Original subtitles

(dramatic orchestral music)

(atmospheric orchestral music) (tugboat horn blowing)

You stay here.

I'm going to telephone.

Right.

Chan, gee, I'm mighty glad to see ya again, Charlie.

Captain Flynn, most happy to meet old friend.

You work fast as usual.

I'm in town only an hour,

and yet already you have telephoned me.

Well, the minute I got your telegram,

I started watching all trains.

You contact mysterious Mr. Rausch?

Sure, picked him up the minute he got off the train,

and Hodge, that's one of my men over there,

he and I have trailed him for seven hours.

Rausch know you follow him?

He couldn't help it.

I figured you were about to make an important arrest,

so we've kept close to him.

He's on that tug over there now.

I did not want to arrest him yet.

You, you didn't?

Rausch's agent in pay of someone

trying to steal radar secrets from our government.

Merely wanted you to locate him

so I could observe him myself.

Oh, so you could trail him to head the of gang

who's trying to steal the radar, hey?

Oh, gee, I'm awful sorry, Charlie.

Well, no matter, no matter.

Perhaps we arrest him anyhow.

Then we put him someplace where you not be sorry anymore.

Oh, thanks.

(atmospheric orchestral music)

Rausch use this car?

Oh, no, no, that was parked when we got here.

He's still on the boat.

Alright, let's go.

Well, there's no one in there.

Blood on floor.

It's Rausch.

He's dead, stabbed within the last 20 minutes.

Heel print.

Someone step in blood, leave print.

(door slamming)

(car engine whirring)

I'm afraid, Captain, murderer arrive

and depart in car on dock, which just leave.

And I didn't even look at the license plate.

I look.

Get me the coroner.

Hello, Doc?

This is Flynn talking.

We just brought in a homicide.

Get me a quick report, will ya?

Thanks.

Sit down, Charlie.

C'mon, get me the radio room.

This is Flynn talking.

Check on a stolen car numbered, uh, huh?

9B2X54.

9B2X54.

Hah?

Huh.

That car's been reported stolen by Miss Diane Hall.

The radio actress of the Cosmo Radio Center.

Cosmo Radio Center?

They broadcast by television?

Yeah, there offices are on the 10th floor.

10th floor?

Same floor as Hamilton Research Laboratory.

Yeah, and say, doesn't that fella Hamilton

experiment in radar?

Radar, radio.

Believe we'll soon meet, Miss Diane Hall tonight.

If he had a black market, man, my name ain't Birmingham,

and I can prove it here.

He's right.

That man's business is as dark as, as, as...

It ain't exactly that dark.

Can you identify him from a picture?

Yes, sir, as mad as I am with that man,

I hate to think of what I think of him.

It makes me blush.

Here, look through this.

If he's in here, I'll sure find him.

And I hope he's in here, too.

Now let me see, no, no.

That ain't, that's a funny looking character,

ain't it? (Chuckling)

No, no, not here.

Mm, Uncle Nicodemus.

I wonder what he's doing? (Laughing)

Look at that zoot suit he got on.

It's killing 'em, ain't it.

- Yeah. - Big house

sure make some funny suits.

No, that ain't him.

Mm, no.

Let's see, right along here.

That, mm-mm.

Let's see, now no, that ain't him.

That's right over here. - Why did you turn

that page over so quick?

Oh, that page? Oh, that's a desperate character.

You don't wanna see that.

C'mon, we wanna look over here.

Now right here, he's right

over here. - Well, I wanna look at it.

Alright.

Uh-oh.

Well, (chuckling) what you know about that?

What do you know about that?

(chuckling) Well, you see, it's a little guy,

I mean, it's a little error. (Chuckling)

You see, I had that suit made for a masquerade

I went to a ball, you know?

And I win the contest.

And you should have seen me dance

I jumped up, here's the step I did.

♪ Doo-Doo-Dum-Doo-Doo-Doo-Bop ♪

(Birmingham laughing) - You expect us

to believe that?

Well, ah, it could be?

Are you two trying to kid us?

I'm gonna run ya both in.

Look, you can't do that - Wait a minute.

To us, I came here looking for Pops.

Yeah, you don't know who he is.

Hey, hey, hey, wait a minute.

What's going on here?

Who are these two?

He says he's Charlie Chan's son.

What?

So sorry, must apologize, Captain.

What he say is true.

This is number three son, Tommy,

and this one is second assistant, Birmingham Brown.

Both at times often feeble-minded.

Alright, boys.

Now, you two supposed to take baggage to hotel.

We did, pops, then we came looking for you.

You know we have to look after you.

You look after me until I'm outta sight.

Oh, Pop, you know we're a big help to you.

Your worries are our worries.

In fact, no trouble is too big for us.

Some of your trouble too big for me.

Come, we must investigate slight case of murder.

Murder?

Well, here I come.

And here I go.

(bars clanking)

Uh-oh, the end of the line.

Now, she can't do that to me.

I paid on my alimony this morning.

She can't do that to me.

