Terror Is a Man (1959) Movie Script
I was here this afternoon.
He wasn't here then.
He's alive.
Go back and get a litter.
Better hurry, we still have a
good deal of ground to cover.
My name is Girard, I'm a doctor.
We are about a thousand
miles off the coast of Peru.
How do you feel?
I guess all right.
- Any pain?
- No.
Good.
Did your ship go down?
Yeah.
Pedro Queen.
It was a freighter.
Your name is William
Fitzgerald, hm?
We found a wallet
in your hip pocket.
It's over there on the table.
You are petroleum engineer, eh?
Yeah.
You were headed for the states?
Yeah.
Isn't there anybody?
You were alone.
There was an explosion.
I was the only, only
one up on top, I.
I thought there
might be other boats.
No.
Your lifeboat was the only
one washed up on the beach.
Do you have you any boats here?
No.
Have they radioed?
We have no radio.
I'm afraid there's
nothing we can do.
Well.
You sitting up and
taking notice, eh?
Walter, this is
William Fitzgerald.
Walter Perrera, we carried
you off from the beach.
And did you see anything?
No, that thing's really
hurting, you know it?
I heard it once.
Moaning, crying like.
You really want that thing back?
Don't be stupid, Walter.
We must've woke your wife up.
She's up on the porch.
Well, I'll see you
all in the morning.
Glad you're okay, Fitzgerald.
Good night.
Go in there and stay
with him until he finishes it.
Yes, sir.
I'm sorry.
How long have you been up?
I think I woke up when
you first brought him in.
Is he all right?
He will be.
He was on a freighter
that went down.
He's an American,
apparently the only survivor
from what he says.
There isn't anything you
can do about the others,
is there?
Walter said that you
found him on the beach.
Yes, he was quite lucky.
He could have drifted into the-
When?
And hour ago.
What were you doing out?
It has escaped again, hasn't it?
Going to dig pits tomorrow.
I knew it, I heard it crying.
It sounded like a human.
There is nothing
to be afraid of, dear.
It's as frightened of
you as you are of it.
Yes, I suppose it is.
It's known nothing but pain
and fear since we came here.
I can't help being afraid.
I'm afraid of this
house, this island.
I can't stand Walter.
What you're doing is so
wrong, I hate it, all of it.
I know you do.
Please let the animal go.
Let it escape, then
we can leave here.
Frances, we have spent two years
working on that animal here.
It would be absurd
to throw that away
and the dozen years before
that learning, experimenting.
That's important.
What about us,
aren't we important?
My dear, of course we are.
Please don't.
This is so cheap.
There's just no talking
to you tonight, is there?
Good night.
Sir, are you
feeling all right, sir?
Yeah.
Feeling a little bit like
a human being again.
I was just thinking, I'm
a pretty lucky human.
Yes, sir.
Can I do something for you, sir?
No, I'm fine, Tiago, thanks.
I think that was about the
finest meal I've ever had.
And I thank you for the
razor and the clothes.
Did Dr. Girard say
when he'll be back?
No, sir.
Flowers for your girl?
They're for my mother, sir.
I take them now if you
don't want something.
No, I'm fine, thanks.
Tiago, is there anybody
in the house now?
No, sir.
Well, there was something
about traps last night,
is he hunting today?
Yes sir, he's hunting.
Tiago.
Who lives here, Tiago?
Dr. Girard, Mrs. Girard,
Mr. Walter, my sister.
I mean here, on this island.
What people live here?
Not any, sir.
- Not any?
- Nobody.
Hello.
Hello?
Anybody around?
Hi, no, don't come any closer.
Stay there.
It's all right, I didn't want
you to walk into this pit.
There's a pit here.
It begins about a
dozen feet in front of me.
It's covered with leaves
and branches, do you see it?
How do you feel?
Pretty good.
What is this, a trap?
Yes, we're just about finished.
Just a little over there,
then you're through.
Mr. Fitzgerald, this
is my wife, Frances.
Hello.
How do you do?
I'm glad you're
feeling so much better.
Yes, I've been thinking
about that, I'm pretty lucky.
You shouldn't be
running around like this,
but as long as you
are here, it's all right.
Can I help?
No, thanks.
Are there any
more pits like this?
Three more.
Did you have anything to eat?
Plenty, Tiago's a good man.
I'm sorry there
wasn't one of us there,
but we had to get this done.
It's been a very difficult day.
Is it a particular kind
of animal you want?
Yes, uh, we dug those pits
and we put out
some drugged meat.
One or the other
ought to do the job.
It's all right, let's go.
The sun will be down in an hour.
I must've slept for 20 hours.
That's good, you needed it.
I guess I did.
Feels as if I'm not awake yet.
To you, darling,
for many reasons.
The most immediate
being our delightful supper.
I think we should be
toasting Mr. Fitzgerald
for reminding us we still
can be civilized on vacation.
- That's right, Mr.
- Fitzgerald is our first guest.
Seems so much
longer than two years.
I had forgotten we
had goo china or silver
or the manners to use them.
I'd like to drink to
destiny or the fates,
or whatever it was that put
me ashore here on your island.
I'm gonna walk around a little.
It's been two or
three hours now.
We might've caught
us a cat by now.
Yeah, I'll get that black
devil back where he belongs.
- Ain't that right?
- Yes, sir.
You can bring a coffee
now, Selene, just three.
This has been wonderful.
I'd almost forgotten about
the animal, this island.
This here's been a
very pleasant evening.
You've been here two years?
Just about.
At first, I had the idea
that you were a missionary,
but the boy was
telling me you've,
well there's nobody
else here on the island.
This would be a very poor spot
for missionaries.
No, I am a surgeon.
I'm doing some
experimental work here.
You must've come through
the village this afternoon.
Yes.
Well, didn't Tiago tell you?
About the village?
Well, it has been
inhabited since last night.
50 or 75 people
were living here.
What do you mean,
they all just left?
Not quite so sudden
or so strange.
They're very
superstitious people.
They never quite understood
what I was doing here.
They thought me to be
some sort of an evil spirit.
We've had some trouble before.
Must be a primitive bunch.
Well, most people
are, aren't there?
Wouldn't have been
much different in New York.
What did they do?
Nothing, they were afraid,
so they decided to move
to some other island.
Why were they afraid?
No reason really,
they were just afraid.
One of the men came
to get Tiago and Selene.
We didn't know until later,
but they wanted to stay on.
They're the only ones left.
Well that's fantastic.
All while I was asleep.
Why, we all were asleep.
Is New York your
home, you mentioned it.
Yes, I had my practice
there in Manhattan.
I gave it up two years ago.
I was doing quite well,
office on Park Avenue.
I quit because I was
making too much money.
Not that objected to make money,
but I had some research
work I wanted to do,
and the more money I made,
the harder I found
it to break away.
I knew if I waited much
longer, I'd never leave.
What is it you're trying to do?
To alter certain functions.
It's too difficult to explain.
It would be to me.
Surgery's a little
out of my line.
You are from San Francisco.
Mm, that's right.
I've been in South America
most of the last 10 years.
I was on my way
back home to stay.
I didn't quite make it.
It was a terrible thing.
I'll be a long time forgetting.
Incidentally, how often
does a boat put in here?
That's what I
wanted to tell you.
Not very often, I'm afraid,
about four times a year.
The last was seen a month ago,
so could be another two months.
Do you realize nobody
in the world knows
what happened to that
ship or the people on it,
and nobody knows what
happened to me, except you.
Charles.
Maybe just a signal.
Sounded close.
I won't be long.
Is it always quiet like this?
Not always.
I think I'm developing
a taste for quietness
in my later years.
- I like it.
- You do?
I don't.
Sometimes, not always.
Are you afraid of
something, Mrs. Girard?
I'm afraid of everything.
Right now, the
darkness and the night.
I never used to be afraid
of the darkness before.
But I am now.
I don't blame you, the
animals here, it surprises me.
What do you mean?
I just wouldn't expect to find
anything like a panther here,
not on an island
the size of this one.
