Batman Serial (1943) s01e01 Episode Script

[ Man Narrating .]
High atop one of the hills which ring the teeming metropolis of Gotham City, a large house rears its bulk against the dark sky.
Outwardly, there's nothing to distinguish this house from many others.
But, deep in the cavernous basement of this house, in a chamber hewn from the living rock of the mountain, is the strange, dimly lighted, mysteriously secret Bat's Cave, hidden headquarters of America's number one crime fighter-- Batman.
Yes, Batman-- clad in the somber costume which has struck terror to the heart of many a swaggering denizen of the underworld.
Batman-- who even now is pondering a plan of a new assault against the forces of crime, a crushing blow against evil in which he will have the valuable aid of his young, two-fisted assistant-- Robin the Boy Wonder.
They represent American youth who love their country and are glad to fight for it.
Wherever crime raises its ugly head to strike with the venom of a maddened rattlesnake, Batman and Robin strike also.
And in this very hour, when the Axis criminals are spreading their evil over the world-- even within our own land-- Batman and Robin stand ready to fight them to the death.
[ Tires Squeal .]
These boxes are usually locked.
I know it.
Captain Arnold, please.
[ Rings .]
Captain Arnold speaking.
I have a nice little package for you.
You'll find it at the corner of First and Maple.
Eberly.
What's doin', Captain? It's the Batman again.
He's at the corner of First and Maple.
And this time, I'm goin' with you.
[ Police Radio: Dispatcher .]
Calling Car 67.
Six-seven.
That's us.
Go to First and Maple.
A702.
[ Engine Starts .]
I'm warning you.
Dr.
Daka will make you regret this.
Shut up! Dr.
Daka? Who's that? Never mind.
You'll find out.
Let's wait around to see Captain Arnold's face when he gets here.
No time for that.
Don't forget I've got a date.
Let's go.
"You'll recognize these as the last two men of the Collins gang.
"I know you've been looking for them for some time.
"The Batman.
P.
S.
The keys to the handcuffs are in this one's pocket.
" It looks as though the Batman has done you boys another favor.
Yeah.
You oughta put him on the force.
You find him, I'll put him on.
[ Knocking .]
Come in.
Hello, Linda.
Hello.
I'm just finishing up.
I won't be a minute.
No hurry.
I'll just relax a moment.
It may settle my nerves.
Listen, will you keep your hands out of there.
You've had your usual busy day, I suppose.
Yep.
Up at the crack of noon, a brisk walk to the corner and then to the club for a rugged afternoon of gin rummy.
[ Sighs .]
Maybe you'll be too tired to go with me tomorrow to meet Uncle Martin.
- Oh, no.
I'll be right with you.
- Thanks.
It'll mean so much to him to know that he still has his friends despite all that trouble he was in.
Only do me a favor.
Let's not start too early.
I'm always tired in the morning.
All right.
You're liable to carry that masquerade too far.
Think so? Yes, I do.
Why don't you let her know who you really are instead of letting her think you're just a good-for-nothing playboy? If she knew I was the Batman, she might worry, not that she cares anything about me.
Besides, on account of our special assignment from Uncle Sam, our success depends on keeping our identity a secret.
Suppose she asks you about your status in the army? I can always tell her I'm a 4-F.
[ Door Closes .]
That was fast.
I don't keep people waiting like someone I know.
Read all about it! Read all about the Batman! Captures Collins gang! Extra! Extra! Hey, boy.
Paper.
Extra! Extra! The Batman is certainly marvelous, isn't he? I think he's a show-off.
Everybody that does anything is a show-off to you.
I can do things too.
I'll show you.
I'll call for you tomorrow and take you to meet your uncle no matter how early you want to leave-- even if it's before noon.
Nice of you to make such a terrific sacrifice on my account.
That looks like Warren.
Yeah, that's him.
My old cell mate.
Hiya, Marty old boy.
Why, hello, Foster.
I don't-- I know.
You didn't think your old pal would remember you, did you? I'm expecting my niece to pick me up.
Your niece? Oh, sure.
I know.
That's what we came to tell you.
She couldn't make it.
We're going to take you to her.
Come on.
[ Engine Starts .]
That looked like my niece in that car.
You're seeing things, Marty.
Stop the car! Pipe down, Marty.
You're goin' with us.
Now sit back and relax.
What do you want from me? You'll find out soon enough.
Has Mr.
Warren left already? Yes, ma'am.
