Qui? (1916) - full transcript
The plot itself is not much and its resolution is unsatisfactory.Some of the views of life at the time are interesting, such as of judicial proceedings and of custom tailoring. The contortionist is a wonderful performer and the music hall girls are cute, but they don't get much screen time.
"Who?" was restored in 2003 by
Gaumont and the Cin?math?que fran?aise
with the participation of
the CNC and the Ministry of Culture,
using a safety copy
preserved by Henri Langlois.
Only the start of intertitles appeared
at the beginning of this incomplete work.
(Seven shots from one
sequence were missing.)
The restoration consisted of
re-creating the intertitles
by filling in incomplete phrases,
thanks to a contemporaneous script
deposited in the National
Library of France,
Dept. of Performing Arts.
Who?
Detective puzzle 1916
Written and directed by
L?once Perret.
That morning, Miss Blanche
Durand's neighbors...
... are concerned not to see her.
-- It's incredible! Usually by this
time she'd have been up for ages!
-- I tell you, something
strange has happened!
Investigating Judge Langlois
arrives on the scene.
-- I can't open it, your Honor;
the key is in the lock.
-- The grate hasn't been forced.
We must get in somehow; remove it!
Monday, June 26
At 9:00, Judge Langlois...
... arrived at the home
of Miss Blanche Durand...
... located in the basement of the
building of which she is the owner...
... 18 rue Chaptal, Paris,
9th arrondissement.
After having concluded that
the door could not be forced...
... without destroying
valuable evidence...
... the order was given to remove
the grate from the window.
Miss Durand is 60 years old.
According to her tenants,
she lives alone.
Preliminary observations...
-- Go fetch the Public Prosecutor.
A difficult case...
Once inside the apartment,
we noted the following facts:
1) The victim was stabbed in the back.
The murder weapon has not been found.
2) The door was locked from the inside
by 2 bolts and a chain.
3) The apartment has neither
hatch nor rear exit.
4) The victim's jewelery
and money were not stolen.
-- The Public Prosecutor is here.
-- Look for yourself, Mr. Prosecutor.
-- The victim stood up
to open the window.
That's when she must
have been stabbed.
-- Impossible: the murderer
must have been inside...
... as she was stabbed
in the back.
-- But if the murderer was inside,
he could not have gotten out...
-- And robbery was not
the motive for the crime?
A baffling puzzle!
At the Law Courts.
Mystery of the locked room.
Despite an investigation
described as 'painstaking'...
... the mystery of the murder of Miss
Blanche Durand remains unsolved.
The police have questioned the victim's
sister, Rose Durand, to no avail.
One is entitled to question
the competence of the investiga--
-- Blimey, I'm sure what
I found in my coal cellar...
... is connected with the murder!
You'll see!
-- And what about this knife?
It was with it!
And my coal cellar
is next to Miss Durand's!
Accordingly, the investigation
leads to Niort.
-- This garment does seem
to have come from our workshop.
-- I believe you know this gentleman?
He's often mentioned you to me.
-- There can be no possible error:
It's Mr. Laporte.
He's your son-in-law, correct?
This new information necessitates
another journey.
-- Believe me, I have reasons
for going alone to Parthenay.
You go back to Paris.
The home of Mrs. Laporte,
the judge's daughter...
-- Could you tell me what Ren? and you
were doing on Sunday, June 25?
"Friday, June 23 -
I'm all alone - so dull!
Paid the laundress - 17.85
Bought 3 pairs of socks
for Ren? - 7.50
Saturday, June 24
Tip for telegram announcing
Ren?'s return - .10
For dinner, bought partridge,
strawberries, champagne - 21.50
Sunday, June 25
A lovely Sunday! We celebrated
the feast of St. Febronie!!
Before dinner.
-- My dear Ren?, can you
tell me where you were...
... between Tuesday, the 22nd
and Saturday 24th of June?
-- I spent both days in court in Tours.
"Tours, June 23.
Dear Inspector:
I wish to report the theft
of a jacket and vest...
... in the room I occupied
at the Hotel Rabelais...
... during the night
of June 22nd to the 23rd."
In the Tours Express.
Judge Langlois is now convinced...
... the guilty party tried
to implicate his son-in-law.
In the room occupied by Ren? Laporte
at the Hotel Rabelais, Tours.
-- Miss Florence? Could you tell me
who occupied Room 7...
... the night of June 22nd
to the 23rd last?
-- It was Mr. O'M?ga,
the famous contortionist.
"Inspector Pichard - Law Courts, Paris.
Urgent: establish whereabouts of a
certain O'M?ga, music-hall performer.
