Original subtitles

Faster than a speeding bullet.

More powerful than a locomotive.

Able to leap tall buildings at a single bound.

- Look. Up in the sky. -lt's a bird.

- It's a plane. -lt's Superman.

Yes, it's Superman, strange visitor from another planet...

...who came to Earth with powers and abilities...

...far beyond those of mortal men.

Superman, who can change the course of mighty rivers...

...bend steel in his bare hands...

...and who. disguised as Clark Kent...

---mild-mannered reporter for a great metropolitan newspaper.

...fights a never-ending battle for truth, justice and the American way.

And now, another exciting episode in the Adventures oi Superman.

Come with us now on a far journey.

A journey that takes us millions of miles from the Earth...

...where many years ago. the planet Krypton...

...burned like a green star in the endless heavens.

Here, civilization was far advanced.

It had brought forth a race of supermen.

Men and women like ourselves...

...but advanced to the absolute peak of human perfection.

As we near Krypton, we see, high above the city...

...the magnificent Temple of Wisdom, with its marble columns and burning torches.

Jor-El. Krypton's leading man of science...

...has been summoned to address a special meeting of the governing council.

White-bearded Rozan, supreme leader of the council...

...calls the meeting to order.

Members of the governing council...

...you have been summoned here on urgent business.

As you are well aware. Krypton has been experiencing some strange phenomena.

Only last week. on the full moon. a great tidal wave threatened to engulf this city.

There have been mysterious quakes and eruptions...

...some of which have caused extensive damage.

This is a matter of no little concern. And I. therefore. as president of the council...

...requested Jor-El. our brilliant young scientist. to investigate these phenomena.

He is here with us now. ready to deliver his report.

Gentlemen. Jor-El speaks.

Mr. President.

Council members. I have completed my solar calculations.

And much as I dread uttering these fateful words...

...l have come to the conclusion that Krypton is about to be destroyed.

The sun is gradually drawing Krypton closer to it.

Within a month, possibly only a week. perhaps even a matter of days or hours...

...the gravitational pull will be so strong Krypton won't be able to weather the strain.

When that time comes...

...when we are drawn into the burning orbit of the sun...

...our planet will explode like a giant bubble.

It will burst into 100 million fragments and every living thing on it will be destroyed.

The man is mad! He talks like one demented.

This is an insult to our intelligence.

Gentlemen. Gentlemen. please. We must have order.

Sir. with your permission...

As you know. I've been working these many months on a model of a spaceship...

...which is designed to carry the population of Krypton to another planet.

The model is completed and will be tested before sundown.

If. as I anticipate. the test is successful...

...l will require the services of 5000 skilled workers...

...and unlimited material to construct a fleet of spaceships before the end comes.

What does he take us for. fools?

Yes. tell us. Mr. Scientist. where do we go in these fantastic spaceships of yours?

To the Earth. Gogan. To the planet Earth. Gogan.

My studies tell me Earth has an atmosphere almost identical with our own.

- You study too much. my friend. - Gogan is right, Jor-El.

You have been working too hard.

Wait.

Do you hear that. Rozan? Gentlemen?

I hear only thunder.

It's not thunder. It is an internal eruption. Gas exploding in subterranean pockets.

I warn you. the time will come.

And that time is near at hand when you'll wish you'd heeded the words of Jor-El.

When Krypton is shattered into 100 million stars.

When the glorious civilization we have built is no more.

When you and your families are swept from the face of this planet like dust.

- Oh. Lara. I didn't hear you come in. - You were too intent on your work.

- What did the council say. Jor-El? - They laughed at me.

Marked me for a fool.

No matter. Let them laugh.

The model's ready to be launched.

It’ll send it on its way and watch its flight on the scanning screen.

If it arrives safely. I'll immediately build one large enough to transport all of us to Earth.

My one prayer is I haven't waited too long.

- What do you mean. Jor-El? - The clouds are dark.

All day there's been a strange glow in the western sky.

- Different from anything we've seen before. -It seems to be oppressively hot.

Is that because we're being drawn closer to the sun?

Yes. The sun that will finally destroy us.

- Where is Kal-El? - Asleep now. But he's been restless all day.

- Jor-El? What was that? - An internal explosion. A bad one.

- Jor-El! - Easy. Lara. easy.

Jor-El!

- Jor-El. - Lara. listen to me. This is the end.

- Krypton is breaking apart. - What can we do?

- Nothing. I was a fool to wait this long. -It wasn't your fault.

I should have built a larger ship months ago. We have only a model.

Lara. the model can carry only one of us. You. Lara.

No. If only one of us can be saved. It should be the child.

All right. Get him. Wrap him in a blanket and bring him here.

- Here he is. Jor-El. - You have him well wrapped?

Yes. Oh. he's so good. Not even a whimper.

The model might carry both of you. Lara.

- No. I’m not going. - You must.

- My place is here with you. - Lara. please. There isn't time.

