All language subtitles for MrSWr811

Tonight on Murder, She Wrote.

There are three things you can never get enough of, Lieutenant:

chocolate, friends, and the theater.

Is the dance cursed?

Watch out. Behind you. Watch out.

What could you have been thinking?

It’s the third beat, third beat, just do it.

I hope there is a curse on this dance, and you die.

But one more incident like this

and all bets are off.

Yeah, young lady was murdered all right, but we don’t even know how.

Say hello to our murderer.

The maiden is beautiful.

Her love is strong and brave and they're very much in love.

But, in ballet the course of true love

never does run smooth.

Very soon they encounter trouble.

Its name is death.

The young man fights valiantly to save his love.

He fails and death takes them both.

But then, their spirits rise again

and they go off to some happy place where they can be together forever.

Even death cannot triumph over love.

Not yet, not yet.

In this particular case, death had the final say.

A short time later, the ballerina died.

This was only the second time in history

that Danse Diabolique had been performed

and it was the second time that the lead ballerina died.

Was it a heart attack?

Why, yes, it was.

Ah, yes, well, that would explain it.

I noticed at the latter part of the dance

she seemed to be having some trouble with her left arm.

She even clutched at it as if she was in pain.

Of course, in the heat of the dance

she must have tried to ignore it.

You said it was the second time that a ballerina had died?

Correct.

The dance was first performed in Russia over 100 years ago.

It was created for a dancer who was rumored to be the Czar’s mistress.

But immediately after the first performance

she collapsed and died.

The Czar was so distraught,

he ordered the dance never to be seen again.

Which you just saw was the second attempt in Paris in 19two8.

Needless to say that the production was never mounted.

So, you can well imagine

that the revival we’re planning here in San Francisco

should be quite an event.

Twice the dance has been performed,

twice the ballerina has died.

Is the dance cursed?

Many think so.

Given the colorful history,

where on earth are you going to find someone to dance the key role?

Right here,

Claudia Cameron, prima ballerina

and I am proud to say also, Mrs. Geoffrey Presser.

Claudia will play the doomed maiden.

Her lover will be portrayed

by an astounding new talent, Mr. Damien Bolo.

And back with us after a two-year hiatus,

Edward Hale, who will not only portray death,

but also recreate the original choreography.

My friends, it’s expensive to maintain a ballet company.

We’re not as well-known as others.

That’s why we’re hoping that this mysterious little ballet

will bring us the public acclaim that we need.

So, please, tell your friends.

For now, you’re all invited to stay and see the very first rehearsal

of Danse Diabolique.

If you’ll move down to the first rows, we’ll begin.

Thank you.

Okay, Claudia, you’re centerstage in your garden.

Here’s your friend Lily.

Something amusing, Lily?

Just hearing you referred to as "young maiden,"

it was either to laugh or faint.

All right, all right, just a moment.

Barry,

I need the stage right flat up and out of here.

It can’t be done. The pulley system isn’t working right now.

Well, get it out of here somehow.

How? We need repairs.

We need to do ropes, winches, everything.

- The whole stage is falling apart. - Barry, we’ll discuss it later.

All right, ladies, from the top.

And...

Watch out! Behind you!

Please check that winch before you let this down.

Pick up these pieces.

Uh, friends, don’t be alarmed.

This happens in the best of theaters.

This is a grand old place,

but it does need a bit of refurbishing.

Now, if you’ll be patient for a few minutes

you’ll get to see the very first rehearsal.

Thank you.

Lily?

Do, do you think maybe we could just have dinner sometime?

I think that’ll just make things more difficult, don’t you, Barry?

Just dinner, you know. I just want to talk, that’s all.

And it’ll just be worse if we see each other.

Every time I think of you and Edward together,

I feel like I can’t breathe.

So, tell the truth, Jessica.

It was not the world’s most auspicious debut, was it?

Well, if I remember correctly,

it wasn’t any worse than what happened in Italy five years ago.

Oh, please don’t remind me. What a nightmare that was.

Well, it was a two-year nightmare that got five awards.

I mean, beginnings are always a little difficult.

She’s right, you know.

We’ve gone through much more difficult times than this.

With the help of our good luck charm here.

"Our" good luck charm?

Jessica was my friend long before you even met her.

Possession, darling, is 9/10ths of the law.

