Original subtitles

[♪♪♪]

NARRATOR: The Adventures of Superman.

Faster than a speeding bullet.

More powerful than a locomotive.

Able to leap tall buildings at a single bound.

MAN 1: Look! Up in the sky! MAN 2: It's a bird!

WOMAN: It's a plane! MAN 3: It's Superman!

NARRATOR: Yes, it's Superman,

strange visitor from another planet,

who came to Earth with powers and abilities

far beyond those of mortal men.

Superman, who can change the course of mighty rivers,

bend steel in his bare hands,

and who, disguised as Clark Kent,

mild-mannered reporter for a great metropolitan newspaper,

fights a never-ending battle

for truth, justice and the American way.

[♪♪♪]

Oh!

What in blazes are you doing in there?

Why, nothing. Nothing, sir.

Oh! Gee...

I'm sorry, sir, but it was an accident.

That accident has ruined a pair of $60 pants.

I got a feeling we're gonna have another accident right now.

No, Superman. Let him go.

No. I ruined his pants, and it was all my fault.

All right, Jimmy, anything you say.

Clark Kent told me

that you'd been fooling around with some chemicals.

I just dropped in to see how much trouble

you were really getting into.

Well, I was developing a new soft drink,

but it acted more like a flamethrower,

right out that window.

But I'm working on some great new discoveries.

Watch this:

Well, what's that?

It's synthetic rubber.

Jimmy, I hope you only used

the chemicals that came in your set.

No. I bought some extra stuff

down at the chemical store.

You did? What did you use?

Some of that stuff on the shelf over there.

Jeepers, Superman. What happened?

Well, Jimmy, that so-called synthetic rubber ball of yours

was a dangerous explosive.

Now, in the future will you pick a safer hobby

like, uh, collecting butterflies, for example.

Oh, but Superman, I've got a couple of other

pretty important projects in the work.

Here, let me show...

Jimmy. Butterflies.

[ELEVATOR DOORS SLIDING OPEN]

Were you looking for me, Olsen?

No. No, I was, uh...

I, uh... I just brought in the pictures

of the beauty-contest finalists.

I see that.

Now, what were you doing in my drawer?

Drawer? What drawer?

You know what drawer. I mean my desk drawer.

You slammed it shut just as I came in.

I did? No I didn't.

I mean, if I did, I... I didn't know I did.

[SIGHS]

All right, Olsen...

what kind of unfunny practical joke is this?

Practical joke? I don't know what you're talking about.

You know perfectly well what I'm talking about.

This... This floating paperweight.

[SCREAMS]

Olsen, you are fired.

Not only from this paper,

but I'll see to it you never work in the newspaper business.

I'm going to see to it that you never work anywhere again.

I may sue you for assault and battery.

Does it really hurt, sir?

[SIGHS]

Olsen, you are amazing.

Chief, you're absolutely right. Sometimes I amaze myself.

All right, I give up.

What is the gimmick?

Oh, there's no gimmick. Look.

There's no wires.

I bought a chemistry set last week.

A chemistry set?

Aren't you a little old for that sort of thing?

But look what I did last night.

You ought to watch that. You might drop it.

And with your scientific abilities,

I wouldn't want to be around when you drop it.

Drop it? You can't drop it. That's the beauty of it.

Watch this.

It must be a trick.

No, it's no trick.

It's a secret formula I developed.

[CHUCKLES]

Your aim is getting worse, Olsen.

You missed me that time.

Well, that's the part I can't control.

It's like your temper.

My temper?! Why, you insolent young...

See what I mean?

I have no temper. See?

Wait a minute.

Do you mean to tell me you've discovered something

that will counteract gravity?

Well, that's just what I've been trying to show you.

Why, this is the greatest thing

since the invention of the wheel.

No, it's not that great. It only lasts a few seconds.

That's the part I haven't licked yet.

But the thing you have licked

is the greatest scientific advance in our time.

It is? Olsen,

this thing is something that you can't keep to yourself.

The government has got to be told about this at once.

It has? Golly.

Our department gets calls like this by the thousands.

To the point where we have neither the men nor the money

to investigate them all.

Well, now, major, you know I wouldn't call Washington

on a wild goose chase.

Well, frankly, Mr. White, antigravity?

Major, if I hadn't seen this with my own eyes, I, uh...

I'm also a man who believes what he sees, Mr. White.

I wouldn't be here at all,

except that my superiors had faith in your word.

And you'll have faith too, major,

after you've seen what I've seen.

I have no doubt. Mm.

