Original subtitles

[Shriek]

[Shriek]

Ah ha ha ha!

City life got you down, kiddies?

Looking for a home onderange?

Well, look no further,

because I've got exactly what you want.

It's a charmingtomb with a view.

Think of it as your own little house on thescary.

Ha ha ha!

You're not interested?

What's the matter?

Afraid you can't get amorgue-age?

Oh, well, that's exactly how the woman

in tonight's tortured tale feels.

She's upset because there's a killer loose

in her neighborhood,

in a putrid property I call...

Maniac at large.

You through with the paper old man?

Y-yea.

That so.

Hey check this out another stiff in the park.

Grady.

What's going on here?

You're defacing public property.

Rub that out right now.

[Whispers]

What?

No eraser.

How dare you behave in here like you do in school.

Grady, escort these boys out of the library.

They may return

when they act like civilized youngsters.

Ooh!

Yeow!

Margaret, would you please attend to that?

Bessie.

♪♪ Old MacDonald had a farm ♪♪

Bessie.

♪♪ E-I-e-I-o ♪♪

♪♪ ooh ♪♪♪♪

Now, come on, bessie.

Here we go.

Outside now.

What a sad life.

Yeah, and dangerous,

with that killer walking around the streets.

I tried to get Mrs. pritchard

to let the street people stay in here

until they get that guy.

You know how farthatgot.

You don't like Mrs. pritchard much, do you?

I don't care for the way she treats people.

She's always bossing everybody around,

acting so damn high and mighty.

Well, she is a little abrupt.

You only been here two weeks.

It does get worse.

You really don't want to work late tonight,

now, do you?

Considering what's been going down

in the neighborhood.

Work tonight?

Mrs. pritchard didn't say anything about that to me.

You see?

She's already got authorization

for overtime for both of us.

I heard her on the phone.

Chat, chat, chat.

You two are as bad as the children.

Margaret, could I see you

for a moment in my office?

I have to look at the mural each morning to remind myself

that I work in a library.

Not a sewer.

You should've seen park Lane twenty years ago.

People used to dress up to come in here.

Now we have to hire security guards

to protect the books from the people.

You really shouldn't distract grady, dear.

He has a somewhat limited attention span as it is.

Your encouraging his companionship doesn't help matters.

I wasn't encouraging him.

We were talking about working late tonight.

I didn't know about that.

Yeah, it most have slipped my mind.

I need you to help me

with the inventory for the city book sale.

Is there someone you need to call?

You never mentioned your family do you need to call home?

No! I mean, that's all right. I'll stay.

Oh. Well, good.

I'll order in sandwiches. We can have a picnic.

Oh, and, Margret,

do try and keep your voice down.

Library matters don't come naturally to all of us.

Just remember if you want to talk

you're welcome to come in here and talk.

But out there...

You must be little mice.

Grady didn't I ask you to reset the timer lights?

It's dark out.

I'm getting to it.

[Creak]

Ah!

Ohh...

You startled me.

Can this be checked out?

There's no card in it.

Reference books are for library use only.

Would you give that one to me?

Thank you.

It's a shame, really. Such a fascinating book.

If the police read it, they might understand

what kind of man their serial killer is.

Well, that's what they think he is--

a serial killer--

but he's not.

No. Serial killers are hunters

looking for a particular kind of victim.

Not our killer.

His victims-- they've got nothing in common,

apart from the fact they're all men.

That's pure coincidence, really.

I have a theory about his next victim.

Interested?

You ought to be...

Because the next one's going to be a woman.

Because the next one's going to be a woman.

I mean, what sets him off?

That's what I keep thinking about.

It could be this city that does it,

living in such close quarters to so many strangers,

people you hate,

all of them wanting to hurt you

before you hurt them.

We're like rabbits in a Warren.

They panic when they're frightened.

They get all frenzied.

You know what they do then?

They eat each other.

[Creak]

I can't talk now.

Oh, I quite understand.

Why did you bring that man

into the employees only area?

I--I didn't.

Would you please take these

down to the basement?

[Squeaks]

Ah!

Grady! Grady!

There's a man in the basement

with a knife.

Where?

Over there.

[Banging Billy club]

Aah!

You found my stash.

Ohh...

Hey, now, don't worry.

Ain't nobody down here now...

Except us.

Is there something wrong.

Our new clerk.

She wasn't here at the time of the thefts.

Theft?

Five typewriters.

Ohh...

That's why lieutenant jamison is here.

Is there something wrong?

I saw a man in the basement.

He had a knife. He had this knife.

May I see that?

The knife?

Yes.

Oh, no. A gang boy left this.

I see. You're saying there was another knife?

Yes. I saw this man,

but when grady went down, he was gone.

You're sure you saw that?

You think I'm making this up?

No.

I did not imagine this.

I saw someone in the basement.

Well, here's your victim.

You mean he was ripping a book.

Those hooligans.

I can pick them on vandalism charges but it won't stick.

No those boys where gone before you sent me down here.

It must have been someone else.

It could have been that killer.

It's kids, ma'am, trust me.

It could have been that killer.

Thank you for stopping by, lieutenant jamison.

Absolutely. No problem.

If you have any more trouble,

I want you to call me.

