us Gun Law next.

Here's Peter.

- Heavens, he looks tired. - So this is it.

Above us, the huge bright disc…

- Well, he's off. - Glares balefully at a watching world.

Here in Dunstable, the... Europe's top scientists

are working furiously to decipher the messages

that stream in constantly from outer space.

What are they saying?

Can we ever hope to reply? Well, one thing is clear.

It is science which brings such a vast spaceship as this

across a great distance...

- How's it gone wrong? - Try the height control.

What is it?

What is it...

So that's what they look like.

I don't know about you, but I get the feeling it's staring straight at us.

That's exactly what it is doing.

Well, I'm glad it's sixteen hundred miles away, that's all.

- Here's the Prime Minister. - What is it?

You know, what puzzles me is how a thing of this size

stands up to gravitation.

Its mass must be immense.

Perhaps its own world has a slight gravitational field.

Still, there are limits.

I wonder what it's like on their world.

- The pressure, the atmosphere. - I wonder what they can be like.

Their sun is not unlike our own.

They're made of the same elements as we are, they must obey the same fundamental laws.

How big is it?

- About a mile across. - Gosh. A mile across.

Its mass is gigantic.

Ah, coffee.

Hello?

Yes, this is Abernethy.

What?

Are you sure?

Yes, I'll pass it on.

That was Mount Palomar.

Object Z has changed its course and looks as if it's going to land.

I'm afraid.

There's no need to be.

They're very intelligent. They must be.

They're intelligent beings.

- They can't be wholly bad. - I suppose not.

Still, one good thing has come from all this.

What's that?

Well, you know, I'm rather shy.

And if it hadn't been for them, well.

I'd never have had the courage to propose to you.

In a way, I'm glad they've come.

- Are we through yet? - No, not yet.

I shall be talking to the President of the United States in a few minutes.

Have you any idea where it will land?

Here, in the Pacific.

About 200 miles south-east of Manila.

The Philippine Trench.

It's one of the greatest ocean depths in the world.

What will the effect of the impact be?

Well, that depends entirely on its mass.

The President's coming through now, sir.

Is that you, Mr Prime Minister?

Yes, Mr President. Are you receiving me?

Loud and clear.

Well, I've got some news for you.

Palomar reports that this thing is slowing down.

Looks like they're using retro rockets to slow themselves down.

Now, we've got to make up our minds within the next few minutes.

SAC is standing by to blast them the moment we give the word.

Blast them? But they're still signalling to us.

I know that as well as you do. Do you think I want to do it?

But I've been in touch with Yeremenko.

He says if we don't fire within the next six minutes, he will.

But this is monstrous. They haven't attacked us.

They've not attacked us, Mr President.

I know, I know.

But if they land, travelling at this speed, anywhere within a thousand miles...

Hold on a minute, please, Mr President.

- Get me Yeremenko. - Right.

Contact him at once. Mr President?

I'm going to ask you for three minutes.

We're expecting news of impact any moment now.

We're through to Woomera, sir. They're still tracking.

Point of impact will be known in 30 seconds.

30 seconds?

Siberia. Any news of impact there?

I'm sorry, no.

Prime Minister, Yeremenko is through.

- Baranov, will you please translate? - Yes, sir.

Mr Prime Minister.

Will you refrain from firing for three minutes?

He is saying

if this object is to strike Soviet territory, we must fire.

The point of impact will be known at any moment.

- If it falls in the Atlantic, they're safe. - Tell him that.

Ah, yes.

What's he saying?

He's saying... for three minutes

he will not fire.

Thank God. Get McCone again.

- Point of impact coming through. - Where will it be?

California.

McCone is on to you, John.

Mr President

they're going to strike you.

I now know

we've got to fire.

Curtis?

Open fire.

Codeword? Oh, yes...

"Bull run."

What is he saying?

Soviet Prime Minister is asking Soviet people

to remain calm and go to shelters.

- This is... - In other words, he's saying

what all the other world leaders have been saying all the time.

My dear friend.

What else can he say?

Mm, quite.

How long to impact?

Two minutes and 42 seconds.

I did warn you.

These creatures have a technology far in advance of our own.

I doubt if our bombs will even touch them.

We've got to try.

Have you ever seen a man passing an ant's nest?

An ant runs out and stings him.

What does he do without thinking, swiftly and instinctively?

- Kicks the nest to pieces, I suppose. - Exactly.

Look!

Ay-ay-ay...

- They've hit it. - God forgive us.

Ian, tell the TV people I'll speak to the nation in half an hour.

I'll draft what I have to say myself.

Right. What about the press?

The press?

Oh, yes, the press. I'll see them now.

Well, there's one question, Prime Minister, which I'm

I'm sure the viewers would like to know the answer to.

Don't you think it a great pity

that our first meeting with a new civilisation

should have ended like this?

I most certainly do.

But you must bear in mind this fact.

Less than an hour ago

the President of the United States

the Premier of the Soviet Union

and myself were faced with the most momentous decision.

These Invaders were approaching the Earth at an enormous speed

and the impact of their landing would've caused tremendous destruction.

But surely, if they had the intelligence to come this far

they must have realised the danger to us of such a rapid descent.

