The Production GuideScript To Screen: The Mark of Archanon
by Martin Willey
The Production Guide
The original script from 12 April ended with a jokey scene with Alan and Maya, followed by a more contemplative scene between Koenig and Helena in Command Center. There will be numerous amendments, below:
74.
EPILOGUE
FADE IN:
86 INT. CORRIDOR ADJACENT COMMAND CENTER 86
FOLLOW MAYA and ALAN as they head for Command Center.
ALAN
Look ... I've got this very
difficult and urgent scientific
problem for you to solve.
MAYA
What is this so difficult and
so urgent scientific problem?
ALAN
Well, now, I need a spherical
object....
(demonstrates with
his hands)
...about this size, see, and it
should have a leather texture and
a very particular stitching pattern
...
They now enter Command Center, ALAN still talking.
ALAN
...and it should be able to
take a lot of kicking around ...
and...
87 INT. COMMAND CENTER 87
MAYA and ALAN entering. ALAN measuring with his hands,
pantomiming weight ... but camera lets them go,
angling over to KOENIG and HELENA. HELENA is
contemplative, a little unsettled. She and KOENIG
must have been talking about it...
KOENIG
You can't blame yourself for
what happened.
HELENA
But Pasc is dead. And I killed
him, John.
CONTINUED:
75.
87 CONTD.
KOENIG
You didn't kill him. You're a
doctor. You did what any other
doctor would have done ... He
knew what giving his blood would
do. You did not know.
HELENA
It's not a very satisfactory
defence, ignorance. Somehow,
as a doctor, I should have
known. We hurtle blindly through
space, we make contact with alien
races, and in our arrogance we
measure them in our own parameters.
KOENIG
You saved the boy. You saved a
race.
HELENA
But there will be other alien
races. Will we make the same
mistakes again? Trying to solve
their troubles with nothing but
our human experience?
KOENIG
It's all we've got.
He places an arm round her shoulder. She turns and
smiles wanly at him. He smiles back.
KOENIG
And we'll have more tomorrow.
HOLD
FADE OUT
END OF EPISODE
On the 21st April pink page amendments, the last page is cut down. The rather poetic, but not quite grammatical last line, "we'll have more tomorrow", is gone.
"THE MARK OF ARCHANON"
21st April 1976
75.
87 CONTD.
KOENIG
You didn't kill him. You did
what any other doctor would
have done... He knew what giving
his blood would do. You didn't.
HELENA
We make contact with alien
races, and in our arrogance we
measure them in our own
parameters.
KOENIG
You saved the Etrec. That's the
important thing.
He places an arm round her shoulder. She turns and
smiles wanly at him. He smiles back.
HOLD
FADE OUT
END OF EPISODE
On the 28th April blue pages, the original epilogue was deleted. While The Rules Of Luton was being filmed, the availability of Martin Landau was very limited, so deleting the old epilogue helpfully removed the need for Koenig. The final scene in Medical is split, with Act Four ending as Pasc dies. The new epilogue is the remainder of the scene, not much changed. It still featured a soccer ball, not a rugby ball.
"THE MARK OF ARCHANON"
28th April, 1976
73
NOTE: Scns. 86 and 87 ARE DELETED.
EPILOGUE
FADE IN:
85A EXT. MOONBASE ALPHA. (SFX.)
Establishing shot of Moonbase Alpha. Dissolve on
through to:
85B INT. MEDICAL CENTER
ETREC, still with his head buried against PASC.
MAURNA
Come Etrec. We are going home.
ETREC
But what of Pasc?
MAURNA
He can go home now, too.
ETREC nods, MAURNA places one hand on his shoulder
and another hand on the body of PASC on the bed.
ETREC looks across to ALAN and smiles.
ALAN
Hold on, Cobber.
He fumbles behind a table with his foot - gives a
boot, and out flies the soccer ball.
ALAN
You can catch it now this once,
Cobber, It's yours. But when
you get home, remember - only
the foot and the head!
ETREC catches it in the air.
TONY
Good bye Etrec.
ETREC
Goodbye Tony.
CONTINUED:
"THE MARK OF ARCHANON"
28th April, 1976
74
85B CONTD.
ALAN
So long, Cobber,
ETREC
So long, Alan.
ALAN starts out.
ETREC
Thanks.
ALAN
(gruffly)
Aah ... it was only a beat-up
football.
He turns and leaves with TONY.
MAURNA
(to HELENA)
Football?
HELENA
An old Earth symbol ...
which means I'm glad I
met you.
FADE OUT:
END OF EPISODE
(PAGE 75 DELETED)
On 5th May (after filming started), new script pages were issued. The end of Act Four is now back as it was. Perhaps it was realised that Koenig needed to make an appearance, not be left lost in space. All the Koenig/Helena dialogue from the original epilogue is resurrected, now set in a corridor.
"THE MARK OF ARCHANON"
5th May, 1976
72/73
85 CONTD. 4
HELENA
You knew this ?