Mr. Chan?

Mr. Chan, come get me out, please?

I done changed my mind.

Mr. Chan?

(upbeat jazz music)

Mr. Brett the manager is coming right out, Mr. Chan.

Thank you.

I'm Mr. Brett, Mr. Chan.

So happy to meet you.

I'm sorry to keep you waiting,

but we've just finished a broadcast.

So, why do you wish to see Miss Hall?

Is she in trouble?

I wish to speak to Miss Hall regarding her automobile.

Oh, oh, well right this way, sir.

I mop and mop and mop.

So why you walk on the floor

till my nerves go yingle-yangle?

Oh, we haven't learned to walk on the ceiling yet.

I speak serious stuff, and you speak jokes.

Who are you?

What do you want here?

I'm Tommy Chan, this is Birmingham Brown.

We're assistants to Charlie Chan,

the world famous detective.

Hold it, Miss Swenson.

Jumpin' Jiminy, sorry, Mr. Brett.

Right this way, Mr. Chan.

They told me to advertise on the air.

Well, any program that smells like the one

you people just put on, needs the air.

And you think I'm going to continue paying you...

Well, this is radio.

I try to put on a program,

and the manager himself lets in tourists

to gape at us like goldfish.

- Mrs. Morris, these people... - Herbert?

Herbert Sinclair?

You were supposed to definitely inform the management

that I wanted no sightseers in the studio

while my actors were either rehearsing or broadcasting.

Quiet.

Nevermind making excuses.

Mrs. Morris, these people are not tourists.

This gentleman is here because, well,

it's something I'm sure won't happen again.

You've said that before.

And so have you.

Don't talk back to me.

Well, what do you want?

Very wish private conversation with Miss Diane Hall.

You wish to see me?

You are Miss Hall?

- Yes. - Permit me

to introduce myself.

Permit me to depart.

Breaking into conferences that I'm paying for.

Huh, come, Herbert.

I am Charlie Chan, representative of federal government.

The federal government?

The law? Oh, well when the law arrives,

Willie Rand departs, (chuckling) too-da-loo.

Miss Hall, tonight you report car stolen.

Oh, that.

But it wasn't stolen, it was merely borrowed.

By whom, please?

Well, I, I don't know.

You see, Gloria and I, oh, excuse me.

This is Gloria Bayne, Mr. Chan.

After rehearsal tonight, Gloria and I

went out to parking lot.

And Diane's car was gone.

So I telephone police.

Then we went to a restaurant, ate,

talked with some friends, and came back up here.

And there was Diane's car right back in the parking lot.

Your car missing about 8:30 tonight?

That's right.

But how did you know?

And why should the federal government

be interested in a stolen car that wasn't completely stolen?

That is all.

I'm most fortunate to have met such charming radio ladies.

Hope to meet you again very soon, perhaps?

(Diane chuckling nervously)

(atmospheric orchestral music)

Oh, I beg your pardon.

Sir, to meet a gentleman who apologizes

for bumping you in these days is a rare thing, indeed.

He's either a coward or a gentleman.

I give you credit for the latter.

Ah, Mr. Chan.

This is Mr. Horace Karlos, the Shakespearean actor.

Now of motion pictures and radio.

And television, Mr. Brett.

Of course.

Yes, once the foremost Shakespearean actor of my time,

but now Char.

Now I am known only for the mask behind which I hide

when I play the mad monster

on radio, screen, and television.

Still, it is a living.

And so, goodnight to you, one and all.

(heads clacking) - (chuckling) Karlos acts

on and off the stage.

Did you learn everything

that you came to see Miss Hall about?

Yes, thanks for a kind assistance.

Well, good, now if you will excuse me?

Certainly.

Pop, I don't get it.

We came all the way from New York City

following a man named Rausch.

[Charlie] Rausch was murdered.

[Tommy] Who killed him?

Same person who leave that heel print on floor.

Right shoe.

Print is duplicate of one found in cabin

at scene of Rausch murder.

Killer someone who walk here recently.

Perhaps someone we all see.

Most interesting place.

We'll visit here tomorrow.

(rotary dial clicking)

Manager, please.

[Cooper] Who's calling?

This is Brett.

Rausch was contacted.

He was scared.

Said the police were after him.

He was ready to blab

because Charlie Chan was after him, too.

But he can't talk now. (Teletype machine beeping)

He's dead.

(teletype machine clattering)

I borrowed Diane's car last night

to go meet Rausch.

(teletype machine clattering)

(dial tone clicking)

(rotary dial clicking)

Information?

I want the address for the telephone number, Harding, 2535.

Yes, I know, but this is Inspector Grady,

Policing Station 27.

Thank you.

Where?

Office 211, Algard Building?

Thank you.

Next on list, please.

Ah, that's Gloria Bayne, radio actress, small time

until she made a hit on Mrs. Marsh's program.

She used to be a gold digger, but she's a hard worker.

No record.

Diane Hall, radio actress from legitimate stage,

New York, came here two months ago.

