Acht Mädels im Boot (1932)

[bunniefuu]

- ♪

- CORNELIA: This is The Oaks.

A house in the country

which I rented for the summer.

As an author, I write tales

of mystery and m*rder.

But the things that happened

in this house

were far more fantastic

than any story

I've ever had published.

I brought a staff of servants

from my city apartment

and my maid, Lizzie Allen, who'd

been with me nearly 20 years.

Lizzie?

- Yes, Miss Cornelia.

- Is the car ready?

- It's at the door.

Look.

- Mm?

- Ms. Cornelia, them servants

you brought from the apartment

are talking about

walking out on us.

- Really?

Well, I know

they don't like it here,

but I didn't think

it was that bad.

- Well, they've

been hearing things

about the k*ller

that the police call The Bat

and the murders that he

committed here this past winter.

Now people are saying

that he's back again.

- Well, how can

they be sure of that?

Has he committed another crime?

- No, not yet.

But that ain't

saying that he won't.

Here's something else.

- You've heard about

the bats they have here?

Animals bats, the kind that fly?

- Yes, yes.

- Look what it says

in this magazine.

This is a report from

the State Health Department,

and it says

some of them bats is rabid.

- Well.

- And that ain't all.

Now there's a rumor going around

that it was The Bat himself--

the k*ller, I mean--

that released the rabid bats

in this neighborhood.

- Ooh, that's ridiculous.

- Well, the housekeeper,

the cook,

the butler and the upstairs maid

don't think so.

- Well, I can't help

what they think.

If hysterical nonsense like that

can scare them

out of their good jobs,

it's their loss, not mine.

Come on, Lizzie,

I've got to get to the bank.

- ♪

- Drive directly to Zenith Bank,

Warner.

I'm afraid we'll have to hurry.

It's near closing time.

- I'll get you there,

Ms. van Gorder.

- [engine starts]

- Thanks again.

- [phone ringing]

- Ms. van Gorder.

- How do you do, Mr. Bailey.

- How are you?

- I'm very well, thank you.

You remember Lizzie Allen?

- Of course.

Hello, Miss Allen.

- How do you do?

- So you're spending the summer

with us again?

- Yes, yes,

I've leased The Oaks,

the home of your bank president,

John Fleming.

- I heard you had.

I was surprised.

- Why?

Is there something the matter

with it?

- No, I was surprised,

because Mr. Fleming said

he would never rent it.

- Ooh?

Well, I rented it

from his nephew Mark Fleming,

who has

the real estate office here.

He said his uncle

would be gone the entire summer.

- Well, that's right.

Mr. Fleming's

in the north woods now

with his physician

Dr. Wells.

Oh, pardon me.

Dale?

I want you to meet my wife.

We were married

at Christmas time.

- That must have been nice.

- Believe me, it was.

Oh, here she is.

- Hi, dear.

- My wife, Ms. van Gorder,

Ms. Allen.

- How do you do, Mrs. Bailey?

- How do you do?

Cornelia van Gorder.

- Yes.

- Oh, well,

I've read every m*rder mystery

you've ever written.

I just adored that weird one,

"The Private Morgue

of Doctor X,"

even though

it gave me the shivers.

- Only the shivers?

Scared hell out of me.

- Oh.

- [laughs]

- Well, I--I--I--I really mean

that Ms. Corne

k*lled 'em off in that one.

- When you refer to my books,

please don't call me Ms. Corne.

- Pardon me, Mr. Bailey,

Mr. Heinz is here to see you.

- Oh, yes.

[clears throat]

Excuse me, please.

Don't be strangers now.

- Oh, no, we won't.

- I should say not.

- Oh, so you're a bride.

- Well, not quite.

- Not since Christmas.

- Now I'm sure I've seen you.

- Well, I--I used to be

my husband's secretary

here in the bank.

- CORNELIA: Of course

I remember.

- May I welcome

our most distinguished visitor

back to Zenith?

- Oh, that's very charming,

but--

- Lieutenant Anderson.

- --Lieutenant Anderson,

of course.

Chief of Detectives

of the Zenith Police Department.

This is Ms. Allen.

- ANDERSON: Ms. Allen.

- How do you do?

- Lieutenant Anderson

is one of our favorite citizens.

He's on the bank's

board of directors.

- [chuckles]

Not bad for a policeman.

- You must have made

a good thing of it.

- [laughs]

Well, I saved my money,

if that's what you mean.

- It's near closing time,

and I've got some business

in the safe deposit vault.

Uh, please come and see me,

Mrs. Bailey.

- Oh, I'd love to.

- And you, Lieutenant.

- Thank you.

- Goodbye.

- Goodbye.

Nice to have met you.

My, what a charming woman.

She moved into The Oaks

just the other day.

- That house is a proper setting

for a writer of mysteries.

- Oh, it certainly is.

- [chuckles]

- Vic, what's the matter?

- Come in here, both of you.

- [phone ringing]

- Andy, we're in trouble.

Wendell Heinz came in to pick up

$350,000 worth of bonds

that we were holding

as collateral for a loan.

They were kept

in our special vault.

Mr. Fleming and I are the only

officers of the bank

who have access to that vault.

- So?

- The Heinz bonds are gone.

That's not all.

Other negotiable securities

are missing.

From what I can gather,

short of a careful check,

the bank has been looted of over

$1 million worth of securities.

- You'll have

to notify Fleming.

- I wish I could talk to him.

Unfortunately, he and Dr. Wells

are deep in the woods.

They can't be reached by phone.

- ♪

- What is it?

- [crickets chirping]

- I thought I heard someone on

the path coming from the lake.

Had an idea it might

be that guide of ours.

- Oh, Sam won't show

up until morning.

It's a 20-mile canoe trip

from here to civilization.

- Five will get you ten

Sam has a message for me.

- I thought you told them

at the bank not to bother you.

- I did, but they'll bother me.

Doctor?

- DOCTOR: Yes, John.

- What would you do

for half a million?

- Anything short of m*rder.

- Why not m*rder?

- Too messy.

- JOHN: Too great a risk?

- For half a million, yes.

- I pinched a million

from the bank.

Well, I'm not kidding.

I embezzled it.

- Not that I think you wouldn't

do it if you thought

you could get away with it.

