Original subtitles

("Alfred Hitchcock" theme music)

- Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.

I suppose you're wondering what I'm doing here.

Not much, actually.

So far, I've spent most of my time trying to get out.

Passersby are not being very helpful.

They seem to think I'm an errant actor

from the Theater of the Absurd.

Actually, I was answering a real estate advertisement.

"Small compact residence on thoroughfare.

"Close to schools, shops, freeways.

"Plenty of transportation.

(horn blares)

(water splashes)

"Running water."

And that serves to remind me

that tonight's play is called "Ride the Nightmare"

and speaking of nightmares,

here is our first commercial.

(creepy ominous music)

(background chatter)

(phone ringing)

(laughing)

- Hello?

Who's calling, please?

Just a moment, please.

It's for you.

- Oh, who is it?

- I don't know.

- Maybe it's one of my old girlfriends, hey?

- I doubt it.

- Ooh, you don't think I have any, huh?

One of these days, you're gonna learn to appreciate me.

Hello?

You've made a mistake.

My name is Martin.

Look, I said you made a mistake.

My name is Martin!

What?

- [Helen] What is it?

Chris, what is it?

- He said he was gonna kill me.

- What?

But that doesn't make sense.

What did he say?

- That he was coming here, and he was gonna kill me.

- Who?

Who was that? - I don't know.

- Well, Chris, it just doesn't make any sense.

Maybe we should call the police.

- No.

It's probably just some kinda crank,

pulling what he thinks is a funny kind of joke or something.

- Well, it's a pretty weird kind of joke.

No, you just can't tell about people like that.

I'm gonna call the police.

- Honey.

All right, if it'll make you feel better, I'll call them.

Get me a brandy, would you?

Could you give me the police station, operator?

Will you send a patrol car to my house right away?

I've been threatened.

That's right.

Man called up on the phone,

said he was coming over here to kill me.

Just now.

Christopher Martin, 1204 13th Street.

That's right.

Yes, thank you.

- What did they say?

- They'll come.

- When?

- As soon as they can, Helen.

- Chris?

- What if he was calling from Johnson's Drugstore?

- Sweetheart, take it easy.

I'm sure it's just what you said.

It's probably a crank.

- Helen, lock the kitchen door.

D'you hear me?

Lock it!

Get the lights.

Pull the blinds.

Get the hall light.

Close the bedroom windows.

Do like I tell you!

(crashing)

(banging)

- [Chris] Checked the kitchen door?

- Yes.

Chris, shouldn't we leave?

We could go to Bill's house.

- No, he might already be outside.

- Honey, I'm sorry.

- What are we gonna do?

- You stay here.

(banging and shuffling)

I thought I told you to stay in the b-

(footsteps)

- Chris.

(clicking)

(footsteps)

The dining room windows.

- Are they locked?

- I don't know.

- Get down.

(rustling)

(door creaking)

(crashing)

- Hold it.

(ominous music)

Turn on the light.

Turn on the light.

(chuckles)

You did all right for yourself.

She's a winner.

I found you, didn't I, Philips?

- You're making a mistake.

Can't you see he's not the man you're after?

Our name is Martin.

- Martin, huh?

Philips is the name I know him by.

You thought you could change your name

and we wouldn't find you, huh?

That's right, baby.

We.

For a while there, I thought you did get away.

Then I saw that picture of you in that magazine.

You know the one.

Picture of you and that bowling team

that won the state championship,

and I thought to myself,

"Here's a picture of my old friend, Chrissy boy,

"and I just gotta stop in and say hello."

- You'd better get out of here.

My husband has called the police.

- No.

You didn't do that, did you?

No.

You wouldn't do that, would you, Chrissy boy?

'Cause if you call the police, they'd send you to jail,

and you don't wanna go to jail, do you, Chrissy boy?

- You did call them, didn't you, Chris?

- You mean you didn't tell her, Chris?

Aw, that wasn't nice.

You should've told her about your wicked past.

- Shut up!

- Don't move!

Ooh, you stuck me, didn't you, baby?

Well, we'll make up for that, won't we?

Yeah, that's right, lady.

I'm gonna kill him, just like I said I would!

Only, I'd just like to hurt him a little more first,

and I just thought of a way.

