Original subtitles

I make it 3 minutes to midnight.

Check.

Yes.

Standing by.

Hold on.

Continental warehousing.

Right.

Another challenge for the Green Hornet, his aide Kato and their rolling arsenal the Black Beauty.

On police records a wanted criminal,

the Green Hornet is really Britt Reid,

owner publisher of the Daily Sentinel.

His dual identity known only to his secretary

and to the district attorney.

And now to protect the rights and lives of decent citizens rides The Green Hornet.

/we join the blanketing/.

Yes.

We've covered the only possible exits for the arsonist, Frank.

We haven't seen a single person.

Well, a Firebug generally stays around to make sure that his torch has worked.

This one doesn't.

The Commissioner just called, there been 12 injuries so far, too serious.

The entire warehouse is totaled out.

There were two night watchman on duty, but they saw no one.

This is critical, Britt.

There's gonna be a meeting at the Commissioner's Office tomorrow at 10:00.

Make sure that you're there as Britt Reid.

Will you be seated.

Gentlemen, I am particularly gratified that the press is represented here this morning.

The seriousness of this matter cannot be overestimated.

For seven nights now at the stroke of midnight

a madman has set a devastating fire somewhere in our city.

Now gentlemen, I have to admit that I have absolutely no idea how to /combat/ this.

We welcome suggestions.

Commissioner Dolan, Mike Axford of The Sentinel.

Yes, Mike.

I don't bring just a suggestion, I brought the solution.

What's that?

What is this, Mike? I thought I was just going to see the Commissioner.

This is better, Ben.

Comissioner Dolan, you know Ben Wade.

He was retired from a service a few months ago because of his injury,

but there isn't a man in this town knows more about arson,

or determining the methods of its use, or preventing it than Ben Wade.

We know all about Mr. Wade. Good to see you, Ben.

Thank you, commissioner. If I can help, I'd like to.

It's already been suggested.

When we realize the extent of our problem, your name came up.

Thank you, sir.

But it was rejected.

The job you held cost you the sight of one eye,

we can't possibly risk the loss of the other.

But

Commissioner, that would be my risk, not yours.

I'm sorry, Ben.

The decision's reluctant, but it's firm.

You and I know it's against department policy.

Ben.

It's alright, Mike.

Comissioner Dorman, you've got the answer in your hand.

Mike!

A gentlemen,

as I see it, our problem is not determining whether the fires are incendiary or not, or how they're set.

Our problem is in anticipating the next move.

The Commissioner warned that even though a pattern of terror has been established,

policing the areas that must be covered presents a formidable problem.

Transportation, warehouses, power plants and water pumping stations are all potential targets, and may be struck next.

Meanwhile on the national scene...

Hundred different targets.

Shouldn't this person, whoever he is, be making his demand soon?

If he has demands, I'm not so sure he has any.

Well, I don't understand. Surely he has some price he's going to ask before he stops.

On the other hand, he may be just enjoying the sheer panic he's causing.

Wonder what Sir Lancelot wants now?

Maybe Commissioner Dolan is too stubborn to take Ben back. That doesn't mean we have to be too, does it?

Not necessarily.

The way these fires have been set, it's been done with advanced planning, right?

Right.

So if the Commissioner won't hire Ben, the Sentinel does.

Ben figures out how the fires have been triggered,

and we can warn all the plant security people on what to look for.

Britt, at least it's a way to go.

Mike, that'll take a lot of time,

he has to check all the sights of the past fires.

He's fast, and he'd work on a day and night. We've been friends a long time, I know!

Well, I'll think about it, maybe check with the Commissioner.

Thanks.

It just might work.

"B & H - Warehouse"

Yes.

Well, we still have about 20 minutes, Britt.

I think that with all publicity the Firebug may change his pattern.

Helicopters up?

And surveillance on all areas.

I don't think he can pull it off tonight.

Chopper report.

Smoke visible, west end,

transport maintenance. The pilot will check it out.

We're less than 30 seconds away, Frank. Let's go.

Main plant's going up, call fire emergency!

The Green Hornet!

Hello Ben.

Crawling in kind of late, aren't you?

and in a hot suit.

How did you get in here?

So you're the Firebug?

Just because I'm wearing a hot suit that doesn't prove anything.

No,

but added to these locations and dates, it does.

Every fire, including the one tonight.

I heard that on the radio, I wrote it down. I'm trying to establish a pattern.

/Is that what you mean?/

I heard the fire report on my police radio just as I got here, and you haven't been home for hours.

I was trying to get you on the phone to give you what I thought was good news.

Ben, why are you doing this?

Don't you know?

Forced retirement

for man who dedicated himself to the City,

lost an eye for it.

And they offered you another job.

