The Greene Murder Case (1929) Movie Script
1
(ominous music)
(moves to gentle ominous music)
(moves to gentle music)
(water sploshing)
(knocking on door)
(knocking on door)
Come in.
Mr. Canon is here, sir.
- Mr. Canon?
- Yes.
Oh, yeah.
[Sproot] In your mother's room.
Oh, yeah.
Well, each year finds you better, Mrs. Greene.
It does not!
Nurse, tell Miss Ada to come here.
Hello Mr. Canon.
Well, fire away, Canon. (Laughs)
Chester!
See, what do I matter?
A paralyzed old woman like me. (Scoffs)
Ada, the only comfort of all these ungrateful children.
And she only pretends to love me.
- Miss Sibella.
- Alley-oop.
Mr. Rex. Good evening.
What's good about it?
Or any other evening in this house.
I must say, 10 years of these meetings
have made me dislike being a policeman
as much as you dislike each other.
But as you know,
your father's will requires me
to determine every year whether you have lived according
to the provisions thereof,
and to remind you that you must live in this house
and maintain this property intact
for 15 years after your father's and husband's death,
that's five years more, or be disinherited.
And that on this date, 1934,
if you have carried out this provision,
the estate will be divided equally between you,
or in the event of death,
between any of you who are still alive.
- Have you got a match?
- A-
A- (groans)
Uh, remembering, of course,
the bequest to the servants who have been with you
since the death of Mr. Greene.
Sibella, put that out!
[Chester] Mm-hmm.
And the exception that Miss Ada,
not being of the family blood,
may live elsewhere if she marries.
Now, Mrs. Greene, you haven't left the house?
Use your head, you fool!
How could I?
Haven't I-
Been lying here for 10 years,
making life miserable for everybody, including myself.
Oh, shut up!
See!
Well, Chester?
Still here.
Miss Sibella?
In person.
Sibella, where are you going?
To the theater, little buttercup.
With, uh, with Arthur?
Yes, darling.
(chuckles) You're after Arthur yourself now, eh?
Stop it!
Mr. Rex?
Why, certainly I've been here.
Thank you, thank you.
And going crazy in the middle of this loving family.
Uh, Miss Ada.
Miss Ada?
Yes, I'm here.
Well, that's everybody.
Thank you.
Good evening.
Good evening.
Ada.
Yes, Mother?
Bring me my bouillon.
Yes, Mother.
The lawyer was here again.
But the law can't chase the devil out of this house.
It's a wicked family, doomed to death!
Shh!
Here, mein herr.
Thank you, Gertrude.
(Gertrude speaking German)
How do you know about the family?
From the Lord.
All the Greenes are doomed, so they are.
Hating each other like poison
and rotting with evil both.
I shall rise up against them,
saith the Lord of hosts,
and sweep them with a besom of destruction.
Now read to me.
Oh, no, no, no.
The novel, where you left off last night.
All right.
Well, it stopped snowing anyways.
Hmm.
Oh, I'm awfully sorry.
"In five minutes,
we were outside the door, starting upon our expedition.
We hurried through the dark shrubbery amid the doubt..."
(Chester cackling)
(knocking on door)
Come in.
(door clacking)
(gun fires)
(gun fires)
(Ada moaning)
(Ada thuds)
(Mother grunts)
Ada!
Nurse!
What's happened?
Why doesn't somebody come?
Ada?
Sibella?
Rex?
I'm all alone.
Chester? Anybody?
Where are you?
Something's happened.
And, oh, and that I'm alone.
Why don't you come, you filthy children?
It's your mother.
(sobbing) Call Dr. Von Blon.
[Sproot] Yes.
- What is it, mother?
- What's the trouble?
It's Mr. Chester and Miss Ada,
they've been shot.
- Are they dead?
- Who found them?
Did you see anybody?
No. No, no, no, I'm trying to get Dr. Von Blon...
Yes, the newspapers had it right.
Chester Greene was killed instantly
but the girl was only wounded.
Why, of course it was attempted robbery.
Why, the silverware alone was-
Just a moment.
It's Philo Vance.
What's the matter? Somebody been bumped off?
Oh, it's this Greene business.
Oh, that job.
It's the first case in which Vance
has shown any interest since the Canary murder.
That's right.
You see, he doesn't go for your burglar theory.
- He don't, huh?
- No.
- Well-
- Do you want to talk to him?
- Sure.
- Go ahead.
Hello, Mr. Vance.
This is Sergeant Heath talking.
Oh, good morning, Sergeant.
Say, what's wrong with the burglar theory
in that Greene case?
Well, nothing, Sergeant, except, uh...
Uh...
Doesn't it strike you as rather odd
that a burglar should dally about
in the hall for three minutes between the two shots?
Why no, he just, uh-
Say, Mr. Vance, maybe you could, uh...
Thank you, Sergeant.
I'll be ready in half an hour.
He'll be ready in half an hour.
Thank you, Sergeant.
Oh, that's all right.
That's correct, sir.
The first shot came to me in my room,
uh, came to my ears, I mean, sir.
Then when I got to the door here-
You're quite sure that three minutes elapsed
between the two shots?
Something like that.
Yes, sir.
- All right.
All right.
It must've been two burglars.
Don't let me catch any of you trying
to leave the house, get that?
They don't know anything about this.
Do you?
I told you, no!
Uh, your room is just across the hall there, isn't it?
Yes.
And yet you heard nothing?
No.
[Vance] Hmm.
How do you figure that?
Mr. Greene was shot from the front,
and from the powder marks, at close range,
and yet he made no sound.
That's right.
You remember the expression on his face, Sergeant?
Why, sure.
He was flabbergasted.
Exactly.
Possibly because he knew the murderer,
just as the murderer knew his way
about this house in the dark.
Mr. Greene was probably so surprised
to see an acquaintance, let's say,
suddenly point a gun at him,
that he was killed before he could recover.
Say, I wonder if anybody in this house owns a gun.
Certainly.
Suspects own everything you want them to, don't they?
Who owns a gun?
Well, I did but-
- What caliber?
- 32.
We got these out of your brother and sister.
They're 32s.
Are you accusing me of-
What did you do with that gun?
I haven't got it, it's gone.
I looked for it after this happened.
I knew you'd find I had one and accuse me,
but I couldn't find it.
- Go look for the gun.
- Yeah.
And tell Miss Sibella Greene to come here.
They won't find anything.
Oh, we're all going to be killed, I tell you.
And you can't stop it. You can't do anything.
Rex!
Keep out of this.
You're always here, nosing into our affairs.
But I know why. Sibella.
With all her money,
she'd make you a delightful Mrs. Arthur Von Blon,
wouldn't she, Doctor?
But her money is not enough,
you want ours too.
That's it. You did this.
You took my gun.
Now, Rex, you said enough.
You knew I had a revolver. You remembered!
You saw me with it when
we went camping last summer!
- Stop it.
Now, Rex.
- You saw and you took it!
You stole it, you hear?
- Snap out of it.
Give it back, give it back, back! (Groans)
You're the doctor the butler sent for.
I've been wanting to talk to you.
How long did it take you to get here
after you got this call?
Uh, perhaps the doctor can tell us
when we may see the young lady who was shot.
Why, certainly.
I will let you know.
Miss Greene?
Right.
You must be the detective.
Quite a wild party we pulled here last night.
Miss Greene, do you know anyone who would
want to hurt your brother and sister?
Oh, we'd all come under suspicion there.
We all hate each other.
Rex thinks we're so beneath him mentally.
So of course we irritate him.
Oh, thanks.
Even little Ada.
She'd just love to see us all erased.
The only reason Mother hasn't killed the whole family
is that she can't move.
Hip! Hip!
I've often thought of murdering us all myself.
Only I couldn't think of any way
that would be thorough enough.
Hooray.
You may see Miss Ada now if you like,
but please, no excitement.
Thank you.
I'll see you later.
Why not?
Arthur?
Yes?
Of course, after what's happened,
we better wait.
Yes. Yes, you are right.
It would be too soon now.
I heard the shot.
That's what woke me.
But I thought it was an automobile backfiring outside.
And I was just getting to sleep again
when there was a, a shuffling noise.
And I got up, and-
Was the light on?
No.
I started to turn it on,
when a hand touched me.
Oh, I, I tried to scream,
but I couldn't.
Then there was that awful shuffling sound again.
And I ran.
And then there was a noise,
and something hot hit me.
Oh, I can't remember anything more.
Uh, just what do you mean by shuffling sound, Miss Greene?
I don't know.
Like sliding footsteps.
A man's or woman?
Go on, say it was I.
You'd like to.
Haven't you nerve enough to lie?
Sibella!
You angelic little snake in the grass.
I wouldn't be surprised if you murdered Chester.
Yeah, and probably shot herself in the back too.
Sibella, why do you hate me so?
- What have I ever done to-
- Oh, nothing.
Everything.
- You've always wanted-
- Sibella.
I'm sorry.
All right, Miss Greene.
Let's you and I go out on the balcony
and examine those footprints and get some air.
Oh, dear.
Here, I'll give you something that will make you sleep.
Now, after shooting the girl,
he came out here.
See?
He beat it down these steps and ducked.
[Vance] The burglar?
Well, maybe it wasn't a burglar.
Oh, Simpkin, did you get those footprints measured yet?
All set.
Fine.
Trouble is, they disappear when they hit the walk.
And it stopped snowing about 11:00 last night.
So it's impossible to know
whether they were made after the murder or before.
That ain't all.
The marking sole were made by rubbers, probably galoshes.
So we can't tell how much bigger they are
than the guy's feet.
I can't find any gun.
- Where'd you look?
- Everywhere.
The old lady said to stay out of the library.
Says there hasn't been anybody in there
since, uh, her husband died.
But the nurse showed me where the key was,
so I got in okay.
Anything there?
Well, nothin' but the creeps.
I never been in such a house.
You see any galoshes?
No.
Well, go find some galoshes that will fit these.
Yes, sir.
Mrs. Greene would like to see you, officer.
Sergeant.
Uh, Sergeant.
And I wouldn't come down on Rex too hard.
His accusing mere-merely self-protective.
The result of your question about his revolver, of course.
If there's anything I can do,
I'm glad to be of help.
Thanks.
Is Miss Ada badly hurt?
Oh, no, no, no.
Merely the shock.
I gave her something-
Yes, I noticed your case, Doctor.
You must have been trained abroad to carry so many drugs.
American doctors don't, you know?
You are observant.
Thank you.
You've known the Greenes a long while, haven't you?
My father attended them before me, so naturally.
Naturally.
Don't forget Mrs. Greene, Sergeant.
And remember, no excitement please.
Oh yeah?
Yes.
Now what kind of paralysis is Mrs. Greene's?
Organic, both legs.
