["Alfred Hitchcock" theme music]
- Good evening.
[grapes squishing]
How do you do?
I find myself here as the
result of a misunderstanding.
I thought I was going
to bathe in champagne,
but find myself stomping grapes
instead.
I did have a partner working
with me,
but a short time ago,
he sank without trace.
There is one consolation
to drowning in wine:
he had a smile on his
face as he went under.
However, I'm not complaining,
I always wanted to have
my tennis shoes dyed,
though I didn't plan on having
burgundy-colored feet as well.
But life must go on.
Tonight's story is about
a man called Perry,
and begins after a minute called
tedious.
[dramatic music]
[suspenseful music]
[water splashing]
[whistle blows]
[dramatic music]
- All right, boy.
Let's go.
Unless you'd rather stay here.
[soft dramatic music]
[chains rattling]
- He don't look so dangerous to
me, Cap.
Where'd you find him?
- Oh, taking a dip in the lake.
Can't blame ya, boy.
Sure is a pretty day for it.
You shoulda found out
about our hospitality
before you came here
robbing our banks, boy.
It'll be a long time waiting
to spend all that money.
Is it true what the papers say,
nine banks between here and
Boston?
Close to half a million
cool, crinkly dollars?
Your partner must be having one
sweet time
spending his share.
Now, there's a way outta
here for ya, a smart way,
tell me who your partner is.
Tell me who he is and where
he is, and return the money.
Think about it.
- I'd never want that kinda
money.
- Just the way I feel.
All any man needs is a
decent home and a steady job,
things our boy here couldn't
appreciate.
- Appreciate, appreciate what?
The next 10 years of
mush, beans and sow belly?
- Get in the truck.
[dramatic music]
[truck engine roaring]
- You trustees sure live easy
as a hound dog on a porch.
[Doc laughs]
What are ya doin', Doc?
Planting some fresh stuff in
your garden?
- Well, I find myself in
difficulties here, Captain.
I turned my back and the
deceased or the grave
or both of 'em started
spinning around and around
and around, now I can't
tell a head from a foot.
- Well, either way, he
isn't gonna complain.
Tell you what I'll do for you,
Doc,
I'll give ya hand at
setting that marker if, uh,
if you give me a shot of
that clinic juice of yours.
[board clatters]
- Something, that Doc, isn't he?
Never saw a man hate to
bury people much as he.
Just can't keep away from
that bottle on burial day.
- Ah, I guess that puny
heart of his needs it.
Good thing for him that he and
the Captain
are such close friends.
- Here.
That is a prodigious shot, my
friend.
Having you around's like dying
of thirst.
- That stuff hits like
four sticks of dynamite.
Why don't you try easing that
pure grain
with a little water, Doc?
[Doc laughs]
[Doc groans]
- Now, how are you gonna
tell a head from the foot?
You tell me that, huh?
- That's north, all heads point
north.
- You, you have the wisdom
of Solomon, my friend,
I bow to you.
This place is full of holes,
it's perilous to life and limb.
- [Captain] You all right, Doc?
- Of course I'm all right.
- [Captain] You're sure?
- Sure, I'm all right.
- I stopped by,
I'd tell you about your
granddaughter,
but maybe I'd better wait till
tomorrow.
- Elissa, what, you tell me--
- Nothing--
- Cap, what happened?
- Nothing happened, Doc.
Nothing but good.
Judge Benson was over
for dinner last night.
Said it looked like maybe Elissa
might be taken into the county
hospital.
She'll be a fortunate girl, if
she is.
- You think so, Captain?
Now, you really think so?
- What are saying, Doc?
This is just what you've
been wanting yourself,
for years, you know that.
Of course I think so.
It'll be the best thing all
around, for you, for Bart,
especially for Elissa, you know
that.
- I guess you're right, Captain.
Yeah, I guess you're right.
- Sure I am.
She'll be looked after,
she'll be well taken care of.
Now, let's get this marker in
place.
- All right.
[metal clanging]
[shovel thuds]
- You better start back for
camp, Doc,
and keep your nose outta that
jar.
