At the Stroke of Twelve (1941) - full transcript

Captain.

No mistaking that puss.

It's Angie the Ox all right.

- Any lead?

- Only on Babe Summers.

I'm not talking to you, Carson.

Tribune's always first with the news.

You know that.

Think Babe's the one

you saw running away?

It was so dark, captain, I couldn't tell.

Why bother about the Babe? Why would

he wanna bump off his own boss?

Yeah, he was Angie's bodyguard,

you know.

- "L.M."

- Doesn't stand for Angie's bodyguard.

- No.

- It does stand for Angie's rival racketeer.

Sergeant, send this gun

down to headquarters.

Have it checked

against the gun permits.

- I've got an idea who it belongs to.

- So have I. Lance McGowan.

Yeah, Lance McGowan.

But you gotta believe me.

I didn't do it.

- So you've told us, Mr. McGowan.

- I didn't kill him, I tell you.

Where were you

at the time of the murder?

- I don't remember.

- Oh, you don't remember.

I'm kind of mixed up.

I had a lot of things on my mind, see?

I was reforming.

You were reforming.

And what, may I ask, induced you

to make this momentous step?

- This decision to go straight.

- It was a lady I met.

- A lady? A blond, no doubt?

- Yeah. Kind of.

Let me compliment you, Mr. McGowan,

on your excellent sense of humor.

You certainly picked

a remarkable time for it.

The very evening

you deliberately murdered a man.

That's not true.

I never bumped off anybody in my life.

You're lying, McGowan.

You killed Angie the Ox and you know it.

- But I couldn't. I wasn't there.

- Oh, no?

This hat, with the initials L.M.

in the hatband...

...found near the body of the victim.

Can you identify it, Mr. McGowan?

- Yeah. That's mine.

- And this gun found near your hat.

Can you identify it?

- I don't know.

- Then I'll do it for you.

We checked with the permits

and it's your gun, Mr. McGowan.

Your gun that fired the murder bullets.

That's all, brother.

It was exactly 12:25 when I reached

the defendant's apartment.

That was right after the murder.

I was careful to check the time.

- And what was he doing, captain?

- Putting on a clean bandage.

- He'd hurt his hand.

- In what manner, would you say?

Your Honor,

that question is based on opinion.

- I object on the ground--

- Objection overruled. Proceed.

In a gun battle. It was a bullet wound.

Sure, I was over at Angie's

when he left.

- It was earlier that evening.

- I see.

As I understand it, your apartment

is directly across the street...

...from Angie's office,

the scene of the crime.

- Did you witness the shooting?

- Well, not exactly.

I heard the shots and by the time

I got to the window it was all over.

- Lance had already hit the road and--

- That's all, Miss LaMond.

And thank you very much.

Yeah, I'm with Angie the whole time.

He says to me, "Babe,"

he says, "let's you and me...

...go over to the east side and check up

on some of them slot machines."

So we does. Then he decides

to get back to the office...

...and go over the books.

It's just exactly midnight

when he pulls up at the curb.

We gets out of the car.

Right there, standing

on the sidewalk waiting, is Lance.

I thought I told you

to clear out of this territory.

Angie ducks back to his car

to get his gat.

I goes for Lance,

but it don't help none.

Angie gets in one slug, but that's all.

Lance blasts. I guess maybe

he'd have blasted me too...

...except that he's already

emptied his gun into Angie.

Anyways, I don't wanna

get myself mixed up in nothing...

...so I blow.

And that's what happened.

That's a lie. The whole thing's a lie.

The mug's making it up.

Be seated.

Defendant has already

prejudiced his case sufficiently.

I warn him that any further outburst...

...will weigh heavily

in the decision of this court.

Your witness, counselor.

- No cross-examination, Your Honor.

- That's all, Babe. You may step down.

The state rests, Your Honor.

Defense may state its case.

- Your Honor, the defense rests.

- Rests?

But your witnesses, Mr. Bolton.

Do I understand you have no witnesses?

- Well, no, Your Honor. We do not.

- Very well.

The court sees no reason whatever

for unduly prolonging this trial.

