All language subtitles for Perry Mason s07e19 Fifty-Millionth Frenchman

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.