Sure, sit behind a desk, punching holes in paper,

answering the phone when people who call up a sick!

/Only they aren't/ sicker than you.

Mike, how would you be?

For three months I've been cooped up in this building,

staring at four walls.

I've turned into a cripple,

mentally not physically.

You did it to yourself.

Ben, I've known you too long.

You only think you know me, nobody knows me. I'm just beginning to know myself.

And I'm not gonna settle for the pasture, not yet.

So you figured to start a few fires and be needed, and called back.

Look at this! Scrapbook, look at it!

'Lt. Ben Wade solved Shipboard Fire' 'Lt. Wade captures arson ring single-handed'.

It's the headlines you miss.

You're about to make the biggest headline yet.

Don't move, Mike.

Let me do this for your own good.

Ben, I've been your friend for a lot of years.

I have no friends,

and now that you know what I'm doing,

/Lisa/ for you.

"Green Hornet at Scene of Fire"

Big story on Mike's favorite subject!

Where is he?

I don't know, he hasn't been in all morning. He hasn't even called, it's not like him.

When he left last night he said he was gonna stop by Ben Wade's to tell him that you were considering him for a job.

Have you checked at Ben's?

Yes, and Ben said he never arrived.

And then I called Mike's apartment, and they said that he hadn't been there all night either.

I'm beginning to worry about him.

Morning, Ben. Mr. Reid.

May I come in? Sure, yes.

Is Mike here?

No sir, like I told your secretary, he hasn't been. I haven't seen him since the Commissioner's Office,

but he did call me this morning, telephone me from his apartment.

He did?

Well, he'll probably show up around here sooner or later. Nice place you have here!

I have good news for you!

I could use some.

You're now an employee of the Daily Sentinel.

Special investigator, Arson.

You mean you're going to do what the city wouldn't?

Somebody has to. This thing is gotten out of hand.

I'll say it has.

When do we start?

And you think Mike Axford is Wade's prisoner. But why?

Who knows, maybe Mike stumbled on something. He is an old news hound, you know.

Yeah, but Ben Wade's one of his best friends. It sounds ridiculous.

Does it?

Try this.

The arsonist is a man so well versed in setting incendiary fires, he never uses the same method twice. That fits Ben.

Secondly, he's a man that has a complete knowledge of the fire prevention and construction of all the buildings that he struck. Again, Ben Wade.

Mike said he plan to drop by, and see Ben last night, but Ben claims that he never did.

He said that Mike called him from his home,

but no one at Mike's home has seen him all night or this morning.

Is it possible that he's the same man that you almost caught last night?

He's the same size, it's all I can say.

Hm.

Well, I fill /there/ all the forms, I belong to you now.

Good, I have your first assignment.

You don't waste any time, do you?

There's none to waste.

A replacement shipment of medical supplies is arriving this afternoon.

I hope you're sneaking them in.

We are. Top secret.

If we lose it, the situation becomes critical.

That Green Hornet is tricky, we have to be ready.

I got you. Where are you storing it?

The Sentinel has a warehouse at the Harbor, shipment is camouflaged as newsprint ink paper.

Good idea.

I want you to go down and check out the warehouse, make certain on no incendiaries.

What's to prevent someone from planting them tonight.

We have the police surrounding the place, no one in or out.

Mr. Reed, you don't want to just protect the shipment, you'd like to catch the Green Hornet too, wouldn't you?

Of course.

Then pull the police out, let me handle this alone. Don't just scare him away.

Isn't that risky?

So as crossing the street.

Everything's coming along fine, Mike.

Two car loads of material have been delivered and stored.

Sit up, Mike.

Ben, for heaven's sake stop this!

Come on, get up. We got places to go.

You asked for a chance, Britt Reid gave it to you. Now you're gonna cross him?

That's right, this is gonna be my biggest fire of all.

And what will it accomplish? What about your reputation?

This will still be an unsolved case.

Who said unsolved?

I'm gonna capture, I'm gonna kill the Firebug, and the Firebug is gonna be you.

"Daily Sentinel - warehouse no. 3"

Ben, stop this foolishness. Nobody's gonna believe /I/ the arsonist.

If I make my case against you, they will. And you'll being dead, there's not gonna be any questions asked.

Fine suspect I'll be with my hands tied.

Very foolish, Mike, You shouldn't told me that, you're absolutely right.

What is it, Mike?

Boss, I have a favor to ask.

Ask away.

Could we play down this Firebug story?

Ben Wade deserves a better epitaph.

Mike, he tried to kill you!

He didn't, and I'm here.

But it's a chance to make you a genuine hero!

What kind of a hero? I don't even know how I get out of the place.

Okay, if that's the way you feel about it.

Thanks.

Poor Mike.