FADE IN: 1. H. G. WELLS' BOOK We see the colorful cover, then the first page. A VOICE with a Wells-like accent quotes the opening words: VOICE No one would have believed, in the first decades of the twentieth century... DISSOLVE:
2. SPECIAL EFFECT - SKY FULL OF STARS The planet Mars shows just above the spires and roof- tops of a city on the horizon. VOICE (Continuing) ...that human affairs were being watched keenly and closely by intelligences greater than man's. Mars is picked out of the sky and brought to the screen as if by some enormous telescope with an infinite field. It becomes a small ball. Elarges to a pallid disk. Comes to moon size. VOICE No one gave a thought to the older worlds as a source of human danger. Yet across the gulf of space, on the planet Mars... Now Mars has grown big and ruddy-colored. Mysterious canals revealed. Vegetation patches shadowy. One thin polar cap shimmering. VOICE Intellects vast and cool and unsym- pathetic regarded our earth with envious eyes, slowly and surely drawing their plans against us.
3. SPECIAL EFFECT - OUR WORLD - MOVING SHOT seen in space with its halo of atmosphere, beautiful. VOICE Few voices were ever raised in warning as, with infinite compla- cency, men went to and fro over this globe, busy about their affairs. DISSOLVE:
4. SERIES OF THUMBNAIL FLASHES (STOCK) designed to get over the enjoyment of life on this earth today. a. Gay, seven-piece Dixieland band, whapping out a fast tempo in a night club. b. Grand National at Aintree. c. Parade at the Carnival de Nice. d. Gambling in a casino. e. Trooping the Colors, London. f. Packed stadium and a smashing football game. g. Geisha party in Tokyo. VOICE (Over f. and g.) It did not occur to mankind that a swift fate might be hanging over us. Or that, from the blackness of outer space, we were being scrutinized and studied. During this, CAMERA MOVES IN on the Geisha girls. We are CLOSE on the round casing of one of their strange- sounding instruments as we - DISSOLVE:
5. SPECIAL EFFECT - MARS The planet as we saw it before. CAMERA MOVES IN until the planet is huge on the screen. Strange and baleful. VOICE Mars is more than one hundred and forty million miles from the sun, and for centuries it has been in the last stages of exhaustion. Its rocks have absorbed almost all oxygen from its air, turing them red.
A-5a. SPECIAL EFFECT - MARTIAN LANDSCAPE A geometric pattern of great canals joins in the far distance to center on a Martian metropolis. High atop a tower a light pulsates rhythmically. VOICE Most of its water has gone. At night, temperatures drop to more than one hundred and twenty degrees below zero, even at the equator.
A-6 SERIZS OF DISSOLVES - SPECIAL EFFECT (MOVING SHOTS) CAMERA FLOATS through the blackness of space, pick- ing up each succeeding spectacle. a. Our solar system, as seen from Mars. The sun golden. Mercury ruddy and hot. Venus beau- tiful, bright. Saturn with its tinted rings and moons. Jupiter big, cloudy, with four moons. Uranus and Neptune both greenish- yellow, toxic. And Pluto far away. VOICE The inhabitants of this dying planet looked across space with instruments and intelli- gences of which we have scarcely dreamed... CAMERA MOVES IN on Pluto, dim in outer space. VOICE (Cont'd) ...searching for another World to which they could migrate. They could not go to Pluto, outermost of all the planets, and so cold that its atmosphere lies frozen on its surface. CAMERA PICKS UP Neptune and Uranus, clouded giants with poison-colored atmospheres. VOICE (Cont'd) They couldn't go to Neptune or Uranus - twin worlds in eternal night and perpetual cold. Each surrounded by an unbreathable atmosphere full of methane gas and ammonia vapor. The Martians considered Saturn. b. Saturnian landscape. Midnight-blue space-sky crossed by merging rings of cosmic dust. Bright-edged, full of color and marvelous to see. VOICE An attractive world with its many moons and beautiful rings of cosmic dust. But its temperature is close to two hundred and seventy degrees below zero, and ice lies fifteen thousand miles deep on its surface. Their nearest world was giant Jupiter... c. Effect Pan Shot - Landscape of Jupiter An incredible world. Cliffs flaming at the tops and spilling into fuming lakes. Everywhere the same process repeating itself. VOICE Where there are titanic cliffs of lava and ice, with hydrogen flaming at the tops. Where the atmospheric pressure is terrible - thousands of pounds to the square inch. On Mars it is only four pounds. They couldn't go there. Nor to Venus, which has no oxygen and no water. Nor could they go to Mercury nearest planet to the sun. d. Effect - Mercurian Landscape. A glaring sun is enormous in a dark sky, stars visible near it. The land is heat-hazed, waterless, fissured. Volcanic cones and lava pools. VOICE It has no air. And the temperature at its equator is that of molten lead. Of all the worlds that the intelligences on Mars could see and study ..... e. North American continent, seen from a great height, showing clouds, forests, glistening lakes and rivers. VOICE ...only our own warm earth was green with vegetation, bright with water, and possessed a cloudy atmosphere eloquent of fertility. f. Sky full of stars above a small town and hills....Mars low in the sky. VOICE At the time of our nearest approach to the orbit of Mars, during a pleasant summer season.... Far away in the sky we see a falling star. VOICE ...in the late hours of a Friday evening... DISSOLVE:
7. INT. FORESTRY LOOKOUT POST (NIGHT) A fire LOOKOUT and his deputy, FIDDLER HAWKINS - round-faced, hearty - are seated at a small table by a big window, playing cards. Behind them is an Osborne fire-finder. On a shelf are cans of tobacco, fruit, coffee, a pipe, magazines. The lookout's glance goes upward to the sky and is held there.
8. SPECIAL EFFECT - SKY & METEOR (1) The meteor leaves a thin, luminous streak.
9. EXT. FISHING CAMP (NIGHT) Near a stream, beyond which, through trees, is a broad meadow. Small tent. A lantern hangs from a branch. Waders hang on another limb. Beyond, in the meadow, rests a small Stinson cabin plane. Near the tent, a convertible is parked. A small, round, bald man - BILDERBECK - is frying trout in a pan over the fire, his hatband decorated with pretty flies. A younger man - PRYOR - is coming from the direction of the stream, with clean- ed trout strung on a stick. A third man - CLAYTON FORRESTER - butch haircut and hornrims - is sitting on a log, working over his tackle, looking skyward. He calls. The others look with him.
10. SPECIAL EFFECT - SKY & METEOR (2) It is large. Its bright trail is thicker.
11. EXT. MOVIE THEATER - MAIN STREET LINDA ROSA (NIGHT) The small-town, California audience is breaking after the last show. Among them are two young parents, the father carrying a sleeping baby. Teen-agers head for the ice-cream parlor next door. A lost kid is bawling on the sidewalk. A man on a ladder is adding "Held Over" to the marquee which features "Samson and Delilah." Like most the others, he is looking at the sky. The CAMERA PICKS UP SYLVIA VAN BUREN - twenty-six, normal, nice, admiring the sleeping baby. Near her is PASTOR COLLINS - white-haired. He is gazing at the sky as he touches Sylvia's arm. She looks and stands staring.
12. SPECIAL EFFECT - SKY AND METEOR (3) Altogether larger now, rushing aslant down the sky.
13. GROUP - AT LINDA ROSA A group has formed on the sidewalk by Sylvia and the Pastor - WASH PERRY, big teeth, no hat, shirt-sleeves. 'ZIPPY', a clumsy youth. SALVADOR, a swarthy, good- natured Mexican. ALONZO HOGUE, local realtor, chews tobacco. GROUP - ad libs Is that a fireball or somep'n? Boy, that's big ! - Maybe it's a comet - looks like it's coming right at us!
14. SPECIAL EFFECT - SKY AND METEOR (4) Huge, brilliant, fusing and frightening. Its tail seems to spurt more brilliantly as the meteor vanishes beyond buildings and dark trees.
15. GROUP - AT FISHING CAMP looking o.s. at the meteor. Pryor slaps a mosquito. BILDERBECK That was a meteorite - (Returning to fire) - burning itself out. PRYOR (Unstringing fish) There's never much left of 'em when they hit the ground. Clayton turns after them, then pauses, looking again toward where the meteor landed.
16. GROUP - AT LINDA ROSA Everyone staring o.s. Fascinated. A little alarmed. GROUP - AD LIBS That had me scared! - Wonder where it lit? - Miles away, I betcha. ZIPPY Let's go find it, huh? PASTOR COLLINS That probably dropped half way to Pomona!...What do you think? SYLVIA It was nearer than that. ZIPPY I'm gonna see. Who's coming? He starts out. Other teen-agers follow him.
17. FORESTRY LOOKOUT POST Lookout at the phone. Fiddler, crouched, sighting the firefinder, still holding his cards. LOOKOUT (At phone) This is Pine Summit. I've got a smoke. FIDDLER (Reading firefinder) One sixty... thirty. LOOKOUT (At phone) Azimuth reading - one hundred sixty degrees thirty minutes. (Gazing out window) About ten miles. It must-a hit red hot! Fiddler straightens, sneaks a glance at the Lookout's cards, then studies his own. LOOKOUT (At phone) You better get somepin out there - it's started a blaze already! DISSOLVE:
18. EXT. SECONDARY HIGHWAY - (NIGHT) CAMERA PANS FAST on a small forestry service tanker coming down the road, red light blinking. Scattered trees and scrub in b.g. DISSOLVE:
19. EXT. DIRT ROAD & GULLY - FULL SHOT - (NIGHT) The road curves near low, sharp little hills. The ground is rough, scattered with prickly pear, yucca, small bushes, stunted trees. At the foot of the hills is a fairly deep gully. Bushes, grass, small trees are burning all around this. The tanker is on the scene. The fire-crew is being helped by teen- agers from Linda Rosa and men from nearby farms.
20. QUICK CUTS - AROUND THE GULLY AREA a. Men dipping sacks into a tub of water, running to fire in b.g. Zippy and others slapping out flames with wet gunny sacks. b. Uniformed Ranger attacking burning bushes with a spray extinguisher. Two men hacking furiously with brush hooks. The tanker moving along an edge of the fire. Two men riding it, spraying flames. The ranger surveys the fire, then turns to a small Forestry pickup truck in f.g.
21. EXT. GULLY AT PICKUP TRUCK - CLOSE SHOT The ranger puts his extinguisher in the truck, picks up the radio transmitter, pushes the switch. RANGER (Into mike) Number three to. D.O....Number three to D.O. RADIO VOICE D.O. to number three..come in. RANGER We're getting this under control. Won't need any more help. Over. RADIO VOICE Okay. Send the tanker in, but you stand by until that thing cools off. Over. RANGER I think somebody ought to check on it. Over. RADIO VOICE Well, there's some fellows fishing at Pine Summit might be interested. They probably saw it come down. I'll let 'em know...What's it look like? The Ranger glances in the direction of the meteor.
21a. SPECIAL EFFECT - EXT. GULLY - METEOR At one end of the gully. Mostly burried, but a thick, blunt, rounded end shows out of the loose sand and rock. Massive. On its surface are red-hot blurs, like fire under ashes. RANGERS VOICE (o.s.) Can't get near enough to see it very well - it's too hot -- but it's a whale of a size! DISSOLVE:
22. EXT. FISHING CAMP - GROUP Clayton Forrester, Pryor, Bilderbeck, sitting by the fire, eating. All the makings of a meal are on a nearby box: coffee, rolls, butter, honey, canned fruit, fried tomatoes. Extra helpings of fish simmer in the pan. A beat-up station wagon lurches out of the darkness in b.g. The three look up, surprised. Fiddler, the deputy ranger from the lookout post, alights. FIDDLER (Calling) I got a message for you. (Moving in) You're the guys from Pacific-Tech, ain't you? CLAYTON Right. FIDDLER (Eyeing pan) Looks like the fishing was good. BILDERBECK Have some? FIDDLER (Eagerly - hitching over a box) Well...I might just do that...!
23. MED. CLOSE SHOT - GROUP Fiddler reaches for a plate, then helps himself liberally to everything in sight - most of the remaining fish, two rolls, a hunk of butter, coffee. The others stop eating and watch him. FIDDLER (Talking between grabs) It's about that meteor. They say it's a whopper. The District Officer phoned us at the lookout up on the summit. Thought you might be interested... It's ten or twelve miles from here - over by Linda Rosa. CLAYTON Are they sure it's a meteor? It didn't come down like one. FIDDLER (Gesturing with fish on his fork) That's right - came down in kinda spurts, didn't it? (Gobbles fish) You fellers'll have to figure it out. You're scientists (Puts down fork- plucks cigarette from Bilderbeck's shirt pocket) All I know - they say it's as big as a house and practically red hot. CLAYTON (To Bilderbeck) I'd like to borrow your car and take a look at it in the morning. Bilderbeck nods. Pryor looks toward the plane in the meadow in b.g. PRYOR We ought to get back to Pasadena. (Gesturing) I can fly Bilderbeck down in your plane. CLAYTON Okay, if he's willing. (Grinning) The insurance is paid up. Bilderbeck takes a stick from the fire and holds it out to Fiddler, who is eating again, holding the cigarette. BILDERBECK Want a light? FIDDLER (Glancing) No. I'll smoke it later. He tucks the cigarette behind his ear and goes on eating. DISSOLVE:
24. EXT. GULLY & DIRT ROAD - (EARLY MORNING) The meteor still lies in the gully, heat-hazed, a little thin smoke rising, burned grass and bushes in b.g. On the bank of the gully, a woman is kodaking two kids against the b.g. of the meteor. Beyond, a few old cars and a station wagon have pulled off the dirt road; nearby is Pastor Collins' three-year- old Plymouth.
25. EXT. GULLY & DIRT ROAD - MED. SHOT - GROUP Sylvia is sitting behind the wheel in Pastor Collins' car. The Pastor is talking to the uniformed Ranger. With them are Wash Perry, Alonzo Hogue, Salvador, Fiddler. A handful of people is scattered in b.g., eyeing the meteor, talking about it. RANGER (Pointing) It must have hit way up there, and then skidded along the gully. When it stopped, all that loose earth and stuff shook down over it. SYLVIA It's probably a stray from a swarm of meteors. ALONZO HOGUE (To Pastor) I reckon most of it's buried. FIDDLER That's twelve feet thick, easy. Maybe more. ALONZO HOGUE Meteors always run heavy. They won't be able to haul this one away to no museum! (Speculatively) It'll be a real good attraction for Sunday drivers. WASH PERRY Better'n a lion farm or a snake pit. We won't have to feed it! SALVADOR We sell the tamales, enchiladas - hot dogs! FIDDLER Ice cream, cold drinks, souvenirs! PASTOR COLLINS I think we should put up a few picnic tables... ALONZO HOGUE (Quickly) Naw, naw -- then they'd bring their own lunches!
26. GROUP - OUTSIDE THE GULLY 'BUCK' MONAHAN - in service station overalls - passes the group, carrying a shovel, headed for the meteor. In b.g. a convertible pulls off the dirt road. FIDDLER What's the idea, Buck? Gonna dig for gold? BUCK (Indicating meteor) This is gonna be like having a gold mine in our own back yard! PASTOR COLLLINS (To Sylvia) I'm going to get a closer look at it. The men come forward, PAST CAMERA. Sylvia pulls out the car keys, reaches for her purse. The convertible bumps up, stops. The back is loaded with camping gear and clustered fishing rods. Clayton Forrester gets out, looking toward the gully. Sylvia glances at him as she starts after the others, opening her purse. A faint ticking SOUND comes overscene. CLAYTON Is that it over there? SYLVIA (Searching purse) Yes...ugly looking, isn't it.
27. GROUP - FROM THE GULLY as Buck comes on toward the meteor with his shovel. Pastor Collins and the others pause to watch him. BUCK (Calling back) It's still pretty darned hot!
28. MED. CLOSE SHOT - BUCK AND METEOR He shields his face, reaching out, probing with his shovel trying to determine the size of the meteor.
29. TWO SHOT - CLAYTON AND SYLVIA - HIS CAR IN B.G. He is looking toward the gully. She now has a ciga- rette. They pause as she begins looking for matches. SYLVIA (Rummaging in purse) Did you see it come down? CLAYTON (Absently, studying gully and meteor) Yes...I was fishing up in the hills. SYLVIA (Glancing back at car) You must have caught plenty with all that tackle! CLAYTON (Glancing, smiling) Oh - there were three of us. (Starting forward) The others flew back in my plane. (Pausing again - looking o.s.) I don't understand why a meteor this size didn't make a bigger crater. SYLVIA (Definite) It hit sideways and skidded in. He glances at her, a little amused. She catches his eye. SYLVIA (Cont'd) (Easily) At least, that's what I think. I don't really know. (At purse) But the Ranger says a scientist is coming from Pacific-Tech. He'll tell us. (And then) Clayton Forrester. Ever hear of him? CLAYTON (Looking o.s. - changing the subject) What's that fellow over there trying to do - dig it out? SYLVIA (Over him, not hearing) He's top man in astro and nuclear physics. He knows all about meteors!
30. CLOSE SHOT - MOVING FAVORING Clayton, as they move on. Clayton is secretly amused, and a little flattered. CLAYTON You seem to know a lot about him. SYLVIA Well, I did a thesis on modern scien- tists - working for my Masters degree. CLAYTON Did it do you any good? SYLVIA Why, sure -- I got it! Do you have a match? CLAYTON I'm sorry. I don't smoke. SYLVIA (Going on, enthusiastic) Forrester's the man behind the new atomic engines. They had him on the cover of 'Time'. You've got to rate to get that! CLAYTON Aw, he isn't that good...! SYLVIA (Protesting, stopping) How can you say that when you don't know him!
31. TWO SHOT - CLAYTON AND SYLVIA CLAYTON I do know him...slightly. SYLVIA (Interested at once) What's he like? CLAYTON Like...ah... Clayton hesitates, points to himself. She stares, then gets it. For a moment she is provoked, then she bursts naturally into laughter. He laughs with her. SYLVIA Well, you certainly don't look like yourself in that get-up! (Laughing still, offering hand) But I am happy to meet you anyway. I'm Sylvia Van Buren. I teach Library Science over at USC. CLAYTON I didn't know how to stop you...! SYLVIA I might have recognized you without the beard. And you didn't wear glasses on the 'Time' cover! CLAYTON They're really for long distance. When I want to look at something close... (Removing glasses, bending to her) I take them off.
32. GROUP - FROM THE GULLY Buck is backing off, blowing running with sweat. Clayton and Sylvia approach from b.g. GROUP - AD LIBS (Kidding) You gonna quit? -- Roll up your sleeves, Buck! -- We thought you were gonna dig it out by yourself. Buck joins the group, wiping sweat. CAMERA MOVES IN as Clayton comes up with Sylvia. BUCK Boy - you could fry eggs on it! CLAYTON All that sand will keep the heat in for a long time. SYLVIA (To Pastor Collins) Uncle Matthew...this is Dr. Clayton Forrester. (To Clayton) My uncle - Dr. Matthew Collins, pastor of the Community Church. PASTOR COLLINS (Offering hand, pleased) Well-l...how do you do, Dr. Forrester! CLAYTON (Courteous - warm) How d'you do, sir? SHERIFF'S VOICE (O.s.) (Ecitedly calling) Hey - you! All look quickly.
