Original subtitles

("Alfred Hitchcock" theme music)

- Good evening.

I have here the very latest in weapons.

It shoots tranquilizing capsules.

It's quite harmless really.

When hit, the victim becomes docile

and can easily be captured.

As you might expect, this gun is quite popular

among law enforcement officers,

big game hunters and unprincipled bachelors.

So much for the sporting life.

Tonight's story is about a man who finds himself

in trouble because of a past indiscretion.

It begins in one agonizing minute.

(mysterious music)

(dramatic music) (leaves rustling)

(wind whistling)

(door banging)

(door clicking)

(footsteps tapping)

(phone whirring)

(phone buzzing)

(phone clicks)

(footsteps tapping)

(door clicking)

(door thuds)

(footsteps tapping)

(wind howling)

(lock clicking)

(footsteps tapping)

(garage door whirring)

(dramatic music) (wind whistling)

(engine puttering)

- 8100 Pitt Street, 1.35.

$20's all you got?

- Well, I got 80 cents in change.

- Oh, you people, why don't you tell a driver

when you get in you got a big bill, huh?

Well, I can't bust this buddy.

I'm not a bank, I got a boss.

I'm not in this for my health.

- Turn your meter back on, drive me somewhere

where I can get some change, you can charge me for it.

- There's no place open around here at midnight.

Don't pay anything, just get out.

Well, go on!

Boy!

- Ah, keep the whole thing.

- You're kiddin'?

(footsteps tapping)

(door clicks)

(dramatic music)

(engine puttering)

(doorbell buzzing)

(doorbell buzzing)

(keys rattling)

(door clicking)

- Adele? (whistles)

(dramatic music)

(dramatic music)

(keys rattling)

(suspenseful music)

(dramatic music)

(paper crinkling)

- Hello there, Mr. Maxwell.

Will you have breakfast this morning?

- Hm?

- Will you have breakfast this morning?

- Ah, no, coffee's fine, thank you.

(mysterious music)

(woman sighs)

- Now what's so important that you can't look up

and say good morning to your wife?

- Oh, nothing, morning.

- Is that all?

Well, the honeymoon is over, isn't it?

That's better.

Now then, let me see what you're reading.

- Oh, it's nothing.

- Hey, come on now, let me see.

Celeste!

Oh, dear.

That's awful.

That poor girl.

- Yes, ma'am?

- Oh, well, we'll have grapefruit and coffee

and, oh, I see that's already here.

Well, a muffin, whatever other roll we have

and Mr. Maxwell will have the same thing.

Oh, and bring him four-minute egg too.

- Yes, ma'am.

- Ew, it is too early in the mornin' for all that.

You can have it back.

I just want the society page.

Ms. Jenkins said that she was gonna, ah, there it is.

Mr. and Mrs. George Maxwell return from wedding trip.

Hey look, she spelled daddy's name wrong.

Oh, will he be mad.

Oh, pour me coffee, George.

You have an early appointment this morning?

- Well, I thought I'd go down the office

and caught up some of the things

that have been piled up since we went away.

- Oh, George.

Oh George.

Celeste, Celeste!

Why you are so silly, clumsy, George.

You are practically accident prone.

Huh, oh, that poor things sure was pretty wasn't she.

Oh, it's all right, Celeste.

Practically cleaned up.

Newspaper soaked it up.

Well, I guess it's about time we got

some of these wedding presents put away.

We'll do that first thing in the morning, Celeste.

Oh, today my daddy's gonna send me down two boys

from the docks to help me out in the yard.

Hey, George, why don't you stay home

from work and help me landscape.

- Well, I have an appointment with your father at 2:30.

- Oh, Daddy'll let you off.

Eat your eggy, George.

Oh no!

No, wait a minute!

Wait a minute.

We got a wedding present, to open your egg with.

Hey now, isn't that the cutest thing you ever did see?

- Mm.

- Mrs. Carol sent it from Los Angeles.

It works just like this.

Oh, it's too hard.

Celeste, Celeste!

This isn't any four-minute egg.

Now you take it back and bring him another one.

(laughs) Oh well,

you should eat your grapefruit first anyway.

Well, it's too cold.

Celeste always serves them too cold on purpose,

just to annoy me.

