Original subtitles

- hey. - hey.

My name is seldis.

How you doing?

I manage the acropolis Apartments over on east 3rd.

Yeah.

Oh, hey, you're going to have To excuse my appearance here.

The toilets backed up In the whole building.

I've been up to my Ears in it all day.

You know what I mean?

Life is like that.

Oh, no, it ain't Life. It's people.

People make Problems for toilets.

It ain't the other way around.

You can't take a Toilet for granted.

That's right. And people Can't abuse it without...

Without fouling out The whole system.

Hey, do you know What I have found

Jammed down There in those pipes?

I wouldn't even want to guess.

Plants, tools, love letters.

I even found a pair Of shoes down there.

Wing tips?

Yeah.

Yeah. How did you know that?

A hunch.

Hey, listen, I got To talk to a cop.

One of those two Guys over there.

Yeah. Thanks.

Yeah, right over here.

How are you?

Good... What is that?

That guy over There talking to nick.

He works in a sewer.

I suppose somebody has to.

Yeah, I suppose.

Do you ever think what It would be like, though,

If nobody wanted to do it?

Uh, I try not to think about it.

Hey, hey, hey-hey-hey hey.

Damn!

Why is it, one of the Few times I feel good,

It's got to smell bad?

Oh, it always happens.

You know, look, a guy comes in,

He's riding high, doing fine,

And something brings you down.

And they call that The birth of the blues.

Oh. Hey, look, barney.

I'm not gonna let any Of this get me down,

Because I have a line On a great apartment.

Well, now, that is good news.

Where's it at, harris?

Oh, I'm not exactly Sure. You see,

What happened was, I was playing bridge

With a friend last night, And he said that this girl

That he works with overheard A mr. Harold nemmings talking

About this great place.

So you called nemmings?

Well, it's not Exactly that easy.

I was afraid of that.

Harris, better hang on To your apartment service.

Are you telling me

You don't think I can find him?

Right.

Well, you see, I just happen To be a trained detective.

It is my job and my Duty to find people.

And you will be an inspiration

To all the men of the old 1-2

When you get right At it, right now.

Oh, uh, yeah.

Okay, barn.

Oh, uh, barn, if you ever Get back to your office,

Would you hang that up, please?

Uh, barney, I hate To do this, but, uh...

What's the matter?

Could you speak to mr. Seldis?

All right, I'll talk to him.

Uh, better inhale here.

Mr. Seldis, I'm, uh... I'm captain miller.

How are you?

Yeah, sit right down.

Listen, captain, like I told the other guy,

There's this kid up in 6-b.

His name is thayer.

He's doing something Weird up there.

I mean, there's chemicals All over the place,

And there's smoke Coming out of the door.

It really stinks up there.

That's very discerning.

Yeah, and one time, There was a big explosion,

And he said to me it was Some kind of an experiment

That he was doing For school, you know.

But I think he Could be a terrorist

Or something like that, You know what I mean?

Um, yeah. Well, We'll look into it.

Nick?

Right behind you.

Why don't you go Over with mr. Seldis,

Take a look around, and Just to be on the safe side,

You better bring the Bomb squad with you.

And, uh, since you're going In that direction anyway,

You want to hang that up?

Okay.

Uh, wojo, why don't You go with nick?

I'll get the car.

Why don't I meet him down there?

Let's get going, wojo.

Let's go.

Yeah, okay. Hey, thanks a lot.

Yeah.

Yeah, you too.

Aw.

Uh, hello, there. Is this roberta?

Well, my name is ron harris,

And I play bridge With a friend of yours,

And I understand That you overheard

A conversation Between a friend of yours

And a mr. Nemmings

Concerning an apartment Over on the east side.

Nemmings.

Uh, that's n-e-m-m-I-n-g-s.

Uh, harris.

H-a-r-r-I-s.

An apartment.

A-p-a-r-t-m-e-n-t.

They told me downstairs Somebody up here could help me.

Can you help me?

Who can help me?

How about you? Can you help me?

Take it easy, mrs. Uh...

Mrs. Kruger... Mrs. Evelyn kruger.

Mrs. Kruger, I'm captain miller.

It's my pleasure. Listen, My husband is insane.