Nothing definite on her

except that she lives with Gloria Bayne.

Well, thank you so very much, Captain,

for your excellent report on my list of suspects.

Charlie, you mean to tell me

that you really think that one

of these people here is a murderer?

Not only think so but firmly believe so.

But, which one?

We'll go now to try and find out which one is guilty person.

That's easy, Pop, the murderer

will be the one with the guilty look.

Number three son have excellent head.

Question have always been what it contain.

(Captain Flynn chuckling)

Well, if it ain't, um...

Ben Carter's my name.

Benjamin Carter, yeah.

Boy, it's been a long time.

I haven't seen you since...

- Longer than that. - Yeah?

The last time I saw you, you's was living over...

Well, I moved from there.

- Yeah? - Sure, I moved over to ah...

How can you live in that neighborhood?

I don't know.

Now where I'm living, I only pay...

It ain't that cheap, is it?

Sure it is.

- Hey, looky here. - What?

- Is you still marr... - No, I divorced her.

Yeah? (Laughing) (Ben laughing)

I know you have a lots of...

You got me wrong, you got me wrong.

I got married again.

- No kidding? - I sure did.

- Yeah? - Say, not changing

the subject, have you got a... - Mm-hmm.

No, I don't smoke. - No.

- Hey, looky here. - Mm-hm.

- Wasn't you in the... - Yeah, but I got

an honorable discharge. - You did?

- I sure did. - What was the matter?

Well, I developed a kind of...

Well, that's a terrible pain.

- Yeah. - Yeah, it starts

right along... - No, more on the back.

- Yeah? - Mm-hmm.

What are you doing for it?

Well, I was takin' some...

Don't take 'em.

Man, they'll make you sleep.

- Yeah? - Sure.

Now what you should have takin'...

I did.

- You know what? - What?

That's how come I like to talk to you.

- Yeah? - 'Cause me and you

seem to agree with each other.

- We sure do, don't we? - Yeah.

(Ben laughing) (Birmingham laughing)

I wonder... - Oh, it's about, ah...

- Is it that late? - It sure is.

- Well, thank you. - I'll be seeing you.

(speaking in foreign language)

(Birmingham laughing)

Who's your friend?

Ah, he didn't say.

- Huh? - (laughing) No,

he didn't say. (Laughing)

Hey, you know, Pop?

I've got an idea about this case.

Yes, well?

Well, I had an idea but it's gone now.

Possibly could not stay in solitary confinement.

(Birmingham laughing)

Quiet, please.

We go now to watch studio rehearsal.

No, Walter, you've broken your promise to me.

Just when the landlord has broken our lease, (crying)

And grand mama has broken her leg.

Oh, grand mama, what are we to do?

Well, tears are alright to wash out your eyes,

but they use up too many handkerchiefs.

So face the future with a smile, my children.

For tomorrow is bound to be another day.

It is just bound to be.

What does the future hold in store

for Jean and her so lovable family?

Have you tried a Marsha's Mello Mix Waffle

covered with just oodles and oodles of melted butter and...

Oh, stop.

You too.

Oodles and oodles of butter.

With moderation so strictly, who wrote that in?

Well, I thought it sounded nice.

You thought?

That's a lie.

The whole program sounds as stupid as you.

I should cancel my contract here

and give my account to some other network.

Mrs. Marsh, if that's how you feel about it,

why don't you...

Why don't I, what, Mr. Brett?

Let us change the script and the announcement.

Then do it instead of talking about it.

And you, learn how to talk like a human

instead of a glope, or I'll change announcers, too.

Also, I...

Sorry to interrupt again.

Huh, you're sorry.

If you want to speak to Miss Hall again,

you'll wait till we're finished.

So sorry, must speak to everyone present.

All of us?

But why?

Regarding a murder.

Murder?

Yesterday you said you were investigating my stolen car.

Person who steal your car commit murder.

But who was killed?

A Mr. Rausch.

I never heard of him.

Thank goodness.

(chuckling) You know what, Tommy?

I'd like to get on the radio sometime.

If I can get on, oh, excuse me.

Tommy?

What's the matter?

I gotta urge said I wanna leave,

but my legs won't cooperate with me.

You wanna leave for where?

I just saw somethin' go in there,

is a combination between Dracula and a zombie.

Just fresh out of a graveyard.

A graveyard?

Mm-hmm, but an old one.

Well, that I gotta see.

Well, go ahead, I ain't go.

[Horace] What does thou wish, Laddy?

Oh, nothing sir, excuse me.

A friend of mine was seeing things.

Did you see it?

Yeah, it's hanging right on the door.

It's hanging in there now, let's go.

One moment.

We go 10th floor, come.

(atmospheric orchestral music)

(electricity zapping)

The powers cross, and it always connect...

Well, Charlie Chan.

It's good to see you again.

I'm most happy to see you, Mr. Hamilton.

This is number three son, Tommy.

- How are you. - And Birmingham Brown.

- How do you do? - These boys

are second team assistants.

