Original subtitles

[ominous music plays]

[Yvonne] I had a lovely evening. Good night.

[gasps]

[theme music plays]

[Bruce] Maybe I could just write a check.

[Montoya] For what? We're here to talk about a missing woman,

- not a speeding ticket. - Yes, and I'm trying to be helpful.

But I'd also like to keep my family name out of the papers, if possible.

I thought a donation to the department

might ensure my involvement here was kept private.

Or I could make a check out to you.

Miss Montoya?

It's Detective Montoya, Mr. Wayne.

And not everything is for sale in this city.

I'm not interested in dragging you through the mud.

I just want to find Yvonne Francis.

You were the last person to see her. That's the only reason you're here.

Well, now I'm embarrassed.

Are you? Good.

So let's get back to the night in question.

Your butler says you dropped Miss Francis off at 11.

Hm. Most people can't do that. Remember an exact time like that?

Yvonne was starting a new movie the next morning.

She had an early call time, so I was watching the clock.

- [door opens] - Don't say anything else.

Ah. There you are. This is Lucius Fox, my lawyer.

Mr. Wayne is assisting in a missing persons case, Mr. Fox.

Not anymore, he isn't. Get your things, Bruce.

Mr. Wayne isn't a suspect.

[Lucius] And yet you dragged him down here instead of interviewing him at his estate.

I wasn't aware having an estate got you preferential treatment.

You're funny. Any further questions will go through me.

Nice meeting you, Detective.

Yeah, I'll bet.

[radio static]

[Alfred] It seems to me, sir, that you might be better served

pursuing your own investigation.

Detective Montoya's police work is sharp. She got angry when I offered her a bribe.

Your point, sir?

If she's honest, intelligent, and incorruptible, she could be an asset.

And, of course, this will help us locate Miss Francis that much sooner.

Yes, that too.

[Montoya on radio] ...frustrating. I really thought I was getting somewhere

before the attorney got here.

But the butler alibis him, and honestly, I don't see Wayne as a suspect.

Need a crime to have a suspect. We have a missing person.

A very famous missing person, but still.

That's my point. Not a sign of Frances. Not a word.

Nothing for two days now.

Something's wrong here, boss. I can feel it.

So what's your next move?

[Montoya] I'm going to the movies.

Detective Montoya.

I'm wondering if you could answer a few questions about Yvonne Francis, Mr. Karlo.

Yvonne? I'd be happy to. Please come in.

- Is there any news? - I'm afraid not.

- How well do you know her? - Well enough, I suppose.

We've been in half a dozen features together.

Normally, I play the heavy who comes leering after her damsel in distress.

[chuckles] I may have caught a few of those.

We all have our parts to play.

This new film would have been the first time I'd seen her in months.

Mr. Karlo, if there's something you think will help me find her?

Just rumors that she was running with the wrong crowd,

that she was becoming, well, troubled.

When you say the wrong crowd?

They were rumors. I didn't heed them.

Perhaps I should have.

In any case, I'm afraid I have a meeting with Edmund Haynes.

He's my director on the new film.

I can't keep him waiting.

Sure. I appreciate your time.

[woman] And this one was last Tuesday. There's Miss Frances.

- The dress is an Edith Head. - It's very nice. Who...?

- You said this was Tuesday? - That's right.

"I haven't seen her in months," huh?

Would you be a doll and tell me where Basil Karlo's meeting your boss?

Let me see. Huh!

Mr. Haynes doesn't have anything scheduled with Mr. Karlo today.

[chair spinning]

[suspenseful music plays]

I'm looking for Basil Karlo. Is he still on the lot?

No, Mr. Karlo left about an hour ago.

I need his home address.

[vehicle approaching]

- [man screams] - [body thuds]

[tense music plays]

Operator? Police. Badge 742.

Central Dispatch, I need a radio car and an ambulance.

2462 Slade Terrace, apartment 3G.

[suspenseful music plays]

[whipping sound]

- [gasps] - [grunting]

[dramatic music plays]

[moans]

Uh... where?

[Ellman] Relax, Miss Frances.

Mustn't ruin your makeup.

What is this? What are you doing?

Try to stay calm. You're going to need that energy for your big scene.

Wait, wait! Come back here!

Help! Oh, someone, help me!

[lights clank]

[music intensifies]

I screwed up. I was so sure Karlo was a suspect.

- Turns out he was a victim. - Karlo lied.

Find out why, you'll know who killed him and maybe locate Miss Francis, too.

