Original subtitles

[music]

Same.

Yes, there.

Well done.

We showed them, didn't we?

Fantastic.

She's got a start first, whatever that

is.

Did she indeed?

That's pretty good. In fact, it's pretty

fantastic, especially after only 1 year.

I'd like to do some research.

Of course, but what?

Cosmic energy.

Cosmic?

And anti-gravity.

Anti-gravity, that's an interesting

idea.

Could they be suggesting?

Intellectual vandalism, that's what it

is.

But what has it to do with me?

Someone has managed to break into the

computer and make use of it to play with

the radio telescope.

But who?

They are messages.

You mean somebody is actually sending?

Yes.

An intelligent life form.

More than that.

This is very exciting for me.

Why, Chucky, what is it?

They are [snorts] my people.

Little green men with horns and eyes in

the middle of their forehead.

No, it's not like that. We had messages,

signals from them.

Oh, you made contact with intelligent

life forms. You did.

Something the world has been trying to

do for centuries.

I think I've heard enough.

Thank you, Albertine.

But you've got to believe me. It's true.

I have a friend.

From outer space?

Yes.

[laughter]

Yes.

Chocky

Help

Please.

I am Albertine's friend.

My name is Chocky.

What?

What on earth What is it?

It speaks.

I'm sorry, Chocky. I messed it up.

Do not be afraid.

Is this

Albertine?

Is this what you were talking about?

Yes.

It's an illusion.

It's some sort of conjuring trick.

I don't think it is.

I am no illusion.

I have come to help you.

But where have you come from?

Uh

Chocky, is it?

It is.

God, he's talking to it.

Must be going off his head. I always

knew the man was unstable. He's not fit.

Oh, do be quiet, Drakon.

What?

Shut up, you silly man.

You are an astrophysicist.

Now, you can't possibly take this

tomfoolery seriously.

Oh, shut [snorts] up, for goodness'

sake.

Right.

I'm not staying here to be made a fool

of.

Sorry about that.

I have come from a distant planet.

Many parsecs away.

So far away I cannot begin to describe

to you where it is.

That's what we were doing with the radio

telescope. Trying to locate Chocky's

home.

But if your planet is so far away,

how could you possibly have traveled

here?

My body is not here.

Only my mind.

Mind has no mass.

Therefore it takes no time to travel.

That's a clever one. But if you're not

really here, then what

What you are seeing is merely my energy

field.

I can materialize it for short periods.

What?

What do you want from us?

I do not want anything from you.

I want to give [music] you something.

Secret of cosmic power.

Incredible.

It may seem incredible to you now,

Professor.

But I intend to explain everything.

Cosmic energy costs nothing.

[music]

It is freely available and completely

unlimited.

It can never be used [music] up like

your fossil fuels.

It will last as long as the universe

itself.

It's dream.

The dream.

I am working through Albertine.

You must provide her with the facilities

she needs.

Yes. Of course we will.

You must look after her

and keep her safe.

Tell no one what she is really doing

until she has achieved my purpose.

Your secret will be safe with us. We

promise.

That is good.

I thank you.

I'm sorry, Beatrice. I did everything I

could for you. It was no use.

It's ridiculous.

Didn't you tell them about her

interfering with my program?

Yes, of course.

They still agreed to give her the grant.

Apparently.

How could they?

How could they possibly do that?

There must have been some reason.

Oh, there was. Indeed, there was.

What?

Please, Beatrice, don't ask me.

Why not?

You would not believe me if I told you.

No, this is silly. What am I supposed to

do now?

I don't know, really. Well, you can

finish what you're doing, of course.

And then?

Well,

you'll have to find someone else to fund

you. But it won't be easy.

No.

Unless

Unless what?

Your committee can be persuaded to

change their minds.

And withdraw the grant from Albertine

Meyer, you mean?

Precisely.

I don't think there's much chance of

that.

We'll see.

Hello.

It's coming on well.

It's not bad.

It's not exactly what's in my head.

I need to improve my technique with

oils.

Well, you might have the opportunity to

do that.

How?

I didn't tell you before, but I had a

letter from the Metropolitan Academy in

New York.

They're offering you a Kennedy

scholarship to study painting there.

New York?

That'd be fantastic.

Wouldn't it? Here, read it.

Hang on, I've got paint on my hands.

It seems their principal was over here

and saw your exhibition.

He was so impressed, he went back and

told his board about you, and this is

the result.

Super.

But, what about my ordinary schooling?

They say they can arrange that for you.

Great.

I couldn't go, though.

Why not?

What about you and Mommy and Polly?

I couldn't go without you.

I've already spoken to my boss.

I can arrange an exchange with the

firm's New York office.

They asked me before if I'd like to go

for a year or so. Mommy says she'd love

to.

Truly?

