Original subtitles

This is Peter Barry speaking from Dunstable...

Peter's not doing badly, considering that bump on his head.

Keeler must have hit him pretty hard then.

He did.

Tell me, what actually did happen?

Well, I was driving

and Keeler suddenly produced this gun.

We don't know where from.

They struggled and Peter got whammed on the head.

Keeler forced me to stop the car and then made a run for it.

You both were lucky to get away in one piece.

You can say that again.

That's one bit of excitement I could well have done without.

It's a pity he got away.

What are we to do now?

As you know, one of the Invaders was destroyed, the second one.

It is believed to have crashed in the Nafud Desert.

The two remaining survivors have gone back into orbit.

Efforts are now being made to contact them.

Can we do so

and explain to them that the destruction of their second craft

was caused by hitherto unexplained images on our radar screens?

False images and wrong tracking signals.

Er, Diana.

Hello? Carr?

Oh, I hear you're sending an expedition to the Arabian Desert

to find the spot where the Invaders crashed.

I want Peter Barry to cover the story, can...

Look, I don't give a damn about Security.

I want Peter to go.

Right. Well, you'd better make it two while you're at it.

I'm sending Diana Winters, my assistant as well.

- Thank you. - What?

You know you'll love it. Think of the desert sky at night.

One great pattern of stars, Peter bearing you off on his camel.

I look forward to that.

Who else is going on the trip besides us?

Well, there'll be a group of scientists, of course, and experts.

Oh, and our man from this country will be a fellow called Stuart

from the London Institute of Geophysical Studies.

I wonder what we'll find in the desert.

Sand.

- John? - Yes?

- We've got the latest report on Keeler. - Well, what is it?

I'm afraid he's still on the run.

Pity young Barry couldn't have brought him back to London.

He had a jolly good try though, didn't he?

Well, we've more or less smashed up his organisation.

As long as he's kept on the move, he'll find it almost impossible

to keep in touch with his agents.

And we've contacted the World Police.

I shall feel a great deal happier

when we get hold of those radio stations and tracking stations of his.

The trouble is they're lying low for the moment.

If only they were in action

we could trace them by radio location.

Wait a minute.

- Get me Duncan and Challis. - What do you want them for?

I've got an idea, John, and I think it may do the trick.

- May I try? - By all means.

Dr Rickover?

Ah, there you are. You remember Dr Rickover.

- He's just returned from the States. - Yes, hello.

Now, I'll come straight to the point.

As you know, the Invaders may attack us at any minute

and we've got to be ready for them when they do.

Well, if we're going to defend ourselves with any hope of success

the first thing we must do is find and dispose of these transmitting centres

which Keeler and his lot are still running.

Well, it occurred to me that we might trap these deflection centres

into opening up by pretending that an attack was about to take place.

I'm sorry, but I don't know what you're getting at.

Our one chance of running these people to ground

is to catch them when they're transmitting.

They've certainly got radar and tracking stations.

Would it be possible to

to put out false signals?

To give the impression that the Invaders were landing

or attacking us in some way?

Well... Well, yes, that should be quite possible.

Yes, I should think so.

I'll put it to the research group

and let you have their recommendations as quickly as possible.

- Please. As quick as ever you can. - Okey doke.

Come on, June, let's make a move.

- I'll, uh... - Thank you.

Get me Abernethy Observatory.

Abernethy Observatory.

Baranov speaking.

Murray here, from Dunstable.

Professor, we have a plan for exposing Keeler's transmitters

and we shall need your cooperation in this.

What do you make of it, Peter?

Well, it's a good thing it didn't fall in a populated region.

That crater must be nearly a mile across.

How far away are we?

Well, as far as I can judge from this distance, about

five miles, I should think.

I don't know.

What is it?

Well, does this remind you of anything?

- Should it? - Yes, it should.

Sorry to startle you.

Stuart. London Institute, Geophysical Studies.

Oh, er...

Peter Barry, UK Television. Hello.

My name's Diana Winters.

Oh, yes, I'm sorry. What were you going to say about this?

You said it reminded you of something.

Yes. I wish I could remember what it was.

Ever seen the aftermath of a small atomic explosion?

Erm... well, yes.

In Woomera, we saw a missile that went out of control and crashed there.

We went where it exploded afterwards.

The ground was fused like glass for miles around.

