Terror on the 40th Floor (1974) - full transcript

Folks. Folks. Folks. I know this isn't what you call
certification I think something should

be said yeah but I still think something
should be said I mean the real spirit of Christmas

here we are all of us good friends
sharing a little fun along with the hard

work.
hey Sam that's the same speech you gave

last year? Wait a minute, this company's had a very good year, I think you all deserve credit

because when the company works as a unit... listen, when a company works as a unit

that's... when I get there that's the only
way I know you're all happy with your

salaries right? well one of you lay out
well why you always make it sound so

terrible and I mean it's only an office
party okay okay we're not gonna go

through that routine again mother mother
sunny is only two years old he doesn't

even know what Christmas is well I'm not
like you



I'm I'm entitled to do what I want I
don't want to have some fun well then

then why do you always make me sound
like such a terrible mother I mean I do

take him on the weekends don't I um uh
look mom we're gonna spend all day

together tomorrow right okay and and
kids Sonny for me well yeah

okay another I

excuse me what do you think carelessness
say that and I just want everybody to

help that I think that we've got
greatest people in this company vision

and our yarn just what just one next
year we'll have a party together and I'm

probably gonna get up here and say the
same thing that I just said tonight

whether they'll be a pleasure to see all
your smiling faces and see the happiness

that I see here right now so god bless
you all and Merry Christmas

Oh

tada welcome to paradise
dan I didn't mean to blow paradise for

your Howard I was just showing bleeeh
Darlene your office



karate the big tour help yourself dan
we're sorry we thought you'd already

gone alright I have a little work to
catch up on before the weekend really

sorry Dan old boy hey listen Heather
we'll get right on out of here come on

girls back to the presents let's go
let's go

bye wait a minute stay and have a drink
with me are you sure damn it we don't

wanna barge in nonsense I'm glad you
came I've got something here that's it

it's better than that office punch I
mean you've heard the executive VP cuz

it's open house it's very nice mr.
overland

I've never been this close to executive
row before make yourself comfortable

darling I'll do my best

thank you Dan for your hospitality only
the best for us Lee we're the old-timers

yeah girls mmm I love champagne yes it
doesn't seem to fit the occasion

everything bit

Oh relax Kelly
Howard's already done that routine I

invited myself to your party you heard
the boss Kelly get it together that's

great
we just very late what happened at San

Luis cornered ginger and you found in
department one oh it was okay

well he's funny when he's drunk yeah
well after all the hassle I hope no one

has to go home in five minutes
Nani hey it's time to rock around the

clock
ginger said oh I'll get you something to

drink I think I'll have gin this time

- where you going to lock us up in here
for the night Oh such locks have no such

look we had that robbery I got orders
there's more on the weekend but there's

one problem with that stash you open it
again Monday morning right come on

everybody's left the building already
come on come on I heard you guys we're

gonna make a night of this
I tried but who listens to me where's my

own

Oh can I help you mr. Berlin Kenny
I thought everybody gone home I was just

bringing up the rear want me to hold the
elevator ride anymore him hi Kenny

hi Darlene Kenny was just asked where to
the elevator

Oh Merry Christmas
yeah Merry Christmas you see I'm

supposed to laughter I'll let myself out
but who's gonna close the loop Merry

Christmas Kenny yeah good night sir Hey
holy all right that everybody

yeah I'm les all right snap back every
years the same thing what's it named

speeches named promises a heavy already
development yeah well mr. Gordon's gonna

make sure you try to home safely
well that's merry Christmas to you stash

Lainey Oh Kenny now drive carefully I
will thank you look out what's the hurry

kids are always in a hurry today
