Original subtitles

(dramatic music)

(birds chirping)

(soft music)

- Mrs. Cornfield?

Mrs. Cornfield?

Mrs. Cornfield?

Mrs. Cornfield.

(crowd rumbling)

(gasping)

- [George] Well?

- [Betty] George, it's marvelous.

- [George] It would cost a small fortune to buy,

but I made it out of bits and pieces.

- Tommy will love it.

- [George] Especially for the sporting programs,

and it's so simple.

All you do is, press a button and the action freezes.

Press it again.

- Sheila.

- Tommy is coming home.

- [George] What?

- Next month, home for good.

- Thank God.

- [Sheila] What's more, he's got three weeks' leave.

- Three weeks. - Marvelous.

- [Betty] That's wonderful news.

- He wants me to go ahead and fix the wedding right away.

- Oh my dear.

Congratulations.

So much to do, so much to arrange.

George, darling.

It isn't that much of a surprise.

Ever since they were children, we knew it was inevitable.

- It'll be the wedding of the year.

- There is so much to do.

I must phone the vicar,

and we must make out some wedding business.

- The first thing you'll do is to get a bottle of champagne.

- Champagne, what a marvelous idea.

But then after that, we really must get down to work.

- You won't be losing him altogether, you know.

What with my family right next door and visiting

and things, you'll get sick of the sight of us.

- It's what Tommy wants, that's all that matters.

He's a very lucky boy.

- What are you working on now?

- It's for Tommy.

It's a stop-action device, I'll show you.

- Oh, that's fantastic.

- It's quite simple.

- Well it doesn't look it.

How did you manage to make it?

- Works on all channels.

- Really?

- I've had enough of that.

- If we make it for the 16th, it would coincide--

Tommy!

(dramatic music)

(car passing)

- [Grace] Sheila!

- Did you have a good trip?

- Oh, it was terrific.

Haven't seen you in ages.

Look at that house.

- Yes, it is good, isn't it?

(giggling)

- I see Sheila's friend has arrived, the American girl.

You know, the one Sheila met last year in Paris.

She's over here on some study course or something.

Sheila told us.

She'll be here some weeks.

Good thing, with Sheila's family away,

it'll be company for her.

- Yes.

- [Betty] We should ask them over.

- [Sheila] I'm afraid it's a bit like camping out inside.

- [Grace] Oh, it's terrific.

- It's too late to change things.

You see, Mummy and Daddy has already planned their holiday

and arranged for the house to be redecorated.

Then, I found out you were coming.

- Sheila, it's great.

I imagine the bathroom's unaffected.

- The bathroom and kitchen there,

so at least we can eat and stay clean.

It's just sitting and sleeping that's going to be difficult.

Oh, and you don't mind sharing a bed?

- Oh no.

You should have seen my place in Boston.

Anyway, I don't plan on spending much time indoors.

I wanna get out and beat the great British public.

- Starting with the Cornfields.

- Great, who are they?

- Our next-door neighbors.

And the nicest people you could wish to meet.

- That's right, you wrote me about them.

And, um,

this must have been Tommy Cornfield?

- Yes.

- I'm still not quite sure what a study course is, Grace.

- Well, you see, I'm taking social studies as part

of my psychology degree, and I thought it would be useful

to study the social setup of a foreign country.

Well, it was also a fantastic way to get a trip to England

and to see Sheila again.

- It sounds more like fun than study.

Don't you think so, George.

- Hmm?

- [Betty] Grace's trip to this country.

- Oh, yes, I hope you'll be very happy here, Miss Worth,

very happy.

If you'll excuse me, I'm very tired.

Very happy.

- I'm sorry about George.

You see, after our son was killed--

- You don't need to explain, Mrs. Cornfield.

Sheila already did.

Anyway, I'm exhausted, jet lag.

- Will we see you again?

- Oh yes, Sheila said that's the norm around here.

- You're always welcome, always.

- Thank you.

Sheila.

- Good night, Mrs. Cornfield. - Good night, Sheila.

(bird calling)

(door closing)

- Hit them really hard, didn't it?

- He was their only son.

- I know, but it's been what, now, four months?

- Four months and three days.

- The wound should have healed by now.

- You didn't know Tommy.

He was, well, he was like life.

Oh, Grace, I miss him so much.

- You'll find someone else.

- No.

- Yes, you will, believe me.

That's the way life is.

It takes away, but it also gives.

You'll find someone else.

(mysterious music)

(clock ticking)

- George, darling.

It's getting late.

It might help if you could start making things again.

Other things.

- What's the point?

- Go back to work.

Only on a part-time basis, of course.

You're still young, and good architects aren't easy to find.

- You've been talking to Dr. Harper.

- Yes.

- He retired me.

- I know, dear, but this terrible depression you're in,

he thinks that, well, maybe one or two days a week

might help you to forget things.

- Forget Tommy, is that what you mean?

- Darling, we're only trying to do--

(doorbell ringing)

Who on Earth can that be?

(dramatic music)

Tommy!

Tommy.

- Good evening, Mrs. Cornfield.

