All language subtitles for H G Wells - Things to Come (1936).eng

Hullo, young Harding!
You're early.

Yes, I had finished up. It was
too late to start anything fresh.

What's all this fuss about
in the papers tonight, Mr. Cabal?

- Wars and rumours of wars.
- Crying wolf?

Some day the wolf will come.
These fools are capable of anything.

- In that case, what happens to
medical research? - It has to stop.

- That will mess me up.
- Mess you up. Mess everything up.

My God, if war gets loose again...

Merry Christmas, everyone!

'While shepherds watched
their flocks by night,
All seated on the ground...'

What's the matter with you fellows?

Oh, that. This little upset across
the water doesn't mean anything.

Threatened men live long, and
threatened wars never occur.

Another speech by him.

I tell you there's nothing in it.
It's just to buck people up
over the air estimates.

Now why meet wars half-way? Why not
look at the bright side of things?

You're all right, your business
is going up, you've got a jolly wife,
a pretty home.

All's right with the world, eh?

- All's right with the world.
- Certainly!

Passworthy, you should have
been called Pippa Passworthy...

And Cabal, you've been smoking too much.

You're not - you're not eupeptic...

Oh, come on, it's Christmas.
'No-el! No-el!'

'No-el! No-el!'

'Born is the King of Israel.'

Nice toys they have nowadays, nice toys.

The toys we had were simpler.
Ever so much simpler.

Noah's Arks and wooden soldiers.

Nothing complex like these.

You know, I wonder sometimes if
perhaps all these new toys
aren't a bit too much for them.

It teaches them to use their hands.

And I suppose their grandchildren
will see even more wonderful things.

Progress - progress -

I'd like to see - the wonders
they'll see.

Don't be too sure of progress.

Oh, listen to the incurable pessimist.

What's to stop progress nowadays?

War!

Firstly, there isn't going to be a war,
and secondly, war doesn't stop progress.

It stimulates progress.

Yes, war can be a highly
stimulating thing.

But you can overdo a stimulant.

Oh, well, after all, aren't we
exaggerating the horrors of war?

Don't we rather overdo that song?

After all, you know, the last war
wasn't as bad as some people make out.

We didn't worry. Something great
seemed to have got hold of us.

Something greater still may
get hold of us next time.

If we don't end war -
war will end us.

Well, what can you do?

Yes, what can we do?

Peace on earth,
Goodwill to all men.

A real old-fashioned
Christmas this year.

Fresh, a little snow,
with a nip in the air.

What was that?
It sounded like a gun.

No guns here.

Merry Christmas, Cabal - here's
to another good year for all of us.

Another year of recovery, eh?

What are searchlights doing now?

Yes.
Anti-aircraft manœuvres, I expect.

Well, it must be -
anti-aircraft manœuvres.

Manœuvres at Christmas?
No!

Listen.
Guns again.

Yes? Cabal speaking.

The Hilltown air base at three?
I'll be there.

- Mobilisation!
- Oh God!

Perhaps it's only
a precautionary mobilisation.

The unknown aircraft
passed over Seabeach

and dropped bombs within a few
hundred yards of the waterworks.
They then turned seaward again.

By this time they had been
picked up by the searchlights
of the battleship Dinosaur.

Before they could mount out of range,

she had opened upon them
with her anti-aircraft guns.
Unfortunately without result.

- Of course everyone has said
'This time they'll start without
any declaration of war.' - Oh, listen!

We do not yet know the nationality
of these aircraft,

though of course there can be
little doubt of their place of origin.

But before all things it is necessary
for the country to keep calm.

No doubt the losses suffered
by the fleet are serious.

- What? Losses of the fleet?
- Listen! Listen!

And it is imperative that the whole
nation should at once stand to arms.

Orders for a general mobilisation
have been issued

and the precautionary civilian
organisation against gas will
at once be put into operation.

Ah - instructions have
just come to hand.

We shall cut off for five minutes and
then read you the general instructions.

Please call in all your friends.
Call in everyone you can.

You've got your stimulant, Passworthy.

Something great has got you.
War has come.

War has broken out suddenly.

There may be an air raid,
but it is not likely to be
a very serious one.

You must be prepared for it.
The danger will not be great.

As soon as the danger is over,
bugles will sound 'all clear'.

The streets will be dangerous.

Do not assemble in crowds.
Keep indoors. Go home.

Those who are far from home, can take
refuge in the underground railways.

Go home. Go home. Go home.

Get out of the squares.
Get out of the streets.

Go home and stay calm.

Turn out all the lights.
Close all the windows.

Put a wet sheet or a wet blanket
over doors and windows.

My dear, my dear, are you sorry we -
had these children?

No. Life must carry on.

Why should we surrender life
to the brutes and fools?

I loved you.

I wanted to serve you
and make life happy for you.

But think of the things
that may happen to them.

- Were we selfish?
- You weren't afraid to bear them -

We were children yesterday.

We are anxious, but we are not afraid.

Really.

Courage, my dear.

And may that little heart have courage.

Are you an officer, daddy?

Well, you've got to do our bit,
you know, sonny. Got to do our bit.

I'm an officer too, daddy.

