Original subtitles

Good evening.

Because the television screen distorts the human figure,

some people have the mistaken idea

that I’m larger than the average.

I can only say that if you think I’m large now,

you should see me before taxes.

No doubt inspired by this impression,

a well meaning viewer has sent me a reducing machine.

However, it is so unique, I want to share it with you.

It is amazingly successful

in cutting off those extra pounds.

As you see, this is a revolutionary concept

in weight reduction.

These exquisite machines come in a number of sizes.

This is the Madame Lafarge model.

Except for two knitting needles,

it has no extras at all.

From this they are variously priced up to the salon size,

which comes with a parking lot for tumbrels

and a small crowd to jeer and spit at you.

I’m certain you all agree that the advertisements for the salon model

do not exaggerate when they say it is fit for a king.

But we have a dramatic show to present.

If I were a critical man,

I would say the production could be vastly improved

by some judicious pruning.

For example this...

Three.

Oh, you’re good.

Very good.

You’re good at everything, aren’t you, Conant?

I don’t know, Peter.

As the man said, "Just lucky, I guess."

Oh, not lucky. Just good.

Lisa doesn’t think you’re lucky.

Not Lisa.

She thinks you’re good, too.

Don’t you, Lisa?

Oh, I think Ben is very good in lots of ways.

So far, he’s beating you at cards,

billiards,

and at your own favorite game, golf.

Which reminds me to remind you.

Did you pay him the $50 he won from you yesterday?

Fifty dollars...

Mustn’t forget to pay off bets.

I’ll write a check.

My check good enough for you, Conant?

Sure it is.

But I still don’t want it.

However, if you insist on paying off a bet...

you lost this last game,

so chug it down again.

Some lousy game.

Well,

here goes nothing.

[groans]

I think that’s enough for now, old man.

Not so fast there.

You gotta give me a chance to win.

Tomorrow is another day. I’ll give you a chance then.

-All right? -Tomorrow is too late.

I insist, now!

Right here and now!

[Ben] Take it easy.

You better lie down for a while.

[Lisa] Come on, Peter. Take a nap.

[Peter] What’s he know about it?

You don’t fool me, Lisa. I know you.

Who’s Ben Conant think he is, anyway?

[Ben] Just a friend, Peter. That’s all.

-Ben. -Hmm?

What makes a man change so much in just two short years?

When I first married him,

he seemed so strong, so capable.

Well, no one really knows what makes a man the way he is,

what forces him to do the things he does...

[scoffs]

Listen to me, pretending to be a psychiatrist.

No, Ben.

You’re kind, steady, dependable.

You’re just the way a man should be.

It’s getting dark.

Dusk,

the loneliest time of day.

Is it that way for you, too?

Is that way for everybody in the world?

Only for those who don’t have anyone.

Then the solitude finds you out,

and you look for the face you love, but it isn’t there.

And you listen for a voice,

and it isn’t there either.

Lisa.

I think I know what you’re going to say.

It’s a crazy world, isn’t it?

And you hardly know me.

Is that what you were going to say?

No.

What I was going to say is--

Just two short weeks ago,

I didn’t even know you were alive.

And now--

now you’re the most important thing in my life.

I can’t help it.

I hope you mean that.

Because I love you.

I know that.

It seems as I’ve been waiting for you all my life.

-And yet... -What?

You’re right, even though you won’t say it.

We do know so little about each other.

I know I love you, and have since the first moment I saw you.

As far as my past life is concerned,

there’s really not much to tell.

Keep talking, darling.

I love the sound of your voice.

You know, it’s the first time

we’ve ever been alone together.

Peter’s in there.

He’ll be out for hours.

And he also fired the servants this morning.

Tell me,

why didn’t you ever get married?

Because I knew that somewhere in this world

there was someone like you.

I’d never met her, but I wouldn’t settle for less.

So I remained in Arizona and kept busy with my mine.

A mine! A gold mine?

No, darling. A silver mine.

Although I must admit, it kept me in beans and sourdough

and an occasional trip to Europe thrown in.

Or at least, it used to.

Used to?

Are you having problems?

No, no. It’ll all work out.

Business worries can make a person sick.

It very nearly did me.

Three years ago, when my father died.

He left the business to me.

Then after I married Peter,

I gave him authority to manage it.

When I found out what he was like,

I asked him for a divorce.

He just laughed at me.

With the community property laws--

It seems we are orphans of the storm.

The financial storm, that is.

But we’ll make out.

-I beg your pardon... -Sorry, Mr. Conant.

Maybe I should call you Fred Sheldon or... Terry Lord.

I think you are making a mistake.

People often mistaking me for someone else--

Is that so?

Know who I mistook you for?

No, and I don’t care.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m on my way to breakfast.

I’ll tell you who I thought you were.

And I could stand some coffee myself.

Or we can sit down here for a couple of minutes.

No use causing a scene if we don’t have to, is it?

This is highly embarrassing.

Now, what in blazes are you talking about?

About a lad named Fred Sheldon.

Wanted for bigamy in Miami.

This Sheldon’s a real doll.

He’s lived off women for years,

bleeds widows, blackmails married dames,

anything for a buck.

And when he’s through with them,

some of them take overdoses of sleeping pills.

All very interesting,

but what has that got to do with me?

Well, let’s look at it this way.

Last year, as this time, he was posing as Terry Lord,

a retired Air Force Colonel.

This year he calls himself Ben Conant

and pretends to own a silver mine.

-And where do you come in? -Oh, yes.

My name is Moss. Alvin Moss.

