"[NARRATOR READS ON-SCREEN TEXT]" "[PIANO PLAYING]" "dearly beloved, we are gathered here in the sight of God" "Mr. Cravette, I cannot continue." "I insist." "to join this man and this woman in the bonds of holy matrimony." "Jason Cravette, do you take this woman to be your lawful wedded wife?" "I do." "Do you, melinda Sawyer take this man to be your lawful wedded husband?" "With the authority vested in me by the Church and the state of maryland I pronounce you man and wife." "Let no man put apart those whom God has joined together." "JASON:" "Thank you, Reverend." "It's a most moving ceremony." "Here, I think you'II find that most generous." "Good night, Reverend." "[HUMMING "WEDDING MARCH"]" "MAN 1 :" "Most considerate of you, inspector." "MAN 2:" "Thank you, inspector." "gentlemen, right this way." "Thank you." "well, here it is." "This is the gun that he actually used." "Oh, Grayson, eh?" "Very interesting." "George Washington Grayson, he called himself." "Went patrioticaIIy mad on your day of independence." "And shot his wife and two bystanders, claiming they were British spies." "But he has no right to shoot people merely because he thinks they're British, has he?" "Oh, I agree, Mr. BIount, that is a bit drastic." "Idiotic." "I'II write him into my new book, I think." "Blount on Blunders." "Oh, that's the fellow." "Mr. Grayson will look wonderful in wax, won't he?" "Yes, we'II find a corner for him in our museum." "Can I take this with me?" "certainly." "We'II return it." "Very grateful to the inspector for letting us look through your files." "DRACO:" "We deeply appreciate it, Tim." "Yes, I'm rather surprised at that especially since the inspector disapproves of what he calls amateur criminoIogists." "Amateur?" "well, that's the inspector's term, Mr. BIount, not mine." "In the sense that we don't accept any payment for our work, we are amateurs." "Nonsense." "I myself have written 20 books on the subject of crime." "Mr. Draco, to my knowledge alone, has solved at Ieast a dozen of the most baffling cases." "Pick your words, please." "Amateur" "careful, harold, careful, or you'II have a new book Blount on Blood Pressure." "AIbertson." "Take two men and get out to the house of Jason Cravette on North River Street." "A girl by the name of MeIinda Sawyer's been murdered." "Yes, sir." "DRACO:" "Is there anything we can do, inspector?" "As a matter of fact, yes, there is." "Say nothing about this until we've had a chance to investigate." "DRACO:" "Of course." "Barnett." "Get me the address of the Sawyer family." "And have AIbertson report to me as soon as he gets back." "I know this has been a dreadful experience for you, Reverend." "But since you know the family of the murdered girI" "Yes, yes, of course, inspector." "I'm afraid the inspector has his hands full." "BLOUNT:" "Yes." "Pity he wouldn't accept your offer of assistance." "That's his privilege." "Of course." "well, shall we get back and open up?" "Must be about time, I think." "You know, I have a curious feeling that this particular murder will be worth reproducing for our new exhibits." "More likely a routine sort of affair." "Not the sort that really belongs in a true chamber of horrors." "No sign of him." "The horses are gone." "well, couldn't have got much of a start." "Briggs, see if you could pick up a trail." "Morrison, you go for the hearse and ask Dr. RomuIus Cobb to meet us at the morgue." "I'm sure the inspector will want an autopsy." "Right away." "TIM:" "That's wonderful, Mr. BIount." "DRACO:" "naturally." "Up to his usual standards." "Thank you, but you know, somehow I never feel an exhibit's complete as long as the murderer remains at large." "Any new leads, Tim?" "No, none." "We've had the usual reports from people who claim to have seen him from time to time, but they all checked out to be false." "He's had three weeks since the murder." "He could be anywhere by now." "Inspector Strudwick seems to think he made it out of the country possibly to South America." "almost time to open our doors, harold." "Good heavens, already?" "would you Iike to stay for the first tour?" "I don't think I can take the time." "The inspector wouldn't appreciate it if I was out watching wax murderers instead of chasing after the real one." "As you wish." "By the way, thank you very much for keeping us posted." "You're welcome." "I'II see you out." "I know my way." "I'II go out the back." "Goodbye, and thank you again." "TIM:" "My pleasure." "Good night, Tim." "TIM:" "Good night." "BLOUNT:" "You know, Tony, old boy I have a sort of feeling that Jason Cravette will never be found." "That is, of course, unless old Strudwick manages to get some assistance from, shall we say, outside sources." "We'II see, we'II see." "well, shall we?" "BLOUNT:" "Yes, by all means." "welcome to the House of Wax." "I'm Anthony Draco, your host." "And now may I introduce Mr. HaroId Caernarvon BIount our resident sculptor and crime historian." "Thank you." "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen." "Nice of you to pay us a visit." "Now let me, in turn, introduce Herr Kronstein, the Torturer of Nuremburg." "Known far and wide for devotion to his work." "Kronstein was a perfectionist." "So much so he neglected his wife, until the day he came home early and discovered his beautiful wife being enthusiastically unfaithful." "What else could a dedicated man do?" "[CROWD GASPING]" "As you see, he disciplined her." "What else could he do?" "But of course, not all our specimens are quite so uncouth." "Here we have a nobleman of France, GiIIes de Rais." "He fought alongside Joan of Arc." "And who loved children, dearly and sadistically." "BLOUNT:" "He had a wonderful way with children." "He'd tickle them under the chin and, krkk, they disappeared into thin air." "[CROWD GASPING]" "He was a very wicked man." "A member of our staff, Señor De Reyes." "The descendant of Spanish kings." "But as you can see, ladies and gentlemen I have descended a little bit too far." "[CROWD CHUCKLES]" "Now, if you will follow me, please." "Excuse me." "Here we are." "Catherine Monvoisin." "Burned at the stake in 1 680, spurning all offers of spiritual solace." "It's oliver, isn't