Original subtitles

Bang-bang! You're dead!

I was around here!

You can't shoot a bullet around a corner!

Bang, bang, you're dead! I got all of you!

No fair! Dotty is still alive!

Run, Dotty!

Bang, bang, you're dead!

Is there a lot of film?

Just a couple of rolls. It's all set up.

Well, that shouldn't take too long... About twenty minutes.

What happens with this place?

Earl already sold it.

Got twice as much as he paid for it.

Hey Steve, better keep an eye out front, see that nobody comes in.

All set out there?

Right-o.

Got nothing to say to you, fellas.

Whenever anything goes wrong in the world,

they come looking for me.

They've got to know I was a million miles away

at the time of the shooting.

Anyway, you fellows know me.

I'm a peaceful man.

Is that you, Chris?

When does he knock him off?

Wants to set it up for the day after tomorrow...

if we can set it up.

- It's sheer genius. - What?

Having the police work with us on this one.

Just a minute.

Mr. Mannix's office.

No, I'm sorry, Mrs. McNeill. Mr. Mannix isn't in at the moment.

Well, if you could tell me what it's all about,

I could have Mr. Mannix call...

Your daughter?

Well, where did all this take place, Mrs. McNeill?

Yes, yes, of course I can understand.

I'd be worried, too.

Oh hold on one second, Mrs. McNeill. Mr. Mannix just walked in.

Hi. Who's Mrs. McNeill?

Her daughter just overheard a murder plot

in the movie theater on Vine Street.

- I thought that theater was closed. - It is.

Her daughter is only nine years old,

and she was playing a game with some friends,

ran into the theater, and overheard some men

in the projection booth planning to kill someone.

Come on, Peggy.

Joe, just talk to her. She sounds awfully upset.

Yeah, okay. Hey, what's with the hammer?

Oh, I straightened out the pictures.

Oh.

Mrs. McNeill, Mr. Mannix will be right on the phone.

Mrs. McNeill? This is Joe Mannix.

Yes, my secretary told me that much.

Have you gone to the police?

Well, without any proof,

there's really not much they can do, Mrs. McNeill.

Are you sure this isn't just a misunderstanding

on your daughter's part?

Mrs. McNeill, why don't you bring your daughter down here

and let me hear the story in her own words, huh?

Fine.

Yes, mm-hmm.

Well, what do you think?

Pretty wild story.

It all depends on the little girl.

It's a terrible responsible secret,

so you'll have to swear and cross your heart.

Oh. I swear.

I guess I can tell the rest of it to you, then.

They're gonna kill him. They're gonna murder him.

In a parade.

Dorothy, what parade?

You didn't say anything about a parade?

Oh, I just put that in.

It was the way they killed Mr. Muffins.

Mr. Muffins?

In, uh, a comic strip.

There was a big band,

and Mr. Muffins was in an ostrich costume,

and just as the band started, they shot him,

which is why nobody heard the gun... On account of the trombones.

It was pretty slick, all right.

I'm sorry, Mr. Mannix.

Sometimes her mind sort of runs over a little.

All right, Dotty.

Now, I want you to talk into this.

I want you to tell me exactly what you heard the men say in the booth...

Nothing more. Nothing but the exact words.

- If you can remember them, okay? - Yes.

Wait a minute.

Okay.

- He said... - Who?

The taller one, thin.

With kind of red hair.

He said, "When does he knock him off?"

Then I couldn't hear the words

on account of the noise from the movie machine.

And then he was saying, "He wants to make it day after tomorrow,

"if we can set it up."

And then I couldn't hear.

And then he said, "What?"

- The redhead? - Mm-hmm.

Then the other one said...

"Having the police working with us on this one."

And they laughed.

And that's when they must have saw me. And I ran.

Hmm.

Someone in the police force a party to murder?

I know she's very imaginative,

and she's crazy about crime stories.

But you must believe me, I know when she's telling the truth.

All right, Dotty.

Very good. You know something?

Peggy here keeps candy in her file, under "C".

Would you like some?

Sure.

- Come along, Dotty. - Okay.

But that's what they said... honest.

