Original subtitles

Thanks. We're going to be late.

For what?

Law club.

Who cares?

I should never join that thing in the first place.

It takes too much time.

Did you ever get that urge to just drop out of school?

No. And neither should you. I mean, you're top of the class.

I break my back and I barely get by.

Well, maybe I could help you.

Really? Sure.

How would you like to see a Godard film tonight?

I don't know.

What, about going with me or seeing the movie?

Well, I love Godard.

Don't answer now. Look, I tell you what, I'll take you to lunch after law club.

Anywhere you want, and we'll talk about it then.

Anywhere I want to go?

Yeah. Anyway, give me practical. I need tuition money. Okay.

I was cross -examining this widow one time, and I was pretty sure she had

her husband.

She was a little tiny woman. She kept crying into her handkerchief, and I was

afraid if I went straight at her, the jury might get mad at me, so I...

I stayed on the slow side to keep the jury on my side, and I was able to show

reasonable doubt, and that's all a defense attorney has to do. Yeah, Mark?

Have you ever seen the perfect murder?

Well, I've seen cases that were never solved.

Yeah, but people do get away with it.

Sometimes.

It happens a lot.

More than we need.

How do they pull it off? What do they do?

Well, sometimes they get lucky.

But with the advances in forensics, the body alone can provide enough evidence

to identify the killer.

So for a person to commit the perfect murder, the first thing they'd have to

is get rid of the body, right? Well, I'd say that'd be a start in the right

direction. But just because there's no body doesn't mean somebody won't be

convicted because there have been cases like that.

What if you have a motive? I mean...

You really hate somebody, and you want to kill them.

How you do it? Yeah, how you do it. How you do it.

Is this a personal question?

Well, I guess most killers make a mistake.

But I suppose, theoretically,

if you wanted to kill somebody, you'd first have to have a motive.

So you'd want to do it.

Then you'd...

Find somebody to kill and you'd have to get rid of the body. Yeah you get rid of

the body and then try to frame somebody else but the person you frame has got to

have the motive and the means and the Opportunity to commit the crime, right?

Yeah Well,

have you ever heard of anyone they made a knife out of ice and then melted the

murder weapon?

So either no one's ever done it or it's such a good trick no one's ever gotten

caught Spelt him like a true liar.

Let's go have lunch. Thanks, Eddie. I can't. Oh, you can't? Oh, what? He won't

let you?

I'm having lunch with Mark. Okay. We'll have dinner then. Eight o 'clock.

Eddie, I told you.

It's over.

That's it.

It's over?

We're over?

After six months? No.

We had a fight.

Who doesn't fight?

But it's not over.

Hey, hey. You don't seem to get it, do you? She doesn't want to see you

Why don't you just get out of her way? Hey, look, guys.

Good talk.

You've got a really big mouth.

You're beginning to annoy me.

See you around.

Leave me alone.

Leave me alone.

What's going on?

The papers are to be unmarked, filmed, any of the English philosopher.

Oh.

Are you going to talk to him? Yes.

Now? Oh, no.

You have spoke to the law club.

One of our students by the name of Eddie Price has disappeared.

Yeah? Yes, Eddie Price's roommate found blood on the floor of the garage and a

broken beer bottle in your body.

You think he was killed?

I don't know.

He's gone.

Police have been searching for him for five days. They haven't found him.

Maybe he just took off.

Yes, but he left behind his glasses and an uncashed scholarship check.

Without a body, murder's hard proof.

So I've been told.

The police were here and we talked.

Ben, I think you had a hand in this.

What did I do?

Well, from what I hear, you all but gave your class a...

A blueprint of how to commit a perfect murder.

Wait a minute.

I'm talking to these freshmen on criminal law. We talk about murder,

all kinds. Yes, but if one of your students took what you said and went out

killed... That's garbage and you know it. Well, now, just take it easy.

You teach physics. Your students don't build nuclear bombs. Well, this is

different. It's not different.

Look, these are young, impressionable boys and girls.

I'm just talking to these kids as a favor.