We'd no means of knowing that

neither had we any means of knowing that they were aware of this danger

or of the destruction their landing would have caused.

We'd no alternative but to destroy their craft.

Was there no way of warning them not to land?

None whatever, I'm afraid.

- Prime Minister, don't you think... - I'm sorry, Mr Barry

but I have no time for any more questions.

To you, I say

thank you, for your courage and your calmness

in face of the terrible danger that threatened us all.

Goodnight and bless you.

- We're clear now. Thank you. - Thank you, Mr Barry.

John. You know you're meeting the defence chiefs at 5 o'clock?

I've prepared the agenda.

How's this shelter situation?

We've set up a meeting on that at 6 o'clock.

- Right. - We'd better get moving, then.

Right.

Dr Ramsay?

Yes?

You were in there with the Prime Minister a few moments ago.

- Did you advise him to open fire? - Certainly not.

I gave him the facts and he acted on them, that's all.

Did you advise him not to fire?

I'm a scientist, not a politician.

Oh, for goodness' sake. You're a human being as well as a scientist.

I asked him to wait until the last possible minute

so that we could make further efforts to get in touch with the...

- "Further efforts to get in touch..." - Now, look here.

The time came when he could no longer postpone giving the order to open fire.

Do you think that was the right order?

You've no right to ask me a question like that.

And I'm not going to answer it.

I will say one thing, though.

Yes?

Everyone seems to have overlooked the most vital factor in all this.

I don't suppose you can imagine what that is

can you, Mr Barry?

It is now a month since the Invaders were destroyed

and the public is now calm enough to accept a programme of this kind.

I suggest we meet next week to finalise the script.

Suggest you cover the technology of the thing

what their spacecraft must have been like.

Peter will, of course, compare.

He's doing a piece to end up with

about the new world without hatred

united in the face of common danger, etc, etc.

Yours ever, blah, blah, blah.

Where's that script... letter from Morgan?

- It's in front of you somewhere. - Oh, here it is.

Eh, I suppose we could use him.

I just don't like his studio manner, that's all.

Hello!

Gosh, you're looking well.

Yeah, well, who wouldn't after a fortnight in the Pacific?

Oh, did the United States Navy treat you well?

Like crazy, man.

Well, how did you get on?

Nothing, I'm afraid.

We, er, we searched the whole impact area for about ten days.

- Not so much as a splinter. - Hm, that's odd.

A thing that size blowing up, you'd think there'd be plenty.

Of course, it could have all gone to the bottom.

No, they thought of that.

You see, the sea is very shallow there, about 200 fathoms.

Well, they went over the whole of it, every yard, with sonar

depth probes... all sorts of devices. Nothing.

I see. So your trip there was a waste of time then.

Yeah.

By the way, who do you think I bumped into in Tokyo on the way home?

Dr Ramsay.

What was he doing there?

I don't know. More research on Object Z from a Japanese observatory, I suppose.

He looked a very worried man, too.

You know, there's one thing that I... I can't get out of my mind.

That night, down in Dunstable

when he said about the one vital factor which everyone had forgotten.

He wouldn't tell you what it was, would he?

No.

Anyway, he's asked me to go up and see him when he gets back to England.

He's gonna be up at Abernethy for a few days.

Well, go on. Get a move on. There might be a story in it.

Yeah.

- What's this? - The script for your new show.

Mm-hmm...

"It is hard to realise that a few months ago

we were living in fear of another kind.

Fear of destruction by nuclear weapons, fear of one another.

If any good has come from the presence of Object Z

it is that this is no longer true.

"In the face of common danger, we..."

- What rubbish. - Why is it?

Haven't you seen the news?

Another little war has broken out in Southeast Asia.

The Americans are determined to preserve their interests there at all costs.

The Russians won't stand for any aggression, and so on, and so on.

When will they ever learn?

Never.

Well, I better get off.

I'll be back tomorrow with my story, if any.

In the meantime, you can rewrite that script.

Peter!

- Any change? - No.

- Have you got the plates? - Mm, here we are.

Thank you.

- Has Barry arrived yet? - No.

I asked them to send him up as soon as he comes.

What about the report on the spectrograms?

Yep. Here we are.

Why is Barry coming here?

I want to see what he makes of our news.

Dr Ramsay.

Oh, hello there.

Hello.

- Hello. - Hi.

- Well, I'll come straight to the point. - Mm-hmm?

A few weeks ago, I told you that there was one vital factor in all this

that everyone seems to have overlooked. Do you remember?

I could hardly forget.

Well, I wasn't quite sure at the time, but.

I hoped I was wrong.

But since then, I've done some more research

and now I'm afraid there's no doubt whatsoever.

June, can I see the plates, please?

Look at that one.

Er, I don't see quite what you're getting at.

Well, the last time you were here, I showed you a blink comparator.

- Do you remember? - Yeah, that thing over there.

That's the thing we first saw Object Z on.

- Robert, would you mind? - Of course.

- Now, take a look. - Alright.

The first plate was exposed three weeks ago.

The second was taken yesterday.

The objects you can see are in the region of Altair.

But...

- Object Z came from Altair. - Exactly.

- And these others... - I'm afraid so.

Object Z was only the vanguard of an invasion.

These spacecraft will reach us within the next six weeks.