THE WAR OF THE WORLDS FINAL WHITE Barré Lyndon December 18, 1951 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. Enlarges 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, turning 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 SERIES 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 buried, 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.) (Excitedly 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. Everybody'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 switches 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 EFFECT - 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 crumpling. 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, Sylvia 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 stretches 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 launchers. 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 armband. 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, pointing 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. (After 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 develops, 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 field telephone switchboard. 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 indicated. 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 attempt 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 of 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 troops 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. Suddenly 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, incandescent, 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 CHIEF (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 (After a pause, low, fast) I'd say our effective losses were nearly sixty percent men and ninety percent 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 excitement. 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