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Capricorn One (1977)
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GOOD MORNING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. THIS IS PAUL CUNNINGHAM, CAPRICORN CONTROL. THE TIME IS THREE MINUTES AFTER SIX, EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME. WERE COMING UP ON T MINUS 32 MINS. 21 SECS... MARK. TO FACILITATE THE BROADCAST MEDIA, WE WILL PRECEDE EACH ANNOUNCEMEN WITH A 5 SECS. TONE, FOLLOWED BY A 1 SEC. PAUSE. ANYONE WHO HASN'T GOT A PRESS KI CAN PICK ONE AT THE INFORMATION TRAILER. AT THE PRESENT TIME, ALL SYSTEMS ARE GO, ALL LIGHTS ARE GREEN. TO REVIEW THE MORNING FOR YOU, AT T MINUS 8 HRS. 5 MINS., LAUNCH COMPLEX THIRTY-NINE WAS CLEARED AND WE BEGAN TO LOAD LIQUID PROPELLANT INTO THE LAUNCH VEHICLE. AT T MINUS 4 HRS 30 MINS. COLONEL CHARLES BRUBAKER, THE COMMAND PILOT, LIEUTENANT COLONEL PETER WILLIS AND COMMANDER JOHN WALKER WERE AWAKENED BY DR. ROGER BURROUGHS, THE FLIGHT SURGEON. THEY WERE GIVEN A FINAL PHYSICAL EXAMINATION AND PRONOUNCED ALL FIT. THE CREW THEN HAD A BREAKFAS CONSISTING OF HALF A GRAPEFRUIT, A TEN OUNCE STEAK, TWELVE OUNCES OF ORANGE JUICE, TWO EGGS AND TOAST. THE CREW IS NOW IN THE GANTRY ACCESS ARM, WHERE THEY'RE PREPARING TO ENTER THE SPACECRAFT. WE'RE AT T MINUS 30 MINS. AND COUNTING. THIS IS CAPRICORN CONTROL. GOOD MORNING, GENTLEMEN. GOOD MORNING, HORACE. ARE WE LATE? TRAFFIC WAS TERRIBLE. WELL, I SEE YOU'RE ALL IN GOOD SPIRITS. HAVE YOU DONE THE EDS TEST YET? THEY'RE ALMOST COMPLETED. DO YOU WANT US TO ENTER? IN A MOMENT. WHAT'S UP? I'M NOT VERY GOOD AT THINGS LIKE THIS. I'VE KNOWN YOU, ESPECIALLY COLONEL BRUBAKER, FOR SOME TIME. WHAT YOU'RE ABOUT TO DO TODAY, I'VE SPENT MY LIFE. I'D JUST LIKE YUH TO KNOW THAT I FEEL THAT ALL I'VE EVER WORKED FOR, IT HAS MEANING TODAY, AND I'M VERY PROUD. PROUD OF THE PROGRAM AND PROUD OF WHAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE IN SOME SMALL WAY, AND PROUD OF YOU. I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO TAKE THIS BIBLE WITH YOU, FROM ME, FROM ALL OF US. WHY, HORACE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY. WELL, TRY SAYING NOTHING FOR A CHANGE. HORACE... THANK YOU. WE'D BE HONORED TO TAKE THIS WITH US. WELL, GENTLEMEN, LET'S GO TO MARS. THIS IS PAUL CUNNINGHAM, CAPRICORN CONTROL. WE'RE NOW AT T MINUS 21 MINS. AND COUNTING. WIVES OF THE FLIGHT CREW AT THE CAPE WILL BE FLOWN BACK TO HOUSTON FOLLOWING LAUNCH. GOOD MORNING, CONGRESSMAN PEAKER. WE'VE RESERVED THREE OF THE BEST SEATS FOR YOU AND FOR GENERAL ENDERS, RIGHT NEXT TO VICE PRESIDENT. IS HE HERE YET? NO, SIR, HE'S DUE ANY MOMENT. ASSHOLE PROBABLY THINKS THEY'LL DELAY THE LAUNCH FOR HIM. SOMEONE SHOULD TELL HIM THIS IS NO A BRIDGE OPENING. I HOPE YOU AND MRS. PEAKER WILL BE VERY COMFORTABLE. THE AGENCY WOULD LIKE YOU TO HAVE THESE COMMEMORATIVE BINOCULARS TO HELP YOU WATCH THE LAUNCH AND TO REMEMBER THIS DAY. THAT'S VERY NICE. LOOK, EMILY. THEY HAVE THE DATE, CAPRICORN ONE EMBLEM IN GOLD. VERY NICE, HOLLIS. I'M GLAD YOU LIKE THEM. WELL, WE'LL NEED ANOTHER PAIR FOR MY WIFE. I, I BEG YOUR PARDON, SIR? OH, DON'T MAKE A FUSS, HOLLIS, IT'S ALL RIGHT. I SAID, 'WE'LL NEED ANOTHER PAIR FOR MY WIFE.' IT'S REALLY NOT NECESSARY. HERE, EMILY, TAKE MINE. I REALLY WON'T NEED THEM. NO, I DON'T... CONGRESSMAN PEAKER, THERE'S ONLY A LIMITED... I DIDN'T QUITE HEAR WHAT YOU SAID. WOULD YOU MIND REPEATING IT, PLEASE? OH, THERE'S NO PROBLEM. I'LL GET ANOTHER PAIR RIGHT AWAY. VERY THOUGHTFUL OF YOU. THIS IS CAPRICORN CONTROL. WE ARE A T MINUS 15 MINS. AND COUNTING. ALL SYSTEMS ARE GO. ALL LIGHTS ARE GREEN. MISSION CONTROL HAS REPORTED THE SPACECRAFT IS NOW ON EXTERNAL POWER. THE LAUNCH VEHICLE WILL TRANSFER TO FULL INTERNAL POWER AT T MINUS 50 SECS. BOTH ASCENSION AND CANARY TRACKING STATIONS REPORT CLEAR RECEPTION. THE PRIME RECOVERY SHIP, IN THE EVENT OF A TERMINATED FLIGHT, WILL BE THE U.S.S. KITTY HAWK, WHICH IS LOCATED 350 NAUTICAL MILES SOUTH, SOUTHEAST OF BERMUDA. THIS IS CAPRICORN CONTROL. HELLO, EMILY. HOW ARE YOU? PHYLLIS? HELLO, HOLLIS. EMILY, GLAD TO SEE YOU. HOLLIS, HOW ARE YOU? VERY WELL, MR. VICE PRESIDENT. HOW IS THE PRESIDENT TODAY? OH, JUST FINE, THANK YOU, HOLLIS. HE ASKED ME TO PERSONALLY EXPRESS HIS REGRETS AT BEING UNABLE TO BE HERE. THERE WERE SOME PRESSING MATTERS THAT NEEDED HIS ATTENTION IN WASHINGTON. LIKE GETTING RE-ELECTED? MR. VICE PRESIDENT? I HOPE YOU AND MRS. PRICE WILL BE VERY COMFORTABLE. THE AGENCY WOULD LIKE YOU TO HAVE THESE COMMEMORATIVE BINOCULARS TO HELP YOU WATCH THE LAUNCH AND TO REMEMBER THIS DAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, VERY MUCH. THEY'RE VERY NICE. WHAT IS YOUR NAME, SON? HUGHES, SIR. MARK HUGHES. YOU LEARN PRETTY QUICK. YOU'LL DO ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, SIR. WE'RE AT T MINUS 10 MINS. AND COUNTING. STAGE ONE IS GREEN. STAGE TWO IS GREEN. STAGE TWO IS GREEN. MALFUNCTION DETECT SYSTEM, ON SECOND PANEL. ROGER. M.D.S. ON SECOND PANEL. CAPRICORN ONE, WE CONFIRM T.A.R. S AND M.D.S. YOU ARE GREEN ON BOTH. YOU ARE GO FOR INERTIAL GUIDANCE AND O.A.M.S. CHECKS. ROGER, HOUSTON. GENTLEMEN, WE'RE READY TO CLOSE THE HATCH. ANYBODY WANNA GET OUT, THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE. HEY, HORACE, IS MARS THE RED ONE OR THE GREEN ONE? I FORGOT. TWENTY-FOUR BILLION DOLLARS TO PU CRAZY PEOPLE INTO SPACE. KEEPS US OFF THE STREETS. COLONEL BRUBAKER HAS REAFFIRMED THE COMPLETION OF THE EDS CHECKS. MISSION CONTROL REPORTS ALL SYSTEMS ARE GO, ALL LIGHTS ARE GREEN. JAMES KELLOWAY, DIRECTOR OF THE MANNED SPACE PROGRAM, IS IN HOUSTON AT THIS MOMENT. HE IS IN FULL VOICE CONTAC WITH THE FLIGHT CREW. LANDING MODULE O.I. SHUTDOWN. O.I., SHUTDOWN COMPLETE. CAPRICORN ONE, YOU SHOULD HAVE FULL C.M. INTERNAL POWER. ROGER, HOUSTON. WE HAVE INTERNAL POWER. VEHICLE FINAL STATUS CHECK. BEGIN STATUS CHECK. T.L.R. PRESSURE READING IS 45.2 ROGER, HOUSTON. ROGER, CAPRICORN, WE COPY. BRU, WOULD YOU AND YOUR MEN, PLEASE, FOLLOW ME? HEY, WHAT THE HELL IS THIS? THERE'S NO TIME TO EXPLAIN. PLEASE, FOLLOW ME. ARE YOU NUTS? I SAID THERE'S NO TIME TO EXPLAIN! THIS IS AN EMERGENCY! PLEASE, FOLLOW ME, NOW! THIS IS PAUL CUNNINGHAM, CAPRICORN CONTROL. THE SPACE VEHICLE FINAL CHECKS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED AND THE ACCESS ARM IS SWINGING INTO A FINAL RETRACT POSITION. THE DESTRUCT SYSTEMS ARE NOW FULLY ARMED. T.L.R. PRESSURE READING IS 45.2. ROGER, HOUSTON, 45.2. THE FLIGHT CREW HAS COMPLETED THE LAUNCH VEHICLE RANGE SAFETY CHECKS. T MINUS 50 SECS. THE LAUNCH VEHICLE WILL BE ON FULL INTERNAL POWER, THAT BEGINS THE ACTUAL LAUNCH SEQUENCE. THE WEATHER IS REPORTED GOOD. SCATTERED CLOUDS AT 10.000 FEET. ALL SYSTEMS ARE GO. ALL LIGHTS ARE GREEN. WE'RE AT T MINUS 3 MINS. 6 SECS., MARK. AN OFFICER HAS GIVEN A GO TO BEGIN THE FIRING AUTOMATIC SEQUENCE. FROM NOW UNTIL T MINUS 50 SECS, THAT SYSTEM IS PRE-SET. INITIAL STAGE THRUSTER CHECK IS NORMAL. WE'RE COMING UP ON T MINUS 1 MIN. 30 SECS. THE FINAL RANGE SAFETY CHECKS ARE COMPLETED. THE LAUNCH SAFETY OFFICER REPORTS ALL SYSTEMS ARE NORMAL AND WE ARE GO AT THIS TIME. THE LAUNCH ESCAPE TOWER IS NOW FULLY ARMED. IN THE EVENT OF AN ABORT, THE TOWER WILL CARRY THE COMMAND MODULE AWAY FROM THE LAUNCH VEHICLE AND WILL ACTIVATE A SYSTEM OF CONTROL SHIFT AT 10.000 FEET. THE FLIGHT CREW REPORTS ALL GUIDANCE AND NAVIGATION SYSTEMS FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. THE RANGE SAFETY OFFICER REPORTS ALTERNATING SYSTEMS ARE OPERATING. THIS IS CAPRICORN CONTROL. IT'S THAT BIG TALL WHITE THING OVER THERE. YOU CAN'T MISS IT. THIS IS PAUL CUNNINGHAM, CAPRICORN CONTROL. WE'RE AT T MINUS 1 MIN. AND STILL COUNTING. ALL SYSTEMS ARE GO. ALL LIGHTS ARE GREEN. WE SHOULD HAVE LAUNCH VEHICLE POWER TRANSFER RIGHT ABOUT NOW. ROGER, HOUSTON, WE READ NOMINAL A.L.C.S. ROGER, CAPITAIN. WE'RE AT T MINUS 30 SECS. AT THE PRESENT TIME, ALL SYSTEMS ARE GO. ALL LIGHTS ARE GREEN. GENTLEMEN, WE'RE GOING TO BE A LITTLE WHILE. YOU AND YOUR MEN MIGHT BE MORE COMFORTABLE IN THESE. WE'RE AT T MINUS 18 SECS. FROM LIFT-OFF. WE'RE