Original subtitles

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the Alfred Hitchcock Hour.

This is my new sports car.

I'm quite proud of it. However, I wish I also had one for the other foot.

I did consider entering this in the Grand Prix, but decided not to. I'm sure

would have won the Boobie Prix.

However, we must be getting on with tonight's show.

I receive a great many inquiries from viewers who wonder why I permit

commercials on our show.

Frankly, I feel that television commercials are ideally suited to this

program. This next one, for example, is most appropriate.

It's deadly.

Well, that's the first part of the story, Victor.

Plus the cast of characters.

Remember the people I've called Janet and Ivar Wett. They play an important

in the murder I have in mind.

Hi, honey. Is he in?

Yes, go right in. He's expecting you.

Hello, Tom.

Thanks for coming down.

Drake? Well, it's a little early in the day for me.

You may want one soon enough.

What do you mean?

Sherman, will you hold my calls, please?

You've never met Warren Barrow, have you?

Barrow? No.

I started publishing his mysteries three years ago. Good stuff, neat little

chess problems, nice edge of lunacy.

Anyway, I've been working quite closely with him.

He's, uh...

Nervous, high and strong, not at all like you.

Thanks.

A day or two ago, he started sending me some tape recordings.

This is the first one.

It's incredible.

He seems to be treating me as if I were his father confessor. How do you mean?

For some reason, probably because I'm more than just a publisher to him, he

needs my approval.

Or at least my ear.

If what he says is true, he's going to kill someone.

There's nothing I can do to stop him.

Sounds like a joke to me.

Joke?

Just for yourself.

This is for Victor Hartman, publisher of Medallion Press.

Repeat, this is for Victor Hartman only.

Hello, Victor.

I'm sure you're surprised to hear from me in this way, but I rather desperately

need someone to talk to.

Maybe I'm used to having your blue pencils flash through everything I

consider yourself a captive audience.

First, let me make one thing clear.

Warren Barrow is not my real name.

It's a pseudonym, Victor. A new identity I acquired before I met you.

And the names of the people I'm going to tell you about are also fictitious.

So you'll never know whether this recording is true or pure fantasy.

A dictated fantasy of mine or the actual history of a murder.

But wait a minute, does he...

You always said background was important in a story, so I'll start with mine.

I was married, Victor. Did you know that?

A beautiful girl named Helen.

She was perfect.

Everything I'd been looking for.

After the wedding, we took a honeymoon in the South of France.

We decided to stay for a week at a hotel on the Mediterranean coast.

We usually took our meals with another American couple, the West.

Iver West was a businessman from the day.

In the few days I'd known him, he seemed more interested in the local wine than

his wife.

But Janet was different, very different.

I can remember one night in particular.

My wife likes to criticize, mostly in public.

Oh, let's forget all this and go down to the casino. I feel like gambling.

Again?

Why not? It's something to do.

Will you two join us? Yes, we'd love to, wouldn't we?

Oh, no, I'm a little tired, darling.

Well, why don't you let us take care of it? Well, you can count me out, too. I

was just there last night.

You're feeling all right, aren't you? Oh, yes, I'm fine. Just a little tired.

You really want to go, don't you?

Oh, yes.

Of course you do.

I'm sure your wife won't mind if we go together.

No, of course not.

Go ahead. It's perfectly all right.

We'd better be leaving now, before it gets too crowded.

That won't be necessary.

Ah, no, that's all.

A mercy.

Well, since we seem to have switched mates, why don't you join me for a

nightcap down at Papa George?

No, I am tired, really.

Oh, it's only 10 o 'clock. Come on, enjoy yourself.

Well, all right. Good, good.

Janet gambled her husband's money as if she wanted to lose it.

I couldn't take my eyes off her.

I'm bored.

Let's go for a drive.

Are you going to cash in your chips?

Now

we

don't have to cash them in.

Why don't we stop for a while?

Why were you looking at me at the casino?

Was I?

You thought I didn't notice.

Maybe I was admiring your dress.

Ivar bought it for me.

Dear Ivar.

