Original subtitles

Hey, man, you're going up the wrong way.

Hey! Hey, you crazy?!

No!

♪ ♪

Perfect frame.

He's a real pro.

Yeah, next time I see him,

I'll tell him you're a fan.

Did you get a look at his face

or his license number, Mr. Marin?

Would you if somebody was trying to kill you?!

Uh, he missed you deliberately.

His job was to scare you.

Why?

I don't know.

I swear to you, I don't know!

Nobody hires a killer without a reason.

I told the police.

My name is Rudy Marin. I live here alone.

I work at "Bodley Better Buys" used car lot.

I give a fair deal on the lot.

I don't fool around with other guys' women.

Now, you tell me why.

Look, every one of those bullet holes

says "Stop" or "Stay away."

Stop what?

Stay away from what?

I don't know!

I keep telling you, I swear, I... I don't know!

What did the police do? The police?

Oh, they got here all right.

They-they arrived, and they looked around.

They wrote things down.

They told me to be careful, and they left.

That's why I called you.

All right, tell you what I want you to do.

Lock the doors, stay away from the windows

and don't answer the phone and stay put.

I can't.

What do you mean, you can't?

I mean I can't, that's what.

I-I-I've got something to do today.

What?

I can't tell you.

Now, look.

I'm not tangling with a hired killer

unless I know the reason why.

Now, what is it you have to do in such a hurry?

Forget it.

Look, I'll, I'll pay you for your time. Just forget it.

It's your life.

Marin's clean as a white Christmas, Joe.

No records, no arrests, something of a loner...

Zero.

What's he done?

So far, just played target for a hired gun

who was paid to miss him.

Why would someone hire a professional killer to miss?

To scare Marin away, probably.

No, no, no. They'd threaten him.

If that didn't work, they'd beat him.

And none of that's happened.

The going price for a top killer is what, $10,000?

Who's going to pay that kind of money to scare a guy away?

Wait a minute.

Wait a minute. Maybe it's the other around.

Not to scare him away from something

but scare him to something.

Look, Peggy, if you had a day to live, maybe only an hour,

wouldn't you clean up unfinished business?

Yeah.

That's got to be it, Adam.

They've hired a professional killer to scare Marin

into doing something right now!

Like what?

You get out of here!

This is my place!

Turn around!

What's that for?

Never mind. Just-just turn around.

Hold it right there!

I don't find any organic damage either to the eye proper

or the connective ophthalmic system.

What's that supposed to mean?

That means that there's no pathological reason

why you can't see.

Why can't I?

You have a case of "psychosomatic blindness."

"Psychsomatic"?

There's no simple explanation, Mr. Mannix.

You live a dangerous and complex life.

You risk it constantly in your profession.

To you, that's just an occupational hazard.

But you're a man... and mortal.

When that bullet caught you,

only the thickness of a single hair kept you from being killed.

In that split second, you felt death.

Your eyes saw it.

They couldn't stand it, and they closed.

For how long?

Your sight could come back

in six months, six days or even six hours.

Or never?

Or never.

But I'm betting on you, Mr. Mannix.

How much would you bet, Doc?

What odds?

Mr. Mannix, you're alive.

And you must keep believing

that you will see again... in time.

Sure.

I'll drive you home, Joe.

You must let him take your arm.

You must precede him.

Thanks, Doc.

I'll be seeing you.

Yes, you will.

Gray gloves, sunglasses... His trademark.

It's got to be Jay Violet, out of New York.

Special import, special job.

We've got an A.P.B. out for him.

Great. Uh, when you get him, I'll just come down

and pick him out of the lineup.

Well, by the time we grab him,

maybe you'll be able to. What is that?

What makes you think he's gonna let me live that long?

Joe, he's not going to get anywhere near you.

We got this place covered around the clock.

Nobody gets in or out without a double check.

Here's your drink, Joe.

Oh... Sorry.

It's no big deal. I'll... I'll make you another one.

Never mind.

I, uh, don't really want a drink anyway.

It's not lit, Joe.

Here, let me get it.

What time is it?

7:20.

Look, why don't you go home

before you make your babysitter rich?

I haven't finished that Javis report.

Forget it!

We're out of business.

Joe, listen, I've got this friend,

ex-Marine, he's a great guy.

He works with the blind.

You mean, he sells them those white canes?

