The House Across the Lake (1954) Movie Script
1
Oh, hello, I expected you sooner.
Maybe you'd better sit down,
this may be my last drink for some time
and I intend to finish it.
Maybe you ought to have a drink too.
George.
Ah, Scotch for my friend
here, better make it a double,
he's going to need it and the
tide's going out here too.
Two doubles, Mr. Kendrick right away.
- A bourbon, George.
- Of course, Mr. Kendrick.
So you, ah, you worked
your little scheme
and all I've got to do now is talk, huh?
Mind you, I don't have to.
There's nothing to stop me
from walking out of here
and catching the 12:15
right back to London,
then you'd have no case.
Beverly's death would remain an accident,
but we both know
that that's just what
I'm not going to do now
and why, because I'm tired of life.
It could be that I'm
just as anxious as you,
that they put a rope around
Carol's beautiful neck.
It's kind of difficult to
believe there was a time,
when I'd never even
heard of Carol Forrest,
but six weeks ago, I
was just a hack novelist
trying to beat some
life into a dying book.
I'd taken that bungalow on Lake Windermere
to get away from fast blondes and sloe gin
only to discover that my
neighbours across the lake
had a habit of living
it up every other night.
It's hard to say exactly
where any situation begins,
but looking back, I'd
say this whole business
started that night as I
stood there looking out
across the water at the
lights of the Forrest house
and to be precise, it began
when I heard my phone ringing.
Yeah?
Is that Mr. Kendrick?
Speaking.
Mr. Kendrick, you
live over in that bungalow
on the east side, don't you?
Yeah.
And you have a
motor launch I believe?
I'd hardly call it a launch.
Mr. Kendrick,
I hope you'll forgive me
for imposing on you like this,
but well, I'm in something of a jam.
You see, four of our guests
are stranded down at the yacht club,
our launch has broken down
and the ferry isn't running this late
and well, there simply isn't any other way
for them to get across.
You want me to run your
friends over in my boat,
- is that it?
- It'd be very kind of you.
You see, we're having a party over here.
Ah, I, ah, I kind of gathered that.
We'll expect you
in about a half an hour then?
Alright, half an hour.
There must have been a dozen
other people with boats
on my side of the lake,
but no, some character
had to give her my number.
20 minutes later, High
Wray loomed up ahead of us
looking something like a world premiere
at Grauman's Chinese Theatre
and then as we started drifting
slowly into the landing stage, I saw her.
She might have been Lorelei
luring the sailors to their doom,
except she wasn't combing her hair.
Come along, ducky, let
old Uncle give you a hand.
That's right, show a leg there.
Liberty party ashore, skipper.
Well, come along, what about me?
Oh, alright.
I hope you don't mind me
bringing a friend along?
Carol, this is Jane.
- Jo.
- Ah, yes, of course, Jo.
Well, I hope this is
going to be a nice do,
after what we've been through.
I think you'd better all go
in and get yourselves a drink,
- I'd say you deserve one.
- Aye, we do an'all.
Come along, Jean, let's
get out of these wet rags
into a dry martini, what?
It's very charming of you, Mr., ah?
Kendrick, you phoned me, remember?
I thought you were an American.
Can I persuade you to
come in and have a drink?
Thanks for the gesture, but I, ah,
I'm not wearing my party clothes tonight.
There are over 100 people
in there, Mr. Kendrick,
so I don't think you need worry.
Okay, pity you're not
giving a fancy dress party,
I could come as the vulgar boatman.
- Hi, Carol, marvellous party.
- Thank you.
Darling, there you are,
I'm having a wonderful time.
- I can see that.
- Great party.
Carol, have you seen my wife?
- No, did you bring her?
- Oh.
I wouldn't marry you, if you
were the last man on earth.
If I was the last man on earth, darling,
you'd have to join in
the end of the queue.
Now, Mr. Kendrick, what
will you have, a champagne?
Ah, bourbon if you have it.
You are an American, aren't you?
I'm afraid we only have Scotch, sir.
- Ah, okay.
- For you, madame?
Nothing, thank you.
Would you like a sandwich with that?
Oh, it's an idea.
Smoked salmon, caviar, chicken?
Ah, no, I'll just have
one of these, thanks.
It didn't take an Einstein to figure out,
that the character at the
piano wasn't Mr. Forrest.
Women like Carol just don't
look at their husbands that way.
Having trouble?
Ah, I think I'm out of gas.
Yes.
Isn't it always the same,
you do someone a favour
and something like this happens to you?
Suppose I do you a favour
and let you have some gas?
Well, thanks.
Haven't seen you around before, have I?
No.
Not that I know many of the people
that come to these
parties, I'm glad to say.
American, aren't you?
That's right.
- Well, thanks a lot.
- Yeah.
- Here, let me pay you for it.
- Oh no.
Well, ah, you seem to be having
a little trouble yourself.
From the day I named this launch Carol,
I've had nothing but trouble with it.
- This is your launch?
- Right.
Well then, you must be the, ah-
- That's right, I'm the
husband around here.
Ah, congratulations.
Yes.
Come in and have a drink.
I've already had a drink, thanks.
Not with me you haven't, come on.
This is about the only room in the house
I can call private.
I bet you wouldn't say
no to a drop of bourbon?
No, I wouldn't.
My lawyer's over in
the States at the moment,
he sent me a case last week.
Oh, the only thing my lawyer
ever sends me is a bill.
Soda?
Oh, please.
By the way, I don't know your name.
Mark Kendrick.
Kendrick, sounds familiar.
Well, I'd like to think
it was because you'd
read some of my books.
Only thing I ever read is
the Stock Exchange report.
Cheers.
Like a game?
Okay, I'm not very good.
We'll soon find out.
Kendrick.
Oh yes, of course, aren't you the fella,
that's taken that little bungalow
- on the other side of the lake?
- Yeah, that's right.
You'd better kick off.
Yeah, you're not very good, are you?
Ah, it suits me, one of the few pleasures
I have left in life is
winning at billiards.
Ah, I see what you mean.
I don't think I've met a writer before.
I've always pictured them as
arty, young men with long hair.
Well, I write for money, not posterity.
Who's the loser, you or posterity?
Both I'm afraid.
I must have this table ironed.
How long do you reckon it takes you
to write a book, Mr. Kendrick?
Oh, I don't know, three,
four months maybe, thanks.
Oh, and how much do you make out of it?
Oh, about seven, 800 pounds.
If it sells well.
Seems a very hard
way of making a living.
It's the only way I know.
You see that telephone?
All I have to do is pick up the receiver,
dial a number in the city
and I can make myself a
couple of quick thousand.
Hm, you got to teach
me that trick some time.
No, it's just that I
think that too much money's
liable to distort your outlook on life.
Do you know what I ask myself
the first time I meet somebody?
What does he want out of me?
And believe me, it isn't long
before I'm being tapped
in one way or another.
Would I be interested
in this little scheme,
that little project?
Right now, this house is full of people,
who owe me something.
Mind you, they're friendly enough,
but they don't really
like me, they resent me
for being in a position
to be able to help them
to do something they can't
do themselves, make money.
Well, you can always give it away.
Yes, the answer to that
is that too much money
makes you miserable,
at least you can be miserable in comfort.
What do you think of
my wife, Mr. Kendrick?
I think she's very attractive.
You a friend of hers?
Never met her before tonight.
Hm, I just wondered, you being a writer.
You see, Carol has a weakness for artists,
she collects them like some
people collect butterflies.
Right now, it's a pianist,
I just wondered if his term of office
wasn't coming to an end.
| Is that some sort of
ah, keep off warning?
Because if it is, it's not necessary.
Yes, I'm sorry.
You see, Mr. Kendrick,
I still happen to be in love with my wife,
it's not very modern
or sophisticated of me,
- but there it is.
- What about her?
Carol?
Carol's in love with Carol.
Watch this shot, very tricky.
Hm, brilliant, positively brilliant.
Hm, do you know what time it is?
I'm not even sure I know what day it is.
Seven o'clock.
Would you like some coffee?
- Black coffee.
- I'll see if anyone's up yet.
If you'd like to go
into the library, I'll
organise the coffee,
you know where it is,
through the dining room.
Alright.
Morning.
Morning.
If you're one of Carol's guests,
the party ended three hours ago.
Coffee won't be a minute.
- Morning, Andy.
- Hello, Daddy.
Didn't see you at the party last night.
- I went to the pictures.
- There's a clever girl.
This is Mark Kendrick, my daughter.
How do you do?
Hello.
Where's Carol?
Out with Vincent.
That sounds like them
now, if you'll excuse me-
- Sit down, Andy,
I've had enough melodramatics
these last few weeks.
Stay where you are.
Boy, you have the
craziest ideas.
Beverly, Andrea.
Amazing how chilly this room can get.
We've been watching the sun
come up, haven't we, Vince?
That's right.
It was like waiting
for the curtain to go up
on "Tannhauser, the
suspense was terrific.
It was wonderful, wasn't it, Vincent?
Yes, Carol.
Has anyone a cigarette?
Did you have a nice time
last night, Mr. Kendrick?
