Original subtitles

for camera?

That does it here. We'll move to the trackside green set and pick up the

there. Right. All right, boys, let's move to the trackside green set.

Barry.

Well, what are you doing on the set, Andy?

Trying to make like you're earning your 10 %?

I earned it. I got the else's to prove it.

Jack's side, Mark, just called. He's got next year's contracts ready.

Come on, I'm gonna enjoy this.

Say, uh, Barry, in this next scene... Call lunch, will you, Phil?

Barry, baby, no can do. We're already a half a dozen setups behind.

Well, suit yourself.

But you'll have to get along without me.

I'm hungry.

Now what do we do?

Well, I ask him. He's only the director.

The real boss is.

Barry Conrad, he's real neat. When he's hungry, we all eat.

We call lunch.

That's lunch, boys. One hour, 42 for the Griffin Electric.

How do I look?

Marvellous, Miss Clover. Once you have it, you just never lose it.

Why, thank you.

Darling. Barry.

Hello, Winnie. How are you?

Andy, you remember Winifred Glover? Of course I do. One of the great stars in

our business. The minute my agent called and the script was delivered, I knew

who'd done it.

Who? Why, who else but Barry Conrad.

The boy who was playing in an attic workshop theater and wrote a letter

me to come and see him act.

Once I'd seen him, I told my director... That's right, Wendy.

That's right.

You discovered me. Gave me my first break.

And all Hollywood has heard about it.

How many times?

Mr. Rubin, I hope you appreciate what a fine person you're representing. When

someone says becoming a star is bound to turn a youngster's head, you remind

them of Barry Conrad and tell them it's just not so.

It isn't? Why, after becoming one of the biggest stars in television, Barry

remembers back ten years to the forgotten old lady who gave him his

called her out of retirement to be his guest.

Guest star?

Guest star.

Then I'll see you later, Barry.

In front of the camera, like old times.

Side -marked nuts casting her.

Wasn't your idea?

Are you kidding?

That less of old has -been?

Next season's firm.

30 episodes, in color, with a nice boost in the budget.

How many TV series can make that statement?

Okay. Mr. Seidmark?

Looks legal to me.

You own me again, body and soul, for one more season.

This where we view the deceased?

The slumber room?

Hardly awake, Barry. More like a celebration. See these?

Next season's talent contracts.

Everyone signed, sealed, and delivered.

What about a star?

Hottest property in the business.

A fellow named Barry Conrad. I have his contract right here.

With everything he asked for, new dressing room, kitchen, carpeting, story

approval, the works.

You want to read it before he signs it, Andy?

I'm not signing, Jack.

What? I can't take your deal.

I've already got a deal.

A real honey, my own series.

The whole package from word one.

You can't.

Oh, Barry, baby, don't even joke about things like that.

It'll be announced in the Trace 1, Andy.

Thursday morning.

But... But you gave me your word.

You... You told me you wanted to go another year. We had an agreement.

Everything I did was based on that.

You have my agreement on paper?

Autographed?

ahead in good faith.

Good faith?

You know this business better than that.

But why didn't you tell me?

All it takes is one word. Why'd you let me go out on the hook for a million

dollars in contracts that I can't honor?

Sorry. Sorry?

I suppose you went along with this, Andy.

What do you want from me?

I just handle the talent. I don't tell it what to do.

You've killed me in this business.

All it would have taken is one word from you about your new TV series before I

put my reputation on the line and I wouldn't have had all this.

Tough old buddy.

That's your problem, not mine.

Well, if you think I'm going to let a super egomaniac get away with something

like this, you've got to... What are you going to do?

Chain me to the camera? I'm going to bury you in this town.

I'm going to bury you six feet under that phony star of yours in the sidewalk

along Hollywood Boulevard. That's what I'm going to do.

You kill me, Jack.

You really do.

I'm scared to death.

I feel dirty, Barry.

There are many producers worse than Jack Seidmark.

And very few put up with the tourist that you've been giving him.

Well, well, life early, boy writer.

How's the ivory tower?

Cloisters. The boss man in? Yep.

Barry, did you have a chance to find out anything about that format presentation

I gave you?

I told you when and if. I'd let you know.

Of course, if you'd like it back. Oh, I was just interested, that's all.

You got a real bad deal, Mr. Seidmark.

Look, if you'd like me to tear up my contract... No, no, I'll try to work

something out. I don't know, I... Erna, you're a doll.

What's a nice girl like you doing in this business?

