All language subtitles for Confidential Report (1955)

A CERTAIN GREAT AND POWERFUL
KING, ONCE ASKED A POET:

"WHAT CAN I GIVE YOU
OF ALL THAT I HAVE?"

HE WISELY REPLIED:
"ANYTHING SIR... EXCEPT YOR SECRET"

On December 25,
an airplane was sighted

off the coast of Barcelona.

It was flying empty.

Investigation of this case
reached into the highest circles,

and the scandal was
very nearly responsible

for the fall of at least
one European government.

This motion picture is a
fictionalized reconstruction

of the events leading
up to the murder

and to the appearance last
Christmas morning of the empty plane.

CONFIDENTIAL REPORT
( A.K.A. Mr. ARKADIN )

Jacob Zouk?

Jacob Zouk?

I'm sorry, but you're going
to have to talk to me.

We gotta get out of here.

Look, if we don't start moving right
away, you're going to be killed.

I mean that... murdered.

I'm a dying man with no money.
Somebody wants to kill me?

He's wasting his time.
- No money, huh?

But you could use some
dough, couldn't you?

How would you like
to earn 500 marks?

Earn? - Or even 1.000.
We can go to my hotel.

No, that's no good. He might
find us. We go to another hotel.

I'll get you a fine
room, with a nice bed

and lots of warm, big, thick,
heavy blankets. - Oh, yeah?

And who are you, Santa Claus?

I am the one who's going to
keep you from getting murdered.

Oh, I know you, Zouk.
You're an old jailbird.

Yeah, just out of stir.
An ex- dope pusher.

The world's forgotten you.
I wouldn't give you a thought,

if I didn't have to... if my
own life didn't depend on it.

I'd better tell you my story.
- Who are you? - My name's Van Stratten.

Though just a little while
ago, when they caught me,

I was running American
cigarettes in Italy.

A lot of us were
doing it after the war.

So what's this
got to do with me?

I'm dying. - Nothing, but would
you listen... - Leave me alone.

Will you shut up and listen?

There's hardly any time left.
You've gotta get this straight...

if I'm going to save your
miserable life for you,

you're going to have to
understand this story, see?

It all began one night last
spring in the harbor at Naples.

Mily... that's my girl...

she was asleep on board
the boat. I'd been in town.

I was just coming
back along the docks,

when suddenly I see this
character with a peg leg.

Seemed like he was in an awful
hurry to get away from there.

Then a couple of minutes
later, I see this other guy.

At first, I thought
he was drunk.

Who is this man? You know
we can't afford any trouble.

Go get a doctor, quick.
- Too late for a doctor.

But the police...
- Try to keep them away.

I don't want to spend my last
few minutes with a lot of cops.

I don't blame you.
- Guy, you didn't do it?

Of course not, but we
can't let him bleed to death.

No, mademoiselle.

It was another who stabbed me.

He got away.

Go see what's happening.

Must have gotten whoever
it was that knifed you.

Seems like they're trying to
shoot it out with the cops.

What is your name?
- Van Stratten, Guy.

I am Bracco.
You call me Marcel.

This way I spend my last
few minutes among friends.

All right, old man. Take it easy.
I'm with you. - You're with me?

After all the
friends I've had...

you that I've known a few minutes...

you're the only one.

I want to give you something to show
you my thanks. - It's all right, fella.

The police... they're
coming this way. - The police.

What can they do for me now?
- What about us?

Guy, will they put me
in jail, too? - Shut up.

Now listen. What I
give you is two names.

You don't have to give me
anything. - Here they come.

This, I didn't think
I'd give to anyone.

It isn't money, but
it is worth millions.

This is my gift to you.
It will make you rich.

It's Bracco.
The American?

What's he doing here?
- Look, I just happened by.

I've got a boat here.
- Your papers.

I'll go on board and get
them. - We'll come with you.

Come here.
Come here.

Please... I must tell you this.
Now remember, this is secret.

Give it only to your friend.
- These cigarettes are contraband.

It's worth a great deal of
money. That's jail for you, Jail.

Real smart cop.

You'll remember
the other name, too.

And the woman.

Ok, so you found
the cigarettes.

This girl has no connection
with my business.

Come on, Bracco. What
were you saying? What?

Is he dead?
- What do you think?

Bracco was whispering something.
- Yeah, what was the message he gave you?

Yes, Bracco was talking
to you. What was it?

He wasn't making any
sense. It was just a name.

He was dying.
- What name was it?

Arkadin.

Gregory Arkadin.

There was another
name, too, that Bracco

had whispered to Mily, but I
couldn't ask her what it was.

Not while the cops had me.
- Bracco. Mily.

Who are these people? - Mily
was my girlfriend at the time.

I already told you. Bracco
I'd never even seen before.

As to what this racket was or
how he got himself stabbed,

or why he should give me Gregory
Arkadin's name... I hadn't a clue.

So why should this Bracco do you a
favor if he didn't know you before?

I don't know. Maybe he got
some kind of a sympathy for me.

He was dying. - Oh, I'm dying, but I
got no sympathy for you whatsoever.

I don't know you either, but I'm doing
you a favor. I'm going to save your life.

Oh, so all of a
sudden you're a doctor.

Will you tell me please
how you figure to save me?

You are going to find out,
mr. Zouk, if you'll just

try keeping your yap shut
for a minute and your mind,

if you have such a thing, on
what I'm trying to tell you.

Like I say, I had to do time
for the cigarette smuggling.

They confiscated my boat.
I was broke.

So when I got out, I had nothing else
to do but look around and ask questions.

Arkadin... he had a villa near
Monte Carlo, a castle in Spain,

one of the biggest yachts in the
world, and at least three passports.

But who he really was and
where all that dough came from,

nobody could tell me.

Old Mily wasn't waiting
for me at the prison gates,

but I traced her down to
Juan- les- Pins, to a nightclub

where she was doing
a bubble dance.

We got paid to let
her off at that party.

Which party?
- The party, naturally.

This season, a party
means just one thing...

Gregory Arkadin.

So Mily'd got next
to Arkadin already.

She was a birdbrain, but at
least she had something to go on...

that other name that
Bracco whispered to her.

So, you've been
to Arkadin's party.

How'd you make out? - Well,
there must have been 50 other girls

out there on that boat.
- Yeah.

I hear he's sailing
it back to Spain.

And next week, he's
giving a big society ball.

Why don't you try to get yourself
invited, and then we can...

To a society ball?
- On the yacht, stupid.

All right. - Look, try
and go on that cruise

he's taking if you
can do it. - All right.

Then maybe, if you
can get close to him,

you can sort of throw that other
name at him. - That's the trouble.

You forgot it, you mean?
- Well, you see, I...

I couldn't hear
very well. - Oh.

And right after that, the...
what's- his- name... Bracco died.

So I couldn't very well
ask him to repeat it.

Ok.
Ok.

Now look, you tell mr. Arkadin...

Shh. - ...that you have a friend
who knows somebody named Bracco.

Mm- hmm.
- Don't use my name.

Oh, Guy.
Be careful.

You just tell him that if he's
interested, a meeting can be arranged.

Look, it's different for me.
I'm a girl, and he's a man.

Will you please stop trying...
- Well, I can handle him. - I hope so.

There must be an opening
for a bright young man

in some company that
Arkadin happens to control.

Stranger things than that have
happened in big business. - Sure.

Come to think of it, who knows
how mr. Arkadin got started?

Started?

I didn't even know what
we were really after.

Some of that Arkadin money, of
course, but how? Shake him down?

What about? Some name a guy
whispered to Mily and that Mily forgot?

I not only knew
it was crazy, but

the closest I could even get to
Arkadin was that yacht of his.

The Raina, it was called...
after his daughter.

She's quite some dame,
Raina. A real looker.

With her money, she
wouldn't need to be.

No, Arkadin thinks everybody's after her
for his dough. - And he's wrong about you.

All I wanted was to use her to get
close to him. That is, at first.

And now it's love.
- Let me this in my own way?

Raina's been to some high-class
schools in America, but she's...

well, tough.
No illusions about anything.

Oh, then there's her boyfriend...
a long drink of cold water

called the Marquis of something
or other. - The Marquis of Rutleigh.

But I don't think it's
anything serious. - Oh.

How come she's
not at his party?

It isn't the kind of party
you ask your daughter to.

That the telephone switchboard back
there? - Yes, right over there. - Good.

Excuse, me Darling. I seem
to be wanted on the telephone.

Awful bore.
- Ok.

Excuse me, Would you like
to dance? We haven't met...

No, I'm sorry, I... - Your friend's gonna to
be some time on a long-distance phone.

How do you know Bob's taking a long
distance call? - Well, who would know better?

I put the phone call in myself.

You gonna be stuffy about
it, or shall we start dancing

right now and save some time?

