Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932) - full transcript
In 19th Century Paris, the maniacal Dr. Mirakle abducts young women and injects them with ape blood in an attempt to prove ape-human kinship. He constantly meets failure as the abducted women die. Medical student Pierre Dupin discovers what Mirakle is doing too late to prevent the abduction of his girlfriend Camille. Now he desperately tries to enlist the help of the police to get her back.
Here’s a toast to you, Paul.
You’ve torn my Pierre
away from his books
and made him enjoy himself
for once.
Oh, don’t thank Paul.
It was for you I came.
Then I must drink
a toast to Camille.
Oh, no, Paul.
You’ve had four glasses
already.
That’s nothing.
For last year’s
carnival night, I had 14.
Dupin, Paul!
Look at the Arab dancers.
This way. This way.
See the naughty nautch nymphs.
The adorable Arab angels.
Come, we must continue
our studies of anatomy.
Yeah, much nicer
than... than visiting a morgue.
...marvelous performance of dancing.
We have Lady Fatima!
Lady Fatima’s
snake imitations...
Do they bite?
Oh, yes, but you have
to pay extra for that.
Mignette, do you think
you could learn
to do that dance for me?
No.
No?
Well, then...
I guess I’ll have
to join the show.
See, Pierre,
how brown they are.
Is that their real color,
do you suppose,
or have they
painted themselves?
Shall I find out for you?
Don’t you dare.
Introducing
Col. Ha-ha from America!
Bloodthirsty savages
from the wilds of America!
See the redskins
scalp their victim.
First time in Paris.
They are Apaches, my friends,
Apaches.
Like our own waterfront rats.
Just as wild.
That’d be a good name
for our bandits.
Apaches.
Ha, Apaches, why, splendid.
Would you like to try
whether they are real?
I?
And leave you unprotected?
Never.
Oh, Pierre.
Let’s go in there.
Attention, attention,
ladies and gentlemen.
Step closer. Closer.
Behind this curtain
is the strangest creature
your eyes will ever behold.
Erik, the ape-man!
The monster who walks upright
and speaks a language
even as you and I.
The ruler of the jungle,
whose giant hands
can tear a man in half.
Erik, the ape-man.
The beast with a human soul.
More cunning than a man
and stronger than a lion.
Step up, ladies and gentlemen.
Step right in.
Shall we go into this one?
All right.
Soldiers and children,
half-price!
Step up,
ladies and gentlemen.
Don’t miss this opportunity.
That’s good.
Let’s go down there.
Oh! Let’s sit
over there, love.
No, mademoiselle,
not there.
Take a seat in front
so that you can see
everything.
This gorilla killed six men,
you see.
What a funny-looking man.
He’s a show in himself.
Did you notice his accent?
I wonder where he comes from.
I never heard
an accent like it.
Silence.
I’m Dr. Mirakle,
messieurs, mesdames.
And I am not
the sideshow charlatan.
So if you expect
to witness the usual
carnival hocus-pocus,
just go to the box office
and get your money back.
I am not exhibiting a freak,
a monstrosity of nature,
but a milestone
in the development of life.
The shadow of Erik, the ape
hangs over us all.
The darkness
before the dawn of man.
It’s all right.
Don’t be afraid.
It’s only a baboon.
I-I’m not afraid.
Neither am I.
Listen to him,
brothers and sisters.
He is speaking to you.
Can you understand
what he says
or have you forgotten?
I have re-learned
his language.
Listen.
I will translate
what he says.
My home
is in the African jungle,
where I lived
with my father and my mother
and my brothers and sisters.
But I was captured
by a band
of hairless white apes
and carried away
to a strange land.
I’m in the prime
of my strength.
And I am lonely.
Here
is the story of man.
In the slime of chaos
there was the seed
that rose and grew
into the tree of life.
Life was motion.
Fins changed into wings.
Wings into ears.
Crawling reptiles grew legs.
Eons of ages passed.
There came a time
when a four-legged thing
walked upright.
Behold, the first man.
Heresy!
Heresy?
Heresy?
Do they still burn men
for heresy?
Then burn me, monsieur.
Light the fire.
Do you think
your little candle
will outshine
the flame of truth?
Do you think
these boards and curtains
are my whole life?
They are only a trap
to catch the pennies of fools.
My life is consecrated
to a great experiment.
I tell you, I will prove
your kinship with the ape.
Erik’s blood shall be mixed
with the blood of man.
What does he mean?
I wish I knew.
Mesdames et messieurs
if any of you wish to make
the acquaintance of Erik,
come forward.
There’s no need to be afraid.
He is behind bars
and cannot hurt you.
Let’s go up.
Oh, no, Pierre,
I’m afraid.
I’m not afraid.
He likes you, Camille.
Look, he wants your bonnet.
Erik is only human,
mademoiselle.
He has an eye for beauty.
You have made a conquest,
mademoiselle.
Pierre!
Erik! Erik, get back!
You fool,
do you want to be killed?
Oh, but he has ruined
your bonnet.
I will replace it,
mademoiselle.
I will send you a new bonnet
with Erik’s compliments.
Will you tell me
where you live
and what your name is?
Never mind, monsieur.
It was an accident.
But I insist.
Where do you live, my child?
It is not necessary,
monsieur.
Come, dear.