Just lucky, I guess.

Well, I better get back to set.

Well, hello.

Jack, you want to glance over these blues before I give them to the

Not now.

The scene comes up right after lunch. Life, you've been in this business for a

while. Tell me something.

Do you know of any reason why actors shouldn't be locked up in cages and then

just let out to act?

Mary Conrad?

Our star.

I'll take care of these.

Hey, Jack.

Am I breaking something up?

No, no, just leaving.

I bumped into Winnie Glover. She says she's our guest star.

Means a lot to her. And it won't hurt you. And besides, it's worth a couple of

rating points the way she started you out in this business. I'm sick of

about that.

Anyway, I can't act with the old harpy.

So pay her off.

Fire her. She's been counting on this part.

And it wouldn't look good in print, you turning your back on her. Not me, you.

Take us some excuse, but don't use me.

Just get rid of her.

Barry.

I don't want to hurt her, Barry.

And I don't want to get laryngitis.

But it might be coming back.

I may not even be able to finish the episode.

You catch on.

You may go a long way in this business.

Perry Mason, please.

This is Jackson Sidemark calling.

I don't know whether you know Tad Wyman, Mr. Shields. Sure, I know him.

When I was number three in box office rating, I never let anyone but Tad take

still of me. So I hope you don't mind if he makes a few shots of your set

operation. It'll be good publicity.

Anything you say, Winifred.

Hi. I have a few ideas of shots for Barry Conrad and myself. You know,

back to yesteryear, it was I who... I'll take that in the business, you know.

Hey, Cliff, would you mind dancing out these blues for me?

Sorry, did Marco kid them? Yeah, it just came from his office.

Huh?

Now, listen, now don't laugh.

It's just because you don't understand it. Now, first there was folk, then

then folk rock.

That's what you do?

No, no, I go a little farther. Mine is folk, rock, blues.

Why doesn't somebody tell me these things?

You know, it's hard enough trying to prop this show with no preparation.

You know what my contract says.

No rewrites unless I get the pages 24 hours in advance.

Look, there are no dialogue changes, Barry. Only action. It doesn't... I

care what it is. Just talk to the producer, huh? Not me?

Let's have a rehearsal. We'll overlap the fallout of the boxcar. Right. All

right, rehearsal boys.

Take your places.

Stuntman. And police with pitching guns.

Take your places, boys.

Come on, boys.

Hello, Herman. Hello, Mr. Tidemont.

How's Bernice? Great.

Mr. Glover, could I have a word with you?

Certainly.

Excuse me, everybody.

Now, when Barry and the two heavies fall out of the door of the boxcar, Erna

jumps out, too.

You don't pull your guns right away, not until you try to knife Barry and he

knocks number one down.

What is it? Some business you want me to use? Just tell me whatever it is. I'm

not temperamental.

Miss Glover, I want you to know you'll get a full check plus overtime, even

though... Full check?

That's not important. I'd play the part for nothing.

It'll be good film to help my coming out of retirement.

That isn't what I mean.

What I'm trying to say is that I'm going to have to recast the part.

Replace you.

You've got to be joking.

You mean, just like that, I'm out?

After telling all my friends, the columnists, putting myself in the

even getting Tad Wyman to come here for old time's sake and photograph me? No!

I'm sorry, Miss Loner.

I don't like this any more than you do, but it has to be.

What kind of a man are you?

Thank goodness when I came into the business, there was still some heart in

I'll have that to remember anyway.

What will you have, Mr.

Seidmark? All right, let's make it. This will be a picture.

Clear it, boys.

Here we go. Bellarm.

Let's have it very quiet in the back.

Here we go. Roll it.

Rolling. 79 .1.

Clear the frame line, please.

It's clear.

Market.

Let's have those guns back.

Hey, come on, let's go.

Hey, somebody come here, quick.

Something's happened to Barry. He won't get up.

Barry? What's the matter?

What's the matter with him?

He's been shot.

I mean, really shot.

I think he's dead.

I have your attention, please.

This stage has been sealed off, and nobody will be allowed to leave or enter

until you've been questioned by either Sergeant Bryce or myself.

Now, the more you cooperate, the sooner we'll all get out of here.

And where were you during the take of scene 79?

Well, I'm the construction coordinator.

Buck Jones, the mill foreman, and I, we were over checking the sets to make sure

everything would be ready for tomorrow morning.

Well, I'm the costumer, and I was standing on set watching the scene.

That's enough.

