Original subtitles

( noirish jazz theme playing )

( suspenseful theme playing )

MAN: Mitsou?

Who is it? Toma.

Oh, Toma, I am so glad you are here.

What's wrong? Over the phone you sounded scared to death.

I am, and I show you why.

You know, I almost always paint for a while before I go to bed,

and tonight when I took out my brushes,

I found this.

Rose pearls? Yes.

And I think I know who they belong to.

Grove's stepmother.

Mrs. Nichols?

Yes.

Maybe she left them here for you.

No. They are worth nearly

a quarter of a million dollars, Toma.

Do you think Grove could have...?

He wouldn't do anything so foolish.

What am I to do?

Take them back.

But I can't.

Grove's family would never believe I just found them here.

They'd think I stole them.

How did they get here, Mitsou?

I can't imagine. That's what scares me.

Well, stop being scared. I'll take them.

Oh, Toma, would you?

Sure. I'll fix it so they get back tomorrow.

Nobody will ever...

Now, don't cry.

( crying ): I-- I can't help it.

It's all right, Mitsou. Everything's all right.

I'm only crying because...

( camera clicks )

Well, that does it, Mr. Nichols.

Yes, I guess it does.

Operator, give me police headquarters.

( dramatic theme playing )

I want to advise you again, Miss Kamuri,

as I did before the witnesses were sworn,

that you have the right to be represented by counsel

in every stage of these proceedings.

I do not know any lawyers, Your Honor.

Well, I'm sure that your family must know one,

or you may obtain counsel from the public defender's office.

Thank you, but I will decide later.

Very well.

Since it appears that a public offense has been committed,

it is ordered that Mitsou Kamuri be admitted to bail

in the sum of $5,000 pending trial

and be committed to the sheriff

of the county of Los Angeles until she gives such bail.

Mitsou, you must let me call Uncle Ito.

I don't want him to know.

But it will be in all the newspapers.

Your Honor,

I would like to post bail for Miss Kamuri.

What is your name, sir?

Hudson Nichols.

I have the money here.

The clerk of the court will receive bail

and give you a receipt, Mr. Nichols.

NICHOLS: Thank you, Your Honor.

Mitsou.

I'd like to speak to you a moment, if you don't mind.

And I with you, Mr. Nichols.

Why, when you believe I stole your pearls,

do you put up bail for me?

I have no desire to persecute you, Mitsou.

And I'm not concerned whether you stole the pearls or not.

The police have them now,

and you've spent a night in jail.

What are you trying to say, Mr. Nichols?

That I'm willing to call it quits if you are.

Quits?

You must realize

that Grove is going to take my place someday.

Grove will have his civic and social obligations,

and so will his wife.

I understand, Mr. Nichols.

You would like him to marry someone like Miss Carson.

Yes.

If I stop seeing Grove,

perhaps go back to Japan,

you will drop the charges against me?

Mr. Nichols, I will only call it quits

if Grove desires it that way.

( upbeat theme playing )

I don't understand this at all, Hudson.

First you have the girl arrested,

and then you bail her out.

It just doesn't make sense.

Well, I don't see any particular reason

for taking our pound of flesh from her, Thelma.

Just how does one take a pound of flesh from a thief?

Isn't it enough if she loses Grove?

It isn't with me.

Thelma, may I talk to Dad for a minute alone?

Of course.

I have dozens of things I should be doing.

Now, what's all this about Mitsou?

Well, just what have you heard?

That you had her arrested.

The police arrested her, but who told you about it?

That greasy detective you hired.

Beals?

He called me about an hour ago.

Had something to sell me,

only I wasn't buying because I knew exactly what it was:

the inside story of how you framed Mitsou.

Let me show you something, Grove.

Rose cultured pearls.

Exact duplicates of Thelma's natural ones,

left in their place.

If Thelma hadn't been suspicious and had them examined,

the theft might have gone undetected for months.

So?

So if I wanted to frame Mitsou, the way you put it,

would I risk having these made up?

I think you would.

Well, I assure you I didn't.

Well, that's a switch, anyway.

Up to now, you've never even bothered to deny it

when you've taken something I've wanted.

It's always been, "It's for your own good, Grove."

I can't deny that I was disturbed by Mitsou, but--

The watercolor set when I was 7 years old.

Algebra instead of Art course in high school.

Business Administration instead of Architecture after college.

