Original subtitles

Eat your heart out, Mormon tabernacle.

That was terrific.

And Cliff, not to beat a dead horse, but if you're having trouble hitting that F

above middle C, don't feel the need to belt it out.

Sorry. I'm sorry. I didn't realize I did that. Sorry, Ron.

Now, people, before we call it a day, I have a few announcements to make. First

of all, I'm going to be away for six weeks.

Listen, people, I love you, but I love my wife more. And if you'd had to put up

with my snoring and humming and atrocious eating habits for 20 years,

deserve a trip to Europe as well.

Now, the good news is that you'll be in the capable hands of our assistant choir

director, Ben Matlock.

Now also on the subject of departures, our own mezzo -soprano, Professor Ruth

Emerson, is about to leave us to accept her new responsibilities as a full

professor of psychology at Wellington University.

Congratulations.

German chocolate cake with hazelnut frosting. Oh, you're the sweetest,

Now listen, I don't want to hear one word about calories or cholesterol.

I bought the cake. The least you guys can do is eat it.

Congratulations, Benjamin.

Thank you, Father.

Got a little cake?

I think not. The museum just got in a bunch of antique books they need to

praise. Sound excited? I am. Rumor has it.

They have a first edition of Henry Ward Beecher's Proverbs from Plymouth Pulpit.

I'll see you next time.

Boy,

that guy really likes Brooks. Well, I say, he had an English department at

Baxter University.

I want a piece of cake.

You got a small piece here. Yeah.

You have a second, Mr. Matlock? Oh, sure.

You know, I love to sing.

Oh, I know. I see you singing every time you come in the chair.

I know I'm just a janitor, but I was wondering now that you're the new choir

director, whether there might be a spot for me in the choir.

Oh, well, Mickey... I know all the songs. I'm a great tenor. Well, I know,

know, I know that, but that's why Ron said no to start with. We've got way too

many tenors.

I'll sing bass.

Mickey...

I don't know why he's in.

I'm a much better tenor than he is.

I can hit an F above middle C while I'm drinking water.

Hey!

Some of these are fabulous, Miss Reynolds.

Are they?

I'm embarrassed. As I told you, they were left to the museum.

I'm completely unfamiliar with antique books and their value.

You want all of these appraised? Would that be too much trouble? Oh, no.

Shouldn't take too long.

I'll come to your office when I'm done here. Oh, please, take your time, Mr.

McDaniels. We haven't even decided what we're going to do with these books after

we inventory them and have them restored.

I'll see you in a couple of hours.

The Henson trilogy.

This is remarkable, Mr. McDaniels. I believe there are only three complete

of Henson's work in the entire country right now.

Unbelievable.

And you want to just donate them to the library?

What better place for literary treasures like these than a library, where the

public can appreciate their beauty?

They must be worth a fortune.

Thousands. I hope there's some tax benefit you could derive. Mr.

I don't want a tax benefit.

This isn't about money.

Mr. McDaniel, I really don't know what to say.

Oh, there is one thing.

Make sure the books never leave the library.

I'd hate to think that somebody might steal them.

You have my word on that.

There are 50 multiple -choice questions, and you will have one hour to complete

the exam.

I have to run an errand, but Professor Petrie will propter in my absence.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask him.

Begin.

Thanks, Tom, for filling in on some short notice.

Joan Reynolds over at the museum got in some more books yesterday.

Sounds like she might have some first -edition Melvilles.

They will still be there when the test is over, Wally. Oh, come on. When was

last time you saw First Edition Melville?

How long are you going to be?

A couple of hours.

Thanks, Tom. I will.

I'll type up the appraisals and bring them by in the morning. You're so kind

have come over on such short notice. Oh, please. As I've told you, books are my

passion. That is abundantly clear.

As Descartes said, the reading of all good books is like conversations with

finest men of past centuries.

I love that.

Hold it.

Mr. McDaniels, I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to open your briefcase.

Frank. I don't understand.

Sir.

Your briefcase? Frank, do you realize who this is?

Look, I'm sorry, Miss Reynolds, but we got a call saying that Mr.

McDaniels stole some books from the collection the museum received the other

day. I spoke with the director. He asked me to check it out.

I'm so embarrassed. Do you want me to call? No.

It's all right.

Good work, officer.

It was Tom Petrie that called you, wasn't it?

Son of a gun.

You're a thief?

Yes, I guess.

Technically, I would be considered a thief.

But my intent...

Well, we've been friends for years. We've sung in the same choir for seven

years. Don't tell me that you've been stealing books for all those seven

No, not for seven years. Thank God.

Fourteen.

Oh, I'll never get you off.

I don't want you to.

You don't want me to? No. Ben, I did this.

