Original subtitles

to testify against Old Threat.

Then you were not working on the case officially, is that correct?

Yes. I was hoping to find evidence that would clear the accused.

Oh, you found it hard to believe that Captain Larkin was guilty of murder?

I found it impossible to believe.

Captain Larkin is a friend of mine.

He worked homicide with me for two years before he went back into the service.

Did you see Captain Larkin after he got back from Vietnam?

Which trip?

Captain Larkin spent more than one tour of duty in Vietnam.

The last tour.

Yes.

I spent an evening playing poker with him and three men from his unit.

That was before the death of the captain's wife and Frank Bryson. Two

before. Did he say he suspected them of having an affair while he was overseas?

He did not.

I show you this pistol. Have you ever seen it before?

Yes, I have.

How do you identify it?

By the serial number.

Where did you first see it?

The bottom of the elevator shaft at Esquire House. Which is where Mr. Bryson

lived, where he and Mrs. Larkin were killed.

Yes. Is it your opinion that this pistol might be the one with which they were

shot? It's something for the ballistics experts to decide.

I'm asking your opinion.

That's what I gave you.

All right.

You found this pistol.

Did you check the registration to determine the legal owner?

Yes, I did.

And whose name is it registered?

Captain David Larkin. Thank you. No further questions.

We have to turn it in, that dirty... You may leave.

We have the testimony of Mr. Gerber, the doorman.

who saw Captain Larkin entering Esquire House at the time of the murder. We also

have the testimony of Mr. Rutledge, who saw Captain Larkin outside Frank

Bryson's apartment minutes before the murder took place.

We now have this pistol, which is the same weapon we will prove that killed

David Larkin and her lover Frank Bryson. We will prove this beyond a shadow of a

doubt, and when we do, we expect you to find Captain David Larkin guilty of

murder as charged.

Please remain seated and come to order. The court is again in session.

Has the jury reached a verdict?

We have, Your Honor.

Will the defender please rise

We

the jury having carefully considered

all testimony and evidence find the defendant guilty of murder in the first

degree Whatever

who didn't.

Gun planted in an apartment house I'd never been in in my life.

It's nice to know my friends haven't forgotten me.

Bring cigarettes?

Dave, cigarettes and candy. It's about all I need.

Food's great.

Look, I want to help you.

We have to find a witness who saw you that night.

Now, you claim you weren't anywhere near the Esquire house.

You weren't listening.

I said I was drunk, and I couldn't remember.

Maybe I wasn't there.

Maybe I even went in.

But if I shot my wife,

there's something I'd remember.

Dave, there are two ways to get a new trial.

A, mitigating circumstances. B, new evidence. Forget it.

There's got to be someone to forget it.

All right.

What would you have done? Buried the gun?

If I knew that otherwise I'd be burying a friend?

You bet I would.

I don't believe that.

There's not much I say you do believe.

I told you I was innocent.

Did you believe that?

Yes.

Do you now?

Well, you tell me.

You think I'd be dumb enough to put it there?

Drunk or sober, I'd been smarter than that. I've worked enough homicide cases.

Your problem wasn't convincing me. It was convincing a jury.

Now, your one chance is... Yeah, I know. You told me. A, mitigating

circumstances. Dave, you thought your wife had something going with Bryson,

didn't you?

You came back after two years and got the shock of your life. You told her

threatened Bryson. I came back that night and shot them both in a fit of

uncontrollable rage.

Crime of passion.

New trial.

And what's the worst I'd get?

10 to 15?

Would that save your conscience, getting it cut down to a stretch in San

Quentin? Well, that's not what I want. I want out.

You did know about Bryson, didn't you? What if I did? What does that prove?

You found my gun, but that doesn't prove I put it there.

And that's something you'll never do, because I didn't.

I was framed, and you were the prized chop.

Bryson's wife.

She was in Pittsburgh.

She could have paid somebody to kill them.

Bryson was her meal ticket.

700 bucks a month, separate maintenance.

Who made this coffee?

I did. It's Swedish coffee. You put an egg in it. Next time, try a fresh egg.

There's no doubt in my mind that Dave found out about his wife and Bryson.

I know the man.

I know how hard it would have hit him.

Must have knocked him for a loop.