Principal suspect in the Blanche Durand
case. - Judge Langlois"
On a new lead...
"O'M?ga located. Stop. On tour
Th?atre des Vari?t?s...
... Lyon. Stop. Inspector Pichard."
At the Th?atre des Vari?t?s, Lyon.
"Theodore Langlois,
Investigating Judge, Paris.
Must speak to theatre manager at once."
-- I can't disturb him now,
but you can watch his act...
... he'll be onstage
for another 5 minutes.
-- Keep an eye on this O'M?ga.
The next morning.
-- Stay ready to snap
the cuffs on him.
-- Where were you the night
of June 25 to 26 last?
-- Enough of this joking! Answer!
"Gaumont-Palace, Programme
Friday June 23 to Thursday, June 29.
First Part
1. Orchestra -
Far from film - E. Poncin
2. Bout de Zan Does It Again - Comedy
3. Featured performer -
O'M?ga, Contortionist Extraordinaire
4. Farewell! The grapes
are gathered in - L?once Perret
Back in Paris.
"Your Honor, as per your request...
... I've checked the movements
of the said O'M?ga...
... during the night
of the murder (June 25-26)...
... after his performance
at the Gaumont-Palace.
My inquiries confirm his alibi: he did
spend the night at the "Black Cat"...
... with Mr. Eugene Poncin, orchestra
conductor of the Gaumont-Palace.
Respectfully yours, Pichard."
"Mr. Power, Knowing your great
reputation as a detective...
... I appeal to your skill
to help us solve...
... a most mysterious case."
Some time later, with the American
detective James Power...
... who has been looking into the case.
-- Power, how are you doing?
Once again, the French police are
the butt of journalists' ridicule.
-- Don't worry, the case is coming
along: I'm following up several leads.
"Continuing inquiries
into relatives...
... and friends of
the Durand sisters. Stop."
At the home of Miss Rose Durand,
sister of the victim.
-- Yes, sir, the 2 buildings were
built from the same blueprint.
My apartment and Blanche's
are identical.
-- Did your sister
have any enemies? Do you?
-- Does the apartment you have
for rent face the street?
James Power sets up
an observation post...
... convinced that whoever
benefited from the murder...
... will soon strike again.
The trap.
"I think our man will act tonight.
Stay alert!"
The key to the puzzle.
"My nephew, your shameful behavior
disgraces our family.
You will not get the building
or my money - I disinherit you!
And I will persuade Rose to do
the same! - Blanche Durand."
Gaumont and the Cin?math?que fran?aise
with the participation of
the CNC and the Ministry of Culture,
using a safety copy
preserved by Henri Langlois.
Only the start of intertitles appeared
at the beginning of this incomplete work.
(Seven shots from one
sequence were missing.)
The restoration consisted of
re-creating the intertitles
by filling in incomplete phrases,
thanks to a contemporaneous script
deposited in the National
Library of France,
Dept. of Performing Arts.
Who?
Detective puzzle 1916
Written and directed by
L?once Perret.
That morning, Miss Blanche
Durand's neighbors...
... are concerned not to see her.
-- It's incredible! Usually by this
time she'd have been up for ages!
-- I tell you, something
strange has happened!
Investigating Judge Langlois
arrives on the scene.
-- I can't open it, your Honor;
the key is in the lock.
-- The grate hasn't been forced.
We must get in somehow; remove it!
Monday, June 26
At 9:00, Judge Langlois...
... arrived at the home
of Miss Blanche Durand...
... located in the basement of the
building of which she is the owner...
... 18 rue Chaptal, Paris,
9th arrondissement.
After having concluded that
the door could not be forced...
... without destroying
valuable evidence...
... the order was given to remove
the grate from the window.
Miss Durand is 60 years old.
According to her tenants,
she lives alone.
Preliminary observations...
-- Go fetch the Public Prosecutor.
A difficult case...
Once inside the apartment,
we noted the following facts:
1) The victim was stabbed in the back.
The murder weapon has not been found.
2) The door was locked from the inside
by 2 bolts and a chain.
3) The apartment has neither
hatch nor rear exit.
4) The victim's jewelery
and money were not stolen.
-- The Public Prosecutor is here.
-- Look for yourself, Mr. Prosecutor.
-- The victim stood up
to open the window.
That's when she must
have been stabbed.
-- Impossible: the murderer
must have been inside...
... as she was stabbed
in the back.
-- But if the murderer was inside,
he could not have gotten out...
-- And robbery was not
the motive for the crime?
A baffling puzzle!
At the Law Courts.
Mystery of the locked room.
Despite an investigation
described as 'painstaking'...
