"Subtitles:" "Luís Filipe Bernardes" "Oh, Barry, I'm simply mad about your play." "How does it feel to be a successful dramatist?" " Congratulations, Barry." " Thanks." "Thanks awfully, Aunt Ellie." " What's this?" " Statement of the money we took in tonight." " Oh!" " Hands off!" "How much?" " A sellout." " Congratulations, son." " Gee, Dad, thanks." "Hello, Mother." " Tell Jessica she's lovely." " She's the whole show." "Wait until you see her in the last act." "Bless my heart I'm so excited." "Listen to this one from Jack and Elsie." " May the show run till..." " Will you please lie down?" "No!" "Not until I read the rest of these telegrams." "Doctor, dear, why are you such a bother?" "The bother was getting you well enough to act at all." " If you think it's been a picnic." " Oh, all right, I'll rest." "But do you mind if I get a little excited?" " I do!" " It's the first time in three years." "Doctor, why did all those people remember me?" "Why shouldn't they?" "You weren't entirely unknown, you know." "Oh, I know, but comebacks, you know what they are." "Critics staying home out of kindness." "And The Times saying you were adequate." "Give the gentleman a cigar." "Why?" "He missed me." "Yes, just my luck." "I always get buck fever when I see an author." "Damon, I don't know what you're sore about." "Your sister had a whole basket full of telegrams and everybody thinks it's a grand play." "Yeah, grand for a high-school strawberry lawn festival." "Somebody ought to stuff the second act and put it in a museum." "Barry, you'd better change your moniker." " You'll never be a playwright." " I was christened Barry." "Well, they didn't know then you were going to be a playwright." " Well, Barry's my middle name." " Oh, now it comes out." "But what's your first name, Sir James?" " It's Horace." " Oh..." "Horace." "Well, that's white of you to tell us, Horace B. Jones." "If I'd known that I'd never have acted in your play." "Well, Daphne, my love, you've never acted in any play and never will." "You try to cheapen everything, both of you." "Well, you can't." "I know about you." "You've had a hangover for the last ten years." "You, you just hang over with him." "You're two chronic grouches." "Oh, the poor sap." "You didn't mean all those things you said about his play, did you, honeykins?" "If I'd said what I really thought, I'd have made him cry." "Say you're a funny guy." "There isn't anything you hate worse than plays." "Yes, there is." "Acting." "You know what my trouble is?" "I can't fake." "Then why are you an actor?" "Because all my life I've wanted to be a snake charmer." "Hm, that's fine work if you can get it." "But if you weren't acting, what would you do?" "Prepare myself for the lunatic asylum by directing clambakes like the Dark Tower." "Oh, by the way, my love..." "You know the last act in the scene with the husband?" " Yeah." " Oh, I'm sure you'll pardon me..." "But do you think you could give it just a touch of refinement?" "Curtain, Mr. Wells." "Here, keep this hot for me till I get back." ""Simpson, you're late."" "Oh, but why not a cafe?" "No, we're going to Aunt Martha's." " Hey, Joe..." " Mr. Wells, you're on!" " Joe!" " Come on, Mr. Wells, there'll be a stage wait, you're on!" "Will you telephone Aunt Martha and tell her we're going out for the last act?" "And tell her to put some beer on ice." ""Oh, Jerry, I'm terribly sorry to have kept you waiting, really."" ""I have rather important business to discuss here..."" "You've never said a truer word in your life, Mr. Weston." "The work was just the medicine that Jessica needed." " I always knew she would act again." " I didn't." "I was in front the night she collapsed." "They dismissed the audience." "You'd thought she was drugged." "A lot of people said it was drugs." "Oh, yes, there were all sorts of stories around." "But the truth was that husband of hers." "Stanley Vance." "From what I've heard, he must have been the lowest form of animal life." "You put it mildly." "What I can't understand is how a girl of Jessica's type could..." "I mean to say, a girl with her brains and talent..." "Brains and talent don't mean much to the devil, Mr. Weston." "I don't follow you." "Did you ever see a snake with a bird, Mr. Weston?" "That's Jessica and Stanley Vance." "Horrible." "Of course you know the night she collapsed was the night he left." "But this is something you may not know." "The day she learned that he'd been shot dead in San Francisco was the day her mind began to heal." " Hot milk, Mr. Weston?" " No, thanks." "It keeps me awake." "Better make some sandwiches, Hattie." "Enough for six or eight." "Six or eight?" "Now I know we're back in show business." "You still haven't told me whether or not I put enough refinement in that scene." "Hattie!" "A bottle of beer, plenty of sandwiches and..." "I know, for eight." "Well, the management itself." "Oh, good evening, Sir Henry Irving." "Say, look here, Ben," "Why weren't you out there tonight?" "Aren't you interested in the show or are you just producing it for practice?" " It's a long, sad story, Damon." " Where did you leave Jessica?" "She's driving in with the doctor." "We took..." "Oh, I'd quite forgotten, Miss Littleton." "Aunt Martha, this is Miss Daphne Flowers." "America's most wooden actress." "How do you do, Miss Flowers?" "I saw you in the play and I thought you were excellent." "Oh, well, it's a lousy part." "Well, wait until you see an actress in it, my dear." "How did everything go tonight, Damon?" "Oh, the second act was still a choice morsel of Limberger." "Oh, here, my winsome creature." "Hattie!" "Don't we get anything to eat?" " Come on, Ben." " Where do I..." " Oh, put it down somewhere." " Excuse me." " Well, he's a fine..." " I beg your pardon?" " I didn't quite get the end of that." " I'll give you three guesses." "He forgets I'm with him half the time." "Well, my dear, why do you stand for it?" "It wouldn't be any fun walking out on him." "He wouldn't even notice that I wasn't around anymore." " The show looks good, don't you think?" " Yeah, it looks fair tonight." "Why don't we open it in town?" "Say a week from Monday night, the 29th." "Don't you have some dismal flea circus playing at your theater?" "They closed." "The theater went dark tonight." " Coming a week from