The Land That Time Forgot (1974) - full transcript

During World War I, a German U-boat sinks a British ship and takes the survivors on board. After it takes a wrong turn, the submarine takes them to the unknown land of Caprona, where they find dinosaurs and neanderthals.

I do not expect anyone to believe
the story I'm about to relate.

It's even seems incredible to me
that all that I have passed through...

all those weird and terrifying experiences...

should've been encompassed within
as short a span as three brief months.

Must've been a little after
3 o'clock in the afternoon that it began...

The afternoon of June 3, 1916.

S.S. Montrose, 20,000 tons.

Range, 1,000 meter.

Range, 1,000 meter.

Depth, nine meter.

Depth, nine meter.



Bow tubes one and two.

Hold.

Hold.

Fire one. Number one tube fired.

Fire two.

Number two tube fired.

Add another 20,000 tons to our total.

Orders to surface, Herr kapitan?

No, Dietz.

Survivors may live to fight another day.

They're in enough trouble already.

Besides, these were civilians.

Down periscope.

- The ship...
- We were torpedoed.



Looks like we're the only survivors.

Will they find us?

Ahoy. Ahoy there.

Ahoy.

Ahoy. Where are you?

Over here. Ahoy.

Over here.

There on the port bow, Mr. Bradley.

Rest oars.

Up you come, me darling.

Welcome aboard, miss Clayton, Mr. Tyler.

Sinclair, if you look in my bag,

there's some Brandy.

Aye sir.

Mr. Tyler.

Did any of the other boats get away?

I'm afraid not.

We were sure lucky to find you.

Olson, take the tiller.

Not quite so lucky I'm afraid.

We've only got about a
half gallon of water and no food.

Young Whiteley managed
to get through with an SOS,

but had no chance to tell them where.

As far as they're concerned
we, we could be anywhere.

Herr kapitan, Borg requests
permission to surface and recharge batteries.

Very well, Dietz. Prepare to surface.

Jawohl, kapitan.

Up periscope. Up periscope.

Thick fog.

Perfect cover for us.

Down periscope. Down periscope.

Both engines full ahead.

Both engines full ahead.

Mr. Bradley.

There's something out there.

It can't be a fishing boat,

we're too far from land.

Quiet.

It's a U-boat.

It must be the one that sunk us.

We'd better take cover until it submerges.

No wait, if we get aboard, we can surprise
them as they come through the hatch.

- We wouldn't stand a chance.
- It's the only chance we have.

I know these boats like the back of my hand.

Now, we've got about two
minutes before that hatch opens.

Right.

Let's try it. Pull away.

Quiet, captain.

Kommen sie hier.

Achtung.

Now, don't move.

Smith, go help Olson. Benson.

Come on.

Good work, Bradley.

Well, commander, now that you have us,

what do you propose to do with us?

Are you all right? I'm fine, thank you.

I'll tell you what we're
going to do with you captain...

put you in the nearest British port.

And you expect me to take you there?

- Captain Von Schoenvorts.
- Schoenvorts.

I'm afraid you have no choice.

And how will you know if
I'm coursing for England or Germany?

We're all seamen captain,
we know how to read a compass.

Oh, and Von Schoenvorts, I don't suppose
you've heard of the Tylers of Santa Monica?

Well, I'm Bowen Tyler, and my
father was building these submarines...

before you even thought of them.

Stop him, Jones.

Hold it.

Radio.

Now there's no chance
of contacting allied shipping.

- May I suggest, Mr. Tyler, that...
- I'll suggest.

I suggest captain...

captain Von Schoenvorts...

you tell your men
we're in control and if you don't...

You'll find you and your crew
where you found us in the water.

Achtung, Von Schoenvorts...

This boat is now under
command of our enemy, Mr. Tyler.

You will obey his orders, for the time being.

Lock him up, Bradley.

Bradley, is that a British warship?

It is indeed, we're in luck.

We think we've spotted
a British warship. Stand by.

Keep signaling.

A few more of those,
and they'll have our range.

It's no good. They don't read us.

Or they don't believe us. Let's get below.

Prepare to dive.

Dive. Dive. Dive.

Bow down angle, seven degrees.

