Original subtitles

(explosions booming) (upbeat music)

(soft music)

(tense music)

(tense music)

- Skipper, this is Commander Wayne.

- How do you do, sir?

- You got here sooner than we expected.

- The department said it was urgent.

- Well, Dr. LaSatier seems to think so.

- Oh, and you don't, huh?

- Well, I don't know what to think.

There's something odd going on down there. That's for sure.

Boatswain, prepare the service bell.

Now we can send you down anytime you're ready.

- I'm ready right now, sir.

- Inform the Sea Lab that the commander's here

and he'll be down right away.

- Hello, Sea Lab.

Hello, Sea Lab, this is top side. Do you receive, over?

- [Man On Radio] This is Sea Lab. Go ahead, top side.

- [Man] Inform Dr. LaSatier that Commander Wayne

has arrived.

We're sending him down right away.

- I take it you've never been aboard the Sea Lab.

- No, I haven't.

- Well, it gets a little hairy down there at times.

I spent three days aboard myself,

but I guess you'll get used to it.

- Don't suppose you've ever been aboard

a submarine cruising under an ice cap, now have you skipper?

- Well, no, I haven't.

- Gets a little hairy down there too.

- Well, I imagine so, Commander.

- The service bill is ready, Skipper.

- Good luck. - Thank you, sir.

- I'll tell you one thing, Skipper.

I'm sure as heck glad I pulled top side duty

on this project.

- Could be he'll be wishing he was back aboard

to his submarine before this is over.

(tense music)

(winch whirring)

(bell ringing)

(door whirring)

- Colonel Wayne? - Yes, sir.

- I'm Dr. James, Company medical officer.

- How do you do? - This is Dr. Rene Peron,

our marine biologist. - Pleased to meet you.

- Commander Wayne, Dr. LaSatier is waiting for you

in the control room.

And Ho Lee will take your things.

- Fine.

- Right this way, Commander.

- Well, all the comforts of a luxury liner, huh?

- We do have some comforts.

- So I see.

(slow, tense music)

- Dr. LaSatier, Commander Wayne.

- You've arrived at the opportune moment, Commander.

The object was returned. It's moving closer.

- How long has it been out there?

- Two hours.

Yesterday, it appeared for 15 minutes. Last night, one hour.

I sent the mini sub out.

They may reach it before it gets out of range.

- Do you mind? - Okay.

- A mile and a half.

Does it always move in the same direction?

- No. No pattern at all.

Five contacts we've made.

It's neither appeared nor disappeared in the same direction.

(ominous music)

- No motors, no screws.

You can rule out the submarine theory, Doc.

- I already have. At least the conventional ones.

- You know of any other kind?

- No, but I thought you might, some new development.

- I only wish we had a sub like that.

- I still say it's a whale looking for a new home.

- No, Rene.

Whatever it is, it's not a whale,

but it does appear to be looking for something.

- How can you be so certain it's not a whale?

- Same way you're so certain it's not a submarine.

Marine animals have been my life's work. Let me show you.

(animal calling)

Commander Wayne, this is Dr. Wilson.

- How do you do? - Commander Wayne.

- Dr. Wilson is our electronics expert.

One phase of our operation here is the study

of communication and sonar techniques of marine animals.

(animal calling)

That sound is the voices of a school of porpoises.

We've recorded a dozen different kinds

of sea animals, including three kinds of whales.

Their voices are all within the range

of our ultrasensitive sensitive receivers out there.

Now, look at this.

- That sound signal is in a 100,000 cycle range, Commander.

- Ultrasonics, eh?

- Far beyond the range of the human ear.

- Can't hear it, we can only see it.

- From the mysterious object?

- Far beyond the range of whales and porpoises.

Beyond the range of any marine life that I'm familiar with.

- Now it'll move away.

It seems to stop transmitting before it moves out

of sonar range.

- The object has moved away again, Dr. LaSatier.

They couldn't get close enough to get a picture.

- Maddox would be pretty disappointed if they didn't.

- Maddox?

- My head diver.

