Crime on the Hill (1933) - full transcript

- Subtitles -

Lu?s Filipe Bernardes

- Pick up, Doctor. Doctor!

- What?

You got a nibble!

Well, don't shout so loud, Padre,

or you'll scare away the fish!

Strike... got him!

Oh, what a beauty.

If I were a betting man, I'd wager

he's every bit of three pounds.

Then it's lucky you're not

a betting man, Padre.

That fish is every bit a three

and a half pounds.

Oh, no, no, not in these waters.

Don't let's distort the truth.

Now, did I ever tell you of that

roach I caught in the Arun?

The only bite I'd had in a whole

week's fishing.

Four pounds, Doctor.

Every ounce of four pounds.

Padre, for a religious man, you catch

the biggest fish I know.

Well, perhaps I'm exaggerating

a little.

I rather envy you your world, Padre.

Where evil is always punished

and good always rewarded.

You like to play the cynic.

Your concern is with souls,

mine is with bodies.

Just you take a look in the miscroscope

some time.

You'll find that nature doesn't

always bother about morality.

Five o'clock.

Tea at my place this time.

Let's make it a high tea,

we'll celebrate the catch.

Pretty as a picture, eh, Padre?

An every man jack in it

to your own particular charm.

- Lovely as the garden of Eden.

- Before the fall.

Peaceful and...

It's all right, it's only Sylvia.

- But I rather think...

- I don't think, I'm sure.

Hey! This is private!

It's my swimming pool.

Well, turn around, silly.

I want to dress.

- Well, young woman?

- Doctor!

Clothes, please.

Well, come on, you, that's not all.

Padre!

I was thinking how Sylvia had grown up...

...from the funny little American miss

who first came here.

She was a tiny thing then.

- About, about...

- Every ounce of four pounds, eh?

All right, you win.

Hurry up, Sylvia. We are old men,

we want our tea.

Come up to the Hall with me both of you.

We're having it late.

Well, em... you see...

Oh, but you must.

Uncle hasn't seen you since

he's been home from Folkestone.

Hello.

It looks as if the squire

has had a visitor already.

Why, it's young Anthony Fields.

Come on, Doctor, two's company.

- Oh, no!

- Oh, yes!

All right, I'll be seeing you at the Hall.

Eggs for tea if you're good.

What's the matter, darling?

You're often lumpish.

- Am I?

- Oh, don't...

- Must you do that?

- I don't like you a bit today.

- You're in a bad temper.

- I am not in a bad temper.

Well, then there's no excuse.

Now, come on, darling,

tell me what's wrong.

You haven't been quarreling

with the squire again?

No, no, of course not.

There's nothing wrong.

Well, you seem all wrong to me.

Come on, tell Mother, what's

the matter?

Sylvia darling, leave me

alone, please.

All right, I will.

Goodbye!

Sylvia.

Don't go.

Sylvia.

One for sorrow, two for mirth,

three for a wedding, four for a birth.

One for sorrow...

- Hello, Collins,

- Good afternoon, sir.

You're just in time for tea.

- Where's your master?

- In the library, sir.

- All right, we'll find him.

- Very good, sir.

- Excellent likeness, I always think.

- Hm.

Tell me, Doctor, does Sylvia know

of his condition?

Oh, why worry the child?

He may outlive us all, or die tomorrow.

He would be a great loss to us all.

The best friend the village ever had.

Well, squire?

Let him sleep.

It's the best thing for him.

Shh! Put the tea things down quietly.

- We'll wait till he gets up.

- Come along, Padre.

Let's do our crossword puzzle.

23 across.

Cocktail of the Borgias.

They weren't invented in those days.

Well you're the historian,

you ought to know.

You're the cocktail drinker,

so ought you.

Begins with p and ends with "n".

I've got it. Poison!

Morbid, aren't they,

these crossword experts?

Too much sharp for a G.P.

Claire, my dear, how are you?

- Hello.

- Shh.

- Tell me, how is the antique trade?

- Flourishing!

I've just found the last chair of that

Hepplewhite set for the squire.

Splendid, he'll be delighted.

Well, Doctor, what are you doing here?

Dr. Crippen in eight letters.

Murderer.

Hello, Claire.

Hello, darling.

- I like the frock.

- Thanks.

- Why on earth are you whispering?

- He's asleep.

Oh.

Uncle.

Uncle.

Uncle.

Uncle, wake...!

Here you are, sonny.

Take this up to the Hall.

- That's a lovely one.

- Ay, but you know the old saying.

All the flowers in the world won't

bring the dead back to life.

True enough.

You know, I still can't make out how

he came to die so suddenlike.

It's a queer business, seems to me.

- Ay, and me.

- And there's another thing that's queer.

The way young Fields has been hanging

around that girl at the Hall.

And he was only a village boy

a few years ago.

- And she's the old man's ward.

- Well?

Let's wait and see who gets the money.

I, Arthur Hampden, of Hampden Hall

in the county of Hampshire,

hereby revoke all wills made by me

at any time heretoforth.