Level off at 20.

Level off at 20.

Thirty-five slowing.

Five degrees leveling.

Slow both engines. Kleine fahrt.

Slow both engines.

Boat gaining depth, 50 meters.

Bow down angle, 15 degrees.

Blow two and three.

No. You'll give away our position.

Both engines half ahead.

Both engines half ahead.

Increasing depth, 55 meter.

Let her sink to the bottom.

You don't know how deep it is here.

She'll only stand 65 meter.

Boat still gaining in depth, 60 meter.

Bow down angle, ten degrees.

Sixty-three meter.

Sixty-five meter.

Level at the bow.

Sixty-seven meter.

Sixty-nine meter.

Stop both engines.

Stop both engines.

You can blow two and three now, Mr. Dietz.

Blow two and three. Blow two and three.

Both engines slow ahead.

Both engines slow ahead.

Very good, Mr. Tyler.

There was only one thing we could do,
head the U-boat on a Western course...

and try to reach a neutral
American port before our fuel ran out.

Bradley, we've been going due
west for six days now...

in all this time
we haven't seen one single ship.

Having crossed the Atlantic, we should've
sighted the north American coast by now.

It's sure isn't north Atlantic
weather, not this time of the year.

Dietz.

Either the sun is rising in the South or
our compass has been tampered with.

We've been going South for six days.

My guess, is right here.

But that's South America.

Exactly where I wanted to go.

Schwartz, take the helm.

Did you think that as commander of this ship

I would not have a master key?

Now, there is a German
supply ship operating in this area.

And we should rendezvous within the hour.

And you commander, will be
transfer to her and shot as a pirate.

I apologize for disturbing you, miss Clayton.

Might I collect some of my papers?

Yes, of course.

Thank you.

Well, are you making yourself comfortable?

Yes, thank you, captain.

Good.

Did you know that Mr. Tyler
was planning to take us to new England?

I find his Yankee
ingeniousness almost frightening.

You know, I'm a biologist, captain.

I study the structure of living things,

their motivations, and their behavior,

but I don't understand you.

How can anyone
who is so interested in life...

follow a profession which
is devoted to destruction and killing?

The study of nature miss Clayton,

has taught me that life is
founded upon killing and destruction.

The sea swarms with living things
that prey on one another to survive.

But human beings needn't.

The ship you torpedoed contained nothing
but innocent passengers, women and children.

And a hold full of arms and ammunition that
would be used to kill women and children...

in my country. Oh yes, how else
would it have exploded so quickly?

Anyway, we will talk
again miss Clayton, goodbye.

Up periscope. Up periscope.

Good. There's our supply ship.

Down periscope. Down periscope.

Prepare to surface.

Both engines full ahead.

Both engines full ahead.

It's me.

Our bow is pointing
directly at the German ship.

Let's give them a surprise.

Tubes flooded. Ready to fire, Mr. Tyler.

Nice shooting, Mr. Tyler.

She had fuel, supplies, fresh water.

We have enough supplies for one week.

What do you propose to do now, commander?

Bradley, put captain Von Schoenvorts
back in the cooler, take him with you.

Get on the helm, Dietz.

We conserve our fuel, we go on half rations.

And we'll see where the current will take us.

Precisely.

Against my better judgment,

your instincts have
proved to be right so far.

I can handle my crew.

You understand submarines.

I consider that to be
our good fortune, commander.

Mr. Bradley.

Icebergs.

No.

There are no icebergs
north of 14 in these waters.

That much I know.

Then we must be South of 14, Dietz.

Impossible.

Hello sir.

Hello, Sinclair.

Open the door. Right sir.

Captain. Mr. Tyler.

Come on.

Sit down.

Would you like a drink?

Captain Von Schoenvorts, I...

- I need your help.
- You need my help?

- How?
- We're lost.

I will help you.

- No tricks.
- No tricks.

- What do you make of it?
- Did you ever hear of Caproni?

An early Italian navigator.
He followed cook about 1721.

People scoffed at his claims
but I remember reading in his book...

in which he describes a
new continent, in the South seas.

A rockbound inhospitable coast, without beach
or harbor where he could make no landing.

