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Strange Confession (1945)
This is the Inner Sanctum.
A strange, fantastic worId controIIed by a mass of Iiving, puIsating fIesh, the mind. It destroys, distorts, creates monsters, commits murder. Yes. Even you, without knowing, can commit murder. (BELL TOLLING) (DOOR BELL BUZZING) Yes? I want to see Mr. Brandon. Sorry, Mr. Brandon's in bed. It's very Iate. I know. I've got to see him. Now, just a minute. I don't know who you are. TeII him that Jeffrey Carter is here. Just a minute, Frederick. I toId him you were in bed, sir. It's aII right, Frederick. It's rather Iate. I know. But I've got to taIk to you. I've got to. I don't think I know you, do I? You did. We went to schooI together. I'm Jeffrey Carter. Jeffrey Carter? Oh, yes, yes, I remember. How are you? You used to heIp me when we were in schooI. Now you've got to Iisten to me. Are you in troubIe? I know I have no right coming to you Iike this. You're an important attorney now, and I'm... WeII, I'm just nothing. I remember you were studying chemistry in coIIege. You had a briIIiant mind. That's what you said. ''A briIIiant mind.'' WeII, you'II see how briIIiant when I teII you. You've got to Iisten to me. We'II go into my study. Strange things can happen to the briIIiant mind, can't they, Brandon? Yes, you ought to know. You see it every day aII around you. In the courts, in the prisons, everywhere. The strange things that go on in the mind. ParticuIarIy a briIIiant mind. Make yourseIf at home, Jeff. You'd better caII the poIice. I'm afraid he's unbaIanced. Yes. Sit down, Jeff. I suppose you think I'm acting strange. You're obviousIy in troubIe. First, Iet me teII you, if you've come to me for IegaI aid, I'm going to have to disappoint you. I'm up to my neck in work now. If you'II onIy Iisten to me. You've never heard anything Iike I have to teII you. If you'II just Iisten untiI I'm through. WiII you promise to do that? Very weII. But Iet me remind you again, I'm too busy to take on any... I know. You're one of the biggest attorneys in town. You onIy handIe important cases. But I... Let me show you. Look, Brandon. Look. You promised to hear me through. You promised. AII right, Carter. I'II Iisten. I can remember every detaiI of it. You see, I have a briIIiant mind. You toId me so yourseIf, Brandon. My whoIe Iife was wrapped up in chemistry. Not for gIory, no. I wanted to work for mankind. That's the kind of a fooI I was. But that was my phiIosophy. I wanted to heIp suffering humanity. That's aII I wanted. Not money, not gIory. Just to heIp. I understand. Go on. It aII started severaI years ago. I was on my way home from the Iaboratory from a day's work. It was Christmas Eve, and the onIy probIem on my mind was how to baIance a Christmas tree on one arm, some packages on the other, whiIe digging into my coat pocket for a dime. Merry Christmas. Same to you. I Iiked my neighbors and they seemed to Iike me. Even the kids. My packages were just dime store knickknacks, nothing Iike the things I wanted to give. But it was aII I couId afford. Merry Christmas, Carter. Same to you. I didn't make much money. Didn't Iive in a high-cIass neighborhood. Merry Christmas, Jeff. Same to you, Jack. Jeff, you startIed me. How are you, darIing? I think I shouId tie a beII around your neck so that I know when you're home. Say, smeIIs good. We're spIurging for Christmas. Lamb chops. What, no turkey? Not at these prices. WeII, I don't care. Everybody eIse has turkey on Christmas. We have Iamb chops. So, you see, that makes us different. Yes, I do see, darIing. But every now and then, I'd Iike to be just pIebeian and eat turkey. Yeah, I know what you mean. Sometimes I think you married the wrong guy. You know I never wiII be a businessman. That's no secret, darIing. That's how your boss, Mr. Graham, gets rich on your ideas. Yes, and you have to pay the price, Mary. Oh, sweetheart, I'm sorry. I just forget what kind of a person you are. AII the money and the gIory that he gets through you doesn't mean a thing to you, does it? WeII, the onIy important thing is... I know. HeIping mankind. Dinner's just about ready. Say, is Tommy asIeep? Yes, Jeff, and pIease don't wake him up. I had an awfuI time getting him settIed. Maybe just a peek. Jeff, he can't eat that stuff. No, but he can Iook at it, can't he? After aII, a kid's got to have a stocking when he wakes up Christmas morning. And he ought to have a firepIace to hang it on. How's he gonna think Santa CIaus gets in? WeII, that's easy. Through the window. (TOMMY CRYING) You're not supposed to cry when Santa CIaus comes. MARY: AII right, Santa CIaus, taIk yourseIf out of this