All language subtitles for perry_mason_s06e06_dodging_domino

Listen, you're the manager of this dump.
It's your place to see that those kids

keep their stuff where it belongs.

Oh, now, they're nice kids. I know them
all. They don't mean any harm, Miss

Jordan. What do you have in the bag?

Oh, Mr. Skyler sent me down to buy some
trick -or -treat stuff for the kids.

Well, I'm not giving anything to little
monsters around here. You know, I'm

going to be awful sorry to see Mr.
Skyler leave.

Maybe he's not the only one leaving.

Mr.

Skyler! Come in, Rudy.

Hey, it's a little early for that, isn't
it? I always shave in the morning.

What's that got to do with drinking?

I prefer the aftershave lotion on the
inside.

Did you get plenty of candy and bubble
gum for the kids ready?

Lots of it, just like you told me, Mrs.
Conway. Good. Pour yourself a drink.

Thank you. Hey, we're not going to be
here tonight. Why'd you bother getting

that trick -or -treat junk? We're not
leaving for the party till 10 o 'clock.

Now, plenty of kids will stop by before
then.

What's that?

Costume you're going to wear tonight?

How about that?

You are a clown, you know, Phil.

Rudy, somebody wants you.

Oh, somebody always wants me.

Hey, why don't you ask me what I'm
wearing to the party?

Why don't I?

Vera, what are you going to wear
tonight?

Ta -da!

Cigarettes, candy, cigarettes.

This is the costume I'm wearing in the
bit part I do for Charlie Norman's

picture. Boy, would the wardrobe
department be furious if they found out

borrowed it for a party.

Right? There are things about the Royal
Pacific Court that I'm going to miss.

You know, you wouldn't have to miss
anything.

If the two of us went to Mexico.

Cigarette girls aren't supposed to sit
down with their customers.

I know.

But you're a very special customer.

Mr. Skyler's bungalow's right around
here. You a friend of his? I'm his

-in -law. I'm not his friend. Oh, I
guess you dropped by to wish him bon

huh? Is he going somewhere?

Oh, he's leaving for Mexico next week.

Here it is.

Mr. Skyler.

Get company.

Frank, what are you doing in L .A.? I
came to see you.

Um, this is my brother -in -law, Frank
McManus. Vera Jordan.

How do you do?

Um... There isn't really a cigarette,
coach. I'm not interested in the

occupation or profession that occupies
Miss Jordan's time.

Real charmer, isn't he?

Look, Phil, I've got to run. I'll see
you tonight.

How about a drinky?

There we are.

I forgot.

You don't drink.

And I hadn't forgotten that you do very
little else.

The manager tells me that you're leaving
for Mexico next week. That's right.

Well, I'm not surprised that you
wouldn't bother keeping us posted on

plans.

I've had it, Phil.

You're no good and you never will be.

I warned you the last time that I wasn't
taking any more trouble from you.

Talking for yourself or my sister? Both
of us.

Being my wife's brother doesn't give you
the right to sign my name to a check.

I thought I could pay you back before
you found out.

So I didn't. So what?

Two handwriting experts are ready to
testify in court that this signature is

forgery. You know, most people think
that they have to work in order to

But, of course, that thought would never
occur to you.

Relax, Frankie, relax.

My financial worries are over. For good.

I'm going to be rich.

Well, this forged check is for $3 ,000.

Do you have it?

No, but I can get it.

You'd better get it.

Because if I don't have this money by
the time I leave Los Angeles tonight, I

going to prefer charges against you.

Criminal charges.

Is that clear, Mr. Schuyler?

Winter

presidents.

Yes, Mr. Schuyler.

Yes, Mr.

White is back from Europe, but he's not
at home.

He's at the university.

She's listening. Be quiet, please.

Yes, I'll tell him, Mr. Skyler.

Grace, dear, I dislike constantly
reminding you that this is the White

and that I am Mrs. Damien White, not
Miss Winthrop.

I'm sorry, Mrs. White.

It won't happen again.

Mona, stop making it seamless about who
gets what billing here at your house and

listen to the score.

I've got to have your decision today,
now. I tell you, this is the greatest

musical Alex Chase ever wrote. Tailor
-made for you, baby, believe me.

Song, Jim, that song.

That's the title song from Pearls and
Jane?

Well, it's only a tape recording from a
rehearsal run -through at the Santa

Barbara tryout, and Lucy's voice isn't
much, but just listen to it, Mona.

And more than anything else, that one
song is why I called and insisted you

an end to this crazy two -year honeymoon
of yours.

