Original subtitles

I'll cuss it up to no place to go.

One more year, Major. And watch out, world.

I'll smother you with my desire.

My... My trust.

With empty skin.

Cash it, boy.

Where did they go?

All the pretty ears.

The face, the hair.

The slow death.

The skin.

What are you doing up, Eloise?

I can't sleep. I wanted to talk to Dr.

Shazar. I thought he might be with you.

Why would he be with me?

He's left for the night. I saw him from my room.

He was walking around the grounds just a little while ago.

I said he's left.

Come on. Let's get you back there.

Chief Hindsight's office.

Just a minute.

Medical examiner.

You want to call him back?

Who is it?

Medical examiner. I'll take it here.

Morning, Joe.

You're up and at them early. Our clientele doesn't respect business

Listen, I just got a report.

On a car smash up on the coast highway last night.

Driver fatality, a Dr. Abba Shazar, remember?

I like to think I can remember back as far as the day before yesterday.

Under the circumstances, I think an autopsy's in order, don't you? Right

And a visit to General Oaks.

How about the files on those deceased?

I'm sorry, you know how it gets around here, the quieter the busier.

Still collecting them.

You'll have them later this morning.

And the autopsy report?

I'm beginning to feel sorry I called you up.

I'll try to have it by noon.

Thank you.

Now take it easy.

How do you want your eggs?

Three minutes? Coffee will do.

Where's Ed and Fran?

Hey, it's early yet.

Since when do we observe office hours?

That call turned you on.

The day before yesterday, a young resident doctor of a convalescent home

me.

Swore that some of the patients there had been murdered.

He promised me evidence.

Hard evidence.

Last night he was killed.

Now, would that be enough to turn you on?

Top burner.

Use it for the coffee.

And what about Eloise?

What about her? She was so dependent on Dr. Cesar, she'll need extra... Too

dependent on him.

We can take care of her ourselves.

Am I interrupting?

No, not at all, Dr. Perry.

I have a prospective new client.

I wanted you to meet him. He should be on the patio by now.

Oh, of course.

Let him in.

this is where you've decided I'm going to die.

Live, father.

It's one of the finest convalescent homes in the city. I really don't know

more you could want.

Maybe two offspring cared more than to bury me in a gilded grave.

He's somebody's father, kids, you know.

For all he's aged and poor.

And slow.

Now, Professor, they're not all senior citizens.

There are lots of young ones here.

Let me show you one of our brochures.

I'll get it, Doctor.

We don't want to be accused of making you late for your rounds.

Of course not.

Excuse me.

Now, here it is. This will tell you everything about Gentle Oaks.

It's a place for the melancholy and the miserable and the ones

nobody wants.

I told you he'd do this. I told you he'd do this.

Well, maybe if you saw it for yourself.

Miss Clark, will you show the professor our lovely ground?

I'd be glad to.

All right, professor.

If you must.

The first 40 years of life give us the text.

Next 30 supply the commentary on it.

Shockey. Oh, no, that's Schopenhauer.

Schopenhauer.

The commentary.

My offspring.

It's just not fair the burden that man puts on us.

Oh, well, there's nothing unusual about it, Miss Kramer.

Believe an old mother hen.

Pretty ground, you know? Like in an English movie.

So green.

I hate green.

Should your father decide to stay on as one of our guests, I imagine there are

certain financial details you'd like to know about, et cetera.

Yes, sir. It's a very unusual office you have here. Well, I love plants, as you

can plainly see.

They represent, well, life.

And that's what we're trying to restore here at Gentle Oak.

Life.

What is this, the mausoleum?

Our recreation room.

You can relax here.

Read, visit with the other guests, play games, watch television.

Television? You mean I can watch the ball games?

Of course. And if you happen to play the piano, of course we can. Ah, there's a

good -looking shortstop for you. She can play on my team any day.

Her name's Eloise Arden.

Eloise?

It's time for your swim.

Where's Dr.

Shazar? He's not in his office.

They're packing his office.

We told you, dear.

He had to go back to Israel suddenly.

Now, come on.

Let's get over to the pool.

Do you mind if I leave you alone a minute?

Not at all.

Hey, who's Dr. Shazar?

A staff member.

He was killed in a car crash last night, poor man.

Miss Skinner thought it best not to tell the girl.

Come along, please.

You've met us, and we've met you.

I trust when you return, we'll get to know one another even better.