Ecoutez, Operator!
- With her British boyfriend occupied

on the telephone, Raina and me
were just getting nicely acquainted...

then we got the bad news.

mr. Arkadin... he was
waiting for her in the car,

and the message was that it
was getting kind of late.

Yes, but how did he learn that
you were here, and so quickly?

He runs the greatest private spy
system on Earth. - Yes, I know that.

But when am I going to see you next?
- I'm leaving for Spain in the morning.

Are you flying?
- In In Father's plane?

No.
- Oh, driving yourself.

Getting an early start before dawn.
- I say, that sounds perfectly frightful.

There he is, in the car.
- Your father?

Better get back inside.
- I say, but look here, old girl...

I'd rather he didn't see
us together. - All right.

Oh, excuse me,
old man. - Ok. - So sorry.

Hey, that's quite a coincidence.

I mean, you're going to Spain tomorrow.
I'm going there myself, you know.

Small world, isn't it?
- Yeah. - Hi, Pops.

How was your party?

It wouldn't be so tough to get stuck
on a doll like that, dough or no dough,

but romance wasn't any
part of my plan. Plan?

The truth is, I
didn't have any plan.

I was just knocking myself
out, chasing something.

I didn't have any
idea what it was.

But daybreak, there I was in
front of the Arkadin villa,

hitching myself a ride to Spain.

I threw Raina a line
about how my own car just

happened to break down there, and
would she please give me a lift?

But just then, I noticed some
character spying on me. - Oh, that?

He's one of my father's
secretaries. - Huh?

He has all kinds of secretaries..
Some of them double as vice presidents.

That one's a masseur,
and there's Rico.

He's in charge of ladies'
telephone numbers.

But that's something I'm not
supposed to know about, of course.

Well, they all seemed
to be very interested

in who it was that was bumming
a ride with the boss's daughter.

It was quite some
ride, at that.

She really made time.
And so did I.

Well, that's a castle in Spain,
for sure. Thanks for the lift.

You're spending
the night here?

I wanna try and talk the local
hotel into giving me a bed.

I'll show you where it is.
- It's either that, or...

Or what? - Or we develop a sick
headache or a leaky carburettor

or something like that, and we'd
be forced to spend the night

the other side of the border.

Uh-oh.
Here comes the Ogre.

Ogre? What's that? - The
Ogre's my nickname for Father.

Oh, your father. - Didn't
you ever read any fairy tales?

No, not many. - You know,
"Fee-fi-fo-fum, I smell

the blood of an Englishman.
Be he alive or be he dead, I'll grind

his bones to make my bread."
- And that's an Ogre, huh?

Some kind of a bogeyman. - If you
meet my father, you'll see what I mean.

If? You mean when I meet him.

That's him up there, huh?
That plane?

Yes, he flew to
Tangiers this morning.

Now joining me here to get ready
for our famous masked ball.

That's not till
Sunday night. Good.

What's good about it?
- Gives us almost a week.

For what?
- Getting better acquainted.

Don't tell me you're staying
on. - I'm going to your party.

I don't believe it.
- Well, why not?

You know all your guests
personally? - Of course not.

Well, you know me.
- Do I?

Maybe not yet, honey,
but you're going to.

What's so comical?
- I like your being tough.

It's just too bad
you're such a cornball.

I've been looking for you.
- So were Father's secretaries.

The who?
- And please stop smoking.

Uh-huh. On account of
those characters with a hood?

Shh. - I thought the
Masquerade wasn't until Sunday.

It's a religious procession.
- Ah. - They're Penitentes. - What?

If you'll keep quiet, I'll
explain it to you. - Uh-huh.

Look. Some of them are barefoot.

Others have chains.

Excuse me a minute. - Oh, I
thought you were looking for me.

I just spotted somebody down to
crowd I ought to say hello to.

The girl in the sweater who
was waving to you? - Mily?

Well, as a matter of
fact, I think she's down here

to get on that
cruise your father's giving.

She's more a friend of his.
- Well, if she's his type.

Yeah, but...

Thanks for dragging yourself away
from your new girlfriend. I'd ask what...

Yeah, I heard you were
in town at the local hotel.

I'd ask what she's got
for you that I haven't got,

except I happen to know the
answer... a couple of $100 million.

Will you please be quiet?

What gives with those
crazy Klu Kluxers?

They're Penitentes. - Yeah, I know, but
what are they dressed up like that for?

They're doing penance. That
means they're sorry for their sins.

They must be awful sorry.
- Well? - Hmm?

Did you get
on that cruise yet?

What do you think I came
to Spain for, to see you?

Look, Mily, I've been
thinking this thing over.

I think maybe we ought
to forget it. - Guy!

Coming.
- Forget it?

You're going after Arkadin's
money in your own way,

through his daughter, aren't you?
Well, you'd better watch your step,

or I might decide to start
talking. I mean it, Guy.

And it won't be about Bracco or
anything mysterious like that.

It'll be all about you.

Are you, by any chance,
trying to threaten me?

I'm just telling you
to leave her alone.

Hi, chum. What are
you doing here? - Just waiting.

Not right under the castle like this,

where we can be seen. - Yeah, that
castle's kind of hard to get away from.

I know, and the town's
swarming with secretaries.

I'll phone you as soon as
I get away from the Ogre.

Look, why don't you take me up there,
introduce me to him, and be done with it?

Because we're having fun, and
I'd like it to last a few days,

cornball.

Look!
You win!

Hey!
- I knew it.

Well, what do I win?
- These.

Come on.

Hey, what's all the rush? - There are
a couple of secretaries back there.

Checking up on
you, huh? - Yes.

He treats you like
he's a jealous husband.

If Father had his way,
I'd never get married.

You don't have to worry about
that, honey. - Oh? What do you mean?

I'll make you a promise.

As long as I live, I'll
never ask you to marry me.

Gee, thanks.

Hey!

One moment please, sir.
- Beg your pardon?

Does the Count de Torregon know that
you're here with his invitation, sir?

Well...
- Don't be dreary, Rudi.

Of course he does. Raina
sent me to fetch you, old boy.

Oh, thanks.
- No, this way.

And put your mask on.
That's the form, you know.

Well, anyway, where's the Ogre?
- I beg your pardon? - Our host.

I would like to see him. - Well,
you can't mean that. - Why not?

I've been trying to keep him
from seeing me. - What do you mean?

Well, ever since I was caught taking
Raina out without official permission,

I've been persona non grata.
- Who? - Nice.

All right. So it's a masquerade,
but it isn't Halloween, is it?

What's with all these
crazy Frankensteins?

Now look, old
boy, you don't understand.

All these people are supposed
to represent the paintings.

Now, some of us have come as the
visions and monsters... Goya.

Who?
- You know Goya.

Glad to meet you.

Now what?
- Just a whim of the Ogre.

Tell me, do I have to fight a
duel with these two characters?

No, drink the triple vodka and
you pass. - A triple-strength vodka?

Sorry, sir.
There are no exceptions.

Father likes his guests to be
ready for a party before it starts.

Savage, of course, but
then, so then so is he.

Try and make an
impression on him.

I'm sorry.

I see you were talking with
out hostess. - Well, I...

The young Miss Arkadin. - Well,
of course I know Raina, Mister...

We won't introduce ourselves.
This is a masquerade.

You've known her long?
- Raina?

Oh, we've met a few times.

All sorts of people are
always trying to meet her.

In her position, that's
natural, of course.

Fortune hunters, adventurers...
you know the type.

Well, sure.
- I thought you would.

Come here.
Let me show you something.

You might be interested.

You know where we
are, don't you?

Shut the door, please.
This is her bedroom.

Oh?
- Raina's bedroom.

You understand? - Well,
it's a very beautiful room.

This whole place is...
- This is her bed.

Her pillow.

I left this here
for her to study.

You can look at
it if you want to.

"Confidential Report."
It has my name on it.

Oh?
- Yeah.

Yeah, my name is Van
Stratten, mr. Arkadin.

According to that dossier, you
were born George Streitheimer.

Streeter! My father's
name was Streeter.

Your father's identity does not
seem to have been established.

Go on.
Read it.

Be sure to leave it for
Raina after the party's over.

The party seems to be
over already, mr. Arkadin.

Who got this up for you?
- Private detectives.

It may seem a
considerable investment

to make for a mere gigolo...

a petty adventurer...
but you see, my daughter

is very important to me.
There's nothing I would stop at...

So I'm a petty adventurer, am I?
And what about you, mr. Arkadin?

How do you think it would look if
someone got up a dossier on you?

What are you two
doing in my bedroom?

One moment, Raina. I want to be very
sure I understand what your friend

here is talking about.
- Yeah, it's quite true.

I ran cigarettes...
even some gold once.

