Original subtitles

Look at those crazy kids.

One headlight.

They're mine.

I'll see you, Sam.

Okay.

Let's see your license.

What'd we do?

Get out and I'll show you. Leave your lights on.

We were only going 30 miles an hour.

I mean, we were both watching here.

Out.

That'll cost you.

You're careful

and you try to drive like an old lady

and get stopped for a headlight.

What's that?

Oh, it's nothing.

Look, officer, please... Open it.

Listen, it's a girl.

It's a nice girl and she just...

she got a little oiled up at the beach

and, I mean, we're going to be

in enough hot water with her old man

as it is, you know?

I said open it.

Okay.

What is it?

What is it?!

Starring Roy Thinnes as architect David Vincent.

The Invaders...

alien beings from a dying planet.

Their destination... The Earth.

Their purpose... to make it their world.

David Vincent has seen them.

For him, it began one lost night

on a lonely country road

looking for a shortcut that he never found.

It began with a closed, deserted diner

and a man too long without sleep

to continue his journey.

It began with the landing of a craft from another galaxy.

Now, David Vincent knows that the invaders are here.

That they've taken human form.

Somehow, he must convince a disbelieving world

that the nightmare has already begun.

The guest stars in tonight's story:

John Larch

Carol Rossen

Frank Overton.

A police officer has seen something so terrifying

that he had been driven to hysteria

and from hysteria to the thin edge of madness.

His incoherent words describing a creature not of this world

and a strange metallic disc bring David Vincent

to this Rhode island city

and Officer Hal Corman.

But why can't I stay with him and talk to him?

You're his psychiatrist...

Believe me, he won't respond, Mrs. Corman, even if he hears you.

His mind has put up a barrier

to shut out whatever happened to him.

Now we have to find a way to reach through that barrier

to bring him back to reality

without frightening him

without driving him deeper into himself.

How?

Well, we can't do it here.

We don't have the facilities.

I have papers for you to sign that will give us permission

to take him where he'll get the help he needs.

No. I won't let him go to one of those places.

Joan...

Joan, you have to.

For Hal's sake, you do.

All right. Do what you have to do.

We'll go to my office.

You'd better stay here, Lieutenant.

She needs someone to blame.

Just be patient.

I'll wait for her down the hall.

Hello. Yes?

A friend of mine Sergeant Hal Corman

was brought in last night.

Is he allowed visitors?

No, I'm afraid not.

You think I could see his doctor for a moment?

Pardon me.

I'd like to talk to you, please...

over here.

Name?

David Vincent.

Identification.

Where were you last night, Mr. Vincent?

Here's an airplane ticket.

Flight 402 this morning.

What's this all about?

One man knows what happened to Hal Corman...

What he really saw.

That's the man driving that station wagon

on the beach road last night.

I'm going to find that man.

You're looking in the wrong place.

Why would he come here?

Why did you come here?

I know most of Hal's friends.

I've never seen you before.

Well, let's just say I'm interested.

The driver of that wagon would be, too.

Tell you what, Mr. Vincent. I'm going to hang on to this

till I check with the airline.

Where are you staying?

The Shoreham.

Okay.

You'll hear from me.

Oh, Joan, let me take you home.

Thank you.

I can get home.

I want to help Hal.

Look, will you do me a favor

and not help him anymore?

Just leave him alone.

Joan, I told you how sorry I am.

It's a little late for apologies.

If it hadn't been for you...

if you hadn't talked Hal...

Joan, do we have to rehash that again?

Why, Greg, what's wrong?

Six months ago, you were so proud.

You and your protégé were going

to take this town apart, clean it up

and to heck with the city hall boys.

Nothing happened to you, Greg

nothing at all, but Hal lost everything...

His rank, his future.

Now... Now... blame me.

If it hadn't been for you, he wouldn't have been

on that beach patrol last night.

He'd have been at a desk at the precinct.

You can run away from it, Greg, but you can't change the truth.

Yes?

Mrs. Corman?

I'd like to talk to you about your husband.

Haven't you people written enough about him?

Why can't you just...?

I'm not a reporter.

My name is David Vincent.

Now, your husband had an experience

that I might know something about.

If I could talk to him,

maybe I could help him and myself.

What kind of an experience?

