Maneaters Are Loose! (1978) - full transcript
Man-eating tigers are accidentally set loose near a small California town.
- Here, kitty, kitty, kitty.
Here, kitty, kitty, kitty, kitty.
(cat meows)
Here, kitty, kitty, kitty, kitty.
Here, kitty, kitty.
(dramatic music)
- What'd I tell you about that cat?
- It's just a sip of
milk, Toby, left over.
- If he's too good to hunt mice,
it's time to wring his neck.
Man shall have dominion over
all the beasts of the land
and the fowl of the air!
(door slams)
(footsteps approach)
- Nice the weather's changing, huh?
- Penny, you'll get pneumonia,
your body all exposed.
(Penny sighs)
(cat meows)
- [Penny] Hello. (laughs softly)
Less clothes you wear,
the bigger tips you get.
(cat meows)
(smooches)
- I thought you were gonna
ask her for a board and broom.
Or do you want me to?
- What for?
- Don't worry, just for show.
You always get it back, with interest.
- Yeah.
You know what I'd like to do someday?
I'd like to walk right up to that pulpit
and tell all those good people
in the God's Fellow Church,
Do you wanna know how
good Deacon Toby Waites
raised his poor little juvenile delinquent
he took in on state aid?
Remember when?
- I've been good to you.
- Likewise, I'm sure.
(engine revs)
(chickens bawking)
- I'm tellin' ya that
we've gotta be careful.
- Tommy boy, when my
friend designs a building
there's enough in it to pay everyone.
- I--
- And enough left over
for a couple of old
fraternity brothers, huh?
- All right.
By the way, old fraternity brother,
don't forget our chess game tonight.
- (laughs) Look who's
talkin' about careful.
You know, if May ever catches
on to your little chess game,
I'm gonna wind up with egg on my face
while you're off with some little,
who is it this time?
That little cocktail waitress?
- Don't worry about May.
She's convinced she's turned
me into a clean-cut celibate
over the years.
She's put me in escrow.
- I have the folder right here.
Well, no.
Actually, the appraisals
here have risen in Whitford
in the last year.
Mm-hm.
No, moving the county seat to Scarby
has actually increased the values.
But Whitford will continue
to have a fire station
and a sheriff substation.
Now, if you're really
interested in this house,
Mr. Gilbert, I would make an offer
before somebody snaps it
up at the asking price.
- If I had my way, we'd close
down this cruddy substation,
and I'd move all you goldbrickers
back to Scarby headquarters
so I can keep an eye on you.
We get you long-haired
slack-offs from the big city
in through here all the time.
You take a job, you're gonna
do us hicks a big favor,
and you think it's gonna
be some kind of a vacation.
With pay.
- Strange. (sighs)
When I was recruited for this
job before the last election,
Sheriff Rondel billed me as
an outstanding investigator,
who would bring professionalism
to the department.
- Sheriff Rondel runs for office.
And I run the department.
- I do my job, Hale.
- Mr. Hale.
I'm the sheriff of this county.
As long as you last in this job, Gosford,
I want a daily report of your
activities, or inactivity.
And of your progress.
Or lack of it.
And another thing.
Any news whatsoever comin'
out of this department
is to be released by my office only,
and not to that cigar-chewing
ex-drunk out there.
(Gosford sighs)
- Jim Taggert's a Pulitzer
Prize winner, Mr. Hale.
- Well, I didn't give it to him.
I don't give prizes,
Gosford, I give orders.
And from now on, every case you're on
is to be considered strictly confidential
'til I say different, you got that?
- Alright.
- I really enjoy the new
office building over in Scarby.
But I guess you'll have to stay here and
take the heat like like
this, won't you, Gosford?
- Depends on hot it gets.
If I were you, I'd take it.
- Guys like you always take the heat.
Fall into a pattern.
Let's see, you
go to law school.
Drop out.
So, then you retreat into
the police department.
But when the time comes for you
to take your lieutenant's exam,
you don't even show up.
Right?
Patterns.
You surprised?
I do my homework, Gosford.
It'd pay you to remember that.
- What's new, John?
- Well, you're gonna have to
check with him from now on.
- Hmm.
That's how it is, huh?
- That's how it is.
- How are you, David?
Good to see you, big man.
You're looking good.
- Thank you.
- Yeah.
Nice dog, nice houseboat.
- Never knew you liked to fish.
- I never did.
Looks like a real good
spot for it, though.
You found yourself a real, real
beautiful spot here, David.
(David laughs)
- How'd you find me, McCallum?
- No, no, no, no.
Me first, okay?
When are you going to accept
yourself for what ya are?
- Well, I already have.
(McCallum scoffs)
That's why I'm here.
- Well, it turns out that
I have to admit you're
about the best we got,
and it looks like we need you back.
- Oh, yeah.
Yeah, it's the only
profession in the world
where to be the best
you gotta be the worst.
- No, no.
- Well, I meant it, Mack.
No more.
- Wait, wait, wait.
- I'm through.
- David, David, look.
Listen to me.
You and I together have tracked down,
well, probably some of the most elusive--
- Well, go ahead and say it.
Targets.
- Targets.
Most elusive targets in the world.
We're pretty good at it.
- We're dinosaurs, Mack.
Our days are numbered.
Already passed, probably,
we don't even know it.
- You know what I'd hoped?
I'd hoped that this time
you're taking off here,
you'd (clicks tongue) become
a little bit more realistic.
Not so poetic.
(dog barks)
- Realistically, where does it all end?
This business of reducing
the solution to all things
to the little X in the
crosshairs of a sniper scope?
You know, Mack,
I've had a dream.
Clear as crystal.
I see myself framed in those crosshairs.
It's no lie, that's realism.
There I am.
A little X across my back,
just below the shoulder blade.
No sound.
Just a deep, hot pain.
Right there.
No more, Mack.
No more.
(car rumbles)
(soft groovy music)
(contented sighing)
- Tom, aren't we ever gonna stop?
I'm tired of driving.
(giggling and smooching)
- Don't leave teeth marks on me.
- One night I'll mark ya good, then what?
(Tom chuckles)
- Then I'll have to
explain how I was attacked
by this wild animal.
- (giggles) Well, if you
don't stop pretty soon,
it won't be a lie.
- I'm just playin' it safe.
(soft giggling)
(tires squealing)
- Watch out!
- That crazy fool.
I'll break his drunken neck.
- Hey.
Terrific, now how is that gonna look, huh?
(drunken mumbling)
- Pound the guy, yeah, wouldn't
that've been somethin'?
(exhales deeply)
- If you wanna tangle with somebody,
how about tanglin' with me?
(giggles)
- Take care of my babies.
Hey you, up there.
You hear me?
Oh, what's the use?
Ain't no god up there.
They're all yours now.
You'll take care of 'em.
(mumbling)
(rattling)
Yeah, yeah.
They're all yours now, yeah.
(smooching)
- What would you do if
you went home one night
and your wife had some
candles on the table
and some wine and she wanted
some romancing from you?
(Tom chuckles)
- No chance.
- No?
- May only makes love in
months with a Z in them.
(both laugh)
- Good.
- Mohan.
Yeah, he's the dumb one.
Yeah.
You've gotta take of him.
He's a good boy.
And Ronnie, she's,
oh god, she's gonna
have her babies tomorrow
or the next day.
You've gotta take care of my babies.
That's all I got.
Here.
Can't starve ya anymore.
(creaking)
Come on, boy, come on, boy.
(tense music)
- [Penny] Hey, where do
you think you're goin'?
- I'm goin' to get some air.
- I know where you're goin'.
- You do?
- Uh-huh (giggles).
Hey, don't go too far.
(music grows more suspenseful)
(low growling)
(snarling)
(music intensifies)
(low growling)
(music swells)
(music quickens)
(Tom screams)
(unsettling music)
Tom?
Come on, Tom, quit kiddin' around.
Come on, I want to get goin'.
Tom?
Tom?
(music swells)
(music grows more suspenseful)
Tom?
(music turns tense)
Tom?
(music grows ominous)
Tom?
Tom?
(growling)
(music intensifies)
(Penny screams)
(engine revs)
(loud growling echoes)
(dog barks)
- My god.
I never thought I'd hear that sound again.
Tigers.
Two of them.
(telephone rings)
- Hello?
- George, I hate to bother you again,
but Tom isn't home yet.
Have you heard anything?
- No.
I assumed he'd be snuggled
safely by your side by now, May.
- (inhales deeply) I know he
drinks on your chess nights.
(faint twangy music)
Are you sure he didn't have one too many?
- May, he sipped one highball all evening.
Do you want an affidavit?
- I'm sorry I asked.
I'm just concerned, that's all.
- Look, don't worry.
Tom can take of himself.
Maybe he had car problems.
Don't worry.
The sheriff's department
says no fog, no accidents.
Relax.
(engine revs)
(tires squeal
- I wonder, could you
check with them again?
- Oh, why don't you call them, May?
- I don't want it to sound as if--
- Okay.
I'll call you back.
(unsettling music)
(door closing)
(music grows more tense)
- Took your time.
There's your money, plus.
Jezebel.
Daughter of Satan.
Corrupter of men.
- (gasps) No, no.
- What do you mean, no?
I couldn't--
- I said no.
Get out of my room.
- So, you've been with
someone else already.
- Now, you get outta here.
Don't you threaten me.
- Who have you been with tonight?
- I haven't been with anybody.
Now, get outta here.
Or I'm gonna start screamin'.
(door slams)
(sighs)
(faint country music)
♫ Let it rain
♫ Let it rain on
(singing drowned out by car rumbling)
♫ Rain on this goodbye
♫ Make it blue
(singing drowned out by car rumbling)
♫ Goodbye
♫ Today
♫ Kiss me goodbye
- Miller?
- [Miller] Go ahead.
- I've got an abandoned
car on Cullington Drive.
Looks kinda fishy here.
Could you get me a make
on California four eight seven
bravo alpha kilo?
- Where'd you say it was?
Mmm-hmm, yeah, well,
I'll talk to ya later.
Okay, so long. (sighs)
- What was that all about? (sighs)
- (sighs heavily) The
honorable county treasurer
Thomas Purcell's car was found
abandoned with the radio on.
- (groans) The honorable Thomas Purcell
is gonna run his battery down.
(faint country music)
♫ That lazy goodbye
♫ Let it rain
- I suppose Mr. Hale is going to want
a written report before morning.
(John sighs)
(thudding)
- I told you, you ever mention Hale's name
in the bedroom, of all places,
and you're in big trouble, right?
(groans softly)
- Now that I'm awake,
(John laughs softly)
and this is the bedroom.
(both laugh)
- Oh, you'll impede law
enforcement any way you can,
won't ya?
Coffee.
Sex.
How 'bout an omelet?
(woman laughs)
(growling)
(dog barks)
- What the hell's goin' on out there?
- Hi John.
- Hasn't been around, huh?
- No.
(John groans)
- You know the county
treasurer's wife, Mrs. Purcell?
- Yeah, just by sight.
- By sight would you
say this is her style?
(officer chuckles)
- No, not Miss Prim and Proper.
- She's not the type
that undresses in the back of a car, huh?
- No, I wouldn't guess that.
- Well, it looks like you
and Miller are right, Fred.
Mr. Thomas Purcell has disappeared
under very suspicious circumstances.
Not unique.
But suspicious.
Ah, I got myself on the
short end of the stick
of a very touchy (sighs)
political problem.
All I need.
(dog barks)
(dog barks)
- Mr. Gosford, you asked me over here
to discuss the
disappearance of my husband.
I see no reason why we should waste time
trying to find clues in my married life.
I know police savor such things, but,
could you move that--
- [John] Everything's
okay at your house, then?
- Yes, yes.
Things might be okay at your house.
Our home life is exemplary.
- He left this George
Leppard's home quarter to 11?
- Yes, yes, that's what George said.
