Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1964) s01e11 Episode Script

The Magnus Beam

[Man.]
General? Plane approaching, sir.
Altitude 34,000 feet; range, 40 miles.
Every day at this time, a U-2 spy plane.
I wonder what they're looking for.
- Not, I am sure, what they're going to get.
- [Laughs.]
Major Amadi, do the honors.
Oscillator vertical.
[Switches Clicking.]
Widen beam.
And activate.
[Man.]
Activated and ready, sir.
Switch on.
Altitude 34,000 feet; range, 30 miles.
Gentlemen, today we face a moment of historic importance.
With this final demonstration of the power of my new weapon I'll be ready to act.
Our country will command the Red Sea and the approaches to the Suez Canal.
In a few short weeks, our country will have emerged as the greatest power in the Middle East.
And will have started World War III.
Without you, General Gamal, this plan will fail and it must fail.
Your guns are useless, gentlemen.
You're surrounded by a highly potent magnetized field in which no machinery based on steel will move.
- [Grunting.]
- Oh! [Gunshots.]
Take him away! Range, nine miles.
Altitude, 30,000; range, 0.
Twenty-five thousand.
Twenty thousand.
Fifteen thousand.
Five thousand.
Three thousand.
One thousand.
[Man.]
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea.
Starring Richard Basehart David Hedison.
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea.
Remember, Lee, when you contact Richmond he'll put you in touch with the underground.
Don't take any unnecessary chances, but try to find out what's happening with our U-2's.
- Yes, sir.
I understand.
- Captain? Want another look at Richmond? I don't need it.
By this time I could pick him out of a crowd.
[Curley On Speaker.]
Captain, we're 8,000 yards off Ras Kandara.
Very well.
Come to 4,000 and surface.
Total blackout.
No running lights.
Scanning and detection reports, sir.
- Still nothing? - No rockets, no intercept missiles, no planes.
- Still, we keep on losing U-2's.
- We'd better get that landing boat ready.
- Well, let's hope I come back with something.
- Good luck.
So, the Seaview is still in the Red Sea area? Investigating the U-2 crashes, sir.
This could upset the entire timetable.
I fail to see how, sir.
The Magnus beam is invulnerable to attack here in these caverns.
The only entrance by sea is far too deep.
No submarine could enter.
This one can.
Major Amadi I charge you with full responsibility to deal with this American submarine.
And will you also give me a free hand to act in any way I see fit? You have it.
Then it will be dealt with.
- Will you be okay, Skipper? - Yeah.
You better not hang around here.
- I'll meet you at this spot at 0300.
- Yes, sir.
- Good luck, Captain.
- Thanks.
Shove off.
Put the gun away, Captain.
- I'm Jerry Richmond.
- Show yourself.
- I just wanted to be sure.
- It's about an hour into town.
Let's get started.
Hey, wait a minute.
Do you have identity papers for me? Best we could get in the time we had.
Do you know how to get into Ras Kandara from here? Sure.
I memorized the maps, but I thought you were gonna guide me.
Only as far as the main road.
I've got a feeling they're onto me.
If they are, it wouldn't be a good idea to go into town together.
- I understand.
- Now you'll be all right.
I'll get you onto the highway.
Once in town, find a nightclub called the Golden Parrot.
- Golden Parrot.
- Ask for a singer named [Gunshot.]
- Richmond! Richmond! - [Groaning.]
What singer? What's his name? Golden Parrot.
[Gasps.]
[Grunts.]
[Gunshot.]
[Panting.]
Thanks for the help.
You can thank me later.
Better get out of here before the police come.
- Yeah.
- No, this way! Let's go.
Come on.
You're an American, huh? Is it that obvious? You will not last long here.
The secret police swarms all over the city.
But I will help you.
Why should you? Not all of us dislike Americans.
Where were you going? A nightclub called the Golden Parrot.
I will take you there.
Who do you want to see there? - I don't know.
- [Laughs.]
It's no matter.
I'll take you there anyway.
Come.
[Door Closes.]
Quick, up these stairs.
Falazir.
