You'll Die at Midnight (1986) - full transcript

Stop the car.

I'll be back in a minute.

Good morning. - Good morning, madam. Can I help you?

Show me some lingerie. - Of course.

These are brand new.

Nice, don't you like them?.

How about this bra?.

Take a look at this petticoat.

Nice, but..

I will try this one.

The changing room is at the back...



One bunch of flowers, please. - Yes, sir

How much? - 2000 Lire.

Thank you. - You're welcome.

Watch out, moron!

What did you said?!

Nothing...

Nicola..

Nicola..

You should know me.

It is me, Anna Bernadi.

Hello, darling.

Come here and give me a kiss

Oh my God, if eyes could kill...

Another bad working day?



..yes, it's plain.

Can I do anything for you?

Come on, tell me everything.

Are you angry with me?

It's not my fault if I'm late.

Who was that man?

Don't be foolish.

I saw you in the boutique.

Who was that lecher?

Don't drink too much.
Remember what your doctor said.

First of all, it hurts you..

.. then, you stink, my dear!
- How long is this going on?

We'll talk about this later when you're calm.

We talk right now!
I wanna know everything

Since when you are interested in me?
Until now you were only interested in my money!

Don't forget that you are still my wife!

You are only an unfaithful alcoholic!
- Shut up, you bitch!

I had enough of you!
Don't mess with me or my life!

You are disgusting, you bitch!

Maybe I am a bitch...

...but only with men who know
how to lay a woman.

Not with a boy, who still need his "mom"
- Stop it! Shut your mouth!

I won't keep my mouth shut any longer! This is enough!

Take your hands off!

Fuck off! You impotent!
Go away!

Leave my house! Leave!

Go away! Leave my house!

You bitch!

I'm gonna kill you!

I will kill you! - No! No! Noo!

You and your fucking money!

I hope you die!

The bloody bastard! He tried to kill me!

You son of a bitch! You will pay for this!

You will die!

Oh, my head...

Can I take it off, now? - Yes, sure.

You're slightly anxious, Franco.
You should go for vacation.

Or change my job.

Back to the Manini case,

have you finished the psychological analysis?

Thanks.

Anna, do you still think that his behaviour was
only a temporary blackout?

Yes, I think so.

It has to be a temporary blackout of his will.
There is no other explanation.

But will the judge believe it?

I think so. You cannot throw a man in jail who isn't
responsible for his doings.

You know that I disagree.

Can i take it?
- Yes, of course.

Would you like to go to a restaurant with me this week?

I don't know if your wife would like it.

It's no crime to go for dinner with a former
classmate.

Then?

I will think about it..

Okay...

See you soon.

Bye.

Here's 65428.
Please leave a message.

Hey, Anna here.
Call me back. Bye.

Who is it? - It's me, Anna.

I'm Nicola, let me in.

What happened to you?

Have you something to drink?
- Are you ok?

I almost killed Sara.
- Eh.. what?

I lost my head...

I almost killed her.

But I've been able to keep my temper.

Nicola, sit and calm down.

You must help me, Anna.

You're the only one who can do it.

But I don't even know what happened.

I saw her with another guy.
Can you believe?

Oh God, you are hurt.

The mechanic is asking
if he is allowed to go now..

Judge. - Hello, Piero.

Who is the victim?
- Sara Levi, the wife of a policeman.

A robbery? - We don't know.

Okay, let's have a look.

It looks like a slaughterhouse inside.

You should go to a doctor.

It is not the wound I worry about.

It's more about having realized
to have a double personality..

..that is able to kill.

Excuse me, please.

Hello? Who is speaking?

Hey, Anna. It's me, Terzi. I must see you.
A woman was killed.

Someone killed Sara.. Nicola's wife.

You know him.

She was brutally stabbed with a knife, probably.
But we still don't know.

Yes, I'll come as soon as possible. Bye.

Oh, please excuse me.
There was a friend on the phone.

Anna, please help me.

There is nobody else.

What kind of help do you need?

I don't know..
I don't understand..

Nicola, what happened with you and Sara.

You said you loved me.

It's true.

So get me out of this shit!
- Tell me if you only desired to kill her..

..or tried to do it
or you really killed your wife!

I didn't kill anybody..

..I'm so tired..