It's quite hopeless.
Good morning.
Why, good morning.
- Oh, but Mother-
- Be quiet!
I've sent for the policemen.
Well, make them get out.
What right have they to come into this house?
Officer, I command that you drop this investigation.
I've got worry and trouble enough without this publicity.
But, madam, uh-
Keep your mouth closed.
Chester got what he deserved.
I'm a poor, helpless old woman,
but I'll keep you from torturing me.
Why haven't you spoken to me about this affair?
But that's exactly what the Sergeant
wants to do, Mrs. Greene.
For example, whether you heard anything last night
before the shot?
[Mother] No.
Now Miss Ada there heard a shuffling sound.
Oh, she did?
Oh, that reminds me.
I did hear something.
A door blowing back and forth in the hall.
[Heath] Then why didn't you hear the shot?
Well, it must've been before the shooting,
because I got up and shut my door and went back to sleep.
And that door blowing must've been what Ada heard.
If you please, sir.
Miss Ada.
Uh...
A good morning.
Goodbye.
I remember now.
I heard that noise Rex just told you about,
like a door closing.
Oh, Sergeant, just a minute.
Pardon me.
Uh, but, Miss Ada,
Rex says that he heard the closing of a door
before the shot.
[Ada] No.
Why, why, he couldn't have.
Mr. Vance.
Well, don't let it worry you.
Everybody's upset.
Thank you.
(Gretchen speaking German)
Get a load of that.
I guess they'd make that shuffling sound, all right.
If I could just find that-
Are those your galoshes?
Well, what of it?
I wasn't out of the house last night,
but I'm getting out.
No you're not!
If anyone's after us,
he'll get me, won't he?
Do you think I wanna be murdered too?
Do you think I wanna stay here-
You bet you are.
Watch this baby.
Watch till you rot and see where that'll get you.
(door thuds)
Do you like this family?
Sure it's funny,
and so is a chicken crossin' the road.
But nobody's ever solved that yet.
I've had my boys hanging around that place
for a week, checkin' on everything.
And where are we?
If it was a burglar, it'd be a cinch.
But it wasn't.
A burglar simply wouldn't have turned on Ada's light
after he shot her, now would he?
Well, who was it then?
Well, the psychological pattern-
My dear Vance,
I'm afraid you're not going to get very far
delving into what you call the psychological patterns
of the Greenes.
Well, my dear Markham, I'm afraid that the only way
you're going to find this murderer.
These shootings were thought out,
planned, timed, by someone familiar with the family.
Someone who lay in wait,
knew when everyone was asleep,
knew just how and when to strike.
That family-
is nutty, if you ask me.
A young lady to see you, sir.
A Miss Greene.
Miss Greene?
Probably Sibella, the older sister.
Have her come in.
- Yes, sir.
She's probably found that gat
in her younger sister's stocking.
Oh, how do you do?
This is Miss Greene, Miss Ada Greene.
The district attorney.
How do you do, Miss Greene?
I'm glad to see you're so much better.
Oh, I'm quite all right now, thank you.
Won't you sit down, please?
There's something I, I want to tell you.
It's about Rex.
You see, I, uh-
Yes, well?
Well, the night Chester was killed,
our lawyer was checking on Father's will.
You must have heard of the Greene will.
Oh yes.
Well, after the lawyer left,
I saw Rex take his galoshes out of that closet.
How's that?
Oh, he can explain, I'm sure.
Uh, pardon me just a moment.
Gordon!
- Sir?
- Get Mr. Rex Greene
on the phone please.
Yes, sir.
Continue.
Well, then there was another thing.
- Last night-
- Yes?
Well, last night I heard Dr. Von Blon
tell Sibella something about Mother's illness.
I didn't understand it.
It was a medical term, I guess.
But I wrote the word down on a piece of paper.
I thought probably, you'd know.
May we see that piece of paper, Miss Greene?
Oh, I'm awfully sorry, it's at home,
but I'll get it for-
Uh, just a moment, please.
Mr. Rex Greene is on the phone now, Mr. Markham.
Thank you, Gordon.
Say, Chief, maybe he could bring
that piece of paper down to us.
Oh, well, then perhaps you'd better let me speak
to Rex first, he resents strangers so.
[Markham] Why, surely.
Rex dear.
Wait.
There's an envelope in our private mailbox, you know?
Yes.
Well, get it and read it to me, will you please?
I want to tell Mr. Markham.
Oh, all right.
(gun fires)
Rex! Rex!
Here, let me have it. Let me have it, please.
Hello?
Hello, hello, Mr. Greene?
Mr. Green!
Mr. Greene is dead.
He's dead.
(Ada shrieks)
- Oh.
- Gordon.
[Ada] Oh, Rex!
Get my car ready on the patio.
All right.
Everything's gonna be all right.
Take it easy.
- It's all right, Miss Greene,
it's all right.
(reporters chattering)
Here comes the DA's car now.
(reporters clamoring)
[Heath] You better stand by for a few minutes
to talk anyhow.
(reporters clamoring)
- Hello, boys.
- Hello, Sergeant.
Now wait a minute.
I tell you, we're not ready to give you any story yet,
we don't know what it is ourselves.
No, I said I'm not ready to give you a story.
He was shot from the front too.
But Chester was horrified.
This boy's face shows nothing.
(clears throat) if Dr. Von Blon can be of any help, sir,
he asked me to tell you-
Oh, the doctor was here this time too, hey?
- Yes, sir.
- Get him.
And, Sproot, let's have another go at the servants.
You see, Sergeant,
the murderer and his weapon
couldn't have been invisible.
But this boy's expression is natural.
The look on his brother's face was,
well, to say the least, surprise.
It's all wrong, Markham.
It's mad.
And I have a feeling that if we don't stop it,
it will go on and-
Well, how do you do, Doctor?
Now this is the district attorney.
Uh, Dr. Von Blon.
How do you do, Doctor?
You were here in the house when this happened?
Yes, yes, yes.
I was in Miss Sibella's room.
Uh, uh, uh, uh, she was complaining of-
Well, that doesn't matter, Doctor.
Neither of you heard the shot?
That is correct.
Although, I, I can't quite make it out.
The door was open when Sproot found him.
Oh, Sproot was first on the scene this time too, hey?
Yes, yes.
I see.
Well, thank you, Doctor.
Say, the police doc's coming up.
Don't forget, Ada told Rex to get that note
and read it to her over the phone.
There's no sign of a note on him now.
- Somebody must-
- Nobody knew he
was coming to see me.
The servants are waiting in the drawing room, sir.
- Thank you.
- How many telephone
extensions in this house?
Telephones?
Four.
One in Mrs. Greene's room,
Miss Sibella's room, the kitchen,
and the hall here.
Thank you, Sproot.
You see, anybody might have listened in.
How are you, Mr. Markham?
Hello, Doctor, how are you?
- Sergeant.
- Hiya, Doc.
Well, when it's not my breakfast
you fellows interfere with, it's my lunch.
I presume this is the body.
Yeah.
You get me that bullet and then you can eat.
Till the next bullet.
(knocking on door)
Come in.
Oh, hello.
I beg your pardon.
Things getting rather ghastly, isn't it?
You're taking it a bit more seriously today, hmm?
I'm beginning to wonder if I won't be the next.
But I know who you are now, Mr. Vance.
I remember the Canary case.
So I suppose if anyone can help us, you can.
Thank you.
Uh, the doctor says you didn't hear the shot.
No, I was in there giving Pompom,
that's my little dog there, a bath.
Dr. Von Blon was sitting there smoking.
Mother hates the smell of pipe,
so he often comes in here for a smoke.
And then Sproot called us.
Uh, isn't it curious that no one heard the shot?
But someone did.
Didn't he tell you?
Who?
Sproot.
Why, he told me-
The Chief's waiting for you down in the parlor, Mr. Vance.
Oh, quite right.
Well, thank you.
Oh, Arthur, I'm frightened.
What? No no, please, please, don't.
- Oh, but I am.
- No, darling.
I wish we could talk alone.
Yes, but, but where?
Mm-hmm.
I know.
- Where?
On the roof.
- Good.
- I'll get my coat.
So now, sir, I know there's something funny.
Mr. Chester was nice to me,
but the others.
This family's queer, sir.
Mrs. Greene is an old witch,
the way she keeps after Miss Ada.
Though Miss Ada's no saint when she gets mad either.
Miss Sibella is a regular icicle.
And this Dr. Von Blon,
there's something between Sibella and him,
or I'm crazy.
Sproot and Hemming, they're as bad as the rest.
And the cook too, going around and crying
and talking to herself in German all the time.
You give me my pay, Mr. Sproot, I'm through.
That will be all.
Oh, Sproot.
Why didn't you tell us you heard this last shot?
No one asked me, sir.
Oh.
Where were you when you heard it?
I'd just called Mr. Rex to the telephone.
Which phone did he use?
The one in the upper hall.
I was in the dining room replacing the silver
when I heard the shot.
Uh, Mr. Rex's room, uh,
where you found him,
is over the dining room, isn't it?
Over this room, sir.
Well, whose room is over the dining room?
Miss Ada's.
Miss Ada was not in the house.
No?
That's all, Sproot.
Ah, Mrs. Mannheim,
uh, how long have you been with the Greenes?
13 years, since my husband died.
Old Mr. Greene knew my husband.
Were you in this country when he died?
Yes.
Well, that will be all, thank you.
Say, Vance, what connection has that last question
with this case?
Possibly none.
On the other hand, if we can relate these various facts,
and to get the psychology back of them-
Yes, if I could find that gun,
I'd report all these shootings as suicides
and resign from the force.
Not a bad idea, Sergeant.
Interesting character, old Greene.
I've been reading about him in the newspaper files.
Threw 'em out though.
We'd better have a copy of the old boys' will, Sergeant.
Well, I can dig that up anyhow.
Well, that'll be something.
- Mr. Markham.
- Yes.
Someone's been in my room.
Say, I've got news for you.
Wait a minute.
Who's been in your room?
Well, I was with Mother,
and when I went back to my room,
the doors to the balcony were open
and there where mud tracks across the rug.
Those are the tracks I got.
Somebody went from the front walk,
across the mud in the yard
and up those steps to the balcony outside her room,
and within a couple of hours,
because there were no tracks there
when I made the rounds this morning.
And what's more,
these prints are the same as the ones we found last week
in the snow, but there are no tracks comin' down.
The guy that made them didn't come down that way.
So he went up those balcony steps,
crossed Miss Ada's room to the hall,
did his dirty work and vanished.
Uh, you better come with us, Miss Ada.
Yes, of course.
Come on, Simpkin.
Yeah, how could anyone come up the balcony
and get into her room and get out again without being seen?
Perhaps he didn't get out again.
You mean?