Do you see many of them?
No.
No, we brought this animal
with us when we came here.
Charles got it from
a dealer in Kahai.
It's for his work?
Yes.
It escaped last night.
They'll probably
find it, won't they?
Yes, they'll find it.
Then he'll want me to
assist him in his work again.
I don't think I can.
Do you work with him?
I'm a nurse.
Well, I don't know,
I imagine he's as anxious
to get back home as you are.
I'm going to leave
on the next boat
whether Charles's
work is finished or not.
I'd like to get away.
Sometimes I think
I'll die on this island.
Will you help me,
Mr. Fitzgerald?
Certainly, but.
- Looks like they got him.
- Yeah.
I have to go in now.
See, nothing to
be afraid of now.
Yes, there is.
Well, we got him.
He eat enough of that meat,
he'll be out this
time next year.
Walter, there's no
reason to keep you up,
you can go to bed.
Frances.
Frances, will you come out now?
Charles, please don't.
Leave him alone tonight.
There are some sterilized
gowns downstairs, aren't there?
Yes, there are.
I'll be down.
You want to fill all them
pits tomorrow, don't you?
Yes, tomorrow.
- All right.
- You got him.
Yes.
Are you going to
be working tonight?
Yes, he's unconscious.
There was more
chlorohydrate in that meat
that would put out an army.
We have to bring him
to, otherwise, he'll die.
I didn't realize he'd escaped.
Your wife told me you
used him in your work.
He is my work.
Well, I think I feel as if
I've been making myself.
I think I'll go to bed.
Yes, you're still very weak.
It will take a few more days.
Dr. Girard.
I know this work
is important to you,
and I also know that
the whole things is
none of my business, but-
Yes, this work is
very important to me.
It's the most important
thing in my life.
I came here to do a very
specific piece of work.
I came to this island
because it afforded me privacy.
There is no one
here to waste my time.
I understand.
Good night.
No change.
No.
Must be the generator.
Will you please go and turn it?
Yes.
It's more than half full.
It must be something else.
I cannot stop to check now.
The candles must be
over there in the top drawer
if we need them.
Let's hope we don't.
Are you operating tonight?
No, not tonight.
You now, this is wrong.
I can't help you
anymore, I can't.
All right.
I'll have Walter come
down and clean up.
All right.
I'm sorry.
Hello.
Your own private beach.
Yes.
Sometimes it's
a little too private.
How do you feel today?
Fine, been
exploring your island.
Say, I was wondering, I just
passed through the village,
and I meant to ask last
night about the graves there.
Was one of the boys'
mothers Tiago's?
Yes.
She was our servant.
Her name was Alicia.
She was killed the first
time the animal escaped.
She was the first one.
The night before
last, it escaped again.
People were killed that time.
That was why they left.
Your husband didn't
say anything about it.
No.
I, I guess he had his reasons.
Last night you said
you were afraid.
You never said what
you were afraid of.
Is it your husband?
Yes.
Will you help me?
I said I would.
But I don't think there's
anything to worry about.
They're not going to
let it get loose again.
Must be a mean animal.
It's a pitiful creature.
Don't let's talk about it.
Don't you feel better today
than you did last night?
I always feel better on
a daylight, out in the sun.
Along the Gulf of Mexico,
there's a little beach,
something like this.
I was imagining this was a
French Riviera before you came.
Have you ever been there?
- No.
- It's pretty overrated.
I thought I'd love it
when I first came here.
Seems a long
time ago, two years.
I was busy making plans,
and I was planning to
marry a wealthy doctor,
live on an island
in the South Seas.
Sounds better
than a travel poster.
I thought so then.
It's been a long
time, hasn't it?
Please don't.
I'm not lonely, I'm frightened.
Won't be long.
I'd hate to see them come.
Remember last year?
Yes.
Would you like a drink?
No thank you.
You sure?
Yes, I'm sure.
Mrs. Girard, will the doctor
not be having his dinner?
No, if he wants anything,
he'll get it himself, Tiago.
He hasn't been upstairs
the whole day, you know it.
I'll call down to him
a couple of time.
He said he was busy.
That's all right with me.
Maybe that stinkin' animal
down there is gonna die.
You want another one?
Not yet, thanks.
You gentlemen have your drinks.
I think I'll say good night.
- Already?
- Good night.
Good night, Mrs. Girard.
She's kinda touchy
tonight, ain't she?
She's a little edgy.
I guess we all are.
Yeah, yeah, everybody's
touchy, are they?
That's right, I hadn't
thought about it.
But uh, you know
why that is, hm?
No, why?
It's the weather.
That's right,
that's the weather.
I know what I was talking about,
I was born and
raised in rain country,
in Guatemala, you know.
Over there, when it
rains, or it's gonna rain,
people gonna get mean, you know?
Irritated, it's the weather.
Same thing here.
Makes sense.
Imagine scientists-
Scientists, hm!
Let me tell you
something, friend.
I have enough science to
last me the rest of my life.
I work around in
hospitals, in nuthouses,
since I was 23 back home.
And let me tell you,
that Girard's worse than
the rest of them put together.
What do you mean?
Oh well, nothin'.
It's my own fault for coming
down to this stinkin' island.
You know,
I thought I was gonna
have it pretty soft down here.
There it is.
I'm going off to bed.
I could though, I could
tell you some things.
A lot of them, I
mean, right here.
- You could, huh?
- Yeah.
Stinkin' rain.
There's nothing
to say, is there?
I thought you
decided that my work
was none of your business.
So I did.
You like a fresh drink?
I see you are interested
in what I'm doing here.
I wonder why.
Just curious.
I wish I weren't.
Now.
You'll find out anyway from
Walter or Tiago or my wife.
Haven't they told
you what I was doing?
No, they didn't.
They made quite a
point of not telling me.
They don't approve, I'm afraid.
I wish they understood,
but they don't.
Every man needs
approval, understanding.
Do you know
anything about surgery,
Mr. Fitzgerald, medicine?
Well, a couple of years ago,
I got into a fight
at a bar in Caracas,
and they took 12 stitches,
that's about the extent of
my knowledge about surgery.
That's one of its functions,
repairing damage
to the human body,
removing malignant or
poorly functioning organs,
transplanting tissue or bone
from one part of
the body to another,
sometimes from
one body to another.
Now there's been some
progress in plastic work recently,
but basically, surgery has
remained primitive, limited,
its potential not even
imagined by medical men.
I can imagine it, though,
and surgery's only a part
of my work, a small part.
You see on the desk most of it,
and these are the records.
Could I have it first hand?
I feel as if I were
100 years old tonight.
I began thinking about this
already in medical school,
actually started working on
it about 10 or 12 years ago,
simple work at first,
on smaller animals,
skin and bone grafts.
Later, I attempted
alterations of major organs.
I had incurred many failures,
but there was a percentage
that was successful
to some degree,
so I kept on trying and
learning, experimenting.
Try at what?
To bring about the
modification of a species,
but a modification
to such a degree
that the subject will
lose the characteristics
of its own species and
take on those of another.
Do you understand?
I think so.
I don't mean surface or
topographical changes,
but basic modifications,
do you understand?
Well, on the face of
it, it seems unnatural.
Is that what the others say?
Yes, that's what they say.
It's no more unnatural
than evolution, it is evolution.
And you've speeded
up the process, is that it?
You make it sound
very simple, it isn't.
There's more to it than surgery.
That's what you said.
You see, surgery
can alter appearance,
it can change a
rat into a rabbit,
but the real difference
lies in the brain.
Its size and the function
of the individual areas.
There is where the
change has to be made.
You can change the size of
a brain, cause it to enlarge?
More than that.
Enlarge and actually
alter the cellular structure
by the use of certain
chemical, I developed it,
it's a synthetic, it's similar
to a glandular extract.
Now, infinitesimal
amounts of this chemical
injected directly into
the brain during surgery
will bring about alteration
of individual cells,
cell division, and cell growth.
I can control the
size of the brain.
