Original subtitles

("Alfred Hitchcock" theme music)

- Good evening, ladies and gentlemen,

and welcome to "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour."

I hope you like my new evening attire.

I'm quite proud of it.

It is made of a new synthetic fabric,

100% spun sugar.

I wish you could see it in color.

This revolutionary fabric

will end cleaning bills forever.

It is even better than wash and wear.

You simply wear it and then eat it.

I especially recommend it to those of you

who wish to look refined.

So much for fashion tips.

Now we come to the truly important part of

"The Alfred Hitchcock Hour,"

after which we shall have our story.

(dramatic music)

(bright music)

- Well, hello, Mr. Newmaster.

- Have you got my order ready?

- Oh, yes, sir.

Wouldn't seem like a Saturday without your order,

Mr. Newmaster.

Here we are, two dozen.

Getting a little late in the season.

I'm going to have to charge you a little more for these

from now on.

- Oh, really? How much?

- Oh, about $15.

- Oh, that sounds fair enough.

Here you are.

Thanks for having them ready for me.

- Oh, thank you, Mr. Newmaster.

(cash register dings)

Uh, Mr. Newmaster, you know,

I could deliver these orders.

My truck goes out once a day.

- Oh, I'm afraid that wouldn't be practical.

I'm away most of the time.

- [Florist] Well, have a nice weekend.

- I will.

Bye-bye.

- [Florist] See you.

(bright music)

(gentle music)

(rotary phone dialing)

(line ringing)

(telephone rings)

- [Newmaster] Annabel.

- David.

Please, I've told you.

You shouldn't be calling me like this.

Yes, of course he's here.

David, you've got to understand--

Don't you see there isn't even any point in discussing it.

I'm sorry.

Now, promise me you won't call here again.

Please, I've got to hang up now.

Goodbye.

- Don't tell me.

Let me guess.

- Yes.

David.

- Mm-hmm.

- Please, Gerald.

Don't be angry.

- Oh, I'm not really angry.

A little confused, maybe, like your friend David.

- I'm sure he understands now.

He won't bother us again.

- That's what you said last week.

But he's still calling.

- Well, I made him promise this time.

He won't call again.

- Don't bet on it.

- I don't know what else I can say.

Somehow he just refuses to accept.

- Well, there's one thing he's got to accept.

You're my wife, not David Kelsey's.

(dramatic music)

(doorbell buzzing)

- Linda.

- Hello, Wes.

- Won't you come into my parlor?

- That's spider talk.

Where's the other spider?

- Oh, David's not back yet.

He'll be along any minute.

I was just fixing myself a drink.

How about one?

- Oh, fine.

Is this new?

- Yeah.

- What's it supposed to be, anyway?

- David picked it out, it's not my taste.

Looks like something he got out of one of his test tubes.

- Oh, now, Wes, don't be disloyal to your profession.

(sighs) I guess I'll have to ask David about it.

- Here we go.

See what you think of my chemistry.

(glasses clink)

- Hmm!

Remarkable.

(Wes inhales)

- Mm, your chemistry is good, too.

- How many have you had?

- Oh, 37.

I've been drinking all afternoon

just to get up enough courage

to ask you to come to the company dance with me.

- Oh, well, I was hoping to go with David.

Speaking of David--

- Were we?

- Do you suppose that's where he goes on these weekends?

To visit some girl?

- It's not any of my business if he did.

- I'm sorry, Wes.

You two are so close.

I was just curious.

- Well, as a matter of fact,

he goes up into the country to visit his father.

He leaves early Saturday morning, comes back Sunday night.

- Where's his father live?

- I don't know.

Somewhere up near Ballard.

- You've never met him then?

- No.

Well, I gather his father's some sort of invalid.

David doesn't talk about it much.

- David's not very easy to talk to.

- I'm not interrupting anything, am I?

- [Wes] No, I'm sorry to say.

- It's nice to see you, Linda.

- David.

- Fix you a drink?

- I'll get it.

- Bachelors!

When was the last time you two did the dishes around here?

You know, what this place lacks is a woman's touch.

Which one of the two of you does the cooking?

- David does.

He has two specialties, charred steak and burnt toast.

- All he can do is bake beans out of a can.

- How would you both like to come to my house

for dinner some night?

I cook an exceptional fried chicken.

- How about tomorrow night?

- I'm afraid I can't.

I'll be tied up until late at the plant.

- We don't have to have dinner early.

- No, I'd better not.

But you two can go if you want.

Will you excuse me a minute?