You received my telegram and follow instructions?

Immediately.

All of my radar equipment

has been taken away by the government.

What about record of experiments

and copies of secret patents?

The government has the originals.

I have my own copies in the safe.

Contents of safe only secure

so long as someone outside watching safe.

Do you know, since receiving your wire,

I found evidence of several attempts to break in here.

Do you think I oughta hire special guards?

No, now that I am present,

contents of safe becomes trap,

and papers inside are only bait

with which to catch enemy rat.

(Mr. Hamilton chuckling) - Sure a lotta

of gadgets in here.

[Hamilton] Yes, useful gadgets, too.

Right here we began the work

that today allows our night fighters

to hunt down and destroy enemy airplanes

without even seeing them.

- Mm. - Gosh.

Now that sounds spooky.

[Hamilton] (chuckling) Merely radar.

Radar?

Radar, what is radar?

Well, radar is, um,

well it's sort of um,

Birmingham, don't you know anything?

I know as much about radar as you do.

You're all, do I know anything?

Now you oughta know I studied radar.

What is that?

A temperature climatic tunnel.

You make weather in tunnel?

Yes, that is the extremes of heat and cold.

To test the reliability of radar and television

in all sorts of climatic conditions.

The tunnel has two compartments.

One for heat and one for cold.

That light works, flashing,

whenever there's a foreign body in the tunnel.

No matter what the weather in there.

Now this is a funny thing here, now what is this?

(electricity zapping)

Help, Mr. Chan?

Help, it's lighting and cracking all which way, help!

Mr. Chan?

Good gracious, Mr. (yelping), Mr. Chan?

(yelping) Help, Mr. Chan?

Help!

Help, help!

Mr. Chan?

Birmingham, when in strange labrotories,

do not poke nose into strange machines like these.

(electricity zapping) (Hamilton chuckling)

Also keep finger out of same.

Goodbye, Mr. Hamilton. - Goodbye, Charlie.

Thank you for coming in.

- Bye. - Good to have met you.

Hope to see you some more.

- Bye. - Goodbye, gentlemen.

(tapping on door)

Come in.

May I speak to you for a moment, Mr. Brett?

Mr. Brett?

Why all the formality, Gloria?

I'm here on business.

I want better parts and more money.

Starting tomorrow.

You say that as if you were ordering me

to give them to you.

I am.

Now look here, young lady.

Instead of getting more parts,

you're liable to lose those you already have.

I wouldn't be so hasty, Mr. Brett.

You'd better let me finish.

Please, Gloria, I'm busy.

Remember these?

Remember them?

What do you mean?

That's the last pack of my private matches, Mr. Brett,

and I gave them to you yesterday morning in this building.

Well, does that entitle you

to order me to give you better jobs?

Diane's car was stolen last night.

I found these later in the seat.

Well?

Is this blackmail?

Blackmail?

Oh, that's bad, isn't it?

Perhaps I just better give these to Mr. Chan,

and see what he says.

Oh, wait.

I'll see that you get better jobs.

Thank you so much, Mr. Brett.

(phone clacking)

(rotary dial clicking)

The manager, please.

[Cooper] Who's calling?

This is Brett talking.

Listen, Gloria Bayne, an actress here,

knows that I used Diane Hall's car last night.

She's blackmailing me.

What'll I do?

(teletype machine beeping)

(teletype machine clattering)

Personally, I think the program

needs an entire change of personal.

However, I'll listen from my office, and then I'll decide.

What did you say?

Then don't say it.

Come along.

Pop, how can we solve a case

just by watching people through a glass?

What detective needs is great patience.

Oh, I know that.

When it comes to detective work, I know my P's and Q's.

But are you familiar with rest of alphabet?

(Birmingham chuckling)

Oh, Walter, to drink when your wife's in trouble.

To say nothing of my broken leg.

Drink? It seems as though I've heard that word before.

What are we to do?

Trouble, nothing but troubles.

Daring us, it seems.

We must move by the first of the month,

and we've no place to go.

Why can't we settle down and be like other people?

[Willie] Thou keep your chin up, Mattie,

and look on the brighter side.

Of course, grand mama, you're always right, always.

I never had such a sudden headache in my life.

I was all set to do some fancy ad-libbing, myself.

Uh-oh, the battle ax.

Well, it wasn't bad.

That is, not as bad as usual.

You sounded poorly toward the end.

Better stop gabbing about.

Come along, do you want to stand here talking all night?

(atmospheric orchestral music)

Can I get you anything, Gloria?

A cigarette might help.

Oh.

Thank you.

Would you give me a light, Mr. Brett?

Why, of course.

(match striking)

Oh, that's better.

[Diane] Gloria?

What happened?

Get young lady to dressing room, quick, hurry.

Bring her in here.

I beg your pardon.

Yes, please.

Why is it that whenever anything happens around here,

you're always on hand?

That's just what they always telling me

down at the office.