Follow her.
I must know where she lives.
You liked her,
didn’t you, Erik?
Sweetheart.
Have I ever told you
that I love you?
Camille, I love you.
Let me look at you.
You’re like a flower,
soft and fragrant.
Pure and beautiful.
Darling.
And you’re like a star, too.
A white morning star.
And your hair,
it’s full of stardust.
You’re like a song the girls
of Provence sing on May Day.
And like the dancing
in Normandy on May Day.
And like the wine
in Burgundy on May Day.
Oh, Camille, I love you.
And I love you, too, Pierre.
No!
No! No!
No!
A lady
in distress?
Who are you?
Come with me.
Where?
My carriage.
No! No!
Why are you trembling
at my touch?
Your hand is cold.
It chills me.
Come.
I will help you.
No.
Come.
Be patient.
Are you in pain,
mademoiselle?
It will only last
a little longer.
Ah, you are stubborn. Hush!
It will only last
one more minute,
then we shall see.
We shall know
if you are to be
the pride of science!
Oh, hush, hush!
Now, mademoiselle.
Now.
The clots.
The black spots.
Rotten blood!
You.
Your blood is rotten.
Black as your sins.
You cheated me.
Your beauty was a lie.
Dead?
You are...
You’re dead.
Janos, Janos.
Get rid of it.
Get it away.
Will my search ever end?
Three this week.
Three.
Women, all of them.
Life is hard.
The river is kind.
The river is soft.
It rocks them to sleep.
And asks no pay.
Three women.
Always small.
Always young.
A man?
A woman.
Age?
Oh, any, 1,000 or 30.
Cause of death?
Drowning.
Profession?
Yes.
Identification?
None, she was naked.
Number 13.
Well, Monsieur Dupin,
what brings you here so late?
The two women.
What about them?
Monsieur,
would you be good enough
to show them to me once more?
If you wish, Monsieur Dupin,
I will show you three.
Three?
You mean,
there’s been another one?
Yes.
Let me see her.
Yes.
There’s the body.
The same marks.
Marks?
See them?
They’re on the others, too.
Monsieur,
you must let me
take a specimen
of this woman’s blood.
Impossible.
Since that whole body
disappeared last week,
the inspector is very strict
about medical students.
Then you bring it to me.
It’s against all regulations.
Tomorrow night, huh?
Good night, monsieur.
The macaroni’s ready.
And the coffee’s getting cold.
Aren’t you going
to eat your lunch?
You give five francs
to that old ghoul
down at the morgue
and... and I have to
turn magician and pull
a loaf of bread out of my nose
so we can eat.
Dupin, you might
at least have the decency
to come to the table.
Pierre?
Why don’t you go down
to the morgue and live there,
instead of making a morgue
out of our home.
Vampire.
Vulture.
Body snatcher.
Say something.
Come in.
Speak of the devil.
Good morning, monsieur.
You’ve got it, eh?
Yes, monsieur, I’ve got it.
But who knows,
at the price of my job,
perhaps.
I am a married man, monsieur.
I have children.
And if the police
should even suspect
that I was holding anything
back from them,
I should be put behind bars.
No use, no use,
we haven’t a centime.
Yes, monsieur.
I must owe you the money.
The morgue
must give us credit.
Then, I will trust you.
Monsieur, the Morgue Keeper,
perhaps you have an extra slab
for my friend here.
Why not take him in?
He eats nothing,
he doesn’t talk.
He never changes
his position.
I’m sure he’d make you
a very fine tenant.
I’ll pack his things
and send them down.
You don’t live
badly here, monsieur.
I had to hurry myself up here
without lunch.
And now you have to
hurry back for your lunch.
Boy, that’s too bad.
Good appetite to you
and your quiet guests.
Goodbye.
Good day, monsieur.
If you’d pay half as much
attention to your studies
as you do to this nonsense,
what grades you’d get.
What did you find out?
After the carnival last night,
I performed an autopsy.
The victim didn’t die
of drowning.
There was no water
in her lungs.
Oh, so that’s what
you were up to.
I thought you were
with Camille.
Hmm?
Of what did the victim die?
Paul, here it is again.
What?
The same foreign substance
in the blood of each victim.
Look, Paul.
All three died
from the same cause.
Some strange poison perhaps.
Something introduced
into the blood streams
that caused their death.
What could it be?
I don’t know.
That’s what
I have to find out.
Oh, Pierre, you must
pull yourself together.
Why, you’re
becoming fanatical.
Look at yourself
in the mirror.
Your eyes are getting glassy.
Just like that
old charlatan’s.
Dr. Mirakle, eh?
What did you make of him?
Oh, he’s a faker.
Did you pay attention
to what he said?
You mean about us being
the product of evolution?
Yes.
Hmm.
Has it occurred to you
that he might be right?
Eat your lunch.
Dr. Mirakle.
He’s a strange man.
Pierre!
Mother. Mother!
See what the concierge
has just brought up.
Mother, come quickly.
I’m coming. I’m coming.
For pity’s sake, what is it?
What are you
so excited about?
See what just came.
A new bonnet.
A bonnet!
Oh, it’s lovely.
Are you sure it’s for you?
My name’s on the box.
Isn’t it pretty?
Oh, now,
who could have sent it?
Maybe it’s from Pierre.