- I got away with it.

I'm not talking about currency.

I took negotiable securities

that could be converted

into cash.

I have the cash

in 10s, 20s and 100s.

- Well, I'm your doctor,

not your lawyer.

Why tell me this?

- You'll find out why.

- Who's gonna take

the blame for the robbery?

- There's no cash here,

they'll never suspect me.

- I like Bailey.

- Well so do I.

I love the guy.

I gave him his first chance.

- He has a lovely little wife.

- Charming girl.

I was the best man.

- Where's the million?

- In my family's tomb in Zenith

in the crypt

with my father's casket.

- I don't buy that, John.

- No?

- No.

You forget that I had you

in charge when you were

a very sick man,

when you raved in delirium.

And I heard you talk

about a hidden room.

Now where else

could you put a hidden room

except in that mansion

you built?

That white elephant

you call The Oaks.

- Look, everyone knows

I have a bad heart.

Now who would doubt it

if you wired the bank directors

that my heart had failed?

That I had fallen from a great

height here in the woods?

That I was badly smashed up?

You could ship the body

back for burial

and, uh, instruct them

not to open the casket

due to the condition

of its contents.

- Well, you realize, of course,

that we'd have to have a body

to put in that casket,

which means that

we'd have to deal

with an undertaker at this end.

- Of course.

- Well, where do we get a body?

- Couldn't we provide

one of our own?

How 'bout Sam?

- Sam, our guide?

- Sam weighs about

as much as I do.

He's practically a hermit.

He wouldn't be missed

for a long time.

- A local undertaker

would know him.

- JOHN: Not if we made him look

as if he'd been

in a serious accident.

- But if Bailey's

gonna take the blame,

why do you have to do this?

- A jury might acquit him.

In that case,

I'd be a logical suspect.

I could disappear, of course,

but it's safer

if they think I'm dead.

- What if I don't

go for this deal?

- In that case,

it would be too bad.

- You mean you'd k*ll me?

- What else could I do now that

I've told you about the million?

I'd say you were shot

in a hunting accident.

Oh, look, doctor,

if you can find another body

instead of Sam's,

it's all right with me.

There's half a million in it

for you.

- I'll do my best.

- [sniffs]

I smell smoke.

- So do I.

What's that noise?

- JOHN: Look, doctor,

the woods are on fire.

It's coming this way.

We've gotta get out of here,

out the back way.

- DOCTOR: We will.

- [g*n c*ck]

- As soon as I provide that body

we were talking about.

- [g*nsh*t]

- ♪

- [thunder rumbles]

- [crash]

- Oh my goodness dear.

Lizzie, is that you?

- Yes, Ms. Cornelia.

There's a storm coming up,

and it's gonna be a snorter.

The wind nearly blew

the door off its hinges.

- Well that noise blew my game

higher than a kite.

I think I've lost

some of the cards.

- Oh, I'll get them for ya.

- Oh, I see you

found the paper.

- Drat that paperboy scooting

by on his bicycle,

just chucked it into a clump

of bushes and let it go at that.

For land sake.

Mr. Vic Bailey's been arrested.

- Oh?

- LIZZIE: Right there.

- "Victor Baily, Vice President

and Cashier of the Zenith Bank

"was arranged

"before United States

Commissioner Alvin Fielding,

charged with the embezzlement

of over $1 million."

Oh, I can't believe Vic Bailey

had anything to do

with that robbery.

Oh, well, I see our landlord is

home again.

- Landlord?

- CORNELIA: Mr. Fleming.

"Dr. Malcolm Wells

is back in town

"with the body of John Fleming,

"President of the Zenith Bank,

who was k*lled in a forest fire.

Mr. Fleming will be laid to rest

in his family's tomb on Friday."

- And I hope he stays there.

- Well, why shouldn't he?

- Well, this is his house.

And ever since he died, some

funny things have happened here.

- For instance?

- The housekeeper, the cook,

and the butler

said that they heard

strange noises at night.

And the upstairs maid swore that

she met a man without a face

coming up the back stairs.

- Ooh, so that's why they quit

and left me to run this place

without a staff.

- They didn't tell you,

Ms. Corne,

but the truth is

they were scared to stay.

- But you're still here, Lizzie.

Haven't you seen anything?

- No.

No, and even if I had,

I ain't afraid of ghosts.

They're afraid of me.

Honest, Ms. Corne,

a spiritualist told me once

that ghosts was allergic to me.

- [giggles]

- But--but this bat fella they

keep talking about in the paper,

I--I guess he'd be different.

- Oh, I don't think you would

have the same effect on him.

- [thunder rumbles]

- Oh dear.

- What are they trying to do?

Drive people away

from this part of the country?

- Why?

What does it say about The Bat?

- His specialty

seems to be k*lling women.

My goodness,

two of 'em in one night.

All his victims

died the same way.

Like their throats had been

ripped open with steel claws.

- Well, that's

a charming little caper.

I'll have to try it

sometime...in a book.

- [banging]

- [thunder rumbles]

- That ain't nothing.

Just something

bumping against the house.

- [door banging]

- That's just the wind

banging a door.

Pay no attention to it.

Listen to this.

"One of his victims who lived

for a moment after she was found

described The Bat

as a man without a face."

Honest, Ms. Corne,

I think that woman

must have been exaggerating.

- Uh.

- [metal rumbling]

- That's just

that heavy tapestry

at the top of the stairs.

- I know, I know, I've heard it

before on a windy night.

- [fabric shuffling]

- That sounds as if there were

someone on the stairs.

I know there isn't.

At least there shouldn't be.

- There ain't.

Them's just the noises you hear

in any old house

on a windy night.

It says here that The Bat

never leaves no fingerprints.

- That's understandable.

Having no face, he probably

has no fingers either.

- [crash]

- Lizzie!

- [crash]

- And that, I suppose, is

the cat dropping its dentures.

- No.

No, I don't think so.

But I think it's something

should be looked into.

Now who chucked him down here?

- The wind, I hope.

There must be a window

open up there.

No, Lizzie, let him lay, Lizzie.

Let him sleep it off.

My, I hope the power lines don't

go down, put the lights out.

We'll check the windows

in the living room

and draw the curtains,

and then we'll go to bed.

- Yes, ma'am.