We live just a little way from that theater, and those men saw her.

They'll be looking for her.

She's all I have.

I'm scared.

She's only a little girl.

I'm scared to death.

Dotty, they couldn't have shown film here this morning.

There's no arc in there.

They took them out. It's just what they would do.

They could've even sprayed dust all over.

Sprayed dust?

Like with Mr. No-nose.

So it would've proved there couldn't have been anyone in there.

And no one would believe her.

Well, I guess these people just didn't have a dust sprayer handy.

Aah!

Idiot! Stupid!

Are you all right?

Yeah, Mom.

Gee, that was pretty slick, all right.

I don't think you'd better stay at your apartment for the next couple of days.

Do you have some place you can stay?

We have a weekend cabin at Malibu.

We could stop by for some blankets and things.

Yeah, sure.

Peggy, can you get a hold of Mickey Riley?

I think so.

Well, I want him to keep an eye on them around the clock.

Right.

Can I come out now?

Come on. Upsey-daisy.

Just the way Dirty Dippy would do it.

He'd follow Mr. Mannix and try to kill him, and me.

Only he couldn't overcome Mr. Mannix.

Could he?

No, Dotty.

No, I bet not.

Come on, Dotty. We have to pack.

Oh, Mickey.

Thanks for coming.

Hi, Peg. You have nothing to fear.

I'll take over.

Come on and I'll introduce you to them.

The eyes are funny.

Eh, they're still funny.

Well, Sweetie, what do you mean, funny?

You mean they're too far apart? Too big?

Or they're too close together? Too small?

What do you mean, funny?

Okay, let's try some more.

Like this, more.

There. I think that's pretty good.

Dotty, now, this is the man

that was in the film they were showing?

Mm-hmm.

And that is the man who was sitting in the auditorium, watching the film?

Well, that's the best as I can do him.

They look pretty much alike to me.

Except for the mustache and the glasses.

These are only toys, Joe.

There's just not that many choices.

All I know is he had very scary eyes.

And he was more squish-like, like Mr. So-So Pilly.

Who?

Please, Mickey.

Let's not get into So-So Pilly.

- How's she doing. - Beautifully.

Mickey, see if you can set up the other man,

the one that was in the booth, the redhead.

I have a feeling he had an accident earlier today.

Okay.

Dotty, is this the man you saw in the movie?

Mm-hmm. The scary one.

Even when he kissed the girl, you could see he was scary.

- Kissed what girl? - The one in the movie.

Didn't I tell you that?

No, you didn't.

At the swimming pool. It was...

Wait a minute, Dotty.

Tell me all about the swimming pool, from the top.

- Well... - Dotty!

No stories.

You hear me?

Now, honey, you realize if you're telling the truth,

that this man... the scary one... Is going to be killed tomorrow,

if they can set it up.

I know.

There was a girl.

And she was very pretty.

She put her hand on his cheek, like this.

She liked him very much.

Yeah.

Right.

Okay.

They find him?

Yeah, off Malibu Canyon. He drove off the road.

Drove off the road? Who are they kidding?

Does this change our plans?

I don't know.

I don't know.

That kid stole our luck.

Stop worrying about the kid. We'll find her.

That's easy for you to say. You've got nothing to worry about.

She can point right at me, not at you or anybody else. Me!

Six months, a year from now, when we're split,

somebody's gonna walk up to me on the street and tap me on the shoulder.

And that's what I'm worried about!

Peggy, did you check on those numbers I phoned in?

- Yeah. - What have you got?

Some bad and some worse. In the metropolitan area,

there are a number of Samuels or Sammy Davids.

None with the address or telephone number

that has anything to do with 12064.

Mmm.

I don't recommend it. It has a burnt almond taste.

What is that... strychnine?

It always tastes like that.

Oh, thanks.

On those phone numbers...

The first one is an answering service, and the second one is a motel.

Now, they both answer. But who do I ask for?

You can't figure out a simple thing like that?

It gets worse.

I reported your "accident"...

The unknown speedster that tried to run you down.

Lieutenant Kramer wants to talk to you personally.

