Original subtitles

Mr. Trilling, what are you doing here?

I'm all right, Albert. I can handle my own wheelchair, thank you. But you

shouldn't be here at night.

What do you mean I shouldn't be here? Well, your operation.

And who's supposed to run this company if I'm not around day and night?

Don't really need this crazy thing.

But those doctors, they tell you don't walk.

They tell you take it easy. They tell you...

But do they know the days, the sleepless nights, the responsibilities?

Hi. I'm Pansy.

I love you.

Good morning.

Good night.

Are you running away

from some man on a prowl or just finishing up a workout at the YWCA?

smart, Herman. Just give me a beer.

A little Alice is not an unusual wonderland mood to see. A beer, Herman.

Oh, it's all right, officer.

Nothing's been taken.

Just notice the window driving by.

Who hates Santa Claus?

Forget it. It's probably just an accident. A gust of strong wind, maybe.

damage. Or a gust of a strong girl.

Somebody thought they saw... You have children, officer?

Oh, Miss Graham, why don't you help select some gifts for the officers to

home to their children?

Certainly, Mr. Turling.

An Angie doll for a little girl, perhaps?

Well, now, just a minute.

Don't you care that your window's been broken?

Inside, gentlemen.

Inside.

I should be in bed, that's what.

Or back in the hospital.

Or like the doctor said, in the desert, Palm Springs.

The Riviera.

The Bahamas.

What's stopping him?

What's stopping me?

Well, you didn't see what she did. You didn't see the damage.

But it's her building, Mr. Kelly.

Mason, since Alice's father died, she's taken off from three different schools.

She moved out of the house.

She hangs up the phone if I try to talk to her.

She won't even look at a man.

And you can't make her cry, Uncle.

Mason, the girl is my niece.

I only want to help her.

Forgive me for being blunt, Mr. Trilling.

But that girl is also money in your pocket.

Alice is the principal stockholder in the corporation.

But unless she snaps around, unless she can prove to the executors that she's

living up to her father's will, there may not be any more corporation.

Unfortunately, Alice's father didn't understand his daughter as well as he

understood toys.

There is doubtful wisdom behind the stipulation in his will that says...

Unless my daughter can prove herself responsible before her next birthday.

Either by marrying or by otherwise showing that she's settled down.

Well, why shouldn't a girl get married?

Two men, two very nice young men, she's left standing at the altar.

But can't you see the senseless cruelty in that, Will?

Saying that marriage, any marriage at all, proves a girl's responsibility.

All right.

All right, Morgan was upset with the girl.

But unless the executors are satisfied somehow that Alice is capable of

her own estate, they will dissolve the corporation, set up trust accounts for

her. You've obviously enjoyed running the company since your brother died,

haven't you, Mr. Trilling?

Yes.

Yes, I have.

Well, I don't know what you think I can do to help keep you in office.

I did not write Morgan's will.

You can go to the executors, to the bank.

You can ask the courts for more time.

Oh, no, I can't.

At least I won't.

Unless you and the rest of the family stop moaning over your personal sorrows

long enough to consider the source of real sorrow in Alice.

Harry, I might be willing to help in this if you'd begin to help Alice by

that doll off the market. The Angie doll.

That what off the market?

Harry, that doll's our biggest seller all over the world.

My brother would turn over in his grave why he created that doll for Alice.

Yes.

He even gave the doll Alice's nickname.

Angie.

A beautiful, delicate, glamorous doll.

Everything Morgan Trilling expected his daughter to be.

Demanded that she be.

Okay, Rembrandt, what's the funny joke?

What joke?

You watch me come in here. You watch me go out.

The other night, now again, what am I, a freak or something?

Let me see that.

Now you're spoiled.

Herman?

How come you've got such a hot fire burning inside you, hmm?

It's a freeze, Rembrandt.

Usher's the name.

Anthony Usher. Well, think of that.

Goodbye, Rembrandt. Hey.

Wait a minute. That's it.

Now, listen, you... Don't move.

Why me? Why take me? You're different, maybe.

From what?

Well, for one thing, you're ugly.

What? Scared, of course.

I am not. Of yourself.

Now, listen, you just stop it.

You're nothing but a nutty creep.

