Voila! Finally, the The Thin Man
script is here for all you quotes spouting fans of the Nick and Nora movie
with William Powell and Myrna Loy. This script is a transcript that was painstakingly
transcribed using the screenplay and/or viewings of The Thin Man. I know, I know, I still need to get the cast names in there and I'll be eternally
tweaking it, so if you have any corrections, feel free to
drop me a line. You won't
hurt my feelings. Honest.
Your daughter is here, Mr. Wynant.
Haven't you got any more sense
than to shout Iike that?
-I'm sorry, but--
-Two weeks work gone for nothing!
-I just wanted to teII you--
-I don't care!
Get your things and get out!
You're through!
-I'm going.
-Get out!
It's a good thing I'm going away.
No peace, no quiet.
Everybody interrupting me.
-Can I come in? Did you teII him?
-I didn't get a chance.
Dad.
Why didn't somebody
teII me you were here?
I'm sorry to interrupt your work.
Look at you. But this reaIIy is important.
How are you?
-Another young man?
-It's the same one.
It's been the same one for three months.
-Forgive me. How are you?
-How do you do?
Take a good Iook at him, Dad,
and try to remember him...
...because...
...he's going to be your son-in-Iaw.
-That is, if it's aII right with you, sir.
-And if it isn't?
He's stiII going to be your son-in-Iaw.
You see how much we have to say.
But, Dad, this is reaIIy what
I wanted to taIk to you about.
-Do you mind if I Iook around?
-HeIp yourseIf.
Tom, show this....
-Where are you going?
-Home.
-I'm fired.
-Who fired you?
You did.
Forget it.
WiII you show this gentIeman around?
-Yes, right this way, sir.
-Thank you.
Mother's pIanning on a big church wedding.
Yeah, she wouId.
I hate aII that fuss.
But I'II do it on one condition...
...that you're there to give me away.
-What wouId your mother say to that?
-It's my wedding, isn't it?
But wouIdn't it be embarrassing,
aII of us there...
-...your mother and me, your stepfather?
-He can stay home.
PIease, Daddy, won't you?
-If you think it wiII be aII right.
-You Iamb.
Now, wait a minute.
When is it? I'm Ieaving town tonight.
Where are you going?
That's a secret. I can't even teII you.
I've got an important idea to work on.
A new invention?
Yes, and I don't want somebody to steaI it.
But we were pIanning
on marrying right after Christmas.
I'II be home before Christmas.
-Is it a promise?
-That's a promise I won't forget.
-AII right!
-Where's MacCauIay? It's time I started.
-How's your brother?
-He's aII right.
I'd Iike to see him.
Why don't you bring him down?
You know how it is.
He's sort of under Mother's thumb.
Yes, I know.
You're not missing much. He's cuckoo.
Like aII the rest of us?
Has this feIIow seen the whoIe famiIy?
Yes, and he stiII wants to marry me.
-He's a brave man.
-Yes.
Thanks a Iot, oId man.
-You have an interesting pIant here.
-Didn't I teII you?
I didn't know that
you invented that smeIting process.
This is the first metaI that came through,
three kinds of ore:
GoId, siIver, copper.
Isn't that interesting?
-Daddy, does that stiII bother you?
-OnIy in bad weather.
-It isn't bad weather now.
-WeII, you better get home before it is.
AII right. Good-bye, darIing,
and don't forget, December .
-Good-bye, boy.
-Good-bye.
Take good care of Dorothy.
Show her that there is such a thing
as a happy marriage.
I'II do my best.
-Good-bye, sweetie.
-Good-bye, dear.
Is it aII settIed?
Grand.
Why did your mother divorce him?
I think he's sweII.
-It seems he has a secretary.
-I'II do my own typing.
Dad's a good barometer. Here's a taxi.
-HeIIo, Mr. MacCauIay.
-How are you?
-Get under this.
-No, we're taking your cab.
-Is your father stiII in there?
-Yes, he's waiting for you.
-Did he teII you where he was going?
-He wouIdn't say.
-Good-bye, Miss Wynant.
-Good-bye.
Here's your change, boss.
You wouIdn't drive sIowIy,
so you don't get a tip.
That's okay, sweetheart, I got it anyway.
-Mr. Wynant.
-HeIIo. Did you get my money?
-I wish you'd teII me where you're going.
-I'm not teIIing anyone.
-Suppose some business shouId come up?
-That's just why I'm going.
There's $ $ $ --
-Here, never mind.
-I wish you'd count it.
-There's $ there.
-I trust you.
Isn't there anything eIse I can do for you?
Have you bought your ticket?
-No.
-Let me do that for you.
Yes, you might do that.
You might get me a ticket for....
No, you don't.
Thanks and good-bye.
What'II I do if something comes up?
SettIe it yourseIf.
What have I got a Iawyer for?
-Is JuIia going with you?
-No.
-What if you need more money?
-I Ieft instructions with JuIia.
She'II get it from you. Good-bye.
You don't teII me a thing.
I don't know where you're going,
I don't know when you're coming back.
I don't know how to reach you
if any business comes up.
HeIIo, Tanner.
My daughter's going to be married.
Nice young man. She just brought him in.
CongratuIations.
I'm going to make her a wedding present.
Thought I'd better do it now
before I forget it.
I can drop them on the way--
That's funny.
-Where are those bonds?
-Bonds, sir?
I know I put them in there.
Maybe Miss WoIf has them, sir.
Yes...
...maybe she has.
-Joe?
-Yeah.
-How do you Iike yours?
-Straight.
You women sure take a Iot of punishment.
You're in the wrong pIace, buddy.
Am I?
What do you want?
-Who is it, Joe?
-That's what I want to know.
-We're just having a IittIe drink.
-Yeah, so I see.
See you Iater, Joe.
Sorry, didn't know I was taIking
to the boyfriend.
So Iong.
So Iong, Joe.
Who's that man?
He isn't anybody.
Just a feIIow I used to know.
I thought you'd given up that sort of friend.
It's the first time I've seen him in years.
I didn't want to give him the high-hat.
You know how I feeI
about that sort of thing.
Don't worry. You won't see him again.
TeII me,
did you change your mind about going?
No, I just came back for a second.
I want to get those bonds.
Bonds?
What bonds?
The government bonds.
The ones you took from the office safe.
Oh, yes.
You toId me to seII those a Iong time ago.
I'd never teII you to seII those.
I bought those for my daughter.
-Don't you remember?
-See here, JuIia...
...you're counting too much
on my absent-mindedness.
You've been taking
here and there for some time...
...without my saying anything about it.
But this is $ .
Do you reaIize you're accusing me--
No one eIse had
the combination of that safe.
You took them.
What did you do with them?
What if I did?
I'm tired of seeing you hand out
thousands of doIIars to your famiIy.
That's my business.
Supporting a gang of Ioafers
that don't care a darn about you.
A wife that kicked you out
the first time you sIipped.
None of them wouId heIp you.
And I've given my whoIe Iife to you.
If you kicked off tomorrow,
where wouId I be? Out in the gutter.
CertainIy I took them.
Who has a better right?
I want them now,
or I'II hand you over to the poIice.
Go ahead!
They'II be pretty rough with you,
with your record.
That's a fine thing to say to me
after what I've been to you.
HeIIo, give me--
WeII?
AII right, I'II give it to you.
$ that's aII I've got.
-You'II return every cent.
-I can't! I haven't got it!
-What about the rest?
-I never had it.
Then there was someone in with you.
Who was it?
I'II answer that.
You don't need to teII me.
I have a pretty good idea.
What are you going to do?
Stop worrying about your father.
He'II turn up aII right.
Yes, but today is Christmas Eve.
He's forgotten.
You know how he forgets everything.
No, he never forgets a promise to me.
I'm worried.
I know something's happened to him.
What couId happen to him, darIing?
WiII you stop worrying?
You see, the important thing is the rhythm.
You shouId aIways have rhythm
in your shaking.
A Manhattan you shake to a fox trot.
A Bronx to a two-step time.
A dry martini you aIways shake to waItzes.
-What is it?
-Just a minute.
Now mind you,
there's a stiII more modern trend....
Let me have that. Thank you.
Certain peopIe have....
-HeIIo, there.
-HeIIo.
Another gIass. How are you?
You know, we do know each other.
Of course.
We've known each other for years.
-Aren't you Nick CharIes?
-Yes.
You don't remember me.
I'm Dorothy Wynant.
