Among the Living (1941) - full transcript
Paul Raden (Albert Dekker), hopelessly insane son of Maxim Raden, hated owner of the Radentown mills, is in a strait jacket in a secret room in the family mansion, while the body of his father is lowered into a grave. Twenty-five years earlier, the brutal father had hurled Paul against a wall when the young boy had tried to defend his mother and, with his brain injured forever, Paul's last memory, before descending into the shadows on insanity, was his mother's agonized scream. At the graveside are Dr. Ben Saunders (Harry Carey), Paul's twin brother John (Albert Dekker) and John's wife Elaine (Frances Farmer). Pompey (Ernest Whitman'), the family servant who has cared for and guarded Paul and kept the family secret for a quarter of a century,watches from afar. That night Dr. Saunders tells John that his twin, who he thought dead, is alive as the father, refusing to commit him to an institution, had bribed the doctor to sign a false death certificate and then bury another child's body as Paul. John and the doctor visit Radenhouse and find Pompey strangled and Paul vanished. While they search frantically for Paul, the latter revels in his freedom and falls in love with the first girl he meets, Milly Pickens Susan Hayward), an unemployed mill worker. He wanders into a honky-tonk filled with dancing jitterbugs, where a pretty blonde, Peggy Nolan (Jean Phillips), flirts with him. Her body is found the next morning near the closed-down Raden Mills. Terrorized by the second murder and the thought that a homicidal maniac is on the loose, the town goes mad with fear and greed when Dr. Saunders tricks John into offering a $5,000 reward for the killer. Milly purchases a revolver and persuades Paul, whose demented mind has forgotten the murders, to accompany her to Radenhouse on her hunch that the murderer is hiding there.
Who may we seek for succor
but of thee, oh, Lord,
who for our sins are justly.
Thy merciful ears to our prayer.
For as much as the spirit
of our deceased brother
Maxim hath departed unto God who giveth
we commit his body to the ground.
Earth to earth, ashes
to ashes, dust to dust.
In sure and certain
hope of the resurrection
unto eternal life through our Lord, amen.
Amen.
Amen.
That must be the son John Raden.
Gee, he's not hard to take.
Too bad he's married.
Dearly beloved, in
this hour of farewell,
I know there are those among you
who would like to pay a parting tribute
to his inspiring life and
great accomplishments.
This fair town, which
proudly bears his name,
the great Raden Mills,
beehives of industry.
Yeah, beehives without the bees.
Dr. Saunders, you've been a friend
of the Raden family for 35 years.
Isn't there something you'd like to say?
Well, Maxim Raden built this town
from a bunch of shanties
to what it is today.
He was a man of action, not words.
Well, there's nothing more I can say
except that his death is a great loss.
To who?
Shh.
After all, he's dead.
Let us pray.
Almighty Father, whose
mercies cannot be numbered,
accept our prayers on behalf of the soul
of thy servant departed,
and grant him entrance
into the land of light and joy
in the fellowship of thy saints.
Amen.
Would you excuse me a moment, John?
Of course.
Pompey.
What do you mean by leaving
the house unguarded at a time like this?
Ain't nothing to get
pernickety about, Dr. Ben, sir.
Ain't no folks going out
there raiding a house
with hands peeking out of the windows.
Besides, I'm full out of house money.
Here.
Now you get along back there double-quick,
and don't take any more chances.
Yes, sir.
Where'd you get that?
I reckon you know.
When I come back tonight,
I'll fix it up for you.
Things can't go on like this any longer.
No, sir.
Just a minute, please.
You're Pompey, aren't you?
You don't remember me, do you?
Yes, sir, you Mr. John.
That's right, although I
couldn't blame you if you didn't.
How long ago was it, Dr. Ben?
25 years.
The day we buried your twin brother.
That was Paul.
Remember, he was 10 then.
The spitting image.
Pompey, this is Mrs.
Raden, the lady I married.
How do you do?
She's a very pretty lady, Mr. John.
It's getting pretty late, Pompey.
Chickens got to be fed.
Goodbye, Pompey.
We'll see you again before
we go back to New York.
Raden House.
Let's go there, John.
I'd love to see it.
All right, if you'd like.
Oh, I wouldn't advise it.
The house is very old, and
badly in need of repair.
It really isn't safe.
Surely, if it was safe enough
for John's father to live in.
He didn't live there.
Right after John's mother died, he moved
to the old Raden Hotel
and never went back.
I realize this has been a
very trying day for you, John,
but I have something
important to tell you.
I'd like you to come to my house tonight.
Don't mind, do you, dear?
Of course not.
All right, Dr. Ben.
As early as you can, John.
Hello, Pompey.
It's a beautiful storm, isn't it?
This is the exciting part of it,
when it's hanging over you like this,
threatening, waiting to break loose.
Is you all right, Mr. Paul?
Yes, Pompey, I won't
be any more trouble.
You can take this off now.
Have they buried him?
Yes, sir, Mr. Paul, your
pappy done been buried.
Good, good.
You didn't let them
bury him next to Mother?
No, sir, Mr. Paul.
I couldn't stand if
he were where he could
hurt her and make her scream again.
He can't never
hurt her no more, Mr. Paul.
You're lying to me,
Pompey, you're lying!
No, sir, Mr.
Paul, I ain't lying.
He can't never hurt her no more.
I'm going to see for myself.
You don't wanna do that, sir.
Yes, I do, I'm
going to see for myself.
Don't be riling yourself, sir, please.
All right, all right, Pompey.
I want my supper now, please.
I have an appointment with Dr. Saunders.
Just get in?
Just going out.
Don't take it off.
We're going to Raden House.
Something wrong with Pompey?
It isn't Pompey.
Look, Dr. Ben, I'm too
tired for guessing games.
That'll be all for tonight, Joseph.
Come in here, John.
Look, the Dr. Benjamin
Saunders Medical Foundation.
Yes, I know, your
place, yours and Father's.
The finest free institution
of its kind in the South.
We've saved hundreds of lives,
and checked four major epidemics.
It's worth quite a good
deal, don't you agree, John?
I certainly do.
Well, it's cost me quite a good deal.
More than an ordinary
man would care to pay.
In exchange for your father's money,
I performed a criminal act.
You, a criminal act?
I falsified a death certificate
for your brother Paul.
Paul?
He's still alive.
But I went to his funeral.
You went to a funeral.
Paul's at Raden House?
Yes,
where your father and
I have kept him hidden
for 25 years, a hopeless maniac.
Lately, a dangerous one.
John, I'm quite an old man.
I've carried this load for a long time.
I feel it's up to you to take
that burden off my shoulders.
Yes.
Yes, of course.
I always park the car here.
They can't see it from the highway.
Dr. Ben, before I
was sent off to school,
Paul seemed perfectly normal.
What happened?
Didn't you ever wonder
why you were shipped away?
Not particularly.
Well, your father did that deliberately.
He knew your mother
worshiped both of you boys,
and, by sending one away to school
and always threatening to send the other,
it gave him the whip hand,
and made her life unbearable.
One day, little Paul heard her screaming.
He broke in and rushed at your father.
Your father threw him across the room.
From that day on, Paul was different.
One night, I found him huddled
against the edge of the fountain,
his little hands pressed against his ears,
to shut out her screams, he said.
She'd been dead for two months.
Even now, that's how his attacks start.
He puts his hands to his ears.
He still thinks he hears her screaming.
Look, over there by the grave.
Come on, John.
Everything all right, Pompey?
Pompey, Pompey.
Paul, this is Dr. Ben!
Paul, where are you?
Paul.
Paul!
Paul!
Dr. Ben, we'd better call the police.
No, John, leave everything to me.
We can't let him run loose.
You can't afford a scandal, John.
There's your wife to consider, too.
I know Paul, I'm his friend, he trusts me.
He'll either come back
here or go to my house.
It's the only two places he knows.
Once we get him quieted down,
it'll be easy enough to spirit him away.
