Original subtitles

♪♪

♪♪

Last call for Flight 31

to Los Angeles, boarding at Gate Two.

Last call for Flight 31 to Los Angeles

boarding at Gate Two.

Jan!

- Joe! What on earth...? - Small world.

A girl from New Orleans stands you up in Los Angeles,

and three weeks later, you find her waiting for you

in San Francisco.

I'm sorry about what happened, Joe.

Well, I'll accept that, if there's an explanation

that comes with it.

Would you, uh, like to start now,

or, uh, would you rather meet me at the hotel later?

I'm at the Carlisle.

Joe, please.

I'm waiting for someone.

Well, we spent some long evenings together,

some longer conversations,

but I don't remember a "someone" ever being mentioned.

I just...

I couldn't bring myself to tell you.

Well, if you still want to tell me,

I take confessions anywhere.

Airport terminals, bus stations.

Joe, please, I...

I'm meeting my husband.

Husband?!

Well, I take it that, uh, Jan Holloway

is just the name you use around bachelors.

What does your mailman call you, Jan?

I'm...

Mrs. Carter Elliot.

Mrs. Elliot.

Well, I suppose Mr. Elliot's a big successful businessman.

But as a husband,

I'll have to nominate him for...

Damn Fool of the Year Award.

Joe...

Good-bye, Jan.

Mister, I got a gun under this.

Let's take a walk.

You don't want me to get a hole in my coat.

Well, I'm told walking is good for your health.

Jan...

♪♪

♪♪

Right there'll do very nicely, thank you.

I suggest we show Mr. Mannix the view from the top.

A little higher, if you don't mind.

I want to make sure Mr. Mannix sees our point.

Beautiful view, isn't it?

Quite a drop down into the water.

Yeah, I'll, uh, buy that.

Now, start talking and keep it interesting.

Since, uh, you're dealing, what are we playing?

Let's have it...

Where and when?

You've got the edge on me.

You know what you're talking about.

Well, maybe the altitude's too much for you.

You better come on down.

I don't know who you guys have got me mixed up with,

but whoever he is, he's the lucky one.

There's no mix-up.

You were seen talking to her at the airport.

Come on, let's have it.

Now, look, if you guys...

provide a rough-up service for jealous husbands,

I've learned my lesson, okay?

Wrong answer.

Beautiful.

Now, look, um...

Joe, let's be realistic.

Yeah, let's.

What we want to know is where and when.

You're beginning to sound like an old song title.

Now, I can understand how a smart private eye from L.A.

might try to cut himself in for a piece of the action.

I could understand that.

You see how understanding I am?

Yeah, yeah, you're... you're just swell.

I can see that.

But this is a closed corporation.

No shares.

Now, why don't you just tell us what we want to know,

and my friends here'll drive you back to the airport

or any other destination of your choice.

Just like that, huh?

Just like that.

I don't know what slice

you thought you'd get out of the $14 million,

but you've just been cut out.

Why make us kill you?

Now, look...

I just came to San Francisco...

on some business.

Stow it! Now, let's have it!

Now, I'm telling you, you got the wr...

What do you think, Mr. Springer?

I think he needs one last look at the view.

Get him!

Wing him! I need him alive!

Find him!

♪♪

Rough flight?

Uh, rough landing.

By the way, I, uh, had to leave my luggage at the airport.

Could you arrange to have it picked up?

Oh, certainly, uh, Mr. Mannix.

Yes?

Just now.

All right.

Phone call for you, Mr. Mannix.

You can take it over here if you like.

Thank you.

This is Mannix.

Joe, is that you?

I'm just beginning to think so.

Thank heavens you're all right.

Well, there are two schools of thought on that right about now.

When I saw that man who came up to you, I was afraid.

Now, look, uh, Jan, I don't mean to sound unfriendly,

but, uh, just talking to you

seems to be a pretty risky pastime here in San Francisco.

Joe, I don't want you hurt.

I'd like to expl...

Jan?

No phone calls, remember?

I was talking to a friend.

Ah, but you don't have a friend. Only me.

Are you trying to tell me, Mr., uh... Mannix, is it?

Like I told you, Lieutenant.

They lifted my I.D.

And you're in town on business?

I'm wrapping up a case with Stan Forester.

He's another private investigator. You can check.

Stan Forester. I'll check it.

Now, for no accountable reason,

you were kidnapped at the airport and beaten up.

You know, I think I'll come back here

for your next Legion convention, when they really have fun.

