Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955–1962): Season 6, Episode 31 - The Gloating Place - full transcript
Susan Harper is an unhappy high schooler who falsely reports an attack in the park in order to get attention and make herself more important than she is. The press get hold of the story and Susan is more than happy to oblige with an ever expanding tale. When the press seem to be losing interest, Susan goes to extraordinary lengths to keep the "park prowler" story alive, with tragic results.
Good evening and welcome to
the Hitchcock youth center,
it is designed to keep the
children off the streets,
we've been very successful so far.
Some of my concoctions
not only keep the
children off the streets,
they make it impossible for the
darlings to move out of the booths,
I?m putting the finishing
touches on my specialty now,
it contains seven scoops
of chocolate ice cream,
three of strawberry
over a large rum cake,
sliced bananas
strawberries ground nuts,
maraschino cherries,
maple fudge syrup,
and a marshmallow topping,
sweetened to taste, it is called,
dieter's delight. It for those who,
are on a 900 calorie a day diet,
this contains exactly
6400 calories,
just one week's supply,
here comes the customer, being
rolled up to the fountain now.
THE GLOATING PLACE
What's the matter Susan
aren't you walking home?
No I thought I?d stick
around for a while.
-Got a date?
-No of course not. -Don't know.
-Who is it, Georgie?
-No. -Come on give.
Is it jerry?
-Never.
-Well I was just guessing.
I thought you didn't
go for the love pit.
There's a lot you don't
know about me Marjorie.
-Hi Tom. -Hi. -Did you get my note in
study hall?
-Yeah.
-Well how about it? would you like to come over and hear those records?
Sure, sometimes I?m not busy.
-What do you say, doll?
-Though what's that dream doll?
-You gone someplace? -Just home.
-Want me to carry those books for you?
I don't mind.
-What are you staring at?
-Problems chick?
-No.
-You look like you lost something.
Want to walk home with us?
-No I?m not going home.
-Well if you'd rather be alone..
Susan likes to be alone.
She almost always is.
Isn't that so dear.
Yes I like it.
You look like you lost something.
Lost something.
-Lost something.
-I thought you didn't go for the love pit.
Susan likes to be alone.
Be alone.
Be alone.
Susan likes to be alone.
Isn't that so dear?
isn't that so dear?
No, hate it.
-I hate all of you.
-You're nothing Susan. Nothing.
Nothing, nothing...
I am important, I?ll
make myself important.
The man, that man...
I can't stand, I can't stand it...
Now
Linda, it's all right.
Susan told you so herself.
Yes mother he didn't do anything,
I started to scream, he ran off.
Out of the park?
I don't know I was running
myself and I didn't look back.
Did you get a good look
at him before that?
yes when he grabbed me.
Of course he was wearing this mask.
A mask?
Yes a black mask over
his eyes and nose,
he had on a black hat and gloves.
Black gloves?
No, white ones.
White canvas gloves.
Susan, can you tell me what
kind of clothes he was wearing?
Should I guess?, load suit,
I don't remember it
all happened so fast.
Take it easy, here, take it easy.
Oh my poor poor baby,
-That fiend.
-He wasn't a fiend mother,
when I started to
scream he let me go.
Susan,
you're,
well you are quite
sure he he didn't uh...
No, he...
Poor man, I hope you find him.
So do I Susan.
He's sick, he needs help.
Susan, if we round up some suspects
do you think you'd be able to,
come down to headquarters and
help us try and identify this man?
-Certainly.
-Oh no,
no you can't drag my
child through this,
all that awful publicity.
Mother it's my duty.
Of course I?ll go.
Well it it won't be
for a day or so anyway,
and in the meantime
I?ll keep in touch.
Oh here it's a racket.
I?ll check mrs Harper.
-I?m afraid the press has arrived.
-oh well,
tell them to go away at once.
Well I'll try, I don't know
if they'll listen to me.
Well maybe I?d better answer.
-Mr Harper?
-Yes. -Where's Susan, oh there she is.
Just a minute.
Take your time but I want you to
tell me in your own words exactly...
Just a minute, Eve.
Let's get another one.
You think he'd give
us a smile young lady.
I?ll try.
Hold it.
All right, now Susan,
-You must have been scared.
-Not really.
I would have just die.
It was only a man.
-I know how to handle men.
-Hi what's up. -Hi Tom.
Hey what about you
in the paper here?
How's it feel to
be a celebrity huh?
It's nothing.
-You sure got some write-up.
-That's nothing.
-We'll I go downtown for the lineup.
-Lineup?
Hey I don't know about that.
Please...
-We mustn't upset, poor Susan.
-Oh I?m not upset at all.
I want to tell you all about it.
Right this way folks.
Mr Harper you can sit
anywhere over there.
Susan you can sit
right down over here,
now there's nothing
for you to worry about,
we can see and hear everything
that goes on in there,
but they can't see or hear us.