The police think I'm in on this?

Well, no, I didn't say you did it intentionally.

I'm saying I didn't do it at all.

There you go.

You sound sad.

Oh, yeah.

I try to do a public service, and I wind up sticking my foot right in it.

What in the world did you do?

Well, I'm talking to these freshmen over at the college.

You know law school? Yeah.

And I'm talking to them about criminal law. Yeah.

And one of them asked me if I've ever seen a perfect murder.

Yeah.

and I told them that I had.

And one of them, a fellow named Eddie something, nobody said, but I get the

feeling that people didn't like him. Uh -huh. Kind of a jerk.

Right. Well, anyway, he turned up missing, and they found some blood and a

broken beer bottle in his garage.

Do they think he was killed?

Well, they don't know.

They didn't find the body, and he's been...

Gone for five days.

Oh, the perfect murder, no body.

Yeah.

Dean Rutledge says that he thinks that maybe somebody did it because of what I

said. And he said the police think maybe that happened, too.

Oh, Dad, I'm so sorry.

Oh, why couldn't I have just said, why don't we talk about something else, or

let's sing the sweetheart of Sigma Chi or something?

How dare they blame this on you?

I mean, here you are, giving your valuable time, trying to teach a bunch

freshmen about law.

One of them asks you a question. I mean, Dad, I know you. You're not going to

tell them to go fishing.

You're going to answer their question.

Well... I mean, you are a citizen performing a public service. One of them

disappeared. They don't know if he's murdered or not, and they blame this on

you?

Yeah. It's not right.

No. It is just not right.

No, it's not.

When do you see these kids again?

Tomorrow, I suppose to. Yeah?

Yeah. I'm going with you.

I'm Leanne McIntyre.

And that's my dad.

As some of you may know, his integrity and his judgment are being challenged.

That is, one of your fellow classmates, Eddie Price, is missing.

Some people say that happened because of something my father said to you.

Now we've got several possibilities.

Mr. Price could have gone off somewhere.

We'll find out.

Or this could be a practical joke.

We'll find out.

By the way, if this is a joke, whoever pulled it will be out of this school

faster than you can say Dave Justice.

And last but certainly not least, Mr. Price could be dead.

Maybe someone killed him.

Maybe one of you.

We'll find out.

All of you are members of this law club. I assume that means you want to learn

something about law.

Well, you're going to because you're going to help us. When I say we'll find

out, I mean all of us.

Me, my dad, and you.

Could you hold your question for just a second?

Here's what we need you to do.

You're going to do what we do. You're going to ask questions and get answers

from anybody, from each other, and you're going to start today.

Now, you had a question.

Yeah. If Eddie is dead, when was he killed? As near as the police can

tell, around 8 o 'clock on Tuesday night.

You said that your father's integrity and judgment are being challenged?

It's been suggested that something my father said to you in regards to perfect

murders prompted whatever happened to Eddie Price.

I don't believe that.

Neither do I.

But you think there's some truth to that?

I don't know.

I get the feeling from your daughter's speech that we're all suspects.

Oh, you betcha.

Well, that's it for today.

We'll meet tomorrow morning at 10 a .m. at 1015 Willow Springs Road. I suggest

you write this down.

That's my dad's house and our office.

Oh, and for your information, we've been in touch with the police, and they know

all about this.

So if you don't show up or decide not to cooperate, that makes you all the more

suspect.

See you tomorrow.

Kids as investigators, that's a first for us.

Well, they are freshmen in college.

Makes it that much easier to keep an eye on them.

I'm Leanne McIntyre.

Hi.

I'm looking into the disappearance of Eddie Price. I spoke to you this

Yes, ma 'am.

You play?

Yeah.

So you and Eddie went to school together?

Yeah.

You two were good friends?

Uh -huh.

You ever answer a question with more than one word?

Sure.

Good. Here's a little test.

How long did you and Eddie live together?

Two.

Years. Very good.

I understand Eddie wasn't a very nice guy.

Depends. On what?

Who you ask.

