Original subtitles

Now, hand me, hand me that thing. This?

No, no.

This? Now, that thing I had a while ago. Which car? Dad.

No, wait. Dad, you have asked for every tool I know. You have to be more

specific. Hand me the thing I had a while ago. No, no.

Yeah, that. Yeah, give me that.

Dad.

Oh, no.

Are we almost done?

I have no idea.

Oh.

Dad, you know, God put plumbers in the phone book for a reason.

Ow! Come in!

Oh, Dad.

Come in!

Dad. Ouch!

Hold that. Please, don't.

Hold that. No, Dad.

Come right back.

Oh! Ow! Dad.

Ouch! Dad,

I can't do this. Ow!

Oh!

Hello,

Ben.

Laura.

Oh, Laura.

Aren't you grown up?

Well,

it's been 11 years.

Last time I saw you was at Mom's funeral.

You live in Mount Harlan?

No, Atlanta.

I work at a clothing store at the mall in Marietta. I'm the assistant manager.

Oh. Dad, are you still out there?

You ever meet my daughter?

No, I don't think I have. Dad.

Oh.

Turn that loose. Come on out here. Oh, Dad.

Leanne McIntyre, this is Laura Miller.

I'm a godfather.

Oh, Laura Miller from Mount Harlan. Yes, your parents own the bakery.

I live in Atlanta now.

Is everything all right with you all? Yeah.

Oh, Leanne was fixing to say.

Well, I just came by to tell you that I'm getting married. Oh, sit down here.

Oh. How are you, Mary Ann?

That's Paul Retsky. He lives in Mount Harlan, too. Remember him?

His dad was the vet.

Call the teacher. He's wonderful.

When's the wedding?

In a couple of months.

Since my parents passed away and we both live in Atlanta, we decided to get

married here instead of back home.

Which brings me to why I came.

It would really mean a lot to me if you would give me away.

If you would rather not, I can always ask my brother Chuck.

I'd be honored.

Oh, Ben, thanks so much.

Is it going to be a big wedding?

Between the both of us, we know just about everybody in Mount Harlan. So we

to invite everyone so no one would feel left out.

It won't be much of a reception, I'm afraid.

It's not in the budget.

Well, we can certainly chip in. No, no, no. I didn't come here looking for

handouts. No handouts. We could host an open house the day before the wedding.

No handouts.

Dad, it's a wedding.

The wedding is at the end.

We'll have it right here before the rehearsal at the church. Sort of a pre

-wedding reception.

Oh, then it'd be great.

I have to be going. I'm on my way out. Okay. We'll talk soon. Okay. Bye.

Oh, Dad, a wedding reception right here at the house.

Doesn't that make you feel fabulous?

Hi, Jack.

Hi. And then the little guy says, you better watch yourself, bud.

Where do all these people come from?

Not worth.

Ben, Ben, Ben, Ben, Ben. Excuse me, Ben.

Can I talk to you for one second? I've got to get out of here. Just one second.

Isn't this something, son? Frederick, the whole of Mount Ireland's here. Yeah.

You think Chuck will come?

Chuck? Yeah. Yeah, why not?

In spite of what happened, he's still Laura's brother.

Come on, let's mingle.

You cheated. I cheated.

How could I cheat?

You didn't sit up all the way.

I kicked your butt fair and square, just like I always do.

He hasn't won a sports event since he played high school football.

And the only reason he won then is because he was on a championship team.

Yeah,

keep it up, Brad.

It's going to make you look all the more stupid when I win the volunteer

fireman's competition this year. Oh, that's a lie. No, that is a fact. I'm

to kick your butt then, too.

It gets easier every year.

You want to know why, Matthew? Because every year that buddy of yours gets just

a little bit bigger.

How about a sandwich?

How did

old Mar get here?

And when's she leaving?

Where have you been?

Outside. Fine!

Now, that's more like it. Those chips are kind of greasy.

Excuse me, Bob.