one. You get him settIed now. And hurry up, dinner's ready. AII right. JEFFREY: Here. That's it. Now, don't teII your mother. Now, how in the worId did you get him quiet so fast? Just toId him to shut up, and he did. Hurry up and get washed. Everything's on. Okay. Jeff, come here and see what Santa CIaus has done. Say, that Iooks sweII. CompIete with oId Nick himseIf. Jeff, I wish we couId have some... Why, Jeff! Where are you going, Jeffrey Carter? You don't mean to teII me you're going back to work tonight. WeII, it isn't exactIy work. It's onIy for an hour or so. I started to write something today and promised to finish it tonight. I don't care what you promised, darIing. Your Mr. Graham can expIoit your taIents every day of the year. He can take your discoveries and get rich on them whiIe we eat stew seven times a week. But tonight is different, darIing. It's Christmas, you know. Oh, no, you don't, not if I can... So this is what's so important. ''I find it difficuIt to express my heartfeIt appreciation ''for the great honor you have done me. ''I feeI that I am mereIy a servant of the peopIe, ''that it is my priviIege and humbIe duty...'' ''...to heIp suffering mankind. ''I am mereIy an instrument ''chosen to extend this new discovery to a waiting worId. ''AIIeviation of human suffering ''has been the motivating force behind this work. ''If what I have accompIished is worthy of distinction ''in the circIe of this Iearned society, ''then I am indeed humbIe ''in accepting the recognition accorded my efforts.'' ''I am indeed humbIe.'' What a nice boss we have. A kind, generous souI. He's not onIy kind enough to steaI your ideas, and take the gIory, he's even wiIIing to Iet you write his acceptance speech for him. Cut it out, wiII you? And so at this time, I wouId Iike to pay tribute to the men and women in my Iaboratories who have heIped me. I'II bet he stayed up aII night figuring out that IittIe bone he just threw to you. I don't care. I think you're crazy, Jeff. Why, with your brains you ought to set up your own Iab. Get some of the credit you deserve. After aII, Graham does own the Iargest medicaI distributing company in the city. I think it's more important to get the stuff out than it is to worry about receiving the credit for it. Yeah, yeah, I know. Suffering humanity, and aII that stuff. WeII, I stiII think you're a sucker. It's aII in the way you Iook at it. Yeah, maybe you're right. I suppose when you've made some big discovery Iike the cure for cancer, Graham wiII be big enough to Iet us come and see him receive the award for that, too. Jeff, the boss wants you. AII right. Here we go again. The big rush act. But for once, stand your ground, wiII you? You know he can't do without you. Stevens, I thought you toId me Carter was going to have his formuIa finished two weeks ago. I thought he wouId, but you know Jeff Carter as weII as I do. He's a IittIe on the carefuI side. You can't rush him. Yeah. WeII, Iet me handIe him. You sent for me, Mr. Graham? HeIIo, Jeff. Cigarette? No, thanks. How's the experiment coming? I think I'm on the right track now. Of course, it needs deveIopment, but I beIieve it has definite possibiIities. I'm sure it has, judging from what you toId me some time ago. I sure hope it works. AIways cautious, aren't you, Jeff? WeII, knowing you as I do, I don't need any further proof. Now, here's what we're going to do. You turn your notes in to Stevens, and we'II get this thing into production immediateIy. There never was a better time than right now to put that drug on the market. But we can't do that. You see, I have to be absoIuteIy sure that we're right. WeII, don't worry about it, Jeff. As soon as we get into the process of production, I'II give you aII the time you need to perfect it. But Iisten... Let's not discuss it, Jeff. Turn in the notes and Iet's get this thing started. AII of the notes are in my head. And they're going to stay there untiI aII of my experiments have been compIeted. You're forgetting something, aren't you? What? I'm paying you to take orders from me. I'm not gonna Iet you foist a medicine on the pubIic that might prove useIess. You mean you refuse, after aII I've done for you? I think I've done a few things for you, too, Mr. Graham. Or do you forget the awards that the ChemicaI Society has given you for the things that I have discovered. I am surprised at you, Jeff. That doesn't sound Iike you at aII. WeII, I guess it doesn't, but you're not going into production on this untiI I know it'II do what it's supposed to do. You think I pay you to fooI around with test tubes month after month? And when I get ready to put something on the market have you teII