Original subtitles

Now, jogging isn't a sport, it's a penance.

My sins aren't that gaudy, but I'm cautious.

That's one way to stay out of trouble.

Another way is to keep jogging.

Come on, Benji.

Good morning, Mr. Sawyer.

Smoggy! Pardon?

You run in pursuit of health.

On a smoggy day, you'll inhale cancerous egg with several packs of cigarettes.

Only an unobserved idiot could call this a good morning.

Father! Breakfast!

Hey, Benji.

Always a pleasure.

Breakfast, huh? Yeah. Good boy.

Someone had poisoned Benjamin, but that didn't make any sense.

Except maybe he's a way to get at Sawyer.

Strychnine. Almost certainly strychnine.

Dear God.

Will he be all right?

I don't know. He's ingested quite a bit. Can't tell yet.

That statement, doctor, is a pompous advertisement of ignorance.

The state licenses you as a veterinarian. I expect you to cure him.

I can't work miracles, Mr. Sawyer.

Ah, miracles are created by money, of course.

Marion Wright, Dr. Belton, a check. I shall be home as usual for lunch.

Mr. Sawyer, treatment for this condition could be protracted.

You'd have every right to be concerned about the cost.

Greed, Dr. Belton, is your neurosis, not mine.

Will $100 deposit be all right?

Yes, fine.

Father really loves Benjamin.

Passionately.

I've got to find out who did this.

Are you for hire or what?

When I feel like it, Sawyer.

I'm sorry. I'm worried.

Poisoning Benjamin makes no sense, except it's a cheap, sadistic attack on father.

Benji's a guard dog, and the best friend father has.

Does your father have enemies?

Father once defined genius as an infinite capacity for making enemies.

He is a genius.

Tell me about the enemies.

Will you take on the case?

Give me a ride home?

How did your father stop the construction?

He appealed to the Coastal Conservation Commission,

filed his own ecological impact report, and stopped them dead.

And the developer, how'd he take it?

He may have to go into bankruptcy.

Next.

A man named Andrew Marsh.

He accused father of trespassing.

They quarreled.

Benjamin bit him.

And Marsh threatened to kill Benji.

Yeah, I know the Marshes. He's got a temper.

And someone poisoned Benji.

No, who else?

Pete Warner.

Know him too?

No.

He's about 16.

He broke the study window at our house.

Father repaired it, called the police, and signed a complaint.

Your father hasn't missed anyone from the Mexican border to Laguna.

Paul Armand Sawyer, the scourge of God.

I couldn't tell what she was thinking or what she really felt.

Whether she loved him or hated him.

Maybe it was a little of both.

Lord, no, Harry. Andy's been here.

Working for Bill's rally. Both of us, since 8 o'clock.

I'm not accusing him. I'm just asking.

Andy did have a fight with him.

World War III.

It's no secret.

Sawyer, that old man takes the world for his right of way.

He just strolled into our back patio on one of his walks two weeks ago.

With that simple trespass, why so angry?

We were having a really hairy, ugly fight.

Sawyer heard us and laughed.

Andy blew up. I broke down.

Somehow it put everything into perspective for me.

I walked.

Andy blames Sawyer.

Somebody told me you two were getting a divorce.

Or are you here because you're back together?

No. I could work with Andy even if I don't sleep with him.

Andy, look who's here.

Well, how you doing, Harry?

This is Harry Orwell, ex-police lieutenant.

Now our neighborhood private eye.

Bill Dempsey.

Glad to meet you, Harry.

And Sharon, Mrs. Dempsey.

Hello.

I'm supporting Bill for Congress. Harry, how about your vote?

Don't think about it privately.

I like that. I respect it.

I want your support, but I want to earn it.

So you ask me the hard questions and think it over.

And then you support me or I'll have your tax returns audited.

Is that garlic?

Yeah, help yourself.

Andy.

Somebody poisoned Paul Sawyer's dog.

The dog, not Sawyer. Too bad.

Were you here all morning?

I'm afraid I can't take any credit for that, Harry.

I've been working hard here since 8 o'clock.