Ben!

Ben! Ben, Ben, Ben! Come here, come here.

I want you to meet Ryland Hayward.

George Hayward's boy? That's me. And this is my girlfriend, Sarah Eldridge.

It's nice to meet you.

Ry, I really need some water.

Boy, you come with me. I'll find you something to drink.

Poor girls practically die in a thirst, Ben.

They're not a very good host.

This guy is really something, isn't he, Mr. Matlock? Always on top of things,

working shoulder to shoulder with one of the most famous lawyers in the country,

writing briefs, arguing before the Supreme Court.

There's a little stuffy in here. Why don't we go outside?

Choose us, Rod.

There's too many people.

Yeah, and I really need to talk to you about something. I've got to go to the

store.

Make a list. Give me something to write with. Okay.

It's kind of important. I've been wanting this internet for quite some

Bologna?

Bologna. Everybody likes bologna. Bologna.

Family packs. I may have overstated my current employment. Both hot packs.

My current employment status. Hot dogs. Some of the people I want to go back to.

A couple of dozen packs for them. Mount Harlan. Bologna.

Ketchup, mustard... See, I didn't want to let anyone down. I wanted people to

know that even if somebody comes from a small rural town... I'll get pickled

eggs. They won't eat something with themselves.

Well, I more or less told people that I was a full partner in your law firm.

I'll get some soft drinks.

I didn't really lie.

I didn't really mean to lie. I just, you know, one slight misrepresentation of

the facts led to another, and things just sort of snowballed.

I don't have a partner. They don't even need my partner. I know, I know, I know,

I know. And I'm sorry, and it would never, it would never ever happen again.

Ever.

But since it has, and since it would be kind of embarrassing for me to go back

in there and tell everyone that I lied, couldn't you just go along with me for

one, one, one, one day, one day, two days, maybe until everyone goes back to

Mount Harlan, please?

No.

Still on.

Every time I come in here, there's more people. They're like rabbits. They just

eat multiple.

Let's just remember that Laura and Paul are having a good time, and that's all

that really matters. All right, cookies.

You listen to me, and you listen good. You don't take the whole platter.

You take one cookie. You got that? One cookie.

One.

Yes, ma 'am.

Hello, Ben.

Nice party. Must have been Leanne's idea.

Where's he going with those suitcases?

Oh, him and a couple of other people couldn't find a motel room, so I told

they could stay here.

You what?

I got people staying at my house, too, Ben.

You run out of beds upstairs, let them sleep down here on the floor.

Upstairs, boys to the right, girls to the left.

Everybody, everybody who's in the wedding needs to get to the church. It's

for the rehearsal.

Not too fast.

Low down.

Flowers high.

That's it.

We've got to talk.

All right, Laura.

As soon as your maid of honor turns around, you start.

Last time I did this, it didn't turn out too good.

The aunt's divorced?

Yeah. She married outside her species.

He was a jackass.

All right, that's very nice.

How much are you going to rake in this year? A hundred grand?

Yeah, probably about that much.

Why are you living in that dumpy place instead of some nice big ritzy condo?

Yeah, Farron, I could be staying with you until the two escapees from the love

boat up there.

You know, I haven't found a place, you know, ritzy enough yet.

Speaking of the love boat, when are you and Sue going to get married? Is it

about time you fished or cut bait?

Well, my job still keeps me on the road a lot.

And I figure it's kind of stupid to get married if you're not home to enjoy all

the perks.

Who is going to Paul's bachelor party tonight?

The real question is who's going to be able to drive home from Paul's bachelor

party.

to whoop you so bad this year, you'll be lucky to win the cakewalk.

Two out of three. Come on.

All right.

I think they wouldn't have grown this by now. Yeah, well, once a jock

always a jock.

Come on.

You don't have to leave. Oh, yes, I do.

Have a beer.

Enjoy yourself.

I don't drink anymore.

Oh, well, aren't you the saint? Come on, Brad. Too bad it's a little late.

