Original subtitles

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.

Those of you who have been sitting on the edge of your chairs since last time

will be glad to know that tonight we shall definitely present the final

in our story, I Killed the Count.

For those of you who have missed the earlier installments or have lost your

scorecards, I shall present a resume.

Within a few hours after Count Victor Matoni was found dead in his London

with a single bullet hole in his head, the detectives found themselves with

three persons, each of whom confessed that he, and he alone, killed the Count.

They were Bernard Froy, an American, Mullet, the lift man, and Lord

an important industrialist.

In each case there is some corroborating evidence.

Mullet obligingly left his fingerprints on the Count's wallet.

Froy had written an incriminating letter and Lord Sorrington's pistol was found

on the scene.

There was also a fourth bit of evidence.

Skin and blood under the Count's fingernails indicated he had scratched

assailant. Yet none of the three suspects bore any scratches, neither

nor Lord Sorrington, nor... I don't know why I bother to explain

all of this.

A further brief three scenes which preface tonight's story will make

quite clear.

The Count was murdered last night.

Yeah, I know.

If you like that commercial, you'll love our story.

Now, to review the bidding.

Within a few hours after Count Victor Matoni was found dead in his London flat

with a single bullet hole in his head, the detectives found themselves with

three persons, each of whom confessed that he and he alone killed the Count.

They were Bernard Froy, an American,

Mullet, the elevator man, and Lord Sorrington, an important industrialist.

In each case there is some corroborating evidence.

Mullet obligingly left his fingerprints on the Count's wallet.

And Froy had written an incriminating letter.

And Lord Sorrington's pistol was found on the scene.

There was also a full bit of evidence. Skin and blood under the

Count's fingernails indicated he had scratched his assailant.

Yet none of the three suspects bore any scratches.

Neither Froy, nor Lord Sorrington, nor...

I don't know why I bother to explain all of this.

For the brief three scenes which preface tonight's story will make everything

quite clear.

The Count was murdered last night.

I know.

I killed him.

Well, you're obviously going to find out the truth sooner or later, so I might

as well admit it.

Admit what, sir?

I killed him.

Kill who?

I killed my Tony.

Oh, but that's impossible.

I mean, are you sure? I mean... Did you say you killed him?

Yes, that's right.

I killed the Count.

Now, you better tell me all you know about this murder and who you're

And I want the truth. Do you understand? The truth.

All right.

Oh, heavens.

You'll never believe me now.

With my record, you'll never believe me.

I killed Matoni.

I didn't mean to.

Honest, I didn't.

What?

Now.

Now, see here. Now, look.

Are you seriously contending that you killed Maturney? Yes, sir, that's right.

killed the Count.

No, no, no.

Two's enough.

Every Tom, Dick and Harry went to this flat telling me he killed the Count.

I don't have to stand with this sort of thing. I won't have it, do you hear?

I won't have it.

Excuse me, sir?

Inspector, don't you think you ought to talk to Mullet now, sir?

All right.

Let's have your version, Lummock.

It'd better be a good one, I'll tell you that.

Well, Inspector, I've been working steady and going straight ever since the

But not long ago, a pal of mine put me on a scheme for the dogs. He said it

couldn't lose, but it did.

Well, I needed money in a hurry.

So, you see, sir, every night when I put the count to bed... Now, just a minute.

How did you happen to be putting him to bed in the first place? Well, I happened

to be here one night, sir. He was blutto, so I helped him to bed.

He was so pleased that he asked me to come in every night and give him a hand.

I see. Go on.

Well, he was usually wearing his smoking jacket, sir, with his coat tossed down

somewhere in the bedroom.

And pretty dear always...

I could see his wallet peeking out.

Well, one night when the system had let me down, I lifted a few quid.

Didn't matter. He never noticed.

Stealing from the man who was paying you, eh?

Oh, no, sir. I was only borrowing it, sir. No, I'd have put it back when my

came in. Yes, of course.

Well, go on.

Well, last week was the worst year.

