Original subtitles

[man on TV] Sally, you look lovelier than ever.

Oh, you know Mr. Hornbeck?

How do you do, Mrs. Brady?

How do you do, Mr. Hornbeck?

[laughing] That's-- that's funny.

Henry! Henry Drummond.

How are you, Henry?

See you've already made some friends among the younger set.

Yes. Youth appeals to me these days.

Room 206, Mr. Drummond. Thanks.

Neither of us is getting any younger, eh, Henry?

Matt, you know what the doctor said about not overeating in this heat.

Darn right. We need strength for the fight ahead.

I'll take up your bags, Counselor.

What on Earth?

[line ringing]

[recording] We're sorry.

All long-distance circuits are temporarily out of order.

This is a recording. 3612--

Oh, I know.

[telephone rings]

Uh, hello?

Leslie, hi. It's, uh-- it's Stan Hearst.

Stanley.

Is there something wrong?

Oh, no, no. I was just looking at the moon,

and of all the people I know,

I thought you might want to see it.

The moon?

It sounds ridiculous, I know,

but I was passing by my window, and...

it's brighter all of a sudden.

It's almost daylight outside.

I can't think of a reason why,

and I thought that you might know.

Me?

Well, your bookstore's got

the largest astrology section in town.

I thought you could tell me.

You thought I would know?

Oh, I always thought you knew everything.

I should know, but I've been sitting here racking my brain.

I can't for the life of me think--

Stanley?

Oh, I'm sorry.

This was a mistake.

It's late. You should go back to sleep.

Forgive me if I disturbed you.

Good night.

Night.

[knocking at door]

[man] Stan? Stanley?

Have you seen it?

Yes, yes. Come in. I was just making tea.

You're the physics man.

Tell me if you're thinking what I'm thinking.

What are you thinking, Henry?

If the moon is this much brighter than normal,

something must've happened to the sun.

I'm afraid I was thinking the same thing.

Apparently, a few minutes ago, on the other side of the world,

the noonday sun went nova.

Then, this is...

The end of the world.

[Control Voice] There is nothing wrong with your television.

Do not attempt to adjust the picture.

We are now controlling the transmission.

We control the horizontal and the vertical.

We can deluge you with a thousand channels

or expand one single image to crystal clarity

and beyond.

We can shape your vision

to anything our imagination can conceive.

For the next hour,

we will control all that you see and hear.

You are about to experience the awe and mystery

which reaches from the deepest inner mind

to The Outer Limits.

[Control Voice] Moonlight can drive men to madness.

and lovers to swoon,

but this night, for one last and glorious moment,

it shines bright as a grim harbinger of dawn.

Well, that settles it.

Johnston was sure that it was something atmospheric.

The fool went back to bed.

I can't say I blame him,

but now, I just can't think of anything else

that would cause the moon to glow as brightly as that.

There, even the shaded portion of the crescent

is visible now.

Earthshine.

Meaning the other side of Earth is...

1 or 2,000 degrees probably by now.

How can you be calm about this?

Self-medication. Join me.

Oh, no.

Have we hours or minutes?

Well, I don't think the blast wave

can travel faster than the speed of sound, so...

five hours, give or take.

In Boston and New York, they'll be wondering

what that red glow could be on the horizon this long before dawn.

There must be something we can do, somebody we can telephone.

The sun's exploded, Henry.

Who do you suggest we call, the Fire Department?

There must be someone we can call to confirm it.

I've tried that.

Long-distance lines, TV and radio signals,

they're all knocked out.

[sighs]

And since most of the night side is asleep...

We should wake them, everyone.

What they don't know can't hurt them.

Until morning.

That's morbid.

To wake children asleep in their beds

and tell them they're about to be burned alive is morbid

Well, at least they could have somebody they love to hold onto.

Stan...

I wish I didn't know.

I-- I don't know what to do.

Go home, Henry...

and pray.

Yes. Yes, that's what I'll do.

I'll pray.

Goodbye, Stan.

Goodbye.

[telephone rings]

Hello.

Hi. It's me.

I didn't wake you now, did I?

Leslie, I was thinking of you just this second,

hoping the phone lines were still working.