She always has ever since I was knee high to a grasshopper.

Why George, you weren't listening to me.

Hey, what were you thinkin' about

with that serious look on your face?

- Do you really want to know?

- Well, I asked you didn't I?

If I didn't want to know, I wouldn't ask.

- I was thinking about growing a mustache.

- A mustache!

Why George!

Here, let me see.

Hm, (laughs) well, well it sure makes you look different.

Hey, you know, I never kissed a man with a mustache.

Oh, I bet it tickles like the dickens. (laughs)

(car horn honking)

Oh, there's my daddy.

Hey, Celeste, bring me another coffee cup

for my daddy, you hear?

(door clicking)

Good morning, Daddy!

- [Alva] There's my baby.

How are you sugar? (laughs)

- [Mavis] Good morning, Daddy.

- You got a nice cup of coffee for your daddy?

Mornin' George.

- [George] Mornin', Mr. Hardwicke.

- Bessie made a whole batch of molasses cookie.

Anita wouldn't hear of it unless I brought you some.

- Oh.

- Taking good care of my baby?

- Oh, well, you don't hear me complainin', do ya?

- I just wanted to know how you were doing?

- Oh, well, Daddy, you know how newlyweds are.

We ain't been doin' nothin' yet.

Hey, you are gonna send me down two boys

to help me in the yard, aren't ya?

- Sure am.

Mornin', Celeste.

- Mornin', Mr. Hardwicke.

- You takin' good care of these kids?

- Good as I can, Mr. Hardwicke, good as I can.

(Alva laughs)

- Well, I think I better get down to the office.

- Hey, aren't you gonna eat your new eggy?

- I didn't want it in the first place.

I'll see you at the office, Mr. Hardwicke.

- Fine. - George?

- Hm?

- I wish you'd wear something besides a black tie today.

I mean, you're not going to a funeral.

You want an eggy, Daddy?

- Hm?

No, no, no, thanks.

(door thudding)

- Well, no sense letting it go to waste.

(birds chirping)

(door whirring)

So we're having gumbo tonight.

And we're dressin' for dinner.

- I'll tell your mother, she'll be real pleased.

- [George] Mavis, Mavis!

- [Mavis] Who?

- Something wrong with the garage door?

It won't open.

- [Mavis] Well, I, are you sure you're doin' it right?

- Yes, Mavis.

- Well, Daddy can take you down to work.

And then I'll have William fix it.

- All right.

- Can't ya, Daddy?

- [Alva] Sure will.

- [Mavis] Daddy says yes.

- All right.

- [Mavis] And then I'll come down and pick you up later.

- All right.

- Daddy'll be ready just as soon as he finishes his coffee.

- All right, Mavis.

(engine puttering)

- I'm pleased to see you making Mavis so happy, George.

I'm not blind.

I know she's not the brightest girl on the block.

Neither was her mother.

We all know a man's eye wanders.

Man's eye was made to wander.

But discretion is the word

I hope you'll always bear in mind.

Insist you remember, discretion.

I was given this same talk

by Eda Mae's father about 30 years ago.

I've always been true to my word.

If for any reason my Mavis is hurt, comes to her daddy,

crying with tears I her eyes,

her daddy's quite capable of taking giant steps

to eliminate that hurt, son.

(somber music)

(footsteps tapping)

(door clicking)

(paper crinkling)

(blinds whooshing)

(door clicking)

(door clicking)

- Good morning, Mr. Maxwell.

- Good morning, Miss Hinchley.

(door clicking)

(intercom buzzing)

Yes?

- [George] Any calls?

- Nothing yet this morning, Mr. Maxwell.

- [George] Oh, thank you.

- Coffee this morning?

- [George] No, no.

- A tea?

We have alfalfa mint.

- No, nothing thank you.

(dramatic music)

(lock clicking)

(knuckles rapping)

Yes?

What do you want, Miss Hinchley?

- There's someone here to see you, Mr. Maxwell.

He says it's very important.

He won't give me his name or say what it's about.

He just said to give you this.

(dramatic music)

I told him you were busy>

- Ah, well, show him in.

- Yes, sir.

(dramatic music)

(door clicking)

- [Sam] Good morning, Mr. Maxwell.

Remember me?