Mark and I played
billiards most of the night.
He's my friend for life now
that I know that I can beat him.
What fun you both must have had.
Vince, darling, get me a drink, will you?
Ah, Carol, I think I'd
better be going now, I-
- You can go when you've
brought me a drink.
Now be a good boy and don't argue, hm?
How can you do it?
- How can you just sit there?
- Andy!
What's the matter with you?
Have you no pride left at all?
Andy, if you don't mind,
keep out of matters
that don't concern you.
That don't concern me?
Andrea becomes more
hysterical every day.
Really, I think it's about
time she saw a psychiatrist.
A little more discretion
on your part would help.
Please Beverly, let's not
wash our dirty linen in public.
I was just going anyway,
goodbye, Mrs. Forrest.
Come again sometime, bring your friends.
Yeah.
So long.
Goodbye, Mark.
Thank you, Vincent.
This what you want?
Thank you.
Nothing like a good cry to
work it out of your system.
Take more than that to
get it out of my system,
I'm afraid.
If he had to get married again,
why did he pick on someone like her?
Oh, oh, I see.
Can't be very nice for you.
It isn't.
You must've got a very bad
impression of this household.
I, I guess everyone's
a little tired by now.
Look, I, I know
it's none of my business,
but why don't you take that guy
out behind the barn sometime
and teach him some manners?
Yes, I've thought of that lots of times.
I don't think it'd do any good though.
Anyway, Vincent won't
last long, they never do.
It's a pity in a way,
that piano in the library
cost me 1200 pounds,
he's the first person who's
been able to play it properly.
By the way, what are you doing Thursday?
Working on my book, if
I know what's good for me.
I'm throwing a party over at the club
to christen my new boat,
think you can make it?
Dinner jacket?
You can wear a suit of
armour for all I care!
As I pulled away from
the High Wray that morning,
I realised that Beverly Forrest
was one of the loneliest men
I'd ever met in my life and as for Carol,
yeah, as for Carol.
With some people, it's liquor,
with me, it's always been women,
women like Carol Forrest,
but right then, the only
thing I had to worry about
was finishing that book.
- Hello.
- Hello, hello,
is that you, Mark?
Oh, I don't know for sure,
but I think it is, who's this?
Harry.
Oh, hello, hello, Harry.
Listen, I've been
wondering how it's coming on.
I'm your agent, you know,
it's my job to worry about your work
and I haven't had any
news from you for weeks.
Been busy.
Ah, glad to hear it.
Are you still there?
I'm still here.
Now listen, I don't want
to put any pressure on you,
but those first three chapters,
I should've had them in
last Monday, you know.
Wardman's have been on
the phone to me on Friday,
they're rather hoping
to see something soon.
So am I.
What you mean?
I haven't finished the
first two chapters yet.
What?
This isn't funny, old boy,
this isn't funny at all.
Look, I'm not a machine,
that can pump out x 1000 words a day.
I'm not sure I believe in it anymore.
Listen, Kendrick, stop kidding yourself.
You're not in a position
to believe in anything
but hard cash and unless you're
working some racket up there
I know nothing about, the
last money you ever had
was in the shape of a check from Wardmans.
Less your 10%.
Ha, I shall grow rich
on your 10 percents.
Your signature is on a
legal binding contract.
I may be able to stall
Wardman for a few more days,
but they're in a position to
make things very difficult,
if they feel like it.
Besides, this kind of thing
does me a lot of harm.
Ah, I suppose it does, I'm sorry,
I'll try to let you
have something tomorrow.
Well, let's
say Friday, I know you
- and don't let me down.
- I won't let you down.
Oh, Harry, ah, what
about that radio script,
anything happen with it?
You worry about the book,
I'll worry about the script.
I could use the cash, Harry.
I can believe that.
Now let's have something on Friday, huh?
Alright.
So long.
Finishing off
those first three chapters
couldn't have been tougher,
if I'd chiselled them out of stone,
but I did it and it
was only out of respect
for my agent's ulcers,
that I didn't toss them
into the ash can where they belonged.
But at any rate, it meant that
for the next couple of days,
I could just sit around and relax,
at least that's what I'd planned to do,
before I spotted that tall blonde
showing off her torso like
she knew I was watching.
Then I began to figure out
if there wasn't some way
I could get a little closer to Carol
than through a pair of binoculars.
The answer of course was Bev's party
to christen his new boat.
The twist is the closest
I ever got to Carol
was to pass her the
salt a couple of times,
the rest of the evening I spent
making small talk with her stepdaughter.
Ladies and gentlemen,
I wish to propose a toast.
Jolly good show.
Ladies and gentlemen,
I ask you to drink.
Hear, hear.
To the most gracious lady,
the most elegant lady I have ever known.
Hey, what time is it?
Time?
10 past one, Mr. Forrest.
I've got to christen the boat.
Here, give me a hand, will you please?
What happened to him, is he hurt?
No, only his pride.
Alright, sir, I've got him now.
I-I'd better phone Dr. Emery.
No, doesn't need a doctor,
what he needs is a good night's sleep
and plenty of black
coffee when he wakes up.
I think he'll be alright, miss.
Come on, sir.
I'd better go and help Mason.
Thank you very much, Mark.
That's alright.
How is he?
He'll probably wake up in
the morning with two heads,
but I think he'll recover.
Mr. Kendrick.
Yes?
Thank you for bringing him home.
I thought it was better
than leaving him lie around.
Don't like me very much, do you?
Not very much.
It might interest you to
know that there are times,
when I'm not crazy about myself.
That I can believe.
I don't suppose you'd like
to have a drink before you go?
Look, Mrs. Forrest,
what are you trying to do?
I delivered your husband, now
what do you want me to do,
sign a receipt for him?
I was just trying to be sociable.
That's your trouble, you try too hard.
What's the matter, don't you like women?
Would it make you feel any happier,
if I told you I'd fallen in love with you?
It might amuse me.
But that's what you
want me to say, isn't it,
that ever since I first laid eyes on you,
I've been eating my heart out for you?
And you could add another
name to your list.
Me thinks thou dost protest
too much, Mr. Kendrick.
And what does that mean exactly?
Ever since we first met,
you've gone out of your way
to make it quite clear you didn't like me.
I'm beginning to wonder who
you're trying to convince,
me or yourself
and don't tell me I'm not your type.
You're a woman, aren't you?
What more do you want?
You see, we have something
in common after all.
Yeah,
that's the word, common.
How are you gonna
get home, Mr. Kendrick?
I'm borrowing your husband's car.
Goodnight, Mrs. Forrest.
But I was just kidding myself.
That kiss them and leave them
routine hadn't fooled anyone,
least of all me.
Yeah.
Hello, Mark, where have you been?
Oh, hello, Harry.
I've been trying to catch you all day.
Listen, old boy, who did
you get to write this stuff,
because you'll never convince
me that you wrote it yourself.
Why, what's the matter with it?
What's the matter with it?
Warmans have rejected it, that's
what's the matter with it.
Oh, sounds bad.
Sounds bad, it is bad,
they are talking of
cancelling your contract.
They can't do that.
They can, you know
and I think they will,
unless I can do something to stop it.
I'm seeing them tomorrow at four o'clock,
I think you'd better be here.
Do I have to?
What's the matter,
don't you like eating anymore?
Okay, I'll take the 10:15.
Four o'clock at my office.
Ah, how is it?
Are you sure you've
taken the needle out?
Hey, what are you doing to yourself?
Good morning.
Trying to kill himself, this one.
I've warned him before,
but of course he takes
no notice of what I say,
- I'm just a country quack.
- That's right.
He looks healthy enough to me.
Yes, cardiac cases usually
do, but he isn't healthy,
it's time he got used to the idea.
I'm telling you straight, Beverly,
I'm telling you for
the last time, ease up,
- just ease up, that's all.
- Yeah, yes, yes, I know,
we've been all over that before.
Why don't you run along? You depress me.
I gave up a perfectly good game of golf
to come and give you advice,
it seems to me I'm wasting my time.
Maybe you don't want to live?
I'll come around again tomorrow.
I'll see you out, doctor.
What's all this about?
That old fool thinks I'm
gonna kick out any minute.
He seems to know what
he's talking about.
Alright, so what am I supposed to do,
sit in the corner and wait for the end?
How long have you known about this?
Oh, a couple of years.
First they said I had 10
years to go, if I was careful,
then last year they made it
five, now it's down to a year.
- A year?
- That's right,
and they'd only guarantee
that if I lived like a monk,
no drink, no exercise, no
excitement and none of these.
Oh, he's still around.
Well, there's one consolation,
when I go, he goes too.
What do you mean?
Oh, you don't think
Carol's gonna sit around
and wait for him to win a
lottery or something, do you?
No, Carol goes where the money is,
she has an instinct for it.
- But what about your-
- What about my money?
Well, they say you can't take it with you,
well, believe me, I'm not
gonna leave it lying around,
at least not where Carol
can get her hands on it.
I don't mind paying her
bills while I'm alive,
but I'm certainly not gonna
pay them when I'm dead.
I've been thinking
about this for some time
and last night's bit of
nonsense clinched it.