Sorry to disturb you so late, but the chap who gave me

a lift dropped me on the other side of town.

I did think of going back,

but to be so near and not to see you.

- Who is it, Betty?

- You made that, didn't you, sir?

Every screw bolt.

It's even more impressive than I imagined.

Oh, I'm Marty, Marty Fuller.

I was a friend of Tommy's.

- A friend of Tommy's, come in, lad, come in.

I'm, uh, well then you know who I am.

- Couldn't mistake you, sir.

Tommy was very explicit about his old man.

Oh, I'm terribly sorry, I didn't mean to be--

- I know what you meant.

I expect you're cold.

Would you like a drink or coffee or something?

- A drink would be most welcome.

The living room.

French windows to the garden.

Picture painted by Mrs. Cornfield's sister.

And the drinks cabinet right there.

- What would you like, Mr. Fuller?

- Oh, a scotch would be most welcome.

And please, Marty.

I see you got rid of that yellow-striped wallpaper.

I told you, Tommy was very explicit.

It's like coming home.

(dramatic music)

- Nothing.

- What do you expect?

This isn't he army anymore, it's a holiday camp.

Come and go as they please, grow their hair long,

well that's not my army.

- He took the stuff with him then?

- Of course he did.

- To use or to sell?

- Well you'll work it out.

We'll catch up with him sooner or later.

- Bound to.

- Only it's not him so much.

It's that stuff he took.

- I was there with him the whole time.

He didn't know at first that there was no hope.

Then he did.

He spoke of you two the whole time.

He said over and over again that you shouldn't mourn him.

Just remember the pleasant times.

Think of him with happiness.

- He was so badly hurt, did he feel it?

- [Marty] He didn't feel any pain at all.

The drugs I pumped into him saw to that.

And my hand.

And suddenly his grip relaxed.

Just like that, he didn't feel a thing.

- Thank God.

- He spoke of you two the whole time.

That was nothing new, though.

Ever since I met Tommy, he was always talking of you two.

This house, his life here.

He'd read your letters out to me.

See, I'm an orphan, I don't have any folks of my own,

so he'd read your letters out to me.

I sort of shared Tommy's life with you for a while,

and I'm very proud of that.

- You stayed with him the whole time?

- That's my job, I'm a medic.

- Yes, but there must have been others there.

You stayed with him until the end?

- He was the best friend I ever had.

- And you were the best friend he ever had.

- Well, I'm glad I told you.

I promised him I would.

I was going to write, but then it seemed so much better

to call by, and I had to wait for leave.

Well, I must let you two good people get to bed.

- Where are you rushing off to?

- Up north, I have an aunt up there.

- Not tonight, surely, you must have missed the last train.

- Well I'll get there eventually.

By rule of thumb.

- But do you have to rush off?

- Why not spend the night here?

- Yes.

- Well.

- And I'm sure Sheila will want to meet you.

- Sheila, my gosh, I completely forgot to mention her.

Tommy spoke of her too.

- [George] She'll be hopping mad if she doesn't see you.

- [Betty] One night can't make that much difference.

- Well, I would like to meet Sheila.

- It's settled then, you'll stay with us until tomorrow.

- That's very kind of you.

I'm an easy guest, I can sleep right here.

- Nonsense, you'll sleep in a bed.

- Tommy's bed is made up.

- Yes, you can have Tommy's room.

These should fit you.

You're about the same size.

- Maybe an inch taller, but you're going to so much trouble.

- Tommy would've wanted it.

I know he would've wanted it.

- Yes.

- Oh, the bathroom is--

- Is turn right, just along the corridor on the left.

I know.

- Sleep well, son.

- [Marty] You're very kind.

- Good night.

- Good night, Marty.

- Just like the old days.

- Where are you going now?

- [George] You go to bed, I've got things to do.

(soft music)

(birds chirping)

(dramatic music)

(screaming)

(buzzing)

- It was for Tommy.

He was always going on about waking up in the morning

and seeing something cheerful.

I thought, his face.

- I'm terribly sorry, sir, old habits, you know.

- No it was silly, it startled you.

- No, it's really very good.

- I worked all night to finish it.

- You're a genius, Mr. Cornfield.

An absolute genius.

- Yes, yes, I'll tell her, bye.

- [Sheila] What was that?

- It was Mrs. Cornfield.

She wants us to come over as soon as we're ready.

- [Sheila] What for?

- To meet Marty someone, a friend of Tommy's.

- A friend of Tommy's.

(soft music)

- Until now, I only had his words to describe you.

And the photographs, but they don't do you justice.

They were a travesty of justice, Sheila.

- You knew Tommy well?

- They were the best of friends.

- He was with Tommy when he died.

- He spoke of you.

- [Sheila] You're very like him.

- Isn't he, though?

- Oh, I didn't know the pace in Britain was supposed--

Excuse me.

- You must be Grace, the American girl.

- [Betty] This is Marty.

- Fuller, Marty'll do just fine, hello, Grace.

- Hello.

- Grace Worth, isn't it?