(suspenseful music)

- What can I do for ya, mister?

- Mr. Kirby, Sam Kirby.

Surprised to see me?

That $20 is an awful big tip

but I've been feeling guilty about it all morning.

I said to myself, after I had my coffee

and read the morning paper, if I had any gumption,

I'd find you and settle up with you.

- Well, that's very decent of you.

- Yeah, it wasn't hard to find you.

I keep a record of where I pick passengers up

and drop 'em off.

I just parked on the corner

of where I picked you up and waited.

Sure enough, saw you ridin' to work in that big car.

Followed you here and asked a few questions.

Mostly the answer I got is,

"The man that married the boss's daughter."

Mind if I sit down?

Phew, sure is gonna be hot today.

- What do you want?

- Sure is awful about that girl, isn't it?

Adele something or other.

You got a match, Mr. Maxwell?

(matchbox clatters)

Police are searchin' for a cab driver

who was seen bringing a man who may have been the killer

to the house shortly before midnight.

Mrs. Helen Smith told police she was watching television

when she saw a cab drive up next door.

She saw a man get out and the cab drive away.

They're questioning every cab driver in the city.

Alphabetically.

Sooner or later they're bound to get to the Ks.

- What do you want?

- I want to be able to tell the police,

with a clear conscience,

"Why, no sir, I did not take a Mr. George Maxwell

"to 8100 Pitt Street on the night of May 17th."

- And what would it take to clear that conscience?

- Oh, a bigger tip than $20, I bet.

Yeah, I got four kids you know, one in high school.

The baby's only two and he's been coveting

for a long time a rockin' horse he saw

in the store made out of pure palomino hair.

It does your heart good, Mr. Maxwell,

to give your kids expensive presents.

- I didn't kill the dead woman.

- I didn't say you did.

Now I didn't insinuate that.

But the police might read into it some connection

if they knew you'd been there.

You like to fish, Mr. Maxwell?

- Mm-hmm.

- Why, I just love to fish.

I don't ever get to go fishin' much

'cause I have to work so hard

and sometimes when folks are feeling cheap

and not tippin ' well,

I swear I don't get home til way after dark.

'Bout the only thing you can do after dark

in that department is to go gig for frogs.

And that not near as much as fun as lyin' on a bank

with an old straw hat on and a couple of lines in the water.

I always did want to have me a place across the lake.

Slidell, maybe, Covington.

I asked around this morning

how much a little old place like that would cost.

- Mm-hmm, how much?

- Oh, about 1,000 a month.

- 1,000 a month?

- 1,000 a month.

- You get out of here.

- Now, I always thought you were a sportsman.

Well, I hate to see you get hooked on that trout line

and the police haul you in and fry you up like an old fish.

Course there's several other hooks

I can bait before that happens.

- What do you mean?

- Everything is probably in a joint account

from what I hear anyway, isn't it?

Or does daddy still control it all?

Come to think of it, I've been talking

to the littlest fish in the pond, haven't I?

- You wouldn't dare.

- Tell you what, I do want to be fair.

I give you til six o'clock tonight to think it over.

Oh, weigh it up and down the pros and cons,

to change your mind.

I don't think my price will go up before then

but I wouldn't swear to that.

(suspenseful music)

I'll be havin' three whiskey sours

at this bar between six and 6:45.

And if I were you I'd be there to pay

for at least one of them.

Otherwise, I have to bait that ol' hook again

and do some other casting around.

Bye.

(door thudding)

Bye.

- Bye.

(door thudding)

(birds chirping)

- Gonna have to be pretty deep, Mrs. Maxwell.

- Well then, it'll have to be pretty deep, William.

That's good ground.

- Yep, real rich.

Rose ought to do real good.

- George!

Hey, I thought you were gonna call me to come pick you up.

How'd you get here?

- I took a bus.

- A bus?

- Yeah,

- Now, what's the matter George?

(George sighs)

Well, something's the matter, George.

You runnin' a fever?

- Look, honey, I think we'd better talk.

Let's go to the game room.

- [Mavis] All right.

Oh, William fixed the garage door.

It was just stuck.

- [George] Oh.

- Hey, you want a cold drink?

- Mm-mm.

- Somethin' stronger?

- Nope.

