Kent
Kent Mansley, United States Government, Unexplained Phenomena Department.
Kent
What happened here?
M Marv
Not sure. Sometimes, the line'll snap if the weather is bad, sure. [Marv and Kent walk through the wreckage of the power station where Kent makes a report] But, for a whole tower to get twisted up like that, whoa! It's got me beat. It's almost like it was bitten off, by some enormous beast.
Kent
[writing the notes down]
"Enormous Beast." Yeah. What do you think, escaped gorilla?
M Marv
Uh, what department is that again?
Kent
Frankly, I'm not at liberty to reveal the particulars of the agency I work for, and all that that implies.
M Marv
[whispers]
You mean, uh, National Security?
Kent
[chuckles]
Let's put it this way. Every once in a while, things happen that just can't be rationalized in a conventional way. People want to know that their government has a response. I am that response. So, were there any witnesses?
M Marv
Well, sir, if you'll just follow me. [Kent follows Marv to his truck. Marv opens his truck and takes out what's left of Hogarth's BB Gun.] We did find this. [Kent examines the damaged BB Gun] United States Government, huh? Guess that means something big's happenin' here, eh?
Kent
No, Marv. Big things happen in big places. And the sooner I fill out my report, the sooner I can get back to them. [he walks away with the BB Gun; to himself] Enormous beast, yeah. [he chuckles as he enters his car] Biggest thing in this town is probably the homecoming queen. [Kent notices his car has a chunk bitten out] OH, MY GOD! [He jumps out, terrified, and his fedora falls off. He then quickly runs back to the power station. Afterwards, Giant's arm emerges from the trees. Kent is escorting Marv to his car.] Come on, Marv, come on. I need a witness.
M Marv
Okay, I'm comin', I'm comin'.
Kent
It's around the corner. Come on, pick up the pace here.
M Marv
Don't pull so hard, Mr. Manley, easy on the work shirt.
Kent
[panicking]
You've never seen anything like it. It's like a big, big chomp out of the side of the car.
Kent
It's like a bite out of a ham sandwich, like a-- [he becomes shocked to see his car is gone, and his fedora and the BB gun remains; gasps in shock]
M Marv
[confused]
What, um-- What are we looking at here, Mr. Manley?
Kent
Something big, Marv. [he picks up the damaged BB gun] Something big.
Kent
[Hogarth opens the door and sees Kent Mansley.]
Hey there, scout. Kent Mansley. I work for the government. [Hogarth quickly closes the door and he gasps]
Annie
Hogarth? [Kent knocks and rings the doorbell] Hogarth? [Hogarth opens the door]
Kent
Hey there, scout. Kent Mansley. [smile disappears] Work for the government. Your parents home?
Hogarth
We're eating.
Kent
Mmm, boy.
Annie
Who's there, honey?
Kent
[stares at Annie's chest; huskily]
Well, hello there. [clears throat and regains composure] Do you have a telephone I could use?
Annie
Yes, there's one in the kitchen.
Kent
Well, thank you. Thank you very much. [to Hogarth] Here. [puts his fedora on Hogarth's head] Pretend you're a gangster. [chuckles]
General Rogard
[Kent calls General Rogard's home phone number. The general picks up while watching a western on TV.] [annoyed]
Damn it, Mansley, you called me at home for this?
Kent
You don't understand, sir. It-it-it-- It ate my car!
General Rogard
And you saw this happen?
Kent
No, I didn't actually see it. It went off into the... woods.
General Rogard
So, you don't have any evidence.
Kent
But-But sir, I've got an eyewitness!
General Rogard
An eyewitness with a concussion.
Kent
[shouts]
This thing i--! [covers his mouth and lowers his voice] This thing is a menace. It-It-It-It tore up a power station and-- [phone falls, and he picks up] --and caused a train wreck!
General Rogard
What did? Tell me again, Mansley, and this time, listen to yourself.
Kent
[sighs; wearily]
A giant metal monster. [Rogard guffaws on the other end. Kent turns around a kitchen mitt that seems to mock him.] Please, sir. I've got a feeling about this one.