And you don't have the faintest idea

why the people of our good city would welcome you

in this unorthodox way?

Maybe it's something I said.

Maybe it was something you didn't tell me.

Have you got anything on a Mrs. Carter Elliott?

Should I have?

There's a possibility that she might be in trouble.

She a friend of yours?

Oh, let's say, uh, an acquaintance.

What kind of trouble?

I don't know.

That's very helpful.

Can you give me an address on her?

I'll check my secret file.

Mrs. Carter Elliot?

That's right.

An acquaintance, you say?

Well, actually, I guess

you might say I hardly know her at all.

Thanks, Lieutenant.

You'll be with us for a few days?

Why? Is there a time limit?

I thought, if you changed your mind,

about filing a complaint...

As soon as I find out what I have

to complain about, Lieutenant, I'll be back to see you.

My phone book is always open.

You could be surprised, Lieutenant,

at what those secret files turn up.

Well?

He's a licensed P.I. in Los Angeles, all right.

Several years, clean record.

Maybe not so clean.

He was asking about Mrs. Elliot.

♪♪

Yes, sir?

I'd like to see Mrs. Elliot.

Mrs. Elliot?

Yes. I'm a friend of hers from Los Angeles.

Is she home?

I-I'm sorry, sir, but, uh...

Oh, uh, when do you expect her?

I don't expect her.

This is where she lives, isn't it?

It happened hardly an hour ago, sir.

An accident.

An accident?

Is she in the hospital?

Mrs. Elliot is dead, sir.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

I told you, Joe, you should have let me meet you at the airport.

Yeah, I should have listened.

Look, guys just don't beat you up

as part of a home study course in karate.

I gather they thought I knew something

about some kind of a shipment.

What?!

All because I had a few words with a girl at the airport.

The French said it best: "Find the girl."

Yeah, well, it's too late, Stan.

She's dead.

You run on a fast track.

What happened?

A girl I met in Los Angeles.

Called herself Jan Holloway.

You know, we had a few dates, a nice time.

No rings, no strings.

And one night about three weeks ago, she stood me up.

Next time I saw her was here at the airport

when I stepped off the plane.

With rings and strings, hmm?

Husband.

Seems her real name was Mrs. Carter Elliot.

Hit-run accident?

Apparently.

I just heard that on the news.

I think she was in some kind of trouble.

You mean, maybe the accident wasn't an accident?

Maybe.

I got a phone call from her

as soon as I checked into the hotel.

Then we were cut off.

I take it someone didn't want her talking to me.

That's why you went to the cops, hmm?

LeBeau called you.

I think the Lieutenant had the idea

that you were suffering from credibility gap.

Well, at least the Huntington case is closed.

There are the stamps... $300,000 worth.

I'll take a receipt and a check.

Gulf Securities Insurance thanks you,

and Old Man Huntington thanks you,

and I thank you.

The fence I had to talk out of those didn't thank me.

Hmm.

But I'm glad you and your clients are happy.

Oh, uh, Stan, you got a car I can use?

Out in the alley. Why?

There's a tail on the one I'm using.

It's parked on Leavenworth.

Why don't you drive it until I can find out why?

Think of turning the Elliot hit-run into a case, Joe?

Stan, I've been leaned on pretty hard

and tailed all over town.

All because I talked to a lady

who ended up in a funeral parlor.

I think I'll stick around until I find out

if any of the wrong people send flowers.

"Blessed are they who die in the Lord,

"from henceforth, sayeth the Spirit,

"that they may rest from their labors,

and their good works do follow them."

Unto the mercy of Almighty God

we commend the soul of Thy servant departed,

and commit her body to the ground.

Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, and dust to dust,

in the sure and certain hope

of the resurrection of eternal life.

The God of peace make you perfect

in every good work to do His will,

working in you that which is well-pleasing in His sight,

to whom be the glory and honor, both now and forevermore,

world without end.

Amen.

Mr. Elliot, if I may be of any further help...

Mr. Elliot?

Yes?

I know this is a difficult time,

but I would like to talk to you for a moment.

Oh, please, I'm not exactly in the mood for reporters now.

I was a friend of your wife's.

I think she may have been in some kind of trouble

before she was killed, Mr. Elliot.

I've had about all I can think about right now.

Of course. I'm sorry.

Could we maybe talk later?

All right.

Why don't you come to my house... later tonight.

We'll talk then.

Ever since I stepped off the plane in San Francisco,

every step I took somehow led directly to that cemetery.

