08x05 - The Case of the Betrayed Bride

Episode transcripts for the TV show "Perry Mason". Aired: September 21, 1957, to May 22, 1966.*
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Defense attorney Perry Mason defends dozens of falsely accused people during courtroom drama, and he manages to clear all of them, usually by drawing out the real criminal on the witness stand.
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08x05 - The Case of the Betrayed Bride

Post by bunniefuu »

(theme song playing)

(jet engines whining)

(tires screeching)

WOMAN (over P.A.): Flight
now arriving at gate two.

(man sighs)

WOMAN (over P.A.):
Passengers for flight ,

please board
immediately at gate five.

Oh, well, this is it.

Long, long wait
is just about over.

But we haven't waited
that long, Todd.

Her plane's almost on time.

- Give or take six months.
- Hmm?

Six months.
It has been almost a year

I've been waiting for that silly
aunt of mine to return.

How anybody can be so vague,

so undecided,
so downright fly-brain...

Oh, cut it out.

She's our Aunt Nellie.

And it can't have been easy
on her,

losing Uncle Herbert, you know.

Well, she could have answered
my letters, couldn't she?

Just sat still in Paris or Rome,
or on the Riviera some place.

Just sat still long enough
to sign those papers.

Darling, I'm sure
that in her usual faithful way,

Nellie has been lingering
near Herbert's resting place

for devotional reasons, so...

And don't you be catty
about it, either!

WOMAN:
Me be catty?

Todd dear,
if you had your uncle's money,

and something happened
to you on a world cruise,

do you think that I would simply

rush straight back
to the old homestead? Oh!

For life, I wouldn't, darling.

All right, all right,
so I'm upset.

I don't like going broke.
I don't like the poorhouse!

Well, hello!

Well, well, well,
the whole Meacham tribe!

Mr. Brody.

Well, how's
the development game, Todd?

Well, you should know.

What are you doing here, Brody?

Same thing you are.
Came to meet Nellie.

Well, we rather planned
a family affair.

Oh, I've known Nellie
for years and years.

- She's probably still
in mourning, you know. -Hmm?

Well, uh... condolences.

But the Hacienda Grande
is not for sale!

I beg pardon your pardon?

TODD: It's true, Roger.
We're just waiting

for Nellie's return
to make the formal announcement.

We're going to subdivide
the old homestead ourselves.

Keeping it right in the family,
right where it belongs.

And we're a very close family,
Mr. Brody.

Oh, darling!

- Nellie, darling.
- Elaine.

So wonderful to have you home.

Honey, you look marvelous.

You look tres marveilleux!

That's my French.
Now, Todd, if I

-didn't write to you it was
because...-(clears throat)

Nellie...

Jimmy! Oh!

There's one to grow on.

Roger Brody.
What a pleasant surprise.

Nellie, you look
like a million dollars.

NELLIE:
Pierre...

you've heard me speak
about Elaine,

and Todd,

and Jimmy,
and this is an old friend,

Roger Brody.
I want you all to meet

Monsieur Pierre Dubois.

Isn't he handsome?

Pierre is my new husband.

It is a pleasure to meet you.

ROGER:
Your husband?

Now come on, let's all go home
to the Hacienda

and have a drink and I'll
tell you all about it.

Oh, Paris was marvelous.
Hurry up, honey.

Come on, boys!

Oh, Victor,
you're a mind reader.

Oh, yes, thank you, Victor.
I can use it.

Yeah, me, too.
A couple of 'em.

I'm sure we all need a smash.

It was a bit of a surprise,
if I may say so.

Hmm. Bit of a surprise?

He's very attractive, of course.

But he must be at least
years her junior.

...
I looked at his passport.

He's a fortune hunter.
That's what he is.

You want to bet? I don't
understand how Aunt Nellie

could get mixed up
with a guy like...

Now, now, now, NOW.
Be calm, be calm, everybody.

Just be calm.
This doesn't change anything.

Aunt Nellie will wrap this chap
around her little finger

just like she did Uncle Herbert.
Besides, a deal is a deal.

What Aunt Nellie chooses to do
with her private life

should have no affect
upon our plans.

Oh, Todd, how can
you be so stupid?

To stand around and just watch
your favorite aunt

being bilked by that gigolo?

But I'm not going to be bilked,
don't you understand?

No, sir, I'm not going to be
cheated out of my time

and my investment.
Yes, thank you, Victor.

I don't mind if I do.

And suppose
they decide to live here?

Just live...

in the Hacienda?

Yeah.

What'll happen
to the subdivision plans then?

Their present choice
of residence I believe

is Monte Carlo.

There. Nellie could never stand
living on a farm.

I heard it in the car.

What else, Victor?

Well, Monsieur Dubois
is an excellent skin diver.

There. You see?

You see,
they just want to have fun.

And I'm just the man
who can show them how to do it.

Oh, I tell you, once they
realize the full benefits

of our development...

NELLIE:
Darlings!

Here you all are, darlings.

Nellie, what a beautiful
necklace, darling!

Madame est servi?

Oh, thank you, Victor.