I feel certain each of you

understands his function and his duty.

You will now retire

and bring in your honest verdict.

Why bother to retire?

That verdict's written all over them.

Hello? Hello?

Just in time for the early edition.

Give me The Herald.

No, I want the City Desk.

It's the McGowan case.

That's right, and tell Rewrite

to add these immortal lines:

"The case of

The People v. Lance McGowan."

Went to the jury

in the record-breaking time...

...of three hours and 15 minutes.

Why not?

The guy had no witnesses...

Why, sure he is.

The guy's headed straight for the chair...

...and he knows it,

so keep the story the way it is now--

Wait a minute, hold it.

Lance McGowan wants to see you

in his cell.

What?

Lance McGowan wants to see you

in his cell.

May have a new angle for you

in a minute, so hold it, will you?

- Carson.

- I understand you wanna talk to me.

Listen, Carson. I helped you

on newspaper stories a couple of times.

You know, the one

about the numbers racket.

- Well, look, now you gotta help me.

- How?

You gotta tell my story for me.

You gotta get it in the papers.

- You gotta make people believe it.

- Now, wait a minute.

You mean you want me to write up that

screwy alibi of yours? That reform gag?

But that's the truth, so help me it is.

I swear it is.

Listen. I'm gonna tell you

everything that happened that night.

I haven't told it before. Not all of it.

Because nobody would listen to me.

But you'll listen to me and you'll help.

I know you will.

Okay, okay.

I'll listen to you for exactly 10 minutes.

Now, get this, Carson. Get it straight.

- Okay, boys, get set.

- Carson, where you been?

Where? Covering the biggest story

I ever heard in my life.

- What do you mean, on Lance?

- I mean on Lance.

I don't know how much time there is,

but I'm gonna spill this now.

I want you to know

exactly what that guy told me...

...about what happened

the night this took place.

The night of the murder.

Now, get this.

According to Lance,

the Babe was out to do...

...a little professional job of killing

that night for Angie the Ox.

As a matter of fact, he and the Ox

had the thing pretty well figured out.

It's really a cinch for him,

because they've been casing this guy...

...every night for a couple of months.

They know each night,

he takes a walk along this same street...

...at about the same time, and alone.

Which, when you come to figure it,

is kind of a sucker thing to do...

...but then,

that's Lance McGowan for you.

So here he is, right on schedule,

taking his regular 10:00 stroll...

...along to the Hummingbird Club.

- Angie, that's him, ain't it?

- That's him, all right. Now, get him.

What, are you blind?

Why can't you plug him? Give me that.

I'll get him.

I'll get that guy with his own gun.

You couldn't stop him with a cannon.

Come on. Can't get out of here.

- Look, Angie, it fits.

- Babe, you better get over this--

Fine killer you are.

All right, get over the wall.

- He may be in there. I'll stand right here.

- The cops will be here any minute.

Listen, if McGowan gets away,

he'll be after both of us.

We gotta get him, understand?

Get over to that wall before I blast you.

Okay, Angie. Okay.

I'll have the car all set.

Good evening. Won't you come in?

- Anybody else in here?

- No, I'm quite alone.

I'm staying here a while.

Just take it easy and you'll be okay.

- No, no, please. Don't lock it.

- Why not?

- Because I prefer it to be left open.

- Oh, so they can come in after me, huh?

Now, look. I said you'd be okay,

and that's what I meant.

But no more tricks, see?

Let's get that straight.

- Are you in trouble?

- That's the general idea.

- Those other doors, are they locked?

- Is it the police?

- The police are after you?

- I wish.

Those mugs out there

are the toughest gorillas in town.

Gorillas?

Someone must be trying to fool you.

Fool me? Lady, when the Ox

starts after you, he ain't fooling.

- The Ox?

- Yeah, Angie the Ox.

Runs the bookie joints, the numbers

games, you know, the racket.

Oh, the racket.

I never heard such a noise in all my life.

It almost sounded like shooting.

Are you kidding?

Look, lady, I'm in a tough spot.

I gotta know about those doors.

If the Ox gets in here-- Hey.

Hey, what's that?

What'd you do that for?