T MINUS 15 SECS. T MINUS 10 SECS., NINE, EIGH WE HAVE IGNITION. SIX, FIVE WE HAVE OUTBOARD ENGINES. THREE WE HAVE INBOARD ENGINES. ONE, ZERO. WE HAVE A LAUNCH COMMIT. WE HAVE A LIFT-OFF AT 35 MINS. AFTER THE HOUR. ROGER. WE ARE STARTING YAW. ROGER, ROLL PROGRAM COMPLETE. VEHICLES ON TARGETS AND RUNNING SMOOTHLY. LOOKING GOOD, CAPRICORN. WE'RE COMING UP ON TPLUS 40 SECS. STAGING SHOULD BE IN THE NEX 300 SECS. OUTBOARD CUTOFF SHOULD BE 10 SECS. OBECO, CAPRICORN. ROGER, HOUSTON. HAVE OUTBOARD CUTOFF. OBECO AT TPLUS 2 MINS. 29 SECS. GOING FOR STAGING. YOU ARE GO FOR STAGING, CAPRICORN. ROGER, HOUSTON. FIVE, FOUR, THREE, TWO, ONE. WE REACHED STAGING. WE COPY. WE HAVE SEPARATION. CONFIRMED. TPLUS 2 MINS. 43 SECS. S-TWO IGNITION. WE HAVE S-TWO. WE HAVE SECOND STAGE IGNITION. S- TWO IGNITION AT TPLUS 2 MINS. 46 SECS. THE VEHICLE IS 47 MILES DOWN RANGE. ALTITUDE: 43 MILES. VELOCITY: 6.100 MILES PER HOUR. MR. VICE PRESIDENT, PLEASE, GIVE MY REGARDS TO THE PRESIDENT. OH, YES, I'LL BE VERY HAPPY TO DO THAT, HOLLIS. I, UH, HOPE THAT WHATEVER PROBLEMS HE FOUND SO IMPORTAN NOT TO BE HERE TODAY, I HOPE HE HAS CONSIDERABLE SUCCESS WITH THEM. WELL, THAT'S REALLY VERY SPORTING OF YOU. I'M SURE THE PRESIDENT WILL BE VERY PLEASED TO LEARN OF YOUR SUPPORT. THE PRESIDENT WOULD GET CONSIDERABLE MORE OF MY HUMBLE SUPPOR IF HE WOULD ONLY BE A LITTLE MORE HELPFUL WITH THIS PROGRAM HERE. NOW, HOLLIS, YOU KNOW THE PRESIDEN IS MOST INTERESTED IN THIS PROGRAM. I AM MOST INTERESTED IN A LOT OF THINGS, INCLUDING MY WIFE'S BRIDGE GAME. THAT IS NOT THE SAME AS SUPPORTING SOMETHING. HOLLIS, THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO FEEL THAT WE HAVE PROBLEMS HERE, ON EARTH THAT MERIT OUR ATTENTION BEFORE WE SPENT BILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON OUTER SPACE. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO FEEL THERE ARE NO MORE PRESSING PROBLEMS THAN OUR DECLINING POSITION IN WORLD LEADERSHIP. IT WAS WONDERFUL SEEING YOU AGAIN, HOLLIS. THE PLEASURE WAS ALL MINE, MR. VICE PRESIDENT. THIS IS PAUL CUNNINGHAM, CAPRICORN CONTROL. YOU'RE AT TPLUS 2 HRS. 16 MINS. INTO THE FLIGHT. THE SPACECRAFT IS NOW IN ELLIPTICAL ORBI WITH AN APOGEE OF 141 NAUTICAL MILES AND A PERIGEE OF 122 NAUTICAL MILES. MISSION CONTROL REPORTS FULL VOICE CONTACT WITH THE FLIGHT CREW. THIS IS CAPRICORN CONTROL. WELCOME, COLONEL. WOULD YOU PLEASE COME WITH US? I'M NOT GOING ANYWHERE TILL SOMEBODY TELLS US WHAT THE HELL'S GOING ON. EVERYTHING WILL BE EXPLAINED TO YOU. BULLSHIT, I WANNA KNOW RIGHT NOW! COLONEL, I KNOW THIS SOUNDS STRANGE, WE ARE ALL WORKING FOR THE SAME THING. WE ARE NOT YOUR ENEMY. PLEASE, WAIT HERE. I SUPPOSE YOU'RE WONDERING WHY I CALLED YOU UP HERE. GOOD MORNING. HI THERE, DR. KELLOWAY, NICE TO SEE YOU. A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO MARS. WELL, WHY DON'T YOU ALL SIT DOWN? WELL. OKAY, HERE IT IS. I HAVE TO START BY SAYING THA IF THERE WAS ANY OTHER WAY, IF THERE WAS EVEN A SLIGHT CHANCE OF ANOTHER ALTERNATIVE, I WOULD GIVE ANYTHING NOT TO BE HERE WITH YOU NOW, ANYTHING. BRU, HOW LONG HAVE WE KNOWN EACH OTHER? SIXTEEN YEARS, THAT'S HOW LONG, SIXTEEN YEARS. YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN YOURSELF THEN. YOU SEEMED WALKED OU OF A WHEATIES BOX. AND ME, ALL SWEATY PALMED AND DEADLY SERIOUS. I TOLD EVERYBODY ABOUT THIS DREAM I HAD OF CONQUERING THE NEW FRONTIER AND THEY ALL LOOKED AT ME LIKE I WAS NUTS. YOU LOOKED AT ME AND SAID, "YES". I REMEMBER WHEN YOU TOLD ME KAY WAS PREGNANT. WE EVEN WENT OUT AND GOT CROCKED. I REMEMBER WHEN CHARLES WAS BORN. WE WENT OUT AND GOT CROCKED AGAIN. THE TWO OF US, CAPTAIN TERRIFIC AND THE MAD DOCTOR TALKING ABOUT REACHING THE STARS AND THE BARTENDER TELLING US MAYBE WE'D HAD ENOUGH. SIXTEEN YEARS. AND THEN, ARMSTRONG, STEPPED OUT ON THE MOON AND WE CRIED. WE WERE SO PROUD. WILLIS, YOU AND WALKER, YOU CAME IN ABOUT THEN, BOTH BRIGHT AND TALENTED. LOOKED AT ME IN MY WASH AND WEAR SHIRT, CARRYING ON THIS HOT LOVE AFFAIR WITH MY SLIDE RULE AND EVEN YOU WERE CAUGHT UP IN WHAT WE'D DONE. I REMEMBER WHEN GLENN MADE HIS FIRST ORBIT IN MERCURY. THEY PUT UP TELEVISION SETS IN GRAND CENTRAL STATION, AND TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE MISSED THEIR TRAINS TO WATCH. YOU KNOW, WHEN APOLLO SEVENTEEN LANDED ON THE MOON, PEOPLE WERE CALLIN' UP THE NETWORKS AND BITCHIN' BECAUSE RERUNS OF I LOVE LUCY WERE CANCELED. RERUNS, FOR CHRISSAKE! I CAN UNDERSTAND IF IT WAS THE NEW LUCY SHOW. I MEAN, WHAT THE HELL IS A WALK ON THE MOON? BUT RERUNS? OH, JESUS! AND THEN, SUDDENLY, EVERYBODY STARTED TALKING ABOUT HOW MUCH EVERYTHING COST. WAS IT REALLY WORTH TWENTY BILLION TO GO TO ANOTHER PLANET? WHAT ABOUT CANCER? WHAT ABOU THE SLUMS? HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? HOW MUCH DOES ANY DREAM COST? FOR CHRISSAKE! SINCE WHEN IS THERE AN ACCOUNTAN FOR IDEAS? YOU KNOW WHO WAS AT THE LAUNCH TODAY? NOT THE PRESIDENT, THE VICE PRESIDENT, THAT'S WHO. THE VICE PRESIDEN AND HIS PLUMP WIFE. THE PRESIDENT WAS BUSY. HE'S NOT BUSY. HE'S JUST A LITTLE BIT SCARED. HE SAT THERE TWO MONTHS AGO AND PUT HIS FEET UP ON WOODROW WILSON DESK. AND HE SAID, "JIM... MAKE IT GOOD. CONGRESS IS ON MY BACK. THEY'RE LOOKING FOR A REASON TO CANCEL THE PROGRAM. WE CAN'T AFFORD ANOTHER SCREW-UP! MAKE IT GOOD! YOU HAVE MY EVERY GOOD WISH." HIS EVERY GOOD WISH. I GOT HIS SANCTIMONIOUS VICE PRESIDENT, THAT'S WHAT I GOT! AND SO THERE WE ARE, AFTER ALL THOSE HOPES AND ALL THAT DREAMING. HE SITS THERE WITH THOSE FLAGS BEHIND HIS CHAIR AND TELLS WE CAN'T AFFORD A SCREW-UP. AND GUESS WHAT? WE HAD A SCREW-UP. A FIRST-CLASS, BONAFIDE, MADE-IN-AMERICA SCREW-UP! THE NICE PEOPLE FROM CON-AMALGAMATE DELIVERED A LIFE-SUPPORT SYSTEM CHEAP ENOUGH SO THEY COULD MAKE A PROFIT ON THE DEAL. WORKS OUT FINE FOR EVERYBODY. CON-AMALGAMATE MAKES MONEY, WE HAVE OUR LIFE-SUPPORT SYSTEM, EVERYTHING IS PEACHY! EXCEPT THEY MADE A LITTLE BI TOO MUCH PROFIT. WE FOUND OUT TWO MONTHS AGO, IT WON'T WORK. YOU GUYS WOULD ALL BE DEAD IN THREE WEEKS. IT'S AS SIMPLE AS THAT. SO ALL I HAVE TO DO IS REPORT THA AND SCRUB THE MISSION. CONGRESS HAS ITS EXCUSE, THE PRESIDENT STILL HAS HIS DESK AND WE HAVE NO MORE PROGRAM. WHAT'S SIXTEEN YEARS? AN ACTUAL DROP IN THE BUCKET! ALL RIGHT, THAT'S THE END OF THE SPEECH. NOW, WE'RE GETTING TO WHAT THEY CALL THE MOMENT OF THE TRUTH. COME WITH ME, I WANNA SHOW YOU SOMETHING. ROGER, HOUSTON. TMI BURN TIME WILL BE 5 MINS. 45 SECS. ROGER, CAPRICORN. DELTA VAPOR BURN TIME 3.3 SECS. THERE'S A DOOR HERE. I'M GONNA OPEN I AND WALK INTO ANOTHER AREA. IF YOU FOLLOW ME, YOU'LL SEE A BIT MORE. I'LL ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS AND... AND WE'RE GOING TO... WHY DON'T YOU JUST FOLLOW ME? YOU DON'T REALLY THINK YOU'RE GONNA GET AWAY WITH THIS? WELL, I DON'T KNOW, IT'S A CHANCE. MAYBE IT'S NOT A VERY GOOD ONE, BUT IT'S A CHANCE. WHO KNOWS ABOUT THIS? ALMOST NOBODY. HOUSTON IS MONITORING THE ACTUAL FLIGHT. ALL THE TELEMETRY IS COMING FROM THE COMMAND MODULE, SO ARE YOUR VOICES AND MEDICAL DATA. WE RECORDED EVERYTHING FROM THE PRACTICE SIMULATIONS. THEY DON'T KNOW. ALL WE NEED FROM YOU IS THE ACTUAL TELEVISION TRANSMISSIONS DURNIG THE FLIGHT AND THE MARS LANDING, THAT'S ALL. JUST THE TELEVISION TRANSMISSIONS. THAT'S ALL? JUST THE TELEVISION TRANSMISSIONS. WE INSERTED A CHANGE IN THE ONBOARD COMPUTER, SO THE SPACECRAFT WILL LAND TWO HUNDRED MILES OFF TARGE WHEN IT RETURNS TO EARTH. YOU'LL BE FLOWN TO AN ISLAND NEAR THAT POINT. FROM THERE YOU'LL BE TRANSFERRED TO A HELICOPTER. THE HELICOPTER WILL FLY YOU TO THE SPACE CAPSULE AND YOU'LL BE PUT INSIDE. IT'LL TAKE THE RECOVERY FORCES A MINIMUM OF AN HOUR AND A HALF TO REACH THE SPLASHDOWN SITE. BY THEN, YOU'LL BE INSIDE THE CAPSULE. WHEN THE PRIME RECOVERY CARRIER ARRIVES, THEY'LL FIND YOU INSIDE THE CAPSULE AND TAKE YOU OUT OF THE SPACECRAFT. YOU'VE THOUGHT OF EVERYTHING. I DON'T KNOW. I HOPE SO. OF COURSE, YOU'RE SURE WE'LL GO ALONG, RIGHT? NO, I'M NOT. WHAT IF WE SAY NO? I DON'T KNOW. DON'T SAY NO. WHEN DOES ALLEN FUNT COME RUNNING IN AND TELL US WE'RE ON