- LIZZIE: I won't be a minute.

- [wind gushing]

- Ah!

Ms. Corne!

- What?

What?

- Oh!

I went to get the paper.

I turned the latch off.

I forgot to turn it on again.

He's out there.

He was coming in.

He might have got you.

- Oh, but he didn't.

And he's still out there,

thanks to you.

Now you hurry now,

and we'll call the police.

- No, no.

I won't leave you, Ms. Corne.

- Are you okay?

- Yes, ma'am.

I'm--I'm okay.

- Okay.

- WOMAN: Operator.

- Give me the police department,

please.

- MAN ON PHONE: Zenith Police

Department.

- This is Cornelia van Gorder.

I'm living at The Oaks.

- MAN: We know about that,

Ms. van Gorder.

- Just a moment again,

a man tried to force his way

into this house.

- MAN: You're not alone there,

are you?

What about your servants?

- Well, I have none

except my chauffeur.

And he's away, he won't be back

until the morning.

Now there's only

two of us here tonight,

and we're gonna

lock ourselves in my room.

Now, uh, if--if

any of your men see anything,

will you have them call me?

- MAN: I'll send officers

over there right away.

- Well, thank you very much.

Come on, Lizzie,

we're gonna sleep in my room.

- [thunder rumbles]

- Well, nothing can get

at us in this room now.

I think this door

seems good and solid.

- Mm, like the door to a tomb.

- Uh, I think that couch

will be comfortable.

There's some extra bedding,

you know--

- Yes, ma'am.

- --in the closet.

Let's see now.

- [thunder rumbles]

- Uh-ha.

No bolt.

Well, that's not so good.

- Well, what's that for?

- That, my good woman,

is a booby-trap.

If anybody tries

to open this transom,

this will be knocked off

and we'll hear it fall.

- Oh fiddlesticks.

I forgot my night things--my

robe, my gown and my slippers.

I'll go get 'em now.

- Now wait a minute, Lizzie.

I'll go with you.

- Now don't you bother,

Ms. Cornelia,

my room's just down the hall.

- CORNELIA: Lizzie,

I told you to wait.

- It's all right.

I'll only be a second.

- BOTH: [screaming]

- Get in here.

Get in here.

- [phone ringing]

- Yes?

- MAN: Ms. van Gorder?

- Yes.

- MAN: Zenith Police Department.

There's a police car

just outside your house,

and the officers in it

have reported that

there's no sign of a prowler

anywhere on the grounds.

- Well, the man's inside now.

He's in the hall

just outside my bedroom.

Have your men break through

the kitchen door

and search this place

from top to bottom.

- MAN: Okay, Ms. van Gorder,

sit tight.

- I will.

I have a g*n,

and I know how to use it.

- ♪

- Oh, relax.

Relax, Lizzie,

the police did a good job.

They couldn't find

anybody in here.

- LIZZIE: But we both saw him,

Ms. Cornelia.

- All right, all right,

so he got away.

But there are men on guard

outside,

so just try and get some rest.

There's nothing

can get at us here.

- [sighs]

[sighs]

- ♪

- [screams]

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh.

- What?

- Ms. Cornelia, Ms. Cornelia.

- What's the matter?

- A bat.

- Oh, nonsense,

you've had a nightmare.

- Maybe I did, but there

was a bat and it bit me.

- What?

- It flew in that closet.

- Oh, good gracious,

Lizzie, you're right.

Oh.

- [Lizzie moaning]

- Operator, Operator,

will you get me

Dr. Malcolm Wells' office,

please?

No, I don't know his number,

and I have no phonebook up here,

but this is an emergency.

Will you connect me

with his office, please?

- Oh dear, oh dear,

I'm gonna get the rabies.

- WOMAN ON PHONE: Hello?

- Hello.

Dr. Wells' office?

- WOMAN: This is

a call service.

Dr. Wells is out at the moment.

But if you'll give me

your name and number,

I'll try to locate him.

- Well, this is Ms. van Gorder

of The Oaks.

My maid has just been bitten

by a bat that may be rabid,

and she must have treatment

as soon as possible.

And I was told that Dr. Wells

was the nearest physician.

- WOMAN: I'll try

to find him for you.

And if I can't,

I'll send you another doctor.

- Oh, well, thank you very much.

Oh, he's out on a case.

- Oow.

- I hope it's not a delivery.

A baby, I mean.

They can be

terribly complicated.

- They never bothered me none.

- Oh, Lizzie,

you never had a baby.

- Of course, I didn't.

That's why

they never bothered me.

- Oh, does it hurt, huh?

- A little.

- [crickets chirping]

- ♪

- [bat squeaking]

- [phone ringing]

- WOMAN ON PHONE: Dr. Wells?

Are you there, Dr. Wells?

Are you there, Dr. Wells?

This is the operator.

Your call service

is on the wire.

It's an emergency.

- [sighs] This is Dr. Wells.

- WOMAN: This is

your call service, doctor.

- Oh, hello, I--I was

just doing an experiment.

I left the receiver off.

- WOMAN: That's what I thought,

but I kept trying.

Ms. van Gorder

at The Oaks called

and said that her maid

had been bitten by a bat.

And she's afraid

it might be rabid.

- What?

Oh, all right.

Tell her I'll be

right over there.

- [car engine starts]

- ♪

- [doorbell rings]

- Who's there?

- DOCTOR: Dr. Wells.

- Come in.

- Good evening.

- Oh, I'm so glad

they found you, doctor.

- Well, I reached my office

shortly after you called.

How is your maid?

Is she in any pain?

- No.

No, she doesn't seem to be.

- Did the bat get away?

- No, I believe

it's still in my bedroom.

- Oh good,

I'll want to examine it.

There you go, Ms. Allen.

Now you'll feel better.

- Doctor,

have I got the rabies?

- Well, I can tell you better

after I've examined

the bat's brain

under a microscope.

- That thing's got a brain?

- Oh, you'd be surprised.

Where it is?

- I think the little darling

is in that closet.

- Oh.

You know it's a pity you leased

this house, Ms. van Gorder.

- Why a pity?

- Well, my dear lady, I

don't wanna alarm you, but--

- Oh, well after tonight,

nothing can alarm me.

- Yes, I understand.

It must have been terrifying.

