Quatermass And The Pit (1958) s01e01 Episode Script

Look here! Look what's here! Hey, boys! Come and see what's here.
Come on, quick, all of you! - It's a skull, all right.
- It's all bashed in.
You reckon he's been murdered or something? No, it's all you know, fossilised.
Like stone.
It must've come up with me last lot.
Must've been down there a long time, maybe hundreds of years.
- Hundreds? - What are we gonna do with it? - Here's the gaffer.
- What's going on? What's the stoppage? - He's found a skull.
- Careful! It's real old, innit? Looks it.
Reckon we ought to report it to a museum or something? That's right.
Like them Roman remains.
I don't know.
There'll be trouble if the work's held up.
This could mean something good for all of us.
- That's right.
- Let's get on with it.
Jack, you stay here and see that nobody messes it about.
- What do you make of it? - I don't know.
I don't like this place.
I haven't done from the start.
Ah! Here's another bit.
Odd idea, this, calling a press conference! - What's odd about it? - I run from one to another.
- You're the popular press? - "Evening Gazette.
" And you? - "The Palaeontologist.
" - "Pal"? Not heard of it.
It's a foremost scientific journal.
The man you're going to interview is a palaeontologist.
Oh, this Roney.
He's Canadian, isn't he? - Possibly.
- He used to be on TV a lot, in that programme.
He's a foremost figure in his field.
Gentlemen, will you be seated, please? May I introduce Dr Matthew Roney? Thank you.
Gentlemen And ladies, too.
I'm relieved to see you.
The idea of calling this press conference hasn't entirely met with official approval, has it? - Oh, really, Dr Roney - To be blunt, I'm counting on YOUR help.
And through you, that of the public.
Now, I'm in charge of the archaeological work at Hobbs Lane in Knightsbridge.
We've been there now a week and I'm worried.
We need time to do our work properly and I'm afraid we're not going to get it.
The owners of the site want to get on with their building and they're pressing us to get out.
- That was confidential.
- Oh.
All right, please keep it off the record that they're trying to kick us out.
But if they do they may wreck one of the most remarkable finds ever made.
Now, I've made statements that these fossils are important.
I'll go further than that.
I believe they are of unparalleled importance.
They may teach us more about our remote ancestors than we've ever known.
I believe they're of vast age.
I believe they will show that creatures essentially resembling mankind walked upon this Earth between three and five million years ago.
Dr Roney, isn't that far further back than has been supposed? Several times as far.
Up to now the figure has been put at half a million years.
- Can you prove it, sir? - No.
Not until I've got every scrap of evidence out of that excavation to make full tests.
I'm giving you my personal conviction based on what I've found.
What have you found? Parts of two skulls, fragments of upper and lower limbs.
- Can you tell us what they looked like? - Not at this stage.
Yes, I think I can.
It's just another guess, of course.
Miss Judd! Here we are.
Over here.
Gentlemen, this is my chief assistant Barbara Judd.
She's attempted a reconstruction.
Now, these modelled portions are what we've found so far.
That is, if they're filled out with flesh.
He wasn't very tall.
He had the face of an ape, but he had a big brain.
And he stood like a man.
I must say, Roney, I'm glad I'm not in your shoes.
You know, a lot of people may think it's a trifle improper to publicise wild guesses.
Particularly if they turn out to be bad guesses.
- Your brandy, sir.
- Thank you.
Water? Poor old Roney.
The press boys certainly gave you the treatment.
I know what they're like.
No, they didn't.
I said it all on free will.
What possessed you? I want the man on the street on my side.
Look, if I can't catch his imagination, there'll be a block of offices slapped on that site, bones an' all! Your health, Armitage.
You know, uh, you're really the reason I came to the club today.
- Oh.
So I'm being bearded, eh? - That's it.
Your excellent journals haven't shown much interest so far.
- Weekly magazines work a good way ahead - That's when I may need your support most.
In about a month.
I'll give your photographers special facilities.
Another large brandy Really I must go now.
I really have to go.
I never interfere with my editors, but I'll get them to ring you.
Bye, now.
Goodbye.
- Good luck.
- Here we are, sir.
No, I don't Yes, I do! - Quatermass! - Roney, how are you? Well, fit enough.