I've got to go get washed up.

(dramatic music)

(vacuum whirring)

(doorbell chimes)

- Yes?

Just a minute.

David.

- Darling.

Do you realize that I haven't seen you in almost a year?

- I know.

David, don't you remember last week when you called

you said you wouldn't phone anymore?

- Yes, of course, but I'm not phoning now, I'm here.

Aren't you going to invite me in?

- Well, I'm afraid that Gerald is taking a nap.

He worked late last night.

It's a bit of a mess, you'll have to forgive me.

- Forgive you?

There's nothing to forgive, darling.

I understand.

I've always understood you.

Ever since we met and ever since we fell in love.

It's my fault all this happened.

- But it has happened, David,

you'll have to understand.

- I never should have left town last year

without telling you.

But I heard about this fantastic opportunity

at Cheswick Fabrics.

20,000 a year.

Just imagine it, Annabel.

A house in the country with a rose garden.

Everything we always dreamed of.

- But you never explained.

You never even came back to see me.

- I wanted to surprise you.

- Poor David.

Guess you're the one who got the surprise.

- Oh, I know how you must have felt,

with me gone and

wanting to get away from that family of yours.

And then Gerald came along

and you married him on the rebound.

Didn't you?

- Maybe that did have something to do with it at first.

But not any longer.

Since I married Gerald, I've come to realize that...

Oh, David, don't make me say it again.

I've told you on the phone how I feel.

You've got to accept facts.

- But I am accepting facts, darling.

Don't you think I know how it was when I called?

He was standing right there, eavesdropping,

and he heard everything you said to me, didn't he?

(Annabel scoffs)

But you don't have to pretend anymore.

We both know you made a mistake,

but that's all over now.

And we're going to be together.

You can get a divorce.

- But there isn't going to be any divorce.

You heard me.

There isn't going to be any divorce.

- Gerald.

Well, I'm sorry to meet you

under such awkward circumstances.

- We don't have to meet at all.

- Gerald--

- It's all right, honey.

I'll take care of it.

Now, Mr. Kelsey, I suggest you leave now.

I don't know what you think you're doing,

but whatever it is, I'm going to put a stop to it right now.

You're not to see Annabel again.

And you're not going to make any long distance phone calls.

Is that clear?

- David, please go.

Don't you see it's no use?

- Of course, I see now.

He's just exactly what I expected.

Jealous, possessive, domineering.

- I've had just about--

- Oh, don't. Let him go.

- You're right.

There's no sense in making a scene.

But don't worry, everything will be all right.

Goodbye, darling.

(dramatic music)

- I'm sorry.

- He just doesn't seem to understand

how we feel about each other.

- He doesn't want to understand.

David is a dreamer.

He always was.

- And you fell in love with a guy like that.

- I thought I had until I met you.

(dramatic music)

- Oh.

You know, if he wasn't such a nuisance

I'd almost feel sorry for him.

- Yes, I know how you feel.

But tonight he was so...

Well, somehow he scared me, almost as if he...

He was so strange, almost as if he was--

- Sick.

He's gonna be a lot sicker

if he doesn't let you alone.

(dramatic music)

(tense music)

(bright music)

- David?

I hope I'm not disturbing anything.

- No, of course not.

Come on in.

- Oh, oh, sit down.

I seem to remember Wes saying something about

you liked the ballet.

- Right.

I like some of the classical ones like Les Sylphides

and Swan Lake.

- Did you know the Russian ballet was going to be in town?

- [David] No, I didn't.

- As a matter of fact, the evening of the 30th,

they're doing Sylphides.

- I'd love to, but I don't think I can.

No, the 30th is a Saturday.

- Oh, you're busy that Saturday?

- Mm-hmm.

I go to the country every weekend.

- Oh, that's right.

Wes did say you spend the weekends with your father.

- Yes, I'm sorry, Linda.

- The ballet hasn't been here for more than two years.

Do you think maybe just this once

you could see your father on Sunday instead?

- No, I don't think so.

He'd never forgive me if I didn't come up.

Anyway, I enjoy going up to the country on the weekend.

But thanks for asking.

(intercom buzzes)

Excuse me a second.

- I've got to get back.

- Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm, yeah.

(wistful music)

- Well?

(pamphlet rips)

Didn't work, huh?

- I give up.

- Well, it was certainly worth trying.

He's a very unusual guy for a chemist.

- Yeah, for a chemist.

- Well, he is the most attractive

and the youngest around here.