Tommy what are you doing here go dad -

we came up they changed the schedule
that's still there although it's just

you own me tonight so how about a game
of checkers later gotta fix the heating

system on twelve well they're gonna take
room probably all night look I'll bring

up some coffee later all right you can
Oh drinks coffee on Christmas Eve

that's bodies of fun okay walk down the
halls you see people on your long how

long have you been with the company
ginger next week where we connect

sitting back to nature Valley Aspen ski
yeah they call me king of the mountain

Oh fantastic I never been to no no maybe
if you're lucky the King here will let

you carry this game he always seemed to
me the most exciting things Cal hey

I mean person yeah I hope you guys
they're at least twice this season you

got is if I can convince the old man
there you can get along without me I

don't think that ought to be too
difficult you

you remind me of a little girl on a
swing I love it it is so comfortable I

suppose that you have a boyfriend
waiting or or a party that you'd better

go to nothing urgent

glad you decided to stay I'm also
curious what about the flattery the

tender smiles I was it just a required
protocol for executive role or are you

really interested I find you a very
interesting man

you know we can talk scrape with each
other ginger can't we come on we're both

on the same team sure that's why I know
I can ask a little favor in there you do

it for me sure if I could now look this
may sound crazy but you were the only

one in this whole company that I can ask
I am yeah

you're in charge of the personnel
records Roger I think that the

confidential phone wireless what did you
make sure where he doesn't look at those

files just one quick look little files
are locked sure I'm not supposed to let

anybody look at them my job ginger I
think you won't sit down the state I

need that motion

Charlie Charlie

Charlie

we have a major crime progress on the
1200 lift hours building give me a third

law assignment three additional truck
companies and all available air bottles

I didn't want you have rescue problem
negative we had one fatality one man

injured the injured man has been
identified as a security guard he said

there's nobody else in the building

tell us the problems his men are having
with this fire chief maca can you tell

us please what's going on kula for one
thing the fire started 126 feet above

ground level and we don't have aerial
equipment I enough to reach that far

so everything we're fighting this fire
with has to be carried up on our backs I

see there's a surprising lack of flames
visible from the outside why is that

well that's because a tall building like
this is like a giant incinerator the

heat and smoke and flames go straight up
nobody literally becomes a chimney and

any inside opening like an elevator
shaft or a stairwell or air-conditioning

ducts just sucks the smoke they hate the
flames straight up and pushes of outward

we can't get above it so we have to
fight it from below so to chase it from

Florida floor where the fire has already
climbed seventh floor so far now is

there a possibility would go all the way
to the top yeah there's always that

possibility but we're certainly going to
do everything we can to keep that from

happening
well what steps here would you be excuse

me more vino anyone no no I'm gonna just
stay with it just happened have another

bottle all night yeah I would say I had
the last Epistle I read anywhere I said

that there about 50 100 some odd percent
women really like him don't you

fantastic he's rotten
it's fantastic yeah he makes a pretty

good presentation I mean you and him
nope

well almost but that was another office
party anyway don't let her worry I mean

Kelly's really not my type
besides that was almost two years ago

your Overland catches her he's busy she
would know we're gone

come on ginge was just down the hole

please refill yeah help yourself we got
our own bottle

our

here we go

you're crazy about lamb chops well done
medium and you buy your clothes at

Boardman suppressives you've done quite
a bit of research little not exactly hot

office gossip but interesting what about
the negative side you mean like a wife I