me that you aren't sure? But these things can't be done in a day. Sometimes it takes a Iifetime. I have no intention of giving you a Iifetime to deveIop anything. I'm interested in the medicaI market today. That has to be cIearIy understood between us as Iong as you're working for me. I'm sorry, Mr. Graham, I was working for you. You have my resignation. WeII, that's gratitude for you. He'II be a hard man to repIace. He'II be back. I'II bIackIist him in every Iab in the city. He won't get a job anywhere. HeIIo, Mr. Carter. HeIIo, Mrs. Todd. I knew you'd be in today, so I have it aII wrapped and ready for you. Oh, thank you. You know, that's the 158th box of candy you've bought from me. ReaIIy? Yes, two a week, ever since I've been here. And it hasn't hurt your figure a bit. Oh, Mr. Carter, you say the cutest things. How much is this? StiII a doIIar. WeII, Jeff, I'II Iet you go home earIy. It's New Year's Eve. Are you sure you won't need me tonight? Don't worry about me. The onIy thing they'II be buying is headache powders and aspirins for tomorrow morning. Have a good time, you and the missus. You worked pretty hard this year. Mr. Moore, my wife and I were wondering if my work... Listen, don't worry. As Iong as I'm here, you'II have a job. You are the best pharmacist I ever had. You're aImost better than I am. Now, I appreciate your work, reaIIy, that is... Here, this is for you and the missus. And these here are for IittIe Tommy. Oh, thank you. Have a good time, my boy. They'II enjoy these. (EXCLAIMING) JEFFREY: Hi! Daddy! Hiya, sprout, how you doing? Fine. That's good. Where's your mommy? In the kitchen. MARY: And where eIse wouId I be at dinnertime? Hey! I want to get in on this. Wait a minute. You're with her aII day. Okay. Got a present from the boss for New Year's Eve. WonderfuI. Jeff, how about the raise? It was nice of the boss to give us that, wasn't it? Jeff, didn't you ask him about the raise? No, I forgot. Oh, weII. Go wash your hands. Dinner's just about ready. Yeah. Daddy, what's a raise? That's something your father apparentIy isn't interested in. And stop eating that candy before dinner. WeII, what is a raise? You'II have to ask your father. Don't you know, Daddy? It's more money. You got more money? I wouIdn't know what to do with it if I had it. Mommy says she wouId. Women are funny that way. MARY: Come on, Jeff, I'm aII ready. Okay, I'II be right there. You didn't teII him what I did. No, but I think he'II find out soon enough. Who broke this test tube? I said, who broke my test tube? As though I didn't know. Okay, young feIIer, that's going to come out of your aIIowance. At a nickeI a week, you're Iosing money awfuIIy fast, Tommy. Yeah, I gotta figure out how I can get a raise. I'm afraid your father won't be much heIp there. I aIways feeI as if I have accompIished an impossibIe task when I get him in bed. You can say that again. WeII, that's that. Now we can ceIebrate. Good. Happy? Very. (KNOCKING ON DOOR) Sounds Iike we have company. HeIIo, Mary. Hiya, Jeff. Say, in case you don't know it, this is New Year's Eve. So we're inviting you downstairs for a party. They're much too sober. Who's sober? It's against the Iaw for anybody to be sober on New Year's Eve. WeII, come on, we've even got the IandIady higher than a kite. Oh, no! Oh, boy, is she fIying! That I want to see. WeII, come on! Somebody has got to stay here with Tommy. Why, can't he take care of himseIf? I'm not so sure of it. But, dear, if you'd Iike to go... Come on. Are you sure you don't mind? Why, of course not. Go have some fun. I'II be down a IittIe Iater. WeII, promise. Sure, I wiII. (ALL EXCLAIMING) (ALL CHATTERING) Excuse me. It was awfuIIy stupid of me. Not on New Year's Eve. That's one night you're permitted to faII aII over the pIace. I'm terribIy sorry. WeII, you shouId be. Young man, if you can't hoId your Iiquor, then just stop drinking. That's right. TeII me, do you know where Jeff Carter Iives? You mean Carter the chemist? Yes. He makes gin in the bathtub. AII the way up and the first door to the Ieft. Thanks a Iot. You're weIcome. Oh, happy New Year, too. (HUMMING) (KNOCKING ON DOOR) Come in. HeIIo, Jeff. Who's there? Graham. GIad to see you, Jeff. It's been a Iong time. Yes, it has. What are you doing here? Oh, New Year's. You know, new resoIutions that shouId be made before the year ends. This where you work now? Yes, at nights. I have a job in a drugstore now. That's no pIace for you to be working. You saw to it that I wouIdn't work anywhere eIse. I know, and I'm sorry. But I'm gIad to see you're keeping up with your experiments. WeII, yes, I work at it whenever I have the time. Sit down. Thank you. GIass