Fahrenheit 451 (1966) - full transcript

An Enterprise Vineyard production.

Oskar Werner, Julie Christie,

in Fahrenheit 451.

Co-starring Cyril Cusack,
Anton Diffring,

Jeremy Spenser,
Bee Duffell, Alex Scott.

Screenplay by François Truffaut
and Jean-Louis Richard.

From a novel by Ray Bradbury.

Music by Bernard Herrmann.

Director of Photography,
Nicolas Roeg.

Color by Technicolor.

Art Director, Syd Cain.



Production and Costume Design Consultant,
Tony Walton.

Film Editor, Thom Noble.

Associate Producer, Mickey Dalamar.

Produced by Lewis M. Allen,

directed by François Truffaut.

Hello.

- Listen, get out! Hurry!
- What? Who is that?

Quickly, get moving!

- I...
- For God's sake, get out of there!

Hello?

Montag, here!

Well, uh,

what sort were these then, Montag?

I didn't really look, sir.



A little bit of everything.

Novels, biographies,
adventure stories.

Oh, routine, eh?

Why will they do it?
It's sheer perversity.

By the way, what does Montag do
with his day off duty?

Not very much, sir.
Mow the lawn.

And what if the law forbids that?

Just watch it grow, sir.

Good.

Good. Montag might be hearing
some exciting news in a day or two.

Benedict won't be
with us very much longer.

And Montag's name has been mentioned.

Promotion, sir?

I trust that the thought
makes Montag happy.

I think we're neighbors.

I live near block 813.
Isn't that where you live?

Yes, I do.

Do you know we make
the same trip together

almost every day?

- Do we?
- Hmm.

That's why I thought to myself,

"Well, we ought to talk to each other."

Do you mind?
Me talking, I mean?

No, no, go ahead. Talk.

I can't promise to think of anything

to answer, though.

Don't you worry about that.

Once I get started,
nothing can stop me.

My uncle says
I am a veritable well of words.

Hasn't this uncle of yours

ever warned you never
to speak to strangers?

No.

He did say once
if anyone asked how old I was,

to say I was 20 years old
and light in the head.

They always go together.

- "Light in the head"?
- Mmm.

Loopy. Crazy.

Anyway, you don't frighten me.

Why should I?

No reason, really.

The uniform, I suppose.

Most people are frightened.
Frightened of firemen.

This is my stop now.

Mine, too. Are you an officer?

Oh, no. Not yet.

An officer has to...
I'm going to be promoted soon.

Even with my eyes closed,
I could tell what you do for a job.

- Because of the smell of kerosene?
- Ah.

Quite a scent, isn't it?

My wife doesn't like it very much.
She says it lingers.

I don't mind.
I think of it as a perfume.

Perfume?

Yes, a perfume, like any other.

I don't think I've seen your wife.
What's she like?

She's rather like you,
except her hair is long.

Rather like me?

Quite like you.

Tell me, that number
you all wear, what's it mean?

Oh, Fahrenheit 451.

Why 451 rather than 813 or 129?

Fahrenheit 451 is the temperature
at which

book paper catches fire
and starts to burn.

I'd like to ask you something else,
only I don't really dare.

Go ahead.

Is it true that a long time ago,

firemen used to put out fires
and not burn books?

Oh, really, your uncle is right.

You are light in the head.

"Put fires out"?
Who told you that?

Oh, I don't know. Someone.
But is it true? Did they?

Oh, what a strange idea.

Houses have always been fireproof.

Ours isn't.

Well, then, it should be condemned
one of these days.

It has to be destroyed,

and you will have to move to a house
that is fireproof.

Too bad.

Tell me, why do you burn books?

What?

Well, it's a job like any other.

Good work with lots of variety.

Monday, we burn Miller.
Tuesday, Tolstoy. Wednesday, Walt Whitman.

Friday, Faulkner. And Saturday and Sunday,
Schopenhauer and Sartre.

"We burn them to ashes,
and then burn the ashes."

That's our official motto.

You don't like books, then?

- Do you like the rain?
- Yes, I adore it.

Books are just so much rubbish.

They have no interest.

Then why do some people
still read them

although it's so dangerous?

Precisely because it is forbidden.

Why is it forbidden?

Because it makes people unhappy.

Do you really believe that?

Oh, yes.

Books disturb people.

They make them antisocial.

Do you think I'm antisocial?

Why do you ask?

Well, I'm a teacher.

Well, not quite.
I'm still on probation.

This afternoon,
the analyst called me in.

And I don't think
I said the right things.

I'm not at all happy
about my answers.

That's probably why
I've been so rude to you.

Have I been annoying you?

Oh, no, not at all.

In fact, I was questioned
this afternoon as well.

I didn't do too well, either.

This is where I live.

You see?
This is my house.

One more question.

- Another one?
- Just a little, tiny one.

What is it?

Do you ever read
the books you burn?

Why should I?

First, I'm not interested,

second, I've better things to do,

and, third, it is forbidden.

Of course.

- You happy?
- What?

Of course, I'm happy.

So that you can protect
yourself on the streets.

The art of self-defense,
and of attack on occasions,

may also come in quite handy
in the home, cousins.

Now, if you watch carefully,

you will see how a woman can use
a man's superior weight

to her own advantage.

Did you see that?
Now, let's watch that once again normally.

And now, in slow motion.

Watch it carefully again, cousins.

I'm going to be promoted.

Now, as he starts to
advance his left foot...

Are you listening, Linda?

...you will notice her position.

Knees bent slightly,
and toes turned slightly inward.

Oh, that's marvelous, Montag.

The Captain told me
while we were out on a call.

What did you say?

I'm talking about my promotion.

Does that mean an increase, dear?

How much?

He didn't mention that.

We could move to a larger house.
Would you like that?

I'd rather have
a second wall-set put in.

They say when you have
your second wall-screen,

it's like having your family
grow out all around you.

Linda, how many of these pills
have you taken today?

