Original subtitles

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I decided quite suddenly to go abroad.

It seems a very rich but distant aunt has disappeared.

I decided to console myself on the Riviera until the matter is cleared up

the insurance policy paid off.

Catsup. It's perfect for travel.

I find a bottle or two will make any dish taste like home cooking.

I've already told him I have nothing to declare.

The upturned palm, the symbol of travel.

However, I'm afraid he wants the key to my trunk.

I think this would be the perfect moment for you to look the other way.

Those of you who know of no other way to look.

will have to endure the following.

Ah, Benson.

Morning, Hopkins.

Sir Charles.

Good night.

Hope you'll forgive me, sir, for having borrowed your scissors.

Oh, I was a great one for clipping the times in my own day, Benson.

Anything of special interest?

Oh, yes, sir.

Oddly enough, a Benedictine friar, a member of the cannon's regular in

sir, has had the most remarkable success with Cipropedium.

Cipropedium, sir?

Well, it's an orchid, more commonly known as lady's slipper or the moccasin

flower. Well, it's not a variety I favour especially, but what this friar

accomplished under the most obstinate conditions... With all due respect for

cannons regular in Cornwall, Benson, I'm afraid we'll have to defer the lady's

slipper until another time.

Yes, sir. Sit down, Benson. Thank you, sir.

I'm sure you recall a case we had some month ago when a...

Lady Avon tried to sell some jewellery and, shall we say, overlooked the

share of the proceeds due to the treasury.

I remember it very well, sir. I was on the case.

It escapes me now, but wasn't it a couple of rings she tried to sell?

Oh, no, sir. It was a rather dainty brooch, lightly salted with diamonds, or

use the trade expression.

I remember she referred to it as a bauble because it fetched her no more

,000. Oh.

And what then?

Very little beyond that, sir, except that, well, her ladyship was a trifle

abusive. She disliked paying death duties.

She claimed it left her with hardly the price of a hat.

Of course, I'm not familiar with her ladyship's taste in hats.

But what does seem apparent is that she was widowed too early to have acquired a

proper sense of responsibility.

Yes, sir.

Lord Avon was of my generation. I knew him well.

At the time of his second marriage, he... Well, he was a horticulturalist,

Benson. You'll understand better than I.

The perils of a late autumnal bloom.

Yes, sir.

The reason I called you in was to tell you that the famous Avon necklace, 20

perfectly matched cabochon emeralds with a cluster in the center, the last major

item of our ladyship's inheritance, is up for sale.

I expected as much, sir. Death duties took the bulk of Lord Avon's estate, and

there simply wasn't the cash to meet them. The proceeds of the sale of the

country house proved insufficient.

This left the jewellery.

For the purposes of probate, the emeralds were valued at £100 ,000.

But what they'd fit in the open market, and especially abroad, could be very

much more.

The Treasury is having a new appraisal made.

I see them.

Now...

Her ladyship has already received an offer for an undisclosed amount from an

American source.

But the Treasury has very wisely refused to grant her an export permit.

Has she received any bids in England, sir? Not several.

The most generous was an offer of 125 ,000 pounds, which she turned down.

Now, this only serves to confirm my belief that her ladyship intends to live

abroad, outside the Stirling area, and to dispose of the emeralds in defiance

the Treasury claim.

This, of course, we're determined to prevent.

If I may ask, sir, exactly where are the emeralds now?

Reputedly in her hotel here in London, in the Thick. And while legally she's

entitled to keep them in a shoebox or a napkin if she so desires, I should like

you to confirm their whereabouts.

Is that all, sir?

No.

Lady Avon has booked a plane passage to the French Riviera the day after

tomorrow. And while we take every precaution to make sure that the

not with her, one never can be sure.

You'll be on the same plane, Benson, and prepared to stay in France for a few

days.

Yes, sir. Oh, I realize that this interferes with your holiday plans.

Well, that's all right, sir. Where were you going?

I had thought of Cornwall, sir. Ah, the cannons regular and the lady slipper.

I had thought of looking in on the Fry's experiment.

Well, I must say I admire your full devotion for everything you do.

tramping the countryside on every holiday, sort of pollinating as you go.

I beg your pardon, sir? That's probably what makes you a good policeman.

Ah, tea.

Now,

getting back to the case, I think we must assume that Lady Avon may have a

confederate who might try and smuggle the emeralds past the customs and

them to her in Cannes. I see, sir.

The important thing is that the emerald should not leave the country. But if by

any mischance they do, you'll have to bring them back with or without Lady

I understand.

Oh, and, sir? Yes, Winston?

Well, considering the attention that Lady Avon and her jewels have received

the press, don't you think we can expect that, well, half the thieves of England

and some of the continent's sharpest talent will take this opportunity to try

nab them?

It's quite well taken, Inspector.

How many men do you want?

Oh, just a couple, sir.

Oh, do you think that'll be enough?

You know, there's always a grim possibility that before this thing's

someone may have tried to slit her ladyship's lovely throat.

Oh, good morning, Inspector Benson. Hello, Ives.