Oh, where would Pierre
get money enough
to get a present like that?
Maybe there’s a card
inside the box.
It’s from Dr. Mirakle.
And who is Dr. Mirakle?
You know, I told you.
The funny old man
at the sideshow
who owns the ape.
Oh, I see.
The ape took your bonnet,
and the gentleman’s
replacing it.
Well, that’s
very nice of him.
It’s a beautiful bonnet.
Shall I wear it to the picnic?
Why not?
I wonder how he found out
where we lived.
But didn’t you tell him?
He wanted to know.
But Pierre wouldn’t
let me tell him.
That’s funny.
Well, anyway,
you have a new hat.
Camille? Camille?
There they are.
Hello.
Ah, there she is.
Everybody, ready.
One, two.
♪ Her father wanted her
to wed a funny ♪
♪ funny little man ♪
♪ Her mother wanted her
to wed a funny ♪
♪ funny little man ♪
♪ My father wanted me
to wed a funny ♪
♪ funny little man ♪
♪ But I would not be wed,
I said ♪
♪ to such a funny
little man ♪♪
Come, fair maiden.
Yon charger champs
at the bit.
Come on, Camille.
Hurry up! Hurry up!
Did you bring the chicken?
My, aren’t you dressed up?
♪ But she would not
be seen she said ♪
♪ with such a funny little man ♪
♪ But she would not
be seen she said ♪
♪ with such
a funny little man ♪♪
Florette,
I am absolutely mad about you.
No, no, no.
Years ago I gave up
believing in students.
But, Marie,
I mean what I say.
And here’s
to a truthful student,
though the animal
doesn’t exist.
But, Mignette,
I give you my word.
You will speak
to my parents tonight?
But it’s you I love, Susette,
not your family.
Whee!
Don’t I look different
to you today?
Different? How?
You’re a blind donkey.
Something new I’ve got on.
It’s my bonnet.
Oh, of course,
it’s beautiful.
And it’s a gift.
A gift? Well, well.
Who from?
Guess.
Honoré, that poet.
Guess again.
That butterfly collector,
Moreau?
Oh, Pierre,
you’d better give up.
It’s from Dr. Mirakle.
Mirakle?
Mirakle.
Yes. Wasn’t it nice of him?
Did he bring it himself?
No, but he sent a note.
So he found out
where you live, after all.
And I can’t imagine how.
He must have had us followed.
What did the note say?
He asked me to come
to his tent tonight.
That’s strange.
What could he want?
You mustn’t go.
Why not?
I wonder what Dr. Mirakle
is up to.
Paul calls him a faker,
but he isn’t.
He isn’t an ordinary man.
I’ll go see
your Dr. Mirakle tonight.
Very well, Pierre.
Get them poles down
to the hallway.
Move this box back.
Come on. Come on.
Come on.
How about a little help here,
boss?
Lay that over on the way.
Go on, move it, move it.
Get this box over here.
Get this box over here.
That’s right. Now move it.
What’s the matter, Erik?
Are you restless?
Be quiet.
What is the matter?
So, we have a caller.
Dr. Mirakle...
No show tonight, young man.
The carnival is over.
I’ve already
seen your performance
Doctor.
I wanted to talk to you.
First, the young lady
to whom you sent the hat
wants me to thank you for her.
Then she is not coming?
She sends her regrets.
Very well.
Good night.
Are you going away?
Yes.
We move to Munich
in the morning.
Excuse me.
I must attend to my work.
I’m a medical student.
And the things you said
in your lecture
were very interesting.
Have you experimented,
Doctor?
Yes.
Have you written any papers?
None to be shown.
I had hoped you would let me
come to see you.
Have you a house in Paris?
No.
I sleep here.
This tent is my home.
Good night, young man.
No, no.
That’s Dr. Mirakle’s stuff.
He’s not going with us.
He’s going to stay in Paris.
Load off.
Pull ahead.
All right, go in the corner.
Erik. Erik.
Let me get this for you.
He got out with the ape,
and I’ll swear
they were talking
to each other.
They went inside, and after
that there was no sign of life.
Not a sound.
So you went home?
Well, I dropped in
at the morgue.
Pierre.
Pierre,
what will you come to?
Why are you always visiting
that horrid old place?
Don’t you worry, darling.
Look.
There’s all of our Paris,
spread out before us.
I like to see
the little lighted windows,
twinkling like stars.
Wouldn’t it be fun
to know all
that was going on
inside those houses?
Perhaps it’s just as well
that we don’t know.
Think of what all those walls
are hiding.
Broken hopes
and bodies and hearts.
Absent dreams.
Starvation, madness.
Crimes of the streets.
And tragedies of the river.
Paris. My city.
I hate to leave you
alone tonight.
Hold me tightly, Pierre.
I could hold you forever,
Camille.
Good night, dear.
Good night, Pierre.
By the way,
you always keep your door
bolted at night, don’t you?
Not always, Pierre.
Be sure and lock it tonight,
dear.
Will you promise?
If you say so.
Good night.
Good night, dear.
Good night, mother.
Pierre?
Yes.
Mademoiselle, you will pardon
the late hour.
But I had to see you.
What do you want, monsieur?
Don’t be alarmed,
mademoiselle.
I’m leaving Paris tonight.
And there is something
I have to tell you.
