Original subtitles

School, fire all around, the children screaming.

You believe that bunk about

Damien seeing he saw the arsonist in his mind, knowing where he was gonna hit

again? Don't con me, cops don't buy impressions. He did his first show over

hour ago and then left.

Mr. Damien, I'm doing all I can to meet you halfway and you're fighting me, now

why?

The key.

I hear explosions.

Bombs.

Guns and something else. The radio.

For listening to British broadcasts and secrets during the war in this house.

Soldiers shooting.

He escaped.

But hurt.

Badly hurt.

Am I wrong?

No, no, you're right. On everything.

I was shot here and here.

I've got the scars to prove it. You're a very brave man.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Well, what do you say now?

Same thing I said before. He's a good performer.

Oh, come on. You think he's got this whole place on his payroll?

Highly flamed.

Something burning.

A school.

Fire all around.

The children.

Screaming for someone, anyone.

And no one there. No way out.

The children, he locked them in.

Trapped. And he's still not satisfied. He's looking for more.

I'm afraid that's it, folks, unless you're planning on holding this table

tomorrow night. We're waiting for Damien.

Didn't I see you go back to the dressing room? We didn't finish our

conversation. Okay.

Go light, will you?

He's the first act that's drawn a house in months.

You're very persistent, aren't you? I thought it might be easier for us to

when you weren't so busy.

It's pointless.

I don't know the woman. I never saw her before in my life. What else is there to

discuss?

That isn't a girl's ring.

Obviously. Then why'd she run out?

Maybe she didn't like the show.

That tracks. What you were saying was pretty heavy.

Yeah, well, sometimes life is heavy.

People lie, cheat, steal. Set fire to schools with children in them.

Last night, three boys, all under the age of ten, were killed in a fire at

School. I read about it. The report it was an arson didn't come in till this

afternoon. The press won't get it till tomorrow morning.

I thought you were supposed to read me my rights.

Before you make any accusations.

Well, no accusations, Mr. Damien.

Just curiosity.

There are over a hundred people who swear that I was here last night and not

your fire.

That doesn't explain how you knew what happened there.

An impression from the ring?

You know, impressions sometimes get more tangible when they're talked out. We'd

like to hear the rest of yours.

Don't con me. Cops don't buy impressions. You want nice pat answers

into your nice, logical world.

Now, my nice, logical world, as you put it...

Happens to include several very illogical fires all set within the last

If you know anything... I don't know anything, and I'm tired!

If you don't mind, I've got no more time to wait.

I'm sure the parents of those kids will appreciate that.

Thank you.

Chief.

Don't you believe... I believe in facts, Fran.

Damien knew something that wasn't made public. Now, that's a fact.

Well, then.

Chief. You know, with all of the work we have, all of you seem to be

extraordinarily interested in these arson cases.

Hello, Bob.

Well, hello, Ralph.

How are you? Good. You look great. And you.

How long has it been?

Oh, it's been too long.

Meet my staff, Fran Belding.

Mark Sanger and Sergeant Brown.

Yes, sir.

There's an old friend of mine, Ralph Hansen of the Arson Squad. Sit down,

Thank you.

Arson Squad.

I think I can explain, Chief.

All right.

Explain.

I thought the Arson Squad should know what happened last night at the Magic

so I phoned them this morning. I'm writing up a full report now. This is

first break we've had on these cases, Bob. I need your help.

Well, if you feel that Damien is such a good lead, why don't you go after him? I

already talked to him, but I don't go for this psychic garbage. He's either

implicated or somebody tipped him off.

Any possibility of a leak in your department?

Too nut like Damien? Well, he's not a nut.

I'm sorry.

Look, Bob, I'm just getting nowhere.

I keep piling up evidence and I'm going around in circles.

All right.

Tell me what you have.

Well, I got five fires, all connected to the same person, probably a man.

Locations? Uh, commercial, all scattered.

They have anything in common? Yes, they were all empty at the time.

Obviously, there was a factory, a retraining center for the handicapped, a

company administration building, and an employment agency. But the school wasn't

empty. Yes, well, it should have been. It was after hours.

Any idea how the kids got in? Yeah, I think they climbed in through the

I questioned one of the boys in the neighborhood. He said he went through

once before in a dare.

What else do you know about the arsonist? Really smart, experienced,

of the building when the fire starts.

He's using some kind of timing device.

Mechanical or chemical?

Both. He uses a kerosene -based flammable. And from the chemical report,

it was an industrial cleaner. You check the cleaning firm?

