All language subtitles for Alan Cooke - Flat Two (1962) ENG

The end of the sentence.

The end of the sentence.

The table is against you tonight,
I'm afraid.

Oh, it's been against me for weeks.

That happens.

Shall we have a little talk in my office?

Please sit down.

May I give you a sherry?

Thank you.

We have to be careful in this club.

No money is exchanged on the premises,
as you know.

We operate on credit.

We depend on the goodwill of our patrons.

Let's get to the point, shall we?

Is my credit finished?

Not at all.

But you do owe us a little money.

Some time, perhaps.

When it's convenient.

How much?

I have your account here.

I brought it with me.

And just in case, we might have an
opportunity for a little chat.

10,000.

Within a few pounds.

10,000?

Oh, but that's impossible.

Astonishing how it mounts up.

But I don't believe it.

I mean, I know it's been some weeks.

Months?

I'm as inclined to slip past.

But it can't be.

Your IOUs?

If you would care to add them up.

No.

And if I may have your check.

Don't be silly.

I haven't got anything like that.

I see it.

Why didn't you stop me?

Or at least tell me sooner.

It didn't occur to me.

But don't worry.

We'll find some way.

Your father's a doctor, I see.

On the south coast.

Stop broker country.

Surely he could help?

No.

No, he must know anything about this at
all.

I got myself into it.

I must get myself out.

How?

Well, I get plenty of work.

As a model?

Yes.

It will take some time.

Oh, I know.

I'm awfully sorry.

I would like to help.

I don't see how you can or why you should.

You're too modest.

Let me talk to your father.

No, no, please.

He must know anything about it at all.

Well, you see, there's private reasons.

It would be an embarrassment to him.

Socially and professionally.

If this became public, is that it perhaps?

It would be disaster.

I understand.

Now, what can I do to help, I wonder?

Well, if you could just give me a little
time.

It may not be necessary.

I'm going away for a little vacation.

The south of France, Italy, Greece.

I would like to pay this debt myself
before I go.

You pay it?

Well, I don't see why you should.

It would make my vacation more enjoyable.

And much more enjoyable if you came with
me.

Especially a woman like you.

You do understand?

Yes.

Just until this little debt has been paid
off.

And your father has been saved from
disaster.

Let me give you another glass of sherry.

Hello.

All right.

I didn't expect you at this hour.

I have to see you.

Oh, good.

Look darling, give me ten minutes and then
we'll go out and find some coffee.

I've got to get these plans finished by
the money.

And if I get the job, it'll mean a lot of
money.

And we can get married.

We're not getting married.

That's what I came to tell you.

I'm sorry.

What did you say?

We're not getting married.

I don't think I'm going to see you
anymore.

Yeah.

Why not?

I've just decided.

Look, we've been engaged for more or less
a year now.

And up to last night I didn't see any lack
of enthusiasm on your part.

What's happened?

Nothing.

Well, I can change my mind, can't I?

I don't want to talk about it.

No, no, no.

Sit down.

Look, you can't just
walk in here and sack me

as if I was a waiter
with dirty fingernails.

What have you been doing today?

Working.

And this evening?

Have you been to Lubbers?

That's got nothing to do with it.

You could have.

I warned you about Lubber.

Are you in debt to him?

I don't want to talk about it.

How much?

Ten thousand.

Ten thousand?

Well, it just crept up.

Well, it's a bit of an understatement,
isn't it?

Has he got anything on paper?

I owe you.

Where?

At the club?

No.

No, he took them home with him.

Well, he can't sue you, you know.

Doesn't make any difference.

In a way, it makes it much worse.

Moral obligation?

From a man like Lubber.

I've got to pay him back somehow.

What's he going to do about it?

Nothing.

Oh, he's been awfully good about it.

Good?

Now, listen, I know Lubber.

I know the sort of reputation he has.

If he's doing anything good, he's going to
get something out of it.

I know the sort of proposition men like
Lubber make.

Well, did he?

Even if he did, he doesn't mean to say I
would.

I think I'll kill Lubber.

Well, why not?

You don't need a license to shoot a
vermin.

Bring me a whiskey, John.

Yes, Mr. Lubber.

May I join you?

No, certainly.

Sit down.

I want your advice.

Legal?

Yes.

You must go to a solicitor.

As a barrister, my lips are sealed until
I've been offered a brief.

Preferably marked with a handsome fee.

It's not so important.

Just a letter from someone who wants to
knock my block off.

What threatening violence, you mean?

To kill me?

Well, it's the police you want,
surely.

Someone you know?

An acquaintance.

And I don't want the police at all.

I don't want the fuss.

I just want to know
if there's some way I

can frighten this man
into behaving himself.