I trust we are in time.
The bait is taken.
Yeah, the fish will be ours, but only when we're ready.
[Singing In French.]
[Ends.]
[Audience Applauding.]
[Orchestra Up-tempo.]
[Audience Laughing.]
Luana? My name's Jerry Richmond.
[Audience Applauding.]
Come with me.
Where is Jerry Richmond? He's dead.
We were ambushed on the beach.
Then they know.
Who are you? I'm an American.
My name's Lee Crane.
Will you help me locate the underground? I might if I could be sure who you are.
What can I say? They didn't give me any secret password.
And Jerry Richmond is dead? Believe me, Luana, there isn't much time.
You've got to trust me.
Let us say I'm willing to help.
What would you want? I've got to find the location of a weapon, or whatever it is that's knocking down our U-2 planes.
Were you followed? No, I don't think so.
We know what has been destroying your planes.
It is buried in the cliffs along the coast.
It uses some kind of magnetic force, or Very powerful.
Mm, no wonder our detection instruments couldn't spot anything.
How can we reach it? I don't know.
But there is a man who may be able to help you.
I'll try to get you to him.
- Perhaps I can help you.
- Amadi! You were followed.
But I know this man.
He saved my life when I was attacked in the streets.
I know him too.
He's General Gamal's chief of security.
A very difficult role for me.
Sir, I have done you a favor.
Now you owe me one.
I want asylum on the submarine Seaview which brought you here.
Now Now, wait a minute.
How do you know all this? You forget, my friend, I am the head of my country's secret police.
- Why should I trust you? - All right.
General Gamal is about to plunge my country into war.
We cannot allow this.
You have given us an opportunity to prevent it.
Once on board the submarine, I will lead you to an underground entrance.
Two carefully placed missiles will destroy the weapon, and with it, General Gamal's power.
Well, forget it.
Even if I bought your story, I wouldn't take you aboard the Seaview.
You've got to take him now.
- Why? - Don't you understand? If he's lying, he can have his secret police on our heads the moment he steps outside.
She's right, you know if I'm lying.
But if I'm not, I can help you to destroy this terrible weapon.
It's the only thing we can do now.
Put him aboard the submarine and come back here.
I will have set up the meeting with a man who can help you.
I have presented you with a terrible dilemma, haven't I? [Nelson.]
Obviously, Major Amadi, your - your offer intrigues me.
- Obviously.
Do you know why Captain Crane decided to spend an extra day on shore? No, sir.
No, the captain did not confide in me.
I see.
Patterson.
- I want you to keep a very close watch on our guest.
- Right, sir.
I hope this doesn't offend you, Major, but we have to take certain precautions.
Naturally, Admiral.
I don't think you'll be quite so suspicious when I have given you the information that's in my possession.
I hope not.
Patterson, will you show the major to his quarters? Right, sir.
This way, Major.
There, that house.
Abdul Azziz, the curio dealer, lives there.
He is the man you must see.
Wait.
[Whispering, Indistinct.]
I don't want to take anything for granted.
- There's no use both of us sticking our necks out.
- Then let me go.
No, you stay here.
I'll signal for you.
All right? [Knocking.]
Hello! Good evening, sir.
- We've been expecting you.
- Mr.
Azziz.
[Ringing.]
[Grunting.]
Stretching due east for three miles, an enormous fissure reaches into the cavern.
It's the only underwater entrance to it.
Now, according to Major Amadi, the landward approaches to the cavern are very heavily fortified, because a new weapon of enormous power has been installed there.
It's already responsible for the destruction of three of our U-2's and is now in violation of all international treaties and a direct threat to the Suez Canal.
Major Amadi's prepared to lead us against this installation.
It's the price he's willing to pay for asylum.
Now, Major, before I commit this submarine I want to know more about this rift under the caverns.
We need plenty of elbow room.
There's plenty, sir.
This tunnel is over 400 feet at its narrowest point.
Headroom? It's 250 feet at the entrance, increasing to over 800.
What puzzles me is the lack of any underwater defenses.
It seems to me there's a flaw in your government's thinking there.
