Original subtitles

[device beeping]

Chosen from among all others

by the Immortal Elders

Solomon, Hercules, Atlas

Zeus, Achilles, Mercury

Billy Batson and his Mentor travel

the highways and byways of the land

on a never-ending mission.

To right wrongs, to develop understanding

and to seek justice for all.

In time of dire need, young Billy has been granted

the power by the Immortals to summon awesome forces

at the utterance of a single word.

Shazam!

[thunderclap]

[instrumental music]

(male narrator) A word which transforms him, in a flash

into the mightiest of mortal beings.

Captain Marvel!

[theme music]

[birds chirping]

[dog barking]

Come on. Come on, Scruffy. Come here. Come on here.

Well, we could always go fishing.

I got a better idea.

- W-well, what is it? - Go to school.

Go to school on Sunday?

What for? There's nobody there.

That's just the point.

You see, I figured it out

it's not the school that gives us problems

'it's all the people telling us what to do.'

Without them, school can be a ball.

But all the gates are locked.

I know where there's one we can squeeze through.

I say, let's go. Come on, Sam. Come on, Paul.

Hey, I-I don't know. I think we oughta..

What's the matter, Paul? You chicken?

[dramatic music]

Okay. Let's go.

[dog yapping]

(Billy) 'The Mona Lisa.'

'She wouldn't be smiling that way'

'if she was working on a puzzle.'

Ah, Billy, it's not a smile.

- It's a challenge. - Yeah.

It's more like she was hiding something.

Oh, like what?

Like she knows there's a piece of the puzzle missing.

She's waitin' for us to find out.

[chuckles]

[device beeping]

Oh, the Elders.

[beeping continues]

Oh, Elders, fleet and strong and wise

appear before my seeking eyes.

Friendship is a two-edged sword, Billy.

It carries advantages

but it also carries obligations.

I-I don't understand.

(Zeus) 'If a friend of yours saw a rainbow'

but it led him into quicksand, would you warn him?

Of course.

Then true friendship can encourage you

to go ahead, but it should also warn you when to stop.

I'm not sure if I know what you mean, Elders.

You will, Billy

before the golden sun gives way

to the silver of the moon.

[mellow music]

Did you get everything straightened out?

Nah.

It's more like I've got it all rolled up.

[sighs]

The Elders were talkin' about friendship.

Think.

[instrumental music]

No, Rex, go home. Go home, Rex. No!

Go!

Come on, Paul, let's go.

Hey. Mad scientist.

(Sam) 'Hey, Vic, here's some of that stuff'

'reserved for seniors.'

(Vic) 'What have seniors got that we don't?'

Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

Now, I'm Frankenstein.

[shatters]

- 'It was an accident.' - 'Ah, it's okay.'

Hey, I-I think we better go. I didn't expect this.

What's the matter, Paul? Ya chicken?

You said that before. I wish you'd stop it.

[imitating chicken clucking]

[laughs]

[dog whimpering]

[laughs]

[dramatic music]

[sniffles]

I smell smoke. A fire started.

Let's get outta here.

Hey, Sam. Don't take that.

Ah, they'll never miss one typewriter.

[music continues]

[whimpering]

[dog barking]

Hey, Mentor, look, there's smoke coming out of that building.

We better take a look.

[tires screeching]

[dog barking]

[music continues]

Holy moly, there's a dog inside there.

See if you can get in here, Billy.

No, I can't.

Well, then you know what you have to do.

Shazam!

[thunderclap]

[instrumental music]

- I'll notify the authorities. - Fine.

[dramatic music]

[dog barking]

[whimpering]

[dog barking]

[music continues]

[siren wailing]

[indistinct radio chatter]

- You the party who made a call? - Yes, that's right.

I appreciate it, I'm Officer Dave Isbeck.

I've already called the fire department.

I think it's already under control.

Captain Marvel!

Fire's out, sheriff. It wasn't a very big one, mostly smoke.

Somebody really messed that place up in there.

What do you mean?

Well, broken glassware

fire and smoke damage.

- It sounds like vandals. - Yes, it's too bad.

Everybody pays for this sort of thing.

Even the vandals.