I had to have 20 quid by this morning. Or the bookie said he was coming around

here to get it. And I knew what that would mean if the boss found out.

So I got Martin to let me stay on the lift last night.

I waited till about two o 'clock.

That was later than usual.

But I wanted to make certain that he was asleep.

And it looked like he was all right.

Stretched out on a sofa, dead to the world.

No, bring my wallet with you.

Yes, sir. I was only just going to borrow... Put your hands up.

Yes, sir.

I suppose you thought I was asleep. You were going to rob me again, eh? Oh, no,

sir. Really, I wasn't, sir. It was just... Don't bother to lie.

You think I haven't missed the money you've been taking?

You know, I'm not always so drunk I can't see.

It's just I got into trouble. It's only temporary, sir. I'm just going to pay it

back, sir.

Just you stay there where you are. What are you going to do, sir?

I'm going to call the police, of course. What do you think? Oh, no, sir. Please,

please don't do that, sir. Give me a chance.

Mmm.

I got the wind up when I saw that, Vlad.

I guess I panicked proper.

I couldn't think of nothing but getting out of there.

It was an accident.

You can see that.

I didn't even have a gun.

It was his pistol.

I didn't want to kill him. I just didn't want him to deathly fall.

As I see him.

Let me see your hands.

Nothing, eh, sir? No, no, not a sign.

All right, that's all.

Inspector.

Here's Mullet's uniform coat, sir. We found it at the corner of his locker.

Ah, yes, sir. Take charge of him.

Yes, sir. Come on, Mullet.

That looks like blood.

That little tassel, Raines, where is it?

Here, sir.

There, you see?

Uh -huh.

That's where it came from.

Makes his story rather convincing, doesn't it?

Yes, sir. Those three confessions will certainly make an impressive exhibit

they're all typed up and signed, don't you think so, sir? Do you think they

might put them in the museum at the yard, sir?

Raines, at this moment, I don't care if they put them in the museum or not.

I'm... I'm trying to think about this insane case.

And I'd be grateful if you did the same.

Yes, sir, I will.

Splendid. Then suppose you give me your theories of all this.

Yes, sir. I'd rather hear yours first, though. Ah, meaning of course you have

none, is that it?

Have you, sir?

No.

But there's nothing supernatural about this, Raines. It's happened, so

has caused it. And when we find the cause, we'll... we'll have our solution.

Very penetrating, sir.

When do you think that will be, sir?

How should I know? Maybe never.

Might be shrouded in mystery till the end of all time, sir.

Nonsense, Reyes. Don't be defeatist.

Oh, no, sir.

Have you decided what you want to do next, sir?

Yes.

I want you to take them all down to the yard, but arrange for separate

transportation. I don't want them to know about each other till they get

Oh, you're going to bring them together, sir?

Yes, I'm curious about the reaction when each of these murderers discovers that

the other two have confessed to his crime also.

Sounds promising, sir. Might be very revealing.

We hope so.

It's worth a try at any rate.

After all, two of them must be lying.

Yes, sir.

You know, this is awfully good for your record, isn't it, sir?

What? Well, you know, before you had 12 murders, but you'd only caught 11

murderers. Well, now you've caught three more murderers and only added one

murder. That leaves you two killers ahead, doesn't it, sir?

Has the sergeant's report on Count Matoni been sent up there? Yes, sir.

it for you.

Hello, Mr. Froy.

Would you step in here, please?

This is my office.

If you'll wait here a few moments.

Mr. Froy, this is Mullet, night porter at Oxley Court.

Oh, hello, Mullet. How do you do, sir? If you'll both make yourselves

comfortable, I'll be with you in a moment.

Do you like a light, sir?

Oh, yes, thank you.

Did you knock him off, sir?

No, I thought that you drew the black eggs.

Would you care for a cigarette?

No, thank you, sir. I don't mind if I do.

Yes, sir.

I drew the black ace, but he was dead already when I got there.

Lied on the floor.

So I put him in the chair and left the clues for all of us as we'd planned.

