Original subtitles

- [Voiceover] My name is Peter Brady.

For some time now I've been engaged in

a highly secret experiment designed to bring about

a great step forward in man's conquest of space and matter.

Here in my lab working night and day

I've been prying into the mysteries of the future.

Only a few hours ago I felt there were secrets

that would never be known to us here on Earth.

And then,

suddenly in the midst of a routine experiment

a strange and unpredicted event took place.

Whether a mistake or the natural conclusion

of the experiment I cannot say.

I can say that what happened is one

of the most fantastic experiences in our modern day.

(low pitched humming)

- [Voiceover] Ms. Howard!

Come quickly!

Look.

It's fading.

We're going to get total refraction.

Complete invisibility.

Please ask Mr. Mannings to come here right away.

Hurry now.

- [Voiceover] Emergency.

Emergency.

A dangerous leak has been detected.

Will all personnel check and report?

Repeat: Will all personnel check for leaks and report.

Emergency.

Emergency.

- [Peter] Give me control right away.

This is Dr. Brady.

You can relax, I traced the leak.

Everything is now under control.

- [Ms. Howard] Are you all right, Dr. Brady?

(screams)

(intense music)

- Very good of you to come in person, Mr. Charles.

- Walter I was in the middle of a cabinet meeting.

Couldn't believe it when they told me.

Still don't.

- It's true, though.

- You mean this man's actually made himself invisible?

- That's right, sir.

- Let's go in.

- His name's Peter Brady one of our bright young men.

Working on optical density,

that's refraction you see.

- Oh I do now.

- Well let me try to explain.

You see, if you take a jelly fish and put it in water,

you can't see it because the refractive index of the fish

and the water is the same.

Now Brady was working on the theory that all matter

can be reduced to invisibility once the refractive

quotient is lowered.

Just like the jellyfish.

I must say it's not exactly a new idea.

- It is to me.

- Now with the advent of nuclear power,

science for the first time is able

to explore the possibilities total refraction,

that is complete invisibility.

It opens up a whole new field of research.

- That's not all it does.

- What do you mean?

- It could be dangerous in the wrong hands.

- [Director] Of course we realize that.

- What have you done about security?

- We've got Brady under lock and key.

Security Chief has posted guards.

- Very well, I'd like to have a word with him.

- Yes of course.

Ask Jim to bring in Dr. Brady, would you please.

- Hope he'll listen to reason,

cooperate with us.

- [Director] I'm sure he will.

- What sort of a fellow is he?

- Well he's got an excellent background.

As a matter of fact I've got his file here.

Um, good sportsman as well as a good scholar.

Road number two in the varsity game.

Good all round man.

- [Charles] Any family?

- No he's a bachelor.

Visits his sister, she's a widow with a small child.

(intense music)

(phone rings)

- Hello?

- Hello, Diane?

I'm calling from the crossroads.

Has anyone been looking for me?

- No.

Is anything wrong?

You sound strange.

- [Voiceover] I'll explain when I see you.

I'll be home soon.

- Are you all right, Peter?

- Look, D,

I might as well prepare you for it.

- [Voiceover] What do you mean, Peter?

Something is wrong; are you hurt?

- No but I'm covered in bandages.

- Bandages?

- [Voiceover] Yes, but it's only camouflage.

I'm not hurt.

There was some trouble at the lab today, a leakage.

- Sir, he's gone.

Dr. Brady, sir.

He's disappeared.

- What's that?

- We had him in the hospital sir, locked in a room,

two of my men standing guard outside on the door.

I never thought to put anybody in a window.

It's two stories up sir.

He must have climbed down the drainpipe.

- I'll put out a general alarm.

- No, put down that phone.

- Charles.

- The fewer people who know about this, the better.

First thing to do is to find him.

How do you find an invisible man?

(suspenseful orchestra music)

- It's all right, Diane.

It's me, Peter.

Don't be afraid.

- What's happened to you?

- Come on, let's go inside.

(suspenseful orchestra music)

- Pete, your arm.

- You know what I've been working on.

Well, there was an accident in the lab, this morning.

- An accident?

- Yes, something went wrong with one of the conductors.

I caught the full blast.

- Pete.

- Now, take it easy, D.

See? Good, solid hand.

- How long are you gonna stay like that?

- I don't know.

- I mean, you don't know how to get back?

- Not yet.

That's what I gotta start working on right away.

- Oh, Pete.

- Now, D.

- You might never find a way back.

You might stay like this for the rest of your life.

- You don't know your brother.

All I need is a little help.

- It's the laboratory.

Some of the finest scientific minds in the world, there.

You said so yourself.

Surely they can help you.

- I wouldn't count on them.

- Why not?

- They tried to lock me up.

- Why should they want to lock you up?

- It seems I've become a top secret.

- There must be someone who can help you.

- As a matter of fact, there is, and I know just the man.

- Uncle Peter. Uncle Peter.

Uncle Peter. I heard Uncle Peter.

Uncle Peter.