He and our photographer are out in the mini sub.

I was determined to get pictures of that thing.

(slow, tense music)

(dramatic music)

- [Maddox] Maddox to Sea Lab.

Maddox to Sea Lab. Do you read me? Over.

- This is Sea Lab, we read you.

Go ahead, Maddox.

- [Maddox] The object is moving away from us.

I think it's some kind of submarine.

Whatever it is, it's huge.

Tell Dr. LaSatier we're gonna follow it, over.

- He knows he can't do that.

He's reaching his point of no return.

Maddox, this is Sea Lab.

You know, your tanks are half empty.

Return to the Sea Lab at once.

I repeat, return to the Sea Lab at once.

You're reaching your point of no return.

Am I making myself clear?

- [Maddox] Your message is very clear, Doctor. Will comply.

- Doctor, is that Hugh Maddox you're talking to?

- Yes, it's the best engineer and diver I've ever known.

You know him, Commander?

- Yes, Doctor, I know him.

(dramatic music)

- We were just getting into range.

- Couple of minutes more, Sandy,

and we'd have been breathing the water.

We were out there longer than I thought.

- Well, we should have taken the extra tanks, like I said.

You're always in such a hurry.

- Not always, honey.

Waited 30 years for you to come along.

- Then you won't mind waiting another 307?

- (laughs) Sorry, sweetheart.

Another two weeks to wind up this operation,

then we're on our way to Miami.

- Got everything all figured out, haven't you?

- That's why LaSatier hired me.

I'm an expert at figuring.

- What did you find out?

- Pictures will tell you as much as I know.

- I only got a couple of long shots, Doctor.

Unfortunately, we weren't able to move in for a close up.

- I wanna see them as soon as they're outta the soup.

Don't bother to wait for 'em to dry.

- Yes, sir.

- What do you think, Hugh?

- Oh, some new kind of submarine.

- No, it isn't a sub. We know that.

- How do we know that?

- The Navy didn't waste any time answering my request.

They sent out their top submariner.

I think you know him, Commander Wayne.

- You're not serious.

- I don't understand.

- Welcome to the club, Doctor.

A lot of people don't understand Commander Wayne.

- 70% of the Earth's surface is covered by ocean.

And we know less about it than we do the surface

of the Moon.

Every day, our crew brings in some new form of life

or plant, like that, to be studied and classified.

Forms of life in the sea are endless.

- You're really serious about this, aren't you?

- It's a serious problem.

There's enough food in the ocean to supply

the world's population forever.

The sea is a perpetual food factory.

And the specimen is under the microscope, Commander.

- Oh.

Well, after a tour of duty aboard a submarine

for a few years, a man remembers that there

are a lot more interesting things to study than seaweed.

- Like women, for instance.

- Yes, if they look like you.

- And I suppose I'm just the woman

you've been searching for.

- You have a few of the qualifications.

- (laughs) Why don't you try the "you've got

a beautiful mind" routine

or the indirect approach, you know,

about becoming platonic friends.

- Well, somebody must have given you a pretty bad time.

- Wrong again, Commander.

I just know a lot about men.

- I bet you do.

- For your information, I've lived with five of them.

- Oh? All at once?

- Yes.

I grew up with five older brothers

and they taught me all the tricks.

I've heard it all, Commander.

- [LaSatier] Commander Wayne, the photographs are ready.

Will you join me in the lab please?

- Right away, Doctor.

Now you listen to me, beautiful.

I happened to have grown up with a couple of sisters.

Let me tell you something,

a brother doesn't always tell his sister everything.

So you might have a few surprise in store for you, Doctor.

Shove that under your microscope and study it a while.

- Oh, Commander Wayne, just one minute please.

You special guest aboard Sea Lab.

What you want Ho Lee to cook you for dinner?

- Oh, I don't know, Ho Lee, use your own discretion.

- Good, good.

How about porkchops? Or a big, big steak?

- How about some seafood?

- Let's see.

Seafood, you mean fish?

- Yeah. Fish.

- How Ho Lee going to get fish?