But What about you, mr.
All-Mighty Gregory Arkadin?

How about if somebody got up a confidential
report on the subject of you, huh?

All the dirt, I mean, from Bracco
on down. - I'm ashamed of you.

Yeah, that's just about
the idea. - I mean Father.

Do you really think this
is the way to... Guy!

Come back.

What's wrong? - I don't make
a habit of striking women. - Guy!

Don't worry. You're safe.

I'm sick of jails, and
there's a law against murder.

What did you say to Arkadin?

I haven't seen him... not here in Spain.
- Did you tell him anything about me?

No, why should I? - He's got
private detectives onto me.

You put him onto me,
did you?- No, Guy.

I swear I had nothing
to do with it.

Both of you wanted to break
things up between Raina and me.

Well, now you've succeeded.
- Where are you going?

Just leaving, that's all.
- Am I going with you?

I want to get as far
away from here as possible.

Guy, I never once talked to Arkadin
about you. Oh, and another thing...

I've remember that name.
- You mean that other name?

That woman's name the Bracco told
you about? - Am I going with you?

Now don't get smart.
- All right, all right.

It was... it was Sophie.
- Sophie?

Sophie what? - Well, it's
just that I can't remember.

It was something Russian.

Hello?
- Oh, I beg your pardon.

I was told I would find mr. Van Stratten
there. Will you put him on, please?

Secretary.
- Secretary?

mr. Arkadin.
- mr. Van Stratten?

Speaking.

mr. Arkadin is calling you.

I'll put you through.
- mr. Van Stratten, I'm prepared to talk

business with you. I said I'm
prepared to talk business with you.

My car is downstairs.

I'm waiting.

Oh, Van Stratten.

mr. Arkadin is waiting
for you. - Thanks.

And now I am going to
tell you about a scorpion.

This scorpion wanted
to cross a river,

so he asked the frog to carry
him. "No", said the frog.

"No, thank you. If I let you
on my back, you may sting me,

and the sting of a
scorpion is death."

"Now where", asked the
scorpion, "is the logic in that?"

For scorpions always
try to be logical.

"If I sting you, you will
die and I will drown."

So the frog was convinced and
allowed the scorpion on his back.

But just in the middle of the
river, he felt a terrible pain

and realized that, after all,
the scorpion had stung him.

"Logic", cried the dying frog
as he started under, bearing

the scorpion down with him.

"There is no logic in this."

"I know", said the scorpion,
"but I can't help it.

It's my character."
Let's drink to character.

Excuse me, sir, but mr. Arkadin would
like you to wait for him on the terrace.

I thought you called me back here
because you wanted to talk business.

Your business, Van Stratten. You
told me you knew so much about me

you could fill out a dossier
on me. - You know how it is.

A fellow gets around, he...
- Where?

Where did you get,
Van Stratten? - Naples.

I'm not the only one
who knows about Bracco.

He's dead, but he told us something about
you. Something you'd like kept quiet.

He was knifed.
Yeah, and then there's Sophie.

Knifed?
Knifed by you?

Do I look like a killer?
- No, you're simply a fool.

I will not ask you your price,
because you have nothing to sell.

But still, I'll
make you an offer.

I am going to give
you something to sell,

and then I will pay you for it.

Come on.

You have tried to
threaten me with a secret

which does not exist.

Now I'll make you a
present of a real one...

the great secret of my life.

Come in.
My secretaries work here.

We can be private.

Now tell me, if I really
had something to hide,

what do you think
it would be? - Well...

Take a guess.

Well, there is something.

There has to be.
- Why?

Well, if there isn't...

well, how come you never let
yourself be photographed, for instance?

Oh, I have been photographed,
but usually... I break the photograph.

Also... head of the photographer.

I am a strong man, Van Stratten.

How old do you think I am?
- How would I know?

I don't know, either.

See, that's my secret.

I don't know.

You think I'm crazy?
- No.

I don't think you asked me back here to
try to help you guess your age, either.

You've heard
of a thing in the army

called "intelligence check?"

Some kind of an
investigation, isn't it? - Yeah.

These army people are thorough.

They look under the wallpaper...
they turn up the carpets. - Which army?

Your army. - Yeah I
did happen to reside back

in the States in '42, so I got
a polite invitation to join.

You know, greetings there.

What's with you and the army?

I'm interested in some proposed air
bases your army's building in Portugal.

And you want
the contract. I get it.

You're afraid one of
those investigation deals

could wreck it for you, and
you wanna hire me to help you

cover up a few little items.

You are informing me or
asking me, mr. Van Stratten?

mr. Arkadin,
I'm just guessing.

But now I'll ask you something...

what makes you think
you can trust me?

I think you will
do what I tell you.

You are a fool, but
not a silly fool.

And I am not ungenerous.

Not ungenerous.
That means...

$10.000.
Tax-free, of course.

You can have it in gold in
Liechtenstein. - Make it $20.000.

You're a poor
businessmen, Van Stratten.

You're bargaining before
you know what's for sale.

What I don't know, I can
find out. Make it $15.000.

I am hiring your
specialized knowledge...

your ability to move about in
the underworld. - Underworld?

I want you to
make an investigation

and prepare me a report.
- Report?

A report on what?
- Gregory Arkadin.

All about Gregory Arkadin.

I'm serious.

It's me I want you
to investigate.

What is it you're so afraid
they're going to find out?

Van Stratten... on my
mother's grave I swear to you,

I wish I knew.

And you figure that
if I can't smoke it out,

the army boys won't be
able to either, huh?

I'm going to tell you a
story... a poetic little story.

It's winter of '27.

One night, one
snowy night, I found

myself a young man in Zurich.

I had nothing... nothing.

Only the one suit I was wearing
and a wallet in which there

were 200.000 Swiss francs.

With that money, my
fortune was built. You see,

I promised you this was poetic.
- Well?

Well, what?
Who was she?

She? Who was she
isn't the question at all.

The question is who was I?

Ok, mr. Arkadin, I'll buy it.
Who were you?

That's just it. What happened
before the winter of '27?

Where did I come
from in my one suit?

That is my real secret,

and you are the first
man I ever told it to.

I do not know who I am.
- Amnesia.

Yeah, but if it's as bad as you
claim... - What do you mean, as I claim?

Well, look... you don't have any memory
of what happened you before '27, right?

Right. So what makes you
so sure your name is Arkadin?

Huh? - Well, maybe it's Arkadeen
or Arkadini or Arkapapalous,

or Smith, even. - Don't be
a fool. I know my own name.

Who says so?
- I say so.

Oh?
Who Are you?

You just told me you don't know.
- I'm paying you to find out.

So why does Arkadin
stick in your mind?

Maybe... maybe it's the
name of a cough medicine.

Maybe it's somebody you knocked
off for the 200.000 Swiss francs.

You think that's how I got the money?
- Well, maybe you stole it. How do we know?

Is Guy in there?

I'm alone, Raina.
- Why is the door locked?

I want to see Guy.

What's going on
between you two?

mr. Van Stratten is gone.

He has left the country, Raina.

You will not see him again.

That is a condition, of course.

She will not see you, and
above all, she must never learn

that I've given you this job.
She might imagine that...

that I'm paying you off. - Well,
isn't that just what you're doing?

You know, at first I
thought it was something else.

I rather thought you
were blackmailing me.

Here's to character.

Where did I stand now?

Was he paying me off,
or lousing me up?

Why should he think that
I could turn up something

that he couldn't even remember?

Well, the answer to
that was a long way off.

I had to do a lot of traveling
and ask an awful lot of questions

before I learned the truth.
From Helsinki to Leopoldville...

Brussels, Belgrade,
Beirut, Torino and Trieste,

Marseille and Mogador...

I talked to every crook who'd
even been around in 1927,

and a whole lot of other
characters besides...

even some of the big money men...

financiers up in
Arkadin's league.

I claimed I was a newspaperman,
but even that didn't

always get me in the door.

Sir Joseph is not well
enough to give interviews,

but out respect for
"Time" magazine... that

is your magazine, isn't it?

Sir Joseph has consented to
make the following statement

with the understanding
that it is not to be quoted.

"Gregory Arkadin is one of the shrewdest
of all adventurers in high finance,

and certainly the
most unscrupulous.

During the last war, I had occasion
to make inquiries into his past.

In another epoch, such a
man might have sacked Rome

or been hanged as a pirate.
Today we must accept him for what

he is... a phenomenon of an
age of dissolution and crisis.

As to his place of
origin and the source

of his first capital,
the most painstaking

investigation has
shown that these

are quite impossible to trace."

Mily, out on that cruise, was
keeping in pretty close touch with me

whenever she could. And with
a few other good-looking dames

as fellow passengers, Mily was
junketing around all this time

with Arkadin on that yacht.

