Original subtitles

Sea spray. When you have to smell your very best.

Cut.

Let's take five people.

Oh, for God's sake. The line is sea spray for when you have to feel your

best. Feel, not smell.

Can't she read?

It's a deodorant commercial. She got confused.

Oh, I never should have let you talk me into hiring her. My mistake.

Grace, the girl is on the cover of Vogue.

Tell her if she doesn't get it right on the next take, she can go back on the

cover of Vogue.

Where's Peter Angeli? I've got an appointment downtown in 20 minutes.

Will you be home for dinner?

Richard, I told you this morning. I've got a board meeting tonight.

You want me there?

It's business, Richard.

I just thought you might want me there.

It's business, Richard.

Peter!

Over here!

Don't wait up for me. I'll be home late.

Problems with a boy wonder?

You should let me handle this, Grace.

Peter, you were with my dad when he started his business, so I'm not going

play games with you.

Hi, Peter. Two years ago, you were our busiest commercial director.

But you know, economics are changing.

The advertisers, they're not buying as many new campaigns, and when they do buy

one, they want to make sure that what they're buying looks new.

Your commercials look old.

Don't sugarcoat it, Grace.

Is this your way of saying you want me to run a desk?

No. No desk.

I'm sorry, Peter, but I'm taking off a salary effective the first of next

Now, Grace, look, please.

The way things are, you fire me now. At my age, I won't be able to get a job

again. I am really very sorry.

Damn it!

Peter, I would like to get into my car now, please. You wouldn't have a car if

it hadn't been for me. I helped your father build this company. I know.

But Dad's gone, and I make the decisions for Harker Productions now. You ask me,

the wrong Harker is dead.

You're fired!

It's over!

Can't you do anything, Richard?

It's our company.

I'm sorry, Peter.

My God, I know what you think.

Really? Get her out of the house, Richard, now.

I'll see you in the den.

Grace.

I know I hurt you.

I made a mistake.

It was a terrible mistake. I made the mistake expecting anything more from

What do you mean? She wasn't the first. She won't be the last.

Grace, sweetheart, they don't mean anything to me. You know that.

Come on, I love you. Oh, stop it.

Love never had anything to do with our arrangement. You married me because you

wanted a ready -made life on a fast track.

I married you for exactly the same reason you slept with that girl. Let's

delude ourselves.

It's the truth, and I'm tired of lies.

Have a drink, Richard.

You can sleep in the guest bedroom. Oh, great, please.

I'll call my lawyer on Monday.

I want a divorce.

Meet me in the studio in ten minutes.

I don't care. Just meet me there.

Do you think she'll change her mind?

Grace, Harker, Maitland, change her mind?

Grace wants a divorce. Grace gets a divorce. End of discussion.

So you get yourself a good lawyer. Kevin, I signed a prenuptial agreement.

How bad?

Bad.

Richard.

Look, I don't know what to say.

Oh, this is your problem, too.

Oh, you think she's going to keep my big brother on the company payroll after

I'm gone?

If this happens, we are both on the street, buddy boy, just like N. Jelly.

And I put up with too much for too long to end up with nothing. Well, what are

you going to do?

I don't know.

I guess I will try to talk to her again.

My brother here yet?

He got him a few minutes ago, Mr. Maitland. Very cool.

See you later.

What did you do? Come on.

What did you do?

How much is it going to cost?

Well, you don't paint a place.

Paint starts to peel.

Wood gets exposed.

Next thing you know, it starts to rot.

No good, Mr. Matlock.

No damn good.

How much?

If I had any idea I was dealing with the Michelangelo of Atlanta, I never would

have wasted your time or mine.

Have a nice day.

I can do a real nice job for you. Have a nice day.

Highway robbery.

What?

Last time I had the house painted,

It was under $200.

Scraping and everything.

The last time you painted this house, Richard Nixon was running for vice

president.

Ben.