Alcohol and a weak heart don't
mix.
I don't wanna spend the rest of
my night
looking around for a
place for you in there
with the rest of your friends.
- Now don't you worry about my
heart.
It's hitting on all cylinders,
and if it does stop,
I've got my own place picked
out,
in that corner right over there.
- Well, let's not rush it, huh?
I did enough running around for
one day
looking for this boy.
- [Doc] Why, did he do
something?
- Tried.
He's got to break out of every
prison they put him into,
a matter of reputation.
But he's learning fast.
Only reputation means
anything around here is mine.
You try beating it outta
here just one more time
and you'll finish your
sentence right in there.
[soft dramatic music]
[truck engine roaring]
[truck brakes squeak]
- No supper for him, no smokes,
nothing.
[truck engine roaring]
- You know, you're real simple.
No one ever got away from
Tolman, ever.
[soft dramatic music]
[chains rattling]
[metal clanging]
- Step up here.
Get him shackled, and make sure
it's a good job, permanent.
Get two hours of work
out of him, every hour.
Take some of that steam out of
him.
He's got a dozen warrants
waiting for him
and think he's a pretty sharp
boy,
thinks he can outsmart us
and beat it outta here.
Keep an eye on him, and don't
lose him.
- All right.
That'll hold him.
[guard knocking]
- [Captain] Come in.
- Step right up there.
Fold your arms.
- Perhaps if I refresh your
memory,
you'll have a better
understanding
of the purpose of this meeting.
You've had experience enough to
know
that attempting to break
out of prison is a felony.
Last night, I made out
a compliant charging you
with just such a felony.
My duty, of course, is de
facto a warden of this camp.
Now, perhaps you recognize
the existence of law,
perhaps you even further
recognize
that the law extends it's
protection
to your kind as well as to
honest, respectable men.
- What do you want from me,
Captain?
- Patience, patience,
Mr. Perry, we have time.
As I was saying, you're entitled
to a fair trial, impartial.
You can avail yourself
of this legal right.
As a matter of fact, under
ordinary circumstances,
I'd urge you to do just that.
But, your luck holds
strong, Mr. Paul Perry.
From the district attorney's
office,
let's see, here we are,
"Should the defendant agree
to waive trial by
entering a plea of guilty,
the county will be saved
considerable court expenses
and the defendant will profit
in terms of a greatly reduced
sentence."
[Paul laughs]
Now, suppose you insist on going
to trial.
You'll be found guilty of
attempted escape, of course.
That means five years
on top of the 10 years
you're already serving.
Do you understand?
However,
"If the defendant pleads
guilty to the charges,
"the district attorney's office
guarantees a sentence of one
year."
- [laughs] It's nice
to have a free choice.
Well, as your legal guardian and
friend,
I hope your choice is
the one I'd make for you.
- One year, huh?
That makes 11 all total.
A man can serve 11 years quicker
than he can 15, can't he?
- Aw, just sign the papers.
You can read them if you want.
Here's my pen.
Wherever you see the X mark.
- Here you are, sir.
May I go now?
- Just one moment, Mr. Perry.
You're now serving 11 years.
With time off for good
behavior, you'll be outta here
in seven years and four months,
won't you?
Well, there's not too bad.
Now, as a man who's been
arrested a number of times
and has been in and out
of a number of prisons,
I'm sure you realize the fact
that I'm the one empowered
to dispose of your good
time off as I see fit.
Well, I see fit to take
away all your good time off.
I want you here for at
least 11 solid years.
[dramatic music]
Get him outta here.
[dramatic music]
[saws whirring]
- All right, take a break.
- Hey, I need somebody to
give me a hand down here.
- All right, Doc, here, right
this way.
Well, fresh as new paint
and full of turpentine, too
[laughs].
Just what we need, huh?
Go along with Doc, you,
he's got some chores for ya.
Hey Doc, if he slacks off, give
a yell.
I'll be around.
Now, I'm gonna need six of
these.
We make 'em kinda generous,
don't we?
Room for two of me in there.
