The Third Alibi (1961) - full transcript

Oh, good-bye, Helen.
Thank you very much.

- That's right.
- It isn't important, I guess.

- I will.
- I'll get Sheila.

You come to us next time.

- Oh, thank you very much. I'd love to.
- Bye bye.

Bye.

Oh, Sheila, how are you?

- Yes, we must get that done.
- Are you sure?

- Yes, it's happening, darling
- Have you got a baby-sitter?

- Yes.
- All right then.

- Bye bye.
- I will.



- Oh, Peter, must you go?
- Yes, I'm afraid I must.

- Helen, you give very nicest parties.
- Well, I am glad you could stay.

Do you know this is the first time
you haven't been called in on a case?

Ah, it's a question of mind over matter.

And that's the end of the second act.

Sounds marvellous to me, Norman.
Is it nearly finished?

Well, they want to go into rehearsal
in about eight weeks,

and I've got half the last act
to write yet.

And it means a whole lot of work.

Day and night until it's finished.

It was an unexpected pleasure, Peggy.
We didn't expect see you tonight.

I suppose you didn't.

I thought it was high-time
I came to visit my sister.

- I hope I didn't embarrass you.
- No, of course not.



I wish I'd invited you now.

But indeed you'd come.

I've got to go now, anyhow.

Norman, be a love and phone
for a taxi for me, will you?

- Didn't you bring your car?
- No. It's being repaired.

You won't need a taxi to take it up
since I'll run you home.

Nonsense, I wouldn't dream of it.

A breath of fresh air will
do me good.

Very sweet of you.

Can I help you clear out before I go?

Oh, no, of course not, you go.

I'll just wash these few things
and then I'll go to bed. I...

I feel very tired.

Why don't you leave it
until the morning?

No, good gracious me!
I never sleep.

Still the perfect housewife.

- How about another drink before you go?
- No, thank you.

All right. Come along
The car is right outside.

- I'll be back in about an hour.
- All right.

- Good-bye, Peggy.
- Bye.

I'll invite you the next time.

What would you have said if
I have phoned for a taxi?

I never bother to think
about impossible things.

Suppose you keep your eye on the road.

Wait until we get home.

Don't go on, stop!

You hit him. Turn the wheel.
Ah, you hit him!

- You've got to go back!
- Shut up!

You've been asking for trouble.

And whatever you say, I still think
we should've stopped.

Well, it was an accident.
He just walked in front of us.

We left him in the footpath
and we talk such as...

All right, then you skidded.

On a perfectly dry road there'll be
no skid marks, remember?

- But he's dead.
- All right, so he's dead.

There's nothing I can do
about it, is there?

If you think I am going to prison for
manslaughter, you're very much mistaken.

All right, all right!

I'm sorry.
I'm terribly upset.

I'm gonna make a cup of coffee.

I'll just get these things on.

Norman...

I'm sorry, Peggy.

Norman...

I didn't have to go on like this.
I come mad.

Why you didn't speak to her and
make her give you a divorce?

You want me to speak to...
your own sister.

She's not my sister.
She's only my half-sister.

All right, your step-sister.

- You really want me to tell her?
- Yes, yes I do.

Promise me you will.

I just can't stand it any longer.

Oh, I love you.

- I need you.
- All right.

I promise.

Is it you, Norman?

Sorry.
I didn't want to disturb you.

Oh, heavens, look at the time!

Oh, what happened to you?

Oh, car trouble again.

Took me hours to get it right.

You better get that Simpson's man up
here to have a look at it in the morning.

Yes, all right.

It was a nice party, wasn't it?

Yes.

What did Peggy have to say?

Nothing of any consequence.

You know? She's changed
since she got a divorce.

Maybe I've been unkind to her.

Well, I'll have to ask her over
more often.

Good night.

Good night.

Here's your coffee.

Helen, for God's sake!
Look at all this mess!

All morning's work.

And behindhand as it is, you know that.

I'm terribly sorry.
I just couldn't help it.

- I didn't ask for any coffee, did I?
- No.

What's the matter with you lately?
Why can't you be more careful?

Leave it! Leave it!

You know you've really got to
take things more carefully, Helen.

You don't seem to realize how
necessary it is in your own interest.

Oh, is it serious, Peter?

Let's hope not.

You'll know as soon as
we get the result of the tests.

In the meantime, you've just
got to stop worrying.

- Understand?
- Yes, I understand.

Now, if you should get another attack,
I want you to take two of these tablets.

Thank you.