You need to relax.

Can I stay here?

Can I ?
- No, it would be a mistake.

But why not?

I know what I'm saying. Trust me.

It's better if you go right now.
- Maybe you're right.

But I will come back, Anna.
You can bet on it.

Nice house.

Even too much for a policeman.

Did you find the murder weapon? - No.

Yes, a nice apartment.
Where did he found so much money?

His wife was rich.

Could it be a motive?
Do you think he is the murderer?

A mechanic saw him when he left the house.
He threw away a bloody cloth.

He told us that they he was pale,
afraid and shocked.

He told they were quarrelling.

It was not the first time.

This morning he saw his wife in the city.

He stopped the car and followed her.

Okay, I'll ask for a warrant of arrest.

Hello?

Who is it?

Tribbo, Franco. Computer code: DS 21.

Criminal Board.
Franco Tribbo. Born 27 July 1947.

Height: 1.83 meters.

Violation and murder of two young women.

Imprisonment for life, psychiatric clinic.

Died in a fire at the hospital.

Autopsy done.

I'm sorry for this confusion,
but we've just moved in.

Yes, I see.

Ehm.. sit here.

Thank you, I prefer to stand.

It will take months before
we can work in these offices.

Have you heard about Nicola?
A horrible story.

You still don't have any evidence to convict him.

Everytime we arrest somebody
you try to prove his innocence.

Do you want to discuss my work?

No, but I'd like to find out why a good policeman
could get mad and become a criminal.

I know Nicola. He isn't your typical killer.

I don't know much at this point, but I'm sure
that the killer is a psychopath.

Excuse me, where shall I put the typewriter?

Put it on the desk.

If you find a pipe, it's mine.

Where were we?

The killer has to be a psychopath
with a classical pattern.

Excuse me... - Well? - I must...

May I invite you for a cup of coffee?
- Fantastic idea.

If you find a pipe... - Yes, it's yours.

Do you believe Maigret would be
Maigret without his pipe?

Ask Simenon.
I am only a criminal psychologist.

My studies are about killers, not about cops.

May I invite you for dinner?
- You know my answer.

What would Carol say if she knew that her father
was going to a dinner with her professor?

She'd say that I'd sacrifice myself for her.
- Hm?

Do you really think Nicola is innocent?

For sure.

There are two witnesses and
some circumstantial evidences.

No, it is a maniac who has killed once
and will do it again.

Excuse me, but I have to go now.

Thanks for the coffee.

This is another terrible example.

This cast moulding was made from Amalia Tanino,

murdered in 1921 in Ancona by an unidentified assailant.

If we believe the official police-report,
the killer has eaten the missing parts of the body.

Eaten...?

Sorry, Alberto. Who is interested in Amelia Tanino?

Our thesis is about Franco Tribbo.

Instead of reading Vogue,
you should go to the archive.

Hey, don't make jokes.

If you knew the issue of 17 April 1974...

..you would know the article about Tribbo's arrest.

There you could also read about
the murder of Amelia Tanino.

..killed in the same manner as Tribbo's victim.

But he can't be the killer.

No, he can't.

But don't you think it's a strange coincidence?

But in 1921 he wasn't born yet.
- But there's something strange..

And what?

In over 60% of the serial murders in Italy, there is a...

Hi guys! - Hello.
- Hello, Anna!

Sit down. Sit down.

I have something very important to tell you.

That our dissertations are poor?

No, it's not about that.

As you know, 10 years ago I wrote
my dissertation about Franco Tribbo..

..the press called him the "Midnight Ripper"
and I talked to him several times.

The case was clamorous, because in
our city the murders are quite rare..

..but a woman who was killed in this town less than 24 hours ago.

The brutality of this killing points out to a maniac.

My father thinks it was because of jealousy.

Your father is a clever police-officer,
my dear, who must trust the evidence..

..so you think that
Sara Levi's husband is the murderer.

But only until the killer has his next victim.

Then the people will wake up and know that
there is a real killer in the city.

You try to frighten us, Anna?
- No, not at all.

Alberto, how many women were killed in Italy
in the last ten years because of jealousy?

I would say 35.

Right.
What kind of weapons were used to kill?

Guns, knives and ropes..

..with various modus operandi.