-Not that scrawny, IittIe bit of--
-Yes.
How did you ever remember me?
You used to fascinate me,
a reaI Iive detective.
You toId me the most wonderfuI stories.
Were they true?
ProbabIy not.
Tommy, this is Nick CharIes.
-Hi.
-How do you do?
-Have another gIass.
-He once worked on a case for my father.
Yeah, some nut wanted to kiII him.
How is your father?
That's what I came to ask you.
He's disappeared.
Don't say that, darIing.
He's just away somewhere working.
I can't find him. I've tried everything.
I thought you might know.
I know nothing.
I've been in CaIifornia for four years.
What about his Iawyer?
A bird by the name of--
-MacCauIay?
-Herbert MacCauIay.
-I've tried him once.
-Why don't you try him again?
Here's a nickeI.
Thank you. I'II be right back.
You know, she's got me worrying, too.
You mustn't worry about him.
Mind you, he's a great guy, but screwy.
Madam, I'm very sorry, but no dogs.
-You cannot take your dog in there.
-I'm not taking him, he's taking me.
-Are you hurt, madam?
-No.
Women and chiIdren first, boys.
What is the score, anyway?
-So it's you he was after!
-HeIIo, sugar.
He's dragged me
into every gin miII on the bIock.
-I had him out this morning.
-I thought so.
-This is Tommy, my wife.
-How do you do?
I don't usuaIIy Iook Iike this.
I've been Christmas shopping.
-I'm afraid we shaII take the dog out.
-It's aII right, Joe. It's my dog.
And my wife.
You might have mentioned me
first on the biIIing.
-He's weII-trained, he'II behave himseIf.
-It might bite somebody.
No, he's aII right. Look. Lie down!
Stand up!
-Any Iuck?
-Yes, he's just around the corner.
-Your father?
-No, MacCauIay.
I'm just going to go see him.
My wife, this is Dorothy Wynant.
I'm sorry we have to rush.
We're staying at the Normandie.
Drop around and see us.
We'd Iove to. Thank you. Good-bye.
Sit down, sugar.
-Leo.
-Yes, sir?
Two cocktaiIs.
Pretty girI.
-Yes. She's a very nice type.
-You've got types?
OnIy you, darIing.
Lanky brunettes with wicked jaws.
CompIiments for this evening.
Who is she?
DarIing, I was hoping
I wouIdn't have to answer that.
Come on.
Dorothy is reaIIy my daughter.
You see, it was spring in Venice,
and I was so young...
...I didn't know what I was doing.
We're aII Iike that on my father's side.
-By the way, how is your father's side?
-It's much better, and yours?
How many drinks have you had?
This wiII make six martinis.
WiII you bring me five more martinis...
-...and Iine them right up here?
-Yes, ma'am.
What hit me?
The Iast martini.
-How about a IittIe pick-me-up?
-No.
I can't Iie here.
I've got to get up and trim
that darn Christmas tree.
What's the idea of pushing me?
Who's that?
ProbabIy Santa CIaus.
-How are you?
-HeIIo, MacCauIay. Come in.
Dorothy toId me you were here.
I was going to teIephone, but--
That's aII right. Sit down, won't you?
-What are you drinking?
-Nothing, thanks.
That's a mistake.
I wanted to see you. What's Mimi up to?
Dorothy's mother.
-Does she have to be up to something?
-She usuaIIy is.
Trying one way or another
to get money out of Wynant.
I wanted to find out
if you were sIeuthing for her.
-I haven't been a detective for four years.
-Is that so?
My wife's father died
and Ieft her a narrow gauge raiIway...
...and a Iumber miII and....
SeveraI other things.
I'm taking care of them.
Say, what's the fuss about? Is he in hiding?
You know as much about it as I do.
I haven't seen him in three months.
No word at aII?
He sends word through his secretary,
JuIia WoIf, when he wants money.
I give it to her and she gives it to him.
That's stiII on?
Excuse me.
HeIIo?
Just a minute.
For you.
Is there a Mr. MacCauIay in the house?
Pardon me.
Yes? Just a moment.
My wife.
-How do you do?
-How do you do?
What were you saying?
He is? WeII, where is he now?
Very weII.
Excuse us.
He's back in town. Wynant.
Yes. He's waiting for me now.
Forgive me, Mrs. CharIes,
but I've been so upset.
You know,
it's no joke working for a man Iike that--
WeII, I guess I'd better be off.
-Good-bye.
-Good-bye.
Good-bye.
-Merry Christmas.
-Same to you.
The next person that says
Merry Christmas to me, I'II kiII him!
I'm going to teIephone that poor chiId.
At Ieast she'II be gIad to know
that he's aIive.
Asta.
HeIIo?
How are you?
I'm Mrs. Jorgensen now.
Dorothy? No, she isn't here.
Is it something about her father?
Perhaps I can take the message.
Here she is now.
HeIIo.
I just wanted to reIieve your mind.
He's aIive and he's aII right.
Thank goodness!
-What is it? Has he found him?
-Do you know where he's Iiving?
At Ieast I'm gIad he's aII right.
Thank you for caIIing. Good-bye.
-What is it? What is it?
-Nothing.
That's not true. It's about your father.
Where is he?
-He's aII right, isn't that enough?
-No.
You want money
you haven't any right to any more.
-You got a big settIement.
-That's gone Iong ago. I've got to find him!
Where is he?
I won't have you hounding him
for more money!
-I can teII you.
-You were Iistening on the extension again!
Of course. What's an extension for?
That's right, GiIbert.
TeII Mother. What did he say?
Father's in town.
He's been seeing JuIia right aIong.
-That woman!
-She can teII you.
You couIdn't. You wouIdn't go to her.
I didn't say I wouId,
but we've got to have money.
Did it ever occur to you
that Chris might work?
Now you've hurt his feeIings.
You know, you have an Oedipus compIex
and you won't admit it.
-PIease, GiIbert.
-Your troubIe is you won't face facts.
I know I have a mother fixation,
but it's sIight.
-It hasn't yet reached the point of where--
-Stop it, GiIbert!
Don't mind what she says, Chris.
How can I heIp but mind?
I'm constantIy humiIiated
because I haven't money.
-I'II get some.
-You've said that for weeks.
Why don't you see JuIia?
She handIes his money.
AII right.
-I couIdn't go near that woman.
-I said aII right.
-What are you going to do?
-Just what I said I'd do!
-You wouIdn't do that.
-WouIdn't I? Just watch me.
Get me Miss WoIf
at the CIarkson Apartments.
HeIIo? Miss WoIf?.
This is Mrs. Jorgensen....
-l wonder if l may see you?
-Yes, of course.
Thank you.
-Miss WoIf's apartment, pIease.
- A.
Who's caIIing, pIease?
Never mind, Miss WoIf is expecting me.
Quick! Send somebody up here right away!
Something terribIe has happened!
-JuIia WoIf, West th Street.
-That's me!
Here you are.
-What is it?
-Woman murdered.
Where you been?
-Out making money.
-Let's see it.
I haven't got it yet...
...but I'II get it.
HeIIo, MoreIIi.
Hi, Studsy.
Didn't you know JuIia WoIf?.
Yeah. Why?
Somebody just bumped her off.
I thought maybe you'd Iike to know.
-Yes?
-Telephone, Mr. MacCaulay.
-Who is it?
-The police.
HeIIo?
Murdered?
Yes, I'II be right over.
-What are you gonna teII them?
-I'II teII them everything!
-You don't think Mr. Wynant--
-I don't think anything...
...but I heard a fight in there a whiIe ago.
-AII right, girIs.
-Yes, sir. Come on.
When did you Iast
give her money for Wynant?
Yesterday. I gave her $ .
-Seen any signs of that?
-No.
Perhaps it was robbery.
With that sparkIer on her finger,
and $ in her purse?
Looks to me Iike Wynant came to coIIect
and ran into troubIe.
They haven't seen him downstairs
in three months.
There's a Iot they don't see around here.
-You haven't heard from him?
-I said he hadn't written me.
-Then you've heard from him.
-WeII--
-What?
-He phoned today.
-He did?
-My secretary took the message.
-He said for me to meet him at the PIaza.
-When?
-About : .
-Did you go?
Yes, but he didn't show up.
His house and shop are cIosed,
and he ain't at any hoteI.
So, you seen your duty and you did it, huh?
Are you going to stop at that?
No, sir.
I know he'II turn up
when he sees this in the papers.
You can't think he did it.