Can I help you, Inspector?

Ives, let's eliminate the inspector just for now.

Oh, yes.

Ives, I understand you have Lady Avon's emeralds in safekeeping.

I'd like to see them, if you don't mind.

I'm afraid that's up to Mr. Saunders. It is his responsibility.

I've already spoken to Mr. Saunders.

Oh.

In that case, of course, would you come in?

There it is, sir.

You know, this safe has been with us for 80 years.

How long have the admirals been with you, I ask? Only five days, sir.

You see, Mr.

Saunders warned her leadership that we could not accept the responsibility.

But she insisted upon keeping them here.

There we are, sir.

Excuse me, sir. Can I help you?

I doubt it extremely.

Herbert Morgan and Linnet.

I'm here to appraise the Avon necklace for the treasury.

I'm afraid your suspicions were misplaced, Inspector.

These are the Avon emeralds.

Mmm, delicious.

I don't know why everyone doesn't have caviar for breakfast.

Don't you, dear?

Absolutely jammed with vitamins.

Would you care for anything else, milady?

Some more caviar, please. Certainly, milady.

I... I do hope you're going to have enough money to pay the hotel bill.

Oh, I expect so.

After all, after tomorrow, I won't need any more pounds, will I?

Tell me, Aunt Catherine, how many seasons have you spent in Cairns?

Well, it's rather hard to remember, dear. I'd have to work it out by

Let me see, the last one loathed the sunshine.

The one before that soaked it up like a fig.

Your Uncle Alfred, though, of course, that was much, much earlier.

Alfred could take the sun or leave it alone.

Let me see, after him there was Michael.

Oh, no, I wasn't married to him.

Well, all in all, dear, I should say about a dozen.

Husbands all seasoned, darling.

Gwendolyn.

I wonder if I shall like it there.

Well, it's a charming villa, dear, and the agent says the servants are very

good. I shall know how true that is tomorrow.

But I promise you, if they're not perfect treasures, I'll have them all

before you come.

I'm a respectable, hard -working man, and a cheat -oper as well. What's going

here? What are you doing to poor Bowles? His name isn't Bowles, my lady, it's

Fletcher. And he's a convict on license.

Oh, it's you.

Persecution, my lady.

I'm sure Mr. Saunders wouldn't employ any servant without the very best of

references. Four convictions for robbery.

Two for breaking and entering, three for loitering with intent to commit a

felony. That's a lie.

It was only two.

Give him half a chance, he'd steal the gold leaf off the cross at St. Paul's.

Milady, it does appear that I was unaware of certain facts.

Take him downstairs and search him, Hodges.

Come on. Milady, I wonder if Mr. Saunders and I may have a few words with

Oh, very well. Come in.

This is my aunt, Mrs. Sedley.

Darling, this is that detective inspector that was so irksome about my

How do you do, madam?

I'm afraid it is I, milady, who is going to be irksome now.

In the matter of your emeralds, milady... What about them?

The management would so much prefer not to have the responsibility of their

safekeeping. Would you not consider putting them in a bank vault?

I suppose this is your idea, Inspector.

I assure you, milady... I will not put my emeralds in a bank vault. But,

milady... It's much more convenient for me to have them in the hotel.

An armed guard could always be supplied to escort them from the bank when you

wish to wear them, milady. How do I know when I want to wear them? No, no, it's

absolutely absurd.

But, milady...

I have every confidence in the hotel safe and every confidence in you, Mr.

Saunders.

How do you search the waiter, sir?

But he was clean.

A pity he looked a likely candidate.

One of those people must be a confederate.

The trouble is, sir, there are too many suspicious characters around.

Now tell me, Vincent, what was Lady Avon's attitude? How would you assess

Willful? Perverse?

Determined? Extravagant?

Everything the treasury is against.

She eats caviar for breakfast, sir.

Does she now?

Preferred kippers, myself.

How many are his 30 shillings an ounce, sir? Well, we should just have to take

double precautions to make certain that necklace doesn't leave the country.

You can put on another couple of men if you like.

Yes, sir.

Hello?

Who?

Oh, yes, put him through.

Yes, Mrs. Saunders.

Yes, he's here.

What's that?

Hold on.

The Avon emeralds were stolen from the safe last night.

Lady Avon, if the treasury appraiser hadn't come back this morning to check

the size of one of the stones, this robbery might not have been discovered

days. Obviously. But the fact that it has been discovered enables us to narrow

down the time during which the robbery could have been committed.

Is that a good thing?

Lady Avon, where were you last night?

I went to a charity bar at the Dorchester and I wore the necklace. And

know why you're asking me all this.

Because there was one of your men watching me like a hawk all evening.

Lady Avon, you don't seem to be taking this lot very seriously.

What would you like me to do, scream?

I understand the emeralds were not insured. Why was that?

Oh, I couldn't afford the premiums. The death duties on my husband's estate were

absolutely crippling. I'm sure they were. Now, after the ball.

I got back at 2 a .m. and I put the emeralds in the safe.