Come back from Europe immediately and go
to work again.

If I agree to go back to work and star
in Alex's show, Charlie Neumann will

finance a Broadway run and a picture.

That show with that song in it, right?

We'll recast the show?

You'll take over the starring role one
week in Boston?

Oh, then look out, Times Square.

Where with you starring in it, Pearls
and Jade could run on Broadway for

Then the multi -million dollar movie
musical starring Mona Winthrop in a

triumphant return to the screen.

Terry Janda, even without those
ridiculous elevator shoes, you are the

and the best agent in all of Hollywood.

You'll... You'll do it, Mona? Do it? Of
course I'll do it. Nothing would make me

happier.

Oh, Mr. White!

Hello, Grace.

Mona, that song.

Oh, Damien.

I didn't expect you home till just
before the party tonight.

I have to get right back. I forgot to
take some papers to the university this

morning.

Hello, Jerry.

How's the agency business?

Oh, booming, Professor.

Booming. Come to the studio with me,
Mona.

Having Charlie hear you rave about
Alex's score may keep his fingers from

trembling when he steers his pen across
the bottom of the most expensive

contract he ever signed.

Charlie can wait.

Right now, I'm going to rush right over
to Alex's.

I think the talented composer deserves
to hear me rave much more than Charlie

Neumann.

Uh, Mona, I started to ask you about
that... Later, darling.

Later. Bye, Professor.

Oh, Damien, don't be late for the party
tonight, huh?

Oh, Mr. White, there's been a Mr.

Schuyler, Mr. Philip Schuyler, trying to
reach you on the phone all morning.

Phil, that's a coincidence.

Okay, thank you, Grace.

Oh, Grace.

Yes, sir?

Uh, when I came into the house just now,
I heard a song.

Mr. Janda, the agent, brought a tape
recording over to play for Miss Wynne.

I'm sorry, Mrs. White.

Well, what did she say about the song,
the one they were listening to? She

seemed quite excited about it.

Is there anything else, sir?

Did that Mr.

Skyler leave a number?

Oh, yes.

It's Olive 4 -1 -6 -5 -4. Thank you,
Grace.

Phil, Damien White.

Fine, fine. We got back from Europe late
last night.

Yes, I know you've been calling me,
Phil, but look, there's something I've

to talk to you about.

Now, listen, Phil.

What are you talking about?

Unless you want to see me in jail,
you'll have to get me $3 ,000 this

Damien.

$3 ,000?

Well,

Well, the barefooted Bernhardt.

Beauty and talent both.

A divine actress, superbly endowed by a
beneficent deity.

Her husband's pretty talented, too.

Which means what?

Oh, you'll find out when she asks about
the song.

Well, back to the well.

Baby, you're soaking wet.

Yes, I love it.

Come on, Frida's inside.

The score is divine, Alex, simply
divine. It's such beautiful music. Then

do the show?

Of course. Hello, Frida. How's my
favorite composer's favorite wife?

Oh, flat, where I should be sharp.

Here, dear, have a drink. Thank you.

To Pearls and Jade, who is a wonderful
star, and to success.

To lots of money.

Here, here.

to a beautiful show with an even more
beautiful title song, which you stole

my husband, you nasty stinker.

The second act of Shanghai Wife. Was it
Hong Kong

Widow? Frida, you're disgusting when you
drink.

I think she may really be angry, Alex.

You've got jam on your face.

And you've got booze on the brain.
Another drink, you may fall off that

And what'll you fall off if your very
best friend sues you for plagiarism?

What are you talking about? I stole
nobody's song, not Damien's nobody's.

Jade is mine.

An original Alexander Chase song.

Yes, stolen from an original melody by
Professor Damien White, composed over

years ago. Or didn't you think I'd
recognize it with those upside -down

lyrics you added?

But this is ridiculous, Frida, baby.
Tell her.

Tell her how wrong she is.

Mona, Alex says to tell you you're
wrong.

You see, he lies, and I swear to it.

Damien was playing that tune on a piano
at a party the night I met him. No

words, just melody.

My own private melody that you've heard
me hum more than once, Alex.

Professors, soda jerks, gas station
attendants. Everybody's a songwriter.

Mona, baby, I've written thousands of
melodies and completely forgotten

of them. So I hear a song, so it's like
one of mine. So what?

I forget it, that's all.

Like?

Pearls and Jade is like Damien's song.

Really, Alex, I do think that puny
little beard of yours is just a set of

earmuffs temporarily out of place.

All right, all right. So there is a
slight similarity. So how many notes are

there in the scale? So I'll pay him for
it. Only no credit. Only my name alone

goes on pearls and jade.

