FADE IN:
INT. UNEMPLOYMENT BUREAU - DAY
ON A WOODEN SIGN HANGING FROM THE CEILING. IT READS:
Metropolis Unemployment Bureau
PAN DOWN TO A ROW OF "TELLERS' CAGES" with long lines of PEOPLE waiting to
collect their unemployment checks. A sign above the first window says "A - F",
the second window is designated "G - L" and so on.
CLOSE ON THE SECOND WINDOW -- Waiting his turn at the head of the line is a
BLACK MAN in his early 30's. He kills time by trying to make a beat-up old
wooden yo-yo perform the basic up-and-down maneuver, but he's not very good at
it. He looks as if he's down on his luck: shiny pants, slightly frayed collar,
an old windbreaker. One of life's chronic losers, he is one of those individuals
who continue to believe in themselves despite overwhelming evidence to the
contrary. This is GUS GORMAN.
Behind the teller's wicket is a middle-aged female CLERK with the requisite
officious manner and heart of stone common to her profession. As the MAN ahead
of GUS finishes his turn and walks away, she barks out:
CLERK
Name?
GUS
(as he tries to
untangle his
yo-yo string)
Gus Gorman.
She pulls his folder from her file, opens it, scowling.
CLERK
Ah yes, August Gorman. Have
you looked for work this week,
Mr. Gorman?
GUS
(this is a familiar
routine to him)
Yeah.
CLERK
What kind?
GUS
Kitchen. . . Technician
CLERK
Dishwasher? Any luck?
GUS
Nope, but --
CLERK
Mr. Gorman, according to our
records you have been unemployed
for 36 weeks.
GUS
Thirty-five.
CLERK
Not counting this week.
(looking at his folder)
You secured employment last June
as a messenger and were discharged
after one day for. . .
GUS
They said I lost it on the subway, but
it ain't the truth! It was a pickpocket
took it!
CLERK
A television set?
GUS
Well, it was one of them little bitty
two-inch screen Japanese jobs.
CLERK
The only other employment you
found was in a fast-food joint--
(consulting dossier)
-- which lasted. . . 28 minutes! Well!
That's some kind of record. Talk about
fast!
GUS
(protesting)
Man, them people was crazy! How they 'spect
you to learn all that jive on the first day? "Hold
the pickle! Hold the lettuce! Extra onions!
Special sauce! No special sauce!" Ain't nobody
found no meat inside that glop yet.
CLERK
Mr. Gorman, the city of Metropolis is
generous to a fault, but. . .
GUS
I know, I'm the fault.
CLERK
Thirty-six weeks of chronic unemployment,
thirty-six weeks of living off the taxes of
hard-working citizens. Do you know what
you are?
GUS
Don't call me a bum! I ain't no bum!
CLERK
You are, I was about to say, no longer
eligible.
GUS
(stunned)
What about this week's check?
CLERK
(dismissing him summarily
Next!
The MAN behind him steps up to the counter as a frustrated, miserable GUS walks
away. FOLLOW GUS. Muttering to himself about the injustice of it all, he starts
for the exit, feeling in his pocket for his cigarettes. he takes out a crumpled
pack, pries the paper open and fishes out his last smoke. . . a bent, shabby-
looking cigarette. He puts the sorry object in his lips and searched his pockets
for a match. No luck.
NEW ANGLE -- He walks over to a MAN waiting on one of the lines, smoking a
cigar.
GUS
Hey brother, got a match?
The MAN hands him a matchbook. GUS takes it and is about to open it and light
his cigarette, when the printing on the matchbook catches his eye. He looks
closely at it.
INSERT - TIGHT POV: One of those matchbook advertisements for a home-study
course. There is a little line drawing of a smiling, successful man, and the
sell line:
"EARN BIG MONEY.
BECOME A COMPUTER PROGRAMMER"
HOLD ON THIS TIGHT C.U. OF THE MATCHBOOK AND FREEZE FRAME.
Music: The stirring Superman theme begins.
THE TITLES OF THE MOVIE APPEARS SUPERIMPOSED OVER THESE IMAGES.
CUT TO:
EXT. METROPOLIS STREETS - DAY
(NOTE: The following sequence, which occurs during, under, and with CREDITS is
designed as an elaborate, spectacular series of events based on the Rube-
Goldberg principle, i.e., a serial development of cause-and-effect, escalating
in scope and size. The "gimmick" that further marks this sequence is as follows:
At the moment when each new development of "effect" is just about to manifest
itself, the FRAME FREEZES and the next CREDIT (actors, composer, writers,
director, etc.) appears. Then the FRAME UNFREEZES, the inevitable action takes
place, leading to the next event in the chain of cause-and-effect until that
perfect next moment comes when again there is a FREEZE FRAME, a CREDIT, and so
on.
In the following, we have refrained from indicating exactly where each FREEZE
FRAME and CREDIT should be, as that is more precisely discovered in the editing
process. Thus:)
ESTABLISHING SHOT -- The busy streets of Metropolis on a typical weekday
morning. Hustle and bustle, PEDESTRIANS and vehicles. It's nine-o'clock and
people are on their way to work. As theme music continues, the sequence begins.
1. Coming out the front door of a building is an absolute knockout of a GIRL:
voluptuous, sexy, young, and healthy. Her every step casues a series of mind-
boggling ripples. She is seemingly oblivious to the effect she has on passers-
by. About 25 years old, this is somebody we will be seeing much more of later.
LORELEI AMBROSIA.
2. As she walks AWAY FROM CAMERA, her rear end reminding us of the proverbial
puppies fighting in a sack, a GUY walking down the street from the opposite
direction turns to ogle at her and therefore doesn't look where he's going. He
bumps into a table-top tray of TOY WIND-UP PENGUINS being sold by a VENDOR. The
PENGUINS, about 20 of them, go waddling off in different directions up and down
the street.
3. A split-second later, a MAN IN A CAP, also walking in the opposite
direction, comes abreast of LORELEI, turns to look at her, doesn't see that
right in front of him (he's near the curb) is a street-sign post. He slams into
it face first.
4. Clutching his smashed nose, he recoils backwards with a great lurch, banging
full-
force into a GIRL ON ROLLER SKATES.
5. Knocked off balance, wobbling erratically, she swerves and srashes into a
hot dog wagon on the corner of the street. Standing there, buying a morning
snack, is the DAILY PLANET photographer and cub reporter JIMMY OLSEN, on his way
to the office. The HOT DOG VENDOR has put a frank on a bun and os about to
squirt the mustard on it when the ROLLER SKATER crashes into the hot dog wagon.
The mustard squirts on Jimmy's face instead and the wagon goes rolling away with
considerable momentum.
6. On the corner of the next street are three telephone booths, side by side.
In each booth is a CALLER. The LAST CALLER, A WOMAN, holds onto a leash, which
dangles outside her phone booth. On the end of this leash is a LITTLE DOG,
waiting patiently outside while his mistress talks on the phoneinside. The hot
dog wagon, picking up speed, hits the first phone booth with considerable
impact.
7. Causing a domino effect: the first booth tips over, with the GUY still inside
it. and hits the second booth, tipping it and its OCCUPANT over, and that in
turn knocks over the third booth, causing the LADY inside to lose her grip on
the leash. Immediately the LITTLE DOG, startled by the crash, goes charging off
down the street, trailing his leash.
8. Further down the street is a BLIND MAN holding the handle of the harness
attached to his SEEING-EYE DOG stands in a doorway. As the LITTLE DOG comes
running by, the SEEING-EYE DOG gets excited and pulls free of his MASTER,
chasing the other DOG. Startled, the BLIND MAN staggers out into the street,
feeling for his DOG, just as:
9. A AWHITE-LINE ROAD PAINTER workman is coming down the avenue, holding the
handle of his motorized line-painting machine, which he is guiding precisely
down the center of the street, painting, AS WE SEE a straight white line. He is
distracted by the CHARGING DOGS and lets go of his machine momentarily. A moment
later, the BLIND MAN staggers out into the road, reaches out and grasps what
feels exactly like the handle of his Seeing-eye Dog harness. It ain't. It's the
line-painting machine.
10. Which now continues down the road guided by a BLIND MAN, and the white line
being painted curves, zig-zags, and bends so that any motorist trying to follow
it would go berserk.
11. In the meantime, strolling down a side-street, with the characteristically
springing step, affable smile for the world, neat suit, hat, and glasses comes
none other than CLARK KENT. He suddenly jumps back as the LITTLE DOG comes
whizzing by and instinctively reaches down with super-speed to grab the leash.
This he does, but if the leash stops, the DOG doesn't. Instead the leash pulls
free of the collar, leaving a bemused CLARK standing there holding an empty
leash.
12. The DOGS whiz by the MAN IN THE CAP (fellow who keeps banging into things
and getting hurt). As he leaps back to avoid them, he falls into an open
manhole.
13. In the middle of the street, the white-line maker "guided" by the BLIND MAN,
is heading for the area of the street where the open manhole is. The BLIND MAN
loses control of the white-line painter and is about to step into the open hole,
when:
14. The now-capless bald head of the MAN IN THE CAP emerges from the manhole,
just in time for the BLIND MAN to step right on it (like a man crossing a
pond by stepping on the stones). The BLIND MAN, busy whistling for his missing
dog, never noticed how near to disaster he came, but the bald head of the poor
MAN IN THE CAP is now imprinted with a black sole marl.
15. The white-line roller, with nobody steering it, crashes into a little
barrier that has been set up on the other side of the open manhole. Customary
smudge pots mark the barrier. The white-line roller hits a smudge pot.
16. The smudge pot goes rolling across the gutter, stops. From another direction
comes one of those TOY PENGUINS. It hits the smudge pot and is immediately set
on fire by the flame.
17. The now flaming PENQUIN continues walking across the street, towards a
newspaper stand. Stacked on the curb beside it are a bundle of as-yet-unopened
newspapers. The burning toy comes to a stop against the stack, which begins to
smoulder.
18. Further down the street is a bank. And just at this moment, running out of
the bank, a gun in one hand, a sack of stolen money in the other, comes a BANK
ROBBER. A BANK GUARD races from the bank and gives chase. The BANK ROBBER
doesn't see:
19. A MAN removing a ladder (the kind which hooks onto clamps from the side of a
van truck). As the MAN and ladder turn, the ladder hook grabs the ROBBER'S
hands. The MAN WITH THE LADDER, never realizing what he has done, swings round
180 degrees with the ladder and the money bag is pulled off the ladder by:
20. The wires of a scaffold where some BUILDING REPAIRMEN stand, just about to
go up the side of a building. A second after the sack is deposited on the
platform, the scaffold starts to rise.
21. The BANK GUARD fires at the ROBBER, but his shot misses and hits the
windshield of a passing car. The windshield shatters and the DRIVER crashes into
a fire hydrant on the curb.
22. Water gushes out of the hydrant, filling up the interior of the car like a
goldfish bowl, the DRIVER trapped inside.
23. Across the street, the flaming newspapers have set the entire kiosk on fire.
24. Hearing the screams and shouts, CLARK KENT looks down the street and sees
what's happening. Quickly, he looks around for a place to metamorphose sees
none.
25. HE dashes down the street, pausing for a regretful look at the three phone
booths on their sides (no way for him there). He spots an open storefront with
one of those Photomat Booths inside, enters it, behind the curtain. We hear a
coin drop in the slot; the OCCUPIED sign goes on; the lights flash. A moment
later, bursting out of the booth. . . SUPERMAN!
26. He's just about to take off, when he does an "Oops!" as he remembers: the
four photos drop into the receptacle. AS he turns to go back and get them, a KID
wanders by and SUPERMAN grabs them out of his hand. ON THE PHOTOS: They show the
change. PHOTO 1" Clark. 2. Clark with glasses off, shirt unbuttoned. 3. Further
along. 4. SUPERMAN. Quickly he tears off the fourth picture and hands it to the
astonished KID.
27. SUPERMAN lands on top of the car . . . now totally filled with water.
Quickly, he rips open the sun roof, reaches inside and hauls the soggy DRIVER
out. Then, jumping to the ground, he lifts the car off the hydrant, sets it
down, then jams the broken hydrant back into the sidewalk, thereby stopping the
gushing water.
28. Across the street, the kiosk is engulfed in flames. SUPERMAN lifts the car,
flies across the street with it and turns it upside down over the fire. The
water gushes out and douses the flames.
29. JIMMY OLSEN, watching from the sidewalk, sheers:
JIMMY
Way to go, Superman!
30. Up high on the outside of the building, the WORKERS on the scaffold turn to
look
down at what's happening on the street. ONE OF THEM kicks the sack of money over
the side as he turns to look.
31. In the playground of the park on the next street, a YOUNG MOTHER (or a
NANNY) lifts a little TODDLER from a baby carriage and sets him on one of end of
a see-saw. Now she starts to walk around it to the other end so that she can
give the little fellow a gentle see-saw ride. But before she gets there, the
falling money bag lands full force on the (up) end of the see-saw.
32. Which causes the other end to fly upwards, catapulting the TODDLER straight
up in the air. The YOUNG MOTHER screams.
33. The BABY lands in the topmost branches of a tree and howls.
34. SUPERMAN sees the problem, flies down and rescues the TODDLER. He hands him
to the YOUNG MOTHER and flies off.
35. THE TWO PAINTERS are on a scaffold, about two stories up on the side of a
building. One of them turns abruptly as he spots SUPERMAN flying by:
FIRST PAINTER
(to CO-WORKER)
Mike, looks who's here!
And as he turns, he inadvertently licks over one can of paint on its side,
Paint slowly
starts to drip out and over the side.
36. QUICK PAN DOWN TO STREET LEVEL BELOW WHERE WE LOOK through
the window of a posh Art Gallery. Inside, a DIGNIFIED GENTLEMAN is paying a
large sum of money to the OWNER as his purchase, a large oil painting in gilt
frame, is being moved toward the door by the GALLERY WORKERS.
37. The DIGNIFIED GENTLEMAN exits the gallery first. As he steps out, the first
drops of paint from the tipped-over paint can above starts to fall. He
automatically opens his umbrella at the first sign of falling moisture.
38. After a pause, there seems to be no more precipitation. He closes up his
umbrella. A second later, the entire can of paint falls on his head.
39. He reels backwards from the blow and crashes into a penny gumball machine on
the sidewalk (outside an adjacent candy store).
40. The gumball machine crashes to the ground, the glass globe breaks and a
hundred little gumballs roll onto the sidewalk.
41. Way down the street, the BANK ROBBER is fleeing from the pursuing BANK
GUARD, constantly looking over his shoulder to see if he's gaining on him.
42. On the other side of the art gallery, PATRONS in a sidewalk café are being
entertained by one of those STREET PERFORMERS seen everywhere lately . . . a
second-rate Marcel Marceau, i.e. a white-faced, black leotard-garbed MIME. The
MIME is doing the classic routine of a man climbing a hill against a strong
wind. He doesn't see the gumballs rolling toward him until it is too late.
Desperately trying to maintain his routine, his feet start going out of control,
faster and faster. he loses balance completely and falls ungracefully on his
ass.
43. The BANK ROBBER dashes down the street, COPS giving chase, and trips on the
fallen MIME. The sudden halting of his rapid forward motion sends him falling
straight forward just as:
44. The oil painting is being carried out of the gallery to a nearby car. The
BAN KROBBER goes head-first right through the painting.
45. On the other side of the painting, a TEENAGER dribbling a basketball is
knocked down by the ROBBER. The basketball bounces and goes flying through the
air.
46. It lands in the cooker of a Hot Fog Wagon, which has finally come to a stop
against the side of a building. The heat causes the basketball to swell . . .
and swell . . .
47. CLARK KENT, in civvies again, comes out of a doorway.
48. ON THE BASKETBALL which swells to the bursting point and explodes. Pieces of
rubber and strings of hot-dogs go flying into the air.
49. On street level, LORELEI AMBROSIA comes jiggling down the street, still
having no idea of the events she set in motion.
50. Ahead of her, halfway down the block, a panel truck, its doors open, is
parked in front of a bakery. A DELIVERY MAN emerges from the bakery, carrying a
tray of custard pies.
51. The bakery's DELIVERY MAN doesn't see the hot dogs rolling on the sidewalk.
He steps on them, trips. This causes:
52. A custard pie to fly up into the air, heading right for the unsuspecting
kisser of LORELEI, who is walking the other way.
53. CLARK spots what is about to happen and, with a very deft move, slides in
front of the momentarily startled girl and, in the same motion, reaches one hand
up and catches the pie neatly just when it was inches away from her face. Still
in one smooth motion, CLARK whisks it away and out of sight like a very clever
waiter, as LORELEI, who never noticed, continues on.
54. What CLARK doesn't notice, though, is the bruised battered MAN IN THE CAP
who turns the corner exactly at this second and walks smack-on right into the
custard pie in CLARK'' outstretched hand.
CLARK
Oh! Sorry about that.
55. As the MAN IN THE CAP stands there wiping pie off his face, CLARK steps to
the
curb and waits for the light to change so he can cross.
56. NEW ANGLE -- A big truck comes down the street. There's a large puddle on
the gutter, the residue of an early morning rain. The curbside tires run through
the water, causing it to splash CLARK. AS the big splash hits him, this is THE
FINAL FREEZE FRAME and the FINAL (DIRECTOR'S) CREDIT.
ON CLARK -- He looks down in mild dismay. His pant legs are soaking wet.
Quickly, he turns and walks into the park entrance. FOLLOW HIM as he sits down
on an unoccupied bench. Trying not to call attention to himself, he opens his
newspaper, pretends to read it. It is today's DAILY PLANET.
CLOSER ON CLARK -- He looks around to make sure nobody is noticing him. Nobody
is. Satisfied, he raises his glasses and looks down at his wet pants.
EFFECTS: The red rays of Heat Vision emanate from his eyes, aims at his pants
as he extends his legs on the park bench. In a second, the pants are magically
dries and re-pleated.
CLARK
(to himself)
Neatness counts.
Satisfied, he continues to walk to work.
As CLARK walks OUT OF FRAME, PAN UP to the second floor of a small building, the
kind where there's a store on the ground floor and a few offices above it. PAN
STOPS on the window, on which is lettered:
ARCHIBALD DATA PROCESSING SCHOOL
INT. DATA PROCESSING SCHOOL ROOM - DAY
A bunch of students are clustered around INSTRUCTORS, who sits at the keyboard
of a small computer, demonstrating.
FIRST STUDENT
But what if you want to program two
bilateral coordinates at the same time?
INSTRUCTOR
You can't. It's impossible.
FIRST STUDENT
Computer technology is quite advanced,
young man, but it can't do that.
A voice from the assembled students is heard:
VOICE
(hesitantly)
Uh. . .
The GROUP parts to reveal GUS GORMAN. HE mumbles and reaches over to the
keyboard. H punches some buttons while the INSTRUCTOR looks on with a
patronizing smile. Suddenly the INSTUCTOR'S expression changes to one of
astonishment.
INSTRUCTOR
Good Lord! How did you do that?
GUS
(shrugging)
Just did it, that's all.
EXT. DAIILY PLANET - DAY
ESTABLISHING SHOT of the office building.
INT. PERRY WHITE'S OFFICE - DAY
INSERT -- On a 8 x 10 photograph laying on a desktop. It shows a handsome MAN
in his mid-40's, wearing black tie, standing up at a formal dais table, holding
a plaque. A captain of industry who has taken pains to present himself as a
"regular guy," this is ROSS WEBSTER.
As CAMERA studies this photo, we hear the voice of PERRY WHITE asking:
PERRY (o.s.)
Who's this?
JIMMY (o.s.)
That's him, Ross Webster. This was just
after they presented him with the award
for Humanitarian of the Year.
LOIS (o.s.)
Good-looking.
JIMMY (o.s.)
That's because I gave him f.2 at a 50th.
FULL SHOT -- Three PEOPLE are in PERRY'S office, looking at photographs spread
out on a table. Shirtsleeves rolled up, tie knot loosened -- that's PERRY WHITE.
Surrounded by a great many shiny, chic shopping bags and looking particularly
fetching and cheerful today is LOIS LANE. Displaying the photos is JIMMY OLSEN.
PERRY
Olsen, there's one thing I don't
understand. The point of the story
Lois wrote is how the Ross Webster
got this great honor. You bring me one
photograph of him and fifteen pictures
of this person!
As he says this, he points to a bunch of other photos on the desk:
ON THE PHOTOS -- They are various shots of the same GIRL whose wiggle caused
all the chaos on the streets before: LORELEI AMBROSIA. She is seated at the
banquet dais in a low cut gown. As we SEE these, PERRY'S speech continues:
PERRY
Who is she?
JIMMY
Her name's Lorelei Ambrosia. She's
Webster's Girl Friday.
LOIS
Oh, I think Saturday, too.
NEW ANGLE -- As PERRY takes another photo from the pile and studies it.
PERRY
Who's the other woman?
JIMMY
That's his sister. Vera Webster.
PERRY
The picture looks blurry.
LOIS
The picture's fine. That's the way
she looks in real life.
INSERT: ON THE PHOTO -- Showing a no-nonsense, severe-looking woman in
her late 40's. This is Ross' older, spinster sister: Vera Webster.
JIMMY (o.s.)
She's vice-president of Webco
Industries.
ON THEM
PERRY
You're amazing, Olsen. A boring
banquet and you bring back 3,000
boring pictures. Then Superman puts
out a fire on Third Avenue this morning
and you stand there and watch the whole
thing and you don't take one picture!!
JIMMY
I didn't have my camera with me.
PERRY
(exasperated)
A photographer eats with his camera,
A Photographer sleeps with his camera --
LOIS
Glad I'm a writer.
At which point, the door opens and a grumpy, middle-aged WOMAN enters, pushing a
bizarre object on wheels before her. The WOMAN is MISS HENDERSON from
Circulation Department. The thing she pushes is one of those revolving drum
Bingo machines with a hand crank on the side that turns a cog, which makes the
hundreds of little white plastic balls churn about until one of them falls into
the chute. Attached to it is a big promotional sign, which reads:
"JINGO! Daily Planet Big
Prize Bingo, by JINGO!!"
From this ANGLE we can SEE that in the adjacent office, behind the glass, is a
bulletin board with JINGO written over it and a MAN waiting in there.
MISS HENDERSON
Mr. White, please, it's time for you
to draw this month's winning JINGO
number.
(to LOIS)
The prize is an all-expenses trip to
South America.
PERRY
(irritated)
Why can't the idiot in Circulation who
dreamed up this imbecile contest in the
first place ---
MISS HENDERSON
Because you're the Editor-in-Chief. Your
integrity is unquestioned.
LOIS
I have a question.
Suddenly coming through the door is CLARK KENT, almost tripping over the
shopping bags around LOIS.
CLARK
Hi, Lois. Morning, Jimmy, you've got
mustard on your lapel. Excuse me, Mr. White,
I don't mean to interrupt but ---
PERRY
Please, Kent, not now. I'm trying to put
out a newspaper here.
And he starts cranking the Bingo machine.
LOIS
It'll never replace the printing press,
boss.
MISS HENDERSON
(impatiently)
What's the number, Mr. White?
CLOSER ANGLE -- PERRY pries apart the plastic ball; it splits into two half-
spheres. Inside is a folded piece of paper. He removes it, unfolds it, reads it.
PERRY
(unenthusiastically)
53.
MISS HENDERSON
(calling out in piercing
tones to the next office)
53!
SEEN THROUGH THE GLASS DIVIDER" THE MAN in the next room tacks the number 53 up
on the board.
PERRY
Okay? Goodbye.
MISS HENDERSON
You've got to pick three more numbers.
Furiously, PERRY starts to crank the machine again.
CLARK
Mr. White, please, I promised those people
I'd get back to them by this morning. What
do you think?
PERRY
Look, I don't know, Kent. . .
CLARK
(pitching hard)
Personally, I think it could be a terrific
story!
C.U. LOIS -- Accusingly, as if she were being robbed of an assignment.
LOIS
What terrific story?
PERRY
Kent's been invited to his high-school
class reunion.
LOIS
Whoopee.
CLARK
(fired up)
It's practically an American ritual,
Mr. White! Isn't that so, Jimmy?
JIMMY
I wouldn't know Mr. Kent. Most of the
people I went to high school with are still
in high school.
MISS HENDERSON
(impatiently)
Could we have the next number already?
PERRY stops cranking, another ball falls out, and he opens it.
MISS HENDERSON
(hollering out)
33!
The GUY in the next room puts up 33.
CLARK
(won't be stopped)
Anyway, the reunion's just the hook
for the story. What it's really about is
how the typical small town's changed
in the last fifteen years. how do you
like this a title: Can You Go Home
Again ?
LOIS
Say!
CLARK
(not picking up
the put-on)
Take me, for instance. Going back to
middle America after having become
a Metropolis sophisticate --
C.U. LOIS -- She looks at CLARK fondly, but she can't quite buy that self-
description.
CLARK
(brightly)
I'm really excited about this. I even --
He opens his briefcase, pulls out a neatly folded maroon wool pullover.
CLARK
-- I was looking through my closet last
and, sure enough, O found my old
high school sweater.
FULL ON HIM as he unfolds it and holds it proudly in front of his chest. In the
middle of it, right where the Superman monogram is located, is a big white block
letter "S".
ON PERRY, LOIS AND JIMMY looking at him.
ON CLARK -- He points to the "S".
CLARK
(explaining)
Smallville.
NEW ANGLE
MISS HENDERSON
(whiney, nudging)
Mr. White!
Scowling like mad, PERRY cranks the handle again.
PERRY
I'm getting a cramp in my elbow
from this.
CLARK
(helpfully as ever)
Let me do it for you, Mr. White.
With characteristic over-enthusiasm, CLARK starts to crank the handle too
rapidly.
CLARK
(eagerly)
So, Mr. White? Can I go ahead and
make my travel arrangements?
LOIS
Exactly what I was about to ask
about me.
Suddenly, the handle breaks off the drum due to CLARK'S over-exertion. He stands
there with egg on his face and crank in hand.
MISS HENDERSON
Do you know what that machine cost?
CLARK
Uh. . . sorry --
PERRY
All right, Kent. I just hope you know what
you're doing. If you really think Smallville
is your big chance, go for it.
JIMMY
What about me?
PERRY
What about you?
JIMMY
A story like this cries out for great human
interest pictures.
(envisioning them)
The big dance! The Homecoming Game!
Mr. Kent posing next to his old locker!
LOIS
Hey, I'd definitely shoot color on that
one, Jimmy. It'd be a crime to just use
black and white.
PERRY
Okay, Kent, call your people and tell
them the Prodigal Son is coming home.
FAVORING CLARK -- Happy now, he turns to leave the office. SHOT LOSES PERRY but
we continue to hear his voice, o.s.
PERRY (o.s.)
I just hope you realize, it's not easy
losing my top reporter --
Beaming at the unexpected compliment, CLARK turns back just as:
FULL SHOT
PERRY
-- but you deserve the vacation, Lois.
CLARK
(surprised)
Oh. You're going away.
LOIS
(kidding, with a grin)
Yeah, well, some of us get to go to
Smallville. And some of us just have
to settle for . . .
She reaches into one of the shopping bags and pulls out the world's teeniest,
tiniest bikini.
LOIS
. . . Bermuda.
CLARK'S eyes widen at the image that comes to his mind.
MISS HENDERSON
(impatient)
Mr. White, the next number, please?
PERRY
How'm I supposed to turn this thing?
MISS HENDERSON
(demonstrating, she tumbles
the drum over by hand)
By hand. Like the pioneers did.
PERRY
Couldn't we just get a computer to
do this?
CUT TO:
INT. COMPUTER ROOM - WEBCO - DAY
CAMERA DOLLIES THROUGH TWO GLASS DOORS (POV A ROLLING CART ENTERING THE ROOM).
WE SEE THE WORDS STENCILED ON THE DOOR:
WEBCO INDUSTRIES - DATA PROCESSING CENTER
The room we ENTER is one of those enormous computer centers. Along the walls are
the massive data consoles, their tape decks alternately rolling and stopping.
Other machines extrude massive print-outs. In the center of the room are desks,
one after another, with small table-top computer consoles, the sort that are
operated from a keyboard. VARIOUS WORKERS are seen doing their jobs, including
the ones operating the keyboard computers. They move rapidly around in a curious
and unique fashion: each WORKER sits on a chair that has ball bearing wheels and
they propel themselves from terminal to terminal by skittering around without
leaving their chairs. To facilitate this action, they all wear white tennis
shoes, which grips the floor for maximum purchase. The impression we get is one
of robot-like humans zipping around from machine to machine.
WIDE SHOT, REVERSE -- Revealing that the rolling cart which took us into the
room is pushed by an EMPLOYEE who stops at each desk and hands each person an
envelope . . . it's payday and they're getting their paychecks. As we DOLLY BACK
we SEE in F.G. two desks, side by side, with a keyboard console with video
display on each. One of them is manned by our friend with the matchbook: GUS
GORMAN. Across the aisle is his fellow-worker, FRED.
The MAN handing out the checks stops at GUS' desk, gives him his.
GUS takes the envelope, opens it, as FRED gets the same and the cart continues
on.
CLOSE ON GUS -- He looks in astonished dismay at his check.
GUS
Sonofagun! Look at this here!
FRED
First paycheck?
GUS
First rip-off, man! Supposed to be 225
bucks a week! You know what this sucker
says?? $143.80!
(reading it, angry)
Federal tax! State tax! Social Security tax!
FRED
That's so you're still getting some money
when you hit 65.
GUS
(gets up, starts to walk)
I ain't gonna live that long on $143.80!
I want it now, man, while I'm still young
and cool.
INT. EMPLOYEES' CAFETERIA - DAY
GUS and FRED enter the cafeteria, continuing their conversation. TRACK WITH
THEM, as they walk down to the coffee machine. GUS mutters and works hi yo-yo
with no success.
FRED
Actually, it's probably more like $143.80
and one-half cent.
(GUS gives him a
puzzled look)
There's always fractions over in a big
corporation, but they round it down to
the lowest whole number.
GUS
What'm I gonna do with half a cent?
Buy me a thoroughbred cockroach?
(pause; he starts to
think about it)
Everybody loses them fractions?
FRED
They don't actually lose 'em. You can't lose
what you never got.
GUS
Who gets it, the company?
FRED
No, not really. They can't be bothered
collecting half a cent from your paycheck
anymore than you could.
GUS
So where is all them half-centses?
FRED
They're just . . . floating around out
there. The computer knows where.