But to level a revolver at the woman he loved, and he did love her, to aim it

straight between the eyes and pull the trigger... You're talking about a man

knew before he went to Vietnam.

The Larkin who came back after two tours of duty in a shooting gallery where you

aim at live targets... Ed, the essence of a man doesn't change. But it was

Larkin's gun, and there were witnesses.

Rude character.

Animal sweat, people perspire.

I wonder who that was.

World's full of kooks.

The gun could have been planted there. It's the witnesses.

Two people place him at the scene of the crime.

Of all the people who went into the Esquire house that night, how could the

doorman be so positive he saw Larkin? When her ladyship, Officer Whitfield,

back from her leisurely lunch, tell her to tackle that doorman again.

Meanwhile, you'll find somebody who saw Larkin that night.

I've already checked half the bars in town, gas stations, restaurants.

Check the other half, Ed.

While I toss some new questions at the other star witness, Mr. Paul J.

Mr. Ironside.

Just happened to have a spare million around.

Thought you might know of a good investment.

Just so happens I could use a million.

Come on in, we'll talk it over.

Good afternoon, Mr. Rutledge. Here are your calls.

The one on top is urgent.

He called several times.

Who is that? He didn't leave his name.

All right.

Now, Mr. Ironside, what can I do for you?

Mr. Rutledge, in your testimony, you said Captain Larkin showed no sign of

drunk when he entered Bryson's apartment.

I didn't say I saw him enter the apartment.

I saw him stop at Bryson's door.

Since you'd never seen Larkin before, how could you be positive it was he?

Well, there was a picture of him in the paper when Senator Blake visited his

unit in Vietnam.

Well, it was over a year ago.

Well, there's a framed copy of the picture at the Army Reserve Training

I'm a reserve officer with the engineers.

What were you doing at Bryson's?

Discussing an investment.

Mrs. Larkin came in. She seemed disturbed.

Obviously wanted to talk to Bryson alone, so I left.

Captain Larkin came hurrying from the elevator.

And even though he wasn't in uniform, you recognized him. I knew who he was.

Besides, I have a photographic memory.

You met my associate, Mark Sanger?

He was in court with you on the 23rd. What was he wearing?

Blue suit, gray shirt, striped tie.

Very good.

What's he wearing now?

Black jacket, black pants, gold shirt.

Yes? I have to go to the bank to make our deposits, Mr. Rutledge.

All right, go ahead. Don't forget to call that man.

He said it was very important.

All right.

I'll make this one call if you don't mind.

Hello, this is Paul Rutledge.

I'm going to kill you.

Would you mind repeating that? We have a bad connection.

I'm going to kill you.

You and the others who got Larkin.

All five of you.

You, Gerber, the DA, Judge Carlisle, and Ironside.

Start sweating, Rutledge.

7810712.

7810712. This is it, Chief.

He must be a kook waiting for a call on a corner like this. Somebody was bound

to see him.

You would have thought he'd kept calling back till he got Rutledge.

Maybe the idea was to get you here so he didn't get a shot at you. He knew you

traced the call.

You have guards for the other four on the list. Why not you?

Remember those three paratroopers at the trial? I checked them out.

Guess what he'll tell the sergeant. Dang it.

The Alexander.

So you think I made the phone calls, huh?

I didn't say that.

Well, did it sound like my voice, Chief? It sounded like a disguised voice

coming through a handkerchief or something, pressed against the

You want the police to have a check on this?

Sergeant, I'm trying to find evidence that'll get Captain Larkin a new trial.

Whoever made those phone calls didn't help any.

Maybe that list is just the beginning.

We've got the two witnesses.

We've got the DA.

We've got the judge and the cop.

What about the cops flunky and the whole jury? Let's get everybody into this.

You're bad, Sergeant.

I was hoping you'd be helpful.

Hoping you'd play it smart.

But you're more interested in talking tough.

The big cop.

The one he said was just like a brother to him.

I remember once we were pinned down in a rice paddy and he says to me, Sergeant,

if you get out of this and I don't.

There's somebody in San Francisco I want you to look up. He's a policeman named

Bob Ironside. Buy him a drink. Tell him what happened because he'd really like

to know.

Well, I'll tell you what happened. Chief, he got knifed in the back by a

Oh, he might have got off and you knew it. But you turned in the gun.