What's your job, miss? I'm the producer's secretary.

Now, what department are you in?

I'm in the camera department.

What do you do? You work the camera?

I operate the camera. What's your name? Jack Wolf.

And your name?

Dennis Dalzell. And what do you do? I'm an assistant cameraman.

So what does an assistant cameraman do?

Oh, focuses the best he can.

I'm trying to corroborate a few things here. Your name is Harry Jones?

That's right.

What do you do? I'm the key grip on the show.

What's a grip?

I rebuild and reconstruct sets to correspond with the camera angles and

in the lighting.

Were you on the scene of the crime?

Yes, I was. See the murder? No, I didn't.

My name is Larry Peets.

Where were you during the filming of the scene?

I was behind the camera checking the lighting with the cameraman.

What is your name?

C. Slopton. What do you do? I'm the best boy. And you?

I'm the dimmer boy and practical.

Practical, huh? Yes, sir. What's your name?

Jim Lowry.

I'm the cutter.

The murder happened at three o 'clock. I'm long gone by then.

Now, tell me this. Did you see or hear anything unusual?

No, sir. I was right here doing makeup.

Tell me, ma 'am, what do you do?

Here, darling.

Did you see anything unusual?

No, sir.

And you?

I help Irving.

Irving. Your... Irving.

Your name is, uh...

Pete Desmond. I'm in charge of props.

Pete Desmond. Did you see or hear anything unusual during the take, Mr.

Well, not during the take, but right afterwards.

And what was that?

Well, we've just been handed these new blue pages.

Blue pages?

Yeah, it's a last -minute rewrite. So I had to run to the prop room to get this

case of handguns. The original script only called for knives.

Knives. I see. Go on.

Well, one of my guns had disappeared, so I had just six guns to hand out to the

actors just before the take.

Uh -huh. Well, right after the director yelled, cut, I asked for my guns back,

and like I said before, I'd only handed out six guns.

But when I checked my case after the take, there were seven, and they'd all

fired.

Well, where did the other gun come from, do you think?

Oh, from my pop room. I checked the number.

Where can I find Mr. Seidmark?

Well, I'm sorry, Mr. Mason. Nobody can come in without Lieutenant Drum's okay.

Lieutenant Drum?

It's all right, Frank.

Sorry to hold you up, Perry, but we had to complete our investigation.

Investigation of what? I'm here to see Jack Seidmark.

Well, now, how the devil did you find out about him so quickly?

Find out what?

We've arrested him.

Suspicion of murder.

Whose murder?

Larry Conrad.

You can talk to your client after we book him downtown, Terry.

Okay, let's go.

All I know about Desmond is that Steve Drum is keeping me away from him, and

he's been with the district attorney most of the afternoon.

Well, Pete's a straight man, Perry. He wouldn't do anything or say anything to

hurt me. You can count on that.

Oh, I hope so.

I'll see you as soon as I have something.

Well?

Well, the more he talks, the more he incriminates himself.

But I happen to believe him.

I've been talking to some of the members of the crew.

The only thing I've got that's worthwhile is that there was a still

on the set taking pictures.

Now, if he covered any of the action at the time of the shooting... Maybe we can

place some of the people on the set.

Know where they were when Barry Conrad was shot.

It's not much, but it's all we have for the moment Berger holds the trunk.

Your Honor, there is no possible doubt about this defendant's being criminally

involved in the murder of Barry Conrad.

And there is certainly no doubt about the stakes having ample evidence to

justify his being bound over for trial.

Well, that's generally the prosecution's point of view, Mr. Berger. But in view

of the public interest in this case and the play it's getting in the press, due,

of course, to the extreme prominence of the principals here, it seems to me it

would be good judgment to avoid further sensationalism by agreeing here and now

that this defendant be bound over for trial and, in effect, closing these

proceedings before they begin.

Well, since I haven't heard any of the evidence...

That kind of a horse trade is strictly up to you, Mr. Mason.

Well, the evidence I can present is certainly going to have a tremendous

on public opinion.

And that will make it much more difficult to impanel an unbiased,

when the time comes.

No deals, Hamilton.

I know you'd rather not show your hand for the benefit of the newspapers, but

since my client has the right to a hearing, I think we'll take a look at

cards.

Well, it was about three months ago I was in a little joint with Barry in

Malibu.

Jackson Sidemark came barreling in, came right up to our table, hit Barry in the

mouth, split his lip, broke a tooth.

Well, did Sidemark explain why he attacked Barry Conrad?