- Yes, isn't it lovely?
- Yeah.

That's my wedding present
from Pierre.

It's been in his family for
hundreds and hundreds of years.

Now, let's all go into dinner,
right away.

I have been looking for you,
Mrs. Meacham, to show me

-the swimming pool. - Todd,
I can't wait to sit you down,

and talk business.

Oh, Nellie, I knew it!
I knew it.

Right down to business.

Well, you see,
the basis of the plan is...

Because Pierre and I
want to buy a sailboat.

- What?
- With a red sails.

You have seen the sails
of a Greek fisherman, yes?

- No.
- Oh, it's a lovely color.

And, Todd, you're so smart
about buying things.

Unless, of course, we go skiing
in the winter, my sweet.

Oh, darling.
Well, you'll help us decide.

We'll all decide whether
it's a red sail

or white sail.

Now, come on.
We're gonna talk about it.

PIERRE:
Magnifique.

For miles and miles it goes on.

ELAINE:
Of course.

Hacienda Grande.

And it is all yours...

ours...
someone's...

Land poor, that's our trouble.

You see, it belonged
to all of the Meachams once,

but now it's Nellie
who technically

holds title to the land, so...

And your husband who holds
ambitions in his head, eh?

Oh, Todd's a wonderful
developer, he really is, Pierre.

I am happy for you, Madame.

What I mean is, if you
understood some of these things,

well, then you could
explain to Nellie...

You would ask a Frenchman

to explain bulldozers
to his bride?

Well, um...

perhaps if I explain...

No, no, no.
C'est impossible.

If this is all hers,

then it is hers to decide, eh?

Now how about a race?

Pierre...

don't Frenchmen
ever want to develop...

anything?

But like I say...

this is all hers, no?

Oh, smell the orange blossoms.

Yes, yes, they're all over.

Well, now, you see,
the point is,

this is plan that Uncle Herbert
really wanted. We spent...

Please, Todd.

Talk about Uncle Herbert.

Not with the orange blossoms.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Well, now, anyway,

uh, these acres, here,

they get cut up into lots.

Now that should gross
close to eight million dollars.

So...

What a lovely shade of blue.

And do you know something?

This is the same shade of
Pierre's little sports car.

Oh, we should have
brought it across.

Yes, you should have.

Well...

Todd, I'm sorry.

Did you say we're
gonna get eight million dollars?

Oh, that's just
the first two years.

Of course,
with the improvements,

gradings, commissions...

Never mind, never mind.

It's Pierre
you should be telling this to.

Aunt Nellie.

He's my husband, now.

He has to decide everything.

He decides.

Oh, but this is a wonderful map
you made.

This shade is the same shade

of his sports car.

Of course it will take
about five years

before the entire construction
program is completed

but in the meantime...

You should work
on that serve every day.

I like it.

I should be working
at my job every day.

Why?
To play is more fun,

and my Nellie,
she likes to pay the bills.

Now, come on,
let's go swimming.

Wait a minute, Pierre.
Look, If you think

that we're just trying
to sponge off Aunt Nellie,

you got it way wrong.

Todd's plan will just hand her,

and you too, I guess...

just hand her ten million
dollars over seven years.

Why won't you just listen to us?

Now, now, we are friends, Jimmy.

You know what Roger Brody says?

- Roger Brody?
-I have no head for business.

Have you been talking
to Roger Brody?

Marchons.
It is my house.

We swim.

DRAKE:
The point is, Perry,

if this guy Brody
were to buy their property now,

they'd only get about
two million dollars for it.

That's all it's worth now.

But if they develop it,

they can make at least
three times that much.

I see what you mean, Paul.

Sounds as if the cloud of battle
is looming over the estate.

The only trouble is,
the wacky widow

controls the property,
and her new French husband

controls her.

And if somebody can't make her
see the light,

my friend Jimmy Meacham
and the rest

of the family
may be left out in the cold.

I wonder why they'd even be
considering a sale right now?

Well, it's at least
worth doing some checking

on this Pierre Dubois.
Wouldn't you say?

Certainly.
But why ask me?

So you won't be upset if you
don't see me for a few days.

At great sacrifice
to my business,

I told Jimmy
that I wouldn't mind...

flying to Paris?

JIMMY:
Well, I hired a detective.

Detective?

Well, what good
is that gonna do?

I thought if he could find out
something about Pierre...

Of course, of course,
Nellie is the one

we have to reach.

Now if Pierre
could be exposed somehow

Nellie might listen to reason.

Oh, Todd, don't be so stupid.

Don't you think that Nellie
knows what she married?

- Huh?
-I said...

I may be permitted to agree
with your wife, Mr. Meacham.

To att*ck the bridegroom is
to make a tigress of the bride.

Of course. So he's younger,
than she is, so what?

So he's after her money,
so he's some kind of a crook?

VICTOR:
Precisely. I'm afraid

your approach can only make
matters worse.

Well, what else
are we going to do?

Now three weeks of doubletalk.
Victor, don't you understand?

Please, please,
it has already been done.

What's been done?