Why wouldn't they be?

Uh...have you seen the moon?

Yes. Isn't it amazing?

Yes. Yes, it is.

I wanted to thank you for...

for waking me.

I shouldn't have called so late.

No, are you kidding? I'd have died if I missed this.

Well,

thanks again. Bye.

Uh, Leslie,

there may never be another moon like this.

I know. Isn't it beautiful?

I just love the way it's reflecting on the snow.

So...why should we miss it?

-What do you mean? -I mean,

maybe-- maybe tonight isn't for sleeping.

Maybe it's a night for...

for walks in the moonlight.

I-- I could come over to your apartment.

We could walk down--

Stanley, it's after midnight.

You wouldn't know that from looking outside your window.

Do you really want to miss out

on a once in-a-lifetime--

You've been in the bookstore a thousand times.

Now, suddenly tonight, you're all...

What's happening here?

Tonight...

we have this wonderful moon to share, and...

I just want to share it with you.

I promise to be a perfect gentleman.

I don't doubt that for a moment.

Please.

You really want to do this?

Yes. Yes, this moment. More than anything.

You know, you're acting positively moonstruck.

I am.

I guess I'd better get dressed.

[dog barking]

Hi. How ya doin'?

Come on, Lucky, old boy. Let's go.

[knocking at door]

-Leslie, hi. -Hi.

This is just a little something...

from, uh, from my windowsill.

[chuckling] It's beautiful.

Thank you. Come in. Come in.

So, um,

how cold is it outside?

Whoo. Where did that come from?

I've wanted to do that for a long time.

It's the moon. It's made me come to my senses.

Something's wrong, isn't there?

You're frightened of something.

I don't want to frighten you away, kissing you like that was nice.

No, no, no. That was...

That was nice.

So, um, you have a destination in mind for our walk?

That is why you came over tonight, isn't it?

Where do you usually go in the middle of the night?

-I don't. [chuckles] -All right.

But if you did, where would you like to go more than--

more than anywhere else in the world?

Ooh.

I would like a hot fudge sundae.

Then you shall have it.

[Leslie] You know, I'm glad we're doing this.

[Stan] Good. Good. So am I.

It's so bright out.

[jukebox playing country music]

Hi. Two hot fudge sundaes, please.

Okay.

So, is this a favorite place of yours?

Oh, not really. I don't get out very much.

The bookstore keeps me pretty busy.

How about you? You a pool shark?

No. Actually, this is the first time I've been out after midnight.

[chuckles]

-Here's some water. -Let me ask you...

all those times you came into my bookstore...

Just so I could see you.

And you bought all those books...

Instead of asking you out.

You've been coming in ever since the day we opened.

-Two years. -Wow.

-That's a lot of books -That's a lot of books.

Yeah.

It's a lot of wasted time,

waiting for the right moment.

Which, apparently, was midnight on a Wednesday.

Better late than never.

All those times I came into your store,

all those times we, uh, we talked,

did you ever feel, oh...

at least some small...

Stan...

I'm here, aren't I?

Yes, you are.

If it takes a brilliant moon to open my eyes,

then here's to the moon.

-Your sundaes. -Thank you.

Thank you. Oh, boy, look at this.

This is, um, sinful.

-Mmm! -Mmm! Mmm-mmm-mmm!

This is a special occasion.

You know, they say that, for a woman,

chocolate triggers the same hormones as the feeling of love.

The end of the world! Make your peace!

The end has come!

Repent!

-He's great. -The moon is a sign.

Confess your sins. There's no time left!

-Just ignore him. -Make your peace! Make your peace!

Come on. Let's go.

-Make your peace! -Come on, come on.

Come on, let's go. Let's get out.

Make your peace!

The Day of Judgement is upon us!

No!

No.

Come on.

Must be the moon.

The way he was acting?

You didn't have to protect me.

I can take care of myself.

I know you can.

How about a nightcap?

Uh, gosh, I don't know, Stan.

It's getting kind of late. I'm cold, actually.

Something to warm you up then? Irish coffee.

All right.

-[bartender] Evening, folks. -[Stan] Hi.