Well, that comes of having
an abundance of cheap lumber
and cheap labor and cheap life.
Well, come on, let's get going.
Now, drag it into the morgue
right,
that door, right straight
through there.
I'll bring the cover.
[soft dramatic music]
[dramatic music]
Doc!
- Sit down,
take it easy, take it easy.
You all right?
- Yeah.
- Can you hear me?
- Yeah, I'm all right, I'm all
right.
- Take it easy.
- Ah, yeah, that's, that's
better.
Can, can you give me a
cigarette?
- Yeah.
- Please.
I'm getting too old for even
light work.
Ah, these palpitations got me
down.
- Better?
- Ah, ah, that's, that's good.
Say, you're that young fella
that
tried to escape from here
yesterday, aren't ya?
You don't look like a
desperate criminal to me.
Well, that's what the
newspapers called ya.
- You know what the newspapers
are like.
- What's your hurry about
getting out?
You hardly been here a week.
- Yeah, but that world out
there, Doc,
it's got a little more to offer
than what I can find in here.
- I suppose it has.
I used to feel that way, 29
years ago.
- 29 years?
What are you waiting for?
- Well, now there's a chance.
Now, I might get let outta here
legitimately next year, and,
uh, that, that, that thing.
- Sit down, take it easy, I'll
get it.
- Ah, you'll bring the rest
of those coffins in tomorrow.
Thanks for your help.
- Maybe someday you'll be able
to help me.
- Sure, yeah.
[group chattering]
- Hello, Paul.
You're not allowed to have
any watch worth more than $10.
Now, that's a copy of
my offer of restitution.
Won't do you any good though,
Paul.
They've already turned us down.
This place is horrible.
Is the rest of it like this?
Oughta be some way of getting
you transferred outta here.
- Look, I want out.
- All right, just calm down,
Paul.
- Now, you get me outta here.
- Calm down, Paul, and listen to
me.
I can't help you, Paul, if
you keep getting into trouble.
Well, the papers are still full
of the escape that you tried
outta here.
Paul, listen to me, I've done
everything
that can be done, you know that.
I've used every known device.
[Elissa crying]
Every argument, every
offer has been turned down.
Look, we're not quitting, Paul.
You're still a young man.
[Elissa crying]
Things will change.
And in the meantime, you just do
your work
and keep your nose clean
and, above all, let's keep
outta trouble, will ya?
[Elissa sobbing]
Paul, Paul, listen to me.
I'll even make an appeal to the
governor.
Maybe we'll get
some kind of break.
[Elissa sobbing]
- They had enough time.
- All right, visiting hours are
over.
- [Lawyer] Good-bye, Paul.
[Elissa sobbing]
- [Guard] Come on, come on.
[soft dramatic music]
[Elissa sobbing]
- Thank you!
- Oh, Doc?
Come over to my office, I
wanna see you for a minute.
[Doc knocking]
- Captain?
Ah!
- Come in, Doc.
Not clinical like your
juice, but just as mellowing.
Your getting pretty friendly
with that Paul Perry fella, huh?
- He ain't no friend of mine,
I mind my own affairs.
- Now, don't get worried, Doc.
I want you to do me a special
favor.
I want you to get friendly with
him.
He's looking to use you.
That was the idea behind that
paper toy,
he's going to plan another
escape.
Encourage him, Doc, and keep me
posted.
- I ain't never ratted!
- Ah, you don't have to tell me
that.
I'm asking ya to do this as a
friend
who wants to see you free
and that wants to help your
family.
- Ah, if that's the way you want
it, Cap.
- That's the way I want it.
- I need another shot.
- Sure, Doc, I was just
about to suggest it myself.
I, uh, I saw Judge Benson
at church this morning.
He showed me a letter from the
county hospital commissioner.
I'm afraid, Doc, it's gonna be a
long time
before they have room for
Elissa at the hospital.
There's a waiting list
from here to city hall,
even with pressure.
Everybody's using pressure.
[soft somber music]
- You know, it's a funny thing,
Cap,
Elissa's entitled to
more than just charity
from a county hospital.