it?" "Yes, sir, Mr. BIount." "Mrs. Perryman is outside, sir." "She'd Iike to see you for a moment." "Mrs. Perryman?" "Ask her to come in." "Oh, no, sir." "She doesn't like the night air." "would you mind?" "Of course, delighted." "Dear Catherine was, Iike many of us, a collector." "But she collected human beings, over 2000 of them." "And she sold them to devil worshippers as human sacrifices in their unholy rituals." "Now, this way, ladies and gentlemen." "Be with you in a minute." "Thank you." "Oh, my." "My dear Mrs. Perryman, what a pleasure to see you again." "That is an outright lie and you know it, harold BIount." "Why haven't you come to call, if you're so damn fond of me?" "well, the truth of the matter is" "The truth of the matter is you'd rather mess around with your wax pots than have tea with opinionated baltimore bIuebIoods." "Oh, no, no, no, of course not." "The truth of the matter is I've" "You've been busy." "I've heard that before." "But I will not take no for an answer." "I want you to come to my house tomorrow afternoon for tea promptly at 4:00, bringing Anthony Draco." "I want to talk with him about my nephew." "Your nephew?" "Jason Cravette." "Oh, he's mad as a hatter." "But no relative of mine can go around strangIing young debutantes and expect to get away with it." "It's bad for the family name." "But, my dear Mrs. Perryman, you're not suggest" "I am not suggesting anything, I'm demanding." "oliver." "Four o'cIock." "Don't be late." "harold BIount." "I'm late to my own tea party and you're on time." "Not at all." "Mr. Draco, Mrs. Perryman." "How do you do, Mrs. Perryman?" "Anthony Draco you are an impossibly good-Iooking male animal." "Oh, if I were a few years younger you wouldn't have a chance of escaping me." "DRACO:" "You are too complimentary, Mrs. Perryman." "Nonsense." "I'm just being honest." "gentlemen, would you Iike tea or bourbon?" "I'd Iike a cup of tea, if I may." "milk and sugar?" "No, just a cup of tea, thank you." "That'II be fine, thank you." "Thank you." "You're welcome." "I married three of my lovers." "Two of them died." "The other ran off with the family silver." "Enough of gossip." "I want you to find my crazy nephew." "And he is crazy." "certainly the murder would indicate it." "He was always kind to animals, but cruel to servants." "That's always a bad sign." "And like all the males in the family always consorted with the lowest strumpets in the state." "A taste for sewers, is what I call it." "Just like his grandfather, Morgan Cravette." "Drank like a fish." "Kept 60 house slaves, all female." "But I understood that the girl that he strangled the one he was engaged to, came from a good family." "PERRYMAN:" "You're right." "She went against the type." "She was like a silly, fainting virgin." "And Jason kept her on a pedestal." "Which is a damned silly place for a man to put a woman." "Makes it easier for her to kick his teeth down his throat." "And melinda Sawyer kicked?" "PERRYMAN:" "Like a mule." "Oh, I had it figured to a T." "In what way?" "To my notion, Jason never so much as kissed that girl." "while she was alive, that is." "I see." "And when he found out that she was not quite the simpering little angel that she pretended to be that sick mind of his, that...." "Oh, that enormous pride exploded." "Then melinda Sawyer was" "No better than she should be." "nicely put, Mrs. Perryman." "You have quite a way with words, if I may say so." "That is a compliment, and I don't get many of those anymore." "Thank you." "Mrs. Perryman, knowing Jason, where do you think he's gone?" "Hasn't gone anywhere, he's right here in baltimore." "Why do you say that?" "Because I saw him last night." "Saw him?" "Good heavens, where?" "crawling out of my bedroom window with my best diamond necklace in his hand." "surely you reported this to the police." "PERRYMAN:" "No, I did not." "It's bad enough having a nephew who is known as a murderer without the added embarrassment of hearing that he's a thief." "What was the value of the stones?" "PERRYMAN:" "well, they're worth a small fortune." "certainly enough for Jason to buy his freedom for a Iong, long time if he can sell them." "And knowing the sewer rats that he associates with I know damn well that he can." "Yes, but you must report this to Inspector Strudwick." "He might be able to find him." "Matthew Strudwick couldn't find his own rear end with his own two hands." "And that reminds me, I paid a call on him today." "I think you're going to find that he's changed his mind about you coming in on the case." "[PERRYMAN LAUGHS]" "I told him that if he wanted to stay on the job another 24 hours he had better pull in his horns and let Tony Draco go to work." "But, Mrs. Perryman, that's...." "STRUDWICK:" "blackmail." "Why didn't she tell me she'd seen Cravette?" "I don't know, but at Ieast we know he's still in baltimore." "Or was." "At least, until yesterday." "well, we'II try again." "We'II comb the city from top to bottom." "And I suppose it'II do no harm now to let you try your hand in the matter." "Thank you, inspector." "STRUDWICK:" "Though I still feel that the way to find Jason Cravette would be by adhering to established and proven police methods." "Yes, inspector, but the man's mad, you must remember." "And his insane logic might lead him to a hiding place which a routine search might easily overlook." "You cannot predict the workings of an insane mind." "To a certain extent, one can." "A madman is driven by specific compuIsions." "He's unable to change." "He must repeat familiar patterns." "Like marrying corpses, I suppose?" "[KNOCKING ON DOOR]" "It's all right." "Here it is, Mr. Cravette." "Oh, yes, yes, that's" " Oh, that's lovely." "That's much better." "Thank you, my dear." "Jason, you can't stay here forever." "Why not?" "I can afford it." "I've always considered your establishment something of a second home." "You'd be smarter to get away." "You could book passage." "Go to Europe or South America." "That way you'd have a chance." "baltimore is my home." "The Cravettes have lived here for centuries." "And died here too." "So will you unless you take my advice." "I'II take anything in the house." "Except