Original subtitles

Hey! Hey, quiet!

Quiet, gentlemen. Quiet, boys.

Mr. Fry's going to make a statement.

Well, gentlemen, it's great to be back in L.A.

It's even greater to see all you boys again.

But the greatest thing that's happened to me...

Hey, she's a knockout, Tony.

Yes, gentlemen.

Ask, and it shall be given.

Seek, and you shall find.

Knock, as the little lady knocked on my heart,

and it shall be opened unto you.

Are you, uh, collaborating

with the apostles on this picture, Mr. Fry?

All right, all right, I'll talk English.

The little lady got me to pop the question.

Something no lady's been able to do before.

Yes, gentlemen.

My fiancée, Miss Kathy Anders.

Oh, Kathy, Kathy.

Say hello to the boys.

Hi.

Big smile.

Is it true you're an actress, Miss Anders?

Well, gee, you know, I really would like to be...

What were you doing in Mexico?

Did you go down there for a part in his picture?

Where did you and Tony meet?

Well, we met on the set.

You see, I was vacationing in Puerto Covar, and Mr. Stark...

That's that gentleman over there...

He's Tony's assistant director,

and he introduced us to us, and from then on...

And-and-and a week later, I proposed to her.

Me, Tony Fry.

Well, I guess that's all there is

to say right now, gentlemen.

It's been a long plane trip, and the little lady's tired.

Take care of them, Coley.

Wait a minute, boss.

Remember, fellas, when you file your stories,

the name of the picture... Forbidden Dust.

You got it, fellas?

Forbidden Dust... The name of the picture.

Come on, now, hold it.

Oh, it's my best. Absolutely my best.

If I don't get another International Film Trophy

- for this one... - Can I quote you on that?

Quote me in capital letters.

This is the best work I've done since Toys of Love.

Can we also quote you to the effect

that your new movie is a love story

between a young girl and an older man,

and that your so-called engagement to Miss Anders here

is nothing but a publicity stunt?

- Why, you... - Please, darling.

I want you to understand

that my relationship with Mr. Fry

has nothing to do with anything make-believe or artificial.

I wouldn't care if there were 100 years separating us in age.

Tony is the most vital,

electrifying man I've ever known,

and I only hope that I can be worthy

to receive the love of so great and so talented a human being.

Well, gentlemen, I think that says it all.

Don't you?

All right, fellas, drinks are on us.

Forbidden Dust.

Let's go to the bar.

Come on, boys.

Baby, you were all right.

You look me up sometime.

Maybe I'll really give you a bit in a film.

- Was I really okay, Mr. Fry? - You were great, kid.

You were great.

Only whoever let that one wisenheimer in ought to be...

Tony, what worries me is Pennington Studios.

Now, suppose your publicity doesn't come off.

Suppose J.J. won't even see you.

Howard, Howard, you're a chronic worrier.

Haven't you learned by now that in this town,

what Tony Fry wants, Tony Fry gets?

- Mr. Anthony Fry? - Yeah.

Have a message for you, sir.

Golly, I've really never had to act before.

Oh, you were fine, kid... fine.

Uh, Howard, take care of the luggage, will you?

And run the little lady down to her hotel.

I've got something to attend to this evening.

Mr. Fry, what should I wear to that party tomorrow?

Ask my secretary, honey. Ask my secretary.

I'm busy.

Golly, he-he sounded a little upset.

Uh, here, would you look after this stuff?

I'll meet you out by the taxicabs.

You know, it-it's such a wonderful opportunity,

but I don't want to do anything

to aggravate him or upset him or anything.

Oh, kid, you're earning a fast buck.

Now, relax.

Just do what you're told, huh?

Yes, sir.

Good.

Well, well, well.

Joannie.

Tony, I've been waiting for over an hour.

And such patience will be rewarded.

Tony, stop it.

Someone might see us.

Oh, please sit down.

All right, all right.

Let's go.

Well, it's not

the clearest picture I've ever seen, Miss...

James. Kathy James.

I know that, Mr. Drake, but unfortunately,

it was the best I could do.

All I want to know is whether or not

you'll be able to identify that woman for me.

Well, I can start with this partial license plate,

but it may take a day or two.

Well, you have my number.

I'll expect a call from you.

What about the man in the picture?

What about him?

Tony Fry, the director.

You want anything on him?

I know all there is to know about Mr. Fry, thank you.

Oh, you do? I see.

I beg your pardon.

I'm sorry, but you just don't seem

the type to make a statement like that.

And just what exactly does that mean?

Well, the guy does have quite a reputation.

Look, Miss James... Kathy... Why don't you

- tell me what this is... - Mr. Drake,

you were recommended for your investigative work

and not for anything else.

And you look too young to be prying

into places where you might get burned.