Two men met him, and they drove off in a black sedan.
Uh, thank you.
He drove away with some men in that black sedan we passed back on the road.
Get in.
We'll catch him before he gets back to town.
Get going, Alfred.
Very good, sir.
I can't understand why Uncle Martin didn't wait for us.
Hey.
That car with the dame in it is right back of us.
Step on it.
We'll see if they're tailing us.
They're speeding up, sir.
Drive a little faster, Alfred.
They're trying to lose us.
I have a strange feeling that Uncle Martin is in some kind of trouble.
They're gaining on us.
Can't you get any more speed out of this jalopy? Do you think we can catch them? Sure, but I hope we catch them before some speed cop catches us.
They're out of sight.
Release the gas and make the change.
Hold everything.
I'm gonna turn around.
Here they come.
Get down.
They passed us.
Didn't give us a tumble.
Let 'em try to figure that one out.
They've disappeared, sir.
No side roads.
They just seem to have vanished.
Well, Linda, I guess your uncle wasn't interested in seeing us.
I can't understand his actions.
I guess the only thing to do is to go back to the hospital and wait for him to phone me.
Yeah, and find out how he did that disappearing act.
I'd like to pull it sometime when my creditors are after me.
[ Narrator .]
This was part of a foreign land transplanted bodily to America and known as Little Tokyo.
Since a wise government rounded up the shifty-eyed Japs, it has become virtually a ghost street where only one business survives-- eking out a precarious existence on the dimes of curiosity seekers.
[ Man .]
This exhibit, my friends, was created by artists that know, artists who have created some of the finest wax exhibits in all of England and France.
The price of admission is only 10 cents.
Uh, plus one cent tax for Uncle Sam.
We're not gonna have any trouble with you, Marty, are we? Now you're being smart.
[ Barker Continuing .]
It's educational.
All right, gentlemen, right up these steps.
And if you don't say it's the greatest exhibit you ever saw, I'll refund your money.
All right, folks, who's next? Just a minute, folks.
I know you two wanna ride alone.
End of the line, Marty.
[ Buzzing .]
[ Man, Oriental Accent .]
Come in, Mr.
Warren.
The League of the New Order extends a cordial welcome to an honored guest.
The League of the New Order? Yes, a group of men-- all of them dishonored like yourself.
But I'm not a criminal.
I was convicted, yes, and sent to prison.
But if the truth were known-- The fact remains that you have been dishonored, exactly like our friend Mr.
Fletcher here.
An excellent architect, brilliant engineer-- except that some of his buildings did not quite come up to specifications.
May I also present Mr.
Marshall, Preston and Wallace.
Now, they are-- What-- What do you want of me? I am Dr.
Daka, humble servant of His Majesty Hirohito, Heavenly Ruler and Prince of the Rising Sun.
By divine destiny, my country shall destroy the democratic forces of evil in the United States to make way for the New Order, an order that will bring about the liberation of the enslaved people of America.
Each of these men-- dishonored by your corrupt form of government-- is a specialist in his line and has been especially selected by me to execute the orders I receive from Tokyo.
We need an industrialist to round out our circle.
That is why I have selected you.
If you cooperate with us willingly, you shall share in the glorious victory soon to be ours.
And if I refuse? You have no choice but to accept.
You will work with us or be compelled to work for us.
Therefore, it should be very plain to you that you should be willing to help serve my glorious emperor.
Listen, Daka-- or whatever your name is-- I owe my allegiance to no country or order but my own.
I'm an American first and always, and no amount of torture conceived by your twisted Oriental brain will make me change my mind.
Ah, but you are laboring under a great misapprehension.
I do not believe in anything so barbaric as torture.
Wells.
Bob! Your former partner.
He was our first choice for the position you are about to assume.
Unfortunately, he, too, attempted to resist the inevitable.
Bob, old man.
Don't you know me? What have you done to him? Deprived him of his ability to think.
I have converted him into a zombie.
He can only act as I direct.
You will notice the metal headpiece from which a wire leads to the spine.
Now, Mr.
Warren, I would like you to look at this special microphone-- the only means of communication with a zombie.
When I speak into it, this slave gets the impulses through the headpiece and obeys my wishes.
By this means, I have him carry out my orders no matter how far he is from me.
Interesting, isn't it? Wells, return to your station.
Now, what is your answer? It's still the same.
Marshall! Foster! Take him to my electronic laboratory.
Pat and Jones, the door.