I just got a call from an old family friend.

He's being brought in for questioning about a murder, and he needs a lawyer.

No, not me.

Oh, Ben.

Every time I try to get a little work done on the house, another case gets in

the way. Now, I've got to draw the line somewhere, Michelle.

I'm going to get this old house painted if I have to do it myself.

Ben, he's a family friend. I can't turn him away.

Well, you're a lawyer. Take it yourself.

Well, yeah, I am a lawyer.

Yeah. Best in Atlanta.

Yeah, except for you.

I'm a house painter.

Okay, I'll do it.

I better get on downtown.

Yeah, if you want to talk to somebody, I'll be right here.

Or up there.

Mr. Angeli, I understand you had an argument with Grace Maitland on a film

yesterday afternoon. Don't answer that.

And didn't you say to her, the wrong Parker is dead? I was angry. She said

was going to fire me. Peter, if you want me to represent you, you're going to

have to do what I say.

I'm sounding guilty here, and I'm not. I would like to discuss this.

Well, do you still have a job now that she's dead?

Don't answer that.

Richard Maitland and his secretary spoke with Ms. Maitland at 7 .40 a .m. She

was found by the maid at 8 .50, an hour and ten minutes later.

Somebody pushed her down the stairs.

Mr. Angeli, where were you between 7 .40 and 8 .50 this morning?

My client was at home asleep, alone.

And when was the last time you were in the Maitland house?

Christmas. And you haven't been back since?

No. No? No!

Well, then tell me.

How did they get on with their case?

I own four or five pair of those glasses. How am I supposed to know how

there? I think you do know.

Counselor, I'm afraid I'm going to have to charge your client with murder.

Here's to life insurance, big brother.

Two million dollars.

May not be worth as much as her estate, but at least the insurance money's a

whole mine.

Ours.

Well, that's what I meant.

Some fat guy. I never saw him before.

Hi there.

You got some lawn out there.

That's tremendous.

You don't mow it yourself, do you?

No, of course not. Of course not. You know what kind of blitz that you'd get

your hands if you did that?

Excuse me, who are you?

I'm Max Sugarman, North American Mutual Insurance.

May I come in?

What a lawn.

Wow.

Look at this house.

I thought the lawn was big.

Mr. Sugarman.

Max, please.

Oh, you have a gift shop.

I got to bring something back.

Hi there.

Mr. Sugarman, I don't need insurance.

I don't sell insurance.

You'd be surprised how many people make that mistake.

I think it's the outfit.

I can't get a new outfit.

Mr. Sugarman, my wife just died, so if you don't mind.

I am so sorry about your wife.

Actually, that's why I'm here. I'm an adjuster. An adjuster? North American

Mutual carried a $2 million policy on your wife, and your list is so

beneficiary. Yeah, that's right. Grace wanted it that way.

Well, under those circumstances, $2 million, we have to investigate.

Investigate?

Strictly routine.

You have a pen?

A pen, yes, I think I do.

Do I have to sign something?

No, I do.

Your wife.

Did she have any enemies?

No.

What about Peter?

I don't think so.

Oh, don't worry.

I've taken enough of your time.

Sorry to bother you.

This is somehow good.

Mr. Sugarman.

Yeah?

My pen.

Pen.

I want to get one of these on a chain.

Then I guess I'd probably lose the chain.

We'll keep in touch.

I don't understand. Is there a problem?

I thought the police charged Peter Angeli with Grace's murder.

Yeah, well, that's easy for them to say.

It's not their money.

Peter's innocent, Ben. I'm sure of it.

And the evidence against him is all circumstantial.

Somebody must have planted those sunglasses.

What do you think?

If I buy 20 gallons, I can get this for half price.

That's an awful color.

Think so?

You don't want a goldfish orange house.

Well, I thought I'd try something new. No, stick with green and white.

Well, they won't give me a discount on green and white.

Oh, that must be Conrad. You want some help?