You know, some people in Hollywood

- play awful rough, Kathy. - I know all there is

to know about Hollywood, Mr. Drake.

Yes, and just exactly how to deal with it.

Now, will you please just do as you're told?

What?

Oh, I can't hear you.

No, no, no, no.

I said that Mr. Fry isn't in just now.

No, I don't know when.

Well, I suggest that you try later on in the day.

He just arrived back home yesterday.

Wait a minute. Hold on, please.

Well, if it isn't Lady Lydia.

- Good morning. Good morning. - Good morning.

Howard, this man wants to talk to Tony.

Well, isn't he here?

Not awake yet.

I had to get the manager to let me in.

Hmm. Then forget it.

He hasn't changed since we went away.

But this is long-distance... Mexico City.

A Mr. Gomez.

Okay. Okay.

I'll try.

Hello, Señor Gomez.

Uh, no, uh, this isn't Anthony Fry.

It's Howard Stark.

Uh, you know, his assistant director.

Uh, we met one day on the set.

Uh, uh, yes, uh, we flew back yesterday.

An emergency.

Oh, no, no, nothing to do with the film.

Uh, yes, I know... uh, the money.

Well, on Mr. Fry's behalf,

I can assure you that, uh,

we'll pay off the entire amount just as soon as the...

What?

Oh, but... but-but-but that's impossible.

I mean, you can't... Uh, h-hello?

Hello. Hello?

He's giving Tony 48 hours to pay off the $50,000.

Either that, or he'll get the Mexican court

to okay a forced sale

to satisfy the lien he has on the negative.

Well, how can he do that?

Look, I read in the newspapers you brought back

at least three reels of edited key scenes.

Oh, and so we have, dear lady.

And here they are.

Happy New Year.

Oh, no.

Oh, no, it's not like that last picture in Spain.

That one never even got made.

Oh, no, of course not.

This is it.

We've got a real beauty this time.

Where's the film?

Well, Tony was processing it through Gomez's laboratories

when the señor discovered we were broke.

He just locked up our negatives

until Tony comes up with the $50,000.

Oh, so that's why Tony rushed back here.

His target's J.J. Pennington.

He's wired him, he's called him, but so far, no luck.

Well, what did he expect?

He walked out on Pennington once

right in the middle of a picture.

Ah.

Well, my three right arms.

How nice to see you all under one roof.

Morning, boss.

Well, precious, did you miss me?

I lost ten pounds.

Good.

Nothing like a skinny secretary with a warm heart

to make a man feel at home in his own apartment.

Where's the coffee?

Tony, Gomez called.

He's giving you just two days to raise the money.

Okay.

Uh, did you get the racing form?

No. Look, we spent a year putting that picture together.

Every cent you own is invested in it.

How can you be so...

Howard, baby, Howard, I've got an angel.

An angel who's going to finance us all the way through.

An angel named J.J. Pennington.

One night in town, and you've got him in your hip pocket.

Oh, sure.

What time is it? 10:30 yet?

Oh, boss, will you listen to him now?

I'll bet you haven't even spoken to Pennington yet.

No, as a matter of fact, I haven't.

Uh... But I expect to.

As a matter of fact,

you might say it's a foregone conclusion

that I'm just about to talk to him.

Hello.

Speaking.

Well, how nice to hear from you, J.J.

Yeah, it has been a long time, baby.

Well, this is so unexpected.

Well, yeah, I am busy,

but never too busy for you, baby.

All right, your office?

Give me a chance to wake up, and I'll be there.

Right, J.J.

Just one thing, Tony.

Why do you come to me now?

As I remember it, you wanted to produce

and finance this baby all by yourself.

J.J., I've never forgotten it was you

who gave me my first break in this racket.

Yes, and how many times did I throw you off the lot?

Ha! Water under the bridge, J.J.

Kids' stuff.

I want to tell you the truth.

The minute I finished writing this picture,

I knew it was the best thing that had ever come out of me.

Now, you can call it my way

of repaying an old debt if you like,

but now that the picture's finished,

I want you aboard as my co-producer.

Well, let's say a friend persuaded me to call you.

I'll admit I'm interested, but I'll need

a little time to think about it.

Say, about, uh... 24 hours.

Whatever's your pleasure.

Take all the time you want.

I'll need a breakdown of your deferments...

Money still due, all the figures.

They'll be on your desk first thing in the morning.

That's fine.

J.J., you make the right decision on this,

I'll take you for a ride

to the rainbow with this picture.

Your studio's first International Film Trophy

in ten years.

I'll be in touch, Tony.

Oh, J.J.?

Remember, that International is the big one.

Don't wait too long, baby.

Right, Tony.

♪♪

Well, that's it, Joannie.

You just keep on doing what you've been doing,

and you'll have nothing to worry about.

Get out of my car, please.

Thanks for the ride, sweetie.