May I come in?
Oh no, monsieur.
My mother has gone to sleep.
My carriage is downstairs,
mademoiselle.
We can drive
to a café and talk.
Oh, that’s impossible.
But it is
of greatest importance.
Please go away.
Mademoiselle, you must come.
Please. Do me this favor.
Let me close the door,
or I’ll call for help.
But I have a message for you
from Erik.
He talks only of you.
He can’t forget you.
There is something
you must know.
Are you insane, monsieur?
Erik! Erik!
There, Erik.
She’s up there.
Gorilla.
Gorilla.
Paul, Paul, Paul, wake up.
Wake up.
What’s... What’s the matter?
What?
I’ve found it.
It’s the blood of a gorilla.
Gorilla?
Those women,
don’t you understand?
They died because
a gorilla’s blood
was injected into their veins.
Camille!
Camille!
Oh, darling, what is it?
What’s the matter?
Tell me, what happened
to you, please?
I’ll get you a glass of water.
Oh, my baby!
Mother. Camille!
Camille!
Camille!
Mother.
Hurry up. Give the man a hand.
Someone help me
break it down, please.
Help! Help! Help!
What have you got?
What is it, violence?
What do you think?
Uh.
Money. Jewels.
This is not a robbery.
And there’s no body,
so it isn’t a murder.
He’s carried her away.
She’s gone.
Who are you?
Where do you come from?
He’s her sweetheart.
He... He comes here
every night.
Ah-ha.
Sweetheart.
You may wait for the prefect.
But we must find Camille.
Let me go, you fool!
It’ll be too late.
You may tell all that
to the prefect.
Now, what is your name?
Pierre Dupin.
Now, where do you live?
Oh, don’t you understand?
Her life is in danger.
I understand.
Where do you live?
Oh, you fool.
You stupid fool!
So, your name is
Victor Albert Adolph
Jules Hugo Louis Duborg?
Eh?
Yes, sir.
Why did you
not investigate
when you heard
the first scream?
I... I was afraid.
Stupid,
incredibly stupid.
Yes, sir. I...
Stupid.
What is your name
and business?
I am Franz Odenheimer.
I own a restaurant.
Odenheimer.
In your own way,
tell us what happened.
You see,
I was just going to bed.
Then suddenly,
I heard a scream.
Right away,
I ran across the street.
And I was
one of the first ones
to enter this room.
On the way upstairs,
I heard a voice.
And that voice
was speaking Italian.
Do you speak Italian?
No.
Were you ever in Italy?
No.
How do you know
it was Italian?
Because I am sure
it was Italian.
Ah.
Thank you, sir.
Alberto Montani.
What do you know
of this affair?
Well, I, I also
heard the voice.
But it was not Italian.
I’m Italian. I speak Italian.
When I ran up the stairs
with the others,
I heard the voice.
It’s not Italian, no.
It was Danish.
Do you speak Danish?
No.
Were you ever in Denmark?
No.
How do you know
it was Danish?
My intuition.
It was not Danish.
Oh.
I beg your pardon,
Your Honor.
I am a native of Denmark.
Danish is my native tongue.
I heard the voice,
but it was not Danish.
It was German.
Italian, not German.
Danish.
German.
I say it was German.
Silence!
Italian.
Danish.
German.
Silence.
Bring in the young man.
Monsieur, the prefect
will question you now.
Now, you might as well
come quietly.
Don’t try and make
any more trouble.
Young man, what is your name?
My na...
Oh, I can tell you
who committed the murder
and where you can find him.
Who?
An ape.
He’s out of his mind.
If you don’t listen to me now,
you’ll be guilty
of the second murder.
Second murder?
So you know
there has been one?
Yeah.
If you’ll only listen to me,
I’ll explain.
Very well,
tell us what you know.
There were two women
in this room.
The only door
was locked and bolted.
Everybody heard screams
and the sound
of a terrible struggle.
Within two minutes,
the door was broken down.
No one was here.
One of those women
was carried away.
I tell you,
the other one was murdered.
And her body must be
somewhere in this room.
Mother.
Young man, you know too much.
I arrest you
for the murder of...
Yes, and another murder
may be happening now.
It’s a confession
you wish to make?
No. An accusation.
Dr. Mirakle in the Rue Morgue
is guilty of four murders
so far this week.
And by now, perhaps a fifth.
Do you accuse this doctor?
Dr. Mirakle has
a captive ape.
It committed this crime.
No one man
could have done this.
Three men couldn’t have pushed
that body up the chimney.
I tell you
that ape killed her.
And carried her daughter off
through the window.
You’re insane.
Come on.
Wait!
Here is proof.
That is not human.
It’s the hair of an ape.
Ape.
Her blood is perfect.
That’s the house, monsieur.
Open.
This is an empty house.
No one lives here.
But it’s not empty,
I tell you.
We must break in.
There’s another door
at the side.
We’ll try it.
Police.
I cannot stop now.
Hold them off,
until I am ready.
Come, Erik.
Erik.
Erik.
Back into your cage!
Back to your cage. Erik.
Somebody’s barring it.
Open.
In the name of the law, open!
Hurry!
Camille?
He’s dead.
Why, look! There it goes.
It’s an ape!
You fool!
Pierre! Pierre!
Camille.
Name?