When my lawyer gets back from the States,
I'm going to alter my will,
I'll see that Carol
doesn't get one penny more
than she's legally entitled to.
I, ah, I got to be going.
I suppose you think I'm pretty mean?
It's a pretty mean sort of world.
How about having dinner with me tonight?
I'm going up to London.
But you'll be back Saturday, won't you?
I'm taking the new boat
through her paces on Saturday,
I'd like you to be there.
You're going out in that
speedboat in your condition?
Why not?
Yeah,
as you say, why not?
Alright, I'll be there.
You can laugh, I didn't
think it was funny at the time.
You, outside.
I beg your pardon?
I'd like to speak
with Mrs. Forrest alone,
so if you don't mind?
No, but I do mind.
I refuse to be ordered around.
Darling, nobody's ordering you around,
Mr. Kendrick is just
naturally rude, that's all.
Be a good boy and leave
us alone for five minutes.
If you say so, Carol, alright.
What is it you want, Mr. Kendrick?
It's about Beverly.
- What about him?
- He's ill,
you know that, don't you?
Yes, I know.
Don't you think you ought
to do something about it?
Such as?
Well, at least you could go and see him,
he can't be very happy by himself.
You forget that Beverly
and I aren't speaking.
If he wants something, he
only has to ring the bell.
That's not what I mean and you know it.
What do you mean?
You don't care whether
he lives or dies, do you?
Don't you think you owe him something?
You mean that it's the duty of a wife
to be by her husband's side
when he needs her?
I'm not that kind of a wife
and Beverly never expected me
to be, we signed a contract,
Beverly fulfilled his part of the bargain
and believe me, I've fulfilled mine.
If Beverly is complaining,
I'm not, I've got what I want.
Well, enjoy it while
you can, Mrs. Forrest,
because I've got a feeling
you're not going to have it much longer.
- Now look, gentlemen, Mr.
- Kendrick is not an amateur,
he's not a beginner, his books
have sold well in the past,
they are going to sell well in the future
and if you'd care to be more
specific in your objections,
I'm quite certain that my
client would be only too pleased
to rewrite these first three chapters.
Let's face it, gentlemen,
a writer is a creative mind
and not a machine that can
pump out x 1000 words a day.
Now in my opinion, gentlemen,
there is nothing wrong
with the material that my
client has submitted so far.
Well, that's that.
Sorry, Mark, I did my best.
Yes, I know, thanks.
So now we find another publisher.
So now you find another publisher.
You mean you want out?
I'm afraid so, old boy.
Well, ah, I'd better get
to the office, so long.
Sorry it had to end like this.
I, ah, I suppose you, ah, you couldn't
let me have some money, could you?
How much?
Five would help.
It's as bad as that?
It's as bad as that.
Thanks, I'll, ah, let you
have it back sometime.
Any idea what you're going to do?
Well, I made one friend, he
might help me, I don't know.
Well,
good luck then.
I was flat, finished,
no prospects, ho money and
no hope of getting any,
unless, what was it Beverly had said?
Sooner or later, everybody
wants something from him.
Number please?
Lakeside 523.
Hello.
Oh, ah, this is Mark Kendrick.
Well, hello.
Can I speak to Beverly please?
You could if he was here,
but he's in Manchester with Andrea,
they won't be back until tomorrow.
Was it something important?
Yes, but it'll keep.
- Okay, Mrs. Forrest, thanks.
- Mr. Kendrick.
Yeah?
- I'd like to see you.
- Tonight?
Getting the creeps in
this place all by myself.
You could get up a game
of canasta with the butler.
Why don't you come
over and have a drink?
Well, if you're by yourself,
it's not a very good idea, is it?
Alright, then let's go somewhere else,
what about the club?
Well, isn't that just a little public?
Who cares?
I do.
I'll pick you up in the
car in a half an hour.
Okay.
Don't sound so enthusiastic.
Alright, in half an hour.
I knew what I'd be walking into.
What did surprise me was
that for the first time,
I saw a side of Carol
I'd never even suspected.
So I got a modelling job
advertising bathing suits,
for two years, I did everything
but stand on my head in the bathing suit.
I decided I'd enough of that,
so I got myself a job
advertising toothpaste
- and what was I wearing?
- A tube of toothpaste.
You know something?
That's the first time
I've ever seen you laugh.
Oh, you know something?
There hasn't been very
much to laugh at lately.
Oh, by the way, ah, what's
happened to Vincent?
Vincent? I got bored with Vincent.
We had a row and that's the end of that.
Exit Vincent?
Exit Vincent.
Thank you very much, sir.
Is it like that?
I'm afraid so.
Got a pen?
Is that what you want
to see Beverly about?
Because if it is, you're
wasting your time.
Go to him with a business proposition
and he'll listen to you, ask
him for the loan of hard cash
and suddenly he becomes very deaf.
I've always had plenty out of
him, but never in real money.
Send him the bill, yes,
charge it to his account,
the sky's the limit,
but ask for the price of a cab fare,
so if I were you, I'd forget it.
Should we go?
Thank you.
Good evening, madame, good evening, sir.
Goodnight.
Hello there, fancy seeing you.
Fancy, we were just going.
Oh, oh, this is Marilyn,
at least that's what I call
her, don't I, ducky, what?
- How about a drink?
- Some other time, Frank.
Oh, later on perhaps?
- Sure.
- Well, so long,
don't do anything that
I wouldn't do, will you?
We would have to run into him.
Frank? He's alright.
The trouble with you, Mark
is that you worry too much.
Maybe.
Hey, shouldn't you have
turned off back there?
I thought I'd drop
you off at your place.
You stay here, I'll fix the light.
Don't bother about the
lights, I like it the way it is.
Do you still hate me?
You know I don't.
Kiss me.
Oh, darling, darling.
- Hello, Mark.
- Hello.
Hello, Andrea.
Hi.
That boat can sure move,
Bev must be having
himself a time out there.
Tally-ho!
Well, hello there, what
happened to you two last night?
I thought you said you were
coming back to the club,
we waited half the night for you.
Where were you, eh?
Is that Bev, what's he trying to do?
They're brand new
engines, they'll seize up.
Hey, Bev!
Mark.
Throttle down!
He's alright, Frank's
just gone out to get him.
What's the matter?
Just now, out there,
I-I had the most awful thought,
I was hoping he wasn't going to come back.
Mark!
I thought so, you're leaving, aren't you?
What does it look like?
Why, Mark?
You just can't figure that out, can you?
I've fallen in love with you,
that hasn't been too difficult
for me to figure out.
You're not running away from me,
you're running away from yourself.
All the same, I intend to start running,
before it's too late.
What do you mean too late?
I thought I knew what made
you tick right from the start,
I knew you were no good, but
I didn't realise until today
how bad you really are.
Because I told the truth for a change?
You know as well as I do that Beverly
hasn't much longer to live,
today, tomorrow, what's the difference?
All we have to do is wait.
I'm afraid you're going to have to wait
for a long time, Carol.
What are you talking about?
Beverly's not leaving you a cent more
than he legally has to,
he's cutting you right out of his will.
I don't believe it.
His lawyer's in the
States right now, isn't he?
He's coming back next week.
That doesn't leave
you much time, does it?
Time?
Time to devise some
bright, little scheme
to help Beverly on his way out.
No, Mark, no!
Oh, it wouldn't really
be murder, would it?
After all, Beverly's going to die anyway.
Stop it, Mark, stop it,
I won't listen to you!
Now do you see why I'm pulling out?
It was like one of those nightmares,
when you're trying to
get away from something
and the faster you run, the closer it gets
and just when you think you've made it.
Was that the London train?
It was.
Now when's the next one?
Ain't another train
'til four in the morning.
What do I have to do
to get out of this town,
dig a tunnel?
There's a bus goes to Keswick,
leaves here about 10 tonight.
Oh, that's great.
Carol tells me you're leaving.
I'm trying to.
Is it because of her?
Frank told me.
I'm sorry.
I tried, Bev, believe me.
I know, son.
I'm only sorry it had
to be you, that's all.
Anyway, that doesn't matter anymore now.
Well, you can't hang around
here, there's nothing to do,
next bus isn't 'til 10.
Don't I know?
I'll tell you what, how about you and me
having a little farewell party, huh?
- Not another party, Bev.
- Just the two of us,
we'll probably never see each other again.
- What'll I do with these?
- Don't worry about that.
Ted, look after this, will you?
- Come on.
- Righto, Mr. Forrest.
You don't seriously think
we're gonna do any fishing?
Who said anything about fishing?
Oh, where do you want this stuff?
You'll find a ice box in the cabin.
Okay.
Hello, Bev, where are you going?
Fishing.
Mind if I go along?
Do you have to?
Don't worry, I won't get in the way.
Did you say something?
We're going on
a sort of farewell trip,
Mark's leaving tonight.
Yes, I know.
You'd better cast
off, I'll start her up.
It was one of those sultry afternoons,
when everything seemed
to have come to a stop.
The lake was like a dead sea,
the clouds hung over us like shrouds
and everything seemed to be waiting.
Not for me, thanks.
But unlucky anyway.