33. EXT. CLAYTON'S CAR - CLOSE SHOT - MOVING SHOT CAMERA is CLOSE and ANGLED DOWN in the back of the car. Tucked along fishing and camping gear alongside a box of iced trout is an impressive Geiger counter, chattering furiously. A signal light is flashing rapidly. The Sheriff's hands reach for it. CAMERA MOVES BACK and his face comes into SCENE, looking down at the counter. SHERIFF (Yelling off) What you got in here, feller?...It's ticking like a bomb! The SHOT WIDENS as Clayton enter with Pastor Collins, Sylvia, the Ranger and others. Clayton reaches into the car and picks up a short pole-meter attached to the counter. He swings it around. The clicking slows. He lifts the counter out, points the pole- meter at the gully. The light flashes become a rapid blur, brilliant. The chattering increases to a high- pitched buzz. CLAYTON (To Sheriff) This is a Geiger counter for detecting radio-activity. We did a little sur- veying while we were up in the hills. (Above SOUND of the counter - looking o.s.) It's that meteor. PASTOR COLLINS It's radio-active? SHERIFF Look at this thing -- goin' crazy! He reaches for the Geiger. Clayton lets him have it and remains looking toward the gully. The SOUND of the Geiger counter continues over SCENE. CLAYTON (Puzzled) It's difficult to account for a reaction like that! RANGER (Moving in) Maybe we ought to keep people away from it, huh? CLAYTON (Quietly - thinking) Might be a good idea. SHERIFF I'll post two-three deputies. They can watch it don't start any more fires.
34. CLOSE SHOT - CLAYTON, PASTOR & SYLVIA CLAYTON You know, that meteor's either very light - which is unheard of! - or else it's hollow somehow. If it were solid and heavy it would have made a tremendous crater when it landed. (Suddenly) I think I'll stay around until it cools off. (To Sylvia) If you could tell me of a place in town -- (Strokes his chin) -- I'd like to clean up. PASTOR COLLINS I'd be delighted if you'd stay at my house, Doctor Forrester. CLAYTON Thank you. (Looks toward meteor) It probably won't be cool for another twenty-four hours. (To Sylvia) What do people do around here on a Saturday? SYLVIA (Returning his smile) They don't do much of anything...! PASTOR COLLINS There's a square dance at the social hall this evening. DISSOLVE:
35. OUT
36. INT. SOCIAL HALL, LINDA ROSA - (NIGHT) Very CLOSE on Fiddler Hawkins, sweating, calling the dance, holding violin. FIDDLER (Raucous) A hickory limp and an ole burned stump - Go meet your honey and everybody jump! CAMERA PULLS BACK. Fiddler wears Levis, embroidered shirt. With him is a guitar player in a dress-up Western outfit. Everybod's stomping. Girls in tight bodices, swirling skirts, bows in their hair, Men in T-shirts, suits and shirtsleeves, Levis, fron- tier pants and cowboy boots. FIDDLER (Cont'd) Now promenade two and promenade four - Promenade that pretty gal all around the floor. CAMERA PICKS UP Clayton and Sylvia promenading arm in arm in a SET which includes the Sheriff. Clayton wears tan gabardine slacks, fresh shirt, tie with a Western motif. He is clean-shaven. Sylvia wears a forget-me-not cotton print, with style to it. Clayton is not an accomplished square dancer, but he isn't bad. Sylvia checks his wrong move in response to the next rollicking call. He laughs. They both enjoy this. FIDDLER'S VOICE Now face your lady and make a bow, She's a pretty one you'll allow! Point the heel and point the toe - Now you're makin' a do-si-do. Mom - there's a chicken in the bread-bin A-peckin' at the dough! One more change and on we go. DISSOLVE:
37. SPECIAL EFFECT - EXT. GULLY - METEOR - (NIGHT) No smoke now. Its appearance is otherwise unchanged.
38. EXT. GULLY - MED. SHOT - (NIGHT) Wash Perry, Alonzo Hogue, Salvador. Behind them, two old cars are parked not far from the gully. A small fire burns on the open ground. The three men step forward toward the gully, peering through the dark- ness. Salvador swiches on a flashlight.
39. SPECIAL EFFECT - EXT. GULLY - CLOSE SHOT - METEOR Still, ominous, as the flashlight hits it.
40. CLOSE SHOT - WASH, SALVADOR, ALONZO They MOVE toward the gully, Salvador playing the flashlight ahead. As they pause on the edge of the gully, he cuts the light. ALONZO HOGUE Looks almost cold now, don't it? WASH PERRY That won't start no more fires. We might's well go home. ALONZO HOGUE (Spitting - starting away) Yeah. No sense stayin' out here. WASH PERRY (Following him) Let's go. As they start away, CAMERA MOVES CLOSE on Salvador. He raises the flashlight for a last look at the meteor and pops it on directly into the LENSE. SALVADOR (In alarm) Hey - it's movin'!
41. SPECIAL EFFECT - EXT. GULLY - MED. SHOT - REVERSE SHOT - THE THREE Alonzo Hogue and Wash Perry, f.g., whirl and go back to Salvador. Beyond them in the gully, the meteor is lit by Salvador's flashlight. Something is moving on top of it.
41a. CLOSE THREE SHOT Eyes popping as they stare off at the meter.
41b. SPECIAL EFFECT - METEOR Thin gray clinker is dropping off in flakes. The rounded top is turning. A thread of bright metal appears between the moving top and the body.
42. MED. CLOSE THREE SHOT - (MOVING SHOT) They start to back off. ALONZO HOGUE It's a bomb! SALVADOR It don't go off last night -- it's going off now! WASH PERRY It's an enemy sneak attack. Let's get outta here! ALONZO HOGUE (Stopping them) Wait a minute - wait a minute!.... Bombs don't unscrew. WASH PERRY (Backing away again) It's no meteor, that's for sure! ALONZO HOGUE (Backing away too) Darnedest thing I ever saw - the way that's unscrewing! Salvador only stares as they all retreat.
43. SPECIAL EFFECT - METEOR - (MOVING SHOT) CAMERA MOVES SLOWLY BACK. The top segment of the meteor is turning steadily. The band of bright metal is rapidly growing wider, serrated, greenish- white. DISSOLVE:
44. INT. SOCIAL HALL - SIDE LINES - (NIGHT) Favoring Sylvia, sitting on a bench against the wall, fanning herself with a lace handkerchief. Clayton comes to her between guys, wiping sweat. Girls fix- ing shaken hair-do's. People arguing about who ruined the square. Clayton has two soft drinks with straws, hands one bottle to Sylvia, drops on the bench beside her. Fiddler's VOICE comes over SCENE. SYLVIA (Taking bottle) Thank you, Doctor Forrester... (Glancing) You having fun?
45. DANCE FLOOR SHOOTING past Clayton and Sylvia. He is sweating. Beyond them, hearty dancers are going to town. CLAYTON Yes. And you know what I was thinking? (Wiping sweat - eyeing dancers) If we could gather all the energy expended in just one square dance, we could send that meteor back to where it came from. DISSOLVE:
46. OUT
47. SPECIAL EFFECY - EXT. GULLY - METEOR (MOVING SHOT) CAMERA MOVES IN slowly. The bright band of metal is now almost two feet wide. Suddenly the rotating section falls away like a shell, uncovering bright metal within the opening.
48. MED. CLOSE SHOT - WASH, SALVADOR & ALONZO CAMERA MOVES WITH THEM as they inch forward toward the gully. A faint, reddish light catches their faces. Salvador flicks the spotlight on.
49. SPECIAL EFFECT - MED. SHOT - METEOR OPENING The metal sheath within the opening parts, shutter- like, allowing vivid, reddish light to glow upward from the interior. A HISSING SOUND comes from the meteor.
50. CLOSE THREE SHOT They stare, fascinated. The SOUND dies away.
51. SPECIAL EFFECT - MED. FULL SHOT - METEOR The light in the opening dims. Something begins to appear from inside, revolving about, making a WHINING SOUND. Dimly seen, it emerges. It is flattened, hooded, with faintly-luminous openings -- almost cobra-like. It turns as if scanning the area -- snout glittering.
52. OUT
53. THREE SHOT Wash, Alonzo and Salvador move forward cautiously, warily watching the meteor. WASH PERRY Must be somebody in there. SALVADOR Who? Where d'you think they come from! WASH PERRY How would I know...! ALONZO HOGUE (Significantly) I read someplace - Mars is near the earth right now. They look at him - all getting the same idea. ALONZO HOGUE (Cont'd) Happens every eighteen or twenty years, they say. (Softly) Men from Mars - whaddya think? SALVADOR (Uneasily) Maybe these are not men - not like us. WASH PERRY Everything human don't have to look like you and me.... ALONZO HOGUE If it's men from Mars, we ought to let 'em know we're friendly! SALVADOR (Quick - warning) Don't fool around with something when we don't know what it is! WASH PERRY We'd be the first to make contact with 'em -- see? ALONZO HOGUE (Sharp - suggesting) We'd be in all the papers! WASH PERRY (Eagerly) Hey, how about that! ALONZO HOGUE We could show 'em we're friendly, huh? Walk out there with a white flag! (Turning) Here - I got an old sugar sack in my car! He leaves the two and runs back to his car and gets the sack and rips it open. He picks up the shovel discarded earlier by Buck, starts to tie the sack to it. SALVADOR (In f.g. - to Wash.) What'll we say to 'em? WASH PERRY Welcome to California! Alonzo Hogue rejoins them, swinging his white flag from side to side as they look off toward the meteor.
54. SPECIAL EFFECT - METEOR OPENING Now the shape is extended on a flexible, glistening shaft, revolving about.
55. CLOSE SHOT - THE THREE (MOVING SHOT) They begin to smile as they move forward over the rough ground. Salvador doesn't like it too well, but he comes along. SALVADOR How they gonna understand us? ALONZO HOGUE We'll talk in sign language. WASH PERRY (Bolstering his own feelings) They'll understand us, all right! SALVADOR (Reassuring himself) Sure, sure! Everybody understands you wave the white flag, you wanna be friends.
56. 0UT.
57. SPECIAL EFFECT - CLOSE ON HOODED SHAPE ON SHAFT Revolving around. Then it seems to zero in the direction of the approaching group. A light begins to flicker within the head mechanism.
58. MED. FULL SHOT - GROUP & COBRA-HEADED SHAPE CAMERA FRAMED over the mechanism in f.g. Beyond, on the edge of the gully, the three men spread out. Alonzo holds the flag high. Wash lifts his Panama hat. Salvador waves a handkerchief. WASH PERRY Hey, there - open up! ALONZO HOGUE Come on out! We're friends! SALVADOR (Nervous - open-armed) That's right! We welcome you.
59. SPECIAL EFFECT - CLOSE SHOT - COBRA HEAD The glittering light within the hood brightens and begins to glow red and yellow. WASH PERRY'S VOICE (O.S.) We're friends! SALVADOR'S VOICE (O.S.) Yeah - all friends here! A blinding flash - red, orange, yellow, spits from the hooded shape, obliterating everything. An unearthly SCREAM accompanies it.
60. SPECIAL EFFECT - EXT. GULLY - THREE MEN & METEOR A REVERSE ANGLE across Wash Perry, Salvador and Alonzo Hogue to the hooded shape beyond. The blast of the heat-ray - pulsating, glaring - outlines them momentarily as stark silhouettes, then engulfs them in searing flames. As the horrible SCREAMING reaches a crescendo, the men become incandescent, glowing, then crmpling. DISSOLVE:
60a. INT. SOCIAL HALL Favoring Clayton and Sylvia, near the climax of a set. FIDDLER'S VOICE Here we come with the old mess wagon, The hind wheel off and the axle draggin'... Every light cuts off. The music FADES OUT. The sets break up. People bump into one another. SQUARE DANCERS (Ad lib) What's the big idea? - Who's monkey- ing with the lights? - Get your hand outa my pocket! - Where's the fuse box? A girl titters shrilly as a boy hugs her. FIDDLER'S VOICE No smoochin' in the dark, folks!
61. NEAR REFRESHMENT COUNTER Someone lights a candle and puts it in a bottle. Dancers are milling, laughing, kidding. Zippy is at a pay phone on the wall, between the counter and the door to the street. Clayton and Sylvia move into scene. The Sheriff pushes past them. FIDDLER (At a window) Hey, look! - look! Every light in the town's gone out. SHERIFF (To Zippy) Call the electric company. See what happened. ZIPPY (Jogging receiver) The phone's gone dead! CLAYTON (To Sylvia, glancing) The phone's not on the same circuit as the lights.
62. GROUP Shooting out from the refreshment counter, favoring an elderly man and his wife. ELDERLY MAN What they sayin', honey? (Removing ear-plug) Somep'n's gone wrong with my hear- ing aid! PASTOR COLLINS Well, we always play 'Goodnight, Ladies' at twelve o'clock, anyway. (Reaching for pocket watch) It must be nearly that now - My watch has stopped. SHERIFF I got the time. (At wrist-watch) No - mine's stopped, too! ZIPPY So's mine! CROWD - AD LIBS (Looking at watches, shaking them) Jeepers, mine ain't workin', either! What is this? - Hey, look, the clock's stopped - My watch isn't going - How could this happen!
63. GROUP - CLAYTON, SYLVIA, SHERIFF, PASTOR COLLINS IN F.G. Clayton looks at his watch, then at Sylvia's. He slips off his own. SYLVIA They've all stopped at the same time. CLAYTON There's only about one explanation for a thing like this..Got a pin? She reaches under the lapel of the Pastor's jacket, hands a pin to Clayton. He puts it on the counter, then brings the case of his watch near it.
64. INSERT: WRIST-WATCH AND PIN The pin leaps at the watch-case, drawn magnetically. CLAYTON'S VOICE See that? My watch is magnetized. Sylvia's hands come INTO SHOT as she slips off her wrist-watch to try it against the pin.
65. GROUP - FAVORING CLAYTON Everyone starts to test watch cases against bobby- pins, hairpins, exclaiming. CLAYTON That's what knocked the phones out, too. SHERIFF How could it happen to everybody's watch together? CLAYTON (Over him) Have you got a pocket compass? The Sheriff produces one in a case. Clayton sets it on the counter. They bend to watch the needle. SHERIFF (Sharply) That needle ain't pointing north! CLAYTON It's pointing out to the gully - where that meteor came down. The thin SCREAM OF A SIREN sounds O.S. Everyone starts for the doors.
66. EXT. MAIN STREET, LINDA ROSA Shooting from the entrance of the social hall, as people pile out, Clayton, Sjlvia and Pastor Collins with them. The town is completely blacked out. The only visible light is from a police car, using hand siren and red blinker. Its headlights silver the dark streets as it races up. SYLVIA How does it happen cars are running? CLAYTON Automobile ignitions are insulated. Brakes screech. The car pulls over, stops. A COP - middle-aged, solid - tumbles out. COP Sheriff! What's goin' on? SHERIFF (Hurrying to him) I don't know no more'n you, Joe. CLAYTON (To Sylvia and Pastor Collins, moving away) Excuse me... COP (Pointing) Look at the fire out there!
67. SPECIAL EFFECT - THEIR VIEW Beyond houses and hilltops, the glow of a fire, four miles away.
68. EXT. SOCIAL HALL - BY THE COP'S CAR The COP and the Sheriff gazing out as Clayton joins them. Everyone staring with them. SHERIFF (To Clayton) Let's go see! They get into the car. Sylvia watches it go. SOUND of motor and siren over SCENE. The group breaks up as people run to their cars. DISSOLVE:
69. EXT. OUTSIDE GULLY - DIRT ROAD - (NIGHT) The police car bumps toward us, blinker working. The SIREN DIES.
70. SPECIAL EFFECT - DIRT ROAD - MED. SHOT CROSS ANGLE. As the Police car comes to a stop, Clayton and the Sheriff hop out downstage, the Cop gets out on the driver's side. Behind the car, bushes are blazing. Above, on the hilltop, the Martian heat-ray has left a line of fire which streatches straight into the night. In its path, some way off, a transmission tower has fallen, partly melted, high-tension wires trailing, still sparking. CLAYTON (Looking toward fallen tower) That explains why the lights went out! The Cop, standing beside the spotlight, looks off. COP (Pointing) What the bejeepers went on here? Look at their cars...!
71. EXT. DIRT ROAD - REMAINS OF CARS The cars belonging to Fiddler and the others are gray, ashy shapes, collapsed. Hardly recognizable except for their tires, which leave a darker residue. Bushes and grass are still burning around.
72. CLOSEUP - COP Jittery, he reaches for the spotlight and snaps it on toward the gully. COP And look there!
73. EXT. ROAD & GULLY - GROUP & METEOR A REVERSE ANGLE over the men to the meteor in the gully. The beam of the Cop's spotlight sweeps over the smoldering bushes and rough ground, striking the bottom of the meteor and then returning to something on the edge above the gully.
73a. CLOSE TWO SHOT - CLAYTON & SHERIFF The Sheriff wets his suddenly dry lips, gazing PAST CAMERA. Clayton looks with him.
74. WHAT THEY SEE ON THE EDGE OF THE GULLY - CLOSEUP Three shallow piles of gray ash, man-shaped, lie on the bare and blackened earth, held in the spotlight.
75. MED. CLOSE SHOT - CLAYTON, SHERIFF & COP Looking PAST CAMERA. CLAYTON (To Cop) People in town started to follow us out. (Looking toward gully) Don't let them come anywhere near here. (Suddenly authoritative - loud) Get going!
76. SPECIAL EFFECT - CLOSE SHOT - METEOR The hooded shape on its flexible shaft now rears twelve or fifteen feet above the meteor. The cobra- head is turning, zero-ing toward the road. It begins to glitter inside the hood.
77. EXT. ROAD - MED. SHOT The Cop is diving into the car in panic. CLAYTON Kill that spotlight. Turn off your headlights! The cop cuts all the lights, backs around and takes off the way he came, CAMERA PANNING with him.
77a. CLOSE SHOT - CLAYTON & SHERIFF The SOUND of the SCREAMING of the heat-ray whirls them about as the reddish light glows on their faces. CLAYTON (Sharp - to Sheriff) Jump! Get under cover!! They dash off in the direction taken by the car.
78. SPECIAL EFFECT - EXT. DIRT ROAD - MED. FULL SHOT A REVERSE ANGLE, SHOOTING along the road toward the gully. The meteor is concealed behind a knoll. Clayton and the Sheriff, b.g. race down the road to f.g. and dive into a ditch as the superheated glare of the heat-ray swings from the gully toward them. The SCREAM is ear-splitting in intensity.
79. SPECIAL EFFECT - CLOSE SHOT - CLAYTON & SHERIFF The ray SCREAMS over their heads. It holds above the ditch. Throbbing. Its reddish glare blinding.
80. SPECIAL EFFECT - HEAT-RAY - COP'S CAR - FULL SHOT The car turns incandescent as the ray envelopes it, still going forward. It turns ashy gray. Hits a boulder on the shoulder of the road and breaks up into a spray of ashes.
81. EXT. DITCH - CLOSE SHOT - CLAYTON & SHERIFF A REVERSE ANGLE on them huddled low as the ray cuts off. They whirl about toward the meteor. SHERIFF (Wild) What is that gizmo?! CLAYTON (Controlled) I think that - gizmo - is a machine from another planet. SHERIFF (Shaken) We better get word to the authorities and -- (Gazing up) Look!
82. SPECIAL EFFECT - SKY & SECOND METEOR - FULL SHOT Beyond the burning grass, another meteor is spurting down the sky, bright and burning green.
83. CLOSEUP - CLAYTON & SHERIFF CLAYTON Sheriff - you'd better get word to the military. You're going to need them out here!
