Adventures of Superman (1952–1958): Season 2, Episode 23 - Lady in Black - full transcript

[♪♪♪]

NARRATOR: Faster
than a speeding bullet.

More powerful than a locomotive.

Able to leap tall buildings
at a single bound.

MAN: Look! Up in the
sky! MAN 2: It's a bird!

WOMAN: It's a plane!
MAN 3: It's Superman!

NARRATOR: Yes, it's Superman,

strange visitor
from another planet

who came to Earth
with powers and abilities

far beyond those of mortal men.

Superman, who can change
the course of mighty rivers,



bend steel in his bare hands,

and who, disguised
as Clark Kent,

mild-mannered reporter for a
great metropolitan newspaper,

fights a never-ending battle

for truth, justice and
the American way.

And now, another
exciting episode

in the Adventures of Superman!

[♪♪♪]

[PHONE RINGING]

Daily Planet, Kent speaking.

Oh, hi, Mr. Kent. This is Jimmy.

I knew you're working late,

so I thought I'd
phone and say hello.

Hello, Jimmy. What do
you want? I'm awfully busy.



Kiss your mother good
night and go to sleep.

That would be
a little difficult.

You see, she's away
visiting relatives in Michigan.

I'm staying at the
apartment of a friend of hers,

old Mrs. Jones.

Would you mind stopping
by on the way home?

I'd like to, Jim,
but I'm very busy.

The address is 360
Apple Tree Lane.

It's an old place, stuck
between some warehouses.

All right, Jimmy, let's have it.

What did you want
to see me about?

I don't need you...

except, uh...

I hear noises.

Jimmy, what did
you have for dinner?

Well...

I had a couple hot
dogs, some ice cream,

and, uh, two pickles.

And, uh, I've been readin'
here a... A mystery story.

I see.

What you have is
indigestion of the imagination.

Now, I'll tell you what I'll do.

Just before I leave, I'll give
you a ring. What's your number?

It's Metropolis 71683.

All right.

Now, good to sleep.

Ice cream, pickles...

I suppose that's it.

What you lookin' at?

[CLATTER]

[THUMP]

Oh...

Who wouldn't get an
imagination in this place?

[THUDDING]

Hey, what goes on here, anyway?

Rent, depreciation, bad heating.

Goes on all the time.

No.

I mean those noises in
Mrs. Jones' apartment.

Oh, hot water pipes, maybe.
Never noticed her complaining.

She's deaf.

It's a blessing in
disguise, my boy.

She can't hear the clatter
of her own knitting needles.

Well, it wasn't my imagination

that knocked that
picture off the wall.

Yeah, truck going
by outside, maybe.

[TIRES SCREECHING]

Well, unless I'm crazy,
that truck just drove

into the basement.

[SIGHS]

All right, I'll go take a look.

But I already been
there. It's just a tiny place.

Wait a minute, I'll go with you.

[BANGING]

Listen. It's louder.

Mister, wait, do you hear?

[BANGING]

[RINGING]

[♪♪♪]

Here we are.

What happened to him?

Oh, I didn't mean to... I
mean, kid hurt himself.

Superman.

Hello, Jimmy.

Kent said you
been hearing noises.

But he didn't say anything
about your seeing stars.

Oh, I'm all right now.

Something hit me.

Same thing happens to me

every time I go in the
basement to look at the furnace.

There's this low bridge.

Oh, you mean you
just ran into a beam?

Yeah, it's only this high.

Place must have
been made for midgets.

I guess, maybe, that was
it. I couldn't see anything.

What were you doing
down there, anyway, Jimmy?

Investigating those noises?

I know you don't believe me,
Superman, but I heard 'em.

Kid was right. There
was something.

[MEOWS]

[CHUCKLES]

His name's Timothy. Best
mouse catcher in the business,

provided you're in the
business of catching mouses.

[CHUCKLES]

I see, the best and
the noisiest, I take it.

Anything gets between
Timothy and a mouse is a goner.

Including me. Hello, Timothy.

[MEOWS]

Hey, you'd better take
him to a hospital, I'd say.

Now, let's see.

No. No, there's no fracture.

Just an overdose of hot
dogs and reckless cats, I'd say.

I'm sorry, Superman.

I guess you shouldn't
have bothered.

