Original subtitles

[Whimsical theatre music]

[Car engine whirring]

[Seagull cawing]

It's like falling off a horse.

Just what I was thinking.

If we don't get on again at once, we'll lose our nerve.

Having botched up this job,

where's the next horse coming from?

Honestly, I don't know where I went wrong.

But I bet my bottom dollar that the countess has stolen...

And I have sworn that Jasper abington had snitched it.

Complete waste of time,

following him around the golf course.

The countess was about to confess, I'm sure of it.

On the last green I grilled him.

He was quaking.

What happens?

Along comes the local inspector and says,

"second footman done it."

Second footman might do.

A well-known thief with a string of convictions.

Admitting his guilt and no bones about it.

And I thought this get up and do the trick.

Still, I supposed a stolen necklace

isn't really a father brown problem.

I even bought the right kind of umbrella.

For a father brown case,

one needs a certain kind of atmosphere.

One wants to be doing perfectly ordinary things and then

bizarre things started to happen.

You mean it should come out to the blue?

- Hm. - Unexpected?

- Mhmm. - Mysterious?

Exactly.

Well, I better get out of these togs

before we leave for London.

Perhaps something bizarre will happen

on the way to the station.

'Pon my soul, it is!

[Tommy coughing]

Tommy!

Good lord, bulger!

I haven't seen you since we were De-mogged.

Oh darling, this is Mr. Escourt,

bulger to his friends.

I say, ol' chap.

How do you do?

I didn't know you taken orders.

Well, as a matter of fact...

Fancy you, a blinking parson.

Oh, yes, Ms. Glenn, won't you join us?

Ms. Glenn, this is Tommy beresford,

an old army chum of mine.

We made the world safe from any more wars.

How do you do?

And this is, um...

This is my sister, Ms. Beresford.

How do you do?

Of course we'd recognise you anyway, Ms. Glen.

Secrets of the heart, what a wonderful play.

I thought so too.

Yes, at the globe, wasn't it?

We it three times.

- Twice. - Twice.

And pillars of fire at the playhouse twice?

- Once. - Once, oh well.

Won't you take a seat.

Are you really a priest?

A Roman catholic priest?

Very few of us are what we appear.

But I do listen to confessions.

Oh, really?

[Bulger] I think he's pulling your leg, Ms. Glen.

[Bulger laughing]

If you're not a priest,

I don't see why you're dressed as one.

[Tuppence] Fair enough, Tommy.

Unless you're a, oh, what?

A criminal flying from justice.

No, he's the other way 'round.

[Tuppence and Tommy chucking]

I say, what about a cocktail?

Oh no thanks, bulger, we're leaving in a moment.

Know anything about the trains back to London, old man?

You've missed the five o'clock I'm afraid,

but there's another at 6:35.

Is it far to the station?

No, ten minute walk from the hotel.

Take a shortcut down Morgan's Lane.

Morgan's Lane?

[Bulger] Oh, you've heard about the ghost, eh?

- [Bulger laughing] - Ghost?

There's a cemetery at the side of Lane, you see.

And rumour has it that the policeman was killed

in the course of duty years ago,

rises from his grave, and walks his old beat

- up and down Morgan's Lane. - [Laughing]

Up and down, up and down.

Don't, don't.

[Tuppence] A spook policeman?

Can't be many of those around.

There aren't really such things as ghosts, are there?

There are many people in aldrington who swear

- they've seen him. - [Laughing]

Up and down.

I must leave; Goodbye.

[Bulger] Up and down.

You said you wouldn't follow me here.

My dear, if we're going to be married,

you musn't have any secrets from me.

You fool, I'm only here to make it all possible.

What on earth's going on?

That's lord leconbury.

Rumour has it she's going to marry him.

Title is still has some sort of glamour, I suppose.

Oh yes, and leconbury's not impoverished by any means.

She'll be in clover.

Beautiful creature of course, but the brains of a rabbit.

Where does she come from?

Nobody knows.

Pretty near the gutter, I dare say.

Didn't look very pleased to see him.

Well, she's not very pleased to see anyone.

Between ourselves, there's something just mysterious

about her being here at all.

Why?

Well, she's not staying at the hotel.

Now, I was in this very bar last night

when she came in and ordered a drink.

Well, I tried to engage her in conversation,

you know how it is, old man.

Of course.

And you a priest.

Yes, well anyway, she snubbed me.

