Original subtitles

Entrez, vite, vite.

Bonsoir, Minette.

Philippe.

I am so frightened.

Why?

See how I tremble?

Has something else happened?

Of course not, my silly.

I am frightened when you are not here, that is all.

Oh. My Philippe, do you know what it has meant?

Meeting someone from home.

Someone who is kind, who is good, who is strong.

Well, I would have been here sooner, but I had to sweep out the bookstore.

What?

Sherry, you did not have time to go to the bank?

Oh, that.

Yes, of course.

Oh, how can I ever, ever thank you?

Oh, there is no need.

Only, I do need it back, you understand.

In one week, my darling. I will call you. Do not worry.

No, I didn't say it because I was worried.

Philippe, I want you to know you are saving my life.

The world, the whole sky will have stars again.

What is it?

Armand, my husband.

Oh, no.

Philippe, you must go. Hurry, hurry.

No, no.

L 'autre porte.

Anything wrong with being me?

All right, you can go out to lunch now, Philippe.

Uh, no, thank you. I'm not very hungry.

Nonsense. You'll go out and you'll eat two hamburgers.

Oh, you've been looking much too peaked these days. I'll go later, maybe.

You'll do no such thing.

You'll go out and eat a steak sandwich and a malted milk.

Well, what's the matter?

Uh, the phone's ringing.

Bookstore. Hello?

Is it for me?

Who?

No, this is not the gas company.

Well, who were you expecting?

Elizabeth Taylor?

I think I'll put the dictionaries on a lower shelf. Oh, please stop that,

Philippe. Oh, I don't mean to tease you, but what on earth is the matter? The

way you've been acting these past three or four weeks.

Philippe, you've lost at least five... I'm perfectly all right, please, Mrs.

Kranzdorf. I'm fine. All right.

I won't cry.

Anyway, whatever it is, it's going to be cured.

Uh -huh. I, uh, didn't have anything to eat today, Philippe. I, uh, I went with

my husband to see his doctor.

And he's going to be just fine.

Oh, that's wonderful.

In Arizona.

In Arizona now, Philippe. Not next year.

Now.

Oh. Yes, now you understand.

The bookstore.

The bookstore.

It's going to be yours, Philippe.

Well, don't look so scared about it. You've got $5 ,107 in the bank. You

me your passbook once, remember?

$5 ,000.

We want you to have the store, Philippe. So what we thought was, one day this

week, we'd go down to that real estate office. Please, Mrs. Cranstock, I think

maybe I will have a bite of the lunch.

Ninette, why do you hide?

Ninette. No, Philippe, no.

Why do you hide?

Why do you not call?

Not answer the phone? Not answer the door?

Philippe, please, I am so ashamed.

And now I am in trouble. I need it back.

I need my... Oh.

What happened?

He hit you?

How could I let you see me now?

Ninette, you know how I feel, how much I want to help you. And this is nothing.

Last week it was my whole arm, from here to there.

I will kill him.

I will kill your husband.

Oh, don't talk like that. It is bad.

But, Ninette, I don't understand.

You said if you had help, money to pay the bills, you could leave this man,

Armand. Yes, and my parents in France, they will pay the money back, Philippe.

But why doesn't it happen?

Mon pauvre chéri, you are much too good to understand a man like Armand.

To settle these things, we must talk, we must sign papers.

But he will not even come home from his job in the mountains.

And when he does, it is only to drink and to call me bad names and to strike

And now even you are mad with Ninette. Oh, no, no, no.

Why should I be mad?

Only it is... Because I make you wait another day.

Another week, perhaps another?

Ninette, won't he even talk to you about the divorce?

It was when I said that word that he did this.

We grew up in the same town, Ninette and I, in Dijon. That's near the Swiss

border. Yes, I've been in Dijon.

She was, how do you say it, the most beautiful girl in the town.

But me, you understand, I was nothing.

Seems to me you're doing all right in this country. Been working for Mrs.

Kranzdorf for almost three years now. Yes, yes, at the bookstore. I work very

hard, but what else is there to do when you're not the sort of person who meets

people? You met us, didn't you?

We wouldn't buy anywhere else.

Well, that was not quite my meaning.

You see, well, anyway, one day I saw Nanette. She remembered my name. She

to me. Wait a minute.

Isn't your wife in this country, Philippe? My wife?