You're a heel, and a sadist and a...

Sure, sure.

But I'm also an old, old friend who remembers everything.

Some people today might not quite understand.

Tony, I'm warning you, leave me alone.

I won't be used again... Not ever.

I'll kill you before I'll...

Want to bet, sweetie?

Good night, Joannie.

Well, hi, kid. What are you doing here?

Oh, well, I was just on my way to Tony's apartment

to see what time he needs me for publicity tomorrow.

Oh, I'm sure Lydia would have phoned you if there...

Hey, that's my camera.

I forgot it last night, didn't I?

Well, thanks for bringing it over.

Come on.

Where is he? On the phone in there?

Yes, and I don't want to disturb him,

but I'm sure there's nothing new on the schedule, Kathy.

Maybe I'd better wait just to make sure,

- don't you think? - Suit yourself.

- Want a drink, kid? - No, thank you.

Well, maybe if you have something in the kitchen.

Ginger ale or something.

I'll take a look.

No, no. No, you don't want anything.

Come on, kid. No point in you hanging around.

- I only thought... - Come on, come on.

Now what's the big idea, anyway?

- I don't know what you're talking about. - Hanging around.

Now, you know there isn't any publicity stuff...

I just wanted to be here in case he needs me...

In Mexico, you were a sweet kid.

You said your only ambition was to become an actress.

- So I introduced you to him... - And I appreciate it, Mr. Stark.

- I'm only... - What are you really up to?

- Nothing, nothing... - Then don't crowd your luck.

- Stay out of his hair. - Yes, sir.

- Now go on back to your hotel. - I'm sorry.

- Go on, go on, beat it. - All right, all right.

Anders, please.

Thank you.

Excuse me, ma'am.

Are you Miss James? Miss Kathy James?

No, no. My name is Anders.

Sure, I know. Would you mind coming with me?

Who are you? I haven't done anything wrong.

It's all right, miss. I'm not a policeman.

I'm just a gate guard in the studio.

Studio?

Pennington Studios. The boss wants to see you.

Who?

J.J. himself. He wants to see you right away.

Do you mind?

Come in.

I brought her up the back way, sir. I'm sure nobody noticed.

That's all right, Joe. That'll, be all. Thanks.

Thank you, sir.

Sit down, won't you, Kathy?

Please.

What is it you wanted to see me about, Mr. Pennington?

I guess you don't remember me, do you?

No.

You used to sit behind the camera

with your father, sometimes.

Couple of my first pictures.

Oh.

Of course, you were four or five.

That was before your mother took you back East, I guess.

But I've seen a couple of wallet snapshots since then.

Then that's why he called me Miss James instead of Anders.

Yes.

Pretty silly name, that Anders.

What's this all about, Kathy?

Well, I've really always wanted to be an actress very badly,

and so when Tony asked me to marry him, I just...

I ought to spank you with this.

Of all the cheap, obvious publicity stunts

I've ever seen... Typical Tony Fry stuff.

Mr. Pennington, I have to get ahead somehow.

Now, Kathy,

for a girl whose father is one of the finest cameramen

in the world, one of the nicest, and kindest men

I've ever known, for his daughter

to get mixed up in a thing like this, doesn't make sense.

Is?

Is? Was.

Was, was, was... Now, Kathy.

Daddy was all those things.

But you left something out, didn't you?

Daddy is one of the greatest drinkers in the world.

Oh, yes, he's earning his title again.

But that's something you wouldn't know about.

Oh, yes, I do. He was on the wagon for years.

And the man who drove him back to it was Tony Fry.

Yes, I know all about that fiasco in Spain.

Your father being blamed for the picture

never getting off the ground...

blamed by the backers for not getting their money back

because his preliminary film came back

with liquor spots all over it,

blamed by Tony Fry for everything.

It's not true.

I can't prove it, and nobody can prove it for me,

but it's not true.

Daddy didn't drink until afterwards.

He didn't do all those things he said.

Kathy, he tangled with the wrong man.

A cheat, a fraud, a liar.

So why on earth you're trying to tangle with the same Tony Fry...

Mr. Pennington,

there's only one way to deal with Hollywood,

and with a creature like him,

and we both know what that one way is.

Now look here... Well, I've got a chance.

I'm going to make Tony Fry clear my father's name.

I'm going to make him eat his own dirt,

if it's the last thing I do.

I could blow this great, big publicity up, couldn't I?

But I've got something even better.

I'm getting something on him.

I don't know what it is or who it is yet,

but when I find out, I'm gonna expose him...

Now just a minute!

Hollywood isn't exactly what you say.

- Your father would agree. - My father doesn't...

Your father's in Denver.

We could ask him.

What?

One of my men located him a couple of weeks ago.

He's not drunk.

He's sick.

Why didn't anybody tell me?

Well, he didn't want his family told

until he could pull himself together.