(crashing)

(crashing obscures speech)

(grunting)

(gun firing)

(banging)

(clattering)

(ominous music)

- Should I call the police?

- Why ask me?

(clicking)

- You think I enjoyed keeping it from you?

- Why did you, then?

Didn't you think you could trust me?

- I was afraid to tell you,

and I never thought I'd have to.

I was sure they wouldn't find me.

But that bowling picture had to be taken.

(chuckles)

That's funny.

The secret I'd kept for almost 15 years

ended in the second that I stick in bowling team.

(banging)

It's so funny it's hilarious.

- Where are you going?

- Call the police.

- No!

I don't want you to be arrested.

- You're willing to consider doing something else?

- What else can we do?

- Helen, if that body wasn't found,

nobody would ever know what happened.

Look, if we could take that body

up in the hills and bury it.

Helen, look, it's either that or prison.

There's nothing in between!

I've lived a decent life ever since it happened.

I've done everything I could to make up for it.

Now, is everything we've had for seven years

gonna be thrown away just because of him?

- All right.

All right.

- I love you.

(slow somber music)

- Murder?

- I had nothing to do with it.

You hear me, Helen?

I had nothing to do with the murder.

(doorbell ringing)

(fast paced desperate music)

(ominous music)

(doorbell ringing)

It's Bill.

- Chris, you can't-

- Don't worry.

I'm not gonna let him in.

Oh, hello, Bill.

- We're out of ice cubes, Mr Martin,

and my mother sent me over to borrow some.

- Oh, sure.

Honey, would you get Bill some ice cubes?

- Hey, Helen.

- Hello, Bill.

- Hope I didn't wake you up.

- Oh, no. - I'm glad.

- Go ahead, honey.

No, we never go to bed before midnight.

- Ah, good, Chris, good.

- You having a little party over there, huh?

- Some party.

My aunt decided to pass (mumbles).

- Well, how long's she gonna be here?

- Too long.

I didn't know she was coming at all.

(muffled speech)

(laughing)

- Can't you get them, honey?

- Here, let me help her.

- No, Bill, that's all right.

- That's all right, I'll do it.

It's only fair.

There she is.

Aw, I sure appreciate this, Helen.

Ooh, colder than my old aunt's heart.

(laughs)

Oh, Helen.

I hope I didn't disturb you.

- No.

- All right.

- That's all right, Bill, any time.

- Thanks a million for the ice cubes, Helen.

- [Helen] You're welcome, Bill.

- Yeah, my aunt thanks you, my mother thanks you,

and I thank you.

- And you are welcome, Bill.

- Thank you.

- Good night. - Good night.

(door slamming)

- We'll have to wait until they go to bed.

Helen, I wanna tell you something.

- It isn't necessary.

- Yes it is.

I know that you think I never told you about it

because I was afraid of going to prison.

That's not true.

I was afraid for you.

You were so young when we married,

so unprepared for anything like that.

- That was seven years ago, Chris.

- I know.

It's just that I didn't know how to tell you.

As time went by, I began to think that

maybe I wouldn't have to.

I was only 19 when it happened.

I was working for a bank,

picking up deposits from all the big stores in the area.

This was Albuquerque.

I was living with my father,

and my mother died when I was born.

Well, you know all that.

He and I didn't get along,

so wanted to stay out of his way more than anything else.

I started hanging around some of the bars.

That's where I met Fred.

Later on, I met Steve, Adam.

Those are the other two that escaped prison with him.

We hung around together.

We planned a robbery.

We picked one of the bank's depositors.

This old guy who ran a jewelry store.

I was supposed to knock on the back door

like I always did when I made a collection,

and they'd go inside, get the money,

and I'd wait out in the car as a lookout.

I was supposed to warn them if something happened.

Something happened, all right.

Now, the old guy got to an alarm system.

Next thing I know, I heard a police car coming,

and I ran out on them.

At the time, I didn't know that they'd kill the old man,

I just ran out on them 'cause I didn't have the guts.

I drove away as fast as I could

and when the car ran out of gas,

I hitchhiked out of the state, came to Los Angeles,

changed my name, met you.

That's it.

I'll call the police.

- Chris.

(ominous dramatic music)

If you think you can put him

someplace where they won't find him, then do it.

Do it.

- [Chris] If I didn't love you so much.