- Do you have reason not to believe him?
- (laughs) None whatsoever.
It's just that George is a bachelor.
They lead very unprecise lives.
He might have been
mistaken about the time.
- He always goes over
there on his chess night?
- Yes, I encourage it.
It's a outlet.
- He always goes over to
Leppard's house, though.
- Yes.
- Never at your house?
- No.
- Why is that?
- I don't see what this
has to do with anything.
- Well, usually chess buddies
switch back and forth.
Unless, of course, there's some reason.
- Are you suggesting
that there's some sort
of a homosexual relationship going on?
- No, ma'am.
That never crossed my mind.
- The reason is very simple.
- The reason that they play
at Leppard's house, you mean?
- Yes, yes.
We don't drink at home.
We don't even keep liquor at the house.
- Oh.
- Well, I don't enjoy it.
And since I contribute
to our joint income,
we decided a long time
ago there was no need
to spend money on something
only one of us enjoys.
- I see, I see.
Well, I would think that
he probably a little snort
or two over there on his chess night, yes?
- I'm sure that he has a
highball or two over there, yes.
But if you think that he was just, well,
just drunk and wandering
around falling down drunk.
- No, no.
- And walked away
from his car--
- As a matter of fact,
Mrs. Purcell, I don't think he disappeared
where we found the car.
There were no men's footprints
moving away from it.
- Tom knows that I would never tolerate
that kind of self-indulgence.
His position and responsibility
forbids any such behavior.
Oh, I know you police would just love
some kind of seamy explanation,
but I can assure you
that my husband was the victim
of some kind of foul play.
Why are you staring at me like that?
- I find it odd, Mrs. Purcell,
that you prefer to think of
him as either being robbed,
or mugged, or murdered instead
of just sleeping it off
under some tree somewhere, that's all.
- You are out of line, Mr. Gosford.
I have to warn you that I have
a position in this county.
And I am well-acquainted with the sheriff
and Undersheriff Hale.
If I were you, I would be very careful
that in your investigation
you didn't plant any filthy insinuations.
I'd be very careful.
(telephone ringing)
(growling)
(dog barks)
- Anybody report a missing
girl this morning, Parker?
- No, sir.
Anyone in particular?
- Yeah, one in particular, but
I don't know which one yet.
- I'll let you know as
soon as I find out then.
- Well, you and Purcell went
to the same college, right?
- The same fraternity, yeah.
Tom was in business administration,
I was in architecture.
- Hmm.
Fraternity handshake comes in
handy later on, doesn't it?
- What's that supposed to mean?
Look, just because my
firm has been successful
on a few county contracts
doesn't give you the right...
- All I meant was, you
wouldn't be covering
for an old fraternity brother, would ya?
- Cover up?
- May Purcell runs a
pretty tight ship, I hear.
- May is a fine woman.
Highly successful in
her own right, you know.
- No, but I mean she goes
to bed with her coat on.
- I wouldn't know about that.
- Who was your friend playing
around with on the sly?
- Tom?
- Yeah, Tom.
He was with a girl last
night as a matter of fact.
- Tom was with me last night.
- He was with you until
a quarter of 11, Leppard.
After that he was with some girl.
Her fingerprints are all over the car.
Her black hose were in the
backseat of the same car.
- Look, I helped--
- I am not the custodian
of public morals, Leppard.
If you're trying to
cover up for your buddy,
you'll make it a lot tougher to find him.
You understand that?
- Look here, if Tom had
a woman on the side,
he certainly never mentioned it to me.
I have to go.
I have a client meeting
in half an hour.
- Yeah, well,
whether it's a longstanding diversion
or just a little one night's fling,
I'm sure she's a local girl.
- Oh?
- Yeah.
- And this is a small place, Leppard.
When we find her,
I think she's gonna have a lot
of things to tell us, right?
(tense music)
(curious music)
(dog barking)
(music grows more unsettling)
(crowd chattering)
(music grows more tense)
(excited chattering)
- Well, Detective Gosford.
- Hi Jess.
- Long time.
- Yeah, yeah, how about a glass of water?
- What's the crime of the day?
- The prices on your menu, Jess.
Mira in back there?
- Back in the office.
(soft piano music)
- Thanks.
(glass clinks)
(crowd chattering)
(knocking)
- Hi Mira.
- John Gosford, what a pleasant surprise.
- Thank you, it's good to see you.
- You don't look comfortable, Johnny.
That's bad.
- Tom Purcell, does he come in here often?
- Sure.
Tom Purcell comes in here
once in awhile for lunch.
Business friends from his office.
He's a tuna salad and
vodka martini. (laughs)
They think the fish covers the booze.
Works just the opposite, you know.
- Yeah.
His wife, he doesn't bring
her in here, does he?
- May Purcell doesn't care
very much for me, I'm afraid.
I'm really not her type.
- Yeah, I can see why.
Tom Purcell was playing around
with one of your waitresses, Mira.
Which one?
- Why don't you ask him?
- Well, I would if I could find him.
He was (inhales deeply)
goin' at it in the backseat of his car
with one of your girls
just before he disappeared.
Now, I'm a happily married man, Mira.
But I never miss a pair
of legs in black hose.
And this is the only place
I know of around here
that they wear these.
- Stupid little hustler.
I warned her about fooling
around with the customers.
- Who is it?
- Penny Halpern.
- I don't know her.
- She's had problems
ever since she was a kid.
The court turned her
over to the Toby Waites
out on Liberty Mills Road when she was 14.
For a little bible-thumping upbringing.
- Yeah, well,
I don't wanna preach to her.
I just wanna talk to her.
Would you go out and get her, please?
(energetic suspense music)
(music turns unsettling)
- You're not gonna believe this,
but she pocketed her tips and took off.
She told Jess she had a headache.
- All right.
It's a day for headaches, isn't it?
Thank you.
(curious suspenseful music)
(rattling and clanging)
(music grows more troubled)
(music intensifies)
- God is our strength and our salvation.
May the good lord look
down on our sister Jarvis,
and bless her with his
goodness and his mercy.
Amen.
- Bless you, bless you both.
(curious music)
- That's Toby.
That teacher.
(giggles)
I don't believe it.
Whee.
(laughs)
(unsettling music)
(giggles hysterically)
(vocalizes glee)
(music swells)
(suspenseful music)
(car door slams)
(music intensifies)
(rapping)
(music softens)
(sighs)
- This is Gosford.
- Go ahead.
- (sighs) Get out an APB on Penny Halpern.
21, 5'4", light hair.
She's driving a maroon
Mustang convertible.
DMV can get you the license.
Wanted for questioning.
- Yes, sir.
- And get an officer
out to the Waites Farm
on Liberty Mill Road on the double,
and tell him to dress
for some heavy weather
comin' in right now.
- Roger.
Mr. Gosford, there's a fellow
at the station to see you.
Name of David Birk.
- Well, what does he want?
- Somethin' about tigers.
- Tigers?
- Yes, sir, he said tigers.
Said he wants to talk to the head man.
- Well, you tell him you're the head man.
I'm no longer there at the moment.
Just get the officer out
here in a hurry, please.
- Tigers?
- Tigers.
- Tigers?
- That's what the man said.
Tigers (mutters).
(distant children playing)
- Well, you're always
complaining it's too quite.
Somebody must have heard ya.
- Well, the whole county doesn't
have to go crazy at once,
does it?
We've got the country treasurer
disappearing into thin air.
Now his girlfriend does the
same vanishing act, right.
(snaps fingers)
- Yeah.
Then we got a deacon from
the God's Pillar Church
(groans) decorating his front yard
with pornographic literature.
(wife laughs)
And some nut wants to
talk to me about tigers.
- Met some of the people from that church.
They're nice people.
- Yeah, well, I'm about to
do those nice people a favor.
- Gee, mister, your work sounds exciting.
- You know, sometimes
you're just a wiseguy.
(Jill gasps mockingly)
- That what's-his-name has
gotta be kidding about tigers,
doesn't he?
- I don't wanna talk about it.
- Officer, officer.
What are you doing here?
Is something the matter?
- Well, I'm looking
for Miss Penny Halpern.
- She's working.
Cullington Inn.
- No, she's not there.
- What do you mean?
- She's not there, and
we need to talk to her.
- Go in and make some coffee, Edith.
I'll take care of this.
(thunder rolls)
- Look, if you hear from her again,
wou'll let us know, won't you?
- Toby.
Toby, I want you to come
in here this minute.
(door slams)
(thudding)
(Toby groans loudly)
- It's gone!
She took it, she took the money!
- What money?
- $4,000.
I'll kill her, I'll kill...
I was savin' it for us, us.
You see.
You don't think all of this stuff is mine?
I was,
we were collecting it.
Evidence.
Yes, for the police.
Those bookstores in Whitford and Scarby.
I'll get that little thief.
Take her in, give her a
good home, look after her.
- Let her go, Toby.
- Let her go?
I'll show her!
I'll kill her!
Wicked!
(thudding)
Sinful!
(thudding)
Damnable!
(thudding)
Damnable!
(crashing)
(energetic suspense music)
(thunder rolls)
(car door slams)
- Daddy, please.
I'd be staying with the Wearings.
- No, nothin' against the Wearings,
but we just don't know anything
about this theater group thing.
- It'd only be for two weeks.
(sighs) And school's out anyway.
I could learn so much.
- That's just it, Maudy, learn what?
Your mother and I stayed up
half the night talkin' it over.
- You didn't talk it over with me.
- [Father] You're only 16.
- You don't trust me.
You just wanna keep me
a regular prisoner here.
- Maybe next year.
- There won't be any next year.
- I used to feel the same
way when I was your age.
(sighing)
- Okay, now, this Birk guy
wasn't kidding, was he?
- No, he came in talkin' about tigers.
Left this note for ya.
- Did he seem like a crackpot?
- No, sir.
He's guy who rented the houseboat.
I've seen him a few times.
He seems to keep to himself.
- Detective Gosford, I am going from here
to the district office
of the Forestry Service
to warn them of the discovery
I made this morning.
You can contact me there
or later at my place.
See if you can reach
Peter Street over there
at the ranger's station, will ya?
I have reason to believe
that two tigers are on
the loose near here.
They are probably from a
zoo or animal attraction,
and I suggest you contact such
establishments immediately.
The animals would not
be adapted to conditions
in the forest area,
but might respond to someone
with whom they are familiar.
I doubt they present any
immediate danger to humans,
but every precaution should be taken.
- Gosford calling from
the Whitford substation.
Hold a second.
- Hello, Peter, John Gosford.
- Hi John, I've been expecting your call.
- Has David Birk been there?
- [Peter] He was here, and he's gone.
- [John] Well, what was
your reading on the guy?
- [Peter] Well, he sounded
like he had all his marbles
and 1/2 of somebody else's.
But come on, tigers?
- [John] Well, today's my
day to believe anything.
- [Peter] We got 60,000 acres out there.
Campers and vacationers
all over the place.
- [John] Can you use some kind of excuse?
Fire danger or somethin' like that?
- [Peter] Fire risk is a fact.
But come on, John, isn't there
any way we can verify this?
The tigers, I mean.
- Tell you what.
I'll go out to talk to this Birk guy.
And maybe he'll sober up by
the time I get out there,
and we can call an all clear.
I'll get back to you Peter, all right.
Bye bye.
(receiver clicks)
(sighs heavily)
You didn't hear anything.
- No, sir.
- Now, send a couple cars up there.
Keep out anyone who has
not set up camp already.
Extreme fire hazard.
- Gotcha.
- [John] Then get on the phone.
Call zoos, parks, animal attractions.
Crazy millionaires who
may have jungle pets.
The library may help you with some names.
- [Miller] Yes, sir.
- I hear one word but tigers around here,
you two are gonna be crossing
guards in Cullington.
You got that?
- Yes, sir.
- Come on, Maudy, don't cry.