Hey, Tommy, I know the cigarette shortage is tough,

but that ain't no reason why

you should snitch a cigarette butt from that old lady.

You know I don't smoke,

but what other people try to grab

often turn out to be valuable clue.

Clue to what?

Well, that's what we'll have to find out.

Well you just include me out.

Did anybody call a doctor?

Doctor no use now.

Young lady already dead.

Dead?

The coroner was right, sir.

Well he said Miss Bayne was poisoned.

Toxic reaction proves she was,

but I don't know what type poison was used.

I've never run into it before.

Say, do you suspect any of the people

who were present when she died?

Suspect everyone on general principle,

but two assistants already watching person

who interests me most.

- Ah. - Thank you so much, Doctor.

- Goodnight. - Goodnight.

(atmospheric orchestral music)

(tapping on door)

Well, what do you want?

Why, Cooper?

Braut, how are ya?

Not Braut now.

It's Brett.

Come on in.

So it's Brett now instead of Braut, huh?

It was Britt when we worked in France together, remember?

It seems like we're working together again.

Mm, I thought I recognized your voice on my phone.

Asking for the manager, please.

Oh, so you're the manager?

The head man of the party, ah?

(chuckling) Not me.

I just answer the phone.

Someone else, someone unknown to me listens in,

and if the caller is okay,

the call is switched away from this line.

I see.

What do you care if we don't know who are boss is?

We've worked that way before.

I've gotta know, Cooper.

There's been two murders on this job already.

Two murders? (Whistling)

Yeah, I see what ya mean.

We should know the name of our boss to protect ourselves.

(phone ringing)

Listen.

Hello?

Who's calling?

[Man] Manager, please.

(line clicking)

See how it works?

Yeah, I see.

Well, if you learn anything, let me know.

We'll need a lot of information

if we have to squeal.

- What's the matter? - Someone's coming.

I'm going.

You hear nothing which is said inside strange office?

Just some mumblin' and jumblin', Mr. Chan.

But outside in hall, you overhear Mr. Cooper

call Mr. Brett, Mr. Braut?

That's right, Pop.

Mean anything to ya, Charlie?

British intelligence seeking espionage agent

named Ralph Braut.

Ralph Braut?

Oh, and the radio station manger calls himself Ralph Brett.

Nothing in office except table, chair, and telephone huh?

Yes, sir, it must have been a race book, his office

because it was just as clean as I is when I make a bet.

Captain, please detail man to check

all people coming and going from office

to 11 Algard Building. - Right.

Believe we make Mr. Brett surprise visit, come.

Boy, here we go again, surprise visit.

No surprise me.

(ominous orchestral music)

Brett absent downstairs, also here.

Do you think he's run away, Pop?

Is that the heel print you're looking for?

Person who wear this shoe, kill Rausch.

[Tommy] My gosh, you mean Brett

murdered this fellow, Raushch?

Must locate Mr. Brett at once.

(atmospheric orchestral music)

(rotary dial clicking)

Manager, please.

[Cooper] Who's calling?

Brett.

Listen, Charlie Chan knows all about the Rausch murder.

He's after me.

You better protect me, what'll I do?

(teletype machine beeping)

(teletype machine clattering)

Hmm, right here in this building.

(ominous orchestral music)

(trap door clacking) (Ralph screaming)

Door man say Mr. Brett still here.

Has not left building.

Mr. Rand? - Yeah?

You see Mr. Brett lately?

I saw him eaves dropping outside of his own office,

as if there where a couple of ex-wives in there

waiting to collect alimony. (Laughing)

Not funny, huh?

When you see this?

About 20 minutes ago.

Pop, that's when we were in there.

Must ask police to guard all doors.

Police, why?

Because Brett is a murderer.

Brett a murderer?

That kills me.

Hmm, nice people I'm working for.

Birmingham, we've got to find Brett.

Well, what's the rush?

Because he's a killer.

Yeah, and it'll just be my luck to catch up with him.

Come on.

Say, it's eight hours since Brett has been seen.

You know, he must have a hideout somewhere in this building.

You have man posted at every exit?

Sure, he can't get by them.

Think we'll take look on various floors.

Good.

(keys jangling)

Gotta change the water before I'm cleaning some more.

You know, Birmingham.

Everywhere we go, we bump into that woman.

Oh, don't be so suspicious, Tommy.

After what you be telling me, I did the murder.

Ah, Iookie here, did you see, ah...

Not in the last 10 minutes.

- No? - No, but there was

a fella here... - Him?

- Yeah. - Oh, he ain't the one.

- No? - No.

The fella I'm lookin' for...

I didn't see him.

But if you wait until... - I ain't got time.

- No? - But maybe if you could...

- I'm busy that night. - Oh, sure now?

- Yeah. - So, Iookie here.

- Alright. - Do you think that, ah...

- Ah, not it's getting late. - Yeah?

- Why don't you... - I ain't got a phone.

- No? - But I could if you...

Well, I, my car's in the shop.

- Oh, it is? - Mm-hmm.

