The Giant of Metropolis (1961) - full transcript

In 20,000 B.C...

on the continent of Atlantis

now lost beneath the waters

there lived a people who
had developed an amazingly advanced

civilisation and who ruled all other
people on Earth...

Obro, a man born in the east

dared to probe the mystery of
the city of death

His gigantic strength and courage

were pitted against Yotar, the evil King

in a struggle to the finish...

...When the scientists of Metropolis
attempted to penetrate the secret of death,



nature rebelled, causing universal destruction...

...love alone triumphed...

...and remained the sole source of life...

Hear me my sons

my strength is waning now.

My journey has ended here.

Listen carefully.

I leave to you all,
but especially you Obro

the duty of carrying out that mission
our people have trusted to me.

On the other side of that mountain
lies Metropolis,

the city which has attained

a terrifying civilisation.

You are to go

and say to its ruler



and to its people

that they are wrong,

that they should never

use their knowledge of science

to defeat the ends of nature to sow
destruction and death

They shouldn't try to change the
natural order.

Otherwise nature will have her
revenge on them.

They are challenging forces
they cannot control.

If they continue

we'll have a tremendous disaster.

Come my friends, let's go on.

Don't move.

You'll have to go on with only your brothers now.
We're turning back.

You promised my father that you would
follow him and now you'll follow me.

Your father's death has released us
from every obligation.

My men are all exhausted.

I'm not going to put them to further
risk.

I have no intention of challenging the
power of Metropolis. Farewell.

Turn back men.

Yotar, the results of our research

in cosmic action have revealed that

important astral movements are taking
place right now.

Consequently, it is advisable to postpone

all of your experiments on your son Elmos for awhile.

Within two months,

the conjunction of the stars

will create favourable physiological conditions.

for the transplanting of a human brain.

None of the other experiments
need be postponed in the meantime.

We are expecting the results
of these to be positive.

But do your expectations also extend
to the case of Egon?

The attempt to restore the body of Egon,

the chief of our people, to life

could not be postponed in any case

even if cosmological conditions should

prove to be unfavourable.

Very well. Above all, I am worried
about the experiments on Elmos.

He will be the first youth
to have the wide

experience and the accumulated
wisdom that heretofore

could be found only in
the brain of an elderly man.

There are some men on foot who are
entering the valley of Metropolis.

As soon as they are within the radius of action,
manoeuvre them into the magnetic traps.

They are near enough now.

You can set the controls.

Stop.

We have finally managed
to arrest and reverse

the disintegration of cell structure.

For two days now Egon

has been in a state of regeneration.

And if our prognostications are scientifically
correct, before long

the great miracle will have been performed.

He will be restored to life.

Like all successes of science
that have been achieved before

this also is due to the pitiful
sacrifice of one of the

humans we've kept under observation.
He was one hundred years old.

What does the sacrifice of a man matter

when it serves to further the progress of science?

Nothing.

The people will be grateful to
you for restoring to life

one of their valorous leaders.

Yotar, there is a stranger on the frontier
of Metropolis who has survived

the whirlwinds of death.

How can that be possible?

It's mysterious.

I have given the order
in your name to capture him alive.

Can there be a blood stronger than our own?

Perhaps we are confronting an entirely
new force in the world surrounding us.

I want to see him.

As soon as he's captured, have this
prodigy brought into the throne room.

You frightened me.

Have you come to take me outside
like you've promised me so many times?

No Elmos, you will still have to wait
a little while longer. Then you can go outside.

But I don't see why I have
to stay here all alone.

Why can't I go visit my mother and my sister?

If you love me father,

tell me why do you keep me

shut up in here always?

you are the sole heir
to the throne of Metropolis,

the continent more powerful
than any in the world.

Look there.
That magnificent city you see is yours.

The whole world is yours.

Now listen to me.
I have planned a glorious future for you.

I shall give you eternal youth.

And you will reign over the
whole world forever and forever.

A world that I know nothing of and
of cities that I have never seen.

What does it matter?

Father, every night when I go to sleep,
I dream of someone who is trying to kill me.

I can feel his hands around
my throat choking me.

