The Lost World

Ted bottomly here, with the BBC special news service bureau at London airport.

Well, the midday transatlantic jet has just landed.

A tranquil beginning to what could possibly prove to be a highly explosive moment.

For this is the homecoming of that indomitable zoological professor...

George Edward challenger.

How dare you!

Gentlemen, please. Allow the passengers to descend first.

- — Professor, please. I'm from the mirror. - Are you indeed?

I'm ed Malone, global news. I'd like a few words, if you don't mind.

I have no doubt. — we've heard some hair-raising tales about your expedition.

- — Would you care to say a few words? - Anything I have to say...

About the expedition will be said tonight at the institute and not before!

What about New York eight hours ago? Why'd you punch that reporter on the nose?

- — What provoked you to hit him? - I'll tell you what provoked me, sir.

He made the same mistake that you are making:

He invaded my privacy, just as you are doing now.

Come now. This is all in the interest of news making. Surely you realize...

I realize that you're in my way, sir! Outrageous! - Hey!

Hey, have you gone crazy? Oh, my head. My back.

Fools! Imbeciles!

Have you no sense of decency?

Out of my way!

Hey, look out! Watch it! Careful!

Go away. Go away. You're a pack of fools.

Is there no privacy anywhere?

Reporters, invaders of privacy. How dare you! How dare you!

Fools! Will you get out of my way!

Frosty. Here, frosty.

Frosty, stop that. Come back here. Stop that.

- — I'm sorry. She... - Yeah.

- — She's crazy about men. - Yeah, well, somebody's crazy.

I'll get even with that guy even if it means losing my job.

Oh, don't get so carried away, Mr. Malone.

The professor's merely eccentric.

Oh, sure. Eccentric enough to be in a padded cell.

How'd you know my name?

"Ed Malone, global news service."

Oh, I'm afraid there goes your story.

- — And there goes my bus! - Oh, I'm sorry.

- — Say, look. My car's right here. I can give you a lift into town. - I appreciate that.

I have to change these wet clothes and then get out to that lunatic's meeting tonight.

That makes two of us. I'm going also.

- — You? - My name is Jennifer Holmes.

That's right. Your boss's daughter.

You didn't really think I was in the habit of picking up strangers, did you?

Mr. Malone, you'd better come along.

I think so.

Examiner! Read all about it!

Challenger assaults London newsman!

Evening forum. Read all about it!

Fiery professor reveals secrets to zoological institute tonight!

Professor.

Ah. Summerlee.

- — Who's he? - That's professor Walter summerlee.

He's challenger's bitterest critic.

The redhead is challenger.

My lords, ladies and gentlemen, your attention, please.

Thank you.

- — Well, the man in the puddle. Hello. - Hello.

Johnny, uh, this is Mr. Edward Malone.

- — Lord John roxton. - How do you do?

- — Hi. - That's the man on the front page.

Should be quite a delightful evening.

Bless you.

I have been asked to introduce our distinguished colleague...

Whose international standing as a zoologist is so highly regarded.

Such an introduction poses no problem.

The professor has a remarkable aptitude...

For getting himself in the headlines by clashing with the press...

Head—on, you might say.

As you know, the professor has recently returned...

From a protracted trip of the headwaters of the Amazon river...

A trip engendered by his desire to verify certain conclusions...

Which I myself had come to...

With regard to the cucama Indians.

The professor has returned with, uh, a report...

Which he insists will turn the scientific world topsy-turvy.

He claims to have seen certain strange things.

At least that's what he says.

But he has been known to exaggerate.

Therefore the institute does not necessarily accept...

Or endorse any opinions expressed here this evening...

Uh, that is, by professor challenger.

But again, in fairness, we must all admit that he has contributed much...

Although noisily...

To both zoology and anthropology.

And so, fearing the worst, but with the pious hope...

That he may be persuaded to refrain from using that, uh...

That lethal weapon with which he so frequently punctuates his opinions...

I give you professor George Edward challenger.

Ladies and, uh, gentlemen...

When my distinguished colleague implies that we have been in disagreement...

He pays me a high compliment.

And when he expresses reasonable skepticism...

He is not being unreasonable...

Not in view of the fantastic discovery...

