03x08 - Last Request

[bunniefuu]

Good evening, fellow gourmet.

Have you ever been in a position

where the success or failure
of a dinner party

depended entirely on you?

Of course all this
is not without its compensations.

It is always reassuring to learn

that other human beings
still find you desirable.

And I am the main course.

It would be horrible to go through this
and be nothing but an hors d'oeuvre.

Confidentially, they are miserable chefs.

I certainly would never
cook a pot roast with its shoes on.

Actually, I still haven't
explained why I'm here.

It seems that one of the natives
was condemned to death

and as a last request

was granted the right to indulge
in a hearty meal.

I'm proud to say I was his first choice.

And now,
while I'm coming to a boil,

suppose you watch tonight's story
which is also about a condemned man.

He's all yours, Mike.

Never mind the bald job.

You'd better let him
do it, Daniels.

There aren't
going to be any women
witnessing the execution.

No. Just a bunch of vultures
watching me die for a k*lling
I didn't do.

Daniels, Daniels.

You've only got a few hours left.

Why don't you spend them
with the Chaplain?

Let Dr. Raymond's wife
spend them with him.

I was with her
at the time of the k*lling
and she knows it.

She's a respectable woman.

Are you kidding?

Respectable?

She lied.

She's letting me die
to protect her precious reputation.

If you want to talk to somebody,
go talk to her.

Now, get them out of here,
all of them.

Don't I get a last request?

Yes.

You have the right
to anything reasonable.
Is there anything you want?

I want a typewriter
and some paper.

I want to write a letter,
and I'll need a special messenger
to deliver it.

"To the editor of the Star Times,

"Tomorrow morning your newspaper
will carry the story of my execution,

"an execution for a m*rder
I did not commit.

"Along with that story,
I would like you to publish this letter.

"I want the public to know
that the District Attorney,
Bernard Butler, is a fool,

"a fact that I have known
since first I met him five years ago

"when a detective picked me up
at the airport and took me to his office. "

What's the idea of this?
What's the roust?

Gerald Daniels, isn't it? From Cleveland?

You know it is.
Now, why did this goon pick me up?

Because I wanted to talk to you,
I want to tell you something about our city.

It's a big city but a nice one,
a clean one.

We'd like to keep it that way.

I never do anything illegal.

You've been arrested five times
on bunco charges?

But no indictments and no convictions.

Yeah, that's right.

Because the victim
is always a woman,

a married woman who is afraid
to press charges.

Either that or some other woman
for an alibi,

some sweet trusting thing
who swears you weren't there
and couldn't have done it.

So women like me and I like them.

You got a law against that?
No.

But you're like all men
who like too many women.

Somewhere inside of you,
you hate them.

But someday, Mister,
you're going to run into
one who hates men

and she's gonna finish you.

Hey, what are you, anyhow?
A D.A. or a psychiatrist?

Maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea
for you to see one.

Well, if you hear
of a pretty one, let me know.

Maybe I can solve
some of her problems.

Finished?
Yeah.

But if I ever have to come for you,
I'll get an indictment
and I'll get a conviction.

I promise you.

Now, get out.

"And that was
my first meeting with the man

"whose ambition it is
to be Governor of this State.

"It makes him sound like a man
who keeps his promises, doesn't it?

"He got an indictment,
he got a conviction,

"and I'm going to die.

"But I'm going to die
because of his mistakes
not his brilliance.

"I knew him for what he was

"and I knew women for what
they were and are.

"Easy to meet and easy to fool.

"Because they want to be fooled.

"I played the better
cocktail lounges where
the crop was richer,

"better groomed, prettier.

"Some were single,
some were married.

"Some of them were shy
and others were bold,

"but they were all sisters
under the skin.

"First they think romance is free,
later they are willing to pay.

"Of course you never ask for help,
you don't have to,

"they trip over themselves giving it.

"They want attention and pretty words.

"They want love.

"They don't care
whether it's real or not,

"so long as they hear it.

"And the drinks help
to drown their doubts.

"For more than three years
I had the best

"and Bernard Butler
knew nothing about it.

"And if he did,
he couldn't have done anything. "

Same setup
for booth four, Joe.

What's the matter, handsome?
Bad hunting tonight?

What happened to your arm, Mona?
It's all black and blue.