So many unexplainable things

have happened here.

There's something

about the place.

Your servants must have sensed

it when they walked out on you.

An apprehension of disaster.

Well, let's see.

Uh-ah, yes.

There he is.

All right now, take it easy.

Nobody's gonna hurt you.

Quiet now.

Quiet.

- [bat squeaking]

- He looks quite normal,

doesn't seem to be sick at all.

- Oh, ain't that nice.

I've been worried about him.

- Well, you should be.

From his appearance,

I'd say that he doesn't have

any infection.

In which case,

you've had a narrow escape.

Now you take one of those

tablets I've left for you,

and I'll guarantee you

a good night.

And I'll drop in on you

tomorrow.

- Oh, thanks for everything,

doctor.

- Oh, don't worry,

I can find my way out.

- Oh, I know you can,

but do let me help you.

- Oh, don't forget

that once I'm gone,

you'll have to climb

those stairs alone.

- Oh, I'm all right.

I'm armed now.

- Can you sh**t

one of those things

without shutting your eyes?

- Oh, doctor, there are g*ns

in ever book I've ever written.

I don't write about things

I'm unfamiliar with.

- [laughs]

- Lock the door, Lizzie.

- Good night.

- Yes, ma'am.

Good night, doctor.

- Accident?

- No, no,

the wind blew him down.

- Oh.

- I think.

- Oh.

Did you know

that young Mark Fleming

leased you this house

without notifying his uncle?

- No.

No, I didn't.

- Well, it doesn't matter now.

John Fleming is dead,

and Mark's his heir.

But if John were alive,

he would warn you to leave here,

Ms. van Gorder.

- Really?

- Yes.

It's been a tragic place

for anyone who ever lived in it.

Well, good night.

- Good night, doctor.

- Who's out there?

- MAN: Nobody you need

to worry about, doctor.

- Oh, it's Andy.

- That's right.

Good evening, Ms. van Gorder.

- Good evening, Lieutenant.

- Somebody sick here?

- My maid was bitten by a bat.

- Oh?

A rabid bat?

- Well, I'll know for sure

when I get to my lab.

I--I caught the bat.

- It happened indoors?

- In my bedroom, yes.

- How'd it get in?

- Well, there's many ways a bat

could get in a house.

- You outta know.

I--I spotted

this hole in the window

the minute I got here.

That's where the two-legged bat

got your door open.

- Ms. van Gorder told me

that she, uh,

phoned headquarters at Zenith.

- Yes, I phoned twice.

The second time was after

the prowler got in the house.

- Weren't at headquarters, Andy?

- No, but they contacted me.

- An officer came and searched

the house from top to bottom,

but they couldn't find The Bat.

- You--you better have

this window fixed tomorrow.

- Oh, yes, I certainly shall.

- I'd better be going.

I'm due in surgery at 8 o'clock

in the morning.

Good night.

- Good night, doctor.

- There will be a man patrolling

the grounds all night,

Ms. van Gorder.

- Oh, thank you.

- And nobody inside, Andy?

- Why should there be?

- Well, how do you know

but what The Bat is hiding

somewhere in the house?

- I'm quite sure

he isn't in the house, doctor.

Not now.

Good night.

- CORNELIA: Good night.

- Hi, Andy.

- Hello, Mark.

Well, congratulations.

- [laughs]

- Real estate business

must be picking up.

New office, new furniture.

- New deal.

How do you like it?

- Uh, looks expensive.

Are you squandering

your inheritance?

- [laughs]

I haven't got it yet.

- The paper says John Fleming

left his entire fortune to you.

- Funny thing

about that entire fortune

is that we can't find it.

- No kidding.

- No, all Uncle John

had in his bank account

was a couple of hundred dollars.

And his safe deposit box

was empty.

- If we don't find

that missing million,

mine will be empty, too.

- How come?

- Well, all my savings were

invested in Zenith Bank stock.

The examiners won't certify

the bank is solvent

until those stolen securities

are found, so the stockholders

have voted an assessment

that'll wipe some of us out.

But since those securities

have been converted into cash,

and if I can't find that cash,

I'm sunk.

- Oh, where are you

gonna look for it, Andy?

- Here in Zenith.

Your uncle wouldn't take

a million on a hunting trip,

would he?

- [laughs]

You suspect Uncle John?

Why, Andy,

he founded the Zenith Bank.

That'd be like robbing

the family tomb.

- You think he wouldn't?

- Well...besides,

Vic Bailey's fingerprints

are all over the vault.

Now they didn't find any

of Uncle John's fingerprints.

- 'Cause he wipes them off.

- Can the defense prove that?

- They're trying to.

- Judy Hollander, Bailey's

secretary, is a defense witness.

And they believe

her testimony'll

have a powerful effect

on the jury.

- Oh, well,

she has a powerful effect on me.

Judy's a doll.

- Here's the book

you mentioned, Judy.

- Your newest one?

- Yes, it's just

been published.

You can have that copy

if you wish.

- Oh, it's a first edition

and you've signed it.

- CORNELIA: Yes, of course.

- Thank you so much.

- Uh, may I serve tea now,

Ms. van Gorder?

- Yes, please do, Warner.

- Thank you.

- Uh, I see

you've engaged new servants.

- Yes, of course.

- Well, how did you persuade

them to live in this house?

- Well, Jane Patterson,

my new housekeeper

knows this house

better than you do, doctor.

- Oh?

- She worked for John Fleming.

And Warner was my chauffeur.

- Chauffeur turned butler?

- It's incredible.

He can play any part

at a moment's notice.

Uh, did you--did you

get a plumber, Warner?

- WARNER: No, we can't get

a plumber for three days, madam.

- What about that leaking pipe?

The basement will be flooded

in three days.

- Well, the pipe

is no longer leaking.

- You mean it's dried up

of its own accord?

- No, not quite.

I packed the elbow

where the water was coming out.

- CORNELIA: Packed the elbow?

Where did you learn

how to do that?

- Uh, into each life,

a little rain must fall.

And a careful man

learns to keep himself dry.

Now is there anything else that

you require, Ms. van Gorder?

- No, not at the moment, Warner.

- Thank you, madam.

- Now there's a character.

- How long did you say that

he worked for you as chauffeur?

- About three months.

