Earthquake (1974) Movie Script
Virtually the entire
Pacific coast
of our hemisphere rests on
a series of geologic faults.
One of the most unstable of these
is the San Andreas
fault, running 600 miles
through the state of California.
Some sections of the fault are slipping.
The two sides are sliding
past each other slowly.
The streams accumulating
are being dissipated
rather harmlessly without
generating large earthquakes.
At two points, however, the
sides of the fault are locked,
permitting no slippage.
Elastic strain energy is being built up.
Invisibly, the land is
being compressed and warped,
storing energy like a colossal spring
under the crust of the earth.
Many scientists feel this
energy will break loose
and a cataclysmic earthquake will occur
within the next decade.
Other feels it could happen tomorrow.
One of the critical points
is north of San Francisco.
The other, just a few
miles east of Los Angeles.
Damn it!
Your last words last night.
The very first words you
greet me with this morning.
Don't you think you ought
to do something about
expanding your vocabulary?
Yeah, while you expand your chest.
Didn't you get enough
exercise jogging this morning?
Don't you ever get tired?
I don't think I'm gonna have time
for breakfast this morning.
Why not?
It's ready.
Denise Marshall's boy
asked me for an autographed football.
I'm gonna drop it off on
the way to the office.
An autographed football from you.
And you haven't played
football in 16 years.
Well, I guess it's part
of this nostalgic binge everybody's on.
Anyway, it's the ball
Frank Gifford signed.
That's the signature he really wants.
You know, I find it peculiar.
Almost amusing.
The widow Brian Marshall
comes back into town
after seven months,
and you rush off without even
so much as a cup of coffee.
But if I ask you...
If you ask me to stop off at the market
to pick up a head of lettuce
for you, I'd find some excuse.
You know, if it wasn't
7:30 in the morning,
I would have a drink.
I didn't know you
were a clock-watcher.
What?
What did you say?
I said, I didn't know
you were a clock-watcher.
Don't you dare lower
your voice to me.
Look, what's this all about?
I know you.
I've been married to you long enough.
I know the more contempt you feel for me,
the lower the voice.
Ah, Remy, you'd hardly call
this a marriage, would you?
Going now, Remy.
I said, I'm leaving.
Remy.
Remy.
Remy.
Remy!
Remy.
Jim?
Stewart Graff.
She's done it again.
Yeah, I think we'll get faster action
if you call the ambulance.
Well, of course I'll induce vomiting.
I know the rules by now.
Just get over here, will you?
Oh!
Oh, my God.
Oh, oh.
If you're going to throw
the pills in the toilet,
you might at least flush it.
Man, that was a jolt.
You can forget your coffee.
We got an emergency inspection to run.
I'm off duty in half an hour.
It was just a little tremor.
That's a solid concrete dam.
Well, those are the rules, Max.
You can always use the overtime.
Yeah, I suppose so.
Is everything okay?
Yeah.
Why don't you check the base?
I'll look down below.
At 7:46 this morning,
a minor earthquake registering
3.1 on the Richter scale
was felt in the Los Angeles area.
No injuries were reported.
However, minimal property damage...
Repeating a KJB Sig Alert.
Hello, Laura?
This is Mr. Graff.
My secretary in yet?
Yeah.
Well, tell her I'll be a little late, huh?
All right, Mr. Graff, I'll tell her.
Let me speak to him.
Oh, Mr. Graff?
Just a moment, it's your father-in-law.
Stewart, see me as soon as you come in.
I want to go over that
Bill Cameron matter again.
Sam, I'm not gonna budge on this.
I don't want to lose this contract.
I'll talk to you about it later.
Thank you.
Yes, sir.
Fred?
Fred?
Fred!
Fred?
Watch it, Lou.
You nearly wrecked us
up in that last turn.
You see?
I told you.
We're gonna hear about that one.
Want to drive, Emilio?
No, no, no.
You're driving, you're driving.
We're over the city line.
The Captain will bust our rumps
if we mess up here in the county again.
Do you remember what
happened with that guy Merle?
I still don't think his
gun went off by accident.
I get along just fine with nine toes.
I told you to stay
out of the county.
Merle...
Some guys are just too goddamned dumb
to stay where they belong.
Do you know who owns that
hedge you just wrecked?
I'm gonna tell you, Slade.
It's Zsa Zsa Gabor.
Corry, forget about the dishes.
You'll be late for school
Come on.
And remember to go to Mrs.
Clark's when you come back, huh?
She'll look after you until
I'm home from the studio.
Stewart!
Hi.
Come on in.
Hi.
You brought it.
Sorry I forgot it last week.
Where did Frank Gifford sign?
Right there under the laces.
Yeah.
Thanks, Mr. Graff.
That'll look great on my bookcase.
That's really nice of you.
Thank you.
Couldn't let down my last fan.
Hurry.
Okay, have a good day.
Goodbye, mom.
Bye-bye.
So long.
You know what?
What?
I've got a part in a movie.
Oh, great.
Yeah, great.
Three days shooting, 22 lines.
It's hard.
I've been out of it so long.
Well, at least I feel alive again,
and I didn't for so long after Brian died.
Well, I guess I should get dressed.
Hey, did you feel that
tremor this morning?
It really wasn't very strong.
No?
Would you like some coffee?
Yeah.
If there's an unbroken cup
somewhere that I can find.
It'll have to be instant.
Yeah, well, instant will be fine.
You know, Barbara
says you're the best,
Barbara?
Yes, Barbara.
Your boss's secretary.
Oh.
And my one good friend.
Well, she says you're the
best engineer in the country.
Yeah, well, Barbara's paid
to say things like that.
Oh, that's the script
of the movie I'm doing.
"Movie I'm doing."
That's the overstatement of the year.
Here I am, two small scenes,
and I'm so worried, I'm so nervous.
I was up all night trying to figure out
how to make this thing work.
Can I help you?
Yes.
You could read the lines with me.
It's just one scene.
One page.
I think I know it.
Right here, near the top.
Okay, let me fill you in.
I play a bit player.
Now, the part you read
is a big movie star.
A drunk, a gambler, married
18 times, the whole thing.
And there's a dinner party.
Now, an assistant director invited me,
only he's not enough of
a, whatever, gentleman,
to pick me up.
I have to drive myself.
Well, that's okay.
Now, they're all talking about
me just before I come in.
You know, asking him the usual
questions about bit players.
Talk, talk, talk, talk.
I come in.
Introductions,
introductions, introductions.
Then our big star, you,
makes his appearance.
You ignore me, for quite a while.
So, I say to you, "Hello, Mr. Sheppard.
"It's been a long time.
"How have you been?"
And you say,
"Do we know each other?"
"You bet we do."
That kind of a script.
Oh, and the character I'm playing
is also supposed to be a nymphomaniac.
- Mmm-hmm.
- Yeah?
And the director of the picture
is a strong believer in typecasting.
But anyway, I'll cope with that.
You want it black?
Yeah.
Black's...
And don't worry.
Worry about what?
I'm not a nympho.
Mind you, I'm not Mary Poppins, either,
but I'm far from being,
what's the male equivalent of a nympho?
Satyr, I think.
Satyr?
Yeah.
Oh.
And you don't need to worry, either.
Worry?
What I mean is, I'm
not Billy Graham exactly,
but I'm no satyr.
Mmm-hmm.
That tremor must've stopped the clock.
It's a little after nine.
And I have a 10 o'clock call.
- I'm sorry, I've got to run.
- I'm overdue at the office.
Listen, thank you for everything.
I mean, the cueing, the
football and the sympathy.
And as Mary Poppins would say,
"Bye-bye."
Eight stitches to close his
lower lip, six loosened teeth.
You aren't supposed to do things like that
to a brother officer.
Not a brother officer, sir.
Merle is a county cop.
I'm talking about Los
Angeles cops and county cops.
That kid stole a car.
Then he got stoned and he
slammed into a little girl.
A little Mexican girl,
about six years old.
That little girl was thrown
about 15 feet in the air.
She was probably dead
before she hit the sidewalk.
Her blood covered three
whole cement squares.
Not spattered.
Solid.
Just like paint.
The driver never even slowed down.
You will receive a formal
notice of suspension.
And a date for departmental trial.
Now, get on home.
Hey, Lou, how'd it go?
Michelle, get me
the Valley reading.
Okay.
Have they plotted the epicenter yet?
Yes, sir, it was quite a shock.
Yes.
Yes, nevertheless, there's
no scientific evidence
that a 3.1 earthquake can
loosen dental fillings.
No.
Right, thank you.
Walt!
Your turn on the PR desk.
Yes, that's right.
Dr. Adams.
Room 14.
He isn't?
Well then I'd like to leave a message.
Walt!
Just a minute, okay?
Would you have him call Walter Russell
at the Seismology Institute?
Yeah, it's very important.
Yes, thank you.
Here's a strange one.
"Caretaker at the Hollywood reservoir dam
"drowned at the bottom
of an elevator shaft."
They still haven't
figured out what happened.
Okay.
What's the matter?
You look sick.
I just found out Dr. Adams
stayed up at the fault an extra day.
So?
Well, I sent some figures
and a memo
into the Director's office
late yesterday afternoon.
I don't think he's even read them yet.
Figures on what?
Well, I know you'll laugh,
but I think we're gonna
have a really big quake.
Probably today.
Tomorrow at the latest.
And I wanted Dr. Adams here
to back up my computations.
Thought you were leaving
yesterday, Dr. Adams.
We've been held up.
But we hope to have most of the
instruments planted by noon.
Still haven't figured out exactly
what it is you fellas are trying to do.
It's rather technical.
That device records minute
variations of seismic waves.
Huh.
Well, better start my plowing.
Thanks again for letting us
on your land, Mr. Griggs.
Once the trench is filled in,
you'd never have known we were here.
Well?
That was nice.
Real nice.
Yeah, tell me this,
you gonna have this thing
ready for this afternoon?
I'll have it ready, don't worry.
But I think we'll need an
extra can of butane there.
Come on, Sal, huh?
We'll pick one up
when we go for Rosa this
afternoon, all right?
All right.
What I want to know is, are
you gonna get her to help us?
Yeah, yeah, she'll help us.
Well, she's not too crazy about
our line of work, man.
Miles, I'll get her.
Well, you better, because this Vegas job
is the biggest break we ever had.
Miles, I'll get her.
I'll get her.
What do you want?
Will you relax?
All right.
Wow.
$5.49.
That'll be $20.16.
Forgot to bring enough cash?
That's right.
Hey, I'll put this back.
Who needs protein anyway?
Don't worry about it.
Drop the money off the
next time you're in.
Thanks.
Find anything?
All okay as far as I can tell!
I'll check again!
I guess we won't find anything
until after the shaft is pumped out.
But everything looks fine.
Right.
People drown in elevators
every damn day of the week.
Officer, can you order
these freaks out of here?
They've been scaring my customers away,
and I've been trying to get them to leave.
You got something against religion?
What'll you have?
Double bourbon, Jay.
In uniform, Lou?
Naked in a glass will do just fine.
Spiro T. Agnew.
You asked to see me, Dr. Stockle?
Yes, sit down.
Russell, this is very interesting.
You forecast an earthquake
in the three to four
point range this morning.
We had an earthquake
in the three to four
point range this morning.
I'm impressed.
Thank you, sir.
However, isn't it
rather slender evidence
for predicting a catastrophe?
Sir, these are based
on this morning's signals
from those stress measurement instruments
that Dr. Adams sank during
that experimental well project.
They indicate another pre-shock,
probably before noon today.
And if it happens?
Then the big one follows in 48 hours.
At least seven point.
Now, naturally,
if that second minor shock doesn't occur,
then it just proves that my computations
were based on insufficient evidence.
But I think we have a strong...
Russell, Russell, you are
still a graduate assistant.
Are you seriously contending
that a graduate assistant
would be the first scientist in history
to pinpoint a major
earthquake within 48 hours?
No, sir.
But I am following through
on Dr. Adam's theories
and the probability
curves that he drew up.
But I feel that I've been on the project...
Dr. Adams is on a field trip upstate.
I sure wish he wasn't.
Thank you, Russell.
Leave those.
Fiona, I want some figures
run through the computer.
And try to get Frank
Adams for me in Fresno.
Yeah?
Morning, Sam.
Morning, Stu.
Listen, you still refuse to
handle the Bill Cameron job
unless he upgrades the specifications?
Absolutely.
Okay.
But you're gonna have to convince him
that those changes are necessary.
I could never talk him into anything.
Oh, do me one more favor, huh?
Don't muff the deal.
Oh, just a moment.
Mr. Royce, your daughter's
on the phone, 347.
Thank you.
He'll be right on.
Remy?
Hello, Remy.
Fine.
Well, I was planning on
eating here in the building.
Well, come on in.
No, away from the office.
Oh, it's terribly important.
Oh.
Okay, honey.
The Windsor at 1:15?
And try to calm down.
Okay.
Bill, here comes another one.
It's a pretty good shake.
Hey, that shot didn't count.
No way can it count.
Hey, nothing in the rule
book about earthquakes.
It didn't count.
Yeah, it did.
Hardly ever get
two in one morning.
Two what?
Earthquakes.
In another half hour,
I won't feel the one
that's supposed to knock
California into the ocean.
The Captain's cooled off.
He's gonna do his damnedest
to straighten things out.
I don't want to be a cop anymore.
Right since the time I was a kid,
I figured on cops helping folks, you know?
Folks who couldn't help themselves.
All right, maybe that was dumb of me,
but that's the way I figured.
But folks don't count
for a diddly, do they?
Take it easy, now.
I'll call you at home later.
Sure, Emilio.
The shot counted.
Bobby Riggs.
That wasn't there before the tremor.
I know every inch of this dam.
It's a new one.
Max, I'm a trained technician.
You're a watchman.
Now, stop trying to teach me my business.
It wasn't there.
There's no such thing as
solid concrete and you know it.
Hairline cracks are bound
to appear from time to time.
You don't panic over them.
The water's rising.
It's gone up half an inch since the quake.
He's right.
This is your captain.
We will passing over
Grand Canyon National Park
in approximately one minute.
So that you may better enjoy
the grandeur of its beauty,
we will turn the plan to the right.