But that'll be quick, don't worry,

because he's going to photograph a big, big picture for us,

and when he's through here, every studio in town

will be lining up.

We're not all ogres, you know?

There are some people who like nice people.

I'm sorry. I didn't know.

Well, Kathy, I don't blame you.

But you see how silly it is

for a kid to just hurt herself...

hurt others, maybe, too,

by, well, I don't know what it is you think

you've got on Tony Fry... Anybody home?

Oh, in here, Joanne.

- Hi. - Hi.

Oh, I'm sorry.

I was driving by and I saw your light.

Well, that's all right.

This is Kathy James, the cameraman's daughter, remember?

Well, of course. Hello.

My wife, Joanne. Any reason why

we can't take Kathy home for a bite and drink?

Well, not unless the children have burned the house down.

- Well, good. - Excuse me. I'm sorry.

- Very sorry. - Kathy.

Hello.

Oh, Mr. Fry.

What are you doing here, kid?

What's with the film?

Nothing. Nothing.

Oh, wait a minute. Wait a minute.

You're not leaving here till you tell me

what you're trying to pull on Tony Fry.

You're gonna stay right here till you tell me

what's so special about this film.

All right. All right. Come on.

- No, please. - Tell me.

- What's on this film? - Nothing, nothing.

- Tell me! - Please, let me go.

Boss! Boss, you all right?

Boss!

- Hey, boss? - What's going on?

I don't know. Something's wrong in here.

Hey, could you help us? We think somebody's hurt in there.

Listen.

♪♪

He's dead.

Dead.

Hello?

Oh, Paul... No, you didn't disturb me.

No more than you usually do at this hour. What's up?

I'm sorry, Perry.

I'm in kind of a bind.

Well, don't ask any questions

because I haven't got any answers.

Well, I've got a client who's in an awful rough jam.

Good evening, Miss James.

Who are you?

How did you get in my room?

Forgive me for alarming you.

My name is Mason. I'm a lawyer.

A friend of Paul Drake.

He called and asked that I stop by to see you.

He thinks you might be in serious trouble.

Trouble?

Why would I be in any kind of trouble?

Where have you been for the last hour?

In the park... sitting and thinking.

About Anthony Fry?

Maybe. Why?

Kathy... I'm here to help you.

Tonight Anthony Fry was murdered.

Oh...

While there are probably a hundred people

with a hundred motives for killing Fry,

you were the one who was seen leaving his apartment

just a few minutes after he was found with his head bashed in.

Oh, no!

Go ahead, Kathy.

We'll talk when you're ready.

You mean, after she clouted him on the head,

she ran out into the hall?

That's right. She stayed there for several minutes

scared to death, trying to collect herself,

and then she saw someone coming.

So then she sneaked back into the apartment,

picked up the contents of her purse,

and ran out the back way.

That's her story.

She's admitting she killed Fry.

- She thinks she did. - What do you mean by that?

Well, she doesn't know how long she was out there

in the hall, and there is a back door to that apartment.

Sure, from the outside, on the balcony.

Somebody else could have come in while she was in the hall.

Exactly. So find that photograph.

What photograph?

The one she said she had in an envelope,

showed you in your office.

It was in her purse, she said.

Well, it's not there now.

I still held a grievance against Tony, yes.

He pulled some raw deals on me in the past,

but business is business.

He wanted my studio to release his latest picture...

The one he just completed in Mexico.

I was to let him know in 24 hours.

Were you also going to let him know

that you were aware of his financial bind,

and that late last night you were trying to negotiate

with a certain Señor Gomez in Mexico City,

in regard to his $50,000 lien on Fry's negative?

Are you insinuating that...?

Let's save ourselves some time, Mr. Pennington.

I have contacts in Mexico City.

Well, I'll admit I was trying to outmaneuver him.

If you knew Fry, that was the only way to deal with him...

Keep two steps ahead.

Or two steps behind.

Looking for the crown jewels?

Oh, come on, I'll help you.

Come on in, Mr. Drake. Join the party.

Hello, Miss Lawrence.

I don't get it.

Well, this is Paul Drake.

Last night, he helped when we broke down the door.

He's a private investigator.

I'm trying to save a client of mine

a lot of unnecessary trouble.

Last night, she may have lost an envelope in this room...

One that might prove embarrassing to her,

and several other people if it were found now.

Well, why come to my desk?

I didn't see it.

Maybe it got mixed up

with that bunch of papers Tony had in here yesterday.

No, couldn't have. I took them earlier.

You?

Well, he wanted

to double check the financial report

he was preparing to show Pennington today.

He asked if I would glance over the papers

to make sure everything was in order.

Oh. Well, where are the papers now?

In a drawer in my apartment.

What time did you leave Fry last night?

Oh, about 9:30.

Coley was with me.