do have one

every successful executive shoot

boys we have a lot of trouble hole in
this thing the fires extended at the

utility shaft in the 17th floor to get
those hoses up in a hurry Italian

seventh Italian one I'm sending three
additional companies the air

conditioning is shoving heat the smoke
into the upper floors I'm gonna shut off

the power
we need those elevators chief the guys

will drag it from blowing stuff up a
stairwell I don't those flames carry any

higher right then let me cut the power
on the fire that'll shut off the air

conditioners and we'll still have part
of the rest of the building all right

try but those flames company higher up
the power to everything come on thank

you

well I find that I can work better with
this probably going to call some

gorgeous number yes it's nicely bound I
collected it might be too obvious where

my damn course is so expensive are they
you're worried about our boss over there

I think he's pretty well occupied
yes expensive

have you ever seen the boardroom no we
have some very rare volumes in there

must be where all the big decisions are
made

I didn't wanted to do that for a long
time I'm going to be like relax she

liked me

should I apologize all these important
movie gentlemen ask members of the Board

of Directors I don't see you picture I'm
not dead yet

it won't be that easy that's a sure I
even wanted it to be

we gotta look why don't you kids give us
a break and you play game by yourself

okay
hey went to go ride your bike okay don't

have a ring oh I think I'm getting too
old for this

I probably are over the hill as a matter
of fact you definitely order to help

visit my friend in case you're
interested ladies over 35 are over there

I know how you enjoy your Sundays with a
kid that means pushing in baby are you

kidding
these kids are crazy about you I know I

just thought that it would be easier to
talk relax come here

I am I had it all figured out the way I
was going to tell you I had one all

figured out your mind pregnant what you
can call me stupid or dumb or whatever

it's just a tire stay on the pill when I
should have are you sure you're pregnant

sure that's great that is just great
what do we do now discuss it I mean I

can think of a couple a couple of
possibilities right off like what well

um abortion isn't a lot easier now we
could just

get married he didn't have the baby
about Kat damn Paul what about them

they're part of you aren't they I mean
well it is kind of a package deal

sure I just tell him their daddy made a
slight bedroom mistake and had to get

married that what it is Jim
a mistake I got to think about it

so like insanely

I qualified find them questionable
choice for this position but like a 12

years with this company is your foster
does he know what I can do

it's trying to wipe me out twelve years
like that what the letter back and let's

get out of here Rita what you having
ginger I don't want them to see him go

back around the other way don't meet in
the office put it back you gonna leave

it understand you're just a kid I didn't
need anything mr. Foster I'm sorry

ginger I did just what was a surprise
that heard what he said about me in his

letter What did he say about you Halle
you want to wear a bell around your neck

Kelly doesn't mean you're her about
anything it's getting late I better go

home I promised my girls heads late good
night good night

what's your secret man I've been working
on it for two months have you just too

subtle it's not my business but took a
big chance I did yeah I think if

Overland finds you poking around in the
confidential files he'd probably fire

you right on the spot probably yeah but
Dad I wouldn't worry about Kelly he

won't find out unless somebody tells him
well she's not telling exactly why

should you

we can't hold this thing here it's
extending to the air-conditioning

don't let this thing get around back of
us we'll never get up

he's broken through the 19th chief the
air conditions must have tripped on the

convoy that shut it off give me five
more minutes we're bringing up 40

ejectives on the elevator right now I've
got a really crew kimono I gotta shut

the building down and get your light
generators up to the fire floor one all

right okay instead of Italian one Jeff
go ahead Nicky get a crew down to the

basement right away she chopped off a
whole part of the building everything

it's probably quick on fire something in
the basement nothing to worry about Gigi

mom you could I forget me Darlene would
you get my briefcase that's that brown

one on the desk in there you think I
should go fireball that's a good idea

but maybe we ought to find out what it
is for it

wonder if stash is still downstairs ten
after eight on Christmas hating I don't

know everything's gonna be all right
ginger

sorry it's smokey yeah yeah try not to
breathe too much of this stuff well my

clothes are gonna pick up this too
that's a real tragedy elevators on his

way up we should be out in the fresh air
in a couple minutes this is one way to

break up a party those are the emergency
lights yeah there's that

well can't you break it down or
something solid steel Hong Kong fix that

dead fly those lines over there

we'll try the phones across the hall

might be better to wait in my office
least we'll be away from the smoke until

we decide what to do but are we going
we're gonna be safe this is a solid

build ginger not barn all right you
stick with me we're gonna

we don't pitch this thing out here it's
going to run sweat off the windows and

it's a long way down

give me some more line

even though we can hardly see any
visible evidence of a fire from our

vantage point here on the street Fire
Department tells us there are now at

least seven floors involved and they
still have not been able to bring it

under control I remember now
they sealed off these windows when I put

in the air conditioning well can't you
break one they're reinforced with wire

good what to do anyway I mean but 40
stories high well we could yell with

somebody down the street don't be stupid
Betty they couldn't hear us from up here