Mrs. Cornfield told me, you're here on a study course,

gonna be around for a few weeks.

- You seem to know a great deal for a stranger, Mr. Fuller.

- Marty is no stranger.

He was Tommy's best friend.

- [Sergeant] Morning, sir.

- I thought you'd turn up.

Here's a list of the stuff he took.

And it would be in a case like this.

- Anything here dangerous, sir?

- All drugs are dangerous in the wrong hands, Sergeant.

But those two could be dynamite.

- Addictive? - Poisonous.

- Anything here he could sell, sir.

- No, that's the funny thing.

We keep morphine, of course, but it wasn't taken.

- Is that where he worked?

- It's empty.

- Not quite empty, sir.

- Dear Son.

Da da da da da, Love, Mother.

Well that tells us a lot.

- That's right.

Love, Mother, doesn't have a mother, no family at all.

An address and no name.

- It obviously belongs to somebody else.

Nothing to do with him.

- Probably.

All the same.

- That was all he said?

- That's enough, isn't it, Sheila?

Shows that Tommy was thinking of you right up,

right up until the last moment.

- Yes, thank you for telling me.

You are very like Tommy.

- [George] Another drink, Marty?

- Oh, thanks.

- Where do you go from here, Mr. Fuller?

- [Marty] Go?

- I mean, where's home?

I imagine your family is probably--

- [George] He has no family.

- [Betty] Just an aunt, isn't that right, Marty?

- Oh, she's not even that really.

She's not a blood relative.

You see, I'm an orphan, I don't have any folks of my own.

She's just the woman who brought me up

from when I was about 14.

She's just the name under next of kin in my pay book.

- Just the same, she'll be anxious to see you, won't she?

- Oh, I suppose so.

- How much leave do you have?

- Unlimited, I'm on permanent leave.

As of now, I'm a civilian.

- That's wonderful.

- You don't have to rush off then.

You can stay with us for a few days.

We'd simply love it, wouldn't we, Betty?

- There's still a lot of things I'd like

to ask you about Tommy.

- Okay.

- Splendid.

- On one condition.

That you'll have dinner with me tonight.

- Well I'd love to.

Oh, but.

- No, no, no, don't worry about me, I'll be fine.

- You must come too.

- No, as Sheila said, you have a lot to talk about.

Anyway, three's a crowd in any country.

- Right.

Oh.

- What's wrong?

- [Marty] I sent all my civilian clothes on.

I can't see me dancing with you in these boots.

- [Betty] We'll find you something.

- [Sheila] What do you think?

- It's pretty, a little understated.

- [Sheila] Not the dress, Marty?

- Oh, he seems very pleasant.

- Oh come on, you can do better than that.

He's smashing, he's good looking too.

There's something about him.

- Mmm-hmm, something.

Must be strange to finally meet him at last.

- At last, oh, can I borrow that perfume of yours?

- It's right there in front of you.

I mean, Tommy must have wrote and told you all about him.

- Tommy never mentioned him.

- What?

- [Sheila] Not a word.

- But you told me that Tommy wrote to you

two or three times a week.

- I can't understand why.

Well, if you were a man,

would you unleash Marty on to your girlfiend?

- But his friend.

His very best friend?

- Tommy certainly had style.

- So do you, Marty.

You look splendid.

- Absolutely splendid.

There is one thing, I hope you don't mind.

I noticed you don't have a watch.

I'd like to you to accept this.

- But, George, that was-- - I know.

- I bought it for Tommy for his birthday.

Tommy isn't here anymore.

Never will be.

We have to face that.

Tommy isn't here, but Marty is.

- It's gold, real gold.

- Yes, it is.

- I've never had anything that was gold before.

I can't accept it.

But I'll tell you what, Mrs. Cornfield.

I'll just borrow it for a while.

(door knocking)

Wow, you look fantastic.

Doesn't she? Fantastic.

- Mrs. Cornfield, is it all right

if Grace watches television with you?

- Yes, of course, you're very welcome.

- I must phone for a cab.

- [George] No need.

Not if you drive.

- Well, thanks.

- Ready?

- [Betty] Have fun.

- [George] And enjoy yourselves, will you?

- [Marty] We will.

- They look right together, don't they, Betty?

- Oh, you're still awake.

- [Grace] Did you have a good time?

- Yes, I did, Marty's a super person.

- Listen, that's why I'm still awake.

I've been thinking.

Did you ask him why Tommy never mentioned him?

- [Sheila] There were so many other things to talk about.

- Sheila, you didn't ask him?

It's strange.

He's strange.

- Or you are.

I've been doing some thinking too.

It couldn't be jealousy, could it?

- Jealousy?

- Well your eyes practically fell out of your head

when you first--

- Undeniable, he's very attractive.

But he works at it too much.

- Or not enough, as far as you're concerned.

- Sheila.

- It was me that he took too, isn't that what gets you?

- Sheila, let's forget the whole thing, it's ridiculous.

- Forget?

Well this is the first time I've felt alive in months.

Anyway, Marty isn't the kind of man you forget.

He's the kind one could fall in love with.

- [George] Morning.

