Original subtitles

[theme song]

Boy, this place is great.

You know what we ought to do?

We ought to stop and have a waterfront cookout.

Did you ever take a marshmallow and roast it on a frank

and then dip it in chili sauce--

Oh, come on.

Isn't there anything you ever think about besides food?

Yeah.

But I'm certainly not gonna discuss that with an angel.

Well, I'm sorry.

The boss has got us on a tight schedule on this one.

Work, work, work, work.

Whatever happened to that "on the seventh day,

he rested" bit?

Hey, Mark, do me a favor.

Pull over up ahead, will you?

You changed your mind about the cookout.

I knew you would.

Knew you would.

Here we go.

This is great.

Listen, Johnathan, you pick a spot.

I'll head down to that little market and pick up the goodies.

Jonathan.

Easy. Take it easy.

I'm not gonna hurt you. Take it easy.

You're OK.

What's wrong with him?

I don't know.

MARK: Doesn't look like he got hung up

in telephone wires or anything.

No, no.

Something else is happening here.

He's dead.

You all right, buddy?

Johnathan.

Mark, I wanna spend some time here in Rose Beach.

Thought we were late for an assignment.

I don't care.

There's-- there's work we have to do here.

Johnathan, the boss gave us a job.

He's expecting us to get it done.

How's he gonna feel, you suddenly turning renegade?

Please, this is important to me.

As a favor, please.

How do you say no to an angel?

All right.

For a little while.

But mind you, it's against my better judgment.

Thanks.

Look, I want you to get a job at the Drake Plant.

While you're working there, see what you can find

out about toxic waste dumping.

Some cookout, huh?

Yeah.

Say, excuse me.

I've just been hired.

I'm supposed to report to the foreman.

I took a wrong turn somewhere.

Don't worry.

It happens to all the newcomers. I'm just going your way.

Come on. - Oh, thanks.

I'm Mark Gordon.

Rita Travers.

What do you do around here?

I'm Mr. Drake's administrative assistant.

Sounds important.

Does glorified Gal Friday sounds more down to earth?

Six fun-filled years of it.

And I've been up for promotion for four.

Well, what's jamming up the works?

[inaudible] too good at my job.

Never could find anyone to replace me.

Why don't you go to another company?

There is no other company.

Drake's the only industry in the area.

Don't get me wrong.

Mr. Drake's terrific.

I love working for him.

Speak of the devil.

There he is now.

The one in the white lab coat is Donald Feeney,

our industrial engineer.

Oh, the foreman's office is straight up those stairs,

first door on the right.

And welcome aboard.

Thanks for the help.

What happened to the birds, mister?

I'm not quite sure.

Now, look, I'm a stranger around here.

You kids know the Drake Plant?

Sure.

Our folks work there.

My dad, Burt Morgan, he's been on line for two years.

My mother's Mr. Drake's assistant.

She knows that place inside out, Rita Travers.

Thank you.

Rita Travers, I'll keep that in mind.

What you gonna do with all the birds, mister?

First, I'm gonna let Rose Beach know they passed on.

Then, I'm gonna try to find out why.

Why do you care?

You're not from around here.

No.

But these birds are.

Well, anything we could do to help, mister?

Sure.

First thing you gotta do is stop calling me "mister."

Call me "Johnathan."

Rita?

Oh, Inspector Thomas. How's everything?

Great. [inaudible]

I'm on official business.

Well, I don't see you down here.

Well, squeeze me in.

I've got a time bomb ticking here and it's about to go off.

This plant could be history as of today.

But why?

What's going on?

[inaudible], great to see you.

Gotta talk to you, Horton.

Now.

Come on in.

Yeah, we manufacture parts for all kinds

of high tech industries.

You'll be working on the line, with me.

Welcome aboard.

I got a feeling you like it here.

After a year out of work over in Colton,

I'm thankful to have a job.

Got a new baby on the way.