(door thuds)

- Now, what's the matter, sugar?

- Well, a man came to see me this morning.

Cab driver by the name of Kirby.

He says he can identify me as the man he drove

to a Adele Beaumont's house last night at midnight.

- George!

- He threatened to go to the police.

Of course, first and foremost he's interested in money.

- Well, what did you do?

- I kicked him out of the office.

- Did he go to the police?

- No, no, no, of course not.

He said if I wouldn't come across with 1,000 a month,

maybe you would.

I wanted to tell you because you might be hearing from him

and I wanted you to know what it was all about.

- George, was there any truth in what he said?

George?

- Mm-hmm.

But I didn't kill her.

I knew Adele, a long time ago, long before I met you.

I knew her in Hollywood

when we were both trying to get into the movies.

You know, we were always sort of, drifting into each other.

You know what I mean?

I mean, whoever was down and out could always count

on the other one for a good meal or a place to stay.

Here's some letters she wrote to me.

- Well, I don't want to see 'em.

- Okay.

When she came to New Orleans,

the day we got back from our honeymoon, she wrote me note.

Said it was urgent, said she had to see me right away.

I arranged to meet her last night.

I was gonna drive over but the garage door jammed.

- So you took a cab.

George, why didn't you tell me about her?

- Well, she had nothin' to do with us.

- How much does that Kirby want?

- Every penny he can get, I guess.

- Well, you tell me how much, how much!

$1,000 a month is that what you said?

- Honey, I'm not so sure that's the right thing to do.

- Well, what else would you suggest, George?

- I could go to the police

and tell them the truth, I'm innocent.

I didn't kill her.

- The daughter of Alva Hardwicke makes headlines

in this town, George.

Now I am not gonna drag my daddy's name

through that kind of mud.

His son-in-law is not gonna be involved in a murder.

Now I don't like the idea of blackmail anymore than you do.

But I can afford that a lot more

than I can afford that other thing.

Now, you got any way of getting in touch with this Kirby?

- Mm-hmm, he told me to meet him at a bar at six.

- Good, you meet him and you tell him

to come back here after midnight.

We'll discuss terms then.

After our dinner guests are gone.

Now, George, why don't you have a drink or lie down.

Go out and play golf or do something

to take your mind off this, huh?

(gentle music)

(door clicking)

- We have now arrived at the very heart

and center of this hour, the station break.

This is the moment when we part the curtain of television

and let the local stations shine through,

after which, we shall continue.

(suspenseful music)

- Betty Jane thinks there may be a rest home or a hospital.

That's what she told Cindy and Emmy Lou.

I said, I'd take a bus to Russia rather than, right mister?

- That's right, lady.

- Ah, right, you come and meet Betty Lou

and tell her I said so.

- Anything you say, lady.

- Good.

It's my turn to drink.

- Come on, Lulu Dawn, you've had enough, go on home.

- Oh, (laughs) I had.

(Kirby laughing)

Hello.

- What's so funny, huh?

- Oh, hey. (laughing)

Give my friends a drink!

- Come on, Lulu, time to go.

- What? - Come on, darlin'.

- On no, I don't want to go. - Beddy-bye.

- No, no, no, it's too early. - Come on.

- [Lulu] That's all right, help, help!

Hey! - Just in time

to buy the third one, Mr. Maxwell.

- [Lulu] Help, no!

- Change your mind?

- I talked to my wife.

- Oh, I made a move, you made a move.

You are a bit of a sportsman after all.

And?

- We want to talk to you.

- Of course.

Good, when?

- Tonight, at our house after midnight.

- Why so late?

- We're having guests, after they leave.

- You want a drink?

- Mm-mm.

- Just hit me, Pedro.

All right.

- All right, the address is 1400--

- Oh, I know the address.

It's the old Hardwicke place.

- Now be sure and park your cab at least a block away.

- Oh, sure, sure.

- Seems that in just one day,

police have turned up a lot of very influential men

knew that Beaumont girl.

- You did real good with this pie, Mavie.

- Why, it's your recipe, Mama.

- It's real good.

- She's real pretty, that girl.

Did you see that picture they took in Hollywood of her?

- Alva, didn't Mavie do good with this pie?

- Yeah, fine, fine.

- Good night, it is nearly midnight.