What's the matter with these fish?
Hey, fish, fishy fishy!
Come on, boys, fishy, fishy!
I don't know how
long I must have dozed,
but when I woke up, the
lake had faded out of sight
like something in a dream.
We get a move on, we
might beat this mist.
What do you know about this?
Did you ever see anything so quick?
Does that around here, it
comes down the mountains,
we're used to it.
Would you like to take over?
- I'll go and tidy up aft.
- In this fog?
Just keep her on that
course, you won't go wrong.
Take it easy.
It's your boat.
Mark, Mark, look out!
Oh, that was close.
Mark.
Get the first aid box, quick!
Did you hear what I said?
Now, Mark, now.
No one could see us in this
fog, if there was an accident.
It could've been an accident, couldn't it,
he could've fallen overboard?
We'll never have another chance like this,
you've got to do it, Mark, for us!
You'd better go up to the house.
There was some blood on
the deck, I cleaned it up.
What do we do now, Mark?
What do you think we're gonna do?
Give me the police.
I want to report an accident.
And you
searched around for an hour
and could see no sign of him?
That's right.
Well, it's too dark to do anything now,
I'll have some men drag that
part of the lake tomorrow.
I'll, ah, drop her over
again in the morning,
- if you don't mind.
- Of course not.
Can I give you a lift to
the other side, Mr. Kendrick?
Ah, no, no, thanks.
- Alright, goodnight, Mrs.
- Forrest, Miss Forrest.
Goodnight, Mr. Kendrick.
I'll, ah, see you to the door.
- Goodnight.
- Goodnight.
Andrea, we did everything we could.
I'm sure you did.
Darling, it was just
one of those things,
it was a sort of accident that
could've happened to anyone.
Accident?
By the following morning,
the mist had lifted from the lake
and as I headed toward High Wray,
I could see them dragging for Bev's body.
Mr. Kendrick?
Yes.
I'm Detective Inspector MacLennan.
Nothing to be alarmed at, Mr. Kendrick,
local police like to have
us in on these matters,
especially with a man as
important as Mr. Forrest.
- I see.
- Did you come over
to see Mrs. Forrest?
Yes.
Well, we'll go up together, shall we?
But you didn't actually
see him fall overboard?
No.
I had a word this morning,
With the skipper of that
ferry you bumped into.
- Do you mind?
- Not at all.
Mind you, we don't pay too
much attention to witnesses,
their eyes are often
bigger than their heads,
but this man says that he saw everything.
According to him, Mr.
Forrest lost his balance
and fell over alright, but
he didn't fall over the side.
He must've had pretty
good eyesight in that fog.
Yes, yes, that's what I thought.
Are you suggesting, Inspector,
that we haven't been
telling you the truth?
I'm not suggesting
anything, Mrs. Forrest,
it's just my job to
probe around, that's all.
Well.
What's that?
I think they've found
your husband, Mrs. Forrest.
The following
day, the Coroner's Court
returned a verdict of accidental death.
Thank you.
I've got to talk to you.
Not here, not now.
When?
You know it's dangerous for
us to be seen together, Mark.
Dangerous or not, I've got to see you.
Alright, I'll meet you
at your place tonight.
Sorry to drop in on you like this.
What do you want? I'm busy.
I shan't keep you long.
Going, Mr. Kendrick or coming?
Now look, MacLennan,
there was an accident,
the man was killed, this
morning a Coroners jury
returned a verdict of accidental death.
As far as I'm concerned,
I'd like to forget the
whole unpleasant business.
Yes, I'm sure you would,
Mr. Kendrick, so would I,
as soon as I've tied up
one or two loose ends.
You mean you're not satisfied
with the finding of the inquest?
I'm in no position to question
the Coroner's verdict, you know.
Then what are you doing here?
Where did you get that?
Probing, Mr. Kendrick, just probing.
There's been gossip, you
know, about Mrs. Forrest,
of course you know what I mean.
No, I don't.
You don't?
Well, apparently she's
made no secret of the fact,
that she's been having
affairs with other men.
I wouldn't know about that.
That's curious, because I'd heard
that you were one of the other men.
Alright, MacLennan, you've
said your little piece.
Now suppose you get out of here?
Very well, if that's
how you feel about it.
By the way, Mr. Kendrick,
I forgot to tell you,
I was taking another look at
that launch this afternoon,
I found some blood on the after deck,
not much, not much, but had
me puzzled all the same.
Goodnight.
What did he want?
What do policemen usually want?
Do you think
he suspects anything?
Of course he suspects something,
why else would he be snooping around?
I told you I shouldn't
have come here tonight,
now he's seen us together-
What's the difference?
- He knew about it anyway.
- How?
How do I know? Someone
told him, I guess.
Andrea.
Maybe it was Andrea.
What was that he said about
finding blood on the deck?
If Bev fell over the side
the way we said he did,
there wouldn't be any blood
on the deck, would there?
I thought you took care of that.
Of course I took care of it,
what do you think I am, an imbecile?
But the police have instruments
for that sort of thing.
Mark, whatever made us do it?
There must've been some other way.
It's a little late for that now.
But if that detective
suspects something...
You must go away, Mark,
get away from here where
they can't find you,
then when everything's
settled, I'll come to you.
But if I go away now, they'll
really suspect something.
They might if we left
together, but if you leave now,
they'll think there never
was anything between us.
It won't be for long,
just as soon as I can get
all the tedious details settled
about the will and the money.
Well, how long is
all that going to take?
A month at the outside and
then we'll be together again
and nothing will have changed between us.
I'll need you then just
as much as I need you now
and everything we've been
through these past few weeks
will have been worth it.
Oh, my darling, believe me, it will.
Alright, I'll go back to town.
And you will wait for me, won't you?
Of course I'll wait for you.
And so I waited.
As the weeks went by, I came to know
that dreary, little hotel room
as intimately as a lifer
gets to know his cell.
At the end of the sixth
week, I wrote to Carol,
thinking perhaps she
had mislaid my address
and then when I got no reply.
Did you say
Lakeside 523, caller?
That's right.
I'm sorry,
there's no subscriber
working on this line.
Even as I stepped
out onto the landing stage,
I knew that High Wray was deserted.
I expected you to show
up sooner than this.
What are you doing here?
I might ask you that question.
I just dropped
in to see Mrs. Forrest.
Aren't you a bit late? She
left here three weeks ago.
I, ah, I don't suppose you
happen to know where she went?
Don't you know?
You don't give up, do you?
Not very easily.
Well, should we be getting
along? I have a car outside.
You're going to arrest me?
On what charge?
I haven't got a case against
you, Kendrick and you know it.
I thought perhaps I could
give you a lift somewhere.
Hello, Mark.
What is this, what's the idea?
Miss Forrest believes in you, Kendrick,
she doesn't think you did it.
Did what, what are you talking about?
I know you didn't, it
was Carol, wasn't it, Mark?
It was an accident.
Carol killed my father and
used you to cover up for her.
You don't know what
you're talking about.
Mark, listen to me,
Carol's guilty of murder
and you're shielding her
just because you imagine
she's in love with you,
you can't let her get away
with it, she's not worth it!
What do you want me to do,
make a confession or something?
I think you'd better get into the car.
What's this?
You came looking for
Carol Forrest, didn't you?
I'll see this young lady home,
I think I'll know where to find you.
Yes?
Mrs. Forrest.
Mrs. Forrest? Oh, yes.
Would you mind waiting here, sir?
I suppose we had to
meet sooner or later.
That was the idea.
What happened?
I changed my mind.
You seem to forget, Carol,
we're both guilty of murder
and that's something that
ties us together for good
whether we like it or not.
Things have changed, Mark,
I have everything I want right here
and believe it or not, for
the first time in my life,
I'm really happy.
What about us, I
thought we made a bargain?
What's so funny?
Shut up.
Shut up, or I'll-
You'll what?
Go to the police?
You wouldn't do anything
that stupid, now would you?
And please take your hands off my wife.
Your wife?
We were married three
weeks ago, it's very simple,
I'm in love with Vincent,
I always have been.
Does he know?
Does he know we killed a
man, does he know that?
Of course he knows.
I suppose the job was too messy for him?
Get out.
Feel better now?
You're not going to get
away with this, Carol.
I've already gotten away with it
and there's not a thing
you can do about it.
Isn't there? I think there is.
You've forgotten one thing, Carol,
now I've got nothing to lose.
Mark, wait a minute.
Mark, listen to me,
you can't go to the police,
you're too involved,
they'll hang you, Mark!
Mark!
Mark, you don't really mean it,
you aren't going to the police, are you?
Mark, listen to me!
I'll do anything you want,
if it's money you want,
it is money you want, isn't it?
Mark, are you out of your mind?
Do you know what they'll do to you?
You said yourself we were
both guilty, they'll hang you!
Did you hear what I
said? They'll hang you!
They'll hang you!
Well, there you are,
that's the way it went.
It's not a very pretty story, is it?
No, not very.
Maybe I-I should've kept it to myself.
Do you think you could?
Sooner or later, you'd
have had to tell somebody.
Yeah, I guess you're right.