Snubbed me quite crudely.

I'm blessed if I know why.

Yes, that is odd, bulger.

By the way, what are you doing here?

- Me, old man, in aldrington? - [Laughing]

I live here!

I'm the cement works on the cliff road outside of town.

Well, must be off.

Just time for a round of golf before dinner with my wife.

Jolly nice to see you, old chap.

And you, old man.

We must have a bus together next time I'm up in London.

So long.

Goodbye.

Cheerio, old man.

Bye, bulger.

Oh, how do you know it's for me?

There's no name.

For the priest, she said, Ms. Gilda Glenn.

Thank you.

"I'm not sure, but I think you might be able to help me.

"Please be at the white house, Morgan's Lane at six o'clock.

"You have to pass it on the way to the station.

"Yours sincerely, gilda Glenn."

How extraordinary.

Is that because she thinks you're a priest?

I think it's because it's finally sunk in that I'm not.

[Dramatic music swells]

- Here. - [Coins clinking]

Whatever that'll buy.

Hell.

That's what I say, hell.

And damn all women is what I say.

Good evening.

Oh, all right, kick up a row about it.

Have me thrown out, it won't be the first time.

He only said good evening.

Yeah, well, why shouldn't we say what we think?

Why should we go about bottling up our feelings?

I didn't notice that you were.

Sir, please, sir.

If you don't mind, sir, please quieten down.

You're disturbing the other customers.

I beg your pardon.

Be a little pleasant perhaps.

Yeah, I don't feel pleasant.

It's a small rum and lime juice.

That'll make you feel better, sir.

So you feel like getting hold of someone by the throat

and throttling them to death.

Oh, just anyone, or someone in particular?

Someone very particular.

I'm strangling them.

It's very interesting.

Won't you tell us more?

My name is Reilly, James Reilly.

You may have heard of me.

I wrote a volume of pacifist poetry.

Good stuff, all the wives say so.

Pacifist poetry?

Yes, and why not?

Nothing, nothing.

I'm for peace all the time.

All the time?

To hell with war, and to hell with women.

Begging your pardon, father.

You are absolved, my son.

But I don't quite see the connection, Mr. Reilly.

No?

Well now, did he see that creature

who was trailing herself around here just now?

Gilda Glenn she calls herself.

And I've worshipped her for years.

From afar or at close quarters?

She cared for me once.

When she lived here, before she went on the stage.

And I could make a care again.

So, what's stopping you?

I want to know if she has a heart.

If she does, then it's on my side.

But if she sends us up to that muck heap.

Which muck heap would that be?

Leconbury, of course.

His lordship leconbury, the mountain climber.

I'd have soon strangled her with me own hands.

[Tommy clears his throat]

Sorry, father.

What an excitable fellow.

Very excitable.

What time is it, darling?

Half past five.

So, what do we do now?

Next train to London or...

White house, Morgan's Lane.

How can we resist?

[Seagulls cawing]

I suppose we're mad.

Yes, but thoroughly intrigued.

I mean just look at the list of characters.

A ravishing blonde actress.

Yes, she is rather smart.

Right, and out of her mind for some reason.

Lord leconbury, the scaler of mountains and rich suitor.

James, whatever his name is.

Reilly.

Half out of his wits for love of gilda Glenn.

Loud of mouth, but probably soft on action.

And your friend, bulger.

Bit shifty, I thought.

Oh?

This must be the cemetery.

[Tuppence] It's getting worse.

Soon, we shan't be able to see a house of any colour,

unless it's right on the street.

I'm beginning to feel jumpy, darling.

The mist and the silence.

What's that?

- What? - That.

Footsteps behind us.

I can't hear anything.

No? No silly of me.

Don't be so nervy, darling.

There they are again.

Can't you hear them?

- No. - Listen.

It's imagination.

There, in front of us now.

Oh Tommy, don't tell me you can't hear them.

Yes, yes I can hear something.

I think they're behind us.

Somebody on their way to catch the London train, perhaps.

[Tuppence gasps]

[Tense music]

Oh, thank heavens.

Good evening to you.

There's a gent what seems to be in a hurry, father.

He's the sort of person always would be in a hurry.

They've let him in.

[Policeman] Friend of yours?

No, not exactly,

but I do happen to know who he is.

Name of Reilly.

Is that the white house?

That's right, miss.

This is honeycott's place place.

A nervous party, you might say.

Scared of burglars.

