Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955–1962): Season 6, Episode 3 - A Very Moral Theft - full transcript

Helen's brother John informs her that he is soon to be married and they'll have to decide what to do about the house they share. Helen is quite attracted to Harry Wade, the owner of a lumber yard who has fallen on hard times after one of his customers goes bankrupt. Helen decides to help Harry out with an $8,000 "loan" after he assures her that he can repay her within 48 hours. When things don't work out as planned, Harry has a decision to make.

hey Harry

hey we're out of douglas fir.

how much more you need.

well i'm sure about
five thousand board feet

uh use number three great then
number three they ordered douglas fir

go ahead we're here we got plenty
they'll never know the difference

okay all right

-what do you want?
-you said we might have dinner tonight.

I said maybe we might.

hey carl lock up when you
finish with you i'm leaving

come on kid I need a drink and
you look like you could use one.



-thanks for the dinner Harry.
-there's nothing -I thought it was very nice.

yeah well look kid I uh I got to
go I got a lot of things to do. oh.

I was hoping you'd
come in for a while.

just this once.

and go a couple of rounds with that
meatball brother he is no thanks.

well john's not a
bad person Harry.

I meant better guys up the river.

-Harry...
-well what do you want me to do fall all over him.

what did he ever do for me? I mean I walk
in there he gives me those fish eyes.

-look kid I gotta go.
-all right Harry.

-will I see you tomorrow night.
-I don't know maybe.

-Hellen.
- yes.

-Harry brought you home early.
- he said he had things to do.

yeah I can imagine alice and I have
decided to get married in late august.



I was writing at
margaret about it.

-oh it's definite then .
-yeah.

but there's the
matter of this house.

-and what to do about me is that it.
-yeah I thought we might talk about that.

well must be right now I I have a
headache.

but not if you don't want to but we're
gonna have to make some decisions soon.

all right john good night.

are you sure it'll be all right i
mean mr ivers isn't here and...

it will be perfectly all right mr fescue I have
his power of attorney in matters like this.

still it's uh nine thousand
dollars and and uh...

you said he'd be here tomorrow.

-I could give it to him then.
- I assure you it's safe besides.

I can't call a family and tell
them their house has been sold,

if you don't make you a deposit
tomorrow might be too late

well all right then.

I'd rather have had
a long-term mortgage.

but my age I guess
that's asking too much.

that's uh going to clean me.

you be sure and
call those people.

oh don't you worry the house is yours it's just a,
matter of the usual two days paperwork thank you

-

-I got held up at the office, are you waiting long?
-not long.

-what's that? A new dress?
-no I just changed the collar and took off the belt.

that looks pretty nifty.

hI charlie give.
me the usual huh.

-what are you drinking?
-sherry. -and some more sherry for her, charlie.

-how's everything?
-everything, everything is rotten.

-what's the matter?
-i'm in trouble. -what do you mean?

creighton's gone bankrupt.

well you still have other customers
losing one couldn't hurt much.

you don't get the picture. you
don't get the photo at all.

-thanks charlie.
- you want a menu? -what's a rush?

you see creighton owes me money that I have to give
to the mill because they won't carry me anymore.

now there isn't any more creighton
so i'm left holding a bag. let's go.

you mean you have to pay the mill
whether creighton pays you or not?

of course I got to pay the mill
they sold me to lumber didn't they.

and if I don't send them any money they won't send me
any more lumber and i'll just be out of business so.

-do you have the money?
-no I don't have. the money I don't have a dime.

-you could get a mortgage on the lumber yard.
- yeah I could get a mortgage in a,

lumber yacht if I owned the lumber yacht but I don't
own the lumbee yard I just leased the property.

-what's this? I didn't order this.
-you want me to take it back? -humorous very humorous.

-

-comic.
-how much do you owe the mill.

-plenty.
-well certainly they'll take something on account.

yeah, eight grand the eight
grand and creighton owes me.

-how could you have?
-oh please give me that how could you have I did,

-

you want to laugh? I just get a big order from a guy who's
gonna pay me right away, and everything gets cleared up.

-

only I can't do it because I can't get the lumber
from the mill cause I haven't got the eight grand.

-

-you can't get the money anywhere?
- oh not a cent.

you see the bank won't give me any money because
they say I haven't got any assets for security, yeah.

-let's see, charlie.
-yeah -how's the menu? will you for crying online give us a menu.

I recommend the beef stroganoff.

perhaps you'd like to
try the uh chop suey.

-pot roast?
-an omelette.

how about you Harry?

-give me that uh beef junk you know with those noodles.
-stroganoff?