I hereby bequeath all the goods,

chattels, personal effects,

lands, hereditaments...

Please, Mr. Jevons, must we

go through all this?

After all, we know what it

boils down to.

Boils down?

Yes, I mean, couldn't you just

tell us in ordinary language?

But... it isn't customary.

But perhaps I could put it more

simply for you, my dear young lady.

Oh, um... do you wish Mr. Field

to remain present, Miss Kennett?

- Yes, I do.

- Oh.

Well, briefly, the will is as follows.

After two comparatively

small requests,

One. To William Collins.

One thousand pounds,

should he be in your guardian's

employ, on his decease.

The other, one thousand pounds

to the Church of Restoration fund...

to be administered at the

Vicar's discretion.

The whole of the rest of the estate, which

amounts I suppose to ?80,000,

comes to little Sylvia.

There's never been any secret

about that.

So much money is a very heavy

responsibility for one so young.

There are plenty of people I know...

...wouldn't mind taking on a

responsibility of that kind.

- Come in.

- Mrs. Winslow to see you, sir.

Oh, Claire, my dear, how nice

to see you. What can I do for you?

Vicar, there's something terribly serious

I want to ask your advice about.

- Of course, what is it?

- Shall I, er...

No, please don't go, Doctor.

This will have to come out soon.

- You'd better hear it now.

- Is it as serious as all that?

Yes, for Sylvia.

I think that's all for the moment,

Miss Kennett.

There's no chance of the will

being upset now?

Oh, no, no, no. Everything's

perfectly in order.

Oh, but poor Sylvia.

I'm afraid you have no choice

in the matter.

We must go up to the Hall

at once and see her.

Oh, Tony!

Tony, isn't this wonderful?

- Isn't what wonderful?

- Oh, silly!

Coming into all this money.

Oh, yes, of course,

it's a useful little sum.

Oh, don't be difficult.

You know the only reason I want it is so

that we can get married as soon as we like.

We shouldn't be talking like that,

only a few days since his death.

Oh, you know how dreadfully

I feel about the squire.

But after all, we're young,

and in love!

- And we're going to get married, so there.

- But wait!

I don't want to wait a minute.

I want to make plans.

Oh, darling, think how lovely

everything will be now.

A honeymoon in Venice...

or perhaps Egypt.

Then, of course, there's the car problem

to think of when we get back.

Would you prefer a Bentley

or a Rolls-Royce?

Or both.

Tony, do wake up. Your face looks

like a sour gooseberry.

Sylvia, darling...

I've been thinking things over and I...

- I'm afraid I can't marry you.

- You can't...

Tony, what's the joke?

Don't you see it's impossible

now that you're an heiress?

Why?

Because people would say I was

marrying you for your money.

People. So they matter to you

more than I do.

No, no, but it puts me in an impossible

position, you must see that.

You think you're being noble, and you're

just being stupid and selfish.

Well, there it is.

Do you really mean you don't

want to marry me?

I'm not going to marry you.

Just a moment, if you please.

Go away, Alice, I can't talk

to you now.

I'm sorry, I'm sure, to waste your time,

but I've got to talk to you about...

Oh, you know what.

Yes, I can't do what you want,

I'm sorry, I just can't do it.

You can't, sir?

You've had all I can get,

now give me time and I'll...

I've heard that story before,

Mr. Anthony Fields.

And I'm telling you now...

that unless I get it the end of this

week, I'll need to speak to Miss Sylvia.

Why, if you did that, I...

Oh, still there, Tony.

Your hat, sir?

- Sylvia...

- Oh, don't let me detain you.

- But Sylvia...

- Please don't stay on my account.

I know how the sight of all this

wealth oppresses you.

Will you listen to me, please?

Oh, there they are.

- I only wanted to tell you that...

- Oh, yes, of course.

How silly of me.

Who is she? Anyone I know?

It's not that.

I suppose you were trying to tell me

that time down by the river.

- Terrible my being so dumb.

- Darling.

You must forgive me.

So noble of you to protect my youth

and innocence in such a blow.

Don't!

I can't say I like being treated

like a child.

- I'm not a child!

- No!

I'm a woman!

Oh, now look what you've

made me do.

You... you baby!

- Leave me alone, Tony, I hate you!

- You don't, you don't!

- You don't!

- I hate you!

- You don't!

- I do!

I don't hate you.

Miss Sylvia Kennett,

will you do me the honor of accepting

my hand in marriage?

Well...

- I don't know, I have to...

- Sylvia.

My dear, I have some very

serious news for you.

What?

What is it?

Try to be calm.

Prepare yourself for a shock.

Sylvia, darling. I'm terribly sorry

to have to tell you this.

I want you to believe that anything,

anything I can do to help you, I will.

Please promise it won't do anything

to our friendship.

What is it, Claire?

A fortnight before he died,

the squire and I were married.

You were...

But, Claire, I don't see...

How, when?

My dear, they were married at Folkestone.

They wanted to keep it secret for a while.

