Night Boat to Dublin (1946)

[bunniefuu]

Squad... shun!

Jannings, this is Sir George Bell

of the Home Office.

He wishes to say something to you.

Fredrick Jannings,

in accordance with the rules of w*r

and the findings

of a properly constituted court,

you're to be shot for espionage.

I have, however,

been authorised to give you

an opportunity to evade that penalty.

The decision rests with you.

His Majesty's government is prepared

to commute your death sentence

to one of imprisonment

if you will tell us the whereabouts

of the Swedish scientist

Niels Eric Hansen.

What is your answer?

Dr. Hanson is dead.

We have every reason

to believe that is untrue.

When you were arrested you had

in your possession a document,

a document giving a report on the progress

of experiments of an atomic expl*sive.

Not only was that document recognised

as being the work of Dr. Hansen,

it also showed that the experiments

where in a much more advanced stage

than when he disappeared six months ago.

It was obviously of recent origin

and you were attempting to take it

to enemy agents in a neutral country:

the Irish Free State.

Now then, Jannings, where is Dr. Hansen?

I have nothing to say.

I see.

And that's your last word?

Yes.

Very well.

All right, Jannings.

That didn't get us very far.

Well, maybe Hansen is dead after all.

You can't ignore what experts say, Toby.

That document is not only Hansen's work,

but it's work that must have been done

since he disappeared.

Then he's working for them.

If he'd been prepared to do that, why

did they try and kidnap him in Stockholm?

And do you suppose the government

would have brought him over here

if they hadn't been

absolutely sure of him.

Perhaps he can't help himself,

he may not be in the position to refuse.

You'd never force a man

like Hansen to do anything.

You can't have it both ways.

- - -

- That's that.

- Hmm.

- - -

- Now what?

- Ireland.

They've still got to get

that information over to Keitel.

We'll try working back from that end.

Wilson,

you and I will catch the night boat.

It's quite like the old times

to see lights again.

Strange how we took

such things for granted

until we had to do without them.

Yes, you're right.

Wilson, have you ever stopped

to think exactly what it would mean

if Hansen succeeds

in this atomic b*mb business

and the wrong people

should ever get hold of it?

Imagine it: all the expl*sive power

they want out of nothing, just there.

Think of it: as a bombing weapon

it means obliteration.

A whole town, a city,

wiped out in a fraction of a second.

They've been working

on that idea for years.

I know,

but Hansen looks like pulling it off,

and we've got to find him.

It's not going to be easy.

No, but if we can spot the man

who's carrying his reports to Keitel,

well, we've at least got

a lead and we can follow it back.

Go on, we'd better separate again,

we'll soon be docking.

See you at the New Eastern.

Don't you know

what time he's expected to arrive?

No, he's just booked

a room there from tomorrow.

- - -

- Hello, Wilson, fancy seeing you here.

- Hello, Faber, how are you?

I'm very well.

What have you been doing yourself lately?

I haven't seen you in the club

since, oh, before the w*r.

- - -

- You're not living in Ireland, are you?

- No, just a visit.

I live in the country.

London's a bit too full

these days for my liking.

- - -

- Yes, it is a bit crowded, isn't it?

- How about you?

- - -

- On holiday?

- No, no, no, business.

- - -

- Legal business, you know.

- Have a drink?

No, I don't think I will, for the moment.

I'm going to get something to eat.

Well, it's nice to have seen you.

- Yes, sir?

- Scotch, please.

Atomic expl*sive.

There's no answer to that one.

Thank you.

Excuse me, madam.

Are we nearly there, steward?

Yes, madam, you can see

the lights of Dún Laoghaire now.

Hadn't we better go

and see about our baggage, dear?

Yes. All right, darling.

Oh, excuse me.

You've dropped something.

Oh, thank you.

You know,

I rather doubt that you'll get that

through the customs on this side.

They're rather particular these days.

Even go through your pockets,

they tell me.

Oh, do they?

- - -

- That's all right.

- Oh, thank you very much, sir.

And, steward,

is that any good to you?

Oh, yes, sir, yes. Thanks very much.

- - -

- Is the evening post in yet?

- Yes, sir.

Let me see now. Mr. O'Connor, is it not?

- - -

- That's right, yes.

- Yes, sir.

- - -

- That's all there is, sir.

- Thank you.

Ground floor, please.

You might take this up

to the gentleman in room 70, will you?

Yes, sir.

What name shall I say, sir?

No, that's all right.

He'll know who it's from.

Thank you, sir.

Yes, that's the best one, ma'am. The 8:33.

- Thank you very much.

- Not at all.

A gentleman asked me

to give you this, sir.

He said you'd know who it's from.

Yes, that's right.

Thank you, sir!

Oh, just a minute, son, have you got

any more of those magazines downstairs?

I couldn't say, sir.

It didn't come from the bookstall,

a gentleman gave it to me.

Oh, who was he? Do you know?

He might be able to tell me

where I could get one.

I don't know his name, sir.

He's in room 48,

opposite the lifts on the second floor.

I think he's just gone out though.

Oh, uh, oh well, never mind.

Thanks so much.

Thank you, sir.

Yes?

Yes.

No, sir, I can't find

any Mr. Hughes staying here.

Ah...

Well, I'm not sure,

but I thought he said room 48.

No, sir, room 48 is let to a Mr. O'Connor.

- - -

- Is it?

- Yes, sir.

Then I must have been mistaken.

- - -

- I'm sorry to have troubled you.

- That's quite all right, sir.

- - -

- May I have my key, please? Room 48.

- Yes, sir.

- - -

- There you are, sir.

- Thank you.

I shall be leaving in two minutes.

You might get my bill ready, will you?

- - -

- Room 48.

- Certainly, sir.

- - -

- Number 48, please.

- Yes, sir.

I've just given that key to someone, sir.

You have?

To whom?

A tall gentleman.

Darkish overcoat and a...

a light grey muffler, sir.

That's very odd.

Are you sure

that's the number he asked for?

Well, I may have made a mistake, sir.

But I thought it was.

Anyway, don't worry, sir.

Sure I can easily let you in

with a pass key.

Of course he... he may have made

a mistake about the number of his room.

That often happens, you know, sir.

Well, there you are, sir.

We'll probably get

your key back in a few minutes.

I'll send it up to you.

I'm sorry, sir.

That's all right.

Yes, sir?

There's no soap in my room.

Sorry, sir, we'll send some up.

