Original subtitles

Faster than a speeding bullet.

More powerful than a locomotive.

Able to leap tall buildings at a single bound.

Look, up in the sky. It's a bird. It's a plane.

It's Superman.

Yes, it's Superman.

Strange visitor from another planet who came to Earth with powers and abilities

far beyond those of mortal men.

Superman, who can change the course of mighty rivers.

Bend steel in his bare hands.

And who, disguised as Clark Kent, mild-mannered reporter for a great

metropolitan newspaper, fights a never-ending battle for truth, justice,

and the American way.

And now, another exciting episode in The Adventures of Superman.

Come with us now on a far journey.

a journey that takes us millions of miles from the Earth, where many years

ago the planet Krypton burned like a green star in the endless heavens.

Here, civilization was far advanced.

It had brought forth a race of supermen, men and women like ourselves, but

advanced to the absolute peak of human perfection.

As we near Krypton, we see high above the city the magnificent Temple of

Wisdom with its marble columns and burning torches.

Jor-El, Krypton's leading man of science, has been summoned to address a

special meeting of the Governing Council.

White-Bearded Roseanne, Supreme Leader of the Council, calls the meeting to

order.

Members of the Governing Council, you have been summoned here on urgent

business.

As you are well aware, Krypton has been experiencing some strange phenomena.

Only last week on the full moon, a great tidal wave threatened to engulf the

city. There have been mysterious quakes and eruptions, some of which have caused

extensive damage.

This is a matter of no little concern, and I, therefore, as president of the

council, requested Jor-El, our brilliant young scientist, to investigate these

phenomena. He is here with us now, ready to deliver his report.

Gentlemen, Jor-El speaks.

Mr. President, council members, I have completed my solar calculations.

And much as I dread uttering these fateful words, I have come to the

conclusion that Krypton is about to be destroyed.

The sun is gradually drawing Krypton closer to it.

Within a month, possibly only a week, perhaps even in a matter of days or

hours, the gravitational pull will be so strong that Krypton will not be able to

weather the strain.

When that time comes, when we are drawn into the burning orbit of the sun, our

planet will explode like a giant bubble. It will burst into a hundred million

fragments, and every living thing on it will be destroyed.

The man is mad.

Talks like one demanded.

This is an insult to our intelligence.

Gentlemen, gentlemen, please, we must have order.

Sir, with your permission.

As you know, I've been working these many months on the model of a spaceship.

which in its final form is designed to carry the population of Krypton to

another planet.

The model is completed and will be tested before sundown.

If, as I anticipate, the test is successful, I will require the services

of 5,000 skilled workers and unlimited material to construct a fleet of

spaceships before the end comes.

What does he take us for, fools?

Yes, tell us, Mr. Scientist. Where do we go in these fantastic spaceships of

yours? To the Earth, Kogan.

To the planet Earth, Kogan.

My studies tell me the Earth has an atmosphere almost identical with our

own. You study too much, my friend. Kogan is right, Jor-El.

You have been working too hard.

Wait.

Do you hear that, Roseanne?

Gentlemen.

I hear only thunder.

It is not thunder. It is an internal eruption.

Gas exploding in subterranean pockets.

I warn you, the time will come.

And that time is perhaps very near at hand when you will wish you'd heeded the

words of Jor-El.

When Krypton is shattered into a hundred million stars.

When the glorious civilization we have built is no more.

When you and your families are swept from the face of this planet like dust.

You were too intent on your work.

What did the council say, Jor-El?

They laughed at me.

Marked me for a fool.

No matter.

Let them laugh.

The model's ready to be launched.

I'll send it on its way and watch its flight on the scanning screen.

If it arrives safely, I'll immediately build one large enough to transport all

three of us to Earth.

My one prayer is I haven't waited too long.

What do you mean, Jor-El?

The clouds are dark.

All day there's been a strange glow in the western sky.

Different from anything we've seen before.

It seems to be oppressively hot.

Is that because we're being drawn closer to the sun?

Yes. The sun that will finally destroy us.

Where is Kalao?

Asleep now.

He's been restless all day.

Kalao, what was that?

An internal explosion.

A bad one.

Kalao!

Lara, listen to me. This is the end. Krypton is breaking apart. What can we

do? Nothing. I was a fool to have waited this long. It wasn't your fault, Jarell.

I should have built a larger ship months ago. Now we have only the model.

Lara. Yes?

The model can carry only one of us. You, Lara.

No. If only one of us can be saved, it should be the child.

All right. Get him. Wrap him in a blanket and bring him here.

Here he is, Shirelle. You have him well wrapped?

Yes. Why, so good.

Not even a whimper. The model might carry both of you, Lara.

No, I'm not going. You must.