I am not one to sit idle
while Rome is burning,

Mr. Meacham.

The moment I saw that child
outside the gates,

so lonely, friendless, hungry...

What the devil
are you talking about?

VICTOR: The solution
to all of your problems.

The one thing
irresistible to all Frenchmen.

The trap which any man
might easily fall into...

(French accent): You rang for
me, Monsieur Billings?

Yes. I should
like to present you

to some members
of Madame's family.

Mr. And Mrs. Todd Meacham,
Mr. James Meacham...

this is Marie.

Madame, Messieurs,

it's a great pleasure.

Say, you're French.

Oui, monsieur.

And so lovely.

Please, Madame, no.

VICTOR:
A most excellent addition

to our menage,
wouldn't you say?

And I am so pleased
the uniform fits.

Oh, that is very kind of you,
Monsieur Billing.

But, uh,

this is my first
such employment.

I hope you be very
patient with me.

I think you may
count on that, Marie.

And now, if you'll take these
canapes out on the terrace?

And after that
you may go back to the kitchen.

Terrace?

Through that door.

Oh, thank you.

Excuse me.

Ooh, if Nellie
could have seen that.

In due time, sir, in due time.

Ah.

Victor, I could have told you,

Pierre was much too smart
to be lured into that...

How do you know?

Never mind.

♪♪

Oh, Victor, you're a genius.

Now, if it only doesn't take
too much time.

(Victor chuckles)

I believe this type of dynamite

has a very short fuse, sir.

NELLIE:
But I told the croupier

that I didn't put any money
on the black,

but, of course, you know,
you simply can't question

a croupier in Monte Carlo.

Todd knows that.

Thank you, dear.

And then this lovely English
gentleman-- older-- spoke up.

His wife was with him

and she was wearing, darling,
one of those green knit things.

It was Italian, of course,
but it was so out of place.

But let me tell you,
don't you love those knit suits?

Oh, there is a shop
in Juan-les-Pins

where I simply go wild.

Shh.

Look, please I-let me go.

Marie, I must talk to you.

But i-if anyone should see us...

To play this game,
one must live dangerously.

But they're so nice to me here.

There is no other way.

Meet me tonight.

- Tonight?
- In the summer house.

Summer house?

(vehicle approaching)

Brody.

- What is he doing here again?
- Shh.

But, Victor,
maybe there isn't time.

But didn't you hear them?

Mr. Meacham,
our moment has come.

Victor, what the devil
are you doing

with a tape recorder out here?

Tonight is the night, : .

Look, I think this is some kind
of a cheap trick you're pulling.

Please, Mr. Meacham, I do feel
sorry for your Aunt Nellie,

but isn't it better
that she be hurt a little now

rather than...?

Paul Drake will be calling
from Paris this evening.

He'll have some better way
of handling all this.

Sir, you're standing
on the microphone cord.

Oh.

Besides, I'm not just
thinking of Nellie.

- I'm also thinking of her.
- Hmm?

How a sweet, innocent kid
could get mixed up

with a professional heel
like that Frenchman, well...

Marie.

Oui, monsieur?

Uh... um...
(clears throat)

Look, I may just have to go

to, to town tonight and, uh...

you said that you hadn't
even been to Disneyland yet

and, and I thought, well,

I-I may just be going
that way, uh, tonight and...

Oh, oh, no, monsieur,
I'm busy right now.

Uh, uh, Madam said
sh-she wants this very quickly

and, and she said she's in a
hurry to go out and she said...

Oh, well, dear,
if Nellie is going out,

then, then there's no reason
that you can't go...

Oh, oh, no, no, monsieur,
no, I cannot.

I have other things to do--
letters and, well, th-things.

Uh, no, thank you
very much, monsieur, but no.

- Victor, I...
- I'm sorry, sir,

but I-I didn't invent
human nature.


Look at the bright side, sir.

Vive la France.

DRAKE: Well,
why can't you reach that number?

Look, operator, I've...

Wait a minute,
hold on, New York.

Try this number.

It's also in Los Angeles.

Yes, Paul, how's Paris?

What are you doing up?

Shank of the morning in your
part of the world, isn't it?

Well, if you're sure
Jimmy's at the hacienda,

I suppose I could stop by
on my way home, but...

Yes, I understand.

But what have you found, Paul?

What's the urgency?

I just dug up
a bombshell, Perry.

The Frenchman's a bigamist.

Sure, I'm sure.

I'm looking at a picture
of his other wife right now.

- Pierre, take your hands off me!
- But you will not listen to me.

Now, I put a note in your purse.

I have listened long enough.

You are nothing but promises and
lies, lies, lies, lies, lies.

I have asked you for time,
Marie, time.

Oh, yes, so that you can
run away again.

You're getting money
from that Mr. Brody.

- I heard you and Ma'am talking.
- Why, you lit...

But when you will get the money,
you will run away again,

-and still with another woman.
- No,

-cherie, No.
-I will tell Madam.

I should have told her
in the first place.

We are going to be rich, Marie,

-you and I.
- Monster, monster!

I should have...