I think your wife was in some kind of trouble.

You say that, uh, you were acquainted with my wife

two months ago in Los Angeles?

That's right.

She was, uh, using another name.

That's very interesting.

Mr. Elliot, I'm telling you

that I think your wife's death was more than an accident.

All you have to say is, "That's interesting"?

Mr. Mannix, I don't know what kind of confidence game

you're trying to pull, but all I can tell you is

that it's in very bad taste and ill-timed.

Well, I can certainly appreciate how you must feel...

Well, spare your condolences.

It's not bad enough that my wife was snuffed out

by some fool hit-and-run driver.

You come in here and try to smear her name.

Well, let me tell you something, Mr. Mannix.

Two months ago, my wife was in Denver, visiting her family,

and I was with her.

That's Mrs. Elliot?

I thought you said you knew her.

I'm sorry, uh...

this seems to be my week for mistaken identities.

I don't know what purpose you had in coming here,

but I think you better go.

I don't like it.

He claims he's a private investigator

from Los Angeles, here on business.

I say let's get rid of him.

Well, if the girl double-crossed us

making the contact in Los Angeles,

she made a very big mistake.

I think you ought to have a fatherly talk with her.

Maybe another long-distance call from Hong Kong

wouldn't do any harm, either.

Well, do what you have to do.

We're too close.

Nobody's going to throw a hitch in this.

Not now.

As far as Mr. Mannix is concerned,

the vote is unanimous... Get rid of him.

One moment, please,

for the Overseas Operator.

- Go ahead. - Hello?

This is the Overseas Operator.

I have a long-distance call from Hong Kong

for a Miss Jan Holloway.

This is Jan Holloway.

Go ahead, please.

Harry, is that you?

Just listen, Jan.

Don't ask any questions, and do whatever they say.

Harry, are you all right?

Jan, I'm in this too deep.

You have to help me.

I'm doing everything they tell me to.

When will I see you?

When will they let you go?

Harry?

You would be wise

not to ask any more questions, Miss Holloway.

Yes, all right.

Be aboard the cruise ship at 3:00.

Our representative will contact you there.

Do you understand?

Cruise ship, 3:00.

Jan Holloway, you said.

That's right.

And I checked your secret file,

and information, and the city directory,

and there's nothing on a Jan Holloway.

I can make it unanimous, Mannix.

We don't have anything, either.

Well, she's walking around out there someplace.

There's got to be some way of tracking her down.

Some of your lady friends aren't so lucky...

Like Mrs. Carter Elliott.

Well, it turns out I didn't know the lady at all.

Oh? Is that right?

But I think there may be a connection

between Mrs. Elliott and Jan Holloway.

What connection would that be?

I'll tell you what, Lieutenant,

if I find out before your retirement comes up,

you'll be the first one I call.

♪♪

What do you want now?

There's another, um...

tourist in town

that's causing us some concern.

A certain, uh...

Joe Mannix.

Who's he?

You know who he is...

and I think you gave him the name of Mrs. Elliott.

He's just someone I met in Los Angeles.

When he showed up at the airport, the...

well, the only name that came to mind was Mrs. Elliott.

That wasn't very smart.

Name of a woman who's dead.

When do we get this over with?

Tomorrow.

A suitcase will arrive at the Trans-Oceanic Air terminal.

Flight 171 from Hong Kong.

A claim check will be given to you

by someone who will recognize you.

You will pick up the suitcase.

It's tan,

with vertical green and red stripes.

A cab driver will identify himself,

and take you six blocks, then let you out.

That's it.

What about my brother?

When will you let him go?

As soon as the transaction is completed.

You said it would be over tomorrow.

I said we'd pick up the suitcase tomorrow.

What's in the suitcase?

Clothing.

What else do you put in a suitcase?

I must warn you...

No further contact with anybody.

Do you understand?

I don't want anything to happen to Joe Mannix.

Unfortunately, your, uh...

your Joe Mannix is a very curious person.

His curiosity

may cause him a lot of trouble.

♪♪

Do you have something in 221?

Thank you.

Can you get me a cab right away?

Side entrance.

Certainly, Mr. Mannix.

♪♪

Mrs. Elliott, you had a very nice funeral.

Joe, I had no idea anything like that would happen.

Do you have a real name?

It is Jan Holloway.

Well, let's say I buy that.

What's the rest of it?

What are you mixed up in, Jan?

Who's backed you into a corner?