C.U. GUS -- lost in thought
NEW ANGLE -- By now they've reached the coffee urn. FRED pulls the lever and
fills two cups, reaches for the bowl of sugar cubes.
FRED
How many sugars?
GUS
One.
(pause. As FRED drops
one in the cup)
And a half.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. WEBCO COMPUTER ROOM - TWILIGHT
WIDE SHOT -- The end of the day. Employees putting on their coats, changing from
the white sneakers into normal street shoes, leaving, saying good-night, etc.
ON GUS -- Seated at his keyboard, a faintly manic gleam in his eyes. HE stares
at the video display screen, his fingers brushing the keys.
NEW ANGLE -- FRED puts on his jacket, gets ready to leave.
FRED
Quittin' time, Gus. Comin'?
GUS
Uh . . . no, man. I got some work to
finish up here.
FRED
(archly)
Workin' overtime? What are you
doin', buddy, looking for a raise?
GUS
(almost to himself)
Yeah. A raise . .
FRED shakes his head, turns, and leaves.
LONG SHOT -- the data processing center is empty of PEOPLE now. Just the
computers and GUS.
MED. CLOS ON GUS -- he takes his paycheck out of the envelope again and looks
closely at it.
INSERT -- ON THE UPPER RIGHT CORNER OF THE CHECK is a short sequence of numbers
and letters.
GUS
(repeating them aloud)
368zzx4.
TIGHT ANGLE -- he punches those numbers and letters on his keyboard.
ON THE VIDEO DISPLAY -- the numbers and letters appear on the screen. Then, a
moment later:
HELLO.
WEBCO PAYROLL DIVISION.
GIVE COMMAND COORDINATES.
ON GUS -- a broad grin.
GUS
(a man who sees the future
opening before him)
Yeah !
He begins to punch coordinates into the keyboard.
In a QUICK SERIES OF SHOTS, WE SEE VARIOUS COMPUTERS OF DIFFERENT TYPES, IN
DIFFERENT LOCATION as they begin to flash, and/or light up and/or turn their
memory bank tapes and/or beep and/or do other 'computer stuff'. The effect is to
clearly indicate that what GUS is doing is having a result, that his computer is
activating other.
EXT. TWO-LANE HIGHWAY - NIGHT
MED. LONG SHOT -- A Greyhound bus is travelling down a two-lane highway, which
runs alongside a woodsy, rural area.
INT. GREYHOUND BUS - NIGHT
A lot of the PASSENGERS are sleeping. A few read by the little individual
overhead lights. Perhaps a couple cuddling in the back seat. Seated side by side
toward the rear of the bus are CLARK and JIMMY. CLARK is half-dozing and trying
to seem interested in what is obviously an interminable story that JIMMY is
telling him.
JIMMY
But my Uncle Al, on my father's side,
he won't eat her stuffing, he says it
should be cooked on the outside of the
turkey and she puts the stuffing inside
the turkey. So my mother told my
Aunt Ellen . . . Aunt Ellen's my father's
half-sister, I told you that, right?
CLARK
Mmmmm . . .
JIMMY
The thing is though, my cousin Arnold,
Aunt Rosey's Arnold this is, he got mad
when Uncle Al insulted his mother's
stuffing, so now the problem is --
CLARK
(suddenly alert,
looking forward)
What's that?
POV: LOOKING FORWARD DOWN THE AILSE -- The bus has stopped. Out the windshield
we SEE a red glow on the horizon that lights up the sky.
TWO SHOT -- CLARK AND JIMMY
JIMMY
Wow, what a beautiful sunrise!
CLARK
At one o'clock in the morning?
CLOSER ON THE WINDSHIELD -- We now SEE police cars with dome lights blocking the
road, barrier set up.
EXT. TWO-LANE HIGHWAY - NIGHT
A few minutes later. The BUS DRIVER has gotten out to talk to the POLICEMAN
blocking the road. CLARK, JIMMY, and some OTHER PASSENGERS have come out of the
bus also to find out what's happening.
Throughout the following, CUT TO VARIOUS ANGLES showing other traffic being
halted
and one lane cleared for emergency vehicles to pass through: ambulances, fire
trucks, National Guard truck, etc.
STATE POLICEMAN
It's your choice. Turn back or pull over
to the side of the road till it's over.
BUS DRIVER
How long'll that take?
STATE POLICEMAN
You never know with forest fires. And
this one is spreading like . . .
(he has no choice but
to finish the sentence
he started)
. . . wildfire. We got 10,000 acres of
timber going up like matchsticks and
a south wind.
CLARK
What's the south wind got to do with it?
STATE POLICEMAN
Iroquois Trail Power Plant is just eight
miles south of the fire.
JIMMY
The nuclear power station?
JIMMY turns and runs back onto the bus.
INT. BUS - NIGHT
JIMMY grabs his camera from the overhead rack, dashes out again.
EXT. BUS - NIGHT
CLARK
How did it start?
STATE POLICEMAN
Nine times out of ten it's some careless
camper.
CLARK
Are there campers trapped in there?
STATE POLICEMAN
We're doing our best to get 'em out.
JIMMY comes out of the bus, pulls CLARK aside.
JIMMY
Keep talking to that state trooper so he
doesn't notice where I'm going, okay?
CLARK
What are you doing?
JIMMY
You know what Mr. White said. A
photographer always goes after a story.
He starts to sneak off into the nearby forest.
CLARK
Jimmy, it's dangerous!
On JIMMY -- The swashbuckling bravado of a 19 year-old:
JIMMY
Danger? That goes with the territory,
Mr. Kent.
And he ducks into the woods.
C.U. CLARK -- making a decision.
NEW ANGLE -- As more cars have been stooped, a DRIVER, in F.G. gets out of his
car to walk forward toward the barrier to see what's going on. CLARK looks
around to make sure nobody is noticing him. Then, quickly, he opens the right-
hand side back door of the empty car and enters. A split-second later he emerges
from the left-hand side as . . . SUPERMAN! He takes off.
CUT TO:
EXT. FOREST FIRE - NIGHT
OVERHEAD SHOTS (STOCK FOOTAGE): A terrific forest fire is raging. Miles and
miles of burning trees, rushing winds.
EXT. FOREST - NIGHT
VARIOUS SHOTS (STOCK FOOTAGE) INSIDE THE FIRES ITSELF ON GROUND LEVEL.
1. Flaming trees, timber crashing.
2. Animals running in panic.
3. Sheets of flame sweeping through woods.
Followed by VARIOUS QUICK SHOTS of brave and hard-working FIREFIGHTERS right in
the thick of it, doing what they can:
1. Spading up the ground with shovels and hoes,
trying to create firebreaks.
2. Chain-saws at work bringing down trees to
to clear area.
3. A portable pump with hose attached drawing
water from a small pond or creek in the area.
Throughout all this, we have the impression of a blazing inferno of terrific
proportions with sheets of flame and sounds of fire and falling trees and
whipping winds.
EXT. STAGING AREA, FOREST FIRE - NIGHT
ESTABLISHING SHOT -- The command post of the firefighting operation. Ambulances
with MEDICS ready; fire trucks; hot soup and coffee wagons; EXHAUSTED
FIREFIGHTERS getting a break, taking oxygen, drinking coffee, etc; FRESH TROOPS
putting on their gear.
CLOSER-- THE FIRE CHIEF, clad in woodsy rainment, but with a badge denoting his
status, stands conferring with his AIDE. He looks haggard, hot, worried. He
holds a walkie-talkie. Suddenly, SUPERMAN lands in the area.
SUPERMAN
Chief, how can I help?
FIRE CHIEF
(calling to assistant)
Get this man a helmet and a ---
(suddenly realizes
who it is)
Oh! It's you!
(calling to assistant)
No helmet!
SUPERMAN
What's the story?
FIRE CHIEF
This is a fierce one, Superman. We've
got a hundred and twenty men on the
northeast border building firebreaks. I've
got volunteers coming in from as far away
as Ohio. They're doing all they can, but --
CAMERA PANS TO SEE EXHAUSTED FIREFIGHTERS, faces covered with soot, sitting on
the ground and breathing deeply from oxygen masks, trying to get themselves
together, as speech continues:
FIRE CHIEF (o.s.)
they're only human.
PAN CONINUES TO A NEARBY AREA WHERE WE SEE, coming toward the soup kitchen, a
bedraggled and besmirched BOY SCOUT TROOP 9about EIGHT BOYS AND A SCOUT MASTER)
who were obviously evacuated from the forest. They are all turning and giving
dirty looks to someone who walks a few paces behind them: a LONE BOY SCOUT,
looking very forlorn and guilty, holding two fire making sticks and a bow. This
is obviously the twerp who started the forest fire in the first place.
EXT. CABIN IN THE WOODS - NIGHT
In the middle of the forest, a log cabin sits in a clearing. Beside it is one of
those butane gas tanks. The fire envelops it.
NEW ANGLE -- The butane tank explodes. The cabin explodes. Flames devour it in
seconds.
EXT. FOREST FIRE - NIGHT
Leaping out from the tops of the trees, whizzing on the high winds, sparks and
fire balls sail through the air.
ON AN UNSCHORCHED PART OF THE FOREST -- Fire balls land in a clear area. In
VARIOUS ANGLES, WE SEE new fires start up.
NEW ANGLE -- as FIREFIGHTERS race into this area and begin flailing away at the
fresh brushfires with shovels and picks, trying to extinguish these new fires
before they really get going.
EXT. WATCH-TOWER, FOREST - NIGHT
LONG SHOT -- A wooden tower used for fire-spotting in the middle of the forest.
From this distance, we can barely make out that somebody is up there in the
tower, standing on the ledge.
CLOSER ON THE TOWER -- It's JIMMY OLSEN, who has secured himself a marvelous
vantage point for taking photos of the fire.
WIDE ANGLE ON THE TOWER--what he doesn't realize is that the flames are creeping
up behind the tower and will soon envelop it.
EXT. ANOTHER PART OF THE FOREST - NIGHT
VARIOUS SHOTS OF FIREFIGHTERS building firebreaks. It is a slow and laborious
process. Some MEN chop down trees to clear the break line. Others turn the fresh
earth with spades. Others haul the fallen timber out of the way. They work
feverishly, but it's hard work and slow going.
NEW ANGLE -- SUPERMAN lands in their midst. They're so exhausted they can
barely muster up the customary surprise.
SUPERMAN
(all business)
Stand back, guys. Where do you
want this firebreak?
CREW LEADER
(pointing)
From there to there.
FAVORING SUPERMAN as he quickly selects a stout, tall tree. As the MEN watch in
astonishment, SUPERMAN grabs the base of the tree and with --
EFFECTS: SUPER-STRENGTH (and a bit of super-strain) he pulls the tree out of the
ground, roots and all.
Quickly he hauls it to a clear area and ties a length of cable around it,
creating an instant harness for himself.
NEW ANGLE -- He throws the cable over his shoulders, hooks his arm in it, and
begins to race at:
EFFECTS: SUPER-SPEED straight through the heavily wooded area. The tree, pulled
behind him like a horizontal plow, knocks down all the trees in its path. They
fall to either side like so many pick-up sticks.
LONG SHOT -- The FIREFIGHTERS stand at the point of his departure and see the
instant firebreak being created before their eyes.
LONG WIDE ANGLE DOWN (ARIAL SHOT) -- We SEE the firebreak forming, the tall
trees crashing down to the ground on either side of the blue speedball that is
SUPERMAN.
ON THE FORMAN OF THE FIREBREAK CREW, who speaks into his walkie-talkie to the
central command post:
FORMAN
Chief, this is the North Boundary Crew.
We've got a firebreak that should contain
it on our end.
EXT. COMMAND POST, FOREST - NIGHT
CHIEF
(to walkie-talkie)
It's not going to be that easy on the
south side. The winds are blowing
fireballs right over the breaks.
EXT. IROQUOIS TRAIL NUCLEAR POWER STATION (TOWERS) - NIGHT
ESTABLISHING SHOT -- An icon of our times: the three concrete silos we associate
with nuclear energy stations, c.f. Three Mile Island. In the distance, we SEE
the glow of the fire.
ON THE GATE surrounding the tower closest to the forest. A number of SCIENTISTS,
SECURITY MEN, etc. are standing there watching the approaching fire through
binoculars. Behind them, we SEE the largest of the towers looming.
A very worried PLANT SUPERVISOR puts downs his binoculars and turns to the
SECURITY CHIEF standing beside him.
PLANT SUPERVISOR
Man, if that fire gets much closer, we're
going to have ourselves some big trouble.
SECURITY CHIEF
The nuclear reactor?
PLANT SUPERVISOR
(grimly)
You figure it out. That --
(points at tower)
is a cooling tower, right? The
nuclear core inside it is stabilized
by the temperature. If the fire gets
here, it'll stop being a cooling
tower, and turn into a furnace.
C.U. SECURITY CHIEF
SECURITY CHIEF
Oh, my God! You mean a melt-down!
PLANT SUPERVISOR
Get the civil defense people on the phone.
We may have to evacuate the whole damn
state!
EXT. ANOTHER PART OF THE FOREST, A-FRAME COTTAGE - NIGHT
An A-frame summer cottage has been constructed in a clearing in the woods. ANGLE
FAVORS the big glass façade of it, one enormous picture window with wood trim.
The window reflects the fire coming closer to the house.
CLOSER ON THE GLASS as is begins to heat up and distort the image of the
encroaching flames. Suddenly, the window buckles and blows out with a terrific
crash.
EXT. FOREST ROAD - NIGHT
MED. LONG SHOT -- HEADING TOWARD CAMERA, a camper trailer (recreational vehicle)
is speeding down a dirt road, trying to get to safety. But its back end has
already caught on fire.
ON THE CAB -- A TERRIFIED DRIVER, HIS WIFE, AND THEIR KID in there.
NEW ANGLE -- Finally, as the flames begin to consume more of the vehicle, the
DRIVER brakes to a halt. HE and his family run like hell away just before the
trailer explodes in a ball of fire.
EXT. COMMAND POST, FOREST - NIGHT
The CHIEF looks incredulous at something he's just heard over his walkie-talkie.
CHIEF
What??!
(to walkie-talkie)
How did he get there?
(to AIDE beside him)
Some lunatic is up in the watch-
tower taking pictures.
AIDE
So?
CHIEF
So that tower's right in the
middle of pure hell right now!
EXT. WATCHTOWER, FOREST - NIGHT
MED. CLOSE ON THE TOP OF THE TOWER -- JIMMY is taking photos, so intent and
excited that he doesn't realize what danger he's in.
LONG SHOT -- The flames attack the struts of the tower. They start to collapse.
The entire tower buckles and topples forward like a man with two (suddenly)
broken legs.
TIGHTER ANGLE -- As it falls. JIMMY is hurled out of the tower onto the ground.
ON JIMMY-- He lays there, moaning in pain, clutching his leg (which is broken).
Surrounded by fire. Things look very bad for him.
ANGLE UP -- Suddenly, SUPERMAN appears walking through a wall of flame. He is
unhurt by the fire. He makes his way to the fallen JIMY, lifts him up and flies
out of the fire.
EXT. COMMAND POST, AMBULANCES - NIGHT
The area of the command post where the ambulances are waiting. DOCTORS, NURSES,
MEDICS, etc. stand by.
SUPERMAN lands with JIMMY in his arms and gently lays him on one of the
stretchers just by the ambulance.
SUPERMAN
Easy, Jimmy.
JIMMY
(in pain)
It's my leg.
SUPERMAN looks at Jimmy's leg. We see an X-ray shot of the broken bone.
SUPERMAN
(to the MEDIC)
It's a clean break right across the
fibula.
CUT TO COMMAND POST as a breathless FIREFIGHTER runs up to report to his CHIEF.
FIREFIGHTER
The water supply is practically gone!
CHIEF
(worried)
We've got to get water!
FIREFIGHTER
How? Lake Comooga is five miles
from here. We haven't got a five
mile hose.
C.U. SUPERMAN -- as he hears about the problem.
SUPERMAN
Where is this lake?
CHIEF
(points)
That way.
SUPERMAN immediately flies off in that direction.
EXT. LAKE SHORE - NIGHT
MED. WIDE SHOT -- SUPERMAN lands at the edge of a lake about 200 yards long and
wide. He surveys the expanse of water before him. Then:
SPECIAL EFFECTS: He blows a steady gust of ice-breath across the surface of the
lake. In moments, the entire surface freezes solid.
NEW ANGLE -- He bends down and grasps the edge of the ice cover in his hands.
It's about five-inches thick. Slowly, he begins to pull and lift at the same
time.
WIDE SHOT -- The entire platter of ice, the size of the lake, is lifted off the
top. Holding it before him, SUPERMAN flies into the sky.
EXT. SKY - NIGHT
An amazing sight: SUPERMAN FLYING toward the glowing red sky where the forest
fire rages, holding the enormous ice platter before him.
He arrives over the center of the forest fire. He flings the frozen lake over
the fire. As the ice starts to fall, the heat from below melts it and turns in
into a tremendous torrent of water.
VARIOUS ANGLES -- The melted lake water puts out the major part of the fire.
ON THE GROUND, REACTIONS from the FIREFIGHTERS, etc. Total joy and amazement.
EXT. IROQUOIS TRAIL NUCLEAR POWER TOWER - NIGHT
The flames have spread to the base of the tower now, licking at the sides. CREWS
of WORKERS, SCIENTISTS et al have been hastily organized into firefighting
units. They are hosing down the sides of the main tower, trying to cool it.
Steam erupts as the water hits the hot concrete.
SECURITY GUARD
It's not going to work! It's too hot
now!
EXT. SKY - NIGHT
SUPERMAN flies at top speed toward the Iroquois Trail towers in B.G.
INTERCUT SHOTS of SUPERMAN closer to the familiar silos and FIREFIGHTERS on the
ground, trying to hose down the silo and put out the encroaching flames all
around it.
LONG SHOT -- SUPERMAN flies directly into the largest concrete silo.
INT. INNER CHAMBER, NUCLEAR REACTOR - NIGHT
Sound: a strident alarm going continuously, a sound of panic.
ON A GAUGE -- A needle has zipped into the Red for Danger area and is wobbling
wildly at the end of the scale.
PULL BACK TO REVEAL a harried SCIENTIST in white coat.
SCIENTIST
It's going right off the end of
the scale, Dr. Harris!
FULL SHOT -- The outer chamber of the reactor. SCIENTISTS at their stations,
manning dials. Behind three thick glass shields we SEE into the inner chamber
where no man can go. Mechanical robot-arms are controlled from the outer
chamber.
DR. HARRIS
Start the emergency cooling
procedure.
CLOSER ON THE WINDOW showing the inner chamber -- all stainless steel and white
tile. In the center, on a kind of platform, the nuclear core glows red hot,
emanating pulsations of radiation. A fearful thing. It appears to be two
cylinders, each about a foot long, and as it approaches destabilization, the two
cylinders (one above the other) are moving closer and closer to each other. It
is clear that if they join it will be irrevocable. Melt-down will occur.
SCIENTIST
It isn't helping! We're about two
minutes from melt-down!
Suddenly, SUPERMAN lands inside the chamber.
DR. HARRIS
Superman!
(talking though intercom)
Be careful! There's enough radiation
in that core to light up the whole
country for a year!
SUPERMAN
Don't worry. I'll just stabilize it.
CLOSER -- SUPERMAN grasps the red-hot cylinders. A fleeting expression on his
face lets us know the even he finds this pretty hot stuff. Slowly, with great
caution and great power, he pulls the two cylinders apart further and further,
back into their housing.
ON THE GAGE -- The needle drops back to NORMAL.
Sound: the alarm that has been ringing suddenly quits.
REACTIONS -- Incredible relief from the SCIENTISTS. Mopping their brows, etc.
SUPERMAN smile to the scientists and flies up and out of the silo.
DR. HARRIS
(in wonderment)
It isn't very scientific, gentlemen,
but I tell you that man is a miracle.
EXT. SMALLVILLE HIGH SCHOOL GYM - NIGHT
C.U. (PROFILE) of a very little OLD LADY: ancient, now-retired teacher MINNIE
BANISTER, peering at the shirt and tie on a chest, which is exactly at her eye
level. As she cranes her neck upwards to address the head on top of this body
and says:
MINNIE BANNISTER
You really have grown, Clark.
WE PAN UP WITH HER GAZE to REVEAL CLARK KENT smiling gently down at her.
CLARK
You're looking well, Miss
Bannister.
WIDER -- The gym is decorated: crepe paper, balloons, posters, colored lights,
and blow-ups of the old black and white graduation photos of the alumni,
including one of the series, studios, bespectacled young CLARK KENT, mixed with
standard yearbook shots of the great moments of the class of '65 (big games,
Senior Prom, production of 'Our Town,' etc.).
Surrounded by COUPLES dancing tot he strains of Golden Oldies from their high
school era, CLARK continues to make polite chat with MINNIE BANNISTER until,
suddenly, he focuses on something across the room.
CLARK'S POV: Across the room, a YOUNG WOMAN about his age has just entered the
gym, carrying a stack of records in one arm and a stack of paper plates in the
other. Red-haired and very pretty in an all-American way, LANA LANG seems like
the kind of girl who would instantly be surrounded by friends and admirers.
Oddly, she's not. In fact, she is the only woman here without a mate or even a
date. As if to platy down her aloneness, she instantly gets busy, quickly
checking the refreshments and adjusting a loose decoration. But then, as she
picks up her plates and records again and turns to CAMERA she sees, through the
spaces between dancing COUPLES, something that makes her stop. And smile.
C.U. LANA -- Her eyes sparkling with delight as she mimes the word to him:
LANA
Clark?
C.U. CLARK -- A warm smile for her as he too mouths her name:
CLARK
LANA?
As we are SEEING all this interplay, we are at the same time hearing:
MINNIE BANNISTER (o.s.)
I can't complain. Oh, I take the
stairs a bit slower these days, and
of course I get theses spells, but
I can't complain...
CLARK
Will you excuse me, Miss Bannister?
There's someone I really have to say
hello to.
NEW ANGLE -- FULL SHOT as they make their way to each other.
CLOSER -- There's a lot of unspoken past history between CLARK and LANA. Indeed,
he had a serious crush on her during all his young years and she knew it even if
she didn't acknowledge it then. Now, fifteen years later, they are very glad to
see each other again.
CLARK
Lana Lang. How great to see you.
LANA
Clark.
She suddenly leans forward and kisses him on the cheek.
(A NOTE ON LANA LANG: Lana is one of these people, who, both by nature and by
exigencies of her situation, seems to be carrying on three conversations at once
and often doing two or three different tasks at once. Although such people seem
perfectly clear in their own minds about the direction their thoughts are going
in, it's often confusing and disconcerting to others. As Lana is often keeping
three conversation balls in the air simultaneously, Clark is hardput to keep up
with her, getting lost in the conversation, thinking she means one thing, when
in fact she's gone on to another subject. The effect is comical for us, a bit
unsettling for him, and should finally be genuinely charming and adorable in his
eyes. In the dialogue as written, Lana's separate thoughts are indicated by
breaks and indications, but in performance they should run right into each other
non-stop).
LANA
You look wonderful.
CLARK
You always did.
(indicating plates
and dishes)
Can I give you a hand with that?
They start walking toward the buffet table. TRACK WITH THEM.
LANA
No, I can mange, This is the first
time you've been back since your
mom passed away, isn't it?
(as he nods)
I can't believe it.
TRACK WITH THEM.
LANA
No, I can mange, This is the first
time you've been back since your
mom passed away, isn't it?
(as he nods)
I can't believe it. You came all the
way from Metropolis just for this
dinky little reunion?
They stop.
CLARK
You shouldn't say that, you're the
chairman --
(uncertainly)
...uh, chairperson...
LANA
(struck by the thought)
And here I am, just standing
here. That's terrible. Thank you.
CLARK
(confused)
You're welcome...??
LANA
For reminding me, I mean. Can
you follow me?
She changes direction, starts to walk toward the music area where a D.J. has a
record player set up.
CLARK
I'm trying to.
He follows her. As they reach the TEENAGE D.J.:
LANA
I just have to give these to
the --
Smiling at CLARK, she doesn't realize she setting the paper plates, not records,
down by the D.J.'s set-up. The D.J. is about to protest, but LANA has already
turned away and walks briskly to the nearby buffet table again.
CLARK
I heard you and Donald split
up.
LANA seems not to hear him as she sets the stack of records down on the buffet
table.
LANA
Did you eat yet?
She grabs a record off the top of the stack, scoops up a ladleful of potato
salad, sees suddenly that she's just about to dump it on a record.
LANA
(shaking her head)
That's not right.
(to Clark)
Yes, you're right about me
and Donald but -- hold it a
sec, okay?
She hands the full scoop of potato salad to CLARK, picks up the stack of records
and takes them over to the D.J. HOLD ON CLARK, holding a scoop of potato salad,
feeling foolish. At this precise moment, TWO of the more successful-looking
ALUMNI drift by with their WIVES.
FIRST MAN
Hey, Kent.
SECOND MAN
How ya' doin'?
CLARK is about to shake hands. At the last moment he has to transfer the scoop
of potato salad awkwardly to his left hand. The COUPLES drift off, smiling,
CLARK watching them as the FIRST MAN murmurs to the SECOND MAN:
FIRST MAN
Some guys never change...
VERTICAL PAN UP TO a blown-up black and white high school photo of serious,
somewhat awkward-looking teenage CLARK KENT. CAMERA PANS ACROSS WALL OF
DECORATIONS, COMING TO A STOP ON A BIG PHOTO BLOW-UP of a handsome young blonde
football player. It is captioned Brad Wilson -- All State 1964. In the picture
he holds the ball, arm cocked back to pass for a touchdown. He looks like a
young, blonde Greek god. As we SEE this, we hear, off screen:
BRAD (o.s.)
(noticeably drunken
voice)
The game against Mid-City,
that's the one I'll never forget.
Fourth quarter, score was tied,
and we're backed up on our
own 25-yard line. The Coach
sends in a play -- Right Flanker
Option. But I knew I could throw
a long one. See, I knew that their
cornerback was hurtin' and...
In the middle of the above, PAN DOWN FROM PHOTO to reveal the MAN who is
bragging about his past exploits. Quite a shocking change from the photo. Hair
thinning, surly, and possessing the bloated looks of a thirtyish ex-athlete
going to pot, this is BRAD WILSON. He's talking to TWO CLASSMATES. Suddenly, he
stops and his face lights up as LANA passes nearby. FOLLOW HIM as he hurries,
just a little unsteadily, to her side. As:
Music: D.J. puts on a record of "Earth Angel." We hear the tune but not the
lyric.
BRAD
Here I am, honey, and I'm all
yours.
(with boozy, over-
bearing "gallantry")
Remember when you were Queen of
the Prom? All the guys had to wait in
line to get a dance.
(they have reached the
buffet table where
Clark waits)
But now there's only one name on
your dance card, sweet thing, and
it's --
CLARK
(recognizing him)
Brad Wilson.
BRAD
Hiya, Kent, long time no see.
Not that you ever could.
(points to CLARK'S
glasses)
"See" I mean,
(he cracks up at
his dumb joke)
Hahaha!
BRAD grabs LANA'S arm. She pulls away, simultaneously slipping her other arm
through CLARK'S.
LANA
I can't
(quickly)
Clark already asked me.
(to CLARK)
Didn't you?
(to BRAD, improvising)
He used to love this song.
(to CLARK)
Didn't you?
(to BRAD)
So he just said --
(to CLARK, a bit
desperately)
"Would you dance with me?"
CLARK
Sure, Lana, I'd love to.
As they glide away onto he dance floor, LANA close to CLARK, BRAD scowls,
jealous and pissed-off.
WATCH THEM dance for a few moments. There's chemistry there, just beginning to
assert itself.
INT. CHECK MACHINE
UNDER A SIGN THAT SAYS "WEBCO, PAYROLL DEPT." a big check printing machine,
activated by computer, is spewing forth its payload" check after check comes out
of a slot and the stack grows higher.
INT. DATA PROCESSING COMPUTER ROOM
As before, the MAN with the cart is handing out the paychecks.
MAN
Gorman. Another week, another
check.
(gives him his
envelope)
GUS
You got another one there for me?
MAN
(laughing)
What??
GUS
I put in a voucher for expenses.
Thought it might have come
through.
The MAN looks and is surprised to find, indeed, another envelope with GUS'S
name.
MAN
Oh yeah. Here you go.
CLOSE ON GUS -- He holds the envelope in his hand, trying not to show his
excitement. But you can practically hear his heart pounding. Now, almost afraid
to look, he slowly edges the check out of its envelope. He closes both eyes. Now
he opens one eye and peeks.
INSERT -- On the "Expenses" check emerging from the envelope.
First we SEE the name: AUGUST GORMAN. And then...the amount: $85,789.80!
GUS (o.s.)
(quietly)
Pennies from heaven.
INT. SMALLVILLE HIGH SCHOOL GYM - NIGHT
TIGHT C.U. LANA -- Looking RIGHT
LANA
(voice echoing slightly)
Thanks for helping me out.
TIGHT C.U. CLARK -- Looking LEFT
CLARK
(voice echoing slightly)
Are you kidding? There must be
a lot of guys who'd like to be in
my place.
EXTREME LONG SHOT -- CLARK and LANA are no longer dancing. The party's over and
they are standing on top of the two tall ladders at opposite ends of the now
deserted gym. A space at least as large as a basketball court is between them,
explaining the hollow rings in their voices. They talk in conversational tones,
but louder than normally. They are engaged in taking down the decorations after
the reunion; the party's over. Crepe paper, banners. photos, etc. are coming
down and being stacked or discarded. The full bright gym lights are on now; no
ambiance any more. Between them is the platform that served as the bandstand
earlier; the electric piano and some of the loudspeakers are still there. The
feeling is one of 'after the ball.'
(Note: throughout the following, LANA uses her various tools...claw hammer,
staple extractor, etc....with marked skill and dexterity).
LANA
(wryly)
You'd be surprised how many offers
I didn't get. Even Brad wouldn't
stick around for this.
(as she tries to
untack a long crepe
paper streamer)
It really isn't easy.
CLARK
(thinking she means
the task at hand)
The streamers? They're no
problem, you just pull on
them and --
He does so on a streamer near his ladder. It cascades to the floor in a great
colorful heap.
FAVORING LANA
LANA
Not the streamers. Everything.
Not that I'm complaining. It's
just that -- I don't know why
but I feel like I can talk to you.
CLARK
(some distance away)
What?
LANA
(louder)
I feel like I can talk to you!