- Mr. Mike. Just a minute, please.

Where you go with my fish?

- Your fish?

What's the matter with you? These are priority specimens.

- Oh, for a special dinner.

- Fish for dinner?

Ho Lee, you better check in at sick bay.

- I think this one shows more details, Commander.

- Doesn't look like any marine animal I've ever seen.

- Is it possible the Russians

have developed some new undersea craft?

- This isn't Russian.

Doesn't look like a submarine at all,

in the sense that we use the word.

- Well, what then?

- You tell me, Doctor.

I'm gonna send a communique to Washington and request

that a naval unit be sent to this area.

Meantime, I suggest that you terminate your research program

until we can determine what this object

is and what it's doing here.

- Aren't you jumping

to some rather hasty conclusions, Commander?

We have no particular reason to suspect

that this object represents danger.

- Maybe Commander Wayne is used to making hasty decisions.

- Hello, Maddox.

I know you do what you want to do, Doctor,

but I still think this is a matter for military authorities.

- Commander, I have no objection to your sending

a communique to the Navy Department.

You can make any request you wish.

However, in as much

as this is a private civilian operation

under my supervision, I do think it's up to me to decide

on its termination.

- Not just the same as giving orders aboard

the Starfish, is it, Commander?

- Dr. LaSatier, it's returning. It's headed this way.

(dramatic music)

- The range is two miles.

- And closing fast. It's in a depth of 60 feet.

- If it stays on that course, it's headed directly for us.

- I don't believe we have anything to worry about.

If they intended to attack us,

they could have done it before.

- They?

(tense music)

- I'm receiving the signal again at a much higher frequency.

- How much higher?

- It's approaching a million cycles.

- Don't you think you

should secure all watertight doors, Doctor?

- It doesn't seem to be

on a collision course now, Commander.

- It must have a sonar system

that's steering it clear of us.

- I was thinking about ultrasonic habitation, Dr. Wilson.

- You could be right, Doctor.

We're loaded with chemicals and gases

which could become irradiated by high frequency sound waves.

- Sound emergency, seal all compartments, Maddox.

(alarm wailing)

Attention all personnel. Attention all personnel.

This is not a drill. Go to your emergency stations at once.

(bird cawing)

- Passed right over us.

- Must be 50 feet in diameter.

(rumbling)

- The line's gone dead, Doctor.

We're out of contact with top side.

- What about the air tubes, Maddox?

- Still intact.

(machine beeping)

- You get scared? - A little.

- It's reduced speed, it's dropping down to the bottom.

- There's a deep trench out there.

Maybe that's where it's going.

- How deep?

- About a mile in some places.

- Maybe that explains why we haven't detected it before.

- What do you mean?

- Those deep trenches,

they make a pretty good place to hide.

- You're inferring that they or it prefers

to remain unknown?

- Something like that, Doctor.

They wanted to, they could have made an official appearance.

(beeping)

- It stopped moving.

- 2000 yards.

- Right at the edge of the trench.

- Signal's stopped, Dr. LaSatier.

- Now let's settle down.

Dr. Wilson, let me know if there's any change.

Did you have much damage in there?

- Nothing but a few frayed nerves.

- Utility room from control.

Is everything all right in your area, Dr. James?

- Everything except the air.

It's like a wet blanket.

- Return to normal routine.

All personnel retire from emergency stations,

open watertight doors.

Resume ventilation, Maddox.

- Mainline is open, pressure normal.

- You better get out there and see what's happened

to our communication lines.

Take Tex along with you.

- Right.

- Commander, one of us better stay on duty

throughout the night.

- I'll take the first watch, Doctor.

- Right, Ho Lee will bring you some supper.

Might as well relax, Ellis.

May take some time to fix those radio lines.

- Yes, sir.

- Guess you feel right

at home down here, don't you, Commander?

- In a way. One big difference though.

Never had women aboard a submarine.

- Do you mind, Commander?

- Mind? Best looking crew I ever served with.

- What happened between you and Maddox?

- Kinda like him, don't you?

- I guess I do, but I really don't know him very well.

