Terror Ship (1954) - full transcript

[introductory music playing]

[triumphant music playing]

[dramatic trumpet music playing]

[horn blaring in distance]

[police] Is the man still here, Fred?

Yes. He's gone aboard the vessel.

- I've let him go below, to keep him there.

- Good.

Looks a bit fishy to me.

Looks a bit fishy.

Mm.

[seagulls squawking]

Hello there!

Yes?

I'm sorry, sir, but do you mind

coming along with me to the station?

Beg your pardon?

I said you would you mind

coming along with me to the station?

That's what I thought you said.

Do those words mean the same in England

as they do in America?

I believe they do.

What are they hanging me for?

No charge, sir.

The inspector would like to talk to you.

Well, if it's for trespassing,

I got permission

from the watchman to inspect this boat.

We're aware of that.

What if I refuse to come?

I doubt if that situation will arise,

will it, sir?

[horn blaring]

Been in England very long, Mr. Duncan?

Yes, a few weeks.

I'm not too sure I like it right now.

What's... What's this all about?

Were you planning to stay for a while?

Mm-hm. Six months or so.

Unless you have different ideas.

Here on business?

No, no. Vacation.

Hmm. You've been staying in London,

you say.

Yes.

Do you know anybody

in this part of England?

No.

Then, may I ask

how you came to be down here?

I... I like the sea, Inspector.

The sea and boats.

I've been around both of them all my life.

So, I take it you came to

Shoreham boatyard quite by chance,

saw a sailing vessel,

and thought you might buy her.

Yes. Yes, I did.

Is there anything wrong in that?

What took your interest

in that particular boat?

Nothing special. I like the looks of her.

It's hard to say why anybody

takes to one boat instead of another.

Quite. But in this case, Mr. Duncan,

you've taken to a boat

that was very recently involved in

the disappearance of two men.

Murder, suicide. We don't know.

One of the strangest occurrences

we've had in these parts

and is yet unsolved.

[sighs] I'm beginning to catch on.

I mean, your interest in me.

Or rather your interest in the boat.

- Everything's in order, sir.

- Thank you.

Well, where do we go from here?

How's the food in this jail?

[chuckles] No, we've checked on you,

Mr. Duncan.

And in any case,

you never impressed me much as a suspect.

- Here's your passport.

- Thank you.

Sorry for the trouble,

but you do appreciate the problem.

Of course I do, Inspector.

And I wanted to talk to you

for your own protection as well.

My protection?

That boat. As a stranger,

I thought you were entitled

to know just what you were touching.

Is that, uh, a warning to keep hands off?

Well, it's not beyond reason, sir,

that there may be danger involved

in the ownership of the craft.

Or perhaps you are no longer interested.

No, no. On the contrary,

now more than ever.

I would like to hear the facts.

Well, suppose I put you in touch

with the people

who have a salvage claim on the boat.

They can tell you the story

better than I can.

Good. Where can I find them?

Well, at the quay, I imagine. The name

is Drew. They own the yacht Gelert.

They're usually there

about this time of day.

Thank you very much.

- Good morning.

- Morning, sir.

- This the steamy yacht Gelert?

- That's right.

- Is the owner aboard?

- Yes, sir.

[horn blaring]

Mr. Drew is in the saloon, sir.

- Would you tell him I'd like to see him?

- Yes, certainly. Come this way, sir.

Thank you.

[Drew sighs]

[man] There's a gentleman to see you, sir.

Send him down.

[footsteps approaching]

- Mr. Drew?

- Yes.

- My name is Duncan, Peter Duncan.

- How do you do? My sister, Joan.

- [Joan] Hello.

- How do you do?

I understand you have a salvage claim

on the sailing boat with the broken mast.

- That's right.

- Would you care to sell her?

Well, uh, actually, it's not fully cleared

yet by the Commissioner of Recs, but, uh...

I wonder whether

you'd excuse me for a moment?

Uh, Mr. Drew, you don't have to phone

Inspector Neil. I just saw him.

As a matter of fact, he sent me to you.

- So, he told you about the boat.

- Oh, some.

But he... he thought I should know

the full story

before I made a deal to buy her.

I see. Please sit down, Mr. Duncan.

- Would you like a drink?

- Yes.

[glass cups shuffling]

We would like to sell the thing

and I hate to spoil a possible sale,

and here's what happened.

[John] Two weeks or so ago,

we were on our way back from Dover

when we sighted a small sailing vessel

about ten miles off shore.

[bright orchestra music playing]

[indistinct]

Stand by. I'll push down the line.

[tense music playing]

You have no idea where they were from?

No. There was too much wind in sea.

I couldn't even hear their voices,

let alone what they were saying.

Did you see them closely?

No. They... they were wearing oil skins

and south westers.

We'd only catch glimpses of their faces.

We saw there were two men,

but that was all.

Anyway, we towed them slowly in

at about six knots.

[John] I realized it would be dark

before we could get in to Shoram,

so I went out to make sure

our searchlight was working properly.

[tense orchestra music playing]

By the time we entered the harbor,

it was very dark.

I saw the two men clearly in the light

of the searchlight

as we'd entered between the piers.

After that,

I didn't pay any more attention to them

as I was fully occupied

bringing the ship into the lock.

When we got inside,

I shouted to them to come alongside.

As I got no reply, we pulled the boat

alongside ourselves and I jumped aboard.

There was no one on the deck

and when I looked into the cabin,

to my amazement,

there was no one there either.

[suspenseful music playing]

The next morning, we went aboard

with a sergeant to make a proper search.

[tense music playing]

I found this shoe last night.

I had a good look around the boat

but couldn't find anything else.

Just an ordinary shoe.