Albertine doesn't need you now, does

she?

No, I don't think so.

How is she, by the way?

Is everything all right?

It is now. She's got a grant, and

they've said they'll fund her project.

Oh, that's good.

All she has to do is give a list of

everything she needs to her professor,

and then she'll be able to start.

Well, this doesn't look too horrendous,

assuming we can find suitable premises.

It's essential for us to have somewhere

safe, and somewhere on its own.

Yes, of course. We don't want to make it

easy for nosey parkers to come prying,

do we?

No.

The house I'm renting at the moment

might do. It has a large basement.

Good. We'll look into that, then, shall

we?

Now, Albertine will be reporting to me

at the end, of course.

But, she'll need a supervisor for the

project.

My father will do that.

Hm.

That would be rather unusual, you know.

The fewer outsiders there are, the

better.

Yes. Yes, I suppose so.

Well, I dare say I can persuade the

other members of the board to to agree

to that, so long as I assume final

responsibility.

Good.

That brings us to the question of staff.

Now, you need some good research

assistants.

We can find those.

Well, how would you know where to look?

Chucky will know.

Oh, yes.

Chucky.

Don't worry, Professor. It'll be all

right, I promise you.

Yes, but

They'll be young people like me.

Young people?

You mean children?

That's right.

No.

No, it's simply not possible. I mean,

there cannot be any others like you.

You're an exception.

As she is indeed.

There are others. Not quite as brilliant

maybe, but

No, I'm sorry. I can't agree to that. A

major research project run entirely by

children would be the laughing stock of

the university.

Of the entire academic world.

Oh dear. I don't know what Chocky will

say.

She's um

She's not here now, then?

She can't be with me all the time, you

know. She's with somebody else at the

moment.

Children?

No.

No, I'm sorry. It's just not possible.

I'll tell you what, Professor. Leave it

for now.

Daddy.

Now, don't make up your mind about it

yet.

But come to tea with us on Sunday.

There's someone I'd like you to meet.

Would it be a good idea?

[music]

[music]

[music]

[music]

[applause]

Bravo! Bravo, young man. Very good,

Matthew.

That was super.

I do congratulate you. The oboe's a most

difficult instrument. It must have taken

great dedication to reach such a high

standard.

Not really. I just play for fun.

For fun? Well, your enjoyment certainly

showed.

Yes, indeed.

All the same, you must have put in a lot

of very hard work. How old were you when

you started?

13.

13?

No, that's not possible. You can't be

much more than that now.

No, it was only last year.

It's perfectly true, Professor. I can

vouch for it.

Good heavens, it Well, it must be in the

blood.

Or rather in the genes. Are all your

family such good musicians, young man?

No.

I'm the only one who can really play

anything.

That's amazing.

Such a talent. And you have no idea

where it comes from?

I think we all know that, don't we?

Matthew.

Honestly, it's perfectly simple,

Professor. You remember Chucky?

Chucky? You mean

You, too?

Matthew was the first of Chucky's

children.

Well, I never.

So, this is the person you want to work

with, Aberdeen?

No. Matthew's work is in art. He's going

to New York on a Kennedy scholarship.

Chucky wants me to show people how to

see things properly. I can do that with

my painting.

Uh,

this is all rather too much for me, I'm

afraid.

Chucky's found some others who are

particularly good at maths and science.

They'll be the ones who are helping me.

But, what do we tell people?

How can we explain having these children

here?

Why don't we call it a special research

program into gifted children?

Gifted children?

Yes, yes, I suppose we could do that.

After all, I suppose it would be

basically true.

It would be useful, too, in persuading

the parents to let their children come

to us.

They may not know about Chucky yet.

Gee, this is great. Aren't they cute?

I agree with Mike. This is very nice

here.

Thank you, Su Lin. I'm glad you like

Cambridge.

We got a Cambridge in the States, too,

you know.

Have you? I bet it hasn't got a famous

university like this.

It has, too. It's called Harvard.

That's right. Very fine university.

Really?

Sure, it's just across the river from

Boston, where I come from.

We've got university in Hong Kong. But

it's not so pretty as this.

Not so old, you know?

Nothing is.

Except Oxford, perhaps.

Come on. Let's find [music] an ice

cream.

I hear you lot talking to each other

again.

Sorry, Daddy. Mike was just telling us a

joke.

I think we're going to have to have a

rule. But when there are other people

with you, like me, you always speak out

loud.

But it's so much quicker, Mr. Mayor,

when we only have to think.

Yes, I know. But if you always shut

other people out, they're going to think

it's because you're talking about them,

or saying things you don't want them to

hear.

You mean it could be sort of rude,

right?

Bad manners.

Exactly.

I see.

[laughter]

You're doing it again.

I'm sorry.

We didn't think.