Who is this Sawyer?

One of our beach characters.

Old man, angry, eccentric.

Goes walking with his dog every day.

I saw him this morning when I was driving out here to the rally.

He was walking on the beach.

On his way back from burning an orphanage, no doubt.

Cheap malice only emphasizes the poverty of your wits, Mr. Marsh.

Get out of here, Sawyer. You're trespassing again.

On the side of a political rally, don't be moronic.

At least don't proclaim it.

Andy.

Wait a minute.

I'm sorry about your dog.

Yeah, poison wasted, and now I'm warning you, Sawyer.

On the contrary, Marsh, I'm warning you.

If I discover you had any part in the sadistic attack on Benjamin,

I shall take vast pleasure in ventilating your swollen infantile ego.

Mr. Sawyer, put the gun away.

Yes, I've seen you before.

I know your kind.

That's enough.

The maniac.

I have a license for this gun and provocation for the warning.

Please, no melodramatics. No police, please.

Mr. Sawyer, we're just leaving.

Of course.

I'd hate to think I'd overstayed my welcome.

That senile.

We ought to call the police.

Oh, Andy.

Listen, do this on your own time, huh?

I don't want cops around.

Especially don't want reporters smearing this kind of dirt all over the campaign.

You can understand that, can't you?

Yeah.

Okay.

All right.

Okay.

I want the 6 o'clock news to focus on me, not dump on me.

Thanks.

Thanks.

Gun.

And you threatened Andrew Marsh.

Father, you can't do those things to people.

Yes, I can.

And I shall continue to do whatever is necessary

to ensure the reasonable tranquility of my life.

Including Benjamin's safety.

That dog is important to me and that specimen of human detritus poisoned him.

There's no proof that Andy Marsh is guilty.

Let him find out who did it.

That's his profession.

Profession?

Scavenging in human sewage?

I'd scarcely call that a profession.

I'm not at all surprised that my daughter hired you, Mr. Orwell.

She has an outstanding talent for poor judgment.

I'm trying to help you.

Yes, I know you are, my child.

You have got to face the fact that you may be in danger.

Mary, and I have examined the situation intelligently.

One, Benjamin, poor beast, was poisoned as a symbolic attack on myself.

Two, the poisoner, by any definition, is a coward.

And three, there is absolutely no motive for any real attack on my person.

No motive?

No motive.

Dear heaven, you create a motive every time you deal with another person.

If you were poisoned, the world would stand up and cheer.

Your whole rotten life is a motive.

Mary, anger makes you ugly.

You should learn to control it.

My mother.

You broke her heart, you turned her into an alcoholic,

and then you kicked her out of your life.

Your partner loved you.

And now he'd pay a fortune just to dance on your grave.

And me, I...

And you, you, my dear inept angel,

are the crowning disappointment of a perplexing lifetime.

I wanted to perpetuate myself.

Instead, I was cursed with your face.

My marriage wasn't a failure until you shot it down.

You won't let me live my life.

As for you, Mr. Orwell,

I don't know what my daughter promised you,

but consider your services terminated.

You're fired.

Was I unclear?

No, you were mistaken.

Marion didn't hire me, I volunteered.

Not for you, for Benjamin. I like him.

You're being sentimental.

If that means I can choose my friends, yes.

You waste your time, it makes no difference to me.

Where is Marion?

She's gone.

Gone. Now?

It's typical. Totally inconsiderate young lady.

Ran off without preparing my lunch.

She was upset.

There's no reason to interfere with my schedule.

I work, I eat lunch, then I work again.

Can you cook?

You got a can over there?

Do the best you can, huh?

Keep it simple, a sandwich and juice or fruit.

Don't try to be imaginative.

You want me to make you lunch?

Out of curiosity, why not do it yourself?

I've never been interested in developing petty skills.

You'll find everything you need.

Are you an artist too?

Paul Sawyer.

We have been introduced.

Paul Armin Sawyer.

The architect.

Wrong emphasis, Orwell. The architect.

I've seen your work.