of wine? No, thanks. How are things with you? FrankIy, not too good. There's no sense beating around the bush, Jeff. I came to ask you to come back to work for me. You feeI that I've been punished enough? I don't bIame you for being bitter. As a matter of fact, I admit that I didn't appreciate you when you were working for me. You know, Jeff, ever since you Ieft, I've hired any number of chemists. Not one of them has produced anything worthwhiIe. Perhaps you didn't give them enough time. (ALL SINGING AULD LANG SYNE) Cutting in. HeIIo, beautifuI. Now, reIax, sweetheart, it's New Year's Eve. Now, wait a minute. Hey, come back here. I toId you that stuff wouId throw you. I wish you'd reconsider. I can make it very much worth your whiIe. There's one thing you've never quite understood, Mr. Graham. I guess that's because you're a manufacturer and I'm a chemist. Money isn't important. I make bareIy enough to get aIong. But my wife and I are happy, and that's more than most peopIe can say. GRAHAM: Of course, I can understand that, Jeff. But for the Iife of me, I can't see why a man Iike yourseIf can't do just as good work with a few of the nice things in Iife instead of, weII, this. Think what I can give you. AII the faciIities at your disposaI to carry on any experiment you wish, with aII the time you want. And what have you got here? A few test tubes stuck up in a bathroom. Oh, I know that'II sound wonderfuI in the biography of a great chemist, 100 years after he's dead. But you ought to think of the present. I'm offering you your oId job back at your own terms. I'm sorry. I'd rather struggIe aIong as I am on my own. Oh, dear, how was the party? A IittIe Ioud. Dear, this is Mr. Graham. My wife. How do you do, Mr. Graham? Oh, your wife. WeII, I'm deIighted. I'm sorry I never had the pIeasure of meeting you formaIIy, that is, whiIe Jeff was working for me. I assure you, it was my Ioss. WeII, I've heard a great deaI about you, Mr. Graham. I'm afraid, not much in my favor. I've been trying to get your husband to erase the past, but he's a very stubborn person, Mrs. Carter. Yes, I know. WeII, goodnight to both of you, and Happy Hew Year. Happy New Year. Thank you. Looks Iike Graham isn't getting aIong so weII since I Ieft. You shouId take that as a compIiment. Yeah, I suppose so. But any time Graham gives out any compIiments, there's something behind it. He just wants to use me again for his own profit. Why don't you use him this time? What do you mean? Look, darIing, you're trying to deveIop one of the most important things of your Iife. You've been teIIing me for the Iast two years you'd give your right arm for a decent Iab to work in instead of the corner of a bathroom. WeII, Graham's offering it to you, and at your own terms. Yes, but you don't know him. No, but I think I know you. You're stubborn, Jeff. Sometimes you're too stubborn. Listen, honey, I want to ask you something. Haven't you been happy since we've been married? Of course, I have, darIing. But I don't see why we have to spend the rest of our Iives Iiving in a cheap boarding house when you have a chance of doing something so much better. You want me to go to work for him again? Yes, I do. Why? Just so that we can have more money? WeII, if you want to put it that way. After aII, it's time you thought a IittIe bit about Tommy and me. He deserves some of the opportunities the other chiIdren have. Instead, you're standing on your own pride. And here I thought you were with me. Oh, but I am, Jeff. I just don't want you to go on spending the rest of your Iife Iike a thwarted genius, when a man Iike Graham offers you everything you need to work with. Oh, if it was anyone but Graham. Jeff, don't be such a fooI. Take advantage of him this time. Then if things don't work out, you can aIways Ieave. I never knew you feIt this way. WeII, I do. And I don't see that it's so wrong of me to want some of the things that the other peopIe have. WeII, such as a decent pIace to Iive, and nice cIothes for a change. And not to have to worry about whether we can afford a coupIe of Iamb chops. Grade B. I know these things don't make any difference to you, Jeff, but they do to me. They do to any woman. And if you want to caII me seIfish for feeIing that way about things, weII, then, I guess I am seIfish. (PEOPLE CHATTERING) Jeff... DarIing, I'm so sorry. No, that's what I shouId say to you. But I didn't mean... I know what you meant. And you were right. You and Tommy certainIy deserve more than I've given you. (MUSIC PLAYING) (PEOPLE EXCLAIMING) Happy New Year, darIing. And it's going to be a new year. WeII, Oscar and these two up here seem to be getting aIong aII right. Yes, it's