I was just thinking,

the thought of never seeing you again,

being taken away from you-

- Ssh, shh.

I won't let them take you away, I won't.

It's all right.

It's all right.

Bury him, Chris.

Put him on a (muffled speech).

(car doors slamming)

(crashing)

(shovel digging earth)

- [Chris] Honey, why don't you go back to bed?

- What about those other two men?

- What about it?

- What if they should come here?

- If they're wanted by the law, they won't.

- Wasn't the other one wanted by the law?

- He was drunk, Helen, out of his mind.

- I've been awake all night.

I've been trying to visualize going on as your wife.

I can't, Chris.

All meaning seems to be gone out of it.

It's not the same.

It's just not the same.

- We're the same people, Helen.

- Are we?

I don't even know who I am.

Am I Helen Martin?

Am I Helen Philips?

Or am I married at all?

I just don't know anything, Chris.

Least of all, the man I've been married to for seven years.

- Honey,

you wanna leave?

- I don't know, Chris.

(phone ringing)

- Hello.

- [Adam] Hello, Chris?

Remember me?

This is Adam.

- What do you want?

- [Adam] To see you, boy.

You want to meet us or shall we drop by?

- You stay away from me, I mean it.

- [Adam] We'll see you at Monica and 12th Street

in 15 minutes.

(intense dramatic music)

- [Operator] Operator.

- Give me the police.

- [Operator] Yes, sir.

- Honey, I'm gonna take the bus to the plant.

You can have the car.

- Get in the car.

It's been a long time, Chris.

You look good.

Can't say I like that.

- What do you want?

- A little charity, that's all.

Brief money.

I know you won't object, now that you've killed Fred.

I wasn't sure you had 'til now.

Don't worry, I'm not mourning.

He was a bungler.

He was too emotional, like Steve there.

If I wasn't along,

he'd have put a bullet through your head by now

for running out on us.

- How much?

- Well, we'd like $50 or $100,000,

but we know you haven't got that much.

We've gotta have some traveling money,

so we'll settle for five.

- I haven't even got five.

- All right, four.

Lucky we don't leave you in a ditch somewhere.

Bank's open in one hour.

You get that money and meet us at 11 o'clock.

You know where Latigo Canyon is?

- Yeah.

- Well, bring the money there.

- Where? - You'll find us.

You could bring the police, of course,

but I don't think you will.

That's you.

Indignation, Christopher?

Maybe we'd better make it six.

- Six?

- Oh, shut up.

- I haven't got that much.

- You bring what you got, then.

Better not be less than four.

- All right.

- Well, that's splendid.

That's really splendid.

Keep in mind, if you fail,

you'll be receiving a visit from either us or the police,

either one of which won't be very pleasant.

- I said all right.

- 11 o'clock, Christopher.

Pull over.

(grunting)

(engine roaring)

(coughing)

(somber music)

- Helen?

Helen?

Helen?

Oh no.

No.

- You have just witnessed the first half of our play.

We now come to that part of the program

which one viewer says reminds him of a baloney sandwich.

A station break between two slices of Hitchcock.

Good evening, and welcome to

"The Alfred Hitchcock Hour", again.

You have come back a trifle early, but no matter.

We have an excellent little time killer

which will keep you from getting restless.

And now, if you'll be good enough to give me a hand,

I shall get out of here.

(ominous music)

(background chatter)

- Ooh, good morning, Mr Martin.

- Oh, hello, Mrs Anthony.

- I saw you standing there,

and I wondered if your wife had run across that canape dish.

She said she was going to look in the cupboard for it.

She thought she put it there

after the garden club meeting last week.

I wouldn't fuss about it ordinarily,

but I'm giving a little dinner party Friday night,

and I especially want that dish for canapes.

It's priceless, really.

My husband bought it in London five, no, six months ago.

It's handmade and, well,

will it be all right if I stop by the house, then?

- I'm sorry, Mrs Anthony.

I didn't hear what you said.

- I said, do you think your wife would mind

if I dropped by the house and helped her look for the dish?

- Oh, well, she's not at home right now.

- Oh.

Are you feeling ill, Mr Martin?

- Oh no, it's just awful hot in here, isn't it?

- Well, when will she be back?

- Well, I don't know.

She's going to Santa Barba.