Have you got it here?

At my flat.

Come around for a drink this evening.

I can show it to you.

There's really nothing I can do.

Well, maybe you're right.

Perhaps I should go to the police.

If you saw this letter, you could advise
me.

I'm advising you now.

Still, if it'll make you happy.

Good.

Thank you.

Shall we say nine o'clock?

I have someone else coming at ten.

All right, I'll be there.

You know, this is the man you want,
not me.

I'm not persona grata with Mr. Hurley
Brown.

At nine o'clock, then?

All right.

Making a date with Luba?

Well, why not?

He amuses me in small dices.

Someone's been threatening to kill him.

I'm not surprised.

I wish you ever it is the best of luck.

That's a highly improper remark for a
policeman.

I'm off duty.

What was it?

A telephone or a letter?

Letter.

I'm going round to his place tonight to
see it.

Well, why not the police if he's worried?

He doesn't seem to like the police.

Yeah, they don't like him.

It isn't a racket he hasn't got a finger
in.

I've been waiting a long time for him.

We're just about to turn on the heat.

You ain't sound always personal.

It almost is.

I came across him in Malta after the war.

He was running a gambling joint.

He wrecked a few young officers' careers.

At least one shot himself.

You say Malta?

Do you know it?

Well, I was there a couple of years ago,
yes.

A few days.

Luba's come a long way since then.

But I think he's getting near the end of
the road.

Good evening, Mr. Luba.

There's no mail for you tonight,
sir.

Oh, allow me, sir.

You want the sack, my boy?

Oh, Charlie Berry.

Fancy seeing you here.

I thought you lived abroad these days.

No, I've just got back.

A few days holiday in the old country.

You come to see Mr. Luba?

Well, there's plenty of time.

I've, uh... Got an appointment
for Lieutenant Clark.

Look, why don't we nip out and have a
drink and have a talk about old times?

Well, I get an hour off a supper at 8.30.

There's a nice little pub there in the
corner we could go to, if you like.

Can you leave this lot?

Oh, I switch this down to the basement.

The, uh, wife takes care of it.

Oh, very agreeable.

A blessed state.

Sometimes.

Like it seems to Luba, please.

You're not a member, sir, are you?

No.

Well, in that case, I've got some
important business.

Any way he's not in tonight, sir.

Is, uh, Miss Martin in?

I could find out.

Do you want to see him?

No, no.

Tell me, do you know if Mr. Luba's at his
home?

I wouldn't know, sir.

Just your job, I suppose.

Thanks for the help.

Is this Mr. Luba in tonight?

No, Miss.

Oh, thank you.

Could you bring me some coffee?

At once, Miss.

Friend of yours just called up the door,
Miss.

Would you like to know?

Young gentleman.

Did he leave his name?

No.

Oh, what was he like?

He's fairly tall, well-built, fair.

He seemed very keen to talk to Mr. Luba.

Has he gone?

Yeah, a few minutes ago.

Why didn't you let him in?

It's a strict rule of the club,
yes, you know that.

No one's allowed in here unless they
remember.

He didn't say where he was going.

No, but, uh, between you and me,
I'd say Mr. Luba's flat.

Thank you.

Pleasure, Miss.

Oh, no, thank you.

I won't be needing that now.

I've been called away.

Can't be an English beer.

You know, that stuff you got in malt is
like tissue water.

Same again, Miss, please.

Mr. Luba spent some time in Malta,
didn't he?

Yeah, years ago, I was in business with
him.

Then he came back here to expand.

I stayed there.

Did him a little favor.

And regretted it ever since.

Yeah?

I married a woman he was finished with to
keep her quiet.

Oh, I got a nice little pension for it.

But then it stopped him.

After she had that little accident with a
sleeping drone, Mr. Perry.

It went on for a bit after that.

She was a nice kid when she was young,
wasn't she?

She became a... a slut.

And nagged me for 12 years without
stopping to draw breath.

I don't see why you shouldn't keep on
playing, do you?

Yes, she is of your life, Mr. Perry.

So I'm here to do her.

A little persuading.

He just made it.

He's going to scarp up.

He's leaving.

What makes you think that?

Well, I can't take this block.

I get access to the flats.

My wife cleans them, and so we notice
things like...

old papers getting thrown out or burnt.

Local bills getting paid.

Always pay your local bills when you're
thinking of leaving quietly, Mr. Perry.

Yeah.

I remember that.

And he drew 6,000 in cash today.

I can read blotting paper without a
mirror.

6,000 pounds.

That's right.

Same.

Little one.

I'm going to sit you no more.

Easy.

Hello, Rosie.

It's me.

You're back again.

