The Fugitive (1963) s03e28 Episode Script

A Taste of Tomorrow

Officer: Hold it! Hold your fire! It's kimble in the jacket.
Go on, get in! Stop that truck.
Narrator: Starring david janssen as dr.
Richard kimble.
An innocent victim of blind justice.
Falsely convicted for the murder of his wife.
Reprieved by fate when a train wreck freed him en route To the death house.
Freed him to hide in lonely desperation.
To change his identity.
To toil at many jobs.
Freed him to search for a one-armed man He saw leave the scene of the crime.
Freed him to run before the relentless pursuit Of the police lieutenant obsessed with his capture.
Announcer: The guest stars in tonight's story: Fritz weaver.
Michael constantine.
Brenda scott.
Announcer: This is lieutenant wyckoff.
Just keep cruising the whole area.
If you spot him, tail him.
Remember, I want to be the first one to him.
After all these years, Looks like we're finally going to find him.
Narrator: To a fugitive, Only the past is real.
Each morning, it rises with the sun.
Each night, it returns with the darkness.
There is no present.
And, for richard kimble, the future is filled With uncertainty and fear.
Man: Raise your hands.
I've got a gun on you.
Turn around.
Slowly.
Those patrol cars.
You with them? I'm trying to get away from them.
Why? I have my reasons.
You in trouble? Yeah, what kind of trouble? Robbery, assault, petty larceny? Oh, petty larceny, huh? You have nothing to worry about from me, so- What's the matter? Stay where you are.
Keep your hands up.
If those police are looking for you, I don't want them tracking you down here.
Keep moving.
It's you they're looking for.
That's my business.
My head- It's like a knife.
Like a hot knife.
Go on.
Get out of here.
You have something to keep you warm? In the truck By the garage There's a blanket.
Man: Ga Yeah, green pickup.
Right.
Yeah.
Thanks.
It's a colorado number.
Green pickup.
How do we know for sure it's tucker? That gas-station attendant- The one in pine oaks.
We ran a copy of tucker's picture out to him And he gave us a positive identification.
Said he's headed this way.
We would have seen him on the highway.
No, he wouldn't risk it by daylight.
He's probably holed up somewhere right near here, Waiting for dark.
You know, it's strange.
We've hunted for this man for four years Sometimes just missing him by a whisker.
Now all of a sudden, he turns around And walks right into our backyard.
Why? Maybe he wants to give himself up.
I wish.
Maybe he wants to see his daughter.
Sarah? Not a chance.
Four years, people change.
Maybe he's softening up.
Or getting harder.
Oh, you take a little hate.
You feed it for a long time With a lot of cold and fear And hunger and loneliness.
You end up with a half-crazed animal.
How long have you had the fever? Five or six days.
Up in the mountains.
Haven't been this bad, though.
Spots on your arm? Yesterday.
You're a sick man.
Think you can make it to the highway? Those police cars What do you want? A police hospital ward Or do you want a coffin? I can hold out till tonight.
After that, it doesn't matter, bed or coffin.
Why tonight? Petty larceny, you said, huh? You know why they're after me? They said I embezzled $200,000 from my company.
In boise.
We were in farm machinery.
There can be a lot of money in that.
Trial was a little over four years ago.
The other company officers testified against me in court.
So did my daughter, sarah.
What's the matter? Oh, yeah, I forgot the funny part.
I wasn't guilty.
I didn't even know there were any funds missing.
Huh.
You don't believe me.
Well, why should you be any different? Nobody ever believed me yet.
You know what that's like? To sit there in court and see people you've known All your life get up and call you a thief.
Then you escape.
And when they can't find you, Heh, They try to lure you back with lies and promises.
Lies and promises.
Even a friend did that.
A man who had been welcome in my own house.
Here.
Drink this.
Be careful.
It's hot.
Let it cool awhile.
You know what keeps you warm? You know what keeps you going? The fact that you know who did this thing to you.