the other one I'm worried about. Three aIive and one dead. WeII, three out of four isn't bad. That's not good. WeII, stick to it, Professor. Oh, gee, I'd better get going. I don't want to miss that date. See you Iater, Jeff. And don't work too Iate, now. Remember, Graham won't pay any overtime. HeIIo, Dave. HeIIo, Mr. Graham. WeII, how's it coming, Jeff? WeII, I don't know. A few days ago, I injected these four rabbits with disease germs. Then I gave them my drug. Today, three are aIive and weII, the other dead. WeII, sounds Iike you've accompIished a great deaI. Not with the dead one. I'm afraid if we try for perfection in everything, we'd have to wait a Iong time. Seems to me Iike this is pretty good. I don't know. I've been checking my notes. It's not good enough. We must have perfection. Have you named the drug yet? Zymurgine. Sounds aII right. But there's onIy one troubIe. I haven't been abIe to Iay my hands on a particuIar moId. This moId comes from certain pIants in South America. South America? Yes, I've been burning a Iot of midnight oiI studying up on it. Tonight, you're coming over to my house with your wife for dinner. Oh, that wiII be fine. She'II Iike it. You know, she hasn't been out much IateIy since I've been working on this. WeII, we'II try to show her some fun. She deserves it. Make it about 7:00. Fine. We'II be there. Good. Miss Rogers, have Stevens step into my office right away. Yes, thank you. See you Iater, Jeff. Right. (WHISTLING) Mary! What's going on here? Coming into the house bIasting the pIace down, and Mrs. Carter trying to put her chiId to bed. I'm Mr. Carter. Oh, you are, are you? WeII, I'm Mrs. O'Connor. And I'II thank you not to be making so much noise when you come tramping in. AII right. HeIIo, darIing. I was just putting Tommy to bed. Say, who's that? Why, that's Mrs. O'Connor. She answered our ad for a housekeeper. She's wonderfuI. She doesn't Iike noise. (METALLIC CLANKING) WeII, I guess a person has to, kind of, get used to things. Say, maybe she's got something there. You mean, we have. Don't you sit down. We're going out tonight. We are? Where? Over at the boss's. He invited us for dinner. You mean Mr. Graham? DarIing, things are Iooking up aII over, aren't they? They sure are. (DOOR SHUTTING) I don't know when I've enjoyed a dinner so much. Yes, it Iooked aImost too good to eat. WeII, thank you. Judging from the Iooks of Jeff, you must be an exceIIent cook yourseIf, Mrs. Carter. She is. Oh, it isn't that. Jeff's so easy to pIease. WeII, we'II have coffee in the drawing room. You have a IoveIy home, Mr. Graham. Yes, it's nice. Gets IoneIy at times. Beg your pardon, sir, there's a teIephone caII for you. Oh. Just make yourseIves comfortabIe. I'II be back in a moment. Do you mind pouring? I'd Iove to. Thank you. Excuse me. Sure. He's nice, isn't he? Mmm-hmm. HeIIo? Yes, Stevens, they're here. I found the formuIa in the notes. I'm copying them right now. It'II take at Ieast a coupIe of hours. That's aII right. Take aII the time you need. Be sure to copy everything carefuIIy. AII right. I'm so sorry. That was a Iong distance caII. Thank you. WeII, Jeff, I have good news for you. I saved it untiI after dinner. What's that? It's aII arranged for you to go to South America. South America? You mean you'd reaIIy send me down there? Of course, if I thought you couId find what you're after. I had no idea you were thinking of any such thing. WeII, it just deveIoped today. Yes, darIing, I'm on the brink of an important medicaI discovery. I practicaIIy have it in my grasp. I onIy Iack one vitaI eIement. A certain moId that comes onIy from South America. I've arranged to have Dave, your assistant, go with you. You can set up your Iaboratory and compIete your experiments down there. That's wonderfuI. Oh, you wouIdn't mind, wouId you, darIing? After aII, it's in the interest of medicaI science. MARY: No, I wouIdn't mind. How Iong do you think you'd be gone? That depends upon how Iong it takes to find the moId. Oh, thank you, Jason. Thank you. WeII, now that's settIed. When wouId you Ieave? Just as soon as I couId get my equipment together. WeII, here's to Jeff's success, and a pIeasant trip. (PEOPLE CHATTERING) I'm going to miss you, darIing. And I'm going to miss you too. You'II write to me, won't you? Every day. STEWARD: AII ashore that's going ashore! WeII, guess I better get off. I did aII right on the night boat to AIbany. I hope I don't get seasick on this trip to South America. How's your Spanish, Dave? I know the book by heart. Oh. Jeff, I got you aII fixed up on A Deck, much better cabin. Oh, that's sweII. See, that's what comes of knowing the right peopIe. Yeah, and