The Outer Limits (1963–1965): Season 1, Episode 20 - The Bellero Shield - full transcript

Richard Bellero, a dedicated scientist, is working on experiments involving sending laser beams into outer space. His father, Richard Bellero Sr., believes the scientist isn't strong enough...

Is that it? Is it dead?

I am going to bury it.
You must not stop me.

It has a bullet

in the base
of its skull.

My son didn't
put it there.

Great men are forgiven
their murderous wives.

Unh!

There is nothing wrong
with your television set.

Do not attempt
to adjust the picture.

We are controlling transmission.

We will control
the horizontal.



We will control
the vertical.

We can change the focus
to a soft blur,

or sharpen it
to crystal clarity.

For the next hour,
sit quietly,

and we will control
all that you see and hear.

You are about to participate
in a great adventure.

You are about to experience
the awe and mystery

which reaches from
the inner mind to...

There is a passion
in the human heart

which is called aspiration.

It flares with a noble flame,

and by its light,

man has traveled
from the caves of darkness

to the darkness
of outer space.



But when this passion
becomes lust,

when its flame is fanned
by greed and private hunger,

then aspiration
becomes ambition,

by which sin
the angels fell.

Mrs. Dame?

It holds steady?

Yes, Father.

Mrs. Dame?

It's been
a long evening, Richard.

Has it, Father?

Tell your wife
I enjoyed my dinner.

She might like
hearing it from you.

Your favorite year,
Father.

Next time, Judith.

Good night now.
Excuse me.

I'll see you
to the car, Father.

Yes?

He'd already
made his decision

before he came tonight.

Not in your favor?

No. Somebody from
the Canadian branch.

Richard.

I'll be there
in a moment, Father.

Passes over his own son
in favor of a stranger?

He isn't stepping down
from the throne, Judith.

He's merely retiring
from the presidency

of a company
he owns and controls.

Blood has nothing to do
with his choice of a successor.

Well, he...
He didn't wait.

It's always made him
uncomfortable

having
to turn me down.

Your laser light didn't
impress him, did it, Richard?

It isn't anything
original, Judith.

I'd merely supposed I'd
found a new use for it.

"The Bellero Corporation

"is no longer
interested

in destructive
appliances."

His phrase.

Is it destructive,
Richard?

Did you know I was
interested in your work?

Well, it's recent,
isn't it?

It began with this.

I remember something
I heard in passing

as a small child.

Someone spoke
of the trembling way...

A bridge between
earth and heaven.

When I grew up, I found it
in a mythology book.

Scandinavians call it
the Bifrost.

I thought of this
as our Bifrost.

The trembling way to what,
for me, would be heaven...

Power, far-flung holdings,
undiminishable authority.

And all along, I...

I thought all you
wanted from me

was to make some small
contribution to mankind.

Not small, Richard.

The things I want
for you are not small.

I'm sorry, Judith,

but... Unless my Father
changes his mind,

which he won't...

The only thing
I'll be able to give you

in large amounts
is... Money.

And love.

Will that keep you,
Judith?

Will that keep you?

Will you return this,
Richard?

We'll open it
the next time

your Father
comes to dinner.

Will there be
a next time?

No.

Bring us two glasses.

Crystal.

Ask Mrs. Dame
to Polish them.

We'll drink to...

Our trembling way.

Oh!

Mrs. Dame,

does my wife ever
confide in you about me?

Sometimes when
she is dreaming,

I am there...

So she dreams aloud.

Has she ever dreamed
of leaving me?

For what?

Leaving you
for what?

For... Some other
pretender

to a more
accessible throne.

Mrs. Bellero
is loyal.

Yes, but to whom?

Judith, what is it?

I killed it.

It wasn't human.

It wasn't a human
that I killed.

It came toward me,
and I fired.

Is it still up there
in the lab?

I didn't look back.

I crawled
out of the room.

I crawled, Richard.

We are told
that on this planet,

fear is the spur.

It was fear that made you
think first

to destroy me, was it not?

The laser beam
didn't destroy you?

Does fire
quench fire?

Who are you?

Your weapon
could not harm me.

Had I known its charge was
of the same stuff as that,

I would not have
thrown up this shield.

I feel...
I sense, however,

that it would be wiser
to remain shielded

until I have
acquainted myself

with all your weapons.

Ask him who he is.

A traveler.

From where?

My world hovers
just above the ceiling

of your universe.

It is not a planet.

It is an amplification
of light,

some of which radiates
from your stars.

How?

How did you
come here?

I am more
urgently concerned

with the question of how
I shall survive here.

If I remove
my shield...

Please, please.
You may. Do.

That shield.

Without it,
we could not travel

into such unserene
universes as this.

Your meteors and your
random radiations...

I shall go.

No! Don't!

I already see another
of your weapons...

Distrust.