83a. SPECIAL EFFECT - EXT. GULLY - CLOSE SHOT The hooded shape revolves about, searching. Its snout glitters and glows alternately as it searches for a target. FADE OUT. FADE IN:
84. QUICK CUTS - MARINE TRUCKS & JEEPS - (NIGHT) a. Main Street, Linda Rosa. No lights. No neon signs. Three trucks smash through the town. Loaded with Marines. b. Low CAMERA - jeeps. A Machine-gun jeep is charging over the crest of a low hill, drop- ping to lower ground. Another follows. Guns and helmeted men are silhouetted against the sky. c. Two personnel trucks rolling fast, parting where dirt roads cross. DISSOLVE:
85. EXT. BLACK-TOP ROAD & T-CROSSING - (NIGHT) Beyond is a. windbreak of eucalyptus trees and a low earth bank. Parked on the side road is a remote- control truck from the KGEB radio station. A few reporters and cameramen are on the black-top road, gazing out over open ground toward the gully. CAMERA favors the KGEB REPORTER - ex-newsman, high- wire and alert, sharkskin suit and Panama hat. He has a portable mike, is interviewing PROFESSOR OGILVY - a youngish, half-bald intellectual. Clayton stands by. Near them is the Sheriff and Marine COLONEL HEFFNER - easy-mannered, tough. KGEB REPORTER (At mike) ...The area is under control of the Marines from El Toro Base, and the gully is under close observation...And now -- here is Professor Ogilvy from the Canadian Meteor- ological Research Council! (To Prof. Ogilvy - extending mike) Is it true you've had reports about land- ings in other places, Professor? PROF. OGILVY Yes. In Bordeaux, France. Some from Spain. There's supposed to be one down near the Gulf of Taranto, Italy. We're still trying to locate the second meteor that dropped in this vicinity just about midnight. KGEB REPORTER D'you think they come from Mars? PROF. OGILVY (Deferring) What do you think, Doctor Forrester?
86. MED. CLOSE SHOT - GROUP KGEB man and his mike f.g., catching the faces of Colonel Heffner, the Sheriff, Prof. Ogilvy, Clayton and reporters who are listening. CLAYTON It's possible. At least, it seems certain they're from some other planet than our own. PROF. OGILVY Recently Mars and our earth were in conjunction -- (Adds) -- in line. This could account for the extended radio interference lately. DISSOLVE:
87. EXT. CORNER RADIO STORE, LOS ANGELES - (NIGHT) A cheesy, sleazy store. They sell radios, TV and musical instruments. Big signs in the windows. A console in the doorway. A bunch of bums hanging around, listening. CLAYTON'S VOICE (Over radio) In fact -- if they are from Mars -- it is possible they first made landings on the moon and used it as an observation post! A bum with an unlighted stub of a cigar takes it out, backs off, looking up at the sky. Others look with him, then at one another. KGEB REPORTER'S VOICE (Over radio) That makes the old moon appear a lot less friendly, sir. FIRST BUM (Half-whispering) This a gag? SECOND BUM (Listening) Shaddap...! KGEB REPORTER'S VOICE Suppose they are Martians, Professor. What would they look like? DISSOLVE:
88. INT. WELL-TO-DO HOUSE - (NIGHT) SHOOTING past a group of well-dressed people eating a supper snack from a big coffee table by a picture win- dow. Through this we can see Los Angeles spread out below, neons glowing like jewels. The group is listening attentively to a radio. KGEB REPORTER'S VOICE (Continuing his questioning) Bigger than us? Smaller? PROFESSOR OGILVY'S VOICE Well, as to Martians -- our gravitational pull would weigh them down. Our heavier air would oppress them.... KGEB REPORTER'S VOICE But d'you think they'd be breathing creatures like us? What about hearts and blood and all that? A bird-brained blonde moves into SCENE, staring. PROF. OGILVY'S VOICE My field is limited. Doctor Forrester could tell you much more. BLONDE (Over Prof. Ogilvy) Oh, how dull - everybody listening to the radio! BIG GUY (Grabbing her) Qui-et! Siddown! PROF. OGILVY'S VOICE But if they are Martians, and if they do have hearts, they'd almost certainly beat at a slower rate. Their veins might be distended.... DISSOLVE:
89. EXT. CONVERTIBLE - CLOSE SHOT - (PROCESS - NIGHT) San Francisco, with the Golden Gate Bridge and City behind. A BOY driving, smooching a GIRL. CLAYTON'S VOICE (Over car radio) Their senses could be quite different from ours, of course. They may, for instance, be able to smell colors. There is precedent in our own evolution to make it possible that they have more than one brain... The boy reaches to cut off the radio - he wants to smooch. The girl stops him. He is annoyed. KGEB REPORTER'S VOICE You mean two? Three? More, maybe? CLAYTON'S VOICE It's only speculation. KGEB REPORTER'S VOICE Think of that, folks! Now, Doctor Forrester - what about these meteor machines? CLAYTON'S VOICE They're probably controlled by jets after they enter our atmosphere... And navigated by some form of gyroscope mechanism. DISSOLVE:
90. INT. SIDEWALK LUNCH COUNTER, SAN DIEGO - (NIGHT) CAMERA is CLOSE on a picture of a battleship, then PULLS BACK revealing a poster: SAN DIEGO ARENA - BOXING. The SHOT WIDENS to show local fishermen, a couple of Navy sailors, a few girls - grouped by a small portable radio on the counter. KGEB REPORTER'S VOICE Is it true that all the phones went out and everybody's watch stopped around here? CLAYTON'S VOICE That was, I imagine, the effect from some electro-magnetic force in the heat-ray they used. DISSOLVE:
91. T-CROSSING - GROUP The KGEB Reporter, Clayton, Prof. Ogilvy, Colonel Heffner. Newspaper men have moved closer, listening. KGEB. REPORTER Can you tell us anything about this plane that's coming over, Colonel? COLONEL HEFFNER It'll drop a flare -- that's the only way we dare put a light on them. Then Air Force cameramen will get pictures. KGEB REPORTER That was Marine Colonel Ralph Heffner... (In a confidential tone) There's been a lot of mysterious activity around the machine. Lights and dust, as if they are digging themselves out. (Shimmering light hits his face) There it comes again!
92. SPECIAL EFFECT - EXT. GULLY - FULL SHOT A shuddering, blue-green light shows in the distance, tinting nearby hills. KGEB REPORTER'S VOICE If this keeps up, it'll be a guide for the plane when it comes over.
93. FLASHES - FOXHOLES & OBSERVATION POSTS Groups dispersed under cover, relaxed but alert, all watching the gully. a. Two mortar teams in a dry riverbed. b. Marine lieutenant and a sergeant with binocu- lars, behind a low revetment. c. Machine-gun unit in a foxhole. d. Infantrymen, alert and watchful.
94. EXT. T-CROSSING - MED. SHOT - GROUP KGEB Reporter f.g., Clayton, Colonel Heffner and Sheriff just beyond him. Reporters and cameramen line out along the road, waiting. The SOUND of the plane OVERSCENE. Its motor cuts off and on again. KGEB REPORTER (In a sharp whisper) Is that the plane now? COLONEL HEFFNER (Looking up, quietly) Yes! He's signalling. KGEB REPORTER (Into mike) The pilot has just blipped his motor. That means he's dropped the flare. He's flying high, and it'll take a few seconds to come down. When it does burst, we shall be the first men on earth to get a real look at these invaders from space - whoever they are! And there's the flare!
95. SPECIAL EFFECT - EXT. GULLY - FULL SHOT The flare throws a cone of high-visibility light. The Martian meteor has been cleared of dirt, stripped of its oxydized shell. It is an oblong cylinder. from the center of it, the hooded shape on the flex- ible shaft has been pushed high, like & guarding sentinel.
96. SPECIAL EFFECT - EXT. GULLY - MED. CLOSE SHOT The hooded shape rears back on its flexible shaft, angling up. The snout glitters, begins to glow, brilliant, reddish. Then the heat-ray SCREAMS as it lashes up into the sky.
97. EXT. T-CROSSING - MED. SHOT - GROUP Clayton, the KGEB reporter and other watching the sky tensely. The reporter has stopped gabbing, his microphone forgotten. The blue-white glare of the flare, mingled with the reddish glow of the heat- ray, alternate in flickers over SCENE. KGEB REPORTER (Suddenly remembering mike) They're after the plane with their rays!
98. SPECIAL EFFECT - EXT. SKY - FULL SHOT The SCREAMING heat-ray lashes across the sky. Writhing, seeking its target. It licks the flare into oblivion, then whips downward toward the ears and swings at us.
99. EXT. BLACK-TOP ROAD & T-CROSSING Everybody dives for cover. The glare of the ray turns everything fiery red.
100. EXT. FOOT OF EUCALYPTUS TREES - GROUP The Colonel and the KGEB reporter flatten out to- gether behind the low earth bank. Burning twigs and leaves fall about them. Clayton cranes to look out with the Colonel. The reporter yaks into his mike. KGEB REPORTER Well, here we are in --- (Pulls at charred end of mike cable - looks out) Hey! They cut me off. They got my truck! COLONEL It looks like they're going to come out of that gully pretty soon ...! We'd better build a shelter and be ready when they do. CLAYTON You're going to need plenty of reinforcements. COLONEL We'll get 'em. (Calling off) Lieutenant. DISSOLVE:
101. QUICK CUTS & FLASHES - (NIGHT) Troops and armament racing into the Linda Rosa district: Trucks -- tanks -- weapons carriers -- half-tracks jeeps -- rocket lauchers.
102. EXT. COMMAND POST REVETMENT - (NIGHT) A huge truck loaded with troops thunders past CAMERA. Its passing uncovers the hastily erected sandbag revet- ment for the command post. Nearby is an ambulance, a Red Cross canteen truck with two women in uniform working, several jeeps waiting with motors running. Two jeeps start away in different directions. A jeep rolls into SCENE, laying wire.
103. CLOSER ANGLE Sylvia is at the rear corner of the revetment, holding a tray of coffee mugs and doughnuts. She pauses to watch more vehicles move past. She has changed out of her dance frock into a tailored dress. She has a Red Cross armband. CAMERA PICKS UP Clayton coming from within the revetment inclosure. CLAYTON (Pausing beside Sylvia) The troops are certainly moving in here! SYLVIA Didn't you have something to do with this? I know you sent word to the Sixth Army Command! CLAYTON (Taking coffee tray - turning back with it) I just told them the local situation. Colonel Heffner's in full charge now. SYLVIA (Pausing - looking around) You never know where you're going to wind up when you go to a square dance!
104. INT. COMMAND POST REVETMENT - (NIGHT) An opening in the sandbag breastwork for observation high in the forward end. Storm lanterns provide light. A huge tarpaulin is stretched over the revet- ment as a roof and pulled down to cover the opening, which overlooks the Martians in the gully beyond. A field telephone switchboard and field telegraph have been set up. On some boxes is an enlarged con- tour map of the immediate territory, showing Linda Rosa, surrounding roads, the site of the Martian pit. A LIEUTENANT and a sergeant work on this map, placing units as they report in position. A CAPTAIN is on the phone. Communications men at other phones constantly pass messages. A sergeant operates a telegraph key. All are in full battle dress. The atmosphere is alive, tense. There is constant b.g. action of dispatch bearers coming and going. As Sylvia and Clayton come in, the Colonel is brief- ing officers at the map. COLONEL Locate your observation post on this hill. Position your recoilless 75's back here - Caroon Canyon. (To another officer) I want your battery here. You may find at daylight that you're too exposed -- so keep your prime movers ready to pull you out fast. (Smiling) But you'll get first crack at 'em. A CAPTAIN That'll suit me! That all, sir? COLONEL Yes. (As the lieutenant hands a phone) Report when you're set up. Sylvia passes around coffee and doughnuts. Clayton takes two mugs, bringing one across to the Colonel. COLONEL (At phone) Half-tracks?...Okay. Get in back of hill Thuh-ree. Follow up from there if it's a moving target... Roger! He takes coffee from Clayton with one hand and a Signal Corps message with the other. COLONEL (To Clayton) They've located that second meteor. (Passing message to Lieutenant) Mark it up.
105. BY THE MAP As Pastor Collins comes in, wearing a Civil Defense arnband. The Sheriff follows, pausing to reach for doughnuts and coffee. The lieutenant marks another Martian pit about five miles west, toward Whittier. He draws a line linking it with the Martians in the gully. COLONEL (To Clayton, poiting to map) There's one - there's the other, and we're right between them! PASTOR COLLINS (Moving in) So is the town, I notice! COLONEL I warned you Civil Defense people to be ready if you have to evacuate. PASTOR COLLINS I just came to tell you - everyone has been alerted. The Colonel's glance is caught by something o.s. He stiffens to attention. GENERAL MANN'S VOICE (o.s.) As you were...
106. INT. REVETMENT SHOOTING toward the rear as GENERAL MANN comes in -- fiftyish, clipped mustache, wearing neat khaki. Carries field glasses. His aide, a young MAJOR, follows him. COLONEL (Moving to meet him) General Mann -- I was told to expect you, sir. I'm Colonel Heffner. GENERAL MANN (Smiling briefly) I'm here to make up a report, not to interfere with the operations you've set up. You're still in command. (Suddenly - warmly) Clayton Forrester! (Shaking hands) I haven't seen you since Oak Ridge. CLAYTON Good to see you, General. (Introducing) This is Pastor Collins, director of Civil Defense. Sheriff Bogany, head of the local forces ... Miss Van Buren. SYLVIA Would you like some coffee, General? GENERAL MANN Thank you. She starts out as his aide hands him some messages. CLAYTON (To Pastor) General Mann's in charge of Intel- ligence for the Pacific area.
107. GROUP - BY THE MAP Favoring General Mann as he turns to scan the map, continuing to glance at the messages. The lieutenant is marking up more positions. GENERAL MANN That's their position? (Grimly amused) You've certainly got them surrounded. (And then) I suppose they've neutralized all communications here. COLONEL Not all. Radio is out. But our field phones are okay so far. GENERAL MANN And they'll go out the minute there's another ray. (Reading) A cylinder reported down by Huntington Beach. That's a job for the Navy. CLAYTON Do you have any news from abroad? CAMERA ANGLES to favor him as he glances at messages, sorting them, handing some to his aide. GENERAL MANN (Cont'd) They're coming down all over. South America - Santiago has two cylinders. They're outside London. And they're in Naples. (Going on) We've got them between here and Fesno. Outside Sacramento. Two on Long Island... CLAYTON Are they just coming down at random? GENERAL MANN No, they're working to some kind of a plan. (Arter a moment) But here's the most dangerous thing... Once they begin to move -- no more news comes out of that area!
108. INT. REVETMENT SHOOTING past the General. Everyone is listening, fascinated. The communications men have stopped work. The morse key keeps repeating a call. GENERAL MANN We've been getting reports of destruction, massacre ... Here's an instance! (reading a message) 'Town of St. Julien, south of Bordeaux, wiped out by ray of undetermined nature. Local reports say nothing remains.' (Looks around) Nothing remains! What d'you make of that? CLAYTON We'll have to see what they do here. GENERAL MANN A lot of our newest weapons are in here. Washington wants to be sure we stop them. COLONEL (Confident - smiling) We will, sir! GENERAL MANN From the data - and from that picture the Air Force took earlier tonight ... (Thumbing toward the gully) ... what we've got in the gully out there is a guide ship. One lands ... Others follow later. (To Clayton) They appear to clear an area, then drop in groups of threes, joined magnetically. Is that possible? CLAYTON (Wryly) If they do it, it is. Sylvia brings coffee. The General takes it automatically. COLONEL My orders are not to go into action unless they make a move out of there. GENERAL MANN That's because we want a chance to observe them. (Gesturing to gully) This is the only place we've had time to surround them with sufficient force to contain them. What happens here will be a guide to all other operations. The minute action begins and a pattern of defense developes, I'll get my report to Washington. (Glances at map) You've deployed your forces well. COLONEL Thank you, sir. If they start anything, we can blast them right off the earth! GENERAL MANN (Checks watch, sips coffee) They'll probably move at dawn. DISSOLVE TO:
109 SPECIAL EFFECT - HIGH CAMERA - LONG SHOT - GULLY - DAWN Silence. No movement anywhere. We see the burned grass and blackened earth. The little gray ash-heaps are still there. In the gully are dim, shining shapes. Beyond the hills the sky is lightening. As the sun comes up, one of the shining shapes begins to rise. There is a SOUND of CRACKLING, HIGH-FREQUENCY ELECTRIC SPARKS.
110. EXT. OBSERVATION POST CAMERA is on an infantry lieutenant and a sergeant. Their foxhole is camouflaged with burned grass and bushes. LIEUTENANT (At field phone) There's something moving in the gully -- something's coming out!
111. FLASHES - TROOPS ALERTING Men have been resting, dozing, waiting for dawn. A signal reaches them. a. Recoilless 75 men running to positions. b. Crew racing to half-track rocket-launcher. c. Machine-gunners readying for action. d. Bazooka team alerting.
112 INT. REVETMENT Lamps and candles being hurriedly extinguished. The tarpaulin is yanked from the observation opening. Everyone cranes to get a glimpse of the gully.
113. SPECIAL EFFECT - GULLY - (DAWN) Burned-over ground runs straight to the gully, with blackened scrub trees and bushes at either side. Something is visible in the gully. Shining. Moving.
114. SPECIAL EFFECT - EXT. GULLY - MED. SHOT Now, for the first time, we see a Martian machine clearly. A metal shape is rising. The SOUND of high- frequency sparks increases. It is a built-up section of the cylinder. Domed in the center. Three vibrant beams are projected like rods from below - stiff, joint- less, incandescent. Effortlessly, the body of the machine rises on the pulsating beams to a height of thirty feet in the air, and hovers motionless. Then a hooded shape extends above the body on a flexible shaft.
115. INT. REVETMENT Favoring Clayton, Pastor Collins, General Mann and the Colonel. All crowded to the opening in the sandbags. The General and the Colonel use field glasses. GENERAL MANN (Softly - handing his glasses to Clayton) Look at it, will you? PASTOR COLLINS (Awed - half to himself) Beings from another world ... The Colonel signs to the Captain, who backs to the fleld telephone switchooard. COLONEL (Quietly) Stand by to fire. CAPTAIN (Into phone - repeating) All command posts stand by to fire. PASTOR COLLINS (Suddenly realizing - protesting) Colonel - shooting's no good! COLONEL It's always been a good persuader. PASTOR COLLINS Couldn't you try to communicate with them first - and shoot later if you have to? The Colonel glances, then ignores him, using his glasses. The uniformed men are all tense, watching the gully, waiting for the order. Clayton is gazing out with the Sheriff. Pastor Collins moves uncertainly toward the open rear of the revetment. Sylvia sees him, starts after him. CAPTAIN'S VOICE (O.s.) All command posts - target as indictated.
116. EXT. REVETMENT Pastor Collins comes out, stands staring toward the gully. Sylvia joins him. Behind them we glimpse the tension of the men inside. PASTOR COLLINS (Looking o.s.) I think we should try to make them understand we mean them no harm. Sylvia looks at him, not sure of what he means. COLONEL'S VOICE (O.s.) (Quietly - from inside) There's another machine coming out.
117. SPECIAL EFFECT - EXT. GULLY The Martian machines. The first machine is now catching the early sunbeams. Turning golden, glis- tening. In the shadows another machine is rising from the gully. It, also, is armed with a hooded shape.