Good. Congratulations.

Thanks.

What are you hoping for?

A boy or a girl?

Oh, already got a boy.

Kinda like a girl this time.

But you know, if it's healthy, I'm happy.

Yeah.

I know what you mean.

You know, a big factory like this,

there must be a lot of chemical dumping going on, huh?

No.

Not that I know of.

Tetrachloroethylene.

What's this stuff?

It's just a cleaner.

We use it to scrub the grease off the boards.

Oh, then, it goes right down the drain, right?

Hey, pal, why all the questions?

You some kind of EPA spy or something?

Oh, no, no, no.

I just saw a dying seagull on my way into town.

Got me thinking, you know?

Well, that's got nothing to do with our plant.

Besides there's plenty of birds around here.

One more or less isn't gonna mean much.

Yeah, I suppose so.

[horn]

That's us.

Let's hit it.

Wanna grab a beer after work?

Sounds good.

You see, all these figures belong over here.

[laughter]

I can't wait to tell that at the next board meeting.

How about lunch next week?

Any time.

Just give me a ring.

You got it.

I'll be right back.

What was all the ruckus about?

Oh, you know Clayton.

Making mountains out of molehills is his specialty.

But he said the plant would close.

What does that mean?

Only that he's full of more hot air than usual.

I don't see what the City Health Department sees in him.

Well, I gotta go.

I'm meeting my wife at the racquet club.

But I wanted to ask you--

If I'm 10 minutes late, she'll go on a shopping

spree out of vengeance.

Women, don't ever try to figure them out.

I'll do my best to steer clear of them.

"Drake Industries is charged with excessive environmental

abuses in the matter of ground water contamination

of Rose Beach and environs."

[shouting]

Hey, gather around.

Birds of a feather flock together.

You know what they say?

I ain't afraid of the Birdman of Alcatraz.

Now, what you're looking at here is the Birdman of Rose Beach.

Hey, you know where a 500-pound canary sleeps?

Anywhere he wants to.

Now, listen closely, my friends, as I dazzle you

with my impressions of your favorite feathered friends.

See if you can guess this one.

[bluebird call]

Hey.

Let me have one of those.

Yes, sir.

You got it?

It's your old bluebird.

Yes, the bluebird of happiness.

Not too happy when you're not feeling well though.

How about this one?

[cardinal call]

Yes, indeed.

If you said cardinal, you were right.

If you said bishop, you were wrong.

Oh, and how about this beautiful bird--

Son, what's going on?

[hawk call]

Oh, hi, Dad.

I'm just helping that guy, Jonathan.

Let me have that.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the hawk.

The hawk.

Not getting much response here.

Maybe I'll turn down the bird calls--

What are you trying to do, son?

Shut us down?

Give me those.

Now, just go on home.

But Pa--

Just go home.

[dance music]

Drake, Drake, for goodness' sake.

[inaudible]

Hi, Mark.

Hi, Mark.

Hi, Mark.

[laughter]

There's a lunatic down there in front of the plant.

Are you sleeping down there?

Call the police and get rid of him.

Doing a little early spring house cleaning, my dear?

I know I wasn't supposed to see that, Mr. Drake,

but I have now.

And well, I wanna know what it means.

According to that report, we've been

dumping hazardous chemicals right into the sewer system.

They may be coming to the surface.

Rita, I love the passionate way you do things.

But you really can't believe everything

you read, especially when it comes from someone

like Clayton Thomas.

Are you saying the report is false?

No.

There's a fragment of truth to it.

But we dealt with these problem six or-- no.

Eight months ago.

We changed our solvents to a non-toxic compound,

at great expense to us.

Right now, we're totally shipshape.

Believe me.

Then, why did you write him a check for $10,000, Mr. Drake?

[ominous music]

I never thought you'd stoop to go through my accounts.

I don't have to explain myself to you.

I hate to say it, sir, but this time you do, to me

and the people of Rose Beach.