He's not the kind of man--
Do you know why they fought
that night he ran away?
I didn't know they had a fight.
Thanks.
We'II caII you when we need you.
-Can I go?
-Yeah, go ahead.
Mr. GuiId? Come here.
Here's something very interesting.
There she was Iying on the fIoor, dead.
PoIice say she was kiIIed
minutes before I got there.
I thought you weren't going there.
-You said--
-Never mind.
Did they find any cIues?
Gun, fingerprints or anything?
-Not a thing.
-Was there much bIood?
-Don't be so horribIe!
-She got just what she deserved.
-Did you kiII her?
-GiIbert!
Why not? You had a good motive.
I hope you won't say that
when the poIice get here.
-You said they'd finished with you.
-Just for the present.
I've got my aIibi, I was at the Iibrary.
Where were you?
ChiIdren, I'd Iike to speak to Chris.
WiII you go into the next room?
I'II go.
I'II be in my room.
-Is Mrs. Jorgensen in?
-Yes, come right in.
Mrs. Jorgenson,
there are a few points I'd Iike to cIear up.
-Yes, won't you sit down?
-Thank you.
You were in the room with the body
from the time it was found untiI we came?
Why, yes.
Did you....
Did you see anything in her hand?
No.
Are you sure that at no time
you Ieft the room for a moment...
...that a maid or beIIboy hadn't sIipped in
and been aIone with the body?
I don't think so.
You see, I was so upset,
I hardIy knew what I was doing.
The medicaI examiner seems to think...
...that the body had been touched.
That someone had forced open
the girI's hand after she'd been kiIIed.
Moreover, we found that she had
in her possession $ the night before.
I'm sorry I can't heIp you.
That's quite aII right.
We'II be going aIong.
-Thank you.
-Good-bye.
Good-bye.
CouId I see the body?
I've never seen a dead body.
Why do you want to?
I'm studying psychopathic criminoIogy
and I have a theory.
Perhaps this was the work
of a sadist or a paranoiac.
If I saw it, I might be abIe to teII.
Yeah, that's a good idea.
But don't you bother to come down.
We'II bring the body right up to you!
What have you got there?
None of your business.
-You took that money from her hand.
-I didn't.
Then what are you hiding?
A piece of evidence
worth a great deaI more than that.
-Hand it over to the poIice.
-I wiII not.
-Very weII, then, I wiII.
-I don't think you wiII.
It's your father's.
I don't beIieve you. You're Iying!
There!
Now, wiII you beIieve me?
After aII, I can Iook at it pretty good,
can't I?
Ammunition?
-Come on, stock up.
-No. Let this one ride.
-You better, hard times may get you.
-Who are these amazing peopIe?
Just a Iot of oId friends.
Romans, countrymen, what do you say?
It's Iike oId times. Remember the fun
we had when we were broke?
-Don't I?
-Those were the good oId days.
Don't kid yourseIf.
These are the good oId days.
I think your wife is great!
Thanks, I wanted you to see her,
and I wanted her to see you.
Like to buy a piece of this pug?
I'II seII you percent of him for $ .
-Is he good?
-He's knocking them coId IateIy.
Ain't afraid of nobody.
Put that down or I'II sIug you.
I'II take a Iarge piece of him.
-Having a good time?
-SweII.
Here's that man again.
Ammunition?
HighbaIIs and cocktaiIs.
The Iong and short of it.
Lots of fun. Any proser shouId be punished.
''For tomorrow may bring sorrow
''So tonight Iet us be gay''
More cocktaiIs?
Thank you very much.
I certainIy think your husband's great.
I'm gIad somebody does.
-Have a cocktaiI?
-Thanks. Nick CharIes here?
-You're his wife?
-Yes. Hey, Nick.
Nice guy. Sent me up the river once.
Hi, Nick.
HeIIo, Face.
-Long time, no see.
-Long time.
-I needed the rest.
-Was he a good detective?
I wouIdn't know.
The time he caught me was an accident.
-I Ied with my right.
-Come on, shed the chapeau.
Divest yourseIf of raiment
and join the YuIetide reveIers.
Hey, reveIers.
I want you to know Face PeppIer.
AII you got to do is find out who they are.
Don't bother to announce anyone.
Just send them aII up.
It's aII right. They're aII his friends.
Here's the latest on the Wolf murder.Police now know the secretarywas once a gangster's girl.They're now looking for him.Wynant, her employer, is still missing.
Can't you feIIows ever think
of anything but business?
Good case for you, Nick.
Haven't you heard the news?
I'm a gentIeman now.
Nick, reporters.
-SaIutations, boys.
-You're just the man I want to see.
-I'm from the American--
-The Mirror.
We want a statement.
We hear you're on the WoIf case.
-I know nothing about it.
-Give us a break, wiII you?
Listen, I never try to kid reporters.
I'm teIIing you the truth.
Then why are you in town?
My wife's on a bender.
I'm trying to sober her up.
Waiter, drinks, pIease.
Into the kitchen, son,
and thaw out some ice.
Grandma, what Iarge gIasses you have.
-Is he working on a case?
-Yes.
-What case?
-A case of scotch. Pitch in and heIp him.
-I've got to order some food.
-Isn't it a waste of energy?
That sounds Iike an interesting case.
Why don't you take it?
I haven't time.
I'm too busy seeing you don't Iose
the money I married you for.
Room service, pIease.
Sounds Iike a good case.
GirI mysteriousIy murdered.
Nobody knows who did it.
They haven't found any cIues.
No gun, no fingerprints.
I'II bet you doIIars to dog biscuits
that they never thought of....
I don't want to hear anything about it.
Is that my drink over there?
-What are you drinking?
-Rye.
Yes, that's yours.
Send me up a fIock of sandwiches.
I'd Iike to teIephone my mother
and wish her a Merry Christmas.
-Why don't you?
-I haven't got any nickeIs.
Forget the nickeIs, there you are.
Go ahead.
Thank you.
Have a hunker?
-I'II have two hunkers.
-Attaboy.
HeIIo, give me Iong distance.
I want to taIk to San Francisco.
Nick, I've got to see you. AIone.
HeIIo there, BeautifuI.
-Come on, I'II take you.
-Look what's come to our party.
Let's cross the ice
and get away from the woIves.
-Who's the brunette?
-I used to bounce her on my knee.
Which knee? Can I touch it?
WeII, baby, what's on your mind, if any?
-You heard about JuIia WoIf?.
-Yeah.
There! Nick, you're hurting me.
Of course. That's what I intend to do.
-Are you trying to teII me you did it?
-Yes, I kiIIed her.
Sit down.
I hated her for coming between
my mother and father.
She kept me from seeing my father.
I went down there to ask her where he was,
and she wouIdn't teII me, so I shot her.
-How many times?
-Once or twice.
-Where did you hit her?
-I hit her in the heart.
-What did she do?
-She feII over.
-Did she scream?
-Yes.
Which way did she faII?
She feII over backwards.
Who are you trying to protect?
Now wait a minute.
She was shot four times, feII on her face...
...she couIdn't have screamed,
because she was kiIIed instantIy.
-Who do you think did it?
-I don't know.
-Where did you get this?
-In a pawnshop.
-Is that another Iie?
-No, Nick, that's the truth.
Oh, I'm sorry.
-Don't be siIIy. Take this drink.
-No, thank you.
-Want to powder your nose?
-Make her take that.
-Where did you get that?
-She brought it in.
-Tried to make me beIieve she did it.
-What wiII you do with it?
Nothing, untiI I find out if it's the gun
JuIia WoIf was kiIIed with.
Keep her here and keep the reporters away.
They may beIieve her.
Isn't that Dorothy Wynant?
Yes. Wait a minute.
She doesn't know anything about it.
-And you said you weren't on the case.
-I'm not.
-HeIIo, Ma!
-Here, give me that, wiII you?
-Hey, San Francisco.
-Get off the wire, I want to taIk business.
Operator, give me Drydock - .
Don't do that. Don't teII your paper
I'm working on anything, because I'm not.
He's just working on that IittIe girI.
-WeIcome to--
-Oh, Nick.
I want to taIk to you
about something very important.
-I know, it's a convention. Come in.
-No.
-Got your roIIer skates on?
-What?
Let's get roIIing.
I'II take you right....
No, here, Iet's, if you don't mind....
Just step in here.
WeII....
I'm sorry,
it's the onIy pIace we can be aIone.
Won't you sit down.
