Hey, daddy,
where does Sam Bowden hang out?
In there, sir.
Court is about over, I think.
Oh, no, Your Honour.
But this would make the third
adjournment of this case...
always due to the illness
of some defence witness.
Granted that this witness is ill.
The defence still has 11
important witnesses able to testify...
while the plaintiff has but one.
I submit that 11 against 1
should be enough...
no matter how sickly and decrepit
those 11 happen to be.
Opposing counsel will please
come closer to the bench...
so that we can discuss this
more privately.
Sam, you know this courtroom
gets like an oven.
You want a hostile jury
on your hands?
Let's put it over till fall.
Everybody'll be happy.
Everybody except my client. He has money
due him, and he's badly in need of it.
More important, my chief witness
is quite an old man.
He might not be alive
next fall.
Motion for adjournment
is denied.
As it is now after 4:00,
this trial will resume Monday morning.
Thank you.
Hello, Counsellor.
You remember me?
Baltimore. Eight years,
four months and thirteen days ago.
It comin' in clear now,
Counsellor?
Cady. Max Cady.
Good. I wouldn't want to think
you'd forgotten me.
What do you want?
You didn't remember me right off,
did you?
Well, I guess
I've changed a little.
Where I've been, if you don't change,
they're real disappointed.
You haven't changed a bit.
You know somethin'?
That's just the way I wanted it.
I wanted you to be just the way you were
the last time I saw you.
All right, you've seen me.
What's the rest?
No rest.
Just wanted to give you the word.
Just wanted you to get the picture.
- Give me the keys.
- Why not?
Now, let me get this straight.
You're not still blaming me
for what you did.
You still don't get the picture.
Well, I can see this
is gonna take a lot of time.
Hey, look at that, would ya?
Look at that wiggle.
Maybe she thinks we don't know
that's on purpose...
but we've seen a thing or two,
haven't we, Counsellor?
You oughta be
an expert on such things.
I hear you got a good-lookin' wife
and a daughter gonna be just like her.
Give my love to the family, Counsellor.
I'll be seein' ya.
Well, anyway,
you're ten minutes late.
It's a mistake to teach women to tell
time. They always use it against you.
Please don't be long, Dad.
I asked Betty to bowl with us.
Betty?
That rancid little thing that you detest
with every fibre of your being?
That was last week.
This week, they're inseparable.
Think I'll just sit here
and keep score.
Cheat.
- Beer.
- Okay.
Here you go.
- You're kinda fast on your feet.
- You have to be around here.
- That ring mean anything?
- Yeah. It means plenty.
Does that mean anything?
Dad, you're slipping.
Usually you would've said
the pin moved.
It did.
Nice shot.
Don't mind me, Counsellor.
I'm just gettin' a gander
at the rest of your family.
You're a lucky man.
Did you see my strike, Daddy?
Police department.
Chief Dutton, please.
Chief Dutton?
He's probably left, but I'll try.
Chief Dutton.
Mark. Sam Bowden.
Well, hello, Sam.
- Mind if I drop over this evening?
- Not at all. You know the house.
Yes, I know it.
Thanks, Mark.
What's on your mind, Sam?
There's an ex-convict in town,
name of Max Cady.
Thanks.
I think he's starting
a war of nerves with me.
I hope it's only that.
Has he threatened you?
No, nothing
that would hold in court.
You have to know him
to feel the threat.
He stopped me today after court...
and showed up this evening
at the bowling centre.
He followed me.
Why?
I was up in Baltimore
about eight years ago on a case.
One night I was walking
back to my hotel quite late.
I heard a commotion
in the rear of a dark parking lot.
Sounded like someone whimpering.
I ran over.
A girl was being attacked,
so I grappled with the man.
She suddenly got her breath back
and started screaming.
When he saw the police...
he went completely berserk.
Put the girl in the hospital
for over a month.
That was Max Cady.
Later on, I had to go back up
and appear against him as a witness.
You feel sure that
he blames you personally.
That was perfectly clear
at the trial.
Thought it was strange
when he showed up here this afternoon.
I wasn't...
really worried until I saw him
at the bowling centre.
It was the way he looked
at my family.
All ex-cons are required
to register on arrival in a new town.
Sergeant, this is Dutton.
Has an ex-con named Max Cady...
Hold on.
- How do you spell that, Sam?
- C-A-D-Y.
Has he registered here
in the last few days?
Chances are he hasn't done it.
We can run him out of town on that.
Thanks, Sergeant.
Hold on.
He's smart.
Registered yesterday.
What address did he give?
I see.
Switch me to Lieutenant Gervasi.
The address
is over at the dock area.