I hope you're right, Dr. Ben.
I know I'm right, John.
Just have faith in me.
Now, I'll drive you over to your hotel,
and I'll come back here,
destroy all evidences of Paul,
and seal the room.
What about Pompey's body?
They won't challenge
my death certificate.
Pompey was an old man with a bad heart.
They never questioned the other one.
Elaine.
Yes?
What?
I'm gonna give him a
highball to keep him asleep.
You better come right over.
Right away.
What is it, dear?
It's Pompey, he's had a heart attack.
Aw, poor old Pompey.
I'll have to go.
Of course, dear.
Hello, Dr. Ben.
Hello, Paul, what are you doing here?
Where am I?
You're in my house.
Oh, so I am.
Oh, that's funny.
I haven't been here in a long time.
My window's been broken.
Do you know anything about that?
I must have done that, Dr. Ben.
I rang the bell, but there was no answer.
I had to come in and lie down.
I was very tired.
Tell me, Paul, what prompted you
to come and see me so late at night?
I don't know.
Try and remember.
Try and remember what happened
before you broke through that window.
Take it slowly, think.
It was very dark and wet.
I was walking around
outside, all by myself.
I like that, Dr. Ben.
I like walking around outside by myself.
Feels good.
I don't have to go back to that
room anymore, do I, Dr. Ben?
No, Paul, not if you think
hard, tell me what happened.
I will.
I fell down, guess that's
where I got all the mud.
Where did you fall down?
There were a lot of flowers,
but I didn't like the flowers.
I wanted to throw them all away.
Where were the flowers?
They were...
They were on a grave,
that's were they were.
They were on my father's grave!
Steady, Paul.
He's dead.
They buried him today.
He can't hurt Mother anymore.
He hasn't been able to hurt your mother
for a long, long time.
No?
You haven't heard her
screaming all these years.
You'll never
hear her scream again.
You father's dead.
I know, I fixed him so he
can never get at her anymore.
Pompey lied to me.
He told me they didn't
bury him next to her.
I wanted to make sure.
Pompey wouldn't let me out.
But you got out.
Yes, when I heard her
screaming like that,
I had to get out.
So I asked Pompey to fix my supper.
Then I sneaked up behind
him and took my fingers.
Show me how you took your fingers.
But I don't wanna hurt you, Dr. Ben.
I'm not afraid of you hurting me, Paul.
Well, I just wanted
to frighten him, see,
so he would let me out,
so I took my fingers.
Oh, you hurt me!
You wanna take me back to that room!
- No, Paul!
- Yes, you do!
You're like all the rest!
You're like my father and Pompey!
Oh, I won't go back!
It's good outside, it's good
to walk around by myself!
Is someone coming to get me to take me
back to that room?
No, Paul.
Well, they'll never lock me up again!
Paul!
Paul!
Paul's escaped.
Then we've got to call the police.
Oh, at this time of the morning,
they'll go after him like a wild animal,
with dogs and shotguns.
If that's what you want,
there's a phone on my desk.
I never knew Doc Saunders
to slip up like this before.
Morning, gents.
Anything for the press?
No!
Hello, Doc?
Say, the coroner's here
with his report on Pompey.
Looks like you gave the
old guy a fair shuffle.
What do you mean?
Well, your certificate says
he died of heart failure.
Coroner says he was strangled.
Gosh, Andy, I don't see how
I made a mistake like that.
What do you want me to do?
Well, drop in next time
you're down this way.
We'll fix it up.
Don't worry about it.
Maybe he had a little run-in
with one of those spooks
up at Raden House.
Extra, extra, read all about the killer!
Old negro found murdered, extra, extra!
Extra, extra, read all about the killer!
Old negro found murdered, extra, extra!
Thank you, Mister.
Extra extra, read all about the killer!
Well, see where those
ghosts up at Raden House
did their work again.
I'm glad somebody's working.
Say, maybe we oughta
send a delegate up there
to get him to sign up for the union.
Here's something screwy.
They found him with his
hands up to his ears.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
Here you are, Mister!
Read all about the killer.
Old negro found murdered.
Mystery baffles police.
Aw, come on, Mister, buy it, help me out.
My ma takes in wash, and she's got
a big washing to do.
Only, she ain't got no
money for some soap,
and, if you buy this
paper, I can buy the soap,
and Ma can do the washing.
See, please, Mister.
Hey, Mister, you forgot your paper!
He's nuts.
Put that down.
Looking for a room?
Yes.
Can you pay a week in advance?
Yes, I can.
Come in, come in.
I knew the minute I clapped eyes on ya
that you was a gentleman.
Come in, come in.
Oh, don't trip over the vacuum.
I was cleaning the foyer.
Foyer's French for "front hall."
I had one of them Frenchmen living here
for three months last year.
He had the back room on the second floor.
Honest to goodness, every
time you turned 'round,
that Frenchman was a-grabbing
for a hand and kissing it.
He like to have wore the skin off.
Oh, thank you.
I always admired a gentleman.
But if there's one thing I hate
is to have somebody slobbering over me,
but, I must say, that
he paid his room rent
right on the dot, so I just let him
keep right on kissing.
Millie!
Millie's my daughter.
She'll show you the rooms.
You're quite sure you can pay in advance?
Yes, I can pay.
Good, no cooking allowed,
and no foul language.
I didn't always tell my roomers this,
but we had a man here last month.
Honest to goodness, the
language that that man used
would've melted your gold tooth.
Yes, Mom?
Millie, dear, you show
the gentleman the room.
Just a minute.
This is a respectable rooming house.
No ladies permitted in gentlemen's rooms.
Ma just says that for her conscience.
Since she got the lumbago two years ago,
she can't get upstairs.
Oh, that's too bad.
You think so?
Here 'tis.
It's kinda noisy here in front, ain't it?
Yes.
Look, don't tell Ma I said so,
but there's a room in back
that's better than this.
It's nice and quiet and
it's only three bucks.
Oh, but I like it here.
You can see people.
But the
other's a dollar cheaper!
Oh, but I like this room.
I like to be able to see people.
You can them on the street for nothing.
Don't you care about the extra buck?
No.
Here, one, two, three, four.
There.
Brother!
Say, if I had a wad of
folding dough like that
I'd go right out and buy myself an outfit
that would knock this
neighborhood cock-eyed.
Oh, but that's a pretty dress.
Oh, isn't that just like a man?
It's practically falling apart.
Is that enough?
30 bucks!
Gee, I should hope to tell ya.
I can't take money form you.
Oh, but I want you to have a new dress.
Well, gee, that's nice of ya, thanks!
No strings?
Strings, where?
All right then.
Listen, don't say a word to
Ma, or she'll skin me alive.
Why?
Oh, come now, Mister, please!
I tell ya what.
We'll call it a loan,
and I'll pay you back
when the mill's opened.
And the mill's going to open soon?
Everybody thinks so.
That's why you're here, isn't it?
Well.
Do you work there?
When they're running.
Then we could work there
together, couldn't we?
For a quiet-looking guy,
you're a pretty fast worker.
Well, let's hope the mills open soon
so we can work together.
When will that be?
Don't ask me, ask John Raden.
John Raden?
He's the boss
since his old man died.
Where is he now?
Who, Raden?
At the hotel.
Hey, what goes on up there?
That's Bill Oakley.
He thinks because he rooms here steady,
he's got a lease on me.
Hey, Millie!
Keep your shirt on, this is business.
Come on down here.
You leave that girl alone.
If you wanna boss her around, marry her
and make it legal.
You got a rule around here
about no women in the rooms.
Well, that goes for Millie, too, see?
Well, she was only showing
the gentleman a room.
Say, what's your name
in case there's some mail?
I never get any mail.
Somebody might send you a postcard.
Paul.
Okay, Mr. Paul, see ya later!
John Raden.
Oh, Millie.
What's the name of that hotel,
the one where John Raden is staying?
The Raden Hotel.
The Raden Hotel.
John Raden.
