Original subtitles

Make time stand still.

I wish I could.

It's past five.

No, Michael's never home before seven.

What should we do to pass the time?

Shelby? It's Michael.

Shelby?

Michael, you're home early.

Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce your host for this evening, a man whose

concern for underprivileged children worldwide has brought this fundraiser

about, Great Britain's ambassador to the United Nations, your friend and my

colleague, Mr. Anthony Stewart.

Thank you very much.

Because of your generosity, children you'll never see in countries you'll

visit are going to have something to eat.

It is you, ladies and gentlemen, who deserve the applause.

Thank you for coming.

And now, enjoy.

Mrs. Russell?

Hello, Mr. Stewart.

Didn't want to come here tonight.

I left my watch in your bedroom.

I know.

He bought it with you?

No, I couldn't, Michael.

Ten o 'clock in Oldswell.

That's what you Brits say back in jolly old England, isn't it?

Only when we're quite drunk.

Actually, I just wanted to show off my new watch.

See?

I found it.

Right next to my bed, of all places.

Would you like to hear what's inscribed on the back? Michael, please.

I know what it says.

Just give it to me.

Give it to you.

Hello? Anthony, you've got to come over.

Shelby? Michael's still drinking and he's acting crazy.

Please, come right away, Anthony.

I'm scared.

Please.

Good evening, Mr. Stewart. Good evening.

Shelby Shelby Is

anybody here?

10 -22.

Hello?

I'm Alexander Winthrop. I'm an attorney with Benson, Reese, Klein, and Dunhill.

I understand Lieutenant Rossetti is questioning one of our clients, Mr.

Anthony Stewart.

This way, sir.

The scene when those pink cars arrived was terribly foolish. I realize that.

The truth is I panicked.

Could be you were just at a loss to explain those bruises on your face.

I got them during the struggle with the killer, not with Michael Russell. Excuse

me, gentlemen.

I'm Alexander Winthrop.

I'm with Benson, Reese, Klein, and Dunhill.

We represent the British Consulate in legal matters.

Sir, perhaps you shouldn't say any more.

The ambassador isn't under arrest, is he, Lieutenant?

No, he has diplomatic immunity.

I don't need immunity. I haven't done anything.

We have an eyewitness says you committed first -degree murder.

That's impossible.

Victim's wife, Shelby Russell. According to her sworn statement, you came

bursting into the apartment demanding that gold watch of yours. When Mr.

refused to give it to you, a fight ensued which ended when you bludgeoned

death with a silver candlestick holder.

She's lying. She was not there. There was no one in that apartment.

You just said somebody attacked you. Well, somebody did attack me.

When may the ambassador leave?

State Department's confirmed his identity. You can go now.

Wait, wait, wait, sir. They think I'm guilty.

Sir.

Please.

Oh, hey.

There's an egg roll left. Oh, I couldn't eat another bite. Absolutely stuffed.

Go ahead, kill it.

All right.

You know, for a skinny fellow, you can really pack it away.

Well... Hello.

Hello, Alex.

No kidding.

Benson, Reese, Klein, and Dunhill.

Boy, that's big -time stuff.

I always thought you'd end up in New York.

Yeah.

Oh, well, that all depends.

Sometimes high or sometimes lower. I usually charge whatever the traffic will

allow. And this guy doesn't sound like he's hurting.

Oh.

Yeah, well, that's... Well, we'll have to think about that.

Now, listen. Listen, if you talk to the family, say hello to your mother.

Okay.

Going to New York? Well, I might.

Hit the end places.

The end places?

Restaurants, binge.

You know, where you slip the doorman four bits and get the best table in the

house.

Fifty cents?

Well, it's a big time. You gotta spread it around a little.

Oh,

here's some crump chow mein.

Oh, no, please, please, don't even suggest it.

Look, it's good. Still warm.

Oh.

Stuart is now home. That's correct.

That's excellent.

Well, you've done yeoman -like work on this, Alex.

Now, London would like to close the book on this as quickly as possible, so when

can we expect Mr. Stuart to leave the country?

Well, there's a small problem.

Problem, Alex?

Yes, sir.

Mr. Stewart believes that invoking diplomatic immunity is tantamount to a

confession of guilt.

Just what does Mr. Stewart plan to do?

Well, sir, Mr.

Stewart is determined to defend himself.