You know, there's one part of the Bible I know by heart.

I saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the

strong.

But... Time and chance happen to them all.

It means you can be as clever as you like, but you've got to have luck.

You've got to work for it and grab it when it comes.

I was very poor when I was young.

Very poor.

You know, you're a very interesting man.

I think maybe we ought to start back. My wife will be waiting for me.

Charlie?

This is room 112.

St. Douze.

Did my wife leave a message for me?

Did you see her this evening?

She went out?

With Mr. West.

I see.

I thought you'd be asleep.

Did you?

Oh, I'm sorry to be so late.

But Ivar kept running from club to club.

Oh, I told him I wanted to get back.

But he was a little drunk.

You know how long you've kept me waiting here. Oh, I'm sorry, darling, really.

Charming man, I mean.

What do you mean?

I think you know exactly what I mean.

I think you're actually jealous.

I just had a few drinks with the man, that's all.

A few drinks.

Nothing else.

Of course not.

Look, let's not argue about this.

It isn't important.

Maybe it is important to me.

Phoebe, I don't like my wife staying out all night with another man.

Pack your things. We'll leave.

Leaving? Why?

Because I want to get out of this place.

Darling.

I am sorry about tonight.

Nothing happened.

Please believe.

I know.

You do?

I've been sitting here thinking what an idiot I am.

It is my fault.

Please forgive me.

Of course I will.

I love you.

She was dead, Victor. Killed instantly.

We'd been married less than a month.

When I woke up in a French hospital, the doctors told me that I was fortunate to

be alive.

I had a concussion.

They wanted me to submit to a series of brain operations. I refused.

I didn't care if I was tormented by headaches for the rest of my life.

It would serve as a punishment for Helen's death.

Well, that's the first part of my story, Victor, plus the cast of characters.

Remember the people I've called Janet and Ivar West?

They play an important part in the murder I have in mind.

Well, what do you think?

Well, Barrow's had a tragedy.

He feels guilty about his wife's death.

This tape recording is nothing but a painful self -confession.

That's what I thought.

Then I got the second tape.

Victor Hartman only.

Hello, Victor.

Warren Barrow again.

Let me bring you up to date.

When I left France three years ago, I came here to San Francisco.

I picked a new name and a new life.

I began writing. You published my first mystery novel.

I led a quiet existence, lived by myself and spent much of my time thinking of

Helen.

Then, one night, I felt rather lonely.

And I dropped him to a local club.

If you won't go, please don't you hinder me.

Yeah, if you won't go, don't you hinder me.

Scott, you what?

Cause I'm on my way out, glory, hallelujah, on my way out.

This is Mrs. Hurley. How do you do?

And this is Mr. Barrow.

Warren Barrow.

Mr. Barrow and I met a few years ago in France.

How nice.

You sure you won't stay a while longer?

Oh, no, no, dear. I must go.

You'll excuse me, Mr. Barrow.

Call me.

Mr. Barrow?

Since when?

Since I came back to America.

I had to make a fresh start.

A friend who's also very useful.

Or am I being too transparent?

Not at all.

So you're living in San Francisco?

We have an apartment up on the hill.

Oh, yeah. We're still married. Does that surprise you?

I don't know.

He's unbearable, but the pay is good.

I heard about your wife. I meant to send a wire, but I didn't know where you

were.

What are you doing with it now?

I became a writer.

I'm a detective, Joyce.

Oh. Well, I'll have to stop by someday. I've always wondered how an author

lives.

What's wrong with an author?

It's not too far.

Sounds interesting, but I'm afraid I've lost my shot.

So many books.

You'll have to let me read one of yours.

I wish you had done that a few years ago.

That was the beginning of our relationship, Victor.

We saw each other constantly.

Janet would talk about her husband, his cruelty, his possessiveness.

The fact that her life with him was almost unbearable.

She was good for me, Victor.

She even took an interest in my work.

It's excellent.

I'm always so amazed how cleverly you put these things together.

Tell that to the critics.

Darling, suppose you were writing a novel about us.