The squire's holiday was actually

his honeymoon.

And then... Oh, you poor darling,

Claire, I'm so sorry.

- You did frighten me.

- My dear, you don't understand.

This invalidates the will.

The squire always regarded you

as his niece.

- But actually you were only his ward.

- Yes.

It means that Claire inherits all your

guardian's estate.

I see.

But it mustn't make any difference.

You must go on staying here with me.

Then... then you get all the money.

Oh.

I don't mind, Claire.

Not really.

Because now no one can say Tony

is marrying me for my money.

We'll manage somehow,

won't we, Tony?

Don't you see, Claire, you've taken away the

only thing that could ever come between us.

In the beginning, God created the world.

And on the sixth day he created man...

...and gave to him this earthly paradise.

And there man dwelt in peace,

because he knew no evil.

We have recently lost a

beloved brother...

whose death should have been

a signal to all of us...

to search our inmost hearts

in humility...

...to see how far we fell short

of his example.

Instead, it has proved the starting point

for a host of malicious rumors,

of hints and suggestions as baseless

as they are cruel.

I wicked conspiracy of gossip

and slander.

It is a sin against the dead.

It is a sin against the living.

Have you forgotten the ninth

commandment?

Thou shalt not bear false witness

against thy neighbor.

How about the sixth commandment?

Thou shalt do no murder.

He did him in, the old man,

this young Fields.

Besides, he's too big for his boots, I says.

Putting himself forward and so and so.

Funny the squire going all so sudden.

And him who hadn't a day's illness.

- Week heart they say.

- Well, there are some folk who see different.

After her, after the money, I reckon.

I wouldn't be in his shoes

for all the money.

That was a very distressing

incident this morning.

Pretty sure it will blow over soon.

- Pardon me, gentlemen.

- Yes?

- Are you the Reverend David Grey?

- Yes.

- Well, I'm a police officer, sir.

- Hm, what can I do for you?

I have a letter from the Home Secretary.

An order for an exhumation.

Why, I'd no idea it was so late.

Come on, children.

It's very gloomy in here.

- Put up the blinds, Collins.

- Yes, madam.

- Is the village quieter now?

- We've not been down there.

We're not exactly popular at present.

Oh, you mustn't let village gossip

get the better of you.

If you run away from them...

The medicine! Can you tell me where

that medicine is?

What do you mean? What medicine?

The squire's. The medicine I gave him

the morning before he died.

- Have you kept the bottle?

- Now let me see.

- Collins.

- Madam?

Find out if Alice has cleared up

the squire's medicine cabinet.

- Yes, madam.

- Tell him to be quick, for heaven's sake.

- Certainly, sir.

- What's the matter?

We've just heard from the Home

Office pathologist.

It's dreadful.

The squire died of poison.

Hydrocyanic acid, enough

to have killed five men.

And the dreadful part is that there

was some in the medicine I gave him.

But it's impossible, I could never

have made such a mistake.

Doctor, dear, of course it wasn't

anything to do with you.

- It'll be all right.

- Of course it will.

Tell us, how much of this acid ought

to have been in the medicine?

The merest drop.

Besides, he had been taking that

for some time, hadn't he, Sylvia?

Yes, since before he went away.

I know, but I'd made a new bottle

up for him that very morning.

If you please, Madam, the...

the police inspector is here.

There's not enough poison there

to harm anybody.

Come in, Inspector.

No, stay, will you?

And you too.

- Mrs. Hampden?

- Yes, I'm Mrs. Hampden.

I'm Detective Inspector Wolf

from New Scotland Yard.

- This is the medicine...

- Just one moment, please.

Please... Doctor!

Is everyone of the household present?

- Yes, we're all here.

- Good.

I'm afraid I must ask you

to excuse me, Inspector.

I have a sick call to pay on a poor old soul

who may be dying at this moment.

But I shall be at the vicarage all this

evening and quite at your disposal...

You're the Reverend David Grey?

Very well, I'll call on you this evening.

Boys, post yourselves outside.

Well, Doctor, I'll take your

statement first.

You have no objection to my using

the hall, Mrs. Hampden?

Certainly you may, Inspector.

Thank you.

Will you come with me, Doctor?

Will you all please wait here

till I send for you.

Now, Doctor, what is it you

wished to tell me?

It's about the late Mr. Arthur

Hampden's medicine.

Thank heaven they kept the bottle.

You see, there was a small proportion of

hydrocyanic acid in the prescription.

- Who made up the prescription?

- I did. I always do.

I swear there was no mistake.

The analysis will decide that.

Hydrocyanic. That's prussic acid,

isn't it, Doctor?

Yes.

So that anyone could have got

the poison from a chemist easily.

Fairly easily.

The poison might have been introduced

into the medicine glass.

No hope of checking that, I'm afraid.

Now, Doctor, you stated...

...on Mr. Hampden's death certificate,

that death was due to heart failure.

That is so.

Why?

All the symptoms indicated it.

Besides, the condition

of the heart was such...

