Original subtitles

The Long Dark Hall

Subtitles by Seglora

-Good Night Harry -Good Night Miss

It's all very interesting Scott

He killed her and they never caught him

So what?

Unfortunately that sort of thing happens quite often

I've already devoted a chapter of the book to it

You promised me a story about an innocent man wrongly convicted

I did and you'll get it

Right here in England during the past five years

Might have been written to order for you

just start at the beginning read on to the end

Then that murder in the alley was just the start of the story?

Exactly and I covered the rest of it,it's all there

And when you read it I'll bet you a bottle of scotch to a pint of milk

It'll give you the best chapter in your book

I'll take you

The second murder occurred nearly a year later

at approximately at 10 o'clock on the night of Thursday July 27th

Rose Mallory

the dancer left the theatre on that fatal night with her partner Marjorie Danns

It's going to rain

Well come on let's go to Joe's and have a drink

Come on you can't afford any of that junk anyway

-Hello Charlie -Good Night Rosie

-Good Night,Charlie -Good Night

Sorry

Hi Joe

Good Evening,ladies,what can I have the honour of getting for you?

Pack it up,Joe,give me a double brandy and ginger ale

-Yes,Miss,what for you,Madam -The same only make it a small one

Very well the (?) nun(?) would be

What did you say?

Nothing in the world,Miss

Marjorie,I promised to meet Arthur tonight

Arthur Groome?

One fool, you

Not to me anyway

That's just it,I can't stay here

I got to get back to the digs and change

Ed has got a couple of Manchester big shots up for the motor show

Ed want us to take us to Minnie's new place

I wouldn't miss it for the world

Watch your step,my dear

-Watch it -Marjorie be a pal

Ten pound's tale

Say I've got a headache and gone home to bed

I don't know,Arthur Groome

Why do you bother with him?

I like him,he's different

Makes you feel good to talk to him

All right,it'll cost you a drink,though

Tell Joe to give it to me while you go out

Thanks,Marge,you're a pal

Let him down lately, he's got it bad

OK

Leave it to me

-Joe my coat -Yes,Miss

-Thanks,Good Night -Good Night

Who are you?

What do you want?

Rose

Rosie? Are you there,dear?

-Sorry Mr -It's all right

Is it Groome,isn't it?

-Yes -Never forget a face

Your clock must be fast at least twenty minutes

I told you before and I tell you again,it's 10 minutes fast

I keep it so

In the hope we get an obstreperous gentleman like yourself to leave the place

at the time laid down by Act of Parliament

It's not the landlord's wish

Marjorie,where is Rose?

She promised to meet me her ten to ten

That's all right,just buy me another drink and I tell you all about it

-What are you drinking? -Large brandy and ginger ale

Large brandy and ginger ale,please Joe

Rose didn't forget you

Did she leave me a message? Is she all right?

She's fine

She's had a bit of headache went home straight to bed

Are you sure?

Of course I'm sure

Look,if you think I'm making this up

That's all right

-Where are you going? -To see Rose

No sense in that,she'd be asleep by now

Maybe,but I want to make sure

Well I tried,didn't I? She can't say I didn't try

There's none so blind as dead that won't see

Oh it's you is it?

I want to see Miss Mallory

This is a fine time to call I must say

I must talk to her it's urgent

Did your key did she?

She knows my mind all about that,I'll thank you for handing it over to me now

There is a light on in her room

You listen to me,Mr Groome

This is a respectable house and I don't like gentlemen calling after ten

Is she? Is there anyone with her?

Should be out of my house tomorrow if that is

Rose?

Rose,it's me Arthur

Rose

Rose,oh Rose

Poor old my darling,Rose

Rose

They gone?

Yes Sir it's the ambulance leaving now

Right

All right Mrs Rogers I'm glad you're still here

I want to ask you some questions

Yes

This man who visited Miss Mallory, what do you think became of him?

I couldn't say

And his name you say is Groome?

So he said anyway,Arthur Groome

You know where he lives?

No

-Here it's my carpet -All right Mrs Rogers

All right after what's happened in my house and my..

You'll get it back

It's daylight robbery

Mrs Rogers please try to listen to what I'm asking you

This man Groome was he Miss Mallory's boyfriend?

He was a nuisance,I can tell you that

How?

Prowling around,nagging here, making the poor girl's life miserable

Nagging about what?

Everything,drinking,going out with other men,having a good time

-Jealous? -Perhaps

Did she like him?

We would use straw for an evening out now and then

-Well that? -You'll get it back,Mrs Rogers

Did Groome had a job,do you know?

-Aha? -Did he have a job?

A job in then family twit if you'd ask me

-What makes you say then? -I know the type

Nervous all the time in case his wife found out

Anything else you can tell me about him?

No

But you might ask at Joe's club

That's where he meet her,from what I heard on the telephone

-Finished? -Yes,Sir

Bloke who did it must have been crazy

Probably

I don't think we need anymore here

Thank you Mrs Rogers,we'll been in touch with you again probably tomorrow,Good Night

-Good Night,Madam -Hey there,just a minute

Yes,Madam

What about the rest of this mess?