Thank you, sir.

Can I help you?

Is this what you're looking for?

Uh, yes. Yes, I should imagine it is.

I thought it might be.

How disappointing for you to get so far

and then find yourself

at the wrong end of one of these.

Such a helpless feeling.

Isn't it?

Who is it?

Your soap, sir.

Oh, just put it down there, will you?

Ah-ah.

May I?

Do you mind moving back a little?

It...

It's such a helpless feeling, isn't it?

Being on the wrong end of one of these.

...class on the right!

Second class on the left!

First class on the right!

Second class on the left!

Here's your life belt.

First class on the right, sir.

First on the right

and second on the left, please.

Hello. I didn't expect

to see you again so soon.

Yeah. You had your business finished

all right then?

Huh? Oh, yes, yes, thank goodness.

- - -

- What about a drink?

- Good idea.

Well, what are you going to have?

- - -

- Whisky, I think.

- Two whiskies, please.

Certainly, sir.

Not Irish.

Well, the journey doesn't look

too promising, does it?

Well, I don't know.

It might turn out all right.

Oh, thanks.

Thank you, sir.

That's all right, steward.

Have another one.

- - -

- Uh, no thanks, not for the moment.

- Oh, I think I will.

Very good, sir.

Thank you.

- - -

- Yes.

- Double whisky.

Right.

I think I might go on deck.

It's getting a bit stuffy in here.

You won't find it too pleasant

up there, with all this fog about.

I know, but it can't be worse than this.

Thank you.

I've just given

that key to someone, sir.

You have? To whom?

To a tall gentleman

with a darkish overcoat and a...

a light grey muffler.

That's very odd.

Are you sure

that's the number he asked for?

Well, I may have made

a mistake, sir, but I thought it was.

- - -

- See you later.

- Yes.

Thank you.

Well?

You must be mad.

No, I'm not.

There was trouble there.

Now there isn't.

Thank you, sir.

- - -

- Is something wrong?

- Wilson's dead.

Picked up in the Irish Sea

this morning by the Navy.

Oh.

- - -

- Badly cracked skull, eh?

- Yes.

Call Dublin and see

if you can get hold of David.

I'll find out what time

this destroyer is putting in to Holyhead.

Right.

Hello?

Get me the Admiralty

on the tie line, will you?

Hmm.

There's everything that was found on him.

Ah, this should tell us something.

Well, Inspector, I can tell you one thing:

this ticket was used last night.

How can you tell that from a return,

it could have been used

on a day trip, couldn't it?

Could have been, but it wasn't.

You see that star?

On Tuesday nights, all tickets

are punched like that by a relief man.

As a rule, they are clipped on the side.

I see.

- - -

- That's fine. Thanks very much.

- You're welcome.

Mind your heads, please.

Mind your heads, please.

Mind your heads.

You know, Wilson must have followed him

on to that boat

and then something went wrong.

- - -

- And you never saw this man at all?

- No.

According to the register, he was

a James O'Connor from Balbriggan.

But the name is a phony, I checked up.

There's no such address

and no such person.

So all we've done is to stop

from getting another of Hansen's reports.

No quite.

Inspector, have you got

your passenger list handy?

- - -

- Yes, sir.

- Good.

I want you go through them

and tell me that a man named Faber

landed here from Dublin last night.

Right, sir.

- - -

- Faber, who's he?

- Someone Wilson knew.

One of the three people in the hotel

that have crossed over from England.

What made you sort him out?

Because I couldn't find

his name on the register.

So he must have been staying there

under another name.

And unless there were two people doing

that, he was the O'Connor in room 48,

and the man

that Wilson followed on to the boat.

Well, Martin, am I right?

I hate to disappoint you, sir,

but I'm afraid you're not.

No one named Faber landed here last night.

- - -

- Oh, that's different.

- Very.

I seem to remember the name, though.

Recently too.

Here we are.

"Paul Faber. British.

88A Curzon Street, London W1."

Went over to Dublin Monday,

came back tonight.

- - -

- Tonight?

- You heard what the gentleman said.

- - -

- Are you sure of that?

- Quite sure, sir.

He'll be on his way to London by now.

- - -

- So that's that.

- Yes.

We'll check up on him just the same.

While you're about it,

we'd like full particulars

of every passenger

onboard that boat last night.

Very good, sir.

And I'll get to work on the crew.

- - -

- Fine. And we'll see you at the hotel.

- Right you are, sir.

Funny, you know,

I thought I had something there.

I don't understand it, it doesn't fit.

Because it's not meant to.

If you ask me, old boy,

you're barking up the wrong tree.

I bet this bird Faber

ought to be looked into,

but I think we're paying

far too much importance to him.

After all, giving a phony name

at a hotel doesn't make a man a spy.

No, or you'd have been shot years ago.

Sorry we couldn't let you

have two rooms, sir.

We're a bit full up at the moment.

Anyway, there's two beds.

Oh, well that's a blessing anyway.

- - -

- Left you call for the morning, sir?

- Oh, yes, five o'clock, with tea.

- - -

- We're catching the early train.

- Very good, sir.

Thank you, sir.

Oh, and you might bring us up

a couple of whiskies and sodas.

- - -

- Yes, sir.

- Large ones.

Certainly, sir.

You're not still thinking

about that man Faber, are you?

- - -

- Yes, Toby, I am.

- Well, you're wasting your time.

The trouble is, old boy,

you're clutching at straws.

Now listen to me, Toby,

if we don't find Hansen pretty soon

it's going to be just too bad,

and we've got to clutch at straws.

Ah, come in.

- - -

- Oh, hello, Inspector.

- Hello, sir.

- - -

- Ah, I thought you were a drink.

- Sorry to disappoint you, sir.

- - -

- Any luck?

- I'm afraid not, sir.

We've questioned the crew very thoroughly,

and not one of them saw

nor heard anything out of the ordinary.

Here are the particulars you asked for.

Every passenger who crossed last night.

And that's where

you'll find our man, amongst that lot.

Maybe.

Where have you been?

What d'you mean, where have I been?

Who was that?

- - -

- You mind your own business.

- Joe Morgan, I know.

Take your 'and off me

or I'll walk straight out of this house

and I don't come back.

You forgot I was coming

home tonight, didn't you?

Oh, shut up. What do you expect me to do,

sit round

in this miserable hole all the time,

waiting for you to come off that ship?

Because if that's what you think,

you've got another thing coming.

