Children of the Damned

Tom: Five, four, three,

two, one.

Go!

When he did this before, it had a very bad effect

on the children.

I hope there'll be no need for another session.

Derrick!

I think that'll be all. Thank you very much, indeed.

Alright, boys. You are dismissed.

Well?

I'm impressed.

His total time for the eight tests

was six minutes, three seconds.

You took two hours, eight minutes, and you beat me.

I said, I was impressed.

What about his parents? Are they exceptional in any way?

I don't know. He lives with his mother.

But she's never bothered to come to parents' nights.

I think we ought to see her.

Breeding tells, you know.

Well...

Uh, good afternoon. My name is Llewellyn.

I'm a psychologist at London University.

I just wondered if we could have a word with you

about your son, Paul.

- Who's he? - This is Dr. David Neville.

Despite appearances, senior lecturer,

in genetics at the university.

- Alright. - Thank you.

Haven't had a chance to straighten up yet.

I've been conducting an intelligence test, Mrs. Looran.

I've been testing children from all over England

on a project for the United Nations.

You see, this is the first time that an identical IQ test

has been given to school children

from all over the world.

Naturally, some unexpected things have turned up.

And that's why we've come to see you about Paul.

His intellect is almost beyond belief.

Oh, is it?

It made us wonder about his background.

About you, Mrs. Looran.

And, about his father, of course.

Oh, did it?

We thought it might be interesting

if you were to take the test too.

I won't take any test.

If that's what you want, you can forget it.

There's really nothing to it, Mrs. Looran.

And it would help us immensely.

I just don't want to do it!

Now, you can forget it!

You better go now. I've got things to do.

About Paul's father, Mrs. Looran, is he still...

- That's none of your business! - Quite right.

I was just wondering what business he was in.

Get out.

I'm sure he'd be very proud of the boy.

If you could give us his address, then

I don't have to answer your questions.

Now, just leave me alone and get out.

Now, don't let him upset you, Mrs. Looran.

These scientists are all alike.

Alright, but just get out of here.

Going, Mrs. Looran.

Oh, there's just one thing.

- Is his name Looran? - Get out!

Fascinating woman.

Well, geneticist, does she explain anything?

Well, I think we can safely say that

he didn't get his brain from mother.

They're after you.

And you won't get away.

They're stronger than I am.

I hate you!

I want you to suffer the way you've made me suffer!

I should have crushed you to death the first moment

I held you to my breast!

They'll get you now, and I'll help.

I'll do everything I can to help!

He isn't mine.

I gave birth to him,

but he isn't mine.

I couldn't have a baby.

I hadn't been touched

ever.

Oh, don't you understand?

He hasn't got a father.

He isn't human.

- I'd never been touched. - Alright, it's alright.

The doctor said you've to rest.

I'd never been touched.

Mrs. Looran, we've heard everything you have to say...

You don't believe me, you fools.

I warn you.

He could butcher you without even trying!

You fools!

Paul?

- Can I help you? - Rather.

We were coming to get... Paul for the night.

But that doesn't seem to be necessary now.

No, he's safe in bed.

Susan: I'm Paul's aunt.

Are you friends of Diana's?

Tom: Very close.

Odd that she never mentioned a sister.

I live with my mother in Nottingham.

But this afternoon, I got a funny feeling

I should come down here today.

It's lucky you did.

Yes, I wasn't here 20 minutes when the hospital called.

It would have been awful

if Paul had been here alone.

Yes. Well, um...

We'll leave you to it then, Miss...

Eliot. Susan Eliot.

- Oh, Thomas. - Yes?

- What about tomorrow? - Oh, yes.

Um, a Mr. Harib of the United Nations

is flying from Paris to see Paul.

- Paul? - Yes.

Uh, your nephew's

intelligence has really rather staggered us all.

Oh.

I'd like to take him to my office at the university

if that's alright with you.

Well, yes. I'd want to come with him, of course.

Absolutely.

You must let me show you my laboratory.

Incidentally, Paul was born

before Diana was married, wasn't he?

Yes.

Tom: I'll call for you at about 10:00 then.

Susan: Alright, 10:00.

Tom: Thank you. Goodnight.

Susan: Goodnight. David: Goodnight.

David: They're from the same parents.

- The same litter even. Harib: It's not glandular?

David: Oh, no, he's perfectly normal in every way.

It's not only that he's much bigger, he's very much cleverer.

He'd get all the food if we let him.

Uh, will his offspring be the same?

Exactly the same. As I told you, he's perfectly normal.

Under free conditions, his strain would take over.

Do you remember Darwin and the "Survival of the Fittest?"

But, this is not an example of the evolutionary process?

Oh, no. This is a sudden,

unexplained mutation in the genes.

And, quite honestly, nobody knows

exactly how or why it happened.

So we call them "biological sports."

It occurs throughout nature, you know. Come and have a look.

- Dr. Harib. - Harib.

For 50 generations, this.

And then suddenly, this extravagance crops up.

Well, there you are.

Plants, animals.

And there's no known law why it shouldn't occur in man.

And you think this might explain the boy?

Well, if I had to give an explanation,

that's the one I'd give.

How often does this happen?

Oh, it's entirely unpredictable.

But certainly only once in several billion chances.

What if I told you, Dr. Neville

that there were six Paul's in the world?

Same age, same intellect.

Well, I'd say it was genetically impossible.

Uh, we have now the results of every country in the world.

Five children have scores identical

to that of Paul Looran.

- Identical? - Yes, identical.

Tom: But, how's that possible? I mean, no two

I have no idea, but

I would like to find out. David: Well, so would I.

One child from Calcutta

is now a resident here in the Indian Embassy.

Since he and the Looran boy are both in London,

I have arranged for the other four

to be brought here by their embassies.

I would like you to retest them all.

In the meantime, gentlemen,

I would like this treated simply

a UNESCO research project.

Nothing more.

Dr. Neville, Dr. Lewellyn

I'm very sorry to have kept you so long.

The Ambassador offers his apologies to Mr. Harib.

But Nina Sirinova has returned to Moscow.

But she was only just flown in.