Tired, eh? Harassed by publicity? Harassed by not getting enough! You know, till a week ago, I was a retiring sort of creature.
Now I'm like a press agent.
Sometimes you have to get public support.
I have to now.
Ah! I've said far too much, too soon.
If I'm wrong If you're wrong, it won't matter, will it? No.
I'll just retire.
They'll stick me right alongside the Piltdown Forgery as a horrid warning! Well, Quatermass, it's been years now.
Are you still buried out at your rocket research place? - Hmm.
Shall we lunch? - I doubt if I've got time.
Oh, Arthur, could we have a few plain sandwiches? - Yes, Professor.
- I almost forgot you were a member here.
I'm just up for a conference at the War Office.
The War Office? I thought you were strictly, well, a civilian outfit.
Well, we were.
Good heavens! They've taken you over.
Well, if I say so, I'll be infringing the Official Secrets Act.
But it seems we have to move with the times.
I'm sorry, Quatermass.
- There you are, sir.
- Thank you, Arthur.
Oh, cheese.
Have one? Tell me.
How much time do you need with this excavation of yours? It depends what we find.
You can't rush these things.
Some of those fossil fragments are so fragile - Come and see for yourself.
- I wish I could.
- When your conference finishes.
- I doubt if I'd be very good company.
- I'll give you a lift in my taxi.
- Professor Quatermass! Do you know, Roney, for all your troubles, you've got one thing to be thankful for.
There's no military value in fossil apes.
Now, you're going to watch the digging party.
What do you think about the missing link? Missing link? I dunno.
It's all right if they want it.
- And what do you think? - I like it.
You like it? The missing link? Yeah.
And you, madam.
Do you think it's right that the building work should be held up on this site? Until they get them monkeys' bones up, yes, I do.
They ought to be let.
Thank you.
And you, sir, what is your opinion? Well Ah! I think I've just caught sight of someone whose opinion really is worth something.
Dr Matthew Roney, who's the scientist in charge here.
- Dr Roney, would you grant me an interview? - Just a moment.
Thanks for the lift.
Looks like I asked for it! - Now, what are the latest developments? - We're on the brink of a startling discovery.
Whitehall, War Office.
- Hello.
- Hello.
Well, Professor Quatermass! We enter the last round.
Isn't that what you wanted to say? Nothing so pugnacious as that.
Just that it'll soon be over and you can enjoy a rest.
We all can.
Will you take your seats, gentlemen? The Minister won't be a moment.
Final session.
I'm sure you all feel as I do.
It won't take us long to agree our conclusions.
I've asked Harrison to prepare a rough draft.
But surely, sir, we've come to no agreement so far.
But I should've thought we had, a very substantial measure.
About the Rocket Group, its finances, administration - But not policy.
- We're not here to formulate policy.
- That's for a higher level.
- We must express our views.
We are men, not mechanical computers.
Professor Quatermass, isn't your concern unduly personal? I think we all realise how much is owed to your formative influence.
I brought the Rocket Group into being.
But it is a government project.
It always has been.
It was intended for peaceful scientific research, not to be perverted to fulfil such a monstrous conception as this well, this Dead Man's Deterrent! I thought I'd made it clear from the outset.
The decision has been taken.
We are here merely to find the means of carrying it out.
I must say I agree with Quatermass.
The commission that founded the Rocket Group This is a change of policy.
Since there is some confusion, I'll ask Colonel Breen to restate it.
- I didn't mean - For information only.
Briefly, please.
And finally.
The setting up of permanent bases on the moon and possibly Mars also is a certainty within five to seven years.
Those bases will be military ones.
The present state of world politics leaves no doubt about it.
- So there's a race on? - As usual, there is a race on.
Whoever plants those bases can police the Earth.
Ballistic missiles will be stored there.
Slave missiles designed to react automatically to, erm well, to activity on Earth.
Even if an aggressor nation should totally wipe out a neighbour in a nuclear attack, they would themselves be obliterated by missiles from space.
That is the concept of the Dead Man's Deterrent.
Do you really believe that missiles could be so accurate? - They could locate the Earth.
- And destroy everything on it.
- We should not have been the aggressors.
- No, no.