Hmm. Well, all in due time.

Oh, did they run a make on that car?

It was stolen from a parking lot

a couple of blocks up from the movie theater.

Well, we're batting one thousand.

Listen, Peggy, get some slides made on the film in that, will you?

Now, where's that motel?

Hollywood Center Motel. 6720 Sunset Boulevard.

All outgoing calls, 20 cents.

Keep a record of the calls?

Yep. Right here.

I have to check against the bills they send us.

And in case anybody squawks.

They've sure got it organized.

It's getting so you can't even make a phone call anymore

without everybody knowing about it.

You can always use the pay phone over there.

Number 32, Mr. Graham.

Third bungalow on the right.

And you can park right in front.

Hey, let me see that.

Now for an eye.

Mr. Mannix's office.

Yes, Jerry.

The Elite Amusement Corporation?

Ethelearl Corporation.

Oh, thanks, Jerry. You're a magician.

The theater is owned by Elite Amusement Corporation,

which is a branch of the Ethelearl Corporation.

And guess who the president is.

Don't tell me.

Earl Bannon. Right?

Right.

I think that's him, the one in the movie.

Big-time Vegas operator a few years back.

Hasn't been in the news for some time now.

Looks like somebody's trying to put him back in.

What about these two?

They didn't any of them have a beard.

This one?

That's him! He's the one that was watching the movie!

J. Lee.

Probably an import for the job.

New York studio.

You're sure that's the man registered at the motel?

Yeah. I went back to the motel, showed the maid the picture.

He had Bannon's picture, probably to make identification.

But why his own picture? Why these two?

It's the red herrings.

So nobody would know what he was up to.

Like with Mr. Dirty Dippy.

Where he had four grandmothers

who didn't have anything to do with it at all.

Need some help?

Yeah, thanks.

A bit early in the morning for cloak-and-dagger, Joe.

The package has it that someone in your department is covering.

Do you believe that?

Well, I have to, George. Everything else has proved out.

And Earl Bannon... He's back here, you know.

I've heard.

The word's out that some of his own people have him marked.

Why should they want to kill him?

Maybe a double-cross.

I was hoping you could tell me.

No.

Well, they've sent for somebody named J. Lee,

probably out of New York.

Here's his photo.

You've got it all taped, haven't you?

Well, not all.

It's supposed to happen today, if they can set it up.

- Go on. - Well, that's it.

Where did you get this package?

It, uh, came to a client of mine.

Oh, come on, Joe, don't make me push. I want all of it.

Look, George, I could have phoned it in anonymously.

Out of the goodness of my heart, I wanted you to have that photo.

Mannix, you walk, and I'll have a car right behind you.

Kramer.

Yes, put him through.

Yes, Dave.

Did they give an address?

Okay, we're on our way.

KBEX Newsroom just had a call. Anonymous.

There's going to be a blast. Guess whose house?

Yes, Sergeant. I want an ambulance and bomb squad

at 23730 Park Antigua...

Believed residence of Earl Bannon.

Okay, Joe, let's go.

Let me tell you something, Joe. You've gotten away with it so often,

you're beginning to think you're something special,

that you can get away with anything.

- George... - What makes this client so unusual?

And what makes you think the department can't protect him better than you can?

Don't tell me that there's somebody here working with those people,

because I don't believe it.

Look, if you're given four items, and three of them check out,

you've got to believe the fourth until proved otherwise.

Besides, it's a nine-year-old girl.

I don't care if she's the Sweetheart of Sigma Chi.

Look, Joe, do you realize... I mean, actually realize...

How far out you're standing?

The phrase is, I believe, "untenable position".

It's kind of like both your legs are asleep.

Look, I can keep trying to crack the case,

or you can cool me in one of your detention rooms.

Okay.

Keep trying.

Joe.

Remember, you're walking on eggshells.

Douglas Elementary. Miss Park.

This is the County Health Department calling... John Hayes.

We're trying to locate a little girl who was reportedly bitten by a dog

last night in the vicinity of Adam and Palms.

If she did live in that neighborhood,

most likely she would be in your school, wouldn't she?