Always asking me to look around the house.

Middle-aged ladies get like that sometimes.

Do you happen to know if there's

a rather flamboyant young lady staying here?

Now you come to mention it, father,

a young lady did go in at the gate

about three or four minutes ago.

I saw her as I was coming up the road.

Was she wearing a fur coat?

I can't say I noticed rightly miss,

but you got a bit of rabbit round her neck.

Gilda Glenn.

[Policeman] What? Not the actress.

Yes.

Well, if I had known that,

I'd have asked for her autograph.

But what she doing in aldrington?

Nearest theater's 30 miles away.

Yes, it is a bit odd, isn't it?

[Policeman] Well, I best be getting along.

- Good evening. - Evening.

It's ten past six, darling.

Better go in.

[Distant screaming]

Dear god, god.

Tommy.

Come on, old thing.

[Dramatic music]

[Door knocking]

Father.

What's happened here?

[Ellen] Did you ever see the like of that?

That fella comes here, asks for the young lady,

and then runs upstairs without as much as a bigger leaf;

and she lets out a screech like a way cat.

Yes, what was that?

Was she frightened or surprised or what?

Heaven knows, poor dear.

And then, he comes rushing down again

with a white face on him, like he seen a ghost.

Now what could be the meaning of it all?

[Ellen] Who are you talking with, Ellen?

Here's missus.

[Tommy] Mrs. Honeycott?

Yes.

[Tommy] We've called to see Ms. Glenn.

Oh you have, have you?

And who might this person be?

This is my sister.

Come in here, please.

Please sit down.

Thank you.

Our name is beres...

Then to begin with, Mr. Beresford,

you will excuse me if I say that I don't hold

with the Roman catholic religion.

Oh, well of course we're all entitled to our own opinions.

And I never thought to see a priest in this house,

but if Julia has gone over to the Scarlet woman,

I dare say it might be worse.

Julia, gone over to the Scarlet woman?

[Honeycott] It's only to be expected

leading a life like hers.

Is Ms. Glenn here in the house?

She is.

Mind you, I don't approve.

Marriage is marriage, and your husband's your husband.

As you make your bed, so must you lie on it.

I don't quite understand.

I thought as much.

Gilda was the name she took when she went on the stage.

You may go up and see her after I have spoken my mind.

Actually she sent us a message...

After I have spoken my mind.

Two days ago, after all these years, think of it,

she turned up here and asked me to help her.

Wanted me to see this man and persuade him

to give her a divorce.

Her husband?

[Honeycott] Exactly.

I told her straight out I'd have

nothing whatsoever to do with it.

Divorce is sinful.

As I know you'll agree, father.

Oh, absolutely.

Absolutely.

Nevertheless, I couldn't refuse shelter to my own sister.

Gilda Glenn's your sister?

Yes, didn't she tell you?

Julia is my younger sister.

Wait a minute, Mrs. Honeycott,

I am still not yet quite clear.

Your sister is married?

[Honeycott] That is what I said.

When she was 17, she eloped with a man,

some common fellow far below her station,

and our father, an anglican minister.

Mind you, I never met him.

Was he from here, in aldrington?

[Honeycott] I have no idea.

What was his name?

That's an extraordinary thing now, but I can't remember.

Of course it is nearly 20 years ago since I heard it.

My father forbade it to be mentioned,

and I have refused to discuss the matter with Julia,

but she didn't stay with him long, I can tell you that.

She ran away to go on the stage

and called herself gilda Glenn.

Her husband's name isn't Reilly, by any chance?

I told you, I can't remember.

It may have been.

Play acting.

I have never been inside a theatre in my life.

I hold no truck with wickedness.

Now, she means to marry some bigwig,

but apparently her husband is standing firm,

not to be bullied and not to be bribed.

I admire him for it.

But if she wanted you persuade him to give her a divorce,

he must be around here somewhere?

I would presume so.

Mrs. Honeycott, I mention the name Reilly,

because he was the man who was here just now.

That man, I thought he was one of her theatrical friends.

Oh, you saw him?

I'd been in the kitchen giving orders to Ellen.

I just got back into this room,

when I heard gilda let herself in.

She hesitated for a moment or two in the hall

and then went upstairs.

About three minutes later,

I had this terrible rat-tatting at the front door.

I looked into the hall,

Ellen was opening the front door,

and this man rushes upstairs without a word.

Few moments later, he rushes down again like a madman.