Suppose you have dinner with me tonight,
Markham, in my apartment.
By then, I may have something.
I hope so.
Oh, Mr. Markham.
Here's your bullet.
32 caliber again, you see?
Looks like all three of 'em were shot from the same gun.
Anyway, I'll have the autopsy after lunch.
- Very well.
- Mr. Vance.
We measured those new footprints
and they're all from the same galoshes, all right,
but now the galoshes are gone.
How did that happen?
Well, I put them back in the closet the other day
expecting to catch the guy if he came back for 'em again.
He must've copped them right
from out from under our noses.
Well, I wouldn't put too much stock
in those footprints if I were you, Sergeant.
I rather feel they're the only childish move
this clever murderer has made.
Well, we gotta have somethin' to go on, ain't we?
Oh, Miss Ada.
Well, it's nothing important.
Oh, I'm so nervous.
Yes, naturally.
Uh, when you spoke to Rex from Mr. Markham's office
about the note you wanted him to read to you,
uh, you told him it was in your private mailbox.
Oh, that.
Oh, that's right here in Rex's room.
I'll get it for you.
That's what we called this incense burner.
You see, we used to leave notes in it
for each other when we were children.
We called it our private mailbox.
Uh, you put the envelope here.
Yes.
And when you brought me back,
I looked for it, but it was gone.
Rex must have taken it.
No, he didn't have it.
Well, then somebody must have-
Well, can't you remember what it was you wrote
on that piece of paper?
You told us that it was a medical term about your mother.
Perhaps Dr. Von Blon could tell you.
He's up on the roof garden with Sibella
if you care to ask him.
Oh, uh...
Oh, the stairs are right behind that door there.
I see.
Thank you.
I, I beg your pardon.
I meant to ask you, Doctor,
uh, have you by chance thought it advisable
to withhold any phase of Mrs. Greene's illness
from the family?
Why, no.
Mrs. Greene's illness is a very simple type
of paralysis of the legs, paraplegia.
- I see.
- Oh, hello, Arthur.
Oh, hello, Ada.
[Ada] I just wanted to tell you,
you left your medicine case in Mother's room.
Oh, yes. Oh, yes, thank you.
Could be a perfect spot for murder, wouldn't it?
Why shoot anyone,
when all you have to do is take them
to a roof garden and push them over into the river.
Just another accident, a suicide.
And no one the wiser.
You know, I think I'll take up crime in a serious way.
Oh. Oh, stop it!
Oh, Arthur, please, let's go down from here.
Will that be right, Vance,
and Rex's murderer did not leave the house,
it's someone we've been talking to?
(door bell ringing)
And by the way, Sergeant,
did you dig up old Greene's will?
Yes, I have a copy of it here.
Go get it, will you please?
Dr. Von Blon.
Well.
Uh, show him in, Sam.
- How do you do?
- How do you do, Doctor?
Coffee?
- No, thank you very kindly.
Now won't you sit down?
Uh, thank you, I have something very important
to tell you.
Some drugs, strychnine and morphine,
have been taken from my medicine case.
How much?
Four and eight grains.
I noticed that they were missing
when I got home this afternoon.
But the drugs were my case
when I made my usual call on Mrs. Greene.
But you didn't keep your case with you,
did you, Doctor?
I remember Ada saying that you had left it-
Oh, yes, yes.
I left it in the hall first,
and then Sproot brought to me in to Miss Sibella's room.
Did you leave it alone there?
Why, uh, why, yes, until this morning.
Mrs. Greene needed a stimulant,
she was very weak,
so I had the nurse bring it in for miss,
Misses Greene's room.
So anybody might have swiped the poison.
[Markham] I hope this is not gonna turn out
to be a poisoning case.
Well, there ain't any need looking for the stuff.
There's 1 000 places in the house where it could be hid.
Say, chief, what do you think
about replacing Mrs. Greene's nurse with a police nurse?
She can watch better than we can and-
Yes, that's very good, officer, uh, Sergeant.
I have a (indistinct) nurse there myself.
Well, I'll put in the nurse and I'll put in a doctor
across the street with the men who are watching
from that apartment house.
He'll be able to get there quick,
if anything should break.
Thank you.
- Good evening.
- Good evening, Doctor.
This is one of the most carefully
worked out plots I've ever known.
It's so logical it's insane.
Well, here's old Greene's will.
Mr. Markham and I went through it.
And nothing that we didn't know before.
Except for a few bequests to the servants,
Sproot, and Mrs. Mannheim,
who receive an income for life whenever they retire.
And we get the library.
Why do you suppose that old bird did that?
Oh, I remember, the newspapers printed
a story about it at the time.
Here it is here.
"At the expiration of 15 years,
the library goes to New York Police Department."
As for the rest of it,
those still living benefit equally from the murders.
And there's three of the family still left.
And two from three leaves one.
Strychnine and morphine.
Well, not if I can help it.
I'll have that doctor and nurse there in half an hour.
Why should old Tobias Greene leave his books
to the police?
I think we'd better look into that library, Markham.
Right.
[Heath] Anything new?
No, sir, everybody's in their room but the Sibella girl.
She's out riding with this Dr. Von Blon.
Turns rather easily,
to have been locked so long, hmm?
Hinge is smooth too.
Did you oil this lock when you opened the door last week?
No.
And if you ask me,
it's a lotta baloney about this thing
havin' been locked for 10 years.
Mac, where's the light switch?
Uh, they ain't a working,
but you'll find some candles over there by the fireplace.
Anybody ran into those galoshes yet?
No.
But I've been looking all over the house for them.
Well, keep after 'em.
You bet.
- Oh, Mac.
- Yes, sir.
Before you go, uh, let me have your light.
Yes, sir.
Well, they haven't been opened in a long time.
(chair clattering) (Heath thuds)
[Vance] What happened, Sergeant?
I tripped over something.
[Vance] What was it?
Uh...
The galoshes!
[Vance] Good work, Sergeant!
[Vance] Apparently we've had a frequent visitor here.
[Vance] Yes, and a recent one.
I've got it!
Somebody's been sitting in this chair reading.
Excellent, Sergeant.
Now, let's see.
Hmm.
No wonder old Tobias left his books
to the police.
[Markham] How's that?
The complete library of criminology...
In several languages, too.
Uh-oh.
No dust on the shelf here.
Apparently this is where our bookworm has been nibbling.
"Complete History of Crime", by Thack.
That's a realm.
"Poisons: Their Effects and Detection".
"Hysterical paralysis and Sleepwalking".
Say, Mrs. Greene.
The old lady, she can walk.
And she read in that book
where she can lay it on to walking in her sleep
if she gets caught.
But Dr. Von Blon told me-
It's possible, Sergeant, but I don't think it fits.
(knocking on door)
- What's that?
(knocking on door)
- The door.
- Well, Mrs Greene.
- Mr. Markham,
I've got something terrible to tell you.
Oh, about an hour ago,
I was up in my room.
I heard that shuffling noise.
It was going down the stairs there.
Oh, I was sick I was so afraid.
But I forced myself to look over the banister
and I saw someone standing
in front of the library door here.
Who was it?
It was Mother!
Mother?
She was walking.
[Vance] Are you sure?
Yes.
She had on her oriental shawl.
And, and when she stepped into the light,
I saw her face.
Well, Markham, we'd better
have a specialist examine Mrs. Greene.
Suppose you get Oppenheimer, you know him.
Then very well I will.
No, listen. Sergeant, help me.
May I have some malt, please?
[Markham] Take it easy, little girl, it's all right.
Take it easy.
- I'll get the nurse.
- Where's the nurse?
(group speaking faintly)
Mr. Vance?
Oh, good morning, Sergeant.
Well, I'm afraid I must have fallen-
Well, what is it?
Ada.
Ada?
Poison, I suppose.
Yeah, the morphine.
I laid down in the drawing room for some sleep.
And the first thing I knew,
the doctor I had planted across the street was shaking me.
The nurse found the kid and signaled him.
She's not dead?
No, Doc got to her in time.
Hmm. Oh, Von Blon is here again, eh?
The butler phoned him,
but he'd gone to his hospital.
I left word I wanted him.
Of all the dumb luck.
Wait till you see what gave the alarm.
Take it slowly.
There's the girl.
Now, steady. Steady.
How is she, Miss O'Brien?
Oh, she's coming on fine.
Turn her over to the doctor and you hop right back here.
[O'Brien] Steady.
The butler found her when her bell rang downstairs.
Miss Sibella's dog was on the bed,
with this in his mouth, playing with it.
That's what saved the kid, can you beat it?
Oh, Miss O'Brien, tell Mr. Vance about the bouillon.
Why, Mrs. Greene sent me in with the bouillon,
keeping a cup for herself as she always did, she said.
Uh, did Mrs. Greene touch Ada's cup?
No, sir, I brought it up from the kitchen myself.
The young lady was in the bathroom
so I set it down there.
Then I told Miss Ada it was waiting
and I went down to my breakfast.
Then the butler hears her bell,
comes up, and finds her laying on the bed.
Were all the others in their rooms?
Yes, sir.
And Miss Sibella?
She got in at three this morning.
She's still asleep.
Oh, Miss O'Brien, when you went to breakfast this morning,
did you see Miss Sibella's dog?
No, sir.
That will be all, thank you.
The old lady jumped outta bed,
slipped the stuff in the cup there,
and got back while Ada was in the bathroom.
Sproot has told me about Ada.
Uh, how is Miss Sibella?
Asleep.
Where were you?
Why, I was in Connecticut in Greenwich on a case.
Didn't return until late.
Uh, Sergeant, will you see if Miss Ada
can talk with us now?
Sure.
Uh, Doctor, uh, you won't object if our police surgeon
continues with Miss Ada's case, will you?
Not at all.
Was your diagnosis of Mrs. Greene's case
the only one that was made?
I believe so.
I saw no reason to-
Of course not.
But under the circumstances,
the police think they should have a more detailed report.
- Naturally.
- So you won't mind
if we call in a specialist?
If you wish.
Thank you.
We'll have to wait,
she's in no condition to talk.
We're getting warm, Sergeant.
Our murderer will do anything to stop us now,
so keep alive.
That's some job...
In this house.
Uh, information.
Uh, let me have the county clerk
at Greenwich, Connecticut, please.
Oh, Markham.
What's up?
It's all over, Vance.
You've got the specialist's report, huh?
There won't be any report.
Mrs. Greene is dead.
The strychnine, huh?
Yes, it was in the bicarb she takes before going to bed.
Suicide, of course.
She knew that we were on to her.
Oh no, Markham, that doesn't fit.
Oh, nonsense.
There's no psychology here.
The poor woman was mad.
Thank heaven it's over.
Markham, I still want an examination
of Mrs. Greene's leg muscles.
