Original subtitles

Good evening.

This interesting object was found at the site of an ancient Hittite civilization.

Fortunately, it was very clearly labeled.

It's a plowshare.

It was made during the period when the Hittites had signed a disarmament pact

with their neighbors.

I can see other uses for it.

But of course, I'm rather imaginative, and my mind sometimes moves in

disturbing directions.

You see, I have been challenged to a duel with my sponsor.

And being allowed to choose the weapons, I selected this for him.

For myself, I've chosen a hand grenade.

I have dispensed with a second.

However, my opponent has 60 of them.

during which he shall state his case.

Following that, we bring you tonight's play.

It is the story of a modern-day Lady Godiva and her peeping Tom.

Hello. No, I can't.

Oh, I'd love to, darling, but I can't.

He's due back today.

What do you mean?

That's the best excuse there is.

No, I'm alone.

Trying to get a tan all over.

Fresh.

No, you shouldn't say things like that.

No, I am alone.

Stevie? Always out with some kids for swimming lesson or something.

No, you can't come over.

I told you.

Jack will be here soon.

Four or five days, maybe.

Well, he didn't travel so much when I married him.

Oh, you're terrible.

No, I haven't forgotten.

I think you're forgetting something, though.

I'm married.

All right.

Call me, uh... No, I'll call you. What?

Oh, that's nice.

That's very nice.

Bye.

What are you doing here?

Go on, go away from here.

Go away.

Snooping and staring at people like that.

Go away, I said.

If you don't go away, I'll call my husband.

Your husband's not here. I just heard you on the telephone.

There's nobody here but you.

Don't be afraid of me.

Don't be frightened. I mean, all I'm doing is looking.

If you don't go this instant, I'll call the police.

Hello, operator.

Get me the police, quick.

He must have come along the ditch down there.

It runs in back of these houses.

He scared me half to death peering through at a person like that.

I was lying in the sun.

I had a swimsuit on.

Yes, ma'am.

He wouldn't go. I asked him to go and he wouldn't until I ran in the house to

call you and then he disappeared.

Did he actually come onto your property, ma'am?

Well, no.

Or threaten you or anything?

Not with words, but it was the way he looked at me. And the way he told me he

knew I was alone, that my husband wasn't home.

I was talking on the phone. I guess he heard me.

Talking to your husband?

No, a friend.

My husband's in Chicago on business.

He'll be home tonight.

What's that got to do with it?

How old would you say that this boy was, ma'am?

1920, maybe.

He was six feet.

Wearing night blue jeans and a t-shirt.

Have you ever seen him before?

No, never.

You'd know him again, though.

Oh, sure I would.

Standing there, just staring.

I was holding a towel in front of me, but he just looked at me. I felt like I

wasn't wearing anything.

Look, you've got to find this boy and tell him to stay away from here.

Well, maybe he didn't mean any harm, ma'am.

He just looked over your fence, didn't try to come on the property, and didn't

actually threaten you in any way.

He scared me. Isn't that enough?

Look, I'm alone here most of the time, except for my stepson.

How old's he?

Twelve. Is he here now? No, he's at a swimming lesson or something.

Please find this boy and tell him to stay away from here.

Well, we can see if he's a neighborhood boy, ma'am.

Maybe you'd like to go along with us while we make a few inquiries.

You can identify him if we find him.

Well, if you'll wait, I'll change into something.

Pardon me, ma'am.

Huh? Just like to ask a question.

Oh, they know me down at the market. They let me take the basket home.

I always return it.

Sure, ma'am, that's okay.

We're looking for a young man might live around here.

Over six feet, big, dark hair, wearing light blue jeans and a T-shirt, about 19

or 20 years old.

Oh. Oh, sure, wait a minute.

There is a boy like that with the Masters family, the new people, on Maple

Avenue. A house at the far end.

White House. Needs painting.

Why? What's he done?

Nothing, ma'am. Thanks.

Yes?

What's the matter? What do you want?

Does a young man live here, dark hair, over six feet, 19 or 20 years old?

That was him!

What's the trouble?

Is that your son, ma'am?

No, it's my nephew, Roy.

Roy Bullock. Why, what's he done?

I want a word with him.

What for?

Roy's a good boy.