No, he just clobbered him.

He did say if Barry pulled another stunt like that on him again, he'd kill him.

Yes, Mr.

Sidemark flipped.

But then everybody's entitled to... Blow it up once in a while. So the defendant

has a violent temper, is that right, Miss Landry? Oh, no, no.

Mostly he's, uh, like, uh, calm.

The fact is, for a producer, he's a real pussycat.

Yes, but your description of the defendant's behavior with Barry Conrad

afternoon of the murder would indicate that he's anything but calm.

Well, Barry pushed him.

Look, do you know how much Green was riding on that deal?

Pulling out on a producer at that stage of the game is like... Well, it's like

snatching raw meat from a hungry lion.

Why, that's an apt comparison, Miss Landry.

I'm sure the court can visualize what the lion would do next.

A hungry lion. Yes, thank you.

Yes, sir, that's my pistol.

Well, so much for the ownership of the murder weapon.

Now, Mr. Desmond.

Was the defendant, your producer, Mr. Seidmark, disturbed when you told him

one of your prop pistols was missing?

No, sir. He said he had other things to worry about.

I see. And you, of course, reported it immediately to the police?

No, sir. Mr.

Seidmark told me not to. He was sure it would turn up.

And did it turn up?

Yes, sir.

Right after the scene when Mr.

Conrad was killed, I checked the prop box where the extras had put the

and the missing gun was back.

The missing gun was back. Thank you, Mr. Desmond. Oh, one thing I forgot.

When we realized that Mr. Conrad had been shot and everybody sort of rushed

him, I happened to look up and I saw Mr.

Sidemark standing by the prop box.

And I saw him drop a pistol in the box.

Order. This court will be in order. Bailiff, if I hear another roar off from

spectator area, you ought to remove those responsible.

Mr. Parker.

Your Honor, I'm going to reserve the right to recall this witness, but for

moment, cause examined, Mr. Mason.

Mr. Desmond, since your weapons are kept under lock and key, how is it possible

one was stolen?

Well, at the time... Did the defendant have a key to the prop room?

No, sir. Who did have such a key?

Well, the guard at the gate had a case of fire.

And you?

Yes, sir.

Then how did someone, without breaking a lock, get into that prop room?

I, uh... Oh, I got a phone call.

Yeah, I remember now. I got this call, and I... I must have left the room open

for maybe four or five minutes.

So any one of a hundred people in the crew or the staff or cast could have

that gun, is that correct?

Yes, sir, but I saw Mr.

Seidmark put the pistol back in the box.

I saw him.

Oh, yes, I remember you telling the court that.

Yeah, he was standing right by the box. After the fatal scene was completed?

Yes, sir. No, he was not, Mr. Desmond. Oh, but I'm sure, Mr. Mason.

Mr. Desmond, I show you this defense exhibit.

It's a photograph.

A photograph which was taken as the cast and crew rushed toward the decedent.

After the scene.

Now, where is Mr. Seidmark?

He's on the same side of the set the camera is on, Mr. Desmond, not the

side. Not the opposite side by the prop box.

Here's where he told the police he was, Mr. Desmond, not where you have sworn he

was.

Your Honor, this witness has perjured himself in a deliberate and malicious

attempt to implicate my client. I'm through with the witness.

Well, I'm not through with him.

Mr. Desmond, did you know that the defense counsel was going to introduce

photograph to this court?

Well, speak up. You were glib enough a moment ago.

I didn't know anything about any pictures.

You didn't?

Well, I find that odd, Mr. Desmond.

I wasn't even there, and I knew about the photographs.

You were on that set all day, and you didn't know pictures were being taken?

Well, I knew about it, but I guess I forgot it.

It's like I saw something that I thought was something else, and I got mixed

up. And why did you tell Lieutenant Drum or me when you spoke to me in my office

that you saw Jackson's side mark return that gun?

I guess I was excited. I forgot.

And weren't you excited or equivocating or just plain guessing when you said

that you saw the defendant return the gun to the prop box?

I'm sorry.

You're sorry, Mr. Desmond.

You're not anywhere near as sorry as you're going to be.

I'm going to ask you a question, Mr. Desmond, and I suggest that you give it

careful consideration before you answer me. Very careful.

Isn't it true, Mr. Desmond, that you talked with defense counsel before you

the stand here today, and didn't you then learn that he was going to

that photograph, and didn't you then agree to perjure yourself in order to

entrap the prosecution?