Sounds like he's short of dough.
We can get him on vagrancy.
Pete, I want a pick-up
on Max Cady.
The registration has the description.
Fine. Call me back.
Thanks, Mark.
My family's home alone.
I'd better be going.
You have a dog, don't you, Sam?
She couldn't bite through a doughnut,
but she's a good barker.
That's good enough.
I'll call you when they pick him up.
I hope I haven't put you
to all this trouble for nothing.
- Sam, I hope it is for nothing.
- Good night.
- You're Max Cady?
- I could be.
- What's your problem?
- We want to talk to you outside.
You start reachin' for those,
you'd better call for the riot squad.
I don't mind a little talk.
I just don't like bein' pawed.
I'll come back
for the change later.
I'm gonna give you just one hour
to get rid of your friends.
Are you trying to pick me up?
Yes.
You know I'm not drunk.
But I'm a cooperative guy.
Here.
See that card?
"John W. Moss, MD"
You wanna give me
an intoxication test...
bring that gentleman down here.
I didn't spend eight years in the can
studyin' law for nothin'.
I've got a legal right to be examined
by my own physician.
- Or didn't you boys know that?
- Never mind.
You'll be sober enough
when you leave here anyway.
Thank you.
Come on in.
Well, well, well.
We seem to be seeing
quite a bit of each other today.
Strip down to your shorts, Cady.
Right.
You thought I was gonna object
to a strip search, didn't you, Chief?
No, siree, not me.
Like I said,
I'm a cooperative guy.
Check that shirt. I got a couple of
jolts of horse stashed under the collar.
- Let's make with the pants.
- Comin' up, Chief.
What are you doing in our town?
Well, they told me
it was a pleasant climate...
plenty of boatin' on the river...
a lot of fine, stand-up citizens
like our friend here, the counsellor.
Lfigured that'd be
just the place for me.
How much money have you got?
Here's my wallet.
Why don't you check for yourself.
Seven dollars.
That's just not enough, Cady.
I'm charging you with vagrancy
unless you're 100 miles away by morning.
Would you look just a little harder,
please, Chief, sir?
A little black bank book in there.
Read what that says.
- This one?
- That's it.
Fifty-four hundred dollars.
Where'd you get it?
It's in the bank right here, deposited
this very day. You saw that, didn't you?
I asked you
where you got it, boy.
That could be my business,
couldn't it?
Would you advise me
to answer a question like that?
You'd be wise to answer it.
That's the kind of advice I like.
Like I said, I'm a cooperative guy.
Check with the escrow officer of the
He'll be happy to tell you
exactly where that money come from.
- Anything?
- Nothing, Chief.
- Come on, Sam.
- "Come on, Sam"?
Y'all kind of friendly,
ain't you?
Nice, tight little corporation.
"Mark, old buddy, I don't like that
man's face. Throw him out of town."
"Why, certainly, Sam.
Anything to oblige you."
I'm gonna tell you somethin',
mister.
You're gonna be old and grey
before I ever leave this town.
I'll give you a warning.
Stay off my property...
day or night.
Sorry I couldn't phone you sooner,
but I was out on a case.
I got hold of the escrow officer
at his home earlier.
Cady sold the old family farm
for $5,900, net.
He's in the clear, Sam.
When are you going
to release him?
I've already done it.
A couple of hours ago.
Hold on, Mark.
What's going on with Marilyn?
I don't know.
I can't see her in the bushes.
- Where's your mother?
- In the kitchen, I think.
- You still there, Sam?
- Yes, Mark.
Just remember that there are legal ways
to convince Mr Cady...
that this can be
a pretty poor place to live in.
We'll do all we can.
I don't have to tell you
to keep your eyes open.
You can bank on that.
Thanks, Mark.
Marilyn stopped barking.
Maybe she caught a rabbit.
Marilyn never caught a rabbit
in her life.
- If she did, would she eat it?
- She doesn't know rabbits are to eat.
Sam! Sam!
Sam, come quick!
It's Marilyn!
She's having a fit!
Get the car started.
Dad, what's the matter with her?
Dad, what's the matter?
What's the matter, Marilyn?
Oh, Dad!
Open the door.
I'll get in the back.
You get in the front.
Maybe we'd better not take her.
She can't stay here.
Ten-to-one
it was strychnine, Sam.
You couldn't have saved her
if you'd been twice as quick.
To me it's the same
as murdering a human.
It's a shame
Nancy had to see it.
She was meant to see it.
Thanks, Doctor.
Don't let Daddy see you like this.
But this is when
I always feed her.
I'd like to speak to both of you.
I'm not telling you this
to frighten you...
but I want you to be careful.