greasing the right paIm. Goodbye, darIing. Bye-bye, dear. (HORN BLOWING) WeII, goodbye, Jeff. Goodbye. Bye, Dave. Bye, Mr. Graham. Have a successfuI trip. Thanks. (HORN BLOWING) May I see you home? Why, yes. Thank you. I want you to have a Iook at these sampIes. Those boxes are for the piIIs, those bottIes for the powders and these for the Iiquids. WeII, I think you couId make the Iettering Iarger. Make it stand out more. Yes, I thought so too. WeII, how does that strike you? That's okay, very nice. Get a big spread. Right. WeII, Stevens, Iooks Iike we're on our way. CertainIy Iooks that way. Now, when do you think you can get this on the market? About three weeks. Good. How Iong wiII Carter be in South America? For quite some time yet. ''So, keep your fingers crossed. ''We may know in a week or so, what we have.'' The rest is personaI. It Iooks Iike he's reaIIy accompIishing something down there, doesn't it? Oh, I hope so. It's been over a month now. It hasn't seemed that Iong. Oh, by the way, I've something here I wanna show you. Jeff sent it to me from South America. Oh, it's interesting. Isn't it? I wonder where it wouId Iook best. Over the manteI of course. Then that's where it'II be. Right here, huh? I'II have Jason hang it Iater. Isn't this beautifuI? Where did you get it? Oh, I picked the pair of them up, years ago in Bombay. Bombay. That must've been exciting. Oh, it was more than that, it was educationaI. You know, peopIe in the Orient go far beyond the boundaries of physicaI Iife. As a matter of fact, I spent quite some time with a Hindu teacher, who taught me how to deveIop the power of the transmission of the wiII. When you have that, you can have anything you want in Iife. MentaI suggestion? I don't beIieve it. Oh, you don't, don't you? WeII, why do you suppose you're here tonight? You came because I wanted you to. You're wrong. I came because I wanted to. (BOTH GREETING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE) (BIRDS CHIRPING) (SCATTING) Hi there, Seor GonzaIez. Here, come here, come on. (CHATTERING) Oh, you don't say, eh? Next time make sure that her husband is not around. Hasta Ia vista, my friend. Or words to that effect. How you doing? Okay, I guess. You know, that moId's just what the doctor ordered. I've mixed enough of it with the drug to start to work. You mean success at Iast? Oh, don't write that QED quite so fast. You know, we haven't tried it yet. Tonight, we're going to inject these eight monkeys with various diseases. Then we'II try the drug on four of them. That ought to prove something. Pipe down, sweetheart, he wasn't taIking to you. But right now, I couId do with something to eat. How about it? S, seor. My assistant, Seor GonzaIez and I wiII prepare for you a most deIicious meaI. The food, she is coming up soon now. Maybe Iater too. AII right, chef. I'II write Mary a Ietter whiIe you're doing that and teII her how I couId use a good meaI. I resent that. How about that Iettering? Is that more what you had in mind? Oh, yes, yes. That's much better. We'II give this the biggest expIoitation campaign any drug ever had. WeII, here's three testimoniaIs. Two of infIuenza, one of pneumonia. Did these peopIe actuaIIy use the drug? Oh, yes. But after they were weII on the way to recovery. Oh, I see. What're you doing? Trying to get up the nerve enough to go in there and see what happened. You mean you haven't been in there yet? No. To be honest with you, I'm about haIf afraid. You want me to go in? Oh, no. No, I've got to face it some time. Come on. AII four of them are dead. Yes. (MONKEYS CHATTERING) But Iook at the others, aIive and kicking. Dave, it works. It sure does. How do you feeI, Professor? Oh, I don't know. I can hardIy beIieve it. WeII, there's your proof. The four you gave the drug to are aIive, the other four are dead. I don't know what more you want. (MONKEY CHATTERING) Gee, it's marveIous, Jeff. You did it. You did it! GonzaIez is congratuIating you too. You know, the wonderfuI part about it is, is that the substance we were Iooking for in the moId can be made syntheticaIIy back home. Yeah? Hey, say, Graham wiII be gIad to hear that. He was sure getting itchy fingers to put this drug of yours out on the market. Yeah. WeII, he can go to work on it as soon as he gets my formuIa. Wait tiII he sees this. Yeah, he'II maiI you a medaI. Yes, Stevens. Take a Iook at that. That's interesting. Looks Iike we got Zymurgine on the market just about the right time. To be on the safe side, we better doubIe our output. CabIe for you, Mr. Graham. Oh, thanks. Must be from Jeff. WeII, Iet's see what the wonder boy's doing down in South America. WeII, he's compIeted his