That's the spirit.
Carry on, sir. Carry on.

Goodbye, son.

Quick march!

An air raid is approaching Everytown.
An air raid is approaching Everytown.

Gas masks are being distributed.

Give them to those directly
behind of you.

Get to cover.
Get under cover at once.

... but our anti-aircraft gunners
will speedily dispose of them.

Bad shape, eh?

Why has it come to this?

God, why do we have
to murder each other?

Go, my friend. That is my gas.

It's a bad gas.

Funny even if I'm killed
by my own poison.

Quick, get this on.

Here - get this on, quickly.

Give it to her.

I've given plenty to others -
why should I not have some myself?

Give it to her.
I'm done!

Breathe in and out.

I dropped the gas on her.

Maybe I've killed
her father and mother.

Maybe I've killed her whole family.

And then I go and give up
my mask to save her.

That's funny.

That - that's a joke!

Look! He's carrying infection!

Iodine, please.

Mary, iodine.

No more left, Father.
This is the last drop.

God!

What is the use of trying to save
this mad world from its punishment?

Oh, Father, if only
you could get some sleep.

How can I sleep?

See how they wander out to die.

Why don't you shoot them?!

It's their lives or ours!

Let's get guards, make a cordon.

That's how they dealt with
their pestilence in the Dark Ages.

- Richard!
- My sister...

Gordon! How do you know?

Her heart beats fast,
and she feels faint, and -

she won't answer.

What can I do for her? I thought
something might be known.

Oh Janet! - and you,
you poor dear -

- Richard...
- I might be infected.

Is there nothing to
make her comfortable?

Nothing.

There is nothing will make
anyone comfortable any more.

No! Don't shoot!

Shoot, I tell you!
Shoot!

That's the way to do it!
Shoot 'em!

Mayday 1970

The Pestilence has ceased.

Thanks to the determined action
of our Chief in shooting all wanderers

there have been no cases for two months.

The Pestilence has been conquered.

The Chief is preparing
to resume hostilities

against the Hill People
with the utmost vigour.

Soon we shall have Victory and Peace.

All is well - God save the Chief.

God save our Land.

- Have we any more insulated wire?
- We've got no rubbered wire at all, sir.

- Any rubber - tape?
- There's not a scrap left in the place.

We used the last on the other motor.

Oh, what's the use -
there's no petrol anyway.

I don't believe there's three
gallons of petrol left in this
accursed ruin of a town.

What's the good of setting me
at a job like this?

Nothing will ever fly again.
Flying is over.

Everything is over.
Civilisation is dead.

Hello.

- It's a Rolls, isn't it? - Yes -
it's a good pre-Pestilence machine.

I oil it and turn it over at times.

You think it'll go fast
some day? Still?

Oh, I'm not one of your
petrol hoarders.

But all the same that engine
turns over still.

Why, I remember when I was a lad -
when it was new -

we thought nothing of going
a hundred miles in it -

a whole hundred miles. Less than
three hours I've done it in.

But all that sort of thing
is all gone now -

gone for ever! Eh?
- 'Fraid so.

- Richard! - What is it?
- You won't think me mad?

- Why, darling? - I thought
I heard an aeroplane this morning.

At dawn. I thought
it was a dream, but -

Nonsense.
I tell you flying is finished.

We shall never get
in the air again. Never.

Hey, come on. The Boss.

- Look, the Boss!
- The Boss is coming!

Long live the Boss!

- Anything to report, Gordon?
- Nothing very hopeful, Chief.

I must have those aeroplanes -
somehow.

I'll do what I can, but
you can't fly without petrol.

I'll get petrol for you, trust me.
You look after the machines.

I know you haven't got stuff -
but you can get round that.

For example, transfer parts.
Use bits of one to mend the other.

Be resourceful.

Give me only ten machines
in working order. Give me only five.
I don't want them all.

Then we can end this war
of ours - forever.

I'll see you get your reward.

This your wife, Gordon?

You keep her well hidden.

Salutation, lady!

You must use your influence
with our Master Mechanic.

The combatant State
wants his service.

I'm sure my husband
does his best for you.

That's hardly enough, lady.
The combatant State demands miracles.

Not everyone can work miracles
as you do, Chief.

Oh, I'm sure you could work miracles
if you tried, lady.

Rudolf!

Lady, lady, I showed it to you,
but you said you didn't want it.

If Wadsky has been up to his tricks
again, he'll have to answer for them.

But he has been keeping
things back from me again!

It isn't only Wadsky who keeps
things back. What do you think
of our Master Mechanic here -

the one who won't let me have
those planes of mine to end
this war of ours with the Hill Men.

Well, can't you make him?

I thought you could
make everybody do everything.

Some things you can't do, Madam.
You can't fly without petrol.

You can't mend machines
without tools or material.

We've gone back too far. Flying
has become a lost skill in Everytown.

- And are you really as stupid as that?
- I'm as helpless as that.

- And now Chief - what are you
going to do about it? - He's going
to let me have those machines

and I'm going to let him
have coal - stuff to make oil.

It's a lost skill.
It is a dream of the -

There it is -
you were right -

a plane once more!

Look! There he is!

