Original subtitles

Careful, Garner.

Don't point at those prints.

I won't, sir.

Well, it's quite clear the murderer entered through here, from the balcony.

These muddy prints fix the time, between ten and twelve.

Size age shoe, suggesting a man of medium height, around 140 pounds,

you say?

There's no doubt about that.

Our victims are non -smoker.

This shows that the murderer is definitely a man of means.

Havana number seven.

You're a wonder, sir.

Every indication of a struggle, during which he lost a button.

Victim shot in the chest.

Death instantaneous.

It certainly looks that way.

Brutal killing.

No, dastardly, sir.

What the... Are you Reginald Hubert Dawson?

Yes. The occupant of this apartment?

Yes. Who are you?

What's happened?

Has there been an accident?

No, sir.

A murder.

A murder?

But who's been murdered?

You, sir.

I can't see where it's broken.

It's not broken. It's just bumped, bruised and badly dislocated.

Otherwise, I'm... Perfect.

That's a perfect tibia.

And a perfect astragalus.

How did you get this?

Doctor propped me up in front of a machine and pushed a little button.

The accident. How did it happen? Oh, the accident.

Well, I was swishing down the upper slopes when this careless but handsome

Italian crossed my path.

I hope he said sorry.

Susie, actually.

Well, I don't suppose it was serious, what with your remarkable powers of

recuperation. And your bedside manner.

Oh, must be one of my anxious friends. They've been ringing up all day.

Hello.

Oh, just a minute. It's for you.

Thank you.

Hello.

Oh, yes, Arthur.

What?

Right away?

Very well, if you say so.

Goodbye.

Sir Arthur Doyle. He's in trouble.

Isn't he with Scotland Yard?

Not exactly.

What then? Security?

No, Sir Arthur sees the thought of... Well, he's kind of... I really must ask

him.

He fell just here.

Reginald Hubert Dawson. Ministry official?

No. Secret agent?

No.

Man of absolutely no real importance.

I see you walked through the park this morning.

Your shoes carry a film of pale blue dust peculiar to that area.

This blossom from the Tibetan mountain cherry near the gate.

Deduction, Steed.

Deduction. I see you've changed your secretary.

The last one was brunette.

Deduction, Sir Arthur.

The murderer entered through here, at the window.

These muddy footprints fix the time between 10 and 12.

Size 8 shoe.

That means he was approximately 140 pounds.

And then, there's this.

The banner number 7.

The victim was a non -smoker?

Ah, exactly.

Exactly. The murderer was a man of means, then? Ah, definitely.

Definitely. And incredibly careless?

Ah.

Huh?

Well, he seems to have left everything behind except for his name and address.

It was unpremeditated.

There was a struggle.

This button came off in the struggle. Then he took out his .38 revolver and...

Which he just happened to have with him in case he felt like killing someone.

Now, what's all this about, Sir Arthur? This is a routine police matter. Why

then for me?

Sir William Burgess.

Well, he asked for me.

Well, I know he's a cabinet minister and an industrialist and all that, but I'd

hardly think that he would... You're missing the point, Steed. Which is?

The fact is, after the killing, a Rolls Royce was seen speeding away from the

scene of the crime. A witness just glimpsed part of the licence number, WB.

We checked all the Rolls Royces with that registration, and one of them

to Sir William Burgess. So? We can't send a policeman to one of our leading

cabinet ministers to ask, what were you doing between the hours of ten and

twelve last night?

It comes better if it's from a friend.

Casual inquiry.

From an old friend.

Not

your

day, Willie.

Something troubling you?

Trouble? What do you mean, trouble?

What on earth makes you think that?

I meant you seem to be off.

Oh, don't I now? Been better if I dropped by yesterday evening, eh?

Where were you yesterday evening, by the way?

Between 10 and 12 o 'clock.

Between 10 and 12, I had a breakdown on my way home. I was there the whole time,

and I have a witness to prove it. Your words are not for me, Willie.

