Original subtitles

Ah, yes, I remember these from happier days.

But it is only right I tell you. And you tell your honored father these stones

are worth far more than $40 ,000.

That includes the price of secrecy.

It must never be known where they came from, nor that I ever left China to

you.

Arrangements have been made to sell these diamonds in another country.

They will never be seen in Hong Kong.

Many prayers accompany your return to your father.

In China today, even prayers must be submitted for approval in triplicate.

May your years be long, Mr. Ng, and filled with tranquility.

I say, sir, whoever your young visitor was, he certainly took off in a rush.

But now about those Mandarin socks. They're just not... Mr.

Red.

Here, let me help you.

Call him. Call him.

Call the doctor. I think it's his heart again.

Mr.

Kuehler? Mr. Sherwin.

Very sad occasion.

Depressing. Of course, with the legal mumbo -jumbo. Just tell us who gets

Very well.

Except for a small bequest of Kong, who will provide that Miss Julie Ng shall

inherit.

A lot of it?

It's not much, I'm afraid.

There's very little money, just the house and... Well, I've drawn up a

inventory of the property.

If there are any questions, Missy.

Yes.

There's no mention here of the diamonds.

Diamonds? Well, there was a collection of them.

My grandfather told me about it on the phone the other night.

Oh, but I couldn't have overlooked a thing like... Possibly Mr.

Sherwin.

Diamonds? Never heard of any diamonds, old boy.

Lewis, I heard the news just now when I landed here. It's dreadful.

Just dreadful.

It's hard, I understand.

Meet Mr. Ng's granddaughter from San Francisco.

Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know.

I'm Ralph Iverson, O .E. in sales.

May I express my deepest sympathy?

Thank you, Mr. Iverson.

I've done business with your grandfather off and on for the past ten years, so

if there is anything I can do... Not unless you took over a few diamonds on

way in.

Am I saying?

Diamonds? Miss Ng, if you could possibly remember exactly what your grandfather

said... Well, it was all rather garbled.

We had a very bad connection.

He said something about the diamonds, then something like, you and your mother

will have fewer burdens because of them.

Mr. Ng left some notes in his bedroom.

There might be some reference there.

Excuse me.

Well, I'm in Hong Kong for the day, but please, don't hesitate to call upon me

anything, anytime.

You're very kind, Mr. Iverson.

As a matter of fact, there is something I would like to ask you. I'd be

delighted. My grandfather left this little business to me, and I have no

what to do with it.

I think Mr. Sherwin expected something from this.

Hello there.

Excusez -moi, madame.

Oh, you're French.

How odd.

Huh?

You remind me of someone I met on a Mediterranean cruise.

He used the name of Chilton, I believe.

Colonel Chilton?

Oh, of the military, of course. But since my name is not Chilton... No, no,

He wasn't a real colonel. The police took him off the boat at Athens, I

Oh, dear.

So it couldn't possibly be you, then. Excuse me, madame.

You must excuse me. I have official business, you know.

Official?

Sûreté nationale.

Lovely little knick -knacks, aren't they?

Considering they're just pieces of pure carbon.

The second cousin to a piece of... Let's start off with a series of don'ts.

Don't, uh, conceal them on your person.

Oh, I'm not referring to your clothes.

Fluoroscope, you know.

And, uh...

Don't submerge them in a jar of cold cream or toothpaste tubes. It's very old

hat.

Well, just what would you recommend?

Pay the duty, old man.

No, no, that's not the question.

The ice is hot.

Well, forget it, old chap.

This is a job for only a professional.

Ralph, the door is locked, for heaven's sake.

Just a moment.

You break the door in. That's a big idea.

You got somebody in here?

You see anyone?

What do you want? I'm trying to get some work done. I forgot something.

It's not in there. Of course it is. You don't even know what I'm after. What's

wrong with you, Ralph?

Get out of these high heels.

What's this, Ralph?

I don't remember this. It's a gift.

Nothing. A cigarette box for the boss.

Lorraine, look. Why don't you go play shuffleboard or something?

Just make go and get drunk.

Iverson, my dear fellow, I leave you to your problems.