He's shutting off -
he's coming down.

What's the meaning of this?

Have they got aeroplanes before us?

And you tell me
we couldn't fly any more!

While we have been fumbling,
they have been active.

Here, some of you, you, and you,
find out who this is and what it means!

There's only one man in it.
Hold him.

Somewhere they can
still make new machines.

I didn't dream
it was still possible.

Yes, but who is the man?
How did he dare come here?

Fetch him to the Town Hall. Guard
his machine and bring him to me there.

Come along, Mary.
I must see that machine.

Who's in control of this part
of the country?

The Chief. What we call the Boss.

Good. I want to see him!

He sent me to arrest you.

You can't do that.

- But I'll come and see him.
- Well, you're under arrest -

whether you'll admit it or not.

The country is in a state at war.

Well, come along. I know the way.

I remember this place well.

I used to live over there for years.

- Ever heard of a man
named Passworthy? - No!

- Harding?
- Yes! Doctor Harding!

Look, here he comes now!

So you're Harding.

I seem to remember -
something about you.

You were a young man.

You are John Cabal!
I remember you!

I used to visit your house!
Here!

Endless years ago.
Before the wars.

You're still flying?!

Your hair is grey but
you look young enough!

How are things here?
Who's in control in this place?

We have a chief -
a war lord.

The usual thing. I want to
look after your war lord.

Where can we go and talk?

My laboratory is the best thing.
It's just over here.

Right.

Here! You can't go in there.

You're under arrest. You've got
to go with me to the chief.

All in good time.
I will see this gentleman first.

Well, you've got to go with me.
Orders are orders. The Boss first.

Where is this man?
Why isn't he brought here?

- He has gone off with Doctor Harding.
- He has to be brought here.
I must deal with him.

Here, you can't go to him.
That's impossible. He must come to you.

Send another man for him. Send three men.
He's got to be brought here.

So that's the sort of man your Boss is.
Not an unusual type.

Everywhere we find these little semi-
military upstarts robbing and fighting.

That's what endless warfare
has led to - brigandage.

What else could happen?

But we, who are all that are left
of the old engineers and mechanics,

have pledged ourselves
to salvage the world.

We have the air-ways, what is
left of them, we have the seas.

And we have ideas in common;

the brotherhood of efficiency -
the freemasonry of science.

We're the last trustees of civilisation
when everything else has failed.

I've been waiting for this.
I'm yours to command.

Not mine. Not mine. No more bosses.
Civilisation's to command.

Tell him he's got to come.
If he won't come on foot,

well, we'll have to carry him.

I don't know what will happen
to me, sir, if you do not come.

Well, what do you want to see me about?

Who are you? Do you know
this country's at war?

At war? Still at it, eh?

- We must clean that up.
- What do you mean
'We must clean that up'?

War is war. Who are you, I said?

The law.
Law and sanity.

I am the law here.

I said law and sanity.

Where do you come from?
Who are you?

Wings over the World.

Well, you know, you can't come into
a country like this in this fashion.

I'm here.
Do you mind if I sit down?

And now for the fourth time:

who are you?
- I tell you - Wings over the World.

- That's nothing. What Government
are you under? - Commonsense.

I belong to World Communications.

We just run ourselves.

You'll run into trouble if you
try and land here in war time.

- What's the game?
- Order and trade -

Trade, eh? Can you do
anything in munitions?

- Not our line of business.
- Fuel - spare parts?

We've got planes - we've got planes -
I've got boys that have trained
a bit on the ground.

- But we've got no fuel. It hampers us.
We might do a deal. - We might.

I know where I can get some fuel.
I've got my plans. Later.

But if you could manage a temporary
accommodation - we'd do business.

World Communications
helps no one to make war.

End war, end war.

I want to make victorious peace.

I seem to have heard that phrase before.
When I was a young man.

But it made no end of war.

Now look here, Mr. Aviator.
Let's see how we stand.
Come down to actuality.

The way you swagger, you don't seem
to realize you are under arrest.

You and your machine.

You'll find other planes looking for me -
if I happen to be delayed.

We'll deal with them later.

You can start a trading agency here
if you like. I've no objection.

The first thing we shall want is
to get our planes in the air again.

Why, a laudable ambition.

But our new order has
an objection to private aeroplanes.

- The impudence! - I am not
talking about private aeroplanes.

Our aeroplanes are public aeroplanes.

This is an independent
sovereign State. At war.

I know nothing about any old order.

I am the Chief here, and I am not taking
any orders - old or new, from you.

- I suppose I've walked into trouble.
- Yeah, you can take that as right.

Where do you come from?

I flew from our headquarters
at Basra this morning.

We have some hundreds of new-type planes
and we're building more, fast.
The factories are working again.

We're gradually restoring order and trade
in the whole Mediterranean area.

We're scouting this region now
to see how things are.

You've found out.

This is an independent
sovereign State.

- Yes, we must talk about that.
- We don't discuss it.

We don't approve of
independent sovereign States.

- You don't approve.
- We mean to stop them.

- That's war.
- If you will.

Well, I think we know how we stand.

Burton, take this man.

If he gives you any trouble, club him.

You hear that, Mr. Wings over your Wits?