-coffee clear milk.
- yeah.

what about asking the people
you know they seem to like you.

don't kid yourself they like me because
I never put the bite on them well you,

never saw anything free so fast like an
old pal when you put the bite on them.

i'd have to go out of business and
start all over again and something else.

is it really that bad that you'd
have to go out of business?

what are you talking about i'd
have to go out of business?

I am out of business. don't you
understand? I am in the lumber business,

lumber and I can't get any more
lumber so, how much better can it get?

suppose the bank did give you the money,
how long would it take you to pay it back?

48 hours.

could you really get the money
from the customers so quickly?

don't they have to receive the lumber and then
go through some sort of billing department?

oh they know me over there
you see they like me a lot.

I mean I i've set up a lot of
good business deals for them.

All I have to do is just walk
in there with a big hello.

And they make the
check right out for me.

-Are you sure?
-What do you mean am I sure?

That's the way they are with me

And you could get your money in 48 hours
there'd be no chance that you couldn't.

That's right.

And it would keep your
business going. Wouldn't it?

Yeah. What are you asking all these
questions for, what do you got on your mind?

I could get the money for you Harry if you're
sure you could get it back in 48 hours.

That's eight thousand dollars, honey.
Ehere could you get eight thousand dollars?

I ,uh, we, we own our own home my
grandfather built it.

The bank would give
me a mortgage on it.

Eithout you brother
knowing?

we talked about mortgaging
last summer we were going to,

get a summer cabin at the shore
but the bank knows about it.

and you're sure you could get
the money back in 48 hours

It would help your
business. Wouldn't it Harry?

Yeah but, look kid, your brother
doesn't like me I mean,

supposing he found out couldn't
he louse the whole thing up.

He'll be away for two days.

-How soon could you get it?
-Tomorrow about 11 o'clock.

-All right?
-That's great kid. Just great.

You're sure you can get it
back in 48 hours, aren't you?

I'll give you my word.

Mr fescue gave us his down payment on the randall
place yesterday it was nine thousand dollars.

-Oh, it's fine Helen.
-It was late.

I think I ought to go down
to the bank with it mr Ivers.

Yeah, you go ahead oh did you call the
people to tell them we'd sold their place.

Yes they're going to bring
the deed down this afternoon.

Fine. It's been a pretty
thin month all in all.

Morning, Ben.

Oh, yeah this morning helen.
-Oh just fine mr parker.

Have you and mr ivers got a corner
on a real estate market yet?

Not yet.

HI helen, how's everything?

I'm just fine george.

You're lucky to be out on a day like this I sure
hate being cooped up when the fish are biting.

-

I want a cashier's
check for this.

-Would you want a payable to?
-Make it out to Harry Wade.

What's your brother
say about this money?

He doesn't know about it it'll be all right
as long as I get the money back in two days.

Don't worry, I got
something else working.

I'm going over to hillside tonight I got to see a
guy over there that I helped get a city franchise.

You're sure i'll get the money
back, aren't you?

When you quit worrying I can go a couple of ways
I can even give the guy a piece of the business.

Would you do that?

You want to get
married, don't you?

Harry, you know I do.

Sometimes I wonder. But look you got
to get it through your head that,

I can't do nothing along that line until
this thing is straightened out huh.

Hey, you sure you
didn't steal that money?

-Will I see you tonight?
-I don't know maybe.

You mean he popped the question?

Yes. Harry and I are
getting married.

When did all this happen?

Today right now he's seeing about
a business deal so we can go ahead,

there's a man over in hillside that's
been begging to buy into the business.

-Well I sure had him pegged all wrong.
-Yes you did.

-Congratulations.
-Thank you john.

You set the date?

No, I thought i'd let you
and alice set yours first.

Yeah, yeah.

May I help you?

-Is Helen here?
-No i'm afraid not she's out right now.

Oh, well she isn't in and
she's got to be out right.

-Will she be back?
-I don't know she's out making an appraisal.

Oh she's making an appraisal.

Well thank you.

Oh, say uh would you tell
her something for me?

-Huh?
-Yes i'll be glad to give her a message.

Well you just tell her, uh...

-tella tonight's the night.
-Tonight's the night.

-Night's the night, you got it?
-Yes i'll tell her.

-Eh, who should I say called?
-Harry.

Now, Harry who?

Just Harry. All right?

Hello Harry.

Hey.

How's this in your office that old grouch your boss?
-He's not a grouch.

I feel sorry for you hey kid I got news for you
everything's set i'll have the dough tonight.

-How wonderful!
-Yeah I gotta leave now to latch onto the bundle.