And you're a shaggy dog.

Well, I'm going to paint your picture, see?

Oh, no, you're not.

I wouldn't let you paint a fence.

Let go of me.

Never sold a picture.

Never got hung anywhere.

I never even got paid for doing a mural in a powder room.

What's the matter? No ambition?

Nope. Too much.

Money for peasants.

Who needs it?

Just wait till the world sees this masterpiece.

Whistler's mother.

Cut it out, will you? The fall of the House of Usher.

I said cut it out.

Sorry. Just got thirsty.

I don't mean the moving. I mean the way you keep spitting at yourself.

You know the trouble with you?

Self -pity.

You're on a hair shirt. Now listen, Rembrandt. I only told you I'd come up

if you promised to let me alone. And that temper.

Not enough room on this canvas for that chip on your shoulder. Now you cut it

out. Alice, sit down.

Why? Why should I sit there? I just want you to analyze me. You're just...

I paint what I see.

That's all.

Hello.

Goodbye.

I made this thing work a long time ago, Mr. Turley.

I found a way to give the doll a voice.

Make it live.

So you did, Talbot.

Your brother never closed his eyes to any new ideas.

My brother didn't have my problems.

I'm sorry, but we just can't risk any new products right now. In an emergency

situation like ours... Now, just a minute.

Wait just a minute.

You said that the last time.

When I designed a singing spaceship, remember?

You turned that down. And Albert Charity's outfit put almost the same

the market. Now they're making a fortune out of it. Of course.

They don't have executors to deal with, a bank breathing down their necks.

A girl named Alice, you mean.

Oh, Harry, if you'd only stop worrying about what might happen.

I know what I'm doing.

Yes, and I'm taking care of the Alice thing, too.

Don't you worry. Then why don't you take care of today's business for a change?

Talbot, if you think you could run this company any better than I'm doing... If!

If!

Are you kidding?

Temper, temper.

You don't talk back to Zeus.

Science is wonderful.

But you did tell him, I must say.

That guy should still be selling washing machines.

Why the bank ever put him in charge?

Now, now, get those storm clouds out of your eyes.

And don't tell me he's not grandstanding that wheelchair for every inch of

mileage he can get out of it.

Darling.

Darling, I think you're a genius.

And I'll even let you take me out to dinner tonight.

Natalie, you've already helped me spend one month's salary this week.

Besides, science isn't all that's wonderful.

If you'll do it for me, you'll do it for him.

I will.

Life in the toy factory.

Tomorrow morning, bright and early, you'll yawn into Big Harry's office and

him everything I said.

Oh, now, Talbot.

I wouldn't do a thing like that to you.

Me?

Up, you know what I mean? Get the vinegar out.

Persimmons. Just hold the head, just like that.

Lips like so.

We can't think how to creep this way.

That's my problem. Something wrong here.

Yeah, there sure is. Just hold the pose, don't move.

Glasses, that's what you need.

You know something?

This is for real.

Maybe this I might sell.

Sure. For a powder room portrait.

No, no, I mean it. In the bus station.

Oh, Alice, shut up. And you'll owe all your success to your beautiful model, to

the Mona Lisa, to the Duchess of Alba. You are you, you idiot. Now, stop all

twitching and just... That's what I'm talking about. I am what I am what I am.

Now, why should you paint me looking like some... some...

You are.

What you are.

What you are.

It's your uncle, Mr. Ling.

All right if I come in, dear?

All right, Miss Jefferson. Thank you.

I, uh, hope you're not busy, dear.

I told the landlady it was rather important.

Alice?

I know I should have phoned, but you and I don't have enough talks, and I

thought that... Alice!

Now, look here, Alice.

I didn't come here to scold you. I didn't come here to...

What's the matter?

Well, you... Your hair.

Oh.

Here. Makes it easier for me to wash, that's all.

Alice.

Now, look, Uncle Harry, I'm busy.

I don't want to talk about psychiatrists.

I'm not going over to your house for dinner. I'm not going to Cousin Susie's.

And I am not going to move out of this apartment. Well, I don't know why not

when you've got a beautiful big house like your father just standing there

empty. Uncle Harry, I said I'm busy. I don't want to talk about... All right,

all right.