And give this letter to Dr Stern
at the Hospital.

I want you to have 1 or 2 tests
that I can't give you here.

All right.

And don't do too much,
take things quietly

and get as much rest
as you possibly can.

Let Norman do the worrying for you.

How is he, by the way?

Oh, he's fine, Peter.

I must drop in and see him sometime.

Peter, you won't say anything to Norman

about me coming up to see you
this morning, will you?

Well, do you mean he doesn't
know about it?

No, I didn't tell him.
He would only worry.

Well, he has a new show in his hands.

For all the same, I think
you should tell him.

I will if it's necessary.

How soon will you know
about the results?

I'll let you know as soon as I hear.

And only me, not Norman.

All right, only you.

You promise to take things
really quietly.

I will.
I promise.

And thank you, Peter.

- Good-bye.
- Good-bye, Helen.

# Now and then,

# girls and men

# fall in love in a romantic way.

# Now and then,

# one in ten,

# that's the way that
the romance will stay.

# What a pity that our love
couldn't have been so good.

# What a pitiful fool was I
to have thought it would.

# Now and then,

# girls and men

# who have parted can make
a fresh start.

# Now and then,

# once again

# love returns to the sorrowful heart.

# Oh, yes, miracles can occur,

# in a vintage year,
but I think somehow

# I'll always sigh for what
might have been

# and the difference between
then and now.

# Yes, I'll always sigh

# for what might have been

# and the difference between

# then and now.

That's fine, Cleo.

Now we'll do it just once more
and then you can go home.

I want you to turn as you get
down to the bottom of the stage...

Hello, darling.

Peg, you're the last person
I expected to see!

Expected or wanted?

Oh, no, honestly,
I've been busy.

So you said.

So I thought as you didn't come
to see me,

I'd come to see you.

As a matter of fact, I was thinking
of coming over tomorrow night.

Tomorrow never comes.

Haven't you said it to Helen yet?

A cigarette?

So you haven't.

But why not?

You can't run away from me
forever, you know.

I'm not running away.

I'm just waiting for
the right opportunity.

You are running away.

Exactly as you did before.

You remember that man you knocked down?

Why? What's happened?

We don't get along,
nothing's happened.

It would've been something the
papers inter.

Why bring it up?

Because you ran away then
and you're running away now.

But this is different.

I've just been to see the doctor.

Why? What's wrong?

Oh, nothing's wrong.
I feel fine.

It's perfectly normal for
a woman to consult a doctor

under the circumstances.

What are you talking about?

I'm pregnant.

My God!

Do I congratulate you or not?

It's never happened to me before.

Oh, Peg, I haven't said.
Don't joke about it.

I'm not joking, darling.

You'll have to tell her it now,
won't you?

Yes, yes, all right.

When?

Tonight.

- You promise?
-I've said so, haven't I?

It's not going to be easy.

I won't tell her more than I have to.

You're back early, darling.

You know? We'd have to do something
about that old man

who lives in that caravan
up on the hill.

I'm sick and tired of having our
comings and goings being watched

morning, noon and night

You'll have to write to
the Council or something.

It's a free country, isn't it?

I tried out staring him this
afternoon, but

even that didn't work.

A cigarette?

Oh, lighten it, will you?

Do you like a sherry?

Thanks.

Had a bad day?

No.

Why?

Oh, I just thought that you seemed a
bit on edge this evening, that's all.

Well, I am not.

I'm sorry.

Let's leave it at that, shall we?

- Have I any thought that...
- Don't go on about it, please.

Norman...
what's happening to us?

I mean, for weeks it's been like this.

Is all you can do to stay in
the same room with me?

Maybe I haven't wanted to stay
in the same room with you.

Did you ever think of that?

Maybe I've had just about as much
as I can stand about...

dullness of this household.

Has it never occurred to you
that I'm just not interested

in the price of potatoes or whether
the roses have got greenfly,

or in that damned old man
up there on the hill.

When did you last talk about
anything that was really important?

Shall I tell you something
really important, Norman?

No.
I want to tell you something first.

I... I don't quite know
how to put this.

Helen, I want you to give me a divorce.

- ?Divorce?
- I'm sorry, it's not all your fault.

I'm just as much to blame
as you are, but...

Well, it's just one of those things
that can happen to any married couple.

Now it's... it's happening to us.

Who is she?

That's not the point.

I should have thought that was
very much the point.

- There is another woman, isn't there?
- Yes.

Look, Helen, I...

I've no wish to hurt you, but
honestly I have no choice.