...that he could have died

suddenly at any time.

Did you form any opinion as to what

time approximately death occurred?

As far as one can determine,

about an hour before we found him.

That is, em... four-thirty.

How soon would death occur after

a large overdose of this poison?

In a few moments.

Then the poison must have been

administered at about four-thirty.

Yes.

Doctor, where were you

during that time?

Down at the stream. I was fishing

with the vicar all the afternoon.

Did anyone see you?

Miss Kennett, and then on our way

to the Hall, young Fields.

Coming from the Hall?

Why, I... I really couldn't say.

Well, from the direction of the Hall?

Yes, I... I suppose so.

- But I'm sure that...

- Thank you, Doctor, that is all.

Stay on the premises,

will you please, Doctor?

I'll be in the garden if you want me.

Who was it took the medicine in to

Mr. Hampden on the afternoon of his death?

- I did, sir.

- Very well, I'll take you next.

Oh, sit down, my girl.

Local talent, right?

- No, sir, I come from Southsea,

twenty miles away.

Yes, I see... I see.

Now, I want you to think carefully about the

afternoon of your late master's death.

You took him his medicine.

At what time?

At three o'clock, sir. He didn't like

to be disturbed later than that.

At what time was he supposed

to take his medicine?

Four o'clock, sir.

Did you go back into the library again?

- Only when I took tea in, sir.

- Hmm.

Now, between two o'clock and teatime,

who was in the house?

- Only Mr. Collins and myself, sir.

- Are you sure no one else came in?

No. No one... came, sir.

Very well, you can go now.

- Oh, tell the butler to come in, will you?

- Very good, sir.

You, um... wished to see me, sir?

That's right.

Well, sit down, man, sit down.

I would prefer to stand, sir.

How long have you held this job out?

I was in the late Mr. Hampden's employ

for over twenty years, sir.

Hm, a long service.

I suppose you were on very friendly

terms with your master.

Yes, sir. His loss means a great

deal to me.

Yes, a thousand pounds, doesn't it?

I was not referring to that, sir.

Quite.

Are you and Alice Green the only

servants employed here?

There's a cook housekeeper,

but she's been away ill for some time.

Hm... This is a large house for

only three servants.

Yes, sir. The master was

a little difficult.

- But he was always a gentleman to me, sir.

- Oh, I see.

Now, on the afternoon

of your master's death,

there was no one else in the house

except yourself and Alice Green.

Now be careful what you're saying.

Mr. Fields, sir.

You saw Mr. Fields in the house?

I saw him in the garden talking to Alice,

i presumed he came in.

Was Mr. Fields on good terms

with your master?

No, sir.

And there were words between them

that morning about Miss Sylvia.

You seem to know a lot about this.

I was polishing the brass on the

library door, sir.

- Polishing the keyhole, huh?

- There is no brass on the keyhole, sir.

That's all I want from you.

And you needn't polish

any brass either.

The brass is quite clean, sir.

Now, Mrs. Hampden, where

were you on the unfortunate afternoon?

I was shopping in Ilchister.

Can you help me to verify that?

I can refer you to my dressmaker.

I was with her all the afternoon

until I came here to tea.

Thank you. Would you mind?

The address.

- Certainly.

- When were you and Mr. Hampden married?

- On the last day of June.

- Thank you.

Tell me, Mrs. Hampden, why was

your marriage kept a secret?

Well, my husband was an elderly man.

And he disliked the possible

publicity about, er...

About his marrying a lady so much

younger than himself.

- If you like to put it that way.

- Well, it's obvious.

Your honeymoon was spent

at Folkestone.

Yes.

May I ask if you're on friendly terms

with Miss Kennett?

Oh, yes, we've always been

great friends.

And of course I accept the responsibility

of providing for her now.

What was Mr. Hampden's attitude

to her engagement to Mr. Fields?

There was some difficulty.

But it would have blown over.

Mr. Hampden's temper was

very uncertain.

His illness, you know.

Why, he even lost his temper

with poor Collins...

...and gave him notice after

twenty years' service.

Oh, so if your husband

had lived long enough...

...for this notice to take effect,

Collins would have lost his

thousand pounds.

Well, yes, I suppose he would.

Thank you, Mrs. Hampden.

I hope for your sake,

though not for mine,

I shan't have to trouble you again.

Tony, what's the matter,

you seem all nervy.

Oh, I hate the police!

Coming here and spy on us.

Dig into our private lives...

and bring up a whole lot of stuff

that's no use to them and...

Well, it's much better forgotten.

You sound as though you had a past.

Haven't we all? Not you, perhaps,

you're too young.

Some day even you might do something...

Well, something you'd hate people

to know about...

...because they might not understand.

Now, Miss Kennett, if you please.

Where were you on the afternoon

of your guardian's death?

- I was down by the stream.

- All the afternoon?

Yes.

Can anyone verify that?

I'm afraid not. You'll have

to take my word for it.

Did you meet Mr. Fields coming

from the Hall?