I'd rather get a little further into the case.

You're not really going to paint this place yourself, are you?

Well, if the price is these painters' charge, I'm seriously considering it.

Well... Mr. Matlock.

Max Sugarman, North American Mutual Insurance.

Oh, well, thanks. I don't need any of you. No, no, no, no, no. I understand

represent Pete Angeli.

May I come in?

Thank you.

Wow. What a nice house.

Very traditional.

Well aged.

I like it.

But if you don't mind me saying so, the outside can use a little paint.

Mr. Sugarman, are you connected with the Peter Angeli murder case?

North American Mutual Insurance held a policy on the victim. I don't know if

guys need help, but we're working on the same case. Let's work together.

This is Michelle Thomas, my associate. She's in charge. I have a very important

appointment.

The paint store closes at five.

Green and white.

Green and white.

Mr. Sugarman.

Mr. Matlock.

I'd stick with the green and white.

Mr. Sugarman?

Max, please.

Michelle.

Hello.

Have a seat.

Thank you.

Two million dollars. That's some motive for murder.

Have you talked to the husband?

This afternoon.

Malin was there with his brother.

He didn't say too much, but... But?

I think they were drinking champagne and they didn't want me to know about it.

People don't usually drink champagne to drown their sorrows. That's right. They

use it for celebrations.

New Year's, weddings, Uncle Morty's store burning down.

It's an insurance joke.

Oh, oh.

Yeah, I think pooling our resources is a fine idea.

Great. I have the home office doing a background research on Maitland, Harker

Productions, everything.

If you have anything, a lead, anything... My friend Christy's a model.

she's worked for Harker Productions. Maybe she knows something about Richard

Maitland.

I was going to call her myself.

But I'm due at Peter's trial hearing.

Great. That's wonderful.

I'll call her.

Women love talking to me. I think it's my animal magnetism.

Probably.

Yes, sir.

Where are you going?

Anywhere. You want a little job or work?

Yeah, I'd take one.

You know how to paint?

A little bit.

Hop in.

All right.

You hungry?

Well, I tell you, you put something in front of me, turn your head and turn

real quick, and if it ain't gone, I ain't hungry.

You like hot dogs?

How about fried chicken?

I like a man that speaks his mind.

You ain't gonna rob me, are you?

No, I gave that up a long time ago.

Do I look like I need life insurance?

No, you don't.

A friend of a friend of mine tells me that you used to date Richard Maitland.

Worst year of my life.

Would you?

The buckle. Would you buckle it, please?

Yeah, all right.

Why do you want to know about Richard?

Someone killed his wife.

Oh, my God. And you suspect Richard?

Richard may be scum, but killing Grace is the last thing he'd do.

Why is that?

She was his ticket to first class.

She made him sign a prenuptial agreement.

And what was in this agreement?

He used to cry about it all the time. If he ever left her or she ever left him,

he got zipped.

Would you?

Would I what?

Zip me up.

Oh, here.

But isn't that a good enough reason for him to kill her for her money?

Grace inherited from her father. When she died, it goes to her younger

Richard had nothing to gain from her death.

Yeah, just $2 million.

Sorry? No, just myself.

Uh, is it possible if a friend of a friend of mine knows that you had an

with Richard that his wife knew?

Yeah, that's why it ended.

Gray shanked the leash and good dog Richard came to heel.

Are you going to wear that?

Me? No.

No. Much better on you.

Very nice.

See you around.

And

cut.

Very nice.

All right. Very nice. Very nice.

Can we hold the snow for a minute here?

Hi. Hi.

It's amazing.

That guy actually gets paid to sit there kissing that girl. Tough job.

I thought insurance was glamorous.

Mr. Sugarman.

Who's your lovely friend?

Michelle Thomas. I'm defending Peter Angeli. You're an attorney.

What a waste.

We know you're busy, Mr. Maitland. We just have one or two questions.