What about it?

Who is going to clean it up?

I've no idea,Madam,but whoever it is have my sincerest sympathy

Bloody college boy

I wonder if it is going to be of any use

Maybe,Sir

Maybe

Arthur,Arthur!

Yes

Yes,Mary,it's me

You're very late

Yes,I told you

Thornton wanted to go through the accounts

Is it all finished now?

Yes

All finished

Was Mr Thornton pleased?

Arthur can you hear me?

Yes,dear

What's you doing out there?

Why did you put out the light?

Anything wrong?

No,nothing

How are kids?

All right

I took them to the zoo this afternoon

Now Sheila is running with a bit of temperature

Temperature?

Nothing serious,but you might go and have a look at them

Only don't wake them

Mother

Mummie

It's all right,darling,I'm here

Go to sleep

I brought your coffee in here,dear

-Darling,I really don't want it -Please drink it

Thanks

Did you sleep badly?

No I'm all right

You should feel better if you'd eat something

No thanks

Daddy,look at me,no marks, see any difference?

Go and get your clothes on

Sheila

Get back to bed at once

There is something wrong isn't it Arthur?

I felt it ever since you came home last night

Did Mr Thornton say anything?

Yes,

He picked up a ridiculous row

About absolutely nothing at all

But

Please,Arthur

If you don't tell me,how can I possibly help you?

But I have there's nothing else to say

Isn't it?

It's not just Thornton is it?

Mary please don't ask me any more questions

You'd better go or you'll be late at your office

Mary

I

Don't worry,darling

Tell me whenever you feel like it, or not at all if you don't want to

I love you,why did you think I married you?

-No fingerprints -No,Sir

And this is the only lead?

Not the only one,Sir,but the best of the full bunch as you might say

N E steel

North England Steelwork,Sir,in Sheffield I'm flying up with it this afternoon

Now what about this man Groome?

There is no evidence against him so far,Sir

No evidence but quite a bit of suspicion

We are watching him,of course

but I must say I can't regard him a very likely suspect

Why not?

Just doesn't seem to fit the pattern,Sir

We checked up him pretty carefully

and by all accounts he's a quiet sort of fellow,good character

fairly decent position

family man with wife and two children and a home at Richmond

Rather long way from a maniac type

And what is the maniac type,Inspector?

I've no idea,Sir

Right,it's all very fine

But if he is all you say he wouldn't be carrying on with a show girl

Perhaps not,Sir

but he wouldn't be the first respectable husband

to get a thing about a girl on the stage

But it maybe only suspicion but it all points to Groome so far

So let's not overlook anything in that direction

-And get a move on everybody -Sir

Right

Yes,it's one of ours,a lot we called in, when we found they were defective

See how it gings(?) here

Faulty pin in the joint

We were alerting our customers to return the shipments

but for one reason or another some of them never seemed to get around to it

A couple of shops in Birmingham

One in Manchester

Two in Liverpool

Any in London?

London?

-Yes,one in the London area 2, Tripps -Tripps?

Tripps,hardware store in Richmond

I bought half a dozen of these knives

Nasty cheap little things but they were all I could get at the time

But whether this is exactly the one I sold or not I don't know that I could say

Rightly

But did you sell one like it?

Yes,Sir,and only one

Last December

I have the ticket here

To a regular customer of mine Mr Arthur Groome

Arthur

Yes,dear

Inspector Sullivan is here

He's been waiting to see you

You are Arthur Groome?

Yes

Mr Groome

I'm enquiring into the death of Rose Mallory

Barnden Street,Earls Court on July 27th

I'd be glad if you come to Richmond Police Station with me

as I think you might be able to help us

Yes,of course I come with you to the police station

I don't really see that I can help you in your enquiries

If you are trying find out something that happened in Earls Court

I can only tell you that I haven't been there for over a year

Daddy

Daddy

I'm sorry,Mr Groome,if you wish to make a statement

you may do so at the police station I can't possibly do it one from you here

What is it Arthur? What does it all mean?

It must be a mistake of some kind

Inspector

May I speak to my wife alone for a moment?

I'm sorry,Sir

I don't suppose it would take very long

All right,Inspector,I'm ready

Wait a minute I'm coming with you

I really think it'd better if you left,Mrs Groome

No thank you,I prefer to stay

Very well

I'm afraid we are going to have to keep Mr Groome here

Come in

Mary,dear,I'm afraid you'll have to go home

But why?

There are still a lot of enquiries we have to make,Mrs Groome

But you told them,Arthur? This evening at the house

You haven't been in Earls Court for over a year

Mr Groome I told you it's not at all necessary

but if you will insist on making a statement you may do so

Come in

Mrs Groome,I'm afraid I have some rather serious news for you

Since we brought your husband here

the enquiries we'd been making

have led to he's been charged with the murder of Rose Mallory

But he said he didn't even know her

I know,Mrs Groome

But after he's been charged this morning he made a further statement

I fancy it was a bit nearer the truth

from the one he made when we first brought him in for enquiries

But anyway it occurred to me that it might be

Well,easier for all concerned if you got this sort of information direct

Rather then,you know,through the newspapers or anything like that

I'm very grateful to you

Please take as long as you like

don't take any notice of me I've got a great deal to do in any case

"What I told you earlier was untrue

Because all I wanted to do was to spare my wife's feelings

But I realize now that she is bound in any case to learn the truth

And there's nothing I can do will make it any easier for her

So these are the facts

I did know Rose Mallory

and I've been seeing her from times to times for several weeks"

-Hello,Arthur -Hello,dear

I thought you might want to know about the children

They are down in Kent with Aunt Helen

She'll see that they know nothing about this

I can't stop thinking about you all day and night

What about the family? Have they been difficult?

