Dr. Cyclops (1940) - full transcript

How much longer
will you struggle

before you realize
you can never do it?

No longer, my dear mendoza.

Because I have done it.

It still lives.

Look for yourself.

- Incredible!
- You see?

I used sufficient radium
to tear it to shreds

and yet I have been able
to keep it alive.

You must stop at once!

Destroy your slides!
Burn your notes!



Are you ill?

You must listen to me,
before it is too late.

When I discovered
this gigantic radium deposit,

I thought first of you,
of Dr. thorkel,

my teacher of Dr. thorkel,
the great biologist!

I sent for you to counsel me.

I began to imagine
here in the jungle

the thorkel institute,

a palace of healing
to which all might come.

Bah, are we country doctors?

You do not realize
what we have here,

in our very hands

we have the cosmic force
of creation itself.

In our very hands
we can shape life,



take it apart,
put it together again,

mold it like putty.

But what you are doing is mad.

It is diabolic!

You are tampering with powers
reserved to god.

That is good.

That is very good.

- That is just what I am doing.
- Well, I will not permit it!

Are you forgetting
who is master and who is pupil?

No, and therefore I beg you
to renounce this great evil!

You would interfere
with my work?

I must.

All this is mine
and I forbid it!

You forbid...

Certainly grossmith can take
over your lectures...

I'm not concerned
about that, but...

Dr. thorkel wouldn't have sent
for me to join him

unless it were something
if the utmost importance.

You know Dr. thorkel
only by reputation.

I worked with him one winter
at the institute.

He is a very strange man,

abnormally secretive
about his experiments.

And now that the two years
he has buried himself

in @a camp in the Amazon jungle,

who knows
what his mental state maybe?

Dr. thorkel may be eccentric,

but he is also
the greatest living biologist

I shall be glad to help him
if I can.

I still wish you were not going.

But Mr. stockton, we have
already come 10,000 miles.

Please make an effort
to grasp our situation.

I can grasp it
without any effort.

Your Dr. Hardy couldn't stand
this altitude,

and I'm the only
other mineralogist

this side of Lima.

The answer is still no.

We were warned
that any of the usual ways

of offering you work would fail.

Who did me that favor?

We naturally went to the consul.

What did he say?

As American consul,

he merely admitted you were
on an extended vacation.

But as your friend,

he now admits
he's only been doing you harm

in buying up your 1.O.U.'S.

You pick up things quick,
don't you?

So now, Mr. stockton,

which would you rather do:
Go to jail or go to work?

Nope.

I couldn't rent these mules
to my mother.

- I'd like to help you.
- We do not need your help,

but we did hire these mules
by cable more than a month ago.

Too bad,
since then I bought them.

I'm a mining man
and I got use for them.

Will you please listen
while I endeavor to explain?

Sure.

I am a biologist.

Sure, a bug hunter.

Dr. Alexander thorkel,
whom we are on our way to join,

is also a bug... a biologist.

He's been doing field work
for the last two years

in his camp on the karana river.

That's a tough country,

and a long time
to chase butterflies.

You don't seem to realize

that Dr. thorkel
is the greatest living authority

on organic molecular structure.

I guess there is nothing
like learning a trade.

You got me,
now let's see you get him.

Do you want more money
for your mules?

I suppose you're a doc, too?

If it isn't money,
what is it you want?

- I wanna to go along.
- Oh...

But this is most irregular!

Dr. thorkel sent
for three selected people

and three only.

Suit yourself.

If the mules go, I go.

Mr. doctor thorkel!

- What is it?
- Pedro: The people is come!

Good.

Where is Dr. thorkel?

Did you see on the trail
a horse with spots?

Nope, no kind of a horse.

He is gone.

Tipo!

Come here!

My dog,
he must not get lost, too.

Then tie him up.
Is Dr. thorkel not here?

He is come right now.

Dr. bulfinch,
you honor me in coming.

The honor is mine in being asked
to join you, Dr. thorkel.

You must be Dr. Robinson.

- You were very brave to come.
- I was glad to.

Dr. Hardy, you look rather
younger than I expected.

Sorry to disappoint you,
but I'm not Dr. Hardy.

- I'm bill stockton.
- Dr. Hardy became ill,

so we enlisted
Mr. stockton's services.

I'm sure you are well qualified.

My past was well looked into.