-Thank you. -Just so you know, folks,

drinks tonight are on the gentleman at the end of the bar?

Let's go somewhere else.

Why? He just said drinks were on the house.

Irish coffee!

You know, I was thinking,

looking at the moon just now,

maybe it's a sign of something wonderful.

I mean, the millennium is so close.

Leslie...

You don't think so. You disagree.

You people wanna know the real reason I'm buying tonight?

No. Thank you.

Nobody knows. I must be the only one in town who knows.

I'm afraid we're not interested.

Well, you should be.

Please.

Some of us would rather not know.

Okay. I can respect that.

What is he talking about?

It doesn't matter.

I have something that I want to ask you.

Marry me.

Tonight.

Well?

You weren't being serious, were you?

Completely.

I don't know what to say.

Say yes.

You honestly want to marry me?

Stan, this is our first date.

But you've known me for years.

Leslie, you know me.

Pretend I haven't wasted all this time.

Pretend that you've expected me to ask.

You can change your mind in the morning,

if that's what you really feel, but...

for now, for me...

for the sake of this moment, please.

For tonight?

Yes.

Let's stay up all night and celebrate.

What did you have in mind?

I don't know. What could we do at 1:00 in the morning?

I wanna go window-shopping.

It's over here, that's just what--

There, that one on the top there. That one.

Actually, I picked it out years ago.

On a professor's salary?

Oh, come on. You said we could pretend here. We're pretending.

No. What about this?

Hold on.

-What? No, Stan! -Stand back. Stand back.

No! Come on, the police will come!

We'll be long gone by then.

[alarm rings]

[gasps]

You are...

Run!

[siren blaring]

Oh, God! Are you crazy?

Are you out of your mind?

I don't know. I just did it.

We're gonna be arrested for this.

No, we won't.

[wind gusting]

What's going on?

With you? With the moon?

-Something's going on. -I don't know.

Yes, you do. You're just not telling me.

Something's wrong, isn't there?

Something's gonna happen.

Something's already happening.

Tell me!

The Sun,

it's gone nova.

Oh, God!

I knew, I knew!

I just had a feeling. I knew.

-Listen. -You knew when you called, didn't you?

No, not right away.

I kept thinking to myself,

"Nothing bad is gonna happen because you're being so wonderful."

How could I tell you?

Oh, my God! I can't believe what you've done.

When were you gonna tell me? Were you gonna tell me?

I wanted to protect you from knowing.

-I wanted to make these last hours-- -How dare you!

We're gonna die!

How dare you choose how I spend

the last minutes of my life!

How do you even know I wanted to spend them with you?

I didn't.

You used me.

That's not true.

Oh, please. Just tell her anything.

Tell her anything. What difference does it make?

It does.

Ask her to marry you.

You're never going to have to go through with it.

Maybe you can even get her into bed before the end comes.

No, no.

What is it you want?

I wanted you to know how I felt while there was still time.

Oh, stop.

I wish you'd never called me.

I would be asleep right now.

And you would never, ever know that I love you.

To me, the end of the world

pales in comparison to that tragedy.

A few minutes ago, I thought I was falling in love.

Leslie, I want you to be my wife.

To laugh with me in joy,

to cry with me in sorrow.

Till death do us part.

Stan.

I just wish you'd told me.

I should have.

It would've changed everything.

I'm sorry.

I'd have stolen a ring for you.

[wind gusting stronger]

[thunder rumbling]

[Leslie] There's a storm coming.

[Stan] Nova weather. Strange.

Stan, when the end does come, how's it gonna happen?

Tell me the truth.

-The truth? -Yes, the truth.

All right.

The blast wave's travelling toward us

at the speed of sound from the far side.

At first, I imagined a wall of fire.

Then I realized the oceans on the far side

must've boiled off instantly.

So, first there will be a thunderclap.

[thunderclap]

It will be deafening, literally.

Then we'll be struck by a hurricane of live steam.

-We'll be picked up-- -Steam?

It'll all be over in seconds.

Oh, my God. Oh, God!

-I should've lied. -No. It's just-- it's not fair!

-I know. -This is not fair!

We just found each other.