They are coming to see me

They are upset of course

Especially father

I don't blame him

I couldn't blame you if you never wanted to see me again

-Darling -I know what I've done

Don't think about that now

I'm here with you,that's all that matters

-I love you,you know that don't you? -Yes

Tell me what Bedford said this morning

He seems to think we have a pretty good chance

But I don't know

But Arthur he's the best defence counsel in England

He may be but what can anybody tell

It just doesn't make sense

Any of it

I didn't kill her

I couldn't have you know that don't you?

Of course I know that

And yet here I am in prison

And going on trial for murder

Sometimes I just can't believe it

You got to be a particular kind of person to be able to,to kill

You've got to have it inside you in some way that

I haven't,I'm not that kind of person

I'm not violent I don't even think of solutions like that

I know,but let's not talk about that now

You're getting upset and you mustn't be when you go into court

But supposing they don't believe me?

They will when they see you and hear the truth

But the jury are people just like us

They won't make a mistake

I swear by my Almighty God

that I well and truly try and to deliverance make

between ourselves and the Lord the King

the prisoner at the bar

whom I shall have in charge and a true verdict give according to the evidence

Thank you,Sir Charles

Before we proceed with the testimony of the witnesses

I would like to clear the minds of the jury

on a point about which there is commonly a great deal of misunderstanding

One hears it argued

that there is some inherent weakness in circumstantial evidence

Nothing can be further from the truth

Indeed under certain conditions

circumstantial evidence is the best evidence of all

Few murders are committed in public

As a rule there are only two people present,the killer and the victim

The killer has his own reasons for concealing the truth

The victim does not survive to tell it

Circumstantial evidence

was thus often the only means of bringing such criminals to justice

By law custom and reason

you need no misgivings whatever about accepting evidence of that nature

Nothing yet

Doctor Conway

Doctor Conway

I'm going to Richmond now I probably be back this afternoon

Oh,Mrs Groome

Kennedy will take you in

Thank you,Inspector

-We also have a seat for you -Thank you

-Is that Mrs Groome? -Yes,why?

Oh,nothing

What did he want?

He asked me about Mrs Groome

"In your opinion what was the cause of death?"

Death was due in my opinion to stabbing one blow aimed at the chest

And definitely fatal

And Dr Conway would you tell the court

how long in your opinion this girl had been dead when the body was found

I would say not more than half an hour at most

Quite definitely not more

Would you say then the death took place at roughly 10 o'clock?

Yes,I would

Dr Conway, I'd like you take a look at Exhibit 9

and tell me whether in your opinion that weapon could have caused the wound

Yes

Thank you

No,My Lord

No questions

Miss Marjorie Danns

Miss Marjorie Danns

Invite to members(?),snooty, that there is a day's work to do

Now,what would you say

was the relationship between the prisoner and Rose Mallory?

Rose? I should say that for the last few weeks he was her regular boyfriend

Can you be a little more precise

Oh,I think they were in sort in love with each other,Sir

Did this seem genuine on both sides?

I thought so,Sir

He behaved as though he loved her

In what way?

Very nasty to her,Sir

He took it really off his head

if he thought she'd been out with another man

Did you ever hear him speak to her on this subject?

Many times,Sir

What did he say?

He used to go a bit to go out after anyone else

They had terrible quarrels abut that,Sir

Where they sober on these occasions?

Oh,he was,Sir

I never known him to be watched what one might have called drunk

Though Rose was often quite nicely, thank you, by closing times

What do you mean by"nicely,thank you"?

Well,Sir? Tiddly but not enough to get running for it

Can you remember such a quarrel about a week before Rose Mallory was murdered?

Yes,Sir

What happened?

Well,it was at Joe's club,Sir

And he claimed he'd seen her out with another man

He was quite beside himself ,Sir

Did he express any intentions of doing anything about this dereliction?

Beg you pardon,Sir?

About this going out with another man ?

Yes,Sir

But of course I didn't take him to mean it

but I did hear him say

that if she did it again he'll punish her quite severely,Sir

Do you recall his exact words?

He said

Either she behave herself or he'll do her in

Just one more point Miss Danns

Do you remember what the prisoner was wearing the night of the crime?

Yes,Sir,same as usual,a soft hat he had and a mackintosh over his suit

What colour was this suit?

Grey,dark grey it was

Thank you

Miss Danns

You saw Arthur Groome quite often during the weeks before the murder?

Yes,Sir

Was it not true that he was urging her then to give up the stage?