That's true.

Nobody was ever killed in this brutal way
in case of spouse-murder.

They are informed. It's only a matter of time.

Normally the murderer, after the
homicidal rage, would surrender.

But not in this case.

Let's hope he is satisfied and will not go on
killing.

Do you have a chair?
- A chair?

Getting one is not that easy.

You have to fill a form..

..but no one knows where they are.

Sometimes I feel I want to give up!

After your divorce
you've became another person.

I feel drained. That's all.

No! No!

Somebody here?

Anybody here? Please!

Help! Please help me!

Help me! Help me!

Help!!! Help me!!!

Carol!
- Oh, hello.

What are you doing here?

I.. was searching for something
about Tribbo for my studies. Sorry.

You take your job very seriously!

Good, do you need any help?

Yes, I always need.

Would you like some coffee?
- Yes, very much.

What's the problem?

Two cups of coffee, please! Yes.

Yes, in my study.

Tell me!

Tribbo was more than 6 months in the
sanitarium. But I can't find anything.

Yes, Carol, that's right. He died in the fire
before his analysis was finished.

People say that he was the arsonist.

The committee was unable
to agree on that matter.

Something else you want to know?

No, nothing else.

I arrived here at 7 o'clock...

..and I didn't notice anything...

..but when I did my tour,
I saw the body.

Take her out of here.

Why did you call the police 20 minutes later..

..if you found the body at 7 o'clock?

Because I felt sick.

How long have you been caretaker in here?
- For a year.

Where did you work before?

Before? What do you mean?

Stop it, Mozzetti! We know about your previous conviction!

You were imprisoned because of sex abuse.
- And it was not the first time!

I am not guilty! Believe me!

What did you do between 7:00 and 7:20?
You destroyed the evidences?

I want to to talk to my lawyer!
I won't talk anymore.

Piero, take a look.

Look at this.

It's better for you to confess.

But I am innocent. I didn't kill her! Believe me!

Are you sure?

Yes, the murder weapon is the same
ice-pick used for both murders.

So it could be the same killer.

Do you think Nicola could be a maniac?

It could be the caretaker.

No, impossible. He has a strong alibi.

What are you doing?

We'll take the furnitures out of here.

A real chaos. Let's have some coffee.
Did you find my pipe? - Which pipe?

Good morning, here's Rienzo Textiles.
Your clothes are ready. Bye.

Hi, it's Carol. I'll call you again.
- Anna, Terzi speaking. Call me immediately.

Darling, I haven't seen you for a week.
Do you come to dinner tomorrow?.

It's your mother. Call me. Bye.

Anna, Nicola here.

Tribbo is dead!

8 years ago he died
in the fire at the sanitarium!

But I saw him! He was here!
I'm sure!

He was in my house!

You only saw something in the mirror.
But it wasn't him!

Do you think it's my imagination?

Yes, I think so.

After the fire his body
was never identified. That's a fact.

I know it seems impossible
he escaped the fire, but..

Complete bullshit!
This is my opinion!

So, how do you explain Nicola's behaviour?

Nicola becomes mad, kills his wife, runs
through town, killing every woman on his path?

I didn't say that the same killer
murdered both women.

But you said that they were killed
with the same ice-pick.

Ah!

Why are you so pissed off?

Simply I can't stand that a policeman
could be a maniac..

..and the opinion of a psychologist who thinks
that a dead man can rise from his grave!

Should I laugh on it?
I need a drink.

What's this?
- It's whiskey. Help yourself.

Want one? - No, thanks.

Did Nicola call you? - No. Why?

I've the feeling you know more than
you tell me.

Do you think I could hide him in
my appartment?

No, I don't think so. But he thinks he can
count on your help. - Yes, that's right.

When you saw him last?
- 15 minutes after the murder.

And today he left a message
on my answering machine.

Do you know what I think? - No, tell me.

That you could be a little bit jealous.

Keep your eyes on her.
- Okay, no problem.

The door is closed.

It's noon.
You must use the other door.

Noon?
That's impossible. Where is my watch?

Miss! Please hurry!
All doors will be locked soon.

Ah! No!

Hello, Police.

Carol Terzi speaking. I must talk to my father.
- One moment, please.

Hurry up, dad!