The Grand Canyon is 277
miles long, a mile deep,
and in some sections, 18 miles wide.
Now you can see the Colorado
River directly below us.
On your left is the south rim.
On your right is the north rim.
They're about 10 miles apart.
We are returning to our course.
We'll be arriving at Los
Angeles International
in approximately 55 minutes.
Is that all your interested
in is Stewart Graff?
Right now, honey, I'm
interested in our future,
which happens to be in the
hands of Stewart Graff.
Now, you know how important
this interview is.
But I don't wanna live in Los Angeles.
Couldn't you try for a job in New York?
Honey, we've been
over this so many times.
I don't think you realize
what an opportunity
this could be for us.
Well, all I know, is ever
since we've been married,
all you do is either talk
or read about that man.
It's like I don't even exist.
Look,
I'll tell you what, after
we stop over in Los Angeles
for my interview, we'll
take the very first plane
out to Hawaii.
And I promise you, I
won't mention anything
on our honeymoon about
Stewart Graff, okay?
Then how will I know if
you got the job or not?
Already I'm learning
there's no pleasing a woman.
I'll tell you whether
or not I was accepted
and then I won't discuss it, all right?
But that's no way to
start off a marriage,
keeping things from me.
Katherine, what's the matter with you?
You've been bored with
your card games before.
Now, if you love me, do me a favor,
get yourself a magazine,
play solitaire, anything,
but just let me finish
studying this article.
Tony, you know,
you've never talked to
me like that before.
Do you know this is
our first real quarrel?
Boy, I certainly know
who the boss is gonna be
in this family,
and it's not me.
Well, good.
Now we won't have any
more problems, will we?
Let me tell your fortune, okay?
Not again.
Come on, I wanna find
out about your interview.
See what the cards say.
Shuffle.
All right.
If it'll keep you busy.
Roger ASP-153.
ASP-153.
Go ahead.
We have had a second tremor this morning
with only minor damage.
There is no reason to alter your course.
Thank you, LAX.
Hmm, boy, it's a good thing my
wife's a native Californian.
Why's that?
All those earthquakes never bother her.
I wish my wife was more like that.
Every time we have a little shake,
she hounds me to move to the country.
Nine of hearts.
Realization of an important
goal, success in your career,
both in prestige and financially.
That's exactly what
you told me last night.
Oh, come on.
Ah, the eight of hearts.
That's a happy card,
signifying mutual love
and domestic bliss.
You will have three children.
The seven of spades casts a shadow.
No, no.
It is doubtful whether
you'll have them or not.
Double king, ace of diamonds.
You have strong character,
insist on having your own way.
Boy, that fits you.
Hard working, ultimate
success in business.
Now, the four of spades
and the jack of clubs.
There'll be an illness in a
young person close to you.
Hmmm.
There's danger to travel at this time,
possibility of death.
Well, just as well you weren't listening.
But it could all be coincidence.
I don't see running wild
over some untested theory,
at least until we've
heard from Frank Adams.
After all, it's his research
project, and not Walt's.
No one can find Frank Adams.
No one was sure the atom bomb would work
until they dropped it.
It worked.
Our present problem is
what in God's name do we do now?
Well, we warn people.
Do we?
Think about it.
A public announcement now
that a major earthquake is imminent,
whew, that could create incredible panic.
People climbing over people
trying to get out of the city.
That could be a worse disaster
than the quake itself.
But an orderly evacuation
could save hundreds of thousands of lives.
An orderly evacuation to where?
The desert?
The mountains?
How do you feed and shelter
four million people in open country?
And suppose we release this information
and there isn't a big quake?
Well, what's the point in learning
how to predict an earthquake,
if you don't do anything
about it after you predict it?
Russell!
Russell, look!
Dr. Johnson and I are not cynical.
But a false alarm now,
even if it went no further
than the Mayor or the Governor's office,
would destroy the institute's credibility.
Credibil...
Look, Russell!
Four or five years from now,
we come up with a
foolproof detection system.
Who in authority is gonna believe us then?
Yeah?
No.
No, no, don't call his wife.
I'll take care of it myself.
Frank Adams is dead.
So's young Ward.
They were working in a
trench across the fault.
The walls collapsed.
Fiona, get me the Mayor's office.
It's a matter of gravest urgency.
See if you can push the blueprint room
on those revised drawings
for the Cameron job, will you, Carl?
He'll want to see them this afternoon.
Okay, Stewart.
I've got to get out of here for a while.
This place is closing in on me.
Denise, hi.
You finished working already?
Never got started.
Would you believe it?
The tremor damaged the set,
and they rescheduled
my scene for tomorrow.
So, I thought I'd drop in on Barbara.
Something wrong?
No, I need a drink.
Oh.
Are you one of those solitary drinkers?
Not if I can help it.
Would you join me?
Yes.
Yes.
Do you realize what you're asking of me?
What's really happening with you two?
He's been seeing Brian Marshall's widow.
Well, of course.
He feels obligated to help her out.
Her and her boy.
Oh, Albert Schweitzer wasn't
that dedicated to mankind.
There's more to it, Remy.
It was Stewart who assigned
Brian that propane cavern job,
and he's been blaming himself
for what happened ever since.
Oh, Dad, don't be so naive.
I know they're having an affair.
When you met Stewart,
he was a dirt-poor boy
trying to work his way through college
on an athletic scholarship.
I think you still half see him that way.
But he's a top man now.
He doesn't need me, he
doesn't need anybody.
There isn't a firm in town
wouldn't take him on his own terms.
How big a quake?
A seven on the Richter
scale, possibly higher.
That could release more than
the total energy generated
by the Hiroshima, Nagasaki
nuclear bombs combined.
If I issue a public warning,
you know what will happen to this city?
Of course we know, that's impossible.
But there are some precautions
you could take, aren't there?
Alert the police, the fire department.
Have the Governor mobilize
the National Guard.
Well, he could announce
that it's necessary
to prevent looting at
the Valley quake site.
Well, the police have that situation
totally under control.
Mayor Louis, the next
situation, if it comes,
would be somewhat different.
The Governor and I aren't
even in the same party.
If this turns out to be a false alarm,
he'll make me look like the biggest fool
west of the Mississippi.
Second biggest.
I'll top the list.
What do you say, Lou?
Hey, Rosa,
Hiya, pal.
The ladies room is through that door
and a couple of steps to the right.
You still pursuing
those evildoers?
Not as hard as usual.
Hey, Jay,
we want a couple of burgers
and some orange juice to go.
Two burgers and
orange juice to go.
The 50 bucks, Miles.
You owed me for three weeks.
Hey, listen, man.
What if I pay you tomorrow.
Okay?
Hey, the 50.
You're a great bike rider
but a lousy pool shooter.
Officer, I mean,
you're not gonna let him
get away with this, are you?
Yes.
50 bucks, or I'll break your back.
Peter Fonda.
Hey, hey, Sal.
Hey, wait.
Here.
Take it.
Yeah, I'll take it.
Thanks.
Brother.
Miles, what're you doing?
All I've got is a dollar
and some loose change on me.
Hey, Lou, hey, come on.
Lend me 10 bucks, huh?
I don't have time to go to the bank.
You better stop breathing
those gas fumes so much.
Hey, listen, Lou, this
is an emergency, man.
We need a butane tank for the stunt.
I'll have it back to you tomorrow.
I promise.
Come on, Lou.
This is really important to me.
This big guy is coming down
from one of the big Vegas
hotels to see this act.
Now, there has never ever
been anything like this.
If that hotel sponsors us, man,
I could wind up on ABC's
Wide World of Sports, man.
And after that, you can
forget about Evel Knievel.
It'll be just the Miles Quade Story.
You know, I'm sorry I
ever arrested you two.
I've been paying for it ever since.
Hello.
Rosa, I want you to meet Lou Slade.
He's the cop who flattened Miles and I
with a blackjack at the North
Hollywood rally last year.
Hey, that's right.
And we didn't even start that ruckus.
Well, you should've knocked
their brains into place.
Come here, Rosa.
I want to talk to you.
Come here.
Listen.
If I had the bread,
I would hire a beautiful,
sexy broad this afternoon,
and I would kick your all the way home.
Well, I don't need your help.
Bye.
Now, Rosa, will you listen to me?
Daredevil motorcyclists
always have to have
beautiful, sexy broads hanging around.
Rosa, that's right.
What do you want,
us to look like phonies or what?
Sal, I'm your sister.
What about Maureen?
She's your girlfriend.
Come on, Rosa.
Maureen is too flat-chested.
Rosa, come here.
Now, Rosa, I want you to show
the officer your T-shirt.
Oh, yeah, Lou, take a look at this.
We're gonna have 20, maybe 30,000 of these
made up after the Vegas show.
Go ahead, take a look.
See what you think of it.
I think it's beautiful.
My wife will ask me,
is she pretty?
And I'll say, quite.
And she'll say, something
like, that figures.
Tell me about her.
And you'll say, nothing much to tell.
We just had a drink.
And she'll ask me, no small talk?
Very little.
A trait that goes with engineering.
Yeah, maybe it does.
It's good.
Can I ask you something?
Sure.
Anything.
When we made love,
when you made love to
me, it was with such,
such, I'm trying to think
of exactly the right word.
It was with such
anger.
Anger?
Yeah, anger.
Did I anger you?
No.
I think you are absolutely lovely.
Well, I think so, too.
I'm not hurt.
Tell me, how long has
Barbara worked at the office?
Oh, 10, 12 years.
Well, did you ever know me
to drop in on her before?
No.
Certainly not since you got back to LA.
Well, maybe I didn't
want to see Barbara.
Maybe I wanted to see you.
Hmm?
How about that?
Yeah, how about that?
So, you didn't seduce me.
I seduced you.
Great.
Well, next time I'll do the honors.
Oh, don't feel there
has to be a next time.
Don't think that you just
made a lifelong commitment.
Come here.
Why?
Come here.
I have to go to Oregon this summer.
All summer on a hydroelectric project.
Come up there, with Corry.
I'll rent a house for the two of you.
It's such beautiful,
really beautiful country.
It'd be great for him.
Please.
I'll think about it.
I'll come back tonight.
I'll think about that, too.
We interrupt our regular program
to bring you a special bulletin.
The Governor has just announced
that the following National Guard units
have been put on emergency
active duty status.
The Fourth Infantry support group,
the 227th Heavy Transport Battalion,
the 112th Headquarters Company,
the 33rd Communications Battalion,
the 47th Engineers Company.
Let me show you What's happening.
First of all, we start up there.
Then it's down that ramp,
like hell into that first big loop,
up this ramp, zoom over the truck,
down this ramp and straight
into that big figure eight.
Then it's down that ramp
right into that fire ring.
Now, that fire ring doesn't
just have flames on the outside,
like in your dog acts.
No, no, we rigged those gas jets
to shoot flames right in the center.
Then it's down that ramp, over that pit,
and we're home free.
Now, you take a guy like Knievel.
Now, he'll jump 20, maybe 30 cars,
and call it a big thing.
But, baby, let me tell you something,
compared to those,
landing on a roof of a
car at 100 miles an hour,
that's like landing in a water bed.
Miles, you're out of your mind.
Hey, but, Rosa, wait a minute.
No, no way.
If you want to help your best
friend kill himself, fine.
Rosa, listen, now, listen.
Don't be rotten.
There's nothing to it.
It is simple!
Who do you think you're kidding?
I'm going to a movie.
I'm going home to change
into some fresh duds.
Ciao.
You're gonna fix it up.
You're gonna fix it up.
All right, all right, all right.
She's nervous.
She's...
Yeah, sure.
Just a minute.
Oh, hello.
Hi.
Oh, I'm sorry, I was
going to pay you tomorrow
Come in and I'll get...
Oh, no, no, no.
Miss Amici, that's not
what I came here for.
You didn't?
No, there's been an emergency.
The National Guard's been called up
and I have to report in for duty.
I mean, after that second tremor,
I wanted to make sure that you were okay.
Sure.
Sure, I'm fine, why not?
Well, come in and see for yourself.
Oh, thank you.
I never seem to find
time to clean this dump.
I'll be glad to give you a hand.
No thanks.
Sit down.
Oh, it's my brothers idea.
It's sort of an advertising
gimmick for his business.
Say, um,
how did you know where I live?
Well, I followed you home at night
just to make sure you got home safely.
You gotta be kidding.
No, no.
Somebody as pretty as you
needs to be looked after.
Don't you worry about a thing.
I'm gonna take care of you.
Are you for real?
My family doesn't even worry about me.
I can take care of myself.
You know, you're not
very neat, Miss Amici.
Bet then again, my mother wasn't either.
Look, uh, I was gonna go to a movie.
You wanna go with me?
That is if you've got time.
No, I've got official
business to take care of.
Besides you shouldn't be going
out so much alone anyway.
Now listen, you stay right here.
I have to report for duty,
then I'll be back to look after you.
You believe me, Miss Amici.
I know exactly what's best for you.
You just stay right here, okay?
Bye-bye, now.
How about a lift?
You and that bike can
take a lift outta here.
Hey, give me a hand here.
It's gonna be rough to
get this one under control.
What a terrible sight.
What do you mean terrible?
It's not terrible.
It's beautiful.
We're probably gonna have more fires
from the aftershocks.
Oh, I hope not.
Where's them cantaloupes?
We asked you for some
free cantaloupes, Jody.
Say, my friend, what
kind of friend are you?
Still playing soldier boy, Jody?
That's right.
We saw on television
where you're gonna go play soldier boy.
Say, say, say, say, say, say.
Is it true that blondes have more fun?
Oh, no.
Look at that.
Fall in!
Hey, yo.
Left, right, left, right.
Let's decorate the warrior.
Eyes straight to the front, soldier.
Quit looking around.
Now the motion in this
model was programmed
from the actual recorded ground
motion of a 6.2 earthquake.
Long Beach in '33.
Now, a magnitude of eight
would produce a motion...
What's your point?
Bill, we live in an earthquake zone.
What can I tell you?
That I've failed to meet
city or state safety requirements?
That's not the point.
I think we should go beyond the codes.
You remember the Sylmar quake.
A lot of buildings that
met the code collapsed.
I thought you were gonna chew me out
for leaning on Bill Cameron.