- [Betty] Morning, Marty.

- You're spoiling me.

- I hope you like your eggs like that.

- Better than army grub, eh, son?

- Just like home, better in fact.

- We were just talking about that.

About this aunt of yours.

- You don't really owe her anything, do you?

- Oh, she's just somebody I know.

- I told you.

- Why?

- You're out of the army now, aren't you?

- You don't have any proper roots.

- So why not say here with us?

- Here?

- There's plenty of room.

We'd be glad of the company.

Why not stay for a few weeks?

Until you decide what you want to do.

- We want you to stay.

- Well, I'd love to, but I don't have much money behind me.

- That's the least of your problems.

That's no problem at all.

Well, son, what do you say?

- In that case, I'd love to.

- [Betty] Marvelous.

- You've made us both very happy.

Thank you, son.

- There is just one thing.

Tommy and I were so close that it sort of hurts

to have him all around me, to be reminded.

- That's understandable, sensitive boy like--

- But, George.

- Well why should he be reminded?

We can change things around a bit.

- Yes, yes, all right.

- In that case, it'll be fine.

(doorbell ringing)

- It's a bit early.

That must be Sheila, I promised to take her for a drive.

But of course, if you'd rather I spend more time with--

- No, no, no, you go and have fun.

- Let me take that.

I'll tell her you'll be down in a minute.

- Mr. Cornfield, you wouldn't mind filling up

the car for me, would you?

I'm gonna be so terribly late as it is.

- It'll be ready and waiting.

- Now, we can unpack.

- There are some things that I can do for myself, thanks.

(chattering)

(soft mysterious music)

- [Sheila] Marty, it's really gonna be super.

(soft mysterious music)

(car starting)

- Leave the record player, he'll need that.

Hello, Grace, excuse me.

- [Grace] I'd leave that.

- Yes.

- [Grace] After all, Tommy may be dead,

but you don't wanna pretend he never existed.

He wasn't dirt to be swept under the carpet.

- What do you mean?

- I imagine you're making this room

right to Mary's instructions.

- Simply trying to make it nice for him.

He's a good boy.

- How do you know, Mrs. Cornfield?

How do you know he's a good boy?

Because he told you?

Actually, you don't know very much about him, do you?

- He was Tommy's friend.

- Oh, I'm sorry, then Tommy wrote

and told you all about him.

- Well, uh, no.

- He wrote you a letter, he came home on leave.

How many times did he mention Marty Fuller?

Occasionally?

Often?

Or not at all?

Mrs. Cornfield, how many--

- Come on, come on, I expect it to be ready

by the time he gets back.

Can you bring that, darling?

I've cleared a space in the attic.

- The attic?

Oh, these are Tommy's effects.

All they sent back after he--

- Mrs. Cornfield, please talk to your husband.

- [George] Betty, come on.

- Sorry.

It's all right, George.

Where do you want me to put these?

(soft dramatic music)

- Don't take Tommy's picture down.

- [Sheila] Did you see the girl with Denny?

She's absolutely bent.

(birds chirping)

(soft dramatic music)

(car starting)

- [Sheila] Good night.

Grace, I'm sorry I left you the whole day on your own.

- It's all right, I had plenty to interest me.

- We drove down to the river.

I haven't been able to bring myself to go there

since Tommy died, but oh it was perfect.

Then we went over to the tennis club

to see some friends of mine.

And time just flew by.

But you haven't been too bored.

- No, I haven't been bored at all.

- Good.

Oh, I am so tired, happy tired.

- I imagine you spent a lot of time talking about Tommy.

- No, that would have been too morbid.

Anyway, as Marty says, I can't keep looking back.

I must look ahead to the future.

- Then he stopped you from talking about Tommy?

- Oh don't start that again.

- Sheila, Sheila, do you know what this is?

- It's a diary, isn't it?

- It's Tommy's diary.

- Tommy's diary, where on Earth did you get it?

- I borrowed it from his room.

- Grace, that's despicable, you have no right.

Give it to me.

- There's something in it you're going to hear.

- No, I'm not, a diary is private.

- Sheila, you're going to hear what's in this diary.

- No, I am not, Grace.

- Sheila, you're going, Sheila, you're going to hear.

Got a letter from S.

Had lunch with S.

S is obviously you.

- [Sheila] Stop it, stop it.

- Then there's this entry, nearly nine months later.

Don't like M, he doesn't like me.

- I'm not going to listen.

Whatever you say, I'm not going to listen to you!

- My watch missing, sure M took it.

Had standup fight with M.

M threw a fit and busted up the whole canteen.

Think M must be schizoid.

I'm sure M is very dangerous.

That's the last entry.

A few days later, Tommy was dead.

M, Sheila, Marty.

- You can't prove it.

You can't prove it, you're only guessing.

- [Grace] I think M is very dangerous.

- Give me that.

- You can't forget it, Sheila.

That's Tommy's diary, and he wrote about someone

who's obviously his enemy.

Someone with the initial M.

Think about it, that's all I ask you.

Just think about it.

(door closing)

- [Betty] Marty?