He saw no sign of life,
called Caprona and sailed away.

I believe that we're
looking at the coast of Caprona,

uncharted and forgotten for 200 years.

All we'll have to do what
he couldn't do find a place to land.

We don't, we'll die.

Seems there's no way in.

- It is warm.
- Mr. Bradley.

Warm water sir.

What is it? What you find?

Well, this is fresh water, and it's warm.

There must be a river
flowing into the sea near here.

Mr. Tyler.

There is your river.

An underground river?

We'll need the wings of
angels to find out where it starts.

I don't think so
Mr. Olson, not with this submarine.

If that tunnel is as big
as it looks, we might get through.

Steady at the helm.

She's veering starboard two degrees.

Ease off two degrees.

Ease off two degrees.

Steady.

Both engines half ahead.

Both engines half ahead.

Starboard, there's a turn.

Starboard.

Full power both engines.

Full power both engines.

More power. Give me more power.

We have full maximum power now sir.

Step up the mains,
it'll give us three more knots.

Herr kapitan.

Step up the mains,
it'll give us three more knots.

Borg.

Step up the mains for full maximum power.

Half power port.

Starboard engine one half.

Full on port engine.

Full on port engine. Hang on.

Borg, check the aft bearings.

Aft bearings. Jawohl, kapitan.

Slow both engines.

Two degrees starboard.

Two degrees starboard.

I see light.

I think we're through.

What a sight.

What is it, Mr. Tyler?

Nothing.

Down periscope.

Down periscope.

They look like pterodactyl.

But, but they can't be.

They've been extinct for millions of years.

If I am not mistaken that is a diplodocus.

A diplodocus?

Plesser, lay out the lead line.

Schwartz, hatch covers.

Look at that big crocodile.

Plesser.

Lisa, get below.

Von Schoenvorts.

Bowen.

Olson.

Olson.

Ah, splendid, Olson.

With the compliments of the chef,

lady and gentlemen.

Miss Clayton.

Is plesiosaurus a common dish
in the British Navy Mr. Olson?

Ah, no ma'am, the chef confessed complete
ignorance of how to cook such a beast.

This is an old Irish recipe
I dreamed up for the occasion.

Thank you, Olson.

Bon appétit.

Thank you, Mr. Olson.

Should one drink white or red wine
with plesiosaurus, Herr Von Schoenvorts?

Excellent.

Commander, I have a proposition for you.

For us here, the war in Europe...

is meaningless, yes?

And I suggest that...

we forget those differences
and work together for our mutual survival.

That sounds good in
principle captain Von Schoenvorts...

but what if we were
to find some means of escape?

In that event...

we will take the submarine to a neutral
port and surrender to the authorities.

All right.

But who's going to
command our little force in Caprona?

I will command my men, Mr. Bradley his,
the three of us will make the rules...

and you Mr. Tyler, as
sort of neutral, will be in charge.

- Agreed.
- Agreed.

Our time together gentlemen,
promises to be extremely interesting.

Well gentlemen, what you make of it?

- I'd say Caprona was a volcanic crater.
- A volcano, miss Clayton?

But it's at least, oh, 200 Miles across.

I'd say it could be the
largest volcano in the history of our planet.

Ah, good.

Gentlemen, will you excuse me?

I want to analyze these
samples from a very remarkable river.

The water is absolutely alive.

They're not like anything

I've ever seen before.

They almost seem to have a purpose.

German metaphysics.

British empiricism.

Until we find a stream
or pool that is free of them...

we will have no drinking water.

Stop both engines. We're anchoring here.

Hindle, launch the boat.

It's like a geologic exhibit.

A world of life outside of time,

yet representing almost all
the ages of the earth.

Wonderful.

Wunderbar.

Yes, wunderbar.

This water certainly tastes good, Whiteley.

Can.

Caprona has damn little
respect for guns, Mr. Tyler.

No, there's nothing wrong
with our shooting, gentlemen.

In primitive nervous systems
like this allosaurus,

even a fatal wound might
register in the brain with a delayed action.

As your saying would have it,
this chap was late for his own funeral.

Hold him, hold him down.

Get him down. Get him down.

Ga-Lu.