What?
I'll be dressed in just a minute.
[Markham] Oh, Doctor.
Oh, evening, chief.
Say, don't this murderer of yours know it's Saturday?
I promised to take my kids to the pictures this evening.
Hey, Doctor, I want you to make enough of an autopsy
to make a report on Mrs. Greene's leg muscles,
whether she could have walked or not, understand?
[Doctor] Right.
I am the resurrection and the life, saith the Lord.
The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away.
Blessed be the name of the Lord.
Worms destroy this body,
yet in my flesh shall I see God.
Oh, vanity of vanities.
Oh, the Lord's been busy again.
I told you, all the wicked shall be destroyed.
What are you doing here?
Cleaning out the corruption of Tobias Greene.
Hey, you turn that off!
Miss Sibella's doomed too.
I had a dream. The hussy.
The way she's been carrying on with Dr. Von Blon,
oh, she'll be the next!
The man that is born of a woman hath but a short time
to live and is very miserable.
He cometh up, and is cut down.
What do you make of that?
Oh, she's just a cuckoo.
Old lady Greene did these killings.
Um-um.
Mrs. Greene's leg muscles are entirely wasted away.
Been that way for years.
As for walking or even moving,
not a chance in the world.
There you are, Sergeant.
But Ada was certain that she saw her mother at this door.
Markham, I know I'm on the right track now.
And once I can put all the facts together,
I'll have a solution.
If you'll excuse me.
- Thank you, Doctor.
Keep in touch with me, Sergeant.
All right.
(Gertrude speaking German)
I'm sorry to bother you again, Miss Ada.
You're feeling better this evening?
Yes, much better. Thank you.
Now, you told us you saw your mother
walking in front of the library, didn't you?
Why, yes.
The medical examiner's autopsy show
that your mother couldn't walk.
Why, I don't understand.
It must've been Mother.
Are you positive the person you saw
was wearing your Mother's shawl?
Yes, that was the first thing I noticed.
Ooh.
She maybe saw me.
Oh, don't be silly, Gertrude.
Oh, you have worn Mrs. Greene's shawl?
Why, of course she hasn't.
Uh, who has worn the shawl besides your mother?
Why, I don't know.
Let me see.
Oh, it couldn't have been Sibella because-
Oh, Sibella has worn it?
Why, yes, she's often-
Oh.
Oh, I didn't mean to say that.
I'll have to ask you to excuse me.
Uh, Mrs. Mannheim, you told me you, uh,
were in this country when your husband died, didn't you?
Uh, where were you?
Trenton, New Jersey.
My husband was working there.
I see.
Did you notice anybody walking
around the house last night
with Mrs. Greene's oriental shawl on?
No, sir.
Sure?
Yes, sir.
Sergeant.
All right, Sproot.
Will you phone that address
and get me the record of that name?
Surely.
Oh, Mr. Markham had to leave.
I see.
And, Sergeant, when you make this call,
will you cover all the extensions
so that no one can listen in?
- Surely.
- Good.
Oh, Sproot.
Yes, sir.
Uh, do you know if any of the family
reads or speaks German?
Ah, yes, sir.
Old Mr. Greene had all the children learn it.
They spent so much time in Germany
when he was on business there.
I see.
Now, Sproot, a particularly important question.
You found Miss Ada after she was shot, didn't you?
Yes, sir.
When you found her,
was the window beyond her dressing table open?
Now please think carefully.
The window that overlooks the balcony steps, was it open?
Yes, sir. I closed it.
Thank you, Sproot.
Oh!
Oh, Mrs. Mannheim, if you please.
Yeah.
All right, I'll wait.
Ada, I told you to bring Pompom back to me.
I want to take her up on the roof.
Sibella, please let me go to the roof garden with you.
I'm afraid alone here.
Let me help you.
- Oh.
- Take care of yourself,
Miss Ada.
- Thank you very much.
Yeah.
What? Wait.
Yeah.
Okay.
Well, do you know any reason then,
why the Greenes should be attacked like this?
(speaks German) I don't know.
Mr. Chester and Mr. Rex maybe.
(speaks German) understand, they hated everybody.
But little Ada (speaks German)
(Gertrude sobbing)
Got what you wanted all right, Mr. Vance.
Uh, Mrs. Mannheim.
Suppose we have the truth.
You say your husband died at Trenton 13 years ago.
Yes.
And it was just 13 years ago
that Mr. Greene adopted Ada.
You know then?
Yes.
I suspected for some time that she is your daughter.
I promised Mr. Greene I wouldn't tell anybody,
not even Ada, if he'd let me stay by her.
Why hasn't she recognized you?
Oh, she was away to school since she was five.
Mr. Greene brought her here,
then I told him that-
Yes? What?
Nothing.
Nothing more.
You mean, when you told Mr. Greene that your husband,
who had helped him with some
of his questionable business deals,
was dead at the New Jersey State Hospital
for the criminally insane.
All right, Sergeant.
Say, what's the matter?
I can handle that dame.
- Who?
- Frau Mannheim.
The dope on her husband.
Say, if it wasn't old lady Greene,
it's got to be the cook.
She killed them to get the money for her Ada.
Nobody else could've.
But somebody else did though.
Who? How?
I can't pinch somebody without evidence.
Here it is, exhibit A.
What do you mean?
It's no wonder we've been confused,
to say the least, Sergeant.
The murderer copied every detail
of the crimes from these books,
from actual criminal history.
The experience of hundreds of criminals,
plus the science of the world's greatest criminologists.
Say, gimme a break, will you?
Who is it?
If you'll come with me to Rex's room,
I think I can verify how he was killed.
Then I'll have everything.
If you remember, Sergeant,
Rex fell here, close to the fireplace.
We know from his expression that he never saw the gun.
That's right.
He was about your height, Sergeant.
I wonder...
Secret panel stuff, hey?
They sometimes put safes in these old mounts.
What?
Be careful, Sergeant.
What!
Hold on.
There you are, Rex's gun.
Well, the old man-killing safe idea.
Just that.
When Rex opened this panel,
the string pulled the trigger and fired the gun.
The whole idea came right from that book,
even to the bootjack.
Will you hold that, Sergeant?
Thank you.
I thought so.
Straight through to the other room.
Say, everyone on this floor
was at the other end of the house.
The sound went down the flue.
That's why Sproot heard it in the room below.
Exactly.
I have it.
She listened in on Rex's phone call,
knew that he was going after a note
that would tip the whole thing off to us.
She came in, fixed the gun and then-
Who?
Sibella!
She was afraid Ada would cop Dr. Von Blon.
She read German, got the dope out of these books.
No, Sergeant, not Sibella.
Ada.
What?
That's the private mailbox.
When Ada spoke to Rex from Markham's office,
she sent him for a note that never existed.
And now that we've got that, Sergeant,
I think you can make your arrest.
Now wait a minute.
Ada can wait, she's on the roof.
But I still don't get it.
Her motive?
First of all, jealousy, Sergeant.
Jealousy of Sibella over Dr. Von Blon.
Hatred of being the Cinderella of the household.
A mad desire for the freedom she'd have
if she inherited the estate.
And don't forget,
her father who's a criminal and insane.
Hmm.
Ada has unquestionably inherited this taint.
She discovered these books in the library
and read and reread them,
until she gradually became obsessed
with a mad fantasy of freedom and murder.
The snowfall the night of the first murder
gave her her chance.
She got Rex's revolver and galoshes,
sneaked down the balcony stairs,
around and into the front of house,
killed Chester and shot herself.
The galoshes and the footprints
were simply to throw us off.
She shot herself in the back?
There's a case in that book exactly like it.
How did she get rid of the gun?
Again the book.
The case of a suicide,
who killed himself on a bridge.
He tied a cord with a weight on it to his gun
and hung the weight over the side,
so that after he shot himself,
the weight pulled the gun into the water.
When Sproot told me that her window was open
the night she was shot, I knew it was Ada.
She had her gun pulled through the open window.
And she poisoned Miss. Greene?
And herself too?
To throw us off again.
She caught that bell cord in the dog's teeth
to get the alarm.
The bed was too high for the dog
to have jumped there himself.
Sure it was.
And Sergeant, when Dr. Von Blon took Sibella
with him to Greenwich the other night,
he probably saved her life.
Before Ada had another chance at her-
But Vance, Ada and Sibella are together on the roof now.
[Vance] Quick, Sergeant.
Simpkin, have a couple of men up here, quick.
What's the matter?
The door to the roof is locked.
Come on, boys, we'll break it in.
No, wait.
She'll hear us coming.
The only way we can save Sibella
is to get up there without being heard.
You're right.
We try a window.
When you boys get our signal,
break through that door to the roof,
do you understand?
- Yes, sir.
- Come on, Sergeant.
Stand by, boys, for the signal.
(foghorn bellowing)
(water sploshing)
(Ada giggles)
(foghorn bellowing)
Look, Sibella, you can see the boats from here.
Well, what of it?
(pot clattering)
(water splashing)
[Vance] Shh!
Sibella, look!
(Ada grunting)
(Sibella screaming)
Oh no!
Help, help!
(Ada monas)
(whistle trilling)
(door thudding)
(Ada sobbing)
(door thudding continues)
[Simpkin] One more heave.
Oh, help!
(Sibella moaning)
Help, please.
Oh, help.
Help me.
Oh, help.
Oh, help.
What is this?
Oh!
(Sibella moaning)
Help me!
(Sibella moaning)
Please, quickly!
[Vance] Steady.
Easy. Easy.
(Sibella moaning)
Hold it.
(Sibella moaning) (door thudding continues)
- Where is she?
- She's not here.
Where'd she go?
(Ada gasps and screams)
(water splashing)
Let's get downstairs, quick.
Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Vance.
Arthur told me it would be all right with you around.
Oh, well, thank you.
[Heath] Oh, Mr. Vance.
You'll excuse me.
Yes, Sergeant.
- Well, it's all over.
She went straight through the ice.
The boys are still at it,
but there's not a chance.
She must have been cuckoo to go after Miss Sibella
with us right here in the house.
Not at all, Sergeant.
Miss Sibella's death would have looked like suicide
and a confession of guilt, don't you see?
Well, goodbye.
I'll telephone your husband.
You know?
Yes.
When you and Dr. Von Blon were missing the other night,
and when he told me he had been at Greenwich,
I rather suspected you had been married,
so I verified it through the county clerk there.
May I wish you great happiness.
Thank you.
Goodbye.
[Heath] Uh, just one thing more, huh?
What's that, Sergeant?
What did Ada do with the gun?
There was no water for it to fall in like you said.
No, but there was snow.
Snow?
- Snow.
- Oh!
Well, after all, Mr. Vance,
life's just a problem.
[Vance] Right again, Sergeant.