I swear to you, He's out of his mind!

Just have a seat Here, mrs. Kruger.

Just sit down. Just... Just sit down, take it easy.

Can we get you a cup of coffee?

I can't drink coffee.

I got a gall bladder I Wouldn't wish on marshal tito.

You got some tea?

Uh, tea.

About mr. Kruger?

He doesn't want to live anymore.

He's threatened suicide?

Temporarily.

I beg your pardon?

He's going to pay a man To freeze him in a box.

I see.

He'll lay there for 100 years.

Then, he says, They'll defrost him

When there's a better world.

Cryonic suspension.

It sounded something like that.

It's going to cost us Every nickel we've got,

Because harry says it's An expensive treatment,

Because he has to rent the Box for 100 years in advance.

Of course, you Realize it's illegal

To attempt the process Till after a person is dead?

Harry says, "To hell with it."

He doesn't care?

Not since they Put in a pacemaker.

He's not allowed to work,

So he says he's no Good to himself.

He's not allowed To get stimulated,

So he says he's no Good to me, either.

Do you, uh, do you Happen to know the name

Of the man he's dealing with?

Yes, I have the card here.

His name is swanson.

Thank you.

Yeah, let's run a Make on this guy,

And check the confidence files.

See if anybody's run a Scam like this before.

Harris, you want to take Mrs. Kruger's statement?

Certainly, barney.

Mrs. Kruger, want to step Right over this way, please?

Uh, let's put it Right over here.

Uh, barney,

This is sergeant cavanaugh Of the bomb squad.

How do you do? I'm captain miller.

- how are you? - what is it?

We found it in the Kid's apartment.

You should have seen the place.

It looked like Frankenstein's laboratory.

I mean, chemicals, electronic Stuff... Even had a gizmo

That made electrical Sparks go back and forth.

Remember in the movie?

Vaguely.

What is it?

We're not sure.

Wonderful, but you Brought it up here.

Hey, don't worry. It's not a bomb.

Then what is it?

Could be a lot of things.

I think it's probably Some kind of stereo.

Wojo's bringing up the kid.

Uh, but, uh, but It's not a bomb.

22 years in this business, I ain't been wrong yet.

You see? Still got all my parts.

Right in here. Come on.

I have a midterm tomorrow, And I really don't have time.

Yeah, all right. Barney, This is james thayer.

Mr. Thayer, I'm captain miller.

Am I being arrested?

Uh, at the moment, Mr. Thayer, what we really need

Is some clarification

As to what it is you're Doing in your apartment.

It's a school project.

You know what I think this is

Is one of those ham radios.

Lets you get mexico, Europe, jersey.

No. No, it's no radio.

It's a very highly Sophisticated explosive device.

What are you, crazy?

It's got no timer, no springs, No explosives, nothing.

Of course not. It doesn't Need any of those things.

Then it's not a bomb?

Yes, it's a bomb.

It just lacks the fissionable Material to make it operational.

Fissionable material?

Yes.

Fiss... You mean, uh...

- plutonium. - plutonium.

- right. - right.

Then this is a... A bomb?

Yes.

It's a... Atomic...

- bomb. - right.

Well, what you're saying is

This is a mock-up of a, uh...

I mean, it's like an Erector set version of a...

One of those things.

No, a smaller version, but A practical working model...

Oh, about two Kiloton, I would judge.

It's part of my masters thesis.

I wanted to do something, uh,

You know, uh, a Little different.

You ought to be congratulated.

Uh, sergeant, uh, is it possible

That this is what Mr. Thayer says it is?

Nah. Come on.

There's whole countries That can't make an atomic bomb.

Now, how can a kid?

A little resourcefulness, A little ingenuity.

Well, look, just for Everyone's peace of mind,

Mr. Thayer, if you don't mind,

We're gonna investigate This a little more fully.

We'd appreciate Your cooperation.

Look, I got to turn it In tomorrow morning.

Bear with us, mr. Thayer.

I'll write a note To your teacher.

Meantime, wojo, let's get Some preliminary information.

Right. Sit down.

Like what?

Like his name, his address,

How he built the damn thing.

Nah.

Captain, I got a Make on swanson.

He's got an office over at...