Her mother isn't feeling too well.

- Well, I would like that dish on Friday night,

or before if possible.

You see, it's-

- Mrs Anthony.

Look, when I finish at the plant, I'll go home,

I'll pick up that dish,

I'll bring it over to your place tonight, huh?

- Thank you.

I'd appreciate it.

- Excuse me, madam.

I'm in a terrible hurry.

Would you mind very much if I got in front of you?

- I've been waiting here longer than you have, young man,

and I'm in just as much of a hurry as you are.

- I'm sorry.

- Thank you.

- Please.

I'd like it in small bills, please.

10s and 20s.

- Yes, sir.

Could you make it as fast as possible?

Hey, where are you going?

- Oh, one moment, sir.

That gentlemen there.

- All right, send him over.

- It's locked.

- Miss Gray.

Won't you sit down, Mr Martin?

- Look, I'm in an awful hurry, Mr...

- Campbell.

Please.

- What is it?

- This withdrawal, Mr Martin.

It would leave your savings account with less than $100 in.

- I know that.

- Well, this note you signed-

- Note?

- Yes.

It states that a $4,000 loan

was extended to you last October.

(phone ringing)

Just a minute.

On condition that a similar amount in your savings account

serve as collateral,

so if you withdraw $4,000-

- Mr Campbell.

Listen, I've been doing business with this bank

for nine years now.

During that time, I have never failed

to meet an obligation. - Yes.

My credit rating is without question.

- [Campbell] I think we can make the deal.

- I need this money now.

My mother's in financial trouble.

She requires it immediately, and you'll get the money back

as soon as possible.

- Mr Martin, please understand that

it's not as if I personally-

- Look, I got a good job, pay my bills,

and met every obligation to this bank.

I need that money now!

- Very well, Mr Martin.

I see no pressing reason why we can't allow this.

It's irregular, but in view of your past credit rating,

I think we can put it through.

- Thank you.

(ominous music)

(engine roaring)

Where is she?

- I didn't think it was a good idea

to stop at the main road.

- Where is she, Adam?

Now where is she?

Adam.

- Steve is taking splendid care of her.

- Where?

It's all there.

- So I see.

That'll do.

(engine roaring)

(dramatic music)

(grunting)

(thumping)

- Tell me where she is, Adam,

or so help me, I'll kill you!

- Oh, you won't.

You haven't got the stomach for it.

- Tell me where she is, or I'll blow your stinking head off!

- Don't.

She's in a shack not far from here.

- Is she hurt?

- No.

- She'd better not be.

Come on.

Behind the wheel.

Drive!

- Quite the little hero, aren't we?

There's only two bullets.

- Give me the rest of them.

- What do you think, we waltzed out of that pen?

It's all there is left.

You plan on turning us over to the police?

You of course realize what's gonna happen if you do?

You'll go to the pen for the rest of your life.

- What do you think they're gonna do with you, little man?

- Don't worry about me.

I plan on living a long, long time.

- Oh, I wouldn't bet on it.

(suspenseful music)

- How much further?

- Just beyond that bend away.

- Pull over.

Get out.

Hold it.

- What now, little hero?

Well?

- You're gonna call him out.

- Anything you say, little hero.

- You walk up that road about 15 feet and call him,

and you'd better make it good.

- Be careful.

There's only two bullets.

- It only takes one.

Go on.

- Steve!

Steve!

- [Steve] What happened to you?

- Hold it!

Helen!

Helen!

- Chris!

Chris!

- [Chris] Look out!

(guns firing)

(intense dramatic music)

(gun firing)

- I told you, there's only two!

(gun firing)

Now I've got you, little hero!

(ominous music)

(upbeat desperate music)

- Give me your hand.

Come on!

You've got to, sweetie.

Try it.

Keep your head down.

Get down.

(fires blazing)

The only thing we can do is to try and climb out of it.

Give me your hand.

Give me your hand!

- Chris!

Chris!

Chris!

Chris!

Chris!

(slow gentle music)

(siren wailing)

- I'm terribly sorry.

That was a nasty tumble.

However, we did manage to get me out of there.

Perhaps you can amuse yourself by sitting in the darkness

and imagining what our next commercial will be like.

Sorry, regulations, you know.

(cheerful bouncy music)