All language subtitles for Perry Mason s01e11 Crooked Candle.eng

[PHONE RINGING]

Clayton Beauty Salon.
Why, yes, Mrs. Gale.

Hair set and manicure?

Well, Laura will be free at 1:30.

Good, I'll put you down. Thank you.

Mrs. Bradford.

- Yes, I'm Mrs. Bradford.
- I'm Mrs. Bradford.

Well, there--
There seem to be two of us.

Which Mrs. Bradford is next?

Mrs. Joseph Bradford.

- Oh, that's me.
- Well, then I'm next.

Mrs. Joseph Bradford?

Why, yes.

Did you ever hear of anything
like this?

It's a small world, but--

Yes,

I do have the name
down here twice.

I took one off though,
thinking it must be a duplication.

[PHONE RINGS]

Excuse me.

You ladies work this out between you.
Toss a coin or something.

Well, I--

I can't get over the coincidence.

Not that Bradford
is such an unusual name but--

It is curious, isn't it?

Do you live in Beverly Hills?

Why, yes,
on North Marquette Drive.

Really, this is--

What address on North Marquette?

741.

You couldn't possibly--

Well, I've lived there with my husband
for over a year now.

Look, I even have my key

with my name and address
engraved on it.

BRADFORD: Here are the
keys to my boat, Harper.

I want her ready to go by 4.
Here's a list of supplies I'll need.

You know, Joe,
I still think you ought to go by car.

That's an important deal. If you're not
in San Diego by Monday--

I certainly won't make it
if you keep on yakking.

- You're the boss.
BRADFORD: How right you are.

[PHONE RINGING]

Yes?

No, this is Jack Harper.

Hold on just a minute,
I'll see if he's still here. It's your wife.

I'm not here.

It sounds like she's crying.

Look, honey,
I'm up to my ears in work.

Can't you call back later?

Are you sure?

Now wait a minute,
don't go all to pieces.

We can discuss this matter when--

I'm not going into it on the phone
and that's final.

All right, all right. I'll meet you
at Crane's Coffee Shop at 5:00.

Well, what are you waiting for?

You just told your wife
you'd meet her at 5:00.

Never mind what I told her.

She's your wife, Joe.

That's right, Harper, she's my wife.

And don't you ever forget it.

Joe.

[KNOCKING]

Joe. Joe?

Where is he, Larry? Where is he?

- You mean, Joe?
- Yes.

I don't know.
I've been out on the field.

There was nobody here in the office
when I got back.

I waited at the coffee shop for hours
for him, but he didn't come.

He didn't come, Larry,
and he promised me he would.

I'm afraid to go back home.
She has a key to the house.

Who? Who's she?

A woman. She told me
she's married to Joe, but she's lying.

- Martha. Martha, now, stop it. Stop it.
- I know she's lying.

Come on. Come on, now,
you'd better sit down.

I'm sorry.

I must've sounded hysterical.

But you see, I ran into this woman
at the beauty parlour.

She claimed she was married to Joe.
She even has a key to the house.

- That's crazy.
- Well, I thought so too.

I called Joe and he told me
he'd meet me at Crane's at 5:00,

but he didn't show up.

I've called here any number of times
but there was no answer.

- Wasn't Jack Harper around?
- No.

Oh, Larry, what should I do?

I think you should go home,
and get a good night's sleep.

You make me feel like
I'm making a big fuss over nothing.

I don't think that at all.

In fact,
if Joe doesn't shown up by morning,

I feel you ought to see a lawyer.

A lawyer?

If there's truth in this woman's claims,
you're gonna need one.

That's ridiculous.

Joe has his faults
but I'm sure bigamy isn't one of them.

I can dream, can't I?

You always say the right thing,
don't you?

I'm much better now.
Would you take me home?

[DOOR CLOSES]

Who's there?

Joe, is that you?

MARTHA: Then I found mud tracks of
a woman's shoe across the entry hall.

Mr. Mason,
I've got to find my husband.

I must speak to him. I can't endure
this uncertainty any longer.

- What's his office number?
- Elwood 34271.