Yes,he was,Sir

Were there any success?

Not that you could notice,Sir

No And when he became enraged with her behaviour,he used to talk quite wildly?

Yes,Sir

Including threats of violence?

Yes,Sir

Yet did you see or hear of him doing any violence to her?

No,Sir,I never did

Never on this or any other occasion?

Never,Sir

Time and time again these wild threats of his proved to be quite empty?

Quite empty,Sir

Thank you

Alfred Tripp

Is that all you have to say,father?

Indeed it's not I can't alter the past

I can at least try you stop wasting any further money

or sympathy on someone who proved himself unworthy of either

That is not true

-Why not? -Because you don't know Arthur

Well I know what you are going to say that he is your son in law

But how often have you seen him since we've been married?

Five or six times at most

And I've been living with him every day and every night for the last 10 years

And in the end he betrayed you as I always knew that he would

He has not betrayed me

But Mary this woman

Yes? What about her,father?

You mean to tell me you don't mind?

Of course I mind

But I also know that he loves me more than ever now

And I'm not going to let this change anything between us

Mrs Rogers

-Mrs Rogers? -Yes

Now Mrs Rogers

To be where we left off

You remember you said that you were in your room

and then you heard someone knocked at the front door?

Yes,that's right

What did you do?

I went to answer it

The door was locked

-Oh yes indeed -I see

And then?

I found him standing in the hall in the dark

Who Mrs Rogers?

Groome

But you just told us that the door was locked

how did the prisoner manage to open it?

He had a key

He had a key,do you know how he came to be in possession of that key,Mrs Rogers?

She gave it to him

Rose Mallory

Forgive my asking you this question,Mrs Rogers

but how would you describe your boarding house

I mean would you say it was of the most respectable kind or not?

I certainly would

You can ask anyone

I'm meticulous for good behaviour that's why

Quite,quite,thank you

Mrs Rogers in this respectable house of yours

do you keep the front door locked all the time?

Locked during the daytime?

No one did in Barnden street, we are all respectable

But after dark?

The door was always locked, every night after dark

Thank you,in other words it would have been impossible for anyone

to gain access to your house after dark

unless they either were admitted by someone else

or in possession of the key himself,is that correct?

Quite correct

Thank you

Do you like Mr Groome,Mrs Rogers?

Not particularly

Why? Because he regarded you as a bad influence in the life of Rose Mallory?

He didn't do it,any of the kind

Is it because he tried again and again

to get her to move out of your house into a flat of her own?

That didn't bother me

Rose never listened to him

Then why do you hate him?

I didn't hate him

I don't like him very much

But I don't hate him

What do you think?

-Six to four and aquittal -Why?

Circumstantial evidence old boy

juries won't have it,they don't like it they don't trust it

And you know why?

You know why juries don't like circumstantial evidence?

Yes

You want to see justice done in this case,Mrs Rogers?

Yes of course

Have to give the accused a fair chance in this court?

Yes

Mrs Rogers,at what time did you come home on the night of Rose Mallory's death?

Just about 10 o'clock

You're sure of that?

Yes because I've just having a bite,I'd been having supper

With my friends Miss Garmer just down the road

Mrs Garner,oh yes,yes she does all the laundry for your house I believe

Yes,that's right and I fetched a bag myself that night

Fair loaded up I was

Indeed,seems a lot for one woman to have to carry

you must have certain amount of difficulties in getting into the house

I managed to get one hand on the door knob

To your door knob?

Yes,how else do you supposed I manage to lock me the front door

Possibly with a key,Mrs Rogers

And that's because the door was not locked at 10 o'clock on that night?

I had my key as well

But did you use it?

Was it in fact necessary for you to use it?

I don't remember

I suggest you did not use it because the door was not locked

No

I believe during the past two years

fourteen different people have lodged in your house,is that correct?

I can't tell without my books

Mrs Rogers eight of those people have signed statements to the effect

that only on very rare occasions was your door locked before midnight

Three of them are prepared to testify

that more than once they found it open between two and three in the morning

Do you still maintain that it was always locked after dark?

I see

You made a statement to the police shortly after the arrest of the accused?

Yes

You gave evidence at the inquest?

Yes

And you repeated that evidence here on oath today

And on each occasion you told the same story

that the front door of your house was always locked at dark

is that correct Mrs Rogers?

Yes

You realize of course the implication of your story

There is only a person in possession of the key

who had entered the house the approximate time of the murder

Only a person in possession of a key

such for instance the accused could have been guilty of the murder

I suppose so

Mrs Rogers

You do know,don't you, that the penalty for murder is death?

Would you prefer to withdraw your evidence about the front door?

Yes

You'll be here tomorrow,Mrs Groome

Yes of course Inspector

Very well just a moment,please

You're Mrs Groome aren't you?

Yes

You should be very pleased with the way it's going

Do you really think so?

Yes I think Mr Bedford is handling the situation very cleverly

He was particularly effective with that woman I thought

I do hope you are right

Will Mr Groome go in the witness box himself?