advice." "Prudence, when I've finished, tell gloria I want her." "Why her again?" "She'II look marvelous in that new wedding gown." "Let one of the other girls wear it." "No." "No, gloria touches my heart." "Oh, you don't begrudge me my simple pleasures, do you, my dear?" "No." "No, anything you say." "Say, as in pay." "And I do pay, don't I, dear?" "Prudence, now, don't forget." "Yes, sir." "gloria as soon as you're finished." "would you mind, please?" "Oh, it's so good to be among friends." "well, got him pretty well complete." "How are you doing?" "That's it, leave it like that." "That's good." "Thank you." "Jason Cravette, an elegant gentleman with a taste for sewers." "Taste for sewers." "I'm sure the police have tried the vice district." "well, of course they have." "But we haven't." "No." "shall we?" "Why not?" "BLOUNT:" "Come along." "I feel a bit thirsty." "I think I'II start with the bars." "Good." "We'II compare notes later on." "Pepe, talk to as many people as possible." "Fine." "WOMAN:" "lonely?" "Not exactly." "But if you will, I'II buy you a drink." "WOMAN:" "You're interested in the story of my Iife, I suppose." "On the contrary." "I'm searching for a man." "Huh?" "And any information you will give me will be appreciated and well paid for." "You from the police?" "No, I'm quite on my own." "shall we go?" "It's possible you have seen the person I'm seeking." "[WHISTLING]" "BLOUNT:" "Good evening." "I wonder if you'd be so kind as to give me a glass of sherry." "Thank you." "I haven't got change for anything that big, mister." "Perhaps I couId persuade you to keep the whole amount." "Huh?" "In return for a little information, of course." "What do you wanna know?" "I'm looking for a man who might be hiding in the district." "TaII, dark man with a black beard, mustache." "Thank you." "Mr." "julian." "Yes?" "We're ready for you." "Just as soon as I finish this hand." "Thank you." "WOMAN:" "What have you got?" "If you'II excuse the expression, a full house." "My God, look at that." "I couId say exactly the same." "Too little of me?" "Maybe." "But so much of you." "I Iike that." "What's your pleasure, little man?" "Entertainment." "Starting with a drink to begin with." "Prudence, see that this gentleman is made comfortable." "I won't do it." "Not again." "CORONA:" "gloria, you just shush." "I've got other friends, and he frightens me." "Now, that's enough." "Just get on upstairs." "Charming." "Yes, gloria is very popular." "She has a Iot of spirit." "I'II ask her to join you later." "You'II find she's very sympathetic." "What a coincidence." "So am I." "Oh, excuse me." "Richard." "Thank you." "Cravette is in the area and nobody's talking about it." "I turned up nothing either, except some remarkably dreadful sherry." "I hope this is a better bottle." "gentlemen, I've decided I Iike criminology." "Very interesting." "DRACO:" "Did you find out anything?" "Nothing." "I just met interesting people." "Did you happen to come across a man with a black beard and mustache with a habit of strangling women?" "PEPE:" "The girls didn't mention him." "No, you've had enough." "girls?" "You've been spending our money on girls?" "But funny." "One of them, in Madame Corona's place, she gets married." "That's not illegal." "PEPE:" "No, I don't mean she got married." "What I mean is she puts on a wedding dress and she pretends to get married." "Except that she was very angry about it." "Some fellow, you know, makes her go through the whole thing every night." "Sounds like a very moral man, in an immoral sort of way." "well, she don't like it." "She just wears the wedding dress." "And she don't like going through the whole thing." "Says it is crazy, but he pays." "I can see it wouId become irritating for her after a time." "He pays?" "The mock wedding over and over again." "harold." "Cravette." "Of course, it has to be Cravette." "harold, Pepe, you get Inspector Strudwick." "I'II visit Madame Corona." "Is this the way you want me?" "JASON:" "Yes, yes, yes, that's it." "That's perfect." "Now, don't move." "Lie still." "close your eyes, now." "Oh, yes, yes, that's it." "Oh, yes, that's very good." "Oh, yes, I Iike that." "Yes." "Keep them closed." "Now." "Yeah." "Look, pIease" "Now, don't spoil it." "Now, you must close your eyes." "Oh, yes." "Oh, yes, that's good." "We must have music." "It's only fitting." "You close your...." "[MUSIC BO X PLAYS "WEDDING MARCH"]" "That's it, yes." "Yes." "CORONA:" "Cherry, that's all for tonight." "Troy, why don't you go get some sleep, dear?" "[DOORBELL RINGS]" "Prudence, will you take the door, please?" "Good night, baby." "May I take your hat?" "It won't be necessary, thank you." "May I help you, sir?" "You have a girl here called gloria." "What is it?" "You the police?" "Where's the girl?" "She's occupied." "You can't go up there." "Cravette's up there, isn't he?" "Look, mister, I don't know who you are or what you want, but get out of here fast." "Cravette?" "You're sure?" "I'm positive now." "AIbertson." "What's the meaning of this?" "If you're harboring a fugitive murderer, it could mean about 1 0 years, madam." "Now, I'd suggest you just stop interfering." "Cravette." "Excuse me." "Thank you, Mr. Draco, for helping us find our man." "[GAVEL BANGING]" "The state of Maryland v. Jason Cravette for the murder of MeIinda Sawyer." "Dr. RomuIus Cobb, please take the stand." "After a thorough examination, I found no evidence of organic damage." "He is sane enough to hang." "PatroIman AIbertson, as arresting officer, will you describe to this court the circumstances leading to the suspect's apprehension?" "We were informed by Anthony Draco that the suspect was hiding in an establishment operated by Madame Corona." "This court wishes to express its gratitude to Mr. Anthony Draco for his valuable help in the apprehension of this wanton murderer." "Jason Cravette, it is the order of this court that you be taken to a place of imprisonment." "And there, on a day to be determined by law hanged by the neck until you are dead." "And may God have mercy on your soul." "JASON:" "Come on." "Come on." "Excuse me." "AII right." "Come on, come on." "[SNEEZES]" "bless you." "Thank you, thank you." "Sorry