Perhaps you can
explain to him

that we are not
all scientists, Richard.

In our world, naivete
and mindless courage

are reserved
for very small children

and very dedicated
scientists.

The rest of us will just
have to struggle along

with our distrust
of monsters.

Judith.

I'm not afraid now,
and I apologize.

You need not.

My husband does not
want you to go.

My housekeeper will
accept you the moment I do.

Do you?

In my limited
fashion, yes.

Will you stay?

How were you able
to create

a solid cylinder
of amplified light?

The laser?

It is composed
of properties

almost identical
to those which form

the atmosphere
of my world.

How could you
have synthesized

compounds
whose existence

you could not
possibly have known?

Explain please.

The laser is
the amplification of light

by stimulated emission
of radiation.

It irradiates
a synthetic Ruby crystal,

which absorbs energy

on a broad band
of frequencies.

It is optical energy,

and it excites the atoms
to a higher energy state.

I call it our Bifrost,

our bridge
from earth to heaven,

and I was right.

I was right.

Finally... Totally.

Do you know what that
monstrous thing is, Mrs. Dame?

Something dead
that won't die?

No. It isn't a specter,
Mrs. Dame.

It's real,
and it's alive...

And it's ours.

Mrs. Bellero does not
wish to see you.

She sent me
to send you away.

I came to see
my son.

Kindly tell him
I'm here.

I'll wait.

I was sent
to send you away.

My son will see me.

Why don't you
go away, Mr. Bellero?

It would be rare
wiseness on your part.

How dare you speak
to me that way?

No friend
and no equal

could speak to you
more advisedly.

Call my son!

Go to bed,
Mrs. Dame.

I couldn't keep you
from marrying my son.

I've done my best
to keep him

from regretting it.

It's been
a silent war, Judith.

Now I must fire
a very loud shot.

The noise will break
his heart, Father.

He can have
the Bellero Corporation...

All of it forever...

If...

He leaves you.

He doesn't want it.

He spent
his entire life

trying to prove to me
he's worthy of it.

He wants your love.

I want your empire.

I spend every hour,

every dollar
and every dream

developing
men and means

who were devoted
to the prevention of war.

That says how much
I hate war!

And yet, I am not
as sickened

or enraged
even by war

as I am by a single
soul like yours.

Your ambition
is singularly

the most active form
of violence

I've ever encountered!

No more active
than your own,

just younger
and more vibrant.

I have no ambition.

My yearnings
are aspirations.

Oh, you want glory.

I aspire to it.

You lust,

and lust
is what becomes

of an aspiration
when it's allowed

to grow up and become
an ambition.

You are going to give
the Bellero Corporation

to your son...

No!

In return for the glory

he is about to give
the Bellero name.

Yes, Father.

Wait and see.

The human
you call "wife"...

Oh, Judith?

Friend, I have
not much time,

and there
is so much more

I would like
to be taught.

I'll just be
a moment.

Close the door, please.

My hearing is more
sensitive than yours.

I see.

What?

How you look when
you're genuinely happy.

Evidently,
this is the first time

I've ever seen you
genuinely happy.

Judith, he cares
about everything.

Nothing I can say or explain
to him disinterests him.

He'd like it
if I could stuff

all the facts of the world
into his brain.

That's what you've
been doing up here

all this time?

He hasn't much time...
Less than an hour.

He has to travel before
the parallax between earth...

Richard, you're a fool!
You're a generous fool!

You stuff his brain?

Lower your voice,
Judith.

And he goes home
and astounds everyone,

and you're left with nothing
but a fantastic tale

to tell
a smirking world.

Who'll believe you?

Shall I put a chain
around his neck

and parade him
down main street?

Richard, your laser
light made it possible

for a form of life
to travel

from beyond
our universe.

You brought it down.
It's yours. You own it!

No. No.
No form of life

should ever be owned
by another.

Not ownership,
then, but proof...

To convince
the smirkers,

to stagger the world.

Judith, I didn't set out
to accomplish this.

This was...
It was an accident!

Richard, such accidents
have made men kings.

Richard. Richard.

Hmm...

Don't lose
this mad opportunity.

My Father
would be believed.

My... Father.

If he tells them,
they'll believe him.

Judith, call my Father.
Tell him to come here quickly.

He can make it in time.
He lives close enough.

Quickly. Call him.

No. You call him.
He doesn't hate you.

Hurry.
Less than an hour.

What is it?

I better use
the phone downstairs.

He might resent
being exploited.

He probably doesn't know
the meaning of the word.

I do.

I learned it
on my Father's knee.

Mrs. Bellero.

Once, this protected me
from a human monster...

The one I married.

Take it.

You may need
the same protection.

Richard will be back
in a minute.

Is there something
I can do for you?

How long
is a minute?

It passes unnoticed
when you're content.

To the needy,
it can be a string

of endless lifetimes.