Don't do this to yourself.

Could we go west? We could just follow the sunset.

We can't.

Hawaii! That would buy us more time, wouldn't it?

No. We'd only die sooner.

The shock wave's coming from all directions.

There's got to be some way!

There isn't, Leslie! This is the last place untouched.

The whole rest of the world is gone.

We're the lucky ones. We have this time!

However brief...

we have this time together.

How much time do we have left?

Couple of hours.

It's too bad the clouds rolled in.

With the atmosphere streaking above us,

we should be witnessing the greatest light show on Earth about now.

I have an idea.

We shopped for the ring, we've had the wedding.

Maybe it's time for a banquet.

Look, let's get some apples, oranges, a pineapple.

-What do you like? -Strawberries.

All right, strawberries lots of strawberries.

I'll be right back with champagne and crackers.

All right, I've got crackers, two bottles of champagne,

brandy, pate.

That's more than enough.

I even bought a pack of cigarettes,

for all the harm they can do me now.

Here you go. Thank you very much.

Look, keep the change.

All right.

We've got ourselves a banquet.

[bell tolling]

[thunder rumbling]

I can't believe what you just did. You just gave that man all your money.

Why not? Maybe he'll close up shop early, go home to his wife.

Boy, you are a romantic at heart, aren't you?

I never would've guessed that until tonight.

I never was until tonight.

I wish I'd known sooner that this was going to happen.

What would you have done differently?

Taken last week off.

We could've spent that entire week together.

I'd have told a few people what I really thought of them.

-Wait a minute. -What? What? What?

You just made me realize something.

What?

Why didn't we know sooner?

There must've been warning signs.

I don't know. Maybe somebody did know.

No, no. Doesn't make sense.

I don't want to talk about this anymore.

Please? I just want to go home, eat our food,

and wait this out in each other's arms. Please?

[tires screeching]

[horn honks]

-You all right? -Yeah. I gotta get home.

-I'm late. -Hey, take it easy.

Give my wife the good news.

[Leslie] The good news?

I got a big promotion today.

You're looking at the new head of R&D Pharmedidyme.

Hundred grand a year.

Guess when I start?

In the damn morning.

There isn't going to be a morning!

I actually feel more sorry for his wife.

Shall we, Mrs. Hearst?

Mrs. Huh?

[thunder rumbling]

The moon must've already set.

What's that?

God, it can't be.

It's too soon!

Stanley!

-Hold me! -No! No!

-Hold me! -Hold on!

I got you! I got you!

Hold me!

Leslie, I love you!

[Leslie] Hold me! No! [screams]

Oh! Help me! Help me!

Leslie, grab my hand! Give me your hand!

Hold on to me!

[whimpers]

[Stanley] There. I got you.

[Leslie] Get inside.

Hold on!

Oh! We're still alive! Why are we still alive?

I don't know.

It doesn't make sense.

[both groaning]

Ooh!

[panting]

Look, you go warm up by the fire.

-I'll be right back. -Where are you going?

-Down to get the groceries. -No, no! Leave them!

We may need them!

Don't leave me! Please, don't go!

-I'll be right back. I promise. -No! Don't go!

[dog whimpering]

Come on, boy. We can't help him anymore.

Come with me.

Leslie?

[doorknob rattles]

[knocking at door]

Leslie?

[doorknob rattles]

[knocking at door]

-Leslie, open the door! -No!

You left me.

-I'm sorry, but I had-- -You didn't have to do anything.

You left me alone.

You can eat your cheese and crackers

in the hall for all I care.

Look, we need the food, Leslie.

We could be stuck here for days.

That's not funny.

I was wrong.

Whatever it was that hit us just now

can't have been caused by a supernova, or we'd be dead.

It had to be something else.

[dog barking]

Couldn't leave him out there.

You said we were gonna die.

We may still.

But not from a nova.

From what, then?

A solar flare.

Massive.

What does that mean?

It would come without warning.

It could be bright enough to make the moon glow.

It would affect weather all over the dark side.

-It makes sense. -Are you sure?

No.

I won't lie to you.

[whimpers]

That's Mr. Walter's dog?