Just a moment, please.
I'm sorry if I frightened you,
but I'm looking for my brother John.
I'm Paul.
Don't you know about me?
You're John's wife.
Where is John?
I want to know where he is.
I must see him.
Go in the other room, Elaine, please.
I'm very glad to see you, Paul.
John.
I've been trying to find you.
You're a grownup man now, John.
I must be, too.
Why didn't you answer my letters?
You could've helped me.
I'm sorry, but I never got them.
Let me try and make it up to you.
We've many things to talk over.
Let's sit down.
Thank you.
I only came to find out when you're going
to open up the mills.
The mills?
I'm planning to do it very soon.
Why?
A friend of mine is going to work there.
I'm going to work with her.
Oh, that's fine.
What friend is that?
Oh, you wouldn't know her.
I must go and tell her now.
Wait, don't go yet.
But I want her to know!
Paul!
Stay here with us.
You'll have a nice place to live.
But I have a nice place to live.
I like it there.
That's fine.
Well, where is it?
I'll come and see you there.
No, I will come and see you.
But, if you stay here, we'll see
that you have everything that you want.
But I have everything that I want.
I'm with nice people.
I'm going to work with them, every day.
Please, Paul, Dr. Saunders
and I want to help you.
You mean Dr. Ben?
He isn't my friend any more!
He wants to take me back to that room!
Maybe you wanna take me back to that room!
Well, I won't go!
- Stop it!
- Paul!
Stop that screaming!
Wanna buy a puppy, Mister?
Thank you, sir.
Hey, sir!
Plenty room, sir.
Table or bar?
I want my supper.
Oh, yes, I got a nice
table right over there, sir.
Well, did you hear the
one about the cockroach?
Oh, I heard that.
Hey, what's the idea?
It has such a nice perfume.
Oh it has, has it?
Take it easy, Eddie.
He's with me.
Yeah, well, keep him on a leash.
Watch yourself, partner.
That's no way to act in a place like this.
But it had such a nice fragrance.
Uh huh.
All by yourself?
Yes.
So am.
Do you mind if I sit down for a minute?
That would be very nice.
Bourbon.
What will it be, handsome?
I'm hungry.
Oh, you shouldn't go out
to eat on an empty stomach.
Make it two.
What are they doing?
They call it...
Say, where do you keep yourself,
in a cave or some place?
No.
I've been away, for a very long time.
Welcome home.
50 cents, boss.
Oh, I can't change that, sir.
That's all right.
Yes, sir.
Happy days.
That's a very nice expression.
Happy days.
Makes you feel kind of funny inside.
Why, that's what they make it for.
What's the matter, big boy?
Don't you like my looks?
Oh, yes, but I like Millie better.
Oh, who's Millie, your girlfriend?
She's beautiful.
Well, maybe she should
be here instead of me.
I wish she was.
Well, thanks for the drink.
Bring Millie in sometime.
We'll all go over to my
house and bake a cake.
Oh, I'd like that!
Don't be a dope.
- Hiya, Frank.
- Hiya, babe.
- Alone?
- I was.
You can't go away like that.
Just watch.
Gimme that.
What's eating him?
He's got a snootful.
Snootful?
He's just two jumps ahead of a fit.
Come on, let's get a drink.
- So long, Peggy.
- So long, Kate.
Read all about it, mill
girl murdered by fiend!
Read all about it!
Mill girl murdered by fiend, extra, extra!
Mill girl murdered by fiend!
"According to the
sheriff, nobody remembers"
"seeing anyone leave the River
Bottom Cafe with the victim."
"The sheriff admits that he's baffled."
A fine sheriff we've got.
Anybody can be baffled,
there's no trick to that.
What I wanna know is what's being done
to protect the citizens of this town.
Two people dead, and the
murderer still on the loose,
and all the sheriff does
is to say he's baffled.
I tell you, this killer's gotta be stopped
if we have to do it ourselves.
I think
you're right there, Bill.
Who is it?
It's me Millie, open the door.
Look, I got it, the whole outfit,
and two pair of stockings.
This is the hat.
It's a very pretty hat.
Wait til you get a
load of me in the dress.
I'd like to.
You're going to, right now.
Turn around.
What for?
What do you think?
I'm gonna give you a private showing.
After all, you're entitled to it.
Now, no peeking.
Now you can look.
Like it?
Oh, it's beautiful.
We strive to please.
Gee, it was swell of
you to do this for me.
Thanks!
What's going on down there?
Oh, Bill Oakley.
Making a noise like a mastermind.
He gives me a pain.
Well, now that you've got me all fixed up,
I'm gonna take you right
out and get you fixed up.
Come on!
We'll search every house in town,
from the cellar to the
roof, every warehouse.
Since our police department
seems to be so baffled,
we'll organize a searching party
and nab this maniac ourselves.
- Sure.
- That would sure be fine,
if anybody knew what he looked like.
Well, that's one way of
satisfying your boarders.
When you learn to act
as elegant as Mr. Paul,
maybe Millie will be more interested.
Us Pickens has always had
a weakness for refiners.
You take off your outside wrappings,
and up pops a different guy.
Now, when we walk down the street,
we'll look like we belong together.
We will?
Mm hmm, all except that shrubbery.
Why don't you buy a
razor and shave it off?
You don't see him wearing a muff, do ya?
It's because he knows what's what.
All right.
"The curious aspect of the murderer”
"is that the victim was
found with her hands"
"pressed tightly against her ears."
What does that suggest to you?
Oh, that somebody's
been smart enough
to take advantage of that story
about Pompey in the papers.
I'm afraid we've delayed
much too long, Dr. Ben.
Yes?
The sheriff's
on the wire, Mr. Raden.
Good.
Hold on a minute, John.
You better let me talk to him.
Hello, Andy, Mr. Raden's
tied up right now.
This is Doc Saunders.
I'm glad it's you, Doc.
You're closer to Mr.
Raden than anyone in town.
We're in a tough spot.
You see.
Not a bad idea.
- Just a minute.
- What is it?
He wants you to put up a reward.
Reward?
Yeah, a reward for the
capture of the Killer.
I think you better do it.
Are you out of your mind?
Not entirely.
Hello, Andy, Mr. Raden says make it 5,000.
That's pretty highhanded
business, Dr. Ben.
I'm doing you a favor, John.
If they happen to discover
Paul before we do,
you'll have a perfect alibi.
I don't need an alibi!
You might find it rather
difficult to explain
why you didn't report Pompey's death
right after it happened.
People might think you were
trying to shield your brother.
That's being an accessory,
and you're liable to criminal action.
No more than you.
That's right, no more than I.
But I don't intend to face such
action if I can prevent it.
I think I see what's bothering you.
It's those false death certificates.
There's a lot of people in this town
depending on me, John, and I don't intend
to let myself get tripped up
at this stage of the game.
I'm not so sure your motives
are entirely unselfish.
I think you're just trying
to save your own neck.
And what do you intend doing about it?
Calling the police and tell the truth.
Every man for himself
now, is that it, John?
Put it any way you like.
Before you start anything,
John, remember this.
If they ever do open that grave,
they'll find the unrecognizable
remains of a boy of 10.
You have no evidence against me.
But, on the other hand, my statement
that, despite my appeal, you allowed Paul
to run loose after he killed Pompey
will put you in an embarrassing position.
Dr. Ben, I don't believe
you'd have the nerve to do that.
Well, there's one sure way to find out.
Insanity sometimes runs in families.
Think it over, John.
What are they talking about?
The murders, silly.
Doesn't the thought of
that murderer skulking
around close by somewhere
give you the creeps?
It does me.
I wonder what he looks like.
Here's your razor.
Thank you.
Hey, pay him!
Oh.
You get change.
Oh.
You need a keeper.
I love perfume, don't you?
Someday, I'm gonna have a big, fat bottle
and pour the whole thing
over me, all at once.
Your change.
We want a big, fat bottle of perfume.