(gentle accomplished music)
(ominous music)
(moves to gentle ominous music)
(moves to gentle music)
(water sploshing)
(knocking on door)
(knocking on door)
Come in.
Mr. Canon is here, sir.
- Mr. Canon?
- Yes.
Oh, yeah.
[Sproot] In your mother's room.
Oh, yeah.
Well, each year finds you better, Mrs. Greene.
It does not!
Nurse, tell Miss Ada to come here.
Hello Mr. Canon.
Well, fire away, Canon. (Laughs)
Chester!
See, what do I matter?
A paralyzed old woman like me. (Scoffs)
Ada, the only comfort of all these ungrateful children.
And she only pretends to love me.
- Miss Sibella.
- Alley-oop.
Mr. Rex. Good evening.
What's good about it?
Or any other evening in this house.
I must say, 10 years of these meetings
have made me dislike being a policeman
as much as you dislike each other.
But as you know,
your father's will requires me
to determine every year whether you have lived according
to the provisions thereof,
and to remind you that you must live in this house
and maintain this property intact
for 15 years after your father's and husband's death,
that's five years more, or be disinherited.
And that on this date, 1934,
if you have carried out this provision,
the estate will be divided equally between you,
or in the event of death,
between any of you who are still alive.
- Have you got a match?
- A-
A- (groans)
Uh, remembering, of course,
the bequest to the servants who have been with you
since the death of Mr. Greene.
Sibella, put that out!
[Chester] Mm-hmm.
And the exception that Miss Ada,
not being of the family blood,
may live elsewhere if she marries.
Now, Mrs. Greene, you haven't left the house?
Use your head, you fool!
How could I?
Haven't I-
Been lying here for 10 years,
making life miserable for everybody, including myself.
Oh, shut up!
See!
Well, Chester?
Still here.
Miss Sibella?
In person.
Sibella, where are you going?
To the theater, little buttercup.
With, uh, with Arthur?
Yes, darling.
(chuckles) You're after Arthur yourself now, eh?
Stop it!
Mr. Rex?
Why, certainly I've been here.
Thank you, thank you.
And going crazy in the middle of this loving family.
Uh, Miss Ada.
Miss Ada?
Yes, I'm here.
Well, that's everybody.
Thank you.
Good evening.
Good evening.
Ada.
Yes, Mother?
Bring me my bouillon.
Yes, Mother.
The lawyer was here again.
But the law can't chase the devil out of this house.
It's a wicked family, doomed to death!
Shh!
Here, mein herr.
Thank you, Gertrude.
(Gertrude speaking German)
How do you know about the family?
From the Lord.
All the Greenes are doomed, so they are.
Hating each other like poison
and rotting with evil both.
I shall rise up against them,
saith the Lord of hosts,
and sweep them with a besom of destruction.
Now read to me.
Oh, no, no, no.
The novel, where you left off last night.
All right.
Well, it stopped snowing anyways.
Hmm.
Oh, I'm awfully sorry.
"In five minutes,
we were outside the door, starting upon our expedition.
We hurried through the dark shrubbery amid the doubt..."
(Chester cackling)
(knocking on door)
Come in.
(door clacking)
(gun fires)
(gun fires)
(Ada moaning)
(Ada thuds)
(Mother grunts)
Ada!
Nurse!
What's happened?
Why doesn't somebody come?
Ada?
Sibella?
Rex?
I'm all alone.
Chester? Anybody?
Where are you?
Something's happened.
And, oh, and that I'm alone.
Why don't you come, you filthy children?
It's your mother.
(sobbing) Call Dr. Von Blon.
[Sproot] Yes.
- What is it, mother?
- What's the trouble?
It's Mr. Chester and Miss Ada,
they've been shot.
- Are they dead?
- Who found them?
Did you see anybody?
No. No, no, no, I'm trying to get Dr. Von Blon...
Yes, the newspapers had it right.
Chester Greene was killed instantly
but the girl was only wounded.
Why, of course it was attempted robbery.
Why, the silverware alone was-
Just a moment.
It's Philo Vance.
What's the matter? Somebody been bumped off?
Oh, it's this Greene business.
Oh, that job.
It's the first case in which Vance
has shown any interest since the Canary murder.
That's right.
You see, he doesn't go for your burglar theory.
- He don't, huh?
- No.
- Well-
- Do you want to talk to him?
- Sure.
- Go ahead.
Hello, Mr. Vance.
This is Sergeant Heath talking.
Oh, good morning, Sergeant.
Say, what's wrong with the burglar theory
in that Greene case?
Well, nothing, Sergeant, except, uh...
Uh...
Doesn't it strike you as rather odd
that a burglar should dally about
in the hall for three minutes between the two shots?
Why no, he just, uh-
Say, Mr. Vance, maybe you could, uh...
Thank you, Sergeant.
I'll be ready in half an hour.
He'll be ready in half an hour.
Thank you, Sergeant.
Oh, that's all right.
That's correct, sir.
The first shot came to me in my room,
uh, came to my ears, I mean, sir.
Then when I got to the door here-
You're quite sure that three minutes elapsed
between the two shots?
Something like that.
Yes, sir.
- All right.
All right.
It must've been two burglars.
Don't let me catch any of you trying
to leave the house, get that?
They don't know anything about this.
Do you?
I told you, no!
Uh, your room is just across the hall there, isn't it?
Yes.
And yet you heard nothing?
No.
[Vance] Hmm.
How do you figure that?
Mr. Greene was shot from the front,
and from the powder marks, at close range,
and yet he made no sound.
That's right.
You remember the expression on his face, Sergeant?
Why, sure.
He was flabbergasted.
Exactly.
Possibly because he knew the murderer,
just as the murderer knew his way
about this house in the dark.
Mr. Greene was probably so surprised
to see an acquaintance, let's say,
suddenly point a gun at him,
that he was killed before he could recover.
Say, I wonder if anybody in this house owns a gun.
Certainly.
Suspects own everything you want them to, don't they?
Who owns a gun?
Well, I did but-
- What caliber?
- 32.
We got these out of your brother and sister.
They're 32s.
Are you accusing me of-
What did you do with that gun?
I haven't got it, it's gone.
I looked for it after this happened.
I knew you'd find I had one and accuse me,
but I couldn't find it.
- Go look for the gun.
- Yeah.
And tell Miss Sibella Greene to come here.
They won't find anything.
Oh, we're all going to be killed, I tell you.
And you can't stop it. You can't do anything.
Rex!
Keep out of this.
You're always here, nosing into our affairs.
But I know why. Sibella.
With all her money,
she'd make you a delightful Mrs. Arthur Von Blon,
wouldn't she, Doctor?
But her money is not enough,
you want ours too.
That's it. You did this.
You took my gun.
Now, Rex, you said enough.
You knew I had a revolver. You remembered!
You saw me with it when
we went camping last summer!
- Stop it.
Now, Rex.
- You saw and you took it!
You stole it, you hear?
- Snap out of it.
Give it back, give it back, back! (Groans)
You're the doctor the butler sent for.
I've been wanting to talk to you.
How long did it take you to get here
after you got this call?
Uh, perhaps the doctor can tell us
when we may see the young lady who was shot.
Why, certainly.
I will let you know.
Miss Greene?
Right.
You must be the detective.
Quite a wild party we pulled here last night.
Miss Greene, do you know anyone who would
want to hurt your brother and sister?
Oh, we'd all come under suspicion there.
We all hate each other.
Rex thinks we're so beneath him mentally.
So of course we irritate him.
Oh, thanks.
Even little Ada.
She'd just love to see us all erased.
The only reason Mother hasn't killed the whole family
is that she can't move.
Hip! Hip!
I've often thought of murdering us all myself.
Only I couldn't think of any way
that would be thorough enough.
Hooray.
You may see Miss Ada now if you like,
but please, no excitement.
Thank you.
I'll see you later.
Why not?
Arthur?
Yes?
Of course, after what's happened,
we better wait.
Yes. Yes, you are right.
It would be too soon now.
I heard the shot.
That's what woke me.
But I thought it was an automobile backfiring outside.
And I was just getting to sleep again
when there was a, a shuffling noise.
And I got up, and-
Was the light on?
No.
I started to turn it on,
when a hand touched me.
Oh, I, I tried to scream,
but I couldn't.
Then there was that awful shuffling sound again.
And I ran.
And then there was a noise,
and something hot hit me.
Oh, I can't remember anything more.
Uh, just what do you mean by shuffling sound, Miss Greene?
I don't know.
Like sliding footsteps.
A man's or woman?
Go on, say it was I.
You'd like to.
Haven't you nerve enough to lie?
Sibella!
You angelic little snake in the grass.
I wouldn't be surprised if you murdered Chester.
Yeah, and probably shot herself in the back too.
Sibella, why do you hate me so?
- What have I ever done to-
- Oh, nothing.
Everything.
- You've always wanted-
- Sibella.
I'm sorry.
All right, Miss Greene.
Let's you and I go out on the balcony
and examine those footprints and get some air.
Oh, dear.
Here, I'll give you something that will make you sleep.
Now, after shooting the girl,
he came out here.
See?
He beat it down these steps and ducked.
[Vance] The burglar?
Well, maybe it wasn't a burglar.
Oh, Simpkin, did you get those footprints measured yet?
All set.
Fine.
Trouble is, they disappear when they hit the walk.
And it stopped snowing about 11:00 last night.
So it's impossible to know
whether they were made after the murder or before.
That ain't all.
The marking sole were made by rubbers, probably galoshes.
So we can't tell how much bigger they are
than the guy's feet.
I can't find any gun.
- Where'd you look?
- Everywhere.
The old lady said to stay out of the library.
Says there hasn't been anybody in there
since, uh, her husband died.
But the nurse showed me where the key was,
so I got in okay.
Anything there?
Well, nothin' but the creeps.
I never been in such a house.
You see any galoshes?
No.
Well, go find some galoshes that will fit these.
Yes, sir.
Mrs. Greene would like to see you, officer.
Sergeant.
Uh, Sergeant.
And I wouldn't come down on Rex too hard.
His accusing mere-merely self-protective.
The result of your question about his revolver, of course.
If there's anything I can do,
I'm glad to be of help.
Thanks.
Is Miss Ada badly hurt?
Oh, no, no, no.
Merely the shock.
I gave her something-
Yes, I noticed your case, Doctor.
You must have been trained abroad to carry so many drugs.
American doctors don't, you know?
You are observant.
Thank you.
You've known the Greenes a long while, haven't you?
My father attended them before me, so naturally.
Naturally.
Don't forget Mrs. Greene, Sergeant.
And remember, no excitement please.
Oh yeah?
Yes.
Now what kind of paralysis is Mrs. Greene's?
Organic, both legs.
It's quite hopeless.