All right.

I did write that check.

But I promise you there is nothing valid in that report.

It's just business as usual.

Confidentially, it was Clayton's semi-annual payments.

For what?

For simply existing.

Pay-offs to government agencies are

something you have to do to keep the wheels turning smoothly.

I dislike it as much as anyone.

Then, the report is true?

HORTON: No.

Absolutely not.

He knew we dealt with those problems months ago.

We did it discreetly, so as not to alarm the community.

He wanted to let the cat out of the bag,

because I was a little bit late with my payment.

My god.

Yes.

It is upsetting, isn't it?

Rita, you've got to stop being so naive,

because this is the way things get done.

Look, I was raised here.

I care about these people.

Do you really think I would do anything to harm them?

No.

Well, then, let it drop.

Because to reveal this now would cause an unnecessary panic.

Trust me. Trust me, Rita.

Will you?

Atta girl.

I bet you're wondering who I am and what I'm doing here.

You're wondering that, aren't you?

Well, I've been elected by the birds of Rose Beach

to be their spokesman.

Of course, they wanted to speak for themselves.

But they couldn't.

You know why?

Because they're dead.

They're dead.

And these are only the beginning.

I'm talking about groundwater contamination.

And the source of that contamination

is Drake Technologies.

Oh, why don't you fly back to your nest, you kook?

There's nothing wrong with our plant?

There's a lot wrong with this plant.

And these birds are only the beginning.

Only the beginning.

The weak are always the first to die,

small animals, birds, and your babies.

And then, your elderly.

It's contamination that's killing them.

And where is it gonna stop?

Or has it started with you already?

Look at you all looking at me like I'm a fool.

Why worry about this?

Huh?

Worry about the important things.

Worry about the bomb.

Oh, we're gonna be killed by the bomb.

Well, let me tell you, none of you

are gonna die from the bomb.

You'll be dead long before that, because you're

killing yourselves.

Because day in and day out, you contaminate

the planet you live on.

You're gonna kill yourselves.

And the plant that you work for, Drake Technologies,

is part of that murder.

Out of the way.

All right.

This is private property.

It's time to fly south.

[murmuring]

[siren]

Well, you were right.

You made the front page.

Yeah.

Let me see.

$300 to bail you out.

You know I'm flat broke?

You all right, buddy?

You look a little green behind the gills?

I'm fine.

It's the ravages of being a jailbird, I guess.

Well, excuse me for not busting a gut.

I mean, the sight of that paper took all the yuks I had.

Mark, the people have to know.

Johnathan, if Drake closes, what about the people who

work there?

They've all got families.

I know that, but I'm trying to prevent them

from being like those other towns where the birth defect

rate is three times normal.

I wanna stop that from happening here, if it isn't too late.

Oh, please, keep digging at that plant.

I need your help.

OK.

OK.

You don't know anything about this--

this Birdman.

What makes you so sure he's telling the truth?

I don't know, Mom.

It's just a feeling.

I trust him.

Well, I trust Mr. Drake.

And he assures me that the plant is clean.

But Mom, whatever happened to those--

Has nothing to do with the plant.

Eric, do you have any idea what would happen to this town

if that plant closed down?

That would be the real disaster, for everyone.

[melancholy music]

Look, I'm all for your caring about wildlife.

All I ask is that you do it responsibly.

And just stay away from strange characters, like that Birdman.

OK?

I'd better go to school.

Good morning, Rita.

Mr. Drake, you're here early.

I wanted to talk to you before the day got underway.

I've got something for you.

What is it?

It's a confidential independent study,

Dr. Feeney conducted last month, regarding

how Drake Technologies rates in environmental areas.

And you will see we come up smelling like roses.

I had them send it up, because, well, I

want to put to rest any--

any lingering doubts you may have.

Thank you.

I appreciate this very much.

Good.

You take your time with it.