I swear to you. It was Franco Tribbo.
I've seen photos of him.

Franco Tribbo was in the museum, right?

I know what you're thinking.
- I didn't say a word.

As you said, I can only imagine..

Stop being so argumentative..

..then?

Yes, inspector.
Both women were killed with this ice-pick.

It's certain that this pick is from Levi's house.

No matter if it was Tribbo or Nicola.
Leave this town!

Gioia, Monica and I wanted to go to the shore
and study. We could go now.

Do it. But don't tell me where you go.

Don't tell anybody about the place.
Leave now..

..as soon as possible.
- Okay.

Wouldn't it be better to put her under escort?

Don't forget that the killer is a policeman..

You're unsufferable!
You don't even believe your own daughter!

And I don't believe in the living dead..

..until you cannot prove it.

I wasn't dreaming! Believe me!
It was Tribbo!

After the fire, I did the autopsy.
It was definitely Tribbo.

The same teeth, the fracture of his arm..

..same deformation of his head.
No doubt, it was Tribbo.

But which man did I see?

Ask your father. He is the inspector.

They are waiting for you.
- Yes, I'm coming.

Excuse me, please. - No problem.
- Best regards to your father.

Freeze! Freeze!

No! Nicola!

Nicola! Noooo!

Thank God, it's over now. - Don't thank God.

You'll never give up, Anna.
Why don't you accept the facts?

Nicola wanted to kill you.

On the day Sara was killed, Nicola saw his wife
together with another man.

Did you ever try to find this man?

But it was Nicola who attacked you..
not someone else.

If we hadn't kept an eye on you,
you'd be in the morgue.

Nicola was beside himself.
I could have stopped him.

Why did you put me under surveillance
instead of chasing Tribbo?

Stop talking like that.

Have you something against me?

I don't know what Franco Tribbo means to you,
but with your dissertation..

..you have influenced my daughter as well..

..and I don't like it.

Be honest. You don't like the possibility that
Tribbo could be still alive.

Believe me. Tribbo is dead!

Are you sure?

We're closed, I'm sorry.

Sorry, but we're closed! It's 8!

But I need to make a present.

Well, ok. Have you any idea?

..underwear..

Yes, wonderful. Do you like it?

Wait, I have one here.

Hurry up!

What are you doing?
You are crazy, go away!

Put it on!
- What?!

Put it on! Don't you hear me?
Put it on!

I don't want to hurt you!

Put it on..

You like being watched by other men!
You like it, right?

You wear such things to provocate men!
You know what they think!

You like to be undressed by them!

They would touch you, whispering
dirty stories into your ears.

You like it, eh..?

Please, don't hurt me! I will do anything!
But don't kill me! Please!

Come on! Take off your clothes!

Put it on! I want to look at you!

Put it on or I will kill you!

Please, let me go!
- Shut up!

Thanks.

Thanks.

The hotel is closed but the owner
is a good friend of my father.

Some relax never harmed anyone..

The nearest village is 2 km far from here.

Hey, this is fantastic!
- Yeah, during the summer is full.

Probably many tourist come here?
- French, English, people from all over Europe..

..and many beutigul guys.

Interesting people?
Confess you met your first lover here!

Not just the first.
- Ah...

It looks like it the case in not closed.

I wouldn't say the killer is the same.

Keep this bullshits for the journalists.
Tell me what you think.

This time I would like to wait for the
analysis from crime lab.

Come on, you were always one step
ahead of them.

Okay! It is the same killer. Satisfied?

Do you know who is the murderer?

I have only one suspect, for now.

I'll keep the name for the journalists.

I think we should take turns.

Everyone could cook for one day.

Come on! We just arrived!

we have to be organized or
we would quarrell all the time..

that is, no thesis.

So?
I think we need some relax.

I came here to work...
- You are pissing me off.

You always wanna have fun.

Come on, we are not at the college.

Carol, say something..
..what are you thinking about?

About Tribbo.
- About your thesis?

No. There's something wrong in
these latest murders..

So what? Don't care about it.

Monica, don't forget that
she is the daughter of a police officer.

She has it in her blood.

You are right. I won't stop thinking
about it until I know what happened.

Gioia, do you have Alberto's number?

Of course. Why do you need it?

I want to ask him for a favour.