More than enough.

I'm sorry, Stade.

Edgy.

Ministerial meetings, you know. Working too hard.

Whatever happened to your grandfather?

The portrait by Horsburgh.

It's being restored.

Look, Steed, do you mind if we call it a day? I am very tired.

Oh, of course not.

Perhaps I could call you sometime next week.

There. Have you seen him before?

No.

There's too much estate to take chances.

Follow him.

Find out what you can about him.

Right.

I see you had a visitor, Sir William. Just a casual friend, I assure you. I

so. One word to the authorities and... Well... I haven't spoken to anyone.

Believe me, you have my word.

It's this I came for.

I want your signature.

We must keep it legal.

Naturally, you went to see Burgess. Naturally.

Naturally. And?

He had an alibi.

Naturally. Unnaturally, he was nervous and on edge.

But you can't think that... Of course not.

I mean, William Burgess is... As you say.

It's unthinkable. Unthinkable, yeah.

No, it's completely out of the question. Completely.

On the other hand... Yes?

There is...

Just a possibility.

Just?

We'll have to check his alibi, that story about a breakdown.

I don't like doing it. After all, Willie and I are... Whoops!

Well, instead of just sitting here, I'll go and make some inquiries.

See if Burgess could have known, Dawson.

Hang on to the coffee.

I'll keep it till tea time.

I followed Burgess's visitor.

His name's Deed. Forget him.

There are more important things to do.

Flanders, remember?

Our next victim.

Okay.

Good afternoon, Mr. Pardes. Good afternoon.

I'm terribly sorry.

I'm terribly sorry. How stupid of me. No, no, no, that's quite all right.

Oh, don't worry about that. That'll brush off.

Are you sure you're all right? Yes, quite sure. Oh, thanks.

You spread by?

Am I glad to see you.

What's the trouble, sir?

I was driving along and she just packed up on me.

It sounds like a fuel blockage to me.

Well, don't worry.

We'll soon have you going.

How's it going?

Try again now, sir.

Hi. Greetings.

Apples from the sun -kissed orchards of Kent keep the doctor away.

Thank you for at least two weeks.

Hey, they're not ripe yet.

Not ripe yet?

Is that the way to accept the solicitations of a friend?

Not ripe yet.

Do you suppose that when Eve approached Adam on that creative day, he said, not

ripe yet?

So that's the way you view the situation, a sort of Garden of Eden.

Well, you must admit they look very attractive.

Never mind.

Here is something that's been ripening since 1957.

You're in a good mood.

Oh, that's good news.

I checked Willie's alibi and the garage did give assistance to a Rolls -Royce

between 10 and 12.

Oh. Oh, dear. Is that why we're celebrating? Yes, that's why.

Sir William Burgess did know Dawson. I checked.

Reginald Dawson used to work for an organisation called Acme Enterprises.

And Acme Enterprises is owned by... Willie Burgess.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry, Alarmy.

Thank you.

Yes, just a minute, please.

For you, my lord.

Hello?

Sir Arthur!

Another?

Where?

Yes, I'm on my way.

Another delicate matter.

The victim fell just here.

A chap named Scott shot through the heart with a .308 rifle bullet.

Sporting. Huh?

A .308 sporting rifle.

Huh? Yes.

The murderer entered through those trees.

We've got some excellent footprints and a number of vital clues.

A handkerchief?

A button? Another careless killer.

Ah. If they didn't make mistakes, we'd never catch them, would we?

You mentioned a delicate situation.

Yes. Extraordinary coincidence.

But after the killing, a car was seen speeding away.

A Bentley.

A witness just glimpsed part of the number plate. The letters FLA. You've

checked all the owners?

One of them, Robert Flanders.

The financier. You were quite close to the family at one time.

Well... Or rather, close to Flanders' sister.

Hey! I hope you're not suggesting... Of course not! No, indeed.

Not enough evidence.