FAVORING CLARK -- who looks pleased
CLARK
Well, I always wished you
would. Back when you were --
(he hesitates)
ON LANA -- as she reaches up and takes down a big, captioned photo of a teenaged
LANA and a YOUNG MAN (DONALD) dressed as King and Queen of the Senior Prom.
DONALD is grinning proudly at the camera while LANA gazes adoringly at him.
LANA
(finishing CLARK'S
sentence)
Queen of the Prom?
With that she drops the picture from the top of the ladder. It falls with a thud
to the gym floor.
LANA
And three years after the
Royal Wedding, the King
abdicated.
(climbing down the
ladder now, suddenly
looking away from CLARK)
Isn't that terrible?
CLARK
(compassionately, as he
too, climbs down his
ladder)
It sure is.
LANA
(but she meant something
else, as she points to
buffet table:)
There must be a gallon of potato
salad left over.
She walks over to the bowl, peers into it, finally turns back to CLARK who has
joined her there.
LANA
You know what's the problem?
CLARK
(tentatively)
Too much mayonnaise?
LANA
Mayonnaise? Donald loved
mayonnaise. Why would you
think that was the problem.?
CLARK
(very confused)
I didn't --
LANA
No, the problem is --
(heatedly)
Why do I stay in Smallville?
Believe me, I've asked myself
the same question. Do you know
how lucky you are to live in
Metropolis?
(eyes shining)
The Big Apricot.
CLARK
But Lana, you could --
ON LANA
LANA
(wistfully)
That's easy to say. But how?
And what about Ricky?
CLARK
(completely at sea)
Who?
LANA
Ricky. My little boy. At least
here we've got a house. and I've
got a job. Okay, I'm only a
secretary, oaky, but it pays the
bills. Except for last winter
when the fuel bills kept going
up and up and up.
(extendes her hand, eyes
her bare ring finger)
I even had to pawn my diamond
ring then.
ON CLARK -- Distressed for her.
CLARK
Gee...
LANA (o.s.)
(resignedly)
I guess there's nothing I can
do about that.
TWO SHOT -- But CLARK realizes that now she's talking about something else, as
she points upward.
ANGLE UP -- There at the top of the gym roof, a cluster of balloons stick to the
ceiling.
LANA
(a little shrug)
Well, we can't fly up there and
get them.
QUICK C. U. CLARK -- A fleeting, private smile.
NEW ANGLE -- As CLARK starts to gather up the fallen streamers from the floor.
LANA glances over at him.
LANA
(tentatively)
You...um...you never got married?
CLARK
Oh...I came close once.
As LANA starts to stack stuff in the corner of the gym, CLARK idly turns to the
piano, strikes a chord. Then:
CLARK
(singing quietly,
his favorite oldie)
"Earth Angel, Earth Angel,
Please be mine...
ON LANA -- She stops and turns, looks at him fondly, smiling.
LANA
That song. I remember one day
I came into the music room and
you were fooling around at the
piano. And I thought -- what am
I going to do with all this potato
salad?
CLARK
(confused)
You thought that?
LANA
(going back to
square one)
I thought "Clark Kent has a
really nice voice." You didn't
even know I was there.
ON CLARK -- He stops singing, almost blushing.
ON LANA -- She hasn't noticed. She is standing looking at a photo that has not
yet been taken down from the wall -- that smiling and serious young face of
CLARK KENT.
LANA
(quietly)
You know, years later you can
look at someone and think, well,
I guess that's the one, that's the
one that got away.
C.U. CLARK -- That really got to him.
INT. ROSS WEBSTER'S OFFICE - DAY
ON ROSS WEBSTER in a spectacularly lush office, filled with amazing gadgets and
décor. This is our first meeting with the man himself and we quickly see his
style is that calculatedly gruff "democratic" jolly camaraderie reminiscent of
Nelson Rockefeller. in other words, this is a guy who insists on having his
servants call him by his first name, but that doesn't mean he would ever invite
one to sit at his table. At this moment in time, the Humanitarian of the Year is
clearly upset about something.
ROSS
Give it to me again, fella. Just
run it by me one more time.
REVERSE, WIDE ANGLE -- Standing on the other side of the massive desk is an
elderly man in a dark business suit who looks extremely ill-at-ease. This is the
Chief Accountant of Webco. MR. SIMPSON.
SIMPSON
(extremely nervous)
85,000 dollars.
ROSS
Missing????
SIMPSON
Embezzled, Mr. Webster.
(he can barely say it)
Stolen from the firm.
From off-screen, a strident voice that could curdle milk rings out; it is the
voice of VERA WEBSTER, the sister.
VERA (o.s.)
By whom?
BOTH MEN turn sharply in the direction of the voice. PAN TO a door that connects
to an anteroom. Dressed in a suit that somehow reminds us of Joseph Stalin,
VERA, in a foul mood, enters.
VERA
That's what I want to know!
By whom? Whom????
ROSS
Get a hold of yourself, Vera.
(under his breath)
Nobody else ever will.
SIMPSON
I don't know who. Whom. I can't
trace it.
(years of bitterness
coming out)
In the old days it was simple. We
kept books, we had ledgers, we
could see what was going in and
what was paid out. If somebody
wanted to rob you, he'd come in
with a gun and say 'stick 'em up."
(frustrated)
Now they get theses blasted
computers to do their dirty work!
ROSS
My friend, you are yesterday.
Whoever pulled this caper is
tomorrow.
Suddenly, the door flies open and LORELEI bursts in, all a-twitter.
LORELEI
Ross, honey, it's time for your
massage...
VERA
(furious)
Bubba, does this woman have
the right to burst in without
knocking...!
VERA is seething with animosity: LORELEI looks at her with undisguised loathing.
ROSS
(ill-at-ease)
Now, Vera...uh, Simpson, you
know my Staff Dietician?
SIMPSON
Hello.
VERA
(to LORELEI)
If you don't mind, we are trying
to hold a meeting here!
LORELEI
Why don't you hold your breath,
instead? Maybe you'll turn blue.
On you that'd be an improvement.
Steely-eyed, VERA advances on her with controlled fury.
VERA
Pay attention, people: I am
about to take a human life.
ROSS quickly intervenes, upset at this turn of events. he keeps the TOW WOMAN
apart and:
ROSS
(big, fake smile
to SIMPSON)
Old pal, would you just step
outside for a sec?
SIMPSON departs; the TWO WOMEN explode in anger, simultaneously:
VERA LORELEI
Bubba, I will not let Ross, tell her to stop
this woman insult me... picking on me or I'll...
ROSS
(commandingly, in
stentorian tones)
Mouths ...closed! Ears...open!
(cowed, scared, the
WOMEN shut up)
Now the last thing any of us
wants is for me to be upset. Right?
Right! and it upsets me very much
when my favorite sister an my
favorite Aerobic Instructor don't
get along.
(Continued)
ROSS (cont.)
(sternly, shaking his
finger at them)
Now I don't want to ever see
this sort of thing again or...
well,...
(threateningly)
I can't have anyone with me
who isn't with me.
(reluctant murmurs of
assent from the WOMEN)
Now...kiss and make up.
Surely, LORELEI pursers her lips.
VERA
I don't kiss.
ROSS
(remembering)
Oh, right. Well then, just shake
hands.
The TWO ENEMIES shake hands.
INSERT -- The hands grip and squeeze each other, knuckles turning white.
TWO SHOT -- In spite of the struggle and pain, VERA and LORELEI smile teeth-
baring smiles for ROSS'S benefit.
ROSS
(pleased to see they're
cooperating)
That's my best gals.
(calls out)
Come back in, my boy.
A split-second later the sweating, elderly SIMPSON is back in the room.
ROSS
Well, chum? What now? Kiss the
85 thou goodbye? Pay some thief's
salary while he thinks up new ways
to shake the money tree?
SIMPSON
(helpfully)
He's bound to slip up sooner
or later.
VERA
Why?
SIMPSON
Uh...I don't know...that's what
they always say in the movies.
ROSS paces, building up steam. A slow burn heating up.
ROSS
Unless the man's a complete idiot,
he won't slip up at all. He'll just go
on quietly taking the bread from
our mouths. unless he's a total
ignoramus, he'll keep a low profile
and won't do a thing to call attention
to himself.
(voice rising)
Unless he is an utter moron...
Suddenly:
Sound: A loud sports car motor revs up outside the window. It sounds like the
last lap at Sebring.
FULL SHOT -- ROSS, VERA, LORELEI, and SIMPSON, startled at the sudden noise, go
to the window to look out and see what it is.
POV: OUT THE WINDOW -- The company parking lot. Zooming down one of the lanes,
then executing a hairpin turn, burning rubber and pulling into a parking space
is an incredible bright red Ferrari...the flashiest of sports car you could
imagine;. Behind the wheel still dressed in his shabby, schleppy clothes, is GUS
GORMAN.
EXT. SMALLVILLE BOWLING ALEY - DAY
A neon sign proclaims "SMALLVILLE LANES" and a lettered sign announces "Family
Rates."
INT. BOWLING ALLEY - DAY
FULL SHOT -- A six-lane bowling alley. BOWLERS playing. On the far side, in
B.G., a bar.
CLOSER ON ONE LANE -- A bunch of KIDS are choosing up teams, three to a side.
There seems to be some argument going on between the TWO TEAM CAPTAINS about ONE
BOY who stands a bit apart, looking forlorn and uncomfortable. He' smaller than
the others, like the runt in a litter, and there's a certain timorousness about
him. He has his mother's red hair: this is LANA'S son, RICKY.
One of the team CAPTAINS is looking annoyed as he points at RICKY.
FIRST BOY
(to his OPPONENT)
That means we gotta take Ricky.
SECOND BOY
Too bad, you lost the toss.
FIRST BOY
If we gotta have Ricky on our
side, then we get a two strike
handicap.
REVERSE, WIDE: Seated around the scoreboard table are a number of parents, as
well as LANA and CLARK.
LANA
(distressed)
I just can't stand this.
CLARK
(trying to be positive)
Hey, he'll be all right. Believe me
Lana, I know. I was a late bloomer
myself.
LANA
It isn't only that he's small for
his age. how would you like
to be the only kid in town
without a father?
(as she looks in
another direction)
Look at him, he's stewed to the
gills in the middle of the afternoon.
CLARK
(still looking at
RICKY)
But all he had was chocolate milk.
LANA
I mean him.
She points, and CAMERA FOLLOWS HER GESTURE TO REVEAL BRAD, tipsy, making his way
toward them from the bar, a bottle of beer in his hand.
BRAD
Hiya, sweet thing.
(indicating RICKY)
Little guy's getting' hassled,
huh?
(to CLARK, curtly)
Kent, you still here?
CLARK
I seem to be.
BRAD
(to LANA)
All the kid needs is a couple
of pointers from the ol' champ
here.
(he means himself)
Kent, I bet you didn't know I
won the all-country bowling
trophy two years in a row.
CLARK
Uh, no, I didn't know that, Brad.
BRAD
A natural athlete can play any
sport. Any sport.
And with that, he turns and heads right for RICKY.
TWO SHOT -- CLARK and LANA
LANA
Oh, no. This'll only make it
worse.
NEW ANGLE -- RICKY, first to bowl, lifts a ball from the rack. The ball is
really too heavy for him to handle well, but he gamely takes his position at the
line and, a bit clumsily, bowls a wobbly ball.
ON THE BALL -- it pretty much runs out of steam by the time it gets to the pins,
but manages to knock down a few.
ON RICKY -- looking disappointed.
FIRST BOY
See? What'd I tell ya?
As RICKY goes to get the ball coming back on the rack for his second go, BRAD
lurches over to him, putting on a big helpful show for LANA'S benefit.
BRAD
Hey, sport, you're holdin' it all
wrong. Lemme show you --
He leans to RICKY as he talks; RICKY recoils from the gust of whiskey breath. As
BRAD tries to wrest the ball from the embarrassed boy --
BRAD
Let ol' Uncle Brad show you
how it's done.
CLARK
(sternly)
Say, Brad. I think he'll be
better off doing it his way.
BRAD
(amazed at the
effrontery)
For a guy who was lucky to be
water-boy on the high school
team, you sure got a big mouth,
Kent.
CLARK moves closer to him to speak in confidence: MOVE IN TO VERY TIGHT TWO
SHOT.
CLARK
(sotto voice)
I just think Ricky would rather not
get a bowling lesson in front of the
other kids.
BRAD
The kid needs a man to show him --
CLARK
The kid will do fine on his own.
(to RICKY)
Give it your best shot, Ricky!
As RICKY walks to his position behind the line:
ON CLARK -- who seemingly "accidentally" trips over the chalk container,
knocking it over. The hunk of chalk breaks and chalk dust rises in the air where
CLARK tries to pick it up.
BRAD
(derisively)
Clark Klutz. Same as ever.
ON RICKY -- holding the heavy ball, he advances to the line.
C.U. LANA -- eyes averted.
C.U. CLARK -- chalk dust on his face, his nose starts to twitch like a man about
to sneeze.
ON RICKY -- he bowls the ball, rather weekly.
C.U. CLARK -- who points his face at the line and lets out a Super-Sneeze.
EFFECTS: The Super-Sneeze causes the ball to whiz down the alley at Super-Speed.
It hits the pins with such impact that they break into a hundred pieces like so
many china cups.
C.U. RICKY -- astonished. And then joyfully delighted.
C.U. BRAD -- his jaw drops.
LANA
(to CLARK)
Gezundheit!
INT. WEBCO DATA PROCESSING CENTER - DAY
GUS seated at his computer, at work. His neighbor FRED comes walking down the
aisle, looking serious.
FRED
Gus?
GUS
Say what?
FRED
The boss wants to see you.
GUS
Say who?
Feet churning rapidly, GUS propels his rolling chair toward the exit.
EXT. LOBBY, GLASS ELEVATOR - DAY
LONG SHOT -- the glass elevator begins its ascent tot he highest level of
management, the office of ROSS WEBSTER himself. Inside, little GUS GORMAN
shakes and quakes in full view of everybody in the lobby and at each level.
INT. GLASS ELEVATOR - DAY
GUS
(abject terror)
Oh my God! The Boss! Ross
the Boss! The Ross!
At which point the elevator reaches another level. Seeing a MAN staring right at
him, GUS manages a sickly smile, which vanishes the instant he rises out of the
MAN'S sight.
INT. OUTER OFFICE OF ROSS WEBSTER - DAY
GUS steps out of the elevator, nervously working his yo-yo (an upgraded model
now that he's come into some money; this is a plastic one) and stands, almost
trembling before the desk of a snooty SECRETARY. A gold plaque on her desk
reads:
ROSS WEBSTER
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
SECRETARY
Mr. Gorman?
GUS
(talking fast, in
pure fear)
No! He died last week. I
just look something like
him. People always make
this mistake.
SECRETARY
Mr. Webster is waiting to see you.
GUS
He alone? Or is there, like uh...
men in uniform...or, uh...plain
clothes.
SECRETARY
Please go in, Mr. Gorman.
GUS
(imitating his idea
of a white executive-
type)
Say, dear, where's the wash
room located? I'd like to
freshen up a bit before...
ROSS'S voice barks out over the intercom on her desk:
ROSS (o.s.)
(intercom)
Is he here yet, Miss Collins?
SECRETARY
(pushing intercom
button)
Yes sir, I'm sending him in.
Fingering hi yo-yo like it was a rosary, GUS enters.
INT. ROSS WEBSTER'S OFFICE - DAY
FULL SHOT -- a wall of bookcases, massively out-sized chess set and various
gadgets. Seated behind a massive desk, ROSS looks up.
ROSS
Mr. August Gorman?
ON GUS -- instantly abject, pleading pitifully.
GUS
Please, Mr. Webster, you're a
great humanitarian. Ain't you
heard what it's like in them
jails? You send an innocent
boy in and he gets thrown in
with killers and robbers and
rapers and raper killer and
robber rapers and...
ROSS
Mr. Gorman, just answer me
one question...
GUS braces himself for the worst.
ROSS
You've been a naughty boy
haven't you?
(congenial laugh)
C'mon now, admit it, you
were kinda naughty.
GUS
(a but surprises
at his tone)
Uh...yeah. I didn't think of
it that way exactly, but...
ROSS rises, walks up to the bookshelf and pushes the spine of one volume.
Suddenly the entire section of shelving revolves, revealing a complete wet bar
on the other side. As he does this business, he keeps speaking:
ROSS
Say, fella, I understand. I
can -- what do the kids say
these days -- "dig where
you're comin' from."
(a chuckle)
You want to be rich, right?
GUS
Uh...
ROSS
Now me, I was born rich. I've
never worn the same pair of
socks twice.
GUS
(impressed)
Yeah? What do you do with 'em?
ROSS has by now poured himself a drink and one for GUS.
ROSS
I believe they're laundered
and sent to some charitable
institution. I don't know what
the heck they do with 'em.
Maybe they use them for dust
rags, or pen wipers...
GUS
Or socks.
ROSS
Yes! That never occurred to
me.
(hands him his drink)
Her ya go, buddy, single-malt.
(GUS downs it chug-
a-lug)
Gus, my friend, you're a genius.
Okay, a naughty genius, but hell,
nobody's perfect.
GUS
'Cause I know about getting' them
half-centses?
ROSS begins to stride about the office as he pontificates, turning away from
GUS, speaking "to the world." As he does, GUS, feeling more at ease, walks to
the bar.
ROSS
Because computers run the
world today, pal. And the fella
who can fool the computers will
run the world himself!
GUS leans against the bar. It instantly revolves, taking him with it, and
becomes a wall of bookcase again. GUS is now trapped behind it somewhere inside
the wall. ROSS, who hasn't noticed since his back is to the bar, just keeps on
talking as if GUS were still there.
ROSS
I've been searching for a long
time for somebody who can
make these machines do things
they're not supposed to do. Do
you catch my drift, brother?
From inside the wall, GUS calls for help; his voice is so muffles, that ROSS
just takes it for a grunt of assent.
ROSS
I knew you would. And best of
all, you seem to be able to do it
in such a way that the deed goes
undetected.
At last the bookcase spins around and a shaken GUS steps back in the room, just
as ROSS turns. He never noticed his absence.
By the time GUS has regained his balance, ROSS is already on his way out of the
room so that GUS has to rush to catch up with him. As ROSS heads for an
adjoining room:
ROSS
Gus, Webco, the Webster industrial
complex, is a family-owned cartel.
A little magnesium here, a little zinc
there. Some railroads here, some
farm machinery there. You follow?
GUS
(a little out of
breath)
I'm tryin' to.
ROSS stops in the doorway.
ROSS
(intensely)
Gus, do you know what I want now?
I want coffee!
GUS
(instantly turning
to get it)
Black or regular?
ROSS
I don't think you understand.
INT. ROOFTOP ATRIUM - DAY
ROSS and GUSS step into an enormous rooftop botanical garden, about as big as a
football field, filled with a great profusion of trees, plants, flowers, and
bushes.
GUS
(wide-eyed wonder)
Man, what is this?
ROSS
Plants. Plants always make
an office cozier.
ROSS waves at a GARDNER pruning some bushes.
ROSS
Hiya, fella, how's it goin'?
(to GUS)
Helluva nice guy, been with me
for years.
As they stroll, ROSS stops to admire a shrub, or inspect a flower bed, but keeps
right on talking.
ROSS
Under different company names. I
control the price of coffee beans
in Brazil. The price in Venezuela.
Java, South Korea, North Korea,
the Aleutian Islands, Guam,
Bolivia, and the Republic of
Gabon!
GUS
Decaffeinated too?
As they continue walking, ROSS throws an avuncular, democratic arm around GUS'S
shoulders.
ROSS
But y'see, chum, the problem
I got is that one country just
won't play ball with me.
(as if GUS could
empathize)
You know how that can just
bug a guy, don't you?
GUS
Which country?
ROSS
(his expression
darkens)
Columbia.
GUS
Columbia.
ROSS
Columbia's got two major
exports and one of them's
coffee.
(Continued)
ROSS (cont.)
(put-upon)
Oh, I tried to reason with
them. Believe me, I tried!
But this one miserable piss-
ant little country has the gall
to think they can dictate the
economy of an open market!
("reasonably")
Gus, dear Gus, don't you see
what I mean? We have to teach
them a lesson.
(icy)
Wipe 'em out!!!
GUS
(startled)
Wipe 'em out?
ROSS
Destroy the entire Colombian
coffee crop down to the last bean.
He stops by a shrub, looks down at the soil around it. He frowns, then calls out
to the GARDNER.
ROSS
Yo! Over here.
The GARDNER runs over to him.
ROSS
(suddenly terse, curt)
What's this I see? Fallen leaves
not picked up? Organic litter?
GARDNER
Sorry, sir, I was going to do it
late--
Without a word, ROSS slaps the MAN sharply across the face. Then, his friendly
grin appearing again, he puts his arm around GUS and they continue walking as if
nothing unusual has happened (though, a nervous GUS keeps looking back at the
GARDNER).
ROSS
So, fella? You see the problem?
GUS
(tentatively)
But Mr. Webster...you're doin'
okay with Brazil and them other
places. What's wrong with just
one little old country doin' their
own thing?
ROSS
A very wise man once said...I
think it was Attila the Hun...
"It's not enough that I succeed.
Everyone else must fail."
(he snaps a rose
in half; GUS jumps)
And you are going to do it for me.
GUS
(scared)
Me? How?
Their tour of the atrium has brought them back to where they started from, the
connecting door tot he office. The voice of VERA, o.s., announces her presence
there.
VERA (o.s.)
The weather!
INT. ROSS'S OFFICE - DAY
As ROSS and GUS come back into the office, GUS catches his first glimpse of
VERA, looking forbidding.
ON GUS -- he instantly shrinks back from this creature.
GUS
(to ROSS)
Hey listen, I didn't know your
mama was comin' by...
VERA
(furious)
Sister! I'm his sister!
ROSS
(to GUS)
Gus, tell me, have you ever heard
of Vulcan?
GUS
(to VERA)
That what they call you?
VERA
(through her teeth)
Vulcan is the weather satellite our
government put up in orbit
to monitor the weather.
ROSS
(eagerly)
But if somebody re-programmed
it, it could do much more.
VERA
It could make weather!
ROSS
Storms! Floods!
VERA
Blizzards! Heat waves!
GUS
How do you do that?
ROSS
Like everything else in the 20th
century, Gus. You push buttons.
INT. DAILY PLANET - DAY
INSERT: a finger is pushing a button. It's JIMMY OLSEN taking a picture as he
says:
JIMMY
Smile!
FULL SHOT -- The subjects of JIMMY'S photo are smiling so hard their cheeks
might burst. They are MR. and MRS. MAURY STOKIS, the winners of the JINGO
contest. Clad in resort outfits, they are standing beneath a poster emblazoned
"JINGO WINNERS!"
MR. STOKIS
I can't believe it! It's the first
time I ever won anything!
MRS. STOKIS
(kittenish)
You won my hand, Maury.
MR. STOKIS
Yeah, sure, but this is the first
time I ever won anything valuable!
NEW ANGLE -- revealing JIMMY, who has his leg in a cast. He hobbles about his
equipment, clearly not thrilled with his assignment. Standing nearby are MISS
HENDERSON, looking delighted, and PERRY WHITE. looking like he'd give anything
to escape.
MISS HENDERSON
Let's get one with the sombreros,
Olsen.
She pops the outsized sombreros on the heads of the happy couple. They instantly
strike a Latin pose and grin steadily at the camera.
MISS HENDERSON
(an inspiration)
Mr. White, you be in this shot, handing
them their plane tickets.
PERRY
(miserable)
Why do I have to do this?
JIMMY
(miserable)
Why do I have to do this?
PERRY
You! You're lucky I didn't fire you.
I get a chance at exclusive on-the-spot
pictures of the biggest forest fire in
history and what does he come back
with??? A broken leg and twelve
melted rolls of film.
JIMMY
It was hot!
MISS HENDERSON
Smile, Mr. White.
MR. STOKIS
South America! I can't believe my
luck!
They freeze in the pose as the flashbulb goes off.
INT. ROSS WEBSTER'S OFFICE - DAY
GUS, ROSS, and VERA as we left them.
ROSS
Computers talk to other computers,
right?
VERA
Somehow your twisted little mind
should be able to figure out how to
tap into the main computer at the
Aerospace Center and reach Vulcan.
GUS
(immediately)
Through the telephone line
terminal, that ain't nothin'.
VERA
(excited)
Oh Bubba, think of the possibilities.
GUS
What she call you?
ROSS
Bubba.
(GUS ties not
to snicker)
When she was three years old
she couldn't pronounce the word
'brother' and it came out 'Bubba.'
(grimly)
It was the last cute thing she ever
did.
Without knocking, as usual, LORELEI bursts into the office.
LORELEI
Did I hear somebody say "cute
thing?"
GUS is stupefied at the sight of her.
VERA
(annoyed)
She's not his mama either.
ROSS
Gus Gorman, this is my Psychic
Nutritionist.
LORELEI
You're cute too.
GUS
I'm cool. I ain't cute. it ain't
cool to be cute.
GUS sits down by the oversized chess set. Unthinkingly, he reaches out and moves
one of the black pieces. immediately three of the white pieces begin to shift
squares automatically realigning themselves in a new defense by some electronic
gadgetry. Startled, GUS backs away.
NEW ANGLE -- As ROSS stares at GUS'S reaction, behind him LORELEI has happily
plunked herself in his chair behind the desk. The right hand top drawer is open
and she reaches in to take a Kleenex when VERA, seeing her opportunity , comes
by swiftly and slams the drawer closed with her knee, smashing LORELEI'S
fingers. The later lets out a shriek and pulls her hand, waving her fingers
wildly. ROSS turns to see what's the matter.
VERA
She's drying her nails.
LORELEI smile through her pain, keeps shaking her hand in the air.
ROSS
(quickly)
Always making yourself
beautiful for me, aren't you?
(turns back to GUS)
So, Gus, can you make Vulcan
do what I want it to? You didn't
answer me, pal.
(as GUS hesitates)
Did you hear about that prison
riot last week? It seems they
were complaining about rats
in the cells...
GUS
(quickly)
Yeah, yeah, I can do it.
ROSS
When?
GUS
First question got to be
"Where."
ROSS
What?
GUS
Not "What." Don't need a genius
to figure out "what." Need a
genius to figure out "where."
(A bit boastfully
to VERA)
He says I'm a genius, your don --
(quickly)
Brother! Bubba! Your Bubba!
(as she calms down)
See, if y'all don't want them to
trace it back, you got to punch
this in from someplace nobody'd
ever think off. Some little rinky-
dink operation with a little mickey-
mouse computer.
ROSS
It's got to be someplace you can
sneak into.
VERA
Someplace where nobody knows him
so they can't connect him with us.
ROSS
Well, Webco has a hundred and twelve
subsidiaries and every one of them is
tied to our central computer system.
How about...hmmmm, someplace
small...
EXT. CORNER GROCERY STORE, SMALLVILLE - DAY
TIGHT ON THE WORD "Smallville" painted on a sign. PUL BACK AND WIDEN TO SEE THE
ENTIRE SIGN: "Smallville Groceries."
WIDE SHOT -- The main shopping area of Smallville. In B.G. LANA is just coming
out of the grocery store, carrying a bag of picnic supplies. In F.G. RIGHT,
CLARK sits in the front seat of her 5-year \-old Chevy. RICKY is in back,
playing with his very frisky puppy, BUSTER. In F.G. LEFT a Greyhound Bus is
discharging some PASSENGERS, many carrying suitcases.
CLOSER ON THE CAR -- as CLARK sees LANA struggling with the door to the store
and hefting her bag of supplies.
CLARK
I'll give your mom a hand.
NEW ANGLE -- he flings open the car door and it slams hard against the knee of a
MAN who just got off the bus. The GUY howls with pain.
CLARK
(abashed)
Oh, I'm sorry.
As the MAN limps off, muttering, we realize it's GUS GORMAN, wearing his same
old beat-up windbreaker and slacks, but now carrying a Vuitton valise. FOLLOW
GUS, as he walks across some railroad tracks that run through the center of
town, looking around at his surroundings.
GUS
(bitching, aloud)
Welcome to nowhere, U.S.A.
In B.G. LANA and CLARK get in the car and drive off. HOLD ON GUS. FOLLOW HIM as
he sets off down Main Street, passing a Sears type store, glancing up at the
window display. A mannequin-like giant Ken doll in a green and white polyester
leisure suit is grinning down at him. GUS shudders from the bottom of his soul.
HOLD CAMAERA STAIONARY as SEEN FROM BEHIND, shoulders bowed, he trudges down
Main Street and off into the distance.
EXT. COUNTY CLEAING - DAY
EXTREME LONG SHOT -- In a clearing on the edge of acres of waving wheat, CLARK
and LANA and RICKY and BUSTER the puppy are ensconced between her car, which is
parked on the side of the road, and a picket fence that marks the boundary of a
farm.
CLOSER -- On their picnic blanket LANA is proudly setting out a lot of small
plastic containers of homemade goodies as CLARK sprinkles salt on a celery
stalk.
CLARK
(happily)
Gee, I haven't done this in
years.
LANA
Some people don't think it's
healthy.
CLARK
(earnestly nodding)
Well, it's true you have to be
careful things don't spoil,
especially with mayonnaise
or cream.
LANA
Clark, I think you worry too
much about mayonnaise.
CLARK
Me??
LANA
I'm talking about salt.
(as he hesitates
uncertainly)
Oh, go ahead, pour it on,
relax. That's what picnics
are for.
NEW ANGLE -- including RICKY, who is pulling a ball out of his pocket while
BUSTER waits, wagging his tail, beside him.
RICKY
Don't they have picnics in
Metropolis, Mr. Kent?
CLARK
Well...
(looking around at
the open fields, clean
air, blue sky)
Not quite like this.
RICKY
Mom and I do this all the time.
And he goes racing off with BUSTER, OUT OF FRAME.
LANA
(to CLARK)
It's nice for Ricky.
CLARK settles in next to her, beginning to open plastic containers.
LANA
(enjoying the
proximity)
And even nicer when there's
a man around, Which isn't all
that often.
CLARK
(re the plastic
containers)
There's a lot of choices here.
LANA
No, all the good ones are
married. That's why Brad
thinks he's God's gift to
women. This woman anyway.
He's single. He won't take no
for an answer, but he's the only
one who's asking. And he knows it.
CLARK
(trying to straighten
out the conversation)
I meant all the choices here. All
this --
(lifting lids)
-- cole slaw, guacamole --
(more and more
impressed as he
opens for containers)
This is some picnic!