I've stolen hundreds of books for over a decade. I'm pleading guilty.

Somebody's got to stop me.

The reason I called you was I was hoping you could get me out on bail so I could

straighten out my affairs before serving my time.

Can I ask you something?

Anything.

What in the hell's wrong with you?

It's not like it's made you rich.

Oh, Lord, no.

You collect antique cars, right?

Yeah. Why?

I like them.

I can resell them for a profit. But you haven't sold them because you cherish

them and you want other people to see them.

That's the way I feel about rare books.

Well, why steal them? Why not just read them?

Because I want the world to revel in their brilliance as I do.

Museums, galleries, maybe they'll show off a collection every now and then.

In a library, people can touch them. They can read them.

So you've been stealing books from galleries to give to public libraries?

Yes.

Wally, you're a weird dude.

Ben, I know what I did was wrong.

And I know I've got to be punished.

I tried to stop, believe me.

I just couldn't.

The truth is Tom Petrie actually did me a favor by turning me in.

Thanks for watching!

I'm sorry to interrupt.

What's the matter, Harmon? We say you too loud.

I need to have a few words with Professor McDaniels.

What's this about, Lieutenant?

Tom Petrie was found dead in his office at the university this morning. He was

beaten with a paperweight.

Oh, my God.

Your fingerprints were on it.

What, so you think I killed Tom?

Do you mind coming downtown, answer some questions?

Go ahead, Wally.

I'll be there in a half hour.

Don't say anything until I get there.

Well, I guess rehearsal's over for today. I'll see you Friday. Thanks.

Sounds good.

I can't believe Tom's been murdered.

It hasn't been a good month for Wally either.

Excuse me, Mr. Mantler? Yeah, Mickey.

Do you think Professor McDaniel's going to be out for any length of time?

Because if he is, I could always, you know, fill him in.

Oh, Mickey.

That's right.

Bad timing.

Hey, I took a shot. It didn't go.

Wally, if you did this one, you're out of the quad.

I didn't do this one, Ben.

I didn't even dislike Tom Petrie.

I was in his office all the time. If my fingerprints are on that paperweight,

it's because I always played with it on his desk.

He did turn you in for stealing those books. You're going to serve time

of him.

I told your father.

He did me a favor.

I know.

Wally, nobody's going to believe you.

Nobody.

You saw Petrie had on him?

Yep.

So you're a choir conductor, huh, man?

Oh, just filling in, Harmon. I'm kind of an assistant choir director.

Regular Leonard Bernbach.

Steen. Bernstein.

Bob, I don't know whether this is Tom Petrie's handwriting or not, but someone

drew a map to somewhere, and it's in his wallet.

Hello, I'm Ben Matlock. And I'm Leanne McIntyre. We're attorneys.

Yes? I hope we're not interrupting you. This may sound a little peculiar, but

we're investigating a murder, and the victim had this map, which we think he

drew in his wallet.

It's directions to your house.

Did you know a Tom Petrie?

No, but these are directions to my house.

Mr. Petrie was a professor at Baxter University.

The only person I know at the university is Ruth Emerson.

Ruth Emerson hypnotized you? Oh, several times.

Since I can remember, I've had a terrible fear of flying.

Then about a year ago, I started having horrible dreams.

Violent ones.

I'd wake up screaming in a heavy sweat.

I was afraid to sleep.

Not like I could afford a psychologist, so I called the psychology department at

the university and ended up talking to Ruth, who suggested that maybe hypnosis

might reveal the source of my problem.

Oh. Did it work?

It was unbelievable.

As a matter of fact, she published an article on my case.

Oh, I remember that article.

You said you saw Rodney Fisk's plane crash.

He was a wealthy industrialist. Oh, yeah.

Didn't his plane go down in the 1930s?

Yes. Apparently, I was there.

You were there at Rodney Fisk Plaincrest 60 years ago?

Yes. In a past life.

Oh, in a past life.

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Ruth Emerson hypnotized you and you became a

young girl who lived in the 30s.

1936. Yes, I lived in Athens, Georgia.

My name was Emily Long.

I was seven. Wait a second. I thought Rodney Fisk... plane went down in the

of Mexico on his way to Rio.

Well, yes, that's what everybody thought. But apparently, under hypnosis,

recall the crash in vivid detail.

Ruth sent a bunch of researchers to Athens, and they found pieces of the

I know it sounds nuts. I've always been skeptical of reincarnation and past

lives, but...

I found pieces of the plane for crying out loud.

Wow.

Whatever happened to your fear of flying?

Gone.

Well, it's very interesting, but it still doesn't explain why

Tom Petrie had a map to your house and his wife.

Oh, no.

Mickey.

You're going to ask me to give up my spot in the choir, aren't you? Well, I

you it might be temporary.