Unless I missed something. Didn't you tell Bella that you wanted to see me

a divorce?

Oh, yes.

I want a divorce for Ninette from Armand.

The marriage is not successful.

Now, slow down.

Just who is Armand? Armand Ravel.

From Marseille, she said.

The worst part.

They were married about a year after I left France.

Where are the Ravels at the present time?

Oh, Ninette is at home and Armand is at the ski lodge.

He's told her he's an instructor there, but more likely he shovels the snow.

He's a swine, Mr. Mason. He beats her. Which ski lodge?

Classic Mountain.

Then they are residents of California also?

But of course. They came here right after they were married. Please, try to

attention, Mr. Mason.

I'll do my best.

But you've been seeing Minette alone, I take it?

Yes. She needed someone she could talk to, a friend, someone she could trust.

It was for me a great honor.

Leave. Just how deeply are you involved?

Oh, everything has been very proper.

You haven't done anything foolish, have you? You seemed very upset when you came

in. Please, try to understand, Mr. Mason. Everything will be all right if

she starts the divorce.

I'm afraid you have some misconceptions about the laws here.

If Nanette wants a divorce, you'll have to get it for herself.

But I am here on her behalf.

You mean she asked you to come?

Well, no, not exactly in so many words. Here, why don't we phone her?

Oh, Philippe, I told you not to call... Your what?

Why?

No, Philippe, I don't want to see a lawyer.

Philippe, you just don't understand yet.

If there is any trouble, then how will I get your money back? And he will be

angry, too.

Yes, yes, he took it. Didn't I say that?

Armand took your money away from me.

He... No, Nanette, I can't wait.

But Lynette... It's that Armand she's so terrified of him.

No divorce?

He beats her so she's... I'm sorry to have bothered you.

Please, how much do I owe? Why, nothing, Philippe.

But you just tell me a little more about... Thank you.

But I guess there are certain things a man must do for himself.

Excuse me.

Yeah, thanks.

I guess I got one more seat left on the lodge plane.

That's the only way to get to Plastic Mountain unless you want to drive.

But I don't own an automobile, and they said at the bus station it would be

tomorrow. In a hurry to break your leg?

What? Do your reservations start tonight?

Oh, no, no, no. I'm going to see someone.

But it is urgent, very urgent, so please, if you can... Pete!

Oh, hi, ladies. I was just waiting for you.

Where's Armand? Isn't he going to fly us up?

Oh, I'm sorry. Nothing but the hired help.

But think how much safer you'll be.

Pete, darling, don't you realize a woman never feels safe with you?

All right, all right. The plane's out on the runway. I'll be with you in a

second. You're blushing.

Look, pal, it's 25 bucks round trip. You haven't got a reservation.

That's Armand Ravel they're speaking of?

Yeah, sure. Who else?

But the ski lodge, they let him fly their plane?

Well, they've got to lure the bunnies up there some way, don't they?

Come on, I'm in a hurry.

Oh.

Yes, yes, I'm coming.

How are you, sir? May I help you now? Oh, yes, please.

Excuse me.

This one is a friend of Armand's.

Are you the manager?

What? Oh, no, no, scarcely.

I'm Miss Sutton, the bookkeeper.

I'm just pinch -hitting since poor Mr. McManus.

Well, I guess you heard about our avalanche last month.

Avalanche? What kind of a room would you like, Mr., uh... Bertin. Philippe

Bertin. Well, but, uh, please.

I only wish to locate someone.

Armand Rovelle, I understand he's one of your employees.

So perhaps I should go to the kitchen or the garage?

Well, who do we have here? Another Frenchman?

Bonjour, bonjour.

Bonjour, monsieur. Je cherche Armand Rovelle. Oh, of course, of course. We

expecting you.

Quoi? Yes, any friend of Armand's a friend of mine. Mr., uh... Oh, this is

Philippe Bertin.

Mr. Ogilvie is the owner of the lodge.

Well, it certainly is a pleasure. I suppose I should know your name, but,

To be perfectly frank with you, on the sticks, I'm not very much.

But real estate's my sport.

Perhaps, Mr. Ogilvie, I... Linda, why don't you assign him a room? No, please.

Oh, come on, come on. It certainly is a pleasure to have you here.

I wanted to meet my sister.