Which I shall not minimize by any false modesty.

That was not one of my fears, professor.

Ladies and gentlemen, prepare yourselves for a shock...

For I bring you news of a discovery so staggering...

As to rate with the feats of Columbus...

Edison and Einstein.

About 2,000 miles up—country...

On that still barely explored outpost of civilization...

Which is loosely described as the headwaters of the Amazon...

On a wild and unscalable jungle plateau so isolated...

As to insulate the area from the laws of evolution...

There exists today many forms of creatures...

Long believed to be extinct.

What sort of creatures?

For heaven's sake, not now.

The Indians call them curupuri:

"The terrible spirits of the woods."

Although I have never reached the top, from the base of that plateau...

I have seen these creatures with my own eyes.

Curupuri. To the Indians, creatures of the supernatural.

And well they might be. For we know them as gigantic creatures...

Of the long dead Jurassic period.

In other words...

Live dinosaurs.

- — You're a fake! - Ridiculous!

Liar!

Who called me a liar?

You must forgive us, professor, but did you say dinosaurs?

Your hearing is excellent.

Were they big dinosaurs, professor?

I do not deal in small dinosaurs.

I assume that you have photographs of these dinosaurs, professor.

No, sir. I have no photographs.

On my way downriver the boat overturned and all my equipment was lost.

Hmm. Pity.

In 40 years as a scientist I have never been known to lie.

I say that they were live dinosaurs.

Live dinosaurs! And I challenge the world to dispute what I say.

- — Can you prove what you say? - Put me to the test, young man.

I further propose that a new expedition...

Consisting of professor summerlee and myself...

Together with two impartial and acceptable members of this audience...

Proceed at once to the Amazon...

To investigate my claim of the existence of a lost world.

- — Hear! Hear! - Well said. Hear, hear.

The dry season in the Amazon ends in November. So I further propose...

That the necessary extensive preparations be undertaken at once...

In order that we may leave not later than four weeks from today.

Professor, I would be the first to approve of such an undertaking...

But the institute has limited funds.

- — We have only— - The money will be forthcoming...

By public subscription if necessary.

However, there is something more important.

Professor summerlee has implied that I have been lying.

Is he ready to prove or disprove my claim?

Will he join me in this new expedition?

Answer him, summerlee.

I doubt that anyone would contribute to such a wild scheme.

But if they do, I'll accept your invitation.

I'll go.

Provided that proper financing is arranged...

And that the institute certifies all other acceptable volunteers.

Volunteers! Volunteers!

Yes. Volunteers.

May I call for qualified volunteers?

Ladies and gentlemen, volunteers?

- — Here. - And who are you, sir?

My name is lord John roxton. I've earned a certain reputation as a big-game hunter, explorer.

Lord roxton. Your eminence in the field of exploration is well-known.

I feel sure the professors will approve.

Oh, by all means. You're welcome, sir. Summerlee?

For myself, I prefer a man of less notoriety.

From what I hear, lord roxton's more famous...

Shall I call them escapades...

Which have been so widely reported in the gossip columns...

Have hardly been in the interest of science.

However.

John, how wonderful. I'm going too.

You're what?

You there, professor. And you too.

My name is Jennifer Holmes, and I can ride, fly and shoot better than any man I know.

- — I want to go too. - There will be no women on my expedition.

- — But, professor. - That's final!

- — Hmph! - May I hear from other volunteers?

- — It's a man's world. - Then why don't you volunteer?

May I hear from other volunteers?

What about it, Malone? The climate's very good for colds.

You know, the professor owes me something for that hit on the head.

- — Good for you, Malone. - You, sir.

Your name, please, and your qualifications.

My name is Edward Malone.

I'm with global news.

A fine collection of volunteers. Women and reporters.

Didn't you have enough at the airport, young man?

Must you continue to invade my privacy?

I'll have no reporters on this trip!

- — Not even for $100,000? - Dad!

My name is Stuart Holmes.

I'm executive vice president of global news service.

And I herewith authorize just such a contribution. What about it, professor?

Will $100,000 pay for the passage of Edward Malone?

Very well put, my dear sir.

And since I was never a man to resist logic... or cash...

I shall ignore my personal feelings and approve Mr. Malone as a member of the expedition.