Suppose we were looking for the perfect way to get rid of, well...

I'm her.

How would we go about it, just for fun?

It shouldn't be too hard.

Now, remember, he's worth a lot of money, and I'd be the first one they'd

suspect. Oh, not if you had an alibi.

Well, let's see now.

I'd kill him, obviously.

You'd have to be out of the house with a friend.

Mrs. Hurley. Exactly. You'd take Mrs. Hurley out to dinner, and I'd lure Ivor

over here on some pretext.

Then... Yes?

Well, then I'd kill him.

Oh, what about the body?

I'd dig a grave in the back of the house. There's nothing but woods there

anyway.

Wait a minute.

I've just thought of a rather nice touch.

In the last few days before we killed him, you could go around telling all his

friends that he'd been working too hard, that he was run down, depressed.

Yes. And then on the day of the murder, you could take one of his jackets, leave

it near the shore.

I see.

They'd find identification in his pockets and think he committed suicide.

Because the body would never be found.

You learned fast.

No, I'm not very good at these things, but... One point bothers me.

What's that?

Suppose someone found the grave behind the house.

No problem.

Because by that time, I should have changed back to my real name and married

you.

The police will be looking for Warren Barrow, a mystery writer who doesn't

exist.

You know, it could actually work.

Yes, it's shaping up nicely.

We talked about the plan frequently.

It grew to be a favorite game.

And it's all in jet, of course.

You do love me, don't you?

Yes, of course I do.

Then there's a way out.

Remember our little plan? It's the perfect solution.

That was just a game. I know, but don't you see it can actually work?

You can't be serious.

Warren, look at me, darling.

You love me, I know you do.

Yes, but... We couldn't have come this far if you hadn't loved me.

Now we just have to go one step further. And listen, I spent all afternoon

calling my friend, telling him he's been very depressed for weeks.

Why did you do that without telling me? I thought you'd be pleased.

Don't you realize what'll happen when he finds out?

He won't.

Because you're getting rid of him tonight.

Janet, wait a minute.

It'll be over soon.

He's coming here at nine o 'clock.

I told him I ran into you a few days ago.

Now, he loves Flemish paintings.

I told him you had one for sale. It's not true, of course, but it doesn't

matter. It'll at least get him here.

And I've taken one of his coats out of the closet. It's out in the car. I'll

drop it by the shore later tonight.

You see?

I've done everything just the way you planned.

But it's much too fast.

Why wait?

We can finally be together. You told me you loved me. Get a divorce. It's the

easiest way.

And live on your royalties.

I've always needed money, and I've always been honest with you about that.

At least let's think it over.

There isn't time.

Darling, you've been so clever about this, it'll work. I know it will.

All right, all right.

We've always had it in the back of our minds, haven't we?

And don't forget...

You owe it to him not only for me, but for your wife.

Helen. He was the one who kept her out that night.

He was trying to punish you for going off with me.

We are about to pass the halfway point.

Time will be allowed if you need to change your tires or gas up.

I must warn you about this, however.

This area is well policed. Do not attempt to leave your living room or to

channels. Any attempt to defect will be dealt with harshly.

Radar is a marvelous device.

During the station break...

An elderly gentleman in Peru, Indiana, attempted to go to the kitchen for a

jelly sandwich and was detected at once.

He has been given a long sentence at hard labor. To be precise, he must watch

the following commercial.

Well, I think I'll take that drink now, huh?

Help yourself.

Now you know why I called you.

I needed someone to talk to, just like our friend on this tape.

And you wanted my opinion.

That's why you're here.

Well, why me, Victor?

Because of the things you write.

Analytical problems with a fine sense of psychology.

If anyone can make sense out of this whole muddle, you can.

Well, I'm flattered, but I think the answer's fairly simple. Barrow's

unbalanced. The automobile accident must have affected his brain.

Did it?

Well, of course, why else would a man preview a murder on a tape recorder?

Maybe there wasn't any accident.

Now, think of this, Tom.

Maybe this whole thing is just an outline for Barrow's new novel.