HeIIo, Mr. Wynant.
-Come in and have a drink.
-I don't drink.
CIyde Wynant is absoIuteIy crazy
to stay away at a time Iike this.
No wonder the poIice think he's invoIved.
-What do you think?
-I know he isn't.
But I want awfuIIy to see him.
I want to teII him something important.
And MacCauIay won't heIp a bit.
He thinks I just want money.
Don't you?
You're aIways teasing.
-I beg your pardon.
-We're just chatting.
Nick, you wiII heIp me find CIyde,
won't you?
There are detectives in New York.
Why not hire one of them?
But he knows you.
AII you need do is get in touch with him.
TeII him Mimi says everything is aII right,
but that I've got to see him.
Again, I don't want any part of it.
Now, you take Dorothy home--
-Is she here?
-Yes, she's in there with my wife.
What did you teII them?
-Wait a minute.
-Be quiet.
-Too bad you didn't bring your whip.
-She didn't teII us a thing.
I was so excited.
I didn't reaIize what I was doing.
Come on, Dorothy, Iet's go home.
She doesn't have to.
You can stay, we'd Iove to have you.
That's sweet of you. No, thanks, I'II go.
-Where's GiIbert?
-GiIbert? Is he here?
I might as weII be Iiving in a Iobby.
There's a physioIogicaI
and psychoIogicaI angIe...
...in my dad's reIationship with JuIia
that were overIooked.
I think it settIes the whoIe question.
You see, my father was a sexagenarian.
-He was?
-Yes, he admitted it.
A sexagenarian?
But we can't put that in the paper.
-Why not?
-You know how they are. Sex?
-Just say he was years oId.
-Is that what that means?
Of course.
Hey, that's my hat!
Come and get it, whiIe it's hot.
Come on, give us a break.
-You owe me after that.
-I swear I don't know anything about it.
TeIephone, Nicky.
Oh, I thought it was the door.
Mr. CharIes?
I'd Iike to Iay a proposition before you.
I can't discuss it over the teIephone...
...but if you'II give me
a haIf-hour of your time....
It's about JuIia WoIf.
HeIIo?
What is it?
Some guy trying to seII me insurance.
-Where's Miss Wynant?
-She's gone.
-Which way did she go?
-Out the back door.
-You mean the IittIe brunette?
-Yes.
I'm sorry.
Thanks, I'm engaged for this one.
Face, no, don't do that.
I want to taIk to Ma.
So you think you're a fighter?
So what?
So Iisten, worm.
Oh, Nicky, I Iove you.
Because you know such IoveIy peopIe.
What?
-Are you asIeep?
-Yes.
Good, I want to taIk to you.
That's joIIy.
WouIdn't you Iike to do a IittIe detecting
once in a whiIe just for fun?
-Can't you get to sIeep?
-No.
Maybe if you took a drink it wouId heIp.
No, thanks.
Maybe it wouId heIp if I took it.
Everybody says you're a grand detective.
They were kidding you.
I'd Iike to see you work.
In the morning,
I'II get you some detective stories.
I know, but that girI's in a tough spot.
There's nothing I can do to heIp her.
She thinks you can.
It wouIdn't hurt you to try.
DarIing, my guess is...
...that Wynant kiIIed JuIia
and Dorothy knows about it.
The poIice wiII catch him
without any heIp from me.
I think I wouId Iike that drink.
My darIing....
I'II give you your Christmas present now,
if you'II give me mine.
-At breakfast.
-It's Christmas now.
Breakfast.
What wiII you give me?
I hope I don't Iike it.
You'II have to keep them anyway.
Because the man at the aquarium
said that he wouIdn't take them back.
Did you hear a knock?
Yes.
WeII, it might be something important.
I'm sure it is.
-Is Mr. CharIes here?
-Yes.
I got to taIk to him, that's aII, but I must.
AII right, come in.
You wait here, I'II teII him you're here.
-What in the name of--
-Someone to see you, dear.
That's good.
I was afraid I'd have to go to sIeep.
Get out of bed. Let me straighten up.
You're worse than an infant.
Funny, those bIankets must be cockeyed.
Right, Asta?
There.
You've got the funniest Iook
I ever saw in my Iife.
Hurry up, that man's waiting for you.
I want you to teII me something,
and give it to me straight. Get me?
WouId you mind putting the gun away?
My wife doesn't care,
but I'm a very timid feIIow.
You idiot.
Asta, come here.
AII right, shoot. I mean...
...what's on your mind?
You don't have to teII me you're tough.
I heard. I'm Joe MoreIIi.
-I've never heard about you.
-I didn't knock JuIia off.
AII right, you didn't.
I ain't seen her in three months.
We were washed up.
Why teII me?
I had no reason to hurt her.
She was straight with me.
But that dirty Nunheim got sore with her
because I cIicked and he didn't.
And he put the finger on me.
This is aII sweII, but you're peddIing
your fish in the wrong market.
I've got nothing to do with this.
Studsy Burke says you used to be okay,
that's why I'm here.
How is Studsy?
I didn't know he was out of stir.
He's aII right, he'd Iike to see you.
What's the Iaw doing to me?
Do they think I did it
or is it just something eIse to pin on me?
If I knew I'd teII you.
I don't know anything about it.
Ask the poIice.
That'd be the smartest thing I ever did.
I put the poIice captain in a hospitaI
for three weeks over an argument.
They wouId Iike for me to come in.
They'd Iike it down
to the end of their bIackjacks.
I come to you on the IeveI.
Studsy says you are too.
-Why aren't you?
-I am. If I knew anything I'd be--
-What's that?
-I don't know.
That makes this your party.
-Open up! PoIice!
-Why, you two-timing....
Okay, Bob.
-Give me that bottIe.
-What knocked her out?
I did. She was in the Iine of fire.
Somebody caII a doctor.
Here, baby. Sweet.
-HeIp her up on the bed.
-AII right.
Are you aII right?
You darn fooI.
You didn't have to knock me out.
I knew you'd take him,
but I wanted to see you do it.
There's a girI with hair on her chest.
-Nicky.
-What?
-Are you hurt?
-No, he just grazed me, that's aII.
-You are. Somebody get a doctor.
-There's one caIIed aIready.
-Get into bed. Are you aII right?
-Sure, I can't even feeI it.
I'II get some toweIs.
Pretty cIose.
-Have a shot, wiII you?
-Here we are. But you'II be okay.
-Tough Iuck!
-Shut up!
-Here, darIing, use this.
-Now, baby, it's onIy a scratch.
-Do you want a drink?
-What do you think?
How did you peopIe happen to pop in here?
We hear this was getting to be
a meeting pIace for the Wynant famiIy.
We figured we'd stick around just in case
the oId boy himseIf shouId show up.
Then we see this bird sneak in,
we decided to come up.
And Iucky for you we did.
-Yeah, I might not have been shot.
-You know this monkey?
-That dirty IittIe rat Nunheim--
-Shut up!
-Is he a friend of yours?
-I never saw him before.
What did he want?
He wanted to teII me
that he didn't kiII JuIia WoIf.
-What's that to you?
-Nothing.
What did he think it was to you?
Ask him.
I'm asking you.
Keep on asking.
-Frisk the dump.
-Not without a warrant.
So you say! Go on, Bob.
Tough?
Now Iook here, CharIes, the both of us
are going about this in the wrong way.
I don't want to get tough with you.
I'm sure you don't want to either.
Just one more question.
Are you wiIIing to swear to a compIaint
for this guy pIugging you?
That's another one I can't answer now.
Maybe it was an accident.
What's that man doing in my drawers?
Here you are, Lieutenant.
You got a pistoI permit?
No.
-Ever heard of the SuIIivan Act?
-That's aII right. We're married.
-This gun yours?
-No.
-Who's is it?
-I'II have to try to remember.
Okay, we got pIenty of time.
I guess I'II have to ask you a Iot more
questions than I figured.
We'II come around tomorrow
when you're feeIing better.
AII right, come on, boys.
Where's Asta?
Come here.
You're a fine watchdog.
He's got more sense than you.
I'm gIad you're not on this case.
On it? I'm in it, they think I did it.
WeII, didn't you?
I hope you're satisfied.
Where am I?
You're not in a shooting gaIIery!
But, sugar, this is the nicest
Christmas present I've ever had.
You act as though it were the onIy
Christmas present you ever had.
Where did you get that wristwatch?
Christmas present.
-Yeah? Who gave it to you?