... the mystery of the murder of Miss
Blanche Durand remains unsolved.
The police have questioned the victim's
sister, Rose Durand, to no avail.
One is entitled to question
the competence of the investiga--
-- Blimey, I'm sure what
I found in my coal cellar...
... is connected with the murder!
You'll see!
-- And what about this knife?
It was with it!
And my coal cellar
is next to Miss Durand's!
Accordingly, the investigation
leads to Niort.
-- This garment does seem
to have come from our workshop.
-- I believe you know this gentleman?
He's often mentioned you to me.
-- There can be no possible error:
It's Mr. Laporte.
He's your son-in-law, correct?
This new information necessitates
another journey.
-- Believe me, I have reasons
for going alone to Parthenay.
You go back to Paris.
The home of Mrs. Laporte,
the judge's daughter...
-- Could you tell me what Ren? and you
were doing on Sunday, June 25?
"Friday, June 23 -
I'm all alone - so dull!
Paid the laundress - 17.85
Bought 3 pairs of socks
for Ren? - 7.50
Saturday, June 24
Tip for telegram announcing
Ren?'s return - .10
For dinner, bought partridge,
strawberries, champagne - 21.50
Sunday, June 25
A lovely Sunday! We celebrated
the feast of St. Febronie!!
Before dinner.
-- My dear Ren?, can you
tell me where you were...
... between Tuesday, the 22nd
and Saturday 24th of June?
-- I spent both days in court in Tours.
"Tours, June 23.
Dear Inspector:
I wish to report the theft
of a jacket and vest...
... in the room I occupied
at the Hotel Rabelais...
... during the night
of June 22nd to the 23rd."
In the Tours Express.
Judge Langlois is now convinced...
... the guilty party tried
to implicate his son-in-law.
In the room occupied by Ren? Laporte
at the Hotel Rabelais, Tours.
-- Miss Florence? Could you tell me
who occupied Room 7...
... the night of June 22nd
to the 23rd last?
-- It was Mr. O'M?ga,
the famous contortionist.
"Inspector Pichard - Law Courts, Paris.
Urgent: establish whereabouts of a
certain O'M?ga, music-hall performer.
Principal suspect in the Blanche Durand
case. - Judge Langlois"
On a new lead...
"O'M?ga located. Stop. On tour
Th?atre des Vari?t?s...
... Lyon. Stop. Inspector Pichard."
At the Th?atre des Vari?t?s, Lyon.
"Theodore Langlois,
Investigating Judge, Paris.
Must speak to theatre manager at once."
-- I can't disturb him now,
but you can watch his act...
... he'll be onstage
for another 5 minutes.
-- Keep an eye on this O'M?ga.
The next morning.
-- Stay ready to snap
the cuffs on him.
-- Where were you the night
of June 25 to 26 last?
-- Enough of this joking! Answer!
"Gaumont-Palace, Programme
Friday June 23 to Thursday, June 29.
First Part
1. Orchestra -
Far from film - E. Poncin
2. Bout de Zan Does It Again - Comedy
3. Featured performer -
O'M?ga, Contortionist Extraordinaire
4. Farewell! The grapes
are gathered in - L?once Perret
Back in Paris.
"Your Honor, as per your request...
... I've checked the movements
of the said O'M?ga...
... during the night
of the murder (June 25-26)...
... after his performance
at the Gaumont-Palace.
My inquiries confirm his alibi: he did
spend the night at the "Black Cat"...
... with Mr. Eugene Poncin, orchestra
conductor of the Gaumont-Palace.
Respectfully yours, Pichard."
"Mr. Power, Knowing your great
reputation as a detective...
... I appeal to your skill
to help us solve...
... a most mysterious case."
Some time later, with the American
detective James Power...
... who has been looking into the case.
-- Power, how are you doing?
Once again, the French police are
the butt of journalists' ridicule.
-- Don't worry, the case is coming
along: I'm following up several leads.
"Continuing inquiries
into relatives...
... and friends of
the Durand sisters. Stop."
At the home of Miss Rose Durand,
sister of the victim.
-- Yes, sir, the 2 buildings were
built from the same blueprint.
My apartment and Blanche's
are identical.
-- Did your sister
have any enemies? Do you?
-- Does the apartment you have
for rent face the street?
James Power sets up
an observation post...
... convinced that whoever
benefited from the murder...
... will soon strike again.
The trap.
"I think our man will act tonight.
Stay alert!"
The key to the puzzle.
"My nephew, your shameful behavior
disgraces our family.
You will not get the building
or my money - I disinherit you!
And I will persuade Rose to do
the same! - Blanche Durand."