Uh, he went to his apartment.

Then I went back to mine.

Uh, oh, Tony asked me to leave the door unlatched.

I-I assumed he was expecting a lady friend.

Did he say who?

No. No, he didn't.

I was alone

right here in my own apartment last night, Mr. Mason.

That's my story, and I'm stuck with it.

Only I didn't kill the boss.

Me... I worshipped the guy.

Howard Stark said that earlier,

you and he left Fry's apartment together.

Is that correct?

Yeah. Yeah, he was carrying this big pile of papers

the boss wanted him to read.

And you merely came in here to watch television?

Now, you make it sound like I need an alibi.

It's possible.

Coley Barnes?

Oh, what are you doing here, Perry?

I'd like to ask you the same thing.

I sent for the lieutenant, Mr. Mason.

I have something I want to surrender to him.

Something you found, perhaps?

Piece of paper.

An agreement signed by Tony Fry and myself.

An agreement which states I put up $200,000

to get his picture rolling in Mexico.

That's a lot of money.

You bet it is.

But the point is, I own most of that picture.

Now, whether he's alive or dead,

that film is mine, lock, stock, and barrel.

So, if you think I'd have any reason to kill Tony Fry...

We've already arrested the person we want, Mr. Barnes.

About ten minutes ago.

We've had her under constant surveillance

ever since you contacted her last night.

Kathy James?

Uh-huh.

Something else you don't know.

Tell Paul Drake he can stop

looking for that picture in the envelope.

- We found it. - Where?

Underneath the dead body of Tony Fry.

It was visibly obvious

the decedent had been struck on the head

by some instrument.

Lieutenant, I call your attention

to this International Film Trophy

which was won by the decedent,

and which, I understand, habitually stood on his mantel.

I ask if you had it subjected

to laboratory analysis, and if so, with what result?

Yes, sir, it was thoroughly tested.

We found blood and hair here on the top portion of the trophy.

Blood and hair of the exact same type as that of the decedent.

And here, on the only place where the surface is smooth,

we were able to lift

an identifiable set of fingerprints.

And can you tell me whose fingerprints those were?

The defendant's, Kathy James.

Thank you, Lieutenant.

Now, Lieutenant,

this envelope bears your identifying mark, I believe.

Yes, sir.

Would you please tell this court

where the envelope was found, what it contains,

and what your investigation concerning it disclosed?

Well, the envelope was found under the body of Tony Fry

when he was removed by the medical examiner's men.

The envelope contained a single photograph...

A picture of the decedent, Tony Fry,

greeting a woman in a car, kissing her.

Were you able to identify the woman

that the decedent was kissing?

No, sir.

Well, what did your investigation

of this envelope and picture reveal?

Both the envelope and the picture

had on them identifiable fingerprints

of the defendant, Kathy James.

The fatal wound was a depressed fracture.

Now, the bone itself held a clearly defined impression

of the instrument that struck the blow.

In my opinion, it's highly probable

that an instrument with the same configuration

as the top of this trophy inflicted the fatal wound.

Thank you, Doctor.

Your witness, Mr. Mason.

Were there marks from one or two blows on the head, Doctor?

Two.

Now, you testified as medical examiner,

your opinion was that death resulted

from a massive subdural hemorrhage

caused by the impact

of an instrument on the parietal region

- of the decedent's head? - That's correct.

By the two blows combined, or was death caused specifically

by only one of the blows to the head?

By only one of the blows.

The non-fatal blow...

Could a woman have inflicted it?

Easily.

And while this woman was standing there,

facing the decedent, holding the trophy

in one hand, do you think this woman,

with her rather limited strength,

could have inflicted the fatal blow?

From my experience, I'd say yes.

Oh, aside from the effects

of the two blows, the direct effects,

was there other brain damage, Doctor?

Well, yes, there were some.

Some lacerations to the other side of the brain.

Lacerations in one or in two places on the brain?

Well, just one, I believe.

When a person's head is in motion, or is free to move,

a severe impact causes a sort of backlash,

and the brain is lacerated

at a point directly opposite the point of impact.

- Isn't that so, Doctor? - Yes.

But if the head weren't free to move,

if it were, let's say, resting on the floor,

and there was a severe blow,

there wouldn't be lacerations

opposite the point of impact, would there?

No, there wouldn't.

Then isn't it possible that one blow was struck

while Tony Fry was standing,

and the second while he was lying on the floor?

Well, it is possible, I suppose.

Mr. Pennington, you stated to the prosecutor

that you'd just returned to your office when Kathy James arrived.

May I ask where you'd been earlier in the evening?

I was at a meeting with my lawyer

to draw up a contract for the picture

that Fry had just completed in Mexico.

That was after you knew of Fry's $50,000 debt

to the Mexican Film Laboratory.