I say, what a good thing she wasn't one of those customs baddies. You really

would have been for it then, wouldn't you?

I'll think of something, somehow, to do this.

Well, what would it take for you two, well, take over, to come out of

retirement?

Well, let me see now.

A free ticket, bar credit, and a small commission.

Are you sure you can get those stones past the San Francisco customs?

Nothing could be simpler.

But you don't even have any clothes on board. My dear fellow, a true

professional is always packed.

There's still time to make a phone call or two from the pier.

My number one boy could have a bag here within ten minutes.

All right.

It's a deal.

I'll get the diamonds to you as soon as we set sail.

And thanks to Raoul.

Thank you very much. Thank you very much.

Yes, I see.

Good work, Sergeant.

Now, that seems to settle the question.

Now, as I was saying, there's really no trace of diamonds of any sort.

They've never been seen or heard of by the people closest to your grandfather.

The queue here, the servants, or Mr. Scholl.

On balance, there's reasonable doubt the stones ever existed.

Inspector, hasn't the possibility ever occurred to you that...

Someone is lying?

Oh, no. Not you, Mr. Q.

Mr. Sherwin, you mean.

You mean you found him?

Yes, we have, Mr. Q.

He even submitted to a search.

Well, he certainly wouldn't be carrying the diamonds around with him.

I think the diamonds would be in his possession.

If he had them at all.

Especially in view of the fact he's sailing for America.

He's sailing?

When? Right now.

Then I'm going after him.

I'm afraid that's rather out of the question, Miss Eng.

My sergeant just called from the docks.

The SSIO was just casting off.

Must have been. No,

I... Yes, I know, my dear. You came out on a pilot boat. Sounds very

adventuresome.

Not really. I, uh... I overslept.

Oh, how often I've done that myself.

I recall one time in the Indian Ocean... Please, excuse me. I have to send a

wireless right away, please.

Barry, remember that little Chinese -American girl about six months ago? Her

name was Julie Ng?

Yes.

The young girl at Paldrake, located for a relative in Hong Kong.

Her grandfather.

He passed away last week, and someone has stolen her inheritance.

Now a man named Tudor Sherwin has stolen the diamonds.

Diamonds?

Well, we'd better prepare a welcome for this Mr. Sherwin.

Shall I let Paul know?

Yes, and the custom service.

Lounging like a millionaire.

The Hong Kong police searched him. He said he didn't have them, but I know he

does.

We'll see here now. He's pretty clever.

Took your grandfather years to catch on to that boy.

Anyhow, I doubt very much if he'd bring the diamonds aboard ship.

Oh, Mr. Iverson, I just know he did.

So, if they're in his stateroom now, do you think I should report it to the

captain? No, no, don't.

Don't put him on his guard.

I think you should let the customs people handle this later on.

You have informed them, I suppose.

Oh, yes, that's all being taken care of.

Good morning, all.

Beautiful day for a promenade.

Won't you join me, my dear?

Thank you. I don't think I will. I'm enjoying the view.

Oh, yes, I see what you mean. The dashing young Englishman.

You've been watching him ever since we left Hong Kong.

Now, don't blush, my dear.

I notice everything.

Lovely day, isn't it?

It sure is, partner.

You're an American?

Nope.

Texan. Do you know that man he's talking to?

Oh. Oh, no, my dear.

Not him, of all people.

I'll admit he has a sort of moldy charm, but he's... Tell me about him. The

moldy one.

Well, I don't know his name yet. Or rather, the one he's using this trip.

But unless I'm mistaken, he's a very, very dangerous type of man.

Wouldn't you say so, Mr. Iverson?

My wife is signaling.

Excuse me, ladies.

Well, never mind.

Time for the constitutional.

You come along, my dear?

I think I better say no wireless.

Excuse me.

Some big shot.

Why weren't we at the captain's table?

They gave us dinner out in the boondocks and all you did was sit there.

What do you expect me to do about it?

Complain. Don't you do enough of that.

Pretty little thing, isn't she?

Keep away from her, you idiot.

She's after the diamonds.

No.

What a shower.

Is she the one you pinched the marbles from? Never mind.

It was bad enough you got in with that guy, that Cooper Sherwin.