Could I have five minutes to talk to you?

Please?

All right.

This doesn't make sense.

What's it supposed to mean?

Just what it says.

David Vincent's some kind of a kook.

Claims that aliens from outer space

are trying to take over the earth

and he was on flight 402 this morning.

Hello.

Yes.

Uh-huh.

Uh, just a minute, please.

Hey, Greg, Dr. Grayson.

Says Joan Corman's brought this Vincent guy

over to the hospital.

Dr. Grayson?

Lieutenant, you'd better get down here.

Yes, this Vincent's with her now.

If I don't let him see her husband,

she'll have him taken out of my care.

Well, can she do that?

Well, of course, she can do it.

She committed him voluntarily.

Well, if nobody stops her,

I will not be responsible for what happens.

Oh, uh, if the Captain asks for me,

you don't know where I am.

Uh, Greg, wait a second, will you?

You know,

if it hadn't been for the Captain,

you'd have been busted just like Hal was.

Now, you going to keep on operating like a one-man army,

and you're going to wind up without a job,

without a pension... with exactly nothing.

Yeah.

Joan;

Why can't you get it through your head?

You've read the report

and he doesn't even deny it.

I don't care what the report says about me.

The facts behind it are true.

That's why I'm here.

Mrs. Corman,

we know little enough about the human mind.

This man knows nothing.

One wrong word

and he can push your husband so far into his own world

that we'll never be able to reach him.

And one right word and Hal might come back to me.

Can you guarantee me that much?

I'm not going to argue with you anymore.

Do we see my husband or do I take him out of your care?

Hal, we're going to help you.

Please help us.

Do you understand?

Hal, you, uh... you don't know me...

but I think we have something in common.

We may have been through the same kind of experience.

Hal, try to remember the metal disc...

the metal disc you talked about last night...

a metal unknown to us.

Warm, very warm.

And when it touched you, it began vibrating.

Someone held this disc in the palm of his hand

and tried to press it against your neck.

Is that what happened?

It's all right, Hal.

Now, if that's what happened, you're not alone.

I've seen it, too.

Now, Hal, try to remember...

You saw something last night.

What was it?

What did you see?

What was it, Hal?

Hal!

Now all of you get out!

Hal!

I said get out!

He heard.

I know that he heard. What happened?

Hal! Hal!

Push that buzzer by the door and get out!

Vincent!

Boy, I should have filed some charge against you.

Stopped you before this happened.

I got through to him.

Sure, sure.

Tricks. What kind of a crackpot are you?

What do you want?

The truth and I found it.

It's up to you to dig up a lead on that station wagon.

Until I find something to book you on,

I'm gonna stay right on your neck.

Fine, I might appreciate that later on,

but you better put a guard on Hal Corman.

You're out of your mind.

I got through to him.

If it happens again... If he talks...

His life's not worth a cent.

Do you understand that?

He's seen them.

They can't afford to have him talk.

You've got to guard him.

I want you out of here now.

Lieutenant, that metal disc he saw...

all they need is one minute alone with him in that room

and he's gone.

It'll look like a cerebral hemorrhage.

And they'll do this?

I know what I'm talking about.

Go on back to your hotel and wait.

I'm not done with you.

Even if you don't believe me, you better put a guard on him.

David Vincent? Yes.

You'd better come with me to the station.

Why?

Hal Corman is dead.

How?

Cerebral hemorrhage.

Straight ahead.

Hey!

What's going on?

Look, I want this whole area clear.

But it's my hotel.

Those were shots. What happened?

Shots? Uh... no.

A can of gas went up, that's all.

Look, I want them all out of here

till I check the damage.

Now, come on, will you?

All right, folks, back upstairs.

Nothing here now.

Just go back upstairs, nothing to worry about.

It's all clear.

You okay?

Yeah, I'll be all right.

All right, then would you mind telling me

what I saw happen a couple of minutes ago?

Well, you told them... A can of gas went up.

Don't be funny, Vincent.

You know what you saw.

What you want to believe is up to you.

What we have to find out is what Hal Corman saw.

This is the car.

Well?

Who was that man I shot?

It wasn't a man.

Well, you have a report on me... A complete file.

You know what I've been tracking down...

Invaders from another planet.