Well, I knew about that ten minutes

after he walked out of my office, Mr. Mason.

I hate to say this, but that film was

about the best thing he'd done in ages.

Humane, sensitive.

I wanted it, Mr. Mason.

And I probably would have met his price

no matter what he asked.

You know how it is.

He... he depended on me.

Whenever he'd want a drink or-or a massage, or...

just someone to talk to,

why, he'd-he'd yell out Coley, and, well, I'd be there.

Me... I was... I was closer to him than his own shadow.

But apparently, not the night he was murdered?

No, sir, I was alone that night

in my apartment watching television.

You said that you turned off your set

when you heard a woman scream, is that correct?

Yes. There-there was this crashing noise,

some kind of commotion, but then it stopped.

Well, what happened then?

W-Why, I mean, a few minutes, I got to... got to worrying

that maybe the noise was coming from the boss's apartment.

So that's when I took a walk down the hall.

Then-then Howard came along,

and we kicked in the door and found Tony.

A couple of seconds later, I saw her,

the defendant, running across the courtyard.

But I couldn't catch her.

Now, you testified that you didn't see Tony Fry

that evening after you left his apartment

until you returned and found him dead.

But did you, by any chance, during that interval,

speak to him?

Yes, sir, he called.

He called on the phone to see if I could dig up 25,000 bucks

in a hurry and in cash.

$25,000 in cash?

Did he give you any reason

for wanting that large a sum of money in cash

and in such a hurry?

He sure did.

I remember exactly what he said.

He said that no-good dame

was blackmailing him, blackmailing him, Tony Fry,

and if it was the last thing

in the world he would do, was fix her wagon, but good.

He phoned me that he'd called Coley,

and that... and that Coley couldn't help him.

Did he ask you directly for the same amount of money?

No. Uh, he just wanted to know

if I'd checked over the contracts he gave me.

Uh, if-if there was any way that he could possibly justify

asking Pennington for an advance...

Uh, to get his hands on $25,000 in a hurry.

Well, I-I told him that I didn't know, but, uh,

that as soon as I'd gone over the rest of the papers,

I'd come over to his place, and we could talk about it.

Uh, a half an hour later, I did,

and that's when I saw Coley pounding on the door, and...

and we found him dead.

Did Fry tell you on the telephone

who was blackmailing him,

or what he was being blackmailed about?

No. Uh, all he said was, um...

"That blackmailing tramp has got me over a barrel,

and all on account of that picture, that lousy picture."

You're sure, now...

There can't be any mistake about this... he said "picture?"

"Picture."

Of course I could identify her, Mr. Burger.

It was her I saw running. Kathy James.

You're absolutely sure, Miss Lawrence?

Well, my apartment window overlooks the courtyard.

And when I heard this commotion,

Coley yelling for somebody to "stop..."

well, just as I looked out the window, she ran into the street.

There's no doubt about it, Mr. Burger.

It was Kathy James.

As janitor, I got to take the trash out

the night before pick-up...

sometimes six, sometimes seven or eight barrels.

Now, that's what I was doin' when I saw her... the defendant...

Runnin' through the courtyard.

When she saw me, she slowed down to a walk

till she thought I was out of sight. But I wasn't.

I looked back.

Saw her turn and run upstairs.

And were you in that courtyard a little while later,

when the defendant ran down those balcony stairs

and out through the courtyard into the street?

Sure was.

Mr. Barnes, he ran out after her,

and I ran out after both of 'em.

That's when I saw her drop something...

Something she was carrying... Got caught in a bush, I guess.

Did you, by any chance, happen to pick that "something" up?

Yes, sir.

It was this long roll of celler-loid.

By celluloid, sir,

do you mean this roll of photographic film?

Yes, sir, that's it.

Yes, sir, this is the type of film I sold to the defendant.

I am positive.

How can you be so sure, sir?

Well, it's exceptionally fast film.

You can almost shoot in the dark.

I don't get many orders for it.

Yes, but how do you happen to remember the defendant

as that particular customer?

Well, because at the same time,

she picked up the prints for a partial roll of film

she had left for developing the afternoon before.

I call your attention now to this picture

which shows Tony Fry, the decedent in this case,

kissing an unknown woman.

Is this one of the pictures Kathy James picked up?

Yes, sir.

It is.

♪♪

I'm sorry to interrupt you

in the evening like this, Mr. Mason.

Quite all right, Mrs. Pennington.

But for Kathy's sake,

there's something you just have to know about

- before the hearing is over. - Here, won't you sit down?

Thank you.

I can tell it rather quickly...

You want to tell me that Tony Fry was threatening you

with some sort of exposure.

Tony was the only person in the world who knew that!

How did you find out?

By adding the proverbial two and two.

It bothered me that your husband was willing to do business

with a man he obviously hated.

I insisted.

I begged John to see him.