But I didn't do him in, sir.

Then Lord Sarrington must have done it.

Why?

I suppose he thought saving your life didn't warrant your killing a man for

We need a lot more to save our lives. And all of us there in Burma, sir,

a creep like the Count, is nothing what I'd do for him, sir.

Ah, thank you very much, sir. Will you step into my office a moment, please?

Good afternoon, sir. Oh, hello, Marnie.

My dear boy, what on earth are you doing here?

I'm afraid they brought me in, sir.

I killed our Italian friend.

What?

Yes, you see, I brought you three gentlemen together because I thought you

be interested to learn that each one of you has confessed to the murder of Count

Mattoni.

Preposterous. What do they do that for? There must be a mix -up, Inspector.

I kill them, there's no doubt about it.

Excuse me, sir.

Could I see you outside a moment? No, Raider Raines, not now. I'm busy. It's

very important. I'm sure you'd like to know about it. Quite possibly, but not

now. Yes, but I really think I should insist.

All right.

Now, look here, you fellows.

It's ridiculous for us to argue about this. Why don't we let the police worry

about it?

All

right,

now, what is it?

It's Miss Rogers, sir.

She has something very important to tell you, and I think you should hear it

from her, sir. What's the matter with you, Raines? Why can't you tell me?

I just think it would be better if she did, sir.

All right, where is she? She's in the waiting room. She's not feeling very

I see.

No, sir, I haven't. Not me.

Is, uh... Is that part of Scotland Yard over there, do you suppose?

I... don't know.

Where is it?

There. Over there.

Oh, do they? Looks a bit like it, doesn't it?

Very looking down there, sir.

Yeah. All right, come along.

Look here, sir. I was supposed to do that job.

Why did you warn him?

What? Why did you kill him?

I was the one who knew the black ace.

But I didn't. But you must have. He was croaked when I got there, lying on the

floor.

No, no, I... Are you sure you didn't, sir? Absolutely.

I never went near his flat last night. I didn't either.

If none of us did it, who did?

Why didn't you tell me she'd fainted? She hadn't when I left, sir. She was

feeling dizzy.

I think she'll come out of it in a moment, sir.

No, I can't stand here until she does. Come on, Rens.

Don't you think you ought to wait a moment longer, sir? No, Rens, I do not.

up to you, sir.

Rens, you know what she wants to tell me, don't you?

Yes, sir. Well, then out with it. I'm getting sick of this. Well, it's going

upset you, sir.

I suppose you're going to tell me now that she killed Count Mattoni. Yes, sir.

Rens. If this is some of your alleged humour... Sir, it's perfectly true. She

says she's Lord Sorrington's daughter, the Countess Matoni.

Oh, does she? Yes, and it looks like she is. She saw Sorrington being taken away

from the flats, asked if it was in connection with the murder, then said

he'd nothing to do with it, that she killed him.

Ray, you don't say this, do you? I don't know, sir. She sounded very convincing.

Ah, don't they all?

Inspector, she's feeling better now.

You all right now?

Oh, yes, thank you. Yes.

Now, Miss Rogers, am I to understand that our long and fruitless search for

murderer of Count Matoni is at an end, and you are the one? Yes, Inspector.

Now, you're Lord Solington's daughter, Countess Matoni? Yes.

Would you care to tell us about it, though I must warn you that anything you

will be taken down in writing and may be used in evidence against you?

I know.

Well, I came up to London to talk to him, to try once more to persuade him.

When did you see him?

Last night.

I went to his flat at about 10 .30.

But he wouldn't listen. He just laughed at me.

I said I wanted to kill myself and he laughed at that too.

He gave me a pistol and said, go ahead.

Well?

His face. I remember his laughing face.

And suddenly I said I'd kill him instead.

So I turned the pistol on him.

And you shot him?

No. No, not like that.

I don't know whether I would have or not.

Maybe I would.

But he grabbed through the pistol before I could... It went off and he fell to

the floor.

And then what happened?

