Double Face (1969) - full transcript

'It had ended so tragically.

'And yet, it had all been planned
down to the minutest detail.'

Whoa!

No, don't!
Don't you do that!

Keep still. No, you've got
to keep still. That's it.

'I met Helen Brown
while on a brief holiday

'and fell madly in love with her.

'We got married
and we were both happy.'

I love you, I really love you.

'Then, back in London,
everything changed.'

Why do you play this silly music
all the time, Helen?



I like it.

Darling, will you scrub my back?

Is there any particular reason
Liz should be around all the time?

Don't be a bore.

Do I ever ask you anything
about your secretary?

And don't look at me like that.
I don't care a damn what you think.

Do you want a divorce, Helen?

How middle-class.

Even if my father found out,
he couldn't care a damn either.

He is president of the company, though.

Yes, but I own 90% of the shares.

Mr. Brown is practically
an employee of mine.

I thought you knew that.

When my mother died,
she left me everything.



I see. He must have been disappointed.

She wanted to insure my future.

As I've insured yours.

By naming you my sole heir.

You'll have no problems.

To our future, then.

Where are you going?

To Liverpool, and then...

I don't know, maybe Scotland.

When are you coming back?

I haven't given it a thought.

I'll write to you.

Maybe you can join me.

I'd like to but I can't,
because of the theatre.

So you've made up your mind?

Yes, I definitely need
this vacation, John.

Are you sure you're doing the right thing?

Yes, John, quite.

I know it's right and Liz understands.
You needn't worry.

She'll be back.

I can't stand him. He seems to like
spying on us all the time.

It's over.

Poor John.

I don't understand her.

I know she's in love with me.

For two years,
we've been happily married.

Don't think about it.

She's just like her mother,
rich, moody, wicked.

Perhaps it's my fault.

No.

You'll just have to get used to it,
like I did with her mother.

I'll never get used to it.

Helen? Are you ready?

We're coming.

Suki? Suki.

Have you already got
your things in the car?

Yes, I have.

Do you want me to book a room
for you at some hotel?

No, it's all right, John.
Liz did it.

You aren't driving alone, are you?

Yes. Why?

I think John would prefer it
if somebody went with you.

Well, I think I'm old enough
to take care of myself, Father.

John?

- Do you mind?
- Huh? Of course.

Thank you.

Bye.

The driver lost control
of the motor car,

probably due to reckless speed.

The gas tank exploded,
setting fire to the car

with no chance of escape.

The husband and the father
of the victim.

Despite the fact that the body
is beyond recognition,

it can be stated with certainty

that it is that of Helen Alexander.

Calling control tower.

Flight X239 from Liverpool
requests landing orders.

Thank you.

Huh? No, thanks.

In a few minutes,
we'll be landing at London Airport.

John, why don't you go away
for a while, take a trip?

Maybe you're right.

I couldn't work anyway.

Morning.

Gordon?

- Do you know this man?
- Yes, it's John Alexander.

Only three weeks after his wife died,
he's in Saint Tropez.

So what? Wasn't it an accident?

Yes, I know,

but there's something
in this case I don't like.

It's good to see you again,
Mr. Alexander.

Thank you.

Excuse me.
Mr. Brown is waiting for you.

All right.

John! Well...

Marvelous to see you.

I was beginning to think
you'd never come back.

Perhaps you don't know me well enough.
I would never leave the company.

Men never get to know
each other well enough.

But I'm glad you're back.
I don't feel so lonely.

I can't persuade myself
that Helen is no longer alive.

I can't believe it.

I really can't.

I know. I see her everywhere.

We should concentrate on business,
don't you think?

You're right.

You've got to decide if we're to merge
with the French company.

I thought you had already decided.

The company belongs to you now.
You have to make the decision.

Do you mind if I tell you
I missed you very much, John?

Were you worried
about the mail piling on my desk?

Why are you nasty to me?
Please.

I'm not.

I'm only a secretary to you.
Is that it?

What's happened since the...?

Why don't you try to forget?

Hmm. I will try.

By the way, a police inspector asked
to see you while you were away.