What? Do you know a woman named Lisa Loomis?

I suppose Lisa told you about our affair.

She mentioned it. She also mentioned your wife found out.

Grace found out because I told her.

At least it was a foolish mistake, and Grace knew it.

It took some time, but we put our marriage back together, better than it

before. Really?

Well, you may find this difficult to believe, Miss Thomas, but my wife and I

loved and trusted each other.

Well, if she loved and trusted you, Mr. Maitland, why did she make you sign a

prenuptial agreement that left you nothing in the event of a divorce?

You think I killed her?

No, no, of course not.

Maybe a little.

Well, I didn't.

In fact, I was making a video test at the time she died. Can we see this? Make

an appointment with my secretary and you can see it tomorrow. After you do, I

expect your company to pay my claim. And if they don't, I'll see you in court.

When I get home tonight, I'm gonna tell him all about my troubles and I know

he'll make them right.

Then I'll ask him to forgive me for the things that I've done wrong.

I'm gonna have a little talk with Jesus when I get home tonight.

Billy,

you're not making a lot of progress.

Yeah, well, it's slow, but it's coming along.

I'm trying not to scrape off the house with all that old paint.

Oh, yeah, well.

Why don't you come down and have a peanut and we'll talk about it.

I thought you said you knew how to paint.

No, I said I've done some painting.

Barns and outhouses and stuff like that.

Oh, barns and outhouses and stuff like that.

Where'd you get that guitar?

Well, I bought this off a fella who was, let's say, in a hurry to catch a train,

and I gave him a dollar for it.

A dollar?

Yeah, well, he was in a hurry, and a dollar's all I had.

A dollar?

Yeah, it didn't look like much then, but I tightened up the loose joints, and I

scraped all the cracked finish and garbage off of it, and then I sanded it,

like I've been doing to that window up there.

Well, Billy, a house is not like a guitar.

You just kind of scrape it and paint it.

Yeah. Then I refinished it.

Took more than five months off and on.

You know, when I'd stay in a place long enough.

But now it sounds just like an organ.

Well, when you can, it won't sound like an organ, but...

With any kind of luck, it might look like a house.

I'm the life of the party

I'm everybody's friend

The center of attention

And that's how it's always been They

love to see me coming And they hate

to see me go But it's just a

game I'm playing And I'll never let

them know

And I can almost hear your laughter

When I turn out the

light And the life of the party

Dies a little every night

Yeah, the life of the party

I'll take two of these.

And two of these.

And two of these.

Like anything?

No. Hi, guys.

Oh, hi.

Max says that you think Richard Maitland may have killed his wife.

He was having an affair. She found out and wanted a divorce. He would have been

left without a dime.

So we shop your client.

Try to get two million dollars of my company's money.

It's a lot of doughnuts.

Trouble is, Richard Maitland claims he has an alibi on videotape at his studio.

Maybe Conrad ought to go over there and look around.

Maybe he'll get a lead.

Maitland said he'd show us the tape this morning, but...

Oh, you and I have a pre -trial hearing in five minutes.

Max, could you... I'm on my way.

There you go.

Enjoy them.

Don't look at me. I don't eat that stuff.

Left you holding the bill, huh, Mr. Matlock?

We do video tests in every commercial we produce.

We need to see how the product looks on screen, whether the set needs any

special lighting or presentation.

Wow.

So this is the test you made the morning your wife was killed?

Kevin was behind the camera. I handled the product.

I thought your brother was in sales.

How come he was working the camera?

Oh, we're a very small company. Everybody does double duty on all sides

camera.

How do you do that?

Very well.

Now, I remember we left a TV on during the test. See the monitor in the

background? The Channel 9 morning show is on.

Now, if you watch carefully, you can see the time whenever they do the news.

7 .45.

Five minutes after my secretary and I called Gray.

Now, watch.

It's so warm peace this way.

Took me eight minutes.