Well, shall we go?
Yes.
Oh, hello, I expected you sooner.
Maybe you'd better sit down,
this may be my last drink for some time
and I intend to finish it.
Maybe you ought to have a drink too.
George.
Ah, Scotch for my friend
here, better make it a double,
he's going to need it and the
tide's going out here too.
Two doubles, Mr. Kendrick right away.
- A bourbon, George.
- Of course, Mr. Kendrick.
So you, ah, you worked
your little scheme
and all I've got to do now is talk, huh?
Mind you, I don't have to.
There's nothing to stop me
from walking out of here
and catching the 12:15
right back to London,
then you'd have no case.
Beverly's death would remain an accident,
but we both know
that that's just what
I'm not going to do now
and why, because I'm tired of life.
It could be that I'm
just as anxious as you,
that they put a rope around
Carol's beautiful neck.
It's kind of difficult to
believe there was a time,
when I'd never even
heard of Carol Forrest,
but six weeks ago, I
was just a hack novelist
trying to beat some
life into a dying book.
I'd taken that bungalow on Lake Windermere
to get away from fast blondes and sloe gin
only to discover that my
neighbours across the lake
had a habit of living
it up every other night.
It's hard to say exactly
where any situation begins,
but looking back, I'd
say this whole business
started that night as I
stood there looking out
across the water at the
lights of the Forrest house
and to be precise, it began
when I heard my phone ringing.
Yeah?
Is that Mr. Kendrick?
Speaking.
Mr. Kendrick, you
live over in that bungalow
on the east side, don't you?
Yeah.
And you have a
motor launch I believe?
I'd hardly call it a launch.
Mr. Kendrick,
I hope you'll forgive me
for imposing on you like this,
but well, I'm in something of a jam.
You see, four of our guests
are stranded down at the yacht club,
our launch has broken down
and the ferry isn't running this late
and well, there simply isn't any other way
for them to get across.
You want me to run your
friends over in my boat,
- is that it?
- It'd be very kind of you.
You see, we're having a party over here.
Ah, I, ah, I kind of gathered that.
We'll expect you
in about a half an hour then?
Alright, half an hour.
There must have been a dozen
other people with boats
on my side of the lake,
but no, some character
had to give her my number.
20 minutes later, High
Wray loomed up ahead of us
looking something like a world premiere
at Grauman's Chinese Theatre
and then as we started drifting
slowly into the landing stage, I saw her.
She might have been Lorelei
luring the sailors to their doom,
except she wasn't combing her hair.
Come along, ducky, let
old Uncle give you a hand.
That's right, show a leg there.
Liberty party ashore, skipper.
Well, come along, what about me?
Oh, alright.
I hope you don't mind me
bringing a friend along?
Carol, this is Jane.
- Jo.
- Ah, yes, of course, Jo.
Well, I hope this is
going to be a nice do,
after what we've been through.
I think you'd better all go
in and get yourselves a drink,
- I'd say you deserve one.
- Aye, we do an'all.
Come along, Jean, let's
get out of these wet rags
into a dry martini, what?
It's very charming of you, Mr., ah?
Kendrick, you phoned me, remember?
I thought you were an American.
Can I persuade you to
come in and have a drink?
Thanks for the gesture, but I, ah,
I'm not wearing my party clothes tonight.
There are over 100 people
in there, Mr. Kendrick,
so I don't think you need worry.
Okay, pity you're not
giving a fancy dress party,
I could come as the vulgar boatman.
- Hi, Carol, marvellous party.
- Thank you.
Darling, there you are,
I'm having a wonderful time.
- I can see that.
- Great party.
Carol, have you seen my wife?
- No, did you bring her?
- Oh.
I wouldn't marry you, if you
were the last man on earth.
If I was the last man on earth, darling,
you'd have to join in
the end of the queue.
Now, Mr. Kendrick, what
will you have, a champagne?
Ah, bourbon if you have it.
You are an American, aren't you?
I'm afraid we only have Scotch, sir.
- Ah, okay.
- For you, madame?
Nothing, thank you.
Would you like a sandwich with that?
Oh, it's an idea.
Smoked salmon, caviar, chicken?
Ah, no, I'll just have
one of these, thanks.
It didn't take an Einstein to figure out,
that the character at the
piano wasn't Mr. Forrest.
Women like Carol just don't
look at their husbands that way.
Having trouble?
Ah, I think I'm out of gas.
Yes.
Isn't it always the same,
you do someone a favour
and something like this happens to you?
Suppose I do you a favour
and let you have some gas?
Well, thanks.
Haven't seen you around before, have I?
No.
Not that I know many of the people
that come to these
parties, I'm glad to say.
American, aren't you?
That's right.
- Well, thanks a lot.
- Yeah.
- Here, let me pay you for it.
- Oh no.
Well, ah, you seem to be having
a little trouble yourself.
From the day I named this launch Carol,
I've had nothing but trouble with it.
- This is your launch?
- Right.
Well then, you must be the, ah-
- That's right, I'm the
husband around here.
Ah, congratulations.
Yes.
Come in and have a drink.
I've already had a drink, thanks.
Not with me you haven't, come on.
This is about the only room in the house
I can call private.
I bet you wouldn't say
no to a drop of bourbon?
No, I wouldn't.
My lawyer's over in
the States at the moment,
he sent me a case last week.
Oh, the only thing my lawyer
ever sends me is a bill.
Soda?
Oh, please.
By the way, I don't know your name.
Mark Kendrick.
Kendrick, sounds familiar.
Well, I'd like to think
it was because you'd
read some of my books.
Only thing I ever read is
the Stock Exchange report.
Cheers.
Like a game?
Okay, I'm not very good.
We'll soon find out.
Kendrick.
Oh yes, of course, aren't you the fella,
that's taken that little bungalow
- on the other side of the lake?
- Yeah, that's right.
You'd better kick off.
Yeah, you're not very good, are you?
Ah, it suits me, one of the few pleasures
I have left in life is
winning at billiards.
Ah, I see what you mean.
I don't think I've met a writer before.
I've always pictured them as
arty, young men with long hair.
Well, I write for money, not posterity.
Who's the loser, you or posterity?
Both I'm afraid.
I must have this table ironed.
How long do you reckon it takes you
to write a book, Mr. Kendrick?
Oh, I don't know, three,
four months maybe, thanks.
Oh, and how much do you make out of it?
Oh, about seven, 800 pounds.
If it sells well.
Seems a very hard
way of making a living.
It's the only way I know.
You see that telephone?
All I have to do is pick up the receiver,
dial a number in the city
and I can make myself a
couple of quick thousand.
Hm, you got to teach
me that trick some time.
No, it's just that I
think that too much money's
liable to distort your outlook on life.
Do you know what I ask myself
the first time I meet somebody?
What does he want out of me?
And believe me, it isn't long
before I'm being tapped
in one way or another.
Would I be interested
in this little scheme,
that little project?
Right now, this house is full of people,
who owe me something.
Mind you, they're friendly enough,
but they don't really
like me, they resent me
for being in a position
to be able to help them
to do something they can't
do themselves, make money.
Well, you can always give it away.
Yes, the answer to that
is that too much money
makes you miserable,
at least you can be miserable in comfort.
What do you think of
my wife, Mr. Kendrick?
I think she's very attractive.
You a friend of hers?
Never met her before tonight.
Hm, I just wondered, you being a writer.
You see, Carol has a weakness for artists,
she collects them like some
people collect butterflies.
Right now, it's a pianist,
I just wondered if his term of office
wasn't coming to an end.
| Is that some sort of
ah, keep off warning?
Because if it is, it's not necessary.
Yes, I'm sorry.
You see, Mr. Kendrick,
I still happen to be in love with my wife,
it's not very modern
or sophisticated of me,
- but there it is.
- What about her?
Carol?
Carol's in love with Carol.
Watch this shot, very tricky.
Hm, brilliant, positively brilliant.
Hm, do you know what time it is?
I'm not even sure I know what day it is.
Seven o'clock.
Would you like some coffee?
- Black coffee.
- I'll see if anyone's up yet.
If you'd like to go
into the library, I'll
organise the coffee,
you know where it is,
through the dining room.
Alright.
Morning.
Morning.
If you're one of Carol's guests,
the party ended three hours ago.
Coffee won't be a minute.
- Morning, Andy.
- Hello, Daddy.
Didn't see you at the party last night.
- I went to the pictures.
- There's a clever girl.
This is Mark Kendrick, my daughter.
How do you do?
Hello.
Where's Carol?
Out with Vincent.
That sounds like them
now, if you'll excuse me-
- Sit down, Andy,
I've had enough melodramatics
these last few weeks.
Stay where you are.
Boy, you have the
craziest ideas.
Beverly, Andrea.
Amazing how chilly this room can get.
We've been watching the sun
come up, haven't we, Vince?
That's right.
It was like waiting
for the curtain to go up
on "Tannhauser, the
suspense was terrific.
It was wonderful, wasn't it, Vincent?
Yes, Carol.
Has anyone a cigarette?
Did you have a nice time
last night, Mr. Kendrick?
Mark and I played
billiards most of the night.