Oh, please.

If this keeps up,

one of us is gonna have to leave the room.

Never.

So, say that you will help us.

Will you be our good luck charm?

It would help ease people’s minds about the curse.

Oh, come now, you don’t really believe.

No.

But the others, the backers, the cast,

theater people are a remarkably superstitious lot.

But with your reputation,

it would make everyone feel so much more secure.

Well, I am here on a book tour, as you know, but, um...

well, all right, you’ve got yourself a curse buster.

Lily, a word of advice.

Don’t ever, ever talk to me the way you did yesterday.

I have spent a lifetime earning my title as prima

and you will treat me with the respect that I am due.

And above all,

you will not embarrass the company in front of the patrons.

Do you understand?

Oh, yes, Madame.

But since we’re not in front of patrons now

let me tell you something.

You doing this role is ludicrous.

Why, the audience is gonna think that Damien is dancing with his mother.

Now if you really cared about the future of this company,

you’d retire gracefully

and leave the good roles to those of us

who are young enough to do them some justice.

Mrs. Fletcher?

Geoffrey told me you’re gonna be with us during rehearsals.

If I can help answer any questions.

Well, thank you.

This must be very exciting for you,

especially well--

Well, after having been out of the scene for so long.

Very kind and very diplomatic.

I suppose Geoffrey and Claudia have told you all the gory details.

Well, just that there had been a problem.

I’m surprised.

It’s not exactly a secret.

This ballet means a lot to me.

Well, it’s my second chance.

I messed up a couple of years ago.

Learned the hard way that swallowing pills stops at aspirin

and remedies for upset stomach.

But I'm back on track now

and I owe it to Geoff to make this the best ballet I can.

If you can help get this thing off the ground, well,

you need anything, anything at all, you just say the word.

I will remember that. Thank you.

- Thank you. - And good luck.

That’s how it works.

At least that’s the way it’s supposed to work.

But I'm afraid nothing ever runs the way it should around here.

Now, do I have this right?

The flat that fell was on this line?

That’s the one.

And the lock on the pulley broke?

Snapped open.

I’m surprised it hasn’t happened before.

You know, when I was still dancing

I never gave a thought to what went on backstage.

Now, I realize how important it is.

I was lifting this... this ballerina.

Her weight shifted just enough to throw me off balance.

They hadn’t cleared the chairs in front of the stage.

So, when I fell...

Anyway, I had, uh, four reconstructive surgeries.

None of them took.

I’m so sorry.

That happens.

Anyway, Geoffrey gave me this job,

overseeing the backstage area.

Well, you’re obviously very good at it.

They're lucky to have you.

Thank you.

It’s nice to be appreciated.

Hold your stomachs...

Now... are you still sure you can’t do it?

Lily, it’s not that simple.

It’s not even up to me.

I’m not asking for just myself, I'm asking for both of us.

You know it’s the right thing.

- Lily, I don’t think I can do it. - Of course you can. You can insist.

He’ll listen to you.

You can talk about how important this ballet is

to the future of the company,

how your reputation is on the line.

He can’t afford to make mistakes now.

And if you don’t, dearest Edward,

you know what could happen.

So... you’ll do it?

No, no, no, Claudia.

You’re trynna continue your turn to the fourth beat.

You need to stop on the third beat.

But it feels awkward to me.

Look, I got no problem making on the fourth beat.

Claudia! Can you do the dance the way I'm choreographing it?

Because if you can’t we’re gonna have to think about that.

You know we’re trying to be faithful to the original.

But it-- it just isn’t--

Claudia, it’s the third beat!

It doesn’t require quantum physics.

It’s the third beat, third beat, just do it!

You don’t have to shout.

All right, everyone, that’s it for today.

Geoffrey, I need to talk to you.

Be here at nine o’clock sharp.

I think you’re dancing the wrong role, Lily.

Am I?

Yes.

That’s my choreography and I don’t require an understudy.

I couldn’t agree more.

And what is that supposed to mean?

Do you mind? I’m trying to concentrate.

- Listen, I’ve had just about enough of-- - Claudia?

Geoffrey, you have to put an end to this.

She’s going around criticizing me and insulting me.

Claudia, can we discuss this in your dressing room, please?

No.

I want you to talk to her right here.

Please don’t make this anymore difficult than it is for me.

