Transcript VO
OPENING TITLE
EXT-GIZA, EGYPT, 1928, DAY
[A car drives quickly through the desert towards a busy and crowded archaeological site. The driver helps them out of the car before rushing ahead, trying to lead them to the center of the site. The girl and man, Catherine Langford and her father, hurry to catch up. Catherine has started looking at some smaller artifacts being catalogued on one of the side tables. She's fascinated by a gold necklace, on its chain is a gold pendant with an intricate design, including the symbol for the eye of Ra]
LANGFORD
Catherine, come.
[Catherine follows her father and the other men to another section of the site. Dozens of workers are using ropes to pull a large stone ring upright-the Stargate]
INT-WAREHOUSE, 10 YEARS LATER, DAY
[The Stargate is installed in the middle of a warehouse]
JAMES
What is it, Cat?
CATHERINE
We still don't know.
JAMES
Metal?
CATHERINE
Most archaeological finds from this period are stone, but not this one. My father believes it's melted meteorite.
JAMES
Ten years of research and you're still not sure.
CATHERINE
These things take time. And no more money means no more research. Not here, at least.
[She fiddles with the necklace around her neck]
JAMES
Well, I'm grateful for the mystery. Otherwise, our chance encounter at the market may have never come to pass.
CATHERINE
That would have been tragic.
[She puts her hands on his shoulders and approaches him. He becomes nervous]
JAMES
I... Hum. I'm awfully excited to meet your father. He's a fine and fascinating fellow.
CATHERINE
You're cute when you're nervous.
[She tries to kiss him but they are interrupted]
LANGFORD
It's true, young man. I am fascinating.
CATHERINE
Father, there you are.
LANGFORD
You said that a Captain James Beal would be stopping by to say hello, and... see our little sphinx here.
JAMES
Yes, sir. Pleased to meet you, sir.
LANGFORD
Pleasure is mine. Have you any money on you? To help with the cause.
JAMES
Well, I didn't...
LANGFORD
I'm pulling your leg. Will you be joining us for supper? I'll teach you how to write your name in ancient hieroglyphs.
JAMES
Sounds delightful.
LANGFORD
Excellent. My apologies for arriving so late, I was... Well, I was waylaid by a telegram. It seems our old friend Deitrich, my... partner in all this madness, won't be returning.
CATHERINE
What?
LANGFORD
He was in Berlin dredging up backers for our work.
CATHERINE
What was his message?
LANGFORD
It is so odd.
[We can read on a telegram: "Doctor Langford, I regret to inform that our contacts in Germany have not come through as we had hoped. This will be my last missive. Goodbye dear friend."]
LANGFORD
Just a curt goodbye and nothing more. It's not how I imagined he would leave us. Maybe this really is over. Well, I do hope you're hungry.
[Langford walks away, James and Catherine follow him]
CATHERINE
He's actually a terrible cook, so beware.
JAMES
All right.
CATHERINE
Thank you.
JAMES
You think so?
CATHERINE
Yeah.
INT-WAREHOUSE-PERSONAL QUARTERS
[A menorah is on a coffee table. Catherine and her father are chatting, sitting on armchairs drinking red wine]
LANGFORD
He's very nice.
CATHERINE
Stop it. Yes, he is. Though, it's still all very new.
LANGFORD
And your eyes are still all lit up. Catherine, I hope you realize you don't have to leave Egypt on my account.
CATHERINE
I'm not. Owens, at the museum was so impressed with my cataloging of our Giza artifacts that he offered me a position.
[Her father stands up, bewildered by the news. He clears his throat, she puts her glass on the table, annoyed]
CATHERINE
I thought you'd be proud of me.
LANGFORD
No, Catherine. I am, but... our work, this is your legacy as well.
CATHERINE
You just said it was over. Where is the money coming from this time?
LANGFORD
Now, that's none of your concern, is it?
CATHERINE
It's none of my concern? I spent my entire childhood living your work.
LANGFORD
And now you're being stubborn.
CATHERINE
You're being ridiculous and condescending!
LANGFORD
You never take even a moment to slow down and think before you act. You are just like your mother.
[Shocked, she gets up and leaves]
LANGFORD
Catherine!