And if Joe Morgan wants

to take me out, I'm blasted well going.

He knows how to treat a girl, he does.

He's not afraid to spend a pound or two.

He's got brains, he has.

Started with nothing and now look at him,

one pub here and another in Llandudno.

And that's where

you've been tonight, isn't it?

Yes, that's where I've been tonight.

And that's where I'm going tomorrow night,

the next night

and the next night if I want to.

- - -

- So put that in your pipe and smoke it.

- Listen, Lil--

Oh, don't "listen, Lil" me.

I'm sick and tired of it.

Why don't you get wise to yourself,

George Leggett,

and start making some money?

What about that fur coat

you've been promising me

ever since I was mug enough

to get hooked up with you?

Promises, promises, that's all I get.

Well, it's not good enough. See?

- - -

- Toby!

- Ah, no, darling, five more minutes.

- - -

- Wake up! Wake up!

- Ow!

Oh, it's you!

What's... What's the matter, old boy?

- - -

- I've got it.

- Got what, old man?

The key to the whole thing.

- - -

- Faber was on that boat after all.

- How'd you make that out?

Because I still think he was

the man Wilson was following.

Don't you see?

He crossed last night,

but he didn't land here until tonight.

Someone's been hiding him onboard.

- - -

- Hello?

- What's the idea?

If I'm not very much mistaken,

our Mr. Faber is going to hand up

a ticket punched with a star

just like this one.

Hello?

Get me Euston Station,

will you, please? Quickly.

Morning, Allen.

Got that ticket from Euston?

- - -

- Oh, yes, here you are.

- Good.

Pity you didn't phone

a few minutes earlier.

Yes.

But it looks as though I was right.

Exactly the same punch mark as Wilson's.

Yes, but you still don't know

it was Faber who gave it up.

- - -

- No, but I'd bet on it.

- And here's the report.

Good.

"Paul Faber, bachelor, aged 45,

respectable

and appears to have private means."

"Before the w*r travelled

extensively and was well-known

at the continental holiday

resorts as a heavy gambler."

"Carries out a reputable business

as a consultant at 88A Curzon Street."

"Lives in the flat above."

"Office staff: Alfred Bowman,

chief clerk, been with him many years,

Kathleen Tanner, typist,

Charles Lambert, clerk,

left last week to join the Forces."

- - -

- I can't see anything there to help us.

- No?

Has this Charles Lambert

been replaced yet?

- - -

- No, not yet.

- Good.

Then see to it that any applications

for that job are stopped except mine.

- - -

- Yours?

- Yes. Do you mind?

Well, no. No, not at all.

Hello?

Inspector Martin here, sir.

Well, Martin, any luck?

Yes, I think so.

One of the crew seems to have come

into some money all of a sudden.

Oh, who is he?

A steward named Leggett.

Changed 20 pounds

in Irish notes at a bank this morning

and then spent 30 of it

on a women's fur coat.

Did he? Yes, that sounds

very interesting. Follow it up.

Don't worry, sir, we will.

Oh, and you had better

keep an eye on his mail as well.

Right you are, sir.

What's that?

One of the stewards,

chucking his money about. Irish money too.

He spent 30 quid this morning

on a fur coat for some woman.

Aha, maybe that's the fellow

who's been juggling with the passengers.

Yes, maybe it is.

Now the next thing is to fake up

a reference and get that job with Faber.

But you don't seriously think

you could hold it down, do you?

Even if you get it.

Why, they'd rumble you in a day.

- - -

- Ha, ha, that's where you come in.

- Me?

I know as much

about soliciting as my Aunt Fanny.

Which I sincerely trust isn't very much.

There's no need to be crude, old boy.

I would like to see Mr. Faber, please.

Have you an appointment?

No, I'm afraid not.

But I think he will see me

if you tell him it is Marion Decker.

- - -

- Just a moment, please.

- Thank you.

Yes, Bowman, what is it?

There's a Marion Decker to see you.

Marion Decker?

Good heavens.

Yes, all right, show her in.

Will you go in now, please?

Hello, Paul.

Marion, what are you doing here?

It's not a good story, Paul.

Here, sit down.

Tell me everything.

Good morning.

I had this letter asking me to call.

Oh, yes.

Mr. Faber is engaged at present,

would you mind waiting a moment?

No.

- - -

- Mr. Faber will see you now.

- Ah, thank you very much.

Good morning, sir.

Oh, good morning. Sit down, won't you?

Thank you very much.

Now let's see.

Oh yes, it's...

Yes.

Now, you were with this firm

in Newcastle for nine years I understand.

Yes, that's right, sir.

And they are no longer in business?

No, both partners are now in the Forces.

Um-hm, and what's

your position in that respect?

Well, I'm medically unfit, sir.

That's quite a consideration

these days, isn't it?

Yes, I suppose it is.

I must say,

you couldn't have had a better reference

if you'd written it yourself, could you?

Oh, thanks very much.

Would you be prepared to start

next Monday at the same salary

you got from these other people?

Yes, sir, I would.

All right.

All right, we'll consider it settled.

- - -

- See you at nine o'clock.

- Thank you, sir.

Oh, by the way, Mr. Grant.

Is this hotel your permanent address?

Oh, no, actually I'm looking

at some rooms this afternoon.

But I'll let you know

on Monday where I definitely fix up.

All right.

And I hope I prove satisfactory.

Yes, I hope so too.

I may say, you were the only applicant.

Really, sir?

Good morning.

Good morning.

I don't do meals, I'm afraid.

Can't get the help.

But there is crockery

and a gas stove in both rooms

if you want to do your own cooking.

Splendid.

Here's the other one.

Oh, well, I think I'll take this one.

And let me see now, you want

a week's rent in advance, don't you?

That's right.

I don't mind telling you,

you've struck lucky today,

I've been house-full for a year now.

I had two gentlemen

from the labour exchange in these rooms,

but they had

to leave suddenly to go into the Army.

Oh, well, they probably

called themselves up by mistake.

Well, they certainly looked surprised.

Uh, Grant?

Yes, Mr. Bowman?

Attach this to that conveyance

you've got there, will you?

And take it to Mr. Faber for signature.

- - -

- I want to get it off this morning.

- Certainly.

- - -

- Ah, settling down, are we?

- Yes, thank you, sir.

I'm just going through the stuff

Mr. Bowman handed over to me.

Can I help you?

I don't know.