Well, let's just say I was going to ask somebody that didn't like him. What

would they say?

I don't like him. Why?

He liked to chase other guys' girls.

Does that bother you?

Why? Why what?

Why would it bother me? Did he ever go after your girl?

No. Was there ever anyone you knew who went crazy when Eddie stole their girl?

Yeah. Who?

Bobby.

Simpson. Bobby Simpson.

What girl did Eddie steal from Bobby Simpson?

Carol Thompson.

When Eddie stole Carol from Bobby, what did he do? Did he go what?

Ballistic. Ballistic. Great.

It's been wonderful talking to you.

I may want to talk to you again.

Sure. Well, thank you. Anyway, let me know if you hear anything.

Yeah. Okay.

What are you doing here?

Taking a look at the scene of the crime. What about you?

Yeah, I figured that whoever killed Eddie, if he's even dead, had to kill

the garage and move the body. And I don't think anybody carried a dead body

the street, so I figured that there had to be a car.

Very good, Sherlock.

Sherlock.

Got any leads?

No. No, I was just going around house to house asking if anybody saw anything.

You know, Mark,

Everyone saw Eddie dump that beer over your head.

I know that.

I know. Half the law club was there when that happened.

Police talk to you?

Yeah.

I guess you got a good reason to be nervous.

I'm not nervous, Don.

Look, I'm doing this because I was told to and because I want to.

I love to play football.

They don't let girls in their game.

We ought to do something about that.

Yeah.

But you're not here to talk about football.

No. I want to know a little bit more about Eddie Price.

He wasn't the kind of boy you'd take home to mother.

My parents hated him. Why's that?

I don't know. He was wild.

Unpredictable.

And you like that?

I guess.

He wanted what he wanted when he wanted it.

Sounds like trouble to me.

Wasn't there some guy you knew you shouldn't be with, but you just kept

back?

Yeah, I guess I've known a couple of those.

Every girl should.

So how did Bobby feel when you dumped him for Eddie?

He didn't like it.

Why are you looking at me?

Just wondering.

Why would I want to kill Eddie?

I didn't do it.

I was at the library studying from 6 to 11.

And if you don't believe me, you can ask Debbie Glazer. We were together.

He poured beer over my head. I might have slashed his tires or keyed his car.

He humiliated you in front of Carol.

I didn't kill him. Why would you kill somebody for pouring beer over your

Where were you the night he died?

I was at home working out.

Alone? Yes, alone.

No alibi?

I saw you at the cafe, Bobby. For all I know, you might be trying to frame me.

Bobby, I spoke to Buddy Hart, Eddie's roommate. He said you hated Eddie

he took Carol from you.

Hated?

Isn't that a little overstated?

Bobby, you said you wanted to kill him.

Time out here. Okay, I was madder than hell when Carol first dumped me, but

was a long time ago.

You may not believe this, honey, but guys do get over you.

Say Eddie's dead, if he is dead.

Would you be glad?

You know what? I don't like being treated like a suspect.

Don't you get it?

We're all suspects.

Okay, at the time Eddie was killed, I was home, studying.

Alone? Alone, yes.

And I don't have an alibi either.

You know, I'm out of here. You guys want to play their game. You know, that's

your problem.

Hey, Bobby.

I can prove he was home.

We live in the same apartment complex.

My parking space is right across from Bobby's. And on the night we're talking

about, I went in and out a couple of times, and his car was always there.

You sure?

I'm positive.

There were a lot of cars.

How can you be sure Bobby's was there?

Well, it's a 67 Mustang convertible.

Cherry.

Does that mean it's in good shape or the collar?

Both.

Okay, I think we better stop for a second.

Okay.

Wait, wait, wait.

I need to tell you before you find out, Eddie kind of stole one of my girls.

Yeah, well... Who?

Patty.

You went out with Patty?

Yeah. I was going to break up with her, and then Eddie stepped in, and she went

with him.

Were you upset?

No.

And it didn't kill him.

If he's dead.

Well, where were you that night?

Carol, you know I was in the play.

I was in the theater department's production of a musical called The Ball.