Objection. Answer me.

Objection. Answer my question.

All charges against the defendant are dismissed. Stand the defendant is

from custody.

Court is adjourned.

Thank you, Mr. Mason.

You're very welcome.

Mr. Mason, you knew what Desmond was going to say on that stand, and you knew

that photograph would refute his testimony.

Furthermore, you knew that he was going to surprise me by volunteering

information I never heard before.

And you knew that in the process, he was going to perjure himself.

I did not know what Desmond's testimony would be, and I was under no obligation

to discuss it with you.

Of course you knew. You knew because you planned it, and then sat there and

waited for it. You planned to entrap me, and you know it.

Hamilton, Desmond was your witness, and I'm surely not suggesting that you were

suborning perjury. Bah!

Listen, Seidmark, you're free for the moment, but I'm not through with you.

If I have to put every man in homicide on this case, I'm going to nail him to

the wall.

And next time, it's going to take more than a cheap scheisser trick to keep him

out of the gas chamber.

I don't know why Pete turned on me.

Perjured himself to incriminate me.

I've been his friend.

Doesn't make sense to me either.

Well, anyway, it's all over.

No, it's not over.

Berger's not going to let it be, and I'm not going to let it be. Not until I get

some answers.

I'm going to get some answers, too.

Well, Mr. Early.

Tide marching. Calling for you. Said to tell you as soon as you got here he

wants to see you. That's right. Where is he? He's in the cutting room.

Side marks in the cutting room.

Thanks. I'll see you later.

Right now, I want Pete Desmond.

Well, he's more than likely in the prop room.

Plus, he's with his lawyer. After what he pulled around here today, I'm

surprised Mr. Side Mark let him on the lot.

Where is the prop room?

Over there next to the cutting room.

Park right in front. Thank you.

I want to talk to you, Mr.

Lawyer, about the fine day's work you did today.

Hello, Miss Glover.

Paul, will you look for Pete Desmond while I hear what the lady has to say?

Sure.

Now, Miss Glover.

I always knew a good lawyer could buy a divorce or break a contract, but I

didn't know he could help you get away with murder.

Nobody's getting away with murder. The police will find the killer.

Find him? They had him. Your client.

Jackson Sidemark called himself a producer. In my day, he was cutting B

pictures, bad B pictures.

Miss Glover, why tell me this? Why not tell Mr. Sidemark?

I just did, to his face.

Didn't he give you an acting job when no one else in town would take a chance?

He give me a job?

That's his story.

This poor Barry.

He never forgot a friend.

He wanted me as guest star.

And Sidemark didn't?

Do you know what he tried to tell me just now?

That he fired me because Barry Conrad told him to. Did you ever hear anything

lower, more despicable, with poor Barry lying dead?

You got that murderer his freedom, Mr.

Mason, but I promise you this, he's not going to enjoy it.

Miss Landry, isn't it?

Oh, you scared me.

Sorry. I'm looking for Pete Desmond.

He isn't here.

That's why I have to get my own props.

I'm looking for a deck of cards for the next scene.

Well, these do.

Oh, thanks.

Well, I guess I'd better get back before the assistant sends out a search party.

for the revelation.

Revelation? Didn't your client call you? He called me.

Told me he's got the murderer picked out.

He asked me to meet him up in the cutting room, so I agreed to do so just

away from Hamilton Burger. Boy, you really turned that guy on, didn't you?

You broke your heart and came.

When I send for someone, I expect them to come at once.

Not when they get good and ready.

What's wrong with my money?

Or is it that you don't want me as your client?

There's nothing wrong with your money, Miss Glover.

It's your cavalier attitude I don't like.

And as for wanting you as a client, I already have a client. Jack Sidemark.

But he's dead.

He's still my client, Miss Glover.

And I intend to clear his name.

That's why I'm here.

Because the state is saying your motive for killing Seidmark was your belief

that he killed your protege, Barry Conrad.

And you're trying to tell me he didn't? I intend to prove he didn't.

And hopefully clear you of the charge of murder at the same time.

So, you finally get around to me.

After first telling the police I was the last one to see Seidmark alive in the

cutting room.

You put me in this cell.

Miss Glover, I didn't come here to... I must be out of my mind to ask you to

defend me.

You're the last person I ought to trust.

Oh, no. Well, where are you going?

You sent for me, Miss Glover.

I came here intending to take your case, give you the best defense I could,

because I believed I could clear Jack's side, Mark, and I believe... I believe

you're innocent.

