Original subtitles

Good evening.

Welcome to the Hitchcock Hillbillies. We had planned a series based on a family

of simple mountain folk who discover oil on their land and move to the Murray

Hill section of New York.

Unfortunately, things didn't work out.

None of the family knew what the oil was, and so instead of going to the big

city, they simply sold their farm and moved down the road where the land

wasn't so slippery.

My sponsor requested that I dress appropriately for the series, and I

agree. I'm wearing long underwear.

Actually, it isn't as long as it is wide, but I did my best to cooperate.

There's another item I wish was shorter, the next minute.

For that is what separates us from a story of a small town terrorized by an

unknown assailant.

See what I mean, Will?

Nobody's been here for weeks.

The place does look deserted all right.

Nothing's been done in the fields either.

Tommy knew that his father was depending on him to run this farm while he was

gone. He's not the kind just to let things go like this.

There could be a simple explanation.

Like what?

Like maybe Tommy went with his father.

He told me... People change their plans. We'll take a look around anyway, though.

Hey, Tom Cooley!

Listen.

Tommy!

Tommy!

Oh.

My son ain't here.

When did you get back, Mr. Cooley?

Late yesterday.

Tommy was gone then.

Been gone a long time, looks like.

Don't you know about that, Miss Susan Marsh?

Well, no, I don't, Mr. Cooley.

Oh, what do you mean by that, Mr. Cooley?

Thought you might have talked to her. She's been mighty thick with him,

filling up his head with notions.

Um, Mr.

Cooley... There's a stack of books in the parlor that belongs to you.

Better take them back now if you want them back.

Just get the books, Susan.

Mr. Cooley, Tommy hasn't been in town since the beginning of October. It was

over a month ago. That's why Susan got to worrying about him.

Did he leave any message for you?

Nope.

When did you see him last?

Second October, when I went off to look for a new place.

Found one, too.

North in a high valley where a man can have some peace.

I have to let it go now.

Will the Tommy take anything with him? Belongings? Money?

If a closey-tootin' is all, a boy's no thief.

Did he ever threaten to run away?

Nope. Well, then what makes you so sure he has?

I got my reasons.

Do you want me to put out a missing persons on him?

I raised the boy right.

Taught him right.

It's between him and the Lord now.

Tommy wants to come back to me, he'll come back. If he don't want to come

back, then I don't want him.

Doesn't occur to you something may have happened to the boy?

The Lord wouldn't take my son from me without a sign, and I ain't had a sign.

There's nothing to do now but wait.

Wait and believe the Lord will bring him back to me.

Did he know anything about Tommy?

No, he just seems positive for some reason or other that the boys run away.

I can tell you why.

It's Tommy's mother.

Well, she's dead, isn't she?

That's what I always thought.

But one day when Tommy was in the library and we got to talking, he's a

very honest boy and he'd never say a word about his parents.

But somehow it came out that his mother had just simply gone off and left them

when Tommy was very small.

It was a long time before they ever came to Northfield.

I gather she just had all she could take of John Cooley.

So that's what's been eating on the old man.

Stern and rigid as he is, Tommy seems to love him.

He's an honest boy. He wouldn't just sneak off.

Susan, how can you be so sure?

Now, there is a grain of truth in what the old man said. You have been

encouraging Tom to go to school.

Well, he's a bright boy. He ought to go to school. And you know darn well that

old John isn't going to let him.

So it doesn't strike me as being too strange that maybe this boy would go out

into the world and decide to make some breaks on his own.

And it would be my fault. Is that what you're trying to say?

No, what I'm trying to say is I'll be very happy when you stop minding

everybody else's business and just stick to minding mine.

All right, Susan, I'll do what I can to trace the boy, but I doubt if that'll be

much without old John's cooperation.

He'll probably turn up on his own anyway.

I hope so.

Uh, uh, here are your books.

When are you going to get that headlight fixed?

As soon as I get the fender fixed.

I'll get the fender fixed as soon as I save some more money.

Why don't you save up a little extra money and buy another car?

What's the matter with this one?

