Original subtitles

Yeah, he needs to practice.

Sorry. Over and out.

Look what she gave us.

Your father's picking you up today.

Sure. It's Wednesday.

Hello, Dr. McKenzie. I wanted to...

Probably had something on his mind.

Sure. Himself.

That's why his wife divorced him.

I know. Keep my bazoo shut.

Brian, I'm here, will you?

You just picked Brian up, Dr. McKenzie.

What?

A few seconds ago.

I just left the hospital. Where's Brian? What's happened?

The man looked exactly like you.

He drove up in your car.

Where is my son?

You shouldn't play with dangerous weapons.

Can a woman be both a good mother and a lousy seamstress?

Someone in your office.

My office?

That important?

Dr. Cameron McKenzie, chief of surgery, California Medical.

A hard valve man.

And he looks as though someone just did an incision on him.

Any idea what he wants?

He's not talkative.

But it's urgent.

Man's uptight.

Ah, Mr. Mannix.

I'm Dr. Cameron McKenzie.

You don't know me, but... Ah, but I do know you, Dr. McKenzie.

Educated, University of Chicago, residency Peter Bent Brigham.

Divorce, make a lot of money, have part -time custody of your only child, Brian.

You're an American success story, Dr. Sideret.

I'm very impressed.

Well, my secretary dug up your history while you were waiting.

I want to hire you, Mr. Mannix.

Can I be certain of your discretion? Can I trust you not to go to the police?

No.

No, you can't.

You see, I'm licensed, inspected, and suspected by the police.

But you're very independent.

You didn't come here to talk about my independence.

My son has been kidnapped, Mr. Mannix.

Oh, I'm very sorry, Doctor.

But that's for the police.

The police are an organization.

Organizations have leaks.

If the newspapers ever get hold of the story.

No, I want you to investigate, Mr. Mannix.

I want you to investigate now, today, before the kidnappers learn anyone's

hunting for them, before they panic, before... Doctor, the police can

you no publicity.

And if they're wrong, what's that guarantee worth to me?

My son's life.

In any case, Mr. Mannix, I will not cooperate with the police.

You have my word. Give me 24 hours.

If you haven't found Brian, we'll call the police in.

Tell me exactly what happened, Doctor.

The man looked exactly like Dr. McKenzie.

I would swear the man was Dr.

McKenzie. How well do you know the doctor?

Brian's been at school for over a year.

He's very talented.

I'm sorry, it's dizzying.

He's really a marvelous child.

Why didn't you go to the police?

Dr. McKenzie asked me not to.

And you did just what he said?

Brian was kidnapped.

His life is in danger.

You said the car looked just like Dr.

McKenzie's. It was white and that's all.

I'm not a sports car fan, Mr. Mannix. I don't know the difference between a

Bugatti and a bicycle.

Did you by any chance notice the license number?

No.

I didn't.

I'm sorry.

I wish I could help.

Karen Shabiro?

Hmm? My name is Mannix.

I'd like to talk to you about Brian McKenzie. Who?

I'm working for his father.

Private Dick, eh?

Private Dick.

I saw what happened.

Très mystérieux.

No, I'm taking French.

Ah, and I bet you'd be very good at it. I should.

My IQ is between the brilliant to genius range.

Oh, now I believe.

Tell me, genius, did you notice anything kind of odd about that car that picked

up Brian?

The car was very clean, but the license plate was filthy.

Absolutely filthy.

All we could see was the first two letters, SD.

Same as Dr.

McKenzie's real license plate.

Ah.

Which was... what?

SDO 437.

I memorized license plates for practice.

It figures.

Uh, you said, uh, we.

Yes, Miss Paulson and I talked about it.

She's our music teacher.

Merci bien.

You saw the license plate, and you lied about it. Why?

I couldn't help it. He ordered me not to talk to anybody. Who ordered you?

The kidnapper.

He called.

About a half hour after the doctor left, he called here.

A filthy voice.

He said if I told the police, they'd kill Brian.

What kind of voice?

It was a whisper.

High, almost like a woman's.

Don't talk, it said.

Don't talk. or the boy will be dead.

Brian?

Brian?