Ga-Lu. Ga-Lu.

Ga-Lu.

Ga-Lu?

Bo-Lu. Bo-Lu?

Bo-Lu.

Bo-Lu.

Bo-Lu. Bo-Lu?

Bo-Lu. Bo-Lu.

Bo-Lu?

Ahm.

Ahm?

Ahm.

Bowen.

Bowen.

Calm.

Easy.

Let's get back to the submarine.

Look out. Ga-Lu.

Ga-Lu. Ga-Lu.

Sorry, ahm. No, Mr. Tyler.

He was trying to tell you something.

Well, he could've done it
a little less forcefully.

He's not an animal. He had a reason.

Now we should go.

All right.

Can we take him back to the submarine?

He may be of use to us.

Ahm had been friendly until I tried to go
South instead of north as he had indicated.

I was not to realize why until much later.

Sinclair, Mr. Tyler.

Help them up.

I've got him.

Jawohl...

Jawohl. Jawohl.

What an amazing experience
it must be for him.

No more amazing than
finding ourselves here, miss Clayton.

His companions were a great puzzle.

Some were almost like apes,
others closer to...

Such variety in a single tribe.

Why?

There you are, my friend. Match, a match.

He knows about fire.

He's trying to tell you
that it comes from the ground.

Fire from the ground.

- Could be volcanic or natural gas or...
- Oil.

Herr kapitan.

Ja, ja.

Ja, oil.

Oil.

If you know where there's
enough oil, we can refine it.

We've got all the equipment we need.

Nein, nein, nein. This is crude oil.

This is no good for my engines.

Wait a minute. Wait a minute.

It might knock the guts out of
our engines, but could get us all home.

Yes, I think it is worth a try.

Good old ahm.

Come on, ahm.

I said, come on.

Stolu, Stolu.

Ahm, Bo-Lu.

What's the matter?

Ask him.

Stolu.

Stolu.

Stolu botu ahm.

Ahm Bo-Lu.

I think he's saying that a
Bo-Lu can't go beyond this point.

Yes, and this marks
the boundary of his territory.

Family tree.

Ahm...

Dietz. Come on.

Stolu.

Quite right, miss Clayton.

Yes, he's different from the Bo-Lu.

His species is more advanced.

Stolu.

Stolu.

Ahm Bo-Lu.

Bo-Lu.

Bo-Lu.

Ahm Bo-Lu.

Ahm stolu.

Stolu.

He's saying that he'll be a stolu.

Ahm Ga-Lu.

Lisa.

Ga-Lu.

I think Ahm believes that one day he will
become like us and be known as Ga-Lu.

It's not an uncommon
belief that the soul of the dead...

is reincarnated, each time on a higher level.

No, he thinks he will
actually change, physically.

No, no. No, that's impossible.

Perhaps it's just marsh gas.

No. No, it's oil.

Oil.

Oil.

Bradley, get everyone back to the submarine.

Man the gun.

Go on, ahm.

Borg, fire two rounds.

Can you see anybody?

Yes, they're watching.

Get out.

Your Mr. Bradley is taking his time.

Don't worry about Mr. Bradley,

just keep an eye on those monsters.

- Use searchlight.
- Give me the searchlight.

Watch for Mr. Tyler.

It's a styracosaurus of the cretaceous group.

You know, there is a secret to this island.

Something that we haven't
been able to fathom yet...

and whether we stay
or get away may depend on it.

Come.

Ahm. Ja.

Nein, ahm. Nein, nein.

Nein, nein, nein, nein.

It's the same in the microscopic world.

Creatures at every stage
of evolutionary development.

The same with the men,
the same with the animals.

Millions of years of evolution
embraced on this island.

Von Schoenvorts was right.

The creatures of Caprona were
like those that existed in prehistoric times.

And the further we followed the river north,

the more highly-developed they became.

Yes.

What do you make of it?

Well, the further we go upstream, the
fewer the organisms there are and simpler.

Well done, Mr.
Bradley, let's just hope it works.

So do I, Mr. Tyler.

- Ready Mr. Borg?
- Ready Mr. Bradley.

Sinclair, start pumping.

Well done.

Well done, Mr. Borg.

Very good.