And now Alice instead of Mitsou.

All for my own good,

so that I can sit up nights like you

and worry about balances, business and bankruptcy.

( sighing ): Well, this does it, Dad.

I wasn't sure how I felt about Mitsou, but I know now.

I'm going to marry her, if she'll have me,

and nothing you can do will stop me.

Grove.

Would you believe me if I swore I didn't frame Mitsou?

No, I don't think I would.

Didn't Beals tell you I put up bail for her?

No, but that's typical,

to show yourself in the best light possible.

What if I hired an attorney for her?

What, some shyster who would make sure she goes to jail?

I was thinking of Perry Mason.

Good thinking, Dad, only I'm not buying.

( upbeat theme playing )

I just can't understand this sudden interest

in Japanese things, Perry.

Didn't you say you had to buy an anniversary present

for your aunt? Yes, but--

What's wrong with a string of pearls?

On a secretary's salary?

( door closes )

May I help you?

We'd like to see some cultured pearls, please.

This way, please.

Mitsou, you must show Mr. Mason better pearls than these.

I am Ito Kamuri, most honored by the presence

of so distinguished a lawyer.

You once saved the life of a countryman of mine,

Kentora Toyama.

Oh, yes, I remember.

Uh, this is Miss Street. She's the pearl buyer, Mr. Kamuri.

How do you do? Mitsou.

You are not interested in pearl, Mr. Mason?

Yes, as a matter of fact, I'm very interested.

Then you must allow me to show you my collection.

I have some that are quite rare.

I'd be glad to see them.

Come this way, please.

This is Mr. Nogata,

who has forgotten more about pearls than I will ever know.

Mr. Nogata.

And these are cultured pearls from Japan,

which he is sorting and grading.

Some are quite beautiful.

They certainly are.

But I show you my prizes.

Natural pearls.

These iridescent ones are from Samoa.

And these, with the faint yellow cast,

are from the Sulu seas.

And from the Gulf of Mexico, black pearls.

Perhaps most valuable of all.

I thought the pink pearl was the most valuable.

Ah, yes. Rose or blushing pearls.

Unfortunately, I have none at the moment.

These are $35?

Yes.

I'll take them.

A good choice. Thank you.

Miss Street, how can one approach Mr. Mason?

About what?

I am in most serious trouble,

but perhaps he would not bother with someone like me.

Oh, I'm sure he'd help you if he could.

Would you like for me to speak to him for you?

I would be most grateful.

And you have no idea who put the pearls in your bungalow?

There are many people who could have put them there.

I respect your not wanting to mention names, Mitsou.

Don't you think this is all pretty convenient?

A private detective on hand when you find the pearls,

Mr. Nichols having you arrested

and then offering to call the whole thing off

if you stop seeing his son.

Has he ever told you why he objects to you?

He feels I am not right for Grove,

and he has in mind a girl who is.

Tell me, Mitsou, how did you happen to meet Grove?

I attend university when I am not working in my uncle's store.

I am an Art major and Grove is in one of my classes.

Are you in love with him?

I am drawn to Grove,

but my heart has not yet spoken, Mr. Mason.

( chuckles )

I see.

Does your uncle know about the pearls?

He must by now,

but he has said nothing to me.

I am worried about him.

He is like a samurai, very proud of the family name.

A disgrace such as this could kill him.

Did he ever mention making up a set of rose cultured pearls

to match the Nichols' natural ones?

No.

Mr. Mason, what am I to do?

Have you any money with you?

A few dollars.

Let me see.

Uh, that is a Japanese coin.

I know.

Della, when we get back to the office,

make a notation that we received a retainer from Miss Kamuri

in the sum of 5 yen.

Well, now you are officially my client, Mitsou.

You didn't just happen

to take me to Mr. Kamuri's store, did you?

No. I received a call about Mitsou just before lunch,

while you were out. Oh?

From Hudson Nichols, asking me to defend her.

But I wanted Mitsou to have the chance to, uh,

make a pearl of mine.

( sighs )

I am so grateful.

So very grateful.

In the matter of Mitsou Kamuri,

besides catching her with the goods,

the police say that the only place in the city

where a matching string of rose pearls

could have been made is in the import store of her uncle,

Ito Kamuri.

That in itself isn't conclusive.

No. But add all the elements up,

including the fingerprints.

What fingerprints?

