Original subtitles

For Eve, don't be ridiculous.

I think it'll look good in her pocket, Chief. That would be an eyesore on a

garbage dump.

Chief?

No.

Chief, we're running out of time. Tomorrow is Eve's birthday. Correct me

wrong, but wasn't it your idea that we all go in together on this gift?

Yes. Then we should all be in agreement on a selection.

Remember, Eve's very difficult to please.

She's difficult to please.

Hey, what's that?

Coffee grinder.

It's the kind of thing that makes a very decorative...

Chief,

before we invest $100 in a painting, I think you ought to know Eve doesn't go

for that kind of thing. She likes abstract stuff.

Now take it.

Where did you get it? Look at that. That's very good, isn't it? You have

discerning taste. Where did you get it?

Oh, you've nothing to worry about. My supply guarantees... Would you please

trying to sell me this painting long enough to tell me who painted it and

My dear sir, I'm not a detective.

I am.

Could have come from anywhere within a thousand miles radius of San Francisco,

sir. There's no signature.

I'm afraid you're out of anonymous.

Wrong. I know who painted it.

A friend of mine.

Denny Fielder.

Denny Fielder? A remarkable talent.

Very remarkable.

For a man who's dead.

Now, I ask you, is there any doubt that these two canvases were done by the same

hand?

Yeah, there's a doubt.

I don't see any similarities at all.

None are so blind as those who will not see.

All right, I don't know much about art. I agree with you. Hand me that album.

Now, just look at the technique, the palette.

Similar color in the background.

Would somebody mind filling me in? Who's Denny Fielder?

Don't you remember the artist who married into money?

Jake Stewart's daughter.

Now, that name I know. Jake Stewart was big in the racket, right?

Was, is correct.

He's now Jack Stewart, public -spirited citizen.

Sometimes known as the hood who made good.

It comes back now, a triangle thing. An artist, his wife, and the chauffeur.

That's right.

Fielder killed the chauffeur and then died trying to escape.

His car went over a bridge.

The thing I like best about young minds is their magnificent surety.

Now, if I'd been telling the story, I'd have said it appeared Denny Fielder

killed the chauffeur. And when his car went over the bridge a little later, it

was presumed he was killed.

We might also add that it appears he left a written confession.

And that since his fingerprints were found on the murder weapon, we presume

came from his hand.

All this happened while I was in the hospital.

And since it did seem that Denny was dead,

Just didn't pursue the matter.

But now that there's reason to believe that he's alive, you're going to charge

to the rescue on the back of a hunch.

That's a little extravagantly put, but yes.

And that was taken the day Denny had his first showing.

I was one of his sponsors. In fact, I introduced him to Leona Stewart.

Right on this spot. They were married three weeks later.

Well, Mr. Driscoll, what do you think?

It's a feel, pal.

The style is unmistakable.

Would you like this framed?

Yes, I would.

I'll have one of the crew get at it.

Nice meeting all of you. Pleasure, sir.

What happened to his wife, Chief?

Well, Leona moved back under her father's very rich thumb.

How did those two get together in the first place? I thought that Princess and

Papa bit only happened in the movies.

My fault, I guess.

I wasn't trying to do any matchmaking when I introduced him, but she liked his

paintings and he liked her figure.

And after that, it was downhill all the way?

Fair description.

Then he thought he could cope with Leona's rarefied taste. Leona was sure

could live happily in a garret with a poor artist, and they were both wrong.

I think I could learn to live with a rich wife.

Maybe, but not a rich father -in -law determined to prove his son -in -law

worthless.

Now Leona needed things, and Big Daddy stepped in with a helping hand.

Shuford Carb, Fatal Hounds, Beach House.

It was all too much for Denny.

But Jack Stewart is a man few people can say no to.

Jack emasculated Denny.

Leona took refuge in liquor.

According to the report, nobody's been in here since the murder. Jack Stewart

simply closed the place up. What does the report say?

The offer's name was Ralph Neal.

His body was found just about there.

He'd been stabbed through the heart with an artist's palette knife.