about these, but orders." "Nothing personal." "I understand." "I have nothing personal against you either." "Oh, thanks, thanks." "well, as soon as we cross the river, we'II be at the penitentiary." "[SNEEZES]" "bless you." "Thank you." "There's something about chickens." "always does that to me, every time." "well, perhaps it's the idea that they're going to their death, as I am." "Five minutes, officer, and we won't be stopping there long." "Oh, thanks, we'II be ready." "well, there we go." "Where are the bags?" "Other end." "The bags." "You dragged the river, of course?" "Yes." "We searched both banks and the estuary also." "AII we found was this wheel and some clothes." "And Cravette's hand still wedged into that cuff." "Or what was left of it." "Bones, mostly." "And the rest of the body?" "Oh, decomposed, I daresay." "Swept out to sea by now." "It's a month since Cravette hit that river, you know." "Yeah, and between the fish and the river crabs...." "And so we close the file on Jason Cravette." "And the state's been saved the expense of hanging him." "Good evening." "Yes?" "I placed a very special order." "My name is Jason carroll." "You wrote from galveston." "Yes, Mr. carroll." "welcome to New orleans." "Won't you come in here, please?" "I will show you what I have done so far for you." "One moment." "There." "Over here." "Here we are." "Everything exactly as you ordered." "First, the wrist device." "Good." "JASON:" "Oh, yes, very good." "Fine, fine." "Now...." "Oh, that's beautiful." "Is it not so?" "Every one of the other instruments fits on the wrist device in exactly the same fashion." "Like me to show you how they work?" "No, I'm sure they'II all work fine." "It's a very curious selection." "Yeah." "Me, I am not curious." "Thank you." "well, I'm sure this will be payment in full." "Good." "would you send this to the hotel toulouse?" "Yes, sir." "A moment, sir." "Your key." "Oh, thank you." "Thank you, sir." "Good night." "Good night." "[MUSIC PLAYS]" "MAN:" "Victoria." "Mm?" "Go away." "clean up that mess and take care of those people." "VICTORIA:" "Yeah." "What'II you have?" "A glass of champagne, for the lady." "Sazerac for me." "Anything else?" "Yes." "Put it in a clean glass." "will there be anything else?" "Another glass of champagne for the lady at the bar, please." "No, it's all right." "No change." "More champagne for the lady." "I'II drink it at the gentleman's table." "Wait a minute." "Thank you." "It's my pleasure." "would you be kind enough to join me, Miss...?" "ChampIain." "Marie ChampIain." "French." "Of course." "How it suits you." "My name is Jason carroll." "How do you do?" "May I take your wrap?" "Oh, thank you." "Oh, such a pretty girl." "How is the champagne?" "It's fine." "May I?" "Oh, of course." "Thank you." "Miss." "could we have a better bottle of champagne?" "And would you be good enough to chill it this time?" "Thank you." "Thanks, charlie, for bringing the lady in." "She's helping business a Iot." "Come on, we're getting out of here." "On the contrary, you're getting out of here." "There are many bars in New orleans." "I do hope you have a pleasant evening." "well, I think I'II be going." "No, you mustn't." "please, sit down." "tell me, are you happy here?" "Oh, no." "You do want something better, don't you?" "I do." "tell me what you are." "well, I work with artists." "I model." "I pose." "You're a tramp." "But that need not be permanent." "We'II change that." "You'II never be a lady, but only you and I will know the difference." "You do have ambition, don't you?" "You see, I have a plan, and you're part of my plan." "Now, you will trust me, you will follow me." "You will do exactly as I tell you." "And you will be paid very well." "Does this shock you, my dear?" "Oh, that's wonderful." "My dear Marie, we have much to do." "It takes time for a crawling caterpillar to become a true butterfly." "Yes, that's perfect." "Perfect." "I'm very proud of you, my dear." "Thank you." "Where are we?" "We're just outside of baltimore." "You still haven't told me what I'II be doing there." "well, you'II be living in a fine apartment wearing more expensive clothes." "jewelry." "And you'II have money." "But you will expect something in return." "Yes." "I want you to attract a man." "His name is RandoIph." "Judge waiter RandoIph." "He has taste for lovely women." "I want you to make his acquaintance." "Judge Randolph lunches daily at the Baltimore Club." "You will run into him just outside." "Smile at him." "But allow him to make the advances." "He will." "The acquaintance shall ripen slowly." "Let him become eager." "Then when he's eager enough, arrange supper late at Delano's Restaurant." "Thank you, Merritt." "Thank you, Judge RandoIph." "dreadful night." "No, it's beautiful." "Foggy, misty, beautiful." "shall I call you a cab, sir?" "No, Iet's walk." "In this miserable fog, Marie?" "Oh, please, WaIter." "I Iove the fog." "And besides, it's close by." "It's just beyond this corner." "How convenient." "will you ply me with champagne?" "Of course." "baltimore's finest." "Charming." "And so very private." "A man in my position has to be discreet." "Of course." "WaIter, you promised me champagne." "Why don't you fetch it discreetly?" "Here we are." "Marie?" "JASON:" "Good evening." "What the devil...?" "That's correct, Judge RandoIph." "The devil." "But you're dead." "Yes, I am." "Won't you join me?" "Oh, I need a memento of you to take with me." "flesh and blood and bone." "I need my payment." "Now let me call your attention to an authentic relic of the Renaissance." "A device created by an ingenious cousin of Lucrezia Borgia." "This gentleman was greatly concerned about the restlessness of his wife so he designed this beautiful bed with a soIid-iron canopy which, when fully lowered, stamps out insomnia once and for all." "DRACO:" "And now, ladies and gentlemen, may I call your attention to our most recent exhibit." "The bloody Package, left by the Butcher of baltimore." "headless, armless, drenched in blood, shrouded in fog and neatly wrapped in brown butcher's paper." "DRACO:" "This murder occurred only two days ago here in baltimore." "To a local citizen such as