- Well, I hope he doesn't

have a police record.

My dear Dale,

it may interest you to know

that the last night of his life,

John Fleming told me that he

loved your husband like a son.

If Fleming were alive today,

he would be fighting

to prove Vic's innocence.

- Could Mr. Fleming

prove his own innocence?

- Ms. van Gorder,

can there be any doubt about it?

- There will be

when Ms. Hollander

testifies at Vic's trial.

- Oh?

You know something

that we haven't heard yet, Judy?

- Something I saw

with my own eyes.

- She's not permitted to say

what it was.

- My dear girl,

I wouldn't think of asking her.

But let's assume for a moment

that Fleming

did steal the million.

Now what would he do about it?

Where is it?

- Hidden someplace where

he could lay his hands on it

without getting

caught in the act.

Now if I was writing this

instead of living

in the middle of it,

I'd hide it right here

in this spooky old house.

- Under a loose floorboard

or up a chimney?

[laughs]

- [laughs]

- If Mr. Fleming had the nerve

to steal a million,

he'd make his plans

well in advance.

I'd say he'd prepare

a place to hide it.

Possibly when

this house was being built.

Now I rented this place

from Mark Fleming, his nephew.

I wonder--I wonder if

he'd have the floor plans.

- I'll ask him.

- Yes.

Lizzie?

Will you bring

Mrs. Bailey the phone?

You ask him now.

His number

is Summit--Summit 7537?

- Thank you, Lizzie.

Summit?

- CORNELIA: 7537.

- Not bad, eh, Andy?

That means new business.

- [phone ringing]

- Now you see,

somebody wants to buy a house.

Mark Fleming speaking.

Oh, hello, Dale.

Well, hang on a minute, honey,

while I see if I have 'em.

It's Dale Bailey all excited.

Ms. van Gorder wants to know

if I have the floor plans

of The Oaks.

Now what would she want

with the floor plans?

- Well, she suggested to me

that your uncle

might have hidden

the bank loot there.

Are the plans here?

- Well, somewhere

in the house itself.

Wait a minute, there is a place

where Uncle Johnny might

have kept those blueprints.

- What place?

- Well, I heard him talk

about it a good many years ago.

I can't be sure

of the exact location.

Anyway, I don't think

the old boy had the guts

to steal a million.

But if I find those plans,

I'll let you know, Andy.

Hello, Dale.

Look, honey, I haven't seen

those plans since I was a kid.

But I'll come over tonight

and maybe we can find 'em.

- Thank you, Mark.

We'll expect you.

He seems to think they're here

in the house somewhere.

He's coming over tonight.

- Well, that's good.

Dale and Judy are my houseguests

for the weekend.

Would you like to have

dinner with us tonight?

- Oh, no thank you, I couldn't.

I still have

a few calls to make.

You know, if Judy's testimony

is going to clear Vic Bailey

and implicate John Fleming,

others may get the idea

that there's buried treasure

in this house.

Don't even mention

your testimony

until you're actually

on the stand.

- Oh, I won't.

- That's a smart girl, Judy.

And a very lovely girl.

Well, good afternoon, ladies.

- Goodbye.

- Doctor.

Come on, girls, let's go.

- ♪

- CORNELIA: So many

unusual things

have happened here this summer.

The more I think about it,

the more I realize I should be

putting them down on paper.

Weren't you

your husband's secretary, Dale?

- Yes, I was.

- Do you take shorthand?

- Mm-hmm.

- Well, my dear, if you'd like

to have your mind occupied...

I want you to work with me

while I write this story

of this fantastic criminal,

The Bat.

- Wonderful dinner.

- Thank you.

- Good dinner,

Lizzie, as usual.

- Wonderful.

- Oh, what a lovely

piece of silver.

It's an original, isn't it?

- CORNELIA: Yes, they still

use them in England.

- ♪

- CORNELIA: --sausages

and scrambled eggs.

Very useful.

- JUDY: Really nice.

- ♪

- [bells chiming]

- That clock hasn't struck

the hour in the last ten years,

if I'm to believe

what Mark Fleming told me.

- Why is it angled away

from the wall like that?

- I don't know.

Somebody must have moved it.

Lizzie very likely

when she was dusting.

- Wait a minute.

Did you know

there's a door in this panel?

- No. No, I didn't.

Oh my gracious, so there is.

- Maybe it opens

to a secret passage.

- Certainly

to a secret something.

Who knows girls,

maybe we're about to stumble

on that missing million.

- Oh.

- Panel--there's a panel.

There must be

some gimmick to it.

There always is.

Move.

- ALL: [screaming]

- MAN ON INTERCOM: Calling

car 11, calling car 11.

Proceed to The Oaks

in Zenith Township immediately.

A homicide has been reported.

- Okay, proceeding to The Oaks.

Notify the County Coroner,

Dr. Wells.

Tell him

to come to The Oaks at once.

- Horrible.

- It's as if his throat

had been torn by some creature

with fangs or claws or--

- That's his sign.

We found it

on the others he k*lled.

I'd hope those reports

that he was up to his old tricks

again were pure imagination,

but apparently

they're based on fact.

He's come back.

Back to the scene of his kills.

Yes, that's who I mean.

That's who did this.

The Bat.

Who found Mark?

- We all did.

That is Dale, Judy and I.

Lizzie was in the dining room.

This is my new housekeeper,

Jane Patterson.

You know,

she worked for John Fleming.

- I know her.

Where were you, Mrs. Patterson?

- In the kitchen cleaning up.

I cooked the dinner tonight.

- Did you know

that the secret closet was here?

- No.

It was behind

the grandfather's clock.

- Well, it was I

who found it really.

Noticed the clock

had been moved

and the door

wasn't quite closed.

- [doorbell rings]

- I'll get it.

- Who is it?

Mark Fleming.

- Mm, as coroner, you saw

the same wounds on the others.

How long he's been dead?

- Oh, I'd say

about a half an hour.

You believe it was The Bat?

- That's The Bat's trademark.

- Perhaps

he's still in the house.

- That's possible.

- Why should he be?

- Because he's looking

for something.

And like you,

he believes it's here.

And he's a persistent k*ller.

I would advise you

to get out of this house

as quickly as possible.

Notwithstanding

our expert police protection.