Well, we can't get involved in this.

Well, now, we could find him a criminal lawyer.

Well, I was thinking, if I could make a suggestion, that we find him a criminal

lawyer. A murder one specialist.

Say, like, maybe... Ben Matlock.

Just an idea.

I think I've heard of Benjamin Matlock. From... from Atlanta?

That's right.

Supposed to be good.

Supposed to be good.

He's the best.

Yeah, I thought maybe he could come in and do a preliminary investigation, you

know, and if he could find enough evidence to prove that Mr. Stewart is

to a jury, then, well, we...

We let him. So we make Anthony Stewart Ben Matlock's problem, not ours.

We distance ourselves from the case so that if it doesn't work... I like it.

You'll arrange it?

Yes, sir. I'll sure try.

Good. Gentlemen.

All beef?

Ketchup? Yeah.

And mustard.

$1 .75.

$1 .75?

$1 .75.

For one hot dog?

$1 .75.

At home, I get a hot dog with mustard and ketchup for 75 cents.

And onions and chili and cheese and relish and a pickle.

That'll cost you two and a quarter.

Well, hell fire.

Hot dogs are going for that much up here. I'll buy the whole damn stand.

My wallet's gone.

That guy in the plaid coat picked my wallet.

That guy took my wallet.

Just took my wallet.

Yeah.

I got $1 .14.

$1 .75.

Ben, hi.

Hi.

Oh, hi.

Oh, hi, Elliot.

Hey, Ben, how are you? Good to see you.

Good to see you.

My mom says hi. Oh, good. Thank you. Oh, you've grown up. Yeah, I've grown out.

What's it been, 10 years, something? 10 years, yeah. I'm so glad that you came.

I want to give you something before we go any further.

There you go. Oh.

Vincent Reese Klein Dunhill, Alex Winthrop, attorney at law.

Actually, I'm just a numbers cruncher. What's that?

I work in the office. I do taxes and books, and I'm just so excited that you

came and took this case, and I've always enjoyed telling people that I know you,

and now they've assigned me to you, so if you need any help, if I can get you

anything, if you need anything, just tell me anything.

I need 61 cents.

61 cents?

For my hot dog, Alex.

I think we can say one thing for certain.

You have a definite problem with women.

Having an affair with Shelby Russell was not exactly an exercise in good

judgment, I admit.

Throwing her husband head first into the hors d 'oeuvres wasn't real smart

either. I didn't throw him.

He fell.

More or less.

He wouldn't give me my watch back.

Prime Minister herself gave me that watch.

You must have been desperate to get it back.

Go straight to your apartment. Stay there.

Don't talk to the press. Don't answer the phone.

Don't mess with anybody's wife.

Lieutenant Rossetti?

Alexander Winthrop.

Yes, I remember who you are.

This is Benjamin Matlock. He's representing Anthony Stewart. Nice to

Lieutenant. I was just mugged.

No kidding? Yeah.

Two blocks from my hotel. Took my cash, my credit cards, everything. Took my

wallet right out of my pocket.

Is that right? Yeah. I got a good look at him, though. Had on a plaid coat.

Appeared to be, oh, in his mid -30s. Why don't you go down to the precinct and

file a complaint?

Well, I thought while you were here.

Complaints are not my job.

Do you think this candlestick is the mate to the murder weapon?

Lieutenant Rossetti, we'd like to examine the murder weapon, if you don't

Well, according to Mrs. Russell, Anthony Stewart took it with him and dumped it.

Lieutenant, a man killed somebody in front of an eyewitness.

Yet goes to the trouble of disposing of the murder weapon. Makes you wonder

whatever happened to common sense, doesn't it?

What can I tell you?

Come on, guys. We're out of here.

I'll see you down there.

What is this guy?

Tiny little guy.

Have you talked to this Shelby Russell yet?

No, I haven't.

She gave her statement to the DA and she just disappeared.

A lot of DAs like to play hide -and -seek with their star witnesses.

How did Anthony and Miss Russell get together?

Michael Russell owned a pharmaceutical company. They did a lot of business with

third -world countries.

Anthony met him and his wife Shelby at some embassy function.

You know, I've heard that women just throw themselves at the ambassador.

Well, must be the accent.

Does this pharmaceutical company have an address?

Yeah.

Where'd you get those keys?

I got the pen here. They were in the desk drawer.

