Original subtitles

Seven days solitary, 14 days loss of privileges,

21 days loss of remission.

Take him down.

Sir.

And number 9437.

Sir.

No need to feel too badly about it.

No one's succeeded in escaping from Grangemoor yet.

The fact is that nobody can.

Carry on.

Sir.

Carry on, Number Two.

Prisoner, escort, hut!

Prisoner, escort, right, turn!

Prisoner, escort, by the front right wheel, quick, march.

Left, right, left, right, left, right, left, right, low!

Carry on, sir.

Carry on.

Oh, don't mind if I do, sir.

Well, sir, I think we can congratulate ourselves.

Again.

In late Victorian times,

there lived many detectives.

The rivals of Sherlock Holmes.

The man's a fool.

Nothing is impossible.

The mind is the master of all things?

Precisely.

Philosophically speaking, in the sense that stone walls

do not a prison make.

Literally speaking.

Come, now, Professor.

No man can think his way out of a cell

in a maximum-security prison.

A man can so apply his mind and ingenuity

so that he can leave one, which amounts to the same thing.

Let's be quite clear about this.

I am.

Fielding, what would you say was the most secure prison

for which you're responsible?

Grangemoor, without question.

I've had all sorts of modern devices fitted there,

including electricity and arc lamps,

an idea that I culled from our American cousins.

No man could escape from the condemned cell

at Grangemoor, cell 13.

Stuff and nonsense.

Are you saying that you could do so?

Certainly.

Provided you were allowed to take in the necessary tools.

Lock me in cell 13 or any other cell

in Grangemoor or any other prison with nothing

but the clothes I'm wearing.

I'll escape in a week.

You would think yourself out?

I'd get out.

Are you serious?

I usually am.

You see?

Yes, Ransome.

Professor, I'd heard that you'd been making

some such claims.

I was anxious to meet you because,

as the architect responsible for advising

the prisoner commissioners on security,

you must realize that statements of that kind

are damaging to my professional reputation.

It's not my fault if your reputation's founded

on a fallacy.

You wouldn't care to prove that, I suppose?

Why not?

You'll agree to being locked in cell 13

of Grangemoor Prison and treated exactly as though

you were a condemned man?

Certainly, provided you can obtain the consent

of the Prison Commissioners to the experiment.

Oh, I can speak for the home office.

I've already arranged it with the Prison Commissioners,

subject to you signing a general indemnity.

Indemnity?

Well, they're bound to protect themselves,

you know, in case anything goes wrong.

It won't, not from my point of view.

Thank you.

Here.

Good.

Well, Professor, shall we make a start?

I shall be ready tomorrow.

No, now.

Now?

You don't seem to understand.

You have elected to make a claim which is damaging

to my reputation and a danger to public confidence.

You have volunteered to substantiate that claim.

Show the courage of your convictions.

Very well, then. Now.

Oh, one stipulation.

No prison clothing.

Oh? What will you wear?

As little as possible.

Shoes,

stockings,

and a shirt.

And naturally, a pair of trousers.

You will permit yourself to be searched, I suppose.

I am to be treated precisely like any other prisoner.

No more attention and no less.

Good.

Perhaps I may use your telephone to alert

the prison governor.

By all means.

In the meantime, I'll get changed.

You won't mind if I inspect your wardrobe, Professor?

His Majesty's Prison at Grangemoor.

Yes, it is on the telephone.

Cape.

Hat.

And a pair of shoes.

Ready?

I must just make some arrangements

Oh, in your presence, naturally.

Very well.

Oh, Perkins, it is now 27 minutes

past nine o'clock.

Well, sir?

I am going away.

At half past nine precisely, one week from now,

these two gentlemen and possibly two others

will take supper here with me.

In the meantime, I shall not be needing these.

Oh, and, Perkins?

Sir?

Dr. Ransome here is particularly fond

of artichokes.

All right, then.

Quite ready?

If you are.

By all means.

Thank you.

How did the governor take it?

Calmly, although I will allow he sounded

a trifle bemused, poor man.

Quite frankly, sir, I don't like the idea.

Ours is not to reason why, Chief.

What's the point, sir?

I must confess I'm not entirely clear.

But if the prison commissioners, in their wisdom,

deem it necessary, we must bow beneath.

