All language subtitles for 31 - Your Witness

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.

And welcome to Alfred Hitchcock Presents.

I am busy getting ready
for tonight's play,

which is a courtroom drama,
and it's called "Your Witness."

Before court convenes, however,

we have our usual one-minute recess.

Good afternoon, Mrs. Shawn.

Oh, good afternoon.

Can you tell me
in which of the courtrooms

my husband is trying his case?

The first turn
to the left, Mrs. Shawn.

He has his client
on the stand right now.

Thank you.

Do you understand the full
gravity of the charges against you?

Yes, Mr. Shawn. I do.

And that a woman's
life was the tragic cost

of an accident in which
your car was involved?

That especially, I'm afraid.

Excuse me.

Thank you.

I have raised this point
once again

only because the prosecution's
references to it

might suggest that
Mrs. Thompson's death

was a matter of
indifference to you.

Kenneth, let me ask you
what you really thought

when you learned that
Mrs. Thompson had been killed.

There's no pressure on you now.
Just tell us in your own way.

I'm not sure
that I can describe it.

How would anyone feel?

I couldn't believe it when
the police first told me.

I kept telling them
there had to be a mistake.

Why, Kenneth?
Why did you keep insisting

that there'd been a mistake?

Because I had no recollection
of hitting anyone.

As I said, the light in
the intersection was green

and when I heard a thud
against the side of the car

I thought it was
just an empty crate.

The road behind me
was littered with junk

that had fallen from a truck.

Did you tell the police the truth

when they first questioned you?

Yes, I did.
But they didn't believe me.

Now, one more thing, Kenneth.

A very important thing.

If you're talking about
the truth, Arnold,

it is important.

But difficult to recognize it
when you use it the way you do.

I suppose I love you still,
in my unreasoning way.

But what is the truth concerning us?

How much of it
did you manage to obscure

when we talked a month ago?

Well, any marriage is apt to
spring a small leak sometime.

The trouble is you can't save the boat
by throwing away the oars.

Why don't we just
try to be sensible?

Sensible?

Arnold, you talk like a man
who's being nagged by his wife

for staying out
too often with the boys

or betting the grocery money
on a horse.

I'm talking about what's
happened to our marriage.

About the woman you've been seeing.

But that's done with.

Why did it happen, Arnold?

I don't suppose I can really say.

Vanity of the species, I guess.

A man's married for 10 years.

He suddenly finds himself
admired, and he's flattered.

At least for a little while he can
feel like he's the king of the barnyard.

Oh, Naomi, I'm really sorry.

That girl doesn't mean anything to me.

I told you, it's over, finished.

How can I know that, Arnold?

I don't suppose you can.

There really isn't
anything to endorse

a good intention, is there?

Nothing, except the 10 years
we've already had.

They're pretty good
collateral, aren't they?

Wouldn't you bet on those again?

Wouldn't you?

Oh, please...

Arnold, don't.

Oh, that's Carmody.

This late?

Yes. He's been investigating
that surprise witness

they think they're going to spring on
us in the hit-and-run case next month.

Gonna cost that boy's
father a lot of money.

Hello, Arnold. Oh, good
evening, Mrs. Shawn.

Hope I didn't keep anybody up.

That's quite all right,
I'm sure. Arnold...

I think Al and I'll be busy
for a while, dear.

Want a drink, Al?

Yeah, sure.
Bourbon, if you got it.

I always fly better with
fuel in the tank, Mrs. Shawn,

if you know what I mean.

I'll get it.

Thanks, dear.

Now, this witness, Arnold,
he won't be no bed of lilacs.

He's a volunteer.

One of those "I will do my
best, sir" kind of good citizens.

What's his name?

Babcock.
Henry Babcock.

Uh-huh.

And he's going
to be a tough one, huh?

This Henry Babcock
is prepared to testify

that when young Jerome's
pretty sports car

knocked a nice, old lady
looser than a beanbag

and as dead as a pork chop,

the traffic light was against him.

Now we can't deny that
he hit Mrs. Thompson,

because the police traced
the car to the garage

where he'd taken it
to be repaired.

