Original subtitles

- It's okay, we will get help soon.

We are coming to the main road.

Try to hold on.

The burn, we'll get it fixed.

Chris, watch it, Chris!

Chris!

You'll kill us!

Chris!

- What the devil you playing at?

Are you trying to commit suicide or something?

- If there is, I couldn't overcome it.

Is he all right?

- Oh probably just stunned.

What happened to his face?

- That's what made him delirious.

He was burned.

- When did this happen?

- About an hour ago.

We've been driving ever since.

- Better have that looked at.

I have never seen a burn like that.

- What should I do for the doctor?

- Are these what burned him?

- Yes.

We were on our way to Willingdon Flats for a picnic.

There used to be a little village there last year,

but the government must have pulled it down or something.

We stopped to turn 'round

and we heard a noise like falling and Chris noticed...

- Falling?

- And when I found him, he was like this.

- These are nothing but pieces of stone.

They couldn't burn anybody.

- They burned him, mister.

- He'll be all right.

- Chris, darling.

- Let's get this back on the road.

Take the wheel, will ya?

Come on, push.

- Chris!

- Probably suffering from shock.

- That's how he was in the car.

- Better get you two into my car.

- No, I can manage.

Just take him and have a look at the car.

- There's scores of them coming down.

What are they?

Meteorites?

- Meteorites give a strong trace as soon

as they strike the atmosphere.

These are different.

- Well, what are they?

- Whatever they are,

they are coming in low and slow.

You still holding yours?

- Uh-huh.

Soon as one lot fades there're more.

- Traces are getting fainter.

Yours too?

- Yes, mine have gone.

What do you make of it?

- A sudden fade out.

Two possibilities.

One, the scanner up there.

- You think that's likely?

- We've modified it and reset it so much

in the last few days that it's probably a bit liverish.

Spots before the eyes, so to speak.

- And the other?

- If those things were real,

we lost them because they reached the ground.

- How far do you make it?

- 90 to 100 miles north of here.

Somewhere in that area, land or sea.

- It's pretty rough country there.

Over moorland, marsh.

- We'll reset the scanner two degrees lower

and then make a complete circuit.

- Check.

- What's going on here?

- Oh, hello Quatermass.

- Who reset that scanner?

What's it doing at that low level?

- Well, were making some tests, sir.

- Gentleman, the observatory

like everything else on this base

was built for one test only.

I'll not see it used for any other purpose.

- We happened to pick up some rather curious echoes...

- I'm not interested in echo's, Brand,

neither am I interested in a skilled man

like Marsh spending half the night on one year pet projects.

- That's quite unfair.

- I wanted to stay, sir...

- You had no right to.

In the morning you may be half awake.

- Have I ever let you down on the job before?

- Tomorrow, you may not have a job.

In fact none of us may have a job.

You want to do something useful,

have these stones classified and entered.

They may be meteorites.

- Yes, sir.

- I take it you had a difficult day in London.

I'm sorry.

I had no right to jump on you like that.

- What happened at the Ministry?

- Moon Project, may it rest in peace.

- Why?

- They are giving us no more money.

- No more money, but didn't you explain?

- Try and justify this to a committee

of white hall bureaucrats.

Steel domes where men can live in artificial atmosphere,

beings alive in a totally dead world.

50 rockets to take components up there,

solar mirrors, producer units, pressure domes.

I couldn't go that far Brand.

They just stuck the current cost.

You know what they said?

"To date you spent a lot of money

"on a rocket that isn't even safe to launch.

"At the moment we have projects of far more importance."

Importance.

Brand, isn't it important enough

to be the first to build a colony on the moon

and to get men there, against all odds?

These are for tomorrow.

I'm going back to school again in the morning.

- School?

- That's what they told me, Brand.

Go Back and study atomic theory again.

Find out where I went wrong,

without spending money.

- What did you say?

- I felt like saying find yourself another director

for your rocket group, I quit.

If I had any pride, that's exactly what I would have done.

- They must know we will get it right.

We only need a few months

to design and assemble a new reactor, order a new coolant.

- Have Hersh get this off first thing.

Tell them I am coming over.

- The Atomic Center?

- Yes, telling the Gentlemen of Harwell

I'm coming back to school, tomorrow.

- This is ludicrous.

- Nevertheless I'm willing to do it.

I'll play the game their way for the time being.

Anything to keep this together.

Can you still bear to look at it?

The sum total of our achievement up to now,

one rocket, crewless, untried.

- Because we dare'nt try.

- Were not sure of that, Brand

- Not sure of that!

That nuclear motor is as faulty as...

- Were not sure of that.

- Listen, Quatermass.

Give them that story, but don't try it on me.

We know that as soon as that thing left the Earth,

we would be stoking up an atomic bomb.

- We could send it up without a crew

by remote control.

- If you did you'd never dare bring it back to Earth.

- I intend to correct that fault.

I'm going to send it up there and bring it back,

not once but 100 times.

You better go and get some sleep.

I'm going down to the rocket base.

- Yes?

Right, yes immediately.

Joan, 'cross to the canteen and get some coffee.

Mr. Quatermass is coming up from the launching bay form.

Better make it three though, they'll all want some.

I'll finish this.

- The old man checked in yet?

- Checked in?

Can't be.

He has been at the launching base all night.

- I want to see him urgently the moment he gets back.

Oh sir, could you come along to the observatory?

- Did you get through to Harwell?

- Yes.

12:30 all right?

- I'd like some coffee.

- It's on its way.

- Ah sir, about that meteorite.

- What about it?

- Well, I found out it's got a definite shape, sir.

- Where did you get this, Quatermass?

- It's supposed to fallen about 90 miles away from here.

Why?

- New one on me, sir.

We don't have this substance classified at all.

- Furthermore, it's symmetric...

- And hollow.

- Probably some pieces missing.

- No, sir.

Inside's symmetric too.

- When did this fall?

- Last night.

I had a near accident.

A couple of kids, they said they picked it up.

- Those traces we had on the screen last night.

- That's right, they were about 90 miles away.

- You plotted them?

- They didn't give the same signal, those meteorites.

- It's only an estimate sir, but that's the rough area.