That's right.

You haven't, not at all.

I see.

That means you won't give me a divorce.

No, Norman.
I won't divorce you.

Not even for Peggy?

Peggy!

My sister?

Why did you have to do that to me?

I'll give you grounds.

It can all be done very quietly.

It's all been done far
too quietly already.

I'll make you an allowance, of course.

You won't have to.

Because I won't divorce you, Norman,

Not as long as I live.

Peggy and I have just got to get
married. We've got to!

Well, that's your problem.
Yours and Peggy's.

All right. All right. Then I'll have
to leave you and go to her.

But she won't want you
on those terms.

Oh, yes, she will.

Not on those terms, she won't,

Remember she is my sister and
I know more about her than you do.

She wants a husband and
a marriage certificate.

Not just someone just to live with.

I don't think you quite understand.

Peggy is going to have a child.

- How do you know it's yours?
- Of course it's mine!

But how do you know?
Just because he slept with you?

- Oh, how conceited can you get!
- Helen!

Oh, for God's sake, shut up!

Oh, it's you.
Come in.

Hello, Peggy.

I thought it's time.
We have to talk.

Has Norman spoken to you?

Oh, yes he told me all about the
illegitimate child you are expecting.

- It won't be illegitimate.
- I am afraid it will.

Norman is already married, remember?

- He'll marry me after the divorce.
- There isn't going to be a divorce.

Just for once.

Probably for the first time
in your life,

you're going to want something that
you know you can't be able to have.

You ought to divorce him.

He doesn't love you.

Norman doesn't love anyone
except himself.

All our lives I had to give way to you.

All our childhood was always, "well,
Peggy, have it", and "poor Peggy".

and "Peggy must have it".

And Peggy always got it.

Nobody ever said "poor Helen".

Everybody always thought that because you
were the baby it ought to be that way,

when you're not a baby any longer.

You are a grown-up pregnant woman
trying to steal somebody else's husband

and this time is not going to work.

But this happens to be Norman's child.

Is it?

Even that I doubt.

Remember I know too much
about you, Peggy.

Would you like me to go into detail?

I think you'd better go.

All right.
I'm going.

But before I do,

I want to make it quite clear

that divorcing Norman is completely
out of the question.

Get out!

Now you will have to find somebody else
to father your unfortunate child.

I shouldn't think you'll find that
very difficult.

You'll never move her.
I'm sure of that.

I know.

Let's get out of the country.

Let's go to America.

Divorce is easy there.

What will we live on?

I only have my music royalties and they
are paid into a joint account with Helen.

She manages the finances.

She certainly manages you, all right?

I've got some money.
It's not very much, but...

No, Peg.
I'm not taking money from you.

Norman, you used to love me, don't you?

You're not trying to run away again.

Peg, please... Believe me.

I do.

Oh, blast!

What's the matter with me?

iOh, blast!
What's the matter with me?

Oh, blast!

Well, as I suspected, your heart
is a little strained.

You'll have to take things more
quietly in the future.

But how quietly?

Very quietly, Helen.

For a while at any rate.

You must avoid overexerting yourself.

Don't let people excite you.

You know, the usual things.

I don't know.
Tell me.

Do what I just said.
And, above all, you mustn't worry.

And if you feel an attack coming on,

take the tablets I gave you
and ring me immediately.

Or get Norman too.

Ring you?

Well, it's just a precaution.

Doctors can sometimes help.

It's serious, isn't it, Peter?

Anything to do with
the heart is serious.

I want to know the truth.

Well, without going to a lot
of medical technicalities,

your heart is in pretty
poor condition.

Going to be fatal, isn't it, Peter?

Well, I have the right to know.

Well, how long?

You know that you're not saving me
by not telling me.

It's important that I know the
truth now, Peter.

A year?

More?

I can't say.
Nobody can.

It's all right, Peter.

I understand.

You see, I'm not even going
to break down. I'm quite calmly.

I haven't even needed
a tablet, have I?

And you're not going to let
this get you down.

You know? These clinical
reports are sometimes wrong.

And they're new treatments being
developed all the time.

And if you take real care of yourself,
with all of us helping you...

Norman mustn't be told about this.

But he must be told.
He has the right to know.

No, I forbid you to say anything.
You mustn't tell him anything.

All right, Helen, all right.

This is just between you and me, Peter.

All right?

I must go.

Home, I hope.
You must have plenty of rest.

No, I'm going to see my sister Peggy.

Well, why not ring her?