I think you're old enough
to be told why.
Eight years ago I was a witness against
a man, and he was sent to prison.
The thing is, he's out now...
and blames me for his conviction.
He's the one
that poisoned Marilyn.
Maybe,
but there's no proof of that.
But you know he did.
Thinking isn't knowing.
Just be careful.
This is a big man.
He has dark hair.
He smokes cigars
and usually wears a panama hat.
I'll get you
a police photograph of him.
Until we have this thing
under control...
I want you never to leave this house
or the school grounds...
except in your mother's car.
There's nothing to worry about
as long as you're careful.
The police are going to keep
a very close watch on the house.
The chances are
he's just trying to scare us anyway.
A man like that
doesn't deserve civil rights.
Darling, you can't put a man in jail
for what he might do...
and thank heaven for that.
You think we could go away for a while,
take Nancy out of school?
Well, I did think of that.
But Cady can afford to go
anyplace we can go.
What are we going to do
about that man?
I don't know yet.
I know one thing.
Mustn't let him frighten us.
That'd bejust playing his game.
Sam?
What are you doing down here?
- I was hungry, and I heard Dad.
- Where is he?
He's talking to a policeman.
Probably just drove along the alley
and tossed the meat out.
Well, thanks for coming by.
Good night.
Don't you ever
do that to me again.
What were your physical findings,
Dr Pearsall?
Physical findings were a one-inch
shortening of the left leg.
And the X ray?
The X ray revealed that though
the fracture had healed...
there was marked indication
of degenerative joint disease.
By degenerative joint disease,
you mean arthritis?
- Yes.
- And what was your diagnosis?
Diagnosis was hip fracture with
destruction of the joint surfaces...
which caused the pain
and restriction of motion.
You then performed surgery
upon the plaintiff?
Yes.
This model should make the operation
easy for the jury to understand.
- What is it?
- Chief Dutton wants to see you.
- Right now?
- Right now.
Your Honour, may I be excused
for a few minutes?
Mr Garner will continue
the questioning.
- Permission granted.
- Thank you.
Keep him on as long as you can.
The jury likes him.
Oh, yes.
Yes, it is clear to me.
That's fine, if you want
to handle it that way.
Then you tell the county
it's their case, that's all.
I'm sorry to pull you out like this...
but this could be serious
for both of us.
Your friend Cady
turned up with Dave Grafton.
Oh, that's it.
Well, he got himself the right man.
Not for us. You know what he's like.
He's one of these ardent types.
You slap a cigarette
out of some hoodlum's mouth...
five minutes later he's in the mayor's
office yelling "police brutality"...
rallying the bleeding heart squad.
- Hello, Dave.
- Good morning, Sam.
I hope you haven't come
to dispute me on any technicalities.
No, I'm here as a citizen,
not as a lawyer.
- Don't worry about technicalities.
- Thank you very kindly.
First, let me say that my client
does not want to make any trouble.
He merely wants to put an end
to this persecution.
What persecution is this?
Well, I believe your records
will show the following:
Detention in jail
last Friday night...
I agree that you are,
technically, within your rights.
I merely mention this
as the beginning of a pattern.
What pattern?
I intend to establish
this pattern.
On Saturday, Mr Cady's room
was searched, his car was searched.
Did he protest the search?
During this time he was made to feel
he was suspected of poisoning a dog...
a truly despicable act, causing
serious damage to his reputation.
Hold on right there.
I can guarantee you none of my officers
mentioned this to anyone but Cady.
Perhaps.
But people become curious...
when a citizen's room
is searched by police.
On Monday...
my client was picked up
and interrogated by police...
on suspicion of armed robbery.
Tuesday, he was forced to stand in a
line-up on suspicion of purse snatching.
This constant attention
by the police...
caused his landlady to ask him
to vacate the premises.
He was forced to find other,
more expensive lodgings.
All right, what's the point?
Don't the police have a right
to interrogate a suspect any more?
You know, if anybody
had told me a week ago...
that you were capable
of a remark like that...
Let me continue with the pattern.
On Wednesday,
he was picked up twice...
first on suspicion of burglary,
second on suspicion of grand theft auto.
His new landlord became aware of this
in some manner...
and again Mr Cady
was forced to move.
His present lodgings
are squalid and uncomfortable.
Today is Thursday.
You must be about finished.
For the moment, yes.
Then what is this pattern
you're talking about?
I'm sure Mr Bowden here
is still enough of a lawyer to see it.
My client is an ex-convict.
He's been constantly harassed
by the police...
subjected to extreme mental cruelty
and public degradation.
He's even been denied
an adequate place to live!