Say, you don't think she suspects I have the rocks, do you?

You won't find this so blessed and amusing if we both wind up with a

rut. Now relax, matey. I'm not going to get done in by a bit of fluff.

I promise you I'll get the swag through, so... All right.

But in the meantime, you keep away from that girl.

Keep away from all of them.

If you have to play around with someone, do it with someone who's safe.

Oh, wow.

That's not right.

What the devil are you doing here?

I might ask the same question, don't you think?

Cabin belongs to a Mr.

Terrell, I believe.

I saw you coming in here and I followed you. I've seen you sneaking around

before. Well, of course you have.

I've been searching for the diamonds, old boy. What else?

There aren't any diamonds. Don't you know that?

Well, they're not here.

And they're not in your stateroom.

But that really doesn't prove an awful lot.

It proves you're a sneak thief.

I'm going to report you to the captain.

Now, just a moment, Mr.

Iverson. Remember those other little deals you helped Mr. Eng on?

Selling things abroad and so on? What of them? They were perfectly legitimate.

But speaking of reporting to people, there's a private inquiry agent in San

Francisco with a full grip on you, Iverson. They say you cheated Eng for

to $10 ,000 on those sales over the past five years.

The girl would be interested in that, I expect?

Sure wouldn't.

You're the kind of man I could cheerfully strangle.

Ah, but that should wait until after we land, don't you think?

And the diamonds too, maybe.

Since I can't find them, you've obviously made arrangements to smuggle

Yes, of course.

We can just wait about everything until we land, including the size of my share

of the loot to keep in quiet.

And here's what the police gave me.

Gilbert Terrell, alias Chilton, sometimes called Colonel Chilton, alias

Marquis de Frontenac. What's his racket, Paul? Smuggling.

He used to be one of the best.

All right. I'm going to meet Julie when she lands.

You better be at the pier ahead of time to check the customs.

I have the tickets, Perry.

Tickets? I was going to drive to Long Beach anyway. I've got a date there

tomorrow night.

The Ione docks in San Francisco call.

Thank you, Bellastree.

What's he going to do, crack a safe?

Lots of hiding places on his ship.

If Terrell leaves the stones on board, we'll find them.

Hurry it up, men.

What if he tries to slip them past?

All due respect to the man's reputation, I don't think he's got a prayer.

How good is he, really?

I understand he was actually stuck with the Titans once in Southampton, 20 years

ago.

Now, look, old man, doesn't diplomatic immunity mean anything in this country?

I happen to be the charge d 'affaires for Hunza, you know.

Now, Julie, there's really no proof that Terrell is carrying any diamonds.

Oh, but I saw Sherwin talking to him all the time. And he is a smuggler. All

right.

Now, they're going to search everyone this time.

So you'd better try and relax for a while.

Mr. Wendell.

How nice. I was hoping you would be on the job.

How are you, Agatha?

Splendid, dear.

What is Tyrell carrying?

Any idea?

Supposed to be diamonds.

It is diamonds.

Diamonds. I love diamonds.

They're always so expensive.

What do you think my moiety will be this time?

We'll talk about the reward when we find the goods.

I'm all in yours.

That man even cleaned my toothpaste.

Oh, and the same to your sphinx -like friend here.

Oh,

Mr. Mason, look, they're not letting him go.

Oh, stop him. Didn't Mr. Drake tell you? I have no luck, Inspector.

Mason, I'm sorry to say we found no diamonds.

All right, Paul.

In fact, the Hong Kong police doubt very much whether anybody will ever find

these diamonds. And you know why?

Because they feel exactly the same way I do right now.

There just are no such diamonds.

Julie, is it possible that you might have misunderstood something your

grandfather said?

Oh, now you don't believe me either. Now nobody believes me.

I'm sorry to bother you, Mrs. Iverson.

Is your husband in?

Like always.

Missing? I had to talk to somebody. They didn't find the diamonds. They don't

even believe there are any.

Well... Even Mr. Mason has to lie down and rest.

But I thought, if you'd talk to him... Well, of course, but after all, what

could I really say to him? You could... Well... Hello?

I say, old man...

