Adventures of Superman (1952–1958): Season 2, Episode 5 - Shot in the Dark - full transcript

[♪♪♪]

NARRATOR: Faster
than a speeding bullet.

More powerful than a locomotive.

Able to leap tall buildings
at a single bound.

MAN 1: 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.

[♪♪♪]

Oh, I beg your pardon, sir.

Oh, my fault entirely, Mr. Kent.

I have no business walking

through the
corridors of my paper

getting in the way of employees
as they barge out of doors.

Well, I just ran out of paper.

I wish you would.

Would what?



Run out of paper.
Especially this one.

Have I done something?

No, but you were supposed to.

Half an hour ago,

Superman rescued 10
persons from a burning building.

Oh, yes, sir, I know about that.

And I know about it too.

From the front page of
every rival paper in town.

Well, at the time, I sort
of had my hands full.

And your head empty.

Listen to me, Kent.

The next scatterbrain
I catch around here

is going to be sorry.

Phew.

Nobody does anything
around here. Nobody.

I beg your pardon?

What?

I said, I beg your pardon.

I didn't hear what you said.

Oh, it doesn't matter
in the least, madam.

Now, if you'll excuse
me, I'm a very busy man.

You can't be. You just can't be.

No truer words were ever
spoken, madam. Good day.

But you just can't be.

Now, madam, please
don't take offense.

But do you mind telling
me what I can't be?

Why, Mr. Kent, of course.

Now, that's what I like. Logic.

Good, clear-cut, old-fashioned,
down-to-earth logic.

Well, you don't
have to believe me.

But, madam, I do believe you.

I'm thoroughly convinced
I'm not Mr. Kent.

A circumstance I count
among my greater blessings.

But I must see him. I
just must see Mr. Kent.

Well, now, I'm
quite sure that you...

He deserves it.

Madam, if you'll
pardon me a moment,

I'll see if I can
arrange an interview.

Oh, thank you. Thank you!

You're very welcome.

[CHUCKLES]

I hate to tell you this, Jimmy,

but this story you
wrote is terrible.

It is?

Mm-hm. Terrible for me, that is.

You keep on at this rate,
and I'll be out of a job.

Well, I hope so.

Oh, you do?

No, I mean, I don't know...

[INTERCOM BUZZES]

I know what you mean.

Yes.

PERRY: Someone to see you, Kent.

A lady.

Oh, that's nice. Do I know her?

No. But it's a rare opportunity.

We can't have that. Send her in.

No, all fooling aside,

I think this is very
well-written, Jimmy.

[KNOCKING]

I'll get it. All right.

Thank you, young man.

Oh, won't you sit down?

Oh, I'm in great trouble!

You must help me, Superman!

Superman?

Are you all right, ma'am?

Oh, you must help me, Superman.

I'm sorry, but aren't you
a little mixed up, Miss...?

Harper. Harriet Harper. And
I'm certainly not mixed up.

I know you're Superman.

Well, you may think I am,
but I assure you, I'm not.

Ahh! The proof of the
pudding is in the eating.

And I have the pudding...
I mean, the proof.

You mean you can
prove he's Superman?

Don't be ridiculous, Jim,
you know better than that.

Oh, sure. But as
long as Miss Harper's

taken all the trouble
to come up here,

don't you think we ought
to listen to her explanation?

Well, there can't
be any explanation.

Oh, but there is. I'll show you.

There. There?

It's such a nice photograph.

May I ask just
where you got this?

From Allen, of course. Allen?

But how are you
supposed to know that?

Allen is my nephew.

There's got to be an
explanation somehow.

That should be interesting.

Then you'll come over and talk
to Allen about the other picture?

Yeah. Oh, thank you.
Thank you, Superman.

Most definitely, I
want to talk to Allen.

Since you have an explanation,

it won't matter if I
come along and hear it.

Will it, Mr. Kent?

Of course not, Jimmy.

I'm always glad to have
you along. You know that.

Oh, Allen will be so pleased.

He's always wanted
to meet Superman.

That's nice.

Ohh.

This is Allen's room.

Very nice.

Allen?

Allen, dear.

ALLEN: Yes, Aunt Harriet?

Oh, you brought him.
You brought Superman.

There seems to be a
difference of opinion there.

And this young man is...

Jimmy Olsen. Hi, Allen.

Hi.

What happened in there?

Oh, the man broke
into the house.

Looking for the
picture, I guess.

Oh. You mean this picture here?

No, the other one.

Let's talk about this one
for a while, if you don't mind.