Yes, that's true.

We have three little children, and...

Oh, Mr. Mason...

you must know from Kathy that young people

can make horrible mistakes.

When I was a young actress, I...

It's really not important, Mrs. Pennington.

- You needn't tell me. - But poor Kathy!

They keep adding more and more evidence against her.

You've done the best thing you could do by coming here.

Now, if you'll just come...

Joanne! You didn't tell me you were coming down here.

- You didn't say... - It's all right, Mr. Pennington.

Everything's all right.

But I would appreciate it

- if you'd return home alone. - What?

You're the one whose help I need now, Mr. Pennington.

Della, get Paul in here right away, will you, please?

Miss Lawrence, I'm correct, am I not,

in understanding that you have worked for many years

within the motion picture industry?

Many years, yes.

You were aware of the impending contract

between Anthony Fry and J.J. Pennington,

a contract, shall we say, favorable to Mr. Pennington?

Well, when a man is broke and his back is against the wall

he'll grab at any straw.

So Anthony Fry's financial troubles started some time ago,

beginning, I assume, with that, uh, unproduced Spanish picture?

Well, if you mean that over a quarter of a million dollars

went down the drain, yes, that's true.

But was it Fry's quarter of a million?

No. There were Eastern backers.

Miss Lawrence...

I'm informed by Mr. Pennington that it's possible

for a film project to be started and later stopped

in such fashion that some one person can still profit?

Substantially profit despite the loss to others.

Well, if what you're driving at is that Tony received

a salary advance of $100,000

from the Spanish thing, yes, he did.

But that is less than half his usual fee.

But, then, Tony Fry did have at least that much... $100,000?

No, he did not.

He'd put every cent that he'd received in that salary advance

from the Spanish film into the Mexican film.

He was broke, stone-cold broke.

Is that why you waited to blackmail him?

What?

The "blackmailing tramp"

he mentioned in speaking to Coley and to Stark,

now, that wasn't Kathy James... It was you, wasn't it?

You don't know what you're talking about.

Mr. Pennington has further suggested to my investigators

that Tony Fry may never have intended

to go through with the first project in Spain.

They are now uncovering evidence

to suggest that he simply used the project

to raise a hundred thousand dollars,

and kept it from looking like a swindle

by blaming the project's breakdown

on a once-alcoholic cameraman.

Oh, no, now, how-how-how could he?

By destroying another man's reputation

to cover his own illegal intentions.

Really, I don't know at all

- what you're talking about. - Don't you?

Didn't you go with Tony Fry to Spain?

Didn't you help send

deliberately contradictory shooting orders

to Kathy's father?

Aren't you as guilty as Tony Fry of fraud,

criminal fraud against the investors in the Spanish film?

But I didn't know what he was doing.

Didn't you?

Didn't you alone tend to Fry's books and records?

- You had to know. - Well, I...

That was a-after he started the Mexican film.

Oh.

You didn't put things together

until Fry no longer had any money.

Money for a blackmail payoff to keep you

from telling the truth to the investors,

to keep you from sending Tony Fry to jail.

Now, you say you were in your room the night of the murder.

Doesn't your room lead out to the balcony?

Couldn't you have easily gone from your apartment

to Fry's along that balcony?

No.

No.

And after hearing the struggle inside,

after hearing Kathy run out the other way

into the front hall,

couldn't you have entered the apartment

and killed Tony Fry?

I didn't! I didn't!

He was to receive money.

His deal with Pennington then made it possible

for you to blackmail him.

All right!

All right, I did blackmail him, but I didn't kill him, I didn't!

And as far as the Pennington deal,

I wasn't the only one who was affected by that!

There was Coley Barnes! Ask him!

Just ask him!

You ain't pinnin' no rap on me, buster.

I didn't go out on no balcony.

And I didn't go sneakin' in no back doors, either.

Fry used the $100,000 he had defrauded

and your $200,000 to start the picture in Mexico, right?

So what if it was my money?

It was honest money.

Money I earned racing at every track in the country

for the past ten years.

Sure, I backed him.

Fry showed me how I could triple my money

once the picture was released.

He was my friend.

- And you were his? - Hm. Are you kiddin'?

Me and him, they didn't come any closer than the two of us.

Is that why you signed the contract

with J.J. Pennington,

making an assignment of your rights and interest

in the film to him,

literally throwing Anthony Fry to the dogs?

How did...

All right.

So I boxed Tony in on the rail

and let Pennington move up on the outside... so what?

I had to protect my investment,

- didn't I? - Against your best friend?

Best friend!

The only friend Tony Fry ever had was Tony Fry!

Now, that chiseling no-good would've thrown me

to the dogs if he ever got the chance.

Oh, but that's how he was.

You know how long Howard Stark was with him, huh?

15 years, that's how long.

But did that matter to Fry? No!