Whoa.

It seems they're at the main gate, Chief.

Sir.

This the party?

Yes, Chief.

Let him in.

This way, gentlemen.

Three on top.

Three on.

Good evening.

This way.

Chief Prisoner Officer and party of three

from the Prison Commission.

Four on, sir.

Four on.

Come in.

Ah, Governor.

Mr. Fielding.

You know Dr. Ransome?

Yes, indeed.

Good evening.

And this is?

Professor Van Dusen.

How do you do?

Welcome to Grangemoor, gentlemen.

Do sit down.

Chief, another chair.

Sir.

The professor is to be your prisoner for a week.

If you can manage to keep me.

I see.

You understand, he has committed no crime.

The exercise is in the nature of an experiment.

And its object?

Our own protection.

Our?

Yours and mine.

The professor has been putting it about that our claims

as to the security of Grangemoor are unfounded.

In short, that he can escape.

Quite so.

Nonetheless, you will appreciate how important it is

that we should prove him wrong.

And is he to be treated-

Like any other prisoner.

Then I don't anticipate any problems, do you, Chief?

None, sir.

Good.

Search him, sir?

If you please.

Coat.

Collar and tie, sir.

Are you sure you want to go ahead with this?

Would your friend here be convinced if I didn't?

No, I wouldn't.

Well, then.

Spectacles, sir.

I'm blind as a bat without them.

He can keep his spectacles.

Mm, thank you.

We'll have those later, sir, and the studs.

Clean as a whistle, sir.

Quite finished?

Is there any way that he can communicate

with anybody outside?

None.

You understand that, as a high-risk prisoner,

you'll not be permitted writing materials of any kind.

Oh, yes.

Your officers wouldn't deliver a message from him.

It'd be worth more than their lives are worth, sir.

You can rest assured, gentlemen,

that they will report to me anything that he says

and turn over to me anything that he might give them.

Satisfied?

Oh, of course, in the event that he admits defeat

and asks for his liberty,

you understand that you are to free him?

I understand.

I would like to make three small requests.

You may grant them or not, as you wish.

No special favors.

Oh, no, no, no, nothing special.

I should like some tooth powder.

Provide it yourself to make sure that it is tooth powder.

Do we have any, Chief?

Try the infirmary.

Thank you.

Tooth powder for the prisoner number seven!

Very good, Chief.

And next?

Well, I would appreciate a little money,

say, two pounds?

Is there anyone here he could bribe with two pounds?

Not with 200, sir.

Nor even 2000.

I haven't got it. Have you?

Eh, just about.

Eh, yes.

Ah, you are too kind.

And now perhaps we-

Let us get down to the condemned's cell,

gentlemen.

Chief, lead the way.

Sir.

Professor.

Gentlemen.

Prison Governor, Chief Prison Officer,

party of three!

Five on, sir!

Five on.

Five on, sir.

Five on.

Prison Governor, Chief Prison Officer, party of three.

Five on.

Five on, sir.

Prison Governor, Chief Prison Officer,

party of three.

Five on, sir.

Five on.

Prison Governor, Chief Prison Officer, party of three.

Five on, sir.

Open up number two.

Welcome to cell 13, gentlemen.

Yes, uh, it's very nice.

Didn't you have a third request?

Indeed, I did.

I should like to have my shoes polished.

Good god above.

Well, it seems harmless enough, if a little odd.

Chief?

Number Two.

Get a move on, Number Two!

Chief.

I take it you've searched the cell?

From top to bottom the moment you telephoned.

Nobody could enter or leave with my permission, sir.

Well, I counted seven steel doors between here

and the main gate.

No one, not even the governor's,

got keys to more than two, sir.

Spreads the risks.

And my office is at the end of the corridor

so that I can be immediately alerted.

Ah. Satisfied?

What's that noise?

Well, it sounds to me like, uh, rats.

Yes, well, I-

Our business is security, not hygiene.

Oh, quite.

Shoes.

Tooth powder, Chief.

Oh, thank you.

And that's your lot.

You're in a cell now, not a hotel room.

Well.

Well, we'll say good night, then, sir.

Good night.

Good night.

Eh, good night.

Oh, uh, Governor, would you tell me the exact time?

Just gone 11.