I'm sorry.

Thank you for the flowers.

You do look very nice.

Well?

Well, Alice, I've been to a lawyer. Oh, a very nice one. You remember him, I'm

sure. Perry Mason?

Well?

Now, I know you don't want to talk business, Alice.

But that thing of your father's will... It does involve a lot of other people,

and with your birthday coming up in only a few months... You see, it involves

your financial future, too, dear.

Mason will explain.

Oh, you'd be far better off if somehow we can just keep the business going.

Uncle Harry... I don't mean the easy way with that marriage nonsense.

Alice, I've never blamed you one second for jilting those money -chasing

boyfriends.

But there are other ways, more complicated ways, perhaps.

But with your cooperation, the executors and bank just might recommend to the

court... All right.

What? You want me to go talk to this lawyer, help straighten out the will

Well, all right, I said.

Oh, what?

Thank you.

Thank you, Alice.

Oh, you realize it's only your own happiness I'm thinking of.

I don't want to make trouble for anybody. I'll do anything that's

But, Uncle Harry, I really am busy.

So... Honey, what on earth is it that's made you so busy just now?

Please, Uncle Harry, I just want to be left alone. Doesn't anybody understand?

Of course.

Of course.

I do.

Oh, but I almost forgot.

Alice, dear...

There's something that's upset me for years.

The Angie doll.

Now, I don't want to say anything about your father, but why that man couldn't

love things for what they were instead of trying to make pretty little patterns

out of them.

Toys, dolls.

Well, anyway, I'm in charge now.

And I just wanted you to know I'm taking that Angie doll off the market. Getting

rid of it entirely.

Now, don't say anything.

I just wanted you to know.

I understand.

I have always understood.

What are you doing here? Alice, you frightened me.

Alice, darling, how lovely you look.

That's a beautiful dress.

Do you know Anthony Usher? What?

Oh, no.

And don't you get the wrong idea.

I'm just running an errand for a friend, and that's all.

Friend? Yes, but it's not important.

Just tell him... This Usher's an artist, isn't he?

I mean...

I'll come back some other time. Natalie, wait.

Don't worry, darling.

I won't tell anyone.

I mean, I bet he's very attractive.

You just have a good time, darling.

You were going to put something there.

What? Let me see it.

Alice, really, this is none of our business.

Give it to me.

No, I will not.

My friend told me just to leave this note here for... Alice, please.

All sorts of people must know Mr. Usher. No, it's a joke.

Don't misunderstand, Alice. Please don't be hurt.

For a thousand dollars.

Oh, Alice, darling, I'm so sorry.

Maybe it's for some old work he's done.

An old painting, perhaps.

Signed by my understanding Uncle Harry Trilling.

You hired him.

You just hired him. That's what you did.

Alice. Hate the shaggy dog.

Get the ugly cat.

Anything I did was for your... Get married. Get married. Get married.

Anything. Quick, quick, quick.

I did it for your future. Not for me.

Oh, yes. And Angie.

Take the doll off the market. Even that.

All right.

Yes. You liar.

You dirty liar.

You think I'm going to let a mixed -up little nut like you wreck my company,

wreck my chances?

I'd come back to finish typing a report, and I... Mr. Trilling wanted it first

thing in the morning, and I thought he was at home.

Then I saw his office door was open and I came in.

I saw him lying there on the floor.

I thought I should call you first, Mr. Mason.

Miss Graham, I told you on the phone to call the police immediately.

I was so frightened. Of what, the questions they'll ask him? No.

No, I didn't kill him.

Just who are you trying to protect then, Miss Graham?

It isn't that I'm trying to protect anyone. It's just that... What's the

Is that your pen?

It's Alice's.

That's why I called you first, Mr. Mason.

You see, I saw Alice earlier this evening, Mr. Mason, and... Was she

pin when you saw her?

Yes.

Yes, she was.

Oh, excuse me. My name's Albert Charity. I came here to see Harry.

Mr. Trilley, I mean... Do you mind if I ask why?

Oh, of course I mind. It's a matter of business.

I may be a little late. As a matter of fact, Mr. Charity, you're quite late.

What?

Good Lord.

Is he dead?

Natalie, what's happened? Who are these men? What's going on?