Oh, say, I wasn't hinting, honest.
What kind did you want?
Oh, that kind.
Gee, yeah, only it's
so expensive, isn't it?
$15.
Oh.
Attention, please.
This is a special announcement
from the sheriff's office.
Sheriff Andrew Ramsey wishes to announce
that John Raden, President
of the Raden Mills,
is offering $5,000 reward for information
leading to the capture
of the person or persons
responsible for the death of Mr. Raden's
negro servant Pompey or Miss Peggy Nolan.
$5,000, dead or alive.
5,000 bucks, let's go and get him!
Wouldn't that be wonderful?
$5,000!
I could get a fur coat.
I could get out of this town!
We could go to New York!
$5,000, yoo-hoo!
That's for little Millie!
Let's start over at the old warehouse.
You come back to the house!
Not til I get that $5,000 reward.
No, you're not!
Break it up, break it up,
go back to your homes, go on, break it up,
go back, go back home!
Listen, I got everything
all figured out.
Gee, what a difference a shave makes!
Everybody will say, "My,
what a nice-looking couple,”
when they see our pictures in the paper.
Pictures in the paper?
Sure, when we collect the reward.
I got it all figured out.
The papers say every road is blocked.
That means the murderer's still in town.
Now, there's one place that's
perfect for him to hide.
Everybody's scared to go near it.
They think it's haunted.
The murderer probably knows that
and is sitting up there laughing at us.
Well, he's not gonna laugh at me,
"cause we're going up
there to Raden House.
Raden House?
I don't wanna go up there!
Why not?
Well, you don't know he's there.
No, but I'm gonna find out.
Don't you like me?
Yes.
Then won't you do what I want?
Yes.
Well, then.
I'm afraid to go up there.
Look what I got.
It's Pop's old .38.
I sneaked it out of Ma's bureau drawer.
But that won't do any good.
Hey, what's the matter with you?
You scared of those ghosts
they're all talking about?
I guess I made a mistake.
I thought you were a man.
Sorry.
Millie.
Millie, I'll go.
Now that's more like it.
I knew you were only
kidding, all the time.
All right, boys, break it down.
I hear he's got buck teeth!
I heard
he's got no teeth at all.
Stop, you!
Head him off!
I ain't done nothing, I ain't done!
Get him, come on!
Get him!
Where do you think you're going?
Up to Raden House, to
look for the murderer.
You'll do no such a thing.
And I don't want you dragging my daughter
around haunted houses.
If you'd rather we
didn't go, Mrs. Pickens-
- Don't worry, Ma, I'll be perfectly safe.
Paul's got a gun.
A gun?
Can't we just go for a walk?
A walk, with 5,000 bucks
up there waiting for us?
You're not afraid at all?
For 5,000, I'm not afraid
of anything, not even death.
Stop him!
I haven't got nothing on me.
Take him out.
- Who was it?
- An old man
with a gray beard.
But I told her not to leave the house.
I know it, Bill, I know it.
That's just what I kept telling
her, but she went anyway.
Yeah, with that guy.
Oh, it's the reward.
What do you mean the reward?
Where did she go, did
she run away with him?
Oh, no, they went up
to that haunted Raden House.
Yeah, I knew that guy
was out for no good.
Now don't get Mr. Paul wrong, Bill.
He didn't wanna go.
He's a gentleman.
But she made him do it.
She twists him right around her finger,
just like she does you.
She's got that reward on her mind.
Yeah, well, what do you
think he's got on his mind?
Come on, Tom.
There's the guy, hold him!
Dr. Saunders must know that he can't
get away with an insanity
charge against you.
What if he does open that grave?
The minute they find Paul,
they'll know he's been lying.
Maybe he figures on
finding Paul before the police
in order to make sure he disappears.
Darling, what about that
hidden room at Raden House?
He destroyed everything in it.
But that was late at night,
and he must've worked very fast.
Maybe he overlooked something.
Maybe there's something there
that you could use as evidence.
It's worth a try.
I'm going there and find out.
Then I'll come with you.
No, you stay here, and, please,
don't leave the hotel until
we know Paul has been found.
All right.
Please, be careful.
I will.
Millie, let's go back.
What are you scared of?
He only chokes people.
We've got a gun.
Get your gun ready.
Be careful!
Turn off the lights.
Well, there's nobody here, let's go.
Whoa, we ain't looked yet.
Yeah, but, well, let's
just look a little easy, huh?
Don't go in there!
Why not?
Because that's my mother's room.
Not in there!
Get him, Bill!
Bill, Bill, get him, he's the murderer!
Get him!
Paul.
Go on, Tom, tell everybody
I've got him, go on!
Go on! What are you waiting for,
get going!
And he's at Raden House.
They got him, they got
him, my Millie got him!
It was that dirty Mr. Paul my new boarder.
Come on, they're holding
him up at Raden House.
They say he's a stranger in town.
Yeah?
They got him!
They say it's John Raden.
We oughta string him up.
Yeah, I'll get a rope.
It's John Raden.
He seemed so nice, too.
Those still waters are
always the murderers.
Imagine the nerve,
right in his own hometown!
Most irregular thing I
ever heard of in my life.
I'm telling you, Judge,
this is a terrible mix up.
The fella who caught him says he's a guy
named Paul somebody, but
he says he's John Raden.
I don't care who he is.
This is the 19th of August.
Court opens the 8th of September.
Throw him into jail, I'll try him then.
You'll try him tonight or
you won't try him at all.
Judge, these are pretty hot nights.
Yeah, in this kind of weather,
he won't even keep til September.
There'll be no
violence in Radentown.
That's right.
We'll give him a quick trial
so we can hang him legal.
All right, but it's mighty irregular.
Come on, everybody, everybody!
You must come with me now, this minute.
I'm sorry, I have a very
sick patient over in Mavell.
Doctor, you can't leave now.
You've got to tell the truth about John.
You're the only one who can clear him.
If I clear John, it
means the end of everything
I've spent years building up.
You're cold, you're heartless.
I'm sorry.
Sorry, sorry?
You're deliberately committing a murder,
and all you can say is you're sorry?
Quiet or I'll clear the court!
I'll clear the court!
- Order!
- Quiet, quiet!
Proceed, Mr. Oakley.
You're out of your minds, all of you!
You don't even listen!
Well, I told you
everything, except this.
This John Raden is a mighty powerful man,
but he ain't gonna fool us
into thinking he's insane!
He's nothing but a coldblooded murderer.
The only reason he took the name Paul
is so he could pretend to be insane.
There was nothing crazy in him
putting up that cash reward.
He's clever, all right.
Will you stop this idiotic.
And the reason why I'm
sure he's the same man
is because he told me he
was gonna open the mills
and put everyone back to work.
Order, order!
Why did he say, "Don't go in there",
"that's my mother's room"?
You identify this man as the
one who tried to murder you?
Yes.
But I tell you, that
was my twin brother.
Ah, he's been dead for 25 years.
Maybe he upped from the grave.
There, did you see?
Did you see that?
That's what he done at
the cafe, just like that,
with his hands up to his ears.
Go on, get him!
Quiet, quiet!
This man's going to get a fair trial!
Quiet!
Now, we'll hear your side of the case.
- You'll talk, too.
- Start talking.
I know what you people feel about me.
You have every reason to
doubt anything that I may say,
but this is the truth.
All right, I'll take the
blame for what has happened,
but I want to ask you, what
would you have done in my place?
My father sent me away
from here when I was a boy.
It wasn't until after his
death that I learned the truth.
Old Pompey was taking care of my brother.
Paul has lived secretly in the cellar
of this house for 25 years.
He was and is insane!
Well, what about his grave?
I remember when he died!
Everybody knows he's dead!
He is not dead!
He is alive and insane!
It was he who committed these crimes!
Dr. Saunders knows, find
him, bring him here.
He'll tell you.
Here's Doc Saunders now.
Doc, over here, please.
Please, let me through.
Oh, no, you don't.