I don't know

It will depend on that I expect

How he impresses the jury in the witness box

I have great faith in the jury

Good you're smiling

This gentleman thinks it's going very well

What do you think,Inspector?

Oh,aren't you allowed to say?

I'm afraid not

But it's also absurd really

This young man couldn't have done it

It's quite out of the question

Every week thousands of people see girls like Rose Mallory dancing on the stage

And amongst those thousands there's perhaps one who few hours later will strike

I suppose they regard themselves some kind of instrument of justice

But not this young man he's not the one

you only have to look at him to be quite sure of that

May I give you a lift Mrs Groome?

A lift?

-I.. -I live in Richmond too

I'm so sorry but by your address has been in the newspapers you know

Well thank you that's very kind of you

-I'll see you tomorrow then Inspector -Yes,Good Bye Mrs Groome

Here we are Mrs Groome whole safe and sound

It's much more comfortable than the bus

But not much faster I'm afraid

Still I warn you as a careful sort of chap I don't take many risks

Yes

Thank you

Thank you again

I'd

You're a brave woman,Mrs Groome

Why do you say that?

I know what it is to be alone

Oh

If you could only consider me someone who is anxious to help you

Of course

Could you then perhaps spare me a few moments?

Certainly please come in

Thank you

If you wouldn't mind waiting in here for a moment I'll go and make some tea

Thank you

Is there anything I can do?

No thank you,I'm just waiting for the kettle to boil

Perhaps if two people are watching it,it'll not take so long

You have a very pleasant home,Mrs Groome

It has a lived in atmosphere

Hello,it's not ready yet

I only wanted to warm the pot

I've always dreamed of a home like this

Your husband is a very lucky man

How can you say a thing like that?

I'm so sorry for a moment I forgot

Excuse me

-Good Evening -Good Evening Mrs Groome

Mr Sims and Mrs Sims, how nice to see you,come in

Just for a moment if we may

Of course

I'm just making some tea

Do come in

Do sit down

Thank you

We just came to tell you

That we are on your side

That we are thinking of you all the time

Both of you

Thank you very much

You are both very kind

Cigarettes?

Oh I'm so sorry Arthur always

As a matter of fact I don't smoke

If there's anything we can do to help

Any shopping or anything at all,please let us know

We'd really be too glad

Thank you

We didn't come before because we didn't want to,to seem to intrude

I expect a lot of other people round here have offered to help already

Well,no

No as a matter of fact you're the first

-That's because they felt the same as -They didn't want to worry you

They'll come soon you'll see

Yes

It's all some terrible mistake

Oh,I've quite forgotten

Someone has come to see me, he drove me back from the court

He's in the kitchen now, making tea,I'll fetch him

Look Mr Groome we've only a moment and it's maybe the last chance we'll get

You've got to remember the name of that man in the restaurant

you spoke to that night at 10 o'clock

I told you I can't do you think I haven't tried?

I think like it(?)lad(?), I wish we never raised the point

I can feel Morton chucked (?) photograph at it now

I know you needn't tell me

You can't even give me a lead, anything it'll give me a man to look for

I've spoken to Sullivan about it he'll give us all the help we want

He was a big dark man, he could have been an Italian

I don't remember having seen him before

All there it is we must do the best we can

Try not to worry too much

you'll be up there in a minute now,he'll be after you today,don't let him rattle you

All persons who have anything forever to do

for my Lord,King and Justice is a lawyer and terminal(?)

And general jail delivery for the jurisdiction of the central criminal court

drawn,you have given attendance, God Save the King

Mrs Rogers

One further point Mrs Rogers

Did you happen to notice what Groome was wearing on this particular night?

Yes he had a soft hat on and a mackintosh

Did you notice his suit?

Yes,it was an ordinary tweed suit a grey one

Thank you

I call the accused

Take the book in the right hand

In swear by All Mighty God that the evidence I shall give

shall be the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth

You are married Mr Groome

Yes

And you have two children I believe

Both girls

Yes

Has your home life always been happy?

Very happy

And you are fond of your wife?

I love her more than anything in the world

When did you first meet Rose Mallory?

I can't remember the exact date sometime in the early summer

How did you meet her?

We got into conversation one night in a crowd in Shaftesbury Avenue

Was it taken use of this club

I often went there I've been going there for years

What for?

It was out of the ordinary,romantic in a way,full of straight people

What took place the first night you met Rose Mallory?

Nothing except we talked a lot

At that time you were regarding her just as another casual acquaintance?

Yes

I liked her very much at sight, there was something good about her

Something very nice and genuine I thought

she was quite different from the ordinary run of showgirls

How long was it before you saw her again?

I should think about a week

Had you thought about her at all in the mean time?

Yes I had

She told me her struggle to keep in work

She wasn't all that good

Sometimes she'd be out of work for weeks on end and I felt sorry for her

I thought I liked to do something for her so I mean to give her a break

She always dreaded the show closing

Quite

What sort of a break did you think you could've given her?

There wasn't much I could have done really

But I wanted to

So what did you do?