All right, I'd better get going.

Right, Paul.

Now, look here.

Operator, may I have the police department, please?

Are you lost or just foraging?

I'm looking for a girl.

Are you, Usher?

The city's full of girls.

Why look here?

Her name's Alice.

You've been painting her picture, haven't you?

Look, mister, I paint lots of girls. I don't know one face from another, one

body from another. And as far as names are concerned, it goes right out of my

head. So if you don't mind... I'm in a hurry.

This girl's in trouble and now I can't find her.

Look, I can't help you. I'm not mixed up with any girls.

The only Alice I know is some kook I barely met.

Then who did all this? Your mother?

Come on. Let's tell it to a lawyer friend of mine, huh? Oh, sure. Take it

Glad to go anywhere you want.

Only thing is, I haven't seen Ellis since before the...

Well,

are you all right?

Yeah. I guess I'm just getting old.

As I drove up, I heard a sports car roaring out of the alley.

Brother, when I get my hands on that artist, I'm going to... The two of you

all this?

No.

I think the mess surprised him as much as it did me.

What about Alice's apartment?

Well, I tried that first.

Landlady said she was hysterical and went running out with a suitcase.

Then forget the artist, Paul. The police can find him.

Alice is the one I'm concerned with.

I see what you mean.

If she destroyed this much of herself, how much more is she liable to do?

She'd been crying. Her face was a mess. I tried to get her to stop, to make her

come inside.

Well, that's why I wanted to see Mr. Mason first, since he is Alice's lawyer.

Oh, here he is now.

Mr. Mason, I'm Talbot Spar. Alice Trilling came by my house just a little

ago. What happened?

I was just going to bed. I heard this racket on the porch beating on my door.

hadn't heard yet about her uncle's murder.

Al Charity phoned to tell me just after she left.

Well, it was...

Alice at the door.

She said, I need money quick. It's too late to cash a check.

Naturally, I wanted to ask her inside to try to find out what was the matter,

but she started to cry.

Did you give her money? Just the bills I had in my pocket.

Then what?

Well, she took them, said thank you, and practically ran.

I wanted to chase after her to make her come inside, but by then the phone was

ringing.

Carrie, there's a police report. They just spotted Alice's car on the coast

highway. She was doing 120 miles an hour.

Paul, I'll check for my office.

Mr. Mason, she looked so plain scared, so miserable.

Tell me something, Mr. Sparrow.

Who is Albert Charity? Al?

Oh, he's enemy territory, the competition.

Charity's one of the big shots with Kittyland Corporation.

Do you know why Trilling asked Charity to come to his office at such a late

tonight? You mean he was over there?

So that's how he knew about the murder.

No. No, it's usually just my department that charity comes snooping around.

What do you mean?

Well, I handle development. You know, designs, new ideas.

Well, it must be known in the industry that the Trillion Company may be broken

up. That's right.

Kitty Land would like to buy some of our brains, that's all.

But what they'd want with Harry himself, I... Yes,

Paul?

Oh, Sergeant Bryce.

What? The car went straight off the cliff, right into the ocean.

I'm getting a diver down there now.

Highway Patrol spotted the license.

Paced it several miles, but then it blew us higher.

Later, this guy phoned in. He saw the car jump the road.

What did you find?

Fish. Trouble is, the car doors were ripped open. You didn't spot her body?

I don't think you're going to, Sergeant. Little Alice was just picked up at the

Los Angeles airport.

Alive, dry, and now booked on suspicion of murder.

He grabbed me, and I hit him.

When he fell, I just ran.

I only know I wanted to get as far away from him, from people, from everybody,

everything as I possibly could.

So you ran to the airport.

I was going to fly to Brazil.

But when you left your uncle, you didn't know whether he was dead or

unconscious. I hit him and he fell and I ran. That's all I know.

Oh, I wish I were dead.

Alice, stop it.

You're in trouble.

Your fingerprints are not only on that doll, but on several other things in the

office.

Things which also could have been used as a weapon.

How could my uncle do such a thing to me?

For one moment, one moment in my life, I thought I'd met someone who was

really interested in me.

Just me, as I really am.

And then... Well, Paul, any luck with the artist?