Now, even that little bit's
denied, too.
You see what I mean?
- Just don't give up, Doc.
We'll keep on trying.
- Money is all Elissa needs,
money for a specialist
and money to give her a chance
at a healthy, normal life.
You see what I mean, Cap?
[Doc sighs]
It's just as well this
thing didn't work out.
Elissa's entitled to more than
charity
from a county hospital.
- You'll get over it.
And we're not giving up.
Doc, in the meantime,
don't forget Paul Perry.
[hammers banging]
- [Paul] Got it pretty much
made in here, haven't you, Doc?
- Ooh, yeah, I guess you could
say that.
That's my reward for 29 years
of faithful servitude.
You know, that was a
pretty nice thing you did
for Elissa today, giving
her that little toy.
You see, my son does odd jobs
around town,
and he hardly gets along.
I earn 12 cents a day in here.
And I need $5,000.
- Everybody needs $5,000, Doc.
- Yeah, but.
I can earn $5,000 from you.
I can get you outta here.
You write a letter to
your pal or your lawyer,
and you tell him to send
$5,000 cash to my son,
and I'll mail a letter myself.
- What are you getting at, Doc?
How do I know you can get me out
of here?
Are you trying to set me up,
you and your friend Tolman?
- I don't have to trust you
Paul,
but you've got to trust me.
Because, I tell ya, I can get
you out.
- How, a magic wand,
detachment of Marines?
Look, Doc, with Tolman on my
back, how could you get me out?
- Now, just suppose,
just suppose something
like this happens, a con in here
dies,
and before the funeral detail
arrives,
you get right in the coffin with
him.
We put the coffin on my truck,
we take it out to the
cemetery and we bury it.
Then, the funeral detail
comes back to the prison here,
but I stick around until
the grave mark is in place,
do you see, Paul?
- [sighs] You wanna bury me.
Are you outta your head, Doc?
I want out alive.
- Sure, I'm gonna bury you.
But as soon as that funeral
detail's outta sight,
I dig the coffin up, I pry open
the lid.
You pop out, and then we refill
the grave.
You're on your way.
I can even hide ya out
until the heat's off, sure,
a place in the hills.
- Ah, you're way ahead of me,
Doc.
What am I supposed to do
while I'm in the coffin,
hold my breath?
- Oh, there's plenty of
air till I get you, Paul.
You gotta take my word
as a doctor for that.
- It doesn't sound right to me,
Doc.
Too many problems.
How do I get into a coffin with
a corpse?
How do we get a corpse?
How 'bout frisks?
Too many chances to take
before I even get started.
You think of something simple
and you got yourself $5,000.
- Simple, of course, it is
simple, Paul,
if you'll only think about it.
Now, the only problem I see
is how you're gonna get in
the coffin with the corpse
from wherever you are.
The coffin will be right there
by the door
waiting to be taken out to the
cemetery.
- That's a big gamble.
It means escaping inside of a
prison
in order to escape outside of a
prison.
But I could do it.
- Sure you could.
And don't worry about the
frisks.
There'll be no frisks, Paul.
I get complete charge of
everything
from the time a con dies until
a grave marker's in place.
Tolman just signs the death
certificate, right on my say so.
I'm the only person who's sure
that the right man's being
buried.
- Does Tolman or one of the
other guards
check the coffin, check the
body?
- Of course I told ya not.
Everything's all right.
[dramatic music]
- Give me your son's address.
- Our story will continue
after this friendly interruption
from your local station.
[soft dramatic music]
[truck creaking]
[truck engine rumbling]
- Be careful about mistaking
the iodine with the castor oil,
be disastrous to treat cuts
and bruises with castor oil.
- Ah, it'd be a worse disaster
to treat indigestion with
iodine.
- [laughs] Just visiting
around, how about a sip?
- Well, I couldn't turn down
a fine offer like that, now
could I?
- Um, one of the guards tells me
that Elissa and Bart left town,
went back east to some fancy
hospital.
- That's right, I didn't get a
chance
to talk to you about it.
She's gonna have an operation.
- Oh, suddenly?