For eight years, I've been looking for a way to apply my genius to a worthy problem.

I think I've found it. A new urban ecology.

Cities that turn back to nature?

No, Imbecile. We are nature.

The man with his anthills.

We're the greatest single force for natural destruction.

I want to change that. I'm going to change that.

I'm going to give the world a method whereby they can build cities that work.

Instead of crippling...

Instead of crippling their inhabitants.

I believe I already have a place in human history.

This work will confirm that position.

Unless you kill before you can finish it.

There is strychnine in your sandwich.

You get the idea.

You made your point.

But Orwell, there's absolutely no reason why anybody would want me dead.

I have offended people.

From all the available evidence, Sawyer, you are a louse.

World class.

Men tend to deal with their lives as sheep do.

They huddle in herds.

No universe, no larger than food.

Or the lack of it.

I was given genius.

I didn't deny the gift. I developed it. I used it.

There are no limits to my universe.

However, there are lacks.

Ever since I was a child, I've been aware of the erosion of time.

We're born, we begin to die.

I didn't have time to be a father.

No time.

So I lived with a certain amount of regret, of pain.

Is it worth it?

I have my work.

You go on with your investigation if you like, but not on my money, not on my time.

And Orwell, don't forget to clean up.

He was afraid.

Behind all the arrogance and anger, he was terrified.

Not of being found dead, but of being found no more than human.

Paul designed it, eight years ago.

The last job he did for Sawyer and Ross.

He had legal commitments, contracts, jobs and work.

I was his partner and he just walked away.

Oh, I could have cut his throat.

That was eight years ago.

And now?

Ah, forgive and forget.

He said he made you rich.

He did.

But I made him rich too.

He deserted me.

Kept his interest in the firm.

That's worth about three million dollars today.

Who gets it if he dies?

What does that mean?

Look, Paul's mercurial.

Once a long time ago, he was close to a suicide.

Is it anything like that?

I mean, you said he had problems.

Well, I think he might be in danger.

Somebody poisoned his dog.

Three million dollars seems a substantial motive.

I run Sawyer and Ross.

I'm the big enchilada.

If Paul dies, I could cheat his estate out of a lot of money.

Is that what you're thinking?

Possibility crossed my mind.

Angie.

Make out a check to Mr. Harry Orwell.

Get it from my personal account.

I'll fill in the amount later.

I'm hiring you, Orwell.

To protect Paul.

I could have cut his throat.

He was a monster.

No loyalty, no friendship, no love.

But he's also the greatest architect alive on this earth.

My only chance to be remembered is as Paul Armand Sawyer's partner.

He'll walk in here one day without warning.

Tanner, I shall require adequate working space and three assistants.

Preferably with some trace of intelligence if possible.

Don't stand there gaping, you imbecile.

I'll do it.

And he'll create a miracle.

This is a crummy world, Orwell.

You gotta cherish miracles.

At the zoo once when I was eight years old, I saw a rhino escape from his cage.

The keepers tried to herd him back in.

He got confused and charged.

He really couldn't see them. He thought nothing could stop him.

He was magnificent to see.

Sawyer was like that, full of blind arrogance.

They had to kill the rhino.

You like champagne.

Father says champagne is like Mother's Day.

A large commercial exploitation of a mildly pleasant fact.

Father has a way with words.

Drink a toast to Paul Armin Sawyer, whoever he is.

I'll drink to that.

What did he do to your marriage?

Jerry was a student of Father's.

A disciple.

Very ambitious and very possessive.

That irritated Father.

After all, he owned me first.

He let Jerry draw the line.

He drew the plans for a major project.

Presented them to the full committee.

Top level.

And Father took them apart.

Line by line, mistake by error.

He made Jerry look stupid.

He destroyed him.

I think that was Father's wedding present to me.

That was the beginning of the slide.

And it was downhill all the way.

Jerry left me, of course.

Why didn't you leave your father?

He needs me.

I know that sounds either stupid or neurotic, but he does.

He's a great man.

But he can't deal with all the world's little problems.

He lives inside himself.

In a fortress.