Thank you.

I'll join these gentlemen in the governor's office

one week from now, at half past eight, precisely.

And if you don't?

There's no if about it.

Oh, good morning.

On your feet.

Give me those.

Lock up.

Unlock when I tell you.

Right, Chief.

Oh, tell me, do you serve all

the prisoners' breakfasts personally?

You don't speak, not till you're spoken to.

And when you are, you stand to attention.

Now.

And when you do open your horrible mouth,

you say, sir, every time.

Understand?

Mm. Sir.

Right. Here.

Oh, thank you.

Sir.

Sir.

Wrap yourself round that.

What?

Eat!

All right, you've had your bit of fun.

Now shut up and pay attention.

The powers that be and you are playing games, right?

Well, I'm not,

on account of it's me who'll carry the can

if anything goes wrong.

And I'm not having that

'cause I've only got three years to go till my pension,

and I don't intend to lose it because of

some half-baked experiment dreamed up by a...

Well, never mind.

Clear?

Sir.

Right.

Here's the score, then.

Through there, you've got seven locked doors.

Steel doors, mind.

And in case you have any ideas in that direction,

them bars is steel.

And outside them is 25 yards of clear ground.

It's lit all night and watched day and night,

at the end of which there's 30 foot of wall

so smooth an ant couldn't find a finger hold.

Mmm, I'm impressed.

Never mind the sarcasm.

And the routine's set so's you don't have a chance

to cook up anything fancy.

Six o'clock midday, six o'clock meals.

Nine o'clock governor's inspection, then lights out.

In between times, at least once an hour,

me or one of my lads will be having a look at you

through that Judas window there.

And if we see anything the least little bit suspicious...

Are you threatening me, sir?

Mmm.

Why, whatever gave you that idea?

I'm just explaining.

You can't escape.

Oh.

Give up the idea, and there's no reason why

we shouldn't get along fine.

Finished?

Number Two!

He got the message, then?

I hope so.

I'm lovely with dogs and children, though, ain't I?

Oh, yeah.

I'm gonna be seeing a lot of you.

Gotcha!

What's that you got?

Something rather interesting.

Would you care to see it?

It's, um, a field rat.

Ugh!

Stand by for governor's inspection.

Cell 13, prisoner present and ready for inspection, sir.

At ease, Number Two.

Sir.

Still here, then?

For the moment.

Sir.

All right, Chief.

Sir.

They tell me you've been catching rats.

Yes.

He'll be starting a flea circus next.

Don't you think you should set about

attempting your escape?

After all, you've only six days left.

Look here, you stick to your job.

I'm quite capable of doing mine.

Pay no attention, Chief.

If you say so, sir.

Bravado is the first refuge of a beaten man.

I feel almost sorry for you, really.

Thank you.

One's own words make an indigestible diet, don't they?

Yes, I'll remind you of that.

Still, you've brought it all on yourself.

Good night.

You watch yourself when you're speaking to the governor.

- Chief. - -Sir!

Dash it.

Come in.

First attempt, sir.

What is it?

One of the lads found it on the ground

outside the window of cell 13, sir.

"Finder of this, please deliver to Dr. Charles Ransome,

Devonshire Place."

Why Dr. Ransome?

What I want to know, sir,

is where'd he get the pen and ink?

Hmm.

Let's see what he has to say, shall we?

What is it, sir? Greek?

Cipher, more like.

Come on.

Ah!

Give me your shirt.

May I ask why?

Don't argue!

Put this one on.

Ah, your men brought you those.

Whose side you think they're on?

What does it mean?

Whose side do you think I'm on?

Never mind. I'll get it deciphered.

Where's the pen and ink?

Ransack the cell, Chief.

Ah.

Nothing, sir.

No?

Well, writing notes on shirts won't get you out of here.

That's certain.

Yes, I'll remind you of that, too.

And whatever you've used to write with

won't show up on your new shirt.

If he gets out of here, sir, damn it, I'll resign!

Can I have that in writing?

Come on, Chief.

Ah.

It's a random check, sir.

Oh?

Chief's orders.

Ah.

Tell me, who attends to those arc lamps?

The local electricity company, sir.

Oh, you don't have your own supply?

No.

Ah.

I just thought it would be cheaper for you.