- The takeoff pressure's building up-- -l'd be lost in a new world without you.

If anyone is to survive. let it be our son.

It's gone. Lara.

Our son is on his way to Earth.

Must be getting a head cold. Got a funny ringing in my ears.

- Ain't only your ears. I hear it too. - You do?

Eben. it's getting louder.

- What is it? - I don't know.

Sarah. look.

Merciful heavens.

- What is it? - Looks like one of them...

...new-fangled rockets.

- There's a baby in it. - Land sakes alive.

Eben. you can't do nothing. You'll get burned.

Gotta do something.

Here.

- Burned much? - Not burned at all.

Blanket ain't even scorched.

Sarah. look.

- It's gone. - Like it was never there.

But the baby. Eben. We can't be dreaming. The baby's real.

Real as rain. And just as pretty.

What do you reckon we ought to do with it?

Suppose we ought to turn it over to the authorities.

Well. I suppose so. But who's gonna believe all this. Sarah?

We got nothing to show but the baby and a wild story.

They'll say we're crazy.

Let's keep the baby. We always wanted children of our own.

Eben? Eben. you think maybe we could keep it and bring it up like our own?

- Well. now. I don't know. - We could bring it up good. Eben.

- Well. reckon we could... - Then we can keep it?

We'll try. Sarah. We'll sure try.

And so the infant child, sole survivor of a lost civilization...

...last of a race of superman...

...found a home on Earth with the kindly farm couple, Sarah and Eben Kent.

They named him Clark and raised him as their son.

And with each passing year, it became more and more evident...

...that he was endowed with strange powers and abilities...

...far beyond those of ordinary human beings.

Then, one day, when the boy was 12...

That you. Clark?

Clark?

Hi. Mom.

What's the matter, son?

Don't you feel well?

Clark. what is it?

Ma. why am I different from all the other boys?

Merciful heavens. Is that what's bothering you?

You had me scared. Thought you was coming down with measles or something.

But Mom. why am I different?

Why can I do things that nobody else can do?

Why can I run faster. jump higher?

Why am I stronger than anybody?

You've known all them things for a long time. Clark.

Why. land sakes alive, when you was a tiny little shaver. no bigger than this...

...why. you was strong as a grown man almost.

It's not just being strong. Mom. It's other things.

What things. son?

- Well. today in school. for instance... - Yes?

We were playing baseball and the ball got lost.

Nobody could find it.

But all I had to do was look around and there it was behind a rock.

Well. you got good eyes. that's all.

No. Mom. It's more than just good eyes.

I didn't see the ball behind the rock...

...l saw it right through the rock.

Like my eyes were an x-ray machine.

Like the rock wasn't even there.

Son. your pa and me have been meaning to have a talk with you.

But somehow we just never got around to it.

Looks like now the time's come.

It’ll tell you why likely you're different from other boys.

Why you gotta be extra careful.

About 12 years ago. son. your pa and me were driving along down by Jones' farm.

And all of a sudden. we seen something up in the sky...

Searching back in vivid memory...

...Sarah Kent tells young Clark the amazing story of how he came to Earth.

of how a rocket streamed across the sky, almost deafening them.

Of how his father snatched him from the flames.

Of how. miraculously. neither he nor the curious blanket in which he was wrapped...

...was scorched or burned.

And the boy listened and he understood.

And so the years went by...

...spring melting into summer, summer into fall...

...fall into winter.

The boy Clark grew into tall young manhood...

...while Eben and Sarah Kent grew older and grayer.

- Ain't you through house-cleaning yet? - Don't you trek any barn dirt in here.

Look at them shoes. And look at them tracks.

The same shoes I had on yesterday and the day before and the day before that.

Well. today ain't yesterday or the day before or the day before that.

Well. what in tarnation is today?

Oh. before noon you was cooking and baking and fussing around--

- You got no idea what this day is? - Well. let me think.

Don't strain your brain. Pa.

It's just 25 years ago this very day you pulled the baby...

...out of that burning rocket. Or whatever it was.

April 10th.

Land of Goshen. It plumb slipped my mind.

Didn't nothing occur to you when I asked Clark to ride into town...

...and fetch me something I didn't need?

- I wondered-- - Had to get him out of the way...

...while I iced the cake and tidied up the parlor a bit.

A few of the neighbors are coming in to help us celebrate.

You better get your chores done. And change them smelly old clothes...

-...before he gets back. - Chores is done.

All I gotta do now is put the tractor away.

Twenty-five years.

Doggone. it don't hardly seem that long.

No. sir. It sure don't.

- Eben, what's the matter? - Help.

Couch.

Ring the doctor. Sarah.

Is he...?

Is he all right, doctor?

I'm sorry. Sarah.

He was a good man. son.

He was a good husband.

And a good father.

Bus will be along any minute now. Clark.

I still hate to leave you, Mother.

I'm gonna be just fine with Cousin Edith coming on to live with me and all.

