All language subtitles for -Perry Mason S06E06 1962 The Case of The Dodging Domino

♪♪

Hi.

Rudy, listen, you're the
manager of this dump.

It's your place to see that those
kids keep their stuff where it belongs.

Oh now, they're nice
kids. I know them all.

They don't mean any
harm, Miss Jordan.

What do you have in the bags?

Mr. Schuyler sent me down to buy
some trick-or-treat stuff for the kids.

Well, I'm not giving anything to
the little monsters around here.

You know, I'm gonna be awful
sorry to see Mr. Schuyler leave.

Maybe he's not
the only one leaving.

Mr. Schuyler?

Come in, Rudy.

Hey, it's a little
early for that, isn't it?

I always shave in the morning.

What's that got to
do with drinking?

I prefer the aftershave
lotion on the inside.

Did you get plenty of candy and
bubble gum for the kids, Rudy?

Lots of it... Just like you
told me, Mr. Schuyler.

- Good. Pour yourself a drink.
- Thank you.

Hey, we're not
gonna be here tonight.

Why'd you bother getting
all that trick-or-treat junk?

We're not leaving
for the party till 10:00.

- Now plenty of kids will stop by before
then.
- Hmm.

What's that?

The costume you're
gonna wear tonight.

How about that?

You are a clown, you know, Phil?

Rudy, somebody wants you.

Oh, somebody always wants me.

Hey, why don't you ask me
what I'm wearing to the party?

Hmm, why don't I?

Vera, what are you
going to wear tonight?

Da dum!

Cigarettes, candy, cigarettes?

This is the costume I'm wearing in the bit
part I do for Charlie Noymann's picture.

Boy, would the wardrobe
department be furious

if they found out I
borrowed it for a party.

Like?

There are things about the Royal
Pacific Court that I'm going to miss.

You know, you wouldn't
have to miss anything...

if the two of us went to Mexico.

Cigarette girls aren't supposed
to sit down with their customers.

I know,

but you're a very
special customer.

Mr. Schuyler's bungalow is right
around here. You a friend of his?

I'm his brother-in-law,
not his friend.

Oh, I guess you dropped by
to wish him bon voyage, huh?

Is he going somewhere?

Oh, he's leaving for
Mexico next week. Here it is.

Mr. Schuyler?

Ahem. You've got company.

Frank, what are
you doing in L.A.?

I came to see you.

Um, this is my brother-in-law,
Frank MacManus; Vera Jordan.

How do you do?

Um, Vera isn't really
a cigarette girl. She's...

I'm not interested in the
occupation or profession

- that occupies Miss Jordan's time.
- Real charmer, isn't he?

Look, Phil, I've got to
run. I'll see you tonight.

How about a drinkie?

There we are.

I forgot... you don't drink.

And I hadn't forgotten
that you do very little else.

The manager tells me that you're
leaving for Mexico next week.

That's right.

Well, I'm not surprised
that you wouldn't bother

keeping us posted on your plans.

I've had it, Phil.

You're no good and
you never will be.

I warned you the last time that I
wasn't taking any more trouble from you.

- Talking for yourself or my sister?
- Both of us.

Being my wife's brother doesn't give
you the right to sign my name to a check.

I thought I could pay you
back before you found out.

So I didn't. So what?

Two handwriting experts
are ready to testify in court

that this signature
is a forgery.

You know, most people think that
they have to work in order to survive.

But of course that thought
would never occur to you.

Relax, Frankie, relax.

My financial worries
are over for good.

I'm gonna be rich.

Well, this forged
check is for $3,000.

- Do you have it?
- No, but I can get it.

You'd better get it.

Because if I don't have this money
by the time I leave Los Angeles tonight,

I am going to proffer
charges against you...

Criminal charges.

Is that clear, Mr. Schuyler?

Winthrope residence.

Yes, Mr. Schuyler.

Yes, Mr. White is back from
Europe, but he's not at home.

He's at the university.

She's listening.
Be quiet, please.

Yes, I'll tell him,
Mr. Schuyler.

Grace dear, I dislike
constantly reminding you

that this is the White residence

and that I am Mrs. Damion
White, not Miss Winthrope.

I'm sorry, Mrs. White.
It won't happen again.

Mona, stop making about who
gets what billing here at your house

and listen to the score.

I've got to have your
decision today... now!

I tell you, this is the greatest
musical Alex Chase ever wrote.

Tailor-made for you,
baby, believe me.

That song, Jerry, that song.

That's the title song
from Pearls and Jade?

Well, it's only a tape recording
from a rehearsal run-through

at the Santa Barbara try-out.

And Lucy's voice isn't much,
but just listen to it, Mona.