You got in the gas chamber, Mr.

Ironside.

You think you shook him up? Yeah, I shook him up.

That cop comes to see me, he'll get shook again.

But don't blow your stack, Kelly, or you'll wind up in a clink.

Are you kidding?

I'll just tell the judge it's combat fatigue. You know, wave the flag and you

get away with anything.

Yeah, except murder.

A guy finds out his wife's been cheating.

She gets what's coming to her.

And he gets the gas chamber.

Knocking off five guys.

That don't even things up.

And I'll tell you something.

Don't tell me, Mace.

Don't tell anybody.

We don't synchronize our watches on this baby.

Yeah.

It's like the captain used to say.

This one's a lone wolfer.

Yeah.

And what you don't know...

Nobody can sweat out here, right?

So don't ask me what I've been doing.

And I won't ask you.

Looks to me like you've got three leads on the phone calls, not just one.

Good soldiers, all three of them.

Tough, deadly, and loyal.

And Larkin's their god.

Read his record and you'll see why.

Nobody ever had a better CO. He saved Carly's life, got the DSC.

Chief, maybe one of them killed her.

You mean to avenge their captain's honor?

Very possible.

But they wouldn't have then tried to frame him.

Maybe they didn't mean it to work out that way.

Maybe.

You know, this would be a good time to make another pot of coffee. We're out of

eggs.

Hi, everybody.

What's with Gerber?

He took the afternoon off to go to the doctor. I checked with the doctor. He

never showed up.

Find him.

I intend to.

And for your information, I only took 28 minutes off for lunch.

Don't gulp your food.

From now on, take a full half hour.

Say this is good coffee.

Ironside.

How?

It'll be right there, Ed.

Let's go.

What's up?

The judge.

There was a bomb in his car.

Judge Carlisle?

He's dead.

Chief, I just spoke to the hospital.

The two men who were guarding Judge Carlisle are going to pull through.

This wire's like spun glass. I've never seen any this thin.

I have.

They found a piece of the detonator. You were right, Chief. It is Army

equipment. There's a demolition man here, an expert. You want to talk to

know a captain who's an expert.

David M. Larkin.

Captain.

74362. Now look, Dave.

An innocent man was killed and you're still just a prison number.

What good is that going to do you? Maybe it'll liven up the 11 o 'clock news.

This is supposed to scare the witnesses into backing down, isn't it?

If they say they're not sure they saw you, you'll get a new trial.

A fair trial.

I see. All right. I'll tell your sergeant and his two buddies you're

pink about the way things have worked out so far.

And the same to any of the others in my outfit you run into.

That whole company was rotated back. That'll give you 196 men to check up on.

Dave, any message for the judge's wife?

I'll be seeing her at his funeral.

We're leaving. The office is guarding you. This is Sergeant Picker. Why didn't

they tell me they were leaving?

How do I know who you are?

Would you like to call headquarters?

No.

Two ringside seats for the fight tonight, and I had to be slapped with

Better let us take a look around first, Mr. Governor.

That's the kitchen. If you get hungry, just help yourself.

Aren't you going to watch the fight? No, I'm beat.

Mind if we do? Go ahead.

Well, at least they're not blacking out the fight on TV tonight.

Is

she

beautiful, huh?

Look, look, look at that footwork.

Look at him. Will you look at him?

You're next, cover.

Now, you do just like I tell you.

You'll get what the judge got.

And don't think you're going to tell the DA that somebody got to you.

They'll have to pick you up with a shovel.

Mr. Gerber's here to see you, Chief.

Well, what a surprise.

You fool, Mr. Gerber?

Mark, you left your chemistry book on the table in case you want to start

up for that exam.

Just what I had in mind.

Would you like Larkin to get a new trial?

Go on.

Only if you give me your word.

I can't sign a blank check, Mr. Gerber.

If you're thinking about recording this, you can't use it against me.

Every day goes by that I don't learn something.

Suppose I told you I didn't see Larkin that night.

I'd want to know why you said you did at the trial.

Well, suppose...

I said I deliberately lied.

Would you protect me?

Or would I get a perjury rap?

Somebody been twisting your arm, Mr. Gerber?