- Maddox, isn't an easy man to know, honey.

- Weren't you his commanding officer?

- Executive officer. He was our chief engineer.

- Why did he leave the service?

- You'll have to ask him that, dear.

- Something happened on board your submarine, didn't it?

- That's right. - What?

- I'd rather not discuss it.

- Or maybe you're ashamed to discuss it.

(slow, tense music)

(dramatic music)

- And in compliance with your request

for more detailed information, I am proceeding

to the area of the unknown object to investigate.

Will report my observations upon my return.

Signed, Commander Wayne. That's about all, Ellis.

Now, Doctor, did any of the crew men volunteer?

- They all did.

You forget, Commander, that our main purpose

in being here is to explore the unknown.

- Good.

- Maddox will go with you.

- Maddox?

- He's the most experienced.

- I left the Starfish,

I told you what would happen if I ever saw you again.

- Forget it, Maddox.

- Forget it?

I'll never forget that day as long as I live.

I've thought about that day for three years,

over and over again.

It was five men pounding and clawing at that door,

trying desperately to get out of that flooding compartment.

They were just kids, Wayne,

and you were on the other side of that door.

You didn't make a move to help 'em.

- You know why I couldn't open that door.

- I only know one thing.

you closed that door on us and left us to drown like rats.

You think I can ever forget that?

- Well, you managed to escape.

You think I'll ever forget that?

Listen, Miss Welles, you're gonna stay behind me

in the aquasphere.

I'll take the camera.

- Commander Wayne, I take my orders from Dr. LaSatier.

- Maddox, I don't know what's happened in the past

between you and the Commander,

but whatever your differences,

they'll have to wait until this operation is concluded.

Is that clearly understood?

- Understood.

(slow, tense music) - Good luck, Commander.

- Thanks, Doctor.

(air hissing)

(tense music)

(slow, tense music)

(upbeat music)

(tense music)

Better keep your gear on.

- Must be near freezing in here.

- What do you think? - This craft

looks extraterrestrial. - A spaceship?

- Yeah, it's completely automated.

Remotely controlled probe ship.

Probably sent here to study our oceans.

- Look at this.

Looks like a container of some kind.

- That light feels like a heat lamp.

- Looks like it might be ceramic or some kind of glass.

- Well, whatever it is, I bet it came from that compartment.

- Well, it might be a fuel tank that's been ejected.

Cold as ice.

- Maybe it's a container for specimens.

They might have come here to collect samples

of our sea life. - Hm.

You all right?

- There's something creepy about this place.

Why don't we get back to Sea Lab?

- Better leave that thing here, Maddox.

- Until I hear differently, Dr. LaSatier is still in charge

of this operation.

He didn't send me along just to keep you company.

(device crackling)

- 35 kilocycles, really ups the sound.

It's there, nonetheless.

I'd say it's an instrument package, Commander,

but don't ask me what it's for.

- Possibly something to do with the ship's guidance system.

- Or power plant, or observation equipment,

or who knows what?

- Well, there's one way to find out. Cut it open.

- Now, Listen, Doctor, you're a scientist.

I understand your curiosity,

but I don't understand your logic.

Now this ship must have traveled through space millions

of miles to get to this planet,

obviously with a very good reason.

We're dealing with something totally alien.

That capsule, as he said,

might contain just instruments

or something simple like that.

On the other hand,

it might contain something quite beyond the realm

of our understanding.

I'm fairly certain there're about two dozen more

aboard that ship.

- That's exactly the point, Commander.

We're here to explore the unknown.

- Now listen, Doctor.

I was sent out here with the authority to take

over this project, if it became necessary.

Now I don't want to exercise that authority.

But until I hear from the Navy department,

nobody aboard this installation is gonna tamper

with that object.

Do we understand each other?

- I believe we do.

- Good.

- You might say we've been told off.

- You might.

- And you might say that he's absolutely right.

It's actually a very porous substance. It's probably a...

- Probably a what, Rene?

- Looks larger.

Looks like it's growing.

- It's two inches longer than it was only an hour ago.