Besides. you got a great responsibility to the world, Clark.

You gotta accept it.

Make use of your great powers.

You sure you packed that costume I made for you?

- It's in the suitcase. - Nothing will ever hurt it, Clark.

Not acid nor fire nor nothing else.

It's made out of the red and blue blanket you was wrapped in the day Pa and me--

I know. Ma.

Here comes the bus.

Goodbye. Mom.

Bye. son.

And so Clark Kent, strange visitor from another planet...

...takes the first step toward dedicating his amazing powers...

...to the cause of justice.

He has resolved to keep secret his Superman identity...

...and to adopt a pose of mild»mannered timidity as Kent...

...in order to safeguard the masquerade.

And in order to be at a place where he can learn immediately...

...of any emergency that might require his help...

---he seeks a job as a reporter on a great metropolitan newspaper.

Mr. White's on the phone. When he's through. I'll tell him you're waiting.

Thank you.

I don't care what it costs. That's how I want it and how I'll get it.

Tell that to Mr. Maguire. and if he doesn't like it, he can lump it.

White speaking.

White speaking. What? Absolutely no. Certainly not.

And that's final!

- Yes? - That young man is still waiting, Mr. White.

- What young man? - Clark Kent.

Who's he?

The young man who's applying for a reporter's job.

He's been here since 3:00. Mr. White. You told me to--

I don't care what I told you.

I'm not hiring reporters at 20 minutes of 6.

Anyway. I'd like to fire some instead of hire them.

- Send Lois Lane in here. - Yes. Mr. White.

Well. Obviously Mr. White doesn't want to see me.

I'm terribly sorry. Mr. Kent. He's not in a very good humor today.

- Perhaps if you come back tomorrow. - Oh. that's all right. miss.

I'm gonna get to him somehow. But thank you very much.

- You wanted to see me. chief? - Nothing works around here. Nothing.

- What's the trouble? - I just can't get the top off.

Here. let me try.

It’ll be a monkey's uncle.

- Who the blazes are you? - My name is Clark Kent. sir.

- I told that girl not to-- - Please. don't blame your receptionist.

She doesn't know I’m here.

She doesn't know? How did you get past her?

Well. I didn't. You see. I came in through the window.

Is that supposed to be funny?

That window's 28 stories above the ground. and the side of the building's flat.

- Except for a narrow ledge. - Mr. White!

- Who gave you permission to barge in here? - Just got a flash.

There's a dirigible over the airport with a guy hanging from a rope.

- Let's see. Jim. - I still wanna know--

Listen. “A blimp attempting to land at Metropolis Airfield in a high wind...

...pulled 11 men aloft. clinging to the ropes.

Ten dropped off safely. but one is still hanging on...

...while the blimp cruises 1000 feet above the field. More to follow.“

Get down there right away. You too. Olsen.

Tell Ludlow to assign a photographer. Two of them.

- Okay. Come on. Jim. - Right.

Hello. Pete. Hold the Seven Star for a page one replate.

- No. I don't know when. Just hold it. - Mr. White--

Look here. young man. I’m too busy to talk.

Well. if I could-- If that man could be rescued. and I got his exclusive story--

- What? - Would you give me a job?

- Don't bother me. - But would you, Mr. White?

- Yes. yes. Now leave me alone. - Thank you. sir.

Crazy.

Just crazy.

Step on it, Jim.

The speed limit's 35, Miss Lane. I don't wanna get a ticket.

You're right.

Just like I told Mr. Kent...

...there I was hanging there for what seemed like years--

- Then your hands slipped from the rope. - A thousand feet up. I knew I was a goner.

Enough pictures. Get them on metal for the next edition.

Well. then I thought I must have flipped my lid...

...because right then. this guy in a red and blue costume...

...flies through the air and catches me.

It's ridiculous!

There just can't be any man who flies through the air.

I know it, Mr. White. but it happened.

- I'm here. ain't I? And I’m alive. -It happened all right.

As we got to the airport. we saw something streak across the sky and catch this man.

We thought we were crazy too.

My brain was whizzing around in my head...

...and next thing I knew. this super guy landed me behind one of the hangars...

...like on a feather bed.

Then I made like a schoolgirl and passed out. Fainted.

- And when you came to. Kent was there. - Yes. sir.

He hustled me around the administration building and got me into a cab.

- Then we came straight here. - Pretty smart. Kent.

We've got a clean beat over every other paper in town.

Does that mean I get the job. sir?

- There's your answer. son. - Oh. thanks a million.

There are one or two things I haven't got quite straight in my mind, Mr. Kent.

For example. how did you leave here later than we did and beat us to the airport?

- Is that all? - Not quite.

How come you found the man at just the right moment to get his exclusive story...

...when every experienced reporter in the business was breaking his neck--

- Or her neck. - Or her neck to get that story?

Maybe I’m a superman. Miss Lane.

[ENGLISH]