Oh, I just figured it was time
I kicked myself upstairs.
And I always like the feel of that name,
Chairman of the Board.
Has a nice ring.
Congratulations, Mr. President.
Thanks, Sam.
Oh, listen.
You're gonna have to
forget about that Oregon project, I guess.
We can't have a new company president
pouring cement out in the woods somewhere.
What's the matter?
Look, I just promoted you.
I didn't fire you.
No, Sam, you're gonna figure I'm crazy,
but I'd like a little
time to think this over.
Okay.
Any problems I ought to know about?
No, just a few priorities
I've got to get straight in my head.
Sure.
Sam,
Remy didn't have anything
to do with this, did she?
Don't worry.
You'd have this job even if
you weren't my son-in-law.
Oh, hold that.
Hello?
Hello, Denise?
Stewart.
Hi.
Look, I'm not gonna be
able to make it tonight.
Something important came up at work.
Any trouble?
No, no trouble.
I've just got a problem to solve.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorrier than you are.
Oh, it doesn't matter about tonight.
We'll have lots of time
together up in Oregon.
Okay?
Bye-bye.
Goodbye.
Mom?
Mom.
Yeah?
Okay if I go to the playground?
Sure.
Just be careful crossing that bridge, huh?
And, Corry, if I'm not home
when you get back, don't worry.
I might take a walk later.
If leave the kitchen door unlocked.
I think I'll make a practice run.
Loosen up the machine.
All right, Sal.
Miles!
Miles, you all right?
Huh?
Came out of that damn thing.
What happened?
Huh?
Come on, help me try again.
Listen to me, Miles.
We only have one 250 left.
You understand me?
Huh?
What're you talking about, man?
I gotta try it again!
Okay.
Okay, you're the boss.
Come on.
All right, Miles, come on, baby.
Come on, come on!
Let her roll!
Delay in the contract, I suggest,
Barbara.
Mmm-hmm?
You knew Brian Marshall?
Yes.
Ever meet his wife?
Sure, we see each other all the time.
What's she like?
She's a very nice girl.
Yes, I was afraid of that.
Yes?
Mr. Royce, your daughter's
on the way into your office.
Fine.
Remy.
Good afternoon, Mrs. Graff.
Hello, Barbara.
Have you spoken to Stewart yet?
Yes.
He said he wanted to think about it.
Los Angeles approach.
This is ASP-153.
Do you read me?
This is Los Angeles approach.
Go ahead ASP-153.
ASP-153, go miles northeast at 10,000.
BFR on time.
Request landing information.
Roger, ASP-153.
Use runway two five left.
Wind, 15 knots.
You are number two,
following the world's 747.
Maintain present heading and
altitude to intercept the ILS.
Upon intercepting the ILS,
you are cleared for approach.
Report on outer marker, please.
Roger.
Miles, here he comes now.
The guy from Vegas.
Oh, baby.
This is gonna be the
greatest run of my life.
I'm tuned to just the right pitch.
Now, you go on home and put
this right out of your mind.
You look exhausted.
Thanks, Dad.
Sam, I,
hello, Remy.
Well, I guess you've got
yourself a new president.
Great!
And you'll stay away
from that Marshall woman?
Stewart.
Stewart, wait.
Stewart, where are you going?
Anywhere.
A bar.
Why are you so angry?
Remy, don't you understand?
That was a bribe.
Another bribe!
Our whole marriage has
been a series of bribes.
And you took them.
Well, it's time I quit.
I'm not that stupid.
Please fasten your seatbelts.
We are now approaching Los
Angeles International Airport.
I hope you had a pleasant flight.
Enjoy your stay in Los Angeles.
Please remain in your
seats until the plane
has come to a complete stop.
Don't forget to check your luggage
in the compartment above
and under your seat.
Thank you.
LAX tower, this is ASP-153
on the outer marker, inbound.
Roger, ASP-153.
You are clear to land
on runway two five left.
Roger.
Clear to land on two five left.
Max.
Hey.
Finally found the trouble.
I guess the earthquake busted the conduit
and it's flooded the bottom of the shaft.
Get down!
Holy mother of God!
Help me!
Oh, God, help me!
Help!
What is she doing?
What's happening?
Tony!
ASP-153, go around, go around,
runway breaking up.
One, five, hold that.
Come on.
Next Sunday night
on The Big Event,
NBC will present part two of Earthquake.
Jim, Stewart Graff.
She's done it again.
Now jut get over here, will ya?
Oh, oh my God!
Oh!
Fred!
Fred!
Fred!
Fred?
Russell, this is very interesting.
You forecast an earthquake in
the three to four point range
this morning.
We had an earthquake in the
three to four point range
this morning.
I'm impressed.
Thank you, sir.
However, isn't it rather
slender evidence
for predicting a catastrophe?
How big a quake?
A seven on the Richter
scale, possibly higher.
That could release more
than the total energy
generated by the Hiroshima,
Nagasaki nuclear bombs combined.
Hey, yeah, Lou, take a look at this.
We're gonna have 20, maybe
30,000 of these made up
after the Vegas show.
Go ahead, take a look,
see what you think of it.
I think it's beautiful.
Could I ask you something?
Sure, anything.
When we made love,
when you made love to me,
it was with such,
such, I'm trying to think
of exactly the right word.
It was with such
anger.
Anger?
Yeah, anger.
Did I anger you?
No.
I think you are absolutely lovely.
That wasn't there before the tremor.
I know every inch of this dam.
It's a new one.
Max, I'm a trained technician.
You're a watchman.
Now stop trying to teach me my business.
It wasn't there.
There's no such thing as solid concrete
and you know it.
You will have three children.
Ace of diamonds.
You have strong character,
insist on having your own way.
Boy, that fits you.
Hmmm.
There's danger to travel at this time.
Possibility of death.
Oh, hello.
Hi.
Oh, I'm sorry.
I was gonna pay you tomorrow.
Come in and I'll get it.
Oh, no, no, no.
Miss Amici, that's not
what I came here for.
You didn't?
I mean after that second tremor,
I wanted to make sure that you were okay.
Sure.
Sure, I'm fine, why not?
Well, I guess you got
yourself a new president.
Great.
And you'll stay away
from the Marshall woman.
Why are you so angry?
Remy, don't you understand?
That was a bribe, another bribe.
Our whole marriage has
been a series of bribes.
And you took them.
Well, it's time I quit.
Tony!
ASP-153, go around, go around.
Runway breaking up.
Please help me.
Where's the door?
Somebody's gotta get us outta here.
Help!
Mother, help me up!
Mother!
Mother!
Mother!
Mother!
Hey, Al, give me a hand.
Come on, over here!
Turn off the gas!
Oh, my God!
Stay here.
Help.
Is there a doctor around here?
Barbara, Barbara!
Barbara!
Mr. Cameron threw me
out of the elevator.
And then I heard all
those people screaming!
All right, take it easy, everybody.
It's over now.
It's over.
Over here.
Take care of it.
Ben, get the first aid kits over there.
All right, all right, now
listen to me, everybody.
Let's just settle down.
The worst is over, do you understand?
The worst is over.
Hey!
Break the windows.
Break the windows!
Come on, over there!
It's not safe here!
You gotta get, come on, get out of here.
Get out of here!
Whoa, all right.
Come on, hurry up, hurry up.
Come on.
Don't slow down!
No stairs!
Corry!
Corry?
Calling Van Nuys.
Calling Van Nuys.
We really got problems.
Thank God we had mobile units to bring in.
Let's get to the control panel.
Fires out of control,
Van Nuys Hospital,
all roads blocked between
Victory and Kittridge.
Is there any way I can
broadcast to the whole city,
get picked up on transistor sets?
There's a few commercial stations
on the quake fringe area still operating.
We might be able to rig a
microwave relay to one of them.
Well, get on it, then.
Hey, you, come here.
Help, damn it!
Slide him out from under there.
Hey, who do you have to know
to get a drink around here?
Shut off that gas valve.
Help me.
Help me.
Help me.
You guys, check that edge.
Both sides.
You two, check up here.
Both sides.
Couple of guys down below.
It held.
My God, it held.
How much longer?
I'm gonna divert some
water into the spillways.
We gotta cut down on the pressure.
Not Without official
permission, you're not.
It's dead.
I told you to leave that alone.
The city's gonna need every
drop of water it can get.
There's dozens of fires
down there already.
If this dam busts,
there won't be nothing
between here and Wilshire
Boulevard left to burn.
The quake may have
broken something inside.
It won't budge.
It won't budge.
Gotta get outta here!
Stewart,
you'd better get out of here.
The whole building is full of phosgene.
You'd better get out, too.
Maybe there's some way
down through an elevator shaft.
Shut the door.
It's giving.
I've got it.
Shut it.
Get me, Get me a chair, with arms.
All right, put it down there.
Pull it all the way.
Here, hold this.
All right, pull the chair.
Hold it up here.
We need something
flexible to strap 'em in.
Pantyhose.
Barbara, take off your pantyhose, damn it.
You, too.
Come on.
Take off your pantyhose.
Get it out.
Here's one.
Here comes the first one.
Let her down as slow as you can.
And keep down the sway.
Steady.
It's okay.
You made it.
There.
It's all right now.
Now, let me give it another shot.
Now, try it again.
Yeah, yeah!
You guys owe me a six-pack.
You got it.
Corry!
Corry, sweetie.
All right.
Okay.
I'll get you out.
Okay, it's going to be all right.
I'll lift you up.
Okay, try.
Help!
I don't believe it.
I don't believe it.
What do you mean?
Busted!
The ramps are busted,
the loops are busted,
the rings are busted.
I hope to God Evel
Knievel was in town today.
Why?
Huh?
Help!
Please, help me!
Help!
Help!
Help!
Here, down here!
Help me.
My son is hurt.
Help us.
- Huh?
- Come on.
Okay.
Take it easy, lady.
Yeah.
Come on, push him up here.
Push him up here, lady.
Slowly.
Got him?
Got him?
Yeah, I got him.
Careful.
Stay right there and watch those wires.
It'll be hours before we
drain off enough to do any good.
Help!
Help me.
Hold on, lady.
Help me.
Hold on, lady.
Miles, put him right here.
Here we go.
Where are we gonna take him, huh?
There's no hospital for miles.
I guess we better head
for the police station.
Yeah.
Yeah, let's go.
How can I find out
about my daughter?
She's in County Hospital.
My store.
The whole front is gone.
You've got to help me protect it.
Why aren't the firemen here yet?
Please, help me find a doctor.
My husband's legs are broken.
Stop!
You're all gonna have to help yourselves.
Most of the police in
this district were killed
in that station house.
And the guys that were on
patrol when the quake hit,
well, they probably got more
to do than they can handle.
Now, look, you get as many
volunteers as you can.
Go to that hardware store over there.
Now, if it's locked, break in.
Find as many picks and shovels as you can.
And start looking for
people who are buried alive.
There are plenty of 'em, believe me.
Give him a hand.
Move it!
Now, I want all the women and the kids
who have houses in any
kind of shape at all,
to go to them and to stay there.
Now, turn off all the gas lines...
Hey, I'm getting something.
Ladies and gentlemen,
stand by for a message
from the Mayor of Los Angeles.
This city has suffered the
greatest natural disaster
in the history of the United States.
The state and the nation
are rallying to our aid.
But for the next few hours,
until massive help can reach us,
we will have to depend
on our own physical and
spiritual resources.
Private physicians should report
to emergency aid stations,
now being set up at key
sites throughout the city.
Bring all the medical
supplies you can carry.
Clinics have been established
in the following locations,
the Hollywood Bowl, the
Occidental Insurance building,
the Wilson Plaza...
Laura!
Laura, my father?
Is he all right?
My father!
Laura, my father!
God!
Go on.
Come on, you're next.
Move.
You all right?
Sam, why didn't you go ahead
of some of the younger guys?
Staying up here was crazy.
I don't think I'm strong enough
to lower you all the way by myself.
So, get ready for a jolt.
Oh!
Let's get out of here.
Give me your hand, will you?
Watch yourself.
Okay.
Easy.
Do you know Denise Marshall, Barbara?
Yes.
See if you can get to a phone,
find out if she's all right.
Are the phones working?
Try, please!
Okay.
Come on, let's get out of here.
Officer, are the phones working?
Nowhere.
Out all over the city.
Hey, Lou.
Miles?
Look, we got a hurt kid in the back.
He's in shock.
Well, all we can do is
keep him warm until we
can get up to a doctor.
Here.
You figure you can find
your way to Wilson Plaza
in this heap?
They got an emergency medical
station set up down there.
I got to find my sister Rosa.
She went to the movies.
We've got a lot of injured to move
and you're gonna move them in this.
And I'm gonna stay here.
Come on, now give me the bike.
I've got to find Rosa.
Listen, just do what he says.
I'll find Rosa on the bike.
I can get around better than anybody.
Okay.
Move out.
Single file.
Hey, grab the cash!
Okay.
This way.
Let's go this way.
Did you get it?
Yeah, hang on.
Yeah.
Over here.
Let's go.
Hey, get away from
that cash register.
I was just trying to
get home and I was hungry.
Look, I'd like to let
you go, miss,
but we have strict orders on looters.
They're all supposed to
be placed under arrest.
I was just hungry...
And no exceptions.
Now, come on, let's go, come on.
Cars must leave the garage area
after dropping off patients.
Hot coffee and food is available
in basement shopping levels two and three.
Please keep moving.
Move right along.
Please keep moving.
More doctors are waiting
at the first garage level.
Hot coffee and food is available
in basement shopping levels two and three.
All cars must leave the garage area
after dropping off patients.
Please keep moving.
More doctors are waiting
at the first garage level.
Cars must leave the garage area
after dropping off patients.
Hold it.
Hold it.
Oxygen.
Get me a blood pressure.
Wait.
How do you feel?
Hard to breathe.
Chest pains?
Yes.
He's had a heart attack.
Come on.
Start him on a liter of 5% dextrose.
Cars must leave the garage area
after dropping off patients.
Stewart!
Denise and her boy will need help, too.
I've got to try and find them.
Is she more important than me?
Than our life together?
Than everything,
Remy, for God's sake,
Stewart, we tried to be, please.