Sitting right on top of the telephone.

All right, just a minute. I'll take this on another phone.

Excuse me.

I'll make some coffee.

Business. Just take a moment.

Yes,

I'm still here.

Search. They all dissected me.

Oh, nonsense. Of course I got them through.

You weren't really worried about that, were you?

No, no.

I knew all the time.

Do you really have them?

Well, I don't have them in my pocket. I can pick them up within five minutes.

Shall I deliver them tonight?

Yes, as soon as possible.

No, no, not here.

Meet me at my office.

I'll be there within one hour.

Talio?

This guy's supposed to be a genius.

But how does he do it?

He drops his stuff overboard with a marker like any amateur.

Here it is, Captain.

Thank you very much.

Hey, Mary.

Let me quick on. That tide.

You bungling idiots.

Mr. Iverson will kill you for this.

Iverson.

I thought you were the customs.

Oh, boys, boys.

I don't know how you're going to explain this to Iverson.

Look, buddy, you're not hanging blame on us.

Me hanging on you?

You hung yourself.

What do you think, Ollie?

Maybe it's better he goes out with Ty, too, huh?

Now, just a minute, chaps. Let's talk. Excuse me, gentlemen.

I seem to be lost. I wonder if one of you could direct me to Market Street.

Right back where you came.

Well, if it isn't the sphinx from the customs service.

They say you are out of your way. I'll show you.

Goodbye, chaps, and good fishing.

Who were your friends?

Oh, I haven't the foggiest idea.

I've never seen them before.

Forget it, Sorrel. I saw you fighting with them over a package.

A package?

A package, he says.

A king's ransom and a hundred feet of water headed for the Golden Gate.

Those diamonds might as well be in King Solomon's mines.

The Black Knight, my friend, and that's the watery troop.

Hello.

Yes, Paul.

What happened?

You heard me.

I called customs and they're getting divers, but the tide's going up.

You see, Terrell was jumped by a couple of goons just when he wanted to pick up

the diamonds.

You saw that? Sure I did.

And here's another one for you.

It wasn't Sherwin he was going to deliver the diamonds to.

It was Iverson.

Terrell was going to deliver them tonight?

Yep. To Iverson at his office.

Of course, now Terrell's taken off. To the South Seas, probably.

This he'll never be able to explain.

I guess the score is even now, Julie.

Mr. Iverson is dead.

The blade was driven into the victim's body between the vertebrae in the left

scapula and between the fists and six ribs.

It penetrated the left lung, causing massive hemorrhaging.

Very concisely stated, Doctor. Thank you.

Mr. Mason.

Doctor, if the aorta had been cut, death would have been instantaneous, would it

not? Yes, sir, but it was not the case, otherwise I would have stated so.

Of course.

As it was, the decedent could have lived after being stabbed for, what, five

minutes? Yes.

Or even longer, perhaps as much as 15 or 20 minutes?

Well, hypothetically it's possible, but in this instance I really couldn't say.

Well, let's leave it at 15 minutes, then.

Objection. Counsel is attempting to legitimatize his own inference.

Sustained.

Mr. Mason's last remark will be struck from the record.

I have no more questions, Your Honor.

Well, I first met Julie Yang in Hong Kong for the reading of her

will. What was your relationship to the grandfather?

His assistant.

We were partners, actually, after a fashion, but there was nothing in

so everything went to the defendant.

And what was the extent of the estate?

Mostly the reputation of the firm and some clients.

No personal property?

Oh, yes. The solicitor had it all catalogued, but no one paid much

it. Why was that, Mr. Sherman?

Well, there was a bit of a flap when no diamonds turned up.

Now, the diamonds you mentioned in direct examination, had you ever seen

these alleged diamonds?

Well, no.

Who was present during the discussion about them?

The solicitor, Louis Q, and Miss Eng.

Iverson arrived in the middle. Did any of these people admit having seen the

diamonds?

No, but Iverson must have, assuming he stole them.

Assumptions are not evidence, Mr. Sherwin.

And neither is hearsay.

So far, there is no evidence that the diamonds ever existed, is there?

From the testimony given so far, it seems apparent that the seeds of murder

planted in Hong Kong.