Bart hit it lucky in the stock
market?
Why didn't you tell me, Doc?
- Well--
- You trying to hide
something from me?
- Course not, I borrowed the
money
from an old school buddy of mine
and now she can afford the
operation.
- Old school buddy wouldn't
happen to be
old jailbird Paul Perry, now
would it?
- Of course not.
He's been avoiding me, I told
you that.
- Yeah.
The truth is, I suspect your
lying.
When you lie to me, Doc,
you're just another con,
remember that.
And remember I gotta ton of
shackles,
every one 'em your size.
[soft dramatic music]
[ropes creaking]
[wheel squeaks]
- All right, let's go
let down those hooks.
- That's it.
- Hey, look out!
- Hey, Paul!
[man screams]
[log thuds]
- Aah!
- Gimme your hand!
[dramatic music]
- Is he bad?
- His arm's fractured,
rib cage is all smashed.
[man breathes heavily]
Of course, without x-rays,
it's hard to tell just how
much damage has been done.
- Well, do you wanna send him
back
to the main prison hospital?
- No, you move him, you'll k*ll
him.
No, everything's being done
for him that can be done.
- [Captain] You make it sound
like
his clock's about to stop.
Get back to work, you two.
- Take it easy, friend.
[soft music]
All right, hold it right there,
fellas.
Okay, come on, now let it down.
[ropes creak]
Come on!
Oh, aah!
- You men there, give us a hand!
[Paul grunting]
[Paul grunting]
- Rather knock it off
with a chisel, every time.
[injured man breathes heavily]
Doing it with a tree is
doing it the hard way,
that's my opinion.
- You all done?
Send your opinion to the
newspapers.
Come on, let's go.
- You must be crazy
doing a thing like this.
By all the laws of logic, you
should have lost your foot.
Why did you take a chance like
that?
- Take a chance every time
I draw a breath, we all do.
Main thing is I'm here.
Only hope our friend
there is as ready as I am.
- Yeah, well, he's not
as lucky as you are.
All his bones are broken,
and yours are intact.
With this cast, everybody will
think you got a broken foot.
But don't be too optimistic
about walking.
Walking is gonna be more
painful than you think.
Be some time before you
walk normally again.
- Well, that's the best
news I've heard all day.
It's not that I don't like ya,
boy, I just don't trust ya.
I don't trust ya even with a
busted foot.
I'm shipping him back to the
main prison.
He'll be transferred sometime
tomorrow.
[soft dramatic music]
- How long, Doc?
- [Doc] Hours, maybe.
Minutes, maybe.
He might last until tomorrow.
- Boston beans, concentrated
energy.
Here, you better try and eat
some.
May be a long time before
you get your next meal
if your luck holds out.
- It's been four hours, Doc.
How much longer?
- Like I said, I don't know.
- It's getting late.
You'll be locked up in
another three hours.
If he's not gone by then, I'm
finished.
Now, you heard Tolman,
he wants to keep that
no escape record of his.
He wants to get rid of me.
- All we can do is wait.
Unless you'd like to have a
drink?
- No, no drink.
You lay off that stuff yourself.
Look Doc, he's gonna die anyway.
Couldn't you do something,
help him out of his pain?
If you don't have the
belly for it, I'll do it.
- You make one move to k*ll this
man,
and I'll go straight to Tolman.
I swear it, one move!
k*lling isn't part of our deal,
and k*lling isn't going to
become part of our deal.
When this man dies, if he dies,
I'll carry out my part of the
bargain
exactly like I said I would.
You make one move to k*ll him
and you k*ll this whole deal.
- I didn't mean it that way,
Doc.
Not the way you're putting it.
- Well, let's have a drink.
[soft suspenseful music]
[injured man panting]
- Doc!
Doc, get in here!
Here, take a look at him.
How is he?
- I gotta get Tolman.
I gotta get somebody to
take him to the morgue.
[dramatic music]
- Last one for the road.
[soft dramatic music]
- Better lay off the juice, Doc.
Still a few details I wanna go
over.
- Just don't you worry about
my drinking, old buddy.