[ominous music playing]

[John] A few days later,

the Ministry of Transport

held an informal inquiry.

Then, when I got no reply, I pulled

the vessel alongside and went aboard.

There was nobody aboard.

The ship was abandoned.

Sergeant French, is it?

Thank you Mr. Drew.

- Sit down, Sergeant.

- Thank you.

Now, Sergeant, can you tell us anything

about the sailing vessel?

Or who the crew on her

are likely to have been?

No, sir, I am afraid not.

We have made inquiries for a boat

of her description which might be missing,

but no craft have been reported missing

anywhere along the coast.

I see.

Anything found about two persons

who have not been accounted for?

No, sir. No information has been

received that anyone is missing.

- A little strange, isn't it?

- Yes, sir.

Could you obtain any information

from her papers?

She had no papers, sir.

- No papers?

- No, sir, nothing.

Not even charts. Her lockers were empty.

There was nothing on board,

except a man's shoe.

- Have you the shoe here now?

- Yes, sir.

You see, sir, that it is a completely

ordinary mass-produced shoe.

Made in this country

but impossible to trace.

There must be thousands of shoes

exactly similar to this one.

It's of no use to us at all

with regards to identification.

- In short, then, you found out nothing.

- Nothing.

The situation so far is this.

The ship, the sailing boat that is,

was found in Mid channel

with at least two men

who were seen on board.

On arrival in harbor,

the two men were found to be missing,

but no one's been reported

to the police as missing

nor have any bodies been recovered.

The boat has been searched,

but no evidence has been found

to establish her port of origin

or the identify of her crew.

She appears to be, in fact,

something of a mystery ship.

Where she came from,

whether she was sailing, no one knows.

She had a crew, but they vanished.

Presumed they drowned.

Yet no one, no friend, no relation

has come forward to report their loss.

That is the situation at the moment

as I see it.

- Is that correct?

- That is quite correct, sir.

Well, Mr. Duncan,

that's where matters now stand.

And it's generally believed

the men were drowned?

Yes, but they could just as well

have jumped over the side

as we came in the lock.

Jumped and swam ashore.

You mean if they were smuggling,

for example?

Exactly!

- Now, I think they came--

- Joan, please!

I'm sorry, John. [chuckles]

He hates me saying this

because he thinks I'll discourage anyone

from buying the boat.

But I'm convinced those men are alive,

very dangerous, and sooner or later,

they'll come back.

- [John] Female intuition.

- [Joan] Call it what you like.

[scoffs]

I know we need the money, but I want to

be honest about the whole thing.

In fact, I wish the boat would sink

and we'd be done with it.

And we will be, my dear sister,

if you go on spreading silly stories

like that about it.

I'd like to take another look at it.

- Will you come along?

- Yes, of course.

[horn blaring]

- Hello there!

- Hello, Mr. Walton. This is Mr. Duncan.

[both men] How do you do?

- Had any luck today?

- Oh, none whatever.

- Anything new on your mystery ship?

- Not much luck there either, I'm afraid.

Pity. Nothing more infuriating

than a mystery without an end.

And this is a day's fishing

without a fish.

You chose the wrong spot

for a holiday, Mr. Walton.

Oh, I don't mind.

Frustration builds character.

- Well, see you about.

- Bye.

Did you say there weren't any boats

reported missing on this side?

Not to police knowledge.

[sighs] She must have come

from France or Belgium.

- But she's got an English compass.

- It wouldn't necessarily mean anything.

I've seen a lot of English compasses

on American ships.

- This is a French clock.

- How do you know?

Look at the regulating lever.

It doesn't say Fast or Slow,

it's marked A and R.

- Advance and Retard.

- Hm-mm.

- It's covering a plate or something.

- Is it?

- You got a knife?

- Yeah.

[Peter] "Fourneau Chantier

Naval Trouville."

[John] Well, that tells us

where she came from.

Not necessarily,

just where she was built.

I think we ought to report this

to the police, John.

Yes, so do I.

Well, you discovered it, Mr. Duncan.

Why don't you come with us?

Alright. If you'd like.

I am very sorry, Mr. Drew.

I know how anxious you are to clear

this matter up

and establish full claim to the ship,

but so long as no boats are reported

missing or persons are reported missing,

we can't go off on wild goose chases,

chasing down this probability or that.

[horn blaring]

Well, one thing I'll say

for Inspector Neil,

he was polite enough

not to yawn in our faces.

There is an old police rule,

no body, no murder.

Incidentally,

is there a good hotel around the harbor?

There's one up the road there

has accommodation. Not bad at all.

- Quite good food.

- Fine.

By the way, will you have dinner with me?

- Why, yes. Like to very much.

- Ms. Drew?

Thank you very much. I'd love to,

But, uh, John and I

have something to attend to first.

- Could we meet you in half an hour?

- Half an hour? It's a date.

[gentle orchestra music plays]

What have we got to attend to?

Nothing. Only, I just didn't

want to go looking like this.

- You look alright to me.

- I don't want to look alright to you.

Well, now that we've finished dinner,

how soon do we leave for Trouville?

Trouville?

Sure, we ought to be able to trace her

ourselves from that shipyard.

- How long is the trip is it in your boat?

- It only takes about nine hours.

It, uh, also takes money, Mr. Duncan.

Fuel, crew's wages.

Don't be deceived by the yacht,

Mr. Duncan.

We own the Gelert, but it's not a hobby.

She was an inheritance

we make our living from.

- Or what passes for a living.

- You know, holiday cruises.

Our next trip leaves in ten days.

That should give us plenty of time,

provided we leave in the morning.

You supply the yacht,

I'll supply the expenses.

Assuming, of course,

that we all want to prove

the identify of your, uh, mystery boat.