He's my friend for life now
that I know that I can beat him.
What fun you both must have had.
Vince, darling, get me a drink, will you?
Ah, Carol, I think I'd
better be going now, I-
- You can go when you've
brought me a drink.
Now be a good boy and don't argue, hm?
How can you do it?
- How can you just sit there?
- Andy!
What's the matter with you?
Have you no pride left at all?
Andy, if you don't mind,
keep out of matters
that don't concern you.
That don't concern me?
Andrea becomes more
hysterical every day.
Really, I think it's about
time she saw a psychiatrist.
A little more discretion
on your part would help.
Please Beverly, let's not
wash our dirty linen in public.
I was just going anyway,
goodbye, Mrs. Forrest.
Come again sometime, bring your friends.
Yeah.
So long.
Goodbye, Mark.
Thank you, Vincent.
This what you want?
Thank you.
Nothing like a good cry to
work it out of your system.
Take more than that to
get it out of my system,
I'm afraid.
If he had to get married again,
why did he pick on someone like her?
Oh, oh, I see.
Can't be very nice for you.
It isn't.
You must've got a very bad
impression of this household.
I, I guess everyone's
a little tired by now.
Look, I, I know
it's none of my business,
but why don't you take that guy
out behind the barn sometime
and teach him some manners?
Yes, I've thought of that lots of times.
I don't think it'd do any good though.
Anyway, Vincent won't
last long, they never do.
It's a pity in a way,
that piano in the library
cost me 1200 pounds,
he's the first person who's
been able to play it properly.
By the way, what are you doing Thursday?
Working on my book, if
I know what's good for me.
I'm throwing a party over at the club
to christen my new boat,
think you can make it?
Dinner jacket?
You can wear a suit of
armour for all I care!
As I pulled away from
the High Wray that morning,
I realised that Beverly Forrest
was one of the loneliest men
I'd ever met in my life and as for Carol,
yeah, as for Carol.
With some people, it's liquor,
with me, it's always been women,
women like Carol Forrest,
but right then, the only
thing I had to worry about
was finishing that book.
- Hello.
- Hello, hello,
is that you, Mark?
Oh, I don't know for sure,
but I think it is, who's this?
Harry.
Oh, hello, hello, Harry.
Listen, I've been
wondering how it's coming on.
I'm your agent, you know,
it's my job to worry about your work
and I haven't had any
news from you for weeks.
Been busy.
Ah, glad to hear it.
Are you still there?
I'm still here.
Now listen, I don't want
to put any pressure on you,
but those first three chapters,
I should've had them in
last Monday, you know.
Wardman's have been on
the phone to me on Friday,
they're rather hoping
to see something soon.
So am I.
What you mean?
I haven't finished the
first two chapters yet.
What?
This isn't funny, old boy,
this isn't funny at all.
Look, I'm not a machine,
that can pump out x 1000 words a day.
I'm not sure I believe in it anymore.
Listen, Kendrick, stop kidding yourself.
You're not in a position
to believe in anything
but hard cash and unless you're
working some racket up there
I know nothing about, the
last money you ever had
was in the shape of a check from Wardmans.
Less your 10%.
Ha, I shall grow rich
on your 10 percents.
Your signature is on a
legal binding contract.
I may be able to stall
Wardman for a few more days,
but they're in a position to
make things very difficult,
if they feel like it.
Besides, this kind of thing
does me a lot of harm.
Ah, I suppose it does, I'm sorry,
I'll try to let you
have something tomorrow.
Well, let's
say Friday, I know you
- and don't let me down.
- I won't let you down.
Oh, Harry, ah, what
about that radio script,
anything happen with it?
You worry about the book,
I'll worry about the script.
I could use the cash, Harry.
I can believe that.
Now let's have something on Friday, huh?
Alright.
So long.
Finishing off
those first three chapters
couldn't have been tougher,
if I'd chiselled them out of stone,
but I did it and it
was only out of respect
for my agent's ulcers,
that I didn't toss them
into the ash can where they belonged.
But at any rate, it meant that
for the next couple of days,
I could just sit around and relax,
at least that's what I'd planned to do,
before I spotted that tall blonde
showing off her torso like
she knew I was watching.
Then I began to figure out
if there wasn't some way
I could get a little closer to Carol
than through a pair of binoculars.
The answer of course was Bev's party
to christen his new boat.
The twist is the closest
I ever got to Carol
was to pass her the
salt a couple of times,
the rest of the evening I spent
making small talk with her stepdaughter.
Ladies and gentlemen,
I wish to propose a toast.
Jolly good show.
Ladies and gentlemen,
I ask you to drink.
Hear, hear.
To the most gracious lady,
the most elegant lady I have ever known.
Hey, what time is it?
Time?
10 past one, Mr. Forrest.
I've got to christen the boat.
Here, give me a hand, will you please?
What happened to him, is he hurt?
No, only his pride.
Alright, sir, I've got him now.
I-I'd better phone Dr. Emery.
No, doesn't need a doctor,
what he needs is a good night's sleep
and plenty of black
coffee when he wakes up.
I think he'll be alright, miss.
Come on, sir.
I'd better go and help Mason.
Thank you very much, Mark.
That's alright.
How is he?
He'll probably wake up in
the morning with two heads,
but I think he'll recover.
Mr. Kendrick.
Yes?
Thank you for bringing him home.
I thought it was better
than leaving him lie around.
Don't like me very much, do you?
Not very much.
It might interest you to
know that there are times,
when I'm not crazy about myself.
That I can believe.
I don't suppose you'd like
to have a drink before you go?
Look, Mrs. Forrest,
what are you trying to do?
I delivered your husband, now
what do you want me to do,
sign a receipt for him?
I was just trying to be sociable.
That's your trouble, you try too hard.
What's the matter, don't you like women?
Would it make you feel any happier,
if I told you I'd fallen in love with you?
It might amuse me.
But that's what you
want me to say, isn't it,
that ever since I first laid eyes on you,
I've been eating my heart out for you?
And you could add another
name to your list.
Me thinks thou dost protest
too much, Mr. Kendrick.
And what does that mean exactly?
Ever since we first met,
you've gone out of your way
to make it quite clear you didn't like me.
I'm beginning to wonder who
you're trying to convince,
me or yourself
and don't tell me I'm not your type.
You're a woman, aren't you?
What more do you want?
You see, we have something
in common after all.
Yeah,
that's the word, common.
How are you gonna
get home, Mr. Kendrick?
I'm borrowing your husband's car.
Goodnight, Mrs. Forrest.
But I was just kidding myself.
That kiss them and leave them
routine hadn't fooled anyone,
least of all me.
Yeah.
Hello, Mark, where have you been?
Oh, hello, Harry.
I've been trying to catch you all day.
Listen, old boy, who did
you get to write this stuff,
because you'll never convince
me that you wrote it yourself.
Why, what's the matter with it?
What's the matter with it?
Warmans have rejected it, that's
what's the matter with it.
Oh, sounds bad.
Sounds bad, it is bad,
they are talking of
cancelling your contract.
They can't do that.
They can, you know
and I think they will,
unless I can do something to stop it.
I'm seeing them tomorrow at four o'clock,
I think you'd better be here.
Do I have to?
What's the matter,
don't you like eating anymore?
Okay, I'll take the 10:15.
Four o'clock at my office.
Ah, how is it?
Are you sure you've
taken the needle out?
Hey, what are you doing to yourself?
Good morning.
Trying to kill himself, this one.
I've warned him before,
but of course he takes
no notice of what I say,
- I'm just a country quack.
- That's right.
He looks healthy enough to me.
Yes, cardiac cases usually
do, but he isn't healthy,
it's time he got used to the idea.
I'm telling you straight, Beverly,
I'm telling you for
the last time, ease up,
- just ease up, that's all.
- Yeah, yes, yes, I know,
we've been all over that before.
Why don't you run along? You depress me.
I gave up a perfectly good game of golf
to come and give you advice,
it seems to me I'm wasting my time.
Maybe you don't want to live?
I'll come around again tomorrow.
I'll see you out, doctor.
What's all this about?
That old fool thinks I'm
gonna kick out any minute.
He seems to know what
he's talking about.
Alright, so what am I supposed to do,
sit in the corner and wait for the end?
How long have you known about this?
Oh, a couple of years.
First they said I had 10
years to go, if I was careful,
then last year they made it
five, now it's down to a year.
- A year?
- That's right,
and they'd only guarantee
that if I lived like a monk,
no drink, no exercise, no
excitement and none of these.
Oh, he's still around.
Well, there's one consolation,
when I go, he goes too.
What do you mean?
Oh, you don't think
Carol's gonna sit around
and wait for him to win a
lottery or something, do you?
No, Carol goes where the money is,
she has an instinct for it.
- But what about your-
- What about my money?
Well, they say you can't take it with you,
well, believe me, I'm not
gonna leave it lying around,
at least not where Carol
can get her hands on it.
I don't mind paying her
bills while I'm alive,
but I'm certainly not gonna
pay them when I'm dead.
I've been thinking
about this for some time
and last night's bit of
nonsense clinched it.