He never gives any trouble. He doesn't party and tear around like some.

That's all right, ma'am. I just want to talk to him for a minute.

Well, we just moved in here last week, and we're not straightened yet. Sure, ma

'am. That's all right.

Police coming here for everybody to see?

You want something?

Yeah. Ask you a few questions.

Well, you better come inside.

This is your room?

Uh-huh.

What's the matter?

Improving your mind, huh?

Was there some kind of law that says what you got to read?

There's a law against bothering people and making yourself a nuisance.

What, you mean the lady outside in your car?

Yeah, she turned a complaint against you.

What, for looking over a fence?

Officer, I was standing on city property.

I wasn't on her property.

She was sunbathing and I was looking at her, that's all.

Why?

Well, now, wait a minute. There's no law against looking.

I mean, she was sunbathing and I was looking at her.

And she got mad and went in the house and that's all that happened, believe

me. Well, that's not the way she tells it.

My advice to you, son, is to cut out this peeping Tom act with her or anybody

else.

For your own good.

Okay?

Okay.

But it wasn't a peeping Tom act.

But I will bear in mind what you said.

I wish you'd tell her that for me, too.

Is that all?

Yeah.

That's all I hope.

For your own sake.

Thank you, ma'am.

It was him.

But I warned him and he won't bother you again.

Hi, Jack. Hello, Lucy. I saw your taxi drive up.

I brought these cookies over for Stevie.

I just made them.

Where is Marcia and Stevie? Do you know?

Marcia knew what plane I was coming in on.

I thought she was going to meet me.

I don't know where Stevie is, but Marcia went off in a police car.

Police car?

Yes. She told me all about her while she was waiting for them to come.

About what?

Oh, about this peeping Tom.

Peering through her at the fence while she was sunbathing with no clothes on?

With no clothes on?

Well, almost.

Come on, Lucy, what happened?

Actually, nothing happened.

This boy sneaked up to stare at her, and Marsha got panicky and called the

police.

Of course, it's not for me to say, but Marsha does kind of like to make

everything dramatic.

And after all, if a person lies around almost naked... What Marsha does is her

business.

Marsha confides in me, and I try to give her good advice.

Advice you should be grateful for.

What do you mean?

Never mind.

I try to be a good neighbor and... Okay.

Okay, I'm sorry, Lucy.

Thanks for the cookies.

I'd better call the police and see what this is all about.

I'll give you some advice, too, Jack.

You oughtn't to leave Marsha alone so much.

She gets restless, she's told me.

Not that I think there's anything wrong in her going out when you're away.

I'm sure Marsha isn't the type to do anything stupid.

What do you mean by that?

Nothing.

I guess Marsha can look after herself.

But she's an attractive woman.

And she doesn't mind letting the whole world see that she thinks so.

And a woman alone in this town?

You know what men are.

It's small wonder peeping toms come around.

That's about enough, Lucy.

I think you've made your... Dad!

Hi, Mrs. Phillips. Hi, Dad.

Hello, Stevie.

How have you been, Stevie?

Fine.

Thought you were going to be at the airport.

Well, I didn't know you were coming today.

Hey, what's the matter with Mrs. Phillips? I don't like her. She's always

asking questions.

Didn't Marsha... Didn't your mother tell you I was coming home today?

Uh-uh.

Hey, cookies!

Gee, I'm hungry.

You act like you're starving.

I didn't have any lunch.

Why not?

My mom was busy.

Yeah.

Too busy even to tell you I was coming home today.

What did you say?

Nothing.

Come on.

You can bring the cookies.

I brought you a present.

How's that, huh?

Gee, it's great, Dad.

Thanks a lot.

You can fly it in the park.

Hey, can we go there now?

Oh, I'm sorry, Stevie.

Not right now.

Why don't you take it up to your room? Study the instructions.

Okay, Dad.

Hey, I've seen Jimmy fly his, and I think I know how it works.

Off you go.

Gee, thanks a lot.

Hello, Jack, darling.

Big welcome home.

Nobody at the airport, nobody here.

You didn't even tell Stevie I was coming.

Oh, I thought I'd surprise him. And what's all this about the police?

Who told you about the police?

Lucy, your friend from next door.

That isn't all she told me either.