No, but... No, please don't find him.

I don't think I could ever look at him again.

I'm sorry.

The reason he was so hard to locate is that Berger's already got him.

For a prosecution witness.

Usher turned himself in?

He like that?

No, he was picked up running.

He had one foot over the Mexican border.

So it was you, Mr. Usher.

You were the one who ran the defendant's car into the ocean.

That's right.

You see, I was driving down the coast highway when this highway patrol car

whipping around a U -turn. Comes tearing after me. No reason. I wasn't even

speeding.

Well, I poured on the gas and I shook him.

He must have blown a tire or something, I don't know. I switched on the radio.

But that's the first time I heard about anything like murder.

And then you decided to get rid of the car, is that right?

Why, sure.

Radio said the police were looking for Alice Trilling.

Well, I realized how nutty I'd been to take the car in the first place. My

fingerprints were all over it.

So I decided the best thing for me to do would be to dump the car in the ocean

and run.

Now let's review how you happened to be in that car in the first place.

Well, like I said, I'd been down in this bar all evening, and, uh... Well, there

was this waitress I kind of, uh... You know. Yes, I understand.

But at ten o 'clock, you say you returned to your studio.

Yeah, that's when I banged into Drake.

That place was a mess.

I took one look at it, and I was sure this crazy girl had done it, so... Why

you run from Paul Drake, Mr. Usher?

I was being paid a thousand dollars to make passes at Alec Trilling.

To paint a picture first, of course.

I saw that myth in there, and after that private eye was etched in the old

equipment, there was only one answer.

She was on to me. She found out. You mean found out that Mr. Trilling had

you? Well, sure.

And what a beautiful set -up it was.

I sure had the kid turned on pretty good, too.

Well, I suppose this doesn't sound too nice, but... Well, we're not here to

judge your scruples, Mr. Usher.

Go on about the car.

Well, after I tore out of my place, I was pretty sick.

I mean, there I was, halfway home with an heiress.

Suddenly realized I hadn't even collected my thousand bucks yet.

So you went looking for Mr. Trilling? Well, he owed it to me.

He did.

Of course, I suppose if I hadn't been drinking, I wouldn't have done it.

I went to his house. He wasn't there. So I started back towards the Trilling

building. I was walking down this side street, and I saw Alice's car there.

Sure, I was crazy, but too many years of eating salami.

Too many years of thinking maybe I was Rembrandt.

Only this time I said, you're going to get at least a joyride out of this

fiasco. Did you intend to steal that car?

I don't know.

I took it, that's all.

I sure deserve something out of this after wasting all my time on a nutty

like... Well, next thing I knew, the highway patrol was there.

I'm sorry, kid.

I think you've cleared this up for us sufficiently, Mr. Asher.

Cross -exam.

One moment, Your Honor.

When did you leave your car in that side street, Alice?

I left the studio, drove to my uncle's house and to his office.

The only place to park was the side street.

When I ran out of the building after what I did, I just kept running.

I have no questions to ask this witness at the present time, Your Honor.

Alice looked at the check.

Then she ran out of there.

Ran out of Mr. Usher's place practically in hysterics. Well, I tried to stop

her. I tried to catch her.

Oh, it just made me sick to see how far Mr. Harry Trilling had gone to fix that

will thing.

Miss Graham, would you clarify for the court what you mean by the will thing?

Harry Trilling was scared to death that the toy company would be broken up for

some reason.

It wouldn't, of course, if Alice proved herself responsible to the executors of

her father's will.

By getting married before her next birthday.

Harry Trilling was always throwing men at her.

Every type and size he could think of.

Why was Mr. Trilling so anxious to prevent any change in the company?

Because it was the first big job he'd ever had in his life, that's why.

Harry Trilling had never run anything bigger than a washing machine store

his brother died.

And there he was on top of the throne.

Oh, he loved being a big business tycoon.

It's your personal belief, then, that Harry Trilling would have done almost

anything to keep himself in power?

It certainly is.

One moment here.

Mr. Berger, have you any objection to this type of questioning?

Your Honor, the state does not contend that Harry Trilling was a nice man, only

that he was murdered.

It's difficult to object to any testimony which substantiates the

reasons for hating her uncle and for wanting to kill him.