-You did.
You must admit I've got pretty good taste,
haven't I?
Have you finished with this?
Yes, and I know as much
about the murder as they do.
I'm a hero.
I was shot twice in the Tribune.
I read where you were shot
five times in the tabIoids.
It's not true.
He didn't come anywhere near my tabIoids.
BuII's eye!
Who is it? Send him right up.
Who was that?
Mr. MacCauIay.
The MaIIorys.
Oh, dear, I forgot aII about them.
Aren't you hot in that?
Yes, I'm stifIing. But it's so pretty.
The Kirbys.
Is that another Christmas present?
-Did I give it to you?
-Yes.
I'm spoiIing you.
Why, Nicky, this is from CIyde Wynant.
He says, ''WiII you take charge
of investigation on JuIia WoIf's murder?
-''Communicate with Herbert MacCauIay.''
-Let's see.
-Where's it from?
-PhiIadeIphia. WeII, then, he didn't do it.
I don't know.
He wouIdn't ask you to handIe it
if he were guiIty, wouId he?
Your guess is as good as mine, baby.
Nicky, take the case.
You take it. I'm too busy.
-How do you do?
-Good morning.
I'm afraid this isn't a very
Merry Christmas for you.
-He's aII right.
-Good.
-How are you, MacCauIay?
-I'm fine.
-Sit down.
-You're coming aIong better than me.
-I hope you're not seriousIy hurt.
-No, just a scratch. I've forgotten it.
-What a deIightfuI toy.
-That's Asta's Christmas present.
I got word from Wynant this morning.
So did we, I mean SherIock here.
-DarIing, wiII you--
-Pass you your drink? Yes.
Thank you.
What are the chances
of getting you to do what he wants?
SIim.
WeII, wouId it heIp
if I couId persuade him to meet you?
It might.
He gave me a code message
to insert in the Times...
...in case I wanted to reach him.
-I don't suppose it wouId do any harm.
-I've done that aIready.
He shouId appear, you know.
It doesn't Iook weII,
his staying away at a time Iike this.
-PoIice.
-For me?
Where?
AIIentown?
Yes.
When is the next train?
Right. I'II get that.
Wynant's tried to commit suicide.
They want me to go down and identify him.
I guess this changes the whoIe story,
doesn't it?
That Iooks Iike an admission of guiIt.
And I had such hopes.
I thought if you got on the case
you couId cIear him.
I thought that Mimi, the way she acted,
I was sure that....
Oh, weII.
There's no use thinking about that now.
I'm sorry to have wasted
so much of your time.
Good-bye. Have a Merry Christmas.
Thank you. Same to you.
-Bye-bye.
-Good-bye.
Asta, is your baIIoon busted? So is mine.
-What's the matter with you?
-The mystery's aII gone.
-I was hoping you'd find out who did it.
-Maybe I wiII.
-If Wynant--
-I don't beIieve he did it.
-Why don't you?
-No reason, just a hunch.
But I'm going to find out.
I'm tired of being pushed around.
Come on, Dr Watson, Iet's go pIaces.
-Good morning.
-Good morning.
Excuse me.
Not a nice trick you're trying to puII,
running out Iike this...
...when I was giving you time to rest
before I questioned you.
What? About the gun?
That never was a gun.
Don't waste time taIking about that.
Look here, man to man,
are you working on this case?
-Man to man, I'm not.
-But he's interested.
I'd rather have you working with us
than against us.
-That suits me.
-Then it's a bargain.
Anything you want to know?
-What about the suicide?
-That was a phony.
-The boys didn't even have to go down.
-I thought so.
Now they'II think every thin man
with white hair is Wynant.
-Do you think Wynant did it?
-I don't know.
He pIanned something.
He cIosed up his apartment and shop.
-Were you there?
-Yes, but I couIdn't find a thing.
I figure it Iike this.
Wynant went to JuIia's apartment
and found MoreIIi there.
Sees she's two-timing him, there's a fight.
He doesn't do anything because of MoreIIi.
Lets his Iawyer give her money to give
to him so she thinks it's bIown over.
Then when she isn't expecting it,
he Iet's her have it.
-No proof?.
-Nothing as yet to cinch it.
-$ wiII get you $ that he didn't do it.
-What do you mean?
For one,
he's too absent-minded to hoId a grudge.
-Who's your candidate?
-I haven't got that far.
Not everything points to Wynant.
How about your aIibis?
They're aII okay. Mrs. Jorgensen,
the boy, Dorothy, MacCauIay, even MoreIIi.
We had to Iet him go.
-What about Jorgensen?
-I'II check on that.
-Mrs. CharIes, this must be duII for you.
-DuII? I'm sitting on the edge of my chair.
-What about Nunheim?
-He's aII right.
We know aII about him.
He does some stooIing for us occasionaIIy.
Did you know he's been
hanging around JuIia?
No.
-He's hoIding out on you.
-Let's Iook into that.
Taxi!
This may get a bit rough.
I think you better Iet us go aIone.
Catch me Ietting you go aIone!
Grant's Tomb.
Taxi!
-Who is it?
-John.
HeIIo, Lieutenant.
Sit down, Nick.
I wasn't expecting you, Lieutenant.
You said you'd phone.
Have a shot?
What's the idea of teIIing me
you knew the WoIf girI just by sight?
That's aII I did, Lieutenant.
That's the God's truth.
Maybe I said heIIo to her.
''How are you,''
or something when I saw her...
...but that's aII I did. That's the truth!
You open your mouth
and I'II pop a tooth out of it.
-Is that so!
-Yeah!
Cut it out!
We didn't come here
to watch you two roughhouse.
She's driving me nuts.
She's been ragging me aII day.
Maybe if you'd quit running around
after other women...
...you wouIdn't have troubIe with this one.
That's a Iie.
Anybody that says that is a Iiar!
Do you want to take a poke at him?
I didn't mean you, mister.
Come on, she can't hear you now.
You know how it is.
A guy knocking around--
You'd have done better
to have toId me that in the beginning.
Where were you the afternoon
she was knocked off?.
You don't think I was invoIved!
Where were you?
-Marion!
-Wait a minute!
I don't Iike crooks.
And if I did, I wouIdn't Iike stooI pigeons.
And if I did Iike stooI pigeons,
I stiII wouIdn't Iike you.
Don't go!
Wait a minute! I'II do anything you say!
I'II behave! Don't go!
Let me go after her.
Let me bring her back, pIease.
I'II bring her right back.
I'II do anything!
I'II answer anything you want!
Sit down!
We didn't come here to watch
you two dance around the MaypoIe.
Where were you when the girI was kiIIed?
I don't know. I can't remember!
I can't teII you just offhand.
Maybe I was down
at CharIey's shooting pooI.
Maybe I was up here, I don't know.
She'd remember!
How'd you Iike to be in the can
on account of not remembering?
Just give me a minute. I'II remember.
You know I ain't staIIing.
I aIways come cIean with you.
Sure, I remember.
I wouIdn't bIame you
if you'd throw me in the can.
I remember where I was.
That's the afternoon....
Wait a minute, I'II show you.
What do you think of it?
I think we're on the right track.
Who are you phoning?
I'm phoning your office
so they can send out a man to traiI him.
-I want to see where he goes.
-TraiI him? TraiI who?
Nunheim.
Give me that phone.
BiII, pick up Nunheim, teII the boys.
He just Ieft, went down the fire escape.
Cover Grand CentraI and Penn Station.
Check aII airports and steamship terminaIs.
What's that?
No, have Lefty radio aII the cars.
He was dressed
in a bIack pair of pants, yes.
How shouId I know if
his underwear's embroidered?
What?
Listen.
They've been questioning me again today,
asking me what more I know...
...where I was that day.
Now, wait a minute, I ducked out on them.
Now, Iook, if you want me
to pIay dumb anymore, I want $ more.
$ and I'II bIow town today.
Okay. Where?
AII right, right away.
Be there, and bring it with you.
Arthur Nunheim, honorary member.
No, not a thing.
Find out about that buIIet yet?
Yes, sir, it's the same gun
that kiIIed JuIia WoIf.
And how are your foIks?
HeIIo?
How are you?
No, we didn't find a thing. It's your wife.
And, Lieutenant, I've got something.
I've been doing
a IittIe detecting on my own.
That fIatfoot I married thinks he's smart,
but I'm just one jump ahead of him.
That's sweII, Mrs. CharIes.
How did you Iike Grant's Tomb?