And you think.
Someday, somehow, I'm going to find him.
Don't let it get too cold.
Is that why you're going to boise? For boise.
And for good old charlie.
That's a lot better.
Funny, it comes and it goes.
You'll feel better for a while.
Maybe all day.
Then, it will come again, only harder.
Unless you do something about it.
Where are the keys to your truck? In the glove compartment.
Why? I'll go into town, Get some medicine.
Help that fever.
Now, wait.
I- I can't pay you.
Just for the medicine, that's- Don't worry about it.
I thought you said you- They were after you too.
Not here.
I'll be all right here.
You do this for a man whose name you don't even know.
Why? Maybe your name isn't important.
It's tucker.
Joe tucker.
Keep the blanket around you, joe tucker.
Just a second, friend.
Just step out and keep your hands raised.
What's the trouble? Turn around.
What's your name? Mitchell, allan mitchell.
License? Where did you get the pickup? I bought it in colorado.
When did you drive into town? This morning, just before dawn.
Were you alone? Yes.
We know all about this pickup, mitchell.
It was bought in colorado three weeks ago.
The man who bought it was joe tucker.
Where is he? I don't know any joe tucker.
How did you get his pickup? See, a couple of days ago I- I borrowed the truck from a fellow- Okay.
Shep, book him for car theft.
Through here for prints.
Give me your right hand.
Relax.
Thumb first.
Index finger.
Mr.
Mitchell, Joe tucker's a man we've been trying to find For the last four years.
He was convicted of embezzlement and he escaped.
Give me your left hand.
I could make things easy for you.
Real easy.
Just tell us where you got that pickup.
All right.
I don't know why this is any of your business, But I'm going to level with you.
We're not looking for tucker the way you think.
We know the truth now.
Ten days ago, the man who was president of the company That tucker worked for died of a heart attack.
But before he did, he made a deathbed confession.
The kind of a thing you read about but you never really get.
Well, it shook up everybody in this town.
Andy fletcher was like a- A saint to a lot of people here.
He was active in all the charity drives And that kind of thing.
Anyhow, he admitted to stealing the money himself.
That means that tucker is practically a free man now.
What do you mean "practically"? Well, of course, The old man's confession is all we really have to go on.
A lot of people think he made that just To get joe off the hook.
Why would he do that? Because joe was a favorite- I don't know what goes through a man's mind when he's dying.
The point is, that tucker's testimony Can substantiate that confession.
Now, that's why we've got to find him and let him know.
That man's been hurt long enough.
That's why you've got to help me.
Where's joe tucker? I- I don't know anybody named joe tucker.
Take him back and lock him in a cell.
Lieutenant wyckoff? What's this about my father? We think he's in the area.
Where? I don't know.
We think that man stole your father's pickup truck And somewhere near here.
What does he say? That's the trouble.
He doesn't say anything.
Denies ever seeing your father.
I'd like to talk with him.
Well, it can't do any harm.
Shep, better send those prints on.
Let's see if maybe he makes a habit Of taking other people's cars.
Mitchell, this is joe tucker's daughter.
I'd like to talk with you.
I've already told everything I know.
Mr.
Wyckoff doesn't think so.
Neither do I.
A man has been hunted for four years.
Unjustly.
Can't you understand that? I don't know what to say to convince you.
A man has his freedom back.
Why won't you let him have it? Oh, I'm sorry.
It's just that I- I- I hoped so much that- Sarah.
Do you think we're pulling some kind of a trick? Do you think she is? Come on.
I- I always took my father for granted, mr.
Mitchell.
Not as a father, but as someone who- Who gave me a big house, cars and money.
Everything I ever wanted.
When they said he was a thief- Oh, I was angry and humiliated.
And, oh- Oh, I hated him.
Don't you see that I had to-? To get back what I thought was my self-respect.
Now all I want to do Is to see- see him.
See him and, oh, Beg his forgiveness.
Come on.
All right.
I know where he is.