- They came in low and slow and then we lost them.

Probably because they hit the ground.

- Willingdon Flats!

- What's that?

- The girl said Willingdon Flats.

- What girl?

- Marsh, get the car.

- Well, don't you think you ought to get some sleep?

- Get the car.

- I don't want to seem dense, sir, but I don't understand.

- I don't understand either, Brand,

that's why I want to have a look at Willingdon Flats.

I want you to make me a reconstruction

of the shape of this thing

before it hit the atmosphere of the earth.

- Yes, sir.

You can't find it on the map, look in the AA book.

- No, here it is, Willingdon Flats

- Okay, give me the road number.

- Well, you take the Carlisle road.

It shouldn't be more than four or five miles now.

- Do we stay on this road?

- Yeah, I'm afraid so.

It's all there is.

- Hey!

What's that?

New road.

- It's not shown on the map.

Should we take it?

- We've no choice.

Government property sign.

- Maybe we struck a rival project.

There has been a lot of traffic here.

Heavy stuff by the tire marks.

- Probably construction trucks.

- There's another road.

No more road blocks.

Well, that's funny!

We have a road leading to nowhere.

- Hey, wait a minute, don't walk on that stuff.

- What?

- It might be mined, anything.

We'll go back and try the right fork.

You game?

- Sure.

What happened, sir?

Is anything,

oh, no!

- The Moon project!

- It's unbelievable.

- We're wrong.

We must be.

- But there's domes.

- Coincidence of shapes.

Must be an explanation.

- But in so many details.

What's all this debris?

Do you think,

do you think this could be the village that disappeared?

- Willingdon Flats.

Whatever it was it has been fairly well flattened.

- Hey, look.

Look on the ground.

Look everywhere.

They're all around us.

Pieces of meteorite.

And there the same.

They are exactly the same as the one we've got.

- Some of these must have been here for months,

they're crumbling.

- Well, this one's quite recently broken.

- I wonder if that's meant for us?

Perhaps we better go and explain ourselves.

- Hey, look at this, sir!

Look at this!

I think this,

I think this is a whole one.

Yes, it is.

It's exactly the same odd shape as the other.

It isn't even cracked.

It's...

- What is it?

- That's funny.

I thought I felt a sort of...

- Put it down.

- A sort of vibration.

- Marsh, Your face.

There's something on your face.

Are you all right?

Let me take a look.

You know for a moment,

I could have sworn I saw something like a big black bubble.

Marsh!

You got a lung full of gas.

Try and stand up.

Here, lean on me.

This man is sick.

If you just help me get him back to the car...

He's in urgent need of medical attention.

He was examining something right there.

You know what these things are?

What they do to...

Who are you?

And what's this?

What is this place?

Where are you taking him?

Wait a minute!

I got to go with him.

I got to explain.

- Go!

Go now.

- Excuse me,

where can I find the police?

- Police?

Have you been in accident or something?

- Please, this is urgent.

Where is the nearest police station?

- It's at Frawly, about 15 miles further on.

- 15 miles?

You mean there aren't any police here?

- Only the camp committee.

They do everything around here.

- Where can I find Them?

- Community center.

First on the left, and then it's on the right.

- Thank you.

- Signed, et cetera, et cetera.

- Tea and sandwiches.

- Yes, please.

- Is this the camp committee?

- I'm the secretary.

Could I help you?

- They tell me you have no police here.

- The Police!

What do you know?

We don't need them.

We are law abiding community.

Oh goodness me.

- That's right, Mr. Dorg.

- We handle any little problem.

- All right then tell me,

what's that place just over the hill?

- Over the hill?

- That mill, that factory, plant, whatever it is.

Just about five miles from here.

With the big steel domes.

What do they make there?

What's its purpose?

- They're lot of questions you're asking.

- They're perfectly simple questions.

- Are they?

Our people are working on this project, mister.

Their construction workers build it and getting good money.

In return we ought to keep our mouths shut,

same as in war time, see?

- Now, listen.

I just drove near that place...

- Why?

Didn't you see...

- My companion was suddenly affected.

Well, he was taken ill.

Before I could get him out of there,

the guards from that plant came and arrested him.

- Guards?

Goodness to have trouble with the guards?

- One of them took a swipe at me with his rifle.

- Well then, you shouldn't have been there.

- Listen, my friend's life may be in danger.

He may need skilled help.

- He'll get that in the plant.

- Well, they have got everything there.

- Let's make sure.

Get me the police station at Frawly.

- No.

That won't do no good.

- We'll find out.

- Go and talk to them if you like, but not from here.

- Police can't do anything.

- She's right.

They wouldn't touch it.

- Is that so?

- The guards.

- Shouldn't have gone.

Hello?

No, sorry.

It was a mistake.

- Good evening.

This an unfortunate business.

- The sergeant told you what happened.

- He did.

Your friend was arrested by security guards.

If he was trespassing,

I'm afraid they were within their rights.

- Am I to understand that you flatly refuse

to do anything about this?

- I don't know what you mean by flatly refuse, sir.

As I see it you ran into an experimental project

you don't understand, in a place you've no right to be.

- What is that place?

- I have no idea either sir,

except that it is top secret

and we have strict orders about it.

- From whom?

- From White Hall.

- And you're telling me,

that nothing is to be done about what happened there.

- Well, what do you want me to do, sir?

Are you bringing charges of assault?

- Yes, If that will get some action.

- Very well then.

I'll send your report to the chief constable.

He'll have to put it through London.

- Forget it.

I'll shortcut back!

- Oh, Mr. Quatermass, Harwell called to know...

- Where's Dr. Brand?

- In the observatory.

But there are several notes here,

I think you will want to look at.

- Tomorrow!

Brand!

- There's been more traces about an hour ago.

A few are faint but in the same direction.

- I want you to organize all the help you need.

Picture 24 hour guard.

- What happened?

- Do it now!

- Kelly, get Michaels and Peterson.

Get them over here right away.

- I think they'll have gone by now.

- Strictest orders.

This is urgent.

- We found the place where the things have been falling.

The whole area is littered with fragments of them.

They look like meteorite, but they're not.