No. You want to ask the DA if he'll make a deal with you?

No. Then let's have it.

Well, I asked to see you... because I couldn't live with it.

When the police questioned me the first time, it went to my head, you know what

I mean?

Murder case on the front page, radio, TV.

And I am the star witness.

That is, I am, if I saw Larkin.

So I told them I did.

And then I couldn't back out.

I know what a perjury rap would get me.

I went to the library.

I looked it up in a law book.

It's still in the book, Mr. Gerber. Why'd you change your mind now?

Because my conscience made me.

Now, you write down everything that I said and I'll sign it.

If you promise to protect me.

You want that in writing?

I could always say you forced a confession.

I'll think about it.

They'd have to give him a new trial. I looked that up, too. I said I'll think

about it. Now, thank you for stopping by.

Portrait of a man with a problem.

Find it fast.

Where is it? Bar hopping, looking for a witness.

Tell him to replace one of the men guarding Gerber. Somebody scared the

off him, and I want to know who and why.

Playing for matchsticks with a cop and I'm hotter than a pistol.

What's wrong?

Nothing.

Kind of nervous, aren't you?

Wouldn't you be nervous if someone swore to kill you?

Is that the only reason?

Why don't you spill it? You'll feel better. I don't know what you're talking

about, huh?

Be smart, Gerber.

Tell us now why we can help.

I'm going to bed.

We are trying to save your life.

What do you think I'm trying to do?

Don't you see I'm in the middle?

Either way, I've had it.

What do you mean, either way?

Nothing. Spill it.

I'll think about it. Now!

I said I'll think about it!

Now get out.

Quick shower and then hit the sack.

Exactly the same kind of wire used in the judge's car.

Rigged to the shower handle.

Smart boy we're after.

And deadly.

A report on Gerber's effects. A plane ticket was found on him.

Nonstop flight to Mexico City, leaving tonight.

He also had a passport in the name of Philip Evans with a record of a previous

trip to Mexico City. Left San Francisco June 23rd.

23rd? That's the day he testified at the trial.

It was a Friday.

Left that night, got back in time to continue his testimony on Monday.

Find out when the next plane leaves for Mexico City.

2 .25 a .m.

One hour.

I've made reservations and I'll arrive at 6 .45 a .m.

Timing's right, Eve, but the gender's wrong.

Here, get going, Ed. Right.

I'm already packed.

Sorry, Eve.

But I've got to have somebody around here who can make a good cup of coffee.

Buenos dias, senor. Miss Luz? Yes? Sergeant Ed Brown. I talked to you on

phone. About Philip Evans?

Oh, yes.

How nice to meet you.

I'm sorry, but no one seems to remember Mr.

Evans. He was here just that one night.

So many people come and go.

Thank you.

I'll show his photo around. Maybe I'll get a lead that way.

Do you speak Spanish?

No. You'll need an interpreter.

This could take time. Maybe all day.

Where are you going to see the police?

My time is now the property of the San Francisco police.

I've always wanted to have time on my hands.

Shall we go?

He opened the account with that $10 ,000 deposit and they haven't heard from him

since. Anything on where he got the money?

Brought it with him. Declared the full amount at customs. How'd you get all

so fast?

I had wonderful cooperation.

You must have.

Looks like someone paid Gerber for testifying he saw Larkin. The other

spoke up first. And with a solid citizen like Rutledge already having identified

Larkin... We're dealing with two separate forces here.

Why two?

Because one force is threatening people to make them change their testimony, and

the other is killing people who might change their testimony.

You mean the paratroopers are... One of them is thrashing around in the dark,

hoping he'll stumble across something that'll save his friend. The other, who

might or might not be a paratrooper, is determined that Larkin's verdict will

not be changed.

So he threatens the people involved in the case, kills Judge Carlisle... To

cover up killing the witnesses.

And maybe the fellow who might solve the case, like you.

Like me?

We boring you, Ed?

I didn't sleep a wink on the plane.

Have a shot of black coffee and then relieve one of the men guarding

You get out and wait, please, Mr. Rutledge.

You're next, Rutledge.

Too bad. I didn't know you were going to Mexico City.

I met a girl there.

Wow. Ed Selman. Yeah, she works in a hotel. Desk clerk.

Mr. Rutledge?