She's a member of the family that really taught you our lingo. As a matter of

fact, she taught it so well, she taught me the buying this place.

Carol, I'd like you to meet another Frenchman.

Name's Philippe, friend of Armand.

Oh, how do you do?

Hey, Ron.

Mix him up. Anything he wants.

Honey, I've got to make some phone calls. Now, you take good care of him,

Okay. Mr. Alderby, certainly it's nice to see you, Mr. Berta.

Happy shooting.

Well, what'll it be, friend? Name your poison.

Oh, gin and ginger ale.

One gin and ginger coming up.

No, no, no. Just the other.

The other.

Well, you sure meet all kinds of freshmen. Never mind, Ron.

Who me?

Oh, no. My brother meant I talk skier's lingo.

But to tell you the truth, I talk better than I do.

You see, Armand has been trying and trying to get me to bend my knees just

right, but... Then you know Armand.

Armand? Does she know Armand?

Ron, if you don't stop it... Oh, what I meant was everybody, but everybody knows

him. Well, Armand said he was contacting some other French experts.

Experts? Well, he looks so small.

You know what I mean, wiry.

But I bet you do a lot of jumping, don't you?

Oh, oh, so... Oh, oh, please, Miss Ogilvy, there's been a terrible mistake.

I, uh, I have never stood on a ski in my life.

Oh, come on, how are you? How are you?

No, no, no, no, I can't, I can't. Uh, tell me, uh, has anybody seen Carol?

No?

Oh, hi, how are you? Nice to see you. We have a good race. All right, thank you.

Excuse me.

Come on in here, darling. Oh, Carol.

I, um, I need my other clothes.

Quickly. Oh, wait a minute. This man came up to see you. Oh, I can't now.

Monsieur Ravel, my name is... I'm sorry, but people are waiting for me on the

slope. All right,

darling. I will see you later. Good?

Oh, Miss Anderson, how are you?

Why does everybody speak of this Armand as if he's some... some Greek god down

from Olympus?

Oh, you mean the kid there?

He's young. He doesn't know any better.

But don't get me wrong. It's just that ski bumps aren't exactly my idea. Armand

is a beast.

He is also a thief.

He is a lying, worthless, cheating... No, no, no. Wait a minute. Hold it. Not

rough, huh?

That happens to be the guy I gotta work for.

Work for?

Well, sure. Since Mr.

McManus is dead, the owner's gotta make Armand the new manager.

Hey, you! Robel!

Not later. Now.

My name is Philippe Bertin, and I want to talk to you. I know who you are.

So the man was trying to steal my wife.

No.

But you, you have taken my money. And you are taking the next bus back to Los

Angeles. Oh, no.

Not until you pay me. Not until you pay me $5 ,000.

I warn you, boy.

Go fast.

Get out before I call the police.

Before I tell them about you and my wife.

And before I take the loan into my own hands.

Compris?

Yes, sir.

Look,

buddy, it's almost suppertime. Why don't you... Ron, put a couple of teaspoons

of sugar in this for me, will you please? Sure.

Oh, and then I think maybe you'd better take it over to Mr. Ogilvie's office.

Armand's there now, I think. Oh,

and tell Armand the plane's been fueled, so anytime he's ready to go.

Plane? Armand?

Look, buddy, why don't you go find yourself a room and get some sack time,

He's running away.

He's afraid of me.

You think he ought to be?

Oh, of course.

He stole from me.

He lies, he cheats.

No, but... But you wouldn't believe that.

He's your precious manager.

Oh, more than that.

Armand owns part of this hotel now.

He what?

Since when?

Since he loaned McManus some money for a poker game last month.

And now Mike is dead.

So his part of the ownership is... I don't believe that.

Where would a ski bum get that kind of dough?

It wasn't much money, Ron.

Just $5 ,000.

$5 ,000?

Here, give me that. I'll deliver it. Hey, wait a minute. Hey, come on back

with that thermos. If you think this other French ski instructor will sign on

with us, I'll talk to him tonight.

I will fly him back from Los Angeles in the morning.

Oh, if you're going, then here's a list of guests who'll be waiting to fly up.

Oh, thank you. Oh, Bonnie and Susie are coming back, huh?

Well, not only good skiers, but... Good for nothing.

Woman beating feet.

I'll kill you. I'll kill you.

I told you to get rid of this man two hours ago, to put him on a bus.