That's all right, Jimmy.
Kent was worried.

He heard something funny
when he tried to phone you.

Well, I guess that was my fault.

I knocked over the phone

when I brought your
friend into the room here.

There, now you see Jimmy?

There's a logical
explanation for everything.

You try and get some sleep, boy.

[WHOOSH]

Well, we'll get you
one more damp cloth,

and then it'll be good night.

[SIGH]

[CLOCK RINGING]

I must have been
crazy last night.

I could have sworn
there was only one eye.

[WHISTLING]

Whoa, I'm sorry.

Hey, kid, what's your hurry?

Well, I'm not in any hurry,

but the bus I need
to catch usually is.

Which house is 360?

That's it. Right there.

What time is it, huh?

It's almost 8:00.

But, uh, I think my coat
just got tangled in your fists.

"Got entangled," he says.

So he did, didn't he?

Is there a back entrance?

Yeah. Where is it?

It's in the back.

And this is the front one?

Well, no, unless they
put the front in the back

and the back in the
front, I'd say, yeah.

"I'd say," he says.

Look, uh, what
is it you want...?

Nothin'. Nothin' at all.
I'm just the friendly type.

Yeah, I should've known,
by the way you acted.

It was nice seeing you.

How could it be nice when it
never really happened, huh?

It never really happened?

Yeah, yeah, you catch
on fast, don't you, kid?

You ain't seen
nobody, especially me.

Nobody, especially you.

Yeah, that's right.

You know, if a kid's smart,
he can live to be a ripe old age.

But if he ain't, he can get
old and die all of a sudden.

Just like that.

[SIGHS]

Hey, mister, do you
see that guy over there?

No, I guess you didn't.

No, I guess you didn't.

There you are. Keep the change.

But, lady, that's
a hundred bucks.

Never mind. Just
park here. Wait.

I do not think it will
rain today, do you?

I must have combed
my hair this morning

to look like an
information booth.

Good. That is very good.

Watch out, though.
The clouds are very near.

What did you say?

He said, "the clouds
are very near."

That's what I thought you said.

Taxi.

Hey, mister, you
forgot your cloud.

I mean, package.

Shh!

Don't, you fool.

Who was he?

Who was who?

Well, um, maybe if I start
with an easier question.

Who are you?

Please, I am the Lady in Black.

Well, really, I'm on my
way to work right now.

Please, it is a matter
of life and death.

Now, just tell me one thing.

Where is 360 Pear Tree Lane?

That's my place, right...
No, this is Apple Tree Lane.

There's no Pear Tree
Lane in Metropolis.

What?

Oh, no. But then X-40 must
have made the same mistake.

X-40? That must
either be an airplane,

or the guy with the glasses.

I'll be late, and with this.

Maybe that other guy
made the same mistake.

What? What other guy?

Was he tall? Did he have a scar?

Now, look lady. Are
you tryin' to kid me?

'Cause I don't know whether
I'm on the outside lookin' in,

or the inside lookin' out?

Answer me. What other man?

That guy right over there.

Turn around, quick.
Oh, dear, what will I do?

Well, um, if you stick with
me, you'll be on the next bus

to the South Sea Islands.

Oh, no. Get me away from here.

If there were a crowd,
we could meld into it.

Shh. He's not looking
now. Quickly, come.

I can slip away
through the alley.

Fine, the exit's down
there, at the end of the hall.

So long.

Wait.

It may take me all day
to find Pear Tree Lane.

Perhaps I should stay here.

Oh, no.

Oh...

Do I frighten you so?

If only you knew my plight.

I've got a few plights of
my own to take care of, lady.

Look into my eyes.

Sure.

Deeper.

The light's not
very good in here.

I can see well enough to
know that I can trust you. Here.

You can trust me,
lady, but not with this.

Keep it. Tell no one. I
will get in touch with you.

Wait a second.

[SMOOCH]

There, now you cannot betray me.

Hey, lady, wait a minute,
you forgot your package.

Yoo-hoo, lady? Lady in Black?

Hello, Daily Planet?
Give me Mr. Kent.

Well, Miss Lane then.
Anybody, let me talk to anybody.

Superman. I wanna
talk to Superman.

Look, you tell him this time,
it's not my imagination, either.

