The Man Who Fell to Earth

Thomas Jerome Newton, an enigmatic extraterrestrial, descends upon Earth's arid landscape in New Mexico, camouflaging himself as a refined Englishman. His mission is twofold: to harvest water from the parched planet and patent the technological innovations of his distant home world. With Oliver Farnsworth (character), a cunning patent attorney, by his side, Newton rapidly accumulates wealth and becomes the patriarch of World Enterprises Corporation, a thriving Arizona-based conglomerate. This vast fortune is earmarked for constructing a spacecraft capable of transporting much-needed water back to his drought-stricken planet.

Newton's terrestrial exploits are marked by a series of serendipitous encounters. He meets Mary-Lou, a lonely young woman from Oklahoma, who introduces him to the intricacies of Earthly customs: churchgoing, intoxication, and intimacy. As they cohabitate in a house built by Newton near his initial landing site, she acquaints him with the nuances of human relationships.

Meanwhile, Dr. Nathan Bryce (character), a former college professor with a questionable moral compass, has found employment as a fuel technician at World Enterprises. As he becomes increasingly privy to Newton's alien nature, he orchestrates a clandestine meeting at his home, where he conceals an X-ray camera. Upon capturing Newton's true physiology on film, Bryce is left to ponder the implications of this revelation.

As Newton's dependence on alcohol and television grows more crippling, his relationship with Mary-Lou begins to fray. Fearing exposure, Newton reveals his alien form to her, only to be met with horror and rejection. In a state of panic, she flees, leaving Newton isolated once more.

Newton finally completes the spaceship and prepares for its maiden voyage amidst intense media scrutiny. However, just prior to takeoff, he is apprehended by government agents and rival corporate interests. Farnsworth meets a tragic end, and Newton finds himself confined to a luxurious penthouse apartment, constructed deep within a hotel. Here, he is subjected to a regimen of medical experiments, sedated with alcohol, and forced to confront the disintegration of his human disguise. The final indignity comes when an X-ray examination causes the contact lenses that have been a cornerstone of his deception to permanently affix themselves to his eyes, forever changing his visual landscape.

As the twilight of Newton's ordeal draws near, Mary-Lou reappears, her once-vibrant visage now weathered by the harsh realities of time and excess. The encounter is marked by a feigned ferocity, their passion manifesting in a playful yet intense coupling that culminates in the firing of a blank-filled gun. As they indulge in a nightcap of revelry, sharing table tennis and whiskey-fueled camaraderie, Mary-Lou confesses her lack of ardor for Newton, to which he responds with equal detachment. The stalemate is eventually disrupted when Newton discovers his "imprisonment" – now a crumbling edifice – lies unguarded, and he departs.

With no haven to return to, Newton succumbs to the darkness, his days consumed by drink and despair. In a desperate bid to reconnect with his distant home planet, he crafts a sonic tapestry infused with extraterrestrial transmissions, hoping its broadcast will pierce the veil of space and time. Meanwhile, Bryce – now Mary-Lou's husband – stumbles upon Newton's album and tracks him down at a restaurant. Despite the ravages of age and the weight of years, Newton still exudes an aura of youthful vitality, though his spirit remains shackled by depression and addiction. As he sits on the outdoor patio, surrounded by the quiet din of civilization, Newton inquires after Mary-Lou before succumbing to the crushing burden of his circumstances, collapsing into a drunken heap upon his chair.