What's happened to your face?

- I'll tell you, darling.

You remember our old story about the king and the magic hat?

And you remember what happened when he put on

his magic hat?

- Nobody could see him.

- Right.

Well, your Uncle Peter's invented a magic hat,

and you can't see him.

- You mean, you've made yourself invisible?

- Yes.

- Then, what you wearing all those bandages and things for?

If you're really invisible, take them off, and show me.

- No, Peter.

- You've got to live with it, D.

Sally's all right.

And now, for my first trick.

Hey, Presto.

Nothing to be afraid of.

It's still me. Listen.

- Go on, Peter. More.

- More?

Certainly. There, look.

- Take more off, Uncle Peter.

- Now, remember, darling.

I'm here all the time.

(curious orchestra music)

- Can I touch?

- Come on.

See? Same old Uncle Peter.

- Oo, you need to shave.

- Yes, but I don't think anyone's going to notice.

Do you?

Listen, Sally.

You're not to go around telling anyone

about what happened to me.

This is our secret.

Just between us, right?

- Don't worry.

I'll keep it a secret.

Well, goodbye.

- [Brady] Hey, where you going?

- I'm late on (unrecognizable) house, right now.

- Well, have fun.

- Goodbye, Mommy.

See you later, Uncle Peter.

Perhaps you'll have more new tricks to show me.

- I told you she'd be all right.

Now, come along, D.

- Where are we going?

- You'll see.

- Well, you can't go driving around like that.

You'll scare people half out of their wits.

Look what you did to me.

- Don't worry.

They won't see me.

- Won't see you?

- I'm wearing my lab clothes under this.

They're wool, animal fiber.

They become invisible too.

Now, turn the car around, D.

I've just got to take off my overcoat,

and no one can see me.

(intriguing orchestra music)

John Crampton's the one man who can help me.

He's been working on this refraction problem for years.

- [Diane] You mean, he's been trying

to make things invisible, too?

- Yes, but I seem to have beaten him to it.

Here we are. There's the house.

Now, it's better if I speak to him alone.

- [Diane] All right, I'll pick you up in a little while.

(intriguing orchestra music)

- [Brady] May I offer you a light?

- What are you? Who's there?

- [Brady] Don't you know your old friend Brady?

- Brady? I don't understand.

- [Brady] It's no longer a theory, Crompton.

Our work's been proven.

- It's wonderful.

You've actually induced a condition of invisibility?

- [Brady] You're looking at me, Crump.

Face to face.

Do you see me?

- It's amazing.

Congratulations.

- [Brady] This happened to me an hour ago.

I had to get to you as soon as possible.

- I'm glad you came.

- [Brady] Now, is there anything in your experience

that will help me to get back to visibility again?

- At the moment, I don't know.

But look here, Brady.

I don't understand.

Why was it necessary to perform such a dangerous experiment

on yourself?

- [Brady] It was an accident.

A control on the device went wrong.

- Ah, I see. Leakage.

- I need you Crompton.

You must help me to come back.

- What's the lab doing about it?

- [Brady] Nothing.

I've become an official secret.

I'm to be filed away, locked and guarded.

Well, I'm not buying it, thank you.

- No, of course not.

But I can understand their viewpoint.

It would cause panic and confusion all over this earth

if it ever got out that there was an invisible man at large.

It would be an absolute chaos.

No, I appreciate the need for security.

- [Brady] So do I.

But Crompton, we have to make them understand

that they can't lock me up if our experiments

are to continue.

I want to become a normal, visible man again.

Now, you must help me, Crompton.

I must get back.

- Must you?

- [Brady] What do you mean?

- You haven't had a chance as yet to appreciate fully

the position you're in, have you, Brady?

To explore to the fullest all the interesting possibilities,

or should I say opportunities that are open to you.

- [Brady] Come to the point, Crompton.

- Very well, it's simply this.

This morning, Dr. Brady, thanks to a fantastic accident,

you inherited the earth.

- [Brady] I don't get it.

- I'll give it to you in a word, "power."

So long as you remain invisible, no door can ever be closed

to you.

Neither the vaults of the Bank of England,

nor the Prime Minster's private office.

All you have to do is take, Dr. Brady.

Money, power.

It's all yours for the taking.

Now, do you understand?

- [Brady] You're joking.

- Think about it anyway.

Turn your imagination loose for a moment.

Then tell me whether I'm joking.

Just tell me.

- [Brady] Crompton.

- Yes.

- [Brady] I came here for just one reason.

To ask you to help me to come visible again.

- But instead, I helped you in another way, huh?

I opened your eyes.

- That's right.

Enough to know how much I want to be Dr. Peter Brady again,

exactly as before.

Look, a normal citizen enjoying a normal life.

Now, that's worth more to me than all the money

in all the banks and all the power in the universe.

- Good for you.

I'm glad to hear you say that.

- [Brady] What's that?

- Oh, it was just a test, Brady.

An exercise in psychology.

I was curious to see how you'd react to the thought,

that's all.