General Rogard
That's lovely, Kent. But let me try to explain how this works: If you told me you'd found, say, um, a giant footprint, I might send over an expert to make a plaster cast of it. Hell, you get me a photograph of this thing and I could probably get some troops over there! But you tell me you've got a feeling.
Kent
All right, then fine. You want evidence? I'll get you evidence, and when I do, I'm gonna want a memo distributed.
General Rogard
[dryly]
That sounds swell, Kent.
Kent
I'm gonna want that memo carbon-copied, and redistributed, [Rogard hangs up.] and-- [Kent stops, and tries to hang up the phone, which falls off the receiver, twice; he gets angry, yelling incoherently and bangs the phone against the receiver several times, then composes himself.] Hi. Thanks for the use of your phone. [goes outside the door and puts his fedora back on.] Well, thank you for the use of your phone, Mrs.--?
Annie
Hughes. Annie Hughes. And this is my son, Hogarth.
Kent
Thank you, Annie. Hobart.
Hogarth
That's Hogarth! [grumbles irritably]
Kent
[Kent gets into his government-issue car and starts driving.]
"Hogarth"? What an embarrassing name. Might as well call him Zeppo or something. What kind of a sick person would name their kid Hogar--? [stops and looks over to Hogarth's smashed B-B gun which says "Hog Hug," instead of "Hogarth Hughes." ] "Hog Hug". "HOG HUG"?! [realizes] HOGARTH HUGHES!
Kent
Hey, mind if I ask you a few questions there, buckaroo? Now, why would you tell your mom about a giant robot, slugger? So, what'd you see at the power station, huh, tiger? Tell anyone else about this, buddy? How big is this thing, Ranger? Been in the forest lately, Junior? Hey, where you goin'? Champ? Slugger? Hey, Cowboy, where you goin'? Where you goin'?
Hogarth
[exasperated]
I'M GOIN' OUT! [takes his jacket]
Annie
Well, why don't you take Mr. Mansley with you, show him the sights?
Hogarth
Oh, Mom, the sights?
Kent
[puts his fedora on]
Hey, I'd love that. Give us a chance to get acquainted, swap some stories. Huh, chief?
Dean
There are two kinds of metal in this yard: Scrap and art. If you gotta eat one of them, eat the scrap. What you currently have IN YOUR MOUTH IS ART!
Giant
[takes the art scrap out of his mouth]
Hmm. Art?
Dean
[Dean looks at him, annoyed. Giant mashes up the scrap some more, trying to repair it.]
Forget it. Forget it. [Giant puts down the damaged art scrap on the ground.] It's gone. It's-- [Dean notices the readjustment of the art scrap and is amazed] Hmm. That's not bad.
Hogarth
[scene changes to Hogarth and Kent having root beer floats.]
First, you take a chocolate bar. Any bar will do.
Kent
Oh.
Hogarth
Do you mind if I, uh--?
Kent
No, knock yourself out, skipper.
Hogarth
[crumbles up choco-lax]
You crumble up the chocolate into little pieces, [stirs the ice cream] then you kind of stir it into the ice cream. See?
Kent
Yes, I see. What do you call this, again?
Hogarth
Landslide. It's new. Very new. [tosses choco-lax wrapper in garbage can without Kent noticing]
Kent
Mmm. Landslide. Topnotch. Mmm. [Hogarth makes a landslide with a regular chocolate bar.] You know, Hogarth, we live in a strange and wondrous time. The Atomic Age. But, there's a dark side to progress, Hogarth. Ever hear of Sputnik?
Hogarth
Yeah, it's the first satellite in space.
Kent
Foreign satellite, Hogarth, and all that that implies. Even now, it orbits overhead... (Boop! Boop!) ...watching us. We can't see it, but it's there. Much like that giant thing in the woods. We don't know what it is or what it can do. I don't feel safe, Hogarth. Do you?
Hogarth
[puzzled and confused]
What are you talking about?