Mrs. Honeycott, your maid said

there was a scream from somewhere upstairs.

Yes, Mrs. Honeycott, hasn't it occurred to you

that something might have happened to your sister.

Nothing ever happens in aldrington.

Nevertheless, I think we should go upstairs at once.

[Tuppence] Please, lead the way.

[Soft dramatic music]

[Door knocking]

[Honeycott wails]

She's dead, is she?

I'm afraid she is.

Oh no, no.

Better not, really.

I think we better go downstairs.

[Mysterious music]

Mrs. Honeycott, have you got a telephone?

A telephone? No, no I haven't.

Oh god.

Darling listen, I'm going to try and get that policeman.

It was Reilly, of course.

It certainly looks like it,

except that you didn't strangle her.

I shan't be a tick.

Why would I need a telephone?

I said before, nothing ever happens in aldrington.

Must've been a terrible shock for you.

But before we talk about it, Mrs. Honeycott,

I think I must be frank with you.

I can't believe it.

She's dead, my sister.

Mr. Beresford and I are married.

He's not a priest.

We're private detectives and we're down here in

aldrington working on a case.

It must've been that man bursting in here.

But why, why?

We'll try and find out.

He must be her husband.

Yes, yes Reilly, that was the name, I remember now.

He wouldn't give her a divorce.

Mrs. Honeycott, do you feel up to

answering a few questions?

Questions?

Oh yes, yes, I'll try.

Thank you.

Do you remember what time it was when your sister came in?

What time?

[Tuppence] Yes.

Yes, I do.

It was exactly eight minutes past six.

Eight minutes past six.

Oh, but how can you be so exact? So sure?

Because that clock loses five minutes every day,

and I always set it on every evening by my watch.

And your watch is always accurate?

Never loses or gains a second.

It was my fathers.

That time would agree with another witness.

Now tell me, would it have been possible for someone

to have come in without your noticing

and to have been waiting for your sister upstairs?

I don't see how that could have been possible,

unless he climbed up the drain pipe at the back.

Do you mind if I have a quick look around?

Oh, will you be all right?

I shall have to be shan't I?

Until the police and people arrive.

Why don't you lie back?

Try closing your eyes and I'll be back in a minute.

[Mysterious music]

[Tommy] Constable? Constable?

Hello again, father.

You're needed at the white house.

Something up?

The young lady you saw going in, gilda Glenn,

she's been killed.

Killed you say?

Yes, constable.

Right, sir, we best be getting up there tout suite.

[Footsteps banging]

[Maid gasps]

For heaven sake, miss, tell me what's going on.

It's Mrs. Honeycott's sister.

She's dead.

She's dead?

But she only came in...

I don't believe it.

She's been killed.

Glory be to god.

It's not possible.

[Tuppence] I'm afraid it is.

Where?

In there.

Then the police will be here?

[Tuppence] Yes.

Asking questions.

Who's this? What's that?

Heaven protect us.

I'm scared out of my wits.

Now, just a minute.

Apart from this man bursting in this evening,

has anyone else been around to the house

asking for Ms. Glenn?

Well, only one, a couple of days ago; A man.

Did he leave his name?

No miss.

And what did he look like?

I don't remember.

I was doing the fires,

and anyhow, Ms. Glenn wasn't in.

But you would recognise him if you saw him again?

Well, why shouldn't I?

Or someone very like.

Are you sure it wasn't the same man

that came tonight?

Yes, miss.

And what were you doing when this fellow

burst in this evening?

I was pulling the curtains in the missus's bedroom.

And what time did you say that was?

It was six o'clock or a smidgen after.

And then you ran down and opened the door?

Yes, I ran down to answer it.

And him the murderer all the time.

Well, we're not certain about that yet.

Aren't we?

Then who else would it be?

The missus and me being the only two people in the house.

[Door knocking]

My poor heart; What next?

- Look upstairs at once. - Good evening.

I've looked upstairs; There's nothing.

Oh constable, what a relief to see you.

Good evening, Mrs. Honeycott.

I understand you've had a bit of trouble here.

It's my sister, upstairs with my own eyes.

Awful, terrible.

Now, now, Mrs. Honeycott, we mustn't take on, must we?

Dead.

So I've been informed.

So I best go upstairs and take a looksee.

Better if you stay down there, Mrs. Honeycott, with Ellen.

[Mysterious music]

God save us, madame.