I'm sorry.
Bye.
Cars must leave the garage area
after dropping off patients.
Please keep moving.
Hot coffee and food is available in...
I'm talking with the people
at the dam, Mayor Louis.
They're maintaining a constant inspection.
I can't take any chances, Colonel.
Dr. Stockle said we
can expect aftershocks.
And I just got a report from the Building
and Safety Department.
They say some structures
may look perfectly sound
but have been so weakened,
that even a minor quake
can bring them down.
Evacuate the area
immediately below the dam.
This is a precautionary
evacuation.
We repeat,
there is no present danger
of the dam collapsing.
Move to high ground,
west of Highland Avenue
and north of Franklin.
This is a precautionary evacuation.
I repeat, this is a
precautionary evacuation.
Wait, wait!
They're not lying to you.
You've got plenty of time.
Stay there, stay there.
Come on, lay down.
You're gonna be all right,
you're gonna be all right.
Halt.
Hey, Sid.
Hi.
How come you took
this bunch prisoners?
Suspicion of looting.
Hey, how about turning that
dark-haired girl over to me?
She's a friend.
Yeah, sure.
Hey, you.
Come here.
Yeah, come on.
Can I go home now?
Can't allow that.
You're my responsibility.
- But...
- Come on.
It's a couple dozen
blocks back to your house,
and now that it's getting
dark, the animals are loose.
But...
You just make yourself
comfortable inside the store here.
I have to send out patrols.
You all patrol that area up
there and watch out for looters.
Move out!
Hey, Sarge, look what we found.
Jody, what a break!
Caught these guys
around the corner.
Their car broke down.
Look at the goodies they had with them.
We didn't steal 'em, honest.
The old lady gave us the jewelry.
You think we ought to shoot 'em?
Jody, we've just been putting you on.
You can't kill guys for that.
Maybe they didn't steal
these necklaces and things.
Maybe they're just fags
who like to dress up in women's jewels.
You find any dresses in the car?
No, Jody.
Well, I guess we'll have to shoot 'em.
Hey, wait a minute, Jody.
I was telling these guys
just today to lay off.
I swear to God, I was.
Ask 'em, ask 'em.
Sure, those naked guys on the wall,
that didn't mean nothing.
We knew that you lifted weights.
Scum like you think you
can get away with anything.
Push people around when you want to.
Steal when you want to.
Make fun of men who have
to work for a living, huh?
But not today.
Hey, come back, you guys.
I was only kidding.
Hey, Hey, don't do that, man.
Not like back in the
store, is it, Miss Amici?
Coming in asking for
double Green Stamps two days
after the special's over, huh?
None of that stuff.
Move it!
I want this whole patrol area quarantined.
No civilians are to be allowed through
without being questioned.
Can't tell.
They might be looters.
What about the people
trying to get through to
Wilson Plaza aid station?
I meant everybody.
There's no other clear
streets around here.
Move out!
Denise!
Denise!
All right, out.
What are you talking about?
You're healthy enough to walk.
I got a lot of injured
to move and I mean, fast.
That dam up there is
liable to go at any minute.
I've got some people I've got to find.
This thing looks like it'll go anywhere
and that's just what I need.
Now, get out.
Just a minute.
You're one of those
trouble makers, aren't you?
I've never shot a trouble maker before,
or are you gonna get out?
Look.
I'm looking for a girl and a little boy.
They mean a lot to me.
Send your butler.
Where's the shift?
All of them.
Depends on what you want to do.
That's a customized transmission.
It's got eight forward speeds,
and three reverse.
All of them a hell of a lot
harder to operate than that.38.
All right, you're an ambulance driver.
What?
I'm sorry, it's been a hell of a day.
Okay, that's it.
We got one more.
We are in desperate need
of blood type AB negative.
Check Red Cross blood
bank, and report back.
Officer Scott.
Coffee and food is available
in basement shopping levels two and three.
I never thought we'd get here.
Careful.
A long time to go a
couple of lousy miles.
Listen, lady, I gotta go now.
I gotta move the truck out.
I'll see you.
Thank you very much.
He's had a bad fall,
he's hit his head and
he just won't come to.
Can I go with him?
No, no.
We'll get in touch with you.
On the third level.
Thank you.
Right around there.
Coming through.
Please keeping moving.
Those not needing medical aid,
please stay away from the field hospital.
Please, help me, somebody.
Doctor, nurse, anybody,
The building must have
its own generators.
Barbara!
Barbara!
Are you okay?
Yeah, I'm just terrified.
You?
I'm fine, but Corry's had a bad fall.
He's upstairs with the doctor.
Oh!
Stewart Graff, is he all right?
Yeah, he's all right,
the last I saw,
but Mr. Royce had a heart attack.
He's had a heart attack?
I'm just waiting word from the doctor.
Listen, I've got to get out of here,
I'm going up for some air.
Will you come with me?
No, I'd rather stay here.
I'll see you later.
Take care.
He's gone.
He never had a chance.
Should I tell his daughter?
I don't want any deaths
reported to the survivors
until things settle down.
Miss Amici.
Miss Amici?
You better eat.
This is nice and fresh.
Hank got into the deli down the street.
A lot of guys with hair over
regulation length wear 'em.
Oh.
You know, I really used to look forward
to seeing you in the supermarket.
You never complained like all the rest
of those women, carrying on.
Thank you.
And I hope the lousy
store was knocked flat.
What I really want to do
is open a karate school.
I'll have enough saved pretty soon.
A lot of money in karate, you know.
I'll give you free lessons.
I'm not really very hungry.
It's a hot night out.
Why don't you take off that jacket?
You always liked me, too.
I could tell.
You never said anything, but I could tell.
Don't, don't hurry me.
It's no real fun that way.
Everything all right?
Yeah, fine.
Another one of those damned earth slides
on the other side of the reservoir?
Uh-huh.
That's a scary sound.
Uh-huh.
How is he?
Oh, he's going to be all right.
Mild shock and a concussion.
I've given him something
to help him sleep.
Where are you taking him now?
Well, the Army Medics have set up
their field x-ray trucks
in the third level garage.
Doctor!
Doctor!
Why aren't you with my father?
Don't bother me now.
Get down, get down!
Red Cross emergency aid stations
are already functioning.
Are you sure you know
the way to Wilson Plaza?
Damn it, that's where I just came from.
The Mayor's office
has not yet released
a damage report on the aftershock.
However, details are expected momentarily.
Please stand by.
There's other buildings
sure to have come down.
First time in my life I'm
ashamed of my profession.
We never should have put up
those 40-story monstrosities.
Not here.
Hey!
What's the matter?
The door's out of line.
It wasn't before that
aftershock a few minutes ago.
Don't be scared.
We'll be feelin' those
quivers for days, the CO said.
That looks great.
A pretty girl ought to have nice things.
I've always thought so.
Hey, you gotta forget
about the way it used to be.
Your brother could be dead.
Nobody left but me to take care of you.
Well, I've got another
brother in San Francisco.
And he's in the Mafia.
There's another car coming, Jody.
This area's quarantined.
You'll have to detour.
I'm a police officer.
We're transporting injured people.
This is an emergency.
What isn't after an earthquake?
Go back or take them to
a Hare Krishna temple.
Lou, help me.
He's nuts!
Crazy.
What the hell are you doing?
I know this kid.
She's under detention.
Looting.
Take it easy.
All right.
Okay.
Go back the way you came.
Okay.
Move out!
Don't leave me with him!
Lou!
Lou, help me!
Lou, help me!
Lou!
I'm going for an officer.
That guy in there is cracked.
Come on, hey, come on.
Pull up another hundred feet.
Pull it around the corner and stop.
Nuts, am I, huh?
You got your nerve.
Rosa!
Let's go.
Better not.
Come on, Rosa.
Come on.
Settle down, will you, huh?
Earthquakes bring out the
worst in some guys, that's all.
Here.
Come on.
Here, look.
Look what you got.
Look at what you got to take care of.
Caused by a ruptured gas main.
Oh.
Total evacuation is under way.
My brother told me you
were a strange kind of cop.
Dozens of weakened
structures collapsed
when the aftershock hit.
The worst disaster was the four-year-old,
supposedly earthquake-proof, Wilson Plaza.
The Army Corps of Engineers is
rushing all available workers
and equipment to the scene.
Stand by for further bulletins.
I've never been so afraid in my life.
Well, you're safe now.
We were lucky to get seats on this flight.
A couple hours we'll be in Honolulu.
I don't know if it's me or the drink,
but I'm really getting sleepy.
Why don't you take a nap.
It'll do you good.
Yeah.
This is your captain.
We have just received the latest news
on the Los Angeles earthquakes.
The big one that hit early this afternoon
registered 9.9 on the Richter scale.
Greater than the San
Francisco quake in 1906,
which registered 8.3.
So far, the dam at the
Hollywood reservoir,
although damaged, is still intact.
The dam has been under close
and constant surveillance
since the first earthquake
that hit at 7:46 this morning.
The aftershocks have
been causing more damage.
Hospitals and soup kitchens
have been set up at various locations.
As of now, it has been impossible
to estimate the number
of people injured or dead
and the amount of damage.
Wait just a minute, folks.
The cards were right.
What did you say?
Oh, no, nothing.
I'm just glad that we're both all right.
Kathie, I want to talk to you seriously.
Can it wait?
No.
Here's the latest
from Los Angeles.
The last aftershock has caused
more building to collapse.
One of these buildings
was the Wilson Plaza,
where a hospital has been
set up in the sub-basement.
The fate of the people
trapped in the sub-basement
is unknown at this time.
As the news comes in,
I'll keep you informed.
I'm gonna leave you in Hawaii
and go back to Los Angeles.
Whatever for?
To help, in any way I can.
They're gonna need all the
engineers they can get.
But this is our honeymoon.
Kathie, you're not thinking straight.
We were almost victims of
that earthquake ourselves.
You're right.
I'm sorry.
I didn't mean to be selfish and unfeeling.
I know you didn't.
Can't you wait a few more
days before you go back?
No.
Two days?
No.
One day?
All right, one day.
Oh, my God.
Inspector!
Inspector!
Hold it.
Stop.
You can't go any farther.
I'm a police officer,
transporting injured people.
Okay, come on.
I'm sorry,
lady, now you can't go...
Officer, I've got to get to.
It's urgent.
Listen, listen.
Mr. Graff, they're still down there.
Remy and Mr. Royce.
Denise, too.
She asked for you.
Where were they in the building?
The third level below.
Come on.
I agree.
There's a chance people
could still be alive
in the sub-basements.
It'll take days to
unearth all this debris.
Look, the air supply can't
last more than a few hours.
I know the design of this building.
I've been through it 100 times.
The basement extends clear out
to the street on this side.
If the storm drain runs down deep enough,
all you'd have to tunnel through
is a couple of layers of
concrete and a few feet of dirt.
I got radio word a few minutes ago,
that the Hollywood reservoir
dam is disintegrating.
We're on high ground here,
but those drains are 40 feet down.
Believe me, if the dam goes,
they'll fill up in minutes.
Dams have lasted for weeks
with major breeches in them.
It's too dangerous to try.
Besides, the sewers must've
cracked around like whips.
You know, the eastern
approach is totally blocked.
Yeah, well, what about the other end?
Well, I was just gonna
call up an inspection team.
Come and see for yourself.
Let's go.
Make way, fellas.
Lou, where are you going?
I'm going with them.
Let's have a look.
Can't you get through here?
We don't know how far this opening runs.
You haven't checked?
My men stay here.
That could cave in any second!
Hey, you know as well as I do,
the chances are 100 to one,
that everybody in that building is dead.
Holy mother!
I got through.
Can you get me a jackhammer
and a bolt cutter?
You use a jackhammer in
there, the roof'll fall in.
Look, I think there's
some people alive in there,
and I'm gonna try and get 'em out.
Well, nobody else is.
And you can't do it all alone.
Yeah, I won't be alone.
He's coming with me.
Make sure they don't
turn on the compressor
for this hammer until we signal.
Right.
Any word from the dam?
The last radio report we had,
said no further cracks had appeared.
Swell.
Hey, you sure I can't talk
you out of this insanity?
Colonel,
I really wish you could.
Good luck.
Watch your head.
Keep it coming!
I've paced it off.
We ought to break through
right about the third basement level.
This thing ready?
All right.
The pressure's ready.
Hold on.
I'm getting outta here.
Inspector!
Inspector!
Get the hell outta here!
It's breaking up.
Get out!
Get out, get out!
It's breaking up, get out!
Should be a couple of feet of earth
then just the basement wall.
Hand me that light.
We're through!
Oh, my God!
They're through!
We're saved!
Anybody in there?
About 70 of us.
Got it.
Stewart.
Denise.
Come on, let's go.
Be careful of the
loose area down there.
Easy, easy, easy.
Careful of the loose stuff down there.
No, not again.
Oh God.
It stopped, it stopped.
Take it easy and watch
your head down below.
I got you, I got you.
Take your time and watch it down there.
That stuff is all loose.
Give us a hand down here.
Straight up.
Straight up.
Nice and easy.
Okay.
That's all of them.
Let's go.
Yeah.
Watch it.
Don't panic now.
Women first!
Come on, come on,
come on, come on.
Relax, there's lots of time.
Take it easy, take it easy.
Take it easy.
One at a time, women first.
Take it easy, take it easy.
Don't panic.
Go on, Remy.
Wait, wait.
Remy!
Lou!
Lou!
I'm sorry to bring
you more bad news.
The dam has broken.
At this very moment,
it is destroying everything in its path.
Los Angeles is being
completely demolished.
There is no hope.
I think we should observe a
few seconds of silent prayer
for all those caught in
this appalling catastrophe.
As soon as we land, I'm
gonna contact the Honolulu
office of Royce Construction Company
and offer them my services.
Well, what if they refuse?
They won't.
If that happens, I'll find
some way to get back and help.
Well, I'm going with you.
No, I think you'd be
better off in Hawaii.
A wife's place is with her husband.
You mean that?
That's the way I was brought up,
and besides, I love you very much.
Los Angeles has to be rebuilt.
And I wanna be a part of it.
Okay?
You're the boss.
This used to be a
hell of a town, officer.
Yeah.