I knew this was going to happen.

I hate life.

Stay, Mickey.

Stay.

Thank you.

Go over to Tom Petrie's office at the university and see if you can find out

he was so interested in Pat Preston. All right.

Do you believe in reincarnation?

No. If you'd heard what we did, you'd have to think about it.

So they actually found pieces of Rodney Fisk's plane exactly where she said it

was. I'm telling you, it's Donald Lamont.

Dad?

Somebody's following us.

No one's there, Ben.

I don't care if somebody's been following.

Let's take ten and we'll start back at letter A. Sounds good.

What?

This.

Sales slip?

Yeah.

Professor Petrie had a book on his desk called The History of the American

Agricultural Disasters.

Sales slip was in the book. It said he bought two books the day that he died. I

looked all around his office.

I looked all around his office for another new book. I couldn't find any,

went to the bookstore.

Do you know what the second book was?

No.

It was the biography of Rodney Fiske, the guy that Ruth Emerson went down in

plane crash at Georgia.

And it wasn't in his office? No, it was nowhere.

Are you sure? Yes, I looked everywhere.

Give me a copy of both books.

Guess who went book shopping?

Ruth.

Ruth,

I didn't want to discuss this in front of everybody.

Tom Petrie bought a copy of this book the day he died.

Rodney Fisk's biography?

Yeah, and he had a map to Pat Preston's house in his wallet.

Did he ever talk to you about your research?

No.

Wonder why I'm so interested in it.

Did you ever meet Tom Petrie?

No. Well, Tom was a very angry man.

He was angry because Wally was head of the English department and he wasn't. He

was jealous of everyone's success.

Maybe even mine.

Think he was trying to discredit you?

I don't know.

Ruth, I don't know this for a fact, but it looks like the killer might have

taken...

Tom's copy of this book from his office.

You think the murder had something to do with my research?

Why else take the book?

Maybe you and Leanne had better see regression therapy for yourselves.

See yourself in a field of flowers where you can completely relax.

A place of peace and beauty.

Do you hear me?

Yes.

You'll have difficulty lifting your right arm.

Go ahead. Try to lift it.

I can't. Good.

Then we'll go back in time.

The year is 1936.

Do you remember 1936?

Yep. What is your name?

Emily.

Emily Long.

And how old are you, Emily?

Seven and a half.

Where do you live?

On a big cotton farm outside Athens.

Emily, would you write your name and age on the quote?

day in 1936 when something came crashing out of the sky yeah could you tell me

about it i have two don't be afraid nothing's gonna happen

you went out in the field that day didn't you i bet he

was picking cotton and i went out to help him well he had a really good time

picking cotton and what happened

There was a noise.

What kind of a noise?

It was like a scream.

And it got louder and louder.

And then I think that big shining bird died onto the ground.

I got scared and I cried.

Mommy?

Mommy?

And then the...

The bird crashed into the ground, broke in all these pieces,

and there was fire everywhere.

My daddy tried to get close, but he couldn't. It was too hot.

Did you go back out after the fire was out?

Yeah. Once everything was burned up, daddy said it was an airplane.

We even found a piece of a town. We hid it in a creek opposite the big old

diving tree.

Why'd you hide it, Emily?

Daddy said the crash was our secret. He didn't want anybody else to know.

We hid something else, too.

What else did you hide?

A big piece of metal.

Daddy said it was part of the engine.

And we buried it by Grandpa's grave.

Emily, why did your daddy say that you couldn't tell anyone?

I don't know.

Emily, you told me before. I want you to tell me again.

I think... I think Daddy took something out of the airplane.

I have never seen anything like that before.

Something remarkable just happened in there. She's never mentioned the engine

part before.

Don't you see? If I can find the piece, that means my research is true.

Feel free to go inside.

Thanks.

Hi, Pam.

Hi.

So, how are you doing?

Fine.

Do you remember anything?

No. It's strange, though. When it's all over, I feel kind of refreshed.

Oh. Leanne?

Yeah.

There's a problem.

According to this book, there were bold weevils that year.

Is that important?

We better talk to Ruth.

Ruth,

this is Pat.

I think there's a problem.

Ben Matlock has this book which says there were bull weevils in 1936, which

means there was no cotton crop.

I'm coming over.

Wait for me if you get this message.

Hey, Pat, wait up.

We might as well go in together.

What are you doing here?

Same thing as you.

She

didn't

know I was coming. I thought the three of us should have a little talk.

About what?

About the, uh, fast one the two of you are trying to pull.

What is that supposed to mean?

Well, I mentioned to Pat about the boll weevils, and I guess she must have

thought I meant 1936, which would have meant there was no cotton crop, and that

means that there's no way she could have been out in that field picking cotton.

