Table Of ContentDoc Savage: Arch Enemy of Evil screenplay
FADE IN:
THE LIBRARY
in Doc Savage’s PENTHOUSE is large, warm, comfortably furnished. In it are
deep leather chairs, a vast mahogany table which serves as a desk
half-covered with small souvenirs and mementos of past voyages and
adventures.
One wall is richly book-lined — another wall bears more souvenirs, larger
ones, such as an Ugambi tribe rhinoceros shield, Balinesian masks, bows,
arrows, spears, guns. A third wall is composed of floor-to-ceiling glass
doors that look out over the spires and rooftops of the yet smog-free New
York City.
The fourth wall consists of an ALCOVE — and in it is one of Doc Savage’s
inventions — a Record-o—Phone — made up of a number of elements: two
record players of the 1930’s placed side by side, a telephone, a full
length standing microphone and a jointed mechanical arm terminating in a
metal claw.
The phone is ringing — once — twice — three times. We zoom on it. At
the end of the third ring a number of things happen — the mechanical arm
lifts the receiver off the hook and positions it in front of the
lifts the receiver off the hook and positions it in front of the
loudspeaker of the record player— on the left side. At the same time the
record of this player begins to revolve and the needle automatically
lowers itself to it. Then, from the loudspeaker and into the mouthpiece of
the phone issues a
RECORDED MALE VOICE
This is a mechanical robot speaking from Doc Savage’s headquarters,
advising you that Doc Savage is not present, but that any message you care
to speak will be recorded and will come to Doc Savage’s attention later.
You may proceed with whatever you wish to say, if anything.
The mechanical arm now moves the phone to the microphone. The record on
the second turntable begins to revolve. A needle-arm descends over this
second record and begins to cut a groove. We hear a
MALE VOICE (in terror)
Doc! — Doc! Listen. I just learned of somethin’ — somethin’ terrible —
CLOSE ON FLOOR INDICATOR
The music builds as the numbers light up — flashing rapidly toward “85”
— and then to the final floor indicator marked “Penthouse”.
ELEVATOR DOORS
open. DOC SAVAGE, the Man of Bronze, steps out into the CORRIDOR and
strides forward. The “Doc Savage March” bursts forth.
At a pair of heavy oak doors in the foreground. he stops. Engraved on a
small bronze plaque is: CLARK SAVAGE, JR. Doc presses his right hand
against a particular panel.
TIGHT ON A TELEVISION-TYPE SCREEN
Dots race back and forth across it — registering Doc’s handprint. Process
completed, a green light snaps on.
BACK TO SCENE
The doors slide open, one to either side, then close after Doc enters.
DOC’S RECEPTION ROOM.
We now see that the television-type screen is set in an inside panel on
the door and the handprint wipes itself off in reverse.
The room is large but simply furnished —just a massive table in the
center plus a couple of couches and chairs for visitors. Some letters are
on the table. Doc picks up the bundle, then glancing at them crosses over
to another door which automatically slides open. He walks through to
DOC’S LIBRARY
Now heading to his desk, Doc notices a light flashing over the alcove. He
strides to the Record-o-Phone revealing — at the opposite side of the
room — an archway that leads to a modern, fully-equipped LABORATORY. At
the phone equipment Doc lowers the needle onto the record on which the
message was just recorded.. We hear the
MALE VOICE (in terror)
Doc! — Doc! Listen, I just learned of something’ — somethin’ terrible —
Doc! — Doc! Listen, I just learned of something’ — somethin’ terrible —
millions of people will get killed… can you come see me right away? I’m
in the Warfield Drugstore at the corner of Ashcroft Street and Third.
You’re the only one who —Aaargh!
The voice is choked off — followed by the muffled sounds of blows,
grunts, garbled shouts — then a click as the receiver is hung up.
CLOSE ON DOC
his forehead furrowing in a frown. Suddenly a strange trilling sound
issues from the bronze man’s throat - the sound running up and down a
vagrant scale, like the filtering of wind through a forest or the call of
an exotic tropical bird. As we shall learn this sound is a peculiar
characteristic of Doc Savage’s, a thing he does unconsciously when his
thought processes are particularly agitated or when his mind leaps to a
sudden insight.
Doc abruptly turns and dashes off.