(sighs) Hey, I'll tell you what.
Listen, if you want to,
you can play act for me.
- Leave me alone.
- Well, I can be your audience Maudy.
- (sniffles) Don't call me Maudy.
I wanna be called Kim.
- Okay.
Kim.
- You're sure it was tigers you heard?
- No doubt about it.
I waited 'til morning to look.
Sound is tricky from around here.
I figured a 1/2 mile or so.
- Yeah.
Well, I found the pugmarks, tracks.
Site of a kill.
Doe and a fawn.
Pretty much finished the doe.
The fawn he killed just
because it was alive.
He may come back to
finish it later, though.
- You an expert on tigers, Mr. Birk?
- Well, you could say that.
I was brought up in India.
My father was quite a well-known hunter.
I did a bit of it myself some years ago.
Not for sport.
The tigers I shot were man eaters.
- (clicks tongue) Well, it's
not that I doubt your word.
But I would like to see
it with my own eyes.
- The sooner, the better.
Right now if you'd like.
- [Miller] Baker two, Baker two.
Baker two, Baker two.
- Baker two, go ahead.
- Penny Halpern has been apprehended,
being returned into custody
now for your disposition, sir.
- My disposition is getting
worse by the minute, Miller.
I'm comin' in.
- Also, another message
for your attention, sir.
- You got my attention.
What is it?
- A Jed Haines called in.
Said some wild dogs got into his sheep
and killed a slew of 'em.
Wants to know what we're gonna do
about coyotes runnin' around the county.
- Tell him to sit on it, I'm comin' in.
You did say deer, not sheep.
- I said I found a deer.
I don't know about the sheep.
- Well, I've got to go into town
and question a witness
about a disappearance.
- What kind of disappearance?
- (clicks tongue) Nothin',
there was just an abandoned car
on a side road near Cullington.
Why?
- I heard the tigers twice.
But I wouldn't wanna guess.
- Now, wait a minute, wait a minute now.
You told me in that note
that tigers were no danger to man, right?
- I said they were no immediate danger.
Generally the tiger avoids
contact with human beings.
He only becomes a man eater
when he's wounded or old,
or when the sight of an unarmed man
looks like an easier
meal than another animal.
Which can happen
when his normal source
of food is taken away.
- Well, give me a 1/2 hour
to question the witness,
(sighs) and meet me in town.
If you're right--
- What do you mean if I'm right?
My god, man, I'm not trying to be right.
I'm trying to furnish you with
enough factual information
to take action.
This area is full of people.
- Look, I have superiors to talk to.
I can't go around just starting a panic
on the basis--
- Look, Gosford,
if it's become a jungle
out there, Gosford,
the only two superiors around now
are a couple of Bengal tigers.
No more deadly animal exists.
Outside of us.
I wouldn't wait too long.
(dramatic suspense music)
(music swells)
- Hey there, just a minute!
It's all right, Penny, now.
Edith must have reported it.
Just a little misunderstanding.
You can just give the money back,
and there'll be no trouble, huh?
No trouble at all.
Deputies, I'm her guardian.
- Guardian? (giggles)
- Just a few words with her, all right?
You understand, huh?
- Okay, a couple minutes.
- Now, look, Penny, we can work this out.
You don't need to run off, huh?
Sure, see.
Now, here, tell you what.
You give me the envelope.
Just give it back.
And you can even keep
part of the money, huh?
That's fair enough, huh?
- Don't touch me.
You dirty, filthy, stinkin' animal.
They didn't arrest me
for stealing your stinkin' precious money.
(breaths raggedly) And I
don't have your envelope.
I threw it out the window
with the rest of your stuff.
They probably have it.
I hope they make ya choke on it.
Animal!
Animal, animal!
Animal!
(sobs)
- What's so important about
the Haines Farm, anyway?
- Oh, oh, Jed Haines called.
He was all steamed out.
Some coyotes came out
and killed his sheep.
Listen, Taggert, next time,
could you stay here and
let me cover the pool hall?
- Coyotes?
Lucy, baby,
I'll pick up the photographer
and cover the sheep, huh?
- Oh come on, Taggert,
if you're worried about
my delicate sensibility--
- Now, you just take your delicate voice,
and start making some phone calls.
Now, you call the zoo,
the circus, animal acts.
Any place that might have tigers.
- Tigers?
Oh, I knew something was wrong
when you started to chew
on that cigar of yours.
- (gasps) Dead wrong.
Dead wrong.
Now, Lucy, baby, you'll
find out with mileage
that every room has a slight ring to it.
So just keep your ears finely tuned, huh?
- Well, what is it?
Oh come on, Taggert, give me a hint?
- Well, if it's what I think it might be,
the metros and networks will
want yards of copy on this.
Lucy, you might go from
garden club and openings
to big time bylines overnight.
And it could very well be my return ticket
right out of here.
- Wait a minute, you
can't leave me like this.
What is it?
- Well, it could also explain
our missing treasurer,
Mr. Purcell.
(Lucy gasps)
No.
(tense music)
(growling)
- I don't wanna know about
the money right now, Penny.
- Well, he's got a lot of gull
accusing me of anything, anyway.
After those pictures you found.
He shouldn't be pointing
his finger at anybody.
- All right, all right, we're
gonna take care of that.
I wanna know what happened
to Thomas Purcell.
- Tom?
(laughs sharply) I never
heard of a Tom Purcell.
- I don't wanna know
about your personal life.
And I don't care what
you've done right or wrong.
All I'm interested in right now
is knowing what happened
to Thomas Purcell.
You were with him last night.
And it's likely you were
the last one to see him.
We don't believe he disappeared
where his car was found.
Now, I want the truth outta you.
It's important that I know.
Penny, there are some
people's lives at stake.
- Do mean that there really is?
- Is what?
- (gasps softly) A wild animal out there.
(suspenseful music)
(sighs) It was awful.
At first I thought he was
just kiddin', you know?
And then (gasps) I heard
these awful growls.
And then (hyperventilates)
he just never came out.
(sobs)
- It's okay.
All right.
Penny, it's okay.
Now, I know this is difficult for you.
Penny, I want you take me
to the exact place you saw him last.
Will you do that for me?
(knocking)
- Excuse me, sir.
Carl called about a suicide.
He's on his way over
with some things he'd like
you to take a look at.
(tense music)
- Well, you tell him to
rest in peace for awhile.
I'll be back in about an hour or so.
(music swells)
(frantic music)
This is where you parked, right?
- Yeah.
- Where did you see the man last?
(Penny sobs)
- Where did you see him?
- I saw him go into the woods
down there.
- Down there.
- Cub, come on.
Come.
- Hey, look, are you gonna
need that gun, you think?
What do you think's
gonna happen to somebody
in there, in the woods.
- Just show us where to go.
Calm down, will ya, and
show us where to go.
Give us a direction.
Come on.
Where did he go?
- (sobs loudly) In there, in there.
- Come on.
- Come on, come on.
(suspenseful music)
(Penny inhales sharply)
Is this yours?
(Penny sobs)
(music softens)
- Thomas Purcell.
They don't leave much, do they?
(Parker groans)
- Parker.
Parker, I want you to rope the area off,
and don't let anyone in here
until I get back here with the coroner.
- Deputy, do you have a high-power rifle?
- [Parker] Just the shotgun.
- Oh, well, that's no good.
You'd better post a deputy here in a car.
Don't let anybody wander in
that way if it gets dark.
- What goes on here, anyway?
- Tigers.
- Tigers?
Sounds more like bull to me.
Now, Gosford, before
you jump on your horse,
and you run madly off in all
directions at the same time,
let me tell you what probably happened.
That little twist of a girl
too him up there in the woods
for a little hanky-panky,
and the damn fool had a
heart attack and died.
I expect the coyotes did the rest.
- I saw the track, Mr. Hale.
- Yeah, I know you saw tracks.
Pointed out to you by
this great tiger hunter
that nobody ever heard of.
Well, who's heard of him?
Who is he?
The tracks were probably
laid down by a Great Dane,
or a St. Bernard off
somebody's campground.
Now, you're not gonna start
any abominable snowman
or Bigfoot rumors,
and make a laughing stock out
of everybody in this county.
That's the trouble with you big city boys.
They get out here in the wilds,
and they start seein' booger-men.
(chuckling)
- (sighs) Mr. Birk seems to
know what he's talking about,
and there are a lot of people
up in those camp grounds.
- Doggone right, there are.
Tourist business's up 20% this year.
He wants us to chase 'em all away.
- No.
- I told you
that ashamed campaign the
supervisors voted would work.
- Stroke of genius, Jack.
- Oh no, no, no.
With all due respect, I don't mean
chase 'em outta camp.
- All right, just a minute.
Just a minute.
With all due respect, you
direct your comments to me.
- I just think we oughta
notify the news media,
the television people.
- Absolutely not.
- Well, we've got to prevent
people from coming in there.
- No.
No, in no way are we gonna do that.
Just look at the facts, will ya.
If there were any wild zoo
animals loose out there,
we'd be the first ones to know about it.
The zoo would call us.
Oh, it's obvious what has to be done.
I have to go up there myself,
see what the situation is.
If it does appear that there
are any wolves or coyotes,
or tigers,
I'll put a squad of sharpshooters
in there in the morning,
first light.
They'll flush the
critters out and kill 'em.
I'll put a squad of detectives
on standby immediately.
- Sounds sensible to me, Gordon.
You can't go up half-cocked
on things like this, Detective Gosford.
Hale here's experienced
in maneuvers of this sort.
- Yeah, remember those breeding polls
that got out this spring, Gordon?
You guys were the best
cowboys in the west.
- Jack, come on by my office for a drink.
- [Miller] You keep checkin'
in from tiger land, Bud.
- Okay, you guys, have your fun.
Somebody's gonna have to
relieve me sooner or later.
- Now, you better get that
idea right outta your head.
(scoffs) I mean, runnin' away
from home is kid's stuff,
for Pete's sakes.
I mean, they'd pick you
up, they'd take ya in,
and they'd hand ya a lollipop,
and they'd pat ya on the
head like some pet monkey.
I mean, you want that?
- For you to say.
You're not stuck here.
You've got a part time job.
You've got your driver's license.
You get to see people, do things.
- All right, all right, listen Maudy.
I'm gonna go see a flick
tonight, all right.
You can go, okay?
- Don't call me Maudy, damn it!
- And I told you not to cuss.
- Maud Ethel.
Sounds like some cheap gasoline.
(groans in aggravation)
I could just explode!
(door slams)
(suspenseful music)
- Hello, John.
- Hi Carl, come on in.
- It's a suicide all right,
like I told ya on the phone.
The reason I called before
is I found these deep scars
in both arms and one leg.
Years old.
Thought he might be a felon
from your files or something.
When I found out it was a false alarm,
I found this going through his things.
That's him all right.
And few less miles on
him since that was taken.
Somethin' wrong?
- No.
No, thanks, Carl.
- [Carl] You bet.
- See, it's Claude Davin.
Alias, The Great Davino.
He was fired two months ago,
lock, stock, and tigers,
from Safari Trek.
I don't know, it's some
sort of a jungle show.
- Oh beautiful. (chuckles)
Oh beautiful.
All right, dry 'em off with
the white blower just in case.
- Do I win the prize?
- You just may, Lucy, you just may.
That is beginner's luck.
(Lucy vocalizes satisfaction)
It was years before I got
my hands on one that big.
Point for both of ya.
Now, not a word.
Keep the lid on.
Now, nobody gets a sniff of what's cooking
until I say so, huh?
(Lucy sighs)
(suspenseful music)
(radio crackles)
- [Miller] Okay, come in, Bud.
- I'm gettin' out to stretch for a minute.
So don't panic.
(tiger growls)
(engine revs)
(tires squeal)
(music swells)
- I don't know how you
got onto this, Taggert.