He's out there. He called several times,
insisting on seeing you.

What does he want?

I don't know.

Send him in.

- Good morning.
- Good morning.

- I'm Inspector Gordon of Scotland Yard.
- Yes, I was expecting you.

- Inspector Stevens from Liverpool.
- How do you do?

- Do sit down.
- No, thanks.

We're only here to inform you

that the Liverpool police
considers the case closed.

I didn't know
there had been an inquest.

There are always inquests
in accident cases. It's the law.

Did you have a good trip,
Mr. Alexander?

I went to places
where my wife and I had been together.

It's not the best way
to forget a tragedy, is it?

Get these off at once.

May I help you with something?
I'm very busy at the moment.

Mr. Alexander, I can see that.

Responsibility for the company
now rests entirely upon you.

And this is for Mr. Brown.

I was sure you'd return today.

- Professional intuition?
- Oh, no.

Nothing as fancy as that,
Mr. Alexander.

It wasn't difficult,
even for a modest inspector like myself,

to foresee your return for today,

quite simply because today
is your wife's birthday.

Mr. Alexander, will you return
to the same house?

For the moment,
I am staying at the Savoy.

Well, thank you, sir.

Dry yourself and get out!

You're too rude to be anything
but the owner of the house.

So?

Hurry up and get out!

Perhaps you'd be so good
as to explain

why you are in such a rush
to throw me out.

Ah, I understand.
The usual middle-class husband.

You can't be afraid, I'm sure.
You don't look the type.

Indeed, on the contrary,
you're a brute and you've got a temper.

And a lot of strength.

Oh.

You brought in the light with you.

Turn it off. It was nicer...

You owe me an explanation.

Elementary, my dear Watson.

Elementary.

My name is Christine.

18 years old, without fixed lodgings.

Having seen a beautiful big house,

and very much in need
of a perfumed bath,

I climbed over the fence
and here I am,

beautiful and naked,
as God made me.

Bloody hell. To think
I looked everywhere for that whisky

and it was right under my nose.

Hey, you can't drink alone.

Please?

Drink up and go.

Villain, that's what.

You're a dangerous man.

Why don't you let me
sleep here with you tonight?

I'll be good and... I don't snore.

And tomorrow morning,
we could have a very...

I'm sorry.
I'm terrified of storms.

- Oh!
- I told you to get out.

It hurts. I can't walk anymore.

I'm sorry but that's your fault.

OK, tell me where to go.
I'll drive you.

- Ow.
- Come on.

If you want your keys...

See you.

Listen, darling, how about
showing that film of mine tonight?

Hey, he's gonna show my film!

Well, you still don't know Peter.
He always saves the best till last.

Try a little patience.
You won't regret it.

It better be good!

Oh, look at that ring!

Ooh!

- When did you make this film?
- Well, don't shout.

I think it was last Friday.
Tell me, what are you so upset about?

- I want to speak to Peter.
- Don't let him know I told you anything.

- I want that film.
- Things like that are very expensive.

- Take me to him, then.
- Oh, no, no.

Wait for me here.
I'll be right back, huh? OK?

- Where's the projectionist?
- Oh, if you really wanna dig him up,

try that art studio at the port.

Maybe you'll have...

Sooner or later,
Christine will get into trouble,

taking up
with the first bastard she meets.

And you, Golden Lips, ought
to learn to keep your mouth shut.

Got me?

What do you want?

What are you looking for?

You better talk.

Put it back.

I like you better this way.

Tough but still alive.
You've been sleeping for 12 hours.

- Where were you hiding?
- Where do you think I was?

At the house, looking for Peter.

These things take time, you know.

I got there just in time
to get you away from them.

I convinced them you weren't a flatfoot
but just a pervert,

looking for the film.

Where's the film?

Peter promised to give it to me.

Where's Peter bringing it?

I've got a small room in a hotel
near the Port of London.

If you want to know, my window
overlooks the studio courtyard.

What's the name of that woman?

Don't ask me to tell you.

Tell me.

All I know is
they called her The Countess.

Who is she?

I asked Peter to get the film.
He told me he wouldn't be involved...

where she's concerned,

that she's dangerous.

