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.

The last wishes of Dr. Pierce and my master will be obeyed to the letter. It

is for that reason that I've come to Metropolis.

And Dr. Pearson insisted on this private auction with only two participants

bidding on what may or may not be in that box? The box is not to be opened.

The university Egyptologist, Dr.

Barnack, and Mr.

Whitlock, the proprietor of a curio shop in Metropolis, both old acquaintances of

Dr. Pearson, are to bid for the box.

They may know what is inside. I do not. I do not care to know.

Excuse me. Of course.

Yes?

Please.

Send Dr. Barnock up.

But why did you call our paper? Surely you're not interested in the publicity.

Not for the box or for the auction, but only that possibly the memory of Dr.

Pearson, a great archaeologist and almost a father to me, may possibly be

enhanced. We understand, Mr. Ahmed.

Wait over there.

Please, Dr. Barnock, can I go with you? I'm just dying to see what's in the box.

You may be my confidential secretary, Alma.

But there are some things I intend to keep secret, even from you.

Oh, excuse me. Surely.

Dr. Barnock? Yes, please.

Miss Lane and Mr. Kent of the Daily Planet.

Reporters. Why?

The conditions of sale are not yours, my dear doctor.

Mr. Whitlock? That's right.

Miss Lane, Mr. Kent of the Daily Platinum. How do you do? How do you do,

sir? And of course you know Dr. Barnock.

We met.

Then, gentlemen, shall we begin?

I'm agreeable.

Your bids, gentlemen.

$500.

$1,000.

$2,000.

Four thousand.

Five.

Six. This isn't just a grab bag gamble, Lois.

What could be in it?

Well, I'm afraid even Superman can't tell you. Not with that lead foil

wrapping.

All through, Dr. Barnock?

Seven thousand.

I hope you can afford this, Doctor.

Eight thousand.

There's more to this than meets the eye. I'm going down the lobby and check on

these characters. I'm going to call the paper and see if we've got anything in

the files. You stay here, okay?

May I trouble you for a pencil, Mr. Ahmed?

I, um... I have some figuring to do.

Never mind, Ahmed.

I figured it out.

My last offer.

$10,000.

And you, sir?

Here's my check, Ahmed.

Dr. Barnack, about a story in the contents of that box. Not now.

Please, Barnack, you must listen to me.

You've cost me enough already, Whitlock.

Please, Barnack, don't open that box. It's evil. It's got to be destroyed.

You must listen to me. Get away from me. You can't open that box, please. I'm

telling you the truth, man.

Don't open that box.

He tried to stop Barnick to give him some kind of warning about not opening

that box. And Barnick paid $10,000 for it. I'm all right. Thank you. Thank you

for helping me. Well, you can help us, sir, if you will.

$10,000 and a mysterious box should make a wonderful story. You can tell us,

can't you? No, it mustn't spread any further.

It must be stopped.

But what must be stopped?

I'm sorry. I must get back to my shop.

But, Mr... I'll come with you, sir.

Beautiful, isn't it?

Aren't you going to open it now, Dr. Barnett?

No, not yet.

Maybe Whitlock is right.

If there is a legend or a curse connected with this box, I've got to do

some more research on it.

First, I don't know how, I've got to cover the check that I gave Ahmed.

Then I'll go to the university library.

In the meantime, don't open that box.

Thank you, Mr. Kent.

I am very grateful for your help.

You're sure you don't want to tell me more about that box?

Please, I'd rather not. The sooner it's destroyed, the better.

Oh, you make puppets, too?

No, it's a hobby of mine.

I like children, and they seem to enjoy an occasional show after school.

Oh, by the way, you reporters of the Daily Planet, you have a close contact

with Superman, don't you?

From time to time, yes. Why?

Now he's a great favorite with the youngsters.

Thank you very much. I mean, I'm sure Superman will be very flattered to hear

this

You'll

excuse me, but I have an important appointment. Do you mind not at all?

Oh I'm not giving up on that box, you know

Nor am I.

Doesn't look like anybody, though.

Uh-oh.

Hello?

Hello?

Jim, look.

Is she dead?

I don't know. It's hard to tell.

No, she's still alive, but barely breathing.

I better call an ambulance.