- So what are they?

- They're some form of container.

Marsh found a whole one.

When he picked it up, it burst in his face.

- What was inside?

- Ammonia gas, and something else.

Something alive.

Just for a second, I saw it on his face.

Then it was gone.

But the mark was there,

and then the guards came and took him away.

- Guards?

What guards?

- I'm sorry.

I guess I'm not making...

- Where is this place?

- It was Willingdon Flats

and there's something else there, Brand.

The moon project.

- The moon project?

Now wait a minute.

- It was there at Willingdon Flats.

The moon project and all its essentials.

A colony of steel pressure domes, hundreds of feet high.

I saw it.

Marsh saw it.

- Where is Marsh?

- He's in that place.

The guards took him there.

And that mark.

It was on their faces too.

- What did you do?

- I went to the police.

- And?

- Brand, the police won't act.

- You told them all about this?

- I told them all they were capable of believing.

Tomorrow I will go to London, take it to the top level.

- You'll probably find some simple explanation

we haven't even thought of.

- I hope that's it.

I hope it is because if it isn't,

I think we are on the verge of something so, so ugly...

Yes, what is it?

- Mr. Peterson and Mr. Michaels are coming right over.

- Oh, thanks, Kelly.

- Do you want me to stay too?

- No, thank you.

Just organize some more coffee before you leave.

- Of course.

- It isn't credible.

Brand, it just isn't credible.

- Better handle it gently

till the plaster hardens sir.

- How much of this is guess work?

- Hardly any, sir.

It's worked out for mineral stresses.

- Brand.

- Coming.

- I want a half dozen more of these models

for wind tunnel tests.

Have them made in the shop as soon as you can.

- Yes, sir.

- Original shape.

- They're aerodynamic.

- If an object like that

were to approach the earth's atmosphere

at the correct angle,

it might lose speed in braking ellipses

and land relatively slowly.

Same principal as rocket descent.

- It implies a great deal.

- Knowledge, mathematics, precise planning, intelligence.

- Dr. Brand!

There are more traces coming in.

- Right.

I'm going to try something different.

We'll have to adjust the radio telescope

to a completely new setting for long range.

- That means resetting half the circuits.

- I'll work on that now.

- All right, come and take Raffles away.

Well sir, this is an unexpected pleasure.

- Lomax.

- Is it found, sir?

- No, not yet Harry.

So there is still time for good behavior.

- All right sergeant, let him ruminate a bit longer.

- Off you go, Harry.

- I could sue the police for wrongful arrest.

- Very good idea.

Sorry sir, a bit of my homework.

Well, sir, it has been a while since we met.

Last time you brought me more trouble

than I have known before or since.

- Inspector!

- Sit down, sir.

Make yourself comfortable.

Have a cigarette.

- No, thank you.

- Funny, I was only saying to the wife the other day...

- Inspector!

Just how much do you know

about a place called Willingdon Flats?

What's going on there?

What's it's purpose?

- I thought better of you, spoiling a beautiful friendship.

- What do you mean?

- You must know as well as I do that Willingdon Flats

is top secret.

- Secret!

You put a label like that on anything

and law and order go out the window, is that it?

- Now look here, sir, it's your little habit

to ride rough shod over everything and...

- These are pieces of an object found near Willingdon Flats.

- When the stone broke up, suppose a bit of it hit Marsh.

The mark on his face might have been a cut.

- It wasn't.

- All right, but that place should be harmless enough.

- Then you do know what it is.

- Yes, sir?

- Green Park 4394, Mr. Vincent Broadhead.

- Who's he?

- I only know him slightly.

Member of parliament.

He's been trying to force public inquiry

about Willingdon Flats.

Maybe you should talk to him.

- Will he tell me what the place is?

- It's a government project to make synthetic food.

- Synthetic Food?

With guards and guns?

- They must think it's worth guarding.

Hello?

Mr. Broadhead, Inspector Lomax sir.

I have someone here who you might like to meet.

He has some rather curious information

about a certain establishment.

Are you dependable, sir?

- What?

- Quite dependable.

In an hour at the House of Commons.

Yep.

Yes, he'll be there.

Quatermass.

That's right.

Not at all, sir.

You realize of course

that if anyone else had told me this yarn...

- Broadhead.

- Thank you, inspector.

All I ask, Mr. Broadhead,

is to break through this wall of secrecy.

- Me too, Mr Quatermass, but let me tell you this.

There is a reason for this secrecy.

Willingdon Flats is a blunder.

The biggest blunder

that's been with public money

and they're trying to cover it up.

- Even to the extent of armed guards arresting sick men?

- Ah, that's a good point.

I will try and deal with that.

- Do we know it's synthetic food?

Do we know what they are doing down there?

- We don't know anything.

That's what I'm belly aching about.

Oh yes, for years we've known a group

of scientists has been working down at Willingdon Flats.

But that was just a couple of tin huts

and a pinhole in the budget.

But suddenly bingo, they've got it,

and asking for millions and getting them too.

- When did all this start?

- About two years ago.

Now there is a mad rush to get a production plant built.

Tremendous insane costs.

And now I gather they're ready to go

into production to beat the world.

But they got to prove that to Vinny Broadhead.

Because I'll turn out

that there's something wrong, Quatermass.

Something very wrong.

- What?

- Take a look out at the Thames.

What you see?

Boats, barges, tugs.

All that's missing.

There's no distribution center

set up for this synthetic food.

None.

No sales organization.

Nothing at all.

Well that's what I've found out.

- Mr. Broadhead, Whether you believe

all the things I've told you or not

you have just got help me get into that place.

- Help You?

For months I've been trying help myself.

The pass has only just coming through this morning.

The ministry chap should be here by now.

- You're going inside the plant?

- Yes, this afternoon.

And don't think they won't be sorry to let me.

They may fool the others but not Vinny Broadhead.

- There have been others?

- Oh yes.

Parties going down to inspect it.

- Were they people you knew?

- Aye, some of them.

You're thinking something happened to them.

No lad, they turned up again.

- Did they say what they had seen?

- No, they wouldn't talk about it.

- Isn't that strange in itself?