It's this afternoon at the music school.

What have you done?

I've, um... I've taken steps.

What steps?

Brian is gone. He's kidnapped. What have you done?

I have tried to avoid hysteria, for one thing. Of course you have.

Your reaction to nuclear war would be to become the most controlled cinder on

Earth.

Have these monsters contacted you?

No, not yet.

And you're just waiting?

I've hired a private investigator.

Instead of going to the police?

Yes.

I was married to you for seven years.

They were devoted largely to the study of Cameron McKenzie. I know you. You're

hiding something.

What?

Nothing, Katrina.

Matt, don't shut me out, please.

Don't shut me out.

No Mercedes -Benzes. Not white, not black, none.

Hey, look, how about a Jaguar? No, thanks.

Look, it's a nice car. Really a hot bomb, you know?

Cars named after animals make me nervous.

And ye shall receive.

Are you in charge here?

Oh, that I am.

King of the night shift.

Don't be misled by my boyish facade. I'm really a junior executive.

You got any Mercedes Benzes?

We have several Mercedes. Which model would you like?

Oh, I'm not really interested in renting.

I'd just like to know if you've got a model 250S white.

The license number beginning with the letters SD.

The word you're searching for is Eureka.

One day, Randall returned the same evening.

John Randolph.

If that's what it says.

He was in a rush. He was a very cold and controlled fellow, but in a

considerable rush.

That's him, all right.

Thanks. My pleasure. You relieve the tedium of the night.

You're not very curious.

Well, I march to the sound of a very muffled drummer.

I don't want to tune in on the world's troubles.

I work till I'm bred ahead and then drop out.

It's a free country. Not very, but I manage.

um

Katrina, this is Mr. Mannix, my wife,

my ex -wife Katrina.

Mr. McKenzie? Mr. Mannix is the private investigator I've hired to find Brian.

I am sorry, Mr. Mannix. This is not a case for one man.

This is a case for the police.

Your husband and I have discussed that.

And what have you found?

Just this.

It's a scalpel, Doctor, commonly used by surgeons.

This is a very inferior instrument, commonly used by students in dissection.

What has that to do with Brian?

Well, I located the kidnap car.

And on my way out, a student of surgery tried to dissect me.

With a scalpel.

It appears I'm to be implicated in the kidnapping.

Doesn't that bother you, Doctor?

The Iceman.

One of his residents calls him the only glacier in Southern California.

He's a fine surgeon, however.

No nerves.

Therefore, no feeling.

I don't think Mr. Mannix is terribly interested in our tired squabbles,

Neither am I.

I'm only interested in Brian.

Doctor, have they contacted you yet about the ransom?

No, not yet.

Sounds like they're frightened.

Frightened men are dangerous. I think we'd better call the police. Now, wait a

minute now.

You promised you'd handle it yourself, at least until tomorrow.

You've already done remarkably, Mannix.

I've run into a dead end, Doctor. I don't know where else to look.

Why don't you want him to call the police?

If the kidnappers are frightened, a police investigation could panic them.

No, you're wrong.

Katrina, I don't know whether I'm right or wrong. We can only try.

Try what?

I don't know where to start, Doctor.

I can't just wander around looking for this mysterious double of yours.

I can't just go around corners at random and try... Is this

Brian? Yes.

I did it six months ago.

Did he sit for it?

No. It was cast from a... a life mask.

Did you ever have a life mask made of your husband?

Yes.

Years ago.

Drink up, tiger.

Attaboy.

Keeps you healthy.

I'm going back down.

Come in.

I called you. My name is Mannix.

You made a life mask of Dr.

Cameron McKenzie a few years ago.

Did you by any chance keep the mold?

I usually keep a mold if it interests me.

Did McKenzie's face interest you?

Why do you ask?

You recently made a second mask of Dr. McKenzie. A latex mask for a disguise.

Who are you?

A private investigator.

Investigating a private crime.

Tell me...

Would a mask of Dr.

McKenzie really be a perfect disguise?

It's an imperfect world, Mr. Mannix.

I play it being other people.

How can I deny anybody else that pleasure?

Who ordered the second mask?

A man came for it, paid me.