My place is here with you. Lara, please, there isn't time. The takeoff pressure's

building up in a few seconds now. I'd be lost in a new world without you,

Shirelle. If anyone is to survive, let it be our son.

is on his way to Earth.

getting a head cold.

Got a funny ringing in my ears.

Ain't only your ears.

I hear it too.

You do?

Even. It's getting louder.

What is it?

I don't know.

What is it? Looks like one of them newfangled rockets.

There's a baby in it. The lion's face alive.

Not burned at all.

Like it ain't even scorched.

Sarah, look.

It's gone.

Like it was never there.

The baby even.

We can't be dreaming. The baby's real.

Real as rain and just as pretty.

What do you reckon we ought to do with it?

I suppose we ought to turn it over to the authorities.

Well, I suppose so.

But who's going to believe all this, Sarah? We got nothing to show but the

baby and a wild story.

They'll say we're crazy.

Let's keep the baby. We always wanted children of our own.

Eben?

Eben, you think maybe we could keep it and bring it up like our own?

Oh, no, I don't know.

We could bring it up good, Eben.

I reckon we could.

Then we can keep it.

Oh, we'll try, Sarah.

We'll sure try.

And

so

the infant child, sole survivor of a lost civilization, last of a race of

supermen, found a home on Earth with the kindly farm couple, Sarah and Eben Kent.

They named him Clark and raised him as their son.

And with each passing year, it became more and more evident that he was

endowed with strange powers and abilities far beyond those of ordinary

human beings.

Then one day, when the boy was 12...

That you, Clark?

the matter, son?

Don't you feel well?

Clark, what is it?

Mom, why am I different from all the other boys?

Merciful heavens, is that what's bothering you? You had me scared for a

minute. Thought maybe you was coming down with the measles or something.

But mom, why am I different?

Why can't I do things that nobody else can do?

Why can't I run faster or jump higher?

Why am I stronger than anybody?

You've known all them things for a long time, Clark.

My land sakes alive.

When you was a tiny little shaver, no bigger than this.

Why, you was strong as a grown man almost.

It's not just being strong, Mom.

It's other things.

What things, son?

Well, today in school, for instance.

Yes.

We were playing baseball and the ball got lost.

Nobody could find it.

But all I had to do was look around and there it was behind a rock.

You've got good eyes, that's all.

No, Mom, it's more than just good eyes.

I didn't see the ball behind the rock.

I saw it right through the rock.

My eyes were an x-ray machine.

Like the rock wasn't even there.

Son, your pa and me have been meaning to have a talk with you.

Somehow we just never got around to it.

Looks like now the time's come.

I'll tell you why likely you're different from other boys.

Why you gotta be extra careful.

About 12 years ago, son, your pa and me were driving along down by Jones Farm.

And all of a sudden we seen something up in the sky.

Searching back in vivid memory, Sarah Kent tells young Clark the amazing story

of how he came to Earth.

of how a rocket streamed across the sky, almost deafening them, of how his father

snatched him from the flames, of how, miraculously, neither he nor the curious

blanket in which he was wrapped was scorched or burned. And the boy

listened, and he understood.

And so the years went by, spring melting into summer, and summer into fall,

and fall into winter.

The boy Clark grew into tall young manhood, while Eben and Sarah Kent grew

older and grayer.

Guys, ain't you through housecleaning yet? Don't you trick any barn dirt in

here. Look at them shoes.

And look at them tracks.

Well, the same shoes I had on yesterday and the day before and the day before

that. Well, today ain't yesterday or the day before or the day before that. Well,

what in tarnation is today?

All four noon years of cooking and of baking and of fussing around.

I've got no idea what this day is.

Well, let me think.

Don't strain your brain, Paul.

It's just 25 years ago this very day you pulled the baby out of that burning

rocket or whatever it was.

April 10th.

Land of Goshen.

It plumb slipped my mind.

Did nothing occur to you when I asked Clark to ride into town and fetch me a

few yards of something I didn't need?

Well, I kind of wondered. You had to get him out of the way while I iced the cake

and tidied up the parlor a bit. A few of the neighbors are coming in to help us

celebrate. You better go get your chores done and change them smelly old clothes

before he gets back.

Chores is done.

All I got to do now is put the tractor away.

Twenty-five years.

Doggone, it don't hardly seem that long.

No, sir, it sure don't.

Oh!

Is he... Is he all right, Doctor?

I'm sorry, Sarah.

He was a good man, son.

He was a good husband.

And a good father.

Bus will be along any minute now, Clark.

I'd still like to leave you, Mother.

I'm going to be just fine.

With Cousin Edith coming on to live with me and all.

Besides, you've got a great responsibility to the world, Clark.

You've got to accept it.

Make use of your great powers.

You sure you packed that costume I made for you?

It's in the suitcase.

Nothing will ever hurt it, Clark.

Not acid, nor fire, nor nothing else.