- No, no, no!

They had the wool pulled over their eyes.

Decided to be loyal, tow the party line,

support the project.

Huh, just let me get at it.

- Mr. Broadhead!

Are you Mr. Broadhead?

- Ah, that's right.

Oh, are you the chap with my pass?

- For the inspection decided this afternoon.

- Fine, it only took three months!

Oh, I was wondering whether I might bring somebody along.

Yes that's right.

This gentleman here.

- Name?

- Quatermass.

- Yes, I think that'll be in order

Just a minute please.

- Well, It looks as though I

should have brought you along 3 months ago.

- The inspection party will assemble for transport

at two p.m, in Parliament Square.

- Fine, it just gives us time for a bite of lunch.

- It doesn't always take three months.

- Are you coming Quatermass?

- Yes, thank you.

- You have just over an hour.

And do please try to be punctual.

We've very tight schedule ahead of us.

That's right.

Thank you.

- These your guards?

They look harmless enough.

- Your passes, please.

Thank you.

- Nothing very sinister so far.

Certainly nothing abnormal about them.

- I'm gonna take a look in there.

Do you want to come?

- Just a minute.

Have you seen the other two men?

- The last time I saw them they were back there.

- Now you wait here, I'll find them.

- What do you want, please?

- Oh, we're in the inspection party.

- You have no business here.

- It's official, they, oh they took our passes.

Have you any patients here?

- There is no one.

- We thought a young man was brought in here

yesterday by the guards.

- I think I'll take a look.

- Any sign?

- No, he was here.

He must have been.

Yesterday afternoon.

His name was Marsh.

- No!

- What are all these beds for?

- You are evidently prepared for...

- Gentlemen!

Why have you left the inspection party?

You mustn't do that.

Come now, quickly!

- I just wanted to see...

- There's no one.

Come, please.

- I still want to know...

- All questions will be answered later.

Now will you come with the others please?

- Come on Quatermass, we want to see the plant, don't we?

- You understand, gentlemen,

we must keep strictly according to time.

- But the plant...

- You'll see it all.

Everything.

Gentlemen, I regret the delay.

- Our fault, we took a look around.

- It's all right.

I haven't wasted time,

been reading up synthetic food processes.

- Now please, we start this way.

- It's not been much help.

It's all completely distant.

- You'll been shown everything later.

- What are those enormous domes?

- They're for storage.

- What of, synthetic food?

- That is correct.

It, um, matures in those domes.

But please, everything will be answered later.

Now, this way.

If you will go first.

- These pipes.

What runs through them?

- The food.

Now lets proceed.

- The food?

You mean the raw product.

- The raw product.

- Then it's pumped through these pipes to the domes.

- Everything will be answered later.

- Look, that's an inspection door isn't it?

So you can see the stuff going through.

I'd like to take a look at that.

- Later you will see everything.

- Are we going to see inside a big dome?

- That's where you are going now.

Please continue.

Mind you step.

This way please.

Right along will you.

Quickly.

Keep moving.

- Oh dear, it's deep.

- We're not inside the dome, are we?

- No.

This is an air lock.

It's not possible to enter the dome itself

but you will be taken downstairs.

- What, down there?

- It's quite safe.

- Well, you will have to go first.

I have no head for heights.

- What's going on down there?

- It's part of the process.

Now please don't wait here.

We must keep going.

Where is the other man?

- The other man?

Broadhead.

- I didn't see him come in.

- Now please don't worry.

He'll be fine and everything will be in order.

- It all looks nice and efficient.

What are you doing, sending a search party?

- What's this?

- A safety precaution.

- Shall we go down?

- I don't want to.

- I'm afraid we must.

- Broadhead!

Broadhead!

Broadhead!

Broadhead!

Broadhead.

- No, no, don't touch me.

- Broadhead.

- No, no, don't touch me.

What happened?

- I, I had to find out, had to find out.

- You were inside?

- I fell.

Quatermass.

- I'm here.

- Can't see you, Quatermass.

It burns.

This is the food and it burns.

- You lie down, I'll go get...

- No, don't touch me.

- Broadhead?

- Tonight's list of the mobile controls.

Any area calls put them through to me, will you?

Simpsons got the flu.

- Yes, sir.

Yes?

Yes, I just got them.

That's 26 in mobile, that's right.

He's here, Inspector Baker.

Right.

- Hi, general.

- Good evening, Mr. Hall.

- Are there any good charge sheets lately?

- Oh, nothing you'd want to print.

- Trade you a drink for anything

that will fill one and half columns before midnight.

- Well, how about the report I have for bribing the police?

- Yeah.

Who's the bossman tonight?

Come out, come out, whoever you are.

Wow, if it isn't Jolly Baker.

- Hello, Jimmy.

- It must be something.

A little Larson, mayhem.

Just enough skulduggery to fill one and half columns.

- How's going straight tonight, Jimmy?

- Tell me the story of your life.

- Yeah.

That's what I get.

Well, yes, sir?

- Is chief inspector Lomax still here?

- Listen, just fill in a form to find out.

- That won't be necessary.

If he's here he'll see me.

My name is Quatermass.

- Quatermass?

Don't I know your name?

- Possibly.

- Couldn't be the old pal.

You're not the criminal type.

Jimmy Hall can tell them every time.

- Okay, sir.

- Adsil will show you out, sir.

- Thank you, I know the way.

- Quatermass, Quatermass.

Why do I know that name?

- Lomax.

I'm glad you're here.

- But nearly not.

Just called the wife to say...

- How much power have you got here?

How much real authority?

- I'm afraid I don't...

- Could you call an emergency action

on a large scale it would have to be?

- Action for what?

- An action, that if I told you

that is what is really being carried out

in Willingdon Flats is mass destruction of men's minds.

- Now look sir, I'm a pretty ordinary sort

of fellow with a pretty ordinary sort of...

- Listen, Broadhead took me down there

this afternoon with an official inspection party.

The place is almost exactly what I told you it was.

I got out of there alone.

The rest of them got trapped into staying.

I was meant to be one of them.

- Are you suggesting they've been murdered?

- I'm suggesting that they have been methodically

infected with the same thing

that struck young Marsh yesterday.