All right, all right.

Let's stick to the facts, Mr. Mason, not opinions.

Miss Graham, after Alice ran from Anthony Usher's studio that night, did

report what had happened to Mr. Trilling?

No, Mr. Mason, I did not.

It was Alice I was concerned with, not him.

What did you do then after she left?

Well, I still had some work to clean up at the office and...

Well, I've already told how I walked in, found Mr. Trilling's body, and called

you. But that was at least half an hour later, wasn't it?

Well, I stopped first at a place down the street, Mr. Mason, for a drink.

I didn't like myself very much right then.

I was so stupidly letting Alice discover the truth about her artist.

Yes, I talked with Mr. Trilling earlier that evening. He phoned me during dinner

with around...

8 .30, I believe.

Could be checked with the restaurant.

So you were at least one of the last people to speak to Harry Trilling prior

the arrival of the defendant at his office.

Can you tell us anything about his attitude?

What he spoke to you about?

Well, he sounded like he was on top of the world. Said he wanted to see me

thing in the morning and look over all my plans for new toys.

I was surprised we'd tangled quite a bit recently over his lack of interest in

the new stuff.

Well, did he explain his change of attitude?

Yes.

He said it finally looked like, well, like Alice was going to be cooperative.

He said maybe we could keep the company together after all.

Full speed ahead, he said, and down with the competition.

Then he hung up.

That's all I can tell you.

Thank you, Mr. Spahr.

Cross -examine.

Mr. Spahr, how many years have you been with the Trillium Company? Ten years.

Department head for the last four.

You testified earlier that the defendant came to you for money later that night.

Why do you?

Well, we know each other quite well.

Or at least we used to.

Did you ever ask the defendant to marry you, Mr. Spahr?

Yes. Would you tell the court what her answer was?

Well, she... Alice said I was just proposing to her pocketbook.

She could never quite believe I was in love with her.

Not the company.

I only know that Harry said he had to see me that night no matter how many

guests I had in my house.

You say this was about nine o 'clock when he phoned you?

A few minutes later, I believe.

And it was about quarter to ten when you arrived at his office?

Mr. Mason probably has a record. I don't.

But you do say that you left the party in answer to a summons from Harry

Trilling. Now, would you explain to this court, please, why Mr.

Trilling's wishes were so important to you? Of course.

Trilling Toys is our leading competitor.

We've been trying to buy into them for a long time.

What do you mean, buy into them?

After the death of Harry's brother, we tried luring away some of the better

talent of their outfit.

And then more recently, Harry came up with a stock idea.

Really? What kind of a stock idea, Mr. Charity?

Well, you see, sooner or later, Twinning Toys was going to be dissolved.

There was no question of it.

Harry had his own stocks, and he also claimed that he had influence with the

bank and with the executives of that will.

So last week he made me an offer.

He'd let us start quietly buying into the outfit, and then when the

came, he'd help us to jump fast and take over everything.

I suppose he expected some kind of a reward for giving your company the

track. Of course.

He wanted me to guarantee him a vice presidency and so many shares in

Corporation. And did you agree to this?

Oh, scarcely.

I mean, Kiddyland doesn't have to stoop to that kind of finagling.

We certainly didn't want a greedy dud like Harry Trilling on our board. I just

went along with it to stay near their situation, that's all.

Now, Mr. Spar testified that Harry Trilling seemed quite optimistic that

Did he explain to you this reversal of his company's future?

Mr. Berger, the deceased, only spoke a few words to me. He just said, come over

here quickly, please. That's about all. Didn't you ask the purpose of the

meeting? I didn't have a chance.

Why not, sir?

Because someone came into his office.

Oh, Mr. Trilling told you that?

No, but I heard a door slam, and then I heard Harry mutter something under his

breath. It sounded like swearing. And then a woman yelling at him. Did you

recognize that woman's voice?

Well, I do now.

Or rather, I did when I heard it at police headquarters.

It was her voice.

The defendant's. And what did you hear the defendant say?

Nothing very much, because Harry hung up the phone.

The only words I heard clearly were...

When he said, hello there, honey, and she screamed, don't you honey me, I'm

going to kill you, Uncle Harry.