What are you doing in my cabin?
- Would you prefer to come to mine?

Don't be funny. - You said
you want to be alone with me.

Has that slipped
your mind? - Oh, yes.

The message. - You'd better
have a little more champagne.

It's not me that wants to talk
to you. It's a friend of mine.

Guy Van Stratten. - You
know everything, don't you?

Only what I need to know.
- Bracco, for instance?

For my business.
- Oh, sure. Guy told me.

Money changing,
munitions... some of the guns

you sent to the Reds in
China didn't even shoot.

Is Van Stratten a
communist? - Are you kidding?

Then what's he complaining
about? - Nobody's complaining.

He's just doing that
crazy job you gave him.

Hey, you didn't answer my
question about Bracco. - Bracco.

Van Stratten mentioned that name.
When did you talk to him last?

Bracco was killed and murdered
on the dock in Naples, Italy.

No, I mean, when did
you talk to Van Stratten?

Seems you were pretty chummy
with some Nazi collaborators in Vichy.

Have some champagne. - They trusted
you with all their money, those Nazis...

to invest in South
America for after the war.

They didn't even ask for a receipt.
- I've heard that story before.

Now their families can't
even prove the money's theirs.

And then... and then
there's Mussolini.

All those roads you built
for the fascists in Ethiopia.

Bad water, not enough food...

Guy says more than
100 of the men died.

You know, you're kind of
cute in a weird sort of a way.

After a person gets
over being scared of you.

Why'd you grow that awful
beard? - To scare people with.

When'd you grow it?
1927?

You know something about that year?
Van Stratten's discovered something?

We know where you came from.

That's more than I do.
- Warsaw. - Huh? What's that?

That's why Guy wants me to see
Tadeus when we get to Tangier.

Who?
- Ta... Tadeus.

Uh- huh? - He's an
organized smuggler.

I mean he organizes smuggling.

Shut up.
- Ha, ha, ha, ha.

He knows all the crooks in
all the world, and he's Polish.

What's that got to do with it?
- Warsaw is a city in Poland.

I was aware of that.

You see, Guy went to
see your tailor in Zurich.

My what? - The tailor who
made your first suit of clothes

when you came there.
- He's dead.

You probably never
even noticed the cutter,

but he remembers you and the
label in the coat you were wearing

when you first came
in the shop. - Label?

The tailor's label.

Your suit was made in Warsaw,
so that's where you came from.

Guy couldn't get into Poland
now. He'd never get a visa.

Awful lot of Poles left
home these last few years.

Refugees? They went
everywhere... all over the place.

Tha... that's what Guy's
gonna do...

look up an awful lot
of Poles. - But where?

Just wherever you
say, mr. Arkadin...

everywhere.
All over the place.

Now, remember that Bracco had
made us a present of two names...

Arkadin... and somebody
called... Sophie.

So I asked around
about this Sophie, too.

Well, the first nibble I got
on that was up in Copenhagen...

in a flea circus.
- Why come to me?

I am illegitimate
entertainer now.

Please watch your smoking.

I am only interested
in my fleas.

And now we are rehearsing.

Besides, I have to get ready
for a show in a few minutes,

so I cannot give you much time.

Oh, please, please, please... the
fleas don't like it. Who likes it?

Will you at least try guessing?
- Have you ever seen a football game?

Allez-houps Ah.
Between... allez-houps.

Allez-houps.

Ah.
Educated fleas.

Now here's the kickoff.
Allez-houps.

Ah.
Now allez... allez...

allez-houps.
Ah.

Allez-houps.
Ah.

Now here is August.
He's the goalkeeper.

Pick it up, August. Put it
in the right position, August.

That's right.
Allez... Allez, August.

Allez... Allez, August.
Poop.

Ha! - Why would a man
want to escape from Poland?

In the past few
years, my country

has offered its people a wide variety
of incentives for moving elsewhere.

Now, wait a minute, Professor.

In your day, you were one of
the best con men in Europe.

Please, not so loud.

I don't see any reason
why I should lower my voice

if you're not going to
offer me a... cooperation.

Feeding time.

Come on, Professor,
think back.

A police case in Warsaw
involving a woman called Sophie.

Couldn't you
find another pole?

There's Tadeus, that
contraband fellow.

Yeah, yeah, in Tangiers.
- Why not try him?

Nah, he's too young.

There's nothing a type like
that doesn't know about crooks.

Crooks... bah. He has them
jumping around for him like my fleas...

only the fleas are smarter.

I got a friend that's due in Tangiers
this week. She'll see Tadeus.

Oh, come on, Professor.
What about Sophie?

Sophie?
No.

A type like that, if she's
alive, she's legitimate by now.

What makes you think
she'd go straight? - Simple.

She was intelligent. Did you
ever stop to think why cops are

always famous for being dumb?

Simple... because they don't
have to be anything else.

Crooks aren't the worst people.
They're just the stupidest.

The fleas of the world.
- And murder?

My friend, after
20.000 years, murder

is still a business that's mainly
in the hands of the amateurs.

You!
You know Tadeus?

Tadeus.

I'm a friend of Guy's.

We used to see you every
time we came to Tangiers.

You must remember me.
- I never pretty women.

It's too expensive.
- But the Japanese cameras...

There I can't help you.
Van Stratten?

Has he got a new boat?

This is not about
business, mr. Tadeus.

We just want you to do us
a favor. - I never do favors.

We only want a little
information about Poland.

I never give any... Poland?

This won't cost you anything.

Do you know of a fence in
Amsterdam called... - Fence.

... Burgomil Trebitsch?
- Trebitsch?

We're not going to Amsterdam.

You and Van Stratten?
- No. I'm not with him anymore.

I'm on a sort of a
cruise. - Enjoy yourself.

Trebitsch?
I'll remember the name.

Thanks, Tadeus.
- Thanks for nothing.

Antiquites. Curiosities
BURGOMIL TREBITSCH

Here.

Ah, ah.

Here... we have a telescope.

Uh, 110 guilder, my dear.

Wife can always fix it
with a weenie bit of tape.

Why not try to
stick to the subject?

You were gonna tell me about a
woman called Sophie. Remember?

Mmm... Sophie Radzweickz.
Hmm.

She was quite a girl.

Ah, not that I remember her
personally, only by reputation.

And with the telescope comes a leather
case. You fool. - What happened to her?

Where is she?
- Ah.

Where is anybody?
- Do you know if she's still alive?

Well, if you
don't want the case,

I can sell you the telescope
without it, but then of course,

the price would be a
weenie bit steeper.

You haven't answered my question.
- You haven't bought my telescope.

But I will. I will, mr.
Trebitsch. I'm going to buy it.

Now what were
you going to tell me?

Those girls.

Those girls were the
ruin of of Sophie. - Girls?

Ah, Hildegarde
wants more strudel.

What girls, mr. Trebitsch?
- Imagine, my dear... they were hired

by the police to pose as members
of Sophie's dancing academy.

What dancing academy? - Well, perhaps
you'd be interested in a lovely aquarium

for your tropical fish?
- No, thanks.

I already got a telescope.

You haven't paid
for it, have you?

Still, we can always discuss
price, can't we, my dear?

Now look, about this dancing
academy... I am buying information.

Shut up. To be buying
means that I'm prepared to pay.

I make it a principle never,
never to give information,

even about people who are dead.

I mustn't get a reputation
for being indiscreet, now,

must I... - Especially
in my profession.

No, what you are buying
is a telescope. - Oh, fine.

Looks as if I'm also buying
an aquarium, but if Sophie's dead,

I can't see what difference it
could... - Dead? Who said she's dead?

Well, nobody says she's alive.

I seem to remember she
got away from the police

when they broke up
the gang. - The gang?

Well, come on mr. Trebitsch.
What did the gang do?

White slavery? - Warsaw was the center
of that, my dear, before the last war.

Oh, my poor baby.
You don't know a thing.

Why, half the place,
it was running

to South America from Central and Eastern
Europe... came right through Warsaw.

Wait. I've got something for you.

No, I don't want to
buy anything else.

You will buy this
one... it's an idea.

Well? Those young
girls... - What girls?

The girls I spoke of that
acted as special police agents.

Well, it just happened,
my dear, that one of them

turned up here during the war...
during the occupation.

What's her name?
Come on, mr. Trebitsch.

I'm paying you for this.

And she was quite a heroine
of the resistance movement...

connected, one imagines,
with the British.

Once spent the night
here in my little shop in '42.

We... ah, we got to
talking about Warsaw.

You know To Poles are. Well, the
Baroness could tell you all about Sophie.

Well, mr. Trebitsch.
Where is this Baroness?

The Baroness Nagel.

Well, Ok, but
where does she live?

And here is the telescope.
You see, I believe in giving value.