(shushing)

(crashes)

♪♪

- Oh!
- I'm sorry, are you all right?

Oh, yes, excuse me, monsieur,
it was my fault.

- Is something wrong?
-O-Oh,

no, no, i-it's just my night off

and I-I'm too much
in a hurry, that's all.

Could you tell me where
I might find Mr. Jimmy Meacham?

Oh, oh, yes, yes, in the house.

If you go by the side...

Now, i-if you please,
monsieur...

♪♪

Just where do you really figure
in this, Perry?

Lieutenant,
I merely called the police.

I came here to deliver a message
to Mr. Meacham, and that's it.

You see, I've been expecting
an important long-distance call.

I was in bed reading,
waiting for it.

I guess something's wrong
with the phones.

Mr. Mason and I discovered
that the receiver

in Pierre's bedroom
was off the hook.

Uh-huh, but just what was

the message you came
to deliver, Perry?

Why, ask Jimmy.

It's his business, not mine.

ANDERSON:
Oh, aren't you his lawyer?

What do I need a lawyer for?

I didn't hit that guy over the
head and shove him in the pool.

And neither did I, Andy,

so, if you don't mind,
I'm going home to bed.

Oh, uh, Perry, you're, uh,

you're sure
you're not involved here?

Absolutely not.

Good night, Jimmy.

(garbled radio transmission)

Officer, where did
you move my car?

Which one's that, Mr. Mason?

The gray convertible.

I parked it over there.

I haven't seen
any gray convertible.

(siren wailing)

♪♪

Oh, it's definitely
the same girl.

That's how I described her
to the police.

Okay, but I ask you, Mr. Mason,

does Marie look like a thief?

Well, my car was stolen,
and Marie is still missing.

She's a sweet, innocent girl.

She's all alone
in a strange country.

She'd no more commit
a crime than I would.

All right, Jimmy, all right,
take it easy.

It's true, though, Perry.

Marie comes from a nice family
in Lyon.

Seems this guy Pierre
swept her off her feet,

married her then deserted her
the very next day

for greener pastures,
long green.

So the poor kid must have...

Excuse me, Perry,
but they found it

in an alley in Glendale.

His car?

What about Marie?

- Uh, no.
- She just dumped it there?

Smashed it
into a telephone pole.

Poor kid.

Now, Perry, don't jump
to any conclusions.

DELLA:
The sergeant also says

they found part of
a diamond necklace in the car.

It was one that was stolen

from your Aunt Nellie,
Mr. Meacham.

Oh, the poor, sweet,
innocent kid.

She-she needs help.

Don't you understand?

Glendale, sure, sure.

She's got a friend there,

a girl married a soldier.

Marie has a friend in town?

Why didn't you tell the police?

Well, I forgot, I guess.

And exactly how did you know
about it in the first place?

I followed her one night.

(doorbell buzzes)

I wonder why they don't come
to the door?

Maybe nobody's home.

Somebody's there, all right.

How do you know, son?

'Cause she just went
in the house.

She? You know the lady?

Heck no,
but she's making me a sandwich.

What's her name?

I don't know.

Ring some more, maybe she'll
make you a sandwich.

Good idea.

I guess she don't hear you.

Come on.

Hey, lady,
there's a man in here!

(crashing)

What was that?

It was a pow! Come on.

Something's leaking in there,
I bet you.

(gasps)
What what do you want?

I want to know what you know

about the m*rder
of Pierre Dubois.

About what?!

Oh, I apologize for
your beautiful car, Mr. Mason.

I-I'm so truly sorry.

But I didn't know
it was your car!

I thought it was only
a family car, one of Pierre's.

And it was permissible
to steal one of them, I suppose.

Oh, no, no, no,
I would not have kept it.

But-but when I was married,
Pierre ran away with my car.

Oh, it was just a little car,
but he didn't only smash it,

he also sold it- and
went away with the money, too.

- How do you know?
- From a private detective.

All right. But why were you
in such a hurry last night,

running away from the house?

Well, because there was such
shouting up there in that house.

I was afraid someone has
found out the necklace is gone.

And then they would come
chasing after me.

Oh, but I didn't know anything
about the m*rder, Mr. Mason.

Won't you please,
please believe me?

Well, I'm severely tempted.

But you do admit
you stole the necklace?

Oh, no, no,
the necklace is mine.

For my grandmother.

It's all I had in the world,
except for my little blue car.

And Pierre went away
with them both.

Then why didn't
you go to the police?

Because I was ashamed.

Because I didn't want
my mother and father to know

I was so foolish
to marry such a...

And then when I found Pierre,

he said he would give me
the necklace back, and...

Oh, Mr. Mason,

why do you have
to ask questions?

Can't you just help me?

Yeah, Mr. Mason, how about it?
Can't you just help?

Yeah, Perry.
How about it?

Please?

But I hadn't the remotest idea
who she was, Mr. Mason,

not when I hired her, never.

You just noticed Marie
outside the gates one day?

Yes. Yes, that
was the first day.

She was looking in
through the fence.

Oh, but that's
perfectly natural.