I'll inform you of my decision in my time.

Affirmatively, and soon. We hope we haven't many vacant rooms.

In my time, I said.

You think they'll be back? They'll see to it. They want him out of the way,

that's for sure.

Get anything?

I have the impression that our head nurse runs our doctor.

A few doodlings in Hebrew from Cesar's office written sometime yesterday.

How about you?

So far, only the creeps.

Did you sniff the good doctor's breath?

More than a guy to fill block lumen.

But 12 -year -old stuff should be at the rate they charge.

13 deaths in one year.

A pretty high percentage rate compared to the other homes.

A lot of names and numbers.

Do we have a case?

We have a pattern that's beginning to look like Dr.

Shazar knew what he was talking about.

You mean you really think that they're killing people like that?

Unfortunately, the grand jury can't act on my thoughts. They need facts.

Watch out for the report. Dr.

Shazar was dead before his car went off the highway.

Mark, cause of death?

Crushed skull at the back of the head. A highly improbable place if it had been

caused by the accident.

Start digging.

If you need us for anything, we'll be at Commissioner Randall's office.

But, Bob, if they are killing people out there, why haven't we heard anything?

Why haven't any relatives complained?

Possibly because it was those very same relatives who commissioned the killings

in the first place.

Oh, that's monstrous. It's just what Shazar seemed to think.

Dave, would you translate literally for the commissioner what was on the young

doctor's mind shortly before the accident?

Two words in Hebrew, Commissioner, repeated.

Crow theme for relatives and rates are for murder. Oh, what's this mean notify

the police?

That's give our it means Hill as in came tumbling down from or a name We'll

check it out discreetly. I hope Bob there are dozens of institutions in the

where the patients are happy well cared for and thoroughly unmolested I know I

Have a father -in -law in one of them Very much alive and happy. Thank you

Dennis

We've spent the afternoon doing a little homework.

Not one of the other homes have a patient death rate anywhere near that of

Gentle Oaks.

So, when do you start and where?

We start tomorrow morning at Gentle Oaks.

Oh, you're going to have a swinging time here.

I've seen livelier cemeteries. May I remind you, that's exactly what we're

investigating.

Well, well, let's hang up. Want me here or not?

I'm sorry to keep you waiting, Professor.

They just told me you'd arrived.

Some efficiency.

So you've decided to stay with us?

Would I be here otherwise?

We'll go and finalize arrangements with Miss Skinner. Yeah, I bet you will.

I'll take you to your room.

What am I, some kind of freak show?

That's Malcolm Hill. He has a tendency to stare, among other things.

Come on. First things first.

We must make you comfortable.

He'll get to love it here, the old dear.

Now, shall we chat, friendly and informal -like, about your father and

well, any special services we might provide?

Now then, what can I do for him and for you?

Agreeable.

But the bathroom door isn't wide enough.

An orderly will be in soon to help get you settled.

Orderly. Some orderly.

Operator, I'd like an outside line.

Hello.

Professor Dennis, Fremont here.

Oh, you're in, eh?

Quite in, dear friend.

Tell me, have you talked to the university chaplain about the book of

Mark I requested?

Yes, it'll be sent over. Still working, I see, eh, old man?

Yeah, it'd take more than my two brats to stop Fremont.

Speaking of same.

Now, Dennis, from time to time, remind them, will you, not

to be slow to visit the sick.

Book of Ecclesiastes. You amaze me.

I mean, considering your specialty is contemporary civilization.

Howdy. Bye.

I'm Walter Cook.

came to welcome me to Gentle Oaks. Oh, you're going to like it here. Yes,

sirree. Now, there's a voice of good cheer in this oasis of doom and

gloom.

They said you were a professor, and you sure sound like one.

But listen, gloomy is as gloomy does. You've got to look on the brighter side

all of this, especially a couple of old fellows our age. Now we don't have to

worry. if we're in anybody's way, we don't even have to cook for ourselves

anymore. And we've got built -in friends right out there just for the nod and

asking. Oh, it's a good kind of a life, you'll see.

Of course, there are a few odd types around that you're going to have to get

yourself used to.

But that's true in the so -called outside world, too, isn't it?

Restlessness, occasional low spirits.

However, All in all, I guarantee your father will be very happy here for as

as he wishes to stay, or you wish him to stay. Frankly, Miss Skinner, we can't

afford it on any very extended basis.

There are less expensive homes, Mr. Fremont. We can't afford that either.