(machine crackling)

And the signal has increased 10,000 cycles.

- Doctor, how can a matter like that be growing?

It's solid.

- Is it?

It's obviously a material made up of cells,

and they're multiplying.

Just as they do in living plant or animal.

- Well, then it's gotta be feeding on something.

- Heat, possibly.

The commander said it was very cold inside

of that spacecraft.

- And it might be feeding on our air.

That wasn't it. Maybe it's the heat.

Watch it closely.

I'll be with Commander Wayne, if you need me.

- Dr. Wilson, do you think that X-ray

would penetrate that shell?

- I don't know, but it's worth a try.

(glass shattering) (tense music)

It's almost doubled in size.

- Ultrasonic waves.

- If they become intense enough,

that acid bottle will shatter.

Get Dr. LaSatier, hurry!

(whirring)

(Wilson screaming)

- Hey, quick, get some gas masks!

- Rene, get Dr. James. Mike, help me get him into the berth.

(Wilson groaning)

- Hey Maddox! Acid!

Acid fumes! Hurry up, cut the ventilators.

Give me that.

(whirring)

(fire extinguisher hissing)

(monster growling)

(monster growling)

(object smashing)

(machine beeping)

Well, that's flooding, Doc.

We've gotta get everybody outta here, fast.

- That's a watertight compartment.

There's no immediate danger.

- That's not what I mean.

- Where's Tex? - He's in there.

Wait a minute, Maddox. Don't go in there.

- Why not? - There's something in there.

- What?

- Some kind of an amphibious animal come outta that capsule.

It attacked Tex, I couldn't get him out.

- Outta my way. - Listen to me!

(punches thudding)

- Break it up.

All right, cut it out, both of you.

You know you can't open that door, Maddox.

You wanna flood the whole Sea Lab?

- There should have been plenty of time for both of them

to get out.

He's a real pro at leaving men trapped

in flooding compartments.

- I told you, it attacked Tex.

There was nothing I could do about it.

- You expect anyone to believe that?

- I don't give a damn what you believe.

(dramatic music)

(alarm wailing)

Better radio for help before it's too late, Doc.

- Amphibious animal.

- Skipper, there's something wrong with the lines

of the Sea Lab.

Top side to Sea Lab, top side to Sea Lab. Are you receiving?

Are you receiving, over?

(tense music)

Lines are dead, Skipper.

- You're using the hydroponic transmitter?

- [LaSatier] Sea Lab to top side. Are you receiving me?

- This is topside. Go ahead, Sea Lab.

- Attention, top side.

This is Commander Wayne. Send this message.

Office of Naval Operations, Washington.

Attention Admiral Bradford, urgent.

(clattering) (man shouting)

(man screaming)

Request you send surface units

to this area immediately,

equipped with depth charges and...

- Would you repeat? Would you repeat?

- Attention Admiral Bradford, urgent.

Request you send demolition units

to this area immediately to destroy submerged spacecraft.

End of message.

(man screaming)

Hello, top side.

Please repeat that message. Hello, top side, top side.

This is Commander Wayne, please repeat the message.

Hello, top side. Please repeat the message.

Hello, top side. Please repeat the message.

- Monster seems determined to isolate us.

- Or annihilate us.

Doctor, I think you better close those window guards.

If that thing can break out, it can break in.

- You think it'll try to attack us?

- Doctor, I think that thing will do everything it can

to try to prevent anyone from knowing of its existence.

- Maybe it's not as dangerous as you think.

Maybe it's more afraid of us than we appear to be of it.

Any animal will defend itself, Commander.

Especially a primitive one.

- One thing I'm certain of, Doctor,

that thing is not primitive.

I bet you it's a lot smarter than both of us.

- But that's all the more reason we should try

to communicate with it.

(Peron screaming)

- Well, you still think it's frightened of us, Doctor?

- I had no idea.

Do you realize the importance of this phenomenon, Commander?

- I realize the danger we're in.

Anything at all, Ellis?

- No, sir. Something must've happened to their equipment.