What about Leona? Wasn't she found here too?

Yes. Stoned.

According to the report, it took an hour to sober her up.

And the confession?

It was found on the table next to the murder weapon.

It's right to the point.

I killed him, Denny Fielder.

Looks like the perfect case.

I didn't know perfection was that easily achieved.

Are you going to say the note's a forgery?

No.

I'm going to say it's a lie.

Chief, the graphologist verified it is Denny Fielder's handwriting.

I know Denny's handwriting.

You're going purely on faith.

It's been known to move mountains.

Well, it doesn't wash away fingerprints.

A perfect set of fingerprints on his palette knife. The only thing missing is

eyewitness.

No eyewitness.

What a pity.

You just missed perfection.

All right, you explain it.

I can't.

But a case with these inconsistencies bears looking into.

Well, for starters, how are you going to find Denny Fielder?

That's easy.

I put you two to work.

Hey, you come to the right guy.

See, I was Denny's closest friend.

We were gonna split to Mexico until he got lucky.

Got lucky?

Come on, you know, when he hooked up with that chick with all the bread.

Man, that's the way to subsidize the arts, isn't it?

I wouldn't call what happened to Denny getting lucky, Mr. Blake.

Come on, come on. It didn't have to happen that way, you know.

Then he was a dummy.

He blows his cool because Leona's messing around.

Now, if it was me, I'd let her mess around.

Tell me something.

Does she still have eyes for artist type?

I wouldn't know.

Mr. Blake.

Bert, baby.

Bert, baby.

You were with Denny the night of the murder?

Listen, before we do the interrogation bit, let me save you some time.

Denny cooled her all right.

You know that for a fact?

Listen, he came up to my place steaming.

He came over here to wail about Leona's boozing and her old man and everything.

I tried to calm him down, but he went out of here making all kinds of bad

vibrations.

Listen, is it true about what you said about, uh...

Denny maybe being still alive?

Up to this point, it's only an assumption.

Ah, come on.

Now, why would you go digging up a cold case otherwise?

Boy, what a deal.

Denny comes back from the dead and cashes in on all that publicity.

You know what, Denny, feel the painting goes for 10 Gs.

Sure beats cutting off your ear.

Before you get too envious.

I might point out that if Denny is alive, he faces a murder charge.

The man with his wife's money behind him, he beat that rap.

You know, it really frosts me, you know that?

What does?

I'm a better painter than Denny.

I got things in here that have turned the art world upside down.

But of course, I didn't kill anybody.

I'm not commercial.

Thank you, Mr. Blake. Hey, listen, before you go, do you know any

Some. Why?

Well, in case they start pushing the story again, I figure maybe you

my name.

Burt Blake.

The killer's best friend. The guy who tried to stop a tragedy.

I could use the publicity.

What's so funny?

I'm awfully glad you're not my best friend, Burt baby.

Officer Brown? Yes.

Hi, I'm Scotty Collins.

Come on in, my sister's inside. Thank you.

I guess you know Ralph Neal was my brother -in -law. Yes, I do.

I got him the job here as chauffeur when he married my sister.

This is my sister Betty.

Officer Brown. How do you do?

Whoever expected it would turn out the way it did.

At least Mr. Stewart let me stay on after what happened.

He's pretty good -hearted that way.

One of nature's noblemen. You two stay here together now.

Yeah. Well, Ralph didn't leave Betty too well off.

Won't you sit down?

Thank you.

I understand you arrived at the beach house shortly after the police.

Right. Yeah.

Do you mind telling me about it?

Well, I left here because there was some maintenance work I forgot to do at the

beach house. You know.

And the boss was real mad about me neglecting it. So I zipped over there

fast. But, um...

Ten o 'clock at night, I guess.

When I get there, I see that all the lights are on. I walked in, and there's

Mrs. Fielder laying on the floor next to my brother -in -law, and he's got this

hole in his chest, and there's a knife laying on the floor next to him.

Oh, come on, Betty.

Now, you told me it would be all right if Officer Brown asked a few questions.

I'm sorry.

I thought that it would be.