Now, if I could meet this Professor Olsen

that you spoke of.

Certainly. He's just outside.

Uh, send Profe... Uh, send Jimmy Olsen in, please.

Uh, Major, I'm afraid someone has left you

with the wrong impression.

As a matter of fact, Mr. Olsen is not exactly a professor.

He's more of a... Uh...

Did you call me, chief?

PERRY: Yes.

Someone here I want you to meet.

Major Osborne, this is Jimmy Olsen.

How do you do, sir?

This is Olsen?

Now, see here, Mr. White, what kind of a...?

Uh, major, let's not jump to any hasty conclusions.

But this boy...

Einstein was only 12

when he published his theory of relativity.

He was 26. But I still don't see what that has to do with this.

That's entirely beside the point.

The fact remains that Mr. Olsen

has discovered an antigravity fluid.

His age is purely irrelevant.

Well, all right.

I've come this far and spent this much time.

I might as well go all the way.

Do you have it, Jimmy? Yes, sir.

May I borrow your pen, please, major?

There you are, sir.

Well, Mr. White, when do we see the demonstration?

Any moment now.

Well, what do you think of our little demonstration, major?

Oh, what demonstration?

Mr. White, is this some kind of trick?

It's your pen, major.

Of course, it's not perfected yet.

We have to find a way to make it more persistent.

Professor, may I see that substance?

Let him see it, Jimmy.

Well, now, major, are you convinced?

Well...

unless this is some fantastic practical joke.

Now, major, why would I...?

Oh, I... I apologize, Mr. White.

But you can't blame me for being a little skeptical.

After all, every scientist in the world

has said there can be no such thing as antigravity.

Well, the way I look at it, gravity is a magnetic force.

Now, we all know that opposite magnetic forces attract.

Like poles repel.

And it's my idea that Olsen has discovered

a like force to gravity.

That sounds very logical. What do you think, professor?

Sure.

Well, now...

I suppose we'll have to set up well-equipped laboratories,

provide expert assistants

and ample funds to carry on the research.

No, I have my own laboratory.

I don't need a thing.

MAJOR: Well, perhaps you're right.

The fewer people that know about this, the better.

Why, if word of this ever got out,

every unscrupulous individual and every world government

would be scheming to get it.

And of course, I'll give Olsen leave of absence

from his duties here

so he can carry on his great work for the government.

At full salary, of course.

Of course. [SIGHS] Of course.

Now, may I, uh, send that bottle

back to our laboratories for analysis?

Sure, I've got a big bottle

of the stuff back at my lab.

And you, uh, have the formula?

Well...

uh, you see,

I was working on so many experiments at one time

that, well, I don't quite know

which one that one was.

But, uh, I'll recheck my papers.

Good. And I'll stay on in town

in case there's anything you need.

The bottle. It's gone!

[♪♪♪]

I can't understand it. It's simply not in this room.

But there's been no one else in this office,

and it was here just a minute ago.

If that bottle should fall into the hands

of the wrong person...

Superman.

Did anyone here lose this?

I found it floating around outside.

Oh, hello, major. Nice to see you again, sir.

Hello, Superman. Oh, that's mine.

Thank you very much.

Oh.

Well, I have to send in my report.

I'll see you later in the day, though I may spend

a little while with a psychiatrist in the meantime.

JIMMY: Goodbye, sir. SUPERMAN: Major.

How's it coming, professor?

Slowly, major. Slowly.

You don't accomplish these miracles overnight.

You can't rush the atom, you know.

I sent the sample to Washington for analysis.

We should have a preliminary report any day now.

Good. I'd sure like to know what's in it.

What?

I mean, uh...

I'd sure like to know, uh,

what they think of it.

[COUGHS]

Well, I'd better be going now.

[COUGHS] Be sure to notify me immediately

of any further results.

[BOTH COUGH]

Yes, sir.

[COUGHING]

Hi, Jimmy.

Hi, Miss Lane.

Whew. You should get some air in here.

[EXHALES]

How's the experiment coming?

What do you know about it?

Well, the chief told Clark and me. Swore us to secrecy.

One of us is to come here every day and get a progress report.

That way, we'll have a story ready

when the government releases it.

There isn't gonna be any story.

Are you kidding? But, Jimmy, we're all proud of you.

Why, this'll be the biggest story of the century.

[SIGHS]

Miss Lane, I have to tell somebody, or I'll go crazy.

I haven't the faintest idea what I'm doing.

What do you mean?

Well, I was fooling around with my chemistry set one day,

trying to make a new kind of chocolate cake.

