Quatermass And The Pit (1958) s01e03 Episode Script

The discovery in a builders' excavation at Knightsbridge of fossil ape bones is followed by something more sinister.
What appears to be an unexploded bomb at a deeper level is investigated by Professor Bernard Quatermass and his colleague Colonel Breen.
Another ape skull is found intact inside the thing itself while tests show that the clay contains residual radioactivity, later estimated to be five million years old.
Meanwhile, struck by a fancy, Quatermass visits an empty house above the site that is reputedly haunted.
And neighbours tell him about the frightening sounds and apparitions there 30 years ago.
In the deepened pit, the mysterious hole is laid bare.
Inside it, a compartment is found sealed off by a solid bulkhead.
And certain markings on this are identified by Dr Roney as a pentacle used in ancient magic.
Potter, give me a hand inside.
Hold on, sir.
It's as slippery as glass.
West! It it was It was a kind of figure.
It went through the wall! Get him out of here! - What's the matter with the man? Is he ill? - He may be.
All right, West.
Take it easy, lad! I thought it was the wall shining.
Then it moved and come at me! And went And went The hut! Little Westie, he's got the horrors.
- Roney! - What did he see? Nothing.
The confined space got him.
Claustrophobia.
A man like that should never have been on the squad.
Just now you said something to me about those markings.
- They form a pentacle.
- They had something to do with black magic? - Yes.
- Now, could he have heard? - He was inside.
I don't see how.
- Nor do I.
Look up there, all around.
Good heavens! They're all over it, those cabbalistic signs.
- Corporal! - Sir? Issue picks and start digging another three feet! Yes, sir.
You heard, boys.
Keep 'em busy, don't give 'em time to think.
Psychology! - West, wake up.
Did he hit his head, sir? - I don't think so.
- How is he? - He just passed out.
Funny thing, shock.
Try this brandy.
I always keep a drop in case of accidents.
- Aagh! - West, pull yourself together, lad! Sergeant, give me a moment.
Now, what did you see? - I don't know.
- You said a figure.
It was little.
Like a dwarf.
- A dwarf? - Yes.
It went crooked.
Horrible! Oh, I don't know.
Just horrible! - Was its head tucked underneath its arm? - Shut up! - I did see it, sir.
I did! - Very well, very well.
"The figure was small, he said.
Like a monkey or a dwarf.
"It seemed to cross the room and go through the wall.
" - What are you reading? - A newspaper report.
"The Hobbs Lane Ghost, June 1st, 1927.
" - What? - Did you know about that? Had you heard of it? No.
No, I never 1927? They saw it then? What now, sir? We'll get him away.
He'd better go sick for a few days.
I'll write a note to his M.
O.
- Oh, and Sergeant - Yes, sir? - He'd better not talk to the other men.
- Very good, sir.
Something here, sir.
Something hard.
Yeah, smooth.
Like the other stuff.
Grey, shiny.
- This clay's soft.
- It's all that water we've been using.
I can feel an edge curving.
Where's Captain Potter? He's coming now, sir.
I've sent that man off sick, sir.
Well, what's this? I believe we've found the cover to that hatch opening.
The edge is screw-threaded, thin and coarse, just like the opening.
Yes.
And this must have unscrewed from the inside.
Corporal, get it clear quickly! We can use it for testing.
"People in neighbouring houses told the same story.
"Said Mr Parker at Number 15, 'There have always been bad tales about Hobbs Lane, "'but I never bothered about them till now.
"'I was born in this street and I recollect my parents having stories about ghosts.
"'It was something over a hundred years ago.
"' "Cases of alleged haunting have been reported before in Hobbs Lane, "notably in the 18th century.
" Any comments, Roney? Well, I I don't usually at this time of day, but Well, that should be enough.
No effect.
It must have! - I don't understand.
- Not even warm.
- You burned it for five minutes.
- I held the same spot.
- I know that.
- Do you want me to try again, sir? Not with that, no.
It's a good, stout door.
Ceramic material of some kind, resistant to heat up to over 3,000 degrees, harder than diamond.
Every rocket engineer has wanted a heatproof casing to get through the Earth's atmosphere.
What are you trying to say? You think the Germans made it in 1940 and lost the secret? Ask them.
Ask von Braun.
Go on.
Why don't you? What's the boffin up to? Gonna open it up with his little pocket knife.
- Funny if it blows us all up! - Cut it out, Gibson! You think he knows what he's doing, Sarge? He doesn't.
None of 'em do this time.
Breen, look! One of these circles is etched more deeply than the others.
This one, the large one.
- Let me see.
- Here, use this.
Yes.
I wonder - Another opening? If it could be unscrewed - There's nothing to get a purchase on.
- But just one small hole would do to start it.
- Diamond won't cut it.
We know that.
We could try borazon.
It's several times harder.
Could you get hold of a drill with a borazon bit? I don't know.
It would mean a civilian operator.
Why not? If I could get hold of a reliable man who'd keep his mouth shut - Captain Potter! - Sir? I don't want any scares started.