- Well, I'll see you then. - I'll be seeing you,

I'll be seeing you, call me, huh?

- Okay, kid. - Okay, so long.

Alright, goodbye. (Laughing)

Do you know that he...

He can't be that bad.

Look, the laboratory - What happened?

Door's open.

Yeah?

Do you suppose Brett's in here?

Well if he is, let him stay in there.

I'm tired of tangling with them gadgets.

Well, it ain't no use in being this lonesome.

Uh, nobody home, let's go.

Wait.

Oh. - What's the matter?

Look, the safe been robbed.

I bet the robber's still in here.

Robbers and murders.

Why this is a regular cleaning and dying place.

Let's get outta here.

Come, come.

(atmospheric orchestral music)

Coulda been a little light around here.

- Shh. - Mm.

Uh-oh, I'm surrounded.

Come.

Say, this look like a good hiding place.

Let's take a look.

Let's take a look.

Ain't nothing you're gonna do here

except go in and take a look.

Ah, you know what, Tommy?

When you're hunting a killer,

you're supposed to have a guard

on the outside, just in case.

So I think I'll stay on the outside, just in case.

In case of what?

In case the killer's in here.

No, you stay with me.

Alrighty.

Gosh, it's dark in here.

It sure is, wait, I'll turn on the light.

(steam hissing)

Hey, Birmingham,

did you turn on the lights or turn on the steam?

The steam is going. - I thought it

was the light switch.

Help me! - Good going, Birmingham.

(Birmingham yelping)

Oh, this steam, it's something.

- Help me. - We have to find the door.

Help, help me, someone help me.

Hey, Birmingham, we'll got through that door,

and see what's in there.

- Hey. - Hey, who turned off

the heat?

Who turned on this cold?

Ain't this somethin'?

Hey, I sure wish I had some snowshoes.

I wish I had that long underwear.

Boy, Eskimos are crazy to live in this kind of stuff.

Hey, looks like the place has been robbed.

Looks in this case, not deceiving.

Flashing light indicates someone in tunnel.

(steam hissing)

Hey, can you make it stop?

Pffew.

Hello, someone in here?

- Hey? - Is that someone calling?

I think, I think, yes.

Well, well?

We (stuttering we were in the tunnel, Pop.

It ain't a place to get a sun tan.

What you two do in here?

Anybody else in tunnel?

No, no one Pop.

Was striker light working when you come in here?

(wind howling)

Here we go again.

Well, it doesn't matter to me..

I tell ya, Pop, there's no one else in here.

But the papers are missing from Hamilton's safe.

There's someone besides assistants in this tunnel.

(machine clattering)

[Captain Flynn] We've got Brett, and he's dead.

Coroner's just finished, Charlie.

He says Brett wasn't poisoned.

He died of a fall from a great height.

Brett last seen alive on second floor of Cosmo Building.

Later, he found dead on 10th floor.

Someone would have us believe victim fall eight stories up.

(knocking on door)

Hello, I'll look at the telephone now.

No one sent for you.

Isn't the name Cooper?

Why, yes.

Go on with work.

Mr. Cooper, alias, Copper, alias, Cowper.

Charlie Chan.

I remember you since last time I arrest you

six years ago in Singapore, remember?

Yeah, I remember.

Very great pleasure to arrest you again, Mr. Cooper.

For whom you work now?

I'm not talking.

You talk with your friend Mr. Brett yesterday.

Now, he is murdered.

Brett, murdered?

I had nothing to do with it.

I don't know who I work for.

I only answer the phone.

Someone else switches the calls.

I never hear a thing.

What you find out?

There's a cut in relay installed here, Mr. Chan.

Calls can be switched.

Can you locate place where calls switched too?

Yeah, but it might take a couple of days.

Keep working.

You gentlemen will remain with Mr. Cooper.

He will continue to answer phone calls as usual.

I'll do it.

I'm not getting mixed up in murder.

Good.

Mr. Dixon?

Yes, the radio impersonator.

Glad to meet you, Mr. Chan.

Radio impersonator, good.

You know what you are to do?

Death of Mr. Brett not yet made public.

Wish to try experiment.

[Mr. Dixon] I'm ready, sir.

(rotary dial clicking)

(phone ringing)

Hello?

Who's calling?

This is Brett calling.

Hurry it up.

Brett, Brett.

I've got to see you.

He hung up.

Dead.

(teletype machine beeping)

(teletype machine clattering)

Use service elevator.

Come seventh floor.

If I not there,

come 10th floor.

It's the unknown leader, Charlie.

The one you're after, the killer, Pop.

Thank you so much.

Please say nothing of this to anyone.

I understand.

No one's in sight, Pop.

We go 10th floor.

Wait, we got 10th floor by stairs.

You go in elevator.

That way, we have killer between us.

Better than walking. (Laughing)

'Cause I love that (screaming).

Mm, that's a long ways down. (Screaming)

Oh, goodness, help.

Come out, somebody.

Help! (Feet pounding on wall)

[Charlie] Elevator already arrive.