Can we, as you English say, do a deal?

I don't see why not. Do you, Joan?

- Why, no.

- [man] Good evening.

- [Peter] Good evening.

- [John] Hello, Hartnell.

Well, how do you like

my wife's cooking, Mr. Duncan?

Oh, it was excellent.

- An artist, isn't she?

- Hm-mm.

And I say,

one artist in the family is sufficient.

Oh, don't be so modest, Hartnell.

Hartnell is something

of a famous sculptor.

Yes, so I see.

- Have you done anything new?

- Indeed. Come along and I'll show you.

Well, it's been

a delightful evening, Mr. Duncan.

If we're going to leave tomorrow,

we'd better be getting back to the ship.

- What time do we shove off?

- Oh, about eight o'clock.

Mr. Duncan, you're being very generous.

Seems we have much more to gain

from the trip than you.

Yes. What is in it for you, Mr. Duncan?

There's certainly other boats to be had.

More or less a sporting preposition,

tracking down a mystery?

Does it matter?

I'll see you at eight, then.

- Okay. Goodnight.

- Goodnight.

[bright music]

John, did anything about Mr. Duncan

strike you particularly?

How do you mean? He seemed a decent sort.

He struck me as odd.

His answers to why he was willing to pay

all the money for the trip to Trouville.

Answer? I... I don't remember it.

That's just it. His evasiveness.

- All he said was, "Does it matter?"

- Well, does it?

We've known the chap a few hours.

Do you expect him to unburden his soul?

Go on, dear. Go to bed.

We've got to make an early start.

[gentle piano music playing]

[suspenseful music playing]

- [bright music playing]

- [seagulls squawking]

[horn blaring]

- [romantic music playing]

- [inaudible]

[inaudible]

[boat engine roars steadily]

[romantic music playing]

[in French] Sir,

where is the Fournier construction site?

[in French] Straight up there.

[bright orchestra music playing]

- This can't be the place.

- It's derelict.

Wait a second.

[in French]

Excuse me, sir, where is Fourneau?

[in French] The Fourneau house doesn't

exist anymore, didn't you know?

It's completely destroyed.

- Thank you.

- I'm sorry.

[in English] Well, that's that.

- Where do we go from here?

- [John] How about the post office?

- There's no harm in trying.

- It's this way.

[gentle orchestra music playing]

[horse neighs]

[horse blows]

[upbeat music playing]

We'll ask this girl where the office is.

[in French] Miss, where is... "office."

[in French]

You mean the office? That way, sir.

[in French] Thank you.

Thank you very much.

[hammering]

[Peter clears throat]

- [in French] Mr. Fourneau?

- [in French] Yes, come in.

- [in English] Do you speak English?

- [in English] Yes. Un peu.

Good. We've come to inquire about

a boat you built.

- When?

- 1935. She was a sloop, about seven tons.

- Have you got that picture?

- Yeah.

Hm-mm.

I do not make this vessel, no.

Your name plate was screwed

on the combing.

- My name?

- Yes.

Please sit down, madam.

1935.

No, I build no sloop in 1935.

Two battle boats for the navy, yes.

A catch but no sloop. Wait, though.

Catch. Yes, it might be.

This could be the Chistoska.

I remember her.

But when I built her, she was catch,

not sloop.

- Can you tell us the name of the owner?

- That will not be easy.

In the war, my yard was blown up by bombs.

All my records gone.

Fortunately, I saved my designs,

and I now carry on as before.

Are there no means of finding out?

It's very important.

Yes, there is one possibility.

If I designed the boat especially,

the name of the owner

should be on the plans.

Wait a minute here, madam.

Ah. Here.

Yes.

[in French] Covin,

20 rue du General Leclerc, Deauville.

Deauville, that's fine.

[in English] 1935 is a long time ago, sir.

The boat may have changed hands

many times since.

Yes, well, that's what

we are gonna have to try and find out.

- Thank you very much.

- At your service.

- Thank you.

-Bonjour.

- [in French] Good day, madam.

- [in French] Good day.

Good day, sir.

[upbeat music playing]

[bright orchestra music playing]

[horse snorts]

[in French] Of course I know of yacht

that was sold three weeks ago.

I'll give you the address.

I wonder why he's doing all this.

We shouldn't worry. He is paying for it.

[in French]

Address, Paris, here you go, sir.

[in French] Thank you.

You're welcome. It's nothing.

[in English] He sold it to an English girl

last month, but I've got the address.

We're leaving for Paris.

- Paris?

- Uh huh. Mademoiselle.

[upbeat music playing]

[children laughing]

[suspenseful music playing]

[doorbell ringing]

- Ms. Barry?

- Yes.

We got your address from a gentleman

in Doville.

I understand you bought a boat from him.

Yes, that is so.

This is Ms. Drew, Mr. Drew.

My name is Duncan. We are, uh, yachtsmen.

I'd like to talk to you for a few minutes

if you don't mind. May we come in?

- Yes, of course.

- Thank you.

Why don't you sit down?

What can I do for you?

Well, it's rather an odd story, Ms. Barry.

You'd... It seems that, uh...

- John, why don't you explain?

- Yes.

- Is this your boat, Ms. Barry?

- Yes, it is.

We found her a week ago

in Mid channel, dismasted.

- Oh no!

- There were two men aboard.

There were two men, Ms. Barry,

but when we reached port, they'd vanished.

- Do you mean they were drowned?

- No, we don't think so.

We think they jumped overboard

and swam ashore.

- Are you from the police?

- No. Why should we be?

[sighs] No reason.

Why do you come here?

Well, we thought as the owner of the boat

that you'd be interested in hearing this.

And possibly that you might be able

to give us a lead

on what happened to the two men,

who they were.