Come on, it'll be reasonable. I need
this show. Without the song, there's no

show.

I need this credit, a solo credit.

Perry Mason, please. This is Mona White.
Mona Winthrop calling.

Damien's a professor, a well -known
teacher. What does a song credit mean to

him? Nothing, but a great deal to me.

We're going up to Santa Barbara tomorrow
to see the tryout, and I want to

surprise him. His wife, starring in a
show with his name on it. Perry?

Perry, darling.

Mona, when did you get back?

You've already compared the songs.

No doubt about it. Songs?

What are you talking about?

I see.

Out and out plagiarism.

No legal question of it at all?

Mona, if you're using me as a legal
shoehorn, I warn you there'll be a bill

the end of the month.

We can sue for how much?

As much as that, Perry?

Tonight's Halloween, not April Fool's
Day.

Who is it you're bamboozling this time?

Perfect, Perry.

Perfect. Let's do that.

Goodbye for now.

What do you know? It's empty.

Rita, I think I'll have another one.

You'd better have one too, Alec.

Double.

The day after Pearls and Jade opens in
New York, every studio in town will be

bidding sky high for the picture rights.

Well, how can you waste time having over
the price, Charlie?

The last three musicals Alex wrote died
before they ever got to New York. Nobody

was interested in buying the motion
picture rights.

So why should Charles Neumann
Productions be interested in this show?

Pearls and Jade isn't going to die.
We'll all make a fortune and you know

Oh, come on, Charlie. Here, take your
pen and let's get this over with, huh?

You're a good agent, Chan.

Too good not to know that a deal like
this isn't going to run away.

Now, tonight, at the party, Mona's going
to give it her beach house.

Tonight, I'll make an announcement and
sign.

Phil, what's the matter with you? You
keep staring at that whiskey glass like

was a crystal ball or something.

Maybe I'm looking into my soul, Vera.

Know what?

Bill Skyler is a louse.

Would you send a cab to the Royal
Pacific Court?

1840 Hoghurst Street.

Thank you.

Hey, where are you going?

Malibu. Well, what about the party we're
supposed to go to tonight?

I'll be back in plenty of time.

I wouldn't want to cross this bunch.

Give them something quick, Vera.

Vera, do me a favor. Stay here and dole
out the candy until I get back.

My brother -in -law stops by while I'm
gone. Give him this.

Phil, about the trip to Mexico.

You did get a ticket for me, didn't you?

Lots of fun, Vera, but a little old for
tricks.

Poor treat.

Phil, boy, is going to Mexico alone.

And Jane.

Sorry, Grace, I'll get it.

Hello. Hi.

My car broke down. Would you be kind
enough to let me use your telephone?

Oh, of course. Come on in.

There's a phone in there. Thank you.
You're welcome.

How do you know that man's name is Phil
Schuyler?

He's called here so many times, I
recognized his voice immediately.

Mona,

darling, now you've ignored me all
evening. What kind of way is that to

producer, hmm?

What's wrong, Miss Jordan? I don't know.
Just hurry up and get that door

unlocked.

Wait. Wait here.

Rudy, what is it?

Rudy!

Mrs. Carter.

He's dead.

Perry! Perry Mason, what are you doing
up and about at this ghastly hour?

Morning, sweetheart.

If I knew you were coming out so early,
I would have waited for my swim.

Harry, I just talked to you on the
telephone. What are you doing here?

You said you wanted to see me.

Well, uh, yes, I do, but I intended to
meet you in your office.

I want to talk about the blackmail right
now.

The what?

Mona, I was going to explain it all this
morning.

It's something I should have told you
years ago.

Damien, what's wrong?

Bill Schuyler, a man Damien went to see
last night, threatened blackmail.

But, Mona, please don't be upset.

Phil's an old buddy of mine, but for
some reason he's gone sour. He just

make any sense.

I'm sure with Perry's help, I'll be able
to straighten him out.

I read the morning paper after I spoke
to you, Damien.

Bill Scali was murdered last night.

I'm sorry, Mr. Johnson, but Miss
Winthrop left orders that she was not to

disturbed. So I'm disobeying the orders.

Gracie, don't play games.

Charlie Neumann is stalling on those
contracts.

If I'm going to get him to sign them,
I'll need Mona at his office with me in

half an hour.

It'll take her longer than that to
decide what mood to wear, let alone what

clothes to put on. I don't know, Mr.

Chet. Police department. Lieutenant
Anderson, homicide.

Would you tell Mr. Demian what I'd like
to see him, please?