I mixed together some chemicals, some eggs and some sugar...

But you do know what you put in?

No.

A few bottles of some stuff fell off the shelf

into the mixing bowl,

broke and got mixed up with the rest of the stuff,

and suddenly the bowl began to float.

Probably the world's lightest cake.

Ha, ha, ha.

But you must have some idea of what went into the mixture.

The whole thing was a series of accidents.

I don't think I could repeat them.

Well, you're going to have to try.

Do you have any of the mixture left?

Yeah.

I keep it trapped in here.

It, uh... It sort of has a tendency to float.

Maybe you better start working on that cake again.

Why don't you put all the bottles back

the way you had them that day,

and then try to duplicate your movements.

No, it's no use, Miss Lane.

I don't have any idea what I had around here that day.

Well, why don't you tell the major that,

and just forget the whole thing?

I'm afraid to.

Mr. White's gone way out on a limb

convincing the government that I knew what I was doing.

If they ever found out what really happened,

it'd make him seem like an idiot.

And that's one thing he doesn't enjoy seeming like.

Well, that's for sure.

Well, is there anything I can do to help?

Well... maybe we could both work on it.

That way we'd have twice as good a chance

of stumbling onto the formula again.

Here's a small sample of the stuff.

[KNOCK AT DOOR]

Come in.

Professor Olsen?

Now, wait a minute, don't get excited.

I'll pay for your pants.

Oh, think nothing of it, professor. A misunderstanding.

I didn't know who you were.

I'm Frank Gannis from

the Department of Government Research.

May I speak freely?

Well, sure. This is, uh, Miss Lane, my assistant.

How do you do? How do you do?

Word has reached us that you have been conducting

rather successful experiments in antigravity.

Yes. But Major Osborne has already contacted me.

Major Osborne?

My word, sir. I know of no such officer in our service.

I'm afraid you've been put upon by an impostor.

Really? How terrible.

Why, we'd better contact Washington immediately.

Very cute, Miss Lane. Hold it right there.

All right, Olsen. I'll take the stuff, whatever it is,

and the formula. But I don't have a formula.

I only wish I did.

It must be here someplace.

All right, step back, both of you.

Honestly, I don't have any antigravity fluid.

Never heard of antigravity? What do you call that?

What is that?

Ah! Oh!

Hold the gun on him, Jimmy. I'll get the police.

Oh!

Hold it, Miss Lane.

All right, Olsen.

I'll take the formula

and whatever stuff you've already made.

Come on!

All right. I'll give it to you.

Come on.

Stop right there.

Just let go of it and step back.

Lucky for you, you didn't try anything smart.

Get it back.

How?

It really doesn't matter.

You can make plenty more, can't you, Olsen?

That's what I've been trying to tell you. I can't.

Step back.

I think you're telling the truth.

So I have another idea.

Come along with me to my laboratory.

You can finish your experiments there.

[AIR WHOOSHING]

You expecting someone?

Don't worry about him, Superman.

Just get the jar of antigrav. It floated out the window.

Oh, I quit.

That's all there is to it. I quit.

Now, now. Calm down, Olsen.

This is a very important decision you're making.

I know it's an important decision.

That's why I can't calm down.

Maybe the boy's right, chief. You can see the state he's in.

You keep out of this, Kent.

Do you fully realize the importance of your work

to the government?

Do you fully realize the importance of my life to me?

You're exaggerating.

Just because one man tried to steal your formula.

It only takes one man to kill me.

Superman frightened him away. He won't be back.

Jimmy, why don't you give the government

everything you've discovered up till now?

Let them carry on from there.

That's the first sensible thing I've heard all morning.

All right. If that's the way you feel about it.

Major Osborne is due here any minute.

[RINGS]

Yes?

Yes, of course. Send him in.

Well, now you can tell Major Osborne.

And I'm sure he'll be quite disappointed in you.

Ah, Major, nice to see you again.

I'll be in my office if you want me, sir.

All right, Clark.

Well, professor,

I was just over at your laboratory looking for you.

And I was just gonna look for you.

Sir...

I give up.

I quit.

Olsen, won't you please reconsider?

Uh, Mr. White, let me talk with the boy a moment.

Now, son, you just can't quit. We need you.

Don't you realize how important your work is?

Major, I feel that the government scientists

are much more qualified

to carry on my work than I am.

Ah, but they're not.

That's what I wanted to see you about.

We've just completed our analysis

of your antigravity liquid.

Good. Then you have the formula.

Well, that's just it.