Just the same, old chap.

If you could have a discreet word with Flanders, find out where he was between

three and four o 'clock yesterday.

Be awfully grateful. All right.

Splendid. Capital.

You'll find Flanders at his country house.

That's new, the Valdesco.

Yes. I don't tell you what it cost.

But I wouldn't part with it.

Not at any price.

I thought everything had its price. Oh, that's a fallacy. What price? Freedom.

Honor. Reputation. Good sound advice.

That's why I came to see you. I've been offered some shares today. Quilton

Investments. To buy or not, yes or no?

No. Not so.

Is that all?

All with one word.

You've saved me a small fortune.

And believe me, mine is a small fortune.

Well, you know what I am. You should have rang me up.

I did. You're very lucid. Oh?

As a matter of fact, I nearly ran into you just outside Crawley. It must have

been between three and four yesterday. You were whizzing along.

Well, it wasn't me. I wasn't whizzing anywhere.

The car broke down.

The car broke down?

Yes.

It does happen, you know, even to the best and most benign machinery.

I hope someone came along and helped you in the nick of time.

Well, yes.

As a matter of fact, they did. It was a breakdown truck. It was quite a

coincidence. Quite?

I see you've got rid of your .308.

Not likely.

It's up at the hunting lodge.

It's my favourite gun.

It's adaptable. You can shoot almost anything with it.

I sincerely hope not.

What do you mean?

Well, thank you very much for your advice, Bobby.

I hope I haven't taken up too much of your time.

Will you speak again?

Yes, we must.

No, I'll see myself out.

I'd recognize that filth -like silhouette anywhere.

John! Hello, Janet.

How very nice to see you. You're especially looking, uh... Well, happy,

contented, bored. As lovely as ever.

It really is very good to see you.

I don't suppose for one moment it's me you came to see. It's Brother Bobby,

isn't it? Business.

Bobby. Business.

Which reminds me, if you'll forgive me... You really must go.

I knew you'd understand.

I don't. You see, it can't be coincidence.

First of all, he was at Burgess's place, then Scott's cottage, and now here.

Yes, we may need to deal with him.

Right. No, Gardner, no.

I've got our own techniques against him, like Burgess and Flanders.

Okay. I need to find out a bit more about him.

But first things first, I'll be Flanders.

Mr. Flanders?

Yes? My name is Earl.

We haven't met, though we did bump into each other a while ago.

Oh.

I'm so sorry, but I don't remember.

No, you wouldn't.

But I stole your handkerchief.

Perhaps you'd care to read that.

The account of a rather nasty murder. A man named Scott.

Note the description of the wanted man.

Could be you.

Shall we talk inside?

So much more comfortable.

Extraordinary, isn't it?

All the clues point to you.

Cigar butt.

Your brand.

Your kind of handkerchief.

And the button I took from your coat.

You're mad.

Quite mad.

Foresighted. Merely shrewd.

You see, Mr. Flanders, crime these days rarely pays.

The scientific evidence soon seeks out the criminal, so I have turned a

into a virtue. I have made you a murderer.

Do I make myself clear?

You've tried. I tended to build up some circumstantial evidence to involve me in

a killing. We have pointed the finger of suspicion at you.

I advise you to hear me out.

The murder weapon.

And that's where your whole scheme falls apart. The murder was committed with a

.308 rifle. You own such a gun.

Exactly.

And ballistics will conclusively prove that my gun did not kill this man. On

contrary, Mr. Flanders.

Ballistics would conclusively prove that your gun did kill him.

We borrowed it from your hunting lodge.

You clean all your own guns so it still has your prints on it. Only yours.

We kept them intact.

What about my motive?

This man Scott.

I've never even met him. Oh, but you have.

He was an accountant with your company some years ago.

A tenuous link, but a link nevertheless.

It's blackmail, of course.

You hand over the Valdesco, we'll return the rifle. The vital, the incriminating

evidence is removed forever.