It's my late government, sir.
I no longer owe them my loyalty.
Yes, of course.
But can you tell me why that channel is wide open? It's very simple, sir.
It's too deep.
We have no submarines that will operate at this level neither has anyone else.
There's only the Seaview.
No submarine could hope to make that passage - so there are no defenses.
- I see.
Patterson, will you escort Major Amadi to the missile room? - We'll contact you when we're in position.
- Very well.
Uh, Major? - Yes? - Can you tell me how you figured 400 feet is the width of that channel, especially since you can't get any submarines down there? We measured with our Fathometer, sir, from the surface.
I see.
Thank you.
Well, if you're thinking what I'm thinking, Admiral You realize there's only one way to measure that channel.
Sure, physically.
In a confined space like that, a Fathometer just wouldn't work.
If he'd told me he used a diving bell, I might've believed him.
- Navigation, report.
- [On Speaker.]
Navigation.
We're approaching the cavern area, dead ahead 6,000 yards.
Maneuvering, answer bells to one-third.
Answering bells to one-third.
Aye, sir.
Chip, I want you to bring us approximately 1,000 yards off the channel entrance.
- Then come to a dead stop.
- Aye, aye, sir.
That's all, gentlemen.
[On Speaker.]
A hundred feet, sir.
All stop.
Rig for silent running.
Aye, aye, sir.
Rig for silent running.
We're going in, Chip.
- Radio silence, minimum speed.
- Maintain radio silence.
Ahead dead slow.
Aye, aye, sir.
Patterson, you and Major Amadi still in the missile room? [Patterson.]
Yes, sir.
Well, keep him there.
We'll join you.
Why are we waiting? Where's the admiral? Relax, Major.
There he is.
Admiral, what has gone wrong with our plans? We should have gone out by now.
I should have gone into the mini-sub to show you the entrance to the cavern.
We found it without your assistance, Major.
You wouldn't have lasted three seconds at this depth.
Sir, I protest! You could have tripped an alarm.
But we didn't.
We're bringing the sub up to 1,000 feet as soon as we can.
Then I'm sending the min-sub out to search the caverns.
- Would you like to accompany me? - Yes.
Yes, of course.
Yes.
I imagined you might.
- Is something troubling you, Admiral? - Yes, Major, it is.
It's troubling me enough to make me want to back this sub out of here and head for safer waters.
Sir, please, take my word! We are on the threshold of an important discovery.
I have no doubt we are, but there must be safer ways of getting information.
- Excuse me, sir.
- [Mutters.]
I've underrated your people, Major.
What have you done with Captain Crane? I don't understand.
I don't know.
I don't have any idea.
You know perfectly well.
We've just been informed by shortwave from the underground that General Gamal has captured Crane.
Now, where is he? Where is he? [Clattering.]
- Look at the torpedoes! - Control, what happened? - What happened to the torpedoes? - They look like they're stuck against the wall! The lights.
! Cutting the circuit breakers.
! Control! Come in, Control! - Line's dead.
Check forward.
- Aye, aye, sir.
Admiral.
[Grunts.]
What the devil? All the hatches are jammed tight.
Amadi.
What are they using on us? Patterson.
You have five seconds to make up your mind, Major.
Just five seconds.
Have him pull the trigger, Admiral.
Your gun will not fire.
Nothing made of steel will move while our weapon is in operation.
Your motors, your pumps, every piece of machinery on board is immobilized.
- Magnetism.
- The Magnus beam, Admiral.
Now I understand why you were so anxious to get away in the mini-sub.
I never wanted so much to pull a trigger.
Why bother, Patterson? I'm already a dead man, gentlemen, just as you are.
[Bell Rings.]
Come in, come in, signorina.
Forgive me that I ask you to come to the home of my cousin.
It's a small matter of the police.
They have taken it into their heads to watch me closely.
- But if they are watching - Oh, we're safe enough here.
How much do the police know, Abdul Azziz? Eh, nothing they can prove.
Still, I'm annoyed with them.
They tapped my telephone which is how they arrested your American so easily.