Funny sort of a dump to find
way down here in the woods.

- I don't recall a fourth.
- Hello, doc.

Mr. baker owns
and operates the mules.

He insisted on coming
to look after them.

It was very kind of you
to help us.

Dr. bulfinch, your last work

on the molecular structure
of organic tissue

convinced me that no one was
so fitted to collaborate with me

at this stage of my labors.

I am twice honored.

You can only imagine
how welcome you are

when I explain to you
that I sent for you

because my eyes will no longer
permit me to use a microscope.

Shocking.

Couldn't something
be done for them

if you went back to specialists?

No, I must stay here
until my work is done.

Now, are you altogether
too fatigued

to attack our first problem
at once?

Of course not!

- Ready.
- We will call this specimen a.

Now, please, Dr. bulfinch.

Bill you must do your part!

I brought you!
I'm responsible for you!

You ought to have
a herd of sheep or nine children

then you could really worry.

Bulfinch:
Progressive deterioration,

even disintegration
of structure.

Very good!

Mr. stockton, quickly!

Please, you can't refuse.

I would
if it was any further to walk.

Umm, odd looking cells.

I am not interested
in your opinion

on cell structure.

Tell me if you see anything
there you do know about.

Sure I do. Iron crystals.

Oh, forgive me
if I seem over-wrought,

but what you have just told me

proves the theory
on which my work has been based

for the past two years.

And your eyes, young man,

have given me the clue
to my only error.

These eyes, what a handicap!

How they have held me back
these many months.

And what a journey
they've caused you, my friends.

No, Dr. thorkel.
What a privilege!

Now you must pardon
my returning to my work.

I have some processes underway

which require
my constant attention.

I shall hope tomorrow morning

to find a moment
to bid you all farewell.

If not, please accept now

every expression
of my esteem and gratitude.

Goodbye.

Are you attempting to intimate
that you summoned me

Dr. Rupert bulfinch
ten thousand miles

just for this?

I am not intimating,
Dr. bulfinch,

I'm merely stating a fact.

At a very critical period
in my work,

you were able
to give me the benefit

of your trained sight.

I do not, however,
require further assistance.

Now, you must permit me
to return to my work.

It is most absorbing. Goodbye.

I tell you,
I will not be treated this way.

I will not be treated
like an errand boy.

If I were in your position,
Dr. bulfinch,

I wouldn't stir a step from here

until Dr. thorkel had given me
an adequate explanation.

I can scarcely descend
to the indignity...

- Of bickering with him.
- That's right.

He doesn't want us here,

so the thing to do
is to be on our way.

Can't you even get mad about it?

What's the use?

Do you realize
that after coming all this way

we haven't the faintest idea

even of what Dr. thorkel
is working on?

Stockton:
Maybe you haven't, but I have.

- Well, is it a secret?
- Not anymore.

It's a mine
just like I always figured.

Ah, nonsense.

Have it your own way, doc,

but somebody
has been mining here off

and on ever since
the incas built that wall.

Oh! Steve, you're just dreaming.

Whatever it is
Dr. thorkel is doing here,

it's certainly not mining.

You two are sure
hard to convince!

Deep.

Bulfinch: Mr. stockton!

Where did these come from?

From the ore dump
behind thorkel's house.

This 1s not mineral.

These are bits of bone.

Bulfinch: Dicotylinae.

- What?
- Native wild pig.

I will ask you to attest

that the specimens
are of recent origin.

It must have been
an awful young pig.

Dr. Robinson,
you are to be congratulated.

You have been present
at the identification

of a species of midget pig
hitherto unknown to science,

an animal exactly
four inches long at maturity.

I shall call it
dicotylinae bulfinchi.

Thorkel: You are quick
to take credit, Dr. bulfinch.

May I see the evidence?

Undeniably a very small pig.

Undeniably,
an absolutely new species.

Strange how absorbed
man has always been

in the size of things.

As a biologist, you should
remember that size represents

the chief difference
among mammals.

In all essentials, a mouse
and a whale are identical.

In any event,
I am delighted you were slow

in setting out this morning.

It gives me an opportunity
to pay my respects once more

before you depart.

We are not departing.

But I do not wish yon here!

The discourtesy not to mention
the outright deceit

with which you have treated me,

relieves me completely

of any obligation
to consider your wishes.