Thank God some of them made it.
Pacific coast
of our hemisphere rests on
a series of geologic faults.
One of the most unstable of these
is the San Andreas
fault, running 600 miles
through the state of California.
Some sections of the fault are slipping.
The two sides are sliding
past each other slowly.
The streams accumulating
are being dissipated
rather harmlessly without
generating large earthquakes.
At two points, however, the
sides of the fault are locked,
permitting no slippage.
Elastic strain energy is being built up.
Invisibly, the land is
being compressed and warped,
storing energy like a colossal spring
under the crust of the earth.
Many scientists feel this
energy will break loose
and a cataclysmic earthquake will occur
within the next decade.
Other feels it could happen tomorrow.
One of the critical points
is north of San Francisco.
The other, just a few
miles east of Los Angeles.
Damn it!
Your last words last night.
The very first words you
greet me with this morning.
Don't you think you ought
to do something about
expanding your vocabulary?
Yeah, while you expand your chest.
Didn't you get enough
exercise jogging this morning?
Don't you ever get tired?
I don't think I'm gonna have time
for breakfast this morning.
Why not?
It's ready.
Denise Marshall's boy
asked me for an autographed football.
I'm gonna drop it off on
the way to the office.
An autographed football from you.
And you haven't played
football in 16 years.
Well, I guess it's part
of this nostalgic binge everybody's on.
Anyway, it's the ball
Frank Gifford signed.
That's the signature he really wants.
You know, I find it peculiar.
Almost amusing.
The widow Brian Marshall
comes back into town
after seven months,
and you rush off without even
so much as a cup of coffee.
But if I ask you...
If you ask me to stop off at the market
to pick up a head of lettuce
for you, I'd find some excuse.
You know, if it wasn't
7:30 in the morning,
I would have a drink.
I didn't know you
were a clock-watcher.
What?
What did you say?
I said, I didn't know
you were a clock-watcher.
Don't you dare lower
your voice to me.
Look, what's this all about?
I know you.
I've been married to you long enough.
I know the more contempt you feel for me,
the lower the voice.
Ah, Remy, you'd hardly call
this a marriage, would you?
Going now, Remy.
I said, I'm leaving.
Remy.
Remy.
Remy.
Remy!
Remy.
Jim?
Stewart Graff.
She's done it again.
Yeah, I think we'll get faster action
if you call the ambulance.
Well, of course I'll induce vomiting.
I know the rules by now.
Just get over here, will you?
Oh!
Oh, my God.
Oh, oh.
If you're going to throw
the pills in the toilet,
you might at least flush it.
Man, that was a jolt.
You can forget your coffee.
We got an emergency inspection to run.
I'm off duty in half an hour.
It was just a little tremor.
That's a solid concrete dam.
Well, those are the rules, Max.
You can always use the overtime.
Yeah, I suppose so.
Is everything okay?
Yeah.
Why don't you check the base?
I'll look down below.
At 7:46 this morning,
a minor earthquake registering
3.1 on the Richter scale
was felt in the Los Angeles area.
No injuries were reported.
However, minimal property damage...
Repeating a KJB Sig Alert.
Hello, Laura?
This is Mr. Graff.
My secretary in yet?
Yeah.
Well, tell her I'll be a little late, huh?
All right, Mr. Graff, I'll tell her.
Let me speak to him.
Oh, Mr. Graff?
Just a moment, it's your father-in-law.
Stewart, see me as soon as you come in.
I want to go over that
Bill Cameron matter again.
Sam, I'm not gonna budge on this.
I don't want to lose this contract.
I'll talk to you about it later.
Thank you.
Yes, sir.
Fred?
Fred?
Fred!
Fred?
Watch it, Lou.
You nearly wrecked us
up in that last turn.
You see?
I told you.
We're gonna hear about that one.
Want to drive, Emilio?
No, no, no.
You're driving, you're driving.
We're over the city line.
The Captain will bust our rumps
if we mess up here in the county again.
Do you remember what
happened with that guy Merle?
I still don't think his
gun went off by accident.
I get along just fine with nine toes.
I told you to stay
out of the county.
Merle...
Some guys are just too goddamned dumb
to stay where they belong.
Do you know who owns that
hedge you just wrecked?
I'm gonna tell you, Slade.
It's Zsa Zsa Gabor.
Corry, forget about the dishes.
You'll be late for school
Come on.
And remember to go to Mrs.
Clark's when you come back, huh?
She'll look after you until
I'm home from the studio.
Stewart!
Hi.
Come on in.
Hi.
You brought it.
Sorry I forgot it last week.
Where did Frank Gifford sign?
Right there under the laces.
Yeah.
Thanks, Mr. Graff.
That'll look great on my bookcase.
That's really nice of you.
Thank you.
Couldn't let down my last fan.
Hurry.
Okay, have a good day.
Goodbye, mom.
Bye-bye.
So long.
You know what?
What?
I've got a part in a movie.
Oh, great.
Yeah, great.
Three days shooting, 22 lines.
It's hard.
I've been out of it so long.
Well, at least I feel alive again,
and I didn't for so long after Brian died.
Well, I guess I should get dressed.
Hey, did you feel that
tremor this morning?
It really wasn't very strong.
No?
Would you like some coffee?
Yeah.
If there's an unbroken cup
somewhere that I can find.
It'll have to be instant.
Yeah, well, instant will be fine.
You know, Barbara
says you're the best,
Barbara?
Yes, Barbara.
Your boss's secretary.
Oh.
And my one good friend.
Well, she says you're the
best engineer in the country.
Yeah, well, Barbara's paid
to say things like that.
Oh, that's the script
of the movie I'm doing.
"Movie I'm doing."
That's the overstatement of the year.
Here I am, two small scenes,
and I'm so worried, I'm so nervous.
I was up all night trying to figure out
how to make this thing work.
Can I help you?
Yes.
You could read the lines with me.
It's just one scene.
One page.
I think I know it.
Right here, near the top.
Okay, let me fill you in.
I play a bit player.
Now, the part you read
is a big movie star.
A drunk, a gambler, married
18 times, the whole thing.
And there's a dinner party.
Now, an assistant director invited me,
only he's not enough of
a, whatever, gentleman,
to pick me up.
I have to drive myself.
Well, that's okay.
Now, they're all talking about
me just before I come in.
You know, asking him the usual
questions about bit players.
Talk, talk, talk, talk.
I come in.
Introductions,
introductions, introductions.
Then our big star, you,
makes his appearance.
You ignore me, for quite a while.
So, I say to you, "Hello, Mr. Sheppard.
"It's been a long time.
"How have you been?"
And you say,
"Do we know each other?"
"You bet we do."
That kind of a script.
Oh, and the character I'm playing
is also supposed to be a nymphomaniac.
- Mmm-hmm.
- Yeah?
And the director of the picture
is a strong believer in typecasting.
But anyway, I'll cope with that.
You want it black?
Yeah.
Black's...
And don't worry.
Worry about what?
I'm not a nympho.
Mind you, I'm not Mary Poppins, either,
but I'm far from being,
what's the male equivalent of a nympho?
Satyr, I think.
Satyr?
Yeah.
Oh.
And you don't need to worry, either.
Worry?
What I mean is, I'm
not Billy Graham exactly,
but I'm no satyr.
Mmm-hmm.
That tremor must've stopped the clock.
It's a little after nine.
And I have a 10 o'clock call.
- I'm sorry, I've got to run.
- I'm overdue at the office.
Listen, thank you for everything.
I mean, the cueing, the
football and the sympathy.
And as Mary Poppins would say,
"Bye-bye."
Eight stitches to close his
lower lip, six loosened teeth.
You aren't supposed to do things like that
to a brother officer.
Not a brother officer, sir.
Merle is a county cop.
I'm talking about Los
Angeles cops and county cops.
That kid stole a car.
Then he got stoned and he
slammed into a little girl.
A little Mexican girl,
about six years old.
That little girl was thrown
about 15 feet in the air.
She was probably dead
before she hit the sidewalk.
Her blood covered three
whole cement squares.
Not spattered.
Solid.
Just like paint.
The driver never even slowed down.
You will receive a formal
notice of suspension.
And a date for departmental trial.
Now, get on home.
Hey, Lou, how'd it go?
Michelle, get me
the Valley reading.
Okay.
Have they plotted the epicenter yet?
Yes, sir, it was quite a shock.
Yes.
Yes, nevertheless, there's
no scientific evidence
that a 3.1 earthquake can
loosen dental fillings.
No.
Right, thank you.
Walt!
Your turn on the PR desk.
Yes, that's right.
Dr. Adams.
Room 14.
He isn't?
Well then I'd like to leave a message.
Walt!
Just a minute, okay?
Would you have him call Walter Russell
at the Seismology Institute?
Yeah, it's very important.
Yes, thank you.
Here's a strange one.
"Caretaker at the Hollywood reservoir dam
"drowned at the bottom
of an elevator shaft."
They still haven't
figured out what happened.
Okay.
What's the matter?
You look sick.
I just found out Dr. Adams
stayed up at the fault an extra day.
So?
Well, I sent some figures
and a memo
into the Director's office
late yesterday afternoon.
I don't think he's even read them yet.
Figures on what?
Well, I know you'll laugh,
but I think we're gonna
have a really big quake.
Probably today.
Tomorrow at the latest.
And I wanted Dr. Adams here
to back up my computations.
Thought you were leaving
yesterday, Dr. Adams.
We've been held up.
But we hope to have most of the
instruments planted by noon.
Still haven't figured out exactly
what it is you fellas are trying to do.
It's rather technical.
That device records minute
variations of seismic waves.
Huh.
Well, better start my plowing.
Thanks again for letting us
on your land, Mr. Griggs.
Once the trench is filled in,
you'd never have known we were here.
Well?
That was nice.
Real nice.
Yeah, tell me this,
you gonna have this thing
ready for this afternoon?
I'll have it ready, don't worry.
But I think we'll need an
extra can of butane there.
Come on, Sal, huh?
We'll pick one up
when we go for Rosa this
afternoon, all right?
All right.
What I want to know is, are
you gonna get her to help us?
Yeah, yeah, she'll help us.
Well, she's not too crazy about
our line of work, man.
Miles, I'll get her.
Well, you better, because this Vegas job
is the biggest break we ever had.
Miles, I'll get her.
I'll get her.
What do you want?
Will you relax?
All right.
Wow.
$5.49.
That'll be $20.16.
Forgot to bring enough cash?
That's right.
Hey, I'll put this back.
Who needs protein anyway?
Don't worry about it.
Drop the money off the
next time you're in.
Thanks.
Find anything?
All okay as far as I can tell!
I'll check again!
I guess we won't find anything
until after the shaft is pumped out.
But everything looks fine.
Right.
People drown in elevators
every damn day of the week.
Officer, can you order
these freaks out of here?
They've been scaring my customers away,
and I've been trying to get them to leave.
You got something against religion?
What'll you have?
Double bourbon, Jay.
In uniform, Lou?
Naked in a glass will do just fine.
Spiro T. Agnew.
You asked to see me, Dr. Stockle?
Yes, sit down.
Russell, this is very interesting.
You forecast an earthquake
in the three to four
point range this morning.
We had an earthquake
in the three to four
point range this morning.
I'm impressed.
Thank you, sir.
However, isn't it
rather slender evidence
for predicting a catastrophe?
Sir, these are based
on this morning's signals
from those stress measurement instruments
that Dr. Adams sank during
that experimental well project.
They indicate another pre-shock,
probably before noon today.
And if it happens?
Then the big one follows in 48 hours.
At least seven point.
Now, naturally,
if that second minor shock doesn't occur,
then it just proves that my computations
were based on insufficient evidence.
But I think we have a strong...
Russell, Russell, you are
still a graduate assistant.
Are you seriously contending
that a graduate assistant
would be the first scientist in history
to pinpoint a major
earthquake within 48 hours?
No, sir.
But I am following through
on Dr. Adam's theories
and the probability
curves that he drew up.
But I feel that I've been on the project...
Dr. Adams is on a field trip upstate.
I sure wish he wasn't.
Thank you, Russell.
Leave those.
Fiona, I want some figures
run through the computer.
And try to get Frank
Adams for me in Fresno.
Yeah?
Morning, Sam.
Morning, Stu.
Listen, you still refuse to
handle the Bill Cameron job
unless he upgrades the specifications?
Absolutely.
Okay.
But you're gonna have to convince him
that those changes are necessary.
I could never talk him into anything.
Oh, do me one more favor, huh?
Don't muff the deal.
Oh, just a moment.
Mr. Royce, your daughter's
on the phone, 347.
Thank you.
He'll be right on.
Remy?
Hello, Remy.
Fine.
Well, I was planning on
eating here in the building.
Well, come on in.
No, away from the office.
Oh, it's terribly important.
Oh.
Okay, honey.
The Windsor at 1:15?
And try to calm down.
Okay.
Bill, here comes another one.
It's a pretty good shake.
Hey, that shot didn't count.
No way can it count.
Hey, nothing in the rule
book about earthquakes.
It didn't count.
Yeah, it did.
Hardly ever get
two in one morning.
Two what?
Earthquakes.
In another half hour,
I won't feel the one
that's supposed to knock
California into the ocean.
The Captain's cooled off.
He's gonna do his damnedest
to straighten things out.
I don't want to be a cop anymore.
Right since the time I was a kid,
I figured on cops helping folks, you know?
Folks who couldn't help themselves.
All right, maybe that was dumb of me,
but that's the way I figured.
But folks don't count
for a diddly, do they?
Take it easy, now.
I'll call you at home later.
Sure, Emilio.
The shot counted.
Bobby Riggs.
That wasn't there before the tremor.
I know every inch of this dam.
It's a new one.
Max, I'm a trained technician.
You're a watchman.
Now, stop trying to teach me my business.
It wasn't there.
There's no such thing as
solid concrete and you know it.
Hairline cracks are bound
to appear from time to time.
You don't panic over them.
The water's rising.
It's gone up half an inch since the quake.
He's right.
This is your captain.
We will passing over
Grand Canyon National Park
in approximately one minute.
So that you may better enjoy
the grandeur of its beauty,
we will turn the plan to the right.