Monday, eh?" " Uh-huh." "They've liked Dark Tower everywhere we've tried it." "What are we waiting for?" " Who's gonna play my part?" " Oh, come, come, Damon!" "For 15 years you've been the best character actor in America." "I sort of hoped you might go on playing it for Jessica." "Say, now listen, Ben." "I went on the wagon and I consented to paint my face again  just to help Jessica make a comeback." "And now she's practically made it." "I'll see you through to the New York opening and then I'll retire in peace to my nice, soft, warm gutter." "Then there's no persuading you, huh?" " Have another sandwich." " No, thanks." "Say, Damon, just before you got here tonight," "Aunt Martha told me a few things about that fellow Vance..." "Jessica's husband." "Oh, did she?" "Well, whatever she told you was the truth." "Did he have some strange power over her?" "For their sake he'd make her do most anything." "I didn't see much of it." "When she first brought him home I took a dislike to him and I just got out." "A rotten thing to have done, I suppose, but I had no idea then just how far the thing was going to go." " Do you think she was in love with him?" " It looked that way at first." "Oh, but your guess is as good as mine." "Damon, that girl..." "She's still sitting there." "What girl?" "Oh, Miss Flowers." "You came in with her." "She's still here?" "Yes, and you're not being very polite to her." "Not polite, me?" "I resent that!" "Hattie resents me, don't you, Hattie?" "You're furious, aren't you?" "Aunt Martha, you've grossly offended Hattie." "If she has one ounce of pride, she'd give notice right on the spot." "The idea!" "Come on, Ben." "Is this a frame-up to get rid of me?" " You're quitting again?" " No!" "Hello!" "Where is everybody?" "Out in the kitchen." "With America's gift to the theater." " Hello, Jessica." " What are you doing here?" "How dare you set your foot inside this house." "How dare I?" "What have I to lose?" "What worse thing can you do to me that you haven't already done?" " Miss Jessica!" " You keep out of this!" "That I have done?" "That's rich, that is." "Was it I who stole out of here in the middle of the night?" "Oh, stop!" "That's over and done with." "I sat in that court today and listened to a little old man in a black robe  announce that I'm not fit to have charge of my own child." "So what can you do about it?" "You little guess what I can do about it." "I'm going to fight you." "I know your secret." "The secret you'd rather die than hear told and I'm going to tell it." "I'm going to shout it in the streets!" "I'm going to make your name a byway to this town." "I'm going to pull your house down over your head!" "Oh, no, no, no, no, no!" "Why do you always break down?" "You did that tonight!" "You're not sorry for yourself." "You're mad, you're furious." "I know, I know, you're perfectly right." "Come on, try it again." "All right." "Uh... give me the cue." " What can you do about it?" " Well, how can I get mad at that?" "What can you do about..." "You little guess what I can do..." "I want to fight you I know your secret and I'm going to tell it!" "I'm going to shout it in the streets!" "I'm going to make your name a byway..." "Come on, let's have it!" "I'm going to pull your house down over your head!" "Hattie, I'm famished." "I'll fix the plate for you in the dining-room, Miss Jessica." "Thank you, you're a darling." "Ben, dearest, will you come with me while I have my supper?" "I'd love to." "I'm going home?" "Oh, you're still here, my trilling arbutus?" "Say now, look here, you go right through there into the kitchen and mix yourself a stiff drink and stay there until I ring for you." " You can be thinking about your art." " I don't think much of it." " Are you happy, darling?" " Utterly." "I'm glad." "But you should have seen me at 9 o'clock tonight when you hadn't shown up." "It gave me an incredible sense of misfortune." "Ben, I seem to be getting terribly dependent on you." "That's all the music I need." "While we're on the subject, where were you?" "Oh, that's what I came up here to see you about." "It seems that I have a theater on my hands." "Hm-hmm." "And the house manager said we'd done the best business they've done this summer." "It's a good sign, don't you think, Miss Temple?" "Will you quit jabbering like a theatrical trade journal?" "I think it would be better if you didn't talk at all." "Now there's a lovely cracked piano." "Suppose you play something?" " Well, what'll I play?" " Oh, anything." "Something you know." "Hm, who brought the orchestra?" "Oh, never mind those scales." "Play something musical." "Play, uh..." "Stormy Weather." " I don't like it." " I know it's old but..." "It always sort of gets me." " Go on, play it." " Well, if you really want me to." "# Don't know why #" "# There's no sun up in the sky # # Stormy weather #" "# Since my man and I ain't together #" "# It keeps raining all the time #" "Looks like I'll have to have the piano taken out." "Thanks." "# Life is bear # # Gloom and misery...#" "Why don't you go on the stage?" "You're losing time." "The thrill I'm going to get when I see your name over my theater in lights." "Jessica Wells." "Oh, darling." "But who's going to play Damon's part?" "Who do you think is going to play Damon's part?" "I am." " Damon!" " You?" "Yeah, I've decided it's much easier for me to play it than to teach some other ham." " But you told me you weren't..." " Besides, why should I be the only one I never broke a promise to?" "Oh, darling, I'm so glad!" "Hello?" "I want to speak to Mrs. Stanley Vance." " Who?" " V-A-N-C-E." "Why, there's nobody here by that name." "Who was it, Aunt Martha?" "Nothing, dear." "Wrong number." "My excellent friends, I have good news for you." "I have the consent of the star." "I'm going to bring Dark Tower into town and open it in a week from Monday night." "Hooray!" "Oh, I'm so happy!" "I'm unbelievably happy!" "Oh, I'm afraid I feel a speech coming on." "I do, so help me it's in the blood, where's the soap box?" "Fake stage." "Speech!" "My constituents!" "My dearest, I'm a very grateful woman." "I really am." "Everyone I hold dear is in this room." "It's like sitting by a fireside." "I feel so warm and protected." "What ever would I have done without you all?" "Aunt Martha." "Cheer up, you look as