And the most brilliant and--

- And let's change the subject.

- You're not gonna give up?

- Well, Daisy, I don't know what else to do

without making a complete fool of myself.

- Well, so you struck out on the company dance.

Well, maybe he doesn't like dancing.

You struck out on the ballet.

So? He still doesn't like dancing.

Why don't I dig out his personnel file

and see what his hobbies are.

- Daisy, don't, please.

- Kelsey, David.

Date of birth, April 5, 1936.

Parents, deceased.

Schooling, University of Virginia.

- Let me see that!

(dramatic music)

- Oh, are you off?

- Right.

- Give my regards to your dad.

- Thanks, I'll do that.

(dramatic music)

- Yes, David, of course it's beautiful.

But I can't accept presents from you.

Especially such an expensive one.

Don't you understand?

You shouldn't do such things!

I'm married.

No, that's out of the question.

I couldn't possibly meet you

and you've got to stop calling me like this.

Goodbye, David.

(slams receiver)

- Not again.

- What could I do?

He called long distance.

You heard me hang up on him.

- (sighs) Sure.

Where'd this come from?

- Special messenger delivered it just now

while you were at the store.

- Diamonds.

He must be out of his mind.

You told him you were sending it back.

- Yes, I'll return it at once.

Oh.

Darling.

Don't be upset.

- Well, if I am, I suppose it's because

I can't afford to buy you anything like that.

- Oh, who needs it?

Now, you just sit here and relax.

- Sure.

How about fixing some coffee?

- Fine.

(tense music)

(door bangs shut)

Gerald?

(tense music)

Gerald?

(tense music)

- Look, I invited you here to cook dinner,

not to clean house.

- I'm almost through.

- Let the dishes alone.

- I'll just be a minute.

Wes!

Now--

(doorbell buzzes)

- Now, who do you think that can be?

- There's only one way to find out.

- I'd like to speak to David Kelsey.

- [Wes] Oh, he's not here.

- [Gerald] This is his apartment, isn't it?

- [Wes] Yes, we share it.

But he's gone to the country.

He won't be back until tomorrow night.

- [Gerald] Well, this is very important.

I'd like to reach him there.

There's something I have to deliver to him in person.

- Well, can't it wait until Monday?

You can reach him at the factory--

- I have to go out of town Monday.

I'm going to St. Louis.

- Oh, this is Miss Brennan.

I'm sorry, I didn't get your--

- [Gerald] Delaney, Gerald Delaney.

- Uh, I'm Wes Carmichael.

- How do you do?

Now, if you could just give me that address

where he's staying.

- [Wes] Well, I don't have it.

- [Gerald] I really have to locate him.

- [Wes] Well, I don't know where he is exactly.

- I do.

I think you can locate him at 66 Ballard Road in Ballard.

- Ballard Road.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

- Whose address did you give him?

- David's father.

(jazzy music)

(doorbell ringing)

- Gerald.

- Surprised?

- How did you find this place?

- Never mind.

My wife sends this back.

Here.

Take it.

(jazzy music)

And there's a...

And there's a message that goes with it from my wife.

She says for you to stop calling.

To keep away from her.

She never wants to see you again.

(David scoffs)

- I don't believe that.

You're lying.

- And I'm telling you, Kelsey, stay away from Annabel.

- Get outta here.

- Not till you promise to stay away from Annabel.

- Wait a minute.

What do you think you're doing?

- Now, listen to me, Kelsey.

Annabel loves me.

Don't you understand that?

She loves me, not you.

She never has loved you.

She never will love you.

And I don't even want her picture in the house.

- Don't touch that!

(Gerald crashes)

(head thudding)

It's me she loves.

Annabel loves me.

- We have now reached that part of our program

wherein the local stations identify themselves.

There seems to be doubt as to who they are.

Naturally, I would be the first to admit

the psychological importance of their identifying

as well as justifying their existence.

Ergo, this station break.

I shall see you at its conclusion.

Welcome back to "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour."

When you were here last,

we were showing a message from our sponsor.

We might as well pick up where we left off.

(tense music)

- Well, I guess that's it.

You can type up Mr. Newmaster's statement now.

Just one carbon.

When Peggy comes in tomorrow, she can make up a batch.

Our regular stenographer doesn't work on Sundays,

just the boss.

It's been a long night.

- It sure has.

- I want to thank you for your cooperation, Mr. Newmaster.

You're a newspaperman.

Guess you know how important it is

for us to be sure of our facts.

If you could only give us a lead.

- Sure.