When the police dusted the case

in which the real pearls were kept,

Mitsou's fingerprints were on it.

All right, Paul, I want you to run a complete check

on everyone connected with the Nichols family.

( phone rings )

Yes, Gertie?

Just a minute.

Grove Nichols in the outer office.

Send him in.

Send him in, Gertie.

Mr. Mason?

MASON: Uh, come in, Mr. Nichols.

This is my secretary, Miss Street.

How do you do? Mr. Paul Drake.

Hi. Won't you sit down?

No, thanks. I just want a minute of your time.

Mitsou says you're acting as her lawyer.

Is that true? Yes.

She also says all you'd take from her is 5 yen.

That's right.

Does that mean somebody else is paying your fee?

No, it does not.

Heh. You know, that 5-yen business

just about had me believing in my father again.

I don't quite understand.

He said he was gonna ask you to represent Mitsou.

He did.

He offered me a retainer of $5,000. I didn't accept it.

I don't get this at all.

If Dad's telling the truth, Mitsou must have--

Must have what, Mr. Nichols?

Must have stolen the pearls?

That's what I'm going to find out.

Thanks for your time, Mr. Mason. Bye.

What is it you want, Mr. Nichols?

The truth.

I have to know what to believe about my father.

But I cannot help you there.

I think you can.

My father's detective, Beals,

says the substitute string of pearls had to come from here.

Yes?

So who did you make it up for?

Maybe you can answer that, Toma?

I know nothing about this.

No matching string of pearls was made here?

Yes, Mr. Nichols, such a string was made.

Who for? I am sorry.

It was private and confidential transaction.

You mean you won't tell me

because it's a matter of business ethics, huh?

I don't believe it.

I am sorry.

You made them up for Mitsou, didn't you?

( door opens )

( door closes )

Why did you let him think that, Mr. Kamuri?

Mitsou never-- Toma!

Only once did I ever touch the pearls, Mr. Mason.

A week or so ago when I was in the house with Grove.

They were on Thelma's dressing table,

and I-- I couldn't resist trying them on.

I suppose I must have touched the case too,

if my fingerprints are on it.

Did anyone see you?

Not that I know of.

Though I seem to remember Alice passing by the door.

Alice?

Alice Carson.

The girl Mr. Nichols would like Grove to marry.

She came in after dinner.

That's very interesting.

Tomorrow, I'll--

Grove.

Want to see something funny, Mr. Mason?

A real laugh.

Cost me $300, but it's worth it.

MITSOU: What is it, Grove?

GROVE: You and Toma.

Did he help you steal the pearls,

or did you do it on your own? She didn't steal them.

You'd better check with her Uncle Ito, Mr. Mason.

MITSOU: Uncle Ito?

Please, Mr. Mason, let him go.

( dramatic theme playing )

Beals must have sold this to Grove,

but what could your uncle have told him?

I don't know.

I will, of course, speak to him.

Please now, I would like to be alone.

( door opens )

( door closes )

( somber theme playing )

MAN: Just a minute there.

Oh, it's you, Miss Kamuri.

Working a little late, aren't you?

Yes, a little.

Well, don't forget to lock up when you leave.

Uncle Ito?

( ominous theme playing )

( gasps )

Morning, Della.

See the morning papers?

Kamuri's suicide? Mm-hm.

Well, they certainly played it up big.

But it isn't every day the city has a case of hara-kiri.

See if you can get Mitsou on the phone, will you?

I can't. I tried all over. She's apparently disappeared.

And, uh, we had another visitor already this morning.

Oh? Who? Tragg.

What'd he want?

Oh, he just happened to drop by looking for Mitsou.

Thought you might know where she was.

Let's get Paul in on this. Mm-hm.

And, Della, you'd better go with him.

I have a feeling Mitsou might need you.

Mitsou called me when she found him.

And I called the police.

Then after they had talked to us both, I drove her home.

It was a great shock to her, Mr. Mason.

She loved her uncle.

Yet apparently her uncle told Grove Nichols

that she had stolen the pearls.

If Grove says that, he's not telling the truth.

I was there, Mr. Mason.

What did Mr. Kamuri tell him, then?

Just that he'd made a string of matching cultured pearls

in confidence.

For Mitsou?

No, not for Mitsou.

He did not say.

I wonder if I might have a look in the backroom.

I am only the bookkeeper here.