If it's not too late.

Don't be so hard on yourself, Renee.

You took a big risk making me a detective. I've let you down.

Not yet, you haven't.

- So I offered him double or nothing. - [all laugh]

Detective Montoya, good morning.

Mr. District Attorney.

How's the Yvonne Frances case coming?

Well, it's now part of the Basil Karlo murder investigation,

so at the moment I'd say not very well.

Don't be so glum. What this is now is high profile.

You give me an arrest and I can put on a hell of a trial.

Make us both look good.

Will anyone do, or should I focus on finding the actual murderer?

You're a pistol, Detective.

Case like this could do wonders for my mayoral campaign.

Mr. Dent, I genuinely don't think I could care less about your mayoral campaign.

A bit of friendly advice: start caring.

Because after Election Day, you'll want to be on my good side, Renee.

Good luck with the crime fighting, Gotham's finest.

- Oh, and you, too, Bullock. [laughs] - [all laugh]

[Valentine] You know what I'm looking at right now, Sidney?

I'm looking at thousands of dollars' worth of mad scientist gizmos

that we rent from that McFadden guy by the day,

just sitting here getting all dusty.

Now, if you don't want that overage coming out of your pocket,

you're going to find me another screamer to replace the Frances girl!

And you're gonna do it today!

What?!

Mr. Haynes was hoping to speak to you. I can fit him in at 11.

We got a fright pic supposed to start,

that, as of now, stars a missing girl and a dead guy.

What does he want?

I suspect he wants to know if he's still got a movie to direct.

[groans] Okay, fair enough. Just set it up.

- [sighs] - [man] Hm. [laughs]

[laughter continues]

What? What do you want?

- [lights clank] - [groans]

[grunting, yells]

[groans]

No, don't!

- [electricity buzzing] - [screaming]

[grunting]

[evil laughter]

[woman in film screams]

- Anything? - While lovely to look at,

Miss Frances is no Gloria Swanson.

Anything useful?

- Regrettably, sir, no. - [film stops]

- Anything useful? - Some sort of silicate.

Peculiar.

Get the mercury vapor lamp.

- A monogram, perhaps. - An abbreviation.

Monoscope Pictures Wardrobe.

Our killer has access to the studio.

[Montoya on receiver] Detective Montoya, I'm expected.

Basil Karlo was one of the finest actors

it has been my privilege to work with, Detective.

I'd go so far as to call him one of the finest actors of our generation.

What a loss.

Did others share your opinion?

Everyone who worked with Basil knew how good he was.

He was magnificent, incomparable.

But he didn't have the right look.

He didn't have the right face.

There was a story in the Gazette a couple of months back about you and Miss Frances.

I wouldn't believe everything you read.

Yvonne's lovely, but... well, let's just say she's not my type.

Oh, Yvonne worked with Karlo a half dozen times.

- The last one was Tower of Fear. - Did he enjoy working with Miss Frances?

That's one way to put it.

He had it bad for her.

- All night long, lovey. - [both laugh]

- Did she feel the same way? - I don't think so.

But don't get me wrong, she had enormous respect for Basil.

She felt he'd been cheated.

[Yvonne] It's terribly unfair.

With your talent, you should be a leading man, Basil. If only...

If only I didn't look like this.

Yes. You'd have been a star.

[Montoya] That must have meant a lot to him.

Sure. But it also made him desperate to do something about his looks.

The camera is kind to some, cruel to others.

Its cruelty to Basil made him... ideal for certain parts.

- But not the parts he wanted. - No.

Which is undoubtedly what drove him to that lunatic conman, Jack Ellman.

Conman and lunatic? That's quite a combination, Mr. Haynes.

One or the other, then.

He was a makeup artist at the studio.

Worked with Basil a few times.

Better than that, the treatment will remake your career, Basil.

I just need some time and some more money.

Anything, Jack. I need a miracle.

- What was this treatment? - I doubt there ever was one, Detective.

Last I saw, Karlo lost his patience with Ellman.

Either give me my money back or give me results.

You're as stupid as you are ugly! You can't rush something like this!

You're nothing but a fraud! [grunts]

That's it, Ellman! You're fired!

Security had Ellman off the lot within minutes.

- [Montoya on receiver] And when was this? - [Haynes] Must have been two months back.

[Haynes] No, no, no!

Away from the camera! Turn away from the camera!

[man] But I thought...

No. You're not a thinker. You're an actor.

Your job is to act the way I direct! Me, the director!