Father, please take me out of here.
Please take me away.

Yotar, the stranger has been
captured and brought to you.

On your knees when you face the
great Yotar, King of Metropolis.

On your knees, he said.

The King of Metropolis.

You use science to murder people.

I've seen an example with
what you did to my brothers.

On your knees.

You can force me to bow down,
but you're not able

to prevent me from saying

what I have come here to say to you.

My mission is to warn you
that you are doomed

by the terrible power you possess.

Now destroy me if you like, Yotar.

Before you die, you will have
bodily evidence of my power.

No matter how much you torture me,
you will suffer worse.

Someday you will rule a city of the dead.

You will reign over a wasteland.

You're power is based on
a criminal use of science.

It will destroy you.
You will die miserably.

I will be destroyed?

What can destroy me?
Answer me that.

No one is more powerful than I am.

I have enslaved all the people on Earth.
I have made them tremble just as you will.

You'll feel your body and your mind
disintegrate slowly, day by day,

inexorably.

Take him down into the quartz grotto.

You're a mad man, Yotar.

Now I have achieved my purpose in life.

I have seen with my own eyes,
the marvels of your civilisation.

And I am sure that you yourself
will be the one who destroys

what you have accomplished

with your horrible crimes.
Mark my words.

It's necessary that we order the
stranger to be put to death at once.

His very presence here in Metropolis
possibly could lead the scientists

to entertain doubts as to
the noble aims of our -

We have to let him live.

I want to subject him
to all our experiments.

Of a physical and scientific nature.

If he is able to undergo these as well,

then at last we will be able

to create the perfect being.

Now leave me, all of you.

Why did you choose to remain behind?

The stranger has told us the terrifying truth.

His entry into Metropolis

has shown
that your science can fail sometimes.

And what if it should fail in the case
of Elmos...

But I won't permit you
to go on with what you're doing.

Elmos,

Our son should be returned to me.

How can you be so cruel?

I know those scientists

will destroy him or else
they'll turn him into a monster.

Texen...

you are the queen
only because I have

made you the queen.

Mesede,

child of my first wife.

Your mother sacrificed herself
because she had faith in me

and in my scientific knowledge.

I forbid you as I did
her to oppose my will.

Elmos will be immortal.

He will be the first human
being to enjoy youth forever

and will triumph over death.

Now go.

Father,
for what reason did you send for me?

Yotar,
you are committing a great many errors.

I beg you to stop
before it is too late.

These experiments of yours

are only causing
death and human suffering.

I continue the work that
you first undertook father,

which has given Metropolis
its advanced civilisation.

I created this civilisation
and you are destroying it.

You took the people's will,
but not mine.

My existence is
prolonged artificially

because you want to inject
my brain cells into Elmos.

It's monstrous of you.
You will never succeed my son.

Why not let me die in peace?

You shall stay alive
as long as I wish.

Elmos will have perfection.

He will never know childhood,

but he will have a mind
superior to any other.

More than to the populace
who have always shown me affection,

I am grateful to the King
who restored me to life.

All my joy is overclouded
with apprehension for Elmos,

but may Heaven give me assistance
in my endeavour to serve him.

Stranger.

at last you shall learn there
is strength mightier than yours.

A living creature who will crush you
and make you see that you are nothing.

The people are subdued.

We can mould them into a
superior race according to my plan.

This night, the full moon is our queen.

After the ceremony,

you will be joined together

in a physical union.

Your will and your intellect

will remain unaware.

Get away from me.

Your mind is still as far
as ever from reality.

You are in my power.

And I love you.

You desire only to possess my body.

And you want to destroy
every vestige of my will.

But I refuse to let you, Yotar.

I loathe you.

I want you.

These are pygmies who rip off
their victims' flesh with their teeth.

Defend yourself.

Spare him.

Yotar, the molten core underneath
the Earth's crust is rising to the surface.

Many new volcanoes will erupt
through the outer layer

and emit vast quantities
of heavy vapour into the atmosphere.

This much we can safely predict.

I want to have a look.

If we were to harness this energy,

we could make Metropolis
even more powerful.