Now, since you were there, Mrs. Iverson, you may be in a unique position to shed

some light on the matter.

I'll try, but we were only there for one day, and since Miss Raine was dead, I

guess there wasn't much business in Hong Kong for Ralph.

Well, isn't it possible that your husband may have transacted some

you were unaware of?

He could have, sure.

I remember seeing a package in his suitcase the day we sailed for home.

It was about, um, oh, so big.

When I asked him about it, he got, well, sort of excited and hustled me out of

the stateroom. Did you ever see that package again?

No, it was gone the next morning, and he didn't have it when we went through

customs. Very well.

Now, if you will, I'd like you to give me a complete account of your husband's

movements on the day of the murder.

Well, we didn't get home from the boat till nearly six o 'clock.

We had dinner about eight, and after that, Miss Eng arrived.

Oh, just social visits?

Not with me.

She said nobody believed her about the diamonds and she wanted Ralph's advice,

but he had to go to the office.

At that hour?

He got a phone call and left.

What did the defendant do?

She made up some excuse about having to see a cousin in Chinatown and went after

him. Objection, Your Honor.

Sustained. The witness will refrain from speculating.

Well, they were mighty friendly on the boat and she did go to his office.

I met Miss Ng when she came aboard in Hong Kong.

What was it?

Yes, I think we have a very good chance now.

I'll certainly pass it on to her.

Thank you, Mr. Q.

Sounds like you got what you wanted.

Yes, I did.

All right. Who killed Iverson?

Oh, I haven't the faintest idea, Paul, but I do have a little job for you.

Now, Julie said there was a cab parked at the building that night.

So? I have a photograph I want you to show to every taxi driver in San

Francisco.

I have a message for you from Lewis Q.

I'm not sure I can pass it on properly.

Don't be inscrutable, Mr. Mason.

It's more in the tone than the words.

But I'd rather think he fell in love with you.

Mr. Mason?

You wish to examine Mr. Gilbert Terrell?

If it please the court, the defense would like to waive cross -examination

this point, with the right to recall a little later. I can assure the court

there are reasons which will make it in the interest of justice to grant this

request. I have no objection to that, Your Honor.

All right, Mr. Mason.

Prosecution may proceed with its case.

I call Frank Chowan to the stand.

Then after dinner last night, we follow him, tied out. Right back to Waterfront

again, where he meet that fishing boat.

And like I told you, he got package, all right.

But he dropped it right into bay.

Just a moment.

Did Mr. Terrell stop anywhere just before meeting the fishing boat?

Well, he stopped to make phone call.

Do you have any idea whom he called?

Sure.

I sneak up behind telephone booth.

I listen to conversation.

He tell Mr.

Iverson he have diamonds within five minutes.

Thank you very much.

Mr. Mason.

I have no questions of this witness, Your Honor, but at this time, I would

to recall a witness.

Very well.

Mr. Terrell, begging the court's indulgence, the witness we'd like to

Miss Agatha Culpepper.

Mr. Chow, and you may step down.

Miss Culpepper.

No, I am not an informer. I just...

Well, I notify customs whenever I spot someone on shipboard I know they'll be

interested in. It's a perfectly legitimate... But you are compensated

little acts of informing. A percentage of the recovery... The law provides a

perfectly legitimate reward for what I do.

Dan, you were deprived of that reward, weren't you, Miss Culpepper?

Conceivably a very substantial reward when customs was unable to locate any

diamonds. Well, how was I to know he'd do an amateurish thing like dropping

overboard before we ever landed?

Yes, I certainly was deprived of my reward.

By Terrell himself not being caught with the diamonds.

Now, Miss Culpepper, I want you to think very carefully before answering this

next question.

In your earlier testimony, you stated that the defendant, Miss Ang, missed the

sailing of the Ione and boarded it only by coming out on the pilot boat.

Yes, I was on the deck when she came up the ladder.

Very well.

Was anyone else on the deck at the time?

Oh, yes, lots of people. If you were to ask me just who, I'm afraid I couldn't

say.

I see.

That's all, Miss Culpepper.

Your Honor, I would now like to recall Gilbert Terrell.