My friends know my whereabouts.

If I don't come back,
they'll send a force to find me.

Perhaps they won't find you.

- They'll find you.
- They'll find me ready.

Take him to the detention room
downstairs.

- Now was that wise?
- Wise!

Yes, wise; to quarrel
with him at once?

Quarrel with him! Confound him,
he began to quarrel with me!

'We must clean that up!' -
Clean that up! My war!

- There's things behind him.
- Things behind him!

Some sort of aerial bus driver.

Standing up to me - like an equal.

So you lost your temper
and you bullied him.

I don't bully. I just handle the men.

He's the first real aviator
that has come this way for years.

Think of what that means, my dear!

You want aeroplanes, don't you?

You want your aeroplanes put in order?

A really clever man would have had
some of those machines up long ago.

- I'm sure of it.
- So along comes this stranger

who is going to clean me up.

And you expect me to hand my planes
over to him, lock, stock and barrel.

- Why talk nonsense? You could have
persuaded him - under supervision.
- Supervision.

The sort of oafs I've got here
to supervise him.
He'd be too much for them.

Oh, well, of course, if
he's gonna be too much for you,
why don't you hang him

and hide his machine before
the others are after you?

I don't agree with you.
I don't agree with you.

Now this stranger hasn't
taken me by surprise.

I knew he was coming.

Yes, I knew he was coming.

I felt this conspiracy
of air bus drivers brewing
somewhere in the world.

I felt they were getting ahead
with their aeroplanes
down there somewhere.

Very well. Now is our chance.

We've got this fellow bottled up.
They won't even begin
to miss him for days.

I've got everything fixed up now
for an attack straight away
on the Floss Valley

to the old coal and shale pits -
where there's oil too!

Then - up we buzz.

Victory approaches. Your sacrifices
have not been in vain.

Our long struggle with the Hill Men
has come to its climax.

Our new victory at the coal pits

has brought a great supply
of oil within our reach.

Once more we may hope to take the air

and look our invaders in the face.

We've forty aeroplanes,

as large a force, I venture to say,
as any in the world.

This new oil can be
adapted to our needs.

That's quite a simple business.

Nothing remains but
a conclusive bombing of the hills.

Then for a time we can hope
for a rich, rewarding peace,

the peace of the strong man armed
who keepeth his house (Luke 11, 21).

And now at this supreme crisis

you, Gordon, our master mechanic,
refuse your help.

- Where are my planes? - The job's
more difficult than you think.

Half your machines are hopelessly old.
You haven't twenty sound ones.

To be exact, nineteen. You'll never
get the others off the ground.

The thing can't be done
as you imagine it. I want assistance.

- What assistance?
- Your prisoner.

Why, you want that chap in black,
that - Wings over the World?
You want him released?

He knows his business.
I don't enough.

- Make him my technical adviser.
- I don't trust you technical chaps.

- Then you won't get an aeroplane up.
- I want those planes.

- What if you get him?
- Then I want Doctor Harding out too.

- They're old associates.
- I can't help that.

If anybody in Everytown can
adapt that crude oil for our
aeroplanes, it's Harding.

- If not, it can't be done.
- We've had a bit of an argument
with Harding.

He's the only man who can
do this work for you.

Get him.

Undo his hands.

Well?

- Well, what?
- The salute.

Damn the salute.

Never mind the salute now.
We'll talk about that later.
Now look here, let's see how we stand.

You, Gordon, are to undertake
the reconstruction of our air force.

The prisoner Cabal is to be
placed at your disposal.

Everywhere he goes he is to be
under guard and observation.
No relaxing on that.

Neither you nor him to go
within a hundred yards
of his aeroplane. Mind that!

Now you, Harding, will assist
Gordon with this fuel problem

and place your knowledge
of poison gas at our disposal.

I'll have nothing to do
with poison gas.

You've got the knowledge -
if I have to wring it out of you.

The State's your mother and your father,

the totality of your interests.

No discipline can be too severe for
the man that denies that by word or deed.

Nonsense.
We have our duty to civilisation.

You and your sort are driving us
straight back to eternal barbarism.

- But this is pure treason. - I protest
against being dragged away from my work.

Confound your silly war!
Your war material
and all the rest of it!

All my life has been interrupted
and wasted and spoilt by war.

- I will not stand it any longer.
- This is Treason - Treason.

- No, no, no. Stop that.
- We have need of your service.

- Well, what do you want?
- You are conscripted.

You're under my orders now
and under no other orders in the world.

I am master here!
I am the State.

I need fuel and gas.

Neither fuel nor gas.

- You refuse?
- Absolutely.

I do not want to be forced
to extremities.

May I have a word?

I understand you want all of those
out-of-date crocks of yours which
you call your air force,

to fly again - and fly well?
- They shall.

With the help of that man -
Cabal - you have in the cells,
and Doctor Harding here -

you may even have a dozen
of your planes in the air again.

You!
You're a traitor to civilisation.

I won't touch it.

If you will give me your Cabal,

if you leave me free
to talk with Harding,

I promise you
you'll see your air force -

a third of it at any rate -
in the sky again.

You talk as if you are driving
a bargain with me.