I understand you're looking for a clerk,

and I've just come out of the Army.

I'm very sorry,

but that position has been filled.

Oh, well, that's that, isn't it?

- - -

- I'm afraid it is.

- Um.

- - -

- Well, thanks very much.

- Oh, not at all.

Uh, sorry to have troubled you.

Hello, Henslow.

You're the last person I expected to see.

Yes, yes, I suppose I am.

I often wondered what happened

to you since you, uh, left the Army.

Well, as a matter of fact, I--

You've been pretty lucky

so far by the look of things.

But then you always were

a jump ahead, weren't you?

Yes.

- - -

- Well, so long.

- Goodbye.

Grant,

Mr. Faber wants you.

Oh.

All right.

Ah, yes, I want a word with you.

I'm sorry, sir, but I must ask you

to accept my immediate resignation.

Indeed?

You seem in a great hurry,

Henslow, or whatever your name is.

Could it be

that you're running away from something?

No, I just want to leave, that's all.

I suggest to you

that you're a deserter from the Army.

And you've given me a false name

and forged references, am I right?

I didn't come here to answer questions,

I wish to leave and that's it.

Just a moment.

Mr. Bowman has locked that door.

You're going to stay here

while I phone the authorities.

No, uh, don't do that, sir, please.

- - -

- So I am right.

- Mr. Faber, you must listen to me.

Go on.

Well, yes, I am a deserter,

but, you see,

there's something else as well.

- - -

- Uh-huh.

- Some military documents were stolen.

I was on duty at the time

and, well, it looked as though

I had something to do with it.

I knew they were going to arrest me,

so, well, I cleared off.

- - -

- And sold them?

- Yes-- Ah, no.

And now the money has run out, eh?

Yes, Grant, you are in a mess, aren't you?

Hmm.

Look here.

Supposing I didn't hand you

over to the authorities.

Supposing I were to forget

my patriotic conscience

and help you instead.

I gather you'd be prepared

to do me a small service in return?

Wh... What kind of a service?

- - -

- You're not married, are you?

- No, why?

Well, a certain client of mine

is rather anxious to lose her nationality

and become British.

Naturally the easiest way

for her to do that would be

to marry a British subject.

So I'm going to suggest

that you marry the lady

and help us out of our little difficulty.

Oh.

You'll part company with her

of course immediately afterwards

and not see her again.

Later you can get a divorce.

For this small service

I'm prepared to pay you, say £40.

After the ceremony.

Oh, no.

Apart from helping you to evade

the consequences of past indiscretions,

I think I may also be able to further

your somewhat unorthodox career.

You mean--

Exactly what I said.

Oh, you can be useful

to me in a number of ways.

I gather you're not averse

to taking an occasional risk,

provided you're well paid for it,

of course.

What is it you want me to do?

Nothing very much.

Anyway, we can discuss that

when we've got this other business

out of the way.

You mean this marriage business?

Yes.

- - -

- Quite. But that's the part I don't like.

- Naturally.

I'm afraid you'll have to take

the rough with the smooth.

A little inconvenient perhaps,

but then, you see, it can lead to so much.

Yes.

All right, I'll do it.

Good.

Now, if you'll just let me

have your name and address.

Your right name this time, of course,

and your father's name, occupation.

You can leave the rest to us.

- - -

- Oh, so it really is Grant?

- Yes, as a matter of fact, it is.

Hmm. Well now, let's see,

I think we had better make it Friday.

Yes, I'll meet you in the lounge

of The Queen's Hotel at 10:30.

I'll be there.

Yes, I think you will.

Yes, of course, I...

I'm afraid I wasn't exactly truthful

with you about the door.

That's all right,

I wasn't exactly truthful with you.

No, but then you didn't get away with it.

No, but under the circumstances,

perhaps it's just as well.

Yes, strange how one

sometimes meets friends

in the most unexpected places.

Yes, isn't it?

Oh. I'm so sorry.

Well, Marion,

I have news for you.

- Oh, you do?

- Yes.

I may have found a solution.

Did you bring it?

Thank you.

- And you've no idea who she is?

- None at all.

But I'll have to go through with it.

- - -

- Sort of marry into the family, what?

- Yes, that's about it.

- - -

- And where do you think she fits in?

- I can't say yet.

Apparently, as far as I'm concerned,

she's to fade out of the picture.

Pity, she might turn out

to be a tasty bit of crackling.

Inspector Longhurst, sir.

Well, Inspector?

I went to Faber's office, sir,

to arrest you as Hanslow.

He covered you up

for every possible angle.

Didn't know your address,

said he hadn't got your reference,

and held back the fact

that you went there with a different name.

Splendid.

And you laid on the fact that I was wanted

on a serious charge of espionage?

I certainly did, sir.

And here's something else.

Intercepted at Holyhead.

Fifty-pound notes,

registered to this man Leggett.

- - -

- Posted Saturday, Charing Cross.

- Yes.

- - -

- Nothing to say who sent them, eh?

- Not a thing, sir.

Faber, of course.

Ten to one it's payment

for hiding him on that boat.

We'll hang on to this for a bit

and see what happens.

- - -

- It may start something.

- Very good, sir.

Well, I'll be getting on.

Good morning, gentlemen.

Good morning, Inspector, and thank you

very much for your cooperation.

It's been a great help.

I hope to learn a lot

during the next few days.

Yes. Oh, you didn't know

Captain Grant was getting married,

did you, Inspector?

Are you, sir?

I hope you'll be very happy.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

- - -

- Oh, good morning, Mr. Faber.

- Good morning.

You know, you left the office

just in time on Monday.

A gentleman called to see you.

He was most disappointed

to find you'd gone.

However, the little I was able

to tell him didn't help much,

so I shouldn't let it worry you unduly.

- - -

- Thanks.

- Now, the wedding is at 11.

Unfortunately,

I am unable to be there myself,

but you'll find that everything

has been taken care of,

including your remuneration.

And how about the other business?

Ah, yes, yes,

I wanted to see you about that.

You'd better call

at the flat at 11:30 tonight.

- - -

- It's over the office.

- Right.

Now, let's go and meet the lady, shall we?

- - -

- Oh, there's just one other thing.

- Uh-huh.

I must impress upon you,

it will be quite unnecessary to discuss

any but the most impersonal of subjects.

May I suggest

the weather as a suitable topic?

Quite.

All right then.

Marion, may I introduce Mr. Grant?