Rita.

I want a man to go away or invite him in
for a drink.

If I wasn't here, you probably would.

I wonder.

No.

You've got to test men with beards.

The fact that this is private property
doesn't seem to bother you.

No, it doesn't.

Bothers me.

That song, pretty tune.

Yeah, sure is.

Of course, the tape is bad. You know
those three in the morning jam sessions,

everybody well lubricated with booze.
Why did you record that song?

The question isn't so much where, is it?

When is what you want to know?

Look, you... Alex!

When? Over two years ago, Mr. Chase.

Alex! The police!

They've taken Damien away!

Police? Damien?

What are they talking about?

Strange murder weapon, wouldn't you say,
Perry?

We found your name and telephone number
on that pad by the telephone, Mr. White.

Now, you claim you followed Phil Skyler
home last night, but stayed only a few

minutes to talk to him.

Now, tell me, when you were here, where
was this heater?

Well, I'm not sure. I think it was there
by the door.

And how was Mr. Skyler dressed?

He was wearing a bathrobe.

Was the water in the bathtub running?

I don't recall whether it was or not.

Murderer plugged the heater in here,
opened the door, tossed the heater in

bathtub while Skyler was taking a bath,
and electrocuted him.

Now, Mr. White, you're sure that Skyler
wasn't taking that bath while you were

here?

I said he wasn't.

Miss Jordan, is this the man you saw
leaving this bungalow shortly before the

manager discovered that Phil Skyler was
dead?

Yes, him.

Andy, Mr. White told you he was here.

Mr. White, do you drive a blue foreign
sports car?

A what?

A blue foreign sports car. Is that what
you... No, I don't.

Look, I don't see how I can help any
further, so do you have any objections

my leaving now?

No, but I would object to your leaving
the city, Mr. White.

Damien, I think we'd better.

Say, he's the one who killed Mr.
Schuyler. How come the police let him

Perry.

Perry, I just left a cabbie who picked
up Phil Schuyler, drove him to Malibu,

waited for him, then dropped him back
here at the Royal Pacific.

Good work, Paul. And that's not all.

I got a tip that the police had a pickup
out for a hot witness in this case,

some bearded beatnik named Leonard
Buckman.

Well, they just canceled the bulletin.

Meaning they found Mr. Buckman. Mm -hmm.
But it's where they found him that

makes it interesting.

All right, where?

At the beach in front of Alexander
Chase's place.

Were you acquainted with Phil Schuyler?

No.

And now that he's dead, I never will
have an opportunity to become acquainted

with him.

Will I?

Mr. Chase, in between policemen, I only
had the chance to speak briefly with

Damien. He claims he gave Phil Schuyler
$3 ,000 yesterday afternoon.

Why do you say claims instead of saying
Damien gave Skyler the $3 ,000?

Money wasn't found in Skyler's bungalow.

Mr. Mason, I gave Damien $3 ,000

yesterday afternoon.

Why? Because he asked me to.

What reasons had he for wanting the
money?

None.

I didn't ask him.

Did anyone see you turn that money over
to him?

I did.

And that's not all I saw in here, is it,
Alex?

Freda, shut up. You're drinking too
much. And talking too much?

It's the truth, Mr. Mason. I saw the
bearded buckman, the man you were asking

about before, outside our house, and...
Freda! And I heard him playing a tape

recording of a wonderful song.

Alex's wonderful song.

Pearls and Jay, that's the name of it,
isn't it, Alex?

Mr. Mason, about the $3 ,000.

Oh, yes, Mr. Mason, the $3 ,000.

What my dear husband is trying to say is
that he may have trouble remembering he

gave his best friend Damien that money
in the middle of a plagiarism suit.

Sue Alex for plagiarism?

Darling Alex?

Now, wherever would he dream up such
nonsense?

Or was it freedom? Perry, you know how
that woman Perry felt. Now, stop it,

Mona. You called me, remember?

Harry, you know me better than that. You
can't really believe I ever intended to

hurt dear old Alex.

I guess by now Damien has told you that
Alex wasn't the person being hurt.

I've told Mona all about it, but how did
you find out?

Let's just say I guessed.

Alex didn't write Pearls and Jade, and
neither did you. That song was written

Phil Schuyler.

Now about the foreign blue sports car.

You follow your husband out to that
bungalow court last night?

Yes, that was my car.

I just didn't understand what was going
on, so I followed him there and waited

outside. And then I followed him home.

Get back to your calling me yesterday,
Damien.

What about the song?

Harry, it was just a silly, stupid
mistake.