Good morning.
Why, good morning.
- Oh, but Mother-
- Be quiet!
I've sent for the policemen.
Well, make them get out.
What right have they to come into this house?
Officer, I command that you drop this investigation.
I've got worry and trouble enough without this publicity.
But, madam, uh-
Keep your mouth closed.
Chester got what he deserved.
I'm a poor, helpless old woman,
but I'll keep you from torturing me.
Why haven't you spoken to me about this affair?
But that's exactly what the Sergeant
wants to do, Mrs. Greene.
For example, whether you heard anything last night
before the shot?
[Mother] No.
Now Miss Ada there heard a shuffling sound.
Oh, she did?
Oh, that reminds me.
I did hear something.
A door blowing back and forth in the hall.
[Heath] Then why didn't you hear the shot?
Well, it must've been before the shooting,
because I got up and shut my door and went back to sleep.
And that door blowing must've been what Ada heard.
If you please, sir.
Miss Ada.
Uh...
A good morning.
Goodbye.
I remember now.
I heard that noise Rex just told you about,
like a door closing.
Oh, Sergeant, just a minute.
Pardon me.
Uh, but, Miss Ada,
Rex says that he heard the closing of a door
before the shot.
[Ada] No.
Why, why, he couldn't have.
Mr. Vance.
Well, don't let it worry you.
Everybody's upset.
Thank you.
(Gretchen speaking German)
Get a load of that.
I guess they'd make that shuffling sound, all right.
If I could just find that-
Are those your galoshes?
Well, what of it?
I wasn't out of the house last night,
but I'm getting out.
No you're not!
If anyone's after us,
he'll get me, won't he?
Do you think I wanna be murdered too?
Do you think I wanna stay here-
You bet you are.
Watch this baby.
Watch till you rot and see where that'll get you.
(door thuds)
Do you like this family?
Sure it's funny,
and so is a chicken crossin' the road.
But nobody's ever solved that yet.
I've had my boys hanging around that place
for a week, checkin' on everything.
And where are we?
If it was a burglar, it'd be a cinch.
But it wasn't.
A burglar simply wouldn't have turned on Ada's light
after he shot her, now would he?
Well, who was it then?
Well, the psychological pattern-
My dear Vance,
I'm afraid you're not going to get very far
delving into what you call the psychological patterns
of the Greenes.
Well, my dear Markham, I'm afraid that the only way
you're going to find this murderer.
These shootings were thought out,
planned, timed, by someone familiar with the family.
Someone who lay in wait,
knew when everyone was asleep,
knew just how and when to strike.
That family-
is nutty, if you ask me.
A young lady to see you, sir.
A Miss Greene.
Miss Greene?
Probably Sibella, the older sister.
Have her come in.
- Yes, sir.
She's probably found that gat
in her younger sister's stocking.
Oh, how do you do?
This is Miss Greene, Miss Ada Greene.
The district attorney.
How do you do, Miss Greene?
I'm glad to see you're so much better.
Oh, I'm quite all right now, thank you.
Won't you sit down, please?
There's something I, I want to tell you.
It's about Rex.
You see, I, uh-
Yes, well?
Well, the night Chester was killed,
our lawyer was checking on Father's will.
You must have heard of the Greene will.
Oh yes.
Well, after the lawyer left,
I saw Rex take his galoshes out of that closet.
How's that?
Oh, he can explain, I'm sure.
Uh, pardon me just a moment.
Gordon!
- Sir?
- Get Mr. Rex Greene
on the phone please.
Yes, sir.
Continue.
Well, then there was another thing.
- Last night-
- Yes?
Well, last night I heard Dr. Von Blon
tell Sibella something about Mother's illness.
I didn't understand it.
It was a medical term, I guess.
But I wrote the word down on a piece of paper.
I thought probably, you'd know.
May we see that piece of paper, Miss Greene?
Oh, I'm awfully sorry, it's at home,
but I'll get it for-
Uh, just a moment, please.
Mr. Rex Greene is on the phone now, Mr. Markham.
Thank you, Gordon.
Say, Chief, maybe he could bring
that piece of paper down to us.
Oh, well, then perhaps you'd better let me speak
to Rex first, he resents strangers so.
[Markham] Why, surely.
Rex dear.
Wait.
There's an envelope in our private mailbox, you know?
Yes.
Well, get it and read it to me, will you please?
I want to tell Mr. Markham.
Oh, all right.
(gun fires)
Rex! Rex!
Here, let me have it. Let me have it, please.
Hello?
Hello, hello, Mr. Greene?
Mr. Green!
Mr. Greene is dead.
He's dead.
(Ada shrieks)
- Oh.
- Gordon.
[Ada] Oh, Rex!
Get my car ready on the patio.
All right.
Everything's gonna be all right.
Take it easy.
- It's all right, Miss Greene,
it's all right.
(reporters chattering)
Here comes the DA's car now.
(reporters clamoring)
[Heath] You better stand by for a few minutes
to talk anyhow.
(reporters clamoring)
- Hello, boys.
- Hello, Sergeant.
Now wait a minute.
I tell you, we're not ready to give you any story yet,
we don't know what it is ourselves.
No, I said I'm not ready to give you a story.
He was shot from the front too.
But Chester was horrified.
This boy's face shows nothing.
(clears throat) if Dr. Von Blon can be of any help, sir,
he asked me to tell you-
Oh, the doctor was here this time too, hey?
- Yes, sir.
- Get him.
And, Sproot, let's have another go at the servants.
You see, Sergeant,
the murderer and his weapon
couldn't have been invisible.
But this boy's expression is natural.
The look on his brother's face was,
well, to say the least, surprise.
It's all wrong, Markham.
It's mad.
And I have a feeling that if we don't stop it,
it will go on and-
Well, how do you do, Doctor?
Now this is the district attorney.
Uh, Dr. Von Blon.
How do you do, Doctor?
You were here in the house when this happened?
Yes, yes, yes.
I was in Miss Sibella's room.
Uh, uh, uh, uh, she was complaining of-
Well, that doesn't matter, Doctor.
Neither of you heard the shot?
That is correct.
Although, I, I can't quite make it out.
The door was open when Sproot found him.
Oh, Sproot was first on the scene this time too, hey?
Yes, yes.
I see.
Well, thank you, Doctor.
Say, the police doc's coming up.
Don't forget, Ada told Rex to get that note
and read it to her over the phone.
There's no sign of a note on him now.
- Somebody must-
- Nobody knew he
was coming to see me.
The servants are waiting in the drawing room, sir.
- Thank you.
- How many telephone
extensions in this house?
Telephones?
Four.
One in Mrs. Greene's room,
Miss Sibella's room, the kitchen,
and the hall here.
Thank you, Sproot.
You see, anybody might have listened in.
How are you, Mr. Markham?
Hello, Doctor, how are you?
- Sergeant.
- Hiya, Doc.
Well, when it's not my breakfast
you fellows interfere with, it's my lunch.
I presume this is the body.
Yeah.
You get me that bullet and then you can eat.
Till the next bullet.
(knocking on door)
Come in.
Oh, hello.
I beg your pardon.
Things getting rather ghastly, isn't it?
You're taking it a bit more seriously today, hmm?
I'm beginning to wonder if I won't be the next.
But I know who you are now, Mr. Vance.
I remember the Canary case.
So I suppose if anyone can help us, you can.
Thank you.
Uh, the doctor says you didn't hear the shot.
No, I was in there giving Pompom,
that's my little dog there, a bath.
Dr. Von Blon was sitting there smoking.
Mother hates the smell of pipe,
so he often comes in here for a smoke.
And then Sproot called us.
Uh, isn't it curious that no one heard the shot?
But someone did.
Didn't he tell you?
Who?
Sproot.
Why, he told me-
The Chief's waiting for you down in the parlor, Mr. Vance.
Oh, quite right.
Well, thank you.
Oh, Arthur, I'm frightened.
What? No no, please, please, don't.
- Oh, but I am.
- No, darling.
I wish we could talk alone.
Yes, but, but where?
Mm-hmm.
I know.
- Where?
On the roof.
- Good.
- I'll get my coat.
So now, sir, I know there's something funny.
Mr. Chester was nice to me,
but the others.
This family's queer, sir.
Mrs. Greene is an old witch,
the way she keeps after Miss Ada.
Though Miss Ada's no saint when she gets mad either.
Miss Sibella is a regular icicle.
And this Dr. Von Blon,
there's something between Sibella and him,
or I'm crazy.
Sproot and Hemming, they're as bad as the rest.
And the cook too, going around and crying
and talking to herself in German all the time.
You give me my pay, Mr. Sproot, I'm through.
That will be all.
Oh, Sproot.
Why didn't you tell us you heard this last shot?
No one asked me, sir.
Oh.
Where were you when you heard it?
I'd just called Mr. Rex to the telephone.
Which phone did he use?
The one in the upper hall.
I was in the dining room replacing the silver
when I heard the shot.
Uh, Mr. Rex's room, uh,
where you found him,
is over the dining room, isn't it?
Over this room, sir.
Well, whose room is over the dining room?
Miss Ada's.
Miss Ada was not in the house.
No?
That's all, Sproot.
Ah, Mrs. Mannheim,
uh, how long have you been with the Greenes?
13 years, since my husband died.
Old Mr. Greene knew my husband.
Were you in this country when he died?
Yes.
Well, that will be all, thank you.
Say, Vance, what connection has that last question
with this case?
Possibly none.
On the other hand, if we can relate these various facts,
and to get the psychology back of them-
Yes, if I could find that gun,
I'd report all these shootings as suicides
and resign from the force.
Not a bad idea, Sergeant.
Interesting character, old Greene.
I've been reading about him in the newspaper files.
Threw 'em out though.
We'd better have a copy of the old boys' will, Sergeant.
Well, I can dig that up anyhow.
Well, that'll be something.
- Mr. Markham.
- Yes.
Someone's been in my room.
Say, I've got news for you.
Wait a minute.
Who's been in your room?
Well, I was with Mother,
and when I went back to my room,
the doors to the balcony were open
and there where mud tracks across the rug.
Those are the tracks I got.
Somebody went from the front walk,
across the mud in the yard
and up those steps to the balcony outside her room,
and within a couple of hours,
because there were no tracks there
when I made the rounds this morning.
And what's more,
these prints are the same as the ones we found last week
in the snow, but there are no tracks comin' down.
The guy that made them didn't come down that way.
So he went up those balcony steps,
crossed Miss Ada's room to the hall,
did his dirty work and vanished.
Uh, you better come with us, Miss Ada.
Yes, of course.
Come on, Simpkin.
Yeah, how could anyone come up the balcony
and get into her room and get out again without being seen?
Perhaps he didn't get out again.
You mean?