Yep.

Any messages?

Right.

Can I add you anything for you,
sir?

Tell me if your clock's right.

Dead light, sir.

The appointment of Mr. Lube at 9 o'clock.

I got here a bit late.

You weren't here.

No, sir.

A supper break, 8.30 to 9.30.

Well, I've been ringing his doorbell for
the last 10 minutes.

Doesn't seem to be him.

He came in at 7.

Who's to slip down when I'm off duty?

Let me give him a ring, sir.

He's not there, sir.

But his doorbell's working, because I had
it.

Perhaps you'd like to leave a message,
sir.

I'll see that he gets it.

He becomes him before I go off duty.

Well, you might ask him to ring me at my
club, will you?

He knows the number.

My name's Wharton.

Very good, sir.

Is that the grapes?

Listen, there's a gentleman
the name of Mr. Charles

Berry, knocking back
a pint in your sloomba.

Berry?

P4?

Yes, that's right.

Put him on the blow, will you?

Tell him he's urgent.

I've got some good news for him.

Now, they were looking for you.

Telephone message, just a few minutes ago.

Oh.

You've seen Nuba?

Well, I got there rather late,
and he'd gone out.

I don't think he might have waited.

He didn't make rather a point of my going
round to see him.

Wasn't it 9 o'clock, he said?

You've certainly got a policeman's memory.

I should have been there on time,
but the traffic was heavy.

Telephone message, sir.

Came a few minutes ago, just before you
got back.

Oh, thank you, John.

Thank you.

Who the devil does he think he is?

Who?

Luba.

Listen to this.

Mr. Luba apologizes for being late,
and would be obliged if Mr. Wharton could

be at his flat as near 10 o'clock as
possible.

Very urgent.

Not on your line.

May I?

9.50.

We could be there at 5.10.

We?

You never know with threatening letters.

I've done a lot of hard work on Luba.

I should hate to lose him now.

Right.

You got your car here?

Yes, it's in the garage.

You took

your time, didn't you?

Well, one more pint, no harm of that.

What's the good news?

You say you only need 10 minutes for that
wall safe, right?

Look, I told you.

It's easy.

When I get this, Luba is out.

The flat is empty.

You're five minutes too early for your
date.

You're an old friend of his.

I know that.

So, I'm giving you the passkey.

So that you sit up in his flat and wait
until he comes back.

Flat too.

When he comes back...

I do this.

Now, that rings up in his sitting room.

That'll give you just about...

Just over a minute to get clear.

I'll try and order him longer if I can.

Now, the bedroom's on the left.

Skip it.

The sitting room's on the right.

Then there's a sort of sloping wall.

And the wall safe's on that.

Got it?

Tuffy from a kid.

You take it, then.

And my slice is 2,000.

Remember that.

Tuffy from a kid, Charlie boy.

Remember me?

Um... Oh, yes, sir.

Mr. Lemington.

That's right.

You were the architect that built this
block of flats.

You flatter me.

No, no.

I was only the assistant.

I'm building one now, there.

Same sort of thing.

All my own work.

Incidentally, you could help me.

Yes, sir.

Wasn't it here that we put in a fire
escape that had a lower section that lifts

up our counterweight to prevent
unauthorized use?

That's right.

So it operates the burglar arm when the
lower section is pulled down.

Does it give any trouble?

Not at all, sir.

And the alarm still works?

It's tested every three months.

Good as new.

Oh, fine.

Then I'll use the same system.

Good, sir.

Oh, uh... Mr. Lubber's in.

Mr. Lubber, sir.

No, he went out about 8.30.

Oh, not back yet.

No, sir.

Oh, pity.

I wanted to wear with him.

So it's not important.

I'll call back some other time.

You do that, sir.

Thanks, dear.

Oh, any time, sir.

Lubber?

Lubber?

Oh,

good evening, gentlemen.

Hello, Mr. Warner.

It's you.

Um, Mr. Lubber's not back yet,
sir.

I hope nothing's happened to him.

I hope not.

Um, would you, uh, like to leave a
message, sir?

Try his doorbell first.

You'd better come up, too.

Bring the Paski.

Paski?

Oh,

there was somebody in there at the safe.

Uh, burglars.

I scared them off.

Bring him in.

What's out there?

Ah, a fire escape, sir.

Name?

Charles Berry.

He's a friend of Mr. Lubber, sir.

He had an appointment at 10 o'clock.

He was a bit tired.

Okay, quiet.

Well?

Well, the porter gave me the Paski to,
uh, to wait in here.

I...

I was, uh, I was sitting in there when I
noticed this fellow making a run for it.

He... he must have been, uh, hiding in the
room beyond.