Will you excuse me a moment?

[dials phone]

[in French] Hello, Jacques. Listen.

There are three people...

- Can you understand what she's saying?

- No. Not a clue.

[in French] Yes. Yes.

Jules Armand.

Twelve... [indistinct]

Yes.

Now, how can I help you?

Well, I... I said before, Ms. Barry,

as the owner of the boat--

Oh, but you misunderstood me.

I'm not the owner of the boat.

- But you just said--

- I was the owner,

but I sold her a fortnight ago

to a man in Aufluer.

- I can give you his address.

- Wait a minute. This is ridiculous.

I'm terribly sorry,

but I can't help you any further.

Now, I'm afraid you'll have to excuse me.

I have a sitting in a quarter of an hour's

time and I've got a lot to do.

I'm sure you'll understand.

[all] Goodbye.

We have just gotten

the well-known bums rash.

- [John] What do you make of that?

- [Joan] Obviously, she's lying.

- Where is Aufluer?

- A short bus ride from the Gelert.

- Surely you don't intend to go there.

- Uh-huh.

I do.

[gentle orchestra music plays]

[upbeat music playing]

[suspenseful music playing]

This street ends at eight.

This says, uh, 12.

Well, why don't you ask here?

[in French] Hello, madam.

Do you know Mr. Armand?

[in French]

Armand... no, I don't know him, sir.

- Thank you.

- I'm sorry.

[in English] Well. maybe

she's given us the wrong address.

[suspenseful music playing]

- [gunshot rings out]

- [tense music playing]

[sighs] I'm glad he was a lousy shot.

These boys are starting to play

a little rough.

What are we going to do?

You report this to the police.

I'll call inspector Neil.

Right. Come on, Joan.

[upbeat orchestra music playing]

POST OFFICE AND TELEPHONE

FRENCH REPUBLIC

FIRST ARRONDISSEMENT POLICE STATION

- [in French] Sir, sir!

- [in French] Hello to you.

[in English] Do you speak English?

[in French] No, sir, I'm sorry.

Wait a moment.

Hector, Hector! Come here,

there are two English people here.

[man speaking French] Darn it!

I'm in the middle of eating.

You're always in the middle of eating!

Hurry up!

[steps approaching]

This lady and gentleman

wants to talk to you.

- Do you speak English?

- [in English] But of course, sir.

Well, somebody has just taken a shot at us

down by the harbor.

A shot at us. Um... Shot. Bang.

[in French] Ah, yes!

- [in French] What's he saying?

- [in French] He wants a gun license.

Oh, a gun license,

well, certainly, sir. It's very easy.

Madam, please have a seat.

We were walking along that little street

that runs alongside of the harbor there...

[in French] Here we go.

So, what kind of gun?

You will... [in French] revolver,

bing, bing, bing.

or [in French] hunting gun?

Boom, boom, boom?

No, no, no, a rifle. Rifle.

[imitates rifle shots]

[imitate rifle shots]

[in French] What does that mean?

Oh, for the birds?

[in English] Ah! For the

little birds. Ping, ping...

No, no, no, no, no.

You don't understand.

Somebody shot at us with a rifle.

A rifle.

[in French] Oh, a machine gun!

Oh, sir, that is impossible,

that is forbidden, sir.

In France, a hunting rifle is fine,

but a military gun?

It's absolutely forbidden.

Absolutely forbidden.

Here it is, madam, a gun license.

But... But this is the form

for a gun license.

- They think we want a gun license.

- [in English] Yes, yes. Gun license.

- But we don't want a gun license.

- No!

Don't you understand?

Somebody tried to shoot us.

- Us. We two.

- Two. Ah. [in French] Do another one.

Yes, I know, Inspector.

And I admit I haven't read the newspapers

for a few days

and maybe a war has broken out,

but how do you explain that shot?

You know, Mr. Duncan, there is often

simple explanations for these things.

It looks to me as though

you might have innocently strayed into

a local dispute of some kind.

After all, there is no proof at all

that the shot was meant for you, is there?

No, no, no, you still don't understand.

Somebody tried to shoot us from a window.

- Window.

- Yes. Birds, birds, birds.

No, no, no. Window.

Shoot at us. [imitates rifle shot]

[in French]

Now he wants to shoot the rats.

- [in French] Shoot rats?

- Without a doubt.

Where do you live, sir?

[speaking English] Please. Where you live?

- We live on a boat.

- [in French] What did he say?

- [in French] On a boat.

- [in French] On a boat?

Then what's the point of a gun, sir?

What you should do is poison the rats.

[in English] He say,

better you poison them.

[John and Joan] Poison?

What are they talking about? Poison who?

Poison the rats

what live on the boat, madam.

- What are you talking about?

- [sighs]

What rats on what boat?

[in French] You know, my...

- Monsieur, please.

- Please, monsieur, please help us.

- [in French] They had rats on their boat.

- Oh, come on.

So they wanted to kill them and got a gun.

And naturally, the lady

shot a hole in the boat and it sank.

- Oh.

- What a terrible thing.

Oh dear.

[chuckling]

The poor English, they're all nuts.

They are upset.

[chuckles] There you are, then.

My only suggestion is that you go back

and question that girl.

And if that doesn't

lead you anywhere, well,

come back and have a quiet beer

at the local with me.

Alright. Thank you, Inspector.

Maybe I'll do that.

[gentle music playing]

[doorbell rings]

[woman speaking French] Hey!

- What do you want?

- [Peter speaking French] Miss Barry.

Not here. She left.

[in English] Well, when will she

be back? Uh... [in French] returning?

[scoffs]

Oh, no, never returning,

she left, it's over.

When? Uh... [in French] when did she leave?