And more than anything else,
that one song is why I called

and insisted you put an end to this
crazy two-year honeymoon of yours,

come back from Europe
immediately and go to work again.

If I agree to go back to
work and star in Alex's show,

Charlie Noymann will finance
a Broadway run and a picture?

That show with
that song in it, right?

We'll recast the show.

You'll take over the starring
role. One week in Boston. Ho ho!

Then look out, Times Square.

With you starring in it, Pearls and
Jade could run on Broadway for years.

Then the multimillion-dollar movie
musical starring Mona Winthrope

in her triumphant
return to the screen.

Jerry Janda, even without
those ridiculous elevator shoes,

you are the biggest and the
best agent in all of Hollywood.

You'll... you'll do it, Mona?

Do it? Of course I'll do it.
Nothing would make me happier.

- Oh, Mr. White.
- Hello, Grace. Mona, that song.

Oh, Damion.

I didn't expect you home till
just before the party tonight.

I have to get right back.

I forgot to take some papers
to the university this morning.

Hello, Jerry. How's
the agency business?

Ho ho! Booming,
Professor... booming.

Come to the studio
with me, Mona.

Having Charlie hear you
rave about Alex's score

may keep his fingers from trembling
when he steers his pen across the bottom

of the most expensive
contract he ever signed!

Charlie can wait.

Right now I'm going to
rush right over to Alex's.

I think the talented composer
deserves to hear me rave

much more than Charlie Noymann.

Mona, I started
to ask you about...

- Later, darling. Later.
- Bye, Professor.

Oh, Damion, don't be late
for the party tonight, huh?

Oh, Mr. White, there's been a
Mr. Schuyler... Mr. Philip Schuyler...

Trying to reach you on
the phone all morning.

Phil? That's a coincidence.
Okay, thank you, Grace.

- Oh, Grace?
- Yes, sir?

When I came into the house
just now, I heard a song.

Mr. Janda, the agent, brought a tape
recording over to play for Miss Winth...

Oh, I'm sorry... Mrs. White.

Well, what did she say about the
song... The one they were listening to?

She seemed quite
excited about it.

Is there anything else, sir?

Did that Mr. Schuyler
leave a number?

Oh yes.

It's Olive-4-1654.

Thank you, Grace.

Phil, Damion White.

Fine, fine. We got back
from Europe late last night.

Yes, I know you've
been calling me, Phil.

But look, there's something
I've got to talk to you about.

Now... now listen, Phil.

What are you talking about?

Unless you want to see me in
jail, you'll have to give me $3,000...

this afternoon, Damion.

$3,000?

Well well, the
barefooted Bernhardt.

Beauty and talent both...

Divine actress,

superbly endowed
by a beneficent deity.

I guess her husband's
pretty talented too.

Which means what?

Oh, you'll find out when
she asks about the song.

Well, back to the well.

Alex!

Hi, Alex!

Mona, Mona, darling Hey,
baby, you're soaking wet.

- Yes. I love it.
- Come on. Freda's inside.

The score is divine, Alex... simply
divine. It's such beautiful music.

- Then you'll do the show?
- Of course. Hello, Freda.

How's my favorite
composer's favorite wife?

Flat where I should be sharp.

- Here, dear, have a drink.
- Thank you.

To Pearls and Jade,
to its wonderful star,

and to success.

To lots of money. Hear hear.

To a beautiful show with an
even more beautiful title song

which you stole from my
husband, you nasty stinker.

Oh!

Oh. Oh, the second act of, um...

Shanghai Wife. Or was
it Hong Kong Widow?

Freda, you're disgusting
when you drink.

I think she may
really be angry, Alex.

Here, you've got
jam on your face.

And you've got booze on the brain.
Another drink, you may fall off that stool.

And what will you fall off if your very
best friend sues you for plagiarism?

What are you talking
about? I stole nobody's song...

Not Damion's... nobody's.

Pearls and Jade is mine,

an original Alexander
Chase song.

Yes, stolen from an original
melody by Professor Damion White,

composed over two years ago.
Or didn't you think I'd recognize it

with those upside-down
Gershwin lyrics you added?

This is ridiculous.
Freda, baby, tell her.

Tell her how wrong she is.

Mona, Alex says to
tell you you're wrong.

You see, he lies
and I swear to it.

Damion was playing
that tune on a piano

at a party the night I met
him... No words, just melody.

My own private melody that you
heard me hum more than once, Alex.

Professors, soda jerks,
gas-station attendants...

Everybody's a
songwriter. Oh, Mona baby,

I've written thousands of melodies and
completely forgotten hundreds of them.

So I hear a song; so it's
like one of mine. So what?

I forget it, that's all.

Oh, "like"? Pearls and
Jade is like Damion's song?

Really, Alex, I do think
that puny little beard of yours

is just a set of earmuffs
temporarily out of place.