But all I can say is what I told you.

Perfect stranger came knocking at the door

asking for a man named Parker.

Uh, I could see right away he was drunk.

- Well, Doc hasn't made out the coroner's report yet,

but uh,

well, he told me over the phone.

Delaney must have had four or five drinks.

- Oh, more than that, I'd say.

Then when I told him there was

no one named Parker staying there,

he got abusive and tried to force his way in.

- Mm.

And uh,

that's where he pulled the gun, huh?

- I tried to close the door.

I intended to call your office.

- Are you sure there was no struggle?

You didn't try to go for the gun and push him away?

- Oh, no, I'm terrified of guns.

- Ah.

It's funny.

The gun wasn't even loaded.

Well, we've finished out at your place.

Doc's working on the body and we've got your statement.

- Oh, well, then, can I leave?

Because I plan to drive into New York this afternoon.

I have to see some editors

about some assignments in the morning.

- All right, Mr. Newmaster.

Uh, just in case, where can we get in touch with you?

- Oh, I'll be staying at the Hotel Barton

on 46th Street.

- Mm-hmm.

Barton on 46th.

Delaney's widow may want to talk to you.

In any case, we'll need you back here for the inquest

on Wednesday morning.

- Inquest?

Oh.

Of course.

(dramatic music)

(payphone dings)

(rotary dialing)

Hello?

I'd like to send a telegram to Annabel Delaney.

3852 Lankershim Street.

Yes.

Loomis, New York.

Double O.

Uh...

I have important information

regarding your husband's accident.

Uh, would you come to my home,

66 Ballard Road.

That's in Ballard, in Ballard, New York,

at six o'clock this evening.

Right.

Signed, William Newmaster.

(dramatic music)

- David!

- Hello, darling.

- What are you doing here?

- Let me put the car away for you.

- A man named Newmaster sent a wire

asking me to meet him here.

- Yes, I know, he's a friend of mine.

He's been delayed and I promised that I'd wait here

with you until he got back.

(car door slams)

He told me what happened.

(crickets chirping)

- Oh, David.

I'm so glad you're here.

- I know, darling, I know.

- When the Sheriff's Office called this morning

I didn't know what to do.

I just can't believe it. - Don't,

don't cry.

Here.

- (sniffles) Thank you.

(Annabel sniffling)

- Better?

- Yes.

(car door bangs shut)

It's just that I can't think,

I don't know what to do.

- There's nothing to worry about, darling.

Didn't you once tell me that Gerald was an orphan?

- Yes.

- Well, then there's nothing to worry about.

Just a quiet funeral.

I'll make all the necessary arrangements.

- The Sheriff said something about an inquest.

- Oh, that's just a formality.

But let's not talk about it here.

Let's go inside.

- David, I still don't understand.

You said that the man who owns this house

is a friend of yours.

- Mm-hmm. - But--

- I met him a long time ago, before my parents died.

Oh, I've known him for years.

- You never spoke of him.

- Well, when I was with you I never thought about him.

(dramatic music)

Well, what do you think?

- It's very nice.

- I thought you'd like it.

Come on in.

- Wouldn't it be better if we waited here?

Your friend might not like us to--

- Oh, don't worry about it, he won't mind.

Come on.

There's something I want to show you.

(tense music)

- David.

What's my picture doing here?

(dramatic music)

David, who lives here?

(door bangs shut)

(dramatic music)

I think you'd better explain.

- There's nothing to explain, darling.

- The brooch!

- That's yours.

Everything here is yours.

I thought you would have known that by now.

- I don't know anything.

How did this brooch come here, David?

Tell me the truth.

- I love you.

- Well, then if you love me, tell me the truth.

- If I love you?

How dare you even hint that I don't?

Everything I've always done was for you.

I've always had you on my mind, darling.

When I took the job, it was for you.

And when I bought this house, it was for you.

- This is your house?

And you're William Newmaster?

You sent me that telegram!

You killed Gerald!

- Oh, no, no.

No, no, no, it was an accident.

Where are you going?

You're not going to call the police, are you?

Well, why?

They need never know.

They think I'm Newmaster.

And Gerald's dead and you're free

and we can be together, just the two of us,

just the way we've always dreamed.

- That was your dream, David.

You have got to face the facts, once and for all.

I don't love you.

I never loved you!

- That's not true.

- I have tried to tell you, but you wouldn't listen.

You were always off in that dream world of your own.

- (scoffs) But it's real.

Everything is real.

The furniture's real, this house is real.