I am sorry, Chief.
It is not I who make these conditions.

This is the nature of things.

You cannot have technical services,
you cannot have scientific help

without treating the men
who give it you - properly.

That's what I've said all along!

You're bullying too hard, my dear.
There's a limit to bullying.

Why! you can't make
a dog hunt by beating it.

I want those planes.

I wanted to look at you.

I'm at your service, Madam.

You're the most interesting thing
that has happened in Everytown for years.

- You honour me.
- You come from - outside.

I'd begun to forget
there was anything outside.

- I want to hear about it.
- May I offer you my only chair?

You know - I am not a stupid woman.

- I am sure.
- This life here - is limited.

War always going on and never ending.

Flags. Marching.
Oh, I adore the Chief.

I've always adored him since he
took control in the Pestilence Days

when everyone else lost heart.

He rules. He is firm.

Everyone - every woman finds him
strong and attractive.

I can't complain.

I have everything
that is to be had here.

And yet -

This is a small limited world
we live in.

You bring in the breath
of something greater.

When I saw you swooping down
out of the air -

when I saw you marching
into the Town Hall -

I felt: this man lives
in a greater world.

And you spoke of the Mediterranean
and the East,

of your camps and factories.

I've read about the Mediterranean
and Egypt and Greece and India.

I can read - a lot of those old books.

I'm not like most
of the younger people here.

I learnt a lot before education stopped
and the schools closed down.

I want to see that world.

Skies, snowy mountains,
blue seas, sunshine, palms.

If I had my way - you could fly
to all that in a couple of hours.

If you were free...
And if I was free.

I don't suppose any man
has ever understood any woman
since the beginning of things.

You don't understand our imaginations.
How wild our imaginations can be.

I wish I were a man.
Oh, if I were a man!...

What are you people
trying to do to us?

What are you going to do
to this Boss of mine?

The immediate question seems
what does he mean to do to me?

Something violent and foolish -
unless I prevent it.

That's how I see things.

And if he kills you -?

We shall come here
and clean things up.

But if you're killed -
how can you say we?

We go on. That's how things are,

we are taking hold of things.

In science and government -
in the long run -

no man is indispensable.

The human things go on.

We - for ever.

I see. And this war-like
State of ours here?

It has to vanish. Like the Tyrannosaurus
and the sabre-toothed tiger.

Ah, so here you are!

I said I should talk to him,
and I have.

I told you to leave that fellow alone.

Yes, and sat up there drinking
and swaggering and looking
as proud as you could.

Rudolf the Victorious!

And here am I trying to find out
what this black invader means.

Do you think I wanted to come
and talk to him - this grey cold man?

While you are swaggering here,
there are more planes away there
at Basra getting ready.

- Basra? - His headquarters.
Have you never heard of Basra?

These are matters for us
to talk about.

This lady has been putting me
through a severe cross-examination.

But the gist of it is -
that away there in Basra
new aeroplanes are rising night and day

like hornets round a hornets' nest.

What happens to me,
is a small affair.

They'll finish you.

The new world of united airmen
will finish you.

Listen! You can almost
hear them coming now.

- Not a bit of it!
- What he says is the truth.

- What he says is bluff. - Make peace
with the airmen and let him go.

That means surrender
of our sovereign independence.

But more machines will be coming,
and more and more.

And he's here -
hostage for their good behaviour.

Come, Madam. Enough of this little -
diplomatic mission of yours.

You've got the subtlety of a -
bullfrog.

Yes. I don't know what
she has been saying to you.

I don't much care.

There's no making peace
between you and me.

It's your world or mine,
and it's going to be mine.

Roll your threats of -
swarms of hornets and so on -

You're a hostage. Remeber that.

And don't be too sure you'll win.

So just sit here and think that over,
Mr. Wings over the World.

Now get round to the other side
and look at these engine barrel
bracings, quickly.

If I could get to my plane.
There's a wireless there.

- Hopeless... They won't even trust me.
- We shall have to make a job of this.

- I could manage to get your
reserve petrol. They'll let me
have that for this plane. - Good.

It won't be easy to make a get-away.

These oil pump connections
aren't very good.
We will have to risk it.

- I think we'll manage it
all right now that Harding knows
his part of the job. - Good.

Look! It's your Gordon,
he's flying at last.

Look! An aeroplane
out of the box, boys!

It's pre-war!

- Where do you come from?
- I come from the north, sir,
from Everytown.

- He says Cabal is a prisoner.
- They've got him, sir. He's in danger.

- I had great difficulty getting here.
- You say Cabal is in danger?

A very grave danger.
The Boss there is a violent tough.

- A job for our new squadron.
- Now we've got a chance to try
the new Gas of Peace on somebody.

There's no time to lose.
Am I to report to Headquarters?

Yes. Take him to the Council.

- At last we have definite news.
- What is it?

Gordon didn't fall into the sea.
He got away.

A fishing boat saw him
making for the French coast.

- Perhaps he reached his pals. - Well?
- Well, he'll be coming back.
He'll be bringing the others with him.

Curse these World Communications.

Curse all airmen and

gas men and machine men!

Why didn't we leave their machines
and their sciences alone?