When did you take it, Allen?

The other night, behind
the Daily Planet building.

I take lots of
pictures at night,

with an infrared bulb.

That way, nobody sees the flash.

And you got this
picture that you think

is me turning into Superman?

Well, it was awfully dark.

I just saw a figure and
took a couple of pictures.

I didn't know it was you
until I developed the shot.

Oh, you took a
couple of pictures.

Yes, sir.

Now, about this explanation

you were supposed
to have, Mr. Kent?

Well, it's really very
simple, Mr. Olsen.

He got a picture of Superman.

And about then, I
must have come along,

and he snapped me in
exactly the same spot.

But he forgot to wind the film.

Gee, then it's just
a double exposure.

Oh, but jeepers, it's not...

After all, it's a lot
more likely that

he'll get a double exposure
than I should be Superman.

Oh dear, oh dear. Well,
if you're not Superman,

then who's to help us?

Well, maybe I still ca...

Can you smell something
burning out there in the hall?

Oh.

[BLOWS]

There wasn't anything
burning out there, Mr...

My supplies. My supplies.

I knew it. I knew there
would be more trouble.

Nothing to be alarmed by.

I smelled something burning.

I couldn't tell where
it was coming from.

It must have been the same man.

He couldn't find the picture...

So he tried to burn
the house down.

Well, the way things are going,

that sounds
perfectly logical to me.

Well, I suppose we
begin at the beginning.

Let me explain, Allen.

I don't get things as
mixed up as you do.

You see, Mr. Kent,

Allen took a picture of
the man with the tulips.

He offered us $1000 before
the fire started in the closet.

With the tulips?

Is everything clear
now, Mr. Kent?

And I can tell you the
ending to the story too.

I'm gonna turn out
to be Superman.

Congratulations.

The picture of you and Superman
has got nothing to do with it.

But three nights ago, I went
out with my camera again.

I sneaked up on some
man standing by a wall.

I got the shot, but
the man saw me

and chased me nearly
all the way home.

Next day, the very same
man came to the door.

He wanted to buy the
picture and the negative.

Offered us $5.

And he kept going
higher and higher

until he got to $1000.

He must have thought it was
a wonderful picture of himself.

I wouldn't sell,
because that's the shot

I'm gonna enter in the
state photography contest.

That's the point.
You wouldn't sell.

So he came back here and
ransacked your darkroom.

But he didn't get what
he was looking for.

I'd like to look at
this man of yours.

Say, that's pretty smart.

Who'd ever think to look
for something valuable

in a wastepaper basket?

It's nothing. Just
basic psychology.

That's what we need around here.

Some good old basic psychology.

Allen took a lovely
picture of me once.

Would you like to see it?

Oh, oh, thank you.
Some other time.

Allen, this is a
very good picture.

But why is it so
important to this man?

How would he break in
here to get it and start a fire?

How far would he go
to get his picture back?

Frankly, I wouldn't want
to be the one to find out.

That's why we needed Superman.

And now, you're not
Superman. Oh, dear.

Uh, by the way, Allen,
did he get the negative

of the Superman picture?

Yeah, he got that one.

Mm-hm. Well, it doesn't
matter, I suppose.

Oh, can I take this with me?
It might turn up something.

Okay. I guess it would be
safer with you than with me.

That's if you're sure to
keep it in a wastebasket.

I wouldn't dream of
keeping it anywhere else.

Well... I'll drop back tomorrow

and let you know if
I find out anything.

And remember,
"Tomorrow is another day."

Yes, ma'am. And
the day after too.

Yes. Yes, it is.

[DOOR CLOSES]

LOIS: Oh, Clark?

Oh, no.

You went out of here
pretty fast a while ago,

and you come back looking
pretty grim. What's up?

Nothing important,
Lois. Believe me.

I'll bet.

I can tell when you're
up to something, Mr. Kent.

Lois, please,
I'll explain later.

I'll go see if there's
any messages.

[SIGHS]

[♪♪♪]

Well.

You have a picture
I want, Mr. Kent.

I liked you better
with the tulips.

Tulips are my weakness,
but not quite as persuasive.

The picture, please.

You sure you haven't got
another picture you'd trade for it?

If you are referring
to the negatives

that I took from
the boy's darkroom,

I glanced through
them hurriedly.

The picture I want
isn't there. It's here.

Well, looks like you
have the advantage.

You're a sensible man, Mr. Kent.

After all, the picture
means everything to me,

nothing to you.

[TRAIN RUMBLING]

He's 25 years younger than I am.