But... If defending you means putting up with your tantrums and accusations and

bad manners and juvenile logic, you'll have to find yourself a lawyer who can

swallow it, not me.

Then you're going to abandon me like the rest of the world.

Throw me to the lions.

Miss Glover, you're not acting now. You're facing a murder charge.

And you're up against a formidable case.

Motive, opportunity.

And your fingerprints on the death weapon, the real film.

The police asked me about that.

I must have touched it when I was in the room.

And that disposes of the evidence.

Oh, it's hopeless.

Hopeless.

They'll send me to the chair.

That's a line from a period play, Miss Glover. We have the gas chamber in

California.

What am I going to do?

You're an actress.

To give a moving, believable performance, you have to take direction.

From you?

If I decide to represent you, yes.

All right, Mr. Mason.

From now on, you're my director.

I had my reasons.

Good reasons.

As far as I'm concerned, there are no good reasons for turning on a friend.

Jackson's side mark countersigned at least two notes for you.

He gave you a job, one as an alcoholic. No one else in town would even take a

chance on you. And he made you prop master.

That's right.

You've been reading up on me, haven't you?

You sure repaid him.

I repaid him by getting him off.

The best way I knew how.

Now, look, suppose I'd have had to testify for him. So what could I say?

Oh, he's a great guy.

I'd cut off my arm for him.

A lot of good that would have done.

And the district attorney was right. You deliberately entrapped him. I knew you

got those pictures for Mason.

Tad Wyman, the photographer, let it slip.

I knew that Mason could tear down anything I said.

I saw something like it in the movie once, where a wife did that to save her

husband. You used the court.

It worked, didn't it?

Boy, you treat perjury as if it was a little wide lie, you tell, when you're

late for work.

Look, I did what I had to do, and I'd do it again.

To help Jack's side, Mark, I'd get up on that stand tomorrow. No, you wouldn't.

An admitted perjurer can't testify convincingly that the sun rises and sets

every day.

You know, all this might not happen if it hadn't been such a rushed job.

Those blue pages at the last minute, and no chance to get my props ready, and

then my running out of here and giving somebody a chance to walk off with a

And your story still is that you took six guns to the set and seven were

returned.

That's right.

Did anyone see that you took six guns, see that one of your guns was missing,

see that you used only blank ammunition?

No, I guess not.

Hey, what are you getting at?

Don't you believe me?

Believe you?

so I can hear you. Listen, baby, I'll tell you about this. You may be a little

older, but I'm very honest.

I'm going to finish my... I am going to finish... But, Mr.

Marks, all I said... All I said was I'd do anything Mr. Hibbs told me to do. And

Mr. Marks, he said that I was just supposed to... I don't know for sure.

never done this before.

Just catch on.

I wouldn't take that show.

Who wants to be opposite Bonanza?

Thank you, Doctor.

Now he's a network vice president.

I knew him when he played the piano.

So she gets a million dollars a picture. So what?

She can't act.

I was all set for a series. Feature billing.

And I broke up with the assistant director.

Me take a walk -on? I'd rather draw my unemployment.

What was I saying?

Hmm? What was I saying? Oh, uh, you were telling me how you were going to make

me a star.

A star? I'll make a whole constellation.

I got a serious idea that'll set this town on its ear. It's strictly on for

I haven't registered it yet.

Oh, do I get to play the guitar and sing?

The guitar, that's ordinary.

The zither.

That's what you play. It takes talent in a sort of cab.

Oh, but I don't know how to play the zither.

Oh,

then I will dub it.

Oh, boy, I can really see it now in Variety.

Erno Landry, Botho in Zither Vidpix.

Zither is only a gimmick. You see, what we have is a young kid. That's you.

You're sort of down on your luck. You come from a place like Pittsburgh.

You come to Los Angeles and we have this scene with a real pathos. You're out in

front of Grauman's Chinese.

Trying to fit your feet in the footprints of the stars.

And this guy comes along, he says... You ought to be in pictures.

It's a little more subtle -like, you know.

I get another idea.

Suppose... Suppose she didn't meet him yet. She goes to a drugstore.

Has a soda.

Schwab's? Exactly.

We shoot it right there.

Documentary style.

I like it so far.

Oh, love it, love it.

It's got that...

marvelous Italian -French low -key Fellini -Mignone feel.

That's right. Now, don't breathe a word of this.

I haven't written it down yet.

They're not going to take this one from me.

Oh, I got to sell his ideas.