Where the hell's he Get the atomic bomb?

This is so simple.

I've been trying to Figure it out for an hour.

I'm captain miller.

William mcewen,

Federal bureau of Investigation in washington, d.C.

Welcome to new york.

I'm attached to The new york office.

Oh. Oh, well, I...

I guess it's the way you Said "Washington, d.C."

We're allowed to say that.

This is dr. Reinhold bauer Of the energy commission.

Dr. Bauer.

Fascinating. Simply fascinating.

A truly remarkable Piece of work.

Yeah, it does have Something, no question

Doctor, is this... Thing... Real?

Gentlemen, we have here

A very imaginative example

Of an adaptation of The tectonic theory.

Oh, a bit... A bit Crude perhaps.

I haven't painted it yet.

What?

You made this?

Did he make this?

Apparently, this is a portion

Of mr. Thayer's masters thesis.

Doctor, the question Is will it work?

Oh, will it work? Will it work?

Theoretically, it Should work like a charm.

Like a charm?

Wonderful work, young man.

Wonderful. Let me Congratulate you.

Thank you.

Could I have a word With you, captain?

Certainly.

I think we have a Sticky situation here.

Very well put.

You have any suggestions as To how to extricate ourselves

From this sticky situation?

I have to check with the bureau

Before any procedure is taken.

Fine. You can use The phone in my office.

Right.

You know, the kid Says anybody in college

Can build one of these things.

Spooky, ain't it?

I think "Spooky" says it all.

You want to know what I think?

I think that we're in for A whole pile of trouble

If the wrong person or persons

Gets the idea of doing What that kid done.

I'll go along with that.

We don't even have training Films on these things.

I'm sure you'll do the best you Can under the circumstances.

Oh, yeah.

But I wouldn't promise nothing.

Awesome concept, isn't it?

Spooky.

State-of-the-art Nuclear technology.

It brought us to A point in history

Where a man has the ability

To totally destroy The human race

And every trace of Existent life on this planet.

Thank you, dietrich.

And with probably Very little chance

For rehabilitation,

Due to deadly radiation levels

Lasting for Upwards... 25,000 years.

Hey, how about that Ranger game last night, huh?

Harry?

Evelyn, what the Hell are you doing?

Harry, are you all right?

I'm embarrassed.

I was only thinking of you!

Evelyn, please. Don't Do me any favors.

Embarrassment has killed People in my condition.

Uh, mr. Kruger, you Want to step inside?

I have to be careful. I Got a pacemaker in here.

Is that a microwave oven?

No, it's an atomic bomb.

That's not funny. I got To take precautions.

Uh, right.

Yes, sir.

Well?

They're taking it Under advisement.

What the hell does that mean?

It means we do nothing Till they get back to me.

When do you expect That to happen?

I don't know.

They just don't want to Make a decision, that's all.

What do you mean? They Got to make a decision!

Don't you read the papers?

Fbi agents being Sued left and right

Every time they go Out on an assignment?

Now everybody's Afraid to make a move

Until they talk To their lawyers.

Tell me, young man.

Tell me... How did you arrive

At minimum critical mass?

I took a guess.

Oh, really?

At first, so did we.

My dear boy,

Can you imagine How things would be

If we had developed this first?

We did.

Huh?

Oh, sure, sure.

Now we did.

But before, we didn't.

Uh, barney,

This is mr. Swanson, The good humor man.

Sorry.

Mr. Swanson, captain miller.

Captain, I don't understand Why I've been brought here.

Just want to check Out your, uh, work.

Wojo?

See, mrs. Kruger came In almost hysterical

About her husband.

Typical reaction.

People don't understand What we're doing.

Yeah, barn?

Wojo, you want to Check out mr. Swanson

And his organization,

The metropolitan new York cryonic society?

Incorporated.

Right.

Some people don't Even try to understand.

They think there's Some divine law

That, if you get Sick or old, you die.

You do.

See?

Look, mr. Swanson, We don't have time

To discuss all The possibilities.

Over here.

Officer, I think You're too young a man

Not to open your Mind to new ideas.

Well, I think things ought To be natural, that's all.

Making a guy a popsicle Ain't my idea of natural.