You just saw one die.

I found this in the front seat.

A ticket stub for the Ninth Street ferry.

It's stamped last night.

We can trace it.

While you're at it, the owner of the car...

Female, 28... Selene Lowell.

And thank you, Lieutenant.

I said I'd be glad you were on my neck.

I was.

I came here to pick you up after Hal died.

He didn't just die.

He was murdered.

Well, I'd better stop by the station,

have them check the stub and pick up the wagon.

Selene Lowell, huh?

Oh, Vincent...

now, remember, this is police business

and I'm probably sticking my neck out

by letting you in on it... so don't louse me up, huh?

Oh, pardon me, can you tell me

where I can find Miss Lowell?

You go all the way around the bend,

take your first exit to the right.

She's outside by the fish tank.

I am not hysterical!

You're tired... we all are...

But there is nothing wrong.

Ken, please.

Are you so afraid if I say anything to the police

about Dr. Lanier's disappearance...

If it gets into the papers...

That it'll jeopardize your precious grant?

Selene... now...

just give me a chance to check.

Are you Miss Lowell?

Yes.

I'm Lieutenant Lucather and this is Mr. Vincent.

Excuse me.

Now, you said on the phone

that you found my station wagon.

Where was it?

You mean you didn't even know it was missing?

Well, no.

Everybody uses it.

The keys are always in the ignition.

Well, then somebody here could have been driving it yesterday.

Oh, absolutely not. No.

Miss Lowell, we have proof that the car was used last night...

A ticket stub for the Ninth Street ferryboat.

Oh, please, what aren't you telling me?

What happened to him?

Who, Miss Lowell?

Well, I said I wouldn't say anything,

but I guess I have to.

Dr. Lanier is missing.

He's the head of the Sea Lab.

Last night while we were working, he felt ill.

He went home.

This morning I checked... We live in the same building...

But, uh, there was no answer.

Well, all right, Miss Lowell, after we finish here,

why don't we go down to headquarters.

Then you can give us

a complete rundown on Lanier.

All right, I-I hope I can be of some help.

Well, if you'll come with me.

Ken... that is, Dr. Harrison...

Is not going to be very happy that I mentioned anything to...

That feeding should've been done two hours ago.

Everything's been off schedule for weeks around here.

Are you trying to meet a deadline?

Trying, but I don't know whether we're going to make it.

Well, that's why it's so unreasonable

for Dr. Lanier to have gone.

Well, that new wing has got to be finished in...

for some kind of a meeting next week.

If this, uh, kind of work you're doing isn't secret,

would you mind telling me about it?

Well, if you weren't policemen, I'd say no,

but, uh... well, maybe you'll see

why we're under such strict orders about publicity.

Publicity.

Now, that is something

that we didn't even have to worry about

under our last director

and then he had a heart attack and Dr. Lanier took over the lab

and everything changed... Everything.

Ken and I are the only ones that are left from the old staff

and Ken...

Uh, let me... show you something.

Do you know what that is?

No... but whatever it is, you can have it.

It's life...

created life.

Dr. Lanier has had Ken experimenting

with primordial conditions...

The way the earth was when lightning hit the sea

and first life was born.

We've been duplicating these conditions

by sending electricity

through a mixture of sea water,

amino acids and other compounds

we know were in the sea then.

This is only on a very small scale.

Now I'll show you

what our grant's giving us the money to do.

This is the new wing.

Dr. Harrison is over there.

Mind if I wander around a bit?

I guess it's all right.

The size of that cable, you could light a whole city.

Yeah, I guess you could.

You need all that power?

You have your own generators.

Well, I don't work here, pal.

I'm just with the power company.

You'll have to ask one of the brains there.

I'm sorry to be so abrupt, Lieutenant,

but I just don't have the time.

Ken, I'm going to headquarters

with Lieutenant Lucather and Mr. Vincent.

I'll be back.

Selene, I wish you...

Don't worry about coming back.

We, uh, we're not going to work late tonight.

I'll call you when we find out what's wrong.

Sorry I couldn't be more help, Lieutenant.

Thanks, anyway.

Naturally, I wish Selene hadn't involved the police,

but she was right to be concerned.

I've been afraid that Dr. Lanier

was pushing himself too hard.