I can control the function
of the various areas.
What do you think?
I think you've given me
something to think about.
I can alter living
matter, alter it basically
from its smallest
unit to its largest,
from one cell to many trillion.
And that's what the
animal out there is for.
Yes, we can talk
some more tomorrow.
I still have a great deal
of work to do tonight.
All right, good night.
Dr. Girard, the
changes in evolution
have come about through a
process of natural selection
haven't they?
Yes.
But in your work,
the selection isn't
nature's though, it's yours.
Your choice.
Yeah, that's right.
Uh, I'm going to
operate tomorrow.
Would you like to
come downstairs?
Yes, I would.
Mr. Fitzgerald, please do
not take what my wife says
too seriously.
She is afraid, and she doesn't
know what she's afraid of.
Rain keeping you awake?
Yes.
Me, too.
Still, there is nothing
to be afraid of.
Be still.
Thank you, Tiago.
Yes.
- Sir?
- Hm?
I was wanting to ask you.
Will you carry these
with you, in your pocket?
Why sure, Tiago.
What is this?
Aku-aku.
- Good morning.
- Good morning.
It's hard to believe it
rained last night, isn't it?
Yes, it is.
Would you want some
orange juice now, ma'am.
Yes, please.
Good morning,
how are you feeling?
I could say that
you're not to blame
for what happened last night.
I don't want to
talk about it now.
If I thought it was
something to be ashamed of-
Please don't say anything.
Talking just makes it worse.
We'll have to face
it sooner or later.
I don't want to
talk about it now.
- Good morning.
- Morning.
Good morning.
Just coffee, Tiago,
where's Walter?
Walter had quite a bit of
sleeping medicine last night.
Not too much, I hope.
I need him to assist
me this morning.
Are you operating this morning?
Yes.
Say, what is aku-aku?
I see you must have
been talking to Taigo, huh?
Yes, he gave me this.
Yes, that's an aku-aku, it's
a sort of good luck charm.
All the natives
here believe in it.
Tiago must think you'll need
a little bit of good luck, huh?
Who doesn't?
That's right.
Mr. Fitzgerald and I
had a talk last night.
I tried to explain to him
what we are doing here.
What you are doing, Charles.
See, my wife does not approve.
You still feel like
coming along?
- Sure, right now?
- Yes.
You won't be bothered
by his crying for a while,
I'll be going to his larynx.
He'll have no voice?
Only just for a few hours.
You won't change your mind?
No.
Well, I'm going to wake Walter.
Tiago, maybe get
him some breakfast.
- Shall we start?
- Hm.
You will find it
odd to find here
in the middle of a jungle
a complete laboratory,
surgical equipment, even
have our own generator,
and x-ray machine.
The animal is in here.
You'll be all right for a while.
You will have to help
me to get him onto a table.
You take the legs.
Dead weight, a lot of it.
Secure the hand
straps, will you?
You operating right now?
Yes, as soon as
Walter comes down.
You want to stay?
Yes, I'd like to.
I'm glad you're here.
Later, whether
you approve or not,
at least you'll
believe what you see.
Oh Walter, get
yourself cleaned up.
If you'd be so kind to
lift this, use the knob.
See, it's always hard
to believe great changes
unless you've
seen all the steps.
At least you have
seen one of them.
You said great changes,
what did you mean?
What kind of changes?
Some people would
call them miracles.
Would you?
Yes, do you believe in miracles?
I don't know.
I've been around a little,
I haven't seen one yet.
Yes, you are young and
you have been around.
You think you know enough
of the world to speculate
on its past or its future.
I don't.
I still believe in miracles.
Walter.
I've performed exactly
53 major operations on him
in the last two years.
Dr. Girard.
This animal-
Yes, he's terribly strong.
It's ironic that such a
little brute should fear me,
but he does.
I think you better get out.
I'll wait upstairs.
Hi, Tiago.
You were down
for a long time, sir.
Hm, didn't realize
it was that late.
Yes, sir.
Five past noon.
You have aku-aku?
Mm-hm, here we are.
You will need it, sir.
Yeah, I might at that.
Just finished, Frances,
could I talk to you for a minute?
I have to help him clean up.
You have any trouble?
No.
I'll stay here, you can
go upstairs and rest.
I thought you didn't want to
come down here anymore.
So did I, but I'm here.
Will you help Mrs.
Girard to clean up?
Frances, you check his
heart every few minutes, huh?
I'll be back in about an hour.
All right.
I wouldn't get that
close, Mrs. Girard.
It's got bit loose once before.
We got him strapped down now.
Just the same, it's no sense
letting him get started again.
I don't think he'll hurt me.
Suit yourself.
I'm glad you came
down here, Mrs. Girard.
I've been wanting to talk
to you about something.
What?
Well, I wanted
to talk about you.
What do you mean?
Just to talk.
What do you want, Walter?
I don't want anything.
I sure don't want
you to get sore at me.
I want to help you.
I don't need any help.
And if you don't leave,
I'm going to call Dr. Girard.
Oh come on, you're
not going to call him.
That's why I didn't want
to talk to you earlier.
Any place public, you know.
Like, at the beach.
I really don't blame you none.
After all, it's none
of my business.
But you are wrong about
not needing any help.
You do, because let me tell you,
that husband of yours is crazy.
You counting on getting
the next boat off this island.
He just might not let
you, you know that?
That Fitzgerald, he
ain't gonna help you.
He's helping your husband.
You need somebody on your side.
I really want to help you.
If you will let me.
Stay away from me, Walter.
Let go of me!
You devil.
Got your boyfriend
a little upset.
You stop that.
I want you to forget
about this now, Walter.
But don't come
close to me again!
Devil being,
it's time somebody took
you down a peg or two!
Hi.
Hi, Selene.
The doctor up from his nap yet?
He was asleep when I left.
- Yes, sir.
- Thanks.
- Mr. Fitz.
- Yes, Selene?
You, and doctor leave?
Well, I did wanna see him, why?
Mr. Fitz, Mrs. Doctor
is a good woman.
You help her to go away, please.
My brother and I go with you.
Only you can help, Mr. Fitz.
I'll do what I can
Selene, I promise.
But I thought you and
Tiago wanted to stay here.
Our home is here, but no more.
Nothing now belongs here.
Only dead.
That's a bad bruise,
Selene, where'd you get that?
It's nothing.
Who did that to you, Selene?
No one.
Perrera?
No.
Ah, there you are, Fitzgerald.
I see it hasn't
rained all afternoon.
You've been
exploring the island?
Not really, just
walking, thinking.
Come into my study,
I have something to show
you that might interest you.
Another hot day, eh?
Come in,
Mr. Fitzgerald, sit down.
This is what I
wanted to show you.
It should make your
perspective about my work
fairly complete.
Dr. Girard, what
kind of animal is that
you have downstairs,
what do you call it?
What would you call it?
I don't know, I've been
thinking about that.
Ever since I saw the eyes,
all I saw was the eyes, but-
And what would you call it?
A man.
Am I wrong?
What is a man, Mr. Fitzgerald?
Where does the species begin?
I saw his eyes, and
there was a soul there.
I call him a man.
Well, if he's a man,
if he has a soul,
I gave it to him, didn't I?
I don't think you
have the right to.
Mr. Fitzgerald, I'm a
scientist, not a philosopher.
I cannot possibly concern myself
with the moral
aspects of my work.
There will be enough people
who will be only too eager
and willing to take care of that
when the time comes.
Why do you want to
do this, do you know?
Certainly I know,
I'm perfectly sane.
I never thought anything else,
but I'm still curious
to know why.
Well.
Man breeds animals
for his own purpose.
Improves them, modifies them,
he speeds up the processes
of natural evolution.
Now, you could ask why
not use the same principle
to improve the human race?
Well, it cannot be done,
'cause man's
mind is not his own.
It' completely dominated
by complexes, anxieties,
fear and prejudice of countless
generations before him.
That's why I've
chosen the animal
to be the father of
a new race of man.