I have only one comment to make,

if you remain here another hour,
you do so at your own peril.

Pinto!

Pedro: That's my horse pinto!

He has come back!

Pedro!

- But that is pinto!
- Nonsense. Remain here.

Sure it sounded
like a horse to me.

Whoa, boy.

Steady, pinto.

Thorkel: Whoa, boy.

Steady, boy. Whoa, boy.

You think maybe
it is the ghost of pinto

that he catch?

Nobody here knows
a better answer.

No, Pedro.

I very much fear
Dr. thorkel only imagine

he has something in that box.

What that means is your boss
is cutting up paper dolls.

But what can he be doing
in that house?

What is it that none of us
may see, not even Pedro?

- How long have you been here?
- Five, six month.

Ever since I come down here
with the rats.

What rats?

Four dozen rat,
three dozen chicken,

fourteen dog not counting tipo,

seven cat, beside...

L.satanas.

- What happened to all this zoo?
- I don't know.

Except for five chicken,

they all go in the house
with mister doctor.

I see nothing so very unusual
in a biologist using animals

in this experiments.

What kind of tricks
do you suppose...

- He play with them, doc?
- I don't know.

But satanas,
every day she get more fat.

Let's pack up
and get out of here.

Hey, Steve! Come back here.

- What's up?
- Here, hold this.

Say, what is this?

What do you suppose it might be?

I know what it is.
It's pitchblende.

The stuff
that radium comes from?

- Uranium ore.
- Shh! They'll hear you.

This is one you exposed
at ten feet.

Completely fogged.

Dr. Robinson, this ore contains

an unpredicted proportion
of radium.

We'd better hurry.

Dr. Robinson and I
have reconsidered the situation,

and we've decided to remain here
to care for Dr. thorkel.

You're important other places.

I think bill and me
ought to stay.

But we are better equipped
for the task

and after all,
he is fellow scientist.

Why don't we quit trying
to double cross each other?

What a pity
you recognized the ore.

The same to you.

But I guess a few million bucks
split four ways ain't bad.

But it isn't just money to us.

We're thinking
how important it is

to clinical
and research laboratories.

Sure, with your names up
over the front door

- in big letters.
- Bulfinch: Quiet.

Here comes Pedro.

I see no reason
why we should conduct ourselves

like conspirators.

We have nothing to conceal.

We merely must decide
whether we shall permit a madman

to retain in this keeping

something of such consequence
to humanity.

He's cut there fiddling
with the windless.

Now is the time.

Pinto, he was here!

No horse is in here now.

He sure brought
plenty of spare specs.

Aha! His notebook.

That 1s pinto.

He's not here, Pedro.
That came from outside.

So, Dr. thorkel
actually does believe

he's been able to reduce
the size of a horse.

Thorkel: Bandits! Thieves!

What are you doing in my house?

You have no right
to be even in my camp.

You are merely my employees

whom I have discharged
and instructed to leave.

Now you break
into my laboratory.

Get out instantly!

We're your friends, doc.

We only want to help you.

I know
what kind of friends you are.

I know what you want.

You've broken in here
to learn what I am doing

so that you can share
in the importance of my work.

But I will not permit it,

and no one can share,
and I do not need help!

My notes!

Can't we lock him up somewhere?

I'm sorry.

I realize I have been hasty.

I've been working so hard...

That perhaps I've lost sight
of the true values.

Will you forgive me, my friends,

if as a penance,
I explain to you

what it is I've been trying
to achieve?

I give you my word I, for one,

will take no dishonorable
advantage of your confidence.

Thank you.

All those who in the past
dug here for gold died

without knowing
they had uncovered

something of far greater value,

a deposit of the richest radium
bearing ore known to man.

I see you are aware of that.

How much have you mined so far?

So far, I have extracted nothing

but the usefulness
of the radium.

This tube is
my conducting channel.

The concentrator
hangs down that shaft

in proximity
to the main deposit.

With it I gather and conduct,
under my control,

the immense radio-active force
of nature itself.

- Impossible.
- Impossible?

Once Benjamin Franklin
with a kite

drew lightning from the storm.

In my crude way,

I am likewise drawing
the cosmic forces

from the bosom of the earth.

- Then what do you do with it?
- I will show you.

This is my condenser.

Come.