What are you talking about?

I’ve discussed it with Edward.

He feels that-- no we both feel,

that in the best interest of the company

that the part should be done by a younger dancer.

Now listen, you’ve been having problems with the steps,

we both know that.

You’ve been fighting with Edward.

It’s all for the best.

Please, come.

You little witch!

I hope there is a curse on this dance

and that it comes true... and you die.

Jessica, rehearsal is about to start.

Geoffrey, I think we better talk, first.

Fine.

Shall we adjourn to my office?

The truth is, Geoffrey,

something has been bothering me ever since that accident.

I didn’t figure out what it was until just now

when I reached in to the pulley that controlled the flat that fell.

You see, it’s impossible to reach that particular pulley

without rubbing your shoulder against the blackboard

getting chalk dust on your clothes.

I guess I noticed chalk dust

because of all the years I spent teaching school

and I brushed chalk dust off your shoulder

just before that flat crashed to the stage.

Geoffrey, what could you have been thinking?

Well, I knew that the flat wouldn’t come anywhere near the dancers.

They were in no danger. I was watching from my seat.

And I thought...

maybe the papers could get a story out of it.

Use the curse to get a little publicity.

I can’t imagine that from you.

I didn’t do it for me. I--

I did it for them, all these young people who work so hard.

They’ve studied and practiced and sacrificed

and dance is their whole life.

Of course, it was foolish of me.

I see that now.

But I didn’t know what else to do.

Please, say that you won’t abandon us,

that you’ll in the audience on Friday night.

I’ll have to think about it.

Thank you.

I’ll respect any decision you make.

As I take the skull toward Damien, you take your xxx,

pull me away, try to save him.

Not so high, Lily. You look like the statue of liberty.

Now I take it away. Damien, take her around the waist.

Will you be careful?

It’s like trying to hoist a small elk.

She’s not using her stomach. She’s not helping me at all.

You want me to do my work and yours?

All right, Damien, this is simple.

You know, working with Claudia was like handling silk.

It was effortless.

This one is all angles and elbows.

If you can’t do the job, simply tell us, and we’ll find someone else.

"We’ll"? All of a sudden

you sound like you’re in charge of the whole company.

I’ll be in my dressing room.

Let me know when you’re ready to act like professionals.

All right, everybody, let’s take a break.

After that I want everybody ready to work!

How could you do it, Geoffrey, huh?

How could you remove someone who is all grace and beauty

and replace her with that awkward, irritating adolescent?

Damien, we are three days away from the Backer’s show.

I know you’re on edge.

Now, can’t we pull together on this?

Fine. Okay, fine.

But one more incident like this and all bets are off.

- Jessica. - Claudia, please come inside.

Forgive me for coming without calling.

You see I wanted to ask forgiveness for Geoffrey.

He told me what he did.

He made an error in judgment and--

Please don’t hold it against him.

We’re all very tense right now, Geoff, Damien.

I mean, even Edward is snapping at everyone

and that’s just not like him at all.

Please, dear, sit down.

It must be very difficult for you

having your husband replace you.

No one lasts forever... Not in ballet.

It takes a terrible toll.

Youth is everything.

Ballet loves the young.

You know, Claudia...

I wasn’t exactly a teenager when I started writing.

Try not to accept defeat so easily.

I mean, you must have other options.

But I don’t know how to do anything else but dance.

And apparently, I'm too old for that.

Listen, maturity and experience are benefits.

They’re not disadvantages.

Your talent, your dedication, are priceless resources.

You have so much to give, you know.

Perhaps.

Will you come Friday night for the Backer’s audition?

I’ve already made up my mind.

Thank you.

Will you join me in my box?

I’d love to.

And, please, think about what I've said, will you?

Damn it. We don’t have enough time.

Come on, everyone, we’re opening tomorrow night.

Let’s get on stage.

Where’s Lily?

Well, she knew when the call was.

Maybe she just thinks the rules are for the others.

- Barry! - Yes?

Find Lily and tell her she has two minutes to get on stage.

Lily, everyone is waiting--

What do you mean barging in here like that?

I was sent to tell you to get on stage.

Well, you have delivered your message and you may leave now.

Just tell Edward that Miss Roland will be on stage shortly.

Oh, good.

As soon as she can get herself dressed, maybe we can get a rehearsal in.