INT-WAREHOUSE- CATHERINE'S BEDROOM
[Furious, she sits down in front of a mirror and tries to calm herself by talking to herself]
CATHERINE
What're you doing, Catherine?
INT-WAREHOUSE
[Suddenly, a noise emanates from the shed. A car stops. Three Nazis approach, Langford looks at them, concerned. Nazis speak German among themselves. Catherine looks on discreetly]
BRUCKE
It is here. I don't believe this. It's really here. It's really, truly here.
[He watches his parchment and the Stargate]
BRUCKE
Look, exactly like the hieroglyph.
[Brucke gives his orders to Stefan and Gunter]
INT-WAREHOUSE- CATHERINE'S BEDROOM
[Catherine looks out her bedroom window and sees the German]
INT-WAREHOUSE
[A Nazi woman approaches the Nazi leader and touches his arm]
EVA
I'm so proud of you. Come. Yeah.
[She asks him to sit in front of the Stargate and starts filming]
BRUCKE
Behold, the gateway to history...
LANGFORD
Hello? Excuse me?
BRUCKE
...is finally...
LANGFORD
Please, stop. Stop. Please, stop. May I help you?
BRUCKE
My most sincere apologies. You must be Professor Paul Langford.
LANGFORD
I am, and...
BRUCKE
My name is Dr. Wilhelm Brucke. Chief occultist to the Fuhrer. I feared we might never find you. Although, it is to be expected, since the world has forgotten you exist.
LANGFORD
I beg your pardon?
BRUCKE
Do you have any idea what you have uncovered here?
LANGFORD
We have some theories, yes.
BRUCKE
I come with more than theory.
LANGFORD
Looking through the prism of several dead languages...
BRUCKE
Have you ever seen this before?
[Brucke shows Langford a scroll]
LANGFORD
Where did you find this?
BRUCKE
I procured it from a felonious little spice dealer in Thailand two years ago.
LANGFORD
I don't understand.
BRUCKE
Surely, you are familiar with the recent theory of Einstein-Rosen bridges.
LANGFORD
I still don't understand.
[Catherine hides behind some crates and tries to approach the group]
BRUCKE
Too busy studying the ancient Egyptians?
LANGFORD
Yes.
BRUCKE
Forest for the trees, Professor.
[A Nazi deliberately drops an artifact that shatters on the ground]
BRUCKE
When I laid eyes upon this parchment, I knew I had found something truly special, which holds meaning beyond our world, of what we can only imagine, for now. Have you never wanted to take a step back, so you could look at it? Never imagined that this might be, say, a doorway?
LANGFORD
A doorway?
[Catherine loads a gun, hidden behind a car. Unfortunately a Nazi points his gun at her head]
HEINRICH
Evening, Fraulein. Why ever are you sneaking around so late at night?
CATHERINE
I was hoping to brush up on my German.
[She gives her gun to the soldier, keeps her hands up and is escorted out]
BRUCKE
You must be Catherine.
LANGFORD
Wait, no. Wait, wait, wait. Stop.
STEFAN
Hands, hands!
CATHERINE
I'm okay. I'm okay.
LANGFORD
Okay, okay!
BRUCKE
Wonderful of you to join us.
CATHERINE
What is this? Where is Deitrich?
BRUCKE
Poor Deitrich. Upon alerting me to your whereabouts, I'm afraid he was met with a disastrous difference of opinion in Berlin.
[Catherine struggles from the soldier's hands]
CATHERINE
Let go of me.
BRUCKE
Heinrich, there's no need for this weapon. Let's be civilized here. Stefan, Gunter, rope.
[Catherine and her father are tied with ropes around their wrists]
CATHERINE
Let go of me!
LANGFORD
Catherine, do as they say, please.
BRUCKE
Go finish preparations.
CATHERINE
Civilized, uh?
BRUCKE
Poor fool... All this time, completely oblivious to its true purpose, its true power. One only I comprehend. (to Gunter) These symbols, in this order.
CATHERINE
Who are you?
BRUCKE
I'm the answer you have been looking for.
LANGFORD
And what do you plan to do with us?
BRUCKE
Patience, Professor. You will soon know. First, I will open our little doorway here. It is time to show you what I come this way to do.
END CREDITS