It Came from Beneath the Sea Page #4

and our problem.

We'll know more definitely

if we find any survivors.

The area is being searched now.

Life raft. Men in it.

I'll set her down and bring them in.

Over and out.

Tell Admiral Norman the Polar

Empress survivors are checking in.

You boys had a rough time,

from what I hear.

Take a deep breath.

I have to check you over.

What happened?

It grabbed us, that's all.

What do you mean,

it grabbed you?

I mean something came up

out of the water

and grabbed our ship

and pulled it under.

Just like that.

Another breath, please.

You kidding me?

Why would I be kidding you?

Something came up

out of the water.

Something like what,

for instance?

Something like...

Well, like those.

Only big.

The biggest you ever saw.

Ain't I right?

They'll tell you.

And then another one

came up at us

and grabbed the ship,

and another one.

And a whole lot of them,

and they dragged it under.

Just like I told you.

I keep seeing those things

coming up at us.

Been drinking?

What do you find to drink on

a life raft outside of water?

A blow on the head,

anything like that?

I'm all right!

Don't you believe me about those?

Of course I believe you about those.

Why shouldn't I?

Yost.

I want you to go along

with this fellow.

He's just going to take you

down the hall.

There's a man there with a

white smock just like mine.

I want you to tell him

all about those.

See that he gets to Doc.

All right, you're next.

How about you?

Having any trouble

with things like this?

Who's this Doc character?

He's one of the staff here.

I ain't seen anything like that.

You can tell Doc for us

we ain't seen nothing.

I know he's lying

as well as you do,

but I have to account

to Washington.

And am I justified in spending

a half a million dollars

searching the Pacific

on the strength of these lies?

(PHONE RINGING)

Burns speaking.

Thank you.

It's the infirmary.

Doc says the patient's as

bad as any of these boys.

He's recanted his original story

and now he won't say

anything else.

Can he be released?

I think it's my turn now.

Tell them to let him go.

But not till after I get there.

Send in Hall, please.

And don't come back unless

I call you. Yes, ma'am.

Hello.

Got a match?

Yeah, sure.

Let me light it for you.

Care for one yourself?

Sure would.

Maybe you can tell me

where I can find Doc.

Doc?

Mmm-hmm.

He's through there,

down the hall.

What do you want him for?

Oh, well, that's kind of personal.

Besides, I don't think you'd

believe me even if I told you.

I'd believe anything you told me.

Sit down.

No, over here.

Well, it's kind of funny,

but I saw the strangest thing.

All I can say is stay

away from Doc. Why?

He'll make out you're sick,

sick in the head.

That's ridiculous.

Why should he do that?

No kidding.

That's what he thinks I am.

Have you been seeing things?

Me? Seeing things?

Don't be silly.

Well, sort of.

Tell me what.

I'm not telling nobody. You want me

to get bounced back to Doc again?

What sort of things did you see?

I asked you first.

Okay, but if you say I said

this, I'll say I didn't.

You won't believe this,

but something happened

to a ship I was on.

She went down with all hands,

except me and a few others.

I saw it happen with my own two eyes.

Know what did it?

It was a giant octopus.

Well?

I guess it's up to you now, Admiral.

Take whatever steps

are necessary.

NARRATOR:
In the weeks

which followed,

the North Pacific was closed

to all shipping.

The sea trade between three

continents came to a standstill.

There was hardly a nation in

the world that failed to demand,

through its government and press,

the reason for such drastic steps.

It was officially announced

that the United States Navy

was engaged in secret maneuvers,

while in reality,

the strangest search in

history was taking place.

Any news from the fleet?

So far they've found nothing, sir.

That's from the State Department, sir,

and they want an immediate reply.

Thank you.

Let's say we do find your beast.

What will you do to it then?

That's the next point

for us to consider.

Torpedoes if we find your

monster on the surface.

Depth charges if it's below.

And if you miss your first shot?

We'll get it with the second.

It may not wait for you.

The Navy is not entirely incapable

of speed, Professor Joyce.

We'll chase it.

I think you underestimate him, Admiral.

The body of the largest

cephalopod is like a giant sack

which he can fill with sea

water and empty suddenly

when he's disturbed or alarmed.

Let me show you, Admiral.

Now watch.

Even the best of your ships

are comparatively old-fashioned

compared to the cephalopod.

He's jet-propelled.

We'll have to rip him to

bits with the first shot.

The State Department

wants to know how soon

we plan to raise our blockade.

Australia, Canada and Peru

are protesting to the U N,

unless we do it at once.

Why don't we come right out

and tell them the whole story?

Washington makes those

decisions, not us.

This stays top secret until

the thing is definitely sighted

and confined to a limited area.

How much longer will that take?

It should've happened by now.

When you start a job like this

again, where do you begin?

With Naval Intelligence, I should think.

If you mean me, I'm afraid I can't

give you a very hopeful send-off.

My department has sifted all the

information made available to us

during the last 10 days,

and this is what it boils down to.

One, three bathers missing

from Australian beaches.

Sharks, probably. Anything else?

Unusually high waves breaking on Midway.

Possible marine disturbance.

That's worthwhile investigating.

It is being, at this time.

I'll have the reports within three hours.

Marine weather station

off the coast of Canada

is out of radio contact with land.

Anything more?

Deep-sea fishermen along

the northwestern US coast

are complaining because

of the poor fishing there.

And that's all.

Any one of these may well

be the clue we're seeking.

Now I suggest that we

take the one most likely,

the weather ship

out of touch with land.

Can you fly me there?

Admiral Burns will have a flight

ready for you and accompany you.

Thank you.

Yes, sir.

Good luck.

May I take the next most likely,

the unlucky fishermen

in the Northwest?

NORMAN:
Is that even

worth considering?

I think so.

I can be ready in 10 minutes

if you'll have a plane for me.

I'll see to it.

Thank you.

Sir, my exec is

aboard the submarine.

He's perfectly capable

of relieving me.

I can't spare you to go hunting

needles in a haystack,

particularly a haystack

3,000 miles in expanse.

You'll have to stand by, Mathews.

That haystack may be a lot

smaller than we thought, Mathews.

Be on the flight deck in

20 minutes. Yes, sir.

Well, there she is.

How'd the car get turned over?

Well, the way we see it, they must

have parked the car up the beach a bit.

There where it's steep.

Yeah.

Brakes worked loose,

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