What's that?

Oh, those. Help yourself.
I've got another bottle full.

How many have you had?

Oh, don't carry on like that, Montag.
Only a few.

Anyway, tonight's special for me.

I've got a part in the family.

What?

...enemies of the public peace
is gaining momentum.

Today's figures for operations
in the urban area alone

account for the elimination
of a total of

2,750 pounds of
conventional editions.

Eight hundred and thirty-six pounds
of first editions,

and 17 pounds of manuscripts
were also destroyed.

Twenty-three antisocial elements

were detained,
pending re-education.

Did you see that?
Cousin Claudette's got a bouffant tonight.

- Who?
- Cousin Claudette.

Who is cousin Claudette?

The cousin announcer.

The one you don't like.

I don't like any of them.

Why don't you get the kitchen family
fixed, Montag?

You are awful, really.

Oh, hurry, hurry!
I'll be on in a minute! Quickly, quickly!

I don't understand.
How can you be in a play?

Well, they've written a play,
you see,

with one part missing.
That's me.

When the people look at me,
then I have to speak.

They ask me a question,
and I have to say what I think.

The play, it's beginning.

And now, for cousins everywhere,
our family theater.

Come play with us.

Naturally,
in what you are about to see,

any similarity with the truth
or with real life will be purely coincidental.

Do bear that in mind.

So, will you come play with us?

You will?
Good! I thought you would.

Come in, cousins.
Be one of the family.

See here, Charles,
do you realize what a dilemma this is?

It's terribly difficult.

I don't see
any way out of it at all.

Oh, come, come, Bernard.

Of course, there's a way out.

Now, there are 13
of us so far, right?

You want to invite Edward as well,
which makes 14.

Yes, but if somebody's ill, Charles,

then we should be back to 13 again.

Precisely.
Then we must invite more people.

That's an idea.

Now, what about Lottie and James?
That'll make 16.

Then if somebody's ill, well, at least,
we won't be 13, will we?

Mmm. But then there's the problem
of the rooms, Charles.

Lottie has two children, Charles,

two little boys,
Freddie and little John.

I don't see any
problem there at all.

We can put the two children in...

Well, in Helen's room,
for instance.

What do you think, Linda?

Go ahead.
They're waiting for you.

I think that...

You see?
Linda agrees with me.

Lottie's children must go in

with Helen's children, of course.

Linda's absolutely right.

But then there's the problem
of the seating, Charles.

I think I've got something
worked out, though. Look.

If we put Yvonne at the head of the table,
and Richard at her right...

No, no, no, Bernard.

Richard isn't even speaking to Yvonne
these days.

- Oh.
- Because of Leslie.

Madeleine must be
at the head of the table.

Besides which,
Madeleine is older than Yvonne.

She might even be
older than Jacqueline.

Now, I see no problem there.

We put Madeleine at
the head of the table.

It's Madeleine, isn't it, Linda?

Absolutely.

Well,
if Linda thinks it's all right,

well, then, of course it must be.

There's still the problem
about the rooms, Charles.

Well, what rooms are left?

There's the pink room.
We could always put Lillian in the pink room.

And we can put Susan
in the green room.

- Yes.
- Where can we put Monica, you mean?

Yes, what can we do with Monica?

Do you have the answer, Linda?

In the blue room?

- Linda, you're right.
- She's right.

Linda, you're absolutely fantastic.

You saw it, didn't you?
I gave all the right answers.

Wasn't it wonderful?

I could have been an actress.
Don't you think so?

Think what?

That I could have been an actress.

Sure, you could
have been an actress.

I wonder whether Joyce was watching.
I do hope so.

I must ring her tomorrow
and find out what she thought.

How did you get the part?

The head of the family
rang me up. Me!

And said I was to be
in tonight's play.

Oh, Linda, they must
have phoned every one

of the 200,000 Lindas
in the whole country.

That's not true.

I mean, even if it were true,
you didn't have to tell me.

That was very mean.

So, you're in for promotion,
Montag. Good luck.

Thank you.

Well, well,
what's all this we hear, Montag?

Promotion, eh?

It seems so.

How do you feel about it, Montag?
Happy?

The wife rather likes the idea.

- I suppose.
- Hurry!

Attention!

That will do for today.
Go back to your desks.

Now, what's this?

I thought I told you two,
I did not want to

see you sitting next to each other.

Or didn't I make it
clear enough the first time?

Yes, you!

You know what I mean.
Come and sit here.

Let us review yesterday's lesson.

We studied how to
detect books hidden

during the actual
construction of a house.

This is somewhat rare
because it's very costly,

for its floors, for its ceilings.

We also studied
concealment inside furniture.

Trainee firemen Stoneman and Black

are to report to
Captain's office immediately.

I repeat, trainee firemen
Stoneman and Black

to report to the Captain's
office immediately.

We were discussing
concealment inside furniture.

The most prevalent form
being the false icebox

or the fake television set.

What occasionally presents problems

are books hidden in small quantities
in everyday objects.

When one is looking for a book,

the most common area
is to look for it in a rectangular object,

like a cigar box,
or a chocolate box,

or any other object in similar shape.

I demonstrate how even a cylindrical
object can be used.

Montag will report to Captain's office.

Here, you.
Hand me a pile of books.

While I'm gone,
give each of the trainees a book.

Each of you will hide
his book somewhere in this classroom.

When I return, I will give you
a demonstration on how to search.

To learn how to find,
one must first know how to hide.

- What shall I say?
- We met by accident.

- That's no good.
- What do you want to say?

We planned it?

It was your idea.
You're the one who thought of it.

Shut up! If we don't tell him
the same story, we're...

Listen, let's play this by ear.

Montag, this will take
about five minutes.

Yes, sir.

What time is it?

10:00, sir.

Get out!

Like gymnastics, Montag?

Yes, sir.

And what about hockey?
Do you like hockey?

Yes, I do, sir.

- And golf?
- Golf. Very much, sir.