- You mean that mark?

- Maybe the mark.

I don't know yet,

but I do know they will come back,

like hundreds, maybe thousands of others have come infected.

If I had stayed there

I might be here talking to you now

but not saying the things I'm saying.

I wouldn't be able to.

- Does Vincent Broadhead think this?

- Vincent Broadhead is dead!

- Dead?

- I watched him die a few hours ago in that plant.

His whole body covered

with some kind of corrosive poisoning, eaten away.

Some of the flack slime got on my coat.

I had to cut out the spot.

Don't touch it!

- And how does that story measure up with this one?

- This is a lie.

Vincent Broadhead was with me this afternoon

at Willingdon Flats.

Where did this story come from?

- It says it's an official government announcement.

- The minute they knew he was dead.

- Are you seriously trying...

- Broadhead was with me and the others

at Willingdon Flats and he was killed

by a corrosive compound of ammonia,

which is what they're manufacturing in that plant.

- Quatermass, do you realize what you're alleging?

That in a government sponsored...

- The point is I am still here to allege it.

Take a squad of men into that plant.

You'll get your proof soon enough.

- You know I can't do that.

- Then get your pathologist to analyze that and confirm it.

You got to start an investigation.

- What, on your statements alone?

- You got to.

Talk to the commissioner or let me talk to him.

Lomax, you've got to act.

- Yes, sir?

- Has the commissioner gone?

- Not yet, sir.

- This better be true.

That's all I have to say.

It better be true.

- I wish to heaven it wasn't.

Get me Cranford 647, thank you.

- Yes.

- Inspector Lomax to see you, sir.

- Come in, Lomax.

- I'm sorry to bother you, sir.

Something's come up that I'm not sure how to handle.

- Sit down, tell me about it.

- It's difficult to know where to begin, sir.

The implications are so far reaching,

if there's anything in them

that it's a matter of top policy.

- Yes?

- Well, sir, it concerns...

- It concerns?

- Concerns the Alman case, sir.

The man we are holding.

I thought if the,

if we turn him loose he might lead us to something.

- Right.

- Meaning, give us a lead to a accomplices

and I wondered if you had any views on the subject, sir.

- The decision is yours, Lomax.

You're conversant with the case.

- Of course, sir.

I'm sorry, I made a mistake bothering you at this hour.

- All right.

- Good night, sir.

- Good night.

- Yes?

Brand?

This is Quatermass.

I'm at Scotland Yard.

- Quatermass, I've been trying to find you all evening.

We've traced the source of these things.

It's in a freak orbit, on the dark side of the earth,

in a permanent state of eclipse.

That's why it's not visible.

It must be something like an asteroid,

about 200 yards across.

- Look, take full records til I get there.

Yes, I'm trying to.

They found the source of those things.

I'm going back.

- Quatermass, the mark you saw on Marsh

and the other men, describe it, quick, tell me.

- Well it was reddish mark

as if it had been pressed into the skin

and left a jagged V.

- How big?

- About this big.

Why?

- I've just seen it.

- Here?

In this building?

No.

Even here.

- I'm trying to tell myself

there is nothing to it, but your wrong.

- I wasn't wrong last time, was I?

- Hi, general!

- Jimmy what do you want?

- One and half columns.

- Not now, Jimmy, I got...

- Quatermass, the rocket man, whew.

That's how I remembered.

- Will you leave us alone please.

- What's the matter, someone pinch his rocket?

- Jimmy, I wouldn't want to have you escorted out.

- Who's that?

- A Time reporter but he's harmless enough.

Quatermass, If you could make it public,

put it before the whole country, everything, all at once.

- You mean the press?

- It must be worth trying.

Jimmy!

- Lomax, that man is no condition...

- Listen, The drunk Jimmy Hall is clever.

Sober, he is brilliant.

- I was going, I was going.

- Listen to me.

You came for a story,

well you are gonna get one,

the biggest you've had in your life.

- At dictation speed!

- Do you have a car?

- Where are we going?

- To your base.

- Base?

Well don't push, I'm going.

- See it there?

That point of light at the intersection.

That's radio waves being reflected

by something out in space.

- Is it coming towards us?

- No, just circling on the dark side of the earth.

- And there's life on it?

- Not life as we know it.

They probably had the wrong artificial atmosphere.

Uh, Ammonia methane.

- Poison gases.

- It comes from a region where such conditions

do exist as atmosphere.

The outer planets, maybe a moon of Saturn.

- Can I have a scotch in this?

- It's growing weaker.

- I think it's a multiple organism,

a thousand billion intelligences if you like,

but one single consciousness.

- Look, I'm a policeman.

- Try imagine an organism

to which oxygen is not an essential of life,

but a destroyer.

An organism which is unable to exist in our atmosphere

for more than three or four seconds,

safe only in a shell, like this,

sealed in with a mixture of gases,

methane, maybe even hydrogen.

- And when it breaks out?

- It dies.

Unless, its energy is expended on an object

that can exist in our atmosphere, a human target.

- And what happens to the human target?

- An immediate invasion of his entire nervous system.

Something is implanted, an instinct,

a blind compulsion to act for them.

- You expect to tell my editor that?

- But Hall.

There's no time to lose.

- Don't rush me, general.

Don't rush me.

You have given me a lot of science talk,

and I'm not very good at it.

Oh, I do understand is somebody swiped your moon project.

- But it never was all mine.

This would be a fairly standard procedure

for adapting living beings on an alien planet.

- But Quatermass, If your right, what's going to happen?

What's the ultimate object?

- I hesitate to guess, inspector.

First a few of these things came here,

at random, scattered and then expended themselves

to a purpose.

A year ago, stage number two, the concentrated attack.

- On Willingdon Flats.

- An out of the way village

with a little government research plant.

One like that area was taken.

Now they got themselves a colony.

- And all this went on for a year and nobody said anything.

- But who knows how many infected people

they've got in high places.

- And what about here, can you be sure of all your staff?

- I think so.

I'll step up security in the morning.

The next move is Hall.

We've got to break this conspiracy

of silence and secret orders.

You have got to write this man, now.