though you'd seen a ghost." "Barry, I thank you for your lovely play." "I hope I shall deserve it of you." "Ben." "Dear Ben." "What a snug harbor you are  for a craft that's known some pretty stormy weather." " Stormy weather..." " Shut up!" "And Damon, dear brother..." "Don't scowl and glower at me!" "The dearest brother a girl ever had." "I have no words to tell you what you've meant to me." "You taught me to walk... now I can't walk without you." "I can never tell you." "I can never tell you what it's..." "Curtain!" "Curtain." "This was one of my mistakes." "Barry, you should have written this for me and I should have had a rehearsal." "Horace, open that door." "Darling, I can't stand it..." "Come on, now, let's try that second act." " Oh, have a heart!" " Oh, yes, now come on." " There's nobody here." " Oh, yes there is." "Wait a minute." "Is Miss Jessica Wells here?" "Of course she is!" "Bring them right in." "Don't be so stupid!" "Well, don't let me disturb anybody." "Jessica, my bride, as lovely as ever." "Oh, who can let me have a dollar for this fellow here?" "I'm sorry, I came away without any ch..." "Oh." "Well, you can put it down now and uh..." "Keep the change." "My name as a rule is Stanley Vance." "Prince consort of this lovely and somewhat startled young lady." "Well, I trust I'm not putting a damper on this little party." "Ah, Hattie!" "Take the cover off, Hattie." "Take it!" "My travelling companions are tired." "Do as I say." "Thank you, Hattiekins." "They told me you were dead." "Oh, the rascals!" "Well..." "Maybe the wish was father to the thought, eh?" "Well, I envy you as spectators to the drama of this return." "Um... well..." "I'm afraid, if you'll excuse me, it's getting late..." "I think I'd better..." "Call me in an hour, Damon." "Good night, Jessica." "Yes, these strangers are a bit trying at these reunions." " Want me to stay, Damon?" " No, you'd better go." "Good night, Damon." "Good night, Jessica." "Say good night to the doctor, my dear." "Good night." "Oh, Hattie!" "A glass of milk, please." "Some white bread and a pot of butter." " Oh, and some cheese." " Don't you do it, Hattie!" "I want you to get out of this house." "Clear out!" "Get him out, Damon." "There... take it easy." "Get what he wants, Hattie." "We heard you'd been killed in San Francisco." "Oh, yes, that story did get printed, didn't it?" "Well, it so happens that I found it quite convenient at the time." "You see..." "My affairs were in a tangled state." "Of course I didn't like to think of you all grieving." "One's family, you know." "Oh, by the way." "I don't think you've met the Duke and the Duchess." "Aren't they charming, Aunt Martha?" "And so consoling when one's lonely." "Yes, particularly consoling to a man in prison." " Where was it, out West?" " Oh, yes, San Quentin." "A tedious place." "I left..." "at Christmas Eve." "Ah, Here we are, Hattie, that's a good girl." "Put it right here." "Now let me see, the cheese, the bread, the milk, yes, that's right." "That's all for tonight, Hattie." "Oh, by the way, I saw the play tonight." "Very good." "Jessica was superb." "A genuine talent." "You were very good too." "Capital." "All in all, you know, I really..." "I think uh..." "I'm afraid we have a success in our hands." "Was that what raised you from the dead, this play?" "Oh, no, no, no." "I've been thinking for a long time that I really ought to come home." "Then one day I was sitting in a barber shop in Oklahoma City I picked up a paper and there it was." "Jessica Wells returns to stage." "So... well, we came home, eh?" "Well, I don't know about you people, but I need my rest." "Time to turn in." "Just a minute." "If you think you're going to spend even one night in this house..." " ...you're greatly mistaken." " Oh, is that so?" "Let me remind you that this is my house." "You found that out long ago when you tried to sell it." "It's my house and you get out of it." "Is that final?" "Oh, well." "Are you ready, Jessica?" "Yes, Stanley." "Well, get your hat and an overnight bag and whatever cash you happen to have." "Tell her to stop!" "Wait a minute, Jessica." " You can stay, Vance." " You know, I thought you'd reconsider." "Well, Aunt Martha, the same old rooms?" "You know, this is a nuisance too, carrying this bag." "Here, my dear, you may carry this, but be careful." " Well, say good night." " Good night." "Good night, kinsmen." "Will you please take this, my dear?" "Jessica, darling, you heard the doctor." "Won't you do as he asks?" "If there's a remedy for her, it's not in my satchel." "Oh, but doctor, there must be something." "Other cases." "The doctors who really understood these cases are all dead." "They died in the Middle Ages." "They would have said that she is possessed." "And they would have been right." "Perhaps." "Well, I'm at my wit's end." "Damon seems to have deserted us." "I don't know what to do." "Has he been drinking again?" "That or a new girl." "He's been here only twice all week." "It's just like him, turning his back on anything that's not to his taste." "Doctor..." "You're the only one we can depend upon." "If I had enough courage, I'd be worth more to you." "Whoever'd rid the earth of Stanley Vance would be doing a public service." "Stanley." "Doctor, I'm glad you've had a look at Jessica." "Our little play must open, you know?" "You seem to have forestalled that possibility." "You have the talent, Vance, for spoiling your own prospects." "Now that's just exactly what I'm not going to do." "Come along, Jessica." "Sit down." "Jessica..." "No, Mr. Damon ain't here." "Yes, I'll tell him again." "Sure, the last time I seen him I told him you'd phoned but he only grunted." "S..." "S-H?" "C-H." "Oh... how do you spell it?" "C-H-A-U-T-A-R-D." "Chautard." " When do you expect Monsieur Wells?" " I can't say as we expect him at all." "Yes, I'll tell him, Mr. Chautard." "If he ever comes round again." "Come here." "I'm going to stir up this manager of yours." "There's still nothing in the papers about this play, no ad, no date set for the New York opening." "I'll get him on the phone and you speak to him." "Just say to him that you'd like very much to come down and see him this afternoon." "And remember, you want to see him." "Just be casual about it." "Don't let him know that we're anxious." "Now