He was lying there, his hands still clasping the sword.

He wasn't wearing this?

No. He had a suit on.

I suppose the police took away the red rug.

There was no red rug, Mr. Mason.

How long was Mitsou here before she called you?

Only a few moments.

She ran out to summon Connors, but he had gone.

So then she called me.

Connors? Our watchman.

He spoke to her as she was coming in.

You know where he lives?

In a, uh, rooming house on First Street.

Now I'd like to see your pearl records, please.

Yes.

Mr. Kamuri kept this himself.

It is in Japanese, but I can translate.

A string of rose pearls,

made up perhaps a week or so ago.

Mr. Mason, a page has been torn out.

( mysterious theme playing )

Look, another page has been torn out.

One is for Tuesday of last week.

But the other is nearly two months back.

You think the cops'll be sore, Mr. Mason?

Why should they be?

A suicide.

No reason for you to volunteer information.

But if they do come around, Mr. Connors,

don't let them mix you up.

Hm, well, how could they?

Spoke to her a couple of minutes before 12,

and then she went into the store.

Can't mix that up.

Good.

Mason.

Beals is my name.

Edgar Beals.

You the one who's been following me?

Following people is my business, Mr. Mason.

And selling information.

You want to buy some?

What sort of information?

About a Japanese doll.

The price tag is 5 grand.

Blackmail?

Just a simple business transaction.

I don't do business in the hallway, Mr. Beals.

If you have information for me, either bring it to my office

or I'll take you into court and get it out of you.

Think it over.

Mitsou gave this one to me.

She must have painted dozens just like it.

Said it reminded her of the cliffs over the sea

where she was born in Japan.

I guess that's why she rented this place.

'Cause she wanted to be near the cliffs.

Oh, are they close by?

Oh, yes, about a mile beyond.

When was the last time you saw Mitsou?

About 2:00 this morning.

Oh, she came in with that friend of hers,

that jalopy,

and then she left around daylight.

And you have no idea where she went?

No. I was in bed.

Do you suppose she went to the cliffs?

Well, you can never tell what a girl like that will do.

Maybe that she go and jump in the ocean.

THELMA: Alice.

Alice.

The lieutenant would like to talk to you for a moment.

Oh. All right.

Alice, this is Lieutenant Tragg.

How do you do, Miss Carson? How do you do?

According the officer who investigated the theft

of the pearls, you saw Miss Kamuri take them.

Well, Thelma, I certainly saw no such thing.

TRAGG: Well, that's what the report says.

I only told the officer what you told me, Alice.

Oh, well, I merely saw Mitsou take the pearls from the case

and then hold them up to her throat as anybody might.

What did she do with the pearls after that?

Well, I suppose she put them back in the case.

I don't know. I didn't see because I left.

This was in Mrs. Nichols' bedroom?

Uh, yes.

Mitsou was sitting at the dressing table.

You know, as a matter of fact, I tried on those pearls myself.

Well, I-- I guess that's all.

WOMAN: Mrs. Nichols. Yes, Mary?

There's a Mr. Mason here to see you.

I hope I'm not interrupting anything, lieutenant.

No, no. I was just leaving.

By the way, you represent Mitsou Kamuri, don't you?

I understand you wanted to see her.

Oh, nothing special.

I just want to tie up some loose ends on her uncle's suicide.

Any luck?

No. I haven't been able to locate her.

How about you?

Mind calling me if you do?

I'll be glad to tell her you're looking for her.

Oh. Thank you very much for your cooperation.

I'm Thelma Nichols,

and this is Alice Carson.

And this-- Grove and I have already met.

Is this a business call, Mr. Mason?

Yes, it is, Miss Carson.

Well, then me for the pool.

Grove, I wonder if you would mind telling me exactly

what Mitsou's uncle said about her last night.

Aren't you fighting a lost cause, Mr. Mason?

Well, we're all terribly sorry for Mitsou.

But doesn't Mr. Kamuri's suicide mean they were both involved

in the theft?

Not to me, Mrs. Nichols.

( phone rings )

Excuse me.

Don't you think you should have given Mitsou a chance

to explain?

Maybe, but I was half out of my mind.

First finding out about Dad lying,

and then finding out about her.

Heh. I suppose you think

I'm a first-class heel, don't you?

Quite frankly, I do. Even worse.

Worse?

That was Dad, Grove.