I might have known.
Why did I tamper with flying?

Well, we needed aeroplanes -
against the Hill State.

Somebody else would have
started in again with
aeroplanes and gas and bombs

if we hadn't. These people would
have come interfering anyhow.

Why was all this science ever allowed?
Why was it ever let begin?

Science! - it's the enemy of
everything that's natural in life.

I dreamt of those fellows last night.
Great ugly black inhuman chaps.

Half like machines.

- Bombing and bombing.
- Yes, I guess they'll
come bombing, all right.

Then we'll fight 'em. Since
Gordon got away I've had
those air boys up to see me.

They've got guts.
They'll do something still.

We'll fight 'em. We'll fight 'em.
Huh! We've got hostages...

I'm glad now we haven't
shot them anyway.

There's that chap Harding...

Of course! He can tell us
what to do against this gas.

If I have to pull his arm off
and knock his teeth down his throat.

- Get him - get him.
- Get Doctor Harding!

They have to come to earth sometime.

What is this World Communications?

A handful of men like ourselves.

They're not magic.

To you I entrust these good,
tried, tested machines.

You are not mechanics -
you are warriors.

You have been trained
not to think, but to do -

maybe - to die.

I salute you -
I, your Chief.

What do you know about these
World Communications people?
Have they gas? What sort of gas?

- I know nothing about gas.
- Tell us about these masks, anyway.

They're rotten!
They're no good at all.

What sort of gas have they got?

I tell you gas isn't my business.

Well, they can't gas us
when you are here anyway.

Here they are. Listen.
They're coming already!

We're there.
Tell them to stand by.

Clumsy great things! Our boys
will have them down in no time.

They're too clumsy.

What! - only six of us up.
Where are the rest of our fellows?

Go on - up at him.

- Poor boy - it's got him.
- They're both coming down. Cowards!

But they can't use gas -
when we have hostages.

The hostages!
I'm not done yet.

Go on, fetch them, bring them
out here out in the open.

Tie 'em up where they can be seen.

Where's the other fellow?
He's the Prize Hostage.
He's the best of the lot.

They'll know him.
Fetch him - fetch him...

Look!
Is that gas?

You won't get out of this.

- You?
- Don't you see we're beaten?

Shoot them - what are you all doing -
why don't you move?

I never did you any harm.
I saved your father and I saved you.

Couldn't you call up
to your man there - to stop this...

I won't have it like this.

What's happening?

Everything's swimming.

Shoot. Shoot.

We've never shot enough yet.

We've never shot enough.

We spared them.
Now they've got us.

Our world or theirs.

Why should I be beaten like this?

Shoot! Shoot!

Shoot! Shoot!

There they are!

Mary!

Mary is not hurt.

She's asleep like the others.

Cabal's safe!

- Cabal!
- Well done, Gordon!

Well, they laughed at me
for sticking to my gas mask.

But thanks to that I'm here
and everyone else is sleeping.

- I wonder if they'll ever
use gas masks again. - Sir!

What is it?

This man's not sleeping.
He's dead.

Dead and his world dead with him.
And a new world beginning.

Poor old Boss here,
and his flags and his follies.

And now for the rule of the Airmen

and a new life for mankind.

Our job is only beginning.

For now we have to put the world in order.
It'll be a long and complicated struggle.

But we have the unity
of a common order
and a common knowledge.

This is how I conceive
our plan of operations.

First a round-up of brigands,

that last dismal vestige
of ancient predatory soldiers,

the last would-be conquerors.

Then settle, organise, advance.
This zone, then that.

And at last Wings over the World

and the new world begins.

Do you realise the immense
task we shall undertake

when we set ourselves
to an active and aggressive peace,

when we direct our energies
to tear out the wealth of this planet

and exploit all these
giant possibilities of science

that have been squandered hitherto
upon war and senseless competition?

We shall excavate the eternal hills.

We shall make such use of the treasures
of sky and sea and earth

as men have never dreamt of hitherto.

I would that I could see
our childrens' children

in this world we shall win for them!

But in them and through them
we shall live again.

Is it a better world than it used to be?
I rebel against this Progress.

What have this Progress and
this world civilisation done for us?

Machines and marbles.

They've built this
great city of theirs - yes.

They've prolonged life - yes.

They've conquered nature, they say,
and made a great quiet world.

Is it any jollier than the world
used to be in the good old days

when life was short and hot and merry,
and the devil took the hindmost?

- All the same, what can we
do about it? - Rebel.

- And rebel now, now. Now is the time.
- Why now in particular?

Why, because of this Space Gun business.

Because of this project
to shoot human beings at the stars.

People don't like it, shooting
humans away to hard, frozen darkness.
They're murmuring.

They've murmured before,
and nothing came of it.

Because they had no leader.

But now, suppose someone cried,

'Halt!
Stop this Progress!'

Suppose I shouted to the world,
'Make an end to this Progress!'

I could talk, talk.

Radio is everywhere.
This modern world is full of voices.

I'm a master craftsman,
I have the right to talk.

Yes, but will they listen to you?

They'll listen, trust them.

If I shout,

'Arise! Awake!

Stop this Progress
before it is too late!'