PASC
It is the last privilege of the
killing sickness, to kill oneself.
His eyes close. His head drops lifelessly to one side.
ETREC buries his head on PASC's chest.
CAMERA tilts up to TONY, ALAN and then HELENA ...
THEN PULLS WIDE.
MAURNA
Come, Etrec. We are going home.
ETREC
Could I be alone with Pasc...
for a time ?
MAURNA nods.
ALAN
Hey, Cobber.
He fumbles behind a table with his foot - gives a
boot, and out flies the soccer ball.
ALAN
You can catch it now this once,
Cobber, It's yours. But when
you get home, remember - only
the foot and the head !
ETREC catches it in the air.
CONTINUED:
"THE MARK OF ARCHANON"
5th May, 1976
74
85 CONTD.
ETREC
Thanks, Alan.
ALAN
(gruffly)
Aah...it was only a beat-up
football.
He turns and leaves with TONY.
As MAURNA and HELENA start out too.
MAURNA
(to HELENA)
Football ?
HELENA
An old Earth symbol ...
which means I'm glad I
met you.
CAMERA HOLDS on ETREC and PASC.
FADE OUT:
END OF ACT FOUR
"THE MARK OF ARCHANON"
5th May, 1976
75
EPILOGUE
FADE IN:
86. INT. CORRIDOR (COMMAND CENTER OR MEDICAL CENTER)
CLOSE SHOT KOENIG
KOENIG
You can't blame yourself for
what happened.
CAMERA PULLS WIDE TO REVEAL HELENA.
HELENA
But Pasc is dead. And I killed him.
KOENIG
You didn't kill him. You're a
doctor. You did what any other
doctor would have done...He knew
what giving his blood would do.
You did not know.
HELENA
It's not a very satisfactory
defence, ignorance. Somehow,as a
doctor, I should have known.
We hurtle blindly through space,
we make contact with alien races,
and in our arrogance we measure them
in our own parameters.
KOENIG
You saved the boy. You saved a race.
HELENA
But there will be other alien races.
Will we make the same mistakes again?
Trying to solve their troubles with
nothing but our human experience ?
KOENIG
It's all we've got.
He places an arm round her shoulder. She turns and
smiles wanly at him. He smiles back.
KOENIG
And we'll have more tomorrow.
HOLD
FADE OUT
END OF EPISODE
On 20th May, after filming had finished, Fred Freiberger rewrote the scene, unusually issued as an inter-office memo. We don't know if the 5th May epilogue had been filmed (on the 11th May shooting schedule for Brian The Brain, it was scheduled for filming on 19th May). It may well have been delayed because of Martin Landau's availability. We also don't know when this new scene was filmed. For filming, the location is shifted from the corridor to Koenig's living quarters.
Koenig's line "I'm sorry I wasn't here to help when all the flack was flying about" is changed by hand (this is Martin Landau's personal copy), with the last word becoming "around". The final line delivered by Landau is "I'm sorry I wasn't around to help when all that flak was flying about."
INTER-OFFICE MEMORANDUM
TO see below
FROM FRED FREIBERGER
SUBJECT "THE MARK OF ARCHANON" DATE 20th May, 1976
Please note that the Epilogue on the above episode
should now read as follows:
EPILOGUE
86. INT. CORRIDOR (COMMAND CENTER OR MEDICAL CENTER)
HELENA
It's good to have you back, John.
KOENIG
I'm sure glad to be back.
They walk for a beat and KOENIG says:
KOENIG
I'm sorry I wasn't here to help
when all the flack was flying around
about.
(beat - then he continues)
Alan says I would have liked
Etrec.
HELENA
You would have liked Pasc too -
under different circumstances....
Her sentence trails off as she thinks of those
last moments with PASC.
KOENIG
You can't blame yourself for
what happened.
HELENA
But Pasc is dead.
KOENIG
You're a doctor. You did what
any other doctor would have
done...He knew what giving
his blood would do. You did
not know.
HELENA
As a doctor, I should have
known. It's not a very
satisfactory defence, ignorance.
CONTINUED:
INTER-OFFICE MEMORANDUM
TO see below PAGE 2
FROM FRED FREIBERGER
SUBJECT "THE MARK OF ARCHANON" DATE 20th May, 1976
(This page replaces Page 2 of the previous Epilogue amendment)
Sc. 86 CONTD.
KOENIG
You saved the boy.
She looks at him - smiles tentatively, gratefully.
He places an arm round her shoulder.
HELENA
Yes. At least I have something
to be grateful for ... Etrec.
KOENIG
Is that all you have to be
grateful for?
He half smiles at her. She half smiles back and
shakes her head. He leans toward to kiss her.
FREEZE on the kiss.
THE END
Distribution:
Martin Landau
Barbara Bain
Charles Crichton
Camera
Continuity
Sound
Editor
Production Office
Copyright Martin Willey