He'll be home sometime tomorrow.

He's out of town?

Yes. He went to San Francisco last night.

Where can I reach him if the need should arise?

Oh, he has an office there and a small apartment.

Information'll give you both numbers.

Mr. Mason, what do you mean by "worse"?

How do you suppose she feels?

A stranger in a strange land,

fond of two people.

Called a thief by one,

the other one suddenly dead.

You mean she might...?

I don't know.

But if I were you, I'd be far more concerned than the police

in trying to find her.

Mrs. Nichols.

( dramatic theme playing )

Mitsou!

Don't the heights of these cliffs frighten you?

There are many things that frighten me

here in your country.

Oh, that I can understand, in your circumstances.

Miss Street, you're not thinking that I was trying to jump?

Well, uh, no,

but I-- I feel better away from the edge of the cliffs.

And-- And, besides, Mr. Mason wants to see you.

Come on, we have the car.

Mitsou, what did you do between the time I left you

last evening and midnight,

when the watchman let you in the store?

Well, I rode into town

and walk around a while.

Did you meet anyone you knew while you were walking?

No. But why are you asking these things, Mr. Mason?

You're of the samurai class, aren't you, Mitsou?

Yes.

Then you must know all about the ritual of hara-kiri.

Yes.

Your uncle was very proud

of being a samurai, wasn't he?

Yes. Very proud.

Yet there was no ceremonial robe.

No.

And no red rug.

No, there wasn't.

And the wound?

Are you saying he did not kill himself, Mr. Mason?

( phone rings )

Yes, Gertie?

( clears throat )

That man? Mm-hm.

All right, Della.

Send him in, Gertie. He knows the way.

Sorry to barge in like this, Perry.

How do you do, Miss Kamuri?

Still tying up the loose ends of a suicide, lieutenant?

Well, as a matter of fact,

it's the loose ends of a homicide now.

Oh? That's the reason I've been

looking for Miss Kamuri.

Don't tell me you suspect her of killing her uncle.

Oh, well, you know me. I'm apt to suspect anybody.

Mitsou, what time did you enter your uncle's store last night?

A few minutes before 12.

Who saw you enter?

The night watchman, Mr. Connors.

We got hold of Connors, right after you talked to him.

We also got hold of a couple of other witnesses.

One followed Miss Kamuri to her uncle's store

and saw her enter at, uh, 10:55.

Edgar Beals?

The other one went into the store

and heard Miss Kamuri quarrelling violently

with her uncle.

He left before the quarrel ended,

but he was able to set the time.

Almost exactly 11:00.

( dramatic theme playing )

I'm sorry, Mr. Mason. It is true.

I'm sorry too, Miss Kamuri.

But I'm afraid you'll have to come with me.

( dramatic theme playing )

Well, they'll have a field day with the pearls,

both to damage your character

and to provide a background motive for murder.

They'll maintain that you killed your uncle to protect yourself,

and they'll use Grove to substantiate it.

They'll prove that you were in the store

at approximately the time your uncle was killed.

And further, they'll produce your uncle's will.

His will?

You don't know about that?

No.

He left everything to you and Toma.

( dramatic theme playing )

Mitsou, did you kill him?

No.

I...

I did quarrel with him that night.

I was angry and hurt.

I accuse him of lying about me.

What did he say?

Nothing.

Was that an admission of guilt?

That's what I thought at first.

But then later, when the anger died,

I knew he had somehow found me wanting

and had closed the door of his personality to me...

and retired into silence.

And then you went back?

To apologize.

To beg forgiveness

because I was ashamed.

Only he was dead.

Why didn't you tell me this?

I-- I thought I was to blame for his suicide.

And when-- When I learned it was murder,

I was frightened.

Well, as I said, I didn't go to the scene,

as I was busy on another matter elsewhere.

Early the next morning I examined photographs

of the body.

And what did you notice?

Well, hara-kiri is committed in a kneeling position--

Just a moment, lieutenant.

Have you had previous experience with hara-kiri?

Yes. I have studied it.

Being a homicide detective,

I've studied all forms of homicide

and everything pertaining to homicide, including hara-kiri.

BURGER: I see.

The defense is quite willing to accept the witness as an expert.

BURGER: Thank you, Mr. Mason.

Now, back to the photograph.

Well, as I was saying, hara-kiri is committed

in a kneeling position,

and as the body tumbles forward,

it dislodges the hands from the sword handle.