- We've been sitting here that long?

Well, we have to go, Alva.

- We never sat down til 10:30.

Can I have another cup of coffee, Mama?

- No, can't have you pacing out

on the veranda til three in the morning.

Come on, now.

I have a big day tomorrow.

Rummage sale in the morning, bridge club in the afternoon.

(Alva laughing)

You're coming to sister Mae's shower, aren't you Mavie?

- Yes, I am.

- Thank you, Celeste.

Good night. - Good night, ma'am.

- I'm sorry Alva talked so much about murder

so we didn't have a chance to talk

about something more interesting.

- Turn on the porch light, George.

- Good night, baby.

- Good night, Mama.

- Good night, George. - Good night.

- Night, George. - Night.

- [Alva] Good night, sugar.

(dramatic music)

(car doors thudding)

(engine puttering)

(pool ball clicking)

- I didn't realize I was playing with a professional.

Boss's daughter buy you this pool table?

Why, I thought we were gonna talk.

- Well, I want the boss's daughter to hear it.

Soon as she gets back with the coffee.

- Then I was right about everything in a joint account, huh?

- Yeah.

- You know, I've been thinkin'.

I like Covington better then Slidell.

For fishing, little bit more expensive though.

- I wouldn't get carried away if I were you.

- Oh, 1,000 will do, for a start.

- Sure you won't have a drink?

- No, just coffee.

Oh, here we are.

- Now, Mr. Kirby, do you take cream and sugar

in your coffee?

- No, ma'am, I drink it black.

We've been waiting on you to talk, ma'am.

I was just tellin' Mr. Maxwell here

about how well I like to fish.

- Well, I like to fish too.

Coffee, George?

- No, no thanks.

- Well, then I don't think

we'll have any real big problems

understandin' each other, do you?

- Oh, I don't see why.

Oh, would you like a molasses cookie

with you coffee, Mr. Kirby?

- Well, I don't mind if I do.

- My daddy's Bessie makes

the best molasses cookie I ever tasted.

(dramatic music) (gun firing)

(glass shattering)

(Mavis sighs) (dramatic music)

(suspenseful music)

Quick now, help me get him off the table.

Well, come on, he's gonna stain up the felt.

George, help me.

(Mavis groans)

Now, now, help me get him outside.

Help me, George!

(dramatic music)

(Mavis sighing)

Give me that shovel.

- You, you tried to kill him all along.

- Please, George, I don't want to talk about it.

- You had them dig this hole.

- For the rose trees, George.

Now come on, help me with the roses.

(engine puttering)

(George groans)

- What's that?

- Oh, it's all right,

it's just someone turning around in our driveway.

- Why, these old thorns.

- (giggling) Oh, you are such a baby, George.

Now, let's get this over with.

(George groans)

- Hurts.

- Oh, just stand back there out of the way.

Well, now they look real nice there.

You remind me to write Aunt Claire

in the morning and thank her for 'em.

Sweet idea to give us a living wedding present.

Oh now, you come on, George.

(dramatic music)

(engine puttering)

(door thuds)

(engine puttering)

(George groans)

Now, George, there wasn't anything that bad.

(George groans)

- Mavis?

- What, sugar.

- Last night?

- Yes, George?

- Last night you told me you were going

to your sister Mae's shower,

now tonight you told your Mom you were going tomorrow.

- I didn't think you caught that, George.

- Where were you last night, Mavis?

- I love you, George.

And I don't intend to share you with anyone,

even with old friends.

- You killed Adele.

- Well, you weren't the only one she got in touch with.

The only ones she thought

she could get a couple of bucks out of.

Well, I got a note to meet her last night too.

And when I got there, well she told me some things

about you, George, that got my goat.

Things my daddy should have known.

Well, then when she told me

that she was expecting you later, first thing I knew,

my Hardwicke temper got the better of me.

- You jammed the garage door.

- (sighs) And then I got so nervous I took a sleeping pill.

It never dawned on me that you'd take a cab.

George, you hadn't got anymore around

like her anywhere, have you?

- Nope.

No, no, Mavis.

(dramatic music)

No. (laughs)

(gentle music)

- Mornin', sugar.

Now you've been sleepin' like a dead man.