I'll question the old cave dweller.

He may give an explanation
for such a phenomena.

How do you explain this
strange phenomenon in the Earth?

Yotar, listen well to me.

In the 200 years of my life

I have never seen the crater
as active as it is now.

Days of terror are ahead of us.

All the energy

extracted up to now from
the Earth's interior

has put a strain on the shell
which contains the force within it.

Don't ask the Earth

to withstand more than
it was meant to.

Or the day will not be
far away,

when the Earth will exact
a horrifying revenge.

The same way science has been able
to keep you alive for two centuries.

It will be able to control any force
unleashed by the powers of nature.

Stranger.

When you came to Metropolis
you spoke of destruction only.

Why?

You predicted my downfall and
the loss of my continent as well.

You think you can make me afraid
by acting like a messenger of doom?

A messenger of hope.

There is still time enough
to save Metropolis.

But you are blinded by
ambition and cruelty.

You will pay with your life for those words.
I will destroy you without mercy.

It is only a ray of light

that presses on you.

You are powerful, stranger.

Stand up under it.

Try.

Make another try.

Push harder. Push harder I said.

Now free of the light.

Come here and strike me.

Scalding rays.

Rays that freeze you.

He is still alive.

How can you explain his endurance?

He has been endowed with vitality
above the ordinary.

His blood is a rarity and
it should not be wasted.

You're right. It is what I need

for Elmos.

He will have a better reaction
when the brain is transplanted.

The stranger's blood will be
transfused into the body of Elmos.

When is this inhuman deed
to be perpetrated?

Yotar has decided.

It will be sometime tomorrow.
We must act at once.

There is someone in the corridor.

Go look for a strong and
trustworthy man.

I shall provide one of my slaves.

Why did you have me sent for

at this time of night?

Your father is about to commit
a terrible crime, Mesede.

I know about it, but there is
nothing I can do.

You owe no more obedience
to your father, Mesede.

We must both rebel against him.

Even if you are not my daughter,
our common sorrow draws us together.

Yotar is obsessed by
his insane plan.

Why, your own mother died as a result
of the experiments the scientists

performed on her.

Yet she was willing to die for Yotar.

My father's the greatest of kings. And is
superior to all in strength of character.

He's more intelligent than we.

Neither you, nor I should question
the slightest word he says.

His plans will lead to destruction only
and the extermination of the people.

Destiny has brought Metropolis a
stranger of a race superior to ours.

Yotar for the first time in his life
is afraid of a human being.

He is the man who can
save Metropolis

And my son Elmos.

We must set this man free.

And you will have to help me, Mesede.

No, it's impossible.

Yotar is my own father.

Even if he wanted to sacrifice me,
I can't imagine opposing my father.

I am all alone.

I've never had anyone else to love.

I'm setting you free and Yotar will begin
to panic when he learns you're at large.

And this will inevitably cause

him to make some false move.

Have him taken to the secret cave of
the Giants instantly.

Go back to your post now.

And no matter what happens don't
you breathe a word of this to anyone.

King Yotar, your orders have been
carried out precisely.

Metropolis is now covered by
magnetic search rays.

That stranger must not be allowed
to escape.

And he must be captured alive, too.

Where can he be hiding?

He couldn't have escaped without help.

Someone here is betraying us.

This is the sentinel
responsible for the escape.

He knows what the punishment is.

There's no need of you.

Take him away.

Don't be afraid.

You are safe here.

Who are you?

I am one of the few men surviving
in Metropolis

who are still in possession
of their own free will.

Why don't you rebel?

Because my physical existence is artificial.

No stranger, you are the one and
only man able

to restore the rights and
liberty to our people

because Yotar is afraid of
your great strength.

Is this the reason you wanted to free me?

What can I do anymore than the rest of you?

With the scientific power Yotar has

he can prevent me from taking any action.

I will arrange it so his
powers can not harm you.

You will have to do away with
all the men who guard Yotar.

The only ones in Metropolis

capable of any fighting.

No, that's impossible, there
are too many of them.

Without the protection of his
personal bodyguard,

I am certain that Yotar will see
that he must surrender.