I'm sorry, Armand. I guess I forgot.

Well, give him a hand. Take him down to the infirmary.

He's going crazy, that fellow.

What on earth was he talking about?

Nothing but partner.

Nothing.

He's a freshman.

Beware of all of us, huh?

Goodbye. Hello?

Oh, Armand?

No, he's not here now, lady.

No, no, I mean he left the lodge a couple hours ago.

Yeah, he's heading for L .A., Van Nuys Airport.

circle and then come in.

Hey, 4 -9 Victor.

Tower to 4 -9 Victor.

Circle the field.

Pull it up.

Pull it up.

Tower to 4 -9 Victor.

All

right,

you can stop laying hungry.

I'll be finished.

In ten minutes?

I hardly think so. You have another visitor.

Client? A night -blooming French woman with a charming accent.

So it makes the French woman charming, the accent.

And one black eye.

Of course, you have to look hard to see it. She has it covered with makeup.

Does she also have a name? Mrs.

Nanette Ravel.

Mrs. Ravel, come in, please.

Sit down, will you?

Merci.

Now, how can I help you?

Not me, Monsieur Mason.

Philippe Bertin.

That's so nice, but so young, young man.

You will help him, no?

When he came to see me, I thought it was you that needed legal assistance.

Oh, of course.

It was from here that he telephoned, oui?

Pauvre petit Philippe. He just does not understand.

But all day since, I feel so... Foolish. So a shame.

You're not really seeking a divorce at all. Is that what you mean?

Oh, yes, yes.

I would never live again with such a beast as Armand.

But it is him that Philippe does not understand.

I'm not sure that I do either.

Well, a Frenchman, he can say his wife is no good. He can hit her. He can beat

her. He can leave her forever. But still, the marriage is proper, oui?

What? And so with the divorce.

What would Mama and Papa say if I did not end my marriage to this beast, this

cochon, but in a respectable way?

Well, I'm still not sure I... Is it proper to divorce a murderer, Mr. Mason?

Murderer? Yes.

Yes, Armand will kill him. I know he will kill him.

Armand is so big, he's so strong, he's so excitable. For another man to speak

his wife, to make insults of his marriage.

Now, wait a minute.

What makes you think... Philippe has gone after him, don't you understand?

I have just heard.

Philippe has gone up to the mountain today.

Oh, and now who knows what has happened? Who knows where they are?

Then don't ring Paul's office.

Oh, up there, down here, it makes no difference. Oh, poor Philippe. You must

save him. You must catch him. You must stop him.

Hello, Paul.

I say, remember that boy in the bookstore, Philippe Bertin?

Well, he's getting mixed up with a man named Rovelle.

I'm on, Ravel. It seems... Yes, that's right. The ski instructor.

Where did you... The radio?

I'll talk to you later.

Mrs. Ravel.

What is it?

There's just been a plane crash.

I'm afraid it's your husband.

A woman was in my office when we heard her husband had been in a plane crash.

She insisted on coming down here, but he died in the ambulance.

So, well, now they're taking care of her.

Name wouldn't be Ravel, would it? That's right.

Andy, what are you doing here?

Same plane crash.

Something wrong with it? Well, the guy in the Van Nuys tower thought Ravel was

flying blind.

Drunk, that is.

Only the receiving doctor here reported no alcohol.

They're running more tests now.

Did you go out to the airport?

Nothing there to go on, except maybe this.

Empty pillbox.

What was it for?

No label. But somebody said the widow was here.

That's right.

Mrs. Rovell, this is Lieutenant Anderson.

I'm sorry to bother you right now, but... Mrs. Rovell, was your husband

any medication regularly?

No, no, monsieur. Not that I know.

We found this out there and thought perhaps... Oh.

Oh, but... That would not be called medicine, would it?

He was always afraid when he'd fly that he'd fall asleep.

We... That is maybe his... his stay -awake pills.

The police?

That's what I said, Philippe.

They may be around to talk to you.

But why? Why me?

Well, you were up at Classic Mountain today, weren't you?

Yes, I just came back on the bus.

Mrs. Kranzdorf was waiting to take inventory.

Philippe, when was the last time you saw Armand Ravel?

I don't remember.

Please, Mr. Mason, I'm very sorry he died in an accident.

Armand died from falling asleep at the controls.