It looks like John Wilkes Booth's getaway car.

You know, that heap has taken quite a beating.

Well, it happens to be my heap now, and I'm very happy with it.

Good luck.

Morning, Flora. Morning, Susan.

How's the car running?

Fine. How's yours?

Solid, steady, dependable, dull.

Have to admit, I do miss those duels.

Flora, you shouldn't have sold me this car if you miss it so much.

If you want to drive a convertible, that's your business.

I wanted to drive one for 30 years. And let's face it, Susan, 30 years ago was

the time to do it.

She has such a lovely pickup.

You go out to the Cooley place this morning?

Yeah.

Mr. Cooley's back. He all but threw these at me. The ones Tommy took out

last month.

One missing, but I wasn't about to ask him for it. What about Tommy?

Well, Mr. Cooley is certain that he's run away.

I suppose he's the best judge of that.

But of all the boys in Northfield, I'd have said he... Well, you just never

know, do you?

Stand back, please let the police do their work now. Come on now. That's not

something to look at folks.

Please stand back Can

you

make any guesses to when he was killed, huh?

It's pretty hard when the body's been exposed like this.

I may know better after the autopsy, but don't count

You don't have to wait, Mr. Cooley. Why don't you go on home?

John!

What did you find?

Button for my boy's jacket. Let me see it. No, it belonged to my son. I'm going

to keep it.

Okay, John.

Oh, Lord, thou hast sent me a sign.

He didn't leave me. He didn't run away.

No, he didn't run away.

We're going to catch the man who killed him.

He didn't leave me. He let go of me.

What? I'm beating, Will.

As a man, nobody can help.

All I can tell you right now is that Tommy could have been killed any time

after his father left and before he came back three weeks ago.

No weapon, no motive, any sign the killer may have left at the ravine were

wiped out by the last heavy rain.

But you must have some kind of theory you're working on.

Not only as the mayor, but as a father.

I'm very concerned.

Mr. Mayor, we're all very concerned.

Now, we know Tommy started out with this book, presumably to hitchhike into town.

Now, on the way, he met someone who gave him a lift.

Now, that someone turned out to be a psychotic killer who clubbed him to

death and then hid his body in the ravine.

What are the chances of catching him?

I don't know.

John? Thought you weren't interested.

Change of mind?

Well, when you called this morning, I didn't think I was interested, but...

Well, I thought it over, and I guess I'm always in the market for a good buy.

Yeah, I know three or four farms you bought around here.

Yeah, well, I lost money on a couple of them.

That's why I hesitated, but... Make you a good price.

John, you sure you want to sell?

There's nothing to stay around here for now.

Drive on in, I'll show you around.

Go on over there to the house, we'll look at that first.

Buildings need paint, but they're in good repair, especially the barn.

Barn's important.

No farm's any good without a sound barn.

Well, if you do sell, John, where will you go?

I don't know yet.

With my boy gone, I can't stay here.

Well, you've lived in Northfield a long time.

Well, the people here, they'd like to help you, John. They'd like to be your

friend. People have never done anything but take from me.

My wife, my son.

The Lord's the only friend I want.

I took some of the stanchions out, but they can be put back easy.

There's water.

There's a good calf pen.

I haven't kept stock much these past few years.

A man can keep almost anything he wants to here.

There's a good loft.

I put a new roof on three years ago.

I thank thee that thou hast placed in my hands thy vengeance and thy wrath.

The back of the skull is crushed, practically splintered.

Same kind of blow that killed the coolie boy.

When?

Well, this one I can narrow down for you. Roughly 24 hours.

Hey, Miss Marsh!

Hey, how about that, huh?

Somebody should have him himself a time. What do you mean, Bibb? What's happened

here? I was just driving back from Ventura. It's Frenchie.

Frenchie Lafont.

He's laying right down there in the ditch, just like that coolie boy with

his head all caved in.

That makes my theory a little bit off, doesn't it? I'm afraid so.

There are bloodstains in the back seat of Frenchy's car and there are none in

the front.

That means he was killed outside.

Probably while he was talking to somebody.