they could even see us at night might be
why is it going easy on that stuff

Howard that a management directive or
just a personal opinion nothing like a

little get-together with the Home Office
once a year Dan

we understand this is only about 30
minutes after the last group of people

left the building where they had been
having an office party on the top floor

it can't be thankful that these lucky
people are home now safe with their

families what a blessing this fire
didn't start earlier when the building

was full of coolant the fire department
is doing everything possible to arrest

the flames but so far have been
unsuccessful hello yes yes this is she

yes Kenny I remember you uh I hate to
bother you mrs. Overland but I didn't

get a chance to ask mr. Overland about
some letters he wanted mail you know

like whether I should make him special
delivery or not is he there no he hasn't

come home yet well do you expect him
soon I mean has he called or anything

Kenny didn't you go to the office party
yes ma'am

didn't you see mr. Avila NER I did but I
didn't get a chance to talk to him

neither have I was it a good party Kenny
did you have a good time

yeah it was okay I suppose everyone was
there mmm all the secretaries all the

salesmen most everybody can you tell me
something I seem to have forgotten what

is the name of that pretty dark-haired
girl who works on mr. Owens floor well

you know the one Darlene something or
others Neddy

Darlene Porter yeah was she there at the
party

I think so well thank you very much for
calling Kenny I'll give my husband a

message when he comes home good night
wait please miss darlin that there's a

fire

smoke flames on the phone check the west
side of the building every floor from

the roof down
Erewhon runner

I need tomorrow act and somewhat tape to

end let's see if we can use this yeah
bring it

well Charlie stop it against the door
cover that crank we're gonna die would

you stop that gonna die I know it we're
gonna die Betty shut her up

we're gonna die all right everything's
gonna be all right

it's helicopter

yeah we are

come back you gotta help us they don't
even know we're here

know we're here

can I help you I'm no matter oh I was
looking for a friend's car I thought it

might be parked here did you see it
well it doesn't really matter I thought

my friend might be visiting a tenant of
yours but he doesn't seem to be in well

tell me the tenants name maybe I can
help

Porter Darlene Porter
oh that's Darlene's parking store right

down there number 43 don't think she's
here though of course she usually parks

her car on the street every night anyway
saves her parking space for her visitors