From now on, I'm going to see the color of their money before the hairline.

Oh, life.

It's about time, Mr. Ten Presenter.

I think you and I should have a little chat.

If only once you just run along and Andy and I can talk some money.

I'm afraid I have some bad news for Perry.

I guess he's still with Miss Glover. What's the bad news?

The still photographer, Ted Wyman.

We've looked high and low for him, but we can't find him. His wife says he's on

a fashion assignment someplace, but she doesn't know where.

Neither does anybody else.

That's too bad.

It's one of the first things on the list that Perry had for you to do.

Get all available Tad Wyman negatives printed. Well, can't do that, obviously.

Seems very important to the case.

Of course, we'll keep looking for Wyman, but... Wait a minute.

Why couldn't we use the movie film that was shot of that scene instead of the

stills? Maybe.

Why not?

When you hear from Perry, have him get me a court order so I can have the lab

print up all the film on the murder take. Then we can examine it frame by

Right.

The state has assembled a mass of evidence here, all of which points

this defendant.

But, Your Honor, this evidence will only take on clarity and significance when

we understand the motives of this killer, when we understand the peculiar

mentality of a star like Winifred Glover, a star who glitters no longer.

That snide second -rater.

You're going to let him get away with that?

That is now thwarted.

and frustrated.

Your Honor, here we have a murder which is not so much a crime of passion as a

crime of temperament.

That's the way it goes in the business. You know, anybody who makes it big,

they're bound to leave behind a trail of dead carcasses.

For those of us who are more literal and less literary than yourself, Mr. Early,

perhaps you better explain what you mean by that figure of speech, the part

about the dead carcasses.

What I mean is like in this case.

Barry Conrad gave Sidemark a bad deal.

Walked out into a new show.

That left Sidemark in hock to the bank, in trouble with the network.

And Sidemark gave Miss Glover a bad deal.

Dropped her so half the town was laughing.

And that's the game.

Everybody giving everybody else a bad time, trying to hold on to what they got

no matter what.

It's a dog -eat -dog racket.

Now, Mr. Early, were you present when Jackson Sidemark fired the defendant?

Yeah, he, uh...

He tried to let her down easy, but she's been around a long time.

She wasn't fooled by the soft soap.

She raised the roof.

Like I say, you can't blame either one of them. Of course.

Thank you, Mr. Early.

Cross -examine.

Your Honor, there's no point in cross -examining at this time.

The district attorney has elicited a diatribe about Hollywood, which has

to do with this case, and in my opinion, little to do with reality.

This town doesn't need defending. I do.

Why don't you ask him some questions?

I worked with Miss Glover five or six years ago.

He canceled her contract when she blew her top one day and threw a paperweight

to the director.

Hit him, too.

She's got a lousy reputation.

A good actress, but impossible to work with.

A few years ago, I saw her slap a press agent because there were visitors on the

set. Not a cameraman in town ever wanted to photograph her.

She's been known to, uh...

Well, she hit me over the head with a prop bottle.

Temper. I once corrected a line she mangled, and she nearly ran me over in

parking lot.

You're a witness, Mr. Mason.

He's a liar. I read that line perfectly.

No questions.

When are you going to start defending me?

Miss Glover, you promised you'd take direction.

I think you're the one who needs direction.

Mr. Rubin.

As the first witness for the defense, can you tell us who was responsible for

firing the defendant?

Barry Conrad.

Will you explain that, please?

Well, he said that she was a lusht up old has -been and he wouldn't work with

her. He had Jack Seidmark fire her. He wouldn't do it himself because if the

word got out, the publicity would hurt him. So much for that portion of the

murder motive ascribed by the state to my client.

Cross -examine, Mr. Berger.

Mr. Roper.

Did anyone else besides yourself know that Barry Conrad was responsible for

firing of Winifred Glover?

Certainly, Jack Seidmark. But not Winifred Glover?

I don't know how.

I didn't tell her, and Barry certainly wouldn't. And so motive in this case

not depend on who actually fired her, but on who she believed fired her. And

there can be no question that the defendant believed it was the decedent

Seidmark. And that belief, Your Honor, as we have contended all along,

constituted for her a powerful motive for killing him.

No further questions.

Court stands adjourned until 2 o 'clock this afternoon.

All right.

Harry, I just spoke to Paul, and the film's ready for us to screen at the

Now, as I understand it, you were responsible for the trouble on the set,

take of scene 79.

I don't understand.