Value? This thing
doesn't even have a lens.

Well, what can you expect
for 200 guilder? - 2... 200?

You can always find
the lens... Ah, Gustie.

Danny, mittagessen.
Ah, you can pay me in dollars.

I can offer you a very
good rate. Oh... guilder.

What? - Of course, there will be
the usual charge for breakages.

Breakages?

Oh, my beaded curtain
I can perhaps re... string,

and I may be able to
mend up my alligator,

but you've absolutely ruined
the pretty aquarium, my dear.

Eh, well, you'll remember
the name. Nagel, hmm?

N- A- G- E- L... Nagel.

Nagel. - Mm- hmm.
- Is that all I'm getting?

The Baroness Nagel, hmm?

B- A- R...
- I can spell Baroness.

Now you just tell me
where I can find her.

My dear, I swear
to you on my heart...

I haven't the remotest
idea where the Baroness is

or what happened to her.

Baroness Nagel?

the Baroness Nagel.
- Nagel?

The Baroness Nagel? Oh, she
wouldn't have gone back to Poland.

Not the way things
are now. Try London.

Nagel? Yes, she was decorated
by our people and the French.

Wonderful girl.
- Nagel?

I think she's working in Paris.

She's at one of the big
dress houses. Dior, I think.

She's a vendeuse. - A what?
- A saleswoman. - Oh, good.

I got something I want to buy.
- Well, she live here.

Of course I remember
you. You are the gentleman

who was here the other day.

Well, I'm sorry, monsieur, but the
Baroness won't be in till late tonight.

She has a dinner appointment.
Oh, thank you, monsieur.

I think it might be with the gentleman
who brought her the beautiful flowers,

just the day
after you were here.

He was a big, tall
man... with a beard.

Yes, with a beard.
- Sommelier.

Criminal underworld
in Warszawa? - Mmm.

It's true that
for a year or so,

I did see a little something
of that sort of thing.

It wasn't as amusing
as you might think.

Criminals aren't ever very amusing.
- It's because they are failures.

Those who make real money
aren't counted as criminal.

This is a class distinction.

Not an ethical problem.
- Here's to crime.

I suppose you want me to tell
you about Sophie. - Sophie?

She was, in those years, the
most important criminal in Poland.

However, we did manage to
put her out of business. - We?

There were several of us...

young girls.

And I won't pretend to you that we
were not rather thrilled at being

part of the secret police.

Also, in my case, our family
needed the money badly.

We were sort of wooden ducks...
how you call it? A decoy?

You mean you were
used to collect evidence.

Oh, it was a rather
nasty business, really.

The gang masqueraded
as a dancing school

where the young ladies
went to learn the tango.

The victims, of course,
ended up in South America.

I was glad, actually, to be
useful in breaking it up.

The leader got away. - Oh,
Sophie's been living abroad

ever sense, in great style.
- Sophie. What is her last name again?

She married years ago.

So what's her married name?
- You are inquisitive.

Before telling you that, I ought
to ask my employers for permission.

Your employers, Baroness?

You're a vendeuse
working for a dress shop.

That means you sold a dress to
her, right? - She's a good customer.

And she's been in your
shop more than once?

Every year, when
she comes to Paris.

Comes from where?

That is something one
mustn't tell, I should think.

I thought they were very
strict about people with

criminal records in Argentina.
- Not Argentina, no.

Oh? - And not
Chile, either. No.

Don't imagine you
can trap me so easily.

I'll bet you a couple of hundred
dollars... I can trap you, Baroness.

Let's make it $500.

It's more sporting.
- $300.

That's sporting enough.
Here.

Write Sophie's married name and
address, and then we'll compare notes.

Aha. First we'll have
some more gypsy music,

and you'll buy me another
bottle of champagne.

Then afterwards, just
for the fun of it,

you'll show me your
money. - As you wish.

No, no.
I really can't.

I hate people who
sell information.

There was somebody
else only last week...

who wanted to
know the same thing.

What?
- Yeah, about Sophie.

Ah, digging into the past.

It's really too disgusting.
Here... take it as a gift.

After all, what's
that woman to me?

You can't object...
if I settle our wager.

There. You see what I've written?

I didn't come
within a mile of it.

It was Van Stratten who
approached you? - Yes.

Mmm.
I'm a fool.

Why?

Baroness, a fool is a man who
pays twice for the same thing.

Until I learned
about it from the Baroness,

I hadn't even realized
that Arkadin was in Paris,

but I didn't bother to see him.

If he was trying to
do my job for me,

I'd have to hurry up and
beat him to the finish.

Before catching the plane for
Mexico, I stopped by at my hotel.

There still wasn't
any word from Mily.

I hadn't heard from
her in weeks. - No, sir.

There's no message.
But there is someone to see you.

Going to ask me
up for a drink?

Come on. Guess we
have time for one.

Oh, yes... and there's
somebody else waiting for you.

You've been avoiding me.
Why?

I hope it isn't because
of my father. - No.

I've been away.
Belgrade, Zurich.

Why all this traveling
around? - Job.

For my father? Funny... I
thought I caught a glimpse of him

here in your hotel, but that
doesn't make sense, does it?

You don't trust me, do you?

That's really why I
haven't wanted to see you.

You mean you
need to be trusted?

Funny... so does Father.

Quite funny. - Simply because
nobody in their right mind

could trust either one of you.

What are you doing
in this man's room?

That's my question,
isn't it, Father?

Yes, and I think I'd
better ask it, too.

What are you doing here?
You can't have known I was coming.

I didn't know it myself.
- I have business with Van Stratten.

Business? And you
gave me your word.

His word. He gave me his
word he wouldn't see you again.

Oh, really? And he swore to me
that he wouldn't take money from you.

How cheap did you come?
- Well, Van Stratten... - No.

I'm asking the questions now.

$15.000. Well, you wanted
the truth, didn't you?

You can save us that
old-fashioned melodrama

about your innocent daughter
all alone with a wicked bachelor

in his hotel room. I only came
back to get my bags, then I'm

on my way out of the country. - $15.000?
- There's a price tag on every man.

Yeah?
What's yours, mr. Arkadin?

200.000 Swiss francs?

You know that was the basis
of the great Arkadin fortune?

Well, maybe $15.000 will
be the basis of mine.

You imagine I'm going
to give you that now?

A man needs money to
make money, mr. Arkadin.

I wouldn't dream of asking your daughter
to marry me as long as I'm broke.

Marry you? - That dough he
started with figures to be

earned in some dirty way, too.

I'm going to find out how,
and when I do, who knows?

Maybe I'll wind up an Arkadin
myself someday. - You hear, Raina?

That's the sort of man you think
you're in love with... a blackmailer.

Who says I'm in love with him?
- I was hired by your father to do

a little checking up for him.
Investigations, like.

Well, it was his idea, not mine.
- Doesn't sound much like blackmail to me.

But you aren't in love with him. - It does
rather look as though he's been taking

money to stay away from me.
- I never promised to do that.

Now I'm going to see you
whenever I can, job or no job.

But you're going away again.
- It's just a short trip.

If I'm lucky, it may be the last.
You're staying in Paris, aren't you?

I'll see you here on my
way back from Mexico.

I wish we could all
settle down somewhere

for just a couple of minutes.

Frankly, I'm fed up with living
the life of an expensive gypsy.

Raina, there's no need to
discuss this with Van Stratten.

You know your life can
be whatever you want.

We only came to
Paris because you...

Because I said I wanted to, and
that was because I hoped to see Guy.

See, mr. Arkadin?

I'm afraid things are getting just
a little bit out of your control.

Out of his control.

Hmm.

Well, that brings us
to Mexico... to Sophie,

and Oscar, and his
accordion. - Concertina.

First thing that I...

so there is somebody in this
story you finally recognize.

Oscar and
Sophie was married.

Yeah, well now she's got a
new husband... a retired general

of the Mexican Revolution.
- Oh.

Oscar's playing his accordion
in Sophie's restaurant for tips.

A concertina.

And blackmailing her a little on
the side. - Blackmailing Sophie?

That would take a nerve.
I...

Shut up.

What is it?

I thought I heard that car.
- Sophie's car?

Sophie's in Germany?

Will you please get
dressed nice, mr. Zouk,

and I will tell you the rest when
we are somewhere that is safe?

I don't wanna hear.
I don't wanna tell.

I keep what I know to
myself, which is healthier.

Oh, you don't want to talk.
That's what Oscar said.

Ah, Oscar.
He's a drug addict.

He'll never be well.

I almost made him well.

I got him out in the water.

Took away his needle.

You hired me to played my
music for a pleasure cruise...

pleasure. Ha.

I don't know for how long
we've been out on this boat...

for how many days I've been
without my... - Without your heroin?