Hmm. And football?

Wonderful, sir.

Billiards?
Basketball?

Oh, they're all
very fine sports, sir.

Then increase the dosage.
More sports for everyone.

Strengthen the group spirit.
Organize the fun.

Just keep them busy,
and you keep them happy.

That's what matters.

Mmm.

Am I right?

Absolutely, sir.

Well, now, shall we talk a little
about this promotion of yours?

You have mentioned the possibility
to your wife, I suppose?

Yes, sir.

And her reaction?

She thought we might be able

to have a second wall-screen, sir.

You only have the one
wall converted. I see.

These matters of
promotion are much more

important to a married man,
aren't they?

I guess so, sir.

Montag, you have no children,
I believe.

No, sir.
We have no children.

Well, then,
a commission seems in order.

And I can't see any reason off-hand

why it shouldn't go through.

You understand, of course,

with the new amendment to the law,
we must expect

to be worked really very hard.

Very hard, indeed.

Until we can arrange for new volunteers
to be drafted.

Yes, sir, I heard
the men talking about it.

How long have you been with us?

For six years, sir.

Yes, for six years, sir.

No, no, no, for five years, sir.
For five, yes.

Montag has one quality
I appreciate greatly.

He says very little.

Have you seen
my personal medallion?

Oh, it's a remarkable likeness.

You must remind me
to let you have one sometime.

Now, let's get back
to this promotion of yours.

I've been looking
through your file.

There are only six back views here.

We need 12 of them, you know.

Two sets of six.

Remember that, Montag.

Linda?

Linda!

Hospital listening.

Yes, it's about my wife.

- She...
- Name and address.

Montag. Block 813.

- 813?
- Just a moment.

- Hello?
- Yes.

Yes, I just came home from work,

and I found her on the floor,
unconscious.

Does she take pills?

Of course!
Yesterday, she...

Just a moment.
I'll connect you with Poisoning section.

Yes.

Poisoning listening.

Yes, it's about my wife. She...

Name and address.

Montag. Block 813.

- What kind of pills?
- Oh.

Just a moment.

- Hello?
- Yes?

They are red. Oh!

And red number two.

Oh, it's a stimulant.
It's harmless.

She's probably taken the wrong kind of
sedative on top of that.

Oh, just a moment.

- Hello?
- Yes, listening.

Yes, they are golden, number eight.

Right. Stay close to her.

The ambulance is on its way.
Four minutes.

What should I do in the meantime?

Nothing.

- Where is the doctor?
- What doctor?

The doctor that
took care of my wife.

No doctors on these jobs, chum.

We do all the blood jobs,
me and him.

No, it's here, please.

That's right, us.
Who did you expect?

Cases like that,
we handle 50 a day like her.

That's right. She won't be the last tonight,
not by a long shot.

No, sir.

Now, don't you worry, sir.

We'll give her
a first-class pump out

and fill her up with new blood.

In 20 minutes,
she'll be as good as new.

Just you relax.

Now, this isn't pretty to look at.

You need a strong stomach.

You better wait out there.

You just leave it all to us.
We'll call you as soon as she's done.

This regulator is not
as regular as it was.

Come here with that thing.

First, get the stockings off.

Never mind that.
Put the dress on that chair.

All right, sir,
you can come in now.

She's fresh as a daisy,
good as gold.

She's still unconscious.

I wouldn't say that, sir.

You've got it wrong.
She's asleep.

Anyway, never mind about her.
You get to bed.

By tomorrow,
it'll all be forgotten.

You mean she'll be completely
well by tomorrow?

Oh, better than that.

Take my word for it,
she'll be on top of the world.

Mind you, she'll have an appetite
for all sorts of things.

That's right.
She'll be starving. You'll find out.

My, I'm hungry.

How do you feel?

Hungry. Really hungry.
I'm absolutely starving. I could eat a horse.

Do you remember last night?

Yes, what a sleep.
I slept like a log.

Listen, when I came home last night,
you were...

I don't know what's wrong with me.
I'm absolutely famished.

Let me talk, Linda, will you?

Of course, darling.
Talk all you like if it makes you happy.

Go on, then.
What about last night?

Nothing. I can't remember.
It doesn't matter, anyway.

Look.

I've bought you a present
to celebrate your...

I forget what.
Never mind.

Do you like it?
Isn't it lovely?

- Do you like it?
- Yes, I do. Very much.

Isn't it smart?
It's the very latest thing.

Everyone's using them now.

Can I throw your old one away?

Linda?

Linda!

I've something to tell you.

Are you listening, Linda?

What are you doing?

Linda?

Hey!

Do you ever read
the books you burn?

Hey, you, come here.
Come here. Here.

What's all this?
What is it? Eh?

Hey!

Come on. Come on.
Come on.

But some boys
still boycott the barber shops.

Here, you see
a mop-up squad at work

on one of these messy know-it-alls.

It all goes to show,
law enforcement can be fun.

How come the door is not working?

You're just in time.
Dinner is nearly ready.

Montag, what are you doing?

I'm coming.

"The Personal History
of David Copperfield.

"By Charles Dickens.

"With 40 illustrations by Phiz.

"London, Chapman & Hall Ltd.,
and Humphrey Milford.

"New York, Oxford University Press,
American branch.

"35 West, 32nd Street.

"David Copperfield.

"Chapter one.

"I am born.

"Whether I shall turn out
to be the hero of my own life,

"or whether that station

"will be held by anybody else,

"these pages must show.

"To begin my life
with the beginning of my life,

"I record that I was born,
as I have been informed and believe,

"on a Friday, at 12:00 at night.

"It was remarked
that the clock began to strike,

"and I began to cry, simultaneously."

Simultaneously.

Just a moment.

Go on.

Come on.

Uh-huh.

A-ha.

Hey.

Oh.

Everything all right?

Yes, everything's all right.

That's what they
always say, isn't it?

So, it must be...
All right, I mean.