Yes. Yes, she would.

We canvassed the neighborhood, but no luck.

We don't have the little girl's name, only a description.

Blonde, blue eyes, freckles.

And about nine years old.

If she was bitten, we don't think she was in school today.

Oh.

I wonder if you'd be good enough to give us the names and addresses

of the children who fit that description who were absent today.

- And your number is? - Oh, I'll hold on.

I'm in the neighborhood, on a pay phone.

Miss Park, this is an emergency.

Hold on.

- Mickey. - Hi, Joe.

Everything all right?

Fine.

I sure don't like this place.

It's too exposed. There's no phone.

It'll be one big silent worry all the time I'm gone.

What do you think I'm doing out here?

Hunting rabbits?

Come on, Joe.

Mr. Mannix!

Hello, Dot-Dot-Dotty.

- Hey, that's pretty good. - Sure.

Dotty, please turn that off.

Mother! It's Humphrey Bogart!

You've seen that picture four times.

It's where he cleans out the city from all the corruption.

We interrupt this program

to bring you a news bulletin, a KBEX exclusive,

the actual photographing of a scene of unparalleled criminal violence.

At 9:18 this morning, only seconds before police arrived on the scene,

acting on a tip received via KBEX newsroom,

a man left his house, climbed into his car,

and turned on the ignition switch.

Earl Bannon was killed instantly.

Wow.

It's terrible.

We just couldn't get there in time.

Dotty?

Dotty, look at me.

I mean, really look at me.

Now, that's better.

Why did they use a bomb?

I don't know. Maybe they wanted to make sure.

Now let's talk about something else.

Oh, my.

Hey, that's enough.

I'll take her.

Come on, let's fix Mr. Mannix and Mickey some coffee.

Dolores McNeill?

Dotty! Why, that poor child.

So, you see, Mrs. Michaels, we do have to find her.

And since you are the manager of the building, we thought...

Yes, yes, yes.

Do you know where they've gone?

No.

Yes. In a way, maybe I do.

They have a cabin.

I saw them packing their car... Blankets and things.

Do you know where the cabin is?

Just a moment.

Ah, here it is.

It's at 220 Pine Road, at Malibu Lake.

220 Pine Road.

Malibu Lake.

Thank you, Mrs. Michaels.

Oh, Lieutenant Kramer called.

They identified your J. Lee from a photo studio in New York.

Jeremy Lee... off-Broadway actor

and more or less unemployable.

Why?

A whole series of incidents...

Missed performances, neurotic behavior.

And suspected of being an acid head.

Peggy, it's all beginning to fit.

Yeah.

Here, take a look at this.

Two bearded men.

Both of them Lee, with makeup

It's been sitting there in front of us all the time.

But why would they want an actor?

Exactly. Why hire an actor to wire a bomb to a car?

Why run the film in the movie theater?

Why did Dotty make her pictures of the two men look alike?

She saw it, but she didn't realize what she was seeing.

It's all here, bigger than life, and we missed it.

But why did they run the film in the theater?

They were conning Lee into impersonating Bannon.

Then it was Lee that went up in the car.

Right. He didn't know it,

but he was hired to give his most explosive performance.

Peggy, did you get those slides back?

All set up and ready to go.

We may have missed something there, too.

Now, those are phone numbers, right?

Right.

"Sammy. Mr. David. 12064."

Can't be a phone number. It's only five digits.

"Mr. David. 12..."

Peggy, draw a "T".

Just make a "T" right there.

That's it.

That's the way some people make a "T".

That's not an "R", that's a "T".

Mount David. 12064 Mount David.

- That's an address. - Right.

You checking that cross-directory?

Yes, I am.

Is there a Mount David?

Wait a minute.

Ah. Mount David.

12064 Mount David Road.

Telephone number 540-3599.

Samantha Moore.

Samantha.

Sammy.

Sammy?

Don't be frightened

I'm not frightened.

How did you get in here?

Oh, the back door was open.

No, it wasn't.

It is now.

Who are you?

Joe Mannix.

It doesn't ring.