- I like these History Lessons.
- Uh-uh.

What a funny place New York was -

all sticking up and full of windows.

- They built houses like that
in the old days. - Why?

They had no light inside
their cities as we have.

So they had to stick them up
into the daylight -

what there was of it.

They had no properly mixed
and conditioned air.

Everybody lived half out of doors.

They had windows of brittle glass.

The Age of Windows lasted four centuries.

They never seemed to realise
that we could light the interiors
of our houses with sunshine of our own,

so there was no need to stick them up
ever so high into the air.

They keep on inventing
new things now, don't they?

And making life
lovelier and lovelier?

Lovelier - yes... And bolder...

I suppose I'm an old man, my dear,
but some of it seems like going too far.

This Space Gun of theirs
that they keep on shooting.

What is this Space Gun,
great-grandfather?

Well, it's a gun they discharge
by electricity -

it's a lot of guns
inside one another -

and each one discharges the gun next
inside. I don't properly understand it.

But the cylinder it shoots out last,
goes - swish - right away from the earth.

I wish I could fly round the moon.

Well, that in time. Won't you come back
to your history pictures again?

I'm glad I didn't live
in the old world.

I know that John Cabal and his airmen
tidied it all up.

Did you see John Cabal,
great-grand-dad?

Oh, you can see him in your pictures.

But you saw him when he lived,
you really saw him?

Yes. I saw the great John Cabal
with my own eyes

when I was a little boy.

He was a lean brown old man
with hair as white as mine.

He was the great-grandfather
of our Oswald Cabal,
the President of our Council.

I take it the Space Gun's passed
all its preliminary trials

and there's nothing left now but
to choose the two who are to go.

That's going to be the trouble.
Thousands of young people
have been applying -

young men and young women.

I never dreamt the moon
was so attractive.

Practically the Gun's perfect now.

There are risks
but reasonable risks.

And the position of the moon
in the next three or four months

gives us the best conditions
for getting there.

It's only the choice
of the two now that matters.

- Well? - There are going
to be difficulties.

That man Theotocopulos
is talking on the radio about it.

He's a fantastic fellow.

Yes, but he is making trouble.

It's not going to be easy
to choose these young people.

With all these thousands
offering themselves?

We've looked into thousands of cases.

We have rejected everyone
of imperfect health.

Or anyone who had friends
who objected.

And the fact is, we want you
to talk to two people.

There is Raymond Passworthy
of General Fabrics.

- You know him? - Yes, I know him.
- And his son.

We want you to see the son -
Maurice Passworthy.

- Why?
- He asks to go.

We think you ought to see him.
He is waiting here.

Is Maurice Passworthy there?

- He's on his way.
- Good.

- You want to talk with me?
- Forgive me, Sir.
I came straight to you.

- You're asking a favour?
- A very big favour.

I want to be one of the first two
human beings to go round the moon.

It means danger.
Great hardship anyhow.

You realise there's an even chance
of never coming back alive.

A still greater chance
of coming back a cripple.

Give me credit for
not minding that, Sir.

Yes, a lot of you young people
don't mind that.

But why should I give a favour?

Well, I'm the son
of a friend of yours.

- People seem to feel you oughtn't
to send some one you do not know, Sir -
- Go on.

We've talked about this
over and over again

- We? - Yes, both of us. It's
her idea even more than it's mine.

Her idea? Who is she?

Some one much closer
to you than I am, Sir.

- Go on.
- It's Catherine - your daughter.

She says you can't possibly send
anyone's child but your own.

I might have known.

We are going to put it forward plainly.

Is this thing to go on,

or are we sane and normal human
beings to put an end to it

and an end to all
such follies forever?

What is this Progress?

What is the good of all this
Progress? Onward and onward.

We demand a halt, we demand a rest.

The object of life is happy living.

We will not have human lives
sacrificed to experiment.

Progress is not living,

it should only be
the preparation for living.

They stage the old Greek tragedy again

and a father offers up
his daughter to his evil gods.

And that voice is sounding
to the whole world.

I might suppress it. No.

They'll have to hear him,
and make what they can of him.

What does this Space Gun portend?

Make no mistake about it!

The slaveries they put
upon themselves to-day

they will impose to-morrow
upon the whole world.

Is man never to rest,
never to be free?

A time will come

when you in your turn will be
forced away to take your chance
upon strange planets

and in dreary, abominable places
beyond the stars.

An end to Progress.

Make an end to this Progress now.

Let this be the last day
of the Scientific Age.

Make the Space Gun the symbol
of all that drives us

and destroy it!
Now!

I wonder what they will make of him?

All very well for you, Cabal.

You are the great-grandson of John
Cabal, the air dictator -

the man who changed
the whole course of the world.

You've got experiment in your blood.
You - and your daughter!

But I'm - I'm more normal.

I don't believe my boy
would have thought of it.

- The two of them must have got together.
- They will come back together.

This time there is no attempt
to land on the moon.

When - when is this - great experiment
to be made? How much longer have we got
before they go?

- When the Space Gun is ready.
- Some time this year, you mean? - Soon.

Then is there no way of saving
our children from this madness?

But would it be saving our children?

Oh, here they are.