Thank you.

And you, too, ma'am.

You have a good night.

Yes.

Yes.

What a nice man.

There. You see?

There's nothing to worry about.

Mrs. pritchard, there's one more problem.

I don't want to get grady into trouble,

but he's been drinking.

With everything that's been happening,

we ought to have a real security officer.

I've tried to replace grady,

but he's a civil servant.

It's almost impossible.

I've pretty much decided to deal with him

in another way.

Goodness. Look at the time.

But what will we do? We need protection.

You are overreacting, dear.

This serial killer business

sells a lot of newspapers.

Aren't you afraid, though?

I think everybody in this world

gets what he or she deserves.

If you put out fear and negativity,

that's what comes back to call on you.

The library's closing in 10 minutes.

[Knock on door]

Yes.

Should I start locking up now?

No. Margaret and I will handle that.

[Muffled talking]

I did my best!

No, you didn't.

I got those boys out of here!

[Muffled talking]

Forget it!

Forget it!

That man does not know how lucky he is.

I'll just pop out for sandwiches.

Oh, no! Don't go. I'm not even hungry.

Well, I'm starving.

I'll bring you some coffee.

I'll only be a minute.

Here.

Take my keys.

You can lock up if you're so worried.

O.K.

Now I won't be long.

All right.

Good night.

Oh!

Sir!

The library is closed.

I had no idea.

I had no idea.

I made such progress today.

Murders are so fascinating when you get to know them.

May I show you something?

John Reginald halliday christie.

Doesn't look like a killer, does he?

But he was.

Oh...

And a necrophiliac to boot.

Not like our man,

whatever our man looks like.

For all we know,

our killer could be some man in a trench coat

who wears little round glasses.

Then one day, he snaps and goes berserk.

Yeah. I can see our man

working himself up into quite a little frenzy.

It's what you have to do to kill with a knife,

like our man always does.

It's harder than you think to slash a man's throat.

You got to get close,

close enough to feel their breath on your hand

and see their blood spurt out.

Please! Stop.

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you.

I need to close up. I have work to do.

Are you working by yourself?

Yes. No! Mrs. pritchard is working late, also.

I thought she went out.

She's returning.

Should I stay until she returns?

No! I mean, uh... We have a security guard.

Oh. I thought I saw him leave.

It wouldn't be very smart

with this unpleasantness in the park.

The murder last night

took place about this time.

Some poor homeless person,

wandering all alone,

asks the wrong stranger for some change

and, ah!

You really must go. It's after hours.

Oh, um...

I forgot to check this book out.

I'll get it when I come back.

Come back?

Tomorrow.

Oh, tomorrow.

Till tomorrow.

I've really enjoyed talking to you.

I'm not going anyplace after all.

Locked in.

Oh!

I'm sorry. I forgot.

Good night.

Good night.

Be careful, now.

Be careful, now.

[Knocking on window]

Aah!

Let me in.

Let me in!

I have a book here!

[Shouting]

Let me in!

[Banging on window stops]

[Rattling]

Ohh...

[Banging]

[Mrs. pritchard] Margaret!

[Banging]

Margaret!

Oh, thank God you're back.

What is going on?

He was first at the front door,

then he was at the back.

It was that maniac.

He wanted me to open the door.

Of course, I wouldn't.

He was huge. He was all hunched over.

Oh, that's Mr. garvin.

I let him in after 9:00. He works late.

Poor man has a bone disorder.

See? He was just dropping off some books.

I'm sure there is no one out there.

He is out there.

I tried to use the telephone,

but that maniac cut the wires.

Iturned the phone off.

The switch is underneath I'll show you.

You cut the phone off?

On purpose?

It's so distracting--

well, we are closed after all.

Come on upstairs, dear.

I want to talk to you.

I know you're upset about these murders.

But, I can assure you you're quite safe here.

The newspapers have built up this maniac character.

"He did this. He did that"--

what nonsense.

What if it isn't a man?

It could easily be a woman.

That'd surprise everyone, wouldn't it?

Where's grady?

Hmm?

You sent him away, didn't you?

Maybe... Maybe you killed him.

What?

Yeah. You hated him.

You hate everyone.

You said yourself people get what they deserve.

And you think he deserved to die.

You think I'mthe murderer?

And now you want to kill me.

That's ridiculous. Calm down.

What are you doing?

Let go of me! Let go!

No!

Ah!

Ah!

Aah!

I knew you were after me,

just like all the rest.

Like all the others.

But I'm not afraid anymore. I showed you!

Mrs. pritchard?

I was checking the back doors when I heard the alarm.

Well, I guess I have to resign,

move on again.

Ha!

I liked it here,

but this city made me nervous...

So much crime.

I don't like being afraid all the time.

Ha ha!

I'm sorry about giving such short notice.

I hope you won't think too badly of me.

Well, kiddies, I guess that's knife in the big city for you.

Hee hee hee!

Boy, do I feel sorry for Margaret.

Looks like it's one dead-end job after another.

Ha ha ha!

You'll be happy to know that I made a sale.

The negotiations were fierce,

but after I threw in a couple ofachers,

the rest was easy.

Hee hee hee!

There goes the neighboohood.

Ha ha ha ha ha!