It's IoveIy. I'm having a copy made for you.
What have you got, baby?
I can't quite hear you.
We'II be right up.
She's up at Mimi's.
Jorgensen's disappeared.
WeII!
Chris may be at the cIub or somewhere.
I can't see that that's important.
You shouId have toId them he disappeared.
But he has nothing to do with it.
That's not for you to decide.
Everybody's under suspicion.
EspeciaIIy running off Iike this.
The poIice wiII want a description.
-Is this his picture?
-I teII you, he didn't do it.
They'II want more than your word for that.
AII right, I'II teII them who did do it.
Mother!
And I'II give them proof.
-Dorry.
-Oh, Tommy!
PIease, don't cry.
I can't heIp it.
You don't know.
You can't go through any more of this.
Get together your cIothes and skates.
We'II go to my famiIy.
No, I can't.
But you've got to get your mind off aII this.
DarIing, you've been so sweet.
There's onIy one thing
you can do for me: Go.
-Go?
-Go and never see me again.
-What are you taIking about?
-PIease, you can't get mixed up in this.
Do you think I care about that?
You don't understand.
You don't know what's going to happen.
AII I know is that I want you
to marry me right now.
I can't marry you. I can't ever marry you.
Dorothy!
How'd you Iike to have
a coupIe of murderers for chiIdren?
That'd be fun, wouIdn't it?
Perhaps they'II murder each other
and keep it in the famiIy.
Father shouId have kiIIed GiIbert and me.
Then we wouIdn't have this to go through.
You're taIking Iike a crazy person.
Why not? I am crazy, aII our famiIy is.
Dorothy, Iisten to me.
I Iove you, do you understand that?
I Iove you.
Tommy, Tommy.
PIease go.
SIeuthing isn't much fun after aII, is it?
I feeI awfuIIy sorry for that girI.
Find anything?
She's ready to taIk.
It wouIdn't do any harm, though,
to find out where he is.
You know, you're wrong
about aII of your chiIdren being murderers.
I studied the MendeIian Law
of Inheritance...
...and their experiments with sweet peas.
According to their findings,
and they're pretty concIusive...
...onIy one out of four of your chiIdren
wiII be a murderer.
Now, the thing for you to do
wouId be to just have three chiIdren.
No, that might not work.
The first one might be the bad one.
I'II have to Iook that up.
You needn't bother Iooking that up.
I'm not going to get married,
and I'm not having any chiIdren.
From now on, I'm just out for the ride.
I took it from her hand.
It was Mr. Wynant's watch chain.
I wanted to protect him.
WeII, I guess that cinches it, eh, CharIes?
He kiIIed them both,
the WoIf girI and Nunheim.
$ wiII stiII get you $ .
That's enough for me.
Extra!Wynant's ex-wife producesmurder evidence!
I wish they'd stop that.
It gives me the fidgets.
I wonder if they'II find him?
He must be in New York.
Where do you think you're going?
-I'm taking Asta for a waIk.
-He's just been for a waIk.
We're going sightseeing, aren't we?
What's that?
That's known in burgIing circIes
as a fIashIight.
Nick, what are you up to?
What is this?
-Looks Iike a hoId up.
-What are you going to do?
I'm going down to Wynant's shop
to find out why it's cIosed.
Why wouIdn't he cIose it? He went away.
He went away when I knew him,
but never cIosed his shop.
I got a hunch.
You think he's hiding there?
I don't know, but this is giving me the itch.
-I'm going to find out.
-Nick, I won't have you going down there.
It was you that got me into this.
I know, but this is different.
He's a crazy man. He might kiII you.
He won't kiII me.
I've got Asta to protect me.
AII right, go ahead. Go on, see if I care.
It's a dirty trick, bringing me to New York,
just to make a widow of me.
-You wouIdn't be a widow Iong.
-You bet I wouIdn't.
-Not with aII your money.
-FooI.
WeII, any port in a storm.
Good-bye, sugar.
Nicky!
Take care of yourseIf.
Sure I wiII.
Don't say it Iike that.
Say it as if you meant it.
-I do beIieve the IittIe woman cares.
-I don't care.
It's just that I'm used to you, that's aII.
If you Iet anything happen to him,
you'II never wag that taiI again.
You sure this is
where you wanted to come?
Yes.
You don't want me to wait, do you?
CertainIy. You're not afraid, are you?
No, I guess not.
AII right, Asta.
Asta.
Come on, Asta.
Asta?
Asta, you're not a terrier,
you're a poIice dog.
Back, Asta. No, no.
Asta, get away from there. Come on.
Come on.
HeIIo, Lt. GuiId, pIease.
HeIIo, John?
This is Nick CharIes.
I'm up in Wynant's shop.
WeII, I've found something.
It's a body.
Stick 'em up.
Turn around.
Now, don't make a move,
or that dog wiII tear you to shreds.
AII right, you can come out now.
He won't hurt you.
Up to your oId tricks, Tanner?
You're Mr. CharIes, aren't you?
-Yes, how did you get in here?
-I have a key.
I use to work here
tiII they cIosed up the shop.
You worked here?
Yes, JuIia WoIf got me a job here
as bookkeeper.
WeII, that's a hot one. Bookkeeper.
Where did you Iearn bookkeeping?
That Iast time you sent me up?
I Iearned bookkeeping in Sing Sing.
I figured it wouId be
an in for me somewhere.
Somewhere they might
Ieave the safe open?
Honest, I never touched that safe.
Them bonds that was missing,
JuIia WoIf took them.
Trying to put it off on her?
Mr. CharIes, she did.
That's why he got sore at her and kiIIed her.
Listen, Mr. CharIes,
can I take my hands down?
Okay.
I did do a bit of chiseIing.
I come to bring the money back
and fix up the books.
Easy.
It's aII right, Mr. CharIes,
it's just a pocketbook.
I didn't want them to find out
and come after me.
Save that. TeII it to the poIice.
PoIice?
-Move over, wiII you?
-Haven't you got that yet?
You wouIdn't know anything about this?
No, sir.
Take him down to CentraI.
I'II taIk to him Iater.
Wonder what Wynant had against this one.
QuickIime.
Mind if I Iook these over?
No, go ahead.
Just roIIed them up and threw them in.
Lucky thing for us
these weren't entireIy eaten up.
ExtraordinariIy Iucky.
No identification.
He must have weighed pounds,
if he weighed an ounce.
Here's something.
Rubber-tipped. Must have been Iame.
Who wouIdn't be,
carrying aII that weight around?
I shouId say he stood about ' '',
wouIdn't you, Doc?
About.
''D.W.R.''
''R.''
Say, that case you worked on,
that man who threatened to kiII Wynant....
What was his name?
Rosebreen.
Say, couId this be the man?
I never saw him.
I don't think anybody ever saw him.
He threatened to kiII Wynant
for an invention he stoIe, wasn't that it?
Yes, but we figured that was bIackmaiI.
Just the same, he wouIdn't mind
getting him out of the way, wouId he?
Doc, how Iong wouId you say
this body has been here?
Can't say offhand,
at Ieast a coupIe of months.
CoupIe of months?
That's just when Wynant cIosed the shop.
That's an open book.
Wynant kiIIed this guy
and pIanted him here.
JuIia knew about it, so he kiIIed her.
And Nunheim caught him at that,
so he bumped him off.
Boys, I guess we'II be going aIong.
Nick, you did a sweII job.
You wouIdn't mind
paying me that $ now, wouId you?
Wait untiI you catch Wynant.
I'II get him, aII right.
You can bring that stuff aII out in the car.
-You'II run it through the fIuoroscope?
-Yes.
-Do you mind if I come down and see it?
-Not at aII.
I'm very interested in that body.
Step right over here, Mr. CharIes.
There's the buIIet he was kiIIed with, see?
What's that?
Just an oId piece of shrapneI.
ShrapneI?
Maybe he was in the war.
That wouId account for
his cane and his Iimp.
Yes.
Hey, doggie, come on.
Look down at the fIoor.
Come, Iook down at the body.
Mrs. CharIes, this way.
-Get that out of here!
-Just a moment.
Mrs. CharIes, this way, one famiIy group.
It'II be IoveIy for the woman's page.
-Have the poIice any idea where Wynant is?
-No.
-Do you think they'II find him?
I know they wiII.
-Got anything eIse to say about the case?
-No.
What about this Rosebreen?
Sorry, I don't know anything about it.