CANDID CAMERA? JESUS! YOU THINK I LIKE THIS? YOU THINK I REALLY BELIEVE I'M STANDING HERE IN THIS CRAZINESS TELLING YOU ABOUT PATCHING AND TAPE RECORDINGS AND TELEMETRY AND AN ISLAND TWO HUNDRED MILES FROM THE TARGET ZONE? I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE HELL I'M DOING, EITHER! I JUST CASE SO GODDAMN MUCH, I THINK IT'S WORTH IT. I'M NOT EVEN SURE OF THAT. I JUST THINK IT. I THINK I'M GONNA THROW UP. WELL, THAT'LL SOLVE EVERYTHING. WELL, WHAT'S THIS ALL GONNA SOLVE? IT'LL KEEP SOMETHING ALIVE THAT SHOULDN'T DIE! BEFORE YOU ALL BEGIN TO MORALIZE, YOU TAKE A LOOK AROUND. YOU LOOK AT WHAT WE'VE DONE AND HOW MUCH MORE WE CAN DO. YOU LOOK AT WHAT WE'VE MEAN TO THIS COUNTRY. NOBODY GIVES A CRAP ABOUT ANYTHING ANYMORE. PEOPLE CLOSE THEIR GARAGES, AND TRIPLE LOCK THEIR DOORS, THEY HIDE UNDER THE BEDS, THEY EVEN, THEY'RE EVEN AFRAID TO TURN ON THEIR TELEVISION SETS FOR FEAR OF WHAT THEY MIGHT FIND OU IN THE EVENING NEWS. THERE'S NOTHING MORE TO BELIEVE IN. NOW, YOU WANNA BLOW THIS WHOLE THING WIDE OPEN? GOD KNOWS WHAT IT MIGHT DO TO EVERYBODY. I'M SORRY. I'M SO GODDAMN SORRY. I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO. I'M HANGING ON BY MY FINGERNAILS, JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE. GO ON, YOU, YOU WANNA BE THE ONES WHO GIVE EVERYONE ANOTHER REASON TO GIVE UP? GO ON! THIS IS REALLY WONDERFUL. WE GO ALONG WITH YOU AND LIE OUR ASSES OFF, AND THE WORLD OF TRUTH AND IDEALS IS... PROTECTED. BUT WE DON'T WANNA TAKE PART IN SOME GIANT RIPE-OFF OF YOURS AND SOME HOW OR OTHER WE'RE MANAGING TO RUIN THE COUNTRY. YOU'RE PRETTY GOOD, JIM. I'LL GIVE YOU THAT. NOW, NOW, NOW, YOU'RE TWISTING MY WORDS. DON'T SELL YOURSELF SHORT! DON'T SELL THE PROGRAM SHORT! DON'T OVERSELL IT. I'M NOT SO SURE THAT CANCELING A FLIGH OR CUTTING OFF APPROPRIATIONS MEANS AMERICA FOLDS UP. IT'S NOT AS SIMPLE AS THA AND YOU KNOW IT! I DON'T KNOW IT. IF THE ONLY WAY TO KEEP SOMETHING ALIVE IS TO BECOME EVERYTHING I HATE, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S WORTH KEEPING IT ALIVE. PLEASE, BRU, DON'T TALK LIKE THAT. WHAT THE HELL'S THE MATTER WITH YOU, 'PLEASE, BRU, DON'T TALK LIKE THAT? ' I DON'T THINK THIS IS RIGHT! ALL THE REST IS BULLSHIT! YOU HAVE TO HELP! WHAT DO YOU MEAN I HAVE TO? YOU HAVE TO HELP! AND WHAT IF I DON'T? PLEASE, DON'T PUT ME IN A CORNER. YOU'RE CRAZY. YOU KNOW THAT? YOU ARE CRAZY! YOU'VE GOT US IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS NUTHOUSE! AND YOU DON'T WANNA BE PU IN A CORNER? YOUR FAMILIES! WHAT ABOUT OUR FAMILIES? PLEASE, YOU HAVE TO HELP! WHAT ABOUT OUR FAMILIES? YOU HAVE TO HELP! SHIT, THIS THING IS OUTTA MY HANDS! YOU THINK IT'S ALL A COUPLE OF LOONEY SCIENTISTS? IT'S NOT! IT'S BIGGER! THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE, FORCES OUT THERE, WHO HAVE A LOT TO LOSE! THEY ARE GROWN-UPS! IT'S GOTTEN TOO BIG! IT'S IN THE HANDS OF GROWN-UPS! WHAT ABOUT OUR FAMILIES? THEY ARE FLYING BACK FROM THE CAPE TO HOUSTON! THEY ARE ALL ON THE PLANE! NAW, YOU'RE NOT SERIOUS. PLEASE, BRU, DON'T MAKE ME! YOU SON-OF-A-BITCH, TELL ME! THEY'RE ON THE PLANE TOGETHER! YOU WANT IT IN WRITING? THERE'S A DEVICE! IT'S ON THE PLANE! THERE'S SOME PEOPLE...! IF I DON'T GIVE THE 'ALL CLEAR' SIGNAL THEY'LL EXPLODE IT! DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND? IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE LIKE THIS! YOU HAVE TO HELP! IT'S GOTTEN OUTTA CONTROL! IT'S TOO BIG! YOU WOULDN'T. TELL ME YOU WOULDN'T. I, I CAN'T TELL YOU THAT, BRU. THIS COFFEE IS HORRIBLE. IT'S NOT THAT BAD. IT IS. IT'S THAT BAD. DON'T DRINK IT. I'M ALWAYS UNWRAPPING THINGS. I WAKE UP AND TAKE THE CELLOPHANE OFF THE DRINK GLASS. THE SOAPS IN THE HOLIDAY INN WRAPPER, EVEN THE TOILET HAS A PAPER BAND ON I WITH A NICE LITTLE NOTE FROM THE HOTEL SAYING THEY PUT THE BAND ON THE TOILE FOR MY PROTECTION. I'M AFRAID THAT IF I STAY IN BED TOO LONG, THE MAID WALKS IN THE ROOM AND SURROUND ME AND THE BREADSPREAD WITH A PAPER BAND. I DON'T MIND. YOU WAIT. AFTER A WHILE YOU WON' KNOW WHAT CITY YOU ARE IN. I DEFY ANYONE TO TELL ME THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE HOLIDAY INN IN HOUSTON AND THE HOLIDAY INN IN CINCINNATI. THE ROOMS ARE THE SAME. THE MUSIC IN THE ELEVATORS IS THE SAME, EVEN THE LADIES WITH TOO MUCH MAKEUP IN THE COFFEE SHOP ARE THE SAME. YOU NEVER KNOW WHERE YOU ARE UNTIL AFTER BREAKFAST, WHEN YOU READ THE PAPER. I DON'T MIND IT. WELL, I DON'T MIND IT THAT MUCH, EITHER. IT'S JUST THAT I WOULD LIKE IT ALL TO BE WITH SOMEONE I CARE FOR, SOMEONE I COULD SHARE IT WITH. BULLSHIT. YOU'RE SO DAMN CYNICAL. I'M NOT CYNICAL. IT'S JUST THAT YOUR AC COULD USE A LITTLE POLISH. WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT? LIZ HALLER, FOR STARTER. IT WAS AT THE CALIFORNIA PRIMARY? I BELIEVE YOU USED THE ONE ABOUT BOTH WITNESSING TO THE UNFOLDING OF HISTORY. YOU'VE GOT TO ADMIT IT'S BETTER THAN SOAP WRAPPERS. YOU THINK ALL I WANNA DO IS JUMP YOU. YES. YOU WOULDN'T KNOW SINCERITY IF IT RAN OVER YOU. NOT IF YOU WERE DRIVING IT. I'M GLAD I'M NOT LIKE YOU. I HAVE BETTER LEGS. OKAY, I GIVE UP. DON'T GIVE UP SO EASILY, JUST CHANGE YOUR APPROACH. WHAT APPROACH WOULD YOU LIKE? HOW ABOUT SOMETHING LIKE, UH, 'I WOULD LIKE TO JUMP YOU'? THINK THAT WOULD WORK? IT HAS MORE CHANCE THAN WANTING TO SHARE A LIFE TOGETHER. I WOULD LIKE TO JUMP YOU. GO JUMP YOURSELF. I'M SORRY THAT YOU HAD TO WAIT OUTSIDE THE HOUSE ALL DAY LIKE THIS. THERE IS NOT MUCH THAT I CAN SAY EXCEPT THA I'M VERY EXCITED AND PROUD. EVERYTHING SEEMS TO BE GOING SMOOTHLY. DR. KELLOWAY CALLED TO SAY THAT BRU AND THE CREW WERE IN EXCELLENT SPIRITS. HOW HAS ALL THIS DISRUPTED YOUR FAMILY ROUTINE? TERRIFIC QUESTION. SHOVE IT! WELL, THE CHILDREN WILL CONTINUE TO GO TO SCHOOL AND WE'LL TRY TO MAINTAIN A NORMAL EXISTENCE. I SUPPOSE THAT'S ALL THAT I HAVE TO SAY. THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING. UH, I JUST CAME OUT TO SAY HELLO AND GO BACK INSIDE NOW. THANK YOU. GOODBYE. DR. BERGEN? YES, ELLIOT? I WONDER IF I COULD TALK TO YOU FOR A MOMENT. WHAT IS IT? WELL, THERE'S SOMETHIN'... I HAVE A PROBLEM, SIR. OH, ARE YOU FEELING ALL RIGHT? OH, YES, SIR. IT'S THE READOUT. WHAT ABOUT THE READOUT? WELL, I, I JUST CAN'T FIGURE SOMETHING OUT. WELL, PERHAPS I CAN BE OF SOME HELP. WELL, I HOPE SO. SEE, I RAN A CHECK ON THE TRANSMISSION, ON MY OWN ON THE SIGNALS. ON YOUR OWN? YES, SIR. I LIKE YOUR DEDICATION. THE READOUT... THE TELEVISION SIGNALS ARE COMING IN AHEAD OF THE SPACECRAFT SIGNALS. IT'S LIKE THEY'RE CLOSER OR SOMETHING. OH, THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE. THERE MUST BE SOME MALFUNCTION IN YOUR EQUIPMENT. WELL, I DON'T THINK SO, DR. BERGEN. YOU SEE, I DOUBLED CHECKED THAT CONSOLE. WHICH CONSOLE ARE YOU ON? THIRTY-SIX, SIR. WELL, THAT'S THE ANSWER. WE'VE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE CIRCUITRY ON THIRTY-SIX. WE'VE HAD TROUBLE WITH IT BEFORE. I'LL MAKE SURE IT'S REPAIRED AND, THANK YOU FOR SHOWING ME THE PROBLEM. YOU HAVE INITIATIVE, I LIKE THAT. THIS IS PAUL CUNNINGHAM. CAPRICORN CONTROL. WE ARE AT TPLUS ONE 131 DAYS 4 HRS. 15 MINS. INTO THE FLIGHT. 