You don't believe that. Now, you remember the time you called me in the

of the night and started to give me an idea for your new book? For a minute, I

thought you'd lost your mind. But that was different. I was out partying it up.

I was up on cloud nine. But Barrow is not, huh? Oh, no.

Janet West.

She's obviously taking advantage of his mental condition. She's using him.

Even so, what do I do?

If I take it to the police, I'm opening myself up for a lawsuit.

Besides, I don't even know where he lives. His correspondence was sent to a

office box.

Well, he doesn't have a phone number or anything?

Well, if he had one, don't you think I would have used it?

And what about Ivar West?

How do we reach him? West isn't even his real name.

He could be dead now.

Well, it's still possible we're upset about nothing.

He may just be outlining a new book.

Sorry, I don't buy that.

Yes?

A package just arrived for you, Mr. Hartman. Let's mark urgent.

I'll be right out.

How did this get here? Messenger.

It's just arrived.

Apparently it's the next installment.

Come on, what are you waiting for? Put it on.

Hello, Victor.

I didn't think I'd be speaking to you again, but things have changed.

It's early morning now. In a few hours, I'll send it off to you. But first, let

me tell you what happened with Ivor West.

Janet had left some time ago to establish an alibi.

It was arranged that she should call me later.

If everything went according to plan, I wasn't to answer the phone.

Then, in a few months, we would meet and quietly marry.

I suppose you want to see the painting.

Never mind that. What about my wife?

I know what you're talking about. I thought you came here to buy a painting.

Painting? It's only an excuse to get me over here.

I don't see why you didn't just call me and say, let's have it out about Janet.

I've known about you two, the telephone calls, the trips over here. Is that the

way you spend your time, checking up on your wife?

With Janet, it's necessary.

You don't think that you're the first, do you?

All right.

Let's get down to business.

How much do you want to forget her?

That's a cheap thing to say.

Like certain cheap pleasures.

Then you're the expert on those.

Maybe she's looking for something she doesn't get at home.

Understanding, maybe.

I give her everything that she wants.

I keep her in comfort.

I'm sure she pays a price for it.

At least.

I keep her alive.

What did you say?

I said at least I keep her alive.

You talking about Helen?

Take it any way you want.

Wait a minute.

Wait a minute, Luke. What are you doing?

Put that away.

Look, we can talk about this.

Please, put it away.

Please don't shoot.

We can settle this.

Give me a chance.

No. At least... At least let me pray.

What? Give me a minute to pray.

All right, go ahead. Pray.

What are you waiting for?

Pray. I can't.

Go on, say something.

Please. I can't.

Get up.

No, thank you.

I... I hope that Janet knows what she's getting into.

Will you divorce her?

Of course.

I have grounds.

Cruelty, for one.

You talk about cruelty. I know what you're thinking, but you've only heard

side of the story.

I suppose she's told you that I've knocked her around and insulted her.

That's right. That stands to reason. That's what she told the others.

You're talking about other men. I don't believe it.

That's your privilege.

But let me tell you one thing.

I never hit her in my life.

Why didn't you get rid of her?

Well, I don't know a habit, I suppose.

In spite of all those other men? I learned to live with it.

But that's over.

I'm going to check into a hotel tonight and call my lawyer in the morning.

That is, if... If what?

If you'll let me leave here.

Good night.

Janice called.

I didn't answer because I'd made a decision.

I'd go to her and tell her what happened.

My husband was going to divorce her anyway.

I drove for an hour, trying to clear my mind, trying to understand what had

happened. There was only one answer, and I refused to believe it.

Warren Barrow That's right police officers, mr. Barrow, my name is

is my partner Jack Rossetti Mind if we come in you have a warrant No, sir, but

we can get one if we have to

What's this all about

just routine mr. Barrow we got a call Someone said they heard a shot coming

this house and leave a name.

No, sir But that's ridiculous. I don't have a neighbor for miles.

All the same, I was wondering if you had any firearms.

I... I just have

this gun.

Hasn't been fired in years.

Is it registered?

Yes, of course.

The safety cat seems to be stuck.