But I can tell you one thing.
If one word of this gets out,
you will never work here or
anywhere near here again.
- Oh?
It's a free press, Mr. Hale.
- Not for you, it isn't.
I happen to be a very
close personal friend
of your publisher.
And I know how you stumbled into this town
after a 10 year drunk in the big time.
And you're just one drink
away from being lech again.
So don't make waves around here, mister,
unless you wanna drown in 'em.
(dog barking)
Detective Gosford is
relieved from this case,
effective immediately.
From now on he'll be working on
arrests in the pornography case.
Do you understand the order, Mr. Gosford?
I'm taking personal charge of this matter,
and I'll have a squad of sharpshooters
in the woods in the morning.
They'll handle these wild
animals in a reasonable
and orderly, logical way.
Is there something that doesn't
meet with your approval,
Mr. Birk?
- Well, if I were you,
I would use all the help
that Mr. Taggert can give you
in spreading the word.
And you do send sharpshooters
into the woods in the morning,
be careful.
At least one of these tigers
has tasted human flesh.
Maybe both of them.
They're man eaters now.
They'll be the ones doing the hunting.
- Human flesh?
I'm supposed to believe that
on the word of a thievin' little hustler
and a deadbeater that's
scared half out of his wits?
Or drunk.
Man eaters.
Look, if this fella, what's-his-name,
Gavin, Davin, that suicide,
if he did release these tigers,
there's a 10 to one chance
that they're a couple
of toothless old cats
that he's used to entertain
kids at birthday parties.
Man eaters.
I don't know what your game is, Birk.
But you're not turnin' my
county into a three-ring circus,
you got that?
- Well, Mr. Hale, if you go
into the woods in the morning,
be careful.
Nothing would please these Bengals more
than to have an easy meal
from a full-grown jackass.
(tense music)
- [Man] I'll stop here
moment, and you can jump out.
You should see a doctor
about your stomach.
It could be serious.
(door slams)
(music grows more tense)
(growling)
(jarring note)
(screaming)
Ellen!
(music swells)
Ellen?
(soft rumbling)
- Take it on around back.
(engine revs)
Well, not a chance.
She died on the way in.
- What about the husband, can he talk?
- Well, not now.
He's in deep shock, and I've
got him heavily sedated.
He kept muttering something about a tiger.
- Well, that's two, Johnny.
What are you waiting for, an even dozen?
- Get off my case, Jimmy.
I'm not in charge of this.
- You're damn right you're not in charge.
A couple of blood-thirsty
tigers are in charge of it.
- You heard Hale, you were there.
- Sure, I was there, I heard him.
But he's back in Scarby now.
He's watching a group of his deputies
clean their uniforms, and
polishin' their rifles,
so they'll look pretty
for his dawn patrol.
Look, John, two people
have been killed already.
How many more are you gonna
let get mauled tonight?
John?
Look, I'm over the hill with
a lot of strikes against me.
I've reason to be gutless, but
what the hell is your excuse?
- Here, wear this, it's warm.
- Thanks.
Better start packin' some dishes.
I might be out of a job tomorrow.
- So what?
I'm used to packing.
- So what, huh?
- Mm-hmm.
- I'll tell ya so what.
We've been packin'
and runnin' ever since
we got married, baby.
- Will you lighten up?
Just lighten up, you're just tired.
- (sighs) Of course I am tired, baby.
I'm tired of runnin', if
you wanna know the truth.
I'm tired of this confusion
that I'm feelin' inside.
And I damn sure am tired of
that confusion out there.
- Stop playing games, will you?
What is it you're trying to say?
- Oh, I don't know.
- What?
- Hale is in charge because
cop-outs like me let him.
But not anymore, baby.
No more packin'.
And no more movin' for you.
And that's a promise.
(suspenseful music)
(music intensifies)
- All right, I want all the
rest of ya to go to North Road,
all the camp grounds in there,
get those bonfires goin',
and keep them lit all night,
all right?
- All right.
- Remember,
make sure they're in the clear.
This area is like gasoline right now.
Let's go.
(excited exclamations)
- It's just been confirmed
by Detective John Gosford
of the Whitford substation
in Midland county
that two tigers,
apparently released by
their former trainer,
are roaming loose in the area
and are believed to have killed a man
and a woman in separate attacks.
Visitors and travelers are warned
to stay out of the wooded and rural areas.
Deputies and forest rangers
are warning those already in
the area to take precautions.
The first victim of the man-eating tigers
has been identified
as Midland county
treasurer Thomas Purcell.
Mrs. Ellen Fitch, attacked
less than two hours ago,
was pronounced dead on arrival
at community hospitals.
- Kevin, I'm worried.
You know, Maudy doesn't know.
I think she left before it came over TV.
- Okay, mom, now listen,
I don't want you to worry.
'Cause I'm gonna go out there,
and I'm gonna find Maudy, okay?
All right, but look for your father,
because he's out there some place.
- [Kevin] Okay, mom.
(suspenseful music)
- He's almost ready.
These two, crop right there.
And get a copy print on Davin if you can.
- Okay.
Here's an update for ya.
Dateline Whitford.
Tigers.
(music intensifies)
- [Parker] Hey.
This is the creep that
was in the porno pictures
of Toby Waites, you
know, the church deacon.
- Who is he?
Raymond Perth.
The social science teacher
from the high school.
He was off to LA with his trunk
full again with that garbage
when we picked him up.
We got it in the car.
- You got the warrant?
- Yes, sir.
- Well, lock this one up and
go ahead, get the other guy.
- [Miller] Sir?
- Now what?
- Mr. Hale just called.
He said if I saw you, I'm to
tell you that you're suspended.
But I haven't seen ya, have I?
(unsettling music)
♫ I hear
♫ His dream
♫ Flow from down
♫ His mountain
♫ Amen
- [Preacher] See here, officers.
What's the meaning of this?
This is a house of God.
- We have a warrant for
the arrest of Toby Waites.
Now, Mr. Parker, why don't you
and your deputy have a seat,
and share in our service.
- I'm sorry, sir, but we
have to take him in now.
- My righteousness will
shine at the gates of Heaven.
- That's fine, but right
now we're taking you in
for the producing and distributing
of pornographic material.
- Amen, God.
Amen.
(tense suspenseful music)
- We've just come into sight
of the national forest.
And if there was any thought
that this might be a hoax of some kind,
it looks from up here as
though the authorities
are taking it seriously enough.
Dozens of giant bonfires that you can see
from our remote camera shot
here are burning below.
These, we are told, are
a protective measure
designed to keep the marauding tigers away
from the many camp sites
and farms in the area.
(tense music)
(tiger growls)
(gun fires)
(music darkens)
(music turns emotional)
- Damn.
(growling)
(music grows tense)
- [Reporter] I heard a shot, too.
What do you suppose is going
on in there, Mr. Gosford?
- [John] I'm really not sure.
There's a man out there, Birk.
I really couldn't tell ya.
(suspenseful music)
- [Reporter] What about these tigers,
are they in the area around here?
- They're in the area around here.
That's the best I can offer.
- [Reporter] Are these people in danger?
- Well, we're all in
danger as long as we--
- We've got a runaway girl.
She must have missed
the report on the tiger.
Her brother says she's probably goin'
through the woods to Scarby.
He's gone ahead to look for her.
- Thanks, Sy.
(music swells)
(growling)
- Where are the rest of my deputies?
Have you seen Detective Gosford?
- He and a cop took off
to look for the girl.
- How were they armed?
- The cop had a shotgun, I think.
(crowd chattering)
- Now, now, folks, there
is no reason to be alarmed.
Those two tigers are
probably long gone by now.
- Just one.
I killed the other one a few minutes ago.
Keep all these people near the fire.
This one's gonna be tough to take.
- If don't mind, Mr. Birk, I'll
give the orders around here.
You tryin' to panic these people?
Now, now, there is no
reason to be frightened.
- There's plenty to be frightened about.
All of ya, stay to the fire.
- I told ya, keep your nose out of this.
Unless you want to go back into town
in the back of that black and white,
you'll button up.
- Night is when the tiger hunts, Mr. Hale,
and this one happens to be a man eater.
(tense frantic music)
(growling)
(music slows)
- Maudy!
Maud!
(music quickens and swells)
- Help!
Help!
Help!
(shouts)
Help!
(yells)
(cries out in fear)
Help!
Somebody help me!
(sobs)
Ow, my legs are stuck!
Somebody help me!
- Here she is over here!
- Kevin, Kevin!
- Darn you, Maudy!
Get down here!
(music swells)
- [Maud] Kevin!
(tiger growls)
(Maud screams)
Kevin! (sobs)
Help!
(music breaks)
(growling)
(gun fires)
- [David] You all right?
- [John] Yeah.
- [David] Come on, now, here we go.
- [Maud] (sobs) Kevin, Kevin.
- [David] It's all right.
Come on, she's still around.
Let's get him up.
(muttering)
(dramatic music)
- [Reporter] Bonfires are
still burning like sentinels
in the forest below.
And it looks like one might
have gotten out of hand.
There's a slight wind picking up,
and forest rangers were fearful
this could turn into a blazing inferno.
(sirens wailing)
(music intensifies)
All thought of the tiger
seems to be forgotten now
as this fire is going
completely out of control.
It'll be dawn soon.
The roads are clogged with cars.
Station wagons with their top racks
dropping camping gear along the way.
(horns honking)
(siren wails)
- How many you got up there?
All right, Peter, well, don't panic.
I'll get somebody up there to help you.
Hold it, Parker.
Gibbs Road, get all those
people out of there right away.
Now, move it.
Move it.
Jack, pull those first
three of National Guard
back into this parameter on A Road.
And you've got two more units moving in.
Gosford.
I don't want you to think
that you're gettin' by.
You disobeyed a direct order of mine,
and don't think I'm gonna forget that.
- Let me tell you somethin', Hale.
You're a good traffic cop.
But as a human being, you
are a pompous jackass.
And you can shine your
own boots from now on.
Go to hell.
(creaking)
(motor rumbling)
- Tiger, I saw a tiger!
- All right, calm down.
Where, where, where did you see it?
- Caesar's Table.
We were just riding under the bridge.
It started after me.
- You know where that is?
- Let's go.
Yeah.
(suspenseful music)
- Tell the rangers
to have those two tanker
bombers standing by.
(music intensifies)
(dog barks)
Still around, you think?
- I don't know, it's hard to tell.
She's looking for a place.
- A place for what?
- She's scratching around the
leaves and brush up there.
She's trying to make a
place to have her cubs.
She looks about due to me.
You better stay close to me just in case.
- Better watch him, he's no tiger hunter.
- Neither were you yesterday.
- (Sighs and chuckles) Yeah, well.
(tense music swells)
(dog barks)
(fire crackles)
(plane rumbles)
(dog barks)
- Gosford, stop, she's in there!
(tiger growls)
(gun fires)
(music turns emotional)
How do you feel?
(John sighs)
(music swells with emotion)
- The fire raged for three days
before it was brought under control.
30,000 acres were burned.
And at its height,
the inferno was battled
by more than 3,000 men.
Now, the rest of it's gonna
take months to sort out.
A school teacher and a church deacon
have been indicted in a pornography ring
involving a dozen filth peddlers in LA.
And the DA has uncovered a
whole sewer full of officials
tied into payoffs, and bribery,
and school and government
building contracts.
Yeah, yeah, I've even got
a happy side byline for ya.
(chuckles)
Detective John Gosford
recovered from his wounds,
and was awarded the
Citizen's Medal for Bravery.
He's now wearing his scars proudly
as the newly appointed police chief of,
what is that?
Oh, Edgerton.
Population: 30,000 people.
And no tigers. (chuckles)
Who?
Oh, that Birk fella.
No, it beats me.
Just sort of disappeared.
No one's seen hide nor hair of him.