Let's face it, Joe, it's a brand-new ball game.

Ball game called because of darkness.

You're feeling sorry for yourself, right?

Can't you get it through your thick head?

I don't need a secretary.

What I need is a seeing-eye dog.

Now, can you bark?

Yes, I can bark and I can bite, too!

I thought I was working for a guy who could take

anything that was handed out to him, but maybe I was wrong!

Maybe I ought to rent you a corner

and give you a tin cup with six pencils!

I'm sorry, Joe.

She's got quite a temper.

I'm beginning to learn more about you with my eyes closed

than I ever did when I thought they were open.

You know what they say...

"None so blind as those who will not see."

Adam.

Yeah?

That Marine guy you know...

What's his name?

My name is Jerry Vokes.

I'm Peggy Fair, Mr. Mannix's secretary.

Won't you come in?

Hey, Jerry, thanks for coming.

Pleasure.

My name is Mannix.

Adam tells me you've got trouble.

The kind I'm not sure I can handle.

Well, Joe, you can sit around moaning about what happened

or do something about it.

It's all up to you.

I'll work your tail off, believe me,

but when we've finished,

you'll be able to stand on your own two feet.

Let me give it to you straight, Jerry.

I don't want you to teach me how to be blind.

I want you to teach me how to survive.

It's all the same. Not this time.

I was witness to a murder.

I think the killer's after me.

I want to know how to make it

if he comes after me in my own ballpark.

I didn't say it was going to be an easy one.

That's a tall order.

Never had one like that before.

Can you help me?

Well, if you've got the nerve and sweat,

I think I've got the method.

When do we start?

Let me warn you, it's going to be rough.

There'll be times you'll hate my guts.

But if you really want it... I want it.

Well, then let's go to work.

Well, I gotta get back on the job.

Thanks for coming, Jerry.

Thanks, Adam.

Sure. So long, Peggy.

Good-bye.

Uh, Joe, I was thinking...

It occurred to me, you know,

that, uh, just until you get to know your way around,

maybe you'd like a roommate.

You thinking about diapering me, Adam?

No, no, no, I just thought for the next couple of days...

Give a man crutches, he'll never learn to walk.

Why don't you go play cop, Adam?

Sure.

Well, see you guys.

Okay, Joe.

Now, the only way you can meet this killer

on equal terms is in total darkness, right?

Right.

So, get a man in to put

all the lights on a master switch.

Or two or three.

By the sofa, the desk.

Whatever fits your pattern of movement.

Will do.

Now, let's get rid of the little killers.

The what? If I knock over

an ashtray with a burning cigarette,

it's an accident.

If you knock it over, it's a disaster.

Get some big, heavy ones.

Peggy? Got it.

What's this metal piece here on the desk?

That "metal piece" is a piece of sculpture.

To me, it's 20 blades that can cut his throat

if he stumbles against it.

Lose it!

I'll lose it.

All right, Joe.

Walk to the center of the room.

Come on, make your move.

That's it.

Use your hands, your feet.

Did you furnish this place?

Yeah.

Do you know where each piece is?

I think so.

Its size, its shape, its dimensions?

Don't say you know unless you're sure.

Your life depends on it.

Do you understand that, Joe?

Yeah, yeah.

Now...

I want you to photograph this room in your mind.

Picture it.

Everything in it.

For openers, let's try the stairs.

Picture them.

Count.

See, Joe, the curve in the stairs.

The landing, the iron rail,

the chest on the landing.

What's on it, Joe? What's on that chest?

The door, Joe, how high is the door, Joe?

How many panels?

Where is the doorknob, Joe?

Where?!

The gun cabinet.

The depth of the cabinet, Joe.

Dimensions, Joe, dimensions.

The chest under the landing, Joe.

What's on that chest?

Books, the iron horse.

See it, Joe, see it. The cigarette tray...

The handles on the door, Joe.

See it, see it.

See it, Joe.

The wall, Joe.

The window.

The louvers.

Curtains.

The fireplace wall. The logs in the fireplace.

Joe, picture it.

The matches.

The andirons.

Do you see it, Joe?

I think so.

All right, we'll soon find out.

Now, I want you to walk to the fireplace

and bring me one of those long matches.

Do it, Joe.

Right. Use your hands.

Feel them.

That's right.

The feet.

Use the feet.

That's it, Joe.

Good.

Down.