Well, weren't you responsible for the infamous blue pages, the last -minute

rewrite of the scene that substituted guns for knives?

Yes, sir. Putting it that way, I guess I was.

I asked you to bring copies of those blue pages. I assume they're in the

briefcase. Yes.

Your Honor, may these be marked for identification as defense exhibits?

One more thing, Mr. Early.

Do you happen to know whether the director staged and shot the scene

you wrote it in the blue pages?

No, I wouldn't.

As I said, I wasn't on the set.

I haven't had an opportunity to see the film.

But from past experience, I'd have serious doubts.

Objection.

Sustained.

I would imagine any screenwriter would concur in your doubts.

I believe that's all I have at this time.

Mr. Berger?

No questions, Your Honor.

You must stand down, Mr. Early.

Excuse me, Your Honor. We're ready to project the film now.

What film is that, Mr. Mason?

Well, the lab reprint of...

Scene 79, the film that was on Mr. Seidmark's moviola at the time he was

Your Honor, the state has already examined the original print of that film

by frame and found nothing helpful.

I fail to understand why Mr. Mason would waste the court's time by projecting a

reprint of it here.

To be certain, Your Honor, the court sees all the film from that camera.

We have seen all the film, from the opening slate to the end. It hasn't been

cut.

I still feel it would be constructive, Your Honor, especially with a member of

the cast on the stand to watch it with us. Which cast member?

We should like to call Miss Erna Landry.

Well, Miss Landry?

No, I didn't see anything.

I did see Barry fall after he was shot, but I'm not sure that's what I'm

supposed to be looking for.

All right.

Once more, from the beginning this time.

Your Honor, that time was from the beginning.

No, Mr. Berger, it was only from the camera slate, not from the head of the

reel. We'll run it again, please.

Rolling.

Rolling.

Clear the frame line, please.

There. Now, run it back a few frames.

Right there.

Now, zoom in, please.

Enlarge it as far as you can.

There, do you see it, Miss Landry?

A briefcase.

Whose briefcase?

Do you recognize it?

Life Early's.

Yes.

Yours, Mr. Early.

The author of The Blue Pages.

Who saw to it there were plenty of guns in the scene, giving you an opportunity

to use one of them on Barry Conrad while the cameras were rolling.

No, I... Afterward, you hoped to escape detection in the confusion, slipped the

weapon back into Pete Desmond's gun case undetected.

Well, why would I want to kill Barry? Why?

Stealing, Mr. Early.

The dog -eat -dog racket. Your own words.

Didn't Barry Conrad steal your story, your idea, make it the format for his

series?

Your Honor, Mr.

Mason may be perfectly correct in his solution of the Barry Conrad murder, but

may I remind this court and Mr. Mason that we are trying Winifred Glover for

murder of Jackson Seidmark.

Your Honor, Mr.

Berger, the solution of the one case also solves the other.

Once Life Early found out Jackson Sidemark had solved Barry Conrad's

had to kill him, too.

But how could Sidemark have figured out who killed Barry Conrad?

The film ahead of the slate revealing Mr. Early's briefcase to the camera.

Ordinarily, that part of the film is cut off and thrown away by the editor.

Just as you did with the print in Sidemark's moviola after you killed him,

Early. Trusting that no one would think to have the original reprinted.

Including the few feet ahead of the slate.

He was an egomaniac. He stepped on people for the sheer enjoyment of it.

Sorry about Jack's side, Mark. He was one of the real good Joes in this filthy

business. I hated to do it.

For that, I deserve whatever I get.

But not for killing Barry. He deserved to be killed.

I'm glad I had the guts to do it.

Barry, take a look at your client.

Nothing like being acquitted of murder to get your picture in the papers. Yeah,

this publicity might open a whole new career for her.

Perry, I... James Hamilton?

Well, what I was going to say, Perry... Well, Stella and Paul, too.

My thought was... You tell him, would you, Lieutenant?

What was that all about?

The district attorney wanted me to tell you that he made a reservation at Clay's

Grill and would like very much to have you all for dinner this evening as his

guest.

Why didn't he just tell us?

You know Hamilton Burger.

This is about as close as he'll ever get to an apology.

What do you say?

I, for one, wouldn't miss it.

Nor I.

None of us will miss it. Good.

Paul, have you seen the notes on our next case?

Hey, this is interesting.

This police report looks convincing.

But if we can get the witnesses we need, I can get a plane out tonight.

Now, it seems to me the place to start is at the beginning.