[Policeman] Oh dear, oh dear.

Not a pretty sight.

You didn't touch anything when you found it like this?

No, of course not.

Then I mustn't either,

or the inspector will give me beans.

You took it for granted that she was dead?

Well, just look at her.

The priest said he could see that she was dead.

Look here, constable,

I think you're better now here and now

that I'm not a priest.

No, sir?

No, my wife and I,

this is my wife, are private detectives.

We're done here looking into the theft

of a diamond necklace.

Oh, the aldrington house shindig.

Then was it you two that solved it?

- Actually, no. - No, actually.

It as the second footman that did it.

We all knew that, but not so easy to prove.

How to prove a lot of things that we know.

[Tommy clears his throat]

Well, I best be getting in touch with headquarters.

Ah, ah, ah.

Just making sure that nothing's touched.

Look here, constable, you said you saw Ms. Glenn

turning out the gate.

[Policeman] That's right, sir.

[Tommy] Are you sure she was alone?

[Policeman] Oh, she was alone all right, sir.

And between then and when you met us, nobody came out?

Not a soul, sir.

You would have noticed if they had?

But of course, miss.

Stands to reason nobody came in or out,

unless by some back way until that Reilly chap,

and we better colour him in double-quick time.

Now I should be back with the detective inspector shortly.

Neither of you is to leave the house.

Is that clear?

Yes, yes, I understand.

[Policeman] Perhaps you two would like

to accompany me down to the police station.

Oh dear.

[Melancholy music]

Look at that.

See, as he swung round the gate post.

Not very bright to leave a thing like that.

That's blood, that is.

Now, I want to make sure once more

that none of you touched anything

when you were in Ms. Glenn's room.

No, we were most careful.

And Mrs. Honeycott only took one step into the room.

And I didn't even dare look.

But when you left the room, Mr. Beresford,

you didn't lock the door.

No, I didn't.

I suppose I should have done.

But when he went for help, there was only

Mrs. Honeycott, myself, and the maid in the house.

So far as you know.

Of course.

And when you saw this man Reilly running from the house,

was he holding anything in his hand?

I didn't notice anything.

Nothing.

Constable?

No, sir, nothing that I could see.

You'll be looking for a blunt instrument, I suppose.

Well, yes, indeed.

The poor woman's head was severely damaged.

Her skull fractured.

We can't find anything in the room that could have done it

or on the staircase or in the hall.

I see.

Now. Mr. and Mrs. Bareston, what are your plans?

I expect you'd like us to stay in aldrington.

I'd appreciate it, since you've found the body.

The grand hotel?

Yes.

I'll be in touch.

You wait here till the waggon comes.

Yes, sir, of course.

How did you get into the house?

I forced my way in.

I had to find out why she'd come back to aldrington

after all these years.

Then when did you do?

I ran upstairs and opened all the doors until I...

Oh god, her head was...

I touched it, blood all over my hands.

I think I may have shouted, but I'm afraid

I don't remember very clearly.

Now, sir, calm yourself and try and tell me.

I ran out.

I swung around the gate post,

that's why my hand print was on it.

Look, we were lovers once years ago, but we never married.

I've just never forgotten her.

The murder weapon, that's what this case hinges on.

Do you think Reilly could have thrown

whatever it was out of the window.

We searched the grounds.

Brandy, please.

Good lord.

Bulger, would you like a drink?

Huh, thanks, old bean.

I thought you two'd gone to London.

We thought you were having dinner with your wife.

[Bulger chuckling]

That was a little white lie, actually.

Oh.

Yes, as a matter of fact, I went off

to see Julia, Ms. Glenn.

Did you know her before?

Before what, old man?

Before she was gilda Glenn,

when she was still Julia mannes.

Yes, as a matter of fact, I did.

We've come from the house, bulger.

[Bulger] Good heavens, what were you two doing there?

After you left here earlier,

she sent me a note asking for help.

For help? About what?

I think she guessed I wasn't a priest.

Oh, I see.

I would have thought that was obvious to anyone.

Bulger, this is my wife.

Oh, I say, what are you two doing in aldrington?

We're private detectives working on a case down here.

- Good lord, that's worse. - Thank you.

- Did you see gilda? - No.

And who answered the door?

Well, I didn't get in by the front door actually.

Why not?

I had tried to see her for a couple of days,

and the maid always answered the door

and said she wasn't at home.

So how did you gain entry, as they say?