A lonely college prof trying to impress
the beautiful musical comedy star he had

a crush on.

You know, I told Phil about it ages ago,
and he laughed then. It was one of

hundreds of melodies he wrote and
forgot.

I should have explained it to Mona long
ago.

And when I heard the melody had words
and was part of Alex's show, I called

Phil. I told him he was welcome to the
credit and the money from the song.

But he didn't want to talk about it
then.

He was just desperate to get hold of
some money fast.

That $3 ,000.

Did he say why he wanted it?

Yes. Some personal problem with his
brother -in -law.

It had nothing to do with the song, just
a temporary loan. I gather he was less

casual when he came out here to the
house later.

He was a different man.

It was hard.

Nasty. He was threatening to make all
kinds of trouble.

And then when he asked me for $50 ,000,
I thought he was out of his mind. He

left before I could even talk to him
about it.

So you followed him to his place?

Yes. I couldn't let it stand just like
that.

It was my fault, one way or another.

He told me he wasn't interested in
potential earnings from the song. It

might not be a hit.

Now, Alex and I could work it out
whatever way we wanted, but Phil

$50 ,000 right then and there.

What did you say to that?

I turned him down.

I told him to go ahead and do or say
whatever he wanted.

Excuse me.

Mr. White, I want you to come to police
headquarters.

I'm booking you for the murder of Phil
Schuyler.

Lieutenant, I doubt that you have
sufficient evidence to... I have more

than I need.

Not only were Damien White's
fingerprints on the heater that was used

electrocute Phil Schuyler, I have an
eyewitness to testify that Damien White

the one and only person who could have
killed him.

In the matter now pending before this
court, Your Honor, of the state versus

Damien White, we shall confine ourselves
to the primary factors of motive and

opportunity.

We will prove that the deceased Phil
Schuyler received money from Damien

and was demanding still more money.

And we will prove that Damien White and
only Damien White could have murdered

Philip Schuyler.

Now, Mr. McManus, did Phil Schuyler...

tell you how he planned to get the $3
,000 to repay you for the money he'd

from your account by forging your name
to a check for that amount?

Well, no, not directly.

Although when I told him it was either
pay up or face charges, he said he'd

no trouble getting the money.

And while I was there, he placed a call.

To whom did he place that call?

To the defendant, Damien White.

Yes, I gave Damien $3 ,000 early that
afternoon, but it was a loan, a

loan, that's all.

And while you were making this temporary
loan to the defendant of $3 ,000, did

he happen to mention the allegedly
plagiarized melody and its disputed

authorship? Oh, I believe he did
casually say something about not

it, that he would... Go on, Mr. Chase.
The defendant said he would what?

Damien said he would...

Take care of the matter. You witness.

Mr. Chase, you had a succession of
unsuccessful musical comedies. Your

had been seriously depleted, your
reputation considerably shaken in the

industry. That is true, is it not?

You make it sound like I was not only
bankrupt artistically and financially,

virtually dead and buried.

Nonsense.

Then... You weren't at all concerned
about who would get credit for the music

that song or just how that credit might
conceivably affect the terms under which

the show would be sold?

Oh, I might have been somewhat
concerned, but not after Mona's party

was told.

And what were you told?

That, well, that he was just stolen on a
contract, the deal would go through,

Pearls and Jade would still be presented
on Broadway and still be made into a

top movie musical.

And who gave you those assurances?

The only man who could, Mr. Mason, the
producer, Charlie Neumann.

The new Alex Chase musical was booked
down the Pacific coast.

Portland, Seattle, Sacramento, Santa
Barbara, Los Angeles.

Strictly a shoestring tryout tour.

The show bombed.

By the time we hit Santa Barbara, there
were more people on stage than in the

audience. So you closed the show in
Santa Barbara, Mr. Kirkland? As the

director, that's what I suggested to Mr.
Chase.

I didn't think there was anything worth
salvaging.

But he was pretty desperate, he said.

and insisted on a fast rewrite and
another tryout.

Well, was Mr. Chase able to improve the
show?

And how.

The only really good thing in the
presentation was a dance number in the

act. A real catchy melody.

What was this catchy melody?

A piece called Pearls and Jade.

Well, Alex added lyrics to it.

And with a few changes in rhythm and
orchestration, it became our new running

love song, new first act production
number, and our finale.

Now, Mr. Kirkwood, you reopened the show
in Santa Barbara for a second tryout,

is that correct? The show was a smash.

Rave reviews.

Standing room only for each performance.
And all thanks to that one new title

song, Pearls and Jade.