Speaking of damage, I'm afraid

I had to break the chain on the gate there.

Well, under the circumstances, I think I can overlook it.

- Thanks, Captain Marvel. - Glad to help.

And thank you, sir.

[instrumental music]

Hi, my name's Paul Jerome. Can I help you?

Yes. Thanks.

My name is Mentor. This is my friend, Billy Batson.

I understand you have the finest fishing place in the states.

You bet, it is. You can park your van right here.

We supply city power, water. Five dollars a day.

Hi, Scruffy. Hi, Scruffy.

Who do we have here?

Pretty smart dog. You had him long?

- All my life. - Hey, Paul, do me a favor.

Ask your father to come out. I wanna speak to him.

Okay, but he won't give you a better price.

Come on, Rex.

[dramatic music]

- Is something wrong? - Yeah, that little dog.

Well, he seemed very gentle.

He was in the chemistry lab this morning

when I put out the fire.

Hi, gents. I'm Paul's father, John Jerome.

- Welcome to the den. - Thanks.

Well, you fellas look like you're ready to go.

Yeah, we are.

(John) 'Well, if you need anything'

'you just holler.'

Thank you. We will.

Oh, by the way, uh

did you hear about the excitement in town?

Excitement in this town? No.

(Billy) 'Yeah, well, there was a fire at the school.'

- A fire? When? - A little while ago.

In the chemistry lab. It was nothing serious.

Oh, I'm sure glad to hear that.

Did you hear anything about a fire, Paul?

No, dad. Nothing.

Yeah, well, the only reason we brought it up

there was a little dog looked just like Rex here.

'He was trapped inside the lab.'

'He really could have gotten hurt.'

It couldn't have been Rex.

Son, do you know anything about this?

No, dad, nothing, it must've been some other dog

that looked like Rex.

'Son, there's not another dog in three states'

'that looks like Rex.'

Son, you know that anybody that tells the truth

in our house has nothing to fear.

But I'm not telling a lie.

Silence can be a lie.

(Paul) Why doesn't anybody believe me?

I don't know anything about any fire.

Come on, Rex. Come on.

Never seen him like this but I, I do appreciate your telling me.

We'll work it out. I have work to do.

Excuse me.

Well, what do you think? About Paul?

I'm not sure.

I don't think he knows about the fire

but I do believe he's hiding something.

You mean, he's protecting somebody?

Yeah, possibly.

However, I imagine his father will handle it.

Meanwhile, let's do some fishing, huh?

[engine revving]

Hello, sheriff.

Came out to join your fish fry.

Got your lever yet?

Well, so far, we don't even have a damp line.

[chuckles] Just let the fish know you're here.

They'll come crawling out.

'By the way, we may have solved the case.'

What do you mean?

Oh, we hired a new custodian

last week.

Foreign fellow.

Hardly speaks English.

Seemed like a nice sort.

But we found a typewriter missing.

Figure he might have taken it, then messed up the place

to make it look like vandals.

If I may say so, sheriff, that hardly

seems enough to call a man guilty.

True enough, but we also found some books in his locker.

Books? What kind of books?

Couple of dictionaries, part of an encyclopedia.

Looks like they were taken from the library.

- And he can't explain them? - 'Don't know yet.'

I have to get a hold of an interpreter.

But I'll keep the case open until I find out.

I'll let you know what happened.

Right, sheriff.

[instrumental music]

[dog barking]

Sorry, I ran off like that.

It was a kid thing to do.

I was wondering about the fire.

Well, the sheriff just stopped by.

He thinks he has the guilty party.

Who?

The custodian at school.

Mr. Atropolis? He didn't..

He wouldn't do anything like that.

How do you know he didn't do it, Paul?

I just know, that's all. Somebody else must've done it.

(Elder) Friendship is a two-edged sword, Billy.

It carries advantages

but it also carries obligations.

Paul, if you know anything about this, you ought to speak up.

To who, the sheriff? I-I couldn't.

You know, Paul, when I was your age and something happened

and I didn't know what to do, I always talked to my father.

Uh, it seems to me, I saw your father

clearing some brush over there.

- Thanks. - Ha-ha-ha.

[instrumental music]

Hi, son.