Hundreds of people stop by,

curious about such
a grand old estate as this.

And among those hundreds, you
just happened to notice Marie?

It seemed natural at the time.

You said first day.

Was there a second or third day?

Well, you might say
a day and a half.

I was in the village
that afternoon

-rather keeping my eyes open.
- For Marie, of course.

Uh, no, no, no, I was shopping,
looking for bargains. (chuckles)

Uh, well, I did happen
to notice her once more.

She was crossing a street.

There was the most hideous
screech of brakes.

Then she was also noticed
by other people?

It was Pierre.

He very nearly ran her down.

And then he jumped out and
tried to get her into his car.

Didn't you think that
rather unusual?

I only thought: how crude!

And then after a few words,
phht! he drove off.

The girl still stood there,
looking rather shaken,

so naturally,

-I went over to comfort her.
- Naturally.

It was then, sir,
not until then...

that my miserable,
scheming mind took over.

You see, I discovered
she was French.

Victor, didn't it occur to you

that she might have
known Pierre in the past?

That you might have witnessed

their first meeting
in this country?

It only occurred to me, sir,

that a thing of beauty
is a joy forever.

I could only think
what a lovely accident

his next sight of that girl
might cause. (chuckles)

In my vile imagination,
I could only think

-what Madame might say
when she... -(doorbell rings)

- Excuse me, sir.
- Uh, Victor,

your tape recorder, where is it?

Oh, but didn't you know, sir?

The police have it.

There's a good deal
of blood on it, I believe.

He was struck
over the head, you know.

-(doorbell rings)
- That's what k*lled him.

Mr. Brody, how thoughtful.

Hello, Victor.
Is Nellie in?

NELLIE:
Roger?!

(sobbing):
Oh, Roger, is that you?

Oh, Roger,
I've been such a fool!

And now poor, poor Pierre!

And now that poor little girl
they're looking for!

Well, now, what
actually happened?

I mean, what was it that...

He was drowned!

(sniffles)
He got drunk,

and he fell in the pool,

and that's what k*lled him!

(sobbing):
Oh, Roger...

(Nellie continues sobbing
in distance)

Either way, sir...

I am a beast.

MASON:
So they're both right.

MAN:
Yeah. First hit over the head.

Then conscious or unconscious,
he was rolled into the water

and held under
with one of these things.

How do you know that?

ANDERSON: Because that's
not the skimmer that did it.

The one we took down to the lab
had bits of his hair

and jacket
tangled up in the webbing.

But first he was hit
with a flower pot.

Flower pot?

Metal holder on it
had fingerprints.

Same fingerprints we found on
the handle of the skimmer pole.

And you found
the prints elsewhere?

In your car.

Oh, but, uh, don't worry,

I've already talked
to Paul Drake

about bringing Marie in.

Uh, since you're
not involved, of course.

♪♪

DRAKE:
Look, I'm in a hurry.

The girl's going
straight to trial.

Les Americains!

Barbarous.

You are the private detective
Marie hired once, aren't you?

I concede to that distinction.

You tried to find
her husband for her, Pierre,

but you failed, didn't you?

Monsieur, how do you think
she was finally able

to locate that man
in the United States?

She saw his picture
in the society section.

(groans)
Then I concede to that, too.

I failed.

Why? Didn't Marie pay you enough
to keep after him?

Well, monsieur, a--

oh, a Frenchman thinks
of other things besides money.

Or did
someone else pay you more?

- Huh?
- To not find Pierre.

(sighs) Monsieur Drake, if you
were not a fellow professional,

a-a member,

a member of the same union,
so to speak...

Look, just let me in;
that's all I ask.

Now, you reported to Marie that
Pierre had sold the blue car.

That was my last report.

After that I lost
complete track of him.

Pierre's other wife Nellie says
he didn't sell the blue car.

Eh, bien, women and cars.

Perhaps this Nellie was lying.

I have just seen the blue car
in a storage garage in Nice,

so you're the liar, not Nellie.

Now, before we discuss
your honor and reputation

with another old union member--
the prefect of police--

can't we just start over?

You, uh, you are
in a hurry, monsieur?

Yeah, but, uh...
don't leave anything out.

I want to hear it all.

All about Pierre Dubois.

Let me see.

Well, I tried and I tried
and I tried to tell Nellie

what Pierre was like,
but she wouldn't listen.

She would never listen.

Mrs. Meacham,
please could we get back

to the night of the m*rder?

Oh, but that was
the night of the m*rder.

I'd been begging Nellie
to listen to Todd

instead of Pierre...

for her own good, of course.

BURGER:
Of course.

Now, exactly where
and at what time

on that evening
did your conversation

with her take place?

ELAINE: Well, it was
in her dressing room,

about : , I guess.

Nellie was changing.

She had to go into town
that evening, she said,

to visit with some friends.

Mrs. Meacham, I show you now
this necklace--

People's exhibit .

Did you see this necklace
that night?

Oh, I certainly did.

It was lying there
on Nellie's dressing table.

(sighs) See, she's always
been like that--

doors open and jewelry
just left anywhere.