A lot of people go off at full speed.
I like to warm the motor first.

Christine?

Christine?

I'm looking for a blonde
named Christine.

Second floor, number five.

You can't go up.
There's already a man up there.

It will be more interesting.

Hm.

Don't fall in.

And I thought maybe...

Ah.

Uh...

Christine told me

that you wanted to buy the film.

You have good taste.

It isn't something
that comes along every day.

And it's expensive,
that's for sure.

It's damned expensive.

Do you want to count it?

Among gentlemen?

Where did you find the woman
wearing the veil?

You see, sir,
as you can well imagine,

this is a very risky business.

It is not our custom...

...to reveal the identity
of our actresses.

Maybe I can help you.

- A friend of mine brought her around...
- What's her name?

Tell me.

Why such a hurry?

- Why do you want...?
- You ought to know. It's your business.

Always at your disposition.

Don't worry,
you'll be seeing me again.

You know...

I was afraid there for a moment.

What for?

Among gentlemen?

Now talk, if you want
to save that face of yours.

I've told you everything I know.

I've told you already,
I don't know anything else.

I don't know, I swear.

Yes, you do, you little bitch.

Why did you come
to my house that night?

Why did you give me that pill?

I want the name of the woman
in this disgusting picture with you.

You know I can't tell you.
These people are not playing around.

- You know they're a dangerous crowd.
- The woman, the name of that woman.

The Countess.

I want to know the name.
The name!

Peter always went after her,

brought her to the studio
and took her back.

The way he treated her,
you could see she wasn't one of us.

That's why we named her
The Countess.

But she had a name.

One day, while filming
one of these scenes,

The Countess always performed
with such warmth and realism,

she suddenly bit me on the neck
and whispered softly,

"Always call me Helen."

And then she kissed me
almost with anger.

I didn't know what was happening!

Did she say anything else?

No.

Later on, I went back to Peter's office,

and he told me that she was the wife
of some very important industrialist

and had survived a bad car accident

and she was a little insane now.

He told me not to talk about it
to anyone else.

He sent me out of the office.

You said this picture was made
five days ago.

Six, to be exact.

Listen, why does this woman
interest you so much?

Let's say that mine
is the curiosity of an industrialist.

If you're lying,

you'll regret it.

This is Alexander speaking.
May I talk to Mr. Brown, please?

It's urgent.

Yes?

Yes, all right. I'll call him later.

- What are you saying?
- It's Helen. There can be no doubt.

When I saw the picture,
I couldn't believe my eyes.

When they were lying there, I repeated
the same phrase over and over:

"I know she's dead."

She's dead. Helen's dead.

But you'll have to see the film.

You told me yourself,
the woman's face was veiled.

It was, but the scar on her neck,
the pearls.

The ring, it's Helen's ring!

Why has she remained silent
if she's really alive?

Perhaps she did try to contact us
but wasn't able to.

But for what reason, for God's sake?

She may be in the hands
of someone who's blackmailing her.

Huh. All right.

It could be possible,
but I just don't believe it.

She'd try to contact us.

Please. Please come along.
You'll have to see the film immediately.

All right, as soon as possible.

I know there's an explanation.

Poor John. He actually thought
that he saw her alive.

He's in a state of shock.
He might do something foolish.

He's not the type, Mr. Brown.

In fact, we have come here
to inform you

that we have received
anonymous letters

which state that your daughter Helen
was the victim of murder.

It's ridiculous. What an idea!

I'm not so sure,
but tell me frankly,

do you think that John Alexander
could have killed your daughter?

Of course not.
Nobody will ever make me believe that.

Wasn't he the sole heir?

Yes, but he never knew it.

Nobody knew it, not even me,

until the accident,
and the police said it was an accident.

See if you can remove that bit for me.

Gordon, listen.

The explosion could have been caused
by a device that was self-destroying.

I might have found the reason
why I could find no trace

during the preliminary
routine investigation at Liverpool.

- Yes.
- It's a matter for the lab.

Better pass it to them at once.

- Here.
- Right away.

Now you'll see the ring.