To be very blunt, gentlemen,
my client has been thoroughly rousted.
And isn't it also a fact...
that with manpower
as short as you say it is...
that officers
are assigned day and night...
to guarding the premises of one private
individual, your personal friend...
this without any evidence
of danger?
You're referring to my house?
Yes, I am.
Then I ask...
who furnished you
with that information?
Well, I think you will find
that this is a matter of...
common knowledge
in the department.
Grafton,
I want you to listen to this.
I don't owe Sam Bowden
any special favours, nor do I give any.
In each 24 hours, there's been less than
two hours devoted to guarding his house.
I'm prepared to substantiate that.
Now, are you finished?
That depends, gentlemen.
It depends wholly
on the treatment...
that my client receives
from now on.
Come, Mr Cady.
Gentlemen.
I'll see you around, Counsellor.
Now you can see why I wanted you
to hear this, Sam.
I can't do anything more
without an overt act.
Like a neat little murder?
Well, you show me a law
that prevents crime.
All we can do
is act after the fact.
You remember the Hoffman murder?
Before she was killed, Mrs Hoffman
came up here week after week...
telling us that her husband was
going to do it, and I believed it.
But I couldn't arrest the man
for something that might be in his mind.
That's dictatorship.
Sam, you're a citizen.
Would you want it any other way?
Then what am I supposed to do?
Pull up the drawbridge?
Sit home with a loaded gun? Have
the groceries dropped in by airlift?
That's kind of an artificial way
to live, wouldn't you say?
Sam, I'm going to make
a humiliating suggestion...
and it's humiliating for me.
You hire yourself
a private detective.
That's all you can do.
Get Charlie Sievers.
If anyone can dig up
something we can act on, he can.
- Private detective.
- That's right.
I'm not going to go into
the "I am a taxpayer" routine...
but is that the best
you can do?
You're telling me
to hire protection?
It's a hell of a note, isn't it?
Either we have too many laws
or not enough.
Why are we going this way?
Better scenery.
What would you know
about scenery?
Or beauty?
Or any of the things
that really make life worth living?
You're just an animal.
Coarse, lustful...
barbaric.
Keep right on talkin', honey.
I like it when you run me down.
Max Cady.
What I like about you is...
you're rock bottom.
I wouldn't expect you
to understand this...
but it's a great comfort
for a girl to know...
she could not possibly sink
any lower.
Yeah.
Tell me some more
about that time when you were...
queen of
the veiled prophet's ball.
Operator,
Police Department.
Give me Sergeant Elkins.
Hello, Mike.
This is Charlie Sievers.
I'm at the corner
of Sherman and DeSoto.
If you want something
on Max Cady...
he's up in a room with a girl
who just blew into town a few days ago...
Diane Taylor.
He's in the room with her now.
She's over 18, but you can
still get him for lewd vagrancy.
That's the room.
Second floor.
Open up! Open up!
There's a back door open here
and an outside stairway.
Something kind of weird's
happened to her.
I can't get her to spill a thing.
Maybe you can.
Miss Taylor?
You're probably hurt
worse than you realize.
Would you like me to get a doctor?
My name is Charlie Sievers.
I'm a private detective.
I can help you.
No need to take
a beating like this lying down.
A man like that has no right
to walk around free.
You've got the law on your side.
Why not use it?
No one blames you
for being afraid of Max Cady.
This one's different,
and you know it.
He beat you up tonight.
He'll probably do it again
tomorrow night.
He might even kill you.
Let me take you down
to the homicide bureau.
I'll show you photographs
of girls...
who got mixed up
with men like Cady...
and, Miss Taylor,
it'll make you sick.
But you'll realize
how lucky you are to be alive.
Why not protect yourself?
Hello?
Could you send
a taxicab promptly...
to the corner
of Sherman and DeSoto?
I want to go to the bus station.
Right.
Quick, please.
Leave town if you have to,
and as I said, no one will blame you.
But before you go,
help us put this man away.
All you have to do is come to police
headquarters and sign a complaint.
Won't you do that?
If not for your sake,
for somebody else's?
Protect myself?
Nobody can protect themselves
against a man like that.
I'm scared.
- You can't help me.
- But I can.
You file an assault charge,
and Cady will get six months in jail.
Six months.
And after that?
When he walked out of this room...
he said...
he said to consider this
only a sample.
And from my limited knowledge
of human nature...
Max Cady isn't a man
who makes idle threats.
Anyway, you said
you weren't a policeman.
What do you want?
I have a client... Mr Bowden.
Mr Sam Bowden.
Cady has threatened
his wife and his daughter.
Never mind the reasons.