Huh?

Well, everything seems to be in order.

I think I can explain that telephone call.

Yes, sir?

I'm a mystery writer.

One of my friends was probably playing a joke.

Here, my compliment.

Thanks. I'll have to read this.

My wife goes through six a week.

Well, we might as well leave.

Sorry to bother you, Mr. Barrow. Oh, that's perfectly all right.

Like you said, she was probably playing a joke.

She. What was that?

She?

The woman on the phone.

Well, good night.

I have to kill her.

After all, anyone would do the same in my place.

Wouldn't they, Victor?

Wouldn't they?

Well, you still think it's a book?

No.

But how do we prove it?

Well, it's not important. What we have to do is find Janet West, whoever she

and try and warn her. But remember, Tom, so far he hasn't committed a single

illegal act.

It's nothing but talk.

Yes.

Yes? Someone to see you, sir.

Can it wait? I'm busy.

He said you wanted to talk to him.

Well, who is it?

Hey, Mr. Barrow.

Send him in, please.

This is Tom Keller, one of our writers.

Drink? No, thank you. I just dropped by for a few minutes. I thought I'd pick up

this tape.

Oh, I'd like to talk to you about your new book.

Great idea, putting it on tape.

Oh, yes, my book. Well, it's a bit rough at the moment, but I think you'll be

able to get the general flow of the story.

Then it is a story.

Yes, of course.

I hope you don't mind, Warren, but I asked Tom to come in to listen to it,

another opinion always helps.

It's quite an unusual book. Very unusual.

Well, I hope I didn't confuse you by using my own name. It's just a divide to

make the thing more realistic.

Well, what did you think?

I'll be honest with you.

It does seem a bit far -fetched.

Don't you agree, Tom?

No, not really. I think it could very easily happen in real life. But it's so

implausible, the idea of a character sending tapes to his publisher.

It's kind of hard to believe.

No, no, not at all. You see, he wants someone to understand the way he feels.

It's quite natural. He wants to share his point of view.

After all, when he's finished what he has to do, he doesn't want people to

he's just a common murderer. He has reason.

I mean, he's got complete justification. He's a very sympathetic character.

Sympathetic? I think he's a weakling.

What do you mean?

Well, Barrow's a total fool.

Now, wait a minute.

Nothing personal.

Tommy is the character in your book. Sure, let's look at him.

He's completely under the domination of Janet West. Like Pavlov's dog, if she

whistles, he barks. But he's in love with her.

Well, what kind of a man would fall in love with a woman like that?

But you haven't met Janet Waverly. Any man could be in love with her.

You mean any man like Barrow?

No, no, she's using him. He's nothing more than a pawn. That's not true.

In this business about recording a murder plan in advance, this belief in

infallible false identity is nothing but the conceit of an unbalanced mind. He's

not unbalanced.

Of course he is.

It's all in the book.

He needed a brain operation and he refused.

Was that on the... Was that on the tape?

Don't you remember?

Yes, yes, that's right, yes.

Well, anyway, that's just my opinion.

Your character's weak and pathetic. No reader could possibly be interested in

you. I don't agree.

I don't expect you to.

You're too close to it, Warren. I am not. I'm completely objective.

Are you?

You must realize that Barrow's wife was lucky to die when she did. Don't say

that. We're saved from seeing our husband disintegrate. You didn't listen.

didn't understand at all.

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to shout like that. I get so involved with my

characters.

Well, naturally, I don't agree with your criticisms, of course.

But I'll think more about them.

Give it to me.

Oh, Mr. Barrow, do you have a light?

Yes, sir.

It's strange. The character in your book has a cut finger, too.

Yes, that's quite a coincidence.

He cut it on the safe to catch of his revolver.

Yes.

Well, thank you, gentlemen, for your help.

Now, if you don't mind, I'd like my tapes.

Why don't I send them to you? I'd like to listen to them again.

Maybe I was a bit hasty.

That's the trouble with the law. A man has to commit a crime before you can

him.

I thought for sure he'd break.

Did you see the look on his face when I attacked his hero?