I tried to stop her drinking

I thought if she stopped drinking she might

Get hold of herself and straighten up

Mr Groome I know it is very painful for you

but I know too that you ought to be absolutely frank with My Lord

and the members of the jury

Apart from simply liking this girl or feeling sorry for her

did you feel attractive towards her?

Yes

I didn't realized at first but afterwards I did find her attractive

Were you in love with her?

No

I've never loved anyone except my wife

I see

You say you had a meal in Shramm's restaurant before going on to Joe's club

about what time was that?

10 o'clock I herd the ten o'clock news on the radio there

Did you see anyone you knew in that restaurant?

Yes,at least I saw someone who knew me

What do you mean by that?

A man spoke to me calling me by name

I can't place him I tried to over and over again

I do not know who he was but he knew me

Well as to another matter of time

The Prosecution is suggesting that when you were in Joe's club

and argued about the clock you were attempting to establish a false alibi

It had nothing to do with an alibi

how could I know I was going to need an alibi,I simply thought the clock was wrong

And why did that disturb you so much?

I thought it meant she was out with another man

Have you ever seen that knife before,Mr Groome?

Yes I think so

When?

It looks like a knife I had once

What happened to this knife you had that looks like this one?

I lent it to Rose Mallory

Why?

She borrowed it one night to cut a string in a parcel

I gave it to her as a souvenir

When was that?

About a month

Before

Mr Groome

Did you on the 27th July

or at any other time ever do Rose Mallory any physical hurt?

Never

As God is my witness

Thank you

Mr Groome I would like to you sentence by sentence

through a statement you insisted on making at Richmond police station

After I read each sentence

I shall invite you to tell us whether it is true or untrue,is that clear?

Yes

Very well

"Before you begin your enquiries

I should like to say that I do not know anyone called Rose Mallory"

True or untrue?

It was untrue

"I've sometimes been in the Earl Court District but not for the last year"

True or untrue?

It was untrue but I admitted all this before

Bare with me a moment

"I've never been to Barnden Street and I do not know where it is"

True or untrue?

Untrue

That is the whole of the statement, three assertions and all of them untrue?

Yes

And your explanation for this complete falsification

if I remember correctly,is that you wanted to spare your wife

Yes

You are now on trial for your life are you not?

I know that

Then you are asking this court to believe

that you lie solidly to avoid hurting your wife's feelings

but would not dream of departing from the strictest truth

in a matter involving your own life or death

-Yes? -Good Evening

Good Evening

Am I too late?

You are late,yes

Although I waited after the court closed this afternoon

I thought you might be interested

in knowing what they are saying about the case

Oh yes,come in

And I wanted to apologize for disappearing so suddenly last night

I didn't want to intrude on you and your friends

Oh they only dropped in for a moment but it would have been quite all right

Are you alone now?

Yes but tell me what you heard in the court

You are afraid of thunder?

I don't like it

I do

It helps me to see things more clearly

You know what to do

Please tell me what you heard

I think you'd better be prepared for the worst

-The worst? -They think he will be convicted

Who thinks that?

Lawyers and others who follow these cases before

But that's not fair

They haven't even heard his side of it yet

Oh,that won't matter,he's covered himself with guilt anyway

whether he killed her or not, he'll have to pay just as she did

But not for murder

And that what he is charged with not with anything else

But this is not a matter of technicalities, Mrs Groome,killing isn't the only crime

But the violation of our social order

The betrayal of home and family for instance

shakes the whole foundation of our civilisation

I don't know what on earth you are talking about

All I know that Arthur is not guilty of murder

And I can't believe the courts will convict an innocent man

I wish you wouldn't allude yourself,Mrs Groome

Shock would only be greater

Why they may even find the man who really did it

They won't

That was Inspector Sullivan who spoke to you yesterday wasn't it?

Yes

Is he very clever?

I don't know I expect so

Probably

But not nearly clever enough

No one will ever discover who actually killed Rose Mallory

But how can you be so sure

Consider it for yourself

Anyone of the thousands men who saw her on the stage that night

could have waited for her after the show and followed her home

Yes I expect you're right

Mrs Groome

May I ask you a question?

What is it?

May I be your friend?

That's very kind of you I'm sure and I do appreciate it

but it's quite late and I'm rather tired

You'll never have Groome again you know

And if you are wise you forget him

Cast him out of life completely

He deserves nothing more of you,nothing at all

His fault of it all claim to your love and even consideration

Please you have no right to talk to me like this I think you'd better go now

But you must believe me

I tell you he has been deceiving you, you must not even think of him again

I've asked you to leave

No,no not until I make you understand, this is very important and you must listen

I don't want to hear any more,I want you to go or I should call the police

The police?

You won't dare

Please I'm so sorry

I didn't mean to alarm you

I saw you in court and I felt sorry for you

I only wanted to offer you my friendship and now I'd frightened you

Will you forgive me?

Just go that's all

Yes,but will you forgive me?