Did anybody else come in
at that time?

Yes, for a moment she--
the defendant Marie was.

She brought Nellie
a glass of milk and a sandwich.

And did the defendant
see this necklace?

But of course she did.

She ran out afterwards like...

Mrs. Meacham, please,

we can't deal here
in conclusions or opinions.

Can you tell us
anything positive to indicate

that the defendant
actually saw this necklace?

Well, I, uh,

I saw Marie look in
the direction of the necklace.

I, uh, I heard her gasp

and I, uh, saw her drop

the glass of milk.

No, Marie wasn't upset
or nervous.

She just said she didn't want
to go out with me, that's all,

so I talked to Victor
in the garden

for ten or minutes
and then I went to my room.

But didn't you see
anyone else after that?

Oh, I passed Aunt Nellie
as she was leaving the house,

but that's all.

I didn't see anyone else,
I didn't hear anyone else

u-until Mr. Mason got there.

Very well, sir, that'll be all.

Cross-examine.

Mr. Meacham,
your sister-in-law testified

that she left the house

immediately
after your Aunt Nellie.

Now, didn't you hear her
when she left?

I had the television on.

There was a hockey game.

Therefore you wouldn't have
heard a number of people come in

or out of the house, the garden,
or the swimming pool.

No, no, I didn't hear anything.

MASON:
But you said you were waiting

for the telephone to ring.

Oh, well,
there's a bell in my room.

I would have heard that.

But it didn't ring, of course,
because the phones

are inoperable
if the extension is left open,

and you stated that the receiver
in Pierre's bedroom

was off the hook.

You saw that yourself.

Pierre must have heard me
talking to Paul Drake earlier

and been afraid...

Mr. Meacham,

if you couldn't hear
a splash in the swimming pool,

you could hardly know
who removed that receiver,

now, could you?

No, I guess I couldn't.

For five years I worked
with Uncle Herbert,

planning the development
of Hacienda Grande.

Well, if he hadn't developed
Parkinson's disease

and a bad heart
and a worse memory,

it would have gone through.

You mean he forgot
about it, Mr. Meacham?

Well, he didn't put his part
down in writing anyway,

didn't put it in his will.

He didn't do anything.

Just left poor Aunt Nellie there

to make all the decisions--
oh, not that I blame her.

She had troubles enough
over there when he got sick,

and it's
a very complicated deal.

I explained all that to Pierre.

You mean you explained
this whole matter

to Pierre Dubois
the night of his death?

Yes, yes, I went there late that
afternoon-- oh, around : --

and I laid out
the entire project

dollar by dollar.

I explained
about my own investment,

I explained about how much money
they would make--

$ million
without any gambling--

but Pierre, of course,
he just stalled again,

said, well,
he'd talk it over with Nellie

and maybe he'd let me know
the next day.

And what time did you leave
the decedent that evening?

Oh, well, it was still early.

: ?

BURGER: Thank you, that'll be
all. At this time I'd like

-to call Mrs. Nellie Dubois.
- Uh, Mr. Burger,

I have a few questions
if you don't mind.

Excuse me, Counselor.

Mr. Meacham, would this scheme
of yours have required

that Mr. and Mrs. Dubois
tie up all their money

for a long period of time?

No, no, it wouldn't.

Why, they would have realized
$ , the first year,

four or five the second,

and after that, well,
it was just clover and daisies.

You see, in amortizing the...

The autopsy report mentioned
alcohol in the bloodstream.

Did you get Pierre
drunk that night?

TODD:
No, I just...

Well, I spiked
his aperitif a little,

but, you see,
I was getting desperate.

Now, I would have done

anything to get that guy
to sit down, relax, and listen.

I only wondered
how you had time for everything

and still managed
to leave the house at : .

Oh, well, I-l wasn't
too sure about the time.

It might have been later.

MASON:
Was it dark when you left?

May have been, yes.

The sun set at a quarter to :
that evening, Mr. Meacham.

That's all, thank you.

Well, I, I didn't know
whom to believe.

If only Herbert had explained
things, but he didn't.

I remember once
in Juan-les-Pins...

I only asked you what happened
that night, Mrs. Dubois.

Well, I'm telling you.

Can't you listen?

Pierre was so sweet

and he did understand business,

and when he said that Todd

and the others in the family
were just trying

to feather their own nests...

Oh, Elaine, darling,

was I wrong?
Was it horrible of me?

Mrs. Dubois, you were asked

to explain the events
of that evening.

I'm coming to that,
Your Honor, sir.

Because I told Elaine
that night in my dressing room,

that I was going to see friends,

but I really went
to see Roger Brody.

Yes, I went to his house.

Because Pierre asked me to.

Pierre asked me
to tell Mr. Brody

that the deal had to
go through that night.

I didn't know
what "the deal” was...

I didn't, I didn't know.

But, but Roger was so sweet

and, and reassuring,
and he told me

I was doing the right thing.

So I, I waited there while
he went out

to get some things, uh,
some papers, and...

and when he came back...

he drove me home,

and the police were there...