By the way who is he? A man named Crane captain of the American submarine Seaview.
- We must get word to them that he has been captured.
- [Scoffs.]
I'm told that has already been arranged.
But, uh, tell me, how was I expected to help him? By getting him information on the secret weapon which has destroyed American planes.
Uh, now there is an area perhaps in which I may still be of help.
The weapon you seek is hidden deep in the caverns under the naval base.
It's a marvelous new weapon, with which our beloved general Allah be gracious to him will make war and get us all killed.
I must find out where he is.
- And then? - Then? Then he must be rescued.
All this will not be easy.
For the sake of everything you believe in it must be done.
- Admiral? - [Nelson.]
What is it, Chip? - The depth gauge is moving.
It's not frozen.
- It's a fiber needle, not steel.
- It reacts to outside pressure.
- It's rising.
I thought we were dead in the water.
It's impossible.
We're going up.
Only a few feet a minute, but we're going up.
It's the power of the Magnus beam, Admiral.
Slowly but surely, it's pulling your submarine toward it - with a force nothing can resist.
- Let it pull.
We're going up.
We're headed for the surface.
Not to the surface, Patterson, but to the Magnus beam.
This submarine will be drawn irresistibly up until its hull is crushed like the thin shell of an egg.
And you're prepared to die with us with no effort to save your own miserable life.
I don't want to die.
But if I have to pay the price, it will be worth it.
Fanaticism is no substitute for intelligence, Amadi.
I prefer to think of it as personal courage.
Your intelligence built this submarine, my courage will destroy it.
- [Blows Landing.]
- [Crane Grunting.]
Captain Crane, the ambitious plans I have for my government demand a certain severity.
In a few hours, your submarine will be dead.
Your stubbornness will have done no one any good.
The Seaview is immobilized by our Magnus beam immobilized and slowly but surely dying.
Actually, we have an intriguing choice open to us.
We can crush your submarine in an hour or two or we could let the men die slowly, one by one, as their air is used up.
Tell us about your contact in the underground and perhaps just perhaps your friends may be saved.
- [Grunts.]
- This man will tell you nothing.
Take him out and have him shot.
[Choked Grunts.]
- Key.
- [Snapping Fingers.]
Guard? Guard! [Grunting, Groaning.]
Lee! Lee, it's Luana.
All right.
- Come on.
- How did you find me? Abdul Azziz.
You can trust him.
There is a passage along here that leads into a deep well.
It's a difficult climb, but it's the only way out.
No.
No, we've gotta go this way.
No! You don't know what you're saying.
Listen to me, Lee.
We've got to get out! No! Listen to me.
The Seaview's helpless out there.
We gotta help them.
We've gotta go this way.
Depth 3-8-5.
Still rising, Admiral.
Your time is getting short.
Shut up! Sir, we're not too deep now.
We could use the scuba gear.
If we could open the escape hatch.
You tried it once, Curley.
You know it's hopeless.
Yes, sir.
Depth 3-7-5 feet and rising.
Aah! Now explain the special rifles.
I don't know how it works, but it's immobilized the Seaview and it's gonna destroy it unless we do something pretty fast.
I believe the time's come to fight.
We can now use the help of my cousins.
Curley.
- Yes, sir.
- Get that coil of copper wire over here - and the battery jumpers.
- Aye, aye, sir.
Lend a hand here.
I want to move the mini-sub out in the open.
Get the canopy open.
- Kowalski? - Sir? - I'll need the batteries out of here.
- Aye, aye, sir.
No, you're wrong, Admiral.
It won't work.
There's nothing you can do.
- I wouldn't bet on it, Major.
- Admiral, here's the coil you wanted.
- Put 'em over there by the hatch.
- Yes, sir.
- Got 'er loose, Kowalski? - Yeah, one of them, sir.
- I'm working on the other now.
- Soon as you get 'em out, bring 'em over here by the hatch.
Captain, 250 and still rising.
Hurry, men.
We haven't got much time.
[Approaching Footsteps.]
With the help of Allah, I return with one of my cousins.
- There are many more on the way.
