Original subtitles

Lois Lane, sent to get the story of a mine disaster,

is trapped by a cave-in.

Clark Kent, who is trying to win a job

as reporter on the Daily Planet,

goes to her aid as Superman, and...

She went in there, and everything caved in.

Is this the place that leads to where the men are trapped?

Well, there's a shaft that'll leads down to that level.

But that's what the young lady was headed for.

And now you gotta dig through piles of dirt and rock.

Well, you must be mistaken.

That stuff looks as though it's been there for years.

Oh, so you think I'm crazy too, huh?

Well, I'll find someone to help.

I- I-I'll find someone.

This looks like a job for Superman.

You take care of him.

I'll go back and help the others.

I hear you covered a great story.

Only somebody else brought it in.

Well, hello.

May I congratulate you two.

Skip the sarcasm, chief.

You missed a page-one story.

We had the story. We'd have phoned it in,

if we hadn't been stabbed in the back.

You've got the wrong slant, Lois.

Kent gave the Planet the scoop we badly needed.

Oh, yeah?

Well, he's still a rat for my money.

While I'm up there risking my neck, he...

Who's your silent partner?

I'm the rat.

Lois Lane, Clark Kent.

Nice bit of reporting you did.

Little underhanded, of course, but still nice.

Well, I'm sorry,

but my getting a job depended on it.

Oh, by the way, what about that job?

You've been on the payroll for hours.

Now, perhaps we could have some teamwork around here.

We will.

Fix him up with a desk.

And here's the latest about the most glamorous figure

that's ever flashed across the news horizon.

Yes, you guessed it, Superman.

A confidential source

has passed on the rumor

that he's been summoned to Washington

for a super-secret assignment.

It's only a rumor, remember.

Now for other important news of the day...

The Spider Lady.

Did you hear that broadcast?

Yes.

The government's calling in Superman,

there can be only one reason.

They've perfected the ray machine

and want him to guard it.

It'll make tougher for us to get ahold of it.

Not even Superman will keep me from getting that machine.

I must have it, and I will have it.

How about the test on the machine

that was reported to us?

Get me Crandall in New Mexico.

Crandall.

Standby, the Spider Lady wants to talk to you.

Do you know whether they are testing

the Relativity Reducer Ray soon?

If they're not, they've wasted a lot of time

and money building a target.

I don't want that test held

until I get a scientist out there to observe it.

Well, how do you figure on stopping it?

You have apparatus to create negative rays.

I'll expect you to the delay it until it suits my convenience.

That's a big order.

You will obey it!

We're all friends here, take off my mask.

I think that Superman has taken on a job

even he won't be able to accomplish.

Word reached me that you wanted to see me, Mr. Secretary,

and I came at once.

Superman, your remarkable achievements have convinced us

that you are just the person for a most difficult assignment.

Gentlemen, Superman.

You've heard of Dr. Graham,

our distinguished nuclear scientist.

Superman, I'm very happy to know you.

How do you do?

The world knows that Dr. Graham is working on

the mysterious Reducer Ray.

We hope it does not know he has now perfected it.

I see.

Will you step over here, Superman?

Reducer rays are constantly bombarding the earth

in large qualities, without any serious effect.

But when concentrated in this machine,

it becomes the most deadly weapon the world has ever seen.

How does it work? That is, if you're free to say.

Why, I think it's safe to tell you.

Dr. Graham, will you explain, please?

Certainly.

Once the exact location of the target is known,

it's latitude and longitude are fit into the apparatus

by means of a perforated tape, which is concealed inside.

The machine, from then on, makes its own calculations.

And so, by merely pressing a button,

the operator can destroy the target

even though it's thousands of miles away.

Now you're beginning to understand

the terrific force we're dealing with.

A force more powerful even than the atomic bomb.

Have all arrangements for the test been completed, doctor?

Yes, Mr. Secretary.

A concrete block house has been built in the Western dessert,

miles from any habitation.

I'd like you to see that test, Superman.

The location is... here.

Hm.

That's about 2000 miles away.

I can be there in 30 seconds.

It'll take me about that much time

to make the necessary adjustments.

In that case, I'd better be leaving.

Oh, that's the window.

The door is over here.

Yes, I know.

Up, up and away!

I'd like to test the negative rays this gun gives out

before I turn them against the Reducer Ray.