If you'd rather I came back another time.

Listen, I told the cops everything that night.

I mean, I think what they took down is better than anything I can remember at

this late date.

I'm after something else, Mr. Collins.

I'm looking for a lead on who might have done it.

Everybody knows that. Fielder did.

I'd like some idea of your husband's possible enemies.

Somebody you might know who had a grudge against him.

Nobody had anything against him. He didn't have an enemy in the world.

What about Denny Fielder?

He had nothing against Ralph.

My husband was faithful to me every minute of his life.

Surely, Mrs. Neal, you heard about... About Mrs. Fields?

She may have been untrue to her marriage vows, but my husband never was.

I think you should go now.

Why are people supposed to drink?

To forget.

It doesn't work.

Why do you drink, then?

Maybe... to remember.

If only I could remember what happened that night.

Mr. Ironside, I'd be most grateful if you left my sister alone.

Anita, this is my affair.

I told Mr. Ironside I'd answer his questions.

You're a fool.

Leona, you do remember going to the beach house.

Was Denny there when you arrived?

I'd had so much to drink.

Ralph Neal was your chauffeur.

Ralph Neal was found dead in the beach house.

Did you invite him into the beach house?

You're asking a very sleazy question, and you already know the answer.

Just what kind of little game do you policemen play?

Did you invite Ralph Neal into the beach house?

I think I did.

Yes.

Yes, I did.

It seemed like a good idea.

Obviously, I don't know much about good ideas. Leona, be careful.

Denny's a good friend here.

may just be shaping a case against you.

Maybe that's right.

Maybe I did it. Leona!

All right, Ironside.

Take your little killy car, turn it around, and wheel it out of here.

Pleasant good morning to you, Jake.

Oh, yeah, it's Jack Stewart now, isn't it?

The case is closed.

Not anymore.

Let me tell you something.

I had an awful time getting the press off my back when it happened. I don't

intend to let him have a field day with my daughter and myself again.

Can't you lay off of that stuff?

You're afraid people will talk, Papa.

It's a little late for that.

What, do you have to go pawing through my family's dirty linen floors?

Is that how you get your kicks?

Could you entertain the outlandish idea that I'm being loyal to a friend?

I feel it was your friend, not mine. He was a cheap, money -grabbing

opportunist, and he saw a good thing in my daughter.

He did see a good thing in your daughter. He loved your daughter.

Thank you for that.

I almost forgot.

Well, that's a big deal. He loved her.

She was stupid enough to run off and marry him.

Oh, you did fine. You married a -a -a -a -a -a -a -a -a -a -a -a -a -a -a -a -a

-a -a -a -a -a -a -a -a -a -a -a -a -a -a -a -a -a -a -a -a -a -a -a -a -a -a

-a -a -a -a -a -a -a -a -a -a -a -a -a -a -a -a -a -a -a -a -a -a -a -a -

There's no reason to pour through yesterday's garbage.

There is if Denny Fielder is alive.

Denny.

Hello.

Where? Wherever.

I intend to find him.

I intend to clear him.

Even I've been comparing notes with the lab technicians.

If Denny did paint this canvas, we think we know where it might have come from.

Mexico.

We spent five hours in the lab having this painting analyzed. Why did you have

us bother when you came up with the same answer?

We do not operate on faith alone. We operate on facts.

Now, why Mexico?

Well, the paints used are all American commercial products, but the varnish is

Mexican brand.

Now, don't tell me you can spot Mexican varnish at a glance.

Go on.

Well, I talked to Denny's artist friend, Bert Blake.

He said that Denny always wanted to live in Mexico.

That plus the varnish, not bad.

All right, now let's hear why Mexico Ironside style.

You spent five hours at the lab with this canvas. Now, did you bother to look

it in all that time?

Sure I did.

Then surely you noticed the bird in the foreground.

It's a Quetzal of the species Trogon resplendent.

So? So the Quetzal is a bird found only in the tropical areas of Mexico and in

certain parts of Central America.

Now, how are we supposed to know that?

By the strict application of observation to research and facts.

Exactly.