Birmingham, come out of there.

Is that you, Mr. Chan?

For heaven's sake, come get me out of here.

[Charlie] Well, well, get down yourself.

Get down.

Oh, not without a parachute.

One drop and this is certain death.

Birmingham, what are you talking about?

Mr. Chan, what is you standing on?

On the floor.

- The floor? - Look, get down.

Where did that floor come from?

Wait a minute, what do you mean?

What floor come from, what?

Mr. Chan, when I was down on the seventh floor,

that elevator floor went out from under me

and left me standing on nothing.

You can sure imagine things, Birmingham.

Imagine, no I ain't, Mr. Chan.

When I went in that elevator, the elevator door closed,

that floor went out from under me just like a trap door,

and left me hanging on my fingernails.

I was lookin' down eight or nine floors.

Straight down.

You mean to say, bottom of elevator fall out?

Yes, sir.

Perhaps Mr. Brett receive same message we get.

You mean, come to the seventh floor then to the 10th, Pop?

Believe fate save us from dying same way Mr. Brett die.

He was killed by fall from great height.

We descend to basement.

- Yes, Pop. - No, not by elevator.

Come.

Blood stains on floor of shaft.

This where Mr. Brett fall to death.

You're getting to be a habit.

Coming in here and interrupting my program rehearsals.

It's an outrage.

Murder also outrage.

Do you know what I pay for my programs?

I'm interested only that murderer shall pay

for killing of Miss Bayne and Mr. Brett.

You all present when Miss Bayne die.

You are stupid thinking these people would murder anyone.

They're too busy murdering the English language.

Testimony is Miss Bayne say

she expect more work and more money.

Gloria did say something like that.

That's right.

[Charlie] Who can give her more work and more money?

Mr. Brett?

Certainly, he's the slave driver.

Or rather, he was.

Very friendly with Mr. Brett?

Gloria couldn't stand him.

She detested him and oh, I...

- Yes? - I just remembered,

Gloria did say she talked with Brett.

Gloria said he'd promised her a lot more work.

I was surprised because I knew he liked her

no better than she liked him.

Yep, wait, Gloria did say something like that.

Something about, about, oh...

Yeah, she say what, Mr. Rand?

Oh, I don't recall.

You see, I gab a lot, and other people gab back at me.

I, I can't remember half of the things I hear.

Please try to remember.

Might be most important clue.

Yeah, surely, it'll come back to me.

And when it does, I'll tell ya right away, sir.

Mm, thank you.

That is all, thank you so much.

Thanks indeed.

Come, Herbert.

Well, what do you make of it, Charlie?

So many fish in fish market,

even flowers smell same.

Much confusion.

[Man] We go on in 20 seconds.

This is television experimental station, WXK9X,

presenting Willie Rand, ace comedian,

and his own conception of The Dance of the Spirit.

(atmospheric orchestral music)

What you do here?

Pop, we were just about to go out to look for ya.

So it seems.

Honest, Pop.

Mr. Rand says he remembers something important.

He wants to see you right after this show.

(doorbell ringing)

(paper rustling)

(flowers clanking)

(chuckling) Oh, real flowers.

(chuckling)

(sniffing)

(coughing)

I, hay fever, didn't ask for, I...

Now, ladies and gentlemen,

we transfer you to tele-studio number two,

where Miguel Marano and his Marimba Band

carry on during the second portion of the program.

Well, Willie, what happened to your closing speech?

Did you forget it?

Yes, Willie, what happened?

I, I don't know what happened.

You got a cigarette?

Thanks, all.

(atmospheric orchestral music)

- Hmm. - Mr. Rand?

Number three son, Tommy, tell me

you remember something you wish to tell me?

Now I remember what Gloria told me,

and I've got a lot of other good information for ya, too.

[Charlie] Yes, yes?

This afternoon when I was up on the seventh floor,

I saw a, I, I...(groaning)

Why, what trouble, Mr. Rand?

Charlie, he's dead.

Dead?

Get cigarette he smoke.

Have same analyzed, quickly.

Mr. Chester, you come with me.

Mr. Chan, my office is never locked.

The people on television and radio

are in and out of here all hours.

Why, Mr. Chan, I've never seen that thing before in my life.

One moment, please.

This is obviously control switch

for mysterious trap door in service elevator.

Mr. Chester, we visit police headquarters.

Rand was poisoned by the same stuff

that killed Miss Bayne,

but there is no poison in the cigarette he smoked.

Yes, and Miss Bayne smoked a cigarette

just before she died, Pop.

Yes, also given her by Mr. Chester.

That janitress, she picked this up

right where Miss Bayne fell.

I took it away from her.

This is cigarette smoked by Miss Bayne?

Yes.

Test it.

Why you not mention this before?

I guess it slipped my mind, Pop.

Oh, slipped minds.

There's no poison in this either.

Release Mr. Chester.

Oh, but Charlie, the gadget that works the elevator

is in his office.

