Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955–1962): Season 7, Episode 29 - The Matched Pearl - full transcript

Good evening,

I’m examining this pearl,

you should have seen the oyster,

I already have a customer for this,

he's a very wealthy but suspicious
gentleman,

who plans to give it to his lady friend
as a pendant,

I’m sure you agree that this is the kind
of gift,

which inspires fidelity,

that is why I told him I
don't think it's necessary,

to attach it to her ankle,

this is peculiar,



there's a very sinister gentleman in
your future,

I think he's trying to tell you
something,

THE MATCHED PEARL

Huh, good morning can I help you?

Why yes, are you the manager?

-I'm the owner, sir.
-How you do?

I’d like to see something really special
today,

for a very special occasion.

-Oh of course mr uh...
-Wilkens, Hubert Wilkens.

How do you do mr Wilkens,

now if I could have some ideas to the
type of jewelry and maybe the price range...

Oh well we,
we don't have to worry about that,

you see uh,

it's for our wedding anniversary.



Well then,

I shoud suggest,

a beautiful diamond necklace, now this is
a particularly fine one here.

No I don't think it ought to be diamonds,

my wife has
a lot of diamond pieces already.

Of course it is not the
gem alone that matters, Sr. Wilkens,

it is the the design, the
workmanship of the piece,

for example see here this bracelet,
this is diamonds, yes but rubies.

I don't think so.

I know, I know I have some gems which
haven't been placed in settings as yet,

some of them were left with me on
consignment, would you like to see those?

-Well now you're talking.
-Please be seated.

Thank you.

Here we aren mr Wilkens,

excuse me,

now,

see here look at this one, this is the
star sapphire from ratnapura in sailor,

isn't this beautiful?

-It's not bad.
-And this 'pigeon's blood ruby', mr Wilkens,

now have you ever seen anything like
this before.

Well it's all right.

Or,

this pearl here,

now look at the color of this pearl,

a black pearl of this size you know is
very rare,

this is a 'black pink perl' found only in
the gulf of Mexico,

and this happens to be
a very fine specimen.

-Now isn't that something?
-Yes and it would be so simple,

to have it mounted in a beautiful
setting like a ring or a pendant.

All right, all right mr Dubois,
I’ll take it.

Yes but we haven't discussed
the price yet mr Wickling.

Yes, how much, how much?

Well as I said this pearl was left
with me on consignment you see I...

All right, all right mr Dubois,
how much?

Five thousand dollars,

without the setting of course,

I know this is a large amount
of money mr Wilkens and,

I wouldn't expect you to be
carrying that much cash.

-Doesn't matter, my check no good?
-Oh no no no it's not that.

All right, I understand mr Dubois,

I’m a businessman
myself,

now you just take my check over to the
Third National Bank,

and get your cash,

then you deliver the pearl tonight my
hotel suite,

I’m staying at the Dover.

That would be fine mr Wilkens thank you.

Just make sure you get it there
tonight,

I want it in time for our anniversary.

Mr Wilkens I will
deliver the pearl myself.

-Thank you.
-Good day sir. -Good day.

-Conroy...
-Yes sir.

-Got an errand for you.
-Yes sir.

You know that fellow McCabe the one who
left the perl with us in consignment?

-You mean that sailor person?
-Yes that's right,

He's on the boat at pierce 16. I want you to
take him a check this afternoon.

Uh personally couldn't you mail it sir?

No,

because I want to have a signature on
the bill of sale today,

as a matter of fact you
can make it out now for,

four thousand dollars, less
one-third commission,

figure it out now,
and make up the check.

Four thousand?
I thought we had it priced at five.

Conroy, what did I promise you when I
first hired you?

You uh, you said you would teach
me the jewelry business mr Dubois.

You just had your first lesson.

Mr McCabe,

mr McCabe...

What's all that hollering?

It's uh, it's me mr McCabe,
Conroy from uh Dubois jewelers.

Yeah what do you want sonny?

uh may I
come on board mr McCabe?

I’ve got some business with you.

Go ahead.

May I come in?

Uh you're in aren't you?

What'd you do sonny bring
your homework from school?

Mr McCabe I came here on
a matter of business,

regarding that uh pearl you left to be sold.

-How about a little drink first?
-No,

no thank you.

Uh would you mind if I sat
down?

mr Dubois asked me to to uh bring you
this bill of sale for the pearl,

and his uh and his check.

You sold the pearl did you?

I bet you got a good price for it too,

it sure was a beauty,

well what do I get?

Here's the bill of sales now,

ifyou'll just sign right
here on the uh bottom line...