You will note
that it is similar in design

to the instruments
used in hospitals

to attack cancer tissue.

Though immeasurably
more powerful,

I am able to employ it
with such delicacy

as to treat the wing
of a butterfly without injury.

If you will examine it closely

you will note the simplicity
of construction.

Pinto!

Pedro, come here!

Come, Pedro.
I want you to see this, too.

You must not be impatient.

They are in the cellar,
but you cannot see them

until they regain consciousness.

I can hear Dr. bulfinch
saying "impossible"

when he awakens to find himself
fully dressed

in a pocket handkerchief.

You may be right.

It is nearly time.

No!

No, you must not frighten them.

Come, my little friends.

There is nothing here
to alarm you.

Vocal chords quite unimpaired.

That's a very good sign.

Have you no temperature?

Dr. bulfinch,
would you be good enough

to take the pulse
of our companions?

As with all little creatures,

the first instinct
is for escape.

Well, there's the stairway.
Run if you like.

No, these mice are not for you.
At least, not yet.

Muscular coordination, perfect!

Reflex actions, perfect!

Physical structure, perfect!

There's no need to hide.

I have shut out the cat.

See? I am sitting down.

I threaten nothing.

Thorkel:
Come on out where I can see you.

I like to look at you.

How fearful you are.

You've changed
in more than size.

Have you forgotten breaking in
to steal my discoveries?

Have you so soon lost
all your interest?

Where is your scientific spirit?

Ah!

Come closer, have no fear.

What is the matter?
Can you not speak?

Yes, I can speak.

And a fine, natural voice, too.

But come, are you not curious?

Have you no questions to ask?

Only one.

Why does Providence permit the
existence of such a monstrosity?

Marvelous! Exactly in character!

Brain and nervous system
have come through undamaged.

Now, my little friends,
it will be necessary

to again check
your various weights and sizes.

But first, you will forgive me
if I am so rude

as to resort to a stimulant.

Thorkel: Excuse me,

but during
the period of your transition

I have not had one hour
not one moment's sleep.

You should be proud.

I have been able to alter
the size of many organisms,

but you are the first specimens

to survive the ordeal
by more than a few hours.

You should be proud, I repeat,

because it was your assistance.

You gave me the clue
to my only error.

It was the iron crystals...

Identifying the iron crystals.

Thorkel: Now I can control life
absolutely.

Satanas!

That is my dog.

Sure is a fine dog?

Tipo?

He is a magnificent.

Tipo, come here!

Tipo, I am me!

Pedro!

Tipo, look at me.

I am Pedro.

Tipo, don't you remember
when we're hunting?

You know? Poom!

He is my dog but who is Pedro?

You've been very quiet.

That is good.

Now, come out.
I want to look at you again.

I will Grant that it is
theoretically possible

to break down organic tissue

by subjecting it
to radio activity,

but Dr. thorkel is wrong
about everything else.

A radioactive field
cannot be channelized.

He is absolutely wrong.

You may be right, Dr. bulfinch.

Perhaps you aren't small at all.

Perhaps everything else is big.

My little friends,
I am very proud of you.

You are most resourceful.

Now, come back.

We must resume the examinations.

Remain here.

I shall reason with him.

Come right in, Dr. bulfinch.

I shall be glad
to take you first.

I most certainly
shall not come in.

What? Already a mutiny?

I demand
that you send for the mules

and have us transported
back to civilization.

In a saddlebag?

What an undignified position
for the great Dr. bulfinch!

In any event, the mules
have already been sent

back to civilization.

Then we're to consider
ourselves your prisoners?

Suppose we consider you
self-invited guests

in my laboratory.

So we are prisoners.

- Prisoners in cyclops cave.
- Cyclops!

Is that a reflection
on my vision?

No, on your intellect.

Cyclops, too, thought size
and strength were sufficient.

He was a very ignorant fellow.

While ulysses possessed
a very superior mind.

Well, look out, ulysses

there's a hen about to peck you.

Bulfinch: Go away,
you ridiculous fowl!

Enough of this foolishness.
Come here!

Dr. thorkel, I will not
under any circumstances

cooperate with you
in any manner whatever.

Come here at once.
This is an order!

I will not!

I will not!

Dr. thorkel, I warn you
I won't tolerate this outrage!

Calm yourself, professor.