What happened?

Must have gotten dizzy and passed out.

Passed out my eye. Someone was here. Now, what's going on?

Look, Rutledge, you don't want to end up like Gerber, do you?

No.

Let's go inside.

It was like a nightmare.

That voice whispering.

You're next, Rutledge.

Unless you do as I say.

Tell the DA that you're not sure you saw Larkin.

Tell him that you've been on the verge of a breakdown and you've been imagining

things. And that could have been one of the things.

And don't tell anybody about tonight.

Because if you do, it'll be the last thing you'd tell anybody.

How long have you known Bryson, Mr. Rutledge?

Since February 1963.

He consulted me on an investment and we eventually went in on a joint venture.

Know any of his friends?

A few of his business associates.

They're not always friends.

Who else besides Larkin might have had a motive for killing Bryson?

Now, how should I know?

I don't like to sound callous, but I'm more interested in finding the man who

threatened me.

Could be the same man.

What do you mean?

We've been looking for the killer of Mrs. Larkin. Perhaps we should have been

looking for the killer of Frank Bryson.

I don't get it.

Well, let's assume that... One of Bryson's business associates did have a

motive. He finds out that Bryson's involved with a married woman.

Their husband has returned from Vietnam.

Now, wouldn't that be the moment?

Wouldn't the husband then be the logical suspect, especially if his wife was

killed, too?

But I saw him outside the door. You didn't see him enter.

He could have walked away.

The Easterwood deal.

Easterwood gas, the utility swindle?

I advised Bryson against it. How deep was he in?

Over his head, about a half a million.

I want everything you have on it.

Names of all his associates, any side deals he made with them, any squeeze

that indicate the possibility of bribes or blackmail.

Steele saved your life.

I'm the only one who has a key to that file. Same kind of why as those other

gentlemen.

Ed, get Mr. Rutledge to a doctor, and I want those paratroopers picked up right

now.

I keep telling you, I was in my room from six o 'clock on, playing gin rummy

with a friend.

One friend?

Two friends.

One of them was picked up in a pool room a mile away from your hotel.

It takes five minutes on a cab.

He was losing.

He went there to get some money that was owed him.

There's this guy, see?

Owes me 20 bucks.

He hangs out over at the pool room.

So I go there to get it. Where'd the sergeant go? The one you say was playing

gin with you and Mace.

He come with me.

When you get there, he's outside waiting in a cab.

Big tall guy driving a cab.

Dark hair.

No, sort of sandy.

More like red, I guess.

Maybe not so tall, because I never saw him standing up.

You might as well turn around and wheel yourself home. I've got nothing to say.

Well, I have.

Because lately this stuff has been doing all the talking and I've had it.

There's a killer loose, Dave, and I'm going to find him and you're going to

whether you like it or not. Now look! No, you look!

Take a good look.

See a picture of a guy so busy feeling sorry for himself and so bitter about a

bad deal he doesn't care if people die because of him.

Take a good look.

And if you can stand it, you're a better man than I am.

So much.

I mean, you come home.

And you find out about it.

Oh, boy, I tell you, you think some pretty lousy thoughts.

Murder isn't the worst of them.

You want everybody to die.

You don't even care about yourself.

But you want it to hurt.

Yeah. Yeah.

Same old sheep, huh?

Facts, facts, and more facts.

We could use a few. For instance, you're three buddies.

Could any of them have had a grudge against you?

Oh, no chance.

They'd die for me.

Would they kill for you?

They might.

This isn't their style.

M .O.

Remember? You know, I was... Well, I've been thinking.

Suppose there was some guy, somebody we put away some time ago.

We're choosing this as a way to get back the three of us. You and me and the

judge. What about Gerber, Rutledge, the others?

What about your wife, Dave?

What about her?

Think about this.

Anyone else might have a reason for killing her.

I've thought about that.

The answer's still no.

Okay, I'll be in touch.

business? The only way I can understand the gadget is to put one together.

Let me know before you start trying to understand what happens when it goes

Ed called in.

Eve did.

She saw Ed.

He's with Rutledge.

Or would you have to take a phone apart and put it together to understand how to

use it?

I did that when I was a jet chief.

A pay phone to see how to get the coins up.

This is a recording.