[speaking in French, then in English]

Two days.

- Well, did she say where she was going?

- [in French] What?

Uh... Address. Address? [speaks French]

No, no, no address.

It's over, she left.

[somber music playing]

We are going home now, Chief.

How soon can you raise steam?

I raised a bit of steam

this afternoon to run the pumps.

Be ready in half an hour, sir?

[horn blaring]

[somber music playing]

[dramatic music playing]

Hello, Niton radio. Gelert answering.

Yes, we will be in Shoram in an hour.

Can you telephone the lock keeper?

Over.

Thank you Niton radio.

Gelert over and out.

John, will you take the wheel for a while?

I think I'll go below and pack my gear.

Right.

[pensive music playing]

[tense music playing]

[pensive music playing]

[Peter] Interesting?

Prying into other people's affairs

is a pretty nasty occupation.

- Especially for a pretty girl.

- Sometimes it's justified.

Do you think so?

- Isn't it time you told us the truth?

- What do you mean?

The reason why you are spending

all this money on the trip.

Peter, I hate to think of you being

mixed up in the smuggling business, but...

But what?

What do those notes mean?

"A or B swam in shore."

"Possibly concealed at Shoram."

"Probably place of concealment onboard."

I'm afraid it isn't quite as exciting as

you'd like to make it.

Who are you?

Besides being Peter Duncan,

I'm Raymond Harris,

- John Francis--

- Aliases?

No. Pen names.

I'm a writer. Mystery novels.

Those of us who turn out

a half a dozen of these things a year

use different names so the public

won't get tired of the same author.

Why didn't you tell us this before?

Well, probably because I'm not very proud

of what I've written recently,

so I decided to dump it all

and take a vacation.

And what better spot for a mystery writer

but the birthplace of Sherlock Holmes.

Exactly. Father Brown.

Then I ran across that story

of yours and John's,

the episode in the channel.

- And you want to write a book about it?

- Hm-mm.

If I can find an ending.

Are you disappointed?

Disappointed? Why should I be?

Well, just a second ago, you were

on the trail of a very dangerous criminal.

[sighs]

You must think I am an awful fool.

No. As John says, I'll put it down

to female intuition.

Only this time, it was wrong.

I'm happy to say.

[bright orchestra music playing]

[bells ringing]

[gentle orchestra music playing]

- Hello, Ted. Where is it?

- Down by the house boat.

[boy] I'll show him, mister. I found it!

Alright, you kids, hop off home. Go on.

Go on now. Hop it.

[Ted] Come on, all of you. Come back here.

[police] I'll not tell you again now.

Go on.

[tense orchestra music playing]

Then I pulled the body from the water

and waited by it until it was taken

to the mortuary.

[judge] Thank you, Constable.

- You can stand down now.

- Thank you, sir.

- Call Mr. Martin.

- [indistinct]

[indistinct chattering]

[man] Mr. Martin.

Hold The Bible in your right hand

and repeat the oath.

I swear by Almighty God

that the evidence I shall give the court

touching this inquiry shall be the truth,

the whole truth,

and nothing but the truth.

Mr. Martin,

now, you have identified the deceased?

Yes, sir. He was my nephew.

Michael Henry Bolton.

[judge] When did you last see

the deceased alive?

It was three months ago.

- Thank you very much, Mr. Martin.

- Thank you, sir.

Call Dr. Waverly.

[man] Dr. Waverly!

[inspector] That's the chap.

[Dr. Waverly] I swear by Almighty God

that the evidence I shall give the court

touching this inquiry shall be the truth,

the whole truth,

and nothing but the truth.

- You are Dr. Thomas Waverly?

- I am.

Now, Doctor, I have to ask you whether

you have, beyond all reasonable doubt,

established the cause of death

of the deceased.

I have.

[judge] Thank you. Will you now

tell the jury what the findings were?

At the request of the police,

I performed a post-mortem on the deceased

to discover the cause of death.

I found the deceased to be a young man

of sound physique,

suffering from no organic disease.

By that I mean that the deceased

was in good health about the time

when he met his death.

I discovered, however, that his lungs

contained a consider amount of saltwater.

He had then met his death by drowning?

No, sir.

I mention this finding merely

because I think it relevant to point out

that the deceased had been in the sea.

Whether he'd fallen in or was thrown in,

it is not in my province to say.

[judge] Quite, quite.

But if he was not drowned,

how then did he die, in your opinion?

There is no doubt at all

as to the cause of death.

He was shot.

[people murmuring]

- He was shot.

- [Waverly] Yes.

I found a wound

from a small caliber revolver bullet

which had entered from the back

below the left shoulder blade

and traveled in an upper direction.

- Thank you. Call Inspector Neil.

- [indistinct chattering]

[man] Inspector Neil!

I swear by Almighty God that the evidence

I shall give the court

touching this inquiry

shall be the truth, the whole truth,

and nothing but the truth.

Now, Inspector, have the police

any evidence to put forward

which will in any way clarify

the circumstances

in which the deceased met his death?

Yes, sir.

Will you place that evidence

before the court?

Yes, sir. Exhibit A, please.

That shoe was found

on an abandoned sailing ship

which was towed into harbor recently.

Exhibit B, please.

And that one was found on the left foot

of the deceased.

And in your opinion, these are

what would be described as a pair?

They are not, that is to say,

merely a right and left shoe

of similar make, size, and appearance.

I am quite certain.

[judge] How can you be quite certain?

We've had several tests made

in our laboratories

and found that the polish on each shoe

is of identical nature.

Also, that each shoe contains

exactly similar specimens

of metallic dust, minerals,

and various substances,

including small quantities

of sodium phosphate.

But sodium phosphate

is a very peculiar substance

to find on a shoe.