I climbed through a window at the side

and up the stairs to her room.

Oh, so you knew which was her room?

Well, the door was open and, you know,

I could see her theatrical trunk

with the stickers on it and so forth.

She wasn't there, so I came down the stairs

and out the way I came.

Do you by any chance remember what time that was?

Oh, really?

Yes, I do.

It was directly after I left you, about half past five,

and I didn't see her.

We saw her at about a quarter past six.

Oh, what did she want?

[Tommy] She didn't say.

Oh?

She was dead.

What? Come off it.

Don't pull a chap's leg.

I don't believe you.

She's been murdered.

But who, could have done such a thing?

Oh lord, the devil do I do now?

If you'll take the advice of an old chum,

you'll go straight to the police station

and tell the inspector your whole story.

Yes, yes, of course.

I suppose you're right.

What about my wife?

Well, if the inspector checks your story and believes...

Oh, jeavons will believe me, all right.

I mean, I'm not exactly unknown in these parts.

But will my wife?

[Tuppence] What does yours say?

"A certain James Reilly has been apprehended

"and will appear in court today.

"Charged with the murder of Ms. Gilda Glenn,

"the well-known actress."

Then a lot of kerfuffle about her career.

What about yours?

"Gilda Glen, west end star, was brutally murdered

"last evening at the home of her sister,

"Mrs. Dorothea honeycott.

"Ms. Glenn aged 31."

Oh, only 31.

Oh come on, tuppence,

where's your well-known spirit of generosity?

Sorry.

"James Reilly, age 35, no fixed abode,"

so on and so forth.

Inspector's respect, sir, ma'am,

and would you please come down to the station?

Of course.

Any idea what about?

Mr. Escourt, ma'am.

Good heavens, where is he?

Held overnight, sir.

Bulger in jail.

Yes, of course, we'll come straight away.

[Policeman] Thank you, sir.

[Mysterious music]

[Bell dings]

[Receptionist] And a very good morning to you,

my first customers of the day.

[Tommy] Good morning.

- We were asked... - Don't tell me.

Let me guess.

You've lost your cat?

Actually, no.

- Flat tyre? - No.

-Flat battery -[Tommy] no.

Assault and battery?

Certainly not.

You come to make a complaint against

Mr. Jasper abrinton for not stealing a valuable necklace.

Very funny.

I know who you are.

You're Mr. and Mrs. Beresford,

and you're here to see Mr. Escourt, right?

- [Tuppence] Right. - Got it in one.

Come with me then.

Just a bit of jolly, you understand.

No offence meant.

Not a lot happens in aldrington.

It's a bit boring.

Well, the thing is that I asked to be held overnight.

You asked? Good heavens, why?

Well, I told my wife that I'd be in London

at a business dinner.

The business dinner being with gilda Glenn,

something of the sort.

Well, we had a little problem to discuss.

So why did you ask to see us?

Well, I'll tell you Mrs. Beresford,

even though I asked to be held,

old jeavons is pretty suspicious of my story.

You did tell him the truth?

Oh yes, of course.

Well, all the salient points.

But not the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

It may seem strange old man,

but I'm a happily married chap.

Two children, that sort of thing.

I've only ever strayed from the straight and narrow once.

- And that was with... - Exactly!

Stupid of me, of course.

And I wrote a couple of letters.

Blackmail?

Oh no, I don't think so.

That's what's so odd.

She always said that if she ever saw me again,

she'd return them to me.

But what did she say when you met her in the hotel bar?

You know, old man, she said the most extraordinary thing.

She said, she becomes so fond of me

that she wanted to keep the letters as this sort of memento.

Did you believe her?

Well, of course I did.

A gentlemen never doubts a lady's word.

Did she say why she was in aldrington?

Some sort of business she had to settle.

Did you mention anything about her engagement

to lord leconbury?

Oh yes.

She explained the whole thing.

She said that as she wasn't getting any younger,

she had a future to consider.

You knew she was married?

Married? Gilda?

I don't believe it.

Why not?

Well, she was far too interested in her career.

Between ourselves, I offered to marry her once.

Having first of course got rid of your wife.

Yes, stupid, of course.

Divorce, mind you, when you say got rid of.

Of course, but she wasn't interested.

[Bulger] No.

And said nothing at all about getting rid of her husband.

Divorce, I mean.

No, absolutely not.

Married?

Do we know who to?

Not yet.