just say that you'd like to drop in on him some time this after..." "Mr. Ben Weston, please." "Jessica Wells calling." "Now be bright, be cheerful." " Hello, Ben." " Hello, Jessica." "How are you, dear?" "Oh, it's good to hear your voice again." "Well, I'd like to see you too." "Gayer, brighter!" "Laugh!" "That'll be fine, Ben." "Yes, I'll drop in sometime this afternoon." "No, that's all." "That'll be fine." "There..." "Now, that was a good girl." "Now put on a pretty dress, eh?" "Oh, and fix your hair." "It's all straggly." "And come downstairs as soon as you're dressed." "I don't care if you stay, Miss Flower." "But you may have to wait a week." "I don't think that Mr. Damon lives here anymore." "What's a week more or less between friends?" "I thought maybe he was with you." "Not as long as he had any place else to go." "Hattie, you did a very sloppy job of cleaning this cage." "I want you to do it over again right away." "I'm a housekeeper not a mouse keeper!" "Where did you get the Polar bears?" "Catch them?" "Oh, no, my dear." "I charmed them." "Just a pied piper at heart." "Very well put, my dear, very well put." "For you." "For you." "Take it." " What this house needs is a good cat." " Wait a minute." "Now let me warn you." "If you hurt those mice I shall have the extreme pleasure of knocking you down and kicking your brains out." " Tough guy, huh?" " Oh, no, no, no... it's just that I simply cannot bear to see anyone being cruel to animals." " Look, have you seen Damon?" " Spasmodically, a bird of passage." "When I catch him it'll be a swan song." "Aren't they beautiful?" " Yes, so nice and virile." " Don't be Victorian." "Let's see." "Let's see if they're right." "Beige on blue, that's right." "Aquamarine on black, that's right." "Now here's one... here's one that's all wrong." "I asked for periwinkle on old rose and what do I get?" "Vanilla." "But seriously, my dear, isn't it difficult to find something that you really like?" "Now, you and I, for instance, if we were to find some nice quiet place..." " Like the subway, huh?" " You darling child..." "Well, a new groupie." "Listen here, you big heel, you've let me flat for over a week." "That's the way I found you." "What were you doing in Philadelphia on Monday?" " I never go to Philadelphia." " I know somebody that saw you." "Well, you're mistaken." " Well, I'll tell you something I'm sure of." "Shut your trap and get out of here!" " Why, honey." " Come on, now, fade." "Well... so long." "And goodbye to you..." "You big petunia!" "Hm..." " Very lush." " Oh, yes, yes..." "They're made especially for me by Martin's." "Yes, and paid for by Jessica." "Say, Wells, I want to talk to you." "Now, what about this play?" "When is it going to open?" " Well, that's up to you." " Up to me?" " Shall I make myself clear?" " Yes, do." "Normally, my sister is, I think, the most promising young actress in America." "Hm?" "But with you around she turns into a colorless automaton that I wouldn't trust with the job of carrying a tray across the stage." "Now there's misfortune for you." "I marry the most promising actress in America and the little woman goes to pot on me." "Mr. Vance, why do you stand on the way of your own opportunity?" "Well, I..." "I do, don't I?" " I..." " I'm an impractical creature, I guess." " Oh, no, you're not." "But it does seem out of character." "Do you do this deliberately?" "Mr. Damon, Dr. Kendall was here." "And Miss Martha says when you came in would you go right over to the office and see him." "It seems there's to be a conference, a family huddle." "And oh, Mr. Damon, er..." "That Mr. uh..." "That foreign gentleman called up again." "Thank you." "Ah, there you are, Jessica, my dear." "All ready for our appointment?" "Well, go back upstairs and bring down my coat, eh?" "And you may report to the conference that your gifted sister belongs to me." "Precisely as that ring on your finger belongs to you." "What good does that do to you?" "Oh, I don't know." "I should think it should have a little nuisance value." "Someone should be willing to pay for my departure." "That suggestion has a faint aroma of blackmail." "No, a straight business proposition." "My wife owns half this play." "I should think whoever really wanted to see it produced would be very glad to buy her half from me." "If your mere exit would do the trick..." "I'd buy you out myself." "Could you?" "What with?" "I don't want to settle for small change, you know." "That would be no problem." "I can always get backing." "As a matter of fact there's a nut been calling me up all over town." "He's been showering me with messages." "He wants to buy into this play." " Of course he doesn't know about you." " What's his name." "Wouldn't you like to know." "Is it by any chance Chautard?" "You've been opening my mail?" "Now look here, if he's so anxious to buy, why not introduce me?" "Introduce you?" "Why introducing you ought to be declared a felony." "It probably is in some states." "Now look here, seriously..." " Mr. Chautard!" "Allow me to present my brother-in-law, Mr. Stanley Vance." "If you want to know about him, ask the warden at San Quentin." "There's only one profession at which he's shown any skill." "He's an expert in the art of living on women." "Lovely work if you can get it but of course it takes a certain slimy charm." "I say, you're getting a little nasty, aren't you?" "Wait till I'm warmed up." "And furthermore, my dear Mr. Chautard, it might profit you to consult the coroner's records  in Frederickston, Maryland, for the year 1923." "You'll find suggestive material on the sudden death of a Mrs. Sarah Applegate Vance." "Poor woman." "She carelessly willed her small state to her young husband." "The verdict was suicide." "Ah, then, I'm right!" "It was a shot in the dark but I'm right." " She killed herself." " I wouldn't have blamed her." "Ah, there we are, darling!" "Ancient history." "So long, Wells." " Hattie!" " Yes, Mr. Damon?" "Get me a drink!" "Now think carefully." "Can't you remember Chautard?" "He's a friend of your brother's." "Didn't someone of that name come out to see the play?" "Didn't he come back to your dressing room?" "No, Stanley." "Well, see if you can get this into your head." "This man Chautard wants to buy our half of this play." "I don't know where