Somebody he knew.

No sign of the weapon?

Nope.

Who found the body?

Old Gus from the Northfield garage.

Oh. He lives around here.

He spotted Frenchy's car with the door open, so he called me.

You can see where the body was pushed over the side. The ground's too hard to

hold prints, but you can see where the brush is broken off.

What'd you find out, Will? You know who did it?

Look, until we can get the lab report on the car, there's not much I can tell

you. He was killed the same way as the Cooley boy, wasn't he? Well, it looks

like it, yes.

Will, the murderer, it isn't a stranger, is it? It's somebody right here in

Northfield.

It looks like it.

Well, what are you going to do about it?

There's no reason to get panicky. What do you mean there's no reason to get

panicky, Will?

There's been two murders.

And it could be any one of us next.

There's no reason to suppose that there'll be any more.

There wasn't after the Cooley boy was killed, either.

Well, I'm not going to have a moment's peace until you find that man.

Especially now that I know that it could be my own next-door neighbor. She's

right, Will.

There's never been anything like this before.

Now, look, we're just as anxious to catch this man as you are to have him

caught. You can't blame us for getting edgy.

Two killings in a little town like Northfield?

There is one thing you could all do to help us.

Now, if we could only trace Frenchy's movements yesterday afternoon. Now, did

anybody here see him or talk to him?

I saw that new car of his go tearing around the square about...

Say 1 o'clock, but I... I guess that doesn't help much. Any information...

Well?

It's a rough one.

Just horrible.

Yeah.

Look, honey, until this thing is cleared up, I don't want you to go anywhere with

anybody at all for any reason. Do you understand?

But this is Friday. I have to go to work. Yes, I know you have to go to

work. I'll pick you up at your house and I'll take you there.

Then I'll come to the library and pick you up and take you home.

You just wait for me.

Honey, anybody in this town could be the killer.

All right, Will.

If I could only figure out the connection between Frenchie Levant and

Tom Cooley.

Maybe there isn't any connection.

There's got to be.

I'll see you tonight.

Hello, John.

Howdy.

Dislike my son?

Yeah.

John, did Tom ever have anything to do with Frenchie Lafont?

No.

We're all in the hands of the Lord.

I don't, well, I don't have the least idea where I went yesterday.

I was away all day myself visiting my other son and my daughter-in-law.

They have a new baby.

I'm sorry, Mrs. LaFontaine. I wish I didn't have to ask you these things.

I want to help.

I'm all right now.

You didn't worry when Frenchy didn't come home at all last night?

Well, Frenchy was 37 years old.

He came and went as he pleased.

There were girls and... Do you know anything about them?

Could there be a motive there? A jealous husband, a boyfriend?

Frenchy was too careful for that.

He hated trouble.

He always managed to stay out of it, until now.

And you can't think of any connection at all between Frenchy and Tom Cooley?

None.

We knew who he was, and that's about all.

Mrs. Lafont, before you answer this, I'd like you to think very carefully and

very honestly.

You can't think of anybody at all who might have had a grudge against Frenchy.

Only one person, Will.

Myself.

He was my son. I loved him, but... There was no harm in him. He never hurt

anyone, but...

He was lazy and he would not accept responsibility.

That's why he wanted me at the restaurant, so I could do all the work

of running it while he played.

Frenchie Lafont for the public.

I used to get so angry with him.

So angry.

It is Friday night I've ever seen.

People afraid to be out, I guess.

Fear the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

Well, I'd better lock up and go home.

Good night, John.

Good night.

Who would do a thing like that?

Who in this town would do a thing like that?

Look, Flora, nobody's going to come in here tonight. Why don't we just close

up?

It's creepy just waiting around here.

You'll be much better off at home.

I am a little upset, I'll admit.

But you have to wait for Will.

I don't want to leave you here alone.

I'll be perfectly safe with the doors locked. Now, come on.

I don't think I should, Susan.

Now, look.

Nobody's gonna come in there.

And I'll lock the side door after you when you go.

I still don't feel right about this, Susan.

Will you tell Will about it?

