The Time Machine Page #3

TIME TRAVELLER (swallowing)

It's all right. - I want to tell.

FILBY:

It will keep, George. Eat, rest a

little.

TIME TRAVELLER:

No! I must tell it now... while I

still remember.

FILBY:

Relax, try to relax a bit. You've

all the time in the world.

CLOSE ON THE TIME TRAVELLER 13

As he looks up, amused.

TIME TRAVELLER:

You're right, David.

(almost to himself)

That's exactly what I have. -

All the time in the world!...

ever since we were all together

five days ago, the last day of

Eighteen Hundred Ninety Nine.

Slowly the CAMERA MOVES IN CLOSER while everyone

listens so intensely that, aside from the Time

Traveller's VOICE, only the TICKING of a pendulum

CLOCK is heard.

SLOWLY DISSOLVE:

INT. - EBONY BOX ON TABLE - CLOSE SHOT (AFTERNOON) 14

(NOTE:
The Slow Dissolve from the previous shot

should give the effect of the Ebony Box

emerging from the Time Traveller's brain.)

TIME TRAVELLER'S VOICE

There in that box rests the result

of two years' labor.

The CAMERA DRAWS BACK to reveal the LIBRARY. The Time

Traveller, wearing casual tweeds and smoking a pipe,

sits in his favorite chair behind the Ebony Box.

Across from him in another chair sits Dr. Hillyer

puffing his cigar. Bridewell and Filby have glasses

in their hands -- Kemp nothing. All are looking at

the box.

TIME TRAVELLER:

(continues)

I wanted to finish the job before

the new century began. - I barely

made it.

BRIDEWELL:

Marvelous.

DR. HILLYER (stands up)

What is it?

TIME TRAVELLER:

Well, it has to do with time.

DR. HILLYER

(steps to box)

I've always maintained what this

nation needs is a reliable timepiece.

The Navy needs one. The Army needs

one. - For the artillery you know.

KEMP (leaning forward)

Couldn't do better, George. So

that's why you've been in hiding. -

Clever of you, indeed!

FILBY (studying the Time

Traveller's reaction)

I don't believe George is referring

to a new kind of timepiece.

TIME TRAVELLER:

When I speak of time, I'm referring

to the fourth dimension.

A perplexed look comes over Bridewell's face.

Dr. Hillyer registers concern. Kemp looks troubled.

Only Filby expresses avid interest.

FILBY:

Go on, George.

TIME TRAVELLER:

Now, as you know, the difficulty

in explaining the fourth dimension

is that it cannot be seen or felt -

it must be thought of.

FILBY:

If you don't mind, George, would

you refresh me on the first three

dimensions.

DR. HILLYER

Really, Filby, they must have

taught you something at school!

BRIDEWELL (baiting

Dr. Hillyer)

Suppose you explain it, Doctor.

DR. HILLYER

Certainly!

(he demonstrates

pompously)

When I move in a straight line,

forward or backward, that's one

dimension. - When I move to the

left or right, two dimensions. -

When I move up and down, three

dimensions.

(a bright idea lights up

his face. At last he can

get ahold of the box, but

Filby interferes before

Dr. Hillyer can get his

fingers on it and he has

to be satisfied with merely

pointing)

For instance, this box has three

dimensions:
length, breadth, and

height.

BRIDEWELL (amazed)

Well, then, what's the fourth

dimension?

DR. HILLYER

Well, that's...that's mere theory!

No one can really say what the

fourth dimension is or even that

it exists.

THE TIME TRAVELLER - MED. SHOT 15

Leaning forward in his chair.

TIME TRAVELLER:

On the contrary, Doctor! The

fourth dimension is as true and as

real a dimension as any of the

other three. In fact, they couldn't

exist without it.

DR. HILLYER (enters the SHOT)

How do you mean?

TIME TRAVELLER:

Well, take that box. It has the

first three dimensions, as you said.

But what if it didn't exist in Time?

It wouldn't exist at all, would it?

DR. HILLYER

No.

TIME TRAVELLER:

So - for an object to exist at all,

it must exist in the fourth dimen-

sion....and that fourth dimension

is duration....Time!

DR. HILLYER (impatiently)

All right! But what's in that box?

TIME TRAVELLER:

I'm coming to that. But first,

consider! Why is it that we usually

ignore the fourth dimension? Because

we have no freedom to move in it. We

can move in the other three -- up,

down, forward, backward, sideways.

But when it comes to Time, we are

prisoners. Do you follow me, Anthony?

GROUP SHOT 16

In the f.g., Bridewell who has been sitting with a

glazed, dreamy look, suddenly jumps.

KEMP:

George! You've given a most lucid

explanation and all that! But I

don't think I entirely understand.

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