Suppose you have dinner with me tonight,
Markham, in my apartment.
By then, I may have something.
I hope so.
Oh, Mr. Markham.
Here's your bullet.
32 caliber again, you see?
Looks like all three of 'em were shot from the same gun.
Anyway, I'll have the autopsy after lunch.
- Very well.
- Mr. Vance.
We measured those new footprints
and they're all from the same galoshes, all right,
but now the galoshes are gone.
How did that happen?
Well, I put them back in the closet the other day
expecting to catch the guy if he came back for 'em again.
He must've copped them right
from out from under our noses.
Well, I wouldn't put too much stock
in those footprints if I were you, Sergeant.
I rather feel they're the only childish move
this clever murderer has made.
Well, we gotta have somethin' to go on, ain't we?
Oh, Miss Ada.
Well, it's nothing important.
Oh, I'm so nervous.
Yes, naturally.
Uh, when you spoke to Rex from Mr. Markham's office
about the note you wanted him to read to you,
uh, you told him it was in your private mailbox.
Oh, that.
Oh, that's right here in Rex's room.
I'll get it for you.
That's what we called this incense burner.
You see, we used to leave notes in it
for each other when we were children.
We called it our private mailbox.
Uh, you put the envelope here.
Yes.
And when you brought me back,
I looked for it, but it was gone.
Rex must have taken it.
No, he didn't have it.
Well, then somebody must have-
Well, can't you remember what it was you wrote
on that piece of paper?
You told us that it was a medical term about your mother.
Perhaps Dr. Von Blon could tell you.
He's up on the roof garden with Sibella
if you care to ask him.
Oh, uh...
Oh, the stairs are right behind that door there.
I see.
Thank you.
I, I beg your pardon.
I meant to ask you, Doctor,
uh, have you by chance thought it advisable
to withhold any phase of Mrs. Greene's illness
from the family?
Why, no.
Mrs. Greene's illness is a very simple type
of paralysis of the legs, paraplegia.
- I see.
- Oh, hello, Arthur.
Oh, hello, Ada.
[Ada] I just wanted to tell you,
you left your medicine case in Mother's room.
Oh, yes. Oh, yes, thank you.
Could be a perfect spot for murder, wouldn't it?
Why shoot anyone,
when all you have to do is take them
to a roof garden and push them over into the river.
Just another accident, a suicide.
And no one the wiser.
You know, I think I'll take up crime in a serious way.
Oh. Oh, stop it!
Oh, Arthur, please, let's go down from here.
Will that be right, Vance,
and Rex's murderer did not leave the house,
it's someone we've been talking to?
(door bell ringing)
And by the way, Sergeant,
did you dig up old Greene's will?
Yes, I have a copy of it here.
Go get it, will you please?
Dr. Von Blon.
Well.
Uh, show him in, Sam.
- How do you do?
- How do you do, Doctor?
Coffee?
- No, thank you very kindly.
Now won't you sit down?
Uh, thank you, I have something very important
to tell you.
Some drugs, strychnine and morphine,
have been taken from my medicine case.
How much?
Four and eight grains.
I noticed that they were missing
when I got home this afternoon.
But the drugs were my case
when I made my usual call on Mrs. Greene.
But you didn't keep your case with you,
did you, Doctor?
I remember Ada saying that you had left it-
Oh, yes, yes.
I left it in the hall first,
and then Sproot brought to me in to Miss Sibella's room.
Did you leave it alone there?
Why, uh, why, yes, until this morning.
Mrs. Greene needed a stimulant,
she was very weak,
so I had the nurse bring it in for miss,
Misses Greene's room.
So anybody might have swiped the poison.
[Markham] I hope this is not gonna turn out
to be a poisoning case.
Well, there ain't any need looking for the stuff.
There's 1 000 places in the house where it could be hid.
Say, chief, what do you think
about replacing Mrs. Greene's nurse with a police nurse?
She can watch better than we can and-
Yes, that's very good, officer, uh, Sergeant.
I have a (indistinct) nurse there myself.
Well, I'll put in the nurse and I'll put in a doctor
across the street with the men who are watching
from that apartment house.
He'll be able to get there quick,
if anything should break.
Thank you.
- Good evening.
- Good evening, Doctor.
This is one of the most carefully
worked out plots I've ever known.
It's so logical it's insane.
Well, here's old Greene's will.
Mr. Markham and I went through it.
And nothing that we didn't know before.
Except for a few bequests to the servants,
Sproot, and Mrs. Mannheim,
who receive an income for life whenever they retire.
And we get the library.
Why do you suppose that old bird did that?
Oh, I remember, the newspapers printed
a story about it at the time.
Here it is here.
"At the expiration of 15 years,
the library goes to New York Police Department."
As for the rest of it,
those still living benefit equally from the murders.
And there's three of the family still left.
And two from three leaves one.
Strychnine and morphine.
Well, not if I can help it.
I'll have that doctor and nurse there in half an hour.
Why should old Tobias Greene leave his books
to the police?
I think we'd better look into that library, Markham.
Right.
[Heath] Anything new?
No, sir, everybody's in their room but the Sibella girl.
She's out riding with this Dr. Von Blon.
Turns rather easily,
to have been locked so long, hmm?
Hinge is smooth too.
Did you oil this lock when you opened the door last week?
No.
And if you ask me,
it's a lotta baloney about this thing
havin' been locked for 10 years.
Mac, where's the light switch?
Uh, they ain't a working,
but you'll find some candles over there by the fireplace.
Anybody ran into those galoshes yet?
No.
But I've been looking all over the house for them.
Well, keep after 'em.
You bet.
- Oh, Mac.
- Yes, sir.
Before you go, uh, let me have your light.
Yes, sir.
Well, they haven't been opened in a long time.
(chair clattering) (Heath thuds)
[Vance] What happened, Sergeant?
I tripped over something.
[Vance] What was it?
Uh...
The galoshes!
[Vance] Good work, Sergeant!
[Vance] Apparently we've had a frequent visitor here.
[Vance] Yes, and a recent one.
I've got it!
Somebody's been sitting in this chair reading.
Excellent, Sergeant.
Now, let's see.
Hmm.
No wonder old Tobias left his books
to the police.
[Markham] How's that?
The complete library of criminology...
In several languages, too.
Uh-oh.
No dust on the shelf here.
Apparently this is where our bookworm has been nibbling.
"Complete History of Crime", by Thack.
That's a realm.
"Poisons: Their Effects and Detection".
"Hysterical paralysis and Sleepwalking".
Say, Mrs. Greene.
The old lady, she can walk.
And she read in that book
where she can lay it on to walking in her sleep
if she gets caught.
But Dr. Von Blon told me-
It's possible, Sergeant, but I don't think it fits.
(knocking on door)
- What's that?
(knocking on door)
- The door.
- Well, Mrs Greene.
- Mr. Markham,
I've got something terrible to tell you.
Oh, about an hour ago,
I was up in my room.
I heard that shuffling noise.
It was going down the stairs there.
Oh, I was sick I was so afraid.
But I forced myself to look over the banister
and I saw someone standing
in front of the library door here.
Who was it?
It was Mother!
Mother?
She was walking.
[Vance] Are you sure?
Yes.
She had on her oriental shawl.
And, and when she stepped into the light,
I saw her face.
Well, Markham, we'd better
have a specialist examine Mrs. Greene.
Suppose you get Oppenheimer, you know him.
Then very well I will.
No, listen. Sergeant, help me.
May I have some malt, please?
[Markham] Take it easy, little girl, it's all right.
Take it easy.
- I'll get the nurse.
- Where's the nurse?
(group speaking faintly)
Mr. Vance?
Oh, good morning, Sergeant.
Well, I'm afraid I must have fallen-
Well, what is it?
Ada.
Ada?
Poison, I suppose.
Yeah, the morphine.
I laid down in the drawing room for some sleep.
And the first thing I knew,
the doctor I had planted across the street was shaking me.
The nurse found the kid and signaled him.
She's not dead?
No, Doc got to her in time.
Hmm. Oh, Von Blon is here again, eh?
The butler phoned him,
but he'd gone to his hospital.
I left word I wanted him.
Of all the dumb luck.
Wait till you see what gave the alarm.
Take it slowly.
There's the girl.
Now, steady. Steady.
How is she, Miss O'Brien?
Oh, she's coming on fine.
Turn her over to the doctor and you hop right back here.
[O'Brien] Steady.
The butler found her when her bell rang downstairs.
Miss Sibella's dog was on the bed,
with this in his mouth, playing with it.
That's what saved the kid, can you beat it?
Oh, Miss O'Brien, tell Mr. Vance about the bouillon.
Why, Mrs. Greene sent me in with the bouillon,
keeping a cup for herself as she always did, she said.
Uh, did Mrs. Greene touch Ada's cup?
No, sir, I brought it up from the kitchen myself.
The young lady was in the bathroom
so I set it down there.
Then I told Miss Ada it was waiting
and I went down to my breakfast.
Then the butler hears her bell,
comes up, and finds her laying on the bed.
Were all the others in their rooms?
Yes, sir.
And Miss Sibella?
She got in at three this morning.
She's still asleep.
Oh, Miss O'Brien, when you went to breakfast this morning,
did you see Miss Sibella's dog?
No, sir.
That will be all, thank you.
The old lady jumped outta bed,
slipped the stuff in the cup there,
and got back while Ada was in the bathroom.
Sproot has told me about Ada.
Uh, how is Miss Sibella?
Asleep.
Where were you?
Why, I was in Connecticut in Greenwich on a case.
Didn't return until late.
Uh, Sergeant, will you see if Miss Ada
can talk with us now?
Sure.
Uh, Doctor, uh, you won't object if our police surgeon
continues with Miss Ada's case, will you?
Not at all.
Was your diagnosis of Mrs. Greene's case
the only one that was made?
I believe so.
I saw no reason to-
Of course not.
But under the circumstances,
the police think they should have a more detailed report.
- Naturally.
- So you won't mind
if we call in a specialist?
If you wish.
Thank you.
We'll have to wait,
she's in no condition to talk.
We're getting warm, Sergeant.
Our murderer will do anything to stop us now,
so keep alive.
That's some job...
In this house.
Uh, information.
Uh, let me have the county clerk
at Greenwich, Connecticut, please.
Oh, Markham.
What's up?
It's all over, Vance.
You've got the specialist's report, huh?
There won't be any report.
Mrs. Greene is dead.
The strychnine, huh?
Yes, it was in the bicarb she takes before going to bed.
Suicide, of course.
She knew that we were on to her.
Oh no, Markham, that doesn't fit.
Oh, nonsense.
There's no psychology here.
The poor woman was mad.
Thank heaven it's over.
Markham, I still want an examination
of Mrs. Greene's leg muscles.
What?