I still am.

Oh, you act.

And sing.

Ah. Well, thank you, Don, for that.

And as Leanne said, tomorrow on Henny.

Hey. Hey. Bye. Bye.

What do you think?

Oh, I'd love to see Don act and sing.

Excuse me.

Yeah. Could you tell me if there was a production of the play last Thursday

night?

Yeah, there's Thursday through Sunday, four shows a week.

Was Don Hubbard in the production last Thursday night?

I guess.

You guess?

Is he in the play?

He's in the chorus.

The chorus, okay.

Any of them here?

Yeah, but it's before the show, and we can't just... I'm Leanne McIntyre. I'm

investigating the disappearance of Eddie Price.

Oh.

Then you haven't seen the show.

No, I haven't.

Come over here.

There you go.

The ball is a masquerade.

I see.

Hello.

I'm looking for Don Hubbard.

Dan. Hi.

Hi. Listen.

Let me take you out to dinner after the show.

Do you wear that mask for the whole play?

How about coffee?

Done.

You came to find out if I was here then?

Yes. Do you wear the mask for the whole play?

Yes.

Then how could anyone know you were here? I mean, even the person standing

to you wouldn't know it was you.

I guess that's true.

Never been in a police station before.

You know, look, maybe we should just leave.

No, come on. You wanted to talk to him, so let's talk to him.

Let's go.

Hi, Steve.

You remember Carol Thompson and Mark Randall?

Hi. Hello.

Hi.

Look, have you finished questioning everybody in the law club?

Yes.

Do you have any suspects?

We were hoping you could bring us up to date on your investigation.

You pretty well know what we know. We've made an extensive search for the body

and have come up with nothing.

We pieced together the broken beer bottle that was found on the floor of

garage. There's no identifiable prints so far.

And you've checked the hospitals?

Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina.

You're going to continue the investigation?

Yeah. Why would you pursue this when you don't know if he's dead?

Eddie Price has been missing for ten days. He's without his wallet, his

and none of his credit cards have been used.

I think it's fair to assume that he was murdered.

But without a body, you can't go to trial.

That's not true.

Murder cases do go to trial without a body.

In Los Angeles, the Beverly Hills Boys Club case, they were convicted, no body.

And in San Diego, against a police officer, they convicted.

Nobody. There's another possibility.

Bodies show up.

Weeks, months later, they're found.

Who are the suspects?

You asked that already.

I know, I know, but I think we have the right to know if we'll be investigated.

You'll be called at the appropriate time.

Okay, thank you, Steve. We should go.

I'm sorry I lost you. the other day. Well, I could have handled it better

myself.

So, I hear you've started a little investigation?

Yeah, I've got to look into this.

I know.

The reason I called you is because I remembered something that I should have

told you.

How about a hot dog?

Well... Too long away.

Did you ever hear of the Charles Webber scholarship?

No.

At the end of the first semester, we give it to the most deserving freshman.

Now, Mark Randall was one of the two finalists for the award.

Did he get it? No.

Eddie Price did.

But I was the one that had to tell Mark that he lost out.

How did he take it?

Badly. He was very upset.

You see, Mark figures that Eddie had sabotaged his chances by

accusing him of cheating.

Sounds like it.

Something Eddie would do.

Maybe. But it had nothing to do with our decision.

Now, I tried explaining this to Mark, but he just wouldn't believe me.

He became very angry.

How angry?

Very.

Then later, I heard there was some kind of fight.

Why didn't you tell us you had a fight with Eddie?

Because it wasn't a real fight.

I pushed him. He poured beer over my head.

I didn't kill him.

Mark. No, no, no, no, wait.

You're putting together a circumstantial case against me just because I can't

prove where I was the night that Eddie disappeared?

Well, neither can Bobby.

Yes, but we know where his car was.

And Dot says he was in the play, but who knows that for sure? The whole chorus

wears masks.

Carol, I did what you suggested, and I called your friend Debbie Glazier.

And she told you we were staying together.

Yes, but she remembers something you don't.