- I'm calling for Albert.

- Albert?

You said nobody else was in here.

Oh, I thought you meant

here in the drawing room.

You come back here and sit down.

It's a gag. It's a trap.

Listen, who is he?

Who is this guy, Albert?

He's one of my employees. He...

Well, he looks after me.

- Oh, your bodyguard, huh?

- Young man, you sit down here.

You think I'm lying.

That I'm on the lamb.

That those are cops out there.

Well, they're not, see?

If that bodyguard

makes one move to call them--

- You rang, madam?

- Albert, bring me a pan of hot water...

...and some iodine

and a gauze bandage.

This young man's hand

seems to have been injured by a gorilla.

You wouldn't want me

to call the police?

Yes, Albert.

Tell them there's an ox outside...

...and I want it removed at once.

- Very good, madam.

- Will you please sit down?

Yes.

Angie? Angie, it's the cops.

Angie? Hold it.

Angie.

Wait a minute. Hold it.

Wait a minute. Angie!

Why, that dirty...

- I don't get it.

- Get what, young man?

You, doing this for me.

Nobody ever did anything

like this before.

You don't even know who I am.

You're a young man

and you're in trouble.

There, I think

that will serve the purpose.

Say, that's all right. Yeah.

I'm sorry to leave.

I got a couple things I gotta do.

- You can't work for a week at least.

- This will only take a couple of seconds.

And I-- Well, thanks for everything.

Look. My name is Lance McGowan.

Any time you ever need anything...

...you know, somebody tries

to push you around or something...

- Well, you just let me know.

- You're a gentleman, Mr. McGowan.

- But I'm sure no one will bother me.

- Oh, I don't know.

That side door, for instance.

You really ought to keep that locked

all the time.

You never can tell

who'll come busting in here.

I'm not frightened.

I've kept that side door unlocked

for almost 30 years.

Thirty years?

Oh, but you lock it

when you go out, don't you?

I haven't been out for 30 years.

Not since that night.

I had a son once. Very much like you.

He got into some trouble, and his father

ordered him out of this house.

But one night,

he came back just to see me.

He knew I'd leave

the side door open for him.

The night watchman saw him

as he slipped into the garden.

He didn't know him

and he ordered him to stop.

My boy ran for the side door.

But that night,

someone had locked it.

And as he stood there trying to open it,

the night watchman shot him.

Gee, that-- That's a tough break.

Since then, the side door

has always remained open...

...in case it should be needed

by some other young man.

And the trouble he was in?

It could all have been prevented...

...if someone had shown

a little understanding.

Now I know how important it is

to believe in people.

To have some...

Something like my faith

in the goodness that's in you.

Well, if it's okay with you,

I'd like to come and see you.

Well, good night, Mrs...?

Ardsley. Abigail Ardsley.

Abigail Ardsley. How do you like that?

You mean McGowan spent the evening

with Abigail Ardsley?

That's exactly what he told me.

The Old Doll, he calls her.

Why, she's the most

exclusive eccentric in town.

She hasn't entertained anybody

since Taft was president.

Hasn't even seen anybody

except her banker and her butler.

And she wrapped up Lance's mitt.

Oh, brother, that's wonderful.

That's nothing.

Wait till you hear the rest of it.

According to Lance,

the Old Doll is all he can think about.

As a fact,

he says he keeps hearing Abigail.

Keeps hearing her voice.

You were a young man,

and you were in trouble.

A young man,

and you were in trouble.

And when the time comes for him

to turn down toward his apartment...

... well, he just doesn't.

He keeps right on walking.

How long and how far,

he can't be sure...

...because something

funny's happening to him.

Old Abigail, he says,

knocked him into a tailspin...

... with what she'd said about faith.

Her faith in the goodness that's in...

My faith in the goodness that's in you.

In the goodness that's in you.

And finally,

he gets it through his noggin...

...that the Old Doll

actually believes in him.

Not the way a lot of mugs

believe in him...

...because he carries a gun...

...but because she just

naturally thinks he's good.

And right then and there...

...he decides that Abigail

deserves a better break than that.

He's going to try and be

just as good as she thinks he is.