It's made out of the red and blue blanket you was wrapped in the day your

pa and me... I know, Molly.

Here comes the bus.

Goodbye, Mom.

And so Clark Kent, strange visitor from another planet, takes the first step

toward dedicating his amazing powers to the cause of justice.

He has resolved to keep secret his Superman identity and to adopt a pose of

mild-mannered timidity as Kent in order to safeguard the masquerade.

And in order to be at a place where he can learn immediately of any emergency

that might require his help.

He seeks a job as reporter on a great metropolitan newspaper.

Mr. White's on the phone. As soon as he's through, I'll tell him you're still

waiting. Thank you.

I don't care what it costs.

That's the way I want it, and that's the way I'm going to get it.

Tell that to Mr.

McGuire, and if he doesn't like it, he can lup it.

White speaking.

White speaking. What?

Absolutely no. Certainly not.

And that's final.

Yes? That young man is still waiting, Mr. White.

What young man?

Clark Kent.

Who's he?

The young man who's applying for a reporter's job.

He's been here since three o'clock, Mr. White. You told me to, um... I don't

care what I told you.

I'm not hiring reporters at 20 minutes of six.

Anyway, I'd like to fire some instead of hire them.

Send Lois Lane in here.

Yes, Mr. White.

Well...

Obviously, Mr. White doesn't want to see me. I'm terribly sorry, Mr. Kent.

He's not in a very good humor today.

Perhaps if you come back tomorrow.

Well, that's all right, miss.

I'm going to get to him somehow.

But thank you very much.

You wanted to see me, Chief?

Nothing works around here.

Nothing. What's the trouble? I just can't get the top off of that thing,

that's all. Here, let me try.

I'll be a monkey's uncle.

Who the blazers are you?

My name is Clark Kent, sir.

I told that girl not to... Please.

Don't blame your receptionist, Mr. White. She doesn't even know I'm in

here. What do you mean she doesn't know you're in here? How'd you get past her?

Well, I... I didn't. You see, I came in through the window.

Is that supposed to be funny?

That window's 28 stories above the ground, and the side of the building's

as flat as this desk, except for a narrow lead.

Mr. White! Who gave you permission to barge in here like a bull?

I just got a flash. There's a dirigible flying over the airport with a guy

hanging from a rope. Let's see, Jim. I still want to know what... Listen,

Chief. An oil company blimp attempting to land at Metropolis Airfield in a high

wind pulled 11 men aloft, clinging to the landing ropes.

Ten dropped off safely, but one man is still hanging to a rope while the blimp

cruises at a thousand feet above the field, unable to land.

More to follow. You get down there right away, Lois, and you too, Olsen.

Tell Ludlow to assign a photographer.

Two of them. Okay, Chief. Come on, Jim. Right.

Hello, Pete.

Hold the seven star for a page one replay.

No, I don't know when. Just hold it.

Mr. White.

Now, look here, young man. I'm too busy to talk to you.

Well, if I could, that is, if that man could be rescued, and I got his

exclusive story, sir. What?

Would you give me a job? Don't bother me. Would you, Mr. White?

Yes, yes. Now leave me alone.

Thank you, sir.

Crazy.

Just crazy.

Step on it, Jim.

Speed limit 35, Miss Lane. I don't want to get a ticket.

You're right.

Just like I told Mr. Kent there I was hanging there for what seemed like

years. Then your hand slipped from the rope.

A thousand feet up. I knew I was a goner. That's enough pictures, Joe. Get

them on metal for the next edition.

Well, then I thought I must have flipped my lid from being so scared.

Because right then, this guy in a red and blue costume comes flying through

the air and catches me.

It's ridiculous.

There can't be any such thing as a man who flies through the air.

Well, I know it, Mr. White, but it happened.

I'm here, ain't I? And I'm alive.

It happened, all right, Chief. Just as we got to the airport, we saw something

streak across the sky and catch this man.

We thought we were crazy, too. My brain was whizzing around in my head, and the

next thing I knew, this super guy landed me behind one of the hangars like on a

feather bed.

Then I made like a schoolgirl and passed out, fainted. And when you came to, Kent

was there. Yes, sir. And he hustled me around to the side of the administration

building, got me into a cab, then we came straight here.

Pretty smart, Kent.

We've got a clean beat over every other paper in town.

Does that mean I get the job, sir?

There's your answer, son.

Oh, thank you, Mr. White. Thanks a million.

There are one or two things I haven't got quite straight in my mind, Mr. Kent.

For example, how did you leave here later than we did and beat us to the

airport? Is that all?

Not quite.

How come you found the man behind the hanger at just the right moment to get

his exclusive story when every top experienced reporter in the business was

breaking his neck... Or her neck. Or her neck to get that story?

Maybe I'm a superman, Miss Lane.