They all use different compounds.

Oh, we also check the employees and the firms in the building. No cross

-connection.

And that's it?

Yeah, that's it. Everything and nothing.

Well, Bob?

Oh, for old time's sake.

You know...

I knew you wouldn't let me down. And neither will my staff.

As a matter of fact, I predict my staff will work every waking minute and more

until we crack your case.

I'll tell you, Sergeant.

I couldn't buy publicity like Damien's given us with that show last night.

And when I think, I almost didn't hire him. Why not? Well, he came in here one

day, asked for a job.

Naturally, I want to know where he's been playing. Flat out, he won't tell

I'm about to toss him out of here when he picks up a paperweight from my desk

and starts that routine of his. Routine, you mean... Yeah, same one he does here

every night.

You know, I don't know how he knew what he knew, but I'm sure glad my wife

didn't hear it.

Well, I have to hire waitresses, you know.

So you took him on just like that, no questions asked? Listen.

When a man's got what he's got, you don't ask questions. You use him.

He's a draw.

Okay, go from there.

What's to go?

He comes in here at 9 o 'clock, does his first show. His last show is at 2.

Outside of that, I'm not his keeper.

Did he ever have any visitors here?

No. Not that he couldn't have had if he wanted them.

People were always asking him to their tables between shows, especially women.

When Broad was here six nights running, she used to send notes back to his

dressing room.

He never answered her?

Well, yes, he did once.

He saw her in his dressing room. Boy, did she learn better.

Now, wait a minute. What do you mean?

Well, they had a fight.

My office is right next door to his dressing room, and the walls are paper

He chewed her out good.

Well, then, you must have heard what the fight was about.

Yeah, something about being fed up with cards and blocks, being tired of

research. It didn't mean much to me.

You wouldn't know the woman's name.

Sure, I do.

Damien told me.

He didn't want me to let her into the club again, not that she ever came back

anyway. Her name?

No.

Moore. Patricia Moore.

There must be at least a dozen Patricia Moores in San Francisco. Seven.

I think I found the most likely one, considering the research Carter

She's a psychologist.

You haven't talked with her yet? I called her, but she wasn't in. I'll try

first thing in the morning.

And I made an inquiry with L .A. that may fill in some gaps on Damien. Maybe

they'll fill the one that's three years long.

How about the gap in your afternoon?

Well, I checked with the parking lot attendant at the Magic Hat. He didn't

remember the girl. No stub.

Maybe she came with somebody else.

In other words, nowhere's filled. When you add that up to my total, you get

zilch. And what's your sad story?

Well, I'm halfway through the reservation list for last night.

No girl yet.

Well, as always, tomorrow.

And I'm sure Ed will be glad to help you.

Einstein.

Yes, Ralph.

Where?

Repeat that.

All right. Thank you.

Bye.

This is Battalion 19.

I have a three -story structure, fire showing on all three floors.

Send me a second alarm.

We haven't had time to question anyone. I thought you'd want to be in on that.

Thank you. Any idea when they'll have it down enough to look inside?

Oh, two to three hours at the most.

Shoot it, yeah.

Let's get out of the way.

It's mobile RX 13111. I'm calling 4671999.

Ironside.

Yes, Ed. Another commercial building, Chief.

And Damien was here.

Damien? Yeah, we spotted him in the crowd, but he slipped away from it.

I called the magic hat.

He did his first show over an hour ago and then left.

To check his home.

I sent a prowl car over. He's not there.

Ed, do you have Patricia Moore's address?

Yeah, just a sec.

That's, uh, 1822 Bellwood.

All right, Jim, I can give you 15 minutes before class.

Be in my office.

Oh, and I suggest you review chapter six.

Okay. You're welcome.

Good night.

Sorry, Steve.

I'm giving an exam tomorrow. One of my students is a little nervous.

They like you.

Enough to feel free to call you or you teach a stiff chord.

I hope it's a little bit of both.

Now, what can I do for you?

Well, you can tell me about Arthur Damien.

Is this an official inquiry?

I am trying to locate him.

If he's not at work or at home, I'm afraid I can't help you. Arthur doesn't

confide much in his associates or friends.

Where do you fall in that continuum?

I'm not sure that I do.

I'm a behavioral psychologist. I had been given a grant to collect statistics

psychic behavior.

And Damien is your subject?

One of several.

Then your relationship is strictly professional.

Totally.

Not that it's any of your business.

At the moment, Damien and everything he does is my business.