You know, as a matter of mater,
Birk may not even be his real name.
(bright lighthearted music)
(music swells)
Here, kitty, kitty, kitty, kitty.
(cat meows)
Here, kitty, kitty, kitty, kitty.
Here, kitty, kitty.
(dramatic music)
- What'd I tell you about that cat?
- It's just a sip of
milk, Toby, left over.
- If he's too good to hunt mice,
it's time to wring his neck.
Man shall have dominion over
all the beasts of the land
and the fowl of the air!
(door slams)
(footsteps approach)
- Nice the weather's changing, huh?
- Penny, you'll get pneumonia,
your body all exposed.
(Penny sighs)
(cat meows)
- [Penny] Hello. (laughs softly)
Less clothes you wear,
the bigger tips you get.
(cat meows)
(smooches)
- I thought you were gonna
ask her for a board and broom.
Or do you want me to?
- What for?
- Don't worry, just for show.
You always get it back, with interest.
- Yeah.
You know what I'd like to do someday?
I'd like to walk right up to that pulpit
and tell all those good people
in the God's Fellow Church,
Do you wanna know how
good Deacon Toby Waites
raised his poor little juvenile delinquent
he took in on state aid?
Remember when?
- I've been good to you.
- Likewise, I'm sure.
(engine revs)
(chickens bawking)
- I'm tellin' ya that
we've gotta be careful.
- Tommy boy, when my
friend designs a building
there's enough in it to pay everyone.
- I--
- And enough left over
for a couple of old
fraternity brothers, huh?
- All right.
By the way, old fraternity brother,
don't forget our chess game tonight.
- (laughs) Look who's
talkin' about careful.
You know, if May ever catches
on to your little chess game,
I'm gonna wind up with egg on my face
while you're off with some little,
who is it this time?
That little cocktail waitress?
- Don't worry about May.
She's convinced she's turned
me into a clean-cut celibate
over the years.
She's put me in escrow.
- I have the folder right here.
Well, no.
Actually, the appraisals
here have risen in Whitford
in the last year.
Mm-hm.
No, moving the county seat to Scarby
has actually increased the values.
But Whitford will continue
to have a fire station
and a sheriff substation.
Now, if you're really
interested in this house,
Mr. Gilbert, I would make an offer
before somebody snaps it
up at the asking price.
- If I had my way, we'd close
down this cruddy substation,
and I'd move all you goldbrickers
back to Scarby headquarters
so I can keep an eye on you.
We get you long-haired
slack-offs from the big city
in through here all the time.
You take a job, you're gonna
do us hicks a big favor,
and you think it's gonna
be some kind of a vacation.
With pay.
- Strange. (sighs)
When I was recruited for this
job before the last election,
Sheriff Rondel billed me as
an outstanding investigator,
who would bring professionalism
to the department.
- Sheriff Rondel runs for office.
And I run the department.
- I do my job, Hale.
- Mr. Hale.
I'm the sheriff of this county.
As long as you last in this job, Gosford,
I want a daily report of your
activities, or inactivity.
And of your progress.
Or lack of it.
And another thing.
Any news whatsoever comin'
out of this department
is to be released by my office only,
and not to that cigar-chewing
ex-drunk out there.
(Gosford sighs)
- Jim Taggert's a Pulitzer
Prize winner, Mr. Hale.
- Well, I didn't give it to him.
I don't give prizes,
Gosford, I give orders.
And from now on, every case you're on
is to be considered strictly confidential
'til I say different, you got that?
- Alright.
- I really enjoy the new
office building over in Scarby.
But I guess you'll have to stay here and
take the heat like like
this, won't you, Gosford?
- Depends on hot it gets.
If I were you, I'd take it.
- Guys like you always take the heat.
Fall into a pattern.
Let's see, you
go to law school.
Drop out.
So, then you retreat into
the police department.
But when the time comes for you
to take your lieutenant's exam,
you don't even show up.
Right?
Patterns.
You surprised?
I do my homework, Gosford.
It'd pay you to remember that.
- What's new, John?
- Well, you're gonna have to
check with him from now on.
- Hmm.
That's how it is, huh?
- That's how it is.
- How are you, David?
Good to see you, big man.
You're looking good.
- Thank you.
- Yeah.
Nice dog, nice houseboat.
- Never knew you liked to fish.
- I never did.
Looks like a real good
spot for it, though.
You found yourself a real, real
beautiful spot here, David.
(David laughs)
- How'd you find me, McCallum?
- No, no, no, no.
Me first, okay?
When are you going to accept
yourself for what ya are?
- Well, I already have.
(McCallum scoffs)
That's why I'm here.
- Well, it turns out that
I have to admit you're
about the best we got,
and it looks like we need you back.
- Oh, yeah.
Yeah, it's the only
profession in the world
where to be the best
you gotta be the worst.
- No, no.
- Well, I meant it, Mack.
No more.
- Wait, wait, wait.
- I'm through.
- David, David, look.
Listen to me.
You and I together have tracked down,
well, probably some of the most elusive--
- Well, go ahead and say it.
Targets.
- Targets.
Most elusive targets in the world.
We're pretty good at it.
- We're dinosaurs, Mack.
Our days are numbered.
Already passed, probably,
we don't even know it.
- You know what I'd hoped?
I'd hoped that this time
you're taking off here,
you'd (clicks tongue) become
a little bit more realistic.
Not so poetic.
(dog barks)
- Realistically, where does it all end?
This business of reducing
the solution to all things
to the little X in the
crosshairs of a sniper scope?
You know, Mack,
I've had a dream.
Clear as crystal.
I see myself framed in those crosshairs.
It's no lie, that's realism.
There I am.
A little X across my back,
just below the shoulder blade.
No sound.
Just a deep, hot pain.
Right there.
No more, Mack.
No more.
(car rumbles)
(soft groovy music)
(contented sighing)
- Tom, aren't we ever gonna stop?
I'm tired of driving.
(giggling and smooching)
- Don't leave teeth marks on me.
- One night I'll mark ya good, then what?
(Tom chuckles)
- Then I'll have to
explain how I was attacked
by this wild animal.
- (giggles) Well, if you
don't stop pretty soon,
it won't be a lie.
- I'm just playin' it safe.
(soft giggling)
(tires squealing)
- Watch out!
- That crazy fool.
I'll break his drunken neck.
- Hey.
Terrific, now how is that gonna look, huh?
(drunken mumbling)
- Pound the guy, yeah, wouldn't
that've been somethin'?
(exhales deeply)
- If you wanna tangle with somebody,
how about tanglin' with me?
(giggles)
- Take care of my babies.
Hey you, up there.
You hear me?
Oh, what's the use?
Ain't no god up there.
They're all yours now.
You'll take care of 'em.
(mumbling)
(rattling)
Yeah, yeah.
They're all yours now, yeah.
(smooching)
- What would you do if
you went home one night
and your wife had some
candles on the table
and some wine and she wanted
some romancing from you?
(Tom chuckles)
- No chance.
- No?
- May only makes love in
months with a Z in them.
(both laugh)
- Good.
- Mohan.
Yeah, he's the dumb one.
Yeah.
You've gotta take of him.
He's a good boy.
And Ronnie, she's,
oh god, she's gonna
have her babies tomorrow
or the next day.
You've gotta take care of my babies.
That's all I got.
Here.
Can't starve ya anymore.
(creaking)
Come on, boy, come on, boy.
(tense music)
- [Penny] Hey, where do
you think you're goin'?
- I'm goin' to get some air.
- I know where you're goin'.
- You do?
- Uh-huh (giggles).
Hey, don't go too far.
(music grows more suspenseful)
(low growling)
(snarling)
(music intensifies)
(low growling)
(music swells)
(music quickens)
(Tom screams)
(unsettling music)
Tom?
Come on, Tom, quit kiddin' around.
Come on, I want to get goin'.
Tom?
Tom?
(music swells)
(music grows more suspenseful)
Tom?
(music turns tense)
Tom?
(music grows ominous)
Tom?
Tom?
(growling)
(music intensifies)
(Penny screams)
(engine revs)
(loud growling echoes)
(dog barks)
- My god.
I never thought I'd hear that sound again.
Tigers.
Two of them.
(telephone rings)
- Hello?
- George, I hate to bother you again,
but Tom isn't home yet.
Have you heard anything?
- No.
I assumed he'd be snuggled
safely by your side by now, May.
- (inhales deeply) I know he
drinks on your chess nights.
(faint twangy music)
Are you sure he didn't have one too many?
- May, he sipped one highball all evening.
Do you want an affidavit?
- I'm sorry I asked.
I'm just concerned, that's all.
- Look, don't worry.
Tom can take of himself.
Maybe he had car problems.
Don't worry.
The sheriff's department
says no fog, no accidents.
Relax.
(engine revs)
(tires squeal
- I wonder, could you
check with them again?
- Oh, why don't you call them, May?
- I don't want it to sound as if--
- Okay.
I'll call you back.
(unsettling music)
(door closing)
(music grows more tense)
- Took your time.
There's your money, plus.
Jezebel.
Daughter of Satan.
Corrupter of men.
- (gasps) No, no.
- What do you mean, no?
I couldn't--
- I said no.
Get out of my room.
- So, you've been with
someone else already.
- Now, you get outta here.
Don't you threaten me.
- Who have you been with tonight?
- I haven't been with anybody.
Now, get outta here.
Or I'm gonna start screamin'.
(door slams)
(sighs)
(faint country music)
♫ Let it rain
♫ Let it rain on
(singing drowned out by car rumbling)
♫ Rain on this goodbye
♫ Make it blue
(singing drowned out by car rumbling)
♫ Goodbye
♫ Today
♫ Kiss me goodbye
- Miller?
- [Miller] Go ahead.
- I've got an abandoned
car on Cullington Drive.
Looks kinda fishy here.
Could you get me a make
on California four eight seven
bravo alpha kilo?
- Where'd you say it was?
Mmm-hmm, yeah, well,
I'll talk to ya later.
Okay, so long. (sighs)
- What was that all about? (sighs)
- (sighs heavily) The
honorable county treasurer
Thomas Purcell's car was found
abandoned with the radio on.
- (groans) The honorable Thomas Purcell
is gonna run his battery down.
(faint country music)
♫ That lazy goodbye
♫ Let it rain
- I suppose Mr. Hale is going to want
a written report before morning.
(John sighs)
(thudding)
- I told you, you ever mention Hale's name
in the bedroom, of all places,
and you're in big trouble, right?
(groans softly)
- Now that I'm awake,
(John laughs softly)
and this is the bedroom.
(both laugh)
- Oh, you'll impede law
enforcement any way you can,
won't ya?
Coffee.
Sex.
How 'bout an omelet?
(woman laughs)
(growling)
(dog barks)
- What the hell's goin' on out there?
- Hi John.
- Hasn't been around, huh?
- No.
(John groans)
- You know the county
treasurer's wife, Mrs. Purcell?
- Yeah, just by sight.
- By sight would you
say this is her style?
(officer chuckles)
- No, not Miss Prim and Proper.
- She's not the type
that undresses in the back of a car, huh?
- No, I wouldn't guess that.
- Well, it looks like you
and Miller are right, Fred.
Mr. Thomas Purcell has disappeared
under very suspicious circumstances.
Not unique.
But suspicious.
Ah, I got myself on the
short end of the stick
of a very touchy (sighs)
political problem.
All I need.
(dog barks)
(dog barks)
- Mr. Gosford, you asked me over here
to discuss the
disappearance of my husband.
I see no reason why we should waste time
trying to find clues in my married life.
I know police savor such things, but,
could you move that--
- [John] Everything's
okay at your house, then?
- Yes, yes.
Things might be okay at your house.
Our home life is exemplary.
- He left this George
Leppard's home quarter to 11?
- Yes, yes, that's what George said.
- Do you have reason not to believe him?
- (laughs) None whatsoever.