You get that with an atomic explosion, don't you?

That's right.

You know, I wish I could get a closer look.

I'd like to see if there's any wreckage down there.

I'm afraid you can't get any closer without protective clothing.

I've been as near as we dare.

- Did you find any wreckage? - No.

There's a very high rate of radioactivity, though.

Really?

I wonder if any of these local Arabs saw it crash.

I'd like to get a first-hand account.

Let's ask one of them. I'd like to find out a bit more

what's been going on here myself.

- Do you speak Arabic? - Oh, not much.

Let's hope one of them speaks English.

Alright, don't worry. He's not going to run away.

Well, can you tell us what happened?

We were encamped here on the Jebu

when a great light like the sun

appeared in the sky.

And the cloud rose to a great height

blinding us with its terrible light.

We thought the end of the world had come.

How long did the cloud last?

For many hours.

Until, by Allah's mercy, it went away.

Then, with a great fear about us

we journeyed to where the cloud had been.

We marched many days to the east.

And from afar, we saw the ground burnt

as in a great fire.

And a hole

like a great dish, lay in the desert.

And our fear was greater than ever

for at night, it glowed like the embers of a fire in our encampment.

Look, have you had any visitors around here in the past few months?

Some people came looking for oil.

Oil?

But there's no oil anywhere near this area.

What sort of machinery did they have with them?

They brought with them many strange things.

Drills, engines that made a loud noise

tractors.

They worked many days, very hard

but they found no oil

and so went away.

- Did you see what they were doing? - No.

They warned us not to go near where they had been working

for they said the ground was accursed

and evil would fall on any man who ventured near.

But we did see a tall tower from afar.

How many men were in the party?

Twelve, I think.

Can you describe any of them?

Their leader was

a tall

strong man, with fair hair and beard.

And a scar over his left eye.

Professor Baranov.

Well, the world leaders have agreed on the plan.

All the leaders of the nations

are talking to their peoples.

The peoples are on their way back to the shelters.

This must be the biggest mass deception ever.

Yes. I only hope people like Keeler find it convincing.

I'm not altogether convinced about the plan, though.

When do we start?

In a few moments' time.

We can cancel the whole thing if you want to, John.

No, no, we're committed now. We must go through with it.

There's one thing worries me more than anything else, though.

What's that?

Suppose the Invaders choose this moment for a real attack...

Sir John, it's working.

- Yes? - That was Bonn.

They've arrested a member in Germany.

He's been running one of their scanning systems for six months.

Good, good.

There's a report here from France, too.

Chap has been arrested

in Marseille, with a long-range transmitter.

They've got the first deflection centre in the States, sir.

Springfield, Ohio.

Russia.

Italy.

Brazil.

In dia.

Reports are pouring in, John.

Sixteen deflection centres accounted for

and more coming in every moment.

Here, what's this?

- They've found Keeler's place. - Where?

You'd hardly credit it.

Toddington. Not five miles from here.

- He's got a nerve. - Doctor, just a moment.

How long before the centres have been told to fire?

Fifteen minutes.

And none of the people at the firing sites is in on the secret, of course.

As far as they're concerned, this is the real thing.

How do we stop it?

By sending out the codeword.

The whole operation is then halted.

Who's in charge of all this?

Professor Baranov, at Abernethy.

I don't care what you say! I've got to see the Prime Minister!

What are you doing here?

I'm sorry, sir. This is a matter of the utmost importance.

I must see the Prime Minister.

- Alright. Come on. - Yes, Captain Wade, what is it?

Sir, we have reasons to believe that the evidence given of the Invaders

landing in the Nafud Desert was faked.

- Faked? - It's true, sir.

- The impact in the desert was faked. - Just a minute.

What are you talking about, and who is this?

This is Mr Stuart, Geophysical Institute.

He and Mr Barry have just returned from the Nafud Desert.

They contacted me immediately.

They've got some rather startling news, sir.

What's it about? Why?

Prime Minister, as you're well aware

the Invaders are supposed to have crashed in the Nafud Desert.

The impact area there, however, the crater

bears a marked resemblance to that of a small atomic explosion.

Ramsay, do you know anything about this?

There's nothing strange about that.

The crater was probably made by the French government's

previous atomic experimental programme.

But, Dr Ramsay, we understood the Invaders crashed in the Nafud Desert.