Why do you want me
to remain here?

Can you read my mind?

Even through
your shield?

No. I cannot
read your mind.

I cannot even understand
your language.

I analyze your eyes.

In all the universes,

in all the unities
beyond the universes,

all who have eyes
have eyes that speak,

and all speak
the same language.

How can you speak
my language?

I learn each word
just before I speak it.

Your eyes teach me.

My husband tells me
that you must go

in less than an hour.

Must you?

Don't. Please stay.

I want you to stay.

I want you to stay
for my husband's sake.

I see.

Then you must also see

that I wouldn't harm you
for the world.

You can come out
of your shield.

And now you will
come out of yours?

You're extremely
perceptive.

Yes. We have
our shields, too,

but ours protect only
our hearts and our souls.

Our flesh is vulnerable
to whatever fate

and our other enemies
hurl at us.

No.

No?

You lack
the prime ingredient

to manufacture
a thing like this.

That's unfortunate.

A man who could
give his country

a weapon like that...

It is not a weapon.

I suppose in a military
frame of reference,

it would be considered
an antiweapon.

Antiweapon!

It's the same thing.

If every man, woman,
and child had one,

an entire country
could be protected

against attack...
And counterattack.

Every man, woman, and child
would not need his own.

A single one of these

could shield and protect
your entire planet.

A single one?

The shield's radius

can be increased
or decreased

simply by deepening
or lightening the pressure,

but the thing would
do your planet no good

unless I or one
of my kind were to...

He won't come back.

My Father will never
come here again.

Make him!

Beg him to.
Go and beg him.

You sent him away,
Judith.

Well, I'll go.
I'll crawl...

Anything to get him here
before it's too late.

No. I can't let you
crawl, Judith.

I'll go.

Wait for me. Please.

I did not lie to him.

I did not promise
I would wait.

You're not
going to wait?

If I miss the moment,

I will never be able
to leave here.

Yes. None of us can afford
to miss the moment.

We'll have to dig it
a grave later.

Your husband.

He rarely comes
down for the wine.

I'll remember
not to send him.

I'll dig a hole in the woods
behind the house.

Tonight,
we'll bury it.

Nobody's grave has
to be dug in a hurry.

Do a little today,
a little tomorrow,

so I won't have to
do without you

for a whole day.

It's up
in the laboratory, Father.

I shall wait here

in the foyer, Richard.

I do not wish to go
deeper into your house.

I've come as far as
any man should have to.

There are drafts here.

If you truly have
something to show me,

bring it here
and show it to me.

Stay.

Thank you,
Father, for coming.

Excuse me.

It refused to wait.

He said it was not
a question of time,

that the parallax
made no difference.

He simply did not want
you to profit by him

as he had profited
by you.

I see.

Oh, Richard, I
begged him to stay.

I told him he'd not
begun to learn

all you could have
taught him.

I'm so glad
I didn't tell Father

what I had up here.

He'd think
I'd added imbecility

to my long list
of accomplishments.

Judith...

We'll tell Father
it was a ruse

to get him here so you
could apologize to him.

Judith?

Will you apologize?

Wait, Richard.

I'll talk to him.

You'll apologize?

He will.

Wait here.
Your Father and I

will come up
together.

Father?
He cannot bring it down.

You'll have to
go up to the lab.

Father!

Your son has invented
a way for mankind

to protect itself
from mankind.

He can give it
to the world

as a gift from
an anonymous donor...

Or he can give it

as the new ruler of
the Bellero empire.

Which sounds
more glorious to you?

My invention?

She called it yours.

Richard,
may I have the honor

of explaining
your shield,

the Bellero shield,
to your Father?

The Bellero
shield?

He wanted to call it
the Bifrost

in honor of
a childhood tale.

I persuaded him
to use his own name...

His and yours.

Fire at me...
Point-blank.

Judith!

Please.

Great men require
great demonstrations,

don't they?

Point-blank.

Richard,

are you going to
let me be tricked?

No trick, Father.

Perhaps a bullet
won't convince you.

Richard, give him
the laser gun.

Judith,
I can't let you...

Mrs. Dame?

We must show these men
what great men they are.

What...
What is it?

Can she hear me?

Yes.
now the laser gun.

The man who invented this
could rule the world...

Or save it, if you prefer.

Isn't that the kind of man

you want
to succeed you, Father?

I gathered up
all my self-doubts,

and I rid myself
of them

by projecting them
onto you.

I have used you,
Richard...

Stop it, Father!

To protect myself,

and I almost
destroyed you.

Forgive me, please.

Don't... don't shut me out
of your success

as I tried to shut you
out of mine.

Please forgive...

Stop it!

He does not forgive
easily, Father.

He has your
small flaws

as well as your
great virtues.

He will forgive me,
won't he?

I'll help him to.

But quickly,
Judith, please, quickly.