- [Brady] You had me worried.

- Did I?

You'll forgive me, won't you.

- [Brady] Yes, of course.

Now look, Crompton.

What's your answer? Will you help me?

- Gladly.

As a matter of fact, I have come across something

that might be the clue to your whole problem.

- [Brady] You have? What?

- Let me show you.

- [Brady] Thank you.

Hmm. I see.

Well, yes. It's clear.

Well, this is interesting, but I don't see

how it affects my problem.

This has nothing to do with the fact.

- Hello, lab, this is Crompton.

Brady's been here. Yes, invisible.

And dangerous, he attacked me.

All right, I'll come right over.

(orchestra music)

- Nothing appears to have been disturbed.

- Still, we better get Brady's notes under lock and key.

He's sure to come back, and we don't know what he may do.

- Yes.

(buzzer)

Excuse me.

Camp, here. Oh, yes sir.

Yes.

At once, sir.

That was the chief.

We're to seal Brady's experiment file,

and take it to him at once.

- This is the most important part.

You've gotta take it to him.

- Anything else?

- That's all.

- I'll see to it, myself.

Thanks for your help.

(intriguing orchestra music)

- Peter?

Where are you?

- [Brady] Here I am.

- Oh, I see you.

(groaning)

Are you all right?

- [Brady] I think so.

I was hit in the head and knocked unconscious.

- Crompton did that to you?

- [Brady] Yes, it was Crompton.

Come on, let's go.

- But what happened?

- [Brady] I'll explain it all in the car.

At the moment, I'm more concerned with what's going

to happen.

(orchestra music)

Now, let's see.

I left them right there on top of the desk.

- [Diane] I can't see them.

They're not here.

- [Brady] Crompton must have been here already.

No sign of them.

They're gone, all right.

Is that you, Manning? This is Brady.

Now listen, Crompton stole the most important notes

of my experiment.

- I'm afraid this affair has upset you, Peter,

more than you realize.

You see, I've got your papers right here on my desk.

Well, why don't you come round, and see for yourself?

- I certainly will.

That man's dangerous.

Manning says he's got my notes.

They're in his office.

- Then, Crompton didn't take them, after all.

- [Brady] I just don't understand.

Well, then, why did he attack me?

That man must be a raving maniac.

- Peter?

- [Brady] Yes, it's me, all right.

- Good heavens, the fellow really is invisible.

- [Brady] Now, look here, Manning.

This is serious.

Those notes of mine.

You say you've got them.

They're absolutely vital.

- They're right here in this envelope.

- [Brady] May I see them?

- I hardly think that's necessary.

Dr. Crompton and the security police have sealed it.

I see no good reason to open it.

- [Brady] Oh, don't you?

- Surely, my brother has a right to look at his own notes.

- [Brady] Of course, I have.

- I agree with the doctor. Open it.

- [Brady] Ah, come on.

Open it up. Here.

You won't understand them.

Give them to me.

Blank paper! Crompton's fooled you!

I've got to find him.

- [Diane] Peter, wait!

- Excuse me.

- Come along. After him.

(orchestra music)

- Brady.

- [Brady] That gun won't do you any good.

Those notes are no use to you.

I became invisible by mistake.

I don't know how it happened, myself.

Oh, I've had enough of this.

You asked for it!

I'm coming after you, Crompton.

Where are those notes?

Come on.

Now, let's have 'em.

Crompton.

Give me those notes!

Crompton.

Give me those notes!

(orchestra music)

- Crompton, come back here!

You won't get away from me!

It's no use, Crompton!

(suspenseful music)

I'm right after you!

(train whistle)

No, you haven't lost me.

I'm still here, Crompton.

You see, you can't get away from an invisible man.

That won't help you.

Come here!

(train whistle)

There you are, Camp.

He's all yours now.

I think you'll find my papers in his pocket.

Yes, Sally. Nothing's missing.

My notes are all here.

And now, if people will leave me alone,

I can get back to work.

- It was a very bad thing someone did to Uncle Pete,

locking him up like that.

- Now, Sally.

You're not to speak that way.

- Your child's quite right.

It's a bad thing someone did.

- Those men ought to be punished.

What are you going to do about them?

- [Camp] Nothing, I'm afraid.

- Nothing?

- Sal.

- On second thought, there is something we can do.

- What's that?

- Promise your Uncle Peter that nothing of the sort

will ever happen again.

- Well, that's something, anyway.

Good night.

- Good night.

- Good night.

Good night, Uncle Peter.

- [Brady] Good night, dear.

- [Camp] Oh Brady, what about it?

- [Brady] What do you mean, sir?

- [Camp] Well, you heard what the child said, your niece.

It won't happen again.

- [Brady] I'm happy to hear it.

- [Camp] And you'll come back to the lab?

- [Brady] Yes.

- Fine.

Then we'll see you at work in the morning.

- [Brady] No, Chief.

- But you said.

- I'll be there, but you won't see me.

(laughing)

(majestic orchestra music)