Now, bring it to me.

Use the feet, Joe.

The hands, the feet.

Trail the feet, Joe.

Good.

It's fine, fine. Par for the course.

I'm going to condition you

so that you know a chair is there,

even if somebody moves it.

How?

In your skin, Joe, in the hairs on your arm, air moves.

Learn to feel it.

Okay, okay.

Listen. Listen, a curtain flickers.

Is it the breeze or the killer?

He's tense. Excited.

You can smell him, hear him, sense him!

You've got four senses left. If you want to live, use them.

Sharpen them.

Okay.

Okay, now, let's try it again.

No. No, that's enough for today.

But when I go, I want you to work it alone.

From the beginning. Over and over.

And when things get dull, just hang on to this thought:

There's a killer on the loose and as of now,

he's better at his job than you are.

Remember that.

Well, I'll see you tomorrow.

I'll show you to the door, Jerry.

No. Joe can take me.

Come on.

That's it.

It'll be all right.

The step. Watch the step, Joe.

Good.

You've got it licked.

Jerry... Adam told me about you.

Medal of Honor.

Good pension. Why don't you just take life easy?

Because I've been where you are, Joe.

I was blind for ten years.

See you.

Have the decency to make a sound, Peggy.

What kind of a sound?

That will do.

Now.

Better.

Do some homework.

No, no, just read the book like any man would.

Better.

Now come to the desk and move the ashtray.

Let's see what you can do with the stairs.

I like the shaving lotion.

Don't be smug.

The killer may not wear any.

Place the first joint of your forefinger

over the rim of the cup.

Support it with your thumb.

Now the pot.

Bring the cup up slowly to the spout.

Pour.

Feel the heat rising.

When it gets close, stop.

You sure there's no ground glass in it?

Find out.

Smell anything?

Oil.

Machine oil.

Good.

Now listen carefully.

One... that's all the time you'll have

from hearing that sound to making your move.

Keep listening.

Hear it?

Good.

Keep listening.

What about that?

Fine.

I think that's enough for today.

Just let me say, your professional training shows.

You've latched on to more in one week

than others do in months.

No homework, huh?

You'll do your homework if you want to live.

See you, Joe.

Thanks, Jerry.

Hold it.

It's me... Jerry.

That's one more lesson under your belt.

Bolt the door.

Every time.

Surf's up.

How big?

Two, three feet, maybe.

Sand castle?

Right.

Transistor radio.

Boy and girl?

Working on a soft drink.

Volleyball?

Somebody just spiked one.

Hey, would you mind?

Thank you.

This was a great idea.

I was beginning to feel cooped up.

Hey, uh, how about a hot dog?

I'd love one.

Two dogs coming up.

Anything to drink?

Peggy?

No, thank you.

That's 80 cents.

Anything on yours?

Just mustard.

Settle for everything?

Everything will be fine.

Why does that name bug me?

Marin.

Look, Joe, we were supposed to leave all that behind today.

It's something out of the past.

I don't know, it's like hearing a bell,

and not knowing if it's the front door or the back.

It'll come to you.

Why?

Why would Jay Violet frighten him first

and then kill him afterwards?

Look, Joe, it's ten past, and we told Adam one hour.

Peggy, did he check out that derelict?

Yes.

Nothing.

Just an old drifter.

Two men dead, one blind.

I wonder if the killer got his money.

It's been a great day, Peggy. Thanks.

Thank Jerry. It was his idea.

You gave him a hard time this week.

You know you'd better get home

before Toby forgets what his mother looks like.

How about some coffee? It'll only take a minute.

No, thanks, you go ahead.

I'm going to curl up with a good book.

Something new has been added,

Yeah, it's a graduation present from Jerry.

The Book of Braille.

How's it coming?

Well, I'm not ready to read Gone With The Wind yet,

but I think I've got the alphabet down pretty pat.

Prove it.

All right.

H-I... End of first word.

P- E-G-G-Y.

Hi, Joe.

Now, here's one I can do with my eyes closed.

M-A-R-I-N.

O?

Marino.

That's it.

Bruno Marino, holdup artist. Wife Stella Marino, deceased.

Son Rudolpho Marino.

Alias Rudy Marin, used car salesman.

Born 1939.

That's got to be him, Adam.

Will someone please fill me in?

A payroll heist, about 12 years ago.

Marino gang got away with close to $800,000.