Yes, sir, boys.

Lance McGowan is going straight.

No slugs for the Ox, and no racket.

And that,

according to the way he figures it now...

...must have been

just on the stroke of 12.

Just about the time Angie

was driving up to his own place...

...on the other side of town.

Hi, Angie.

- I thought you'd come back here.

- Why shouldn't I? It's my--

You ran out on me.

You left be back there.

Get your hands off me.

You didn't care

whether the cops got me or not.

They should've.

You can't handle a gun anymore.

You ain't gonna ruin

any more of my jobs.

You're through. You're washed up.

I'll show you whether

I can handle a gun or not.

What are you, nuts?

That, boys, is exactly the way

Lance dopes out the finish.

And it makes sense.

Hey, the boy's in a spot.

You ain't kidding.

We gotta do something.

Wait a minute. I did. I just finished.

Right after Lance told me about it...

...I thought I better

do what I could, and fast.

So I grabbed a cab

and whipped right out to Abigail's house.

I'm calling for a pal of hers.

Believe me, he can use a good

character reference right about now.

Look, it's for that guy.

Lance McGowan.

Now, come on, let's get going.

- I'm afraid I don't know the gentleman.

- Don't know him?

Why, you saw him the other night.

He was here visiting Abigail.

I'm sorry, but Miss Ardsley

hasn't had a visitor for over 30 years.

Well, for--

- Oh, boy, did we fall for that gag.

- Did I go for it.

That guy McGowan ought to get

the chair just for that story alone.

- Oh, the jury's in.

- Okay, boys, this is it.

Members of the jury,

have you reached a verdict?

We have, Your Honor.

We find the defendant, Lance McGowan,

guilty of murder in the first degree.

- Holy cats, it's Abigail.

- The Old Doll.

- How old do you suppose she is?

- Seventy if she's a day.

She hasn't been out of the house

in 30 years.

That proves Lance wasn't lying.

- I'm getting to a phone. This is a story.

- Keep that wire open.

Your Honor, some time ago I stated

that the defense had no witnesses.

That was in error.

Miss Ardsley,

would you please take the stand?

Place your left hand on the Bible.

Raise your right hand.

- What is your name?

- Abigail Ardsley.

Do you swear the evidence you give

shall be the truth, the whole truth...

- ...and nothing but the truth?

- I do.

Miss Ardsley, on the night of June 10th,

did you have a visitor in your home?

- Yes, I did.

- Is that visitor in the courtroom now?

Yes, he is.

That young man over there.

Mr. Lancelot McGowan.

Tell me, Miss Ardsley,

do you happen to recall the hour...

- ...when Mr. McGowan left your home?

- Yes, I do.

There's a large grandfather's clock

in my drawing room.

It was just midnight by my clock.

Exactly 12:00.

Put a rewrite man

on the other end of this phone.

Tell him to hang on.

He's gonna get a headline.

Hello? Hello? McGowan's acquitted.

No, I haven't gone crazy, I tell you.

Lance McGowan's acquitted.

Certainly, Abigail Ardsley arrived...

...and gave unexpected testimony.

- Good evening.

- Hello, sweetheart.

I've been expecting you, Mr. McGowan.

Won't you sit down?

- Thanks.

- No, here.

Well?

Well, it's like this.

You saved my life. Why?

I've explained all that.

You were a young man

and you were in trouble.

Oh, I know, but--

Well, look, Mrs. Ardsley.

I didn't kill that guy.

But nobody knows that.

Except me, I mean.

You don't know. You don't know

for sure that I didn't blast him.

That's what I can't figure out.

And old doll like--

I mean, an old lady like you

doing what you did for me.

You said I was just leaving here

at midnight when the murder happened.

But I wasn't.

I wasn't anywhere near here.

You told a lie for me.

That was a phony

what you said about your clock.

Oh, no, Mr. McGowan.

That was the truth.

My clock did say midnight.

You see, from the minute

my boy was taken from me...

...I felt that my life

had been taken too.

And I had every clock

in the house stopped.

And so for 30 years, until now...

...it's always been 12:00

in the Old Doll's house.