I used the truck to come in for some medical supplies.
He's sick.
Well, why didn't you say so before? I thought it might be a trick.
He said it's been tried.
It has by me.
Where is he? You said he was sick.
How badly? He has mountain fever.
It's very similar to typhus.
He needs a hospital.
Where is he? I'll take you to him.
Just you.
Well, I'll put out a call.
It will be faster to send a patrol car.
He's got a gun.
I don't think he's heard about the confession.
In his state of mind he'd shoot at the sight of a policeman.
Well, then why did he come back here to boise? Somebody named charlie.
Charlie- Charlie fletcher.
The old man's son.
He testified against joe at the trial.
He wasn't the only one.
I'll take you in the truck.
Just you alone.
Nobody following.
You got something to fear from us, mitchell? Please, lieutenant Kimble: That's the way I want it.
How do I know you're not pulling something? That's the way it has to be.
I'm not afraid to risk it.
Okay.
I'll fix it.
Burt, let him out.
Just sign here.
I notified the patrol cars not to stop you.
Have an ambulance waiting.
Okay, I'll put in the call.
Police headquarters.
Yeah- yeah, hold on a second.
Okay, go ahead.
Yeah.
Yeah.
K-I- Is that b-I-e or b-a-I-I? Right.
Thanks.
Lieutenant, that check you wanted on mitchell.
Dave! Shep! Where's mitchell? Get on the radio.
I want roadblocks on every road out of town.
Move! Green pickup truck.
Colorado plates, ga 4-3-3-2.
Lieutenant, what's happening? Mitchell's real name is richard kimble.
He's wanted for murder.
What's the matter? You crazy or something? How are you feeling? I'm all right.
I want you to take a couple of these pills.
I haven't got much time.
Here.
Why? What happened? What's the rush? Go on.
Take the pills.
I want you to listen to me, joe.
I want you to believe what I'm going to say.
I talked to your daughter.
Sarah? Yes.
How? The police spotted the truck.
They picked me up.
She came in to talk to me.
Along with a lieutenant by the name of wyckoff.
They told me you're a free man, joe.
They've been trying to find you to tell you.
The president of your company- Ten days ago, uh, fletcher- Ten days ago he had a heart attack.
I know.
He's dead.
Before he died he left a confession.
He stole the money.
What else did they tell you? I got elected governor? I won the sweepstakes? They weren't lying to me, joe.
They had to be.
Andy fletcher was the best- He never would have taken that money.
Never.
He left a confession, joe.
Did you hear it? Did you see a confession? Well, no, I didn't- they're using you to get at me.
Andy fletcher was the best friend I ever had.
He gave me a job when nobody was doing any hiring.
He put me through school so I could learn the business.
Made me a vice president over a couple of guys With longer service.
Tell me about andy fletcher.
Then what do you want with his son? Charlie? How do you know? Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
Well, charlie was a vice president too.
It was the only mistake andy fletcher ever made.
You know the type.
Good-looking, golf on Saturday, Tennis every Sunday.
Very big on status, charlie.
So you think he's the one- Right after the trial he left town.
Him and his wife.
That's one of the things that started me thinking about him.
That, and the fact that he went out of his way To pin that whole thing on me.
Sat there under oath telling one lie after another.
And in denver last week, I was in a public library.
I found a boise newspaper.
I try to find one every couple of months Just to keep track of things.
And there it was.
Just a paragraph in a social column About mr.
And mrs.
Charles fletcher returning on the 3rd From an extended stay in europe, To attend funeral services for his father.
That means they arrived today.
I'm going to pay him a visit tonight.
What if he won't admit it? Oh, he won't.
He's got too much to lose.
Then why the gun? Why do they make guns? Joe, I believe them.
I believe you're a free man.
You tell them where I was? No.
Then how come they let you go? They didn't let me go.
I got away.
Oh, just like that, huh? They're looking for me now.
They let you go.
It was a cheap trick.
Joe.