Chief, I'd like to offer a thought for what it's worth.

What's that?

If your friend is alive and in Mexico, and you do find him,

You might be bringing him back to a gas chamber.

Bob, this is official.

Forget the Jenny Field little business.

Dennis, I have no intention of forgetting. Then don't do anything about

That's an order.

Commissioner, did Jack Stewart get to you? Jack Stewart did not get to me.

Then he got to someone who got to someone else who got to you. Is that it?

that is not it.

Stewart's become a very respectable man in recent years.

He has the right for some privacy in a tragic matter like this. What about

Fielder's rights?

Fielder's rights?

I hope you don't intend to follow your simple -minded lead to Mexico.

I will not sanction it. Why not?

You have plenty of work to do here.

That's true.

That's true.

What are you up to?

I'm agreeing with you.

I don't like being agreed with in that tone.

You do have other things to do.

I've got all kinds of things to do. As a matter of fact, I'm very much

overworked. I need a vacation.

I think I'll take it starting right now.

Well, that's the best thing you've said.

Wait a minute.

Where do you intend to spend this vacation?

In Mexico?

Dennis.

You should have been a detective.

Seven villages in four days.

And they all look alike. Stop sounding like a tourist. We're not here to enjoy

the local color.

Well, that's good, because I'm not enjoying it.

Well, split up again, Ed.

You and Eve keep moving southward.

We'll take this section.

Meet you back here in two days?

Same time? Same time.

My years of dedicated bird watching tells me this is a Cazal.

A rare bird found in the Mexican tropics and a certain artist painting.

Yes.

Then he painted this also.

He sure did.

Young man.

Where'd you get this?

How much is this?

Seis pesos.

How much?

Only fifty cents.

Señor, esta es la casa del pintor.

Thank you, Pepe.

Pepe, te llevas esos dos allá abajo en el espejo, por favor.

Córrele.

Ah, norteamericanos.

What can I do for you, senores?

Good morning.

My name is Ironside, and this is my friend, Mark Sanger.

We understand there's a painter living here.

You come to buy something?

Come with me.

Vete, Pepe.

You like what you see?

We'd like to see the artist.

Go ahead.

Look. I am the artist.

Guantan Roma. That's my name.

So you painted all these?

Si. You like them?

Very much.

They show a great deal of talent.

And a technique similar to someone else I once knew.

Well, well, it's strange because I am a, como se dice, a self -taught.

Look.

This is a jazz musician.

And here I have an Italian sailboat.

And this, this is the market in India.

Is that one on the easel?

What's that?

Oh, this one.

Well, I paint myself.

Let's remember, you know, self -portrait. Really?

I tell you, I am the painter.

Look.

My self -portrait.

It's not a self -portrait.

If it were, the eyes would be looking straight out.

You look into your own eyes when you paint from a mirror.

Denny Fielder did that.

Now, where is he?

You want to see Sr. Fielder?

Okay, there he is.

He died three, four months ago.

He was very sick.

You buried him just like this, beside the road?

Well, we don't want the police out here.

They ask too many questions.

Maybe they take away all the pictures.

They were lots of money, you know.

So I pretended to be Sr. Fielder.

Already I sell two paintings and a watch attack.

I guess that's it, chief.

I came a long way to see Denny Fielder.

Too bad, senor.

I'm going to see him. Take him up.

Senor, you are crazy.

I don't dig up a dead man.

All right, we'll do it ourselves.

Mark, find a shovel.

Hello,

Bob.

Been a long time, Denny.

My truck's pretty well.

Denny, you know why I came after you.

Sure.

Take me back.

Don't try it, Bob.

People here are with me. You saw that.

They love me.

What have you been doing?

Subsidizing the town with what you've been making on your painting?

Yeah.

You know, you try to take me out of here and they'll hold you till I get away.

They can be tough.

They can, but you can't.

No, you're not going to let them rough it up.

Why not?

For the same reason that you called them off today.

You're a little too soft -hearted.

Anyhow, you're going to come back with this on your own.

I can't go back. I killed a man.

Imagine that.