I'm going to kill you.

But I did kill him.

I must have. Just a minute, Alice.

He could have been struck by somebody else after you left. You ran so fast,

didn't know whether it was unconscious or not. Oh, stop trying to save me. I'm

not worth it.

Look, they said they might make it manslaughter, didn't they? Well, why

Maybe I could teach.

Art appreciation in prison.

Alice, please eat your lunch.

Well, Paul, took a lot of men, but we got some results.

Uh -huh.

Two nights last week, dinner the week before.

What about the employee check?

Right there.

I also went to the bank and, oh, there's something else there I'm going to.

Good work, Paul.

Mr. Mason, I don't know what you think you're doing, but you're wasting your

time. Alice.

The trouble with you is that you never finished the fairy tale.

What do you mean?

Don't you know what happened to the ugly duckling?

How many times do I have to say it?

I'm sorry Alice saw the check.

I'm sorry I didn't deliver it some of the time when she wasn't there, but...

Your Honor, may it please the court.

I ask to have this witness returned to the stand because it's my contention she

hasn't told the whole truth.

My question was simple, but she hasn't really answered it.

I think I'll allow this, Mr. Berger.

Miss Graham, did you go to Arthur's studio intentionally at a time when you

the defendant would be there?

But I just said.

Mr. Trilling gave me the envelope to deliver only that afternoon. Did he give

you the envelope to deliver or did he ask you to mail it?

What? There was an address on it, wasn't there?

Why would Mr. Trilling have written a full address unless he actually wanted

to mail the letter with the check -in?

How could I tell what was going on in Mr. Trilling's mind?

Answer his first question, Miss Graham, yes or no.

Well, I... I might have realized that Alice could be there, but... You let her

catch you.

You wanted her to know that Mr. Usher had been hired by her uncle.

Oh, Alice, dear.

I'm so sorry. Why did you do that, Miss Graham? Was it because your employer

didn't always trust you? And, as a matter of fact, had been consulting an

employment office about finding a new secretary?

Yes.

Yes, it was spite, that's all.

But not to hurt Alice.

Only to hurt him.

Or was it because you wanted to help someone else?

What? Someone else who also wanted the Trilling Company broken up. But I just

said... Perhaps someone with whom you went dancing twice during the last week.

Someone with whom you had dinner the week before.

Really, my social life isn't... Exactly, Your Honor.

This is certainly not material or relevant.

I disagree with you, Mr. Berger.

Answer the questions, Miss Graham.

Well...

Well, there were other people who didn't want the Trilling Company to keep

going, of course, but... I'm only referring to the person you've been

frequently. So surreptitiously.

Really, don't... I mean Mr. Albert Charity, of course.

Yes.

Yes, I've been trying to help Mr. Charity. He wanted to get the company.

He said he had to get the company.

Well, he wanted me to keep Mr. Trilling off base.

Keep him in trouble.

Your Honor, I would like to ask for the recall of another witness at this time.

Of course. Mr. Charity, would you please... The witness I have in mind,

Honor, is Anthony Usher.

I didn't park in the alley. I wasn't in any alley. Would you like me to take the

stand myself, Mr. Usher?

Would you like me to state that I heard a sports car speeding out of the alley

behind your studio just after you left, Mr. Drake?

What? Would you like to hear me say that I recognized Alice's car, recognized

you driving it, at a time and place when, according to your testimony, you

hadn't stolen the car yet? Now, look here. I told my story. The whole story.

didn't leave anything out.

Look, Your Honor, I've been over this thing 50 times to the police, to the DA.

But isn't every word of your story a lie, Mr. Usher?

Please, Mr. Mason. Don't you realize that if you continue to commit perjury,

Alice Trilling may go to prison?

No.

No, no, I just... There's far less danger in the truth, Mr. Usher.

So tell us, did you take her car when you said you did?

No. All right.

Suppose we start at the beginning. Did Harry Trilling actually hire you to give

your attention to his niece?

No. He just wanted her picture painted, that's all.

He said she was a stubborn girl who wouldn't have her picture painted.

The whole family wanted it.

He offered me a thousand dollars.

A thousand dollars, Mr. Mason. It looked like the whole world to me.

My first big commission.