Mirakle, I believe,
or something like that.
Number 2.
Number 2.
Age?
Oh, any age.
It doesn’t matter.
Profession?
They say he was
a scientist or something.
Death caused by?
An ape.
You’ve torn my Pierre
away from his books
and made him enjoy himself
for once.
Oh, don’t thank Paul.
It was for you I came.
Then I must drink
a toast to Camille.
Oh, no, Paul.
You’ve had four glasses
already.
That’s nothing.
For last year’s
carnival night, I had 14.
Dupin, Paul!
Look at the Arab dancers.
This way. This way.
See the naughty nautch nymphs.
The adorable Arab angels.
Come, we must continue
our studies of anatomy.
Yeah, much nicer
than... than visiting a morgue.
...marvelous performance of dancing.
We have Lady Fatima!
Lady Fatima’s
snake imitations...
Do they bite?
Oh, yes, but you have
to pay extra for that.
Mignette, do you think
you could learn
to do that dance for me?
No.
No?
Well, then...
I guess I’ll have
to join the show.
See, Pierre,
how brown they are.
Is that their real color,
do you suppose,
or have they
painted themselves?
Shall I find out for you?
Don’t you dare.
Introducing
Col. Ha-ha from America!
Bloodthirsty savages
from the wilds of America!
See the redskins
scalp their victim.
First time in Paris.
They are Apaches, my friends,
Apaches.
Like our own waterfront rats.
Just as wild.
That’d be a good name
for our bandits.
Apaches.
Ha, Apaches, why, splendid.
Would you like to try
whether they are real?
I?
And leave you unprotected?
Never.
Oh, Pierre.
Let’s go in there.
Attention, attention,
ladies and gentlemen.
Step closer. Closer.
Behind this curtain
is the strangest creature
your eyes will ever behold.
Erik, the ape-man!
The monster who walks upright
and speaks a language
even as you and I.
The ruler of the jungle,
whose giant hands
can tear a man in half.
Erik, the ape-man.
The beast with a human soul.
More cunning than a man
and stronger than a lion.
Step up, ladies and gentlemen.
Step right in.
Shall we go into this one?
All right.
Soldiers and children,
half-price!
Step up,
ladies and gentlemen.
Don’t miss this opportunity.
That’s good.
Let’s go down there.
Oh! Let’s sit
over there, love.
No, mademoiselle,
not there.
Take a seat in front
so that you can see
everything.
This gorilla killed six men,
you see.
What a funny-looking man.
He’s a show in himself.
Did you notice his accent?
I wonder where he comes from.
I never heard
an accent like it.
Silence.
I’m Dr. Mirakle,
messieurs, mesdames.
And I am not
the sideshow charlatan.
So if you expect
to witness the usual
carnival hocus-pocus,
just go to the box office
and get your money back.
I am not exhibiting a freak,
a monstrosity of nature,
but a milestone
in the development of life.
The shadow of Erik, the ape
hangs over us all.
The darkness
before the dawn of man.
It’s all right.
Don’t be afraid.
It’s only a baboon.
I-I’m not afraid.
Neither am I.
Listen to him,
brothers and sisters.
He is speaking to you.
Can you understand
what he says
or have you forgotten?
I have re-learned
his language.
Listen.
I will translate
what he says.
My home
is in the African jungle,
where I lived
with my father and my mother
and my brothers and sisters.
But I was captured
by a band
of hairless white apes
and carried away
to a strange land.
I’m in the prime
of my strength.
And I am lonely.
Here
is the story of man.
In the slime of chaos
there was the seed
that rose and grew
into the tree of life.
Life was motion.
Fins changed into wings.
Wings into ears.
Crawling reptiles grew legs.
Eons of ages passed.
There came a time
when a four-legged thing
walked upright.
Behold, the first man.
Heresy!
Heresy?
Heresy?
Do they still burn men
for heresy?
Then burn me, monsieur.
Light the fire.
Do you think
your little candle
will outshine
the flame of truth?
Do you think
these boards and curtains
are my whole life?
They are only a trap
to catch the pennies of fools.
My life is consecrated
to a great experiment.
I tell you, I will prove
your kinship with the ape.
Erik’s blood shall be mixed
with the blood of man.
What does he mean?
I wish I knew.
Mesdames et messieurs
if any of you wish to make
the acquaintance of Erik,
come forward.
There’s no need to be afraid.
He is behind bars
and cannot hurt you.
Let’s go up.
Oh, no, Pierre,
I’m afraid.
I’m not afraid.
He likes you, Camille.
Look, he wants your bonnet.
Erik is only human,
mademoiselle.
He has an eye for beauty.
You have made a conquest,
mademoiselle.
Pierre!
Erik! Erik, get back!
You fool,
do you want to be killed?
Oh, but he has ruined
your bonnet.
I will replace it,
mademoiselle.
I will send you a new bonnet
with Erik’s compliments.
Will you tell me
where you live
and what your name is?
Never mind, monsieur.
It was an accident.
But I insist.
Where do you live, my child?
It is not necessary,
monsieur.
Come, dear.
Follow her.
I must know where she lives.
You liked her,
didn’t you, Erik?
Sweetheart.
Have I ever told you
that I love you?
Camille, I love you.
Let me look at you.
You’re like a flower,
soft and fragrant.