Miss Marion Decker.

- - -

- Oh, how do you do?

- How do you do?

Well, that's that.

Now you'll need a couple

of witnesses, of course.

But you can find them in the building.

Anyone will do.

I see.

Well, I... suppose we'd better be going.

Yes.

- - -

- It's a lovely--

- It's rather--

It is.

Oh, here is the ring.

Oh, yes, yes, of course.

We'll need that, won't we?

Uh, would you like a cigarette?

No, not just now, thank you.

This is all very odd, isn't it?

- - -

- Yes.

- Yeah.

Ah, yes, here we are.

Getting married, sir?

If you must know, yes, I am.

Oh, dear, dear, dear.

George Leggett is on the phone for you.

Leggett.

Put him through.

Yes?

Is that you, Mr. Faber?

I thought I told you

never to telephone me.

That's all very well,

but what about that other £50?

I sent it off days ago.

Well, I haven't had it.

It's not good enough, Mr. Faber.

Well, I suppose

it got held up in the post.

You'll get it all right.

I'd better,

or there's going to be trouble.

What I did was worth a lot

more than that and you know it.

That is not funny.

So you've done it?

Yes, as you so elegantly put it,

I've done it.

- - -

- What's she like?

- You'd be surprised.

Like that, eh! Who is she?

Marion Decker, an Austrian.

She gave her address

as 91 Lark Street, Pimlico.

It's a refugee hostel.

Get hold of that fellow Steiner

and tell him to check up on her at once.

- - -

- And Faber?

- Coming along nicely.

He wants to see me

again tonight at his flat.

- - -

- Sounds promising.

- Yeah.

You hang on here

and I'll let you know what happens.

What's that?

Forty pounds, for services rendered.

By the way,

how does it feel having a wife?

Well, you ought to know.

Yes.

- - -

- Actually, I'm a bit worried about mine.

- Why? What's wrong?

Well, she was talking in her sleep

last night and she kept on saying,

"No, Frank. No, Frank!"

Not once, old boy,

but over and over again.

So what are you worrying about?

She was saying no, wasn't she?

Yes.

Yes, I think you've got something there.

How did you get here?

I wanted to see you.

I asked the lady if I could wait.

I got your address

from the marriage certificate.

I understood

that we weren't to meet anymore.

I know, but I need help very badly.

I've had to leave the hostel

and I haven't any money.

I don't know where to go.

- - -

- You helped me this morning--

- Why not go and see Mr. Faber?

I can't. That is impossible.

Who are you running away from?

The police.

Oh, I thought I heard you come in.

It was all right to let

the young lady wait, wasn't it?

Yes, yes, yes, quite all right.

Yes, I thought it would be.

Yes.

How about telling me all about it

in a slightly more congenial atmosphere?

I might be seen.

I shouldn't worry about that,

you're not likely to run

into any trouble where we're going.

Come on,

it'll do you all the good in the world.

Cheer you up a bit.

All right.

When my parents died,

I went to live with my brother in Vienna.

Soon afterwards,

an English friend of his arranged

some sort of a position for him in London.

I wanted to go as well,

but my brother wouldn't hear of it.

Instead,

he left me in the care of an uncle.

It wasn't long before I realised

that my uncle was a fanatical n*zi.

Hard and ruthless,

secretly betraying

one after another of his friends.

I loathed him.

He was so different from my father,

I could scarcely believe

they were the same flesh and blood.

With the occupation

he became head of the Gestapo.

The most feared and hated man in Vienna.

Rudolf Decker.

Yes.

People I had known

for years no longer spoke to me.

It was awful.

Then one day I found out they were going

to arrest an old friend of my father's.

A man I had known

and loved since I was a child.

I warned him and he escaped.

My uncle found out what I had done.

I had to get away quickly.

How I did it doesn't matter now,

but months later I landed here in England.

I was brought to London and questioned.

I was terribly nervous.

I was so afraid they would discover

that the notorious Rudolf Decker

was my uncle.

And once that happened,

I knew I would be taken for a n*zi spy.

Quite, yes.

I didn't even dare mention my brother.

I thought it safer to try

and find him myself.

His connections

with my uncle might have been known.

I had to tell them my name,

of course, and where I came from,

but apart from that I said

as little as I could.

And luckily ours is

a fairly common name in Austria

and they didn't suspect anything.

They gave me a room

in the hostel while they made inquiries.

The next day, I went to see Paul Faber.

I had met him in Vienna before the w*r.

It was he who had arranged

for my brother to come to England

and I felt sure that he would know

what had happened to him.

And did he?

Yes.

Two weeks ago

my brother was shot as a spy,

in the name of Fredrick Jannings.

The whole thing was

a dreadful shock to me.

Yes, it must have been.

I didn't know what to think or what to do.

And I was more frightened

than ever of what would happen

if they found out who I was.

I asked Paul Faber what I should do.

He'd had an awful shock when I walked in.

He was terribly afraid that through me

the authorities would discover

his connection with my brother,

that it was he

who had brought him over here.

And then he thought of a way

which might stop further inquiries

being made about me.

But first, he made me promise

that if anything went wrong

I wouldn't go to him for help.

I was never to connect him

in any way with my brother or myself.

His idea being, of course, for you

to marry an Englishman and become British.

And at the same time, lose

the somewhat dangerous name of Decker.

- - -

- Yes.

- Well, what's gone wrong?

Tonight, at the hostel,

I saw someone who knew me in Vienna.

Who was it?

A man called Steiner.

He was once chief of the Viennese Police,

forced to leave Austria

on account of my uncle.

What happened?

Nothing,

but he must have recognised me

and that meant

I would be reported as a n*zi.

All I could think of then was

to get away from the hostel.

I couldn't go back to Paul.

So I came to you.

What made you think I'd help you?

I don't know anyone else.

Personally I'd think twice

before I trusted a man

who marries a strange girl for money.

I haven't much choice, have I?

No, I suppose not.

By the way,

where did that money come from?

When I landed here I had a ring.

I gave it to Paul to sell.

And after he had paid me,

there was nothing left for you?

No.

I see.

Now I take great pleasure in presenting

our guest artist for this evening.

Ladies and gentlemen, Carroll Gibbons.

All this makes everything

I've been through seem like a bad dream.

Now look here,

there's a room vacant at my place.

I think you'd better come back there

and keep out of the way

for a while until, well,

I can figure out something.

I knew you'd help me.