Everything.

- Listen to me, David,

if Gerald's death was an accident,

the police won't do anything to you.

They'll see to it that you get help.

- What do you mean?

I don't need help.

- Please try to understand.

You've been pretending so long now

you don't know what's true anymore

or what isn't.

- Oh yes, I do.

You're the one who's pretending.

Who are you?

(tense music)

Who are you?

- You know who I am.

(tense music)

- Oh, of course, now I know.

You're an impostor, aren't you?

You're one of Gerald's friends.

- No, David!

- You're not my Annabel.

Annabel wouldn't call the police.

Annabel loves me.

(Annabel choking)

(dramatic music)

(tense music)

- [Newsreader] Industry set the stage today

for a united effort to seize the initiative

in labor negotiations.

It is now hoped that the strike,

which was scheduled for next Monday at midnight,

may be averted.

On the local scene, the Ballard County Sheriff's Office

reports the death of Gerald Delaney, 31 years of age,

of 3852 Lankershim Street, Loomis, New York.

Delaney's death late last night

was reported by William Newmaster of 66 Ballard Road.

According to Newmaster, Delaney was attempting

to force his way into the Ballard Road residence

when he fell and struck his head.

- Hello?

May I speak to Wes Carmichael, please?

Well...

- [Newsreader] Pending the coroner's report.

- Thank you, thank you.

I'll try there.

- [Newsreader] Reports that Newmaster claimed

Delaney had been drinking heavily

and tried to force his way in,

threatening Newmaster with a gun.

Delaney was dead when the police arrived at the scene.

- Hello?

Is Wes Carmichael there?

I know he's been away, I thought perhaps he'd returned.

No, no message.

- [Newsreader] It is not yet known whether any perished

or suffered injuries.

Six fire companies under platoon commander John Rogers

rushed to the scene to try and contain the fire.

United States Marshals Office, late today...

(door bangs shut)

(tense music)

(doorbell rings)

(tense music)

(doorbell ringing)

(tense music)

(doorbell rings)

(tense music)

- Linda.

I didn't expect you.

- I rang, but there was no answer.

- Well, come on in, sit down.

I'll fix you a drink.

- Thank you, David.

- It's nice to see you, Linda.

Let me take your coat.

- Oh, it's nice to see you, too, David.

I just wanted to make sure nothing was wrong.

- Oh, of course not.

What could be wrong?

- Well, I heard the report on the radio.

- Oh, you mean about Gerald?

It was an accident.

He slipped.

- You were here?

- No.

Newmaster told me.

I was staying with my father.

Want to sit down?

- David...

David, listen to me.

For your own sake, stop pretending.

Your father's dead.

There isn't any Newmaster.

This is your own house, isn't it?

- Mm-hmm.

Oh, well, I bought it under another name.

I even made up identification and references.

- But why, David?

- Well, I just wanted to keep it a secret

until I could bring Annabel here and surprise her with it.

She's here now, you know.

Yeah, I'd like you to meet her.

Nobody knows about us being here.

Annabel wants to be alone with me

and that's why we're not telling anybody.

(dramatic music)

(bottle clinks)

(dramatic music)

Where are you going?

- I just thought you might want to be alone, David.

- You're not going to tell anyone about us?

- Oh, no.

No, I wouldn't do that.

(dramatic music)

- You're not going to bring anyone here, are you?

Annabel wants to be alone with me.

- I understand, David.

I understand.

(dramatic music)

No!

(strained) No!

(tense music)

(door bangs shut)

- Yes, dear, I'm coming.

I'm sorry she woke you up.

I thought there for a minute she was going to stay.

We're all right now.

(dramatic music)

We've waited a long, long time, Annabel.

But now we can enjoy our house.

I knew you'd like it.

Our tastes have always been the same.

Oh, there's lots of place we can go,

things we can do and see.

But we'll always want to come back to our house.

(sirens blaring in distance)

It's been a long time.

But from now on, we're going to be together.

(sirens blaring nearby)

(dramatic music)

- Thus concludes the story of Annabel

and the capricious chemist.

As for my change of costume,

I'm afraid our synthetic fabric

has turned out to be somewhat less than successful.

I was feeding a horse a lump of sugar

and somehow he began nibbling my sleeve.

He just didn't know when to stop.

Next week, we shall return with more news

of the world of science,

another story, some commercials,

and a new suit of clothes for yours truly.

Until then, goodnight.

("Funeral March of a Marionette" by Charles Gounod)

(Revue fanfare music)