All right, all right, so
there is a slight similarity.

So how many notes are there in
the scales? So I'll pay him for it.

Only no credit. Only my name
alone goes on Pearls and Jade.

Mona, be reasonable.
I need this show.

Without the song
there's no show.

I need this credit...
a solo credit.

Perry Mason, please. This is Mona
White... Mona Winthrope calling.

Damion's a professor,
a well-known teacher.

What does a song
credit mean to him?

Nothing. But a great deal to me.

We're going up to Santa
Barbara tomorrow to see the try-out

and I want to surprise him...

His wife starring in a
show with him name on it.

Perry? Perry darling.

Mona. When did you get back?

Mmm.

You've already compared
the songs? No doubt about it.

Songs? What are
you talking about?

I see... out and out plagiarism.

No legal question of it at all?

Mona, if you're using
me as a legal shoe-horn,

I warn you there'll be a
bill at the end of the month.

We can sue for how much?

As much as that, Perry?

Tonight's Halloween,
not April Fool's Day.

Who is it you're
bamboozling this time?

Perfect, Perry,
perfect. Let's do that.

Goodbye for now.

What do you know? It's empty.

Freda, I think I'll
have another one.

You'd better have
one too, Alex... double.

The day after Pearls and
Jade open in New York,

every studio in town will be
bidding sky high for the picture rights.

How can you waste time
haggling over the price, Charlie?

The last three musicals Alex wrote
died before they ever got to New York.

Nobody was interested in
buying the motion-picture rights.

So why should Charles Noymann
Productions be interested in this show?

Pearls and Jade isn't going to die.
We'll all make a fortune and you know it.

Come on, Charlie. Here... take your
pen and let's get this over with, huh?

You're a good agent, Janda...

Too good not to know that a deal
like this isn't going to run away.

Now tonight at the party Mona's
going to give at her beach house...

Tonight I'll make an
announcement and sign.

Hey, what's the matter with you?
You keep staring at that whiskey glass

like it was a crystal
ball or something.

Maybe I'm looking
into my soul, Vera.

Hmm.

Ah! Know what?

Phil Schuyler is a louse.

Would you send a cab
to the Royal Pacific Court?

1840 Hollyhurst Street.

Thank you.

- Hey, where are you going?
- Malibu.

Well, what about the party
we're supposed to go to tonight?

I'll be back in plenty of time.

Trick or treat!

I wouldn't want to cross this bunch.
Give them something quick, Vera.

Vera, do me a favor... stay here
and dole out the candy until I get back.

If my brother-in-law
stops by while I'm gone,

give him this.

Phil, about the trip to Mexico,

you did get a ticket
for me, didn't you?

You're lots of fun, Vera, but
a little old for tricks or treat.

Phil boy is going
to Mexico alone.

♪ ...than pearls and jade. ♪

It's all right,
Grace. I'll get it.

- Hello.
- Hi.

My car broke down. Would you be
kind enough to let me use your telephone?

Oh, of course. Come on
in. There's a phone in there.

- Thank you.
- You're welcome.

Grace, how do you know that
man's name is Phil Schuyler?

He's called here so many times, I
recognized his voice immediately.

Please send a tow truck

to 2446 Malibu Road
as quickly as possible.

Mona, darling, now you've
ignored me all evening.

What kind of way is that
to treat a producer, hmm?

Trick or treat!

Phil?

Phil?

Rudy!

- What's wrong, Miss Jordan?
- I don't know.

Just hurry up and
get that door unlocked.

Wait... wait here.

Rudy, what is it?

Rudy!

Mr. Schuyler... he's dead.

No. No!

Oh, no no no.

Perry! Perry Mason, what are you
doing out and about at this ghastly hour?

Good morning, sweetheart.

If I knew you were coming out so
early, I would have waited for my swim.

Perry, I just talked to you on the
telephone. What are you doing here?

You said you wanted to see me.

Well, yes, I do, but I intended
to meet you in your office.

I want to talk about
the blackmail right now.

The what?

Mona, I was going to
explain it all this morning.

There's something I should
have told you years ago.

Damion, what's wrong?

Phil Schuyler, man Damion went to see
last night, threatened to blackmail him.

Mona, please don't be upset.

Phil's an old buddy of mine, but
for some reason he's gone sour.

He just doesn't make any sense.

I'm sure with Perry's help I'll
be able to straighten him out.

I read the morning paper
after I spoke to you, Damion.

Phil Schuyler was
murdered last night.

I'm sorry, Mr. Janda, but
Miss Winthrope left orders

that she was not
to be disturbed.

So I'm disobeying the orders.
Gracie, don't play games.

Charlie Noymann is
stalling on those contracts.