Mr Bowden is worried,
and I can't blame him.
You know Cady.
You believe that I could ever...
ever...
in my whole life...
step up and repeat...
to another living soul...
what that man...
what he did?
What about my family?
I'm someone's daughter too.
What about the newspapers
in my home town?
Do you think I could bear
to have them read about...
I'm afraid I got you here
for nothing.
She won't talk, and she's
leaving town on the next bus.
This is Mr Bowden.
Once more, before it's too late,
would you reconsider?
I'm sorry.
Really, I'm sorry.
So what do we do next?
Drop tailing him.
You're wasting your money.
He expected to be covered.
And anytime he wants to shake loose,
he'll figure a way.
Then what do you suggest?
Change his mind.
Get in touch
with a guy named Jepson.
Alex Jepson.
He's got some rough friends
along the waterfront...
and for the right price...
Are you kidding?
- I can't consider that.
- Okay.
So you're a lawyer
and you believe in due process.
But it's your family,
not mine.
A type like that is an animal...
so you've got to fight him
like an animal.
That's my advice.
When can we have one like that?
It's on our fiscal program
for the year 1980.
- What's "fiscal"?
- That's what we haven't got.
I've been looking for an excuse
to quit this... I finally found it.
- I forgot to buy paper plates and cups.
- You did that on purpose.
You can't convict me
on mere suspicion.
If one rat can leave the ship,
why not two?
- You take over for a minute.
- Where are you going?
I have to get more thinner
from Tony.
If we're a family of rats,
I'll leave too.
No. You represent
a giant stride in evolution.
And don't drip any of that
on the deck.
Hey, Nancy! Ahoy!
- Going to the picnic?
- Yes, if we ever get started.
- We'll go water-skiing. Okay?
- Okay.
What are you doing here?
Just drinking this beer,
Counsellor.
Do it someplace else.
The man sells me a beer,
and I might rent me a boat.
How many laws you got
against that, Counsellor?
Look, Cady...
maybe you can get away
with dog poisoning...
beating up on a little drifter
like Diane Taylor.
Don't push your luck with me.
Say, she's gettin' to be...
gettin' to be almost as juicy
as your wife, ain't she?
You rotten...
You're not gonna push me
into anything, Counsellor.
You just had your innings.
I'll make my stroke later.
I guess you saw that, didn't you?
Never laid a hand on him.
Just minding my own business,
a man walks up and starts beatin' the...
How about that?
That's him, isn't it?
She just ran out in front of me.
Nancy, darling, are you all right?
I saw him! I saw that man!
He chased me into the school,
and I couldn't get away!
It's all right, darling.
I tried to get away, but...
He's here. He's here, Mama.
- How is she?
- She's only bruised.
The doctor gave her a sedative.
I'm sorry, Sam. I thought the store
would only take a second.
Sam!
Are you out of your mind?
But, Sam,
he didn't do anything to her!
- He didn't hurt her!
- Fine. I'll wait until he does.
Will you please listen!
Lt'll be murder.
You know that.
Do you want to ruin all of us?
Isn't that exactly what he wants?
In the name of heaven,
pay him off...
give him some money
and he'll go away...
but don't do this to us.
If you get into that car,
I'll call the police.
You won't get halfway into town
before they pick you up.
Get me the police.
Please hurry.
Could I speak to Chief Dutton?
Mrs Bowden.
Bowden.
Mrs Sam Bowden.
Yes, it's urgent.
It's very urgent.
Will you please hurry?
Hello, Mark.
I'm sorry. It's a false alarm.
Everything's all right.
I'll talk to you later.
Right. Good-bye.
You're sweatin' a little,
huh, Counsellor?
Well, I know how it is.
I sweat too.
For eight solid years I sweat.
You gonna buy me a drink?
- Waiter?
- That'll be double, waiter.
Twelve-year-old.
My rich cousin here says
nothing's too good for ol' Max.
- How much do you want, Cady?
- How's that again?
You heard me.
I said, "How much do you want?"
Counsellor, you gotta forgive me. I'm a
little slow till after my first drink.
- I assume we're talkin' about dough.
- That's right.
Well, that certainly
is heart-warmin'.
A poor ex-convict comes to
a new town lookin' for a fresh start...
and one of the leading citizens
steps right up...
and offers him financial help.
That's enough to renew
your faith in human nature.
It sure is.
Hey, buster.
You got some salted peanuts,
salted in the shell?
- Not in the shell.
- Okay, forget it.
- I'm gonna have to educate this town.
- Come on. Let's have the answer.
That takes a little figurin',
Counsellor.
What do you reckon
eight lost years is worth?
Could a court fix a value on that?