CAMERA PANS AWAY FROM CLARK, LOSING HIM FROM THE SHOT, AND MOVES TO LANA JUST AS
RICKY RUNS TO HER. LANA is still beaming from CLARK'S praise, as:
CLARK
Hey mom, how about me?
LANA finds -- in the middle of this feast -- a lone, wax paper wrapped sandwich
and hands it to RICKY with a mock sigh. As he takes off again:
TWO SHOT -- LANA turns back to CLARK. Holding a fork and a plastic container, he
has just sampled something he's not quite sure about.
LANA
Peanut butter and jelly.
CLARK
No, thanks.
LANA
No, I mean Ricky. He's not
interested in any of this stuff.
CLARK
Well, this pate is rather...unusual.
LANA
Pate? What pate?
(leaning over -- very
close to him now --
to peer into the
container)
I didn't make any --
(horrified pause;
then)
Oh, no, Clark. That's Buster's
dog food.
CLARK looks at the container, looks at his fork, looks at LANA. The look on his
face is just too much for her. She starts to laugh. Then he starts to laugh.
They stop -- and then start again. She collapses against him, weak with
laughter.
And even when their mirth subsides, they don't move apart.
LANA
Gee, I haven't laughed like that
since -- since --
(she suddenly realizes)
I really can't remember when.
CLARK
Me neither...
Their proximity suddenly makes them self-conscious. They move apart and try to
lighten the moment, a bit awkwardly:
LANA
So...how much longer do you
think you'll be in Smallville --
CLARK
(his dialogue overlaps
hers, starts a few
beats back)
You know, I was just thinking,
Lana --
(the following line
is in the clear)
-- someone like you could do
do really well in Metropolis --
They both stop, smile a bit shyly at each other.
Sound: nearby, the steady, grinding motor of a giant thresher in the wheat
fields.
EXT. WHEAT FIELDS: LONG SHOT of the enormous thresher cutting through the wheat,
its great blades and rollers turning.
ON THE PICNIC: over the noise, LANA and CLARK are continuing their tete-a-tete.
LANA
I suppose I've got to face it --
I'm not going to find what I
want in Smallville anymore, but --
Sound: the thresher gets closer and louder.
LANA
(impatiently)
I can never get a way from it.
CLARK
(following her thought
about Smallville;
nodding understandingly)
Old ties are hard to cut.
LANA
No. I mean, yes they are, but I
was talking about that.
(she cocks her head towards
the insistent sound)
Wheat King. Bet your bottom
dollar that's a Wheat King
thresher.
(continued)
LANA
(thoughtfully)
That's the biggest change in
Smallville, you know. They've
taken over this town. Everybody
who isn't actually working for
Wheat King -- like I do -- is out
there --
(gesturing towards
the fields)
on a Wheat King thresher.
(back to their
conversation; she
looks up at him eagerly)
Do you think I could do it? Do you?
CLARK
(dubiously)
Ride a thresher? Well, I don't
know. Girls are trying just about
everything now but --
LANA
No, what you said before, Could I
make it in Metropolis? I've dreamed
about it, sure, but I never really
thought about it.
(uncertainly)
What would I do when I got there?
CLARK
(smiling)
Call me.
LANA
(quietly thrilled)
Oh, I wouldn't want to -- I mean,
I'd want to, but I wouldn't want
to...be a nuisance to you.
ON RICKY -- about twenty feet away, having his own good time, tussling happily
with his PUPPY in the tall grass.
TWO SHOT -- CLARK and LANA
CLARK
(quietly)
Hey, you could never be a nuisance.
She touches his knee gently. She moves toward him, closer.
LANA
(softly)
Clark, may I tell you something?
(as he waits, she looks
away for a moment)
My oil pan is leaking.
He reacts with considerable confusion; it wasn't what he expected.
LANA
See?
(she points under
the car)
POV: A small puddle under the CHEVY is getting larger, dark drops falling slowly
but steadily into it as:
LANA (o.s.)
See? There's something dripping.
NEW ANGLE -- As LANA gets up, in B.G. we SEE BUSTER the dog run off into the
wheat.
RICKY
Hey, Buster! Darn it... come
back, willya?
But the DOG runs on and RICKY starts to chase him into the fields. HOLS ON LANA
and CLARK.
LANA
The dog's always doing that.
(wryly, pointing to
the leaky Chevy)
And the car's always doing that.
CLARK
Can I help?
LANA opens the trunk, takes out a tool kit.
LANA
No thanks. With all the trouble
this thing gives me, I started
studying up on auto repair.
She slides under the car and begins tapping the undercarriage with a wrench,
listening carefully.
ON CLARK -- watching her, smiling.
Sound: the thresher grinds a way, coming and going, closer now and louder than
LANA'S tapping.
But CLARK suddenly hears something else. He sits up, frowns, cocks his head
towards the wheat fields.
EFFECTS: Shimmery light waves coming from his ear denote Super-Hearing in
action.
What he (and we) now HEARS: the plaintive insistent whining of BUSTER out in the
fields. Troubled, he turns in that direction, scanning the area.
POV: SPECIAL EFFECTS: X-Ray Vision sees through the thick golden wheat,
searching till it finds the PUPPY sitting, whimpering, beside RICKY, who lays
unconscious, completely hidden among rows of tall grain. ZOOM CLOSER TO RICKY --
chasing BUSTER, he has tripped and fallen, hitting his head on a jagged stone
jutting out of the earth beside him. There is a cut on the side of his head and
he doesn't move.
Sound: suddenly the grinding, thrashing noise of the giant threshing machine
seems very close.
AERIAL SHOT: LOOKING DOWN, we SEE the big thresher heading for the plot of land
where little RICKY lays unseen.
EXT. WHEAT FIELD - DAY
LOW ANGLE -- RICKY in F.G., the big thresher coming fast towards him from B.G.
EXT. COUNTRY CLEARING - DAY
CLARK glances over at LANA, but she, of course, has heard nothing unusual from
underneath the car and goes on tinkering.
CLARK
Think I'll see if I can help
Ricky.
He gets up and moves casually but very quickly towards the picket fence. Sure
that LANA is safely out of sight doing her work, he darts behind the fence.
EFFECTS: As he runs behind the fence, CLARK KENT turns into SUPERMAN. The effect
of the picket railings is like a strobe or time-lapse, i.e., as he passes behind
each rail more and more of the SUPERMAN FIGURE begins to emerge from the CLARK
FIGURE. By the time he has reached the end of the fence...it's SUPERMAN! He
zooms into the sky.
EXT. SKY - DAY
ON SUPERMAN, looking down.
HIS POV: the big thresher is getting closer, closer to the unconscious CHILD.
FULL SHOT -- SUPERMAN swoops down.
IN VARIOUS QUICK CUTS:
1. LOW ANGLE -- the thresher comes closer.
The noise is deafening.
2. ON THE FRONT OF THE THRESHER -- we can
clearly see how formidable the rolling blades are.
They would chew the CHILD up in seconds.
3. Accelerating, SUPERMAN dives down, lands
in front of the thresher and...
4. Reaches out with both hands and just grabs the
churning blades, stopping it abruptly.
5. ON THE THRESHER DRIVER in his cab, startled
to find himself coming to a sudden, jolting stop.
6. SUPERMAN scoops up the unconscious RICKY in
his arms, flies up into the air with him.
7. RICKY comes to in mid-air, opens his eyes and
is surprised to say the least.
RICKY
Superman???
SUPERMAN
That's what they call me.
8. The thresher DRIVER, in his cab, mops his brow
at the near miss.
9. SUPERMAN and RICKY coming towards the
parked car.
ON THE CAR -- LANA still underneath.
RICKY (o.s.)
Mom! Mom!
LANA slides out from under, and is astonished at what she sees...SUPERMAN
landing with her SON in his arms.
LANA
(dumbfounded)
Ricky? Where...what...
SUPERMAN
(indicates the cut)
I'd wash that out with some
iodine...
(RICKY winces)
Okay, Mercurochrome.
LANA
(trying to recover
the power of speech)
Thank ...you.
SUPERMAN
Anytime.
RICKY gazes at him in wonder.
LANA
Oh. I'm Lana Lang. This is
Ricky.
SUPERMAN
We've already met.
LANA
And this is...
(she looks around
for CLARK)
...Clark.
(to SUPERMAN)
My friend is around here
somewhere, I'll just look for...
SUPERMAN
(kindly)
I'm sorry, I'm in a real hurry.
(to RICKY)
See you around, pal.
With a smile and a wave, SUPERMAN takes off. Whoosh. And he's gone from sight.
RICKY
(still in a spell)
We were flying!! Mom! In the sky!
LANA
(trying to make
sense of all this)
What were you doing anyway?
RICKY
I was looking for...
(remembering, suddenly
looks around, calling)
Buster! Buster!
Sound: Distant sound of yelping dog.
ON THE WHEAT FIELD -- backing out, ass-first and on his hands and knees, from an
open-ended length of big irrigation pipe comes a disheveled CLARK KENT, holding
the PUPPY in his arms. He stands up with difficulty and raises the DOG high in
the air for them to see in B.G.
CLARK
(calling)
I found him!
NEW ANGLE -- as LANA and RICKY run to CLARK
RICKY
Mr. Kent! Superman was here!
CLARK
(looking incredulous)
What!
LANA
He really was!
CLARK
(calmly)
Uh-huh.
LANA
Well, aren't you excited?
CLARK
Lana, I'm from Metropolis.
I see Superman every day.
EXT. WHEAT KING INDUSTRIAL PARK, MAIN OFFICES - NIGHT
WIDE, ESTABLISHING SHOT of one of those typical, sprawling industrial parks
located on the outskirts of communities all across America. The billboard in
front shows a picture of a FARMER on a tractor and says:
"WHEAT KING FARM MACHINERY
A WEBCO COMPANY."
CLOSER -- A remarkable sight: standing at the front door, ringing insistently on
a button marked "Night Bell" is a totally transformed GUS GORMAN. He now is
attired in the very green-and-white polyester suit that caused him to recoil at
first sight. His look and persona are that of a typical midwestern
salesman...fast-talking, hard-selling, and square. He carries a very large
suitcase.
INT. WHEAT KING BUILDING - NIGHT
After a moment, we SEE BRAD, in nightwatchman outfit, stumbling down the
corridor, already tipsy. He walks through a microphone gizmo embedded about
halfway down the glass door.
BRAD
Yeah? What do you want?
GUS
Buddy, are we in trouble.
BRAD
(has no idea what in
hell he's talking about)
What?
GUS
(talking very fast,
giving the befuddled
BRAD no chance to
interrupt)
First the supplier couldn't find
the invoice. Then the order came
up short. Then I missed the four
o'clock plane from Cleveland and
had to rent a car, and then I got a
darn flat tire on the highway! Can
you beat it? Boy, your boss must've
been furious when I didn't show up
by the end of the day today, huh?
ON BRAD -- in his befogged mind, he senses that something is wrong, but he has
no idea what in hell it means.
BRAD
What are you talkin' about?
GUS
Good lord, fella! I'm talking about
your boss.
BRAD
Mr. Roebush?
GUS
(seemingly frantic
with worry)
Roebush! That's the guy! Buddy, he's
gonna nail our behinds to the wall!
this is Special Order! He said he had
to have it before...
(a sudden realization)
Omigod!! What's tomorrow?
BRAD
Tuesday.
GUS
TUESDAY! I got to get it all set up
in his office tonight before all those
big shots come here tomorrow for
the meeting!!
ON BRAD -- shaking his head, trying to clear it.
BRAD
Get all what set up?
ON GUS -- with a wild smile and a glint in his eye like Robert Helpmann holding
out The Red Shoes, he snaps open the lid of the valise. Four shelves,
"accordioned" in tiers, spring forward: they contain bottles of every known
liquor, whiskey, and spirit in the world, plus various bartending implements
(shakers, stirrers, etc). As GUS grins like the terrible tempter:
ON BRAD -- the expression on his face is a wonder to behold. The simple
anticipatory greedy delight of a child on Christmas morning. A second later the
glass doors slide open with an electronic whoosh.
INT. WHEAT KING PLANT MANAGER'S OFFICE - NIGHT
Some time later. DUS and BRAD are seated at the boss's desk. An incredible array
of liquor bottles in evidence, and all open, their contents sampled. A similar
line-up of different size glasses, all used and empty. GUS in the style of a
slick bartender. Both GUYS are blotto, BRAD a little more so. GUS pours the new
concoction into a glass. BRAD samples it.
BRAD
S'not bad, s'very good, but...
y'know what's wrong with this...
Singapore...thing?
GUS
Sling. Singapore Sling. What's
wrong?
BRAD
Not enough vodka in it.
GUS
There's no vodka in it.
BRAD
Aha! What'd I tell ya!
GUS
What? What did you tell me?
BRAD considers this a while, then holds out his glass.
BRAD
Put vodka in it.
GUS does so, liberally. BRAD takes a big swig.
BRAD
S'better. Taste it.
GUS
(sips)
Got vodka in it now. Gotta
give it a new name. Hey, listen,
you thought it up, we'll name it
after you. What's your name?
BRAD
Brad.
GUS
(considers it)
Brad is not a good name for a
cocktail.
BRAD
(an idea occurs)
Hey! Y'know what they used to
call me in high school?
GUS
Brad?
BRAD
No, no, on the football field.
They called me...
(drawing himself up
with boozy pride)
...The Smallville Flash.
GUS
Hey, man, that's a great name
for a cocktail!
They clink glasses in celebration.
GUS
Here's to the Smallville Flash!
BRAD chug-a-lugs his drink, draining the glass. GUS watches him in drunken
amazement.
GUS
Man, you don't never pass out,
do ya?
BRAD
Nope.
(he closes his eyes)
Never.
(and he passes out)
NEW ANGLE -- GUS prods him, sees he's out cold. Now the problem is trying to get
on with his business in the highly inebriated state he's in.
GUS
Awright. Keys.
He goes over to BRAD, removes the key ring from his belt, starts going through
all the keys.
INSERT: Each key is marked with a tag for its location. There are two plastic
keys marked Computer - A and Computer - B.
GUS
(mumbling, puzzled)
Two keys? Lessee about that...
He starts out of the room, takes one look back...BRAD totally comatose now, has
slumped down in his chair, half on the floor.
GUS
Huh. The Smallville Flash.
INT. CORRIDOR. WHEAT KING OFFICES - NIGHT
GUS makes his way, very drunkenly, down the corridors, weaving as he walks.
FOLLOW HIM as he turns a corner, where an unexpected mirror causes him to jump
back in horror, like W.C. Fields doing a take. It's the suit with him in it that
makes him shiver and say:
GUS
Man, that is terrifyingly ugly...
He enters a room above which is a sign: COMPUTER and beneath it another sign:
SNACKS.
INT. WHEAT KING VENDING MACHINE ROOM - NIGHT
A row of coin-operated vending machines. GUS is just drunk enough to carefully
check each one out to make sure.
GUS
(addressing the
coffee machine)
You ain't the computer, man.
(goes to candy
machine, examines it)
You ain't neither.
(the soft drink
dispenser)
Not even close.
he continues along the wall with the careful gait of a man trying to remain
upright, he stops before a doorway and opens it. A broom and a mop fall out.
ANGLE IN -- it's a miniscule, five foot high broom closet, filled with cleaning
utensils, buckets, etc.
GUS
(as the broom
falls out)
S'cuse me.
He puts the stuff back, shuts the door, opens one remaining door. Inside a small
room is the office of Xerox copier, an office supplies cabinet, and a small
computer console. It's just as he asked for: A little rinky-dink computer
operation.
GUS
There's that sucker!
He enters.
INT. WHEAT KING COMPUTER ROOM - NIGHT
GUS sits down in front of the keyboard, shakes his head trying to sober up,
looks down, remembers the key.
INSERT: he laboriously inserts one of the plastic keys in its slot.
ON GUS -- he starts to touch keyboard buttons. Nothing happens.
GUS
Hey, c'mon, man!
(tries again,
no success)
Now a sign on the wall above the console catches his eye. He looks up at it.
GUD POV: The vision, impaired by booze, is blurry at first. Then double-vision.
Then it comes into focus.
TWO KEYS REQUIRED TO OPERATE.
KEY - A IN STATION #1
KEY - B IN STATION #2
BOTH KEYS MUST BE INSERTED
AT THE SAME TIME
Muttering his displeasure, GUS stands up, wobbly, and looks for Station # 2. he
finds it on the other end of the console. As he starts to try and insert the
second key, he remembers:
GUS
"At the same time." Oh.
He holds one key, poised to enter its slot, and reaches around, stretching
himself out, spreading his legs, trying to insert the second key in its slot.
But the distance is too great for one man to do it.
GUS
Damn! Now what'll I do?
CUT TO:
INT. WHEAT KING PLANT MANAGER'S OFFICE - NIGHT
ON BRAD -- as we left him, passed out cold.
GUS ENTERS FRAME, shakes BRAD, trying to rouse him.
GUS
Hey, brother! Hey, Flash!
(shakes harder, but
it's useless)
Shee...
Grasping BRAD beneath his arm pits, GUS starts to drag the massive bulk out of
the office.
INT. WHEAT KING COMPUTER ROOM - NIGHT
GUS hauls BRAD into the computer room, shoves him in the general area of Station
#2, then, with considerable trial and effort, attempts to put the second key in
his hand and clench his fingers around it. The general idea is this...
GUS must maneuver it so that both keys are inserted simultaneously. in order to
do this, he must position BRAD...a passed-out BRAD...so that he falls forward at
the proper angle to insert one of the keys as GUS inserts his. His first two
tries meet with total failure; BRAD slumps to the floor and/or collapses
backwards. Finally, GUS comes up with his own tipsy solution: to keep BRAD erect
and correctly positioned, he uses hi yo-yo, ties one end on BRAD, goes back to
STATION #1, holding his end of the string, then gently pulls BRAD forward at
just the right angles so that his key and GUS'S key enter the computer together.
As they do, the display screen lights up and spells out:
HELLO
GUS
Now you wanna be friends, huh?
He starts to type a program on the console. As he does:
GUS
(to himself)
C'mon now, Gus, sober up.
C.U. KEYBOARD -- as his fingers touch buttons.
INT. VARIOUS COMPUTERS
A SERIES OF SHOTS of different computers in different places turning and
flashing and beeping, etc. Again, the intent is clear: GUS'S computer is
contacting other computers.
INT. OFFICE - DAY
Some anonymous office. A computer is evidence. A bell rings. A video display
screen lights up.
"NEW INFORMATION: INCOMING"
CAMERA ON REAR OF MACHINE: showing the wiring leading out. PAN ALONG CABLE TO:
EXT. STREET. CURB OUTSIDE BANK - NIGHT
FULL SHOT -- we are on a city street corner by an Instant Cash Machine on the
side of a bank.
A GUY, ordinary, dressed in jeans and a faded sweatshirt, walks up to the
machine and takes a plastic bank card from his wallet.
CLOSER ON HIM AND THE MACHINE -- he inserts it in the proper slot. The digital
display flashes the usual instructions:
1. ENTER SECRET CODE
(the GUY pushes his code)
2. SELECT MODE: DEPSOIT, WITHDRAWAL
SAVINGS, CHECKING.
(the GUY pushes the
"Withdrawal" button)
3. AMOUNTS: $30, $50, $70, $100.
The GUY pushes the $50 button and stands and waits.
SOUND: the thunk that lets you know money has dropped into the cash drawer.
ANGLE DOWN -- he opens the cash drawer. The packet of $50 in small bills is
there. But as the GUY starts to reach for it: thunk. Another fifty bucks. Thunk.
Another. And another and another and another and another...
C.U. the GUY -- his eyes widen in astonishment.
TIGHT ANGLE -- the money keeps dropping into the drawer.
PAN UP-- the GUY stifles a yelp of joy, not wanting to call attention to
himself. He stuffs money in every available packet as fast as he can, as the
cash keeps dropping into the drawer. he smiles nonchalantly at passers by as he
keeps filling up.
INT. WHEAT KING COMPUTER ROOM - NIGHT
GUS shakes his head, no, and pushes another key.
ON THE VIDEO DISPLAY -- it reads. "CLEAR, NEW PROGRAM."
ON GUS -- starts again.
INT. VARIOUS LOCATIONS - DAY
SHOTS of computers at work.
INT. DEPARTMENT STORE BILLING OFFICE - DAY
The lettering on the office door reads:
MACY'S CUSTOMER BILLING DEPT.
ON A COMPUTERIZED MACHINE dispensing bills to be mailed out to customers.
CUT TO:
INT. BREAKFAST NOOK - DAY
A HUSBAND sits at the breakfast table, looking at the day's mail. His breakfast,
including a half-grapefruit, in front of him. HIS WIFE, in housecoat, seated
opposite.
INSERT: He tears open the Macy's Envelope, pulls out the bill. It lists charges
for $176,784.57.
FULL SHOT -- without a word, he picks up the grapefruit and jams in into his
wife's kisser.
EXT. LANA'S HOUSE - DAY
CLARK KENT, holding a little bouquet, stands on the porch of a typical
Midwestern house. LANA, in her apron, has come out to welcome him. They are
looking at an old-fashioned porch swing.
CLARK
Gee, I always loved porch swings.
LANA
Me too. That's why I put this
one up.
She sits in it toward the middle. he comes over and...slightly shy...sits more
towards one side. The swing instantly tilts toward that side. LANA uphill, CLARK
downhill.
LANA
Maybe it's be better if you moved
over here a little...
CLARK slides over until the swing levels off. He is very close to LANA. She
smiles up at him. And just at that moment:
NEW ANGLE -- the door opens and RICKY sticks his head out. CLARK and LANA move
imperceptibly apart.
RICKY
Hey, you wanna see my room,
Mr. Kent?
LANA
(a little smile)
He decorated it himself.
(now she means
the swing)
Should have used chains instead
of rope.
CLARK, lost again, shakes his head.
INT. RICKY'S BEDROOM - DAY
ON CLARK -- For a brief moment, a bit taken aback by what he sees.
WHAT HE SEES: A perfectly ordinary kid's bedroom, which is not surprisingly,
hung with large posters of SUPERMAN that seem to be looking right back at CLARK.
C.U. CLARK -- the fleeting smile on his face seems to mean, "life is sure funny
sometimes."
TWO SHOT
RICKY
Do you really know Superman?
CLARK
(lightly)
We get together sometimes.
RICKY nods. he sits on the edge of his bed, just looking thoughtfully at CLARK.
Finally:
RICKY
Mr. Kent, could I ask you something?
CLARK
(ready for anything)
Sure.
RICKY
Could you get me Superman's
autograph?
EXT. WHEAT KING INDUSTRIAL PARK - NIGHT
LONG SHOT -- All is quiet.
INT. WHEAT KING VENDING MACHINE ROOM - NIGHT
Nobody is here. PAN to broom closet door. It slowly opens. GUS emerges after
spending the entire day wedged in the tiny, narrow space. He's bent in what
looks like a permanent 45-degree angle. He's miserable, unshaven, uncomfortable
and...most of all...hungover. One of the all-time hangovers. Moaning and
groaning, he steps out, tries to straighten up and fails. Then he sort of
manages.
GUS
(clutching his head)
Oh, God, this is worse'n being drunk.
A broom falls. The noise makes him wince.
GUS
Worse'n being dead.
Looks at himself in mirror of vending machine, shudders, sticks out his tongue,
examines it with horror.
GUS
Black coffee. That's what I
need.
(gets coins from
pocket)
Gotta have it. Gotta...
He puts coins in the Hot Coffee machine. Click. Buzz.
ON THE MACHINE -- attached to the side are a stack of removable plastic cup
holders. But GUS doesn't realize he has to take one and hold it in the inset to
catch the cup that will drop. The cup that drops is a pointed cone type. Quickly
GUS grabs it to steady it; an instant later scalding hot coffee fills the cup.
ON GUS -- yanking his hand out, holding the burning paper cup, in great pain. He
can't hold onto it, puts it down on the machine's top, and it spills coffee on
him.
GUS
(angry)
I know that be Colombian coffee!
I just know it!
(menacingly)
Gonna fix your wagon, man.
He goes to the computer room.
INT. WHEAT KING COMPUTER ROOM - NIGHT
He partially inserts both plastic card keys in their slots. Then as he pushes
one in by hand, he karate kicks the other in. He sits down at the keyboard,
shakes his head and starts to punch a program on the console. As he does:
ON VIDEO DISPLAY: "HELLO"
GUS
Ah, shut up.
He pushes some keys.
GUS
Gonna get this thing right
if it kills me.
INT. VARIOUS LOCATIONS
More computers flashing and turning and working.
EXT. CITY STREET. INTERSECTION - DAY
ON A LOT OF PEDESTRIANS standing on the corner of a busy city intersection,
looking at the traffic light.
ON THE TRAFFIC SIGNAL -- one of those types that has a little figure of a
standing man that lights up red for DON'T WALK and a figure of a walking man
that lights up green for WALK. The green man lights up.
ON THE PEOPLE -- they start to cross the street. On the intersecting corner, a
similar CROWD of PEOPLE waits for the light to change so they can cross.
SUDDENLY:
ON THE LIGHT -- the green light man goes off and the red light man comes on.
ON THE STREET -- caught in the middle of the street, the walking PEOPLE obey the
signal and stop. The CROWD on the other corner, obeying their sign, start to
walk.
VARIOUS ANGLES -- halfway across, the light changes again. The first GROUP tries
to continue walking, but bumps into the second GROUP, now standing in their way.
ON THE SIGNAL -- completely out of control now, thanks to computer malfunction,
it goes from little green Walk Man to little Red Stop Man with no discernable
logic.
ON THE STREET -- it's like a ballet of confusion, as the hapless PEDESTRIANS
bang into each other.
ON THE LIGHT -- as the signals keep switching back and forth:
EFFECTS: ANIMATION -- the little Red Man loses his temper and reaches down and
socks the Little Green Man. The Little Green Man hits him back.
Chaos and confusion.
INT. WHAT KING COMPUTER ROOM - NIGHT
A very frustrated GUS seated at his little computer, trying it one more time.
GUS
(to the gods above)
Oh please, let this be the one...
ON THE DISPLAY SCREEN -- GUS types in (and the digital letters and numbers
show):
XYR8US
(after a moment)
X3
The machine makes a little noise, then the word appears:
INPOERATIVE.
GUS
(despair)
Oh, no...
He tries again:
XYR8US
(after a moment)
X4
A long pause. the machine makes a slightly different noise. And then, on the
video display screen, comes the message:
HELLO. VULCAN WEATHER
SATTELITE.
CONFIRMED.
ON GUS -- triumphant at last.
GUS
I am a genius.
ON VISDEO DISPLAY SCREEN
"REQUEST COORDINATES"
GUS types in some stuff. A new message appears:
VULCAN PROGRAM: EARTHSCAN
COMMAND.
GUS
Command! Awright!
(talking to the
computer)
This here's your new commander,
baby. Now listen good.
(starts to type
coordinates)
CUT TO:
EXT. DEEP SPACE
FULL SHOT -- in outer space, the Vulcan Weather Satellite moves in orbit.
Suddenly:
EFFECTS: two laser-like beams dart out from the satellite, their scarlet rays
aimed at Earth.
CAMERA BEGINS TO PAN DOWN THE BEAMS TILL WE CAN SEE THE GLOBE OF EARTH TARGETED
FAR AWAY.
EXT. SKY
EFFECTS: TIME-LAPSE PHOTOGRAPHY -- Dark storm clouds begin amassing at a rapid
rate. As they become a denser mass, they form the whirling cone of a tornado.
INT. WHEAT KING COMPUTER ROOM - NIGHT
GUS
(typing away busily now)
Yeah, okay, gimme the longitude
here...
VIDEO DISPLAY SCREEN reads:
LONGITUDE 98 DEGREES.
GUS
And the other thing...
VIDEO DISPLAY SCREEN reads:
LATTITUDE 175 DEGREES
(then)
LOCATION: COLUMBIA
SOUTH AMERICA.
INT. WHEAT KING COMPUTER ROOM - NIGHT
GUS is relieved and wildly excited.
GUS
Awright. Now...
He pushes some more buttons.
EXT. BORDER PATROL STATIONS. COLUMBIA - DAY
FULL SHOT -- a little border patrol shack. The sign above it, in Spanish, says
"YOU ARE NOW ENTERING COLUMBIA. PASSPORT CONTROL."
Inside, we can SEE ONE GUARD at his desk. Outside, dozing in a chair tilted
against the side of the shack, is a SECOND UNIFORMED GUARD. IN B.G. we SEE the
approaching tornado on the horizon.
CLOSE ON THE SECOND GUARD -- snoring away peacefully. Suddenly -- a drop of
water hits his nose. Then another. Then a sprinkle begins to fall. He comes
awake, startled. Looks up in surprise.
POV: LOOKING UP -- storm clouds everywhere. Suddenly a bolt of lightening.
GUARD
(leaping from
his chair)
Caramba!
He runs into the shack. A moment later, torrential rain starts to fall.
IN A SERIES OF QUICK CUTS:
1. EXT. SKY -- bolts of lightening everywhere. Thunder booming.
2. EXT. FIELDS. COFFEE PLANTATION - DAY
LONG SHOT of the coffee fields whipped by the winds and becoming flooded by the
rains.
CLOSER ON coffee plants -- lashed by the gale force winds, bending and
breaking.
The furrows beneath them filling with water.
3. Trees nearby uprooted, falling across the fields.
4. EXT. FARM, COLUMBIA - DAY
A primitive irrigation system: a DONKEY tethered to a pole walks in a constant
circle, causing a wooden paddle wheel to turn, scooping up water from a well and
lifting it above ground to the fields where it cascades down the rows of plowed
fields between rows of coffee plants. (PROCESS SHOWN IN QUICK SERIES OF SHOTS).
As the storm rises, the DONKEY panics, breaks free of the rope, and runs for
cover as the rain starts.
5. EXT. LITTLE FARM HOUSE - DAY
A small mud-hut farm house on the edge of a coffee plantation. A PEASANT FAMILY
clusters in the doorway, fearfully watching the incredible destruction outside.
CLOSER ON THEM -- the FATHER hugs his CHILD to his side. Behind them, inside the
one-room hut we SEE the MOTHER kneeling and praying at a simple shrine with a
little statue of the Virgin. The flame from the votary candles flickers and is
blown out by the wind.