There we are.

Well, goodnight.

Goodnight.

And thank you.

Hello, Grant.

I'm glad to see that you have

the excellent habit of punctuality.

- - -

- Help yourself to a drink, won't you?

- Thank you very much.

By the way, I meant to ask you:

when those military documents were stolen,

who did you sell them to?

That is rather

a leading question, Mr. Faber,

and one that I'd rather not answer.

You don't really expect me to, do you?

Perhaps not. I merely asked.

Now, I told you

you could be useful to me, didn't I?

Yes.

Well, I'm going to give you

a chance to prove it.

At 12:15, Mr. Bowman here

is going to collect something for me.

And... my part of it?

Well, to avoid attracting attention

we propose using a taxi

that I have in the garage downstairs.

I'm going to suggest that you drive it.

What are you doing here?

There they are!

Ah, good.

- - -

- What's the matter?

- I ran into trouble, one of the watchmen.

If Grant hadn't turned up,

I wouldn't be here now.

- - -

- He was shot getting away though.

- Could he describe you?

Not very well, I shouldn't think.

- - -

- Ah. Do you want a doctor?

- No, no, it's nothing.

It's just a graze,

I'll be all right in the morning.

Fine. Now, you better go home and lie low

until we see what the papers have to say.

I won't forget what you've done.

I'll get in touch with you.

I may want you to go away this weekend.

Right.

Now, yes, you'd better go out

through the garage again.

See the morning papers make that clear.

Faber's got to think

everything's all right, otherwise I'm out.

Oh, and don't do anything

about that man they've got inside.

Let him ride for a bit.

Okay. What were they after?

Some glass vacuum containers.

What on earth would they want those for?

A radioactive chemical, I should think.

And I bet you'll find that factory

is the only place that makes them.

- -We're getting warm then.

- Definitely.

Ah, I've got Steiner here.

He's checked up on your wife.

You certainly married

into the right family,

smack into the middle of the Gestapo.

- No.

- Yes.

Her uncle is Rudolf Decker,

the big noise in Vienna.

She's trying to pass as a refugee.

Steiner thinks she must've spotted him,

she's done a bunk

from the hostel and he can't find her.

That's all right, old boy,

she's at my place in bed.

Who is it?

It's me.

Just a minute.

I'm sorry

to disturb you like this, but I...

I've left the key of my room somewhere,

do you mind if I go through this way?

- - -

- No, of course not.

- Thanks.

I say, I hope I didn't frighten you.

You did, just for a moment.

- - -

- What has happened? You're hurt?

- No, no, it's nothing, really.

Oh, but you might help me off

with my coat though, would you?

Thanks very much.

And this one.

That's fine.

You'd better let me have a look at that.

- - -

- No, really don't worry, it's noth--

- Let me see.

You've been shot.

Come over here.

What was it, a fight?

Yes, sort of.

You don't want

to tell me about it, do you?

Not at the moment.

Now, don't look so worried,

nothing's going to happen

and you're still quite safe here.

I wasn't thinking of myself just then,

I was wondering...

About what?

What you do for a living.

Oh, you mean

when I'm not marrying for money?

That's not very funny.

Now, what's on your mind?

I think you're in some kind of trouble

and maybe there's something

I can do to help.

I'm sure you've got

enough troubles of your own.

It means you don't trust me, doesn't it?

- - -

- Give me that handkerchief, will you?

- Sure.

Perhaps you don't even believe

what I told you about myself.

Oh, yes, I think I believe that all right.

But for the moment,

I'm afraid that's all I can say.

You'll just have to trust me.

I do.

- - -

- There, does that feel any better?

- Much better.

Now look here, you'd better

pop into bed and get some sleep.

- - -

- Goodnight.

- Goodnight.

And thank you.

Oh, it's nearly ready.

Are you sure I can't help?

Oh, no, it's all done now.

Now look, you go and sit down there.

There we are.

I'm afraid that toast is

a bit burnt, but you know, that stove,

it is most unsatisfactory.

Thank you.

That arm is painful, isn't it?

No, it's all right.

What, no sugar?

Not with tea.

That... That's coffee.

Oh.

Oh, is it?

There we are now.

Marmalade?

Thank you.

- - -

- Mr. Bowman, sir.

- Good morning, Bowman.

Good morning, sir.

Oh, Mrs. Hughes,

I shan't want you anymore today.

You can leave as soon as you're finished.

I'm going away for the weekend.

Very good, sir.

- - -

- Have you read about last night?

- Yes, in here.

Most satisfactory.

Quite frankly,

I was a little nervous that the watchman

might identify one of you.

I thought it would be all right.

My dear Bowman, after what happened

to Keitel in Dublin and me on the boat,

I like to be sure of these things.

However, now we know where we are,

I can send Grant to Ireland.

Slip round to his lodgings,

let him know everything's all right

and tell him to be here

at half past nine tomorrow night.

We should be back by then.

- - -

- All right, yes, I'll open the office.

- Very well.

- - -

- More coffee?

- No, thanks.

I was afraid of that.

I wonder what Paul Faber

would say if he could see us now.

Yes, I'm glad he can't.

He mustn't know you're here, you know.

Why not?

There's nothing wrong in it, surely?

I know, but he mustn't.

Anyway, there's no reason

why he should, is there?

No, not really.

Anyhow, you needn't worry,

I shan't tell him.

And he's not likely to come here,

I suppose.

Well, you never know.

Well, I must be going.

Oh, look, while I'm out

I think it would be better

if you... stayed in your own room.

Oh, now, cheer up.

I shouldn't think you have

anything to worry about.

We'll soon get things

straightened out for you.

Now look, I'm going

around the corner for the paper,

so I'll slip back

and bring you something to read.

It'll help pass the time away.

- - -

- And what about all this?

- Oh, I shouldn't worry about that.

It wouldn't take me long.

Oh, all right then, thanks.

I'll only be a minute.

Oh, you'll open the door for me,

won't you?

I still haven't found that key of mine.

Yes, I will.

All right, all right.

- - -

- Mr. Grant?

- Yes.

- - -

- Number six, first floor.

- Thanks.

What are you doing here?

Where's Grant?

I don't know.

Well, why don't you answer it?

Oh, Mr. Grant,

I was just ringing your room.

There's a call for you.

Oh, is there?

Do you mind if I take it here?

- - -

- Oh, certainly, if you like.

- Thank you so much.

Hello?