Stick to the point.
How much?
That's too simple.
I like to put values on things.
Like the value of eight years...
the value of a family.
Interesting calculations,
wouldn't you say, Counsellor?
You're right to pass that stuff up.
A man told me it was bad for you.
Hey, buster, my friend would like
to buy me another drink.
Ten thousand dollars now and another
ten thousand over the next two years...
providing you keep out
of the state.
Suppose I come back
after the money runs out?
I'll give you a simple answer
to that one: I'll kill you off.
Well, let me see.
Twenty grand...
That's less than 3,000 per
for my eight years.
Counsellor, I don't believe you've
heard of the Minimum Wage Act.
Now, just for fun...
let's go back to talkin' about values...
the value of a family.
You probably didn't even know
I had a family, did you?
One wife and one kid.
That's what I had when you sent me up.
She dumped me.
Never even visited.
- I signed the divorce papers.
- What did you expect?
Oh, no, it wasn't that. It was
the prison rap that she couldn't take.
She couldn't stand the disgrace...
and that was your doing,
not my doing!
She married a plumber.
They wound up with a litter of kids.
My own kid doesn't even know me.
So when I got out,
I went to visit her.
The plumber was off plumbin' someplace
and the kids were all in school.
She picked up a poker, tried
to hit me over the head with it.
I took it away from her and calmed
her down. She crawled in the car.
I took her 50 miles
down the road...
- Why tell me all this?
- Because I want to tell you all this.
That night, I made her call up
the plumber and tell him...
she was takin' a little vacation
from him and the kids.
Then I made her sit down
and write me a love note...
askin' me to invite her
on a second honeymoon.
She dated it and signed it.
I made her write
a lot of dirty words.
Then I occupied her time
for three days.
- You beginning to get the picture?
- I'm getting it.
Good.
Then I told her that if she ever
blew the whistle on me...
I was gonna mail a Photostat
of that note to the plumber.
I pumped another quart
of whisky into her...
threw away her dress, threw away her
shoes and gave her a fair chance...
to work her way home.
Charming story.
What is it supposed to prove?
Counsellor, for a bright fellow...
you sure are slow
gettin' the picture sometimes.
You see, I burned for eight years.
Now I've got what you might call
"peace of mind"...
about my dear, darlin' wife.
So no deal.
You're gettin' warm, Counsellor.
You know,
when I was in the bucket...
all I could think about was
bustin' out and killin' somebody.
I wanted to kill him
with my bare hands, slow.
Every single night for seven years,
I killed that man.
And on the eighth year,
I said, "Oh, no.
That's too easy.
That's too fast."
You know the Chinese death
of a thousand cuts?
They cut off a little toe...
then a piece of your finger,
your ear, your nose.
I liked that better.
By the little toe, I'm to understand
"child." That's it, isn't it?
That's your train of thought,
Counsellor, not mine.
My train of thought.
Shocking degenerate.
I've seen the worst, the dregs...
but you...
You are the lowest.
It makes me sick
to breathe the same air.
Hey, buster.
My cousin left me enough
to buy me another blast.
This is no war of nerves.
He won't be bought off.
It's Nancy he's after.
And he'll get to her
sooner or later...
unless I change his mind.
I just won't believe it.
I just can't.
You said yourself,
he's too clever to take chances.
How could he even touch her
without taking a chance?
What would you do
if she were attacked?
- Have him arrested?
- How can you ask such a thing?
Of course!
What's the matter with you?
Would you have him tried?
Pull him into court?
Naturally, he'd deny
the whole thing.
That means that Nancy
would have to testify.
You've never watched a child
testify in such a case.
Thank God you haven't.
It's the clinical reports...
and the questions...
and the detailed answers
that she'd have to give.
She'd have to give them,
all right...
because he'd deny it,
and we'd have to prove his guilt.
A beast like that...
Who'd believe him?
No one.
No one at all!
But that wouldn't
spare her the questions.
And Cady knows that.
He knows...
that we'd never put her
through an ordeal like that.
There's got to be something we can do.
There just has to be.
There is.
There is.
Well, is this Mrs Bowden?
Yeah, I knew it was.
I just wanted to hear your voice again.
You know something?
For eight years I dreamed about
a chick with a voice like that...
just whisperin'in my ear,
real close...
Don't. Don't.
Sayin', "Baby..."
Sam!
Shut up, you!
Counsellor, you really stepped
on it this time, didn't you?
I don't know what
the Bar Association thinks...
about its members
compounding a felony...
but I do know
what the law thinks about it.
You just put the law
in my hands...
and I'm gonna break
your heart with it.
Ain't nothin' can stop me.