Well, what's the matter with you? I killed Ralph Neal, I'm telling you.

I left a confession.

One of the things wrong with the whole picture is that confession. It's rather

stark, Denny.

If you'd really killed Ralph Neal, I'd have expected a confession running to

pages.

Probably in blank verse.

Now, let's stop kidding.

You did all this...

You did all this hoping to shield Leona.

I killed Ralph Neal.

My reasons were my own.

Your reasons were as stupid as your confession.

Hasn't it ever occurred to you that Leona did not kill Ralph Neal?

What? You heard me.

Look at this man, Mark.

The world's only blind painter.

Didn't you notice that Leona's dress wasn't torn or soiled? That she had no

bruises?

That there was absolutely no sign that she'd been involved in any kind of

violence? Didn't you notice that?

Oh, Lord.

Then maybe she... Maybe she didn't kill him.

Maybe she didn't.

I think we'd better hear the whole thing right from the beginning.

Okay.

I guess you know that things went pretty sour with Leona and me.

That night, I decided I just about had it.

It really worked out.

After I left Bert's pad, I decided I'd go down to the beach house and...

Have it out with her once and for all.

When I got there, I found Ralph Neal on the floor.

Dead.

And she was lying right there beside him.

I was sure she'd done it. What else could I think?

I started to panic. I didn't know what to do.

At first I thought I'd take her out of it.

So I picked her up. You did what?

I picked her up.

I couldn't leave her lying next to a dead man.

Put her on the couch.

Then I made up my mind.

I was as much to blame for this as she was.

And here at least was the chance for me to make up to her for all the misery

we'd caused each other.

So I wrote the confession.

I guess you wanted about the fingerprints.

No, not anymore.

Denny, this is how it happened.

Shield your wife, you decided, to remove her fingerprints and substitute your

own.

So you picked up the knife with your left hand.

You picked up a cloth with your left hand and wiped the handle,

using the cloth in your left hand.

That's how a left -handed man leaves right -handed fingerprints on a knife.

Which also accounts for a perfect set of prints.

No smudges, no smears.

As would be the case if you'd used a knife in a violent fight.

I don't know. I guess I wanted to make it look good.

I took what I'm doing.

Well, I picked up the knife and I put it on the table. Then I wrote the note.

I took off.

I took off.

Must have been going nighty coming out of that driveway.

Smart. There's a patrol car after me the second my wheels hit the coast highway.

Believe me, I didn't mean to go over that bridge.

I just couldn't hold the car at that speed.

Then what?

Well, obviously I didn't drown.

Well, I holed up till morning and then I found my way down the coast till I

reached Mexico.

At least you won't have to thumb your way back.

Bob, I don't want to go back if it's going to be at Leonis' expense.

Won't be.

It can't be out of gas. We had three -quarters of a tank this morning.

There's a leak in the gas tank. Something must have punctured it.

someone.

There's a church at the bottom of the hill. Maybe the priest can help us.

I'll try to get it rolling.

We could use some light around here. Know where the switch is?

Are you kidding? They don't have electricity around here.

They are all dispensable.

Don't they sell powder probably?

Oh, ya se fue el padre.

¿Cuándo regresa?

No sé, pero tal vez mañana.

Saludos, amigos.

I saw your car in trouble.

Fellow North Americanos, huh?

My name is Jones.

Glad to meet you, Mr. Jones.

An elementary precaution. Get his gun, Denny.

Who hired you?

Beats me.

I got the job through Chattels.

You don't know who's paying you?

It's an impersonal age.

Tell him to hand back the gun, Cop.

What did you say about my having eyes in the back of my head?

Let's have the gun, kid.

Otherwise your friend gets it.

Don't, Benny.

If he gets the gun, he'll kill all of us.

What do you know?

We've got a Mexican standoff right here in Mexico.

Would you kill a man in church?

Now listen to him, Torres.

He's worried about his skin, not your soul.

We take him outside.

Shut up.

We don't do anything until this young man makes up his mind that he's got guts

enough to pull that trigger.

Don't let him bluff you, Denny. No bluff, cop.