What? The doctors now say he had enough barbiturates in him to knock out an

elephant.

Barbiturates? And they're not exactly stay -awake pills.

But I still don't understand what... It means he took something, Philippe.

Or something was given to him. Perhaps just before he left Classic Mountain.

Our mom was murdered?

Now let's start over, shall we?

When was the last time you saw him today?

Philippe, I'm only trying to help you.

Please, no, Mr. Mason.

I don't know anything about it.

Please leave me alone.

I only make trouble.

I only make a mess of everything.

Start the biographies.

Oh.

Good evening, Mrs. Cranston. Mr. Mason.

Oh, I'm sorry. We really are closed. You see, Philippe and I are just going to

go over these. That's all right.

I found him here. I thought I'd stop by and ask a question or two. That's all.

Still can't think of any answers, Philippe?

Well, if there's anything that I can help you with.

Paul and I are on our way up to the mountains.

I guess we can do our own research.

Thanks, Sheriff.

Well, now, Mr. Drake, as I figure, it isn't likely that Armand Ravel swallowed

any drug or anything here.

No, sir, not here.

Why not? The amount that he took. Those barbiturates work very fast.

He never made it more than halfway back to L .A. He'd have crashed long before

he ever got to that airport.

Well, then where did he swallow the stuff?

Plane, maybe.

And this, maybe.

And what?

Man flying. He likes...

A nip of hot coffee, doesn't he?

How about it, Ron?

What's that, Sheriff?

Never mind all of that. You know you've been listening.

Well, I didn't pour arm on any coffee, if that's what you're talking about.

How about a thermos?

Thermos? Oh, of course he had a thermos. Why don't you say so, Ron?

Thank you, Pete.

He always carried one of the planes, so do I.

Well, who fixes it? Who pours in the coffee?

Linda.

Miss Sutton fixed it for him yesterday, as I remember.

Exactly. You put the sugar in it.

Then this young Frenchman took it into the office.

How do you know all that?

What are you asking for?

Yeah. Now, look, Sheriff, Armand didn't take off until maybe an hour after that.

That thermos could have been in Ogilvy's office or down in the infirmary where

he dumped that crazy kid.

Well, of course, of course.

So any number of people could have had a chance to put stuff in it.

Yeah, but wait a minute. The L .A. police didn't find any part of a thermos

that wreckage.

Yes, I know.

I'll admit, that's the part that's kind of a puzzle to me.

Both of you boys were down the infirmary. We left, uh, Philippe on a

there to sleep it off.

You left him there?

What of it?

What are you driving at, Sheriff?

Piece at a time, Drake.

Piece at a time.

Cabinet in that infirmary has got a whole shelf full of those bills.

Enough to put us all to sleep.

Atalantis? Well, yes, Mr. Mason.

Classic mountains like any winter sports area.

Same kind of slopes that make good skiing also make bad avalanches.

Dick, it's the one that killed my manager, McManus, last month.

That's the one he's curious about.

Oh, well, here's the storm report for that day.

Lots of new snow on an existing shell of Depth 4.

Look at it yourself.

This says the West Slope was posted. No skiing allowed.

That's right. We've had a lot of trouble up here at Classic.

Young kids are always hard to control.

threatened Mr. Ogilvie with closing the slopes altogether if his sister and her

friends didn't keep off the posted ones.

As for McManus... The point is, Mason, McManus was drunk that night.

He'd just gotten back from Reno. He'd lost quite a bit. But you think he did

himself, is that it?

Just went out there drunk.

Oh, no. The slide started from up above him. So you think it was just accident.

That's what the coroner's jury decided.

So did the chef.

We figure a snow cornish broke off up there someplace.

But couldn't the cornice have been kicked off by someone?

What do you think, Mr. Ogilvie?

Look, Mason, I don't know a snowball from a baked potato.

But McManus was such a friendly guy, I don't see why anyone would have... Then

what do you think, Mr. Jenkins?

Don't you think someone could have taken down your warning sign?

Then got McManus out there? Then kicked down a slab of snow to start the

avalanche? Well, that's certainly possible.

But if you're trying to say... What he's trying to say is, did somebody murder

McManus?

How would we know that?

Exactly. But don't you have any idea who might have wanted him dead?

What a sight.

What?

Avalanche must be pretty frightening if you're skiing up there.