Just a moment.

What are you two doing here?

The box.

Where is it? Give it to me.

We haven't got your precious box.

We got here just a few seconds ago.

Shouldn't you be more concerned about her?

So, Whitlock was right.

Right about what?

Don't open the box, he said.

Well, she did open it.

And the curse, or whatever mysterious power she met with, overcame her.

But this is nonsense.

It's sheer superstition, Dr. Barnack. Certainly you don't... He was right.

But I know there's an answer.

A way of escaping this.

I've got to have the box.

Whitlock. He must have taken it. I'm sure of it.

Cure your shop.

Whitlock speaking.

Who?

Oh, Barnack.

Yes, yes, I have it right here.

I thought as much.

It's mine, Whitlock, and I'm coming after it. I want it.

This box doesn't belong to anyone, Barnack.

It belongs to the past, an evil past, and I'm doing away with it. You saw what

it did to your secretary.

Well, I'm putting it where you won't find it, Barnack, where you or no one

else will ever be harmed by it.

I'm putting it in my safe.

In Mercy's name, get help for this poor girl.

You do it. I haven't got the time.

I'm afraid for Whitlock, Jim. You take over here, and I'll pick up Clark at the

office.

Arch, these ancient hieroglyphics mention the box, but they give no clues

to the curse.

Well...

Yeah. Put the box in the safe, but be careful.

Don't open it.

Yes, sir.

Why?

You haven't opened the... Look!

A little sooner than you expected, Whitlock.

Barnack, my clerk's in the back room. He opened the box and like your

secretary... He can wait.

Lock that door.

Those reporters again.

Get behind the counter, pretend you're busy and don't let them in.

Why won't he let us in?

Looks like he's rehearsing an act.

Well, you know, these temperamental artists.

We'll come back later.

It's good you did as you were told. I wasn't fooling.

Turn around.

Now for the box.

I appreciate your telling me about the safe.

I use this nitroglycerin for opening tombs in Egypt.

I never thought I'd have a use for it here.

Oh, you're a good host, Whitlock.

I didn't know your business ran to jewels like this.

You cost me $10,000 today, Whitlock.

This little collection ought to be worth about that.

This way it makes it all come out even.

I love curio shops, Clark. They're such interesting places.

Yeah, that Whitlock's quite a character, isn't he?

You know, I'll bet knowing the planet's a contact point for Superman, he put on

that whole act for our benefit.

Wait a minute.

Of course he did.

It was a message.

Remember how we acted out the part where the doll fell and the Superman puppet

came in and caught it just in the nick of time? He wanted Superman.

Lois. You go back to the office and tell them we may have a real story for them

soon. I'm going back to that shop.

Not your girlfriend, but Black.

If I hadn't seen it with my

own eyes, and you are completely unhurt. So are you, I'm glad to say, sir.

Barnack left that bottle accidentally, or on purpose.

Did he take the box with him?

He thinks he did.

I knew he was coming for it, so I'm afraid I led him astray.

This is the real box.

The one he stole was a decoy. It looks innocent enough. Yes, but it carries a

fearful curse. A curse that has already been felt by Barnack's secretary and my

clerk. Your clerk?

We must get him to a hospital at once.

I wish I could report that we've been able to identify the condition of

Barnack's secretary and the clerk, but it's an unknown fact.

I would say that the closest description I could give of the victims of this

curse, Jewel Box, is that they're in a state of suspended animation.

Well, how long can they live in that condition?

Only a matter of hours.

Now that Mr. Whitlock has been good enough to bring it to us, I'll send it

to the lavatory for immediate analysis.

But it's ridiculous to believe such a superstition. Why, look here.

Look, the jewel.

Put her on the couch.

Please.

Surely.

Mr. Kent, don't!

Chief, Dr. Wilson.

Look here, please.

This needle. It was in the lock spring and broke off.

There's the answer. An injected poison.

What a monstrous sapphire. Yes.

I know when Dr.

Barnack wanted it. May I see this, Mr. Kent?

This carved leaf and the hieroglyphic under it, the symbol represents

antidote. And the leaf?

It's the leaf of the pyramid plant.