Look, get out of here.
Go on, get out of here.
I'll leave when it gets dark.
All right, but in the meantime Just keep your nose out of my business, okay? Here.
Thanks.
You'll get it back before you leave.
That's all that matters.
What do you mean? Collecting what's yours.
Wyckoff.
Yeah.
Yeah? When? All right.
We'll get right on it.
No, no.
We're not too far away.
Yeah.
Yeah, all right.
That was blattner at number 3 roadblock.
A truck driver reported seeing the pickup a mile or so back.
We'll radio the state police.
Tell them to get some cars over there.
Right.
Oh, pete, you stay here.
Everybody else get on the move.
We want to cover the whole area Between here and the roadblock In case he tries to double back.
Ben.
Yeah.
Do you think there will be any shooting? I don't know, sarah.
You just go on home.
I'll let you know if anything pops.
But if he's with my father, I think I- Sarah, will you just go on home and let me do my job? Don't you think I have a lot of things to square with joe? I'm the one who sweet-talked him into turning himself in Using our friendship as bait.
I'm the one that arrested him.
Told him all his friends had turned their back on him.
I even added a few choice remarks of my own.
Boy, you get self-righteous behind one of these things.
Just go on home now.
You're only going to be in the way.
Sarah, don't worry.
We'll be careful.
Let's find a phone, joe.
Call your daughter.
She'll tell you you're a free man.
She'll take you to a hospital.
Maybe a prison hospital, hm? Joe.
She's telling the truth, joe.
Did she cry for you? She cried on that witness stand too.
Jury bought every word of it.
You want to hate, don't you? You don't want to be a free man.
You just want to hate.
Now, just keep on hating, And you kill charlie fletcher.
If you think these last four years have been tough Wait till they come after you for a murder charge.
You're right about one thing.
It's not easy to let go of hate.
You daughter told the truth, joe.
Are you sure you didn't make a deal with them? In your condition, I could have taken that gun away from you a long time ago.
It's hard.
It's hard, just like that to believe anybody anymore.
You grow up in a small town.
You know everybody.
Eventually you find out where you fit in.
You make a good living, raise a family.
You're accepted.
You're comfortable.
Somehow you never think it will change.
I felt that way then.
I guess I feel that way now.
I feel so tired all of a sudden.
Just give me a minute, will you? Is this the spot? Yes, sir.
It is.
He turned in front of me here And he went down this road.
Thank you very much.
Right.
All right, the pickup went down this road.
Take your cars in there and check every building, Every road you can find.
Let's go.
What will it be, joe? Let's go home.
Oh, the medicine.
Spread out! Officer: Hold it! Hold your fire! It's kimble in the jacket.
I'm not sure.
How much did they pay you? Go on, get in.
Stop that truck.
Get back to the car radio.
Notify the roadblocks.
So they just happened by, is that right? I told you.
They were after me, joe, not you.
Just keep driving.
I'm going to get out, joe.
You do what you want.
No, you're wrong about that.
I couldn't hold on to that wheel.
You'll have to drive.
I'll leave you at the first hospital I can find.
You're wrong again.
You're driving me to charlie fletcher's house.
Take the next right.
Will you listen to me, joe? The last time I listened to you, I nearly got killed.
I told you before.
They're after me.
Oh.
Whole woods full of armed cops for petty larceny? Sure.
Sure.
It isn't petty larceny.
They think I killed somebody.
Oh, yeah.
That's why I know what you're heading for.
Running from a murder charge Is something you know nothing about.
Every policeman in the country wants to be the one That brings you in.
Joe, it's like- Joe? Get me the police department.
Lieutenant wyckoff, please.
Lieutenant.
This is a friend of joe tucker.
All right, what difference does it make? You'll find him in back of a gas station on the corner Of willow and indiana.
Bring an ambulance.
He's in pretty bad shape.
That's good.
Completely.
All right.
I'll try to sell him, But you get that ambulance here.