He alone will have
a new, fresh mind
capable of thinking
his own thoughts
with complete objectivity.
I've never known
such a man, have you?
Maybe some day, such a
man will evolve, evolve naturally.
There are laws, natural laws.
Yes, but why wait?
We can only find out
about these natural laws
by waiting, watching,
and recording them
over hundreds, thousands
of years and generations.
What a waste of time.
Let me show you
something, Mr. Fitzgerald.
Here, this is a
photograph of the animal
when we first brought it here.
Here, our sketches
showing the various
stages of development.
This is evolution,
Mr. Fitzgerald.
Man evolved from an
animal in less than two years,
according to natural
law, it cannot be done.
Well, I have done it.
Have you?
In appearance,
perhaps, but inside,
he's still a beast, a killer.
Semantics.
This creature killed
by instinct, out of fear.
Same instinct of fear
makes people kill each other,
go to war.
That instinct, I'm afraid,
I have not yet
been able to isolate
and remove with a scalpel.
In the meantime, he's killed
four people without reason.
How childish and naive
and sentimental you are.
What do the lives
of four people-
- You mean you don't care
about the lives of these people?
I care as little about theirs
as I do about my own.
Well, that's your business,
but you don't have the
right to involve your wife
in all this.
Mr. Fitzgerald, why should
any man value another
more than he does himself?
That's your philosophy.
Isn't it yours?
Be honest with yourself.
It takes courage, I know.
Well, I have it, and
that is why nothing,
absolutely nothing will
stop me or alter my course.
So what is your
course from here?
I shall continue my work,
and I shall succeed in
creating a higher, a perfect man.
He's entering another life.
Can you imagine what
he feels, what he thinks?
Does he think?
Yes.
Man.
Man.
Man.
Man.
Good.
Good, man.
Good.
Yes, yes.
Yes.
He is a man.
Charles, is he
afraid of something?
I don't think so.
I don't know.
I could use this.
I wish I knew what was wrong.
No pain.
There is no pain.
It may have something
to do with you.
Why don't you wait outside.
Don't be afraid.
Nothing is going
to happen to you.
There's nothing to fear.
Don't be afraid.
What do you want me to do, sir?
Get Walter down
here with the torch.
What about you?
Go on.
Get a torch, he
needs you down there.
Tiago's gone after it.
Well how good that will do.
The gun was there.
- Are you all right?
- Yeah, I'm all right.
What about Charles?
He's okay, Tiago!
Are you out of your minds?
You'll get us all killed!
He'll be afraid of this
sir, do you have a match?
Yeah.
I'll stop him!
Walter.
Careful, Walter.
Please don't hurt him.
You, too!
Somebody help
me with this, quick!
He's badly hurt.
I'll give him a sedative.
That devil tore up the
whole place down there.
Don't that matter any?
No.
The damage can be
repaired, it doesn't matter.
Besides, we have
other drug supplies.
Why, you should've let
me finish him off myself.
He's a killer to start with.
I don't want to hear
any more of that.
He's no more of an
animal than you are.
Then he is a man.
Is he, Charles?
Yes, he is.
You call that thing a man?
Charles, we have
got to get out of here.
Let's talk about it later.
There's no need
to talk about it later.
We have no secrets
here, any of us.
We live too closely for that.
Yeah.
Please, let's leave
as soon as possible.
I can't.
Then I've got to go by myself.
I know what a strain this
has been on you, Frances,
but you are still my wife.
Am I?
What exactly does
that mean to you?
I told you how I
felt about my work
before we were married.
I never said that living with me
would be one endless
romantic adventure.
Oh Charles, I'm so sick of this.
I'm not trying to put
the blame on anyone,
I don't care who's to blame.
All I know is that I can't
live here any longer.
I don't even know you.
You don't know me?
Whom do you know, yourself?
Fitzgerald, perhaps?
What do you want
me to say, Charles?
There is nothing to say.
We both know how things stand.
Do we?
I supposed you're
the injured party,
the innocent and
misunderstood husband.
Frances, why are we so hostile?
You'll just never understand
that whatever I've done here
is not for myself,
but for humanity.
Did it ever occur to you
to ask me if I thought
it was worth it?
You'll leave with
me when I'm ready.
You'd better
accept that as final.
I'm not like that poor
creature downstairs, Charles.
You didn't create me.
He's going back to the lab.
He's gone clean out of his mind,
calling that thing a man.
Expect we'll have
to do something.
- Like what?
- Like!
Somebody's got to stop him.
He'll get us all killed.
What he is doing, that
ain't right, and you know it.
You act like you
want him to keep on.
What's the matter
with you, anyway?
I think you're as
crazy as he is!
Do you think Charles is insane?
He may be a genius,
he's not insane.
There's a fine line.
Does somebody got to stop him.
You're not the one, though,
Walter, even if you're right.
I don't know what he's
fixing to do down there,
but I think we ought
to do something.
What are you gonna
do Walter, get drunk?
You don't talk to
me like that, mister.
Oh, please be quiet, Walter.
You two are pretty
smart, aren't you?
He don't know how
smart, does he?
Get up.
Stay there!
I'm going down there.
I'll have a little talk
with you later, mister.
Take it easy, Walter.
Yeah, take it easy, that
thing gets loose again,
kill all of us!
- Don't be stupid!
- I'm not stupid, mister!
I'm not stupid.
Girard!
You fool.
Get back, go on.
I'm going to do some
operating on him.
Walter, I am warning you.
Get back!
You calling me a fool,
I'll show you the fool!
What's that?
The generator.
You better do
something about it,
there's not time
to lose the lights.
- Downstairs.
- Okay.
Where's some candles?
In my room.
You find it?
No, it should be
somewhere downstairs,
I thought they were here.
Oh, here it is.
This thing's dead.
Do you have any
matches, a lighter?
No, not in here.
It's all right, Frances.
Nothing to be afraid of now.
We're getting away
from here together.
I'll tell him tonight.
I have to leave by
myself, I've got to.
But I love you, Frances,
don't you know that?
I don't know anything.
Maybe some people
can accept mistakes
and make the best
of them, not me.
I loved him a long time.
I can't just forget that.
Please leave me alone.
He's still there, in the hall.
You still hear him?
No.
- He's here?
- Yes, Tiago.
- You both all right?
- Yes.
Yeah.
Walter is dead.
You wanna go after him tonight?
He hasn't been gone long.
If he's close, he might
find him even in the dark.
Tiago, get the slickers
out of the big closet.
Bring the flashlights
and the two coils of
rope from the dock.
But how are we going
to stop him, how?
I don't know.
Gotta be crazy to try and
look for him in the night.
If I were you, I'd
wait till morning.
But you are not me.
Why don't you,
instead of hindering me,
help me, Mr. Fitzgerald.
That's what I would
do if I were you.
All right.
If we find him, how
do we take him?
I don't know, exactly.
I'll get the hypodermic kit.
Mister.
I'll take this one-
- Oh no, you stay here,
you stay with the women.
Yes, sir.
You have a gun?
Yes, but we won't need it.
We'll be back before long.
Yes.
Make sure the windows
are locked, all of them.
The back door, everything,
all the way around.
You take the rooms, Selene.
Yes, ma'am.
Tiago?
Tiago!
Tiago!
Selene?
Where are you?
Tiago?
Tiago?
Selena, Tiago?
She's dead!
Frances!
Frances!
Frances, Frances!
Look in all the rooms,
I'll go downstairs.
Frances!
Fitzgerald.
It came back while we were gone.
It must've gone
out the back way.
We've got to find him.
We have to find her, Doctor.
Must've been him.
This goes down the cliff.
You take this way.
We only have one gun between us.
I won't need this,
neither will you.
He'll do whatever
I tell him to do.
Put her down.
There is nothing
to be afraid of.
Don't be afraid.
Put her down!
Put her down!
Come here, come, come here.
Leave him alone, Charles.
Keep away from him!
Come.
Come?
Tiago!
Are you all right?
Where's the boat?
It's gone, sir.
He wanted to help me.