When my lawyer gets back from the States,
I'm going to alter my will,
I'll see that Carol
doesn't get one penny more
than she's legally entitled to.
I, ah, I got to be going.
I suppose you think I'm pretty mean?
It's a pretty mean sort of world.
How about having dinner with me tonight?
I'm going up to London.
But you'll be back Saturday, won't you?
I'm taking the new boat
through her paces on Saturday,
I'd like you to be there.
You're going out in that
speedboat in your condition?
Why not?
Yeah,
as you say, why not?
Alright, I'll be there.
You can laugh, I didn't
think it was funny at the time.
You, outside.
I beg your pardon?
I'd like to speak
with Mrs. Forrest alone,
so if you don't mind?
No, but I do mind.
I refuse to be ordered around.
Darling, nobody's ordering you around,
Mr. Kendrick is just
naturally rude, that's all.
Be a good boy and leave
us alone for five minutes.
If you say so, Carol, alright.
What is it you want, Mr. Kendrick?
It's about Beverly.
- What about him?
- He's ill,
you know that, don't you?
Yes, I know.
Don't you think you ought
to do something about it?
Such as?
Well, at least you could go and see him,
he can't be very happy by himself.
You forget that Beverly
and I aren't speaking.
If he wants something, he
only has to ring the bell.
That's not what I mean and you know it.
What do you mean?
You don't care whether
he lives or dies, do you?
Don't you think you owe him something?
You mean that it's the duty of a wife
to be by her husband's side
when he needs her?
I'm not that kind of a wife
and Beverly never expected me
to be, we signed a contract,
Beverly fulfilled his part of the bargain
and believe me, I've fulfilled mine.
If Beverly is complaining,
I'm not, I've got what I want.
Well, enjoy it while
you can, Mrs. Forrest,
because I've got a feeling
you're not going to have it much longer.
- Now look, gentlemen, Mr.
- Kendrick is not an amateur,
he's not a beginner, his books
have sold well in the past,
they are going to sell well in the future
and if you'd care to be more
specific in your objections,
I'm quite certain that my
client would be only too pleased
to rewrite these first three chapters.
Let's face it, gentlemen,
a writer is a creative mind
and not a machine that can
pump out x 1000 words a day.
Now in my opinion, gentlemen,
there is nothing wrong
with the material that my
client has submitted so far.
Well, that's that.
Sorry, Mark, I did my best.
Yes, I know, thanks.
So now we find another publisher.
So now you find another publisher.
You mean you want out?
I'm afraid so, old boy.
Well, ah, I'd better get
to the office, so long.
Sorry it had to end like this.
I, ah, I suppose you, ah, you couldn't
let me have some money, could you?
How much?
Five would help.
It's as bad as that?
It's as bad as that.
Thanks, I'll, ah, let you
have it back sometime.
Any idea what you're going to do?
Well, I made one friend, he
might help me, I don't know.
Well,
good luck then.
I was flat, finished,
no prospects, ho money and
no hope of getting any,
unless, what was it Beverly had said?
Sooner or later, everybody
wants something from him.
Number please?
Lakeside 523.
Hello.
Oh, ah, this is Mark Kendrick.
Well, hello.
Can I speak to Beverly please?
You could if he was here,
but he's in Manchester with Andrea,
they won't be back until tomorrow.
Was it something important?
Yes, but it'll keep.
- Okay, Mrs. Forrest, thanks.
- Mr. Kendrick.
Yeah?
- I'd like to see you.
- Tonight?
Getting the creeps in
this place all by myself.
You could get up a game
of canasta with the butler.
Why don't you come
over and have a drink?
Well, if you're by yourself,
it's not a very good idea, is it?
Alright, then let's go somewhere else,
what about the club?
Well, isn't that just a little public?
Who cares?
I do.
I'll pick you up in the
car in a half an hour.
Okay.
Don't sound so enthusiastic.
Alright, in half an hour.
I knew what I'd be walking into.
What did surprise me was
that for the first time,
I saw a side of Carol
I'd never even suspected.
So I got a modelling job
advertising bathing suits,
for two years, I did everything
but stand on my head in the bathing suit.
I decided I'd enough of that,
so I got myself a job
advertising toothpaste
- and what was I wearing?
- A tube of toothpaste.
You know something?
That's the first time
I've ever seen you laugh.
Oh, you know something?
There hasn't been very
much to laugh at lately.
Oh, by the way, ah, what's
happened to Vincent?
Vincent? I got bored with Vincent.
We had a row and that's the end of that.
Exit Vincent?
Exit Vincent.
Thank you very much, sir.
Is it like that?
I'm afraid so.
Got a pen?
Is that what you want
to see Beverly about?
Because if it is, you're
wasting your time.
Go to him with a business proposition
and he'll listen to you, ask
him for the loan of hard cash
and suddenly he becomes very deaf.
I've always had plenty out of
him, but never in real money.
Send him the bill, yes,
charge it to his account,
the sky's the limit,
but ask for the price of a cab fare,
so if I were you, I'd forget it.
Should we go?
Thank you.
Good evening, madame, good evening, sir.
Goodnight.
Hello there, fancy seeing you.
Fancy, we were just going.
Oh, oh, this is Marilyn,
at least that's what I call
her, don't I, ducky, what?
- How about a drink?
- Some other time, Frank.
Oh, later on perhaps?
- Sure.
- Well, so long,
don't do anything that
I wouldn't do, will you?
We would have to run into him.
Frank? He's alright.
The trouble with you, Mark
is that you worry too much.
Maybe.
Hey, shouldn't you have
turned off back there?
I thought I'd drop
you off at your place.
You stay here, I'll fix the light.
Don't bother about the
lights, I like it the way it is.
Do you still hate me?
You know I don't.
Kiss me.
Oh, darling, darling.
- Hello, Mark.
- Hello.
Hello, Andrea.
Hi.
That boat can sure move,
Bev must be having
himself a time out there.
Tally-ho!
Well, hello there, what
happened to you two last night?
I thought you said you were
coming back to the club,
we waited half the night for you.
Where were you, eh?
Is that Bev, what's he trying to do?
They're brand new
engines, they'll seize up.
Hey, Bev!
Mark.
Throttle down!
He's alright, Frank's
just gone out to get him.
What's the matter?
Just now, out there,
I-I had the most awful thought,
I was hoping he wasn't going to come back.
Mark!
I thought so, you're leaving, aren't you?
What does it look like?
Why, Mark?
You just can't figure that out, can you?
I've fallen in love with you,
that hasn't been too difficult
for me to figure out.
You're not running away from me,
you're running away from yourself.
All the same, I intend to start running,
before it's too late.
What do you mean too late?
I thought I knew what made
you tick right from the start,
I knew you were no good, but
I didn't realise until today
how bad you really are.
Because I told the truth for a change?
You know as well as I do that Beverly
hasn't much longer to live,
today, tomorrow, what's the difference?
All we have to do is wait.
I'm afraid you're going to have to wait
for a long time, Carol.
What are you talking about?
Beverly's not leaving you a cent more
than he legally has to,
he's cutting you right out of his will.
I don't believe it.
His lawyer's in the
States right now, isn't he?
He's coming back next week.
That doesn't leave
you much time, does it?
Time?
Time to devise some
bright, little scheme
to help Beverly on his way out.
No, Mark, no!
Oh, it wouldn't really
be murder, would it?
After all, Beverly's going to die anyway.
Stop it, Mark, stop it,
I won't listen to you!
Now do you see why I'm pulling out?
It was like one of those nightmares,
when you're trying to
get away from something
and the faster you run, the closer it gets
and just when you think you've made it.
Was that the London train?
It was.
Now when's the next one?
Ain't another train
'til four in the morning.
What do I have to do
to get out of this town,
dig a tunnel?
There's a bus goes to Keswick,
leaves here about 10 tonight.
Oh, that's great.
Carol tells me you're leaving.
I'm trying to.
Is it because of her?
Frank told me.
I'm sorry.
I tried, Bev, believe me.
I know, son.
I'm only sorry it had
to be you, that's all.
Anyway, that doesn't matter anymore now.
Well, you can't hang around
here, there's nothing to do,
next bus isn't 'til 10.
Don't I know?
I'll tell you what, how about you and me
having a little farewell party, huh?
- Not another party, Bev.
- Just the two of us,
we'll probably never see each other again.
- What'll I do with these?
- Don't worry about that.
Ted, look after this, will you?
- Come on.
- Righto, Mr. Forrest.
You don't seriously think
we're gonna do any fishing?
Who said anything about fishing?
Oh, where do you want this stuff?
You'll find a ice box in the cabin.
Okay.
Hello, Bev, where are you going?
Fishing.
Mind if I go along?
Do you have to?
Don't worry, I won't get in the way.
Did you say something?
We're going on
a sort of farewell trip,
Mark's leaving tonight.
Yes, I know.
You'd better cast
off, I'll start her up.
It was one of those sultry afternoons,
when everything seemed
to have come to a stop.
The lake was like a dead sea,
the clouds hung over us like shrouds
and everything seemed to be waiting.
Not for me, thanks.
But unlucky anyway.
What's the matter with these fish?