Our dad's stocks have been going down, and still he's a very important man in

his field, and we just can't leave him in any grubby place.

We all have our problems, don't we?

Tell me, Miss Skinner, what would you do if you were in our position?

Well, I suppose, at least for the time being, I'd get my father another

stockbroker. Oh, dear, it is getting late, and I have to water my thirsty

friends here, and I have a staff meeting.

If there are no more questions... Thank you very much.

Thank you. Bye -bye.

That's about the most exercise I've had, Professor, since my heart taker went

wacky on me last Christmas time.

I hope I didn't overtire you.

Oh, I'll be fine. I'll be fine.

Now then, one of the first things you'll want to know if you want to stay happy

around here like me is...

Stay away from them, too.

I'll try to do that.

They're just nothing but a couple of old man hunters.

Is that right?

They're the Brennan sisters.

Rebecca and Rose.

There was another one, Rodessa.

What happened to her?

She depart this veil of tears?

She departed this place laughing.

Trapped poor old Roger into Elopin.

They're honeymooning right now in one of them great big French liners that goes

around the world.

I had a card from poor old Roger.

Pego Pego.

Said, uh, wish you were here instead of her.

Oh, don't look now at him. We call him the Creeper. He don't talk to nobody.

Just spies on the rest of us for some of the staff.

Dr. Perry, Miss Skinner.

There's things around here that's best not talked about, Professor.

Especially that Skinner woman.

Walter, what's the

creeper's real name?

Um, Witt.

Isaiah Witt.

Excuse me?

I seem to interest you.

Bill, isn't it? Well, anybody new here would interest me.

Now, why is that?

My mother sends me to this hole off and on to dry out.

I keep waiting for a guest who's maybe brought a little something in undry.

I'm afraid I didn't.

Dr. Perry seems to be well -stocked, though.

Keeps everything under lock and key.

Maybe he was just trying to help you.

Oh, ding -dong means ding -ding.

Wait till you get a load of the menu.

I mean, if Chicken Alley King could kill, this place would be a real morgue.

Well, follow me.

He did say he's on this floor.

Uh, good evening, Miss Skinner.

Oh, good evening.

I'd like you to meet Mark Sanger.

Oh, how do you do?

Well, I didn't know church business was so good that you could afford to hire an

assistant. I'm not an assistant, Miss Skinner. I'm studying to be a priest at

St. John's.

A sort of a trial run? That's right.

Well, don't take any wooden crosses.

Why not? They are the real kind.

and the door from the left.

Okay. This is Chief Ironside's room.

Father, I'll take it from here. Thank you very much.

I'm not entirely sure. You're welcome.

Father, don't worry. We wouldn't do anything that will compromise you or the

church.

I'll wait for you in the car, Mr. Sanger.

Well.

I had to help the good father on his rounds, didn't I?

And I won't make any cracks about your being in your golden years if you don't

make any about me being the biggest altar boy you ever saw.

How'd Ed and Fran do?

I had them one. They talked to Miss Skinner and all, but laid it on the line

that they'd like to see you out of the way. But no bite.

Maybe too early in the game.

Or they may have to approach Perry.

Or they may be a little cautious after the other night.

Item two?

Tapes. Ed in France says that Skinner tapes all interviews with next of kin.

The recorder's in a desk somewhere.

All right. You be here at 11 .30. We'll make a try for it.

I don't suppose it matters that I don't like leaving here like this.

Matters a great deal, but you're leaving anyway.

Good day, brother.

Good day, professor.

Miss Skinner.

Miss Skinner.

All ready for bed, Professor.

When I'm ready for bed, I'll tell you.

Well, we do have our rules and regulations here, you know.

I'm not finished talking yet.

You wanted something?

Yeah. What sort of place are you running here?

What's your problem?

String B.

That's what's my problem.

String beans. I told the nurse over and over again I don't like string beans.

And what do I find in my dinner plate?

String beans.

Because I told her to put them there.

There's something we have to settle, Buster.

It started in my office this morning.

And if you're smart, it'll end right here in this room tonight.

What you want or don't want doesn't matter a whole hell of a lot. What I

to see you fired.

Well, now you have a reason.

Except who's going to believe you?

Your son? Your daughter?

They won't leave me here.

Not after I tell them about this.

You're a useless, crippled old man.

Nobody cares what happens to you anymore.

Now, this is going to be your home for the rest of your life.