It's none of my business.

Mmm.

Anyway, I'm not here to answer questions.

You've bitten off a bit more than you can chew, haven't you?

Now, you know, I'm not a criminal.

Well?

I could make it well worth your while

if you'd help me to get out of here.

You couldn't.

100 pounds.

Now, I didn't hear that.

500 pounds.

Keep on, and I'll have to report you.

But I'm not a criminal.

Yes, well, don't try and make me one.

Even if I wanted to, which I don't, I couldn't help.

Seven doors 'tween you and freedom,

and I've only got keys to two of them.

700 pounds.

Now, I warned you!

First a cipher and now a straight attempt at bribery.

Two attempts in three days, sir.

Yes?

Ah, Number Two, your integrity's a credit to the service.

- Quickly, sir! - What?

Cell 13, sir.

What the devil's he up to this time?

I'll have that.

No.

What is it, a file?

I don't want to have to have you searched again.

As you please.

Chief.

From your shoe heel?

Here's the pair, sir.

What's the damage?

He's made the bottom of one bar a bit brighter.

You didn't seriously think you could saw your way out?

Not in a 12-month.

And now you haven't even got these.

Ready to admit defeat?

I haven't started yet.

Only three days to go, Chief.

Aye, sir.

I think we've got the measure of him.

Been a perishing nuisance for all that, sir.

Aah!

It's upstairs, sir.

Keep your eyes open, Number Three.

Chief.

Two on, sir.

Two on.

Two on, sir.

Two on.

Two on, sir.

Two on.

Two on, sir.

Right. Open up, Number Four.

Let me out of here.

- Name? - Ballard, sir.

Offense?

Throwing acid, sir.

Get me out of here.

Put me in some other cell, anywhere.

The woman died, didn't she?

Circumstantial evidence, sir.

They never did get a confession, or he'd have swung.

Please, sir, I heard-

What's the matter, Ballard?

Just put me in another cell!

What did you hear?

I can't.

Come on, out with it!

A voice.

What voice?

It wasn't human.

Talk sense, man!

I tell you, it wasn't human!

Inside or outside the prison?

Oh, here. Everywhere.

I heard it. I heard it!

All right, what did it say?

Answer the governor!

Just get me out!

Who is under here?

Cell 13, sir.

Wouldn't you know?

Let's go down there.

But, sir!

Ballard, any more screaming,

and I'll put you in a padded cell.

But, sir.

Sir.

Sir.

Sir!

What's he up to, sir?

Soundly sleeping.

Where?

On the ground, sir, outside the window of cell 13.

"Only 36 hours to go."

Yes, sir, same material as last time, sir.

But where he got it.

Where the devil did he get pen and ink and material?

Yes?

Yes.

I look forward to it.

Safe and sound.

Dr. Ransome and Mr. Fielding will be with us

tomorrow evening, provided the prisoner hasn't escaped.

He won't have, sir.

Well, I don't see how he can,

but I think it's our turn to arrange

a little surprise for him.

All right! On your feet!

Oh, not again.

Might I ask the time?

Close on four in the morning.

Good heavens.

Oh!

Found something, sir?

Ugh! One dead rat.

You, Chief?

Nothing, sir.

You've less than hours to escape and no means of doing it.

I'll be there.

He's bluffing, sir.

We'll see, won't we?

If he gets out of there, sir, he's a perishing magician.

Aah! Aah!

Here we go again.

Just stop that voice!

The same voice as last night?

Accusing, accusing, on and on.

Acid, acid, acid.

All right, I threw it!

But I didn't mean to kill her.

There, you've got your confession!

You'll repeat that to the police,

in writing, if necessary?

Oh, yes, to anyone, I swear it,

just so's you'll put me in another cell.

Bryant!

Get this prisoner to cell 49, west wing,

and telephone the police and tell him he's ready to confess.

Sir.

On the double, now!

Right.

Can you hear anything, Chief?

Not a sound, sir.

Coincidence?

Well, it's got to be, ain't it, sir?

Let's get some sleep before we all start imagining things.

Come in.

Ah, gentlemen.

I'm told we've won.

Yes.

Well, he does still have a few minutes in hand.

If you ask me, he's given up,

but he gave us a good run for our money,

though, didn't he, Chief?

