Original subtitles

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.

Tonight’s topic is self-defense,

a matter of importance to everyone,

especially the ladies.

The first rule is to be suspicious of strangers,

especially if they are stripped to the waist

and have arranged mattresses on the floor in advance.

In nine cases out of ten, they are jujutsu instructors.

Put out your hand and appear to be friendly.

Then, pick out a corner of the room.

I have a feeling I’m not going to pass this course.

I won’t tell him why it was he couldn’t throw me.

He was standing on my foot.

Now, our story follows this one-minute attack on your sensibilities,

against which there is no defense.

Good evening.

There we are.

I-I’m sorry. I haven’t any change.

You can’t break a five?

No. I-it’s all right. You take the beer and pay me later.

I must have an honest face.

No. I have some change here. What’s it come to?

N-no, mister. Please...

N-never mind. And don’t worry about the beer.

Don’t turn around.

S-Stay where you are and don’t turn around.

Go. You got the money. Go, go!

[whimpers]

My-- My husband’s gun. I was afraid to reach for it.

He keeps it here.

[gun shot]

[shot]

[car’s horn stuck]

[shot]

[shot]

Gerald R. Clarke. Is that with an E?

Yes, sir.

Age?

Thirty-eight.

Address?

2114, North Hope Street.

That’s apartment 11.

Married?

Single. Occupation?

I’m a radio engineer at station WLPQ.

Mh-hm.

Lieutenant, how’s the boy?

Oh, he’s pretty badly wounded, but he’s still alive.

Who is he?

Kid named Phillips.

Jimmy Phillips, 18. No previous record.

What’s the rest of that, Lou?

[Lou] "Mother divorced,

works as a switchboard operator for an answering service.

Father remarried, living somewhere in New Jersey.

Unable to locate."

Mr. Clarke.

Would you mind telling us something?

Sure.

You’d never been in that liquor store until tonight?

No.

How’d you happen to go there?

Well, I was on my way to a friend’s house to play some cards,

and I decided to pick up some beer,

so I just stopped at the first place that was open.

Never saw the lady who owns the store before?

-No. -Mmm...

Well...

Now, please don’t misunderstand me.

I think you showed a lot of nerve going after that kid.

But...

nothing had been stolen from you,

and you didn’t even know Mrs. Gruber.

Why’d you take such a risk?

Because he pointed his gun at me.

I don’t get you.

Look.

When I was in the army, in World War II,

I served in France and Belgium and Germany.

Never on the line, though. I never had to kill any...

body. I...

But I did see a man get killed once, though.

I... was outside a bar in Brussels.

A-A... British soldier.

A friend of his shot him.

By mistake, I think.

They were having an argument about a girl,

and this one fellow had a gun, and--

and he kept pointing it at the other one,

a-and they kept yelling at each other.

And all of a sudden, the gun went off, and--

and that was the end of a man’s life.

And-- And the one who got shot,

I was watching him, and...

he kept wanting to do something. He...

kept looking at the gun that was pointed at him,

and he-- he didn’t know what to do.

That made me realize how special a loaded gun is

when it’s pointed at you.

And tonight,

when that kid pointed that gun at me,

then I thought, "What makes him think

that he can do this to me?"

And I-- I had to fight back. I--

-I-- -[phone buzzing]

Homicide.

Homicide, Lieutenant Schwartz.

Oh, yeah.

Oh, well...

have him call me back as soon as he’s free, hm?

Look, Lieutenant... do you suppose I could make a phone call?

My friends are probably wondering what happened to me.

Yeah, sure. As far as that goes, you can leave now.

We know where to get in touch with you.

I suppose it sounds empty to say I wish it hadn’t happened.

Mr. Clarke.

Don’t let it throw you.

A man’s got a right to defend himself.

Oh, yeah...

Yeah.

Right over here, ma’am.

Have a seat.

I’ll tell the lieutenant you’re here.

Thank you.

Lieutenant?

Eh... no. I’m not a policeman.

Excuse me.

Can I help?

No. No thank you.

Lieutenant will see you in a minute.