You'll find it's full of a lot of technical mumbo jumbo,

but you'll get the gist of it I'm sure.

This means a lot to me.

I-- I--

What is it?

You seem upset.

It's Eric.

We had a bit of a run-in.

He's really upset about that spate of dead birds.

I am too.

I'm sure they're flying in from somewhere.

We're not the only plant in the state, you know?

I know.

Say, there is one other thing too.

Considering the astute way you handled yourself yesterday,

I was forced to face the fact that I've been

holding you back long enough.

How does Vice President in Charge of Public Relations

sound to you?

We-- oh my God.

I--

Good.

It sounds very good.

Well, good, because that's your next job.

Come with me.

Come on.

Here we go.

Right this way, Madam Vice President.

And here we are.

I haven't bothered to furnish it.

I thought you'd like to decorate it yourself.

After all, it's your own private office.

You like it?

Like it?

I've dreamed about this for years.

Well, your dream's come true.

Thank you, Mr. Drake.

Wait til I tell Eric.

Hey.

How's it going?

What is this?

I mean, you've been avoiding me like the plague all day.

News travels fast in a town this size.

I know you bailed out that crazy Birdman.

So?

So whose side are you on anyway?

Hey, he's a good guy.

He's just doing what he thinks is right.

Oh, yeah?

Is it right for him to be telling my kid

that his old man is working in a place that's breaking the law?

He's got no proof, mind you.

Jonathan wouldn't say anything unless it were true.

Oh, come on.

He's just another one of those loony do-gooders,

bleeding over a few birds.

Does he have a family to support?

He doesn't.

No.

Well, I do.

He can afford to be an idealist.

I'm a realist.

I've got no choice.

Nice picture.

Always did like birds.

What do you want?

Just wanted to congratulate you on your promotion.

Thanks.

Now, are you going to get out or do I have to call security?

All right.

You know, your son Eric told me you were a good listener.

I hope you don't make him out to be a liar.

All right.

You've got 2 minutes.

I'll just take one.

I've been checking all the waterways in the area.

I'm certain Drake has been dumping

chemicals into the system.

Now, it's resurfacing, seeping into the groundwater supply.

That's impossible.

I have just read the latest documented scientific reports.

Oh, come on.

What documented scientific reports?

The ones from Dr. Feeney, Drake's

Chief Industrial Engineer?

Slight conflict of interest.

His recent raise would seem to heighten that conflict,

wouldn't you say?

How do you know all that?

I just know.

Well, even if he did get a raise, so what?

Dr. Feeney is above reproach.

I don't believe there's anything to your allegations.

So if you don't mind, I'd like you to leave.

Certainly.

Good luck with your new office.

It's a nice view.

It's wonderful to be able to see the water.

I wouldn't swim in it though.

Jonathan, help me.

Richie, he's real sick.

What's the matter, pal?

I don't know.

I found a couple of dead birds at Brighton Pond.

I got them out and started feeling real sick.

I told you never to touch those birds

unless you had gloves on.

I know.

But you don't wear them.

Here.

Let me see your hands.

How long you had that rash?

I just got it.

Oh, God.

I think I'm gonna be sick. - It's all right.

Just let it on out.

That's it.

Oh, God.

What's happening to me?

Come on.

I'll get you to the doctor.

Come on.

That should do it.

I'll get started on the ad campaign first thing tomorrow.

It's your project.

You handle it.

AMANDA: Mr. Drake?

Yes?

I just heard some awful news.

What is it, Amanda?

Well, apparently that bird fella is in our emergency room

with a couple of kids.

And--

And what?

Spit it out, Amanda.

He says one of them is contaminated.

Oh my God.

Eric.

Eric.

Are you all right?

Yeah, Mom.

But Richie, he got real sick.

STEPHANIE: It's a local allergic reaction and nothing more.

The vomiting might be part of the allergic response.

But the symptoms have abated.

He's fine now.

I don't get it, Dr. Dan.