It certainly doesn't look that way.
What's wrong?

Oh, everything.

It would take too long to...

Sometimes, I think
I can't stand it anymore.

I'd just like to...

All right, let's go
somewhere quiet, then.

- Won't you be late?
- No, I have plenty of time.

Let's go over here.

I saw you the other day,

when we were going out on a call.

I was on the fire engine.

You know, it's funny.
It reminded me of something.

A girl who used to wait for a soldier

by a barrack gate.

What's happened?

Well, you remember the analyst,
how worried I was?

Mmm-hmm.

Well, I was right to be worried.

I've been dismissed.

Why?
What reason did they give?

None at all.
Just an official call.

"Services no longer required."

I'm never to go
to the school anymore.

They must give you a reason.

Make them tell you why.
Go to the school and ask.

I can't do that.

Anyway, who knows what they may have said
about me to the children.

Strange.

I wonder what you said
that made the analyst...

Don't you have any idea?

There must be something
you said, or did?

I never did get on well with the staff.
They disapprove of me.

I don't always stick
to the timetable and...

Well, we have fun in my classes,
and they don't like that.

There was another teacher,
the one I replaced.

The same thing happened to her.

They didn't like her either.

Now, she's in some
awful kind of trouble.

Well, then it wasn't the analyst.

It was the staff
that wanted to get rid of you

because you are different.

Look at that fellow over there.

What's he doing?

That's the information box.

He can't make up his mind.

What's he want to find out?

He doesn't want to
find out anything.

He knows someone who has books.

So, he got hold of that person's
picture and number,

and is going to
drop it into that box.

But he's an informer!

No, he's an informant.
Look at him.

Like someone
circling around a woman.

He's putting something in his mouth.

It's a stimulant.

To work up his nerve.

He wants to make sure
no one can see him.

Look at him.

He's walking away.

You see?
He couldn't go through with it.

Don't worry, he'll be back.

Here he comes.

Good Lord, make up your mind.

There. What a relief.

Now,
he's got rid of his noisy neighbor,

or of his brother-in-law
who has got a better job,

or even of his mother.
Why not?

It's time to work.

Please, go back to the school
and try to find out.

No, I can't do that.

You must. You must find
an excuse to go back there.

I suppose I ought to go
and clear out my locker.

That's all right.
I have to hurry. Good luck.

I'm not going.

You must come with me.

But I can't.
I have to go to work.

I'll take care of that.
Come on. Leave it to me.

The Rodier Firehouse.

Extension one, miss.

Rodier Firehouse listening.

- Can I speak to...
- Who's calling?

- I'm speaking for Montag.
- Yes?

Can I speak to the Captain?

One moment.

Captain listening.

This is Linda Montag.

- Montag's wife?
- Yes.

Well, madam, what can I do for you?

My husband asked me to tell you,

he's been taken ill
and can't leave his bed.

Nothing serious, I hope.

No, he should be up
by this evening.

Very well, madam.
Thank you for informing me.

Thank you.

Montag's wife.

He's not too well it seems.
He's staying in bed.

- Montag?
- Mmm-hmm.

Is he?

I see.

Well, Fabian, that'll do for now.
Until the meeting.

Okay.

Nine 13s are 117.

Nine 13s are 117.

Nine 14s are 126.

Nine 15s are 135.

Nine 16s are 144.

Nine 17s are 153.

That's Robert.

Nine 18s are 162.

Nine 19s are 171.

Robert.

Nine 13s are 117.

It may be my uniform.

Yes, yes, that's what
frightened him!

It must have been your uniform.

Go ahead.
I'll wait here.

All right.

One 12 is 12.

Two 12s are 24.

Three 12s are 36.

Four 12s are 48.

Five 12s are 60.

Six 12s are 72.

Seven 12s are 84.

Eight 12s are 96.

Nine 12s are 108.

Ten 12s are 120.

Eleven 12s are 132.

I'm going to be promoted.

They'll listen to me then.

I'll go and see your
principal myself. Come.

- Why?
- What?

How did it come about?

What made it begin?

What made you want to do...

How could someone like you
be doing this kind of work?

I know everyone says that.
But you,

you're not like them.

When I say something to you,
you look at me.

Why did you choose this job?

For you,
it doesn't seem to make any sense.

Do you remember what you asked me
the other day?

If I ever read the books I burn?
Remember?

Mmm-hmm.

Last night, I read one.

"Because I'd be ashamed of myself."

Ashamed of myself.

"It was a little after half past 11:00."

What are you doing, Linda?

I found these things in the house.

I don't want these things, Montag.
They frighten me.

You spend your whole life
in front of that family on the wall.

These books are my family.

When did we first meet?
And where?

What?

When did we meet for the first time?

I don't know.

Let me think.

No, I really can't remember.

Oh, that's rather sad.
Don't you think? I do.

I think it's very sad.

Behind each of these books,
there's a man.

That's what interests me.

So, leave them alone
and go back to bed.

I can't sleep.

You have your pills, haven't you?

"Rhinoceros.

"Any of certain large, powerful,

"thick-skinned perissodactyl mammals

"of the family Rhinocerotidae."

- Well, look who's here.
- What about it?

I thought you were on sick leave,
and now, here you are.

Sick leave?
Who gave you that idea?

I don't remember.
I must have got it wrong.

Hurry up!

Montag,
you've forgotten your helmet.

What's this, Montag?
Something wrong between you and the pole?

Oh, Mummy, look.
Firemen!

Mummy, there's going to be a fire.

"Play the man, Master Ridley.

"We shall this day light such a candle,
by God's grace,

"as I trust shall never be put out."

The police haven't done
their job very well.

Who is this woman?
What is she doing here?

Well, she's certainly
worth looking at, anyway.

Police arrested the family
this morning, sir.

She must have been out.

Where are the books?

If you didn't know that,
you wouldn't be here.

Upstairs.

Montag, you stay here.

Hey! You two, in there!

In there, in there. Go on.