I'll be dressed in just a minute.
[Markham] Oh, Doctor.
Oh, evening, chief.
Say, don't this murderer of yours know it's Saturday?
I promised to take my kids to the pictures this evening.
Hey, Doctor, I want you to make enough of an autopsy
to make a report on Mrs. Greene's leg muscles,
whether she could have walked or not, understand?
[Doctor] Right.
I am the resurrection and the life, saith the Lord.
The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away.
Blessed be the name of the Lord.
Worms destroy this body,
yet in my flesh shall I see God.
Oh, vanity of vanities.
Oh, the Lord's been busy again.
I told you, all the wicked shall be destroyed.
What are you doing here?
Cleaning out the corruption of Tobias Greene.
Hey, you turn that off!
Miss Sibella's doomed too.
I had a dream. The hussy.
The way she's been carrying on with Dr. Von Blon,
oh, she'll be the next!
The man that is born of a woman hath but a short time
to live and is very miserable.
He cometh up, and is cut down.
What do you make of that?
Oh, she's just a cuckoo.
Old lady Greene did these killings.
Um-um.
Mrs. Greene's leg muscles are entirely wasted away.
Been that way for years.
As for walking or even moving,
not a chance in the world.
There you are, Sergeant.
But Ada was certain that she saw her mother at this door.
Markham, I know I'm on the right track now.
And once I can put all the facts together,
I'll have a solution.
If you'll excuse me.
- Thank you, Doctor.
Keep in touch with me, Sergeant.
All right.
(Gertrude speaking German)
I'm sorry to bother you again, Miss Ada.
You're feeling better this evening?
Yes, much better. Thank you.
Now, you told us you saw your mother
walking in front of the library, didn't you?
Why, yes.
The medical examiner's autopsy show
that your mother couldn't walk.
Why, I don't understand.
It must've been Mother.
Are you positive the person you saw
was wearing your Mother's shawl?
Yes, that was the first thing I noticed.
Ooh.
She maybe saw me.
Oh, don't be silly, Gertrude.
Oh, you have worn Mrs. Greene's shawl?
Why, of course she hasn't.
Uh, who has worn the shawl besides your mother?
Why, I don't know.
Let me see.
Oh, it couldn't have been Sibella because-
Oh, Sibella has worn it?
Why, yes, she's often-
Oh.
Oh, I didn't mean to say that.
I'll have to ask you to excuse me.
Uh, Mrs. Mannheim, you told me you, uh,
were in this country when your husband died, didn't you?
Uh, where were you?
Trenton, New Jersey.
My husband was working there.
I see.
Did you notice anybody walking
around the house last night
with Mrs. Greene's oriental shawl on?
No, sir.
Sure?
Yes, sir.
Sergeant.
All right, Sproot.
Will you phone that address
and get me the record of that name?
Surely.
Oh, Mr. Markham had to leave.
I see.
And, Sergeant, when you make this call,
will you cover all the extensions
so that no one can listen in?
- Surely.
- Good.
Oh, Sproot.
Yes, sir.
Uh, do you know if any of the family
reads or speaks German?
Ah, yes, sir.
Old Mr. Greene had all the children learn it.
They spent so much time in Germany
when he was on business there.
I see.
Now, Sproot, a particularly important question.
You found Miss Ada after she was shot, didn't you?
Yes, sir.
When you found her,
was the window beyond her dressing table open?
Now please think carefully.
The window that overlooks the balcony steps, was it open?
Yes, sir. I closed it.
Thank you, Sproot.
Oh!
Oh, Mrs. Mannheim, if you please.
Yeah.
All right, I'll wait.
Ada, I told you to bring Pompom back to me.
I want to take her up on the roof.
Sibella, please let me go to the roof garden with you.
I'm afraid alone here.
Let me help you.
- Oh.
- Take care of yourself,
Miss Ada.
- Thank you very much.
Yeah.
What? Wait.
Yeah.
Okay.
Well, do you know any reason then,
why the Greenes should be attacked like this?
(speaks German) I don't know.
Mr. Chester and Mr. Rex maybe.
(speaks German) understand, they hated everybody.
But little Ada (speaks German)
(Gertrude sobbing)
Got what you wanted all right, Mr. Vance.
Uh, Mrs. Mannheim.
Suppose we have the truth.
You say your husband died at Trenton 13 years ago.
Yes.
And it was just 13 years ago
that Mr. Greene adopted Ada.
You know then?
Yes.
I suspected for some time that she is your daughter.
I promised Mr. Greene I wouldn't tell anybody,
not even Ada, if he'd let me stay by her.
Why hasn't she recognized you?
Oh, she was away to school since she was five.
Mr. Greene brought her here,
then I told him that-
Yes? What?
Nothing.
Nothing more.
You mean, when you told Mr. Greene that your husband,
who had helped him with some
of his questionable business deals,
was dead at the New Jersey State Hospital
for the criminally insane.
All right, Sergeant.
Say, what's the matter?
I can handle that dame.
- Who?
- Frau Mannheim.
The dope on her husband.
Say, if it wasn't old lady Greene,
it's got to be the cook.
She killed them to get the money for her Ada.
Nobody else could've.
But somebody else did though.
Who? How?
I can't pinch somebody without evidence.
Here it is, exhibit A.
What do you mean?
It's no wonder we've been confused,
to say the least, Sergeant.
The murderer copied every detail
of the crimes from these books,
from actual criminal history.
The experience of hundreds of criminals,
plus the science of the world's greatest criminologists.
Say, gimme a break, will you?
Who is it?
If you'll come with me to Rex's room,
I think I can verify how he was killed.
Then I'll have everything.
If you remember, Sergeant,
Rex fell here, close to the fireplace.
We know from his expression that he never saw the gun.
That's right.
He was about your height, Sergeant.
I wonder...
Secret panel stuff, hey?
They sometimes put safes in these old mounts.
What?
Be careful, Sergeant.
What!
Hold on.
There you are, Rex's gun.
Well, the old man-killing safe idea.
Just that.
When Rex opened this panel,
the string pulled the trigger and fired the gun.
The whole idea came right from that book,
even to the bootjack.
Will you hold that, Sergeant?
Thank you.
I thought so.
Straight through to the other room.
Say, everyone on this floor
was at the other end of the house.
The sound went down the flue.
That's why Sproot heard it in the room below.
Exactly.
I have it.
She listened in on Rex's phone call,
knew that he was going after a note
that would tip the whole thing off to us.
She came in, fixed the gun and then-
Who?
Sibella!
She was afraid Ada would cop Dr. Von Blon.
She read German, got the dope out of these books.
No, Sergeant, not Sibella.
Ada.
What?
That's the private mailbox.
When Ada spoke to Rex from Markham's office,
she sent him for a note that never existed.
And now that we've got that, Sergeant,
I think you can make your arrest.
Now wait a minute.
Ada can wait, she's on the roof.
But I still don't get it.
Her motive?
First of all, jealousy, Sergeant.
Jealousy of Sibella over Dr. Von Blon.
Hatred of being the Cinderella of the household.
A mad desire for the freedom she'd have
if she inherited the estate.
And don't forget,
her father who's a criminal and insane.
Hmm.
Ada has unquestionably inherited this taint.
She discovered these books in the library
and read and reread them,
until she gradually became obsessed
with a mad fantasy of freedom and murder.
The snowfall the night of the first murder
gave her her chance.
She got Rex's revolver and galoshes,
sneaked down the balcony stairs,
around and into the front of house,
killed Chester and shot herself.
The galoshes and the footprints
were simply to throw us off.
She shot herself in the back?
There's a case in that book exactly like it.
How did she get rid of the gun?
Again the book.
The case of a suicide,
who killed himself on a bridge.
He tied a cord with a weight on it to his gun
and hung the weight over the side,
so that after he shot himself,
the weight pulled the gun into the water.
When Sproot told me that her window was open
the night she was shot, I knew it was Ada.
She had her gun pulled through the open window.
And she poisoned Miss. Greene?
And herself too?
To throw us off again.
She caught that bell cord in the dog's teeth
to get the alarm.
The bed was too high for the dog
to have jumped there himself.
Sure it was.
And Sergeant, when Dr. Von Blon took Sibella
with him to Greenwich the other night,
he probably saved her life.
Before Ada had another chance at her-
But Vance, Ada and Sibella are together on the roof now.
[Vance] Quick, Sergeant.
Simpkin, have a couple of men up here, quick.
What's the matter?
The door to the roof is locked.
Come on, boys, we'll break it in.
No, wait.
She'll hear us coming.
The only way we can save Sibella
is to get up there without being heard.
You're right.
We try a window.
When you boys get our signal,
break through that door to the roof,
do you understand?
- Yes, sir.
- Come on, Sergeant.
Stand by, boys, for the signal.
(foghorn bellowing)
(water sploshing)
(Ada giggles)
(foghorn bellowing)
Look, Sibella, you can see the boats from here.
Well, what of it?
(pot clattering)
(water splashing)
[Vance] Shh!
Sibella, look!
(Ada grunting)
(Sibella screaming)
Oh no!
Help, help!
(Ada monas)
(whistle trilling)
(door thudding)
(Ada sobbing)
(door thudding continues)
[Simpkin] One more heave.
Oh, help!
(Sibella moaning)
Help, please.
Oh, help.
Help me.
Oh, help.
Oh, help.
What is this?
Oh!
(Sibella moaning)
Help me!
(Sibella moaning)
Please, quickly!
[Vance] Steady.
Easy. Easy.
(Sibella moaning)
Hold it.
(Sibella moaning) (door thudding continues)
- Where is she?
- She's not here.
Where'd she go?
(Ada gasps and screams)
(water splashing)
Let's get downstairs, quick.
Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Vance.
Arthur told me it would be all right with you around.
Oh, well, thank you.
[Heath] Oh, Mr. Vance.
You'll excuse me.
Yes, Sergeant.
- Well, it's all over.
She went straight through the ice.
The boys are still at it,
but there's not a chance.
She must have been cuckoo to go after Miss Sibella
with us right here in the house.
Not at all, Sergeant.
Miss Sibella's death would have looked like suicide
and a confession of guilt, don't you see?
Well, goodbye.
I'll telephone your husband.
You know?
Yes.
When you and Dr. Von Blon were missing the other night,
and when he told me he had been at Greenwich,
I rather suspected you had been married,
so I verified it through the county clerk there.
May I wish you great happiness.
Thank you.
Goodbye.
[Heath] Uh, just one thing more, huh?
What's that, Sergeant?
What did Ada do with the gun?
There was no water for it to fall in like you said.
No, but there was snow.
Snow?
- Snow.
- Oh!
Well, after all, Mr. Vance,
life's just a problem.
[Vance] Right again, Sergeant.
(gentle accomplished music)