That wasn't anything at all. There's been little slides like that all day.

Excuse me. That night when the manager here was caught in that big one, you

out skiing, isn't that right?

What are you talking about?

Oh, I don't mean on the west slope there.

It was posted. No one was allowed on it.

Of course, I understand.

But you were skiing with Armand Rovell that night, weren't you?

Mr. Mason.

Out in a quite different area?

Or at least your brother says that's what Armand told him.

Please, I can't see what possibly you... Miss Ogilvie, I realize what Armand

meant to you.

I don't want to talk about it. Please help me.

I'm only trying to tie some things together. To find some other answers as

as I can before... Oh, Mr. Mason!

Hello, Sheriff.

I thought you ought to know.

Philippe Breton.

I just had him picked up. I'm bringing him up here. On what charge?

Murder. First degree.

But you don't even know yet how the drug was... Oh, yes, we do. We even found

what was left of the empty thermos.

Picked it up on a little airstrip about 50 miles from L .A. Where?

Where your boy got off the plane.

What's the matter? Did that surprise you, too?

Shouldn't.

No, in our... I was hiding in the plane when we took off.

After we were in the air, I spoke up.

There were words between us.

I can imagine.

Finally, he landed at some emergency place. He put me off.

Do you remember that famous joke?

Oh, bien sûr.

When I stepped off the plane, he gave me a shot.

And then he threw the thermos at me. He even broke it.

Do you remember if it was empty or full?

Oh, empty, I suppose.

While we were flying, he drank coffee.

When he was not saying lies about me, about Ninette, he was furious.

I called Ninette from the highway.

I was curious, too, but all I could do was catch a bus back to town. The

picked up a story that Armand stole $5 ,000 from you. Is that true?

Oui, my savings.

I planned to buy the bookstore.

But how did Armand get the $5 ,000?

From Lynette.

Oh, yes, yes, yes. And how did Lynette get my money?

Well, how could I tell you this before, Mr. Mason?

How could I admit that I am not like those 50 million other Frenchmen who

all about women?

Who could just smile when she crawls?

Who could just laugh when she cries?

Who could just... just... But I only wanted to borrow the money

until my family in Dijon could raise such an amount and send it to me.

And the decedent, your late husband, Armand Robel, misappropriated those

borrowed funds from you?

Yes. Armand found the money. He hit me and he took the money for

himself. Now, when did the defendant, Philippe Vitan, learn that his money had

been taken by your husband?

On the same day he go up to the lodge, go looking for Armand. Thank you, Mrs.

Robel.

Your witness, Mr. Mason.

Something I don't quite understand, Mrs. LaBelle.

Exactly when did your husband take that money away from you?

Oh, maybe two weeks. Or maybe that same night when Philippe gave it to you

nearly a month ago.

Maybe that is right.

Why didn't you tell Philippe what had happened until just the other day?

Oh, but why should I upset him so?

The money, I knew I would give back to him someday.

Oh, no. No, monsieur. A woman should never tell a man what he does not want

hear. Because a man who worries for his money is no good for anything else, n

'est -ce pas? You mean he may not be good for any more money.

That's all, thank you.

Yes, when we dumped the defendant down in the infirmary, he kept mumbling

in French, but I couldn't understand them. But were they friendly things?

Of course not.

He just tried to clobber Armand up in the office, didn't he?

Oh, sir.

The defendant was mad as a wet hen.

But then why did you leave him alone in the infirmary?

Weren't you afraid he might try to attack Mr. Rovell again?

No, we left him to sleep it off.

Anyway, how could a little guy like that possibly hurt Armand?

Your witness, Mr. Mason.

Mr. Hayes, earlier that day, did Armand Rovell give you any instructions

regarding the defendant?

Well, let me see.

Did he tell you to put him on a bus for Los Angeles, perhaps?

Tell you to get rid of Philippe fast?

Yes. Yes, he did.

And why didn't you do as you were told?

Because if the kid were there to make trouble for Armand, it was just fine

me, Mr. Mason.

Because I hated Armand.

But I did not touch his coffee.

Here, give me that coffee, he said. I'll deliver his coffee. I'll show him. And

then? And then he ran right into the office. I tore after him as fast as I

could, but I wasn't fast enough.

Good for nothing. Woman beating thief.

I'll kill you. I'll kill you.