6. EXT. VILLAGE SQUARE, CLOMBIA - DAY
The sky is darkened here, but the rains have not yet reached the village. IN
WIDE SHOT we SEE a little church with a steeple on one side of the square, and a
café on the other side.
7. INT. CAFÉ, VILLAGE SQUARE, COLUMBIA - DAY
The OWNER and TWO WAITERS are busy decorating a wedding cake. IN B.G. we SEE the
tables set for a party.
8. INT. CHURCH, VILLAGE SQUARE, COLUMBIA - DAY
In the church, a wedding is in progress. A small wedding party (BRIDE, GROOM,
WITNESS, FAMILY, etc.) and the PRIEST.
REVERSE: In a back pew, taking pictures with an Instamatic and thrilled to be
there watching an authentic South American wedding, are MR. AND MRS. MAURY
STOKIS, the JINGO winners enjoying their trip. She dabs a sentimental tear; he
snaps photos. Suddenly:
Sound: Thunder cracks. Fierce wind.
They look up fearfully from the ceremony as:
A stained glass window breaks and smashes to the floor.
MIDWAY DURING THE ABOVE SEQUENCES, WE BEGIN TO hear on sound track the voice of
a TELEVISION NEWS COMMENTATOR.
T.V. COMMENTATOR (V.O.)
Meteorologists are baffled by the
tornado and torrential rain storms
that struck the South American
country of Colombia this afternoon,
threatening to destroy this nation's
entire coffee crop for the next five
years. The loss of the major export
would devastate that already strife-
torn region's economy. Meanwhile,
the tornado continues to pound with
devastating force. Gale force winds up
to an incredible 200 mph lash the
countryside, while 12 inches of
rainfall heave already been recorded
in just one day.
At this point, we CONTINUE TO SEE IMAGES OF THE DESTRUCTION, BUT NOW THEY ARE
IMAGES ON A TELEVISION SCREEN:
9. EXT. VILLAGE SQUARE, COLOMBIA - DAY
The rain and wind hit the square full force.
The church bell begins tolling out of control. blown by the wind. ANGLE UP ON
the steeple to SEE it careening, clanging.
10. SHOTS OF COFFEE PLANTATION -- row after row of coffee plants bent. Flood
waters rising.
T.V. SCREEN: BEGIN TO PULL BACK REEALING THIS ON T.V. SCREEN as we SEE the T.V.
NEWS COMMENTATOR seated at his desk, looking at CAMERA:
T.V. NEWS COMMENTATOR
Flood warnings have given way to
evacuation proceedings in the entire
southern part of the country. A
spokesman for the Department of
Meteorology at Cal Tech here said
this was, and I quote, "the most
awesome display of natural forces
unleashed since Noah's Ark." He
added that the storm's pattern seems
to defy all known laws of weather
systems to...
Right around here, we begin to hear maniacal laughter off-screen. CAMERA HAS
PULLED BACK TO REVEAL the T. V. screen, but it is not yet clear WHERE WE ARE.
The man laughing is ROSS WEBSTER and we hear him say:
ROSS (o.s.)
Turn it off, turn it off! If I
laugh any harder, I'll split
my sides.
REVERSE. WE ARE IN:
EXT. PENTHOUSE. ROOFTOP "SKI RESORT" - DAY
(AT THIS POINT WE CAN'T TELL EXACTLY WHERE WEARE) ON ROSS, in snazzy ski togs,
standing at the top of a ski slope. He pushes off and skis downhill. FOLLOW, at
the bottom of the slope, reclining on a deck chair, wearing skin-tight ski-suit,
holding a reflector to her face, to enhance her tan, is LORELEI. As ROSS comes
to a stop, he sends a great spray of 'snow' all over LORELEI. She shrieks
playfully.
LORELEI
Ooooooh, I'll get you for that,
you big silly!
ON VERA -- wincing with distaste at this baby-talk baloney, she sits nearby on a
chair reading a book entitled: "A BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO COMPUTERS."
NEW ANGLE, LONG AND WIDE -- As VERA gets up to switch off the portable T.V. set
at the bottom of the slope, we get our first real look at this extraordinary
setting. A private "ski resort" has been constructed on the terrace of the
Webster penthouse. While we SEE the skyline of Metropolis in B. G. and the
CITIZENS OF METROPOLIS in summer clothing on the streets below, what ROSS has
installed up here is a total winter environment. At the foot of the slope is the
little Swiss chalet "set" for apres-ski; we glimpse a fireplace, a bar, etc. in
there.
VERA
(quivering voice)
Bubba, do you realize what we're onto?
ROSS
(happily)
Do I? Every time a drunk tries
to sober up, he'll be drinking
Webster coffee!
C.U. VERA -- eyes burning with a great idea.
VERA
(dramatically)
Why stop at coffee!
(seeing the vision)
A cup of coffee gets the world
off to work in the morning,
but what keeps the world working?
LORELEI
Diet soda?
VERA
Energy! And when they say "Energy"
what do they mean? Nuclear? too
dangerous. Solar?? Too underdeveloped.
ON ROSS -- his eyes beginning to glow with fervor as he catches on.
ROSS
You mean...you mean...Vera!
Vera! The magnitude of this!!!
VERA
(proclaiming)
Today coffee----
ROSS
TOMORROW THE OIL!
EXT. SKY. SOUTH AMERICA - DAY
Flying rapidly toward the distant rain clouds -- it's SUPERMAN!
INT. PENTHOUSE. ROOFTOP "SKI RESORT" - DAY
LORELEI
(slowly, sensually rubbing
suntan oil into her skin)
Oil?
ROSS
We already have Webster Petroleum
pumping 12 billion barrels a year.
VERA
Small potatoes.
ROSS
We already have a super-tanker.
VERA
Chicken feed.
(brandishing her
computer manual)
If Gus Gorman can push the
right buttons ---
ROSS
(fired up, seeing
the vision)
I could have it all! Holy cats!
All the oil! All the tankers! All
the pumps! The gosh-darn world
will be out to lunch! No heat, no
gas--sis, this is some nifty idea!
At which point GUS enters, flipping a fancier yo-yo (the walnut executive
model), looking very nervous and disturbed about something.
GUS
Hey, boss.
ROSS
Just the man I wanted to see!
GUS
Turn on the T.V.
ROSS
I did. isn't it neat-o?
GUS
(looks at ROSS
like he's nuts)
Uh...what channel were you
watching?
ROSS
What are you talking about, fella?
GUS walks over and turns on the T.V.
The T.V. NEWS COMMENTATOR'S face appears.
T.V. NEWS COMMENTATOR
...and in an all-out effort, Superman
has been simply awesome. Awesome in
his power. Awesome in his strength.
Awesome in his ability to single-handedly
reverse this wave of terror and save little
Colombia from the brink of destruction.
One man -- a super man, to be sure --
is taking on the very force of Nature's fury
and, at this point, he seems to be winning!
(FIRST IMAGES OF SUPERMAN AT WORK APPEAR ON T.V. SCREEN, THEN GO TO NORMAL FILM
FRAME)
A SERIES OF QUICK CUTS:
1. Battling through turbulence, with tremendous bolts of lightening around him,
SUPERMAN flies through the Colombian sky.
2. EXT. VILLAGE SQUARE, COLOMBIA - DAY
The little church, buffeted by the storm, is starting to collapse. The mud-
stucco facade cracks, begins to sag and crumble.
Just as the façade starts to go, MR. AND MRS. MAURY STOKIS come barreling out of
the church, hell-for-leather. He turns and tries to take one last snapshot of
the spectacle.
MRS. STOKIS
Maury! Forget the pictures!
The wall falls on top of them and they're lost from sight.
Moments later, the WEDDING PARTY, running for their lives, comes pouring out of
the church. Buffeted by the gale-force winds, soaked to the skin, they try to
cross the square to the relative safety of the café across the way.
ANGLE UP -- a tremendous gust of wind looses the bell from its moorings in the
steeple. The tremendous iron bell goes flying across the square, heading right
for the fleeing BRIDE and GROOM.
SUPERMAN zooms in and just in time catches the bell in his arms before it gets
to the people.
EFFECTS: The vibrations of the bell cause SUPERMAN to vibrate at a rapid rate.
Accompanied by...sound: incessant clanging of the bell.
3. EXT. COFFEE PLANTATION, FILEDS - DAY
LONG SHOT -- the fields flooding with water in the furrowed rows between the
coffee plants. SUPERMAN lands at the end of the field an:
EFFECTS: Rays of Heat-Vision dart from his eyes and sweep across the field. The
result is astonishing: he has dried up all the water.
4. ON THE WATER WHEEL -- SUPERMAN grabs the strut that was attached to the
donkey and begins running at Super-Speed in the opposite (counter-clockwise)
direction.
IN A SERIES OF SHOTS, WE SEE THE EFFECT REVERSED: The water in the affected
furrows is drawn back into the paddle wheel and deposited in the underground
well.
5. OMITTED
6. EXT. SKY
SUPERMAN flies up into the heart of the storm and begins to blow the clouds.
EFFECTS: Super-Breath (time lapse photography) blows the terrible dark clouds
away, pushing the storm up into the stratosphere where it can do no more harm.
7. EXT. SKY AND SPACE
Now SUPERMAN begins to fly straight up, heading for space. FOLLOW as he passes
through the clouds.
8. EXT. COFFEE FIELDS - DAY
LONG SHOT -- the storm is over. The sun comes out. The sky is blue. Birds chirp.
EFFECTS (TIME LAPSE PHOTOGRAPHY): Coffee beans ripen from green to rich red.
ON THE PENTHOUSE. ROOFTOP "SKI RESORT" - DAY
Enraged at what he has just seen on the screen, ROSS lets out a shriek.
ROSS
No! No! No!
In his fury he pounds the arms of his folding chair so hard that it folds up
with him in it.
ROSS
(thrashing around,
enraged)
It was perfect! It was the
perfect plan! It was foolproof.
As she beats LORELEI in a footrace to see which one will reach ROD+SS first to
help him out of his folding chair, PAN TO GUS. Looking miserable and out-of-it,
he is talking to himself (nobody else is paying attention to him) as he wanders
over to a pair of skis with boots attached laying nearby.
GUS
(aloud, but to
himself)
Just a matter of time 'til they
start blamin' me. that's always
what happens.
He slips his feet into the ski boots, curious to try them. FOLLOW HIM as he
starts to walk clumsily up the slope, trying to master his balance in this odd
footwear.
GUS
Ain't my fault, I done what I was
supposed to do.
(climbing up
awkwardly)
Everybody blames it on me when
they start lookin' to get it off
themselves. Some kid in the
classroom blows a spit-ball,
who gets sent to the principle's
office? Gus Gorman.
He continues up the slope, feet splayed wide apart, slipping and sliding, he is
petulant, self-pitying.
ROSS
He ruined it! That lousy do-gooder,
he ruined it.
VERA
Don't cry, Bubba.
ROSS stomps off into the snow, feeling sorry for himself.
FAVORING LORELEI --annoyed at VERA'S ass-kissing, she stands up holding a
steaming mug of mulled wine that has been sitting on the table beside her. She
dips the cheese-cloth bag of spices...like an outsized tea-bag...that has been
seeping in the cup, then takes it out. Carrying it by its string (it is dripping
boiling hot wine and waves of steam are rising from it), she stoops beside VERA
and seems about to drop the hot bag in VERA'S wastebasket. Instead, she drops it
on the unsuspecting VERA'S outstretched hand.
Which brings VERA leaping and screaming to her feet, her burned hand flying into
the air.
VERA
AIEEEE!
ROSS spins around, to see VERA in this agitated position.
LORELEI
(quickly)
Vera's practicing her karate.
Trying to put a good front on it, VERA has no choice but to continue with a
series of cries and arm chops. But she uses the last two to give LORELEI a
genuine karate blow in the gut. LORELEI doubles over. VERA, pretending it is
just the usual bowing ritual at the end of a karate exhibition, also bows.
ROSS
Nice try, Butch, but it wouldn't
be effective against Superman.
(railing)
You'll see! Now that he's pulled
this stunt, he'll stick his nose in
my oil scheme and ruin that one,
too! I've got to get rid of him!
I've got to!
VERA
How? Shoot him? You know about
him and bullets. Not to mention
knives, tanks, bombs...
ON GUS -- Laboriously trying to get to the top of the slopes, still muttering
his monologue.
GUS
Apartment in the project gets
broke in, who gets hauled into
the line-up? Gus Gorman.
NEW ANGLE
LORELEI
(suddenly)
Kryptonham!
All turn to her.
ALL
What?
LORELEI
Kryptonham...
(unsure)
or Kryptonheimer...I forget
what you call it, but it's the
stuff that can kill Superman.
VERA
(contemptuously)
How would you know?
LORELEI
(off minded)
Hey, I know a lot of things!
VERA
So I understand from the
graffiti I've seen.
ROSS
Wait a minute! She's right!
Kryptonite. I remember reading
about it in an interview with him.
(crestfallen)
Nuts...
VERA
What's wrong?
ROSS
I just remembered the rest. There
isn't any more. The only chunk
that ever landed on Earth disappeared
a couple of years ago. It was in this
story in the Daily Planet.
VERA
Where did it come from?
ROSS
The planet Superman came from.
Krypton.
ON GUS -- at the top of the slope.
GUS
It ain't. It's nowhere. It blew up.
That's how come they shipped the
dude to Earth when he was a baby.
(pause, as they all
look oddly at GUS)
well. I know some stuff too, y'all.
ROSS
Wait a second. Astronomers know
where the planet used to be, right?
And you know what happens when
a planet explodes? Debris. Pieces
floating in space.
VERA
So?
ROSS
So all we've got to do is pick up the
garbage.
(warming to it)
We just have to find our where in
Heaven Krypton used to be. Then
good old Gus here contacts the
Vulcan satellite--
ANGLE UP ON GUS - at the top of the ski slope, asserting himself.
GUS
Just hold on a minute. I have been
doin' some thinkin'
ROSS
God, that's what I keep you for.
GUS
That's what I been thinkin' about.
How you been keepin' me.
(pause: nervously
but bravely)
I ain't getting' nothing outta this
gig.
ROSS
Gus, if there's anything I hate, it's
greed.
GUS
(outraged)
Greed!
(extremely agitated)
Let me tell you something---
In his burst of anger, he loses his equilibrium and suddenly starts to plummet
down the ski slope.
EXT. WEBSTER PENTHOUSE, BUILDING - DAY
LONG SHOT -- GUS goes zooming down the slope at great speed. With no poles and
no knowledge of how to stop, he keeps going right off the roof, sailing out into
the air. At the end of his trajectory, gravity takes over. He falls straight
down )CAMERA PANS DOWN TO WATCH) ten stories and lands on an awning above the
doorway of the apartment building. This, in turn, functions as a min-slope, and
he skis right off it and lands in the middle of the street.
ON HE STREET: Cars brake to a halt; PEDESTRIANS are startled to see a man on
skis suddenly landing in their midst. GUS, once he's realized he's all right,
tries to carry it off as if he knew what he was doing all along. He saunters off
down the road with a forced display of cool, if you can call a guy on skis
clomping down a city street "sauntering."
AS WE WATCH GUS clomp away, ROSS'S DIALOGUE CONTINUES AS A VOICE-OVER as we SEE:
EXT. DEEP SPACE
As he described it, chunks of glowing green Kryptonite drifting in space.
INT. WEBCO DATA PROCESSING CENTER - DAY
As we SEE GUS back at his old, original spot, muttering to himself as he rolls
up his sleeve and begins to play the computer like a wurlitzer, ROSS'S voice-
over continues:
ROSS (v.o.)
Once Gus contacts the Vulcan
satellite, he orders it to search
through outer space around
where Krypton went bye-bye.
During the above speech, GUS'S coordinates appear ON THE COMPUTER DISPLAY
SCREEN:
LOCATE AND SEARCH X GALAXY AT 3500 LIGHT YEARS.
A beat. Then, as he punches more buttons, another message appears ON COMPUTER
DISPLAY SCREEN below the first:
ANALYZE COMPONENT ELEMENTS OF KRYPTONITE PARTICLES.
Another beat. THE DISPLAY SCREEN GOES BLANK. GUS waits, and then an answer
appears ON THE DISPLAY SCREEN:
INSTRUCTIONS RECEIVED . . .
EFFECTS: BLIPS ON DISPLAY SCREEN:
message continues ON DISPLAY SCREEN.
SCANNING . . .
The satellite shoots a beam out and up. FOLLOW THE BEAM through the deep blue,
still faintly sunlit atmosphere and up into the eternal night of deep space.
EXT. DEEP SPACE - NIGHT
The searching satellite beam discovers glowing green particles of Kryptonite
drifting in this very distant darkness. As it plays over them like a flashlight:
ROSS"S VOICE-OVER DIALOGUE CONTINUES:
ROSS (v.o.)
Then the laser probe simply
locks onto a floating chunk of
Kryptonite, the computer
analyzes the components and
the boys in the lab duplicate
the stuff down here.
INT. WEBCO DATA PROCESSING CENTER - DAY
As we hear various humming, clicking, and whirring noises:
ON THE BLANK COMPUTER DISPLAY SCREEN ... it begins to show a message:
KRYPTONITE ... AN INTENSE HEAT FUSION OF:
Below it quickly prints the composition, element by element:
PLUTONIUM . . . 15.08%
TANTALUM . . . 18.0 %
XENON . . . 27.71%
PROMETHIUM . . 24.02%
C.U. GUS -- watching gleefully.
GUS
Uh-huh! Uh-huh!
ON COMPUTER DISPLAY SCREEN -- the computer has added to the list:
DIALUM . . . 10.62%
MERCURY . . . 4.08%
Sound: the whirring and clicking stop.
GUS smiles broadly as he reaches to tear off the printout sheet. He's done it!
But suddenly:
Sound: the whirring and clicking begin again.
The printout sheet emerges a little further as an addition to the list appears
ON THE COMPUTER DISPLAY SCREEN:
UNKNOWN . . . 0.57%
He ponders a moment. looks down. Sees something.
INSERT: A pack of his cigarettes on the table beside him. It's one of the low-
tar brands and we SEE the listing on the package: NICOTINE 8%, TAR 5%.
CLOSE ON GUS -- He takes an electronic eraser (a pencil-like gadget, attached
by wires to the machine) and carefully rubs it across the line on the video
display screen just where the word "UNKNOWN" appears. then he types in a new
word:
TAR . . . 0.57%
GUS
He ain't gonna smoke this stuff,
so what the hell...
He carefully tears the printout sheet. WIDEN SHOT as he leaves the DATA
PROCESSING CENTER and heads down the corridor. FOLLOW HIM UNTIL:
INT. WEBCO, MAIN OFFICES. CORRIDOR - DAY
GUS stops at a door marked:
WEBCO -- RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
After a beat, the door is opened very slightly by a WHITE-COATED SCIENTIST.
GUS
(giving him a bright
smile and the altered
printout sheet)
The Boss says he wants this to go.
INT. DAILY PLANET, CITY ROOM - DAY
Looking absolutely furious, MR. STOKIS is making his way with considerable
difficulty past the desks of REPORTERS, heading for PERRY'S office. The
considerable difficulty is due to the fact that (a) he has one leg in a plaster
cast that goes up to his hip, (b) he walks with a crutch to help him, (c) he has
one arm in a sling and (d) with his other arm he is propelling before him a
wheelchair containing MRS. STOKIS, who has both legs in a plaster cast as well
as a neck brace. Following them, trying to stop them, is a desperate MISS
HENDERSON.
MR. STOKIS
Where is he? He'll pay for this!
(screaming)
Get your wallet out, Mr. Editor!
MISS HENDERSON
(trying to stop him)
Please, Mr. Stokis, it isn't Mr.
White's fault if ---
MR. STOKIS
Don't touch me!
AS THEY CONTINUE OUT OF FRAME TOWARD PERRY WHITE'S OFFICE IN B.G. HOLD ON CLARK
-- who looks up momentarily from his typewriter then goes back to work intently
on his reunion story.
CLARK
(trying a line
out loud)
"Old relationships suddenly seem
the same as ever."
(a little smile
as he writes)
"The prettiest girl in the school
is still the prettiest girl..."
Sound: The phone rings. CLARK grabs it.
CLARK
(into phone)
Hello?
(happily)
Lana! Hey, I was just thinking
about--
(his smile turns to
a worried frown)
What's wrong? ...what about Ricky?
INT. LANA'S LIVING ROOM - DAY
ON LANA -- upset, talking on the phone.
LANA
Well, that autograph you got him
from Superman -- he got really
carried away after that and told
the other kids that Superman's
his pal. And he said Superman's
even coming to visit him for his
birthday next Wednesday.
(catching a breath)
Okay, it was wrong. But when
Wednesday comes...and Superman
doesn't...
INT. RICKY'S BEDROOM - DAY
A very forlorn and ashamed RICKY stands in his doorway, listening.
INT. DAILY PLANET, CLARK KENT'S DESK - DAY
ON CLARK
CLARK
(into the phone
earnestly)
No, well in this case I think
I can speak for him.
(hastily)
I mean, I'm pretty close to him,
you know.
(firmly)
Superman will be there on
Wednesday.
INT. LANA'S LIVING ROOM - DAY
LANA
(into the phone,
her voice trembling
with happiness)
Well, he's going to get the best
home-cooked meal he's had in...
in a long time. You tell Superman
we think he's wonderful.
INT. RICKY'S BEDROOM - DAY
RICKY'S face lights up with joy and relief as he understands.
LANA
(softly, into the phone)
But Clark...you're the best.
INT. DAILY PLANET, CLARK KENT'S DESK - DAY
ON CLARK -- hanging up slowly. No one ever said that to him before.
Behind him, and for some time now, a considerable commotion has been going on in
PERRY'S office. CAMERA NOW ZOOMS PAST CLARK TO SEE PERRY and MR. STOKIS in a
screaming match, while a distraught MISS HENDERSON wrings her hands and an
immobile MRS. STOKIS just sits in her wheelchair.
MR. STOKIS
Bad luck??!! I'll give you
bad luck!!! I'm suing you!
I'm suing your paper! I'm
suing her---
(points to MISS HENDERSON)
And I'll take it to the Supreme
Court if I have to!!
PERRY
It wasn't our fault. It was an
act of God!
MR. STOKIS
In a church????!!
INT. WEBCO INDUSTRIES MAIN OFFICES. SMALL EMPTY OFFICE - DAY
ON GUS-- waiting in a little room practicing his yo-yo. By now he's finally
mastered up-and-down and is into (badly) some tricks like "walking the dog." He
makes a few tries and almost jumps when a finger taps his shoulder sharply from
behind.
WIDEN TO TWO SHOT -- the white-clad SCIENTIST to whom GUS gave the formula is
holding a laboratory tray with a glowing green chunk of Kryptonite on it. He
sets the tray on the desk in front of GUS.
SCIENTIST
(very superior)
Here you are. I can't imagine
what you want with it, but you've
got it.
He leaves. GUS eyes the Kryptonite warily, finally forces himself to reach for
it, and picks it up so gingerly that he almost drops it. Which redoubles his
terror...until he suddenly realizes.
GUS
Hey, what'm I scared of?
I'm an Earthling.
EXT. SMALLVILLE MAIN STREET. WOODED PLATFORM - DAY
C.U. RICKY -- dressed in his Sunday best and bursting with pride.
PULL BACK TO THREE SHOT -- RICKY couldn't be happier, with his MOTHER on one
side and SUPERMAN on the other. They are all seated on rather narrow, rickety
folding chairs, smiling out at US.
SUPERMAN
(to LANA, vaguely
embarrassed)
You know, I really wasn't
expecting all this.
LANA
Well...I guess they did get
a little carried away.
CONTINUE PULLBACK TO WIDE SHOT TO REVEAL how Smallville gets "carried away." A
wooden platform, the type they put up for 4th of July speeches and ceremonies,
has been erected in the middle of Main Street. Seated there, in addition to
SUPERMAN, LANA, and RICKY, are LOCAL DIGNITARIES looking pleased as punch.
The MAYOR is clearing his throat at a microphone. A table has been set up beside
him and on it are some gifts for SUPERMAN. A banner, stretched across MAIN
STREET, reads "SMALLVILLE WELCOMES SUPERMAN." Crowded around the platform are
TOWNSPEOPLE, young and old. A few yards away the HIGH SCHOOL MARCHING BAND,
brass buttons gleaming, awaits their cue.
MAYOR
Superman, we all know you're not
looking for honors and awards.
But when we heard that you were
coming to see your pal Ricky...
C.U. RICKY -- grinning so wide it almost splits his cheeks.
MAYOR
...we realized this was our chance
to say thank you. First, for putting
out a forest fire that could have
ruined miles of timberland. Second,
for averting a terrible tragedy at the
Iroquois Trail Nuclear power Plant.
And not least, for saving little Ricky.
So, since you already have won the
key to our hearts, Superman, may I
present you with...
(picks up a presentation
box from table, opens
it, takes out a big gold-
plated key)
...the key to the city.
SUPERMAN rises, gratefully accepts it, holds it for the crowd to see, then puts
it down on the table. Applause.
PEOPLE with Instamatics and Polaroids snapping away.
MAYOR
Not to be outdone by the
office of the Mayor, the
Ladies' Auxiliary would
like you to have...
(he hands him a spiral-
bound thin volume)
...The Smallville Cookbook.
SUPERMAN takes it, graciously declines the offer of the microphone, and smiles
at a gaggle of LADIES in the front row.
ON THE LADIES -- smiling back, thrilled, like senior groupies.
SUPERMAN
Thank you, ladies. I'm sure this
will come in handy.
Suddenly, a burst of music comes blasting out nearby and coming closer: stirring
military martial air like "The Caissons Go Rolling Along," blaring through loud-
speakers.
All heads turn, startled to see:
ANGLE DOWN THE MAIN STREET -- Coming toward the reviewing stand is a khaki-
colored car (or jeep), the words U.S. ARMY stenciled on the door. One of those
loudspeakers of the type used by cars traveling around town advertising
elections or concerts is mounted on the roof and is the source of the march
music. As the car gets CLOSER TO F. G. WE SEE that the driver, in WAC uniform is
VERA. Seated in the back seat, wearing the uniform of a 5-Star General with all
the accouterments we associate with General Patton (white "dress" helmet, ascot
foulard, jodhpurs, swagger stick in hand) is GUS.
NEW ANGLE -- the car comes to a screeching halt by the reviewing stand.
Considerable curiosity from the crowd as VERA, in crisp no-nonsense manner,
steps out and commands:
VERA
Ten-hut!
The CROWD, conditioned by years of watching war movies, instantly and
unquestioningly, rises to attention.
Upright in posture, authoritative in manner, slapping his swagger stick against
his side, GUS surveys the crowd with an air of critical skepticism, then mounts
the platform.
ON SUPERMAN -- A bit curious himself at all this. Beside him the MAYOR is
standing stiffly at attention as if his spine would snap.
GROUP SHOT -- Total silence. GUS strides across the platform as if surveying his
troops, scowls a bit. Then does what he thinks is a gesture of authority and
command: he slaps the side of his leg with his swagger stick. He does it too
hard, though, and it hurts. A fleeting look of pain, which he tries to conceal.
Then, to the podium:
GUS
(using a Patton-like
voice and delivery)
Listen up! I've come here direct
from the Pentagon so you better
believe there's a damn good reason!
I'm here to tell you that God has
given us the greatest goddamn gift
in the world: nuclear power! But
if we don't protect it, it's our ass!
And democracy's ass! And the
free world's ass!
The OLD LADIES look a bit shocked; the MEN in the crowd nod with patriotic
fervor.
GUS
You people want to be able to
go to church on Sunday and sit
in the Super Bowl, don't you?
(he pounds his swagger
stick on the podium
for emphasis; it breaks)
But what about the peacetime uses
of nuclear power? You all want some
Ay-rabs in white robes tellin' you
you got to pay through the nose for
their Cadillac limousines so you can
get enough juice to light up your
Christmas tree??! Not to mention
the nice clean air so the great
American bald eagle can fly
without coughin' himself to death!
ON SUPERMAN -- listening, thinking about it.
GUS
Now last week half this great
nation almost bit the bullet, nuclear-
power-wise. Wasn't anything the
military could do about it -- we
were busy protecting our borders
at the time it happened. So I say,
thank the good lord above for
Superman!
Applause. SUPERMAN looks humble, a bit chagrined.
GUS
Just when it looked like curtains--
and I don't mean just the Iron
Curtain, I mean all the curtains! --
Along came this great American!
(points to SUPERMAN)
Superman, you saved our bacon.
We want to show our gratitude.
GUS snaps his fingers imperiously at VERA, who stands below the platform.
ON VERA -- snarling at having to play this subservient role, she mounts the
platform, carrying a wooden presentation box about a foot high. She hands it to
GUS.
GUS
I want to present you with this
token of appreciation for what
did to stop the disaster at Iroquois
Trail. It's your government's way
of saying, "Hey buddy, you done
real good."
He opens it. There, glowing and gleaming against the velvet background, is a
small statue in the shape of the nuclear plant cooling tower we saw earlier. We
recognize its green glow immediately as the Kryptonite we saw before.
ON SUPERMAN -- as he lifts it out and holds it aloft, we hear the CROWD oohing
and aahing. but as he takes the statue out and studies it:
EFFECTS: INSERT--the gleam suddenly dies. in his hand, the statue goes dull and
then darkens to a sinister, poisonous greenish-black.
ON SUPERMAN -- A little uncertain but otherwise unchanged. he eyes the ugly,
burnt-out shape and summons all his good will to say:
SUPERMAN
Thanks. General. It's...swell.
TIGHT C.U. GUS -- his eyes flicker and blink in momentary panic as he realizes
SUPERMAN isn't dropping dead.
GUS
(quickly, losing his
cool, sounding less
Patton-like now)
Well...uh...I ain't got no time
to stick around for the corn-on-
the-cob and square dancing or
whatever it is you people do. We
got to get back to the base for...
uh...well, I can't tell you what
for, it's top secret.
Quickly he descends, VERA behind him, and looking a bit shook up, gets in the
car. VERA, just before she gets behind the wheel, turns to the CROWD.
VERA
At ease! Siddown!
The car drives away. The CROWD clusters around SUPERMAN.
EXT. STREET IN SMALLVILLE - TWILIGHT
ON GUS -- walking disconsolately on a deserted street in Smallville, muttering
to himself, kicking at a tin can.
GUS
"Unknown," how was I supposed
to know what 'unknown' is...
Ahead of him, on the corner is a pay phone. He enters it, sighs heavily with the
burden on his mind, drops in a bunch of coins and dials.