yes I imagine she would guess you heard
about the big fire they're having same

building where darling works she's
probably still down there watching big

one

I couldn't get through couldn't get
through it must be something an air

conditioning doctor crawl space between
the floor something I tried I couldn't

go any further take my word for it well
what are we gonna do chop - doesn't this

eat the small what would you like me to
do call up a miracle from the chairman

of the board hey what happened let me
help that's alright I've got that's I've

got it
Hey look then you know what I said

before I don't okay I didn't mean that
that was just kind of edgy hey you had

the boys down whatever you say goes you
know that I'm a company man they're not

company men all the way now you know
that don't you Dan you're bucking for a

raise Howard this is a bad time for it

everything's out
all right what's the matter

let me help you Angie will your friend
trusted cianjur you know what me Kelly

baby

we're gonna get mouth

gender me Betty car that's gonna be all
right just take it easy

don't cry

he okay big Dan she's really

one of us got to find a way to get down
to the floor below go for help

wow this fire doors are open all the way
down this is the only one that's locked

in today because of that robbery

that ceiling I'll cool it down the rust
on the wall I got fired on the boards

bread

goes up anymore here's the flank open

all about their CV get more pressure and
26th change of thirteen gets more line

up here with me more liner

or my more line

these doors have easy it open there's
got to be a lever back yeah leave a

backyard open can't climb darling I hate
a rope yeah maybe we could use the fire

hose in the hall lair huh not me huh
one of us have got to do it oh it's

impossible can't could do that oh wait
what for are you kidding

that's crazy dad thanks crazy I wanna
push it just gotta joy nothing

won't work then

ah there we go

hey you realize that it's a half hour
past bedtime for a couple of kids I know

put up please daddy no you see Santa
can't make any deliveries of you two are

still up when he gets here
off to bed okay good night mom

Danny bye baby why didn't he come to see
us anymore he's been busy I guess I

thought she's gonna spend Christmas with
us yeah that would have been nice with

her but I guess she made other plans
no no more questions

it's getting worse all right we're on
the top floor whatever is below us is

catching up to us about a minute
climbing up to us I see that we got to

make a choice
hey we can wait here like frightened

animals cringing in a corner until we're
dead from suffocation well beaten you

try to save ourselves

are those women back there in the dark
watching ginger bleed to death they're

waiting for us to do something alright
I'll ask you one more time then I'll

join you
and we can all roll over and play dead

only won't be playing now what are we
gonna do you're so cool

you're always in charge I said you
always make the decisions you can take

charge Kelly I don't want the job you
tell me what to do and I'll do it which

one of us all right I'll try it realize
that may not be able to open that door

with just one good hand big road gesture
cop-out me you want to go along for a

free ride you're impressive Kelly you
make keen analytical judgments don't you

get all fact works nearly all the time
winning formula you talking about

coughs taking your best shot all right
let's see some of that clear concise

logic
who's the best man for the job go on

evaluate who is it between you and
Howard and me this is not a sales

meeting Dan you know they'll run over me
wish you every one of the best chance of

getting that floor down below and going
for help man with two good hands are on

it's right dance right it's gotta be you
or me

sure Kelly we got a gopher hell we got
to do something what also : okay

I'll ask you those acoustic the elevator
shaft

it

loser be a hero think about how you I've
even got a nice letter for the files

it's worth something in Hallie files

tails

I didn't have to come to the most
expensive restaurant in town there it's

talking about can I take my beautiful
daughter to a nice place a show-off

whatever you want don't forget this to
get up of each other these days Cathy I

guess not
we'll celebrate huh listen I'll buy a

bottle of champagne no thanks
I mean I don't want anything to drink oh

I'm sure you're alright I mean that
fathers are supposed to booze it up with

his own kid I'm old enough dad if I
wanted to drink yeah you're gonna be

pretty big thank you twenty-seven no
thank you

I'm up for a promotion it's big job
assistant manager of the Eastern

Division do you think your old man now
that's good that's really good of course

we're still dickering about money but I
got the top brass at my side after all

of us seeing him there with a company
that carries a lot of weight you must

really like that wine
oh well try to cut down to the hard

stuff you know since your mother's been
calm I know there's no problem with this

anyway
matter of fact I'm thinking of adding a

wine sauce to a house no that's the end
thing to do these days you make it sound

like mother's dead she's not gone you're
only separated only boy no that's a word

for you I just wanted you to understand
how it sounded dad well we're a team

anyway you were made Cathy you know I
was thinking about that just last week

we've got to get together and go
somewhere and do something really fun I

bet you take a trip to Europe first
class the whole works which I can do

that Cathy
yes I'd like that oh I'd love to go on a

while those old cruise ships you're
crying what's the matter well what's

wrong what did I say

look I don't tell me nothing your old
man we level with each other what is it

Cathy dad you always keep doing this do
we want the promises the fantasies

that's why mother left don't you see
it's always another big deal or a new

promotion or a scheme that never
happened it doesn't matter any of it

you're what matters
listen Cathy it's just like kids you

said you don't understand but I make a
promise I do my best I keep it that's

what lets hurt you so much when you
can't country's in a recession sales are

off everywhere I try to explain that to
your mother if you don't either what

have you had any sense of business soon
as I get that promotion things I'll

change she'll come home and dad you've
got to let us love you for what you are

not what you pretend to be

Oh

very slow hold it can't hold on much
longer

you take how it's played Howard don't
let me go please let me go

hey can you get to the door oh oh I'm
about about two feet away easy let's go

down slowly is he

how's it going hard-hard I can't reach
it

get ahold of the door grab on to the
labor that leave us over on the right

there I'm hanging in the middle can you
slide the overload can you open the door

okay I know I do it let it out easy

hold that

and remember that we still had some host
backs in the disabled elevator so we had