Yet the decedent's right hand still clutched the handle.

And what did you do when you noticed that?

Well, I alerted the crime lab and the coroner's office,

and they, uh...

Well, I imagine they'll tell the court what they found.

Yes, I'm sure they will.

Thank you.

Your witness.

No questions.

Now, Mrs. Nichols, I show you this object

and ask you if you can identify it for us.

Yes. It's my pearl case.

And what about these?

These are the cultured pearls that, uh,

someone substituted for mine.

If it please the court, I should like this pearl case

and these pearls entered in evidence

as People's Exhibits C and D.

MASON: Uh, no objection, Your Honor.

Very well, Mr. Burger.

Now, Mrs. Nichols,

when you found that your valuable rose pearls were gone

and that a comparatively inexpensive set

of cultured pearls had been left in their place, what did you do?

I told my husband.

About 10:00 that night, Beals telephoned.

Said he had located the pearls

in Miss Kamuri's bungalow.

I drove out there and we went in.

What did you find?

The pearls, in Miss Kamuri's hand.

And then?

Beals telephoned the police.

Thank you, sir. Cross-examine.

Mr. Nichols, in regard to Edgar Beals,

the private investigator, what led you to employ him?

A few days before we discovered the substitution,

Alice-- I mean Miss Carson.

--mentioned that she had seen Mitsou take the pearls

out of the case in Mrs. Nichols' bedroom.

After the pearls were gone,

we decided it would be a good idea

to hire someone to watch her.

To watch her or to plant the pearls in her bungalow,

Mr. Nichols?

I'll object to that question. That's completely improper.

It's argumentative, it has no relation to anything--

Your Honor, I'll withdraw the question.

Now, sir, I don't believe you quite understood

my original question.

What I wanted to know was how you happened to select

Mr. Beals from the various investigators available?

Had he worked for you before?

No.

Then why did you hire him?

Surely you remember, Mr. Nichols.

I... I didn't hire him.

Then who did?

My wife.

MASON: No further questions.

BURGER: And when Grove Nichols

accused the deceased of having made up a duplicate set

of pearls for the defendant, what was his reply?

Answer the question, please.

He said nothing.

He did not deny it?

No, he did not, but--

Thank you, Mr. Sakai.

Your witness.

I've only one question.

Now, earlier you testified

that when the pearls were first found

in Miss Kamuri's cottage,

you volunteered to return them.

I now ask you why.

Must I answer?

Unless it incriminates you.

It does in a way,

but I will answer.

I offered to take the pearls back for Mitsou

because I love her.

MASON: Thank you. That'll be all.

Now, Sergeant Taylor,

after you found the defendant's fingerprints

on the pearl case, as well as Mrs. Nichols',

what did you do?

I didn't actually identify the fingerprints

until late that night,

and before I could do anything, Edgar Beals called me.

Well, what did you do as a result of that phone call?

I went out to the defendant's bungalow.

She had the missing pearls there,

so I took her into custody.

And what did you do with the pearls?

I impounded them.

Thank you, lieutenant.

I ask you now if you can identify these.

Yes. Those are the pearls I took from the defendant.

There's my identifying tag there.

Thank you, sergeant.

If it please the court,

I should like these natural rose pearls,

valued at almost $200,000,

entered into evidence and marked for the--

MASON: Your Honor.

Uh, shouldn't Mr. Burger be sworn in?

Sworn in, Mr. Mason?

I believe it's customary to be under oath

when giving testimony.

What testimony was I giving?

Uh, considerable.

But even though you were sworn in, Mr. Burger,

the defense wouldn't recognize you as an expert on pearls.

( chuckles )

You mean you don't think these are the genuine pearls.

Let us just say, Your Honor,

we'd like to have them authenticated by an expert.

Well, as a matter of fact, Your Honor,

that presents no great problem.

Among the state's witnesses here today

is one of the leading experts on pearls in the entire world.

Fine. Let's hear him.

Mr. Itsubi Nogata.

( dramatic theme playing )

Now, Mr. Nogata, I hand you this string of pearls

entered in evidence as People's Exhibit D.

I hand you also this second string of pearls,

identified as having been in the possession of the defendant.

And I ask you to tell this court

which of these two strings of pearls

is natural and which cultured.

Your Honor, I object.