Have you called the morgue?

- They're on their way here.

- Oh good, I want to examine

the body before they get here.

Um, maybe take it

into another room.

- Yes, to the sunroom

in the back.

- [doorbell rings]

- Thank you, give me a hand.

- Excuse me.

- Oh, Warner, where've you been?

- Well, madam, it--there's been

an accident?

- There's been a m*rder.

Mark Fleming, the young man

from who I leased this place,

was k*lled here tonight.

- Do they know who did it?

- Well, they--they believe

it was The Bat.

- I'm sorry I had to use

the front door, Ms. van Gorder.

But I forgot my keys.

When I rang the bell

at the kitchen door,

there was no response.

- Oh, this is Warner,

Lieutenant.

He's my butler.

He was my chauffeur.

- Why did you promote him?

- Well, it's very difficult

to find a butler.

They don't like service

in the country.

- Have you ever been

a butler before?

- I've served

in many capacities, sir,

but this was my night off,

and I forgot my keys.

- I heard that part.

What time

you'd leave the house tonight?

- Oh, about 6:30.

I had dinner

at Wiley's Roadhouse.

- Mm-hmm.

Can you prove where you spent

the rest of the evening?

- I can try.

- Try hard.

And don't leave the house.

I'll get to you later.

- Very good, sir.

I shall be in my room,

Ms. van Gorder, if you need me.

- Yes, Warner.

Surely you don't think he's--

- Warner and I've met before.

I can't recall where or when,

but I will.

There'll be a crew here shortly

from headquarters

dusting for fingerprints,

taking photographs.

But in the meantime--

Mrs. Patterson,

you aren't leaving

the house tonight, are you?

- No, Lieutenant.

- Don't, I'll talk to you

in the morning.

Good night.

- Good night, sir.

Good night, Ms. van Gorder.

- Dale...I was with Mark Fleming

this afternoon

when you talked to him about

the floor plans of this house.

I heard him tell you

he was coming here tonight.

- Dale called him at my request.

She told me he was coming.

- LIETENANT: Who else

heard you tell her that?

- Judy, Lizzie.

- And that nice Dr. Wells.

- Dr. Wells?

There are few K*llers

who k*ll for the fun of it.

The Bat, very likely,

is a mental case,

and I'm convinced

that his crimes

are motivated

by his manual for personal gain.

There's a million dollars

at large.

And he's gonna

keep on hunting for it

until he lays his hands on it.

Now these young ladies

are staying here tonight?

- Yes, they're my houseguests.

- Well, when my crew arrives,

we'll be busy for a while.

So I'd suggest--

- That we go to our rooms?

That's a very good idea.

Come on, girls.

- What about a police guard for

this house tonight, Lieutenant?

- You've got one.

I'm gonna

cover this place tonight

from the attic to the basement.

If The Bat makes another call,

I'll have

a little surprise for him.

- Who, uh--who is he?

Have you any idea?

- He could be anybody.

So far, there are clues

to his identity,

but nothing

we could take before a jury.

- I am afraid we must look

higher than the criminal world.

He may be a merchant, lawyer,

doctor, scientist,

one of the pillars

of his community.

Ladies, lock your doors

tonight, stay behind them.

I promise you you'll be safe.

Good night.

- Good night, Lieutenant.

- Good night.

- ♪

- Poor Mark.

- Yeah, it's a pity.

So young.

Well, doctor, do you agree

it was The Bat?

- In my report, I shall say

the death was caused

by the same technique

used in the other killings.

A paralyzing blow to the throat

followed by severe lacerations

of the jugular,

resulting in excess hemorrhage.

- In a layman's language,

he didn't know what hit him.

- Oh, he knew.

But he didn't have time

to think about it.

You staying here tonight, Andy?

- Well, until I check

the doors and windows.

But I'll be back

bright and early in the morning.

- "Neither snow, nor rain,

nor heat, nor gloom of night

"stays these couriers

from the swift completion

of their appointed rounds."

- A lot of people are due for

a shot when I close this case.

- Yes, I'm sure they are.

Good night, Andy,

don't get hurt.

- Good night, doctor.

- [engine starts]

- You know, I think we'd better

let you get some sleep.

- Oh, Lizzie and I share

this room for mutual protection.

You know, one night, a storm

blew the wires down,

put the lights out.

And I went out the next day

and bought

a half a dozen of these things.

You better take one with you,

Dale.

- Oh, thank you.

- We'll go across the hall now.

- Are you sure

there's nothing else you need?

- Oh, no.

- Quite sure,

we'll be all right.

- Well, if anything bothers you,

you just sing out,

and two strong women

will come to your rescue.

- [laughing]

- Oh, nothing will bother us.

Not with Andy on the job.

- No.

- Good night.

- Good night, girls.

Don't worry,

everything will be all right.

- Good night.

- Good night.

Come on, Lizzie.

- [sighs] Oh, I don't think

I'll sleep tonight.

- Me either.

- All I can see is

poor Mark Fleming staring at us.

I thought that when people died

their eyes closed as in sleep.

- Don't think about it.

- I'll bet

you're thinking about it.

- No, I was thinking

of my poor husband

sleeping in jail tonight.

Oh, Judy, I love him so much.

- [crickets chirping]

- [menacing music plays]

♪

♪

- [tapping]

- [hammering]

- [hammering continues]

- What's that noise?

- Oh, I don't know.

I kinda fell half asleep.

For a moment I thought it

was something from a dream.

- It's somewhere in the house.

- Yes, on the floor above.

Not directly over us.

Probably a room

overlooking the driveway.

- [hammering]

- [snoring]

- Should we call,

Ms. van Gorder?

- She'll hear it.

How can she help but hear it?

Besides,

we don't want her to think

we're a couple

of hysterical women.

- Oh, I'm about to become one.

- Oh, dear.

- I've had it for one night.

Dale, you're not going out

in that hall.

- I wanna know

what's happening up there.

- But Lieutenant Anderson said

if we stayed behind

our locked doors, we'd be safe.

- Vic isn't safe

locked up in that jail.

- Oh, but--

- Suppose that stolen money

is in this house.

Mark Fleming

seemed to think it was.

Maybe that's

what's somebody's looking for.

- [hammering continues]

- Oh, for heaven sake,

don't you hear

that awful noise up there?