If I'm going to get
him to sign them,

I'll need Mona in his office
with me in a half an hour.

It'll take her longer than that
to decide what mood to wear,

- let alone what clothes to put on.
- I don't know, Mr. J...

Excuse me. Police department...
Lieutenant Anderson, Homicide.

Would you tell Mr. Damion
White I'd like to see him, please?

- Freda...
- Alex,

tell the man to go away
or invite him in for a drink.

If I wasn't here,
you probably would.

Would I?

I wonder.

No, I think I detest
men with beards.

The fact that this is private
property doesn't seem to bother you.

No it doesn't.

It bothers me.

That song... it's a pretty tune.

Yeah, sure is. Of
course the tape is bad.

You know those 3:00 in
the morning jam sessions...

Everybody well
lubricated with booze.

Where did you record that song?

The question isn't so
much "where," is it?

When is what you want to know.

- Look you...
- Alex!

When? Over two
years ago, Mr. Chase.

Alex!

The police... They've
taken Damion away.

Police? Damion? What
are you talking about?

A strange murder weapon,
wouldn't you say, Perry?

We found your name and telephone number
on that pad by the telephone, Mr. White.

Now you claim you followed
Phil Schuyler home last night,

but stayed only a few
minutes to talk to him.

Now tell me, when you were
here, where was this heater?

Well, I'm not sure. I think
it was there by the door.

Ah.

And how was
Mr. Schuyler dressed?

He... he was wearing a bathrobe.

Was the water in
the bathtub running?

I don't recall
whether it was or not.

The murderer plugged
the heater in here,

opened the door,

tossed the heater into the bathtub
while Schuyler was taking a bath,

and electrocuted him.

Now Mr. White,

you're sure that Schuyler wasn't
taking that bath while you were here?

I said he wasn't.

Miss Jordan, is this the man
you saw leaving this bungalow

shortly before the manager
discovered that Phil Schuyler was dead?

Yes, him.

Andy, Mr. White
told you he was here.

Mr. White, do you drive
a blue foreign sports car?

A what?

A blue foreign sports
car. Is that what you...

No I don't.

Look, I don't see how
I can help any further,

so do you have any
objections to my leaving now?

No, but I would object to
your leaving the city, Mr. White.

Damion, I think we'd better...

He's the one who killed Mr. Schuyler.
How come the police let him go?

Perry?

Perry, I just left the cabbie
who picked up Phil Schuyler,

drove him to Malibu,
waited for him,

then dropped him back
here at the Royal Pacific.

- Good work, Paul.
- And that's not all.

I got a tip that the police had a pick-up
out for a hot witness in this case...

Some bearded beatnik
named Leonard Buckman.

Well, they just
canceled the bulletin.

- Meaning they found Mr. Buckman.
- Mm-hmm.

But it's where they found
him that makes it interesting.

All right. Where?

At the beach in front of
Alexander Chase's place.

Were you acquainted
with Phil Schuyler?

No. And now that he's dead,

I never will have an opportunity to
become acquainted with him, will I?

Mr. Chase, in between policemen,

I only had the chance to
speak briefly with Damion.

He claims he gave Phil Schuyler
$3,000 yesterday afternoon.

Why do you say "claims"

instead of saying Damion
gave Schuyler the $3,000?

The money wasn't found
in Schuyler's bungalow.

Mr. Mason,

I gave Damion $3,000
yesterday afternoon.

Why?

Because he asked me to.

What reasons had he
for wanting the money?

None.

I didn't ask him.

Did anyone see you turn
that money over to him?

I did.

And that's not all I saw
and heard, is it, Alex?

Freda, shut up. You're
drinking too much.

And talking too much?

It's the truth, Mr. Mason. I
saw the bearded Buckman,

the man you were asking us about
before, outside our house, and...

- Freda!
- And I heard him playing a tape recording

of a wonderful song...
Alex's wonderful song.

Pearls and Jade. That's
the name of it, isn't it, Alex?

Mr. Mason, about the $3,000...

Oh, yes, Mr. Mason...
the $3,000.

What my dear
husband is trying to say

is that he may have trouble remembering
he gave his best friend Damion that money

in the middle of
a plagiarism suit.

Sue Alex for
plagiarism? Darling Alex?

Now wherever would he
dream up such nonsense?

Or was it Freda? Perry, you
know how that woman carries on.

Now stop it, Mona. You
called me, remember?

Perry, you know me better than that.
You can't really believe I ever intended

to hurt dear old Alex.

I guess by now Damion has told you
that Alex wasn't the person being hurt?

I told Mona about it,
but how did you find out?

Let's just say I guessed.

Alex didn't write Pearls and
Jade, and neither did you.

That song was written
by Phil Schuyler.