Yes, it was then I noticed the site was
open.

Did you try to stop him?

Give me a chance.

I was sitting.

By the time I got to the door,
he was gone.

Where were you sitting?

I was sitting there.

He must have come through here.

I ought to find Mr. Lubber.

Stay where you are.

Don't let them touch anything.

Well, I ought to find Mr. Lubber.

Well, he might want to get over to the
police.

I don't think he could improve on the
present situation.

Sir, Mr. Berry, you're sure there was
somebody else here besides yourself?

I've already told you.

Do you think I'm a liar?

I hope not.

How could I do?

Now, Assistant Commissioner here, I want
to talk to Detective Inspector Treanor.

Treanor?

I'm in Lubber's flat.

Yes, I want you to get over here right
away.

He's been murdered.

I've been so worried.

They told me at the club you were asking
for Lubber.

I thought perhaps you... Did I
remember what I said, is that it?

Well, not really, but I thought you might
get into an argument... I've been gambling.

Seemed to be catching.

Any mind came off?

Yeah.

These are yours.

He gave them, do you?

No, not exactly, but it amounts to the
same thing.

Anyway, they won't trouble you anymore.

But Frank... Let's go and
find some coffee, shall we?

I was thinking... Good.

It all helps.

He had a good eye, this chap.

He knocks off Lubber with one of these
things...

and then puts it back exactly where it
should be.

Was that the weapon?

The doctor says so.

There's a deeply depressed fracture at the
left temporal...

that fits the base of this thing like a
pair of corsets.

Well, not all corsets fit, dear.

You should know that.

Are you fingerprints?

Yes, one set.

Right hand.

Not Lubbers.

Not Berries.

Pity.

That'd be a bit too easy.

You can't expect jam on it.

Where was it done?

In the bedroom, I think.

Well, the indications that Lubber was
lying on the bed.

Anyway, I've got photographs.

Why was he taking the suit to the bathroom
afterwards?

Well, has the doctor any ideas?

Only that it makes the exact time of death
hard to estimate.

It's very warm in the bathroom.

Well, there's your reason.

Yes.

And again, it doesn't sound like Betty.

Well, shall we have another little talk
with him, eh?

Sir?

How much longer?

I told you.

You'll be in bed long before we will,
if that's any comfort to you.

Did you go into the bedroom, Mr. Berry?

No.

You came straight in here, eh?

Knew your way around.

What it told me.

So for all you know, Mr. Lubber could have
been asleep on the bed.

Yeah.

And asleep on the bed when Mr. Warden rang
the bell.

Could be.

The telephone doesn't ring in the bedroom.

And when this third party came into,
robbed the safe.

He'd be a sad man if he knew this third
party.

You what?

Lubber had 6,000 pounds on him.

In a money belt.

Oh, had he now?

Yes, going on his holidays, maybe.

Mr. Berry, would you describe this third
party again?

For the assistant commissioner?

I've described him once, so I had to go on
to...

I'm sure you'll agree it'll be a good
thing if we do find him.

For you.

Look, he was here, I swear it.

But he was clean, shaven, tall,
well built.

Anyone like that been around lately?

No.

Anyone call on Mr. Lubber, apart from Mr.
Warden?

No, only Mr. Lamington.

He was the architect that built this block
of flats.

He wanted to know...

Go on.

About the flower escape.

Well, well.

We are maybe going to have jam on it after
all, eh?

Eh?

You've got a sweet tooth, trainer.

I don't like too much jam.

All right, thank you, gentlemen.

That's all.

You can get your beds for the night.

What about the ash in the hearth?

The letter.

Nothing left but a bit of signature.

Charlie.

Berry?

He's no fool.

He admits writing to Lubber.

Now, what about?

Just to say, he's back in this country.

Why not meet and have a gossip over old
times?

No threats.

He wouldn't admit that anyhow.

Nor burning it, I suppose.

No.

If it's the one he talked to Mr. Warden
about, we haven't a chance of proving it.

Ah, well, that puts Berry in the clear.

It would appear, sir.

Fingerprints on this?

Yes, all over it.

Same as on the cannon thing in there.

I've been thinking.

What, again?

I told you whoever put that cannon back
had a good eye.

Yes.

Like an architect, maybe?

He set a pair pass.

And a few more suckers bite the dust.

At what time did this Mr. Lemminger ask
for Lubber?

A little after eight, sir.

And as soon as you told him that Lubber
wasn't in, he went away, eh?

Yes, sir.

At least, he asked for a member.

Who?

Miss Martins.

But you didn't admit him.

No, sir.

Was this Miss Martins in?

Yes, sir.

And then you came and told her?

Yes, sir.