But he isn't there.
I've already called this morning.

- Who's his second in command?
- Jack Harper.

Mr. Bradford, please.

Then let me speak to Mr. Harper.
My name is Mason.

MASON: Perry Mason.
- Oh, yes. What can I do for you?

Mrs. Bradford's attorney?
Since when?

This morning. It's very important
that I get in touch with him.

Can you tell me
where to reach him?

Why, yes.

He drove up
to Skinner Hills yesterday.

That's about ten miles
north of Fillmore.

Skinner Hills. Thank you.

We'll drive up there.

MASON:
What's the idea?

Excuse me. I make a little mistake.

- That thing loaded?
- Sure.

But you don't got to worry.
I think you're somebody else.

Excuse me, I am Nikolides.
Who are you?

My name is Mason.

Can you tell me where I can find
Mr. Joseph Bradford?

Joe Bradford?
You crazy or something?

No, I just want to see Mr. Bradford.

That Bradford. He come here,
Nikolides shoot him. Dead.

Mind if we look around a little?

What's the matter? You think I lie?

Now, take it easy.

All right. Come on.
I think you'd better go home now.

Hey.

Hey, where do you think
you're pointing that gun, you fool?

Martha, what are you doing here?

Jack Harper told us Joe drove up here
yesterday.

Harper knows better.
Joe wouldn't come near this place.

You bet he don't come near here.
Nikolides see to that personal.

Hey, Nik, I thought I saw a stray lamb
over in the arroyo.

- Huh? Which way?
- Oh, back there, about a mile.

Oh, excuse me, I'll go take care.

He won't bother you anymore.

MARTHA:
Larry, this is Mr. Mason.

Mr. Sands is a friend
I told you about.

He works for my husband
as a surveyor.

I know your reputation, Mr. Mason.
I'm glad Martha took my advice.

Tell me, Mr. Sands.

What does this Nikolides
have against Bradford?

Well, this was all his property.
Bradford bought it for a song.

Then we struck oil back in the hills.

When we start pumping next month,

he's gonna have to move his sheep
out of here.

And, of course,
Jack Harper knew all this.

Naturally.

Thanks.

MASON: Why did you send us on that
wild-goose chase to Skinner Hills?

[CHUCKLES]

Funny, Mr. Harper?

Only in a gruesome sort of way.

Did you run into Nikolides?

That wasn't funny either.

Now, why did you tell me
Bradford went out there?

Because those were my instructions.
He's got a big deal in San Diego,

and didn't want anyone to know
where he was headed.

Do you realise
his wife is worried sick?

Why?

It seems there's another Mrs. Bradford
on the horizon.

You mean Joe and Martha
might not be legally married?

That's right.

Why didn't you say that
in the first place?

- I didn't know you cared.
- What kind of a crack is that?

- Where can I find Bradford?
- You can't.

He left yesterday for San Diego
on the Mary Belle.

- That the name of a boat?
- It is.

Where does he keep her?

At a place called La Cuesta
in the harbour basin.

You folks aim to do a little fishing?

If you are, well,
Captain Noble is your man.

Ever hear of a boat named
the Mary Belle, captain?

Oh, sure. It belongs to Mr. Bradford.

She's anchored out there
in the basin.

You can't see it from here.

Could you take us out there?

Oh, that I can, mate. That I can.
Come right this way.

Hurry in.

Now, don't be shy, miss.
I know every shoal in this channel.

Now, sit down.

Cut that line.

NOBLE:
Ahoy, the Mary Belle.

Anybody aboard?

Duck your head.

You think it's Bradford?

Judging from his wife's description.

Notice anything special about that?

The candle?

It's crooked.

But it didn't burn crooked.

Knocked over in a scuffle?

I don't know, Della.
Only one thing I'm sure of:

We'd better phone the police.

MARTHA:
Dead.

Murdered, to be exact.

Oh, I--

I don't believe it. It's not true.

You know better.
You were on that boat last night.

What did you say?

I was only giving you a sample of the
kind of talk you'll get from the police.

They'll arrive any moment.