I'm not going to destroy your brain at this time because you have information which I must have while you still have your memory.
I'll tell you nothing.
Fletcher.
Fletcher, serum.
Have you ever heard of the truth serum, Mr.
Warren? It's one of the New Order's favorite weapons.
Hold him.
Mr.
Warren, you are one of the men who endowed the Gotham City Foundation.
Therefore, you should be able to give me the information which I need.
How much radium have they on hand at the Gotham City Foundation? Several grams.
Where do they keep it? In the safe behind a picture in Dr.
Borden's dispensary.
Do you know the combination? No, I do not.
Preston, lock him up.
Fortunately, I do not have to have the combination.
How are we gonna crack it? What do you want that radium for? I will show you.
Pat and Jones, the block.
Gentlemen, this is the New Order's secret weapon.
Marshall, give me a capsule.
This weapon employs an infinitesimal amount of radium.
It is a small yet deadly forerunner of the atom smasher, which, when perfected, will smash anything that lies in our way to victory.
[ Door Opens .]
Allow me to demonstrate its destructiveness.
Place it and return to your station.
I would step over this way, gentlemen, if I were you.
Foster, I want you particularly to see this.
There are several adjustments for power on this weapon.
However, the weakest will suffice for this operation.
Preston, step back and observe.
Now watch what happens to that solid block of cement.
Gentlemen, this block was originally concrete.
Watch.
[ Man Murmurs .]
Now you understand why I must have more radium.
Why, sure.
With more radium, we can build a weapon bigger than that gun.
Exactly.
We can build a lethal mechanism so destructive as to make retaliation by the United Nations impossible.
However, this weapon will suffice to open the safe at the Gotham City Foundation.
And I am giving you that assignment.
We've been back over an hour, and he hasn't called yet.
Don't worry about your uncle.
I'm sure he'll call you today and explain why he didn't wait for us.
Maybe he's in conference or something.
If you'd gotten up a little bit earlier this morning, we would've been there in time to meet him.
From now on, I'm turning over a new leaf.
I'm going to be very dependable.
Seems to me I've heard that line before.
This time, I mean it.
You just tell me what to do, and I'll do it.
All right.
The first thing both of you can do is to get out of here and let me get my work done.
Dr.
Borden's going to be here any minute, and I've got an awful lot of typing to do.
Never mind the details.
We can take a hint.
Wait.
I've got an idea.
Why not call the prison? Maybe the guard there knows who the men were that met your uncle.
That's a splendid idea.
See? I'm beginning to be dependable already.
I don't mind robbing the safe, but what do we gotta take this zombie with us for? One reason is he's strong as a bull.
Another is that Daka can switch on that magic eye and watch him.
Us, too, if we're close enough to him.
He's not afraid we're gonna double-cross him, is he? He's probably got that set focused on us right now.
Thank you very much.
Guard doesn't know who the men were.
Well, there goes that idea.
We better get out of here and let Linda get her work done.
Good-bye for now.
Bye-bye.
Everything's on schedule.
There goes Brennan with the truck.
Look.
That's the guy we were chasing this morning.
Sure looks like it.
Those three men just alighted from it, sir.
Yeah, and Martin Warren isn't with them.
Come on.
I have an idea the Batman should look into this.
And don't forget Robin.
Alfred, drive into that alley and put the top up.
Yes, sir.
[ Engine Starts .]
Dr.
Borden.
This experiment-- [ Screams .]
Take her in the other room.
What's going on here? Why, Dr.
Hayden, my old colleague.
What are you doing here? [ Gasps .]
Here's a laundry bag.
Get something to stuff it with.
Right.
I've got it.
Let's get outta here.
Right.
The Batman! Come on.
You didn't get 'em.
Behind the chimney.
Marie.
Get the police here.
Quickly.
[ Grunts .]
Ow! [ Siren Approaching .]
[ Siren Wailing .]
- [ Buzzing .]
- This is Section 1.
Go ahead.
Dr.
Daka, the cops are headin' for the hospital.
- Did you get the radium? - Yeah, I got the stuff.
It's in the truck.
- I'm starting back now.
- Return at once.
Hayden, leave the roof.
Hayden, leave the roof.
[ Screams .]
[ Narrator .]
Daka, the sinister Jap spy, believes Linda knows the whereabouts of the powerful radium gun.
And what about Linda? Can she escape his evil clutches? Don't fail to see "The Bat's Cave," Chapter 2 of Batman at this theatre next week.