Look, get all this down.

I'll check it with you and then I'll drive you into London.

We don't even dare use a telephone.

- How far is this plant from here?

- About 90 miles.

- I want to see it.

- But man, time is desperate.

- These people who work here, are they normal?

- At the moment, I think so.

- I want to talk to them.

- Jimmy!

- Relax, general, We'll still make the first edition.

I'm lost on all this stuff.

I want to talk to some numbskulls like myself.

- All right, we'll go now.

- For you too, isn't that a risk?

- The biggest risk is that the story won't get in at all.

I'll see you outside in 15 minutes.

There are certain arrangements I want to make

and an alternative plan in case of an emergency.

- You need any help?

- I don't we should share that knowledge

in view of where we're going.

I'll see you outside.

Brand, I want double security as well at the base.

All gates, rocket firing base, bunkers,

double guard on all points,

and I want to talk to you in the control room.

- Right.

- Get me the Lab guard.

- I'm making a list of people I know I can trust.

- Good, you keep it.

We'll need every one of them.

- Brad's on the line.

- Thank you.

This is Quatermass.

What about that analysis?

- Well, were just finishing, sir.

We've got a 5 cc on that piece of cloth.

It was contact substance,

I've never quite met anything like it before.

It's basically an amoniac corrosive, highly concentrated.

- Yes, just how poisonous?

I see, right, a full report as soon as you can.

Go see if the car is there.

- It is there.

- Go and see.

- Yes, sir.

- Well?

- That black slime is deadly to every living thing on earth.

- So it isn't synthetic food?

- On the contrary, Lomax, I think it is.

Food for whatever is in those domes.

Domes, 200 feet high!

- I know somebody who you've seen ago.

- Who's that?

- We'll have four beers to start with.

- Oh give it to me.

I do need to thank you for all this.

Here you are now.

Keep a whiskey, keep the change of course,

this for your suffering wife.

- Here, that's good Scotch.

- Aren't you tasting right?

Norman drinks Irish and likes it.

Oooh!

What's he doing?

This is not the nice way to dance a jig,

looks like a trotting horse.

Here, hold this.

Now watch and learn.

- I say Sheila is the winner.

- That wasn't a jig.

- Well whatever it was, it was a lot better than yours.

- It's jumping.

Hi, Marilyn.

- Hi yourself.

- Everybody here work at the plant?

- Who wants to know?

- Thanks for helping.

- But I only got two pair of hands, haven't I?

- Well two gins with a shake's preferred.

- Hey, hey, What are the chances of a job at that place?

- A Job?

- Sure, I want work.

- Boy, you must have come here just to plant the marshes

and now, it's a real game place.

- Be careful, Hall.

- Better order drinks.

- Someone seems to know you.

- Yes, we met before, the camp secretary.

- Two beers and a double.

- What's working conditions like?

- You mean the plant?

Well, it couldn't be better.

You know what they pay unskilled labor?

- Shush!

- Uh?

- You want a coffee?

- Good evening.

What seems to be the trouble?

- No trouble.

- Someone was asking about work at the plant.

- Oh, you three together?

- Yes.

- Are you looking for heavy constructional work?

Not even if your right,

all workman are engaged with government contractors.

- Ah, give it to them straight, Mac.

There are no jobs.

Even we are on short time now.

- Hold your tongue, man.

- Who's kidding who?

The plant's nearly finished.

And when it's done...

- Nobody said done.

- Oh, I suppose the zombies aren't treading

on our heels to get out.

- Zombies?

- It's a special nickname given to special persons.

- Nicknamed to be working out of parishes?

We hate their guts and don't anyone deny it.

- Norman!

- Now Patty, you're drunk.

- Well, don't they?

Treatin' us like dirt, never talking to us?

Who do they think they are?

- They run the plant?

- Sure they do.

- And do they operate the dome?

- No, Hall!

- What's inside those domes, Patty?

- Suddenly you know too much.

- Yes, who are you?

- I know him.

He was here two days ago.

Got into trouble with the guards.

And so we don't want any guard trouble here.

Out with them.

- Wait a minute, listen to me.

You got to tell them.

- It's useless.

- But you got to try.

Quiet everyone!

Quiet please!

Quiet everyone!

Listen to me.

This is vitally important to all of you.

Please, may I have your attention!

- What's this all about?

- Who is he?

- Who are you?

- I'm a police officer.

- We don't have police here.

- Well you have now.

Turn that music off.

Now the gentleman over there is a scientist

and I want you to listen to what he has to say.

If what he says is right, you're in great danger.

All of you.

- Danger!

- What danger?

- Why are the police here?

- It's about that place you've been working on,

helping to build.

- He's been spying on the plant

and the man with him was arrested.

Ask him.

He told me himself.

Ask him.

- You think that place is producing human food.

It's not!

- Well, how much do you know about that?

- He's been spying!

- That plant is producing deadly poison.

Poison to every earthly creature.

- Who's making poison?

- What does he know?

- Please, let me explain, I can prove everything I'm saying.

- You better, my boy.

- He's a liar.

Out with him.

- We're making poison he says.

- Throw 'em out.

Throw 'em all out.

- Stop this, can't you get,

I wonder why you came and now am I in big trouble?

- Now get out before there's any more trouble.

- Maggie!

Are you hurt?

- All right, keep back everybody!

Take he out now.

It's all right.

Now keep back please.

Nothing to be alarmed about!

- It came through the roof.

What was it?

- There it is in the floor boards.

- Keep back, man!

- Who are you telling to keep back?

- It may be dangerous.

- Dangerous, my foot, it's an overshot, that's all.

- Overshot!

- How is she, Mac?

Not hurt?

- No, It was just fright.

- Ahh, I will be all right in a minute.

- Take a bit of this now, Maggie.

- Oh, this the first time a carton has fallen this far away.

- He called it another shot?

- That's right.

Those things that fall outside the plant, usually at night.

- What are they supposed to be?

- Oh, something to do with the process.

Don't ask me.

Oh, look at the mess it's made in the floor.

- Stay back, girl.

It's a hole one underneath the floor boards.

We got to get everyone out of here, quick.

- Now, come along!