Richie's never been allergic to anything.

What's going on here?

JOHNATHAN: Richie brought me a dead bird from Brighton Pond.

He put his hands in the contaminated water.

The rash and the vomiting started soon after that.

You know, every time there's trouble,

you're right in the thick of.

Hey, Dad, it's not his fault. He

told us not to touch anything.

I just forgot.

Look, I've checked all the waterways in this area.

They're contaminated.

It may even be in the drinking water.

I have had enough of your irresponsible rabble rousing.

If you're not out of here in 10 seconds,

I'll have you arrested.

Look, can we hold off on the fighting?

I just want to know exactly what is wrong with my kid.

It could be any one of a hundred things,

a-- a reaction to an insect bite, a chemical allergy.

The corticosteroid salve I prescribed

will take care of the rash.

Please, don't worry.

Richie will be fine.

What's going on here?

You put some salve on my kids arm,

but you don't really know what's wrong with him?

There's nothing to worry about.

Bull.

My kid is sick.

That's something to worry about, doctor.

You've got kids too.

It could just as easily have been Eric as Richie.

Mr. Drake, I wanna believe there's nothing

wrong here at Rose Beach.

I just hope nobody has to die before you find

out what's really going on.

Come on, son.

Let's go home.

He could be right.

Someone may have to die before they'll do something.

[phone ringing]

Hello.

HORTON (PHONE): Mr. Egan.

I have told you never, never to call me at my home.

I know that, sir.

But something has happened since the board meeting.

MR. EGAN (PHONE): What is it?

That troublemaker I mentioned, he's becoming a real problem.

Well, how close is he?

HORTON (PHONE): He's too close.

Something's gonna have to be done and soon.

All right.

All right.

I'll handle it.

Hiya, birdie.

Thought we'd come by and clip off your wings.

Folks around here are getting tired of you, bird freak.

We want you out.

I'm not leaving.

Boys, I think this little canary

needs some encouragement.

[ominous music]

So what do you say now, birdie?

I'm not leaving Rose Beach.

You can tell your boss.

We don't have a boss.

We do this for fun.

Johnathan, you ought to see--

all right, you.

Come on.

Come on.

Come on.

Come on. Come on.

You want some more? Come on.

Let's go.

Hey.

Hey, that was very impressive.

I just wish you would've gotten here soon--

[coughing]

--sooner.

We're getting out of here.

We're getting out of here tonight.

No.

I can't go yet.

Johnathan, if the boss wanted you here,

he would've given you the stuff.

I'm telling you, man, it's a sign.

Now, we gotta get out of here.

Tomorrow.

I'll go tomorrow.

[ominous music]

[muttering]

Hey, birdbrain, you better get out of here.

They'll throw you in the clink again.

Hey, pal, I'm talking to you.

Hey.

Hey.

Oh my god.

He's dead.

Somebody, call the police.

Johnathan.

Johnathan, I told you, buddy.

I told you we should've gone.

[sobbing]

[disheartening music]

Oh, god, why?

Why?

Is this plainly enough to get you people to wake up?

My god, don't you see?

It wasn't just toxic waste that killed them.

It was ignorance and it was greed.

All he wanted-- all he wanted in the world

was to keep your water from being poisoned.

He wanted you all to stand up and fight.

He wasn't just talking about your jobs.

He was talking about your lives.

This man--

[sirens]

I told you those gauges were showing unusually high

readings of toxic discharge.

That Birdman there, that--

why he let himself get contaminated, I'll never know.

Who cares why?

He's out of our hair.

All we gotta do is tough it through the press

attention and everything will get back to normal.

Are you crazy?

There's gonna be an autopsy.

When they cut that guy open, what do

you think they're gonna find?

Sugarplums?

Or evidence of toxic chlorinated hydrocarbons?

When that's out, the Feds will be all over us.

There's not gonna be an autopsy.

No autopsy?

Why?