he is yet but I'll find him." "He wants to give me a lot of money for it." "Do you understand?" "Listen, we've got to make him think this play is going on right away." "We've got to make Weston announce that, do you understand?" "Make Weston announce that." "You've got to make Weston think that you're all right." "You've got to tell him that you could go on that stage Monday night and give a wonderful performance." "I could go on that stage Monday night and give a wonderful performance." "You're perfectly all right." "There's no reason in the world why that play shouldn't open tonight." "Now then, let's hear you say it." "Hello, Jessica." " Hello, Stanley." " Hello, Ben!" "Hello, Ben." "And how are you?" "I'm all right." "Except that I'm terribly anxious to get to work." "Well, I'm glad of that." "Of course I'm glad." "But bless your heart, darling." "Let's forget about the play." "I'm thinking of you." "Jessica, dear, let's leave New York and the whole thing." "Ben, we could open the show anytime." "I can go on." "Why, certainly, of course!" "But let's forget about that now." "I have it all planned." "I'll tell you what we'll do." "No, no, Ben." "Jessica, think!" "Think, darling." "Just a week ago we were so happy." "Remember?" "You must remember." "I love you, darling." "I've loved you for years, you must have known that." "You do, don't you?" "Don't you?" "Ben, dearest!" "No..." "I mustn't." "I mustn't." "Oh..." "I see." "Ben, we could open tomorrow night." " Yes, Mr. Weston." " Send Mr. Vance in." "Oh, hello, Weston." "I drove down with Jessica." "I surmised as much." "I want to talk to you alone." " Do you mind, dear?" " Don't go, Jessica." "We haven't anything to say that doesn't concern her." "And what's more, I'm tired of this delay." "Now, either you name an opening date for this play by Monday or I'll look for another backer." "I've got one lined up now." "Very interesting." "So you're in show business now, hm?" " Sort of helping the little woman." " Well, it's my wife's career, you know." "And you uh..." "You give me no choice." "You know, Vance, there must be some way of getting rid of a rat like you." "I suppose the best way is to just crunch you under one foot on the sidewalk." "Well, there must be some way of getting rid of a rat like you." "Fooling around with another man's wife." "Oh, well..." "Why wait?" "Look out!" "You know, Vance..." "I was just going to..." "Ben." "Ben!" "What was that?" "What's the trouble here?" "Weston!" "Oh... it's uh nothing, people, we were just rehearsing a play." "You know, that's a good scene, Weston." "Yes, it was, wasn't it, hm?" "I'm sorry, ladies and gentlemen, but you'll have to go." "That temper of yours is going to get you into serious trouble someday." "If I were you, I'd count ten before I lost control." "Thanks." "Come along, Jessica." "Hattie!" " I'm bringing them." " Well, hurry." "Oh..." "Look here, is this fresh?" "Yes!" "Well, what are you waiting for?" "I was wondering when the three of you'd be leaving." "Patience, Hattie, patience." "Here you are, Duchess." "No, come on now, you must eat something." "What's the matter with your appetite?" "I want you to grow up and be a nice, big, strong..." "Pardon, madame, is this the home of Mr. Damon Wells?" "Yes, but he isn't here now." "I'm disappointed." "I've been telephoning him..." "I am Mr. Jules Chautard." "Hattie!" "Ask Mr. Chautard in!" "Come right in, Mr. Chautard." " Are you Mr. Damon Wells?" " No, but he'll be here in a moment." " Let me take your hat." " Oh, no, no, I regret but I cannot stay." "Oh, you can't run away like this." "Well, just for a moment." "Thank you very much." " Sit down, Mr. Chautard." " Merci, monsieur." "Tell me, with whom have I the pleasure of talking?" "My name is Vance, Stanley Vance, Wells' brother-in-law." " Ah, si..." " I've often heard him speak of you." "Oui?" " You say you are expecting Mr. Wells?" " Oh, yes." "I have a proposition to discuss with him." "Ah, Mademoiselle Wells, n'est-ce pas?" "Oh, yes." "In private life Mrs. Stanley Vance." "Oh, indeed?" "You are a very fortunate man." "When will your new show open, Mr. Weston?" "I wish I knew." "Thank you." "Of course you understand that Damon has nothing whatever to do with my wife's interest in the play." "Her business lies entirely in my hands." "Mr. Damon isn't here, Mr. Weston." "We haven't seen him for two days." " Is Miss Jessica at home?" " Yes, she's upstairs." "Thanks, Hattie." "Have you any objections to my speaking to Miss Jessica?" "Oh, not in the least, my dear fellow." "She's upstairs." "But she's with her aunt." "Oh, pardon me." "Mr. Chautard, Ben Weston." " Je suis enchanté, monsieur." " How do you do, sir?" "Thank you, Mr. Vance." "He's inclined to be in love with my wife but she can't stand him." "Oh, indeed?" "Well, you could hardly blame him." " Mais revenons à nos boutons." " Eh?" " Let us get down to business." " Oh!" "You tell me that your wife owns half this play." " Yes." " And you are authorized to speak for her?" "If you and I are in agreement, I can settle a deal here and now." "Oh, no, impossible." "You see, I have an appointment for the next hour." "A luncheon engagement with our Consul." "But perhaps later in the afternoon." "Mais oui!" "We might meet at my hotel, the Randolph, say about three?" "In suite 27 R" " Delighted." " Entendu, monsieur." "You know, later today I leave town so probably I will be in a hurry." "You will therefore bring your credentials to the hotel, oui, monsieur?" "Certainly, sir." "Three o'clock this afternoon," "Hotel Randolph, suite 27 R" "Oui." "Au revoir, Monsieur Vance." "I hope this meeting will prove profitable for you and I." " Sir." " Au revoir." " Oh, entrez, mon chère Mr. Vance." " There, Mr. Chautard, just on time." "You suggested that I bring my credentials." "Well, here they are." "Oh..." "Jessica, my dear, allow me to present Mr. Jules Chautard." "Je suis enchanté, madame." "I have long admired you from a distance but your visit is a most unexpected..." "honneur." "I happened to mention to my wife that you were interested in our little play." "...so nothing would do but she must come over and meet you." "Eh, dear?" " Yes, Mr..." " Chautard." "Well, that was indeed most gracious of Mademoiselle Wells." "Vous m'excusez par un moment?" "Hello?" "Will