Check the whole area.
You the owner of this place? That's right.
Did you see two men out back tonight in a green pickup? Haven't seen a thing.
You been here all night? Right.
All right, thank you.
Well, there's no sign of either one of 'em.
Where could they have gone? Well, I don't know about kimble, But I've got a pretty good hunch about your father.
Where? Remember kimble told us your father came in to town To see charlie fletcher.
Charlie.
Yeah.
You come with me.
The fletcher house! Orange terrace road.
Let's go.
Woman: Yes? Who is it? I'm sorry to have kept you- Joseph.
Oh, joseph, at last.
Where is he? What have you got that-? Get inside, carolyn.
And don't try to warn him.
Joseph, what are you going to do? Where's your husband? Joseph- joseph, don't you know? Haven't they told you? Where is he? Andrew confessed.
He did it.
You're an innocent man, joseph.
Joseph, don't! Don't! Listen to me! Joe, they told me that you- Did they tell you the trap didn't work, charlie? Trap? Well, well, Looks like you've been living very well, charlie.
And it only cost four years of my life.
I'm sorry, joe.
But I've done everything I could To make it up to you.
He has.
Like what? This afternoon I gave wyckoff All the records documenting the thefts.
The forgeries, the adjustments, everything.
You're lying.
It's the truth.
I swear it, joe.
Why would you do a thing like that for me? He's dead now.
And he confessed.
It's all over.
You too, huh? His own son.
Spitting on his memory in order To put me back behind a cell, huh? What do you mean? I mean you took that money, not me, Not andy fletcher, not anybody.
You took it! No! I'm going to kill you, charlie.
Joe, now I lied in court.
But I didn't take the money.
Call wyckoff.
He'll tell you everything.
This afternoon- Shut up! Kimble: Joe.
Stay where you are.
I just talked to wyckoff.
He gave him all the evidence he needs to clear you completely.
You, sarah, wyckoff.
The let's get joe tucker club, huh? I don't belong to any club.
Wyckoff wants me more than he wants you.
Yeah, sure, the famous killer.
They shot at you because you had on my jacket.
He's telling the truth, joe.
This came about an hour ago.
Look.
It's a lie.
The whole thing has to be a lie.
Andy fletcher didn't take that money.
He wouldn't.
You took that money.
My father took the money, joe.
For 20 years he'd been taking it.
And for 20 years you were the one That he kept around to blame.
You see, he figured that they'd find out someday, And he needed- What do they call it? - A fall guy.
That was you, joe.
You were the man who lied.
Under oath you said I was- Charlie: He made me do it, joe.
I'm not proud of what I did.
Tell him what you're doing.
What you're doing right now.
I'm signing everything over to carolyn.
I'm getting my affairs in order.
I don't get it.
Because wyckoff told him he'll have to stand trial for perjury.
The back.
He's here, lieutenant.
Oh, dad.
Did he come here alone? Except for a ghost or two.
Joe.
Welcome home.
Now, don't tell me that.
In a week or two you'll be climbing the walls To get back to work.
Oh, that story will be in all the papers.
Nobody's going to trust somebody Who goes around trying to kill people.
Lieutenant: I think a lot of folks might.
I'm sorry to barge in on you, joe.
But your door was open.
How are you feeling? Fine, ben.
Well, not fine, but I think the fever's broken.
Right now I'd like to sleep for a couple of months.
Well, like I said, folks aren't going to let you.
You know how it is- an old friend comes to town You want to make him feel welcome.
Excuse me, lieutenant.
Carlson just called in from roadblock two.
Picked up a couple of drunks but no sign of kimble.
Call them all in.
Kimble might still be in the area.
I said call them all in.
Right.
You, uh, you spent a lot of time With this fellow, kimble.
Guess he's a real tough customer.
Oh, you know how it is with an escaped criminal, ben.
Narrator: For some an end finally comes to the running.
But for richard kimble the end has come only to one more day.
And the running must go on.

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