I don't know who.

But if I don't do what they say,

they'll kill my brother, Harry.

He's just a kid.

I don't know what happened.

He got all mixed up in Vietnam.

Deserted the army.

I never heard from him until two years ago.

Where is he now?

Well, they've got him prisoner in Hong Kong.

At least, that's where the calls have been coming from.

I've talked to him.

Are you sure it's your brother?

Yes, positive.

Even though I've only been allowed to talk to him

a few seconds at a time.

What do they want you to do?

Well, I'm supposed to pick up a suitcase at the airport,

and they've promised

to let Harry go.

Promises don't mean anything to people like that.

They get what they want...

then they bury all the loose ends when they're through.

Anyone know you were coming?

No.

They do now.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

So they sent you to Los Angeles to make some sort of contact.

I guess so.

I was supposed to wait for word.

What was the word?

I don't know.

I got a call to go down to the produce district,

and a man I'd never seen before came up

and gave me a slip of paper with a number on it...

Like a phone number.

Do you remember the number?

I'd remember it in my sleep, CX-57568.

So you brought the number, CX whatever,

back here to your friends?

No, I made a phone call to Switzerland.

Switzerland?

Yes, I read the number to them, and that was it.

Switzerland, home of the Alps

and secret bank accounts that are just as big.

Joe, what am I going to do?

Well, just as soon as I see a man about a missing boat,

you're going to do exactly as you were told.

Flight 19 for Phoenix, Arizona,

departing on schedule at Gate Four.

Mr. John Thayer,

please report to the ticket reservation counter.

Mr. John Thayer,

report to the ticket reservation counter, please.

We'll help you with that.

Just take it easy, you've done just fine so far.

Let's not spoil it; just come along with us.

Who are you?

That's my luggage.

Don't do anything foolish, Miss Holloway.

You've got nothing to gain.

You can't help your brother now.

You know about him?

Oh, I know all about him.

Well, then you know I have to deliver this.

You've been dealing with unreliable people.

They haven't got your brother.

I've talked to him.

You talked to a tape recording made two years ago.

Your brother's dead.

- Now come on. - No.

I said they were unreliable.

All right... police.

Cotter, get the bag...

Cotter, put out an APB on them.

They can't get far.

I've got what I want right here.

You don't mind if I take a look inside, do you, Miss?

Ah, nice going, Lieutenant; you really blew it.

Well... Mr. Mannix, just in time

- for the grand opening, huh? - And you're five minutes early.

Those are two of the guys that worked me over,

and you let them get away.

That wouldn't be your suitcase, would it?

All suitcases look alike to me.

If it's got my clothes in it, it's mine.

Well, what do you say we open it up and take a look?

All right, Mr. Mannix?

It's your city, Lieutenant.

Flight 73

from Cheyenne will be arriving in 30 minutes

at Gate Three.

Flight 73 from Cheyenne

will be arriving in 30 minutes

at Gate Three.

Well, you satisfied, Lieutenant?

Or would you like to ask the rest of San Francisco

to take a look at our laundry?

Do you think he really believed you?

No.

But the lieutenant's not gonna trade

a suitcase full of clothes for what he's after.

What is he after?

Well, I thought maybe you could tell me now, Jan.

I don't know.

I swear I don't know.

Joe...

one of those men said that my...

brother was dead, that I was listening to tape recordings.

It's probably true, Jan.

It would explain a good many things.

We're dealing with two opposing forces.

Of course, the people you're working for

wouldn't tell you that.

You think Harry is really dead?

I'm afraid it's more than a remote possibility.

I heard somebody mention

$14 million.

That'd buy a lot of funerals...

like Mrs. Elliot's.

What should I do?

Exactly what they told you to.

Hey.

Not now.

I want to at least get you out of this alive.

I can't afford to lose

one of the few friends I've got in San Francisco.

I'm frightened.

Don't be.

Don't let it show.

Now, uh, I'll be right behind you.

You just give me a couple of minutes to get the car, hm?

Cab, Miss Holloway?

Just the suitcase, Miss Holloway.

Jan!

Jan?

Are you all right?

All right, folks, that's it.

Step back.

He tried to kill me.

Well, you just became expendable.

So much for promises.

Joe, I've got to get out of town.

Out of town's not far enough.

If we don't nail who's behind this now,

you'll never live long enough to enjoy lying about your age.

Let's go see if Stan Forester collects phone numbers.

I tell you, Stan, I've been through every phone book

printed in the whole wide world.