- He hadn't been at the Hall.

- How do you know?

He told me he hadn't.

Oh.

Your guardian disapproved of your

engagement to this young man, didn't he?

Mr. Hampden objected to anything new.

He was like that.

But he was a good deal upset

about this suggestion.

Yes.

So much so that he threatened

to cut you out of his will?

Well, yes.

I see.

Mr. Fields knew that you'd receive

the money under the will.

Everyone knew it.

It was common knowledge.

But only you and Mr. Fields knew of

your guardian's threat to cut you off.

I... I suppose so, yes.

Had your fianc? any money

of his own?

Look here! Are you trying to build up

a case against Tony?

Because if so... it's ridiculous.

Miss Kennett, please answer

my question.

Had Mr. Fields any money of his own?

No!

Thank you, Miss Kennett.

That's all I want to know.

Now, Mr. Fields.

Inspector! Inspector!

There's something I've got to tell you.

Wait!

It's something I ought to have

told you before.

Just a moment, my girl.

Wait in here.

- Well, what is it?

- It came back to me all of a sudden.

Can't think why I didn't

remember it before.

Remember what?

- The shadow.

- What shadow?

It must have been the murderer,

I'm sure of it.

What are you talking about, my girl?

Try and pull yourself together.

Tell me it all clearly.

It was just after we found him,

the master, dead in the library.

After you found him dead?

Yes. I was coming through

the service door here, into the hall.

- Was anyone in the hall?

- No, everyone was upstairs.

At least I thought so.

Until I saw it.

Go on, girl, what did you see?

The library door was open.

Open?

Could you see into the library

from where you were?

No, but I saw a shadow on the door.

Could you tell who it was?

I didn't think. I've only just

thought now.

Go on, girl, go on.

It walked over towards the mantlepiece.

I couldn't see it.

Then it came back.

It had something in its hand.

Now I know what it was!

It was...

Well, go on!

"What are you talking about?"

"Try and collect yourself

and tell it all to me clearly."

"It suddenly came back to me, I can't think

why I didn't remember it before."

"Remember what"

"The shadow."

"What shadow?"

" It was just after we found him..."

"...found the master, dead in the library."

"I'd just got through this door..."

"Well, go on, girl, go on!"

"The library door was open."

"I saw a shadow on the door."

"Well, what was it doing?"

"It walked over to the mantlepiece, then it

came back again with something in its hand."

"I know what it was now."

It was the..."

I didn't tell you to give me a sock

with a sledgehammer, you fool!

- All I said was a gentle tap.

- Sorry, chief.

Did you get round all right?

- Easy, chief, with time to spare.

Did the constable at the front

door see you?

Not a chance. There's a hedge runs

all the way round to the pantry window.

- It's a cinch.

- Hm.

Then Anthony Fields could

have got around in time.

Well, this rules out any suicide

theory about Hampden.

The man that knifed the girl

must have thought...

...she knew too much about

Hampden's murder.

How do you know it was a man?

- Hello?

- Here, put that phone down!

Here, give it to me.

Very good, sir.

By the way, where did you spring from?

I came from the dining room, sir.

Clearing away the dinner.

Hello. Yes?

Yes, Inspector Wolf speaking.

Yes... yes...

I get you.

Thanks very much, goodbye.

That was the Yard.

They've checked up with the registry

office on the Folkestone jaunt.

They traced the hotel where they stayed,

so they're okay.

- Checks with Mrs. Hampden then.

- The medicine's been analysed.

- That's all right.

- So that let's the doctor out too.

All the alibis are watertight.

Now let's see. Who's left?

Well, there's the boy, the girl,

and old frozen face.

And they all had the strongest

motive for murder.

Money.

All the same, I'll lay the boy's

the one to swing for it.

- Have a drink, governor!

- Thank you, sir.

- Well, here's to crime.

- A reporter's best friend.

Best friend and livelihood.

- Bigger!

- Better!

- And brighter!

- Crime!

Same again, landlord.

I suppose you're in favor

of the sudden death too.

I could do with one every day

of the week.

And never know if it ain't so good.

Up front.

Come on, we mustn't miss the verdict.

Oh... he'll hang anyhow.

Same again, governor.

Gentlemen of the jury.

Have you considered your verdict?

- We have.

- Is it unanimous?

- It is.

- And your verdict is?

- We find...

- Your Honor!

I've got something to tell you.

Perth 44-1000, just make it snappy.

Put me through to Newt Tease, quick.

Stephens here.

Hello, Tease, listen, hold the deadline,

I've got news.

It'll break in ten minutes.

I'll ring you right back.

What? Why, the girl's mother

has turned up.

Order! Silence in court!

Have you any evidence to offer?

Evidence? Of course I have.

And twenty miles I've come

this day to give it.

It was him has killed my Alice...

...because he was afraid she'd tell.

Tell? What could she tell?

She could tell who was the father

of her child.

It was him!

It's a cinch, I tell you.

Just leave it to us.

Don't listen to him, lad,

we'll see you through.