Now about the
foreign blue sports car,

did you follow your husband out
to that bungalow court last night?

Yes, that was my car.

I just didn't understand
what was going on,

so I followed him there
and waited outside.

And then I followed him home.

Let's get back to your
calling me yesterday, Damion.

What about the song?

Perry, it was just a
silly stupid mistake...

A lonely college prof

trying to impress the beautiful
musical-comedy star he had a crush on.

You know, I told Phil about it
ages ago, and he laughed then.

It was one of hundreds of
melodies he wrote and forgot.

I should have explained
it to Mona long ago.

And when I heard the melody had
words and was part of Alex's show,

I called Phil. I told him he
was welcome to the credit

and the money from the song.

But he didn't want
to talk about it then.

He was just desperate to
get hold of some money fast.

That $3,000. Did he
say why he wanted it?

Yes... some personal
problem with his brother-in-law.

It had nothing to do with the
song; just a temporary loan.

I gather he was less casual when
he came out here to the house later.

He was a different man.

He was hard, nasty.

He was threatening to
make all kinds of trouble.

And then when he asked me for
$50,000, I thought he was out of his mind.

He left before I could
even talk to him about it.

So you followed
him to his place?

Yes. I couldn't let it
stand just like that.

It was my fault,
one way or another.

He told me he wasn't interested
in potential earnings from the song;

it might or might not be a hit.

Now Alex and I could work it
out whatever way we wanted,

but Phil insisted on
$50,000 right then and there.

What did you say to that?

I turned him down.

I told him to go ahead and
say or do whatever he wanted.

Excuse me? Mr. White? I want
you to come to police headquarters.

I'm booking you for the
murder of Phil Schuyler.

Lieutenant, I doubt that you
have sufficient evidence to...

I have more
evidence than I need.

Not only were Damion White's
fingerprints on the heater that was used

to electrocute Phil Schuyler,

I have an eye witness to
testify that Damion White

was the one and only person
who could have killed him.

In the matter now pending
before this court, Your Honor,

of the state versus
Damion White,

we shall confine ourselves to the
primary factors of motive and opportunity.

We will prove that the
deceased, Phil Schuyler,

received money from Damion White
and was demanding still more money.

And we will prove
that Damion White

and only Damion White

could have murdered
Philip Schuyler.

Mr. MacManus,

did Phil Schuyler tell you how
he planned to get the $3,000

to repay you for the money
he'd taken from your account

by forging your name to
a check for that amount?

Well, no, not directly.

Although when I told him it was
either pay up or face charges,

he said he'd have no
trouble getting the money.

And while I was
there, he placed a call.

To whom did he place that call?

To the defendant,

Damion White.

Yes, I gave Damion
$3,000 earlier that afternoon,

but it was a loan... A
temporary loan, that's all.

And while you were making this
temporary loan to the defendant

of $3,000,

did he happen to mention the
allegedly plagiarized melody

and its disputed authorship?

Oh, I believe he did casually say
something about not worrying about it,

- that he would...
- Go on, Mr. Chase.

The defendant
said he would what?

Damion said he would
take care of the matter.

Your witness.

Mr. Chase, you had a succession

of unsuccessful
musical comedies.

Your income had
been seriously depleted;

your reputation considerably
shaken in the industry.

That is true, is it not?

You make it sound like I was not
only bankrupt artistically and financially,

but virtually dead
and buried. Nonsense.

Then you weren't
at all concerned

about who would get credit
for the music to that song

or just how that credit
might conceivably affect

the terms under which
the show would be sold?

Oh, I might have been
somewhat concerned,

but not after Mona's
party, when I was told.

And what were you told?

That... well, that he was
just stalling on the contracts;

the deal would go through.

Pearls and Jade would still
be presented on Broadway

and still be made into
a top movie musical.

And who gave you
those assurances?

The only man who could,
Mr. Mason... the producer,

Charlie Noymann.

The new Alex Chase musical
was booked down the Pacific coast...

Portland, Seattle, Sacramento,
Santa Barbara, Los Angeles...

Strictly a shoestring
try-out tour.

The show bombed, By the
time we hit Santa Barbara,

there were more people on
stage than in the audience.

So you closed the show in
Santa Barbara, Mr. Kirkwood?

As the show's director, that's
what I suggested to Mr. Chase.

I didn't think there was
anything worth salvaging.

But he was pretty
desperate, he said,

and insisted on a fast
rewrite and another try-out.

Well, was Mr. Chase
able to improve the show?

And how.

The only really good
thing in the presentation

was a dance number in the
second act... A real catchy melody.

What was this catchy melody?

A piece called Pearls and Jade.

Well, Alex added lyrics to it.

And with a few changes
in rhythm and orchestration,

it became our new
running love song,

new first-act production
number, and our finale.