I'll say, sir.

From all accounts, he spent most of today

looking out of his cell window.

Thinking his way out, perhaps.

Excuse me, Chief.

They're here.

- How many? - Four.

Three electricians and a foreman.

All right, let them in.

Make sure only four leave.

Right, Chief.

This came for the governor, special delivery.

Right.

A letter for you, sir.

Ah, what was all that about, Chief?

We had an arc lamp go outside the window of cell 13, sir.

Confound it, the man is a hoodoo.

Oh, it's all right, sir.

I've got the electricity people here.

Governor's.

All right.

There are two reporters at the main gate

asking leave to see you, sir.

All right, send them up.

Is this the professor's writing?

Well, it certainly seems to be.

Good heavens.

Why? What is it?

An invitation.

He's asked the governor to join us for supper at his flat.

This evening.

It's posted from outside, too.

Check the cell, Chief.

Sir.

Come in.

The reporters, sir.

Ah, ah, yes, all right.

Hutchinson Hatch of the Daily Recorder.

I believe you know my colleague.

I think you'll find, gentlemen,

that I have precisely two minutes in hand.

All right, sir, he's still there.

I've seen him.

Let's have a look at what you did see, shall we?

It's a pity you don't exercise your wits

as vigorously as you exercise your tongue.

You're suspended, pending an inquiry.

When you're looking for a replacement, Governor,

you'll find his number two not much brighter,

but incorrigibly honest and relatively human.

You don't mind if I take some pictures, do you,

just to round out the story?

How did you do it?

Never believe that you can hold a man

who can use his brains.

However, come on, we mustn't let Perkins' supper spoil.

Splendid artichokes.

We aim to please.

Will that be all, sir?

Mmm, thank you, Perkins.

I'll away to bed, then.

You may close the door, Perkins.

You must excuse her.

Perkins' devotion extends to taking the keenest interest

in my comings and goings.

Yes, that's something that we three

have in common with her.

Well, let's make ourselves comfortable, shall we?

Oh, uh, brandy, port?

Help yourselves, gentlemen.

Oh, and cigars.

Governor?

Fielding?

Come on, Professor, don't keep us on tenterhooks.

For heaven's sake, man.

You admit it was a fair test?

Damn it, yes.

And I asked for nothing that you would have refused

any condemned man?

Except, of course, the money.

Oh, good heavens, you knew I had undertaken to escape.

I think, on balance, that two pounds was a fair exchange

against all the additional precautions

that you were bound to take.

How did you manage it?

Well, you will recall that I wished to delay

the start of the experiment that evening.

Because you wanted to establish contact with the outside.

Not at all.

I knew that my first night there would be largely wasted.

But why?

Well, I wasn't able to examine my situation till daylight.

Now, your Chief Prison Officer, like all stupid people,

he volunteered more than he knew.

Before he'd finished speaking,

I abandoned the idea of trying to pass through

seven locked steel doors.

Instead, I turned my attention to the window and the yard.

I observed first that the wires from the arc light

nearest to my cell appeared to lead towards the building,

from which I deduced that they must pass close by my window.

I heard children's voices.

I saw a kite.

All of which lead me to the conclusion

that beyond the outside wall,

there was liable to be some wasteland

used by children as a playground.

Well, just then, a rat interrupted my deliberations,

reminding me that cell 13 was infested with the creatures.

There was a gap at the foot of the door.

Yet, when I startled it, the rat didn't use that.

It disappeared, nonetheless.

I knew, then, however small,

there had to be another means by which they could enter

and leave my cell.

In due course, I found it.

Next, I caught one.

What's that you got?

Something rather interesting.

Would you care to see it? It's, uh, a field rat.

Ugh!

Your man's disgust blinded him to the significance

of my discovery.

It was a field rat.

Therefore, it must have come from outside the jail.

Ergo, there was a direct link between cell 13

and the outside world.

You're not going to tell us that you escaped

down a rat hole?

Uh, yes and, um, no.

But I anticipate.

My first task was to distract the governor,

hence the notes written on pieces of linen

torn from my shirt.

I see you have them there.

What does it mean?

Oh, well, read them backwards, beginning with the letter T

and disregarding the division into words.

"This is not the way

I intend to escape."

Ah.