Everybody outside, please.

Come along.

Sorry to interrupt the festivities, but is she all right?

- Yes.

- Okay then, take her outside.

Now come along please, quickly.

Outside.

Please, you must clear this hall.

Come on now!

Away you go.

- What's all the fuss about?

It's an overshot.

- What do you think it was, a bomb?

- Look, no matter what they've told you about these things,

they're not harmless.

Now along you go!

Let's go, please.

- Quatermass.

- Oh, here it is, it's still warm.

- Put it down, as slowly as you can.

- It's only an overshot, like Patty said.

- On the floor.

Put it on the floor.

Gently.

- Sheila.

- Look, her neck!

- Sheila, what is it?

Sheila, what happened?

- Can we do anything?

- Too late!

- You say you know all about it.

All right, do something.

- There's nothing to do now.

You might call a doctor.

Lomax!

- Get a blanket!

- The fact that that thing landed so far

from the plant might indicate that,

come on quick.

- Quick!

Quickly

- Sheila.

That thing on her neck.

You all seen it, didn't you?

- It came out of the stone.

That fellow said it was dangerous.

- Listen.

- A sort of whistling.

- I was right.

They're coming down by the hundreds.

Get Hall.

- This is urgent, priority!

- Jimmy, quick, outside.

- Be with you in a minute.

I'm not gonna, news desk quick.

- It's a mass dropping all right.

Where's Hall?

- He's phoning his story.

- Not from here.

I told him not to use the phone here.

- Quatermass, look.

- These things are coming in large numbers

from outside the earth.

Look, just print this story with,

hold on.

- What did this?

You know what did it.

Tell us and try to save her.

Do you hear what I say?

- Steady buddy, steady.

- And yet, these things arrive in stone containers,

and form of meteorite.

They have been coming for past 18 months.

- The fool, why doesn't he come out?

- If he lies low he has a chance.

- Contact with these things produces a violent infection.

A sort of stain.

I've just seen it happen.

Stay on the line.

I think I've been spotted.

Get this quickly.

This infection is widespread.

- What can you do now?

Where to?

London?

- No, the plant.

- Look out!

- Squads of them down there.

Lomax!

Look at this.

Steel containers filled with their own atmosphere.

Gas supply.

They must put them in here

so they can get them back to the plant alive.

- Well, don't touch it.

- You take the car and go back to London.

- Go Back?

- Talk to people you can trust.

Contact every one of them.

Make them listen before it's too late.

- If you ask me, we should both go back.

- I've got to get into that plant.

I may be able to do something.

- Now wait minute.

- It's up to you now, Lomax, you better hurry.

- Don't straggle.

Keep together.

- How do we know they took her this way?

- They would have moved her to the medical center.

That's where they'll be at the plant.

- poor Kid, they knew what it was and wouldn't say.

- That stranger,

what'd he done to get his face all shot up like that?

- Filthy murdering swine.

They are going to get it tonight.

Look out!

Lights ahead.

- A car.

Wait boys!

Hold your ground.

Right across the road.

- Let me through.

Stand clear.

- It's the cop.

- What's this about?

- We're going to the plant.

- Well get back to your homes,

you can't do anything, you'll only run into trouble.

- We're after the men that killed your pal.

- And they have taken young Sheila.

- Go back to your homes.

You'll do more good if you go back.

- We could use the car.

Turn it 'round.

- Stop.

I'm on my way for help.

Go back home.

- For all special personnel,

bring containers all in, bring containers all in.

Higher, higher!

The next main shipment is on its way.

For all special personnel, keep the containers away.

Attention, attention!

All special personnel, emergency!

Proceed with quickness to gate four.

Go to gate four!

Emergency, emergency!

All special personnel emergency at gate four.

Emergency, emergency!

Proceed with quickness to gate four.

Special direct handling.

Emergency on gate four.

Emergency, emergency

- Gate four.

There are construction workers estimated at 150 in number.

- Get your management.

I said get your management.

- I told you this is senseless.

- Emergency, emergency!

- For special personal, shoot to kill.

Don't regret this decision, and shoot to kill.

Special personnel, for emergency decisions, shoot to kill.

Shoot to kill.

- Hey, get under cover!

- Special personnel,

bring them out in the open and shoot to kill.

- Come!

Shut the door, fast!

- Don't shoot!

Hold you fire.

Wait!

- Quatermass!

You!

- Take these guns.

Cover this window.

You hit?

What happened?

- I tried to stop them

but there was a gun battle at the gates.

- Hey, look at this.

- What is it?

- Emergency weapons.

- Try to get it open.

- Tom!

- How bad is it?

- Shertow, what happens if we stay tight?

- Can this be opened from outside?

- No!

- Well, we got a breather anyway.

- How long is another matter.

- Then, you didn't make your contacts?

I'm afraid the world isn't going to know yet.

- They're still at it.

One of the new armed people left.

- This is madness, staying here like rats in a trap.

I'd rather be outside.

So expect me out of here.

- Don't be a fool.

- One grenade through that window, we'll be blown to pieces.

- No, can't be an attack here.

This room is for pressure control.

- Pressure control?

- This is the pressure control center.

I helped build this.

- You mean they feed those domes from here?

- Each dome is controlled by a separate section.

- Ammonia, methane, hydrogen, oxygen.

Oxygen!

It could be that they are being acclimatized.

Lomax, you, give me a hand on these controls.

This will be a long shot but we've got to take it.

Now both of you watch me.

Do the same with those panels.

Cut off the gas supply completely.

Set them at zero, like this.

That should bring the oxygen up to full pressure.

- What's this going to do?

- Choke what's in those domes I hope.

- You see it?

- I see it.

- What was it?

- They're moving in.

- Attention, attention!

Unauthorized personnel now,

must get out of controlled blocks.

Resistance by you must cease.

Lay down your weapons and leave the building.

You will be permitted to go

to your homes pending further action.

Leave the building at once.

- They're still there.

- Abandon your weapons and come out!

- Come out and be shot to bits, is that it?

- I think we ought to know what they say.

- We're holding this block.

We've got to, at least until the oxygen takes affect.

- That's a no go, is it?