And I'm the guardian at the gates.

Which is a lonely place to be.

Not really.

When I was little, he took me with him once.

He was building a skyscraper.

He put up the skeleton.

And he took me up in the construction elevator.

40 stories.

I was so scared, it tasted like brass to my mouth.

He was explaining design to me.

I couldn't follow.

But I was listening to the sound of his voice.

God, it was like hearing electricity.

All that confidence.

I think he forgot I was there.

And he left me.

On top of the building platform.

40 stories up.

And I saw him walk out on a girder.

And it looked like he was in mid-air.

And I looked beyond him.

And there was nothing but sky.

Father in the sky.

If he had said, Marian, step off the edge.

I would have gone.

Leaving.

To keep leaving.

I need to be needed.

What do you need, Harry?

Well, not much more than I have.

No possessions?

Freedom?

A few friends.

A little room.

Time to find out what I want, what I am.

It's the education of Harry Orwell.

I'm envious.

I'm afraid of time.

And too much room makes me anxious.

I don't have friends.

Or enemies.

Right now, I'm in limbo.

And when I start to suffocate,

I drink.

Or turn on.

Or find a man.

It's called better living.

Biochemistry.

You're interested.

You're interested.

I don't make love unless I'm in love.

Just a little.

It's got to be a hell of a lot more for me

than just therapy to keep from screaming.

Sweet rejecting, Harry.

I'll crawl right home and make myself acceptable.

I'll shave my leg.

I'll perfume my hair.

And I'll whiten my damn teeth.

Why don't you cut off your big toe?

He's coming along beautifully, Miss Sawyer.

We'll have him home in no time.

I'll be by to see him tomorrow.

Very good.

How's Benji?

Fine.

Why do you call him Benji?

After Louis Spencer Benjamin.

Father says there are only three real architects.

Himself,

Frank Breedwright,

and Louis Spencer Benjamin.

What are you doing here?

Feeling foolish.

And...

clumsy.

And I'm apologizing.

Why?

Because I wanted you and I resented it.

Available lady, no strings.

But I need some strings.

I need them.

Afraid of being too close?

I'm not your father.

I love you.

You're beautiful.

Not exactly handsome,

but beautiful.

I've always thought of myself exactly that way.

Come on.

I'm gonna wipe that grin right off your face.

Don't you have a car?

Uh-huh.

That explains the non-preparation of my breakfast.

Morning, father.

Don't twitch, Orwell.

I approve.

Marian is infinitely more amiable when she's...

involved.

Right on, father.

Your breakfast will be ready as soon as you get back.

Breakfast I might have for three.

I'd like to come along.

No.

Also, I'd like you to take your usual route.

Marian tells me you more or less go the same way all the time.

Benjamin, Benjamin, where are you when I need you?

If you cooperate, I'll go away after breakfast.

Otherwise, I'll follow you everywhere and ask foolish questions.

All right.

Do come along.

By all means.

Arrogance.

Magnificent arrogance.

It's built for the robber barons.

They arrive in their private railway cars

and assault the walls of the castle with new money.

What does a hotel chain's plastic slab express?

Efficient contempt.

It isn't the arrival of a guest,

but a credit balance to be bloodlessly debited.

Oh, they took your money here, too.

But they gave you back a sense of grandeur,

not paper towels, instant coffee.

This is good architecture.

It's alive, it's demanding.

People should live where a place has purpose.

This has.

Ah, there it is.

It was used for tying down stored cargo.

It dates back to about the 1830s.

This place has a history.

Men who work here don't know it,

but they feel it.

There was a prophet walking in the wilderness,

seeing visions across the centuries.

And he was a monster, and he was a parent,

and he was a partner.

And a man.

And I didn't know which one was the poisoner's target,

nor why.

Orwell!

Who was he, Manny?

Ralph Leak, user and dealer.

Narcotics have a tail on it?

Yeah, they lost him.

Lucky you found him.

Thanks.

Well, it could have been an accident.

He died of head injuries.

Impossible.

Nevertheless, I will investigate

the grounds he may have died of drug dealing.