But you send all of humanity up in smoke to avenge ourselves! I take it greater accuracy in these missiles would be a constant object? - Of course, sir.
- The absolutely ultimate weapon.
A Sword of Damocles would hang over the head of any aggressor ready to fall.
- We might call it Operation Damocles.
- Yes, yes, good idea.
Stop this! "Ultimate weapon"! Can you really pretend to believe in such a thing? There never has been one and never will be! All this means is that from the very start we'll be going into space with one thought - war! We're on the verge of a new dimension of discovery.
It's the great chance to leave our vices behind us, war, first of all.
Not to go out there dragging our hatreds and our frontiers with us.
Gentlemen, we We must not lightly agree to this plan.
We have a right to express our opinions, to advise against it.
I implore you! I'm a little surprised.
Is that all? And disturbed to hear such naive views still put forward.
Naive? They compel me to ask have you a conscientious objection to remaining as the head of Rocket Group? Do you want me to resign? Well, I shan't.
I shall stay there in control as long as I can, use what influence I can to try to prevent Of course, I shall be glad of your co-operation until such time as, er Meanwhile, a new Deputy Controller under you will join the Rocket Group - Colonel Breen.
Breen? - You knew.
- I told him this morning.
He's being seconded from army duties.
- I see.
- I think you'll agree on his fitness for the post.
Unrivalled experience with military rockets, ballistic missiles.
Any comment? For the present, none.
Now, let's consider this draft.
In Vienna, the conference on nuclear disarmament remains deadlocked by failure to agree an agenda.
Terrorist activity in Nigeria has been responsible for 87 more deaths during the past month.
Police report that Birmingham was peaceful last night after almost a week of racial disturbances.
More fossil bones were found today at Knightsbridge.
Dr Matthew Roney has confirmed that they, too, belonged to the species he has described as "the earliest known true hominid".
That is the end of this news flash.
That's drying nicely.
That is a shoulder blade.
- Looks better than the others.
- It's bigger, anyway.
Got it? You know, I think there were four bodies.
- Four? - At least.
Well, you carry on, Barbara.
Look out for scattered vertebrae.
Miss Dobson, are you all right? It's just my head.
Oh, it's so close down here.
Clammy rather.
Don't you notice it? Oh! Perhaps you ought to call it a day.
Nonsense.
Just a touch of migraine.
Oh! It's gone now.
Oh, look at them all gaping up there! I'm making an exhibition of myself.
Miss Judd! Miss Judd, I think I've got something.
Possibly right scapula.
Part of clavicle may also be present.
Go carefully.
- Get that to the museum right away.
- Yes, sir.
Another find! - Dr Roney - Something good? No, er, come and see.
Dr Roney, I'm afraid it's only a pipe.
- Pipe? - Yes.
Water, I think.
Might be a trunk sewer.
What a good thing I wasn't using a pickaxe! - They'd have had a good laugh.
- Now they think we've found something.
Smooth.
Give me that trowel, please.
Very smooth.
It curves downwards.
- I don't think it is a pipe.
- Then what would you suggest? - An unexploded bomb.
- What? Goodness! Yes Yes, it does look like one.
Why did you say that? We can't afford to lose any time.
- It ought to be reported, Dr Roney.
- Very well.
Barbara, get in touch with Who'd it be? The police? I think so.
We could go on working on the other side.
Hello, is that the police? I want to report what may be an unexploded bomb.
- Captain Potter, Inspector.
- We've been expecting you.
- Where is this thing? - Just down here.
- Unload that gear, Sergeant.
- Very good, sir.
Is somebody still living in that house? - I don't know, sir.
- Carry on.
I'll see to it.
Right! Hold it a minute! - What type do you think it is, sir? - Well, it could be a Satan.
- Well, it could be, sir, except - Except what? Well, I've never seen a Satan with bumps.
Hmm.
Hmm, there's no ticking.
An odd thing, that.
The mike didn't stick.
- Well, it can't be steel.
- What do you think it is, then, sir? I don't know.
If it fell during the war, the surface ought to be corroded.
There's no corrosion.
All the Jerry stuff I've seen was pretty well I don't think it's any kind of metal.
Captain Potter, how long is this going to take? - Sir, I advised you to leave.