The Grand Canyon is 277
miles long, a mile deep,
and in some sections, 18 miles wide.
Now you can see the Colorado
River directly below us.
On your left is the south rim.
On your right is the north rim.
They're about 10 miles apart.
We are returning to our course.
We'll be arriving at Los
Angeles International
in approximately 55 minutes.
Is that all your interested
in is Stewart Graff?
Right now, honey, I'm
interested in our future,
which happens to be in the
hands of Stewart Graff.
Now, you know how important
this interview is.
But I don't wanna live in Los Angeles.
Couldn't you try for a job in New York?
Honey, we've been
over this so many times.
I don't think you realize
what an opportunity
this could be for us.
Well, all I know, is ever
since we've been married,
all you do is either talk
or read about that man.
It's like I don't even exist.
Look,
I'll tell you what, after
we stop over in Los Angeles
for my interview, we'll
take the very first plane
out to Hawaii.
And I promise you, I
won't mention anything
on our honeymoon about
Stewart Graff, okay?
Then how will I know if
you got the job or not?
Already I'm learning
there's no pleasing a woman.
I'll tell you whether
or not I was accepted
and then I won't discuss it, all right?
But that's no way to
start off a marriage,
keeping things from me.
Katherine, what's the matter with you?
You've been bored with
your card games before.
Now, if you love me, do me a favor,
get yourself a magazine,
play solitaire, anything,
but just let me finish
studying this article.
Tony, you know,
you've never talked to
me like that before.
Do you know this is
our first real quarrel?
Boy, I certainly know
who the boss is gonna be
in this family,
and it's not me.
Well, good.
Now we won't have any
more problems, will we?
Let me tell your fortune, okay?
Not again.
Come on, I wanna find
out about your interview.
See what the cards say.
Shuffle.
All right.
If it'll keep you busy.
Roger ASP-153.
ASP-153.
Go ahead.
We have had a second tremor this morning
with only minor damage.
There is no reason to alter your course.
Thank you, LAX.
Hmm, boy, it's a good thing my
wife's a native Californian.
Why's that?
All those earthquakes never bother her.
I wish my wife was more like that.
Every time we have a little shake,
she hounds me to move to the country.
Nine of hearts.
Realization of an important
goal, success in your career,
both in prestige and financially.
That's exactly what
you told me last night.
Oh, come on.
Ah, the eight of hearts.
That's a happy card,
signifying mutual love
and domestic bliss.
You will have three children.
The seven of spades casts a shadow.
No, no.
It is doubtful whether
you'll have them or not.
Double king, ace of diamonds.
You have strong character,
insist on having your own way.
Boy, that fits you.
Hard working, ultimate
success in business.
Now, the four of spades
and the jack of clubs.
There'll be an illness in a
young person close to you.
Hmmm.
There's danger to travel at this time,
possibility of death.
Well, just as well you weren't listening.
But it could all be coincidence.
I don't see running wild
over some untested theory,
at least until we've
heard from Frank Adams.
After all, it's his research
project, and not Walt's.
No one can find Frank Adams.
No one was sure the atom bomb would work
until they dropped it.
It worked.
Our present problem is
what in God's name do we do now?
Well, we warn people.
Do we?
Think about it.
A public announcement now
that a major earthquake is imminent,
whew, that could create incredible panic.
People climbing over people
trying to get out of the city.
That could be a worse disaster
than the quake itself.
But an orderly evacuation
could save hundreds of thousands of lives.
An orderly evacuation to where?
The desert?
The mountains?
How do you feed and shelter
four million people in open country?
And suppose we release this information
and there isn't a big quake?
Well, what's the point in learning
how to predict an earthquake,
if you don't do anything
about it after you predict it?
Russell!
Russell, look!
Dr. Johnson and I are not cynical.
But a false alarm now,
even if it went no further
than the Mayor or the Governor's office,
would destroy the institute's credibility.
Credibil...
Look, Russell!
Four or five years from now,
we come up with a
foolproof detection system.
Who in authority is gonna believe us then?
Yeah?
No.
No, no, don't call his wife.
I'll take care of it myself.
Frank Adams is dead.
So's young Ward.
They were working in a
trench across the fault.
The walls collapsed.
Fiona, get me the Mayor's office.
It's a matter of gravest urgency.
See if you can push the blueprint room
on those revised drawings
for the Cameron job, will you, Carl?
He'll want to see them this afternoon.
Okay, Stewart.
I've got to get out of here for a while.
This place is closing in on me.
Denise, hi.
You finished working already?
Never got started.
Would you believe it?
The tremor damaged the set,
and they rescheduled
my scene for tomorrow.
So, I thought I'd drop in on Barbara.
Something wrong?
No, I need a drink.
Oh.
Are you one of those solitary drinkers?
Not if I can help it.
Would you join me?
Yes.
Yes.
Do you realize what you're asking of me?
What's really happening with you two?
He's been seeing Brian Marshall's widow.
Well, of course.
He feels obligated to help her out.
Her and her boy.
Oh, Albert Schweitzer wasn't
that dedicated to mankind.
There's more to it, Remy.
It was Stewart who assigned
Brian that propane cavern job,
and he's been blaming himself
for what happened ever since.
Oh, Dad, don't be so naive.
I know they're having an affair.
When you met Stewart,
he was a dirt-poor boy
trying to work his way through college
on an athletic scholarship.
I think you still half see him that way.
But he's a top man now.
He doesn't need me, he
doesn't need anybody.
There isn't a firm in town
wouldn't take him on his own terms.
How big a quake?
A seven on the Richter
scale, possibly higher.
That could release more than
the total energy generated
by the Hiroshima, Nagasaki
nuclear bombs combined.
If I issue a public warning,
you know what will happen to this city?
Of course we know, that's impossible.
But there are some precautions
you could take, aren't there?
Alert the police, the fire department.
Have the Governor mobilize
the National Guard.
Well, he could announce
that it's necessary
to prevent looting at
the Valley quake site.
Well, the police have that situation
totally under control.
Mayor Louis, the next
situation, if it comes,
would be somewhat different.
The Governor and I aren't
even in the same party.
If this turns out to be a false alarm,
he'll make me look like the biggest fool
west of the Mississippi.
Second biggest.
I'll top the list.
What do you say, Lou?
Hey, Rosa,
Hiya, pal.
The ladies room is through that door
and a couple of steps to the right.
You still pursuing
those evildoers?
Not as hard as usual.
Hey, Jay,
we want a couple of burgers
and some orange juice to go.
Two burgers and
orange juice to go.
The 50 bucks, Miles.
You owed me for three weeks.
Hey, listen, man.
What if I pay you tomorrow.
Okay?
Hey, the 50.
You're a great bike rider
but a lousy pool shooter.
Officer, I mean,
you're not gonna let him
get away with this, are you?
Yes.
50 bucks, or I'll break your back.
Peter Fonda.
Hey, hey, Sal.
Hey, wait.
Here.
Take it.
Yeah, I'll take it.
Thanks.
Brother.
Miles, what're you doing?
All I've got is a dollar
and some loose change on me.
Hey, Lou, hey, come on.
Lend me 10 bucks, huh?
I don't have time to go to the bank.
You better stop breathing
those gas fumes so much.
Hey, listen, Lou, this
is an emergency, man.
We need a butane tank for the stunt.
I'll have it back to you tomorrow.
I promise.
Come on, Lou.
This is really important to me.
This big guy is coming down
from one of the big Vegas
hotels to see this act.
Now, there has never ever
been anything like this.
If that hotel sponsors us, man,
I could wind up on ABC's
Wide World of Sports, man.
And after that, you can
forget about Evel Knievel.
It'll be just the Miles Quade Story.
You know, I'm sorry I
ever arrested you two.
I've been paying for it ever since.
Hello.
Rosa, I want you to meet Lou Slade.
He's the cop who flattened Miles and I
with a blackjack at the North
Hollywood rally last year.
Hey, that's right.
And we didn't even start that ruckus.
Well, you should've knocked
their brains into place.
Come here, Rosa.
I want to talk to you.
Come here.
Listen.
If I had the bread,
I would hire a beautiful,
sexy broad this afternoon,
and I would kick your all the way home.
Well, I don't need your help.
Bye.
Now, Rosa, will you listen to me?
Daredevil motorcyclists
always have to have
beautiful, sexy broads hanging around.
Rosa, that's right.
What do you want,
us to look like phonies or what?
Sal, I'm your sister.
What about Maureen?
She's your girlfriend.
Come on, Rosa.
Maureen is too flat-chested.
Rosa, come here.
Now, Rosa, I want you to show
the officer your T-shirt.
Oh, yeah, Lou, take a look at this.
We're gonna have 20, maybe 30,000 of these
made up after the Vegas show.
Go ahead, take a look.
See what you think of it.
I think it's beautiful.
My wife will ask me,
is she pretty?
And I'll say, quite.
And she'll say, something
like, that figures.
Tell me about her.
And you'll say, nothing much to tell.
We just had a drink.
And she'll ask me, no small talk?
Very little.
A trait that goes with engineering.
Yeah, maybe it does.
It's good.
Can I ask you something?
Sure.
Anything.
When we made love,
when you made love to
me, it was with such,
such, I'm trying to think
of exactly the right word.
It was with such
anger.
Anger?
Yeah, anger.
Did I anger you?
No.
I think you are absolutely lovely.
Well, I think so, too.
I'm not hurt.
Tell me, how long has
Barbara worked at the office?
Oh, 10, 12 years.
Well, did you ever know me
to drop in on her before?
No.
Certainly not since you got back to LA.
Well, maybe I didn't
want to see Barbara.
Maybe I wanted to see you.
Hmm?
How about that?
Yeah, how about that?
So, you didn't seduce me.
I seduced you.
Great.
Well, next time I'll do the honors.
Oh, don't feel there
has to be a next time.
Don't think that you just
made a lifelong commitment.
Come here.
Why?
Come here.
I have to go to Oregon this summer.
All summer on a hydroelectric project.
Come up there, with Corry.
I'll rent a house for the two of you.
It's such beautiful,
really beautiful country.
It'd be great for him.
Please.
I'll think about it.
I'll come back tonight.
I'll think about that, too.
We interrupt our regular program
to bring you a special bulletin.
The Governor has just announced
that the following National Guard units
have been put on emergency
active duty status.
The Fourth Infantry support group,
the 227th Heavy Transport Battalion,
the 112th Headquarters Company,
the 33rd Communications Battalion,
the 47th Engineers Company.
Let me show you What's happening.
First of all, we start up there.
Then it's down that ramp,
like hell into that first big loop,
up this ramp, zoom over the truck,
down this ramp and straight
into that big figure eight.
Then it's down that ramp
right into that fire ring.
Now, that fire ring doesn't
just have flames on the outside,
like in your dog acts.
No, no, we rigged those gas jets
to shoot flames right in the center.
Then it's down that ramp, over that pit,
and we're home free.
Now, you take a guy like Knievel.
Now, he'll jump 20, maybe 30 cars,
and call it a big thing.
But, baby, let me tell you something,
compared to those,
landing on a roof of a
car at 100 miles an hour,
that's like landing in a water bed.
Miles, you're out of your mind.
Hey, but, Rosa, wait a minute.
No, no way.
If you want to help your best
friend kill himself, fine.
Rosa, listen, now, listen.
Don't be rotten.
There's nothing to it.
It is simple!
Who do you think you're kidding?
I'm going to a movie.
I'm going home to change
into some fresh duds.
Ciao.
You're gonna fix it up.
You're gonna fix it up.
All right, all right, all right.
She's nervous.
She's...
Yeah, sure.
Just a minute.
Oh, hello.
Hi.
Oh, I'm sorry, I was
going to pay you tomorrow
Come in and I'll get...
Oh, no, no, no.
Miss Amici, that's not
what I came here for.
You didn't?
No, there's been an emergency.
The National Guard's been called up
and I have to report in for duty.
I mean, after that second tremor,
I wanted to make sure that you were okay.
Sure.
Sure, I'm fine, why not?
Well, come in and see for yourself.
Oh, thank you.
I never seem to find
time to clean this dump.
I'll be glad to give you a hand.
No thanks.
Sit down.
Oh, it's my brothers idea.
It's sort of an advertising
gimmick for his business.
Say, um,
how did you know where I live?
Well, I followed you home at night
just to make sure you got home safely.
You gotta be kidding.
No, no.
Somebody as pretty as you
needs to be looked after.
Don't you worry about a thing.
I'm gonna take care of you.
Are you for real?
My family doesn't even worry about me.
I can take care of myself.
You know, you're not
very neat, Miss Amici.
Bet then again, my mother wasn't either.
Look, uh, I was gonna go to a movie.
You wanna go with me?
That is if you've got time.
No, I've got official
business to take care of.
Besides you shouldn't be going
out so much alone anyway.
Now listen, you stay right here.
I have to report for duty,
then I'll be back to look after you.
You believe me, Miss Amici.
I know exactly what's best for you.
You just stay right here, okay?
Bye-bye, now.
How about a lift?
You and that bike can
take a lift outta here.
Hey, give me a hand here.
It's gonna be rough to
get this one under control.
What a terrible sight.
What do you mean terrible?
It's not terrible.
It's beautiful.
We're probably gonna have more fires
from the aftershocks.
Oh, I hope not.
Where's them cantaloupes?
We asked you for some
free cantaloupes, Jody.
Say, my friend, what
kind of friend are you?
Still playing soldier boy, Jody?
That's right.
We saw on television
where you're gonna go play soldier boy.
Say, say, say, say, say, say.
Is it true that blondes have more fun?
Oh, no.
Look at that.
Fall in!
Hey, yo.
Left, right, left, right.
Let's decorate the warrior.
Eyes straight to the front, soldier.
Quit looking around.
Now the motion in this
model was programmed
from the actual recorded ground
motion of a 6.2 earthquake.
Long Beach in '33.
Now, a magnitude of eight
would produce a motion...
What's your point?
Bill, we live in an earthquake zone.
What can I tell you?
That I've failed to meet
city or state safety requirements?
That's not the point.
I think we should go beyond the codes.
You remember the Sylmar quake.
A lot of buildings that
met the code collapsed.
I thought you were gonna chew me out
for leaning on Bill Cameron.