But what did you use to write with?

Oh.

Spit and shoe black was my ink.

And your pen?

The metal tip of a shoelace.

Ah.

But why the second note?

And your attempt to bribe the prison officer?

Distractions, all.

But I'd removed your shirt.

Yes.

The bosoms of all stiff dress shirts are made

in triple thickness.

I chanced the fact you wouldn't know that.

I didn't.

Quite.

One piece, addressed to Dr. Ransome, you had.

The second, you removed with my entire shirt,

and of course you weren't to know that I had

the third thickness wrapped up in my mouth.

I needed that to communicate with my friend

Hutchinson Hatch.

And for that, you used a rat hole?

I used a rat.

I became quite adept at catching them, you know.

However, my message to Mr. Hatch,

I wrapped it in my remaining one pound note,

nothing more likely to catch the eye of a passing child.

And I attached a promise that Mr. Hatch would give

the finder a further award.

Next,

I unraveled the tops of my stockings

to obtain a quantity of stout thread.

With the end of this,

I attached the little package to the leg of a rat.

I popped the little creature down the hole,

and as it scampered away, I paid out the thread.

When the rat got out of the hole, it cut itself free.

Good heavens.

Surely any number of things might have gone wrong.

Mmm, it was an anxious time,

which I filled in as best I could with bluff,

bribery, and bravado.

Sawing through the bars of your cell with a shoe heel.

Hatch, your honor, I think.

A boy brought me the note.

I realized its potential as a story at once,

and so I duly rewarded the brat.

Then I set about getting the professor

his immediate requirements.

Which were?

Well, stout twine and thin, pliable wire, obviously.

I don't see what's obvious about them.

Well, don't interrupt, there's a good fellow,

and perhaps you will.

Then, as the professor suggested,

I got the boy to show me exactly where he found the note.

I started to search for the end of the rat hole.

At the end of an hour or more, I was close to despair.

Then, at last.

I twitched the thread three times, as directed.

I felt the professor's answering twitch.

I attached the twine to the thread

and the wire to the twine.

I waited, praying that each in turn would hold

as the professor drew them into his cell.

All this was accomplished in absolute silence.

Then we tested the rat hole as a speaking tube.

Acid.

Acid, man.

I could barely hear the professor.

Acid!

I didn't dare speak too loudly,

for fear of being heard in the prison.

In particular, Mr. Hatch seemed to have

the greatest difficulty in understanding my request

for nitric acid.

I had to repeat myself several times.

Then...

What's he up to, sir?

Soundly sleeping.

That was the nearest I ever came to being caught.

But once having established this improvised service hatch,

it's easy to see how I was able to bring things

into the cell and make them disappear at will.

In addition, I safeguarded the entrance to the hole with...

Ugh.

You remember?

I remember.

But this difficulty I had in getting Mr. Hatch

to understand my most urgent requirements...

Acid, acid, acid.

All right, I threw it!

Then it was your voice.

Distorted in the rat hole, yes.

But still, you got your confession, didn't you?

And you got your nitric acid?

Yes, I sent that in to him in thin bottles

attached to the wire.

And I used it to cut through the bars of the cell window.

And no one noticed?

Oh, the cuts were barely visible.

With nitric acid?

Mmm.

How on earth did you stop it from running?

Well, that's why I wanted the tooth powder.

I made a paste with the acid,

and I applied it to the tops and bottoms of the bars.

And, presumably, you also used the acid

to cut through the wire to the arc on your side of the yard.

With a dropper in the misty dawn,

once the current was off, yes.

The failure wasn't discovered till that evening,

and while they were busy repairing it,

I removed the bars, slipped through the window,

and then replaced them.

But you're actually leaving the prison grounds

and coming in again through the main gate.

Ah.

Yes.

I suspect this will be for you.

Hello?

Yes.

It is.

Grangemoor, the main gate.

Yes?

Oh.

Oh.

Right.

Well, what's troubling you?

They let four men in from the electricity company.

Well, what of it?

They're still there.

They've just stopped working.

Well, what's the point in fussing you

with details of this kind?

The point is that there should be only three.

They let one out some hours ago

to fetch something from the depot.

And there are still four?

But that's impossible!

Nothing, Mr. Fielding, literally nothing is impossible.