For an ordinary man, yes, sir,

but not if he was employed as a chemist.

And was the deceased so employed?

Yes, sir. He was employed

as a research chemist.

His superior is in court now, sir.

- I asked him to attend.

- [judge] Thank you, Inspector.

Call up Mr. Drew.

[man] Mr. Drew!

Hold The Bible in your right hand

and repeat the oath.

I swear by Almighty God

that the evidence I shall give the court

touching this inquiry shall be the truth,

the whole truth,

and nothing but the truth.

[seagulls squawking]

Look at her, a mysterious female,

and of all the mysterious females

in the world, why can't this one talk?

Can't you forget the boat for a while?

Hm-mm. I haven't found

an ending for my book yet.

Why don't you have a romantic ending?

Boy and girl in each other's arms

and they live happily ever after.

Do you know what distinguishes my books

from all the other paperback trash?

Tell me.

They never have a love story.

I don't believe in them.

[John] Hey! I've got it.

- What?

- The boat.

Just saw the chap from

the Commission of Recs.

They got tired of waiting for anybody

to claim that thing

and they didn't want to go on piling up

mooring charges.

You took possession?

Well, I didn't want to

put the thing up for auction.

I can get us set on this

if I have a healthy bidder.

And I've got one right here.

- Two hundred pounds?

- It's yours.

Not quite.

If I'm half-owner of the Gelert,

I'm half-owner of the Tusker too,

and you know what I feel about it.

Okay. What would you do with it?

Well, after the finding

of that man Bolton's body,

I'd chop it up for firewood.

That's exactly what I intend to do.

What are you talking about?

[seagulls squawking]

Step aboard my boat.

- I don't see why they should.

- Well, suppose it was smuggling,

small stuff but valuable diamonds,

for example.

You were forced to swim for it,

for a lot of reasons you couldn't

risk taking the stuff with you.

Now, on a boat this size,

where would you hide it?

You know boats as well as I.

There's a dozen places you could put it.

Places that couldn't be found unless

you took the ship apart board by board.

Hm-mm. That's what I mean.

- So, you think it's smuggling, then.

- Ah. It's a ten-to-one shot.

Well, the police had the same idea.

- Then, why didn't they take it apart?

- I don't know.

It's very simple. The luxury of being able

to prove the theory true or false

by destroying the boat is too expensive.

After all, it is just a guess, isn't it?

And if it cost the police department

200 pounds

every time they made a wrong guess,

they'd be spending money faster

than the treasury could make it.

I can afford it... once.

It's exactly what I intend to do.

I'm gonna tear it apart, board by board

and nail by nail.

- [gentle orchestra music playing]

- [seagulls squawking]

Alright, lower away. Right.

- You okay?

- [John] Yes.

- Alright, take me down.

- [John] Hang on.

[light jazz music playing]

[water splashing]

[woman] Help!

[breathing heavily]

Help! Help!

[coughs, screams] Help!

[music stops abruptly]

[woman] Help!

[woman screams]

[intense orchestra music playing]

Help!

John, there's someone in the water.

Lower your dingy.

[woman coughing]

[John] Throw the weight.

[tense music playing]

[woman grunts]

It's the girl from Paris.

Ahoy there. Can I be of any help?

Yes, yes. Can you get a doctor quickly?

I am a doctor. I'll come aboard.

Joan, turn the covers down.

[footsteps approaching]

[sighs]

- [Joan] Is she alright?

- [doctor groans]

I think she will be.

Did she tell you how she fell in?

No, no, she was unconscious

when we pulled her out.

[sighs] Can you get me a hot water bottle

and a kettle of boiling water?

Certainly.

[doctor] I think

we ought to get her to hospital.

- Would you mind phoning for an ambulance?

- No, of course.

There's a phone box at the corner.

I'm going forward and change my clothes.

[tense music playing]

- [Joan] Peter! Peter!

- Sorry I've been so long. Yes?

- They've gone.

- What is it?

- They vanished. The girl and the doctor.

- What?

Look.

- Oh, look my duffle coat's gone.

- The dingy is gone too.

[man] Ahoy, the Gelert.

- Are you the Gelert?

- [Peter] Yes, we are.

Well, can she walk

or shall we bring a stretcher?

[Peter] I'm sorry.

We don't need you after all.

Are you the doctor, sir?

- No, the doctor's gone and so's the girl.

- Well, what do you mean?

You say

there is no casualty and no doctor.

What did you send for us for?

When we telephoned you,

there was. But they've disappeared.

Oh, some of these funny guys, eh.

We've had just about enough

of these false alarms.

Look, my friend, we are not fooling.

This is an emergency. Can you drive us

to the police station, please?

About five feet six, slim built,

probably dressed in a brown duffle coat

over cotton dress, no shoes.

Any other distinguishing marks?

Um... She is brunette

and wears her hair in a fringe.

This doctor,

have you ever seen him before?

- No, never.

- [phone rings]

Yes, sir.

We'll get a general call out right away.

Very good, sir.

The inspector says will you go back

to the Gelert, he's on his way to see you.

- Yes, of course.

- I'll drive you back, sir.

Thank you.

[dramatic music playing]

[man] Good heavens.

How did she come to be in that state?

She got away and swam out to the Gelert.

Fortunately, she passed out

before she could tell them anything.

[man] How do you know?

How did you get her here?

I arrived most opportunely.

Pretending to be a doctor.

Got her away in their dingy.

[man] That's lucky

because I've got the stuff.

What?

[man] Yes, we must get away from here

as soon as we can.

What should we do with her?

- [man] Lock her up in the attic.

- Hadn't I better...

[man] No. We'll be well on our way

before anybody finds her.