The strain of rushing to get the lab ready may have been too much.

And instead of worrying about Dr. Lanier,

all I did was worry about publicity.

You know, I should go down to headquarters.

There might be something I can tell the police

that would help find him.

No, Ken.

Your place is here.

Without the knowledge he gave you,

without your skill, he's lost, Ken.

He needs you.

He told you about the meeting next week.

Those coming to that meeting... my people...

Will not be able to reach their goal without his contribution.

He's the key.

Do you understand, Ken?

If we lose Lanier... His scientific genius...

Our timetable for this planet

will be set back months, years...

That's why we came to this laboratory,

why we put in the new wing.

For him, Ken.

For him.

What does he want me to do?

He wants you to bring him back

to give him human form again.

No, I'm sorry, but he hasn't come back yet.

Well, sure, I'll have him call you the minute he comes in.

Right. Uh, wait a second.

Oh, he just walked in.

Greg, it's Joan Corman.

It's the second time she's called.

Thanks.

Yeah, Joan, what is it?

What's the matter?

Now, look, Joan, just take it easy, now.

What?

Where, Joan?

Where did they come from?

All right, look, you... you just take it easy.

Stay where you are.

I'll get back to you as soon as I can, okay?

She's at home, half out of her mind.

She'd been trying to reach me for hours.

She's just given us the lead we've been looking for.

Just before he died,

Hal told her where to find the people

responsible for his murder.

Now, wait a minute. He told her?

Yeah.

There's a warehouse across the river... Allyson Street...

Just one block from the Ninth Street ferry.

The one we found the ticket for?

That's right.

Wait a minute, now.

A man in deep shock,

so deep that he blocks out the whole world,

comes to just long enough

to give you the exact information you need, right?

Yeah.

Huh? And his wife comes to you with the information...

The woman who considers you

responsible for her husband's death.

Now, come off it, Vincent!

It's a trap.

Trap? That was Joan Corman!

Check it out.

I don't have to. I know her.

It was Joan!

It could be one of them.

It's not hard for them to duplicate her voice.

Now, if you go, you could... I have to go!

If it hadn't been for me and my stinking crusade,

Hal wouldn't have been on the beach that night.

Mrs. Corman, please.

Are you sure about that?

No, no. Thank you.

That was Mrs. Corman's landlady.

She left town an hour ago.

She went to see her husband's relatives in Illinois.

Do you know where that warehouse is?

Yes, I could see it from the dock

when I took Dr. Lanier to the ferry.

Now, wait a minute.

Do you mean to tell me, you were in that station wagon?

No, not last night.

It was... it was a week ago.

Dr. Lanier was feeling sick just like he felt last night

and... he begged me to get him to the ferry.

He said that his doctor was somewhere across the river.

I know I should have said something,

but, well, the way everyone's been acting,

you know, nothing's made any sense.

Mr. Vincent, what's happened?

Sergeant, I need some help.

What kind of help, Mr. Vincent?

Lieutenant Lucather is in danger, grave danger.

Oh, he sure is.

When the Captain gets through with him,

he's going to think it's danger.

This is no joke.

Oh, look, pal... All the Lieutenant told me

when he called in was to turn the girl's wagon over to her.

He didn't say anything to me

about listening to your nightmares.

Now, the wagon's outside and the keys are in it.

Do me a favor, will you?

Be my guest.

Show me where that warehouse is.

Dr. Harrison, the only way

I can get you that much current

is to change every relay at the power station.

That means to suck all the electricity

from the border to here right through that line.

Now, that would blow every transformer in the city.

Ken?

One burst of power.

I must have it.

Yes, but if the power system blows...

Then... then our generators can take over.

Go over to the power company.

Do it.

Now.

We're too late to catch the last ferry.

Is there another way across?

There's a bridge about a half mile down.

Uh... Mr. Vincent, I don't know what's going on

and I think I'm entitled to some explanation.

Well, I wonder whose explanation

you'll believe... Mine or Dr. Lanier's.

Try me.

All right.

We're being invaded by beings from another world.

I believe they've already

taken over the Sea Lab.

We're ready, Dr. Lanier.

Ken.

Yes.

Now.

Mr. Vincent... Give me five minutes.