Hello? Ah, Carol. How are you?

What..?

Are you sure?

Yes, I'll check it out. I'll call you.
Where are you?

Hotel..

..Progresso...

Okay.

Gioia.. Carol..

You won't believe how many vitamines
are in a fresh fruit-shake.

I prefer a cup of black coffee.
- You vicious.

Morning.

What happened to you? Looks like
you've spent the night with a football team.

I wish it would have been like that.
I had a bad dream.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Would you like some?
- No, thanks. Coffee, please.

Here it comes.

We'll go jogging, do you come with us?

Oh, not me.
Do what you like.

Sugar? - No, thanks.

Morning.

..the presentation signs where are shown
all conductors..

Let's focus on what Anna and your daughter
stated.

You're kidding.,.

It is a hypothesis you should think about.

If the town will panic,
I don't want to be responsible for that.

So, let's check this possibility.

Sure! Let's start our ghost hunting.

This guy is not Tribbo.

Tribbo always killed in the night.
Our killer didn't.

Tribbo killed outside.
Our killer prefers theatres, apartments..

..or shops.

He's just an impostor.

Well, you have a sharp idea of the killer.

Do you have a secret?

No, I have no sharp ideas..

..but I have a feeling as I knew the killer.

And that he would know me too.

His victims were a policeman's wife,
a nurse at the university of my daughter..

..and a saleswoman I had a date with..

..then he threatens my daughter.

He hates me.

It's clear, he wants to challenge me.

Did you talk about this with Anna?

Anna is angry with me, because I don't agree
with her hypothesis about Tribbo.

Piero, this bag with a pipe inside was delivered.

A good new.

But there was a piece of human skin in it..

..the skin of the saleswoman.

Monica, we are back! Monica?

She's in the kitchen.

Oh my God!

Monica.. Monica, where are you?

Monica? Monica!

There are signs on the door.
- Monica!

What happened?

I don't know. But I'm scared. Come on.

Monica! - Monica!

Monica!

Come on, Carol. Let's go.

Where are the keys?

Monica got them. - Shit! We're trapped.

I'll call my father. - Okay.

Police. - Inspector Terzi, please..

..this is Carol, his daughter..

..it's urgent.

Carol?

Please, help us. Monica has disappeared.

We went for a walk, and..

Daddy?

Can you hear me? Can you hear me?

What happened?
- Suddenly the line was cut off.

What do we do now?

Let's close all the doors and windows. Quick!

Gioia, I fear the dark.

Do you know where the matches are?

There, on the chimney.

Open a window!

But keep the blinds closed!

Gioia!

Oh, my God! No!

Somebody's upstairs, trying to get in!

Carol, I'm afraid.
- No, try to control yourself.

Take this. I'll lock the windows upstairs.

No! No! No!

Gioia!

Where did the call came from?

Hotel Progresso, on the promenade,
2 km north of town.

Okay, I'll drive there.

Anybody? Anybody here?

Carol? Gioia?

Monica?

Hey, girls!

Where are you?

Carol? Carol?

Anna! Anna!

Please, answer me! I'm afraid!

Carol! Ahh..

Anna.. no! Nooo!

Calm down! It's me: Alberto!
Calm down! I know who's the killer!

I know who is the killer.

Anna.

I read her dissertation.

She was raped by Tribbo
during the interview.

..and that must've driven her crazy.
She identifies with him.

She is a psychotic killer now.
The same as Tribbo was.

She adopted his personality and his look.
I don't know how, but I'm sure. No doubt!

No, you are stupid. You are stupid idiot!
Anna is dead!

She is over there in that room!
In a great pool of blood!

What?

Alberto!

Daddy! Daddy.

Do you believe me now?

Alberto! Alberto!

Anna!

Anna!

Impossible! She was dead..
..in the other room..

Monica..

She made the mask
in the lab at the university.

Unbelievable.
- But the truth.

Tribbo's rape provoked her trauma.

..but she was also haunted by the willing of
challenging me.

When she knew that I was about to solve
the case, she sent me the pipe to the office.

She wanted a final resolution..

..to prove she was clever than me.

Poor Nicola..

The agent who shot him..

..didn't notice that
the knife wasn't in the hand of Nicola...

..but in Anna's.