Yes I forgive you but go please

Thank you

And I won't bother you again I promise you

Good Night

That night as the subsequent investigation has revealed a man named Polaris

Debated a point of conduct with his wife

Never slept last night

And I won't sleep tonight

Not a wink

Are you going to start on that again

How can I stop it

It's a man's life

Must depend on me whether he lives or dies

It's not going to depend on you and it's not going to depend on anyone person

They don't depend on one person at the trial

they use a big system lots of people you wouldn't be important one way or the other

I wish I could believe that

Look,when those lawyers get through with you

you remember this,you remember that,what makes you so positive

how do you know it wasn't the week before,where was you that night in 1902

you'd be so dizzy you wouldn't remember your own name

you wouldn't know yourself if it was Groome you saw or Charlie Marx

It was Groome all right,there's no question about that

I remember him he was brought to the club twice by Mr Thornton

It's my business to remember who comes to the club

That was true

because it was the only time in my I ever was in Shramm's restaurant

I met Herbert that night about dogs

It was 10 o'clock

He was just sitting there

Nowhere near where that girl was killed

So all right what do you want to do?

You won't to get up there and let them ask you a lot of questions?

You want them come poking into your business?

Of course I don't

You want they should find out about your trips to Paris

about where you got the francs

About your passport

About the greyhound race stocks about the extra special old source scotch whiskey

You want to be so regarded that you go straight to prison

-Of course I don't -Then forget it

If you don't want us to get us both in Pentonville

or you in Pentonville and me in Holloway wherever it is

You'd better forget you ever saw that fellow Groome anywhere

Wish I could forget that

Now your entire concern with Rose Mallory

if I understood your testimony correctly

was reformation to reclaim her to respectability

Yes it was

And I believe you said you were trying to stop her drinking

Yes

Pure moral further in another words was your guiding principal

If you want it to put in that way

You carried out this temperance campaign lastly in drinking clubs

Do you think that the wisest method to reform your girl?

We met there yes

You don't suggest your work met with much success

I don't suggest anything

Nevertheless and against great odds

you can think you to conduct this selfless and disinterested struggle

for several months

I told you that,what else do you want me to say?

Only the truth Mr Groome

Your agitation on the 27th July

that was caused by your disappointment in her behaviour?

It was

Jealousy for example never entered your thoughts?

Not at all

All your rages all of your wild talk,all your threats

was prompted by nothing stronger than moral disapproval

I think so

I suggest Mr Groome that you were madly in love with this girl

that you were consumed with jealousy

and that is the true explanation of your entire conduct

Then I say it is not true

Were you passionately fond of this girl?

I liked her very much

I used the word passionately, Mr Groome,and I used it deliberately

Weren't you passionately fond of her?

I liked her very much

That's the only answer you'll get out of me

Would you be good enough to examine those letters and tell me you recognize them?

Yes they are mine

Letters you wrote to Rose Mallory?

Yes

May I have them back please?

I should like to see those letters again,Sir Charles

My Lord

Go on,please

I take it that you promised to destroy them

Yes

Extremely good and assumption part of any letter writer

Never write a letter never destroy one

Perhaps the quotation is not familiar to you

My proposed reason for one of them,Mr Groome

afterwards I should invite you to explain to us

I waited three hours for you last night,hours of torment

Dearest darling where were you?

If you only understood one tiny little bit

If you only realized what our meetings mean to me I think you'll be less cruel

I should be there again tomorrow night at the same time

If you care for me at all

you won't disappoint me again, please,please my own love

You suggest,Mr Groome

that this letter was prompted by no stronger emotion

than an urge to reform a girl?

What about dearest darling and my own love

All right have it your own way I was crazy about her

that what you're after isn't that what you want me to say?

I'm only after the facts,Mr Groome

are you telling us the truth now were you crazy about this girl?

Yes

She was an obsession

You were indeed very jealous about her won't you?

Yes

And because of her waywardness

your jealousy was constantly and violently inflamed

Yes

What chance has he got?

Nobody to help him

No witness to prove that he is telling the truth

Excuse me can you tell me how to get in?

-In where? -Into court

Who are you,Sir? A counsel or a criminal?

I just want to watch

My own privileged people sitting in there,you might get away with it

Thank you

Another one in at the death

Let me put together the prosecution suggestions it is this

Sometimes in the early evening 27th July at approximately at 10 o'clock

you went to Barnden Street you were let in by Rose Mallory herself

you were in a blind rage

and induces by jealousy and in the cause of a quarrel you murdered her

I did not

I've done many things wrong but I didn't kill her,I didn't do it,I didn't

Several of witnesses have mentioned a grey suit

which they say you used to wear on your business to the West End,were they correct?

Yes

Were you wearing it on the day of the murder?

Yes I was

Were is it now?

I burnt it

Why?

It had blood on it

How did you get blood on it?

While I went into the room and saw Rose lying there I did

I,the first thing occurred to me I bent down and tried to pick her up

Did your wife know you were burning your suit?

No

Did she know it got blood stains on it?

No I managed to hide the stains from her

How could you manage to hide a great mass of blood stains on your clothes?

I didn't say there were a great mass of blood stains

One patch from the coat

Only one patch,then why couldn't you send it to the cleaners?

I told you I didn't want my wife to know about it

Are you suggesting,Mr Groome

that you were incapable of giving a false explanation?