Well, that's all.

I dropped the pistol and hurried out back to my room.

Miss Countess Maturney, you say you shot your husband last night. But we have no

proof that your story is true.

As a matter of fact, we already have. But I am telling the truth.

I...

When we struggled for the pistol.

What he did.

Reigns.

I told you those scratches would lead us somewhere.

Remember what I said earlier? Always be thorough and persevere.

Yes, sir. You certainly proved your point, sir. Yes.

Now, Countess, you say you dropped the revolver on the floor where we found it.

Where do you say the body was?

On the floor.

What, not in the armchair?

No.

Are you sure?

Yes.

Was there a lamp knocked over during your struggle?

No.

Countess Petoni, it's very gallant of you to try and protect your father, but

quite useless, I'm afraid.

Even if you did see your husband last night, you could not have killed him.

Do you mean you don't believe me?

No.

But it doesn't matter, really, does it?

Inspector, may I see my father?

Why not? Might as well have you all there. You'll have enough for Bridge

Hello.

Father. What are you doing here?

Why have they brought you here, my dear? This is outrageous, Inspector.

No, Father, I came by myself.

You mustn't do this. It's no use. I won't let you. Helen, what are you

about? Will you all sit down, please?

Now, I'm sure you'll all be happy to learn you have an addition to your

It seems the Countess Matoni killed her husband also.

You may also be interested to know that I intend to hold all of you here until I

get to the bottom of this.

What do you mean, Inspector?

You can't mean that all three of them are charged with my husband's murder?

Not charged, my dear. They've all confessed to it and offered some very

convincing proof, I might add.

Much better than yours, in fact. You're running a very bad fourth.

But that's ridiculous, Inspector, because I did it. Look here, Inspector,

shall report this. Bringing an innocent girl here, subjecting her to all sorts

of... She didn't, Inspector, because I did it, and you know that.

Quiet.

Will you sit down, please?

Now then, I don't know who did this yet.

But I'll tell you this.

I'm going to find out.

One of you did it.

And I don't care if I have to hold you here forever.

I'm going to get to the bottom of this.

Inspector.

Could you step out a moment, sir?

What is it now, Red?

You say you're going to hold all of them if necessary, sir? Yes.

We can't, sir. What?

Two or more persons cannot be charged as principals with a crime known to have

been committed by only one person.

They knew about this.

Don't you see, Raines? They planned it this way.

One of them killed him and planted the evidence.

Then all of them confessed to it.

You mean it's a conspiracy, sir? Of course.

So now we know why.

You mean they're all in it, sir? Even Mullet? Of course.

Sorrington and Froy's connection is obvious.

And we'll find mullets in time when we begin to dig. But what about the girls

the countess?

She saw the count, of course.

The scratches prove that.

But she couldn't have killed him.

Too many discrepancies in her story.

Obviously trying to shield her father.

So we'll eliminate her.

So it was you.

Yes.

It was an accident, but I did it.

All right.

Stick to your story and don't worry.

What's the matter, sir? What's wrong?

Do you realize if they stick to their stories, we can never be certain which

them did it? Never be able to charge any of them with this crime?

You mean they've got away with it, sir?

I don't know, Red.

We'll stay with it.

It'll go higher, of course.

Red, it looks as if they have.

Inspector. There's one good thing anyhow, sir. What?

It's lucky he deserved killing, isn't it, sir?

I knew we'd finish that story if we kept at it.

I'm sure Inspector Davidson is longing for the good old days.

When on investigating a robin's death, he simply went out and arrested the

sparrow he saw carrying a bone and empty quiver.

A policeman's lot is not a happy one.

However, the inspector's bulldog spirit did finally pay off, and our little band

of conspirators eventually faced trial.

Fortunately, they were let off with light sentences. In fact, when the jury

found out what kind of a chap the count was, it recommended the defendants for

the order of the garter.

This, of course, was the end of our trilogy.

Next time we shall resume our policy of telling a complete story on each

program. I hope you will join us then.

Good night.