You can take them by surprise
one by one on the open streets.

No one but they are permitted to walk
about the streets at night.

I will point out
all the secret passages, too.

No, I did not come
here to kill anyone.

You have no choice.
Your own life is at stake as well.

I shall return tomorrow night.

Have you unearthed any clue yet as to
the whereabouts of the stranger?

No Yotar. In spite of all our
searching we have found nothing yet.

He must have had very powerful accomplices.

I can't explain it any other way.

From here you can get away safely.

The passage I've led you through is
known to no one but myself.

Why have you never shown it
to the people of Metropolis?

because the artificial existence
imposed on them by Yotar

have deprived the whole of our people
of any free will of their own.

They are in no condition to resist
or even to react to their situation.

Before we can save them, we must destroy
the ruthless creatures that keep them in slavery.

I think the time is propitious for you
to begin your mission as a terrorist.

What have you called me here for?

The signs of the heavens

are adverse to you.

Don't try the experiment on your innocent son, Elmos.

I have been told the stranger has succeeded in making

his escape.

He will cause a great upheaval
in Metropolis, Yotar.

He has the force that comes from nature.

The stranger will be killed, I tell you.

And so will all the traitors around us.

No one can oppose my will.

What are they doing?

They are having a state burial for two
laboratory specimens they sacrificed.

Let's go.

One of the queen's slaves.

He was caught while he
was with the stranger.

He let himself be killed so he
could get away.

Even if she's in anguish over Elmos,
the queen would never dream of turning traitor.

Shouting, losing your head with fear.

Trembling

For the first time in my life,
I see you trembling Yotar.

Where have you hidden the stranger?

Speak.

Look for him.

Where is the stranger? Answer me, you
traito..

He is everywhere around you and to you
he is invisible.

But when you see him face to face,
it will be your final day.

You thought your treachery would mean my
death, but I'll kill you.

You won't have the satisfaction of killing
me.

For all the evil you've done to me and to my
poor little son Elmos,

for all the suffering you
brought on the people

I put a dying curse on you, Yotar.

I put my dying curse on you.

The poison

was swift. She's dead.

Bring her back.

Don't be afraid.

No one will find you here.

Why were you running away?

Because...

Because Texen...

What has happened to Texen?

Yotar has driven her to suicide.

I will avenge her death.

I'm afraid.

I'm so afraid.

He wants me to die. He'll kill me.

Please help me.

This situation has never
been recorded before

And is of such importance we
must tell the king at once

And it will not be easy to tell him.

Speak up.

Why are you afraid to talk?

Why doesn't one of you speak up?

Yotar, unforeseen developments in the
orbiting of the planets

have upset in a most serious manner

the normal equilibrium of the forces
interplanetary scale.

As a consequence, the entire solar system
will be drastically changed.

Among the effects

of these terrifying changes

The axis of the Earth will shift
90 degrees in another direction.

The Earth will be shaken by a series
of violent earthquakes.

The oceans will overflow their shores
submerging whole continents.

Metropolis, basing its existence and its great power

on the energy extracted from the
very centre of the Earth itself

is condemned to disappear

The blazing furnace over which we have
built our city will be fatal

Metropolis can not possibly be destroyed.

You must discover some way of preventing this
catastrophe from affecting the continent we live on.

Yotar, it would be better to emigrate
from here to higher ground.

But we could always construct a
new and better Metropolis.

You must be out of your mind.

The stranger is responsible for all of you
doubting yourselves.

You haven't any more faith in the power
we can wield with our science.

We must know enough to save Metropolis.

And I order you to save her.

Now listen carefully.

The stranger is sure to make an attempt to commit
another of his repeated acts of terrorism.

This door is the only way into the palace.

Yotar wants him taken alive.

Follow me.

The guard has been heavily reinforced.

Now, I will show you the way into
the hall of arts and sciences.

Kill the guards without mercy

They're all monsters.

Afterwards, you can make your way back to the
hiding place through the secret passage.

These continual acts of terrorism which the
stranger is committing must be brought to an end.

The fact that my daughter Mesede is with him should
have no influence on the action you take.