- Yeah.

- [Betty] We're just taking Grace shopping, won't be long.

- Right.

- [George] Bye, son.

- [Marty] Bye.

(car starting)

(horn blowing)

(birds chirping)

(dramatic music)

(door closing)

(doorbell ringing)

(dramatic music)

- Excuse me.

I'm sorry, Miss, I didn't mean to startle you.

Sergeant O'Hara.

- What can I do for you?

- It wasn't you I wanted, Miss, it's Mr. and Mrs. Cornfield.

They live next door, don't they?

- Indeed they do, but you've just missed them.

They've gone into town.

- I thought so.

I've been ringing the bell long enough

to wake the dead, no answer.

Any idea how long they'll be, Miss.

- It could be half an hour or half a day

once Mrs. Cornfield gets to the shops.

- Oh I know, I've got a wife like that.

Well thanks, Miss.

- [Sheila] Oh, is there any message?

- No, I'll call back some other time.

Thank you, Miss.

- Oh, Sergeant.

- [Sergeant] Yes?

- Nobody answered the door.

- [Sergeant] Hardly, if they're in town.

(soft dramatic music)

- [Sheila Voiceover] Had standup fight with M.

M threw a fit and busted up the whole canteen.

Sure M must be schizoid.

Think M must be very dangerous.

- My plan is to knock down the dividing wall

between your room and the box room, and extend.

Make it more than just a bedroom, more of a den.

Put in some hi-fi.

- Can you manage that all on your own?

- George will tackle anything.

- Give you somewhere to relax on your own, Marty,

perhaps entertain a lady, eh, Sheila?

- Oh I'm sorry.

- [Betty] Are you all right, Sheila?

- Yes, I'm fine.

- [Betty] Are you sure?

You have seemed rather withdrawn this evening.

- Is something bothering you?

- Perhaps it's love.

I hope so, or these will be wasted.

Theater tickets for tonight, starts in just under an hour.

- Really, I don't feel like it.

- You misunderstand.

Three, see.

It's only a local amateur thing,

but I installed the lighting system.

I thought it would be good

for that study course of yours, Grace.

You can see how we English suffer in a good cause.

You and Marty stay here.

You haven't had much time to yourselves lately.

You'd like that, wouldn't you?

- [Marty] I would.

(laughing)

- They're great folks, aren't they?

- They're Tommy's mother and father.

- Of course they are.

If they hadn't been, I never would have met them.

Or you, and that would have been a tragedy.

There is something wrong, isn't there?

- No.

Oh I don't know, it's Grace.

- [Marty] Grace?

- She says--

I don't care what she says.

- What does Grace say?

- It doesn't matter, Marty, I'd like a drink.

- Okay.

Whatever has, is it about me?

Whatever has Grace been saying?

She's frustrated, you know that.

- Well, let's forget it, and talk about Tommy.

- I thought we agreed it was best to forget that too.

- Yes, well, in the army.

And you, you've hardly told me anything about what

you did in the army.

- Counted the days til I got out.

And saved a few lives, I suppose.

- Not Tommy's.

- I tried.

- Yes.

Well, it must have been a wild life.

- Not wild exactly, rough around the edges.

- But surely all those men of different types lumped

together, didn't you ever get on one another's nerves?

- Sometimes.

- I suppose there were always fights breaking out.

- Oh, it's inevitable.

- Did the officers crack down on you for fighting?

- If they found out.

- That time you smashed up the canteen, what happened then?

- I got two weeks confined to barracks

and docked a week's pay.

Who told you about that?

- [Sheila] Tommy's diary.

He mentions you a lot.

You are M, aren't you?

- M?

- Yes.

Here.

My watch missing, had standup fight with M.

M threw a fit, busted up the whole canteen.

You are M, aren't you?

And you weren't Tommy's friend at all.

You were his enemy.

You hated him.

Why?

Why?

- Standup fight.

He didn't know how to fight that way.

Fists, I could have understood that.

But he fought me with letters.

Your letters.

And from his folks.

He'd talk about his life here, his family,

and the girl next door he was gonna marry.

He fought me with weapons I didn't have,

weapons I'd never had.

I was an orphan, and he attacked me with a family.

He hit me with a proper life,

a sweet, proper life I'd always wanted.

He stuffed it down my throat,

mum, dad, Sheila.

He went on and on about it til I couldn't take it anymore.

- [Sheila] Tommy wasn't like that.

- He was worse than that.

- Perhaps he was then.

Perhaps I never really knew him then.

But why come here and lie.

- It was the only way, Sheila.

He had what I wanted, what I'd always wanted.

And when he was gone, I saw my chance.

I wanted to be under his roof, to belong, and I wanted you.

- It wasn't right.

- I know that now.

Sheila, sweetheart, please try to understand.

- I think I do.

- Then, you won't tell them?

I must stay here, you won't tell them?

- [Sheila] I don't know.

- But you can't tell them.

I've done so much, I've come so far, I can't let it go now.

- Done so much, what do you mean?

- I don't mean anything.

- Done so much sounds as though you planned it.