Just a minute, Mrs. Dubois,
please.

Did you just say
you had no idea

what the deal was between
your husband and Mr. Brody?

Well, I knew...

he was going to sell him land.

I had to know that because
I had to sigh some things.

And Pierre said it was
a marvelous offer,

and he said the deal couldn't
wait another single day.

Yes, I understand your husband

wanted a deal completed
right away.

But do you know how
much Mr. Brody was going to

pay you and your husband
for the Hacienda Grande?

Well, I know...

there was going to be
more than enough for a yacht,

and to live on forever,

and a house on the Riviera.

Todd, I...

I thought I was doing
the right thing.

You know how Pierre

had his heart set
on those red sails.

VICTOR:
Two million dollars, exactly.

That was the price,
and mostly in cash, I gathered.

Just tell us the rest
of the words

you heard, if you please.

But naturally, sir.

I heard decedent, Pierre Dubois,

whisper into the telephone
out in the garage--

that is a separate number
out there, of course--

he said,
"Yes, two million dollars,

and again, yes,
you are an honest man, Roger."”

And then he hung up.

Best evidence of this,
of course,

must come
from Mr. Brody himself.

But you can tell us,
if you would,

at what time you did
this particular piece

of eavesdropping?

I had planted
my ill-fated tape-recorder

in the summer house, as I
remarked earlier, Your Honor.

About : ,

I went out to check it,
to start the motor running

when I saw someone moving
toward the garages.

I decided to investigate,
quietly, of course,

and when I got there,
I found the decedent,

-talking on the telephone.
- And what did you do then?

Well, I placed my faith
in science.

I had no idea someone would find
my little recorder

and smash it and spoil the tape.

So a moment or so later,
when I saw Marie

slipping out of the house,
moving toward the summer house,

I went up to my room.

I saw nothing else.

I went straight to bed.

The broken piece,

the single pendant
which matches the necklace,

we found on the floor
of Mr. Mason's car

the next morning.

There was also an envelope
which we found under the seat.

An envelope?

Was it, by any chance,
this envelope, Lieutenant?

Yes, it was addressed
with only the one word, "Marie."

Your Honor, the state intends
to call experts shortly

to prove that the writing here

is that of the decedent,
Pierre Dubois.

At the moment, however,
I should like this witness

to describe the contents
of this envelope for us.

Well, inside, I found a note
in the same handwriting.

Would you read it please,
Lieutenant?

"Marie, my love,

"please take this little gift.

"It's all I can pay you.

Take it and go quietly,
as you said you would."”

The note is signed, "Pierre”.

And what else was does the
envelope contain, Lieutenant?

This.

$ , in cash.

But it wasn't blackmail.

I hadn't asked Pierre
for anything


but my grandmother's necklace,

and it was worth much,
much more.

So, you took the $ ,
and also stole the necklace.

Yes. N-n...

I mean, no!

Well, yes, I took the necklace,

but that money,
I didn't even know about that.

I mean, Pierre said something

about putting a note in my purse

but-but I didn't even look.

I ran went of that house
so fast.

Oh, Mr. Mason, please,
please, please.

Perry, if you put on a defense,

if you prove that the necklace
really belonged to Marie...

And help Burger prove that Marie
was holding out for a price?

That for $ , ,
she'd kept quiet

and then k*lled her husband
in a rage when she discovered

how much more
she could have been paid?

No, it is not true!

I mean, how could anybody
say anything

so-so horrible, awful...

Oh, Mr. Drake, you will save me.

Well, wait till I unfasten
my seat belt.

My mother and father,
did you talk to them?

Oh, please maybe
they didn't hear about me yet.

I received the message
from your office, Paul,

and the items from the bank.

But it was Pierre himself

who paid that French detective,
wasn't it?

Yup.
That was a year ago.

Pierre didn't want to be found.

He'd already met
a rich American lady, Nellie.

But it seems the French like
to hedge their bets.

You mean Pierre was mixed up
with someone else, then?

No, I mean the detective was!

$So, this is the other one
who paid him.

And really paid.

Who?

What are you talking about?

I only ask...

Marie,

why do you have
to ask questions?

Can't we just save you?

Me pay who?

Arnaux? Monsieur Arnaux?

Now look, I may have heard
the name somewhere but...

We'll save time and money

if you don't necessitate
my asking for a recess

to fly the man from Paris.

But I didn't do anything wrong.

But you did hire that detective,
didn't you?

Well, I-I paid him, that's all,

for, uh, certain information.

Roger!

I was concerned for Nellie.

Widow, all alone over there.

I mean, what happened was
I had this friend in Paris,

and I asked him
to look out for her.

Only then he bumped into this
detective who was also watching.

Watching Pierre, that is.

I think we understand.

Your friend put you in touch
with the detective.

Now, let's proceed from there,
shall we?

Well, then I learned
from this detective,

Arnaux, what Pierre was.

No background,
working as a chauffeur

in the next villa
to Nellie and Herbert's.

And then suddenly
introducing himself

to her as a sportsman
later on.