I repeat, Harry, I will investigate.

Well, it's your case, Manny.

Oh, that's a good attitude.

Now, what were you doing here?

Just passing by in the service of a client.

Now, that's a solid non-answer.

Your case wouldn't have anything to do with Ralph Leak.

I don't think so.

Leach wasn't mine.

You intend to buy a drink?

Slow gin fizz.

Oh, you're very funny.

With a dash of soda.

You're always this wild and carefree.

I pay for information.

Leach was my man for two years,

but we busted up three weeks ago.

Sorry.

Why'd you bust up?

I could cut you bad.

Business or personal?

He brought a customer in here.

We had a deal.

He was supposed to keep his dealing outside.

That's all?

He had all kinds of fancy clothes,

and she didn't even want to sit down.

She was afraid she might catch germs.

Did he say an egg?

No.

I talked to him once.

He said she was a regular, a user,

and very important.

Some freaked-out hype.

Big money.

Big enough to get him dead.

What'd she look like to you?

Are you gonna try for that big money?

I want a piece.

Okay.

Maybe I'll split with you.

Brunette, 5'6",

118, 120.

She's mild enough, you know,

like a professional model or something.

Long hair.

Brushed straight.

She looked good for a user.

Bill, I'm beginning to feel awful.

Honey, I need it.

I'll be over with soon, baby.

Maybe he doesn't even know.

We can't take that chance.

Sharon, I got the results of the poll last night.

53%, that's solid.

Honey, you know we agreed

we gotta keep the image, right?

If Sawyer put a finger on me,

there's nothing I could do about it, nothing.

I've got to get rid of him.

No.

Bill, I...

Sharon, you look sensational.

You know, it's been a little rough lately.

But we've got to stay cool.

Just don't try to do anything.

Stay tied down.

Take a couple more tranquilizers.

Okay.

I will.

Bill,

two more days.

No more.

I promise.

Two days.

Who is it?

Harry Orwell.

I'm a friend of Andy Marshall's.

Is it about the campaign?

Bill's already gone down.

It's about Ralph Leach.

Sorry.

We can't make the connection.

Is this some kind of political dirty trick?

Is that it?

No, what it is, is murder.

Ain't a little shaky.

I'd appreciate your leaving, Mr. Orwell.

Double-talk threats just don't make it.

You're a user. Leach was your contact.

I got to witness a time and a place.

You and Leach together, Leach is alone, Denny's dead.

Am I making it now?

He tried to kill me.

I, uh...

I went to a party.

And this Leach was there.

He made a play for me.

Then he slipped something into my drink.

I didn't know what it was until it hit me.

It was horrible.

I went to him to try and find out what kind of drug it was.

He wouldn't listen, so I left.

He followed me

out onto that pier.

He grabbed me

and I fought him off.

And his foot slipped.

Dear God, I've been terrified ever since.

That story's as bad as this coffee.

You're right.

I'm not very proud of the truth.

Ralph Leach was a dealer.

And I knew it.

I knew all the rotten things about him.

And I love Bill.

But I couldn't help myself.

Ralph just turned me on.

There wasn't anything that he couldn't make me do.

Until he asked you to hurt Bill.

And you said no.

He got nasty, there was a struggle,

and that foot slipped again.

Bill, you're just not a good liar.

There's no way you're gonna muscle Leach

out to that deserted pier,

slam his head in, and drag him out of sight.

So who did?

I don't know.

Look, I'm not feeling very well.

You're gonna feel a lot worse.

You're gonna start coming apart.

The only way you're gonna get help is to tell me,

so tell me.

I need...

You need a fix?

You need someplace to hide?

I know what you need.

Tell me.

Bill, he had to.

When Leach found out who I was,

we thought that he would want money.

But he wanted a lock on Bill.

A congressman.

Forever.

We talked about it.

Bill and I always talk things over.

We're a team that way.

We had to kill him.

We had to.

How? Where?

I made the appointment.

Bill picked Leach up.

I don't know where they went.

Look, you said you'd help me.

How does Paul Sawyer fit in?