He just got on the
Valley Express,

before I could catch him,
and he has the picture.

That's a half-hour nonstop run.

He can't get off
for half an hour.

Who cares about the schedule?
What are we gonna do?

I'll tell you what we can do.

Suppose the Express is wrecked.

A lot of confusion, a
lot of people get hurt.

So, Bill and me are there
to give a helping hand.

But we rescue the picture.

How can you sure the
subway will be wrecked?

These things happen,
Burt. They happen.

Lois, look, I...

Looked like a game
of follow the leader,

so I decided to
get into the act.

Well, the game is over. I'll
see you back at the office.

You won't see me back anyplace.

You're up to something,

and I'm gonna
find out what it is.

So it could happen anytime
within the next half hour.

What could happen?

Nothing, Lois. Look, will
you please let me alone?

Uh-uh. Where you
go, I go, Mr. Kent.

All right.

You know what to do.

[RINGS BELL]

This is better than Casey Jones.

Burt?

Yeah, like clockwork.

Did you ever hear of a local
catching up on an express?

This one's going to.

Yeah, we slugged the
motorman, and it's running wild.

In about three stations,
it'll catch up. And boom!

[CHUCKLES]

[SIGHS]

Haven't much of that
half hour left, have you?

Look, Lois, don't you
have anything else to do

besides tag along after me?

Not at the moment. Sorry.

Lois, do you hear
something funny?

Why, no.

[ALARM SOUNDS]

A burglar alarm.
That means a story.

Okay, Lois. It's your scoop.

[♪♪♪]

[ROCKS CRASHING]

[METAL BENDING]

Hello, Lois. Did you get
your story on the holdup?

Oh, there wasn't a holdup,

just a short-circuit
in the alarm.

But I got something better.

Oh?

Story of Superman
preventing a subway collision.

Yes, I... I heard about it.

Biggest story of the week.
Too bad you missed it.

Mm.

Hi, Jimmy.

Oh, hi, Lois.

Where have you been?!

Well, It's kind of a
weird story, Mr. Kent.

I only believe about
half of it myself.

I see.

I see you've still got
the picture. Mm-hm.

But out of the hundreds
of things I don't understand,

one is why you were
so willing to give it up.

Well, really, it's
very simple, Jimmy.

You see, the man
had a gun on me.

Besides, I thought
it would be better

if he take the picture,
then I tried to follow him.

Mm-hm. Well, all I know
is the man in the picture

is the same man who has
that other picture of you...

Or... Or Superman.

Uh-huh.

Well, I think we'd better go
and see Inspector Henderson.

Anything you say, Mr. Kent.

But I still don't know which
picture worries you the most.

Well, it isn't important you
should. Come on. Mm-hm.

I've seen that face
somewhere before.

If I can only find it
in this the mug book.

There he is. Mm-hm.

That's it.

Burt Burnside. Alias, The Tulip.

You seem to know all about him.

Sure, I know all about him.

He's dead. Hm?

Then he's got an
awfully healthy ghost.

He's right. We've both seen him.

Maybe you two
better take a vacation.

As far as I'm
concerned, he's dead.

This picture could've
been taken five years ago.

Mm-mm. No, Bill,
not this one. Look.

See this playbill behind there,
advertising Molly and Me? Mm-hm.

Well, this is a brand new play.

Just opened in
Metropolis two weeks ago

for the first time.

Well, If that's his
picture, he's still alive.

What can you tell me about
him? I mean, before all this.

Well, he used to be a
pretty good con man.

Mostly in the insurance game.

I don't think I like his policy.

Looks like he's
still at it, too.

He was insured for $50,000,
payable to his two partners.

And they both collected?

Sure.

Body turns up beside
Highway 12. Burt's body.

"Hit and run," the coroner says.

Mm, double indemnity.

Two times 50, $100,000.
The company pays off.

And the guy isn't even dead.

But somebody else is, Jim.

That body by the roadside wasn't
any department store dummy.

What are you gonna do, Bill?

I'm gonna put
out an "all points"

on those three characters.

No. Let me handle this.

I can't do it, Kent.
Those men are killers.

Just give me 24 hours.

I've never let you
down before, have I?

I'll give you half of
that. But be careful.

Thanks.

It shouldn't take a man
like Mr. Kent even that long.

Come along, junior.

My story, and you
have to butcher it.

I'm just adding one
little paragraph, Lois.

I know Burt and his pals
will read every account

of the subway collision.

Near collision.
Thanks to Superman.

There.

How's it sound, Jimmy?