Just sign here.

Oh, get out, can't you, get out!

It's for your own good, sonny.

I'm only trying to help you.

It's just common sense, we do it

with all the big murderers.

But I tell you I didn't do it!

Sure, I know you didn't,

you know you didn't.

But the public don't know,

you've got to tell them.

You want a defense,

and a defense costs money.

My paper will take care

of everything for you.

We've the best barrister in the country.

All you've got to do is to put

your fist to it. I'll write it up for you.

Just give me the dope, that's all.

I'll make you the sensation of the century.

"Frank confessions of my love life."

???

"Crime on the Hill"

Deep in the green heart of England,

far from the bustle and turmoil

of the metropolis,

grim tragedy, um... grim tragedy...

- Stalks abroad.

- Grim tragedy stalks abroad. Stop.

Yesterday, the sleepy little

village of Hampden...

nestled among its pine woods...

Check, Pine woods?

Pine woods?

Beech woods!

Beech woods.

- Beech woods, sir.

- Nestled among its beech woods...

in blissful ignorance of the, er...

- Of the, er...

- Rude awakening.

Of the rude awakening that has been

that has been slaught today, stop.

For this morning, a sordid drama of real

life has been acted in the village end.

- Check that.

- Village end?

- Village end?

- What do you think it is?

Village end.

- Village end, sir.

- Village end, stop.

On evidence heard, a coroner's jury...

has returned a verdict against

Anthony Fields of willful murder.

Now stand clear, make room there.

Fancy, Vicar, Tony Fields guilty.

We must have faith and try

to find a way to help him.

- Vicar, I'd like a word with you.

- Yes?

It's about the charity bazaar.

I suppose you'll not be holding it this year

after what has happened.

Yes, we shall, as in former years.

It is Mrs. Hampden's special wish.

Right, sir. Then I'll carry on with the orders

for the stalls and decorations.

Yes.

All right, boys. A pause for dinner.

If any of you are thirsty,

Mrs. Hampden has kindly provided...

...a barrel of beer for us all

in the tent.

Thank you, ma'am.

Vicar.

I was stealing a march on the doctor.

A little practice for our match

this afternoon.

My dear, I think you're wonderful.

I don't know how you can put up

such a brave front.

Well, after all, the grounds were promised

for this bazaar ages ago.

It wouldn't be fair to disappoint

the village.

- But it is very splendid of you.

- Besides,

we must show our confidence

in Anthony's innocence...

...by going about our business

in the usual way.

It's the only thing we can do now

for him and for Sylvia.

It was years ago before

I went to college.

She knew I was going away and...

...said it didn't matter and I suppose

I just didn't think.

But if you knew how I've regretted

it since... You must understand.

She meant nothing to me,

it was just a passing...

I do understand.

The child didn't live.

I never even knew about it until

a few days before she...

...Alice was murdered.

Why did she tell you then?

Was she trying to get you back?

Perhaps she thought of that.

Then later, she realized about...

you and me.

That changed her.

She asked for money.

I don't think it was her fault altogether.

That mother of hers probably

put her up to it.

I thought I should have gone mad.

She threatened to tell you and...

I thought that if you knew,

you'd never forgive me.

As if there were anything

I wouldn't forgive you.

Oh, my darling, you are wonderful.

I love you.

One day we'll forget this horror.

Look back on these few weeks

as if they were just a nightmare.

Something not even real.

We'll be happy together, you and I.

A nightmare.

No, it's no good, Sylvia.

They've got me.

They've got me and they're going

to hang me.

They can't!

You're innocent.

We'll prove it to them.

Yes, but hurry, hurry.

We must do something quickly.

Well, have patience, it'll take time.

Time's up.

You win, sir.

You win, sir.

You win, sir.

- That's nice, sir.

- I'll take that.

I'll see it isn't used in evidence

against you.

Come along, hurry up!

Three-pence admissions, please.

How many tickets will that be, madam?

This is the house where the

murder occured, isn't it?

- Why, yes it is.

- Oh, lovely!

Come along, I can't wait.

I've never been to a place where...

There's human nature for you.

I'll go and warn Claire.

Oh, this is the house, my dear.

And that would be the hall

where the poor girl was murdered.

Oh, there you are, my dear.

Yes. I wanted to get away from

all the noise for a few minutes.

- I'm afraid I was rather a coward.

- Not at all, not at all.

I'd stay here if I were you,

where it's quiet.

We sat next to that man

at the casino at Deauville.

What are you muttering about

again, Herbert?

Why, I simply said that we sat next

to that man at the casino of Deauville.

Yes, I remember, the man with

the money.

Oh, he's right!

Herbert, have you actually been right

for once? How very peculiar.

Darling, what... what is it?

Oh!

Will you kindly leave this house.

Oh... do please excuse us.

But you see, really, it was such

an amazing coincidence.

Yes, you see, only a few weeks

ago in July,

we saw Mr. Hampden at Deauville.

Vicar, I can't bear this.