118. CLOSE SHOT - SYLVIA AND PASTOR COLLINS Both gazing toward the gully. PASTOR COLLINS (Meditative) They are living creatures out there. SYLVIA But they're not human! Dr. Forrester says they're some kind of an advanced civilization -- PASTOR COLLINS (Cutting in, smiling) If they're more advanced than us, they should be nearer the Creator for that reason! CAPTAIN'S VOICE (Tensely, from inside) Attention all batteries! Prepare for volley fire! Repeat -- prepare for volley fire! PASTOR COLLINS (Meditative again) No real attemot has been made to communicate with them, you know... Sylvia looks at him uneasily. She takes his arm. SYLVIA Let's go back inside, Uncle Matthew. PASTOR COLLINS (Shakes head, smiling) I've done about all I can do here. You go back in. (Low - turning her toward the inside) Sylvia - I like that Doctor Forrester. (Hand to her cheek) He's a good man. Sylvia presses his hand, smiling. As she leaves him, the CAMERA PANS with her, losing Pastor Collins momentarily.
119. HEAD CLOSEUP - PASTOR COLLINS Looking in the direction of the gully, thoughtful.
120. FLASHES - PREPARATIONS FOR FIRING a. Grouped bazookas bearing on the target. b. Tanks waiting orders, at the ready. c. Rocket launcher, loaded and ready.
121. SPECIAL EFFECT - EXT. GULLY The Martian machine in f.g. is motionless. The second one has paused half out of the gully. Its hooded arm swings around on its shaft, as if under test.
122. EXTREME HEAD CLOSEUP - PASTOR COLLINS Eyes serene. Smiles a little. Moves forward.
123. INT. REVETMENT No sound except the telegraph key repeating a signal over and over. No movement save for Sylvia, f.g., refilling coffee cups. General Mann, the Colonel, Clayton and the Sheriff crouched by the opening. COLONEL (Suddenly) Who's that?!
124. FLASH CLOSEUP - GROUP AT WINDOW They stare out, disbelieving.
125. FLASH CLOSEUP - SYLVIA She whirls, starts toward the opening.
126. SPECIAL EFFECT - INT. REVETMENT & VISTA SHOOTING over the group at the opening to the VISTA outside the revetment. In b.g. Pastor Collins is walking away from the revetment, a solitary figure moving over the burned-off earth. The Martian machines beyond him are motionless, as if awaiting him. COLONEL (Choked voice) What's he think he's doing?
127. CLOSE SHOT - CROSS ANGLE - FEATURING SYLVIA SYLVIA (Calling) Uncle! (Half screaming) Uncle Matthew!! She whirls to go after him. General Mann catches her arm. GENERAL MANN Too late now -- he's too far away. SYLVIA (Lunges - appealing) Stop him! CLAYTON (Holding her - looking out) It's seen him.
128. SPECIAL EFFECT - MARTIAN MACHINE It begins slowly to sink down as its glittering beam- legs pulsate and grow shorter.
129. MOVING SHOT - EXT. BURNED-OFF FIELD Pastor Collins brings out a cross, gazing ahead, reciting the Twenty-third Psalm. PASTOR COLLINS (Softly) Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil ...
130. SPECIAL EFFECT - EXT. GULLY SHOOTING past the first Martian machine, still sinking down. The second machine has risen higher in the gully.
131. MOVING SHOT - EXT. BURNED-OFF FIELD CLOSE on Pastor Collins, walking past more debris. PASTOR COLLINS (Whispering) Thou anointest my head with oil. My cup runneth over ...
132. INT. REVETMENT - GROUP Featuring Sylvia and Clayton. All are crowded to the opening. Sylvia is petrified with horror.
133. MOVING SHOT - EXT. BURNED-OFF FIELD - HEAD CLOSEUP Pastor Collins moves ahead, eyes fixed on the machines. He won't permit himself to be afraid. PASTOR COLLINS And I will dwell ... in the house of the Lord .. forever. He lifts the cross to shoulder height as CAMERA HOLDS and PANS him on. PASTOR COLLINS (Cont'd) Amen. (Murmuring) May the grace of the Father and of the Son ... Beyond him we now see the Martian machine.
134. SPECIAL EFFECT - EXT. GULLY Favoring the first machine, filling the SCREEN. Squat- ting on its incandescent beam-legs, the hooded shaft tilted forward. There is a moment -- then a magenta- tinted heat-ray SCREAMS from it.
135. INT. REVETMENT - EXTREME HEAD CLOSEUP - SYLVIA She SCREAMS, but her voice is drowned in the unearthly SOUND of the Martian machine. We know, without seeing, what has happened to the Pastor.
136. SPECIAL EFFECT - EXT. GULLY VIEWPOINT from the command post revetment. The first machine rises swiftly to full height, gliding forward. The second clears the gully. The top of a third machine appears.
137. SPECIAL EFFECT - EXT. GULLY & ROAD The base ot the Martian machine's locomotor beam-leg. Featuring, in f.g., the Pastor's cross, partly melted. The glittering foot of the beam moves into SCENE, leaving behind it molten rock and smoke. As it passes, the intense heat it gives off acts like a blowtorch on the terrain.
138. INT. REVETMENT - MED. CLOSE SHOT SHOOTING from outside the observation opening. Sylvia is CLOSE in f.g., horrified, unbelieving, supported by Clayton. The Colonel whirls toward the switchboard. COLONEL Let 'em have it!
139. EXT. HILLSIDE - TANKS The big guns of the tanks slam shells toward the gully.
140. SPECIAL EFFECT - MARTIAN MACHINE & SHELL BURSTS Shells burst close to the Martian machine. Instantly a beam -- different from the heat-ray -- strikes out with a vicious, high-pitched DRUMMING SOUND. The beam is electric-blue with a greenish tinge. Edges soft, powdery. Fast, projectile-like discharges race down its core, like a succession of balls, a deeper blue- green. Beam and impulses are transparent.
141. SPECIAL EFFECT - EXT. HILLSIDE - TANK The beam hits a tank. The tank changes color instan- taneously. It turns bone yellow, then thins into an oyster-white skeleton shape that is an echo of death itself. The beam cuts off and the tank dissolves into fine dust, the color of the beam, and blows away on the breeze. Making pallid streamers in the early morning light.
142. GROUP - AT OPENING SHOOTING IN on the men - staring, transfixed. The General lowers his glasses, looks at Clayton in stupe- faction, then uses the glasses again.
143. QUICK CUTS - INSERTS OF MUZZLES - AS WEAPONS FIRE CLOSE on the muzzles. Individual SOUND blasting. a. Rocket-launcher muzzles as rockets fly. b. Machine-gun muzzles shuddering. c. Anti-tank gun muzzles explode and recoil.
144. QUICK CUTS & FLASHES - BATTLE (1) The initial phase between man's weapons and the Martian machines. The first Martian is out of the gully on the burned-off field. The second is just clear of the gully. The third has started to follow. a. Special Effect - Full Shot - Gully. Increasing shell and rocket fire bursting viciously about the Martians. Short, blue jets are flashing out around the turret heads of the machines. These merge to form an impalpable, electro- magnetic envelope which drops all around to the ground. b. Special Effect - Close Shot - First Machine. Rays SCREAM from it, lashing in every direction. c. Recoilless 75's - Close Shot. Muzzles Flash. d. Rocket-launcher - Close Shot. In rapid suc- cession, rockets roar toward the Martians. e. Tank - Med. Shot. It's gun bucks violently slamming an armor-piercing shell at the Mar- tians. f. Machine-gun Nest - Close Shot. 50 cal. machine- gun chatters furiously, spitting a stream of tracer shells. g. Bazookas - Close Shot. In a sharp volley, a group of bazookas let go with HE charges. h. Mortars - Close Shot. In rapid succession, Marines drop Napalm charges into the big muz- zles of the mortars. Instantly the charges fly high in the air in the direction of the enemy. i. Special Effect - Martian Machines. Projectiles burst against their almost invisible protective envelopes. Others ricochet off, exploding harm- lessly in the air beyond. Napalm charges burst around them, obscuring the machines in huge balls of searing, orange fire and black smoke. j. Special Effect - First Machine - Close Shot. The flame of the Napalm clears. The machine is undamaged. Rays slash from it, SCREAMING. k. Special Effect - Second & Third Machines - Close Shot. Flames and smoke clear. They lash rays in every direction. l. Special Effect - Rocket-launcher - Close Shot. Hit by a heat-ray. The launcher and crew glow white hot. Become a pile of ashes. m. Special Effect - First Machine - Close Shot. DRUMMING horribly, the blue-green disintegrating beam darts forth. n. Special Effect - Mortars - Med. Close Shot. Hit by the skeletonizing beam. They literally disintegrate - cease to exist. Men and machines become a vapor of blue-green dust.
144-A. INT. REVETMENT - GROUP Clayton, Sylvia and others duck below the shelter of the sandbags as a heat-ray HOWLS close past the com- mand post. CAMERA MOVES IN on Clayton and General Mann, shouting above the uproar. GENERAL MANN (Fast, looking out) What's that skeleton beam they're using? CLAYTON It must neutralize mesons somehow. They're the atomic glue that holds matter together. (Grimly) Cut across their lines of magnetic force and any object will simply cease to exist.
145. SPECIAL EFFECT - FLASH CUTS - BATTLE (2) The destruction of man's weapons by the Martians, and the beginning of man's retreat. a. Special Effect - Ext. Gully & Command Post Revetment - Full Shot. A COMPOSITE SHOT of the entire battle. One Martian machine on a hill slope. The two others below. Rays and beams lashing out. Shells and rockets and Napalm exploding about them. Tanks scuttling about. Rays hit them. Machine-gunners and tropps abandon their stations, leaving their weapons. Half-tracks, trucks, weapons-carriers, jeeps pull out. Pandemonium. b. Special Effect - Martian Machines - Med. Shot. Smoke and fire clearing. Explosions about them diminish. They redouble the activity of their rays and beams. c. Special Effect - Battlefield - Med. Full Shot. Gray ash on a blackened road - the residue of tanks. Men, jeeps, equipment flee past, es- caping. Rays and beams reach after them. d. Ext. Hillside - Med. Close Shot. Infantrymen crash through burning bushes in headlong re- treat, looking back in panic. e. Special Effect - Martian Machine - Close Shot. On skyline. Moving forward. Rays SCREAMING, beams DRUMMING. No counter fire from our forces.
146. EXT. REVETMENT - MED FULL SHOT Parked jeeps, General Mann's car, a few Marines, the Red Cross truck. The heat-ray slashes through them, hits the revetment and swings away. Men fall in ashes, jeeps glow and burn, the Red Cross truck and General Mann's car are singed and blazing. The huge tarp stretched over the revetment blazes.
147. INT. REVETMENT - MED. FULL SHOT The inclosure is a madhouse - men trying to extinguish burning switchboards - the lieutenant gathering up the scorched maps - the captain shouting uselessly into the field phone - Clayton up by the opening using the field glasses, Sylvia and the Sheriff crouched near him. General Mann and his aide rush out. LIEUTENANT (At the opening) There's a Martian machine headed straight for us! COLONEL (Shouting to Captain) Order all command posts - everything pull back north of Highway Sixty tunnel bunker!
148. SPECIAL EFFECT - MARTIAN MACHINE - MED. CLOSE SHOT Moving along the burned-off swathe from the gully, rays slashing.
149. INT. REVETMENT - MED. SHOT COLONEL (At observation opening - yelling) They're going to roll right through here. Sheriff - get into Linda Rosa. Tell Civil Defense - evacuate everybody! Clayton, at the opening, watches the approaching machines, absorbed by them. A heat-ray slashes near, casting its ruddy glare. Shreds of the burning tar- paulin fall. Sylvia grabs him, pulling him down. COLONEL Doctor Forrester - get out of here! He literally jerks Clayton and Sylvia to their feet, shoving them toward the rear. COLONEL (Cont'd) Everybody out! The Air Force'll take care of these babies now! (Runs toward CAMERA) Everybody out --- Everybody ---- He is in EXTREME CLOSEUP, shouting. The red heat-ray seems to envelope him in a blaze of color, SCREAMING. Suddealy the SCREEN explodes into deadly blue-green - the disintegrating beam! The Colonel's shout is frozen on his lips. The skeletal structure of his head glows incandescent -- greenish-white -- through the flesh of his face. In an instant he vanishes into a shred of blue-green vapor which swirls and is lost in the ruddy flames of the ray. DISSOLVE:
150. EXT. SKY - FULL SHOT - (STOCK) A huge formation of fighter bombers flashes across the sky, the chorus of their jets pulsating like thunder. DISSOLVE:
151. EXT. ROAD - MED. SHOT A weapons carrier clatters past at breakneck speed. Men from mixed units jump from behind scrub trees, running. A crowded jeep flashes past as Clayton and Sylvia appear. The two run after the men. Clayton pulls her to a stop, looks o.s., then runs across the road with her.
152. EXT. FIELD - MED. SHOT A Piper Cub - battery observation plane - is just taking off. Another is on the ground, no one near it. Clayton and Sylvia enter, running. Beyond one wing of the machine we see smoke, explosions and rays and beams ripping against the sky. CLAYTON We can't go into town - everybody's getting out of there! (Steering her toward plane) I'll fly you over to Pasadena. SYLVIA Can you handle one of these? CLAYTON Sure...get in! He shoves Sylvia up into the plane and climbs in at the wheel. DISSOLVE:
153. EXT. SKY - MED. SHOT The Piper Cub in flight, hedge-hopping.
154. INT. PIPER CUT - CLOSE SHOT (PROCESS) SHOOTING PAST Clayton to Sylvia. The tops of utility poles and trees skim past, almost at their level. The plane wobbles. Clayton is unconcerned. SYLVIA (Hanging on) You'll hit something! Can't you go higher? CLAYTON (Looking up) No. The air's going to be full of Jets in a minute...And there they are!
155. EXT. SKY - QUICK CUTS OF JETS - (STOCK) Jet fighter-bombers in formation, colorful against the sky, peeling off to dive.
156. INT. PIPER CUB - CLOSE SHOT - (PROCESS) Clayton looking o.s. as he banks sharply. Sylvia looking after him.
157. EXT. SKY - QUICK CLOSE SHOT (STOCK) Jet fighter-bombers diving, firing, launching rockets, dropping bombs. SOUNDS of explosions.
158. EXT. SKY - MED. CLOSE SHOT The piper cub porpoising over the treetops, banking and turning.
159. QUICK CUTS - WRECK OF PIPER CUB a. Int. Piper Cub - Close Shot (Process). Clayton looking up. Sylvia turns and looks ahead, SCREAMS. b. Special Effect - Piper Cub - Full Shot. SHOOTING AHEAD. It rises over a low hilltop - flying directly toward a Martian machine on the flat fields beyond. Plane banks sharply to change course. c. Special Effect - Piper Cub - Med. Shot. The wing snags a tree. The plane cart- wheels toward the ground.
160. SPECIAL EFFECT - EXT. BEAN FIELD - MED. SHOT The Cub lands on one wheel, bounces, goes into a ground loop, a slashing skid and stops, tilted on a torn wing. Propeller shattered.
161. EXT. BEANFIELD - CLOSE SHOT - (MOVING SHOT) Clayton half-falls out of the wrecked plane, looking o.s., as he helps Sylvia. She looks with him, gasps. They run and dive into an irrigation ditch, CAMERA FOLLOWING.
162. SPECIAL EFFECT - EXT BEANFIELD & DITCH - FULL SHOT SHOOTING over the torn wing of the Piper Cup among the tangled bean plants. Across the field is a low, wooded hill. Coming into sight at the foot of the hill is the Martian machine, its cobra-like weapon turning on its shaft, swinging toward the plane.
163. EXT. DITCH - CLOSE SHOT - CLAYTON & SYLVIA Ducked low, taut, terrified. He sneaks a look over the edge, then flings himself down with Sylvia again. There is the SOUND of the horrible DRUMMING of the disintegrating beam, which quickly flickers out, mark- ing the destruction of the Piper Cub. Their faces are lit blue-green. Then, down into the ditch, the eerie vapor of unglued atom flows, icandescent, swirling in the breeze. Clayton and Sylvia begin to stir. The CRACKLING of HIGH FREQUENCY ELECTRICITY from the machine's loco- motor mechanism grows louder - it's coming for them! Clayton grabs Sylvia, half-dragging, half-carrying her back along the ditch. He pushes her behind a pile of broken irrigation pipe, falls across her. The CRACKLING swells to a ROAR of SPARKS. Where they had just lain, the glittering, flickering base of a beam-leg dips down into the ditch, moves across and up the other bank, leaving a smoking path of fused rock and debris.
163a. EXTREME CLOSEUP - CLAYTON & SYLVIA Smoke swirling about them. Heads thrust into the dirt. Frozen with terror. Faces crushed together. The machine's ROAR diminishes. They begin to breathe again. The tension of Clayton's grip on Sylvia's shoulders lessens. The suspended functions of her mind resume. Her eyes turn to him. He looks at her. Shock overwhelms her. She faints. FADE OUT. FADE IN:
164. EXT. DOWNTOWN STREET, LOS ANGELES - (DAY) CAMERA is on a CORNER NEWSSTAND. Tip-sheets and papers are clipped around the front, sides and to a wire between uprights. Headlines: MEN FROM MARS - Europe Cities Blasted - KILLER RAYS; MARS MACHINES IN CALIFORNIA - Fighting Near L.A. - U.S. INVADED - MARTIAN THREAT. A little crowd on the sidewalk reads papers avidly. Cars stop at the curb to buy others. An elderly woman sits behind the newsstand, knitting, hawking her sensations.
165. CLOSEUP - ELDERLY WOMAN ELDERLY WOMAN (Thin - piping) All about the Martian Invasion - They're in New York and Miami - Fighting outside Los Angeles - All about it! - Radio black- out - Killers from Mars - World-wide Crisis - United States invaded - all about the Martians! (Sells a paper) Thank you, mister. The SOUND of approaching sirens comes over SCENE. She and her customers look o.s.
166. EXT. STREET - (Location) Traffic is slowing, stopping. The SOUND of massed sirens comes to a peak. Two motorcycle cops race past, blinkers working. Four more follow. Then comes General Mann's dirty, fire-blackened car. CAMERA PANS the car, going fast, then ANGLES UP the front of the stately Federal Building. DISSOLVE:
167. MOVING SHOT - INT. ARMED FORCES INFORMATION, MAIN OFFICE - (DAY) Five desks. Walls covered with maps and thumb-tacked notices. The doors of three private offices across from the entrance. The place is crowded with Army, Navy, Marine and Air Force personnel, police of- ficials, CD directors, reporters, photographers. Two cops shoulder in from the corridor by a door marked: ARMED FORCES - Public Information Office - Entrance. General Mann follows with his aide. Reporters and cameramen crowd around the unshaven, grimy General, impeding him on his way toward a private office out- side which sits a WAC secretary. Naval and military men come to attention, then press toward him. The General looks past them all, calling to CD directors and civic authorities. GENERAL MANN (Beckoning) You're the gentlemen I asked to come here. (To his aide) Get Washington. The aide pushes ahead while flashbulbs blink and repor- ters surround the General. He keeps moving. A FAT REPORTER - thin-nosed, sweating - tries to buttonhole him. FAT REPORTER General Mann, what d'you think of this situation -- GENERAL MANN Sorry. I've no time! FAT REPORTER (Wily, fast) Is it your opinion the Army can hold 'em? POLICE CHEIF (Moving in, sharp) All right, boys - let it go! SECOND REPORTER (Jumping in, over him) You had guns and equipment going out there all night! Weren't they enough to -- GENERAL MANN (Tired, exasperated) I said I've no time! POLICE CHIEF C'mon, now - break it up! During this, General Mann has pushed to the door of the private office. With a concerted effort, the General and the civic officials push inside. The door closes. A big Marine bars further entry. CAMERA HOLDS on the reporters and photographers. FAT REPORTER The way he's hedging, maybe the Army didn't hold 'em! (Significant) Because from the news that's coming through, nobody's stopped 'em yet! (Looking toward door) We'll wait.