So, bulger, yesterday at half past five,

you went to the white house,

you got in through a side window and spent...

Five minutes, that's all,

and then I left, honest injun.

And as far as you're aware, nobody saw you?

Nobody.

Oh, I'm not surprised I'm a suspect.

I still don't see what we can do there.

Well, Tommy's a bright sort of chap.

Like in the war, putting two and two together.

And I can see your pretty keen to Mrs. B.

Thanks, bulger.

Well, I'm sure if you could put on your thinking caps,

you'd find out who killed her.

Or at any rate, it wasn't me.

All right, bulger, we'll do our best.

I say, old man, thanks frightfully.

[Door knocking]

By the way, what did you do with your golf clubs?

My golf clubs?

Yes, the commissioner has said

that he saw you leave the hotel with them.

Oh yes, well I left them,

leaning up against the wall of the house

when I climbed through the window.

And pick them up again when you climbed out?

[Bulger] That's right.

Oh, it all sounds pretty incredible, doesn't it?

Yes, then so do lots of things.

Chin up, bulger.

You saw her yourself last evening.

Nice enough lady, I thought.

Bit nervy perhaps.

Well, being an actress, all those men chasing her.

What men, exactly?

Well, our Mr. Escourt, for one.

Oh, really?

Always had an eye for the girls.

I was under the impression he was

a very happily married man.

Have you met Mrs. Escourt?

No, I can't say I have.

Then there was this chap, Reilly.

You saw him last night.

Dangerous, I thought,

quick tempered.

Well, you know what actresses are.

Good evening, sir.

Evening.

Where on earth have you been?

Oh, sleuthing, detecting.

On what time?

May I have one of those please.

Yes.

So what have you found out?

Well, it looks on the surface

that it must be either Reilly or bulger,

but now I'm pretty sure that they can both prove

they're not the husband.

The thing about bulger is

how do we know his story is true?

Because he's the sort of chap who

when he's in a tight corner, tells the truth.

Oh darling, look at all the plausible murderers

who look like that sort of chap.

Yes, good point.

But anyway, he left the hotel five minutes after she did.

He said he broke into the white house

and went into her room, but she wasn't there.

So where was she?

I think she was with her husband somewhere,

trying to persuade him to give him a divorce.

Then what?

[Speaking foreign language]

Sorry?

Who knows.

Thank you.

If I might philosophise for a moment.

Well, you can always try.

Thank you, darling.

Trouble with getting at the truth is

that we're all such credulous creatures.

We tend to accept evidence as gospel,

but what is it really?

Just an impression created by the

mind and conveyed by the senses.

But supposing we've got the wrong impression.

Give example and draw a map.

Well, for instance,

when we hear a double knock on the front door

and the rattle of a letterbox,

we say there's the post.

What we really mean is that we heard a double knock

on the front door.

And the rattle of a letter box.

Yes, nine times out of ten, we'd be right.

It would be the post.

Well done, but supposing, just supposing, the 10th time

it's a small boy playing a trick on us.

I'd give him what for.

[Tommy] But you see what I'm driving at?

No.

Oh darling of course I do, continue it.

Well, I may be getting potty,

but I think I have an answer.

[Tuppence] Well?

What we need is a sort of reenactment.

I'll need you to be gilda Glenn.

Good casting

[Tommy] Mrs. Honeycott to be Mrs. Honeycott.

Ellen to be Ellen.

Exactly.

And anybody to pretend to be the murderer.

[Tuppence] You darling?

Oh no, no.

I'm father brown coming up with a solution at the end.

Which is?

Do you know, it's so incredible,

I'm not even going to tell you until I'm sure.

[Gravel crunching]

[Policeman] Good morning.

- Good morning, constable. - Morning.

Morning, ma'am.

Still hanging about aldrington?

We're rather intrigued by what happened yesterday.

But I understood that Reilly chap

had been apprehended.

Open and shut case, my super tells me.

On the surface, it certainly looks like it.

And since he says he didn't do it.

Oh, he says that, does he?

We thought that we try to reconstruct the crime.

What, like they do in stories?

Yes, perhaps you'd like to give us a hand?

Well, I don't see why not.

This is my morning break.

Of course, it'll have to be under the Rose.

Under the?

Sub Rosa.

Oh, very floral.

Right, first Ellen and Mrs. Honeycott

are in the kitchen discussing supper.