Here...

Please.

Thank you.

[sobbing] I can’t believe it.

I-I don’t understand.

You think you’re doing the best for your children.

Try to give them things.

Love.

I’ve tried with Jimmy.

Jimmy?

I can’t give him everything.

I did help him buy his automobile.

I guess he must have needed something else.

[sobbing] Nobody...

And he was caught tonight...

holding up a store with an empty gun.

[continues sobbing]

Empty gun?

[sobbing]

He was shot three times, and...

his gun wasn’t even loaded.

Wait a minute. Hold on.

Yes, Mr. Clarke?

Is it true?

[Schwartz] Is what true?

That the kid I shot was carrying an empty gun?

Yes, but there wasn’t any way you could have known that.

Excuse me, doc. Go ahead.

Mm-hm. Mm-hm. Yeah.

She’s waiting outside the office.

Yeah, I’ll tell her.

Well, you did the best you could.

OK, doc. Thanks for calling.

The Phillips boy died five minutes ago.

[priest] "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord

from henceforth. Yea, saith the Spirit,

that they may rest from their labors;

and their works do follow them."

"The peace of God, which passes all understanding,

keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge of love of God,

and of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

And may the blessings of God Almighty,

the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,

be upon you now and remain with you always.

Amen."

Oh... excuse me.

Are you a relative of Mrs. Phillips?

No. She works for me. Why?

You run the answering service?

[Willet] That’s right. Who are you?

My name’s Clarke. Gerald Clarke.

I’m the man who killed her son.

Oh...

What do you want?

I know how she must feel about me,

and I-I don’t expect to change that, but I--

I was wondering if there isn’t

something that I could do... to help.

I-- I’m not trying to buy my way out of this, but-- but...

W-well, the funeral. Maybe I could pay for that.

-I’ve already taken care of it. -B-But...

Then may I share the cost with you?

-[Willet] This isn’t necessary. -No,

she wouldn’t have to know about it. I wouldn’t want her to.

I would consider it a favor. Please.

Is it enough?

This is very thoughtful of you.

Well, it’s the least I can do, Mr...

Willet. Henry Willet.

I’m-- I’m glad to know you.

Thanks for letting me help.

[Willet] Forget it.

And don’t punish yourself too much about this.

I knew Jimmy.

His mother’s a fine woman, but...

he wasn’t the angel she likes to think he was.

His death’s been very hard on her, sure, but...

no matter how you add it up, it was his own fault.

Eventually, she’s going to have to face that.

-[muted dialogue] -[Gerald] Who?

[muted dialogue]

Uh, Mrs. Phillips?

Mr. Clarke?

Mr. Clarke...

The reason I...

...came here today is because

this morning, when I came to work,

Mr. Willet told me about the...

money you gave him yesterday.

Oh, I wish he hadn’t done that.

Well, I’m glad he did. I-I’m very grateful.

[Gerald] Well... eh...

It’s nothing. I-It’s nothing at all. I--

I just wanted to help.

Well, you-- you’ve helped and it was most generous.

I--

I had a...

long talk with Lieutenant Schwartz,

and he’s trying to make me see what happened and how Jimmy...

Ah... Mrs. Phillips...

Thank you. I--

I’m trying to come to terms with it, and I--

I thought, maybe, perhaps you may help.

Well, certainly. Ah...

Anything, Mrs. Phillips.

I wondered if you’d...

talk to me.

Well...

Uh... anytime, Mrs. Phillips. Any time at all.

[Mrs. Phillips] Now?

Well, I’d like to.

But I’m just on a coffee break.

Uh...

How about when I get through working tonight?

I’m off at 8:30.

That will be all right.

Um...

Well, where should we meet?

It doesn’t matter. Somewhere where we might talk.

There’s a coffee shop right around the corner.

Al’s.

Yes, I-- I know the place, but...

isn’t it rather noisy?

Yes. Um...

Well, my place is just a few blocks from here.

Could we meet there?

Yes. Yes, I think that would be fine.

That’s 2114 Hope Street, apartment 11.