- Resistance must cease immediately.

Lay down you arms.

- Yes, what is it to kill us!

- Inside those domes are creatures from outside this earth.

- Aw, you're mad!

- I've seen them.

Thousands of tiny creatures

that can join together

and expand into things 100 feet high.

And each one can infect a human being.

- Like it did Sheila?

- Yes, and those wretched creatures you call zombies,

take a look at 'em, you'll find the mark.

- To all unauthorized personnel,

check on your progress.

You will not be harmed.

Leave the building at once

or other means of forcing your surrender will be used.

- How long before that oxygen takes effect?

- How can I tell?

Maybe hours.

- And what time are the others coming?

- They will be, unless we can destroy the asteroid,

the thing they're coming from.

How are you doing?

- But your emergency plan, what was it?

- To use the rocket that guided the atomic bomb.

- And when was that to happen?

- I told Brand that if he didn't hear from me

to set it off by midnight.

- But you're not seriously going to launch that, that bomb.

- This is it Peterson.

Control room!

Michaels, Brand.

Check rocket motors set to critical phase.

We're launching.

Don't argue, do it.

Attention everyone!

Brand to all sections.

Clear base for firing.

Repeat, clear base for firing.

Immediately!

- How do we know it'll even take off without blowing up?

- We don't.

Check.

Fuel on.

- Fuel on.

- Compression.

- Compression.

- Marsh!

- Don't touch him.

Don't touch anything.

Come!

- Now get that wrench on the bottom.

- Never thought I'd be using a crowbar with a cop.

- They were really benefited.

- Anti tank guns.

- We'll need more than any anti tank guns

to get us out of this.

- Somebody is shooting off flares.

- Flares!

- Right across the sky.

Way up!

- Where?

- It's gone now.

No, there it is.

Is it a flare?

- No!

It is not a flare.

- What is it?

- It's the one thing that may save us, and humanity.

- Too cursed quiet for my liking.

What are they up to?

- Yes.

What was the other means?

- Probably just a war of nerves.

- Any reaction yet?

- I've done all I can.

Pure oxygen, it must be taking effect by now, it must.

- Quatermass, What happens if we fire

an anti tank smack into the dome?

- Whatever came out would be completely beyond our control.

No, it is the best to poison them slowly if we can.

- If, if you can.

It's a lot of ifs, mister.

How long are we going to trust you'll get it?

- All this gab about a rocket and things.

- What's so possible you know what you are talking about?

- You must believe me.

We're all that stands between these things

taking possession of perhaps the whole world.

Spreading over it and affecting every...

- Nobody has seen these mysterious things, but you.

- Attention, attention!

Switch off, switch off.

The sabotage must cease!

Switch off, switch off.

Oxygen now being passed through to the domes.

- It's working!

- And are still anxious to cooperate.

Anyone injured in recent violence

or should need treatment, go now!

Hurry!

- Okay!

- Me too!

- Stay where you are.

It's a trick.

- Maybe it is, but who's trick.

- You saw your friends murdered out there.

- He started a riot.

We have only his word, and if we were wrong...

- He told us what was in those domes,

but what proof has he given us?

- This is the last appeal

to you as reasonable men.

- Hello!

Hello!

My name's McLeod.

I'm speaking from the pressure control block.

Put me through, put me through.

- Who's speaking?

- EG. McLeod, charge hand welder.

We want to know what's inside those domes.

There's a fellow here who says

there's living things in them.

- McLeod, don't be a fool.

- Leave me alone, I want to speak to him.

- Let him speak.

There is nothing to hide in the domes.

- They are lying.

- The entire compound is very efficient.

Whatever you may wish to see we will show you.

- Don't listen to them.

- Help me, Patty.

- Leave him!

Leave him, will you!

- McLeod here.

I'm accepting your offer.

I want to see inside one of the domes.

- Don't do it, McLeod!

- Come alone or be in company

with others hired.

We will meet in just two minutes

on the outside of dome three.

- Dawson, are you coming?

- Yes!

I'm on my way.

- Finally you have me.

You stay down here.

- You'll all be infected.

- All right everyone, relax.

Arnie.

Keep them covered in case.

- The men aren't in uniforms.

Don't count any of them.

- Maybe they mean it?

- They'll be infected, that must be the purpose of this.

- That's what I'm afraid of.

- And they will put one of them on the speaker.

- Now listen.

He's right.

Any moment now, McLeod or one of the others

will talk to you over that

and tell you everything is all right.

But I beg of you, don't believe them.

- What's that?

It's carrying along one of the pipes.

Those were screams.

- If they come back I'm gonna...

- Quiet!

- Attention!

Attention!

Connecting, what?

Emergency!

- It's going red.

We're going to have to be ready for anything.

- It's here in the room.

Look, the pipe, it's burst!

- It's all right, only oxygen.

- What's happened?

- Dome three.

Look at that pressure.

No wonder it blew.

That pipe must be blocked at the other end.

- Blocked with what?

Blocked with what mister?

- There's something dripping!

It's blood!

- Your blood?

- It's them, McLeod and Dawson.

It must be.

- The things turned on them.

They used them to stop the flow of oxygen.

That pipe has been blocked with human pulp.

- No, Quatermass.

- Those filthy murdering swine.

- No!

- I got it!

The whole Dome!

- Get under cover!

The masks!

Put on the masks.

There's one down there.

- Down, down.

Get down!

- Go to the truck!

Look out!

- He won't follow us now.

- He's dead.

To the truck, quick.

- Look!

The gates are closed!

Hold on!

- He's alive.

- Just about.

Throw him out!

- No, we need him.

We need him for proof.

- No, no, no!

- The pain is driving them mad.

- The rocket?

- Either it blew itself up or...

- Look at them, the things.

- Get under cover.

Put your masks on.

It's over.

- Quatermass!

- Get him.

- The mark, it's gone.

- The infection must be wearing off, leaving them.

Perhaps all of them.

- What's happened?

Where is this?

- You'll be all right now.

- Lean on me, mate.

You'll be all right.

- You know what worries me?

How am I going to make a final report about all this?

- What worries me is how final can it be.

- Hey!