According to this, the murder was committed at about four o 'clock.

357, to be precise. In that case, Mr. Earl, I think you're in for a bit of a

surprise.

A very nasty surprise.

Hello, is that Flanders Garage?

Yes, sir.

Can I help you? Yes, you certainly can.

My name is Flanders.

We met yesterday. You were kind enough to give me a hand.

The gentleman with the Bentley?

Oh, yes, sir. I remember perfectly.

Come over right away?

Oh, yes, sir. I think I can do that. Good. As soon as you can.

I'll be waiting.

Feed.

He's gone.

Who's gone?

The man who isn't there anymore.

What?

He was following you.

Following me where?

Wherever you went.

Where did you go?

I went to Bobby Flanders.

Oh, the one with the sister.

Bobby seems to be in the clear.

Did you see her?

Yes. Got the same alibi as Burgess. A breakdown van, a helpful mechanic.

In here.

I hope you don't bruise too easily.

I'll come in.

Good of you to be so prompt.

Kindly tell this gentleman where I was at about four o 'clock yesterday

afternoon. I beg your pardon, sir? I'd like you to confirm that I broke down

along the A10.

The A10?

That's not even in my area, sir.

But you fixed my carburettor. You remember me, surely?

Sorry, sir.

I've never seen you before. But you said you remembered me.

I telephoned you and you said the usual, Stanley.

Thank you, sir.

Just a touch of soda.

He's not very good at repairs, but excellent at alibis.

He can either be for you or against you.

Keeps a jolly good brandy. Well, naturally.

You know I only do business with men of taste.

They have so much more to offer.

So very much more.

You know, it has always been a favorite of mine.

I never dreamt that one day I might own it. Take it.

Take it and get out of here. Oh, we will. We will, Mr. Flanders. But not

a bill of sale.

We don't want you retracting later on, do we?

And a bill of sale makes it all nice and legal.

So if you don't mind.

Remember, not a word about this, Mr. Flanders.

Not one word.

We'll see ourselves out.

Bobby? What's the matter?

Nothing.

Everything's fine.

You scoundrel. You braggart.

Unmitigated. We made a bargain. I gave you the painting. You were to hand over

my gun.

That was before.

Before what?

Before I had a fancy to own another horse brewer.

This one.

Yes, definitely this one.

Masterly brushwork, don't you think?

The details around the eyes.

Put that down.

Put it down and get out of my house.

I hope you know what you're doing.

I'm doing what I should have done when you first showed your nose in here.

Start with a blackmailer and you'll never stop him.

I'm sorry to lose that picture.

Still, it's nothing to what you're going to lose.

I'm gaining.

Regaining my self -respect and losing your freedom.

John. Yes?

For Sir William Burgess.

It's for you.

Well, it's bound to be.

Hello,

yes? Steed.

Oh, Willie. Listen, Steed.

I lied to you.

What about?

The murder.

Dawson's murder.

I want to confess.

Look, sit tight, Willie. I'll be right over, quick as I can.

Sir William?

Wants to make a confession.

Are you Sir William Henry Benedict Burgess?

Oh, now come off it, Arthur.

Are you Sir William Henry Benedict Burgess?

You know very well who I am. We've played golf together for the past... I

arresting you for the willful murder of Reginald Hubert Dawson.

Inasmuch as on the 12th of this month, between the hours of 10 and midnight,

did with this... a .38 revolver shoot down and willfully kill the

aforesaid...

All right, then. But I haven't finished.

The sooner we clear up all this business, the better.

But I haven't finished the charge.

I haven't finished.

Oh, come on, Arthur.

I must warn you that anything you say may be taken down and used in evidence.

There we are.

Take care of Sir William.

He's getting to be a nuisance.

Have you prepared a dossier on him?

It'll be easy.

Use the girl.

Tara King.

Well, that's what we'll do then.

After we've talked to Flanders.

Another pretty picture, Gardner.