Leave it to me, my dear. This may be

something we ought to know.

Surely, madam, you must be mistaken.

Are you quite certain it was Mr. Hampden

that you saw at Deauville?

Well, if he's the man I see there,

most certainly it was.

- In July?

- Yes, the, um...

The... the first week in July.

Claire... did you hear that?

Well, Collins, as a medical man,

I disapprove of plum cake.

But for the sake of the cause,

I'll have it on the side.

Doctor, I must see you.

I have some very serious news.

What's the matter, Padre?

Don't tell me a lucky kid's the winner.

It's about the squire. He wasn't

at Folkestone at all before his death.

- Excuse me, gentlemen.

- Collins, did you know of this?

I... I don't quite follow you, sir.

Did you know that your master

was at Deauville?

- I'd rather not say, sir.

- Come, Collins, I'm afraid you must.

This may be very important.

Well, he... he did go there, sir.

What for?

I hate to say this about the

old squire, but...

I happened to find out once

after he'd been away.

He made me promise not to tell,

but he frequently went across to get...

The master was addicted

to drugs, sir.

- Collins!

- He didn't...

Do you realize what you're saying?

Do you mean that all those visits abroad

in search of antiques were...

Merely a blind to conceal his

real object?

Why didn't you tell us of this before?

I didn't know he'd gone the

last time, sir.

He didn't even tell me.

Doctor, what are we to do?

I don't know what you're driving at,

Padre. Why is it so important?

Don't you see? Claire must

have known of this.

Poor child, her distress.

In her mistaken loyalty she may

be hiding something from...

Claire, don't go.

I'm afraid I must ask you something.

You heard what those people

said at the Hall.

- Well, I...

- Did you know of this weakness of the squire's?

- Weakness?

- That he took drugs.

Claire, my dear. Why were you

at Deauville with Mr. Hampden?

Come, my dear, we're your friends.

- Go ask if he can play with us.

- Let Tommy go and ask.

Tommy, you ask.

Please, sir, we want to play sardines, sir.

So the other children have sent me to ask

you to play with us, so will you please, sir?

Not now, children perhaps later.

Claire, won't you tell us?

I'll tell you nothing.

What right have you to question

me like this?

My dear child, we sympathize

with your reluctance,

but you must see that every single fact...

...is of importance in proving

Anthony's innocence.

However much we may regret it,

we must tell the police of this discovery.

Please, Mrs. Hampden.

Please, Mrs. Hampden.

They've sent me to ask you.

Will you play sardines with us?

Well, well, well, Vicar, I've been

giving a round of every peep show...

and selling bee in this playground

of Paris looking for you.

My paper would very much appreciate

an exclusive interview with you.

I'm afraid I have nothing to say,

thank you.

That's all right, no need for you

to be afraid.

All you have to do is stick your fist to it

and I'll write it up for you.

- But I, er...

- Come.

All I want is a few homely details

about the reactions...

...of you good folk here to this

horrible tragedy.

I'm thirsty, excuse me.

It's a pity you don't have hard drinks

about here, it would liven things up a bit.

That doesn't seem necessary with you

gentlemen of the press about.

What? Oh, thank you.

Same again.

Now, just you fire ahead in

your own words,

I'll posh up the grammar for you later.

Thank you.

What do they think about Anthony

Fields around here?

Anthony is innocent, I can assure

you of that.

Well, if you say so, Vicar,

I'll put it down.

Darn, this lead's broken.

Have you got a knife on you, Vic?

Well, I saw a cake knife somewhere

about here.

I don't suppose you'd mind using that.

Well, if it will cut you bazaar cake,

it'll cut my pencil.

Dear, dear...

It's gone.

Never mind, I've got one somewhere.

Ah, here we are.

I don't suppose a cake knife would be much

good for sharpening pencils anyhow.

They're too long and not enough edge.

You'd have to shove like blazes

to make those things work.

I knew a chap once, went potty.

A reporter, of course, we all go

mad in the end.

He tried to do himself in

with a cake knife.

Made an awful mess of things, you know,

one of those things with an edge like a saw.

Stupid things, I think.

Blood all over the place.

Tried to plunge himself in the heart,

missed it by miles.

No idea of anatomy at all,

not the slightest idea.

Oh, there you are.

It's very quiet all of a sudden,

where is everybody?

The children are playing sardines

I fancy.

Well, as you're a minister I won't inquire

what the adults are doing.

I got my blow at sardines.

Let's go and find the children.

You know, Vic,

it's an education for a London man

like me coming down to a dump like this.

Of course in the newspaper business

you go everywhere and see everything,

but of all the pretty little scenes

of clime I've struck,

this one takes the cake,

if you'll pardon the allusion.

I like this rural life.

- It has its pitfalls.

- Now then, Vic, don't get nasty.

I always take plenty of rope,

and as for stubbing the toes, I...

You're it, you're it, you're it!

Sardines, here's the whole tinful!

Come on, come here, you.

You didn't want to play, sir,

did you?

Get up, children, quickly!