Down there!
Throw them all down!

Break it open!
That's it.

This way! Come on! Down there!
Throw them all down!

All the books! All of them!
This way! Come on!

"Once upon a time,
there was a poor woodcutter
whose name was..."

They can't have my books.

They'll never take them away.

Montag!
Montag, I think you should see this.

Yes, sir.

Come on! Quickly!

This is a real eyeful.

Montag. I knew it.
I knew it.

Of course, all this...

The existence of a secret library
was known in high places,

but there was no way
of getting at it.

Only once before have I seen
so many books in one place.

I was just an ordinary
fireman at the time.

I wasn't even qualified
to use the flamethrower.

It's all ours, Montag.

Listen to me, Montag.

Once, to each fireman,
at least once in his career,

he just itches to know
what these books are all about.

He just aches to know.
Isn't that so?

Now, take my word for it, Montag,
there's nothing there.

The books have nothing to say!

Look, these are all novels.

All about people
that never existed.

The people that read them,

it makes them unhappy
with their own lives,

makes them want to
live in other ways

that can never really be.

What's happening?

This house is condemned.

They said to burn the books right here
with everything else.

Well,
burning the house is one thing,

and burning the books
is another, isn't it?

It's never any good
burning everything together.

Come on, Montag.

All this philosophy,
let's get rid of it.

It's even worse than the novels.

Thinkers, philosophers,
all of them saying exactly the same thing,

"Only I am right.
The others are all idiots."

One century, they tell you

man's destiny is predetermined.

The next, they'll say that
he has freedom of choice.

It's just a matter of fashion, that's all.
Philosophy.

Just like short dresses this year,
long dresses next year.

Look.

All stories of the dead.
"Biography" that's called.

And autobiography.

"My life. My diary. My memoirs.
My intimate memoirs."

Of course, when they started out,

well, it was just the urge to write.

Then, after the second
or third book,

all they wanted was to satisfy
their own vanity,

to stand out from the crowd,
to be different,

to be able to look down
on all the others.

Ah.

Critics' prize.
Ah. This is a good one.

Of course, he had the critics on his side.
Lucky fellow.

Just tell me this,
Montag, at a guess,

how many literary awards would you say
were made in this country,

on an average, each year?

Five, 10, 40? Hmm?

No less than 1,200.

Why, anybody that put pen to paper

was bound to win
some prize someday.

Robinson Crusoe.

The negroes didn't like that
because of his man, Friday.

And Nietzsche.
Nietzsche.

The Jews didn't like Nietzsche.

Now, here's a book about lung cancer.

You see, all the cigarette
smokers got into a panic,

so, for everybody's
peace of mind, we burn it.

Ah. Now, this one
must be very profound.

The Ethics of Aristotle.

Now, anybody
that read that must believe

he's a cut above
anybody that hadn't.

You see, it's no good, Montag.

We've all got to be alike.

The only way to be happy

is for everyone to be made equal.

So, we must burn the books, Montag.

All the books.

- Sir?
- Yes, what's the matter?

Trouble with
the old lady downstairs.

She won't leave.
She won't leave her books, she says.

She won't leave her books, won't she?
Won't she?

Come on now, madam.
We're gonna burn the house.

No.

What do you want?
Martyrdom?

I want to die as I've lived.

You must have read that in there.

Now, look, I'm not going to ask you again.
Are you going?

These books were alive.
They spoke to me.

Go ahead.

All right, that's enough.

Come on, madam,
you've got 10 seconds.

Fabian, 10-count.

One,

two,

three, four,

five, six,

seven, eight,

nine...

Nine 11s are 99.

Nine 12s are 108.

Nine 13s are 117.

- She can't stay here!
- Well, she refuses to leave.

She must be forced to leave!

Look out!

Back there. Open up.

Everybody, outside!

Come on!
You, too, Montag!

Montag!
Get out of there!

Montag!
Come on, this way!

Montag!

Montag!

Finally, do remember to tolerate
your friends' friends.

However alien and peculiar
they may seem to you.

Don't despise minorities.

Doesn't cousin Midge's face
look swollen?

That's because she's pregnant.

Is that why?

I think it's irresponsible.
To have children, I mean.

Somebody's got to
have children, Jackie,

they can't let the race die out.

Babies grow up to look like you.
That must be fun.

Strangle violence.
Suppress prejudice.

Oh, here's Montag.

Be tolerant today.

Remember, being just
pretty is not enough.

The wife who uses translusives
knows better than that.

Try some today, but watch out
for your friends' husbands.

They'll be around you like flies.

No one will ever notice
that your chairs don't match,

and you'll be as popular as ever.

Would you excuse me?

Yes, I like her hair like this.

Come on, Montag, be good now.

Come on over and sit with us.

Look, you haven't seen Jackie and Doris
and Helen for ages.

It's very rude, you know.

Leave me alone.

Aren't you well?

All right, but it's very naughty.

...and being reclassified.

Two cells of antisocials
were located earlier today

Two cells of antisocials
were located earlier today

in the western metropolitan area.

The police have
declined to comment so far.

Meanwhile, the "Report Those
Who Threaten You" campaign

met with particular success today...

When an old woman, cousins,

chose to be burned with her books,

rather than being
separated from them.

If that's a joke, you know,

it's not in very good taste.

You would like to think that,
wouldn't you?

Don't be silly, Montag,
things like that don't happen.

You mean, you don't want to hear about it.
I saw it!

What my husband says...

Your husband!
You don't even know where he is!
Your husband.

- Montag!
- Of course, I know.

He's been called on reserve
for some field training.

Or to fight a little war, perhaps.

You never know, do you?

Why'd you call it that?

Well, even if he was,
what about it?

He's not allowed to
call me till it's all over.

It'll only be about a week or two.

Anyway, he'll be all right.

The point about wars is,

if you want to call them that,

it's only other women's husbands
who get killed in them.

That's true. I never knew anyone
who got killed in a...