Hey, and as long as your brother's out of
town i'll uh i'll pick you up at eight, okay?

Oh, he's not out of town but come
anyway Harry I told him about us,

last night you never saw anybody
do such an about face in your life.

What did you tell
them about us about us?

That we getting married.

You tell them huh.
-It's not a secret, is it?

-See you tonight.
-All right, Harry.

-How are you honey?
-Come in Harry.

Well I don't know kid you're
liable to dump me out of my ear.

You have the money?

Oh sorry baby I haven't got
it I laid a square egg zippo.

Harry you you said...

The guy down there at the mill the guy
that always gave me the money, you know?

He was fired he isn't
there anymore.

What about the man that was gonna buy into
the business you could get it from him?

He couldn't make a deal.
-Harry i must have that money by tomorrow.

HHellen baby don't tell me they're
gonna fork close the mortgage,

-boom just like that you want me to stall them.
-What mortgage?

Hello john. Uh, she uh, she just took out a
little mortgage on this house to help me out,

a little bit she didn't want
you to know get this straight.

He can't get any mortgage without my
signature. Did you give him money?

-Yes. -How much? -Eight
thousand dollars.

-Where'd you get it?
-I borrowed it from mr iver's account.

-You stole it?
-Now wait a minute what kind of talk is that?

-You put her up to this.
-You take it easy.

Now i'm in no mood
for that kind of talk.

You're in no mood? what more do you think? We're
give your shirt on will you you'll get your money.

-When?
-Soon. Honey don't say nothing to your boss about this.

Relax, will you.

So you fell for
his con game.

Anyone could see a mile off
what he is anyone but you.

I gave him the money
because i wanted to.

This country is full of unmarried
women your age who fall for guys like,

-him because they think they can buy a husband.
-I don't want to talk to you.

You don't want to talk to me who do you want to talk
to about the eight thousand dollars you stole mr Ivers.

But why don't you do something instead of
just yelling why aren't you prosecuting.

I can't prosecute you stole
the money. You think I want,

that in the papers when i'm
just about to get married.

-I'm sorry John.
-What good is being sorry.

You're always sorry this isn't the
first time you wouldn't listen,

to me when you were going with
george maxwell or with that doctor.

At least they didn't put you up to
stealing eight thousand dollars.

How am I going to
explain this to Alice?

Helen...

Oh, well Harry.

Hello I was wondering maybe we should have
dinner tonight you know down at Charlie's.

-No, Harry I don't think so.
-Hey, don't do that.

Come on now honey.

There's no reason the
ball cut it out here.

What's this?

Harry...

You did get the money.

-I told you I get it, didn't I?
-But how?

A couple of guys i know use a build as supply set
up as a front they wanted to make a fast killing.

So i told him I could get him ten thousand
dollars worth of lumber for eight.

When do you have to
deliver the lumber?

-I told him tomorrow.
-But if you give me the money.

So watch so they don't get it I can
only stall them a couple of days.

-Are you sure?
-Would I kid you?

Look these guys would be surprised
if they get paid on time.

Harry I don't
know what to say.

All right don't
start thanking me.

Will I will I see you tonight?

I don't know maybe.

Staying home again tonight.

Yes.

Why don't you uh change your mind
come to the movies with alice and me.

No thanks.

Gee, I hate to see you
sitting around here like this.

Don't worry about me.

Look I know you're upset you haven't
heard from him for three days.

You'll be late for the feature.

Can you tell me where
I can find mr Wade?

-Harry Wade?
-Yes.

Harry wade hasn't been
here for months lady.

Of course he has. I was in here with him
last tuesday we sat right over there.

-Not in here.
-You also ought to know whether i've been in a place.

I'm sorry lady you
must have beenmistaken.

Harry hasn't been here
for must be four months.

Just a minute I was in here with him last
tuesday and we sat right here and had dinner.

Lady I don't know anything at all
about Harry. Nobody here does.

Look why don't i
call you a cab, hmm?

Something happened to him?

Yeah, why don't you just sit here
and drink this while i get you a cab?

Can't you tell me anything?

Lady you just don't fool
around with guys in the racket.

You understand? You just don't.

Rack it.

Please. please tell me

Harry's dead.

He took two of the guys in the
racket for eight thousand dollars.

Don't you get it?

Harry's dead.

So much for our merry tale.

Now a stranger
approacheth to tell us,
what to do with
those extra farthings.

I have finally finished
robinhood's merry adventures

The revised edition the sheriff
gets him in the last chapter

Income tax evasion.
Until next week,
Good night.

-