- More likely something happened to them.

- That's why. The surface pumps have stopped.

- How long will the emergency air supply last?

- About 12 hours. A little longer if we're conservative.

- Dr. Wilson has a severe cerebral hemorrhage.

We'll have to get him into a hospital at once.

- There's nothing we can do about it.

We've lost contact with the surface crew.

- I don't understand.

Can't somebody go out and see what's wrong?

- We know what's wrong, Dr. James,

we just don't know exactly what to do about it.

- If you don't hear from me within an hour,

we'll know there's nothing we can do about it.

Ellis, stand by that receiver.

Oh, Mike, get me one of your best spear guns, will ya?

- You can't go out there alone, that's suicide.

- Do you know what this place is gonna be like

in about 12 hours after the air gives out?

- When the air gives out?

- Pumps are out, we're on the emergency tanks.

- Now, listen. Tell Dr. James to have Dr. Wilson ready.

I'm gonna try to get the diving bell working.

- Commander, you cannot go out there alone.

- I'm pretty good with these things, Commander.

- Okay, Mike.

(dramatic music) Watch it, Mike! Watch it!

(monster growling)

(Welles screaming)

Maddox, flood this hatch. Doc!

Take it easy, Mike.

- Let's get him to the infirmary.

- All right.

What time does the supply vessel arrive tomorrow?

- Usually arrives about noon.

- We'll never hold out that long.

- Even if we could hold out,

I don't know what they could do for us.

- We're gonna have to close up more compartments, Doctor.

- We're down to the minimum now.

- What about the biology lab?

- Commander Wayne, that lab is full

of valuable marine specimens,

most of which will die without air.

- So will we.

Maddox, close off the biology lab. Close it off!

And we can close off the infirmary too.

We can move Mike, Dr. James and Dr. Wilson in here.

- Commander, Dr. Wilson no longer needs any air.

- Well, how is he? Any better?

- Worse. Fever's gone up.

- Well, a scratch, it doesn't look that bad.

- No, it's more than that.

- What's that, from the amphibian?

- Mm-hm. It's a carrier of some kind of unknown disease.

Unknown to me anyway.

- Maybe that explains its reason for being here.

- Trying to escape a plague that's threatening

to wipe out its own civilization?

- It's a possibility. Is that contagious?

- I don't know.

I've prepared a serum that might help but I don't know.

If it is contagious,

that one creature could start a major epidemic.

- Well, imagine what a dozen might do.

Have you found what you're looking for?

- Mm-hm.

- Any of the rest of 'em know about this?

- Do you think they should?

It's enough to worry about already.

How much time do you think we have, Commander?

- I don't know. Roughly, I'd say eight hours.

- Well, I know you'll do everything humanly possible.

- Doctor, I think you better inoculate the rest of the crew.

They don't have to know what it is.

Tell him it's a tetanus shot or something.

- If you flex your muscle more, it won't hurt so much.

- Thank you, nurse.

- You no like black dragon tea, Miss Sandra?

- No like.

- No like...

- How many spear guns do we have

in the utility room, Maddox?

- Oh, about half a dozen. - Good.

I want you to give me a hand with the welding equipment.

You too, Ellis.

- Yes, sir.

- We're gonna set a trap, Doctor.

- We're the ones in a trap, like rats in a sinking ship,

if you know what I mean, Commander.

- You know, I've just about had it with you, Maddox.

You wanna go into this thing? Okay, let's go into it.

- Now, what's that supposed to mean?

- You know what it means.

When are you gonna quit lying to yourself anyway?

Don't you think

I know what really happened aboard the Starfish?

- Are you trying to say you didn't lock us

in that forward room?

- No, I admit that. I had no choice.

It was either seal off that room or flood the entire ship.

- Sure, and left us to drown in a flooded compartment.

- You managed to escape, Maddox.

Why couldn't the others?

- You don't know what you're talking about.

- Oh, yes I do.

There was an escape chamber in that compartment, Maddox.

There was a chance

for every one of those men to get out of there.

I knew that when I sealed off that room, they knew it too.