I mean, you sure as hell were drinking the night you drove my brother into that

tree, weren't you? Hey, take it easy, Brad. Have you seen him lately?

Huh?

Here, I'll show you a picture.

This is him at Christmas in his brand new wheelchair.

I'm sorry, Brad.

It was an accident.

One I'm going to regret for the rest of my life. You bet you will.

I'm sorry, man. I didn't mean to wreck your party.

I know.

I mean, I tried to leave.

I know, I know.

Look, I left the vows in the chapel.

Sit down.

Sober up, okay?

Found him.

Looks like the wedding's on it.

Again.

Thank you.

Morning, Mr. Matlock.

Made coffee. Hope that's okay. Any left?

Morning,

Ben. Oh, good. You made coffee.

Cups are right over there. Help yourself.

Here.

What are you doing here?

I brought my house guests over for breakfast.

Why can't they eat at your house?

I'm a retired farmer, Ben. I can't afford to feed all these people.

What happened to all the food? This thing was full.

You're not a very good host.

You better go to the market.

Dad?

Dad? Dad, I just came from Laura's place.

Something horrible's happened.

He punched me.

And then I tried to punch him, and then we just went at it.

I don't know. Then I turned around and left.

What is supposed to be a wonderful event has just turned into a nightmare.

When you left, where did you go?

I went to Laura's. I turned the TV on.

I fell asleep on the couch.

Was she there?

No.

Her and the bridesmaids were out someplace.

The next thing I know, she was waking me up, telling me that some cops wanted to

talk to me.

I knew Brad was going to be at the party.

I just wanted to see if he'd forgive me for his brother.

His brother?

Yeah, Frank.

He was a football player.

Pro teams were just starting to scound him when he was in this terrible car

accident. He was paralyzed from the waist down.

Chuck here was driving.

I was drunk.

Brad hated my guts.

I can't say it's a blame.

People in town get upset?

Are you kidding?

Frank was like Mount Harlan's greatest football player ever.

It was as if I injured him on purpose.

I was drunk.

It was an accident.

Well, the police found the knife that killed Brad in Bacalar's house.

Look, Mr. Matlock.

I didn't put it there.

I did not kill Brad.

I swear.

Let's see if I can get you out of here.

Thanks.

Both of you.

Sure, I'm glad you two are partners.

Hi. Hi.

It's Sarah, right?

Sarah Eldridge.

Right, girlfriend?

Yeah.

You okay?

Actually, my stomach's a little upset.

Are there any crackers or something around here?

Sure, I just bought some. If you wait about five minutes, I can make you some

scrambled eggs.

Oh, no.

I'll be lucky if I can keep these down.

Too much to drink last night?

That and what happened to Brad.

Did you know him well?

He was a friend.

I'm sorry.

Thanks for the crackers.

Sure.

Have you seen Chuck?

Yeah, he'll be out on bail tomorrow.

Then how could something so awful have happened? I don't know. We've postponed

the wedding.

Come on, sweetheart.

You need to eat something.

So, uh, Mr. Matlock, have you come up with a game plan yet?

Game plan?

Yeah, for defending Chuck.

Cliff was telling me that's the first thing you two always do is you come up

with a game plan.

Not yet. Excuse me.

No, she isn't. She can't be. Why not?

Because Rye would have told me. Told you what? That Sarah's pregnant.

She is not. Leanne, she has an upset stomach. It's no big deal. She said it

because she had a hangover, but Laura said she didn't have anything to drink

last night, which is another indication to me that she's pregnant. Rye Haywood

is not the type of person who would keep something like this a secret. Maybe he

doesn't know about it.

Why wouldn't she tell him? Good question.

You done?

Because if you are, Cliff and I need to talk.

I'd really like to, but Detective Garrison said that he would meet me at

hotel where Brad was staying, so I should really go do that.

Sorry. See you later. Bye.

That's what we always talked about when we were kids.