Or hinted at.

I called the police because... I know why you called the police. Because you

were lying around sunning yourself.

And some kid bothered you. If it was a kid.

We found him.

The kid is called Roy Bullock on Maple Avenue.

Oh, Jack, please don't fight me. He scared me so.

Okay.

Okay, I'm sorry, Marsha.

I'm so glad you're back. I hate it so when you're not here.

And this afternoon upset me so much.

But everything's all right now you're here.

Yeah.

It will be.

The police were awful.

They... They made me feel like I was just making a big fuss about nothing.

That boy scared me.

I don't care what they say. There's something bad, something weird about

him. Well, I'll scare him.

When we've had dinner, I'll go over and see that punk myself.

Stevie!

Stevie, come on down.

Hello?

Hello?

Who was that?

Nobody. Wrong number, I guess.

I'll get out some ice if you fix us a drink before dinner.

I'm not going to hurt you. Don't hit me.

Come on.

Were you looking for somebody?

My aunt and uncle aren't here. They went out to a movie. I'm looking for Roy

Bullock. Is that you?

Yes, sir. That's me.

Cut it out.

Nancy, cut it out.

Look, this is my girlfriend, Nancy Willis.

She's been my study for quite a long, long time.

About a week. You nut.

I'd like a word with you in private.

My name's Fowler.

Mr. Fowler?

About this afternoon.

Yes, sir. Well, I'd like to talk to you, too.

Look, why don't y'all take off?

What do you mean, just take off? What do you mean? Just take off. Go away. Stop.

Go on.

Take your radio. That's right.

I guess, uh, you want to talk to me about my...

Looking over your fence this afternoon?

And scaring my wife to death, yes.

Wait a minute, Mr. Fowler.

I didn't know that I scared her to death until she brought the cops here herself.

Now, my aunt and uncle and I haven't lived here very long. Matter of fact, we

just moved in here, and I was just exploring this afternoon. Along the

ditch behind people's backyards? Sir, I didn't even know where I was. I was

trying to find a shortcut home, that's all.

Really, and I saw your wife in her backyard, and I was gonna go ask her

what... That's not the way she tells it.

Now, look, young man, I'm warning you. Mr. Fowler, wait a second. Now, I don't

want to harm anybody. I didn't mean to scare your wife. I don't want to scare

anybody. Snooping through the back fence at her?

My wife's highly strung. Of course she is. She must be.

Mr. Fowler, look.

If I upset her, I'm sorry.

Please tell her that for me.

Okay.

Okay, we'll forget it.

But don't do it again, see?

No, sir, I won't.

Thank you for being so nice about it.

And I am sorry I upset her, really.

Okay.

I believe you forget about it.

Okay.

That's a nice plane you got there.

Why don't you try cutting down on the mixture intake?

I think that's the problem. I think you're flooding it a little bit.

Would you like me to help you?

Yeah, okay.

All right, on the battery.

There we go.

Okay? Okay.

You know, this is actually a two-man operation. Take the plane and go over

there. Okay, thanks a lot.

Okay, let it go.

Gee, thanks a lot. I don't think I could have done it. Yeah, you could have done

it. You learn fast.

Now, give me a hand.

All right.

There, grab it. Got it.

There you go.

Up, up, up.

That's it.

How about that?

You're the Fowler boy, aren't you?

You live over there on Orange Drive?

Yeah. How'd you know?

Oh, I've seen you around.

You're kind of a loner, huh?

Yeah, I suppose so.

I met your dad the other day. Boy, he's a nice guy. Yeah.

My name's Stevie. What's yours?

I know. Mine's Roy.

You want a shake?

You live around here?

Yeah, I live with my aunt.

We're always moving around, you know?

Yeah. Seems like we're never able to settle down in one place.

Yeah, I know what you mean. We always move around, too.

I've seen you around a lot, though.

Yeah, I notice people.

Let's see, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, you have your swimming lessons, right?

And Saturday afternoon, you go off somewhere.

Yeah, Saturdays I go to gym class. My mom wants me to.

What time do you get home?

Around six, usually.

I usually walk home.

You walk home? Isn't it a long way?

No. Doesn't your mother come pick you up?

Oh, she isn't my real mom. She's my stepmother.