Stay here. I'll Find you a chair.

12th precinct. Captain Miller speaking.

- uh... - damn!

Uh, h-hold on, hold on, hold on.

I built that thing to Show that it could be done,

But I'm against the Whole principle.

Young man, we are scientists.

What the world does with Our science is another matter.

I don't feel that way.

I think it's immoral And it's inhuman.

We owe a debt to mankind To deal with progress

With caution and With responsibility.

You know, you can get Arrested if you talk like that.

Not here.

Where? Oh.

Sure, not here, but there.

12th precinct. Yemana.

Mr. Mcewen?

Thank god.

Look at him. Look at that boy.

He's going to waste A brilliant mind.

Yeah?

Passing up the Chance of a lifetime.

Maybe he's given us one.

Harry, I just can't Stand the thought

Of you gallivanting off Into the future without me.

Then come with me, evelyn.

Come with you? What Would we do there?

Everybody we know Would be gone...

The jamesons, the fiorellos.

Evelyn, please.

Harry... Harry, I love you.

I've spent the last 28 years with you,

And whatever time we have Left, I want to spend with you...

Not separated... Together, hand in hand,

Close so I could reach Out and touch you.

Evelyn, evelyn, please,

I'm fluctuating.

I hear you build bombs.

I do my job.

Don't criticize Unless you do better.

I believe in science, Too. I'm in cryonics.

Cryonics!

At least I participate.

You people just want To lie around 100 years

And let the rest of The world... Psst! Go by.

The idea is to come Back to a better world.

If you want a better world, Then stay here with us,

And you will witness

The greatest advancement Of mankind's history!

If you think what you're Doing is called advancements,

Then I'd rather wait and see What the future will bring.

Can you guarantee your people There will be a better world?

No, but can you guarantee Them that it will still be there?!

Okay, okay, round one.

Barn, uh, swanson checks out.

The new york cryonic society Is registered with the state.

It's a nonprofit organization.

Okay, uh, thank him For his cooperation.

Wish him luck.

Got it.

All right, everybody Can go. The bomb stays.

What?!

Those are my instructions

As received from a Special agent philip emory

At 2:37 in front of Several witnesses.

But that's my project!

Not anymore. It's Been classified.

Classified?

Top secret and confiscated For national-security reasons.

What... What good Is that gonna do?

I mean, look, you Can't classify a head.

I still got all the Know-how up here.

And any revelation of that

Will be a violation of The national security act.

You'll be debriefed At a later time.

I guess that settles that.

Maybe, for now, but I Think I've made my point.

Is that what that is?

Listen...

I got a "C" in physics Last semester.

Think what the kids With b's and a's could do.

Especially if they're angry.

Thank you, captain.

Mr. Kruger, call me when You've made your decision.

I will. Uh, I'll call.

And, uh, in the event I die Before you make up your mind,

Just leave a message.

Doctor, are you ready?

Oh, yes, yes, of course.

Captain, I'd like to thank You for your assistance.

Always a pleasure dealing With the bureau, mr. Mcewen.

Yes, well, it's a Relief to hear that.

Our image has suffered A lot the past few years.

Really?

I knew it was coming, though, When our series was canceled.

Oh, yes.

Gentlemen, bye.

Doctor.

Whoa, wait a minute. What about the, uh, uh...

Oh, my men are coming By to pick that up.

I'll meet them downstairs.

Fine.

Now, you be extremely Careful about this device,

Nobody gets hurt.

Wait a minute, wait a minute.

I thought, if it doesn't Have any, uh, in it,

Then, uh, it can't hurt anybody.

Oh, it will... If you Drop it on your toe.

A little humor.

Captain miller, I want to Thank you for everything.

I haven't done anything.

Oh, yes, you have. Harry Decided not to be frozen.

Wonderful.

I, uh... I just figured out

That I got 5, maybe 10, Good years left in me.

And you're gonna make The best of them, huh?

Yeah.

That's a good attitude.

You're entitled to your opinion.

Uh, gentlemen, we still have Quite a bit of paperwork to do.

Say, I saw on the news

Where there's tons of plutonium Unaccounted for in this country.

Dietrich, please!

Captain, you okay?

Fluctuating. Just fluctuating.