How we were all going to grow up and become volunteer firemen.

So why didn't you?

Became a lawyer.

I guess if I hadn't, I'd be putting out fires right now.

Oh, he found a list of names and phone numbers in his wallet.

Did you check it out?

Some of them.

He was hitting up people for money.

Really? Is that what he needed it for?

Said his car broke down.

Oh, and see this last number here?

It's a doctor's office.

Gynecologist.

How's your stomach feeling?

So -so.

How far along are you?

What makes you think I'm pregnant?

None of my friends have had babies for me to know the signs.

How come you haven't told Rye?

Maybe you're wrong.

Maybe there's nothing to tell.

I spoke to Cliff.

He said Brad was asking everybody he knew here in Atlanta if he could borrow

money. Seems he needed about $1 ,000.

Also made a doctor's appointment with an OB -GYN for someone named Sally Eller.

That's you, isn't it?

The baby Brad?

Brad was murdered, Sarah.

Questions aren't going to stop here, believe me.

You ready to roll?

Yeah.

Is there something the matter?

Just take me home.

Okay, let's go think about it, Laura.

Now, be sure and look under all the furnaces.

I wouldn't want you to come back here just to pick up a toothbrush.

Ben, do you remember Detective Garrison?

Oh, yeah, how are you?

These people came for the wedding.

Yeah. What are they doing?

They're leaving.

They can't do that.

Hey, hey, hold on a minute.

Detective Robert Garrison, Atlanta Police Department.

I'm investigating the murder of Bradley Thorne.

I'm afraid all of you are going to have to stay right here until after my people

can ask you some questions.

It shouldn't take long, just two or three days, four at the most.

Thank you.

Feels good to get away from all those people.

Yeah.

Sure does.

How'd it go with the cops?

They asked me what I was doing that night, and I told them I was out

with the girls.

Come on, I can't drink this all by myself. Have some beer. No, thanks.

Just one glass.

I said no.

You know, you used to drink beer all the time. Now you never drink it at all.

In fact, you never drink any alcohol anymore.

So maybe I don't want to. Why not?

I just want to know what's going on with you, Sarah.

Tell me.

Nothing.

Damn it! How can you even think of having that kid? Brad is dead!

I can count the days as good as you can.

And you never said anything?

What could I say?

I was gone for a whole month, Sarah. I knew it wasn't mine.

How did you know it was Brad's?

I saw the way he stared at you.

I saw how you looked at him. This was no secret.

Don't do this to me, please.

Don't do this to us.

Where were you that night, Ry?

The night Brad was murdered, you didn't get in bed till after two. He was

murdered around one.

I don't believe this.

You think I had something to do with Brad's death? You weren't at Laura's.

It took me a while to drive back from the bachelor party. I got lost.

Why didn't you go home with Cliff like you said you were going to?

Here are the keys.

I'll walk back to Laura's.

Oh, morning, Ben.

Want some coffee?

Yeah. We'll have to make another pot. We finished this one.

What's for breakfast?

In the fridge.

Where?

Bottom shelf.

You'll have to do better than this.

Are you blind or what?

There were four dozen jelly donuts in there just last night.

That explains all those little red stains on your sofa in there.

I thought there was another murder.

Hey, where can I find some clean towels?

What are these?

There's some pictures some fella took at Paul's bachelor party.

How about getting me a set?

What for?

What do you think?

I might need them.

I know who killed Brad.

See, he won the Mount Harlan volunteer fireman competition for four straight

years. I don't understand why people get so excited about climbing ladders and

dragging hoses around. Yeah, well, to some people, it's the high point of the

year. You know how it is in Mount Harlan.

Anyway, the fellow who came in second for a straight year was Matt Brown.

That fellow's just in here looking for clean towels?

Yeah. Cliff said they were always competing against one another.

In fact, Brad spent all his time at the bachelor party beating Matt at hand

wrestling.

Cliff said he's an even worse loser now than he was in high school.