But how could you have?

You couldn't have foreseen that Tommy would die.

But he did die.

And you were with him, taking care of him.

- [Marty] Sheila.

A tiny slip-up in treatment.

Oh, God.

How badly was Tommy wounded?

- [Marty] Please.

- How badly?

- He would have lived, but I couldn't let him.

I did it for you, Sheila.

I wanted you so badly.

And I can't let you tell them, because it would kill them.

(wind blowing)

- I tell you what, after enduring that baritone,

we all need a drink.

- It wasn't that bad, be charitable.

- He was appalling, and that is charitable.

- Oh now, you're lighting was fantastic.

(laughing)

- Shh.

(clearing throat)

Hello, oh, where is everyone?

- [Marty] Sheila went home.

She wasn't feeling well.

- I knew she was sickening for something.

- The flu?

- No, she was feeling all right this morning.

- Ah, but this flu virus is going around,

strikes you down without any warning.

- [Marty] It wasn't that, I don't think it was physical.

She started crying soon after you left.

She was terribly depressed.

I just couldn't shake her out of it.

- Depressed?

- [Marty] About Tommy, she wouldn't stop talking about him.

- Oh dear, I thought she'd got over it.

- [Marty] So did I, but tonight she just

wasn't herself at all.

- I think I better go see how she is.

Mrs. Cornfield, thank you, Mr. Cornfield, it was marvelous.

- [Marty] Terribly depressed, I was very worried.

(wind blowing)

- Sheila.

That's all right, you sleep.

- [Betty] Good night, Marty. - [George] Good night, son.

- Oh, sorry.

Sheila.

(screaming)

(soft dramatic music)

(church bell ringing)

(birds chirping)

(church bell ringing)

(crying)

- No, I couldn't.

I blame myself.

- Now dear, I don't think you should--

- If we hadn't stayed away so long.

If only I'd been here.

- It was a sudden thing.

George has told us.

- One moment, she was as bright as a penny.

- Not that sudden.

I mean, the pills she took.

She had to get them from

somewhere, they weren't prescribed.

Or someone gave them to her.

- Oh, what a way.

- Oh, darling.

- It would help if we understood why.

I mean, Sheila had no reason to kill herself.

She left no note.

- There is such a thing as delayed shock.

- [Mrs. Howes] Yes, and the doctor said that this young man

coming here, reminding her (weeps).

- I think you better drop the whole subject.

- Now why not stay and have lunch with us, hmm?

- Oh no.

I'll be all right.

Life must go on.

Grace, you're very welcome to remain here with us, you know.

Until your studies are finished.

Thank you, Mrs. Howes, but may I let you know?

- Of course, dear, there's no rush.

- [Grace] Thank you.

- Grace.

I hope you decide to stay.

I'd like you to stay.

(dramatic music)

I think I'd be very good for you.

You want to stay really.

- We just buried her.

- Really good for you.

- You want to shut me up.

To stop me from talking.

To stop me from thinking.

- Shut you up?

- I know about you.

- Know what?

- Mrs. Howes, I've decided not to stay.

I have some friends in London.

I'll go as soon as I'm packed.

- Marty, thanks for all your help.

Perhaps later, some happier time.

- I hope so, sir, most sincerely.

- Marty.

- Mrs. Howes, let me see you to your door.

- Thank you so much.

- Good bye then.

- I think I'll go too.

(dramatic music)

(doorbell ringing)

- Mr. Cornfield?

- [George] Yes.

- I called over a week ago, but you weren't in.

Sergeant O'Hara.

Can you spare a minute, sir.

- [George] Come in.

- This is just a long shot, sir.

But you had a son, Thomas Cornfield.

- My son is dead.

- I know, sir, but it's not him I'm interested in.

It's Private Fuller, Martin Fuller.

- Marty?

- Well then you do know him, sir.

- My son's best friend, of course I know him.

As a matter of fact, he's, um.

- [Sergeant] He's wanted as a deserter, sir.

And if there's any chance--

- A deserter?

- We want him back, badly.

And I wondered if he'd made any contact

at all with you, sir.

- Deserter?

- [Sergeant] Have you seen or heard of him?

- No, not a word.

But I don't expect to.

Now that my son is dead, why would he contact us?

- Yes, that's what I thought.

Still, I had to check, sir.

- Yes, of course.

- If he does turn up, I'll contact you.

- I'll let you know immediately.

- I'll give you my number.

(birds chirping)

- I wouldn't expect him to come here in a million years.

- You never know.

Your son's best friend, you said, sir?

- Yes.

- Funny, I was asking around the barracks and,

thank you, sir.

(door closing)

- George.

Oh, George.

She really is in a bad way, you know.

I think Marty cheered her up a bit.

What's wrong?

- Wrong?

- [Betty] You look so pale.

- [Marty] Mr. Cornfield, is--

- I'm fine.

Matter of fact, I thought of doing some work in the garden.

Would you care to slip on some old clothes

and give me a hand?

- Right.

- Gardening, I'm not letting you do any gardening

while you're looking like that.

I don't believe it.