No. I want to tell her I changed my mind
about something very important.

But you're not going by car.

- Oh, yes.
- But you mustn't drive.

Well... I'll go by bus.

And that means a long walk uphill.

Oh, no, I'll get by the footpath that
leads right to the back entrance.

Very well

Good-bye, Peter.

As I've already told you,
it couldn't be more simple.

You pick up the telephone, you hold
the receiver near the loudspeaker

and when the operator answers,

Texley 1 - 3 - 0 - 9, please.

You listen to the ringing tone from
my telephone at the other end.

You wait, and when the operator answers
"I'm sorry, there's no reply".

That's strange. My wife said she
would be in at six thirty.

Never mind, operator.
I'll try again later. Thank you.

And then you hang up.

It's as simple as that.

- Well?
- Special Court.

I won't be if nothing goes wrong
with your end.

But suppose that something
does go wrong.

All right, all right.

You go over it.
See if you can find any snags.

Well, this afternoon,
I go to the local cinema

and see the whole programme
right through.

Remembering both films, so that you
can answer any questions about them

and go in unobtrusively so that
you are not noticed.

Oh, yes, yes, I know that.

And then tomorrow I go there again
and this time I must be noticed.

And remembered.

You must make yourself a nuisance.

Make a fuss about... about your change
at the box office, anything.

But it's important because
it's your alibi.

And I only stay there a short time.

And leave by a side exit so that
no one sees you.

But before you go, leave one
of your gloves under the seat.

Yes, but suppose that somebody notices
I drop it and hands it back to me...

You must make sure that they don't.

Push it between
the arm strut, underneath.

- And then, at 6:30 I come back here.
- At 6:30 exactly.

You must check your watch
beforehand.

Yes.

At 6:30 I pick up the telephone,
hold it to the tape recorder,

and when the operator answers,
I switch it on.

Right.

And then, when the operator on the
tape recorder had a bit of crosstalk,

I replace the receiver, rewind the tape
and with this switch here

- I wipe the tape clean, right?
- Right.

And then I go back to the cinema
and I mingle with the crowd

coming up from the big film.

I find I've lost my glove

and I go to the usherette to
ask her to help me to find it.

She takes you back into the
cinema, you show her your seat

and there's your glove.

And there is your alibi.

Yes, but I am still worried.

- My part is easy, what about yours?
- It's just as easy.

A little before six, I come here,
let myself in

and set up the tape recorder for you.

Then I drive back home.

I park the car short distance
away from the house,

put on an old raincoat and a cap
and walk the rest of the way.

At 6:28 precisely, I'm walking
up the drive of my own house.

- A cap and a raincoat?
- Yes, in case anyone sees me.

There's a caravan up on that hill
that overlooks our garden.

The old boy who lives there is
the original nosey-parker.

He sits at his window all day long
and watches everything.

Now, he'll see me but he
won't recognize me.

A strange in a mackintosh.

Exactly!

And that's my alibi.

Now I let myself in quietly by the
French windows.

And at 6:30 exactly
you make that telephone call.

The bell will ring
and when Helen comes to answer it,

I'll shoot.

Then I turn the place upside-down
to make it look like a burglary.

leave the French windows open
and come back here as fast as I can.

What about the gun?
Is it licensed?

Well, yes, it is.

But that's the only risk
I've got to take.

And it's only small.

There's not such thing as a small risk.

Here...

You better take this.
It belonged to my ex-husband.

And nobody knows I got it.
It's not licensed.

We'll leave it here.

I'll pick it up later.

Norman, can we talk about us?

Look Helen, I asked you for a divorce
and you said "no".

Have you changed your mind?

No, I haven't.

All right then, there's nothing else
to discuss, is there?

- I'm sorry you won't talk.
- Not now, I'm in a hurry.

I'll ring you at 6:30 to tell you
what time I'll be home.

You will be in, won't you?

- Culley...
- Yes?

It's nearly half past four.
I ought to be going.

Don't you want me for
anything else, do you?

Must you go? Our rehearsal gear is
numbered in half an hour.

Well, I'm supposed to be
with my sister-in-law at 6:00.

She's expecting me.
It's a business thing.

Well, leave her phone number

in case I need to contact you
for something important.

Well, I... I don't know it.

In any case, I'd sooner
you didn't ring me up.

I'll be through in about three hours,
will be back home by half past nine.

You can ring me there
if you want me, okay?

All right.

All right, boys and girls,

overtake take that number again
from the top, nice and breeze now.