That woman, the one who claimed
to be his legal wife,

you said she was here last night?

- I thought she was.
- What time was this?

Somewhere around--

[DOORBELL RINGS]

I'll get it.

- Well, hello, lieutenant.
- What's the big idea, Mason?

You know better than to leave
the scene before the police arrive.

I had to come ashore to phone you.

Offer your services to the widow?

- Mrs. Bradford?
- Yes.

I'm Lieutenant Tragg, Homicide.
We're investigating a murder.

Murder, lieutenant?

Has there been an inquest?

In such a short time?
Don't be funny.

Well, surely you have something
to back your theory.

What about the autopsy?

I don't need an autopsy
to tag this one.

It screams murder.

When it stops screaming and starts
following the rules of evidence,

I'll start listening.

My, we're very legal this morning.

I'm sure you're as anxious
as we are to clear up the mystery

of your husband's death.

- Of course.
- Then you won't mind

coming down to headquarters
and making a voluntary statement.

I'll meet you there
in exactly one hour.

- If you hold her any longer--
- Yes, I know, I know.

Guess I'll be asking for trouble.

Good afternoon.

Did you locate
the other Mrs. Bradford?

PAUL:
No, not yet.

But she's definitely not a mirage.

"Bradford, Mrs. Joseph.
Maiden name, Rita Wassell.

Married, Lake Charles, Louisiana,
1945. Divorced, Calexico, 1948."

- That's good news for our client.
- It is if that divorce holds up.

Here's a picture of her.

It ran in the local society section
just before the divorce.

MASON: Not bad.
- The understatement of the year.

Oh, I turned on the charm
and talked to Bradford's secretary.

It appears the boss and his wife
don't get along too well.

- Gossip.
- Could be.

This Rita Bradford fascinates me.

Imagine, went to the current wife
and making all these wild claims.

Why?

If we knew that,
we'd be halfway home.

[PHONE BUZZES]

Yes, Gertie.

Miss Bradford?

I'll see her in a moment. Have her wait
in Della's office, will you?

Thanks.

Okay?

Well, don't I get to meet
the femme fatale?

On your way, boy.

MASON:
Miss Bradford?

Yes.

Come in, please.

I'm sorry to have kept you waiting.

- This is my secretary, Miss Street.
RITA: How do you do?

Won't you sit down?

Miss Bradford, I've been trying
every way possible to find you,

and here you walk right into my office.
I couldn't be more surprised.

Surprised, Mr. Mason?

Then how do you account for this?

RITA: Who told them
you were representing me?

I'm representing
the present Mrs. Bradford.

I am the present Mrs. Bradford.

When was the last time
you saw your husband?

Last night.

- Where?
- Aboard his boat, the Mary Belle.

- Get Burger.
- Mr. Mason,

don't you think you'd better hear
the rest of my story?

Yes, I do,
but for your own protection,

I suggest you tell
the district attorney first.

RITA: The boat gave a lurch
as I started down the companionway

and I had to stop a minute
to get my balance.

I called to him again
and I thought I heard him groan.

That's when I saw his face.

You saw his face?

Yes. He was slumped against the door
at the front of the cabin.

According to your statement
and our subsequent photographs,

the body was lying face down

with its head
toward the companionway.

That's not true.

So you just told it.

Well, if you don't believe me,
there's no point in my going on.

I don't think there is, Mrs. Bradford,
for the moment.

I'll see you to the elevator.

I'll be right back.

I don't understand, Mr. Mason.
Why wouldn't he believe me?

Well, he's naturally sceptical.

With murder, you have to be.

- Where can I reach you?
- I'm staying at the Monica-Wilshire

under my maiden name,
Rita Wassell.

I don't wanna move
back to the house, now that--

Mr. Mason, I feel so lost.

I don't know where to go,
what to do.

I'll be in touch with you.

Please don't forget.

Well, I did my best, Hamilton.

Now, when are you gonna release
Martha Bradford?

I'm sorry, Perry.
We're not gonna release her.

You haven't one shred of evidence
against her.

My client wasn't aboard
the Mary Belle.