Can't you teII us anything about the case?
Yes, it's putting me
way behind in my drinking.
Let's get this in. Thanks, Nick.
What's your next step, Nick?
Right back to CaIifornia.
We've got to rest up from this vacation.
We'II see you before you go.
-Bye-bye.
-Good-bye, boys.
Back to CaIifornia?
My souI, woman, I give you three murders,
and you're stiII not satisfied.
-WeII, if you insist.
-WeII, I don't insist.
No, I wanted you to stay here
and find Wynant.
-I did find him.
-What do you mean?
-He was down in his shop.
-Nick!
That was his body that was down there.
You'd better Iay off that Iiquor.
That's a fact.
Wynant's body?
Yes.
Don't you want something to eat?
Everybody thought it was Rosebreen.
That's what they think,
GuiId and the rest of them.
They just take it for granted that
it's another one of Wynant's victims.
GuiId's hot-footing around now
Iooking for Wynant.
That's aII that troubIes him.
What makes you so sure
it was Wynant's body?
WeII, severaI things.
HeIIo, Fred?
We're hungry again.
And Iots of onions.
And coffee.
You're driving me crazy. What things?
What things make you so sure?
WeII, take the cIothes, for instance.
They were very carefuIIy preserved...
...and the body was
just as carefuIIy destroyed.
Whoever kiIIed him
was counting on one thing...
...that skeIetons aII Iook aIike.
-WeII, they do, don't they?
-Sure.
You won't get another swaIIow
untiI you say.
I happened to remember
he had shrapneI in his shin.
It bothered him.
I Iooked for it and found it. Gimme.
-How Iong has he been dead?
-CoupIe of months.
Then he couIdn't have
committed those murders.
Smart gaI.
Wynant dead. Does Dorothy know?
No, nobody knows but you.
I'm going to teII her.
You can't do that.
She's going crazy.
She'd rather know he was--
I can't heIp it! I can't teII a souI.
-I haven't even toId GuiId.
-Why?
I want to Iie Iow untiI I get the whoIe dope.
-I'm not going to go off haIf-cocked.
-What are you going to do?
I'm going to get the murderer.
And I've got an idea.
-Do you want to see me take him?
-Yes.
-Have you a nice evening gown?
-What's that got to do with it?
Have you got a nice evening gown?
Yes, I've got a LuIu. Why?
I'm going to give a party
and invite aII the suspects.
The suspects? They won't come.
Yes, they wiII.
I'II get GuiId to issue the invitations.
Who do you think did it?
Mimi.
Mimi?
Mimi, Jorgensen, MoreIIi, Tanner....
What were you doing
on the night of October ?
I was just a gIeam in my father's eye.
Now, Iet's see, you at the head.
And you on my right.
Thank you.
I'II put MacCauIay here,
where he can heIp me.
There ought to be a Iady next to him.
I've got Mimi.
I don't think Mimi Iikes him.
Then it's Mimi.
Who goes next to me?
Suppose you Ieave that open.
See what you draw.
Put Dorothy there.
And then Tommy?
No, I'II keep Tommy on this side.
Put GiIbert next.
Nice boy. Who's next to GiIbert?
That bird that shot me.
MoreIIi? WeII, this is going to be good.
I'II put that sIick gigoIo husband
of Mimi's here.
-Have they found him?
-They found him.
Who goes next to him?
I'm Ieaving that open.
I've a feeIing that he won't come aIone.
Where are you going to put GuiId?
At the end,
where he can keep an eye on things.
That's the pIace for him
when the troubIe starts.
And the IittIe friend of Nunheim's,
the frying-pan juggIer, there.
Nick, are you sure
one of these peopIe is the kiIIer?
Positive.
Nick, I can't stand the suspense.
Which one of them did it?
I wish you'd teII me.
I wish you'd teII me.
-Mr. CharIes.
-Yes, Henri?
I'm afraid these men
wiII interfere with your dinner.
ReaIIy?
-How's it going, boys?
-SweII.
How's this?
''Yes, monsieur.''
TerribIe.
That's aII right.
Your men'II serve the dinner.
These boys are just here in case.
I think they'II be aII right.
HeIIo, Mrs. CharIes.
HeIIo, Mr. GuiId.
WeII, I see you're aII set.
-Do you think they'II come?
-Most of them are here.
The rest wiII be here.
Don't worry about that.
My men are picking them up.
-Bring them in, boys.
-You're a great heIp to a hostess.
I wish I had you at aII my dinner parties.
WeIcome.
Let go of my arm, you big Iug!
Say, what's the idea anyway?
I ain't done, nothing! It's you?
We onIy wanted you to dine with us.
If you think I'm going to taIk, you're crazy.
'Cause I was mixed up with a stooI pigeon
don't mean I'm one, too!
AbsoIuteIy not.
WiII you show the Iady a chair?
On your way, sister, on your way.
-Did you find Dorothy?
-She'II be here, don't worry.
What you need is a drink.
I'd think you guys wouId be tired
of picking me up.
-Pipe down.
-Step this way, kid.
-What's up?
-Come on.
-Outrageous!
-How do you do, Mrs. Jorgensen?
-How dare you send a detective after us.
-We wanted to be sure you'd get here.
I toId him we couIdn't come.
We have an engagement.
We're going to the theater.
Nicky's putting on a IittIe show of his own.
You must stay.
PIease, come and have a cocktaiI.
-What's the gag?
-You know as much as I do.
-Have a cocktaiI.
-No, I don't care for any.
-I said, have a cocktaiI!
-I guess he wants us to have a cocktaiI.
Hi, MacCauIay.
Take off your hat and coat
and join our festivities.
Why, Tanner, what's this?
They had me in jaiI Iast night,
Mr. MacCauIay.
Don't think a thing of it.
Come in. Take off your things.
What is it, Mr. CharIes?
I wanted you to be here.
I've got something, I think.
Come in, Tanner.
-Where's Dorothy?
-I don't know.
She was with you. She Ieft this afternoon.
No, she wasn't with me. Here she is now.
We got them.
Picked them up at Penn Station.
Come on in.
-HeIIo, Nick.
-Dorothy.
-A party?
-Yes.
CeIebrating father's third murder?
-They were making a getaway.
-We were doing nothing of the sort.
You can't get away with this.
How right you are.
Take this gentIeman's hat and coat.
Music! Much music!
You know, Nick interrupted me
at a very important time of my Iife.
I was just about to take my first faIse step.
I'm getting out of here.
No, you stay here.
If I stay,
I know I'm going to take a poke at him.
Then I insist you stay.
Here's Jorgensen.
Why, Chris!
How do you do? I'm Nick CharIes.
-Chris, where have you been?
-None of your business.
Chris, I swear it isn't my fauIt.
I tried to keep you out of this.
Take your hands off him.
Do you hear me?
Chris, what does this mean?
Sorry we were Iate,
but we had to break down the door.
Chris, how couId you?
Come in, make yourseIves comfortabIe.
Just take the gentIeman's hat and coat.
Come, friends, and get it.
Tommy, how wouId you Iike to be end man?
Mr. Jorgensen, next to Tommy, if you wiII.
Dorothy, I beIieve you and Mr. Quinn
are over here.
MacCauIay, here if you wiII.
Tanner, down there.
Mrs. Jorgensen, next to Mr. Jorgensen.
I'm Mrs. Jorgensen!
Put it over there, sister.
I was Mrs. Jorgensen before you were.
Mimi, you're here.
Waiter, wiII you remove
the iIIumination, pIease?
Ladies and gentIemen, be seated.
Now, my friends,
if I may propose a IittIe toast.
Let us eat, drink and be merry,
for tomorrow, we die.
You give such charming parties,
Mr. CharIes.
Thank you, Mrs. CharIes.
Perhaps you'II teII us now why we're here.
We're here because
I have some very important news.
What is it?
Just this.
CIyde Wynant did not kiII JuIia.
He didn't kiII Nunheim or anyone.
What are you saying? It's in the papers.
You mean, he didn't kiII them?
-What did I teII you?
-Is that why you brought us?
I'd Iike to beIieve that.
-I knew they'd try this.
-With money, you can do anything.
Quiet, Iet him have his say out.
What makes you say that, Nick?
I saw him Iast night.
-Where, Nick?
-You did?
That's nothing. I saw him myseIf.
You see? I toId you.
-That's a hot one.
-What did I say? It's a frame-up.
Quiet. When did you see him?
Last night.
He came to see me in my apartment.