He even dumped Howard Stark!

But that's ridiculous, Mr. Mason.

Tony didn't dump me.

Why, at the very moment he was killed,

I was doing some work for him.

Going over the papers he gave you,

compiling the reports that J.J. Pennington had demanded.

Well, that's right.

And when you were going through those papers,

wasn't there a receipt from the Writers Guild of America,

a receipt indicating that Anthony Fry had registered

the script of that picture

with his name as the only credited author?

Well, how-how...

And hadn't Fry prepared for J.J. Pennington

a tentative credit list... and a list of people

he wanted to be placed on salary with the studio?

And wasn't your name missing from both lists?

No, no... please...

Fry told Coley he was finished with you.

Wasn't that his way of telling you?

Well, he-he had no right.

Tony Fry never wrote a picture like that before.

He was known for his hard, two-fisted action films.

How could he have written a script so sensitive, so human

that people who've seen it being shot

say it's the finest thing he's ever done?

Well, he promised me. He-he swore...

Coley Barnes financed this film,

and he's called a silent partner.

What do they call a man who writes a movie script

and allows another man to take full credit for it?

Don't-don't-don't, please.

Wouldn't you call him a fool or a weakling

who can't stand by his own creation?

Yes, yes, yes, yes!

Yes, I wrote the script!

I wrote it! I...

I-I'd been working on it on and off for over five years!

When I finished, I didn't know if it was good or bad,

so-so I brought it to Tony.

He liked it. He said he wanted

to produce and direct it himself.

And that was before the Spanish project.

He said he had to do the Spanish picture

to-to fulfill a prior commitment.

But believe me, Mr. Mason,

I didn't know that he was gonna use Kathy's father

as a patsy to get his hands on money to make my story!

I wouldn't have let him!

But you let him put his name on your story.

Well, he said his name carried more weight,

that-that it had to be that way, the two of us sharing credit.

Tony's idea of sharing was

- to take everything. - So when you discovered

that Fry was planning to cheat you...

it would've been simple for you, a tenant in that same building.

Oh, no. Oh, no, you don't!

I didn't go in that balcony door!

I didn't go near Tony's place

until we broke in the front way and found him dead!

Your-Your Honor... Your Honor, it could've been anybody.

Now, anybody could have broken in the back way, sure, but...

but I swear I didn't!

If it please the court,

perhaps instead of arguing the obvious irrelevance

of this line of questioning,

Mr. Mason would permit me to recall one of my witnesses.

The janitor of the apartment house.

Yes, sir, I was in the courtyard

when I first saw Kathy James come there

and run upstairs, like I said.

And where were you after that?

Well, I was still busy with the cans.

I swept up the gate and the pool.

But still in the courtyard?

Still where you could observe that balcony

and see the back door to Mr. Fry's apartment?

Yes, sir, I was there all the time.

And who did you see

sneaking into that apartment by way of that balcony?

Nobody, sir.

Not one single person, man or woman, came near

that balcony door, or came through the courtyard.

I swear there wasn't a single soul.

Until when, sir?

Until, well, until after the murder.

Until she, the defendant, come running out

with Mr. Coley Barnes and Mr. Drake chasing after her.

Thank you, sir.

Thank you for so clearly exploding

Mr. Mason's little theory.

On the contrary!

Thank you for so clearly telling us

the identity of the murderer.

For so clearly pointing to the only person who could have

struck the fatal second blow to Tony Fry's head.

When Mr. Barnes and Mr. Drake were running out

to the balcony after Kathy,

what were you doing, Mr. Stark?

You were kneeling beside Tony, weren't you?

Feeling his pulse?

Looking around for a weapon, perhaps?

I-I-I thought he was dead.

Then-Then he started to moan...

just like I moaned, when I, when I read those papers,

read what he was doing to me.

Read...

Everything just, just started spinning around:

all those years of being a floor mat for him,

a lousy errand boy.

So I picked up that trophy, lying there on the floor,

I picked it up and, and I...

Yes, yes, I did it.

Then when they got back in that room,

Tony wasn't moaning any more.

There was arbitration by the Writers' Guild

regarding credits on the picture.

When Pennington releases it, it will say,

"Screenplay by Howard Stark."

Well, he'll still be serving his life sentence

when it hits the late, late show.

Poor Mr. Stark, selling himself short

to a heel like Fry for so many years

and expecting gratitude.

Well, Kathy, we get out of life what we deserve,

no better, no worse.

Well, if that's the case, I've worked very hard today,

and I think I'm deserving of a delicious steak dinner.

The question is, of course, do I get it?

Yes, with one condition.

What's that?

That I'm home before midnight.

Why midnight?

Because that's the time for the late show.

Tonight they're showing an adventure movie

photographed by Kathy's father.

I wouldn't miss it for the world. Let's go.