Well...

That's no big deal. I heard you mention Bo Weevils, and I thought I'd made a

mistake. He was just afraid maybe this was all some kind of fantasy, Ben.

And with the tail section of the airplane buried, and now with this new

part,

your story would have been true.

Well, that's right.

Ruth told you.

That you would not remember anything when you came out of hypnosis.

Ruth told me that you had never mentioned that engine part before.

Well, I thought you were on the phone.

You called her answer machine.

And that means the only way you could have known about that engine part was if

you were not under hypnosis.

That means this whole thing is a fraud.

Tom Petrie had a copy of that agriculture book on his desk. He knew

boll weevils.

I think he was going to expose you.

That's not true.

Yes, it is. Ruth, I... Pat, it's over.

He knows.

And he thinks we killed Tom Petrie.

We were in Athens, Georgia the night Tom died.

What were you doing there?

Tom confronted me outside of the church.

He gave me a week to admit that my research was a fraud.

I wasn't about to give up, so that night we... We,

uh... Bought an antique propeller blade and we buried it to prove that Tom was

wrong.

Well, if you were in Athens, Georgia, then who stole...

Rodney Fisk's biography from Tom Petrie's desk.

Well, I don't know.

But we were at the Athens Motel. You can call him.

We're there.

Didn't find anything else?

She didn't know where to look.

Oh, and you do?

No.

Hey, did you really think Wally McDaniels did it?

No.

Well, who do you think did it?

You wouldn't believe me if I told you.

It is?

This court is now in session.

Defense calls Mickey Saunders to the stand.

Mickey, would you please tell the court how you know Ruth Emerson?

She sings with the choir at the church where I work.

I'm a custodial engineer.

Do you see her very often?

They rehearse a couple times a week, so I see her then.

And on Sundays. She's always there on Sundays.

You ever go to her house?

She invited me over to help decorate her Christmas tree last year.

It was just her and me.

So how do you feel about her?

I like her.

A lot?

Yeah.

She's my friend.

Your Honor, I fail to see the relevance of all this. Your Honor, I know this

seems far afield, but I give you my word it's not only relevant, it's essential.

Proceed.

Mickey, I can't help but notice that you

hang around Miss Emerson a lot when she's at church, don't you?

Uh -huh, sometimes.

How come?

I don't know.

I like her.

I like to watch her.

I want to make sure she's okay.

You know, a lot of people might call a feeling like that

love. Do you love Miss Emerson?

Were you watching her when Tom Petrie came over to the church to talk with

There was a man.

This is a picture of the man

who died, Tom Petrie.

Were you watching when he was arguing with her at the end of which

Miss Emerson cried?

Yeah.

That must have been very difficult to watch a

person you cared for that deeply brought to tears.

Yeah. He shouldn't have made her cry.

Is that why you went over to his office tonight?

He was killed to teach him a lesson?

Oh, no.

But you did go over there, didn't you?

He shouldn't have made her cry.

He called her names.

Since the day he came by the church, Miss Emerson was never the same.

I could see it.

We were very close. Did I tell you that?

Mickey, this is a color photograph the police took of the scene of the crime.

You see it right here? The professor is marking some papers with a pen that uses

green ink.

And I looked high and low in that office, and I couldn't find that pen.

So I figured that whoever killed him... Must have taken that pen.

Maybe somehow during the struggle or something, he got stuck or scratched or

some blood on the pen. So he took it so he wouldn't incriminate himself. That

he'd make himself look guilty.

So we, Leanne and Cliff and I, asked around at different hospitals.

Your Honor, if there's a question around here, I fail to hear it.

You will now.

Mr. Aubrey, please stand.

You were sitting in the waiting room with this young man that night at St.

John's Hospital, weren't you?

I... I needed the tetanus shot.

You showed him the gash in your arm and he saw the green ink on your sleeve.

You know, I was following you.

I didn't mean to scare you.

I was going to tell you it wasn't Mr.

McDaniels that did it.

I never meant to make it look like it was him.

I think he knows that.

That man?

He shouldn't have done that.

That was wrong.

And be gracious unto you. And

be gracious.

The Lord be gracious, gracious

unto you.

way on Sunday.

You'll be familiar.

See ya.

I'll see you Sunday.

Okay, see ya.

Hi, we'll see you on Sunday.

Ben?

Fred, I can't make it on Sunday.

How come?

He's being sentenced on a robbery charge on Friday.

Oh, yeah.

Still not too late, you know.

Ben, I appreciate your concern.

We could show there's nothing to gain by putting you in jail. We might even be

able to get your sentence suspended.

As a great criminal once said, if you can't do the time, don't do the crime.

Thank you.

Bye. See you.

Bye. Bye, Molly. Thanks for everything.