Is that so? What did he say?
Nothing much.
He wanted to know how I was
and how the chiIdren were.
What kind of cIothes was he wearing?
A brown suit, brown shoes, a white shirt...
...a grayish tie with reddish-brown,
or brownish-red, dots in it.
-TeII them, Ed.
-I saw him, too.
He was wearing a green suit
and a white tie--
What are you saying?
You weren't even there.
I know, but I saw him.
-Where did you see him?
-I was gazing in my crystaI.
Waiter, wiII you serve the nuts?
I mean, wiII you serve the guests the nuts?
Mimi, I'm afraid you're Iying.
You see, I reaIIy did see Wynant Iast night.
-Are you kidding?
-No.
-What's the idea of hoIding out on me?
-You saw him yourseIf.
I saw him?
That was his body buried in the shop.
Nick!
It's terribIe to have to teII you this way,
but your father is dead.
He's been dead for three months.
Pardon me,
you have something on your coat.
-DarIing, pIease don't cry.
-Tommy!
It's terribIe, I know,
but isn't it better that way?
Here, I'II take care of her.
-Tommy, you sit here.
-Waiter, wiII you kindIy remove that?
What, no one eating?
Mimi, it hasn't affected your appetite.
Because I don't beIieve a word of it.
What's your proof?.
A piece of shrapneI in his shin.
If he didn't do it, who did?
The murderer is right in this room,
sitting at this tabIe.
You may serve the fish.
-At this tabIe?
-Eat something, you fooI.
-WeII, aren't you going to teII us who it is?
-I don't know.
I thought, if we aII had a IittIe get-together,
we might be abIe to find out.
Nice food, isn't it?
Yes, it's the best dinner I ever Iistened to.
You say you don't know who did it,
but who do you think?
MoreIIi--
-You can't pin this one on me!
-Sit down!
-Am I the faII guy?
-Sit down, or I'II use a sap on you.
I onIy want to ask you a question.
-MoreIIi, you knew JuIia.
-Yeah.
Was she gypping Wynant?
-She don't say so, but I figure.
-Why do you say that?
WeII, once I wanted $
she give it to me Iike that, cash.
Thanks.
Three months ago...
...the night that Wynant caught you
in JuIia's apartment, MoreIIi...
...he discovered that JuIia was cheating
on him and spIitting with some man.
That man was....
Tanner....
I'm so sorry, Tanner.
Don't you want some wine?
No, reaIIy, Mr. CharIes,
I had nothing to do with this.
-I toId you--
-That's aII right, Tanner, that's aII right.
You're driving me crazy.
Now, Iet me see, where was I?
Oh, yes.
Wynant went to find the man
he accused of having cheated him.
That man, knowing that he was caught
dead to rights...
...and with prison staring him in the face,
took the onIy way out.
He kiIIed Wynant.
-Mr. Jorgensen?
-Yes?
You're not eating.
Don't you care for oysters?
Why, I was just Iistening
to what you had to say.
Good.
This murderer is very cIever.
He studied this whoIe thing out
very carefuIIy.
You'd understand that,
wouIdn't you, GiIbert?
Yes! No!
He pIanned the whoIe thing beautifuIIy.
After he kiIIed Wynant,
he wired MacCauIay using Wynant's name...
-...and toId him to cIose up the shop.
-Which I did.
NaturaIIy.
Then he destroyed aII of Wynant's cIothes,
with the exception of his watch chain.
He figured that someday
that might come in handy.
Then he took Wynant's body
and buried it with another man's cIothes...
...a fat man's cIothes,
to throw us off the track.
He even put in a beIt buckIe
with an ''R'' on it...
...hoping we wouId think
it was Rosebreen...
...an oId enemy of Wynant's
who disappeared years ago.
MoreIIi, wouId you mind
hoIding your knife some other way?
You're worrying GiIbert.
If that knife is missing,
I'II Iook for it in your back.
After our hero had kiIIed Wynant,
he had a briIIiant idea.
He reaIized that he and JuIia
couId stiII coIIect money.
Wynant was supposed to be out of town,
no one knew where.
So our hero wrote Ietters to MacCauIay,
signing Wynant's name...
...so that MacCauIay wouId continue
to send the money to JuIia.
He even teIephoned MacCauIay.
You remember the day
you came to see me?
He teIephoned he was in town?
Yes, he caIIed whiIe I was out.
Yeah, wasn't he sIick about that?
That same afternoon, JuIia teIephoned him.
She said you were coming, Mimi.
-I wanted to ask about Mr. Wynant.
-ExactIy.
And our hero got terrified.
He was afraid JuIia wouId break down
and teII you that he had murdered Wynant.
So he went to JuIia, and he kiIIed her.
And he Ieft Wynant's watch chain
in her hand.
-Is this true?
-I don't know.
-Why are you saying it?
-It's the onIy way it makes sense.
I hope you're weII.
His pIan was working beautifuIIy.
Everybody beIieved
that Wynant was in town...
...and that he did it.
There was just one hitch.
A bird named Nunheim, your friend.
Nunheim began to caII on her.
He heard the shots.
He saw the murderer Ieave.
He knew who did it.
If he knew, he didn't teII me!
You can't drag me into this!
Our hero had paid Nunheim once
to keep his mouth shut.
And when Nunheim threatened him again,
he bumped him off.
He was very cIever.
Everybody, even our astute friend GuiId,
thought that Wynant was aIive...
...and that he was the murderer.
You can skip that.
But our hero had just one
weak Iink in his chain.
The teIegrams and phone caIIs
were aII very weII...
...but no one had actuaIIy seen Wynant.
So our hero picked on poor Mimi here
to strengthen his case.
Mimi is the onIy one at this tabIe
who can teII us who the reaI murderer is.
Mimi, who was it that toId you
to say you saw Wynant?
-Nobody toId me, I did see him!
-Why don't you Iet my mother aIone?
What were you paid to stick to that story?
It isn't a story, it's true!
I did see him! He isn't dead!
You're Iying, Mimi.
But you'd do anything for money.
You're getting a good price
for saying you saw Wynant.
You won't get anything if he's dead.
-I'm not going to stay here to be insuIted!
-Sit down.
MacCauIay, you drew up Wynant's wiII.
Mimi was cut off, wasn't she,
if she remarried?
I have no right to answer that.
-How about it, Tanner? Isn't that true?
-Yes.
You shouIdn't Iet that keep you
from teIIing the truth.
-Mrs. Jorgensen.
-Yes?
Were you ever divorced
from Chris Jorgensen?
No.
So you see, Mimi,
under the Iaw, you've never remarried.
You're stiII one of the heirs.
So what are you hoIding out for?
A few crummy doIIars,
when you can get the whoIe estate?
Remember the other two
who were mixed in with him on this...
...JuIia and Nunheim.
When he thought they might spiII,
he bumped them off.
You ought to know
he's not going to take a chance on you.
What do you want, to be next on his Iist?
Why, you dirty IittIe....
-WeII, there's your murderer: MacCauIay.
-MacCauIay?
Sure, do you want me
to wrap him up in ceIIophane?
Get in there! What's the matter?
MacCauIay? I can't beIieve it!
WeII, I'II be a monkey's uncIe!
Nicky, he might have kiIIed you!
What's the matter? You sorry he didn't?
I'm gIad you're not a detective.
Not a hip in a carIoad.
WeII, here's to you two!
And to you two, too!
-Why, the rat, he can't top us.
-No.
-ShaII I keep these fresh for you?
-Yes.
My gracious, it's : .
-It's what?
- : .
No, baby, it's : .
It is not, it's : . I set my watch ahead.
Yeah, you set your watch ahead
at : didn't you?
Look, you're in New York, for instance.
The sun rises in New York.
San Francisco is
miIes west of New York.
You're wrong!
The sun does not get to San Francisco
tiII three hours after New York.
Nick!
Yes, baby?
Does that mean that it's bedtime?
WeII, that's a thought.
Come on, sugar, Ieave us do it.
Asta, are you ready?
-And fIights of angeIs sing thee to thy rest.
-Same to you, Nick.
Good night.
I can never thank you for aII you've done.
Don't be siIIy.
Good night.
Gosh, darIing, I thought they'd never Ieave.
I thought you'd never Ieave.
Baby, the sun rises in the east,
it sets in the west.
If it's 12:00 in New York,
automaticaIIy, it's--
Nicky, put Asta in here with me tonight.
Oh, yeah?