I don't pretend to be different from anybody else

I don't like telling lies, I don't do it from choice

But when the lies seem useful as in your first statement to Inspector Sullivan

you can bring yourself to utter it,can't you?

I don't pretend to be superhuman

Of course not

And your story of an encounter in a café with a man who knew you

and addressed by your name is that true?

Yes it is

The why is he not here and corroborate your story?

I don't know I can't remember his name

I suggest,Mr Groome

that he does not in fact exist

but he is just another figment of your very fertile imagination

He does exist,he does, I'm telling you the truth

That was I've been up against from the start

that's what nobody can see I'm telling the truth and nobody believe me

The trouble is I know it doesn't sound true

What good is the truth when it doesn't sound true

Yes he says I did threaten the girl but I never intended to carry out the threats

Yes I was in an agitated state at Joe's club that night

but that was only because she was late

I did dispute the accuracy of the clock but that was for no particular reason

I did run away,I did lie low, I did make a false statement

and I did burn the suit I wore that night

but all that was nothing to do with the feeling of guilt

Now let me remind you of one more all important fact

Arthur Groome is not on trial for his morals

The charge against him is one of murder and penalty in the law for murder is death

This man who stands before you on trial for his life

may have done wrong but members of the jury he has already paid for that wrong

Few men could have paid so dearly for a fall from grace,he's paying for it now

He's been paying for it every minute of the day for the past few weeks

he will go on paying for it as long as he lives

because no man can escape the knowledge that is locked in his own heart

But that knowledge in the case of Arthur Groome

does not and cannot comprehend the guilt of murder

Now members of the jury will you retire to consider your verdict

The verdict will get them at five o'clock(?)

Surely if we catch the final edition

Members of the jury are you agreed upon your verdict?

Yes

Do you find the prisoner guilty or not guilty?

Guilty

Prisoner at the bar,you stand convicted of murder

have you anything to say

why the court should not give you a judgement of death according to law?

I didn't do it,I didn't do it

I didn't do it

Groome was removed the next day to prison to wait(?)execution

Meanwhile an appeal was taken and denied

Nor was the petition for clemency circulated by Mrs Groome

and signed by their neighbours, fellow workers and other friends

any more successful

The story disappeared from the newspapers

people forgot about it and in fact the case was closed

All that remained was a few long days and longer nights

Until Arthur Groome should mount the scaffold

I prayed for this but you shouldn't have come

We haven't given up you know

It's no use I'm afraid

We'll keep on anyway

You believe me don't you?

Of course I do

It's all I got left now

All that stops me going crazy

But you understand I didn't do it

I know you didn't do it,sweet

Poor little girl

Please Arthur none of that

I know but when I think what I brought on you shame and misery

I won't listen,Arthur, I won't I really won't

You mustn't even think that way I love you too much to think of nothing else but that

I've been praying a lot you know

So have I

I don't suppose it does much good,really but it comforts me

Gives me hope too

I don't think there is any hope left,darling

I don't think we should fool ourselves about that

It's over now,we might as well face it

I suppose it is foolish

but I prayed that the one who really did it will come out and say so

Not much chance of that I'm afraid

Maybe there isn't

But I pray for it anyway

I pray to God to say something to him

To make him understand how wrong this is

He doesn't must let an innocent man suffer for something he didn't do

I pray for you and for the kids

And you get along all right

And for courage

And strength

I'm terribly frightened Mary

I don't want to stumble, or anything like that

But I'm terribly scared

We both pray darling

Pray hard

Come in

Yes?

Sir that letter about the Groome case

It's the first we had with that handwriting

they've checked it and it seems to be quite straight forward

I see

What time is it,Inspector

Nine fifteen,half past ten o'clock?

Ten past

It's time to go out

Yes plan(?) that way I should think

Yes all right

What does it matter? Arthur Groome is dead,hanged as high as hay man

If you care to know what really happened

I stabbed her my friend, I was the instrument of justice

Instrument of justice?

Get me Richmond 342

What are you staring at me for? Get me a car

Mrs Groom,Inspector Sullivan again

When I spoke to you at Old Bailey on the second day of the trial

there was a man talking to you

tall thin hacked face in a blue suit with no overcoat and no hat

Do you remember?

Who was it?

Yes

Yes

Thank you Mrs Groome I'll be with you within about an hour

What a horror for that poor woman,Sir

-What woman? -Mrs Groome.Sir

Didn't you speak to her just now?

Yes

What are you talking about,what horror?

For this to come now Sir

When he is dead

What's the matter with you

Groome is not dead

Not dead?

Can't you see it in the morning paper?

That's all that is here

What was in that paper?

Sorry Mr Jefferson but I couldn't resist keeping an ace in the upper sleeve

This was the front page of the Express

published on the morning fixed for Groome's execution

-So he didn't hang -No,no he didn't

The moment Sullivan got the letter,he was on the trail of the real murderer

He was arrested tried and sent to Broadmoor for life

And Groome?

Was released in the moment the other man was convicted

-What then? -You're the writer,you tell me

Well I guess he went home

His wife was there

That was the end of the story

Subtitles by Seglora