He's a lawyer.

He works for Thomas Baldwin.

We did a business deal for them. Who's Thomas Baldwin?

He's a real estate developer.

He's worth millions. A very prominent citizen.

Yeah?

What's the deal here? There's no secretaries, no filing cabinets, no

machines, no copiers, no personalized pens.

Oh, a big mail.

Right.

Try one of those keys here.

Somebody paid somebody a lot of money.

Indication where it came from or who it went to. Just A,

B, and C.

What do you want to bet that one of them is Thomas Baldwin?

Huh.

They argued.

And Michael hit him in the face.

Hard.

And Anthony, well, he just went berserk.

So he grabbed a candlestick from the mantel and he hit Michael in the head

once, maybe twice, I don't know. I closed my eyes. It was horrible.

Take your time, Mrs. Russell.

When I opened them, he'd stopped and he was just standing there looking at me.

So I ran into the bedroom and I locked the door and I called the police.

And I didn't open it until they got there, and by that time, he'd gone.

I knew this wasn't easy for you, Mrs. Russell.

Thank you.

Mr. Matlock, do you have any questions for this witness?

You betcha.

That is with your permission.

Go ahead.

Well, Mrs. Russell, this is the first time I've actually seen you, but I can

certainly understand.

why Mr.

Stewart was so attracted to you.

Thank you.

You're a very difficult person to get a hold of, Ms. Russell.

Well, I didn't want him to know where I was.

He'd already gotten away with one murder, and I was afraid he'd try to

two. Move to strike.

You open the door, Mr. Matlock. She's entitled to respond to your comment.

How long were you and Mr.

Russell married?

We married a year ago on the Cape, Nantucket.

And how much did you know about the pharmaceutical company that he owned?

Objection.

This is a preliminary hearing. The only issue here is whether or not a crime has

been committed or whether or not Anthony Stewart should be bound over for trial.

My question goes to Modi. I'm trying to show that someone else could have had a

motive. I have a right to pursue Modi.

Mr. Matlock, objection.

Mr.

Matlock, objection.

Mr.

Matlock, I am sustaining the objection.

That's impossible. Mr. Matlock, I'm warning you.

I have a right to ask the question. I am sustaining the objection.

You may step down.

I have a right to ask the question. Objection. I will cite you for contempt.

The court finds reason to believe that the crime of murder in the first degree

has been committed.

Considering the special circumstances in this case,

The defendant, Anthony Stewart, shall be bound over for trial in this court on

October 19th at 10 a .m. Court is adjourned. Shelby!

Shelby!

Ambassador! Ambassador!

Are you all right? Yes, I didn't know what I was going to do.

Whoever you are, thank you very much. No problem.

Do you need a cab?

Yes, please.

He's at the Gramercy Park Hotel.

You got it.

Good morning, Helen.

Good morning, Mr. Baldwin.

Ben Matlock is waiting inside for you. He said you were expecting him.

Thank you.

No. No, my name is not Murdoch. It's Matlock. Matlock. I came in town

Never mind. I'll call you back.

Somebody stole my wallet. Had to cancel my credit card, send for a new driver's

license, have my bank wire me money, and the police still trying to figure out

how to spell my name.

I hope you have a very good reason for being in here, Mr... Matlock. Matlock.

Ben Matlock. I'm an attorney.

I represent Anthony Stewart.

Your associate, your secretary, was kind enough to tell me his name is Robert

Unger. I assume he told you that we kind of ran into each other yesterday at

Michael Russell's offices. He didn't?

Michael Russell is the man that my client is supposed to have murdered, and

rented office spaces at 470 Madison Avenue. That's one of your buildings,

it? It's one of my buildings, yes, but I don't involve myself in rentals.

I have people who do that.

Like Robert Unger. Tell you the truth.

It looked to me like he was ransacking the place.

Robert supervises the people who manage my buildings. I'm sure he was looking

for a key.

Ask him and let me know, will you?

I wonder if he was looking for this.

What is that?

It's a ledger.

It's a ledger for Michael Russell's pharmaceutical company.

And there's something very odd about that company. All that office space he

rented from you, empty.

Like it's one big front.

And all these profits disperse to companies or persons only listed as A,

C. What would be interesting is to find if somebody has bank deposits that

correspond to these figures.

I know what.

I could leave the ledger with you.