Just hurry.

[CHUCKLES]

Oh, come on, Jimmy.
I don't believe it.

What do you mean?
Are you kidding?

A lady in black
with a dagger, yet?

[LAUGHS]

Okay, we've had our laugh,
now why aren't you here at work?

Ji...? Jimmy?

Mr. Kent, look, you
gotta believe me.

I need help. I'm
telling you the truth.

Hello?

Mm.

I must have gotten out
of bed on the wrong day.

The money's gone.

Mr. Frank?

Mr. Frank, may I use your phone?

There's something
wrong with mine.

Hey, Mr. Frank.

Mr. Frank...

This better not be a false
alarm. I gotta get back.

No.

Superman. Am I glad to see you.

Jimmy, you'd better explain why.

He dragged me in here
off the street violently.

And told me that somebody was...

What did you say he was?

I said, he was
murdered. Right in there.

Officer, we're sorry
to have bothered you.

Well, if there's been a
murder, I gotta report...

There hasn't been.
And I'll take it from here.

Thank you just the same.

Superman, you just
have to believe me.

Take a look for yourself.

I already have. X-ray
vision, remember?

But I'm telling you the truth.

Jimmy, did you ever
hear the story of the boy

that cried wolf
just once too often?

Wait a minute, please.

First, there came
the man with the scar.

Then X-40 with the glasses.
Then the Lady in Black...

Yes, the Lady in Black,

wearing a long, black veil
with a strange foreign accent.

That's right. She's the one
who gave me the package.

Stuffed with money.
Thousand dollar bills, generally.

How'd you know?

Ha, ha. Jimmy...

That tired plot's been
keeping mystery writers alive

for the past 20 years.

Well, it hasn't done the same
thing for Mr. Frank. He's dead.

[SIGHS]

Yeah? Come in.

Oh, it's you again.

I'm just waitin' for the missis
to get back with some breakfast.

Would you care
for a cup of coffee?

No, thank you.

But...

But you were dead.

Oh, please, Mr. Frank,
why don't you lie down dead

like you were
when I last saw you?

It would make things
so much easier.

How's that head of
yours this morning?

That's a bad bump you got there.

I know, you both
think I'm crazy.

Well, you're probably right.

How do you do?

SUPERMAN: How do you do?

I don't think you've
met the missis.

I tell you right now, Superman,
if you're lookin' for a room,

you won't find one here.

No lobsters this morning, Les.

Miss Frank,

you didn't happen
to find a dagger

sticking in the
screen door, did you?

Oh, yeah, sure.

Kids are always
puttin' it there.

But I fixed 'em.

You know, uh, I wouldn't mind
if all this happened at night.

But it's just not decent for it to
happen in the broad daylight.

Jimmy, there's one
reason I'm not giving you

another lecture right now.

I have to get
back to the office.

The office?

Yes, uh, Kent has some
work that he has to finish,

and he can't start unless
I'm there to help him.

Oh.

I'm sorry to be
a trouble to you.

Think nothin' of it, son.

Gee, he sure flies pretty.

Yeah, he won't be back.

I was hoping maybe
they'd take the kid

to a psychiatrist or somethin'.

Doesn't make any
difference if he stays.

If he hears a noise
and yells for help,

they won't come
runni" this time.

Oh, here's the other one.

Joe shouldn't have left
that stickin' in the door.

Yeah, well, you shouldn't
have mixed up those pictures

with the eyes in 'em.

I had to. We had
a buyer last night.

That one-eyed thing
was worth $5000 to us.

So you shouldn't have stashed
it in the old lady's apartment

in the first place.

Why not? The best place to
hide a picture is an art gallery.

How was I to know
the kid would show up?

Besides, he's so rattled,

one more eye isn't gonna
make any difference.

Oh, eyes, eyes, eyes.
I'm sick of moderns.

Then you'll like what
we're getting tonight.

I located a Rembrandt
in the warehouse.

Boys are taking it out
through the basement.

Got a good imitation
to put in its place, too.

I tell you something right now,

that Rembrandt better not
have more than two eyes.

Now, Rembrandt knew
what he was doing.

Yeah, so do I.

Gee, I wish they'd
had lobsters today.

[CLATTER]

[CRASH]

Here we go again.