Oh, I just figured it was time
I kicked myself upstairs.
And I always like the feel of that name,
Chairman of the Board.
Has a nice ring.
Congratulations, Mr. President.
Thanks, Sam.
Oh, listen.
You're gonna have to
forget about that Oregon project, I guess.
We can't have a new company president
pouring cement out in the woods somewhere.
What's the matter?
Look, I just promoted you.
I didn't fire you.
No, Sam, you're gonna figure I'm crazy,
but I'd like a little
time to think this over.
Okay.
Any problems I ought to know about?
No, just a few priorities
I've got to get straight in my head.
Sure.
Sam,
Remy didn't have anything
to do with this, did she?
Don't worry.
You'd have this job even if
you weren't my son-in-law.
Oh, hold that.
Hello?
Hello, Denise?
Stewart.
Hi.
Look, I'm not gonna be
able to make it tonight.
Something important came up at work.
Any trouble?
No, no trouble.
I've just got a problem to solve.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorrier than you are.
Oh, it doesn't matter about tonight.
We'll have lots of time
together up in Oregon.
Okay?
Bye-bye.
Goodbye.
Mom?
Mom.
Yeah?
Okay if I go to the playground?
Sure.
Just be careful crossing that bridge, huh?
And, Corry, if I'm not home
when you get back, don't worry.
I might take a walk later.
If leave the kitchen door unlocked.
I think I'll make a practice run.
Loosen up the machine.
All right, Sal.
Miles!
Miles, you all right?
Huh?
Came out of that damn thing.
What happened?
Huh?
Come on, help me try again.
Listen to me, Miles.
We only have one 250 left.
You understand me?
Huh?
What're you talking about, man?
I gotta try it again!
Okay.
Okay, you're the boss.
Come on.
All right, Miles, come on, baby.
Come on, come on!
Let her roll!
Delay in the contract, I suggest,
Barbara.
Mmm-hmm?
You knew Brian Marshall?
Yes.
Ever meet his wife?
Sure, we see each other all the time.
What's she like?
She's a very nice girl.
Yes, I was afraid of that.
Yes?
Mr. Royce, your daughter's
on the way into your office.
Fine.
Remy.
Good afternoon, Mrs. Graff.
Hello, Barbara.
Have you spoken to Stewart yet?
Yes.
He said he wanted to think about it.
Los Angeles approach.
This is ASP-153.
Do you read me?
This is Los Angeles approach.
Go ahead ASP-153.
ASP-153, go miles northeast at 10,000.
BFR on time.
Request landing information.
Roger, ASP-153.
Use runway two five left.
Wind, 15 knots.
You are number two,
following the world's 747.
Maintain present heading and
altitude to intercept the ILS.
Upon intercepting the ILS,
you are cleared for approach.
Report on outer marker, please.
Roger.
Miles, here he comes now.
The guy from Vegas.
Oh, baby.
This is gonna be the
greatest run of my life.
I'm tuned to just the right pitch.
Now, you go on home and put
this right out of your mind.
You look exhausted.
Thanks, Dad.
Sam, I,
hello, Remy.
Well, I guess you've got
yourself a new president.
Great!
And you'll stay away
from that Marshall woman?
Stewart.
Stewart, wait.
Stewart, where are you going?
Anywhere.
A bar.
Why are you so angry?
Remy, don't you understand?
That was a bribe.
Another bribe!
Our whole marriage has
been a series of bribes.
And you took them.
Well, it's time I quit.
I'm not that stupid.
Please fasten your seatbelts.
We are now approaching Los
Angeles International Airport.
I hope you had a pleasant flight.
Enjoy your stay in Los Angeles.
Please remain in your
seats until the plane
has come to a complete stop.
Don't forget to check your luggage
in the compartment above
and under your seat.
Thank you.
LAX tower, this is ASP-153
on the outer marker, inbound.
Roger, ASP-153.
You are clear to land
on runway two five left.
Roger.
Clear to land on two five left.
Max.
Hey.
Finally found the trouble.
I guess the earthquake busted the conduit
and it's flooded the bottom of the shaft.
Get down!
Holy mother of God!
Help me!
Oh, God, help me!
Help!
What is she doing?
What's happening?
Tony!
ASP-153, go around, go around,
runway breaking up.
One, five, hold that.
Come on.
Next Sunday night
on The Big Event,
NBC will present part two of Earthquake.
Jim, Stewart Graff.
She's done it again.
Now jut get over here, will ya?
Oh, oh my God!
Oh!
Fred!
Fred!
Fred!
Fred?
Russell, this is very interesting.
You forecast an earthquake in
the three to four point range
this morning.
We had an earthquake in the
three to four point range
this morning.
I'm impressed.
Thank you, sir.
However, isn't it rather
slender evidence
for predicting a catastrophe?
How big a quake?
A seven on the Richter
scale, possibly higher.
That could release more
than the total energy
generated by the Hiroshima,
Nagasaki nuclear bombs combined.
Hey, yeah, Lou, take a look at this.
We're gonna have 20, maybe
30,000 of these made up
after the Vegas show.
Go ahead, take a look,
see what you think of it.
I think it's beautiful.
Could I ask you something?
Sure, anything.
When we made love,
when you made love to me,
it was with such,
such, I'm trying to think
of exactly the right word.
It was with such
anger.
Anger?
Yeah, anger.
Did I anger you?
No.
I think you are absolutely lovely.
That wasn't there before the tremor.
I know every inch of this dam.
It's a new one.
Max, I'm a trained technician.
You're a watchman.
Now stop trying to teach me my business.
It wasn't there.
There's no such thing as solid concrete
and you know it.
You will have three children.
Ace of diamonds.
You have strong character,
insist on having your own way.
Boy, that fits you.
Hmmm.
There's danger to travel at this time.
Possibility of death.
Oh, hello.
Hi.
Oh, I'm sorry.
I was gonna pay you tomorrow.
Come in and I'll get it.
Oh, no, no, no.
Miss Amici, that's not
what I came here for.
You didn't?
I mean after that second tremor,
I wanted to make sure that you were okay.
Sure.
Sure, I'm fine, why not?
Well, I guess you got
yourself a new president.
Great.
And you'll stay away
from the Marshall woman.
Why are you so angry?
Remy, don't you understand?
That was a bribe, another bribe.
Our whole marriage has
been a series of bribes.
And you took them.
Well, it's time I quit.
Tony!
ASP-153, go around, go around.
Runway breaking up.
Please help me.
Where's the door?
Somebody's gotta get us outta here.
Help!
Mother, help me up!
Mother!
Mother!
Mother!
Mother!
Hey, Al, give me a hand.
Come on, over here!
Turn off the gas!
Oh, my God!
Stay here.
Help.
Is there a doctor around here?
Barbara, Barbara!
Barbara!
Mr. Cameron threw me
out of the elevator.
And then I heard all
those people screaming!
All right, take it easy, everybody.
It's over now.
It's over.
Over here.
Take care of it.
Ben, get the first aid kits over there.
All right, all right, now
listen to me, everybody.
Let's just settle down.
The worst is over, do you understand?
The worst is over.
Hey!
Break the windows.
Break the windows!
Come on, over there!
It's not safe here!
You gotta get, come on, get out of here.
Get out of here!
Whoa, all right.
Come on, hurry up, hurry up.
Come on.
Don't slow down!
No stairs!
Corry!
Corry?
Calling Van Nuys.
Calling Van Nuys.
We really got problems.
Thank God we had mobile units to bring in.
Let's get to the control panel.
Fires out of control,
Van Nuys Hospital,
all roads blocked between
Victory and Kittridge.
Is there any way I can
broadcast to the whole city,
get picked up on transistor sets?
There's a few commercial stations
on the quake fringe area still operating.
We might be able to rig a
microwave relay to one of them.
Well, get on it, then.
Hey, you, come here.
Help, damn it!
Slide him out from under there.
Hey, who do you have to know
to get a drink around here?
Shut off that gas valve.
Help me.
Help me.
Help me.
You guys, check that edge.
Both sides.
You two, check up here.
Both sides.
Couple of guys down below.
It held.
My God, it held.
How much longer?
I'm gonna divert some
water into the spillways.
We gotta cut down on the pressure.
Not Without official
permission, you're not.
It's dead.
I told you to leave that alone.
The city's gonna need every
drop of water it can get.
There's dozens of fires
down there already.
If this dam busts,
there won't be nothing
between here and Wilshire
Boulevard left to burn.
The quake may have
broken something inside.
It won't budge.
It won't budge.
Gotta get outta here!
Stewart,
you'd better get out of here.
The whole building is full of phosgene.
You'd better get out, too.
Maybe there's some way
down through an elevator shaft.
Shut the door.
It's giving.
I've got it.
Shut it.
Get me, Get me a chair, with arms.
All right, put it down there.
Pull it all the way.
Here, hold this.
All right, pull the chair.
Hold it up here.
We need something
flexible to strap 'em in.
Pantyhose.
Barbara, take off your pantyhose, damn it.
You, too.
Come on.
Take off your pantyhose.
Get it out.
Here's one.
Here comes the first one.
Let her down as slow as you can.
And keep down the sway.
Steady.
It's okay.
You made it.
There.
It's all right now.
Now, let me give it another shot.
Now, try it again.
Yeah, yeah!
You guys owe me a six-pack.
You got it.
Corry!
Corry, sweetie.
All right.
Okay.
I'll get you out.
Okay, it's going to be all right.
I'll lift you up.
Okay, try.
Help!
I don't believe it.
I don't believe it.
What do you mean?
Busted!
The ramps are busted,
the loops are busted,
the rings are busted.
I hope to God Evel
Knievel was in town today.
Why?
Huh?
Help!
Please, help me!
Help!
Help!
Help!
Here, down here!
Help me.
My son is hurt.
Help us.
- Huh?
- Come on.
Okay.
Take it easy, lady.
Yeah.
Come on, push him up here.
Push him up here, lady.
Slowly.
Got him?
Got him?
Yeah, I got him.
Careful.
Stay right there and watch those wires.
It'll be hours before we
drain off enough to do any good.
Help!
Help me.
Hold on, lady.
Help me.
Hold on, lady.
Miles, put him right here.
Here we go.
Where are we gonna take him, huh?
There's no hospital for miles.
I guess we better head
for the police station.
Yeah.
Yeah, let's go.
How can I find out
about my daughter?
She's in County Hospital.
My store.
The whole front is gone.
You've got to help me protect it.
Why aren't the firemen here yet?
Please, help me find a doctor.
My husband's legs are broken.
Stop!
You're all gonna have to help yourselves.
Most of the police in
this district were killed
in that station house.
And the guys that were on
patrol when the quake hit,
well, they probably got more
to do than they can handle.
Now, look, you get as many
volunteers as you can.
Go to that hardware store over there.
Now, if it's locked, break in.
Find as many picks and shovels as you can.
And start looking for
people who are buried alive.
There are plenty of 'em, believe me.
Give him a hand.
Move it!
Now, I want all the women and the kids
who have houses in any
kind of shape at all,
to go to them and to stay there.
Now, turn off all the gas lines...
Hey, I'm getting something.
Ladies and gentlemen,
stand by for a message
from the Mayor of Los Angeles.
This city has suffered the
greatest natural disaster
in the history of the United States.
The state and the nation
are rallying to our aid.
But for the next few hours,
until massive help can reach us,
we will have to depend
on our own physical and
spiritual resources.
Private physicians should report
to emergency aid stations,
now being set up at key
sites throughout the city.
Bring all the medical
supplies you can carry.
Clinics have been established
in the following locations,
the Hollywood Bowl, the
Occidental Insurance building,
the Wilson Plaza...
Laura!
Laura, my father?
Is he all right?
My father!
Laura, my father!
God!
Go on.
Come on, you're next.
Move.
You all right?
Sam, why didn't you go ahead
of some of the younger guys?
Staying up here was crazy.
I don't think I'm strong enough
to lower you all the way by myself.
So, get ready for a jolt.
Oh!
Let's get out of here.
Give me your hand, will you?
Watch yourself.
Okay.
Easy.
Do you know Denise Marshall, Barbara?
Yes.
See if you can get to a phone,
find out if she's all right.
Are the phones working?
Try, please!
Okay.
Come on, let's get out of here.
Officer, are the phones working?
Nowhere.
Out all over the city.
Hey, Lou.
Miles?
Look, we got a hurt kid in the back.
He's in shock.
Well, all we can do is
keep him warm until we
can get up to a doctor.
Here.
You figure you can find
your way to Wilson Plaza
in this heap?
They got an emergency medical
station set up down there.
I got to find my sister Rosa.
She went to the movies.
We've got a lot of injured to move
and you're gonna move them in this.
And I'm gonna stay here.
Come on, now give me the bike.
I've got to find Rosa.
Listen, just do what he says.
I'll find Rosa on the bike.
I can get around better than anybody.
Okay.
Move out.
Single file.
Hey, grab the cash!
Okay.
This way.
Let's go this way.
Did you get it?
Yeah, hang on.
Yeah.
Over here.
Let's go.
Hey, get away from
that cash register.
I was just trying to
get home and I was hungry.
Look, I'd like to let
you go, miss,
but we have strict orders on looters.
They're all supposed to
be placed under arrest.
I was just hungry...
And no exceptions.
Now, come on, let's go, come on.
Cars must leave the garage area
after dropping off patients.
Hot coffee and food is available
in basement shopping levels two and three.
Please keep moving.
Move right along.
Please keep moving.
More doctors are waiting
at the first garage level.
Hot coffee and food is available
in basement shopping levels two and three.
All cars must leave the garage area
after dropping off patients.
Please keep moving.
More doctors are waiting
at the first garage level.
Cars must leave the garage area
after dropping off patients.
Hold it.
Hold it.
Oxygen.
Get me a blood pressure.
Wait.
How do you feel?
Hard to breathe.
Chest pains?
Yes.
He's had a heart attack.
Come on.
Start him on a liter of 5% dextrose.
Cars must leave the garage area
after dropping off patients.
Stewart!
Denise and her boy will need help, too.
I've got to try and find them.
Is she more important than me?
Than our life together?
Than everything,
Remy, for God's sake,
Stewart, we tried to be, please.
I'm sorry.