The sun'll be up soon.
He wasn't here then.
He's alive.
Go back and get a litter.
Better hurry, we still have a
good deal of ground to cover.
My name is Girard, I'm a doctor.
We are about a thousand
miles off the coast of Peru.
How do you feel?
I guess all right.
- Any pain?
- No.
Good.
Did your ship go down?
Yeah.
Pedro Queen.
It was a freighter.
Your name is William
Fitzgerald, hm?
We found a wallet
in your hip pocket.
It's over there on the table.
You are petroleum engineer, eh?
Yeah.
You were headed for the states?
Yeah.
Isn't there anybody?
You were alone.
There was an explosion.
I was the only, only
one up on top, I.
I thought there
might be other boats.
No.
Your lifeboat was the only
one washed up on the beach.
Do you have you any boats here?
No.
Have they radioed?
We have no radio.
I'm afraid there's
nothing we can do.
Well.
You sitting up and
taking notice, eh?
Walter, this is
William Fitzgerald.
Walter Perrera, we carried
you off from the beach.
And did you see anything?
No, that thing's really
hurting, you know it?
I heard it once.
Moaning, crying like.
You really want that thing back?
Don't be stupid, Walter.
We must've woke your wife up.
She's up on the porch.
Well, I'll see you
all in the morning.
Glad you're okay, Fitzgerald.
Good night.
Go in there and stay
with him until he finishes it.
Yes, sir.
I'm sorry.
How long have you been up?
I think I woke up when
you first brought him in.
Is he all right?
He will be.
He was on a freighter
that went down.
He's an American,
apparently the only survivor
from what he says.
There isn't anything you
can do about the others,
is there?
Walter said that you
found him on the beach.
Yes, he was quite lucky.
He could have drifted into the-
When?
And hour ago.
What were you doing out?
It has escaped again, hasn't it?
Going to dig pits tomorrow.
I knew it, I heard it crying.
It sounded like a human.
There is nothing
to be afraid of, dear.
It's as frightened of
you as you are of it.
Yes, I suppose it is.
It's known nothing but pain
and fear since we came here.
I can't help being afraid.
I'm afraid of this
house, this island.
I can't stand Walter.
What you're doing is so
wrong, I hate it, all of it.
I know you do.
Please let the animal go.
Let it escape, then
we can leave here.
Frances, we have spent two years
working on that animal here.
It would be absurd
to throw that away
and the dozen years before
that learning, experimenting.
That's important.
What about us,
aren't we important?
My dear, of course we are.
Please don't.
This is so cheap.
There's just no talking
to you tonight, is there?
Good night.
Sir, are you
feeling all right, sir?
Yeah.
Feeling a little bit like
a human being again.
I was just thinking, I'm
a pretty lucky human.
Yes, sir.
Can I do something for you, sir?
No, I'm fine, Tiago, thanks.
I think that was about the
finest meal I've ever had.
And I thank you for the
razor and the clothes.
Did Dr. Girard say
when he'll be back?
No, sir.
Flowers for your girl?
They're for my mother, sir.
I take them now if you
don't want something.
No, I'm fine, thanks.
Tiago, is there anybody
in the house now?
No, sir.
Well, there was something
about traps last night,
is he hunting today?
Yes sir, he's hunting.
Tiago.
Who lives here, Tiago?
Dr. Girard, Mrs. Girard,
Mr. Walter, my sister.
I mean here, on this island.
What people live here?
Not any, sir.
- Not any?
- Nobody.
Hello.
Hello?
Anybody around?
Hi, no, don't come any closer.
Stay there.
It's all right, I didn't want
you to walk into this pit.
There's a pit here.
It begins about a
dozen feet in front of me.
It's covered with leaves
and branches, do you see it?
How do you feel?
Pretty good.
What is this, a trap?
Yes, we're just about finished.
Just a little over there,
then you're through.
Mr. Fitzgerald, this
is my wife, Frances.
Hello.
How do you do?
I'm glad you're
feeling so much better.
Yes, I've been thinking
about that, I'm pretty lucky.
You shouldn't be
running around like this,
but as long as you
are here, it's all right.
Can I help?
No, thanks.
Are there any
more pits like this?
Three more.
Did you have anything to eat?
Plenty, Tiago's a good man.
I'm sorry there
wasn't one of us there,
but we had to get this done.
It's been a very difficult day.
Is it a particular kind
of animal you want?
Yes, uh, we dug those pits
and we put out
some drugged meat.
One or the other
ought to do the job.
It's all right, let's go.
The sun will be down in an hour.
I must've slept for 20 hours.
That's good, you needed it.
I guess I did.
Feels as if I'm not awake yet.
To you, darling,
for many reasons.
The most immediate
being our delightful supper.
I think we should be
toasting Mr. Fitzgerald
for reminding us we still
can be civilized on vacation.
- That's right, Mr.
- Fitzgerald is our first guest.
Seems so much
longer than two years.
I had forgotten we
had goo china or silver
or the manners to use them.
I'd like to drink to
destiny or the fates,
or whatever it was that put
me ashore here on your island.
I'm gonna walk around a little.
It's been two or
three hours now.
We might've caught
us a cat by now.
Yeah, I'll get that black
devil back where he belongs.
- Ain't that right?
- Yes, sir.
You can bring a coffee
now, Selene, just three.
This has been wonderful.
I'd almost forgotten about
the animal, this island.
This here's been a
very pleasant evening.
You've been here two years?
Just about.
At first, I had the idea
that you were a missionary,
but the boy was
telling me you've,
well there's nobody
else here on the island.
This would be a very poor spot
for missionaries.
No, I am a surgeon.
I'm doing some
experimental work here.
You must've come through
the village this afternoon.
Yes.
Well, didn't Tiago tell you?
About the village?
Well, it has been
inhabited since last night.
50 or 75 people
were living here.
What do you mean,
they all just left?
Not quite so sudden
or so strange.
They're very
superstitious people.
They never quite understood
what I was doing here.
They thought me to be
some sort of an evil spirit.
We've had some trouble before.
Must be a primitive bunch.
Well, most people
are, aren't there?
Wouldn't have been
much different in New York.
What did they do?
Nothing, they were afraid,
so they decided to move
to some other island.
Why were they afraid?
No reason really,
they were just afraid.
One of the men came
to get Tiago and Selene.
We didn't know until later,
but they wanted to stay on.
They're the only ones left.
Well that's fantastic.
All while I was asleep.
Why, we all were asleep.
Is New York your
home, you mentioned it.
Yes, I had my practice
there in Manhattan.
I gave it up two years ago.
I was doing quite well,
office on Park Avenue.
I quit because I was
making too much money.
Not that objected to make money,
but I had some research
work I wanted to do,
and the more money I made,
the harder I found
it to break away.
I knew if I waited much
longer, I'd never leave.
What is it you're trying to do?
To alter certain functions.
It's too difficult to explain.
It would be to me.
Surgery's a little
out of my line.
You are from San Francisco.
Mm, that's right.
I've been in South America
most of the last 10 years.
I was on my way
back home to stay.
I didn't quite make it.
It was a terrible thing.
I'll be a long time forgetting.
Incidentally, how often
does a boat put in here?
That's what I
wanted to tell you.
Not very often, I'm afraid,
about four times a year.
The last was seen a month ago,
so could be another two months.
Do you realize nobody
in the world knows
what happened to that
ship or the people on it,
and nobody knows what
happened to me, except you.
Charles.
Maybe just a signal.
Sounded close.
I won't be long.
Is it always quiet like this?
Not always.
I think I'm developing
a taste for quietness
in my later years.
- I like it.
- You do?
I don't.
Sometimes, not always.
Are you afraid of
something, Mrs. Girard?
I'm afraid of everything.
Right now, the
darkness and the night.
I never used to be afraid
of the darkness before.
But I am now.
I don't blame you, the
animals here, it surprises me.
What do you mean?
I just wouldn't expect to find
anything like a panther here,
not on an island
the size of this one.
Do you see many of them?