Even got a nibble from a top movie
producer who saw the show and flipped.

Mr. Kirkwood, who was that producer?

Charles Neumann.

Late in the afternoon, I received a
telephone call at the studio from Phil

Schuyler. He sort of vaguely hinted that
there might be some question about who

wrote the melody for the title song of
Pearls and Jade.

Then he intimated that for a small
insurance payment, as he called it, I

save a lot of money and avoid legal
entanglements in buying the show.

What was your answer to that?

I told him if he had documented proof,
I'd be willing to talk with him.

He stammered a while and then hung up.

Just a crank.

Now, Mr. Norman, did you subsequently
see this Phil Schuyler?

Yes, at Mona's party.

Damien was having an argument with some
man out on the patio.

I found out the following morning from
the pictures in the paper that that man

was Skyler. Now, this argument, Mr.
Norman, did that appear to be a violent

argument? Violent?

Well, there were no blows.

Thank you, Mr. Norman. That'll be all.

Your witness.

Mr. Norman,

if you had never seen Phil Skyler, how
could you possibly know that the man who

called you was, in fact, Phil Schuyler.

Why, he said he was.

Financing a Broadway show is quite
costly, isn't it? All in all, your

with Alex Chase and Mona Winthrop must
have involved a considerable sum of

money.

Yes, I'd say well over a million dollars
is a considerable sum.

You received a call offering you
insurance, as you put it, in the face of

million dollars.

Now, would you have this court believe
that you summarily dismissed it as a

crank call?

I just wasn't sure the call was on the
level, that's all.

Oh, sure. If I could have gotten the
rights for even $50 ,000 to the title

it would have made a big difference.

Exactly how big?

I'd have picked up the book and score
for Peanuts, made a separate deal with

Mona. I could have wrapped up the whole
thing for less than half what Janda was

asking. To save over half a million
dollars, you must have done much more

merely reassure Alex Chase.

Before going to Mona's party...

You went to see Phil Schuyler, did you
not?

Now look here, Mason, don't start
throwing accusations at me.

You said it yourself.

I could have saved a half a million
dollars if I made that deal with

so why would I want to kill him?

Answer my question.

You did see Phil Schuyler, did you not?

No, that is absolutely not, N -O -T, not
true.

I told the district attorney the whole
thing.

I sat in my car across the street,
waiting until I saw his visitor leave.

Then I saw Miss Jordan.

She was working one of my pictures.

She came home just about the time the
visitor was leaving at about 8 o 'clock.

I started, yes, to get out of the car,
but I thought it best not to be seen.

So I left without seeing Skyler.

This visitor, who was it?

Alex and Mona's agent, Jerry Jander.

When I got back to my office after
seeing Charlie Neumann, Leonard Buckman

waiting to see me.

He had some crazy story that Phil
Schuyler and not Alex Chase wrote the

for the song Pearls in Jade.

Did you place any credence in the story
that Leonard Buckman told you?

No, not then.

I figured he was just some sort of a
crank who knew about the trouble between

Mona and Alex and was trying to get in
on the act.

I gave him $20 and told him to beat it,
not to bother me.

A couple of hours later, around 7, I
received a call at home from Phil

himself. He confirmed what Buckman had
said and asked me to come to his place

right away.

Did the decedent try to extort money
from you, Mr. Janet?

Well, not directly, no, though he was
certainly fishing for an offer.

I offered him $5 ,000 for a quit claim
on the music to the song.

And what was his reaction to that?

Well, he laughed at my offer.

Said that if I would give him $5 ,000 to
be quiet, there was somebody else who

would probably give him $50 ,000.

Somebody else?

Mr. Jander, did Phil Schuyler say who he
intended to get the money from?

Did he say who he was so sure would give
him $50 ,000?

Yes, the defendant, Damien White.

Hamilton Berger is certainly efficient.

Motive and opportunity, he laid it out
like a road map.

Well, he sure loaded with opportunity.

He's got an eyewitness who locks White,
your client and only your client, right

into the murder.

As far as motive is concerned, we all
know what type of person Damien is.

Just wait till Berger sums it up.

A successful Broadway play, a
spectacular movie, the stage -struck

name in lights.

Oh, boy.

Perry, if this were a full trial, you
could put the stage -struck professor on

the stand and let him tell what really
happened.

Would you as a jury believe that
Damien's fingerprints were on that

because he tripped over a cord and then
had to set the heater upright, or... Or

that he got his fingerprints on it when
he tossed it into the bathtub to

electrocute Phil Schuyler. I see what
you mean. Which leads us right back to

motive and Damien.