Kent
What am I talking about? [angrily] What am I TALKING ABOUT?! [everyone stares at Kent] I'm talking about your goldarned security, Hogarth! While you're snoozing in your little jammies, back in Washington, we're wide awake and worried. Why? Because everyone wants what we have, Hogarth; Everyone! You think this metal man is fun. But who built it? The Russians? The Chinese? The Martians? Canadians?! I DON'T CARE! All I know is we didn't build it, and that's reason enough to assume the worst and blow it to kingdom come! Now, you are going to tell me about this thing, you are going to lead me to it, and we are going to destroy it before it destroys us! [suddenly, Kent's stomach begins to gurgle, causing his glare to fade away and his eyes to widen] Just hold that thought and stay right there! Uh-oh!
[Kent rushes to the bathroom, and Hogarth takes his chance and escapes.]
Kent
[Hogarth is in the barn putting his bicycle away] [in the shadows]
You're late for dinner, Hogarth. [Hogarth tries to escape from the barn but Kent locks the door and stops him] Your mom's working late tonight, Hogarth. So it's just us guys. And we're gonna have a little chat. Sit down! [shoves Hogarth onto a chair and shines a bright light on him] How's that? A little too bright? Good. [chuckles] Forgive me, Hogarth. I wanted you to learn something.
Hogarth
What can I learn from you?
Kent
You can learn this, Hogarth: that I can do anything I want whenever I want if I feel it's in the people's best interest. The giant metal man; Where is it?
Hogarth
I don't know what you're talking about.
Kent
You don't? Well... [lays his pictures on the table, first the one of the piece of metal that Hogarth lured the Giant with] Does this ring a bell? [Hogarth doesn't answer] No? How about [lays another picture which Hogarth accidentally took of himself with the Giant behind him] this? You've been careless, Hogarth.
Hogarth
It doesn't prove anything.
Kent
It's enough to get the army here with one phone call.
Hogarth
Then what's stopping you?
Kent
[angrily; knocking the lamp over the table]
WHERE'S THE GIANT?! [grabs Hogarth by the jaw] You can't protect him, Hogarth, any more than you can...protect your mother.
Hogarth
My mom?
Kent
[sighs]
It's difficult to raise a boy all alone. We can make it more difficult. In fact, we can make it so difficult it would be irresponsible for us to leave you in her care, and all that implies. You'll be taken away from her, Hogarth.
Hogarth
You can't do that!
Kent
Oh, we can, and we will.
Hogarth
[lowers his head; defeated]
He's in the junkyard. McCoppin's Scrap, off Culver Road.
Kent
Ah, the junkyard. Of course! Food for the metal-eater. I wouldn't worry about this, Hogarth. This isn't really happening. It's only a bad dream. [puts chloroform rag on Hogarth's mouth, knocking him unconscious]
G George
This is Nautilus. What's the Giant's current position?
R Rick
[through radio]
67.71972 degrees west by 44.50177 degrees north.
R Robert
Locked and loaded.
Annie
[caressing Hogarth]
Oh, my baby, I'm so sorry.
Hogarth
[regains consciousness; to Dean]
Stop the car.
Annie
[surprised]
Hogarth! Oh, my God! Honey, you're all right!
Hogarth
Go back! We've gotta help him!
Dean
Are you crazy, kid? You're lucky to be alive. We're taking you to a hospital. [sees the Army; stops truck.]
R Rick
Everyone, out of the car! We are to evacuate the area. [pulling Dean of out the truck]
Dean
What are you talking about? We gotta get this boy to a hospital.
Dean
[sees the truck is empty; alarmed]
Hogarth!
Annie
[Hogarth runs up to Giant as Dean and Annie look on.] [worried]
Hogarth, no!
Hogarth
[Giant targets the battleship as Hogarth arrives to stop him.]
Hey! No! STOP!
General Rogard
[Giant turns to Hogarth and he shoots to sky, narrowly missing the battleship, as the army reacts in shock. Kent looks at General Rogard.] [to Nautilus, through radio]
This is General Rogard. Ready the attack and prepare to retreat to the fallback position.
Annie
No! No! Stop! My son is out there!