Not anyone whose
husband died like that.

Getting run over,
jumping out of a window, yes.

Like Gloria's husband
a few nights ago.

But never that other way.
Anyway, that's life, isn't it?

That's what you call it.

You're nothing but zombies,
all of you.

Just like those husbands of yours

you don't even know anymore.

You're not living,
you're just killing time!

- Well, I think it's time to go.
- Yes, I...

Thank you.
It was a lovely afternoon.

- Really fun.
- Yes.

Sit down! Come on, sit down.
It'll only take a minute.

Whatever is that?

Darling.

It's not a book?

That's what it is.
It's a novel.

But a book?
You mustn't, it's against the law!

Quiet. Sit down and listen.

Since Montag really insists.

But when he's through,
I hope we can do as we please.

"There can be
no disparity in marriage

"like unsuitability
of mind and purpose.

"I had endeavored to adapt Dora to myself
and found it impracticable.

"It remained for me to
adapt myself to Dora,

"to share with her
what I could and be happy.

"It made my second year
much happier than my first,

"and what was better still,
made Dora's life all sunshine.

"But as that year wore on,
Dora was not strong.

"I had hoped that
lighter hands than mine

"would help to mold her character,

"and that a baby's
smile upon her breast

"might change my
child-wife to a woman.

"It was not to be, my pretty Dora.

"We thought
she would be running about

"as she used to do in a few days.

"But they said
wait a few days more,

"and then wait a few days more,

"and still,
she neither ran nor walked.

"I began to carry her downstairs

"every morning and
upstairs every night.

"But sometimes, when I took her up,

"I felt that she was
lighter in my arms.

"A dead,
blank feeling came upon me,

"as if I were approaching
some frozen region yet unseen

"that numbed my life.

"I avoided direct
recognition of this feeling

"by any name,
or by any communing with myself.

"Until one night
when it was very strong upon me,

"and my aunt had left her
with her parting cry,

"'Oh, good-bye, little blossom.'

"I sat down at my desk, alone,
and tried to think.

"What a fatal name it was,

"and how the blossom

"withered in its bloom
up in the tree."

I knew that's what would happen,

it's what I've always said.

Life isn't like novels,

novels and tears,
novels and suicide.

Novels are sick.

That was sheer cruelty, Montag.

You're a cruel man.

All those words, idiotic words.

Evil words that hurt people.

Isn't there enough
trouble as it is?

Why disturb people
with that sort of filth?

Poor Doris.

Bye, Linda,
we were having such a nice party.

Such a shame.

I can't bear
to know those feelings.

I'd forgotten all
about those things.

I'm sorry, Doris.

They won't come back.
I'll be all alone.

I won't be popular anymore.

They won't use me
in the family anymore.

And you made Doris cry!

She cried because it is true.

What are you going to do now?

Haven't you done
enough harm already?

Leave me alone, Linda,
I've got reading to do. Quite a lot.

What's the matter with you?
Aren't you well?

It's nothing.

I've got to read.

I've got to catch up
with the remembrance of the past!

Right.
You four, over to the house!

Take out the line.

- This is it. Hurry. Go on!
- But...

- But what about you, Uncle?
- Don't worry. Get going!

All right, all right, take your time.
I'm coming.

Open up! Come on!
We know there's someone in there!

Now, please,
wait a minute, I'm coming.

Come on! Open up!

All right, all right,
I'm coming!

Come on, come on.

- Now, watch it.
- You watch it.

- What is this?
- I'm moving this chair.

I'm fed up with it in
the middle of the room.

And this one, I'm going to put...

...over here.

There. And I'm going to
change those curtains.

I've never liked them.
I'm gonna get some new ones.

And I'm gonna change
the laundry basket.

- I've decided...
- You're right.

The chair's much better over there.

You know, you're not well.

You were tossing and turning all night.
You kept me awake.

You ought to stay at home today.

No, no, I'm going to the firehouse.
I must.

Because I don't know if I'm going there
tomorrow or any other day.

But what about your promotion?

My promotion?

That was before.

Montag.

Look, last night,
you were talking in your sleep.

I don't know what.
I didn't understand.

And I don't understand.

What's making you like this?
What's going on in your head?

I don't know,
and I don't want to know.

But one thing I do want.
I want you to get rid of those books.

Take them away, Montag.
Please.

I will. I promise.

- I'll do it myself if you'd like.
- No, no, no.

I'll do it after I've read them.

No, now.
Do it right now, Montag!

I'll leave you.

I can't live with those.

You've got to make a choice.

Answer me, Montag.

How can I answer, Linda?
I just don't know.

Excuse me, do you know the girl

who lives here with her uncle?
Clarisse?

- They came for them.
- Who?

- To take them away.
- The police?

Not the police?
The firemen?

They came to take them away.
They do that now, don't they?

Only to question them.
They let them come back.

You can't tell, can you?

They weren't like us.
They were special.

You see over there?

And there.

And there, too.
Do you see?

Now, look at their house.
There's nothing.

Here, you!
Come here!

- What's the meaning of this?
- Sir.

Look, how often must I talk to you
about this?

I talked to you
about it in the office

the other day, didn't I?
Didn't I?

Look, why can't you
do what you're told?

Why can't you do what you're told?
Why can't you...

Look!
Look at you! Look!

Did I tell you to...

Haven't you got a head?

- Is the Captain in?
- He just stepped out.

- Didn't you pass him?
- No.

- Captain?
- Yeah?

The people who were
arrested last night, sir.

Yeah, it's about time.

How long have you been with us?

Three years, sir.

Yes, you're a good man.

Remind me to give you one
of my personal medallions.

The likeness is remarkable.
You'll see.

I, uh... You...

I already have one, sir.

So, it was you, was it?
How did you get in?

I needed some information

about some arrests that
were made last night.

I wanted to see
some identifications.

Ah. So, Montag's handling
the arrests now, is he?

No, sir, not at all.