It's just that George is a bachelor.
They lead very unprecise lives.
He might have been
mistaken about the time.
- He always goes over
there on his chess night?
- Yes, I encourage it.
It's a outlet.
- He always goes over to
Leppard's house, though.
- Yes.
- Never at your house?
- No.
- Why is that?
- I don't see what this
has to do with anything.
- Well, usually chess buddies
switch back and forth.
Unless, of course, there's some reason.
- Are you suggesting
that there's some sort
of a homosexual relationship going on?
- No, ma'am.
That never crossed my mind.
- The reason is very simple.
- The reason that they play
at Leppard's house, you mean?
- Yes, yes.
We don't drink at home.
We don't even keep liquor at the house.
- Oh.
- Well, I don't enjoy it.
And since I contribute
to our joint income,
we decided a long time
ago there was no need
to spend money on something
only one of us enjoys.
- I see, I see.
Well, I would think that
he probably a little snort
or two over there on his chess night, yes?
- I'm sure that he has a
highball or two over there, yes.
But if you think that he was just, well,
just drunk and wandering
around falling down drunk.
- No, no.
- And walked away
from his car--
- As a matter of fact,
Mrs. Purcell, I don't think he disappeared
where we found the car.
There were no men's footprints
moving away from it.
- Tom knows that I would never tolerate
that kind of self-indulgence.
His position and responsibility
forbids any such behavior.
Oh, I know you police would just love
some kind of seamy explanation,
but I can assure you
that my husband was the victim
of some kind of foul play.
Why are you staring at me like that?
- I find it odd, Mrs. Purcell,
that you prefer to think of
him as either being robbed,
or mugged, or murdered instead
of just sleeping it off
under some tree somewhere, that's all.
- You are out of line, Mr. Gosford.
I have to warn you that I have
a position in this county.
And I am well-acquainted with the sheriff
and Undersheriff Hale.
If I were you, I would be very careful
that in your investigation
you didn't plant any filthy insinuations.
I'd be very careful.
(telephone ringing)
(growling)
(dog barks)
- Anybody report a missing
girl this morning, Parker?
- No, sir.
Anyone in particular?
- Yeah, one in particular, but
I don't know which one yet.
- I'll let you know as
soon as I find out then.
- Well, you and Purcell went
to the same college, right?
- The same fraternity, yeah.
Tom was in business administration,
I was in architecture.
- Hmm.
Fraternity handshake comes in
handy later on, doesn't it?
- What's that supposed to mean?
Look, just because my
firm has been successful
on a few county contracts
doesn't give you the right...
- All I meant was, you
wouldn't be covering
for an old fraternity brother, would ya?
- Cover up?
- May Purcell runs a
pretty tight ship, I hear.
- May is a fine woman.
Highly successful in
her own right, you know.
- No, but I mean she goes
to bed with her coat on.
- I wouldn't know about that.
- Who was your friend playing
around with on the sly?
- Tom?
- Yeah, Tom.
He was with a girl last
night as a matter of fact.
- Tom was with me last night.
- He was with you until
a quarter of 11, Leppard.
After that he was with some girl.
Her fingerprints are all over the car.
Her black hose were in the
backseat of the same car.
- Look, I helped--
- I am not the custodian
of public morals, Leppard.
If you're trying to
cover up for your buddy,
you'll make it a lot tougher to find him.
You understand that?
- Look here, if Tom had
a woman on the side,
he certainly never mentioned it to me.
I have to go.
I have a client meeting
in half an hour.
- Yeah, well,
whether it's a longstanding diversion
or just a little one night's fling,
I'm sure she's a local girl.
- Oh?
- Yeah.
- And this is a small place, Leppard.
When we find her,
I think she's gonna have a lot
of things to tell us, right?
(tense music)
(curious music)
(dog barking)
(music grows more unsettling)
(crowd chattering)
(music grows more tense)
(excited chattering)
- Well, Detective Gosford.
- Hi Jess.
- Long time.
- Yeah, yeah, how about a glass of water?
- What's the crime of the day?
- The prices on your menu, Jess.
Mira in back there?
- Back in the office.
(soft piano music)
- Thanks.
(glass clinks)
(crowd chattering)
(knocking)
- Hi Mira.
- John Gosford, what a pleasant surprise.
- Thank you, it's good to see you.
- You don't look comfortable, Johnny.
That's bad.
- Tom Purcell, does he come in here often?
- Sure.
Tom Purcell comes in here
once in awhile for lunch.
Business friends from his office.
He's a tuna salad and
vodka martini. (laughs)
They think the fish covers the booze.
Works just the opposite, you know.
- Yeah.
His wife, he doesn't bring
her in here, does he?
- May Purcell doesn't care
very much for me, I'm afraid.
I'm really not her type.
- Yeah, I can see why.
Tom Purcell was playing around
with one of your waitresses, Mira.
Which one?
- Why don't you ask him?
- Well, I would if I could find him.
He was (inhales deeply)
goin' at it in the backseat of his car
with one of your girls
just before he disappeared.
Now, I'm a happily married man, Mira.
But I never miss a pair
of legs in black hose.
And this is the only place
I know of around here
that they wear these.
- Stupid little hustler.
I warned her about fooling
around with the customers.
- Who is it?
- Penny Halpern.
- I don't know her.
- She's had problems
ever since she was a kid.
The court turned her
over to the Toby Waites
out on Liberty Mills Road when she was 14.
For a little bible-thumping upbringing.
- Yeah, well,
I don't wanna preach to her.
I just wanna talk to her.
Would you go out and get her, please?
(energetic suspense music)
(music turns unsettling)
- You're not gonna believe this,
but she pocketed her tips and took off.
She told Jess she had a headache.
- All right.
It's a day for headaches, isn't it?
Thank you.
(curious suspenseful music)
(rattling and clanging)
(music grows more troubled)
(music intensifies)
- God is our strength and our salvation.
May the good lord look
down on our sister Jarvis,
and bless her with his
goodness and his mercy.
Amen.
- Bless you, bless you both.
(curious music)
- That's Toby.
That teacher.
(giggles)
I don't believe it.
Whee.
(laughs)
(unsettling music)
(giggles hysterically)
(vocalizes glee)
(music swells)
(suspenseful music)
(car door slams)
(music intensifies)
(rapping)
(music softens)
(sighs)
- This is Gosford.
- Go ahead.
- (sighs) Get out an APB on Penny Halpern.
21, 5'4", light hair.
She's driving a maroon
Mustang convertible.
DMV can get you the license.
Wanted for questioning.
- Yes, sir.
- And get an officer
out to the Waites Farm
on Liberty Mill Road on the double,
and tell him to dress
for some heavy weather
comin' in right now.
- Roger.
Mr. Gosford, there's a fellow
at the station to see you.
Name of David Birk.
- Well, what does he want?
- Somethin' about tigers.
- Tigers?
- Yes, sir, he said tigers.
Said he wants to talk to the head man.
- Well, you tell him you're the head man.
I'm no longer there at the moment.
Just get the officer out
here in a hurry, please.
- Tigers?
- Tigers.
- Tigers?
- That's what the man said.
Tigers (mutters).
(distant children playing)
- Well, you're always
complaining it's too quite.
Somebody must have heard ya.
- Well, the whole county doesn't
have to go crazy at once,
does it?
We've got the country treasurer
disappearing into thin air.
Now his girlfriend does the
same vanishing act, right.
(snaps fingers)
- Yeah.
Then we got a deacon from
the God's Pillar Church
(groans) decorating his front yard
with pornographic literature.
(wife laughs)
And some nut wants to
talk to me about tigers.
- Met some of the people from that church.
They're nice people.
- Yeah, well, I'm about to
do those nice people a favor.
- Gee, mister, your work sounds exciting.
- You know, sometimes
you're just a wiseguy.
(Jill gasps mockingly)
- That what's-his-name has
gotta be kidding about tigers,
doesn't he?
- I don't wanna talk about it.
- Officer, officer.
What are you doing here?
Is something the matter?
- Well, I'm looking
for Miss Penny Halpern.
- She's working.
Cullington Inn.
- No, she's not there.
- What do you mean?
- She's not there, and
we need to talk to her.
- Go in and make some coffee, Edith.
I'll take care of this.
(thunder rolls)
- Look, if you hear from her again,
wou'll let us know, won't you?
- Toby.
Toby, I want you to come
in here this minute.
(door slams)
(thudding)
(Toby groans loudly)
- It's gone!
She took it, she took the money!
- What money?
- $4,000.
I'll kill her, I'll kill...
I was savin' it for us, us.
You see.
You don't think all of this stuff is mine?
I was,
we were collecting it.
Evidence.
Yes, for the police.
Those bookstores in Whitford and Scarby.
I'll get that little thief.
Take her in, give her a
good home, look after her.
- Let her go, Toby.
- Let her go?
I'll show her!
I'll kill her!
Wicked!
(thudding)
Sinful!
(thudding)
Damnable!
(thudding)
Damnable!
(crashing)
(energetic suspense music)
(thunder rolls)
(car door slams)
- Daddy, please.
I'd be staying with the Wearings.
- No, nothin' against the Wearings,
but we just don't know anything
about this theater group thing.
- It'd only be for two weeks.
(sighs) And school's out anyway.
I could learn so much.
- That's just it, Maudy, learn what?
Your mother and I stayed up
half the night talkin' it over.
- You didn't talk it over with me.
- [Father] You're only 16.
- You don't trust me.
You just wanna keep me
a regular prisoner here.
- Maybe next year.
- There won't be any next year.
- I used to feel the same
way when I was your age.
(sighing)
- Okay, now, this Birk guy
wasn't kidding, was he?
- No, he came in talkin' about tigers.
Left this note for ya.
- Did he seem like a crackpot?
- No, sir.
He's guy who rented the houseboat.
I've seen him a few times.
He seems to keep to himself.
- Detective Gosford, I am going from here
to the district office
of the Forestry Service
to warn them of the discovery
I made this morning.
You can contact me there
or later at my place.
See if you can reach
Peter Street over there
at the ranger's station, will ya?
I have reason to believe
that two tigers are on
the loose near here.
They are probably from a
zoo or animal attraction,
and I suggest you contact such
establishments immediately.
The animals would not
be adapted to conditions
in the forest area,
but might respond to someone
with whom they are familiar.
I doubt they present any
immediate danger to humans,
but every precaution should be taken.
- Gosford calling from
the Whitford substation.
Hold a second.
- Hello, Peter, John Gosford.
- Hi John, I've been expecting your call.
- Has David Birk been there?
- [Peter] He was here, and he's gone.
- [John] Well, what was
your reading on the guy?
- [Peter] Well, he sounded
like he had all his marbles
and 1/2 of somebody else's.
But come on, tigers?
- [John] Well, today's my
day to believe anything.
- [Peter] We got 60,000 acres out there.
Campers and vacationers
all over the place.
- [John] Can you use some kind of excuse?
Fire danger or somethin' like that?
- [Peter] Fire risk is a fact.
But come on, John, isn't there
any way we can verify this?
The tigers, I mean.
- Tell you what.
I'll go out to talk to this Birk guy.
And maybe he'll sober up by
the time I get out there,
and we can call an all clear.
I'll get back to you Peter, all right.
Bye bye.
(receiver clicks)
(sighs heavily)
You didn't hear anything.
- No, sir.
- Now, send a couple cars up there.
Keep out anyone who has
not set up camp already.
Extreme fire hazard.
- Gotcha.
- [John] Then get on the phone.
Call zoos, parks, animal attractions.
Crazy millionaires who
may have jungle pets.
The library may help you with some names.
- [Miller] Yes, sir.
- I hear one word but tigers around here,
you two are gonna be crossing
guards in Cullington.
You got that?
- Yes, sir.
- Come on, Maudy, don't cry.
(sighs) Hey, I'll tell you what.