What? When you and Debbie came out of the library that night at 11 o 'clock,

your car wasn't in the spot where you said you'd parked it.

I forgot where I parked my car. I didn't think it was important.

Was another car parked where you thought yours was?

Well, yeah, yeah, I guess.

Yes or no?

Yes. Carol, I mean, I'm not an overpriced criminal lawyer, but I doubt

misplaced your car.

I think it was in the wrong spot for another reason.

What reason?

You moved it.

Are you crazy?

I was in the library studying.

Obviously only part of the time.

I think you left the library.

You went somewhere. You came back and found that someone was in your spot.

So you had to park elsewhere.

Are you calling me a liar?

How dare you?

Carol, you hated Eddie Price.

I mean, you dumped Bobby for him, and then Eddie treated you like crap.

Would you look at her?

Do you really think that Carol could have moved Eddie's body?

Can we stop?

I've had all I can handle for now.

See ya.

Why did you do that to me?

Do what, sweetheart?

Why did you get off accusing me of murder?

Hey, it was just a joke. Oh, yeah, it was really funny.

Hey!

Hey, Mark!

Hey, Mark, hey!

What the hell are you doing?

I... Well, I would kill if they had to move the body and there had to be blood,

so I was just looking to see... Looking in my car?

You were looking for blood in my car? You think I killed anybody? Huh?

Huh? Let it out!

Let it out!

Hey, hey, hey, hey!

Whoa, whoa, whoa!

Let it out!

He saw me at the cafe and he knew about the fight over the scholarship.

He knew if anything happened to Eddie, I would be the likeliest suspect.

He's really creative, Mark. He could have a real future in fiction.

You're up for the show.

I'll leave tickets at the door.

Nobody can confirm that Don was at the theater that night.

What do you think?

I don't like that guy. I really don't.

John Hubbard.

Could you tell me where I might find him?

Sure. Around the back.

Just follow the yellow brick road. Thanks.

What are you doing here?

Hi.

Wow. You must be Karen Williams.

You're a very lucky guy, Don.

Not only is your friend attractive, she also pays you $4 ,000 a month.

What are you talking about?

I went to your bank.

Their friendly computer shows that Ms. Williams here makes monthly deposits

your account.

What do you do for that money, Don?

Why don't you leave?

Darling, my honor doesn't need defending.

See what the lady wants.

What do you want?

I told you where I was the night Eddie Price died.

But no one can verify that.

What night was that? The 30th. I was on stage.

He was there.

The 30th was my birthday.

And I went to the play and then brought him home.

How would you know that was Don on stage?

Oh, I'd know Don no matter what he has on.

Besides, you see that bracelet?

He was wearing it.

I gave it to him for my birthday.

Ah.

Well, happy belated birthday.

You got it. Yeah.

Got here as fast as I could. What's up?

I want to look inside your car.

In my car?

Why is he searching my car?

Well, he thinks the reason your car wasn't where you remembered parking it

night at the library might have something to do with the murder.

Hey, Leanne, look at that.

What's that?

Something shiny on that gas pedal.

What's that shiny spot on your gas pedal?

I don't know.

Looks like varnish.

How did varnish get on my gas pedal?

Now, this is not a court of law.

This is just a bunch of us having a discussion, okay?

Okay. And so I'll ask some questions, and why don't I,

I'll just, I'll start with Bobby.

Fire away. Okay.

Now, you and Carol used to date.

Yeah, we went out for a while.

How long is a while?

A little over a year.

Oh, for a fellow your age, a year's a long time. You must have thought quite a

lot of her.

I did.

I still do.

Who caused the breakup between you?

She did.

Could you tell us why Carol wanted to break it off with you?

Carol said that she felt that she was just too young to handle a commitment.

That's not what a young man in love with a girl wants to hear, is it? I

understood.

You understood that the girl you loved wanted to play the field? I understood.

That she felt that she was too young to tie herself down.

But she did.

Didn't she? I mean, the day after you broke up with her, she started going out

with Eddie Pride.