- Crystallized ginger, please.
- Pardon?

I said crystallized ginger.
I'd like a box.

Oh, I am sorry, miss.
We don't stock it.

But we've got some
very nice mixed toffees.

Have you any... coconut macaroons?

No, miss, nothing in coconut, but
these mixed toffees are very nice.

I don't want toffees, mixed
or unmixed.

Would you like some cigarettes?

What sort of a place is this?

Who does she think she is?
Queen of Sheba?

What time does the
big picture start?

It started 5 minutes ago, madam.

One circle seat, please.

But I gave you a pound.

No, I'm sorry, madam.
It was ten shillings.

I know I gave you a pound.
I didn't have ten shillings.

I'm sorry, madam. I think
you must've made some mistake.

It was a ten-shilling note.

The only mistake was the one
you made, if it was a mistake.

I want change for a pound.

Is anything the matter, madam?

I've just given this girl a pound note
and she gave me change for 10 shillings.

What did this lady give you?

She gave me ten shillings and
I gave her the correct change.

Have you got the note?

Of course, she's got it.
I've just given it to her.

Sir, I've got here the ten shilling
note, that's why I know what it was.

Do you think you could possible
have made a mistake, madam?

I never make mistakes about money.

If there's a mistake in our part,

then we should find it when the money's
made up tonight.

If potentially is over,
I should be only too glad to refund it.

I should hope so too.

By the way, you take
my name and address.

With pleasure, madam.

My name is Hill, Mrs Peggy Hill.

Heather Cottage, Selborne Road.

Number, please.

Texley 1 - 3 - 0 - 9, please.

Helen!

She wasn't there, Peg.

Peg...

Peggy...

Just a minute, sir.

Yes. What is it?

We had a phone call that
there'd be an accident here, sir.

- Yes, yes, there has been.
- Well, do you live here, sir.

No. My sister-in-law.

She's... dead.

I think we'd better go inside, sir.

Yes, all right.

Heather Cottage, Selborne Road.
A woman, Mrs Peggy Hill.

Dead on arrive.

Shot.
One visible head wound.

So, get the C.I.D. as quick
as you can, will you?

Also the divisional surgeon and
an ambulance.

The body was found
by Mr Norman Martell

who was just leaving the premises
as we arrived.

Yeah.

Yeah, the corpse.

All right, get someone here
as quick as you can, huh?

Right.

- Can I go now?
- I'm afraid not, sir.

The CID will be here in a minute and
they'll want to have a talk with you.

Later you'll probably be asked to get
down to the station to make a statement.

I tell you I found it just this...

You'd better wait for
the Superintendent, sir.

I was not running away.

I've just seen the body.
I got into a panic, I suppose.

I just wanted to get away from it.

- Why, sir?
- Because she was dead, that's why.

Surely your first impulse should've
been to call the police.

I tell you I didn't know
what I was doing.

I just wanted to get
away from it, that's all.

Maybe I was going to the
police station. I don't know.

There was a telephone there,
right in front of you.

Why not use that?

I don't know.

I see, sir.

Now...

You said the deceased is
your sister-in-law.

Yes, she was my wife's half-sister.

And you arrived to the bungalow
shortly after seven.

Yes.

Where did you come from to?

From home.

You live at Texley,
that's about a half hour drive,

so you left your house about... 6:30.

About that, yes.

Was the deceased expecting you there?

Yes... er...

No... I'm... I'm not sure.

Not sure? But you must know whether
she knew you were coming or not.

I can't remember whether I
told her I was coming.

I often used to call her.

I'm sorry. Do you think I may have
a glass of water?

Yes, of course.

Do you know of anybody who might've
had a reason for killing Mrs Hill?

No. Everybody liked her.

Oh, somebody didn't.

Couldn't it have been a burglar?

There's no indication of it.

- He might've been disturbed.
- Oh, yeah, possibly.

Now, you say that she was dead
when you arrived.

So who let you in?

Er... the... the door...
was open, that's...

How far have you found out that, eh?

Say you let him in with the key.

Is that true that you have
a key of the house?

Yes.. she gave us one, in case
we called on and she wasn't in.

And you kept it on your keyring,
ain't it, sir?

Look, Superintendent, what is
the point of all these questions?

You obviously know
all the answers already.

Otherwise, how was it that the police
arrived there when I did?

Oh, that!

It isn't any reason why I shouldn't
tell you, Mr Martell.

We had a phone call.
From a woman walking up Selborne Road.

Said she heard a shot,
so we ought to investigate.