you or you or you." "BLOUNT:" "Which proves that truly imaginative murders are not confined to the past, but is part of our daily life." "Ladies and gentlemen, Señor De Reyes will be happy to answer any of your questions concerning the remainder of our exhibits." "follow me, please." "I have some programs for you." "MAN:" "I'm sure it will be a matter" "DRACO:" "I'm sure you will find this one very fascinating." "Here on police business, Sergeant AIbertson, or just curiosity?" "No, don't tell me." "I can see the truth in your face." "You're having problems with a love affair." "Mr. Draco, I don't have time for love affairs." "No?" "Then you do have a problem." "I'm sorry, Tim." "What is it?" "Something to do with our recent exhibit?" "TIM:" "We haven't been able to identify the victim yet." "We were wondering if you men had any notions." "Can this visit mean that our dear Inspector Strudwick needs our help again, eh?" "Let me put it this way." "He won't stop you from mixing in." "well, harold, shall we mix?" "Why not?" "Who could resist so fascinating a puzzle?" "TIM:" "Thank you, gentlemen." "The real thing's somewhat more gruesome than our wax copy." "You mentioned a note, Inspector Strudwick." "Oh, yes." "Sergeant AIbertson has it." "Strange thing." "Reads like some sort of code." "Yes." "The edge of reason for the body of the Iaw." "The body of the Iaw, minus arms and head." "An epitaph written in the victim's own blood." "Quite in the classic manner." "We appreciate your scholarship, Mr. BIount, but we'd Iike to know who the victim is." "A middIe-aged man, weII-to-do who drank too much and exercised too little." "And either a lawyer or a judge." "Then you take that note seriously." "Anyone who can carve a paperweight out of a dead body deserves to be taken seriously." "DRACO:" "And literally." "The body of the Iaw." "BLOUNT:" "Yes." "DRACO:" "Have you checked baltimore's legal profession?" "TIM:" "well, we figured if anyone important were missing he'd probably be reported by now." "DRACO:" "If he's known to be missing." "What if he lives alone, went off for the weekend, took a trip?" "STRUDWICK:" "Oh, frankly, I think that's pretty far-fetched." "BLOUNT:" "Oh, I don't think so, inspector." "Many a criminal's embarked on a sort of dark crusade attempting singIe-handedIy to eliminate the forces of the Iaw." "There was Latour, the MarseiIIes StrangIer." "He specialized in judges, high-court judges." "Then there was a fellow called Davis." "He traveled the length of england bIudgeoning baiIiffs." "He had a good time." "You ought to read one of my books, you know." "Blount on Blunt Instruments." "That's a good one." "Better still, I'II let you have an autographed copy, inspector." "AII right, AIbertson." "Go through the membership list of the bar association." "But I still don't know what you think we'II find." "A name and an empty space once filled by a living man." "well put, my boy." "Thank you." "A poet and a philosopher." "well, shall we try to be practical?" "By all means." "DRACO:" "Good evening." "STRUDWICK:" "Good evening." "BLOUNT:" "Inspector." "STRUDWICK:" "Good evening." "DRACO:" "Lawyer or judge?" "Judge." "WaIter RandoIph." "Oh?" "Yes." "He left his home Saturday evening with a lady." "He didn't return." "Is this his home?" "No, this is his study." "What do you mean, study?" "Judge RandoIph studies women." "A RandoIph family tradition." "High standards in Iow wenches." "shall we?" "blood." "Inspector?" "A shoe." "And bIoodstains on the glass." "So he drank champagne after the murder." "Charming." "A killer who butchers a man, then drinks a toast to the remains." "BLOUNT:" "Six generations of Tidewater aristocracy." "And overnight, the poor judge becomes chopped meat." "Oh, it wouldn't surprise me to find out that you'd done it yourself." "simple envy, just to cut him down to your size." "Uh-uh." "Judge lost his head over a woman." "That's about it." "Get me that cover, will you?" "Right." "It is the woman who interests me." "The lovely, unknown woman." "Someone must've seen her, surely, inspector." "We checked." "It was very foggy last Saturday, remember?" "None of RandoIph's servants recognized her but we did find out that she's blond and beautiful." "The beautiful, mysterious lady of the fog." "Oh, so you're a poet now, are you?" "merely your devoted apprentice, that's all." "Don't you forget it." "Inspector, you talked to RandoIph's servants." "What about his friends, his fellow jurists?" "well, truthfully, this is a rather delicate situation." "RandoIph was a very prominent man." "And his personal life is not open to inquiry, is that what you're saying?" "I'm saying that I have to be tactful." "well, I don't." "harold." "Hm?" "A bachelor like RandoIph might have boasted." "So he might." "Come on, Pepe." "Inspector, can you continue to keep RandoIph's name out of the papers?" "Not much longer, I'm afraid." "Too many of his friends have been told." "Pepe, we'II check cabs, restaurants and cabarets while HaroId practices his unquestioned charm." "On whom?" "On the late Judge RandoIph's oldest friend." "Thank you." "Judge Train, I believe." "That is correct, sir." "And you are?" "harold Caernarvon BIount." "My card." "You don't know me, but I'm about to ask you an offensive question." "May I sit down?" "Thank you." "well, ask away." "Judge, as his oldest friend, you must have been informed that Judge waiter RandoIph was murdered last Saturday while escorting a lady." "What can you tell me about this lady?" "You're quite right, sir." "Your question is offensive." "And also necessary, I'm afraid." "I disagree." "WaIter's private life must not become a public scandal." "Judge Train, your greatest friend was brutally murdered." "You seem more concerned with protecting his memory than avenging him." "I am a judge, Mr. BIount." "And as such, I cannot consider vengeance." "As a judge, please consider justice." "And remember, the ruthless butcher is still at liberty." "I beg of you, judge." "We need your help." "Good night." "The woman's called Marie." "Her last name?" "I don't know." "Judge RandoIph kept her pretty well concealed." "But on the night of the murder, he'd arranged a supper at