Ain't that the stuff you use?
- You didn't throw it away?

You'll get your junk when you
start to talk. - I won't talk.

I won't tell you anything. - Now we
gotta through all this just once again.

You were married
to Sophie... - I still am.

Well, she's got a new husband.
Some big shot here in Mexico.

You mean she was never divorced,
it that it? So it's bigamy.

Is this bigamy?
- I won't talk.

Ok.

Ok, buster, we'll just
keep you here till you do.

What is it... you
want me to tell you?

I want you to tell me about
Sophie's gang... all about it.

Everything that happened.
- You could kill me first.

I may have to.

I don't know how long it was
I had to keep him out there

drifting around in a
chartered fishing boat,

but finally, he
spilled everything.

So even though I hadn't
managed to get to Sophie,

now I knew all about it...

and her connections
with Arkadin.

But back in my hotel, there were a
couple more surprises waiting for me.

Your passport, please.

This will be returned at the airport.
- Tossing me out of the country, huh?

Well, you'd better
get a chance to pack.

There is someone in Mexico City who
would like to see you. - Who's that?

La Senora Jesus Martinez, the
wife of General Martinez. - Sophie.

You know the lady?
- Well, I don't exactly know her.

Never mind, senor.
You will soon.

Sit down mister. We are putting
you on the plane in an hour,

but I'd like to hear first what
you've got to say for yourself.

Sorry, but I really
don't have much of anything

to say for myself, madame Radzweickz.
- Senora Jesus Martinez.

This here is my husband.

I guess Oscar told you that the
general, my husband didn't...

Yeah, but don't think I'm trying
to embarrass you, senora Martinez.

You don't do anything
to me, mr. Smarty.

I'll let you in a secret... it's
Oscar I was never married to.

He's older now and he's...

he's talked himself into it.

A man's got to keep
a little pride,

and he doesn't earn much
playing the concertina,

poor little fellow, so I...
allow him to blackmail me.

Not much. Just enough
to keep up his self-respect.

And you... - I'm the one
that's got questions to ask.

You're the one that's getting tossed
out of the country, mr. Smarty.

People torturing other people...
that I don't go for. Poor little Oscar.

Why did you have to pick on him?
- I wish you'd try to understand.

I'm involved in a serious
investigation. - Investigation?

Why not leave in peace the people
that's minding their own business

and not hurting other
people? - I am married.

I got a legitimate business.

There's nothing against
me that is not all done

and over with a long time ago.

So... what are you after?

I just want to check a few
names with you, that's all.

Men who worked for
you back in Warsaw.

You got all that
from Oscar? - Yeah.

Athabadze, Herschelize,
Jacob Zouk, Andre Bloch.

Bloch was the one
with the peg leg, huh?

I saw him fished out of
the harbor in Naples.

Is this true?

Seems he'd came on a freighter
from the Balkans. He jumped ship.

For some reason, he knifed
the guy called Bracco,

then tried to shoot
it out with the cops.

If he knifed this...
- Bracco.

Why did he then use a gun?

Why... I never thought of that.

So you got the names.
What else do you want?

I want you to tell
me about Athabadze.

It's a or...

Atha...

What about him?

I'd like you to tell me
what you thought about him.

I was crazy in love
with him, mister.

But what's all this to you?

Well, you see,
I work for Athabadze.

Of course, he has a
different name now. - Sure.

Gregory Arkadin.

You knew that?

Years ago.

Chato, give me those
photograph albums.

And you never
said anything?

But you must have realized...
what that information was worth.

Money.
Money I don't need.

But even if I did, Mister, that
kind of money I couldn't use.

Not that Wasaw don't owe me.
He does. - 200.000 Swiss francs?

It was in gold.

He borrowed this money?

If that's the way
he remembers it.

Give me the old one.

Come here.

Oscar.

There.

I guess he must have grown
his beard after he left you.

He had a beard when I
saw him in Monte Carlo.

But I knew him.

It was years later...

sitting right next
to me, he was, and he

didn't know me Why should he?

Not that he hadn't
changed, too, of course.

But why the beard, I don't know.

I think maybe it
had something to do

with his daughter growing up,
but I wouldn't know, either.

This isn't the first time
I've heard about the child.

Who is he married to?
- Somebody in Berlin.

Berlin? - She died
when Raina was born.

Ah.

The only time I
saw him afterwards

was at night in the casino.

When he got up from the game
and moved over to the roulette,

somebody whispered, "There
goes the famous Gregory Arkadin.

So that's how I found out what
happened to my boyfriend...

and the money.

I was going to talk to him.

"Hello, Warsaw", I was going to say.
"Where's the money you stole from me? "

Where's the gold
pieces I had stored away

in my old pair
of drawers, Wasaw?

Now that you are
the great mr. Arkadin,

maybe you could
afford to pay me back."

But I didn't.

There was that old, hard,
lonely kind of look in his eyes.

I thought of all the
fun we had together.

Besides, he was winning.

I'd been playing his numbers
and I was winning, too...

a whole lot more than what he
took from me all those years ago...

even figuring interest.

So, I thought to myself,

here he's gone to so much
trouble to be somebody else.

Why should I spoil it for him?

I've had my money's
worth 20 years now.

You can go now, mister.

And when you see your
boss, tell him from me

he could leave
well enough alone.

You mean he doesn't
have to worry about you?

Why does anybody worry?

He's a billionaire
with a new name.

So Oscar takes dope.

Let them both have
what they need.

It's your deal, darling.

Yeah?
- mr. Arkadin is calling you.

Ok. - How are you
coming, Van Stratten?

Couldn't be better, Arkadin.
I finally got the goods on you.

What?

The dirt... all of it from
before '27. - Can you prove it?

On the long-distance
telephone? - Come and talk to me.

Well, I... - I want
to talk to you now.

I don't think you
understand. I'm in Mex...

You... you didn't know I was
on this side of the ocean?

This your first trip
to Mexico? It's mine.

Seem to be treating
you pretty good, huh?

In this part of the hotel, it's
private. They keep it for me.

I suppose you own the hotel.
- Well, as a matter of fact...

Ok.
- What did she say?

Chiquita says she wants to go
water skiing. - It's an amusing sport.

I'd like to try it myself.

Yeah, you'd look real cute
in a pair of water skis.

Oh, you think it'd be funny?
- I'll take your picture.

You can judge for yourself.

mr. Arkadin would look
exactly like Neptune.

Who?
- Neptune.

He was the god of the sea.

Yeah?
Did you know that?

No.
- That's what I thought.

We're both a couple of mugs.
- I'm leaving tonight.

Sell our Mexican
pesos and buy Chilean.

Remember what I
said about copper.

Oh, and... get Chiquita a little
present. To remember us by.

Check.

I found Sophie.
- Sophie.

She's married money, but a character
known as Oscar's her real husband.

He's blackmailing her.
- Oh?

I'll put all the details in my
report. - Never mind your report.

But I do mind it. I'm going
to get paid for it, remember?

Tell me what you know.
- In the old days in Warsaw, Sophie

had nine men working for her.

Four are dead, two are behind the Iron
Curtain, so they can't make any trouble.

Oscar's here.

That leaves somebody in
Germany called Jacob Zouk,

and one other.
- And this other man?

What's he up to? - He says
he wants to go water skiing.

Any proof?
- Not till I take your picture.

Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot... you're
camera shy. - Stop trying to be funny.

I think it's funny. You're born near
Tiflis, your real name is Wasaw Athabadze.

I think it's funny. - Who
says that's my name? - Oscar.

So would Sophie. She...

Are you trying to tell
me in all seriousness

that I belonged to this gang?

You belonged to Sophie.

I... this man in Germany...
can he identify me, too?

Zouk's in a safe
place, mr. Arkadin.

He's in jail.

Speaking of jail...

some gentlemen waiting to talk
to you. - Well, tell them I'm busy.

I think you'd be wiser to see them.
They're from the police, and they

want to take you to your plane.
Oh, and one thing more...

Yeah? - These things you
claim to be finding out about me...

don't speak of
them to my daughter.

I have your word on that?
- My word? What's that word to you?

Perhaps a man like
you can't realize what it is to...

have a conscience
and no memory at all.

You imagine it's pleasant
to be ashamed of something

you can't even remember?

Attention, please.
Attention, please.

Will all passengers proceed...

I wanted to go to Germany,
too, you know, for Christmas.

But of course, the
Ogre wouldn't let me,

so I'm off to Spain
to wait for him there.

Your father's going
to Germany, too?

What, checking up on me, huh?
- Well, you know Pops.

He can't help it.

Counterespionage, mystery...
after all, he is a Russian.

Hmm. - It's the breath of
life to him. - Hey, wait a minute.

What makes you
think he's a Russian?

Well, I'm his daughter.
- He doesn't know himself.