He was masked, too.

Not one of mine.

Just bandages, as though he'd hurt himself.

When was it ordered?

She called me three weeks ago.

A woman ordered it?

Well, there's nothing wrong.

She had every right to order it.

It was Katerina McKenzie.

That's absurd.

Not Brian. It was our son.

Katrina obviously didn't order that mask.

Somebody used her name.

Thank you, Mac.

After all, Mr. Mannix, I'd have no sane motive.

It's true that we didn't exactly have a friendly divorce.

There was a fight over the boy.

We have nothing to hide, Mr. Mannix.

Is that true?

Katrina...

You always were terrible at lying.

When you had to lie, you'd always get all tense, stiff like a robot.

I know you're trying to do something, Mac, but if you can't even tell us what

is, then how do you know it's right? I have told you, Katrina, it is nothing.

Now, you listen to me, Doctor. Your son's life is in danger, and I don't

being kept in the dark.

Mr. Mannix, please, call the police. He's promised us 24 hours. Well, I

made any promise.

Oh, you've been lying with great consistency, Doctor.

Now, if you want to see your son back alive, you better start with the truth.

I told you. You told me you hadn't heard from the kidnappers, that you were

waiting, getting the money ready for ransom. Where is it?

I... I thought tomorrow would be time enough.

For what?

Mac, what is it? What is it?

I operate tomorrow.

I have three operations.

All of them are touch and go.

What are you talking about?

He did contact me right away.

The man, he whispered something. He was enjoying himself.

He told me to keep the police out of it.

He told me Brian would be returned safe tomorrow night.

Returned for what?

For what?

For whom, Mr. Mannix?

He's to call me at the hospital tomorrow and tell me which one.

I'm sorry.

I'm terribly obscure.

My three patients tomorrow, he's going to tell me which

one is to die on the operating table.

This is Roscoe Bell, age 78, male.

Even if the operation is a success, the prognosis isn't very good.

What about the other two?

This is Marion Harriman, age 9, female.

There's a good chance to survive because of her age.

This is Robert Goldberg, age 28, male.

Best chance to survive.

Somebody wants one of them dead.

In exchange for Brian.

If any one of them dies on the operating table, nobody on Earth could blame me.

No judge, no jury, no doctor.

I can't even tell you myself if any one of them will live.

What time's your first operation?

Ten o 'clock. Little Harriman girl.

Fell at one.

Goldberg at five.

Mark, they're supposed to call you here and tell you which one. This

morning, they said. Sometime this morning.

That gives me about two hours.

Mrs. Goldberg?

Yes, that's right.

Well, you can talk. He's asleep.

Is something wrong?

Oh, no, no. It's just that, uh, Mr. Goldberg didn't complete his medical

insurance forms, and I need a little more information, that's all.

Oh, Lord, you scared me stiff.

How, uh, your husband is, uh, 28, teaches at UCLA, right?

Well, he teaches part -time. He's working for his doctorate in philosophy.

The relevance of noumena to perception.

He's very bright.

Before his illness, did he have any personal problems, you know,

with anyone at the university?

Not Robert.

The only fight we ever had is that he wouldn't fight back.

You know how a wife likes a good fight.

What about his family?

Oh, they all live in Montana.

They're pillars of society.

They're so respectable, they would kill you.

reporter, Mr. Harriman. I'm connected with the hospital. I'm working with Dr.

McKenzie. But why do you want to know about Marion's friends? After all, her

social life is somewhat limited by her age. She's only nine.

It's a new therapeutic approach we're using on children.

That's good thinking.

Yes, but it doesn't apply in Marion's case.

She's been an invalid for over a year now.

She hasn't been to school nor to visit anyone.

We're hoping that this operation... We're hoping very much.

We're not young, Mr. Mannix.

Marion is the only child I can ever have.

She's been very good, learning to live with a weak heart.

She can't attend school nor play games.

Just practices her music half the day.

Harpsichord. You know, she's awfully good.

Yes. Yes, she is.

She's bright and talented and cursed.

I'm sorry, Mr. Mannix. I'm afraid I can't help you.

I, uh... I feel the same way, but I...

cannot wait.