What did she say?

Thank you.

Very polite.

Makes a nice change these days.

That would be Miss Susan Martins,
eh?

Right, sir.

Well, she wouldn't be at the table,
as I see her credit's been stopped.

So what was she doing here?

You.

She came in.

She asked for Mr. Lubber.

I told her he wasn't in.

Then she asked for a coffee.

But she left without drinking.

In a hurry, eh?

A bit frightened, maybe?

Maybe.

I don't know.

What does she have to be frightened of?

Exactly.

Frank, I must know.

What happened last night in Lubber's flat?

I've told you.

That Lubber wasn't there.

The safe just happened to be open.

You still don't believe me, do you?

I don't know what to believe after what
you said.

But I would kill Lubber.

Well, I might have.

If he'd been there.

The police are going to know you were
there.

Yes.

Well, what are you going to tell them?

The truth.

And I can't come to much harm.

I suppose not.

If... If I didn't kill him.

I was going to say if you can prove you
didn't kill him.

I have a lot of faith in our splendid
police.

If they might find out who did it,
then I'd be all right.

Well, don't you think so?

Silly song.

Frank!

Good afternoon, sir.

Detective Inspector Trainer, Scotland
Yard.

No, do come in.

Thank you.

Inspector Trainer, Mr. Martin.

This is a bit of luck.

I was coming around to see you after I had
a word with Mr. Lemmington.

This will save time for all of us.

Very convenient.

I think you know why I'm here,
sir.

Yes.

I just want to ask you some questions.

I won't try and trap you.

I'm sure that you'll tell me the truth.

I'm not sure everyone feels that.

I find your confidence a refreshing
change.

It's always the same with the ladies,
sir.

Very suspicious minds.

Now, let me tell you what I know.

Or most of it.

That'll save argument.

Well, please do.

About a quarter past eight last night,
you went round to Luba's Club.

You first asked for Mr. Luba, and then for
Miss Martin.

You were told that neither was in.

That's right.

You then went to Luba's apartment.

You had to talk with the porter,
Miller.

This was just before ten o'clock.

Yes.

Again you were told that Luba wasn't in.

So, you then went round to the back of the
block.

You disconnected the burglar alarm from
the fire escape.

Well, you were familiar with the
mechanism, of course.

Then you went up to
Luba's flat, leaving your

fingerprints all over
the place on the way.

Suppose you take over from there,
sir.

I told you they were splendid.

Briefly, I went inside.

I called to make quite sure Luba wasn't
there.

Then I went into a room I didn't put the
light on.

And I tripped over something on the floor.

It was a brass ornamental cannon.

I picked it up.

This was the bedroom?

Yes.

It wasn't the room I wanted, so I went
back into the hall.

And I put the cannon thing back where it
had obviously come from.

Only professional eye for detail,
eh?

Yes, I suppose so.

I went into the sitting room.

The safe happened to be opened.

I looked inside and found what I wanted.

What did you want, sir?

That's a private matter.

There are no private matters in a murder
case, sir.

You'll have to tell me.

Well, I'm not going to.

Let's be quite clear about that.

Well, you'll let that one stick to the
wall for the time being.

Anyway, it wasn't Luba's property.

He got it under law for living.

That wouldn't surprise me, sir.

Go on.

That's all there is.

I left the way I came.

I see.

You're sure Luba wasn't lying on the bed,
just having a nap.

Quite sure.

And that you didn't wake him up when you
came into the room.

He wasn't let her wake up.

Or that you didn't give him a tap on the
head to put him to sleep again.

A bit harder than you intended,
maybe.

I've told you he wasn't there.

Did you look in the bathroom?

No, I didn't want to waste time,
and I tripped over that candle thing.

I made a hell of a noise.

Did it occur to you to wonder why the safe
was open?

No, I was just glad.

I'm not very good at safes.

Does it occur to you now?

Yes, I suppose it does, in a way.

Yes.

Luba wasn't the person to go out and leave
his safe open.

Too much in it of interest to too many
people.

Blackmail?

Speak no ill of the dead, as they say,
sir.

But this is the point.

Luba might have left the safe open if he'd
been in the flat himself.

He wasn't there.

I suppose you don't
happen to know, miss, what

Mr. Lamingham was
looking for in that safe?

Why should I?

Well, you were a bit upset last night when
you heard that he was asking for Luba.

Was I?

Having a bit of trouble yourself,
I think.

If credit had been stopped, run of bad
luck at the tables, maybe.

Were you in debt to Luba?

Wait, let's be fair.

I warn you, we've inspected all Luba's
books.

Oh, Luba didn't keep books like that?

Just the IOUs, eh?

Yes.