And your home, Mr. Fremont, is what you make it.

I'll send an orderly to have you cleaned up.

Where do I go?

What do I do?

How do I sleep again without those faces and voices coming back?

What you got to do, May girl, honey, is...

Get out of here.

Go there.

Go there and have fun.

You got the money.

The light's still on in the bungalow.

When we can't wait, I'll go alone.

You stay here and keep watching.

Who? Well, what's the matter with her now?

Alright, I'll be right there.

What's the trouble now?

He's dead.

Dr. Chazard is dead.

Why didn't you tell me?

Because I knew this was the way you'd carry on.

Get her to a room and give her a sedative.

Come on. Let me go!

Well, now, look, must I do everything?

Well, what are you staring at? Don't you have work to do?

Nurse Kenneth in the building. You better not hang around in here.

Why? What happened?

One of the patients got uptight.

Did you find any tapes?

Not yet. I need more time.

Professor, we blew it.

What are you doing here, Creeper? I wanted to see you. Something important.

important. In my room.

You can wait till morning.

Please, come. You must come now.

All right, but be quick.

I don't know who that Creeper is, but he's my kind of a guy.

Good morning, Father.

How are you today?

How do you expect me to be in this prison?

What are you doing here so soon? It's out of character.

Information.

Well, let's get out of here. Walls are closing in on me.

All right, what's so important it wouldn't hold?

How about the reason they haven't shown any interest in disposing of you?

Well... Gentle Oak is up for sale. It was put on the market the day after Dr.

Cesar died.

Could change the picture. Who did it, Perry or Skinner? As far as we can tell,

the doctor.

Our May Joyce may be reluctant to lose out on a good thing.

What'd you learn from those bank accounts?

They show everything we figured and more.

But still nothing we can go into court with.

Of all the people who had relatives die here suddenly last year, seven out of

nine made sizable withdrawals a day or two before their dearly departed

departed. All made in cash, I suppose.

Nothing we can trace directly to Perry or Skinner. Exactly.

But since then, those same seven people have made smaller but regular

withdrawals every month.

That would explain why the evidence -like tapes of the arrangements have

kept around.

Blackmail. Well, guess it's up to me to get back into that office before this

place is sold and a couple of staff members take off for Pago Pago.

All right, my children.

You made your duty call. You don't have to waste any more of your valuable time

with me.

Goodbye, Father.

Have a good day.

Have a.

Have fun.

In my day, that was called blue music.

Now, don't stop if it makes you feel better.

What is it, then?

Sorrow or anger?

That's what Dr. Shazar asked me. Did you give him an answer?

He's gone.

They're all gone.

They...

All abandoned you, is that it?

Your husband, Shazar.

No wonder you hate them.

I hate mine, too.

You hate your what?

Loved ones.

Loved ones, they call them.

Now, how could they love us?

If they...

If they did this to us, left us alone to face...

That doesn't make sense.

No one dies out of spite.

I'm going to.

That'll show.

Show who?

Them.

I'll tell you what I'm not going to do, though.

I'm not going to go through life feeling guilty for something I had nothing to

do with.

Your Your door was open, Mr. Whitten.

Mind if we chat?

Not at all.

You could have left him on, Chief Ironside.

I know who you are.

Years ago, you testified at a murder trial.

I was on the jury.

You can borrow my badge anytime you like.

You know, you're as puzzling as you are observant, Mr. Whitten. Why?

Because I prowl the halls day and night?

That's part of it. Pain, Mr. Ironside.

Constant pain.

It allows me only a few hours sleep a day.

You're... Family know about that?

I've tried not to let on to my son and his wife.

They knew I was dying.

I don't want them cluttering around me now for that.

Obligatory visits.

To me, if the mother's here, it's certainly like our whole lives were

more than bubbles on some giant ocean.

And we don't mean anything anymore to anybody.

Not even to our families.

Mr. Witt, was it Dr.

Shazar who diagnosed your illness?

He was my friend.

Like a real son to me.

He understood.

He was also the reason you stepped in and saved my hide last night? I saw that

fellow, Miss Skinner, drag his body to his car the other night.

That's why you're here, of course.

Yes.

Why didn't you notify the police?

Who would believe an old codger they call the Creeper?

I would.

I've got an order to put one away right now.

Not to mention the Fremonts who are champing at the bit to plant their

No, May Joyce, no more.