White isn't the only one.

Neumann could be more deeply involved,
and he's admitted. And Jandis stood to

lose a big, fat whopping commission.

And let's not forget the composer with
the taking ways, Alex Chase.

He could be up to his neck in hockey.

Alex Chase?

How's that, Paul?

Well, it's only a possibility.

But I found out this afternoon that
Chase couldn't find a backer for his

musical. So he must have backed it
himself.

He probably lost everything he had in
the world.

Our Mr. Chase.

Composer and bankrupt angel.

And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence
comest thou?

Della, that's it.

That's what?

Satan and the angel.

I want to know more about that angel.

Now, wait a minute.

I've gone a lot of places to get a lot
of things. And this time you're going to

outdo yourself tomorrow in court.

How? Well, first the angel and then
Satan.

As a matter of fact, let's make it two
Satans.

So when I caught a rehearsal of the new
second tryout in Santa Barbara, I

couldn't believe it.

I went to see Phil.

I told him that a tune that he had
written had suddenly acquired a set of

and had become the title song in a new
musical play by Alexander Chase.

And when Phil Schuyler found that they
were using his music without his

knowledge, what did he do?

Well, I told Phil he should get in touch
with Alexander Chase right away, demand

credit and royalties for the song. Phil
said that he would, but first he had to

have a talk with the person responsible
for stealing his music. Well, who could

that be if it wasn't Alexander Chase?

Well, Phil wouldn't tell me what the
guy's name was.

But he admitted it was someone else, not
Alexander Chase, who had stolen the

music.

Some college professor friend of his.

Some college professor friend of his?

Your witness.

Mr. Buckman, instead of calling Charles
Neumann and saying you were Phil

Schuyler, why didn't you call Mr. Chase?
I didn't call Neumann. And I maintain

that you did.

There are two possible explanations for
your visit to Mr. Chase the morning

after the murder.

In either case, blackmail had to have
been involved.

You either didn't know that Phil
Schuyler was dead, or you had previous

knowledge that Phil Schuyler had been
murdered, and you... I didn't know Phil

had been murdered. If I had, I would
have gone to the police.

But you did go to Alexander Chase to
blackmail him. And it was you, not Phil

Schuyler, who called Charles Neumann.

All right, all right, I admit that.

But I never got around to blackmailing
Mr. Chase.

When you impersonated Phil Schuyler and
called Charles Neumann, he said he would

speak with you further if you had
documentation of the true authorship of

and Jay.

But you didn't have such documentation,
did you?

Well, no.

Yet the following morning, you were
playing a two -year -old tape recording

that same music for Alex Chase.

Now, we can prove that that tape
recording belonged to Phil Schuyler. All

all right. So I stole the lousy tape.

Phil had no right to brush me off. No
right, you hear?

I was the one who spotted the tune. I
was the one who gave him the idea for

whole squeeze play. Phil Schuyler
outwitted you, didn't he? In your

called Janda and asked him to come right
over.

And then what did he say to you, Mr.
Buckman?

Did he offer to cut you in?

No. No. Blow, he said. Beat it. You
bother me.

Well, I bothered him all right. I
bothered him real good.

I hung around till he took off. Then I
went in and swiped the tape.

If he wouldn't cut me in, I was going to
cut myself in.

I gave Mr.

McManus, his brother -in -law, the
envelope that Phil had left for him.

went back to my own place and started
getting ready for the masquerade party

that Phil and I were supposed to go to.

Now, while you were in your own
bungalow, Miss Jordan, did you see

or leave Phil Schuyler's bungalow? Yes,
I did.

About ten minutes before I called the
manager and he found Phil dead, I saw

defendant, Damien White, leave Phil's
place.

And in that ten minutes, Miss Jordan,
Between the time you saw Damien White

leave the bungalow and the time the
decedent's body was found, did you see

anyone else at all enter or leave that
bungalow?

No, I didn't. Thank you. But I wasn't
watching all the time.

Yes, but you told... Well, who was
watching all the time? Well, the

Rudy.

Thank you, Miss Jordan.

Walter, it was Halloween, you know, and
the kids and everything, well, they were

around and... Well, anyhow...

And right after dinner, I discovered the
electric sign out in front ain't

working. So I got up on a ladder to fix
it. Well, the way I'm standing up there,

see, I'm facing the court.

All the bungalows open out into that
middle court, you see. And there's no

to get in or out of the bungalows
without going through that court.

And so there I am.

I mean, I can hardly help keeping my eye
on things, you might say.