you please be so good as to send up a bellboy?" "Thank you." "Mr. Chautard, it would be indeed a great pleasure to have a man like you identified with the management." "I hope we shall soon become better acquainted," "We've made out a power-of-attorney and here she is herself to attest her signature." "Oh, that will not be necessary." "I'm afraid you are going to consider me a little rude but always I've found ladies at a business meeting a too great distraction." "And since Mademoiselle Wells herself is the very essence of our bargaining," "I'm sure you will understand my difficulty." "This proposition can best be discussed by you and me alone." "Why, of course." "Don't say another word." "No harm done, I'm sure." " Jessica, my dear, you may run along." " Un moment." "I have asked for a page to escort madame." "That's very kind of you." "Anyway, now you're acquainted..." "Oh, come in." " Yes, sir?" " Uh..." " Yes, sir." " Will you please escort madame..." " ...to a taxi cab?" " Yes, sir." "My apologies, madame, and thank you for this grand plaisir." " We shall meet again." " Soon, I hope." " Oh, by the way, have you the time?" "My watch is..." " Five minutes past three, sir." " That's right." " Thank you." " You'll be going right home, my dear." "Tell the driver 205 East 68th street." "Yes, sir." "I know you're a busy man, Mr. Chautard so I suppose you want to get right down to business, eh?" "You Americans you are always in a hurry." " Serve yourself some brandy and soda." " Well, I don't mind if I do." "May I make one for you?" "Oui." "Very little soda and no ice." "We're men of the world you and I." "Oh, you do me too much honneur." "No, no, not at all." "I was just going to say that..." "I think I've guessed that your interest in this play isn't entirely in the play." "Well..." "I mean that what you said just now about Jessica being the essence of our bargaining, you know, that wasn't over my head." "Well..." "I just want to say before we discussed terms... that uh..." "well, it's all right with me." "My wife and I we're uh..." "You know what I'm talking about." "Mr. Vance, as I understand the matter, you control 50% of Dark Tower." "Yes, that's right." "I think I've got practically everything with me." "And you are willing to dispose of all or any part of your interests." "Well, as a matter of fact, I'm going away, so might as well sell it all." "I assume, of course, that you include all rights." "Naturally." "And so now we come to the important question." "How much?" "You know, I'm not a rich man." "Well, it's hard to say." "A play like this, 30 or 40 weeks on Broadway... the foreign and the California rights it's hard to say." " It's stuffy in here..." " Yes, no breeze." "Oh, California rights, Mr. Vance, are they something quite apart from the cinema rights?" "Oh, yes, yes indeed uh..." "The whole thing ought to make two or three hundred thousand dollars." "Uh-la-la!" "Well what is your price to me?" "Well, cash in hand and your running a certain amount of risk, uh..." "Would $50.000 be too much?" "Oh, c'est ridicule, Mr. Vance, complètement ridicule." "I say, do you..." "Do you mind if I er..." "take it easy for a moment?" "I, er..." "I, er..." "Oh... wh-what were you saying just now?" "Vance." "Vance!" "You do not recognize me." "Huh?" "You do not recognize me." "We met some time ago." "What... what was in that drink?" "Oh, quelque chose de rigolant, chère Vance." "Who..." "Who..." "You don't know how impatiently I've waited for this moment." "Hello, will you please send up a bellboy to take down some valises?" "Thank you." "Yes, sir." "You'll find another valise in the other bedroom." "Will you please get it?" " Leaving us, sir?" " I think I'd better." "Sure you haven't forgotten anything?" "I hope not." " Anything in the closet?" " Oh, no, nothing at all." "Extra!" "Read all about the murder!" "Body found in closet of hotel!" "Star's husband knocked off in hotel bedroom!" "Extra!" "Monsieur Chautard!" "Extra!" "Stanley Vance killed!" "Peabody, isn't it marvelous, isn't it wonderful?" "Let me see you smile." "Come on, smile." "You love a good murder, don't you?" "Well, look." "Remember that fellow Vance with the shoe-button eyes?" "I'm supposed to go home at 5:30 and it's 5:35, Mr. Weston." "Peabody, you're right, you're absolutely right and I apologize." "Darling, you hire yourself a taxi and charge it to me." " Am I blue..." " Oh, I forgot to tell you." "There must be something wrong with the telephone." "I've answered five or six incoming calls during the last hour and a half and there's been no one on the other end..." "Hello, Hattie, this is Mr. Weston." "Yes, isn't it great?" "Let me speak to Miss Jessica." "Oh..." "Well, let me speak to Miss Temple, Damon, the doctor, anybody, you old serpent of the Nile!" "Hold the phone, Mr. Weston." "Well?" "Well?" "Oh, come on, Miss Wells, cut out the stalling." "Answer the question!" "Now, wait a minute, Lieutenant, she's in no condition to answer questions." "She was all right when that cab brought her home." "That's true, she was normal for a half hour." "The first time since Vance reappeared." "Then they told her about the murder and she collapsed." "You can question her as soon as she's able." "Why don't you find Chautard?" "Excuse me, Mr. Weston's on the phone, and I think he's drunk." "Hello, Ben." "Yes." "No, just hysterics." "Yes, she'll be all right." "Of course." "Well, it does seem rather fortunate." "Fortunate?" "Why, doctor, you put it mildly." "I'm going to make every endeavor to get Chautard the Pulitzer Prize." "He's just saved the season's best play." "Okay, doc, I'll be there as soon as I can." "Now get me a cab, will you, Peabody?" "I go off duty at 5:30." "Did you ever hear of the NRA?" "You're absolutely right, forget it." "I'll get the cab myself." "Am I blue..." "There's no more casting today." "Oh, I have a special appointment with Mr. Weston." "A thousand twenty-four sheets." "Yes, I said a thousand!" "And 25 hundred frees..." "And about 5 thousand cards and throwaways." "Oh, pardon, monsieur." "What's that?" "Who's crazy?" "No, I'm not crazy." "Just enthusiastic, that's all." "Say, we're liable to open any minute now." "All right, Jack, that's fine." " Voulez-vous m'excuser, monsieur?" " I'm sorry but you'll have to pardon me." "I'm