their horse adorable it happened
sometime after we kept our guard told us

it was nobody else in the building
come on the discovery of a body in the

elevator shaft adds yet another grim
complication to this Christmas Eve

tragic read the victim has tentatively
been identified as an employee of the

hendrik industries which we understand
occupies the top five floors in the

Whitney talents the fire department now
faces the possibility that there may be

other people still trapped inside the
building

he didn't know ago my fault he's dead
dead come on Kelly

yeah guilty your tally remaining name
though what difference does it make now

a Fire Department helicopter is just
landing to pick up a paramedic rescue

team chief Packer is ordered an
emergency search in the building from

the roof down to the fire

as you can see the rescue team is
loading equipment aboard the helicopter

they should be taking off momentarily

in here in here

we're moving in this West room okay okay
be careful

hey it's sweeping around life

by the guy

his whole burn through that's all she
wrote

thank you big enough we need to put a
half

1:41 wall is collapsed on 36 to
backtrack then you get them out we don't

have to water them
too much fire all right stick with it do

what you can I'll get help up right away
Johnson this is one Johnson this is one

can you read me Johnson send a rescue
squad up to 36 used the South stairwell

we've got a collapsed wall with men
buried under it

take some Pike poles in a k-12 up there
right away hurry tech for paramedics

where are you this is one paramedics
where are you this is why Italian one

we're on 33 north of the main utility
shaft get up to 36 right away report to

captain Jones we've got two men buried
up there I'll send up air bottles hurry

I can't you do something but it won't
change anything

why did you do it though did you bring
that out I thought somehow it might

please you well how nice I thought for
some obscure reason that hanging Benji

started with care might make things a
little happier around here don't you

remember how he always used to go to the
stocking first alright oh I could see

this is gonna be a wonderful Christmas

alright let's talk about it again
never mind I said let's go me Dad no

what about last month a picture of Benji
at that summer camp and before that a

relaxing evening with a stamp collection
now it's got to stop

Benji seems to be the only thing we have
in common these days in fact I think he

probably was the only thing we ever had
that kept us together and we made a

mistake obviously since we can't even
talk about our own son anymore Benji is

dead summer he's been dead for six
months I'm sorry

I'm sorry

I'm sorry

and your car

Pharr is now completely out of control
an attempt to stop it on the 36th floor

has failed
costing the life of one fireman and

critically injuring several others if
the rumor is true if there are still

people on the upper floors there is grim
doubt that they could survive the

intense heat and smoke the fire
department is still struggling

desperately to stop the upper floors
from being engulfed by flame but there

doesn't seem to be much chance that they
can do it

here foolish line

my air

right here

their rescue this is one after the truck
get back in the air do a 360 around the

building use your spotlight check the
window see if there's any sign of people

in the building

we can't hold it here careful careful
but stay together tell you one kitchen

45 we've lost the 38th floor we're
backing out into the ceiling and going

up the vent

search team this is one can you read me
we're going down a stairwell from the

rope and there's a lot of smoke up here
stay on monitor rescue they may need you

fast

Kenny aren't you he's out there is near
you're not sure

they know we're here they know me yeah

paraone the search date got some people
on the top floor looks like at least

three one band two women

we're at the top level breaking through
hair rescue hope physician with that

light don't lose those people

right

breathe deeply now we're gonna walk up
to the roof can you look makes it happen

alright stay close

there are you out of here just hold on
each other and follow me over there are

no waste is another good illusion then
ginger let's go backwards I'll wait

you know anymore

we bought a thing

brother chocolate

the first

we got two more below we'll go get them
bring up the roof while you drop off

those three anymore
let's go mister you stay put

Italian one inch and 12 the 40th floor
is heavily involved in five I don't

think we could get in

stick with us stay close we'll get you
up

respond to the fire 44

I'm fine thank you very much

call it wasn't done the greatest party
I've ever been to

all right Lee yes yes brilliant I've
missed you I don't just mean tonight

but what's don't uh happy come on
no I asked no bother

once all settled

they check you into the hospital about
the next afternoon I made the

appointment

we discussed it

I don't think you'd make a very good
swing of mr. that's

you're okay never thought I'd see the
senior vice president looking such a

mess. I never thought I'd be such a
mess.

I think somebody wants to see you

Come on, can't we try? can't we learn to be good to each other again?

Hey, we're alive. that's where something isn't it?

I was just scared. look I've got an idea
why don't you and me spend Christmas together?

and buy something we like for each other.