Oh wait a minute sonny, what did that skin
flint boss of yours sell it for?

The uh price was four
thousand dollars.

that's the store's commission of
thirty three and a third percent,

-now that makes your total price...
-You say...

Two, two thousand six hundred and,

66 dollars.

Didn't they teach you at school that
black pearls cost more money than that?

Please mr McCabe,

please I'm only mr Dubois assistant,

mr Dubois made the sale.

Will you take that bill of sale back to
mr Dubois and tell him...

Did I take it you don't
want to make the deal.

You say you got the check with you?

That's right.

Oh,

I am running low on money and,

that pearl's been on the market a good
two months.

It uh,

it really isn't a bad price mr McCabe,

considering...

All right let me have that bill of sale.

Is the man here poopsy?

Yes sugar cup,

he's here,

come on,

come on,

Lolly don't you want to see the pearl?

No.

Oh,

uh mr Dubois this is mrs Wilkens,

Lolly, he came all the way over here,

just to bring you this
beautiful black pearl,

mr Dubois, tell her where it comes from.

Yes uh well,

this is a 'black pink perl'
mrs Wilkens,

and it is found only in the gulf of Mexico.

I don't like Mexico,

the hotel there wasn't even air
conditioned.

Honey bunch just look at it,

did you ever see such a gorgeous pearl?

Well I guess it's all right if I only
had one ear.

I beg your pardon,

mr Dubois,

I’m I’m afraid that's the trouble,
you see, I told lolly,

that I got her one pearl,

and I guess she just doesn't
know what to do with one pearl.

Oh I see,

yes,

mrs Wilkens,

allow me mrs Wilkens, may I
suggests that a ring...

-A ring?
-Oh please don't take care,

she doesn't like rings.

Well that's all you ever bring me, rings,

I’ve got rings for every finger,
rings for every day of the week,

rings for every month of the year, where
am I gonna put another ring in my nose?

Oh now you're getting yourself all upset,

now we won't say another word about rings,

not to another word.

Oh I want earrings you know I like
earrings,

you used to say I had such pretty ears,
didn't you?

Oh yes, oh you certainly have,

here, you dry your pretty eyes,

she's such a sensitive girl.

Yes sir I can see that yes.

Mr Dubois,

-there's only one way to solve this
problem... -Yes?

I’ll have to get another black pearl,

a matched one of course then I can
have a pair of earrings made up.

Another black pearl?

but mr Wilkens I’m afraid that you don't
appreciate how rare a black perl is.

I mean, I know, I know,
it'll cost a lot,

but that's all right,
you just spend whatever you have to spend.

But but you'll have it in time for our
anniversary, won't he?

Well it just isn't possible I mean in so
short of time...

Oh I know you can do it mr Dubois.

But it might cost you a
lot of money mr Wilkers,

much more than you pay for the first,
imagine...

It doesn't matter, you get me the pearl,

let me worry about the money,

I want her
to be happy,

that's all I care about.

Well uh I’ll do my very best mr Wilkens.

Good.

Good night mrs Wilkens.

Good night.

Good night mr Wilkens.

Good night,

good night.

McCabe,

-McCabe?
-Dubois,

what do you want?

Hello, I have to talk to you.

Shove off.

I’ve got a proposition for you,

big proposition.

Don't try to sweet talk me Dubois,
I know you cheated on that pearl.

I’m sorry you were disappointed
in the price, captain,

so I thought I’d make it
up to you.

Made up, made up, how?

By offering you a new deal captain,

much more profitable will be,

you told me once that uh,

you had found several black perls on that
expedition of yours,

well now if you happen to have a,

match perl for the first one,

I’d uh I’d be wanting to
buy it myself,

you know, no commission, just a
straight sale between friends.

You want to buy a pearl from me huh?

Yes,

and I’ll give you twice the money you
got for the first one.

All right,

suppose I do have another
black pearl.

Yes...

Only suppose I set
my own price like uh,

seven thousand dollars, cash.

You kidding me,

let's be sensible,

but but do you have
such a perl?

You mean a black pearl like,

like this?

Yes yes sir something like this yes,

you know captain you shouldn't keep
such valuable gems around loose like that,

I mean you should put them in the
bank where they would be safe you know.

Eh you may be right,

I’d hate to lose a
beauty like this to,

any kind of thief,

pretty isn't it?

Yes yes it's not bad,

of course it's not a perfect
match the other one...

It's like a pretty perfect match to me.

Fine, all right,

so seven thousand dollars you said huh?

well do you want to do business
with me or not captain?

you give me the pearl and
I’ll give you the check,

What's the matter?