[dramatic music playing]

[suspenseful music playing]

[seagulls squawking]

- Morning, John.

- Morning.

- How do you feel?

- Not too well, really.

- How's Joan?

- Same complaint.

Generally rotten and this peculiar rash.

In fact, I phoned the doctor.

- Where's Joan?

- Lying down in the cabin.

Let's go see her.

- Do you have a fever?

- No, I've just taken my temperature.

I wonder what caused it.

What about that chemical

we put in the boiler?

- What? That anti-scaling compound?

- Yeah.

No. It's quite harmless.

Yeah, and anyhow, you'd better

stay in bed until the doctor gets here.

Good heavens, no.

I'm not as bad as all that.

- You run along, I'll get dressed.

- [inhales]

Go on.

Have you had

any sun ray treatments, Mr. Duncan?

No, I haven't.

- Any such equipment on board the ship?

- No.

Any, uh, arc light

or high-frequency equipment onboard?

No, nothing like that.

- Have you had any radiotherapy treatment?

- No.

Or visited any laboratory

engaging in nuclear research?

Definitely no.

What are you driving at, Doctor?

Well, unless I am very much mistaken,

you and your friends are suffering from

second-degree burns caused by Gamma rays

from some radioactive substance.

[Peter] But we haven't been outside

of a 500-yard radius in the last 48 hours.

- Where would Gamma rays come from?

- I don't know.

I... I may be wrong. Of course,

I admit I don't know much about this, but...

Well, anyway, I'd get this made up

and dab it on the burns.

In the meanwhile,

I will check up on my diagnosis.

If I am right, we've got to find out

what caused those burns.

Whatever it is could be dangerous

unless properly protected.

Gamma rays. Sounds absurd, doesn't it?

Why not?

In these days of atom bombs

and flying saucers,

one can expect anything.

Yeah, you are so right.

Like the first thing I do in the morning

is look out the window at the world

just to make sure it's still there.

[horn blaring]

- [man] May I come down?

- Yes. Who is it?

My name is Carter. I'm from

the Tottingham Research Laboratories.

I think I've seen you before

some place, Mr. Carter.

That's right, you have.

The coroner's inquest.

Oh yes. Yes, of course.

- I saw you too, Mr. Duncan.

- [Peter] Hmm.

- So did MI5.

- MI5?

They're the same as your FBI.

- Investigating me?

- That's right.

But they put you absolutely in the clear.

Well, I'm... I'm glad to hear that.

- Can I have a look at your arms, please?

- Yes.

Hmm. The doctor was perfectly right.

- We've got Gamma burns?

- That could be a very close diagnosis.

But what caused them?

I'm going to answer that

only because I'm going to need your help.

You'll please regard what I tell you

as confidential.

Bolton, one of my staff,

was engaged in experiments dealing with

a particular facet of nuclear fission.

I can understand

why MI5 would be interested.

Yes. And before he disappeared,

he was developing

certain theories of his own,

the details of which were known

only to himself.

But surely you knew that he was missing.

His absence was perfectly in order. He was

supposed to be on his annual holiday.

When we learned of his murder,

we checked on what he had been doing

and found that a sample of a new

uranium derivative was missing.

- How large a quantity, Mr. Carter?

- No larger than a pea.

And although it's encased

in a lead capsule about that size,

it emits Gamma rays powerful enough

to be very dangerous to anyone

who's near it.

Properly used, it has enormous

potentialities as a war weapon.

- Can you get hold of Geiger, Carter?

- [Carter] Yes. Why?

Well, I have an idea.

I think maybe I can give you a lead.

- Will you come with me?

- Sure.

How does it detect the presence

of a radioactive substance, Mr. Carter?

It emits an audible signal.

Sort of a clicking.

Well, there's nothing here.

Let's move up top.

[device clicking]

Got it. Some on it here.

Were you here shortly

before you got the burns?

Yes, we chopped down

the top of the mast yesterday.

The mast.

It's in the mast.

But I'm surprised the reaction

isn't much greater. Is the mast hollow?

Yes, but nothing inside

because I had a good look

when I cut down the broken part.

And there was definitely nothing inside.

Unless it's down here

at the bottom near the deck.

[device clicking louder]

No, the reaction is strongest up here,

as far as I can reach.

Here, where these scratches are.

That's the marks made

by the broken topmast

as it hung downhill by the iron runup.

It was swinging to and fro

as the ship rolled.

- Yes. That could explain it.

- What could?

This is an induced field caused by contact

with some radioactive substance.

Just as a magnet stretched

on any piece of metal

would make the metal itself

temporarily magnetic.

- Where do we go from there?

- Well, it seems pretty certain to me.

It must have been the top half of the mast

hanging down against this lower portion

that made it radioactive.

So, the top of the mast

must have itself been radioactive.

- What did you do with it?

- We left it on the junkie.

Well, we'd better find it quick.

[tense music playing]

- It's gone.

- That's where we put it.

[device clicking]

Yes, it's radioactive, alright.

Maybe it fell down in here.

My dear fellow, you heard the reaction

just from where it laid.

If it were still here,

this thing would be ticking its head off.

Who would have taken it?

Well, anybody could have taken it.

This stuff is just junk.

Well, whoever has it

must be pretty badly burnt by now.

- Why don't you check the local hospitals?

- [Carter] Yes, I will.

Supposing

it wasn't just anybody who took it?

[tense music playing]

Why did Bolton put the stuff

at the top of the mast?

Surely,

there were easier places to hide it.

Because the Gamma-ray emissions

of this material is such

that to get immunity for 24 hours

at a distance of, say, six feet,

you'd need a lead container weighing

at least a couple of hundred weight.

But in a small capsule at, say, 30 feet,

especially in damp air,

the rays would have fallen off

to such an extent

as to be practically harmless.