GUS
Hello, Boss? ...You know how
people's always tryin' to copy
that secret recipe for that fried
chicken they sell in them buckets,
but nobody can figure out the
secret ingredient?
INT. ROSS WEBSTER'S OFFICE - TWILIGHT
C.U. ROSS -- on the phone as his desk. He is livid, furious.
ROSS
He didn't die???? I ask you to
kill Superman and you're telling
me you couldn't even do that one
simple thing??!!!
EXT. LANA'S HOUSE - TWILIGHT
The car parked in the drive, lights on in the house.
INT. LANA'S HOUSE. LIVING ROOM - TWILIGHT
SUPERMAN is relaxing after an early supper, sitting on the sofa and leafing
through a photo album. PAN TO SEE LANA as she tiptoes out of RICKY'S room.
LANA
He was asleep before his head
hit the pillow.
(smiling)
Well, this was only the biggest
day of his life. I really don't
know how to thank you.
SUPERMAN
You just did, with that great
dinner.
LANA
(almost blushing)
Oh well, I do like to cook.
You'll take some coffee,
won't you?
(quickly)
Decaffeinated, of course.
And she disappears into the kitchen.
Sound: A telephone rings in the kitchen. We hear LANA murmuring faintly,
occasionally, as:
ON SUPERMAN -- he sits up, frowning. He presses his eyes and shakes his head as
if to clear it, as if he suddenly had a headache or got dizzy. But these moves
don't seem to help much. He just sinks back into the sofa, looking as if he
really isn't feeling like himself.
LANA hurries back in, very upset.
LANA
(almost in on breath)
Superman, I'm sorry. I really hate
to cut this evening short, but... my
friend Betty just called! There's
been an accident on the old River
Bridge. A tank truck filled with acid
turned over! It's leaking acid and
they're afraid the bridge is collapsing!
(as if she were imposing)
I am sorry. I hate to make you rush off!
But SUPERMAN doesn't move. He just sits there, eyeing her very deliberately.
SUPERMAN
(quietly)
There's no rush.
LANA
(surprised)
But the bridge...
SUPERMAN
Hey, Don't I always get there in
time?
(as LANA nods uncertainly
he smiles and pats the sofa)
Come on, relax.
TIGHTER TWO SHOT -- as she sits down beside him, he casually moves closer and
smoothly slips an arm behind her, almost touching her.
SUPERMAN
It's hard to believe...
a great looking girl like
you all alone like this.
As she glances up at him, she is first flustered, then flattered,
then...finally...just realistic:
LANA
Listen, are you sure you shouldn't
do something about the bridge?
ON SUPERMAN
SUPERMAN
(vaguely)
The bridge...?
(suddenly, as if coming
out of a trance)
I'd better get going!
And he rushes out. HOLD ON LANA, looking after him, still troubled.
EXT. RIVER BRIDGE, SMALLVILLE - TWILIGHT
Just as LANA said, a big tank truck has turned over on its side. DANGER--ACID is
painted on the tank, which has indeed sprung a considerable leak from a crack in
the side. Acid is trickling out with accompanying hissing steam and bubbling
corrosion effects. AN EMERGENCY CREW is doing its best, trying to spray water
from a hose to keep the acid from eating away the pilings. BUT:
CLOSER -- the acid drips onto the support system of the bridge and is eating the
old metal away right before our eyes.
LONGER -- the bridge starts to sway dangerously and the pilings begin to buckle.
POLICE CARS, FIRETRUCKS there. Ropes have been attached to the bridge structure,
and GUYS are holding fast on shore.
ON THE GUYS -- many of them hold wet cloths over their faces to protect them
from the terrible acid fumes. Smoke curls back in their faces as they valiantly
try to stem the inevitable.
FIRST GUY
It won't hold! It's going!
A SHERIFF
(into a bullhorn)
Clear the area! Clear the area!
Sound: A deep rumbling as the bridge starts to go.
EMERGENCY CREW CHIEF
Get down!
ON THE BRIDGE -- it sways precipitously, then the pilings crack and crumble and
the bridge collapses, taking the tanker with it.
ON THE WATCHERS -- aghast at the destruction.
PAN UP TO THE SKY -- flying over the horizon, coming toward the area, is
SUPERMAN.
NEW ANGLE -- he lands on the river bank. although we can't as yet quite be
certain, especially in this half-light, it seems that the colors of his costume
have darkened almost imperceptibly, the blue just a shade deeper, the red a bit
darker, His hair seems a little out of place, but then, that might be from the
wind...
SUPERMAN
(as he lands)
What...
(looks at where the
bridge used to be)
What can I do to help?
ON THE EMERGENCY CEW AND POLICE -- they look at him, disappointed and, frankly,
a bit surprised.
SHERIFF
Not much of anything now.
EMERGENCY CREW CHIEF
If only you'd got here a few
minutes ago.
ON SUPERMAN -- he looks away from their eyes. He seems troubled, puzzled. How
could this have happened?
EXT. STREET - PISA, ITALY - DAY
ON THE CORRUGATED AWNING OF A SOUVENIR STAND as two hands roll it up. As the
interior is revealed, we SEE the contents of the shelves: rows and rows of cheap
plastic souvenir Leaning Towers of Pisa, all leaning identically; rows and rows
of picture postcards with the same identical view. PULL BACK and WIDEN to
reveal an ITALIAN SHOPKEEPER admiring his stock as he gets ready for the day's
tourists. CONTINUE TO WIDEN: NOW WE SEE in the distant B.G. is the real Leaning
Tower of Pisa, tilted at the same familiar angle as all those plastic replicas.
As the MAN hums happily, ZOOM PAST HIM to the real tower, THEN CONTINUE TO ZOOM
PAST THE TOWER TO AN APPROACHING BLUE DOT IN THE SKY.
EXT. SKY ABOVE PISA - DAY
SUPERMAN is coming this way, and now there can be no mistaking it: his outfit is
changing color, becoming a little darker in its hues. And there's a slightly
different cast to his features, maybe a bit drawn, as if he'd had a hard night.
But he doesn't really look that different...except for a funny glint in his eye.
EFFECTS: A quick flash, almost subliminal (a few FRAMES at most) of the honest,
clean-cut face of CLARK KENT appears behind SUPERMAN'S altered features, then
disappears.
As he looks down, a slow, mischievous smile starts to form on his face.
HIS POV: The Leaning Tower of Pisa ahead.
ON SUPERMAN, FLYING -- he chuckles to himself as the idea comes to him. Then he
abruptly changes course and starts a rapid descent.
NEW ANGLE, WIDE, FULL SHOT -- Approaching the top of the Leaning Tower, SUPERMAN
extends his arms and, bracing himself in midair, starts to push the Tower
upright. He continues, quietly chuckling as he does so.
EXT. SOUVENIR STAND, PISA - DAY
As in the OPENIG SHOT: the shelves of the stand RIGHT, the OWNER standing there
dusting them, the real Leaning Tower in B.G. But now, as he stops dusting to
make an automatic look at the source of his success, a remarkable thing is
happening, slowly, inch by inch, SUPERMAN pushes it into an upright position.
The Leaning Tower of Pisa isn't leaning anymore; it's just another Tower.
The Italian entrepreneur looks, goes back to his work, then does an incredible
double-take.
SOUVENIR SELLER
Mamma Mia!
HE clutches his heart melodramatically.
POV: SUPERMAN flies overhead, the deed done. He seems to be grinning
mischievously.
ON THE SOUVENIR SELLER -- hysterical, smashing his wares off the shelf, making
vile and obscene gestures at the retracting figure of SUPERMAN:
SOUVENIR SELLER
Super-Cretino! Stronzo!...
MONTAGE: NEWSPAPERS
The classic MONTAGE of spinning newspapers that comes to a stop so that we can
read the headlines. The effect is to show how SUPERMAN'S strange behavior is
creating a scandal all over the world. Thus:
A FRENCH newspaper headline reads: LE SCANDAL DE SUPERMAN.
Then a JAPANESE one, showing the Leaning (straightened) Tower of Pisa. And so
on.
Then, spinning out of limbo, the cover of TIME MAGAZINE. It shows a portrait of
SUPERMAN, but in place of usual "S" on his chest, there is a question mark ("?).
The banner line on the cover reads :
SUPERMAN: GOODNESS AT THE CROSSROADS
INT. ROSS WEBSTER'S OFFICE - DAY
ROSS and LORELEI are using the gym equipment in the office and are appropriately
attired; he in a sweat suit, she in mind-boggling spandex leotard. He's running
in place on a treadmill with a pedometer attached; she's leaning forward at a
sharp angle, pulling on ropes attached to counter-weights behind her that are
stacked on a Nautilus machine. VERA sits at the desk in her usual Ninotchka
suit, reading aloud from the TIME magazine just SEEN.
VERA
"At a special session of the
General Assembly, 178 countries
voted to censure Superman. With
only Columbia abstaining."
ROSS
That fella's becoming a public
menace.
LORELEI
(bending, pulling)
And he use to be such a
sweetie pie! What's wrong
with him the last two weeks?
VERA "casually" extends her foot and kicks the toggle bolt that holds the
weights in place. LORELEI, leaning forward with suddenly no tension on the
ropes, she pulls, falls forward flat on her face. ROSS turns to see what
happened. instantly, VERA begins counting:
VERA
Time for you push-ups. 1 and
2 and 3 and 4 and 1 and 2 and ...
LORELEI, smiling gamely, immediately starts doing push-ups.
ROSS
(beaming)
That's what I like to see. My
two best gals pulling together.
NEW ANGLE -- revealing GUS GORMAN sitting in a corner of the room. He is
sketching something on the back of an envelope, which he puts back in his pocket
as he says:
GUS
He sure wasn't actin' bad and
nasty that day in Smallville. Man,
he was so full of niceness I was
startin' to feel funny about layin'
that chunk of...
ON ROSS
ROSS
(suddenly)
KRYPTONITE!
GUS
Huh?
ROSS, with an expression of "Eureka!" hops off the running treadmill, his body
momentum, however, keeps him running in place. And...
TWO SHOT, FULL LENGTH -- without even thinking about it, GUS automatically
starts running in place beside him, as they talk, to "keep up with him" and be
polite.
ROSS
Don't you see? Okay, so you
didn't kill him. Nobody's
perfect. But that stuff we ran
up in the lab wasn't a complete
failure after all.
(explaining)
Right after Gus gave it to him,
Superman started to turn into
a selfish, ornery, malicious,
conniving...
VERA
(summing it up)
A normal person.
ROSS
And now that Superman's out of
the Nice Guy business...
VERA
We can get to work on that oil!
EXT. OLYMPIC STADIUM - DAY
ESTABLISHING SHOT (STOCK FOOTAGE): A great stadium with banners announcing the
Olympic Games.
EXT. OLYMPIC STADIUM - DAY
INSIDE THE STADIUM (STOCK FOOTAGE): The stands filled with PEOPLE. The field
filled with TEAMS FROM EVERY COUNTRY holding their flags, wearing outfits. It is
the opening ceremonies.
ON THE TOWER AT THE FAR END OF THE STADIUM, with the long pyramid of steps
leading up to the as-yet-unlit Olympic Flame. We recognize immediately this
often-seen ceremony.
IN LONG SHOT -- A RUNNER, the MAN picked to light the Olympic Flame, which will
burn throughout the Games and which signals the opening, runs up the long flight
of steps carrying in his had the Olympic Torch that has been passed from runner
to runner on it's journey toward this ultimate moment. As we WATCH this ceremony
reaching its stirring conclusion, we hear the voice of an announcer on T.V. or
radio:
ANNOUNCER (v.o.)
And now, the supreme moment as the
last runner...the one given the great
honor of lighting the Olympic
Flame...runs the last leg of a marathon
that began 7 days ago as this torch
has been passed from athlete to
athlete for 970 miles across the
country.
As the RUNNER ascends to the top step and raises the torch high to light the
giant dish where the Flame will burn:
REVERSE: ZOOM TO SUPERMAN -- standing on the floodlight tower on the opposite
side of the stadium, on top of the wall. His costume is definitely darker now,
the blue becoming Prussian blue, the red deepening to a maroon. His hair is
uncombed, and his features look darker, tougher, as if he hadn't shaved for a
few days. With a look of pure malevolence, he:
EFFECTS: blows a gust of Super-Breath.
ON THE RUNNER -- the breath blows out the Olympic Flame.
Sound: a gasp from the CROWD.
And the RUNNER, terribly confused and upset, has to turn and run down the great
stairs, still carrying the Torch, to go get it re-lit somewhere.
INT. ROSS WEBSTER'S OFFICE - DAY
LORELEI is all alone in the office, seated at a table, deeply immersed in a
book.
CLOSER ON HER: The book she's reading with such interest is Immanuel Kant's
Critique of Pure Reason.
LORELEI
(aloud, puzzled)
How can he say that pure
categories have no objective
meaning in transcendental
logic? What about synthetic
unity?
Suddenly, as she hears the door opening, she hides her book behind a Movie
Gossip magazine and immediately assumes her persona of empty-headed sex-pot.
WIDE SHOT -- as ROSS, VERA, and GUS enter.
LORELEI
Hi, honey, am I in your way?
ROSS
(in fine fettle)
No, stick around, you might
learn something.
ROSS presses a button. Suddenly the walls of the office flip over and become
enormous mural-sized illuminated maps with electronic blips. The entire room is,
in other words, rapidly transformed into a "War Room" a la Dr. Strangelove.
CAMERA ON A WALL-SIZED MAP OF THE WORLD, showing all the oceans of the world.
Illuminated green miniature images of oil tankers are scattered on all the
bodies of water.
PULL BACK TO REVEAL ROSS, a pointer in one hand, a remote control device in the
other, as he points to the map.
ROSS
Every oil tanker and super-
tanker and super-duper-tanker
in the ocean is controlled.
totally, by computers. Computers
to tell them where to go, how
much oil to take on, where to
deliver it.
GUS
They ain't got captains?
ROSS
Yes, but they don't really
need them. it's just a throw-
back to some sentimental sea-
faring baloney.
VERA
You will command the tankers to
sail toward a 50-mile area in the
middle of the Atlantic Ocean.
GUS
And do what?
ROSS
And do nothing. Just sit there.
GUS
Then how's all the people
gonna get their oil?
ROSS
(grins)
You catch on fast, old buddy.
(to VERA)
Tell him about the pumps. I
know how you love the part
about the pumps.
VERA takes the remote control clicker from ROSS, clicks it.
ON THE MAP -- the map of the world's oceans disappears and is replaced by a
glowing, illuminated map of the United States. Little miniature oil derricks are
shown clustered in all the oil-producing areas of the country.
VERA
Every pump in America is
run...
GUS
I know, by computers.
VERA
Will you stop interrupting ?!
(calming herself)
You will command the pumps to
stop pumping.
ROSS
(gleeful)
And then shut down the pipe lines.
GUS
Pumps stop pumping oil. Pipe
lines stop pipin' oil. Tankers
stop deliverin' oil. Man, this
is high stakes.
ROSS
(flattered)
Thanks, kiddo. now, listen,
this part's important. I want
you to program one special
command into all these systems.
Tell them these orders are
irreversible, so it'll be
impossible for anybody to
switch them back. Can you
do that, pal?
ON GUS -- a pause. he looks upset about something, building up his nerve to say
it. Then:
GUS
Lookit, you're getting' what you
want all the time. it ain't right
that I don't get somethin'! I
never get somethin'!
ROSS
I knew it, I knew it, go be nice
to people and they think they
can ask for the moon!
GUS
(het up)
The moon! Listen, man, when I
was a little bitty kid all my
friends got them electric trains
for Christmas. My mama didn't
have barely enough to pay the
electric bill, let alone buy me no
train set.
VERA
This sounds like it's going to
be sad. I'm leaving.
She leaves the room.
GUS
Now...when do I get a taste?
ROSS
(naked threat)
I should think a taste of freedom
is enough, don't you? Or would
you prefer jail?
GUS
(defiantly)
Don't lay that jail number on me
no more. You need me out here
doin' stuff for you more'n sitten'
in no jail doin' nothin' for nobody.
(pointedly)
'Sides, I be known' some heavy
stuff about you now. You don't
want em spillin' the coffee beans.
Before ROSS can even ask her, LORELEI discretely leaves the room. The TWO MEN
are alone.
ROSS
Is this blackmail?
GUS
Don't be getting' racist with me,
man.
ROSS
Is this whitemail?
GUS
Fair's fair.
ROSS
(after a pause)
What do you want?
ON GUS -- He starts emptying the contents of his pockets on ROSS'S desk. It's
all matchbooks, paper napkins, backs of envelopes, scrap paper. Drawings and
plans and numbers are scrawled on all of them.
ON ROSS -- looking at this pile of crumpled effluvia. he reaches down and picks
up his waste basket, holds it up to GUS.
ROSS
A waste-basket?
GUS
Those are plans.
(as ROSS eyes
them skeptically)
Blueprints.
ROSS
For what?
GUS
A computer.
ROSS
We've already got some.
GUS
Not like this one you ain't.
Nobody in the world got one
like this 'cause it don't exist
yet. We got to build it.
ROSS
(impressed)
You designed it?
GUS
(proudly)
I invented it, man. In my head.
It's a stone killer-diller get-down
get-it-on and twice-on-Sunday
super mutha computer.
ROSS
(intrigued)
What will it do?
GUS
Everything.
ROSS
What will it get me?
GUS
Anything.
ROSS
(a big genial smile)
Tell me more...
INT. WEBCO DATA PROCESSING CENTER - NIGHT
All alone in the computer room, GUS sits at his console and starts trying out
coordinates.
EXT. OCEAN - DAY OR NIGHT
STOCK FOOTAGE -- SHOTS of super-tankers moving at full speed through the ocean
waters from various directions.
EFFECTS: ON ILLUMINATED WALL MAP -- Electronic 'tanker' blips begin to amass
together on ROSS'S map.
EXT. TEXAS OIL FIELD - DAY
ESTABLISHING SHOT -- a Texas oil field, dotted with derricks as afar as the eye
can see, all of them pumping away, up and down, up and down.
ON AN OIL RIG SUPERVISOR, a guy in a hard hat, looking at his clipboard as he
checks the day's productivity.
Sound: the regular throbbing sound of the oil pumps.
Suddenly, the sound stops. It takes a moment for the absence of noise to
register on the SUPERVISOR. Then he looks up, astonished.
POV: WIDE SHOT -- all the pumps stop pumping.
EXT. PIPELINE, DESERT (OR ALASKAN LANDSCAPE) - DAY
TWO WORKER with puzzled expression crouch beside a section of oil pipeline. One
keeps turning the tap over a little valve-faucet, but nothing comes out.
EXT. SKY ABOVE CANYON - DAY
ON A HELICOPTER -- unmarked, as it comes to a careful landing, coming down in
the crevasse of a reddish-colored canyon, dropping past the striated canyon
walls.
ON THE GROUND -- the chopper touches down. WORKERS IN UNMARKED COVERALLS rush to
unload crates from the craft.
CLOSE ON ONE CRATE -- as it's lifted off, MOVE INTO a strip of tape pasted on
the side. The tape has come loose, flapping in the wind from the chopper blades,
revealing what it was meant to cover: stenciled letters that say "WEBCO."
INT. ROSS'S "WAR ROOM" - DAY
ON A TINY GREEN BOAT-SHAPED BLIP on an illuminated map. FOLLOW THE BLIP as it
crosses the map, joining a whole herd of other boat-shaped blips massed in the
center. As it moves into place:
Sound: Someone applauds and utters a small female "yay!"
WIDE SHOT -- LORELEI is applauding. ROSS is standing beside the map, admiring
the glowing convoy. VERA does not look so happy.
ROSS
That's it! The last tanker!
They're all mine now! All...
VERA
Not quite. What is that in the
lower right hand corner?
ON THE MAP -- sure enough, in the lower right hand corner, one little green
boat-shaped blip is heading further away from the others. toward America.
ROSS
(snarling)
It's a tanker! And it's going
the wrong way!
EXT. OCEAN - DAY
ESTABLISHING SHOT: LONG WIDE -- one super tanker all by itself in the ocean,
nowhere near any others.
INT. COMPUTER ROOM, SUPER-TANKER - DAY
The FIRST MATE tears off the printout sheet emerging from a large computer.
FOLLOW HIM as he takes it, frowning and shaking his head, into the Captain's
Bridge next door.
INT. CAPTAIN'S BRIDGE, SUPER-TANKER - DAY
The grizzled CAPTAIN looks up from his charts as the FIRST MATE hands him the
printout sheet.
FIRST MATE
(looking down at it)
There it is again, Sir. "Proceed
immediately to latitude 241,
longitude 73. There await
further orders."
CAPTAIN
(riled)
That's the middle of the Atlantic
Ocean! And I am not taking my
ship out there to just sit, no matter
what no damn machine says. We're
supposed to go to Metropolis and
we're going to Metropolis!
EXT. STATUE OF LIBERTY - TWILIGHT
LONG ESTABLISHING SHOT -- the statue of liberty at twilight, just like a
postcard. But closer up:
WIDE ANGLE -- A SMALL CROWD OF TOURISTS is milling around at the base of the
statue, peering upwards and murmuring excitedly. Nearby a POLICE LIEUTENANT and
a POLICE CAPTAIN are also peering anxiously up at the statue as the CAPTAIN
calls through a bullhorn.
ON THE CAPTAIN
CAPTAIN
Miss? Miss, can you hear me?
Don't jump! Don't despair!
(fervently)
You have everything to live for.
I know, I've seen you.
EXT. CROWN, STATUE OF LIBERTY - TWILIGHT
In the crown of the statue, LORELEI waits like a siren on a rock, wearing
clinging wisps of silk that reveal more than they conceal. her long hair tosses
in the wind, her eyes sparkle like fabulous jewels, her parted lips glisten. She
sits on the edge of the crown, dangling her legs over the side...a precarious,
if provocative, position.
ON SKY -- SUPERMAN stops in mid-flight, hovers, and lands lightly on the ledge
of the crown.
LORELEI
(breathy, but cool)
I thought you'd never get here.
SUPERMAN
(super-cool, but
looking her over)
Hey, don't expect me to save
you. Because I don't do that
anymore.
LORELEI
( a little smile)
Don't worry. I'm long past
saving.
She uncoils. She rises sinuously. She stretches.
ON SUPERMAN -- watching her.
ON LORELEI -- the sunset lighting her from behind, haloing her hair, outlining
her incredible body.
TWO SHOT -- he just stands there. But the chemistry between them is
overwhelming. And part of it is the challenge: who is going to make the first
move?
LORELEI
Well, don't let me keep you
from anything.
SUPERMAN
I'm in no rush.
(he steps toward her)
So what do you have in mind?
LORELEI
(lowering her eyes)
Lots of things...
SUPERMAN
(tipping her chin)
Tell me.
He steps closer to her. She comes closer to him, looking into his mesmeric eyes.
LORELEI
(leaning into him)
I'll do more than tell you.
I'll show you, back at my place.
If you'll just do me one little
favor first.
SUPERMAN
(giving in)
Okay, what is it? You want
a ride?
LORELEI
Never.
(she giggles)
I get air-sick. You wouldn't
like that.
SUPERMAN
No, I don't think I would. So...
then what can I do for you?
LORELEI
It isn't much, really, you see,
there's this little boat. Well,
not so little, really. And it's
not going where it's supposed
to go and...
SLOW DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. SKY ABOVE OCEAN - DAY
SUPERMAN flies. His costume is now getting really sinister: the blue is navy,
the red is close to purple, the yellow a dull brown. His face is unpleasantly
gaunt, full of craggy hollows, with an unpleasant curl to the corners of his
mouth.
EFFECTS: Again, that fleeting subliminal moment where we SEE the face of CLARK
KENT trying to emerge, then vanish.
Alone in the slate gray sky, SUPERMAN looks down upon the ocean.
ANGLE DOWN -- there is the one tanker heading for America.
WIDE -- SUPERMAN swoops down on the ship.
EXT. OCEAN. TANKER - DAY
SUPERMAN flies down to the hull. He grabs the seam and, and with brute Super-
Strength rips a great hole. then, like a lava flow, oil begins to gush out of
the hole, pouring into the sea.
INT. THE CAPTAINS BRIDGE - DAY
ON THE CAPTAIN -- aghast as he watches the destruction.
EXT. OCEAN - DAY
AERIAL SHOT -- now we can SEE the terrible oil spill beginning to form. Its
dimensions will be awesome. Even as we WATCH, it gets larger.
EXT. SKY - DAY
SUPERMAN, blithely unconcerned with it all, flies away from the havoc he has
created.
EXT. WEBSTER PENTHOUSE TERRACE - TWILIGHT
WIDE SHOT as SUPERMAN lands on the terrace -- his place of assignment.
TO HIS RIGHT, the "ski resort" area.
ON SUPERMAN -- as he touches down. he looks around. Then, from offscreen,
LORELEI'S voice:
LORELEI (o.s.)
Hi. In here...
SUPERMAN looks in the direction of the voice.
POV: LORELEI lays on the shaggy rug in front of the roaring fire-place, wearing
figure-hugging thermals.
LORELEI
(seductively)
How about a little apres-ski?
As he starts to walk toward her:
INT. VERA'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
In a bedroom so spartan and spare it looks like a nun's chamber, VERA reads in
bed. She wears a nightgown that looks like a prisoner's outfit in the Gulag
Archipelago.
CLOSER -- the book she reads, a big, spiral-bound notebook, is titled "COMPUTER
SCIENCE: INTERMEDIATE LEVEL." She finishes the last page, closes the book,
reaches to her bedside table, and starts to read the next book" "ADVANCED
COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY."
INT. CAVE - DAY
The machine that GUS has designed is being assembled. TWO WORKERS lower a
massive generator in place. The word "GENERATOR" is stenciled on it.
PAN FROM THEM to the FOREMAN and his ASSISTANTS, as he scratches his head,
trying to puzzle out the assembly directions written (by GUS) on a cocktail
napkin and a matchbook.
EXT. STATE DEPARTMENT. BUILDING, WASHINGTON D.C.
ESTABLISHING SHOT
INT. BRIEFING ROOM, STATE DEPT. - DAY
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN is a briefing assembled REPORTERS.
STATE DEPT. MAN
The choppy seas may be a blessing,
they ought to contain the oil spill
for at least two weeks before it
reaches the Nantucket current.
A REPORTER
Then what?
STATE DEPT. MAN
After that, it's just a question of
which part of the East Coast gets
the brunt of the spill.
SECOND REPORTER
How big is it now?
STATE DEPT. MAN
Almost a mile long.
EXT. GAS STATION AND ADJOINING COFFEE SHOP - DAY
A hand-lettered sign beside the gas pumps where TWO ATTENDANTS are working
frantically, pumping gas into cars. The sign reads: 1/2 TANK TO A CUSTOMER."
PAN A BARELY MOVING, SEEMINGLY ENDLESS LINE OF VEHICLES waiting for this ration.
Families are eating, sleeping, and quarreling in their cars. There are sporadic,
senseless bursts of horn-blowing. A middle-aged STATION WAGON DRIVER is leaning
on his horn as he and his WIFE try to break into the bumper-to-bumper line. The
DRIVE BEHIND THEM isn't giving an inch.
DRIVER BEHIND
Get to the back like everybody
else!
NEW ANGLE -- The STATION WAGON DRIVER decides to take matters into his own hands
and rams his way in. he makes the attempt, smashing into the DRIVER BEHIND,
crumpling his front fender.
That did it. The DRIVER BEHIND, enraged, leaps out of his car and charges toward
the guy who hit him. The STATION WAGON DRIVER gets out, ready for combat.
DRIVER BEHIND
You sonofa---
STATION WAGON DRIVER'S WIFE
Charley! Charley!
INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY
The CUSTOMERS of this greasy spoon are shivering in coats and scarves. Everyone
turns as STAION WAGON DRIVER'S WIFE suddenly rushes in, hysterical.
STATION WAGON DRIVER'S WIFE
Help! Somebody help! My husband...
he got beaten up! Call the police.
Please, call an ambulance! Do
something!
A WAITRESS goes to a wall phone to call for help. ANOTHER WAITRESS pulls out a
First Aid kit and hands it to a MAN AT THE COUNTER.
FIRST WAITRESS
Here, Jack. Go with her, okay?
Take a look at him.
(as JACK hurries out with
the anguished WIFE, the
WAITRESS shakes her
head:)
Somebody's behind this. You can't
tell me there's no oil. You can't
tell me somebody isn't getting
rich off this. There's always
getting rich...and it's always the
little guy who suffers.
PAN THE COUNTER -- pat the other DINERS, nodding and murmuring angry assent --
to the last stool. There sits the original LITTLE GUY himself: GUS. He keeps his
head down, silently stirring is coffee as he finally realizes the harm he's
helped to create.
INT. ROSS WEBSTER'S OFFICE - DAY
C.U. ROSS -- brimming with good cheer.
ROSS
Cheer up, Gus, I have good
news. Your computer is being
built as we speak.
REVERSE -- A gloomy GUS, seated across the desk, looks up with a flicker of
interest.
GUS
Yeah? How's it look?
ROSS
It looks wonderful. it is
wonderful, let's face it.
GUS
I told you it wasn't no jive.
ROSS
(intensely)
Gus, it seems we are talking
state-of-the-art technology here.
We are talking unlimited power.
We are talking "get-down hot-cha
daddy-o" whatever you called it.
GUS
Stone mutha.
ROSS
Exactly. Stoned mother.
ROSS gets up, comes over to GUS, looking him in the eyes.
ROSS
(calculating,
manipulating)
But a machine this powerful is
going to make powerful enemies.
People who will want to destroy
it.
GUS
(upset by the idea)
Ain't nobody gonna mess with
my machine! I'll...I'll... what
will I do?
(sudden inspiration)
I'll build in a counter-punch!
Anything attacks it gets counter-
attacked! And wiped out!
ROSS
Can you do that?
GUS
Yeah, sure.
(angrily)
Ain't nobody gonna stomp
my electric train...
ON ROSS
ROSS
Remember, Gus. A machine doesn't
want anything except to keep on
being a machine. You've got to
make sure it can figure out how
to beat any opponent.
ON GUS
GUS
Man, all it got to do is find
their weak spot.
(he starts drawing out
a plan on ROSS'S
desk blotter)
You bet on the machine in any
fight you name, you gonna win
your bet.
GUS sketches furiously as ROSS beams in approval at this initiative.