I have known Arthur Damien six months. He is no longer in my studies, and I

haven't seen him in weeks.

excluding your visit to the Magic Hat.

I asked him to help me finish a project we'd started. He refused, and that was

that.

You don't expect to hear from him again?

No. That's too bad.

He may be in serious trouble.

Thank you for your time. I can let myself out.

You all right?

Yeah.

Yeah.

Won't you join me?

Let me take you home.

I can get myself home.

Whenever I decide to go.

How much have you had?

Not quite enough.

More

than enough, it

seems to me.

You want to end up where you were six months ago?

Don't lecture me. I'm not your research project anymore.

You've worked so hard.

Right, and now you're just going to throw it away and end up in some hole

that.

Okay. You got your research data?

Why don't you just leave?

Not until you tell me why you do this.

Have you ever thought of time?

In what way?

Oh, it just goes on.

Taking away little bits of life.

Lost child.

Unfaithful wife.

Man killing his fellow man.

You really think your drinking is going to stop all that?

No.

No, I don't.

Maybe it'll help drown it out.

Unless you've got better ideas.

I told you.

I'm not going to be a corrupt.

Aman.

Chief Ironside is looking for you.

If he finds you like this, it could look... Suspicious?

I told you Sergeant Brown had nothing to say to him. I've got nothing to say to

you. Mr.

Damien, it's late and I'm tired. I think you've got a lot to say. As soon as I

get some coffee into you, you're going to say it. No, no, no.

Foster, please.

Please.

You can go home now.

I'll take over.

Let me get some sleep.

You sleep after you tell me why you were at that fire tonight.

Would you believe me if I did tell you?

Try me.

Mr. Damien, I'm doing all I can to meet you halfway, and you're fighting me.

Now, why?

You know,

You know what you and I do for a living?

We pry into people's lives.

We both get paid for it.

But that's where the similarity ends.

Because you can decide what you want to know.

When you don't want to think about it, just put it in another folder and close

it. And there it stays out of your mind until you're ready to reach for it

again.

I have no choice in the things I learn.

I can't put them in some manila folder out of my mind.

They stay.

So, you used alcohol instead.

No.

Well, you're working late.

Every waking minute, remember?

Was it mine?

Mr. Hanson, I picked up that file you wanted from the LAPD.

Oh, thank you. Now, Mr. Damien, you remember Officer Bentley?

Yeah. Yes.

Is that about me?

Yes.

It's a report of your activities with the Los Angeles Police Department three

years ago.

You have no right... It is my job. Remember that.

Now, you were involved with fires there, too.

Want to tell me your side?

It was an arsonist.

Police have been looking for him for weeks.

You gave the police a description from a shirt they found in one of the

buildings.

Somehow or other, newspapers got a hold of it.

Printed it.

The Austinists read about it, called me on the phone, warned me to stop. You

didn't?

No, the detectives kept coming to me with clues, and I'd help them all I

And, uh... One night, while I was in the middle of performance, on stage...

He, uh, burned my house down.

My wife, Jean, was still in it.

A few days later, the house was burned down. Police caught a man right in the

middle of the act.

And he confessed.

To all the fires?

Well,

they were so relieved to have it over. Police and fire department congratulated

me. They thanked me for my help.

Told me how sorry they were about my wife, Jean.

But they had the wrong man.

He didn't set any of the fires?

Only the last one. He was crazy for publicity. He confessed to all of them.

He convinced them and they put him away.

Then you believe the man who killed your wife is still free?

Yes, and here.

Here.

I tracked him all over the country for two years.

All the way here to San Francisco and then I lost him.

How does Patricia Moore fit into all this.

She, uh... She recognized me in a gutter.

And, uh, put me into a medical planter, had me dried out.

Then you worked with her?

Till I couldn't stand matching another card. Was Arden all right?

Definitely. I picked him up, so I thought I'd come by and ask a couple of

questions of my own. About what?

Three witnesses saw Mr. Damien hanging around the building. About 15 minutes

before the fire was reported.

Yeah, I was there, but I didn't set it.

That's for a judge to decide.

I want him released.

And I want him released in my custody.

Oh, Bob, be reasonable.

I'm being very reasonable, Dennis. He won't go anywhere.

You've got to be kidding. His staff saw him at the fire last night. I don't

think he's our man.

You believe that bunk about Damien seeing he saw the arsonist in his mind,

knowing where he was going to hit again? I can't rule it out.

And that bit about him going in through the back door.

Here, look at that broken window.