That's why they put it in the top

of the mast. It was a brilliant idea.

But how did they get it there

in the first place?

That wouldn't be difficult.

The River Kel runs through

the lab grounds.

Bolton had access to the lab at any time.

He must have got the stuff aboard

wearing protective clothing

which he later returned.

It also explains why the yacht

was converted from a catch to a sloop.

A sloop has a much taller mast.

And that's where they made

their big mistake.

That boat was never made

to carry all that canvas.

In the storm, something had to give.

Mr. Duncan,

the truth of what actually happened

on that boat

will probably never be proved,

but, um,

what would your literary guess be?

Well, for my money, the thieves fell out,

they shot Bolton,

and dumped him overboard.

- To stop him from talking?

- It's more than likely.

Look what happened to us when we asked

a few polite questions in France.

[footsteps approaching]

We have some news for you sir.

The woman reported kidnapped,

we've got her. She is at the station now.

Michael Bolton was my brother.

[John] But I thought your name was Barry.

That's my professional name.

- Did you know what your brother was doing?

- No, of course not.

I hadn't the faintest idea.

I wondered why he asked me

to buy the boat,

and why it was necessary

to be so secretive about it.

And then, when his friend came to see me

about picking it up,

I thought they must be doing

some sort of smuggling.

Why did you give us that phony story

and address when we called on you?

I thought you were something to do

with the customs.

Did you know that someone

tried to shoot us in Aufluer?

- No.

- Why did you duck out of Paris so quickly?

Try and persuade Michael

to give up smuggling.

Did you know what he was smuggling?

No. I thought it might be

watches or something like that,

but when I got back to England,

I couldn't find him. He'd vanished.

If you suspected something had happened

to him, why didn't you come to us?

Well, I wanted to,

but I didn't get a chance.

You see, the man from Paris

and another man

locked me in an old houseboat.

It was only then that I realized

what Michael had really been doing.

What could have induced a man like Bolton

to have sold his country's secrets?

He didn't sell them.

Those men had something on him.

Something he'd done years ago.

They were blackmailing him.

Ms. Bolton, what were you doing

in the water last night?

Well, I escaped from the houseboat.

I was trying to swim to you to ask

if you could go to the police with me.

You see, I know who has the material

from the laboratory.

- Who?

- I don't know his name,

but I think I could draw his face for you.

Thank you.

He has a rather round face,

bushy eyebrows,

nose something like that, a mustache.

[John] That looks like Walton.

You know.

The old boy staying at Hartnell's pub.

- Yeah.

- Walton?

- He's a fisherman we met the other day.

- Where is this pub?

- It's right close by the boatyard.

- Let's go.

[tense orchestra music playing]

[deck cranking]

Michael, where is that fellow Walton,

the fisherman?

- Fisherman?

- Yes.

Scoundrel, you mean! Scoundrel and cad.

Pinched one of my best statues he did,

unless I am very much mistaken.

Are you sure he isn't

in the house someplace?

Yes, he went out some time ago and took

my statue lovers parting with him.

- Look.

- I'm sorry, sir, we haven't time to--

Oh, you haven't time

to worry about my statues.

That's fine. Are you aware, sir,

that it is a work of genius?

Besides, the lead cost me a lot of money.

- Oh...

- Just a moment.

Did you say your model was made of lead?

I did. Mainly a lead cylinder.

Tell me quickly. How big

was the cylinder? How thick the lead?

Three feet, lead about half an inch thick,

must have weighed a 100 weight.

- That's it.

- What do you mean?

It wouldn't be completely safe

but would afford

some protection for several hours.

You think it possible the cylinder was

stolen for the purpose of carrying the--

Not only possible but probable.

[man] Sir. Urgent message on the radio.

Will Professor Carter

telephone the laboratory at once?

- Where can I get a phone?

- Inside, on the left.

Thanks.

[boat engine roars steadily]

[seagulls squawking]

- [Peter] What was it, Doctor?

- There's been an explosion at the lab.

- Several men have been killed.

- What happened?

Samples of the stuff Bolton made

had become unstable.

Unstable? What does that mean?

It means if we can't locate that stuff

and neutralize it,

there's likely to be a miniature

atomic explosion at any moment.

[Michael] Inspector. Inspector.

I've just seen Walton. He's putting

out to sea in a fishing boat he pinched.

- Quick, he's got my statue.

- You got a fast boat, Inspector?

- Nothing newer than New Haven.

- Well, the Gelert has steam up.

- Is she fast?

- Fast enough to catch a fishing boat.

- What about the lock?

- It's high water.

The locks are open through.

Right, come on.

[tense music playing]

He's got a pretty good start,

but I think we can catch him.

[engine churns]

- Can't you get any more speed out of her?

- [John] It's full now.

[rumbling]

What do you think the chances are

of it going off before we can get to them?

Your guess is as good as mine.

- How big would the explosion be?

- That, I don't know.

Inspector, I think

you can try them on the loudhailer now.

You two, stop your engine.

You are in grave danger. Do you hear?

[indistinct] ...may explode at any moment.

Lest we get aboard and neutralize it.

You are in danger.

Don't fire that gun, Walton, you hear.

Don't fire that gun!

The shock wave could set off the capsule.

- [gunshot rings out]

- Full astern.

[bell ringing]

[indistinct]

[Inspector over loudspeaker]

Don't be a fool, Walton.

Jump overboard and we'll pick you up.

Do you hear?

Look out. He's gonna fire again.

[loud explosion]

Dangerous Voyage, by, uh, Peter Duncan.

- Is this any good?

- It's alright for a train journey, sir.

You won't have much time

for reading, will you, sir?

[romantic music playing]