I see a lot of precious things,
but I don't see Helen's ring.

Now watch this.

Will you run that part of the film again?

So, this is the famous film, eh?

- Mmm.
- I don't understand it.

I'll be going.

I swear I couldn't have dreamed it.

No, you're not dreaming now,
but you were dreaming last night.

But it wasn't only last night.
I also saw it at that place.

You've talked yourself
into something that doesn't exist.

But that you could reach a point
where you think Helen would participate

in a disgusting film like that,
well, that doesn't make sense.

So you think I'm insane?

Well, I'm not.

And I know
that what I've told you is true,

even if I can't find
any reasonable explanation

why the film turned out
to be so different.

I'm certain.

I didn't dream it.

I don't know why
the picture's different now.

There's not much hope of discovering
the truth behind it, but I won't give up.

You know what I'll do?
I'll go to the police

and ask them
to reopen the investigation.

John, you can do what you want.

Do you know what will happen
if you ask them to reopen the inquest?

Do you know what will happen?
It will be a scandal.

Every newspaper in London
will carry the story.

And our business, which was built
on respectability and trust,

we could be ruined.

Now, we've got to keep this thing
out of the limelight.

I'm sorry, John.

You know I'm on your side.

Maybe we should go to the police.
I don't know.

Let me think about it.

Do you mind?

No.

Was that Brown who just left
or am I mistaken?

An Inspector of Scotland Yard
never makes a mistake.

A legend, my friend, a legend.

We have been responsible
for arresting innocent men like Evans.

Besides,
criminals have become so clever

that our profession
has become very difficult.

Do you want a drink?

I'd prefer a glass of milk, actually.

Do you really want it
or do you just want me out of this room?

You're as suspicious as a policeman.

Don't bother if that's what you think.

Lovely house you have.

Ah, I see you're very much
the home-movie fan.

Mickey Mouse amuses me.

Yet you destroy the films
after seeing them.

Listen, wouldn't it be better
if you spoke frankly?

Mr. Alexander, I will,
but allow me first to say this.

You're not obliged to reply at all.

Think of me as your friend
rather than a policeman.

I must try to see you that way.

I don't ask for blind faith.

I imagine you loved your wife.

Yes.

They're beautiful.
A magnificent collection.

Amazing. Do they all work?

Yes, I... wind them myself.

My compliments.

I'm afraid I'm boring you.
I'd better be going.

Do you play chess?

No.

I hate the game.

I would have sworn to the contrary.

As you see, the days
of Sherlock Holmes are over.

The garage is back there
at the bottom of the garden?

Yes.

I must say you're lucky,

having it so far away.

No possibility
of being disturbed by motors.

Did your wife keep the Jaguar
in the garage?

Yes.

I see.

Talking of the Jaguar,

I forgot to tell you that my wife's car...

had the only clock
I wasn't able to regulate.

It was always an hour fast.

Surprising.

Hello?

Hello?

I want the Alexander file.

There it is, sir.

Thank you.

You can go now.

'We arrived
on the scene at six o'clock.

'The accident had occurred
an hour before.'

'The accident had occurred
an hour before.'

Where are you going?

She isn't there.

That man Peter came an hour ago
and they left together.

- When will they be back?
- I don't know.

Maybe tomorrow, maybe never.

Surprised?

Yes, I have to say, yes,
considering our former relationship.

Would you like a drink?

- When did Helen last call you up?
- I don't understand.

When did Helen last call you up?

Before the accident.

After!

Then you know. You know too.

That's why you're here.

I don't know anything.
That's why I'm here.

I've been living in a nightmare for days.

I'm almost glad you found out.

Helen wasn't alone on that trip.

She called me from Crosswell.

She was unhappy.

She told me she had persuaded
her friend Judith to go along with it.

- Tell me all the facts.
- The other night I received a phone call.

A woman who claimed she was Helen.

But the voice, the voice wasn't hers.

She told me she was saved
by a miracle, at the last moment.

Just before the gas tank exploded
she was thrown out of the car

while her friend Judith
was trapped in the wreckage.

Helen said she got away from the car
before the explosion.

She ran and kept on running.