And in high school, he was terrible.

Ben, use your brain.

Do I have to spell everything out for you?

You saying Matt killed Brad because you beat him at arm wrestling?

No.

He killed him because he wanted to be sure he wins the fireman competition

year.

Stranger things have happened, you know.

I'm on store.

You're out of toilet paper.

Excuse me.

Hi.

Listen, I left something here at the desk for Brad Thorne a couple nights

Brad Thorne's dead?

Yeah, I know.

And since he obviously never got what I left for him, I'd like it back.

It was in a white envelope.

Okay. Brad's got to put it in a file somewhere. I'll go check.

You still back there?

Yep, still looking.

Detective Robert Pearson, Atlanta Police.

I'd like to ask you some questions.

About what?

About the thousand dollars you left here for Mr. Thorne the night he was

murdered.

Need some help? Yeah, boy.

There you go for a run.

Been at five miles. I've been training for the fireman competition.

Something I got to ask you.

Yeah, what's that?

Well...

Never mind.

Forget it.

How you doing? Hey, Cliff. Thanks for coming down.

What are friends for?

So, tell me about the money.

Well, like I told the cops, Brad had lent me some money and I was just paying

him back.

The police think Brad was blackmailing you.

He wasn't blackmailing me.

Well, he apparently needed money badly. He was calling everyone he knew, trying

to scrape together a thousand dollars.

I had a very long talk with Sarah this morning, Rye.

A very long talk.

When I heard through a mutual friend that Brad needed money, I...

I put two and two together and figured out that he needed it to pay for an

abortion.

So I got the money and I left it for him at the motel in a plain

white envelope so he wouldn't know it came from me.

You never confronted him? I just wanted everything to go away.

I thought that if I didn't rock the boat, Sarah and I could just start over

I could eventually make her forget this whole thing ever happened.

Where'd you go after the bachelor party?

Well, I heard Brad say that he was going to go to the church with Paul, so I

dropped the money off at the motel, and then I... I just drove around. I wasn't

feeling real good about myself at that point.

Mr. Hayward, we're all done here. You can go.

Appreciate your cooperation.

Does this mean I'm not a suspect anymore?

Why would you have dropped off the money for Brad as you're planning on killing

him? It just, you know, it doesn't make any sense.

Thank you very much, Detective.

Come on, I'll drive you home. No flies on you, Counselor.

I see why Ben Matlock snapped you up.

Yeah, come on.

Oh, hello, Dad.

What are you writing?

Confession. Confession to what?

I'm going to kill Billy.

You're going to kill Billy?

Mm -hmm.

He's the one that brought all those people over here and eaten me into the

poorhouse.

I'm going to kill him.

I'll plead temporary insanity.

The court's like me.

I'll get out in five, maybe six years.

Dad. Give yourself a raise.

You'll be working harder.

Should I make Cliff a full partner?

It's your firm. Do what you want to.

Come on, Dad.

I'll buy you some lunch.

Come on.

Let's go.

All right, man.

It is really something, you being partners with a guy like Ben Matlock.

You got any big cases coming up?

Yeah, probably.

Something's always around the corner.

I can't do this.

Do what?

Right, I got a little problem.

Problem with me?

No, no, no, no, no. No, no, no, no, no. I got a...

I had a problem with me.

I haven't really been honest with you. I haven't really been honest with anyone.

I'm not Ben's law partner.

Ben Matlock doesn't have any partners.

But you wrote me when he hired you. I know what I wrote.

You know, in high school, I was never voted most likely to succeed. I never

lettered in any sport.

You were on the debate team for four years. Yes, I was, and I was good at

So I thought maybe I'd make a good lawyer, and maybe one day I will make a

lawyer.

Right now, I'm just Ben's assistant.

His assistant, huh? Yeah.

Truth is, you're an assistant to the best criminal lawyer in the country.

You have a job thousands of law school graduates would die to get.

Why don't you wake up and smell the coffee? I'll tell you something else.