Yeah. Make you mad?

I told you before, I was angry. Yeah, but that went away.

Yeah.

Yeah. Now...

The night Eddie disappeared, you were in your room studying.

Yes. The proof we have of that is that your car was parked down front. That's

right, it was.

How about Carol's car that night? Did you drive it?

No, I didn't. I told you I was at home, so...

This is the gas pedal off Carol's car.

You see that shiny part right there?

Yeah, I see it. I think that's varnish. What about you?

Could be.

Yeah.

And, uh... And this is, uh... What are you doing with my shoe?

I borrowed it.

What the hell is going on? I don't have to sit here and answer your questions.

I'm out of here.

You got something to hide? No.

Then sit down and answer the man's questions.

Who is he to interrogate me like this?

Look, Bobby, if you haven't done anything wrong, then you got nothing to

about.

It's up to you.

Now.

A lot of this is supposition.

But I think it'd be good for all of you in the law club to see how a lawyer

might put a case together if you decide to go ahead and go into law.

So, you see this shiny spot here on the bottom of

your running shoe?

I see it. I think that's forage, too.

I think it's the same varnish that's on the gas pedal from Carol's car.

Your uncle owns a speedboat, doesn't he? An old mahogany inboard?

Yeah, he does.

Are you aware that on September 30th, at

5 o 'clock in the evening, a fresh coat of varnish was applied to that boat?

No, I wasn't.

The varnish on that boat is the same as the varnish on your running shoe and the

gas pedal from Carol's car.

That doesn't prove anything.

No. No.

No. Maybe not.

But according to your uncle, that varnish was applied between 5 and 6 .30

evening and would have been dry by 1 o 'clock in the morning. And that means

that you might...

have stepped on that boat that evening.

Did you lie about staying home and studying, Bobby?

No.

And you said you didn't drive Carol's car that evening, but there's that

on the gas pedal.

Did you lie again?

No.

Well... Well, I think... I think you...

I think you might have killed Eddie.

I think you might have slipped out of your apartment that night. You didn't

your car because you knew that somebody might notice it was gone.

I think you might have used the keys to Carol's car that she gave you when you

were dating.

I think you might have driven her car out of the parking lot at the library

to Eddie's house, killed him, put him in the car, driven him... to the boat,

taken him out to sea, and dumped his body overboard.

You're dreaming, Mr. Matlock.

As we were discussing there in law club that day, I don't think there is such a

thing as perfect murder.

I mean, usually something is overlooked, missed.

Or sometimes something unexpected happens, like maybe.

When you drove Carol's car back to the parking lot at the library, somebody was

in her spot.

So you had to park somewhere else. Maybe she came out and forgot where she

parked. Nobody would have thought anything about it.

Except that night, a murder may have been committed.

And so everything, everything, no matter how small, had a spotlight on it.

Did you drive Carol's car, Eddie's body, to the boat that night? You can't prove

that I killed Eddie Price.

Mr. Matlock, you can't prove that Eddie's dead.

No.

No, I can't.

There's no body.

There may never be a body.

I'm just making suppositions. But I tell you, as sure as we're all sitting here,

if I'm making these suppositions,

The police will, too.

Well, I guess that's it for me and your law club.

I can't say it's an experience I've enjoyed. I'll never forget it.

I'm sure you won't either.

So I wish you all well, and goodbye.

So what do you think?

Well, I don't know. I try to do something good, and I wind up sticking

right in it.

You did something good.

Well, yeah, but if the boy died, then maybe something I said did have

to do with it. Maybe not, but I wish I'd just taught him how to make cornbread.

You don't make good cornbread.

You know what I mean.

Yeah.

Oh, I know you, Dad, and I know what you're going to do. You're going to moan

and groan and carry on like this, and the minute somebody asks you to teach a

class or sweep out of school, you're going to say yes.

Well. We've had plenty of talks about this.

It's called giving something back to your community, remember?

Yeah, but this time I did stick my foot right in it. Well, maybe next time you

won't. Maybe not. Maybe not.

You want to go back?

No.