- Police! Police!

- What's happened?

- What is it?

- Where are the others?

Sylvia, where are you?

Sylvia, where are you?

I'm here. I've only just come back.

Oh, thank God.

Doctor, where are you?

Mrs. Hampden's been murdered.

Look, there he is.

He'll be all right. Just a flesh wound.

He's lost a lot of blood, but that's all.

He'll be up and about in a day or so.

- When will he recover consciousness?

- Can't say.

If you want to question him,

we'll ring you when he comes round.

- I'll wait here.

- Wasting your time.

It may be a question of hours.

- We'll ring you the moment he stirs.

- I'll wait here.

Just as you please.

Doctor, can you hear me?

Try to answer.

It's of vital importance.

Who struck you?

It was so dark, and so sudden.

I never saw him.

"Police stand by helpless."

"Police helpless."

Well:

- What are you going to do about it?

- I wish I knew, sir.

We seem to be absolutely

at a dead end.

It's your job to know!

I want results! And I want them quick!

We're doing everything we can, sir.

We're going over the whole ground...

Hm, what do they expect of me?

Footprints! Why, the whole village

has walked across it.

Not a trace.

Nothing there. He must have been

wearing gloves.

No, we have not any trace.

We do everything we can.

But there come to Deauville

so many Englishmen.

That's where the key to the

whole case lies.

Not Folkestone! Deauville!

- Tackle it yourself.

- Very good, sir, I'll leave at once.

Mind I want results!

Very good, sir.

Vicar, there's something terribly serious

I want to ask your advice about.

- What is it?

- Shall I, er...

No, no, please don't go, Doctor.

This will have to come out soon.

My dear, they were married

at Folkestone.

They wanted to keep it secret

for a while.

Hydrocyanic acid.

Enough to have killed five men.

The dreadful part is that there was

hydrocyanic acid...

...in the medicine I'd made up for him.

Yes, you see, only a few weeks ago in July

we saw Mr. Hampden at Deauville.

- Doctor, what are we to do?

- I don't know what you're driving at, Padre.

Why is it so important?

You don't understand, my dear.

This invalidates the will.

I'll tell you nothing.

What right have you to question

me like this?

Are you quite certain it was Mr. Hampden

that you saw at Deauville?

Well, if he's the man I see there,

most certainly it was.

A fortnight before he died,

the squire and I were married.

- In July?

- Yes! Yes, um... the first week in July.

Claire, did you hear...

- Did they bring any friends?

- No, they came alone.

- Well, who were those witnesses?

- Two of my clerks.

Then they could identify him too.

I think so.

- Dr. Moody, I am pleased to see you.

- How are you, Mrs. Jones?

- Are you feeling better now?

- Oh, ever so much.

- Is the vicar home yet?

- Yes, sir, he's over at the church.

Hm, I'll sit down and wait for him.

- He said he'd be back at six o'clock.

- Why is he so anxious to see me, hm?

I'm sure I can't say, sir.

Hello, Padre! Where have you been

gadding about these last few days?

Don't tell me you've been at Deauville.

No, I haven't been to Deauville.

I've been to Folkestone.

- Did you... did you find out anything?

- Yes.

I found out that the man who married Claire

at the registrar's office in Folkestone...

...was not Arthur Hampden but an impostor

who impersonated him there.

A man who knew of the

squire's weakness...

...and so knew he'd be safely

out of the way at Deauville.

Could you identify the man?

So you know everything.

- Not everything.

- Well, you may as well hear it all.

I put an overdose of poison

into the medicine.

Then Claire came and changed

the bottle.

It was the day that we all went

there to tea, you may remember.

After a decent interval I was

to marry the widow...

Claire...

It all seemed so simple.

He'd have died soon anyhow.

But it didn't stop there.

Will it ever stop?

Like Macbeth, do you remember?

It will have blood, they say.

Blood will have blood.

First it was Alice. She saw Claire

with the so she had to die.

Then Claire, when you questioned her,

she was going to tell.

- So I killed her.

- But your wound...

I had to turn suspicion from self.

It's a pity I didn't stab deeper. That would

have been the perfect end to act five.

But then, I'm a doctor.

I know where to strike...

You're a brave man, Padre.

Sitting there like that, when you're the

only human being that knows the truth.

Our little village turned into

a place of horror.

Lives I thought so sweet and simple.

And now this.

My oldest friend a... a...

A murderer.

Wouldn't you rather be out of it, Padre?

Now that your faith in human

nature is broken?

Nothing can break my faith

in human nature.

You will confess, you will...

...make your atonement.

And in heaven everything

will be forgiven.

Confess? You're mad!

Why should I put my head in the noose?

Your concern is with the body.

Mine is with the soul.

Padre, almost thou persuadest me

to be a Christian.

So there'll be no more fishing

together, Padre.

I'm sorry.

One for sorrow, two for mirth,

three for a wedding, and...

Oh, Tony, there's... Oh!

- Subtitles -

Lu?s Filipe Bernardes