The missus had given preference to fillet of sol

as against pork chops,

although I maintain that Monday was no day to venture fish.

No, yes, of course.

So you and Mrs. Honeycott are in the kitchen in here?

That is correct.

So, would you go into the kitchen, please?

Of course.

Ellen?

Start discussing supper.

Now, supposing gilda Glenn,

who has her own key, mind you, lets in at the front door.

Darling.

With a man who was probably her husband.

Constable, would you mind?

I don't know, sir, it's difficult.

Come along, constable.

Very well, miss, anything to oblige.

So, whilst Mrs. Honeycott and Ellen

are in the kitchen discussing the merits

of fish versus pork chops.

Righto, darling.

Gilda Glenn and her husband come in and go upstairs.

Obviously she is trying to persuade him

to give her a divorce.

We're still here.

Yes, right, hang on a bit.

Go on arguing.

And gilda goes on up here?

[Tommy] Yes, that's right, with her husband.

Constable?

Come along, husband.

Mrs. Honeycott has missed all that

and comes out of the kitchen, back into the drawing room.

Mrs. Honeycott?!

Oh, there you are.

I came from here and went back to the drawing room.

That's right, through to the drawing room.

I'm still here.

Hang on a bit.

[Tuppence] And we're still up here.

All right.

And I'm here.

I know.

Now, Mrs. Honeycott, not realising

that her sister is already in the house

starts to put her clock right.

What are you doing?

I'm putting my clock right.

Right, oh, I mean jolly good.

Now, while all that has been going on,

the husband starts to come down the stairs.

Constable?

Would you come downstairs, please?

Right you are, sir.

And go out of the front door.

Mrs. Honeycott?

You hear that door slam

and think it's your sister coming in,

but in fact it's the murderer going out.

And I'm dead.

That's right.

Yes, come down, darling, i'd like you to watch this bit.

Now, Ellen, who's still in the kitchen.

Ellen?

Yes, there you are.

You go upstairs to draw the curtains

in Mrs. Honeycott's bedroom.

She just missed seeing the murderer.

Mrs. Honeycott said that she thought her sister paused

before going upstairs,

but in fact, that was the moment

between the front door closing

and Ellen going upstairs, not gilda Glenn.

A few seconds later, there was a knock at the front door.

Yes.

Yes, but we didn't hear the scream until Reilly came in.

Yes, sir, just before he ran downstairs.

Yes, well, it was my bet, it was Reilly who screamed.

Finding gilda, Glen dead,

a terrible shock for him.

Surely it must have been this Reilly person.

You're forgetting the murder weapon, Mrs. Honeycott.

Nothing found on Reilly.

So, what are the other possibilities?

Grappling iron, courtesy lord leconbury?

Golf club, courtesy bulger escourt?

Or a rolling pin, courtesy Ellen?

But, Tommy, if it wasn't Reilly,

surely we would have seen whoever it was.

Yes, we did.

His name is bamford, and directly

he stepped out of the front door just now.

He was arrested.

What on earth are you talking about?

A truncheon found in the marshes,

courtesy police constable bamford,

gilda Glenn's husband.

[Engine starts]

[Seagulls caw]

Well, I'm glad we exonerated lord leconbury

with his hobnail boots and grappling irons,

shinning out the drain pipe.

And to think, I nearly went for bulger and his golf club.

Or a lump of cement.

Rather sad to realise that policemen have

the same weaknesses as the rest of us.

Yes, not having the outlets of Reilly's violent words.

Led to violent action.

But tell me, what did put you on to his track?

I telephoned Albert in London.

He checked that the Julia manners of aldrington

eloped to Scotland with a man called bamford.

They were married, but she ditched him after a few months

and became gilda Glenn.

It wasn't until a few years ago that he returned here

and joined the police force.

Clever chap, Tommy.

Thank you, darling.

So, what do you say to us catching that train

we missed yesterday?

Oh, yes, please.

Nothing ever happens in aldrington.

I say, you're a smart pair.

They brought in that policemen fellow and let me go.

I can't thank you enough.

Any time, bulger.

What about a spot of bubbly, old man?

Oh no thanks, old man, we're just off to London.

Well, let me give you a lift at least.

Oh, thank you, bulger, that would be lovely.

I think he only meant to the station, darling.

No he didn't.

He meant all the way to London, didn't you, bulger?

Well, as a matter of fact...

Yes, why not?

[Jazzy theatre music]

[Car engine revving]