Then obviously our calculations were completely put out

by interference from Keeler's transmitters.

Well, in that case, where are the Invaders now?

Where did they crash? Did they crash at all? What's going on?

And there's another strange thing, sir, I don't understand.

Why did nobody else suspect what I did?

There were plenty of other experts out there.

Brissot, Weber, Morgan.

You'd think one of them would've tumbled to it at once.

Dr Ramsay, hasn't anyone reported any of this to you?

No, they wouldn't report it to me.

- They will have told Professor Baranov. - Now, just a minute.

What exactly led you to believe that all these were faked?

Mr Barry, I think you'd better explain to the Prime Minister

about your interview with the Arab, the Bedouin chief.

Very well.

Well, Prime Minister, in the course of the interview I had with this Bedouin chief

he told us that a party of scientists led by Professor Baranov

and including Weber, Morgan and Brissot

came through that area several months before

on what was supposed to be an oil-finding expedition.

It's a proven fact, sir, there's no oil to be found out there.

Judging by the description of their equipment

they were not erecting an oil rig

but a tower for an atomic bomb.

Why didn't you speak to the research group about this?

Well, this is ridiculous. What would they be doing in the desert?

I'm surprised that someone of your intelligence

could believe such a fairy story from a local tribesman.

If I might explain, sir.

Professor Baranov, in my opinion...

This is nonsense. Why would he do it?

Just a minute, Ramsay. I'd like to hear what Mr Stuart has to say.

Supposing the Invaders were friendly

supposing they didn't intend to land, at least not before establishing contact.

Suppose Baranov faked the signals from the Invaders.

So as to make us believe they were about to attack

and cause us to open fire?

- Exactly. - But why should he?

What would he hope to gain by it?

Devastation. Destruction on a wide scale.

If the Invaders could be made to attack.

- That's right. - I see.

Captain Wade, lay on transport.

Get up to Abernethy at once.

Question Baranov and find out if this is true.

I want Baranov brought back here immediately.

Yes, sir.

Prime Minister, would you mind if I went with Captain Wade?

- Not at all. - Thank you. I'll see you later.

What I can't understand is what on earth has happened to the Invaders?

Where are they? Ramsay, can you answer that?

I'm afraid I can't, sir.

- I don't think anyone else can either. - Ramsay, are you alright?

Yes. Yes... yes, I'm fine, thank you.

John, if it's true about Baranov

he's in charge of communications at Abernethy.

Yes, but Rickover's up there with him, too.

I think Dr Ramsay should go and assume control there.

Alright. Will you go, Ramsay?

Yes, of course. I'll go right away.

Thank you. How much longer to blast-off?

- Another 15 minutes. - Hm.

Then our plan seems to have worked.

- We'd better stop the firing. - Yes.

Give me line one, will you?

Hello? Control Room here.

Put out codeword "anvil" at once.

Yes, at once.

Well, John, it looks as if we've got away with it.

Yes. Thank goodness the Invaders didn't choose now to attack.

I don't know who they are or where they come from

but I'm beginning to understand their mental processes.

And it's quite clear that their science

is far in advance of anything we can even imagine.

Their science is, yes

and possibly their mental powers too.

I wonder if Baranov is under their influence in some way

and no longer responsible for his own actions.

Why Baranov? Why not one of us?

Professor Baranov?

- Yes? - May I...

Hello, Mr Barry. What are you doing here?

Just a moment, please.

- May I ask you a question? - Please.

Did you fake the impact of the Invaders in the Nafud Desert

by using a small atomic explosion?

- Yes. - Now, wait a moment...

It will all become clear in a moment.

Why did you do it, Professor?

Because I was told to do so.

- By Keeler? - No.

By the Soviet Union?

No.

By the Invaders?

No... by me.

The Invaders don't exist, Mr Barry.

What? What are you talking about?

They don't exist.

They were invented.

Invented?

But how? Why?

For many thousands of years, man has waged war.

While his weapons were only just spears and clubs

it really didn't matter so very much.

Even when he progressed to the cannon and the machine gun

his power to kill remained limited.

But now man possesses the power and knowledge

to destroy himself completely.

You see, scientists became tired of watching the politicians

abuse this power which we provided them with.

And because of this abuse

of seeing a world full of destruction, hatred and fear.

And so we got together.

Nine months ago, there was a conference of the world's astronomers and scientists.