DeIano's." "Pepe?" "DeIano's." "I hope you have a pleasant evening." "Oh, George." "Yeah, yeah?" "I want you to take very special care of this table." "Tony, I've missed you." "And I missed you too, Vivian." "Oh, it's been ages." "I've been very busy." "A new girl?" "Looking for one." "Won't I do?" "AdmirabIy." "But not in this particular case." "Good night." "Come back again." "May we talk?" "certainly." "Over here." "My dear Vivian, you've been helpful so many times before." "I'm hoping you will be in this instance too." "For you, darling, anything." "Last Saturday evening Judge waiter RandoIph was in, I understand, with a lady." "I'm interested in locating that lady." "How interested?" "One hundred dollars' worth." "That's a Iot of money, but I'm afraid I can't earn it." "You see, I have no notion whom she might be." "Then I'm sorry." "But if you can find out, I would appreciate it." "Tony, I'II ask around." "It's quite possible someone may have noticed the lady." "And if I find out anything, I'II let you know immediately." "Thank you, Vivian." "Good night, Tony." "Good night." "Merritt." "Judge RandoIph was in the other night with a woman." "Do you remember her name?" "Marie." "Marie something." "French." "ChampIain." "She's new in town, lives at the Regency, and she's got money." "She's worth money." "And I want to know how much." "A hundred dollars, I would say, Miss Vivian." "I have it." "Her name and address." "Thank you, Vivian." "Miss ChampIain?" "Yes." "I'm Anthony Draco of the House of Wax." "I realize this is unconventional, but I'm very interested in you." "Interested in me?" "Yes, as a model." "A mutual friend thought you might be interested." "What friend?" "Judge waiter RandoIph." "How nice of WaIter to want to show me to the world, even in wax." "please consider it, Miss ChampIain." "Beauty such as yours is rare." "You're very persuasive." "Then you'II accept?" "well, Iet's say I'II think it over." "I hope your decision is in my favor." "I'II let you know in the morning." "Good evening, Mr. Draco." "Good evening." "Of course I won't do it." "No, no, my dear Marie." "Mr. Draco's had an inspiration." "I think you should grace his museum." "I'm very grateful that you decided to accept." "Turn your head slightly to the right, please." "Our friend Judge RandoIph has quite an eye for beautiful ladies." "You don't have to be devious with me, Mr. Draco." "I'm not a lady." "I'm an adventuress." "And waiter RandoIph is my current venture." "Defiance doesn't become you, Miss ChampIain." "The world has not been kind to you?" "I managed to survive." "May I Iook?" "certainly." "That's not me." "It's a part of you." "Not any longer, Mr. Draco." "My models call me Tony." "My friends call me Marie." "well, then, Tony, why don't you tell me what it is you really want?" "Judge RandoIph is missing." "You were probably the Iast person who saw him." "Is that an accusation, Mr. Draco?" "Tony." "No, just a question." "The last time I saw waiter RandoIph was last Saturday night." "And then I went home, as I'm doing now." "For an adventuress, you're sensitive." "I suppose I deserved that." "But then, I was rude and I would Iike to apologize at length tonight." "Tonight?" "I'm attending a party given by Senator Thomas Dixon." "I would be happy if you would accompany me." "Why?" "Because I have a serious weakness for beautiful women." "You will?" "I'm an adventuress." "Your elegant friends" "will be envious." "Tonight at the party, you will see that this is delivered." "Is that all?" "Yes." "A simple delivery, for which you'II be well paid." "It's getting late." "I must change." "Sick." "[HUMMING]" "[MUSIC PLAYING IN DISTANCE]" "DRACO:" "Senator Dixon." "DIXON:" "Thank you." "Miss ChampIain." "Good evening." "Thank you." "BLOUNT:" "hello." "How are you, senator?" "DIXON:" "You too." "Nice to meet you." "Brought a pretty girl for you." "Yes, lovely." "Oh, there's Barbara." "Another of your models?" "Barbara Dixon, the senator's daughter." "She's lovely." "Yes." "Pretty girl." "Might I have the honor of this first dance, my dear?" "I'd be delighted." "Thank you." "Excuse us, won't you?" "Tony." "Barbara, how lovely you are." "Do you know charlie Benton?" "charlie, Anthony Draco." "Draco?" "Oh, you're the fella that runs that peep show, aren't you?" "BARBARA:" "charlie." "That's almost correct." "A wax museum, exhibiting some interesting moments in human history." "A bit sordid, isn't it?" "only to the ignorant." "I find humanity consistently fascinating." "BENTON:" "really?" "frankly, I don't think you'II ever find me in there." "As a spectator or an exhibit?" "Sir, I am a gentleman." "As an exhibit, then." "Very possible." "pleasure to have met you, Benton." "It's a Iong way from england to baltimore and the House of Wax." "Yes, I've always been keen on traveling." "You see, I'm a sort of remittance man only the other way around." "I send remittance to my family, provided they don't bother me." "So they remain in england and I have the rest of the world to myself." "There." "Dear Barbara, you're experimenting." "And?" "And that can become terribly complicated." "Oh?" "tell me about it." "One does not engage in a clinical discussion of romance." "particularly on a night such as this." "I agree completely." "BLOUNT:" "Ms. ChampIain, Ms. Dixon." "Did we intrude, Ms. Dixon?" "BARBARA:" "I was just leaving." "harold?" "Oh, a pleasure, thank you." "Did you wait for exactly the right second to break in?" "Of course." "Tony." "Oh, RomuIus." "Dr." "Cobb, Ms. ChampIain." "My pleasure." "Dr. Cobb, how do you do?" "gentlemen, would you excuse me?" "lovely girl." "Yes." "Where did you find her?" "In the fog." "May I have my cape, please?" "Yes, ma'am." "[SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]" "Thank you." "Excuse me." "I think someone dropped this." "Thank you, miss." "I'II take care of it for you." "Tony, I've just heard about waiter RandoIph." "DRACO:" "Oh, yes." "Mark my words." "He'II strike again." "I agree." "Crimes like these always have a pattern of repetition." "It's only the beginning of the murderer's ritual." "He must kill again." "unless someone can discover his private logic and stop