Sure he must be the anonymous branch leader

we're after, Pop.

Person who send messages to Mr. Brett

on teletype machine must have similar machine

at other end of line.

There is no teletype instrument in Mr. Chester's office.

Release him.

[Gloria] What are we to do?

Trouble, nothing but trouble.

Daring us, it seems.

Why this program is strictly slush.

It is transcription of last program made by Miss Bayne.

When she died so strangely.

Only wish to hear end of program.

[Diane] We must move by the first of the month,

and we've no place to go.

[Gloria] Why can't we...

Hey, she must have stepped nearer the microphone.

She did, please, turn up volume.

Now listen very quietly.

Down, and be like... (clattering)

You hear strange noise?

Yes, a popping noise when she was sobbing.

We hear same noise on record of Mr. Rand's voice

made during television broadcast.

Believe now know how both Miss Bayne

and Mr. Rand were killed.

We'll need assistance of radio technician to prove it.

Please? - Right away.

Hey, those look like bits of glass.

Or gelatin used in making capsule.

We have only part of proof.

Now we visit Studio C downstairs.

Murderer ready to do more business.

This what we look for.

Thank you so much.

That my radio man said that the studio microphones

were rigged so that a shortwave radio beam

sent from some part of the building,

it would explode those capsules.

There is some sort of colorless gas

in the capsule, Mr. Chan,

but it certainly is not poison.

Hmm, cigarette please, Doctor.

When did you start smoking, Pop?

Quiet.

Would you kindly light same, please?

Now, you will blow some smoke into the beaker.

Ah, just what is it, Pop?

Well, that's it, Mr. Chan.

Alone, either the gas or cigarette is harmless.

But if someone first inhale gas

and then pretty soon smoke cigarette?

The combination of gas and nicotine becomes a poison

and kills instantly.

Thank you so much, Doctor.

That is exactly what I wanted to know.

(chuckling) yes.

My men are at every exit with orders

not to let any of our people leave the building.

Good, Mrs. Marsh, Mr. Sinclair

and Miss Hall, already here.

Well?

Chester, Nelson, and Karlos are in the building, Pop.

Even that wacky janitress.

Good, all suspects on hand, come.

Believe leader of enemy agents and killer of Rausch

have office somewhere on this floor.

Office containing teletype machine.

Okay, we'll soon find out.

Birmingham, you take another office.

Alone, not me, I like company.

(ominous orchestral music)

Look.

Pop, Captain Flynn, we found one.

Do you suppose this is the machine we want?

Could be.

Here is shortwave radio set used to explode death capsule.

(gun firing)

(gun firing)

Pop, he's gone out the stairs.

Warn guards at exits.

[Detective Flynn] Right.

I go other end of tunnel.

We catch murderer between us.

Yes, Pop.

We'll catch the guy while Pop's waiting for him.

Come with me. - Sure, whoa.

Mm-mm, I think I'll stick with Mr. Chan.

Now listen, Birmingham.

When we see him, I'll hit him high, you hit him low.

Understand, Birmingham?

Birmingham?

Birmingham?

Wonder what happened to him?

(Tommy screaming)

(wind machine whirring)

(gun firing) (wind machine whirring)

(atmospheric orchestral music) (body thumping on floor)

Okay, Son?

Sure, Pop, the guy couldn't hit the side of a barn

even if he was inside. - Mm-hmm.

Come, hurry.

(ominous orchestral music)

The elevator is at the first floor, Pop.

He must have gone down.

(gun firing)

Hey, Charlie, he tried to come down

the stairs as I went up.

I fired, and he came back this way.

Again, we just escaped death by elevator.

Pop, there's someone in office 703.

The door's open. - Go, quick.

[Detective Flynn] C'mon, let's go.

(atmospheric orchestral music)

Murderer now travel without costume disguise.

Come.

Oh, what?

(atmospheric orchestral music)

Killer caught in own trap.

We find murderer in basement, come.

Then you're not a Swedish janitress at all?

This is Miss Janet Carter, Government Investigator.

I came here a month ago at Mr. Chan's orders.

To keep eye on people coming and going

from radar laboratory.

No one suspected the janitress

of being a government operative.

You were a very great assistant, Janet.

No, please, do not look at her.

Her?

Mrs. Marsh.

[Janet] Oh, no, I'd never believed it.

Hey, Pop, what about the stolen radar papers?

Papers she stole are worthless.

Real radar secrets removed some time ago at my suggestion.

Ah, what's the matter, what's wrong, Charlie?

As usual, at end of case,

I have discovered everything except

whereabouts of my second assistant, Birmingham Brown.

(Detective Flynn chuckling)

Yeah, where did he go?

(upbeat orchestral music)

Hey, which way is out?

I wanna get away from these faces.

They're scaring people.

Oh, right out this way. (Screaming)

Good gravy, help, help, come here...

(laughing) Oh, that's me.

Well let me see this thing.

I think I'd rather take this one.

Goodbye.

(upbeat orchestral music)

(dramatic orchestral music)