very busy at this moment and I..." "Chautard." "You'll pardon this intrusion but uh..." "I happen to be in a little difficulty." "Difficulty?" "Twenty thousand cops are after you with a murder charge and you call it difficulty?" "Why, Chautard, don't you..." "Anyone see you come up?" "Well, I think no person that is important." "That's fine, that's good!" "I know exactly what you're here for and I'm willing to help you." "It's a great big risk but..." "Here, here's some money." "No, no, no, monsieur, I have plenty of money." "Ah..." "Mademoiselle Wells." "Oh, elle est magnifique." "Chautard, listen to me." "You've got to be careful!" "I want you to shave off that goatee and mustache, do you understand?" "Oui, oui..." "Oh, Monsieur Damon Wells." "You see, Weston..." "He tells me that you consider him the premier acteur in the world today." " Yes, he's pretty good." " Pretty good?" "What do you mean?" "Say, are you daffy?" "He's sensational!" "Huh?" " Hello, Ben, how's church?" " Damon!" "What are your plans for the season, Mr. Weston?" "Holy jumping catfish!" "Is that all you've got to say?" "No tributes of any kind?" "Well, years later, when they discuss Booth, Irving, Mansfield, only you and I will appreciate that those boys were merely adequate." " Hey, uh..." " You don't blame me, do you, Ben?" "Blame you?" "Why, Damon, I feel like kissing you." "Say, I thought of doing it myself, only..." "Well, how did you do it and when did you do it?" "Oh, five days' rehearsal." "All I ever need." "Especially since I've played the role before." "Le Duc de Rastignac in the Bride of the Regiment." "I played it in stocks some years ago." "Anyhow, I worked up this identity at the hotel and planted some initial luggage there." "It was a cinch till everything was over." "Then I realized there was no way of switching back so I came here." "For the love of Pete, man, it's six o'clock!" " Where have you been since?" " Oh, I went to the Grand Central Station." "Bought a ticket to Chicago just to get them off the trail." "And planted my other bag there." "Then I drove around, one cab after another stalling till I could get in touch with you." "And after a while I heard the news boys start shouting, I thought I'd go daffy." "Sometimes I'd get out and phone you." "I wanted to make sure that I wouldn't meet Peabody." "And what do I do, I run right smack into her on my way in here." "But there was never a glimmer in her eye." "Here, help me off with these stilts." "Now listen, Damon, don't be so cocksure of yourself." "You're not out of this thing yet, you know." " Did you leave any clues?" " Not even a false tooth." "Baby, they can turn those bloodhounds loose." "All they'll ever know is that old Master Tom got down that river." "Nothing there." "Did you get a copy of the letters he dictated to the public stenographer?" "Yeah, here they are." "Twelve or fifteen of them and all baloney." "Looks like he planted them just to confuse us." "He registered from Montreal." "Check with headquarters there and see if you can get a line on him." "Okay." " Any fingerprints?" " Not a one." "The guy must have worn gloves or he lived in this room without touching a thing." "No clues, eh?" "Well, if that's the way it is, I guess we're up a tree." "That's a funny thing." "I wonder if they ever rented this room to an actor." "I'd like to help in any way I can, Miss Wells, but..." " ...frankly, I don't understand." " I can't expect you to." "Nobody can realize what it means to have been another person for days." "Not knowing what that other person has done." "What an awful thing!" "Here, here, take it easy." "We've checked on everything you did today, Miss Wells, ...if that's what's on your mind." "Stanley Vance was alive when you left the room." " According to the bellboy." " His testimony has established that." "He had no reason to lie." " You yourself have no doubt?" " None." "Then there's no blood on my hands possibly." "Not possibly." "Thank heaven." "Well, Inspector, you've been mighty sweet to stand all this." "I'm glad I've been in the position to help you clear things up." "Martin, take my car and drive Miss Wells and her aunt wherever they want to go." "Oh, you don't need to do that, Inspector, I can take them home." "I thought you might spare us a few minutes, Mr. Wells." "You don't mind, do you?" "Why, no." "Anything at all." "Goodbye, Aunt Martha." "See you soon." "Have a seat." "Thank you." " Smoke?" " I don't mind if I do." "Detective Weeks will be here in a minute." "You know, there's something about this guy Chautard I couldn't tell you while your sister was around." "Yes?" "He wanted to be pegged for a travelling man." "Boy, he sure lived up to the label." "There was a nice little stenographer in the hotel." "He used to dictate to her every afternoon." " Really?" " That was only afternoons." "Evenings the newsstand girl had to bring him the Montreal papers." "We suspect they didn't waste their time reading the book reviews." "Why, the old son of..." " Well." " Yes?" " Weeks and Curtis are here, sir." " Let them come in." "Weeks, shake hands with Mr. Wells." " Glad to know you, sir." " How do you do?" " Sergeant Curtis, Mr. Wells." " How are you, Sergeant?" "You go along with Weeks." "He'll bring you back here later." "Go along where?" "I just want you to take a little ride with me." "All right." "Listen, I want you to check up on Vance's life for the last ten years." "Back to his birth, if you have to." "I lay you two to one we'll pick up a lead on Chautard somewhere along the line." "I've seen that fellow before." "Was he ever in a line-up?" "Just because you've seen him before that doesn't put him in a line-up." "Damon Wells, the actor." "Actor, uh?" "Well." "Darlings, are you hungry?" "They told me not to put him on the ice chips." "Some guy is coming down here to identify him." "This is the guy." "Can we go back now?" " Sure." "This is him." "Hm-hmm." "That's Vance all right." "My, my, this will never do." "What?" "He'd never stand for this." " Snappy dresser, huh?" " Oh, one of the best." "His wife is an actress." "So is Mr. Wildes here." "I mean, an actor." "Say, I read about that show of yours." "One of them murder mysteries, ain't it?" "You might call it that." "I'll send you a couple of tickets for the opening." "Not me." "Them scary