Listen, if you want to,
you can play act for me.
- Leave me alone.
- Well, I can be your audience Maudy.
- (sniffles) Don't call me Maudy.
I wanna be called Kim.
- Okay.
Kim.
- You're sure it was tigers you heard?
- No doubt about it.
I waited 'til morning to look.
Sound is tricky from around here.
I figured a 1/2 mile or so.
- Yeah.
Well, I found the pugmarks, tracks.
Site of a kill.
Doe and a fawn.
Pretty much finished the doe.
The fawn he killed just
because it was alive.
He may come back to
finish it later, though.
- You an expert on tigers, Mr. Birk?
- Well, you could say that.
I was brought up in India.
My father was quite a well-known hunter.
I did a bit of it myself some years ago.
Not for sport.
The tigers I shot were man eaters.
- (clicks tongue) Well, it's
not that I doubt your word.
But I would like to see
it with my own eyes.
- The sooner, the better.
Right now if you'd like.
- [Miller] Baker two, Baker two.
Baker two, Baker two.
- Baker two, go ahead.
- Penny Halpern has been apprehended,
being returned into custody
now for your disposition, sir.
- My disposition is getting
worse by the minute, Miller.
I'm comin' in.
- Also, another message
for your attention, sir.
- You got my attention.
What is it?
- A Jed Haines called in.
Said some wild dogs got into his sheep
and killed a slew of 'em.
Wants to know what we're gonna do
about coyotes runnin' around the county.
- Tell him to sit on it, I'm comin' in.
You did say deer, not sheep.
- I said I found a deer.
I don't know about the sheep.
- Well, I've got to go into town
and question a witness
about a disappearance.
- What kind of disappearance?
- (clicks tongue) Nothin',
there was just an abandoned car
on a side road near Cullington.
Why?
- I heard the tigers twice.
But I wouldn't wanna guess.
- Now, wait a minute, wait a minute now.
You told me in that note
that tigers were no danger to man, right?
- I said they were no immediate danger.
Generally the tiger avoids
contact with human beings.
He only becomes a man eater
when he's wounded or old,
or when the sight of an unarmed man
looks like an easier
meal than another animal.
Which can happen
when his normal source
of food is taken away.
- Well, give me a 1/2 hour
to question the witness,
(sighs) and meet me in town.
If you're right--
- What do you mean if I'm right?
My god, man, I'm not trying to be right.
I'm trying to furnish you with
enough factual information
to take action.
This area is full of people.
- Look, I have superiors to talk to.
I can't go around just starting a panic
on the basis--
- Look, Gosford,
if it's become a jungle
out there, Gosford,
the only two superiors around now
are a couple of Bengal tigers.
No more deadly animal exists.
Outside of us.
I wouldn't wait too long.
(dramatic suspense music)
(music swells)
- Hey there, just a minute!
It's all right, Penny, now.
Edith must have reported it.
Just a little misunderstanding.
You can just give the money back,
and there'll be no trouble, huh?
No trouble at all.
Deputies, I'm her guardian.
- Guardian? (giggles)
- Just a few words with her, all right?
You understand, huh?
- Okay, a couple minutes.
- Now, look, Penny, we can work this out.
You don't need to run off, huh?
Sure, see.
Now, here, tell you what.
You give me the envelope.
Just give it back.
And you can even keep
part of the money, huh?
That's fair enough, huh?
- Don't touch me.
You dirty, filthy, stinkin' animal.
They didn't arrest me
for stealing your stinkin' precious money.
(breaths raggedly) And I
don't have your envelope.
I threw it out the window
with the rest of your stuff.
They probably have it.
I hope they make ya choke on it.
Animal!
Animal, animal!
Animal!
(sobs)
- What's so important about
the Haines Farm, anyway?
- Oh, oh, Jed Haines called.
He was all steamed out.
Some coyotes came out
and killed his sheep.
Listen, Taggert, next time,
could you stay here and
let me cover the pool hall?
- Coyotes?
Lucy, baby,
I'll pick up the photographer
and cover the sheep, huh?
- Oh come on, Taggert,
if you're worried about
my delicate sensibility--
- Now, you just take your delicate voice,
and start making some phone calls.
Now, you call the zoo,
the circus, animal acts.
Any place that might have tigers.
- Tigers?
Oh, I knew something was wrong
when you started to chew
on that cigar of yours.
- (gasps) Dead wrong.
Dead wrong.
Now, Lucy, baby, you'll
find out with mileage
that every room has a slight ring to it.
So just keep your ears finely tuned, huh?
- Well, what is it?
Oh come on, Taggert, give me a hint?
- Well, if it's what I think it might be,
the metros and networks will
want yards of copy on this.
Lucy, you might go from
garden club and openings
to big time bylines overnight.
And it could very well be my return ticket
right out of here.
- Wait a minute, you
can't leave me like this.
What is it?
- Well, it could also explain
our missing treasurer,
Mr. Purcell.
(Lucy gasps)
No.
(tense music)
(growling)
- I don't wanna know about
the money right now, Penny.
- Well, he's got a lot of gull
accusing me of anything, anyway.
After those pictures you found.
He shouldn't be pointing
his finger at anybody.
- All right, all right, we're
gonna take care of that.
I wanna know what happened
to Thomas Purcell.
- Tom?
(laughs sharply) I never
heard of a Tom Purcell.
- I don't wanna know
about your personal life.
And I don't care what
you've done right or wrong.
All I'm interested in right now
is knowing what happened
to Thomas Purcell.
You were with him last night.
And it's likely you were
the last one to see him.
We don't believe he disappeared
where his car was found.
Now, I want the truth outta you.
It's important that I know.
Penny, there are some
people's lives at stake.
- Do mean that there really is?
- Is what?
- (gasps softly) A wild animal out there.
(suspenseful music)
(sighs) It was awful.
At first I thought he was
just kiddin', you know?
And then (gasps) I heard
these awful growls.
And then (hyperventilates)
he just never came out.
(sobs)
- It's okay.
All right.
Penny, it's okay.
Now, I know this is difficult for you.
Penny, I want you take me
to the exact place you saw him last.
Will you do that for me?
(knocking)
- Excuse me, sir.
Carl called about a suicide.
He's on his way over
with some things he'd like
you to take a look at.
(tense music)
- Well, you tell him to
rest in peace for awhile.
I'll be back in about an hour or so.
(music swells)
(frantic music)
This is where you parked, right?
- Yeah.
- Where did you see the man last?
(Penny sobs)
- Where did you see him?
- I saw him go into the woods
down there.
- Down there.
- Cub, come on.
Come.
- Hey, look, are you gonna
need that gun, you think?
What do you think's
gonna happen to somebody
in there, in the woods.
- Just show us where to go.
Calm down, will ya, and
show us where to go.
Give us a direction.
Come on.
Where did he go?
- (sobs loudly) In there, in there.
- Come on.
- Come on, come on.
(suspenseful music)
(Penny inhales sharply)
Is this yours?
(Penny sobs)
(music softens)
- Thomas Purcell.
They don't leave much, do they?
(Parker groans)
- Parker.
Parker, I want you to rope the area off,
and don't let anyone in here
until I get back here with the coroner.
- Deputy, do you have a high-power rifle?
- [Parker] Just the shotgun.
- Oh, well, that's no good.
You'd better post a deputy here in a car.
Don't let anybody wander in
that way if it gets dark.
- What goes on here, anyway?
- Tigers.
- Tigers?
Sounds more like bull to me.
Now, Gosford, before
you jump on your horse,
and you run madly off in all
directions at the same time,
let me tell you what probably happened.
That little twist of a girl
too him up there in the woods
for a little hanky-panky,
and the damn fool had a
heart attack and died.
I expect the coyotes did the rest.
- I saw the track, Mr. Hale.
- Yeah, I know you saw tracks.
Pointed out to you by
this great tiger hunter
that nobody ever heard of.
Well, who's heard of him?
Who is he?
The tracks were probably
laid down by a Great Dane,
or a St. Bernard off
somebody's campground.
Now, you're not gonna start
any abominable snowman
or Bigfoot rumors,
and make a laughing stock out
of everybody in this county.
That's the trouble with you big city boys.
They get out here in the wilds,
and they start seein' booger-men.
(chuckling)
- (sighs) Mr. Birk seems to
know what he's talking about,
and there are a lot of people
up in those camp grounds.
- Doggone right, there are.
Tourist business's up 20% this year.
He wants us to chase 'em all away.
- No.
- I told you
that ashamed campaign the
supervisors voted would work.
- Stroke of genius, Jack.
- Oh no, no, no.
With all due respect, I don't mean
chase 'em outta camp.
- All right, just a minute.
Just a minute.
With all due respect, you
direct your comments to me.
- I just think we oughta
notify the news media,
the television people.
- Absolutely not.
- Well, we've got to prevent
people from coming in there.
- No.
No, in no way are we gonna do that.
Just look at the facts, will ya.
If there were any wild zoo
animals loose out there,
we'd be the first ones to know about it.
The zoo would call us.
Oh, it's obvious what has to be done.
I have to go up there myself,
see what the situation is.
If it does appear that there
are any wolves or coyotes,
or tigers,
I'll put a squad of sharpshooters
in there in the morning,
first light.
They'll flush the
critters out and kill 'em.
I'll put a squad of detectives
on standby immediately.
- Sounds sensible to me, Gordon.
You can't go up half-cocked
on things like this, Detective Gosford.
Hale here's experienced
in maneuvers of this sort.
- Yeah, remember those breeding polls
that got out this spring, Gordon?
You guys were the best
cowboys in the west.
- Jack, come on by my office for a drink.
- [Miller] You keep checkin'
in from tiger land, Bud.
- Okay, you guys, have your fun.
Somebody's gonna have to
relieve me sooner or later.
- Now, you better get that
idea right outta your head.
(scoffs) I mean, runnin' away
from home is kid's stuff,
for Pete's sakes.
I mean, they'd pick you
up, they'd take ya in,
and they'd hand ya a lollipop,
and they'd pat ya on the
head like some pet monkey.
I mean, you want that?
- For you to say.
You're not stuck here.
You've got a part time job.
You've got your driver's license.
You get to see people, do things.
- All right, all right, listen Maudy.
I'm gonna go see a flick
tonight, all right.
You can go, okay?
- Don't call me Maudy, damn it!
- And I told you not to cuss.
- Maud Ethel.
Sounds like some cheap gasoline.
(groans in aggravation)
I could just explode!
(door slams)
(suspenseful music)
- Hello, John.
- Hi Carl, come on in.
- It's a suicide all right,
like I told ya on the phone.
The reason I called before
is I found these deep scars
in both arms and one leg.
Years old.
Thought he might be a felon
from your files or something.
When I found out it was a false alarm,
I found this going through his things.
That's him all right.
And few less miles on
him since that was taken.
Somethin' wrong?
- No.
No, thanks, Carl.
- [Carl] You bet.
- See, it's Claude Davin.
Alias, The Great Davino.
He was fired two months ago,
lock, stock, and tigers,
from Safari Trek.
I don't know, it's some
sort of a jungle show.
- Oh beautiful. (chuckles)
Oh beautiful.
All right, dry 'em off with
the white blower just in case.
- Do I win the prize?
- You just may, Lucy, you just may.
That is beginner's luck.
(Lucy vocalizes satisfaction)
It was years before I got
my hands on one that big.
Point for both of ya.
Now, not a word.
Keep the lid on.
Now, nobody gets a sniff of what's cooking
until I say so, huh?
(Lucy sighs)
(suspenseful music)
(radio crackles)
- [Miller] Okay, come in, Bud.
- I'm gettin' out to stretch for a minute.
So don't panic.
(tiger growls)
(engine revs)
(tires squeal)
(music swells)
- I don't know how you
got onto this, Taggert.
But I can tell you one thing.
If one word of this gets out,
you will never work here or
anywhere near here again.