Ah! Now, listen, listen.
A thing like this apeman story can't just fizzle out.
But it has.
On everybody.
But it mustn't be let to.
It isn't a ha'p'orth of good squatting humbly outside a police barrier! Unexploded bomb! You want me to rush the barrier and elbow them aside while they're taking the fuses out? No.
One, that isn't the story.
And two, I don't believe it.
- Why not, Jack? - It doesn't feel right.
- Don't start having hunches.
- It must be a bomb.
Look at their gear! Let's stick to the point.
One minute, it's all the greatest discovery of the age.
Apemen, five million years old! And the next minute, not a peep! And where's our vociferous friend Dr Roney? - I can't find him.
- Tried? - Yes.
He's not at the museum.
- Then where? - Here.
- Where? I got him this morning.
Yes, just going through the barrier.
It's not your best, but it is Roney.
- Who's that with him? - I don't know.
George? I don't know.
It's got me.
Hello, Jacko.
Chaps.
- What's funny? - Nothing's funny.
You look so glum, I thought you were secretly splitting yourselves.
Or is it sad lasciviousness? - George get something dirty? - It's apemen.
Oh, apemen.
I'm sorry.
Jacko, I came to beg help.
One of the "Bruin's" glittering ideas.
"James Fullalove Investigates.
" Tearing into angry young men or sex in the coffee bars.
No, James.
I'm in conference.
Conference? With these two? All right, lend it some tone.
- Do you know who that is? - The fellow with the glasses? - No, the other one.
- You don't mean? That's Quatermass! Our old pal, the professor.
Missing from the papers of late, but What's he doing there? Yeah, I know that face.
Big brass, War Office, guided missiles.
Got it - Breen, Colonel Breen! Unexploded bomb.
- Jacko - Huh? - Let me in on this.
- What did I say? Can you spare the time? Number one in my series.
"James Fullalove Investigates the Apemen of Knightsbridge.
" - Do you want him? - Better not.
No reflection on you, but perhaps a little spy camera? Right, I'll see to it.
Quatermass, eh? Yeah, I reckon this'll cut through anything that exists.
I did steel armour plate with it, six inches thick.
Oh, it was legal.
Bloke shut in a strongroom.
I got him out.
Secret job, like this one.
Then I'm glad you don't talk about it! What's in behind here? Anything dangerous? - Probably not.
- It's OK, I'm insured.
Are you insured, sir? It's a good thing to be insured.
At least it cheers you up.
- How's she running now, Sergeant? - She's OK, sir.
Just that bother at the start.
Better to use this than the public juice supply, just in case of an explosion.
Yes.
Here, what are the men up to? Another brew-up? Well, I let them, sir.
It's getting perishing cold down here.
Can I help? You really ought to be on your way, but thanks.
It's rather awkward with no left hand.
- What did this? - I don't know.
The sergeant's got it, too.
It looks like slight frostbite, but it can't be.
That thing doesn't feel - Captain Potter, we're ready to start! - It's everybody out now.
- Sergeant, get the men out.
- Very good, sir.
Ah, Dr Roney! Will you leave now, please, and take Miss Judd with you? - Can't we wait? - Yes, but outside the barrier.
- About right? - Yes, inside the main circle for most leverage.
- Right, cleared for action, sir.
- Right.
- What's the matter with your hand? - Nothing serious, sir.
Is Professor Quatermass staying? I've asked him not to.
I could make it an order.
I'm staying.
In here.
- Right, all out, Sergeant.
- All out, sir.
Come on, come on.
Do you mind, sir? Thank you, miss.
And you, mate! - Funny echo, sir.
- What are you playing at? Switch on! Right, here we go.
Try again.
Aagh! Aagh! Aaaagh! There's nothing.
It hasn't made a mark! They're in trouble.
Come on! What happened? He he's shaken.
We all are.
Breen! - God! - It was the vibration in there.
Some freak acoustic effect.
It must have been Breen! Sir? No, it's probably the best thing for him.
Well, are you all right? Yes.
Yes, I think so.
I We had no no luck with the drill.
It wouldn't, wouldn't I must get some of Roney's brandy.
It's stopped now.
Do you know what it meant, that noise? There's something wrong down there.
Can't we do anything? - Strict orders.
- They know what they're up to.
Do they? - What's going on? - I don't know.
They're in trouble.
- Who are you? - Fullalove.
I'm a reporter.
Oh, not now! - See the sign, sir? No further, please.
- I'm press.
What are they doing down there? Quatermass! - Mind out there! You get back! - Is everything all right? Roney, you recognised the pentacle down there and those other markings.
How much do you know about that sort of thing? Occult practice? - Just a little.
- Come with me.
Professor! Potter, tell Colonel Breen not to attempt anything until I come back.
- I'll try, sir.
- You'll find he's fairly amenable at the moment.
Professor Quatermass! Corporal, back on the job! "Alarming noises and spectral appearances "September, 1762.
" "Our informant further states that grievous sounds emanating from the very earth "have so affrighted certain fellows employed in the digging of a well that one is like to die mad.