Excellent.

Look at that. Excellent.

You know, it could be more difficult
to leave Caprona than it was to land.

We'll have that current with
us going out through the tunnel.

It'll be very difficult to navigate.

Kapitan Von Schoenvorts will take us through.

I was with him when he took our U-33
down the Norwegian coast in winter...

to sink a British cruiser.

Storms and ice flows did not stop him.

He's not very good
against lifeboats though, is he?

Punch him.

Punch him. Punch him.

Hey. Dietz. Hey. Hey.

Hey.

Belt him, Olson.

Do you want to remain on
this island for the rest of your life?

We must work all together.

Those two won't.

Then we must keep them apart.

Mr. Tyler, I suggest
that we divide the men into groups...

and each group takes turns,
hunting, building, refining.

Good idea.

They're just blowing off
a little steam, Lisa.

Well, ahm, we'll be going home soon.

Ship, ship.

Ship?

Going home. Ship.

Submarine.

Ga-Lu.

Ga-Lu.

Botu.

- Botu, I know what that...
- Yeah, I know, I know.

That means death.

Where's our friend ahm?

He usually eats with us.

Ahm.

Miss Clayton.

Well, it's your turn today, eh, Mr. Tyler.

How many more barrels
do we need, captain Von Schoenvorts?

Oh, I would say another day might do it.

This might be your last hunt.

Auf wiedersehen. Wiedersehen.

Each time we've had to go further
and further north to find grain.

That's exactly why I came.

I think we're getting nearer
the source of life on Caprona.

Lisa, this might be your lucky day.

It's a stolu encampment.

Hey look, look at the women in that pool.

What are they doing?

Do you remember those
samples we took from the river?

Yeah.

And the spawn we looked at
under the microscope?

This must be how life begins on Caprona.

That's the secret.

Every creature must lay eggs in this way.

They flow into the river and
develop through every stage of evolution..

Again and again a time must
come when they must go forward.

Nothing on Caprona can ever go back.

Mr. Tyler.

Come on.

I'm going to draw them away from us.

Now, stay here.

Botu.

Ahm.

Ahm, no.

Ahm, look out.

Kapitan, the last barrel has been filled,

and we have a stock of food and water aboard.

May I request permission to withdraw from
the stockade and rejoin with the U-33?

But Mr. Tyler and the others aren't back yet.

So? We're better off without them.

We cannot wait any longer kapitan,
at least let us get aboard the ship.

Very well, Dietz.

They must be Ga-Lu.

Ga-Lu?

We, we Ga-Lu.

Botu.

Lisa.

Bradley.

Von Schoenvorts.

How much longer do we give them?

As long as we have to.

I don't like the look of the lake
kapitan, it's getting worse every minute.

- We stay here much longer...
- We're not leaving without them.

Look out, skipper.

Don't be a fool, Dietz.

Get them below.

Slow ahead both engines.

Leaving?

We are leaving?

Bradley.

Von Schoenvorts.

Give me the searchlight.

You cannot.

Dietz.

Von Schoenvorts, wait.

Wait. Help.

No.

Goodbye, miss Lisa.

Wait. Dietz.

Bradley.

Von Schoenvorts.

Dietz.

Wiedersehen, Mr. Tyler.

Wiedersehen.

Stop. Dietz.

Wait.

Wait. Stop.

Von Schoenvorts.

I hope you enjoy your stay.

Von Schoenvorts. Stop.

It's too late. It's all too late.

Submerge. Dive. Dive. Dive.

We cannot breathe.

- The heat, the smoke...
- Get below.

Dive. Dive. Dive. Borg.

I told you to submerge.

Get back to your post.

It's all too late. Caprona has won.

You cannot go back...

to the...

beginning.

With the sinking of the submarine all our hopes
of getting away from Caprona had disappeared.

We are alone.

Spurned by even the highest, the Ga-Lu.

So we have to go on in the way
of Caprona till we find peace.

I would rather live here with Lisa
than to live elsewhere without her.

And she says the same of me.

If God wills it,
we shall live our lives here.

However, we are determined to
move ever northward, ever forward...

toward the greater mysteries that
lie ahead of this land that time forgot.