And she's usually out Saturday evenings, except when Dad's home.

She leaves you alone, right?

Well, I don't mind.

You don't mind. Well, you ought to mind.

What's the matter?

Nothing's the matter, man.

Nothing.

Stevie!

Over here!

It's your dad.

Yeah.

Hop in the car, Stevie, and I'll drive you home. No, not yet.

Roy's been helping me fly my plane.

Hi, Mr. Fowler. Hello.

Aren't you a little early tonight?

I mean, usually I don't see you coming home until a little after six. It's only

quarter up.

Yeah? Your boy here's really learning how to fly that plane good, I'll tell

you that.

Do you want to watch me?

We'd better run along, Stevie. Hop in the car.

Can I stay with Roy, please?

I don't mind, Mr. Fowler. I'd be glad to walk him home.

I like to look after him.

Well, if he's having fun, okay.

Don't be long now, Stevie.

I'll walk him home, Mr. Fowler.

As the gentleman said who was in the process of administering the coup de

grace, we are halfway through.

In television, we hesitate at this point in order to savor the moment and indulge

in a station break.

Granted, the victim suffers a bit, but rules are rules.

We shall continue after the following.

Don't keep on about it. I promise, Ken, I'll be there early tonight.

Period.

You told me you were playing poker there tomorrow evening. We changed it.

Where does that leave me?

Here. Right here, without getting anybody in to stay with Stevie while you

go out.

What do you mean by that crack?

You know what I mean. I mean like when I'm away.

So sometimes I go out until Lucy's next door to watch a movie.

Or I'm supposed to be a prisoner or something.

You're supposed to be my wife, a mother to Stevie.

Baby!

Stevie?

What are you doing here?

So long, Stevie.

You left your oil can over at my house, so I'll bring it over to you some night,

okay?

We stopped by my house for a little while, Mr. Fowler.

Night. Good night.

Night, Roy.

Night, Mrs. Fowler.

Where did you meet him?

Well, gee, what's the matter? It's all right, Stevie.

Go on up and wash.

I said it was all right.

Off you go.

Okay, Dad.

You knew he was with that boy?

Yeah, I saw him at the park at the end of Maple. Stevie wanted to stay a while,

and the Bullock kid said he'd see him home.

And you said yes. That boy after what he did to me.

You know, I think Lucy's right. You get yourself all upset about nothing.

Here's your drink.

Upset about nothing?

I tell you, that boy is no good.

He gives me the creeps. Oh, come on. He's just a good-natured boy.

Stevie sure took to him and kids know.

And I'm a woman and I know.

He's no good. He scares me the way he looks at me.

I've never known you to object to being looked at before.

By anything in pants.

I can say that again.

Now you listen to me. Later. Never mind about dinner. I'll get a bite to eat at

Ken's. Good night.

Hello? Hello?

You're in the dark, aren't you?

Lying in bed.

Who is this?

Hello, Ken?

Is this Ken?

Marsha? Is Jack still there?

What's the matter?

I'm... Wait.

Hey, hey. Take it easy.

What's wrong, honey?

I thought... I thought... Well, honey, you locked the front door and the

kitchen door. I had to go around to the side. I didn't want to wake you.

What's the matter, honey?

Everything's okay.

Huh?

Marja, are you still there?

Hello, who is this?

What's going on?

Oh, Ken.

No, no.

It's all right. I just got in.

Something wrong?

What? No.

No, everything's okay.

I called you at Ken's.

I was lying in the dark, and the phone rang.

And it was him.

It was Roy, that boy, whispering, saying terrible things.

Then he hung up, and I thought it was him breaking in.

Honey, what are you talking about?

It was him, I tell you, whispering awful things.

But why should it be that boy?

Because he knew you weren't here.

How? You drove away after he left, remember?

And then there was somebody out there watching.

It was him.

Oh, come on, honey.

Could be anybody that called you. There are all kinds of weird people in the

world. You've got to believe me. It was Roy Bullock.

He scares me.

Please listen to me. Okay, okay, honey. I'll go over to his house and put it to

him straight. I don't care how late it is. I'll go there.

Now, will you be all right?

I'll be right back.

Mr. Fowler.

I was watching The Late Show on TV.

