Original subtitles

[cuckoo clock chiming]

Present company excepted.

Good evening, fellow clock watchers.

And welcome to Alfred Hitchcock Presents.

I shall never again lease an apartment

on the strength of an advertisement.

This one read,

"Quarters for rent,

for a very slim gentleman who loves animals."

The animals are that infernal bird you just heard

and an idiotic mouse that runs up the pendulum every now and then.

You know, the nursery rhyme that goes,

"When the clock struck 1:00..."

Unfortunately, I’m the one it strikes.

But enough of my problems.

Now, as it is customary on this program,

we should have a word or two

from a dear friend. Listen.

[bell ringing]

[clocks ticking]

[ticking]

Good evening.

[man] You have something?

I was wondering if you’d take a look at this.

I dropped it on the floor yesterday.

Let me see.

Ah.

A Kreuzner.

A genuine Kreuzner.

This is a very rare watch, my friend.

I haven’t seen one in many years.

Not since I left the old country.

Oh, my uncle left it to me.

It had been in his family for years.

Ah?

Ja. Ja.

I can repair this, I think.

Will not be easy. I will have to make the parts myself.

Fine watch, my friend.

Beautiful instrument,

worth saving.

I noticed some interesting clocks here.

Did you bring them from Europe?

Ja,when the war started.

Ah, but I couldn’t save my masterpieces,

my automata.

Au...

-You don’t know the word? -No.

It means clockwork figures.

You know, mechanical chess players.

Little jeweled birds that fly and sing when you wind them up.

Soldiers that march and sound their trumpets.

You made things like that?

From all over Europe they came to me with commissions.

In Bonn there is a church steeple.

When the hour strikes,

angels appear in the belfry

and raise golden swords to fight the powers of evil.

I created those angels, my friend.

And now I’m over here.

I earn my bread repairing cheap watches.

Can you fix my watch, Mr. Klemm?

Ja,certainly I can.

But it would take time if I’m to save it.

Strange, isn’t it? It takes time to save time.

Time is the great mystery.

[clocks ringing]

Grandfather.

I thought you were alone.

[Klemm] What is it, Lisa?

-Dinner is waiting. -Oh.

You see, my friend?

Time is the great mystery.

I had no idea it was so late.

Would you join us for dinner?

-Oh, I really shouldn’t. -Oh, please.

We have plenty.

It’s very kind of you.

[Klemm] Good, good.

I’d like to hear more about your work.

Yeah?

Well, I have a few pieces in back

which might interest you.

I’m interested, Mr. Klemm.

I’m interested very much.

Ah, come, Lisa.

Please.

Thank you.

[birds chirping]

[laughing]

Look closely, Mr. Ross.

-[music playing] -[birds chirping]

That’s marvelous.

I don’t see how you do it.

Oh, it’s a child’s toy.

I have done far more important things in my time.

[Lisa] That is true.

Grandfather has made clocks for royalty, for kings.

He has a drawer full of medals.

Ow!

Liebchen.

Liebchen,what is wrong?

I cut my finger on a knife.

Oh, let me bandage it for you.

It’s just a scratch.

Show me.

Here.

There. It is fixed, now, ja?

You can fix everything. Can’t you, Grandfather?

[laughs]

A skilled hand should be able to repair anything.

You should have been a doctor, Mr. Klemm.

Strange you say so.

When I was a young man, my father wanted me to be a surgeon.

Why didn’t you?

Oh, the human body is full of flaws.

Very imperfect.

But clockwork...

a good chronometer.

[laughs]

[Klemm] That is perfection.

You mean because it doesn’t bleed

when it cuts its minute hand.

-Like I did. -Oh, Liebchen.

I wasn’t talking about you.

You are the one human being who’s never disappointed me.

She is my finest creation.

Please, what will Mr. Ross think?

[Lisa] Such a foolish talk.

[Klemm] No.

I don’t find it foolish at all.

I should be going.

Thank you for a wonderful evening.

Pleasure. Pleasure.

I will repair your watch now, my friend.

You can back on Friday. It should be ready.

-Friday? That will be fine. -Yeah.

I’ll see you then.

Mr. Ross?

I’ll see him to the door?

Yeah. Bitte.

[bells ringing]

Will I see you again?

Of course, on Friday?

You know that’s not what I meant.

I was talking about just the two of us.

Please, he’ll hear you.

What? The old man?

There’s nothing wrong asking for a date, is there?

You don’t know.

You don’t understand.

He wants to protect me.

From what?

Surely he can’t object your going out with me.

[Klemm] Lisa.

You see?

He can’t bear to see me out of his sight.

So he’s jealous. I can see that.

No, you don’t see.

[Klemm] Lisa!

Please, go now.

All right.

I’m gonna see you again.

You and I are going to see a lot of each other.

Lisa.

[bell ringing]

[Klemm] Lisa.

[music playing]

Well, where do we go from here?

You’re leaving.

Who said anything about leaving?

Huh?

Ow.

Yes, leaving.

No, listen, we won’t have any tears, won’t be?

We’re not gonna make a big scene out of this.

Try to cheer him up after I’m gone, won’t you?

-Goodbye. -Bye-bye.

Auf weinerschnitzel!

[laughing]

What a clown.

Lisa.

Something happened this afternoon,

at the office.