Then it obviously happened
before I got there.

Apparently, sir.

Well, there you are then.

May I go now?

Yes, I think so.

We'll be keeping in touch with you.

Well, I'm... I'm sorry
I haven't been more helpful.

It helped us a lot, Mr Martell.

Good-bye, sir.

Good-bye.

Williams!

Sir?

Have this checked for prints.

You'll find a set of Martell's
right hand dabs

and it might be useful,
you never know.

Right, sir.

Hello, sir.
Working late.

Everything happens to me
on my early day.

Had a homicide in Selborne Road,

woman named Hill, shot in the head,
between half past 6 and 7.

Anyone pull in per yet?

No, it's not one of those easy ones.

She lived alone, seems to have
about a million friends, mostly men,

and we've got two suspects,
neither of them are very good.

An ex-husband who divorce her
of very bad terms

and a brother-in-law who was picked up
trying to run away from the house.

Well, there you are,
then easy.

No.

Seems he was on his way over
in Texley when it happened

and I think he just panicked when
he saw the body.

Where do we go from here, sir?

Well, I'm going back to the
bungalow where it happened.

You'd better grab a phone and settle
down for an evening of asking questions.

Right, sir.

Look, Harry, I've started a file.
Take a look at it.

I'd like you to give me a complete
rundown on the ex-husband, George Hill.

You'll find his last known
address in there.

And the brother-in-law Norman Martell.
See if anything is known about them.

I'll see you later.

Until then, save me a couple
of kippers for supper.

It may well give us some
joy out of life.

Any luck?

Not a thing.
The tape is absolutely clear.

Why all these autopsy reports
always read like medical dictionaries.

How the hell am I supposed to know
what cerebral extravasation means?

You shan't answer.

Oh, this third paragraph is interesting.
Pregnant, hey?

It might be a motive.

Terrible, isn't it?
Killed her and got clear away.

Well, it only goes to show
that none of us safe these days.

Could all be killed
and nobody's the wiser.

People don't get killed
unless they ask for it.

She wasn't a shy little church
mouse without making out.

You can take it from me.
She didn't have many lonely evenings.

Did you use to listen, then?

No, of course, I didn't.

But sometimes you have to
check the connection

and then you can't help
hearing about it too.

And some of the things that...
Just a minute.

Number, please.

Brookley 79?

It was the Saunderson. Evidently
a new baby is on the way today.

They ring in for the ambulance.

I wonder what it'll be, boy or girl.

When Mrs Saunderson rang Dr Brooks last
week, she said she was hoping for a girl.

This poor girl that was murdered
didn't have any children, did she?

It says here that she was divorced
and that she lived there all alone.

She wasn't alone yesterday
when it happened.

Well, of course she wasn't,
as somebody murdered her.

Yes, and I know who that somebody was.

- Millie, you don't.
- I do.

It was a man.
One of her regular friends.

Do you know who?

Well, I don't know his name,
but I know his phone number.

If he walked in that door right
now I'd know it was him.

Oh, Millie, you wouldn't!

- How could you tell?
- It was his voice.

Something peculiar about it.

How do you mean peculiar?

What I said: peculiar.
I'd recognize it again anywhere.

He lives at Texley.

Have you told the police?

No.

Do you think I ought to?

Of course you must! Do you want us
to be sort of murdered in our beds?

Now, what about this brother-in-law?
Anything turned on him yet?

No, not yet, sir.

Er... Well, I think we'd better
have a little talk with him.

Have you traced the gun yet?

Oh, they're working on it, sir.

What I don't understand is
this cinema ticket.

Are you sure they cannot
have made a mistake?

No, quite sure, sir.
I saw the cinema manager himself.

The curious of the circumstances
is he remembers her.

It seems they had some
trouble over the change.

She left her name and address for them.

And he thinks the time that she went
into the cinema was exactly 5:20.

Well, she should've come out by 8:30.

Instead of which, she's back at home
getting herself killed at 6:45.

Why?

Maybe she had an appointment
with the killer, sir.

You've been watching too
much television, Marlin.

All right, let's have some tea.
Send in and we'll go over it all again.

Right, sir.

Why don't you sit down?

I don't want to sit down.

What's the matter being
you didn't shoot her, did you?

Oh, for heaven's sake!
I wasn't even there.

Right, as you can prove that,
you've got nothing to worry about.

Who says I'm worried?

Peggy has been killed. That's all.
Doesn't it mean anything to you?

I'm sorry, of course.