That's the way he got in. He left through the back door.

He claims he followed someone out through the window.

Ah, doesn't make sense. Whoever broke through had to be leaving.

No, look at the glass. It's outside.

All right, I wanted you on the case, so you run it any way you see it.

But before I release Damien, I want positive proof he is what he says he is.

have to agree with that.

All right.

Let's see if you'll give us a demonstration.

Bessie, will you have Mr. Damien brought in, please?

I was just looking ahead, Dennis.

Good morning, Mr. Damien. Come in.

This is Commissioner Randall.

And you know Inspector Hanson, of course.

What do you want with me?

Very little.

There's a note inside. Can you tell us what it says?

Anything at all about it? I can, but I won't do it. Why not?

I don't have to tell myself.

Any of you.

Soon as he sets the next fire, you're going to have to release me. To go out

play one -man vigilante committee?

What if the arsonist doesn't try again?

He will.

According to you, he let another man take the rap for him last time.

Now, what better way to clear himself again than to eliminate you?

No.

Went through all that with the Los Angeles Police Department. It got me

absolutely nowhere. I just won't do it, that's all. Take me back to myself, will

you? Mr. Damien.

The ring.

Chief Ironside.

Morning, Miss Moore.

Can you tell me who I speak to to get Arthur out of here? I've already

for his release.

He's free?

Only in my custody.

I want him to help me.

Arthur has tried mental suicide for the last year. This is not a time to play

with his mind.

I think I know the situation better than you realize.

Not only a detective, but a psychologist.

Mr. Damien does have a need.

A need to be seen by you as more than a set of statistics.

I can do without your diagnostic service.

He'll be released in about half an hour.

Should be coming this way.

You're welcome.

Hey, that didn't take long.

Damien gave a persuasive demonstration.

Then you won.

No, that remains to be seen.

Well, what do we have?

Every piece of information I could scrounge on the L .A. arson cases and

plans of all the buildings that were burned here.

Pat?

How are you?

Sober.

They got you some clean clothes.

Yes, the arson department is looking at the others for kerosene and glass.

Did you get any sleep?

Enough.

Am I supposed to thank you for being here? I wanted to help. You?

Arthur, I realize nothing can remain as fixed as I've kept our roles, even

though I've tried not to think of where we're heading. I gave up thinking we

were heading anywhere a long time ago.

I couldn't afford to invest emotions in someone who could fall out of life

again.

So? Cut and dried.

You know, for all your scientific testing, you still don't believe in me

as much as Ironside does.

Arthur... Don't worry about me.

You might run the risk of feeling something human.

Just wanted to touch base with you, Fran. Check how you're doing.

From the way you sound, about as well as you are.

As badly.

Down to the last two names on that reservation list.

Well, I have four more.

I got three descriptions of the girl. All different, would you believe?

And nothing close to what I remember of her.

I figured.

Ed, um, next time we have a disagreement, let's not do it with

Amen to that.

I'll check with you later.

She fired that?

Oh. Come in, Mr. Damien.

You were taking quite a chance, weren't you?

Making them release me and then trusting me to come here alone?

I trusted in your drive to find the arsonist.

I've told you before, I won't help you.

Then why are you here?

The ring.

I want it.

I'll make you a deal for it.

What did you have in mind?

Full description of the man that I... that we're looking for?

Male, about 30, Caucasian. He's got brown hair and a burn scar on the back

his right hand.

You gave that description to the Los Angeles police three years ago.

If you already knew that, what was that big scene back there at the jail?

Because I need more than a physical description.

I want to know how the man thinks, and you can tell me that. I can't help you.

You mean you won't.

You want to find them yourself, even if it takes another three years and more of

those little red flags.

I suggest you remember they represent four lives lost and millions of dollars

in smoke.

I don't need any lessons from values.

Then stop putting such a high price tag on your own grief and start thinking

about others.

In the playroom. He found them in the playroom.

He locked them in. He didn't set the fire there?

No. It was right near there. It had to be.

Here's the playroom.

Yeah.

The fire was set next to your student evaluation.

In the gas company. The fire was set in the personnel office.

Employee placement center.

That's it.

Tecting.

Tecting. That's the key.

Every place had a psychological testing section for processing people.

Potential employees, students.

The homes don't fit.

Well, they wouldn't, Mark. One was burned as a warning. The other one was

the man who confessed to the Los Angeles fires.

He wouldn't know the pattern.

Well, if this really is a symbol, he'd have a hundred targets here in San

Francisco.