Oh, my ex-husband.

Tell you something,
if I had the dough I'd get out
of town so fast

it would make his head swim.

Well, it may not be
such a dull night after all, huh?

June, June Fremont,
what are you doing here?

Oh, I'm sorry.
I mistook you for someone
I use to know.

That's all right.

Amazing resemblance.

Maybe you're related
or something?

Her name is June Fremont.

No, I'm afraid not.

I was sort of engaged to her in school.

Fraternity pin stuff, you know.
It's funny really.

I thought I'd forgotten
about her years ago

and yet when
I saw you come in, I...

Suddenly things
came back to me with a rush.

The way I use to feel I mean.

Perhaps you should have
kept in touch with her.

She's probably married by now.

Are you waiting
for your husband to meet you?

No. He's away on a business trip.

Oh.

Look, I don't mean
to offend you but we're both alone,

would it be all right
if I bought you a drink?

I'm sorry.
I didn't mean to be fresh.

I guess one drink would be all right.

You see, I know what
it is to be lonesome.

Good.

"Her name was Nancy Judson,

"a name that the public
and the great Mr. Bernard Butler
should remember well.

"She'd had dinner alone,
been to the theater alone

"and maybe she had nothing
special in mind

"when she stopped
for a drink alone.

"But it doesn't always
work out that way. "

You didn't, Gerald.

That's why I got
kicked out of school.

Well, you were a bad influence.

What's that?

Oh, it's : a.m. closing time.

Have we been
talking that long?

It hasn't nearly been long enough.

Look, maybe if I
see you home safely,

you'll give me a nightcap
for a reward, huh?

All right.

Just one drink, then you'll go?

It's a deal.

Joe, get me some dollars for this,
will you?

Hey, it's a nice place you got here.

Your husband must
do all right for himself.

Thank you.
Yes, he does.

Hey, what have you
got in this thing, a rock?

What thing?
Your purse.

Open it and see.

What's this for?

Harry gave it to me
because he's away so often.

I know how to use it, too.

I'll bet you do.

And you said that I scared you.

Maybe you do.

You're beautiful.
You know that, don't you?

Perhaps you'd better
drink that and go.

Put it down.

Why?

Put it down.

No.

Harry, he...

Now, look, Mr. Judson,
I just took your wife home, that's all.

I'll k*ll you!

What's the...

No, Harry!

Harry?

He's dead.

He's dead.

I'll call the police.

You're not gonna call anybody.

"I lived the next day
in fear, Mr. Editor.

"I read every edition
of your newspaper
until the bodies were discovered

"because I remembered
Bernard Butler's promise to get me.

"And this was his chance.

"He was at the scene
of the crime with the police.

"That's good publicity
for an ambitious D.A.

"But do you remember
the statement he made
to your reporter and others?

"Look it up.
It'll give you a laugh. "

I guess there's nothing in this
for my office, boys.

Just a simple case
for the coroner's jury.

The g*n was registered
in Mrs. Judson's name.

Evidence indicates
they must have quarreled,
had a struggle for the g*n.

She sh*t him, got panicky,
k*lled herself.

Simple m*rder and su1c1de.

"m*rder and su1c1de.

"It made me feel lucky.

"Too lucky, I guess.

"I made a bet on a horse,
a hunch bet.

"A big bet on a nag
named Invincible.

"He wasn't."

You owe me $ ,
Daniels. I want it.

I haven't got it.
Look, I haven't made
a score in a couple of weeks.

When I get it,
I'll give it to you.

You'll get it
for me tomorrow!

You hear me, vulture?
$ by : tomorrow.

Sorry to disturb you, miss.

Just a friendly disagreement.

Your friend plays kind of rough.

He's a bookie.

Yeah, these guys are all alike,

slow to pay and quick to collect.

$ , that's a lot of money.
Can you raise it?

There's always an angle.
Yeah?

Well, I wish you'd think
of an angle for me.

If I could raise a couple of hundred
I could get out of town
so my ex couldn't find me.

You know, you might like that.

Why pick on me?

You read the papers?

About the m*rder and su1c1de?

The picture of the girl.

The girl you were in here
with the night before last.

The one you left with.

You listen here,
you keep your mouth shut about this.