Pure and beautiful.
Darling.
And you’re like a star, too.
A white morning star.
And your hair,
it’s full of stardust.
You’re like a song the girls
of Provence sing on May Day.
And like the dancing
in Normandy on May Day.
And like the wine
in Burgundy on May Day.
Oh, Camille, I love you.
And I love you, too, Pierre.
No!
No! No!
No!
A lady
in distress?
Who are you?
Come with me.
Where?
My carriage.
No! No!
Why are you trembling
at my touch?
Your hand is cold.
It chills me.
Come.
I will help you.
No.
Come.
Be patient.
Are you in pain,
mademoiselle?
It will only last
a little longer.
Ah, you are stubborn. Hush!
It will only last
one more minute,
then we shall see.
We shall know
if you are to be
the pride of science!
Oh, hush, hush!
Now, mademoiselle.
Now.
The clots.
The black spots.
Rotten blood!
You.
Your blood is rotten.
Black as your sins.
You cheated me.
Your beauty was a lie.
Dead?
You are...
You’re dead.
Janos, Janos.
Get rid of it.
Get it away.
Will my search ever end?
Three this week.
Three.
Women, all of them.
Life is hard.
The river is kind.
The river is soft.
It rocks them to sleep.
And asks no pay.
Three women.
Always small.
Always young.
A man?
A woman.
Age?
Oh, any, 1,000 or 30.
Cause of death?
Drowning.
Profession?
Yes.
Identification?
None, she was naked.
Number 13.
Well, Monsieur Dupin,
what brings you here so late?
The two women.
What about them?
Monsieur,
would you be good enough
to show them to me once more?
If you wish, Monsieur Dupin,
I will show you three.
Three?
You mean,
there’s been another one?
Yes.
Let me see her.
Yes.
There’s the body.
The same marks.
Marks?
See them?
They’re on the others, too.
Monsieur,
you must let me
take a specimen
of this woman’s blood.
Impossible.
Since that whole body
disappeared last week,
the inspector is very strict
about medical students.
Then you bring it to me.
It’s against all regulations.
Tomorrow night, huh?
Good night, monsieur.
The macaroni’s ready.
And the coffee’s getting cold.
Aren’t you going
to eat your lunch?
You give five francs
to that old ghoul
down at the morgue
and... and I have to
turn magician and pull
a loaf of bread out of my nose
so we can eat.
Dupin, you might
at least have the decency
to come to the table.
Pierre?
Why don’t you go down
to the morgue and live there,
instead of making a morgue
out of our home.
Vampire.
Vulture.
Body snatcher.
Say something.
Come in.
Speak of the devil.
Good morning, monsieur.
You’ve got it, eh?
Yes, monsieur, I’ve got it.
But who knows,
at the price of my job,
perhaps.
I am a married man, monsieur.
I have children.
And if the police
should even suspect
that I was holding anything
back from them,
I should be put behind bars.
No use, no use,
we haven’t a centime.
Yes, monsieur.
I must owe you the money.
The morgue
must give us credit.
Then, I will trust you.
Monsieur, the Morgue Keeper,
perhaps you have an extra slab
for my friend here.
Why not take him in?
He eats nothing,
he doesn’t talk.
He never changes
his position.
I’m sure he’d make you
a very fine tenant.
I’ll pack his things
and send them down.
You don’t live
badly here, monsieur.
I had to hurry myself up here
without lunch.
And now you have to
hurry back for your lunch.
Boy, that’s too bad.
Good appetite to you
and your quiet guests.
Goodbye.
Good day, monsieur.
If you’d pay half as much
attention to your studies
as you do to this nonsense,
what grades you’d get.
What did you find out?
After the carnival last night,
I performed an autopsy.
The victim didn’t die
of drowning.
There was no water
in her lungs.
Oh, so that’s what
you were up to.
I thought you were
with Camille.
Hmm?
Of what did the victim die?
Paul, here it is again.
What?
The same foreign substance
in the blood of each victim.
Look, Paul.
All three died
from the same cause.
Some strange poison perhaps.
Something introduced
into the blood streams
that caused their death.
What could it be?
I don’t know.
That’s what
I have to find out.
Oh, Pierre, you must
pull yourself together.
Why, you’re
becoming fanatical.
Look at yourself
in the mirror.
Your eyes are getting glassy.
Just like that
old charlatan’s.
Dr. Mirakle, eh?
What did you make of him?
Oh, he’s a faker.
Did you pay attention
to what he said?
You mean about us being
the product of evolution?
Yes.
Hmm.
Has it occurred to you
that he might be right?
Eat your lunch.
Dr. Mirakle.
He’s a strange man.
Pierre!
Mother. Mother!
See what the concierge
has just brought up.
Mother, come quickly.
I’m coming. I’m coming.
For pity’s sake, what is it?
What are you
so excited about?
See what just came.
A new bonnet.
A bonnet!
Oh, it’s lovely.
Are you sure it’s for you?
My name’s on the box.
Isn’t it pretty?
Oh, now,
who could have sent it?
Maybe it’s from Pierre.
Oh, where would Pierre
get money enough
to get a present like that?
Maybe there’s a card
inside the box.
It’s from Dr. Mirakle.
And who is Dr. Mirakle?
You know, I told you.