No.
No, we brought this animal
with us when we came here.
Charles got it from
a dealer in Kahai.
It's for his work?
Yes.
It escaped last night.
They'll probably
find it, won't they?
Yes, they'll find it.
Then he'll want me to
assist him in his work again.
I don't think I can.
Do you work with him?
I'm a nurse.
Well, I don't know,
I imagine he's as anxious
to get back home as you are.
I'm going to leave
on the next boat
whether Charles's
work is finished or not.
I'd like to get away.
Sometimes I think
I'll die on this island.
Will you help me,
Mr. Fitzgerald?
Certainly, but.
- Looks like they got him.
- Yeah.
I have to go in now.
See, nothing to
be afraid of now.
Yes, there is.
Well, we got him.
He eat enough of that meat,
he'll be out this
time next year.
Walter, there's no
reason to keep you up,
you can go to bed.
Frances.
Frances, will you come out now?
Charles, please don't.
Leave him alone tonight.
There are some sterilized
gowns downstairs, aren't there?
Yes, there are.
I'll be down.
You want to fill all them
pits tomorrow, don't you?
Yes, tomorrow.
- All right.
- You got him.
Yes.
Are you going to
be working tonight?
Yes, he's unconscious.
There was more
chlorohydrate in that meat
that would put out an army.
We have to bring him
to, otherwise, he'll die.
I didn't realize he'd escaped.
Your wife told me you
used him in your work.
He is my work.
Well, I think I feel as if
I've been making myself.
I think I'll go to bed.
Yes, you're still very weak.
It will take a few more days.
Dr. Girard.
I know this work
is important to you,
and I also know that
the whole things is
none of my business, but-
Yes, this work is
very important to me.
It's the most important
thing in my life.
I came here to do a very
specific piece of work.
I came to this island
because it afforded me privacy.
There is no one
here to waste my time.
I understand.
Good night.
No change.
No.
Must be the generator.
Will you please go and turn it?
Yes.
It's more than half full.
It must be something else.
I cannot stop to check now.
The candles must be
over there in the top drawer
if we need them.
Let's hope we don't.
Are you operating tonight?
No, not tonight.
You now, this is wrong.
I can't help you
anymore, I can't.
All right.
I'll have Walter come
down and clean up.
All right.
I'm sorry.
Hello.
Your own private beach.
Yes.
Sometimes it's
a little too private.
How do you feel today?
Fine, been
exploring your island.
Say, I was wondering, I just
passed through the village,
and I meant to ask last
night about the graves there.
Was one of the boys'
mothers Tiago's?
Yes.
She was our servant.
Her name was Alicia.
She was killed the first
time the animal escaped.
She was the first one.
The night before
last, it escaped again.
People were killed that time.
That was why they left.
Your husband didn't
say anything about it.
No.
I, I guess he had his reasons.
Last night you said
you were afraid.
You never said what
you were afraid of.
Is it your husband?
Yes.
Will you help me?
I said I would.
But I don't think there's
anything to worry about.
They're not going to
let it get loose again.
Must be a mean animal.
It's a pitiful creature.
Don't let's talk about it.
Don't you feel better today
than you did last night?
I always feel better on
a daylight, out in the sun.
Along the Gulf of Mexico,
there's a little beach,
something like this.
I was imagining this was a
French Riviera before you came.
Have you ever been there?
- No.
- It's pretty overrated.
I thought I'd love it
when I first came here.
Seems a long
time ago, two years.
I was busy making plans,
and I was planning to
marry a wealthy doctor,
live on an island
in the South Seas.
Sounds better
than a travel poster.
I thought so then.
It's been a long
time, hasn't it?
Please don't.
I'm not lonely, I'm frightened.
Won't be long.
I'd hate to see them come.
Remember last year?
Yes.
Would you like a drink?
No thank you.
You sure?
Yes, I'm sure.
Mrs. Girard, will the doctor
not be having his dinner?
No, if he wants anything,
he'll get it himself, Tiago.
He hasn't been upstairs
the whole day, you know it.
I'll call down to him
a couple of time.
He said he was busy.
That's all right with me.
Maybe that stinkin' animal
down there is gonna die.
You want another one?
Not yet, thanks.
You gentlemen have your drinks.
I think I'll say good night.
- Already?
- Good night.
Good night, Mrs. Girard.
She's kinda touchy
tonight, ain't she?
She's a little edgy.
I guess we all are.
Yeah, yeah, everybody's
touchy, are they?
That's right, I hadn't
thought about it.
But uh, you know
why that is, hm?
No, why?
It's the weather.
That's right,
that's the weather.
I know what I was talking about,
I was born and
raised in rain country,
in Guatemala, you know.
Over there, when it
rains, or it's gonna rain,
people gonna get mean, you know?
Irritated, it's the weather.
Same thing here.
Makes sense.
Imagine scientists-
Scientists, hm!
Let me tell you
something, friend.
I have enough science to
last me the rest of my life.
I work around in
hospitals, in nuthouses,
since I was 23 back home.
And let me tell you,
that Girard's worse than
the rest of them put together.
What do you mean?
Oh well, nothin'.
It's my own fault for coming
down to this stinkin' island.
You know,
I thought I was gonna
have it pretty soft down here.
There it is.
I'm going off to bed.
I could though, I could
tell you some things.
A lot of them, I
mean, right here.
- You could, huh?
- Yeah.
Stinkin' rain.
There's nothing
to say, is there?
I thought you
decided that my work
was none of your business.
So I did.
You like a fresh drink?
I see you are interested
in what I'm doing here.
I wonder why.
Just curious.
I wish I weren't.
Now.
You'll find out anyway from
Walter or Tiago or my wife.
Haven't they told
you what I was doing?
No, they didn't.
They made quite a
point of not telling me.
They don't approve, I'm afraid.
I wish they understood,
but they don't.
Every man needs
approval, understanding.
Do you know
anything about surgery,
Mr. Fitzgerald, medicine?
Well, a couple of years ago,
I got into a fight
at a bar in Caracas,
and they took 12 stitches,
that's about the extent of
my knowledge about surgery.
That's one of its functions,
repairing damage
to the human body,
removing malignant or
poorly functioning organs,
transplanting tissue or bone
from one part of
the body to another,
sometimes from
one body to another.
Now there's been some
progress in plastic work recently,
but basically, surgery has
remained primitive, limited,
its potential not even
imagined by medical men.
I can imagine it, though,
and surgery's only a part
of my work, a small part.
You see on the desk most of it,
and these are the records.
Could I have it first hand?
I feel as if I were
100 years old tonight.
I began thinking about this
already in medical school,
actually started working on
it about 10 or 12 years ago,
simple work at first,
on smaller animals,
skin and bone grafts.
Later, I attempted
alterations of major organs.
I had incurred many failures,
but there was a percentage
that was successful
to some degree,
so I kept on trying and
learning, experimenting.
Try at what?
To bring about the
modification of a species,
but a modification
to such a degree
that the subject will
lose the characteristics
of its own species and
take on those of another.
Do you understand?
I think so.
I don't mean surface or
topographical changes,
but basic modifications,
do you understand?
Well, on the face of
it, it seems unnatural.
Is that what the others say?
Yes, that's what they say.
It's no more unnatural
than evolution, it is evolution.
And you've speeded
up the process, is that it?
You make it sound
very simple, it isn't.
There's more to it than surgery.
That's what you said.
You see, surgery
can alter appearance,
it can change a
rat into a rabbit,
but the real difference
lies in the brain.
Its size and the function
of the individual areas.
There is where the
change has to be made.
You can change the size of
a brain, cause it to enlarge?
More than that.
Enlarge and actually
alter the cellular structure
by the use of certain
chemical, I developed it,
it's a synthetic, it's similar
to a glandular extract.
Now, infinitesimal
amounts of this chemical
injected directly into
the brain during surgery
will bring about alteration
of individual cells,
cell division, and cell growth.
I can control the
size of the brain.
I can control the function
of the various areas.
What do you think?