I got a complete rundown on
Babcock, Arnold, like you wanted.

Seems he's addicted to
bursts of good citizenship.

Mmm-hmm.

Well, I haven't seen
a model citizen yet

I couldn't hang crepe on.

Well, it's gonna be expensive.

It usually is.

So, start digging up
everything you can find on him,

from the day he was christened

to the moment he walks
into that courtroom.

- Oh, Mr. Carmody.
- Hmm?

Oh, thank you.

I call Henry Babcock.

What do you think about it, Dad?

I don't know what to think.

If Shawn could make an
All-American boy out of you,

he'll probably turn this
poor clown into a toad.

I'm paying him enough.

The witness has
already been sworn.

You may be seated, Mr. Babcock.

Mr. Babcock, you've
previously testified under oath

that you saw my client's car

drive heedlessly and illegally

through a red light on Purness Road

and strike Mrs. Agnes
Thompson, the deceased.

- Is that correct?
- Yes, sir.

And you further testified

that you saw my client back his car

for approximately 50 yards,

take one callous look at
the body and then drive on.

Is that correct?

Yes, sir, it is.

Thank you, Mr. Babcock.

It's a help to me to have
you reaffirm these things.

And if I were to believe

what you may well have
testified to in all good faith,

I would wash my hands
of the defendant now.

I would have no other choice in
the simple service of justice.

Mr. Babcock, the prosecution assures us

that you're a volunteer witness.

I'm sure this was meant to
imply that you have come forward

through a highly-developed
sense of civic duty.

People do that, you know.

It's not my intention to
quarrel with public spirit.

However, it is my intention
as well as my duty,

to remind this court and jury

that there are people
who will come forward

for the sheer thrill and satisfaction

of escaping from the frustrations
of their own dull lives.

This is not the pursuit
of truth, Mr. Babcock,

but a wild bid
for personal attention,

- and I submit...
- I object, Your Honor!

Objection sustained.

The line of questioning is improper,
as Counsel should be aware.

Your Honor, this man has made
a solemn promise to tell the truth.

It's not my intention
to accuse him carelessly.

You've always had this talent

for making the innocent seem guilty.

Right or wrong, I've never
succeeded in my arguments with you,

and least of all, last night.

Oh, hello. I didn't
think you'd be up so late.

Did you have a pleasant time?

Pleasant?

I don't know.
It was pretty much routine.

Al Carmody had some new
notes on this Henry Babcock,

and I was late leaving the office.

So, I went over to see Dan Irwin.

He's got a legal action on that
new magazine he's publishing.

You're a liar.

Hmm? Oh.

You went to that girl's apartment.

The same girl you promised me so
solemnly you'd never see again.

I have absolute
proof of it, Arnold,

so don't bother lying to me anymore.

I hadn't realized that
I'd been that careless.

Did you have professional help?

I didn't need any
rubber-soled Al Carmody,

if that's what you mean.

Well, don't you think you're
being a little old-fashioned

and prudish about this, dear?

Prudish?

You don't really care, do you, Arnold?

Oh, I don't know.
That's stating it a little severely.

Do you care?

I didn't say.

I merely said I thought
your attitude old-fashioned,

which is a polite way
of saying ridiculous.

Now, I have a full day in court
tomorrow, Naomi, so if you don't mind...

Just wait a minute, Arnold.

I saw her today.

Oh, you did?

Well, she's attractive, isn't she?

Now, will you excuse me?

Why did you marry me
in the first place?

Will you come off it?
I warned you, Naomi!

- Just answer my question.
- Take it easy!

Why?

For a lot of reasons!

Practical and otherwise!
You want me to list them for you?

All of them.
Every one. Go on!

Well, for one thing, your father
was an extremely influential man

a dozen years ago.

And he had a very attractive daughter,

also a dozen years ago!

Now, I think that combines
the practical and the physical

rather well, don't you?

After all, it's been 10
long years since you were 25.

And, frankly, your type of sweet pea

and assorted chocolate sentiments

have never appealed to me.

Does that explain it
well enough for you?

I think so, Arnold.
Yes.