We're selling this place, and if you don't go through with it, I'll call the

authorities.

Sweetie, you're in this as deep as I am.

You've known about every one of them.

Not in the beginning. You were the beginning, speaking of beginnings.

We never mentioned that night.

Like it never happened.

But it did.

You've planted your wife deep.

Very deep.

Very ill.

It was an act of mercy.

An act of too much booze is more like it.

I'll never forget that night.

How can you, Majors? You were the one that suggested it.

Mercy, you said. Be merciful to that poor woman.

No, mercy me, did I really?

And after that, from that miserable moment to this, you have held it over my

head like a... I believe the word is thawed.

You're trembling, sweetie.

Go home and drink your own booze.

You do as I say, or I'm turning us both in.

Go home.

Hey!

Have you been going through my desk?

No, I haven't touched it.

Well, somebody has.

What do you want?

What did you want in my office last night?

I don't know what you're talking about.

It all makes sense, that wild tooth chase back to your room.

Simpler.

In a way, better.

the one question foremost in the nation's mind back then?

What did the babe do today?

And what the babe had usually done that day was to hit one right out of the

park. Professor, Professor.

What's the matter, Walter? It's awful, just awful. The poor old man must be in

terrible pain. Who?

Creeper. Isaiah Witt. I just came by his door and he was moaning and crying.

Well, didn't you go in? Well, the door was locked. The door was locked. The

was locked!

No. No.

Please.

Please don't do it.

Help! Don't do it.

Come with me.

Get out your passkey and come with me.

Please don't do it.

What are you doing here?

Get out. I came to visit a friend.

He's going to kill me.

I know he is. You complained about pain. I was just trying to give you

medication.

Now, what is going on here? That's what I'm beginning to wonder. The way you

have me listening in on other people's calls.

Don't call me to help when patients suddenly get very sick and end up dead.

Are you through?

No, I'm not through. The hell you're not.

Now, pick up your junk and get out of here.

Philip, there's trouble.

Isaiah Witt.

They caught me with him.

You were right.

We'll sell the home.

I'll burn the tapes tonight.

Now you get out here as fast as you can.

And Sova.

I'd like an outside line.

I'm sorry. Miss Skinner has ordered me to hold all outside calls.

See him, Professor?

Come in, please.

Please come in.

Gentlemen, my name is Robert Ironside.

I'm a special consultant for the San Francisco Police Department.

I hate to bother you, Miss Skinner. What is it? Malcolm Hill's acting up.

He's got himself a bottle.

That's impossible.

But he has, and he's going to break every bone in his body. He's out there

yelling for you right now from someplace called Olympus.

May Joyce, may Joyce kill her.

I have dug you from afar these many arid weeks.

Get down from there. This is ridiculous.

That's what I told him, Miss Skinner. I mean, begging your pardon.

May Joyce, I am atop Olympus.

I want you, May Joyce.

Up here with me.

Get an orderly.

As I told you, Mr. Wett, with proper care, your father can live another five

years, maybe more.

But it's not as if he was still active.

I mean, he's an old man.

He's just outlived his usefulness.

And I can't afford it. It's an unfair burden on me and my family.

If only he... Were dead?

Mr. wit. The fact remains that you were asking me to commit murder.

Murder? It's not really murder.

I don't know what else you could call it.

The price is $5 ,000.

Get that fool down from there! For the world together!

Fine. Take him downtown and book him.

We picked up Dr. Perry. He was packing to leave town.

Don't forget to pick up those tapes. They'll provide enough evidence for a

more arrests.

Gee, if you haven't told us how you knew the tapes were under the plant, I was

in her office. They all looked real.

They were.

Except that one plant in particular needs a lot of water and the leaf edges

brown. She wasn't watering it.

I should have known.

A crippled cop.

That makes me one of a kind, Miss Skinner.

Like you.

Duffy?

One of a kind.

Well, unless you've enjoyed General Oaks to spend another day there.

I wanted to make sure another doctor arrived and the bank would take over

management, at least temporarily.

And I was paid up.

Didn't you pick up all the tape there? I thought I had. I held this one out. I

thought it might be informative.

Now then, what can I do for him and you?

Nobody can do anything for him. He's absolutely impossible.

Well, suppose you tell me something about him.

I wish I could think of something good. He likes to order people around like a

drill sergeant. He's so cranky. Impossible to please? With a disposition

sandpaper and a personality to match.

You said that?

You really said that?