Oh, that old man.

He wanders around,

drawing pictures.

He pries.

Bill was with Leach,

and Sawyer drew a picture of them together.

Together.

So Bill has to kill Sawyer, too.

First the dog,

then get Sawyer's gun,

then make it look like Sawyer killed himself.

How's he gonna do that? Where?

I don't know where.

The place where Bill met Leach.

Where Sawyer saw them.

Where they found Leach's body.

I don't want to talk about it.

It's ugly.

No, not there.

The place where Bill took care of Leach.

I don't know where it is.

He did it and then he moved the body because of Sawyer.

Honestly, I don't know where.

When?

Today. He's gonna do it today.

You said you'd give me a fix.

You said you'd help me.

I lied.

You need help.

Lieutenant Quinlan, please.

Harry Orwell.

Lieutenant, that's ridiculous.

I told Mr. Orwell I thought his notions

were part of some weird political maneuver.

I'm sorry.

Mrs. Dempsey.

Yeah, it's me.

Let me talk to your father.

He's not here.

Nowhere is he?

I don't know. Out walking, I imagine.

Does he keep any of his old sketches?

Yeah, they're here someplace.

Well, dig them out for me. I'm on my way.

Ralph, does Leach mean anything to you?

Are you sure?

Harry?

Yeah. Keep an eye on her.

Turn the place inside out.

You wait a minute.

She took something, Manny.

Wait an hour, she'll crash.

Look, I can't do anything until she gives us something solid.

She's a candidate for the U.S. Congress.

Then he's got your vote.

Now, dammit, Manny, they plan to set up Sawyer for a suicide.

You told me that.

And you told me. Where's the proof?

Will you stop playing prima donna, Harry?

We'll investigate thoroughly.

That's a charming epitaph.

We'll investigate thoroughly.

He's been everywhere.

Anywhere.

How about this one?

No, I was with him when he drew that.

It has to be earlier.

The irony was that, of course, Sawyer hadn't sketched anyone.

He never saw people,

except as elements in an architectural structure.

He saw things, not people.

I get to a phone and try to reach Lieutenant Quentin.

Tell him where we are.

Mr. Sawyer.

Oh, no.

Mr. Sawyer,

I want you to know that I've always admired your accomplishments.

You've done great things.

Mr. Sawyer,

I believe that man's only expression is his heart.

A man's excuse for living is to shake the world.

Wrong.

A man's excuse for living is to create the world.

Shaking it is the province of politicians and other psychopaths.

You're senile.

The police are on their way.

Oh, well, what on earth are you babbling about?

Well, he plans to kill you.

That's absurd.

Oh!

All right, hold it!

Keep your hands where I can see them.

Spread your arms and legs.

On your gut.

Right.

Right, of course, I'm all right.

I presume you expect an outpouring of thanks.

No.

That's very intelligent of you.

Look at my sketch pad.

On the other hand, I don't feel like apologizing.

You walked away from the wreckage and the bleeding

because they didn't exist for Paul Armatsoya.

And I didn't exist and Marion didn't exist.

Maybe that's the definition of greatness.

To be always alone and never lonely.

And that's a hell of a price to pay.

Hey, that smells good.

But I was planning on doing a little jogging.

In penance for last night's excesses.

I was planning on putting it in the oven and leaving a note.

Sank?

Goodbye.

Going back to your father?

I was going to write a couple of notes.

Harry, I can't handle it all.

I don't know where I am yet.

Yeah, you're bloody...

No, you are.

And father is right down the beach.

I'm being pulled apart between you.

I'm not strong enough.

Let me help you.

Make it easy.

So I made it easier for her.

Just about as easy as I made it for myself.

You win some, you lose some.

It doesn't seem to make much difference how you play the game.

Get it, Benjamin.

I'll get it.

That's my boy.

Come on, Benjamin. Bring it here.

Bring it here.

Come on.

That's my good dog.

You're a good dog, Benjamin.

That's what you are. Good.

Don't worry, Sawyer.

I won't tell on you.

Love is only occasionally sinful.

THE END