Mr. Rutledge is at his office. The number there is 621 -1598.

Tell him Chief Ironside called.

This is also a recording.

Progress. Call him at the club, will you?

Ask him to meet me at his home in half an hour. Why did Eve call?

She checked the police lab report.

The explosive used in the fire was nitro starch.

Nitro starch?

of the phone company. I want to borrow some equipment.

What for?

I think I'm going to get an unusual call and I want to be ready for it.

This is everything I have on the Easterwood deal.

It's a duplicate of the destroyed file.

Suppose Bryson had something on one of his associates.

It was driving him to the wall, extorting money with the threat of

The man saw a way to get rid of Bryson, pin the murder on somebody else.

He stole Larkin's pistol.

Broke into his house? Maybe this one learned a few tricks in the army, like

breaking into houses, rigging booby traps in cars and files.

You seem to forget there were witnesses who identified Larkin. Where was I? Oh,

yes. Stole Larkin's pistol, bribed the doorman at the Esquire house to say he

saw Larkin enter.

And bribed me, too?

about nitro starch, Mr. Rutledge?

Nitro starch?

I don't even know what it is.

It's an explosive.

Very mild explosive compared to the kind used in the bombs that killed Judge

Carlisle and Gerber.

Very mild.

That's what was used in the bomb in your file.

Whoever put it there didn't want you to get killed, but suggests that he might

possibly be a friend of yours.

Now, wait a minute.

You said that he, whoever that is, wanted to...

Pin it on Larkin. Well, Larkin was convicted.

And instead of leaving well enough alone, he goes out and threatens five

people. And kills two of them.

Now, why?

Bribe a man, and there's always the danger of exposure that would put Gerber

the list.

I was still looking for evidence to clear Larkin. That put me on.

Well, then why was I on the list? And the judge, the district attorney?

Red herrings.

To make it look as if the threats were from a friend of Larkin's who wanted

vengeance. And I suppose the man who attacked me last night was a friend of

dressed in paratroop uniform.

Or are you implying I lied about that?

No, that part's true.

What I am implying, Mr. Rutledge, is that that man was not the one who

threatened us on the phone.

You mean there were two of them working together?

No, separately.

The man who murdered Mrs. Larkin and Bryson made the phone calls and planted

bombs. The other man is a friend of Larkin's who hoped to clear him by

you to change your story.

Unfortunately, that man will serve a year for trying to intimidate a witness.

Still, that's better than a murder rap, isn't it?

Their hand bothering you? I'm sorry.

You know, you're lucky it was nitro starch.

You have such a good memory, I'm surprised you forget what that is.

It's what they use for explosions at army training camps.

And since you were in the army...

kept in touch as a reserve officer.

By the way, what do you think of that new directional bomb, the Claymore?

I had never heard of it.

As an engineer, officer, you must have.

Your memory slipping?

Let's test it.

How much do you remember about that joint venture with Bryson?

Did you pull a fast one? Did he find out about it and try to club you into

bailing him out of the Easterwood deal?

Can't remember?

Well, that's something we can easily check out by fine -combing contracts and

tax returns.

But you were right here when the man on the phone said that I was on the list.

I was just getting to that.

you didn't dial the number your secretary gave you.

You called a recording device, probably attached to a private phone upstairs.

I checked with the phone company.

They rented you such a machine.

It was clever making a record, disguising your voice.

Very clever, Mr. Rutledge.

Had me fooled for quite a while.

Hold it, Mr. Rutledge.

This way, please.

You don't think it's a bit loud for me? I think it's just right. So do I, Chief.

Only woman in the world knows how to choose a gift tie.

Thanks a lot, Eve.

What's the angle?

Angle? Well, it is my birthday.

Oh, just a token of my high esteem for you, Chief. Of my admiration.

What you did on the lock -in case was... Brilliant.

We really learned a lot from you on that one, Chief.

Yes, sir, Chief. Really brilliant.

I see.

Wouldn't have anything to do with the Dodger -Giant game.

You mean...

Final game of the three -game series. Playing today, Marichal versus Drysdale.

We hadn't even thought about it. Good.

Because we've got a robbery to cover. Let's go. A robbery where?

The park.

Candlestick Park.

Willie Mays told me he's going to steal second, third, and home.