I am surprised that a figure
of your scientific attainments

should be guilty
of such emotional outbursts.

So you will be the one
to tell the world of my work?

Of your crimes!

You will find the world far away
for legs as short as yours.

A little straighter, please.

Thank you, doctor.

Dr. thorkel,
I demand your attention!

Exactly thirteen
and one quarter inches.

Now, doctor,
hop up on the scale.

Ah, thank you.

I see you anticipated my wishes.

It certainly was
not my intention.

So something has gone wrong.

- You are surprised.
- Be quiet.

Then the great mind
is not infallible after all.

- Stand here.
- I will not!

- Stand here.
- I will not!

Most unfortunate.

Well, doctor,
what mistake have you made?

It is nature
who is making the mistake.

You are developing exactly
as if you were a young organism

instead of a mature one.

You are beginning to grow.

To grow? How fast?

So far your growth
is barely perceptible.

Later it may accelerate.

And later
there will come a reckoning!

I am well aware of that fact.

And it is that
which is most unfortunate.

What are you going to do?

As you and your fellows
develop toward animal size,

you will again interfere
with my work,

that is something
which I cannot permit.

So you would spy on me!

Thorkel: You'd better come back!

You'll never live half an hour
in the jungle!

Stockton: Ain't that the canoe
you was telling us about?

- Pedro: Sure!
- Baker: Come on!

She'll ride us clean out
of this country.

- Kinda big, ain't she?
- She was very small canoe.

I paddle him, like that.

Well, now what do we do?

Well, anything is okay by me,

just so long as we stay away
from that screwball doctor.

We can't go to like this,
being afraid of everything.

This canoe is our only chance
to get away.

Oh, I will push him in myself.

She is very big.

You're supposed
to be an engineer.

There must be some way
to get it into the water.

You're supposed to be
a scientist.

What do you suggest?

Well, people move houses
lots of heavy things.

Don't you use levers
and windlasses?

Fine company,

just when everything
was rolling!

- Wish we had more wood.
- Well, there's the woodpile.

Help yourself.

Got any bright ideas about this?

Could you get the wood

if I keep his attention
this way?

Sister, I'm beginning to admire
that scientific mind.

Not too far.

Get the wood.

- Shake.
- Don't mind if I do.

Now, let him have it!

That croc wasn't so tough.

Sure, he never come back.

Do you know what I think?

When we get the canoe launched
we rig up a sail.

With a sail and rudder
we could go anywhere.

Sure!

- Quick, the cave!
- No! My dog, he follow us.

In the grass!

Stay here,
tipo he will follow me.

Tipo, get away!

I know you are here.

What ingenuity.

You make me very proud of you.

So you are determined
to hide from me.

Now is our chance.

Hurry, bill,
before he gets back.

What's the matter with you?

Dr. bulfinch and Pedro
stopped running, didn't they?

Well, here's where I stop.

What are you gonna do?

I don't know yet,
but I'm staying here.

I'm going to kill him, somehow.

Anyway, I'm through running.

Take care of her, Steve.

You can do that yourself, bill.

I'm staying with you.

You don't suppose I'm gonna
wander away alone, do you?

At my size?

What makes you think he'll go
to bed when he comes in?

Remember how tired he looked?
He's plenty sleepy.

I hope you're right.

Now, right a hair...

Hold it!

There we are, right in his ear.

Look out, bill!

So, you have come back.

You are here.

You would dare attack me.

You have made a great mistake,
you understand?

Dr. bulfinch understood,

because I told him
before he died.

Now I'll tell you,

because you are gonna die, too.

You are growing.

Soon you will become
full sized again.

If you had stayed in hiding,
you might have been safe.

But now it is too late.

You are shut up in this room
and you will never get out.

Because first I will find you!

Do you understand?
I will find you!

And when I find you,
I will destroy you.

I will not wait for you
to grow to full size again.

I will destroy you now!

You're acting like a fool.

A blind fool.

So, my little friends,
you really wage war on me, huh?

Now you can call me cyclops,
because I have one good eye.

Now here is our trouble
in a nutshell.

If we try to tell everything
that happened to us,

they'll lock us
in a padded cell.

Then we wouldn't have
no more mind than a jaybird.

So remember
what happened to us down there

just didn't happen.

Scat.

Say, did you see that?

Now listen,

haven't you two been
in enough trouble lately?