We're, uh...

We're sure Dr. McKenzie can make her well.

Where did you meet Dr. McKenzie?

Well, it was coincidence, really.

His son attended the same school of music as Marion.

When her condition was discovered, well, we thought of him.

That's the Paulson School.

Oh, Marion loved the place.

And Janet Paulson.

She's... You know, she's a remarkable woman.

Yes. Yes, I've met her.

Did you know that she takes two scholarship students for every one that

We, Mrs.

Harriman and I intend to set up a fund at the school.

Does anybody else know about that?

Well, everybody, including Marion.

I told her one afternoon when Janet Pawson was visiting.

I thought it would cheer her up.

Marion, Marion asked if the gift could be named after her if

she were gone.

Mr. Harriman, I'm very sorry.

Would you by any chance be Miss Marion Harriman?

How did you know?

Well, how many nine -year -old harpsichordists do you meet these days?

Do you mind if I watch your TV with you?

That's not a TV. That's my heart.

You're kidding.

Ask Dr.

McKenzie. He's going to fix it.

My heart, I mean.

Yeah, I know.

At least there's a chance he can.

I'm sure he will.

I've heard the nurses, especially Miss Hollister, talking about it. They don't

notice me listening.

I mean, they see me, but they don't notice. They say the odds are 70 -30.

That's good, isn't it?

That's very good, honey.

And Brian's father's a great surgeon.

You know Brian.

Sure I do.

I went to school with him until I got sick.

Yeah, well, I hear that's a great school. Makes lots of money.

There's always trouble about money, Miss Paulson says.

She may have to close the school.

Well, when you're better, you'll be able to go back to school and help her out.

I'm going to come in and get you ready in a few minutes, Marion.

For the operation?

That's right, darling.

No.

She's just a child.

She's nine years old.

Well, it's not Marion Harriman. It's the Harriman money.

If she dies, the Paulson School stands to get a very large bequest. Oh, you're

implying that Janet Paulson is involved? No.

Well, I don't like her much either. But who else? Robert Goldberg, student?

If somebody wanted him dead, they could buy the hit for $1 ,000.

It's got to be somebody very important.

Somebody who couldn't be murdered without a lot of trouble.

But not a child.

What about that man?

That... Roscoe Bell.

He's been having tests all morning. I haven't been able to see him, but it's

hard to believe he's the one. After all, he's 78 years old and dying.

If somebody wanted him dead, all they'd need is little patience.

Nine years old.

Bell is dead.

Now, look, my name is Mannix. Dr. McKenzie arranged for me to see Mr.

wait one second, huh? Nobody told me anything. Nurse?

Any Dr. McKenzie saying anything? Oh, yes, he called. I forgot to tell you. Go

on in.

Sorry. I'm sorry, Doctor. What is it, Mannix?

Mannix, he's a very sick man. I'll take everything, of course.

Bell?

When did you change the name, Roscoe?

I don't know you.

Joe Mannix, private investigator.

A cop.

That sums me up. Now, how about you, Roscoe? How do you add up? Racketeer?

Mobster? Four, seven, six, eight, eight. That's what I am.

For life.

And suddenly you're here, out.

Who put the fix in?

No fix.

The kind of operation I need, they don't do in prison hospitals.

So they just gave you a leave of absence.

There's a federal man outside.

Anyway.

Where am I going to go?

I'm 78 years old.

I'm serving a life.

I'm not going to make any trouble for anybody.

Oh, would you like a medal?

No.

I just want to be left alone. You're not going to be left alone. I'm tired.

Somebody's out to kill you, Roscoe.

want to look at very carefully.

Who wants me dead?

That's my question. There must be a thousand answers.

You were the regional juice man for the syndicate in the West.

I'm being operated on today.

Anybody wants me dead, they just have to wait.

Nice try, Roscoe.

But you're scared.

A man isn't scared unless he's got something to lose. Get off my back.

Are you finished, Dr. Mannix? I'm not a doctor. I'm a private investigator.

Somebody wants Bell here dead.

What are you talking about? Nobody even knows he's here. Someone found out.

