The Production GuideScript To Screen: Guardian Of Piri
by Martin Willey
The Production GuideIn this scene, Koenig finds a command conference in progress, planning operation Exodus. The scene would be shot on Thursday 16th May and Friday 17th. It would be revised twice, as we'll see below.
In all the script versions, Bergman is sat in Koenig's chair, with the other Alphans around his desk. The director moves the action to the conference table.
39
94 CONTD.
KOENIG
(tersely)
Just what're you doing, Victor?
BERGMAN stands, moves out of the Command chair to make
way for KOENIG, but KOENIG remains standing.
BERGMAN
(happily)
You're just in time - we're
planning the last phase of
Operation Exodus now.
HELENA
(excited)
Piri! We finally made it!
KOENIG reacts in total shock.
KOENIG
Do you have any idea what
you're going to find?
BERGMAN
Your reports were remarkably
explicit, but of course I
want to see for myself.
KOENIG'S eyes narrow suspiciously.
KOENIG
Reports?
BERGMAN indicates the pile of computer read-outs.
KOENIG, his grim face and attitude apparently not
disturbing the conference in the least from their
euphoric state, walks to the table and examines
the read-outs.
KOENIG
I made none of these reports.
They are the work of Computer
again. My orders were that we
should not rely on Computer.
Somehow its memory cells have
been infiltrated by this power
the Pirians call the Guardian.
All of this is bogus information.
CONTINUED:
40
94 CONTD. 2
HELENA
(enthusiastically)
And to think we so nearly passed
right by.
KOENIG
There's no food to support us.
Nothing grows. Time is suspended.
HELENA
It's wonderful we have come
almost to the end of our journey.
KOENIG looks at her, and turns more hopefully to
BERGMAN.
KOENIG
There is some kind of civilisation
down there. But it has no real
understanding of our human nature.
It's already reduced Irving,
Barker and Kano to mindless apathy.
And now it's attacking your minds.
You are all so incapable of understanding
what I say.
HELENA leans back in her chair and laughs. KOENIG grips
her head firmly and forces her to look into his eyes.
KOENIG (Cont'd)
You're so drunk with delusion
you don't care.
She laughs again and he lets go of her head impatiently.
He turns and stands away from them.
HELENA
A perfect world - and Computer
confirms it.
KOENIG
(shouts)
Don't any of you want to live?
He goes through to Main Mission. The conference shrugs
off his departure and they settle back to business.
HELENA
We have him scheduled to go in
Medical Eagle Ten. He'll be
adequately cared for.
The first changes were on 6th May. The first page was altered in line amendments: Koenig's last line changed from "All of this is bogus information." to "All of this is phoney information."
The second page is rewritten, but the changes are minimal. A few of Koenig's lines are deleted or changed ("You're so drunk with delusion you don't care." becomes "Can't you understand what I'm saying?"). His last shout ("Don't any of you want to live?") is gone; he just leaves.
40
94 CONTD. 2
HELENA
(enthusiastically)
And to think we so nearly passed
right by.
KOENIG
There's no food to support us.
Nothing grows. Time is suspended.
HELENA
It's wonderful we have come
almost to the end of our journey.
KOENIG looks at her, and turns more hopefully to
BERGMAN.
KOENIG
There is some kind of civilisation
down there. But it has no real
understanding of our human nature.
It's already reduced Irving,
Barker and Kano to mindless apathy.
And now it's attacking your minds.
HELENA leans back in her chair and laughs. KOENIG grips
her head firmly and forces her to look into his eyes.
KOENIG (Cont'd)
Can't you understand what I'm
saying?
She laughs again and he lets go of her head impatiently.
He turns and stands away from them.
HELENA
A perfect world - and Computer
confirms it.
He goes through to Main Mission. The conference shrugs
off his departure and they settle back to business.
HELENA
We have him scheduled to go in
Medical Eagle Ten. He'll be
adequately cared for.
"GUARDIAN OF PIRI" 6th May, 1974.
The second change was on 16th May, on yellow pages issued on the day of shooting. When Koenig sees "his" reports, the dialogue is simple and direct (from "I made none of these reports. They are the work of Computer again." to "All of this is phoney information. Computer has been taken over by the Guardian and now it's attacking your minds.").
Martin Landau and Barbara Bain alter it more in performance, with Landau saying "listen..." and Bain interrupting him.
The pragmatic line about "There's no food to support us." and the longer description of "There is some kind of civilisation down there. It's already reduced Irving, Barker and Kano to mindless apathy." are all gone. Instead is a shorter and more dramatic speech "I've seen what it's done to Kano, to Irving and Davis" ending in the exclamation "Cabbages!"
Helena's final line was, in the original script, "A perfect world - and Computer confirms it.". Now it's a dismissive laugh: "Isn't it marvellous! The Guardian has taken over our minds!" But this wasn't used in the episode- is she admitting they are brainwashed? So instead Bain says "And to think we almost went right by it." with a silly laugh.
39
94 CONTD.
KOENIG
(tersely)
Just what're you doing, Victor?
BERGMAN stands, moves out of the Command chair to make
way for KOENIG, but KOENIG remains standing.
BERGMAN
(happily)
You're just in time - we're
planning the last phase of
Operation Exodus now.
HELENA
(excited)
Piri! We finally made it!
KOENIG reacts in total shock.
KOENIG
Do you have any idea what
you're going to find?
BERGMAN
Your reports were remarkably
explicit, but of course I
want to see for myself
KOENIG's eyes narrow suspiciously.
KOENIG
Reports?
BERGMAN indicates the pile of computer read-outs.
KOENIG, his grim face and attitude apparently not
disturbing the conference in the least from their
euphoric state, walks to the table and examines
the read-outs.
KOENIG
These are not my reports.
All of this is phoney information.
Computer has been taken over by
the Guardian and now it's attacking
your minds.
CONTINUED:
"GUARDIAN OF PIRI" 16th May, 1974.
40
94 CONTD. 2
HELENA
It's wonderful we have come
almost to the end of our journey.
HELENA leans back in her chair and laughs. KOENIG grips
her head firmly and looks into her eyes.
KOENIG
Can't you understand what I'm
saying? I've seen what it's
done to Kano, to Irving and
Davis
(he shouts)
Cabbages!
HELENA
Isn't it marvellous! The
Guardian has taken over our
minds!
She laughs with pleasure at this thought. KOENIG pushes
her away in frustration and goes through to Main Mission.
The conference shrugs off his departure and they settle
back to business.
HELENA
We have him scheduled to go in
Medical Eagle Ten. He'll be
adequately cared for.
"GUARDIAN OF PIRI" 16th May, 1974.