" Digging a well? - Do any of the others mention that? - Not that I noticed.
- Finding what you want, sir? - Yes, some, some.
Street pamphlets are your best source for nonsense stories and wild rumours.
- Amazing what they'd believe in those days.
- Yes, yes.
Oh, more of them.
Thank you.
Roney Roney, surely it's possible for well, ghosts, let's call them that to be phenomena that were badly observed and wrongly interpreted.
"One inhabitant of Hob's Lane doth assert "he hath several times descried the apparition of an hideous goblin and once several.
"And that this place is long notorious for weird happenings.
" Even in 1762.
"Hob's Lane.
" Notice they all spell it H-o-b.
Well, spelling was pretty rough in those days.
Where have I seen that before? Of course! There are two name-plates on that street.
The recent one spells it with two Bs like that cricketer.
But the other one What about it? "Hob" was one of the familiar names for the devil.
- Fullalove! - Excuse me.
- We haven't met for some time.
- You followed us? Of course.
From, uh, Hobbs Lane.
Professor, what have you found down there? I've no statement to make.
Roney Thank you very much! Where next? Well, we should get some earlier evidence.
- Westminster Abbey archives, I think.
Let's go.
- Now look here, Fullalove! - All right, if you want another bash, I'm ready.
- Good man.
Do you think we ought, sir? Quatermass said - Is he in charge? - No, but he seemed on the track of something.
Oh, did he? Well, I'm inclined to agree with him about one thing.
What shook us all up was an acoustic disturbance caused by the shape of that interior, that polished surface.
- Now look here, Potter.
- Sir? - I'll blanket out the sound.
Got any sacks? - Yes.
Sergeant! Very good, sir.
Sacks just coming along, sir.
We may not need them.
Is Sladden still here? Well, yes.
Sladden! - You said your drill took no effect? - I'm afraid so, sir, but next time Look here.
A hole.
But I never made that.
- Are you sure? - It's wider than my drill bit.
I don't think it's been drilled at all.
It's sort of melted.
- Here's the sacks, sir.
- Just dump them there.
Have you got a pencil, sir? Thank you.
I don't think it goes right through.
No.
It stops.
Any idea where they'd go, your boss and Professor Quatermass? - No, I've tried the museum.
They aren't there.
- You're ahead of me there.
- Something bad? - Do something for me.
Get out of here, please! Hurry up and get that drill clear! - I'm doing me best, sir.
- Look out! It's through! "In the winter of the year 1341, "the Abbot of Westminster" Damn, my Latin's gone! "The Abbot of Westminster strove struggled against "against an outbreak of evil "at Hob's Lane in the village of Knyghtesbrugge?" That's Knightsbridge, 14th-century style.
- "Imps" Yes? - Right.
"and demons did appear, "foul noises sent by the devil.
" What's that? "Sorely afflict the charcoal burners that have lately come here.
" Charcoal burners? They'd be felling trees.
Heavy ones.
In 1762, a well was being dug.
In 1927, a new Tube extension, and now Do you see? They're all disturbances of the ground.
Did you spot this? "It has long been known as a troubled place.
" In 1341.
Hey, wait for me! Can you make out anything, sir? I'm not sure.
There's nothing bulky, no explosive.
Then it's not a warhead.
Do you mind if I look, sir? - No, let's get moving.
- Right.
Sergeant! - Captain Potter! - What are they doing? Didn't Potter tell them? - He tried to, but something's happened.
- Colonel Breen will explain.
Sladden, where are you? We want to use some of your gear in a different way.
- Look here, Breen - Wait a minute! Look at this.
- How did you do it? - It just appeared.
I suppose the vibrations of the drill must have affected all this material in some way.
Use this.
When it opened, there was a rush of air inwards.
- Inwards? - Yes.
I suppose the pressure in there was lower than here or non-existent.
Do you see anything? I'm not sure.
I My God! It looks like an eye.
Well, it's not moving.
- Did you see it move? - No.
What do you smell? Corruption, decomposition.
When did this open? Oh, perhaps an hour ago.
- We must be quick if we want to find anything.
- I've seen to that.
Right, Sergeant, stand by! Get clear, sir.
- Potter - Sir? You'd better warn your men.
Things may happen.
Roney, they They're going to try to open that inner hatch cover.
- Did you tell them? - Yes.
It must have set up subjective impressions, seeing things, as West did or hearing things, as several of us did.
- Where's Fullalove? - I don't know.
He sneaked in with us.
Oh, well, never mind.
Listen, Jack, I can see the thing.
I'm not 50 feet from it now.
I don't know what it is.
I don't think they do either, but they're going to open it all up Yes.
Well, they They seem to be trying to unseal some sort of closed compartment.
Yes, that's right Yes.
- It's moving.
- I was right.
It is a hatch cover.
Keep going.
Right.
- Oh, what a stench! - Good work, Sergeant.
All right, keep going.
Got it, sir! The demons.
It's all right.
They're dead.
They've been dead for a long time.