The Time Machine Page #4

TIME TRAVELLER:

Look! There are a lot of things in

the world you don't understand,

aren't there?

KEMP:

Of course! Quite a number.

TIME TRAVELLER:

But you don't refuse to believe

in them because of that?

KEMP:

Not if I can see the proof with

my own eyes.

TIME TRAVELLER:

Good! All I'm asking you to do

now is to witness a demonstration

of the possibility of movement in

the fourth dimension.

(to Dr. Hillyer)

Philip, will you please hand me

that box?

All eyes turn to Dr. Hillyer as he eagerly rushes to

the table, lifts the box with surprise at its lightness,

and takes it to the Time Traveller. George opens it

with great care and brings forth a mechanical device

[PAGE 13 MISSING FROM HARD COPY]

TIME TRAVELLER:

I've told you. The larger model

can carry a passenger on a journey

through Time. - Not through Space,

mind you, but through Time.

BRIDEWELL:

Oh, I say George! If you start

floating around in the future, aren't

you likely to mess things up for the

rest of us?

DR. HILLYER

The future is already there. It's

irrevocable and cannot be changed.

CLOSE ON TIME TRAVELLER 19

He answers thoughtfully.

TIME TRAVELLER:

That's the most important question

to which I hope to find an answer.

Can Man control his destiny? Can he

change the shape of things to come?

[PAGE 16 MISSING FROM HARD COPY]

TIME TRAVELLER'S VOICE

Imagine that this cigar is the Time

Traveller. Now, this lever in front

of him controls movement. Forward

pressure sends the Machine into the

future, backward pressure into the

past. And the harder the pressure

the faster the Machine travels.

GROUPSHOT - LOW ANGLE 24

All eyebrows are raised.

TIME TRAVELLER:

This experiment can be performed

only once. If it succeeds, I lose

my model forever. That is why I

need witnesses.

They look at each other, uncertain whether he is

joking or not. Bridewell stoops with difficulty to

examine the table.

KEMP:

Go ahead.

TIME TRAVELLER:

You're ready then?

Despite disbelief, there is a tense silence as he puts

his finger on the lever. Then he pauses.

TIME TRAVELLER:

Doctor Hillyer, would you care

to lend me your hand?

Dr. Hillyer extends his hand hesitantly, smiling

weakly.

INSERT OF MODEL 25

Using Dr. Hillyer's forefinger, the Time Traveller

presses the lever forward. A LOW-PITCHED HUM is

heard.

CLOSE ON THE MEN - LOW ANGLE 26

The men stare in fascination as the CAMERA PANS

and the HUMMING INCREASES.

INSERT:
GLASSES - CHANDELIER - VASE 27

The glasses on the silver tray rattle (a)

and clink against each other.

The gas lights of the chandelier (b)

flicker rapidly.

A vase shudders and moves slightly on (c)

the mantelpiece.

INSERT OF MODEL 28

As the vibration increases, the outline of the model

is blurred and gradually becomes transparent, until

the Machine with the cigar has vanished utterly.

The HUMMING HAS REACHED A HIGH SHRIEK and STOPS

abruptly.

BACK TO CLOSE ON MEN - LOW ANGLE 29

The sudden silence is almost unbearable. They

stare at the empty table. The CAMERA PANS.

DR. HILLYER (touches his

cigar pocket)

I'll be damned!

TIME TRAVELLER (almost

to himself)

It worked!

Filby swallows.

Bridewell, with his mouth open, stares at the table.

Now he looks at the glass of champagne in his hand

and places it on the mantelpiece as far out of

reach as he can. Then, suddenly reversing his

decision, he retrieves the glass and gulps it down.

30 OUT

TWO SHOT 31

Dr. Hillyer slowly turns to the Time Traveller.

DR. HILLYER

Where did it go?

TIME TRAVELLER (recovering)

Go? Nowhere in the usual sense.

It's still here.

(indicating space where the

Machine stood)

But it's no longer in the present.

It's traveling through time - to

the future, to be precise.

DR. HILLYER

Do you seriously expect us to

believe that?

TIME TRAVELLER:

Certainly.

DR. HILLYER

But you just said it hasn't

really moved.

TIME TRAVELLER:

That's correct.

DR. HILLYER

Then why can't we see it?

TIME TRAVELLER:

Because we're in this room on

December 31st, 1899, while the

model you saw is perhaps a hundred

years away. This room, or even

this house, may no longer exist a

hundred years from now. But the

Time Machine is occupying the same

space it did a moment before it went

off on its journey.

Dr. Hillyer runs his hand over the top of the table.

DR. HILLYER (exasperated)

If it occupies the same space, I

should be able to feel it.

TIME TRAVELLER:

You must remember that the space

you've just put your hand through

is today's space. You can't put

your hand into the space of

tomorrow.

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