Apartment 11.

-All right. -9:00?

[Mrs. Phillips] Yes, nine o’clock would be fine.

Thank you.

[doorbell buzzes]

[Gerald] Good evening, Mrs. Phillips.

W-Won’t you come in?

Thank you.

May I take your coat?

Yes, thank you.

Did you have any trouble finding the place?

No.

The numbers on the mailbox are in sequence,

but the way they have the apartments ringed around the swimming pool...

It’s pretty easy to miss the one that you are looking for.

You have a lovely apartment, Mr. Clarke.

Well, thank you. It’s-- It’s comfortable.

M-May I get you something? Coffee, or a drink?

I have some imported beer.

Coffee would be fine.

I won’t be a minute.

Mr. Clarke.

[Gerald] Yes?

As I told you, I had a long talk with Lieutenant Schwartz.

Maybe it’s too soon to talk about it?

No.

[Gerald] We don’t have to.

Yes, we do. I want to.

Whatever you say.

Lieutenant Schwartz explained to me what happened that night,

and I read Mrs. Gruber’s statement.

So I’m not trying to minimize what Jimmy did.

Mrs. Phillips, there’s no point in blaming Jimmy now.

Oh, what he did was wrong,

walking into the store with a gun,

scaring people half to death.

That poor old lady, Mrs. Gruber.

Yes.

And you...

You were frightened, too.

Weren’t you?

Very.

Because you thought he’d... shoot you.

Kill you.

That’s right.

After Jimmy left the store, you took the Grubers’ gun and followed him.

[Gerald] Y-yes.

And shot at him.

I shot at the car.

[Mrs. Phillips] How many times did you shoot?

I don’t remember.

The lieutenant said four shots had been fired.

Then I guess they were.

And that three of them hit Jimmy.

Yes.

After you fired the first shot...

why did you fire the second?

Because all it did was smash the window.

But you just said you were only shooting at the car.

I meant I was shooting to stop the car.

And, after the second shot, did the car stop?

Yes.

Then why did you fire the third?

Because I was afraid.

But Jimmy didn’t fire back at you.

But that didn’t mean he wouldn’t.

I-I didn’t know his gun was empty.

And, even after that...

after shooting at him three times

and not having any fired returned...

you still walked up to the car

and fired another shot.

Yes, because he might have been lying there, waiting for me.

With an unloaded gun?

But I didn’t know that!

And it never occurred to you?

Why should it?

He stuck a gun in my back and he threatened me!

You don’t know what that’s like.

You don’t know how it feels having a gun pointed at you.

I had every reason to believe that gun was loaded.

What would you think? What would anybody think?

I’m sorry about your son, Mrs. Phillips.

I’m so sorry I can’t see straight.

But I-I don’t know what else I can say.

I didn’t start this.

I didn’t want it to hap--

This gun is loaded, Mr. Clarke.

Listen.

You don’t know what you’re doing.

[Gerald breathing heavily]

Don’t.

Don’t. I didn’t know his gun was empty.

I was just frightened!

The way you’re frightened now?

I was trying to defend myself, that’s all.

What good will it do to kill me?

You’ll just ruin your own life.

What will it solve? It won’t bring him back.

You’ll be killing me for nothing.

For no reason in the whole world.

I’m not the one who started

this trouble with your son, Mrs. Phillips.

He did.

I thought his gun was loaded, I swear it. I--

[Gerald sobbing]

You don’t have to be afraid anymore, Mr. Clarke.

I’m not gonna kill you.

Goodbye, Mr. Clarke.

-[gun shot] -[screams]

[shot]

I told you not to point a gun at me.

I realize it’s impolite to point,

but Gerald’s reaction was a trifle drastic.

I think you, too, would be glad to know

that he was subsequently apprehended

as he emptied his revolver into the figure of Uncle Sam

in an army recruiting poster.

And now, I should be back after these words from a very prudent gentleman

who points with pride,

but only to himself.

That is all we have to offer tonight.

We shall be back next week

with more of the same.

Until then, goodnight.