Is that what she told you?

MASON: What's that?
- Exhibit A.

Shoe, with blood traces,
property of your client.

It's Bradford's blood type too.

In short, we're holding Martha Bradford
for murder.

Sure you don't want to eat,
Mr. Mason?

- No, thanks.
- It's good.

I'll take your word for it.

Now, what about the Mary Belle?

It's funny you should ask that.

Hey,
what are you guys sitting around for?

You got no work to do?
What I pay you for, huh?

Got to watch them every second,
Mr. Mason.

Besides,
it's better we got no witnesses.

You know what I like about you,
Nikolides?

Sure. I'm peasant. Eat big, hate big.

You're no more a peasant than I am.
It's just an act.

That gun you pretended
you were gonna use, all those threats.

You know,
you're a pretty good actor.

You understand my character.

- We can do business.
- Can we?

Sure.

What if I tell you I was on
Joe Bradford's boat last night?

- That makes three so far.
- Mm-hm.

What if I tell you
Jack Harper is there too?

- Getting quite crowded.
- Is a fact.

Harper and Bradford have fight.

- About what?
- Mrs. Bradford.

So Harper kill husband, marry widow.
Make sense?

Where do you fit into all this?

- I don't fit. You fit.
- Oh?

Bradford steal oil rights from me.

You prove contract we make
no good.

How do I prove that?

What one lawyer gives,
other lawyer can take away.

Old Greek proverb.

And in return?

I fix up alibi for your client.
I say I see Harper kill Bradford.

Won't work.
We need a tougher suspect.

One who hates everybody.

Hmm. It's a good idea.

Who you got in mind?

You.

Hey, what's the matter?
You crazy or something?

Hey, Mr. Mason. I make a big joke.
I don't mean nothing.

Mister--

How do you like that?

All them brains and no talent.

Junior, come on.

Let go. Good boy.

LARRY:
Who's there?

What are you doing here, Larry?

What's the idea?

I asked you a question.

I came to look and see if there's
something that would help Martha.

Great time to play detective.

Police have been through here
with a fine-toothed comb.

What about you?

I just came to get some of my gear.

Oh, yes. I forgot. You were always
the perennial weekend visitor.

Sore because you were
never invited?

Look, Harper,
all this wasted time fighting.

There must be something
we can do.

Don't you realise
she may go to the gas chamber?

Of course, I realise it.

You think it's easy for me?

Oh, I know you're very fond of her,
and she thinks the world of you,

but it's a great deal more than that
with us.

Has been for some time.

You and Martha?

Couldn't you tell?

No, you covered it up very well.

But suddenly
something makes a lot of sense to me.

Where were you
when Joe was murdered?

I could say
it's none of your business.

But if you wanna get technical,
I put supplies in the boat,

then headed back for town.

Used my credit card
to buy gas at Benson Beach

and was miles away
when Joe Bradford was murdered.

When you rig an alibi,
you really rig it, don't you?

As long as we're pointing fingers,

where's your alibi?

That's right, I don't have one.

Just one other thing now, Harper.

Does Martha still want you?

We still want each other.

More than anything else.

I'm ready.

I'm not. I can't think of a thing.

I think a night's sleep might help.

It won't hurt. What about you?

Oh, I just have a few pages
to type up.

It shouldn't take me over
ten or 15 minutes.

All right, see you in the morning.

Oh, Mr. Mason.

- I was afraid I might miss you.
- You didn't.

I've got to talk to you.

It's getting pretty late, Mr. Sands.
Couldn't it wait till tomorrow morning?

I don't think so.

You see, I killed Joe Bradford.

Now, you still wanna wait
till tomorrow morning?

That's very interesting.

You killed Joseph Bradford
at 11:00 at night.

It could've been a little closer
to midnight.

The man outweighed you
50 pounds,

but he never lifted a finger
to try to stop you.

He didn't have a chance.

Before he could move, I hit him
with a rock I picked up on the beach.

Go on.

Well, he fell against the table

and went down. And that's when
the lamp chimney broke.