You got me out of jail faster than a jackrabbit running from a fire.

You're pretty good in my book.

Oh, thank you.

Thanks a lot.

When were you going to tell me?

I don't know.

I didn't know what to do.

It's over, you know.

Knowing it's not mine.

I just can't.

I know.

We ordered a bunch of pizzas.

Got one just for you.

Here.

He's done us.

Thanks. It's really nice.

Have you gotten the jelly stains out of the couch yet?

I'm still working on it.

But, Dad, what do you think?

I don't know.

Oh, the phone.

That's it.

What's it?

The thing.

Which one?

When we finally got him pulled apart, Chuck gave Brad this look, and he turned

and went slamming out the door.

So it appeared to you that the defendant was angry with Mr. Thorne when he left

that night?

Well, he just picked himself up off the ground. He was...

Humiliated. Totally humiliated.

No further questions?

Uh,

were... Were you mad at Mr.

Thorne when you left the bachelor party that night?

Me? No. No?

Well, I hear that you and Brad spent most of that night...

arm wrestling with one another and you lost most of the matches and you don't

like to lose, do you, Mr. Brown?

Nobody likes to lose.

I hear that you were in a horseshoe competition last year.

That's right. How'd you make out?

Came in second.

I understand that the fellow who won had to be taken to the hospital that day.

How come?

I broke his jaw.

Because he beat you? No, because he kept needling me about it.

He was a poor sport.

And that made you mad?

Yeah.

Did Brad Thorne ever needle you?

Sometimes. Yeah.

I know he does.

He was needling you the day of the bachelor party. I heard him myself. He

saying how he was going to beat you at the Mount Harlan volunteer fireman's

competition this year. Didn't he?

Yeah, that's right. Yeah.

That competition is a big thing in my heart.

People talk about it for months before and months after. It's always something

big. Did you ever win one of them?

No. How come?

I don't know.

You never won one because Brad always beat you, didn't he?

Yeah, I guess.

Yeah, and he was bragging about it at the bachelor party. He said he'd whooped

you before and he'd whoop you again.

Right? Yeah.

How'd that make you feel?

Well, it didn't make me very happy. Made you mad, didn't it?

Made you furious.

Made you want to put a stop to it once and for all. No. So when the bachelor

party broke up, you followed Paul and Brad to the church. And when Brad was by

himself, you stabbed him to death, didn't you? No. And then you stashed the

knife in the alley behind Chuck's house.

So he'd look like the real killer. That isn't true. No? No.

Then answer me this.

How did your cummerbund, the one you spilled red wine on...

Hold that. It's pretty easy.

See the stain right there?

How did your cummerbund wind up on Brad's body?

That isn't mine.

Of course it is.

The stain in that picture is exactly the same as the stain in that picture.

And the reason your cummerbund wound up on Brad's body is you got blood

on it when you stabbed him.

So you switched them.

You knew he was right. He was going to beat you at that volunteer fireman's

competition.

Just like he beat you at football, arm wrestling, sit -ups, and all the others.

It seems preposterous to me that someone would kill over something so

insignificant.

But you did kill him, didn't you?

They were just games, Matt.

They didn't matter.

This does.

This is for keeps.

And now that Paul and Laura have given themselves to each other through the

exchanging of vows and the exchanging of rings, I now pronounce you husband and

wife.

and give him a proper send -off.

Oh, wait, wait.

Keep rid of that.

Oh. Oh.

Hey.

Thanks for everything.

Well. Especially for what you did for Jimmy.

Have a good life.

You will.

I'll make sure.

Bye.

Real nice of you to have the wedding here.

Well, the church was booked, and I didn't want all those people from Mount

Harlan to have to drive all the way over here again.

Aren't you going to the reception?

Oh, I may go after a while, but... Right now, I'm going to do something that

I've wanted to do for the past couple of weeks.

Oh, what's that?

Step outside and I'll show you. Oh.