I think you've given me
something to think about.
I can alter living
matter, alter it basically
from its smallest
unit to its largest,
from one cell to many trillion.
And that's what the
animal out there is for.
Yes, we can talk
some more tomorrow.
I still have a great deal
of work to do tonight.
All right, good night.
Dr. Girard, the
changes in evolution
have come about through a
process of natural selection
haven't they?
Yes.
But in your work,
the selection isn't
nature's though, it's yours.
Your choice.
Yeah, that's right.
Uh, I'm going to
operate tomorrow.
Would you like to
come downstairs?
Yes, I would.
Mr. Fitzgerald, please do
not take what my wife says
too seriously.
She is afraid, and she doesn't
know what she's afraid of.
Rain keeping you awake?
Yes.
Me, too.
Still, there is nothing
to be afraid of.
Be still.
Thank you, Tiago.
Yes.
- Sir?
- Hm?
I was wanting to ask you.
Will you carry these
with you, in your pocket?
Why sure, Tiago.
What is this?
Aku-aku.
- Good morning.
- Good morning.
It's hard to believe it
rained last night, isn't it?
Yes, it is.
Would you want some
orange juice now, ma'am.
Yes, please.
Good morning,
how are you feeling?
I could say that
you're not to blame
for what happened last night.
I don't want to
talk about it now.
If I thought it was
something to be ashamed of-
Please don't say anything.
Talking just makes it worse.
We'll have to face
it sooner or later.
I don't want to
talk about it now.
- Good morning.
- Morning.
Good morning.
Just coffee, Tiago,
where's Walter?
Walter had quite a bit of
sleeping medicine last night.
Not too much, I hope.
I need him to assist
me this morning.
Are you operating this morning?
Yes.
Say, what is aku-aku?
I see you must have
been talking to Taigo, huh?
Yes, he gave me this.
Yes, that's an aku-aku, it's
a sort of good luck charm.
All the natives
here believe in it.
Tiago must think you'll need
a little bit of good luck, huh?
Who doesn't?
That's right.
Mr. Fitzgerald and I
had a talk last night.
I tried to explain to him
what we are doing here.
What you are doing, Charles.
See, my wife does not approve.
You still feel like
coming along?
- Sure, right now?
- Yes.
You won't be bothered
by his crying for a while,
I'll be going to his larynx.
He'll have no voice?
Only just for a few hours.
You won't change your mind?
No.
Well, I'm going to wake Walter.
Tiago, maybe get
him some breakfast.
- Shall we start?
- Hm.
You will find it
odd to find here
in the middle of a jungle
a complete laboratory,
surgical equipment, even
have our own generator,
and x-ray machine.
The animal is in here.
You'll be all right for a while.
You will have to help
me to get him onto a table.
You take the legs.
Dead weight, a lot of it.
Secure the hand
straps, will you?
You operating right now?
Yes, as soon as
Walter comes down.
You want to stay?
Yes, I'd like to.
I'm glad you're here.
Later, whether
you approve or not,
at least you'll
believe what you see.
Oh Walter, get
yourself cleaned up.
If you'd be so kind to
lift this, use the knob.
See, it's always hard
to believe great changes
unless you've
seen all the steps.
At least you have
seen one of them.
You said great changes,
what did you mean?
What kind of changes?
Some people would
call them miracles.
Would you?
Yes, do you believe in miracles?
I don't know.
I've been around a little,
I haven't seen one yet.
Yes, you are young and
you have been around.
You think you know enough
of the world to speculate
on its past or its future.
I don't.
I still believe in miracles.
Walter.
I've performed exactly
53 major operations on him
in the last two years.
Dr. Girard.
This animal-
Yes, he's terribly strong.
It's ironic that such a
little brute should fear me,
but he does.
I think you better get out.
I'll wait upstairs.
Hi, Tiago.
You were down
for a long time, sir.
Hm, didn't realize
it was that late.
Yes, sir.
Five past noon.
You have aku-aku?
Mm-hm, here we are.
You will need it, sir.
Yeah, I might at that.
Just finished, Frances,
could I talk to you for a minute?
I have to help him clean up.
You have any trouble?
No.
I'll stay here, you can
go upstairs and rest.
I thought you didn't want to
come down here anymore.
So did I, but I'm here.
Will you help Mrs.
Girard to clean up?
Frances, you check his
heart every few minutes, huh?
I'll be back in about an hour.
All right.
I wouldn't get that
close, Mrs. Girard.
It's got bit loose once before.
We got him strapped down now.
Just the same, it's no sense
letting him get started again.
I don't think he'll hurt me.
Suit yourself.
I'm glad you came
down here, Mrs. Girard.
I've been wanting to talk
to you about something.
What?
Well, I wanted
to talk about you.
What do you mean?
Just to talk.
What do you want, Walter?
I don't want anything.
I sure don't want
you to get sore at me.
I want to help you.
I don't need any help.
And if you don't leave,
I'm going to call Dr. Girard.
Oh come on, you're
not going to call him.
That's why I didn't want
to talk to you earlier.
Any place public, you know.
Like, at the beach.
I really don't blame you none.
After all, it's none
of my business.
But you are wrong about
not needing any help.
You do, because let me tell you,
that husband of yours is crazy.
You counting on getting
the next boat off this island.
He just might not let
you, you know that?
That Fitzgerald, he
ain't gonna help you.
He's helping your husband.
You need somebody on your side.
I really want to help you.
If you will let me.
Stay away from me, Walter.
Let go of me!
You devil.
Got your boyfriend
a little upset.
You stop that.
I want you to forget
about this now, Walter.
But don't come
close to me again!
Devil being,
it's time somebody took
you down a peg or two!
Hi.
Hi, Selene.
The doctor up from his nap yet?
He was asleep when I left.
- Yes, sir.
- Thanks.
- Mr. Fitz.
- Yes, Selene?
You, and doctor leave?
Well, I did wanna see him, why?
Mr. Fitz, Mrs. Doctor
is a good woman.
You help her to go away, please.
My brother and I go with you.
Only you can help, Mr. Fitz.
I'll do what I can
Selene, I promise.
But I thought you and
Tiago wanted to stay here.
Our home is here, but no more.
Nothing now belongs here.
Only dead.
That's a bad bruise,
Selene, where'd you get that?
It's nothing.
Who did that to you, Selene?
No one.
Perrera?
No.
Ah, there you are, Fitzgerald.
I see it hasn't
rained all afternoon.
You've been
exploring the island?
Not really, just
walking, thinking.
Come into my study,
I have something to show
you that might interest you.
Another hot day, eh?
Come in,
Mr. Fitzgerald, sit down.
This is what I
wanted to show you.
It should make your
perspective about my work
fairly complete.
Dr. Girard, what
kind of animal is that
you have downstairs,
what do you call it?
What would you call it?
I don't know, I've been
thinking about that.
Ever since I saw the eyes,
all I saw was the eyes, but-
And what would you call it?
A man.
Am I wrong?
What is a man, Mr. Fitzgerald?
Where does the species begin?
I saw his eyes, and
there was a soul there.
I call him a man.
Well, if he's a man,
if he has a soul,
I gave it to him, didn't I?
I don't think you
have the right to.
Mr. Fitzgerald, I'm a
scientist, not a philosopher.
I cannot possibly concern myself
with the moral
aspects of my work.
There will be enough people
who will be only too eager
and willing to take care of that
when the time comes.
Why do you want to
do this, do you know?
Certainly I know,
I'm perfectly sane.
I never thought anything else,
but I'm still curious
to know why.
Well.
Man breeds animals
for his own purpose.
Improves them, modifies them,
he speeds up the processes
of natural evolution.
Now, you could ask why
not use the same principle
to improve the human race?
Well, it cannot be done,
'cause man's
mind is not his own.
It' completely dominated
by complexes, anxieties,
fear and prejudice of countless
generations before him.
That's why I've
chosen the animal
to be the father of
a new race of man.
He alone will have
a new, fresh mind
capable of thinking
his own thoughts
with complete objectivity.