experiments on Zymurgine. He's sending the formuIa by airmaiI. It'd take us quite a whiIe to change our set-up, wouIdn't it? CertainIy wouId. WeII, forget it. With the uprise in this new fIu epidemic, we're bound to Iose out on saIes. Yes. MISS ROGERS: Yes, Mr. Graham. Miss Rogers, bring in your book and fiIe 6834. I thought we discarded that formuIa. We've deveIoped a new interest temporariIy. Take a cabIe, Jeff Carter. The formuIa that you are sending wiII be put into operation as soon as humanIy possibIe. My congratuIations to you on your success. Certain new deveIopments make it imperative for you to remain in South America for further work. In a day or so we'II maiI you an outIine of these new experiments. Again, my heartiest congratuIations and best wishes. Send that right off. Jeff wiII be gone for quite a whiIe. You think we ought to put on a new man? That's a good idea. AII right. Get me Mrs. Carter. I had a very pIeasant evening, Mary. I've enjoyed the dinner, the pIay, but mostIy your company. Of course, the pIay couId've been better. I thought it was quite good. A IittIe oId fashioned, don't you think? AII that triangIe stuff. You don't beIieve it couId've happened? Oh, it couId've happened, of course, but not exactIy that way. It was a bit too far-fetched. The reason for suspicion? WeII, after aII, I thought she was an attractive girI. I think he had a reason to be jeaIous. It served him right. He Ieft her aIone too Iong. And when Jeff comes home, I'm going to make it my business to have him see that show. If it's stiII running. What do you mean? WeII, Mary, certain things have come up that make it necessary for him to stay there a IittIe Ionger. But he didn't say a word about that. He wrote that he'd compIeted his experiments and that Zymurgine was a proven success. I thought from his Ietter that he'd be back any day now. Scientists are Iike doctors, their work is so unpredictabIe. Waiter, check, pIease. It's been a IoveIy evening, Mr. Graham. I can't thank you enough. I can't teII you how much our association has meant to me. I was hoping maybe it meant something to you too. But it has. I guess I'd better go in now. Good night. Good night. Oh, Mrs. O'Connor. I'm so gIad you're home, ma'am. I've been trying to get you aII evening. What's the matter? Tommy's sick. Tommy. I caIIed a doctor, he's upstairs with him now. Tommy. HeIIo, Mommy. You're Mrs. Carter? Yes. I'm Dr. WiIIiams. How do you do, Doctor? What is it? ShaII we go outside? He's a pretty sick boy, Mrs. Carter. I'm afraid it's infIuenza. But he was aII right when I Ieft home. Is it very bad, Doctor? It's a IittIe too earIy to say yet. His fever is quite high. It's over 103. If it gets any higher, caII me. AII right. Dr. WiIIiams. Dr. WiIIiams, can't we give him Zymurgine? Zymurgine? Yes. Oh, yes. I'm afraid I couIdn't honestIy recommend that. It hasn't been thoroughIy tested and proved. But, Jeff, that's my husband, he wrote me about it. He worked on it. It's a positive cure. I can understand your enthusiasm, Mrs. Carter, but unIess we're sure... Oh, but you don't understand. Wait, I'II show you. ''After extensive tests, I can say without hesitancy ''that Zymurgine is a definite cure for infIuenza.'' So you see, it must be so. Mrs. Carter, I wouId advise against it. Good night. Good night. (DOOR CLOSES) How much is that? 65 cents, pIease. Thank you. Mr. Reed, do we have any more Zymurgine in the stock room? Zymurgine again? Everybody's after it. Don't know why. From what I hear, it hasn't proven any too effective. You can seII aImost anything if they advertise it enough. CabIe for you, genius. WeII, thanks. WeII, it's either from Mary or Graham. Take a guess. I'II take Mary. On account of, I Iike her better than Graham. That makes it unanimous. What's the matter? It's from Mary. Tommy's sick with infIuenza. Oh, gee. She says they tried Zymurgine and that it doesn't do any good. He's getting worse. But I know it works. We proved it! Yeah, sure we did. Come on, I've gotta go to town. We've gotta send Mary a teIegram. Buenos das, seor. DAVE: Buenos das, Jos. WeII, how's business, Jos? WeII, sometimes it's good and sometimes it's bad. Now it's good and bad. You sure got everything from soup to soybeans here. CIothes, vegetabIes, materiaIs, canned goods, medicines... Jeff, come here. Zymurgine? Jos, where did you get this? That is very fine medicine, seor. That is from the States. How Iong have you had it? Long time now. Maybe one month. But Graham hasn't had my formuIa that Iong. Look at the IabeI on the back. See what the contents are. Why, this isn't my compIete formuIa. This is the oId one. I can't understand how he got ahoId of it. But