I've been out in the garden readin' the paper.

George, I want you to wear the new suit I bought you.

I want you to look as nice as can be today.

Colorful, with this tie.

George, it's all fine.

It's all right.

Nobody is ever gonna suspect the Hardwickes

or the Maxwells, nobody.

Just you and me know.

And you can blackmail me all you want,

'cause I can afford it when it's you.

Well, now you better take a shower

and get ready for work, you don't want to be late.

George, isn't that the reddest rose you ever did see?

(dramatic music)

(both laughing)

(gentle music) (footsteps tapping)

- Good morning, George.

- Hello, Mr. Hardwicke.

- How's my baby?

- She's quiet a girl, Mr. Hardwicke.

- Just found that out, eh? (laughs)

- Good morning, Mr. Maxwell.

- Good morning. (humming)

- [Miss Hinchley] Yes, Mr. Maxwell.

- We'll have coffee, Miss Hinchley.

- [Miss Hinchley] Yes, Mr. Maxwell.

(George humming)

(door clicking)

(George laughing)

If you have a minute, Mr. Maxwell,

there's something I'd like to talk to you about.

- Yes?

- I'd like a raise, Mr. Maxwell.

- Oh?

- Yes, I think I deserve one.

- Well, well, how much of a raise do you think you deserve?

- Well, I'd let you decide that.

You see, George, I know that the man

who came in here yesterday morning was Mr. Kirby.

The cab driver the newspaper said disappeared.

- I don't know what you're talking about, Miss Hinchley.

That man's name was Murphy, he's a dock worker.

I talked to him about union trouble.

- I won the Hardwicke Award as the most efficient secretary

in the building last year.

It was no mistake that Mr. Hardwicke assigned me to you.

You see, I have a tape recording

of your conversation with Mr. Kirby.

- A tape recording.

- Mr. Hardwicke keeps a very close eye

as well as ear on all of his employees.

His son-in-law is no exception.

- Do you mean this room is bugged?

- Well, only when I turn it on.

It's off right now.

(George sighs)

It was a very interesting conversation, George.

I transcribed it and typed you up a copy

to refresh your memory.

And then I put the tape away in my safety deposit box.

I want a raise.

And a little more attention paid to me.

You didn't even notice my new dress or my new hairstyle.

I think you could start noticing that kind of thing, George.

If you don't, I might take the recording

to Mr. Hardwicke, or the police.

- Miss Hinchley, you are a caution.

- I'm sure the police would agree.

- Yeah.

Oh, yes, that is a very, very pretty dress.

- I'm glad you like it.

- Miss Hinchley, you know, I suppose--

- Martha.

- Martha, I suppose I have been a little too indifferent

and businesslike and, well, not paying too much attention

but, well you see, I've had a lot on my mind. (laughs)

Have you, have you ever met my wife.

- No, I've only seen her from the window.

- Well, I told Mavis that I'd have lunch with her today.

How would you like to come along,

you can meet her and have some leftover gumbo

and we can talk about your raise right there at the house.

- At the Hardwicke place, oh!

- [George] One of the showplaces of the South.

- Oh, I know.

I've seen pictures of it in the magazines.

- Martha, do you like molasses cookies?

- Yes.

(phone clicking)

- Well, Mr. Hardwicke's Bessie makes

the best molasses cookies in town. (laughs)

Hello, darling.

Get the molasses cookies out,

honey, we're gonna have a guest for lunch.

Oh, and I thought I'd stop by the nursery

and pick up four more rose trees.

You might have William go ahead and start digging the bed.

(Martha laughs) (mysterious music)

Yes, dear.

Yes, mm-hmm, mm-hmm, that's right. (laughs)

- One always wonders what happens

after the curtain falls on a play.

In this case the police became intrigued

by the way the Maxwell's kept subtracting people

and adding rosebushes.

An investigator managed to dig up

some rather damaging evidence

that sent the Maxwell's away for life.

One further footnote, at the next flower show,

the Kirby rose won first place.

In regard to the medical use of firearms,

there have been some disturbing developments.

For example, some people have been playing Russian roulette,

putting a bullet in one chamber

and aspirin in the other five.

Of course, in either case,

it cures the headache and that's what really matters.

And now a commercial and some scenes

from our next production.