The funny old man
at the sideshow
who owns the ape.
Oh, I see.
The ape took your bonnet,
and the gentleman’s
replacing it.
Well, that’s
very nice of him.
It’s a beautiful bonnet.
Shall I wear it to the picnic?
Why not?
I wonder how he found out
where we lived.
But didn’t you tell him?
He wanted to know.
But Pierre wouldn’t
let me tell him.
That’s funny.
Well, anyway,
you have a new hat.
Camille? Camille?
There they are.
Hello.
Ah, there she is.
Everybody, ready.
One, two.
♪ Her father wanted her
to wed a funny ♪
♪ funny little man ♪
♪ Her mother wanted her
to wed a funny ♪
♪ funny little man ♪
♪ My father wanted me
to wed a funny ♪
♪ funny little man ♪
♪ But I would not be wed,
I said ♪
♪ to such a funny
little man ♪♪
Come, fair maiden.
Yon charger champs
at the bit.
Come on, Camille.
Hurry up! Hurry up!
Did you bring the chicken?
My, aren’t you dressed up?
♪ But she would not
be seen she said ♪
♪ with such a funny little man ♪
♪ But she would not
be seen she said ♪
♪ with such
a funny little man ♪♪
Florette,
I am absolutely mad about you.
No, no, no.
Years ago I gave up
believing in students.
But, Marie,
I mean what I say.
And here’s
to a truthful student,
though the animal
doesn’t exist.
But, Mignette,
I give you my word.
You will speak
to my parents tonight?
But it’s you I love, Susette,
not your family.
Whee!
Don’t I look different
to you today?
Different? How?
You’re a blind donkey.
Something new I’ve got on.
It’s my bonnet.
Oh, of course,
it’s beautiful.
And it’s a gift.
A gift? Well, well.
Who from?
Guess.
Honoré, that poet.
Guess again.
That butterfly collector,
Moreau?
Oh, Pierre,
you’d better give up.
It’s from Dr. Mirakle.
Mirakle?
Mirakle.
Yes. Wasn’t it nice of him?
Did he bring it himself?
No, but he sent a note.
So he found out
where you live, after all.
And I can’t imagine how.
He must have had us followed.
What did the note say?
He asked me to come
to his tent tonight.
That’s strange.
What could he want?
You mustn’t go.
Why not?
I wonder what Dr. Mirakle
is up to.
Paul calls him a faker,
but he isn’t.
He isn’t an ordinary man.
I’ll go see
your Dr. Mirakle tonight.
Very well, Pierre.
Get them poles down
to the hallway.
Move this box back.
Come on. Come on.
Come on.
How about a little help here,
boss?
Lay that over on the way.
Go on, move it, move it.
Get this box over here.
Get this box over here.
That’s right. Now move it.
What’s the matter, Erik?
Are you restless?
Be quiet.
What is the matter?
So, we have a caller.
Dr. Mirakle...
No show tonight, young man.
The carnival is over.
I’ve already
seen your performance
Doctor.
I wanted to talk to you.
First, the young lady
to whom you sent the hat
wants me to thank you for her.
Then she is not coming?
She sends her regrets.
Very well.
Good night.
Are you going away?
Yes.
We move to Munich
in the morning.
Excuse me.
I must attend to my work.
I’m a medical student.
And the things you said
in your lecture
were very interesting.
Have you experimented,
Doctor?
Yes.
Have you written any papers?
None to be shown.
I had hoped you would let me
come to see you.
Have you a house in Paris?
No.
I sleep here.
This tent is my home.
Good night, young man.
No, no.
That’s Dr. Mirakle’s stuff.
He’s not going with us.
He’s going to stay in Paris.
Load off.
Pull ahead.
All right, go in the corner.
Erik. Erik.
Let me get this for you.
He got out with the ape,
and I’ll swear
they were talking
to each other.
They went inside, and after
that there was no sign of life.
Not a sound.
So you went home?
Well, I dropped in
at the morgue.
Pierre.
Pierre,
what will you come to?
Why are you always visiting
that horrid old place?
Don’t you worry, darling.
Look.
There’s all of our Paris,
spread out before us.
I like to see
the little lighted windows,
twinkling like stars.
Wouldn’t it be fun
to know all
that was going on
inside those houses?
Perhaps it’s just as well
that we don’t know.
Think of what all those walls
are hiding.
Broken hopes
and bodies and hearts.
Absent dreams.
Starvation, madness.
Crimes of the streets.
And tragedies of the river.
Paris. My city.
I hate to leave you
alone tonight.
Hold me tightly, Pierre.
I could hold you forever,
Camille.
Good night, dear.
Good night, Pierre.
By the way,
you always keep your door
bolted at night, don’t you?
Not always, Pierre.
Be sure and lock it tonight,
dear.
Will you promise?
If you say so.
Good night.
Good night, dear.
Good night, mother.
Pierre?
Yes.
Mademoiselle, you will pardon
the late hour.
But I had to see you.
What do you want, monsieur?
Don’t be alarmed,
mademoiselle.
I’m leaving Paris tonight.
And there is something
I have to tell you.
May I come in?
Oh no, monsieur.
My mother has gone to sleep.
My carriage is downstairs,
mademoiselle.
We can drive
to a café and talk.
Oh, that’s impossible.