For a minute I thought he was going to admit the truth.

Then he got a grip on himself. Now we're right back where we started.

Exactly.

If I go to the police, he'll do what he did with us.

Claim it's a book.

You know, there's still nothing illegal about recording a mystery novel.

There's only one thing that bothers me.

Why did he come here?

Because unconsciously he wanted to be stopped.

We didn't do a very good job.

Didn't he?

Yes, he used the name Janet Waverly.

That's right.

And on the tapes, he called her Janet West.

He was excited. Maybe he made it slip.

Perhaps Waverly is a real name. Where's your phone book?

Watanabe, Watkins, Watt, Waverly.

No Janet.

Wait a minute.

Ivar Waverly. Of course.

He used their real first name.

Try her on the phone. If she's there, we'll warn her.

4211.

Nobody's answering. She's not home.

Well, then let it ring.

Well, I'm going over there. I'll go with you. No.

You risk the lawsuit. Take the tape over and play it for the police.

Keep trying, and I'll go over and park myself in front of her house.

Well, Janet, why are you so shocked? It's only me.

Well, I wasn't expecting you.

No, I suppose not.

You ought to lock that door.

I thought I had.

No, it was open.

You don't usually overlook things like that.

How are you?

I'm fine, darling.

But, you know, you really shouldn't be here. We agreed we wouldn't see each

other for weeks.

That was only if we carried out our plan.

Didn't everything work out?

Not quite.

Well, you really must excuse me, darling. I'm really very tired. Well,

you interested in what happened to Ivor? I thought you'd want to know.

Hello.

Is this Mrs. Waverly? Janet Waverly? Yes.

Does the name Warren Barrow mean anything to you?

I don't understand. Who is this?

My name is Victor Hartman.

I'm Barrow's publisher.

Do you know Warren Barrow?

Yes, I do. I want you to talk to Lieutenant Summers of the plainclothes

division. Just a minute, please.

Mrs. Waverly, two of my men are on their way over to your home.

I want you to lock your door and don't let anyone in unless they have proper

identification.

But I still don't... Warren Barrow is mentally unbalanced.

He wants to kill you.

Do you understand that?

He wants to kill you.

Who was that?

Just a friend.

Sounds as if you didn't know the person.

Oh, we joke sometimes.

Why don't you hang up the phone?

I thought we might play a game of chess.

We wouldn't want to be disturbed, would we?

Warren, I'm really very tired. I think you'd better go.

The board is all set up. Just a quiet game.

You remember how it used to relax you.

Choose, black or white.

White, you start.

I'll get it.

You're very nervous, aren't you?

Go ahead, make your move.

That's right.

standard opening.

You surprised me. It was you to be so good.

Helen was a very poor chess player.

It's funny how women are different.

Some women can be trusted, Janet.

Some women are unpredictable.

And I think you know what I mean.

What are you doing here?

I came to apologize.

Apologize?

Yes, I... About your book,

I was too harsh in Victor's office.

You liked it?

Very much.

It's excellent.

Really?

It's the best book you've ever written.

Yes, as a matter of fact, I want you to tell it to some friends of mine, some

publishers.

Victor's my publisher.

Of course he is.

But he could never give it the circulation a book like this deserves.

They're very excited about it.

Shouldn't we... get started?

I suppose you're right.

Well, let's keep them waiting.

Yes.

With Janet dead, Barrow was happy.

He was free of Helen.

And now he was free of her.

What he'll do now, I don't know exactly.

But that all happened from the last chapter. And besides, there's no need to

worry because there are only characters in a book.

Janet, Ivor, Alan.

Creatures of my mind.

I'm not quite sure how to end it.

It's always the problem.

Finding the right ending.

It's always the problem.

Finding the right ending.

It's always the problem.

Finding the right key.

This is the ideal sports car for me.

It lends an air of dash and zip, yet with perfect safety, since I'm only

permitted to drive it on the sidewalk.

We have arrived at the finish line of tonight's show.

Next week I shall drive back with another story.

Now a scene from next week's commercial.