Oh, nine o 'clock.

Ten minutes after Grace was found dead.

You can run the tape back and forth, Mr. Sugarman. There isn't a cut longer than

five minutes.

Really? Just curious.

You can check it against the morning show.

I was there from 7 .45 until nine.

Satisfied?

What can I say?

That's some alibi.

You can say that you're going to pay my claim.

Excuse me.

Johnson, Mr. Maitland, can we work on your machines?

Well, then work on them.

Okay.

Last try. When do I get my money?

Yeah, well, can I get a copy of that thing?

I've stood for this long enough, Sugarman.

I'll see you in court.

You're a balladist.

I mean, what's he looking for? It's just routine. Relax. You said there was

going to be no problem, but something's wrong. Something's not right. Will you

just relax?

What if they don't give us the money? What are we going to do? Superman's seen

the tape. They don't have a choice. They'll have to pay off.

All right, Richard, what's happened to us?

I wish you'd never done it. We've done it. I wish you'd just... Would you

just... Shut up!

Maybe you should watch the tape one more time.

Max, we've seen it six times already.

Bear with me. Have a little patience. And in second place, the longest cut I

was only four minutes.

Not enough time to go home. Right. Richard Malin was there.

From 7 .45 to 9 o 'clock, just like he said.

Which means he didn't kill her. And if Kevin was running the camera... He

kill her either. But that doesn't make any sense.

You heard them.

He was coming apart. In another minute, he would have admitted the whole thing.

Stop the tape.

I'll have a way to make a living.

Could you blow that up?

Sure.

9 .30.

Maintenance watch says 9 .30.

Grace Maitland was killed before 9 o 'clock.

They must have taped the morning show and played it back after she was dead.

They killed her.

Hey, Billy.

Yeah.

You've been painting on that same window for two days.

Two days you've been painting on it and you got more paint on the floor than you

did on the window.

I guess I'm not cut out for this kind of work.

Yeah, I guess not.

Well, come on in.

I'll fix us something for lunch.

Sorry I couldn't do a little better.

Well, I'm just going to have to hire a real painter. That's what I should have

done to start with.

There.

Sky high, but you can't keep your hands off that thing, can you?

Well, it's with me day and night. It's about the only friend I've got.

Sometimes me and this guitar make enough money out on the street that...

We have enough food to eat and a place to stay for two or three days.

Come sit by my side,

little darling.

Come lay your cool hand on my brow.

And promise me that you will never...

Be nobody's darling but mine.

Nobody's darling but kind love.

Be honest, be grateful and kind.

And promise me that you will never

be nobody's darling.

but mine.

You're sweet as the flowers in the springtime.

You're as pure as the dew from the road.

I'd rather be somebody's pardon than

a poor boy that nobody

You played ukulele? Oh, yeah.

I've been wanting to pick a piece with you ever since I heard you play.

That's fun.

You know, Billy, you're never going to make a living running around the country

doing odd jobs.

You're no good at it.

I got to do something. Well, you ought to try something that you're good at.

Like what?

Like picking and singing.

You think so? Oh, yeah, yeah. You sing the old -timey way.

Not that country rock and roll stuff.

You got that twang to your voice.

Yeah? Oh, yeah, yeah.

Yeah, we ought to get you a cowboy outfit.

And then you can't tell. You sing good, and you're fairly good -looking.

You never know. You might...

you might have some kind of future.

Make sure you bring them all out together, too.

Where's Richard? Mr. Maitland? He left.

No, no, something's wrong. I got a message. I was supposed to pick him up.

Where did he go? He was in a hurry. I think he said the studio.

I just came from there.

What are they doing?

Putting the furniture in storage.

Who told him to do that? The estate?

No, Mr. Maitland.

Look, I'm sorry. I don't know what's going on. But you find Mr. Maitland, you

ask him, okay?

Is my brother here?

He just left.

You know where he went?

No. Let me check with the secretary.