Dr. Ben, I knew you'd come.
Tell them about Paul.
Paul, John's brother, is still alive.
I falsified his death
certificate years ago.
John here has been telling you the truth.
It's his brother Paul who's
responsible for these murders.
Not John.
How much you
getting for this, Doc?
He must think we're
all a bunch of nitwits!
- Quiet, quiet, quiet!
- Quiet yourself.
I'm not gonna stand here
and listen to him lying
to save John Raden's neck.
I'm not lying.
Now, wait a minute, Doc.
You filed a phony death certificate
that Pompey kicked off from heart failure.
What about that?
Yeah, that's
right, what about it?
See, he's not opening his trap!
Why don't you tell us that
Peggy Nolan committed suicide?
Out the window.
Let's go get him!
Get out to the roads
and surround the place.
There he goes!
I guess you want me, don't you, Andy?
but of thee, oh, Lord,
who for our sins are justly.
Thy merciful ears to our prayer.
For as much as the spirit
of our deceased brother
Maxim hath departed unto God who giveth
we commit his body to the ground.
Earth to earth, ashes
to ashes, dust to dust.
In sure and certain
hope of the resurrection
unto eternal life through our Lord, amen.
Amen.
Amen.
That must be the son John Raden.
Gee, he's not hard to take.
Too bad he's married.
Dearly beloved, in
this hour of farewell,
I know there are those among you
who would like to pay a parting tribute
to his inspiring life and
great accomplishments.
This fair town, which
proudly bears his name,
the great Raden Mills,
beehives of industry.
Yeah, beehives without the bees.
Dr. Saunders, you've been a friend
of the Raden family for 35 years.
Isn't there something you'd like to say?
Well, Maxim Raden built this town
from a bunch of shanties
to what it is today.
He was a man of action, not words.
Well, there's nothing more I can say
except that his death is a great loss.
To who?
Shh.
After all, he's dead.
Let us pray.
Almighty Father, whose
mercies cannot be numbered,
accept our prayers on behalf of the soul
of thy servant departed,
and grant him entrance
into the land of light and joy
in the fellowship of thy saints.
Amen.
Would you excuse me a moment, John?
Of course.
Pompey.
What do you mean by leaving
the house unguarded at a time like this?
Ain't nothing to get
pernickety about, Dr. Ben, sir.
Ain't no folks going out
there raiding a house
with hands peeking out of the windows.
Besides, I'm full out of house money.
Here.
Now you get along back there double-quick,
and don't take any more chances.
Yes, sir.
Where'd you get that?
I reckon you know.
When I come back tonight,
I'll fix it up for you.
Things can't go on like this any longer.
No, sir.
Just a minute, please.
You're Pompey, aren't you?
You don't remember me, do you?
Yes, sir, you Mr. John.
That's right, although I
couldn't blame you if you didn't.
How long ago was it, Dr. Ben?
25 years.
The day we buried your twin brother.
That was Paul.
Remember, he was 10 then.
The spitting image.
Pompey, this is Mrs.
Raden, the lady I married.
How do you do?
She's a very pretty lady, Mr. John.
It's getting pretty late, Pompey.
Chickens got to be fed.
Goodbye, Pompey.
We'll see you again before
we go back to New York.
Raden House.
Let's go there, John.
I'd love to see it.
All right, if you'd like.
Oh, I wouldn't advise it.
The house is very old, and
badly in need of repair.
It really isn't safe.
Surely, if it was safe enough
for John's father to live in.
He didn't live there.
Right after John's mother died, he moved
to the old Raden Hotel
and never went back.
I realize this has been a
very trying day for you, John,
but I have something
important to tell you.
I'd like you to come to my house tonight.
Don't mind, do you, dear?
Of course not.
All right, Dr. Ben.
As early as you can, John.
Hello, Pompey.
It's a beautiful storm, isn't it?
This is the exciting part of it,
when it's hanging over you like this,
threatening, waiting to break loose.
Is you all right, Mr. Paul?
Yes, Pompey, I won't
be any more trouble.
You can take this off now.
Have they buried him?
Yes, sir, Mr. Paul, your
pappy done been buried.
Good, good.
You didn't let them
bury him next to Mother?
No, sir, Mr. Paul.
I couldn't stand if
he were where he could
hurt her and make her scream again.
He can't never
hurt her no more, Mr. Paul.
You're lying to me,
Pompey, you're lying!
No, sir, Mr.
Paul, I ain't lying.
He can't never hurt her no more.
I'm going to see for myself.
You don't wanna do that, sir.
Yes, I do, I'm
going to see for myself.
Don't be riling yourself, sir, please.
All right, all right, Pompey.
I want my supper now, please.
I have an appointment with Dr. Saunders.
Just get in?
Just going out.
Don't take it off.
We're going to Raden House.
Something wrong with Pompey?
It isn't Pompey.
Look, Dr. Ben, I'm too
tired for guessing games.
That'll be all for tonight, Joseph.
Come in here, John.
Look, the Dr. Benjamin
Saunders Medical Foundation.
Yes, I know, your
place, yours and Father's.
The finest free institution
of its kind in the South.
We've saved hundreds of lives,
and checked four major epidemics.
It's worth quite a good
deal, don't you agree, John?
I certainly do.
Well, it's cost me quite a good deal.
More than an ordinary
man would care to pay.
In exchange for your father's money,
I performed a criminal act.
You, a criminal act?
I falsified a death certificate
for your brother Paul.
Paul?
He's still alive.
But I went to his funeral.
You went to a funeral.
Paul's at Raden House?
Yes,
where your father and
I have kept him hidden
for 25 years, a hopeless maniac.
Lately, a dangerous one.
John, I'm quite an old man.
I've carried this load for a long time.
I feel it's up to you to take
that burden off my shoulders.
Yes.
Yes, of course.
I always park the car here.
They can't see it from the highway.
Dr. Ben, before I
was sent off to school,
Paul seemed perfectly normal.
What happened?
Didn't you ever wonder
why you were shipped away?
Not particularly.
Well, your father did that deliberately.
He knew your mother
worshiped both of you boys,
and, by sending one away to school
and always threatening to send the other,
it gave him the whip hand,
and made her life unbearable.
One day, little Paul heard her screaming.
He broke in and rushed at your father.
Your father threw him across the room.
From that day on, Paul was different.
One night, I found him huddled
against the edge of the fountain,
his little hands pressed against his ears,
to shut out her screams, he said.
She'd been dead for two months.
Even now, that's how his attacks start.
He puts his hands to his ears.
He still thinks he hears her screaming.
Look, over there by the grave.
Come on, John.
Everything all right, Pompey?
Pompey, Pompey.
Paul, this is Dr. Ben!
Paul, where are you?
Paul.
Paul!
Paul!
Dr. Ben, we'd better call the police.
No, John, leave everything to me.
We can't let him run loose.
You can't afford a scandal, John.
There's your wife to consider, too.
I know Paul, I'm his friend, he trusts me.
He'll either come back
here or go to my house.
It's the only two places he knows.
Once we get him quieted down,
it'll be easy enough to spirit him away.
I hope you're right, Dr. Ben.
I know I'm right, John.
Just have faith in me.
Now, I'll drive you over to your hotel,
and I'll come back here,
destroy all evidences of Paul,
and seal the room.
What about Pompey's body?
They won't challenge
my death certificate.
Pompey was an old man with a bad heart.
They never questioned the other one.
Elaine.
Yes?
What?
I'm gonna give him a
highball to keep him asleep.
You better come right over.
Right away.
What is it, dear?
It's Pompey, he's had a heart attack.
Aw, poor old Pompey.
I'll have to go.
Of course, dear.
Hello, Dr. Ben.
Hello, Paul, what are you doing here?
Where am I?
You're in my house.
Oh, so I am.
Oh, that's funny.
I haven't been here in a long time.
My window's been broken.
Do you know anything about that?
I must have done that, Dr. Ben.