Mr. Nogata cannot so testify.

But, Mr. Mason, you've already stipulated

to Mr. Nogata being an expert.

Even experts, Your Honor, cannot with only the naked eye

distinguish between natural and cultured pearls

of that fine quality.

An x-ray examination is necessary.

Is that true, Mr. Nogata?

Yes. The pictures will show quite clearly.

JUDGE: While the technician

is developing his plates, Mr. Nogata,

would you be good enough to explain to us

why it is necessary to use x-ray

to differentiate between the various types of pearls?

Fine cultured pearls and natural pearls are identical,

except for one thing.

Cultured pearls are formed around a round bead,

which has been put in the oyster's shell.

Natural pearls are formed around bits of sand or shell,

quite irregular in shape.

Only by x-ray can we discover which.

I see.

This is the first set of pearls, and this is the second.

Thank you.

May I, Your Honor?

Go right ahead, Mr. Burger.

Now, this is the cultured string of pearls,

People's Exhibit D.

JUDGE: Yes.

BURGER: Note the round beads

in the center. JUDGE: Mm-hm.

Again, with the court's permission,

this is the natural string of pearls,

formed about bits of sand

and found in the defendant's possession.

JUDGE: These appear to be cultured pearls too, Mr. Burger.

BURGER: So they do, Your Honor.

Mr. Mason...

I'm just as surprised as you are, Mr. Burger.

( dramatic theme playing )

( knocking at door )

MASON: Come in, Paul.

Hi.

Hey, that was quite a bombshell you set off.

I got an early edition on the plane,

and they had a play-by-play account.

How was your trip? Got everything you wanted.

Names, telephone records, financial reports.

Good. By the way,

how did you tumble to both sets being cultured pearls?

The two pages torn from the Kamuri ledger

seemed to indicate that two sets had been made.

Not much help, though,

unless we discover what happened to the original pearls.

My guess is whoever tore out the pages would know that.

The ledger was written in Japanese,

so only someone who could read Japanese

would have known which two pages to tear out.

Toma?

No, no. He would have told us long ago...

if only to help Mitsou.

You know, there's an old saying:

"He who plays with fire

sometimes throws light on situation."

How would you two like to help me commit a little arson?

Hm?

( suspenseful theme playing )

( cat meows )

You sure that's his window?

That's the one.

All right, Della. Do your stuff.

Here's one, Perry.

Got a match?

You're not going through with this, are you?

A match. It could land us both in jail.

Which would you rather do? Go to jail

or have an innocent girl convicted of murder?

Now, come on, give me a match.

( doorbell buzzes )

Mr. Nogata, I'm Della Street, Perry Mason's secretary.

You've probably seen me in court.

Ah, yes.

Uh, I'd like to speak to you for a moment.

Come in, please. Thank you.

Excuse appearance. Will put on kimono.

What do you wish to see me about?

Oh, it's about Mitsou, Mr. Nogata.

She would like to see you.

Tonight? Uh, no.

In the morning, before court.

Why does she wish to see me?

Oh, I believe it's about her uncle's store.

Uh, something about you staying on there.

But Toma has already spoken to me.

Oh, well, I don't believe she knows about that.

Mr. Nogata, the house, it's on fire!

Quick, let's get out of here before we're trapped.

You run, Miss Street. Out of building. I will follow.

I think I'd better take those, Mr. Nogata.

And these are the natural pearls, Mr. Mason?

Yes, Your Honor.

I had them authenticated this morning.

And exactly when did you steal them from the deceased,

Mr. Nogata?

The morning after Mr. Kamuri died.

He had destroyed the records,

so I did not think anyone would know.

But I did not kill him.

You must believe that.

Mr. Burger?

Well, I don't know quite what to believe, Your Honor.

Your Honor, may I ask the witness one or two questions?

Go right ahead, Mr. Mason.

Mr. Burger.

Uh, you helped Mr. Kamuri make up two matching strings

of cultured pearls, did you not?

One quite recently, one two months ago.

For whom were they made?

He did not tell me.

Uh, Mr. Nogata,

on the day the most recent string of pearls was made up,

did you see anyone in the store

that now see here today in this court?

Yes.

I saw that young lady there.

MASON: Miss Carson?

NOGATA: Yes. Miss Carson.

( sighs )

It was a terrible thing to do, I know.

And I'm ashamed.