Ten years on the San Francisco vice squad.

I’m a private investigator now, semi-retired.

[chuckles]

Would you believe it?

My client pays me 40 bucks a day for the past two weeks

to check on this Sheldon character.

And... who’s your client?

Uh-huh.

Let’s not be naive.

Try it.

Please.

So long, Sheldon.

I’ve been worried about your phone call.

You sounded so mysterious.

I’m sorry, darling, I didn’t mean to be.

But I had to see you.

Then there is something wrong.

What is it?

Well, it’s not very pleasant.

Have you seen Peter at all today?

No, he was still out when I left.

Why?

Because I wanted to tell you before anybody else did.

I’m afraid your husband is having us watched.

[Lisa] No!

He probably knows all about last night by now.

No, Ben, he can’t.

I’m afraid so, darling.

This morning a nasty little private eye character threatened me at my hotel.

That’s just like Peter.

Not enough nerve to come to you himself.

Not only that.

Apparently his paying this man to throw mud at me,

calling me a crook,

con man... I don’t know what else.

I’m sorry, darling.

I don’t know what to say.

You should never have gotten involved with me.

We are involved.

And it’s our problem.

Now, what are we going to do about it?

What can we do?

Peter is jealous.

And now with this, he’ll be really dangerous.

Ben, I’m scared.

I got to leave Peter, tonight.

Now, don’t forget, darling, with the evidence your husband has,

he can fight you in court.

He’ll take you for everything you’ve got.

I can’t let him do that.

No, I’m--

I’m the one who’s leaving.

No.

Let Peter keep the business. He’s ruined it anyway.

I’ve got you, Ben.

And you’re everything that Peter isn’t.

You’re successful and--

Hmm, successful.

Everything bad happens at once.

This came this morning.

I don’t understand.

I can’t meet my payroll.

They’re closing the mine. That’s what it means.

But surely there’s something you can do.

Sure, sure. I can sell out to Tri-State Mining,

a big outfit, for peanuts.

$50,000.

How much money do you need?

I don’t know. I suppose 10,000 would do it.

What a fool I am.

A month ago I had the money.

Right now I’m broke.

I’d do anything, darling.

I’d work, I’d make sacrifices.

I know that that sounds stupid, corny, but I would.

You could sell out to Tri-State.

You’d have $50,000 and you could get another position.

It’s not so easy these days.

And I-I couldn’t do that to you.

I know it’s awful of me,

but I wish Peter had never survived

that heart attack last month.

I wish he was dead.

With the heart the way it is, maybe...

And don’t worry, darling. We’ll make out.

I’m going to get us two reservations

on the flight for Phoenix tonight.

Oh, wonderful.

I think you’d better see your attorney this afternoon.

And I, uh...

I’ll try to have a talk with Peter.

What time will be best to see him?

About 4:00.

He’s usually up by then.

I love you, darling.

[door buzzes]

[sighs]

[door buzzes]

Well, well, if it isn’t Mr. Conant.

May I come in?

What do you want?

I came to say goodbye.

You got a nerve coming here.

But then,

your type of business takes nerve, doesn’t it?

You want me to go away, is that it?

To stop seeing your wife?

Of course!

you and Lisa are two of a kind.

Amoral as a couple of tiger sharks.

[sighs]

I knew she married me for what she could get out of me,

but I hardly dreamed she was such an incredible vicious woman.

Then why are you so anxious to keep her?

Unfortunately, I happen to be in love with her.

And her money?

[chuckling]

You gotta be joking!

About what?

I spotted you the very first day.

[splashing]

[underwater moaning]

[gurgling]

[water running]

[muffled water running]

Well, well. Freddie Sheldon.

I...

I... s-stopped by to pick up my cigarette lighter.

I forgot it last night.

Convenient.

Where’s Talbot?

I don’t know.

Guess nobody’s here.

No? Then how’d you get in?

I knocked... I rang.

[leaves glass on table]

-The door was open. -Isn’t that always the case?

Did you find your lighter?

I haven’t had the chance to look.

I just got here.

[water running]

I hear water running somewhere.

Let’s take a look, Freddie.

I got better things to do.

I said let’s take a look.

In there, Freddie.

[water stops]

What’s happened?

I was just going to ask you that, Freddie.

So you did it? You really did it.

I’m surprised. I didn’t think you had the guts.

Are you out of your mind?

I heard you’d been threatening his life.

You’re crazy! I never threatened him.

From con man to murder in one easy jump.

No, no. You got it all wrong. It was his heart.

He had another attack, just like before, but this time it killed him.

You can do better than that.

Talbot’s heart was fine.

But I know it! His wife told me!

Talbot was one of the richest men on the coast.

If he was sick, you think he wouldn’t have a pack of doctors?

You’re making it up.

You’re trying to frame me!

He didn’t have any money. He was sponging off his wife!

You’re killing me, Freddie. Look up Talbot in Dun & Bradstreet.

Over that way.

[panting]

You calling the cops?

Yes, but first, I’m calling my client.

Your client?

He’s dead.

Yes, Freddie, I said my client,

the one who hired me and pays me,

Lisa Talbot.

By the way, Lisa and Ben Conant did not get married.

If any of you are wondering.

Her studies would not permit it.

She’s working on an advanced degree

at a large state penitentiary

where she must remain in residence some 20 years.

I know many of you would like to see me use this machine.

I shall do so in just one minute,

or faster than my sponsor can say...

Next week, we shall be back with another story.

In answer to requests for these machines,

I would like to announce that they’re available

at all French revolutionary war surplus stores.

Goodnight.