Some guys can kill, some guys can't.

I've got to hunt your friend here as a vegetarian.

Nobody will get hurt.

I promise you.

You all right?

See? Good.

You don't stand a chance, cop.

Why don't you just give up? Take it easy on yourself.

What about you, Fielder?

You want to give up and let your friends live?

Don't believe him, Denny.

He's got to kill all of it.

I'm fine. You?

I'm fine.

I'm sorry, Mr. Stewart. They asked us to come in.

Ironside. You know you're not welcome here.

This isn't a social call.

Let's get on to headquarters.

Certainly. But you better call your attorney first.

What am I charged with, the death of my chauffeur?

No, you had nothing to do with that.

Look, maybe you better go back to the house, Betty.

No.

She's right, Scotty.

She might as well hear it now.

Scotty, what's he talking about?

Now, take it easy, Betty. Come on.

What are you saying?

When Sergeant Brown interviewed you, You told him what you saw at the beach

house. I don't remember what I said, no. You told me that when you went to the

beach house that night, you found Ralph Neal on the floor.

Yeah, I told you that.

With Mrs. Fielder crumpled up beside him.

I don't know what I said.

Oh, I do.

Very well.

What you did was describe what you saw the first time you were at the beach

house when you killed Ralph Neal.

What you didn't know was...

that by the time you returned, Denny had been there and had placed Leona on the

couch.

Scotty, tell me you didn't do it. You didn't.

I didn't, Betty.

Listen, you ask the cops to find Ralph.

They told me that he was killed at 9 o 'clock. I didn't leave here until 9. I

didn't get there until 10. You ask them.

Let me tell you what you did, Scotty. You left here for the beach house long

before 10.

You found Ralph there. You fought with him.

You killed him and then you came back here.

Then you found out that you had to return to the beach house.

What did he have to go back for?

You ordered him to.

He would have been conspicuous by his absence.

But you didn't do that, did you, Scotty? You didn't go right back.

You just drove around or had a few drinks somewhere for courage.

Then you went back the second time.

And you walked into a room full of police.

I'm telling you, I went there once at ten.

You couldn't have left here at nine and been there at ten. You couldn't have

gotten through in an hour. There was a big traffic jam on the coast highway.

There was?

There was.

I told him a hundred times he couldn't keep cheating on my sister like he was

doing.

Scotty, why?

Are you lying?

Ralph didn't cheat.

Dead he did, honey.

All the time, I was always covering up for him.

Then you killed him?

I only went down there to get him away from Mrs. Fielder.

He'd been making passes at her every chance he got.

Usually she just smiled and cooled it. I guess that night she invited him in.

When I got there, she had already passed out.

I was just trying to get him home before she came, too.

I was just trying to protect you, Betty, that's all.

I was just trying to protect her, that's all.

All right.

Book him in.

Mr. Stewart, too, for attempted murder.

Just who did I attempt to murder?

Mark.

Me.

All right, let's go.

And Denny?

Denny wanted to protect someone too, Leon.

Where are you going?

I never dreamed we'd get a second chance, Bob, but we did.

We give you our word this time we're going to make it count.

Fine.

What do you plan?

Oh, to get as far away from here as we can.

Like Mexico.

Now, I went there thinking it was the end, and now it's going to be the

beginning.

Well, hasta la vista.

Bob, I want to thank you for everything you did for us.

You were truly the proverbial friend in need.

Rubbish. I went after you because I needed you.

I happen to have purchased an authentic Denny Fielder for $100 without a

signature.

That's why I went chasing after you. I had an investment to protect.

Now, sign it.

Goodbye. Goodbye. Thank you. Bye -bye. Bye. Good trip.

By the way, Chief, you were really on shaky ground there trying to trip up

Scotty. If he'd kept his cool... He didn't want to keep his cool. He wanted

clear his conscience. I just helped him along, that's all.

With that phony traffic jam story.

You been checking the accident reports again?

We did find one in Fresno. I'll accept an error by the report. Hey!

Where are you taking that?

Home. It's my birthday present, remember?