Now, Mr. Kirkwood, you
reopened the show in Santa Barbara

for a second try-out,
is that correct?

The show was a smash... rave reviews,
standing room only for each performance.

And all thanks to that one
new title song, Pearls and Jade.

Even got a nibble from
a top movie producer

who saw the show and flipped.

Mr. Kirkwood, who
was that producer?

Charles Noymann.

Late in the afternoon,

I received a telephone call at
the studio from Phil Schuyler.

He sort of vaguely hinted that
there might be some question

about who wrote the melody for
the title song of Pearls and Jade.

Then he intimated that for
a small insurance payment,

as he called it, I could
save a lot of money

and avoid legal entanglements
in buying the show.

What was your answer to that?

I told him if he had documented
proof, I'd be willing to talk with him.

He stammered a
while and then hung up.

Just a crank.

Now Mr. Noymann, did you
subsequently see this Phil Schuyler?

Yes, at Mona's party.

Damion was having an argument
with some man out on the patio.

I found out the following morning
from the pictures in the paper

that that man was Schuyler.

Now this argument, Mr. Noymann...
Did that appear to be a violent argument?

Violent? Well,
there were no blows.

Thank you,
Mr. Noymann. That'll be all.

Your witness.

Mr. Noymann,

you had never
seen Phil Schuyler.

How could you possibly know
that the man who called you

was in fact Phil Schuyler?

Well, he said he was.

Financing a Broadway
show is quite costly, isn't it?

All in all, your contract with
Alex Chase and Mona Winthrope

must have involved a
considerable sum of money.

Yes, I'd say well over $1
million is a considerable sum.

You received a call offering
you insurance, as you put it,

in the face of that $1 million.

Would you have this court believe
that you summarily dismissed it

as a crank call?

I just wasn't sure the call
was on the level, that's all.

Sure, if I could have gotten
the rights for even $50,000

to the title song, it would
have made a big difference.

Exactly how big?

I'd have picked up the book and score for
peanuts, made a separate deal with Mona.

I could have wrapped up the whole thing
for less than half what Janda was asking.

To save over $500,000, you
must have done much more

than merely reassure Alex Chase.

Before going to Mona's party, you
went to see Phil Schuyler, did you not?

Look here, Mason, don't start
throwing accusations at me.

You said it yourself...
I could have saved

$500,000 if I made
that deal with Schuyler,

so why would I want to kill him?

Answer my question.

You did see Phil
Schuyler, did you not?

No. That is absolutely
not... N-O-T... not true.

I told the district
attorney the whole thing.

I sat in my car
across the street,

waiting until I saw
his visitor leave.

Then I saw Miss Jordan.

She was working in
one of my pictures.

She came home just about the time
the visitor was leaving, at about 8:00.

I started, yes, to
get out of the car,

but I thought it
best not to be seen.

So I left... without
seeing Schuyler.

This visitor... who was it?

Alex and Mona's
agent, Jerry Janda.

When I got back to my office
after seeing Charlie Noymann,

Leonard Buckman
was waiting to see me.

He had some crazy story that
Phil Schuyler and not Alex Chase

wrote the music for the
song Pearls and Jade.

Did you place any credence in the
story that Leonard Buckman told you?

No, not then.

I figured he was just
some sort of a crank

who knew about the trouble
between Mona and Alex

and was trying to
get in on the act.

I gave him $20 and told him
to beat it and not to bother me.

A couple of hours
later, around 7:00,

I received a call at home
from Phil Schuyler himself.

He confirmed what
Buckman had said

and asked me to come
to his place right away.

Did the decedent try to extort
money from you, Mr. Janda?

Well, not directly, no,

though he was certainly
fishing for an offer.

I offered him $5,000 for a quit
claim on the music to the song.

And what was his
reaction to that?

He laughed at my offer;

said that if I would give
him $5,000 to be quiet,

there was somebody else who
would probably give him $50,000.

Somebody else?

Mr. Janda, did Phil Schuyler say

who he intended to
get the money from?

Did he say who he was so
sure would give him $50,000?

Yes... the defendant,
Damion White.

Hamilton Burger is
certainly efficient...

Motive and opportunity.
He laid it out like a road map.

Well, he's sure
loaded with opportunity.

He's got an eye witness
who locks White...

Your client... and only your
client right into the murder.

As far as motive is concerned, we all
know what type of person Damion is.

Just wait till
Burger sums it up...

A successful Broadway
play, a spectacular movie,

the stage-struck
professor's name in lights.

Oh boy.

Perry, if this
were a full trial,

you could put the stage-struck
professor on the stand

and let him tell what
really happened.

Would you as a jury believe
that Damion's fingerprints

were on that heater
because he tripped over a cord

and then had to set
the heater upright, or...