I understand.
Sergeant Morton will bring
in the suspects we'll,
have them step forward
one at a time for you,
and all you have to do is tell
us whether or not you recognize,
any one of the men as the
man you saw in the park.
All right?
Bring him in please.
Right this way.
Up the steps.
Line up against the
wall under the numbers.
Back to the wall face forward.
Take your hands off.
Hands's off.
All right boys smile
you're on television.
Number one step forward Steve.
Number one
step forward.
Wait up,
put your hut on.
-Well?
-No he's too old.
Next Steve.
-Step back.
Number two forward.
You're making a big
mistake officer,
I didn't do anything, I?m clean.
Yeah you smell pretty
too just stand still.
Put your hat on.
-What do you think Susan?
-He's not the one either.
-You sure?
-Positive.
-Number three.
-Step back.
Number three forward.
Put your hat on.
-Do you recognize this man?
-I don't know.
Well take your time
Be very careful.
Try to remember everything you can,
man have the same kind of
build as the man in the park?
Yes,he's got the same eyes.
Eyes? I thought you said
the man wore a mask.
Oh yes, but I?m almost sure.
Well Susan you must be very sure.
This is a serious charge you could,
ruin a man's life
by making a mistake.
Please take another look.
-Number four.
-Step back.
Number four step up.
Put your hat on.
No.
-Number five.
-Step back.
Number five forward.
Going all the way up.
Put your cap on.
Susan?
-No.
-All right Steve you can take him out now.
All right boys right out
this way, down the steps.
That'll be all for now Susan.
Shall I see the reporters now?
Yes you can talk to
the reporters now.
Isn't it a shame either?
Hi Eva, Julie.
Susan have you seen the paper?
-No, is my story in it?
-Your story?
Didn't you hear about this? Look.
STUDENTS PERISH IN
CLIMBING ACCIDENT
It was George hicks and his sister,
they went climbing over
his uncle's face yesterday,
the rope broke just before
they reached the top.
They're closing
school early tomorrow,
so we can go to the funeral.
Poor George and just think, only
a week before the prom too.
Oh yes, the prom.
Here comes the prom king now,
and he's got his
queen with him too.
I?ve got to see you
right away Marjorie,
it's very important,
no I can't tell you on the phone,
it's about Tom,
yes,
why didn't you sneak
out your back door?
I?ll meet you in the
alley behind your garage,
no don't tell your parents,
they won't understand,
okay five minutes.
What time is it?
Nine o'clock.
Tell Susan to turn off that
phonograph and go to bed.
I?ll give her another half hour.
It's very good to relax
after all she's been through.
Well it's not doing
my head any good.
Well at least we can be
thankful for one thing,
she's at home
safe and sound.
All this newspaper publicity
it gives people ideas,
reading about it sets
them off sometimes,
probably all kinds of
weirdies in this town.
Yes I just shudder every
time I think who might be,
prowling around
outside.
Susan?
Susan?
Susan?
Susan, where are you?
-Over here Marjorie.
-Oh.
We found these in a
trash can down the alley,
-do you recognize them Susan.
-Yes.
-They're the same kind he was.
-The man in the park?
Looks like you were a
pretty lucky young lady.
You don't mean...
The lab ran some tests on these,
we found strands of Marjorie?s
hair pressed into the cloth.
All right, easy Susan.
-You were lucky, you got away.
-Yes,
-but Margery didn't
-Don't worry,
we're doing everything possible
to catch the strangler,
we just wanted you to
check these gloves for us.
Looks like I owe you
an apology Susan,
up until last night I was beginning
to have some doubts about your story.
You mean you thought I
made the whole thing up?
Well not exactly,
we've had cases before where a
girl claimed she was molested,
only it turns out the boy was
just trying to pick her up,
only she gets excited and makes
a big production out of it.
You see what threw us off was your
story about the mask and gloves,
an attacker usually
doesn't wear such things.
-Yes but you found the gloves.
-Yeah.
Now all we have to do
is find the killer,
looks like we're dealing
with a real weirdo this time.
-The reporters are waiting to talk to you
out there Susan. -Are they?
Do us a favor Susan,
don't tell them any
more than you have to.
Yes the less publicity the better,
you follow me?
Oh Susan we've been so
anxious to talk to you,
I know it's been a terrible ordeal but
it'll just take a few minutes of your time.
Hold it.
There it is the whole story,
just the way I
knew it would be.
everybody in town
is talking about it,
I did it and nobody knows,
nobody will
ever know.
We'll have to conclude our story,
since we seem to have
lost our leading lady,
the police arrived on the scene a few
moments later and arrested her assailant,
but this offered Susan
very little consolation.
I see someone putting
a coin in the jukebox,
I know better than to
try to talk about it,
I shall continue in a moment.