You show it to Robert, see what he knows about it, then you get it back to me.

Yeah, that would know I better keep it.

I know you're busy and I'll get out of your way.

I hope I didn't come at a bad time.

It's quite all right.

Something has gone very wrong.

Oh, and thank you.

For the use of the phone.

So I guess I'll see you at the trial.

I doubt that I'd have anything to contribute, Mr. Matlock.

Well, you never know. Things change.

And thank you again for the...

We have to meet

tonight.

Wait for me be right blood

Thank you.

And that's what I call real power dining.

Thomas Baldwin and Edward Kramer. But I don't recognize the gentleman on the

left. Do you know his name?

Mr. Kramer.

Company. Get him!

Alex, oh.

Sorry. You all right? Yeah. Yeah, the coffee shop's open all night, and they

sell the stuff that settles your stomach.

How's the stakeout?

Shelby Russell's in 1402.

All right, let's go.

Well, you missed a busy night last night. Yeah, that's what happened.

A couple of your average hoods tried to make a move on me. I had to throw a

little direct A on them, a little flying crane, a little spinning dervish. I

mean, both hands, both of me going at the same time. Yeah?

Knock him out, man.

We just have to find out the name of the third guy at the table.

Now, we already know the third guy. That was Dr. Douglas Clark.

He had M .D. plates on his car. I had him checked out. All right, so Thomas

Baldwin, Edward Kramer, and Dr. Douglas Clark are Mr. A, B, and C.

Right. It's Kramer that's interested in me.

Even if it's a big -time crime.

Right. Oh, I spoke to Mr. Reese today.

What did he want?

Well, he wanted to express the strong opinion of Benson, Reese, Klein, and

how did Anthony Stewart return to London?

But I told him that we had the case completely under control.

Mrs.

Russell?

She's gone, Alex.

She's gone?

She couldn't be gone longer.

So? She couldn't have gone far. She left here on foot.

You take uptown?

I'll go downtown.

All right. Okay.

Okay, how much I owe you?

11 .50.

11 .50.

There's 12 bucks. Keep the change.

Keep the change.

It was like keeping my change.

Uh, Mr. Kramer?

Uh, my name is Ben Matlock. Uh, I'm, uh, Anthony Stewart's attorney.

Oh, yeah.

Yeah, I saw your name in the paper last night.

I wonder if I could ask you a few questions about Michael Russell. I

you knew him.

Show Mr. Matlock where he can change.

You'll have a massage. Relax.

Oh, no, no thanks. No thanks.

Sit, Mr. Matlock.

Pick up your coat.

Okay.

Now, what makes you think I knew the man your client is supposed to have

murdered, Mr. Matlock? Well, we have this ledger we found in Michael

office, and apparently it had to do with the pharmaceutical company that he

owned, and it looks like that he had three secret partners listed only as A,

and C, and I just wondered.

Now, there are thousands of people in this city who could be A, B, or C.

Well, you had a meeting with Thomas Baldwin and Douglas Clark last night.

could certainly be B and C.

What's your point?

Could you be A?

This is New York, Mr. Matlock. One meets many diverse people.

We're friends, nothing more.

This was certainly very nice.

Thank you. Are you sure you wouldn't like to change?

Have a full body massage?

Oh, no thanks. What he did to my neck fixed me right up.

No initials? Nothing.

Used it then if I'd take the bait.

And I did.

Oh, hello, Dr. Clark.

I'm sorry, visitors aren't permitted.

I'm not a visitor. I'm Ben Matlock. You haven't been returning my calls, Doctor.

Well, I can't talk to you now.

I'm afraid you're going to have to make an appointment. Well, this will only

take a moment.

What can you tell me about Michael Russell?

Michael Russell?

Never heard of him. Well, I have this ledger.

At some point, he died.

Mr. Matlock, you can see I'm busy.

Not too busy to meet with Mr. Baldwin and Mr. Kramer last night.

You're all secret partners in Michael Russell's pharmaceutical company, aren't

you? Leave now, or I'll call a security guard.

Sorry to interrupt. I just wanted to see if you were interested.

Point.

I think Shelby's gone and she's not coming back.

I'm under a lot of pressure to go home.

Might not be a bad idea.

What should I do?

Give up?

Throw away my whole career?

Well, a thing like that's up to you. Would you like a hot dog?

Why not?

Thank you.