Dr. McKenzie doesn't even know who Mr. Bell is. How did he get out for his

operation?

He decided to cooperate with the government.

You finally decided to talk, huh, Roscoe? Why not?

I'm dying.

I got maybe two months unless the operation works.

And if I'm lucky, a year, maybe two.

Buy me that year, I said.

And I tell all I know, everything about the syndicate.

What happens after he talks?

Mr. Bell will remain in prison with certain privileges in return for

information. Not bad.

You'd better see that I'm all right.

When anything goes wrong, you don't get a thing.

Nothing. Oh, you'll be all right, Roscoe.

Nine -year -old boy I'm worried about.

Well, stay on the line.

Couldn't trace the kidnapper's call.

Did you put a trace on Mackenzie's phone?

Oh, yeah, the minute we heard.

Then why can't you trace it? Because the call is made from inside the hospital.

Which means the syndicate has probably got somebody in the hospital to make

Belle is dead.

Uh, Roberts, I want that operating room checked out. I want everybody in there

checked out. Now, that means everybody.

Right.

You know, uh, it may be a patient.

Yes, Doctor.

The attendant is right here.

The little girl is coming out.

Get Mr. Bell ready now.

Yes, I'm on my way.

Yes, Doctor.

Marion came through it all right. I think she's going to be fine. I told her

parents.

The old man is next.

Yes.

Roscoe Bell.

You heard what Mannix said about him?

Yes.

He's a gangster.

A criminal.

That's why they want him to die.

They want to keep him quiet.

And what difference does it make? Is that it?

Whatever he was, Katrina, he's my patient.

But he's a criminal.

He's a vicious, brutal man.

How can you balance him against Brian?

How can you balance him against a nine -year -old boy?

Against our son?

I don't make those judgments, Katrina.

I'm asking you to save our son's life.

By killing another human being?

I don't think I can do it, Katrina.

I mean... I can do it.

No, I know you can't.

How are you going to operate?

You haven't had any sleep.

Oh, well, you... I don't know what they call me. Medical school.

McKenzie the Mechanical Marvel.

I don't have any nerves, remember?

I don't know if I've told you what a lovely man you are.

Anything?

I'm sorry, Doctor.

There's only one way we might get your son back.

But you've got to do exactly what I tell you to do.

Almost done.

Still touch and go.

There'll be more damage than we'd expected.

Careful. He's a regular.

Trouble with him, this old abnormal deterioration. You've got no resistance.

He's laboring.

Laboring is critical.

What's the matter with you, Hollis?

Gods are always bad when they're this far along.

It's over.

Lungs congested. Had a massive coronary failure.

It's a brilliant operation, and then this.

You can't win them all.

Don't be flipped. Just do your job, Walter.

Yes, my job. I'll wheel him down to the morgue.

Goodbye, Mr.

Bell.

Sorry, Mr.

Bell is alive and well in the recovery room.

So the world turns.

Where's the boy?

Boy? Brian McKenzie!

You wouldn't be making any criminal accusations against me, not after

this revolting practical joke on me. I'm a hospital employee.

Also a mechanic.

I do all sorts of odd jobs.

Including kidnapping?

How much do the big boys pay you to do the job? Enough bread to drop out

forever?

Tell me all about it.

If you don't talk and something happens to that boy, you're an accomplice to

murder.

No payoff's worth that.

An accomplice? Oh, uh...

Okay, the police copter's all set. We'll track him down at the minute he leaves

the hospital. Let's go. Now, hold it. Hold it. What?

Let's give him enough time to think he made it.

Otherwise, he might not lead us to the boy.

Come on, let's go. Which way's he headed? He never left the hospital

He's had plenty of time.

One of my men spotted somebody up there in the maintenance room.

What's up there?

Just a couple of boiler rooms.

Boiler rooms, huh?

Maybe loud enough to hide a kid's crying.

Tell your men to seal off all the exits. Right.

get the kid ready huh get the kid ready what do you mean

aren't we getting out of here let's leave him we might need

him

Why the blanket?

Just till we get off the roof.

That's all right, Brian.

It's all right.

I'm a friend.

My mother and father are right downstairs.

It's all over now.

Bye.