But yours weren't in the safe with the
others, miss.

Did you burn them, sir?

Well, I wouldn't blame you.

It's the best thing to do with that kind
of dirty work.

Frank didn't kill Luba.

He didn't have to.

It is true.

I did owe him rather a lot of money.

How much?

Nearly ten thousand pounds.

Ten thousand pounds, eh?

Well, the way things are these days, that's
hard enough to be a motive for murder.

Not for a respectable young man like Mr.
Leamington.

Of course not.

Anyway, Luba wasn't going to be difficult
about it.

He was going to let me pay it back to him
gradually.

From your salary?

Yes.

As a model?

Yes.

Which is how much?

Twenty-five pounds a week?

About that, yes.

It would take a long time.

I know.

Very generous of Luba.

Yes, so you see, Frank didn't have to...

Luba has a record, Miss,
twice the length of the

human arm, and it
doesn't include generosity.

What else did he want?

Well, you'd be hanging with him?

Does it make a nice motive for murder,
eh?

I'm sorry, Miss.

I sometimes find my job distasteful,
but it has to be done.

Now, sir, we'll continue this discussion
somewhere else, eh?

Sir?

You look tired.

Every day?

Now, what's your advice?

Well, isn't that what Luba said to you,
uh, how long ago, three months?

Yes.

If he'd taken your advice, he might have
been alive today.

Well, bear it in mind.

Well, what's the problem?

They want me to defend Frank Leamington.

Well, I don't see why you shouldn't.

No, I'm too near to him.

I was too closely involved.

Mr. Cram, weren't you as a witness?

Well, they don't need me.

They've got the poor devil sewn up well
enough without my little peace.

Is he guilty?

Well, you should know.

You're the police.

There's a trainer's case.

Not mine.

Plenty of evidence.

Circumstantial, and juries don't like it.

There's a motive.

They like motives.

Well, I distrust them.

The same motive can
drive one man to murder,

another to suicide,
and another to drink.

You haven't told me yet whether you think
he's guilty.

I know he isn't.

Thinking isn't enough in a case like this.

Then you haven't much choice, have you?

Can't say no, isn't it?

It's capital murder.

He'll hang.

Seems a pity for a man like Luber.

There are other counsel.

I think you're the only one who can save
his neck.

You're going to a lot of trouble to undo
the trainer's work.

The trainer won't mind.

He's not concerned with getting someone.

He's just concerned with getting the right
one.

Frank Leamington,
you are charged with the

murder of Emil Luber on
the 21st of October last.

Are you guilty or not guilty?

Not guilty.

Members of the jury, prisoner of the bar,
Frank Leamington, is charged with the

murder of Emil Luber on the 21st of
October last.

To this indictment he has pleaded not
guilty, and it is your charge to say,

having heard the evidence, whether he be
guilty or not.

They've adjourned for lunch.

Warden should be here any moment.

Mr. Brown, tell me honestly, what chance
has Frank got?

Well, Warden is one of the great defense
lawyers of the generation.

If it were anyone else, I'd say not much.

Thank you.

You've been awfully kind, really,
considering.

Not that I'm on the other side.

I'm not, you know.

Neither is trainer.

We're... well, we're not on any side at
all.

Well, we were all right until Barry was
called.

He's not an attractive character.

He's clever and he's frightened.

What of?

He wants to save his own skin.

You mean he killed Luber?

He's got some reason to
think this could be pinned

on him, and he would
rather it was pinned on Frank.

I've got to break through that.

Got to make him show his hand.

Otherwise, I'm very much afraid we'll
fail.

And if Barry shows his hand, then you'll
find that he's got all the aces.

Well, he hasn't.

I've got the fifth flat man, Steve.

Now, Mr. Barry, you've told us how you
found the defendant in Luber's flat.

And since you're an oath, you've naturally
been telling us the truth.

That's right.

You've described in colorful detail the
sounds of a struggle and a blow struck in

the bedroom while you were in the sitting
room.

You've described the agitated appearance
of the defendant as he returned to the

sitting room, as you suggest to continue
right in the safe.

Has it occurred to you that you're very
effectively putting a rope around his neck?

Mr. Warden, are you attempting to
intimidate the witness?

If so, I cannot allow it.

As your lordship, please.

I'll put it to you in another way,
Mr. Barry.

Are you quite sure you're not a little
inspired by self-interest?

I don't know what you mean.

Well, you were a friend of Luber's.

That's right.

A very good friend.

Yes.

You've had no other reason to return to
Luber's flat at that time of night other

than to renew this old
friendship and to exchange

pleasant memories of
earlier days together.

I haven't.

But in your letter to Luber, you said,
and I quote...