Okay, we agree. No talking or thinking

in front of other people.

Good.

Save it for when you're working.

We promise.

This is the place. [music]

You ready?

Yes?

Ah, morning. You're Albertine Meyer,

aren't you?

Yes, that's right. Who are you?

I'm a reporter from the Daily News. Is

your dad in?

No, I'm afraid he's not.

Oh, what a shame. Well, perhaps I could

have a word with you.

13-year-old child genius Albertine Meyer

Huh?

who astonished the world by coming top

in Cambridge exams after only 1 year,

now has company. The university is

starting a hush-hush research program

into gifted children.

So far, two other child prodigies have

joined Albertine.

Su Lin Chang from Hong Kong

and Mike Harley from Boston, USA.

What do you know? We're famous!

More's the pity.

Wish I knew who tipped them off.

It doesn't matter, Daddy, as long as

they don't know about Chucky and what

we're really doing here.

Hm. I don't like it all the same.

It had jolly well ought to have gotten

to swallow this story, but

Hello, Arnold Meyer?

Ah, Professor.

Yes, I have.

Huh?

I'll uh

I'll come around as soon as I can.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry, but you can't see Professor

Herring.

I'm sorry, sir.

I'm sorry, madam.

I cannot let you through.

Oh, Mr. Meyer.

You're to go straight up, sir, if you

please.

Thank you.

Oh, I did not you, madam, if you don't

mind. And you, lady, no, I'm very sorry.

Well, you might as well. It's all right

here, madam.

Yes?

We're under siege, mayor.

Besieged by doting parents, all of whom

seem to be convinced that their children

are geniuses or genii.

Oh, dear.

The newspaper article?

Precisely. And there was a report on the

wireless this morning, too. They all

want to volunteer their precious brats

for your research into gifted children.

Hello.

No.

No, madam, we're not looking for any

more children.

We have quite enough already.

Yes, thank you.

Goodbye.

What are we to do? I can't just tell

them all that it's not true, can I?

Hardly.

Oh, dear, it really is most

inconvenient.

Why don't you simply ask them to leave

their names, addresses, and particulars

and say you'll be in touch with them?

And what happens when I don't? They'll

all come swarming back again.

I suppose they might.

They do look a pretty determined bunch.

It seemed a good idea.

It was.

It still is.

I never thought for a moment it would

turn out anything like this.

When it comes to clever children, proud

parents can be a menace.

I suppose if the worst comes to the

worst

they want to have their children

assessed.

We'll assess them.

We'll set them an examination, some form

of aptitude and intelligence test.

Yes, which they'll all fail. Excellent,

mayor. We'll get rid of a lot of them.

Unless, of course, there should happen

to be any real geniuses amongst them.

Our work will fall into three parts.

First,

we have to construct an energy

collector, which will gather the energy

from cosmic rays and muons.

Second,

we have to build anti-gravity screens,

which will operate with the energy

collector.

And when we have completed these two,

then I will show you how to harness the

full power of the cosmos.

Why can't you tell us how it works

first?

You would not be able to understand it.

It is very difficult for your human

minds to make the giant leaps to such

new concepts.

That is why no one has discovered it

before now.

I hope we shall be able to do it. It

sounds very hard to me.

And to me.

You will.

I have chosen you three

because you have special minds which are

capable of accepting such changes.

We shall proceed gradually,

step by step.

When we have finished, it will all seem

very obvious to you.

Still sounds like a lot of hard work.

There will be times when your minds will

ache with pain. There will be times when

you feel very tired,

but it will all be worth it.

You will be more famous than your Newton

or Einstein.

But it won't be the same.

They did it all themselves.

Perhaps they did.

And perhaps they didn't.

You mean those guys might have had help?

It is possible, is it not?

But how?

I am here now

helping you.

There could have been others like me

from other civilizations.

Yeah, but people would have known,

wouldn't they, if anybody had landed?

I have not landed.

Yet,

I am here.

Yeah, but we already know about you.

Only because I allowed you to know.

That's right. I didn't know about Chucky

until Matthew told me. I remember I was

very cross at first.

Exactly.

You see,

it is all

in the mind.

Yeah.

I've been kind of wondering, Chucky, how

do you do it? Like, I mean, how do you

make your mind travel?

Yes, could you teach us that? Could we

do it?

You already do.

We do?

How?

With what you call telepathy.

You mean I could project my mind through

space to your home?

No.

The individual human mind is not

powerful enough to do that.

[music]

[music]

[music]

[music]

Oh.

Well, that's a better throw.

And again.

Come on, another one.

You?

No.

Sulin.

No, it's not me.

It's somebody new. He's found somebody.

A new friend.

He's coming through very strong.

Too strong, it hurts.

Hey, man, wherever you are, cool it.

For Pete's sake, cool it.

Mhm.