I rang the bell, but there was no answer.
I had to come in and lie down.
I was very tired.
Tell me, Paul, what prompted you
to come and see me so late at night?
I don't know.
Try and remember.
Try and remember what happened
before you broke through that window.
Take it slowly, think.
It was very dark and wet.
I was walking around
outside, all by myself.
I like that, Dr. Ben.
I like walking around outside by myself.
Feels good.
I don't have to go back to that
room anymore, do I, Dr. Ben?
No, Paul, not if you think
hard, tell me what happened.
I will.
I fell down, guess that's
where I got all the mud.
Where did you fall down?
There were a lot of flowers,
but I didn't like the flowers.
I wanted to throw them all away.
Where were the flowers?
They were...
They were on a grave,
that's were they were.
They were on my father's grave!
Steady, Paul.
He's dead.
They buried him today.
He can't hurt Mother anymore.
He hasn't been able to hurt your mother
for a long, long time.
No?
You haven't heard her
screaming all these years.
You'll never
hear her scream again.
You father's dead.
I know, I fixed him so he
can never get at her anymore.
Pompey lied to me.
He told me they didn't
bury him next to her.
I wanted to make sure.
Pompey wouldn't let me out.
But you got out.
Yes, when I heard her
screaming like that,
I had to get out.
So I asked Pompey to fix my supper.
Then I sneaked up behind
him and took my fingers.
Show me how you took your fingers.
But I don't wanna hurt you, Dr. Ben.
I'm not afraid of you hurting me, Paul.
Well, I just wanted
to frighten him, see,
so he would let me out,
so I took my fingers.
Oh, you hurt me!
You wanna take me back to that room!
- No, Paul!
- Yes, you do!
You're like all the rest!
You're like my father and Pompey!
Oh, I won't go back!
It's good outside, it's good
to walk around by myself!
Is someone coming to get me to take me
back to that room?
No, Paul.
Well, they'll never lock me up again!
Paul!
Paul!
Paul's escaped.
Then we've got to call the police.
Oh, at this time of the morning,
they'll go after him like a wild animal,
with dogs and shotguns.
If that's what you want,
there's a phone on my desk.
I never knew Doc Saunders
to slip up like this before.
Morning, gents.
Anything for the press?
No!
Hello, Doc?
Say, the coroner's here
with his report on Pompey.
Looks like you gave the
old guy a fair shuffle.
What do you mean?
Well, your certificate says
he died of heart failure.
Coroner says he was strangled.
Gosh, Andy, I don't see how
I made a mistake like that.
What do you want me to do?
Well, drop in next time
you're down this way.
We'll fix it up.
Don't worry about it.
Maybe he had a little run-in
with one of those spooks
up at Raden House.
Extra, extra, read all about the killer!
Old negro found murdered, extra, extra!
Extra, extra, read all about the killer!
Old negro found murdered, extra, extra!
Thank you, Mister.
Extra extra, read all about the killer!
Well, see where those
ghosts up at Raden House
did their work again.
I'm glad somebody's working.
Say, maybe we oughta
send a delegate up there
to get him to sign up for the union.
Here's something screwy.
They found him with his
hands up to his ears.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
Here you are, Mister!
Read all about the killer.
Old negro found murdered.
Mystery baffles police.
Aw, come on, Mister, buy it, help me out.
My ma takes in wash, and she's got
a big washing to do.
Only, she ain't got no
money for some soap,
and, if you buy this
paper, I can buy the soap,
and Ma can do the washing.
See, please, Mister.
Hey, Mister, you forgot your paper!
He's nuts.
Put that down.
Looking for a room?
Yes.
Can you pay a week in advance?
Yes, I can.
Come in, come in.
I knew the minute I clapped eyes on ya
that you was a gentleman.
Come in, come in.
Oh, don't trip over the vacuum.
I was cleaning the foyer.
Foyer's French for "front hall."
I had one of them Frenchmen living here
for three months last year.
He had the back room on the second floor.
Honest to goodness, every
time you turned 'round,
that Frenchman was a-grabbing
for a hand and kissing it.
He like to have wore the skin off.
Oh, thank you.
I always admired a gentleman.
But if there's one thing I hate
is to have somebody slobbering over me,
but, I must say, that
he paid his room rent
right on the dot, so I just let him
keep right on kissing.
Millie!
Millie's my daughter.
She'll show you the rooms.
You're quite sure you can pay in advance?
Yes, I can pay.
Good, no cooking allowed,
and no foul language.
I didn't always tell my roomers this,
but we had a man here last month.
Honest to goodness, the
language that that man used
would've melted your gold tooth.
Yes, Mom?
Millie, dear, you show
the gentleman the room.
Just a minute.
This is a respectable rooming house.
No ladies permitted in gentlemen's rooms.
Ma just says that for her conscience.
Since she got the lumbago two years ago,
she can't get upstairs.
Oh, that's too bad.
You think so?
Here 'tis.
It's kinda noisy here in front, ain't it?
Yes.
Look, don't tell Ma I said so,
but there's a room in back
that's better than this.
It's nice and quiet and
it's only three bucks.
Oh, but I like it here.
You can see people.
But the
other's a dollar cheaper!
Oh, but I like this room.
I like to be able to see people.
You can them on the street for nothing.
Don't you care about the extra buck?
No.
Here, one, two, three, four.
There.
Brother!
Say, if I had a wad of
folding dough like that
I'd go right out and buy myself an outfit
that would knock this
neighborhood cock-eyed.
Oh, but that's a pretty dress.
Oh, isn't that just like a man?
It's practically falling apart.
Is that enough?
30 bucks!
Gee, I should hope to tell ya.
I can't take money form you.
Oh, but I want you to have a new dress.
Well, gee, that's nice of ya, thanks!
No strings?
Strings, where?
All right then.
Listen, don't say a word to
Ma, or she'll skin me alive.
Why?
Oh, come now, Mister, please!
I tell ya what.
We'll call it a loan,
and I'll pay you back
when the mill's opened.
And the mill's going to open soon?
Everybody thinks so.
That's why you're here, isn't it?
Well.
Do you work there?
When they're running.
Then we could work there
together, couldn't we?
For a quiet-looking guy,
you're a pretty fast worker.
Well, let's hope the mills open soon
so we can work together.
When will that be?
Don't ask me, ask John Raden.
John Raden?
He's the boss
since his old man died.
Where is he now?
Who, Raden?
At the hotel.
Hey, what goes on up there?
That's Bill Oakley.
He thinks because he rooms here steady,
he's got a lease on me.
Hey, Millie!
Keep your shirt on, this is business.
Come on down here.
You leave that girl alone.
If you wanna boss her around, marry her
and make it legal.
You got a rule around here
about no women in the rooms.
Well, that goes for Millie, too, see?
Well, she was only showing
the gentleman a room.
Say, what's your name
in case there's some mail?
I never get any mail.
Somebody might send you a postcard.
Paul.
Okay, Mr. Paul, see ya later!
John Raden.
Oh, Millie.
What's the name of that hotel,
the one where John Raden is staying?
The Raden Hotel.
The Raden Hotel.
John Raden.
Just a moment, please.
I'm sorry if I frightened you,
but I'm looking for my brother John.
I'm Paul.
Don't you know about me?
You're John's wife.
Where is John?
I want to know where he is.
I must see him.
Go in the other room, Elaine, please.
I'm very glad to see you, Paul.
John.
I've been trying to find you.
You're a grownup man now, John.
I must be, too.
Why didn't you answer my letters?
You could've helped me.
I'm sorry, but I never got them.
Let me try and make it up to you.
We've many things to talk over.
Let's sit down.
Thank you.
I only came to find out when you're going
to open up the mills.
The mills?
I'm planning to do it very soon.
Why?
A friend of mine is going to work there.
I'm going to work with her.
Oh, that's fine.
What friend is that?
Oh, you wouldn't know her.
I must go and tell her now.
Wait, don't go yet.
But I want her to know!