him." "Logic, yes, but an insane logic." "As a doctor, I've seen it before." "But this time, my professional detachment's gone." "I knew waiter RandoIph half his life." "harold." "What?" "Who is she?" "Who?" "Oh, just one of Tony's new models." "She's lovely." "That's odd." "She said exactly the same thing about you." "Oh, there you are." "You two know each other, don't you?" "Two beautiful girls like you ought to have a Iot in common." "I'm sure we do." "Or will have." "Yes." "shall we try and find Tony?" "Excuse me." "Dr. Cobb." "A note for you." "Thank you." "BLOUNT:" "Tony, there you are." "We've been looking for you." "Dr. Cobb and I were having an important discussion." "Something serious?" "Not really, but I'm wanted at the hospital." "A small emergency, so I'II be needed." "I'II walk you to the door, doctor." "COBB:" "Good night, Ms. ChampIain." "Tony." "harold." "DRACO:" "RomuIus." "BLOUNT:" "Good night." "Sorry you've got to go." "There's a full moon." "In my more tender years, I once proposed to a girl on a terrace just like this." "And did she accept?" "immediately." "But she was an inconstant little thing." "By the time she was 1 1 , she'd forgotten all about me." "Just like this." "The stars were shining, flowers, very lovely." "Bye-bye." "You seem very happy." "I am." "I hate to shatter your mood, but I think it's time you knew the truth." "The truth about what?" "About waiter RandoIph." "Oh, Tony, must we talk about that?" "He's dead, Marie." "Murdered." "I don't believe you." "There." "Now, are you comfortable, Dr. Cobb?" "Oh, I'm remembering, Dr. Cobb." "Do you remember?" "The trial?" "Your scientific evidence?" "[MUFFLED SPEECH]" "That's it, speak softly." "The hour is late." "It'd be rude to awaken the neighbors." "Have you noticed my hand, doctor?" "You know how I lost it?" "I cut it off myself." "To escape." "Now, that's a fair trade, isn't it, Dr. Cobb?" "A living man for a dead hand?" "Oh, yes, I remember your hands." "Your superior hands." "Yes, you washed them after you examined me, as if I were dirt." "farewell, Dr. Cobb." "It's the Iast dance." "It's been a lovely evening." "Thank you." "will you excuse me, Marie?" "Mr. Draco, I'm sorry to disturb you but Inspector Strudwick asked if you wouldn't mind dropping by." "There's been another one." "AII right, Tim." "Give us half an hour." "BLOUNT:" "A second one?" "Yes, and we are needed." "An emergency, Marie." "We'II see you home, of course." "I'II get my wrap." "At least she wasn't involved in this one." "Yeah." "Who is it, inspector?" "STRUDWICK:" "We're not sure." "Not another torso?" "STRUDWICK:" "No, this is something different." "But just as horrible." "RandoIph's hands?" "We don't know." "STRUDWICK:" "They were delivered here, wrapped in butcher's paper." "With another note." ""Physician, heal thyself."" "Physician?" "BLOUNT:" "AII that remains of Dr. RomuIus Cobb." "Here they are." "I make them exact copies, see?" "You'd have to go back to the Druids to dredge up this sort of human sacrifice." "He's creating a monument making the figure of a man out of various men." "A composite corpse." "And I must say, it's hideous." "But logical." "Not to me." "We need arms and a head." "Charming." "But whose?" "well, we're only sure of whose it won't be." "Yes." "It won't be Cobb's, and it won't be the judge's here." "But, Tony, Iet's just try something." "Here we are." "That's right." "AII right." "[MARIE SCREAMING]" "Marie." "It's only wax, a copy." "Come, come." "It's waiter RandoIph." "He's dead." "Butchered." "And last night, Dr. RomuIus Cobb was murdered." "Oh, my God." "I did it." "What?" "MARIE:" "I'm responsible." "I delivered a note, and that's why he left in his carriage." "I thought it was blackmail." "I didn't know it was murder." "He promised me a fortune." "Who?" "MARIE:" "Jason." "Jason carroll." "I met him in New orleans and he promised me a chance to make money." "That's all I know about it." "Can you describe him?" "He's tail and he's dark and soft-spoken." "He moves very quietly." "What's wrong with me?" "He's the easiest man in the world to identify." "His right hand is missing." "A hand?" "But they found a hand." "Jason Cravette's hand." "harold, that's Jason Cravette." "Cravette?" "That one is dead three months ago." "Of course it's Jason Cravette." "We've got an exhibit on the fellow." "Jason Cravette earned an entire exhibit all by himself." "Here." "Now, tell me, is that him?" "Is that the fellow?" "MARIE:" "He has no beard or mustache." "That's him." "He was to be married." "His girl let him down." "He waylaid her, hauled her back to his house and then he strangled her with her own hair." "And had a wedding ceremony at gunpoint, marrying a corpse." "Jason Cravette." "Jason Cravette is dead." "He jumped the train on the way to the penitentiary." "He drowned." "Who saw the body?" "We dragged the river, we found some of his clothes." "You found only the hand, not the man." "He's alive." "He's the Butcher." "But why?" "Why these mutilations?" "He stood trial after Dr. Cobb had certified him as sane then Judge RandoIph condemned him to death." "The body of the Iaw, the hands of the physician." "Tim, you were the officer who arrested him." "The arm of the Iaw." "You're saying he'II come after me next?" "He's building a corpse out of the men who caught him." "AII right, I got him then, I'II get him again." "only this time, I won't be so gentle with him." "He wants me, I want him more." "And you, Tony." "Me?" "STRUDWICK:" "Who deduced where he was hiding?" "Who mapped all the strategy?" "You." "Tony." "He's right." "You're the head." "Jason's." "police found them in the basement of his house." "And I'm his accomplice." "Not really." "Not in this case, Marie." "You couldn't have known." "But I will have to pay." "There's no way to escape that, is there, Tony?" "I don't know." "But there is always hope." "Hope?" "I was hoping for so much." "Something better than sitting around in those cheap bars with even cheaper men." "I was hoping for the whole world." "What you wanted was right, Marie." "It's not for me to judge for the rest." "We'II have to wait and see." "Can you see what I'm looking for?" "You know what I want