I haven't too much time.

I did not decide
to retire.

I am going to be
retired...

By a more final
and just decision

than I could ever make.

Go to him.

It is customary

for one to comfort
a broken enemy...

Before you discard him.

Oh!

Oh!

Help her.

Oh! Oh! Oh!

Heaven, help her.

It is useless,
Mr. Bellero.

The monster
will not come back,

not that way.

It came once.
It will come again.

She'll die
in there.

No!

Can she live without
air to breathe?

Is there a perpetual
supply of oxygen

in that tomb
of hers?

He'll come back!

Richard...

Let me go...
For help.

I can do something,
I'm sure,

but not if I must
remain here.

It's hope...

No! Don't you
tell me it's hopeless.

That's all you
ever had to give me,

words of hopelessness.

Don't you ever
run out of them?

Do you have
a perpetual supply

of hopeless words
in that...

In that tomb
of yours?

If... if there was
such a creature,

it may be roaming
the streets.

It may be killing,
and someone should warn...

Sit down,
Father, will you?

And be quiet!

I don't want
anyone to know

my wife is a thief...

The first to thieve

from a friend
from another world.

Well, you must
do something

for all of us,
as well as for your wife.

What can we do
for my wife, Father?

What can we do?

Get help, Richard!

Perhaps she can be reached
from the room below.

If the ceiling
were to be cut away...

The shield
goes all the way down

to the foundations
of the house, Father!

Down and down, probably
all the way to...

Stay, Father, stay!

I... I'll call, then,
for help.

You can listen.

I won't say anything
incriminating.

Can't I...

Can't I even
call for help...

Just call?

Call! Call! Call whom?
The police?

The leading scientists
of the world?

The faith healers?
The magicians?

Psychiatrists?
Munitions experts?

Philosophers?
The politicians?

The image makers?
Funeral directors?

The million
government agencies?

Whom do you call,
Father,

when you're trapped
alive in your own tomb?

Judith, pick it up.

Try again, please.

Movements and words
accomplish nothing

and only deplete
the oxygen in the soul.

Once more, please!

Mrs. Dame,
tell him it's useless.

No, it isn't.

He has to be
still in our atmosphere.

He couldn't have left
without the shield.

He'd be incinerated.
He knew that, Judith.

Mrs. Dame, tell him
to call the police.

Richard...

No!

Why not, Mrs. Dame?

The state
can't execute me

without getting me
out of here.

And maybe
that's the solution.

Tell them I'm a murderer,

and they'll rip me
out of this thing

with their bare hands...

To keep me from escaping

their chamber!

Ha ha ha!

Ha ha ha!

He told me
so much about it...

All about it, I thought.

A single one could protect
our entire planet.

Its radius is increased

by merely deepening
the pressure.

An "antiweapon,"
he called it.

I thought
he told me everything.

Now, of course,
I realize that...

He never told me
how to remove it.

Nothing we know of
in this world

will remove it.

Nothing will remove it.

I killed him prematurely.

Mrs. Dame and I
put him in the cellar.

I wanted proof
that he'd been here.

Your Father
would have wanted proof.

Fathers often demand

what strangers
don't even expect.

Is that it? Is it dead?

I am going to bury it.
You must not stop me.

You have your proof.

The police
must not have theirs.

Police?
Oh, no, of course not.

No. It's none
of their business.

It belongs to the world
of the prize-givers,

of the praisers
of greatness,

and my son
invented the agency

that brought it here.

He'll be splashed across
a thousand chapters

of the world's
most-honored history.

It has a bullet

in the base
of its skull.

My son
didn't put it there.

Great men are forgiven
their murderous wives.

Unh!

Let me out!

Please, let me out!

I'm sorry.

Oh... Please...

I need to be forgiven.

Make someone forgive me

and let me free.

I can forgive you, Judith,
but I can't let you free.

I can.

When she borrowed
the thing,

she accidentally
broke the vein.

My fluid,
like your blood,

the prime ingredient.

Aah!

Aah! No! Aah! Aah!

I expected it
to kill me...

But it looked
into my eyes,

and I heard
myself say,

"can you help?"

And it said,
"can I not?"

Judith...

It's gone.

You're free.

Come, Judith.

We'll... we'll have
to tell someone

what we've done.

You said it was gone.

It is gone, Judith.

No. No,
it's still here.

Nothing will remove it.

It will always be here.

Nothing
will ever remove it.

It's here.
I know it's here.

I can see it.

I'll always see it.

It will always be here.

Nothing
will ever remove it.

Nothing... Nothing
will ever remove it.

Nothing
will ever remove it.

Nothing.

When this passion
called aspiration

becomes lust,

then aspiration degenerates,

becomes vulgar ambition,

by which sin
the angels fell.

We now return control of
your television set to you.

Until next week,
at this same time,

when the control voice
will take you to...