But something went wrong, didn't it?

You panicked, didn't you?

- You are crazy! - Am I?

You got in that escape chamber first, Maddox.

There was a chance for every man to get in that chamber.

But you got there first, didn't you?

And you slammed that hatch on 'em, didn't you?

- Sure, sure, I got there first, but they didn't follow me.

They were trying to get out that door you closed.

- That's a damn lie, Maddox, and you know it!

You once told me how you never could forget the faces

of those five men, how they clawed and pounded

on that door, trying desperately to escape.

How could you know that, Maddox,

if you were inside that escape chamber?

I'll tell you how,

because it was the escape chamber they were trying

to get into.

You could see them through the window of the hatch.

Yes, You could see their faces, Maddox. Just kids, remember?

Crying out to you for help. But you didn't make a move.

- You're lying to cover up for yourself.

- Am 1?

Then how come we found the escape chamber locked

from the inside when we finally brought the Starfish

to the surface?

And why did we find two of those men

with their broken, bloody fingers still clinging

to the outside of that hatch?

- I don't know!

- Yes you do, Maddox! - No I don't!

- Listen to me. Every man gets scared sometime, someplace.

Every man has their breaking point.

You can stand just so much and then you crack.

Now you're no less a man for that, Maddox.

But listen to me, you're gonna be a man.

Stand up right now and admit it, or else you're through.

Now spit it out!

- When I got into the escape chamber,

something inside me snapped.

I slammed the hatch and locked it. And then I froze.

I could see them, those kids trying to get in,

but I couldn't move.

I killed 'em, Commander. I didn't mean to.

I was a...

That's why I left the service.

After that, I couldn't stand to look the rest of the crew

in the eye.

I didn't have the guts to admit I was a coward.

- No one's calling you a coward, Maddox.

Come on, now. Give me a hand.

We haven't got much time.

(slow, tense music)

- You know something, Hugh?

Until a minute ago I couldn't find much in you

I really liked.

Now, I think I, I could fall in love with you. Come on.

Commander Wayne needs your help.

(slow, tense music)

- Everything okay, Doctor?

- Okay. We're ready.

- Good, now be very careful of these trigger lines.

Everybody clear the room.

Don't come back till I give you the signal.

Batten down those hatches behind you.

I said, everybody clear the room.

(metal banging) (dramatic music)

(metal banging)

- What is he trying to do?

- He's using himself as bait.

(monster roaring)

- Stay back. Probably wounded.

Ellis, gimme a hand.

- What do you intend doing?

- I'm going after it.

We'll never get outta here til it's finished.

(dramatic music)

- Let's suit up, Ellis. - Yes, sir.

(tense music)

(dramatic music)

(dramatic music)

(monster roaring)

(dramatic music)

- We've got to get it

to the Marine Institute as soon as possible.

- Welcome back on board again, Maddox.

- Forget it. You looked a little short on crew.

- Okay, hit it with those tranquilizers, Doc,

and keep him knocked out.

He still has a lot of fight in him.

Let's get to the surface and get the air pump started.

Ellis, stand by the hydrophones.

Be ready to leave as soon as we get

the diving bell operating.

Remember, keep this hatch secure.

- One shot will be enough.

Any more might Kill him. He's near enough to death now.

- But Doctor, the commander said-

- Commander Wayne is not interested in scientific research.

I am.

(tense music)

- Let's get this gear off.

Listen, you see if you can get the pump started.

I'll check the radio shack. Go ahead.

(dramatic music)

We're too late, Hugh, he's dead.

- Well, the air pumps are okay,

but he's fouled up the winch in the hoisting crane.

We can't operate the bell.

- Are there any explosives on this barge?

- Might be.

They used dynamite to clear away the coral heads

when they were building the aqua sphere, why?

- Won't be able to contact the Navy

until the supply ship arrives in the morning.

That might be too late.

- You're thinking about the other capsules on the spaceship.

- That's right.

Let's see if we can find that dynamite.

(tense music)

Two of these oughta be enough to blow this, Maddox.