Or that he got his fingerprints on it
when he tossed it into the bathtub

to electrocute Phil Schuyler.
I see what you mean.

Which leads us right
back to motive and Damion.

White isn't the only one.

Noymann could be more deeply
involved than he's admitted.

And Janda stood to lose a
big fat whopping commission.

And let's not forget the composer
with the taking ways... Alex Chase.

He could be up
to his neck in hock.

Alex Chase? How's that, Paul?

Well, it's only a possibility,

but I found out this
afternoon that Chase

couldn't find a backer
for his last musical,

so he must have
backed it himself.

He probably lost everything
he had in the world.

Our Mr. Chase...

Composer and bankrupt angel.

"And the Lord said unto Satan,

whence comest thou?"

Della, that's it.

That's what?

Satan and the angel.

I want to know more
about that angel.

Now wait a minute. I've gone a
lot of places to get a lot of things...

And this time you're going to
outdo yourself, tomorrow in court.

How?

Well, first the angel
and then Satan.

As a matter of fact,
let's make it two Satans.

So when I caught a rehearsal of the
new second try-out in Santa Barbara,

I couldn't believe
it. I went to see Phil.

I told him that a tune
that he had written

had suddenly
acquired a set of lyrics

and had become the title
song in a new musical play

by Alexander Chase.

And when Phil Schuyler found that they
were using his music without his knowledge,

what did he do?

I told Phil he should get in touch
with Alexander Chase right away,

demand credit and
royalties for the song.

Phil said that he would,
but first he had to have a talk

with the person responsible
for stealing his music.

Who could that be if it
wasn't Alexander Chase?

Phil wouldn't tell me
what the guy's name was,

but he admitted it was someone
else... Not Alexander Chase...

Who had stolen the music...

Some college-professor
friend of his.

Some college-professor
friend of his?

Your witness.

Mr. Buckman,

instead of calling Charles Noymann
and saying you were Phil Schuyler,

- why didn't you call Mr. Chase?
- I didn't call Noymann.

And I maintain that you did.

There are two possible
explanations for your visit to Mr. Chase

the morning after the murder.

In either case, blackmail
had to have been involved.

You either didn't know
that Phil Schuyler was dead,

or you had previous knowledge that
Phil Schuyler had been murdered and...

I didn't know Phil had been murdered.
If I had, I would have gone to the police.

But you did to go Alexander
Chase to blackmail him,

and it was you, not Phil Schuyler,
who called Charles Noymann.

All right, all
right, I admit that.

But I never got around
to blackmailing Mr. Chase.

When you impersonated Phil
Schuyler and called Charles Noymann,

he said he would speak further
with you if you had documentation

of the true authorship
of Pearls and Jade.

But you didn't have such
documentation, did you?

Well, no.

Yet the following morning you were
playing a two-year-old tape recording

of that same music
for Alex Chase.

We can prove that that tape
recording belonged to Phil Schuyler.

All right, all right, so
I stole a lousy tape.

Phil had no right to brush
me off... No right, do you hear?

I was the one spotted the tune.

I was the one gave him the
idea for the whole squeeze play.

Phil Schuyler
outwitted you, didn't he?

In your presence, he called Janda
and asked him to come right over.

And then what did he
say to you, Mr. Buckman?

Did he offer to cut you in?

No. No. "Blow," he said.

"Beat it. You bother me."

Well, I bothered him, all
right. I bothered him real good.

I hung around till he took off,
then went in and swiped the tape.

If he wouldn't cut me in, I
was going to cut myself in.

I gave Mr. MacManus, his brother-in-law,
the envelope that Phil left for him.

Then I went to my own place

and started getting ready
for the masquerade party

that Phil and I were
supposed to go to.

Now while you were in your
own bungalow, Miss Jordan,

did you see anyone enter or
leave Phil Schuyler's bungalow?

Yes I did, about ten minutes
before I called the manager

and he found Phil dead,

I saw the defendant, Damion
White, leave Phil's place.

And in that ten
minutes, Miss Jordan...

Between the time you saw
Damion White leave the bungalow

and the time the
decedent's body was found,

did you see anyone else at all
enter or leave that bungalow?

- No, I didn't...
- Thank you.

But I wasn't
watching all the time.

Yes, but you told... Well,
who was watching all the time?

Well, the manager, Rudy.

Thank you, Miss Jordan.

Well, sir, it was
Halloween, you know,

and the kids and everything...
Well, they were around.

Well, anyhow,
right after dinner,

I discovered the electric
sign out in front ain't workin'.

So I got up on
a ladder to fix it.

Well, the way I'm standing up
there, see, I'm facing the court.

And all the bungalows open out
into that middle court, you see?