What happened then?

It was the most beautiful painting I... I ever... What happened, Mr. Rush?

I, uh... That afternoon, I called up Trilley.

I told him I was going to keep the painting for myself.

I thought he'd be mad, but he just laughed.

He said he'd already mailed me my check and that I'd earned it.

He said I was doing fine and that I was to come over the next day and he'd even

give me a better deal.

So that evening you talked to some employees of the trilling company.

You learned all about Alice.

And all about the famous Will, isn't that right?

It was then I understood what a heel her uncle was. I understood what he was

trying to pull.

I was so mad I wanted to knock his block off.

I tore over the trilling building.

And I got over there and he was lying there and I... And I picked up an

and I smashed it.

Isn't one charge of perjury enough for you, Mr. Rusher? I asked for the truth.

How else can a man buy his soul back?

Doesn't seem to me that you sold it in the first place.

Now, you tore over to the trilling building, you say?

I'm sorry, Alice.

When I got there, I saw Alice come running out.

She was wild and angry.

I yelled at her, but she didn't hear me.

By the time I got across the traffic, she disappeared, probably into one of

those other alleys.

I went back inside the building.

Caronco was lying there, dead.

I didn't touch anything.

I just ran to find her, to help her.

It was then that I spotted her car parked out there.

It was then I realized what I had to do to try to get the cops off her trail.

I thought if I could take the car out and dish it in the ocean, they might

that she was drowned.

would at least give her a chance to get away.

Alice.

Thank you, Mr. Usher.

Mr. Usher, were you in this courtroom when the janitor of the Trilling

testified that he locked all the doors of that building at 7 o 'clock?

Yes. And that there are no extra keys for the back doors, only for the front,

the main entrance?

I guess so.

But the front door was open.

Of course.

And could you tell us this?

Between the time you saw Alice Trilling run out of that building and the time

you went in, could anyone else have gone in and out before you?

No. No, I never left the front of the building.

Alice just plain disappeared so quickly.

Thank you, sir. There will be no more questions.

But I have one more, Your Honor.

Can you swear that someone wasn't inside the building all that time?

Inside the building ever since he received a phone call in a restaurant at

.30.

Someone who could have left the building later and by any door because he knew

the place so well.

Someone like Mr. Talbot Spahr.

All right, yes.

Maybe I was in trouble, but it had nothing to do with that thing.

You complained about the size of your salary.

Yet the bank tells my investigator that you don't even spend it.

Where do you obtain your money, Mr. Spahr?

Such as the several hundred dollars you just happened to have in your pocket

that night.

Enough cash to help Alice buy a plane ticket to Brazil.

It has nothing to do with... Do I have to put Albert Charity back in the stand?

Now, I ask you again.

How many of the designs turned down by Harry Prilling did you sell to Mr.

Charity? I don't know.

Several, maybe.

Just turn it off!

And that's why Charity was forced to take over your company.

Because if anyone else bought Trilling Toys, there would have been a mix -up of

patents on it, of lawsuits.

But it wasn't just that.

I hated Harry.

Don't you understand?

I could have killed him a thousand times.

I was selling stuff that really belonged to the drilling company.

Oh, and I knew Harry would find out once he and Al Charity started huddling

together.

But it wasn't just that.

He was nothing but a washing machine salesman.

I should have had that job.

I should have been running the whole thing. I should have been.

I...

Can't I give the company away, Mr. Mason?

He just said you should do a lot of thinking about it, that's all.

And I suppose you also want to give away your house and your stocks and your

box. Well, I've always wanted to contribute to a lot of good causes

end up a charity case yourself.

Look, all she needs is a good psychiatrist. She's just wasting your

You keep out of this. No, I won't. You will, too.

Oh, please.

He's so stupid, he won't even look at me anymore.

But if I didn't have my money, if I were poor like he is... Listen, I may be

even going to jail.

Now, that's all we came down here for.

I agreed to let Mr. Mason defend me on that perjury charge, but beyond that...

Beyond that, you'll have time in jail to do some thinking for yourself, won't

you? Huh?

It won't do any good.

He'll never change.

Oh, I don't know, Alice.

Here, study this for a while.

What do you mean?

It's a picture of the swarm.