5 MINS. FROM LANDING. THE WIVES OF THE FLIGHT CREW ARRIVED AT MISSION CONTROL AT 2.31 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME. IN JUST A FEW MINUTES WE SHOULD BE RECEIVING A SIGNAL FROM THE SPACECRAFT. IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT IT TAKES 21 MINS. FOR THE SIGNAL FROM MARS TO REACH EARTH. WE HAVE NO WAY OF COMMUNICATING WITH CAPRICORN ONE AND WHAT WE WILL SEE ACTUALLY HAPPENED 21 MINS. AGO. THIS IS CAPRICORN CONTROL. WE'RE GETTING SOMETHING NOW. WE ARE CHANGING TO A SECONDARY FREQUENCY. HOUSTON, THIS IS CAPRICORN ONE. CM-LM SEPARATION WAS NORMAL. I HAVE CM VISUAL CONTAC THROUGH PORT WINDOW. DELTA-VBURN TIME: 3.3 SECS. 3.3 SECS. BURN IS CORRECT. WE SHOULD BE HEARING FROM THE CM... SOON. HOUSTON, THIS IS CAPRICORN CM. JUST WAIT. I SEE THE LM. 5 MINS. AFTER THE LANDING, THAT ASSHOLE PRICE'LL BE CALLIN' TO TELL ME HOW PLEASED THE PRESIDENT IS. IF OUR DATA IS CORRECT, THEIR ALTITUDE IS 2.2 MILES, PITCH ANGLE, 20 DEGREES. VERTICAL DESCENT 44.6 FEET PER SECOND. WE HAVE PASSED LOW GATE. ALTITUDE: 950 FEET. LOOKING GOOD. 15 SECS. 15 SECS. 10 SECS. 10 SECS. NINE... EIGHT... SEVEN... SIX... FIVE... FOUR... THREE... TWO... ONE... ZERO. HOUSTON, THIS IS CAPRICORN ONE. WE HAVE LANDED. YES? VICE PRESIDENT PRICE ON THE LINE. HELLO. HELLO, MR. VICE PRESIDENT. YES, IT'S WONDERFUL, ISN'T IT? PROUD MOMENT FOR ALL AMERICANS. YOU CAN TELL THE PRESIDEN THAT'S VERY GRACIOUS OF HIM. I APPRECIATE IT, I REALLY DO. THANK YOU. AND MY VERY BEST TO YOUR LOVELY WIFE. YES. GOODBYE. ASSHOLE. DR., I WONDER IF I CAN SPEAK TO YOU FOR A MOMENT. CERTAINLY, WHAT SEEMS TO BE THE PROBLEM? WELL, I JUST CAN'T FIGURE SOMETHING OUT, SIR. WHAT IS THAT? WELL, I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE, BUT IT'S THE READOUT. I TOLD DR. BERGEN ABOUT IT A LONG TIME AND HE SAID IT WAS IN THE CONSOLE. I'D LIKE YOU TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT. WELL, WHAT CONSOLE ARE YOU ON? TELEMETRY, SIR, THIRTY-SIX. OH, YES, DR. BERGEN TOLD ME ABOUT THAT. WE HAD THAT CONSOLE REPAIRED. I KNOW, SIR, IT'S JUST... I KEEP ON HAVING THE SAME READOUTS. WELL, WHAT READOUT? WELL, SIR, I RAN A PROGRAM ON MY OWN JUST TO CHECK SOMETHING AND THE READOUT IS DIFFERENT. YOU RAN YOUR OWN PROGRAM? YES, SIR, AND... I DON'T THINK IT'S THE CONSOLE. WELL, WE'LL HAVE IT SHUT DOWN AND I'LL SEE THAT IT'S SERVICED. THANK YOU, ELLIOT, FOR BRINGING THE MATTER TO MY ATTENTION. YOU'RE WELCOME, SIR. THIS IS PAUL CUNNINGHAM, CAPRICORN CONTROL. THE FLIGHT DIRECTOR ADVISES THA THE LM CREW HAS BEEN GIVEN A GO FOR THE FIRST DVA ON THE MARTIAN SURFACE. BECAUSE THE TIME DELAY WOULD MAKE A CONVERSATION IMPOSSIBLE, THE CREW HAS TAKEN A PRERECORDED MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT WITH THEM. THIS IS CAPRICORN CONTROL. HOUSTON, WE'RE ACTIVATING THE CAMERA. ROGER, CAPRICORN. HOUSTON, YOU SHOULD HAVE A PICTURE NOW. WE HAVE A PRETTY GOOD PICTURE NOW. HOUSTON, I AM OUTTA THE HATCH. I AM ON THE LADDER. HOUSTON, THE SUIT IS FUNCTIONAL. THE LADDER IS STEADY. I AM THREE STEPS FROM THE BOTTOM. I'M TWO STEPS FROM THE BOTTOM. HOUSTON, I'M ON THE BOTTOM STEP. HOUSTON, I AM GONNA SET FOO ON THE SURFACE. READY SLOW-MO. I TAKE THIS STEP IN THE JOURNEY OF PEACE FOR ALL MANKIND. TAKE SLOW-MO! HOUSTON, I AM ON THE SURFACE. ROGER, CAPRICORN. WE COPY. I AM STARTING TO WALK NOW. HOUSTON, THE SURFACE IS SOLID. VISIBILITY IS GOOD. I'M WALKING TOWARD THE CAMERA NOW. THE FOOTING IS SOLID. SURFACE SEEMS POWDERY. I AM PICKING UP THE CAMERA NOW. I HAVE THE CAMERA. THE PICTURE WILL GET SHAKY FOR A WHILE. THE FOOTING IS GOOD. HOUSTON, I AM SETTING THE CAMERA DOWN NOW. THE ROCKS SEEM VERY POROUS. HOUSTON, I AM OUTSIDE THE HATCH. HOUSTON, I AM ON THE LADDER. READY SLOW-MO. HOUSTON, I'M STEPPING ONTO THE SURFACE TAKE SLOW-MO! HOUSTON, I AM ON THE SURFACE. WE ARE GOING TO SET THE FLAG ON THE SURFACE. WE DO NOT CLAIM THIS PLANE IN THE NAME OF AMERICA. WE CLAIM IT IN THE NAME OF ALL THE THE PEOPLE OF THE PLANET EARTH. WE HOPE THAT OUR VISIT WILL INCREASE THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE HUMAN RACE. WALKER SHOULD BE ACTIVATING THE TAPE SOON WITH THE PRERECORDED MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT. HOUSTON, I AM STARTING THE TAPE. "TO THE MEN OF CAPRICORN ONE. I BRING YOU GREETINGS FROM YOUR FELLOW AMERICANS AND ALL THE CITIZENS OF THE WORLD." YOU ARE SO FAR AWAY. IT TAKES LIGHT MORE THAN 20 MIN. TO REACH YOU FROM HERE. ONE COULD SAY NOT ONLY LIGHT, ONE COULD SAY TIME. YOU ARE IN ANOTHER TIME FROM US, THE FUTURE. WE WILL NEVER BE THE SAME, FOR THIS MOMEN MORE THAN ANY MOMEN IN OUR HISTORY, HAS MADE ALL OF THE PEOPLE IN THE WORLD REALIZE THAT WE ARE PART OF THE PLANET, THAT IS PART OF THE SYSTEM, THAT IS PART OF THE UNIVERSE. WE ARE A SMALL ENERGETIC SPECIES, CAPABLE OF PETTINESS, YET CAPABLE OF BRILLIANCE. WE KNOW HOW BAD WE CAN BE, NOW YOU, THE MEN OF CAPRICORN ONE, HAVE SHOWN US HOW WONDERFUL WE CAN BE BY SHOWING US HOW HIGH WE CAN REACH. YOU HAVE CROSSED THE LAST GREAT FRONTIER AND YOU HAVE SHOWN US WHAT WE ARE: PEOPLE. OF DIFFERENT COLORS AND RELIGIONS AND IDEOLOGIES, HOWEVER, A SINGLE PEOPLE. YOU ARE THE BASIC TRUTH IN US. YOU ARE THE REALITY. WE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN AND WE WILL ALWAYS BE GRATEFUL." I HAVE DECIDED AFTER A CAREFUL DELIBERATION AND A PAINFUL SOUL-SEARCHING TO GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO WIN YOUR 50 DOLLARS BACK. I DON'T FEEL LIKE PLAYING. EIGHT BALL, FIVE DOLLARS A GAME. I DON'T FEEL LIKE IT. 10 DOLLARS. I'M SERIOUS. SO AM I. I'LL EVEN LET YOU BREAK. CAN A PERSON BE MORE SERIOUS? YOU'RE DRUNK. I KNEW THERE WAS A REASON I WAS FEELING THIS GOOD. I NEED A DRINK. UNDERNEATH THAT WASH AND WEAR SHIRT, YOU HAVE SOME HEART. IT MAY BE SANFORIZED, BUT IT'S A HEART. MIKE? YOU SAID I BREAK. I MUST'A' BEEN DRUNK. HARD DAY AT THE OFFICE, DEAR? I DON'T WANNA TALK ABOUT IT. DID YOU BREAK YOUR SLIDE RULE? I'M NOT REALLY SURE. I RAN A CHECK ON MY OWN TRANSMISSIONS SIGNALS. THE NUMBERS CAME UP SCREWY, SO I TOLD DR. BERGEN ABOUT IT. IT WAS LIKE HE WAS PISSED AT ME FOR RUNNING A CHECK. HE SAID IT MUST BE A CONSOLE MALFUNCTIONING. SO I TOLD DR. KELLOWAY ABOUT I AND HE SAID THE SAME THING. BIG DEAL. WHAT DID YOU EXPECT, A MERIT BADGE? I GUESS SO. THEY MUST KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING. THOSE NUMBERS COULDN'T HAVE BEEN RIGHT ANYWAY. NO WAY. IF YOU KNOW THE NUMBERS COULDN'T HAVE BEEN RIGHT, WHY ARE YOU SO UPSET? IT WAS THE WAY THEY REACTED. NO DOUBLE CHECK OR ANYTHING. THEY LOOKED AT ME LIKE I WAS A KID AND OFFERED ME A COOKIE. WHAT WERE THE NUMBERS? I HAVE TO ADMIT IT IS RIDICULOUS. GOOD, LET'S PLAY POOL. THOSE SIGNALS COULDN'T HAVE COME FROM 300 MILES. WHICH SIGNALS? THE TELEVISION TRANSMISSION. I THINK I JUST SOBERED UP. WOULD YOU TELL ME WHAT YOU JUST TOLD ME AGAIN? HEY, CAULFIELD, TELEPHONE. HELLO? YES, THIS IS CAULFIELD. WHAT? I'M SORRY, YOU'LL HAVE TO SPEAK MORE CLEARLY. I THINK WE HAVE A BAD CONNECTION OR SOMETHING. I CAN'T HEAR YOU. WHO? I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU WANT. LOOK, IF YOU CALL THE ASSIGNMENT DESK, THEY'LL BE GLAD TO SEND SOMEONE OVER TO COVER THAT FOR YOU. YES, ASK FOR THE ASSIGNMENT DESK. ASSIGNMENT. THAT'S RIGHT. YOU'RE WELCOME. ANYBODY HUNGRY? NO. OH, THE MARVELS OF AMERICAN SCIENCE. HERE WE ARE, MILLIONS OF MILES FROM THE EARTH AND WE CAN STILL SEND OUT FOR A PIZZA. I'M NOT GONNA DO IT. NOT GONNA DO WHAT? TOMORROW, I'M NOT GONNA SI IN THIS THING AND TALK TO MY WIFE AND TELL HER EVERYTHING IS GOING FINE. I'M NOT GONNA DO IT. I TRIED. I GOT TWO LITTLE KIDS WITH BIG BRIGHT EYES. AND I USED TO TELL THEM THEIR DADDY WAS GONNA MAKE THEM PROUD OF HIM LIKE HE WAS OF THEM. AND NOW I GOTTA GO HOME, I GOTTA KISS THEM AND GOTTA LOOK IN THEIR EYES AND TELL THEM I REALLY DID THIS? I DON'T KNOW. MAYBE THAT'S BETTER THA TELLING THEM I REALLY DIDN'T DO IT. I WISH I KNEW WHAT WAS RIGHT. I REALLY DON'T. WE'VE BEEN SITTING AROUND HERE FOR MONTHS, TELLING THEIR LIES FOR THEM. AND I DON'T WANNA DO IT ANYMORE. OKAY, SO WE GO AND BLOW THE WHOLE THING TOMORROW, ON NATIONAL TV, THEN WHAT HAVE WE DONE? WE'D SCREW UP A LOTTA PEOPLE'S DINNER. WE'VE ALREADY SCREWED OURSELVES. OKAY, SO WHAT DO WE ACCOMPLISH BY SCREWING EVERYBODY ELSE? HE'S GOT A POINT THERE, YOU KNOW. WE WENT ALONG WITH THIS FOR YOU. YOU AND OUR FAMILIES. NOW YOU WANNA GO OUT IN SOME TERRIFIC BLAZE OF GLORY? AND WE GET PULVERIZED IN THE PROCESS? AND OUR FAMILIES? WHAT ABOUT OUR FAMILIES? I KNOW! I KNOW. SHIT! THAT'S THE BEST THING I'VE HEARD ANYBODY SAY IN THREE WEEKS. WHAT'S THE BEST THING? SHIT. I JUST DON'T THINK I CAN DO IT. GET ME DR. KELLOWAY. WHY, ALL OF A SUDDEN, ARE WE STANDING UP FOR THE BAD GUYS AND YOU'RE ON THE SIDE OF TRUTH AND JUSTICE? WE MAY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH BRUBAKER TOMORROW. I WISH I HAD THE WORDS. DAMN THE WORDS, BRU! THESE PEOPLE... THEY'RE CAPABLE OF ANYTHING. AND WE GOT OUR FAMILIES OUT THERE. NOW, WE'RE IN THIS THING AND I THINK WE'RE IN TOO DEEP TO STOP NOW. NO ONE OS US IS GONNA DECIDE. IT'S GOT TO BE ALL OF US. OPERATOR, I'M TRYING A NUMBER NOW FOR OVER AN HOUR AND IT'S BUSY. WOULD YOU KINDLY CHECK TO SEE IF IT'S OUT OF ORDER? I KNOW YOU DON'T DO THAT. YES, IT'S AN EMERGENCY. THANK YOU. 8733657. NO, 3657, MR. ELLIOT WHITTER. OUT OF ORDER? THANK YOU VERY MUCH, OPERATOR. THIS IS PAUL CUNNINGHAM, CAPRICORN CONTROL. WE ARE A TPLUS 223 DAYS 6 HRS. 32 MINS. ALL SYSTEMS ARE GO. ALL LIGHTS ARE GREEN. WE ARE AWAITING THE START OF THE FINAL TELEVISION TRANSMISSIONS FROM THE COMMAND MODULE ON ITS RETURN TO EARTH. THIS IS SPECIFICALLY A CONVERSATION BETWEEN THE CREW AND THEIR WIVES. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THE CREW HAS BEEN CLOSE ENOUGH TO EARTH TO MAKE NORMAL CONVERSATION FEASIBLE. THIS IS CAPRICORN CONTROL. CAPRICORN ONE, THIS IS HOUSTON. CAPRICORN ONE, THIS IS HOUSTON. ROGER, HOUSTON, THIS IS CAPRICORN ONE. HOUSTON, DO YOU HAVE A PICTURE? ROGER, CAPRICORN, WE HAVE A PICTURE. WE HAVE THREE ANXIOUS LADIES HERE WHO WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO YOU. ROGER, HOUSTON. WE'D SURE LIKE TO TALK TO THEM. OKAY, GO AHEAD, BUT KEEP IT SHORT. REMEMBER, THIS IS LONG DISTANCE. JACK? JACK, IT'S BETTY. HEY, BETTY, HOW ARE YOU? YOU LOOK FINE. THANKS. YOU KNOW WE CAN'T SEE YOU UP HERE, BUT YOU SURE SOUND TERRIFIC. I MISS YOU. SO DO THE KIDS. OKAY, I MISS THEM TOO, MORE THAN YOU ALL KNOW. PETER? IT'S SHARON. I TOLD YOU NEVER TO CALL ME HERE. ARE YOU FEELING WELL? I'M FEELING VERY WELL. HOW'S SANDY? WELL, SHE'S GOT THE PART OF WENDY IN HER SCHOOL PLAY. THEY'RE DOING PETER PAN. THAT'S TERRIFIC. YOU SOUND SO CLOSE. IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE YOU REALLY ARE THAT FAR AWAY IN SPACE. IT'S HARD FOR ME TO BELIEVE IT, TOO. BRU? HELLO, KAY. WE'RE ALL SO PROUD OF YOU. CAN YOU HEAR ME, BRU? YES. I'M NOT SURE OF BRUBAKER. KEEP WATCHING. BRU? I HAVE A SURPRISE FOR YOU. WHAT? I SAID I HAVE A SURPRISE FOR YOU. WHAT IS IT? CHARLES WROTE A COMPOSITION IN SCHOOL AND HE WON AN AWARD. MAY I READ IT TO YOU? BRU, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES... PLEASE, READ IT TO ME. IT DOESN'T LOOK GOOD. DO I CUT THE TRANSMISSION? NOT UNTIL I TELL YOU. 'MY FATHER, BY CHARLES BRUBAKER, JR.' 'MY FATHER IS FAR AWAY FROM ME NOW. HE IS FLYING TO MARS. I MISS HIM VERY MUCH. I ALWAYS MISS HIM WHEN HE GOES AWAY. I'M NOT SAD, THOUGH. I USED TO BE SAD WHEN HE WENT AWAY. ONE DAY HE TOLD ME THAT PEOPLE CAN'T LIVE ONLY FOR THEMSELVES. HE SAID HE WAS TRYING TO DO SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE GOOD FOR EVERYBODY. I KNOW THAT IS WHA HE IS DOING NOW. HE IS DOING SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY, TO GIVE THEM A BETTER LIFE. THAT MEANS HE IS DOING SOMETHING FOR ME, TOO. SO EVEN THOUGH HE IS FAR AWAY, HE IS THINKING ABOUT ME AND I AM WITH HIM. THAT IS WHY I'M NOT SAD. THAT IS WHY I'M SO PROUD OF MY DAD. I LOVE HIM SO MUCH.' KAY. WHAT IS IT? THERE'S SOMETHING I... I WANNA SAY. BRU? WHAT IS IT? NOT UNTIL I TELL YOU. I KNOW THIS HASN'T BEEN EASY FOR YOU AND THE KIDS. I WANT YOU TO KNOW I LOVE YOU. TELL CHARLES THANKS FOR THE COMPOSITION, PLEASE. I WILL. TELL HIM WHEN I GET BACK, I'M GONNA TAKE HIM TO YOSEMITE AGAIN, LIKE LAST SUMMER. I WILL. AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I LOVE YOU. VERY MUCH. TIME'S UP, GENTLEMEN. ROGER, HOUSTON. THE NEXT TIME WE SEE YOU, YOU'LL BE ON THE WAY HOME. ROGER. WELL DONE, CAPRICORN. YES? IS WHITTER IN? TELL HIM IT'S CAULFIELD. WHO? WHITTER. ELLIOT WHITTER. THERE'S NO ONE HERE BY THAT NAME. YOU MUST HAVE THE WRONG APARTMENT. WELL, THIS IS APARTMENT 228, ISN'T IT? YEAH. OH, YOU PROBABLY HAVE THE WRONG BUILDING. YOU KNOW, THEY ARE ALL SORTA LOOK ALIKE. YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT. THIS IS 4311 CLARIDGE, ISN'T IT? YEAH, IT IS. ELLIOT WHITTER LIVES AT 4311 CLARIDGE, IN APARTMENT 228. IS THIS A JOKE? LOOK, I'VE BEEN HERE A MILLION TIMES. ELLIOT'S A FRIEND OF MINE AND HE LIVES IN THIS APARTMENT! LOOK, MISTER..., WHOEVER YOU ARE. I'M CLEANING AN OVEN. IT'S MY OVEN. IT'S IN MY KITCHEN. IN MY APARTMENT. IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'D LIKE TO GET BACK TO IT. WAIT A MINUTE! JUST WAIT! LOOK, I'M NO A CRAZY PERSON AND I'M NOT A MUGGER! I'M LOOKING FOR MY FRIEND AND HE LIVES IN THIS APARTMENT! I SWEAR IT! WOULD YOU GET YOUR FOOT OUT OF MY DOOR OR I'M GONNA CALL THE POLICE! NOW I DON'T THINK THIS IS FUNNY ANYMORE! WAIT. I CAN PROVE I'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE. I KNOW THIS APARTMENT. NOW, WILL YOU GET OUTTA HERE, OR DO I HAVE TO CALL THE POLICE? THIS IS PAUL CUNNINGHAM, CAPRICORN CONTROL. WE ARE 259 DAYS 14 HRS. 12 MINS. INTO THE FLIGHT. ALL SYSTEMS ARE NORMAL. ALL LIGHTS ARE GREEN. THE PRIME RECOVERY SHIP, THE U.S.S. ORISKANY, IS IN POSITION. AN ON-TARGET LANDING SHOULD RESUL IN RECOVERY TIME OF 18 MINS. FROM SPLASH-DOWN TO THE OPENING OF THE HATCH. AFTER THE CREW DELIVERS ITS SPEECH ON THE ORISKANY DECK AND IS WELCOMED ABOARD BY CAPTAIN EARL MARKS, THEY'LL BE TAKEN BELOW DECK FOR A MEDICAL DEBRIEFING. TONIGHT, AT 8 O'CLOCK PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, THE CREW WILL ATTEND THE VICTORY BANQUET TOPPED BY A SPECIAL DESSERT, A 40 FEET RED CAKE, DEPICTING THE MARTIAN SURFACE. WE ARE 23 MINS. 12 SECS. FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE RE-ENTRY PHASE. THIS IS CAPRICORN CONTROL. WE HAVE A CHOPPER WAITING ON THE ISLAND TO TAKE YOU TO THE SPACECRAF WHEN IT SPLASHES DOWN. IT'LL TAKE THE ORISKANY ABOUT 1.30 HR. TO REACH YOU, SO THERE WON'T BE ANY RUSH. ALL LIGHTS ARE GREEN. ROGER. ALL GREEN. SEPARATION THRUSTER CHECK LIST? DE PROPULSOR? SEPARATION THRUSTER CHECK LIST. OUTBOARD THRUSTERS. OUTBOARD THRUSTERS ON. INBOARD THRUSTERS. INBOARD THRUSTERS ON. HOW WE DOIN'? WE MIGHT HAVE A SLIGHT PROBLEM, SIR. WHAT IS IT? THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT OFF TARGET. HOW FAR OFF? AS MUCH AS 200 MILES. THAT FAR? IT COULD TAKE UP TO 1.30 HR. FOR THE RECOVERY FORCES TO REACH THEM. KEEP ME POSTED. YES, SIR. SIX... FIVE... FOUR... THREE... TWO... CAPRICORN ONE, THIS IS HOUSTON. CAPRICORN ONE, WE SHOW RED ON THE HEAT SHIELD. DO YOU COPY? CAPRICORN ONE, THIS IS HOUSTON. WE SHOW RED ON THE HEAT SHIELD. DO YOU READ? CAPRICORN ONE, THIS IS HOUSTON. CAPRICORN ONE, THIS IS HOUSTON. WE SHOW RED ON THE HEAT SHIELD. DO YOU COPY? CAPRICORN ONE, THIS IS HOUSTON. CAPRICORN ONE, WE SHOW RED ON THE HEAT SHIELD. DO YOU COPY? CAPRICORN ONE... THAT IS, KELLOWAY. CAPRICORN ONE, THIS IS HOUSTON. DO YOU READ? CAPRICORN ONE, THIS IS HOUSTON. CAPRICORN ONE, WE SHOW RED ON THE HEAT SHIELD. DO YOU COPY? CAPRICORN ONE, THIS IS HOUSTON. CAPRICORN ONE, THIS IS HOUSTON. CAPRICORN ONE, THIS IS HOUSTON. CAPRICORN ONE, THIS IS HOUSTON. CAPRICORN, WE SHOW RED LIGHT ON THE HEAT SHIELD. DO YOU COPY? CAPRICORN ONE, THIS IS HOUSTON. THIS IS PAUL CUNNINGHAM, CAPRICORN CONTROL. WE ARE ADVISED THAT THERE APPEARS TO BE A MALFUNCTION. WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. WE WILL KEEP YOU ADVISED. THIS IS CAPRICORN CONTROL. CHARLES, TAKE SANDY AND GO INSIDE. MOM, WHAT'S... CHARLES, GO INSIDE NOW! MOM... CHARLES, I SAID RIGHT NOW! CAPRICORN ONE, THIS IS HOUSTON. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I HAVE A BRIEF STATEMEN AND THEN I WILL ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS. IT MUST HAVE BEEN RE-ENTRY. SOMETHING WENT WRONG DURING RE-ENTRY. WHY HAVEN'T THEY TOLD US ANYTHING? THEY DON'T WANT US TO KNOW WHAT WENT WRONG. WHAT WENT WRONG? WHE THE HELL IS KELLOWAY? WHERE THE HELL ARE WE? AT TPLUS 259 DAYS 15 HRS. 11 MINS. IN THE FLIGHT OF CAPRICORN ONE, WHICH IS 2 MINS. 18 SECS. AFTER INTERFACE, THE HEAT SHIELD LIGHT ON THE MISSION CONTROL MONITORING PANEL TURNED RED. WE... ARE DEAD. WHAT? WE'RE DEAD. SHIT, I WAS SUCH A TERRIFIC GUY! WE TRIED TO ESTABLISH RADIO CONTRACT, CONTACT WITH THE SPACECRAF AN WE WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. IT LANDED OFF COURSE. WHY HAVEN'T THEY SAID ANYTHING TO US? AND IF IT NEVER LANDED, EITHER THE HEAT SHIELD SEPARATED OR THE CHUTES NEVER OPENED. EITHER WAY, WE ARE DEAD. THE HEAT SHIELD EVIDENTLY SEPARATED FROM THE COMMAND MODULE AND, AS YOU KNOW, THE HEAT SHIELD IS THE ONLY PROTECTION THE MODULE HAS AGAINST THE HEAT BUILD-UP ON THE RE-ENTERING THE EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE. THE SPACECRAFT DISINTEGRATED WITHIN 12 SECS. AFTER THE LOSS OF THE HEAT SHIELD. RIGHT NOW KELLOWAY IS MAKING A SPEECH ABOUT WHAT BRAVE, WONDERFUL GUYS... WE WERE. I CANNOT ADEQUATELY DESCRIBE HOW WE FEEL. THESE MEN WERE AN INTEGRAL OF THE FAMILY... HERE IN THE PROGRAM. IF ANYBODY EVER SEES US AGAIN, THE WHOLE THING FALLS APART. IT'S AS SIMPLE AS THAT. THEY CAN'T HAVE US AROUND. THAT IS THE END OF MY STATEMENT. HAVE YOU SPOKEN TO THE FAMILIES? YES. I DON'T KNOW HOW WE HAVE A LOTTA CHOICE IN THIS MATTER. I SAY WE GET THE HELL OUTTA HERE. ANYBODY DISAGREE? WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME THE HEAT SHIELD WAS CHECKED? ALL DURING THE RE-ENTRY PHASE THERE WERE A SERIES OF STATUS CHECKS. ALL OF THEM GAVE US EVERY INDICATION THE SHIELD WAS IN PLACE. NO, I HAVE NOT SPOKEN TO THE PRESIDEN YET, BUT I'M SURE I WILL VERY SOON. I'D LIKE TO SAY THA THE PRESIDENT HAS BEEN A CONSTANT SOURCE OF ENCOURAGEMEN TO ALL OF US IN THE PROGRAM. THIS MISSION MEANT AS MUCH TO HIM AS IT DID TO US. DO YOU THINK THIS WILL END THE MANNED SPACE PROGRAM? I DON'T KNOW. YOU CAN'T REACH THAT FAR WITHOU STUMBLING SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY. THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOUR GOAL ISN'T WORTHWHILE. SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE GIVEN SO MUCH. IN 1967 WE HAD THE APOLLO ONE FIRE. BUT WE DIDN'T JUST... GIVE UP EVEN THOUGH WE WERE CRUSHED. WE WENT ON AS THEY WOULD HAVE WANTED US TO. NOW, THESE THREE REMARKABLE MEN HAVE GIVEN THEIR LIVES IN AN EFFORT TO... WIDEN THE HORIZONS OF THEIR SPECIES. THEY DIED STRIVING FOR A GOAL. YOU TELL ME. I ASK YOU... I ASK ALL OF YOU HERE. YOU BE THE ONES TO TELL ME. HOW COULD WE BEST SERVE THESE MEN? BY GIVING UP ON THEIR DREAM? BY SAYING THA IT WAS ALL FOR NOTHING? YOU GIVE ME THE ANSWER. THAT WAS THE LEFT GEAR WE LOST. SEE IF YOU CAN RETRACT THE OTHER ONE. DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHERE WE ARE? NO. WHICH DIRECTION ARE WE HEADED? WEST. ONCE WE HIT THE COAST, WE'LL GO NORTH. ALL WE'VE GOT TO DO IS GET TO ANY CITY, ANY PLACE THERE ARE PEOPLE, A NEWSPAPER, A TELEVISION STATION. ANY PLACE WE CAN SHOW UP AND BE SEEN. THEN IT'S OVER. I'M NOT SURE IT'S EXACTLY OVER. OUR FAMILIES, OUR KIDS. THEY THINK WE'RE DEAD. I WONDER, WHEN WE SHOW UP, WHEN EVERYBODY FINDS UP, I WONDER IF THEY'LL BE HAPPY. MAYBE IT'D BE BETTER FOR THEM IF WE WERE DEAD. OH, CHRIST! FUEL! THERE'S NO GODDAMN FUEL! I TOLD YOU NEVER TO TAKE A TRIP WITHOUT CHECKING THE TANK. WHAT ABOUT THE RESERVE? WE'RE ON RESERVE. THAT'S GREAT. I'LL START TO CIRCLE. SEE IF YOU CAN FIND A LEVER AREA. THERE. OVER THERE, BEYOND THOSE CLIFFS. ARE YOU SURE YOU KNOW HOW TO LAND THIS THING? FULL FLAPS. I THINK WE'RE ON MARS. WE GOT ABOUT 20 MINS. HEAD START ON THEM. IT'S NOT GONNA BE HARD TO SPO THIS PLANE FROM THE AIR. WE GOT TWO CHOICES, EITHER WE STICK TOGETHER, OR WE SPLIT UP AND GO IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS. HEY, I JUST FOUND A SURVIVAL KIT IN HERE. THERE'S A CAN OF WATER EACH. A FLARE EACH. JOHN, YOU TAKE THE FLINT. PETER AND I'LL SPLIT UP THE MATCHES. ANYBODY WANT THE GUN? I'D SHOOT MY FOOT. I'D SHOOT HIS FOOT. YOU CAN TAKE THE KNIFE. REMEMBER, IF ANY OF US GETS CAUGHT, OR HE CAN'T MAKE IT, SHOOT OFF A FLARE, SO THE OTHERS'LL KNOW. I'LL CONTINUE WEST. JOHN, YOU GO NORTH. PETER, YOU GO SOUTH. WE CAME FROM THE EAST, SO WE KNOW THAT'S THE WRONG WAY. THERE'S NOT A LOTTA TIME. THERE'S TOO MUCH TO SAY, SO LET'S GO. IF ANY OF US MAKES IT... WELL... DID I EVER TELL YOU THE ONE ABOU THE GUY WHO HAD A JOB GIVING ENEMAS TO ELEPHANTS, AND...? THANKS. DID YOU EVER HEAR IT? YOU CAN TELL ME ABOUT I WHEN WE GET HOME. TELL CHARLES THAT... THANK HIM FOR THE COMPOSITION, PLEASE. I... WELL, TELL HIM WHEN I GET BACK... I'M GONNA TAKE HIM TO YOSEMITE AGAIN, LIKE LAST SUMMER. I WILL. RIGHT THERE. RUN IT AGAIN. LIKE LAST SUMMER. I WILL. 'LOOK, SIR. LOOK, SIR. MR. KNOX, SIR, LET'S DO TRICKS WITH BRICKS AND BLOCKS, SIR. LET'S DO TRICKS WITH CHICKS AND CLOCKS, SIR.' BLOCKS! LOOK, BLOCKS! RIGHT. THERE ARE THE BLOCKS AND THOSE ARE THE... CLOCKS! RIGHT. 'FIRST, I'LL MAKE A QUICK TRICK, BRICK STACK. THEN I'LL MAKE A QUICK TRICK, BLOCK STACK. YOU CAN MAKE A QUICK TRICK, CHICK STACK. YOU CAN MAKE A QUICK TRICK, CLOCK STACK. CHICKS! AND...? CLOCKS! 'AND HERE'S A NEW TRICK, MR. KNOX. SOCKS ON CHICKS AND CHICKS ON FOX. FOX ON CLOCKS, ON BRICKS AND BLOCKS. BRICKS AND BLOCKS ON FOX AND BOX. NOW WE COME TO TICKS AND TOCKS, SIR. TRY TO SAY THIS, MR. KNOX, SIR, CLOCKS... CLOCKS ON FIX TICK, CLOCKS ON KNOX TOCK. CLOCKS! CLOCKS! CLOCKS. RIGHT, SANDY, VERY GOOD. 'SIX, SICK, BRICKS, TICK... ' YES? I'D LIKE TO SEE MRS. BRUBAKER. MY NAME IS CAULFIELD. MRS. BRUBAKER ISN'T SEEING ANYONE. I TELEPHONED THIS MORNING. I BELIEVE I'M EXPECTED. WHAT WAS THAT NAME AGAIN? CAULFIELD. ROBERT CAULFIELD. OH, YES. MRS. BRUBAKER IS EXPECTING YOU. SHE'S OUT ON THE PATIO. IT'S RIGHT THROUGH THERE. THANK YOU MRS. BRUBAKER? MR. CAULFIELD? SIT DOWN, PLEASE. MRS. BRUBAKER, FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO SAY I'M REALLY SORRY. EVERYONE IS SOR... I KNOW, AND I APPRECIATE IT. DON'T BE TOO UNCOMFORTABLE WITH ME. I COULDN'T PUT UP WITH THAT RIGHT NOW. I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU THINK YOU'RE INTERRUPTING ME, AND YOU ARE, BUT I WELCOME THE INTERRUPTION. YOU CALLED AND SAID IT WAS SOMETHING IMPORTANT. WHAT IS IT? MRS. BRUBAKER, IT MAY NOT BE IMPORTANT TO YOU. I'M LOOKING FOR SOMETHING THAT MAY BE IMPORTANT TO ME. IT'S PERSONAL. YOU'RE A REPORTER, AREN'T YOU? YES, AS I TOLD YOU, I'M NOT LOOKING FOR AN INTERVIEW. I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU A FEW QUESTIONS ABOUT THE LAST TIME YOU SPOKE WITH YOUR HUSBAND AFTER THE LANDING. WHAT ABOUT IT? WELL, THIS MAY SOUND STRANGE, MRS. BRUBAKER, DON'T BE UPSET WITH ME. JUST BEFORE THE CONVERSATION ENDED, COLONEL BRUBAKER TOLD YOU SOMETHING ABOUT GOING ON A VACATION AND YOUR REACTION WAS LIKE YOU DIDN' UNDERSTAND WHAT HE WAS SAYING. WHY WOULD YOU WANNA KNOW ABOUT THAT? AS I TOLD YOU, IT'S SOMETHING PERSONAL. IT'S PERSONAL TO ME, TOO. PLEASE, I'M NOT TRYING TO EMBARRASS YOU OR ANYONE ELSE. WHY WOULD ANY OF THIS BE YOUR BUSINESS? PLEASE, TRUST ME. WHY? YOU ASK REALLY GOOD QUESTIONS. WELL, IT'S ALL SO SILLY. IT WASN'T ANYTHING THAT DRAMATIC. BRU JUST FORGOT SOMETHING, THAT'S ALL. I DON'T SEE THE PURPOSE IN BROADCASTING THAT MY HUSBAND MISTOOK A VACATION WHEN HE HAD SO MANY OTHER THINGS TO THINK ABOUT. NO, NO, NO, I'M NOT LOOKING FOR ANYTHING TO BROADCAST. WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? IT HAS TO DO WITH A FRIEND OF MINE. IS THERE SOMETHING I SHOULD KNOW? IF THERE WAS ANYTHING, I WOULD TELL YOU. WELL, IT'S NOTHING. BRU SAID THAT HE WANTED TO GO BACK TO YOSEMITE LIKE LAST YEAR. LAST YEAR, WE WENT TO FLAT ROCK, NOT YOSEMITE. I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY COSMIC SIGNIFICANCE IN THAT. MRS. BRUBAKER, I TRULY THANK YOU. I'M SURE YOU HAD BETTER THINGS TO DO THAN PUT UP WITH A BUNCH OF STUPID QUESTIONS. NO, I DIDN'T. HAVE I BEEN ANY HELP TO YOU AT ALL? I DON'T KNOW. MAY I CALL YOU AGAIN, SOMETIME? YES. YES? THERE'S NO ONE INSIDE? ARE YOU SURE? GET MORE PERSONNEL, THEY CAN'T GO TOO FAR ON FOOT. OH, A PIECE OF CAKE. CHARLES, CUT IT OUT. YOU KNOW YOU'RE BOTHERING HER. I KNOW YOU'RE BOTHERING HER AND SHE KNOWS YOU'RE BOTHERING HER. IF YOU WANT TO STAY IN THE POOL, CUT IT OUT. HI, UNCLE JIM. HELLO THERE, CHARLES. HELLO, KAY. JIM. YOU LOOK JUST FINE. THANK YOU. CAN I OFFER YOU SOMETHING TO DRINK? NO, THANK YOU. HOW ARE THE CHILDREN? FINE. CHARLES IS STRONG. HE'S VERY MUCH TO HIMSELF, BUT HE'S STRONG. SANDY DOESN'T KNOW. THERE'S GONNA BE A MEMORIAL SERVICE ON TUESDAY, RIGHT HERE, IN HOUSTON. PRESIDENT... THE PRESIDENT'LL BE