You know? That isn't such
a terrible thing, Norman.

Maybe one day...

That will be the police.

Aren't you going to answer?

Yes, of course.

- Good evening, Mr Martell.
- Good evening.

This is Detective Sergeant Carter.

How do you do?

Just one or two more questions
we want to ask you, sir.

Yes, of course.

Won't you come inside?

This is my wife. Superintendent Ross
and Sergeant Carter.

How do you do, Superintendent?
Won't you sit down, and you Sergeant?

Thank you.

I'm sorry to trouble you
at a time like this.

Please, accept my condolences,
Mrs Martell.

Thank you.

We're both terribly upset about it.

- Aren't we, Norman?
- Yes.

Are you feeling better
this evening, sir?

Yes, thank you.

I'm sorry I was such a fool yesterday.

It's understandable, sir.

Founding a dead body may be
an unnerving experience for anyone.

Yes, it was.
I can assure you.

Now, apropos of that, there's something
I wanted to ask you.

In your statement, you say that you
found the body about seven o'clock,

having driven over to your
sister-in-law's from here.

Yes.

Which means that you left here
about 6:30.

Yes. That's about right.

Would you like a cigarete?

No, thank you, sir.

We've had a little chat with your
associates at the Olympus Theatre

and the producer, Mr Simmons, tells us

that you left the theatre
about 4:30 yesterday afternoon.

Yes.

But you told them in the theatre that you
were going to your sister-in-law's,

that you had an appointment
there at 6:00.

Uh... yes, but...

That you expected to be there for
about 3 hours

and you couldn't be contacted
at this number until 9:30.

Is all that correct, sir?

Yes, I.. I did say that,
but... I changed my mind.

Why, sir?

Well, you see, that morning

my wife had said that she wanted
to discuss something with me,

and, so I changed my mind and...
and came home.

Might I know what it was what
you wanted to discuss, Mrs Martell?

Why, yes, Superintendent.

My husband asked me
to give him a divorce.

But...

I hardly think that the Superintendent
is interested in that, Helen.

But he did ask, didn't he?

I'm sorry.

This is a purely personal matter. Has
nothing whatsoever to do with this case.

I understand, sir.

So you came back here from the theatre

and you had your discussion
with your wife.

Er... well, no, not exactly.

You... you see... when I got back here
my wife wasn't in. Nobody was here.

So I waited for a bit, and then decided
to go onto my sister-in-law's after all.

Leaving here at 6:30,
getting there about 7:00.

Er... yes.

Even though, you told them at the
theatre your appointment was for 6:00.

Yes.

You felt sure she'd be in?

Oh, yes, she was expecting me.

But you said yesterday that you didn't
know if she was expecting you or not.

Oh, did I?

Well, I must've forgotten.
She was expecting me.

What for, sir?

I mean, what was the reason for this
appointment that you forgot about.

Well, it... it's rather silly, really.

You see, I had lent her that tape
recorder of mine.

She wanted to take a radio
program or something,

and I have promised to go over
and show her how it worked.

I see, sir.

Now there's one question I must
apologize for asking.

Did you know that your sister
was pregnant, Mrs Martell?

Yes, I did.

Did your sister ever tell you the name
of the man responsible?

No. No, she didn't.

We neither of us knew
who the father was.

- Did we, Norman?
- No. No, we didn't.

We are getting morbid, don't we?

Why don't we all have a drink,
Superintendent?

Not for me.
Thank you, sir.

- Helen?
- No.

- How about you, Sergeant?
- No, thank you, sir.

Well, I will if you don't mind.

There are a couple of other things
I'd like to ask you, sir.

I wonder if you can identify this.

Is it yours, sir?

Mine?

No, why should it be mine?

We understand you have
a firearms licence.

Yes, I have.

For a gun of this type.

Yes.

And I keep mine in a drawer
in the music room.

I'll show you if you like.

It's gone!

Well, it would be if this is it,
wouldn't it, sir?

But it's always kept here.

Is that the one that...

Fired the shot, I'm afraid
it is, Mrs Martell.

But how do you know it's my husband's?

This particular gun happened to be
registered in his name.

Also, it has his fingerprints on it.

Well, of course it's got my fingerprints
on it if it's my gun.

Unfortunately, yours are the only
fingerprints on it, sir.

But how do you know they were his?

As for we... we have a set
of your husband's prints.

But this is ridiculous. It's always
kept here in this very drawer.

Would you mind if I use
your telephone, madam?

Oh, yes, of course.
That's in here. I'll get it.