shows give me the creeps." "Want any more follow-up for the Vance murder?" "Nobody's interested anymore." "Let it die." "Hey, don't you cop my seats for the opening of the Dark Tower tonight..." " ...because I'm going to use them." " Yeah, you would." "Hey, where are you going?" "Oh, okay." "Hello, Sergeant." "Why aren't you out front?" " I left a seat there for you." " Sorry, I can't use it." "I'm still on duty." "Oh, what is this, a dressing room or Grand Central Station?" " Hello, Hattie." "Are we all set here?" " We're busy!" "Oh, Ben, I'm so glad you came, darling." "I wanted to tell you I'm not a bit nervous." "Well, darling, I am." " Well, we'll soon know the worst." "If I'm any judge at all, I think the show will run a year." "Then let's call it all off." "You and I are headed for Capri in the spring and nothing is going to stop us." "Capri?" "I'm afraid of that, darling." "How do you think we're going to stand the quiet?" "What was that?" "I'm afraid Mr. Damon's drunk again." "Now, I said with refinement!" "Can't you understand?" "It's a drawing-room scene and you're supposed to be a lady's maid." "Oh, you mean refinement." "Come in." "Oh, excuse me." "Oh, hello, Sergeant." "We've just been rehearsing." "Well, goodbye, dear." "See you later, I'm afraid." "Get him to explain refinement to you." "It's just too divine." "Temperamental, these artists." "I'm glad you dropped in, Sergeant." "Have a drink?" "Oh, I can't drink and work." "You bloodhounds don't seem to get much thirst." " Bet you're on another case already, hm?" " No, I'm still on the Chautard case." " I thought that was all washed up." " My report goes in tomorrow." "This is supposed to be my last night on it." "Then I'm on vacation." "Oh, that so?" " Well, be gone for long?" " A couple of weeks." "Up to a farm in Vermont." "Believe me, after tracing Stanley Vance through twenty years of double-crossing, I can use some fresh air." " That bird didn't smell so good." " Find out anything new?" "Some." "That hunch you had about his first wife's death in Maryland, I checked on that." "He killed her, all right." "That suicide verdict was so off the evidence it looked like somebody had fixed the coroner's jury." "Vance ran through the dead gal's money in about a year." "Then I picked up his trail in Seattle." "He drew down a five-year jolt up there for gypping some poor old woman." "Hypnotized her and got her to sign a lot of papers." "Personally I don't run with stuff but the jury went for it." "Hypnotized." "The rest I guess you know." "San Quentin and all that." "Yes, he seems to have been quite an operator." "You said it." "And so was the guy who bumped him off." " Yes, he did do a rather neat job." " As neat as they come." "But they don't come very neat." " I don't quite get you." " It's a funny thing." "The more brains a murderer has, the more likely he is to pull some bone-head stunt that will trap him." "It's too bad the state doesn't make some exceptions." "They hang the death rap on anybody for killing anybody even a dirty rat like Vance." "Say, do you mean to tell me that the fellow who did this job didn't do it clean?" "He left his fingerprints on the doorknob or something?" "Better than that." "You'll die laughing when I tell you." "Five minutes, Mr. Wells." "Oh, I don't want to talk my shop." "You've got yours to talk about." "No, no, that's all right." "You go right ahead." "I had something on my mind I wanted to tell you." "Let's see uh..." "Oh, sure!" "I remember seeing you some place before." "You know where it was?" "I'm afraid I don't." "I saw you in a show." "And you were great." "Yeah?" "It must have been long ago." "I haven't played in New York for several years." "That's right, it was fifteen years ago." "In a little stock company up in Montpelier, Vermont." "You played the Duc de Rastignac in the uh Bride of the Regiment." " Yes, of course." " Remember, the fellow with the mustache the little goatee and the pot belly?" " Yeah," " The French accent." "It was swell." "Yes, I..." "I.." "I do remember." "I played a season of summer stock up there." "Yeah, we tried out that play." "Oh, but I remember, it was a miserable failure." "Too bad." "I liked it." "That suit you wore in the second act, have you got that around somewhere?" "Good heavens, man, no!" "Old costumes I never keep them, I destroy them at once." "I don't know what's the matter." "I don't seem to..." "Having trouble there?" "I don't seem to be able to get this mus..." "where's my dresser..." " Joe, hey, Joe!" " Maybe I can help you." "Here, try this one." "Funny thing about that." "You know where I found that?" "In a Gideon Bible in Chautard's room." "In the Randolph." "Bible?" "How would that get into a Bible, I wonder?" "How should I know?" "Maybe off of one of the old prophets." "Tough luck, Chautard." "Too bad you didn't destroy that along with the clothes." "How long will it take you to get an actor up in your part?" "About four or five days." "Well, I'll delay my vacation." "I'll hang around in the wings until the show is over then we're gonna go down to the District Attorney's office." "Well, I uh..." "I don't suppose in the meantime you could let me borrow that mustache?" "Oh, not a chance." "That mustache is now the property of the state." "You'll have to ask the DA." "The DA." "But don't worry too much about him." "He's a pretty human guy." "Confidentially..." "I'd pin a medal on you for taking care of Mr. Vance." "Thanks, Mr. Curtis but you're not the DA." "Say, what are my chances?" "Well, it depends on your performance on the witness box." "I'll tear their hearts out!" "One minute, Mr. Wells." "Well, I'll be seeing you." " Cynthia, you're late." " A woman's natural prerogative, my dear." "Valid only as long as the man happens to be in love with that woman." "Insinuating, I suppose, that you no longer feel that way about me." " Oh, why not a cafe?" " No, we're going to Aunt Martha's." " Hey, Joe." " Mr. Wells, you're on!" " Joe." " Come on, Mr. Wells..." "There'll be a stage wait, you're on!" "Will you telephone Aunt Martha and tell her we're going out for the last act?" "Tell her to put some beer on ice." "Oh, Jerry, I'm terribly sorry to have kept you waiting." "Really, I have some important business to attend to here." "Subtitles:" "Luís Filipe Bernardes"