Either you're out of your mind

or, if everything you've said is true,

we should be going for the police.

Just five minutes.

You...

come with me.

For what it's worth,

I apologize.

Now you know.

What's that supposed to be?

This is a regeneration station

to keep themselves in a human form

and to get rid of us.

Without leaving a mark or a trace,

they can induce a simple heart attack.

Hold it.

Over there.

Give me full force.

The Sea Lab... quick!

What were those shots?

Just keep driving.

It looks like every light in the city is out.

Well, those power lines I saw at the Sea Lab

could draw enough current

to black out a city twice this size.

But those lines weren't connected.

The lab isn't even operating.

They have their own generators.

Maybe they have to develop

something more important than a handful of jelly.

What are you talking about?

Dr. Lanier was sick last night.

A station wagon picked him up...

Took him to that regeneration station.

The ticket stub proves that much.

Well, something must have gone wrong because,

usually, when regeneration fails,

they die and they burn up,

but suppose something else started to happen.

Like what?

Well, suppose he started to slip back.

Suppose he was losing his human form

and the regeneration tubes didn't work.

Look, Hal saw something that was so terrifying

that it drove him mad

and that something has been at the Sea Lab all day.

Dr. Lanier?

Dr. Lanier.

Hold the level.

Hold it.

That meeting next week must be very important.

So must Dr. Lanier

or they wouldn't risk blacking out a whole city.

Yes, but I don't understand.

Ken wouldn't work with him... I know that.

Well, he may have no choice.

They might be controlling him.

It's working, Ken.

What do we need now?

Ken.

Nothing but time...

nothing but time.

10 minutes.

10 minutes!

Is there another way in?

There's a door behind the control room.

The stairway inside

leads directly to the new wing.

Distract that guard long enough for us to get in that door.

Yes, but the whole staff might...

Just let us get inside that door. Go on.

One thing, Vincent...

what happens when we get inside?

If I'm right, you make a quick phone call

and become a hero back at headquarters.

And if you're wrong?

Do you know where a 51-year-old ex-cop can get a job?

Jimmy...

what are you doing around so late?

Just waiting for my ride, Miss Lowell.

Oh, well, why don't you come with me?

I'll drop you off as soon as I get Ken.

No matter what he said, I know he's still working.

No, he isn't, Miss Lowell.

He left a while ago.

Well, I'm glad to hear that.

Well, you can just push yourself so far, can't you?

You sure you don't want a ride?

No, thanks, Miss Lowell, I'll wait.

Okay

I'll see you tomorrow morning.

You wanted to meet Dr. Lanier?

There he is.

Grayson!

Now you know who killed Hal Corman.

Make your call.

The salinity level... Raise it! Raise it!

Doctor...

I told you to forget about Miss Lowell.

You're distracting him.

Andy? Greg.

Let me talk to the Captain.

Open it.

Get them out of here.

Get them out of here!

It's all right, Ken.

No guns, no noise.

Cut the generators.

Cut the generators.

Kill him.

Don't, Ken!

You must... for Dr. Lanier!

Please!

You'll be needing this.

Oh, the return flight isn't marked on it.

I'll be leaving in an hour.

Now, are you sure

you don't want me to go with you to the FBI?

No, I'm not going there.

Why not?

I mean, after all this.

How is she?

Well, uh...

she's asleep again... Having bad dreams, though.

They think she'll have them for a while.

What did the doctor say?

Well, the doctor called it a small breakdown.

She'll be here for a couple of months.

Well... now, if you'll excuse me, I...

I think I'll go home and get some rest myself.

Will you ever tell him what happened?

What good would it do?

Now, look, David, she's had a breakdown

and he can't remember anything,

but you still got me.

I'm willing to stick my neck out.

You'd only regret it.

The only proof we have is that fire at the Sea Lab.

Now the power company says that was due to a faulty relay.

How about some coffee?

Why not?

If I'm late again...

well, I'm in trouble with the Captain anyway,

but my conscience is clear.

I did what I had to do.

I found out what happened to Hal

and maybe I found out a little more than that.

Coffee sounds good.

One cup of coffee, a few stolen minutes,

a last small gesture of defiance

for a crusader who fought and won a crusade

and knows he can never claim the victory.

---oOo---