you to say?" "You want me to reassure you and tell you that somehow the Iaw will be forgiving in your particular case." "Isn't that it?" "I want your forgiveness." "No one else's." "DRACO:" "Good night." "MAN:" "Good night." "hello, Tim." "Evening, Mr. Draco." "Everything all right?" "Fine, thank you." "By the way, we checked the address that Ms. ChampIain gave us." "Cravette had been living there." "From what we found, there's no doubt about it." "And Cravette was gone?" "We've got men guarding the place." "But I'm betting he'II show up here first, so I'm waiting." "By yourself?" "You should have a squad of men." "That would frighten him off." "Ms." "ChampIain in there?" "Yes." "You better stay close to her, Mr. Draco." "He's sure to figure that she tipped us." "AII three of us will be with her." "But I don't like you standing guard by yourself." "There will be others along." "Besides, I'd sort of like to take him by myself." "Don't you worry, I'II be fine." "AII right, Tim." "Pepe, Iet's close up." "Good night, Tim." "Good night, Mr. Draco." "TIM:" "Cravette." "Put your hands up." "Now get down, slowly." "PatroIman AIbertson." "Oh, no, it's sergeant now, isn't it?" "congratulations." "I've...." "I've been looking for you." "Yes, but I found you, Cravette." "Keep your hands up." "Just as soon gun you down, though it'II be a pleasure to see you hang." "Now, Iet's not be so vindictive." "It's unbecoming an officer of the Iaw." "You call me vindictive, after you've butchered two innocent men?" "AII right." "Put your hands down, slowly." "Very slowly." "Just as you say." "You've heard?" "Yes, I'm afraid we have." "This filth." "We know." ""The arms of the Iaw will seize me no more."" "I'm sorry, gentlemen." "AIbertson was a good man." "A fine officer." "And a friend." "We understand, inspector." "Tony, it might be advisable for you to take your distinguished profile away for a trip." "Cravette can't stay hidden much longer." "He won't stay hidden." "He'II come here." "Oh, he'II come." "On his own terms, in his own time." "Of course, but remember, when he comes after my head he'II have to risk his own." "Perfect." "Thank you." "Not bad." "Not bad." "The english." "They cheer in a whisper." "I say it is a masterpiece." "And I helped." "Quite right, indeed you did." "CouIdn't have done without you, baby boy." "Three-foot-nine in stature, 9-foot-3 in ego." "A monument to the bloody career of Jason Cravette." "Do you think he'II come here?" "I have faith in Jason." "He's killed three men." "He's the prisoner of his own momentum now." "BLOUNT:" "He'II have to come by his own logic to complete his pattern." "He'II know we open at 8." "He'II come sooner or later." "while we wait for the night and the dark." "STRUDWICK:" "Now, remember, not too close." "You two men stay at the end of the street." "Hansen, you cover the alley." "The rest of you know where you belong." "Every door, every window, every possible entrance, I want guarded." "tightly." "Tony, what are you doing here?" "You don't open up for half an hour yet." "Why not stay inside, at Ieast till then?" "I stayed inside last night." "AIbertson stayed here." "As you say." "AII right, men, to your posts." "Sergeant, you come with me." "[HUMMING]" "BLOUNT:" "Now, here's a little lady I'm very proud of, although I say it myself." "We had a Iot of fun with her, didn't we, Pepe?" "CeIia Bowers." "She was the wife of a prominent San Francisco physician." "Turn the light off." "She met her end through a massive dose of phosphorus." "And when her body was exhumed as you see, the dear little lady glowed like a lightning bug on a summer's evening." "What time is it?" "BLOUNT:" "No idea." "What's the time, Pepe?" "Twenty to 8." "BLOUNT:" "Twenty to 8." "Here I am, trying to provide light amusement for you and all you do is to ask the time." "Light amusement?" "Yes, the history of man's favorite preoccupation:" "Doing in some other man." "Or lady." "Mind your own business." "Now, I suppose the first recorded murder must've been that of Cain and abel." "A too-famiIiar crime to include." "[GLASS SHATTERS]" "in 1 608 and he's really the wickedest of the lot." "Oh, this is good." "You'II enjoy, they'II cheer you up." "This is a lady, Margaret Reed." "She was burnt as a witch in 1 5" "I think it was 1 590, thereabouts." "And this is an interesting fellow." "philip StanfieId." "He was executed by starvation." "What a thing to do." "In 1 6...." "Go to sleep." "Shh-shh." "These were two worthy and enterprising gentlemen." "Burke and Hare, the resurrectionists." "They supplied bodies for medical research." "And when they couldn't find any handy, they created some of their own." "Shh." "That's it, go to sleep, that's it." "Now, come on." "It's time to go to bed." "That's it." "Good." "sleep well, little man." "I have no quarrel with you, only the one you serve." "[SINGS]" "Oh, dear, look at their boots, they could do with a good polish." "Pepe." "Right." "Pepe?" "Stay where you are." "I won't be a minute." "[GRO ANING]" "Pepe." "Pepe." "Pepe." "[GASPS]" "Shh." "Shh-shh." "Are you all right?" "Oh, thank God." "Cravette." "Yes, I thought so." "I'II be back, Pepe." "BLOUNT:" "help!" "help!" "I want your head." "[SCREAMS]" "[SCREAMS]" "DRACO:" "And thus, the butcher of baltimore earned double immortality by dying exactly as you see him now, on his own wax image." "That, ladies and gentlemen, concludes tonight's final tour of the House of Wax." "Good night, thank you." "Pepe." "May I show you the way, please?" "Good night." "Good night." "Oh, a charming lady." "BLOUNT:" "Yes, and only slightly Iarcenous." "According to Inspector Strudwick, about two years' worth." "meanwhile, you'II have to struggle along with the remainder of baltimore's female population, won't you?" "fortunately, I'm a very adaptable man." "remarkable." "What?" "The improvement you've made on Mrs. Kronstein." "What are you talking about--?" "Good heavens." "Pepe, have you been messing about with her?" "Not me." "Good Lord." "She's real." "Pepe, go fetch Inspector Strudwick again." "still warm." "Yes." "Young girl, about 20 or so...." "[SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]" "[ENGLISH SDH]"