He must have another standard.

I'm sorry.

There's honestly nothing more I can tell you.

Building. I'm wiped out, Fran.

End of the list? No girl.

Well, I've been trying to reach you.

I think I found her. Hallelujah.

Her name is Susan Whitman.

She went to the club with another couple.

Her date backed out at the last minute.

That's interesting.

It's a man's ring. You suppose it was her date?

One of the first questions I was going to ask her.

Where are you now?

At her house.

3314 Redstone, apartment 9.

3314. Roger.

I'll be there in 15 minutes.

Do you mind if I start without you?

You deserve the honor.

I'll see you.

Where are we going?

Just keep driving.

Dean, I... With your mouth shut.

Please. I don't want to get into any trouble. Stacy, you don't know what

is. You started it. You had to give him my ring.

But I didn't think there was anything wrong with that.

Dean, you're so secretive.

I was hoping that man would tell me something about you.

Dean, I had to know.

And now you do, don't you?

Just keep your eyes on the road, Stacy.

And her dresser's emptied out. Looks like she packed it in a hurry.

I found these in her closet.

Apparently Stacy had mail company.

His size is about 5 '8", 5 '9". Matches up with the shoes I found, size 9D.

Cleaning fluid.

Check the neighbor's head. See if anybody's noticed him.

Two.

Two more, that's all.

Two more what? Two more fires?

Hate.

Resentment.

Get them all.

Commercial buildings? Work.

Good job.

R.

R. P. No.

P. R. P.

R. Is he going to set those fires now?

I don't do it.

No more. Haven't you done enough? Mr. Damien, listen to me. It's Fran with

No more.

The girl.

No more.

Where is he now? Where?

I don't know.

I don't know.

Thank heaven for nosy apartment managers. State he had a boyfriend.

Spent a lot of time here. The manager's getting uptight. Description match?

Roughly. Manager thinks his name is Dean.

Anything else? What about a car?

That's all.

Well, there was nothing in the kitchen except a lot of dirty dishes in these.

Rags? Yeah, must have been crazier by cleaning.

Women usually use worn -out clothes or torn scraps.

Those are industrial towels.

Mechanics use them. Or janitors.

Can you tell us anything about it?

Him. You're sure?

It's him.

Back door of the building burned last night was open.

Why?

The arsonist left that way. No, no, he had a key.

Every one of those burned places was busted into.

The cover.

He had keys for all the buildings, copied while he worked on night cleaning

crews. Oh, wait a minute. Every place that was torched had a different

janitorial service. Oh, Ed, that's where we stopped thinking.

Cleaning service is hired men by the week. Cash on the line. No questions. No

taxes. The men move around.

Then our man could get into just about any building he wanted.

Get on it, both of you. Why don't you take that phone? I'll get the one in the

car.

medium height, gone as right hand.

First name is Dean.

Yep, a hold.

Name's Kendall. Dean Kendall.

Nine cleaning outfits, remember him. They service five companies with

psychological testing facilities.

Right, thank you.

Managed Dean Kendall, worked for six cleaning outfits, three of them agile

companies with test departments.

Three and five, eh?

Six of them have already been hit, which leaves two. Yes, two, two.

Aerospace company and an advertising firm.

PR.

Public relations.

Advertising. I'd bet on it. So would I.

Listen here.

Intelligent. 95th percentile. Not bad.

Personality, well -adjusted male. No noticeable instability.

Recommended promotion.

Listen to this one. Well within the emotional limit set for employment.

Sounds great, doesn't it? Healthy and happy. Good worker.

Normal. How'd you do on those profiles?

I said... How'd you do on those profiles?

What do they mean by normal?

The normal people, the ones society has judged well -adjusted, they commit

suicide every day.

Now, who do they think we are?

God?

Who are they to sit in judgment with their machines and their tests and

questions?

They can ruin man's life.

Make a shot.

Come on!

All available units, possible 448

Alpha in progress. Alert the fire department.

Inside the closet.

No. Inside.

Please, Dean, no.

Please.

I see someone who is dark

-eyed, very intelligent.

It's a ladies' ring, so none of you gentlemen qualify.

Very beautiful.

You'll be married within a month to a man who loves you very much.

Am I correct?

This calls for a toast, Chief.

Well, I won't make a toast.

I will make a prediction.

You will be happy and prosperous for the rest of your lives.

Thank you.

Chief, why is it that your predictions always sound like orders?

Well, that's one order we'd be delighted to obey.