Because I'm gonna take care of it.

OK?

Don, one more thing.

Keep your mouth shut.

You've got a good two years in the federal

penitentiary if you don't.

Make it quick.

[screaming]

And now, a special news release from the city morgue.

Shirley Stark, what's happening down there?

Bill, the most astonishing turn of events.

The morgue has apparently been broken into

and the body of the mysterious Birdman is missing.

No one has any clue as to its whereabouts.

Now, the authorities aren't releasing

any information at this time.

We have tried to contact Drake Technologies,

but they have no comment at the moment.

They do say they will hold a news

conference tomorrow morning.

So we hope to have more information for you then.

Now, back to regular programming.

WOMAN (TV): Come out, quickly.

This way.

MAN (TV): I always said you were a sly one.

WOMAN (TV): Now, for heaven's sake, leave here.

[chattering]

Hi.

Hello.

I'm sorry about your friend.

I liked him.

He had guts.

Did you see the news last night?

Yes.

Then, you know they took his body, Drake and his friends,

so they couldn't be an autopsy.

You don't know that.

Yes, I do.

And so do you.

But you don't have to worry.

They're not gonna catch him.

Guys like Drake don't ever get caught.

He and his flunkies will talk their way out of it.

And you know what that means?

That means my friend will have died for nothing.

Nothing.

In 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

Good morning.

I'm Shirley Stark.

And I'm here at Drake Technologies

speaking with the company president, Horton Drake,

as well as Dr. Donald Feeney.

Now, gentlemen, last night the body of Jonathan Smith,

known as the Birdman, disappeared

from the city morgue.

Now, accusations have been leveled

that he died of toxic waste contamination

emanating from this plant.

Shirley, there's absolutely no connection between that death

and our plant.

We are a clean operation, operating

well within the EPA guidelines.

Doctor, do you agree with that?

Yes, yes, wholeheartedly.

And I have documented studies to offer as proof.

Then, what do you make of the bizarre disappearance

of the Birdman's body?

Sabotage.

Pure and simple sabotage.

My guess is that some radical ecological group stole the body

to avoid an autopsy, because they know that it would reveal

the truth, that this Birdman did not die of chemical poisoning.

All right.

[cheering]

HORTON: We are the ones who wanted an autopsy.

We demanded it, because we knew we'd be vindicated.

We're innocent and everyone here knows it.

Wait.

I have something to say.

Get her the mic.

I'm Rita Travers, Vice President

of Public Relations at Drake.

I have, in my possession, a secret report that documents

Jonathan Smith's allegations.

This woman is not authorized to speak for the company.

She was fired, as an incompetent.

And she's simply trying to get revenge.

I was told that the problems in this report

had been dealt with.

I believed it.

But I now know that it was a lie.

Toxic chemicals are being dumped at this plant,

right into the sewer system.

And for some time now, they've been seeping up to the surface,

contaminating our groundwater.

We're slowly being poisoned.

This is a pack of lies.

The birds are just the tip of the iceberg, the first to go.

Look, I'm no expert, but do we have to wait until our kids

get leukemia, until our--

our mothers have miscarriages, our men go sterile?

Let's not wait for the body count.

Let's not have another Love Canal.

Jonathan Smith died for us.

he tried to help us.

Now, he's dead.

Let's make that death mean something.

Will our jobs count for killing ourselves and our families?

Please, clean up the plant.

Clean up the plant.

Clean up the plant.

CROWD: Clean up the plant.

Clean up the plant.

Clean up the plant.

Clean up the plant.

Clean up the plant.

Clean up the plant.

Clean up the plant.

Clean up the plant.

Clean up the plant.

Clean up the plant.

Clean up the plant.

Clean up the plant.

[bittersweet music]

Well, you got it done, buddy.

You got it done.

[hopeful music]

Hey.

How about that cookout?

Cute, Jonathan.

Really cute.

[chuckling]

[theme song]