He tried to hit Armand with the thermos, but he tripped and fell.

They carried the boy downstairs.

Armand left just a moment or two later.

That's the last I saw of either one of them.

Your witness, Mr. Mason.

Now, at this time, Mr. Ogilvie, Armand Ravel was already your partner in the

Classic Mountain Ski Lodge.

Well, no, not a partner exactly.

He had become owner of a small piece, though. Yes, it acquired about a 10 %

interest in the place from McManus. You were also naming Armand Ravel as your

new manager, is that correct?

Yes, he was very popular with the ski crowd, seemed to know the hotel

Which you don't, I take it. We've also heard testimony suggesting that your

other employees were scarcely fond of Armand. So isn't it more likely, Mr.

Ogilvie, that you wouldn't have given him such a rapid promotion if someone

hadn't persuaded you?

Yes, I guess my sister talked me into it. But he was wonderful. He was, well,

charming. I mean, all the guests liked him. And you were in love with him?

I thought I was, at least.

Yes. You never once questioned what sort of person he was?

You never noticed him telling a lie, for instance?

What? No.

Not even about an avalanche?

Your Honor.

May it please the court.

I expect to demonstrate a close link between the death of the former manager,

Mr. McManus, and that of Armand Ravel.

I think I'd like to hear the answer to this question, Mr. Prosecutor.

Well, Miss Ogilvie?

Armand didn't really lie to hurt anyone.

I mean, he was just doing it to protect the lodge.

Perhaps we'd better clarify this, Carol.

Several weeks ago, Classic Lodge had been warned by the Forest Service that

their slopes might be closed for the rest of the season, if some of you young

people went out on the posted areas.

On the evening when Mr. McManus met his death... Where were you, Carol?

I... I was skiing on the posted area.

The west slope? The slope where the avalanche occurred?

Yes. But I couldn't have caused the avalanche. Mr. Jenkins himself said...

course you couldn't. The tracks they found were yours, no doubt.

But they were proved to have no bearing on the slide.

Now tell us, wasn't Armand out there skiing with you that night?

No. No, I was alone.

He only told people I was with him. Carol, have you finally begun to realize

that he didn't tell that lie to protect you?

To protect the lodge?

But only to protect himself?

I should have known.

That Armand must have started that avalanche himself?

That Armand must have murdered Mr. McManus?

was playing that he went to Reno just to bring back the boss.

Poor Mr. McManus. He's one of those kind of guys that just couldn't stay away

from a poker table.

But isn't it possible that Armand kept tagging him on?

Drinking with him at parties.

I'd hate to tell you how many times I had to lie my fool head off to that ski

bum's wife when she'd phone here to check up on him. I gather Nanette really

kept tabs on him.

Nobody had to tell her what kind of a no -good thing she was married to.

That guy was his own worst enemy.

Well, like I told her on the phone the day that kid Bertan came up, I said,

someday, somebody was going to put the arm on this bum and scramble his hash,

but good.

Here are the records from the courthouse.

Transfer of the title, copies of the promissory note, everything they had.

Good, Donna, good.

Uh, what about Reno Paul?

McManus wasn't dead, all right. Here's some figures.

What's all this got to do about Armand getting killed?

Ron, do you have a metal jigger?

Yeah.

All right, Ron.

Where's the earring?

All right.

I'm a sucker. Harder to get out.

That, my friend, is the secret of the whole case.

It didn't get out, because it never got in.

Miss Sutton, I ask that you be recalled in order to clarify this matter of

Armand Rebelle's acquiring an interest in the lodge.

You're familiar with the details, I believe.

Yes, but Mr. McManus asked me to prepare the papers just shortly before his

death.

But didn't it seem to you, Miss Sutton, that $5 ,000 was hardly adequate for the

purchase of something conservatively worth several times that much? Well, it

never intended as a purchase.

It was just part of a loan.

You see, Mr. McManus was in terrible trouble, and that's what caused it all.

He'd been gambling and losing and gambling and losing, and no one would

money anymore.

Except Armand Ravel.

I heard Mr.

McManus himself say that...

If only he had one more chance at that poker game.

If only he had 5 ,000 cash to change his luck, to get him out of debt with those

people in Reno.

So the note, his share of the lodge, that was just temporary security, don't

understand? Well, they wrote the thing up themselves, but they'd been drinking.