I've never known
such a man, have you?
Maybe some day, such a
man will evolve, evolve naturally.
There are laws, natural laws.
Yes, but why wait?
We can only find out
about these natural laws
by waiting, watching,
and recording them
over hundreds, thousands
of years and generations.
What a waste of time.
Let me show you
something, Mr. Fitzgerald.
Here, this is a
photograph of the animal
when we first brought it here.
Here, our sketches
showing the various
stages of development.
This is evolution,
Mr. Fitzgerald.
Man evolved from an
animal in less than two years,
according to natural
law, it cannot be done.
Well, I have done it.
Have you?
In appearance,
perhaps, but inside,
he's still a beast, a killer.
Semantics.
This creature killed
by instinct, out of fear.
Same instinct of fear
makes people kill each other,
go to war.
That instinct, I'm afraid,
I have not yet
been able to isolate
and remove with a scalpel.
In the meantime, he's killed
four people without reason.
How childish and naive
and sentimental you are.
What do the lives
of four people-
- You mean you don't care
about the lives of these people?
I care as little about theirs
as I do about my own.
Well, that's your business,
but you don't have the
right to involve your wife
in all this.
Mr. Fitzgerald, why should
any man value another
more than he does himself?
That's your philosophy.
Isn't it yours?
Be honest with yourself.
It takes courage, I know.
Well, I have it, and
that is why nothing,
absolutely nothing will
stop me or alter my course.
So what is your
course from here?
I shall continue my work,
and I shall succeed in
creating a higher, a perfect man.
He's entering another life.
Can you imagine what
he feels, what he thinks?
Does he think?
Yes.
Man.
Man.
Man.
Man.
Good.
Good, man.
Good.
Yes, yes.
Yes.
He is a man.
Charles, is he
afraid of something?
I don't think so.
I don't know.
I could use this.
I wish I knew what was wrong.
No pain.
There is no pain.
It may have something
to do with you.
Why don't you wait outside.
Don't be afraid.
Nothing is going
to happen to you.
There's nothing to fear.
Don't be afraid.
What do you want me to do, sir?
Get Walter down
here with the torch.
What about you?
Go on.
Get a torch, he
needs you down there.
Tiago's gone after it.
Well how good that will do.
The gun was there.
- Are you all right?
- Yeah, I'm all right.
What about Charles?
He's okay, Tiago!
Are you out of your minds?
You'll get us all killed!
He'll be afraid of this
sir, do you have a match?
Yeah.
I'll stop him!
Walter.
Careful, Walter.
Please don't hurt him.
You, too!
Somebody help
me with this, quick!
He's badly hurt.
I'll give him a sedative.
That devil tore up the
whole place down there.
Don't that matter any?
No.
The damage can be
repaired, it doesn't matter.
Besides, we have
other drug supplies.
Why, you should've let
me finish him off myself.
He's a killer to start with.
I don't want to hear
any more of that.
He's no more of an
animal than you are.
Then he is a man.
Is he, Charles?
Yes, he is.
You call that thing a man?
Charles, we have
got to get out of here.
Let's talk about it later.
There's no need
to talk about it later.
We have no secrets
here, any of us.
We live too closely for that.
Yeah.
Please, let's leave
as soon as possible.
I can't.
Then I've got to go by myself.
I know what a strain this
has been on you, Frances,
but you are still my wife.
Am I?
What exactly does
that mean to you?
I told you how I
felt about my work
before we were married.
I never said that living with me
would be one endless
romantic adventure.
Oh Charles, I'm so sick of this.
I'm not trying to put
the blame on anyone,
I don't care who's to blame.
All I know is that I can't
live here any longer.
I don't even know you.
You don't know me?
Whom do you know, yourself?
Fitzgerald, perhaps?
What do you want
me to say, Charles?
There is nothing to say.
We both know how things stand.
Do we?
I supposed you're
the injured party,
the innocent and
misunderstood husband.
Frances, why are we so hostile?
You'll just never understand
that whatever I've done here
is not for myself,
but for humanity.
Did it ever occur to you
to ask me if I thought
it was worth it?
You'll leave with
me when I'm ready.
You'd better
accept that as final.
I'm not like that poor
creature downstairs, Charles.
You didn't create me.
He's going back to the lab.
He's gone clean out of his mind,
calling that thing a man.
Expect we'll have
to do something.
- Like what?
- Like!
Somebody's got to stop him.
He'll get us all killed.
What he is doing, that
ain't right, and you know it.
You act like you
want him to keep on.
What's the matter
with you, anyway?
I think you're as
crazy as he is!
Do you think Charles is insane?
He may be a genius,
he's not insane.
There's a fine line.
Does somebody got to stop him.
You're not the one, though,
Walter, even if you're right.
I don't know what he's
fixing to do down there,
but I think we ought
to do something.
What are you gonna
do Walter, get drunk?
You don't talk to
me like that, mister.
Oh, please be quiet, Walter.
You two are pretty
smart, aren't you?
He don't know how
smart, does he?
Get up.
Stay there!
I'm going down there.
I'll have a little talk
with you later, mister.
Take it easy, Walter.
Yeah, take it easy, that
thing gets loose again,
kill all of us!
- Don't be stupid!
- I'm not stupid, mister!
I'm not stupid.
Girard!
You fool.
Get back, go on.
I'm going to do some
operating on him.
Walter, I am warning you.
Get back!
You calling me a fool,
I'll show you the fool!
What's that?
The generator.
You better do
something about it,
there's not time
to lose the lights.
- Downstairs.
- Okay.
Where's some candles?
In my room.
You find it?
No, it should be
somewhere downstairs,
I thought they were here.
Oh, here it is.
This thing's dead.
Do you have any
matches, a lighter?
No, not in here.
It's all right, Frances.
Nothing to be afraid of now.
We're getting away
from here together.
I'll tell him tonight.
I have to leave by
myself, I've got to.
But I love you, Frances,
don't you know that?
I don't know anything.
Maybe some people
can accept mistakes
and make the best
of them, not me.
I loved him a long time.
I can't just forget that.
Please leave me alone.
He's still there, in the hall.
You still hear him?
No.
- He's here?
- Yes, Tiago.
- You both all right?
- Yes.
Yeah.
Walter is dead.
You wanna go after him tonight?
He hasn't been gone long.
If he's close, he might
find him even in the dark.
Tiago, get the slickers
out of the big closet.
Bring the flashlights
and the two coils of
rope from the dock.
But how are we going
to stop him, how?
I don't know.
Gotta be crazy to try and
look for him in the night.
If I were you, I'd
wait till morning.
But you are not me.
Why don't you,
instead of hindering me,
help me, Mr. Fitzgerald.
That's what I would
do if I were you.
All right.
If we find him, how
do we take him?
I don't know, exactly.
I'll get the hypodermic kit.
Mister.
I'll take this one-
- Oh no, you stay here,
you stay with the women.
Yes, sir.
You have a gun?
Yes, but we won't need it.
We'll be back before long.
Yes.
Make sure the windows
are locked, all of them.
The back door, everything,
all the way around.
You take the rooms, Selene.
Yes, ma'am.
Tiago?
Tiago!
Tiago!
Selene?
Where are you?
Tiago?
Tiago?
Selena, Tiago?
She's dead!
Frances!
Frances!
Frances, Frances!
Look in all the rooms,
I'll go downstairs.
Frances!
Fitzgerald.
It came back while we were gone.
It must've gone
out the back way.
We've got to find him.
We have to find her, Doctor.
Must've been him.
This goes down the cliff.
You take this way.
We only have one gun between us.
I won't need this,
neither will you.
He'll do whatever
I tell him to do.
Put her down.
There is nothing
to be afraid of.
Don't be afraid.
Put her down!
Put her down!
Come here, come, come here.
Leave him alone, Charles.
Keep away from him!
Come.
Come?
Tiago!
Are you all right?
Where's the boat?
It's gone, sir.
He wanted to help me.
The sun'll be up soon.