You understand that, don't you?
That house and that car
and that wife and kid...
they ain't worth nothin'
to you now.
Now you listen to me.
You asked for this.
You asked for it,
and if you don't get out of...
You're wrong, man. I'm gonna
show you what it's like to be wrong.
Speakin'about
your wife and kid...
I got a little caper
planned for them.
Remember the story
I told you about my old lady?
That was just laughs, Counsellor.
That was kid stuff.
I got something planned
for your wife and kid...
they ain't never gonna forget.
They ain't never gonna forget it,
and neither will you, Counsellor. Never.
You'll never forget it.
I can't believe we're...
standing here talking about...
about killing a man.
There's still a few ifs,
ands and buts about it.
I can't go into this alone.
I'll have to have help.
Of course, he wouldn't fall for it here.
He knows we're too much on our guard.
But if he got the idea...
that we thought she was
safely hidden away someplace...
"She"?
You can't be talking about Nancy.
Don't worry.
I won't go into this
until it's airtight.
I won't make a move that
will put her in any danger.
That won't stop the terror of it.
She's only a child.
And what about the terror
if he catches her really alone?
- Sam.
- Good morning, Dave.
Sleep well last night?
Well enough.
You needn't bother to open that.
You've tried your last case
in this state.
Your three hired hands landed
in the hospital last night.
One of them thought he was gonna die,
and he talked.
- Oh, the judge wants to see you.
- Good. I want to see him too.
He's gonna tell you I'm instituting
disbarment proceedings against you.
- You didn't waste much time, did you?
- I'm just getting started.
The committee on ethics is meeting
up at the State Capitol right now.
They work real fast. Better have your
story ready to tell 'em by tomorrow.
You don't think the committee will wait
to see if I'm convicted of anything?
The committee is interested in keeping
the legal profession beyond reproach.
After last night, I'm real interested
to see how you answer to that one.
- Good morning, George.
- Good morning, Sam.
I only came down to tell you that
I have to turn the case over to you.
I'll break the news
to the judge.
Have you gone out of your mind?
You've come to the wrong man.
Dave Grafton was here ten minutes ago.
You haven't got a leg to stand on.
Jepson's in there being interrogated.
If he talks, I'm gonna have to arrest
you before you leave the building.
If I'm arrested, who's gonna
protect my family? You?
That's below the belt, Sam.
Grafton's watchin' every move I make.
The only answer to Dave Grafton,
the ethics committee...
and all the rest of it
is to show Cady up for what he is.
You can't do it with a stake-out!
Cady's too smart for that!
But I've got it
carefully worked out.
There's a houseboat.
It's up on the Cape Fear River.
It has a shore cabin, a telephone.
It's isolated, hard to find.
- The perfect place to hide my family.
- No place is perfect!
Do you expect Cady to believe that
you'd leave your family alone anywhere?
That's the one thing
that had me stumped.
And this morning...
Grafton handed me the answer
on a platter.
He's forcing me to fly
to Atlanta tomorrow...
to appear before this committee.
You can bet that
his friend, Mr Cady...
will be tailing me
clear to the airport.
But the moment
I get to Atlanta...
I'll hire a car
and cut across to the coast.
I'll get a boat
at Hennessey's Landing.
In a few hours, I'll be at
the houseboat with Peggy and Nancy...
and Cady will think that
I'm sweating it out in Atlanta.
The next step is to lure him up there
when we're ready for him.
That's your department too.
He knows you're tied in
with the case.
He'll follow you when you leave town
if you make it look right.
- He steps ashore and you shoot him?
- That's about it.
You can't shoot a man for
simple trespass. Not any more.
- Cady's built a good case against you.
- It'll be more than simple trespass.
But I won't wait until he wipes
the blood off his hands either.
Now hold on.
Just hold on.
I've listened.
Now you listen.
You're gonna do a foolish thing without
help, and you're gonna need lots of it.
Now, I can't help you
if I wanted to.
That's county territory.
You know the sheriff. Are you gonna
stand on ceremony at a time like this?
All you have to do
is pick up the telephone!
And do what? Ask for half a dozen
deputies to help a man I should arrest?
I don't want
half a dozen deputies.
That would be a sure way
of tipping off Cady and Grafton.
It'd be all over town
in no time.
One is all I can risk.
One is all I'm asking for.
Do I get him?
Well, this time next week,
I may be back poundin' a beat.
We should've gone to the left
of this island, about a mile back.
Are we gonna be completely marooned?
No visitors at all?
- You didn't say anything to Betty?
- I didn't say anything to a soul.
Have a nice voyage
to nowhere.
- I'll see you in a day or two.