168. INT. PRIVATE OFFICE It belongs to the Chief of Army Information. General Mann's aide is talking into a phone in b.g. The General faces the civilian group which includes police and fire chiefs, Pacific Electric and other trans- portation officials, Air Raid wardens, Red Cross. GENERAL MANN Who's the General Director for Civil Defense? C.D. DIRECTOR Here, sir. We're all ready for action! GENERAL MANN I want to know if the city must be evacuated...? C.D. DIRECTOR (Smiling) Lots of people got scared and moved out as it is! P.E. OFFICIAL We're holding emergency cars and buses ready in the yard, sir! RED CROSS LEADER Red Cross is standing by. C.D. DIRECTOR I believe, sir, I can speak for everyone. We've got the whole city on the ready! GENERAL MANN That's what I wanted! For your in- formation - they're twenty-five or thirty miles outside Los Angeles. They're not down in force yet, but that can happen any minute. We've got a developing situation. It'll come to a crisis if they move into the metropolitan area and -- AIDE (Cutting in, quick) Washington on the wire, sir. GENERAL MANN (Taking phone, turning away) General Mann...
169. CLOSE ON GENERAL MANN listening at phone, keyed-up. GENERAL MAN (Atter a pause, low, fast) I'd say our effective losses were nearly sixty percent men and ninety persent materiel! (Grimly) The new delta-wing jets went in, but not one of them came out. I watched high-level bombers drop everything they carried. They were knocked out of the sky and the bombs did nothing.
170. GROUP - CIVILIAN LEADERS straining to catch what he is saying, glancing at one another, alarmed. GENERAL MANN'S VOICE Nothing was effective against them!... Yes, they have some sort of electronic umbrella. It's quite impenetrable. And Doctor Forrester believes they generate atomic force without the heavy screening we use -- That's where they get the power for their rays!
171. INT. PRIVATE OFFICE - MED. CLOSE SHOT General Mann at phone, his aide in b.g. GENERAL MANN Very well, sir. (Hanging up - to aide) Call Victorville. Tell them I want the fastest plane they've got! SHOT WIDENS as he turns to the nearby group. GENERAL MANN (Cont'd) You'll get all further instructions from Sixth Army Command. (To Police Chief) Now I'll make a statement to those reporters. The Police Chief opens the door. Hubbub comes from the outside as reporters and photographers crowd in. The civic authorities leave. FAT REPORTER (Barging forward) General, we heard Doctor Clayton Forrester was out there with you. What's he think about this? GENERAL MANN Ask him. He's back at Pacific-Tech. FAT REPORTER No, he's not! We tried to get him. He hasn't shown up there. DISSOLVE:
172. SPECIAL EFFECT - EXT. FARM & BEANFIELD - (NIGHT) Peaceful. Crickets chirruping. A mocking-bird SOUND- ING off. Low ground mist. Out of the distance comes the MUTTER of gunfire and remote EXPLOSIONS. CAMERA SHOOTING across the edge of the dry irriga- tion ditch toward the farmhouse in the middle dis- tance. A farm cat appears over the edge of the ditch, carrying something in its mouth. It hurries down into the ditch, CAMERA PANNING.
172a. EXT. IRRIGATION DITCH - MED. CLOSE SHOT Clayton is sitting alongside Sylvia who is stretched out asleep. Clayton's jacket is covering her. His attention has been attracted by the cat.
172b. EXT. DITCH - CLOSE SHOT The cat stops in the bottom of the ditch and puts her burden down on some grass. It is a tiny puppy. She lies down. It snuggles to her, whining weakly.
172c. CLOSEUP CLAYTON (PAN SHOT) He smiles a little wryly, looks down toward Sylvia. CAMERA PANS to CLOSEUP of Sylvia. She is breathing softly, regularly.
172d. CLOSE SHOT - CLAYTON & SYLVIA He bends over, looking at her for a long moment, then his hand touches her shoulder, shaking it to waken her. CLAYTON (Softly) Wake up.... Her eyes open, close, then open again. CLAYTON (Cont'd) (Gently) Let's get moving, huh? She doesn't move, only looks at him. CLAYTON (Cont'd) (Concealing his anxiety - smiling) Are you all right? SYLVIA (Still half-awake) I never noticed before - that's a cowboy tie.... CLAYTON I bought it for the square dance. I thought I ought to wear some- thing Western. She laughs dreamily, looking up at him. Her smile goes suddenly. She glances out over the edge of the ditch. SYLVIA Is that... machine...? CLAYTON It's gone now. SYLVIA Where are we? CLAYTON Southwest of Corona, somewhere. There must have been another cylinder down here. They've been through this whole area and cleared everybody out. (Peering from the ditch) There's a farmhouse. Let's see if we can find something to eat...! As they prepare to leave, DISSOLVE:
173. INT. FARMHOUSE - KITCHEN - (NIGHT) CLOSE on a skillet loaded with bacon and eggs. CAMERA ANGLE WIDENS. The kitchen is not modern. Old gas refrigerator. High-oven stove, its flaming gas-jets make an eerie glow. Coffee percolates. Sylvia has tidied her hair, renewed her make-up. Clayton is taking a jug of orange juice from the refrigerator. He uses it to indicate the farmhouse as he glances around. CLAYTON We're doing all right. He puts it on the table, which he has set, then looks warily out the window. He goes to the stove as Sylvia begins dishing up. She is pensive. They keep their voices down. CLAYTON I almost forget when I ate last. (Genuine) It looks so good.... You know, mostly I get my meals in coffee shops and restaurants. SYLVIA (Astonished) Don't you live at home? CLAYTON No, on the campus. I haven't any family. SYLVIA I come from a big one. Nine of us. All in Minnesota, except me. CLAYTON I have no close folks. My parents died when I was a kid.
174. ANOTHER ANGLE - CLAYTON AND SYLVIA Shooting across the table to the stove. Sylvia comes toward CAMERA, bringing bacon and eggs. He follows with the coffee. CLAYTON A big family must be fun...I imagine it makes you feel you belong to something. SYLVIA It does...Maybe that's why I feel kind of lost right now. CLAYTON (Reassuring, pouring coffee) We'll get safely out of here, don't worry. SYLVIA (Pouring orange juice) But they seem to murder everything that moves...! CLAYTON If they're mortal, they must have mortal weaknesses. They'll be stopped -- somehow!
175. CLOSE SHOT They begin to eat. CLAYTON I've been as close to them as anyone. But not close enough for real observation... SYLVIA (Over him - not listening) I feel like I did one time when I was small. (Not sorry for herself, merely telling him) Awful scared and lonesome...I'd wandered off - I've forgotten why - but the family and whole crowds of neighbors were hunting for me. (And then) They found me in a church. I was afraid to go in any place else.
116. CLOSE SHOT - SYLVIA Half smiling at the memory. SYLVIA I stayed right by the door - praying for the one who loved me best to come and find me. (And then) It was Uncle Matthew who found me. CLAYTON (Quietly) I liked him.
177. AT THE TABLE Sylvia touches away a tear, keeps her voice con- trolled. SYLVIA He liked you ... I could bawl my head off! CLAYTON But you're not going to. You're not the kind. (Encouraging, gentle) You're tired, anyway. You've been up all night. You cracked up in a plane. Slept in a ditch. But you want to know something? (Removing glasses looking, smiling) It doesn't show on you at all. As she smiles, holding his gaze, a greenish glow begins to spread through the kitchen. Clayton rises, startled. The light becomes a glare that limns everything sharply - emerald and black. A smashing and roaring SOUNDS outside, approaching like an avalanche. Clayton grabs Sylvia as the house shakes. Part of the ceiling crashes down. The floor rocks under them. They fall, Clayton shielding Sylvia, as the walls smash in.
178. HIGH CAMERA - SPECIAL EFFECT - EXT. FARMHOUSE AND MULTIPLE METEOR A multiple meteor has fallen. Through the ground mist we see that one cylinder has gouged up earth and is hitting the farmhouse in f.g. Two other cylinders land in the far distance and are obscured in the mist. All movement ends. Silence follows. DISSOLVE:
179. INT. WRECKED FARMHOUSE - (NIGHT) CLOSE on a broken pipe, gushing water. Sylvia's hand comes into SCENE, soaking a cloth. CAMERA PANS as she draws the cloth away. Clayton is sprawled near the living room doorway, hunched, holding his head. She crouches by him - shaken, anxious - pressing the cloth against his temple. He sits up slowly, holding the cloth against his head, then pressing it over his face and eyes. He is hurt. Finally, he drags the cloth down his face and sucks in his breath. She holds him while his brain steadies. CLAYTON How long was I out? SYLVIA (Small, whispering) Hours. I've been so scared...! He starts to get up. She holds him down. SYLVIA (Cont'd) (Whispering) They're right outside! Several of them came down together! Clayton is immediately alert. He rises quietly, CAMERA PANS as he tiptoes to the wall and peers out a vertical break.
180. SPECIAL EFFECT - EXT. WRECKED FARMHOUSE Clayton's VIEWPOINT. Everything is seen through or above low ground mist. In b.g. is fencing, trees, sheds. Visible above the mist is a Martian machine, gliding slowly. It stops. CLOSE in f.g., is part of a glit- tering leg that rises to the underside of another machine standing sentinel, straddling the house.
181. INT. KITCHEN - CLAYTON & SYLVIA Clayton's eyes reflect his excitecent. He leaves the opening, looks up, starts quickly toward the living room. CLAYTON (Whispering) There's a machine standing right over us!
182. INT. LIVING ROOM - MED. SHOT The attic has been crushed down in a mess of beams and plaster. The roof has spilled over at one side. Clayton reaches up, pulling at beams and plaster, trying to get a better look. He peers out through an opening to the farmyard again. Sylvia, by the door to the patio, regards him fearfully.
183. SPECIAL EFFECT - EXT. FARMHOUSE Clayton's VIEWPOINT from the living room. The Martian machine in b.g. is now slowly submerging into the mist. From this vantage point, a third machine is now vis- ible, still on the ground in the farmyard. Now this machine begins to rise on its glowing beam-legs.
184. INT. LIVING ROOM - MED. SHOT Clayton is peering through the opening in b.g. Sylvia, f.g., standing beside the broken door to the outside patio, turns and looks out. She suppresses a scream, starting away. CAMERA MOVES IN fast, SHOOT- ING past her to the EXTERIOR. The patio is blocked with debris, fallen fuchsias, potted cacti in bloom. A form is just disappearing beyond the debris. Smooth, reddish, indefinite.
185. CLOSE SHOT - SYLVIA & CLAYTON Clayton jumps to her side. SYLVIA Something moved outside! Clayton brings out a flashlight, starts to move out to the patio. Sylvia clings to him as he looks. CLAYTON (Whispering, tense) Nothing there now. SYLVIA It was... (Indicating Martians) ...one of them! CLAYTON What was it like? SYLVIA (Drawing him back toward kitchen) I couldn't see much in the dark - but it was one! CLAYTON We're right in a nest of 'em! ... I've got to get a look at them. He pulls away from Sylvia and works quickly at a shattered wall, making an opening. From the other side of the room comes the SOUND of shifting debris. Sylvia calls a warning. Clayton spins, backing to join her. They shelter in the kitchen doorway, watching cautiously. The thrusting and RATTLING of displaced wood and plaster continues.
186. INT. LIVING ROOM - MED. SHOT Their VIEWPOINT. Through the debris appears a long, slender mechanism in the shape of a flexible metal- lic tubing. At the head of it is an enlarged section which splits and slides back, disclosing a bright lens - like an eye, but larger. It begins to quest about the room, glittering in the deep shadow.
187. CLOSE - CLAYTON AND SYLVIA He is fascinated. She is frozen with fear. CLAYTON (Bated) It's looking for us! She pulls him down behind the upset dinette table, jammed in a corner with other debris.
188. CLOSEUP - MARTIAN SCANNING EYE It is divided into three striated lenses, each faintly colored with one of the optical primaries - red, blue or green. It comes through the doorway. It turns ceaselessly around and back again on a sheathed universal joint, making a faint CLICKING SOUND on each movement. Questing. Suspicious. Reflected in each lens is a tinted, peculiarly distorted view of the wrecked kitchen.
189. CLOSE SHOT - CLAYTON & SYLVIA Huddled behind the table, watching through a crack.
190. SPECIAL EFFECT - EXT. FARMHOUSE & MARTIAN MACHINE CAMERA PICKS UP the plastic-covered nose of the machine, within which the honeycombed circle has now become a luminous screen. On this translucent surface, projected from inside, is a curiously twisted picture of the kitchen - as transmitted by the scanning eye in the house below.
191. INT. KITCHEN - CLOSE SHOT - CLAYTON & SYLVIA Clayton has picked up a peoble of broken plaster. He flips it against the ceiling of the living room beyond. He grabs Sylvia, pulling her down.
191a. INT. LIVING ROOM - MED. SHOT - SCANNING EYE The eye is turning around and back as Clayton's pebble and a little broken plaster dribble from the ceiling. The eye snakes upward to look. It comes down again. Slowly, suspiciously, it lowers to the floor.
192. CLOSEUP - CLAYTON & SYLVIA She is clutching him. He comes up a little, pokes cautiously where plaster is broken from the wall and peers into the living room.
193. INT. LIVING ROOM - MED. FULL SHOT Clayton's VIEWPOINT. The mechanical eye is in the middle of the floor, turning around and back. Watching. Waiting.
194. INT. KITCHEN - CLOSEUP - CLAYTON & SYLVIA He covers the peephole with his hand. CLAYTON Maybe they aren't too sure we're here. SYLVIA (Bated) They could be as curious about us as we are about them. CLAYTON Maybe ... (Looks up) Maybe they want to take us alive.
195. SPECIAL EFFECT - EXT. FARMHOUSE - MED. FULL SHOT A Martian machine is moving through the mist in b.g. The one in the farmyard has moved nearer. The honey- combed circle is alight, showing the picture of the kitchen in the house. Suddenly this goes off.
196. INT. KITCHEN - CLOSE SHOT CLAYTON & SYLVIA He is using the peephole to the living room again. CLAYTON (Whispering - sharp) It's pulling out!
197. INT. LIVING ROOM - MED. FULL SHOT VIEWPOINT from kitchen. The sheath is closing over the eye. The flexible tubing is withdrawing. It disappears.
198. CLOSE SHOT - CLAYTON & SYLVIA He gets up, comes cautiously from the kitchen, with Sylvia following. She grasps his arm. SYLVIA (Gasping) Let's get out of here! He gestures her to silence, moves toward the wall and the opening he had made. She peers fearfully out through the broken patio door. SYLVIA (At the door, shocked) They've blocked it! CLAYTON (At opening in wall) It's blocked here, too! (Furiously clawing at the hole) They've pushed up earth or something all around outside. (Moving to fireplace) Here, this way...! He snatches an axe from the woodbox by the fireplace, jabbing between fallen ceiling beams. Sylvia looks fearfully around.
199. CLOSEUP - SYLVIA & CLAYTON - PAN SHOT CAMERA WHIPS UP from them. The Martian eye is hanging in the dimness above their heads, through a split in the ceiling. SYLVIA Look out!! Clayton sees it, leaps, slashing with the axe. A loose beam is dislodged in a shower of dust and frag- ments, falling across the tubing and the eye, pinning it to the floor.
200. CLOSE SHOT - CLAYTON As he holds a foot on the tubing behind the eye, hacking with the axe. He cuts the lens clear. The rest of the mechanism is withdrawn fast, snaking up into the debris. CLAYTON We've got to get out now - fast! (Grabs up metal shape containing the eye) This is something tangible to work on.... (Excited, exultant) It'll tell us a lot about them... He jumps to where he was working, hacking furiously with the axe, careless of noise now. CLAYTON (Cont'd) I've got to get to Pacific-Tech - quick!
201. CLOSE SHOT - SYLVIA SHOOTING past Clayton. She comes into SCENE behind him, pulling on a loose beam to give him room, using a piece of cloth to protect her hands. Behind her is a door leading to the den. It is broken, sprung from its hinges. CAMERA MOVES IN past Clayton as out of the dark cavity behind Sylvia comes a hand that is more than a hand, on an arm that is thin, lean, with degenerate muscu- lature. Thick veins cross it, pulsating. Back of it is a dim form. The hand-shape has three fingerlike suckers. They fasten on Sylvia's shoulder, spreading, huge. Her eyes and mouth open in horror. She tries to scream but her vocal cords are paralyzed, shocked. She is drawn back, drops the loose beam. Then she forces a SOUND between her lips. Clayton hears and leaps to help her, sending the beam of his flash- light at the figure behind her.
202. FLASH - CLOSE SHOT - MARTIAN We see a head, hairless, reddish like the planet itself, crossed by protruding veins which pulsate. Dominant is a single multi-lensed eye with colored pupils. The Martian is staggered by the light. He lifts his strange, suckered hands to ward it off.
203. LIVING ROOM - CLAYTON, SYLVIA AND MARTIAN Clayton turns with Sylvia to escape. The Martian lunges after them. Clayton turns the flashlight on the figure again. It stops, staggered. Clayton flings the axe and the Martian reels back as the axe hits. An unhuman SCREAMING sounds as it disappears back into the cavity. This continues overscene as Clayton swings Sylvia to the opening in the ceiling. He snatches up the piece of cloth Sylvia dropped, then follows.
204. INT. WRECKED FARMHOUSE - ATTIC Sylvia comes up through the sloping floor, slides to- ward a broken window, its frame sprung half out of the wall. Clayton slides after her, through the dormer window. They drop out between frame and wall. The SCREAMING continues.
205. SPECIAL EFFECT - WRECKED FARMHOUSE AND MARTIANS The unhuman SCREAMING comes overscene, wild. We see the red leg of the sentinel Martian, which is moving. In b.g. a machine is on the ground, misted. From an opening comes a yellowish, strange-colored beam. Visible in this are three moving creatures. Squat. Thick through. Everything about them sags downward under air weight and the pull of gravity. In f.g., Clayton and Sylvia flee wildly from the house.
206. EXT. FARMYARD - (NIGHT) - FEATURING CLAYTON AND SYLVIA The two run from the direction of the house, smashing through a burned hedge, their feet stirring hot ashes and bright sparks in the darkness. The SCREAMING trails away.
207. SPECIAL EFFECT - LONG SHOT - EXT. WRECKED HOUSE AND MARTIAN MACHINE The sentinel Martian has moved back from the house and is hitting it with a heat-ray. Beyond, in the night sky, the green streak of a multiple meteor sud- denly slants down. Glowing, sinister. Another slows, falling at the same angle. Both loom big before they hit the dark earth in turn and disappear behind the curtain of the ground mist. FADE OUT. FADE IN: 208. EXT. WASHINGTON, D.C. - FULL SHOT - (DAY - STOCK) An establishing shot. DISSOLVE:
209. INSERT - EXT. GOVERNMENT BLDG. - (DAY) CAMERA on wall lettering: DEPT. OF DEFENSE. DISSOLVE:
210. INT. MESSAGE CENTER - MED. CLOSE SHOT - (DAY) CAMERA SHOOTING DOWN on an enormous table map of the world, scattered with black patches, indicating dead areas cleaned out by the Martians. Attack arrows extend from these. Metal - each with a bright, min- iature Martian machine. Around the edge of the map are WACs and special personnel constantly enlarging the blacked-out areas, pushing arrows forward as the Martians advance. The map indicates that the world is fighting for its existence. Spain is dead from Valencia to Seville. Martians occupy the west of France up to Nantes. They're thick from Cherbourg across Belgium, Holland. The Italian boot is blacked out near Rome. Dark patches are in Greece, Yugo- slavia. In the southeast corner of England; in South Wales, Scotland and in Ireland from Tralee to Cork. They're in Sweden, Lithuania, Marrakesh, Tripoli, Egypt, South Africa and strategic places in the U.S.S.R. In the Levant and India, Malaya and Australia. Some dead areas are large. Some small. But the small ones grow larger all the time.