- What lamp chimney?
- Well, the one that held the candle.

Must've been about--
Oh, about so long.

The base was made of brass, I think.
Must have--

Never mind about that.
Tell me about the candle.

Well, it went out when the lamp
chimney broke and then I re-lit it.

Did you notice anything peculiar

about the way
the candle was set into the base?

No.

It wasn't crooked?

Oh, well, now that I think of it--

It was.

Yes.

Very interesting.

You were never anywhere
near that boat.

Wait a minute.

In the first place,
Joseph Bradford was murdered

at about 5:00 in the afternoon,
not 11 at night.

And in the second place,
the murder weapon was not a rock.

Well, I just made a mistake.

You made several mistakes.

You can go, Mr. Sands.
Thank you very much.

Get me Perry Mason.

BURGER:
You were the police officer in charge

of the scene of this homicide,
Lieutenant Tragg?

TRAGG:
Yes, I was.

Would you tell us, in your words,

what you saw when you examined
the cabin of the yacht, Mary Belle.

Well, the body of Joseph Bradford
was lying face down

on the starboard side of the cabin

with the head
toward the companionway.

And he had been hit once
on top of the head.

I show you now this small fire axe.

Can I ask if you can identify it for us,
please?

Yes, that was affixed to the bulkhead
of the cabin of the Mary Belle.

It was checked out
by the police laboratory?

TRAGG: Yes. There were traces
of the victim's hair and blood

adhering to the flat side.

BURGER:
I ask that this be marked Exhibit 1

and entered in evidence
as the murder weapon.

Were there any fingerprints,
lieutenant?

No identifiable prints, Your Honour.

I now show you this object
and ask if you can identify it.

Yes, that's the candle that was used

to light the cabin of the Mary Belle
the night of the murder.

It was found to bear
certain fingerprints?

The only fingerprints on it were those
of the defendant, Martha Bradford.

Is there any possible explanation
for those fingerprints,

except that the defendant
was actually on that boat?

Your Honour.

My client has been aboard
her husband's boat

on numerous occasions.

Her fingerprints are undoubtedly
all over it.

But that doesn't prove she was there
the night of the murder.

Does the prosecution
intend to develop this any further?

Not at this time, Your Honour.

Then we'll set this exhibit aside
for the time being.

BURGER:
Your witness, Mr. Mason.

May I?

Your Honour?

Lieutenant Tragg,

would you say that,
that candle is crooked

or rather that it is leaning
at an acute angle?

Obviously.

Was it in the same condition when you
found it aboard the Mary Belle?

- As far as I can tell.
- Now, look at it closely.

You will see that the candle has been
deliberately set in wax at that angle.

TRAGG:
That's right.

Now examine the wick.

- Would you say it has burned evenly?
- Yes.

Lieutenant Tragg, you stated
that the fingerprints on that candle

prove that the defendant
and no one else could've handled it.

Oh, someone else may have handled
it previously, wearing gloves.

However, it still follows
that the defendant

must've placed the candle
in the holder in this manner.

Undoubtedly.

Thank you, lieutenant.

That is all.

BURGER: Your name is Rita Bradford.
- Yes.

BURGER: Would you speak
a little louder, please?

I realise this is a great strain for you,
I'll try to be as brief as possible.

Thank you.

When did you first meet
the defendant, Mrs. Bradford?

At the Clayton Beauty Shop.

There seemed to be a mix-up
because of our--

Having the same name.

There was actually more to it than just
the similarity of names, wasn't there?

Well, it seemed that
we were married to the same man.

In short, one of you
was either lying or seriously deluded.

RITA:
Yes.

BURGER:
You now realise, don't you,

that Mr. Bradford divorced you
over a year ago?

I realise that now, yes.

Why didn't you realise it then?

Because I had no memory
of what happened during that period.

Well, what was your last memory
before the encounter

with the other Mrs. Bradford
in the beauty shop?

I--

I'd had an argument
with my husband.

I told him I was leaving him for good.

And then I--

I remember getting on the train
for New York,

but that's all I do remember.

I don't know where or when I got off.