And there's no way to
get in or out the bungalows

without going through that
court. And so there I am.

I mean, I can hardly help keeping
my eye on things, you might say.

Did that include keeping your
eye on Phil Schuyler's bungalow?

Oh, yes sir.

Now Miss Jordan
there, she went in.

And then Mr. Schuyler's
brother-in-law... Him too, he went in.

And then he came
out and so did she.

And then Mr. Schuyler came home.

And after Mr. Schuyler
came home,

how many other people
entered or left that bungalow?

Only one... one person
went in and come out.

And nobody... absolutely nobody

went in or out after that
until I found the dead body.

And who was that one and
only person, Mr. Mahlsted?

Him... Mr. Damion White.

Mr. Mason.

Rudy, you're positive

that no one went into that
bungalow after the defendant left?

Yes sir, positive.

You ever look at
something and not see it?

I don't understand.

How long have you been living
in that bungalow court, Rudy?

20 years, maybe a little longer.

Now this is a photograph
of your bungalow...

A photograph of the room in
which you've spent 20 years.

Now the design on the
wallpaper... Tell me...

Does the pattern run
vertically, up and down,

or does it go from side to side?

This way. Side to side.

Now the roses

between the stripes
on that wallpaper...

Do they go between every stripe
or between every other stripe?

Between every stripe.

Now take a look, Rudy.

I was wrong... both times.

We see but we do not see.

Your Honor, I must protest
these circus side-show tactics.

What kind of stunt is this?

Just a moment, Mr. Burger.

I believe I understand where
defense counsel is heading.

The court is interested in
pursuing this particular point.

So unless you have a specific
objection, we will continue.

Oh, by all means, Your Honor,

let's have some dancing
girls and a snake charmer too.

That will do, Mr. Burger.
You may proceed, Mr. Mason.

Yes, Your Honor.

Now Rudy, the
children trick-or-treating,

were they still making rounds
when you unlocked the door

and found the body?

Oh sure, they were coming
all the time, from 5:00 on.

Even after Damion
White left the bungalow?

Oh yes, they... They'd
come back, you know.

Oh no no, Mr. Mason,
not those children.

I know them. I know them all.

Suppose we find out just how
well you do know them, Rudy.

All right, children, would you
stand in a line here, please?

Rudy, who is Satan #1?

Brucie Hillman.

That's the Karger boy,
Gene... Gene Karger.

Oh, the little gypsy,
that's easy... Michele Strull.

That's not fair, Rudy.

You helped me buy my
costume at the corner drugstore.

Satan #2, Rudy?

His costume comes from that same
drugstore. Do you recognize him?

Oh, sure, the boy who likes
to dig holes... Don Carmichael.

56 years old, Mr. Mason.
Hudson's the name... Joe Hudson.

How tall are you, Mr. Hudson?

5'4".

Just the same height as
Mr. Janda without his elevator shoes.

All right, children, thank you.

Mr. Janda,
Mr. Chase's last flop...

It wasn't his money that financed
that show. It was yours, was it not?

I lent him the money...
All I had, everything.

You borrowed heavily,
hoping that Pearls and Jade

would solve everything,

but without that contract for Noymann,
you were going to be ruined, weren't you?

Yes.

Yes, that Schuyler, pressuring
Damion, pressuring me.

You followed Damion
and Mona to Schuyler's,

picked up a costume
at the drugstore

from a clerk who is
prepared to identity you.

You then waited
until Damion left.

Then you took off your
shoes and joined the children

going from bungalow to bungalow

and watched for your opportunity
to murder Phil Schuyler.

He was in the tub.

I wasn't sure just
how I was going to do it

until I saw the electric heater.

Mona. Mona, you were
the only really big star I had

and you hadn't worked
in two years... two years!

Two...

You've got to understand.

Here was my chance to get my
money back, to make even more money,

to be on top of the heap again.

But it was all falling
apart because of Schuyler,

because he had
written that melody.

But he was the only one
who could prove that...

Schuyler himself.

I had to stop him before he got
to Noymann and killed the deal.

I had to!

The costume...

It wasn't Satan.

It was a fool's costume.

From the religious vigil of
All Hallow's Eve to murder.

Halloween's come a long way.

"Darkness and worms and
shrouds and sepulchers."

Paul, you're reciting poetry.

Am I?

"But strength alone
is like a fallen angel,

Trees uptorn and darkness and
worms and shrouds and sepulchers."

Hey, what do you know? Keats.

Speaking of fallen angels...

You mean the kind that go
bankrupt backing flop shows?

Yes. You know, I thought Janda's
eyes would pop right out of his head

when he saw that little
old man in the costume.

Yeah, some trick.

Considering the results, wouldn't
you say it was more of a treat?