You didn’t get fired, did you?

Who, me?

The best engineer in the firm?

No, I got promoted.

I’m being transferred to Seattle.

You’re going away?

We’re going away, darling.

-But, Dane, I-- -The two of us.

You and I.

Mr. and Mrs. Dane Ross.

No.

I can’t do that to him.

Grandfather, he’s-- he’s an old man.

Maybe-- Maybe if we wait, in a few years we could.

In a few years?

I’m leaving Sunday morning for Seattle.

What is it? What’s the matter?

I was wondering what time it was.

It’s just 9:00. Why?

I must go.

Grandfather will be wondering where I am.

Look, can’t you understand?

I love you.

I wanna marry you.

Now, that old man doesn’t own you, does he?

He can’t carry you around

on the end of the chain, like this watch, can he?

Or can he?

Is that what he has been doing all this years?

He’s turned you in a piece of clockwork

that he can wind up to carry out his orders, to obey him.

That’s not true.

You know I love you.

Then let’s tell him so, now.

No, you can’t.

Can’t I? You wait and see.

And I’m not gonna take no for an answer.

No, no, you cannot marry Lisa.

-It’s out of the question. -Question?

There’s no question about it. We’re leaving together.

With your blessing or without it.

Is this true?

-I-- -[Dane] Tell him, Lisa.

Yes, tell me, Lisa.

Would you go without my permission?

Please, darling.

Come here, my child.

Tell him, Lisa.

You cannot go.

You will never go.

You will never leave me.

I cannot go.

I cannot go.

You belong here.

You will never leave me.

I will never leave you.

You see?

What are you doing? Hypnotizing her?

The human body is a curious instrument, my friend.

Liebchen,it’s getting late.

Go to your room.

Lisa, wait!

[Klemm] Go to your room, Lisa.

You can’t get away with this.

I’m not getting away with anything.

Lisa is a good girl.

She will do what I tell her.

You mean you’ve turned her into an automaton.

That’s what you have been doing all these years, isn’t it?

I’ve been protecting the one thing I love,

the one thing I rescued from the old life

and brought to this new world.

She is my masterpiece. No one will take her from me.

That’s insane!

I think you had better go.

You can’t threaten me.

I am not threatening you.

But if you own a thing of beauty,

you cannot bear to see it fall into the hands of others.

Rather than that, I would destroy it myself.

[Klemm] You understand?

I would destroy it myself.

Dane...

Dane...

There, there, Liebchen.

You must rest.

[bell ringing]

What was that?

Only the shop.

[coughing]

[panting]

[bell ringing]

It was nothing. Only the mailman.

-Was there a letter for me? -[Klemm] No.

Now, go to sleep, Lisa.

Sleep and rest.

Close your eyes.

Sleep and rest.

There.

That’s better.

[ticking]

[knocking]

[door chimes ding]

-Mr. Klemm. -Go away. We are closed.

But I must see you, sir, I’m a friend of Dane Ross.

Yeah, yeah, I know.

-Go away. -I have to talk to you.

Now, this will only take a minute.

A minute.

Dane asked me to stop by to see you.

He wrote to me because he was worried.

Tell your friend there is nothing to worry about.

He’s been gone for three months.

He says that he’s written to Lisa,

but that she’s never answered any of his letters.

Letters?

There have been no letters.

Oh, no, wait a minute, pop.

-Don’t lie to me. -[coughing]

What’s the matter? Are you ill?

No.

No.

It’s Lisa.

Lisa who is ill.

Lisa?

Where is she?

It’s your friend who made her ill.

Mr. Klemm, that’s ridiculous.

He should never have come here in the first place.

After he left, she couldn’t rest.

If she is sick, he is the one to blame.

Have you had the doctor?

Doctor?

What does he know?

Pills he gives her.

Pills for her heart.

He is a fool, that doctor.

She should be on in the hospital.

Why?

So that they can give her more pills?

No, my friend.

I am here. I can take care of her.

Mr. Klemm, if Lisa is so sick, she needs proper care.

It’s terrible.

Terrible to sit beside the one thing you love.

And watch it slowly fail and falter.

Please, you’ve got to do something for her.

I know what to do, young man.

I know this girl better than any doctor.

-But she may be dying. -No!

She will not die.

I will not let her die.

[woman on PA] Announcing the arrival of Flight 834,

from Seattle at Concourse B.

Mr. Klemm!

[glass shatters]

[door chimes ding]

Mr. Klemm?

Anybody here?

Mr. Klemm?

Mr. Klemm.

Mr. Klemm, wake up.

[Klemm] I’m afraid this is the end.

No sleep for days.

I have not the strength to go on.

But the operation is a success.

I know it.

I promised to save her, and I did.

If I die, it does not matter.

Because she will live.

Lisa.

Lisa, you’re alive.

He saved you.

Just as he promised.

He saved you.

[ticking]

Perhaps it was something she ate.

And now our sponsor would like to tick off a few of the reasons

why he feels he deserves your steadfast support.

I shall again be available after the customary interval.

But don’t bother to call me. I’ll call you.

My problems have been solved.

I had a workman over,

and he removed that awful cuckoo sound.

I won’t be needing these anymore.

That’s all for tonight.

Next week we should be back with another story.

Until then, goodnight.

[clock chiming]