- Don't get lost on the way home.
Do you think she'll be able to stand
all this shattering peace and quiet?
Don't you worry about Nancy.
That's pioneer stock.
Cast off.
Flight 403 for Atlanta
now boarding at gate three.
Attention, please.
Passengers for Atlanta...
flight 403 now boarding
at gate three.
- I have a brief here for Sam Bowden.
- Yes, sir.
Was he on that flight 403?
Yes, sir, he was.
Now I don't know whether
to mail it to him or not.
You don't have any idea
when he'll be back, do you?
Let's see.
He did make a return
reservation, sir.
- 6:00 p.m. On Thursday.
- Then I guess special delivery will do.
- Thank you.
- You're welcome.
- It's just a log bumping.
- No, not that. Listen.
It's a boat.
There are bound to be boats.
We didn't hear any last night.
It's coming closer.
- Peg! Nancy!
- It's Daddy!
Darling, thank God it's you!
Daddy!
This is Mr Kersek,
of the sheriff's office.
- How do you do?
- Hello. Come on in.
Don't you think it's about time
you were getting ready for bed?
Where am I going to sleep?
Here, with your mother.
Mr Kersek and I will sleep on shore.
- Won't you have some more coffee?
- Don't mind if I do.
- Will you excuse us for a few minutes?
- Sure thing.
So far so good.
We're all here.
Cady thinks I'm in Atlanta.
You can still say no
if you want to, Peg.
Nothing will start...
unless I call Charlie Sievers.
Call him.
I tailed him
until he spotted me, Mr Bowden.
Then he checked to see
your car was home...
and Mrs Bowden's car was gone.
Looked at the mail in the box
but didn't take any.
Then he tried the boat basin.
Tony told him your boat
hadn't been out all week.
But for the rest, well,
I guess we've missed so far.
Because if he's been tailing me,
I haven't been able to spot him.
I still think he will.
You're the only lead he has.
- Start things moving tomorrow.
- Right.
- Yes?
- Looks like we're striking out.
I'm on 257,
halfway to Cross's Landing...
and absolutely no sign of him.
Do you want me to keep comin'
or go back and try it again?
Could he have switched cars?
Sure, he could have switched cars, but
I've been keeping my eye on the drivers.
- What do you say?
- If he hasn't been following you...
trying it again won't work either.
- Come ahead.
- Okay.
- Seven to nothing.
- Temporarily. Only temporarily.
All them islands look alike.
Just follow this and you can't miss it.
Okay. Thanks.
You're gonna die
without a mark on you.
Just got too big
for your pants.
Kersek!
Tell the operator
to call the sheriff's office!
Send some men out here fast!
Aw, now, come on.
You ain't that scared.
You come right down to it,
what is there to be scared of?
Look, you're not a foolish man.
You're very clever.
You never make mistakes.
You don't take chances.
If you touch me,
you'll go back to prison for life.
- Want to make a bet on that?
- But you will! I'm not like Nancy!
I'm not afraid to testify! I swear it!
Believe me! I'm not afraid!
And you're a lawyer's wife?
Don't you understand?
With consent,
there ain't no charges against me.
Now, look...
I want you to hear this.
It's gonna save a lot
of messin' around.
Look!
I was gonna go for Nancy...
but I can always
make it with Nancy.
You know, next week, next month.
Wait a minute now.
You proposition me.
You, instead of Nancy...
and I'll agree
never to see you again.
Unless of course you want it.
And that's how
you give your consent.
That's not consent,
it's blackmail!
Reasons don't make any difference.
You look that up.
And as far as blackmail
is concerned...
you only think
I'm going after Nancy.
Come over here!
You're just playing it safe.
Now, your husband
is gonna appreciate...
your noble gesture.
But he ain't never
gonna forget it!
Please! Please!
So, all in all,
I don't think...
I don't think you're gonna...
you're gonna say too much
about this, are ya?
You're not gonna talk about it,
are ya?
Are you?
No! No!
It's Nancy! He only wanted
to get you away from her!
It's Nancy!
Operator!
He's here. He's here!
Nancy, get out of here.
Run and hide.
Run and hide! Run!
Hide! Hide! Run! Hide!
Go ahead.
Go ahead.
I just don't give a damn.
No. No!
That would be letting you off
too easy, too fast.
Your words.
Do you remember?
Well, I do!
Oh, no.
We're gonna take
good care of you.
We're gonna nurse you
back to health.
And you're strong, Cady.
You're gonna live a long life
in a cage.
That's where you belong.
And that's where you're going.
And this time, for life!
Bang your head
against the walls!
Count the years,
the months, the hours...
until the day you rot.