Unless your party comes from outer space,

he doesn't have a phone number CX-57568.

Most exchanges have dropped the prefix and gone to all number.

Now, if the CX stands for 2-9,

there could be a million chances.

But just CX?

Nothing.

Well... thanks, Alfie.

Send me the bill.

Blind alleys are half-price this week.

I'll go easy.

Right. See you around.

Jan, you're sure that was the number

you gave the people in Switzerland?

I'm sure.

CX-57568.

If this is a smuggling operation, Joe,

it's really big stuff.

I mean, pants, shirts, socks.

Shirts.

That new shirt that was in the suitcase

with the laundry mark on the collar.

Now, that had to be some kind of a code.

And so was that CX number.

Now, you said you only met Carter Elliot once?

Yes, he... well, he said he knew a man

who had information about my brother.

That's how it all started.

And then the other man got in touch with me.

And the two men who tried to take the suitcase away from you

in the airport were complete strangers to you?

Yes.

And you say that they were part

of your welcoming committee.

Yeah, and I think they may be trying to hijack

a shipment that's on its way.

What shipment, Joe?

Well, somebody is using you as a numbers runner, Jan.

A go-between that no one would suspect.

Well, somebody must suspect me.

What about the police lieutenant in the airport?

Well, maybe Mrs. Elliot slipped something to them

just before she was killed.

But it didn't add up to anything.

Well, it still doesn't add up to anything.

I'm not so sure, Stan.

Now, they used Jan to exchange a couple of numbers

that somehow adds up to $14 million dollars.

And he told you that once the suitcase arrived

the transaction was complete?

Yes.

Well, we've got to assume that it is;

that whatever was coming in, is already here.

And maybe that CX number

says where it is and how it got here.

Well, the whole world is numbers now, Joe.

I mean, it could be a plane, a truck license,

a locker number at some steam bath.

Or a... ship registration.

Mm, could be.

Let's find out.

No, I'm afraid not, Stan.

No freighters or passenger ships with a number like that.

Well, thanks, Morgan.

End of the road.

Roads... that could be it.

Could be what?

What rides on 'em: trucks.

See, a lot of commodities... Uh, coffee, produce...

Come in now in big containers.

Could be over on the freight docks.

They hook 'em up directly to trucks

when they arrive from overseas.

Now, uh, one of those outfits, uh...

Containerized Express...

I think all their containers have a CX number.

Stan, I think your operator just got us our number.

Thank you, Morgan.

I think we better let the police in on this.

Well, just as soon as I can prove it's not a wrong number.

What have you got in mind?

Well, so far, it looks like Jan and I are part of the operation.

I'd like a chance to clean up our reputation a little.

You got a gun I can use, Stan?

- You going hunting? - Yep.

And if you don't hear from me within a half hour,

you got my permission to call the lieutenant

and tell him I'm hunting on the freight docks without a license.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

It's Mannix.

Take care of him.

Hold it, Elliot.

Drop it!

Lieutenant DeWolfe, Mannix.

You better get an ambulance.

Jan Holloway's brother... What happened to him?

Same thing that... should've happened to you.

I should've never have let you leave the house alive.

What's in the container?

Pure heroin.

Worth how much?

On the street,

14, 15 million dollars, easy.

Easy?!

That's what you think.

You're a hard man to follow.

Yeah, coming from you, DeWolfe, that's a compliment.

We weren't sure about you there for a while, Mannix.

That's okay, Lieutenant.

I'm still not sure about you.

You will have to testify,

but I think you'll have Lieutenant LeBeau on your side.

Right now, he's very impressed with your memory for numbers.

I did it all for nothing.

You did it because you're a sister.

Even district attorneys have sisters.

Joe, I still don't understand about the suitcase.

Well, you exchanged $14 million in a smuggling transaction,

just by exchanging two numbers for two different parties,

and they remained in the clear.

But there was nothing in the suitcase except clothes.

Clothes with a $14 million laundry mark...

A numbered Swiss bank account.

The police are checking it out now.

What about those men that beat you up?

Are they just going to let them get away?

Even if they catch them,

you don't get much for roughing up a private eye.

Well, then I guess there's no penalty at all against this.

You know, when they, uh, pass a law against that,

we're all in trouble.

And by the way, uh,

Stan Forester would like to take us out to dinner later tonight.

How about it?

You think you can keep this date?

Well, I have nothing to wear.

There is a law against that.

You're gonna have to wear something.