Another pretty picture for Mr. Flanders.

When I sign that bill of sale, you promise to return my gun. And so we

After you have handed over this.

One picture.

That was the arrangement. One. That was the arrangement. No.

Do you hear? No.

But Willie Burgess on a murder charge?

What did Sir Arthur have to say?

Elementary, my dear Steed.

And all those clues.

buttons, footprints, the garb. And the gun.

Well, that clinches it. Willie's own gun.

Complete with fingerprints.

And then there's Flanders.

But he's got an alibi.

I think you'd better sit down. I checked.

He could have known the murder victim. Scott once worked for him.

Same old story.

Coincidence?

It's not locked.

John.

Janice, what's wrong? It's Bobby. The Valdesco's gone. There are two men.

They're threatening him. Easy. Calm down.

Now.

It's Bobby. He's in trouble. I think he's being blackmailed. By who? Two men

are at the house now.

I'm enjoying our difference of opinion, even if it was rather lengthy.

Nice that you've seen sense at last.

Very nice.

My gun.

The rifle. Will be returned to you in due course.

In due course.

John, the men are leaving.

Oh, look at that texture.

I'll be sorry to put this one up for auction.

Well, I think it's called for a small celebration, don't you?

Dead.

I'll get a bottle of wine.

I wouldn't like you to choke to death on a cheap cigar.

I'll give you just enough air to stay alive and tell me who's behind all this.

Three breaths.

That's enough.

Now talk.

I think it's about time we... You're right, it is about time.

We'll get rid of Mr. Steed.

Depose of him immediately.

Seems to be having a spot of trouble.

I wonder why.

That takes care of Steve. Now let's get going.

We mustn't keep the victim waiting.

Do you know, I didn't fancy the others.

But Miss King...

Having a spot of trouble, sir? Yes.

I haven't a clue what's wrong.

Not much of a hand with Carl.

Well, perhaps I can help.

Who's the victim?

Who am I going to murder?

Who am I going to murder?

No!

It was Miss King.

Miss Tara King.

I just hope you don't turn out to be a girl's best friend.

Where is he?

I'll tell you, boss. You got the sack.

That's our place.

Patience, Gardner.

We have steep accessories.

Let's make use of them.

Hello?

Oh, Steve, thank goodness you called. Stop talking and listen.

Now, in words of one syllable.

Your life is in danger. Someone is trying to kill you.

What? Just shut your doors, bolt your windows, and don't move till I get

Hello, who's there?

Hello?

Thank you.

Yes, all right, Gardner.

She's the sort of woman a man would kill for.

Or kill.

There's a cream pasta now.

Make an interesting variation.

Gardner, watch her.

The charade.

The circumstances leading up to your death.

At the hands of John T.

A quiet tent I take.

That's how the evening began.

That fatal evening.

The seat arrived at, shall we say, eight o 'clock.

Entered.

Let's just have an umbrella.

Here.

Earring?

Earring.

I think he might have worn a hint of sparkle for him, that subtle touch.

Gardner?

I wonder what would have happened next, Miss King.

Would you have thrown your arms around him?

Kissed him, perhaps?

Or talked about the weather?

Not the weather.

What, Ma?

Charming.

Quite charming.

You've lost it during the struggle.

But why should Seed want to kill me? Who knows? A tiff? You had both been

drinking. Perhaps too much.

Who knows why Steed killed you? The fact remains that he did.

His gun, you see.

Music, Gardner.

Okay.

Exactly right.

Gardner.

The scene of the crime.

And one last ingredient.

The corpse.

There you are.

Had a good day?

Oh, fair to middling.

How about you?

Nothing to speak of.

Come on down. I'll tell you all about it.

Right.

Scissors.

Scissors.

Tweezers.

Tweezers.

Needle.

operation, is it?

Successful.

You've done it, then. Another first for Great Britain.

The first ever brim graft.

Good of new.

How's your ankle, then?

Mended.