- I'm in charge.
- Not now.
Carry on spraying, Sergeant.
- Very good, sir.
- You understand my work? - I've read the papers.
I have to complete it quickly.
This wrecks all my arrangements.
If it blows up, it'll wreck more than your arrangements! - You really think it might? - Our job is to prevent it.
That might take days.
- How long do we go on for, Sarge? - Till I tell you to stop.
Till he says "stop"! Hey, Westie, how much do you know about Jerry planes? - They're all Yanks.
- In the war! When they were still making their own.
Wasn't any could have carried a thing this big! - It's bigger than a ten-tonner, sir.
- Well, it's not a buzz-bomb.
Dr Roney, in your digging did you find any sign of a hole this might have made when it came down? No.
Most of the work was done by grabs.
You could ask the building contractors.
- Five minutes' break, Sergeant.
- Yes, sir.
Five minutes' break, boys! - You'll call them now? - That's my business, sir.
Captain Potter, you're a young man.
You couldn't have had the wartime experience - I should call in a second opinion? - If you don't know what it is.
I'm finding out! It's deliberate.
I've annoyed him and now he's gonna work to rule.
- I'm sure that - They're making tea! He'll probably turn that hut into the officers' mess! Barbara, you stay here as long as they let you and keep an eye on things.
- Yes, but where are you going? - To get a second opinion.
I think that concludes our business for the present, gentlemen.
Thank you for your help.
You will receive draft reports in the course of the next two days.
- Breen, congratulations on the appointment.
- Thank you, General.
And about time! So, we're colleagues.
I'm sure we shall get on very well together.
- When do you start? - As of now, I understand.
- No, I haven't got an appointment! - I can't admit you without permission! No further, sir! Professor Quatermass, there's a gentleman here to see you.
- Roney! - I've had enough of these petty bureaucrats! - Quatermass, I had to catch you.
- What's happened? A bomb turned up at the site.
There are soldiers there now.
- What can I do? - You can hurry them up.
You know these people.
Look where we are! My dear Roney, if I had any influence with the army, I Wait a second.
Breen! - Yes? - Breen, this is Dr Matthew Roney.
You've heard of his prehistoric finds at Knightsbridge? - Oh, yes.
- How are you? Roney's having a little difficulty with a bomb-disposal squad.
Could you help? - Interfere? - They need expert advice.
- Who says so? - It's a fact.
I've had no official request.
It would be highly irregular.
- Suppose you had a request from me? - From you? Yes, a friendly one.
After all, we are colleagues now.
I'll come with you.
I can't promise any more.
Good man.
I'm sure we'll get on very well together.
Mrs Chilcot, you can't come in here till they've finished.
Just to get some more clothes.
The place we're in, he feels the cold.
Won't take a moment.
- I don't know.
- There's nothing going on down there just now.
All right, then.
Quick as you can.
Having to beg to get in me own home! Builders have been trying to get rid of 'em for months.
Hey, look out! - You know me, Officer.
- Who are the others? We're here to have a look at that bomb.
Charlie, the old codgers, get 'em out, stir 'em out! - Still at it? - Yes.
Had any luck? This is my chief assistant Miss Judd.
Professor Quatermass.
How do you do? - I'm in charge here, sir.
Can I help you? - That's the question I was going to ask.
This is Colonel Breen of the Guided Missile Group.
And Professor Quatermass.
- What have you got there? - I don't know yet, sir.
- Have you informed your superiors? - No, not yet, sir.
Mind if we take a look? Kill the jet.
Break for five minutes.
A bomb? No sign of an ingress cavity, sir.
I checked with the firm who did the excavating.
The hole could've collapsed, closed up.
Hmm.
The famous excavation.
Yes.
We're probably standing on priceless fossils at this moment.
Mm-hm.
About here they dug out the first skull.
Oh.
A trifle muddy.
Blast! Thanks.
Something he said Roney! Roney, where did you say the skull was found? Where exactly? Well, in the earth that's been dug away, two or three feet above this level.
That's right? Yes.
It was here.
- You said "above"? - Why, what's wrong? Well if it was above this thing Roney tell me again.
How long did you estimate that skull had been there? Something like five million years.
Five million years?