Hogarth
[camera cuts to Hogarth as Giant points his weapon at him.]
No, wait! It's me, Hogarth. Remember? It's bad to kill. Guns kill. And you don't have to be a gun. You are what you choose to be. You choose. [braces for impact] Choose.
Giant
[his eyes return to normal]
Hogarth. [returns to his normal form, feeling regretful, as he moans.]
Hogarth
It's okay, It's okay. We gotta show them you're good.
J John
[Giant turns around, and the camera cuts to inside the Nautilus submarine.]
Nautilus to Rogard. Missile armed and ready.
General Rogard
What are you saying? He's friendly?
Dean
Yes! Attacking him is triggering a defense mechanism.
Kent
Don't listen, General! Destroy the monster while we still have the chance!
Dean
[soldiers arm their rifles, after hear the Giant's footsteps]
General, you shoot now, and the whole thing starts all over again!
Kent
Stop it now, General! Our future's at stake!
Dean
Which is why you have got to stop, General!
R Rick
[alarmed]
It's getting closer! Orders, sir?!
Hogarth
Don't shoot! Don't shoot!
Annie
Hogarth!
General Rogard
Hold your fire! The boy's alive?
Kent
It's a trick; Launch the missile!
General Rogard
Are you mad, Mansley? All units, stand down! Rogard to Nautilus. Come in, Nautilus.
J John
[Giant angrily stares at Kent for knocking Hogarth unconscious, and Kent is alarmed] [through radio]
This is Nautilus, standing by.
Kent
[snatches radio; screaming]
LAUNCH THE MISSILE NOW!
General Rogard
[Nautilus captain pushes the red button, launching the missile up to the sky.] [grabs Kent by his trench coat] [angrily]
That missile is TARGETED TO THE GIANT'S CURRENT POSITION! WHERE'S THE GIANT, MANSLEY?!
Kent
[sees the Giant holding Hogarth in his hands standing behind him]
Wha--? Ohhhh....W-W-We can duck and cover! There's a fallout shelter right there. If we hur--
General Rogard
There's no way to survive this, YOU IDIOT!
Kent
[shocked]
You mean... we're all going to--?
General Rogard
To die, Mansley. For our country.
Kent
[his last words; alarmed]
Screw our country, I wanna live! [shoves a soldier out of a jeep and starts to drive away, but the Giant stops him by blocking his jeep with his hand.]
General Rogard
Hold him, men. [Soldiers aim their rifles at Kent.] Make sure he stays here, like a good soldier.
Hogarth
[an air raid siren goes off and the crowd gets worried and scared. Giant puts Hogarth down then he walks up to Annie and hugs her.] [shocked]
Oh, no. [looks to where the missile is heading.]
Giant
Hmm.
Hogarth
It's the missile. When it comes down, everyone will die. [Annie places her hand on Hogarth's shoulder.]
M Man
There it is! [the crowd sees the missile up in the sky as Giant looks at it then he looks to crowd knowing that the missile will kill everyone, and bravely looks at the missile.]
Annie
Shouldn't we get to a shelter?
Dean
[shaking his head]
It wouldn't matter.
Giant
I fix. [Hogarth feels surprised and he walks up to Giant.]
Hogarth
Giant? [Giant kneels down and gently places his finger at him.]
Giant
Hogarth. You stay. I go. [gently lifts Hogarth's chin, and sadly waves his other finger] No following. [backs slowly]
Hogarth
[softly]
I love you.
Hogarth
[The Giant takes off as Hogarth looks on and Annie comforts him. As the missile starts to descend, the Giant flies up into outer space, aiming himself towards it, to save the town.] [through memory]
You are who you choose to be.
Giant
[last word; heroically]
Superman...
General Rogard
[The Giant closes his eyes and flies straight into the missile, which explodes in a massive atomic fireball, as Annie, Dean and Hogarth shield their eyes from the blinding light. The townspeople and soldiers cheer as Rogard solemnly removes his helmet in respect for the Giant's sacrifice] [solemnly]
Let's go home.