Dad, about being at school today..

...I was there.

I see.

- Did you set the fire? - No, sir.

Then who did?

I didn't see anybody start a fire.

Son, I-I know that Vic and Sam are your-your best friends.

Now, are they involved in this?

I'm sorry. I can't tell you.

Did you talk to your father?

Did you get it all settled?

No, he think my friends did it.

Well, did they?

Listen, I-I'm not gonna fink

on my friends.

Fink?

That's a word that shouldn't even be in our language.

Well, why not?

Because it's a word somebody made up.

Somebody who didn't wanna get caught

for doing something wrong.

A real friend helps his buddies

not to do wrong but to do right.

I don't know what to do.

Look, the right thing might not always be

the easiest thing to do.

But in the long run, it's the best.

I'm gonna talk to the sheriff.

Good boy.

- Hey, Paul, wait up. - Where you going?

- To the sheriff's office. - What for?

They know I was at school.

Somebody saw Rex there.

Hey, look, we didn't mean it to go that far.

Yeah, but it did, and you took a typewriter.

Hey, I thought we were friends.

We are, that's one of the reasons

I'm goin' to the sheriff.

What are you gonna tell him?

Exactly what I know.

You mean, you're gonna fink?

Hey, how come you always call me fink or chicken

just when I don't do what you want me to?

- See ya. - Hey, Paul. Wait up!

Let's get him.

[instrumental music]

Billy, can't you put some music on?

That is music.

- Hello there, Billy. Mentor. - Hi-ya, sheriff.

Thought I'd dropped by and keep you posted.

I was wrong about the custodian.

At the time of the fire, he was at the English teacher's house.

She's been teaching him English.

She also loaned him the books we found in his locker.

I'm glad to hear that.

Hey, a jigsaw puzzle.

Oh, yeah, yeah, and a tough one too.

Oh, yeah? Y-you mind?

It's a knack.

[intense music]

Hold up, Paul! We just wanna talk to ya.

[music continues]

Hold up.

[electricity crackling]

[music continues]

Stay where you are. I'll get help.

(Jenny on radio) 'Sheriff Isbeck. Come in, please.'

- Go ahead, Jenny. - 'Paul Jerome just phoned in.'

'There's trouble at the power plant.'

'Two boys are trapped there.'

'And sheriff, they are in danger.'

I'm on my way.

[engine sputtering]

Billy.

Shazam!

[thunderclap]

[instrumental music]

[electricity crackling]

[music continues]

Holy moly.

Captain Marvel!

Boys, don't move.

Stay right where you are, okay?

[crackling continues]

You boys are lucky this time. You weren't hurt.

Electricity is very dangerous.

And you must never, never try to do what I just did.

We won't, Captain Marvel.

I think we understand a lotta things

that we didn't before.

- We sure do. - Good for you, fellas.

You'll feel a lot better when you do.

[siren wailing]

You boys wait here for the sheriff.

- Okay. - Okay.

[theme music]

Sheriff, I'm mighty grateful for your help

and I want you to know I certainly do appreciate it.

Glad I could be of help, John.

You know something, Captain Marvel said

we'd feel better when we talked about it.

I feel better already.

(Dave) 'Good you feel that way.'

Well, you boys better get in the car now.

Mentor, Billy

thanks a lot, for everything.

I hope it all works out, sheriff.

Well, I hope so, too, but right now

Judge Mandrill is waiting for us

and he'll have to make the final decision

as to what's right for everyone.

Yes, of course.

Oh, John, would you care to come along?

Thanks, Dave. I thought you'd never ask.

Well, guess we can finally go fishing.

Yeah.

[engine sputtering]

Billy..

...you do believe it is the duty of a friend

to tell another the truth, don't you?

Yeah, of course.

Well, in that case, your taste in music..

...is awful.

[music playing on radio]

[instrumental music]

Paul learned a very valuable lesson in today's story.

He learned that words like 'chicken' and 'fink'

are awful words that are used by people

who have done something wrong and have something to hide.

So, never be afraid of being called a name.

As long as you're sure what you're doing is right

there's no word, no name that can harm you.

See ya next week.

[theme music]

[theme music]