What's the matter? I want to speak with you, young man.

Well, sure.

Come on in, right there.

My aunt and uncle are asleep, though, so shh.

Now, what's this all about, Mr. Fowler?

Look, you can cut out the innocent bit. You telephoned my home again and scared

my wife.

I did not. Now, why would I do a thing like that? Why?

Why'd you snoop through the fence at her?

Mr. Fowler, I already explained that to you. I never did snoop through the fence

at her.

I've been out on a date tonight with Nancy Willis, my girlfriend.

Remember her, the girl on the porch that danced and twisted?

The crazy kid?

She's a kook.

Well, I just got home.

Maybe you're a kook, too.

The nasty voice on the phone type.

Calling people up to scare them.

Shot them. My wife swears it was you.

Why would she do that, Mr. Fowler? What has she got against me?

Huh?

Look, Mr. Fowler, I have heard about guys calling up women on the phone and

saying things to them on the phone. Guys on some kind of a kick.

You really think I would do something like that?

I mean, why?

Because I got these magazines in my room?

Does that make me a kook?

Mr. Fowler, now let's face it. You mean to tell me that when you were my age,

you didn't have any of these kind of magazines in your room, huh?

My wife swears it was you that phoned.

Okay, so you've been out.

There's a telephone booth at the end of our street.

And whoever called said, you just turned out the light or you're lying there in

the dark or something like that.

So he must have been with inside of the house. And he hung up the phone when my

car turned in the driveway.

Now, you've had time to get home here before I got here. Mr. Fowler, you get

me all wrong, and you are starting to get me sore. Get you sore? That's right,

get me sore.

And if your wife's gonna sling accusations around, maybe there's a few

accusations I could make up. Why, you punk!

What do you mean?

Nothing.

So forget it.

I mean, your wife sends you around here late at night saying all sorts of crazy

things about me.

What does it matter with her?

Now, you look here. I am looking.

I am looking.

Mr. Fowler, look.

I have no quarrel with you. Believe me, I don't.

I'm not interested in any woman who's older than me.

It's late. She sent you here. You said what you have to say.

And I've said what I wanted to say.

Now, please, let me go to sleep, okay?

claim to know a whole lot about women, you know?

But maybe all your wife wants is some attention drawn to her.

Your attention.

Okay.

I don't know. Maybe you're right.

But if it was you that phoned...

Okay.

Well, good night.

Don't slam the door on your way out. My folks are still sleeping.

Yeah.

Good night.

Hello?

Waiting for my call, huh?

Jack?

Jack, come here!

Who are you kidding?

He's not there.

You're all alone.

I know.

Go away.

Stop this.

Stop it!

He's got him.

Fakes him. Comes behind him. Fakes around.

He's up.

And he scores.

I'm going down to the drugstore.

You want to come down and buy me a soda, huh?

No, I'm going to watch the kid.

What are you, some kind of a camp counselor suddenly? Yes, that's right,

dear. Suddenly I'm a camp counselor. That's exactly what I am.

I'll see you around.

Yeah, like I don't... I don't need you, brother.

No, but you sure need a little bit of new dialogue.

Let's go. It's your shot.

Didn't you want to go with the letter line? Come on, shoot it up.

Come on.

Yeah. How about that?

Very good.

Come on, I'll buy you a soda.

Oh, boy, you bet.

Why, sure, Mr. Wilson.

Sure, I can.

No, I didn't think they'd accept the estimate this early.

That's right, Mr. Wilson.

Sure.

No, no, I can drive up there.

I'll check with you after I've seen them.

Okay, bye, Mr. Wilson.

You bet.

How about that?

What's wrong?

Well, I just got back from Chicago, and they want me to go to San Francisco.

Oh, yeah?

Look, why don't we do this?

We'll all three drive up there, you and Stevie and me, and I'll take care of my

business. We'll have some fun for a few days and drive back.

Jack, you know I hate driving all day.

Oh, come on, honey. The trip will do you good.

Sitting in a car, getting all creased.

Oh, come on, Marsha.

Look, why don't you fly up? Then you can make your deal and come back in the same

day.

It only takes an hour or something.

Tell you what.

You say you want to give Stevie a treat.

You know he's crazy about planes.

Why don't you take him with you?