But I felt Grove slipping away from me

and becoming more and more interested in Mitsou.

And I just couldn't bear that.

You see, I had always dreamed about marrying Grove,

ever since I was a little girl.

When did you decide to take action against Mitsou?

The night I saw her trying on the pearls.

I went to Mr. Kamuri and I paid him $5,000

to make up a matching set.

And then I took Thelma's pearls

and then I put the others in their place.

And then you planted what you thought

were the natural pearls in Mitsou's bungalow.

No. I hired Mr. Beals to do that.

MASON: And by persuading Mrs. Nichols

to employ him, you then arranged for him to find the pearls.

Weren't you taking quite a chance in going to Mr. Kamuri?

Well, I gave him a false name.

You see, I didn't think that this would become

a police matter.

But when it did I was in too far to back out.

Were you in far enough to kill him, Miss Carson?

Oh, no!

Where were you that night?

I was playing cards with Thelma all evening.

Mr. Nichols was in San Francisco.

How did you know that?

Because Thelma talked to him on the telephone.

It was a few minutes past 11,

and he was, uh, in his apartment

getting ready for bed.

Now, I want you to think this over very carefully

before you answer, Miss Carson.

Did Mrs. Nichols telephone her husband, or did he call her?

He called her.

Thank you.

If it please the court,

I would like at this time to recall Hudson Nichols.

Mr. Burger?

I have no objection, Your Honor.

Mr. Nichols, please.

JUDGE: You may stand down.

I must caution you that you're still under oath,

Mr. Nichols.

Now, Mr. Nichols,

I have here a Photostat of a letter sent to you

some two months ago by the Pacific Exchange Bank.

Did you, uh, receive that letter?

Yes.

Apparently, the bank was threatening foreclosure

on your San Francisco plant

because of an overdue note for $200,000.

Yes, but I paid it off.

Yes, I know.

I also have here a Photostat of a check for $180,000

signed by Ito Kamuri and made out to you.

Now, it's dated--

That was for the pearls, Mr. Mason.

I sold them to him.

And then you had a matching set of cultured pearls made up?

Yes. Why did you do that?

Because of Thelma.

Those were her pearls, and I was afraid if she found out...

Well, I wasn't sure what she might do.

Then everything would have been all right

if Miss Carson hadn't upset things

by having a second matching set made?

You might put it that way.

How do you suppose Mr. Kamuri put it

when he found Mitsou was in trouble?

I don't know what you mean.

MASON: I think you do, Mr. Nichols.

I think you talked to Mr. Kamuri on the night he was killed.

I think you went to his store shortly after 11--

But I couldn't have. I was in San Francisco at the time.

I telephoned Thelma from my apartment there.

Yes. You telephoned her, Mr. Nichols,

but not from San Francisco.

Your phone call was made from the Kamuri store

immediately after you killed Mr. Kamuri

and just before you caught

the 12:25 plane to San Francisco.

If you check with the phone record, Mr. Mason,

you'll find that at 11:00--

MASON: I have checked them.

And a telephone call was made.

But not by you, Mr. Nichols.

That telephone call was made by your secretary

in San Francisco, at your request.

If Your Honor please,

I would like permission to call a Miss Carmody

from outside the courtroom,

for the purpose of identification by this witness.

Very well.

Mr. Bailiff,

will you call Miss Carmody into the courtroom?

Miss Carmody, would you come forward, please?

Never mind, Mr. Mason.

That night, Kamuri sent for me.

I knew what he had in his mind.

I was willing to do anything financially.

The sale of the pearls had fixed me up.

But it wasn't money he wanted.

He wanted me to make a clean breast of the whole thing.

I had to kill him.

He would have ruined me.

It is a civilization which is older and gentler than here.

The quiet enjoyments are very important.

That's right.

I think we hurry and rush things too much.

Oh, I agree with that.

But sometimes it pays to rush things a little,

wouldn't you say, Toma?

Well, I'm for it.

One very good thing that came out of this:

Toma and Mitsou getting together.

I know now that, uh, Grove was only courting me

to defy his father.

PAUL: You know, Perry,

I'm surprised they haven't come for you.

Who? Police.

I was sure Burger would have done something

about that arson business.

Oh, he did do something.

This arrived in the morning mail.

Heh! What is it?

A citation for burning trash without a permit.

( all laugh )

( noirish jazz theme playing )