You'll have to pay whether you like it or
not, or I'll squeeze the 12 years of

whining misery you let me in for into the
last 12 minutes of your life.

I didn't.

And how could you know that?

I've burned it.

You've burned what?

The letter.

But what letter?

The one you sent to Luber?

Of course.

No, there... there never was a letter.

But there was, Mr. Barry.

The ashes were found in the hearth.

You remember?

I put it to you that you went to Luber's
flat with murder in your heart and that

the defendant's arrival was most opportune
and that you're now determined to saddle

him with the crime, which was in fact
committed by...

You are about to make a most improper
remark.

I cannot allow it.

Although, I understand how you feel.

That was the most improper remark,
too.

But it saved your bacon.

After that, Warden could have talked him
into giving you a pension if he wanted to.

Well, he did well enough.

He talked him out of giving me
a... Well, not exactly a widow, but...

Mr. Lemington.

Delighted, sir.

No hard feelings, eh?

No one has ever
tried to get me hanged,

Mr. Treanor, with greater
courtesy or consideration.

You see anything of Mr. Warden,
do you?

I understand he's left the building,
sir.

I think he's a bit tired.

Warden.

Have you read these?

Yes, you've had some very good notices.

I'd like to know how you did it.

Some of them seem to think that you have
second sight.

Well, what do you think?

I expect it simpler than that.

It is.

Well, you knew that your man was innocent.

You're a brilliant lawyer.

You were determined not to let him go
under at any price.

In these circumstances, there are moments
of illumination.

You have a poetic fancy.

A bad thing in a policeman.

Treanor's much more practical.

I left in this afternoon with his nose
twitching like a bloodhound, making long

telephone calls about our friend,
Betty.

I wish him luck.

Treanor doesn't depend on luck.

Do you think you try and pin something,
huh, Betty?

I don't know.

Treanor's always full of little surprises.

Mr. Treanor, to see you, sir.

Treanor?

I must apologize for disturbing you here,
sir.

That's all right, Treanor.

What is it?

There's a line I think we ought to follow
without delay.

Oh, Betty?

Yes, I'm afraid he's been telling us
rather less than the whole truth.

That doesn't surprise me.

What have you got?

I thought we might go over to Lubber's
flat and see how my information works in.

Certainly, if you think it would help.

Yes, I think it might, sir.

I suppose you wouldn't care to come,
sir.

You must be tired.

Not at all.

I'd like to very much.

If Mr. Brown doesn't
object... Why should I?

I'll be very pleased.

We might find ourselves on opposite sides
again.

We don't take sides, sir, you and I.

Indeed, if you hadn't saved Mr. Leamington,
I might have a good deal on my conscience.

You might?

Well, I'll get my coat.

Well, he could have slept through that,
couldn't he?

Yeah, I should think he could.

I should imagine Lubber's a very heavy
sleeper.

On the telephones in the sitting room.

With the bedroom door shut, he could have
slept through that as well.

So we agree that Lubber could have been
here when Mr. Warden called.

And we found no evidence that he was
anywhere else.

Agree, sir?

Yes.

But there's one thing he couldn't have
slept through.

Oh, what?

And if Mr. Leamington was telling the
truth, it seems he was.

He fell over one of these things and made
a hell of a noise.

Why didn't Lubber hear that?

Already dead.

Exactly.

But if Lubber was on the bed in there,
I think Leamington would have seen him.

Light or no light?

So it looks as though he was stowed
away in the bathroom before Mr.

Leamington arrived.

Yeah, it does.

Now, who did that, I wonder?

Berry?

Berry says that Leamington was in the flat
when he got here.

Leamington says he never saw Berry at all.

Well, one of them is lying.

And I think it's Berry.

Why?

No fingerprints.

None at all.

Well, you put my cloud through the hoop of
leaving fingerprints all over the place.

Now you want to put Berry through it
because he doesn't.

If there's anything more suspicious than
someone who leaves their fingerprints on a

murder weapon, it's someone who leaves no
fingerprints at all.

This didn't occur to you before,
then.

We thought that Berry
came to the flat and surprised

Leamington that he was
only here for a few seconds.

But if we accept Leamington's story,
Berry must have been here and in hiding.

And if he left no fingerprints,
he took care not to.

You say Berry was in hiding.

Why?

He wasn't supposed to be here, but he had
an appointment with Luber at ten o'clock.

This was before ten o'clock.

He thought Luber was out when he knew
about Luber's six thousand pounds.

Well, how do you know?

I reminded Miller there was
a difference between being

accessory before a murder
and accessory before a theft.

I think this is what happened.

Leamington came through that window from
the fire escape.