- [scoffs] We are on a break. - [bell rings]

I'll be in my office reconsidering my career.

[eerie music plays]

- [gasps] - [grunts]

- Run. - [panting]

[suspenseful music plays]

[grunts]

[creaking]

[grunting]

- Pennyworth. - [Pennyworth] Sir?

Give me two minutes, then call the police. Monoscope Pictures beneath stage H.

I've found two bodies.

Lew Valentine and the movie star Darryl Manning.

I'd say they've been dead at least a day.

Problem is, Detective Montoya just interviewed Manning an hour ago.

This is Montoya. I'm in the east end, 847 Lark Avenue,

requesting additional backup on suspect Ellman, Jack.

This is Flass. We're on the way.

[operator] Dispatch confirms, backup en route.

- Nice night. - Mm.

- Do we got any of those pickles left? - Nope.

[dramatic music plays]

- Yes? - Montoya. Police.

- You Jack Ellman? - Yes. Yes, that's me.

I've got some questions for you about Basil Karlo.

Has something happened to Basil?

Don't you read the papers? Mr. Karlo was murdered last night.

I had no idea. I'm sorry.

Uh, please. We can talk inside.

This isn't Karlo.

It's a bit of a mess. I don't get many visitors.

After I was fired, I needed a place to continue my work.

The treatment you offered Karlo, was that a part of your work?

Oh, you... you heard about that?

It was experimental.

Sadly, Mr. Karlo wanted a miracle.

I'm curious, how did you find me?

I'm a detective, Mr. Ellman. It's what I do.

You didn't make it easy, if that's any consolation.

But some people like to do things the hard way.

What about you? Hard or easy?

[shouts, grunts]

[gasps]

[grunts]

[haunting music plays]

[moans, gasps]

Karlo?

Very good, Detective. It is I, Basil Karlo.

Your face... What did you do to your face?

Do you want the whole tale, Detective,

of all the years, all the parts lost because of my face?

Of how Ellman promised he could fix it.

How he gave me a miracle instead.

They said I could have played a thousand parts if not for my face.

But now I have a face that actually could play a thousand parts.

I went to Yvonne to show her that now things would be different.

That I could finally be the star she'd seen in me.

[gasps]

Don't be alarmed, Yvonne. It's me, Basil.

I'm yours, darling,

if you'll have me.

No, no! Get away from me.

[Basil] But she... she rejected me.

[groaning]

- She refused to play her part. - [gasping]

[growling]

Do you see now, Detective?

I've been given a gift to match my talent.

I can be anyone, fool everyone,

including you.

When I interviewed Manning, that was you.

[Basil] Oh, yes, it was. And you had no clue.

Just as you had no clue the Basil Karlo you found

with a knife in his back was Jack Ellman.

I used his own serum on him before I killed him.

So what is it? Everything you've done, it's all about revenge?

At first. It is a fine motivation for any actor, you must admit.

I find I am growing into the role.

Meaning you've gotten a taste for murder?

I have. And I'm not finished yet.

[Yvonne groaning]

[Basil] One man in his time plays many parts, the Bard said.

I have finally found my last role.

It's ironic that it took me losing my career and my love to see it.

But after a lifetime of playing the heavy,

the thug, the brute, the scoundrel,

I have realized it was perfect casting all along.

Villain is the part I was born to play.

[Yvonne] Oh, for the love of Pete.

I don't believe you.

What? I killed Ellman and Valentine.

- I killed... - I don't believe your performance.

You're chewing on scenery, relying on makeup effects

to enhance weak characterization.

It's insincere, Basil. It's not real.

Not real?

I'll show you real!

[glass shatters]

[suspenseful music plays]

[grunting]

Not to be a primadonna

- but faster would be good. - Working on it.

[suspenseful music continues]

[grunts]

[grunts]

[gasps]

Um, I really don't want to die here.

[creaking]

[grunting]

[shouts]

[shouting]

[grunting]

[groans, sighs]

- [gun cocks] - [Montoya] Don't move.

I don't want to shoot you, but I absolutely will.

[pounding on door]

Police! Everyone, freeze!

- Oh, now you show up? - [crashing]

[Montoya] Damn it!

- You saw that? - Boy, oh, boy, did I see that.

Did the bat just solve the case for you, girlie?

No. You just let the bat escape.

Allow me, Miss Frances. [chuckles]

Thank you, but I've had enough horror in the past few days.

[Montoya on speaker] I know you're still listening.

We're not done, you and me.

[dramatic music plays]

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