Come on, honey,
don't get tough with me,
I'm used to it.

What do you want?

I told you. Just a loan.

$ .

I'll bring it tomorrow night.

But until then
you keep your mouth shut
about this.

Until then, I will.

But only until then.

"She had noticed me
with Nancy Judson.

"But $ wasn't going to end it.

"She knew a good thing
when she had it.

"She'd stay and bleed me white.

"And so you see, Mr. Editor,

"I k*lled Mona Carstairs
just as I k*lled the Judsons.

"But did our great prosecutor
know that?

"No. He brought her ex-husband,
Frank Carstairs, to trial for the k*lling.

"Your paper carried
the transcript of the trial. "

All right then,

you admit you were waiting
for your ex-wife
the night she was k*lled?

Yes. I was waiting
for her at the subway
but not where it happened.

But nobody saw you
at the subway?

It was after : in the morning.

Why were you waiting for her?
You were divorced, weren't you?

I loved her.
I wanted her back.

And hadn't you asked her
to come back before?

Yes.
And hadn't she refused?

And hadn't she called
the police on two occasions

when you b*at her for refusing?

Yes, but...
And didn't you
thr*aten to k*ll her

if she wouldn't come back?

No! No! I didn't k*ll her!
I loved her! I loved her!

"And so Frank Carstairs
was convicted and walked
to his death.

"He was legally m*rder*d
by Bernard Butler for a crime
he did not commit,

"just as I will be m*rder*d
for one I did not commit.

"After the death of Mona Carstairs,

"I moved to another part of town.

"I found new haunts

"and in one of them
I met Sheila Raymond,

"Dr. Raymond's wife.

"Doctors' wives are lonely women."

There's Jim. His usual call
before leaving the hospital.

How convenient, huh?

Hello.
Hello.

I wanna talk
to Gerry Daniels.

It's for you.
Did you give anyone
this number?

No, I didn't.

You must be mistaken. There's no one...

Cut it, sister. He's there.

Tell him it's Clark.

Hello, Clark.
Hello, pretty boy.

You got one hour.
I told you I find people.

One hour at the corner
of Water Street and th.

I'll be waiting in my car.

Yeah, well, listen,
Clark, I...

Hello? Hello, Clark?

How did he get this number?

I don't know. I don't know.

He's a...
I owe him some money.
He's a bookie. A thug.

I should never have got
mixed up with you.

You'll have to go, Gerry.
Right now.

Oh, now, wait,
wait, wait a minute, wait.

One of his collectors
must have seen me with you
and followed us here.

Look, honey, I can't pay.

And if I don't,
he might call back.

Maybe while your husband's here.

How much?

$ .

Very well, I'll get it for you

and then I never want
to see you again, never.

"That's why, Mr. Editor,

"I was on Water Street
the night of June th.

"To pay Clark
the money I owed him
and get him off my back.

"I admit I m*rder*d three people
but I didn't k*ll Clark.

"He was dead when I found him
and I didn't rob him.

"The money they found on me
came from Sheila Raymond.

"She lied when she said
she didn't know me.

"And Bernard Butler
accepted that lie to get
a false conviction.

"Is this man
fit to be Governor?

"Is he fit
for any public office?"

Kelly?

Here it is, Kelly,
and here's the pen.

Open up, Kelly.

It isn't time.
I've got minutes yet.

You've also got a visitor.

Hey, why did you come here?

To laugh at me, to gloat?

The Chaplain
phoned me tonight.

He asked me to see
Sheila Raymond. I did.

She lied in court, Daniels.
You were with her.

She admitted it tonight.

You mean I'm free,
I'm gonna live?

Here's a stay of execution.
You'll get a new trial
and of course an acquittal.

My letter.

What'd you do with my letter?

My secretary is reading it
for censorship right now.

It will go out shortly.

Censorship?

I didn't know. I didn't know.

Forget about the letter.
It wasn't your last request after all.

Wasn't it?

Wasn't it?

My letter.
You got to get back my letter.
I want my letter back.

Kelly! Kelly!

Kelly, bring back my letter!

Kelly!

I've never been
so insulted in my life.

I've been dropped from the menu.

The chef claims
I'm not tender enough.

But of course that means
I should be back another time
with a new story.

Until then, good night and bon appétit.