[PHONE RINGING]

Nervous Olsen, no doubt.

Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. Kent, I
didn't mean to bother you,

but I just had to.

Look, uh, you never
have been over here.

Superman has, but not you.

But I've been spared
a wild-goose chase.

Hey, Mr. Kent, don't hang up.

I just gotta talk to somebody.

All right, Jimmy.

Go ahead right ahead and
talk if it makes you feel better.

Well, you see

I'm just lying on the couch

and begin to hear those noises.

There was, um, just a
tapping and scraping and the...

And the voices. But so faint,
I-I couldn't really hear 'em.

There they are.

[CRASHING]

MAN: Ah! Look out, for my foot.

MAN 2: Move your foot.

Hmm. If only Superman were here.

I can't understand
em' but I bet he could.

Jim, be quiet.

MAN: "Move my
foot," he says. Ha.

Why don't you keep
your eyes open?

How do you expect anybody
to see down here? It's so dark.

Why don't you put on those
glasses you had the other day?

Boy, did you look funny.

Forget the itch and
watch out for those wires.

"Watch out," he says.

That's what them warehouse
people outta be doing.

By the time we get through,

they'll have a
vault full of fakes.

And we'll have a pocket full
of dough from the originals.

But what I don't get is why
we have to split the dough

with them upstairs.

We didn't put the hole
through the basement wall.

Now you have done it!

This is where the
telephone wires come in.

"Wires," he says.

I fixed them before, didn't I?

But what if somebody
is talkin' again?

Oh, relax. Maybe
they ain't broke.

Well, I... I better go
up again and make sure

that they keep a
sharp eye on that kid.

There. I can't hear
them anymore now.

But I know one thing.

That cat doesn't talk
when he's chasin' a mouse.

Hey, Mr. Kent.

Is something out
with this telephone?

Mr. Kent, where are you?

Mr. Kent.

I-I know you think
I'm just yelling wolf,

but I'm not, and I
never have been.

Please, even if you have
put the telephone down,

would you listen
just a little bit?

That's all set.

She's gonna make double sure

that kid is gonna
be out of our hair.

You know, sometimes I
think that Mr. Frank is a genius.

You sit down too much.

We have three more pictures
in there to switch. Come.

All right, all right.

[WHOOSH]

What's the matter?

I heard something.

Sounded like it came
from the other part

of the warehouse,
beyond the vault.

Ah, these walls
are 2 feet thick.

You can't hear nothing
through that. Come.

[♪♪♪]

So, Mr. Kent, how can
I convince anybo...?

Shh!

Oh, no.

The last time I saw you,

you were closely followed
by a dagger meant for me.

But you are safe now.

That is what I came to find out.

Oh, yeah, well, you
shouldn't have bothered.

A postcard would
have done very nicely.

Ah, but a postcard
would not make sure

that nothing interferes
with what is going on.

Well, um, just what is
going on, Lady in Black?

Perhaps it is better

if I take you with me
until this is all over.

Oh, yeah?

Well, uh...

if you take me with
you, it will be all over.

Mr. Kent!

No!

Hurry up, clumsy,
he's gonna get through.

I'm goin' as fast as I can.

Superman!

Hello, Jimmy.

Looks like I owe you an apology.

You mean I'm not crazy?
There really were voices?

Of course there were, Jimmy.

Old Mrs. Jones was deaf, or
she would have heard them too.

I... I must have the
wrong apartment.

Excuse me, please.

I'm sorry, but no.

I do not understand any of this.

That makes two of us.

But why all the
cloak-and-dagger stuff?

In order to gain possession

of some very valuable
paintings, Jimmy.

When you moved in, they
had to try a very fancy trick,

and it almost worked.

They had you so
framed with excitement,

that no one would've
paid any attention to you,

regardless of how much
you cried out for help.

I am sorry, I do not
know about any of this.

No?

You... You would
not touch a lady.

Of course not.

Watch, Jimmy, and I'll show
you how things in your imagination

can be completely blown away.

[SCREAMS]

[SOBBING]

Shall we join the
others, Mrs. Frank?

Here, Jimmy, you
might wanna finish this.

Mr. Kent, are you still there?

Jeepers, did you hear
it? Did you hear all that?

Sure he did, Jimmy.

[♪♪♪]