- What's that? A present for our beloved general, Allah glorify his name.
- Dynamite.
- Liberated from a careless digger of oil wells.
These will pulverize the great machine, with hopefully just enough left over - for the general himself.
- Great work, Abdul.
But how do we get these explosives over to the machine? The female mind is eternally bogged down with practicalities.
No cover at all.
He'd be crossing under the noses of the sentries.
We must do the best we can with what Allah has been pleased to send us.
- Go find my cousins quickly, and bring 'em here the way we came.
- [Speaking Native Language.]
Now we can do nothing but wait.
- That's enough, Curley.
Now the next terminal.
- Yes, sir.
- Depth, Chip? - 1- 5-0, sir.
Still rising.
- Hurry it up, Curley.
- Yes, sir.
- Do you really think you can get that hatch open in time? - It depends.
If the magnetic field created by the Magnus beam is anything like I think it is I can, at least for a minute or so.
- Then give me diving equipment and let me get out.
- Now, why would I do that? I'll arrange an honorable surrender for you.
There'll be no need for anyone to die.
[Chuckles.]
Surrender, Major? Patterson, break out the scuba gear.
Yes, sir.
[Distant Clamoring.]
Pfft, pfft! - Distinguished visitors.
- General Gamal.
Our prisoner has escaped.
He is still somewhere here in the cabin area.
- He is to be shot on sight.
- You men reinforce the sentry detail.
Keep a sharp lookout.
No one is to approach the Magnus beam.
I want more guards posted.
The rest of the garrison will join in the search for Crane.
- Every inch of the cavern area must be covered.
- Yes, sir.
We'll find them.
If you don't, I warn you, the consequences will be most unpleasant.
We've waited too long.
I must crush the submarine at once.
- Order full power on the Magnus beam.
- Yes, sir.
Oh, how I'd like to give him a 21 -gun salute.
[Imitates Gunshot.]
Up to 1-0-5 feet, sir.
The rate of ascent is increasing.
Forget about the gauge, Chip, and get ready.
We're gonna do some attacking of our own.
- Here they are, sir.
- Thanks, Curley.
Bring me those plastic explosives.
- Yes, sir.
! - [Morton.]
We're attacking with spear guns? They're made of aluminum.
They won't be affected by the ray.
Besides, we have the element of surprise on our side.
- Patterson.
- Yes, sir.
- Get ready to make the connection.
- Aye, aye, sir.
[Footsteps Approaching.]
Can't move.
We're pinned down.
And where are all the cousins you brag about? What a burden it is when a man is dependent on his relatives.
Wait! Now they come.
The family of Azziz is ready.
Sentries everywhere and all that ground to cross.
- What we need is a diversion.
- Under any circumstances a diversion is a pleasant thing but now it would be a gift from Allah.
I'm gonna try for it myself.
We can't wait here.
We'll be slaughtered.
Lee! Don't.
Remember, the batteries can only neutralize the magnetic field for about 90 seconds so we'll have to work fast.
- Everybody ready? - Yes, sir.
All right, Patterson.
Go! [Whining Hum.]
No! [Grunts.]
If you only knew, sir, how long I've been wanting to do that.
Good work, Patterson.
Shall we try it again? Right, sir.
[Humming Resumes.]
- Well? - I've sent for some gas projectiles.
We'll saturate the tunnels and we'll soon flush him out.
Well, uh, how close is the Seaview to the base of the Magnus beam? Less than 50 feet.
Another two minutes it'll be crushed to powder.
Very good then.
All we can do is watch and wait.
Uh! Allah be praised.
There's your diversion.
Aah! Uh! [Gamal.]
The guard has left the catwalk.
[Falazir.]
Strange.
Look! [Gunshots.]
[Gunshots Continue.]
You stay here.
Keep down.
Aah! [Groaning.]
Hit the deck! - We'll put you ashore at Ras Kandara as a prisoner.
- I claim asylum, Admiral.
You did that before, Amadi.
We didn't take your request at face value then.
- What makes you think we will now? - With General Gamal dead the new government will give you a most interesting trial, Major.

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