One thing we know, Mr. Babcock,

is that Mrs. Thompson approached
the intersection from the south.

How do you account
for not having heard her

approach that intersection, Mr. Babcock?

I didn't say that
I didn't hear her.

Oh, you mean then
that you did hear her?

Well, no...

What I mean is that
I don't really remember.

I was tired.
I'd just come from work.

At the Chichi Club?

Yes. That's where I'm employed.

You're employed there
as a porter, aren't you?

Well, you could call it that.
I tidy up after the place is closed.

At 2:00 in the morning?

Yes, sir.

And one hour later,

after completing your chores
at the Chichi Club,

you were seated on this bench.

Now where did you say you live?

I live in Candlewood.
I have a small apartment there.

You live alone?

Yes, sir. Ever since my wife
died three years ago.

Well, it must be pretty lonely

coming home nights
to an empty apartment.

It can be very lonely.

I was happily married for many years.

But you do have friends, don't you?

Friends? Well, yes. Not that I
find much time to see them now.

I mean friends
at your place of employment?

The Chichi Club, specifically.

They do have entertainers
there, don't they, Mr. Babcock?

Among them, some extremely youthful

and beautiful young ladies.

I object to this line of
questioning, Your Honor.

It's slyly suggestive
and without relevance.

Objection sustained.

I'm sorry, Your Honor.

I'm confident that my
questions will prove relevant,

however, I shall try to rephrase them.

Let's put it this way, Mr. Babcock.

Isn't it true that you frequently
do favors for these young ladies,

such as taking coffee and
sandwiches to their dressing rooms?

Objection.

We're not here to
examine the social side

of this witness, Mr. Shawn.

Neither is it our business to
delve into his personal affairs.

And why isn't it?

The witness has testified
in direct contradiction

to sworn statements by my client.

One of them is obviously
a liar or mistaken.

Your Honor, I respectfully
submit that this entitles me

to establish the credibility
of the witness.

Proceed, Counselor.

Mr. Babcock, let's get back to
an item that we both agree on.

This rectangular mark
does represent the bench

on which you were seated
while waiting for the bus.

Yes.
It's where I was seated.

And it was also from this position,
the time the accident occurred,

that you saw that
the traffic light was red?

Yes. I saw the light
was against him.

Isn't there a street lamp
on that corner?

Isn't it indicated there?

Well, I guess it is, but still I...

Well, stop guessing and stick
to the facts, Mr. Babcock.

Wouldn't Mrs. Thompson
have been obliged

to pass within the arc
of that light?

I want to be truthful,
but I don't know.

Maybe she came too fast for me.

Possibly she was running...

Running?

Running, Mr. Babcock?

Now, why would a woman
of Mrs. Thompson's age,

already tired
from nursing a sick child...

Why would she be running?

I didn't say that she was running,
but she could have been.

She could even have been afraid.

Afraid?
Afraid of what?

Give me a reason why
she should have been afraid.

Was there someone else
in the vicinity at the time?

No!

Well, then what could have
frightened Mrs. Thompson?

How would I know?

Except that she was elderly.

Things happen to women is what I mean.

You read about it all the time.

I read about it?

- What do I read about?
- I don't mean you.

I mean anyone.

Things you read in the paper.

Oh, do you read about it?

After you've left the young ladies'
dressing rooms, for instance?

I object, Your Honor!

Objection sustained.

I direct that
the last remarks of Counsel

be stricken from the record

and that the jury disregard them.

Your Honor, I'm sorry

if my remarks have raised
a prejudice against the witness.

If I have overreached myself,

it's only been to try to solve
a riddle that still remains.

How he could have turned his head
to observe a traffic light

without seeing the witness
approaching the crosswalk?

Proceed, Counselor.

Mr. Babcock, how long have you
been employed at the club Chichi?

About 10 months.

I don't suppose the salary they
pay you is very substantial, is it?

I manage.
My needs are small.

But it isn't comparable to,

for instance, the salary that you received

as an instructor of mathematics

for 14 years at Freeman
High School, is it?

No, sir, it isn't.