HERE. HE'S GOING TO SPEAK. THAT'S NICE. WILL I GET A FOLDED FLAG? I WOULD LIKE YOU TO BE THERE. PLEASE. I KNOW HOW DIFFICULT EVERYTHING IS FOR YOU RIGHT NOW. I FEEL LIKE JACK THE RIPPER EVEN ASKING YOU... IT'S JUST THAT... IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR EVERYONE IF YOU COULD GO WITH ME TO THE SERVICE. IT'S A HORRIBLE WAY TO DIE. NO, ABSOLUTELY NOT. WHEN THE HEAT SHIELD SEPARATED, IT WAS OVER IN LESS THAN 5 SECS. I KNOW THAT SOUNDS GRIZZLY, BUT YOU JUS HAVE TO KNOW HE NEVER SUFFERED. HE DIED DOING WHAT HE WANTED TO DO. SOMETHING HE FELT WAS IMPORTAN ENOUGH TO DIE FOR. I KNOW, I KNOW. I DON'T THINK IT WAS IMPORTANT ENOUGH FOR HIM TO DIE FOR. I UNDERSTAND. I'M SORRY, I'M SO SORRY. I HAVE NO RIGHT TO INTRUDE ON YOU LIKE THIS. I'LL CALL YOU TOMORROW. JIM! I'LL GO. YOU'RE A VERY SPECIAL WOMAN. HE WAS A VERY SPECIAL MAN. THANK YOU. HEY, UNCLE JIM! YES? MY DAD WENT TO MARS. YES! YES, HE DID! OH, I'M DEHYDRATING. DEHYDRATING. SIGN. MANUAL SAYS... LOOK FOR SIGNS. WATER. MANUAL SAYS... SIGNS FOR WATER. OH, DRIED RIVER BED. SIGNS. BEND IN THE RIVER. LOWER SIGNS. BEND IN THE RIVER. THERE'S JUST... WATER. RIVER BED. WATER. A DRINK OF WATER. ELIZABETH, THERE'S NO WATER. THERE'S NO WATER. I WANNA DIE. ELIZABETH. BIRDS. ELIZABETH, BIRDS. I GOT TO GET THE BIRDS. HELICOPTERS... YES? HE WAS ALONE? WHICH DIRECTION WAS HE HEADING FROM THE AIRPLANE? AAH, LOOK SOUTH AND WEST ONLY. CALL EVERYBODY OFF NORTH AND EAST. THE OTHER TWO ARE SOUTH AND WEST. HELLO, AGAIN. HELLO, AGAIN. CAN I OFFER YOU SOMETHING TO DRINK? YES, THANK YOU. WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE? SOME SCOTCH. STRAIGHT, PLEASE. YOU HAVEN'T FOUND WHA YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, YOU'RE EMBARRASSED ABOU BOTHERING ME AGAIN, HOWEVER THERE WERE ONE OR TWO QUESTIONS MORE YOU'D LIKE TO ASK ME. IT'S SOMETHING PERSONAL AND YOU WON'T BOTHER ME ANYMORE. I HAVEN'T FOUND WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR. I FEEL EMBARRASSED ABOUT BOTHERING YOU. HOWEVER, THERE ARE ONE OR TWO MORE QUESTIONS I'D LIKE TO ASK YOU. IT'S SOMETHING PERSONAL AND I WON'T BOTHER YOU ANYMORE. YOU'RE UP TO SOMETHING, WANT MY HELP AND YOU WON'T TELL ME WHAT IT IS. WHY? YOU'RE A VERY SMART LADY, YOU KNOW THAT. YES. I DRINK TOO MUCH. I GET IN TROUBLE A LOT BECAUSE I TALK TOO MUCH. SOMETIMES I HAVE AN IMAGINATION THAT'S A BIT TOO VIVID. SOMETHING'S WRONG AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS. BELIEVE ME, I WOULD NEVER DO ANYTHING TO HARM YOU OR YOUR HUSBAND, I SWEAR. WHAT ARE YOU AFTER? I'M TAKING A TERRIBLE RISK TELLING YOU THIS. YOU MAY THROW ME OUT OF HERE AND I DO NOT WANT TO BE THROWN OUT. I DON'T THINK YOUR HUSBAND IS THE KIND OF MAN WHO MAKES MISTAKES, NO MATTER HOW FAR AWAY HE MAY BE. I THINK HE WAS TRYING TO TELL YOU SOMETHING. WHAT? WHAT DID YOU DO AT FLAT ROCK? NOTHING MUCH. WE CAME HOME AFTER ONE DAY BECAUSE CHARLES GOT SICK. WHAT'D YOU DO THAT ONE DAY? I DON'T REMEMBER. WE TOOK A TOUR OF THE TOWN. THEY HAVE THOSE TOURS. AND... I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT. WE TOOK SOME HOME MOVIES. DO YOU HAVE THEM? YES. MAY I SEE THEM? YES. THEY WERE MAKING A MOVIE THE DAY WE WERE THERE. BRU GOT A BIG KICK OUT OF IT. HE NEVER KNEW IT TOOK SO MUCH TIME TO JUST DO ONE SIMPLE SCENE. CHARLES LOVES THAT ONE. HE WASN'T IN THE GREATEST MOOD. HE DIDN'T KNOW IT BUT HE WAS SICK. BRU WAS FASCINATED WITH THE DETAIL. HE COULDN'T GET OVER HOW SOMETHING SO FAKE COULD LOOK SO REAL. HE KEPT ON SAYING THAT WITH THAT KIND OF TECHNOLOGY YOU COULD CONVINCE PEOPLE OF ALMOST ANYTHING. THERE'S THIS GUY, YOU SEE! HE TAKES A TRIP TO EUROPE. IT'S HIS FIRST VACATION IN A LONG TIME. HE SEES THE SIGHTS, YOU KNOW? HE HAS A REAL GOOD TIME. ANYWAY, AFTER A WHILE HE DECIDES TO CALL HOME. HE GET HIS BROTHER ON THE PHONE AND THE GUY SAYS TO HIS BROTHER, 'HOW'S EVERYTHING AT HOME? ' AND HIS BROTHER SAYS, 'YOUR... YOUR CAT DIED.' AND THE GUY SAYS TO HIS BROTHER, 'YOU SHOULDN'T TELL ME BAD NEWS LIKE THAT.' 'YOU SHOULD BREAK IT TO ME GENTLY. YOU KNOW... YOU SHOULD SAY SOMETHING LIKE, 'THE CAT CRAWLED OUT ON THE ROOF AND THE WAS CHASING THE SQUIRRELS AND... HE GOT STUCK. WE HAD TO CALL THE FIRE DEPARTMEN AND WHEN THEY FINALLY GOT THERE, A FIREMAN CRAWLED UP, HE GRABBED THE CA AND ON THE WAY DOWN HE SLIPPED AND THE CAT FELL TO THE GROUND.' 'THEY HAD TO TAKE THE CAT TO THE VET. THEY TRIED TO SAVE THE CAT. THEY EVEN OPERATED ON THE CAT. BUT IT WAS TOO LATE. THEY COULDN' SAVE THE CAT.' THAT'S HOW YOU SHOULD BREAK BAD NEWS, LIKE THAT.' SO THE GUY SAYS TO HIS BROTHER, 'HOW'S MOM? ' AND THE BROTHER SAYS, 'SHE'S ON THE ROOF. GET IT? SHE'S ON THE ROOF. SHE'S ON THE ROOF. GET IT? ' YES? WHICH ONE? WHAT DIRECTION WAS HE GOING? BRUBAKER IS GOING WEST. PUT EVERYBODY WEST. CAULFIELD. RIGHT NOW? OKAY. HOW NICE OF YOU TO JOIN US HERE! LISTEN, I THINK I GOT SOMETHING. YOU NEED A DERMATOLOGIST? DON'T TELL ME, I'LL GET IT. GEORGE RAFT! RIGHT? WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN? I HAVE TO TALK TO YOU. I THINK I'M ONTO SOMETHING. IT COULD BE YOUR ACTUAL BALL GAME. I MEAN IT. GOLLY, GEE, SCOOP, THAT SOUNDS VERY INTERESTING! SOMETHING IS WRONG. SOMETHING BIG. THEY KNOW I'M ONTO IT AND THEY TRIED TO KILL ME. WHO'S THEY? I CAN'T TELL YOU. WHY NOT? YOU WOULDN'T BELIEVE ME. YOU DON'T THINK SO? OKAY, LISTEN TO ME. I GOT A TIP FROM A FRIEND, A GOOD FRIEND, THEN HE DISAPPEARED. DISAPPEARED? LIKE HE NEVER EXISTED. THERE'S SOME LADY LIVING IN HIS APARTMENT. HIS APARTMENT IS ALL DIFFERENT. SHE SAID SHE'S BEEN LIVING THERE FOR MORE THAN A YEAR. I CHECKED THE BUILDING RENTAL OFFICE. THEY HAVE RECEIPTS FROM HER FOR MORE THAN A YEAR. I CHECKED NASA PERSONNEL. THEY HAVE NO RECORD MY FRIEND EVER WORKED THERE. THEY SAY THEY NEVER EVEN HEARD OF HIM. SO THIS FRIEND OF YOURS, WHO WORKS AT NASA, GIVES YOU A TIP, THEN DISAPPEARS. AND IT TURNS OUT THAT HE NEVER LIVED IN HIS APARTMENT OR WORKED AT NASA. THIS IS THE GUY THAT GAVE YOU THE TIP ON YOUR COSMIC SCOOP, AND YOU THINK I WON'T BELIEVE YOU? MY CAR! SOMEONE TAMPERED WITH MY CAR! THE ONE YOU DECIDED TO GO SWIMMING WITH? THEY DID SOMETHING TO IT! I COULDN'T STOP IT! CAN YOU PROVE THAT? THE POLICE SAID... THEY SAID THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG. AND YOU THINK I WON'T BELIEVE YOU. SOMEBODY TOOK A SHOT AT ME! WHEN? YESTERDAY. THANK GOD, I'VE GOT AN ALIBI! I'M TELLING YOU THE TRUTH! LISTEN TO ME AND LISTEN GOOD. I DON'T LIKE YOU, CAULFIELD. YOU'RE AMBITIOUS. YOU THINK THE WAY TO GET AHEAD IS TO COME UP WITH THE SCOOP OF THE CENTURY. WOODWARD AND BERNSTEIN WERE GOOD REPORTERS. THAT'S HOW THEY DID IT. NOT BY TELLING ME THEY'VE LOCATED PATTY HEARST THREE TIMES, LIKE YOU DID. OR THAT BRILLIANT PIECE OF INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM YOU PULLED OFF, BY FINDING AN EYEWITNESS TO THE 2ND GUNMAN IN THE KENNEDY ASSASSINATION. THE SMALL FACT THAT THE MAN HAD BEEN IN A MENTAL INSTITUTION AT THE TIME, NEVER DETERRED YOU, NOT SCOOP CAULFIELD! NOW, MOST REPORTERS ARE LIKE ME. THEY ARE PLODDERS. THEY SPEND A LOT OF THEIR TIME CHECKING LITTLE THINGS..., LIKE FACTS. THEY COVER MUNDANE STORIES LIKE WARS, AND TRIALS AND HEARINGS. YOU NEVER SEEM TO HAVE ENOUGH TIME IN YOUR BUSY SCHEDULE TO STOOP SO LOW AS TO COVER A STORY. YOU OCCUPY YOUR TIME WITH TIPS FROM PEOPLE WHO NEVER EXISTED, DRIVING YOUR CAR INTO WATER AND THEN CLAIMING IT WASN'T YOUR FAULT, GETTING SHOT AT BY UNSEEN GUNMEN. NOW, I REALLY HATE TO INTERRUP YOUR METEORIC CAREER WITH SOMETHING SO PLEBEIAN AS A LEGITIMATE STORY. HOWEVER, A TRAINLOAD OF PROPANE GAS HAD THE BAD TASTE TO DERAIL NEAR GALVESTON AND THERE'S A WHOLE TOWN THAT JUST MIGHT BLOW UP. SO IT WOULD BE JUST REALLY PEACHY OR YOU IF YOU WOULD JOIN YOU FILM CREW THAT'S WAITING FOR YOU ON THE PLANE AT THIS VERY MOMENT WHILE WE SPEAK. THAT WAS A SPEECH. I THOUGHT SO. I CANNOT GO TO GALVESTON RIGHT NOW. I DON'T THINK I HEARD YOU. LOOK, WHEN A REPORTER TELLS HIS ASSIGNMENT EDITOR THAT HE THINKS HE MAY BE ONTO SOMETHING THAT COULD BE REALLY BIG, THE ASSIGNMENT EDITOR'S SUPPOSE TO SAY, 'YOU GOT FORTY-EIGHT