But that's over two years ago,
Mrs. Bradford.

Don't you have you any recollection
to cover all that time?

Absolutely none.

The first thing I can recall after that

was finding myself
on Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills.

BURGER:
On the 14th day of this month?

Yes.

I can't even say
it was like a bad dream, it wasn't.

I just kept thinking,
"What do I wanna do today?"

And then the ridiculous thought,
"I-- I must have my hair set."

- So you went to the beauty shop?
- Yes.

BURGER: And what
did you do after you met

the new Mrs. Bradford
at the beauty shop?

Well, naturally, I was terribly upset.
I didn't know what to do.

And then I realised
the logical thing to do

would be to call my husband
at his office.

- And?
- I did, but he had left.

You see, I was afraid to go home.

She had a key.

You subsequently changed your mind
on that subject, didn't you?

Yes. I did.

Would you please tell us
what happened?

Well, the house was dark
when I arrived.

I unlocked the front door
and went in.

BURGER:
Go on.

And then I heard the defendant's voice
call out, "Joe, is that you?"

And then she came down the stairs
to the landing

and I could see
she was holding a revolver.

In other words,
if it had been Mr. Bradford,

she would've met him
with a revolver.

Your Honour, I object to this
unwarranted conclusion.

BURGER: I'll withdraw the
last question.

I believe the conclusion is obvious.

What happened next?

She dressed and left the house.

- What time was it?
- Oh, about 10 a little after.

And then-- Then I remembered
about Joe's boat, the Mary Belle.

You went out there?

He was dead when I arrived.

Thank you.

Your witness, Mr. Mason.

Mrs. Bradford, do you recall
a statement you made

in the district-attorney's office in the
presence of Mr. Burger and myself?

What was that, Mr. Mason?

You said, I believe,
that you were aboard the Mary Belle

at 11:00 on the night of the murder.

Yes.

Did you see Mr. Bradford?

He was dead. Slumped against
the door at the front of the cabin.

Then the body
was not lying face down?

No, it was not.

Thank you, Mrs. Bradford, that's all.

You may step down, please.

Your Honour, at this time,

I had intended
to call George Nikolides,

whose testimony, I feel,
is vital to my case.

However, Mr. Nikolides
has mysteriously disappeared.

JUDGE: Do you think you can have
him here by 10:00 tomorrow morning?

I can certainly try, Your Honour.

Very well. This court stands adjourned
till 10:00 tomorrow morning.

And how's our friend?

DELLA:
He looks relaxed enough.

Why don't we follow his example?
Here.

- Duck.
- Ooh.

Thank you.

[BOAT CREAKING]

[THUDS]

Not yet.

[BOAT CREAKING]

- You all right?
- Yeah.

My watch must've stopped.
What time is it?

DELLA: Three-thirty.
- Look.

Now, Mr. Harper,
you're on record as saying

that you prepared the Mary Belle
for sailing

and met Mr. Bradford there at 3:30
on the afternoon of the murder.

- Is that correct?
- That's correct.

I show you two invoices
on the Marine supply store.

Do these cover what you purchased
and put onboard?

- Yes.
- I noticed an item on this one:

"One hurricane lamp."
Would you explain that item, please?

Well, Joe was going to sail down
to San Diego.

We discovered that there was a short
in the electrical system.

I tried to argue Joe out of going

but he seemed to feel
he could make it under sail.

You mean the engine didn't work?

No, sir, neither did the lights.

That's why I had to rush back
and buy the candles and the lamp.

Had candles ever been used
on the boat before?

Not that I know of.

Then Martha Bradford's fingerprints

could not have been on that candle
in evidence unless she was onboard

the Mary Belle,
the night of the murder.

Objection.
Counsel is leading the witness.

BURGER:
I submit this is a hostile witness.

I have a right to ask
leading questions.

Would you describe yourself
as a hostile witness, Mr. Harper?

I'm not sure I know what that means.

Well, did you come here
against your will,

merely to satisfy
your legal obligation to appear?

Yes, that's correct.

Then you may continue on that basis,
Mr. Burger, but with due caution.