Paul!
Stay here with us.
You'll have a nice place to live.
But I have a nice place to live.
I like it there.
That's fine.
Well, where is it?
I'll come and see you there.
No, I will come and see you.
But, if you stay here, we'll see
that you have everything that you want.
But I have everything that I want.
I'm with nice people.
I'm going to work with them, every day.
Please, Paul, Dr. Saunders
and I want to help you.
You mean Dr. Ben?
He isn't my friend any more!
He wants to take me back to that room!
Maybe you wanna take me back to that room!
Well, I won't go!
- Stop it!
- Paul!
Stop that screaming!
Wanna buy a puppy, Mister?
Thank you, sir.
Hey, sir!
Plenty room, sir.
Table or bar?
I want my supper.
Oh, yes, I got a nice
table right over there, sir.
Well, did you hear the
one about the cockroach?
Oh, I heard that.
Hey, what's the idea?
It has such a nice perfume.
Oh it has, has it?
Take it easy, Eddie.
He's with me.
Yeah, well, keep him on a leash.
Watch yourself, partner.
That's no way to act in a place like this.
But it had such a nice fragrance.
Uh huh.
All by yourself?
Yes.
So am.
Do you mind if I sit down for a minute?
That would be very nice.
Bourbon.
What will it be, handsome?
I'm hungry.
Oh, you shouldn't go out
to eat on an empty stomach.
Make it two.
What are they doing?
They call it...
Say, where do you keep yourself,
in a cave or some place?
No.
I've been away, for a very long time.
Welcome home.
50 cents, boss.
Oh, I can't change that, sir.
That's all right.
Yes, sir.
Happy days.
That's a very nice expression.
Happy days.
Makes you feel kind of funny inside.
Why, that's what they make it for.
What's the matter, big boy?
Don't you like my looks?
Oh, yes, but I like Millie better.
Oh, who's Millie, your girlfriend?
She's beautiful.
Well, maybe she should
be here instead of me.
I wish she was.
Well, thanks for the drink.
Bring Millie in sometime.
We'll all go over to my
house and bake a cake.
Oh, I'd like that!
Don't be a dope.
- Hiya, Frank.
- Hiya, babe.
- Alone?
- I was.
You can't go away like that.
Just watch.
Gimme that.
What's eating him?
He's got a snootful.
Snootful?
He's just two jumps ahead of a fit.
Come on, let's get a drink.
- So long, Peggy.
- So long, Kate.
Read all about it, mill
girl murdered by fiend!
Read all about it!
Mill girl murdered by fiend, extra, extra!
Mill girl murdered by fiend!
"According to the
sheriff, nobody remembers"
"seeing anyone leave the River
Bottom Cafe with the victim."
"The sheriff admits that he's baffled."
A fine sheriff we've got.
Anybody can be baffled,
there's no trick to that.
What I wanna know is what's being done
to protect the citizens of this town.
Two people dead, and the
murderer still on the loose,
and all the sheriff does
is to say he's baffled.
I tell you, this killer's gotta be stopped
if we have to do it ourselves.
I think
you're right there, Bill.
Who is it?
It's me Millie, open the door.
Look, I got it, the whole outfit,
and two pair of stockings.
This is the hat.
It's a very pretty hat.
Wait til you get a
load of me in the dress.
I'd like to.
You're going to, right now.
Turn around.
What for?
What do you think?
I'm gonna give you a private showing.
After all, you're entitled to it.
Now, no peeking.
Now you can look.
Like it?
Oh, it's beautiful.
We strive to please.
Gee, it was swell of
you to do this for me.
Thanks!
What's going on down there?
Oh, Bill Oakley.
Making a noise like a mastermind.
He gives me a pain.
Well, now that you've got me all fixed up,
I'm gonna take you right
out and get you fixed up.
Come on!
We'll search every house in town,
from the cellar to the
roof, every warehouse.
Since our police department
seems to be so baffled,
we'll organize a searching party
and nab this maniac ourselves.
- Sure.
- That would sure be fine,
if anybody knew what he looked like.
Well, that's one way of
satisfying your boarders.
When you learn to act
as elegant as Mr. Paul,
maybe Millie will be more interested.
Us Pickens has always had
a weakness for refiners.
You take off your outside wrappings,
and up pops a different guy.
Now, when we walk down the street,
we'll look like we belong together.
We will?
Mm hmm, all except that shrubbery.
Why don't you buy a
razor and shave it off?
You don't see him wearing a muff, do ya?
It's because he knows what's what.
All right.
"The curious aspect of the murderer”
"is that the victim was
found with her hands"
"pressed tightly against her ears."
What does that suggest to you?
Oh, that somebody's
been smart enough
to take advantage of that story
about Pompey in the papers.
I'm afraid we've delayed
much too long, Dr. Ben.
Yes?
The sheriff's
on the wire, Mr. Raden.
Good.
Hold on a minute, John.
You better let me talk to him.
Hello, Andy, Mr. Raden's
tied up right now.
This is Doc Saunders.
I'm glad it's you, Doc.
You're closer to Mr.
Raden than anyone in town.
We're in a tough spot.
You see.
Not a bad idea.
- Just a minute.
- What is it?
He wants you to put up a reward.
Reward?
Yeah, a reward for the
capture of the Killer.
I think you better do it.
Are you out of your mind?
Not entirely.
Hello, Andy, Mr. Raden says make it 5,000.
That's pretty highhanded
business, Dr. Ben.
I'm doing you a favor, John.
If they happen to discover
Paul before we do,
you'll have a perfect alibi.
I don't need an alibi!
You might find it rather
difficult to explain
why you didn't report Pompey's death
right after it happened.
People might think you were
trying to shield your brother.
That's being an accessory,
and you're liable to criminal action.
No more than you.
That's right, no more than I.
But I don't intend to face such
action if I can prevent it.
I think I see what's bothering you.
It's those false death certificates.
There's a lot of people in this town
depending on me, John, and I don't intend
to let myself get tripped up
at this stage of the game.
I'm not so sure your motives
are entirely unselfish.
I think you're just trying
to save your own neck.
And what do you intend doing about it?
Calling the police and tell the truth.
Every man for himself
now, is that it, John?
Put it any way you like.
Before you start anything,
John, remember this.
If they ever do open that grave,
they'll find the unrecognizable
remains of a boy of 10.
You have no evidence against me.
But, on the other hand, my statement
that, despite my appeal, you allowed Paul
to run loose after he killed Pompey
will put you in an embarrassing position.
Dr. Ben, I don't believe
you'd have the nerve to do that.
Well, there's one sure way to find out.
Insanity sometimes runs in families.
Think it over, John.
What are they talking about?
The murders, silly.
Doesn't the thought of
that murderer skulking
around close by somewhere
give you the creeps?
It does me.
I wonder what he looks like.
Here's your razor.
Thank you.
Hey, pay him!
Oh.
You get change.
Oh.
You need a keeper.
I love perfume, don't you?
Someday, I'm gonna have a big, fat bottle
and pour the whole thing
over me, all at once.
Your change.
We want a big, fat bottle of perfume.
Oh, say, I wasn't hinting, honest.
What kind did you want?
Oh, that kind.
Gee, yeah, only it's
so expensive, isn't it?
$15.
Oh.
Attention, please.
This is a special announcement
from the sheriff's office.
Sheriff Andrew Ramsey wishes to announce
that John Raden, President
of the Raden Mills,
is offering $5,000 reward for information
leading to the capture
of the person or persons
responsible for the death of Mr. Raden's
negro servant Pompey or Miss Peggy Nolan.
$5,000, dead or alive.
5,000 bucks, let's go and get him!
Wouldn't that be wonderful?
$5,000!
I could get a fur coat.
I could get out of this town!
We could go to New York!
$5,000, yoo-hoo!
That's for little Millie!
Let's start over at the old warehouse.
You come back to the house!
Not til I get that $5,000 reward.
No, you're not!