Will's got enough on his mind. He'll be along in a little while.

Nobody out there.

I'll watch you to your car.

You only have two blocks to drive. It's a lighted street all the way.

What a strange thing it is to be afraid like this.

Good night, Susan, dear.

Those who are paying attention to our story need not be told there is more to

come. It will follow this calculated but confusing interruption.

Who's there?

What's the matter, Miss Marsh?

You ain't afraid of me, are you?

Pip?

What are you doing here?

You're not supposed to sweep out in here until tomorrow morning.

No.

I'm supposed to sweep out French's place on Friday nights.

But it's closed.

Old Frenchy.

They got him laying out in a slab.

So I just thought I'd come over here and get a start on things.

Drunk.

You're not gonna work here tonight. You go on home.

Well, I don't care about the work.

I told you. You're a nice girl, Miss Marsh. You talk to me.

You talk to me, Miss Marsh. I just gotta talk. I gotta. I can't.

Sit still and think no longer. I saw them both.

The coolie boy and Frenchie real close up.

Somebody, somebody's having himself a time.

Just stood there and swung that big hammer and... I used to do that, Miss

Marsh. I used to work for the farmers, butchering.

I used to work in the slaughtering houses all over. But it was just

animals, Miss Marsh, just animals.

Now, there's nothing wrong with liking to kill animals, is there?

The other guys, they said I was wrong because I liked it.

They used to get me fired everywhere I went just because I liked it. I just

like killing animals. I like to swing that big hammer and feel them go down.

Now, what's wrong with that?

It's me. It's Will.

It's all right. Now, what happened?

I forgot that Bibb had a key. He wasn't supposed to come tonight.

Bibb?

He's inside now. He's talking crazy about killing.

It's all right. It's all right. It's all right. You're all right.

I'm going to put you in the car.

Now, Will, don't get sore.

I didn't mean to scare her like that. We just got to talking. Come on now, Will.

Put that thing away.

What were you talking about, Bibb? To Miss Marsh, I mean.

Oh, I should have known better.

Why is it, Will, everybody gets sore at me just because I say I like to kill

things? What kind of things, Bibb? Just animals. There ain't nothing wrong with

that. Did you ever kill anything else, Bibb? Did you ever kill a man? No, I

swear I didn't.

But I saw that coolie boy, Frenchie, real close up. I couldn't help but

thinking what it'd be like.

Used to kill beef that way, Will, working in a slaughterhouse.

All right, Bibb.

You better come along with me.

Oh, now, Will. Let's go, Bibb.

I was just getting ready to mop up.

Well, I don't know, Myra. It doesn't seem possible in our little town.

Hmm?

Oh, yes, I have everything locked up tight.

Even so, I don't expect I'll get much sleep.

Well, now you let me know if there's anything I can do.

And be sure and give my love to Susan.

Oh, I'm glad you're there with her, Myra.

Yeah.

Well, good night.

John Cooley, Miss Lone.

John Cooley?

I want to talk to you about Tom. Something you might remember.

Just a minute.

Ma'am?

Yes.

You're the only man in Northfield.

Outside of Will Pierce, of course.

that I'd let in tonight.

Anyone else might have... That's a terrible thought, isn't it?

Anyone else might have killed poor Tom, and now Frenchie.

Oh, it's a madman, Mr. Cooley.

It must be a madman.

Oh, here, please sit down.

Uh, no, thank you, ma'am.

Oh.

Well, what did you want to ask me about, Tommy?

Did you kill him?

What?

talking about well you could have done it you're a grown woman and tom wasn't a

man yet you could have done it you could have drug his body to that ravine and

let it fall down the slope you must be insane you must be insane

why would i how am i going to know the truth if the lord don't give me a sign

he didn't give me a sign with Frenchie Lafont

And I don't lock the doors.

I now call this meeting to order. Ladies and gentlemen, Mayor Brown.

Looks like it might be a bit stormy. Yeah.

Is your girl here?

No, Flora's death hit her pretty hard. I told her to stay home.

I called this meeting because of the extreme concern that we all feel in

connection with the tragedies that have occurred in Northfield.

