The Man in the White Suit Page #3

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Davidson will be here

at any moment.

Now, he should be able

to answer that.

[ Brakes squeak ]

[ Car door closes ]

[ Doorbell rings ]

Oh, mr. Birnley's

expecting you.

No, please, listen.

Let me explain !

Please ! Please !

What's all this ?

Oh, it's nothing.

[ Doorbell ringing

repeatedly ]

[ Doorbell stops ringing ]

Please give this to mr. Birnley.

I promise you he'll

want to see me.

I expect my works manager

to know everything, davidson,

down to the smallest detail.

I should hardly call

8,000 a detail.

Judging by the job numbers,

mr. Birnley, hoskins must know.

Well, who's hoskins ?

Your head

of research, sir.

Well, can you find

his private number,

or is it too much to hope ?

Oh, do try.

How can it be impossible ?

I've got them here. But--

Let me speak to him.

Oh, it's you.

Hello.

Have you done it ?

Yes, i have, but i--

Come right in.

Look. Listen,

i'm asking you

a simple question.

What is it, knudsen ?

No, i don't care

what his name is.

I want to know what he--

Very well, then.

You must find him

and send him up here.

No, certainly not.

Tell him to go away.

What do you mean,

you can't ?

Well, you must know

his address.

Why, hang it all,

he's an employee.

Now, look here.

He said to go away.

- She's gone to fetch him.

Really, she has.

- Daphne, have you gone mad ?

I'm in the middle of a difficult

meeting. I don't know what

you're talking about.

How can you

if you won't listen ?

Whatever it is can wait

for half an hour.

This friend of yours

can't be so important--

[ Crash ]

No, don't, don't, don't !

Please, don't !

Ah, there you are at last !

Now listen to me.

No, daphne.

I will not listen to you.

Get out !

I won't.

Daddy !

Knudsen !

[ Doorbell rings ]

You're an irresponsible

young idiot. Knudsen !

Father !

And you're a pompous

and ungrateful old ass.

Oh !

Sidney !

Knudsen !

Knudsen !

[ Doorbell ringing ]

knudsen !

No, father,

listen to me.

Knudsen !

If you think i'd give it to you,

you must be crazy, not if you

were the last man on earth.

Even if i liked you,

i wouldn't give it to you

if you went down...

On your knees

and begged for it.

Knudsen.

I won't stay in your house

another minute.

Oh !

You've made an idiot

of yourself, father.

And i'm delighted to say

you're going to regret it.

You need

a good spanking.

You don't even know

what he's done.

Well, apart from

costing me 8,000,

what has he done ?

He's made a new kind of cloth.

It never gets dirty,

and it lasts forever.

Well, that's ridiculous.

Oh, it is, is it ?

Do you know what

a long-Chain molecule is ?

Do you know what happens

if one makes one

of infinite length...

With optimum

interchain attractions ?

Do you know what it means ?

It means that

to break the fiber, you'd

have to split the molecule.

It means,

for all practical purposes,

it would last forever.

And it has a surface charge

of static electricity.

It repels dirt.

That may be nonsense,

of course.

Maybe he hasn't really done it.

Maybe he's talking

through his hat.

On the other hand,

maybe he has.

Maybe you're talking

through yours.

The point is

you don't know,

And you're too pigheaded

to find out.

[ Door slams ]

[ Man ]

8,300.

They're bound

to ask questions.

Stratton, you're coming

straight away with me

to see mister--

Ah, hoskins.

I've decided to

authorize mr. Stratton...

To continue

his research here.

[ Chuckles ]

I'm sure i can rely on you

to give him everything he needs.

Yes, sir.

Well, there you are,

sidney.

[ Chuckles ]

well, you've got

your contract.

And you'll get

your equipment.

Now, is there

anything else ?

[ Coughs ]

there is just one thing.

Yes, my boy.

I've been thinking

about the possibility

of... chain reactions.

And i think probably

we ought to...

clear the lab.

Clear the lab ?

Only as a precaution.

Secrecy, you mean ?

Th-That too.

[ Chuckles ]

You're a shrewd boy.

See about that, hoskins.

And you'll see that not a word

gets out about this,

even in the mills.

Well, perhaps we shall have

a little surprise to spring

on our competitors.

[ Chuckles ]

yes.

[ Birnley laughing ]

[ Rhythmic bubbling,

gurgling ]

Well, there we are.

Shall we try it now,

Or do you think

we ought to wait

until after lunch ?

Whatever you say.

Let's have a go now.

Oh, sorry.

Mr. Hoskins ?

Next door.

Thanks.

[ Clattering ]

oh, mr. Hoskins.

Good morning.

I didn't know where

to find you at first.

Would you just okay these

for accounts, please ?

It does seem

an extraordinary amount.

I suppose it's necessary.

My dear king--

[ Explosion ]

[ Glass breaking underfoot ]

It shouldn't

have done that.

Accounts have sent us

a rough estimate, sir.

18,749.

Mm-Hmm.

Might be worse.

Plus, two thousand

to cover the damage

to the building.

What ?

Oh, i see.

Anything else ?

Yes, sir.

Radioactive thorium !

Well, what does

he want that for ?

[ Explosion ]

What ?

Shut the door.

There's another one

due at any moment.

What is it all for,

exactly ?

It's a lot of tomfoolery

if you ask me.

[ Ring ]

Hello, yes,

hoskins here.

Manchester daily express here.

We heard

there were some accidents

in the laboratory.

Explosion.

I just wondered

if there was a story in it.

Must be some stupid rumor.

Of course, we are making

some structural alterations.

[ Clears throat ]

but that's all.

Yes, right.

Good-Bye.

- There's the--

- [ Explosion ]

Uh-Oh. There go

the fireworks again.

Good as blackpool,

eh, frank ?

Someone will get hurt

if it goes on.

If anyone does, it'll be sid.

He's the one who's taking

all the chances.

And if you was any kind

of a shop steward,

You'd be getting him

danger money.

Fat lot he needs it.

Jumped out of his overalls

into a cushy job pretty fast...

And a cushy

pay packet too.

Well, whatever he gets,

he earns all right.

It's birnley's pockets

he's lining, or they wouldn't

have pushed him into it.

And a fat lot they care

if he goes through the roof.

Me too.

[ Rhythmic bubbling, gurgling ]

Well... here's hoping.

I must frankly admit

that i'm discouraged.

Very discouraged.

No one's allowed in, sir.

Yes, i know.

Mr. Stratton's orders, sir.

Mr. Birnley's orders.

He gave me

strict instructions, sir.

I hardly think

that applies to us.

[ Rhythmic bubbling, gurgling ]

Well, what are

we waiting for ?

Would you like to ?

It's easy.

No.

[ Rhythmic bubbling,

gurgling stops ]

It must have worked.

Were you here

just now ?

Yes. Why ?

My dear boy,

what's the matter ?

Nothing.

It's just that it worked.

Do you mean--

Just now ?

Stratton,

you should have--

Davidson ! Oh.

We've got it,

all right. Look.

We've got the answer,

mr. Birnley.

We can go ahead now.

[ Chuckles ]

[ Ticking ]

Fortunately

there's a chemical change

at 300 degrees centigrade.

[ Birnley ]

hm. Quite remarkable.

[ Sidney ]

we shall have to do

a little ground work on that.

[ Man ] seven and a half.

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