Did that include keeping your eye on
Phil Schuyler's bungalow? Oh, yes, sir.

Now, Miss Jordan there, she went in.

And then Mr. Schuyler's brother -in
-law, him too, he went in. And then he

out. And so did she.

And then Mr. Schuyler came home.

And after Mr. Schuyler came home, how
many other people entered or left that

bungalow? Only one.

One person went in and come out.

And nobody, absolutely nobody, went in
or out after that.

Until I found the dead body.

And who was that one and only person,
Mr. Malstead?

Him. Mr. Damien White.

Mr. Mason?

Rudy, you're positive that no one went
into that bungalow after the defendant

left? Yes, sir. Positive.

Did you ever look at something and not
see it?

I don't understand.

How long have you been living in that
bungalow, Court Rudy?

20 years, maybe a little longer.

This is a photograph of your bungalow, a
photograph of the room in which you've

spent 20 years.

Now, the design on the wallpaper, tell
me, does the pattern run vertically, up

and down, or does it go from side to
side?

This way, side to side.

Now, the...

Roses between the stripes in that
wallpaper.

Do they go between every stripe or
between every other stripe?

Between every stripe.

Take a look, Rudy.

I was wrong.

Both times.

We see, but we do not see.

Your Honor, I must protest these circus
sideshow tactics.

What kind of a stunt is this?

Just a moment, Mr. Berger.

I believe I understand where defense
counsel is heading.

The court is interested in pursuing this
particular point.

So unless you have a specific objection,
we will continue.

Oh, by all means, Your Honor. Let's have
some dancing girls in a snake's armor,

too. That will do, Mr. Berger.

You may proceed, Mr. Mason.

Yes, Your Honor.

Now, Rudy...

The children trick -or -treating, were
they still making rounds when you

unlocked the door and found the body?

Oh, sure. They were coming all the time,
from 5 o 'clock on.

Even after Damien White left the
bungalow? Oh, yes.

They'd come back, you know.

Oh, no. Now, Mr. Mason, not those
children.

Well, I knew them. I know them all.

Suppose we find out just how well you do
know them, Rudy.

All right, children.

Would you stand in the line here,
please?

Rudy, who is Satan number one?

Brucie Hillman.

That's the Carver boy, Gene. Gene
Carver.

The little gypsy that's easy.

Michelle Struhl.

That's not fair, Rudy. You helped me buy
my costume at the corner drugstore.

Satan number two, Rudy.

His costume came from that same
drugstore. Do you recognize him?

Oh, sure. The boy who likes to dig
holes.

Don Carmichael.

56 years old, Mr. Mason.

Hudson's the name. Joe Hudson.

How tall are you, Mr. Hudson?

Five -four.

Just the same height as Mr. Janda
without his elevator shoes.

All right, children.

Thank you.

Hey, Mr. Janda, Mr. Chase's last flop,
it wasn't his money that financed that

show. It was yours, was it not?

I lent him the money. All I had,
everything. You borrowed heavily, hoping

Pearls and Jade would solve everything.

But without that contract for Neumann,
you were going to be ruined, weren't

Yes.

Yes, that Skyler pressuring Damien,
pressuring me.

You followed Damien and Mona to
Skyler's, picked up a costume at the

from a clerk who was prepared to
identify you.

You then waited until Damien left.

Then you took off your shoes and joined
the children, going from bungalow to

bungalow.

And watched for your opportunity to
murder Phil Schuyler.

He was in the tub.

I wasn't sure just how I was going to do
it until I saw the electric

heater.

Mona.

Mona, you were the only really big star
I had and you hadn't worked in two

years. Two years!

Two.

You've got to understand.

Here was my chance to get my money back,
to make even more money, to be on top

of the heap again.

But it was all falling apart because of
Skyler, because he had written that

melody.

But he was the only one who could prove
that.

Skyler himself.

I had to stop him before he got to
Neumann and killed the deal. I had to.

The costume.

It wasn't Satan.

It was a fool's costume.

From the religious vigil of all Hallows'
Eve to murder.

Halloween's come a long way.

Darkness and worms and shrouds and
sepulchres.

Paul, you're reciting poetry.

Am I?

But strength alone is like a fallen
angel.

Trees are torn and darkness and worms
and shrouds and sepulchre. Hey, what do

you know?

Keats.

Speaking of fallen angels.

You mean the kind that go bankrupt
backing flop shows?

Yes. You know, I thought Janda's eyes
would pop right out of his head when he

saw that little old man in the costume.

Yeah, some trick.

Considering the results, wouldn't you
say it was more of a treat?