Now, perhaps through an open discussion of the situation, we can get a better

understanding of just what's involved.

It isn't understanding we're worried about, Sanford. It's this killer.

All right, Sam. We're getting to that in just a minute now.

But first, I think we should pause.

And pay a little tribute to Flora Sloan, our librarian for more than 30 years.

And known to all of us as a fine and gentle woman.

So please, one moment of silence.

Now, I'm going to throw this meeting open to questions and answers, as long

as it remains orderly.

Sam Hughes, you spoke up a moment ago. Do you have a question?

Yep, I do.

I'd like to ask the sheriff.

Now, do you people know anything more than you did when the body of Tom Cooley

was found?

I'll be honest with you, not much.

In the meantime, Sheriff, what about protection?

We're worried about our wives and families, wondering who's going to be

next. Order!

Fred has the floor.

Well, now, how about it? Can't you get more men in here? You should patrol the

streets. Set up roadblocks.

Maybe the sheriff's department is doing all they can, but maybe it's not either.

You know what I think we need in Norfield?

A vigilance committee.

Yeah, a vigilance committee.

All right.

All right.

All right.

Take your seat. Take your seat.

Turn out every man that owns a gun and patrol our own streets. We're sitting

here helping, sir.

Now, look, this isn't a job for amateurs. You're going to get a lot of

other people killed by accident.

Please, Mrs. LaFont, please take your seat.

Well, my son, Frenchie.

He killed Tom Cooley This

meeting is adjourned, please clear the room

It's

all in this letter

When did you get this, Mrs. LaFont?

I found it this morning when I opened Walter... Frenchy's will.

It was in there.

I was so shocked when I read it, I didn't know what to do. I didn't want to

tell you.

He was my son.

But then I came to this meeting and... I began to realize I didn't have any right

to keep silent.

Just to whom it may concern, I, Walter Lafont, killed a boy on October the 8th.

I was driving home.

I'd been drinking. I was driving too fast.

Suddenly the boy was there in front of me and I couldn't stop.

I saw the boy was dead.

It was John Cooley's son, Tom.

I knew what I ought to do, but I couldn't face it. I dragged the boy's

body off the road and hid it in a ravine.

I'd wrecked my convertible before, so no one thought anything of the damage done

when I hit the boy.

But I couldn't stand to drive the car any longer. I sold it to Flora Sloan.

May God give her better luck than I had. My mother, who knows me better than

anyone, will understand the ways of a coward. I hope she never has to know.

The line's busy.

Let's go.

Where are you going? I'll tell you later.

This is Miss Susan Marsh.

John Cooley.

Yes, Mr. Cooley.

Mr. Cooley? Hello?

Come on, come on.

Where is she?

Let's get out to the cooling place.

You take the house. I'll take the barn.

Anything?

Let's go.

Mr. Cooley?

There's a car back there.

Good evening, Miss Marsh.

Thank you, girl.

Lord's will.

I ask the Lord for a sign, a final sign. He delivered you unto me. I didn't do

anything. Pray for forgiveness.

Cleanse your soul before I send you to hell. Pray, girl.

Son of a... It was Frenchie who killed your boy. It was Frenchie.

Frenchie.

So why'd you come down here?

He's going to kill himself.

I went to the meeting and you weren't there. I called your office and there

wasn't any answer.

I know, I know.

He almost killed you.

You see, Susan?

A Frenchie killed Tom Cooley accidentally in your car.

Then he passed the car on to Flora and she sold it to you.

You all right now?

You found out that the car changed hands three times, didn't you, John?

The Lord gave me a sign.

But he didn't tell me when my boy died, so as I know who had the car then.

Couldn't be sure.

Unless I did the Lord's will with Ollie.

Can I

keep the button from my boy's jacket?

Although the Hitchcock Hillbillies has been abandoned as a project, I have

retained this weapon, which they tell me is excellent for feuds, which leads me

to say our dear sponsor should be along soon.

Next week, those of us who remain will be back with another story.

Now, a final word from our sponsor.