- [George] It's true.

- Marty a deserter?

- Why not?

You remember the times Tommy said he was so fed up

with the army he thought of going over the wall.

Marty's actually done it, what's wrong with that?

Takes guts to do a thing like that.

- But a deserter.

If they find him.

- They'll take him away from us.

But, Betty, it doesn't have to be like that.

There's an answer to every problem, and I think I have it.

(dramatic music)

(phone ringing)

- Hello.

(beeping)

- [PA Announcer] London departure.

- Hello, who is it?

What?

(banging)

So sorry, hold on a minute, will you?

(banging)

Yes, I'm sorry, who is it?

- It's Grace, Grace Worth.

- Oh Grace, how are you?

- Fine, I'm leaving for the States,

and I wanted to come by and say goodbye

to you and Mr. Cornfield and Mr. and Mrs. Howes.

- Oh, you won't see them, I'm afraid.

They went away again.

You know, to help her forget, you understand.

But George and I, we'd love to see you.

What time do we expect you?

- Tomorrow, early evening?

- [Betty] Oh, Grace, and it's such a happy coincidence, too.

- Coincidence?

- [Betty] Yes, tomorrow is Marty's birthday.

- That's lucky.

And we have a special supper for you.

Your favorite, crunchy tuna salad.

- Now, Mrs. Cornfield, you've gone to far too much.

- Oh, Marty, it's about time you called us Betty and George.

- I don't like to.

- Why not?

- It doesn't sound right.

It's as if we were no more than close friends.

- What do you suggest?

- Well, Mum and Dad would sound more natural.

- And for us, Marty.

- Mum and Dad, that's as it should be.

In fact, we anticipated you.

The one thing we haven't given you today is a present.

- Now, Mr. Cornfield, you don't have to--

- [Betty] It's what we want for you.

- We did it weeks ago.

Signed, sealed and witnessed.

Everything we'd planned for Tommy

is going to be yours one day.

This house.

Everything, we've willed it to you.

You are our legal heir.

When we go.

- Dad.

Mum.

Weeks ago, eh?

- More than a month.

- Perfect, a perfect day.

- Right, shall we eat?

- I must go and put on my best.

No, no, in honor of my newfound family.

Looks delicious.

- What's wrong?

- It tastes kind of off.

- No.

- Sergeant, no luck then?

- Into thin air.

We'll catch up with him sooner or later, I suppose.

- Something you want?

- No, I was just thinking.

Didn't you say that a couple of the drugs

that Fuller took were poisonous?

- Yes.

- How poisonous?

You pointed out a couple that were dynamite.

Your words, sir, dynamite.

- Well, only to the initiated.

- What do you mean, sir?

- Well, because handled properly

they can kill almost undetected.

- Don't think I'm giving you names.

- How would they kill, sir?

You can at least tell me that.

- Well there is one.

Once it's administered, it brings death rather quickly,

and yet, yet all the symptoms of botulism.

Botulism, lethal food poisoning.

Bad fish or meat does the same sort of thing.

Anyway, it's all rather academic, isn't it, Sergeant?

I mean, Fuller's a deserter, isn't he?

Not a murderer.

- You were wrong about this, Marty, it's perfect.

- Marty.

- No thanks, Mum.

- He doesn't know what he's missing, does he?

- Some more wine, though.

No no no, I'll get it.

This is not only the best birthday I've ever had.

It's the only one I care to remember.

- It isn't over yet.

- [Betty] George.

- Well I was going to keep it until it was needed,

but I don't think I can, I'm darn proud of it.

- What is it?

- [Betty] Another surprise.

- It's in the cellar.

- [Betty] Darling, you'll get indigestion.

- I can't help it, I must show it to him.

Bring your wine.

- Go on, I'll clear up.

- Come on.

This is it, this is it, Tommy.

- I don't mind you calling me Tommy.

Not if it pleases you, Dad.

- You're Marty, and I did this for you, Marty.

- [Marty] Did what?

- You see those T squares on the wall in the alcove?

- Yes.

- Bring one of them to me, will you?

- All right.

- Hey, Mr. Cornfield!

Mr. Cornfield.

- Don't panic, son, that's the surprise.

You see, Marty, we know about you.

- You know what?

- Being a deserter.

We know, but we don't care.

All we care about is, well, we love you, son,

like we loved Tommy, and well the army in a way

took him from us, and now they want to take you.

But we're not going to let them.

We couldn't.

That's why I built this place.

It's a kind of priest's hole, a hiding place.

No one would ever find it.

If they ever came looking for you again, son,

you'll be safe in there.

You see, I thought of everything.

They won't take you from us.

- That's fine, Dad, but how do I get out?

- [George] You can't.

- What?

- [George] Suppose I put a lever in there

and you touched it by mistake and you opened up the wall

just as they were looking for you.

I told you I thought of everything.

There's only one way to open up the wall,

and that's out here, and the lever's so well disguised

I defy anyone--

(banging)

(gasping)

- [Marty] It's getting awfully hot in here, Dad.

- Right, son, I'll have you out of there right away.