That is all for tonight,
I hope to see you next week,
when the special will be
our frosted tutti frutti,
cherry crush marshmallow
fudge ecstasy,
until then good night
and pleasant dreams.
the Hitchcock youth center,
it is designed to keep the
children off the streets,
we've been very successful so far.
Some of my concoctions
not only keep the
children off the streets,
they make it impossible for the
darlings to move out of the booths,
I?m putting the finishing
touches on my specialty now,
it contains seven scoops
of chocolate ice cream,
three of strawberry
over a large rum cake,
sliced bananas
strawberries ground nuts,
maraschino cherries,
maple fudge syrup,
and a marshmallow topping,
sweetened to taste, it is called,
dieter's delight. It for those who,
are on a 900 calorie a day diet,
this contains exactly
6400 calories,
just one week's supply,
here comes the customer, being
rolled up to the fountain now.
THE GLOATING PLACE
What's the matter Susan
aren't you walking home?
No I thought I?d stick
around for a while.
-Got a date?
-No of course not. -Don't know.
-Who is it, Georgie?
-No. -Come on give.
Is it jerry?
-Never.
-Well I was just guessing.
I thought you didn't
go for the love pit.
There's a lot you don't
know about me Marjorie.
-Hi Tom. -Hi. -Did you get my note in
study hall?
-Yeah.
-Well how about it? would you like to come over and hear those records?
Sure, sometimes I?m not busy.
-What do you say, doll?
-Though what's that dream doll?
-You gone someplace? -Just home.
-Want me to carry those books for you?
I don't mind.
-What are you staring at?
-Problems chick?
-No.
-You look like you lost something.
Want to walk home with us?
-No I?m not going home.
-Well if you'd rather be alone..
Susan likes to be alone.
She almost always is.
Isn't that so dear.
Yes I like it.
You look like you lost something.
Lost something.
-Lost something.
-I thought you didn't go for the love pit.
Susan likes to be alone.
Be alone.
Be alone.
Susan likes to be alone.
Isn't that so dear?
isn't that so dear?
No, hate it.
-I hate all of you.
-You're nothing Susan. Nothing.
Nothing, nothing...
I am important, I?ll
make myself important.
The man, that man...
I can't stand, I can't stand it...
Now
Linda, it's all right.
Susan told you so herself.
Yes mother he didn't do anything,
I started to scream, he ran off.
Out of the park?
I don't know I was running
myself and I didn't look back.
Did you get a good look
at him before that?
yes when he grabbed me.
Of course he was wearing this mask.
A mask?
Yes a black mask over
his eyes and nose,
he had on a black hat and gloves.
Black gloves?
No, white ones.
White canvas gloves.
Susan, can you tell me what
kind of clothes he was wearing?
Should I guess?, load suit,
I don't remember it
all happened so fast.
Take it easy, here, take it easy.
Oh my poor poor baby,
-That fiend.
-He wasn't a fiend mother,
when I started to
scream he let me go.
Susan,
you're,
well you are quite
sure he he didn't uh...
No, he...
Poor man, I hope you find him.
So do I Susan.
He's sick, he needs help.
Susan, if we round up some suspects
do you think you'd be able to,
come down to headquarters and
help us try and identify this man?
-Certainly.
-Oh no,
no you can't drag my
child through this,
all that awful publicity.
Mother it's my duty.
Of course I?ll go.
Well it it won't be
for a day or so anyway,
and in the meantime
I?ll keep in touch.
Oh here it's a racket.
I?ll check mrs Harper.
-I?m afraid the press has arrived.
-oh well,
tell them to go away at once.
Well I'll try, I don't know
if they'll listen to me.
Well maybe I?d better answer.
-Mr Harper?
-Yes. -Where's Susan, oh there she is.
Just a minute.
Take your time but I want you to
tell me in your own words exactly...
Just a minute, Eve.
Let's get another one.
You think he'd give
us a smile young lady.
I?ll try.
Hold it.
All right, now Susan,
-You must have been scared.
-Not really.
I would have just die.
It was only a man.
-I know how to handle men.
-Hi what's up. -Hi Tom.
Hey what about you
in the paper here?
How's it feel to
be a celebrity huh?
It's nothing.
-You sure got some write-up.
-That's nothing.
-We'll I go downtown for the lineup.
-Lineup?
Hey I don't know about that.
Please...
-We mustn't upset, poor Susan.
-Oh I?m not upset at all.
I want to tell you all about it.
Right this way folks.
Mr Harper you can sit
anywhere over there.
Susan you can sit
right down over here,
now there's nothing
for you to worry about,
we can see and hear everything
that goes on in there,
but they can't see or hear us.
I understand.
Sergeant Morton will bring
in the suspects we'll,
have them step forward
one at a time for you,
and all you have to do is tell
us whether or not you recognize,
any one of the men as the
man you saw in the park.