Bye.
Cars must leave the garage area
after dropping off patients.
Please keep moving.
Hot coffee and food is available in...
I'm talking with the people
at the dam, Mayor Louis.
They're maintaining a constant inspection.
I can't take any chances, Colonel.
Dr. Stockle said we
can expect aftershocks.
And I just got a report from the Building
and Safety Department.
They say some structures
may look perfectly sound
but have been so weakened,
that even a minor quake
can bring them down.
Evacuate the area
immediately below the dam.
This is a precautionary
evacuation.
We repeat,
there is no present danger
of the dam collapsing.
Move to high ground,
west of Highland Avenue
and north of Franklin.
This is a precautionary evacuation.
I repeat, this is a
precautionary evacuation.
Wait, wait!
They're not lying to you.
You've got plenty of time.
Stay there, stay there.
Come on, lay down.
You're gonna be all right,
you're gonna be all right.
Halt.
Hey, Sid.
Hi.
How come you took
this bunch prisoners?
Suspicion of looting.
Hey, how about turning that
dark-haired girl over to me?
She's a friend.
Yeah, sure.
Hey, you.
Come here.
Yeah, come on.
Can I go home now?
Can't allow that.
You're my responsibility.
- But...
- Come on.
It's a couple dozen
blocks back to your house,
and now that it's getting
dark, the animals are loose.
But...
You just make yourself
comfortable inside the store here.
I have to send out patrols.
You all patrol that area up
there and watch out for looters.
Move out!
Hey, Sarge, look what we found.
Jody, what a break!
Caught these guys
around the corner.
Their car broke down.
Look at the goodies they had with them.
We didn't steal 'em, honest.
The old lady gave us the jewelry.
You think we ought to shoot 'em?
Jody, we've just been putting you on.
You can't kill guys for that.
Maybe they didn't steal
these necklaces and things.
Maybe they're just fags
who like to dress up in women's jewels.
You find any dresses in the car?
No, Jody.
Well, I guess we'll have to shoot 'em.
Hey, wait a minute, Jody.
I was telling these guys
just today to lay off.
I swear to God, I was.
Ask 'em, ask 'em.
Sure, those naked guys on the wall,
that didn't mean nothing.
We knew that you lifted weights.
Scum like you think you
can get away with anything.
Push people around when you want to.
Steal when you want to.
Make fun of men who have
to work for a living, huh?
But not today.
Hey, come back, you guys.
I was only kidding.
Hey, Hey, don't do that, man.
Not like back in the
store, is it, Miss Amici?
Coming in asking for
double Green Stamps two days
after the special's over, huh?
None of that stuff.
Move it!
I want this whole patrol area quarantined.
No civilians are to be allowed through
without being questioned.
Can't tell.
They might be looters.
What about the people
trying to get through to
Wilson Plaza aid station?
I meant everybody.
There's no other clear
streets around here.
Move out!
Denise!
Denise!
All right, out.
What are you talking about?
You're healthy enough to walk.
I got a lot of injured
to move and I mean, fast.
That dam up there is
liable to go at any minute.
I've got some people I've got to find.
This thing looks like it'll go anywhere
and that's just what I need.
Now, get out.
Just a minute.
You're one of those
trouble makers, aren't you?
I've never shot a trouble maker before,
or are you gonna get out?
Look.
I'm looking for a girl and a little boy.
They mean a lot to me.
Send your butler.
Where's the shift?
All of them.
Depends on what you want to do.
That's a customized transmission.
It's got eight forward speeds,
and three reverse.
All of them a hell of a lot
harder to operate than that.38.
All right, you're an ambulance driver.
What?
I'm sorry, it's been a hell of a day.
Okay, that's it.
We got one more.
We are in desperate need
of blood type AB negative.
Check Red Cross blood
bank, and report back.
Officer Scott.
Coffee and food is available
in basement shopping levels two and three.
I never thought we'd get here.
Careful.
A long time to go a
couple of lousy miles.
Listen, lady, I gotta go now.
I gotta move the truck out.
I'll see you.
Thank you very much.
He's had a bad fall,
he's hit his head and
he just won't come to.
Can I go with him?
No, no.
We'll get in touch with you.
On the third level.
Thank you.
Right around there.
Coming through.
Please keeping moving.
Those not needing medical aid,
please stay away from the field hospital.
Please, help me, somebody.
Doctor, nurse, anybody,
The building must have
its own generators.
Barbara!
Barbara!
Are you okay?
Yeah, I'm just terrified.
You?
I'm fine, but Corry's had a bad fall.
He's upstairs with the doctor.
Oh!
Stewart Graff, is he all right?
Yeah, he's all right,
the last I saw,
but Mr. Royce had a heart attack.
He's had a heart attack?
I'm just waiting word from the doctor.
Listen, I've got to get out of here,
I'm going up for some air.
Will you come with me?
No, I'd rather stay here.
I'll see you later.
Take care.
He's gone.
He never had a chance.
Should I tell his daughter?
I don't want any deaths
reported to the survivors
until things settle down.
Miss Amici.
Miss Amici?
You better eat.
This is nice and fresh.
Hank got into the deli down the street.
A lot of guys with hair over
regulation length wear 'em.
Oh.
You know, I really used to look forward
to seeing you in the supermarket.
You never complained like all the rest
of those women, carrying on.
Thank you.
And I hope the lousy
store was knocked flat.
What I really want to do
is open a karate school.
I'll have enough saved pretty soon.
A lot of money in karate, you know.
I'll give you free lessons.
I'm not really very hungry.
It's a hot night out.
Why don't you take off that jacket?
You always liked me, too.
I could tell.
You never said anything, but I could tell.
Don't, don't hurry me.
It's no real fun that way.
Everything all right?
Yeah, fine.
Another one of those damned earth slides
on the other side of the reservoir?
Uh-huh.
That's a scary sound.
Uh-huh.
How is he?
Oh, he's going to be all right.
Mild shock and a concussion.
I've given him something
to help him sleep.
Where are you taking him now?
Well, the Army Medics have set up
their field x-ray trucks
in the third level garage.
Doctor!
Doctor!
Why aren't you with my father?
Don't bother me now.
Get down, get down!
Red Cross emergency aid stations
are already functioning.
Are you sure you know
the way to Wilson Plaza?
Damn it, that's where I just came from.
The Mayor's office
has not yet released
a damage report on the aftershock.
However, details are expected momentarily.
Please stand by.
There's other buildings
sure to have come down.
First time in my life I'm
ashamed of my profession.
We never should have put up
those 40-story monstrosities.
Not here.
Hey!
What's the matter?
The door's out of line.
It wasn't before that
aftershock a few minutes ago.
Don't be scared.
We'll be feelin' those
quivers for days, the CO said.
That looks great.
A pretty girl ought to have nice things.
I've always thought so.
Hey, you gotta forget
about the way it used to be.
Your brother could be dead.
Nobody left but me to take care of you.
Well, I've got another
brother in San Francisco.
And he's in the Mafia.
There's another car coming, Jody.
This area's quarantined.
You'll have to detour.
I'm a police officer.
We're transporting injured people.
This is an emergency.
What isn't after an earthquake?
Go back or take them to
a Hare Krishna temple.
Lou, help me.
He's nuts!
Crazy.
What the hell are you doing?
I know this kid.
She's under detention.
Looting.
Take it easy.
All right.
Okay.
Go back the way you came.
Okay.
Move out!
Don't leave me with him!
Lou!
Lou, help me!
Lou, help me!
Lou!
I'm going for an officer.
That guy in there is cracked.
Come on, hey, come on.
Pull up another hundred feet.
Pull it around the corner and stop.
Nuts, am I, huh?
You got your nerve.
Rosa!
Let's go.
Better not.
Come on, Rosa.
Come on.
Settle down, will you, huh?
Earthquakes bring out the
worst in some guys, that's all.
Here.
Come on.
Here, look.
Look what you got.
Look at what you got to take care of.
Caused by a ruptured gas main.
Oh.
Total evacuation is under way.
My brother told me you
were a strange kind of cop.
Dozens of weakened
structures collapsed
when the aftershock hit.
The worst disaster was the four-year-old,
supposedly earthquake-proof, Wilson Plaza.
The Army Corps of Engineers is
rushing all available workers
and equipment to the scene.
Stand by for further bulletins.
I've never been so afraid in my life.
Well, you're safe now.
We were lucky to get seats on this flight.
A couple hours we'll be in Honolulu.
I don't know if it's me or the drink,
but I'm really getting sleepy.
Why don't you take a nap.
It'll do you good.
Yeah.
This is your captain.
We have just received the latest news
on the Los Angeles earthquakes.
The big one that hit early this afternoon
registered 9.9 on the Richter scale.
Greater than the San
Francisco quake in 1906,
which registered 8.3.
So far, the dam at the
Hollywood reservoir,
although damaged, is still intact.
The dam has been under close
and constant surveillance
since the first earthquake
that hit at 7:46 this morning.
The aftershocks have
been causing more damage.
Hospitals and soup kitchens
have been set up at various locations.
As of now, it has been impossible
to estimate the number
of people injured or dead
and the amount of damage.
Wait just a minute, folks.
The cards were right.
What did you say?
Oh, no, nothing.
I'm just glad that we're both all right.
Kathie, I want to talk to you seriously.
Can it wait?
No.
Here's the latest
from Los Angeles.
The last aftershock has caused
more building to collapse.
One of these buildings
was the Wilson Plaza,
where a hospital has been
set up in the sub-basement.
The fate of the people
trapped in the sub-basement
is unknown at this time.
As the news comes in,
I'll keep you informed.
I'm gonna leave you in Hawaii
and go back to Los Angeles.
Whatever for?
To help, in any way I can.
They're gonna need all the
engineers they can get.
But this is our honeymoon.
Kathie, you're not thinking straight.
We were almost victims of
that earthquake ourselves.
You're right.
I'm sorry.
I didn't mean to be selfish and unfeeling.
I know you didn't.
Can't you wait a few more
days before you go back?
No.
Two days?
No.
One day?
All right, one day.
Oh, my God.
Inspector!
Inspector!
Hold it.
Stop.
You can't go any farther.
I'm a police officer,
transporting injured people.
Okay, come on.
I'm sorry,
lady, now you can't go...
Officer, I've got to get to.
It's urgent.
Listen, listen.
Mr. Graff, they're still down there.
Remy and Mr. Royce.
Denise, too.
She asked for you.
Where were they in the building?
The third level below.
Come on.
I agree.
There's a chance people
could still be alive
in the sub-basements.
It'll take days to
unearth all this debris.
Look, the air supply can't
last more than a few hours.
I know the design of this building.
I've been through it 100 times.
The basement extends clear out
to the street on this side.
If the storm drain runs down deep enough,
all you'd have to tunnel through
is a couple of layers of
concrete and a few feet of dirt.
I got radio word a few minutes ago,
that the Hollywood reservoir
dam is disintegrating.
We're on high ground here,
but those drains are 40 feet down.
Believe me, if the dam goes,
they'll fill up in minutes.
Dams have lasted for weeks
with major breeches in them.
It's too dangerous to try.
Besides, the sewers must've
cracked around like whips.
You know, the eastern
approach is totally blocked.
Yeah, well, what about the other end?
Well, I was just gonna
call up an inspection team.
Come and see for yourself.
Let's go.
Make way, fellas.
Lou, where are you going?
I'm going with them.
Let's have a look.
Can't you get through here?
We don't know how far this opening runs.
You haven't checked?
My men stay here.
That could cave in any second!
Hey, you know as well as I do,
the chances are 100 to one,
that everybody in that building is dead.
Holy mother!
I got through.
Can you get me a jackhammer
and a bolt cutter?
You use a jackhammer in
there, the roof'll fall in.
Look, I think there's
some people alive in there,
and I'm gonna try and get 'em out.
Well, nobody else is.
And you can't do it all alone.
Yeah, I won't be alone.
He's coming with me.
Make sure they don't
turn on the compressor
for this hammer until we signal.
Right.
Any word from the dam?
The last radio report we had,
said no further cracks had appeared.
Swell.
Hey, you sure I can't talk
you out of this insanity?
Colonel,
I really wish you could.
Good luck.
Watch your head.
Keep it coming!
I've paced it off.
We ought to break through
right about the third basement level.
This thing ready?
All right.
The pressure's ready.
Hold on.
I'm getting outta here.
Inspector!
Inspector!
Get the hell outta here!
It's breaking up.
Get out!
Get out, get out!
It's breaking up, get out!
Should be a couple of feet of earth
then just the basement wall.
Hand me that light.
We're through!
Oh, my God!
They're through!
We're saved!
Anybody in there?
About 70 of us.
Got it.
Stewart.
Denise.
Come on, let's go.
Be careful of the
loose area down there.
Easy, easy, easy.
Careful of the loose stuff down there.
No, not again.
Oh God.
It stopped, it stopped.
Take it easy and watch
your head down below.
I got you, I got you.
Take your time and watch it down there.
That stuff is all loose.
Give us a hand down here.
Straight up.
Straight up.
Nice and easy.
Okay.
That's all of them.
Let's go.
Yeah.
Watch it.
Don't panic now.
Women first!
Come on, come on,
come on, come on.
Relax, there's lots of time.
Take it easy, take it easy.
Take it easy.
One at a time, women first.
Take it easy, take it easy.
Don't panic.
Go on, Remy.
Wait, wait.
Remy!
Lou!
Lou!
I'm sorry to bring
you more bad news.
The dam has broken.
At this very moment,
it is destroying everything in its path.
Los Angeles is being
completely demolished.
There is no hope.
I think we should observe a
few seconds of silent prayer
for all those caught in
this appalling catastrophe.
As soon as we land, I'm
gonna contact the Honolulu
office of Royce Construction Company
and offer them my services.
Well, what if they refuse?
They won't.
If that happens, I'll find
some way to get back and help.
Well, I'm going with you.
No, I think you'd be
better off in Hawaii.
A wife's place is with her husband.
You mean that?
That's the way I was brought up,
and besides, I love you very much.
Los Angeles has to be rebuilt.
And I wanna be a part of it.
Okay?
You're the boss.
This used to be a
hell of a town, officer.
Yeah.
Thank God some of them made it.