- David?

- Yes.

I'm at Euston, we've had

a message from Holyhead.

Leggett's on the night train

with Martin on his tail.

Due here in ten minutes,

on his way to see Faber I should think.

Oh, well now,

when you're quite sure of that,

you leave the rest to me.

Understand? I'll handle everything.

We don't want to upset Mr. Faber, do we?

No.

I'll pick up the inspector then,

he may be spotted

if he hangs about outside.

Exactly.

We'll go back

to Whitehall and wait.

If anything happens, give me a ring.

- I want to be there at the k*ll, you know.

- -

- Okay.

Open it and keep your mouth shut.

Go on, do as I say.

Oh, Mr. Grant asked me to give you these.

He had to go straight out again.

Oh. Oh, thank you.

What do you mean by coming here?

What do you want?

A little matter of £50,

Mr. Faber, for hiding you on the ship.

- - -

- Indeed?

- Yes.

Leggett, you're not only a liar,

you're a fool.

You've already had that money.

Now, it's no use you trying to bluff me,

Mr. Faber, it won't work.

I want my £50.

And that's cheap for what I know.

I'm not so sure I oughtn't

to make it a hundred.

I could open my mouth about that foreigner

we took down to Devon, couldn't I?

Hmm.

You're becoming quite unpleasant,

Mr. Leggett, aren't you?

If you like to put it that way, yes.

Very well, I'll give you £100.

But I should want you

to come down to Devon again with me.

I'm leaving by the 2:50

this afternoon from Waterloo.

I'll meet you at the barrier.

Oh, no, Mr. Faber.

I'm not going down to any Devon with you.

I'll have the hundred though,

and I'll have it now.

All right.

But you won't mind waiting

while I get it from the bank, will you?

No, I don't mind doing that.

Thank you.

Let's see.

Yes, you'd better wait in there.

I don't want you

to be seen hanging around the office.

- - -

- Is he alone?

- No, there's a man named Leggett with him.

What's wrong with you?

Everything.

Grant is Military Intelligence.

- Hello?

- Toby?

- - -

- Yes?

- We've struck oil.

Our Mr. Faber is going to lead us

right to Hansen.

Now you're talking. Any idea where he is?

Somewhere in Devon, apparently.

Faber is catching the 2:50 from Waterloo.

Now, all you've got to do

is to pick him up

at the station and keep on his heels.

From what he said last night,

I think he's taking me with him.

And if he doesn't?

- -I'll be with you.

- Right.

You're quite sure

there's no one watching this place?

Certain. They're leaving it all to Grant.

Good, then we'll clear out at once.

Yes?

There's someone

on the phone for you, Mr. Faber.

He won't give his name.

All right, put him through.

You're through.

Mr. Faber?

- Yes.

- It's Grant here.

Ah yes, Mr. Grant?

- -Have you seen the morning papers?

- Yes.

You're not speaking

from your apartment, are you?

No, I'm in a phone booth.

Oh, I see.

Well, as a matter of fact,

I was just going

to send Bowman round to you.

If you want to see me, I'm not far away.

In that case, I think

you'd better come round here immediately.

To the flat, of course, not the office.

Right.

He hasn't been back since you left.

- - -

- He doesn't even know you've been there.

- What are you going to do?

Stop him from finding out.

Take him with us.

Once we get him down to Devon,

he'll be completely cut off.

We know that from what

you overheard on the telephone.

And they won't have

any idea where he's gone.

I don't like it.

I don't know if it's a case

of having to like it.

Now, tell Miss Tanner she can go,

close the office

and I'll see you upstairs.

Well, Grant,

I told you you wouldn't regret helping us.

- - -

- I have something for you.

- Oh, thanks very much.

Now, there's another thing.

Remember I told you last night

I might want you to go away this weekend?

- - -

- Yes.

- I take it you're still interested?

- - -

- Yes, I am.

- Good.

Well, I want you to accompany Mr. Bowman

and myself on a little... expedition.

You'll have to travel without luggage,

but you won't mind that, will you?

No, no, not a bit.

Good, then as soon

as he comes up we can start.

Oh, you mean we're going this morning?

Oh, yes.

- - -

- It's not inconvenient, is it?

- A little, but it doesn't matter.

Ah, there he is now.

We've just got time to catch the 10:50.

You might have missed us, you know.

Lucky you phoned.

Yes. Very.

It looks

as if they've changed their minds.

Well, they certainly weren't on it.

What do we do now?

I don't know.

Hang on here while I ring the office.

Maybe David telephoned again.

If he hasn't,

I think I'll try to find him.

Hello?

Is Mr. Grant there, please?

Oh, just a moment, I'll see.

Hello?

Hello?

That's funny.

What's the matter? Is something wrong?

Yes, I think there is!

And then?

Suddenly he hit me on the head

and I don't remember any more.

Then this chap Bowman must have heard

every word I said on that telephone.

And that means

they know what David's up to.

Hmm, without him realising.

I do hope he's all right.

If anything happens to him,

I should feel it is all my fault.

Don't you worry.

You take it easy for a bit.

If things have gone wrong,

you can hardly be blamed.

Come on, let's go.

- - -

- Look after things here.

- Yes, sir.

You two stay here.

We'll try the flat, Allen.

Nothing doing up there.

We'll have a look in here.

All right.

- - -

- Taxi's still here.

- Yes.

Got a passenger too.

It's the steward, Leggett.

Hmm, our Mr. Faber doesn't like

being interfered with, does he?

Gets a bit touchy.

Let the others in.

- Oh, this might be of some help.

- What is it?

Telegram envelope addressed to Faber.

If that was emptied this morning,

that must have arrived sometime today.

It might be worth getting on

to the local post office

and see what they can tell us about it.

Yes, okay.

Hello?

Would you mind giving me the number

of the local post office, please?

Thank you.

Toby, I think we've got something here.

Good. What is it?

Faber got this telegram today, all right.

And it was sent from a place

called Hunstable in Devon.

Was it?

- - -

- Handed in at 8:05 this morning.

- What did it say?

"Expect you tonight.

Urgent. Signed, Matthews."

Well, that's good enough.

The name is probably phony,

but at least we've got a town to make for.

Wait a minute, do you realise

that none of us have ever seen Faber?

Well, Longhurst has.

Oh, we can't take him,

they may still turn up at the station.

What about the girl? She knows him well.

Yes, you're right. She'll do.