Now, Lizzie! Lizzie!

You just gotta stay awake.

The house phone and the outside

phone wires have been cut,

and we can't get help.

- Where's that policeman?

- Oh, I don't know.

Something must

have happened to him.

Now go on, get on your robe.

- Oh, Dale,

please don't go up there.

- I've got to.

Think would it could mean

to Vic.

Now you stay here.

- Oh no.

If you go, I go.

- [hammering]

- You stay here.

- No, no, no.

I won't let you

go up there alone.

- You wait here,

I'm gonna see what it is.

- Oh, please,

let me go with you.

- Judy, will you warn me

if anyone comes?

And I'll only be a moment.

Now wait.

- [hammering]

- [door handle rattles]

- [screams]

- [screaming]

- [indistinct yelling]

- Oh, Judy.

No, no, not Judy.

- Dale.

- Give her to me,

I'll look after her.

- [crying]

- Dale.

- [crying]

- Poor baby.

- [crying]

- Judy.

The Bat?

- Yes, The Bat.

He caught her

at the head of the stairs.

We saw him

rushing down the stairs

as we came out of the room.

I hurled that after him.

I hit him, I believe.

"I'm gonna cover this place from

attic to basement," you said.

Well what were you covering when

that poor child was m*rder*d?

Where were you?

- I saw a man

outside on the grounds.

I went out there and hunted him.

I heard him in among the trees,

and so I followed

the sound of him

as far as the brook

down near the back road.

And then I lost him.

- [gasps]

- I'd rather give my own life

than have this happen to Judy.

But I told you

to stay in your rooms

and lock your doors

and stay there!

What was she doing

at the head of those stairs?

- That was my fault.

- CORNELIA: They heard

a strange noise,

heavy pounding in one

of the rooms on the third floor.

We all heard it.

- DALE: I wanted

to see what it was.

Judy--she wouldn't let me

go out by myself.

I made her stay on the balcony.

- What about your new butler?

- Well, he's in his room,

I suppose.

- Oh, Mrs. Patterson.

- Oh, yes.

- Did you know

what happened here?

- No, sir,

but I heard the screams.

I went to call Warner.

We have rooms on the same floor,

but he wasn't in his room.

His bed hasn't been slept in.

- If Mrs. Patterson

could hear the screams,

Warner could certainly

hear them.

- You're quite right, sir.

I heard them.

- Oh, you did?

And where were you?

- Outside in the grounds.

- Ms. Hollander's been m*rder*d.

- No.

- Oh, so you're surprised?

Shocked?

Well, I've seen

better performances.

I remember you now.

Your name's not Warner.

I've got a circular in my office

with your picture on it.

The Chicago police,

not so long ago,

were hunting for you

in a connection with a robbery.

- You're right again, sir.

And they found me,

and they've tried me.

And I prove my innocence,

and I was acquitted.

- That could have been

a lucky break.

Where were you

when this child was k*lled?

- I told you before, sir,

outside.

- What were you doing there?

- I was following you.

I saw you leaving the house,

and it seemed

that you were hunting someone.

I thought

that you might need some help.

- Ugh.

- Oh, yes, sir.

I followed your flashlight

down through the trees.

Then it disappeared.

And then suddenly as I was

staring out into the darkness,

I was struck by something

on the back of the head.

The next thing I knew,

I was lying on the ground,

and I realized

I'd been knocked out.

- I wish you had been

knocked out.

'Cause then we would have

found you

with your mask

still on your face.

You were hit here

in this house with this poker,

as you were rushing

down those stairs

after that child was k*lled!

- Oh no, sir,

you can't pin this on me!

I'm not The Bat!

I've never k*lled!

I couldn't k*ll!

I won't take the rap for this!

- [door opens]

- Well, doctor...

we have another case

for the County Coroner.

You see The Bat came back.

Why did you come back, doctor?

- Well, I--I had an accident,

uh, about a mile down the road.

The right rear wheel of my car

came off,

and I plunged into the ditch.

This was the nearest house,

so I came here to call for help.

I thought I'd find you around,

Andy.

- Physician, heal thyself.

You must have

been hit by something

on the back of your head.

- I told you I had an accident.

- So you did, doctor.

So you did.

I could be wrong,

but maybe I'm not.

We shall see.

- All right, Dale, let's

start a new chapter.

For days, the murders

held the headlines.

Lieutenant Anderson grilled us

and ransacked the house

from top to bottom.

Warner was not

placed under arrest,

but his every move was watched.

At night, except for a detective

on guard in the house,

the police and the reporters

left us alone.

And on one of those nights,

without telling Lizzie

or anyone else,

I pursued a secret investigation

of my own.

- ♪

- CORNELIA: It was in an empty

room on the third floor

where we kept our trunks

and other things.

- ♪

-Put 'em up, Bat.

It's a bright idea

to k*ll me in my own lab

and let people think

that I'm The Bat.

But you had to k*ll me first.

What was it to be? An ambush?

Clever as you are, you're not

smart enough to do that.

Nobody's smart enough

to find the money though.

You came quite close to it.

But I know where it is.

And when you're dead with that

sign pinned on your chest,

I'm going to collect it

and live happily ever after.

"He destroyed himself."

How true that will be.

Goodbye, Bat.

Here's a serum that will heal

you whether you're rabid or not.

- [crash]

- [g*nsh*t]

- [g*nsh*t]

- ♪

- [banging on wall]

- Something's wrong.

Something's wrong.

Ms. Cornelia?

Ms. Cornelia?

Now where would she be going

at this time a night?

Well, lamb's sake.

Ugh.

I never.

Ugh.

Mr. Davenport.

Mr. Davenport.

Oh, a fine thing.

The door unbolted, the chain

off, and you asleep on the job.

Wait 'til Lieutenant Anderson

hears about this.

Come on, wake up.

What's the matter with you?

- I don't know.

I don't know.

My head hurts.

My whole body's numb.

- Here.

Here, take a sip of this.

Try to snap out of it.

I'll be back in a minute.

- [crickets chirping]

- [door rattles]

- [knocking at door]

- Hurry, will you?

It's Lizzie.

I'm terribly worried.

I can't find

Ms. Cornelia anywhere,

and something's happened

to the policeman.