INT. CAVE - DAY
The WORKMEN in coveralls are assembling what is beginning to look like something
out of Fritz Lang's Metropolis: fantastic, incredible, and it hasn't even been
half-built yet. In F. G. GUS'S scrap papers have been spread out on a board, in
an attempt to make it look like a blueprint.
INT. LANA'S KITCHEN - AFTERNOON
LANA is talking into a phone on the wall. Right beside her at the kitchen table
RICKY is doing his homework.
LANA
(into the phone
wearily)
No, I cannot go out with you
tonight...No, I'm busy tomorrow
night too.
INT. SMALLVILLE BAR - AFTERNOON
A slightly drunk and very pushy BRAD is using the pay phone.
BRAD
Doing what?
INT. LANA'S KITCHEN - AFTERNOON
LANA
(into phone)
I'll think of something.
Look, I've got to go. Ricky
needs me.
(she hangs up and
leans over RICKY,
pointing to a math
problem on his page)
The first part of the problem
is okay, honey, but here I
think--
Sound: The phone rings again.
LANA
(picking up the
phone but still
talking to RICKY)
-- you've got the wrong number.
(into phone)
No, not you. I wish you'd get
the wrong number.
(almost pleading)
Brad, please stop calling me.
I've told you--
(to RICKY)
--four times forty and then
divide five. Give it another.
INT. SMALLVILLE BAR - AFTERNOON
BRAD
(getting really surly)
I'm getting a little tired of
trying, Lana. Why don't you
wise up? Now that Cluck Kent's
flown the coop, you'd better start
appreciating ole faithful Brad. What
else've you got in Smallville?
INT. LANA'S KITCHEN - AFTERNOON
ON LANA - Disgusted, she hangs up, but then just stands there brooding on that
bleak truth.
LANA
(to herself)
What else have I got in
Smallville?
She picks up the phone again, dials and waits.
INT. DAILY PLANET, CLARK KENT'S DESK - AFTERNOON
The phone rings on CLARK'S empty desk rings and rings and rings.
INT. LANA'S KITCHEN - AFTERNOON
As LANA hangs up slowly, RICKY turns to her, holding up his math paper.
RICKY
(hesitantly)
Mom? I think I've got the
answer...
LANA
(suddenly, resolute)
So do I.
(she picks up the
phone again and
dials quickly)
Smallville Airport? What
flights do you have to
Metropolis tomorrow?
EXT. STREET CORNER, METROPOLIS - DAY
ON A CROWD gathered on a street corner in Metropolis. They are bunched together,
muttering and distressed. looking at something across the street. We hear
comments along the line of "This I can't believe."
WHAT THEY ARE LOOKING AT IS: A neighborhood bar across the street. Inside is
SUPERMAN. Drinking. Drinking whiskey.
INT. BAR - DAY
He sits hunched over at the bar, glowering. His costume is now completely black:
his once manly, open face has become truly sinister. THE BARTENDER and the few
CUSTOMERS give him a wide berth. This is not a guy you want to mess with.
We get a look at TWO OF THE DENZIENS of the bar: a pair of really mean, ornery
customers. One has an eye-patch and a scar, the other a shaved head and a
mustache. And even these two keep their distance from SUPERMAN.
He upends a bowl of peanuts on the bar. Then, with malicious pleasure, he begins
flipping them, one at a time, at the rows of glasses stacked up on the shelf
behind the bar. Ping: Crash! Ping! Crash! In the style of a Cagney punk spraying
the4 bar with machine-gun bullets, he just wrecks the joint, since the peanuts,
flipped with Super-Strength, have the projectile force of bullets. Then, bored
with the target practice, he shoots a beam of Heat-Vision at the mirror itself.
EFFECTS: the glass melts.
EXT. STREET CORNER, METROPOLIS - DAY
NEW ANGLE: LOOKING DWON AT THE STREET - A taxi comes down the street, but can't
move past the intersection because of the gathering crowd.
INT. TAXI - DAY
DRIVER in front seat; LANA and RICKY in back.
DRIVER
I can't get though, lady.
Something's going on here.
ON RICKY -- curious.
RICKY
I wanna see what's happening.
Before LANA can stop him, he opens his door and goes out to join the CROWD. LANA
has no choice but to follow him.
ON TH EPART OF THE CROWD where RICKY and LANA stand.
WOMAN
It's a disgrace, that's what it is.
MAN
I'll tell you one thing, boy,
nobody'll ever trust that creep
again. He's washed up.
ON RICKY -- stunned as he SEES what they see.
POV: The door to the bar swings open and the surly, ornery, snarling SUPERMAN
comes out into the street.
ON THE CROWD -- instinctively pulling back.
NEW ANGLE -- a nearby building is notable for its peculiar façade: a series of
porthole-like windows rising in vertical columns. SUPERMAN looks at it, then
very deliberately stomps his foot hard on the ground.
ON THE BUILDING -- the first five floors of portholes light up, like a column
light ascending. The image recalls one of those carnival Test-Your-Strength
machines. And so is for SUPERMAN, who now stomps much harder. And this time the
column of lights shoots all the way up to the top floor of the building.
SUPERMAN smiles sneeringly, proud of his prowess.
C.U. RICKY -- tears in his eyes. PULL BACK AND WIDEN as he pushes his way to the
front of the crowd.
RICKY
Superman!
LANA struggles through, trying to get to him.
ON SUPERMAN -- his eyes flick toward the sound of his name.
ON RICKY
RICKY
Superman, it's me, Ricky!
Ricky from Smallville!
A MAN next to RICKY tries to pull him back to safety.
MAN
Be careful, kid!
RICKY
(wrought-up,
voice breaking)
Superman, tell them you won't
hurt anybody!
ON SUPERMAN -- starting to walk away, but something in RICKY'S plea halts him
momentarily. He turns, looks at the BOY. For a second, there seems to be a
flicker of understanding in his eyes. Then he scowls and continues to lope off
down the street.
ON THE CROWD -- LANA manages to get to RICKY'S side. She is protective, fearful.
LANA
(this is very hard
for her to say)
Ricky, he's changed.
C.U. RICKY -- tears in his eyes, defiantly refusing to let his idol be
castigated.
RICKY
No!
(desperately thinking
of excuses)
Maybe...maybe he's just sick!
Sometimes when I'm sick I get
real cranky and mean, Mom, you
even told me that.
ON SUPERMAN in F.G. as he walks away; the CROWD in B.G.
RICKY
Superman, please get better!
Again, that odd hesitation in SUPERMAN'S basically snarling attitude. Then,
wolf-like, he keeps going.
ON LANA and RICKY.
LANA
(her heart is breaking
for her son's lost
illusions)
He's not listening to you, Ricky.
RICKY
Yes he is! He can hear me! He's
got Super-Hearing.
C.U. SUPERMAN -- now at least two blocks away. RICKY'S voice rings across the
empty space:
RICKY
You can hear me, can't you,
Superman? I know you're
going to be all right! You're
just in a slump! You'll be great
again. You can do it, Superman!
Trying to shake it off, the evil SUPERMAN suddenly lurches into the sky and
flies off. ANGLE UP TO SEE HIM GO.
EXT. SKY - TWILIGHT
ON THE EVIL SUPERMAN as he flies.
Soundtrack: Echoing in SUPERMAN'S mind, the voice of RICKY is heard, pleading
again and again.
RICKY'S VOICE
(Electronically enhanced
to a sound overpowering)
You're just in a slump! You'll be
great again. Great again! Please
get better! Please get better!
Superman! Get better!
The voice torments SUPERMAN. He winces, as if beset by stabbing migraine
headaches, as the voice grows louder and denser, one sentence (electronically)
overlapping the next so that it begins to sound like a whole chorus of Rickies.
It becomes sheer torture, as if his dormant conscience was punishing him. He
can't fight off the pain. Finally, he drops from the sky to:
EXT. AUTOMOBILE GRAVEYARD - TWILIGHT
At first we cannot tell where we are. The EVIL SUPERMAN, black garbed, lands on
his knees in a landscape that looks like the end of the world: dark piles of
twisted metal, debris, small fires burning here and there. It could be hell. But
it is, in fact, an automobile graveyard.
ON HIM CLOSE -- as he struggles to his feet, the stabbing pains in his head
tormenting him, the distorted and all-pervading sound of RICKY'S pleas continue
to ring out in his brain. As this reaches a crescendo, an extraordinary thing
begins to happen:
EFFECTS: emerging from the body of the EVIL SUPERMAN comes the form of CLARK
KENT. The CLARK persona wrests itself apart from the EVIL SUPERMAN until there
are now two separate identities made manifest ON THE SCREEN -- the good part of
him and the bad part have split. It is the ultimate expression of the schizoid
aspects of this dual SUPERMAN/CLARK character, now locked in mortal combat.
EVIL SUPERMAN gets to his feet, looks with undisguised venom at CLARK. WIDE
ANGLE LETS US NOW SEE where we are: the heaps of twisted metal are car body
parts, stacked up in mounds, row upon row of mashed and flattened auto wrecks.
Elsewhere we WILL SEE piles of old tires, piles of bumpers and fenders. And in
addition, the tools and machines of this trade: great cranes with giant magnets
that lift the cars on high, vats of acid that strip them, hydraulic pressing
machines that squash and flatten them into metal pancakes, formidable-looking
metal shredders that rip steel apart into strips.
The workers who operate the various machines WILL BE SEEN at odd moments during
the following, reacting with fear and then running for safety.
Not all of theses can be SEEN as yet, however, as the surly, gaunt SUPERMAN
looks balefully at the forthright, fists-clenched figure of CLARK KENT.
CLARK
Give up. Give in.
(EVIL) SUPERMAN
Like hell I will.
And with that, he hauls off and socks CLARK in the jaw with such tremendous
force that it sends him hurtling backwards into a pile of axles. They clatter
and crash to the ground with an enormous clanging of noise.
ON SUPERMAN -- rubbing his knuckles, That hurt, and we realize that CLARK KENT
is just as strong as SUPERMAN.
ON CRANE OPERATOR -- startled reaction. Quick departure.
ON THE PILES OF AXLES -- CLARK nowhere to be seen. Then, from an unseen vantage
point, his voice booms out:
CLARK (o.s.)
I can give as good as I get.
Are you willing to risk it?
ON SUPERMAN, whirling around, trying to locate him.
SUPERMAN
(defiantly)
Try me!
From out of the pile of rubble, CLARK comes charging directly at SUPERMAN, head
down like a bull. He butts him full force in the gut, sending SUPERMAN tumbling
backwards. ANOTHER WORKER runs off.
NEW ANGLE -- behind the falling SUPERMAN is a great vat marked:
DANGER ---ACID
with a skull and crossbones stenciled on it.
Unable to halt this backward momentum, SUPERMAN falls into the vat of acid.
ANGLE IN -- he disappears in the smoking, steaming bubbles, submerged in the
acid bath. An ordinary mortal would be all bones in seconds, but -- suddenly the
EVIL SUPERMAN comes flying out of the vat.
ON HIM AS HE LANDS NEARBY -- a terrifying sight: smoke is issuing from all parts
of him, curling off his body. He looks positively demonic. In a flurry, he turns
on CLARK, and hands cupped with acid, he:
EFFECTS: blows a stream of burning acid directly at him.
ON CLARK -- the acid ignites his clothing as it lands on him.
EFFECTS: his jacket burns off, leaving him in shirtsleeves.
ON SUPERMAN -- sneering.
SUPERMAN
Man, I never did like you.
You always got on my nerves.
He grabs a bumper and swings it like a baseball bat, hitting CLARK in side,
knocking him down.
ON CLARK -- hurt, shaken, but managing to get to his feet.
CLARK
Come to think of it, you
always got under my skin.
And with that, he leaps on the EVIL SUPERMAN, knocking him to the ground.
CLOSER ON THEM as they roll and grapple across the debris-strewn earth. Behind
them, looms a pit, which neither can see as yet.
IN THE PIT -- we SEE the flattened shapes of what once were auto wrecks, smashed
into rectangular metal pancakes by hydraulic press, which looms above the pit.
ON THE TWO OF THEM WRESTLING -- with a mighty heave, SUPERMAN sends CLARK
crashing into the open pit.
ON CLARK -- he lands on top of the flattened cars and lays there, stunned.
ON SUPERMAN -- he quickly activates the hydraulic control.
NEW ANGLE -- the great iron press begins to descend on the still unmoving form
of CLARK KENT.
CLOSER -- it comes down and begins to squash CLARK flat. It presses harder and
harder. We hear SUPERMAN'S terrible, evil laughter.
ON SUPERMAN -- convinced that he has vanquished his foe, he starts to walk away.
ON CLARK, IN THE PIT -- with superhuman strength, he grips the edges of the
hydraulic press and slowly, slowly, pushes it up and off his body. A difficult
feat even for him. Quickly now, he slithers out from under it.
ON CLARK -- scrambling out of the pit, racing toward a stack of tires.
ON SUPERMAN -- about fifty feet away, striding off, thinking he's won.
Suddenly...
EFFECTS: tires come flying through the air and ring SUPERMAN like horseshoes
landing on a stake. He's startled, to say the least, as first one tire spins
around like a big hula hoop, then a second, then a third. For a moment he is
immobilized.
ON CLARK -- coming at him.
ON SUPERMAN -- he bursts his rubber bonds like a Hercules bursting his chains,
by expanding his arms.
SUPERMAN
(snarling)
Man, you're finished!
He looks up.
POV: ABOVE CLARK IS A CRANE and hanging from it, directly above his head, is one
of those enormous flat-bottomed magnets they use to lift up the automobile
wrecks and move them.
EFFECTS: the EVIL SUPERMAN sends rays of red-hot Heat-Vision shooting from his
eyes, aimed at the links of chain, which hold the magnet. The chain glows,
melts, and then the magnet drops with full force on CLARK -- smashing him right
through the ground.
NEW ANGLE -- all is still for a moment. Then, shooting up from underground in
another area, comes CLARK KENT. He lifts a battered car fender from the ground,
raises it high above his head and hurls it at SUPERMAN.
The object hits him head-on and sends him crashing backwards. Flying through the
air, smashing into an enormous mountain of piled-up body parts. The last WORKMAN
runs for his life.
ON CLARK -- stepping into a clearing.
CLARK
Come on out and fight like
a man!
Suddenly, a hail of wheel rims comes flying at him, hurled with tremendous
force, like deadly Frisbees.
ON SUPERMAN -- some distance away, flinging the wheel rims.
ON CLARK, CLOSE one wheel rim sizzles through the air and strikes him in the
side of the head, hitting his temple with such impact that it knocks him to the
ground unconscious.
WIDE ANGLE -- SUPERMAN, triumphant, strides over to the fallen body of CLARK,
lifts him in his arms. FOLLOW HIM as he takes the unconscious CLARK to:
THE METAL SHREDDER -- the frightening machine has teeth like a crocodile and its
steel rollers and innards seem menacing even when still. An old wreck is on the
conveyer belt, ready in place to be fed into the shredder.
SUPERMAN drops CLARK to the ground and flips on the switch.
ON THE MACHINE -- we SEE it work now. The conveyer belt starts up, and the car
is fed into the jaws of the machine.
Sound: A terrible, ear-piercing screeching and grinding of metal as the car is
chewed by the shredder.
We SEE what happens: smoke rises, and pieces of shrapnel go flying and from out
the extruding end, what was moments before recognizable as a battered auto,
comes out as long, jagged strips of metal.
NEW ANGLE -- contemptuously, SUPERMAN kicks the unconscious CLARK KENT onto the
conveyer belt.
CLOSER -- as CLARK'S body moves along the conveyer belt and is fed into the
teeth and jaws of the metal shredder.
EFFECTS: it begins its terrible work. But -- suddenly, the teeth start to snap
off and fly in all directions. The metal casing snaps and cracks. Sparks,
terrific sparks everywhere. Smoke rising as if the motor were burning itself
out. The machine, with an awful noise, self-destructs.
And CLARK KENT emerges with fury in his eyes.
Without a word, he leaps onto SUPERMAN, pinning him to the ground, his hands
around his neck. For a moment, SUPERMAN seems to be fighting him off, almost
rolling him over, but then CLARK gets a better grip on him.
CLARK
(intense, as he
chokes him)
Give up! Give up! Give up!
The EVIL SUPERMAN clutches at CLARK'S hands, trying to pull loose. And then...
EFFECTS: An amazing sight. Slowly, the figure of EVIL SUPERMAN begins to grow
less 'real,' fading in density, beginning to become opaque, then translucent.
Then the amorphous figure begins to be drawn and absorbed into the CLARK KENT
figure until at last there is no EVIL SUPERMAN beneath CLARK'S hands, but a
strong, victorious CLARK who now stands up. NOW he walks TOWARD CAMERA as he
opens his shirt buttons. We SEE the true "S" underneath, in noble red and gold.
IT FILLS FRAME.
ANGLE UP -- once again strong and handsome and good, SUPERMAN flies off.
EXT. OCEAN - DAY
AERIAL SHOT, WIDE ANGLE -- the enormous oil spill, stretching almost a mile
long, floats on the sea, heading for the East Coast.
EXT. GAS STATION - DAY
The long lines of cars are longer than ever. ON THE FRONT OF THE LINE the
STATION ATTENDANT puts up a new sign: OUT OF GAS. STATION CLOSED.
EXT. OIL FIELDS - DAY
The deserted oil fields: the pumps still.
EXT. SKY - DAY
Music: The stirring theme.
SUPERMAN flies to the rescue, soaring above the Atlantic Ocean. Now he looks
down, sees the oil spill.
EFFECTS: IN VARIOUS HOTS, SUPERMAN descends to where he hovers above the waves.
Before him the enormous lake of oil undulate in the choppy sea. He takes a deep
breath and begins to blow Super-Breath.
FURTHER AWAY -- the super-tanker with the gaping hole in the side.
ON THE DECK -- A SEAMAN looks up astonished.
SEAMAN
My God! Look!
His MATES look where he points.
POV: LONG SHOT -- the oil slick is heading back toward the ship, sipping through
the ocean rapidly. Behind it, in far B.G. SUPERMAN is continuing to blow a
steady gust of Super-Breath.
EFFECTS: ON THE TANKER HULL -- as the oil is forced, against the current, to
flow right back into the hull from which it escaped.
NEW ANGLE -- the last of the oil spill is blown back in. Immediately:
EFFECTS: ON SUPERMAN -- sending powerful beams of Heat-Vision from his eyes, he
aims them at the gaping metal hull.
ON THE HULL -- the Heat-Vision welds the hole together, repairing the ship. We
hear cheers of the CREW off-screen.
INT. CAPTAIN'S BRIDGE - DAY
The CAPTAIN watches, amazed, as the now-recovered MAN OF STEEL lands just
outside his bridge.
SUPERMAN
Captain, I'd like to apologize
for what I did before. I... I
really wasn't myself.
CAPTAIN
That's all right, lad. All's well
that ends well, as they say.
C.U. SUPERMAN -- jaw set, eyes narrow.
And with that, he takes off.
EXT. SKY - DAY
WIDE ANGLE SHOWS SUPERMAN flying above the ocean, heading inland.
CLOSER ON HIM -- suddenly, he spots something down below. A look of great
concern on his face.
FULL SHOT -- he banks and starts straight down toward the sea.
ON THE SEA -- On a little island (just a tiny outcropping) stands a SEABIRD, its
feathers coated with oil, unable to fly. SUPERMAN swoops down.
ON THE LITTLE ISLAND -- SUPERMAN lands there and lifts the bird in his hand.
SUPERMAN
(gently)
Here you go, little fella.
He softly blows the oil off the bird's feathers.
SUPERMAN
C'mon, you take the head start.
He tosses the bird up into the air.
EXT. SKY - DAY
The bird flies. SUPERMAN catches up and flies alongside for a while. Then he
veers off.
SUPERMAN
(tipping his hand
in a little wave)
See you around the sky, pal.
Keep 'em flying.
He continues on his way.
EXT. SKY ABOVE METROPOLIS - DAY
FULL SHOT: WIDE -- SUPERMAN flies over the skyscrapers of Metropolis.
EXT. WEBSTER PENTHOUSE, TERRACE - DAY
SUPERMAN lands on the terrace of the Webster penthouse. He opens the door and
enters.
INT. WEBSTER PENTHOUSE - DAY
INSERT: Just inside the doorway, right past the threshold is a little slab of
plastic with a button sticking up. SUPERMAN unknowingly steps on the button.
EFFECTS: the button activates:
1. A big banner, which suddenly drops and
unfurls from the ceiling, festooned with
red, white, and blue bunting. Lettered
on the banner are the words:
"HI SUPERMAN"
As the banner drops:
Music: Patriotic march theme plays.
Startled, SUPERMAN sees the greeting. A second later, he whirls around as:
2. The voice of ROSS WEBSTER booms out from
a loud-speaker in the manner of a telephone
answering machine:
VOICE OF ROSS
Miss Lorelei Ambrosia isn't at home
right now. If you'd care to leave a
message, don't wait for the beep.
Why not deliver it to her in person?
Suddenly, with a click, a video tape starts to appear on a T.V. screen. it
shows VERA, very formally seated at a desk, in one of her dark suits, addressing
the viewer in her no-nonsense way.
3. The T.V. screen lights up, VERA appears.
VERA
(on T.V.)
Here is where you can find her,
as well as the rest of us.
A panoramic view of the Grand Canyon appears on the T.V. screen. As voice of
VERA continues over, as a secue.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT GRAND CANYON - DAY
ESTABLISHING SHOT: the same view, now real, of one of nature's seven wonders. As
we hear VERA'S voice-over.
VERA (v.o)
Do drop in.
AERIAL SHOT: ZOOM DOWN TO a startling sight. Atop one of the rocky cliffs in the
middle of the giant gorge are FIVE TINY FIGURES. 2 MEN: 2 WOMEN, and a DONKEY.
NEW ANGLE -- Behind them, above the canyon, we SEE pylons and power lines; a
major electrical power source is here.
GROUP SHOT: GUS is holding the donkey on a lead. ROSS, VERA, and LORELEI are
adjusting curious devices attached by back-pack harnesses to their persons:
individual hot-air balloons. ROSS and VERA have already blown theirs up and are
adjusting the ballast. LORELEI is inflating hers, which, in contrast to the
others' utilitarian gray, is a shocking pink balloon that matches her jump suit.
LORELEI
This is fun!
ROSS
Fun? The fun's just starting, hon.
Wait till Superman finds us, then
you'll see fun.
GUS
(confused)
You want to mess with Superman?
ROSS
Can't wait, pal, can't wait.
VERA
(impatiently)
Let's go. I want to be ready for
him when he falls into our trap.
(to GUS, irritably)
I don't see why you can't balloon
down like the rest of us.
ON GUS -- he looks at the gizmos, then looks over the ledge.
HIS POV: a sheer drop to the bottom of the canyon.
ON GUS -- shaking his head emphatically.
GUS
Uh-huh. No way, man. Not me.
(he climbs on
his donkey)
I just don't believe a man can
fly.
The DONKEY starts walking down the winding path that will eventually take
him down to the bottom of the canyon.
ROSS, VERA, and LORELEI activate their little hot-air gadgets and launch
themselves off the edge of the cliff.
FULL SHOT, LONG: like invading paratroopers, the THREE of them waft down into
the canyon, as GUS, SEEN TO FAR LEFT OF FRAME, rides his agile donkey down a
footpath.
EXT. BASE OF GRAND CANYON
The Three land on the floor of the canyon and extricate themselves from the
balloon rigs.
ANGLE UP -- GUS and his DONKEY are getting there, albeit a bit slower.
WIDE SHOT: the three of them walk towards the mouth of a large cave.
INT. CAVE
In sudden contrast to the bright sunlight outside, it is very dark in here.
LORELEI
I can't see anything.
VERA
Turn on the light.
LORELEI
Where's the light switch?
VERA
Where do you usually find a
light switch?
ON LRELEI -- she feels along the cave wall right by the entrance, and, sure
enough, finds a light switch. She flicks it on.
REVERSE, WIDE ANGLE: the ultimate computer: four stories high with ladders
leading up to different ledges and perches and cat-walks and walk-in alcoves set
in the impressive, amazing façade. it looks like a leger vision of industrial
technology giantism combined with futuristic hardware right out of science-
fiction.
LORELEI (o.s.)
Wow, what a jukebox.
REVERSE --they look at it in awe.
ROSS
I told you, didn't I? The
Ultimate Computer! It does
everything any computer can
do and a thousand things that
none of them do!
VERA starts toward the machine, officiously gesturing to the others:
VERA
Come on, let's give it a
dry run.
ROSS
Wait for Gus to get here, sis.
VERA
(snidely)
Who needs Gus?
ROSS
He's the only one who can
operate this --
VERA
Like fish he is.
(sneering pride)
I know enough about computers
to put a PHD to shame.
(as they react
in surprise)
Come now, brother dear, you
didn't think I was going to let
that little man run the show,
did you? Gus Gorman telling
us what to do -- I'd sooner
kiss a pig!
FAVORING VERA -- she crosses a wedge-shaped grid that extends out and over a
moat-like area of circuitry beneath alternating wedges of clear glass and dense
grid. She reaches the base of a ladder that runs up the center of the computer
and starts to climb.
VERA
Come on, will you?
(as the others
follow her up)
We've got to get ready before
he gets here.
LORELEI
Gus?
VERA
Superman. The boy you left
behind.
ON VERA -- she peers down as she climbs up. looking into the central generator
section below.
POV: Laying on the ground by the generator is an old cardboard coffee cup, a
half-filled bottle of flat root-beer soda, a half-eaten Hostess Twinkie package,
a screw-driver and some tools.
VERA
(with a moue
of distaste)
Honestly, you'd think these
workmen would learn to tidy
up when they finish.
WIDE SHOT- The ascend to the central console on a deck midway up the front of
the machine. There is a terrace filled with controls; it looks like the board of
an elaborate light show up there.
NEW ANGLE-- In the Central Control where VERA stands, it looks like something at
NASA: hundreds of buttons, lighted dials, video display screens, gauges, God-
knows-what. She sits in a chair located in the center that swivels to provide
access to all the main controls.
ON VERA -- she throws some switches, pushes some buttons.
Sound: a low humming begins.
VERA
(to ROSS)
Bubba, engage those levers on
your right to activate the Alpha
Circuits and lock the modular
grid.
ROSS eventually starts to follow her orders.
WIDE SHOT: Suddenly, the left side of the four-story structure lights up in many
wonderful ways: blinking lights, crackling electrodes, digital dials, and other
illuminations.
VERA
(to LORELEI)
You! Activate circuits 29
through W7 and start Full
Power Coordinates on
Exterior Defensive Systems:
LORELEI
(not cowed by
VERA'S jargon)
In other words, push this
red button.
She does so.
WIDE FULL SHOT: with a loud "clung!" the right side of the Ultimate Computer
lights up in equally impressive ways. The thing is starting to look like the
spaceship in Close Encounters.
EXT. SKY ABOVE GRAND CANYON - DAY
SUPERMAN is coming from the sky, scanning the area below, searching for them. He
approaches the gorge.
NEW ANGLE, UP -- SUPERMAN flies into the grand Canyon.
A red light starts to flash.
Sound: a piercing electronic alarm goes off.
ROSS
He's here!
LORELEI
(delighted)
Oh, Superman!
VERA
Cut the mush, Lorelei. He's
after our skin!
LORELEI
He can have mine. Anytime.
ROSS
(impatient, like a
greedy child)
C'mon, sis, let the games begin!
EXT. CANYON - DAY
SUPERMAN flies into the canyon, hovers a moment, then starts to zoom toward the
cave area.
INT. CAVE, ULTIMATE COMPUTER
VERA
All right, Bubba, enjoy yourself.
She guides her brother to a covered panel, flips it open. This reveals a large
video screen and some controls. There is something familiar about this
particular rig...
VERA goes back to the center console and pushes buttons and controls marked
"EXTERIOR DEFENSE."
ON THE CONTROLS -- A panel board lights up: "MISSILE READY."
EXT. CANYON FLOOR - DAY
From underneath the canyon floor, sliding panels buried underneath the sandy
terrain slide back, revealing small rockets on launching pads beneath.
NEW ANGLE -- from inside the missile it, we SEE the missile launcher slowly
rising.
INT. CAVE, ULTIMATE COMPUTER
ON ROSS AT VIDEO SCREEN: he switches it on. The screen lights up. Ranged along
the bottom are little computerized images of the rockets; coming down from the
top of the screen is a little stick figure of a MAN with a cape. We suddenly
realize what's familiar about this: it is the ultimate version an Atari "Space
Invaders" video game. Except this time. it's being played for real.
EXT. CANYON FLOOR - DAY
The missile launchers, controlled by ROSS from within, rises out of the ground
and spin around, searching for their target.
ON SUPERMAN -- flying down the canyon toward the missiles.
INT. CAVE, ULTIMATE COMPUTER
ROSS works the controls and fires rockets. On the video, just like in an
electronic game arcade, we SEE the rockets heading up, aimed at the flying man.
And:
FAST CUT TO:
EXT. CANYON - DAY
Where the real life version is taking place, controlled by ROSS. Rockets fire up
from the floor of the canyon, heading for SUPERMAN.
NEW ANGLE -- SUPERMAN has to dive and dart away.
FAST CUT TO:
INT. CAVE, ULTIMATE COMPUTER
ROSS, totally manic, is having himself a wonderful time, playing his lethal
Atari like an arcade champ. Grunts, groans, body english, etc.
EXT. CANYON - DAY
GUS, coming down the trail, looks at the spectacle taking place, fearful:
GUS
The rockets' red glare,
the bombs burstin' in
air -- what in hell is
goin' on?
CROSS CUT BETWEEN:
1. ATARI SCREEN: Showing a barrage of
missiles aimed at the flying figure.
2. EXT. CANYON: SUPERMAN beset by
the missiles. He knocks some out of the
way, dodges others.
3. ROSS working the controls.
EXT. CANYON - DAY
SUPERMAN is hit by the final salvo of missiles and is THROWN OUT OF FRAME,
tumbling over and over.
NEW ANGLE -- he is headed for a column of rock. he crashes into it.
INT. CAVE, ULTIMATE COMPUTER
ON THE VIDEO SCREEN -- The Atari-type game screen shows it all, including the
"hit" and a High Score of 13,000 lights up.
ON ROSS -- gleeful, crazed:
ROSS
A hit! Got him! This will
give him something to
think about!
C.U. VERA -- smiling fondly at her little brother enjoying himself.
INT. CAVE - DAY
GUS has reached the entrance, He gets off his DONKEY and enters. looking
fearfully around him.