Good evening, Hood.

Didn't expect you until later, Mr. Faber.

No, we caught an earlier train.

Do you mind looking

after this case for me, will you?

Excuse me a moment.

Thank you.

Interesting old place.

- - -

- What was it, a monastery?

- Yes.

Come in here, Grant, will you?

I want you to meet someone.

Oh, right, yes.

- - -

- Captain Hunter?

- Yes.

Inspector Emerson

told me to meet you, sir.

He's gone on to Hunstable Station to see

what he can find out from the staff there.

Oh, good. How about that telegram?

Nothing of much use, I'm afraid, sir.

Came over the telephone from a call box.

- - -

- False name and address, of course?

- Yes.

Hmm, I expected it.

- - -

- All right, we'll go round to the station.

- Car's over here, sir.

Well now, I believe that he and Mr. Bowman

have some business to transact

with you privately, Mr. Grant.

- - -

- So perhaps you'll excuse me.

- Certainly.

Oh, good evening, Doctor.

Oh, Mr. Sayles, you have arrived then.

I didn't expect you till after dinner.

How are you, Hendrick?

Very well, thank you.

We... We thought you were still

in your laboratory, Doctor.

Oh yes,

you haven't met Mr. Grant, have you?

This is Dr. Hansen.

Delighted to meet you,

Mr. Grant.

And I am delighted to meet you,

Dr. Hansen.

Of course, crowds of people get

out here today, you know, it's market day.

Hmm, it would be.

We seem to have come to a dead end.

But there is surely something you can do.

Somebody must have seen them.

I don't know.

In a crush of people,

it's sometimes difficult

to tell who's together and who isn't.

That's right, sir.

When it comes to that, we're not certain

they came down here at all, are we?

All right. Thank you.

You know, it's a funny thing,

but I could swear

I've never seen this poster before,

yet somehow it's familiar.

It's beginning to worry me.

Yes, it seems to remind

me of something too.

Oh, that's easily explained.

Probably you've seen the actual thing,

it's only a hundred yards down the road.

We didn't come here that way, Tom.

It'd have been too dark anyway.

I know where I've seen it before,

Allen: in Faber's flat.

And what's more, his picture looked

very much like an original painting.

Not a reproduction like this one.

"Sidney Vane."

Yes, one of our local residents

as a matter of fact.

Does a lot of that kind of work.

Did you say he lives near here?

It's not a he, sir, it's a she.

Got a place a few miles outside the town.

I think we'll go along and see her.

You may get a chance

to do your stuff yet.

I'd watch my step

if I were you, sir,

Miss Vane is very highly

thought of around here.

Knows a lot of important people.

So do I.

I'm afraid you have

an extra guest for dinner, my dear.

- - -

- What happened?

- We were interrupted by Hansen.

There's nothing to worry about.

A little involved perhaps,

but our business with Mr. Grant

can easily stand over till later.

I don't like it, Paul.

There's no telling what he might do.

There isn't much he can do

at the moment. He's not armed.

- - -

- Are you certain?

- Yes.

Evidently he didn't expect things

to develop quite so quickly.

Come to that, neither did I.

Well now, if you will excuse me,

I'll finish that report for you, Sayles.

Good, then we'll see you later.

By the way, Doctor,

you'd better have those containers.

Oh, yes, thank you.

They're in my bag.

- - -

- Do you know what Hood did with it?

- Yes.

- - -

- I'll get it for you, Doctor.

- That's very kind of you.

Come along then.

Amazing.

He still thinks

he's working for the government.

Yes.

Surprising what one can do

with a few forged credentials,

isn't it, Grant?

Yes, it certainly is.

Tell me, how do you manage

about the servants, don't they talk?

It's quite simple.

They never see him.

Hood keeps him to the back of the house

and they always leave just before dinner.

Of course, Hood never talks.

Do you, Hood?

Come on, get up.

We know who you are.

Mind that doesn't go off.

What would Dr. Hansen think?

You must forgive this touch

of melodrama, Mr. Grant.

I'm afraid Bowman is a little overanxious.

He believes the only

good Intelligence man is the dead one.

And frankly, I rather agree with him.

I'll make your apologies to Dr. Hansen

for your sudden departure, of course.

That's very thoughtful of you.

Listen, laddies.

Hood, you go to the laboratory

and keep an eye on Hansen.

Good evening, Miss Vane,

could you spare me a few moments?

Certainly, Inspector.

Won't you come in?

We think you may be able to help us

with some inquiries

we're making, Miss Vane.

This is Captain Hunter

of Military Intelligence.

Well, gentlemen,

what is it you want to know?

We think you may be able

to help us in tracing a man

we're rather anxious to interview.

A Mr. Paul Faber.

Paul Faber?

No, I'm sorry, I can't help you at all.

I don't know him.

What led you to believe I did?

We know that he has friends

in the neighbourhood

and that he was coming down

here today to see them.

What made you think it was this house?

He has an original painting

of yours in his flat.

And we thought quite possibly

it was a personal gift

and that you were the friend in question.

I'm afraid

you're rather jumping to conclusions.

You see, my paintings are

always sold through dealers.

I seldom know the people who buy them.

Then it's just

a remarkable coincidence, Miss Vane.

Yes, Captain Hunter,

that's just what it is.

I can assure you,

I wouldn't know this man if I saw him.

That isn't true.

I beg your pardon?

He gave you that ring.

It was mine. I'd know it anywhere.

I gave it to Paul Faber to sell for me.

Well, Miss Vane?

Well, Captain Hunter?

Be careful, Paul,

there are more of them outside.

Exactly.

In other words, Mr. Faber,

you don't stand an earthly.

No?

Bowman, lock that door.

I'll take care of this

while you get Hansen.

Bring him to the other exit.

If he makes any trouble,

tell Hood to deal with him.

We'll see you there.

Wait here.

Drop that.

Hello, Toby.

Hello, old boy. Having a good time?

Now really, Mr. Grant,

this is carrying things a little too far.

And who are you?

Now, now, Dr. Hansen,

I think you'd better come upstairs.

Now, you sit down there, sir.

How about the key of that door?

Certainly, I've no further use, for it.

Thank you.

Allen, you'll come back for us, won't you?

Goodnight, Mr. Grant.

Here, what's all this about?

Oh, your wife, old boy. In there.

My wife?

What's she doing here?

Looking for you.

Better go, and tell her you're found.

Oh!

Oh, David.