The body that burned in the car
was Judith's.

I begged her and pleaded with her
to come and see me.

But she, with that terrible weeping voice,

she told me she couldn't come.

From that moment on
I thought the call was interrupted.

But then I heard her repeat
over and over again

that she didn't want to see you,
that she didn't want to see anyone.

Did you speak to her father?

No. He would only tell me
I was imagining everything.

Would you like a drink now?

It's you.

Will you tell me what you're doing here
at this time of night?

Why? What time is it?

- 2:30.
- My God, it's late.

You still haven't answered my question.

Easy. I haven't seen you all day.

Then I realized
that I might find you at home

and so I used my key.

Is there anything wrong, dear?

No, now you're here, it's all right.

I did want to see you.

But then I fell asleep
like mischievous children do.

Alice.

I'd like to ask you a question.
What did that police inspector want

from... Mr. Brown the other day
in the office, huh?

I didn't think it would be
of interest to you.

What were they talking about?

I'm not in the habit
of eavesdropping behind doors.

Sometimes I remember you did.

Careful.

I'm tired of evasions,
mysteries and half-truths.

Better tell me all.

I love you, John.

I didn't want to hurt you
so I said nothing.

You acted so strange, so worried.

Yes, it's true,
Brown did speak about you.

He said that Gordon suspected
you had murdered Helen.

And he tried to defend you,

although you seem
to be completely mad.

- And?
- And he also suspects you

because now your mind isn't normal.

- Are you sure?
- I'm not a liar.

John...

Tell me the truth.

What they say isn't true.

You didn't kill your wife.

You idiot.

If you want a cigarette,
they're in my coat pocket.

By the way, John...

How silly, I almost forgot
a telephone call today

saying that The Countess had...

What do you know
about The Countess?

Nothing.

Anyway, the gentleman
left a message

saying The Countess had gone
back to the old family house.

Hello?

Hello?

Who?

He's at the bar now.
Tell him Liz called

and that Helen is waiting for him
at St Anne's Cathedral.

St Anne's Cathedral.

Uh-huh, OK. Don't worry,
I've got the message straight.

Helen is waiting for him
at St Anne's Cathedral.

Here I am.

It's impossible.

Why didn't you wait for me
at the house?

Because I couldn't find the courage.

I'll tell you why.

Because you're not Helen.

No, my wife died in the accident.
No one knows that better than I.

My face is your work.

I was a beautiful woman.
Now I am a monster.

But...

But how did you survive?

Even my voice is destroyed.

I am alive only by a miracle.

I almost envy that poor girl
who died in my place.

Oh, Helen, my poor Helen.

I don't want your pity.

Kill me. I can't go on living like this.

Kill me.

- I knew it was you.
- Let me go.

Bitch! You've ruined my life.

Mr. Alexander,
I wouldn't do that if I were you.

If you hadn't stopped him, Inspector,
he would have killed again.

What are you waiting for?
Arrest that murderer.

I'm not a murderer.

Don't talk like that.

I loved Helen. I always loved her.

But this is insane. It's absurd.

You can't arrest me.
You have no proof.

I recorded your telephone calls with Liz.

They prove beyond a shadow of doubt
that you killed your daughter.

You tried to make Mr. Alexander
behave like a criminal

to make him appear suspect.

- You'd better be careful what you say.
- There's ample proof against you.

I knew your plan wouldn't work.
You son of a bitch!

If it wasn't for the Inspector,
he would have killed me.

All because you wanted
to grab your stepdaughter's money

and become the real head
of the company.

Damn you! I told you
you couldn't make this work.

You slut.

I knew I couldn't trust you.

Let me go.

Let me go!

'I always suspected Brown

'but after the arrest
of Peter and Christine

'who confessed
they had manipulated the film

'and after you told me the clock
on the Jaguar went an hour ahead

'my doubts turned to certainty.

'The explosion had not occurred at six,
as the clock indicated,

'but at five,
as Brown had always maintained.

'Only the murderer could
have known the exact hour.

'In other words, Brown.'

Mr. Brown... has done you a favor.

Otherwise you'd have killed him.