C.U. GUS - a bit awed as he sees what he has wrought.
GUS
(a moment of
quiet pride)
Awright. I got me my
electric train, mama. I
finally got --
(suddenly upset
at what he sees)
Hey, what y'all doin' up
there?!
REVERSE:
ROSS
Join the party, genius!
Come on up!
EXT. CANYON - DAY
SUPERMAN, a bit dazed but basically unhurt, pulls himself up off the ruble of
the stone column and flies downward.
INT. CAVE, ULTIMATE COMPUTER
GUS is coming up to the terrace where the central console is located.
REVERSE: WIDE -- SUPERMAN has landed and enters the cave. He stands framed in
the doorway.
SUPERMAN
(in stentorian tones)
All right, Webster. Pack it in.
ON LORELEI -- waving from her perch.
LORELEI
Hi, honey.
SUPERMAN
I don't know you, lady.
LORELEI
But the other night...
SUPERMAN
That wasn't me. That guy's gone.
(to ROSS)
And you're next Webster.
VERA
(angrily)
Don't you threaten my Bubba!
INSERT: She presses a button.
WIDE (SPECIAL EFFECTS): A tremendous ZAP of electrical energy, all blue and
white, shoots out of the computer and zaps SUPERMAN with such a jolt that it
knocks him to the ground.
ROSS
Welcome to the wonderful
world of computers, Superman.
ON SUPERMAN -- shakes his head, gets to his feet.
ROSS
Well, Superman? How do you
like Supermachine?
SUPERMAN
Typical of your kind, Webster.
Instead of using it to help others,
all the four of you want is to
help yourselves.
ON GUS -- who doesn't like the designation.
GUS
Four of us? What's he mean
four of us?
(calling out)
Hey, man!
LORELEI
(to GUS)
That's only his last name. He
likes to be called Super-man.
GUS
Hey, I ain't with them!
SUPERMAN
You could've fooled me,
mister.
With that he starts to move menacingly toward the machine.
ON VERA -- she pushes another control button.
WIDE ANGLE -- suddenly, SUPERMAN walks into an invisible shield. There's nothing
there we can SEE, but...
Sound: it makes a big thunk as he bangs into it.
C.U. SUPERMAN -- his features flattened by an invisible wall exactly as they
would if he smashed into plate-glass.
NEW ANGLE -- he runs back a few steps, puts his head down and charges like a
bull at the invisible force-field.
EFFECTS: A split-second after SUPERMAN hits the invisible shield, its substance
wraps around him and encases him in a transparent bubble. Weird colored gasses
churn inside the bubble; the impression is one of being trapped inside a hot,
volatile enclosure with no air.
The bubble rises in the air and spins crazily around the vast interior. Inside,
SUPERMAN tries to fight his way out: punching, pushing, kicking.
CLOSER ON HIM -- He's sweating in there, making a tremendous effort. Then,
unable to break it with brute force, he narrows his eyes, then opens them wide
and:
EFFECTS: Beams of Heat-Vision blaze from his eyes. Such is their power that they
break the molecular structure of the prison and it crashes open. SUPERMAN breaks
loose.
ROSS
(hysterical)
He's coming! He's going to
hurt me!
VERA
Don't bet on it!
NEW ANGLE -- she slams a button (one larger and separate from the others) with
full force.
EFFECTS: From the center of the machine, a large ball-like shape suddenly
emanates a bright green ray we recognize immediately as being the color of
Kryptonite. It hits SUPERMAN full force, a spot-light of death.
HE cries out in pain and drops to the ground, writhing in agony, dying before
our eyes.
C.U. GUS -- frightened, horrified:
GUS
No! You'll kill him! That's
Kryptonite!
VERA
(insane, wild)
Yes! This time we got it right!
ROSS
(triumphant, raving)
It's your genius, pal! You
built a machine that can
find anybody's weak spot,
just like you said.
C.U. GUS -- sick with the realization of what he's done.
ROSS
Congratulations, chum! you're
going to go down in history
as the man who killed Superman!
ON GUS -- He can't take it anymore. As SUPERMAN writhes in pain, GUS makes a
quick decision. Running behind VERA, he looks down through the transparent floor
at what is beneath:
POV: ZOOM INTO GENEORATOR
ON GUS -- he whips his yo-yo out of his pocket, pulls the string all the way
out, throws it over one of the guy wires that anchor the machine to the floor.
He jumps off the terrace, holding onto both ends (yo-yo and string) and slides
down to the ground, a la Topkapi.
NEW ANGLE -- GUS charges into the generator area and grabs the wire connecting
the computer to its energy source: the generator.
CLOSER -- one little screw coupling connects them. GUS grabs the screw-driver
nearby and:
INSERT: simply unscrews one little screw.
ON THE MACHINE, WIDE ANGLE -- suddenly all the energy and power and electronic
jazz just...stop. It just shuts off.
ON SUPERMAN -- the green Kryptonite ray shits off as well. he is saved from
death, but weakened, on his knees.
ON THE TERRACE CONSOLE -- ROSS, enraged, looks down and sees what GUS has done.
ROSS
No! Give me that! Give
it to me!
He charges down the interior staircase, after GUS.
ROSS
Give it to me----
ON GUS -- he holds the little screw in his hand. As ROSS lunges for it, GUS pops
it into his own mouth and tries to swallow it. But it gets caught in his own
throat. He tries harder, his eyes straining with the effort, clearing his
throat, gulping hard. Still it won't go down.
ROSS, in wild furry, grabs GUS, trying to pry his mouth open and retrieve it.
The grapple. GUS shoves ROSS away and suddenly sees before him the open bottle
of flat root beer soda. He grabs it, and with a mighty heave of his Adam's
Apple, washes away the screw.
ROSS
(howling)
Nooooooo!
He starts to strangle GUS, trying to get the screw back. Then he switches to a
violent attempt to perform the Heimlich Maneuver. GUS yanks free, spins around,
hauls off and belts ROSS in the jaw. Pow! ROSS falls to the floor, out cold.
LONG SHOT: for a moment all is still. SUPERMAN is slowly rising to his knees.
SUPERMAN
(to GUS)
Thanks for --
When suddenly:
EFFESCTS: With an unearthly roar, the machine itself comes to life again. An
even more terrifying life. It glows much hotter and brighter, crackling and
pulsing with tremendous energy. LORELEI screams in terror.
LORELEI
Make it stop!
ON VERA -- astonished, pushing buttons, trying to control it.
VERA
I can't! It's out of control!
LORELEI
But how? Where's it getting the
power from ???!
VERA looks straight up. VERTICAL PAN (FAST) UP TO THE TOP OF THE COMPUTER.
EFFECTS: The machine is sending crackling lightening-like energy probes through
the ceiling of the cave.
C.U. GUS -- awed
GUS
It's feeding itself. It wants
to live.
EXT. TOP OF GRAND CANYON - DAY
WIDE SHOT: An incredible sight: the crackling red-hot energy probes leap from
the ground beneath, dart up into the air, and literally hook on to the power
lines and pylons. The machine is feeding itself right from the source. The very
power lines themselves glow red-hot from the tremendous zapping of energy taking
place.
LONG SHOT: We SEE the energy probes racing along the power lines toward the
horizon, toward the rest of the nation.
EXT. SKY/SPACE
LOOKING DOWN at EARTHS'S GLOBE as power blackouts begin to hit North America.
EXT. BIG CITY - NIGHT
LOOKING DOWN FROM GREAT DISTANCE as power blackout hits, lights start to go out.
INT. HOSPITAL OPERATING THEATER
An operation is in progress.
DOCTOR
(quiet, careful)
All right, nurse, we're going into
the brain now. Be ready with every--
Suddenly, the lights in the operating room flicker and go out.
NURSE
(in darkness)
Oh, God---
INT. CAVE. ULTIMATE COMPUTER
The machine glows with an unearthly energy. Suddenly, the ray of deadly green
Kryptonite goes on again, hitting SUPERMAN with full force.
ON SUPERMAN -- already weakened from the first bout, he falls to the floor, in
terrible pain.
ON GUS--from inside the generator area he sees what's happening. He grabs a
fire-safety axe from its hook and races toward the globe-like part of the
machine that sends the Kryptonite ray out.
NEW ANGLE -- GUS hacks away at the mechanism. His expression is intense,
tortured. This is Dr. Frankenstein killing the monster he created, the inventor
forced to destroy his own invention. With tremendous effort, he chops and slams
and smashes the offending part of the computer, finally destroying it. Hunks of
metal drop to the floor. The green ray shuts off.
SUPERMAN struggles to his feet. He looks awful.
GUS, exhausted, stands there by the source of destruction. He's done it. He
drops the axe. Suddenly:
Sound: A horrible, screeching, electronic noise as:
EFFECTS: The machine, furious, lifts GUS into the air on a beam of energy and
hurls him full force against the wall of the cave. He crashes into it with
terrific impact and falls to the ground behind a pile of rock and rubble. From
the incredible force of the blow, it seems certain that the machine has killed
him.
A terrible moment of silence. Then SUPERMAN, looking like he's in total despair,
turns and slinks out of the cave, clutching his left arm.
LORELEI
No! Don't leave us alone in
here! Superman --
(but he's gone)
The machine glows and shakes, its energy probes zapping through the rock ceiling
above.
VERA
I don't know about you, girly,
but I'm getting out of here!
But LORELEI is first on the stairs, as she runs like hell off the machine
itself. VERA is right behind her. LORELEI gets to the bottom, dashes across the
"moat" via one of the wedge-shaped grids.
ON ROSS -- coming-to in the interior, by the generator. he picks himself up and
runs after LORELEI.
A moment later, VERA, coming from the greatest distance, starts to race across
the moat.
EFFECTS: VERA is literally "sucked" back into the machine, dragged across the
"moat" and pulled into the computer's entrails. As she screams in protest, the
intense force slams her into a section of the circuitry.
ON VERA: A monstrous transformation begins to take place. VERA becomes part of
the machine. No longer human. Circuitry appears beneath her skin. Her face pulls
and distorts into grotesque non-human cubistic form. Charges of electricity and
power pass into her body, light it up. The effect is very frightening to behold.
Unearthly sounds come from her throat.
NEW ANGLE -- As LORELEI tries to run from the cave, "VERA'S" linked arm extend
and a silvery sphere of "magneticism" shoots out like a cannon ball aimed at
her. Suddenly LORELEI is yanked upwards, stuck fast to the wall of the cave,
screaming, kicking, unable to free herself.
C.U. VERA -- This is no longer a human face. A hideous arm-like probe extends
from her forehead and shoots out a hot yellow beam.
NEW ANGLE -- the yellow beam hits ROSS, stopping him in his tracks in front of
the machine, torturing him.
ROSS
Sis! No, it's Bubba--
(he squirms in
pain)
ON THE TOP OF THE COMPUTER -- The energy probes continue to shoot right through
the ceiling of the cave.
EXT. CANYON. TOP LEDGE (PYLONS) - DAY
The probes continue to feed on the electrical power supply.
EXT. METROPOLIS - NIGHT
Lights start going off in Metropolis skyscrapers.
INT. SUBWAY TRACK - NIGHT
A subway train is moving down the tunnel TOWARD CAMERA. As it comes CLOSE, we
SEE LANA and RICKY inside. Suddenly the black-out hits. Lights go out. Train
stops.
Sound: screaming, panic of the PASSENGERS.
RICKY
(terrified)
Mommy! Mommy!
EXT. IRIQUOIS TRAIL NUCLEAR POWER STATION - NIGHT
LONG SHOT: of the three silos we SAW earlier in the forest fire. Coming from B.
G. at great speed is a blue blur zooming through the sky: SUPERMAN.
INT. NUCLEAR CHAMBER
The SCIENTISTS in great consternation. ONE looks at an electronic grid map of
the U,S.A., showing the blackouts coming closer.
DR. HARRIS
What the hell is causing it?!
SCIENTIST
Search me. All I know is it
looks like a complete electronic
grid-lock. And if it gets to us--
DR. HARRIS
(grim faced)
Which one is the panic button?
INT. CAVE. ULTIMATE COMPUTER - DAY
LOOKING TOWARD THE ENTRANCE: As SUPERMAN, looking a bit bedraggled, returns and
enters. He holds his left arm behind his back, under his cape, as if favoring a
hurt elbow.
REVERSE: WIDE ANGLE SHOWS US WHAT HE, TOO, SEES: The machine glowing brighter
and brighter; VERA, totally transformed into a robot-like creature, ruthlessly
training the painful yellow ray on ROSS, who is immobilized and tormented;
LORELEI still pinned to the wall up high by the magnetic sphere.
ROSS
Help me...help me....
Immediately, SUPERMAN runs into the area just in front of ROSS so as to fully
absorb the yellow beam and block it off.
REVERSE FROM BEHIND THEM: A shaken ROSS, relieved at last, crawls away into the
shadows of the cavern.
WIDE ANGLE -- This yellow beam has no effect on SUPERMAN. But just as VERA
terminates it, two enormous arms of the machine, like giant pinball flippers,
begin to slide across the cave floor, about to close in and pin SUPERMAN.
These two transformer arms trap him and raises him slightly off the ground,
pulling him forward in a direct line toward the moat, until:
CLOSER -- He is deposited on the very transparent wedge where VERA stood when
she was sucked into the machine. And now, to our horror, the same thing happens
to him. Although he seems to be trying to resist the incredible "pull," SUPERMAN
is drawn across the moat and into the very bowels of the giant computer. He is
pulled, as if by a giant suctioning force, past VERA and down into the center of
the apparatus, where the generator is.
For a terrible moment, all seems lost. Then, he is SEEN deep in there, as he
reveals what he had hidden in his left hand, behind his cape.
CLOSER -- It's a silver canister, about two feet long, cylindrical in shape. He
unscrews the lid.
EFFECTS: Immediately an incredible red glow bursts from the canister, so strong
we almost need to shield our eyes. WE RECOGNIZE IT, FROM ITS COLOR AND
INTENSITY, IMMEDIATELY" It is the nuclear core he stabilized at Iroquois Trail
Power Plant.
SUPERMAN
You're Hungry for energy?
Taste this.
He drops the nuclear core in the center of the machine.
LONG SHOT: The giant computer begins to glow even more brightly than before.
Red-hot, then white hot, then it begins to crackle and rumble and smoke. The
machine is overdosing.
EFFECTS: IN SPECTACULAR SERIES OF SHOTS, the machine self-destructs. Explosions.
Burn-outs. Short circuits. Flare-ups. Entire chunks of metal hurled into the
air. Tremendous noise. It's like watching the end of the world as we WATCH the
machine commit suicide.
IN THE MIDST OF THIS, INTERCUT SHOT OF LORELEI, released from her magnetic trap,
sliding down the cave wall and landing unceremoniously (and unconsciously) on
the ground.
At last there is a gigantic explosion within the computer. It totally
disintegrates, bursting apart from its own gluttony, wreaking havoc and total
destruction within the cave.
A long moment as the dust settles. No sign of life. Piles of rubble and broken
rock everywhere. It looks like a bombed-out battlefield. And then...
ON A MOUND OF EARTH AND DEBRIS -- The hand of a white man struggles up and out
from beneath the pile of rock.
PAN SLIGHTLY LEFT: From an adjacent mound of rubble, the hand of a black man is
seen pushing out from beneath the earth.
And SUPERMAN and GUS clasp hands and pull each other out from beneath the
mounds.
They struggle up and out, clutching their hands together: alive, triumphant, and
partners at last.
EXT. OIL FIELDS - DAY
ON THE FOREMAN. Looking in quiet despair at his non-working acres of derricks.
Shrugging, he turns and starts walking away when:
Sound: the thunk of a motor starting, a pump beginning to work.
He spins around in wonder and sees the pump nearest him suddenly coming to life
again.
Seconds later, another one starts up. Then another. Then five more.
EXT. PIPELINE, DESERT OR TUNDRA - DAY
Oil starts gushing out the formerly dry valve-faucet. The delighted WORKER
rushes to turn it off.
EXT. OCEAN - DAY
AERIAL SHOT. The tankers begin to move away from each other in different
directions.
EXT. SERVICE STATION - DAY
A car pulls up to the gas pumps. STATION ATTENDANT comes over to the car.
ATTENDANT
Regular or premium?
MAN IN CAR
What the hell, she hasn't had a
drink in so long, let's give her
a tankful of the good stuff.
The ATTENDANT starts to pump gas in the car.
EXT. SKY - DAY
SUPERMAN flying with GUS clinging to his outstretched arms, his legs wrapped
around his waist. Sort of like the stork flying his bundle. GUS is absolutely
terrified. He opens one eye, looks down, quickly shuts it.
SUPERMAN
How you doing down there?
GUS
Don't make me talk, please.
I got enough problems just
hangin' on.
SUPERMAN
(a little laugh)
Hey, you're perfectly safe.
GUS
I ain't about to argue with you.
(as they fly)
What's gonna happen to them
three? Ross the boss and those
ladies?
SUPERMAN
That's up to the judge, Gus.
It's not your problem anymore.
GUS
(suddenly)
Watch out for them air pockets!
SUPERMAN
No, we're just going down.
GUS
(terrified)
We gonna crash?
SUPERMAN
I never crash, Gus. That'd be
embarrassing.
GUS
(eyes shut)
We back in Metropolis?
SUPERMAN
No...I just have a little stop
to make.
ANGLE DOWN: Beneath them is a coal mine in West Virginia or similar place.
EXT. COAL MINE - DAY
A big mound of coal sits on the ground near a shack and a mine entrance. A FEW
MINERS look up in amazement as SUPERMAN and GUS land.
GUS
(looking around)
Whatcha wanna stop here for?
(quickly)
Not that I ain't glad to be on the
ground, y'understand.
SUPERMAN
Just a second.
He walks over to the miners, and picks up a lump of coal.
SUPERMAN
Can you guys spare this one?
A MINER
(having trouble finding
his voice)
...Sure, Superman.
(incredulously)
It is Superman, isn't it?
GUS
(lording it over
them)
Hey, man, who'dya think it
was, your mama?
ON SUPERMAN -- he turns away, his back to them all.
EFFECTS: CLOSER ON HIS HANDS as he squeezes the lump of coal. The incredible
pressure of super-strength does what it takes nature centuries to do: before our
eyes the lump of coal turns into a Liz Taylor-size diamond, glinting in the
light.
SUPERMAN
(to himself)
Too showy.
EFFECTS: He squeezes it further down to a normal-size diamond.
Holding it in his fist, he turns back to them.
SUPERMAN
Thanks.
(to GUS)
Let's go
GUS
I was afraid you'd say that.
(to MINERS)
Hey, is there a bus station
around here?
SUPERMAN
(with a laugh)
Suit yourself, Gus.
(to the MINERS)
Say, does your boss use a
computer in this operation?
FIRST MINER
Yeah, a small one. Why?
SUPERMAN
You tell him he can do a lot worse
than giving Gus Gorman here a
job. Tell him I guarantee it.
He smiles farewell and takes off.
HOLD ON GUS -- watching him fly away.
GUS
(softly)
Take it easy, man.
He turns to the awe0struck MINERS.
FIRST MINER
You flew with him?
In a gesture of bravado, Gus unsnaps the buttons on his shirt front, as if to
reveal a Super-Gus outfit. But, of course, there's just an old T-shirt there. So
he quickly adopts a big-shot tone:
GUS
So, You fellas ain't never
seen the super dude before,
huh? Him and me, we go way
back. I mean way back. We
generally help each other out,
y'see, like just yesterday was
in this cave, see...
And he starts to spin his yarn to the wide-eyed AUDIENCE:
INT/EXT FRENCH RESTAURANT - NIGHT
ON SUPERMAN -- smiling affably.
SUPERMAN
Hi. I reserved a table for two.
REVERSE: A VERY ELEGANT MAITRE D' is at the restaurant desk of a very toney
French restaurant, all red velvet and fake Matisse paintings. He is regarding
SUPERMAN with great disdain.
MAITRE D'
I'm sorry, but we won't be able
to seat you.
TWO SHOT
SUPERMAN
(the smile fading)
I know I'm a little early but --
MAITRE D'
We won't be able to seat you
later either.
(pointedly)
Gentlemen are required to
wear jacket and tie.
SUPERMAN
(nonplussed)
Oh.
(to himself)
I'd better try to catch her before
she leaves.
INT. CORRIDOR, METROPOLIS HOTEL - NIGHT
This is that clean, nicely furnished, moderately-priced family hotel we all wish
really existed.
ON THE ELEVATOR DOORS -- as they open and CLARK emerges, straightening his tie.
FOLLOW HIM as he hurries down the corridor, past the Room Service trolley beside
the door of room 311. He knocks on the door. A very spiffily dressed LANA opens
it.
LANA
Clark! What a nice surprise!
Come on in.
INT. METROPOLIS HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT
RICKY is sitting at a little table/desk, enjoying the Room Service supper that
was brought up on that trolley outside.
The room is small, a bit cramped, what with a folding cot that has been moved in
for RICKY, plus a chair, table, LANA'S bed, etc.
RICKY
Hi. Mister Kent.
(as CLARK smiles
back, RICKY can't
help bragging:)
Guess who Mom's having dinner
with tonight? Superman!
CLARK
(apologetically,
to LANA)
Actually, that's why I stopped
by. He's realy sorry, he wanted
to make it, but then he...ran into
a problem.
LANA looks a little disappointed, but less so than RICKY.
LANA
(nodding understandingly)
I guess he misses a lot of dinners.
CLARK
But if you wouldn't mind
settling for me --
LANA
(brightening)
Anyday...
TWO-SHOT -- CLARK and LANA
CLARK
He asked me to give you
something. You know, he
and I, we talk all the time.
And when he heard about
you having to pawn your
diamond ring, he thought
that was terrible.
(awkwardly)
So when he found this sort
of, um, lying around -- well,
he thought you might like to
have it.
He takes from his breast pocket a little ring set with the diamond SUPERMAN
squeezed out of coal. He lays it in her hand.
MED. C.U. LANA -- She just stares at it as if she can't believe this is
happening. When she looks up at CLARK, her eyes are very large and a little
moist.
LANA
I...I...
But she is too moved for wards. Finally, she can only throw her arms around
CLARK and hig him with all her might and all her heart. Which he doesn't mind a
bit.
INT. CORRIDOR, METROPOLIS HOTEL - NIGHT
ON THE ELEVATOR DOORS -- as they open. This time it is BRAD who steps -- or
stumbles -- out, holding forth his new best friends, the TWO SINISTER TYPES (one
with scar and eyepatch, one with shved head and mustache) we SAW earlier in the
bar with (EVIL) SUPERMAN.
BRAD
Wait till you see her.
(waxing poetic)
Hair like a sunset, eyes like
stars, and built like a --
GUY WITH EYEPATCH
(overlapping, scornfully)
A chick like that, what's she want
with you?
BRAD
She's my girl. I came all the way
from Smallville just to bring her
back.
(with great assurance)
She's crazy about me -- she just
don't know it yet.
They lurch down the corridor, peering at room numbers.
INT. METROPOLIS HOTEL ROM - NIGHT
Slipping the ring on her finger, LANA studies its gleam in the lamplight and
glows with pleasure herself.
RICKY
(his own perspective)
Wow, a ring form Superman!
Lemme see, Mom!
He jumps up, knocking a dish of hard candies off the table. They scatter on the
carpet. RICKY looks dismayed, but CLARK is, as always, ready to help.
CLARK
(quickly)
Here, I'll get those.
He kneels to pick up the candies.
LANA
(still in the throes
of emotion)
I really don't know what to say.
(as CLARK smiles up
at her, she almost
blushes)
Thank you. I mean, thank him--
WIDE ANGLE -- It is at just this moment that BRAD and his boozing buddies burst
in to see "his girl" sporting a diamond ring on her outstretched hand and
looking soulfully down at CLARK KENT, who is down on one knee, gazing up at
her. To BRAD it all means one thing:
BRAD
Wha----you sonofa----
LANA
Brad!
BRAD charges into the room like a bull, his two BUDDIES (brawlers by nature)
right behind him. (NOTE: CLARK'S dilema in this fight is that he must retain the
CLARK KENT identity, i.e. not only can he not use super-powers, he can't even
hit anybody since it would be lethal. Therefore, his strategy is to look clumsy
and awkward, while actually manipulating the defeat of the three bullies. What
follows is very quick:)
BRAD, drunk, takes a swing at CLARK and misses; his momentum sends him falling
forward over the room's chair.
CLARK
whoops----
The BALD GUY throws a tale lamp at CLARK, who ducks in time. As LANA and RICKY
try to get out of the way, the BALD GUY charges CLARK before CLARK can get to an
upright position. Thus CLARK comes up just in time to "accidentally" butt his
attacker in the gut. The BALD GUY sails right into the open closet, smashing his
skull against the inside wall. Out cold, he slides to the floor. Quickly, LANA
runs over and shuts the closet door on him, as if to say, "That's that."
The GUY WITH THE EYPATCH is enraged:
CLARK puts his hands up, as if backing away:
CLARK
Take it easy now, c'mon, be
reasonable.
INSERT: CLARK kicks the fallen lamp at the GUY'S feet.
THE GUY WITH THE EYEPATCH steps on th lamp, trips, falls forward full force on
the folding cot, which promptly folds itself up, both sides, squashing and
imprisoning him inside the mattress. in effect, the GUY is filling in a sandwich
completely immobilized.
ON BRAD: Who picks himself up, glares drunkenly at CLARK, practicaly pawing the
grounf as he speaks:
BRAD
Kent, I hate you. I always hated
you. And you know why, Kent?
Because you're nice. Nice guys
finish----
And before he can utter the word "last," he's overcome with rage. He puts down
his head, roars like an animal, and charges at CLARK like a bull at a toreador.
CLARK goes to pick up the glass candy dish, shich is in BRAD'S hand. BRAD
catapaults over him and goes right out the open door, lands splat on top of the
Room Service trolley in the hallway.
INT. CORRIDOR, METROPOLIS HOTEL - NIGHT
Causing the trolley, with BRAD spread-eagled on top of it, to head right for the
elevator. Just as we think it's going to crash, the elevator doors open and
BRAD, trolley and all, roll right into the elevator where a DIGNIFIED COUPLE
stand.
INT. ELEVATOR
The WOMAN looks down with distaste at the drunken and battered BRAD laying on
top of the food on the serving tray.
WOMAN
No wonder they sent it back.
Her husband nods.
INT. DAILY PLANET, PERRY WHITE'S OFFICE - DAY
PERRY is at his desk. LOIS is sitting facing him, looking trim and tan and
terrific. CLARK is beside her.
PERRY
Lois, I've got to hand it to you.
You're amazing. Who else could
manage to turn a three-week
tropical vacation into a front page
story that's going to blow the lid
off government corruption in the
Caribbean?
LOIS
I just knew I was onto something
when that taxi driver kidnapped me.
CLARK
(repressing a tiny,
fond smile)
You're the best, Lois.
LOIS
I'd better be. Suddenly I've got
competition to keep up with.
(as CLARK looks
confused)
Your high school reunion article.
I though it was terrific. And
fascinating.
(shyly curious)
Especially about the girl back
home.
(expansively)
I'll tell you what, Clark, I'll
take you to lunch and you can
tell me all about it.
CLARK
Gee, I'm sorry, Lois. But I've
already got a lunch date. With
Mr. White's new secretary.
LOIS
(intrigued)
Oh?
NEW ANGLE -- The office door opens and LANA LANG, looking very perky, sticks her
head in.
LANA
(softly, as she puts
some papers on
PERRY'S desk)
Hi. Clark.
PERRY
Lois, met Lana Lang. Smallville's
latest gift to Metropolis.
LOIS
(more intrigued, taking
a closer look at her now)
Oh??
LANA
Glad to meet you, Miss Lane.
I like your writing a lot.
LOIS
Thanks.
(shaking the hand, LANA
has offered, LOIS can't
help noticing the ring on
her other hand; lightly)
I like your sparkler a lot.
LANA
(confiding, happily)
Me too. I couldn't believe it
when Clark gave it to me.
LOIS
(she can't believe
it either)
Clark gave you -- ???
She can't finish the sentence. But she doesn't get a chance to, anyway.
From off-screen, the not-so dulcet tones of MISS HENDERSON:
MISS HENDERSON
Mr. White, look what I've got for
you.
ON MISS HENDERSON -- pushing before her a new bingo machine -- the electronic
kind that has jets of air pushing the plastic balls inside a dome like popcorn
maker. The JINGO sign is attached.
MISS HENDERSON
(terribly thrilled)
It's modern. It's up-to-date. It's
state-of-the art.
(to all)
People, I am in love with this
machine.
(she pushes it in
front of PERRY)
Go ahead, Mr. White.
PERRY
(already miserable)
Where's the handle?
MISS HENDERSON
(giggling)
There is no handle! You just push
a button.
She shows him the button. He punches it. The machine activates. The plastic
balls begin to jump and leap inside the dome. then it starts going faster.
Faster. Smoke starts to curl from the machine.
Sound: An awful grinding noise.
LOIS
What's that terrible smell?
ON THE MACHINE -- it self-destructs, firing JINGO balls all over the office,
exploding its plastic dome.
FULL SHOT -- as ALL stand there, stunned.
CLARK
(backing out of
the room)
Uh...excuse me, folks...
PERRY
Kent!
CLARK
I'm sorry, Mr. White, but I've
got an errand to run.
EXT. SKY ABOVE PISA - DAY
ON SUPERMAN as he flies.
SUPERMAN
(shamefaced, to himself)
Gosh, what an awful thing to have
done.
He starts to descend.
WIDE SHOT: He arrives at the top of the tower, starts to push it back down again
so that it will lean once more.
EXT. SOUVENIR STAND, PISA - DUSK
Where our MAN once again admires his stock of vertical Tower models, looks to
the real thing, looks back and then does a double-take worthy of Billy Gilbert
in his prime: for the Tower is now the LEANING TOWER again and all his wares are
useless.
Hysterical, he smashes shelves tot he ground, makes violent obscene gestures at
the caped HERO above, weeping and screaming.
SHOPKEEPER
Cretino! Stronzo!
(and other expletives deleted)
EXT. SKY/SPACE
All problems attended to, he flies majestically across the magical place where
light blue sky deepens into the dark black of outer space. As HE FLIES TO
CAMERA, he shrugs as if to say, "Well, you can't win 'em all, folks." Then
there's the comforting, familiar, warm smile and the little salute that lets us
know the world is safe in the hands of the one, the only...SUPERMAN!
THE END