I can handle it.
I understand everything that's
going on just as clear as.
Listen, on top of the
coffin you'll find a sheet.
It's a white sheet
commonly known as a shroud.
Now, when you get in the coffin,
pull that right up over your
head.
Now that's very, very important.
Oh, oh, look here.
I've got something for ya.
I got ya tobacco
and matches and chocolate.
It's a gift from my little
granddaughter.
- [Paul] Doc, Doc!
Why can't you listen to me, just
once!
You're drunk!
Doc, you know what you're doing?
You're finishing it off for me.
Doc, look, you think
I'd k*ll that guy, huh?
Do you understand me?
- I understand.
- Come on, come on.
Get ahold of yourself.
Go down to your bunk and
sleep it off, you understand?
I'll see you in the morning
when you dig me up, right?
- Right, right, right.
Now don't forget the shroud.
And there'll be plenty of air.
I'm gonna sleep.
Good luck, old buddy.
[soft dramatic music]
[thudding]
[Paul grunting]
[tools clattering]
[Paul grunting]
[keys rattle]
[soft suspenseful music]
[light switch clicks]
- [Captain] All right, let's go.
Show up here as soon as it gets
light,
you're on the burial detail.
[keys rattle]
[door bangs]
[soft thud]
[banging]
[wood clattering]
- Hey, I never met a guy as
careless as you in all my life,
leaving half the sheet out like
that.
- Hey, and that lid ain't even
nailed down, I'll fix that.
- How come a big, tough
stick-up man like you
is scared of a dead man?
- [Blacksmith Convict]
You're talking real strong
with that garter on.
- Ah, get to work, all of
ya, and you two stop arguing.
- Well, we're not arguing,
officer.
We're just exchanging notions.
[hammer banging]
- [Guard] I don't see what
difference the nails make
anyway,
the guy inside ain't going
anywhere.
All right, let's go.
[chains rattling]
- [Convict] All right, take it
easy
on that end, quit shoving.
- [Guard] Come on, come on.
- What'd they fill this box
with, kitchen leftovers?
♪ Oh, the head bone's getting
unconnected from the elbow ♪
♪ The elbow's getting ♪
- Ah, are you complaining again?
- Man, this guy's been
complaining
since the time he was born.
You know something, he even
complained
about getting sent to prison.
- Oh, come on, come on, let's
go.
Move!
[truck engine rumbling]
[tools clanging]
[chains rattling]
- [Convict] I know one
thing, they took the vitamins
out of those beans last night.
I don't feel a thing this
morning.
- [Blacksmith Convict]
Man, you've been using up
all your energy doing too much
talking.
- [Guard] All right, here we go.
Heave!
Heave!
- [Convict] All right,
let's get the shovels.
[dirt thudding]
[Paul coughing]
- [Guard] All right, all
right, that's enough.
Come on, let's go.
Now, let's get outta here.
[tools clanging]
[truck engine rumbling]
[Paul breathing heavily]
- Only five minutes.
Seems like five hours.
Truck must be gone now.
Another 15, 20 minutes,
I'll be outta here.
No point in burning up
air, better breathe slowly.
Short breaths, yeah.
[soft ominous music]
Should hear him now.
Shovels should be about a foot
away.
Come on, Doc, get a move on.
Come on, Doc, faster, faster!
Come on, Doc, hurry!
[Paul panting]
I promise ya, Doc, I'll
give you another 5,000,
another 10, another
Anything you want!
It's my fault.
Why was I so stupid as to trust
him?
Captain's friend, I should have
known.
No, I didn't, I didn't mean
that, Doc.
I'm sorry, forgive me, forgive
me, Doc.
Just hurry.
Doc, come on, hurry!
Please, Doc!
Come on, Doc!
Doc, hurry!
Please, Doc!
Doc!
Doc!
Doc.
Doc.
[dramatic music]
- [Alfred] That concludes
this evening's story.
Next week I hope to being you
another one,
previews of which follow the
next commercial, which I'll--
[machine burbling]
[creepy music]
[dramatic music]
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