Damien Bolo.

Damien Bolo.

Damien Bolo?

Excuse me... Oh, Damien Bolo.

Yes, yes, his dressing room is right there, number four.

- Thanks. - Jessica, thank you for coming.

It means so much.

Well, I hope that everything goes well for all of you.

I’m gonna go out front now and join Claudia in her box.

Haven’t I made it clear enough to you we’re through?

- I’m in love with Edward. - Oh, yeah?

You don’t seem to have any problem playing around with Geoff Presser.

Ah, God... you’re really out of control now.

Look, I'm sorry you got hurt.

I’m sorry you can’t dance anymore.

But none of that has anything to do with me.

So, if you’ll excuse me, I'd like to get on with my life.

It’s only just begun.

She’s really very good.

Close the curtain.

Curtain.

- She’s dead. - It’s happened again.

The curse has come true.

Poor Lily. I just can’t forgive myself.

I think it’s a little early to take personal blame.

Geoffrey Presser?

I’m Lieutenant Kinicki. You’re in charge here?

Yes, Lieutenant.

- We took care not to disturb anything. - Good.

You may want to take a look at the young woman’s hands.

She seems to have sustained a puncture wound,

probably caused from grasping a thorn on the rose

that she used in her dance.

I’ll expect you want to test the rose for poison.

And you are?

Jessica Fletcher.

I thought that was you.

My wife reads all your books. I heard you were in town.

Wait a minute. There’s something wrong here.

We always used a fake rose, this one’s real.

- Who could have switched it? - Anybody.

I put the props out backstage.

They sit there for 30 minutes until the ballet starts.

I’m sorry, Barry, but I couldn’t help but hear you and Lily

having quite an argument tonight.

That wasn’t anything.

Are you sure?

What’s that supposed to mean?

Lieutenant, Barry and Lily used to live together.

He injured his knee while they were dancing.

It ended his career and their affair.

She said that he never forgave her.

She was terrified of him.

When did she tell you that, Geoffrey?

When you were fooling around with her in the dressing room?

Don’t be ridiculous.

I walked in on you. Lily was half naked.

You looking guilty as sin. I suppose that was completely innocent.

Of course, it was.

She called me, she said she had a problem with her costume.

When I got there she--

Well, Lily was young and uninhibited.

She wasn’t fully clothed.

Dressing rooms in theaters are like that.

Um, I suggest that we move her to a rehearsal room,

clear the crime scene

and allow you some privacy for your questioning.

- That’s an excellent idea. - Yeah.

Everyone follow me. Quietly please.

Now, let me get this straight.

You caused a flat to fall on the stage even though there were people present

to get publicity for your show?

Yes, but I, uh, I knew exactly where it would fall.

I was sitting there, I was watching.

I, I knew it wouldn’t hurt anyone.

Seems to me, Mr. Presser,

a dead ballerina gets a lot of publicity.

Oh, please.

Oh, God.

I'm not capable of something like that. No.

On the other hand, Geoffrey,

I never would have thought you capable of fooling around with Lily.

I didn’t. You ought to know better.

Claudia, forgive me, but I have to ask you this.

You were late getting to your seat tonight.

You said that you were tied up in traffic,

but your car was at the theater

oh, at least a half hour before the show began.

Well, yes.

I got a terrible headache and I ended up by walking eight blocks

to try and find an aspirin.

Am I a suspect?

From what I’ve heard so far this evening, Miss Presser,

you certainly had a cause to dislike the young lady.

Well, that’s nonsense.

I mean, it happens all the time.

You don’t go around killing someone for that.

Well, folks, the sergeant’s got your names and numbers.

You all can go on home, but, uh, don’t leave San Francisco.

I want you available for questioning.

Come in.

Am I disturbing you?

Uh, Mrs. Fletcher. No, not at all.

I know what a terrible evening this has been for everyone,

but I did wanna tell you

that I thought you danced exceptionally well.

Well, it seems pretty irrelevant now...

in light of everything that’s happened.

Damien, when you picked up the rose off the prop table

were you aware that it was a real flower?

Uh, no. No.

You see,

just before a performance you get so wound up.

You know, the adrenaline is flowing.

I just picked it up off the prop table.

I didn’t even look at it.

Didn’t even notice the thorns?