We should take stock of what you have and ration it.

There are gonna be floods.

Floods?

This is one of the tallest buildings in town.

We may be high enough.

-Stan? -We should cook everything in the refrigerator

before the power goes out.

Are you saying we're going to survive?

No. I'm saying there's a chance the solar flare,

if that's what it was, will have ended by dawn.

What if it hasn't?

Then we die.

But if the sun's returned to normal, we survive another day.

Leslie, this is more than a storm. We have to prepare.

I don't want to-- I don't want to do anything.

Here, come on. You're soaked. Here. Come on.

Let me help you with this.

We have to try, don't we?

As long as we're alive.

I feel so strange.

Why?

I'd just got used to the idea that we were gonna die.

Standing in front of the market,

I thought, "This is like a dream."

And I didn't even have to imagine past tomorrow.

We're just like two characters in a novel.

We will live out the final pages, and then it will just end.

I don't want it to end.

[thunder rumbling]

-Here. -[sobs]

Gonna get you warm.

[sobs]

[thunder rumbling]

Voila.

Here. Here.

To another day.

It's all right.

You can say it.

To another day.

Look, I just realized.

The university has emergency stores in the basement.

If Henry can get over here before it's flooded out...

It's ringing.

[telephone ringing]

[sighs] He's not answering.

All right, look, let's get to work.

Let's get the oven on and cook everything we have.

I just have some eggs, I think.

All right. Good. Hard-boil them.

Roast everything else that's perishable.

Does anyone live on the floor below?

All right. We'll make do with what we have.

[thunderclap]

God.

It's getting worse.

These windows won't hold. We have to do something.

[thunderclap]

Winds could easily get up to a few hundred miles per hour.

[thunderclap]

-Oh! -You all right?

[banging at door]

What's that?

[Leslie screaming]

[electricity crackling]

Stanley!

Stanley!

Oh, my God.

Oh! Oh! Please! Please!

Oh, God, oh, God, oh, God!

Stanley!

Oh, God! Oh, God!

Oh, no! No! No! No!

No. No!

Uh! Stanley!

Stanley! Don't-- I've got you!

[thunderclap]

[whimpers]

Stanley. Stanley.

Stanley. Stanley. Stanley.

Stanley, you fainted.

Now, look, um...

This is, uh...

this-- this is gonna hurt.

-All right. I'm ready. -All right?

[grunting]

-All right. Sorry. -Oh, God! God!

I'm sorry. I'm sorry. It's just that I can't stop the bleeding.

It's too deep, and I don't have any antiseptic.

All right. Hold still, now. Hold still.

I've never done this.

How deep is it?

-Well, it's not as bad as it looks, but-- -[grunting]

-But it is-- -Yeah?

Well, this is, uh... this is my lucky day.

Oh!

[grunting]

All right, just a little more.

[grunting]

[groaning]

Are you about finished?

I don't think I can take much more.

All right. That ought to hold it closed for now.

All right, we'll put a fresh bandage on it in the morning.

Thank you, Doctor.

-Drink. -[groaning]

Oh, stupid of me

to stand so near the damn window!

Oh...

[thunderclap]

Stanley...

If we live through this,

I want to know what's gonna happen.

I don't know, Leslie. I'm just all out of answers.

That's not what I'm asking.

It's just...

till death do us part was...

a much easier promise to make a few hours ago

than it might be tomorrow or

the next day.

Leslie.

Last night you said--

No. No, I... I know what I said.

I'll say it over and over again.

I love you.

I will go on loving you

for as many hours...

as many days, as many months

as we are granted.

If there's a tomorrow...

we'll face it together.

[wind roars]

[crashing]

[glass breaking]

Oh, God! Oh, God!

[glass breaks]

-Hang, on, Leslie! -Don't let me go.

Whatever happens, I love you.

-I love you. -[thunderclap]

[birds chirping]

[whimpers]

Mmm. Mmm.

[groaning]

Stan?

Over here by the window.

What do you see?

[waves splashing faintly]

Another day.

[Control Voice] Perhaps how we face death

is not as important as how we face life,

to live each day with hope, with courage,

and with love, as if it were our last.