Ask him. He was there lurking behind a potted palm.

And afterwards?

You know very well I went straight to my room. I saw you peeping out of the

linen cupboard.

Lady Avon, did you leave your... your suite again last night?

I'm sure you had somebody watching me to see that I didn't. Anyway, my aunt,

Mrs. Sedley, was saying the night was...

Oh, I wonder if I might have a few words with Mrs. Sedley.

That might be a little difficult.

Indeed? She left on a plane for Nice at nine o 'clock.

That's in France, you know.

I'm well aware of that, Lady Avon.

May I ask if you intend to join her there?

Come in.

Oh, I'm sorry, Lady Avon.

Mr. Geist, come in. These gentlemen are just going.

Mr. Geist is going to show me a picture. Lady Avon, I... Oh, yes, you wanted to

know if I was going to France, didn't you? Well, I am.

And to save you the bother of finding out, I'll even tell you the time of the

plane. Nine o 'clock tomorrow.

Goodbye, Inspector.

Goodbye, Sergeant.

Goodbye.

Now, Mr. Geist, show me the picture.

Be careful with that. It's fragile.

Yes, madam.

Got a dog with us, sir.

Means she won't be back for quite a while.

Oh, why?

The dog would have to be quarantined for six months.

She wouldn't like that.

Pretty nice setup, if you ask me.

Jewel's officially reported stolen, so she doesn't have to account for them.

Just turns up with them in France and sells them to some rich American.

Well, she's not going to get away with it.

Do you think the French police will be able to help, sir?

Well, they're having her aunt, Mrs. Sedley, watched in care, and they've

arranged for an officer of the theater to meet me when we land in Nice.

I hope it won't come to that.

I don't...

I'm sorry,

Lady Avon, it'll be necessary of you to be searched.

Oh, really, this is too much.

What about the dog?

Where's the dog to? It's not a dog.

Her name is Juliet.

I take it she can come with me?

minute now.

Would you mind unwrapping the painting, sir?

I'm sorry, sir.

Well, I'm an honest man.

I'm a member of the Society of Fine Art Dealers in London, in Paris, in

Amsterdam. I'm an accredited dealer. I have letters here.

Please, look at them.

I have never been as simple as I was before.

I haven't even been accused of selling freaks.

I'm highly reputed.

I'm old established.

Ah.

Girl with a milk chair.

Lovely, isn't it?

Inspector Benton?

Yes?

Oh,

how do you do? You had the report from London?

He had the report from Interpol in Paris.

The subject, Madame Sidley, has been under surveillance since you arrived.

The other subject was with you in this plane?

Oh, yes. She's over there now in the white hat.

Here.

Brunet.

Any charmant?

Quite. Do you wish to have her searched?

She was searched quite thoroughly in London. No result.

But she must have the jewels with her.

Ah, now watch.

Oh, and Catherine. Darling. Oh, darling, you're not quite your immaculate self.

Have you had a gasp, Lydrian? If she does not have the stolen jewels, what

we watching for?

I said we didn't find them on her. But she's got them all right.

So she too.

Who did she steal them from?

From herself.

Ah. To cheat the insurance?

No, they weren't insured.

Then what is the charge?

Defrauding the treasury.

Comment? Well, those emeralds were supposed to go towards paying death

You know, taxes.

Oh, she's leaving now.

Monsieur,

you cannot do this.

What do you mean? What are you talking about?

The lady does not pay government taxes.

This is not an offense for her to be extradited.

The reports say the jewels were...

stolen. Well, so they are.

From ourselves.

Monsieur, if we arrested everybody in France who avoided to pay taxes, there

should not be anyone left.

But, monsieur, I mustn't lose sight of them for a moment.

The surveillance.

That, monsieur, is your affair.

Yours and the British government.

I cannot waste my men for such a purpose. But, monsieur.

I regret, monsieur.

It is impossible.

$230 ,000.

$231 ,000. $2, $3, $4, $5, $6, $7, $8, $9,

$10, $11, $12, $13, $14, $15, $16,

$17, $18, $19.

$250 ,000!

Oh, isn't that wonderful?

Oh, aren't they pretty?

Oh, yes.

Here they are.

Beautiful.

Just beautiful.

Beautiful.

I don't see how you can get apart with them.

Well, if I'm going to catch that plane for Paris, I... Oh, my aunt can drive to

the airport, can't you, darling?

I should be delighted to.

Goodbye, Lady Avon.

Goodbye. It's a pleasure to do business with you.

Goodbye, sir.

Oh, allow me.

Darling, I did everything just as you told me.

But was it absolutely necessary to have that horrible woman search me?

She was so thorough.

No, darling, I didn't get anything to eat on the plane. Is there any caviar in

the house?

My difficulty with the customs official turned out to be rather serious.

He found my aunt in the trunk, quite dead, of course, but it was a peculiar

place for her to be.

He was terribly upset. You see, she had no passport, and they're very strict,

you know.

I'm very much afraid I shall have to change my plans and continue without

But my trip is a short one. I shall be back in a week. Until then, au revoir.