And according to legend, it only grows at the base of the Great Pyramid in

Egypt. Egypt? That stays away, even by jet plane. By that time, it'll be too

late. Well, there is a chance, Kent, if we can contact Superman.

Yes, Chief. I'll go back to the office and see what I can do. Excuse me, sir.

I wonder... Kent opened this box, too.

Yet he didn't succumb to the poison.

Why?

That is strange.

I'll have to ask him about that.

Neither the police nor myself can understand, Mr. Whitlock, why you

refused to bring charges against Dr. Barnack for assault.

It was all my fault.

Well,

now that the poison apparatus has been removed from this, I have been

instructed to return it to you.

According to the facts, you did legally purchase it.

Thank you.

Superman will come here first, I'm sure.

And soon, I hope.

Pardon me.

Mr. Whitlock!

If Dr. Barnack did do something wrong, and was the kind of man to go around

acting violently, I sure wouldn't want to have it on my conscience that I

turned him loose.

All right, son.

I'll admit I'm just being selfish.

But Barnack stole $10,000 worth of jewels from my safe.

And he threatened to turn me in for stealing the box from his house.

That's why I kept quiet.

Now, well, you better call the police.

Yeah, sure.

I'll do that.

Superman! Here you are, Doctor.

Thank heavens you found the plant. We'll prepare the serum immediately.

Oh. White of the Daily Planet wonders to know when you return. Will you call him?

Go.

All right, Dr. Barnack.

You'll save everybody a lot of trouble if you just come along.

Would you mind explaining yourself?

No, I'd say it was you that had the explaining to do about those jewels you

stole from Whitlock's safe.

Oh. Let's go.

Of course.

You've notified the police.

That's where we're going. Right now.

I guess you win, young man.

I'll get the jewels.

A real red-hot newspaper man, eh?

Well, I'll give you a chance to cool off.

Haven't you located Kent?

Well, keep trying.

First it's Olsen, then Lois. Now I can't find Kent. I'm sorry, but I suppose I'm

partly to blame. Well, where have you been?

Talking to Dr. Wilson, Chief.

He's got the pyramid plant and he's now preparing the antidote and he thinks

that Lois and the others are going to be all right.

Wonderful, but where in thunderation is Olsen?

Jimmy, isn't he in the city room? No, the last anyone saw him, he had just

convinced Mr. Whitlock that Barnack should be turned over to the police.

Oh, Barnack, huh?

Look, Chief, why don't you two get back to the hospital and sort of stand by?

I'll try and find Olsen. Okay, and if you do, give him a piece of my mind. He

could use it.

Oh, just a moment.

I forgot my cigars.

Don't bother.

Here, try one of mine.

Thank you.

I'm truly sorry to be leaving Metropolis.

But with Whitlock's contribution and the Thapire, I don't think I'll suffer

financially from the move.

The last tenant of this mummy case occupied it 3,000 years.

Maybe you'll break that record.

No comment, eh?

Well, all I have to do is to fetch my suitcase.

And I'll be leaving you.

The antidote is taking effect.

She should be conscious soon.

My clerk and Barnack's secretary?

They'll be all right, too.

And now, my meddling young friend, goodbye.

Police! Help! Police!

Superman! I knew you were dangerous, Dr. Barnack.

And now with an attempted murder charge, you can be put where you belong.

You can come out now, Jimmy.

Nice acting.

Golly, Superman, I'm sure glad you changed places with me.

I had to. You're much more valuable as a witness than a victim. Here, turn him

over to the police. He's all yours.

All right, Dr. Barnack. Let's go.

And furthermore, I think it was the box and not the snake that put Cleopatra to

sleep. Believe me, I'd rather be a revived reporter than a sleeping

Cleopatra.

There's one thing that's bothering me, though.

Dr. Wilson found that... Poison was so powerful, I can't understand Clark's not

being affected by it.

I forgot to ask him. You forgot to ask me what, Chief?

When you opened that box, I... Excuse me, sir.

How are you, Lois? I'm fine, Clark.

Wait a minute.

When did you get that adhesive on your thumb?

Oh, well, as a matter of fact... No wonder the needle broke off.

See, Miss Laney had that adhesive tape there, and that's what broke the needle.

I don't know. I'm pretty confused.

So am I, Lois. So am I.