Look, Superintendent, I...
I don't understand all this.

If it is my gun, how can it have been
discovered in my sister-in-law's?

- Right, Superintendent?
- Thank you.

Hello. It's a police call.
Give me the Brookley exchange, please.

Brookley?

It's Superintendent Ross.
Is Sergeant Smith there, please?

Smith?

Have you got the operator with you?

All right, hold on.

Would you read that aloud
into the telephone, please, sir?

- What is all this?
- Just read it in your normal voice, sir.

Texley 1 - 3 - 0 - 9, please.

- But that's our number
- Go on, sir.

That's strange. My wife
should be in at 6:30.

Just finish reading, please.

Look, I can explain all this.
There's no need for any more.

- You already know that...
- I don't know anything, sir.

It's maybe in your own interest.

Please, finish reading.

Never mind.
I'll ring again later on.

Will you let me explain?

I didn't kill her!

Was that the voice, Miss Potter?

Yes, that was him all right.
I'd recognize that voice anywhere.

He did it. No doubt about that.

Makes you feel creepy, doesn't it,
talking to a murderer?

Yes, sir. Miss Potter
recognizes the voice.

She seems to have no doubts about it.

No doubts whatsoever?

All right, Smith,
get the statement, witness it.

Right, good-bye.

Superintendent, will you
please listen to me?

I didn't make that call.

I wasn't there, I...

Oh, my God!

Yeah, you'd better drink this.

I've already told you that
I wasn't there at that time.

I was here!

But you can't confirm it,
can you, Mrs Martell?

Unfortunately no. I'm afraid
I wasn't here at the time.

But if my husband said he was here,
I'm sure he's telling you the truth.

Can you tell us where you were?

- I was at the cinema.
- Which cinema?

The Rivoli, in the High Street.

What was the film?

I can't remember the title,
though it was a very bad film.

I don't know why I bothered
to sit through it.

It was just one of these evenings
where everything went wrong.

The cashier gave me the wrong change

but I couldn't get what I wanted
at the sales counter.

And to cap it all,
I lost one of my gloves.

I must've dropped it.

I went to the manager when
I came out and told him,

and he sent one of the
usherettes back in with me.

And there it was.

Under the seat.

You did it!

You killed her.

You took my gun!

- She did it!
- You must forgive my husband.

I'm afraid he's in a rather emotional
state, Superintendent.

Damn it!
Don't listen to her.

She killed Peggy.
She killed her!

You'd better calm down, Martell.

Yes... yes, I will.

Because there's one thing
she doesn't know.

She doesn't know that
there is a witness.

There is a man who saw me here.

Who?

That man, that man out there,
in the caravan on that hill.

He saw me. Ask him!
Ask him!

- Go and get him, Carter.
- Yes, sir.

You... bitch!

You thought you were gonna get away
with this, didn't you?

Didn't you?

Come over here!

I'm awfully sorry but I'm afraid
there wasn't anything I can do, Norman.

Did she say anything?

No, she never regained consciousness.

It wasn't altogether unexpected.

What do you mean?

Well, you see, Helen was suffering from
a very acute heart condition.

She knew herself that she had at the
most only a few months to live.

She implored me not to tell you,
but I decided I must.

- That's why I called here last night.
- Last night?

Yes, I called, but there
was nobody here.

What time would that have been, doctor?

Oh, about... half past six.

You said you were here
at that time, sir.

Mr Marshall is here, sir.

Marshall?

The old gentleman from the caravan, sir.
I put him in the other room.

Oh, yes, yes, all right, Sergeant.
We'll be in directly.

Can I speak to you privately
for a minute, sir?

Later, Sergeant, later.

It's rather important, sir.

Did you hear Dr Murdoch ring, sir?

That old man from the caravan.
He saw me.

He can prove that I was here.

All right, sir.
We'll have a word with him, shall we?

This is Superintendent Ross, sir.

I'm sorry to have to
trouble you, Mr Marshall.

We won't keep you long.
It's just a question of identification.

Did you see your neighbour
Mr Norman Martell

entering or leaving this house
yesterday evening about 6:30?

You must have seen me.
I came in the back way.

I was wearing an old raincoat
and a cap.

Well, sir. As I've been telling
the Sergeant,

a few months ago I was knocked down
at the end of the road

by a hit-and-run driver.

And ever since then

I have been blind.

Norman Martell, I charge you with
the wilful murder of Mrs Peggy Hill...

Subtitles made by gamboler[noirestyle]