But it is
of greatest importance.
Please go away.
Mademoiselle, you must come.
Please. Do me this favor.
Let me close the door,
or I’ll call for help.
But I have a message for you
from Erik.
He talks only of you.
He can’t forget you.
There is something
you must know.
Are you insane, monsieur?
Erik! Erik!
There, Erik.
She’s up there.
Gorilla.
Gorilla.
Paul, Paul, Paul, wake up.
Wake up.
What’s... What’s the matter?
What?
I’ve found it.
It’s the blood of a gorilla.
Gorilla?
Those women,
don’t you understand?
They died because
a gorilla’s blood
was injected into their veins.
Camille!
Camille!
Oh, darling, what is it?
What’s the matter?
Tell me, what happened
to you, please?
I’ll get you a glass of water.
Oh, my baby!
Mother. Camille!
Camille!
Camille!
Mother.
Hurry up. Give the man a hand.
Someone help me
break it down, please.
Help! Help! Help!
What have you got?
What is it, violence?
What do you think?
Uh.
Money. Jewels.
This is not a robbery.
And there’s no body,
so it isn’t a murder.
He’s carried her away.
She’s gone.
Who are you?
Where do you come from?
He’s her sweetheart.
He... He comes here
every night.
Ah-ha.
Sweetheart.
You may wait for the prefect.
But we must find Camille.
Let me go, you fool!
It’ll be too late.
You may tell all that
to the prefect.
Now, what is your name?
Pierre Dupin.
Now, where do you live?
Oh, don’t you understand?
Her life is in danger.
I understand.
Where do you live?
Oh, you fool.
You stupid fool!
So, your name is
Victor Albert Adolph
Jules Hugo Louis Duborg?
Eh?
Yes, sir.
Why did you
not investigate
when you heard
the first scream?
I... I was afraid.
Stupid,
incredibly stupid.
Yes, sir. I...
Stupid.
What is your name
and business?
I am Franz Odenheimer.
I own a restaurant.
Odenheimer.
In your own way,
tell us what happened.
You see,
I was just going to bed.
Then suddenly,
I heard a scream.
Right away,
I ran across the street.
And I was
one of the first ones
to enter this room.
On the way upstairs,
I heard a voice.
And that voice
was speaking Italian.
Do you speak Italian?
No.
Were you ever in Italy?
No.
How do you know
it was Italian?
Because I am sure
it was Italian.
Ah.
Thank you, sir.
Alberto Montani.
What do you know
of this affair?
Well, I, I also
heard the voice.
But it was not Italian.
I’m Italian. I speak Italian.
When I ran up the stairs
with the others,
I heard the voice.
It’s not Italian, no.
It was Danish.
Do you speak Danish?
No.
Were you ever in Denmark?
No.
How do you know
it was Danish?
My intuition.
It was not Danish.
Oh.
I beg your pardon,
Your Honor.
I am a native of Denmark.
Danish is my native tongue.
I heard the voice,
but it was not Danish.
It was German.
Italian, not German.
Danish.
German.
I say it was German.
Silence!
Italian.
Danish.
German.
Silence.
Bring in the young man.
Monsieur, the prefect
will question you now.
Now, you might as well
come quietly.
Don’t try and make
any more trouble.
Young man, what is your name?
My na...
Oh, I can tell you
who committed the murder
and where you can find him.
Who?
An ape.
He’s out of his mind.
If you don’t listen to me now,
you’ll be guilty
of the second murder.
Second murder?
So you know
there has been one?
Yeah.
If you’ll only listen to me,
I’ll explain.
Very well,
tell us what you know.
There were two women
in this room.
The only door
was locked and bolted.
Everybody heard screams
and the sound
of a terrible struggle.
Within two minutes,
the door was broken down.
No one was here.
One of those women
was carried away.
I tell you,
the other one was murdered.
And her body must be
somewhere in this room.
Mother.
Young man, you know too much.
I arrest you
for the murder of...
Yes, and another murder
may be happening now.
It’s a confession
you wish to make?
No. An accusation.
Dr. Mirakle in the Rue Morgue
is guilty of four murders
so far this week.
And by now, perhaps a fifth.
Do you accuse this doctor?
Dr. Mirakle has
a captive ape.
It committed this crime.
No one man
could have done this.
Three men couldn’t have pushed
that body up the chimney.
I tell you
that ape killed her.
And carried her daughter off
through the window.
You’re insane.
Come on.
Wait!
Here is proof.
That is not human.
It’s the hair of an ape.
Ape.
Her blood is perfect.
That’s the house, monsieur.
Open.
This is an empty house.
No one lives here.
But it’s not empty,
I tell you.
We must break in.
There’s another door
at the side.
We’ll try it.
Police.
I cannot stop now.
Hold them off,
until I am ready.
Come, Erik.
Erik.
Erik.
Back into your cage!
Back to your cage. Erik.
Somebody’s barring it.
Open.
In the name of the law, open!
Hurry!
Camille?
He’s dead.
Why, look! There it goes.
It’s an ape!
You fool!
Pierre! Pierre!
Camille.
Name?
Mirakle, I believe,
or something like that.
Number 2.
Number 2.
Age?
Oh, any age.
It doesn’t matter.
Profession?
They say he was
a scientist or something.
Death caused by?
An ape.