Break it up, break it up,
go back to your homes, go on, break it up,
go back, go back home!
Listen, I got everything
all figured out.
Gee, what a difference a shave makes!
Everybody will say, "My,
what a nice-looking couple,”
when they see our pictures in the paper.
Pictures in the paper?
Sure, when we collect the reward.
I got it all figured out.
The papers say every road is blocked.
That means the murderer's still in town.
Now, there's one place that's
perfect for him to hide.
Everybody's scared to go near it.
They think it's haunted.
The murderer probably knows that
and is sitting up there laughing at us.
Well, he's not gonna laugh at me,
"cause we're going up
there to Raden House.
Raden House?
I don't wanna go up there!
Why not?
Well, you don't know he's there.
No, but I'm gonna find out.
Don't you like me?
Yes.
Then won't you do what I want?
Yes.
Well, then.
I'm afraid to go up there.
Look what I got.
It's Pop's old .38.
I sneaked it out of Ma's bureau drawer.
But that won't do any good.
Hey, what's the matter with you?
You scared of those ghosts
they're all talking about?
I guess I made a mistake.
I thought you were a man.
Sorry.
Millie.
Millie, I'll go.
Now that's more like it.
I knew you were only
kidding, all the time.
All right, boys, break it down.
I hear he's got buck teeth!
I heard
he's got no teeth at all.
Stop, you!
Head him off!
I ain't done nothing, I ain't done!
Get him, come on!
Get him!
Where do you think you're going?
Up to Raden House, to
look for the murderer.
You'll do no such a thing.
And I don't want you dragging my daughter
around haunted houses.
If you'd rather we
didn't go, Mrs. Pickens-
- Don't worry, Ma, I'll be perfectly safe.
Paul's got a gun.
A gun?
Can't we just go for a walk?
A walk, with 5,000 bucks
up there waiting for us?
You're not afraid at all?
For 5,000, I'm not afraid
of anything, not even death.
Stop him!
I haven't got nothing on me.
Take him out.
- Who was it?
- An old man
with a gray beard.
But I told her not to leave the house.
I know it, Bill, I know it.
That's just what I kept telling
her, but she went anyway.
Yeah, with that guy.
Oh, it's the reward.
What do you mean the reward?
Where did she go, did
she run away with him?
Oh, no, they went up
to that haunted Raden House.
Yeah, I knew that guy
was out for no good.
Now don't get Mr. Paul wrong, Bill.
He didn't wanna go.
He's a gentleman.
But she made him do it.
She twists him right around her finger,
just like she does you.
She's got that reward on her mind.
Yeah, well, what do you
think he's got on his mind?
Come on, Tom.
There's the guy, hold him!
Dr. Saunders must know that he can't
get away with an insanity
charge against you.
What if he does open that grave?
The minute they find Paul,
they'll know he's been lying.
Maybe he figures on
finding Paul before the police
in order to make sure he disappears.
Darling, what about that
hidden room at Raden House?
He destroyed everything in it.
But that was late at night,
and he must've worked very fast.
Maybe he overlooked something.
Maybe there's something there
that you could use as evidence.
It's worth a try.
I'm going there and find out.
Then I'll come with you.
No, you stay here, and, please,
don't leave the hotel until
we know Paul has been found.
All right.
Please, be careful.
I will.
Millie, let's go back.
What are you scared of?
He only chokes people.
We've got a gun.
Get your gun ready.
Be careful!
Turn off the lights.
Well, there's nobody here, let's go.
Whoa, we ain't looked yet.
Yeah, but, well, let's
just look a little easy, huh?
Don't go in there!
Why not?
Because that's my mother's room.
Not in there!
Get him, Bill!
Bill, Bill, get him, he's the murderer!
Get him!
Paul.
Go on, Tom, tell everybody
I've got him, go on!
Go on! What are you waiting for,
get going!
And he's at Raden House.
They got him, they got
him, my Millie got him!
It was that dirty Mr. Paul my new boarder.
Come on, they're holding
him up at Raden House.
They say he's a stranger in town.
Yeah?
They got him!
They say it's John Raden.
We oughta string him up.
Yeah, I'll get a rope.
It's John Raden.
He seemed so nice, too.
Those still waters are
always the murderers.
Imagine the nerve,
right in his own hometown!
Most irregular thing I
ever heard of in my life.
I'm telling you, Judge,
this is a terrible mix up.
The fella who caught him says he's a guy
named Paul somebody, but
he says he's John Raden.
I don't care who he is.
This is the 19th of August.
Court opens the 8th of September.
Throw him into jail, I'll try him then.
You'll try him tonight or
you won't try him at all.
Judge, these are pretty hot nights.
Yeah, in this kind of weather,
he won't even keep til September.
There'll be no
violence in Radentown.
That's right.
We'll give him a quick trial
so we can hang him legal.
All right, but it's mighty irregular.
Come on, everybody, everybody!
You must come with me now, this minute.
I'm sorry, I have a very
sick patient over in Mavell.
Doctor, you can't leave now.
You've got to tell the truth about John.
You're the only one who can clear him.
If I clear John, it
means the end of everything
I've spent years building up.
You're cold, you're heartless.
I'm sorry.
Sorry, sorry?
You're deliberately committing a murder,
and all you can say is you're sorry?
Quiet or I'll clear the court!
I'll clear the court!
- Order!
- Quiet, quiet!
Proceed, Mr. Oakley.
You're out of your minds, all of you!
You don't even listen!
Well, I told you
everything, except this.
This John Raden is a mighty powerful man,
but he ain't gonna fool us
into thinking he's insane!
He's nothing but a coldblooded murderer.
The only reason he took the name Paul
is so he could pretend to be insane.
There was nothing crazy in him
putting up that cash reward.
He's clever, all right.
Will you stop this idiotic.
And the reason why I'm
sure he's the same man
is because he told me he
was gonna open the mills
and put everyone back to work.
Order, order!
Why did he say, "Don't go in there",
"that's my mother's room"?
You identify this man as the
one who tried to murder you?
Yes.
But I tell you, that
was my twin brother.
Ah, he's been dead for 25 years.
Maybe he upped from the grave.
There, did you see?
Did you see that?
That's what he done at
the cafe, just like that,
with his hands up to his ears.
Go on, get him!
Quiet, quiet!
This man's going to get a fair trial!
Quiet!
Now, we'll hear your side of the case.
- You'll talk, too.
- Start talking.
I know what you people feel about me.
You have every reason to
doubt anything that I may say,
but this is the truth.
All right, I'll take the
blame for what has happened,
but I want to ask you, what
would you have done in my place?
My father sent me away
from here when I was a boy.
It wasn't until after his
death that I learned the truth.
Old Pompey was taking care of my brother.
Paul has lived secretly in the cellar
of this house for 25 years.
He was and is insane!
Well, what about his grave?
I remember when he died!
Everybody knows he's dead!
He is not dead!
He is alive and insane!
It was he who committed these crimes!
Dr. Saunders knows, find
him, bring him here.
He'll tell you.
Here's Doc Saunders now.
Doc, over here, please.
Please, let me through.
Oh, no, you don't.
Dr. Ben, I knew you'd come.
Tell them about Paul.
Paul, John's brother, is still alive.
I falsified his death
certificate years ago.
John here has been telling you the truth.
It's his brother Paul who's
responsible for these murders.
Not John.
How much you
getting for this, Doc?
He must think we're
all a bunch of nitwits!
- Quiet, quiet, quiet!
- Quiet yourself.
I'm not gonna stand here
and listen to him lying
to save John Raden's neck.
I'm not lying.
Now, wait a minute, Doc.
You filed a phony death certificate
that Pompey kicked off from heart failure.
What about that?
Yeah, that's
right, what about it?
See, he's not opening his trap!
Why don't you tell us that
Peggy Nolan committed suicide?
Out the window.
Let's go get him!
Get out to the roads
and surround the place.
There he goes!
I guess you want me, don't you, Andy?