I was so tense,

I could’ve been handling a porcupine and not even notice.

Oh, look at those lovely flowers.

My goodness, you’ve got very thoughtful friends.

Oh, my, I saw these ones being delivered.

Aren’t they gorgeous?

Oh, there’s no card with them.

A friend sent them, an admirer.

That’s strange.

There’s only 11 roses here.

People usually send 12.

Well, I was lucky to get them at all.

Eleven, 12, what’s the difference?

Well, the difference is obviously one rose.

Thank you for your time, Damien.

Edward, are you all right?

Yeah, I guess so.

I’m just thinking about what might have been.

I thought I'd found the girl that I wanted to marry.

Both those dreams died tonight with Lily.

You and Lily were planning to marry?

I loved her.

I know she was difficult... and headstrong.

But she wanted so much to succeed, to be someone.

Now it’s, it's all gone.

I’m so sorry.

Yes, ma’am.

Oh, I'm mystified.

I just can’t imagine what happened.

I specifically called and y'all had plenty of time.

Ma’am?

Well, I ordered a dozen roses to be delivered

from here last night to the ballet.

It was so important and they never arrived.

Now, everything is ruined, absolutely ruined.

Well, I just can’t imagine how that happened.

All our deliveries went out yesterday.

Who was the order to be delivered to?

Well, they were going to Damien Bolo at the Chancellor Theatre.

And you are?

Well, I'm distraught. I mean, I'm really distraught.

Ma’am?

Oh, is that the new hybrid orchid, the Miltonia?

Yes, yes, it is.

Oh, it is so striking, isn’t it?

Well, uh...

according to this the roses were delivered on time.

Oh, may I?

Well, this is weird.

Oh! This, this can’t be right.

Uh, what is? I mean, is it.

Well, these dozen roses were supposed to be delivered to Damien Bolo

and he signed for them,

but according to this

the roses were also ordered by Damien Bolo.

That can’t be right, can it?

I mean, why would anyone want to send roses to himself?

Well, that, my dear, is a very good question.

And when I checked with the florist,

I found that you had sent those roses to yourself.

Which is the only way you could be certain you had the right color rose available

to switch with the fake rose before the dance, right?

Yes, okay.

I, I thought it would serve her right.

Just to embrace the rose.

Thought it would be quite a shock to find out

that the thorns were real, wouldn’t it?

I thought it would pay her back

for all the trouble she had given me during rehearsal.

And did you poison the thorns?

No! No, I swear.

Look, I just put the rose on the prop table and I walked away.

Well, don’t plan on leaving town, son.

Come in.

I’m sorry to interrupt, Lieutenant,

but I thought you should look at these reports.

Good. Have a seat.

It’s the lab and autopsy results on the Lily Roland death.

She died of poisoning, all right.

Probably something called thallium, a fast acting neuro-inhibitor.

And was it introduced into her body through the punctures in her hand?

It sure was.

And what about that? And get this.

It turns out there wasn’t any poison on the thorns of that rose

or any poison anywhere on that rose

or the skull, or any of the other props,

her clothes, her makeup, her shoes.

How astonishing.

Yeah, young lady was murdered all right,

but we don’t even know how, much less, who.

Miss Fletcher, we’ve been through these costumes

- three times now. No sharp instruments. - I know.

- No poison. - Yes, I know.

- What are we looking for? - Well, I really don’t know.

I guess you must do things differently.

I mean, because here we kind of like to have an idea

what we’re looking for

before we spend couple of hours going through stinky costumes.

Lieutenant, what does that smell like to you?

Grease.

Yes.

Heavy lubricating oil,

like the kind they use on machinery,

heavy gearing systems.

Lieutenant, shall we go?

Go where?

To the movies.

Miss Fletcher, this is my sixth cup of coffee.

I’m gonna be awake for a week.

Well, I did suggest that decaf might be better, Lieutenant.

Well, I don’t like decaf.

Now if I just understood why we were doing this

it might help keep my interest up just a little.

Well, it’s just that...

there’s something I can’t quite put my finger on that’s not right.

Yeah, it’s all these guys prancing around in their long underwear.

- Woops, that’s it. - That’s what?

Oh, jeez, don’t you have this part memorized?

This is where the guy comes up with the hood.

He’s got a skull. He waves it all over the place.