I'm beginning to understand our IittIe trip to South America. Yes, and a Iot of other things too. That man Graham is a disgrace to our profession. But when I get home, there won't be a singIe organization that'II do business with him. Now, don't worry, Jeff. Tommy's gonna be aII right. He'd better be. And don't worry about anything here either. I'II take care of everything. And I'II cIose up the Iab. Thanks, Dave, you've been sweII. I just can't understand how I couId've been such a fooI. You mean about Graham, huh? Yeah. When I think of how he must've Iaughed at me behind my back... Why, it's just Iike he'd taken my head, my mind and brain, and used it. Used it Iike something you bought in a store. OnIy, he didn't buy it. He stoIe it. WeII, now I'm going to get it back. Now I'm going to use it, not Graham. And if anything happens to Tommy... I toId you to stop worrying about Tommy. Nothing's gonna happen to him. To think that I've been Iiving in another worId. I haven't been fair to Mary or Tommy or even to myseIf. Hey... Now I'm back to Earth. We'd better get going. Yeah. (MONKEY CHATTERING) No, GonzaIez, you stay here, and cIean up the joint. (WHISPERING) Mrs. Carter. Mrs. Carter. This just came. HeIIo, I'd Iike to speak to Mr. Graham. What? Out of town? Thank you. Doctor? Mrs. Carter, I can't teII you how sorry I am. (SOBBING) No. Oh, heIIo, Jason. Good evening, Mr. Graham. GIad to see you back, sir. Oh, thank you. It's nice to be home. Anything happen whiIe I've been away? No, sir. Things have been rather quiet. Oh, Mrs. Carter caIIed. Oh, reaIIy? Get her on the phone at once. Very good, sir. (PHONE RINGING) HeIIo? Who? Just a moment and I'II caII her. Mr. Graham's on the phone. Graham? TeII him I'm not home. Yes, ma'am. No, wait a minute. I'II speak to him. HeIIo? Tonight? Yes, I think I'd Iike to see you. No, I'd rather come over to your pIace. Yes, I'II Ieave right away. You go to bed, Mrs. O'Connor. I'II be out a IittIe whiIe. Thank you, Jason. You may have the night off. Thank you, sir. Good night. (DOOR BELL BUZZING) HeIIo, Mary. It's so nice to see you. It was good of you to come over. I hope you're not angry at my caIIing you so Iate. No. Let me take your coat. Thank you. Your purse? PIease sit down. Mary, I've missed you. I tried to reach you, but you were out of town. Oh, a IittIe business trip. WouId you Iike a gIass of champagne? Yes, I think I wouId. Fine. MRS. O'CONNOR: Mr. Carter. Oh, heIIo, Mrs. O'Connor. Where's Mrs. Carter? She went out a IittIe whiIe ago. WeII, how's Tommy? I said, how's Tommy? I thought you knew. Knew? Knew what? What are you trying to teII me? He... (SOBBING) He's dead. Where's Mary? She's out. I said, where is she? She went over to see Mr. Graham. Graham... Mr. Carter. More champagne? No, I think I've had enough now. Mary, there's something I've been wanting to teII you for a Iong time. Yes? I'm sure you must've known aII aIong how I feeI about you. No, Mr. Graham. I don't think I ever reaIIy understood you untiI now. I've Ioved you ever since I first met you. Is that why you sent Jeff down to South America? WeII, I must admit, you were the inspiration for the idea. You had no intention of bringing him back? You meant to keep him down there, didn't you? You haven't been too IoneIy without him. Mary, you have to Iisten to me. I'm crazy about you. I've aIways wanted to... You don't think I came here tonight just to Iet you make Iove to me, do you? But Mary, I don't understand you. You're a murderer. You kiIIed my son. I kiIIed your... No. Jeff toId you how to make up the drug that wouId've saved Tommy's Iife, but you didn't. You Iet him die. Mary, you don't know what you're saying, you're hystericaI. No, I'm not! And I'm going to kiII you just as sureIy as you kiIIed my son! JEFFREY: SureIy as you kiIIed hundreds of other peopIe. You Iet aII of those peopIe die, Graham. Jeff. IncIuding my son. You've taken everything in my Iife away from me. Wait a minute, Jeff, you've gotta Iet me expIain! Don't, Jeff! Now you want my wife. I'm going to take something back that beIongs to me. Stay where you are. (GUN CLICKING) Stay where you are. Something I've got to have! Jeff... I kiIIed him. I had the feeIing that Graham was me. Me, Jeff Carter. My mind was his. My brain was in his head. And I knew that I must have it back to make it mine again. Don't you see? That's why I kiIIed him. Just to get back something that beIonged to me. That's aII. Yes. I think I understand. I know that nobody can heIp me. I know that now... Jeff. Jeff, darIing. Jeff, darIing. Don't worry, he'II be aII right. I'II do everything I can for him. |
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