- [Marty] Dad?

- Just a second.

- Now, come on, Dad, hurry it up.

Get me out of here, Dad!

- I don't seem to be able to reach the lever.

- [Marty] Dad?

Dad?

Get me out of here, Dad.

- It's my heart.

I'll go fetch your mother.

- Dad, Dad, get me out of here, Dad!

Dad, get me out of here!

Dad, come back, Dad.

Dad, come back, Dad, come back now.

Let me out, let me out, Dad.

Dad, get me out of here!

Dad!

(soft dramatic music)

(birds chirping)

- Thank you.

- Okay.

(soft dramatic music)

(doorbell ringing)

- Hey, hey, down here!

Hey, down here!

- Mrs. Cornfield?

Mrs. Cornfield?

Mrs. Cornfield.

(dramatic music)

(phone ringing)

- [Operator] Emergency, which service please?

- Yes, yes, that's right.

Please hurry.

Mrs. Cornfield, here, just lift up your head.

It's all right, it's all right.

(gasping)

Mr. Cornfield, here, here, it's all right.

I'm just gonna loosen your tie.

Yes, it's all right.

- [Marty] Hey!

(hard breathing)

Hey, here!

Here!

- [Grace] Marty, is anyone here?

- Grace?

Is that you, Grace?

- Marty, where are you?

- I'm here, behind the alcove.

What you see is a false wall.

It's one of George's gadgets.

Grace, do you hear me, Grace?

- [Grace] Yes, I hear you.

Marty, what happened?

Marty, can you hear me, what happened?

George and Betty are lying up there,

they're almost dead, what happened?

- I don't know, some kind of food poisoning.

I think they both ate something bad.

I was on my way to call the doctor,

and I got myself trapped in here.

Grace?

Are you still there, Grace?

- [Grace] Yes, I'm still here.

Food poisoning?

- [Marty] Oh, I don't know.

I mean, how can I tell, locked up in here?

Let me out, Grace, then I'll explain everything.

- Everything, Marty?

- What was that, Grace, I couldn't quite hear you.

- [Grace] I said I don't know how to get you out, Marty.

- Well, there's a lever.

It must be above your head somewhere.

George said he couldn't reach it.

It's probably cleverly concealed.

- [Grace] Yes, very cleverly concealed.

Just like this false wall.

No one would ever know it was here.

- You see it?

Then pull it, Grace.

Why don't you pull it?

Come on, Grace, get me out of here.

- [Grace] Tell me about Sheila, Marty.

- Sheila?

- [Grace] You killed her, didn't you?

- Are you crazy?

She committed suicide.

- No.

- Now come on, Grace.

What are you, judge and jury?

I had nothing to do with Sheila's death.

Now come on, Grace, get me out of here, Grace.

(sirens blaring)

Grace? Grace, get me out of here, Grace.

Grace!

- Tommy, Tommy, I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

- Tommy?

- It's his son.

He's dead now.

(hard breathing)

- You see how it can be, Grace.

I'll have the house, the money, everything.

Just you and me, Grace.

I always wanted you, Grace.

And you always wanted me.

(soft dramatic music)

(clock ticking)

- [Grace Voiceover] You killed her, didn't you, Marty?

- [Marty Voiceover] What are you, judge and jury?

- [Grace Voiceover] You killed her.

- I had nothing to do with Sheila's death.

- [Grace Voiceover] You killed her.

- [Marty Voiceover] What are you, judge and jury?

Get me out of here.

Judge and jury, judge and jury, judge and jury.

(soft dramatic music)

- [Sergeant] You're the one who called the ambulance?

- [Grace] Yes.

- The hospital called me, I couldn't think why.

Then I remembered.

Gave him my phone number,

and they found it in his pocket, O'Hara.

Sergeant O'Hara.

- [Grace] You've been to the hospital?

How are they?

- Oh, they'll probably pull through, thanks to you.

But both are in a coma.

Likely to stay that way for a long time, weeks maybe.

Be a long time before I can talk to them.

Food poisoning.

Thought it was Fuller.

- Fuller?

- Now you wouldn't have seen him, no.

No, you're just a casual friend.

Private Martin Fuller, deserter.

At least, that's all he was until a little while ago.

Food poisoning.

- I don't understand.

- Well he was a medic, see.

And he took off with some drugs, one of them a killer

with all the symptoms of food poisoning, why?

Now that's the problem.

A nice couple by all accounts.

You've never seen him.

They never mentioned him at all?

- No, I've never seen him.

- [Sergeant] You staying here,

or can I drop you somewhere?

- You said they'd be in a coma for weeks.

- [Sergeant] That's what the doctors say.

(soft dramatic music)

- Yes, then you can drop me at the station.

- [Sergeant] Of course.

- They don't hang murderers here anymore, do they?

- [Sergeant] No, more's the pity.

- I'm ready.

- [Sergeant] Where are you going, Miss?

- [Grace] Home.

- I've known from the first moment we met

that you were absolutely crazy for me.

So let me out, Grace!

Let me out!

(dramatic music)

(birds chirping)

(dramatic music)