I just wanted to close the drapes

so that the neighbors won't know that I'm entertaining strangers.

I'm, looking for Earl Bannon, Sammy.

You've made a miscalculation somewhere.

What'd he do, get caught with his hand in the cookie jar again?

Say, who's he running from?

Pepper Hanson? Duke Connelly?

Mister, you're crazy.

Well, it doesn't matter who.

Just get the word around to the proper quarters

that Earl Bannon is still alive.

Alive?

Well, the explosion was a frame-up.

It wasn't Earl.

And the police... they weren't in on it.

They were just called to be witnesses, to nail it down that Bannon was dead.

But Pepper, Duke, or whoever...

They'll never stop looking for him,

no matter how many times they hear Bannon's dead.

You're adorable, baby.

But you're nuts.

And the police will be looking for him, too.

And you'll be an accessory to murder.

Not if I tell somebody what I know.

Somebody official.

So, I'll tell you.

I just heard that Earl is involved

in some kind of a scheme to blow up somebody.

It won't work.

Look, if I knew where he was, I'd tell you, but I don't.

Got an extension?

All right, now answer it.

Be careful what you say.

Remember...

20 years can be a long time.

You love him that much?

Hello?

- Sammy, is Earl there? - No.

Look, I got the little girl who was at the theater.

I'll be at the yard.

- Where's the yard? - I don't know.

Sammy, she's a nine-year-old girl.

I don't know!

Who are you expecting?

Who are you expecting?

Earl. He won't come in.

- Why not? - I closed the drapes.

It's a signal between us.

Get down on the floor.

Earl!

Sammy?

Who's in there with you?

It's Joe Mannix.

You don't want the little kid hurt.

Send her out.

I'll make a deal, Bannon

No deal.

You've got no choice.

Wrong.

Sammy?

Tell him I'm shot.

It's okay, Earl. Steve shot him.

I'm dead.

He's dead.

Come on out, Sammy.

You're hurt.

I can't, Earl.

I'm hurt.

Mr. Mannix's office.

Peggy? Now, just listen. I've got Bannon.

One of your boys just called Sammy,

and said you were holding the little girl at a yard.

Where's the yard?

You've got five seconds.

One, two, three...

four...

Jefferson.

Just past Haines Field

What kind of yard?

Lumber yard.

Storage.

Back of the mill.

Peggy?

Should I call Lieutenant Kramer?

Yeah. But don't hold it up if you can't get him personally.

Send some cars up to the cabin,

and you'd better send an ambulance over to the Mount David address.

Will do.

Where are they?

Upstairs in the shed.

Out.

I don't care about you or Sammy.

I want the little girl.

You go along with me, and I'll see what I can do for you.

You're taking me in.

I'll be your fall guy.

Once we get inside, you tell them the deal's off.

Okay.

You stay here.

Let's go.

Chris?

Yeah, Earl.

I've got Mannix. We're coming in.

Okay.

Oh, Mr. Mannix.

I'm sorry, Dotty.

I told you not to bother with the girl!

Yeah, sure. She'd only seen me.

Now she's seen you. We're partners.

Where's Steve?

He went ahead.

Why'd he do that?

Because I told him to, that's why.

What is this?

Dotty, what about your mother and Mickey?

My mommy was away, and he caught Mickey on the head.

He was pretty clever, all right.

Hold it right there, Mannix.

All right, Bannon, tell him.

I don't know.

- What do you mean, you don't know? - Just that.

You haven't got a chance.

All you're doing is buying yourself a couple of extra minutes.

Right now that sounds pretty good to me.

Hey, what's with you two?

Let's make it and get out of here.

Mr. Mannix, you can't let them!

Stay put, kid!

Get going!

Sorry, George. It seems things went a little wrong.

Yeah, somewhat.

We almost didn't make it, did we?

Oh, George, I'd like you to meet my client.

Miss Dotty McNeill, Lieutenant Kramer.

- Hello. - How do you do?

Okay, you... let's go.

I'm sorry I was so much trouble.

Anytime, Miss McNeill. Anytime.

It's just not the same when it's real, is it?

No.

It's not the same.