- Father, we're to go?
- Yes, you're to go.

- It's announced?
- Two hours ago.

Your speech has struck fire.
All the people are excited and angry.

Some are already going out of the city
towards the Space Gun.

Nothing is wanted now but leading.

We must go right on with this.

To the Space Gun!

And so we end an age.

Young people. Just beginning life.

And you want to go
into that outer horror!

Why don't you send somebody
who is sick of life?

They want fit young people,
alert and quick.
And we are fit young people.

We can observe,
and come back and tell.

Cabal! I just want to ask you
one plain question.

Why do you let your daughter dream
of going on this mad moon journey?

Because I love her. And I want her
to live to the best effect.

Dragging out life to the last
possible second is not living
to the best effect.

The nearer the bone,
the sweeter the meat.

The best of life, Passworthy,
lies nearest to the edge of death.

I am a broken man.
I don't know where honour lies.

You haven't got things right,
Passworthy.

Our fathers and our fathers' fathers
cleaned up the old order of things

because it killed children, it killed
those who were unprepared for death,

because it tormented people in vain,

because it outraged
human pride and dignity,

because it was an ugly
spectacle of waste.

But that was only a beginning.

There is nothing wrong in suffering,
if you suffer for a purpose.

Our revolution didn't abolish
danger or death.

It simply made danger
and death worth while.

Cabal!

Cabal! The gun's in urgent danger.
It's a race against time now to save it.

Theotocopulos is out
with a crowd of people already.
He is going to the Space Gun now.

They're gonna break it up. They say
it's the symbol of your tyranny.

- Have they weapons? - Bars of metal.
They can smash delicate apparatus.

They can do endless mischief.

But you have a traffic control.
Can't they produce a police?

Very few... We've nothing
but the Gas of Peace

and it isn't ready.
It will take hours yet.

We must hold this crowd back -
at any cost - for a time;
until the Gas of Peace is ready.

Hear this?

Look!

Cabal, they're rioting.
It's barbarism come back.

- Who are you? - William Jeans, the
Astronomical Department - Space Gun.

Well, we've stopped the air ways.
They'll have to go on foot.

And they'll take an hour or more
to get there. Even those
who've already started.

That Gun mustn't be broken up. After all
the final experiments have all been made!

- When everything was ready!
- When everything was ready.

If they smash up this infernal gun then,
honour is satisfied and you needn't go.

- They won't smash the Gun.
- Suppose the Gun was fired now?

- Would the cylinder reach the moon?
- It would miss and fly into outer space.

It is five now. If the gun
were fired before seven...

- And... it could be? - Yes.
- Then... - We go now.

No, no, no! I don't know what to say,
but - Don't go. Don't go.

But, Father, we must go now,
or we may never go.

And then for the rest of our lives
we'll feel that we've shirked,
and lived in vain...

We must go now.

Quickly! This way!

- If you go up to the platform,
we'll guard this below. - Right.

Contract all your muscles
when the concussion comes.

In five minutes you'll be able
to get loose and move about.

There is the man -

There is the man who would offer up
his daughter to the Devil of Science.

What do you want here?

We want to save these young people
from your experiments.

We want to put an end
to this inhuman foolery.

We mean to destroy that Gun.

We have a right to do
what we like with our lives -

- with our sort of lives.
We don't grudge you your artistic life.

You have safety, plenty, all you want.

We want to make the world safe for men.

No one prevents you.

How can we do that when your science
and inventions are perpetually
changing life for us -

when you're everlastingly
contriving strange things?

When you make what we think great
seem small.

When you make what we think strong
seem feeble.

We don't want you
in the same world with us.

We don't want this expedition.

We don't want mankind to go out
to the moon and to the planets.

We shall hate you more
if you succeed than if you fail.

Destroy the Gun!

Before you can even reach
the base of the gun, it will be fired.

Beware of the concussion.

Beware of the concussion.

Stand by, Control Room.

Clear all outside observers.

Standing by for fire.

There! There they go!
That faint gleam of light.

- I feel that what we've done is monstrous.
- What they have done is magnificent.

- Will they come back?
- Yes. And go again. And again -

till the landing is made
and the moon is conquered.

This is only a beginning.

If they don't come back -
my son and your daughter?

- What of that, Cabal?
- Then presently others will go.

Oh God! Is there never to be
any age of happiness?

Is there never to be any rest?

Rest enough for the individual man.

Too much and too soon,
and we call it death.

But for MAN no rest and no ending.

He must go on -
conquest beyond conquest.

First this little planet
and its winds and ways,

and then all the laws of mind
and matter that restrain him.

Then the planets about him,

and at last out across immensity
to the stars.

And when he has conquered
all the deeps of space

and all the mysteries of time -

still he will be beginning.

But we are such little creatures.

Poor Humanity.
So fragile - so weak.

Little - little animals.

Little animals.

And if we're no more than animals -
we must snatch each little
scrap of happiness

and live and suffer and pass,

mattering no more than
all the other animals

do - or have done.

It is this - or that.

All the universe or nothingness...

Which shall it be, Passworthy?

Which shall it be?

Which shall it be?

Which shall it be?

Which shall it be?