Here comes a train, why don't you try and stop it?

That's a good idea.

I'll experiment on that.

It worked perfectly.

I'll bet that engineer will never figure out

what stopped his train.

Now we're ready for the Reducer Ray.

The beam isn't carrying.

Something's blocking it.

Are you ready, doctor?

All ready.

Crandall calling Spider Lady.

We... We...

Now that you've seen the destructive force

of the Reducer Ray,

I'll tell you why we asked you to come here.

We want you to guard it.

You can understand the danger

which would threaten the world if it fell into the wrong hands.

I appreciate your confidence in me.

All I can say is I accept the trust

and its responsibilities.

Thank you, sir.

Our New Mexico men were wiped out.

The Reducer Ray is the greatest force

the world has ever known.

I intend to capture it.

How about Superman?

If he interferes,

I'll find a way to destroy him.

Meteor headed toward Earth? What about it?

May hit near Metropolis?

Thanks, Professor Leeds. That's a story.

Press room.

Yes, sir.

Hold page one for possible re-plate.

City desk...

Professor, this a full report

on the asteroid that's heading to the Earth.

We completed it a few minutes ago.

What does it all add up to, Morgan?

The asteroid is steadily disintegrating.

By the time it reaches the Earth,

it'll be probably be no larger than an ordinary meteor.

Ordinary? I doubt that.

Its behavior's been very strange.

What is its present location?

Approximately 30,000 miles away.

As near as we can calculate,

it should strike our atmosphere in about 10 hours.

Oh.

That would be about 8 tonight.

You better inform the press, but avoid anything sensational.

We don't want any panic.

All right, sir.

Uh...

What is it, Morgan?

Well, I, uh... I was wondering

if you'd heard anything about my raise.

Yes, I have.

I meant to tell you...

the board turned down your request for a raise.

I can't get along on what they pay me!

I need money! I...

I know. I'm sorry.

I'll bring it up again at the very first opportunity.

Well, it's 8:00, and no meteor in sight.

Those observatory wizards must have miscalculated it.

According to my watch it's only 7:59 and a half.

Hey, I think I see it.

Where?

That's the biggest meteor I've ever seen.

Wonder where it landed?

There may not be anything left.

It seems to have disappeared before it reached the horizon.

Well, we'll soon know.

I have a network of spotters waiting to report.

Meteors are so strange and mysterious.

They come from somewhere out of the universe.

Nobody knows where.

Yes.

Okay.

Yes, I have it.

A small meteorite landed on the farm of Adam Jones,

seven miles north of town on State Highway 3.

Yes, sir.

Jimmy stay here.

We'll let Lois and Kent cover this.

They might as well start learning how to work together.

Aw, heck.

I have a hunch we'll do all right.

Don't you think so, Lois?

Oh, yes.

In fact, yes, indeed.

What was that?

It must be a blowout.

That's funny.

It steers all right.

Just the same.

You better go out and see.

All right.

I think it's the right rear.

Hey!

Professor Leeds.

Did you find the meteor?

Yes, it's probably at the observatory by now.

Morgan, my assistant, started back with it

a half hour ago.

You know, this meteorite has some very peculiar qualities.

Come along and have a look at it if you like.

Well, thanks, I will.

Isn't your assistant here?

He probably stepped out to get something to eat.

He missed his supper because of the meteor hunt.

Well, here it is.

I told Morgan to put it in a lead box

till we had a chance to test it for radioactivity.

You know, Kent, from its characteristics,

this meteorite may be a fragment

of the planet Krypton

which exploded many years ago.

Huh.

Oh...

Morgan has already made a test.

The meteorite contains nothing dangerous to us.

Is there anything wrong, Mr. Kent?

I don't know.

I don't think so, please go on.

I'll turn off the lights.

Now, you'll see what I mean

when I say this meteorite is different.

The fragment glows with its own inner light.

We don't know why.

The exploded parts of Krypton circled the sun for years

in the form of asteroids.

This one eventually came within the Earth's gravitational pull.

Operator.

Get me the car.

Clark Kent just died in my office.

Is it possible that Clark Kent, mighty Superman,

can really be dead?

What terrible power does this strange metal

wield over the Man of Steel?

Be sure to see "Man of Steel,"

the fourth action chapter of Superman

at this theater next week.