"One of the lucky
passengers on the Express

"was James Olsen of this paper.

"He was on his way to
deliver a photograph to a group

"of contest editors
in the valley,

"said Mr. Olsen.

"'After what happened, I
decided to mail the picture.

Let Uncle Sam deliver
it in the morning.'"

So that's what I said.

Looks like. Think
it'll do the trick?

Oh, sure.

Except I'm not quite
sure what the trick is.

Now, my story, please,
if you don't mind.

Unless you'd like to
rewrite the whole thing.

Well...

Well, what do we do now?

Nothing. The next move
is up to them, Jimmy.

I hope.

You read this?

Certainly.

Looks like we gotta
get up at dawn in front of

the main post office and hold
up the early truck to the valley.

You get up. I sleep late.

Sometimes I wonder
why I do this for you.

Look at all I've done
for you. I died for you.

Look. Let's face it,
this is a three-man job.

We all gotta go.

Well...

maybe you're right.

[♪♪♪]

Here he comes.

Hey, what's the big idea here?

[ENGINE STARTS]

Fool, why did you plug him?

He saw us, didn't he?

[♪♪♪]

Who'd ever think I'd end up
driving the United States mail?

And you don't look enough
like a mail driver to get by.

Better get going
to the hideout, fast.

[ENGINE RUMBLING]

You were supposed to get
your hands on the picture,

not the entire Post
Office Department.

Quit your beefing.

We wasn't gonna sort this
stuff out in broad daylight.

It's gotta be in
one of these sacks.

Old newspapers.

Uh, the Daily Planet.

I regret to say this, gentlemen,

but I'm afraid that
we've met our match.

I done all I could, Burt.

But from now on,
you're no good to us.

Let's get out of here, Bill.

You forgot your truck.

[CRASH]

We're expecting you, Superman.

Expecting me?

Of course.

First, am I right in
assuming that Hank and Bill

got only a few feet away?

That's right.

And second, am I right
in assuming that the police

are on their way here?

Right again.

And thirdly, that you wanted
to have a little talk with me?

Now, how did you guess that?

Come now. I'm a con man. I
know a game when I see one.

Then perhaps you'd better
tell me what this game is.

It's a game called
Let's Make a Deal.

If you know anything
about me at all,

you know I don't make deals.

There's always a first time.

Now, If you promise to get
me away from here safely

before the police arrive,

I'll tell you where
the picture is.

The picture that proves
that you and Clark Kent

are actually one
and the same person.

As I understand it,

Clark Kent has already explained

that was just a double exposure.

I'm not that gullible.

SUPERMAN: Well, assuming
that I refuse this deal of yours...

BURT: Then I'll have the pleasure
of revealing your true identity.

Here they come.

You can still get
me safely away.

Sorry. You're on your own now.

[CAR TIRES SCREECHING]

Okay, Burt... school's out.

Well, come in, gentlemen.

I... I was just leaving,

but, uh, since I have company...

I see you've branched out, Burt,

into the truck-stealing
business... and murder.

Oh, murder, inspector?

Maybe you can
prove that the body

that my partners collected
insurance on was not mine.

But that's fraud, not murder.

When the police crime
lab establishes that your car

was the death weapon,

that's murder,
Burt, not just fraud.

I thought I was gonna
be late for this party.

Looks like I have
plenty of time.

Your little act doesn't
fool me, Mr. Kent.

I told you what I
was going to do.

Gentlemen,

as a final gesture,
I intend to prove

that Clark Kent is
actually Superman.

This, I'd like to see.

So would I.

What are you saying, Burt?

Now, if Mr. Kent would kindly
step back against the wall.

Anything to oblige.

You don't mind if I
smoke while I explain?

No, go ahead.

Thank you.

Careless of me.

[GUNSHOT] Mr. Kent!

It's all right, Jimmy.

But he couldn't have missed you.

He fired point blank.

Proves my point.

Kent should be lying there dead.

There's the spent bullet.

Ask him why it
didn't go through him.

HENDERSON: Can
you explain it, Kent?

Why, yes, inspector. As a
matter of fact, I think I can.

Fortunately, I happened to have

a lucky silver
dollar in my pocket.

And this stopped the bullet?

Yes, Jimmy.

Oh. This must be your lucky day.

Shows how stupid a crook can be.

Imagine him thinking
you could be Superman.

[LAUGHTER]

Well, now, just a
minute. It isn't that funny.

Oh, don't worry, Mr. Kent.

We think you're all
right just like you are.

Thanks, Jimmy.

[♪♪♪]