You must want that
pearl awful bad ah Dubois?

well you're not getting it not for 7 000
not for 50 thousand.

What do you mean McCabe?

The only thing you're getting off this
boat is your own ugly high,

-now get off before I throw it off.
-Seven thousand?

Get off my boat
before I draw you off.

out!

Hello, this is mr Dobois,

yes mr Leggett, how are you?

fine,

you don't have it?

you can't?

alright thank you mr Leggett,
yes thank you,

well,

that was my last hope,

I thought Leggett would
be sure to come through.

If mr Wilkens was willing to go
as high as 20 000 for the pearl,

perhaps we could uh offer McCabe more
money say uh,

say ten thousand?

Ten thousand are you
out of your mind Conroy?

you know that pearl
isn't worth ten thousand.

But if mr Wilkens was willing to pay 20.

well you'd
you'd still have 100% profit mr Dubois.

100 percent?

yes that's not bad,

I want to piss that out,

now get me a bottle of whiskey,
Conray.

I just thought we would have a friendly
drink together captain,

I brought the bottle
so we could celebrate.

Celebrate what?

give me one reason why I
should have a drink with you.

The business dear captain,

here.

What's your proposition Dubois?

I bet you you faced danger many times,

diving for those pearls ten fathoms
below the surface.

You get to the point,
what do you want from me?

You know what I want captain,

I want the pearl,

and I’m willing to give you a price,

that even you can't resist.

-Is that so?
-That's all,

ten thousand dollars captain,

now even you know that the
pearl is in worth ten thousand,

but that's what I’m willing to offer.

Ten thousand, uh?

That's how much I
value your goodwill captain,

is it a deal?

That sure is a lot of money.

Oh allow me,

captain McCabe,

captain McCabe...

Nothing sweetens a smoke like a ten
thousand dollar check.

All right McCabe,

what do you want?

I came here to do business with you and
I’m not going away empty-handed,

so you name your price.

What's that worth?

All right,

-thirteen thousand dollars McCabe,
that's a lot of money. -Not enough.

All right fourteen thousand,

you can't turn down an offer like that.

Yes I can and that's
exactly what I’m doing.

McCabe,

fifteen thousand dollars.

Well,

I’m not one to hold a grudge.

-Good. -Of course I don't have
the pearls here anymore.

-You don't?
-Now I took your advice,

and put them all in a safe deposit box at the
Third National Bank.

Oh,

oh oh,

that's all right we go
to the bank right away,

I mean you give me the pearl
I’ll give you the check,

does that suit you?

All right that uh,

that seems to be fine.

Wait a minute aren't you
forgetting something first.

You strike a hard bargain McCabe.

Anywhere sport, it's all yours.

Thank you,

I think I’d better take it to
my client right away,

good bye captain.

Come in.

This is Dobois, mrs Wilkens.

Where is mrs Wilkens?
-Huh?

Mr and mrs
Wilkens this is their suite, no?

Ain't nobody here now mister.

What do you
mean like nobody?

that's ridiculous,

mrs Wilkens?

they told me they'd be here on...

you've got to be here,

they can't do that to me.

Hello darling,

-daddy...
-Yes dear?

That mr Dubois,

-he wasn't a very nice man was he?
-No,

no I wouldn't say he was,

but perhaps
he's been taught a lesson.

-Feels better now? -That was the worst
part of this job, that beard,

on living on that filthy boat.

Well you played your part
to perfection Randolph.

Mmm, yes darling you were wonderful.

Oh thank you you were
pretty wonderful yourself.

-Oh, and so was your father.
-Daddy's always marvelous.

Oh thank you daughter, oh say,

let's take a look at the balance sheet, uh,

oh this is beautiful,

I paid 5 dollars for the pearl,

Dubois gave you 2600,

then he paid 15 000 dollars,

making a profit for us
of 12 600.

Not bad huh, sweetheart.

Well mr Dubois he's probably
tearing his hair up right now.

Whaley finds out he had to pay fifteen
thousand dollars to buy the same pearl twice.

Well head your course through south sport,

there's bigger and better
suckers on the horizon.

Goodness, what cynicism,

those of you who
like to see evildoers punished,

will be overjoyed to know,

that is exactly what
happened in the next reel,

however, to make the rest of you happy,

we shall spare you the pain of
actually seeing it,

and shall show a commercial instead,

after which I shall hustle back.

In closing I would like
to explain something,

to miss 'Ethel T' of Pasadena California,

she doesn't care for our cynicism,

and has asked why don't we,

present more sweet little stories,

we would like to
miss T but they are much too fattening,

so until
next week at this time,

good night.