Now, why did you give up
a dignified position like that,

that you held for so many years,

to work in a cheap honky-tonk?

Why should a man with your background

be reduced to running errands
for showgirls?

That isn't fair.
The reason is...

I'll tell you the reason, Mr. Babcock.

The reason is this.
My glasses!

Not your glasses,
Mr. Babcock, your eyes.

Isn't it true
that you gave up teaching

for the simple reason
that you were going blind?

I did have cataracts.
But now that I'm...

I have in my possession
a report from an ophthalmologist,

which states that
at the time of surgery,

- your vision was 85% impaired...
- Your Honor, I...

...and furthermore,
you are color-blind.

It isn't fair this way.
My glasses, please.

- If it pleases the court...
- Glasses, of course.

Your Honor, I move in simple justice

that the testimony of this witness

be stricken entirely from the records.

It's obvious that
he is incompetent to testify

to anything of a visual
nature in a court of law.

That isn't true!

You'll have to let me speak!

Arnold, I have to talk to you.

Congratulations, Arnold.

I managed to catch some
of the last act, anyhow.

- You like that, huh?
- Listen, you had that ex-mathematician

tied up in knots that Einstein
couldn't have figured out.

Arnold, if I've waited this long,

I'm sure you could
spare me a minute...

It can wait till I speak
to the judge, can't it?

I'd like to see the judge,
if he's free, Dan.

Arnold, I went to see
George Vogel this morning.

I'd appreciate it if you'd sign the
preliminary papers he prepared for me.

Don't you think we've had enough

whipped-up emotional
nonsense for a while?

I'm divorcing you, Arnold.

Nothing is going to change my mind.

I'm not sophisticated enough for
the kind of marriage you seem to prefer.

You'll save us both a lot
of unnecessary recrimination

by signing the papers now.

Keep your voice down.

Is this what
George Vogel recommended?

The decision is my own.
I never asked his opinion.

You tell George I'll send him
a check for his modest labors,

but I'm not interested
in a divorce right now.

A divorce might be rather clumsy,

professionally awkward.

Besides, it could leave me
vulnerable to other romantic women.

And it's much more
comfortable the way it is.

You can't mean that.

You might even find our arrangement
a little less depressing,

if you try to develop a few
romantic attachments of your own.

You could still be an
attractive woman if you tried.

The judge will
see you now, Mr. Shawn.

- Oh, excuse me.
- It's all right.

"1947, In God We Trust."

Mr. Babcock, please...

I was in the courtroom today, and I...

I couldn't help but notice...

I can see very well with my glasses,
if that's what you mean.

Now that the cataracts
are completely cured,

I'd hoped to get
back to teaching,

but I'm afraid after today,
there's no chance.

You know, I tried so hard
to explain my case,

but that man was much,
much too clever, wasn't he?

I'm sure no one believed me
by the time he was through.

Thank you for your kindness, ma'am.

Are you parked here?

I'm parked here, yes.

Well, good.
I can't find a cab.

I wonder, would you mind
dropping me off at 6th and Fern?

I think I could manage that.

Well, fine.
I'll be right here.

I just want to pick up a paper.
You don't mind, do you?

Boy.

Look, Officer,
I don't know how it happened.

Except that he stepped
right in front of the car

and when I tried to apply the brake,

I somehow jammed the accelerator.

Well, it's got me, George,
I'm telling you.

Nobody seems to have seen what
happened except this one fellow here.

He was waiting for a bus.

Would you mind giving me your
version of how it happened, sir?

Well, it must have been
just as the lady described it.

You're going to have to
take her word for it

because it's a legal fact that
I'm not a competent witness.

I think that we have
once more pointed out

that behind every great man
there is a woman.

So, men, watch out.

Sadly enough, the police quickly
saw through Mrs. Shawn's story

and the community gave her
a rousing vote of thanks,

and a 99-year sentence.

And speaking of long sentences,

I shall be back, after this one.

Thank you very much.

You know, I thought there
was something peculiar

about those girls.

Now, I'm ready.

But, I'm afraid the trial is over.

Perhaps I can use
this costume next week,

when we shall return
with another story.

Until then, good night.