I don't know what.

Get Warner,

bring him to the drawing room.

Tell him we need him.

- [heavy breathing]

- LIZZIE: Are you all right now?

- Yeah, I'll be

all right in a minute.

I remember now.

I took a drink of wine

from that decanter there.

Ms. van Gorder told me

to help myself.

- She wouldn't

put nothing in it.

- Well, somebody did.

Somebody who knew

I was on duty here.

- Then it was somebody

that got Ms. van Gorder.

I can't find her anywhere

upstairs, downstairs

or in the basement.

I told the housekeeper

to get Warner.

- Lieutenant Anderson

will wanna know about this.

Hello.

Yeah, this is Davenport

at The Oaks.

We've got trouble here.

Well, for one thing,

I was drugged.

Yeah, but I must have been

knocked out,

because the maid tells me

Ms. van Gorder's missing.

Well, you better call Anderson,

let him know.

He's not a home?

Well, where is he?

Out on a case--what case?

Dr. Wells?

What else did they tell you

about it?

- Oh hurry, will you?

We've got to find Ms. Cornelia.

- [heavy breathing]

- Okay.

Lieutenant Anderson

is out on a case.

Dr. Wells was found dead

in a room next to his garage

m*rder*d.

- Dr. Wells?

- There's something q*eer

about the k*lling of Wells.

But headquarters

won't talk about it.

- Lizzie,

Warner isn't in his room.

There's no sign of him anywhere.

- And I was supposed

to keep an eye on that guy.

- Where's Ms. Cornelia?

That's what I wanna know.

- Wait a minute.

Didn't you say

that the chain and the bolt

were off of the front door?

- I certainly did.

- Well, maybe Ms. van Gorder

went outside.

- She never would.

We better look.

- [crying]

I can't--I can't breathe.

There's no air--

- Ms. Cornelia?

- Oh, Ms. van Gorder?

- Ms. Cornelia?

Ms. Cornelia?

- Ms. van Gorder?

- Look!

There's a light in that

room of the third floor.

Were you up there tonight?

- Well, of course I was,

but I turned the lights out

before I came downstairs.

- Then Ms. Cornelia

might have turned them on again.

That's where

we're gonna look first.

Come on.

- ♪

- [crying]

- Ms. Cornelia?

Ms. Cornelia?

Ms. Cornelia?

- Yes, Lizzie, I'm here.

- [banging on wall]

- CORNELIA: Come--come

to the mantelpiece.

- Here we are, Ms. van Gorder?

What do we do now?

- Over the mantle,

there are five panels.

Strike it with your hand.

- Which panel did you say,

Ms. van Gorder?

- CORNELIA: Oh, I can't.

I just can't.

- DAVENPORT: Ms. van Gorder,

which panel?

We couldn't hear you.

- She said strike it,

which difference does it make

which panel?

Strike 'em all.

Look.

- Oh, oh.

Oh, it's all right now.

It's all right, dear.

Lizzie's here.

- Feeling better?

- Yes, much better.

- We'll take you to your room.

- Oh no you won't.

I'm gonna stay right here.

I'm quite all right.

Oh, how blessed it is to breathe

without an effort, you know?

No one knows

how sweet the air can taste

until someone shuts it off

for a moment.

That room is just like a box.

When the mantelpiece closed,

it seemed like all the air

was drawn out of it.

- Look, there it goes again!

- DAVENPORT: Let it close.

I can open it from in here.

There's a control panel

behind this blueprint.

Electric border

under the trap door here.

Once the door's open,

you can keep it that way.

I believe that the fireplace

in this other room

opens the same way.

And it does.

- For pity's sake.

I tried to find this,

but I couldn't find it.

- Yeah, it was back

of this blueprint here.

Well, it's quite a setup.

Too bad we can't open that safe

in the same way.

Take an expert to crack this box

or a shot of nitro.

- Or maybe--maybe that's

what The Bat had in mind.

- Could be.

Seems he's on the prowl tonight.

- Ms. van Gorder,

Warner has disappeared.

- And Dr. Wells

has been m*rder*d.

- Dr. Wells?

- Lieutenant Anderson's

on that case right now.

- Well, does he know

what happened here tonight?

- They got word to him.

He'll be here any minute.

- ♪

- What's that noise?

Ms. van Gorder,

the garage is on fire.

- Pete's scott, look at that.

- Lizzie, put that light out

in the other room.

- Now where are you going?

- To report the fire.

- Well, you just stay

right here.

- But, Ms. van Gorder,

the garage.

- Well, let it burn.

You watch the stair.

Can't you see that fire was set

to get us out of the house?

- Out of the house--well,

you're talking about the--

- Yes, yes,

I'm talking about The Bat.

Now that the lights are out,

he'll think his trick

has worked and we've gone.

He'll be here any minute.

- DAVENPORT: Well,

so will Lieutenant Anderson.

- I hope so.

But The Bat will be here first.

And he'll k*ll again

if we're in his way.

We've got to be

as clever as he is.

- ♪

- [knocking]

- But you'll be

safer downstairs.

I'll take care of him.

- Well, the others can go, but

I'm going to stay right here.

- All right,

but get out of sight.

- [screams]

- [g*nshots]

- [laughs] Let's face it,

ladies, and get it over with.

Others have seen my face

before they died.

But I'll have to deny you

that pleasure.

This would make a good scene

for your book, Ms. van Gorder.

But I'm afraid

you'll never write it.

- [g*nshots]

- That Bat is Warner.

I could tell.

- You misjudged me, Ms. Allen.

- Warner?

- I don't like being a m*rder

suspect, Ms. van Gorder.

I was headed for a plane.

But halfway to the airport, I

changed my mind and came back.

I'm glad that I did.

- Oh, why

it's Lieutenant Anderson.

Yes, it was Anderson.

He discovered

the secret of the hidden room

and was waiting to get into it

and open up the safe.

We found the money in it.

Little over a million

in 10s and 20s and 100s.

[laughing]

Good old Andy.

With all his ill-gotten gains

invested in bank stock,

it's a rather clever way

to hide stolen money.

In the open, as it were,

and so respectable.

But don't try it.

No matter how clever you are,

you can't hide m*rder.

Well, that's it, Dale.

That's the end.

- ♪