He tossed up which way to go and chose the
wrong way.

Through there.

Into the bedroom.

And in here...

Berry had the safe open
by this time, but I don't

think he discovered yet
that the money wasn't in it.

He heard Leamington outside.

Neither he thought it was Luber.

Oh, he knew it couldn't be.

That's right, sir.

But either way, he was caught on the hop
with the safe open.

He had to get out of sight.

But he couldn't leave the flat through the
hall.

So he ducked in here.

Well, Leamington says
he looked in there, and

I have no doubt Berry
was behind the door.

That fits.

Go on.

Now, Berry heard Leamington fall over the
cannon.

And either he genuinely thought it was a
struggle and a blow.

Oh, he knew it wasn't.

But all he could do was stay where he was.

Meanwhile, through there in the bedroom,
Leamington picked up the cannon,

took it back into the hall, put it back on
the chest.

No fingerprints on it except Leamington's.

But don't forget,
gentlemen, Berry has been

careful, not to leave any
fingerprints anywhere.

And after Leamington went, Berry resumed
his search for the money.

That's right, sir.

And somewhere at this point, he discovered
the letter that he'd written to Luber.

It was probably lying on this desk.

And so he burned it.

He was in the middle of that when you
gentlemen got here.

A very quick thinker.

He turned the evidence against Leamington
very neatly.

And all this time, Luber was lying dead in
the bathroom.

That's right.

Killed by Berry.

Well, Berry had a double motive,
the money for one.

And he could have been surprised by Luber
while he was opening the safe.

And the other, they gave Mr. Brown the
gist of that, sir, earlier on.

It's a curious story.

It seems that Berry got
mixed up with Luber's

gambling business in
Malta at the end of the war.

Luber got a hold of a young girl,
same as he tried to get over Susan Martin,

and ruined her.

Somehow, he got Berry to marry her to keep
her quiet.

Berry wasn't a very nice man at all.

He made life very unpleasant for her.

And then a couple of years ago,
she killed herself.

Luber was paying Berry a pension.

With the lady's death, the pension
stopped.

And Berry didn't like that.

It seems he came home to take it out of
Luber.

It all seems to fit very nicely.

Nearly all, sir.

What does it?

That letter was burnt by the time you got
here, sir.

Luber didn't have it with him when he
spoke to you at the club.

I don't believe in second sight.

I'm curious to know how you knew what was
in it.

You're quite right, you know.

He's certainly full of little surprises.

She was your niece, wasn't she?

Yeah.

The girl that Luber ruined and Berry
married.

She was my sister's daughter.

I never married, you know.

When my sister and her husband were killed
in a car crash before the war,

the child came to me.

She was more than a niece.

Like a daughter, really.

She went out to Malta in one of the
services, I think.

Yes.

Rens.

She was 18.

She had too much pride.

I mean, she got involved with Luber.

She wouldn't let me help her.

She cut herself off from me completely.

I think she felt it would save me
embarrassment.

She saw marriage with Berry as a chance of
escape, poor child.

And that night when you called here,
the porter was out, eh?

Yeah.

Well, what happened?

I came up here.

Luber let me in, showed me the letter,
and told me the story.

It didn't connect at first.

You see, I didn't even know Berry's name.

I couldn't find him when I went out to
Malta after her death.

But as Luber talked, I began to realize he
was talking about her.

Well, I couldn't stand it.

I started to go.

Luber followed me.

Then in the hall, I told him.

Do you know what he did?

He began to laugh.

Laugh?

All I can remember is Luber's teeth
laughing.

He was still laughing when I put him on
the bed.

There was a bit of life in him,
but he died almost immediately.

Still laughing.

I remember I had to close his mouth.

And then?

Well, I knew he was
expecting Berry, and I rather

fancied the idea of Berry
dying for Luber's murder.

So I arranged it.

Unfortunately, Frank Leamington chose to
turn up at the wrong moment.

You phoned the club on the way back.

Well, Luber's accent was easy.

Anyway, it gave me a reasonable sort of
alibi.

Why did you quote from that letter,
sir?

You must have known that we'd be on to it.

I have too much respect for you and Mr.
Hurley-Brown to think that you'd miss it.

If I hadn't, then I'd have hanged
Leamington.

That wouldn't have been very satisfactory
for any of us.

No, sir.

It wouldn't.

If you don't mind my saying so, sir, I
am personally very much obliged to you.

Well, I suppose there's no chance of going
back to the club to drink.

I mean, before we adjourn to make a
statement.

No, better not, I think.

I'm sorry.

There's a nice little pub on the corner
about a couple of blocks away.

Why don't you two gentlemen wait there
till I get a car?

Thank you.