Mr. Terrell, you were asked by the district attorney if you had smuggled

something into the United States on this latest trip.

Now, would you like the clerk to read back your answer?

No, no, I remember exactly what I said. I neither smuggled... Nor tempted to

smuggle, and that's that.

All right, then.

Did you ever actually see the diamonds in question?

Of course.

Iverson showed them to me aboard ship. A very valuable collection.

Please continue.

Well, he asked me how to get them into the country and so on, obeyed customs.

Did he ask you to do the job for him? Did Iverson give you the diamonds to

smuggle in?

Well, I held them at one time, I suppose.

And as the ship approached San Francisco...

Did you drop them over the side with a float attached outside the

custom limits, perhaps, with plans for a fisherman to pick them up?

I say, Your Honor, isn't this creeping back into the incrimination bit again? I

mean, really, without counsel here.

May it please the court.

We're here to consider a murder.

Why Mr. Mason should waste time eliciting further evasions and perjury

suppositions from Mr. Terrell.

On behalf of the witness, Your Honor, I protest. Mr. Terrell is far too

experienced to risk perjury.

I also believe he's the last man in the world who'd be amateurish about an act

of smuggling.

Go on, Mr. Mason.

I think I'm interested in this line.

And it would be amateurish, wouldn't it, Mr. Terrell, to throw a small package

overboard in water so rough a whale would be hard to locate?

Well, that would depend upon the degree of panic on the part of the thrower, I

would say. Panic, Mr. Terrell?

You?

And tell us when you really hired that fisherman.

The one who handed you the package so conveniently in front of witnesses. The

package you so conveniently dropped into the bay when those witnesses attacked

you.

Well, I don't remember exactly when. Wasn't it after the ship had docked?

After you were ashore?

Wasn't the whole thing just a stunt you arranged for Mr. Iverson's benefit?

Really, old chap?

Like the rest of your performance aboard ship.

Wasn't it all done so Iverson would never guess that his diamonds hadn't

the ocean at all?

But I... I had them aboard ship. We... We didn't stop anywhere.

There was no way I could have... What about the pilot boat in Hong Kong, Mr.

Terrell?

Miss Ng came out to the ship on it.

Couldn't you have sent the diamonds ashore by the same pilot boat?

I'm told the Hong Kong police are at present interviewing a sailor from that

pilot boat who admits he took a package ashore for someone.

I'm not going to answer you.

All right.

Let's get back to the murder, then.

After your little charade of losing a package in San Francisco Bay, where did

you go?

Well, I ducked out for Mr. Drake. I needed a spot to drink. Be careful of

perjury, Mr. Terrell.

Didn't you go straight to Iverson?

Wasn't that the final necessary part of your act, to tell him the sad story of

how his thugs had caused you to lose his diamonds?

Only then what happened?

Wouldn't Iverson believe you?

Didn't he, too, guess the truth? And didn't you then pick up that knife

No!

No, that's not the way it happened.

Mr. Turrell, I can put on the stand a cab driver who will testify that he

you up at the waterfront and drove you to Iverson's office building.

But I never went inside.

Look.

Look here. I'll admit the rest about taking his diamonds and so on.

But I didn't see Iverson.

I didn't get out of the cab.

I didn't kill him. Why didn't you go inside, Mr. Turrell?

There was someone there ahead of me. I saw go in, so I waited outside.

Then another woman came along.

Who, Mr. Terrell?

Who was the first one you saw go into that building?

I'm sorry, now, but it's every man for himself now.

It was Mrs. Iverson.

I think this would be a good opportunity for Mrs.

Iverson to take the stand again.

He was going to leave me with nothing. Nothing. The one time he had a chance to

make some real money.

After all the penny -ante stuff he used to swindle Mr. Ring on, he finally got a

big one, and he didn't tell me. All those diamonds.

I saw them on the ship. A gift, he said, or something for the boss.

But I went back, and I opened the package, and they were diamonds all

he was going to take them and use them to write out on me. Well, I just told

I'd inform on him if he did. Then he started hitting me, and he hit me, and

hit me, and I... I don't know what happened. and then I grabbed the knife

then...