So that's the only reason I had anything to do with the papers.

And Mr. McManus' luck did not change.

He... She never had a chance to win again.

But you went ahead with the papers.

You helped Armand Ravel collect on that security.

Why? It was perfectly legal.

Mr. McManus had no heirs. No one could get hurt in that transfer.

And you never once suspected that Armand might have murdered McManus? How could

I think such a thing? I loved Armand. Don't you understand? He was going to

marry me.

Yes, me.

Only a month ago.

Armand told his wife he was going to divorce her and marry me.

Stupid foolish grief.

Your Honor, perhaps if the wife could return to the stand, we might verify...

Just a moment, Mr. Mason.

Seems to me I've allowed too much latitude already.

Surely the prosecutor will... On the contrary, Your Honor.

The prosecutor has no objection whatsoever to Mr. Mason clarifying a

obvious fact.

That despite what happened in the past, despite all these tears caused by Armand

Ravel, there was no one who had sufficient motive for the cold -blooded

doctoring of his coffee but the defendant.

Me? A motive for killing Armand?

But of course I had one.

I am the exception, no?

I am only sorry that so many hundred miles separate me from that coffee.

Why, if I had known all the awful things I hear about Armand in this room. Why,

that beast was a monster. That's why... All right, all right, Mrs. Rovell.

My question only referred to the promises he made to Miss Sutton. Did you

about them?

Did you know how he was using her? A woman always knows, of course, when her

husband... And I don't just mean the promise of future marriage.

But what else is important to... Mrs. Ravel, weren't you aware that Armand was

using Miss Sutton to help him acquire an ownership in the lodge for Mr. McManus?

But that is business, and I know so little about... Because if you weren't

of his whole plan, then how could you have known how much money to ask

for?

Monsieur Mason, you are trying to make me admit something that would not sound

nice. Something that poor Philippe would not understand.

I think by this time, Philippe has begun to understand what the badger game is.

No, I will not listen.

Besides, what if I help Armand get the $5 ,000?

What then?

He hit me, he leave me in Los Angeles with nothing but bruises and twisted

and... Exactly. But you still knew what was going on up here at Classic

Mountain, didn't you?

I... I do not understand.

Knew how Armand was climbing the ladder of success.

How Armand was transferring his attentions to someone even more

Carol Ogilvie.

No. No.

Because you had a friend up here, didn't you?

A person you were in constant touch with right up to the time of Armand's

murder. I know nothing about murder. Please.

A person you telephoned 11 times during the last four days of Armand's life.

11 times since Armand's last flight up here. A person you finally had to bribe

with money.

I didn't do it for her. I didn't.

I did nothing to make Armand's killing known. Then why were you so anxious?

So upset that you offered to pay your bartender friend.

Just to talk with you on the telephone? Just to tell you when Armand would be

flying home again?

But I was in Los Angeles.

Of course.

It was in Los Angeles where you really committed Armand's murder, wasn't it?

Monsieur Mason, I heard things very clearly.

The autopsy man, he said he found barbiturates and

coffee in Armand's stomach.

I could not have put anything in the coffee.

I could not have touched that. The fact that the coffee and barbiturates were

present together does not mean they were ingested together, Mrs. Rovell. And you

certainly could have substituted something for the stay -awake pills your

husband always carried, remember?

It must have been quite a shock when he didn't take them during his flight up

here.

No wonder you had four days of panic.

But then finally he flew back.

Mrs. Ravel, do I need to tell you that investigators in Los Angeles are even

tracking down the place where you might have bought those bills? Do I need to

tell you?

I have only this to say.

He... He was going to leave me.

I am only sorry I could not kill him ten times.

I've arranged with Mr. Mason to advance you whatever money you need to purchase

that bookshop, Mr. Bertin.

May take some time to untangle the legal mess of Ravel's estate in court. No

reason you should be penalized.

Oh, I don't deserve it.

Not after making such a fool of myself about a woman.

Hi. Where do you think you're going?

Back to Los Angeles with Mr. Mason.

I just found a pair of boots I'll fit you.

Boots? Yes, we'd like you to stay with us for a few days.

Give us a chance to say how sorry we are for everything.

Well, you do want to learn how to ski, don't you?

Me, on skis?

Sure, come on.

He'll learn.

Vive le fun.

Vive le sport.