210a. INT. MESSAGE CENTER - MED. SHOT A reception area occupies the floor around the map on the table. In this area, and in rooms off it, are batteries of teletypes, phones, wirephoto machines. Present are high Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps brass, with a colorful scattering of worried foreign attaches - phoning, conferring, arguing. Seated personnel receive messages and use phones to direct the workers at the map. CAMERA MOVES IN on a big group near a wall covered with pull-down maps, listening to General Mann. His aide stands near, holding colored chalks. There is a control-bank of TV screens close by, lifeless.
211. CLOSE SHOT - GROUP Shooting past General Mann. We see high brass, all stars and staff insignia. The only civilian is the SECRETARY OF DEFENSE - neat, without fat, disting- uished, badger-gray hair, cool. He stands beside the CHIEF OF STAFF - balding, seven rows of decorations and five stars; a tight-lipped man with calculating eyes. The rest are mature tacticians and fighters. They include the FRENCH ATTACHE - rugged, tough. The ITALIAN ATTACHE - fat, suave. The BRITISH ATTACHE has a trim mustache, three rows of ribbons, graying hair. The incessant SOUNDS of phone calls, teletypes, quick orders come over SCENE. GENERAL MANN'S VOICE And this much is certain -- it is vital to prevent the Martian machines linking up. Once they do, they adopt an extraordinary military tactic. (Forceful - indicating map) You can see from those blacked-out areas that they're using it very effectively. They form a crescent...
212. CLOSE SHOT - GENERAL MANN He uses colored chalk to draw a thick, crescent- shaped line on the blackboard. He continues drawing, illustrating his words. GENERAL MANN They anchor it at one end, and sweep on until they've cleared a quadrant... He draws three crescent-shaped lines to a quadrant, showing the movement of the Martians. GENERAL MANN ...Then they anchor the opposite end-- and reverse direction! As the strange diagram progresses across the black- board, it takes on an unearthly, centipedular aspect. GENERAL MANN They slash across country like scythes, wiping out everything that's trying to get away from them!
213. GROUP - FAVORING GENERAL MANN, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE AND CHIEF OF STAFF As Staff Colonel hands messages to the Chief. SECRETARY That explains why communication is cut the moment their machines begin to move. CHIEF OF STAFF (Reading a message) Madrid has just blacked out!! Nothing more coming through. SECRETARY The same thing that happened on our Pacific Coast. (Calling) Anything from them yet? STAFF COLONEL No, Mr. Secretary. We've had nothing from San Francisco for over five hours. STAFF MAJOR (Moving in, urgent) Those pictures are ready now, sir! All turn at once to follow him. STAFF MAJOR I've included that wirephoto from Paris, Mr. Secretary. CHIEF OF STAFF (Glancing toward map) Are we still in touch with Paris? WAC (After a moment) No, sir.
214. ALCOVE as the group files in. No seats in the alcove. No lights. CAMERA FAVORS the foreign attaches. ITALIAN ATTACHE (Gesturing - in French) We set cannon wheel to wheel above Napoli. They melted them like candles. FRENCH ATTACHE (To Italian attache - in French - with gestures) Our planes dived at them. All that happened -- (A sweep of the hands) -- They crumple like papier-mache! During this, the Staff Major snaps his fingers. A pictures hits the screen. STAFF MAJOR This film clip was flown in from the West Coast... Golden Gate Bridge. A Martian machine is coming off the bridge, moving out from under one of the 750-foot towers. STAFF MAJOR (Cont'd) This other is from New York. One of them crossed from the New Jersey side... We see a Martian machine on the waterfront, caught against the New York skyline, using a ray against a skyscraper. STAFF MAJOR (Cont'd) (As film cuts off) And here are the wirephotos.
215. GROUP - AT VIEWING BOX Everyone turns from the screen to a tall box with a tilted glass top. STAFF MAJOR (Going on) This is the Paris wirephoto. It must be the last thing out of there! CAMERA MOVES IN on the glass. In a still picture transparescy, we see the Eiffel Tower collapsing. There is a Martian machine in a lower corner. A ray has blasted three of the tower's legs and is just hitting a fourth. FRENCH ATTACHE'S VOICE (In French) My God! STAFF MAJOR'S VOICE And this is another - from Rio de Janeiro. Day. Seen from the harbor, with the Corcovado Peak and huge Christus statue against the sky. A Martian machine shows among the ruins at the waterfront. STAFF MAJOR'S VOICE (Cont'd) Outside London. The River Thames, near Windsor Castle. Windsor Castle in b.g. A Martian machine wading the river, half-hidden by misty steam. A heat-ray hit- ting the water. In f.g., an overturned rowboat and people in the water. BRITISH ATTACHE'S VOICE The water's boiling from the Martian heat-ray! STAFF MAJOR'S VOICE ...And here's that Los Angeles picture!
216. ALCOVE - GROUP - FAVORING STAFF MAJOR The light from the viewbox tints their faces blue. STAFF MAJOR This is a sonic-radar picture, taken from extreme altitude. It shows de- tails of the Martian nest outside Los Angeles. CAMERA MOVES IN on the viewing glass. STAFF MAJOR'S VOICE Their machines show as round blobs. Newly fallen cylinders are elongated. We see an odd, blue-tinted photo. It shows a clear pattern of small, shining shapes. Sentinel Martians make the outer points of a triangle. Inside these are smaller triangles, formed where multiple cylin- ders have come down. CHIEF OF STAFF'S VOICE We know there are three cylinders to each group. Three machines to every cylinder... (Appalled) That's over fifty machines right here!
217. CLOSE SHOT - SECRETARY AND GROUP - (MOVING SHOT) CHIEF OF STAFF (To Secretary) Mister Secretary - if they link up with those others near Fresno... SECRETARY All right - I've seen enough! He strides from the alcove - CAMERA FOLLOWING - and moves to the big map on tha table and looks down at it. The others follow and gather around.
218. INSERT - OPERATIONS MAP Blacked-out areas increasing. Arrows being moved. Activity all along the map.
219. MED. CLOSE SHOT - GROUP The Secretary looks up to the others. SECRETARY There's only one thing that will stop the Martians! We've held back pre- viously because of the danger of radiation to civilians. Now there's no choice. (To Chief of Staff) The United Nations has voted authority to the United States. The White House will confirm an order to use the Atom bomb. CHIEF OF STAFF (Nodding - decisive) Then our first target will be the initial landing place outside Los Angeles. SECRETARY I'll request the scientists from Pacific-Tech to monitor the drop. (Toward General Mann) We'll clear the area all around. After that we'll hit them all over the world. I'll have long-range bombers alerted, loaded and standing by. DISSOLVE:
220. EXT. CAMPUS, PACIFIC-TECH, HIGH POTENTIAL BLDG. (DAY) Shooting from the portale, past an iron railing and a pillar with a framed plan of the campus, marked: PACIFIC INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY. DISSOLVE:
221. INT. ROOM IN HIGH POTENTIAL BLDG. - (DAY) A group of Pacific-Tech doctors and assistants are sorting out anti-radiation suits, rubber gloves, Geiger counters, masks and special equipment. They are modern scientists, natural in manner, alert. Dr. Pryor - high man in aerodynamics - turns sharply as Clayton comes in with Sylvia. A gray-haired man faces around with him - DR. DuBROCK, Nobel prize- winner in physics. DR. PRYOR Forrester - everybody's been looking for you! CLAYTON I know. We've walked halfway from Corona! Finally found an abandoned truck. Miss Van Buren - this is Dr. Pryor ... Dr. DuBrock... (Talking right on, bringing out Martian 'eye' and stained cloth) What's this I hear about the A-bomb? DR. PRYOR We're going in right afterwards! Study its effect. DR. DuBROCK We leave in half an hour. (Looking) What's that? DR. PRYOR A king-size fish eye? CLAYTON We took this off the Martians. All move in sharply as he sets the eye on a table. DR. PENNINGTON - astro-physics and optics - examines it closely. CLAYTON (Going on, quick) It'll tell us a lot about their metals and alloys. DR. PENNINGTON (Roused) If this is a lens, we can find out something about their optics. DR. PRYOR Interesting...very interesting... CLAYTON (Showing cloth, pointing to stain) And this is the blood of a Martian! DISSOLVE:
222. INSERT - SLIDE SEEN THROUGH MICROSCOPE - MARTIAN BLOOD Pallid pink. Full of tiny crystals. DR. GRATZMAN'S VOICE I've never seen blood as anaemic as this!
223. INT. LABORATORY - HIGH POTENTIAL BUILDING - (DAY) CLOSE ON a big microscope with twin eye-pieces. DR. GRATZMAN is looking up from it - biochemist and research man, alert, red-haired. CAMERA BEGINS TO PULL BACK as he speaks. DR. GRATZMAN They may be mental giants, but by our standards, they're physically degenerate. Most of the Pacific-Tech scientists are grouped with him at a bench where the stained cloth is under examination; Clayton and Sylvia with them. In a corner is an epidiascope; Dr. Pennington is rigging the Martian 'eye' to this. The instrument has a big screen. There is a wall-board chalked with notes and form- ulae. High-pressure cylinders - one red, one green - in a wheeled carrier. Benches with asbestos tops and discarded apparatus - mercury jars, holders, switches. Big, gay-colored electronic tubes. DR. DuBROCK (To Sylvia, commenting) That hand - fingers like suckers! (Amused) It sounds as though they may have evolved from fish. SYLVIA They're cold-blooded enough!
224. GROUP - FAVORING DR. BILDERBECK 'Baldy' Bilderbeck, mathematician and top-drawer man in nuclear physics. DR. BILDERBECK (Commenting mildly) Isn't it curious how everything about them seems to be in threes? CLAYTON Their eyes have three lenses and three distinct pupils. And strong light shocks them. DR. PENNINGTON They're not accustomed to it! Sunlight on Mars is about half as strong as we get it. Add their clouds and dust and it amounts to no more than twilight. (To Clayton) We've rigged this epidiascope to reflect whatever your Martian lense picks up. (Clicks switch) Move in a little ... Thank you. CAMERA ANGLES to favor Clayton, Dr. Pryor and Dr. Bilderbeck as they ease nearer. Light from the epidiascope screen shows on their faces. Its density changes. Suddenly, everyone gasps, horrified. DR. PENNINGTON'S VOICE That's how the Martians see us...!
225. SPECIAL EFFECT - GROUP - AND EPIDIASCOPE SCREEN Shooting CLOSE PAST the three to a terryfying image of themselves on the big glass screen. Colors hideously changed. Eyes enormous and peculiar. Green faces. Hands elongated. Fingers like bony talons with blue claws. Proportions gone crazy, and all movement exaggerated. There is a moment of horrified silence. DR. DuBROCK'S VOICE If that's how they see us, no wonder they want to kill us on sight! DR. BILDERBECK'S VOICE If I saw creatures like that I'd want to kill them myself. CLAYTON'S VOICE Evidently there's a shift in the spec- trum. And color absorption of the Martian retina is completely different from our own. (Amused) But maybe they look good to each other! DR. PENNINGTON'S VOICE Let's find out why they were so curious about you, Miss Van Buren. The others move back and Sylvia seems to surge on to the glass screen. Her face is a nightmare mask, violently colored. She recoils in a little shocked movement. CLAYTON'S VOICE (Lightly) Well, well -- a Martian's idea of beauty! DR. DuBROCK'S VOICE (Calling) Time we got started, gentlemen! The glass screen picks up a distorted image of Clayton's face as he moves to Sylvia and turns with her to go out.
225A INT. LABORATORY - MED. SHOT They are all moving toward the door. Clayton pauses by the microscope, glancing toward Gratzman. CLAYTON (Touching cloth - thoughtfully) This Martian blood... (Suddenly suggesting) Let's make a quick analysis and see what we've got! GRATZMAN (Looking at him - thinking) It might give us something. Sylvia glances at them in turn, not understanding, but sensing the importance of what they are saying. Pennington pauses behind them. CLAYTON (Nodding - glancing from cloth to Gratzman) Something we could use... PENNINGTON Let it go. If you're interested in Martian blood, you'll be able to get all you want right after the plane drops the bomb! They all start toward the door. DISSOLVE:
225B. EXT. AIR FIELD - FULL SHOT - (STOCK) A great six-jet flying wing bomber races down the runway and takes to the sky. DISSOLVE:
225. EXT. HIGHWAY TUNNEL - MOVING SHOT - (DUSK - OVERCAST) CAMERA is CLOSE on the lips and mouth of a RADIO REPORTER for the Pacific Broadcasting Company as he speaks rapidly and dramatically into a microphone. REPORTER The target for the A-bomb drop is this nest of Martian machines in the Puente Hills - where more of these meteors came down early last evening. The SHOT WIDENS to show the Reporter -- dishevelled, tired, dirty -- with a portable tape-recorder slung over his shoulder. He moves forward, CAMERA FOLLOW- ING, to disclose Sylvia, gazing through field glasses. The Reporter exits, still talking rapidly. Sylvia lowers the glasses momentarily, then looks through them again. CAMERA leaves her, PANNING. The mouth of the vehicular tunnel is on the slope of a high ridge, about halfway up to the summit, so that a view from the tunnel itself is one of sky only. Right at the mouth of the tunnel, the highway makes an abrupt turn to enter, and the outer side of the roadway is protected by the usual concrete buffer wall. This has been augmented by the military with massive sandbag breastworks to protect those in the tunnel and the necessary observers in forward posi- tions from enemy action from the valley below. With- in the tunnel proper, CAMERA PICKS UP the scientists from Pacific-Tech, who are gathered in a cul-de-sac in the tunnel wall. Doctors DuBrock, Pennington and Bilderbeck have already got into their colored anti- radiation suits. Doctors Pryor and Gratzman are present with sundry assistants. Gloves, masks, and special equipment are being laid out. Clayton is putting on a suit. A jeep stands by. During this: REPORTER'S VOICE A plane will pinpoint the target for the drop from six miles up. Conditions are perfect. The bomb will be about ten times more powerful than the one used at Hiroshima. Nothing like it has ever been exploded before, and we're going to be pretty darn close -- but there are observers down in the valley in a forward bunker and they'll be a lot nearer than us! CAMERA MOVES to PICK UP, near the outer breastworks, Army, Navy and Air Force brass, with special observers from the Atomic Energy Commission, and a First-Aid unit. To one side is a group of high officers and officials, for liaison and observation from Allied Nations within the roster of the united Nations. Everyone is equipped with field glasses. Observing officers use them constantly and talk quietly, tense- ly. There is a BUZZ of comment in foreign tongues from the United Nations Group. A spread of loud- speakers is mounted on a jeep. Other vehicles include a Radar Scanning truck with antenna cocked skyward, constantly scanning. REPORTER'S VOICE (Cont'd) There must be a couple of million people back of us in the shelter of the San Gabriel hills -- waiting to find out whether they can go home again! This will decide the fate of civilization and all humanity -- whether we live or die may depend on what happens here! LOUDSPEAKER VOICE (ECHOING in the tunnel) Attention, please...Thuh-ree minutes to bomb time! CAMERA PICKS UP General Mann with a group of officers and staft of Sixth Army Command, behind a big breast- work. Nearby is a field telephone unit. Beyond are cameramen in battle dress. The Radio Reporter moves into SCENE, talking in to his mike. REPORTER Direct cable communication is being maintained with Washington, and from there to key centers around the world, but thera's no radio communication at all - even with the bombing plane that's coming over. All radio is dead. Which means that these tape-recordings I'm making are for the sake of history -- if any!
226A. EXT. SKY - FULL SHOT - (STOCK) The big delta-wing bomber takes off and speeds toward the clouds, heading for the target.
227. EXT. TUNNEL MOUTH - GROUP Clayton, Drs. DuBrock, Bilderbeck. All are helping each other with their anti-radiation suits. Sylvia moves into SCENE and assists Clayton. CLAYTON General Mann says Washington is cer- tain the Martians are aiming at complete saturation. They intend to take over the entire earth. DR. DuBROCK And Bilderbeck has calculated exactly how long we've got before they do it! All look at Bilderbeck. DR. BILDERBECK (Mildly) If the A-bomb fails, that is. DR. PENNINGTON It won't. DR. BILDERBECK (Evenly) If it should fail, the Martians can conquer the earth in six days. There is a moment's pause. SYLVIA (Quietly) The same number of days it took to create it. All look at her. LOUDSPEAKER VOICE Attention, please...two minutes to bomb time!
228. TWO SHOT - CLAYTON AND SYLVIA She helps adjust the cuffs at his wrist, and his belt. Then, after a moment, making it casual: SYLVIA Is it possible to go in right after the explosion? CLAYTON Yes, with these suits. We've used them before on atomic tests... Odd- looking, aren't they? SYLVIA Very futuristic. (Smiling) Yours doesn't really go with that butch haircut! CLAYTON (Hand through hair) I could wear it longer -- but it's less trouble this way. SYLVIA My kid brother has one. You know why? CLAYTON Yes ... Fits better in a football helmet. SYLVIA (Amazed, staring) How'd you guess? CLAYTON (Smiling) That's the kind of a kid brother you'd have! LOUDSPEAKER VOICE Attention, please! One minute to bomb time. Take shelter!
229. EXT. MOUTH OF TUNNEL - FULL SHOT All move into position behind the barriers. Staff officers consult watches. Some try to sight the plane. LOUDSPEAKER VOICE Fifty seconds to zero. Stand by! If you have no goggles, turn away. Remember, the heat flash and afterblast are danger- ous!
229A. EXT. SKY - MED. SHOT - (STOCK) The A-bomb plane circles above the clouds, heading for the Martians.
230. EXT. TUNNEL - FEATURING RADAR SCANNING TRUCK The antenna scans the sky ceaselessly.
231. INT. RADAR TRUCK - MED. CLOSE SHOT An officer and a sergeant are tensely watching the radar screen. The pip suddenly resolves into a dot. OFFICER There's the plane! The sergeant runs out.
232. EXT. TUNNEL - PAN SHOT CAMERA is on the Radar truck. The sergeant bolts out the rear door, runs toward General Mann and the scien- tists, CAMERA PANNING with him. All are standing tensely, looking OFF toward the Martian nest. LOUDSPEAKER VOICE Forty seconds to zero.
233. GROUP & YELLOW-BREASTED ORIOLE SHOOTING in toward the tunnel. Perched on a scrub tree, f.g., is an oriole, singing. Clayton and Sylvia, the scientists, General Mann and others. The sergeant reaches General Mann. LOUSPEAKER VOICE Thirty seconds to zero. From here on, every second is marked by a CLICKING metroname-like beat. Every fifth second is empha- sized by the VOICE over the loudspeaker. SERGEANT (To General Mann) We've sighted the bomber, sir! General Mann and the others look toward the sky. LOUDSPEAKER VOICE Twenty-five seconds to zero. DR. DuBROCK (Glancing o.s. - suddenly) Look... look! Field glasses swing quickly in the direction of the Martian nest.
234. SPECIAL EFFECT - FIELD GLASS VIEWPOINT - MARTIAN NEST It is a hell of a scene. Sentinel Martian machines are darting back and forth on the perimeter of the massed group. All the machines glitter and glow in the waning daylight, suddenly imbued with a furious activity. Cobalt jets are stabbing upward from every machine. LOUDSPEAKER VOICE Twenty seconds to zero.