They had to kill a guard to do it.

Then Marino pulls a switch, see.

Instead of divvying up the loot with his buddies,

he buried it... Or so the story goes.

Then he turns himself in to the police,

takes a 20-to-life sentence, which he never finished.

You mean he was released?

The hard way... feet first.

Last week a con stuck a shiv in his back.

And the next day... now, this is the key, Adam...

The very next day, Jay Violet took a gun

after a certain used car salesman.

But why him?

It's simple. Marino's gang was just marking time

until he got out of jail, then he was killed.

So, who's left with the secret as to where the money's buried?

Would you buy Rudolpho Marino, his son,

alias Rudy Marin, who was at his father's bedside when he died?

So they hire a killer to scare him

into leading them to the money,

Do you think the money was buried in the building

where Marin was shot?

I'd stake my life on it.

Adam, why don't you get things moving?

Wait a minute! Wait a minute!

"Cease and desist"?

Lieutenant, I got a street full of equipment coming in

tomorrow morning!

That's a court order, sir. It means what it says.

Now, don't touch as much as a single brick.

But I got a penalty clause on my deal,

which means I pay them!

Whoever's behind this better have a darn good reason.

Oh, there are 800,000 reasons.

Okay?

I hope you're right, Joe.

It all adds up, Adam.

Bruno Marino wouldn't trust anyone

except his own flesh and blood.

It was his son's legacy

in case anything happened to Bruno.

And it happened.

That's why the boy came here with the dynamite.

He had to beat the wreckers to it,

and it almost worked.

Then you showed up.

Yeah.

The money's got to be somewhere in that building.

Under a floor, in a wall,

somewhere, you'll see.

Well, if you're right,

you're in for a nice piece of change.

The reward's still on the books:

ten percent of the total figure.

It'd be nice if I could count it.

With the building staked out,

Jay Violet's lost his last chance to get the money.

Why doesn't he take off?

He's got me on his mind.

I'm the only one who can finger him.

Or so he thinks.

He's got to eliminate me.

Adam's got this place pretty well staked out,

and Violet's pro enough to know that.

Well, all he has to do is wait.

The police can't give me 24-hour protection forever.

You know, I've been thinking.

There is a way to get him out in the open.

How?

Give Adam a call.

Any sign of a police car?

No, they're staying out of sight.

Good.

Anything yet?

There is a car now, but it's not the police.

Take the canyon road.

Let him get closer but not too close.

He's getting closer.

MANNIX He's pulling up on my side?

Yes.

Can you hold her?

I can hold her.

He went over the cliff.

Take it easy, Peggy.

I'm all right.

You're quite a girl.

Just mark the case "Closed".

It's hard to believe. Not a sign of him, Joe.

Not one sign of him!

I don't know. He must have been thrown clear,

and then he crawled away, but I'll tell you, he's still alive.

I wasn't out to get him killed... just caught.

Well, I'm sorry, Joe. I wish we'd nailed him.

What about the money?

We've torn apart the walls

and the floors of half of that building.

And? And we've got ten tons of rubble.

The money's got to be there.

I know that, Adam.

All right, we're still looking,

but from now on, this is our baby.

You leave Jay Violet to us, and just stay out of it!

Now wait a minute. I need one more day.

He's got to make his move now.

He's a pro.

Right now, you're not.

Look, Joe, without eyes,

you're, you're a sitting duck.

He can pick you apart one feather at a time.

Now just leave him to us!

Adam, you're helping him, not me!

You'll just scare him off,

and he'll take his own good time about taking a shot at me.

All I'm asking for is one more day,

and then he's all yours.

Look, I've worked harder

at getting ready for this

than anything I've ever done in my life. One day!

I'll settle for a man on the roof across the street.

Okay, one man on the roof.

But we're going to be near enough

to come running if he calls.

Thanks, Adam.

Good luck, Joe.

This is Lieutenant Tobias, Mack.

Got your instructions?

Yes, Lieutenant. I'll be checking in every hour. Out.

Are you all right, Joe?

Joe?

Open up, Joe!

Joe!

Joe?!

Joe?

Are you all right, Joe?

Will you take that damn light out of my eyes?

Oh! Adam wanted me to wait in the car,

but I couldn't stand it any longer.

Are you all right?

Yeah.

That's a... that's a new dress?

Yes, I just...