Last night, you said.
But the identifications wouldn't be there.

Not yet.
In fact, they've just been handed to me.

Let's see now.

Let's see if they're
amongst this lot.

- Oh, they're the ones!
- I see.

A little young for him. I'd say.

He's her uncle.

Friends of yours?

Oh, no, sir.
I know them slightly.

They live nearby.

And you'd like their house,
is that it?

Yes, sir, that's it.

Well, the house will
have to be requisitioned,

but you can't move in
until the niece has been arrested, too.

Oh, she...

She's still at large then?

For the moment, yes.

Well, uh, look at
the identification,

it hasn't been stamped yet.

Oh, come, come,
it's just a matter of a day or two.

We'll get you your house.
Mmm! How did you get in?

Oh, now, what's all this about?

Hmm?

Still shaky?
You shouldn't have come in.

Look at you, you look like death.

Some fresh air,
that's what you need.

A nice bit of fresh air,
that'll put you right again.

Incidentally,

if you see that niece wandering
about this part of the world,

you might let us know.

It might expedite
the matter of the house.

Of course, sir.

Clarisse, I must talk to you.

Not here.

- What happened?
- Uncle was arrested.

I got away.

How did it happen?

They came last night.
We were all asleep. Come on.

Look, I have to get home.
It's terribly important.

Uncle woke me up and
told me to get away.

I escaped through the
skylight over the roof.

This is the last place in the world
you should have come to.

Yes, I know,
but there's something I must find.

Look, please stay with me.
I'm frightened.

All right, I'll stay with you.

It must be here somewhere.

- What must be here?
- Something...

Something I have to find.

- Find and destroy.
- Let me look.

You wouldn't know
where to start looking.

It was my job.

How big?

- About this big. Papers.
- Oh.

It's no use.

We'll find it.
Don't you worry.

It's a list of addresses.

Friends of my uncle, who they are
and where they're hiding.

We'll find it.

What are you doing?

- We must destroy these.
- Mmm-hmm.

I always wanted to tell you,

our meeting in the monorail
was no accident.

I noticed you, and I followed you.

I thought you could help us.

I knew it when
that old woman killed herself.

I realized there
was a connection between you.

Yes.

She was afraid she'd talk
and give us away.

Yes.

And I...
This morning, what do I do?

I get into a little bit of trouble,

and I faint like a silly,
little girl.

I can't be a fireman anymore.

What is that over there?

That?
That's a rocking chair.

People used to sit outside their houses
on warm evenings

and rock backwards and forwards.

Oh, really?

Talking to anyone who happened to be
passing by.

Just talking.

We'll have to go away from here.

I know a place.

My uncle told me what
to do if ever he was...

If ever he was taken.

You follow the river upstream

till you come to the old
steam railway line.

Then you go on and you go on,
until you get to where the Book People live.

The good people?

No, book.
The Book People.

- You've not heard of them?
- No.

People who vanished.

Some were arrested
and managed to escape,

others were released.

Some didn't even
wait to be arrested.

They just hid themselves away.

Up in the farm country,
the woods and the hills,

they live there in little groups.

And the law can't touch them.

They live quite peaceably
and do nothing that's forbidden.

Though, if they came into the city,
they might not last long.

But how can you call them
"Book People"?

If they don't do
anything against the law?

They are books.
Each one, men and women.

Everyone commits a book
they've chosen to memory,

and they become the books.

Of course, every now and then,

someone gets stopped, arrested.

Which is why they
live so cautiously.

Because the secret they carry

is the most precious
secret in the world.

With them, all human knowledge
would pass away.

You must come with me.

Oh, no, not yet.

It is too soon for me.
I was still burning books.

Yes, in time, perhaps.

But now, everything in my life
has suddenly changed.

I must stay in the city.
I have a plan.

I will hide a book
in every fireman's house

and then denounce him.

The system will eat itself.

We must burn the pyromaniacs out.

Now, we have to go.

Separately.

You to your Book People,
and me to strip this off.

We shall see each other again.

No, we shan't.
Why pretend we shall?

You are right.
We shan't.

Fit and well again?
Good, excellent.

Come on, hurry, no time to lose.

I'm sorry, sir.
I was on my way to tell you

I shan't be staying
with the force, sir.

Shan't be?
But this isn't how things are done, Montag.

Certainly,
not on the eve of promotion.

I shan't be coming
in tomorrow, sir.

But tomorrow's another day.

Today, you're under my command.

Montag. I'm asking you, Montag.
Look, as one man to another,

please, please!

You can't let me down like this
in front of the men,

not in front of the others.

Just this one last call.

Then you can do
what you like, Montag.

This is my house!

Mmm-hmm.

That's right.

Linda!

I couldn't bear it.
I just couldn't bear it anymore.

Well, now, Montag knows exactly
what we're looking for.

I think we can leave it to him.

To know how to find,
one must first know how to hide.

Isn't that so?

I like a man who knows his work.

Right, you men, just check
the rest of the house.

Everything ready, Fabian?
Come on, hurry it up.

Come on, bring us the sparkler.

As this is Montag's home,
I think, perhaps, he should do the honors.

What are you doing in there!
Have you gone mad?

Come on, get back in there!

Just the books!
The books!

What do you think you're doing?

There's no need for that!

I said the books, Montag!

That's good.
That's what I like to see.

Sweet reason.

Novels aren't life.

What did Montag hope
to get out of all this print?

Happiness?

What a poor idiot
you must have been.

This gibberish is enough
to drive a man mad.

Thought you could learn from these

how to walk on the waters, did you?

Montag must learn
to think a little.

Consider how all these writings,

all these recipes
for happiness disagree.

Now, let this heap
of contradictions burn itself out.

You know it's we who,
at this moment,

are working for man's happiness.

Look, isn't that lovely?

The pages,

like flower petals or butterflies,
luminous and black.

Who can explain the fascination of fire?
What draws us to it?

Whether we're young or old.

Nothing to say?