235. EXT. TUNNEL - MED. CLOSE SHOT - GROUP Favoring Dr. DuBrock and the scientists. DR. DuBROCK They must have sighted it, too!
236. SPECIAL EFFECT - MARIAN NEST The indlvidual electro-magnetic envelopes expand, merge and grow rapidly to form blue-tinged bubbles clinging to the ground, still expanding. Racing up from each machine to form part of an over-all canopy. LOUDSPEAKER VOICE Fifteen seconds to zero. Thin blue-colored jets stand like rods above the trees, pulsating furiously, lifting the envelopes until they are enormous billows in the sky. Every- thing inside them takes on a different color.
237. FLASH CUTS - ABOUT THE MOUTH OF THE TUNNEL Everyone sheltering behind the breastworks and in the cul-de-sacs and behind vehicles in the tunnel. Clayton, Sylvia, the scientists - Navy, Army, Air Force brass, Foreign representatives, cameramen, tense and goggled. The yellow-breasted oriole, still singing. LOUDSPEAKER VOICE (Measured - clear) Ten seconds to zero.
238. EXT. MOUTH OF TUNNEL - FULL SHOT Pacific-Tech men in f.g. Everybody without goggles turns away, head bent. All duck behind sandbags. LOUDSPEAKER VOICE Nine - eight - seven - six - five - four - three - two - one - ZERO! A blinding flash of light murders all color.
239. SPECIAL EFFECT - MARTIAN NEST A blunted spear of light has lanced out of the sky. It explodes into a gigantic, reddish heat-flash. An elephantine swirl of dust and smoke, shot with orange and peach and pink, engulfs the Martian Machines. Then comes the SOUND of a cataclysmic explosion and the SCREAM of a great wind.
240. FLASH CUTS - EFFECT OF THE BOMB a. Brass ducked behind sandbags. Dust, branches, papers, debris slashing through the air. b. A Signal Corps corporal, incautiously ex- posed, being blown end-over-end. c. The Radar Truck almost topples over under the concussion of the blast, antenna torn loose and falling. d. Clayton, hanging onto sandbags with one hand, clings to Sylvia with the other. e. A FULL SHOT inside the tunnel. Every object is limned sharply and brutally in the white- hot glare of atomic fission. The deafening ROAR of the explosion ECHOES and RE-ECHOES along the tunnel. f. Special Effect - the glare outlines a cowering group inside a highway gas station as the plate glass windows shatter over them. g. A Series of CUTS - EARTHQUAKE EFFECT (STOCK). A bus overturns - a car is wrecked - a house and sheds collapse - utility poles sway, wires snapping and sparking - buildings shudder and shower masonry - bridges and oil derricks sway and collapse - people flee, panic-stricken. h. A hillside - families cower in the shelter of rocks, stark faces to the glaring sky. i. Special Effect (Matte painting). The San Gabriel Hills, showing thousands upon thousands of families massed in the barrancas and gul- lies - a scene reminiscent of Mount Rubidoux of an Easter morning. As the bomb glares, a GASP of human terror and agony joins with the ROAR of the great concussion wave. j. The titanic mushrooming pillar of smoke and dust obscures the Martian nest.
241. EXT. TUNNEL - MED. SHOT - GEN. MANN & OFFICERS The General is at the field telephone. The blast is swirling all around. GEN. MANN (At phone - shouting) Hello! Hello, there! What can you see?
242. INT. FORWARD BUNKER - CLOSE SHOT Two military observers - in concussion helmets and anti-radiation suits - peering through periscope slits in a heavily sandbagged bunker. Wind blows dust in through the slits. OBSERVER (Gasping - into phone) It's beginning to clear out there, sir!
243. SPECIAL EFFECT - MARTIAN NEST - PERISCOPE VIEW The blue envelopes are shrinking upon themselves, going down, color deepening. They are unpunctured.
244. INT. FORWARD BUNKER - CLOSE SHOT The observer yells into his field telephone. OBSERVER There's something moving...!
245. SPECIAL EFFECT - MARTIAN NEST - MED. FULL SHOT Out of the coiling dust and smoke a Martian machine is gliding. Another follows. A third shows. OBSERVER'S VOICE (Yelling) They haven't even been touched!
246. GROUP - GENERAL MANN, SCIENTISTS, CLAYTON AND SYLVIA The Pacific-Tech men run into the breastwork, Clayton and Sylvia with them. The suction blast whips and swirls, dust filling the air. CAMERA FAVORS the General, using field glasses. GENERAL MANN (Shaken) It didn't stop them... DR. PRYOR They knew what to expect! DR. DuBROCK (Excited) They're way ahead of us electronically. They've had the atom bomb and forgotten it! GENERAL MANN (Desperate) Guns - tanks - bombs - they're like toys against them. We can't go on ordering men to attack...!
247. WIDER ANGLE - GROUP - SYLVIA IN F.G. Army, Navy and Air Force Brass coming over, listen- ing, anxious. The wind fades. DR. PRYOR They'll exterminate every living thing! DR. PENNINGTON So what do we do -- run aoout like ants until they hunt us down? GENERAL MANN We'll establish a line and fignt them all the way back to the mountains! DR. BILDERBECK (Mildly again) But it can end only one way ... We're beaten. Sylvia looks at him, moves away. Clayton follows. CAMERA MOVES IN on Dr. DuBrock and Dr. Bilderbeck. DR. DuBROCK (Quietly, looking out) Six days, you said ... six days.
248. EXT. MOUTH OF TUNNEL - NEAR BREASTWORK Featuring Sylvia, as Clayton comes to her. Dr. DuBrock is approaching from b.g. Sylvia looks up at the empty branch where the oriole was perched. SYLVIA Maybe they won't kill all the birds. DR. DuBROCK Washington issued orders - in event the A-bomb failed - immediately evacuate all cities under attack! (Looking out toward Martians) And they're moving in on Los Angeles now! CLAYTON Tney'll stamp the city flat! DR. DuBROCK (To Clayton) If we take all the instruments we can establish a base in the Rocky Mountains... CLAYTON (Nodding - looking o.s.) A forlorn hope - but there is a chance. GRATZMAN It might give us time to search out some weakness in the Martians. CLAYTON I believe we can get a lead from their anaemic blood. DR. DuBROCK (Glancing at Clayton) You mean some biological approach...? CLAYTON (Forcefully) We know now that we can't beat their machines -- but we can beat them! (Looking o.s. again) They are mortal beings...The only question is whether we have time enough to do anything! GRATZMAN (To DuBrock) If we get what transportation we can, and pick up instruments and books from Pacific-Tech... DuBROCK (To Sylvia) Could you help us? Drive for us? SYLVIA Of course. DR. DuBROCK (Hurrying o.s.) Thank you! CLAYTON (Quietly, watching Sylvia) The Rockies...! You'd rather get back to that big family of yours in Minnesota, wouldn't you? SYLVIA I wonder if they're going through this too...? Clayton looks at her sympathetically, not speaking. SYLVIA (Going on) I probably wouldn't be able to get to them if I tried... CLAYTON You'll be all right with us.... (Looking out again) ...for as long as anybody's got! SYLVIA (Touching his arm) Don't let's lose each other. He tucks a hand under her arm, reassuring, turning away with her. SYLVIA (Wryly, smiling) Because then I really would feel lost! DISSOLVE:
249. FLASHES AND QUICK CUTS - SIRENS - (DAY) a. CLOSE SHOT - Siren - City Hall in b.g. It begins to blast, full-throated, screaming its warning. b. MEDIUM SHOT - Ext. Street Corner. Traffic light in f.g. with air raid siren on top. It starts to howl. ANGLE showing traffic in b.g. Pedestrians turn quickly. Cars drive erratically, pulling toward the curb. c. Ext. Cornice of Office Bldg. A nest of sirens on the rim of the roof, wailing. d. MEDIUM SHOT - Ext. Cahuenga Pass at Freeway Entrance. Sirens on a light pole take up the warning. Cars head toward curbs, then speed away, turning against traffic. Confusion. e. MEDIUM SHOT - Ext. Firehouse. Sirens wail. A red Underwriters sedan crashes out inot the street.
250. EXT. SUBURBAN STREET, LOS ANGELES A police car coming slomly down the street. Red blinker working. Siren going furiously. It has a windshield sticker: Civil Defense. Following the police car is a pick-up, with a loud- speaker horn. A man with a Civil Defense armband stands in the truck, shouting into mike. LOUDSPEAKER Now listen carefully. This is a military evacuation order. All populated areas are to be abandoned. It is imperative that you leave the city.
251. MOVING SHOT - ANOTHER ANGLE - FAVORING LOUDSPEAKER TRUCK AND WARDENS CAMERA MOVES with loudspeaker trucker. C.D. wardens, wearing old-style steel helmets, shouting to pedes- trians and cars. Some run to the houses. In b.g. people dash from their homes, gathering up kids, piling possessions on cars, yelling at one another. A few cars spurt out of driveways and barrel off. A chorus of wailing sirens overscene. C.D. OFFICIALS - AD LIBS (Over loudspeaker) The Martians are coming - Take what you can carry and get out - Take food and water with you - Get away from all popu- lated areas - Go to the desert or the mountains - The City's being evacuated - Get going for your lives!
252. EXT. FLASHES AND QUICK CUTS - STREET AND PLANT SCENES ALARM Giant rubber, aircraft and cracking plants caught as shifts break. Thousands of men racing for their cars. Sirens SCREAMING o.s. (Second Unit with con- cealed 16 mm camera. Stunt men beefing it up.)
253. FLASHES AND QUICK CUTS - EVACUATION EFFECT (1) Everything moving from right to left on the screen - all going one way, merged with FAST DISSOLVES. Haste and urgency. a. Low angle, cars flooding a highway. Bundles on fenders, roofs. Rolling bumper to bumper, fast. b. People piling onto buses as they pull out, toting suit cases and bundles. c. Deserted ice-cream wagon, wheel broken, tipped over against a wall. Kid on the back step, stuffing himself with ice cream. d. Sweating C.D. officials and cops waving traffic past, urging it faster - faster. e. Refugees cramming aboard a pullman. f. Man crowding last bundle onto a car roof; woman yelling at him from the car. As he starts away, he sees he has a flat tire. g. Ext. General Hospital. Nurses, internes, evacuating stretcher and ambulatory cases to ambulances in f.g. h. A single line of refugees trudging over a firebreak in the hills. DISSOLVE:
254. EXT. YARD BEHIND PACIFIC-TECH - (DAY) Overscene is the distant SOUND of the Martian approach - roaring explosions, the thunder of destruction and gunfire. The scene itself is desper- ate with urgency and activity. Scientists working frantically to load books, heavy instruments, papers, files - even a blackboard from which there is no time to copy the formulae it bears. For transporta- tion they have a small moving van, a school bus, stake truck, two light pick-ups and four cars. As we come into scene, the moving van roars past us to the street. Beyond this, the last baggage is being slammed aboard the yellow school bus. Dr. DuBrock waves it away. It comes PAST CAMERA - Sylvia driving - as Clayton climbs up behind the wheel of the stake truck.
255. BY THE STAKE TRUCK Clayton reaches for the starter button as Gratzman hurries past. CLAYTON (Calling) Gratzman! -- Gratzman! Did you get those biotics? GRATZMAN No. I thought you had them. CLAYTON All right. I'll get them! (Drops off truck) (Shouts to DuBrock) Go ahead - go ahead! I'll catch up with you. He runs o.s. Other vehicles start to move out as their frantic loading is completed.
256. INT. LABORATORY - HIGH POTENTIAL BUILDING - (DAY) The room is in a state of abandonment and disorder. Clayton runs in. He grabs two big cartons, throws out their contents and hurriedly loads them with glass and packed plastic vials which have been left on one of the benches. He starts out again.
256-A YARD BEHIND PACIFIC-TECH It is littered with discarded material. All the other vehicles have gone when Clayton runs to the stake truck. He is a lonely, desperate figure in the empty yard, as he clambers aboard pushing his load across to the passenger seat. He starts the motor. The truck screams away.
257. INT. TRUCK CAB - EXIT FROM YARD AND STREET Motor roaring as Clayton steps on the gas. He shifts gear, peering ahead, anxious to overtake Sylvia. DISSOLVE:
258. EXT. CITY STREET - (DAY) The stake truck turning a corner onto a wide street, rolling fast, tires squealing. Clayton's brakes go on.
260. WHAT HE SEES - EXT. CITY STREET - AND MOB A mob has attacked and piled aboard a P.E. bus. Others are swarming all over a couple of taxis. These vehicles begin to move on, with men on roofs and bumpers. The mob rushes the stake truck.
261. STAKE TRUCK AND MOB Men jump up at both sides of the cab, wrenching open the doors before Clayton can back up.
262. INT. TRUCK - CLAYTON AND MEN SHOOTING through the windshield. Men attacking Clayton from both sides of the cab.
263. STAKE TRUCK AND MOB - STREET It is a strange mob. Men and women. Desperate. Piling over the open sides of the now halted truck, while Clayton fights behind the wheel. He is thrown out. A man slides into his place. CAMERA PANS the mob, fighting to get aboard - emptying the truck to make room. Scientific instruments crash to the road. Books and papers shower down. The truck gets under way. People hanging on outside are shoved off.
264. MOVING SHOT - BACK OF TRUCK A well-dressed man is clinging to a rear corner, perched precariously, holding a bag. Another man is struggling, elbowing him to make his own hold secure. WELL-DRESSED MAN (Desperate) Let me up there! MAN (Shoving) Get off! WELL-DRESSED MAN (Hanging on, gasping) I'll give you five hundred dollars for your place! (Wild) I'll make it a thousand! Two! MAN (Shoving him off) Money's no good no more, bud!
265. ROADWAY - FEATURING WELL-DRESSED MAN His bag bursts open as he falls. Bills, gold coins, jewelry spills out. He scrambles to pick up his money. Running feet trample on it. Trample on him.
266. EXT. STREET - MED. CLOSE SHOT - CLAYTON He gets to his feet, winded, holding his ribs, gazing after the truck. Stragglers run past him. Only the well-dressed man is left behind, still grabbing for his valuables. Clayton gets his breath, looks around.
267. MED. SHOT - WELL-DRESSED MAN Strewn on the pavement is the precious debris the mob left. The shattered barrel of an electron micro- scope - biochemical vials, spilled and shattered - electric induction furnace - laboratory cameras - electronic tubes - microscopes - books - the jars and containers of organic chemistry. The well- dressed man is scrabbling among this wreckage as Clayton comes into SCENE. CLAYTON (Still gasping) Did that mob grab the truck ahead of me? The man glances at him but doesn't answer. Clayton moves nearer. CLAYTON (Cont'd) (Desperate) Hey - there were a lot of Pacific-Tech men with those trucks! Did you see them? MAN I don't know. There was fighting up the street. CLAYTON (Still moving in) Did the mob get a school bus? A girl was driving it. The man is on his knees, grabbing, panting. MAN If they saw it, they took it! They take anything on wheels. You can't buy transportation for love or money... (Pausing) Money...!
268. ANOTHER ANGLE - FAVORING WELL-DRESSED MAN He sits back on his haunches, looking at the bills and coins in his hand. He looks from the bag to Clayton and back again, suddenly shaken and terribly shocked. WELL-DRESSED MAN My whole life's savings...Now it won't even buy a ride on a truck! Slowly he stands up. Suddenly he grabs a big fistful of bills and jewels from the bag. WELL-DRESSED MAN (Twisted) You want five thousand dollars... ten...twenty? (Tosses bills toward Clayton, throws down the bag) Help yourself -- there's a hundred thousand in there! He turns and starts after the mob. Clayton eyes the ruin around him. He picks up a shattered microscope, looking from it to the way he has come. Again he looks at the debris of the instruments, hopeless. He turns to the way he was traveling and lets the micro- scope fall from his hand as he starts away, beginning to run. CAMERA ANGLES to PICK UP the money and broken instruments. It MOVES CLOSE on the shattered micro- scope as we DISSOLVE:
269. EXT. FARTHER ALONG THE STREET (1) - (DAY) Deserted. Late afternoon shadows. Littered with dropped garments. Doors stand open. Curtains flap at windows. Clayton is running, glancing back as an old, open car rattles into scene. Loaded with three families, their kids and two barking dogs. Bundles and baggage tied all over it. Clayton thumbs for a ride. Sprints and tries to leap on the running board. Hands shove him off. He falls. The car clatters on. Clayton gets up off the road and begins to run again. Two more cars come past CAMERA and race by him, over- loaded, driven recklessly. DISSOLVE:
270. EXT. FARTHER ALONG THE STREET (2) - (EVENING) Clayton dog-trots into scene. It is beginning to get dark. We see debris from a hasty road-block placed by a mob - chairs, settee, furniture dragged out of a nearby store. To the side of the road is one of the pickups from Pacific-Tech, distinguished by its color, overturned, its load spilled, wheels buckled, jammed between a telephone pole and shop front. Strewn on the road are piles of papers, books, files and instruments thrown off the other Pacific-Tech vehicles. Clayton stares around, sees something and hurries to pick up a yellow board: SCHOOL BUS - Southridge. He holds it, looking around. The road is scattered with baggage thrown off the little bus. A car streaks past, heavily laden and going fast. Three bicyclists follow, pedaling hard, possessions tied all over themselves and their machines. One wobbles, but recovers. Clayton starts forward, hesitates, still holding the yellow board. CLAYTON (Suddenly shouting) DuBrock! (And then - wilder) Bilderbeck -- DuBrock! SYLVIA! No answer. He looks up at the sky and the unearthly flicker of the Martian rays. He glances at the board again. The first drops of rain hit it, driz- zling down. He drops it across the curb, moves away toward the broken barrier, turning up his coat collar. CAMERA DOLLIES IN on the school bus sign, lying in the gutter. DISSOLVE:
273. FLASHES & QUICK CUTS - EVACUATION (2) - (NIGHT) The rain has stopped. The streets are wet and glistening. a. Rooftops and utility poles silhouetted against the smoky sky. Local explosions. Flashes of Martian rays and beams. b. Traffic thin, fast and frightened on a highway out of the city. c. Moving cars in CLOSER ANGLE. All overloaded. Carrying extra riders wherever they can perch - on fenders, bumpers, roofs. d. Refugees running down the cloverleaf off a freeway. DISSOLVE:
274. EXT. CITY INTERSECTION - FAVORING CLAYTON - (NIGHT) A traffic light, not working. A mailbox overturned. There is a broken suitcase at one end of a rain- washed bus bench. Clayton enters, pausing by the bench. He is sweating, irresolute, as he looks around, breathing hard. He's worn out, walking on his heels. An MP Jeep - two MPs in it - rolls into SHOT, coming past the intersection. The driver sees Clayton, brakes hard. M.P. DRIVER Hey, you! Better get outa here! CLAYTON I'm looking for some Pacific-Tech professors... M.P. DRIVER There's nobody left around here now. CLAYTON (Half to himself, desperately) We had a chance...We could have stopped them! (To the staring M.P.'s) The mob stole the trucks and smashed everything up. The fools! They cut their own throats! OTHER M.P. He's nuts. C'm on - jump in! The MP's look up.
275. SPECIAL EFFECT - SKY - ABOVE INTERSECTION An overshot ray from some Martian machine slashes the air, high overhead. Squealing, pulsating. Vicious. Seen beyond the power and phone wires.