Well, we can break it down to most of its component parts,

but the professor here seems to have accomplished

some rearrangement of the atoms.

We've been unable to duplicate the exact mixture.

So you see, Olsen, you have to carry on.

No, I won't.

Of course...

we can't force you to.

But I just want you to know

that your country will be eternally grateful.

[SIGHS]

Major, if I thought I could be of any use...

But think of what you'll accomplish.

Why, we could build spaceships to the stars

using your antigrav fluid.

Not only that, but people will be able to fly without a ship.

Anyone, even you, will be able to fly like Superman.

Yeah. I would be able to fly like Superman, wouldn't I?

Major...

Chief...

I've never been one to shun my duty to my country.

I'll do it.

[COUGHING]

Well, chief, any word from Jimmy?

Sure. He's invented rubber that melts at room temperature,

synthetic wood that crumbles at the slightest pressure,

but up till now, he's not been able to duplicate

his antigravity fluid.

Chief, you've got to let him stop those experiments.

Oh, don't start that again.

Well, look, now, I've been nosing all around town,

and the whole underworld's just buzzing with the news.

In fact, they're practically drawing straws

to see who knocks Jimmy off to steal his formula.

Yeah, I've heard about that.

And you intend to let him continue?

I've just had a phone call from Major Osborne.

Washington is sending 20 men out here to guard the house.

Cream and sugar, Miss Lane?

No, thanks. Just black.

Well, I will say, you make the greatest coffee.

Looks like that's all I can make.

[TURNS LOCK]

You better get out of here.

In a few minutes, this place is gonna be swarming

with federal men.

I just beat them in.

They're starting to surround the building.

Lieutenant Kraley just called me.

The entire building is surrounded.

No one will be able to get in without being seen.

Good. [RINGS]

Yes?

Yes, he's here.

For you. Washington calling.

Oh, thank you.

Major Osborne here.

What?

Will you repeat that, please?

Why, that's terrible.

Yes, I'll get the information to him immediately.

What happened?

That was the laboratory in Washington.

While running some experiments

on the sample of Olsen's antigrav,

they mixed a small portion of it with water.

A few minutes later, it exploded.

Of course. It's highly unstable.

That's why it disintegrates

on exposure to the moisture in the air.

Well, we knew it was unstable,

but we hardly expected it to be that unstable.

We'll have to notify Professor Olsen at once.

May I use your phone?

Certainly. Thank you.

Let's have it, Olsen.

What good will it do you?

You'll never be able to get out of here now.

Why don't you give up?

That stuff's my only hope.

The only way I can get out of here is to fly.

[PHONE LINE BUZZES]

MAJOR: Well, that's strange.

He doesn't seem to answer.

I can't understand it.

I'd better get over there right away.

Would you care to...?

Where did Mr. Kent go?

I don't know. He was here a moment ago.

[♪♪♪]

But I told you, I don't have a formula.

Look, I haven't got time to argue.

Just give me the big jar of the stuff you have.

Come on now, get it for me.

All right.

What do you want this stuff for?

It's no good. It only lasts a few seconds.

It'll last long enough to get me out of here.

This all you have left?

That's the last of it.

What about that?

Oh, no, that's just... Uh...

All right. You win.

That is the rest of the antigravity fluid.

We were holding out on you.

We were?

Okay, don't get smart.

Now, pour the rest of that stuff into this jar.

Cream and sugar?

What?

Nothing.

I'm gonna take this stuff and pour it all over myself,

and float out that window.

And for your sake, it better work.

You're not floating anywhere.

[GASPS]

I have a message for you from the government.

And I'm glad I got here in time.

This is one time, Superman, we really didn't need you.

He wasn't going anywhere.

There's enough stuff here to have floated him

out that window and past the government men.

Not with that stuff. It's diluted.

Not with water, I hope.

Water? Of course not.

Well, thank goodness for that.

You see, the government scientists have discovered

when you mix this stuff with water,

it explodes in a matter of minutes.

Explodes? Why, we put coffee in there.

Coffee?

Here, Gannis, you wanted this.

Oh, no! This time it's the whole suit!

[COUGHS]

Don't worry. Where you're going, they'll furnish your clothes.

Look at my lab. It's ruined.

Well, maybe it's just as well.

Now you can leave science to the scientists.

Does anyone know where I can get

a good second-hand butterfly net?

[♪♪♪]

NARRATOR: Don't miss the next thrill-packed episode

in the amazing Adventures of Superman.

Superman is based on the original character

appearing in Superman magazine.