All right?
Bring him in please.
Right this way.
Up the steps.
Line up against the
wall under the numbers.
Back to the wall face forward.
Take your hands off.
Hands's off.
All right boys smile
you're on television.
Number one step forward Steve.
Number one
step forward.
Wait up,
put your hut on.
-Well?
-No he's too old.
Next Steve.
-Step back.
Number two forward.
You're making a big
mistake officer,
I didn't do anything, I?m clean.
Yeah you smell pretty
too just stand still.
Put your hat on.
-What do you think Susan?
-He's not the one either.
-You sure?
-Positive.
-Number three.
-Step back.
Number three forward.
Put your hat on.
-Do you recognize this man?
-I don't know.
Well take your time
Be very careful.
Try to remember everything you can,
man have the same kind of
build as the man in the park?
Yes,he's got the same eyes.
Eyes? I thought you said
the man wore a mask.
Oh yes, but I?m almost sure.
Well Susan you must be very sure.
This is a serious charge you could,
ruin a man's life
by making a mistake.
Please take another look.
-Number four.
-Step back.
Number four step up.
Put your hat on.
No.
-Number five.
-Step back.
Number five forward.
Going all the way up.
Put your cap on.
Susan?
-No.
-All right Steve you can take him out now.
All right boys right out
this way, down the steps.
That'll be all for now Susan.
Shall I see the reporters now?
Yes you can talk to
the reporters now.
Isn't it a shame either?
Hi Eva, Julie.
Susan have you seen the paper?
-No, is my story in it?
-Your story?
Didn't you hear about this? Look.
STUDENTS PERISH IN
CLIMBING ACCIDENT
It was George hicks and his sister,
they went climbing over
his uncle's face yesterday,
the rope broke just before
they reached the top.
They're closing
school early tomorrow,
so we can go to the funeral.
Poor George and just think, only
a week before the prom too.
Oh yes, the prom.
Here comes the prom king now,
and he's got his
queen with him too.
I?ve got to see you
right away Marjorie,
it's very important,
no I can't tell you on the phone,
it's about Tom,
yes,
why didn't you sneak
out your back door?
I?ll meet you in the
alley behind your garage,
no don't tell your parents,
they won't understand,
okay five minutes.
What time is it?
Nine o'clock.
Tell Susan to turn off that
phonograph and go to bed.
I?ll give her another half hour.
It's very good to relax
after all she's been through.
Well it's not doing
my head any good.
Well at least we can be
thankful for one thing,
she's at home
safe and sound.
All this newspaper publicity
it gives people ideas,
reading about it sets
them off sometimes,
probably all kinds of
weirdies in this town.
Yes I just shudder every
time I think who might be,
prowling around
outside.
Susan?
Susan?
Susan?
Susan, where are you?
-Over here Marjorie.
-Oh.
We found these in a
trash can down the alley,
-do you recognize them Susan.
-Yes.
-They're the same kind he was.
-The man in the park?
Looks like you were a
pretty lucky young lady.
You don't mean...
The lab ran some tests on these,
we found strands of Marjorie?s
hair pressed into the cloth.
All right, easy Susan.
-You were lucky, you got away.
-Yes,
-but Margery didn't
-Don't worry,
we're doing everything possible
to catch the strangler,
we just wanted you to
check these gloves for us.
Looks like I owe you
an apology Susan,
up until last night I was beginning
to have some doubts about your story.
You mean you thought I
made the whole thing up?
Well not exactly,
we've had cases before where a
girl claimed she was molested,
only it turns out the boy was
just trying to pick her up,
only she gets excited and makes
a big production out of it.
You see what threw us off was your
story about the mask and gloves,
an attacker usually
doesn't wear such things.
-Yes but you found the gloves.
-Yeah.
Now all we have to do
is find the killer,
looks like we're dealing
with a real weirdo this time.
-The reporters are waiting to talk to you
out there Susan. -Are they?
Do us a favor Susan,
don't tell them any
more than you have to.
Yes the less publicity the better,
you follow me?
Oh Susan we've been so
anxious to talk to you,
I know it's been a terrible ordeal but
it'll just take a few minutes of your time.
Hold it.
There it is the whole story,
just the way I
knew it would be.
everybody in town
is talking about it,
I did it and nobody knows,
nobody will
ever know.
We'll have to conclude our story,
since we seem to have
lost our leading lady,
the police arrived on the scene a few
moments later and arrested her assailant,
but this offered Susan
very little consolation.
I see someone putting
a coin in the jukebox,
I know better than to
try to talk about it,
I shall continue in a moment.
That is all for tonight,
I hope to see you next week,
when the special will be
our frosted tutti frutti,
cherry crush marshmallow
fudge ecstasy,
until then good night
and pleasant dreams.