276. SPECIAL EFFECT - QUICK CUTS AND FLASHES - LOS ANGELES CIVIC CENTER AND MARTIAN MACHINES a. Civic Center. Streets empty. Martian machines active in distant b.g. b. Martian machines, belly-deep in flame, rays and beams working. c. CLOSE ON a Martian machine among collapsing, burning buildings. It sends a beam slanting upward. d. CLOSE ON City Hall. Its top section is hit by the beam it falls, disintegrating into colored dust.
277. INTERSECTION WITH SIGN - FAVORING CLAYTON The MP's are half-ducking from the menace of the overshot ray. M.P. DRIVER Hurry up! Jump in! CLAYTON (Appealing) There was a girl with them...If I could find her.... OTHER M.P. Jump in here, will you? CLAYTON She's kind of lost. M.P. DRIVER You look kinda lost yourself. CLAYTON (Looking o.s. - suddenly remembering) But I think I know where she'll be.... OTHER M.P. C'm on, c'm on! It's your last chance to get outta here! Clayton waves the jeep away and it roars off. He starts in the direction from which the jeep came, beginning to run. DISSOLVE:
276. SPECIAL EFFECT - EXT. STREET (Same as 270) - (NIGHT) CAMERA is CLOSE on a muddy puddle of rainwater in the gutter. Floating in the muck is the yellow sign: SCHOOL BUS - SOUTHRIDGE. Angrily reflected on the surface of the water is the glaring sky, rays slashing, flames and explosions towering. Silent, except for the b.g. ROAR of destruction. No light except the glare from the sky. CAMERA PULLS BACK as the long, wavering shadow of a man moves across the sidewalk, looming larger and closer. His FOOTSTEPS ECHO in the deserted street. Then his feet enter the SHOT and pause by the puddle and the yellow board. CAMERA MOVES UP to disclose Clayton in CLOSE figure, looking down at the sign. Slowly he looks OFF. CAMERA PANS away from him to show the street beyond. Smashed windows and looted shops. Cracked-up, abandoned vehicles. Discarded bundles. A jalopy has overturned against a fire hydrant and water geysers high in the air. Clay- ton re-enters the SHOT, running a little way, walking a little, then running again. He looks around as he goes, seeking a clue.
279. OUT
280. EXT. STREET - CLOSE MOVING SHOT - CLAYTON Breathing hard, sweating. No life anywhere. Sprat from the broken hydrant drips from him. He trots toward a nearby corner.
281. SPECIAL EFFECT - EXT. STREET CORNER - FULL SHOT A REVERSE ANGLE, SHOOTING along a side street from the corner. Clayton enters, f.g., stops by a lamp post, looking ahead. Along the dimly lit street is a church. Faint light shows at the windows. Above and beyond it is a burning ray-shot sky. As Clayton starts toward it, the distant SOUND OF VOICES SINGING is heard.
281a. SPECIAL EFFECT - EXT. CHURCH & STREET - FULL SHOT A DOWN SHOT from high alongside the church steeple and belfry. The dark, Gothic outline of the tower looms huge in f.g. Below in the distance, the tiny figure of Clayton uncertainly approaches the church over the glistening pavement. The MUSIC of the VOICES GROWS LOUDER, but muffled and ECHOING through the structure of the steeple.
282. EXT. CHURCH - MED. FULL SHOT (MOVING SHOT) Clayton stumbles from f.g. toward the steps and doors of the church, CAMERA FOLLOWING. The MUSIC of the HYMN SWELLS, but is still muffled and indistinct. He climbs the steps, pushes open the doors. The MUSIC SWELLS to full volume, VOICES joined in suppli- cation to God. No one is seen but Clayton.
282a. INT. CHURCH (MOVING SHOT) CAMERA is CLOSE on Clayton as he opens the doors and pauses, looking off. The SINGING reaches a CRESCENDO and dies away. The SHOT WIDENS and CAMERA PANS with Clayton to people standing near the door. Light in the church comes from kerosene lamps and candles placed wherever they will stand - on pew-ends, window-ledges. CAMERA FOLLOWS Clayton, as he looks anxiously about. The congregation is a scattered gathering of distressed humanity. Those who couldn't run - children, cripples, the sick, aged - and those who felt it was useless to run. They make groups and clusters in the aisles and benches and pews. The church is full of quiet movement - first-aid for the injured, water for the faint, comforting children, soothing babies. The VOICE OF the MINISTER is lifted in prayer. Mumbled 'Amens' join, above the RUMBLE of destruction, growing with the Martian advance. MINISTER'S VOICE (O.s.) We humbly beseech Thy divine guidance, O Lord. Deliver us from the fear which has come upon us - the evil that draws ever nearer - from the terror that will soon knock at the very door of this, Thy house. We pray Thee, Lord - grant us the miracle of Thy divine intervention.... Clayton begins to back out. A Deacon catches his arm. DEACON (Pale, calm - whispering) It's useless to run, brother. Stay with us. CLAYTON (Whispering in reply) I'm looking for someone...She'll be in a church, near the door. DISSOLVE:
283. SPECIAL EFFECT - STREET SHOTS & MARTIAN MACHINES a. Clayton running down a street toward flaming sky. DISSOLVE: b. Ext. Boulevard & Martian machine. Looking along the boulevard. A machine visible a block away, flames and falling buildings be- hind and around it. Clayton cuts across, running. DISSOLVE:
283a. INT. SECOND CHURCH - MOVING SHOT - (NIGHT) CAMERA is CLOSE on a statue of St. Anthony with the Infant Jesus, dimly lit by flickering candles. CAMERA MOVES BACK, showing scores of votive candles all banked around the statue. The congregation is saying the Rosary. Clayton enters shot, looking around. CAMERA MOVING, he passes through the crowded room. Two el- derly women with Red Cross armbands are helping dis- tressed and injured people. As Clayton goes past them, CAMERA PAUSES and MOVES IN on a particular group. The Red Cross woman steps away, disclosing Bilderbeck, looking off after Clayton. He is lying on the floor near a rack of hymn books and prayerbooks. He is pale, clutching a stained, bloody bandage against his side. BILERBECK Clayton...! Clayton moves sharply into SCENE, bending over him. CLAYTON Bilderbeck! Are you all right...? (Bilderbeck shrugs weakly) Where are the others? Clayton tries to make him comfortable. BILDERBECK A mob swarmed all over us. I don't know what happened to the others. I got knocked under our truck. (Whispering as Clayton pillows his head) There's nothing you can do for me.... CLAYTON What about Sylvia? BILDERBECK I didn't see her, Clayton.... Both look o.s. as a Martian ray SCREAMS outside, its light catching their faces.
284. SPECIAL EFFECT - CITY SECTION & MARTIANS Martian machines loom through the smoke. A heat-ray hits a row of buildings, turning them white-hot. They flare and change to gray ash. The ray reaches out beyond them, SCREAMING.
284a. EXT. STREET - CLOSE MOVING SHOT - CLAYTON Amidst an inferno of flashing light and the THUNDER of a city being destroyed, Clayton proceeds along the street toward the Martians.
285. SPECIAL EFFECT - ANOTHER STREET As Clayton runs into it, checks. The sky is red and lurid. The night is filled with CRASHINGS and ROAR- ING. A ray fires the tip of a tall building. A skeleton beam hits another. It collapses, falls. A Martian machine comes into sight, ray slashing. The ray swings toward Clayton, in f.g. He jumps frantic- ally. Flames envelope the SCENE. Huge falling blocks of building stone blank out ths SCREEN.
285a. SPECIAL EFFECT - CLOSEUP CLAYTON In the lurid glare of the heat-ray, falling masonry is blocking off the SHOT. Then, as Clayton is dis- closed, cowering in a doorway, the REFLECTION of the street shows in the plate glass window behind him. Choking dust and debris almost obscure everything. The ROAR and RUMBLING is overpowering. Clayton looks around frantically. He sees:
296. SPECIAL EFFECT - EXT. COMMUNITY CHURCH - FULL SHOT From Clayton's VIEWPOINT. Up the street is a church with a white cross on the outside, lit by pot-flares. Buildings beyond it are aflame and falling. It stands in the very path of the Martian advance, as their machines race nearer. DISSOLVE:
287. INT. COMMUNITY CHURCH The CRASH and growing ROAR of falling buildings and explosions sounds overscene, drawing always nearer. The windows are full of crimson glare, almost drowning the light of storm lantern and lamps. A mixed con- gregation kneels wherever there is space to kneel. Bums with nothing. Gray-haired women in bedraggled fur coats. Young. Old. Lame. Blind. Weary people, some still clinging to bags and bundles. The VOICE of the REV. BETHANY comes over scene. REV. BETHANY'S VOICE (Vibrant, not loud) God never leaves us, no matter how dark the hour - how deep our despair. we are told - have faith and ye shall be saved!
288. ANOTHER ANGLE - FAVORING REV. BETHANY A strong-faced man, a leader, seen in the glow of a kerosene lamp, wearing surplice. Beyond him is the space for the choir, sparsely occupied, a boy in the f.g. The SCREAM of a ray comes from overhead. Its light makes an added glare. The Rev. Bethany raises his arms. Not ranting. Sure in his faith. Under great stress. REV. BETHANY (Supplicating) In our peril we plead! Succor and comfort us in this hour. (Almost whispering) Please God.... He lowers his arms. A terrifying, rattling explosion sounds nearby. We hear the vicious screech of a skeleton ray and the chuting roar of falling masonry. Rev. Bethany signs toward the choir.
289. CLOSE SHOT - CHOIR BOY Tears on his cheeks. Scared to death. Lips trembling. But his clear soprano sounds. CHOIR BOY (Singing) Abide with me ....
290. MOVING SHOT - INT. COMMUNITY CHURCH The congregation picks up the hymn, the Rev. Bethany's voice coming strongly. CAMERA TRUCKS the congregation. Sudden flashes burn at the windows. Crackings and roarings increase overscene, racing closer. Some people glance from the corners of their eyes. Some cling to one another, shuddering at the high-pitched sounds of Martian rays. They know any moment may be the last. CAMERA PICKS UP: a. Elderly couple holding hands, singing the hymn, and waiting patiently for the end. b. Rev. Bethany, out of his pulpit, putting a comforting arm around the choir boy. c. Stained-glass windows, aflame and brilliant from the glare of a ray passing outside. d. Young husband and wife with two kids, seven and four years old. The parents have their arms about them. The little girl has an arm around her brother. She is praying: "Set four angels round my bed...one to watch...and one to pray... and two to carry my soul away." The mother bites her lip. Her husband kisses her. They cling to each other. CAMERA PICAS UP Clayton searching frantically, try- ing to push in past people, beginning to lose hope. CAMERA MOVES ON. We see a doctor doing what he can for sick and injured. As CAMERA MOVEMENT CONTINUES the overscene noises begin almost imperceptibly to diminish, as though the Martian advance is myster- iously slowing. Finally, CAMERA PICKS UP Sylvia. Kneeling a little way in from the church porch. Beyond her is a stained-glass window of St. Peter. The SOUND from outside is lessening all the time. CAMERA MOVES CLOSE on Sylvia. Praying softly. As she prayed when she was small. We don't need to hear the words. We know what she is asking when we see the light that comes in her face as she hears: CLAYTON'S VOICE Sylvia.......! She whirls around and comes upright. CAMERA ANGLE WIDENS. Clayton takes her in his arms, just as the stained glass window is momentarily lit by an orange glare. Loud in the strange and sudden quiet comes a tremendous explosion. Colored glass showers in from the window, but the haloed head of St. Peter remains intact. So do his keys. Woodwork, masonry and dust spill down from the roof. People scatter from it, moving out of SCENE PAST CAMERA with Clayton and Sylvia. CAMERA PANS and HOLDS on the congregation as the hymn dies out. Now it is al- most completely quiet. People begin to rise. Lis- tening, turning to gaze o.s. Some begin to move to the doorway and steps outs1de.
291. EXT. CHURCH STEPS - MED. SHOT Sylvia and Clayton are standing on the steps. Still. Listening with everyone else. The Doctor comes for- ward to look out. Sylvia gasps suddenly, holdind tightly to Clayton. A woman near her points o.s., SCREAMING wildly.
292. SPECIAL EFFECT - CHURCH & STREET - FULL SHOT A Martian machine is coming from the corner of the block. Rolling toward the church, filthy with dust, tangled with every sort of debris. Ugly and enormous, rays flickering into the air. It blunders into a building. Comes on.
293. EXT. CHURCH - MED. SHOT Everyone still, staring fearfully off at the machine. Faces lit by the shuddering glare of nearby flames. The Rev. Bethany shows in b.g., coming forward, gazing out.
294. SPECIAL EFFECT - MARTIAN MACHINE (2) Its colors dimmed, muddy. Foul with earth and oil streaks. Dribbling debris. Rays lick weakly, fading. It blunders into and breaks overhead wires and cables. A telephone pole smashes down under it. Fallen wires are entangled underneath, burning and smoking in the sputtering high-frequency beam-legs. The beams flick- er, off and on. The machine rocks as its supports falter. It crashes to the street.
294a. EXT. STREET - MED. CLOSE SHOT - MARTIAN MACHINE An aperture slowly splits open. The hand and arm of a Martian struggle partly out, reaching and clawing.
295. EXT. CHURCH - MED. CLOSE SHOT Everyone staring, full of fear and wonder. The Rev. Bethany joins Clayton and Sylvia.
296. EXT. STREET - CLOSE SHOT - MARTIAN The triple-suckered hand is reaching out, trying to find a grip. We see the protruding veins, their pulsation weakening, slowing.
297. EXT. CHURCH - MED. CLOSE MOVING SHOT Clayton moves out. The Doctor follows with Sylvia. The Rev. Bethany moves out. Others follow. Clayton pauses, looking o.s. Others look with him.
298. SPECIAL EFFECT - EXT. STREET - FULL SHOT F.g. is the machine on the pavement. Beyond at a cor- ner, is another, heat-ray flicking wildly. It lurches against a building, caroms off, blunders into another and moves out of sight.
299. EXT. STREET & CHURCH - FULL SHOT A REVERSE ANGLE, with the downed Martian machine in f.g. People from the church begin to approach the machine, but they are wary and keep their distance. Clayton leads the way with the Doctor. Suddenly Clayton gestures and they all stop and look off past the f.g. machine.
300. SPECIAL EFFECT - EXT. DEVASTATED STREET - MED. SHOT A Martian machine almost enveloped in flames, moving slowly. Its beam-legs flicker. It sinks down.
301. EXT. STREET & MARTIAN MACHINE - MED. CLOSE SHOT Clayton steps forward again. CLAYTON (Looking off - exclaiming) Something's happening to them! He looks down at the veined arm extending from the opening in the machine.
302. CLOSE SHOT - MARTIAN & GROUP SHOOTING across the Martian's arm in f.g. The skin of the arm is losing its ruddy color. The pulsation of the veins has slowed. The clutching of the hand lessens. The arm becomes brownish-yellow. The hand stills. Clayton and the Doctor, b.g. move closer. The Doctor kneels by the Martian, touches the yellow flesh.
303. EXT. STREET & CHURCH - MED. FULL SHOT People streaming from the church and the street beyond. Staring. Inching forward.
304. EXT. STREET & MACHINE - GROUP - (MOVING SHOT) The Doctor straightens up from his examination of the Martian. There is a strained look of awe on his face as he looks off toward the now silent city. DOCTOR (Low-voiced) We were all praying for a miracle... The SHOT WIDENS to include the forefront of the crowd. Reverend Bethany, the choir boy, Clayton, Sylvia, all waiting on his words. They, too, look off, listening.
304a. SERIES OF CUTS - COLLAPSE OF THE MARTIANS a. Special Effect - Ext. Viaduct (as previously). Flames of the burning oil reservoir previous- ly destroyed. The Martian machine sinks to the ground. b. Special Effect - Ext. City Hall District (as previously). Rays and beams in the smoke-filled sky grow weak, flicker and stop. There is silence. c. Special Effect - Ext. Street (as previously). Wreckage everywhere. Smoke-laden sky. Devastated buildings. Flames. Two Martian machines prone on the street, color fading. A jeep races through down the street, dodging obstacles. d. Special Effect - San Gabriel Hills (as previous- ly). The thousands of families huddled in the barrancas and gullies are turned, facing the holocaust in the distant city. A last few rays streak the sky, then cease. A BABBLE of VOICES grows into an inarticulate hosanna.
304b. EXT. STREET - MED. CLOSE SHOT The Doctor is center of the group. DOCTOR After everything men could do has failed - the Martians are being killed by the littlest things that God, in His wisdom, has put upon the earth. People are looking at him. At one another. DOCTOR (Quietly) The Martians come from a sterilized world. They have no resistance to diseases from which we are immune. (To Reverend Bethany) This one died of septicema. Anaerobic baccili. (To Clayton - grim, glad) An embolism of his overdeveloped brain has burst an artery - killed him and saved us! They're doomed - all of them. Germ are killing them! CAMERA MOVES IN on the faces of the crowd. Hardly believing what has happened. Beginning to hope. Wonder and gladness growing. REVEREND BETHANY Saved by the littlest things God made...! DOCTOR'S VOICE Once they are infected, it's quick -- twenty-four hours. It's hit all these at about the same time.
304c. EXT. STREET & CHURCH - MED. SHOT - (PAN SHOT) Near the church, the MP jeep speeds in, braking as it nears the people. They jump aside, leaving a lane to the fallen Martian machine. CAMERA PANS with the jeep. Half-standing, the MP Driver and his PFC aide yell orders, gesticulating, faces grim. MP DRIVER Keep to your shelters - stay in your shelters! Everybody back! OTHER MP There's still danger - wait for orders! MP DRIVER You'll get orders! The jeep stops beside the main group. The two MPs jump out, guns at the ready, and advance to the dead Martian.
304d. CLOSE SHOT - GROUP Clayton, Sylvia, Rev. Bethany, Doctor. Breathless, eyes questioning mutely.
304e. CLOSEUP MP DRIVER He rises and turns toward the group. MP DRIVER (Understanding their tension) Nothing official yet -- but it looks like it's over. First reports are they're folding up in droves all over the world! He grins and wipes his brow.
304f. CLOSEUP CHOIR BOY He draws a breath, eyes shining. CHOIR BOY (Singing - clear) Now thank we all our God...
305. SPECIAL EFFECT - BELFRY & CITY - FULL SHOT As the words of the ancient hymn swell OVERSCENE from a myriad throats, bells begin to peal through the smoke and ruin of the devastated city. VOICES (Singing) ...With heart and hand and voices, Who wondrous things hath done...
306. EXT. STREET & CHURCH - CROWD (MOVING SHOT) Some singing. Some in silent prayer. Some in silent ecstacy. The young husband hugging his kids. An old woman all alone, singing softly with the others, eyes turned to heaven. They start to move toward the church. CAMERA PICKS UP IN CLOSE SHOT, Clayton and Sylvia. She is radiant. He smiles, holding her gaze as he takes off his glasses, folds them and puts them in his pocket, bending to her. She takes his arm, smiling up at him. They move after the crowd. She starts to sing as they go.
307. SPECIAL EFFECT - EXT. STREET & CITY BEYOND CAMERA SHOOTING DOWN into the street as the crowd moves toward the church. Almost unconsciously, people have formed a lane, along which the small figures of Clayton and Sylvia walk. CAMERA PANS UP the facade of the church to the belfry, where bells begin to ring out, joining the chorus of SOUND from the VOICES and other belfrys. CAMERA PANS ACROSS burned, smoking buildings to an untouched sector of the city - CROSSING other belfrys with their ringing BELLS. A dawn sun is rising beyond rooftops as the SINGING VOICES end in a great "AMEN." FADE OUT.