We decided that the only way to bring the world to its senses...

The only way... the only way to bring the world

the entire world, to its senses

was to create an outer danger

against which the whole world would unite.

How many of you were involved in this?

Nearly every major scientist.

We had to be, you see, in order to get away with it.

The machinery for faking the signals is complex.

Both to build and to operate.

In order to make sure that deception was complete

we had to arrange to supply every observatory

every control centre

every firing site in whole world

with right information at right time.

You almost succeeded.

Almost.

- We made one mistake. - What was that?

We allowed Stuart to go to the desert with the research group.

Our man dropped out and Stuart took his place.

But I don't understand.

Dr Ramsay... how did you create Object Z?

We faked the star charts.

But we saw them, millions of people saw them in the sky!

Of course you did.

But we put them there.

We also created the beings that you saw on your television screens.

But how?

Was not difficult to put Sputnik into orbit

once we had convinced politicians

that Invaders are approaching.

They gave us every facility, if you remember.

They even put the world's missile and nuclear bases at our disposal.

But Object Z came nearer.

How did you make it increase in size?

Simply because an object increases in size

it doesn't necessarily mean that it's coming nearer.

We simply increased the cloud of the sodium vapour.

By gradually releasing it from the satellite.

Exactly.

Do you realise what you've done?

Yes. We've done what we set out to do.

What was that? To frighten the whole world to death?

People have died because of you, Ramsay.

People have taken their lives because they couldn't face what was coming.

Have you thought of that?

Have you thought of the money wasted on missiles and shelters?

Of the millions of people living in terror?

Yes, we've thought of all those things.

What do you think it's been like for us, the few of us that were in the secret?

Do you think it's been easy for us?

How can a man of your intelligence, your humanity...

How can you justify what you've done?

Six months of fear

or an eternity living in terror of war?

Which is better?

Oh, no.

The world has changed so much in the last six months.

The great powers have shared their secrets.

They've scrapped their weapons.

And they've worked and fought together against a common enemy.

We've had to pay a high price for that.

But I don't think it was too high.

You think not?

I wonder how you're ever going to live with yourself.

Gentlemen

you're all under arrest.

Yes. Yes, thank you, Captain Wade.

Inform world government at once, will you?

And see that all the other scientists are rounded up immediately.

Yes. Goodbye.

It's unbelievable, John.

These men have made fools of us all.

Yes.

I shall have to broadcast to the nation in a few moments.

You mean you're going to tell them the truth?

Oh, no.

No, we shall just tell them the Invaders have gone away

and they can all go back to their homes.

- We can never tell them the truth. - Never?

It wouldn't do to let them know that we'd all been made fools of, would it?

- No, I suppose not. - What's going to happen to them, sir?

All those other men?

Oh, they'll come up for trial before the world government, of course.

The proceedings will have to be held in secret, of course.

Rickover, Morgan, Weber...

Brissot, Baranov.

The courts are going to have their hands full.

Yes. I don't envy the Americans their task of keeping their proceedings secret.

No problem for the Russians, of course.

It seems that scientists are going to be in short supply.

You seem to be the only one left, Stuart.

Duncan and Challis were not involved, sir.

No.

Ramsay seems to have hoodwinked them, just as he did all of us.

But, Dr Ramsay

you must have known that you couldn't get away with this forever.

I was aware of that, Robert.

But I think that it was worth it.

We now have a unified world and a better place to live in.

Dr Ramsay

do you really think the world is going to be a very different place?

Well, I hope that the world has learned its lesson

and that there'll never be war again.

You'll probably get married and have children.

Now you'll be able to see their lives stretching out into the future.

And who knows, Robert?

Perhaps one day you'll even become Astronomer Royal.

Would you gentlemen like to get your coats?

I have transport waiting outside.

- Dr Ramsay, it's for you. - I'll take that.

Who is this?

Harvard?

It's Captain Wade here, British Security.

Oh, I see, sir.

Yes, well, in that case...

Dr Ramsay, you better answer this.

Thank you.

Yes, this is Ramsay speaking.

Excuse me, just... Could you keep quiet just for a minute, please?

Yes.

What?

I see.

Thank you.

Well, that was Harvard.

They've been conferring with Mount Palomar.

They've discovered another object.

It's heading straight for us.

Now, Ramsay, this isn't another of your...

No!

This time, it's real.