The Fugitive - Recap

Kids are playing baseball in the park and Old Ben is called up to bat by his friend Jenny, who has a leg brace. Old Ben bats it over the tree line and the kids accuse him of using magic again. Jenny suggests they do something else and they play “Spaceman.” The kids talk about how Old Ben is the only one who can transform into stuff and he agrees to be the Martian. Jenny describes how they’ll play as the crew and Old Ben goes behind some rocks to attack them. The kids start the game and go on their mission, and a hideous alien monster moves from behind the rock. All of the kids pretend-shoot and the monster falls back… and turns into Old Ben.



A roller-skating Ben takes Jenny back to the apartment they both live. Ben makes the roller skates disappear and carries Jenny up, unaware that two men are watching him and wondering if he’s the one they’re looking for. As they go up, Jenny asks why Ben doesn’t fix her leg and he can’t explain. Jenny’s guardian, her aunt Mrs. Gann, is angry at them for being late. Ben warns her not to lift her hand to Jenny and Mrs. Gann accuses him of turning Jenny against her. She sends Jenny to bed without her supper and then answers the door, where the two men are waiting. They want information about Ben and she’s eager to help him once they say they’re cops. She explains that Ben has lived there a year and a half and they don’t know anything about him before that. As they ask if Ben has done any magic, Jenny overhears them and sneaks out to Ben’s room. She warns him about the policemen and he recognizes them from her description. He says they’ve caught up to him and Jenny asks why he’s keeping secrets. Mrs. Gann calls out for Jenny who wants Ben to hide, but he thinks it’s too late.



There’s a knock on the door and the two men come in, but Ben is gone. Jenny claims she doesn’t know where Ben is and they all go back downstairs. They ask her not to tell Ben they were there and take their leave. Jenny goes to her room and removes a mouse from her blouse. It transforms back to Ben, who says that Jenny should be more respectful of her aunt. Jenny asks why the men are after him and he admits he’s a criminal in a way. Looking outside, Ben sees that the men are still watching his apartment and notes that they’d find him no matter what he transformed into. He explains that he doesn’t really look like an old man and Jenny hasn’t seen his true form, and he refuses to show her. He explains that he’s from a distant planet and the two men are trying to catch him and take him back. Now he’ll have to find another world to hide on even though he doesn’t want to. He says that since he’s leaving he’ll fix her leg, which would have given him away if he’d done it before.



In the next room, Mrs. Gann overhears them talking as Ben removes a device and heals Jenny’s leg. She comes in but Ben has transformed into a fly and flies out the window once she’s gone. Jenny realizes she can walk normally and runs downstairs where the two men are waiting. They ask where Ben is and she refuses to tell them. They use a similar device on her, rendering her unconscious. An upset Mrs. Gann calls the doctor who can do nothing for Jenny. who is in serious condition. Mrs. Gann gently covers Jenny over and goes into the next room. Once she’s gone, Jenny opens her eyes as Ben flies back in, in fly form. He reverts to human form and Jenny explains what happened. He uses his own device to restore her to normal. However, the two men are there and call Ben “Your Majesty.” They figured Ben would come back to heal Jenny. Ben explains that he’s actually a king, not a criminal, and the men are his subjects sent to bring him back. He fled his rulership after a thousand years because he hated the responsibility. Ben has no choice but to go back and Jenny insists on going with him. The pursuers warn that the Council wouldn’t allow it. Jenny realizes there’s a way out and whispers something to him. Ben tells the pursuers to give him one minute and swears not to flee.



The men go into the next room, where the doctor and Mrs. Gann are frozen. When the minute elapses, they go back to find there are two Jennys: Ben has transformed himself into his friend’s shape. They have no choice but to take back both of them.



Share this article with your friends