And it is the capture of the pair of them
that I am now ordering.

Tarakai.

Every night you risk your life
and it's all for no purpose.

Your struggle is in vain.

There's no force in the world
able to overthrow

the law of Yotar.

Leave me alone.

Even after running away.
You're under the influence of your father.

No, I don't feel it when you're here.

When you're away...

Whenever you go out and leave me
all alone

you can't imagine how I have to
struggle against the desire to leave.

Because your heart is empty.

Elmos and the people are suffering.

But that has no affect on your selfishness.

You're worthy of your father,
your soul is dead.

No, don't say such a thing.
It isn't true.

That's what I wanted to hear.

Your despair proves that
you're still alive.

That you can still look
forward to tomorrow.

Tomorrow...

How do you think I could have
any idea, the meaning of this word.

For in my position, I was
unaware of the future

I only wanted to conform.

But now I want to live.

I love you, Mesede.

You're made like I am.

Show me what it is to live, Obro.

Will you tell something else of the
land where you live?

There's nothing else to tell you.

You know all about it.

That doesn't matter.

It gives me a wonderful feeling
to hear you describe it.

You can't imagine how wonderful
life is in my land.

The men are proud and free.

The respect each other
and help each other.

And women and children?

When a woman and man are in
love with each other

no one forbids them to share their lives.

When a child is born of their love,
it grows up happy

and carefree.

Is this true? Even if your king doesn't want it?

Our king has no power over these things.

We obey the law of another.

A superior being. His is the only
law that governs two people in love.

Please take me away, Obro.

Please take me to live with your people.

Help me learn all there is to
know in that marvellous world.

I will, Mesede. I promise you.

You have asked the scientists of Metropolis

to provide the ultimate proof of your power.

We are prepared.

We will begin as soon as you
give us the order.

This is the moment I have
waited for.

Now I must decide.

Life or death for my son.

The perfect physical condition

which Elmos enjoys will permit us to
perform this great experiment.

Are you sure we'll succeed?

Only the force of inscrutable fate

is powerful enough to overthrow
the inflexible laws of science

Then leave me alone with Elmos.

It's best that I have a talk
with him first.

Come along with me, Elmos.

Where are you taking me?

Outside of here.

Once and for all.

At last father, I can go see my
mother and my sister

And I can go see grandfather and
have him tell me some of his fables.

We are witnessing a memorable
day for Metropolis.

Go in peace to the world of shades,
venerable father of Yotar

You death will mean the joy
of eternal youth

for Elmos, our future king.

Go with them, Elmos.

Aren't you coming, too father?

I will come later.
I want you to go first.

Don't be long, I'll be waiting for you.

Father.

I don't want to.

Don't let them do it.

I don't want to.

Don't let them hurt me.

Father, what are the men going to do?

Mother.

How much time will the operation take?

That depends on many circumstances.

We begin the operation with a treatment
of energy from radiation

which highly accelerates the reproductive
rhythm of living cell structure.

Inform the people of this great event.

It's miraculous.

If Egon had never taken you through
the secret passage that leads here,

I would never have been able to see such
as sky as this

and all these flowers.

It's beautiful.

There's no one in Metropolis who
has ever seen the sky when it was blue.

It's the fault of our scientists. Whatever they
do, the atmosphere is strangely discoloured.

None of the achievements of the scientists
of Metropolis is of use

There isn't a single thing they do
that is for the good of humanity.

Let's not think about it. Look around.

It's magnificent.

I love you, Obro.
Stay with me forever.

Why, that's the signal.

They sound it when something
terribly important has happened.

Look at the lights.

The phenomena foreseen by the
astronomers is taking place.

This is probably due to an increase in subterranean
temperature inside the volcano.

The earth is exuding heavy vapours.

Soon we'll have the first of the earthquakes.

We must hurry.

What do you want, Egon?

I'm worried about Elmos' safety.

Why do you want to risk the life
of your own son?

Elmos is not going to die.

Yotar, you are suffering.

I see that even you are human.

And your heart pounds with fear for your son.
You are no longer so sure of the power of science

How dare you speak in this manner
to your king.