- Sandy, get the automatic timer

from the photographic enlarger and bring it

to the mess hall.

- Do you really think you're doing

the right thing here, Commander?

I mean, don't you think we should take the opportunity

of studying this entire phenomenon before it's destroyed?

- Doc, do you think the best way to prevent a war

is to wait until the enemy drops a bomb on you?

- I mean, we really haven't tried

to understand its purpose in coming here.

- Doc, maybe you haven't thought about this,

but wherever this thing came from,

land animals like ourselves could be its natural enemies.

Maybe it's here trying to avoid the destruction by man.

Well, whatever it is, we can't afford to take any chances.

Let's go.

Ellis, get some more chains, bind its legs.

Now, if I were you people,

I'd stay far away from this thing.

That means all of you.

- Not this time, Sandy. I mean it.

- You might need help.

- I said no. I'm sorry about the way things turned out.

- It doesn't matter. I told you that.

- Matters to me.

It matters to you too, you know it.

We can never have anything together now.

- Don't you...

- Every time I'd look at you,

I'd be reminded of the coward in me.

- It's over. Don't torture yourself.

- No, it isn't.

Maybe it'll never be over.

When this mission's finished,

I'm going away somewhere new and get a fresh start.

- That won't be so easy, Hugh.

- Maybe not, but facing you and the others,

that's not easy either.

It's the only way for me, Sandy. You know that.

- Are you ready, Maddox?

- Wait, Rene.

(air hissing)

(slow, tense music)

(dramatic music) (Rene screaming)

(monster roaring)

- No, Doctor, stay away!

Ellis, call Commander Wayne

and tell him the amphibian has escaped.

Hurry! - I can't.

The hydrophones won't work now.

(dramatic music)

(slow, tense music)

(tense music)

- All right, we've got about three minutes.

(Welles screaming)

- Get ready to make a run for it, both of you.

- No, Hugh! - Get back!

- Now, hurry!

- No, Hugh!

- Wayne, get her out of here while you still got a chance.

- Come on, put these on.

(monster roaring)

Get out of here!

(tense music) (monster roaring)

(explosion booming)

(bell ringing)

Mike's on his way to Miami by Naval helicopter.

The others are waiting aboard a supply ship.

Where's Dr. LaSatier? - He's in the control room.

He's pretty upset about having to leave.

- He won't be when he hears the news from Washington.

Well, ready to go, Doctor?

- Commander, I think I ought to stay here

and supervise the repair operation.

- Well, I don't think that headquarters would like that.

- Headquarters? I don't understand.

- Well, I contacted the Naval Department

from the supply ship, gave 'em a full report.

The news reached the President within minutes.

He's expecting you at the White House

for a press conference as soon as a plane can get you there.

- What am I gonna tell him?

We destroyed the first creature from another world?

- It had to be done, Doctor, you realize that.

- No, I realize it.

I also realize how little we know

of any other world except our own.

It's ironic.

Here we are all set to put men on totally alien planets.

And we're completely unequipped to understand

a creature from one of those planets.

That amphibian was our ultimate opportunity, and we failed.

We don't know any more now than we did before it arrived.

- You're wrong, Doctor.

We now know that somewhere in space,

there's a civilization of beings equal to,

if not superior to ourselves.

We never knew that for certain before.

We also know that somehow we have to find a way

to communicate with those beings,

if we ever encounter them again.

That's what you have to tell 'em

at the press conference, Doc,

that you are the one man with the knowledge

and experience to find that way.

That you are ready to tackle

the most important research program of our age.

- Commander, don't you think we're being

a little inconsiderate keeping the President waiting?

(soft music)

- Did anyone ever tell you you're quite a guy?

- Oh no, that's not a very novel approach, Rene.

Why don't you try the, oh,

you're just the kind of man I've been looking for one,

or perhaps the platonic friendship approach.

- You think you know it all, don't you?

- Oh, I know a little.

- Well, Commander, you still may have a few surprises

in store for you.

- Really? Like what.

- The direct approach.

(soft music)

(upbeat music)