HOURS, KID, AND YOU BETTER COME UP WITH SOMETHING GOOD OR IT'S GONNA BE YOUR NECK.' THAT'S WHAT HE'S SUPPOSED TO SAY! I SAW IT IN A MOVIE! GET YOUR ASS ON THAT PLANE! I CAN'T! I HAVE TO FOLLOW THIS! AND YOU CAN'T TELL ME WHAT THIS EARTH-SHATTERING STORY IS? IT SOUNDS TOO CRAZY. IF I TOLD YOU, I'D BE IN MORE TROUBLE. YOU'RE NOT CRAZY! I'M CRAZY! I'M CRAZY FOR LISTENING! AND I'M CRAZY FOR SAYING WHA I'M ABOUT TO SAY! I'LL GIVE YOU TWENTY-FOUR HOURS COME UP WITH SOMETHING! NOT FORTY-EIGHT! I SAW THE MOVIE, TOO, AND IT WAS TWENTY-FOUR! FREEZE! I'M NOT MOVING AN INCH. ROBERT CAULFIELD? YEAH, WHO THE HELL ARE YOU? FEDERAL AGENTS. WE HAVE A WARRANT TO SEARCH YOUR APARTMENT. YOU HAVE A WARRANT? WHAT FOR? JUST DON'T MOVE. I PROMISE. JUST TELL ME WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT. HEY, COME HERE! LOOK AT THIS! COULD YOU COME WITH ME, PLEASE, MR. CAULFIELD? MR. CAULFIELD, I'M SORRY. HOWEVER, YOU'RE UNDER ARRES FOR POSSESSION OF COCAINE. I DON'T BELIEVE IT. I DON'T BELIEVE IT. YOU GUYS PUT IT THERE, YOU KNOW YOU DID. YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT. YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO AN ATTORNEY. I DON'T BELIEVE IT. YOU PUT IT THERE. ANYTHING YOU SAY MAY BE HELD AGAINST YOU IN A COURT OF LAW. YOU'RE PART OF ALL THIS. YOU MOTHERS. OW, THAT HURTS! YOU DON'T HAVE TO PU HANDCUFFS ON ME! PLEASE, MR. CAULFIELD, THESE ARE SERIOUS CHARGES AGAINST YOU. DON'T ADD TO THEM BY RESISTING ARREST. I DON'T BEL...! THAT HURTS! I DON'T BELIEVE THIS. WELL, HELLO THERE, CAULFIELD! SO NICE TO SEE YOU! IT'S AT THIS POINT THAT ALAN HALE SAYS TO RICHARD CONTE... JIMMY STEWART. YEAH, JIMMY STEWART, THANK YOU. LOOK, SCOOP, I CAN'T KEEP BAILING YOU OUT OF TROUBLE. THE FRONT OFFICE IS ON MY NECK. I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH LONGER I CAN KEEP THEM OFF, RIGHT? RIGHT. WRONG! I GOT YOU OUT OF THERE SO AS NOT TO EMBARRASS THE NETWORK. I MEAN, YOU ARE A SCHMUCK! I CAN'T TRUST YOU TO COVER A FIRE! YOU'LL PROBABLY FALL DOWN AND GET BURNED! YOU PROBABLY WOULD BE THE CAUSE OF IT! A COMPANY CAR? YOU ARE FIRED! I LOVE THAT SO MUCH! I'M GONNA SAY IT AGAIN! YOU'RE FIRED! YOU'RE THROUGH! OH, I LOVE IT! IT'S NOT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, REALLY. 'FRANKLY, SCARLET, I DON'T GIVE A DAMN! ' I TOLD YOU. YOU TELL ME ABOUT THE LONELY PLIGHT OF A DEDICATED JOURNALIST. I TELL YOU TO STUFF IT. YOU TELL ME ABOUT A MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIP. I TELL YOU TO STUFF IT. YOU TELL ME YOU'RE IN TROUBLE, YOU'RE OUT ON BAIL, YOU JUST GOT FIRED, I TELL YOU I'LL BE RIGHT OVER. MY HEAD HURTS. YOU LOOK AWFUL. THANK YOU, VERY MUCH. YOU'RE QUITE WELCOME. DID YOU FIND OUT WHAT I ASKED? ONE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING I GET A CALL FROM AN UNEMPLOYED JUNKIE TO FIND OUT ALL THE MILITARY INSTALLATIONS IN A 300 MILES RADIUS AROUND HOUSTON, TEXAS. YOU CERTAINLY HAVE A WAY WITH WORDS. DID YOU FIND OUT? YES, AND IT WASN'T EASY. IT TOOK EXHAUSTIVE RESEARCH. WELL, I'M PROUD OF YOU. HOW MANY? ONE. WHITE BLUFF. IT'S A SAC BASE. MY FATHER USED TO BE STATIONED THERE. THAT'S EXHAUSTIVE RESEARCH? AT ONE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING, YOU CALL YOUR FATHER, THAT'S EXHAUSTIVE. WHITE BLUFF... THAT'S TOO BIG. TOO BIG FOR WHAT? TOO BIG FOR WHAT I WANT. WHAT DO YOU WANT? I'M THINKING OF ENLISTING. THEY'LL NEVER TAKE YOU. THAT'S WHY I'M THINKING OF ENLISTING. YOU'RE ON A STORY, AREN'T YOU? I WAS FIRED! YOU'RE ON A STORY AND I'M HELPING YOU. THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING. I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. THE ONLY REASON I'M DOING IT, CONSIDERING YOUR TRACK RECORD, WHATEVER STORY YOU'RE ON WILL TURN OUT TO BE GARBAGE. YOU SHOULDN'T MINCE WORDS. I'LL FIX YOU SOME COFFEE. THEN YOU CAN JUMP ME. THERE'S NO OTHER ONE BESIDES WHITE BLUFF? NO. EXCEPT ONE ABANDONED BASE THEY USED FOR TRAINING DURING WORLD WAR II, JACKSON. THERE'S NOTHING THERE NOW. DON'T YOU WANT TO JUMP ME? OF COURSE I DO. WHERE'S JACKSON? ABOUT 300 MILES DIRECTLY WEST. I THINK I'M GONNA GET ANGRY WITH YOU. DO YOU HAVE ANY MONEY ON YOU? DO YOU WANT ME TO PAY YOU? HOW MUCH? ABOUT 100. WHY DON'T I JUST LEAVE I ON THE DRESSER IN THE MORNING? GIVE IT TO ME NOW. IN ADVANCE? THAT'S THE HEIGHT OF CONCEIT! PLEASE, AND YOUR CAR KEYS. YOU'RE REALLY BEING TERRIFIC, WHY? YOU'RE NOT AS OBNOXIOUS WHEN YOU ARE HELPLESS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOU'RE QUITE WELCOME. ALSO, LIZ HALLER SAID YOU WERE SUPER. WELL, WHEN I GET BACK, WE'LL JUMP EACH OTHER. MAYBE. I'LL GET ARRESTED AGAIN. IT'S A DEAL. MORNIN'. MORNIN'. YOU IN CHARGE HERE? YOU SEE THAT SIGN THERE? YES. WELL, READ IT. I DID. OUT LOUD! 'A AND A CROP DUSTING SERVICE'. YOU WANNA KNOW WHO I AM? I'LL BET YOU'RE ONE OF THE 'AS'. WELL, WHICH ONE? I'LL BET YOU CAN' ANSWER THAT QUESTION, SMART-ASS! THE FIRST ONE. WRONG! CAN I HAVE ONE MORE GUES? YOU GOT IT. THE SECOND ONE. WRONG. I'M BOTH OF 'EM! 'A' AND 'A'. MY NAME IS ALBAIN. I GOT A SON. THE OTHER 'A' WAS FOR HIM, BUT HE DON'T LIKE TO FLY AND IS A LAWYER. HE'S A PERVERT, SO I TOOK THE 'A' AWAY. WANNA SPEAK TO SOMEBODY IN CHARGE? YOU'RE SPEAKIN' TO BOTH O' THEM. MY NAME IS CAULFIELD. HEY, I CAN'T HELP THAT. MR. ALBAIN, HOW MUCH DO YOU CHARGE TO DUST A FIELD? 25 DOLLARS. I'D LIKE TO HIRE YOUR PLANE. THAT'LL BE 100 DOLLARS. YOU SAID YOU CHARGED 25. 25 DOLLARS T' DUST A FIELD, BUT YOU AIN' GOT NO FIELD BECAUSE YOU AIN'T A FARMER, WHICH MEANS YOU AIN'T POOR AND I THINK YOU'RE A PERVERT! OKAY, 100. WHAT? BECAUSE YOU SAID 'YES' TO 100 TOO QUICK, WHICH MEANS YOU CAN AFFORD 125! WHERE DO YOU WANNA GO, SMART-ASS? I'M NOT SURE. I'M LOOKING FOR SOMEONE WHO'S LOST. IT'S YOUR MONEY. PUT YOUR GODDAMN HEAD DOWN SO I CAN SEE! WHY DIDN'T YOU SIT IN FRONT? YOU KNOW HOW TO FLY? NO! THEN I GOTTA SIT IN BACK AND YOU GOTTA PUT YOUR GODDAMN HEAD DOWN, SMART-ASS! NOW, WHAT THE HELL IS YOUR FRIEND DOIN' OUT HERE? HE'S LOST! HE ROB A BANK OR SOMETHIN'? NO! WELL, I GET A THIRD! WHAT? WE FIND HIM, I GET A THIRD OF THE LOOT! NOW, KEEP YOUR GODDAMN HEAD DOWN! YOU THINK WE SHOULD GO IN ANOTHER DIRECTION? HEY! WHAT? OVER THERE! WHERE? HELICOPTERS! I SEEN THEM FLY AROUND HERE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS! LET'S FOLLOW 'EM! I WOULD IF I COULD SEE 'EM! THEY'RE GOIN' DOWN OVER THERE! HE MUST BE IN THERE! LET'S GO DOWN. THEY GOT GUNS, SONNY! YOU SAID YOU WANTED A THIRD OF THE LOOT! HALF! OKAY, HALF! KEEP YOUR GODDAMN HEAD DOWN! PULL THAT LEVER DOWN BY YOUR FEE WHEN I TELL YOU, SONNY! NOW! PERVERTS! REMEMBER, I GET HALF! LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MRS. BRUBAKER MRS. WILLIS, MRS. WALKER, MY FELLOW AMERICANS. I COME HERE TODAY TO TALK OF UNFINISHED HOPES AND OF UNFULFILLED DREAMS. CHARLES BRUBAKER, PETER WILLIS AND JOHN WALKER LEFT THIS EARTH FOR THEIR DREAM A LITTLE MORE THAN EIGHT MONTHS AGO. THEY WERE NEVER ABLE TO RETURN TO US. THEIR DREAM WAS ABLE TO GROW AND FLOURISH BECAUSE OF THE SUPPORT OF MILLIONS OF CITIZENS ALL ACROSS AMERICA AT A TIME WHEN CYNICISM WAS A NATIONAL EPIDEMIC, THEY GAVE US SOMETHING TO TAKE PRIDE IN. IT IS A DREAM THA SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO DIE. A NATION IS BUILT ON THE SPIRI OF ITS PEOPLE. THE TEST OF THE GREATNESS OF ANY NATION IS HOW THAT NATION PULLS TOGETHER IN A TIME OF CRISIS. THE ONLY LIMITS ON WHA WE CAN ACHIEVE ARE THE LIMITS WE PLACE ON OUR HOPES. THESE THREE MEN REMINDED US OF THE LIMITLESSNESS OF OUR HOPES. THERE WAS A MOMEN IN THESE PAST FEW DAYS WHEN WE WERE ALL ONE PEOPLE. WE WERE ALL HOPING, WE WERE ALL A LITTLE BIT TALLER, A LITTLE BIT PROUDER. WE WERE ALL FEELING THE SAME FEARS AND THE SAME EXHILARATION. THESE THREE MEN BROUGHT US TOGETHER. WE KNEW TOGETHER THA THERE ARE NO GOALS WE CANNOT REACH IF JUST REACH FOR THEM TOGETHER. THERE IS NO ADEQUATE WAY IN WHICH WE CAN EXPRESS OUR GRATITUDE TO THE MEN THEMSELVES BECAUSE THEY ARE NO LONGER AMONG US. HOWEVER, WE CAN SERVE THEIR MEMORY, WHAT THEY STOOD FOR... |
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