MASON: Did you relay
this information

to the family here
in Los Angeles?

Well, no, no.

What Nellie did
was her business.

And you obviously must have
known

when Nellie and Pierre
were married.

Well, uh, yes,

yes, I knew about that.

Roger, and you brought me roses.

Please go on, Mr. Brody.

I wanted that property.

I knew I couldn't match what
Todd could do for the estate,

but I could scrape up
a fair price at today's market.

So the minute they got
to Los Angeles,

I approached them both
and made them my offer,

two million dollars.

Approached them both?

Well, Pierre was the one

who understood business,
of course.

You mean the business
about the other wife?

The French detective
also told you that, didn't he?

I didn't thr*aten Pierre;
I didn't coerce him.

I mean, after all,

I couldn't tell the family
about the other wife,

or Nellie would have flown
right into their arms.

But then, of course,
the girl herself showed up.

And it, uh,
became easier for me.

I can imagine.

Pierre grew panicky.

He wanted
as much cash as possible.

So when Nellie came
to me that night,

I flew to my banker's house,
where I'd already

made arrangements
for a cashier's check,

the first $ , ,

and then I tore
to my lawyer's house

for the escrow papers.

And then I came back
to pick Nellie up.

Just a moment, Mr. Brody.

You omitted your telephone call
to Pierre at the garage.

I've already testified
in direct examination

that he called me
at my banker's home.

And pretty late it was, too.

Something about the other phones
not working.

You can verify that.

You testified to everything
but $ , .

BRODY: I don't know anything
about that.

I didn't gave Pierre one penny

before he d*ed,
and I didn't k*ll him!

You can ask Nellie if...

Never mind.

I know you didn't.

Your Honor, I would like
to recall Mr. Todd Meacham.

All right, yes.

I gave Pierre $ , .
What of it?

And where did you obtain
the money, Mr. Meacham?

Well, from...

from Victor;
I was a little short of cash.

Victor has previously loaned
you money, hasn't he?

Yes, he owns a part
of my company.

That's why he was
so concerned, too.

Would you tell us
why you gave Pierre the money?

Because he asked for it.

He was afraid that
if he wrote a check,

Nellie would spot it
in the bank balance,

but what of it?

He needed the cash
to pay the girl, that's all.

And I told you before,
I was desperate.

I would have done anything
to stall him

from making a deal with Brody.

MASON: And you never
once questioned it?

Questioned what, Mr. Mason?

My investment plans
were as sound...

Questioned the fact
that your Aunt Nellie

could balance a bank book,

or the fact that she keeps
the accounts in the first place.

Yet my investigator reports
that her balance

is always in order,
books properly kept.

Well, Uncle Herbert was
a stickler for his books, too.

That doesn't mean anything;
it's a matter of habit.

But your Uncle Herbert developed
Parkinson's disease,

with tremors in his hands.

Now, did he keep
his own records,

or was she forced to do it
for him?

Mr. Meacham,
isn't it obvious to you

that your aunt must have
well understood the difference

between two
and ten million dollars?

Well, but she was always
so flighty, so vague.

Did it ever occur to you

that she had no choice
but to do as Pierre told her?

That she might have pretended
to be flighty,

vague.

But why? Why?

Isn't it possible that Pierre
knew something about her

that she wanted kept secret?

What?

Mrs. Dubois,

how did Herbert Meacham die?

Did you help him?

Did you k*ll him?

(screaming):
No! -

Mrs. Dubois,

would you really have cared
if Pierre had had another wife?

Would it have made
any difference?

Or was it that the truth had
to be kept from the family?

That they must not discover

your foolishness was really
a hideous necessity?

You were the one who took
the phone from the hook

in the master bedroom,
aren't you?

And it was you who gave yourself
the careful alibi,

but you could have easily
left Roger Brody's house,

-returned home...
- Stop it! Stop it!

Stop it!

(chuckles)

Yes, I k*lled him.

I had to...

because he saw me k*ll Herbert,

and now I've k*lled him.

(sobs)

Him and his red sailboat.

Jimmy.

Jimmy, what are you doing here?

Oh, uh... Oh, well, well...

You left that hearing
in such a hurry.

Here, sit down.

Of course.

Uh...

I-I mean...

You never did tell me
how your fingerprints

got on that, uh, uh,
that pool thing.

Oh, well, I dropped a tray
with sandwiches

and you see,
the napkins went into the pool,

so I had to fish it out.

But they were ham sandwiches,

and I didn't want Victor
to find out.

So, there is grease
on my fingers and so...

Yes.

Who cares?

I mean, you know,
it's all over now.

And your poor aunt Nellie
did everything bad.

Oh, bonjour, Jimmy.

Mr. Mason.

I had no idea you that were
in-in Paris.

Oh, Marie needed help explaining
things to her family.

Which I think
we accomplished very nicely.

Now everyone's happy.

Yeah.

Where's Paul Drake?

Back in the smog
and away from temptation.

Why?

Oh, well, uh...

I-I came here because, uh...

Marie hasn't even seen
Disneyland yet.

(theme song playing)
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