Hey, fish, fishy fishy!
Come on, boys, fishy, fishy!
I don't know how
long I must have dozed,
but when I woke up, the
lake had faded out of sight
like something in a dream.
We get a move on, we
might beat this mist.
What do you know about this?
Did you ever see anything so quick?
Does that around here, it
comes down the mountains,
we're used to it.
Would you like to take over?
- I'll go and tidy up aft.
- In this fog?
Just keep her on that
course, you won't go wrong.
Take it easy.
It's your boat.
Mark, Mark, look out!
Oh, that was close.
Mark.
Get the first aid box, quick!
Did you hear what I said?
Now, Mark, now.
No one could see us in this
fog, if there was an accident.
It could've been an accident, couldn't it,
he could've fallen overboard?
We'll never have another chance like this,
you've got to do it, Mark, for us!
You'd better go up to the house.
There was some blood on
the deck, I cleaned it up.
What do we do now, Mark?
What do you think we're gonna do?
Give me the police.
I want to report an accident.
And you
searched around for an hour
and could see no sign of him?
That's right.
Well, it's too dark to do anything now,
I'll have some men drag that
part of the lake tomorrow.
I'll, ah, drop her over
again in the morning,
- if you don't mind.
- Of course not.
Can I give you a lift to
the other side, Mr. Kendrick?
Ah, no, no, thanks.
- Alright, goodnight, Mrs.
- Forrest, Miss Forrest.
Goodnight, Mr. Kendrick.
I'll, ah, see you to the door.
- Goodnight.
- Goodnight.
Andrea, we did everything we could.
I'm sure you did.
Darling, it was just
one of those things,
it was a sort of accident that
could've happened to anyone.
Accident?
By the following morning,
the mist had lifted from the lake
and as I headed toward High Wray,
I could see them dragging for Bev's body.
Mr. Kendrick?
Yes.
I'm Detective Inspector MacLennan.
Nothing to be alarmed at, Mr. Kendrick,
local police like to have
us in on these matters,
especially with a man as
important as Mr. Forrest.
- I see.
- Did you come over
to see Mrs. Forrest?
Yes.
Well, we'll go up together, shall we?
But you didn't actually
see him fall overboard?
No.
I had a word this morning,
With the skipper of that
ferry you bumped into.
- Do you mind?
- Not at all.
Mind you, we don't pay too
much attention to witnesses,
their eyes are often
bigger than their heads,
but this man says that he saw everything.
According to him, Mr.
Forrest lost his balance
and fell over alright, but
he didn't fall over the side.
He must've had pretty
good eyesight in that fog.
Yes, yes, that's what I thought.
Are you suggesting, Inspector,
that we haven't been
telling you the truth?
I'm not suggesting
anything, Mrs. Forrest,
it's just my job to
probe around, that's all.
Well.
What's that?
I think they've found
your husband, Mrs. Forrest.
The following
day, the Coroner's Court
returned a verdict of accidental death.
Thank you.
I've got to talk to you.
Not here, not now.
When?
You know it's dangerous for
us to be seen together, Mark.
Dangerous or not, I've got to see you.
Alright, I'll meet you
at your place tonight.
Sorry to drop in on you like this.
What do you want? I'm busy.
I shan't keep you long.
Going, Mr. Kendrick or coming?
Now look, MacLennan,
there was an accident,
the man was killed, this
morning a Coroners jury
returned a verdict of accidental death.
As far as I'm concerned,
I'd like to forget the
whole unpleasant business.
Yes, I'm sure you would,
Mr. Kendrick, so would I,
as soon as I've tied up
one or two loose ends.
You mean you're not satisfied
with the finding of the inquest?
I'm in no position to question
the Coroner's verdict, you know.
Then what are you doing here?
Where did you get that?
Probing, Mr. Kendrick, just probing.
There's been gossip, you
know, about Mrs. Forrest,
of course you know what I mean.
No, I don't.
You don't?
Well, apparently she's
made no secret of the fact,
that she's been having
affairs with other men.
I wouldn't know about that.
That's curious, because I'd heard
that you were one of the other men.
Alright, MacLennan, you've
said your little piece.
Now suppose you get out of here?
Very well, if that's
how you feel about it.
By the way, Mr. Kendrick,
I forgot to tell you,
I was taking another look at
that launch this afternoon,
I found some blood on the after deck,
not much, not much, but had
me puzzled all the same.
Goodnight.
What did he want?
What do policemen usually want?
Do you think
he suspects anything?
Of course he suspects something,
why else would he be snooping around?
I told you I shouldn't
have come here tonight,
now he's seen us together-
What's the difference?
- He knew about it anyway.
- How?
How do I know? Someone
told him, I guess.
Andrea.
Maybe it was Andrea.
What was that he said about
finding blood on the deck?
If Bev fell over the side
the way we said he did,
there wouldn't be any blood
on the deck, would there?
I thought you took care of that.
Of course I took care of it,
what do you think I am, an imbecile?
But the police have instruments
for that sort of thing.
Mark, whatever made us do it?
There must've been some other way.
It's a little late for that now.
But if that detective
suspects something...
You must go away, Mark,
get away from here where
they can't find you,
then when everything's
settled, I'll come to you.
But if I go away now, they'll
really suspect something.
They might if we left
together, but if you leave now,
they'll think there never
was anything between us.
It won't be for long,
just as soon as I can get
all the tedious details settled
about the will and the money.
Well, how long is
all that going to take?
A month at the outside and
then we'll be together again
and nothing will have changed between us.
I'll need you then just
as much as I need you now
and everything we've been
through these past few weeks
will have been worth it.
Oh, my darling, believe me, it will.
Alright, I'll go back to town.
And you will wait for me, won't you?
Of course I'll wait for you.
And so I waited.
As the weeks went by, I came to know
that dreary, little hotel room
as intimately as a lifer
gets to know his cell.
At the end of the sixth
week, I wrote to Carol,
thinking perhaps she
had mislaid my address
and then when I got no reply.
Did you say
Lakeside 523, caller?
That's right.
I'm sorry,
there's no subscriber
working on this line.
Even as I stepped
out onto the landing stage,
I knew that High Wray was deserted.
I expected you to show
up sooner than this.
What are you doing here?
I might ask you that question.
I just dropped
in to see Mrs. Forrest.
Aren't you a bit late? She
left here three weeks ago.
I, ah, I don't suppose you
happen to know where she went?
Don't you know?
You don't give up, do you?
Not very easily.
Well, should we be getting
along? I have a car outside.
You're going to arrest me?
On what charge?
I haven't got a case against
you, Kendrick and you know it.
I thought perhaps I could
give you a lift somewhere.
Hello, Mark.
What is this, what's the idea?
Miss Forrest believes in you, Kendrick,
she doesn't think you did it.
Did what, what are you talking about?
I know you didn't, it
was Carol, wasn't it, Mark?
It was an accident.
Carol killed my father and
used you to cover up for her.
You don't know what
you're talking about.
Mark, listen to me,
Carol's guilty of murder
and you're shielding her
just because you imagine
she's in love with you,
you can't let her get away
with it, she's not worth it!
What do you want me to do,
make a confession or something?
I think you'd better get into the car.
What's this?
You came looking for
Carol Forrest, didn't you?
I'll see this young lady home,
I think I'll know where to find you.
Yes?
Mrs. Forrest.
Mrs. Forrest? Oh, yes.
Would you mind waiting here, sir?
I suppose we had to
meet sooner or later.
That was the idea.
What happened?
I changed my mind.
You seem to forget, Carol,
we're both guilty of murder
and that's something that
ties us together for good
whether we like it or not.
Things have changed, Mark,
I have everything I want right here
and believe it or not, for
the first time in my life,
I'm really happy.
What about us, I
thought we made a bargain?
What's so funny?
Shut up.
Shut up, or I'll-
You'll what?
Go to the police?
You wouldn't do anything
that stupid, now would you?
And please take your hands off my wife.
Your wife?
We were married three
weeks ago, it's very simple,
I'm in love with Vincent,
I always have been.
Does he know?
Does he know we killed a
man, does he know that?
Of course he knows.
I suppose the job was too messy for him?
Get out.
Feel better now?
You're not going to get
away with this, Carol.
I've already gotten away with it
and there's not a thing
you can do about it.
Isn't there? I think there is.
You've forgotten one thing, Carol,
now I've got nothing to lose.
Mark, wait a minute.
Mark, listen to me,
you can't go to the police,
you're too involved,
they'll hang you, Mark!
Mark!
Mark, you don't really mean it,
you aren't going to the police, are you?
Mark, listen to me!
I'll do anything you want,
if it's money you want,
it is money you want, isn't it?
Mark, are you out of your mind?
Do you know what they'll do to you?
You said yourself we were
both guilty, they'll hang you!
Did you hear what I
said? They'll hang you!
They'll hang you!
Well, there you are,
that's the way it went.
It's not a very pretty story, is it?
No, not very.
Maybe I-I should've kept it to myself.
Do you think you could?
Sooner or later, you'd
have had to tell somebody.
Yeah, I guess you're right.
Well, shall we go?
Yes.