Thank you, Your Honour.

One more question, Mr. Harper.

Were you on terms of affection
with the defendant, Martha Bradford?

Do I have to answer that?

Unless you feel it would tend
to incriminate you.

JACK: I have the greatest
affection and respect for her.

Mm-hm. Does she reciprocate
those feelings?

I can't answer for her.

Well, isn't it true that her husband
exhibited jealousy of you

on a number of occasions?

Well, he--

He was jealous by nature.

His fears were groundless.

Apparently, all his fears
weren't groundless.

He was murdered.

Isn't it a fact that Martha Bradford
wanted to get rid of him

in order to marry you,

and that his death was the only way
this could be accomplished?

You're twisting facts
to make them mean something else.

Your witness, Mr. Mason.

Thank you.

Mr. Harper, did you ever urge
Martha Bradford to seek a divorce?

I did.
Joe was constantly mistreating her.

And what was her reaction
to your advice?

JACK: Well, she said she'd made a
bargain. She was gonna stick to it.

Now, Mr. Harper, did Martha Bradford
ever intimate to you in any way

that she would marry you
in the event of her husband's death?

Of course not.

I believe you testified that you bought
a dozen candles like this

for Mr. Bradford and brought them
to his boat.

Yes, that's right.
I took a couple out of the box,

put one in the lamp
and the rest in the drawer.

The one you put in this lamp,
was it straight?

Yes, naturally.

Then wouldn't you say
that your fingerprints

as well as those of the defendant
should've been on this candle?

Yeah, I suppose so.

Thank you, Mr. Harper.
I believe that's all.

MASON: You are an expert on tides
and navigation, Captain Noble?

Well,

since I swore to tell the truth,

I gotta admit I know more
about these waters than anybody.

MASON: And where were you on
the morning of the 15th around 2:00,

the morning after the murder?

Well, where I always am,
looking out that ocean,

which just might sound
silly to you.

But to me, that's the most beautiful
sight in the whole world.

As I see it, you know, a man,
he could always lose some sleep.

Look out there in that water and see
those beautiful sailing ships just--

Of course. Now, speaking of sailing,

did you see the Mary Belle
that morning?

Yeah,
but of course she was grounded.

It always happens at low tide.

That old channel
ain't been dredged in weeks.

- Now, I told them fellas--
- Captain,

when you say she was grounded,

you mean she had settled evenly
in the mud?

No, course not. Course not.

The Mary Belle's got a keel,
she couldn't settle evenly.

Oh, she was listing heavily
to starboard.

MASON: Well, how much of
a list would you say there was

on that particular morning?

About 18, 20 degrees.

I see.

With Your Honour's permission,
I should like to ask the witness

to step down
to the prosecutor's table

so that he might examine
this model more clearly.

- Very well, Mr. Mason.
- Thank you.

- May I?
- Of course.

Captain?

Now, captain, you were testifying
about the Mary Belle being grounded.

In other words,
as the water receded,

she tilted in this manner,
18 or 20 degrees. Is that correct?

Aye.

Now,
if the body were leaning against here,

what would happen if she listed?

It would wind up
on the starboard side.

- Like this?
NOBLE: Sure, with an 18-degree list,

it couldn't keep from rolling.

Now, my client's fingerprints
were found on this candle,

so we must assume
that the district attorney is right

when he maintained
that Martha Bradford had handled it

on the night of the murder and that
she was aboard the Mary Belle.

- Aye.
- The question is:

When was she aboard?

The prosecution contends, she was
there around 5:00 in the evening,

the time established
for Bradford's murder.

- Well, you couldn't prove that by me.
- Perhaps I can, captain.

Now, how much would you say
this candle is tilted?

About 18 degrees.

About the same amount
the Mary Belle was tilted at low tide?

Aye.

From your experience with sailing
craft, could you give us any reason

for someone lighting and extinguishing
a candle in this position?

Well, I would say whoever
lit that candle set it up crooked,

and then put it out.

And he did it
while the vessel was listing at low tide.

That's the only way they could get it
to burn straight.