- Oh?
It's a free press, Mr. Hale.
- Not for you, it isn't.
I happen to be a very
close personal friend
of your publisher.
And I know how you stumbled into this town
after a 10 year drunk in the big time.
And you're just one drink
away from being lech again.
So don't make waves around here, mister,
unless you wanna drown in 'em.
(dog barking)
Detective Gosford is
relieved from this case,
effective immediately.
From now on he'll be working on
arrests in the pornography case.
Do you understand the order, Mr. Gosford?
I'm taking personal charge of this matter,
and I'll have a squad of sharpshooters
in the woods in the morning.
They'll handle these wild
animals in a reasonable
and orderly, logical way.
Is there something that doesn't
meet with your approval,
Mr. Birk?
- Well, if I were you,
I would use all the help
that Mr. Taggert can give you
in spreading the word.
And you do send sharpshooters
into the woods in the morning,
be careful.
At least one of these tigers
has tasted human flesh.
Maybe both of them.
They're man eaters now.
They'll be the ones doing the hunting.
- Human flesh?
I'm supposed to believe that
on the word of a thievin' little hustler
and a deadbeater that's
scared half out of his wits?
Or drunk.
Man eaters.
Look, if this fella, what's-his-name,
Gavin, Davin, that suicide,
if he did release these tigers,
there's a 10 to one chance
that they're a couple
of toothless old cats
that he's used to entertain
kids at birthday parties.
Man eaters.
I don't know what your game is, Birk.
But you're not turnin' my
county into a three-ring circus,
you got that?
- Well, Mr. Hale, if you go
into the woods in the morning,
be careful.
Nothing would please these Bengals more
than to have an easy meal
from a full-grown jackass.
(tense music)
- [Man] I'll stop here
moment, and you can jump out.
You should see a doctor
about your stomach.
It could be serious.
(door slams)
(music grows more tense)
(growling)
(jarring note)
(screaming)
Ellen!
(music swells)
Ellen?
(soft rumbling)
- Take it on around back.
(engine revs)
Well, not a chance.
She died on the way in.
- What about the husband, can he talk?
- Well, not now.
He's in deep shock, and I've
got him heavily sedated.
He kept muttering something about a tiger.
- Well, that's two, Johnny.
What are you waiting for, an even dozen?
- Get off my case, Jimmy.
I'm not in charge of this.
- You're damn right you're not in charge.
A couple of blood-thirsty
tigers are in charge of it.
- You heard Hale, you were there.
- Sure, I was there, I heard him.
But he's back in Scarby now.
He's watching a group of his deputies
clean their uniforms, and
polishin' their rifles,
so they'll look pretty
for his dawn patrol.
Look, John, two people
have been killed already.
How many more are you gonna
let get mauled tonight?
John?
Look, I'm over the hill with
a lot of strikes against me.
I've reason to be gutless, but
what the hell is your excuse?
- Here, wear this, it's warm.
- Thanks.
Better start packin' some dishes.
I might be out of a job tomorrow.
- So what?
I'm used to packing.
- So what, huh?
- Mm-hmm.
- I'll tell ya so what.
We've been packin'
and runnin' ever since
we got married, baby.
- Will you lighten up?
Just lighten up, you're just tired.
- (sighs) Of course I am tired, baby.
I'm tired of runnin', if
you wanna know the truth.
I'm tired of this confusion
that I'm feelin' inside.
And I damn sure am tired of
that confusion out there.
- Stop playing games, will you?
What is it you're trying to say?
- Oh, I don't know.
- What?
- Hale is in charge because
cop-outs like me let him.
But not anymore, baby.
No more packin'.
And no more movin' for you.
And that's a promise.
(suspenseful music)
(music intensifies)
- All right, I want all the
rest of ya to go to North Road,
all the camp grounds in there,
get those bonfires goin',
and keep them lit all night,
all right?
- All right.
- Remember,
make sure they're in the clear.
This area is like gasoline right now.
Let's go.
(excited exclamations)
- It's just been confirmed
by Detective John Gosford
of the Whitford substation
in Midland county
that two tigers,
apparently released by
their former trainer,
are roaming loose in the area
and are believed to have killed a man
and a woman in separate attacks.
Visitors and travelers are warned
to stay out of the wooded and rural areas.
Deputies and forest rangers
are warning those already in
the area to take precautions.
The first victim of the man-eating tigers
has been identified
as Midland county
treasurer Thomas Purcell.
Mrs. Ellen Fitch, attacked
less than two hours ago,
was pronounced dead on arrival
at community hospitals.
- Kevin, I'm worried.
You know, Maudy doesn't know.
I think she left before it came over TV.
- Okay, mom, now listen,
I don't want you to worry.
'Cause I'm gonna go out there,
and I'm gonna find Maudy, okay?
All right, but look for your father,
because he's out there some place.
- [Kevin] Okay, mom.
(suspenseful music)
- He's almost ready.
These two, crop right there.
And get a copy print on Davin if you can.
- Okay.
Here's an update for ya.
Dateline Whitford.
Tigers.
(music intensifies)
- [Parker] Hey.
This is the creep that
was in the porno pictures
of Toby Waites, you
know, the church deacon.
- Who is he?
Raymond Perth.
The social science teacher
from the high school.
He was off to LA with his trunk
full again with that garbage
when we picked him up.
We got it in the car.
- You got the warrant?
- Yes, sir.
- Well, lock this one up and
go ahead, get the other guy.
- [Miller] Sir?
- Now what?
- Mr. Hale just called.
He said if I saw you, I'm to
tell you that you're suspended.
But I haven't seen ya, have I?
(unsettling music)
♫ I hear
♫ His dream
♫ Flow from down
♫ His mountain
♫ Amen
- [Preacher] See here, officers.
What's the meaning of this?
This is a house of God.
- We have a warrant for
the arrest of Toby Waites.
Now, Mr. Parker, why don't you
and your deputy have a seat,
and share in our service.
- I'm sorry, sir, but we
have to take him in now.
- My righteousness will
shine at the gates of Heaven.
- That's fine, but right
now we're taking you in
for the producing and distributing
of pornographic material.
- Amen, God.
Amen.
(tense suspenseful music)
- We've just come into sight
of the national forest.
And if there was any thought
that this might be a hoax of some kind,
it looks from up here as
though the authorities
are taking it seriously enough.
Dozens of giant bonfires that you can see
from our remote camera shot
here are burning below.
These, we are told, are
a protective measure
designed to keep the marauding tigers away
from the many camp sites
and farms in the area.
(tense music)
(tiger growls)
(gun fires)
(music darkens)
(music turns emotional)
- Damn.
(growling)
(music grows tense)
- [Reporter] I heard a shot, too.
What do you suppose is going
on in there, Mr. Gosford?
- [John] I'm really not sure.
There's a man out there, Birk.
I really couldn't tell ya.
(suspenseful music)
- [Reporter] What about these tigers,
are they in the area around here?
- They're in the area around here.
That's the best I can offer.
- [Reporter] Are these people in danger?
- Well, we're all in
danger as long as we--
- We've got a runaway girl.
She must have missed
the report on the tiger.
Her brother says she's probably goin'
through the woods to Scarby.
He's gone ahead to look for her.
- Thanks, Sy.
(music swells)
(growling)
- Where are the rest of my deputies?
Have you seen Detective Gosford?
- He and a cop took off
to look for the girl.
- How were they armed?
- The cop had a shotgun, I think.
(crowd chattering)
- Now, now, folks, there
is no reason to be alarmed.
Those two tigers are
probably long gone by now.
- Just one.
I killed the other one a few minutes ago.
Keep all these people near the fire.
This one's gonna be tough to take.
- If don't mind, Mr. Birk, I'll
give the orders around here.
You tryin' to panic these people?
Now, now, there is no
reason to be frightened.
- There's plenty to be frightened about.
All of ya, stay to the fire.
- I told ya, keep your nose out of this.
Unless you want to go back into town
in the back of that black and white,
you'll button up.
- Night is when the tiger hunts, Mr. Hale,
and this one happens to be a man eater.
(tense frantic music)
(growling)
(music slows)
- Maudy!
Maud!
(music quickens and swells)
- Help!
Help!
Help!
(shouts)
Help!
(yells)
(cries out in fear)
Help!
Somebody help me!
(sobs)
Ow, my legs are stuck!
Somebody help me!
- Here she is over here!
- Kevin, Kevin!
- Darn you, Maudy!
Get down here!
(music swells)
- [Maud] Kevin!
(tiger growls)
(Maud screams)
Kevin! (sobs)
Help!
(music breaks)
(growling)
(gun fires)
- [David] You all right?
- [John] Yeah.
- [David] Come on, now, here we go.
- [Maud] (sobs) Kevin, Kevin.
- [David] It's all right.
Come on, she's still around.
Let's get him up.
(muttering)
(dramatic music)
- [Reporter] Bonfires are
still burning like sentinels
in the forest below.
And it looks like one might
have gotten out of hand.
There's a slight wind picking up,
and forest rangers were fearful
this could turn into a blazing inferno.
(sirens wailing)
(music intensifies)
All thought of the tiger
seems to be forgotten now
as this fire is going
completely out of control.
It'll be dawn soon.
The roads are clogged with cars.
Station wagons with their top racks
dropping camping gear along the way.
(horns honking)
(siren wails)
- How many you got up there?
All right, Peter, well, don't panic.
I'll get somebody up there to help you.
Hold it, Parker.
Gibbs Road, get all those
people out of there right away.
Now, move it.
Move it.
Jack, pull those first
three of National Guard
back into this parameter on A Road.
And you've got two more units moving in.
Gosford.
I don't want you to think
that you're gettin' by.
You disobeyed a direct order of mine,
and don't think I'm gonna forget that.
- Let me tell you somethin', Hale.
You're a good traffic cop.
But as a human being, you
are a pompous jackass.
And you can shine your
own boots from now on.
Go to hell.
(creaking)
(motor rumbling)
- Tiger, I saw a tiger!
- All right, calm down.
Where, where, where did you see it?
- Caesar's Table.
We were just riding under the bridge.
It started after me.
- You know where that is?
- Let's go.
Yeah.
(suspenseful music)
- Tell the rangers
to have those two tanker
bombers standing by.
(music intensifies)
(dog barks)
Still around, you think?
- I don't know, it's hard to tell.
She's looking for a place.
- A place for what?
- She's scratching around the
leaves and brush up there.
She's trying to make a
place to have her cubs.
She looks about due to me.
You better stay close to me just in case.
- Better watch him, he's no tiger hunter.
- Neither were you yesterday.
- (Sighs and chuckles) Yeah, well.
(tense music swells)
(dog barks)
(fire crackles)
(plane rumbles)
(dog barks)
- Gosford, stop, she's in there!
(tiger growls)
(gun fires)
(music turns emotional)
How do you feel?
(John sighs)
(music swells with emotion)
- The fire raged for three days
before it was brought under control.
30,000 acres were burned.
And at its height,
the inferno was battled
by more than 3,000 men.
Now, the rest of it's gonna
take months to sort out.
A school teacher and a church deacon
have been indicted in a pornography ring
involving a dozen filth peddlers in LA.
And the DA has uncovered a
whole sewer full of officials
tied into payoffs, and bribery,
and school and government
building contracts.
Yeah, yeah, I've even got
a happy side byline for ya.
(chuckles)
Detective John Gosford
recovered from his wounds,
and was awarded the
Citizen's Medal for Bravery.
He's now wearing his scars proudly
as the newly appointed police chief of,
what is that?
Oh, Edgerton.
Population: 30,000 people.
And no tigers. (chuckles)
Who?
Oh, that Birk fella.
No, it beats me.
Just sort of disappeared.
No one's seen hide nor hair of him.
You know, as a matter of mater,
Birk may not even be his real name.
(bright lighthearted music)
(music swells)