He really doesn't.
- Is that what he told you?

Well, what about the
famous amnesia? - Amnesia?

Look, in 1927, your father found himself
alone in Zurich with no memory at all.

He didn't know who he was or
where he ca... what's so funny?

Almost 30 years.
Oh, really, chum.

I never heard of
amnesia lasting that long.

So the whole gag about
him losing his memory

was just a lie.
- Naturally it was a lie.

The only true part
was the money he stole,

and all he really
wanted for me was to see

how much I could
find out about it.

Hmm. - Well, I got a little
further than he expected.

Yeah, yeah, yeah,
yeah... you got to Munich.

How did you find me?
- The jail.

The warden told me they let
you out because you were sick,

and it was Christmas.
- Christmas?

They wanted to save
themselves the price of the coffin.

Now listen to me, Zouk.

What I'm going to tell
you now happened today.

I was on my way
here, when suddenly...

I realized I wasn't alone.

Polizei. Polizei. - Yes.
Ok, what do you want?

We are acting as a political
courtesy for the Italian police.

There is a question of murder.

This happened in Italy?
A knifing? - Yes... - Uh.

As matter of fact...

It's very interesting to
learn how you that knew.

Knew that. - Well, a man
died right in front of me.

Well, the Italian police sent
us a photograph of the victim.

But this is an old case.
It's already settled.

Look, why don't you just let me
go? mr. Arkadin's giving a party.

I've got to get...
- Arkadin?

Gregory Arkadin?
- Hey.

But to you're not
on your way to his hotel.

Oh, yes, I am.
I just changed my mind.

Uh-huh.
- Um...

Uh, we'll bring the photograph
to mr. Arkadin's apartment.

He says, "Have a nice
time at the party, please."

Christmas merry.
- Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas.

Tell him thanks.

Oh.
- People here

Yes, thanks.
- I know all about it.

Merry Christmas.
- Are you kidding?

What about the man in jail, the one you
came here to see... what's his name?

You know as well as I do...
Jacob Zouk... and he's gone.

Gone? You mean escaped?

No, his time was almost up and
he's dying, so they let him out.

He lives in a rooming
house in Sebastianplatz 16.

If he's dying, then there's
nobody left for me to worry about.

Except you, of course.

I'm not the only one.

What about Sophie?
And Oscar?

Long-distance operator, please.
Long-distance, I want to place a call.

It's urgent.
I'll wait at this number.

The call is to Mrs. Sophie
Jesus Martinez of Mexico City...

He says a gentleman
downstairs asked him to deliver this.

Oh, thank you.
- Danke schon.

Yes? - You got
the photograph?

Oh, you hadn't looked at it yet?
Please do so, mr. Van Stratten.

As we say, there's reason
to believe that you

knew the murder victim.

Van Stratten?
- Yes.

About that call of yours...
- What about it? What call?

What call?

What call? - Oh, it
appears that mr. Van Stratten

wished to speak personally to a
certain madame... Jesus Martini...

or Martinez. - What are
you calling Sophie for?

Just a hunch.

Well, madame Martinez
is not available.

She appears to be deceased.

Perhaps mr. Van Stratten
would like to speak to her house?

Yes. Yes, I certainly would.

There's no need to call Mexico.

What happened to Sophie?

Did she get it like Mily...

with a knife?

And Oscar?

I was wondering if there was any
point in trying to call him. - What for?

I don't know. Wish
him a Merry Christmas.

You'd be wasting your time.

Cops in Naples shot down
a guy with a wooden leg.

They think he killed Bracco.

But I think that this Bracco
was knifed by the man he

and the peg leg were trying
to blackmail. - It's a theory.

Yeah, and I could prove it if
the blackmailers weren't dead.

They aren't all
dead, mr. Van Stratten.

Yeah.
And there was Mily.

Poor kid. All she
was deliver a message.

Don't try to pretend she
wasn't in on it with you.

She didn't even know what the
names Sophie and Bracco meant.

What? - Yeah, and Sophie. Sophie
knew all about you... who you were.

She'd known for years
and she didn't even care.

Live and let live, that
was Sophie's motto.

Why didn't you tell
me about this before?

I didn't know she
was in any danger.

That should have been obvious.

Bracco and Mily,
Sophie and Oscar.

Now there's only
Jacob Zouk. Just one left.

Sure you aren't losing count?

To you, Van Stratten.

Ask me why... why he's
been knocking off everybody

that might remember that
crummy little secret of his.

That's it... it's all
because of Raina.

He's gone right off his
rocker at the thought

that she might find out about
him. Well, you're the next to go.

He's saving me for the last,
when I've done all the dirty work.

The only way I could save myself
is by saving you... hiding you.

That's why you're
so important,

you're the last living
member of the gang.

Gang, schmang.
I belong to lots of gangs.

Yes, I know... - So who
once said you are the boss?

So now he's got
another name... he's rich.

So go ahead, get some
the money away from him.

But for this, you gotta
drag me out in the cold?

He might be here
at any minute.

I gave him your address.
- You mean here?

That was before I knew it
was the... - Killer, schmiller.

You gotta prove it.
- Prove it? - Yeah.

A big, important man
like this does something

he shouldn't do...
gotta prove it good.

Oscar and Sophie were found
dead in a ditch in Mexico City

with their throats cut. I just found
that out on the long-distance telephone.

Go ahead and laugh.
- I'm not laughing.

I'm coughing.
- Well, go ahead and cough.

Die, if you've got your heart
set on it. Look, I'm young.

I don't want to wind up
with a knife in my gut.

Where I'm going,
nobody could bother me.

I ain't scared, but you are.

So better start
running. - Running?

Where to?
- It's a big world, mister.

Not so big when
Arkadin's after you.

Besides, he owns half of it.
- So what do you want with me?

You knew him in Warsaw.
You're the last one alive that did.

Now as... long as I
can keep you alive...

He's here.
He's coming up.

We've got to get out of
here and hide. - Hey. Mister.

Come on. - Mister.
Give my blanket to me.

You're coming with me.

There must be something you
want... something you dreamed

of all those years in jail.

But this late Christmas Eve, how
could you go shopping? - What is it?

Where you going?
- Out. We gotta get out.

But this way ain't out,
mister. - Which way? - That way.

Listen.

Whatever you want, I'm
going to get it for you, mr. Zouk.

If I have to commit
robbery, arson, or murder,

you're going to have it.

At least let me get my pants.

What do you want
with your pants?

What I do without them?

Come on.

Ain't you got no
sense of decency?

Also, it's cold, mister.
I'll catch me a chill.

He's coming into the courtyard
now. I've gotta hide you.

I just moved in. I don't
know nobody who lives here.

Why couldn't we stay up in my room?
- Where do you think he's going to look?

He's gotta find you're gone.

What's he gonna think if he
catches me out here, dancing

around in my underdrawers?

Also, the police, mister.

I'm on parole... good behavior.

No... for this, I can go right
smack back into the jail.

Shut up.

This door is open. - So
it's open. Who's door is it?

What's it matter?
Get in.

Psst. Give me my pants.

Get in there and shut up.
Get in that bed. - Who's bed?

You... here's some money.
Lock the door.

What I do for you
understand? - I'm on parole.

Hey, mister. You
know what the man said.

I ain't heard that
piece in 14 years.

Get into bed.

That's something else I
ain't heard in 14 years.

Too late.

I tell you, I just got here.

That's why I haven't seen him.
Tha... that's the wrong room.

I... I went in there by mistake.
Zouk lives up in the garret.

Shall we go see if he's there?

There's just a woman in there.

She's entertaining.

What do you want?

Can't you see I got
company? Go away.

Go away or I'll call the police.

Coming back to
the party? - The party?

Oh, yes, your party,
mr. Arkadin. Of course.

Well, first I think
I'd better go upstairs.

And talk to Jacob Zouk.

Go ahead, Van Stratten.
Go upstairs and talk to him.

Shivering. - It's cold.
There is no heat in this building,

and the rent they
charge you, you...

How much would it
cost to move where it's warm?

I owe three weeks.
- How much? - 150 marks,

or... or something like that. - Hmm.
- Here's 1.000. - Thank you, sir.

Thank you.
- There was nobody at home?

That's right.
Nobody.

Hmm.

So what's funny?

Old age.
Old age.

Hey.
Hey, merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas.

What did you tell him? - Well, we
just talked about how cold it is.

You... what did you say to you?
- I just now thought of what I want.

We've still gotta get out of here,
quick. - You said I could have anything...

Well, of course you can...
- Anything in the world?

Anything. - Now for 14 years
I've been dreaming of this...

dreaming. In jail,
that's all you could do.

Well, what is it? - A goose liver.
- Did you say a goose liver?

Fresh and hot, with mashed
potatoes and apples and onion.