Yes, that’s it, that’s it.

That’s what?

Well, didn’t you see what happened?

Yeah, a bunch of people jumping around, flapping their arms

which they do a lot of in ballet.

Oh, no, no.

It was much more than that.

Yeah, shall we be off?

- Off where? - To the theater, of course.

We just left the theater.

There are three things you can never get enough of, Lieutenant:

chocolate, friends, and the theater.

I’m 46 years old, I've been to the theater one time in the third grade.

Now, I'm a patriot of the arts.

Watch the steps.

Maybe we should stand in the middle here

so our clothes don’t get caught in the machinery.

- You hold on to this. - Yeah.

And--

That’s the control.

Will you start the elevator, Lieutenant?

Stop, stop.

Lieutenant, say hello to our murderer.

The police have given us permission to continue rehearsals.

And I think it will be better for all of us

if we keep on working.

Now, fortunately, we still have some of the seed money

from the backers who were here on Friday night.

And what do you have in mind this time, Geoffrey?

Well, obviously, we have to go on to something else.

So, I was thinking of reviving Cinderella.

- Oh, no. - That’s original.

I know, I know, it’s not our favorite,

but the public loves it.

Right now we need something solid.

I’ll post the assignments

and we’ll start rehearsals tomorrow at nine o’clock.

Make it two o’clock.

Two o’clock, why so late?

Because there’s a maintenance crew coming in the morning.

The insurance company is cracking down on us.

They will not honor our policy unless we repair the stage systems.

I hope that we can put these tragic events behind us... and go on.

That’s what I want

and I would like to think that you all feel the same way.

Thanks, everyone.

Is this what you were looking for, Edward?

We didn’t think you’d catch that skull, Mr. Hale.

I think you were afraid if you did

you might puncture your palms with the needles

that you’d embedded in the cheek bones.

- What needles? - The ones you used to poison Lily.

That was very clever, Mr. Hale.

I mean, all the time there were two skulls,

the harmless one on the prop table and, uh, this one.

This one, of course, you hid in the shaft and picked it up on the ride up,

put it back on the way back down. It was very clever.

We thought that you might be concerned

that the maintenance crew would find it tomorrow

and you simply confirmed what we suspected.

I’m sorry, but I don’t understand any of this.

Edward, when I was examining everyone’s costumes

I saw your sleevewas stained with oil,

the kind they usedon the gear systems.

Now, that made me think about your ride up and down that platform.

But, it was the old film that really clinched it.

You made such a point, Edward, that you were doing the ballet

exactly as it had originally been staged,

but the film showed the ballerina never touching the skull.

Yet, you staged the dance so that Lily would clutch the skull.

The onewith the needles that you lacedwith thallium.

Puncturing her palms

and killing her within a matter of seconds.

That’s crazy.

Why would I want Lily dead?

We loved each other.

When we first met you mentioned having been in a drug rehab program.

Yeah, everybody knew that.

Well, then since it was old news

Lily couldn’t have been blackmailing you with that, could she?

Unless it wasn’t old news any longer

which would explain your mood swings lately.

This show was my last chance.

If word got out that I was on pills again, I'd be finished.

And nobody knew.

Except Lily.

She started pushing me to get Claudia’s role... and I did it.

And then when I saw her with Geoffrey,

I figured she was gonna dump me just like she dumped Barry.

I couldn’t let that happen.

I just wanted one thing in my life to go right.

Okay. Let’s go, son.

It just seems so hard to believe.

Yes, I don’t think anything quite so terrible

has ever happened to us.

Thank God, we have this new project to keep us busy,

which reminds me, rehearsal's at two o’clock.

Well, I won’t be there, Geoffrey.

I’ve taken on a new job as teacher of dance

for the city’s recreation system.

Are you serious?

You’re gonna be teaching in schools and gymnasiums?

I’ll be working with disadvantaged children.

And who knows, maybe I'll find the next Claudia Cameron.

Wouldn’t that be something?

Jessica, would you please talk some sense into her?

Well, I think she’s doing just fine on her own.

You see, Geoffrey,

I wanted to do something where maturity and experience were advantages,

not burdens.

I’m not getting any older, just better.

Did I forget anything?

I think you’ve covered just everything.

Ladies, I bow to superior wisdom.

To maturity and experience.

Cheers.