Hi, Peggy. Lewis at the gate. How are you doing?

Mr. Maitland's brother is here. He's trying to find out where he went.

Yeah, he just left.

Okay. Really?

Okay. Okay, great. Thanks.

Peggy says she heard him calling Miss Loomis. He said something about coming

right over.

She can leave you again?

She says everybody's looking for Mr. Maitland this morning. Who else?

She mentioned an insurance man and a cop.

Oh, my God.

I mean... Where's Richard?

He isn't here.

Kevin, I just told... Kevin! He called you. He said he was coming here. You

missed him. He left for the airport about 15 minutes ago.

I don't understand.

Yeah, he asked me to go with him. Told him not on your life.

He's leaving the country.

You mentioned Para.

I got the feeling he plans to be gone a long time.

Anyway, do you mind? I was just about to take a shower.

Look, I'm sorry.

I'm sorry. I thought he was here.

Yoo -hoo.

Kevin.

Hi, Kevin.

Remember me?

Mac Sugarman. North American Mutual Insurance.

I know you're probably saying to yourself, I'm young, I'm healthy, I eat

I don't need insurance.

That's where you're wrong.

Everybody needs insurance.

Hey, your brother left town, left you here all alone to talk to the police.

You need a lot of insurance, Mr. Maitland.

And Max Sugarman, North American Mutual Insurance, is there to help you.

How many times do I have to tell you?

Richard is not going to leave me to take the blame for everything.

No way.

Now, does your client understand his rights?

I told him he doesn't have to answer any questions. And I am making a statement.

This wasn't my idea.

Whose idea was it?

Richard. Richard knew Grace was going to divorce him?

Oh, yeah.

And if she did, he'd wind up broke.

I mean, we both would.

So you decided to kill her? No, no, that was Richard's idea.

How'd you do it?

Richard came to work that morning and called Grace from his office.

We set up a cassette machine to record Atlanta this morning, and then I met him

out back in my car.

We drove to the house.

And Richard killed her.

We came back to the studio.

We shot the test with the cassette playing in the background.

I mean, that way it looked as if neither one of us had ever left.

Richard said it'd be the perfect alibi.

I will get this typed up.

Sure you want to sign it, Mr. Malin?

Do you have a pen?

Michelle!

Max, how'd it go?

You!

Sugarman! I want to know what's going on.

Your people had me down at your office all morning waiting for my check.

Really? All morning?

Did you get paid?

No. Then these two clowns showed up and dragged me down here.

If you had anything to do with the Shiverman, I swear I'll have you charged

harassment. Not before we charge you with murder, Mr. Malin.

They told me you left the country.

Oh, no.

Richard didn't leave the country.

Did you, Richard?

Well, I understand I owe you a lot, Mr. Sugarman.

Please, Max.

Max arranged everything. The moving van, getting the maid's cooperation, the

people at the studio, and Lisa Loomis.

She was a kicker, huh?

Nice girl.

I think she liked me.

So, Miss Vangeli, what now?

Well, you know what they say.

In my business, there's no such a thing as bad publicity.

Believe it or not, I am getting offers to direct from all over.

Commercials, music videos.

Did I hear somebody say something about music and videos?

Mr. Angeli, I'd like you to meet a friend of mine. He's a slow painter, but

fine singer.

With all your connections, commercials, and the music world, maybe you can help

the boy out. I think he's got possibilities.

I'm going down that road feeling bad.

I'm going down that road feeling bad.

I'm going down that road feeling bad, Lord, Lord, that I ain't gonna be

this way.

Well, I'm down in the jail on my knees.

Down in the jail on my knees.

I'm down in the jail on my knees, Lord, Lord. And I ain't gonna be treated this

old way.

They feed me on cornbread and peas.

They feed me on cornbread and peas. Yes, yes.

They feed me on cornbread and peas, Lord, Lord.

And I ain't gonna be treated this old way.