Merry Christmas.

A goose liver
on Christmas Eve?

And my usual stuff?
Never!

Leave me alone
or I quit. - Well?

It's no use, Herr George. A hot
goose liver... that's the thing...

with a one-day warning...
- Goose liver. - Ok.

Thank you very much. - I'll
think of something. - Thank you.

If I don't get that goose
liver, I'm going home.

Well, how about a nice,
big cut of roast beef?

Or maybe a hot stuffed turkey?

Goose liver.
- But look...

Arkadin... - Arkadin,
schmardin... aaah.

He didn't even recognize me.

Are you sure?

Didn't say nothing.
Hey.

Hey. Hey! You're leaving me.

Wait. Wait.
- Get back!

Will you keep the door locked?

We registered in the
hotel under false names,

but can't tell... he
may have traced us.

I'll give you an hour to
get my goose liver. - Ok.

If you ain't back by that
time... - I'll be back.

Hot and fresh?
- Fresh and hot.

With mashed potatoes and
apples and... onions?

You're locking me.
Hey, mister!

Hey, if you don't unlock
the door, I'll yell for help.

Help! Help! Help!

Ok, you win.
The door is unlocked.

But it you don't behave
yourself, there'll be no goose liver.

You understand?
- I'll give you an hour.

Hey, mac, could you fix
me up with a goose liver?

Merry Christmas.

What are you doing now?
- Shopping. Just some shopping.

You'd better get in.
We're blocking the road.

They know me at this restaurant.
They'll take care of you.

Well, why don't we go in?

Or don't you want
to be seen with me?

Quite a number of people
have been seen with you.

Bracco, for instance. Bracco
was with you when he died.

Sophie and Oscar were in Mexico.
Mily was your girl. - Yeah but...

You're a dangerous
man to be seen with.

Yeah.

I guess that's the way you
had it planned all along.

I knew what I wanted.

That's the difference
between us.

In this world, there are those
who give and those who ask.

Those who do not care to give...

those who do not dare to ask.

You dared, but you
were never quite

sure what you were asking for.

Now there's nothing
more you could hope

to beg from me, Van Stratten.

Not money.

Certainly not my daughter.

Not even your life.

Give the gentleman
his goose liver.

Well, here we are.

I finally got it.
Wake up, mr. Zouk.

Here's what you've
been waiting for.

Hey, mr. Zouk...

Sanctuary? - What?
- Try praying for both of us.

Well, I had to go somewhere.

Somebody might have run
me down in the street.

I can't go back to my hotel
room. In case you've forgotten,

there's a corpse in there. I
haven't. I don't suffer from amnesia.

A pity. It is a
merciful affliction.

Might prove useful in your
conversations with the police.

Go to the cops?
About you? Raina's father?

Do you think I could do that?

I no longer
think of you at all.

You don't think of
anything else, not anymore.

Just me and yourself and Raina.

We're all sorta tied up together,
the three of us, aren't we?

She's what matters.

What matters to you is
what she thinks of you.

Maybe... she'd be better
off without either one of us.

Well, don't worry.
She's safe with me.

I don't think anyone is
ever safe with a blackmailer.

Where will you go now?
- Where I'll be safe. - Safe?

I've got a seat on a plane...
the last seat. - Where will fly to?

Spain. You've got a castle in
Spain, mr. Arkadin... a regular fortress.

That's where I'll be
safe... with your daughter.

To the airport, quick. - Mein herr...
- Arkadin's orders. - Jawol, mein her.

Oslo, Copenhagen,

Hello this is mr. Gregory Arkadin's
secretary here again. - I'm sorry, sir.

I told you before there's nothing...
we are completely booked up, sir.

But you simply have to
hold that flight, I tell you.

mr. Arkadin is racing to the airport
now. He's got to be on that plane.

We are completely booked
up, sir. This is Christmas.

Listen to me. One of the passengers
is a mr. Guy Van Stratten.

You must put that man off the
plane. He works for mr. Arkadin.

But sir, mr. Van
Stratten has a reservation.

Miss, I want to send a telegram,
please. - Just a moment please.

mr. Arkadin is one of the leading
shareholders in your airline.

Sorry, sir, but an airline
is a public... service.

Besides, this is Christmas.

Announcing
the departure of Flight 16

for Barcelona and Madrid.
All...

Did you get my telegram off to
Spain for me? - Yes, mr. Van Stratten.

Will you please step this way?

There's a gentleman
waiting to see you.

See me? But what
about my plane?

He promised to keep
you only a minute.

There's nothing
at this late hour.

I want your seat
on that plane.

So you can get to talk
to Raina before I do?

You hired me to buy
me off, didn't...

even thought you could give me to cover
up what you didn't want her to find out.

I want that seat. What's
your price? - Too late.

Too many people are dead.
Zouk's dead in my hotel room.

Somebody's going to have to hang
for that. I don't want it to be me.

If you do see her first, what
makes you think she'll believe you?

When she hears my story...
- She'll hear my story first, Arkadin.

Too bad, mr. Arkadin.
I wish I could help, but...

I must
be on that plane.

Listen to me, everybody.

I must have a seat on that
plane. I will pay anything.

I'll give you a check now.

I'll pay in dollars...
any currency.

50 million marks for
a seat on that plane.

My name is Gregory Arkadin.
- Yeah, and I'm Santa Claus.

I'll pay in dollars... any
currency. - Merry Christmas.

Raina.
Raina Arkadin.

She's there somewhere in the airport.
She's meeting a man called Van Stratten.

He wired her to meet him.
I want to speak to her first.

She's there, I tell
you, at the airport.

Bring her to the
radio at once.

Raina. - Well, chum,
what's eating you?

Raina, listen, I... - Miss Arkadin.
- Yes? - It's your father.

Something urgent.
- I don't care what that is.

I've gotta talk to you
first... alone. - Now wait...

Senorita, I really think that
mr... - Alone. - Just a minute.

If mr. Arkadin... - Ok, Ok.
What's all the rush with you?

Look, your father's on his
way here on a chartered plane.

He'll be here any
time now. - Exactly.

Now I know this sounds
nutty, but... - Senorita...

Please... will you please
excuse us for just a second.

Of course it's all right, old boy, if
you insist. - mr. Arkadin says that...

I'm sorry.
Both of you.

You, too.
Now, look.

I want you to pretend to him
that I've told you something.

If it's so important, why
shouldn't you really tell me?

Why pretend?
- Why?

Well, I can't go to the cops.
They'll be coming after me.

So that's what you're in such a flap
about. - Not just the cops. Your father.

If he thinks I've talked to you,
he'll know he can't lay a hand on me

without proving to
you that it's true.

Why use me to trick him?

Because you're all he
really cares about...

you and what you think of him.

What are you trying
to do, break his heart?

I want to save my
life, Raina. - Senorita.

I really think you'd
better come now.

My daughter... I want
to speak to my daughter.

We don't know
his exact position.

He's alone, flying himself
in a chartered plane.

He's been on the radio for quite
a while now, asking to talk to you.

He sounds... well, you'd better
speak to him yourself. - Put her on.

I want to talk to her.

My daughter... I want to speak
to my daughter. - Yes, Father.

Have you seen Van Stratten?
- Yes. Tell him yes. - Yes.

Yes. yes, just now.

Don't let him talk to you.
Refuse to listen.

I beg you, Raina, wait.
- Tell him it's too late.

Too late.
- It's too late.

Father.

Why don't you answer?

Father.

Father. Father.

Hey. Hey, look.

Is it true?

That Arkadin's plane is
flying around up there empty?

I saved your
precious life for you.

I had to kill my
father to do it.

Is there anything
else you want from me?

Want to know the real truth?

He was... he was
capable of anything.

Once, a long time
ago, he was something

less than mr. Arkadin.

That's what couldn't stand
having you know about.

That he was once
something like me.

That's why that plane is
flying around up there empty.

I might as well have thrown
him out of my own hands.

He would have done it to you.

Maybe you oughta go after her.
- You sure she wouldn't rather be alone?

No, but I would.
- Yes, I suppose so.

Of course, it is rather
awful, but to tell the truth...

Rather awful?

Well, I mean, she
loved him well enough,

but the way he felt about
her, well it wasn't healthy.

It's better just as well.
She's better off without him.

Yeah? Better off without me, too?

Rather awful.
- What did you say?

Losing the girl I love... a
beautiful girl who loved me,

just inherited $100
million bucks...

rather awful? Maybe you
ought to find a better word.

Go on, beat it, Your Lordship.
I might just forget myself and take

a punch right at
your nose. - Oh, yes?

And you might get punched
back, too, you know. - Yeah, I know.

That's why I'd rather be alone.

What are you going to do
now? - Drive you into town.

I'll do the driving.