Remember that it was I that brought you
back to life, but as I made you live I'll destroy you.

You are unable to frighten me anymore.

It is you who fears the stranger

You searched in vain for the one
who helped him get away.

Well, I was the one who did it.

And you shall die again, Egon.

Why do you go on talking about death?

You can kill, Yotar, and destroy

but you are about to see the day when you
will realize the enormous power of creation

and vanquishing death is impossible

Order them to increase the
energy of radiation.

I wonder where Egon is. He should have
returned by now.

Don't worry about him, he'll come.

I can't wait here doing nothing.

He must be in grave danger.

I'm going to help him.

Obro, I'm afraid for you.

I'm coming with you.

No, you stay here.

And don't worry.

Father, is that you?

Your reign is coming to an end.

Your star is setting in disgrace and under ruin.

Only the sun will rise again
after catastrophe overwhelms the world.

The wrath of nature will punish
you for your crimes

Father...

Don't torment your son in this way.

Science has taken your life from you.

But your mind will live on in Elmos.

And you too, shall know immortality.

A mysterious force dominates the universe.

It lies far beyond the scope of any
human mind,

it remains impenetrable.

The power of death shall
never be vanquished.

Don't abandon me.

You are mad.

Mad.

You are speaking to a shadow.

You wanted to make all time come
to a halt.

But you are nothing. Nothing.

And yet you want to condemn
your whole people to destruction.

Metropolis will never be destroyed,
I tell you.

You know that it's the truth.

And your own madness is what
prevents you from accepting it.

So I have to kill you.

Only with your death

can your people recover their liberty

and safety..
- Guards.

Your guards can't help you now.
You're alone now.

Don't kill him.

Father, save our people.

Arrest them.

Put them in the cell for
condemned criminals.

Yotar, listen

hear the voice of experience and
the wisdom given to great age

allow your beloved son to live out
his childhood like any other boy.

Nothing can replace

the joy of our carefree years.

Suspend the operation. Send for the king.

The experiment had entered
the last phase

when the energy of the radiation from
nuclear particles lessened in intensity.

As a result, Elmos' heartbeat
has become weak.

His life may be in danger.

Father, please take me away from here.

Let me see the sky again.

You can see the sky now, Elmos.
Are you happy?

Yes father. It's beautiful.

But why is there so much fire in it?
I remember it used to be different.

Why does the sky have to be so red?

Father, let me see it on the side
looking toward the sea.

From here you can see more stars.

But I wonder why there's all this fire there.

It was my fault that you were captured.
But I couldn't help doing what I did.

I couldn't stand by
and let you kill my own father.

Don't say that, Mesede.
It's not the fault of anyone.

Just try to be courageous.

Be courageous,
because of you, yes.

And it doesn't matter if Yotar
puts us both to death.

He won't have enough time.

We'll all be killed in the catastrophe.

It'll happen any minute now.

The course of every life is
written in the skies

and we are in the hands
of the superior being

who guides the footsteps of man.

Obro, no one has ever spoken to
me of the superior being

You were the first to tell me.

But it was he who made me love you
and you love me and I am thankful.

Perhaps before we are destroyed
Yotar will realise that he was mistaken.

He is not evil.
He was just blinded by science.

We must forgive him

Mesede.

I've already forgiven him.

I have only one regret.

That I will never have a child.
I wanted so to have a son in your land.

We could have watched him grow up

free and strong, like you

That was my dream...

my only dream.

That's Mesede's voice I hear.

I would have called him Yotar.

Where is she?

Father, please let me see her again.

Yotar, the people are becoming unruly.

The magnetic rays no longer function.

The sea is overflowing every barrier

and will soon reach this level.
Save yourself. You still may have enough time.

For me, it no longer matters.

But I want you to save Elmos.

Father, don't take me away

Wait.

Save the lives of Mesede and the stranger.

I tried to overthrow the forces of nature.

And nature has humbled me in the dust.

Now nature has defeated me.

Yotar has given us orders to lead you
to safety in the mountains.

Let us leave, Mesede.

We can make it to the secret passage
that Egon showed me.