When was low tide
on that particular day?

Hmm.

The first low tide
was at 1:17 in the morning.

More than eight hours
after the murder.

Now, can you imagine anyone
being cooped up in a small cabin

with a corpse for more than eight
hours? Does that make sense to you?

Oh, come now, Mason.
You're not gonna ask this court

to believe that the captain is also
an expert on abnormal psychology.

Mr. Burger, this hardly calls
for an expert psychologist.

Common sense
can give us the answer.

However, I'll withdraw the question.
Thank you, captain, that's all.

You're excused, captain.

Mr. Sands,

were you ever aboard
Bradford's yacht?

Just once.

That was the night
you talked with Jack Harper,

- the night you came to my office?
- Yes, sir, that's right.

What was the subject
of your conversation with Mr. Harper?

Well...

Martha.

How to clear her of the murder.

MASON: Did Mr. Harper
offer any suggestions?

No.

So you decided to confess
to protect the woman you loved?

Yes, but it didn't work out that way.

MASON:
Why?

Because I made several mistakes.

All that had been released
to the newspapers

was that Bradford had been killed
by a blow on the head.

So when Mr. Burger
started pressing me for details,

I ran into a little trouble.

Isn't that exactly what you planned?

Wait, I don't understand.

When you talked to Jack Harper
that night you learned two things:

One, he had an alibi.

Two, Martha Bradford
was in love with him.

As a matter of fact,
she admitted as much to you

when you saw her at the jail.

- She admitted a lot more.
- Yes, she did.

That's was why you thought up
that phoney confession.

It made Mrs. Bradford
look even more guilty.

That wasn't my fault.

Didn't you volunteer
that you lit that candle yourself

and placed it in the hurricane lamp?

It proves I was trying to help.

I had no way of knowing
the candle was crooked.

MASON: Mr. Sands, you had no
way of knowing there was a candle,

crooked or otherwise.

What?

That information was never released
to the press or anyone else.

Mr. Harper testified
he brought those candles aboard

the afternoon of the murder.

But you knew all about them.
Now, how?

It was just a guess.

And your description of the hurricane
lamp, was that just a guess too?

Would you have us believe

that you gave a perfect description of
that lamp without ever having seen it?

Well, it was like this:

Like what, Mr. Sands?

- Well, I--
- Go on, tell us, Mr. Sands.

Tell us how you went out
to the Mary Belle.

Tell us about your quarrel
with Joe Bradford over the defendant.

Tell us how you grabbed the fire axe
and hit him.

Hit him in such a manner

that he slumped down
against the forward compartment.

Go on, Mr. Sands, tell us.

All right.

All right, Mr. Mason.

I killed him.

I did it because I loved Martha. I--

It's a laugh. This is funny.

I loved Martha and she loved Harper.

[LARRY CHUCKLES]

You know-- You know that's--

That's one
of the funniest things ever. I--

[CRYING]

I know, Mrs. Bradford,
but couldn't you come in tonight?

Well, if you're not leaving town
until Thursday--

All right, I'll tell him.

She's putting her cheque in the mail.

But she won't come in to see me.

Too bad. I had a 30-minute lecture
all prepared

on the evils of lying to your lawyer.

I think that's what she was afraid of.

You know, you expect the opposition
from the district attorney,

but a good part of the time your own
clients are throwing up the roadblocks.

Oh, in a way you can't blame her,
Perry. She was panicky.

She felt she didn't dare admit

- she was on the Mary Belle.
- I know--

[KNOCKING ON DOOR]

Must be Paul.

What's he doing around here
at this hour?

Well, will you look?

I can't, get my sunglasses.

Perry.
Perry, I've gotta make this fast.

I forgot to cash a cheque.
Could you let me have 50?

Why, sure.

You better make it 75.

Who's the lucky girl?

Rita Bradford. I mean, Rita Wassell.
The divorce held up.

Well, she came to my office to consult
me professionally this afternoon.

There's a year and a half in her life
she wants to find out.

And if you can't help her
recapture her past?

The least I can do
is brighten up her future.

Thank you.

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