You sound like you want to get rid of us.

For a whole day, yes.

Then I can take up the hem on the new dress you bought me.

Take Stevie, huh?

Yeah.

Yeah, why not?

You'd get a real kick out of it.

Why not?

Hi, Mr. Fowler. Roy.

We were practicing our basketball, and Roy bought me this.

Yeah?

Well, I've got a surprise for you.

We're going to San Francisco tomorrow, just you and me, by plane, for the whole

day. How do you like that?

We'll leave early in the morning, get back late at night. In a plane?

Honest? Oh, boy, in a plane. Oh, Dad.

Take it easy.

You go in and wash up. About time for lunch.

Okay. So long, Roy. Take your ball, babe.

Well, he sure is a good kid, Mr. Fowler.

Thanks a world of you, Roy.

Take a lot of trouble with him.

Well, it's really nothing.

I guess when I was his age, I was pretty shy of people, too.

Just the two of you going up to San Francisco tomorrow?

Yeah.

Well, I'll see you.

Take care. Have a good trip.

Hello?

Lucy, please answer.

You. What do you want?

I just want to talk to you, Mrs. Fowler, while you're still alone.

I waited all day.

Get out of here.

My husband will be home in a few minutes.

He won't be home for quite a while.

Breaking into a person's house.

I'll tell my husband.

I'll tell the police.

No, no, Mrs. Fowler.

I didn't break in. You let me in.

I brought a present for Stevie.

I wouldn't break in to do that, would I?

I've had this since I was a kid about Stevie's age myself.

He saw it over at my house the other night. I thought he'd like to have it.

Get out of here.

Not until I've told you something, Mrs. Fowler.

You are doing to Stevie exactly what my stepmother did to me.

And that's what killed my father, the way that she went on all the time, all

the time she went on. Sure, it was an accident. That's what the paper said, an

accident. It's an accident that a man drives over a cliff on a clear blue day.

What's that got to do with me? You're crazy. A string of men friends all the

time, Mrs. Fowler. A string of men friends all the time. Shh, don't tell

anybody, Roy. This is your Uncle Joe from Kokomo, Roy.

Why don't you go outside in the yard for a little bit, Roy, huh? Why don't you go

away to camp for one week, Roy?

That's the way you talk to Stevie, isn't it?

No, he's told me, Mrs. Fowler.

Look, Mrs. Fowler, don't you understand? Kids don't like to be gotten rid of.

They want a home that's a home to them.

That's all.

Okay, well, stop this.

Listen to me and let me finish.

You are just exactly like she was.

Vain and selfish and conceited.

You want to have your cake and eat it too, don't you, huh?

You know, your husband's an all right guy, but that's not enough for you, is

it? Oh, no, you got to have a bunch of people admiring you all the time, men

looking at you all the time. Well, he's going to find out about you, and Stevie

will find out about you.

Just exactly what you are.

The same way I found out.

I suppose you whisper it to them on the phone.

Telling them won't help them, Mrs. Fowler. I'm telling you.

There's a smell of death about women like you.

Death and corruption.

You corrupt people the way you go on all the time, so you better cut it out. Do

you understand that?

Now will you get out?

Now just put the gun down, Mrs. Fowler.

My rotten stepmother killed my father and me without any gun.

Put the gun down.

How many people do you want to kill, Mrs. Fowler?

Get away from me. You're out of your mind.

Sure, out of your mind, Mrs. Fowler.

Trying to mess up a nice guy and an innocent kid.

Nobody'd blame me if I shot you now with your filthy phone calls, breaking in

here like this.

How exciting am I now with a gun pointing at you? You're very exciting,

Mrs. Fowler.

Just like she was.

And you're rotten just like she was.

I think it's time that your husband found out about you.

No.

I didn't mean to kill you.

to answer that concludes our story at

least it concludes mr roy bullock it was not the end of mrs fowler however the

jury recommended mercy as for the anonymous caller he was permitted one

more call to his attorney

You see, a policeman happened to be waiting to use the payphone at the time

of that last call.

I have traded my sword for a much more practical instrument.

I feel much better. This is more my style.

Now it is time to hear from my worthy opponent.

He seems to have forgotten about our duel, so I imagine I can relax now.