That's the spirit.
That's real wisdom.

He still has one.

What have you got there?
Is this your special book?

It's got to be burned with the others,
and you're under arrest.

Montag.

- Get out of there!
- Everybody, out of here quick!

Right now! Go!

Watch for a man
running through the streets.

Repeating.

Calling all citizens.

Wanted for murder. Montag.

Occupation, fireman.

The criminal is alone and on foot.

Let each one stand
at his front door.

Look and listen.

Watch for a man
running through the streets.

Repeating.

Calling all citizens.

Wanted for murder. Montag.

Occupation, fireman.

The criminal is alone and on foot.

Let each one stand
at his front door.

Look and listen.

- I am...
- Yes, we know who you are.

You're the man of the hour.
Come.

Come and witness your own capture.

My capture?

That's right.
Our beautiful cousin

is being particularly
entertaining today.

You'll see.

Oh, I beg your pardon.

I am The Journal of Henry Brulard
by Stendhal.

Montag is still at large,
but time is running out fast.

Ah. There it is.

The aerial patrol
has sighted the wanted man.

They can't keep the viewers
waiting much longer.

The show must go on.
They'll find somebody.

Anybody will do to provide them
with their climax.

There he is.
You can see him clearly now.

There is Montag,
running headlong into the trap,

scurrying about
like a frightened rat.

Just look at him, cousins.

It's all over, cousins.

Montag is dead.

A crime against society
has been avenged.

They never showed
the man's face properly.

It was too far away, of course.

Even your friends are bound to believe it.
You're dead.

Here. You may as well
shed your old skin.

"The moon was shining sulkily

"The moon was shining sulkily

"because she thought the sun

"because she thought the sun

"had got no business to be there

"had got no business to be there

"after the day was done.

"after the day was done.

"'It's very rude of him,' she said."

"'It's very rude of him,' she said."

Are you interested in Plato's Republic?

Well, I am Plato's Republic.
I'll recite myself for you whenever you like.

Thank you very much.

Now here's Wuthering Heights
by Emily Brontë.

And here's The Corsair by Byron.

She used to be married to a chief of police.

Now, that skinny fellow is
Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll.

Where's Alice Through
the Looking-Glass today?

She should be somewhere about.

Ah. Now, there's the
Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan.

He ate his book,
so they couldn't burn it.

Waiting for Godot
by Samuel Beckett.

Oh, you see the little blonde coming towards us?
Watch her blush.

I'm Jean-Paul
Sartre's the Jewish Question.

Delighted to meet you.

I'm The Martian Chronicles
by Ray Bradbury.

- Allow me to introduce...
- Oh, may I?

The Pickwick Papers,
Charles Dickens.

Oh, Charles Dickens.

Once I read a book he wrote.
David Copperfield.

We have a David Copperfield
amongst us.

He's with another
group in the south.

I am The Prince by Machiavelli.

As you see,
you can't judge a book by its cover.

I am Jane Austen's
Pride and Prejudice.

I am Jane Austen's
Pride and Prejudice.

Both of you, the same book?

My brother is volume one.

My brother is volume two.

It's a great pleasure to meet you.

We call the first one Pride.

The other one's Prejudice.

I don't think they like it much.

Here, we're only 50 or so,

but there are many, many
more scattered around.

In abandoned railway yards,
wandering the roads.

Tramps outwardly, but,
inwardly, libraries.

It wasn't planned.

It just so happened that a man here

and a man there loved some book.

And rather than lose it,
he learned it.

And we came together.

We're a minority of undesirables

crying out in the wilderness.

But it won't always be so.

One day, we shall be called on,

one by one, to recite
what we've learned.

And then books
will be printed again.

And when the next age
of darkness comes,

those who come after us,

will do again as we have done.

- I have one with me.
- Yes?

What is it?
Let me see.

"Tales of Mystery & Imagination
by Edgar Allan Poe."

Learn it quickly,
so that we can burn it.

- You burn it?
- Yes, of course, we have to.

So that no one can
take them away from us.

Yes, we burn the books.

But we keep them up here
where nobody can find them.

As a matter of fact,

we've just burned
The Memoirs of Saint Simon.

You see, Montag, that man over there
hasn't much longer to live.

He's the Weir of Hermiston
by Robert Louis Stevenson.

The boy is his nephew.

He's now reciting himself,

so the boy can become the book.

"'I will be very quiet,' replied Archie.
And I will be boldly frank.

"I do not love my father.
I wonder sometimes if I do not hate him."

"'I will be very quiet,' replied Archie.
And I will be boldly frank.

"I do not love my father.
I wonder sometimes if I do not hate him."

"There's my shame, perhaps my sin.

"At least, and in the sight of God,
not my fault."

"There's my shame, perhaps my sin.

"At least, and in the sight of God,
not my fault."

"How was I to love him?

"He has never spoken to me,
never smiled upon me.

"I do not think
he ever touched me."

"How was I to love him?

"He has never spoken to me,
never smiled upon me.

"And I do not think
he ever touched me."

"He was more afraid of death
than of anything else.

"And he died
as he thought he would,

"while the first snows of winter fell."

"He was more afraid of death
than of anything else.

- "And he died..."
- "And he died while the first..."

"He died as he thought..."

"And he died as he thought..."

"As he thought he would."

"As he thought he would,

"while the first snows of winter fell."

"'I will be very quiet,' replied Archie.
And I will be boldly frank.

"I do not love my father.
I wonder sometimes if I do not hate him.

"There's my shame, perhaps my sin.

"At least, and in the sight of God,
not my fault.

"How was I to love him?

"He has never spoken to me,
never smiled upon me.

"And I do not think
he ever touched me.

"He was more afraid of death
than of anything else.

"And he died
as he thought he would,

"while the first snows of winter fell."

"I'm going to relate a tale full of horror."

"I would gladly suppress it,
were it not a chronicle."

"How much there is to tell..."

"At that moment, Mr. Pickwick..."